The prophets are wind [^Cempty]; the word [^Cof God] is not in them. Let the bad things they say happen to them.”

So this is what the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts] says: “Because they have spoken this word [^Cthat God would not punish them]. the words I ·give you [^Lplace in your mouth] will be like fire, and these people will be like wood that it ·burns up [consumes; devours].

To whom can I speak? Whom can I warn? Who will listen to me? ·The people of Israel have closed ears [^LYour ears have a foreskin; ^Care uncircumcised; a metaphor for not listening to God], so they cannot ·hear my warnings [^Lpay attention]. ·They don’t like the word of the Lord [^LThe word of the Lord is a reproach to them]; they ·don’t want to listen to it [^Ltake no pleasure in it]!

“Stand at the gate of the ·Temple [^Lhouse of God] and ·preach [proclaim] this ·message [^Lword] there: “‘Hear the word of the Lord, all you people of the nation of Judah! All you who come through these gates to ·worship [bow down to] the Lord, listen to this message!

Don’t ·trust [put confidence in] ·the lies of people who say [^Lfalse words], “This is the Temple of the Lord. This is the Temple of the Lord. This is the Temple of the Lord [^Cpresumptuously thinking that God will not destroy the city as long as his house is there]!”

Tell them this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed is the person who does not ·obey [listen to] the words of this ·agreement [covenant; treaty]

They have ·gone back [returned] to the ·same sins their ancestors did [iniquity of their fathers of old]. ·Their ancestors [^LThey] refused to listen to my ·message [^Lwords] and ·followed and worshiped [^Lwent after and served] other gods instead [Ex. 20:3]. The ·families [^Lhouse] of Israel and [^Lthe house of] Judah have broken the ·agreement [covenant; treaty] I ·made [^Lcut] with their ·ancestors [fathers].

A Time Without Rain

These are the words that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah ·about the time when there was no rain [concerning the drought; ^Coften a punishment from God; Lev. 26:18–20; Deut. 28:22–24; 1 Kin. 17:1]:

Your words ·came to me [^Lwere found], and I ·listened carefully to [^Late] them. Your words made me very happy and were the delight of my heart, because I am called by your name, Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts].

Say, ‘Kings of Judah and ·people [^Linhabitants] of Jerusalem, listen to this ·message [^Lword] from the Lord. This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: I will soon bring ·a disaster [evil; trouble] on this place [^CJudah and Jerusalem] that will ·amaze and frighten [^Ltingle the ears of] everyone who hears about it.

“This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘I will soon bring ·disaster [evil; trouble] to ·Jerusalem [^Lthis city] and the villages around it, as I said I would. This will happen because ·the people are very stubborn [^Lthey stiffened their necks] and do not listen at all to ·what I say [^Lmy words].’”

God Rejects King Zedekiah’s Request

This is the word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. It came when Zedekiah king of Judah [^Cruled 597–586 bc] sent Pashhur son of Malkijah [^Cnot the same man as in 20:1; 38:1; 1 Chr. 9:12] and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah [29:25, 29; 37:3; 52:24; 2 Kin. 25:18] to Jeremiah.

But you will never again ·say [mention; remember], ‘The ·message [oracle; burden] of the Lord,’ because the only ·message [oracle; burden] you speak is your own words. You have ·changed [overturned; perverted] the words of our God, the living God, the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts].

The Lord, the God of Israel, said: “Jeremiah, write in a ·book [scroll] all the words I have spoken to you.

The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: “I will again do good things for the people of Judah. At that time the people in the land of Judah and its towns will again use these words: ‘May the Lord bless you, ·home of what is good [^Labode of righteousness], holy mountain.’

The Recabite Family Obeys God

When Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah [^Cruled 609–597 bc], the Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah, saying:

“Jeremiah, go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite [^CEthiopian; 38:7–13] this message: ‘This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: Very soon I will make my words about this city [^CJerusalem] come true ·through [for] ·disaster [evil; trouble], not ·through [for] ·good times [good]. You will see everything come true with your own eyes.

“This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; ^Tof hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘I ·showed [poured out] my anger against the people of Jerusalem. In the same way I will ·show [pour out] my anger against you when you go to Egypt. Other nations will speak evil of you. People will be ·shocked [horrified] by what will happen to you. You will become a curse word, and people will ·insult [ridicule] you. And you will never see this place [^CJudah] again.’

But hear the word of the Lord. Listen, all you ·Jews [^LJudeans] living in Egypt. The Lord says, ‘I have sworn by my great name: The people of Judah now living in Egypt will never again ·use [pronounce] my name to make promises. They will never again say in Egypt, “As surely as the Lord God lives…”