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Jeremiah 41-45
Contemporary English Version

41 (A) But in the seventh month,[a] Ishmael[b] came to Mizpah with ten of his soldiers. He had been one of the king's officials and was a member of the royal family. Ishmael and his men were invited to eat with Gedaliah. 2 During the meal, Ishmael and his soldiers killed Gedaliah, the man chosen as ruler of Judah by the king of Babylonia. 3 Then they killed the Jews who were with Gedaliah, and they also killed the Babylonian soldiers who were there.

4 The next day, the murders had still not been discovered, 5 when 80 men came down the road toward Mizpah from the towns of Shechem, Shiloh, and Samaria. They were on their way to the temple to offer gifts of grain and incense to the Lord. They had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes, and cut themselves, because they were mourning.

6 Ishmael went out the town gate to meet them. He pretended to be weeping, and he asked them to come into Mizpah to meet with Gedaliah, the ruler of Judah. 7 But after they were inside the town, Ishmael ordered his soldiers to kill them and throw their bodies into a well. 8 He let ten of the men live, because they offered to give him supplies of wheat, barley, olive oil, and honey they had hidden in a field. 9 The well that he filled with bodies[c] had been dug by King Asa[d] of Judah to store rainwater, because he was afraid that King Baasha[e] of Israel might surround Mizpah and keep the people from getting to their water supply.

10 Nebuzaradan, King Nebuchadnezzar's[f] officer in charge of the guard, had left King Zedekiah's[g] daughters and many other people at Mizpah, and he had put Gedaliah in charge of them. But now Ishmael took them all prisoner and led them toward Ammon, on the other side of the Jordan River.

11 Johanan and the other army officers heard what Ishmael had done. 12 So they and their troops chased Ishmael and caught up with him at the large pit at Gibeon. 13 When Ishmael's prisoners saw Johanan and the officers, they were happy 14 and turned around and ran toward Johanan. 15 But Ishmael and eight of his men escaped and went to Ammon.

Johanan Decides To Take the People to Egypt

16 Johanan and the officers had rescued the women, children, and royal officials that Ishmael had taken prisoner after killing Gedaliah. Johanan led the people from Gibeon 17-18 toward Egypt. They wanted to go there, because they were afraid of what the Babylonians would do when they found out that Ishmael had killed Gedaliah, the ruler appointed by King Nebuchadnezzar.[h]

The People Ask Jeremiah To Pray for Them

On the way to Egypt, we[i] stopped at the town of Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem. 42 1 Johanan, Jezaniah,[j] the other army officers, and everyone else in the group, came to me 2 and said, “Please, Jeremiah, pray to the Lord your God for us. Judah used to have many people, but as you can see, only a few of us are left. 3 Ask the Lord to tell us where he wants us to go and what he wants us to do.”

4 “All right,” I answered, “I will pray to the Lord your God, and I will tell you everything he says.”

5 They answered, “The Lord himself will be our witness that we promise to do whatever he says, 6 even if it isn't what we want to do. We will obey the Lord so that all will go well for us.”

7 Ten days later, the Lord gave me an answer for 8 Johanan, the officers, and the other people. So I called them together 9 and told them that the Lord God of Israel had said:

You asked Jeremiah to pray and find out what you should do. 10 I am sorry that I had to punish you, and so I now tell you to stay here in Judah, where I will plant you and build you up, instead of tearing you down and uprooting you. 11 Don't be afraid of the King of Babylonia. I will protect you from him, 12 and I will even force him to have mercy on you and give back your farms.

13 But you might keep on saying, “We won't stay here in Judah, and we won't obey the Lord our God. 14 We are going to Egypt, where there is plenty of food and no danger of war.”

15 People of Judah, you survived when the Babylonian army attacked. Now you are planning to move to Egypt, and if you do go, this is what will happen. 16-17 You are afraid of war, starvation, and disease here in Judah, but they will follow you to Egypt and kill you there. None of you will survive the disasters I will send.

18 I, the Lord, was angry with the people of Jerusalem and punished them. And if you go to Egypt, I will be angry and punish you the same way. You will never again see your homeland. People will be horrified at what I do to you, and they will use the name of your city as a curse word.

Jeremiah Gives a Warning

19 I told the people:

You escaped the disaster that struck Judah, but now the Lord warns you to stay away from Egypt. 20 You asked me to pray and find out what the Lord our God wants you to do, and you promised to obey him. But that was a terrible mistake, 21 because now that I have given you the Lord's answer, you refuse to obey him. 22 And so, you will die in Egypt from war, hunger, and disease.

The People Go to Egypt

43 I told the people everything the Lord had told me. 2 But Azariah, Johanan[k] and some other arrogant men said to me, “You're lying! The Lord didn't tell you to say that we shouldn't go to Egypt. 3 Baruch son of Neriah must have told you to say that. He wants the Babylonians to capture us, so they can take us away to Babylonia or even kill us.”

4 Johanan, the other army officers, and everyone else refused to stay in Judah in spite of the Lord's command. 5 (B) So Johanan and the officers led us away toward Egypt. The group that left Judah included those who had been scattered in other countries and who had then come back to live in Judah. 6 Baruch and I and others in the group had been staying with Gedaliah, because Nebuzaradan, the Babylonian officer in charge of the guard, had ordered him to take care of the king's daughters and quite a few men, women, and children.

7 The people disobeyed the Lord and went to Egypt. The group had settled in Tahpanhes, 8 when the Lord told me:

9 Jeremiah, carry some large stones to the entrance of the government building in Tahpanhes. Bury the stones underneath the brick pavement[l] and be sure the Jews are watching.

10 Then tell them that I, the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, have sent for my servant, Nebuchadnezzar[m] of Babylonia. I will bring him here and have him set up his throne and his royal tent over these stones that I told you to bury. 11 He will attack Egypt and kill many of its people; others will die of disease or be dragged away as prisoners. 12-13 I will let him set Egypt's temples on fire, and he will either burn or carry off their idols. He will destroy the sacred monuments at the temple of the sun-god.[n] Then Nebuchadnezzar will pick the land clean, just like a shepherd picking the lice off his clothes. And he will return safely home.

The Lord Will Destroy the People of Judah

44 The Lord told me to speak with the Jews who were living in the towns of Migdol, Tahpanhes, and Memphis in northern Egypt, and also to those living in southern Egypt. He told me to tell them:

2 I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel. You saw how I destroyed Jerusalem and the towns of Judah. They lie empty and in ruins today, 3 because the people of Judah made me angry by worshiping gods that had never helped them or their ancestors.

4 Time after time I sent my servants the prophets to tell the people of Judah how much I hated their disgusting sins. The prophets warned them to stop sinning, 5 but they refused to listen and would not stop worshiping other gods. 6 Finally, my anger struck like a raging flood, and today Jerusalem and the towns of Judah are nothing but empty ruins.

7 Why do you now insist on heading for another disaster? A disaster that will destroy not only you, but also your children and babies. 8 You have made me angry by worshiping idols and burning incense to other gods after you came here to Egypt. You will die such a disgusting death, that other nations will use the name of Judah as a curse word. 9 When you were living in Jerusalem and Judah, you followed the example of your ancestors in doing evil things, just like your kings and queens. 10 Even now, your pride keeps you from respecting me and obeying the laws and teachings I gave you and your ancestors.

11 I, the Lord All-Powerful, have decided to wipe you out with disasters. 12 There were only a few of you left in Judah, and you decided to go to Egypt. But you will die such horrible deaths in war or from starvation, that people of other countries will use the name of Judah as a curse word. 13 I punished Jerusalem with war, hunger, and disease, and that's how I will punish you. 14 None of you will survive. You may hope to return to Judah someday, but only a very few of you will escape death and be able to go back.

The People Refuse To Worship the Lord

15 A large number of Jews from both northern and southern Egypt listened to me as I told them what the Lord had said. Most of the men in the crowd knew that their wives often burned incense to other gods. So they and their wives shouted:

16 Jeremiah, what do we care if you speak in the Lord's name? We refuse to listen! 17 We have promised to worship the goddess Astarte, the Queen of Heaven,[o] and that is exactly what we are going to do. We will burn incense and offer sacrifices of wine to her, just as we, our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders did when we lived in Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah. We had plenty of food back then. We were well off, and nothing bad ever happened to us. 18 But since the time we stopped burning incense and offering wine sacrifices to her, we have been dying from war and hunger.

19 Then the women said, “When we lived in Judah, we worshiped the Queen of Heaven and offered sacrifices of wine and special loaves of bread shaped like her. Our husbands knew what we were doing, and they approved of it.”

20 Then I told the crowd:

21 Don't you think the Lord knew that you and your ancestors, your leaders and kings, and the rest of the people were burning incense to other gods in Jerusalem and everywhere else in Judah? 22 And when he could no longer put up with your disgusting sins, he placed a curse on your land and turned it into a desert, as it is today. 23 This disaster happened because you worshiped other gods and rebelled against the Lord by refusing to obey him or follow his laws and teachings.

24-25 Then I told the men and their wives, that the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, had said:

Here in Egypt you still keep your promises to burn incense and offer sacrifices of wine to the so-called Queen of Heaven. 26 Keep these promises! But let me tell you what will happen. As surely as I am the Lord God, I swear that I will never again accept any promises you make in my name. 27 Instead of watching over you, I will watch for chances to harm you. Some of you will die in war, and others will starve to death. 28 Only a few will escape and return to Judah. Then everyone who went to live in Egypt will know that when I say something will happen, it will—no matter what you say.

29 And here is how you will know that I will keep my threats to punish you in Egypt. 30 (C) I will hand over King Hophra of Egypt to those who want to kill him,[p] just as I handed Zedekiah[q] over to Nebuchadnezzar,[r] who wanted to kill him.

The Lord Will Not Let Baruch Be Killed

45 (D) In the fourth year that Jehoiakim[s] was king of Judah, Baruch wrote down everything I had told him.[t] 2 Then later, the Lord God of Israel told me to say to Baruch:

3 You are moaning and blaming me, the Lord, for your troubles and sorrow, and for being so tired that you can't even rest. 4 But all over the earth I am tearing down what I built and pulling up what I planted. 5 I am bringing disaster everywhere, so don't even think about making any big plans for yourself. However, I promise that wherever you go, I will at least protect you from death. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Footnotes

  1. 41.1 seventh month: Tishri, also called Ethanim, the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar, from about mid-September to mid-October.
  2. 41.1 Ishmael: Hebrew “Ishmael son of Nethaniah and grandson of Elishama.”
  3. 41.9 with bodies: One ancient translation; Hebrew “with bodies of those killed by Gedaliah.”
  4. 41.9 Asa: Ruled 911–870 b.c.
  5. 41.9 Baasha: Ruled 909–886 b.c.
  6. 41.10 Nebuchadnezzar's: See the note at 21.2.
  7. 41.10 Zedekiah's: See the note at 1.3.
  8. 41.17,18 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
  9. 41.17,18 we: The group of people included Jeremiah, since he had been staying with Gedaliah near Mizpah (see 40.6).
  10. 42.1 Jezaniah: Hebrew “Jezaniah son of Hoshaiah”; one ancient translation “Azariah son of Hoshaiah” (see also 43.2 and the note there).
  11. 43.2 Azariah, Johanan: Hebrew “Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah.”
  12. 43.9 underneath the brick pavement: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text.
  13. 43.10 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
  14. 43.12,13 at the temple of the sun-god: Or “in the city of Heliopolis.”
  15. 44.17 the goddess Astarte, the Queen of Heaven: The Hebrew text has “the queen of heaven,” which probably refers to the goddess Astarte.
  16. 44.30 King Hophra … kill him: Hophra, also known as Apries, ruled Egypt from 589 to 570 b.c., when he was killed by Ahmosis II, who then became king of Egypt and ruled until 526 b.c.
  17. 44.30 Zedekiah: See the note at 1.3.
  18. 44.30 Nebuchadnezzar: See the note at 21.2.
  19. 45.1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
  20. 45.1 Baruch wrote down everything I had told him: See 36.1-32.
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Jeremiah 41-45
New International Version

41 In the seventh month Ishmael(A) son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, 2 Ishmael(B) son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword,(C) killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed(D) as governor over the land.(E) 3 Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian[a] soldiers who were there.

4 The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, 5 eighty men who had shaved off their beards,(F) torn their clothes(G) and cut(H) themselves came from Shechem,(I) Shiloh(J) and Samaria,(K) bringing grain offerings and incense(L) with them to the house of the Lord.(M) 6 Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping(N) as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.”(O) 7 When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern.(P) 8 But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.”(Q) So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. 9 Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa(R) had made as part of his defense(S) against Baasha(T) king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

10 Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people(U) who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters(V) along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.(W)

11 When Johanan(X) son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, 12 they took all their men and went to fight(Y) Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool(Z) in Gibeon. 13 When all the people(AA) Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. 14 All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah(AB) turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. 15 But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped(AC) from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Flight to Egypt

16 Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers(AD) who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived,(AE) whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. 17 And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham(AF) near Bethlehem(AG) on their way to Egypt(AH) 18 to escape the Babylonians.[b] They were afraid(AI) of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah(AJ) son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

42 Then all the army officers, including Johanan(AK) son of Kareah and Jezaniah[c] son of Hoshaiah,(AL) and all the people from the least to the greatest(AM) approached 2 Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray(AN) to the Lord your God for this entire remnant.(AO) For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few(AP) are left. 3 Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”(AQ)

4 “I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray(AR) to the Lord your God as you have requested; I will tell(AS) you everything the Lord says and will keep nothing back from you.”(AT)

5 Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the Lord be a true(AU) and faithful(AV) witness(AW) against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. 6 Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well(AX) with us, for we will obey(AY) the Lord our God.”

7 Ten days later the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah. 8 So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers(AZ) who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest.(BA) 9 He said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition,(BB) says:(BC) 10 ‘If you stay in this land,(BD) I will build(BE) you up and not tear you down; I will plant(BF) you and not uproot you,(BG) for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you.(BH) 11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon,(BI) whom you now fear.(BJ) Do not be afraid of him, declares the Lord, for I am with you and will save(BK) you and deliver you from his hands.(BL) 12 I will show you compassion(BM) so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’(BN)

13 “However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey(BO) the Lord your God, 14 and if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt,(BP) where we will not see war or hear the trumpet(BQ) or be hungry for bread,’(BR) 15 then hear the word of the Lord,(BS) you remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, 16 then the sword(BT) you fear(BU) will overtake you there, and the famine(BV) you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die.(BW) 17 Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague;(BX) not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ 18 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and wrath(BY) have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem,(BZ) so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be a curse[d](CA) and an object of horror,(CB) a curse[e] and an object of reproach;(CC) you will never see this place again.’(CD)

19 “Remnant(CE) of Judah, the Lord has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’(CF) Be sure of this: I warn you today 20 that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the Lord your God and said, ‘Pray to the Lord our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’(CG) 21 I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the Lord your God in all he sent me to tell you.(CH) 22 So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine(CI) and plague(CJ) in the place where you want to go to settle.”(CK)

43 When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the Lord their God—everything the Lord had sent him to tell them(CL)— 2 Azariah son of Hoshaiah(CM) and Johanan(CN) son of Kareah and all the arrogant(CO) men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying!(CP) The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’(CQ) 3 But Baruch(CR) son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians,[f] so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”(CS)

4 So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people(CT) disobeyed the Lord’s command(CU) to stay in the land of Judah.(CV) 5 Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered.(CW) 6 They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women,(CX) the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch(CY) son of Neriah along with them. 7 So they entered Egypt(CZ) in disobedience to the Lord and went as far as Tahpanhes.(DA)

8 In Tahpanhes(DB) the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 9 “While the Jews are watching, take some large stones(DC) with you and bury them in clay in the brick(DD) pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace(DE) in Tahpanhes. 10 Then say to them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant(DF) Nebuchadnezzar(DG) king of Babylon, and I will set his throne(DH) over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy(DI) above them. 11 He will come and attack Egypt,(DJ) bringing death(DK) to those destined(DL) for death, captivity to those destined for captivity,(DM) and the sword to those destined for the sword.(DN) 12 He will set fire(DO) to the temples(DP) of the gods(DQ) of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive.(DR) As a shepherd picks(DS) his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. 13 There in the temple of the sun[g](DT) in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars(DU) and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’”

Disaster Because of Idolatry

44 This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt(DV)—in Migdol,(DW) Tahpanhes(DX) and Memphis(DY)—and in Upper Egypt:(DZ) 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster(EA) I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah.(EB) Today they lie deserted and in ruins(EC) 3 because of the evil(ED) they have done. They aroused my anger(EE) by burning incense(EF) to and worshiping other gods(EG) that neither they nor you nor your ancestors(EH) ever knew. 4 Again and again(EI) I sent my servants the prophets,(EJ) who said, ‘Do not do this detestable(EK) thing that I hate!’ 5 But they did not listen or pay attention;(EL) they did not turn from their wickedness(EM) or stop burning incense(EN) to other gods.(EO) 6 Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out;(EP) it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins(EQ) they are today.

7 “Now this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster(ER) on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women,(ES) the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant?(ET) 8 Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made,(EU) burning incense(EV) to other gods in Egypt,(EW) where you have come to live?(EX) You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse[h] and an object of reproach(EY) among all the nations on earth. 9 Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors(EZ) and by the kings(FA) and queens(FB) of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives(FC) in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem?(FD) 10 To this day they have not humbled(FE) themselves or shown reverence,(FF) nor have they followed my law(FG) and the decrees(FH) I set before you and your ancestors.(FI)

11 “Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty,(FJ) the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster(FK) on you and to destroy all Judah. 12 I will take away the remnant(FL) 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,(FM) they will die by sword or famine.(FN) They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach.(FO) 13 I will punish(FP) those who live in Egypt with the sword,(FQ) famine and plague,(FR) 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.”(FS)

15 Then all the men who knew that their wives(FT) were burning incense(FU) to other gods, along with all the women(FV) who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt,(FW) said to Jeremiah, 16 “We will not listen(FX) to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord!(FY) 17 We will certainly do everything we said we would:(FZ) We will burn incense(GA) to the Queen of Heaven(GB) and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials(GC) did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.(GD) At that time we had plenty of food(GE) and were well off and suffered no harm.(GF) 18 But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings(GG) to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.(GH)”

19 The women added, “When we burned incense(GI) to the Queen of Heaven(GJ) and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands(GK) know that we were making cakes(GL) impressed with her image(GM) 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(GN) and call to mind the incense(GO) burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem(GP) by you and your ancestors,(GQ) your kings and your officials and the people of the land?(GR) 22 When the Lord could no longer endure(GS) your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse(GT) and a desolate waste(GU) without inhabitants, as it is today.(GV) 23 Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the Lord and have not obeyed him or followed(GW) his law or his decrees(GX) or his stipulations, this disaster(GY) has come upon you, as you now see.”(GZ)

24 Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women,(HA) “Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of Judah in Egypt.(HB) 25 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives(HC) 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.’(HD)

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows!(HE) 26 But hear the word of the Lord, all you Jews living in Egypt:(HF) ‘I swear(HG) 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(HH) Lord lives.”(HI) 27 For I am watching(HJ) over them for harm,(HK) not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish(HL) by sword and famine(HM) until they are all destroyed.(HN) 28 Those who escape the sword(HO) and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few.(HP) Then the whole remnant(HQ) of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand(HR)—mine or theirs.(HS)

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

A Message to Baruch

45 When Baruch(HZ) son of Neriah(IA) wrote on a scroll(IB) the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(IC) son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: 2 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: 3 You said, ‘Woe(ID) to me! The Lord has added sorrow(IE) to my pain;(IF) I am worn out with groaning(IG) and find no rest.’(IH) 4 But the Lord has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the Lord says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot(II) what I have planted,(IJ) throughout the earth.(IK) 5 Should you then seek great(IL) things for yourself? Do not seek them.(IM) For I will bring disaster(IN) on all people,(IO) declares the Lord, but wherever you go I will let you escape(IP) with your life.’”(IQ)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 41:3 Or Chaldean
  2. Jeremiah 41:18 Or Chaldeans
  3. Jeremiah 42:1 Hebrew; Septuagint (see also 43:2) Azariah
  4. Jeremiah 42:18 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed.
  5. Jeremiah 42:18 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed.
  6. Jeremiah 43:3 Or Chaldeans
  7. Jeremiah 43:13 Or in Heliopolis
  8. Jeremiah 44:8 That is, your name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that you are cursed; also in verse 12; similarly in verse 22.
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Jeremiah 40
Jeremiah 46
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