Do not trust(A) in deceptive(B) words and say, “This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!” If you really change(C) your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,(D) if you do not oppress(E) the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood(F) in this place, and if you do not follow other gods(G) to your own harm, then I will let you live in this place, in the land(H) I gave your ancestors(I) for ever and ever. But look, you are trusting(J) in deceptive(K) words that are worthless.

“‘Will you steal(L) and murder,(M) commit adultery(N) and perjury,[a](O) burn incense to Baal(P) and follow other gods(Q) you have not known, 10 and then come and stand(R) before me in this house,(S) which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”—safe to do all these detestable things?(T) 11 Has this house,(U) which bears my Name, become a den of robbers(V) to you? But I have been watching!(W) declares the Lord.

12 “‘Go now to the place in Shiloh(X) where I first made a dwelling(Y) for my Name,(Z) and see what I did(AA) to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13 While you were doing all these things, declares the Lord, I spoke(AB) to you again and again,(AC) but you did not listen;(AD) I called(AE) you, but you did not answer.(AF) 14 Therefore, what I did to Shiloh(AG) I will now do to the house that bears my Name,(AH) the temple(AI) you trust in, the place I gave to you and your ancestors. 15 I will thrust you from my presence,(AJ) just as I did all your fellow Israelites, the people of Ephraim.’(AK)

16 “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea(AL) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen(AM) to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven.(AN) They pour out drink offerings(AO) to other gods to arouse(AP) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(AQ) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(AR)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign(AS) Lord says: My anger(AT) and my wrath will be poured(AU) out on this place—on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the crops of your land—and it will burn and not be quenched.(AV)

21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(AW) and eat(AX) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(AY) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(AZ)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 7:9 Or and swear by false gods

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