"Whywill you die,you and your people,by the sword,famineand pestilence,as the LORDhas spokento that nationwhichwill not servethe kingof Babylon?
"But he who sinsagainst me injureshimself;Allthose who hateme lovedeath."
And you will, even of yourself, letgoof your inheritanceThat I gaveyou; And I will make you serveyour enemiesIn the landwhichyou do not know;For you have kindleda firein My angerWhich will burnforever.
I will makethem a terror[and an] evilfor allthe kingdomsof the earth,as a reproachand a proverb,a tauntand a cursein allplaceswhereI will scatterthem.
"It will be, [that] the nationor the kingdomwhichwill not servehim, Nebuchadnezzarkingof Babylon,and whichwill not putits neckunder the yokeof the kingof Babylon,I will punishthat nationwith the sword,with famineand with pestilence,"declaresthe LORD,"untilI have destroyedit by his hand.
"Thussaysthe LORD,He who staysin thiscitywill dieby the swordand by famineand by pestilence,but he who goesout to the Chaldeanswill liveand havehis [own] lifeas bootyand stayalive.'
But Jeremiahsaid,"They will not giveyou over. Pleaseobeythe LORDin whatI am sayingto you, that it may gowellwith you and you may live.
They will also bringout allyour wivesand your sonsto the Chaldeans,and you yourselfwill not escapefrom their hand,but will be seizedby the handof the kingof Babylon,and thiscitywill be burnedwith fire.'"
For thussaysthe LordGOD,"HowmuchmorewhenI sendMy fourseverejudgmentsagainstJerusalem:sword,famine,wildbeastsand plagueto cutoffmanand beastfrom it!
"But when a righteousmanturnsawayfrom his righteousness,commitsiniquityand doesaccording to allthe abominationsthat a wickedmandoes,will he live?Allhis righteousdeedswhichhe has donewill not be rememberedfor his treacherywhichhe has committedand his sinwhichhe has committed;for them he will die.
"Castawayfrom you allyour transgressionswhichyou have committedand makeyourselves a newheartand a newspirit!For whywill you die,O houseof Israel?
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
