Jeremiah 21, Zedekiah’s Request for Deliverance

The catch phrase “I told you so” was given classic expression in a Randy Travis country song by the same name. He sings,

If I told you that I realized you’re all I ever wanted, and it’s killin’ me to be so far away. Would you tell me that you love me too and would we cry together? Or would you simply laugh at me and say, “I told you so, oh, I told you so. I told you someday you’d come crawlin’ back and askin’ me to take you in. I told you so, but you had to go.”

Jeremiah could have sung a version of this song to king Zedekiah.

^21:1 Yahweh spoke to Jeremiah when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malkijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah. They said: ² “Inquire now of Yahweh for us because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is attacking us. Perhaps Yahweh will perform wonders for us as in times past so that he will withdraw from us.”

Zedekiah was made king by the king of Babylon after he attacked Jerusalem and deposed Zedekiah’s nephew, Jehoiachin. But several years into his reign Zedekiah rebelled against Babylon (2 Kings 24:20), ceasing the paying of tribute to Babylon and seeking alliance with Egpyt (Jeremiah 37:7). This initiated a response from Nebuchadnezzar to march toward Jerusalem to besiege it. Zedekiah has learned of this and seeks Jeremiah to see what Yahweh’s will is, hoping that Yahweh will do a miracle and deliver Jerusalem. The Pashhur he sends to Jeremiah is not the one in chapter 20. That Pashhur was likely deported when Nebuchadnezzar invaded Jerusalem the first time and made Zedekiah king.

³ But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell Zedekiah, ⁴ ‘This is what Yahweh, 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. ⁵ I myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and a mighty arm in furious anger and in great wrath. ⁶ I will strike down those who live in this city—both man and beast—and they will die of a terrible plague. ⁷ After that, declares Yahweh, I will give Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the people in this city who survive the plague, sword and famine, into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and to their enemies who want to kill them. He will put them to the sword; he will show them no mercy or pity or compassion.’

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what Yahweh says: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague. But whoever goes out and surrenders to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives. ¹⁰ I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares Yahweh. It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’

Zedekiah does not get the response he had hoped for. Babylon is going to come and defeat Judah. In fact, the people who surrender to the Babylonians will survive, while those who endure the siege of Jerusalem will not. God is determined to bring what Jeremiah has been foretelling, the judgment of His people.

¹¹ “Moreover, say to the royal house of Judah, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh. ¹² This is what Yahweh says to you, house of David:

“‘Administer justice every morning; rescue from the hand of the oppressor the one who has been robbed, or my wrath will break out and burn like fire because of the evil you have done—burn with no one to quench it. ¹³ I am against you, Jerusalem, you who live above this valley on the rocky plateau, declares Yahweh—you who say, “Who can come against us? Who can enter our refuge?” ¹⁴ I will punish you as your deeds deserve, declares Yahweh. I will kindle a fire in your forests that will consume everything around you.’” (Jeremiah 21)

Jeremiah has one more word for the royal household, those who rule His people. Real justice must be administered, every single morning (the time when people would come for a hearing). Any favor cannot come because Jerusalem is so impregnable. Only true righteousness will bring favor.

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Discussion Questions:

1. What are the reasons Zedekiah is not shown grace for coming to Yahweh’s prophet, Jeremiah, for deliverance?
2. Is Jeremiah committing treason by urging Judah to surrender to Babylon?
3. Can you identify with Jeremiah’s urge to say “I told you so?”
4. What is the true righteousness that Jeremiah is describing here and in his other prophecies?