16 “As for you, (A)do not pray for this people, and do not lift up a cry or prayer for them, and do not plead with Me; for I am not listening to you. 17 Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The [a]children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make sacrificial cakes for the queen of heaven; and they (B)pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to (C)provoke Me to anger. 19 (D)Are they provoking Me?” declares the Lord. “Is it not themselves instead, to their [b]own (E)shame?” 20 Therefore this is what the Lord [c]God says: “Behold, My (F)anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on human and animal life, and on the (G)trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 7:18 Lit sons
  2. Jeremiah 7:19 Lit their faces’
  3. Jeremiah 7:20 Heb YHWH, usually rendered Lord

16 “As for you, don’t pray on behalf of this people, don’t cry or offer a petition for them, and don’t plead with me, for I won’t listen to you. 17 Don’t you see what they’re doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven,[a] and they pour out liquid offerings to other gods in order to provoke me. 19 Are they provoking me?” asks the Lord. “Is it not themselves, and to their own shame?” 20 Therefore, this is what the Lord God says: “I’m about to pour out my anger and my wrath on this place, on people and animals, on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground. It will burn, and it won’t be put out.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 7:18 I.e. the Near Eastern fertility goddess Ishtar