KJV ORIGINAL
Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Why would you and your people choose to die by war, hunger, and disease, just as the LORD has warned would happen to any nation that refuses to serve the king of Babylon?
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
God is asking why the people would choose destruction when they could avoid it by submitting to Babylon's rule as He has commanded.
📚 Historical Context
This was spoken during the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, around 594-593 BC, when Babylon was the dominant world power. God had revealed through Jeremiah that He was using Babylon as His instrument of judgment, and nations could either submit peacefully or face destruction through war, famine, and plague.
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