“‘ See how ramps are built up against Jerusalem’s walls to attack it. The city will be handed over to the armies of Babylon. They are attacking it. It will fall because of war, hunger and plague. What you said would happen is now happening, as you can see.

看哪，敌人已经来到，筑垒要攻取这城；城也因刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所说的话都成就了，你也看见了。

看哪，敌人已经来到，用土堆攻取这城；这城也因刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫被交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所说的话都应验了，看哪，你也看见了。

看哪，敌人已经来到，用土堆攻取这城；这城也因刀剑、饥荒、瘟疫被交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所说的话都应验了，看哪，你也看见了。

看啊，敌人已经修筑高台要攻打这城，这城要因战争、饥荒和瘟疫而落入迦勒底人手中。你所说的都应验了，你也看见了。

看哪！敌人已经迫近，筑垒攻取这城。这城要因刀剑、饥荒和瘟疫的缘故，交在攻击他们的迦勒底人手中；你所说的都实现了，你也亲眼看见了。

看哪，敵人已經來到，築壘要攻取這城；城也因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所說的話都成就了，你也看見了。

看哪，敵人已經來到，用土堆攻取這城；這城也因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫被交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所說的話都應驗了，看哪，你也看見了。

看哪，敵人已經來到，用土堆攻取這城；這城也因刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫被交在攻城的迦勒底人手中。你所說的話都應驗了，看哪，你也看見了。

看啊，敵人已經修築高臺要攻打這城，這城要因戰爭、饑荒和瘟疫而落入迦勒底人手中。你所說的都應驗了，你也看見了。

看哪！敵人已經迫近，築壘攻取這城。這城要因刀劍、饑荒和瘟疫的緣故，交在攻擊他們的迦勒底人手中；你所說的都實現了，你也親眼看見了。

看哪，攻城的土堆已經倒到這城，要攻取它了；這城也因刀劍饑荒瘟疫的緣故交於攻擊它、的迦勒底人手中了；你所說的話都成就了；看哪，你眼看着就到了。

今敵迫城築壘、欲攻取之、因鋒刃饑饉疫癘、此邑付於迦勒底人手、爾言已驗、爾目睹之矣、

今敵築壘、勢甚危迫、攻城殆破、斯邑之人、戮以鋒刃、因以饑饉、重以疫癘、迦勒底人遂取邑垣、爾言有應、爾實鑒之。

今土壘已近於城以破之、城因鋒刃、饑饉、疫癘、將付於攻之之迦勒底人手、主言有應、為主所見、

“ See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague, the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said has happened, as you now see.

Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it.

“ See how the siege ramps have been built against the city walls! Through war, famine, and disease, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, who will conquer it. Everything has happened just as you said.

Look! Siege ramps have come against the city to capture it, and the city, as a result of the sword, famine, and plague, has been handed over to the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you have spoken has happened. Look, you can see it!

Behold, the assault ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city has been handed over to the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine, and the plague; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it.

‘ Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it!

Behold, the mounds, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence; and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.

Look! Siege ramps have come against the city to capture it, and the city, as a result of the sword, famine, and plague, has been handed over to the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You have spoken has happened. Look, You can see it!

Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest[ it].

Even now siege ramps have been built up around the city in order to capture it. War, starvation, and disease are sure to make the city fall into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. LORD, you threatened that this would happen. Now you can see that it is already taking place.

“ Behold, siege ramps have come to the city to take it. The city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, of the famine, and of the pestilence. What you have spoken has happened. Behold, you see it.

Today I’m calling out to the heavens and the earth to be witnesses against you. Suppose you do these things. Then you will quickly die in the land you are going across the Jordan River to take over. You won’t live there very long. You will certainly be destroyed.

Every good thing has come to pass that the Lord your God has promised you. So you know that he can also bring against you all the evil things he has warned you about. He’ll do it until he has destroyed you. He’ll do it until he has removed you from this good land. It’s the land he has given you.Suppose you break the covenant the Lord your God made with you. He commanded you to obey it. But suppose you go and serve other gods. And you bow down to them. Then the Lord will be very angry with you. You will quickly be destroyed. You will be removed from the good land he has given you.”

The Lord is the God of Israel. He speaks about the houses in Jerusalem. He talks about the royal palaces of Judah. The people had torn down many of them. They had used their stones to strengthen the city walls against attack.

Here is what you people of Judah are saying about this city.“ By war, hunger and plague it will be handed over to the king of Babylon.” But here is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says.

His right hand will pull out the arrow for Jerusalem. There he will get huge logs ready to knock down its gates. He will give the command to kill its people. He will sound the battle cry. He will build a ramp up to the city wall. He will bring in his war machines.

‘ The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Babylon and his armies are all around this city. They are getting ready to attack you. You have weapons of war in your hands to fight against them. But I am about to turn your weapons against you. And I will bring your enemies inside this city.I myself will fight against you. I will reach out my powerful hand and mighty arm. I will come against you with all my great anger.I will strike down those who live in this city. I will kill people and animals alike. They will die of a terrible plague.After that, I will hand you over to your enemies. They want to kill you,” announces the Lord.“ I will hand over Zedekiah, the king of Judah, and his officials. I will also hand over the people in this city who live through the plague, war and hunger. All of them will be handed over to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon. He will kill them with swords. He will show them no mercy. He will not feel sorry for them. In fact, he will not have any concern for them at all.” ’

I commanded my servants the prophets what to say. I told them what I planned to do. But your people refused to obey me. So I had to punish them.“ Then they had a change of heart. They said,‘ The Lord who rules over all has punished us because of how we have lived. He was fair and right to do that. He has done to us just what he decided to do.’ ”

Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had made Jeremiah a prisoner there. Zedekiah had said to him,“ Why do you prophesy as you do? You say,‘ The Lord says,“ I am about to hand over this city to the king of Babylon. He will capture it.

The Lord and King says,“ It will get much worse. I will punish Jerusalem in four horrible ways. There will be war, hunger, wild animals and plague. They will destroy the people and their animals.

I will send them hunger. It will make them weak. I will send terrible sickness. I will send deadly plagues. I will send wild animals that will tear them apart. Snakes that glide through the dust will bite them.In the streets their children will be killed by swords. Their homes will be filled with terror. The young men and women will die. The babies and old people will die.

Heaven and earth will pass away. But my words will never pass away.

“ Young people and old people alike lie dead in the dust of my streets. My young men and women have been killed by swords. You killed them when you were angry. You put them to death without pity.“ You sent for terrors to come against me on every side. It was as if you were inviting people to enjoy a feast day. Because you were angry, no one escaped. No one was left alive. I took good care of my children and brought them up. But my enemies have destroyed them.”

The Lord spoke to Moses. He said,“ You are going to join the members of your family who have already died. The Israelites will not be faithful to me. They will soon join themselves to the false gods that are worshiped in the land they are entering. The people will desert me. They will break the covenant I made with them.In that day I will become angry with them. I will desert them. I will turn my face away from them. And they will be destroyed. Many horrible troubles and hard times will come on them. On that day they will say,‘ Trouble has come on us. Our God isn’t with us!’

Even wild dogs nurse their young pups. But my people are as mean as ostriches in the desert.When the babies get thirsty, their tongues stick to the roofs of their mouths. When the children beg for bread, no one gives them any.Those who once ate fine food are dying in the streets. Those who wore royal clothes are now lying on piles of trash.My people have been punished more than Sodom was. It was destroyed in a moment. No one offered it a helping hand.Jerusalem’s princes were brighter than snow. They were whiter than milk. Their bodies were redder than rubies. They looked like lapis lazuli.But now they are blacker than coal. No one even recognizes them in the streets. Their skin is wrinkled on their bones. It has become as dry as a stick.Those killed by swords are better off than those who die of hunger. Those who are hungry waste away to nothing. They don’t have any food from the fields.With their own hands, loving mothers have had to cook even their own children. They ate their children when my people were destroyed.

Even if they go without food, I will not listen to their cry for help. They might sacrifice burnt offerings and grain offerings. But I will not accept them. Instead, I will destroy them with war, hunger and plague.”But I said,“ Lord and King, the prophets keep telling them something else. They say,‘ You won’t have to suffer from war or hunger. Instead, the Lord will give you peace and rest in this place.’ ”Then the Lord said to me,“ The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them. I have not even spoken to them. Everything they tell you about their visions or secret knowledge is a lie. They pretend to bring you messages from other gods. They try to get you to believe their own mistaken ideas.So here is what I am saying about the prophets who are prophesying in my name. I did not send them. But they are saying,‘ No war or hunger will come to this land.’ Those same prophets will die because of war and hunger.

By the ninth day of the fourth month, there wasn’t any food left in the city. So the people didn’t have anything to eat.

Joab and all his troops came to Abel Beth Maakah. They surrounded it because Sheba was there. They built a ramp up to the city. It stood against the outer wall. They pounded the wall with huge logs to bring it down.

“ Some of them will die of deadly sicknesses. No one will mourn for them. Their bodies will not be buried. Instead, they will be like human waste lying there on the ground. Others will die because of war and hunger. Their bodies will not be buried. Instead, they will become food for the birds and the wild animals.”

I will send war, hunger and plague against them. They will be destroyed from the land I gave them and their people of long ago.’ ”

Then the Lord said to me,“ Suppose Moses and Samuel were standing in front of me. Even then my heart would not feel sorry for these people. Send them away from me! Let them go!Suppose these people ask you,‘ Where should we go?’ Then tell them,‘ The Lord says,“‘ “Those I have appointed to die will die. Those I have appointed to be killed by swords will be killed by swords. Those I have appointed to die of hunger will die of hunger. Those I have appointed to be taken away as prisoners will be taken away.” ’“ I will send four kinds of destroyers against them,” announces the Lord.“ Swords will kill them. Dogs will drag them away. Birds will eat them up. And wild animals will destroy them.

Lord and King, the city will be handed over to the armies of Babylon. In spite of that, you tell me to buy a field. You say,“ Pay for it with silver. And have the sale witnessed.” ’ ”

A message from the Lord came to Jeremiah.The Lord is the God of Israel. He says,“ The king of Judah has sent you to ask me for advice. Tell him,‘ Pharaoh’s army has marched out to help you. But it will go back to its own land. It will return to Egypt.Then the armies of Babylon will come back here. They will attack this city. They will capture it. Then they will burn it down.’“ The Lord says,‘ Do not fool yourselves. You think,“ The Babylonians will leave us alone.” But they will not!Suppose you destroy all the armies of Babylon that are attacking you. Suppose only wounded men are left in their tents. Even then they will come out and burn down this city.’ ”