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Jeremiah 33-36
New American Standard Bible 1995

Restoration Promised

33 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still [a](A)confined in the court of the guard, saying, 2 “Thus says (B)the Lord who made [b]the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it, the (C)Lord is His name, 3 ‘(D)Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you (E)great and mighty things, (F)which you do not know.’ 4 For thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning the (G)houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the (H)siege ramps and against the sword, 5 ‘While they are coming to (I)fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have (J)hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness: 6 Behold, I will bring to it (K)health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an (L)abundance of peace and truth. 7 I will (M)restore the [c]fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will (N)rebuild them as they were at first. 8 I will (O)cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 [d]It will be to Me a (P)name of joy, praise and glory before (Q)all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the (R)good that I do for them, and they will (S)fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’

10 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a (T)waste, without man and without beast,” that is, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are (U)desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the voice of (V)joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,

“(W)Give thanks to the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;

and of those who bring a (X)thank offering into the house of the Lord. For I will restore the [e]fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘There will again be in this place which is waste, (Y)without man or beast, and in all its cities, a [f]habitation of shepherds who rest their (Z)flocks. 13 In the (AA)cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again (AB)pass under the hands of the one who numbers them,’ says the Lord.

The Davidic Kingdom

14 ‘Behold, (AC)days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will (AD)fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah. 15 In those days and at that time I will cause a (AE)righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute (AF)justice and righteousness on the earth. 16 In those days (AG)Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the (AH)Lord is our righteousness.’ 17 For thus says the Lord, ‘[g]David shall (AI)never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 [h]and the (AJ)Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to (AK)prepare sacrifices [i]continually.’”

19 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “Thus says the Lord, ‘If you can (AL)break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time, 21 then (AM)My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers. 22 As the (AN)host of heaven cannot be counted and the (AO)sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will (AP)multiply the [j]descendants of David My servant and the (AQ)Levites who minister to Me.’”

23 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 24 “Have you not observed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The (AR)two families which the Lord chose, He has (AS)rejected them’? Thus they (AT)despise My people, no longer are they as a nation [k]in their sight. 25 Thus says the Lord, ‘If My (AU)covenant for day and night stand not, and the [l]fixed patterns of heaven and earth I have (AV)not established, 26 then I would (AW)reject the [m]descendants of Jacob and David My servant, [n]not taking from his [o]descendants (AX)rulers over the [p]descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will (AY)restore their [q]fortunes and will have (AZ)mercy on them.’”

A Prophecy against Zedekiah

34 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when (BA)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with (BB)all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘(BC)Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, (BD)I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and (BE)he will burn it with fire. 3 (BF)You will not escape from his hand, for you will surely be captured and delivered into his hand; and you will (BG)see the king of Babylon eye to eye, and he will speak with you [r]face to face, and you will go to Babylon.’”’ 4 Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lord concerning you, ‘You will not die by the sword. 5 You will die in peace; and as spices were burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will (BH)burn spices for you; and (BI)they will lament for you, “Alas, lord!”’ For I have spoken the word,” declares the Lord.

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke (BJ)all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem 7 when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah, that is, (BK)Lachish and (BL)Azekah, for they alone remained as (BM)fortified cities among the cities of Judah.

8 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had (BN)made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to (BO)proclaim [s]release to them: 9 that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a (BP)Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that (BQ)no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage. 10 And all the (BR)officials and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, so that no one should keep them any longer in bondage; they obeyed, and set them free. 11 But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection for male servants and for female servants.

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘I (BS)made a covenant with your forefathers in the day that I (BT)brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, saying, 14 “(BU)At the end of seven years each of you shall set free his Hebrew brother who [t]has been sold to you and has served you six years, you shall send him out free from you; but your forefathers (BV)did not obey Me or incline their ear to Me. 15 Although recently you had turned and (BW)done what is right in My sight, each man proclaiming [u]release to his neighbor, and you had (BX)made a covenant before Me (BY)in the house which is called by My name. 16 Yet you (BZ)turned and (CA)profaned My name, and each man [v]took back his male servant and each man his female servant whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your male servants and female servants.”’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming [w]release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am (CB)proclaiming a [x]release to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to the (CC)sword, to the pestilence and to the famine; and I will make you a (CD)terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. 18 I will give the men who have (CE)transgressed My covenant, who have not fulfilled the words of the covenant which they made before Me, when they (CF)cut the calf in two and passed between its parts— 19 the (CG)officials of Judah and the officials of Jerusalem, the court officers and the priests and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf— 20 I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who (CH)seek their life. And their (CI)dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth. 21 (CJ)Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has (CK)gone away from you. 22 Behold, I am going to command,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it and (CL)take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a (CM)desolation (CN)without inhabitant.’”

The Rechabites’ Obedience

35 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the days of (CO)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Go to the house of the (CP)Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the (CQ)chambers, and give them wine to drink.” 3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites, 4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the (CR)man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, (CS)the doorkeeper. 5 Then I set before the [y]men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “(CT)Drink wine!” 6 But they said, “We will not drink wine, for (CU)Jonadab the son of (CV)Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall (CW)not drink wine, you or your sons, forever. 7 You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in (CX)tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live (CY)many days in the land where you (CZ)sojourn.’ 8 We have (DA)obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters, 9 nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we (DB)do not have vineyard or field or seed. 10 We have only (DC)dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that (DD)Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But when (DE)Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us (DF)go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “(DG)Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord. 14 “The (DH)words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you [z](DI)again and again; yet you have (DJ)not listened to Me. 15 Also I have sent to you all My (DK)servants the prophets, sending them [aa]again and again, saying: ‘(DL)Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and (DM)do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will (DN)dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not (DO)inclined your ear or listened to Me. 16 Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have (DP)observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’”’ 17 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, (DQ)I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I (DR)spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have (DS)obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you; 19 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab (DT)shall not lack a man to (DU)stand before Me [ab]always.”’”

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

36 In the (DV)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Take a [ac](DW)scroll and write on it all the (DX)words which I have spoken to you concerning (DY)Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the (DZ)nations, from the (EA)day I first spoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day. 3 (EB)Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will (EC)turn from his evil way; then I will (ED)forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

4 Then Jeremiah called (EE)Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a [ad](EF)scroll [ae]at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord which He had spoken to him. 5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am [af](EG)restricted; I cannot go into the house of the Lord. 6 So you go and (EH)read from the scroll which you have (EI)written [ag]at my dictation the words of the Lord [ah]to the people in the Lord’s house on a (EJ)fast day. And also you shall read them [ai]to all the people of Judah who come from their cities. 7 (EK)Perhaps their supplication will [aj]come before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for (EL)great is the anger and the wrath that the Lord has pronounced against this people.” 8 Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, (EM)reading from the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house.

9 Now in the (EN)fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the (EO)ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who (EP)came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a (EQ)fast before the Lord. 10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord in the (ER)chamber of (ES)Gemariah the son of Shaphan the (ET)scribe, in the upper court, at the (EU)entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house, to all the people.

11 Now when (EV)Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the Lord from the book, 12 he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—(EW)Elishama the scribe, and (EX)Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and (EY)Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the other officials. 13 Micaiah (EZ)declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people. 14 Then all the officials sent (FA)Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah (FB)took the scroll in his hand and went to them. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch (FC)read it to them. 16 When they had heard all the words, they turned in (FD)fear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely (FE)report all these words to the king.” 17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, (FF)how did you write all these words? Was it [ak]at his dictation?” 18 Then Baruch said to them, “He (FG)dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.” 19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, (FH)hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

The Scroll Is Burned

20 So they went to the (FI)king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of (FJ)Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king. 21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi (FK)read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king. 22 Now the king was sitting in the (FL)winter house in the (FM)ninth month, with a fire burning in the brazier before him. 23 When Jehudi had read three or four columns, the king cut it with a scribe’s knife and (FN)threw it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. 24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were (FO)not afraid, nor did they (FP)rend their garments. 25 Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah (FQ)pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to (FR)seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the (FS)Lord hid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

27 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah after the king had (FT)burned the scroll and the words which (FU)Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying, 28 “(FV)Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were (FW)on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned. 29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You have (FX)burned this scroll, saying, ‘(FY)Why have you written on it [al]that the (FZ)king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’” 30 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have (GA)no one to sit on the throne of David, and his (GB)dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night. 31 I will also (GC)punish him and his [am]descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will (GD)bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.”’”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he (GE)wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many [an]similar words were added to them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 33:1 Lit shut up
  2. Jeremiah 33:2 Lit it
  3. Jeremiah 33:7 Or captivity
  4. Jeremiah 33:9 I.e. This city
  5. Jeremiah 33:11 Or captivity
  6. Jeremiah 33:12 Or pasture
  7. Jeremiah 33:17 Lit There shall not be cut off for David
  8. Jeremiah 33:18 Lit there shall not be cut off for the Levitical priests
  9. Jeremiah 33:18 Lit all the days
  10. Jeremiah 33:22 Lit seed
  11. Jeremiah 33:24 Lit to their faces
  12. Jeremiah 33:25 Lit statutes
  13. Jeremiah 33:26 Lit seed
  14. Jeremiah 33:26 Lit from taking
  15. Jeremiah 33:26 Lit seed
  16. Jeremiah 33:26 Lit seed
  17. Jeremiah 33:26 Or captivity
  18. Jeremiah 34:3 Lit mouth to mouth
  19. Jeremiah 34:8 Or liberty
  20. Jeremiah 34:14 Or has sold himself
  21. Jeremiah 34:15 Or liberty
  22. Jeremiah 34:16 Lit caused them to return
  23. Jeremiah 34:17 Or liberty
  24. Jeremiah 34:17 Or liberty
  25. Jeremiah 35:5 Lit sons
  26. Jeremiah 35:14 Lit rising early and speaking
  27. Jeremiah 35:15 Lit rising early and speaking
  28. Jeremiah 35:19 Lit all the days
  29. Jeremiah 36:2 Lit scroll of a book
  30. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit scroll of a book
  31. Jeremiah 36:4 Lit from the mouth of
  32. Jeremiah 36:5 Lit shut up
  33. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit from my mouth
  34. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit in the ears of, and so throughout this context
  35. Jeremiah 36:6 Lit in the ears of, and so throughout this context
  36. Jeremiah 36:7 Lit fall
  37. Jeremiah 36:17 Lit from his mouth, and so throughout this context
  38. Jeremiah 36:29 Lit saying
  39. Jeremiah 36:31 Lit seed
  40. Jeremiah 36:32 Lit like those
Listen to Jeremiah 33-36
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Jeremiah 33-36
New International Version

Promise of Restoration

33 While Jeremiah was still confined(A) in the courtyard(B) of the guard, the word of the Lord came to him a second time:(C) 2 “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth,(D) the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name:(E) 3 ‘Call(F) to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable(G) things you do not know.’ 4 For 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(H) ramps(I) and the sword 5 in the fight with the Babylonians[a]: ‘They will be filled with the dead bodies of the people I will slay in my anger and wrath.(J) I will hide my face(K) from this city because of all its wickedness.

6 “‘Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal(L) my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace(M) and security. 7 I will bring Judah(N) and Israel back from captivity[b](O) and will rebuild(P) them as they were before.(Q) 8 I will cleanse(R) them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive(S) all their sins of rebellion against me. 9 Then this city will bring me renown,(T) joy, praise(U) and honor(V) 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(W) 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.”(X) Yet in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are deserted,(Y) inhabited by neither people nor animals, there will be heard once more 11 the sounds of joy and gladness,(Z) the voices of bride and bridegroom, and the voices of those who bring thank offerings(AA) to the house of the Lord, saying,

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

For I will restore the fortunes(AD) of the land as they were before,(AE)’ says the Lord.

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

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

15 “‘In those days and at that time
    I will make a righteous(AM) Branch(AN) sprout from David’s line;(AO)
    he will do what is just and right in the land.
16 In those days Judah will be saved(AP)
    and Jerusalem will live in safety.(AQ)
This is the name by which it[c] will be called:(AR)
    The Lord Our Righteous Savior.’(AS)

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

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

23 The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 24 “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms[d](BD) he chose’? So they despise(BE) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.(BF) 25 This is what the Lord says: ‘If I have not made my covenant with day and night(BG) and established the laws(BH) of heaven and earth,(BI) 26 then I will reject(BJ) the descendants of Jacob(BK) 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[e](BL) and have compassion(BM) on them.’”

Warning to Zedekiah

34 While Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms and peoples(BN) in the empire he ruled were fighting against Jerusalem(BO) 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(BP) 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.(BQ) 3 You will not escape from his grasp but will surely be captured and given into his hands.(BR) 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;(BS) 5 you will die peacefully. As people made a funeral fire(BT) in honor of your predecessors, the kings who ruled before you, so they will make a fire in your honor and lament, “Alas,(BU) master!” I myself make this promise, declares the Lord.’”

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

Freedom for Slaves

8 The word came to Jeremiah from the Lord after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people(BX) in Jerusalem to proclaim freedom(BY) for the slaves. 9 Everyone was to free their Hebrew slaves, both male and female; no one was to hold a fellow Hebrew in bondage.(BZ) 10 So 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. 11 But afterward they changed their minds(CA) and took back the slaves they had freed and enslaved them again.

12 Then 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(CB) when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.(CC) 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.’[f](CD) Your ancestors, however, did not listen to me or pay attention(CE) to me. 15 Recently you repented and did what is right in my sight: Each of you proclaimed freedom to your own people.(CF) You even made a covenant before me in the house that bears my Name.(CG) 16 But now you have turned around(CH) and profaned(CI) 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,(CJ) declares the Lord—‘freedom’ to fall by the sword, plague(CK) and famine.(CL) I will make you abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth.(CM) 18 Those who have violated my covenant(CN) 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.(CO) 19 The leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the court officials,(CP) the priests and all the people of the land who walked between the pieces of the calf, 20 I will deliver(CQ) into the hands of their enemies who want to kill them.(CR) Their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.(CS)

21 “I will deliver Zedekiah(CT) king of Judah and his officials(CU) into the hands of their enemies(CV) who want to kill them, to the army of the king of Babylon,(CW) which has withdrawn(CX) from you. 22 I am going to give the order, declares the Lord, and I will bring them back to this city. They will fight against it, take(CY) it and burn(CZ) it down. And I will lay waste(DA) 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(DB) son of Josiah king of Judah: 2 “Go to the Rekabite(DC) family and invite them to come to one of the side rooms(DD) of the house of the Lord and give them wine to drink.”

3 So 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. 4 I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the room of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah the man of God.(DE) It was next to the room of the officials, which was over that of Maaseiah son of Shallum(DF) the doorkeeper.(DG) 5 Then I set bowls full of wine and some cups before the Rekabites and said to them, “Drink some wine.”

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

12 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 13 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go and tell(DP) the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘Will you not learn a lesson(DQ) 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.(DR) But I have spoken to you again and again,(DS) yet you have not obeyed(DT) me. 15 Again and again I sent all my servants the prophets(DU) to you. They said, “Each of you must turn(DV) from your wicked ways and reform(DW) your actions; do not follow other gods(DX) to serve them. Then you will live in the land(DY) I have given to you and your ancestors.” But you have not paid attention or listened(DZ) to me. 16 The descendants of Jehonadab son of Rekab have carried out the command their forefather(EA) 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(EB) I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen;(EC) I called to them, but they did not answer.’”(ED)

18 Then 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(EE) Jehonadab and have followed all his instructions and have done everything he ordered.’ 19 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Jehonadab son of Rekab will never fail(EF) to have a descendant to serve(EG) me.’”

Jehoiakim Burns Jeremiah’s Scroll

36 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim(EH) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Take a scroll(EI) and write on it all the words(EJ) I have spoken to you concerning Israel, Judah and all the other nations from the time I began speaking to you in the reign of Josiah(EK) till now. 3 Perhaps(EL) when the people of Judah hear(EM) about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn(EN) from their wicked ways; then I will forgive(EO) their wickedness and their sin.”

4 So Jeremiah called Baruch(EP) son of Neriah,(EQ) and while Jeremiah dictated(ER) all the words the Lord had spoken to him, Baruch wrote them on the scroll.(ES) 5 Then Jeremiah told Baruch, “I am restricted; I am not allowed to go to the Lord’s temple. 6 So you go to the house of the Lord on a day of fasting(ET) and read to the people from the scroll the words of the Lord that you wrote as I dictated.(EU) Read them to all the people of Judah(EV) who come in from their towns. 7 Perhaps they will bring their petition(EW) before the Lord and will each turn(EX) from their wicked ways, for the anger(EY) and wrath pronounced against this people by the Lord are great.”

8 Baruch son of Neriah did everything Jeremiah the prophet told him to do; at the Lord’s temple he read the words of the Lord from the scroll. 9 In the ninth month(EZ) of the fifth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, a time of fasting(FA) before the Lord was proclaimed for all the people in Jerusalem and those who had come from the towns of Judah. 10 From the room of Gemariah(FB) son of Shaphan(FC) the secretary,(FD) which was in the upper courtyard at the entrance of the New Gate(FE) of the temple, Baruch read to all the people at the Lord’s temple the words of Jeremiah from the scroll.

11 When Micaiah son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of the Lord from the scroll, 12 he went down to the secretary’s(FF) room in the royal palace, where all the officials were sitting: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan(FG) son of Akbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the other officials.(FH) 13 After Micaiah told them everything he had heard Baruch read to the people from the scroll, 14 all the officials sent Jehudi(FI) son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to say to Baruch, “Bring the scroll(FJ) from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch son of Neriah went to them with the scroll in his hand. 15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.”

So Baruch read it to them. 16 When they heard all these words, they looked at each other in fear(FK) and said to Baruch, “We must report all these words to the king.” 17 Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us, how did you come to write(FL) all this? Did Jeremiah dictate it?”

18 “Yes,” Baruch replied, “he dictated(FM) all these words to me, and I wrote them in ink on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials(FN) said to Baruch, “You and Jeremiah, go and hide.(FO) Don’t let anyone know where you are.”

20 After they put the scroll in the room of Elishama the secretary, they went to the king in the courtyard and reported everything to him. 21 The king sent Jehudi(FP) to get the scroll, and Jehudi brought it from the room of Elishama the secretary and read it to the king(FQ) and all the officials standing beside him. 22 It was the ninth month and the king was sitting in the winter apartment,(FR) with a fire burning in the firepot in front of him. 23 Whenever Jehudi had read three or four columns of the scroll,(FS) the king cut them off with a scribe’s knife and threw them into the firepot, until the entire scroll was burned in the fire.(FT) 24 The king and all his attendants who heard all these words showed no fear,(FU) nor did they tear their clothes.(FV) 25 Even though Elnathan, Delaiah(FW) and Gemariah(FX) urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. 26 Instead, the king commanded Jerahmeel, a son of the king, Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest(FY) Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet. But the Lord had hidden(FZ) them.

27 After the king burned the scroll containing the words that Baruch had written at Jeremiah’s dictation,(GA) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 28 “Take another scroll(GB) and write on it all the words that were on the first scroll, which Jehoiakim king of Judah burned up. 29 Also tell Jehoiakim king of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You burned that scroll and said, “Why did you write on it that the king of Babylon would certainly come and destroy this land and wipe from it(GC) both man and beast?”(GD) 30 Therefore this is what the Lord says about Jehoiakim(GE) king of Judah: He will have no one to sit on the throne of David; his body will be thrown out(GF) and exposed(GG) to the heat by day and the frost by night.(GH) 31 I will punish him and his children(GI) and his attendants for their wickedness; I will bring on them and those living in Jerusalem and the people of Judah every disaster(GJ) I pronounced against them, because they have not listened.(GK)’”

32 So Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the scribe Baruch son of Neriah, and as Jeremiah dictated,(GL) Baruch wrote(GM) on it all the words of the scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned(GN) in the fire. And many similar words were added to them.

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 33:5 Or Chaldeans
  2. Jeremiah 33:7 Or will restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel
  3. Jeremiah 33:16 Or he
  4. Jeremiah 33:24 Or families
  5. Jeremiah 33:26 Or will bring them back from captivity
  6. Jeremiah 34:14 Deut. 15:12
  7. Jeremiah 35:6 Hebrew Jonadab, a variant of Jehonadab; here and often in this chapter
  8. Jeremiah 35:11 Or Chaldean
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Jeremiah 32
Jeremiah 37
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