Historical
Yahweh Alone Is the Living God
10 Hear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says Yahweh,
“(A)Do not learn the way of the nations,
And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens
Although the nations are terrified by them;
3 For the statutes of the peoples are (B)vanity
Because (C)it is wood cut from the forest,
The work of the hands of a craftsman with a cutting tool.
4 They (D)make it beautiful with silver and with gold;
They (E)strengthen it with nails and with hammers
So that it will not totter.
5 Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they,
And they (F)cannot speak;
They must be (G)carried
Because they cannot take a step!
Do not fear them,
For they (H)can do no harm,
Nor can they do any good.”
6 (I)There is none like You, O Yahweh;
You are (J)great, and great is Your name in might.
7 (K)Who would not fear You, O (L)King of the nations?
Indeed it is Your due!
For among all the (M)wise men of the nations
And in all their kingdoms,
There is none like You.
8 But they are altogether (N)senseless and foolish;
They are in a discipline of [a]vanities—it is mere wood!
9 Beaten (O)silver is brought from (P)Tarshish,
And (Q)gold from Uphaz,
The work of a craftsman and of the hands of a goldsmith;
Blue and purple are their clothing;
They are all the (R)work of wise craftsmen.
10 But Yahweh is the (S)true God;
He is the (T)living God and the (U)everlasting King.
At His wrath the (V)earth quakes,
And the nations cannot (W)endure His indignation.
11 [b]Thus you shall say to them, “The (X)gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will (Y)perish from the earth and from under [c]the heavens.”
12 It is (Z)He who made the earth by His power,
Who (AA)established the world by His wisdom;
And by His understanding He has (AB)stretched out the heavens.
13 When He gives forth His (AC)voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,
And He causes the (AD)clouds to ascend from the end of the earth;
He makes lightning for the rain,
And brings out the (AE)wind from His storehouses.
14 Every man is (AF)senseless, devoid of knowledge;
Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven images;
For his molten images are a lie,
And there is no breath in them.
15 They are (AG)vanity, a work of mockery;
In the (AH)time of their punishment they will perish.
16 The (AI)portion of Jacob is not like these;
For the [d](AJ)Maker of all is He,
And (AK)Israel is the tribe of His inheritance;
(AL)Yahweh of hosts is His name.
17 (AM)Gather up your bundle from the ground,
You who inhabit a land under siege!
18 For thus says Yahweh,
“Behold, I am (AN)slinging out the inhabitants of the land
At this time,
And will cause them distress,
That they may find it.”
19 (AO)Woe is me, because of my [e]injury!
My (AP)wound is desperately sick.
But I said, “Truly this is a sickness,
And I (AQ)must bear it.”
20 My (AR)tent is destroyed,
And all my ropes are torn out;
My (AS)sons have gone from me and are no more.
There is (AT)no one to stretch out my tent again
Or to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds have become senseless
And (AU)have not sought Yahweh;
Therefore they have not prospered,
And (AV)all their flock is scattered.
22 The sound of a (AW)report! Behold, it comes—
A great quaking (AX)out of the land of the north—
To (AY)make the cities of Judah
A desolation, a haunt of jackals.
23 I know, O Yahweh, that (AZ)a man’s way is not in himself,
(BA)Nor is it in a man who walks to [f]direct his steps.
24 (BB)Discipline me, O Yahweh, but with justice;
Not with Your anger, lest You [g]bring me to nothing.
25 (BC)Pour out Your wrath on the nations that (BD)do not know You
And on the families that (BE)do not call Your name,
For they have devoured Jacob;
They have (BF)devoured him and consumed him
And have made desolate his [h]abode.
The Broken Covenant
11 The word which came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying, 2 “(BG)Hear the words of this (BH)covenant, and you shall speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem 3 and say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “(BI)Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your fathers in the (BJ)day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the (BK)iron furnace, saying, ‘(BL)Listen to My voice, and [i]do according to all which I command you; so you shall be (BM)My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 in order to establish the (BN)oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.”’” Then I answered and said, “(BO)Amen, O Yahweh.”
6 And Yahweh said to me, “(BP)Call out all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘(BQ)Hear the words of this covenant so that you will (BR)do them. 7 For I solemnly (BS)warned your fathers in the (BT)day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt, even to this day, (BU)rising up early and warning, saying, “(BV)Listen to My voice.” 8 Yet they (BW)did not listen or incline their ear, but walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart; therefore I brought on them all the (BX)words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
9 Then Yahweh said to me, “A (BY)conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have (BZ)turned back to the iniquities of their [j]ancestors who (CA)refused to hear My words, and they (CB)have walked after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have (CC)broken My covenant which I cut with their fathers.” 11 Therefore thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I am (CD)bringing calamity on them which they will (CE)not be able to get out of; and they will (CF)cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will (CG)go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they surely will not save them in the time of their calamity. 13 For your gods are (CH)the number of your cities, O Judah; and the number of the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the (CI)shameful thing, altars to (CJ)burn incense to Baal.
14 “But as for you, (CK)do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry of lamentation or prayer for them; for I will (CL)not listen when they call to Me because of their calamity.
15 What possession has My (CM)beloved in My house
When (CN)she has done many schemes of wickedness?
Can the flesh, which is set apart as holy, take away from you your calamity,
[k]So that you can exult?”
16 Yahweh called your name,
“A (CO)green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form”;
With the (CP)noise of a great tumult
He has (CQ)kindled fire on it,
And its foliage has an evil demise.
17 Yahweh of hosts, who (CR)planted you, has (CS)spoken forth evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have [l]done to provoke Me to anger by (CT)burning incense to Baal.
Men Seek Jeremiah’s Life
18 Moreover, Yahweh (CU)made it known to me, and I knew it;
Then You showed me their deeds.
19 But I was like a gentle (CV)lamb led to the slaughter;
And I did not know that they had (CW)devised thoughts against me, saying,
“Let us make the tree with its [m]fruit a ruin,
And (CX)let us cut him off from the (CY)land of the living,
That his (CZ)name be remembered no more.”
20 But, O Yahweh of hosts, who (DA)judges righteously,
Who (DB)tests the [n]insides and the heart,
Let me see Your vengeance on them,
For to You have I revealed my case.
21 Therefore thus says Yahweh concerning the men of (DC)Anathoth, who (DD)seek your life, saying, “(DE)Do not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, so that you will not (DF)die at our hand”; 22 therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, “Behold, I am about to (DG)punish them! The (DH)choice men will die by the sword; their sons and daughters will die by famine; 23 and a remnant (DI)will not be left to them, for I will (DJ)bring calamity on the men of Anathoth—(DK)the year of their punishment.”
Jeremiah’s Plea
12 (DL)Righteous are You, O Yahweh, when I would plead my case with You;
Indeed I would (DM)speak matters of justice with You:
Why has the (DN)way of the wicked succeeded?
Why are all those who (DO)deal in treachery complacent?
2 You have (DP)planted them; they have also taken root;
They grow; they have even produced fruit.
You are (DQ)near [o]to their lips
But far from their [p]inmost being.
3 But You, O Yahweh, You (DR)know me;
You see me;
And You (DS)test my heart’s attitude toward You.
Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter
And [q]set them apart for a (DT)day of carnage!
4 How long is the (DU)land to mourn
And the (DV)plants of every field to dry up?
Because of the (DW)evil of those who inhabit it,
(DX)Animals and birds have been swept away,
Because men have said, “He will not see our latter (DY)ending.”
Yahweh Answers Jeremiah
5 “If you have run with footmen and they have tired you out,
Then how can you compete with horses?
If you fall down in a land of peace,
How will you do in the [r](DZ)thicket of the Jordan?
6 For even your (EA)brothers and the household of your father,
Even they have dealt treacherously with you,
Even they have called aloud after you.
Do not believe them, although they may say (EB)nice things to you.”
7 “I have (EC)forsaken My house;
I have abandoned My inheritance;
I have given the (ED)beloved of My soul
Into the hand of her enemies.
8 My inheritance has become to Me
Like a lion in the forest;
She has (EE)given forth its voice against Me;
Therefore I have come to (EF)hate her.
9 Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?
Are the (EG)birds of prey against her on every side?
Go, gather all the (EH)beasts of the field,
Bring them to devour!
10 Many (EI)shepherds have ruined My (EJ)vineyard;
They have (EK)trampled down My portion;
They have made My (EL)desired portion
A desolate wilderness.
11 [s]It has been made a desolation;
Desolate, it (EM)mourns [t]before Me;
The (EN)whole land has been made desolate
Because no man (EO)sets it upon his heart.
12 On all the [u](EP)bare heights in the wilderness
Destroyers have come,
For a (EQ)sword of Yahweh is devouring
From one end of the land even to the [v]other;
There is (ER)no peace for any flesh.
13 They have (ES)sown wheat and have reaped thorns;
They have (ET)strained themselves [w]to no profit.
But be ashamed of your (EU)produce
Because of the (EV)burning anger of Yahweh.”
14 Thus says Yahweh concerning all My (EW)evil neighbors who (EX)beat at the inheritance with which I have caused My people Israel to inherit, “Behold, I am about to uproot them from their land and will (EY)uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15 And it will come about that after I have uprooted them, I will (EZ)return and have compassion on them; and I will (FA)cause them to return, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land. 16 Then if they will really (FB)learn the ways of My people, to (FC)swear by My name, ‘As Yahweh lives,’ even as they taught My people to (FD)swear by Baal, they will be (FE)built up in the midst of My people. 17 But if they will not listen, then I will (FF)uproot that nation, uproot and make it perish,” declares Yahweh.
The Ruined Belt
13 Thus Yahweh said to me, “Go and (FG)buy yourself a linen belt and put it around your loins, but do not put it in water.” 2 So I bought the belt in accordance with the (FH)word of Yahweh and put it around my loins. 3 Then the word of Yahweh came to me a second time, saying, 4 “Take the belt that you have bought, which is around your loins, and arise, go to [x]the (FI)Euphrates and hide it there in a crevice of the rock.” 5 So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, (FJ)as Yahweh had commanded me. 6 Now it happened that after many days Yahweh said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates and take from there the belt which I commanded you to hide there.” 7 Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the belt from the place where I had hidden it; and behold, the belt was ruined; it was totally worthless.
8 Then the word of Yahweh came to me, saying, 9 “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Just so will I ruin the (FK)pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. 10 This evil people, who (FL)refuse to listen to My words, who (FM)walk in the stubbornness of their hearts and have walked after other gods to serve them and to worship them, let them be just like this belt which is totally worthless. 11 For as the belt clings to the loins of a man, so I made the whole household of Israel and the whole household of Judah (FN)cling to Me,’ declares Yahweh, ‘that they might be for Me a people, for a (FO)name, for (FP)praise, and for beauty; but they (FQ)did not listen.’
The Magnitude of Israel’s Iniquity
12 “Therefore you are to say this word to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, “Every jug is to be filled with wine.”’ And they will say to you, ‘Do we not very well know that every jug is to be filled with wine?’ 13 Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Behold, I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—the kings that sit for David on his throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with (FR)drunkenness! 14 I will (FS)shatter them against each other, both the (FT)fathers and the sons together,” declares Yahweh. “I will (FU)not spare nor show pity nor have compassion so as not to ruin them.”’”
15 Listen and give ear, do not be (FV)haughty,
For Yahweh has spoken.
16 (FW)Give glory to Yahweh your God,
Before He brings (FX)darkness
And before your (FY)feet [y]stumble
On the dusky mountains;
And while you are hoping for light,
He makes it into the (FZ)shadow of death
And turns it into dense gloom.
17 But (GA)if you will not listen to it,
My soul will (GB)cry in secret for such pride;
And my eyes will bitterly weep
And flow down with tears
Because the (GC)flock of Yahweh has been taken captive.
18 Say to the (GD)king and the queen mother,
“(GE)Take a lowly seat,
For your beautiful (GF)crown
Has come down from your head.”
19 The (GG)cities of the Negev have been closed up,
And there is no one to open them;
All (GH)Judah has been taken away into exile,
Wholly taken away into exile.
20 “Lift up your eyes and see
Those coming (GI)from the north.
Where is the (GJ)flock that was given you,
Your beautiful sheep?
21 What will you say when He appoints over you—
And you yourself had taught them—
Former [z](GK)companions to be head over you?
Will not (GL)pangs seize you
Like a woman in childbirth?
22 If you (GM)say in your heart,
‘(GN)Why have these things happened to me?’
Because of the (GO)magnitude of your iniquity
(GP)Your skirts have been uncovered
And your heels have suffered violence.
23 (GQ)Can the Ethiopian change his skin
Or the leopard his spots?
Then you also can (GR)do good
Who are accustomed to doing evil.
24 Therefore I will (GS)scatter them like chaff passing away
Into the wilderness (GT)wind.
25 This is your (GU)lot, the portion measured to you
From Me,” declares Yahweh,
“Because you have (GV)forgotten Me
And trusted in lies.
26 So I Myself have also (GW)stripped your skirts off over your face,
That your disgrace may be seen.
27 As for your (GX)adulteries and your lustful neighings,
The (GY)lewdness of your prostitution
On the (GZ)hills in the field,
I have seen your detestable things.
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
(HA)How long will you not cleanse yourself?”
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