[1] The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, [2] Hear you the
words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem; [3] and say you to them, Thus says Yahweh, the
God of Israel: Cursed be the man who doesn`t hear the words of this
covenant, [4] which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them
forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Obey my
voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall you be
my people, and I will be your God; [5] that I may establish the oath which
I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,
as at this day. Then answered I, and said, Amen, Yahweh. [6] Yahweh said to
me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of
Jerusalem, saying, Hear you the words of this covenant, and do them. [7]
For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up
out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting,
saying, Obey my voice. [8] Yet they didn`t obey, nor turn their ear, but
walked everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore I
brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to
do, but they didn`t do them. [9] Yahweh said to me, A conspiracy is found
among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. [10] They
are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear
my words; and they are gone after other gods to serve them: the house of
Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with
their fathers. [11] Therefore thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil
on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry to me,
but I will not listen to them. [12] Then shall the cities of Judah and the
inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods to which they offer
incense: but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
[13] For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and
according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars
to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal. [14] Therefore
don`t you pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them;
for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their
trouble. [15] What has my beloved to do in my house, seeing she has worked
lewdness [with] many, and the holy flesh is passed from you? when you do
evil, then you rejoice. [16] Yahweh called your name, A green olive-tree,
beautiful with goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he has
kindled fire on it, and the branches of it are broken. [17] For Yahweh of
Hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the
evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have
worked for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.
[18] Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it: then you showed me
their doings. [19] But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the
slaughter; and I didn`t know that they had devised devices against me,
[saying], Let us destroy the tree with the fruit of it, and let us cut him
off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
[20] But, Yahweh of Hosts, who judge righteously, who try the heart and the
mind, I shall see your vengeance on them; for to you have I revealed my
cause. [21] Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of Anathoth, who
seek your life, saying, You shall not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, that
you not die by our hand; [22] therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, Behold,
I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and
their daughters shall die by famine; [23] and there shall be no remnant to
them: for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their
visitation.
