Yeremia 21:9

21:9 Those who stay in this city will die in battle or of starvation or disease. Those who leave the city and surrender to the Babylonians who are besieging it will live. They will escape with their lives. ¹ 

Yeremia 27:13

27:13 There is no reason why you and your people should die in war ²  or from starvation or disease! ³  That’s what the Lord says will happen to any nation ⁴  that will not be subject to the king of Babylon.

[21:9]  ¹ tn Heb “his life will be to him for spoil.”

[21:9]  sn Spoil was what was carried off by the victor (see, e.g., Judg 5:30). Those who surrendered to the Babylonians would lose their property, their freedom, and their citizenship but would at least escape with their lives. Jeremiah was branded a traitor for this counsel (cf. 38:4) but it was the way of wisdom since the Lord was firmly determined to destroy the city (cf. v. 10).

[27:13]  ² tn Heb “with/by the sword.”

[27:13]  ³ tn Heb “Why should you and your people die…?” The rhetorical question expects the answer made explicit in the translation, “There is no reason!”

[27:13]  ⁴ tn Heb “…disease according to what the Lord spoke concerning the nation that…”