and so during unto the time of Jehoakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, and unto the eleven years of Zedekiah the son of Josiah king of Judah were ended: when Jerusalem was taken, even in the fifth Month.
Before I fashioned thee in thy mother's womb, I did know thee: And or ever thou wast born, I sanctified thee, and ordained thee, to be a Prophet unto the people.
And the LORD answered me thus: Say not so, I am too young: For thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee unto, and whatsoever I command thee, that shalt thou speak.
and this day do I set thee over the people and kingdoms: that thou mayest root out, break off, destroy, and make waste: and that thou mayest build up and plant.
It happened afterward, that the LORD spake to me again, and said: What seest thou? And I said: I do see a seething pot, looking out of the north hitherward.
For lo, I will call all the officers of the kingdoms of the north (sayeth the LORD) And they shall come, and every one shall set his seat in the gates of Jerusalem, and in all their walls round about and thorow all the cities of Judah.
And thorow them shall I declare my judgment, upon all the wickedness of those men that have forsaken me: that have offered unto strange gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.
For behold, this day do I make thee a strong fenced town, an iron pillar, and a wall of steel against the whole land, against the kings and mighty men of Judah, against the priests and people of the land.
Go thy way, cry in the ears of Jerusalem, and say: Thus sayeth the LORD: I remember thee for the kindness of thy youth, and because of thy steadfast love: in that thou followedst me thorow the wilderness, in an untilled land.
Thou Israel wast hallowed unto the LORD, and so was his firstfruits. All they that devoured Israel, offended: misfortune fell upon them, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD unto you. What unfaithfulness found your fathers in me, that they went so far away from me, falling to lightness, and being so vain?
They thought not in their hearts: Where have we left the LORD, that brought us out of the land of Egypt, that led us thorow the wilderness, thorow a desert and rough land, thorow a dry and deadly land, yea a land that no man had gone thorow, and wherein no man had dwelt.
And when I had brought you into a pleasant well builded land, that ye might enjoy the fruits and all the commodities of the same: ye went forth and defiled my land, and brought mine heritage to abomination.
The priests themselves said not once: Where is the LORD? They that have the law in their hands, know me not: The shepherds offend against me. The Prophets do service unto Baal, and follow such things as shall bring them no profit.
whether the Gentiles themselves deal so falsely and untruly with their gods, (which yet are no gods in deed) But my people hath given over their high honour, for a thing that may not help them.
For my people hath done two evils. They have forsaken me the well of the water of life, and digged them pits, yea vile and broken pits, that hold no water.
Thine own wickedness shall reprove thee, and thy turning away shall condemn thee: that thou mayest know and understand, how evil and hurtful a thing it is, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and not feared him, sayeth the Lord GOD|LORDE God| of Hosts.
I have ever broken thy yoke of old, and bursten thy bonds: yet sayest thou, I will no more serve, but (like an harlot) thou runnest about upon all high hills,
and among all green trees where as I planted thee out of noble grapes and good roots. How art thou turned then into a bitter, unfruitful, and strange grape?
Yea and that so sore: that though thou washest thee with Nitrus and makest thyself to savour with that sweet smelling herb of Borith: yet in my sight thou art stained with thy wickedness, sayeth the Lord|LORDE| thy GOD.
Say not now: I am not unclean, and I have not followed the gods. Look upon thy own ways in the woods, valleys and dens: so shalt thou know, what thou hast done. Thou art like a swift Dromedary, that goeth easily his way:
and thy wantonness is like a wild Ass, that useth the wilderness, and that snuffeth and bloweth at his will. Who can tame thee? All they that seek thee, shall not fail, but find thee in thy own uncleanness.
Thou keepest thy foot from nakedness, and thy throat from thirst, and thinkest thus in thyself: tush: I will take no sorrow, I will love the strange gods, and hang upon them.
Like as a thief that is taken with the deed cometh to shame, even so is the house of Israel come to confusion: the common people, their kings and rulers, their priests and prophets.
For they say to a stock, thou art my father, and to a stone: thou hast begotten me, yea they have turned their back upon me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble, when they say: stand up, and help us,
I shall answer them: Where are now thy gods, that thou hast made thee? bid them stand up, and help thee in the time of need? For look how many cities thou hast (O Judah) so many gods hast thou also.
If ye be the people of the LORD, then hearken unto his word: Am I then become a wilderness unto the people of Israel? or a land that hath no light? Wherefore sayeth my people then: we are fallen off, and we will come no more unto thee?
Yet darest thou say: I am guiltless: Tush, his wrath can not come upon me. Behold, I will reason with thee because thou darest say: I have not offended.
O how evil will it be for thee, to abide it: when it shall be known, how oft thou hast gone backward? For thou shalt be confounded, as well of Egypt, as of the Assirians:
Yea thou shalt go thy way from them, and smite thine hands together upon thy head. Because the LORD shall bring that confidence and hope of thine to naught, and thou shalt not prosper with all.
Commonly, when a man putteth away his wife, and she goeth from him, and marrieth with another, then the question is: should he resort unto her any more after that? Is not this field then defiled and unclean? But as for thee, thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet turn again to me, sayeth the LORD.
Lift up thine eyes on every side, and look, if thou be not defiled. Thou hast waited for them in the streets, and as a murderer in the wilderness; thorow thy whoredoms and shameful blasphemies, is the land defiled.
Wilt thou then put me away and cast me off for ever? Or wilt thou withdraw thyself clean from me? Nevertheless, thou speakest such words, but thou art ever doing worse and worse.
The LORD said also unto me: in the time of Josiah the king: Hast thou seen what that shrinking Israel hath done? how she hath run up upon all high hills, and among all thick trees, and there played the harlot:
hast thou seen also (when she had done all this) how I said unto her: that she should turn again unto me, and yet she is not returned? Judah that unfaithful sister of hers also saw this:
Namely, that after I had well seen the advoutry of the shrinking harlot Israel, I put her away, and gave her a bill of divorcement. For all this, her unfaithful sister Judah was not ashamed, but went back and played the whore also.
and therefore go preach these words toward the north, and say: Thou shrinking Israel, turn again (sayeth the LORD) and I will not turn my face from you, for I am merciful, sayeth the LORD, and I will not alway bear displeasure against thee:
but on this condition, that thou know thy great blasphemy: Namely, that thou hast unfaithfully forsaken the LORD thy God, and hast made thyself partaker of strange gods under all green trees, but hast had no will to hear my voice, sayeth the LORD.
O ye shrinking children, turn again, sayeth the LORD: and I will be married with you. For I will take one out of the city, and two out of one generation from among you, and bring you out of Sion:
Moreover, when ye be increased and multiplied in the land, then (sayeth the LORD) there shall no more boost be made of the ark of the LORD's Testament: No man shall think upon it, neither shall any man make mention of it: for from thence forth it shall neither be visited, nor honoured with gifts.
Then shall Jerusalem be called the LORD's seat, and all Heathen shall be gathered unto it, for the name of the LORD's sake, which shall be set up at Jerusalem. And from that time forth, they shall follow no more the imagination of their own froward heart.
Then those that be of the house of Judah shall go into the house of Israel: and they shall come together out of the North, into the same land that I have given your fathers.
I have shewed also, how I took thee up being but a child, and gave thee a pleasant land for thine heritage, yea and a goodly Hosts of the Heathen: and how I commanded thee, that thou shouldest call me father only, and not to shrink from me.
And therefore the voice of the children of Israel was heard on every side, weeping and wailing: for they have defiled their way, and forgotten God their LORD.
So do we also sleep in our confusion, and shame covereth us: for we and our fathers from our youth up unto this day have sinned against the LORD our God, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.
O Israel, if thou wilt turn thee, then turn unto me, sayeth the LORD. And if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, thou shalt not be moved:
Be circumcised in the LORD, and cut away the foreskins of your heart, all ye of Judah, and all the indwellers of Jerusalem: that my indignation break not out like fire and kindle, so that no man may quench it, because of the wickedness of your imaginations.
Preach in Judah and Jerusalem, cry out and speak: Blow the trumpets in the land, cry that every man may hear, and say: Gather you together, and we will go into strong cities.
For the spoiler of the Gentiles is broken up from his place, as a lion out of his den, that he may make the land waste, and destroy the cities, so that no man may dwell therein.
At the same time (sayeth the LORD) the heart of the kings and of the princes shall be gone, the priests shall be astonied, and the prophets shall be sore afraid.
Then said I, O Lord GOD,|LORDE God| hast thou then deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying: Ye shall have peace, and now the sword goeth thorow their lives?
Then shall it be said to the people and to Jerusalem: there cometh a warm wind from the north thorow the way of my people, but neither to fan, nor to cleanse.
For lo, he cometh down like as a cloud, and his chariots are like a stormy wind: his horsemen are swifter than the Aegle. Woe unto us, for we are destroyed.
Behold the Heathen give Jerusalem warning, and preach unto her, that her destroyers are coming from far countries. They tell the cities of Juda the same also,
Ah my belly; Ah my belly (shalt thou cry) how is my heart so sore? my heart panteth within me, I can not be still, for I have heard the crying of the trumpets, and peals of war.
Nevertheless this shall come upon them because my people is become foolish, and hath utterly no understanding. They are the children of foolishness, and without any discretion. To do evil, they have wit enough: but to do well, they have no wisdom.
And therefore let the earth mourn, and let the heaven be sorry above: for the things that I have purposed and taken upon me to do, shall not repent me, and I will not go from it.
The whole land shall flee, for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen: they shall run into dens in to woods, and climb up the stony rocks. All the cities shall be void, and no man dwelling therein.
What wilt thou now do, thou being destroyed? For though thou clothest thyself with scarlet, and deckest thee with gold: though thou paintest thy face with colors, yet shalt thou trim thyself in vain. For those that hitherto have been thy great favourers, shall abhor thee, and go about to slay thee.
For (me think) I hear a noise, like as it were of a woman travailing, or one labouring of her first child: Even the voice of the daughter Sion, that casteth out her arms, and sorroweth,|swooneth, souneth| saying: Ah woe is me, how sore vexed and faint is my heart, for them that are slain?
Look thorow Jerusalem, behold and see: Seek thorow her streets also within, if ye can find one man, that doth equal and right, or that laboureth to be faithful: and I shall spare him (sayeth the LORD)
Where as thou (O LORD) lookest only upon faith and truth. Thou hast scourged them, but they took no repentance: thou hast corrected them for amendment, but they refused thy correction. They made their faces harder than stone, and would not amend.
Therefore will I go unto their heads and rulers, and talk with them: if they know the way of the LORD, and the judgments of our God. But these (in like manner) have broken the yoke, and burst the bonds in sunder.
Wherefore a lion out of the wood shall hurt them, and a wolf in the evening shall destroy them. The cat of the mountain shall lie lurking by their cities, to tare in pieces all them, that come thereout. For their offenses are many, and their departing away is great.
Should I then for all this have mercy upon thee? Thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods. And albeit they were bound to me in marriage, yet they fell to advoutry, and hunted harlots' houses.
As for the warning of the Prophets, they take it but for wind, yea there is none of these, which will tell them, that such things shall happen unto them.
Wherefore thus sayeth the LORD God of Hosts: Because ye speak such words, behold: The words that are in thy mouth will I turn to fire, and make the people to be wood, that it may consume them.
Lo, I will bring a people upon you from far, O house of Israel, (sayeth the LORD) a mighty people, an old people, a people whose speech thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
This people shall eat up thy fruit and thy meat, yea they shall devour thy sons and thy daughters, thy sheep and thy bullocks. They shall eat up thy grapes and figs. As for thy strong and well fenced cities, wherein thou didst trust, they shall destroy them with the sword.
But if they say: wherefore doth the LORD our God all this unto us? Then answer them: because, that like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your own land, even so shall ye serve other gods also in a strange land.
Fear ye not me? sayeth the LORD: Are ye not ashamed, to look me in the face? which bind the sea with the sand, so that it can not pass his bounds: for thou it rage, yet can it do nothing, and though the waves thereof do swell, yet may they not go over.
They think not in their hearts: O let us fear the LORD our God, that giveth us rain, early and late, when need is: which keepeth ever still the harvest for us yearly.
And like as a net is full of birds, so are their houses full of that which they have gotten with falsity and deceit. Hereof cometh their great substance and riches,
hereof are they fat and wealthy, and are run away from me with shameful blasphemies. They minister not the law, they make no end of the fatherless cause, they judge not the poor according to equity.
Come out of Jerusalem, ye strong children of Ben Jamin: blow up the trumpets ye Tecuites, set up a token unto Bethcarem, for a plague and a great misery peepeth out from the North.
for thus hath the LORD of Hosts commanded. Hew down her trees, and set up bulwarks against Jerusalem. This is the city that must be punished, for in her is all maliciousness.
Like as a conduit aboundeth in water, even so this city aboundeth in wickedness. Robbery and unrighteousness is heard in her, sorrow and wounds are ever there in my sight.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The residue of Israel shall be gathered, as the remanent of grapes. And therefore turn thine hand again into the basket, like the grape gatherer.
But unto whom shall I speak, whom shall I warn, that he may take heed? Their ears are so uncircumcised, that they may not hear. Behold, they take the word of GOD but for a scorn, and have no lust thereto.
And therefore I am so full of thine indignation (o LORD) that I may suffer no longer. Shed out thy wrath upon the children that are without, and upon all young men. Yea the man must be taken prisoner with the wife, and the aged with the cripple.
Their houses with their lands and wives shall be turned unto strangers, when I stretch out mine hand upon the inhabiters of this land, sayeth the LORD.
Therefore they must be ashamed, for they have committed abomination. But how should they be ashamed, when they know nothing, neither of shame nor good nurture? And therefore they shall fall among the slain, and in the hour when I shall visit them, they shall be brought down, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD: go into the streets, consider and make inquisition for the old way: and if it be the good and right way: then go therein, that ye may find rest for your souls. But they say: we will not walk therein,
Hear thou earth also: behold, I will cause a plague come upon this people, even the fruit of their own imaginations. For they have not been obedient unto my words and to my law, but abhorred them.
Wherefore bring ye me incense from Saba, and sweet smelling Calamus from far countries? Your burnt offerings displease me, and I rejoice not in your sacrifices.
And therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will make this people fall, and there shall fall from among them the father with the children, one neighbour shall perish with another.
with bows and with darts shall they be weaponed: It is a rough and fierce people, an unmerciful people: their voice roareth like the sea, they ride upon horses well appointed to the battle against thee, O daughter Sion.
Wherefore, gird a sackcloth about thee (O daughter of my people) sprinkle thyself with ashes, mourn and weep bitterly, as upon the only beloved son: for the destroyer shall suddenly fall upon us.
For they are all unfaithful and fallen away, they hang upon filthy|shameful| lucre, they are clean brass and iron, for they hurt and destroyed every man.
Stand under the gates of the LORD's house, and cry out these words there, with a loud voice, and say: Hear the word of the LORD all ye of Judah, that go in at this door, to honour the LORD.
If ye will not oppress the stranger, the fatherless and the widow: if ye will not shed innocent blood in this place: if ye will not cleave to strange gods to your own destruction:
Then come ye, and stand before me in this house, which hath my name given unto it, and say: Tush, we are absolved quite, though we have done all these abominations.
And now, though ye have done all these deeds (sayeth the LORD) and I myself rose up ever by times to warn you and to commune|common| with you, yet would ye not hear me: I called, ye would not answer.
And therefore even as I have done to Siloh, so will I do to this house, that my name is given unto (and that ye put your trust in) yea unto the place that I have given to you and your fathers.
Therefore thou shalt not pray for this people, thou shalt neither give thanks, nor bid prayer for them: thou shalt make no intercession to me for them for in no wise will I hear thee.
The children gather sticks, the fathers kindle the fire, the mothers knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven. They pour out drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath:
And therefore thus sayeth the Lord GOD:|LORDE God| Behold, my wrath and my indignation shall be poured out upon this place, upon men and cattle, upon the trees in the field and all fruit of the land, and it shall burn so, that no man may quench it.
but this I commanded them, saying: hearken and obey my voice, and I shall be your God, and ye shall be my people: so that ye walk in all the ways, which I have commanded you, that ye may prosper.
But they were not obedient, they inclined not their ears there unto, but went after their own imaginations and after the motions of their own wicked heart, and so turned themselves away, and converted not unto me.
And this have they done, from the time that your fathers came out of Egypt, unto this day. Nevertheless, I sent unto them my servants all the prophets: I rose up early and sent them word,
Therefore shalt thou say unto them: this is the people, that neither heareth the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth his correction. Faithfulness and truth is clean rooted out of their mouth.
Wherefore cut off thine hair, and cast it away, take up a complaint in the whole land: for the LORD shall cast away, and scatter the people, that he is displeased withal.
For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, sayeth the LORD. They have set up their abominations, in the house that hath my name, and have defiled it.
They have also builded an altar at Topheth, which is in the valley of the children of Hennom: that they might burn their sons and daughters, which I never commanded them, neither came it ever in my thought.
And therefore behold, the days shall come (sayeth the LORD) that it shall no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the children of Hennom, but the valley of the slain, for in Topheth, they shall be buried, because they shall else have no room.
And as for the voice of mirth and gladness of the cities of Judah, and Jerusalem the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride: I will make them cease, for the land shall be desolate.
At the same time, sayeth the LORD: the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, and prophets, yea and the bones of the citizens of Jerusalem, shall be brought out of their graves
and laid against the Sun, the Moon and all the heavenly host: whom they loved, whom they served, whom they ran after, whom they sought and worshipped. They shall neither be gathered together nor buried, but shall lie upon the earth, to their shame and despising.
And all they that remain of this wicked generation, shall desire rather to die than to live: wheresoever they remain, and where as I scatter them, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
This shalt thou say unto them also: Thus sayeth the LORD: Do men fall also, that they arise not up again? And turn they so far away, that they never convert?
Wherefore then is this people and Jerusalem gone so far back, that they turn not again. They are ever the longer the more obstinate, and will not be converted.
For I have looked, and considered: but there is no man that speaketh a good word: there is no man that taketh repentance for his sin, that will so much as say: wherefore have I done this? But every man (as soon as he is turned back) runneth forth still, like a wild horse in a battle.
The Stork knoweth his appointed time, the Turtledove, the Swallow and the Crane consider the time of their travail: but my people will not know the time of the punishment of the LORD.
therefore shall the wise be confounded, they shall be afraid and taken: for lo, they have cast out the word of the LORD: what wisdom can then be among them?
Wherefore, I will give their wives unto aliens, and their fields to destroyers. For from the lowest to the highest,|hyest| they follow all filthy|shameful| lucre: and from the Prophet unto the priest, they deal all with lies.
Fie for shame, how abominable things do they? and yet they be not ashamed, yea they know of no shame. Wherefore in the time of their visitation, they shall fall among the dead bodies, sayeth the LORD.
Moreover I will gather them in (sayeth the LORD) so that there shall not be one grape upon the vine, neither one fig upon the fig tree, and the leaves shall be plucked off. Then will I cause them to depart, and say:
why prolong we the time? Let us gather ourselves together, and go into the strong city, there shall we be in rest: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water mixt with gall, to drink: because we have sinned against him.
Then shall the noise of his horses be heard from Dan, the whole land shall be afraid at the neigh of his strong horses: for they shall go in, and devour the land, with all that is in it: the cities, and those that dwell therein.
for lo, the voice of the crying of my people is heard from a far country: Is not the LORD in Sion? Is not the|he| king in her? Wherefore then have they grieved me (shall the LORD say) with their images and foolish strange fashions?
Would God that I had a cottage some where far from folk, that I might leave my people, and go from them: for they be all advoutrers and a shrinking sort.
They bend their tongues like bows, to shoot out lies: As for the truth, they may nothing away with all in the world. For they go from one wickedness to another, and hold nothing of me, sayeth the LORD.
Yea one must keep himself from another, no man may safely trust his own brother: for one brother undermineth another, and one neighbour begileth another.
Upon the mountains will I take up a lamentation and sorrowful cry, and a mourning upon the fair plains of the wilderness: Namely, how they are so brent up, that no man goeth there any more: Yea a man shall not hear one beast cry there. Birds and cattle are all gone from thence.
I will make Jerusalem also an heap of stones, and a den of venomous worms. And I will make the cities of Judah so waste, that no man shall dwell therein.
What man is so wise, as to understand this? Or to whom hath the LORD spoken by mouth, that he may shew this, and say: O thou land, why perishest thou so? Wherefore art thou so brent up, and like a wilderness, that no man goeth thorow?
I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword among them, to persecute them, until I bring them to naught.
For there is a lamentable noise heard of Sion: O how are we so sore destroyed? O how are we so piteously confounded? We must forsake our own natural country, and we are shot out of our own lodgings.
Yet hear the word of the LORD (O ye women) and let your ears regard the words of his mouth: that ye may learn your daughters to mourn, and that every one may teach her neighbouress, to make lamentation.
Namely thus: Death is climbing up in at our windows, he is come into our houses, to destroy the child before the door, and the young man in the street.
But tell thou plainly, thus sayeth the LORD: The dead bodies of men shall lie upon the ground, as the dung upon the field, and as the hay after the mower, and there shall be no man to take them up.
But who so will rejoice, let him rejoice in this, that he understandeth, and knoweth me: for I am the LORD, which do mercy, equity and righteousness upon the earth. Therefore have I pleasure in such things, sayeth the LORD.
The Egyptians, the Jews, the Edomites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, and the shaven Madianites, that dwell in the wilderness. For all the Gentiles are uncircumcised in the flesh, but all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.
Thus sayeth the LORD: Ye shall not learn after the manner of the Heathen, and ye shall not be afraid for the tokens of heaven: for the Heathen are afraid of such:
Yea all the customs and laws of the Gentiles are nothing, but vanity. They hew down a tree in the wood with the hands of the workman, and fashion it with the axe:
It standeth as still as the palm tree, it can neither speak nor go, but must be borne. Be not ye afraid of such, for they can do neither good nor evil.
Who would not fear thee? Or what King of the Gentiles would not obey thee? For among all the wise men of the Gentiles, and in all their kingdoms, there is none that may be likened unto thee.
namely, wood, silver, which is brought out of Tharsis, and beaten to plates: and gold from Ophir, a work that is made with the hand of the craftsman and the caster, clothed with yellow silk and scarlet: even so is the work of their wise men altogether.
As for their gods, it may well be said of them: they are gods, that made neither heaven nor earth: therefore shall they perish from the earth, and from all things under heaven.
But (as for our God) he made the earth with his power, and with his wisdom hath he finished the whole compass of the world, with his discretion hath he spread out the heavens.
At his voice the waters gather together in the air, he draweth up the clouds from the utmost parts of the earth: he turneth lightning to rain, and bringeth forth the winds out of their treasures:
Nevertheless, Jacobs portion is not such: but it is he, that hath made all things, and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The LORD of Hosts is his name.
For thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will now thrust out the inhabiters of this land a great way off, and trouble them of such a fashion, that they shall no more be found.
My tabernacle is destroyed, and all may coards are broken. My children are gone from me, and can no where be found. Now have I none to spread out my tent, or to set up my hangings.
For the herdmen have done foolishly, that they have not sought the LORD. Therefore have they dealt unwisely with their cattle, and all are scattered abroad.
Pour out thine indignation rather upon the Gentiles, that know thee not, and upon the people that call not on thy name: And that because they have consumed, devoured and destroyed Jacob, and have rooted out his glory.
which I commanded unto your fathers, what time as I brought them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying: Be obedient unto my voice, and do according to all that I commanded you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,
and will keep my promise, that I have sworn unto your fathers: Namely, that I would give them a land which floweth with milk and honey, as ye see, it is come to pass unto this day. Then answered I, and said: Amen. It is even so O LORD, as thou sayest.
Then the LORD said unto me again: preach this in the cities of Juda and round about Jerusalem, and say: Hear the words of this covenant, that ye may keep them.
For I have diligently exhorted your fathers, ever since the time that I brought them out of the Land of Egypt unto this day. I gave them warning by times, saying: hearken unto my voice:
Nevertheless, they would not obey me, nor inclined their ears unto me, but followed the wicked imaginations of their own hearts. And therefore have I accused them as transgressors of all the words of this covenant, that I gave them to keep, which they (not with understanding) have not kept.
They have turned themselves to the blasphemies of their forefathers, which had no lust to hear my word. Even likewise have these also followed strange gods, and worshiped them. The house of Israel and Juda have broken my covenant, which I made with their fathers.
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will send a plague among you, which ye shall not be able to escape: and though ye cry unto me, I will not hear you.
Then shall the towns of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem go, and call upon their gods, unto whom they made their oblations: but they are not able to help them in time of their trouble.
For as many cities as thou hast, O Judah, so many gods hast thou also: And look how many streets there be in thee (O Jerusalem) so many shameful altars have ye set up, to offer upon them unto Baal.
O thou beloved, why doest thou so shameful great blasphemies in my house? even as though that holy flesh might absolve thee, specially when thou hast made thy boast|boost| of thy wickedness.
The LORD called thee a green olive tree, a fair one, a fruitful one, a goodly one: but now that there is a contrary report of thee abroad, he will burn thee up, and destroy thy branches.
For the LORD of Hosts that planted thee hath devised a plague for thee (O thou house of Israel and Judah) for the evil that ye have done to provoke him to wrath, in that ye did service unto Baal.
But I (as a meek lamb) was carried away to be slain: not knowing, that they had devised such a counsel against me saying: We will destroy his meat with wood, and drive him out of the land of the living: that his name shall never be thought upon. (Justin: The Lord God remembered his dead people of Israel who lay in the graves, and he descended to preach to them his own salvation.)
Therefore I will beseech thee now (O LORD of Hosts) thou righteous judge, thou that tryest the reins and the hearts: let me see the avenged of them, for unto thee have I committed my cause.
The LORD therefore spake thus of the citizens of Anathoth, that sought to slay me, saying: Preach not unto us in the name of the LORD, or else thou shalt die of our hands.
Thus (I say) spake the LORD of Hosts: Behold, I will visit you. Your young men shall perish with the sword, your sons and your daughters shall utterly die of hunger,
O LORD,|Lorde| thou art more righteous, than that I should dispute with thee: Nevertheless, let me talk with thee in things reasonable. How happeneth it, that the way of the ungodly is so prosperous? and that it goeth so well with them, which (without any shame) offend and live in wickedness?
But thou LORD (to whom I am well known) thou that hast seen, and proved my heart, take them away, like as a flock is carried to the slaughter house, and appoint them for the day of slaughter.
How long shall the land mourn, and all the herbs of the field perish, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? The cattle and the birds are gone, yet say they: tush, God will not destroy us utterly.
Seeing thou art weary in running with the footmen, how wilt thou then run with the horses? In a peaceable sure land thou mayest be safe, but how wilt thou do in the furious pride of Jordan?
For thy brethren and thy kindred have all together despised thee, and cried out upon thee in thine absence. Believe them not, though they speak fair words to thee.
As for me (say I) I have forsaken mine own dwelling place, and left mine heritage. My life also that I love so well, have I given into the hands of mine enemies.
Mine heritage is unto me, as a speckled bird, a bird of divers colors is upon it. Go hence, and gather all the beasts of the field together, that they may eat it up.
The destroyers come over the heeth every way, for the sword of the LORD shall consume from the one end of the land to the other, and no flesh shall have rest.
They shall sow wheat, and reap thorns. They shall take heritage in possession, but it shall do them no good. And ye shall be confounded of your own winnings, because of the great wrath of the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD upon all mine evil neighbours, that lay hand on mine heritage, which I have given my people of Israel: Behold, I will pluck them (namely Israel) out of their land, and put out the house of Juda from among them.
And when I have rooted them out, I will be at one with them again, and will have mercy upon them: and bring them again, every man to his own heritage, and in to his land.
And if they (namely that trouble my people) will learn the ways of them, to swear by my name: The LORD liveth (like as they learned my people to swear by Baal) then shall they be reckoned among my people.
And it happened long after this, that the LORD spake unto me: Up, and get thee to Euphrates, and fet the breech from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
Then went I to Euphrates, and digged up, and took the breech from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the breech was corrupt, so that it was profitable for nothing.
This people is a wicked people, they will not hear my word, they follow the wicked imaginations of their own heart, and hang upon strange gods, them have they served and worshiped: and therefore they shall be as this breech, that serveth for nothing.
For as straightly as a breech lieth upon a man's loins, so straightly did I bind the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Juda unto me, sayeth the LORD: that they might be my people: that they might have a glorious name: that they might be in honour: but they would not obey me.
Therefore lay this riddle before them, and say: Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: Every pot shall be filled with wine. And they shall say: thinkest thou we know not, that every pot shall be filled with wine?
Then shalt thou say unto them: Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I shall fill all the inhabiters of this land with drunkenness, the kings that sit upon David's stool, the Priests and Prophets, with all that dwell at Jerusalem.
And I will shoot|shute| them one against another, yea the fathers against the sons, sayeth the LORD. I will not pardon them, I will not spare them, nor have pity upon them: but destroy them.
Honour the LORD your God herein, or he take his light from you, and or ever your feet stumble in darkness at the hill: lest when ye look for the light, he turn it into the shadow and darkness of death.
But if ye will not hear me, that give you secret warning, I will mourn from my whole heart for your stubbornness. Piteously will I weep, and the tears shall gush out of mine eyes. For the LORD's flock shall be carried away captive.
To whom will thou make thy moan, when they come upon thee? for thou hast taught them thy self, and made them masters over thee. Shall not sorrow come upon thee, as on a woman travailing with child?
And if thou wouldest say then in thine heart: Wherefore come these things upon me? Even for the multitude of thy blasphemies, shall thy hinder parts and thy feet be discovered.
This shall be your portion, and the portion of your measure, where with ye shall be rewarded of me, sayeth the LORD: because ye have forgotten me, and put your trust in deceitful things.
thy advoutry, thy deadly malice, thy beastliness, and thy shameful whoredom. For upon the fields and hills I have seen thy abominations. Woe be unto thee (O Jerusalem) when wilt thou ever be cleansed any more?
The lords shall send their servants to fetch water, and when they come to the wells, they shall find no water, but shall carry their vessels home empty. They shall be ashamed and confounded, and shall cover their heads.
For thou art the comfort and help of Israel in the time of trouble. Why wilt thou be as a stranger in the Land, and as one that goeth over the field, and cometh in only to remain for a night?
Why wilt thou make thyself a coward, and as it were a giant that yet may not help? For thou art ours (O LORD) and we bear thy name, therefore forsake us not.
Then spake the LORD, concerning this people that have pleasure to go so nimbly with their feet, and leave not off, and therefore displease the LORD: in so much, that he will now bring again to remembrance all their misdeeds, and punish all their sins.
For though they fast, I will not hear their prayers. And though they offer burnt offerings and sacrifices, yet will not I accept them. For I will destroy them with the sword, hunger, and pestilence.
Then answered I: O Lord GOD,|LORDE God| the prophets say unto them: Tush, ye shall see no sword, and no hunger shall come upon you, but the Lord|LORDE| shall give you continual rest in this place.
And the LORD said unto me: The prophets preach lies unto them in my name. I have not spoken with them, neither gave I them any charge, neither did I send them: yet they preach unto you false visions, charming vanity, and deceitfulness of their own heart.
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: As for those prophets that preach in my name, (whom I nevertheless have not sent) and that say: Tush, there shall neither battle, nor hunger be in this land: With sword and with hunger shall those prophets perish,
and the people to whom they have preached shall be cast out of Jerusalem, die of hunger, and be slain with the sword (and there shall be no man to bury them) both they and their wives, their sons and their daughters. For thus will I pour their wickedness upon them.
This shalt thou say also unto them: Mine eyes shall weep without ceasing day and night. For my people shall be destroyed with great harm, and shall perish with a great plague.
For if I go into the field, lo, it lieth all full of slain men: If I come into the city, lo, they be all famished of hunger. Yea their prophets also and priests shall be lead in to an unknown land.
Hast thou then utterly forsaken Juda? (said I) Doest thou so abhor Sion? Or hast thou so plagued us, that we can be healed no more? We looked for peace, and there cometh no good: for the time of health, and lo, here is nothing but trouble.
Be not displeased, O LORD, for thy name's sake, forget not thy loving-kindness: Remember the throne of thine honour, break not the covenant, that thou hast made with us.
Are there any among the gods of the Gentiles, that send rain or give the showers of heaven? Dost not thou it O LORD our God, in whom we trust? Yea LORD, thou dost all these things.
Then spake the LORD unto me, and said: Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet have I no heart to this people. Drive them away, that they may go out of my sight.
And if they say unto thee: Whither shall we go? Then tell them: The LORD giveth you this answer: Some unto death, some to the sword, some to hunger, some into captivity.
For I will bring four plagues upon them sayeth the LORD. The sword shall strangle them, the dogs shall devour them, the fowls of the air, and beasts of the earth shall eat them up, and destroy them.
I will scatter them about also in all kingdoms and lands to be plagued, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Juda, for the things that he did in Jerusalem.
seeing thou goest from me, and turnest backward? sayeth the LORD: Therefore I will stretch out mine hand against thee, to destroy thee, and I will not be intreated.
I will scatter thee abroad with the fan on every side of the land: I will waste my people and destroy them, for they have had no lust to turn from their own ways.
I will make their widows more in number, than the sands of the sea. Upon the mothers of their children, I shall bring a destroyer in the noon day. Suddenly and unawares, shall I send a fear upon their cities.
She that hath born seven children, shall have none, her heart shall be full of sorrow. The Sun shall fail her in the clear day, when she shall be confounded and faint for very heaviness. As for those that remain, I will deliver them unto the sword of their enemies, sayeth the LORD.
O mother, alas that ever thou didst bear me, an enemy and hated of the whole land: Though I never lent nor received upon usury, yet all|every| men speak evil upon me.
And the LORD answered me: Lead not I thee then unto good? Come not I to thee, when thou art in trouble: and help thee, when thine enemy oppresseth thee?
As for your riches and treasure, I will give them out in to a pray, not for any money, but because of all your sins, that ye have done in all your coasts.
O LORD (said I then) thou knowest all things, therefore remember me, and visit me, deliver me from my persecutors: Receive not my cause in thy long wrath, yet thou knowest, that for thy sake I suffer rebuke.
I dwell not among the |council of| scorners, neither is my delight therein: but I dwell only in the fear of thy hand, for thou hast filled me with bitterness.
Shall my heaviness endure forever? Are my plagues then so great, that they may never be healed? Wilt thou be as a water, that falleth, and can not continue?
Upon these words, thus said the LORD unto me: If thou wilt turn again, I shall set thee in my service: and if thou wilt take out the thing that is precious from the vile, thou shalt be even as mine own mouth. They shall convert unto thee, but turn not thou unto them:
and so shall I make thee a strong wall of steel against this people. They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail. For I myself will be with thee, to help thee, and deliver thee, sayeth the LORD.
For of the children that are born in this place, of their mothers that have borne them, and of their fathers that have begotten them in this land; Thus sayeth the LORD:
They shall die an horrible death: and no man shall mourn for them, nor bury them, but they shall lie as dung upon the earth: They shall perish thorow the sword, and hunger, and their bodies shall be meat for the fowls of the air, and beasts of the earth.
Again, thus sayeth the LORD: Go not unto them that come together for to mourn and weep: for I have taken my peace from this people (sayeth the LORD) yea my favour and my mercy.
There shall not one visit another, to mourn with them for their dead, or to comfort them. One shall not offer another the cup of consolation, to forget their heaviness for father and mother.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I shall take away out of this place, the voice of mirth and gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride: yea and that in your days, that ye may see it.
Now when thou shewest this people all these words, and they say unto thee: Wherefore hath the LORD devised all this great plague for us? Or what is the offense and sin, that we have done against the LORD our God?
Then make thou them this answer: Because your fathers have forsaken me, (sayeth the LORD) and have cleaved unto strange gods, whom they have honoured and worshiped: but me have they forsaken, and have not kept my law.
And ye with your shameful blasphemies, have exceeded the wickedness of your fathers. For every one of you followeth the froward and evil imagination of his own heart, and is not obedient unto me.
Therefore will I cast you out of this land in to a land that ye and your fathers know not: and there shall ye sever strange gods day and night, there will I shew you no favour.
Behold therefore (sayeth the LORD) the days are come, that it shall no more be said: The LORD liveth, which brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt:
but it shall be said, the LORD liveth, that brought the children of Israel from the North, and from all lands where I had scattered them. For I will bring them again in to the land, that I gave unto their fathers.
Behold, (sayeth the LORD) I will send out many fishers to take them, and after that will I send out many hunters to hunt them out, from all mountains and hills and out of the caves of stones.
But first will I sufficiently reward their shameful blasphemies and sins, wherewith they have defiled my land: Namely, with their stinking Idols and abominations, wherewith they have filled mine heritage.
O LORD, my strength, my power, and refuge in time of trouble. The Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the world, and say: Verily our fathers have cleaved unto lies, their Idols are but vain and unprofitable.
Your sin (O ye of the tribe of Judah) is written in the table of your hearts, and graven so upon the edges of your altars with a pen of iron and with an adamant claw:
Wherefore, I will make all your substance and treasure be spoiled, for the great sin that ye have done upon your high places thorowout all the coasts of your land.
Ye shall be cast out also from the heritage, that I gave you. And I will subdue you under the heavy bondage of your enemies, in a land that ye know not. For ye have ministered fire to my indignation, which shall burn evermore.
He shall be like the heeth that groweth in the wilderness. As for the good thing that is for to come, he shall not see it: but dwell in a dry place of the wilderness, in a salt and unoccupied land.
For he shall be as a tree, that is planted by the water side: which spreadeth out the root unto moistness, whom the heat can not harm, when it cometh, but his leaves are green. And though there grow but little fruit because of drought, yet is he not careful, but he never leaveth off to bring forth fruit.
Even I the LORD search|ripe| out the ground of the heart, and try|search| the reins, and reward every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his counsels.
The deceitful maketh a nest, but bringeth forth no young: He cometh by riches, but not righteously. In the middest of his life must he leave them behind him, and at the last be found a very fool.
Thou art the comfort of Israel. All they that forsake thee, shall be confounded: all they that depart from thee, shall be written in earth, for they have forsaken the LORD the very conduit|condite| of the waters of life.{All that forsake thee, shall be ashamed. And they that depart from thee shall be written in the earth. For they have lost the LORD that is the fountain of the water of life.}
Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be whole: save thou me, and I shall be saved, for thou art my praise.{Heal me LORD, and I shall be whole: save me LORD, and I shall be safe, for thou art he that I praise.}
Behold, these men say unto me: Where is the word of the LORD? Let it come.{Behold they say unto me: where is the word of the LORD? Let it come to pass}
Where as I nevertheless leading the flock in thy ways, have compelled none by violence. For I never desired any man's death, this knowest thou well. My words also are right before thee.{and I enforced no to be a shepherd that should not follow thee: and the day of destruction have I not desired, thou knowest. And that proceeded out of my mouth was right in thy sight.}
Be not now terrible unto me, O LORD, for thou art he in whom I hope, when I am in peril.{Be not terrible unto me LORD: for thou art my trust in the evil day.}
Let my persecutors be confounded, but not me: let them be afraid, and not me. Thou shalt bring upon them the time of their plague, and shall destroy them right sore.{Let them that persecute me be confounded, and let not me be confounded. Let their hearts fail them, and not mine heart fail. Bring upon them an evil day, and bruise them again and again.}
Again, thus hath the LORD said unto me: Go stand under the gate, where thorow the people and the kings of Juda go out and in, yea under all the gates of Jerusalem,
and say unto them: Hear the word of the LORD, ye kings of Juda, and all thou people of Juda, and all ye citizens of Jerusalem, that go thorow this gate:
Nevertheless, if ye will hear me (sayeth the LORD) and bear no burthen in to the city thorow this gate upon the Sabbath: If ye will hallow the Sabbath, so that ye do no work therein:
then shall there go thorow the gates of this city, kings and princes, that shall sit upon the stool of David: They shall be carried upon chariots, and ride upon horses, both they and their princes. Yea whole Juda and all the citizens of Jerusalem shall go here thorow, and this city shall ever be the more and more inhabited.
There shall come men also from the cities of Judah, from about Jerusalem, and from the land of Ben Jamin, from the plain fields, from the mountains and from the wilderness: which shall bring burntofferings, sacrifices, oblations, and incense, and offer up thanksgiving in the house of the LORD.
But if ye will not be obedient unto me, to hallow the Sabbath: so that ye will bear your burthens thorow the gates of Jerusalem upon the Sabbath: Then shall I set fire upon the gates of Jerusalem, and it shall burn up the houses of Jerusalem, and no man shall be able to quench it.
May not I do with you, as this Potter doth, O ye house of Israel? sayeth the LORD. Behold, ye house of Israel: ye are in my hand, even as the clay in the Potter's hand.
if that people (against whom I have thus devised) convert from their wickedness: Immediately, I repent of the plague, that I devised to bring upon them.
Speak now therefore unto whole Juda, and to them that dwell at Jerusalem: Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I am devising a plague for you, and am taking a thing in hand against you. Therefore let every man turn from his evil way, take upon you the thing that is good, and do right.
Shall not the snow (that melteth upon the stony rocks of Libanus) moisten|moysture| the fields? Or may the springs of waters be so graven away, that they run no more, give moistness, nor make fruitful?
But my people hath so forgotten me, that they have made sacrifice unto vain gods. And while they followed their own ways they are come out of the high street, and gone in to a foot way not used to be trodden.
Where thorow they have brought their land into an everlasting wilderness and scorn: So that whosoever traveleth thereby, shall be abashed, and wag their heads.
Then said they: come, let us imagine something against this Jeremy. Yea this did even the priests, to whom the law was committed: the Senators, that were the wisest: and the prophets, which wanted not the word of God. Come (say they) let us cut out his tongue, and let us not regard his words.
Do they not recompense evil for good, when they dig a pit for my soul? Remember, how that I stood before thee, to speak for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
Therefore let their children die of hunger, and let them be oppressed with the sword. Let their wives be robbed of their children, and become widows: let their husbands be slain, let their young men be killed with the sword in the field.
Let the noise be heard out of their houses, when the murderer cometh suddenly upon them: For they have digged a pit to take me, and laid snares for my feet.
Yet LORD, thou knowest all their counsel, that they have devised, to slay me. And therefore forgive them not their wickedness, and let not their sin be put out of thy sight: but let them be judged before thee as the guilty: This shalt thou do unto them in the time of thy indignation.
and say thus unto them: Hear the word of the LORD, ye kings of Judah, and ye citizens of Jerusalem: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring such a plague upon this place, that the ears of all that hear it, shall glow.
And that because they have forsaken me, and unhallowed this place, and have offered in it unto strange gods: whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known. They have filled this place also with the blood of innocents,
for they have set up an altar unto Baal, to burn their children for a burntoffering unto Baal, which I neither commanded, nor charged them, neither thought once thereupon.
Behold therefore, the time cometh (sayeth the LORD) that this place shall no more be called Topheth, nor the valley of the children of Hennom, but the valley of slaughter.
For in this place will I slay the Senators of Juda and Jerusalem, and kill them down with the sword in the sight of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives. And their dead carcasses will I give to be meat for the fowls of the air, and beasts of the field.
I will feed them also with the flesh of their sons and their daughters. Yea every one shall eat up another in the besieging and straightness, wherewith their enemies (that seek their lives) shall keep them in.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Even so will I destroy this people and city: as a Potter breaketh a vessel, that can not be made whole again. In Topheth shall they be buried, for they shall have none other place.
For the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah are defiled, like as Topheth, because of all the houses, in whose parlors they did sacrifice unto all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto strange gods.
And so Jeremy came from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy, and stood in the court of the house of the LORD, and spake to all the people:
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon every town about it, all the plagues that I have devised against them: for they have been obstinate, and would not obey my warnings.
The next day following, Phashur brought Jeremy out of the stocks again. Then said Jeremy unto him: The LORD shall call thee no more Phashur (that is excellent and increasing) but Magor (that is fearful and afraid) everywhere.
For thus sayeth the LORD: behold, I will make thee afraid, thee thy self and all that favour thee: which shall perish with the sword of their enemies, even before thy face. And I will give whole Judah under the power of the king of Babylon, which shall carry some unto Babylon prisoners, and slay some with the sword.
Moreover, all the substance of this land, all their precious and gorgeous works, all costliness, and all the treasure of the kings of Judah: will I give in to the hands of their enemies, which shall spoil them, and carry them unto Babylon.
But as for thee (O Phashur) thou shalt be carried unto Babylon with all thine household, and to Babylon shalt thou come, where thou shalt die, and be buried: thou and all thy favourers, to whom thou hast preached lies.
because I have now preached long against malicious Tyranny, and shewed them of destruction. For the which cause they cast the word of the LORD in my teeth, and take me ever to the worst.
Wherefore, I thought from hence forth, not to speak of him, nor to preach any more in his name. But the word of the LORD was a very burning fire in my heart and in my bones, which when I would have stopped, I might not.
For why, I heard so many derisions and blasphemies, yea even of my own companions, and such as were conversant with me: which went about, to make me afraid, saying: upon him, let us go upon him, to fear him, and make him hold his tongue: that we may overcome him, and be avenged of him.
But the LORD stood by me, like a mighty giant: therefore my persecutors fell, and could do nothing. They shall be sore confounded, for they have done unwisely, they shall have an everlasting shame.
And now, O LORD of Hosts, thou righteous searcher (which knowest the reins and the very hearts:) let me see them punished, for unto thee I commit my cause.
because he slew me not, as soon as I came out of my mother's womb, and because my mother was not my grave herself, that the birth might not have come out, but remained still in her.
These are the words that the LORD spake unto Jeremy, what time as king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Sophaniah the son of Maasiah priest, saying:
Ask counsel at the LORD (we Pray thee) of our behalf, for Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon beseigeth us, if the LORD (peradventure) will deal with us, according to his marvelous power, and take him from us.
Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: behold, I will turn back the weapons, that ye have in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon and the Caldees, which besiege you round about the walls, and I will bring them together into the middest of this city,
And after this (sayeth the LORD) I shall deliver Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his servants, his people, (and such as are escaped in the city, from the pestilence, sword, and hunger) into the power of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon: yea into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those that follow upon their lives, which shall smite them with the sword: they shall not pity them, they shall not spare them, they shall have no mercy upon them.
Whoso abideth in this city, shall perish: either with the sword, with hunger, or with pestilence. But whoso goeth out to hold on the Caldees part, that besiege it, he shall save his life, and shall win his soul for a prey.
For I have set my face against this city (sayeth the LORD) to plague it, and to do it no good. It must be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and be brent with fire.
(O house of David) for thus sayeth the LORD: Minister righteousness, and that soon, deliver the oppressed from violent power: or ever my terrible wrath break out like a fire, and burn so, that no man may quench it, because of the wickedness of your imaginations.
Behold, (sayeth the LORD) I will come upon you that dwell in the valleys, rocks and fields, and say: Tush, who will make us afraid? or who will come into our houses?
For I will visit you (sayeth the LORD) because of the wickedness of your inventions, and will kindle such a fire in your wood, as shall consume all, that is about you.
and say: Hear the word of the LORD, thou king of Judah that sittest in the kingly seat of David: thou, and thy servants, and thy|ye| people, that go in and out at this gate.
Thus the LORD commandeth: Keep equity and righteousness, deliver the oppressed from the power of the violent: do not grieve nor oppress the stranger, the fatherless, nor the widow, and shed no innocent blood in this place.
And if ye keep these things faithfully, then shall there come in at the door of this house kings, to sit upon David's seat: they shall be carried in Chariots and ride upon horses, both they and their servants, and their people.
For thus hath the LORD spoken upon the king's house of Judah: Thou art the head, as Gilead is in Libanus: What wilt thou lay of it, if I make thee not so waste (and thy cities also) that no man shall dwell therein?
Mourn not over the dead, and be not woe for them, but be sorry for him that departeth away: for he cometh not again, and seeth his native country no more.
For thus sayeth the LORD, as touching Selum the son of Josiah king of Judah, which reigned after his father, and is carried out of this place: He shall never come hither again,
Woe worth him, that buildeth his house with unrighteousness, and his parlors with the good that he hath gotten by violence: which never recompenceth his neighbour's labour, nor payeth him his hire.
He thinketh in himself: I will build me a wide house, and gorgeous parlors: He causeth windows to be hewn therein, and the ceilings and joists|geastes| maketh he of Cedar, and painteth them with Zenober.
Thinkest thou to reign, now that thou provokest me to wrath with the|thy| Cedar trees? Did not thy father eat and drink, and prosper well, as long as he dealt with equity and righteousness?
Yea when he helped the oppressed and poor to their right, then prospered he well. From whence came this, but only because he had me before his eyes, sayeth the LORD.
And therefore, thus sayeth the LORD against Jehoakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah: They shall not mourn for him (as they use to do) alas brother, alas sister: Neither shall they say unto him: Alas sir, alas for that noble prince.
I gave thee warning, while thou wast yet in prosperity. But thou saidst: I will not hear. And this manner hast thou used from thy youth, that thou wouldest never hear my voice.
All thy herdmen shall be driven with the wind, and thy dearlings shall be carried away into captivity: Then shalt thou be brought to shame and confusion, because of all thy wickedness:
thou that dwellest upon Libanus, and makest thy nest in the Cedars trees. O how great shall thy mourning be, when thy sorrows come upon thee, as a woman travailing with child?
And I will give thee into the power of them that seek to slay thee, and into the power of them that thou fearest: into the power of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and into the power of the Caldees.
This man Jechoniah shall be like an image robbed and torn in pieces, which pleaseth no man, for all his apparel. Wherefore both he and his seed shall be sent away, and cast out into a land, that they know not.
Write this man among the outlaws, for no prosperity shall this man have all his life long. Neither shall any of his seed be so happy, as to sit upon the seat of David, and to bear rule in Juda.
Wherefore, this is the commandment of the LORD God of Israel, unto the shepherds that feed my people: Ye scatter and thrust out my flock, and look not upon them. Therefore now will I visit the wickedness of your imaginations, sayeth the LORD:
And will gather together the remnant of my flock, from all lands that I had driven them unto, and will bring them again to their pastures, that they may grow and increase.
Behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will raise up the righteous Branch of David, which shall bear rule, and discuss matters with wisdom, and shall set up equity and righteousness again in the earth.
In his time shall Judah be saved and Israel shall dwell without fear. And this is the name that they shall call him: even the LORD our righteous maker.
And therefore behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that it shall no more be said: the LORD liveth, which brought the children of Israell out of the land of Egypt:
But the LORD liveth, which brought forth, and led the seed of the house of Israel, out of the North land, and from all countries where I had scattered them, and they shall dwell in their own land again.
My heart breaketh in my body because of the false prophets, all my bones shake: I am become like a drunken man (that by the reason of wine can take no rest) for very fear of the LORD, and of his holy words:
Because the land is full of advouters, where thorow it is destroyed and mourneth, and the pleasant pastures of the desert are dried up. Yea the way that men take, is wicked, and their governance is nothing like the holy word of the LORD.
Wherefore, their way shall be slippery in the darkness, wherein they may stagger and fall. For I will bring a plague upon them, even the year of their visitation, sayeth the LORD.
I have seen also among the Prophets of Jerusalem foul advoutry, and presumptuous lies. They take the most shameful men by the hand, flattering them, so that they can not return from their wickedness. All these with their citizens are unto me, as Sodom, and as the inhabiters of Gomorre.
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts concerning the prophets: Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall. For from the prophets of Jerusalem is the sickness of hypocrisy come in to all the land.
And therefore the LORD of Hosts giveth you this warning: Hear not the words of the prophets, that preach unto you, and deceive you: for they speak the meaning of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.
They say unto them, that despise me: The LORD hath spoken it: Tush, ye shall prosper right well. And unto all them, that walk after the lusts of their own heart, they say: Tush, there shall no misfortune happen you.
For who hath sitten in the council{councell} of the LORD, that he hath heard and understand, what he is about to do? Who hath marked his device, and heard it?
And the wrath of the LORD shall not turn away again, until he perform and fulfil the thought of his heart. And in the latter days ye shall know his meaning.
The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell it: and he that understandeth my word, let him shew it faithfully. For what hath chaff and wheat to do together? sayeth the LORD.
Behold here am I (sayeth the LORD) against those prophets, that dare prophesy lies, and deceive my people with their vanities, and miracles, whom I never sent, nor commanded them. They shall do this people great harm, sayeth the LORD.
If this people, either any prophet or priest ask thee, and say: What is the burthen of the LORD? Thou shalt say unto them: What burthen? Therefore will I cast you from me (sayeth the LORD) because ye yourselves are a burthen.
And as for the burthen of the LORD, ye shall speak no more of it: for every man's own word is his burthen, because ye have altered the words of the living God the LORD of Hosts our God.
And not once to name the burthen of the LORD. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: For so much as ye have used this term (the burthen of the LORD) where as I notwithstanding sent unto you, and forbade you to speak of the LORD's burthen.
The LORD shewed me a vision; Behold, there stood two maundes of figs before the Temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchodonosor king of Babylon had led away captive Jechoniah the son of Jehoakim king of Judah, the mighty men also of Judah, with the workmasters, and cunning men of Jerusalem, unto Babylon.
In the one maunde were very good figs, even like as those that be first ripe. In the other maunde were very naughty figs, which might not be eaten, they were so evil.
Thus sayeth the LORD the God of Israel: like as thou knowest the good figs, so shall I know the men led away, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Caldees, for their profit:
and I will set mine eyes upon them for the best, for I will bring them again in to this land: I will build them up, and not break them down: I will plant them, and not root them out.
And I will give them an heart, to know, how that I am the LORD. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.
And like as thou knowest the naughty figs, which may not be eaten, they are so evil: Even so will I (sayeth the LORD) let Zedekiah the king of Judah, (yea and all his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem that remain over in this land, and them also that dwell in Egypt) to be vexed and plagued in all kingdoms and lands.
A Sermon that was given unto Jeremy, upon all the people of Judah: In the fourth year of Jehoakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was, in the first year of Nebuchodonosor king of Babylon.
From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, unto this present day, (that is even twenty third year) the word of the LORD hath been committed unto me. And so I have spoken to you, I have risen up early, I have given you warning in season, but ye would not hear me.
He said: turn again every man from his evil way, and from your wicked imaginations, and so shall ye dwell for ever in the land, that the LORD promised you and your forefathers:
Lo, I will send out, and call for all the people, that dwell in the North, sayeth the LORD, and will prepare|prepayre| Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon my servant, and will bring them upon this land, and upon all that dwell therein, and upon all the people that are about them, and will utterly root them out. I will make of them a wilderness, a mockage, and a continual desert.
Moreover, I will take from them the voice of gladness and solace, the voice of the bridegroom, and the bride, the voice of the anointed, with the cressets:
When the seventy years are expired, I will visit also the wickedness of the king of Babylon and his people sayeth the LORD: yea and the land of the Caldees, and will make it a perpetual wilderness,
and will fulfil all my words upon that land which I have devised against it: yea all that is written in this book, which Jeremy hath prophesied of all people:
so that they also shall be subdued unto divers nations and great kings, for I will recompense them, according to their deeds and works of their own hands.
For thus hath the LORD God of Israel spoken unto me: Take this wine cup of indignation from my hand, that thou mayest cause all the people, to whom I send thee, for to drink of it:
But first the city of Jerusalem, and all the cities of Judah, their kings and princes: to make them desolate, waste, despised and cursed according as it is come to pass this day.
all kings toward the north, whether they be far or nye, everyone with his neighbours: Yea and all the kingdoms that are upon the whole earth. The king of Sezach, said he, shall drink with them also.
And say thou unto them: This is the commandment of the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Drink and be drunken, spew and fall, that ye never rise: and that thorow the sword, which I will send among you.
But if they will no receive the cup of thy hand, and drink it, then tell them: Thus doth the LORD of Hosts threaten you: drink it ye shall, and that shortly.
For lo, I begin to plague the city, that my name is given unto: think ye then, that I will leave you unpunished? Ye shall not go quite. For why, I call for a sword upon all the inhabiters of the earth, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.
Therefore tell them all these words, and say unto them: The LORD shall cry from above, and let his voice be heard from his holy habitation. With a great noise shall he cry from his court regal. He shall give a great voice (like the grape gatherers) and the sound thereof shall be heard unto the ends of the world.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Behold, a miserable plague shall go from one people to another, and a great stormy water shall arise from all the ends of the earth.
And the same day shall the LORD himself slay them, from one end of the earth to another. There shall no moan be made for any of them, none gathered up, none buried: but shall lie as dung upon the ground.
Mourn (O ye shepherds) and cry: sprinkle yourselves with ashes, O ye rams of the flock: for the time of your slaughter is fulfilled, and ye shall fall like vessels cunningly made for pleasure.
They shall forsake their folds like as a lion: for their lands shall be waste, because of the wrath of the destroyer, and because of his fearful indignation.
Thus sayeth the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all them which (out of the cities of Juda) come to do worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to say. Look that thou keep not one word back,
if (peradventure) they will hearken, and turn every man from his wicked way: that I may also repent of the plague, which I have determined to bring upon them, because of their wicked inventions.
Now when he had spoken out all the words, that the LORD commanded him to preach unto all the people, then the priests, the prophets and all the people took hold upon him, and said: Thou shalt die.
How darest thou be so bold, as to say in the name of the LORD: it shall happen to this house as it did unto Siloh? And this city shall be so waste, that no man shall dwell therein?
And when all the people were gathered about Jeremy in the house of the LORD, the princes of Judah heard of this rumour, and they came soon out of the king's Palace in to the house of the LORD, and sat them down before the new door of the LORD.
Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the rulers and to all the people, these words: This man is worthy to die, for he hath preached against this city, as ye yourselves have heard with your ears.
Then said Jeremy unto the rulers and to all the people: The LORD hath sent me to preach against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.
Therefore amend your ways, and your advisements, and be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God: so shall the LORD repent of the plague, that he had devised against you.
But this shall ye know: if ye put me to death, ye shall make yourselves, this city and all the inhabiters thereof, guilty of innocent blood. For this is of a truth: that the LORD hath sent me unto you, to speak all these words in your ears.
Then said the rules and the people unto the priests and prophets: This man may not be condemned to death, for he hath preached unto us in the name of the LORD our God.
Micheah the Morasthite, which was a prophet under Ezekiah king of Judah, spake to all the people of Judah; Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Sion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall be an heap of stones, and the hill of the Lord's|LORDES| house shall be turned to an high{hye} wood.
Did Ezekiah king of Judah and the people of Judah put him to death for this? No verily, but rather feared the LORD, and made their prayer unto him. For the which cause also the LORD repented of the plague, that he had devised against them. Should we then do such a shameful deed against our souls?
There was a prophet also, that preached stiffly in the name of the LORD, called Urijah the son of Semeiah of Cariathiarim: this man preached also against this city and against this land, according to all as Jeremy sayeth.
Now when Jehoakim the king with all the estate and princes had heard his words, the king went about to slay him. When Uriah perceived that, he was afraid, and fled, and departed into Egypt.
Which fetched Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him unto king Jehoakim that slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the common people's grave.
and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of Ammon, the king of Tyrus, and to the king of Sidon: and that by the messengers, which shall come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah the king of Judah,
I am he that made the earth, the men, and the cattle that are upon the ground, with my great power and outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it pleased me.
And now will I deliver all these lands into the power of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, my servant. The beasts also of the field shall I give him to do him service.
And all people shall serve him, and his son, and his child's children, until the time of the same land be come also: Yea many people and great kings shall serve him.
Moreover, that people and kingdom which will not serve Nabuchodonosor, and that will not put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, the same people will I visit|upset| with the sword, with hunger, with pestilence, until I have consumed them in his hands, sayeth the LORD.
And therefore follow not your Prophets, soothsayers, expounders of dreams, charmers and witches, which say unto you: Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon.
But the people that put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those I will let remain still in their own land (sayeth the LORD) and they shall occupy it, and dwell therein.
All these things told I Zedekiah the king of Judah, and said: Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, that ye may live.
Why wilt thou and thy people perish with the sword, with hunger, with pestilence: like as the LORD hath devised for all people, that will not serve the king of Babylon?
neither have I sent them, sayeth the LORD: how be it they are bold, falsely for to prophesy in my name: that I might the sooner drive you out, and that ye might perish with your preachers.
I spake to the Priests also, and to all the people: Thus sayeth the LORD: Hear not the words of those Prophets, that preach unto you, and say: Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall shortly be brought hither again from Babylon: For they prophesy lies unto you.
But if they be true Prophets in very deed, and if the word of the LORD be committed unto them, then let them pray the LORD of Hosts, that the remnant of the ornaments (which are in the house of the LORD, and remain yet in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem) be not carried to Babylon also.
which Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon took not, when he carried away Jechoniah the son of Jehoakim king of Judah, with all the power of Juda and Jerusalem, from Jerusalem unto Babylon, captive.
Yea thus hath the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel spoken, as touching the residue of the ornaments of the LORD's house of the king of Judah's house, and of Jerusalem:
And this was done in the same year: even in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Juda. But in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth Month; It happened, that Hananiah the son of Assur the prophet of Gabaon, spake to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, and said:
and after two year will I bring again into this place, all the ornaments of the LORD's house, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon carried away from this place unto Babylon.
Yea I will bring again Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim the king of Judah himself, with all the prisoners of Judah (that are carried unto Babylon) even into this place, sayeth the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
Then the prophet Jeremy gave answer unto the prophet Hananiah, before the priests and before all the people that were present in the house of the LORD.
And the prophet Jeremy said: Amen, the LORD do that, and grant the thing, which thou hast prophesied: that he may bring again all the ornaments of the LORD's house, and restore all the prisoners from Babylon in to this place.
either of peace, upon many nations and great kingdoms, were proved by this (if GOD had sent them in very deed) when the thing came to pass, which that prophet told before.
and with that said Hananiah, that all the people might hear: Thus hath the LORD spoken: Even so will I break the yoke of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, from the neck of all nations, yea and that within this two year. And so the prophet Jeremy went his way.
Now after that Hananiah the prophet had taken the chain from the prophet Jeremias' neck, and broken it: The word of the LORD came unto the prophet Jeremy saying:
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: I will put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all this people, that they may serve Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, yea and so shall they do. And I will give him the beasts in the field.
Then said the prophet Jeremy unto the prophet Hananiah: Hear me (I pray thee) Hananiah: The LORD hath not sent thee, but thou bringest this people into a false belief.
And therefore thus sayeth the LORD: behold, I will send thee out of the land, and within a year thou shalt die because thou hast falsely spoken against the LORD.
This is the Copy of the letter, that Jeremy the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the prisoners: the Senators, priests, prophets, and all the people, whom Nabuchodonosor had led unto Babylon:
after the time that king Jechoniah, and his Queen, his chamberlains the princes of Judah and Jerusalem the workmasters of Jerusalem were departed thither.
Which letter Elasah the son of Saphan and Gamariah the son of Helkiah did bear, whom Zedekiah the king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon: These were the words of Jeremias' letter:
take you wives, to bear you sons and daughters: provide wives for your sons, and husbands for your daughters, that they may get sons and daughters, and that ye may multiply there. Labour not to be few,
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Let not those prophets and soothsayers that be among you deceive you: and believe not your own dreams.
But thus sayeth the LORD: When ye have fulfilled seventy years at Babylon, I will bring you home, and of mine own goodness I will carry you hither again to this place.
For I know what I have devised for you sayeth the LORD. My thoughts are to give you peace, and not trouble (which I give you all ready) and that ye might have hope again.
I will be found of you, (sayeth the LORD) and will deliver you out of prison, and gather you together again out of all places, wherein I have scattered you, sayeth the LORD: and will bring you again to the same place, from whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
Thus hath the LORD spoken (concerning the king that sitteth in the stool of David, and all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone with you into captivity)
Thus (I say) speaketh the LORD of Hosts: Behold, I will send a sword, hunger and pestilence upon them, and will make them like untimely figs, that may not be eaten for bitterness.
And I will persecute them with the sword, with hunger and death. I will deliver them up to be vexed of all kingdoms, to be cursed, abhorred, laughed to scorn, and put to confusion of all the people, among whom I have scattered them:
and that because they have not been obedient unto my commandments. (sayeth the LORD) which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets. I stood up early, and sent unto them, but they would not hear, sayeth the LORD.
Thus hath the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel spoken, of Ahab the son of Colaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maasiah, which prophesy lies unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, that he may slay them before your eyes.
And all the prisoners of Judah that are in Babylon, shall take upon them this term of cursing, and say: Now GOD do unto thee, as he did unto Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
Because they sinned shamefully in Israel. For they have not onely defiled their neighbours' wives, but also preached lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them. This I testify, and assure, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Because thou hast sealed letters under thy name unto all the people that is at Jerusalem, and to Sophoniah the son of Maasaih the priest, yea and sent them to all the priests: wherein thou writest thus unto him:
The LORD hath ordained|ordened| thee to be priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, that thou shouldest be the chief in the house of the LORD above all prophets, and preachers, and that thou mightest put them in prison, or in the stocks.
And beside all this, he hath sent us word unto Babylon, and told us plainly, that our captivity shall long endure: that we should build us houses to dwell therein, and to plant us gardens, that we might enjoy the fruit thereof.
Send word to all them that be in captivity, on this manner: Thus hath the LORD spoken concerning Semeiah the Nehelamite: Because that Semeiah hath prophesied unto you without my commission, and brought you into a false hope,
therefore thus the LORD doth certify you: Behold, I will visit Semeiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: so that none of his shall remain among this people, and none of them shall see the good, that I will do for this people, sayeth the LORD. For he hath preached falsely of the LORD.
For lo, the time cometh (sayeth the LORD) that I will bring again the prisoners of my people of Israel and Judah, sayeth the LORD: For I will restore them unto the land, that I gave to their fathers, and they shall have it in possession.
For what else doth this signify, that I see? Namely, that all strong men smite, every man his hand upon his loins, as a woman in the pain of her travail. Who ever saw a man travail with child? Enquire thereafter, and see. Yea all their faces are marvelous pale.
Alas for this day, which is so dreadful, that none may be likened unto it: and alas for the time of Jacob's trouble, from the which he shall yet be delivered.
And as for thee, O my servant Jacob, fear not (sayeth the LORD) and be not afraid, O Israel. For lo, I will help thee also from far, and thy seed from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall turn again, he shall be in rest, and have a prosperous life, and no man shall make him afraid.
For I am with thee, to help thee, sayeth the LORD. And though I shall destroy all the people, among whom I have scattered thee, yet will I not destroy thee, but correct thee, and that with discretion. For I know, that thou art in no wise without fault.|faute|
All thy lovers have forgotten thee, and care nothing for thee. For I have given thee a cruel stroke, and chastened thee roughly: and that for the multitude of thy misdeeds, for thy sins have had the over hand.
And therefore all they that devour thee, shall be devoured, and all thine enemies shall be led in to captivity. All they that make thee waste, shall be wasted themselves: and all those that rob thee, will I make also to be robbed.
For thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will set up Jacob's tents again, and defend his dwelling place. The city shall be builded in her old estate, and their houses shall have their right foundation.
And out of them shall go thanksgiving, and the voice of joy. I will multiply them, and they shall not minish: I shall endue them with honour, and no man shall subdue them.
A captain also shall come of them, and a prince shall spring out from the middest of them: him will I challenge to myself, and he shall come unto me. For what is he, that giveth over his heart to come unto me? sayeth the LORD.
Behold, on the other side shall the wrath of the LORD break out as a stormy water, as a mighty whirl wind: and shall fall upon the heads of the ungodly.
The terrible displeasure of the LORD shall not leave off, until he have done, and performed the intent of his heart, which in the latter days ye shall understand.
I will repair thee again (O thou daughter of Israel) that thou mayest be fast and sure. Thou shalt take thy tabrets again, and go forth with them, that lead the dance.
for thus sayeth the LORD: Rejoice with gladness because of Jacob, cry unto the head of the Gentiles: speak out, sing, and say: the LORD shall deliver his people, the remnant of Israel, and make them whole.
Behold, I will bring them again from out of the north land, and gather them from the ends of the world, with the blind and lame that are among them, with the women that be great with child, and such as be also delivered: and the company of them that come again, shall be great.
They departed from hence in heaviness, but with joy will I bring them hither again. I will lead them by the rivers of water in a straight way, where they shall not stumble: For I will be Israel's father, and Ephraim shall be my firstborn.
Hear the word of the LORD, O ye Gentiles, preach in the Isles, that lie far off, and say: He that hath scattered Israel, shall gather him together again, and shall keep him as a shepherd doth his flock.
And they shall come, and rejoice upon the hill of Sion, and shall have plenteousness of goods, which the LORD shall give them: Namely, wheat, wine, oil, young sheep and calves. And their conscience shall be as a well watered garden, for they shall no more be hungry.
Then shall the maid rejoice in the dance, yea both young and old folks. For I will turn their sorrow into gladness, and will comfort them and make them joyful, even from their hearts.
Thus sayeth the LORD: The voice of heaviness, weeping and lamentation came up in to heaven: even of Rachel mourning for her children, and would not be comforted, because they were away.
But now sayeth the LORD: Leave off from weeping, and crying, withhold thine eyes from tears, for thy labour shall be rewarded, sayeth the LORD. And they shall come again out of the land of their enemies:
Moreover I heard Ephraim, that was led away captive, complain on this manner: O LORD, thou hast corrected me, and thy chastening have I received, as an untamed calf. Convert thou me, and I shall be converted, for thou art my LORD God.
Yea as soon as thou turnest me, I shall reform myself: and when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh. For verily I have committed shameful things: O let my youth bear this reproof and confusion.
Upon this complaint, I thought thus by my self: Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not the child, with whom I have had all mirth and pastime? for since the time that I first communed|comoned| with him, I have him ever in remembrance: therefore my very heart driveth me unto him, gladly and lovingly will I have mercy upon him, sayeth the LORD.
Get the watchman, provide teachers for thee: set thine heart upon the right way, that thou shouldest walk, and turn again (O thou daughter of Israel) turn again to these cities of thine.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: It will come thereto, that when I have brought Juda out of captivity, these words shall be heard in the land and in his cities: The LORD, which is the fair bridegroom of righteousness, make thee fruitful O thou holy hill:
Yea it shall come thereto, that like as I have gone about in times past to root them out, to scatter them, to break them down, to destroy them and chasten them: Even so will I also go diligently about, to build them up again, and to plant them, sayeth the LORD.
Behold, the days come (sayeth the LORD) that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:(Septuagint: Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Juda: Hebrews 8:8-12)
not after the covenant that I made with their fathers, when I took them by the hand, and led them out of the land of Egypt: which covenant they brake, wherefore I punished them sore, sayeth the LORD:(Septuagint: not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day when I took hold of their hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; for they abode not in my covenant, and I disregarded them, saith the Lord.)
But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, sayeth the LORD: I will plant my law in the inward parts of them, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.(Septuagint: For this is my covenant which I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the Lord, I will surely put my laws into their mind, and write them on their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people. Hebrews 10:16-17)
And from thence forth shall no man teach his neighbour or his brother, and say: Know the LORD: But they shall all know me, from the lowest unto the highest, sayeth the LORD. For I will forgive their misdeeds, and will never remember their sins any more.(Septuagint: And they shall not at all teach every one his fellow citizen, and every one his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: for I will be merciful to their iniquities, and their sins I will remember no more.)
Thus sayeth the LORD which gave the sun to be a light for the day, and the moon and stars to shine in the night: which moveth the sea, so that the floods thereof wax fierce: his name is the LORD of Hosts.
Like as this ordinance shall never be taken out of my sight, sayeth the LORD: So shall the seed of Israel never cease, but all way be a people before me.
Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD: like as the heaven above can not be measured, and as the foundations of the earth beneath may not be sought out: So will I also not cast out the whole seed of Israel, for that they have committed, sayeth the LORD.
and the whole valley of the dead carcasses, and of the ashes, and all Ceremoth unto the brook of Cedron: and from thence unto the corner of the horse gate toward the East, whereas the Sanctuary of the LORD also shall be set. And when it is now builded, and set up of this fashion it shall never be broken, nor cast down any more.
what time as the king of Babylon's Host laid siege unto Jerusalem. But Jeremy the prophet lay bound in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house:
where Zedekiah the king of Judah caused him to be laid, because he had prophesied of this manner: Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will deliver this city into the hands of the king of Babylon, which shall take it.
As for Zedekiah the king of Judah, he shall not be able to escape the Caldees, but surely he shall come into the hands of the king of Babylon: which shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and one of them shall look another in the face.
And Zedekiah shall be carried unto Babylon, and there shall he be, until the time that I visit him, sayeth the LORD. But if thou takest in hand to fight against the Caldees, thou shalt not prosper.
Behold, Hananeel the son of Selum thine Uncle's son shall come unto thee, and require thee to redeem the land, that lieth in Anathoth unto thyself: for by reason of kindred it is thy part to redeem it, and to buy it out.
And so Hananeel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison (according to the word of the LORD) and said unto me: Buy my land (I pray thee) that lieth in Anathoth in the country of Ben Jamin: for by heritage thou hast right to loose|lowse| it out for thyself, therefore redeem it. Then I perceived, that this was the commandment of the LORD,
and I gave the evidence unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hananeel my cousin, and in the presence of the witnesses, that be named in the evidence, and before all the Jews that were thereby in the court of the prison.
The LORD of Hosts the God of Israel commandeth thee, to take this sealed evidence with the copy, and to lay it in an earthen vessel, that it may long continue.
Thou shewest mercy upon thousands, thou recompensest the wickedness of the fathers, into the bosom of the children that come after them. Thou art the great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of Hosts:
great in counsel, and infinite in thought: Thine eyes look upon all the ways of men's children, to reward every one after his way, and according to the fruits of his inventions:
Thou hast done great tokens and wonders in the land of Egypt, (as we see this day) upon the people of Israel and upon those men: to make thy name great, as it is come to pass this day:
Thou hast brought thy people of Israel out of the land of Egypt, with tokens, with wonders, with a mighty hand, with a stretched out arm and with great terribleness:
and hast given them this land, like as thou hadst promised unto their fathers: Namely, that thou wouldest give them a land, that floweth with milk and honey.
Now when they came therein, and possessed it, they followed not thy voice, and walked not in thy law: but all that thou commandedst them to do, that have they not done, and therefore come all these plagues upon them.
Behold, there are bulwarks made now against the city, to take it: and it shall be won of the Caldees that besiege it, with sword, with hunger and death, and look what thou hast spoken, that same shall come upon them. For lo, all things are present unto thee:
Yet sayest thou unto me (O Lord GOD)|LORDE God| and commandest me, that I shall loose a piece of land unto myself, and take witness thereto: and yet in the mean season the city is delivered in to the power of the Caldees.
Therefore thus said the LORD: behold, I shall deliver this city into the power of the Caldees, and into the power of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, they shall take it in:
For the Caldees shall come, and win this city, and set fire upon it, and burn it: with the gorgeous houses, in whose parlors they have made sacrifice unto Baal, and poured drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.
For seeing the children of Israel, and the children of Judah have wrought wickedness before me ever from their youth up, what have they else done, but provoked me with the works of their own hands? sayeth the LORD.
Or, what hath this city been else, but a provoking of my wrath, ever since the day that I builded it, unto this hour? Wherein I cast it out of my sight,
because of the great blasphemies of the children of Israel and Judah, which they have done to provoke me: yea they, their kings, their princes, their Priests, their Prophets, whole Judah, and all the citizens of Jerusalem.
They have builded high places for Baal in the valley of the children of Hennom, to vow their sons and daughters unto Molech: which I never commanded them, neither came it ever in my thought, to make Judah sin with such abomination.
Moreover thus hath the LORD God of Israel spoken, concerning this city, which (as ye yourselves confess) shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, when it is won with the sword, with hunger and with pestilence.
Behold, I will gather them together from all lands, wherein I have scattered them in my wrath, in my fearful and great displeasure: and will bring them again unto this place, where they shall dwell safely.
And I will set up an everlasting covenant with them; Namely: that I will never cease to do them good, and that I will put my fear in their hearts, so that they shall not run away from me.
For thus sayeth the LORD: Like as I have brought all this great plague upon this people: so will I also bring upon them all the good, that I have promised them.
And men shall have their possessions in this land, whereof ye say now, that it shall neither be inhabited of people nor of cattle, but be delivered into the hands of the Caldees.
Yea land shall be bought for money, and evidences made there upon and sealed before witnesses in the country of Ben Jamin, and round about Jerusalem: in the cities of Judah, in the cities that are upon the mountains, and in them that lie beneath, yea and in the cities that are in the desert. For I will bring their prisoners hither again, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD, which fullfilleth the thing that he speaketh, the LORD which performeth the thing that he taketh in hand: even he, whose name is the LORD:
Thus (I say) spake the LORD God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city, and the houses of the kings of Judah: that they shall be broken thorow the ordinance and weapons,
when the Caldees come to besiege them: and they shall be filled with the dead carcasses of men, whom I will slay in my wrath and displeasure: when I turn my face from this city, because of all her wickedness.
From all misdeeds (wherein they have offended against me) I will cleanse them: And all their blasphemies which they have done against me, when they regarded me not, I will forgive them.
And this shall get me a name, and praise and honour, among all people of the earth, which shall hear all the good, that I will shew unto them: Yea they shall be afraid and astonied at all the good deeds and benefits, that I will do for them.
Moreover thus sayeth the LORD: In this place, whereof ye say that it shall be a wilderness, wherein neither people nor cattle shall dwell: in like manner in the cities of Judah and without Jerusalem (which also shall be so void, that neither people nor cattle shall dwell there)
Shall the voice of gladness be heard again, the voice of the Bridegroom and of the bride, the voice of them that shall sing: Praise the LORD of Hosts, for he is loving and his mercy endureth for ever, and the voice of them that shall offer up gifts in the house of the LORD. For I will restore the captivity of this land, as it was afore, sayeth the LORD.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: It shall come yet thereto, that in this land, which is void from men and cattle, and in all the cities of the land, there shall be set up shepherds cottages:
in the cities upon the mountains: and in the cities that lie upon the plain, and in the desert. In the land of Ben Jamin, in the fields of Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah shall the sheep be numbered again, under the hand of him, that telleth them, sayeth the LORD.
Behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will perform the good thing, which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.
In those days, and at the same time, I will bring forth unto David the branch of righteousness, and he shall do equity and righteousness in the land.{Behold, the days will come saith the LORD, that I will stir up unto David a righteous branch, and he shall reign a king, and shall be wise, and shall do equity and justice in the earth.}
In those days shall Judah be helped, and Jerusalem shall dwell safe, and he that shall call her is even GOD our righteous maker.{And in his days Judah shall be safe, and Israel shall dwell without fear. And this is the name that they shall call him: the LORD our righteousness. Wherefore the days will come saith the LORD, that they shall say no more, the Lord liveth that brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt. But the LORD liveth which delivered and brought the seed of the house of Israel, out of the land of the north and from all lands whether I thrust them. And they shall dwell in their own land saith the LORD God almighty.}
Then may my covenant also be broken, which I made with David my servant, and so he not to have a son to reign in his Throne. So shall also the priests and Levites never fail, but serve me.
For like as the stars of heaven may not be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the seed of David my servant, and of the Levites my ministers.
Considerest thou not what this people speaketh? Two kindreds (say they) had the LORD chosen, and those same two hath he cast away. For so far is my people come, that they have no hope to come together any more, and to be one people again.
then will I also cast away the seed of David my servant: so that I will take no prince out of his seed, to rule the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But yet I will turn again their captivity, and be merciful unto them.
These are the words which the LORD spake unto Jeremy, what time as Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and all his Hosts (out of all the kingdoms that were under his power) and all his people, fought against Jerusalem, and all the cities thereof.
Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: Go, and speak to Zedekiah the king of Judah, and tell him: The LORD sendeth thee this word: Behold, I will deliver this city in to the hand of the king of Babylon, he shall burn it,
and thou shalt not escape his hands, but shalt be led away prisoner, and delivered into his power. Thou shalt look the king of Babylon in the face and he shall speak with thee mouth to mouth, and then shalt thou go to Babylon.
but shalt die in peace. Like as thy forefathers the kings, thy progenitors, were brent: so shalt thou be brent also, and in the mourning they shall say: Oh lord. For thus have I determined, sayeth the LORD.
what time as the king of Babylon's host besieged Jerusalem, and the remnant of the cities: Namely, Lachis and Azecah, which yet remained of the strong defended cities of Judah.
These are the words that the LORD spake unto Jeremy the prophet, when Sedekiah was agreed with all the people at Jerusalem, that there should be proclaimed a liberty:
Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: I made a covenant with your fathers, when I brought them out of Egypt, (that they should no more be bondmen) saying:
When seven years are out, every man shall let his bought servant an Hebrue go free, if he have served him six years. But your fathers obeyed me not and hearkened not unto me.
As for you, ye were now turned, and did right before me, in that ye proclaimed, every man to let his neighbour go free, and in that ye made a covenant before me, in the temple that beareth my name:
But yet ye have turned yourselves again, and blasphemed my name: In this, that every man hath required his servant and handmaid again, whom ye had letten go quite and free, and compelled them to serve you again, and to be your bond men.
And therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Ye have not obeyed me, every man to proclaim freedom unto his brother and neighbour: wherefore, I will call you unto a freedom, sayeth the LORD: even unto the sword, to the pestilence, and to hunger, and will make you to be plagued in all the kingdoms of the earth.
Yea those men that have broken my covenant, and not kept the words of the appointment, which they made before me: when they hewed the calf in two, and when there went thorow the two halves thereof:
The princes of Judah, the princes of Jerusalem, the gelded men, the Priests and all the people of the land, which went thorow the two sides of the calf.
Those men will I give into the power of their enemies, and in to the hands of them that follow upon their lives. And their dead bodies shall be meat for the fowls of the air, and beasts of the field.
As for Zedekiah the king of Judah and his princes, I will deliver them into the power of their enemies, and of them that desire to slay them, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's host, which now is departed from you.
But thorow my commandment (sayeth the LORD) they shall come again before this city, they shall fight against it, win it, and burn it. Moreover I will lay the cities of Judah so waste, that no man shall dwell therein.
Go unto the house of the Rechabites, and call them out, and bring them to the house of the LORD in to some commodious place, and give them wine to drink.
and brought them to the house of the LORD, in to the closet of the children of Hanan the son of Iegedaliah the man of God: which was by the closet of the princes, that is above the closet of Maasiah the son of Selum, which is the chief of the treasury.
But they said: We drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying: Ye and your sons shall never drink wine, build no houses, sow not seed, plant no vines,
Thus have we obeyed the commandment of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, in all that he hath charged us, and so we drink no wine all our life long: we, nor our wives, our sons, and our daughters.
But now that Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon came up into the land, we said come, let us go to Jerusalem, that we may escape the host of the Caldees and the Assyrians: and so we dwell now at Jerusalem.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Go and tell whole Judah and all the inhabiters of Jerusalem: Will ye not be reformed, to obey my words? sayeth the LORD.
The words which Jonadab the son of Rechab commanded his sons, that they should drink no wine, are fast and surely kept: for unto this day they drink no wine but obey their father's commandment. But as for me, I have stand{stode} up early, I have spoken unto you, and given you earnest warning: and yet have ye not been obedient unto me.
Yea I have sent my servants, all the prophets unto you, I rose up early, and sent you word, saying: O turn you, every man from his wicked way: amend your lives, and go not after strange gods, to worship them: that ye may continue in the land, which I have given unto you and your fathers, but ye would neither hear me, nor follow me.
And therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon everyone that dwelleth in Jerusalem, all the trouble that I have devised against them. For I have spoken unto them, but they would not follow: I have called unto them, nevertheless they would give me no answer.
Jeremy also spake unto the household of the Rechabites: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: For so much as ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath bidden you:
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not fail, but have one out of his stock, to stand{stode} alway before me.
Take a book, and write therein all the words, that I have spoken to thee, to Israel, to Judah, and to all the people, from the time that I began for to speak unto thee (in the reign of Josiah) unto this day.
That when the house of Judah heareth of the plague, which I have devised for them, they may peradventure turn, every man from his wicked way, that I may forgive their offenses and sins.
Then did Jeremy call Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote in the book at the mouth of Jeremy, all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him.
therefore go thou thither, and read the book, that thou hast written at my mouth: Namely, the words of the LORD, and read them in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: that the people, whole Judah, and all they that come out of the cities, may hear.
Peradventure they will pray meekly before the face of LORD, and turn, every one from his wicked way. For great is the wrath and displeasure, that the LORD hath taken against this people.
So Baruch the son of Neriah did, according unto all that Jeremy the Prophet commanded him, reading the words of the LORD out of the book in the LORD's house.
And this was done in the fifth year of Jehoakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, in the ninth month when it was commanded, that all the people of Jerusalem should fast before the LORD, and they also that were come from the cities of Judah unto Jerusalem.
Then read Baruch the words of Jeremy out of the book within the house of the LORD, out of the treasury of Gamariah the son of Saphan the Scribe, which is beside the higher loft of the new door of the LORD's house: that all the people might hear.
he went down to the king's palace into the Scribe's chamber, for there all the princes were set: Elisama the Scribe, Dalaiah the son of Semei, Elnathan the son of Acabor, Gamariah the son of Saphan, Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, with all the princes.
Then all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nathaniah, the son of Selamiah, the son of Chusi, unto Baruch, saying: Take in thine hand the book, whereout thou hast read before all the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the book in his hand, and came unto them.
And they went in to the king to the court; but they kept the book in the chamber of Elisama the Scribe, and told the king all the words that he might hear.
So the king sent Jehudi to fetch him the book, which he brought out of Elisama the Scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it, that the king and all the princes, which were about him might hear.
And when Jehudi had read three or four leaves thereof, he cut the book in pieces with a pen knife, and cast it into the fire upon the hearth, until the book was all brent in the fire upon the hearth.
but commanded Jerahmeel the son of Amalech, and Saraiah the son of Ezriel and Selamiah the son of Abdiel, to lay hands on Baruch the Scribe, and upon Jeremy the Prophet: but the LORD kept them out of sight.
And tell Jehoakim king of Judah: Thus sayeth the LORD: Thou hast brent the book, and thou thoughtest within thyself: Why hast thou written therein, that the king of Babylon shall come, and make this land waste, so that he shall make both people and cattle to be out of it?
Therefore thus the LORD sayeth, of Jehoakim the king of Judah: There shall none of his generation sit upon the throne of David. His dead corse shall be cast out, that the heat of the day, and the frost of the night may come upon him.
And I will visit the wickedness of him, of his seed, and of his servants. Moreover all the evil that I have promised them (though they heard me not) will I bring upon them, upon the inhabiters of Jerusalem, and upon all Judah.
Then took Jeremy another book, and gave it Baruch the Scribe, the son of Neriah, which wrote therein out of the mouth of Jeremy: all the sermons that were in the first book, which Jehoakim the king of Judah did burn. And there were added unto them many more sermons, than before.
Zedekiah the son of Josiah, which was made king thorow Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, reigned in the land of Juda, in the stead of Cononiah the son of Jehoakim.
Nevertheless Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Selamiah and Sophoniah the son of Maasiah the Priest to the Prophet Jeremy, saying: O pray thou unto the LORD our God for us.
Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel; This answer shall ye give to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me for counsel: Behold, Pharaoh's host which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt in to his own land:
For thus sayeth the LORD: Deceive not your own minds, thinking on this manner: Tush, the Caldees go now their way from us: No, they shall not go their way.
For though ye had slain the whole host of the Caldees, that besiege you, and every one of the slain lay in his tent, yet should they stand up, and set fire upon this city.
And when he came under Ben Jamin's port, there was a porter, called Jeriah, the son of Selemiah, the son of Hananiah, which fell upon him, and took him, saying: Thy mind is to run to the Caldees.
Wherefore the princes were angry with Jeremy, causing him to be beaten, and to be laid in prison in the house of Jonathas the scribe. For he was the ruler of the prison.
Then Zedekiah the king sent for him and called him, and asked him quietly in his own house, saying: thinkest thou this business (that now is in hand) cometh of the LORD? Jeremy answered: yea that it doth: and thou (said he) shalt be delivered in to the king of Babylon's power.
Moreover, Jeremy said unto king Zedekiah: What have I offended against thee, against thy servants or against this people, that ye have caused me to be put in prison?
And therefore hear now, O my lord the king: let my prayer be accepted before thee, and send me no more into the house of Jonathas the Scribe, that I die not there.
Then Zedekiah the king commanded to put Jeremy in the fore entry of the prison, and daily to be given him a cake of bread, and else no dight meat, until all the bread in the city was eaten up. Thus Jeremy remained in the fore entry of the prison.
Saphatiah the son of Mathan, Godoliah the son of Phashur, and Jucal the son of Selemiah, and Phashur the son of Melchiah, perceived the words, that Jeremy had spoken unto all the people, namely on this manner:
Thus sayeth the LORD: Who so remaineth in this city, shall perish, either with the sword, with hunger or with pestilence: But who so falleth unto the Caldees, shall escape, winning his soul for a pray, and shall live.
Then said the princes unto the king: Sir, we beseech you let this man be put to death; For thus he discourageth the hands of the soldiers that be in this city, and the hands of all the people, when he speaketh such words unto them. This man verily laboureth not for peace of the people, but mischief.
Then took they Jeremy, and cast him into the dungeon of Melchiah the son of Hamelech, that dwelt in the fore entry of the prison. And they let down Jeremy with cords into a dungeon, where there was no water, but mire.
So Jeremy stack fast in the mire. Now when Abedmelech the Morian being a chamberlain in the king's court, understood, that they had cast Jeremy in to the dungeon:
My lord the king, where as these men meddle with Jeremy the prophet, they do him wrong: Namely, in that they have put him in prison, there to die of hunger for there is no more bread in the city.
Then the king commanded Abedmelech the Morian and said: Take from hence thirty men whom thou wilt, and draw up Jeremy the prophet out of the dungeon, before he die.
So Abedmelech took the men with him, and went to the house of Amalech, and there under an almery he gat old rags and worn clothes, and let them down by a cord, into the dungeon to Jeremy.
And Abedmelech the Morian said unto the prophet Jeremy: O put these rags and clothes under thine arm holes, betwixt them and the cords: And Jeremy did so.
Then Zedekiah the king sent and caused Jeremy the prophet be called unto him, into the third entry, that was by the house of the LORD. And the king said unto Jeremy: I will ask thee somewhat but hide nothing from me.
So the king swore an oath secretly unto Jeremy, saying: As truly as the LORD liveth, that made us these souls, I will not slay thee, nor give thee in to the hands of them that seek after thy life.
Then said Jeremy unto Zedekiah: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If cause be, that thou wilt go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, thou shalt save thy life, and this city shall not be brent, yea both thou and thy household shall escape with your lives.
But if thou wilt not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be delivered into the hands of the Caldees which shall set fire upon it, and thou shalt not be able to escape them.
And Zedekiah said unto Jeremy: I am afraid for the Jews, that are fled unto the Caldees, lest I come in their hands, and so they to have me in derision.
But Jeremy answered: No, they shall not betray thee: O hearken unto the voice of the LORD (I beseech thee) which I speak unto thee, so shalt thou be well, and save thy life.
Behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house, shall go out to the king of Babylon's princes. For they think, that thou art deceived: and that the men in whom thou didst put thy trust, have gotten thee under, and set thy feet fast in the mire, and gone their way from thee.
Therefore all thy wives with their children shall flee unto the Caldees, and thou shalt not escape their hands, but shalt be the king of Babylon's prisoner, and this city shall be brent.
But if the princes perceive, that I have talked with thee, and come unto thee, saying: O speak, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will not put thee to death. Tell us (we pray thee) what said the king to thee?
Then came all the princes unto Jeremy, and asked him. And he told them, after the manner as the king bade him. Then they held their peace, for they perceived nothing.
Now when the city of Jerusalem was taken (for in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth Month, came Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon and all his Host, and besieged Jerusalem.
Then all the princes of the king of Babylon, came in, and sat them down under the port: Nerergel, Sarezer, Samegarnabo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergel, Sarezer, Rabmag, with all the other princes of the king of Babylon.
And when Zedekiah the king of Judah with his soldiers saw them, they fled, and departed out of the city by night thorow the king's garden, and thorow the port that is between the two walls, and so they went toward the wilderness.
But the Caldees' Host followed fast after them, and took Zedekiah in the field of Jericho, and brought him prisoner to Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon unto Reblath, that lieth in the land of Hemath where he gave judgment upon him.
As for the remnant of the people that were in the city, and such as were come to help them (whatsoever was left of the common sort) Nabuzaradan the chief captain carried them to Babylon.
But Nabuzaradan the chief captain let the rascall people (and those that had nothing) dwell still in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and corn fields at the same time.
and caused him be fet out of the fore entry of the prison, and committed him unto Godoliah the son of Ahikam the son of Saphan: that he should carry him home, and so he dwelt among the people.
Go and tell Abedmelech the Morian: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, the cruel and sharp plague that I have devised for this city, will I bring upon them, that thou shalt see it:
For doubtless I will save thee, so that thou shalt not perish with the sword: but thy life shall be saved, and that because thou hast put thy trust in me, sayeth the LORD.
This is the manner how the LORD intreated Jeremy, when Nabuzaradan the chief Captain had let him go free from Raniah, whither he had led him bound among all the prisoners, that were carried from Jerusalem and Judah unto Babylon.
Now the LORD hath sent it, and performed it as he had promised: For ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not been obedient to his voice, therefore cometh this plague upon you.
Behold, I loose|lowse| the bounds from thy hands this day: if thou wilt now go with me unto Babylon, up then: for I will see to thee, and provide for thee: But if thou wilt not go with me to Babylon, then remain here. Behold, all the land is at thy will, look where thou thinkest convenient and good for thee to abide, there dwell.
If thou canst not be content to dwell alone, then remain with Godoliah the son of Ahicam, the son of Saphan: whom the king of Babylon hath made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people, or remain wheresoever it pleaseth thee. So the chief Captain of the guard gave him his expenses with a reward, and let him go.
Now when the captains of the Host of Juda (which with their fellows were scattered abroad on every side in the land) understood that the king of Babylon had made Godoliah the son of Ahicam governor in the land, and that man, wife and child, yea and the poor men in the land (that were not led captive to Babylon) should be under his Jurisdiction:
They came to Godoliah unto Mazphah: Namely, Ishmael the son of Nathaniah, and Johanan and Jonathah the sons of Careah, and Saraiah the son of Thanhometh, and the sons of Ophai the Netophathite, and Jesaniah the son of Maachati, with their companions.
And Godoliah the son of Ahicam, the son of Saphan, swore unto them and their fellows on this manner: Be not afraid to serve the Caldees, dwell in the land, and do the king of Babylon service, so shall ye prosper.
Behold, I dwell at Mazphah to be an officer in the Caldees behalf, and to satisfy such as come to us. Therefore gather you wine, corn and oil, and keep them in your ware houses, and dwell in your cities that ye have in keeping.
Yea all the Jews also that dwelt in Moab, under the Ammonites, in Idumea and in all the countries, when they heard, that the king of Babylon had made Godoliah the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan, governor upon them that were left in Juda:
All the Jews (I say) returned out of all places where they |were| fled unto: and came in to the land of Judah, to Godoliah unto Mazphah, and gathered wine and other fruits, and that very much.
Moreover Johanan the son of Careah and all the captains of the Host, that were scattered on every side in the land, came to Godoliah to Mazphah, and said unto him:
knowest thou not that Baalis king of the Ammonites hath sent Ismael the son of Nathaniah, to slay thee? But Godoliah the son of Ahicam believed them not.
Then said Johanan the son of Careah unto Godoliah in Mazphah these words secretly: Let me go, I pray thee, and I will slay Ismael the son of Nathaniah, so that no body shall know it. Wherefore will he kill thee, that all the Jews which resort unto thee, might be scattered, and the remnant in Judah perish?
But in the seventh Month it happened, that Ismael the son of Nathaniah the son of Elisama (one of the king's blood) came with them that were greatest about the king, and ten men that were sworn with him: unto Godoliah the son of Ahicam to Mazphah, and ate there together.
And Ismael the son of Nathaniah, with those ten men that were sworn to him, start up, and smote Godoliah the son of Ahicam the son of Saphan with the sword, and slew him, whom the king of Babylon had made governor of the land.
there came certain men from Sichem, from Siloh and Samaria, to the number of eighty, which had shaven their beards, rent their clothes, and were all heavy, bringing meat offerings, and incense in their hands, to offer it in the house of the LORD.
And when they came in the middest of the city, Ismael the son of Nathaniah (with them that were sworn unto him) slew them, even at the middest of the pit.
Among these eighty men there were ten, that said unto Ismael: Oh slay us not, for we have yet a great treasure in the field, of wheat, barley, oil and honey. So he spared them, and slew them not with their brethren.
Now the pit wherein Ismael did cast the dead bodies of the men (whom he slew because of Godoliah) had king Asa caused to be made, for fear of Baasa the king of Israel, and the same pit did Ismael fill with slain men.
As for the remnant of the people, the king's daughters and all the people that were yet left at Mazphah, upon whom Nabusaradan the chief Captain had made Godoliah the son of Ahicam governor: Ismael the son of Nathaniah carried them away prisoners toward the Ammonites.
But when Johanan the son of Careah, and all they which had been captains over the king's Host with him, heard of all the wickedness that Ismael the son of Nathaniah had done:
Then Johanan the son of Careah, and all the captains of the Host that were with him, took the remnant of the people, whom Ismael the son of Nathaniah had led away (when he had slain Godoliah the son of Ahicam) whom they also had rescued from him: fighting men, women and children, and gelded men, whom they brought again from Gabaon:
of whom they were afraid, because that Ismael the son of Nathaniah had slain Godoliah Ahikam's son, whom the king of Babylon had made governor in the land.
and said unto Jeremy the prophet: O hear our petition, that thou mayest pray for us unto the LORD thy God, and for the remnant, whereof there be very few left of many, as thou seest us:
Then Jeremy the Prophet said unto them: I have heard you. Behold, I will pray unto God your LORD, as ye have required me: and look what answer the LORD giveth you, I shall certify you thereof, and keep nothing back from you.
whether it be good or evil. We will hearken unto the voice of our LORD God to whom we send thee that we may prosper, when we have followed the voice of the LORD our God.
If ye will dwell in this land, I shall build you up, and not break you down: I shall plant you, and not root you out: for I am pacified, as concerning the trouble that I have done to you.
Fear not the king of Babylon, of whom ye stand in awe: O be not afraid of him, sayeth the LORD: for I will be with you, to help you, and deliver you from his hand.
but will say thus, we will not dwell here, but go into Egypt: where we shall neither see war, hear the noise of battle, nor suffer hunger, there will we dwell.
Wherefore hear now the word of the LORD, O ye remnant of Judah. Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: If ye be wholly purposed to go into Egypt, and to be there as strangers:
For all they, that of set purpose undertake to go into Egypt, there to ease themselves of their misery, shall perish with the sword, with hunger and pestilence: not one of them shall remain, there shall none escape the plague, that I will bring upon them.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Like as my wrath and indignation is come upon the inhabiters of Jerusalem, so shall my displeasure go forth upon you also, if ye go into Egypt: For there ye shall be reviled, abhorred, brought to shame and confusion: and as for this place, ye shall never see it more.
The LORD forbideth you (O ye remnant of Juda) that ye shall not go in to Egypt. And forget not that I have warned you earnestly this day else shall ye beguile yourselves.
For ye sent me unto the LORD your God and said: O pray thou the LORD our God for us: and look what answer the LORD our God giveth thee, that bring us again, and we shall do thereafter.
If ye will not follow it be sure that ye shall perish with the sword, with hunger and pestilence: even in the same place, where your lust was to go, and dwell.
Azariah the son of Osaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah with all the proud persons, said unto Jeremy: Thou liest, the LORD our God hath not sent thee to speak unto us, that we should not go into Egypt, and dwell there:
But Baruch the son of Neriah provoketh thee against us, that he might bring us into the captivity of the Caldees: that they might slay us, and carry us away prisoners unto Babylon.
So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, and all the people followed not the commandment of the LORD: Namely, to dwell in the land of Judah:
But Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the host, carried away all the remnant in Judah, that were come together again from the Heathen (among whom they had been scattered) to dwell in the land of Judah:
Men, women, children, the king's daughters: all those that Nabuzaradan the chief captain had left with Godoliah the son of Ahikam: They carried away also the prophet Jeremy, Baruch the son of Neriah,
and say unto them: Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will send and call for Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon my servant, and will set his seat upon these stones that I have hid, and he shall spread his tent over them.
He shall set fire upon the temples of the Egyptian gods, and burn them up, and take themselves prisoners. Moreover he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, like as a shepherd putteth on his coat, and shall depart his way from thence in peace.
This is the word that was shewed to Jeremy concerning all the Jews, which dwelt in Egypt: at Magdal, at Thaphnis, at Memphis, and in the land of Patures.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye have seen all the misery that I have brought upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah: so that this day they are desolate, and no man dwelling therein:
and that because of the great blasphemies, which they committed, to provoke me unto anger: In that they went back to do sacrifice, and worship unto strange gods: whom neither they, nor ye, nor your fathers have known.
How be it, I sent unto them my servants all the prophets: I rose up early, I sent unto them, and gave them warning: O do no such abominable things, and things that I hate.
Wherefore mine indignation and wrath was kindled, and it brent up the cities of Judah, the fields with the streets of Jerusalem, so that they were made waste and desolate, as it is come to pass this day.
Now therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: How happeneth it, that ye do so great evil unto your own souls, thus to destroy the men and women, children and babes of Judah? so that none of you is left,
because ye provoke me unto wrath with the works of your own hands: when ye offer unto strange gods in the land of Egypt where as ye be gone to dwell: That ye might utterly perish, and that ye might be reviled and shamefully intreated of all nations.
Or have ye now forgotten the wickedness of your forefathers, the wickedness of the kings of Judah and their wives, the wickedness that ye yourselves and your wives have done in the land of Judah, in the city and in the land of Jerusalem?
As for the remnant of Judah that purposely went into Egypt, there to ease them of their misery: I will take them and they shall all be destroyed. In the land of Egypt shall they perish, being consumed with the sword and with hunger. For from the least unto the most, they shall perish with the sword and with hunger. More over they shall be reviled, abhorred, shamed and confounded.
So that none of the remnant of Judah, which are gone to dwell in Egypt shall be left to come again into the land of Judah all though they think to come thither again, and to dwell there. For none shall come again, but such as are fled away.
Then all the men which knew that their wives had offered unto strange gods, and a great sort of wives that stood there, yea and all the people that dwelt there in Egypt in the city of Patures, answered Jeremy, and said:
But whatsoever goeth out of our own mouth, that will we do: We will do sacrifice, and offer oblations unto the Queen of heaven: like as we and our forefathers, our kings and our heads have done in the cities of Judah, and in the streets and fields of Jerusalem. For then had we plenteousness of vitailles, then were we in prosperity, and no misfortune came upon us.
But since we left,|left off| to offer, and to do sacrifice unto the Queen of heaven, we have had scarceness of all things, and perish with the sword and hunger.
Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?
Did not the LORD remember the sacrifices that ye, your forefathers, your kings and rulers (with all the people) have offered in the cities of Judah, in the streets and land of Jerusalem? and hath he not considered this in his mind?
In so much, that the LORD might no longer suffer the wickedness of your inventions, and the abominable things which ye did? Is not your land desolate and void, yea and abhorred, so that no man dwelleth therein any more, as it is come to pass this day?
Did not all this happen unto you, because ye made such sacrifice, and sinned against the LORD? Ye have not followed his voice, to walk in his law, in his ordinances and statutes. Yea this is the cause, that all misfortune happened unto you, as it is come to pass this day.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed: Yea thus have ye said: We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven. Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.
And therefore, hear the word of the LORD all Judah, ye that dwell in the land of Egypt. Behold, I have sworn by my great name, sayeth the LORD, that my name shall not be rehearsed thorow any man's mouth of Juda, in all the land of Egypt: to say: The Lord GOD|LORDE God| liveth,
for I will watch, to plague them, and not for their wealth. And all the men of Judah that be in the land of Egypt, shall perish with the sword and with hunger, until they be utterly destroyed.
Nevertheless, those that fled away for the sword, shall come again into the land of Judah, but there shall be very few of them. And all the remnant of Judah, that are gone into Egypt, there to dwell, shall know whose words shall be found true: theirs or mine.
Take this for a token, that I will visit you in this place, sayeth the LORD, and that ye may know, how that I (without doubt) will perform my purpose upon you to punish you.
Behold, sayeth the LORD, I will deliver Pharao Hophrea king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies, that seek after his life: even as I gave Zedekiah the king of Judah into the hands of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, which sought after his life.
These are the words that Jeremy the prophet spake unto Baruch the son of Neriah, after that he had written these Sermons into a book at the mouth of Jeremy; In the fourth year of Jehoakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
In so much as thou thoughtest thus, when thou wast writing: Woe is me, the LORD hath given me pain for my travail: I have wearied myself with sighing, and shall I find no rest?
Therefore tell him, O Jeremy that the LORD sayeth thus: Behold; The thing that I have builded, will I break down again, and root out the thing, that I have planted, yea this whole land.
And seekest thou yet promotion? Look not for it, and desire it not. For I will bring a miserable plague upon all flesh sayeth the LORD. But thy life will I give thee for a prey, wheresoever thou goest.
These words following preached he to the Egyptians concerning the Host of Pharao Necho king of Egypt, when he was in Carcamis beside the water of Euphrates: what time as Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon slew him; In the fourth year of Jehoakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
Ye|Yee| harness your horses, and set yourselves upon them: Ye set your salettes fast on, ye bring forth your spears, ye scour your swords, and put on your breastplates.
But alas, how happeneth it, that I see you so afraid? why shrink ye back? Wherefore are your worthies slain: Yea they run so fast away, that none of them looketh behind him. Fearfulness is fallen upon every one of them, sayeth the LORD.
It is Egypt that riseth up like a flood, and casteth out the waters with so great noise. For they say: We will go up, and will cover the earth: we will destroy the cities, with them that dwell therein.
So shall this day be unto the Lord GOD|LORDE God| of Hosts, a day of vengeance, that he may avenge him of his enemies. The sword shall devour, it shall be satisfied and bathed in their blood: For the Lord GOD|LORDE God| of Hosts shall have a slain offering toward the North, by the water of Euphrates.
The Heathen shall hear of thy shame, and the land shall be full of thy confusion: for one strong man shall stumble upon another, how then should they not fall both together?
These are the words that the LORD spake to the prophet Jeremy, concerning the host of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, which was sent to destroy the land of Egypt.
Preach out thorow the land of Egypt, and cause it be proclaimed at Magdal, Memphis, and Thaphnis, and say: Stand still, make thee ready, for the sword shall consume thee round about.
The slaughter was great, for one fell ever still upon another. One cried upon another: Up, let us go again to our own people, and to our own natural country, from the sword of our enemy.
Her waged soldiers that be with her, are like fat calves. They also shall flee away together, and not abide: for the day of their slaughter and the time of their visitation shall come upon them.
The cry of their enemies shall make a noise, as the blast of a trumpet. For they shall enter in with their host, and come with axes, as it were hewers down of wood.
And they shall cut down her wood, sayeth the LORD, without any discretion. For they shall be more in number than the grasshoppers, so that no man shall be able to tell them.
Moreover sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold I will visit that restless people of Alexandria, Pharao and Egypt, yea both their gods and their kings: even Pharao, and all them that put their trust in|listen unto| him.
Yea I will deliver them into the hands of those, that seek after their lives: Namely, into the power of Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon, and in to the power of his servants. And after all these things, it shall be inhabited as afore time, sayeth the LORD.
But be not thou afraid (O my servant Jacob) fear not thou, O Israel. For lo, I will help thee from far, and thy seed from the land of thy captivity. Jacob also shall come again, and be in rest: he shall be rich, and no man shall do him harm.
Fear thou not, (O Jacob my servant) sayeth the LORD, for I am with thee: and will destroy all nations, among whom I have scattered thee. Nevertheless I will not consume thee, but chasten thee and correct thee: yea and that with discretion: neither will I spare thee as one that were faultless.
Thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, there shall waters arise out of the North: And shall grow to a great flood, running over and covering the land, the cities, and them that dwell therein. And the men shall cry, and all they that dwell in the land,
shall mourn at the noise and stamping of their strong barbed horses, at the shaking of their chariots and at the rumbling of the wheels. The fathers shall not look to their children, so feeble and weary shall their hands be:
at the same time, when he shall be there, to destroy the whole land of the Philistines. He shall make waste both Tirus and Sidon and all other that are sworn unto them. For the LORD will destroy all Philistina,|Palestina| and the other Isles, that be divided from the country.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel against Moab: Woe be to the city of Nabo, for it shall be laid waste, brought to confusion and taken. Yea the strong city of Kariathiarim shall be brought to shame, and afraid:
Moab shall no more be had in honour: Wicked counsel shall be taken upon Hesebon. Come, (shall they say) let us root them out, that they may be no more among the number of the Gentiles, yea that they may no more be thought upon: Thus the sword shall persecute thee:
The destroyer shall come upon all cities, none shall escape. The valleys shall be destroyed, and the fields shall be laid waste: like as the LORD hath determined.
Moab hath ever been rich and careless from her youth up, she hath sitten and taken her ease with her treasure. She was never yet put out of one vessel into another, that is, she never went away in to captivity, therefore her taste remaineth, and her savour is not yet changed.
But lo, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I shall send her trussers to truss her up, to prepare and season her vessels: yea her tankards rattle and shake to and fro.
All her neighbours shall mourn for her, and all they that know her name, shall say: O how happeneth it, that the strong staff and the goodly rod is thus broken?
And thou daughter Dibon, come down from thy glory, and sit in poverty. For he that destroyeth Moab, shall come up to thee also, and break down thy strong holds.
O Israel, shalt thou not laugh him to scorn, when he is taken among thieves? Yea because of thy words that thou hast spoken against him, thou shalt be driven away.
As for Moab's pride, we have heard of it, she is very high minded. I know her stoutness, her boasting,|boosting| her arrogancy and the pride of her stomach, sayeth the LORD.
Therefore shall their mourning be made for Moab, and every man shall cry for Moab's sake: a lamentation shall be made to the men that stand upon the wall.
So will I mourn for thee also O Jazer, and for thee, O thou vineyard of Sabamah. Thy wine branches shall come over the sea, and the branches of Jazer but unto the sea: the destroyer shall break into thy harvest and grape gathering:
Mirth and cheer shall be taken away from the timber field, and from the whole land of Moab. There shall be no sweet wine in the press, the treader shall have no stomach to cry, yea there shall be none to cry unto him:
which afore time were heard from Hesebon to Eleale, and Jahaz, which lifted up their voice from Zoar unto Horonaim, that bullock of three year old. The waters also of Nemrim shall be dried up.
Wherefore my heart mourneth for Moab, like a crowd playing an heavy song: and for the men's sake of the brick wall my heart mourneth also, even as a pipe that pipeth a doleful song: for they shall be very few, and destroyed.
O how fearful is she? O how mourneth she? O how doth Moab hang down her head, and is ashamed? Thus shall Moab be a laughing stock, and had in derision of all them, that be round about her.
They shall climb over the walls, and win the strongholds. Then the mighty men's hearts in Moab shall be like the heart of a woman travailing with child.
Who so escapeth the fear, shall fall in the pit: and who so getteth out of the pit, shall be taken in the snare. For I will bring a year of visitation upon Moab, sayeth the LORD.
They that are able to flee, shall stand under the shadow of Hesebon. For there shall go a fire out of Heshbon, and a flame from Sion, and shall burn up that proud people of Moab, both before and behind.
As concerning the Ammonites, thus the LORD sayeth: Hath Israel no children, or is he without an heir? Why hath your king then taken Gad in? Wherefore doth his people dwell in his cities?
Behold therefore, the time cometh (sayeth the LORD) that I will bring a noise of war into Rabah of the Ammonites. Lahel shall be desolate, and her cities brent up: and the Israelites shall be lords over those that had them in possession afore, sayeth the LORD.
Hesebon shall mourn, for it shall be rooted|roted| out of the ground, sayeth the LORD. The cities of Rabah shall cry out, and gird themselves with sackcloth: they shall mourn, and run about the walls: for their king shall be led away prisoner: yea his priests and princes with him.
Wherefore trustest thou in the water streams, that flow to and fro, O thou fierce daughter: and thinkest thou art so safe (by reason of thy treasure) that no man shall come to thee?
Behold, I will bring a fear upon thee, sayeth the Lord GOD|LORDE God| of Hosts, from all those that be about thee: so that ye shall be scattered every man from another, and no man shall gather them together again that be fled.
Upon the Edomites hath the LORD of Hosts spoken on this manner: Is there no wisdom in Thema? Is there no more good counsel among his people? Is their wisdom then turned clean to naught?
Get you hence, turn your backs, creep down into the deep, O ye citizens of Dedan. For I will bring destruction upon Esau, yea and the day of his visitation.
If the grape gathers come upon thee, should they not leave some grapes? If the night robbers came upon thee, should they not take so much as they thought were enough?
But I will make Esau bare, and discover his secrets, so that he shall not be able to hide them. His seed shall be wasted away, yea his brethren and his neighbours, and he himself shall not be left behind.
For thus hath the LORD spoken: Behold, they that men thought were unmete to drink of the cup, have drunken with the first: and thinkest thou then to be free? No, no: thou shalt neither be quite nor free, but thou must drink also:
For why, I have sworn by myself (sayeth the LORD) that Bozrah shall become a wilderness, an open shame, a laughing stock and cursing: and her cities shall be a continual desert.
For I am perfectly informed of the LORD, that he hath sent a message all ready unto the Heathen. Gather you together, and go forth against them: make you ready to the battle,
Thy high|hie| stomach and the pride of thy heart have deceived thee; Because thou wilt dwell in the holes of stony rocks, and have the high mountains in possession. Nevertheless though thy nest were as high as the Aegles, yet will I cast thee down, sayeth the LORD.
Like as Sodom, Gomor, and the cities that lay there about, were turned up side down (sayeth the LORD) so shall no body dwell in Idumea, and no man shall have his habitation there.
Behold, like as the Lion cometh up from the pleasant meadows of Jordan unto the green pastures of Etham, so will I drive him, and make him run against her. But who is the young man that I will ordain thereto? Who is like unto me? What is he that will strive with me? What shepherd may stand in my hands?
Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken upon Idumea: and his purpose, that he hath devised upon the citizens of Theman: The least of the flock shall tear them in pieces, and look what fair thing they have, they shall make it waste, and themselves also.
Behold, the enemy shall come and flee up hither, like as it were an Aegle and spread his wings upon Bozrah. Then shall the hearts of the worthies in Edom be as the heart of a woman travailing of child.
Upon Damascus, Hamath and Arphad shall come confusion, for they shall hear evil tidings: they shall be tossed to and fro like the sea that can not stand still.
As for Cedar and the kingdom of Hazor, whom Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon smote down, the LORD hath spoken thus upon them: Arise, and get you up unto to Cedar, and destroy the people toward the east.
Their tents and their flocks shall they take away, yea their hangings and their vessel. Their Camels also shall they carry away with them. They shall come about them on every side with a fearful cry.
Flee, get you soon away, creep into caves, that ye may dwell there: O ye inhabiters of Hazor, sayeth the LORD. For Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon hath holden a counsel concerning you, and concluded his device against you.
Their camels shall be stolen, and the droves of their cattle driven away. Moreover, these that be shaven will I scatter toward all the winds, and bring them to destruction: yea and that thorow their own familiars, sayeth the LORD.
Hazor also shall be a dwelling for Dragons, and an everlasting wilderness: so that no body shall dwell there, and no man shall have there his habitation.
and upon Elam I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them against the same four winds: And there shall be no people, but some of Elam shall flee unto them.
For I will cause Elam to be afraid of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives: and will bring upon them the indignation of my wrath, sayeth the LORD. And I will persecute them with the sword so long till I have brought them to naught.
preach among the Gentiles, let your voice be heard, make a token: cry out, keep no silence, but say Babylon shall be won, Bel shall be confounded, and Merodach shall be overcome. Yea their gods shall be brought to shame and their images shall stand in fear.
For out of the north there shall come a people against her, which shall make her land so waste, that no body shall dwell therein: neither man nor beast, for they shall flee and depart from thence.
In those days, and at that time, sayeth the LORD, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah, weeping and making haste, and shall seek the LORD their God.
My people hath been a lost flock, my shepherds have deceived them, and have made them go astray upon the hills. They have gone from the mountains to the little hill, and forgotten their fold.
All they that came upon them, have devoured them: and their enemies said: We have made no fault against them, for they have displeased the LORD, yea even the LORD which is the beauty of their righteousness, and that defended their fathers.
For lo, I will make up an host of people from the northern land, and bring them upon Babylon: these shall lay siege to it, and win it: Their arrows shall not miss, like as a cunning archer shooteth|shuteth| not wrong.
Because ye were so cheerful and glad, to tread down mine heritage, and fulfill your pleasures, as the calves in the grass: And triumphed over them like the bulls, when ye had gotten the victory.
Your mothers shall be sore confounded, and they that bare you, shall come to shame. She shall be the least set by among the nations, void, waste, and dried up.
No man shall be able to dwell there, for the fear of the LORD, but she shall be whole desolate. All they that go by Babylon, shall stand still, and be abashed, and shall wonder at all her plagues.
Cry out: upon her, upon her, against her round about: she shall yield herself, her foundations shall fall, and her walls shall come down, for it shall be the vengeance of the LORD. Yea vengeance shall be taken of her, and as she hath done, so shall she be dealt withal.
They shall root out the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in Harvest. For fear of the sword of the enemy, every man shall get him to his own people, and every man shall flee to his own land.
Israel is a scattered flock, the Lions have dispersed them. First the king of the Assyrians devoured them, last of all this Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon hath bruised all their bones.
Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will visit the king of Babylon and his kingdom, as I have visited the king of the Assyrians.
In those days and at the same time (sayeth the LORD) if the offense of Israel be sought for, there shall none be found: If men enquire for the sin of Judah, there shall be none: for I will be merciful unto them, whom I suffer to remain over.
Go down (O thou avenger) in to the enemies land, and visit them that dwell therein: down with them, and smite them upon the backs, sayeth the LORD: do according to all, that I have commanded thee.
How happeneth it, that the hammer of the whole world is thus broken and bruised in sunder? How chanceth it, that Babylon is become a wilderness among the Heathen on this manner?
The LORD hath opened his house of ordinance, and brought forth the weapons of his wrath. For the thing that is done in the land of the Caldees, it is the LORD of Hosts' work.
These things shall come upon her at the last, they shall break into her privy chambers, they shall leave her as bare as stones, that be laid together upon heaps. They shall so destroy her, that nothing shall be left.
Me think I hear all ready a cry, of them that be fled and escaped out of the land of Babylon, which shew in Sion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of his temple: Yea a voice of them, that cry against Babylon:
Call up all the archers against Babylon, pitch your tents round about her, that none escape. Recompense her, as she hath deserved: and according as she hath done, so deal with her again: for she hath set up herself against the LORD, against the holy one of Israel.
And the proud shall stumble and fall, and no man shall help him up. I will burn up his cities with fire, and it shall consume all that is round about him.
Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The children of Israel and Judah suffer violence together. All they that have them in captivity, keep them fast, and will not let them go:
but their avenger and redeemer is mighty, whose name is the LORD of Hosts: he shall maintain their cause, he shall make the land shake, and judge them that dwell therein, one with another.
The sword upon their horsemen and chariots, and upon all the common people that dwell under them: so that they all shall become like women: The sword upon their treasure, so that it shall be stolen away:
Therefore shall wild beasts, Apes, and Ostriches dwell therein: for there shall never man dwell there, neither shall any man have his habitation there for evermore.
Like as God destroyed Sodome and Gomorre, with the cities that lay there about, sayeth the LORD: So shall no man dwell there also, neither shall any man have there his habitation.
They bear bows and bucklers, cruel are they and unmerciful. Their voice roareth like the raging sea, they ride upon horses, and come weaponed to fight against thee: O Babylon.
As soon as the king of Babylon heareth tell of them, his hands shall wax feeble: Sorrow and heaviness shall come upon him, as a woman travailing with child.
Behold, like as the Lion cometh up from the pleasant meadows of Jordan unto the green pastures of Ethan, so will I drive them forth, and make them run against her. But whom shall I choose out, and ordain to such a thing? For who is like me, or who will strive with me? or what shepherd may stand against me?
Therefore hear the counsel that the LORD hath given upon Babylon, and the device that he hath taken upon the land of the Caldees. The least among the people shall tear them in pieces, and look what pleasant thing they have: they shall lay it waste.
Moreover, the Lord|LORDE| hath said unto the bow men, and to them that climb over the walls in breast plates: He shall not spare her young men, kill down all her host.
As for Israel and Juda, they shall not be forsaken of their God, of the LORD of Hosts, of the holy one of Israel: no, though they have filled all their land full of sin.
Fly|flee| away from Babylon, every man save his life. Let no man hold his tongue to her wickedness, for the time of the LORD's vengeance is come, yea he shall reward her again.
Babylon hath been in the LORD's hand a golden cup, that maketh all lands drunken. Of her wine have all people drunken, therefore are they out of their wits.
We would have made Babylon whole (say they) but she is not recovered. Therefore will we let her alone, and go every man into his own country. For her judgment is come in to heaven, and is gone up to the clouds.
Make sharp the arrows, and fill the quivers: for the LORD shall raise up the spirit of the king of the Meedes, which hath already a desire to destroy Babylon. This shall be the vengeance of the LORD's, and the vengeance of his temple.
Set up tokens upon the walls of Babylon, make your watch strong, set your watchmen in array, yea hold privy watches: and yet for all that shall the LORD go forth with the device, which he hath taken upon them that dwell in Babylon.
The LORD of Hosts hath sworn by himself, that he will over whelm thee with men like grasshoppers in number, which with courage shall cry Alarum, Alarum against thee.
Yea even the LORD of Hosts, that with his power made the earth, with his wisdom prepared|prepayred| the round world, and with his discretion spied out the heavens.
As soon as he letteth his voice be heard, the waters in the air wax fierce: He draweth up the clouds from the ends of the earth. He turneth the lightnings to rain, he bringeth the winds out of their secret places.
By the reason of wisdom, all men are become fools. Confounded be all the casters of images: for the thing that they make is but deceit, and hath no breath.
Therefore will I reward the city of Babylon and all her|his| citizens the Caldees, with all the evil which they have done unto Sion: Yea that ye yourselves shall see it, sayeth the LORD.
Behold, I come upon thee (thou noisesome hill) sayeth the LORD, thou that destroyest all lands. I will stretch out my hand over thee, and cast thee down from the stony rocks: and will make thee a brent hill,
so that neither corner stones, nor pinnacles, nor foundation stones shall be taken any more out of thee, but waste and desolate shalt thou lie for evermore, sayeth the LORD.
Set up a token in the land, blow the trumpets among the Heathen, provoke the nations against her, call the kingdoms of Ararat, Menni, and Ascanes against her: number out Taphsar against her, bring as great a sort of horses against her, as if they were grasshoppers.
The land also shall shake and be afraid, when the device of the LORD shall come forth against Babylon: to make the land of Babylon so waste, that no man shall dwell any more therein.
The Worthies of Babylon shall leave the battle, and keep themselves in strongholds, their strength hath failed them, they shall be like women. Their dwelling places shall be brent up, their bars shall be broken.
For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon hath been in her time like as a threshing floor, but shortly shall her harvest come.
Nabuchodonosor the king of Babylon hath devoured and destroyed me, he hath made me an empty vessel. He swallowed me up like a dragon, and filled his belly with my delicates: he hath cast me out.
He hath taken my substance away and the thing that was left me hath he carried unto Babylon, sayeth the daughter that dwelleth in Sion: Yea and my blood also, unto the Caldees, sayeth Jerusalem.
In their heat I shall set drink before them, and they shall be drunken for joy: Then shall they sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake, sayeth the LORD.
Moreover, I will visit Bel at Babylon: and the thing that he hath swallowed up, that same shall I pluck out of his mouth. The Gentiles also shall run no more unto him, yea and the walls of Babylon shall fall.
Be not faint hearted, and fear not at every rumour that shall be heard in the land: for every year bringeth new tidings, yea strange wickedness and lordship.
And lo, the time cometh that I will visit the images of Babylon, and the whole land shall be confounded, yea and her slain shall lie in the middest of her.
when the LORD destroyeth them, and when he driveth out the high|hie| stomach and proud boasting,|boosting| wherewith they have been as furious as the waves of great water floods, and made great crakes with their words.
For the destroyers shall come upon her (even upon Babylon) which shall take her worthies, and brake their bows: for GOD is disposed to avenge himself upon them, and sufficiently to recompense them.
Yea (sayeth the LORD) I will make their princes, their wise men, their chief rulers and all their worthies, drunken: so that they shall sleep an everlasting sleep, and never wake: Thus sayeth the King, whose name is the LORD of Hosts.
Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: The thick wall of Babylon shall be broken, and her proud gates shall be brent up. And the thing that the Gentiles and the people have wrought with great travail and labour, shall come to naught and be consumed in the fire.
This is the charge that Jeremy gave unto Saraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maasiah, when he went toward Babylon with Zedekiah the king of Judah, in the fourth year of his reign. Now this Saraiah was a peaceable prince.
and say: Even thus shall Babylon sink, and be thrust down with the burthen of trouble, that I will bring upon her: so that she shall never come up again. Thus far are the preachings of Jeremy.
Zedekiah was twenty one year old, when he was made king, and he reigned eleven year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal, Jeremy's daughter of Lobnah.
But in the ninth year of his reign; In the tenth Month, the tenth day of the Month it happened, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon with all his Host came before Jerusalem, and besieged it, and made them bulwarks round about it.
And in the fourth Month, the ninth day of the Month, there was so great hunger in the city: that there were no more vitailles for the people of the land.
So all the soldiers brake away, and fled out of the city by night thorow the way of the port between the two walls by the king's garden. Now the Caldees had compassed the city round about, yet went these men their way toward the wilderness.
Now the tenth day of the fifth Month, in the nineteenth year of Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon, Nabuzaradan the chief captain and the king of Babylon's servants came unto Jerusalem,
As for the poor people and such folk as yet was left in the city, which also were fallen to the king of Babylon, yea and what people as yet remained: Nabuzaradan the chief Captain carried them away prisoners.
The Caldees also brake the brasen pillars that were in the house of the LORD, yea the seat and the brasen laver that was in the house of the LORD: and carried all the metal of them unto Babylon.
The chief Captain took also the two pillars, the laver, and the twelve brasen bullocks that stood under the seat, which king Solomon made in the house of the LORD: and all the vessel contained so much metal, that it might not be weighed.
Now upon the rope were brasen knoppes, and every knop was five cubits high: and upon the knops were whopes, and pomegranates round about of clean brass.
After this manner were both the pillars fashioned with the pomegranates, whereof there were an hundredth and ninety six, which hanged upon the hoops round about.
He took out of the city a chamberlain which was a captain of the soldiers, and seven men that were the king's servants, which were found in the city: and Sepher a captain that used to muster the men of war: with sixty men of the country that were taken in the city.
This is the sum of the people, whom Nabuchodonosor lead away captive. In the seventh year of his reign, he carried away of the Jews, three thousand and three and twenty.
In the twenty third year of Nabuchodonosor Nabuzaradan the chief Captain, took away seven hundredth forty five Jews prisoners. The whole sum of all the prisoners, is four thousand and six hundredth.
In the thirty seventh year after that Jehoacin the king of Judah was carried away in the twenty fifth day of the twelfth Month, Evilmerodach king of Babylon (the same year that he reigned) gave Jehoacin the king of Judah his pardon, and let him out of prison,