New English Translation
Jeremiah 21:4
4that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The forces at your disposal are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city.
Jeremiah 21:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans, which besiege you without the walls, and I will assemble them into the midst of this city.
- New International Version (NIV)‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I am about to turn against you the weapons of war that are in your hands, which you are using to fight the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside the wall besieging you. And I will gather them inside this city.
- English Standard Version (ESV)'Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls. And I will bring them together into the midst of this city.
- New King James Version (NKJV)‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: “Behold, I will turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls; and I will assemble them in the midst of this city.
Context of Jeremiah 21:4
2“Please ask the Lord to come and help us, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe the Lord will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave.” 3Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘The forces at your disposal are now outside the walls fighting against King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonians who have you under siege. I will gather those forces back inside the city. 5In anger, in fury, and in wrath I myself will fight against you with my mighty power and great strength! 6I will kill everything living in Jerusalem, people and animals alike! They will die from terrible diseases.
Read all of Jeremiah 21Jeremiah 21:4 word by word
כֹּֽה־אָמַ֨ר יְהוָ֜ה אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הִנְנִ֣י מֵסֵב֮ אֶת־כְּלֵ֣י הַמִּלְחָמָה֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיֶדְכֶם֒ אֲשֶׁ֨ר אַתֶּ֜ם נִלְחָמִ֣ים בָּ֗ם אֶת־מֶ֤לֶךְ בָּבֶל֙ וְאֶת־הַכַּשְׂדִּ֔ים הַצָּרִ֣ים עֲלֵיכֶ֔ם מִח֖וּץ לַֽחוֹמָ֑ה וְאָסַפְתִּ֣י אוֹתָ֔ם אֶל־תּ֖וֹךְ הָעִ֥יר הַזֹּֽאת׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Thus saithאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
- Behold, I will turn backסָבַבsâbab · to turn: repellH5437
- the weaponsכְּלִיkelîy · article/utensilH3627
- of warמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- in your handsיָדyâd · handH3027
- wherewith ye fightלָחַםlâcham · to fightH3898
- against the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- of Babylonבָּבֶ֫ל, בָּבֶלbâbel · BabylonH894
- the Chaldeansכַּשְׂדִּיםkaώdîy kaώdîymâh · ChaldeaH3778
- which besiegeצוּרtsûr · to confineH6696
- you withoutחוּץchûts chûts · outsideH2351
- the wallsחוֹמָהchômâh · wallH2346
- and I will assembleאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
- them into the midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- of this cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
Cross-references for Jeremiah 21:4
- Jeremiah 32:5Zedekiah will be carried off to Babylon and will remain there until I have fully dealt with him. I, the Lord, affirm it! Even if you continue to fight against the Babylonians, you cannot win.’”
- Jeremiah 33:5‘The defenders of the city will go out and fight with the Babylonians. But they will only fill those houses and buildings with the dead bodies of the people that I will kill in my anger and my wrath. That will happen because I have decided to turn my back on this city on account of the wicked things they have done.
- Jeremiah 37:8Then the Babylonian forces will return. They will attack the city and will capture it and burn it down.
- Jeremiah 38:2“The Lord says, ‘Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians will live. They will escape with their lives.’”
- Jeremiah 52:18They also took the pots, shovels, trimming shears, basins, pans, and all the bronze utensils used by the priests.
- Isaiah 10:4You will have no place to go, except to kneel with the prisoners, or to fall among those who have been killed. Despite all this, his anger does not subside, and his hand is ready to strike again.
- Hosea 9:12Even if they raise their children, I will take away every last one of them. Woe to them! For I will turn away from them.
- Jeremiah 39:3Then Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim, who was a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer, who was a high official, and all the other officers of the king of Babylon came and set up quarters in the Middle Gate.
- Isaiah 5:5Now I will inform you what I am about to do to my vineyard: I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture, I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there.
- Isaiah 13:4There is a loud noise on the mountains – it sounds like a large army! There is great commotion among the kingdoms – nations are being assembled! The Lord who commands armies is mustering forces for battle.
- Lamentations 2:5The Lord, like an enemy, destroyed Israel. He destroyed all her palaces; he ruined her fortified cities. He made everyone in Daughter Judah mourn and lament. ו (Vav)
- Ezekiel 16:37therefore, take note: I am about to gather all your lovers whom you enjoyed, both all those you loved and all those you hated. I will gather them against you from all around, and I will expose your nakedness to them, and they will see all your nakedness.
- Zechariah 14:2For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to wage war; the city will be taken, its houses plundered, and the women raped. Then half of the city will go into exile, but the remainder of the people will not be taken away.
- Matthew 22:7The king was furious! He sent his soldiers, and they put those murderers to death and set their city on fire.
Commentaries on Jeremiah 21:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4I will turn back the weapons - Every attempt you make to repel the Chaldeans shall be unsuccessful. I will assemble them into the midst of this city - I will deliver the city into their hands.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Without the walls - These words are to be joined to wherewith ye fight.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-7The Lord gave King Zedekiah's messengers a legal decision (see study note on Jeremiah 2:2). Resisting the Babylonians would be pointless because the Lord opposed Jerusalem.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. God of Israel--Those "wondrous works" (Jr 21:2) do not belong to you; God is faithful; it is you who forfeit the privileges of the covenant by unfaithfulness. "God will always remain the God of Israel, though He destroy thee and thy people" [Calvin]. turn back the weapons--I will turn them to a very different use from what you intend them. With them you now fight against the Chaldees "without the walls" (the Jewish defenders being as yet able to sally…Read the comment
Topics related to Jeremiah 21:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Jeremiah 21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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