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Jeremiah 16-17
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jeremiah 16-17
Holman Christian Standard Bible
No Marriage for Jeremiah
16 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “You must not marry or have sons or daughters in this place. 3 For this is what the Lord says concerning sons and daughters born in this place as well as concerning the mothers who bear them and the fathers who father them in this land: 4 They will die from deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried but will be like manure on the face of the earth.(A) They will be finished off by sword and famine. Their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and for the wild animals of the land.(B)
5 “For this is what the Lord says: Don’t enter a house where a mourning feast is taking place.[a] Don’t go to lament or sympathize with them, for I have removed My peace from these people”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“as well as My faithful love and compassion.(C) 6 Both great and small will die in this land without burial. No lament will be made for them, nor will anyone cut himself or(D) shave his head for them.[b] 7 Food won’t be provided for the mourner(E) to comfort him because of the dead. A cup of consolation won’t be given him because of the loss of his father or mother. 8 You must not enter the house where feasting is taking place to sit with them to eat and drink. 9 For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: I am about to eliminate from this place, before your very eyes and in your time, the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the bride.(F)
Abandoning the Lord and His Law
10 “When you tell these people all these things, they will say to you, ‘Why has the Lord declared all this great disaster against us?(G) What is our guilt? What is our sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ 11 Then you will answer them: Because your fathers abandoned Me”(H)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and followed other gods, served them, and worshiped them.(I) Indeed, they abandoned Me and did not keep My instruction. 12 You did more evil than your fathers.(J) Look, each one of you was following the stubbornness of his evil heart, not obeying Me. 13 So I will hurl you from this land into a land that you and your fathers are not familiar with.(K) There you will worship other gods(L) both day and night, for I will not grant you grace.[c]
14 “However, take note! The days are coming”—the Lord’s declaration—“when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of Egypt,’(M) 15 but rather, ‘As the Lord lives who brought the Israelites from the land of the north(N) and from all the other lands where He had banished them.’ For I will return them to their land that I gave to their ancestors.(O)
Punishment of Exile
16 “I am about to send for many fishermen”(P)—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and they will fish for them. Then I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them down on every mountain and hill and out of the clefts of the rocks, 17 for My gaze takes in all their ways.(Q) They are not concealed from Me, and their guilt is not hidden from My sight. 18 I will first repay them double for their guilt(R) and sin because they have polluted My land. They have filled My inheritance with the lifelessness of their detestable and abhorrent idols.”
19 Lord, my strength and my stronghold,
my refuge in a time of distress,(S)
the nations will come to You
from the ends of the earth, and they will say,
“Our fathers inherited only lies,
worthless idols(T) of no benefit at all.”
20 Can one make gods for himself?
But they are not gods.(U)
21 “Therefore, I am about to inform them,
and this time I will make them know
My power and My might;
then they will know that My name is Yahweh.”(V)
The Persistent Sin of Judah
17 The sin of Judah is written
with an iron stylus.(W)
With a diamond point
it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts(X)
and on the horns of their[d] altars,
2 while their children remember their altars
and their Asherah poles, by the green trees
on the high hills—
3 My mountains in the countryside.
I will give up your wealth
and all your treasures as plunder
because of the sin of your high places[e]
in all your borders.(Y)
4 You will, on your own, relinquish your inheritance
that I gave you.
I will make you serve your enemies
in a land you do not know,(Z)
for you have set My anger on fire;(AA)
it will burn forever.
Curse and Blessing
5 This is what the Lord says:
The man who trusts in mankind,(AB)
who makes human flesh his strength(AC)
and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed.
6 He will be like a juniper in the Arabah;(AD)
he cannot see when good comes
but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness,
in a salt land where no one lives.(AE)
7 The man who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed.(AF)
8 He will be like a tree planted by water:(AG)
it sends its roots out toward a stream,
it doesn’t fear when heat comes,
and its foliage remains green.
It will not worry in a year of drought
or cease producing fruit.
The Deceitful Heart
9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else,
and incurable—who can understand it?(AH)
10 I, Yahweh, examine the mind,
I test the heart[f](AI)
to give to each according to his way,
according to what his actions deserve.(AJ)
11 He who makes a fortune unjustly
is like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay.
In the middle of his days
his riches will abandon him,
so in the end he will be a fool.(AK)
12 A throne of glory(AL)
on high(AM) from the beginning
is the place of our sanctuary.(AN)
13 Lord, the hope of Israel,(AO)
all who abandon You
will be put to shame.
All who turn away from Me
will be written in the dirt,
for they have abandoned
the Lord, the fountain of living water.(AP)
Jeremiah’s Plea
14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;
save me, and I will be saved,
for You are my praise.(AQ)
15 Hear how they keep challenging me,(AR)
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it come!”
16 But I have not run away from being Your shepherd,
and I have not longed for the fatal day.
You know my words were spoken in Your presence.
17 Don’t become a terror to me.
You are my refuge(AS) in the day of disaster.
18 Let my persecutors be put to shame,(AT)
but don’t let me be put to shame.
Let them be terrified, but don’t let me be terrified.
Bring on them the day of disaster;(AU)
shatter them with total[g] destruction.
Observing the Sabbath
19 This is what the Lord said to me, “Go and stand at the People’s Gate, through which the kings of Judah enter and leave, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 Announce to them: Hear the word of the Lord, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day.(AV) 22 You must not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work,(AW) but you must consecrate the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors.(AX) 23 They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate,(AY) not listening or accepting discipline.
24 “However, if you listen to Me, says the Lord, and do not bring loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day and consecrate the Sabbath day and do no work on it, 25 kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses(AZ) with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever. 26 Then people will come from the cities of Judah and from the area around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the Judean foothills, from the hill country and from the Negev(BA) bringing burnt offerings and sacrifice, grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 If you do not listen to Me to consecrate the Sabbath day by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, I will set fire to its gates,(BB) and it will consume the citadels(BC) of Jerusalem(BD) and not be extinguished.”(BE)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 16:5 Lit house of mourning
- Jeremiah 16:6 This custom demonstrated pagan mourning rituals.
- Jeremiah 16:13 Or compassion
- Jeremiah 17:1 Some Hb mss, Syr, Vg; other Hb mss read your
- Jeremiah 17:3 Lit plunder, your high places because of sin
- Jeremiah 17:10 Lit kidneys
- Jeremiah 17:18 Lit double
Jeremiah 16-17
New International Version
Jeremiah 16-17
New International Version
Day of Disaster
16 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 2 “You must not marry(A) and have sons or daughters in this place.” 3 For this is what the Lord says about the sons and daughters born in this land and about the women who are their mothers and the men who are their fathers:(B) 4 “They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried(C) but will be like dung lying on the ground.(D) They will perish by sword and famine,(E) and their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.”(F)
5 For this is what the Lord says: “Do not enter a house where there is a funeral meal; do not go to mourn or show sympathy, because I have withdrawn my blessing, my love and my pity(G) from this people,” declares the Lord. 6 “Both high and low will die in this land.(H) They will not be buried or mourned,(I) and no one will cut(J) themselves or shave(K) their head for the dead. 7 No one will offer food(L) to comfort those who mourn(M) for the dead—not even for a father or a mother—nor will anyone give them a drink to console(N) them.
8 “And do not enter a house where there is feasting and sit down to eat and drink.(O) 9 For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Before your eyes and in your days I will bring an end to the sounds(P) of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride(Q) and bridegroom in this place.(R)
10 “When you tell these people all this and they ask you, ‘Why has the Lord decreed such a great disaster against us? What wrong have we done? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?’(S) 11 then say to them, ‘It is because your ancestors forsook me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and followed other gods and served and worshiped(T) them. They forsook me and did not keep my law.(U) 12 But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors.(V) See how all of you are following the stubbornness of your evil hearts(W) instead of obeying me. 13 So I will throw you out of this land(X) into a land neither you nor your ancestors have known,(Y) and there you will serve other gods(Z) day and night, for I will show you no favor.’(AA)
14 “However, the days are coming,”(AB) declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’(AC) 15 but it will be said, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of the land of the north(AD) and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’(AE) For I will restore(AF) them to the land I gave their ancestors.(AG)
16 “But now I will send for many fishermen,” declares the Lord, “and they will catch them.(AH) After that I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt(AI) them down on every mountain and hill and from the crevices of the rocks.(AJ) 17 My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden(AK) from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes.(AL) 18 I will repay(AM) them double(AN) for their wickedness and their sin, because they have defiled my land(AO) with the lifeless forms of their vile images(AP) and have filled my inheritance with their detestable idols.(AQ)”(AR)
19 Lord, my strength and my fortress,
my refuge(AS) in time of distress,
to you the nations will come(AT)
from the ends of the earth and say,
“Our ancestors possessed nothing but false gods,(AU)
worthless idols(AV) that did them no good.(AW)
20 Do people make their own gods?
Yes, but they are not gods!”(AX)
21 “Therefore I will teach them—
this time I will teach them
my power and might.
Then they will know
that my name(AY) is the Lord.
17 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,(AZ)
inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts(BA)
and on the horns(BB) of their altars.
2 Even their children remember
their altars and Asherah poles[a](BC)
beside the spreading trees
and on the high hills.(BD)
3 My mountain in the land
and your[b] wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,(BE)
together with your high places,(BF)
because of sin throughout your country.(BG)
4 Through your own fault you will lose
the inheritance(BH) I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies(BI)
in a land(BJ) you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
and it will burn(BK) forever.”
5 This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,(BL)
who draws strength from mere flesh
and whose heart turns away from the Lord.(BM)
6 That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places(BN) of the desert,
in a salt(BO) land where no one lives.
7 “But blessed(BP) is the one who trusts(BQ) in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
8 They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.(BR)
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought(BS)
and never fails to bear fruit.”(BT)
9 The heart(BU) is deceitful above all things
and beyond cure.
Who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart(BV)
and examine the mind,(BW)
to reward(BX) each person according to their conduct,
according to what their deeds deserve.”(BY)
11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
and in the end they will prove to be fools.(BZ)
12 A glorious throne,(CA) exalted from the beginning,
is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, you are the hope(CB) of Israel;
all who forsake(CC) you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust(CD)
because they have forsaken the Lord,
the spring of living water.(CE)
14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;(CF)
save(CG) me and I will be saved,
for you are the one I praise.(CH)
15 They keep saying to me,
“Where is the word of the Lord?
Let it now be fulfilled!”(CI)
16 I have not run away from being your shepherd;
you know I have not desired the day of despair.
What passes my lips(CJ) is open before you.
17 Do not be a terror(CK) to me;
you are my refuge(CL) in the day of disaster.(CM)
18 Let my persecutors be put to shame,
but keep me from shame;
let them be terrified,
but keep me from terror.
Bring on them the day of disaster;
destroy them with double destruction.(CN)
Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People,[c] through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem.(CO) 20 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem(CP) who come through these gates.(CQ) 21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath(CR) day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.(CS) 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention;(CT) they were stiff-necked(CU) and would not listen or respond to discipline.(CV) 24 But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy(CW) by not doing any work on it, 25 then kings who sit on David’s throne(CX) will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.(CY) 26 People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev,(CZ) bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not obey(DA) me to keep the Sabbath(DB) day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire(DC) in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”(DD)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
- Jeremiah 17:3 Or hills / 3 and the mountains of the land. / Your
- Jeremiah 17:19 Or Army
Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
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