15 “Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,’ 16 thus says the Lord concerning (A)the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your kinsmen who did not go out with you into exile: 17 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, behold, I am sending on them (B)sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like (C)vile figs that are so rotten they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with (D)sword, famine, and pestilence, (E)and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, (F)to be a curse, a terror, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations (G)where I have driven them, 19 because they did not pay attention to my words, declares the Lord, (H)that I persistently sent to you by my servants the prophets, but you would not listen, declares the Lord.’ 20 Hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles (I)whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon: 21 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, (J)who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall strike them down before your eyes. 22 (K)Because of them (L)this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, (M)whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” 23 because they have done an outrageous thing in Israel, (N)they have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and (O)they have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them. (P)I am the one who knows, (Q)and I am witness, declares the Lord.’”

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15 You may say, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,” 16 but this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and all the people who remain in this city, your fellow citizens who did not go with you into exile— 17 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague(A) against them and I will make them like figs(B) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. 18 I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent(C) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse[a](D) and an object of horror,(E) of scorn(F) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. 19 For they have not listened to my words,”(G) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again(H) by my servants the prophets.(I) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.

20 Therefore, hear the word of the Lord, all you exiles whom I have sent(J) away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying lies(K) to you in my name: “I will deliver them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will put them to death before your very eyes. 22 Because of them, all the exiles from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: ‘May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned(L) in the fire.’ 23 For they have done outrageous things in Israel; they have committed adultery(M) with their neighbors’ wives, and in my name they have uttered lies—which I did not authorize. I know(N) it and am a witness(O) to it,” declares the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 29:18 That is, their names will be used in cursing (see verse 22); or, others will see that they are cursed.