Chronological
1 These are the words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah [C perhaps the person who discovered the lost book of the law; 2 Kin. 22:4, 8–14]. ·He belonged to the family of [L …from the] priests who lived in Anathoth [C a town given to the Levites a few miles northeast of Jerusalem; Josh. 21:18; 1 Kin. 2:26] in the land of Benjamin. 2 The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah during the thirteenth year that Josiah son of Amon was king of Judah [C 627–626 bc; a good king who returned Israel to true worship; 2 Kin. 22:1—23:31; 2 Chr. 34–35]. 3 The Lord also spoke to Jeremiah while Jehoiakim [2 Kin. 23:34–37; 2 Chr. 36:4–8] son of Josiah was king of Judah and during the eleven years that Zedekiah [2 Kin. 24:18–20; 2 Chr. 36:11–16] son of Josiah was king of Judah. In the fifth month of his last year [C 586 bc], the people of Jerusalem were taken away as ·captives [exiles; 2 Kin. 25:1–21; 2 Chr. 36:4–8].
The Lord Calls Jeremiah
4 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying:
5 “Before I ·made [formed] you in your mother’s womb, I ·chose [L knew] you.
Before you ·were born [L came out of the womb], I ·set you apart for a special work [consecrated you].
I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”
6 Then I said, “But Lord God, I don’t know how to speak. I am only a ·boy [child; youth].”
7 But the Lord said to me, “Don’t say, ‘I am only a ·boy [child; youth].’ You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say everything I ·tell you to say [L command you]. 8 Don’t be afraid of anyone, because I am with you to protect you,” says the Lord.
9 Then the Lord ·reached [L sent] out his hand and touched my mouth [C to consecrate it; Is. 6:7]. He said to me, “See, I am putting my words in your mouth. 10 Today I have ·put you in charge of [L appointed you over] nations and kingdoms. You will ·pull [pluck] up and ·tear [pull] down, destroy and overthrow, build up and plant [C he will announce judgment and salvation].”
Jeremiah Sees Two Visions
11 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: “Jeremiah, what do you see?”
I answered, “I see a ·stick [branch] of almond ·wood [tree].”
12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, because I am watching to make sure my words come true [C “to watch” (shaqad) sounds like “almond tree” (shoqed)].”
13 The Lord spoke his word to me ·again [or a second time]: “What do you see?”
I answered, “I see a pot of boiling water, tipping over from the north.”
14 The Lord said to me, “Disaster will ·come [let loose; open up] from the north and strike all the people who live in this country [C the Babylonians would attack from the north]. 15 In a short time I will call all of the ·people [clans] in the northern kingdoms,” said the Lord.
“Those kings will come and set up their thrones
near the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem.
They will attack all the city walls around Jerusalem
and all the cities in Judah.
16 And I will announce my judgments against my people
because of their evil in ·turning away from [abandoning; forsaking] me.
They ·offered sacrifices [or burned incense] to other gods
and ·worshiped [bowed down to] ·idols they had made with [L the works of] their own hands.
17 “Jeremiah, ·get ready [brace yourself; L gird up your loins]. Stand up and tell them everything I command you to say. Don’t be afraid of the people, or I will give you good reason to be afraid of them. 18 Today I am going to make you a ·strong [fortified] city, an iron pillar, a bronze wall. You will be able to stand against everyone in the land: Judah’s kings, officers, priests, and the people of the land. 19 They will fight against you, but they will not ·defeat [prevail over] you, because I am with you to protect you!” says the Lord.
Israel Turns from God
2 The Lord spoke his word to me, saying: 2 “Go and ·speak to the people of Jerusalem [L announce/proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem], saying: This is what the Lord says:
‘I remember ·how faithful you were to me when you were a young nation [L your loyalty/devotion as a youth/girl/child].
You loved me like a young bride.
You ·followed [L went after] me through the ·desert [wilderness; C as they traveled from Egypt to the Promised Land],
a land that had never been ·planted [sown].
3 The people of Israel were holy to the Lord,
like the firstfruits from his harvest [C both belonged to God; Ex. 23:19; Lev. 23:10–14; Num. 18:12–13; Deut. 26:1–11].
Those who tried to ·hurt Israel [L consume it] were judged guilty.
·Disasters [Troubles] ·struck [L came to] them,’” says the Lord.
4 Hear the word of the Lord, ·family [L house] of Jacob,
all you ·family groups [L clans of the house] of Israel.
5 This is what the Lord says:
“·I was fair to your ancestors,
so why did they turn away from me? [L What wrong did your ancestors/fathers find in me
that they removed themselves from me?]
Your ·ancestors [fathers] ·worshiped [L went after] ·useless idols [worthless/meaningless things]
and became ·useless [worthless; meaningless] themselves.
6 Your ·ancestors [fathers] didn’t say,
‘Where is the Lord who brought us out of Egypt?
He led us through the ·desert [wilderness],
through a ·dry [barren] and ·rocky [broken] land,
through a dangerous [parched] and dark land.
He led us where no one ·travels [passes through] or lives.’
7 I brought you into a ·fertile land [orchard; land of plenty]
so you could eat its fruit and produce.
But you came and made my land unclean [C in a ritual sense];
you made ·it [L my inheritance] a ·hateful place [abomination].
8 The priests didn’t ask,
‘Where is the Lord?’
The people who ·know [handle; deal with] the ·teachings [laws; instructions; L Torah] didn’t know me.
The ·leaders [L shepherds] turned against me.
The prophets prophesied in the name of Baal [Deut. 13:1–5]
and ·worshiped useless idols [L went after unprofitable things].
9 “So now I will ·again tell what I have against [accuse; charge] you,” says the Lord.
“And I will ·tell what I have against [accuse; charge] ·your grandchildren [L the sons of your sons].
10 ·Go across the sea [L Cross over] to the ·island [or coasts] of Cyprus [C to the west] and see.
Send someone to the land of Kedar [C eastern desert nomads; Gen. 25:13; Jer. 49:28–29; Song 1:5] to look closely.
See if there has ever been anything like this.
11 Has a nation ever exchanged its gods?
(·Of course, its gods are not really gods at all [L And they are not gods].)
But my people have exchanged their glory [C God]
for ·idols worth nothing [L unprofitable things].
12 ·Skies [Heavens], be shocked at the things that have happened
and ·shake [shudder] with great fear!” says the Lord.
13 “My people have done two evils:
They have ·turned away from [abandoned; forsaken] me,
the ·spring [fountain] of living water [17:13].
And they have dug their own ·wells [cisterns],
which are broken ·wells [cisterns] that cannot hold water [C the idols, like the wells, are useless].
14 Have the people of Israel become slaves?
Have they become like ·someone who was born a slave [a home-born servant; Ex. 21:4]?
Why ·were they taken captive [L have they become plunder]?
15 ·Enemies have roared like lions at Israel [L The lions roar against him];
they have ·growled at Israel [L given forth their voice].
They have ·destroyed [L made a desolation of] the land of Israel.
The cities of Israel lie in ruins,
·and all the people have left [and there are no inhabitants].
16 The ·men from the cities [L sons] of ·Memphis [L Noph] and Tahpanhes [C two important Egyptian cities]
have ·shaved [or broken] the top of your head [C disgracing them; Israel embarrassed itself by entering into alliances with Egypt; 41:5; 48:37; 2 Sam. 10:4; Is. 7:20; Ezek. 44:20].
17 ·Haven’t you brought this on yourselves [L Did you not do this to yourself]
by ·turning away from [abandoning; forsaking] the Lord your God
when he was leading you in the ·right way [or path]?
18 ·It did not help to go to [L Why would you go on the path to…?] Egypt
and drink from the Shihor River [C the Nile or one of its tributaries].
·It did not help to [L Why would you…?] go to Assyria
and drink from the River [C the Euphrates].
19 Your evil will ·bring punishment to [instruct; discipline] you,
and ·the wrong you have done [your apostasy/infidelity] will ·teach you a lesson [reprove/convict/rebuke you].
·Think about it and understand [L Know and see]
that it is ·a terrible evil [L evil and bitter] to ·turn away from [abandon; forsake] the Lord your God.
It is wrong not to fear me,”
says the Lord God ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts].
20 “Long ago you broke your yoke [C abandoning God].
You snapped off your ropes [C rejecting their dependence on God]
and said, ‘I will not serve you!’
In fact, on every high hill
and under every green tree
you lay down as a prostitute [C worshiping at pagan altars in the hills; Deut. 12:2; 1 Kin. 14:13; 2 Kin. 17:10; Is. 57:5; 65:7; Ezek. 6:12; 20:28; Hos. 4:13].
21 But I planted you as a ·special [choice] vine [Is. 5:1–7],
·as a very good seed [from good stock].
How then did you turn
into a wild vine [C growing bad fruit]?
22 Although you wash yourself with ·cleanser [lye]
and use much soap [Mal. 3:2],
I can still see the stain of your guilt,” says the Lord God.
23 “How can you say to me, ‘I am not ·guilty [L defiled].
I have not ·worshiped [L gone after] the Baals [C idols]’?
Look at ·the things you did [L your way/path] in the valley.
·Think about [Know] what you have done.
You are like a she-camel
that runs from place to place [C as if in heat].
24 You are like a wild donkey that lives in the ·desert [wilderness]
and sniffs the wind ·at mating time [when in heat].
At that time who can hold ·her back [back her lust]?
None who ·chase [seek] her ·will easily catch her [L need to exert themselves];
·at mating time [L in her month], it is easy to find her.
25 Stop before your feet are bare
or your throat is dry [C from running after her].
But you say, ‘It’s no use!
I love those strangers [C other gods],
and I must ·chase [L go after] them!’
26 “A thief is ·ashamed [humiliated] when someone ·catches [discovers] him.
In the same way, the ·family [L house] of Israel is ·ashamed [humiliated]—
they, their kings, their ·officers [princes],
their priests, and their prophets.
27 They say to ·things of wood [L a tree], ‘You are my father,’
and to a stone, ‘You gave birth to me [C idols were made out of wood and stone].’
Those people have turned their backs to me,
not their faces.
But when they get into trouble, they say,
‘·Come [L Rise up] and ·save [rescue] us!’
28 Where are the gods you made for yourselves [C idols]?
Let them ·come [L rise up] and ·save [rescue] you
when you are in trouble [Deut. 32:37–38; Is. 43:8–13; 44:6–23]!
People of Judah, you have as many gods [C idols]
as you have towns!
29 “Why do you ·complain to [charge; accuse] me?
All of you have ·turned [rebelled; transgressed] against me,” says the Lord.
30 “I ·punished [L struck] your ·people [L children], ·but it did not help [L in vain].
They didn’t ·come back when they were punished [L accept instruction/discipline].
With your swords you ·killed [devoured] your prophets
like a ·hungry [ravenous] lion [Ps. 7:2; 10:9; Is. 5:29].
31 “·People of Judah [L Oh generation], ·pay attention [L look] to the word of the Lord:
Have I been a ·desert [wilderness] to the people of Israel
or a dark land [C useless or even dangerous]?
Why do my people say, ‘We are ·free to wander [our own masters].
We won’t come to you anymore’?
32 ·A young woman does not [L Does a virgin…?] forget her ·jewelry [ornaments],
and ·a bride does not [L does a bride…?] forget the decorations for her dress.
But my people have forgotten me
for more days than can be counted.
33 ·You really know how to chase after love [L How well you know the path to seek lovers!].
Even ·the worst [evil] women can learn ·evil ways from you [L your ways/paths].
34 Even on your clothes you have the blood
of poor and innocent people,
but ·they weren’t thieves you caught breaking in [L you did not find them breaking in; C in which case they could have killed them in self-defense; Ex. 22:2].
You do all these things,
35 but you say, ‘I am innocent.
·God is not angry with me [L His anger has turned from me].’
But I will judge you [C guilty of lying],
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’
36 It is so easy for you to change your ·mind [L way; path].
Even Egypt will ·let you down [L shame/embarrass you],
as Assyria ·let you down [L shamed/embarrassed you].
37 You will eventually ·leave that place [L go out]
with your hands on your head [C like captives].
·You trusted those countries [L For the Lord has rejected these in whom you had confidence],
and you will not ·be helped by [find success with] them.
Judah Is Unfaithful
3 “If a man ·divorces [L sends away] his wife
and she leaves him and marries another man,
should her first husband come back to her again?
If he went back to her, wouldn’t the land become completely ·unclean [defiled; polluted; C in a ritual sense; such a thing was forbidden by the Law; Deut. 24:1–4]?
But you have acted like a prostitute with many lovers,
and now you want to come back to me?” says the Lord [Hos. 2:7];
2 “·Look up [L Lift up your eyes and look] to the bare hilltops, Judah.
Is there any place where ·you have not been a prostitute [L you have not been lain with; C the hill country contained many pagan altars]?
You have sat by the road waiting for lovers,
like an Arab in the ·desert [wilderness].
You made the land ·unclean [defiled; polluted; C in a ritual sense],
because you did evil and were like a prostitute.
3 So the rain has ·not come [L been withheld],
and there have not been any spring rains [1 Kin. 17:1].
But ·your face still looks like the face [L you have the forehead] of a prostitute [C unembarrassed].
You refuse even to be ashamed of what you did.
4 ·Now you are [L Are you not now…?] calling to me,
‘My father, you have been my friend since I was young.
5 Will you always be angry at me?
Will your anger last ·forever [L to the end]?’
Judah, you said this,
but you did as much evil as you could!”
Judah and Israel Are like Sisters
6 ·When [L In the days when] Josiah [C Jeremiah began his work in Josiah’s thirteenth year (626 bc) and continued until Josiah’s death (609 bc) and beyond; 1:1–3] was ·ruling Judah [L king], the Lord said to me, “Did you see what unfaithful Israel did? She was like a prostitute with her idols on every hill and under every green tree [2:20]. 7 I said to myself, ‘Israel will come back to me after she does this evil,’ but she didn’t come back. And Israel’s ·wicked [traitorous; treacherous] sister Judah saw what she did [Ezek. 13; 26]. 8 Judah saw that I ·divorced [L sent away with a certificate of divorce] unfaithful Israel because of her adultery [C in the Assyrian exile of 722 bc], but that didn’t make Israel’s ·wicked [traitorous; treacherous] sister Judah afraid. She also went out and acted like a prostitute! 9 And she didn’t care that she was acting like a prostitute. So she made her country ·unclean [defiled; polluted; C in a ritual sense] and was guilty of adultery with stone and wood [C by worshiping idols made of these materials]. 10 Israel’s ·wicked [traitorous; treacherous] sister, Judah, didn’t even come back to me with her whole heart, but only pretended,” says the Lord.
11 The Lord said to me, “·Unfaithful [Apostate] Israel ·had a better excuse [L is more righteous] than ·wicked [traitorous; treacherous] Judah. 12 Go and speak ·this message [L these words] toward the north:
‘·Come back [Return], ·unfaithful [apostate] people of Israel,’ says the Lord.
‘I will ·stop being angry [no longer frown; L make my face fall] at you,
because I am ·full of mercy [loyal],’ says the Lord.
‘I will not be angry with you forever.
13 ·All you have to do is admit your sin—[L Acknowledge your guilt]
that you ·turned [rebelled; transgressed] against the Lord your God
and ·worshiped gods [L scattered your ways to strangers] under every green tree [2:20]
and didn’t ·obey me [L listen to my voice],’” says the Lord.
14 “·Come back [Return] to me, you ·unfaithful [apostate] children,” says the Lord, “because I am your master. I will take one person from every city and two from every ·family group [clan], and I will bring you to ·Jerusalem [L Zion; C the location of the Temple]. 15 Then I will give you ·new rulers [L shepherds] ·who will be faithful to me [L according to my heart], who will ·lead [shepherd] you with knowledge and ·understanding [insight]. 16 In those days ·there will be many of you [L you will multiply and be fruitful] in the land,” says the Lord. “At that time people will no longer say, ‘The Ark of the ·Agreement [L Covenant; Testimony; Treaty; Ex. 25:10].’ They won’t remember it or miss it or make another one. 17 At that time people will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord [C due to God’s presence], and all nations will ·come together [gather] in Jerusalem to ·show respect to [L the name of] the Lord [12:15–16; 16:19; Is. 2:2–4; 56:6–7; Mic. 4:1–3; Zech. 2:11; 8:2–23; 14:16–17]. They will not ·follow [L go after] their stubborn, evil hearts anymore. 18 In those days the ·family [L house] of Judah will join the ·family [L house] of Israel. They will come together from a land in the north to the land I ·gave their ancestors [L caused their ancestors/fathers to inherit; C the future return from exile].
19 “I, the Lord, said,
‘How ·happy I would be to treat you as [L I would set you among] my own children
and give you a ·pleasant [favored; coveted; desired] land,
a ·land [inheritance] more beautiful than that of any other nation [Ex. 3:8, 17; Lam. 2:15; Ezek. 20:6; Dan. 11:16, 41].’
I thought you would call me ‘My Father’
and not turn away from me.
20 But like a woman who is ·unfaithful [a traitor; treacherous] to her husband,
·family [L house] of Israel, you have been unfaithful [a traitor; treacherous] to me,” says the Lord.
21 You can hear ·crying [L a voice] on the bare hilltops [3:2].
It is the people of Israel crying and ·praying for mercy [supplicating].
They have ·become very evil [L wandered off their path]
and have forgotten the Lord their God.
22 “Come back to me, you ·unfaithful [apostate] children,
and I will ·forgive [L heal] you for being ·unfaithful [apostate].”
“Yes, we will come to you,
because you are the Lord our God.
23 ·It was foolish to worship idols on [L Deception/Illusions come from] the hills
and ·orgies [L a tumult] on the mountains.
Surely the salvation of Israel
comes from the Lord our God.
24 Since our youth, shameful things [C false gods] have eaten up
everything our ·ancestors [fathers] worked for—
their flocks and herds,
their sons and daughters.
25 Let us lie down in our ·shame [humiliation],
and let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned against the Lord our God,
both we and our ·ancestors [fathers].
From our youth until now,
we have not ·obeyed [L listened to the voice of] the Lord our God.”
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