犹大毁约

11 耶和华对耶利米说: “你要听这约上的话,把内容告诉犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民。 你要告诉他们,以色列的上帝耶和华说,‘不遵守这约的人必受咒诅。 我把你们的祖先从埃及——苦难的熔炉里带出来,那时我吩咐他们遵守这约。他们若听从我的话,遵行我的吩咐,就必做我的子民,我也必做他们的上帝。 这样,我就实现我向你们祖先起的誓——赐给他们那奶蜜之乡,正如今日一样。’”我回答说:“耶和华啊,遵命!”

耶和华对我说:“你要在犹大各城和耶路撒冷的街头宣告,呼吁百姓听从、遵行这约。 因为自从我把你们祖先从埃及领出来的那天起,一直到今天,我一再劝诫他们要听从我的话。 然而,他们却不听不理,人人凭自己顽固的恶念行事。因此,我要使约中的一切咒诅临到他们,因为我吩咐他们遵守这约,他们却拒绝遵守。”

耶和华对我说:“犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民阴谋背叛我。 10 他们重蹈祖先的覆辙,不听从我的话,跟从、祭拜别的神明。以色列和犹大都违背了我与他们祖先立的约。 11 所以我要使他们灾难临头,无法逃脱,任他们高声呼求,我也不听。这是耶和华说的。 12 那时,犹大各城和耶路撒冷的居民必去呼求他们烧香供奉的神明,却得不到任何帮助。 13 犹大啊,你的神明多如你的城邑,你给可憎的巴力烧香的祭坛多如耶路撒冷的街道。

14 “因此,耶利米啊,你不要为这些人祈祷,不要为他们呼求祷告,因为他们遭难时向我呼求,我必不理会他们。 15 我所爱的子民既然罪恶滔天,还在我殿里做什么?难道祭肉可以为他们消灾免祸吗?他们以作恶为乐。 16 耶和华曾称他们为枝繁叶茂、果实佳美的橄榄树,但现在祂要在呼啸的风暴中把它点燃,烧毁它的枝条。 17 我——万军之耶和华曾栽培以色列人和犹大人,如今我要降祸给他们,因为他们作恶,向巴力献祭,惹我发怒。”

谋害耶利米

18 有人想谋害我,耶和华告诉了我,并让我看见他们的所作所为。 19 我好像一只被牵去宰杀的驯良羊羔,不知他们要谋害我。他们说:

“我们把这棵树连果子一同毁灭,
从世上除掉它,
使它被遗忘吧!”
20 然而,审判公正、洞察肺腑心肠的万军之耶和华啊,
愿我能看见你报应他们,
因为我已向你陈明我的冤屈。

21-22 亚拿突人想杀我,他们威胁我说:“你不要奉耶和华的名说预言,免得死在我们手上。”因此,万军之耶和华说:“看啊,我必惩罚他们。他们的青年必丧身刀下,他们的子女必死于饥荒, 23 一个不留。因为在我报应之年,我必降灾难给亚拿突人。”

耶利米宣告 神的约

11 耶和华有话临到耶利米,说: “你要告诉犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民:‘你们要听从这约的话。’ 你要对他们说:‘耶和华以色列的 神这样说:不听从这约的话的,必受咒诅。 这约就是我把你们的列祖从埃及地、从铁炉那里领出来的那天所吩咐他们的,说:你们要听从我的话,照着我吩咐你们的一切话去行;这样,你们就作我的子民,我也作你们的 神。 我好履行向你们列祖所起的誓,就是把流奶与蜜之地赐给他们,好象今天一样。’”于是我回答说:“耶和华啊!阿们。”

责犹大背约,必受惩罚

耶和华又对我说:“你要在犹大各城中和耶路撒冷的街道上,宣告这一切话,说:‘你们要听从、遵行这约的话。 因为自从我领你们的列祖出埃及地那一天,我已郑重警告他们,直到今日,我仍不断警告他们,说:“你们要听从我的话。” 他们却不听从,毫不留心,各人随从自己顽梗的恶心行事。所以,我使这约中一切咒诅的话临到他们身上。我曾吩咐他们遵行这约,他们却不遵行。’”

耶和华又对我说:“在犹大人和耶路撒冷的居民中间,有背叛的阴谋。 10 他们回到他们祖先所犯的罪孽中。他们的祖先不肯听从我的话,却随从事奉别的神。以色列家和犹大家都违犯了我和他们列祖所立的约。” 11 因此耶和华这样说:“看哪!我必使灾祸临到他们身上,是他们不能逃脱的;他们虽然向我哀求,我必不听他们。 12 那时,犹大各城的人和耶路撒冷的居民,都必去哀求他们烧香供奉的神,只是在他们遭难的时候,这些神却完全不能拯救他们。 13 犹大啊!你的城有多少,你的神也有多少;耶路撒冷的街道有多少,你为那可耻的巴力所设立烧香的祭坛也有多少。

14 “至于你,不要为这人民祈祷,不要为他们呼求祷告,因为他们遭难向我呼求的时候,我必不听他们。

15 “我所爱的既然行了罪大恶极的事,

还有甚么资格在我的殿里呢?

难道祭肉可以消除你的灾祸,

使你得着欢乐吗?”

16 耶和华曾称你的名字为

壮丽、多结美果的青橄榄树;

现在他必藉风暴雷轰,

把它燃点起来,

它的枝子也都折断。

17 那栽种你的万军之耶和华,已经宣布降灾攻击你,是因以色列家和犹大家自己所行的恶;他们向巴力烧香,惹我发怒。

耶利米遭人谋害

18 耶和华把他们的阴谋指示我,我就知道了;那时,你把他们所行的给我指明。 19 至于我,我却像一只驯良的羊羔,被牵到屠宰之地;我并不知道他们设计谋害我。他们说:

“我们来把这树和果子(“果子”原文作“它的食物”)都毁灭吧,

把它从活人之地剪除,

使它的名不再被人记念。”

亚拿突人受惩罚

20 但万军之耶和华啊!你是凭公义审判人,

试验人肺腑和心肠的。

求你让我看见你在他们身上施行的报复,

因为我已经把我的案件向你陈明了。

21 因此耶和华指责那些亚拿突人,他们寻索你命,向你恐吓说:“不要奉耶和华的名说预言,免得你死在我们手中。” 22 万军之耶和华这样说:“看哪!我要惩罚他们;他们的年轻人必死在刀下,他们的儿女必因饥荒而死。 23 他们中间必没有余剩的,因为在惩罚他们的年日,我必使灾祸临到亚拿突人身上。”

耶利米宣告 神的約

11 耶和華有話臨到耶利米,說: “你要告訴猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民:‘你們要聽從這約的話。’ 你要對他們說:‘耶和華以色列的 神這樣說:不聽從這約的話的,必受咒詛。 這約就是我把你們的列祖從埃及地、從鐵爐那裡領出來的那天所吩咐他們的,說:你們要聽從我的話,照著我吩咐你們的一切話去行;這樣,你們就作我的子民,我也作你們的 神。 我好履行向你們列祖所起的誓,就是把流奶與蜜之地賜給他們,好像今天一樣。’”於是我回答說:“耶和華啊!阿們。”

責猶大背約,必受懲罰

耶和華又對我說:“你要在猶大各城中和耶路撒冷的街道上,宣告這一切話,說:‘你們要聽從、遵行這約的話。 因為自從我領你們的列祖出埃及地那一天,我已鄭重警告他們,直到今日,我仍不斷警告他們,說:“你們要聽從我的話。” 他們卻不聽從,毫不留心,各人隨從自己頑梗的惡心行事。所以,我使這約中一切咒詛的話臨到他們身上。我曾吩咐他們遵行這約,他們卻不遵行。’”

耶和華又對我說:“在猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民中間,有背叛的陰謀。 10 他們回到他們祖先所犯的罪孽中。他們的祖先不肯聽從我的話,卻隨從事奉別的神。以色列家和猶大家都違犯了我和他們列祖所立的約。” 11 因此耶和華這樣說:“看哪!我必使災禍臨到他們身上,是他們不能逃脫的;他們雖然向我哀求,我必不聽他們。 12 那時,猶大各城的人和耶路撒冷的居民,都必去哀求他們燒香供奉的神,只是在他們遭難的時候,這些神卻完全不能拯救他們。 13 猶大啊!你的城有多少,你的神也有多少;耶路撒冷的街道有多少,你為那可恥的巴力所設立燒香的祭壇也有多少。

14 “至於你,不要為這人民祈禱,不要為他們呼求禱告,因為他們遭難向我呼求的時候,我必不聽他們。

15 “我所愛的既然行了罪大惡極的事,

還有甚麼資格在我的殿裡呢?

難道祭肉可以消除你的災禍,

使你得著歡樂嗎?”

16 耶和華曾稱你的名字為

壯麗、多結美果的青橄欖樹;

現在他必藉風暴雷轟,

把它燃點起來,

它的枝子也都折斷。

17 那栽種你的萬軍之耶和華,已經宣布降災攻擊你,是因以色列家和猶大家自己所行的惡;他們向巴力燒香,惹我發怒。

耶利米遭人謀害

18 耶和華把他們的陰謀指示我,我就知道了;那時,你把他們所行的給我指明。 19 至於我,我卻像一隻馴良的羊羔,被牽到屠宰之地;我並不知道他們設計謀害我。他們說:

“我們來把這樹和果子(“果子”原文作“它的食物”)都毀滅吧,

把它從活人之地剪除,

使它的名不再被人記念。”

亞拿突人受懲罰

20 但萬軍之耶和華啊!你是憑公義審判人,

試驗人肺腑和心腸的。

求你讓我看見你在他們身上施行的報復,

因為我已經把我的案件向你陳明了。

21 因此耶和華指責那些亞拿突人,他們尋索你命,向你恐嚇說:“不要奉耶和華的名說預言,免得你死在我們手中。” 22 萬軍之耶和華這樣說:“看哪!我要懲罰他們;他們的年輕人必死在刀下,他們的兒女必因饑荒而死。 23 他們中間必沒有餘剩的,因為在懲罰他們的年日,我必使災禍臨到亞拿突人身上。”

The Covenant Is Broken

11 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Listen to the terms of this covenant(A) and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed(B) is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,(C) out of the iron-smelting furnace.(D)’ I said, ‘Obey(E) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,(F) and I will be your God. Then I will fulfill the oath I swore(G) to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’(H)—the land you possess today.”

I answered, “Amen,(I) Lord.”

The Lord said to me, “Proclaim(J) all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow(K) them. From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again,(L) saying, “Obey me.” But they did not listen or pay attention;(M) instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(N) So I brought on them all the curses(O) of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.(P)’”

Then the Lord said to me, “There is a conspiracy(Q) among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors,(R) who refused to listen to my words.(S) They have followed other gods(T) to serve them.(U) Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant(V) I made with their ancestors. 11 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster(W) they cannot escape.(X) Although they cry(Y) out to me, I will not listen(Z) to them. 12 The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,(AA) but they will not help them at all when disaster(AB) strikes. 13 You, Judah, have as many gods(AC) as you have towns;(AD) and the altars you have set up to burn incense(AE) to that shameful(AF) god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’

14 “Do not pray(AG) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen(AH) when they call to me in the time of their distress.

15 “What is my beloved doing in my temple
    as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes?
    Can consecrated meat(AI) avert your punishment?(AJ)
When you engage in your wickedness,
    then you rejoice.[a]

16 The Lord called you a thriving olive tree(AK)
    with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
    he will set it on fire,(AL)
    and its branches will be broken.(AM)

17 The Lord Almighty, who planted(AN) you, has decreed disaster(AO) for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused(AP) my anger by burning incense to Baal.(AQ)

Plot Against Jeremiah

18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;(AR) I did not realize that they had plotted(AS) against me, saying,

“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
    let us cut him off from the land of the living,(AT)
    that his name be remembered(AU) no more.”
20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously(AV)
    and test the heart(AW) and mind,(AX)
let me see your vengeance(AY) on them,
    for to you I have committed my cause.

21 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth(AZ) who are threatening to kill you,(BA) saying, “Do not prophesy(BB) in the name of the Lord or you will die(BC) by our hands”— 22 therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men(BD) will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. 23 Not even a remnant(BE) will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.(BF)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 11:15 Or Could consecrated meat avert your punishment? / Then you would rejoice

11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying,

Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:

That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O Lord.

Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but they did them not.

And the Lord said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

16 The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

20 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

21 Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand:

22 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:

23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.