Jeremiah 11
World English Bible
11 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 and say to them, Yahweh, the God of Israel says: ‘Cursed is the man who doesn’t hear the words of this covenant, 4 which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace,’ saying, ‘Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you; so you shall be my people, and I will be your God; 5 that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is today.”
Then I answered, and said, “Amen, Yahweh.”
6 Yahweh said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant, and do them. 7 For I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and protesting, saying, “Obey my voice.” 8 Yet they didn’t obey, nor turn their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of their evil heart. Therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they didn’t do them.’”
9 Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They have gone 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 Yahweh says, ‘Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they will not be able to escape; and they will cry to me, but I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your cities are your gods, Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to Baal.’
14 “Therefore don’t pray for this people. Don’t lift up cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.
15 What has my beloved to do in my house,
since she has behaved lewdly with many,
and the holy flesh has passed from you?
When you do evil,
then you rejoice.”
16 Yahweh called your name, “A green olive tree,
beautiful with goodly fruit.”
With the noise of a great roar he has kindled fire on it,
and its branches are broken.
17 For Yahweh of Armies, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to Baal.
18 Yahweh gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then you showed me their doings. 19 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I didn’t know that they had devised plans against me, saying,
“Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit,
and let’s cut him off from the land of the living,
that his name may be no more remembered.”
20 But, Yahweh of Armies, who judges righteously,
who tests the heart and the mind,
I will see your vengeance on them;
for to you I have revealed my cause.
21 “Therefore Yahweh says concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘You shall not prophesy in Yahweh’s name, that you not die by our hand;’ 22 therefore Yahweh of Armies says, ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die by famine. 23 There will be no remnant to them, for I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.’”
Jeremiah 11
International Standard Version
The Broken Covenant
11 This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Listen to the words of this covenant, and convey them to the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 3 You are to say to them, ‘This is what the Lord God of Israel says: “Cursed is the person who does not listen to the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded to your ancestors on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace. I said, ‘Obey me and do everything[a] that I commanded you. Then you will be my people and I’ll be your God.’ 5 As a result, I’ll fulfill the oath that I made with your ancestors to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, just as is the case today.”’”
Then I answered, “So be it,[b] Lord.”
6 The Lord told me, “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. You are to say, ‘Listen to the words of this covenant and do them. 7 For I’ve diligently warned your ancestors from the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt until now, regularly warning them,[c] saying, “Obey me!” 8 But they would not listen or turn their ear, and each of them stubbornly followed his own evil desires.[d] So I brought on them all the consequences[e] of this covenant that I commanded them to fulfill, but they did not.’”
9 The Lord told me, “Conspiracy has been found among the people of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors of old[f] who refused to listen to my words. They followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant which I made with their ancestors.”
11 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: “I’m about to bring disaster on them from which they won’t be able to escape. They’ll cry out to me, but I won’t listen to them. 12 The towns of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they’ll be no help at all to them[g] in the time of their disaster. 13 Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns, and you have set up as many altars to the shameful idols as there are streets in Jerusalem. You burn incense to Baal on these altars.
14 “Jeremiah,[h] don’t pray for this people and don’t cry or pray for them. I won’t listen when they cry out to me because of their disaster.
15 “What right does my beloved have in my house,
when she has carried out many evil schemes?
Can sacrificial[i] flesh turn disaster away from you,
so you can rejoice?”
16 The Lord once called you a green olive tree,
with beautiful shape and fruit.
With a great roaring sound, he has set fire to it
and its branches will be destroyed.
17 The Lord of the Heavenly Armies who planted you has called for disaster on you because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, has provoked me by burning incense to Baal.”
Jeremiah’s Life is Threatened
18 The Lord made it known to me,
and so I understood.
Then you showed me their malicious deeds.
19 I was like a gentle lamb
led to the slaughter.
I didn’t know that they had devised schemes
against me. They told themselves,[j]
“Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit.
Let’s eliminate him from the land of the living,
so his name won’t be remembered again.”
20 Lord of the Heavenly Armies, the righteous judge,
the one who tests feelings and the heart,
let me see your vengeance on them,
for I’ve committed my case to you.
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says about the men of Anathoth who seek to kill you, all the while threatening you, “Don’t prophesy in the name of the Lord so you won’t die by our hand!” 22 Therefore, this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says: “I’m about to punish them. The young men will die by the sword. Their sons and daughters will die by famine. 23 Not one of them will be left,[k] for I’ll bring disaster on the men of Anathoth when I punish them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 11:4 Lit. according to all
- Jeremiah 11:5 Heb. amen
- Jeremiah 11:7 Lit. getting up early and warning
- Jeremiah 11:8 Lit. follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts
- Jeremiah 11:8 Lit. words
- Jeremiah 11:10 Lit. their first ancestors
- Jeremiah 11:12 Or won’t save them at all
- Jeremiah 11:14 Lit. You
- Jeremiah 11:15 Lit. holy
- Jeremiah 11:19 The Heb. lacks They told themselves
- Jeremiah 11:23 Lit. A remnant won’t be to them
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