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17 “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron,
    and with the point of a diamond.
It is engraved on the tablet of their heart,
    and on the horns of your altars.
Even their children remember their altars
    and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills.
My mountain in the field,
    I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder,
    and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.
You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you.
    I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you don’t know,
    for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.”

Yahweh says:

“Cursed is the man who trusts in man,
    relies on strength of flesh,
    and whose heart departs from Yahweh.
For he will be like a bush in the desert,
    and will not see when good comes,
but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
    an uninhabited salt land.

“Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahweh,
    and whose confidence is in Yahweh.
For he will be as a tree planted by the waters,
    who spreads out its roots by the river,
and will not fear when heat comes,
    but its leaf will be green,
and will not be concerned in the year of drought.
    It won’t cease from yielding fruit.
The heart is deceitful above all things
    and it is exceedingly corrupt.
    Who can know it?

10 “I, Yahweh, search the mind.
    I try the heart,
even to give every man according to his ways,
    according to the fruit of his doings.”

11 As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid,
    so is he who gets riches, and not by right.
In the middle of his days, they will leave him.
    At his end, he will be a fool.
12 A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning,
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Yahweh, the hope of Israel,
    all who forsake you will be disappointed.
Those who depart from me will be written in the earth,
    because they have forsaken Yahweh,
    the spring of living waters.
14 Heal me, O Yahweh, and I will be healed.
    Save me, and I will be saved;
    for you are my praise.
15 Behold, they ask me,
    “Where is Yahweh’s word?
    Let it be fulfilled now.”
16 As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you.
    I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know.
    That which came out of my lips was before your face.
17 Don’t be a terror to me.
    You are my refuge in the day of evil.
18 Let them be disappointed who persecute me,
    but let not me be disappointed.
Let them be dismayed,
    but don’t let me be dismayed.
Bring on them the day of evil,
    and destroy them with double destruction.

19 Yahweh said this to me: “Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 Tell them, ‘Hear Yahweh’s word, you kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates: 21 Yahweh says, “Be careful, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Don’t carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day. Don’t do any work, but make the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23 But they didn’t listen. They didn’t turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction. 24 It will happen, if you diligently listen to me,” says Yahweh, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein; 25 then there will enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on David’s throne, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city will remain forever. 26 They will come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, to Yahweh’s house. 27 But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem. It will not be quenched.”’”

Judah’s Sin and Punishment

17 The sin of Judah is written with an iron pen
    and with a diamond point;
it is engraved on the tablet of their heart
    and on the horns of their altars;
as they remember their children,
    so they remember their altars
and their groves by the green trees
    on the high hills.
O My mountain in the field,
    I will give your wealth
and all your treasures to the destroyer,
    and your high places
    for sin throughout all your borders.
You, even yourself, will discontinue
    from your heritage that I gave you;
and I will cause you to serve your enemies
    in the land which you do not know;
for you have kindled a fire in My anger
    which will burn forever.

Thus says the Lord:

Cursed is the man who trusts in man
    and makes flesh his strength,
    and whose heart departs from the Lord.
For he will be like a bush in the desert
    and will not see when good comes,
but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness,
    in a salt land and not inhabited.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord,
    and whose hope is the Lord.
For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters,
    and that spreads out its roots by the river,
and shall not fear when heat comes,
    but its leaf shall be green,
and it shall not be anxious in the year of drought,
    neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

The heart is more deceitful than all things
    and desperately wicked;
    who can understand it?

10 I, the Lord, search the heart,
    I test the mind,
even to give to every man according to his ways,
    and according to the fruit of his deeds.

11 As the partridge sits on eggs which it has not laid,
    so is he who gets riches, but not justly;
it will forsake him in the midst of his days,
    and in the end he will be a fool.

12 A glorious high throne from the beginning
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O Lord, the Hope of Israel,
    all who forsake You will be ashamed.
“Those who depart from Me in the earth will be written down,
    because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the fountain of living waters.”

Jeremiah Prays for Deliverance

14 Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed;
    save me, and I will be saved,
    for You are my praise.
15 See how they say to me,
    “Where is the word of the Lord?
    Let it come now!”
16 As for me, I have not hurried away from being a shepherd after You,
    nor have I desired the woeful day;
    You Yourself know that which came out of my lips was in Your presence.
17 Do not be a terror to me;
    You are my hope in the day of disaster.
18 Let those who persecute me be humiliated,
    but let me not be humiliated;
let them be dismayed,
    but let me not be dismayed.
Bring upon them the day of evil,
    and destroy them with double destruction.

Keep the Sabbath Day Holy

19 Thus the Lord said to me: Go and stand in the gate of the sons of the people whereby the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 And say to them: Hear the word of the Lord, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the Lord: Take heed to yourselves, and do not bear any load on the Sabbath day nor bring anything in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 You shall not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day, nor do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23 But they did not obey or incline their ears, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear nor receive instruction. 24 It shall come to pass, if you diligently listen to Me, says the Lord, to bring in no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but sanctify the Sabbath day to do no work in it, 25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and officials sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their officials, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city will be inhabited forever. 26 They will come from the cities of Judah and from the places about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the plain, and from the mountains, and from the Negev, bringing burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and grain offerings, and incense, and bringing sacrifices of praise to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you will not listen to Me to sanctify the Sabbath day and not to bear a load, even entering in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in the gates and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem and it will not be quenched.