Jeremiah 7:1-15

Complete Jewish Bible

7 This word came to Yirmeyahu from Adonai: ² “Stand at the gate of the house of Adonai and proclaim this word: ‘Listen to the word of Adonai, all you from Y’hudah who enter these gates to worship Adonai! ³ Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: “Improve your ways and actions, and I will let you stay in this place. ⁴ Don’t rely on that deceitful slogan, ‘The temple of Adonai, the temple of Adonai — these [buildings] are the temple of Adonai.’ ⁵ No, but if you really improve your ways and actions; if you really administer justice between people; ⁶ if you stop oppressing foreigners, orphans and widows; if you stop shedding innocent blood in this place; and if you stop following other gods, to your own harm; ⁷ then I will let you stay in this place, in the land I gave to your ancestors forever and ever. ⁸ Look! You are relying on deceitful words that can’t do you any good. ⁹ First you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, offer to Ba‘al and go after other gods that you haven’t known. ¹⁰ Then you come and stand before me in this house that bears my name and say, ‘We are saved’ — so that you can go on doing these abominations! ¹¹ Do you regard this house, which bears my name, as a cave for bandits? I can see for myself what’s going on,” says Adonai. ¹² “Go to the place in Shiloh that used to be mine, that used to bear my name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Isra’el. ¹³ I spoke to you again and again, but you wouldn’t listen. I called you, but you wouldn’t answer. Now,” says Adonai, “because you have done all these things, ¹⁴ I will do to the house that bears my name, on which you rely, and to the place I gave you and your ancestors, what I did to Shiloh; ¹⁵ and I will drive you out of my presence, just as I drove out all your kinsmen, all the descendants of Efrayim.”’