Jeremiah 18:21

So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. ¹  Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease ²  and the younger men die by the sword in battle.

Ex 22:24; De 32:25; 2Ch 36:17; Ps 109:9-20; Jer 9:21; Jer 11:20-23; Jer 11:22; Jer 12:3; Jer 15:2,3,8; Jer 16:3,4; Jer 20:1-6,11,12; La 5:3; Am 4:10; 2Ti 4:14

¹ tn Heb “be poured out to the hand [= power] of the sword.” For this same expression see Ezek 35:5; Ps 63:10 (63:11 HT). Comparison with those two passages show that it involved death by violent means, perhaps death in battle.

² tn Heb “be slain by death.” The commentaries are generally agreed that this refers to death by disease or plague as in 15:2. Hence, the reference is to the deadly trio of sword, starvation, and disease which were often connected with war. See the notes on 15:2.