Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt^(A)—in Migdol,^(B) Tahpanhes^(C) and Memphis^(D)—and in Upper Egypt:^{(E) 2} “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster^(F) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.^(G) Today they lie deserted and in ruins^{(H) 3} because of the evil^(I) they have done. They aroused my anger^(J) by burning incense^(K) to and worshiping other gods^(L) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors^(M) ever knew. ⁴ Again and again^(N) I sent my servants the prophets,^(O) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable^(P) thing that I hate!’ ⁵ But they did not listen or pay attention;^(Q) they did not turn from their wickedness^(R) or stop burning incense^(S) to other gods.^{(T) 6} Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;^(U) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins^(V) they are today.

⁷ “Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster^(W) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,^(X) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?^{(Y) 8} Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,^(Z) burning incense^(AA) to other gods in Egypt,^(AB) where you have come to live?^(AC) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse^[a] and an object of reproach^(AD) among all the nations on earth. ⁹ Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors^(AE) and by the kings^(AF) and queens^(AG) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives^(AH) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?^{(AI) 10} To this day they have not humbled^(AJ) themselves or shown reverence,^(AK) nor have they followed my law^(AL) and the decrees^(AM) I set before you and your ancestors.^(AN)

¹¹ “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,^(AO) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster^(AP) on you and to destroy all Judah. ¹² I will take away the remnant^(AQ) of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest,^(AR) they will die by sword or famine.^(AS) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.^{(AT) 13} I will punish^(AU) those who live in Egypt with the sword,^(AV) famine and plague,^(AW) as I punished Jerusalem. ¹⁴ None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”^(AX)

¹⁵ Then all the men who knew that their wives^(AY) were burning incense^(AZ) to other gods, along with all the women^(BA) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,^(BB) said to Jeremiah, ¹⁶ “We will not listen^(BC) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!^{(BD) 17} We will certainly do everything we said we would:^(BE) We will burn incense^(BF) to the Queen of Heaven^(BG) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials^(BH) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.^(BI) At that time we had plenty of food^(BJ) and were well off and suffered no harm.^{(BK) 18} But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings^(BL) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.^(BM)”

¹⁹ The women added, “When we burned incense^(BN) to the Queen of Heaven^(BO) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands^(BP) know that we were making cakes^(BQ) impressed with her image^(BR) and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

²⁰ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, ²¹ “Did not the Lord remember^(BS) and call to mind the incense^(BT) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem^(BU) by you and your ancestors,^(BV) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?^{(BW) 22} When the Lord could no longer endure^(BX) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse^(BY) and a desolate waste^(BZ) without inhabitants, as it is today.^{(CA) 23} Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed^(CB) his law or his decrees^(CC) or his stipulations, this disaster^(CD) has come upon you, as you now see.”^(CE)

²⁴ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,^(CF) “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.^{(CG) 25} This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives^(CH) have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’^(CI)

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!^{(CJ) 26} But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt:^(CK) ‘I swear^(CL) by my great name,’ says the Lord, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign^(CM) Lord lives.”^{(CN) 27} For I am watching^(CO) over them for harm,^(CP) not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish^(CQ) by sword and famine^(CR) until they are all destroyed.^{(CS) 28} Those who escape the sword^(CT) and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few.^(CU) Then the whole remnant^(CV) of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand^(CW)—mine or theirs.^(CX)

²⁹ “‘This will be the sign^(CY) to you that I will punish^(CZ) you in this place,’ declares the Lord, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’^{(DA) 30} This is what the Lord says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh^(DB) Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah^(DC) king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’”^(DD)

Warning to Rich Oppressors

5 Now listen,^(A) you rich people,^(B) weep and wail^(C) because of the misery that is coming on you. ² Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.^{(D) 3} Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.^{(E) 4} Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers^(F) who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries^(G) of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.^{(H) 5} You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves^(I) in the day of slaughter.^{[a](J) 6} You have condemned and murdered^(K) the innocent one,^(L) who was not opposing you.

Patience in Suffering

⁷ Be patient, then, brothers and sisters, until the Lord’s coming.^(M) See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, patiently waiting^(N) for the autumn and spring rains.^{(O) 8} You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming^(P) is near.^{(Q) 9} Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters,^(R) or you will be judged. The Judge^(S) is standing at the door!^(T)

¹⁰ Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets^(U) who spoke in the name of the Lord. ¹¹ As you know, we count as blessed^(V) those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance^(W) and have seen what the Lord finally brought about.^(X) The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.^(Y)

¹² Above all, my brothers and sisters, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. All you need to say is a simple “Yes” or “No.” Otherwise you will be condemned.^(Z)

The Prayer of Faith

¹³ Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray.^(AA) Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.^{(AB) 14} Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders^(AC) of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil^(AD) in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer offered in faith^(AE) will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore confess your sins^(AF) to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.^(AG) The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.^(AH)

¹⁷ Elijah was a human being, even as we are.^(AI) He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years.^{(AJ) 18} Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.^(AK)

¹⁹ My brothers and sisters, if one of you should wander from the truth^(AL) and someone should bring that person back,^{(AM) 20} remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save^(AN) them from death and cover over a multitude of sins.^(AO)

Psalm 62^[a]

For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.