Two Visions

Then the word of the Lord came to me, asking, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I replied, “I see a branch of an almond tree.”

They stopped asking, “Where is the Lord who brought us from the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, through a land of drought and darkness, a land no one traveled through and where no one lived?”

The priests quit asking, “Where is the Lord?” The experts in the law no longer knew Me, and the rulers rebelled against Me. The prophets prophesied by Baal and followed useless idols.

Unfaithful Israel, Treacherous Judah

In the days of King Josiah the Lord asked me, “Have you seen what unfaithful Israel has done? She has ascended every high hill and gone under every green tree to prostitute herself there.

When people ask, ‘For what offense has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ You will respond to them: Just as you abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

Disaster because of Disobedience

This is what the Lord says: Stand by the roadways and look. Ask about the ancient paths: Which is the way to what is good? Then take it and find rest for yourselves. But they protested, “We won’t!”

I have paid careful attention. They do not speak what is right. No one regrets his evil, asking, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone has stayed his course like a horse rushing into battle.

And when you ask yourself, “Why have these things happened to me?” It is because of your great guilt that your skirts have been stripped off, your body exposed.

If they ask you, ‘Where will we go?’ you must tell them: This is what the Lord says: Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword. Those destined for famine, to famine; those destined for captivity, to captivity.

Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will show sympathy toward you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

Deluded Israel

Therefore, this is what the Lord says: Ask among the nations, Who has heard things like these? Virgin Israel has done a most terrible thing.

Zedekiah’s Request Denied

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord when King Zedekiah sent Pashhur son of Malchijah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to Jeremiah, asking,

“Ask the Lord on our behalf, since Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is making war against us. Perhaps the Lord will perform for us something like all His past wonderful works so that Nebuchadnezzar will withdraw from us.”

“Many nations will pass by this city and ask one another, ‘Why did the Lord do such a thing to this great city?’

The Burden of the Lord

“Now when these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the Lord?’ you will respond to them: What is the burden? I will throw you away”—this is the Lord’s declaration.

Ask and see whether a male can give birth. Why then do I see every man with his hands on his stomach like a woman in labor and every face turned pale?

Then they asked Baruch, “Tell us—how did you write all these words? At his dictation?”

Jeremiah Summoned by Zedekiah

King Zedekiah later sent for him and received him, and in his house privately asked him, “Is there a word from the Lord?” “There is,” Jeremiah responded, and he continued, “You will be handed over to the king of Babylon.”

Zedekiah’s Final Meeting with Jeremiah

King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah the prophet and received him at the third entrance of the Lord’s temple. The king said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something; don’t hide anything from me.”

Stand by the highway and look, resident of Aroer! Ask him who is fleeing or her who is escaping: What happened?

They will ask about Zion, turning their faces to this road. They will come and join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.