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16 As for you, don’t pray for these people, don’t cry out or plead for them, and don’t intercede with me, for I won’t listen to you. 17 Can’t you 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 dough to make sacrificial cakes for the queen of heaven. And to offend me all the more, they pour out drink offerings to foreign gods. 19 But am I the one they are really offending? declares the Lord. Aren’t they in fact humiliating themselves? 20 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: I’m going to pour out my fierce anger on this place, on humans and beasts, on the trees of the field and the crops of the fertile land. It will burn and not go out.

21 This is what the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, says: Add your entirely burned offerings to your sacrifices and eat them yourselves! 22 On the day I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I didn’t say a thing—I gave no instructions—about entirely burned offerings or sacrifices. 23 Rather, this is what I required of them: Obey me so that I may become your God and you may become my people. Follow the path I mark out for you so that it may go well with you. 24 But they didn’t listen or pay attention. They followed their willful and evil hearts and went backward rather than forward. 25 From the moment your ancestors left the land of Egypt to this day, I have sent you all my servants the prophets—day after day. 26 But they didn’t listen to me or pay attention; they were stubborn and did more harm than their ancestors. 27 When you tell them all this, they won’t listen to you. When you call to them, they won’t respond. 28 Therefore, say to them: This nation neither obeys the Lord its God nor accepts correction; truth has disappeared; it has vanished from their lips.

29 Cut off your hair and cast it away;
    grieve on the well-traveled paths.
The Lord has rejected you
    and has cast off a generation that provokes his anger.

30 The people of Judah have done what displeases me, declares the Lord. They have corrupted the temple that bears my name by setting up their disgusting idols. 31 They have built shrines at Topheth in the Ben-hinnom Valley to burn their sons and daughters in the fire, although I never commanded such a thing, nor did it ever cross my mind. 32 So now the time is coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer speak of Topheth or the Ben-hinnom Valley, but the Carnage Valley. They will bury in Topheth until no space is left. 33 The corpses of this people will be food for birds and wild animals, with no one to drive them off. 34 I will silence the sound of joy and delight as well as the voice of bride and bridegroom in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, for the country will be reduced to a wasteland.

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16 “So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea(A) or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen(B) 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.(C) They pour out drink offerings(D) to other gods to arouse(E) my anger. 19 But am I the one they are provoking?(F) declares the Lord. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?(G)

20 “‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign(H) Lord says: My anger(I) and my wrath will be poured(J) 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.(K)

21 “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices(L) and eat(M) the meat yourselves! 22 For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands(N) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,(O) 23 but I gave them this command:(P) Obey(Q) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.(R) Walk in obedience to all(S) I command you, that it may go well(T) with you. 24 But they did not listen(U) or pay attention;(V) instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.(W) They went backward(X) and not forward. 25 From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again(Y) I sent you my servants(Z) the prophets.(AA) 26 But they did not listen to me or pay attention.(AB) They were stiff-necked(AC) and did more evil than their ancestors.’(AD)

27 “When you tell(AE) them all this, they will not listen(AF) to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.(AG) 28 Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.(AH) Truth(AI) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

29 “‘Cut off(AJ) your hair and throw it away; take up a lament(AK) on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned(AL) this generation that is under his wrath.

The Valley of Slaughter

30 “‘The people of Judah have done evil(AM) in my eyes, declares the Lord. They have set up their detestable idols(AN) in the house that bears my Name and have defiled(AO) it. 31 They have built the high places of Topheth(AP) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom(AQ) to burn their sons and daughters(AR) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.(AS) 32 So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter,(AT) for they will bury(AU) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. 33 Then the carcasses(AV) of this people will become food(AW) for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away.(AX) 34 I will bring an end to the sounds(AY) of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom(AZ) in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem,(BA) for the land will become desolate.(BB)

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