Bible in 90 Days
The Unfaithful Prophets
9 Concerning the prophets:
My heart is broken in my midst.
All my bones tremble.
I have become like a drunken man,
even like a man over whom wine has passed,
because of Yahweh,
and because of his holy words.[a]
10 For the land is full of adulterers;
for the land mourns because of a curse.
The pastures of the desert[b] are dry,
and their evil has been their way of running,
and their power is not right.
11 “For both prophet as well as priest are godless,
even in my temple I have found their wickedness,” declares[c] Yahweh.
12 “Therefore[d] their way will be to them like the slippery places,
they will be pushed in the darkness,
and they will fall into it,
for I will bring disaster on them in the year of their punishment,” declares[e] Yahweh.
13 “Now in the prophets of Samaria I saw a disgusting thing.
They prophesied by Baal and they caused my people Israel to err.
14 And in the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen something horrible.
They commit adultery, and they walk in lies,[f]
and they make strong the hands of evildoers,
so that they have not turned back each from his wickedness.
All of them have become to me like Sodom,
and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.”
15 Therefore[g] thus says Yahweh concerning the prophets,
“Look, I am going to let them eat wormwood
and I will give them water of poison to drink,
for from the prophets of Jerusalem
went out ungodliness to all the land.”
16 Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
“You must not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They are deluding you with visions of their mind,[h]
They do not speak from the mouth of Yahweh.
17 They are[i] continually saying to those who disregard the word of Yahweh,
‘Peace it will be to you,’
and to each one[j] who walks in the stubbornness of his heart they say,
‘Calamity will not come upon you.’
18 For who has stood in the council of Yahweh,
that he has seen and heard his word?
Who has listened attentively to his word
and heard it?[k]
19 Look, the storm of Yahweh has gone forth in wrath,
even a whirling tempest.
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
20 The anger[l] of Yahweh will not turn back
until his doing and until his keeping the plans of his mind.[m]
In latter days[n] you will look closely at it with understanding.
21 I have not sent the prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in my council,
then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,
and they would have caused them to turn from their evil way,
and from the evil of their deeds.
23 Am I a God from near,” declares[o] Yahweh,
“and not a God from far?
24 Or can a person hide himself in secret places
and I cannot see him?” declares[p] Yahweh.
“Do I not fill up the heaven and the earth?” declares[q] Yahweh.
25 “I have heard what the prophets who prophesy lies[r] have said in my name, saying,[s] ‘I have dreamed! I have dreamed!’ 26 How long[t] will this be in the hearts[u] of the prophets who prophesy lies,[v] even the prophets of the deceitfulness of their hearts,[w] 27 who plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell each one to his neighbor, just as their ancestors[x] forgot my name through Baal? 28 The prophet who has with him a dream, let him tell the dream. But the prophet[y] who has my word with him, let him speak my word faithfully. What is straw compared to wheat?”[z] declares[aa] Yahweh. 29 “Is not my word like fire?” declares[ab] Yahweh, “and like a blacksmith’s hammer that breaks a rock into pieces?
30 “Therefore[ac] look, I am against the prophets,” declares[ad] Yahweh, “who steal my words each one from his neighbor. 31 Look, I am against the prophets,” declares[ae] Yahweh, “who take their tongues[af] and declare as prophets, ‘Yahweh declares.’[ag] 32 Look, I am against those who prophesy dreams of lies,”[ah] declares[ai] Yahweh, “and tell them, and they caused my people to err through their lies, and in their recklessness, when I myself have not sent them nor commanded them, so they profit not this people at all,” declares[aj] Yahweh.
33 “Now when this people, or a prophet, or a priest, ask you, saying,[ak] ‘What is the burden[al] of Yahweh?’ then you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden,[am] and I will forsake you,’” declares[an] Yahweh. 34 “And the prophet, and the priest, and the people who say, ‘The burden[ao] of Yahweh,’ I will punish that man and his house. 35 Thus you shall say, each one to his neighbor and each one to his brother: ‘What has Yahweh answered?’ or, ‘What has Yahweh spoken?’ 36 But you shall not mention the burden[ap] of Yahweh, for the burden[aq] is to each one his word, and so you twist the words of the living God, Yahweh of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to that prophet, ‘What has Yahweh answered you?’ or, ‘What has Yahweh spoken?’ 38 But if you say, ‘The burden[ar] of Yahweh,’ therefore[as] thus says Yahweh, ‘because of your saying these words,[at] “The burden[au] of Yahweh,” then I will send to you, saying,[av] “You shall not say, ‘The burden[aw] of Yahweh.’”’ 39 Therefore[ax] look, here I am, and I will surely lift you up and forsake you and the city that I gave to you and to your ancestors[ay] from my presence[az], 40 and I will bring upon you an everlasting disgrace[ba] and an everlasting shame[bb] that will not be forgotten.”
Two Baskets of Figs
24 Yahweh showed me, and look, there were two baskets of figs placed before[bc] the temple of Yahweh—after Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had deported Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, with the officials of Judah, and the craftsmen, and the smiths,[bd] from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon. 2 The one basket had very good figs, like early figs,[be] and the other basket had very bad figs that could not be eaten because of their bad quality. 3 And Yahweh asked me, “What are you seeing, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs—the good figs, very good, and the bad figs, very bad, that cannot be eaten because of their bad quality.”
4 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,[bf] 5 “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles[bg] of Judah whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set my eyes[bh] on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. And I will build them and not annihilate them, and I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 And I will give to them a heart to know me, that I am Yahweh, and they will be my people,[bi] and I will be their God,[bj] for they will return to me with the whole of their heart.
8 But like the bad figs that cannot be eaten because of their bad quality—for thus says Yahweh—so I will treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who live in the land of Egypt. 9 And I will make them as a terror, an evil to all the kingdoms of the earth, as a disgrace and a proverb, as a taunt and a curse, in all the places where I will drive them. 10 And I will send among them the sword, the famine, and the plague, until they perish from the land that I gave to them and their ancestors.’”[bk]
Seventy Years of Servitude
25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,[bl] 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah, the son of Amon, the king of Judah, even up to this day, these twenty-three years[bm] the word of Yahweh has come to me, and I have spoken to you over and over again,[bn] but you have not listened. 4 And though Yahweh has sent all his servants the prophets to you over and over again[bo] you have not listened, and you have not inclined your ear to hear, 5 saying,[bp] ‘Turn back please, each one from his evil way, and from the evil of your deeds, and live on the land that Yahweh has given to you and to your ancestors[bq] from a long time back and until forever, 6 and you must not go after other gods to serve them, and to bow in worship to them, and you must not provoke me to anger with the work of your hands, then I will not do something bad to you.’ 7 ‘Yet you have not listened to me,’ declares[br] Yahweh, ‘so that you[bs] have provoked me to anger with the work of your hands for your own harm.’
8 Therefore[bt] thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Because you have not obeyed my words, 9 look, I am going to send and take all the clans[bu] of the north,’ declares[bv] Yahweh, ‘and I will send[bw] to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land, and against its inhabitants, and against all these nations all around, and I will destroy them, and I will make them a horror, and an object of hissing, and everlasting ruins.[bx] 10 And I will exterminate from them the sound of jubilation, and the sound of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp. 11 And all this land will become a site of ruins, a desolation, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.[by]
The Cup of Wrath
12 And then[bz] when the seventy years[ca] are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation,’ declares[cb] Yahweh, ‘for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and I will make it an everlasting waste.[cc] 13 And I will bring upon that land all my words that I have spoken against it, everything that is written in this scroll which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings will let them work, even them, and I will repay them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.’” 15 For thus said Yahweh, the God of Israel, to me, “Take this cup of the wine of wrath from my hand, and you must give it to all the nations to whom I am sending you to drink. 16 And they will drink, and they will stagger, and they will act like madmen because of the presence[cd] of the sword that I am sending among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the hand of Yahweh and I gave it[ce] to all the nations to whom Yahweh sent me to drink: 18 Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, and its kings, and its officials, to make them a site of ruins, a horror, an object of hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and his servants, and his officials, and all his people; 20 and all the other[cf] people; and all the kings of the land of Uz; and all the kings of the land of the Philistines—[cg]Ashkelon, and Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; 21 Edom, and Moab, and the Ammonites;[ch] 22 and all the kings of Tyre, and all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland that is across the sea; 23 and Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all those who are trimmed to the side; 24 and all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the other[ci] people who dwell in the desert;[cj] 25 and all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 and all the kings of the north, near and far, each one to his brother, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth; and the king of Sheshach, he will drink after them.
27 “And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Drink and become drunk, and vomit, and fall, and you must not rise because of the presence[ck] of the sword that I am sending among you.”’ 28 And it will happen, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, “You must certainly drink! 29 For look, on the city that is called by[cl] my name I am beginning to inflict harm, and you indeed, will you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth,” declares[cm] Yahweh of hosts.’
30 And you yourself shall prophesy against them all these words, and you shall say to them:
‘Yahweh will roar from on high,
and from his holy dwelling place[cn] he will give his voice.
He will roar mightily against his settlement,
a jubilant shout like those who tread grapes,
he will answer against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 The rage of battle will resound to the end of the earth,
for there is a lawsuit of Yahweh against the nations.
He is entering into judgment with all wicked flesh,
he will give them to the sword,’ declares[co] Yahweh.”
32 Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
“Look, disaster is going out from nation to nation,
and a great tempest is stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth.
33 And the slain ones of Yahweh will be on that day
from one end of the earth to the other end of the earth,
and they will not be mourned,
and they will not be gathered,
and they will not be buried.
They will become like dung on the surface[cp] of the ground.
34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry out.
And roll about in mourning in the dust, O leaders[cq] of the flock.
For your days of slaughter and your dispersions have arrived,
and you will fall like a vessel of desire.
35 And flight will perish from the shepherds,
and escape from the leaders[cr] of the flock.
36 A sound, the cry of distress of the shepherds
and the wailing of the leaders[cs] of the flock,
for Yahweh is despoiling their pasture.
37 And the peaceful settlements[ct] are devastated
because of the burning anger of Yahweh.[cu]
38 He has left his den like a lion,
for their land has become a horror,
because of the anger of the oppressors,
and because of his burning anger.”[cv]
Jeremiah Escapes Death
26 At the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, this word came from Yahweh, saying,[cw] 2 “Thus says Yahweh: ‘Stand in the courtyard of the house of Yahweh, and you must speak to all the cities of Judah that come to bow in worship in the house of Yahweh all the words that I command you to speak to them. You must not omit a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and turn back each from his evil way, and I will relent of the disaster that I am planning to do to them because of their evil deeds. 4 And you shall say to them, “Thus says Yahweh: ‘If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set[cx] before you,[cy] 5 to listen to the words of my servants the prophets whom I have sent to you, over and over again,[cz] though you have not listened, 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and this city I will make a curse for all the nations of the earth.’”’”
7 And the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the temple of Yahweh. 8 And then[da] as Jeremiah finished speaking all that Yahweh had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying,[db] “You will die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of Yahweh, saying,[dc] ‘This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be in ruins, without[dd] inhabitant’?” And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the temple of Yahweh.
10 When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the house of the king to the temple of Yahweh, and they sat in the entrance of the New Gate of Yahweh’s temple. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, saying,[de] “This man deserves the death sentence,[df] because he has prophesied against this city as that which you have heard with your ears.”
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and to all the people, saying,[dg] “Yahweh sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore[dh] amend your ways and your deeds, and obey the voice of Yahweh your God, and Yahweh will relent of the disaster that he has spoken over you. 14 But as for me, look, I am in your hand, do to me what is good and right in your eyes. 15 Only you must certainly know that if you put me to death, you will bring on yourselves innocent blood, and on this city and on its inhabitants, for truly[di] Yahweh sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.”
16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets, “This man does not deserve[dj] a sentence of death, for in the name of Yahweh our God, he has spoken to us.” 17 Then men from the elders of the land arose and said to all the assembly of the people, saying,[dk] 18 “Micah the Morashtite was prophesying in the days of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and he said to all the people of Judah, saying:[dl]
‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts,
“Zion will be plowed,
and Jerusalem will become a heap of ruins,
and the mountain of the temple[dm] as high places of wood.”’
19 Did Hezekiah, the king of Judah, and all Judah actually put him to death? Was he not in fear of Yahweh? And he entreated the face of Yahweh, and Yahweh relented of the disaster that he had spoken against them. But we are about to do great disaster to ourselves.”
20 Indeed, there also was a man prophesying in the name of Yahweh, Uriah, the son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath-Jearim, and he prophesied against this city and against this land like all the words of Jeremiah. 21 And when King Jehoiakim, and all his warriors, and all the officials heard his words, then the king sought to put him to death. But Uriah heard, and he was afraid, and he fled and went to Egypt. 22 Then King Jehoiakim sent men to Egypt. Elnathan, the son of Achbor, and men with him went to Egypt. 23 And they brought out Uriah from Egypt and they brought him to King Jehoiakim, and he struck him down with the sword, and he threw his dead body into the burial sites of the sons of the people. 24 However, the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that he was not given into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Jeremiah Uses Fetters and Yokes to Illustrate His Message of Submission
27 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, the king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying[dn]— 2 thus said Yahweh to me—“Make for yourself fetters and yokes and put them on your neck, 3 and send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites,[do] and to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon in the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem, to Zedekiah, the king of Judah. 4 And you must command them for their masters, saying,[dp] ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, this you shall say to your masters: 5 “I have made the earth with humankind and animals[dq] that are on the face of the earth by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whomever is right in my eyes. 6 And now I myself have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and also the animals[dr] of the field I have given to him to serve him. 7 And all the nations will serve him, and his son, and his grandson,[ds] until the coming of the time of his own[dt] land. Then many nations and great kings will let him work.
8 “But it will be that the nation or kingdom that will not serve him, Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put his neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, and with the famine, and with the plague,” declares[du] Yahweh, “until I have destroyed it with my hand. 9 And you, you must not listen to your prophets, and to your diviners, and to your dreamers, and to your interpreters of signs, and to your sorcerers who are saying,[dv] ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon.’ 10 For they are prophesying to you a lie, so that you will be removed from your land, and I will drive you away, and you will perish. 11 But the nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and will serve him, yet will I leave it on its land,” declares[dw] Yahweh, “and they will till it, and they will live in it.”’”
12 And I spoke words like these to Zedekiah, the king of Judah, saying,[dx] “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. 13 Why should you die—you and your people—by the sword, by the famine, and by the plague, as Yahweh has spoken concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 And you must not listen to the words of the prophets who are speaking to you, saying,[dy] ‘You must not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying a lie to you. 15 For I have not sent them,” declares[dz] Yahweh, “but they are prophesying in my name falsely,[ea] so that I will drive them away. And you will perish—you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”
The Vessels of the Temple
16 Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying,[eb] “Thus says Yahweh, ‘You must not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying,[ec] “Look, the vessels of the house of Yahweh are about to be quickly brought back from Babylon”, for they are prophesying a lie to you. 17 And you must not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a site of ruins? 18 But if they are prophets, and if there is with them the word of Yahweh, let them please plead with Yahweh of hosts, that the vessels that are left over in the temple[ed] of Yahweh, and the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem, must not go to Babylon.’
19 For thus says Yahweh of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the stands, and concerning the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, did not take when he deported Jeconiah, the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with[ee] all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. 21 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Yahweh, and in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be brought to Babylon, and there they will stay until the day of my attending to them,’ declares[ef] Yahweh. ‘Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’”
Hananiah, the False Prophet
28 And it was in that same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, the king of Judah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month, that Hananiah, the son of Azzur, the prophet who was from Gibeon, said to me in the house of Yahweh before the eyes of the priests and all the people, saying,[eg] 2 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,[eh] ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years[ei] I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the house of Yahweh which Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon took away from this place and brought to Babylon. 4 And Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and all the exiles[ej] from Judah who went to Babylon, I will bring back to this place,’ declares[ek] Yahweh, ‘For I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”
5 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet before the eyes of the priests and before the eyes of all the people who were standing in the house of Yahweh, 6 and Jeremiah the prophet said, “Amen! May Yahweh do so; may Yahweh fulfill your words that you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the house of Yahweh and all the exiles[el] from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless listen please to this word that I am speaking in your hearing[em] and in the hearing[en] of all the people, 8 The prophets who were before[eo] me and before[ep] you from ancient times prophesied against many countries and against great kingdoms of war, and of disaster, and of plague. 9 The prophet who prophesies peace, at the coming of the word of the prophet, will become known as the prophet that Yahweh has truly[eq] sent.”
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet and broke it. 11 Then Hananiah said before the eyes of all the people, saying,[er] “Thus says Yahweh, ‘This is how I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, within two years,[es] from the neck of all the nations.’” And Jeremiah the prophet went on his way.
12 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah after Hananiah the prophet broke the yoke from the neck of Jeremiah the prophet, saying,[et] 13 “Go, and you must say to Hananiah, saying,[eu] ‘Thus says Yahweh, “You have broken yoke bars of wood, but you have made in place of them yoke bars of iron.” 14 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and they will serve him, and I have even given the animals[ev] of the open field to him.”’”
15 Then Jeremiah the prophet said to Hananiah the prophet, “Please listen, Hananiah, Yahweh has not sent you, and you have made this people trust in a lie. 16 Therefore[ew] thus says Yahweh, ‘Look, I am going to send you from the face of the earth. This year you will die because you have spoken rebellion against Yahweh.’” 17 And Hananiah the prophet died in that same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles in Babylon
29 And these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the exiles,[ex] and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, 2 after the going out of Jeconiah the king, and the queen mother, and the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, and the artisans,[ey] and the smiths[ez] from Jerusalem, 3 by the hand of Elasah, the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah, the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah, the king of Judah, sent to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to Babylon, saying,[fa] 4 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles[fb] whom I have deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, 5 ‘Build houses and live in them,[fc] and plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and father sons and daughters, and take for your sons wives, and give your daughters to men that they may bear sons and daughters, and multiply there, and you must not be few. 7 And seek the prosperity of the city where I have deported you, and pray on behalf of it to Yahweh, for in its prosperity you will have prosperity.’
8 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Do not let your prophets who are in your midst, and your diviners, deceive you, and you must not listen to your dreams that you are causing them to dream. 9 For they are prophesying falsely[fd] to you in my name; I have not sent them,’ declares[fe] Yahweh. 10 For thus says Yahweh, ‘As soon as the time has passed,[ff] seventy years[fg] for Babylon, I will attend to you, and I will fulfill my good word to you, to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans that I am planning concerning you,’ declares[fh] Yahweh, ‘plans for prosperity and not for harm, to give to you a future and a hope. 12 Then when you call me, and you come and pray to me, then I will listen to you. 13 When you search for me, then you will find me, if you seek me with all your heart. 14 And I will let myself be found by you,’ declares[fi] Yahweh, ‘and I will restore your fortunes,[fj] and I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places to which I have driven you,’ declares[fk] Yahweh, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from which I deported you.’
15 Because you have said, ‘Yahweh has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’— 16 for thus says Yahweh concerning the king who sits on the throne of David and concerning all the people who live in this city, your fellow kinsmen who did not go with you into the exile— 17 thus says Yahweh of hosts, ‘Look, I am going to send among them the sword, the famine, and the plague, and I will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten because of their bad quality. 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, with the famine, and with the plague, and I will make them a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse, and a horror, and an object of hissing, and a disgrace among all the nations to which I have driven them, 19 because they did not listen to my words,’ declares[fl] Yahweh, ‘when I sent to them my servants the prophets, sending over and over again,[fm] and they would not listen,’ declares[fn] Yahweh.
20 And you, hear the word of Yahweh, all you exiles[fo] whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon. 21 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab, the son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah, the son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you in my name a lie, ‘Look, I am going to give them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and he will strike them before your eyes. 22 And a curse will be taken up because of them by all the exiles[fp] of Judah who are in Babylon, saying,[fq] “May Yahweh make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” 23 because they have done a disgraceful thing in Israel, and they have committed adultery with the wives of their neighbors, and they have spoken words[fr] in my name, lies[fs] that I have not commanded them, and I am he who knows, and I am a witness,’ declares[ft] Yahweh.”
Shemaiah’s Letter to Zephaniah the Priest
24 And to Shemaiah the Nehelamite you shall say, saying,[fu] 25 “Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, saying,[fv] ‘Because you yourself sent a letter[fw] in your name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying,[fx] 26 “Yahweh made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there are overseers in the house of Yahweh over any mad man who exhibits the behavior of a prophet, and you must put him into the stocks and into the neck iron, 27 and so then why have you not rebuked Jeremiah the Anathothite who exhibits the behavior of a prophet for you? 28 Because[fy] he has sent to us in Babylon, saying,[fz] ‘It will be a long time, build houses and live in them,[ga] and plant gardens and eat their fruit.’”’” 29 And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing[gb] of Jeremiah the prophet.
Jeremiah’s Response to Shemaiah’s Letter
30 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,[gc] 31 “Send to all the exiles,[gd] saying,[ge] ‘Thus says Yahweh concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: “Because Shemaiah prophesied to you, though I have not sent him, and he has made you trust in a lie,” 32 therefore[gf] thus says Yahweh, “Look, I am going to punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his offspring. There will not be for him a man who lives in the midst of this people, and he will not see the good that I am going to do to my people,” declares[gg] Yahweh, “For he has spoken rebellion against Yahweh.”’”
Israel and Judah Will Be Delivered from Their Distress
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,[gh] 2 “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, saying,[gi] ‘Write for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you in a scroll. 3 For look, days are coming,’ declares[gj] Yahweh, ‘when I will restore the fortunes[gk] of my people Israel and Judah,’ says Yahweh, ‘and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors[gl] and they will take possession of it.’”
4 Now these are the words that Yahweh spoke concerning Israel and concerning Judah. 5 “For thus says Yahweh:
‘We have heard a sound of trembling,
terror, and there is no peace.
6 Ask please and see whether a male can bear a child.
Why do I see every strong man
with his hands on his loins like a woman giving birth?
And why are all their faces changed to paleness?
7 Alas! For that day is great,
there is none like it.[gm]
And it is a time of distress for Jacob,
yet from it he will be delivered.
8 And it will happen on that day,’ declares[gn] Yahweh of hosts,
‘I will break his yoke from your neck
and your bonds I will tear to pieces.
And strangers will no longer let him work as a slave.
9 But they will serve Yahweh their God,
and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.
10 But you must not fear, my servant Jacob,’ declares[go] Yahweh,
‘and you must not be dismayed, Israel,
for look, I am going to save you from far,
and your offspring from the land of their captivity.
And Jacob will return,
and he will be at rest,
and he will be at ease,
and there will be no one who makes him[gp] afraid.
11 For I am with you,’ declares[gq] Yahweh, ‘to save you.
For I will make a complete destruction
of all the nations to which I scattered you,
but you I will not make a complete destruction.
And I will chastise you to the measure,
and I will not leave you entirely unpunished.’
12 For thus says Yahweh,
‘Your injury is incurable,
your wound is overcome by sickness.
13 There is no one who pleads your cause,
for your boil there is no healing for you.
14 All your lovers have forgotten you,
they do not care for you.
I have struck you with the blow of an enemy,
the punishment of the cruel,
because of the greatness of your guilt,
your sins are numerous.
15 Why do you cry because of your wound?
Your pain is incurable.
Because of the greatness of your guilt—your sins are vast—
I have done these things to you.
16 Therefore[gr] all those who devour you will be devoured,
and all your foes, all of them will go into captivity,
and those who plunder you will be as plunder,
and all those who plunder you I will make as plunder.
17 For I will present healing to you,
and I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares[gs] Yahweh.
‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying,
“It is Zion, there is no one who cares for her.”’
18 Thus says Yahweh:
‘Look, I will restore the fortunes[gt] of the tents of Jacob,
and I will have compassion on his dwellings,
and the city will be rebuilt upon its mound,
and the citadel fortress will stand on its rightful site.
19 And thanksgiving and the sound of merrymakers
will come out from them,
and I will make them numerous,
and they will not be few.
And I will make them honored,
and they will not be lowly.
20 And their children will be as of old,
and their community will be established before me.[gu]
And I will punish all their oppressors.
21 And their noble will be from them,
and their ruler will come out from their midst.
And I will bring him near and he will approach me.
For who is he that would pledge his heart to approach me?’ declares[gv] Yahweh.
22 ‘And you will be to me a people,
and I will be to you God.’”
23 Look, the storm of Yahweh!
Wrath has gone forth,
a whirling tempest.
It will whirl upon the head of the wicked.
24 The burning anger of Yahweh[gw] will not turn back until his doing,
and until his accomplishing the plans of his mind.[gx]
In the last of the days you will understand it.
31 “At that time,” declares[gy] Yahweh,
“I will be the God of all the clans[gz] of Israel,
and they will be to me a people.”
2 Thus says Yahweh:
“The people of the survivors of the sword found grace in the desert;[ha]
Israel going to find their rest.”
3 From afar Yahweh appeared to me, saying,
“I have loved you with an everlasting love.
Therefore[hb] I have drawn you with loyal love.
4 I will again build you,
and you will be built, O virgin Israel.
You will again adorn yourself with your tambourines,
and you will go forth in the dancing in a ring of the merrymakers.
5 You will again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria.
The planters will plant, and they will enjoy it.[hc]
6 For there will be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim,
‘Stand up, and let us go up to Zion, to Yahweh our God.’”
7 For thus says Yahweh,
“Sing for joy for Jacob with gladness,
and shout out for the head of the nations.
Proclaim, praise, and say,
‘Save, O Yahweh, your people, the remnant of Israel.’
8 Look, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,
and I will gather them from the remotest part of the earth.
Among them the blind, and the lame,
those who are pregnant, and those who give birth,
together, a great assembly,
they will return here.
9 With weeping they will come,
and with pleas for mercy I will bring them;
I will let them walk by streams of water in a straight path.
They will not stumble in it,
for I have become to Israel a father,
and Ephraim, he is my firstborn.”
10 Hear the word of Yahweh, O nations,
and declare in the coastlands from afar, and say,
“The scatterer of Israel will gather him,
and he will keep him as a shepherd his flock.
11 For Yahweh has ransomed Jacob,
and he has redeemed him from the hand of the person stronger[hd] than he.
12 And they will come,
and they will sing for joy on the height of Zion,
and they will be radiant over the goodness of Yahweh,
over the grain, and over the wine, and over the olive oil,
and over the young ones of the flock, and over the cattle.
And their life will become like a well-watered garden,
and they will never languish again.”
13 “Then the young woman will rejoice in the dancing in a ring,
and the young men and the old men together.
And I will turn their mourning to jubilation,
and I will comfort them,
and I will gladden them from their sorrow.
14 And I will saturate the appetite of the priests with fatness,
and my people will be satisfied with my goodness,” declares[he] Yahweh.
15 Thus says Yahweh,
“A voice is heard in Ramah,
lamentation, the weeping of bitterness.
Rachel is weeping for her children;
she refuses to be comforted because of her children,
for they are no more.”
16 Thus says Yahweh:
“Restrain your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
for there is a reward for your work,” declares[hf] Yahweh,
“and they will return from the land of the enemy.
17 And there is hope for your future,” declares[hg] Yahweh,
“and your children will return to their territory.
18 Indeed I heard Ephraim pitying themselves,
‘You disciplined me, and I was disciplined,
like a calf that is not trained.
Bring me back and let me return,
for you are Yahweh my God.
19 For after my turning back I repented,
and after coming to understand I struck my thigh.
I was ashamed and also humiliated,
because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’
20 Is Ephraim my dear son,
or the child of my delight?
For as often as[hh] I have earnestly spoken against him,
I still remember him.
Therefore[hi] my bowels are turbulent for him,
surely I will have compassion on him,” declares[hj] Yahweh.
21 “Set up for yourself road markers,
make for yourself signposts,
set your mind[hk] to the main road,
the road by which you went.
Return, O virgin of Israel,
return to these your cities.
22 How long[hl] will you waver, O unfaithful daughter?
For Yahweh has created a new thing on the earth,
a woman, she shelters a man.”
23 Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “They will again say these words[hm] in the land of Judah and in its towns at my restoring their fortunes,[hn]
‘Yahweh bless you, O settlement of righteousness,
O hill of holiness.’
24 And Judah and all of its towns together will live in it,
farmers and those who travel with the flocks.[ho]
25 For I will saturate the thirst of the weary,
and every person who languishes I will replenish.”
26 At this I awoke and looked,
and my sleep was pleasant to me.
The New Covenant
27 “Look, the days are coming,” declares[hp] Yahweh, “and I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humankind, and with the seed of animals.[hq] 28 And then[hr] as I have watched over them to pull up, and to tear down, and to annihilate, and to destroy, and to do evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares[hs] Yahweh. 29 “In those days they will say no longer, ‘Parents[ht] have eaten unripe fruit, and the teeth of the children are set on edge[hu].’ 30 But[hv] each will die because of his iniquity, everyone[hw] who eats the unripe fruit, their teeth will be set on edge.[hx]
31 Look, the days are coming,” declares[hy] Yahweh, “and I will make[hz] a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah, 32 not like the covenant that I made[ia] with their ancestors[ib] on the day of my grasping them[ic] by their hand, bringing them out from the land of Egypt, my covenant that they themselves broke, though I myself was a master over them,” declares[id] Yahweh. 33 “But this is the covenant that I will make[ie] with the house of Israel after those days,” declares[if] Yahweh: “I will put my law in their inward parts and on their hearts[ig] I will write it, and I will be to them God, and they themselves will be to me people. 34 And they will no longer teach each one his neighbor, or each one his brother, saying,[ih] ‘Know Yahweh,’ for all of them will know me, from their smallest[ii] and up to their greatest,”[ij] declares[ik] Yahweh, “for I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will no longer remember.”
35 Thus says Yahweh, who gives the sun for light by day, the regulations of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea and its waves roar—Yahweh of hosts is his name. 36 “If these rules would cease from before me,”[il] declares[im] Yahweh, “also the offspring of Israel would cease from being a nation before me[in] forever.”[io] 37 Thus says Yahweh, “If the heavens above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth below can be explored, also I will reject all the offspring of Israel because of all that they have done,” declares[ip] Yahweh. 38 “Look, days are coming,” declares[iq] Yahweh, “and the city will be rebuilt for Yahweh, from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 And the measuring line[ir] will still go out immediately in front of it to the hill of Gareb, and it will turn to Goah. 40 And the whole of the valley of the corpses, and the ashes, and all the cultivated fields up to the wadi of Kidron, up to the corner of the Gate of the Horses toward the east will be holy to Yahweh. It will not be uprooted, and it will not be overthrown again forever.”[is]
Jeremiah Buys a Field
32 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh in the tenth year of Zedekiah the king of Judah, that was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was laying siege to Jerusalem and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, 3 where Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had confined him, saying,[it] “Why are you prophesying, saying,[iu] ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Look, I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it, 4 and Zedekiah, the king of Judah, will not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but surely he will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will speak face to face with him[iv] and he will see him eye to eye,[iw] 5 and to Babylon he will bring Zedekiah, and there he will be until my attending to him,” declares[ix] Yahweh. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not be successful”’?”
6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of Yahweh came to me, saying,[iy] 7 ‘Look, Hanamel, the son of Shallum, your uncle, is going to come to you, saying,[iz] “Buy for yourself my field that is at Anathoth, for you have[ja] the right of redemption to buy it.”’[jb] 8 Then Hanamel, the son of my uncle, came to me, to the courtyard of the guard according to[jc] the word of Yahweh, and he said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is at Anathoth, that is in the land of Benjamin, for to you is the claim of possession, and to you the redemption; buy it[jd] for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of Yahweh.
9 And I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle, that was at Anathoth. And I weighed out to him the money, seventeen silver shekels. 10 And I signed on the letter[je] and sealed it,[jf] and I called witnesses as witness, and I weighed out the money on a set of scales. 11 Then I took the deed[jg] of the purchase, the sealed copy containing the commandments[jh] and the rules, together with the one that was open. 12 And I gave the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of[ji] Hanamel, the son of my uncle, and in the presence of[jj] the witnesses who signed the deed of the purchase, in the presence of[jk] the Judeans[jl] who were sitting in the courtyard of the guard. 13 And I commanded Baruch in their presence,[jm] saying,[jn] 14 ‘Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds,[jo] this deed of the purchase, the sealed one, and this opened deed, and you must put them in an earthenware jar[jp] so that they may be kept preserved many days.” 15 For thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”’
16 And I prayed to Yahweh—after giving my deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah—saying,[jq] 17 ‘Ah Lord Yahweh! Look, you made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing[jr] is too difficult for you, 18 showing loyal love to the thousands, and repaying the guilt of parents[js] into the laps[jt] of their children after them. Powerful, great, mighty, his name is Yahweh of hosts, 19 great in counsel and great in deed, whose eyes are opened to all the ways of the children of humankind, to give to each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds, 20 who accomplished signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, up to this day, and in Israel, and among humankind, and you have made for yourself a name, as it is this day.
21 And you brought out your people Israel from the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with an arm stretched out, and with great terror. 22 And you gave to them this land, which you swore to their ancestors[ju] to give to them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 And they entered and took possession of it, but they did not listen to your voice, and they did not follow your law. They did nothing of all that you commanded to them to do, and you caused to happen to them all this disaster. 24 Look, the siege ramps have come up to the city to capture it, and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it, because of the sword, the famine, and the plague, and what you spoke happened, and look, you are seeing it.[jv] 25 Yet you have said to me, Lord Yahweh, “Buy for yourself the field with the money, and call witnesses as witness,” though the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”
26 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,[jw] 27 “Look, I am Yahweh, the God of all flesh; is anything[jx] too difficult for me?” 28 Therefore[jy] thus says Yahweh: “Look, I am going to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 29 And the Chaldeans, who are fighting against this city, will come and set this city on fire, and they will burn it, and the houses where they have made smoke offerings on their roofs to Baal, and where they have devoted libations to other gods, in order to provoke me to anger. 30 For the people[jz] of Israel and the people[ka] of Judah were doing only evil in my eyes from their youth, for the people[kb] of Israel were only provoking me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares[kc] Yahweh.
31 “For this city has been for me a cause of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even until this day, so I will remove it from my sight,[kd] 32 because of all the evil of the people[ke] of Israel and the people[kf] of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, and the men[kg] of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 And they have turned to me their backs[kh] and not their faces, though I have taught them over and over again,[ki] but they were not listening to accept discipline. 34 And they set up their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 35 And they built the high places of Baal that are in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to present as offerings their sons and their daughters to Molech, which I had not commanded them, and it had not come to my mind[kj] to do this detestable thing in order to cause Judah to sin.”
36 “So now therefore,[kk] thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning this city, of which you are saying, ‘It will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the plague’: 37 Look, I am going to gather them from all the lands to which I driven them in my anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath, and I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell in safety.[kl] 38 And they will be for me a people, and I will be for them God. 39 And I will give to them one heart and one way, to revere me forever,[km] for good to them, and to their children after them. 40 And I will make[kn] with them an everlasting covenant[ko] that I will not turn away from them, my doing good to them, and my reverence I will put in their hearts[kp] so that they will not turn aside from me. 41 And I will rejoice over them to do good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness with all my heart, and with all my inner self.”[kq]
42 “For thus says Yahweh, ‘Just as I have brought to this people all this great disaster, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise to them. 43 And the fields[kr] will be bought in this land of which you are saying, “It is a desolation, without humankind or animals.[ks] It has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44 They will buy fields with money, and they will sign the deeds,[kt] and they will seal them,[ku] and they will call witnesses as witness in the land of Benjamin, and in the surroundings of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the hill country, and in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negev, for I will restore their fortunes,’[kv] declares[kw] Yahweh.”
The Fortunes of Judah and Israel Will Be Restored
33 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah a second time while he was still held back in the courtyard of the guard, saying,[kx] 2 “Thus says Yahweh who made the earth,[ky] Yahweh who formed it to establish it, Yahweh is his name: 3 ‘Call to me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great things and inaccessible things that you have not known.’ 4 For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah, that were torn down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword: 5 ‘They are coming to fight against the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the corpses of the people whom I will strike in my anger and in my wrath, for whom I have hidden my face from this city because of all their wickedness. 6 Look, I am going to bring healing and health to it, and I will heal them, and I will reveal to them abundance of peace and reliability. 7 And I will restore the fortunes[kz] of Judah and the fortunes[la] of Israel, and I will rebuild them as in the beginning. 8 And I will cleanse them from all their guilt that they sinned against me, and I will forgive all their iniquities that they sinned against me, and that they rebelled against me. 9 And it will be to me a name of jubilation, a praise, and a glory before all the nations of the earth, who will hear all the good that I will do for them, and they will fear,[lb] and they will tremble because of all the good, and because of all the prosperity that I will provide for it.’
10 “Thus says Yahweh: ‘Again will be heard in this place, of which you are saying, “It is a waste, without[lc] people and without[ld] animals,”[le] in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without[lf] people and without[lg] inhabitants[lh] and without[li] animals,[lj] 11 the voice of jubilation, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voices[lk] of those who say, “Praise Yahweh of hosts, for Yahweh is good, for his loyal love is forever,”[ll] the voices of those who bring thank offerings[lm] to the house of Yahweh, for I will restore the fortunes[ln] of the land as in the beginning,’ says Yahweh. 12 Thus says Yahweh of hosts: ‘Again there will be in this waste place, without[lo] people and animals,[lp] and in all its towns, pasture for shepherds allowing their flock to lie down. 13 In the towns of the hill country, in the towns of the Shephelah, and in the towns of the Negev, and in the land of Benjamin, and in the surroundings of Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah, flocks will again pass under the hands of the counter,’ says Yahweh.
14 ‘Look, days are coming,’ declares[lq] Yahweh, ‘and I will fulfill the good promise[lr] that I promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 15 In those days and in that time I will make a branch of righteousness sprout for David, and he will execute justice and righteousness in the land. 16 In those days Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will dwell safely,[ls] and this is what they shall call it: “Yahweh is our righteousness.”’ 17 For thus says Yahweh: ‘A man who sits on the throne of the house of Israel will not be cut off for David. 18 And for the priests, a man from the Levites who offers burnt offerings[lt] and who burns grain offerings[lu] and who brings sacrifices[lv] will not be cut off before me[lw] forever.’”[lx]
19 And the word of Yahweh came to Jeremiah, saying,[ly] 20 “Thus says Yahweh: ‘If you could break my covenant with the day, and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their time, 21 then my covenant could be broken with David my servant, from having[lz] a son who could rule on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, my ministers. 22 As the host of heaven cannot be counted, and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will make numerous the offspring of David my servant and the Levites who minister to me.’”
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