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)

8 “‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones^(BC) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed^(BD) from their graves. ² They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served^(BE) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.^(BF) They will not be gathered up or buried,^(BG) but will be like dung lying on the ground.^{(BH) 3} Wherever I banish them,^(BI) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,^(BJ) declares the Lord Almighty.’