1 The worde that came to Ieremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 Heare ye the wordes of this couenant, and speake vnto the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem, 3 And say thou vnto them, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel, Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the wordes of this couenant, 4 Which I commanded vnto your fathers, when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt, from the yron fornace, saying, Obey my voyce, and doe according to all these things, which I commande you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God, 5 That I may confirme the othe, that I haue sworne vnto your fathers, to giue them a lande, which floweth with milke and hony, as appeareth this day. Then answered I and sayde, So be it, O Lord. 6 Then the Lord saide vnto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, saying, Heare yee the words of this couenant, and doe them. 7 For I haue protested vnto your fathers, whe I brought them vp out of the land of Egypt vnto this day, rising earely and protesting, saying, Obey my voyce. 8 Neuerthelesse they would not obey, nor encline their eare: but euery one walked in the stubbernesse of his wicked heart: therefore I will bring vpon them all the wordes of this couenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did it not. 9 And the Lord sayd vnto me, A conspiracie is found among the men of Iudah, and among the inhabitants of Ierusalem. 10 They are turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to heare my wordes: and they went after other gods to serue them: thus the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue broken my couenant, which I made with their fathers. 11 Therefore thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will bring a plague vpon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they crye vnto me, I will not heare them. 12 Then shall the cities of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem goe, and crie vnto the gods vnto whome they offer incense, but they shall not bee able to helpe them in time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Iudah, and according to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue yee set vp altars of confusion, euen altars to burne incense vnto Baal. 14 Therfore thou shalt not pray for this people, neither lift vp a crie, or prayer for them: for when they cry vnto mee in their trouble, I will not heare them. 15 What shoulde my beloued tarie in mine house, seeing they haue committed abomination with manie? and the holy flesh goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest euill, thou reioycest. 16 The Lord called thy name, A greene oliue tree, faire, and of goodly fruite: but with noyse and great tumult he hath set fyre vpon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17 For the Lord of hostes that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickednes of the house of Israel, and of the house of Iudah, which they haue done against themselues to prouoke me to anger in offering incense vnto Baal. 18 And the Lord hath taught me, and I knowe it, euen then thou shewedst mee their practises. 19 But I was like a lambe, or a bullocke, that is brought to the slaughter, and I knewe not that they had deuised thus against me, saying, Let vs destroy the tree with the fruite thereof, and cut him out of the lande of the liuing, that his name may be no more in memory. 20 But O Lord of hostes, that iudgest righteously, and triest the reines and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for vnto thee haue I opened my cause. 21 The Lord therefore speaketh thus of the men of Anathoth, (that seeke thy life, and say, Prophecie not in the Name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands) 22 Thus therefore sayth the Lord of hostes, Beholde, I will visite them: the yong men shall die by the sword: their sonnes and their daughters shall die by famine, 23 And none of them shall remaine: for I will bring a plague vpon the men of Anathoth, euen the yeere of their visitation.
Jeremiah and the Covenant
1 The Lord said to me, 2 “Listen to the terms of the covenant. Tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem 3 that I, the Lord God of Israel, have placed a curse on everyone who does not obey the terms of this covenant. 4 It is the covenant I made with their ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, the land that was like a blazing furnace to them. I told them to obey me and to do everything that I had commanded. I told them that if they obeyed, they would be my people and I would be their God. 5 Then I would keep the promise I made to their ancestors that I would give them the rich and fertile land which they now have.”
I said, “Yes, Lord.”
6 Then the Lord said to me, “Go to the cities of Judah and to the streets of Jerusalem. Proclaim my message there and tell the people to listen to the terms of the covenant and to obey them. 7 When I brought their ancestors out of Egypt, I solemnly warned them to obey me, and I have kept on warning the people until this day. 8 But they did not listen or obey. Instead, everyone continued to be as stubborn and evil as ever. I had commanded them to keep the covenant, but they refused. So I brought on them all the punishments described in it.”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and of Jerusalem are plotting against me. 10 They have gone back to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to do what I said; they have worshiped other gods. Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors. 11 So now I, the Lord, warn them that I am going to bring destruction on them, and they will not escape. And when they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the people of Judah and of Jerusalem will go to the gods to whom they offer sacrifices and will cry out to them for help. But those gods will not be able to save them when this destruction comes. 13 The people of Judah have as many gods as they have cities, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem have set up as many altars for sacrifices to that disgusting god Baal as there are streets in the city. 14 Jeremiah, don't pray to me or plead with me on behalf of these people. When they are in trouble and call to me for help, I will not listen to them.”
15 The Lord says, “The people I love are doing evil things. What right do they have to be in my Temple? Do they think they can prevent disaster by making promises and by offering animal sacrifices? Will they then rejoice? 16 I once called them a leafy olive tree, full of beautiful fruit; but now, with a roar like thunder I will set its leaves on fire and break its branches.
17 “I, the Lord Almighty, planted Israel and Judah; but now I threaten them with disaster. They have brought this on themselves because they have done wrong; they have made me angry by offering sacrifices to Baal.”
A Plot against Jeremiah's Life
18 The Lord informed me of the plots that my enemies were making against me. 19 I was like a trusting lamb taken out to be killed, and I did not know that it was against me that they were planning evil things. They were saying, “Let's chop down the tree while it is still healthy; let's kill him so that no one will remember him any more.”
20 Then I prayed, “Almighty Lord, you are a just judge; you test people's thoughts and feelings. I have placed my cause in your hands; so let me watch you take revenge on these people.”
21 The people of Anathoth wanted me killed, and they told me that they would kill me if I kept on proclaiming the Lord's message. 22 So the Lord Almighty said, “I will punish them! Their young men will be killed in war; their children will die of starvation. 23 I have set a time for bringing disaster on the people of Anathoth, and when that time comes, none of them will survive.”