Jeremiah 23

New International Version

The Righteous Branch

23 “Woe to the shepherds^(A) who are destroying and scattering^(B) the sheep of my pasture!”^(C) declares the Lord. ²Therefore this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to the shepherds^(D) who tend my people: “Because you have scattered my flock^(E) and driven them away and have not bestowed care on them, I will bestow punishment on you for the evil^(F) you have done,” declares the Lord. ³“I myself will gather the remnant^(G) of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them and will bring them back to their pasture,^(H) where they will be fruitful and increase in number. ⁴I will place shepherds^(I) over them who will tend them, and they will no longer be afraid^(J) or terrified, nor will any be missing,^(K)” declares the Lord.

⁵“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will raise up for David^[a] a righteous Branch,^(L)
a King^(M) who will reign^(N) wisely
    and do what is just and right^(O) in the land.
⁶In his days Judah will be saved
    and Israel will live in safety.^(P)
This is the name^(Q) by which he will be called:
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.^(R)

⁷“So then, the days are coming,”^(S) declares the Lord, “when people will no longer say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the Israelites up out of Egypt,’^(T) ⁸but they will say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives, who brought the descendants of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the countries where he had banished them.’ Then they will live in their own land.”^(U)

Lying Prophets

⁹Concerning the prophets:

My heart^(V) is broken within me;
    all my bones tremble.^(W)
I am like a drunken man,
    like a strong man overcome by wine,
because of the Lord
    and his holy words.^(X)
¹⁰The land is full of adulterers;^(Y)
    because of the curse^[b]^(Z) the land lies parched
    and the pastures^(AA) in the wilderness are withered.^(AB)
The prophets follow an evil course
    and use their power unjustly.

¹¹“Both prophet and priest are godless;^(AC)
    even in my temple^(AD) I find their wickedness,”
declares the Lord.
¹²“Therefore their path will become slippery;^(AE)
    they will be banished to darkness
    and there they will fall.
I will bring disaster on them
    in the year they are punished,^(AF)”
declares the Lord.

¹³“Among the prophets of Samaria
    I saw this repulsive thing:
They prophesied by Baal^(AG)
    and led my people Israel astray.^(AH)
¹⁴And among the prophets of Jerusalem
    I have seen something horrible:^(AI)
    They commit adultery and live a lie.^(AJ)
They strengthen the hands of evildoers,^(AK)
    so that not one of them turns from their wickedness.^(AL)
They are all like Sodom^(AM) to me;
    the people of Jerusalem are like Gomorrah.”^(AN)

¹⁵Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets:

“I will make them eat bitter food
and drink poisoned water,^(AO)
because from the prophets of Jerusalem
ungodliness^(AP) has spread throughout the land.”

¹⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Do not listen^(AQ) to what the prophets are prophesying to you;
    they fill you with false hopes.
They speak visions^(AR) from their own minds,
    not from the mouth^(AS) of the Lord.
¹⁷They keep saying^(AT) to those who despise me,
    ‘The Lord says: You will have peace.’^(AU)
And to all who follow the stubbornness^(AV) of their hearts
    they say, ‘No harm^(AW) will come to you.’
¹⁸But which of them has stood in the council^(AX) of the Lord
    to see or to hear his word?
    Who has listened and heard his word?
¹⁹See, the storm^(AY) of the Lord
    will burst out in wrath,
a whirlwind^(AZ) swirling down
    on the heads of the wicked.
²⁰The anger^(BA) of the Lord will not turn back^(BB)
    until he fully accomplishes
    the purposes of his heart.
In days to come
    you will understand it clearly.
²¹I did not send^(BC) these prophets,
    yet they have run with their message;
I did not speak to them,
    yet they have prophesied.
²²But if they had stood in my council,^(BD)
    they would have proclaimed^(BE) my words to my people
and would have turned^(BF) them from their evil ways
    and from their evil deeds.^(BG)

²³“Am I only a God nearby,^(BH)”
declares the Lord,
    “and not a God far away?
²⁴Who can hide^(BI) in secret places
    so that I cannot see them?”
declares the Lord.
    “Do not I fill heaven and earth?”^(BJ)
declares the Lord.

²⁵“I have heard what the prophets say who prophesy lies^(BK) in my name. They say, ‘I had a dream!^(BL) I had a dream!’ ²⁶How long will this continue in the hearts of these lying prophets, who prophesy the delusions^(BM) of their own minds?^(BN) ²⁷They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget^(BO) my name, just as their ancestors forgot^(BP) my name through Baal worship.^(BQ) ²⁸Let the prophet who has a dream^(BR) recount the dream, but let the one who has my word^(BS) speak it faithfully. For what has straw to do with grain?” declares the Lord. ²⁹“Is not my word like fire,”^(BT) declares the Lord, “and like a hammer^(BU) that breaks a rock in pieces?

³⁰“Therefore,” declares the Lord, “I am against^(BV) the prophets^(BW) who steal from one another words supposedly from me. ³¹Yes,” declares the Lord, “I am against the prophets who wag their own tongues and yet declare, ‘The Lord declares.’^(BX) ³²Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,^(BY)” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray^(BZ) with their reckless lies,^(CA) yet I did not send^(CB) or appoint them. They do not benefit^(CC) these people in the least,” declares the Lord.

False Prophecy

³³“When these people, or a prophet or a priest, ask you, ‘What is the message^(CD) from the Lord?’ say to them, ‘What message? I will forsake^(CE) you, declares the Lord.’ ³⁴If a prophet or a priest or anyone else claims, ‘This is a message^(CF) from the Lord,’ I will punish^(CG) them and their household. ³⁵This is what each of you keeps saying to your friends and other Israelites: ‘What is the Lord’s answer?’^(CH) or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁶But you must not mention ‘a message from the Lord’ again, because each one’s word becomes their own message. So you distort^(CI) the words of the living God,^(CJ) the Lord Almighty, our God. ³⁷This is what you keep saying to a prophet: ‘What is the Lord’s answer to you?’ or ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ ³⁸Although you claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ this is what the Lord says: You used the words, ‘This is a message from the Lord,’ even though I told you that you must not claim, ‘This is a message from the Lord.’ ³⁹Therefore, I will surely forget you and cast^(CK) you out of my presence along with the city I gave to you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰I will bring on you everlasting disgrace^(CL)—everlasting shame that will not be forgotten.”

Footnotes

Jeremiah 23:5 Or up from David’s line
Jeremiah 23:10 Or because of these things

Jeremiah 31-35

New International Version

31 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God^(A) of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

²This is what the Lord says:

“The people who survive the sword
will find favor^(B) in the wilderness;
I will come to give rest^(C) to Israel.”

³The Lord appeared to us in the past,^[a] saying:

“I have loved^(D) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn^(E) you with unfailing kindness.
⁴I will build you up again,
    and you, Virgin^(F) Israel, will be rebuilt.^(G)
Again you will take up your timbrels^(H)
    and go out to dance^(I) with the joyful.^(J)
⁵Again you will plant^(K) vineyards
    on the hills of Samaria;^(L)
the farmers will plant them
    and enjoy their fruit.^(M)
⁶There will be a day when watchmen^(N) cry out
    on the hills of Ephraim,
‘Come, let us go up to Zion,
    to the Lord our God.’”^(O)

⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Sing^(P) with joy for Jacob;
    shout for the foremost^(Q) of the nations.
Make your praises heard, and say,
    ‘Lord, save^(R) your people,
    the remnant^(S) of Israel.’
⁸See, I will bring them from the land of the north^(T)
    and gather^(U) them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind^(V) and the lame,^(W)
    expectant mothers and women in labor;
    a great throng will return.
⁹They will come with weeping;^(X)
    they will pray as I bring them back.
I will lead^(Y) them beside streams of water^(Z)
    on a level^(AA) path where they will not stumble,
because I am Israel’s father,^(AB)
    and Ephraim is my firstborn son.

¹⁰“Hear the word of the Lord, you nations;
    proclaim it in distant coastlands:^(AC)
‘He who scattered^(AD) Israel will gather^(AE) them
    and will watch over his flock like a shepherd.’^(AF)
¹¹For the Lord will deliver Jacob
    and redeem^(AG) them from the hand of those stronger^(AH) than they.
¹²They will come and shout for joy^(AI) on the heights^(AJ) of Zion;
    they will rejoice in the bounty^(AK) of the Lord—
the grain, the new wine and the olive oil,^(AL)
    the young of the flocks^(AM) and herds.
They will be like a well-watered garden,^(AN)
    and they will sorrow^(AO) no more.
¹³Then young women will dance and be glad,
    young men and old as well.
I will turn their mourning^(AP) into gladness;
    I will give them comfort^(AQ) and joy^(AR) instead of sorrow.
¹⁴I will satisfy^(AS) the priests^(AT) with abundance,
    and my people will be filled with my bounty,^(AU)”
declares the Lord.

¹⁵This is what the Lord says:

“A voice is heard in Ramah,^(AV)
    mourning and great weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children
    and refusing to be comforted,^(AW)
    because they are no more.”^(AX)

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Restrain your voice from weeping
    and your eyes from tears,^(AY)
for your work will be rewarded,^(AZ)”
declares the Lord.
    “They will return^(BA) from the land of the enemy.
¹⁷So there is hope^(BB) for your descendants,”
declares the Lord.
    “Your children^(BC) will return to their own land.

¹⁸“I have surely heard Ephraim’s moaning:
    ‘You disciplined^(BD) me like an unruly calf,^(BE)
    and I have been disciplined.
Restore^(BF) me, and I will return,
    because you are the Lord my God.
¹⁹After I strayed,^(BG)
    I repented;
after I came to understand,
    I beat^(BH) my breast.
I was ashamed^(BI) and humiliated
    because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’^(BJ)
²⁰Is not Ephraim my dear son,
    the child^(BK) in whom I delight?
Though I often speak against him,
    I still remember^(BL) him.
Therefore my heart yearns for him;
    I have great compassion^(BM) for him,”
declares the Lord.

²¹“Set up road signs;
    put up guideposts.^(BN)
Take note of the highway,^(BO)
    the road that you take.
Return,^(BP) Virgin^(BQ) Israel,
    return to your towns.
²²How long will you wander,^(BR)
    unfaithful^(BS) Daughter Israel?
The Lord will create a new thing^(BT) on earth—
    the woman will return to^[b]^(BU) the man.”

²³This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity,^[c]^(BV) the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The Lord bless^(BW) you, you prosperous city,^(BX) you sacred mountain.’^(BY) ²⁴People will live^(BZ) together in Judah and all its towns—farmers and those who move about with their flocks.^(CA) ²⁵I will refresh the weary^(CB) and satisfy the faint.”^(CC)

²⁶At this I awoke^(CD) and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me.

²⁷“The days are coming,”^(CE) declares the Lord, “when I will plant^(CF) the kingdoms of Israel and Judah with the offspring of people and of animals. ²⁸Just as I watched^(CG) over them to uproot^(CH) and tear down, and to overthrow, destroy and bring disaster,^(CI) so I will watch over them to build and to plant,”^(CJ) declares the Lord. ²⁹“In those days people will no longer say,

‘The parents^(CK) have eaten sour grapes,
and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’^(CL)

³⁰Instead, everyone will die for their own sin;^(CM) whoever eats sour grapes—their own teeth will be set on edge.

³¹“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
    “when I will make a new covenant^(CN)
with the people of Israel
    and with the people of Judah.
³²It will not be like the covenant^(CO)
    I made with their ancestors^(CP)
when I took them by the hand
    to lead them out of Egypt,^(CQ)
because they broke my covenant,
    though I was a husband^(CR) to^[d] them,^[e]”
declares the Lord.
³³“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel
    after that time,” declares the Lord.
“I will put my law in their minds^(CS)
    and write it on their hearts.^(CT)
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.^(CU)
³⁴No longer will they teach^(CV) their neighbor,
    or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’
because they will all know^(CW) me,
    from the least of them to the greatest,”
declares the Lord.
“For I will forgive^(CX) their wickedness
    and will remember their sins^(CY) no more.”

³⁵This is what the Lord says,

he who appoints^(CZ) the sun
    to shine by day,
who decrees the moon and stars
    to shine by night,^(DA)
who stirs up the sea^(DB)
    so that its waves roar^(DC)—
    the Lord Almighty is his name:^(DD)
³⁶“Only if these decrees^(DE) vanish from my sight,”
    declares the Lord,
“will Israel^(DF) ever cease
    being a nation before me.”

³⁷This is what the Lord says:

“Only if the heavens above can be measured^(DG)
and the foundations of the earth below be searched out
will I reject^(DH) all the descendants of Israel
because of all they have done,”
declares the Lord.

³⁸“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when this city will be rebuilt^(DI) for me from the Tower of Hananel^(DJ) to the Corner Gate.^(DK) ³⁹The measuring line^(DL) will stretch from there straight to the hill of Gareb and then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰The whole valley^(DM) where dead bodies^(DN) and ashes are thrown, and all the terraces out to the Kidron Valley^(DO) on the east as far as the corner of the Horse Gate,^(DP) will be holy^(DQ) to the Lord. The city will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

Jeremiah Buys a Field

32 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth^(DR) year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth^(DS) year of Nebuchadnezzar. ²The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging^(DT) Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined^(DU) in the courtyard of the guard^(DV) in the royal palace of Judah.

³Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy^(DW) as you do? You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will capture^(DX) it. ⁴Zedekiah^(DY) king of Judah will not escape^(DZ) the Babylonians^[f]^(EA) but will certainly be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him with his own eyes. ⁵He will take^(EB) Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will remain until I deal with him,^(EC) declares the Lord. If you fight against the Babylonians, you will not succeed.’”^(ED)

⁶Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: ⁷Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth,^(EE) because as nearest relative it is your right and duty^(EF) to buy it.’

⁸“Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field^(EG) at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin. Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; ⁹so I bought the field^(EH) at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels^[g] of silver.^(EI) ¹⁰I signed and sealed the deed,^(EJ) had it witnessed,^(EK) and weighed out the silver on the scales. ¹¹I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— ¹²and I gave this deed to Baruch^(EL) son of Neriah,^(EM) the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

¹³“In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: ¹⁴‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed^(EN) and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. ¹⁵For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’^(EO)

¹⁶“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch^(EP) son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

¹⁷“Ah, Sovereign Lord,^(EQ) you have made the heavens and the earth^(ER) by your great power and outstretched arm.^(ES) Nothing is too hard^(ET) for you. ¹⁸You show love^(EU) to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps^(EV) of their children^(EW) after them. Great and mighty God,^(EX) whose name is the Lord Almighty,^(EY) ¹⁹great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.^(EZ) Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind;^(FA) you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.^(FB) ²⁰You performed signs and wonders^(FC) in Egypt^(FD) and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown^(FE) that is still yours. ²¹You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand^(FF) and an outstretched arm^(FG) and with great terror.^(FH) ²²You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.^(FI) ²³They came in and took possession^(FJ) of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law;^(FK) they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster^(FL) on them.

²⁴“See how the siege ramps^(FM) are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague,^(FN) the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said^(FO) has happened,^(FP) as you now see. ²⁵And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field^(FQ) with silver and have the transaction witnessed.^(FR)’”

²⁶Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁷“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.^(FS) Is anything too hard for me?^(FT) ²⁸Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar^(FU) king of Babylon, who will capture it.^(FV) ²⁹The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,^(FW) along with the houses^(FX) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings^(FY) to other gods.^(FZ)

³⁰“The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;^(GA) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger^(GB) with what their hands have made,^(GC) declares the Lord. ³¹From the day it was built until now, this city^(GD) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove^(GE) it from my sight. ³²The people of Israel and Judah have provoked^(GF) me by all the evil^(GG) they have done—they, their kings and officials,^(GH) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. ³³They turned their backs^(GI) to me and not their faces; though I taught^(GJ) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.^(GK) ³⁴They set up their vile images^(GL) in the house that bears my Name^(GM) and defiled^(GN) it. ³⁵They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(GO) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,^(GP) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind^(GQ)—that they should do such a detestable^(GR) thing and so make Judah sin.^(GS)

³⁶“You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(GT) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷I will surely gather^(GU) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(GV) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^(GW) ³⁸They will be my people,^(GX) and I will be their God. ³⁹I will give them singleness^(GY) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(GZ) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant^(HA) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(HB) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^(HC) ⁴¹I will rejoice^(HD) in doing them good^(HE) and will assuredly plant^(HF) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(HG)

⁴²“This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(HH) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(HI) them. ⁴³Once more fields will be bought^(HJ) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(HK) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(HL) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(HM) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(HN) because I will restore^(HO) their fortunes,^[h] declares the Lord.”

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined^(HP) in the courtyard^(HQ) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:^(HR) ²“This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,^(HS) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:^(HT) ³‘Call^(HU) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable^(HV) things you do not know.’ ⁴For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the houses in this city and the royal palaces of Judah that have been torn down to be used against the siege^(HW) ramps^(HX) and the sword ⁵in the fight with the Babylonians^[i]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.^(HY) I will hide my face^(HZ) from this city because of all its wickedness.

⁶“‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal^(IA) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace^(IB) and security. ⁷I will bring Judah^(IC) and Israel back from captivity^[j]^(ID) and will rebuild^(IE) them as they were before.^(IF) ⁸I will cleanse^(IG) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive^(IH) all their sins of rebellion against me. ⁹Then this city will bring me renown,^(II) joy, praise^(IJ) and honor^(IK) before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble^(IL) at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.’

¹⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘You say about this place, “It is a desolate waste, without people or animals.”^(IM) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,^(IN) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more ¹¹the sounds of joy and gladness,^(IO) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings^(IP) to the house of the Lord, saying,

“Give thanks to the Lord Almighty,
for the Lord is good;^(IQ)
his love endures forever.”^(IR)

For I will restore the fortunes^(IS) of the land as they were before,^(IT)’ says the Lord.

¹²“This is what the Lord Almighty says: ‘In this place, desolate^(IU) and without people or animals^(IV)—in all its towns there will again be pastures for shepherds to rest their flocks.^(IW) ¹³In the towns of the hill^(IX) country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(IY) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hand^(IZ) of the one who counts them,’ says the Lord.

¹⁴“‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise^(JA) I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

¹⁵“‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous^(JB) Branch^(JC) sprout from David’s line;^(JD)
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved^(JE)
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.^(JF)
This is the name by which it^[k] will be called:^(JG)
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’^(JH)

¹⁷For this is what the Lord says: ‘David will never fail^(JI) to have a man to sit on the throne of Israel, ¹⁸nor will the Levitical^(JJ) priests^(JK) ever fail to have a man to stand before me continually to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to present sacrifices.^(JL)’”

¹⁹The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁰“This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day^(JM) and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time,^(JN) ²¹then my covenant^(JO) with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites^(JP) who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.^(JQ) ²²I will make the descendants of David my servant and the Levites who minister before me as countless^(JR) as the stars in the sky and as measureless as the sand on the seashore.’”

²³The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁴“Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[l]^(JS) he chose’? So they despise^(JT) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^(JU) ²⁵This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night^(JV) and established the laws^(JW) of heaven and earth,^(JX) ²⁶then I will reject^(JY) the descendants of Jacob^(JZ) and David my servant and will not choose one of his sons to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes^[m]^(KA) and have compassion^(KB) on them.’”

Warning to Zedekiah

34 While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms and peoples^(KC) in the empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem^(KD) and all its surrounding towns, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: Go to Zedekiah^(KE) king of Judah and tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it down.^(KF) ³You will not escape from his grasp but will surely be captured and given into his hands.^(KG) You will see the king of Babylon with your own eyes, and he will speak with you face to face. And you will go to Babylon.

⁴“‘Yet hear the Lord’s promise to you, Zedekiah king of Judah. This is what the Lord says concerning you: You will not die by the sword;^(KH) ⁵you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire^(KI) in honor of your predecessors, the kings who ruled before you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, “Alas,^(KJ) master!” I myself make this promise, declares the Lord.’”

⁶Then Jeremiah the prophet told all this to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, ⁷while the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and the other cities of Judah that were still holding out—Lachish^(KK) and Azekah.^(KL) These were the only fortified cities left in Judah.

Freedom for Slaves

⁸The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people^(KM) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom^(KN) for the slaves. ⁹Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.^(KO) ¹⁰So all the officials and people who entered into this covenant agreed that they would free their male and female slaves and no longer hold them in bondage. They agreed, and set them free. ¹¹But afterward they changed their minds^(KP) and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

¹²Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ¹³“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I made a covenant with your ancestors^(KQ) when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.^(KR) I said, ¹⁴‘Every seventh year each of you must free any fellow Hebrews who have sold themselves to you. After they have served you six years, you must let them go free.’^[n]^(KS) Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention^(KT) to me. ¹⁵Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people.^(KU) You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.^(KV) ¹⁶But now you have turned around^(KW) and profaned^(KX) my name; each of you has taken back the male and female slaves you had set free to go where they wished. You have forced them to become your slaves again.

¹⁷“Therefore this is what the Lord says: You have not obeyed me; you have not proclaimed freedom to your own people. So I now proclaim ‘freedom’ for you,^(KY) declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague^(KZ) and famine.^(LA) I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.^(LB) ¹⁸Those who have violated my covenant^(LC) and have not fulfilled the terms of the covenant they made before me, I will treat like the calf they cut in two and then walked between its pieces.^(LD) ¹⁹The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials,^(LE) the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, ²⁰I will deliver^(LF) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.^(LG) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.^(LH)

²¹“I will deliver Zedekiah^(LI) king of Judah and his officials^(LJ) into the hands of their enemies^(LK) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,^(LL) which has withdrawn^(LM) from you. ²²I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take^(LN) it and burn^(LO) it down. And I will lay waste^(LP) the towns of Judah so no one can live there.”

The Rekabites

35 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the reign of Jehoiakim^(LQ) son of Josiah king of Judah: ²“Go to the Rekabite^(LR) family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms^(LS) of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

³So I went to get Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah, the son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons—the whole family of the Rekabites. ⁴I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God.^(LT) It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum^(LU) the doorkeeper.^(LV) ⁵Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”

⁶But they replied, “We do not drink wine, because our forefather Jehonadab^[o]^(LW) son of Rekab gave us this command: ‘Neither you nor your descendants must ever drink wine.^(LX) ⁷Also you must never build houses, sow seed or plant vineyards; you must never have any of these things, but must always live in tents.^(LY) Then you will live a long time in the land^(LZ) where you are nomads.’ ⁸We have obeyed everything our forefather^(MA) Jehonadab son of Rekab commanded us. Neither we nor our wives nor our sons and daughters have ever drunk wine ⁹or built houses to live in or had vineyards, fields or crops.^(MB) ¹⁰We have lived in tents and have fully obeyed everything our forefather Jehonadab commanded us. ¹¹But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon invaded^(MC) this land, we said, ‘Come, we must go to Jerusalem^(MD) to escape the Babylonian^[p] and Aramean armies.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”

¹²Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: ¹³“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell^(ME) the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson^(MF) and obey my words?’ declares the Lord. ¹⁴‘Jehonadab son of Rekab ordered his descendants not to drink wine and this command has been kept. To this day they do not drink wine, because they obey their forefather’s command.^(MG) But I have spoken to you again and again,^(MH) yet you have not obeyed^(MI) me. ¹⁵Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets^(MJ) to you. They said, “Each of you must turn^(MK) from your wicked ways and reform^(ML) your actions; do not follow other gods^(MM) to serve them. Then you will live in the land^(MN) I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened^(MO) to me. ¹⁶The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather^(MP) gave them, but these people have not obeyed me.’

¹⁷“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster^(MQ) I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen;^(MR) I called to them, but they did not answer.’”^(MS)

¹⁸Then Jeremiah said to the family of the Rekabites, “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘You have obeyed the command of your forefather^(MT) Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ ¹⁹Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail^(MU) to have a descendant to serve^(MV) me.’”

Footnotes

Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar
Jeremiah 31:22 Or will protect
Jeremiah 31:23 Or I restore their fortunes
Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master
Jeremiah 32:4 Or Chaldeans; also in verses 5, 24, 25, 28, 29 and 43
Jeremiah 32:9 That is, about 7 ounces or about 200 grams
Jeremiah 32:44 Or will bring them back from captivity
Jeremiah 33:5 Or Chaldeans
Jeremiah 33:7 Or will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel
Jeremiah 33:16 Or he
Jeremiah 33:24 Or families
Jeremiah 33:26 Or will bring them back from captivity
Jeremiah 34:14 Deut. 15:12
Jeremiah 35:6 Hebrew Jonadab, a variant of Jehonadab; here and often in this chapter
Jeremiah 35:11 Or Chaldean