Thomas Aquinas Commentary Jeremiah 21:6-14

"And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence. 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. And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and passeth over to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. For I have set my face upon this city for evil, and not for good, saith Jehovah: it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. And touching the house of the king of Judah, hear ye the word of Jehovah: O house of David, thus saith Jehovah, Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings. Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, [and] of the rock of the plain, saith Jehovah; you that say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? And I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith Jehovah; and I will kindle a fire in her forest, and it shall devour all that is round about her." — Jeremiah 21:6-14 (ASV)

1. First, he addresses the manner of the assault: With a strong hand, and an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out I will rule over you, and I will lead you into the desert of the peoples, and I will plead with you there, face to face (Ezekiel 20:34–35).

   Regarding the time after the city is taken, he threatens punishment with the words, and after these things… I will give Zedekiah. The Lord has given me into a hand from which I will not be able to flee (Lamentations 1:14).

   He also excludes any possibility of mercy: and he will not be turned aside by prayers or gifts, nor will he spare because of a past friendship, nor will he show mercy out of compassion for their misery. Because the jealousy and fury of the husband will not spare in the day of vengeance, nor will he yield to the prayers of anyone, nor will he accept many gifts as a ransom (Proverbs 6:34–35).

   This is because they did not keep the covenant: Will he who breaks a covenant flee? (Ezekiel 17:15).

2. Second, he proposes a way of safety for the people: and you shall say to this people. First, he gives them the freedom to choose: behold, I set before you the path of life, and the path of death. Before a man are life and death, good and evil; what pleases him will be given to him .

   He makes a contrast: he who will dwell in this city will die… but he who will go out… will live. Go forth from her midst, my people, that each one may save his soul from the wrath of the Lord’s fury (Jeremiah 51:45).

   He gives the reason: for I have set my face against this city. This refers to what was said previously: I see a boiling pot (Jeremiah 1:13).

   To the king, he says: and to the house of the king of Judah, you shall say, offering this advice: judge early (Jeremiah 21:12). Rescue the poor and deliver the needy from the hand of the sinner (Psalms 82:4).

   He speaks of the imminent danger: lest my indignation should go forth like fire. A fire is kindled in my fury, and it will burn to the lowest depths of Sheol (Deuteronomy 32:22).

3. Third, he refutes their false confidence by addressing its source: behold I come to you, that is, to the stronghold of Jerusalem, which dwells in a valley on a rock above a plain. Jerusalem was situated on the side of a mountain opposite the Arnon valley; therefore, a part of it was in a valley.

   Alternatively, this is said disparagingly, as in Isaiah 22:1: the burden of the valley of vision. The city had solidity, strength, and steadfastness from the mountain, and it had fertility from the fruitful valley.

   This confidence led to proud insolence: you say, ‘Who will strike us?’ You who say in your heart, ‘Who will drag me to the ground?’ (Obadiah 1:3).

   Finally, he threatens punishment: and I will visit… and I will kindle a fire in the forest, which represents people who bear no fruit. The fire has devoured the beautiful places of the wilderness, and a flame has burned all the trees of the country (Joel 1:19).