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Jeremiah 21 · Grade 4

Two Ways Set Before Them

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Read and Think

This chapter jumps ahead to the last years of Judah. King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malchijah and Zephaniah the priest to Jeremiah. Please inquire of Yahweh for us; for Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Zedekiah hoped God would deal with them according to all his wondrous works (21:2).

God's answer was not what the king wanted. Because the people had not turned from evil, God himself would not defend the city. The siege would bring great suffering, and the king would be handed to Nebuchadnezzar. Even so, God offered the people a choice. Behold, I set before you the way of life and the way of death. Those who surrendered to the Babylonians would live.

God also addressed the royal house of David. Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. A king's first duty each day was to protect the weak. God warned that injustice would bring his wrath like a fire that no one could quench.

Show What You Know

  1. What did Zedekiah hope God would do?

  2. Why would God not defend the city?

  3. What choice did God offer the people?

  4. What was a king's first duty each day?

Word Bank Fill-In

Use the word bank to fill in each blank.

GodlifeKingjustice
  1. Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malchijah and Zephaniah the priest to Jeremiah.
  2. Zedekiah hoped would deal with them according to all his wondrous works (21:2).
  3. Behold, I set before you the way of and the way of death.
  4. Execute in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor.

Think About It

  1. Zedekiah wanted God's help without turning to God. Why do people sometimes want that?

  2. What does it look like to do justice in the morning in our own lives?

Memory Verse

“House of David, Yahweh says, ‘Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my wrath go out like fire, and burn so that no one can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.”

Jeremiah 21:12 (WEB)

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Prayer

Dear God, thank You for showing me the way of life. Help me . Amen.

Take It Home

For families: talk about these together.

  • How can we help people treated unfairly?
  • Can we want God's help without changing?

Scripture: World English Bible, public domain, eBible.org. © 2026 The Daily Rooted. Free to print and copy for church and home use; not for resale. Original line art.