And after this, saith the Lord, I will give Sedecias the king of Juda, and his servants, and his people, and such as are left in this city from the pestilence, and the sword, and the famine, into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and he shall strike them with the edge of the sword, and he shall not be moved to pity, nor spare them, nor shew mercy to them.
וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵ֣ן נְאֻם־יְהוָ֡ה אֶתֵּ֣ן אֶת־צִדְקִיָּ֣הוּ מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֣ה וְאֶת־עֲבָדָ֣יו ׀ וְאֶת־הָעָ֡ם וְאֶת־הַנִּשְׁאָרִים֩ בָּעִ֨יר הַזֹּ֜את מִן־הַדֶּ֣בֶר ׀ מִן־הַחֶ֣רֶב וּמִן־הָרָעָ֗ב בְּיַד֙ נְבוּכַדְרֶאצַּ֣ר מֶֽלֶךְ־בָּבֶ֔ל וּבְיַד֙ אֹֽיְבֵיהֶ֔ם וּבְיַ֖ד מְבַקְשֵׁ֣י נַפְשָׁ֑ם וְהִכָּ֣ם לְפִי־חֶ֔רֶב לֹֽא־יָח֣וּס עֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וְלֹ֥א יַחְמֹ֖ל וְלֹ֥א יְרַחֵֽם׃
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Jeremiah responded that the Lord would bring ruin upon the unrighteous (Matt. 21:41) due to the transgressions that had been recorded, particularly for the exploitation of the marginalized and disadvantaged, whom the people of Israel were oppressing at that time.
Following this, the Lord proclaimed concerning Zedekiah, king of Judah, his officials, the inhabitants of the city, and those who remain amidst pestilence, sword, and famine. He stated that He would hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, as well as to their adversaries who seek to take their lives. He will strike them down with the sword, showing no submission, compassion, or mercy. What we have rendered regarding Nebuchadnezzar’s dominion and the control of his foes is absent from the Seventy.
Instead of our wording that he will not submit, nor show mercy, the Seventy rendered it as, I will spare, and will not have mercy (Jeremiah 21:7); however, the Hebrew conveys a clearer picture, emphasizing that this brutal and unwavering judgment is the endeavor of Babylon’s king rather than the Lord's direct action. Initially, this prophecy encompassed the entire city; now it specifically addresses Zedekiah and those among his people who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine. It is foretold that he will be taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and, along with his companions, will meet death by the sword, facing no mercy from the very one whom he has deceitfully betrayed in friendship and alliance.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS