11 The Word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, 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, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel: “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this Covenant,

⁴ “which I Commanded to your fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My Voice, and do according to all these things which I Command you.’ So shall you be My people, and I will be your God,

⁵ “so that I may confirm the oath that I have sworn to your fathers, to give them a land which flows with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I answered, and said, “So be it, O LORD.”

⁶ Then the LORD said to me, “Cry 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 have protested to your fathers, when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, rising early and protesting, saying, ‘Obey My Voice.’

⁸ “Nevertheless, they would not obey or incline their ear. But everyone walked in the stubbornness of his wicked heart. Therefore, I will bring upon them all the words of this Covenant, which I Commanded them to do, but they did not do it.”

⁹ And the LORD 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. And they went 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, thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will bring a plague upon them, which they shall not be able to escape. And though they cry to Me, I will not hear them.

¹² “Then shall the cities of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, go and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense. But they shall not be able to help them in time of their trouble.

¹³ “For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah. And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have you set up altars of confusion, altars to burn incense unto Baal.

¹⁴ “Therefore, you shall not pray for this people or lift up a cry or prayer for them. For when they cry to Me in their trouble, I will not hear them.

¹⁵ “What should My beloved be doing in My House, seeing they have committed abomination with many, and the holy flesh has gone away from you? Yet when you do evil, you rejoice.

¹⁶ “The LORD called your name, a green olive tree, fair, of good fruit. But with noise and great tumult, He has set fire upon it. And the branches of it are broken.

¹⁷ “For the LORD of Hosts, Who planted you, has pronounced a plague against you, for the wickedness of the House of Israel, and of the House of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke Me to anger in offering incense to Baal.”

¹⁸ And the LORD has taught me, and I know it. Then You showed me their practices.

¹⁹ But I was like a lamb, a bullock that is brought to the slaughter. And I did not know that they had devised this against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and cut him out of the land of the living, so that his name may be remembered no more.”

²⁰ But, O LORD of Hosts, Who judges righteously and tests the inner core and the heart, let me see Your vengeance on them! For to You have I opened my cause!

²¹ Therefore, the LORD speaks this of the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, “Do not prophesy in the Name of the LORD, so that you do not die by our hands.”

²² Thus, therefore, says the LORD of Hosts: “Behold, I will visit them. The young men shall die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters shall die by famine.

²³ “And none of them shall remain. For I will bring a plague upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.”