Jeremiah 21:7

And afterward, saith the LORD, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

And afterward {H310}, saith {H5002} the LORD {H3068}, I will deliver {H5414} Zedekiah {H6667} king {H4428} of Judah {H3063}, and his servants {H5650}, and the people {H5971}, and such as are left {H7604} in this city {H5892} from the pestilence {H1698}, from the sword {H2719}, and from the famine {H7458}, into the hand {H3027} of Nebuchadrezzar {H5019} king {H4428} of Babylon {H894}, and into the hand {H3027} of their enemies {H341}, and into the hand {H3027} of those that seek {H1245} their life {H5315}: and he shall smite {H5221} them with the edge {H6310} of the sword {H2719}; he shall not spare {H2347} them, neither have pity {H2550}, nor have mercy {H7355}.

Afterwards," says ADONAI "I will hand over Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah, his servants, the people, and anyone remaining alive in this city after the plague, war and famine, to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel and to their enemies, to those who seek their lives; and he will put them to the sword. He will not spare them; he will have no pity, no compassion."'

‘After that,’ declares the LORD, ‘I will hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in this city who survive the plague and sword and famine, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who seek their lives. He will put them to the sword; he will not spare them or show pity or compassion.’

And afterward, saith Jehovah, I will deliver Zedekiah king of Judah, and his servants, and the people, even such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those that seek their life: and he shall smite them with the edge of the sword; he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy.

Jeremiah 21:7 delivers a stark and severe prophecy directly from the LORD concerning the immediate and ultimate fate of King Zedekiah and the remaining inhabitants of Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege. This verse underscores the inevitability of God's judgment against a rebellious Judah.

Context

This prophecy is given by the prophet Jeremiah in response to King Zedekiah's inquiry about the ongoing siege by King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon. Zedekiah, hoping for a miraculous deliverance, sent messengers to Jeremiah asking for divine intervention. However, Jeremiah's message is one of unyielding judgment: God Himself will fight against Jerusalem and deliver its people into the hands of their enemies. This specific verse details the ultimate, merciless outcome for those who survive the initial scourges of pestilence, famine, and the sword within the city walls.

Key Themes

  • Divine Judgment and Sovereignty: The LORD explicitly states, "I will deliver Zedekiah... into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar." This highlights God's active role in history, using even pagan kings as instruments of His justice. Judah's persistent idolatry and disobedience had exhausted God's patience, leading to the fulfillment of covenant curses previously warned about in the Law (e.g., Deuteronomy 28).
  • Consequences of Rebellion: The verse vividly describes the dire consequences of Judah's rebellion against God. Those who escaped the internal scourges of pestilence, sword, and famine would not escape the invaders. This serves as a powerful reminder of the serious repercussions of rejecting God's warnings and His covenant. The capture and severe punishment of Zedekiah are further detailed in Jeremiah 39:5-7.
  • Lack of Mercy: The chilling phrase "he shall not spare them, neither have pity, nor have mercy" emphasizes the complete and utter devastation that would befall the survivors. This detail reflects the severity of God's judgment, as He allowed His people to suffer the full extent of their enemies' cruelty because of their persistent sin. This was a direct fulfillment of Jeremiah's earlier prophecies of impending doom for Judah.

Linguistic Insights

The King James Version uses strong, direct language to convey the severity of the impending doom. The repeated phrase "into the hand of" emphasizes the complete surrender and helplessness of Judah before Babylon. The terms "smite," "spare," "pity," and "mercy" are used starkly to depict the brutal and unmerciful nature of the Babylonian conquest. This lack of mercy from the enemy is a direct consequence of Judah's forsaking God's mercy and warnings offered through His prophets.

Practical Application

Jeremiah 21:7 serves as a solemn warning that God's justice is sure. While believers today live under the new covenant of grace established through Christ, the principle remains: there are consequences for persistent rebellion against God's will. This verse reminds us of:

  • The seriousness of sin and its inevitable consequences, both in this life and eternally.
  • God's ultimate sovereignty over nations and human affairs; He uses all circumstances to fulfill His purposes.
  • The importance of heeding divine warnings and turning to God in sincere repentance before His patience is exhausted.

It highlights that God, though merciful and long-suffering, is also perfectly just, and His word, whether of blessing or judgment, is always fulfilled.

Note: Commentary was generated by an advanced AI, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

  • Jeremiah 37:17

    Then Zedekiah the king sent, and took him out: and the king asked him secretly in his house, and said, Is there [any] word from the LORD? And Jeremiah said, There is: for, said he, thou shalt be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

  • Habakkuk 1:6

    For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, [that] bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces [that are] not theirs.

  • Habakkuk 1:10

    And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.

  • 2 Kings 25:5

    And the army of the Chaldees pursued after the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho: and all his army were scattered from him.

  • 2 Kings 25:7

    And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and carried him to Babylon.

  • Ezekiel 7:9

    And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations [that] are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD that smiteth.

  • Ezekiel 17:20

    And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare, and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me.

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