Yahchanan.com Book of Love  
Welcome to Yahchanan.com





Book of the Prophet YeremYah



     

The Book of the Prophet YeremYah [Jeremiah]

Chapter 1

1 The words of YeremYah [Jeremiah] the son of Hilkyah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin,

2 to whom the Word of Yahwah came in the days of Yoshiyah [Josiah] the son of Amon, king of Yahudah [Judah], in the thirteenth year of his reign.

3 It also came in the days of Yahuyaqim [Jehoiakim] the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, to the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiyah, the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, to the carrying away of Yerusalem [Jerusalem] captive in the fifth month.

4 Now the Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

5 I knew you before I formed you in the belly, and I sanctified you before you came forth out of the womb. I appoint you a prophet to the nations.

6 Then I said: Ah, Father Yahwah! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am a child.

7 But Yahwah said to me: Do not say I am a child. For you will go to whoever I send you, and you will speak whatever I command you.

8 Do not be afraid because of them, for I am with you to deliver you: says Yahwah.

9 Then Yahwah put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. Yahwah said to me: Behold, I put my words in your mouth.

10 See, today I set you over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant.

11 Moreover the Word of Yahwah came to me, saying: YeremYah, what do you see? I said: I see a rod of an almond-tree.

12 Then Yahwah said to me: You see well. I watch over my Word to perform it.

13 The Word of Yahwah came to me the second time, saying: What do you see? I said: I see a boiling caldron, and the face of it is from the north.

14 Then Yahwah said to me: Out of the north evil will break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land.

15 Behold, I call all the families of the kingdoms of the north: says Yahwah. They will come, they will set everyone his throne at the entrance of the gates of Yerusalem, against all the walls of it round about, and against all the cities of Yahudah.

16 I utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, in that they forgot me, have burned incense to gods, and worship the works of their own hands.

17 You therefore gird up your loins, arise, and speak to them all I command you. Do not be dismayed at them, unless I dismay you before them.

18 Behold, today I make you a fortified city, with an iron pillar and brazen walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Yahudah, against the princes of it, against the priests of it, and against the people of the land.

19 They will fight against you. But they will not prevail against you, for I am with you to deliver you: says Yahwah.

Chapter 2

1 The Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

2 Go! Cry in the ears of Yerusalem, saying: Thus Yahwah says: I remember for you the kindness of your youth, the love of your espousals, how you went after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

3 Yisrayah was holiness to Yahwah, the first-fruits of His increase. All who devour him are held guilty. Evil comes upon them: says Yahwah.

4 Hear the Word of Yahwah, O house of Yaacob, and all the families of the house of Yisrayah.

5 Thus Yahwah says: What unrighteousness do your fathers find in me, that they are gone far from me, walk after vanity, and are become vain?

6 Nor do they say: Where is Yahwah? He who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, who led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, of the shadow of death, through a land none passed through, and where no man dwelt?

7 I brought you into a plentiful land, to eat the fruit of it, and the goodness of it. But when you entered, you defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination.

8 The priests do not say: Where is Yahwah? Those who handle the Law do not know me. Rulers transgress against me. The prophets prophesy by the LORD [Ba'al], and walk after things that do not profit.

9 Therefore I will yet contend with you: says Yahwah. And I will contend with your children's children.

10 Pass over to the isles of Kittim, and see. Send to Kedar, and consider diligently, see if there was ever such a thing.

11 Has a nation changed its gods, which yet are not gods? But my people changed their glory [YHWH] for what does not profit [Lord God].

12 Be astonished at this, O you heavens, and be horribly afraid, be you very desolate: says Yahwah.

13 For my people committed two evils: they forgot me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 Is Yisrayah a servant? Is he a home-born slave? Why is he become a prey?

15 The young lions roar upon him, and yell, they made his land waste. His cities are burned up, without inhabitant.

16 The children also of Memphis and Tahpanhes broke the crown of your head.

17 Did you not procure this to yourself, in that you forgot Yahwah your Father, when He led you by The Way?

18 Now what have you to do in the way to Egypt, to drink the waters of the Shihor? Or what have you to do in the way to Assyria, to drink the waters of the River?

19 Your own wickedness will correct you, and your backslidings will reprove you. Know therefore, see that it is an evil thing and a bitter, that you forgot Yahwah your Father, and that my fear is not in you: says the Father, Yahwah of hosts.

20 For of old time I broke your yoke, and burst your bonds. You said: I will not serve. Upon every high hill and under every green tree you did bow yourself, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted you a noble vine, wholly a right seed. How then are you turned into the degenerate branches of a foreign vine to me?

22 For though you wash with lye, and take much soap, yet your iniquity is marked before me: says the Father Yahwah.

23 How can you say: I am not defiled, I do not go after the Lord? See your way in the valley, know what you do. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways

24 (a wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffs up the wind in her desire), in her occasion who can turn her away? All those who seek her will not weary themselves, in her month they will find her.

25 Withhold your foot from being unshod, and your throat from thirst. But you said: It is in vain, no. For I love strangers, and I will go after them.

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Yisrayah ashamed. They, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets.

27 They say to a piece of wood: you are my father. To a stone: you brought me forth. They turned their back to Me, and not their face. But in the time of their trouble they will say: Arise, and save us.

28 But where are your idols that you made? Let them arise, if they can save you in the time of your trouble. For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Yahudah.

29 Why will you contend with me? You all transgressed against Me: says Yahwah.

30 In vain I smote your children, they received no correction. Your own sword devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion.

31 O generation, see the Word of Yahwah. Am I a wilderness to Yisrayah? Or a land of thick darkness? Why do my people say: We are broken loose, we will not come to you?

32 Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet my people forget Me days without number.

33 How you trim your way to seek love! Therefore even the wicked women have taught you your ways.

34 Also in your skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent poor. You did not find them breaking in, but it is because of all these things.

35 Yet you said: I am innocent, surely His anger is turned away from me. Behold, I enter into judgment with you, because you say: I did not sin.

36 Why do you go about so much to change your way? You will be ashamed of Egypt also, as you were ashamed of Assyria.

37 From there also you will go forth, with your hands upon your head. Yahwah rejects those in whom you trust, and you will not prosper with them.

Chapter 3

1 They say: If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, will he return to her again? Will that land not be greatly polluted? You played the harlot with many lovers, yet return again to Me: says Yahwah.

2 Lift up your eyes to the bare heights, and see, where have you not committed adultery? By the ways you sat for them, as an Arabian in the wilderness. You polluted the land with your whoredoms, and with your wickedness.

3 Therefore the showers are withheld, and there is no latter rain. Yet you have a harlot's forehead, you refused to be ashamed.

4 Will you not cry to Me from this time: My Father, you are the guide of my youth?

5 Will He retain His anger forever? Will He keep it to the end? Behold, you speak and do evil things, and have your way.

6 Moreover Yahwah said to me in the days of Yoshiyah the king: Do you see what backsliding Yisrayah does? She is gone up upon every high mountain, and under every green tree, and played the harlot there.

7 I said after she did all these things: She will return to Me. But she did not return, and her treacherous sister Yahudah saw it.

8 I saw, when, for this very cause that backsliding Yisrayah committed adultery, I put her away and gave her a bill of divorce, yet treacherous Yahudah her sister did not fear. She also went and played the harlot.

9 It came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that the land is polluted, she commits adultery with stones and with wood.

10 Yet for all this her treacherous sister Yahudah does not return to Me with her whole heart, but pretends: says Yahwah.

11 Yahwah said to me: Backsliding Yisrayah showed herself more righteous than treacherous Yahudah.

12 Go, proclaim these words toward the north, and say: Return, you backsliding Yisrayah. Yahwah says: I will not look in anger upon you, for I am merciful. Yahwah says: I will not keep anger forever.

13 Only acknowledge your iniquity, that you transgressed against Yahwah your Father, and scattered your ways to the strangers under every green tree, and you do not obey my voice: says Yahwah.

14 Return, O backsliding children: says Yahwah. For I am a husband to you. I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion.

15 I will give you shepherds according to my heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.

16 It will come to pass in those days, you will be multiplied and increased in the land: says Yahwah. They will not say: The ark of the covenant of Yahwah. Neither will it come to mind, neither will they remember it, neither will they miss it, neither will it be made any more.

17 At that time they will call Yerusalem the throne of Yahwah. All the nations will be gathered to it, to the Name of Yahwah, to Yerusalem. Neither will they walk any more after the stubbornness of their evil heart.

18 In those days the house of Yahudah will walk with the house of Yisrayah, and they will come together out of the land of the north to the land I gave to your fathers for an inheritance.

19 But I said: I will put you among the children, and give you a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of the nations! I said: You will call Me: my husband. You will not turn away from following Me.

20 Surely as a wife treacherously departs from her husband, so you deal treacherously with Me, O house of Yisrayah: says Yahwah.

21 A voice is heard upon the bare heights, the weeping and the supplications of the children of Yisrayah. They pervert their way, they forgot Yahwah their Father.

22 Return, you backsliding children, I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we are come to you, for you are Yahwah our Father.

23 Truly in vain is the help that is looked for from the hills, the tumult on the mountains. Truly in Yahwah our Father is the salvation of Yisrayah.

24 The shameful thing devours the labor of our fathers from our youth, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters.

25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our confusion cover us. We sinned against Yahwah our Father, we and our fathers, from our youth even to today. We did not obey the voice of Yahwah our Father.

Chapter 4

1 If you will return, O Yisrayah: says Yahwah; if you will return to me, and if you will put away your abominations out of my sight, then you will not be removed.

2 You will swear: As Yahwah lives, in truth, in justice, and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in Him, and they will glory in Him.

3 For thus says Yahwah to the men of Yahudah, and to Yerusalem: Break up your fallow ground, and do not sow among thorns.

4 Circumcise yourselves to Yahwah, and take away the foreskins of your heart, you men of Yahudah and inhabitants of Yerusalem. Or my wrath will go forth like fire because of the evil of your doings, and burn so that none can quench it.

5 Declare in Yahudah, and publish in Yerusalem. Say: Blow the trumpet in the land. Cry aloud, and say: Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the fortified cities.

6 Set up a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, do not stay. For I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction.

7 A lion is gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations. He is on his way, he is gone forth from his place, to make your land desolate, that your cities are laid waste, without inhabitant.

8 For this clothe yourselves with sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of Yahwah is not turned back from us.

9 It will come to pass at that day the heart of the king will perish, and the heart of the princes: says Yahwah. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.

10 Then I said: Ah, Father Yahwah! Surely you greatly deceived this people and Yerusalem, saying: You will have peace. But the sword reaches to the life.

11 At that time it will be said to this people, and to Yerusalem: A hot wind from the bare heights in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow, nor to cleanse,

12 a full wind from these will come for Me. I also utter judgments against them.

13 Behold, he comes up as clouds. His chariots are as the whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! For we are ruined.

14 O Yerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long will your evil thoughts stay within you?

15 A voice declares from Dan, and publishes evil from the hills of Ephrayim.

16 Make mention to the nations: Behold, publish against Yerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Yahudah.

17 As keepers of a field they are against her round about, because she is rebellious against me: says Yahwah.

18 Your way and your doings procured these things to you. This is your wickedness, it is bitter, for it reaches to your heart.

19 My anguish, my anguish! I am pained at my very heart, my heart is disquieted in me, I cannot hold my peace. O my soul, you heard the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war.

20 Destruction upon destruction is cried, for the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, and my curtains in a moment.

21 How long will I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet?

22 My people are foolish, they do not know Me. They are sottish children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but they have no knowledge to do good.

23 I beheld the earth. Behold, it is waste and void. The heavens have no light.

24 I beheld the mountains. Lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved to and fro.

25 I beheld. Behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled.

26 I beheld. Lo, the fruitful field was a wilderness, and all the cities of it were broken down at the presence of Yahwah, and before His fierce anger.

27 For thus Yahwah says: The whole land will be a desolation, yet I will not make a full end.

28 The earth will mourn, and the heavens above will be black. I spoke it, I purposed it, and I do not repent, nor will I turn back from it.

29 Every city flees for the noise of the horsemen and bowmen, they go into the thickets, and climb up upon the rocks. Every city is forgotten, and not a man dwells there.

30 You, when you are made desolate, what will you do? Though you clothe yourself with scarlet, though you deck yourself with ornaments of gold, though you enlarge your eyes with paint, in vain do you make yourself fair. Your lovers despise you, they seek your life.

31 For I heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying: Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.

Chapter 5

1 Run to and fro through the streets of Yerusalem. See now, and know. Seek in the broad places of it, if you can find a man, if there are any who does justly, who seeks truth; and I will pardon her.

2 Though they say: As Yahwah lives; surely they swear falsely.

3 O Yahwah, do your eyes not look upon truth? You struck them, but they were not grieved. You consumed them, but they refuse to receive correction. They make their faces harder than a rock, they refuse to return.

4 Then I said: Surely these are poor, they are foolish, for they do not know The Way of Yahwah, nor the Law of their Father.

5 I will get me to the great men, and speak to them. For they know The Way of Yahwah, and the Law of their Father. But these with one accord broke the yoke, and burst the bonds.

6 A lion out of the forest will kill them, a wolf of the evenings will destroy them, a leopard will watch against their cities. Every one who goes out there will be torn in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.

7 How can I pardon you? Your children forget Me, and swear by those who are not gods. When I fed them to the full, they committed adultery, and assembled themselves in troops at the harlots houses.

8 They were as fed horses roaming at large, everyone neighed after his neighbor's wife.

9 Shall I not visit for these things? Yahwah says: Shall My soul not be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 Go up upon her walls, and destroy, but do not make a full end. Take away her branches, for they are not Yahwah's.

11 The house of Yisrayah and the house of Yahudah deal very treacherously against Me: says Yahwah.

12 They deny Yahwah, and say: It is not He. Evil will not come upon us, neither will we see sword nor famine.

13 The prophets will become wind, and the Word is not in them, thus will it be done to them.

14 So this says Yahwah, the Father of hosts: Because you speak this word, behold, I make my words fire in your mouth, and this people wood, and it will devour them.

15 Lo, I bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Yisrayah: says Yahwah. It is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor understand what they say.

16 Their quiver is an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

17 They will eat up your harvest, and your bread, which your sons and your daughters should eat. They will eat up your flocks and your herds. They will eat up your vines and your fig-trees. They will beat down your fortified cities, in which you trust, with the sword.

18 But even in those days: says Yahwah; I will not make a full end with you.

19 It will come to pass, when you say: Why does Yahwah our Father do all these things to us? Then you will say to them: Like as you forgot me to serve foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.

20 Declare you this in the house of Yaacob, and publish it in Yahudah, saying:

21 Now hear this, O foolish people without understanding (who have eyes, and do not see, that have ears, and do not hear): Do you not fear me?

22 Yahwah says: Will you not tremble at my presence, who placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it? Though the waves of it toss themselves, yet they can not prevail. Though they roar, yet they can not pass over it.

23 But this people has a revolting and a rebellious heart, they are revolted, and gone.

24 Neither do they say in their heart: Let us now fear Yahwah our Father, who gives rain (both the former and the latter, in its season), who preserves to us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

25 Your iniquities turn these things away, your sins withhold good from you.

26 For among my people are found wicked men. They watch, as fowlers lie in wait, they set a trap, they catch men.

27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. Therefore they are become great, and become rich.

28 They are become fat, they shine, yea, they overpass in deeds of wickedness. They do not plead the cause, the cause of the fatherless, that they may prosper, and the right of the needy they do not judge.

29 Shall I not visit for these things? Yahwah says: Shall my soul not be avenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderful and horrible thing is come to pass in the land.

31 The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests bear rule by their means, and my people love to have it so. What will you do in the end of it?

Chapter 6

1 Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Yerusalem. Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem. Evil looks forth from the north, and a great destruction.

2 I cut off the comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.

3 Shepherds with their flocks will come to her, they will pitch their tents against her round about, they will feed every one in his place.

4 Prepare war against her, arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.

5 Arise, let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.

6 For thus Yahwah of hosts said: Hew down trees, and cast up a mound against Yerusalem. This is the city to be visited, she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.

7 As a well casts forth its waters, so she casts forth her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her, before me continually is sickness and wounds.

8 Be you instructed, O Yerusalem, unless my soul is alienated from you, unless I make you a desolation, a land not inhabited.

9 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: They will thoroughly glean the remnant of Yisrayah as a vine, turn again your hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.

10 To whom will I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken. Behold, the Word of Yahwah is become a reproach to them, they have no delight in it.

11 I am full of the wrath of Yahwah, I am weary with holding in. Pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together. Even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days.

12 Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together, for I stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land: says Yahwah.

13 For from the least of them even to the greatest of them everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

14 They heal the hurt of my people slightly, saying: Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

15 Are they ashamed when they commit abomination? No, they are not at all ashamed, neither do they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall, at the time I visit them they will be cast down: says Yahwah.

16 Thus Yahwah says: Stand in the ways, and see. Ask for the old paths, where is the good way. Walk in them, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said: We will not walk in them.

17 I set watchmen over you, saying: Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said: We will not hearken.

18 Therefore hear, you nations, and know what is among them, O congregation.

19 Hear, O earth: Behold, I bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they do not hearken to my words. As for my Law, they reject it.

20 To what purpose does there come to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.

21 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I lay stumbling-blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them, the neighbor and his friend will perish.

22 Thus Yahwah says: Behold, a people comes from the north country, a great nation is stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

23 They lay hold on bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea. They ride upon horses as a man to the battle, everyone set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.

24 We hear the report of it. Our hands become feeble. Anguish takes hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

25 Do not go forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, and terror, are on every side.

26 O daughter of my people, clothe yourselves with sackcloth, and wallow yourself in ashes. Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer is suddenly come upon us.

27 I made you a trier and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way.

28 They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders. They are bronze and iron, all of them deal corruptly.

29 The bellows blow fiercely, the lead is consumed of the fire. In vain do they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.

30 They are called rejected silver, because Yahwah rejected them.

Chapter 7

1 The Word that came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Stand in the gate of Yahwah's house, and proclaim this Word there. Say: Hear the Word of Yahwah, all you of Yahudah, who enter in at these gates to worship Yahwah.

3 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.

4 Do not trust in lying words, saying: The temple of Yahwah, the temple of Yahwah, the temple of Yahwah, are these.

5 For if you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you thoroughly execute justice between a man and his neighbor;

6 if you do not oppress the sojourner, the fatherless, and the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place; neither walk after the gods to your own hurt:

7 then I will cause you to dwell in this place, in the land I gave to your fathers, from of old even for evermore.

8 Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit.

9 You steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to The LORD, and walk after gods you did not know.

10 Then you come and stand before me in this house (which is called by my Name), and say: We are delivered. Yet you do all these abominations!

11 Is this house (which is called by my Name) become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, see it: says Yahwah.

12 But go now to my place which was in Shiloh, where I caused my Name to dwell at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Yisrayah.

13 Yet you do all these works: says Yahwah. I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not hear. I called you, but you did not answer.

14 So I will do to the house which is called by my Name, in which you trust, and to the place I gave to you and to your fathers, as I did to Shiloh.

15 I cast you out of my sight, as I cast out all your brothers, even the whole seed of Ephrayim.

16 Therefore do not pray for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, nor make intercession to Me, for I do not hear you.

17 Do you not see what they do in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem?

18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead the dough to make cakes to the Queen of Heaven [Easter], and to pour out drink-offerings to the gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

19 Do they provoke me to anger? Yahwah says: Do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?

20 Therefore thus says the Father Yahwah: Behold, my anger and my wrath are poured out upon this place, upon man, upon beast, upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground. It will burn, and will not be quenched.

21 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and away with them. Cease eating flesh which I did not command your fathers to eat.

22 Neither did I command them concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices in the day when I brought them out of the land of Egypt.

23 This thing I commanded them, saying: Hearken to my voice. I will be your Father, and you will be my people. Walk in all the way I command you, that it may be well with you.

24 They did not hearken, nor incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels, and in the stubbornness of their evil heart. They went backward, and not forward.

25 Since the day your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt to today, I sent all my servants the prophets to you, daily rising up early and sending them.

26 Yet they do not hearken to Me, nor incline their ear, but make their neck stiff. They do worse than their fathers.

27 You will speak all these words to them, but they will not hearken to you. You will also call to them, but they will not answer you.

28 You will say to them: This is the nation who does not hearken to the voice of Yahwah their Father, nor receive instruction. Truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.

29 Cut off your hair, O Yerusalem, cast it away, and take up a lamentation on the bare heights. Yahwah rejects and forgets the generation of His wrath.

30 For the children of Yahudah do what is evil in my sight: says Yahwah. They set their abominations in the house which is called by my Name, to defile it.

31 They built the high places of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, neither did it come into my mind.

32 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; that it will not be called Topheth, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter. For they will bury in Topheth, till there is no place to bury.

33 The dead bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth, none will frighten them away.

34 I will cause the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, to cease from the cities of Yahudah, and from the streets of Yerusalem. For the land will become a waste.

Chapter 8

1 At that time: says Yahwah; they will bring out the bones of the kings of Yahudah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Yerusalem, out of their graves.

2 They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the host [gods] of heaven, which they loved, and which they served, and after which they walked, and which they sought, and which they worshipped. They will not be gathered, nor be buried. They will be for dung upon the face of the earth.

3 Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I drove them: says Yahwah of hosts.

4 Moreover you will say to them: Thus says Yahwah: Shall men fall, and not rise up again? Shall one turn away, and not return?

5 Why then is this people of Yerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

6 I hearkened and heard, but they do not speak correctly. No man repents him of his wickedness, saying: What am I doing? Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.

7 Yea, the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times, the turtle-dove, the swallow, and the crane, observe the time of their coming, but my people do not know the Law of Yahwah.

8 How do you say: We are wise, and the law of Yahwah is with us? Behold, the false pen of the scribes has wrought falsely.

9 The wise men are put to shame, they are dismayed, and taken. Lo, they rejected the Word of Yahwah, what manner of wisdom is in them?

10 Therefore I give their wives to others, and their fields to those who will possess them. Everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

11 They slightly heal the hurt of the daughter of my people, saying: Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

12 Are they ashamed when they commit abomination? Nay, they are not at all ashamed, neither do they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall, in the time of their visitation they will be cast down: says Yahwah.

13 I will utterly consume them: says Yahwah. There will be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig-tree, and the leaf will fade. The things I gave them will pass away from them.

14 Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, let us enter into the fortified cities, and let us be silent there. Yahwah our Father puts us to silence, and gives us water of gall to drink, because we sinned against Yahwah.

15 We looked for peace, but no good came. For a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!

16 The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan, at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones the whole land trembles. For they are come to devour the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell there.

17 Behold, I send serpents and adders among you, which will not be charmed, and they will bite you: says Yahwah.

18 Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.

19 Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: Is Yahwah in Zion? Is her King in her? Why do they provoke Me to anger with their graven images, and with foreign vanities?

20 The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I mourn, dismay takes hold on Me.

22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is the health of the daughter of my people not recovered?

Chapter 9

1 Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!

2 Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging-place of wayfaring men, that I might leave my people, and go from them! For they are all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.

3 They bend their tongue for falsehood, as it were their bow. They are grown strong in the land, but not for truth. They proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me: says Yahwah.

4 Take you heed everyone of his neighbor, and do not trust in any brother. For every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbor goes about with slanders.

5 Everyone deceives his neighbor, and will not speak the truth. They taught their tongue to speak lies, they weary themselves to commit iniquity.

6 Your habitation is in the midst of deceit, through deceit they refuse to know Me: says Yahwah.

7 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts: Behold, I will melt them, and try them. What else should I do, because of the daughter of my people?

8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow, it speaks deceit. One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth, but in his heart he lays wait for him.

9 Shall I not visit them for these things? Yahwah says: Shall my soul not be avenged on such a nation as this?

10 I will take up a weeping and wailing for the mountains, and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness, because they are burned up, so that none passes through. Men can not hear the voice of the cattle, both the birds of the heavens and the beasts are fled, they are gone.

11 I will make Yerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals. I will make the cities of Yahudah a desolation, without inhabitant.

12 Who is the wise man, who may understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of Yahwah spoke, that he may declare it? Why is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passes through?

13 Yahwah says: They forget my Law which I set before them, and do not obey my voice, nor walk in it

14 (but walk after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Lords, which their fathers taught them).

15 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

16 I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, and I will send the sword after them, till I have consumed them.

17 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Consider, and call for the mourning women, that they may come, and send for the skilful women, that they may come.

18 Let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.

19 For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion: How we are ruined! We are greatly confounded, because we forget the land, because they cast down our dwellings.

20 Yet hear the Word of Yahwah, O you women, and let your ear receive the word of His mouth. Teach your daughters wailing, and everyone [teach] her neighbor lamentation.

21 For death is come up into our windows, it is entered into our palaces to cut off the children from outside, and the young men from the streets.

22 Speak: Thus says Yahwah: The dead bodies of men will fall as dung upon the open field, as the handful after the harvestman, and none will gather them.

23 Thus Yahwah says: Do not let the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let the rich man not glory in his riches,

24 but let him who glories glory in this: that he has understanding, and knows Me. I am Yahwah who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth, for in these things I delight: says Yahwah.

25 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will punish all those who are circumcised in their uncircumcision;

26 Egypt [Ham], Yahudah [Yaacob], Edom [Esau], the children of Ammon and Moab [Lot], and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness. For all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Yisrayah are uncircumcised in heart.

Chapter 10

1 Hear the Word Yahwah speaks to you, O house of Yisrayah.

2 Thus Yahwah says: Do not learn the way [religions] of the nations, and do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven [astrology], for the nations are dismayed at them.

3 The customs of the peoples are vanity. For one cuts a [christmas] tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.

4 They deck it with silver and with gold, they fasten it with nails and with hammers, so it does not move.

5 They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and do not speak. They need to be borne, because they cannot go. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, nor is it in them to do good.

6 There is none like to you, O Yahwah. You are great, and your Name is great in might.

7 Who should not fear you, O King of the nations? For among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like to you.

8 But they are together brutish and foolish, the instruction of idols! It is but a piece of wood.

9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith, blue and purple for their clothing, they are all the work of skilful men.

10 But Yahwah is the true Father. He is the living Father, and an everlasting King. At His wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to abide His indignation.

11 Thus you will say to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth, these will perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.

12 He made the earth by His power, He established the world by His wisdom, and He stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

13 When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of His treasuries.

14 Every man is become brutish, and is without knowledge. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

15 They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation they will perish.

16 The portion of Yaacob is not like these, for He is the former of all things, and Yisrayah is the tribe of His inheritance. Yahwah of hosts is His Name.

17 Gather up your wares out of the land, O you who abide in the siege.

18 For thus Yahwah says: Behold, I sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and distress them, that they may feel it.

19 Woe is me because of my hurt! My wound is grievous, but I said: Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.

20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken. My children are gone forth from me, and they are not. There is none to spread my tent anymore, and to set up my curtains.

21 The shepherds are become brutish, and do not inquire of Yahwah. Therefore they do not prosper, and all their flocks are scattered.

22 The voice of tidings, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Yahudah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.

23 O Yahwah, I know the way of man is not in himself, it is not in man that walks to direct his steps.

24 O Yahwah, correct me, but in measure. Not in your anger, unless you bring me to nothing.

25 Pour out your wrath upon the nations that do not know you, and upon the families who do not call on your Name. They devoured Yaacob, yea, they devoured him, consumed him, and laid his habitation waste.

Chapter 11

1 The Word that came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Hear the words of this covenant. Speak to the men of Yahudah, and to the inhabitants of Yerusalem.

3 Say to them: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant

4 (which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying: Obey my voice, and do them, according to all I command you, so you will be my people, and I will be your Father),

5 so that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then I answered, and said: Amein, O Yahwah.

6 Yahwah said to me: Proclaim all these words in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem. Say: Hear the words of this covenant, and do them.

7 I earnestly protested to your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to today, rising early and protesting, saying: Obey my voice.

8 Yet they do not obey, nor incline their ear, but walk everyone in the stubbornness of their evil heart. Therefore I bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they do not do them.

9 Yahwah said to me: A conspiracy is found among the men of Yahudah, and among the inhabitants of Yerusalem.

10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words. They are gone after the gods to serve them. The house of Yisrayah and the house of Yahudah broke my covenant which I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I bring evil upon them, which they will not be able to escape. They will cry to me, but I will not hearken to them.

12 Then the cities of Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem will go and cry to the gods to which they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13 For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Yahudah. According to the number of the streets of Yerusalem you have set up altars to the shameful thing, even altars to burn incense to The LORD.

14 Therefore do not pray for this people, nor lift up cry nor prayer for them. I will not hear them in the time they cry to me because of their trouble.

15 What has my beloved to do in my house, seeing she wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from you? When you do evil, then you rejoice.

16 Yahwah called your name, a green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit. With the noise of a great tumult He kindles fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

17 For Yahwah of hosts (who planted you) pronounces evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Yisrayah, and of the house of Yahudah, which they wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense to The LORD.

18 Yahwah gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it, then you showed me their doings.

19 But I was like a gentle lamb that is led to the slaughter. I did not know they devised devices against me, saying: Let us destroy the tree with the fruit of it, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.

20 O Yahwah of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the heart and the mind, I will see your vengeance on them, for I revealed my cause to you.

21 Thus says Yahwah concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying: Do not prophesy in the Name of Yahwah, that you not die by our hand.

22 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts: Behold, I will punish them. The young men will die by the sword, their sons and their daughters will die by famine,

23 and there will be no remnant to them. I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

Chapter 12

1 Righteous are you, O Yahwah, when I contend with you. Yet I would reason the cause with you: why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why are all those who deal very treacherously at ease?

2 You planted them, yea, they took root. They grow, yea, they bring forth fruit. You are near in their mouth, and far from their heart.

3 O Yahwah, you know me. You see me, and try my heart toward you. Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter, and prepare them for the day of slaughter.

4 How long will the land mourn, and the herbs of the whole country wither? For the wickedness of those who dwell there the beasts are consumed, and the birds, because they said: He will not see our latter end.

5 If you have with the footmen, and they weary you, then how can you contend with horses? Though in a land of peace you are secure, yet how will you do in the pride of the Jordan?

6 For even your brothers, and the house of your father, even they deal treacherously with you, even they cry aloud after you. Do not believe them, though they speak fair words to you.

7 I forget my house, I cast off my heritage, I give the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies.

8 My heritage is become to me as a lion in the forest. She uttered her voice against me, therefore I hate her.

9 Is my heritage to me as a speckled bird of prey? Are the birds of prey against her round about? Go, assemble all the beasts of the field, bring them to devour.

10 Many shepherds destroyed my vineyard, they trampled my portion under foot, they made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness.

11 They made it a desolation. It mourns to me, being desolate. The whole land is made desolate, because no man lays it to heart.

12 Destroyers are come upon all the bare heights in the wilderness. For the sword of Yahwah devours from the one end of the land even to the other end of the land. No flesh has peace.

13 They sow wheat, and reap thorns. They put themselves to pain, and profit nothing. You are ashamed of your fruits, because of the fierce anger of Yahwah.

14 Thus says Yahwah against all my evil neighbors, who touch the inheritance I caused my people Yisrayah to inherit: Behold, I will pluck them up from off their land, and will pluck up the house of Yahudah from among them.

15 It will come to pass, after I pluck them up, I will return and have compassion on them. I will bring them again, every man to his heritage, and every man to his land.

16 It will come to pass, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people (to swear by my Name: As Yahwah lives; even as they taught my people to swear by The LORD), then they will be built up in the midst of my people.

17 But if they will not hear, then I will pluck up that nation, plucking up and destroying it: says Yahwah.

Chapter 13

1 Thus Yahwah says to me: Go, buy you a linen girdle, put it upon your loins, and do not put it in water.

2 So I bought a girdle according to the Word of Yahwah, and put it upon my loins.

3 The Word of Yahwah came to me the second time, saying:

4 Take the girdle you bought, which is upon your loins. Arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a crack of the rock.

5 So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates, as Yahwah commanded me.

6 It came to pass after many days, that Yahwah said to me: Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take the girdle from there, which I commanded you to hide there.

7 Then I went to the Euphrates, digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it. Behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.

8 Then the Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

9 Thus says Yahwah: After this manner I will mar the pride of Yahudah, and the great pride of Yerusalem.

10 This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who walk in the stubbornness of their heart, who are gone after the gods to serve them, and to worship them, will be even as this girdle, which is profitable for nothing.

11 For as the girdle cleaves to the loins of a man, so I cause to cleave to me the whole house of Yisrayah and the whole house of Yahudah. Yahwah says: That they may be to me for a people, for a name, for a praise, and for a glory. But they would not hear.

12 Therefore speak this word to them: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Every bottle will be filled with wine. They will say to you: Do we not certainly know that every bottle will be filled with wine?

13 Then you will say to them: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I fill all the inhabitants of this land with drunkenness, even the kings who sit upon David's throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Yerusalem.

14 I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together: says Yahwah. I will not pity, nor spare, nor have compassion, that I should not destroy them.

15 Hear, and give ear. Do not be proud, for Yahwah spoke.

16 Give glory to Yahwah your Father, before He cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while you look for light, He turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.

17 But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride. My eye will weep sore, and run down with tears, because Yahwah's flock is taken captive.

18 Say to the king, and to the queen-mother: Humble yourselves. Sit down, for your headtires are come down, even the crown of your glory.

19 The cities of the South are shut up, and there is none to open them. Yahudah is carried away captive, all of it. It is wholly carried away captive.

20 Lift up your eyes, and behold those who come from the north. Where is the flock that was given you, your beautiful flock?

21 What will you say, when he sets over you as head those you yourself taught to be friends to you? Shall sorrows not take hold of you, as of a woman in travail?

22 If you say in your heart: Why are these things come upon me? For the greatness of your iniquity your skirts are uncovered, and your heels suffer violence.

23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? Then you may also do good, who are accustomed to do evil.

24 Therefore I scatter them, as the stubble that passes away, by the wind of the wilderness.

25 This is your lot, the portion measured to you from me: says Yahwah. You forgot me, and trust in falsehood.

26 Therefore I also uncover your skirts upon your face, and your shame will appear.

27 I see your abominations, even your adulteries, your neighings, and the lewdness of your whoredom on the hills in the field. Woe to you, O Yerusalem! You will not be made clean, how long will it be yet?

Chapter 14

1 The Word of Yahwah that came to YeremYah concerning the drought.

2 Yahudah mourns, and the gates of it languish, they sit in black upon the ground, and the cry of Yerusalem is gone up.

3 Their nobles send their little ones to the waters. They come to the cisterns, and find no water. They return with their vessels empty. They are put to shame and confounded, and cover their heads.

4 Because of the ground which is cracked, because no rain has been in the land, the plowmen are put to shame, they cover their heads.

5 Yea, the hind also in the field calves, and abandons her young, because there is no grass.

6 The wild asses stand on the bare heights, they pant for air like jackals, their eyes fail, because there is no herbage.

7 Though our iniquities testify against us, you work for your Name's sake, O Yahwah. Our backslidings are many, we sinned against you.

8 O you hope of Yisrayah, the Savior of it in the time of trouble, why should you be as a sojourner in the land, and as a wayfaring man who turns aside to tarry for a night?

9 Why should you be as a man affrighted, as a mighty man who cannot save? Yet you, O Yahwah, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your Name. Do not leave us.

10 Thus says Yahwah to this people: Even so they love to wander. They do not refrain their feet, therefore Yahwah does not accept them. Now He remembers their iniquity, and visits their sins.

11 Yahwah said to me: Do not pray for this people for their good.

12 When they fast, I do not hear their cry. When they offer burnt-offering and meal-offering, I do not accept them. I will consume them by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

13 Then I said: Ah, Father Yahwah! Behold, the prophets say to them, you will not see the sword, nor will you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.

14 Then Yahwah said to me: The prophets prophesy lies in my Name. I did not send them, nor did I command them, nor did I speak to them. They prophesy a lying vision to you, and divination, a thing of nothing, the deceit of their own heart.

15 Therefore thus says Yahwah concerning the prophets who prophesy in my Name, and I did not sent them (yet they say: Sword and famine will not be in this land): By sword and famine those prophets will be consumed.

16 The people to whom they prophesy will be cast out in the streets of Yerusalem because of the famine and the sword. They will have none to bury them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters. I will pour their wickedness upon them.

17 You will say this word to them: Let my eyes run down with tears night and day, and let them not cease, for the virgin daughter of my people is broken with a great breach, with a very grievous wound.

18 If I go forth into the field, then, behold, the slain with the sword! If I enter into the city, then, behold, those who are sick with famine! For both the prophet and the priest go about in the land, and have no knowledge.

19 Did you utterly reject Yahudah? Does your soul loathe Zion? Why do you smite us, and there is no healing for us? We looked for peace, but no good came. For a time of healing, and, behold, dismay!

20 We acknowledge our wickedness, O Yahwah, and the iniquity of our fathers, for we sinned against you.

21 Do not abhor us, for your Name's sake, do not disgrace the throne of your glory. Remember, do not break, your covenant with us.

22 Are there any among the vanities of the nations who can cause rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not He, O Yahwah our Father? Therefore we wait for you, for you made all these things.

Chapter 15

1 Then Yahwah said to me: Though Moshe and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

2 It will come to pass, when they say to you: Where will we go forth? Then you will tell them: Thus says Yahwah: Such as are for death, to death; such as are for the sword, to the sword; such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.

3 I will appoint over them four kinds, says Yahwah. The sword to kill, the dogs to tear, the birds of the heavens, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and to destroy.

4 I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekyah, king of Yahudah, for what he did in Yerusalem [The Cave of Treasures says he killed Yeshayah the prophet, see also: 2Chronicles 33:1-10].

5 For who will have pity upon you, O Yerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask of your welfare?

6 You rejected me: says Yahwah. You went backward, therefore I stretch out my hand against you, and destroy you. I am weary with repenting.

7 I winnow them with a fan in the gates of the land. I bereave them of children, I destroy my people who do not return from their ways.

8 Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas. I brought upon them a destroyer at noonday, against the mother of the young men. I cause anguish and terrors to fall upon her suddenly.

9 She who bore seven languishes, she gives up the spirit. Her sun is gone down while it was yet day, she was put to shame and confounded. The residue of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies: says Yahwah.

10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me a man of strife, and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me, yet everyone of them does curse me.

11 Yahwah said: Verily I will strengthen you for good, verily I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you in the time of evil, and in the time of affliction.

12 Can one break iron, even iron from the north, and bronze?

13 Your substance and your treasures I will give for a spoil without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your borders.

14 I will make them to pass with your enemies into a land you do not know, for a fire is kindled in my anger, which burns upon you.

15 O Yahwah, you know. Remember me, visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors. Do not take me away in your longsuffering, know that I suffered reproach for your sake.

16 Your words were found, I ate them, and your words are to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart. I am called by your Name, O Yahwah, Father of hosts.

17 I did not sit in the assembly of those who make merry, nor rejoiced. I sat alone because of your hand, for you filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuses to be healed? Will you indeed be to me as a deceitful brook, as waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus Yahwah says: If you return, then I will bring you again, that you may stand before Me. If you take forth the precious from the vile, you will be as my mouth. They will return to you, but you will not return to them.

20 I will make you a fortified brazen wall to this people. They will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you, for I am with you to save you and to deliver you: says Yahwah.

21 I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the hand of the terrible.

Chapter 16

1 The Word of Yahwah also came to me, saying:

2 You will not take a wife in this place, neither will you have sons or daughters.

3 For thus says Yahwah concerning the sons and concerning the daughters who are born in this place, and concerning their mothers who bear them, and concerning their fathers who beget them in this land:

4 They will die grievous deaths. They will not be lamented, neither will they be buried. They will be as dung upon the face of the ground. They will be consumed by the sword, and by famine. Their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.

5 For thus Yahwah says: Do not enter into the house of mourning, neither go to lament, neither bemoan them. For I take away my peace from this people, even lovingkindness and tender mercies: says Yahwah.

6 Both great and small will die in this land. They will not be buried, nor will men lament for them, nor cut themselves, nor make themselves bald for them.

7 Men will not break bread for them in mourning, to comfort them for the dead, neither will men give them the cup of consolation to drink for their father or for their mother.

8 You will not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and to drink.

9 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I cause to cease out of this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of mirth, the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.

10 It will come to pass, when you show this people all these words, and they say to you: Why has Yahwah pronounced all this great evil against us? Or: What is our iniquity? Or: What is our sin we committed against Yahwah our Father?

11 Then you will say to them: Because your fathers forgot Me; says Yahwah. They walked after the gods, served them, worshipped them, forgot Me, and did not keep my law.

12 And you do more evil than your fathers, for, behold, you walk every one after the stubbornness of his evil heart, so that you do not hearken to Me.

13 Therefore I cast you forth out of this land into the land you do not know, neither you nor your fathers. There you will serve the gods day and night, for I will show you no favor.

14 Therefore, behold, the days come: says Yahwah. It will not be said anymore: As Yahwah lives, who brought up the children of Yisrayah out of the land of Egypt.

15 But: As Yahwah lives, who brought up the children of Yisrayah from the land of the north, and from all the countries where He drove them. I will bring them again into their land that I gave to their fathers.

16 Behold, I will send for many fishers: says Yahwah. They will fish them up. Afterward I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain, from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.

17 My eyes are upon all their ways. They are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity concealed from my eyes.

18 First I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, because they polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable things, and filled my inheritance with their abominations.

19 O Yahwah, my strength, my stronghold, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the nations will come to you from the ends of the earth, and say: Our fathers inherited nothing but lies, even vanity and things in which there is no profit.

20 Shall a man make idols to himself, which yet are not gods?

21 Behold, I will cause them to know, this once I will cause them to know my hand and my might, and they will know my Name is Yahwah.

Chapter 17

1 The sin of Yahudah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is graven upon the tablet of their heart, and upon the horns of your altars.

2 Their children remember their altars and their Easter idols [Asherim] by the green trees upon the high hills.

3 O my mountain in the field, I give your substance and all your treasures for a spoil, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.

4 You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land you do not know, for you kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.

5 Thus Yahwah says: Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart departs from Yahwah.

6 He will be like the heath in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, a salt land and not inhabited.

7 Blessed is the man who trusts in Yahwah, and whose trust is Yahwah.

8 He will be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be careful in the year of drought, neither will cease from yielding fruit.

9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt, who can know it?

10 I, Yahwah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

11 As the partridge that sits on eggs which she did not lay, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the midst of his days they will leave him, and at his end he will be a fool.

12 A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.

13 O Yahwah, the hope of Yisrayah, all who forget you will be put to shame. Those who depart from Me will be written in the earth, because they forget Yahwah, the fountain of living waters.

14 Heal me, O Yahwah, and I am healed. Save me, and I am saved, for you are my praise.

15 Behold, they say to me: Where is the Word of Yahwah? Let it come now.

16 As for me, I did not hurry from being a shepherd after you, nor do I desire the woeful day. You know what came out of my lips was before your face.

17 Do not be a terror to me, you are my refuge in the day of evil.

18 Let those who persecute me be put to shame, but let me not be put to shame. Let them be dismayed, but let me not be dismayed. Bring the day of evil upon them, and destroy them with double destruction.

19 Thus Yahwah said to me: Go, stand in the gate of the children of the people, where the kings of Yahudah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Yerusalem.

20 Say to them: Hear the Word of Yahwah, you kings of Yahudah, and all Yahudah, all the inhabitants of Yerusalem who enter in by these gates.

21 Thus Yahwah says: Take heed to yourselves, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Yerusalem.

22 Do not carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, nor do any work, but hallow the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers.

23 But they did not hearken, nor incline their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.

24 It will come to pass, if you diligently hearken to me: says Yahwah; to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work;

25 then there will enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Yahudah, and the inhabitants of Yerusalem. This city will remain forever.

26 They will come from the cities of Yahudah, and from the places round about Yerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill-country, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, sacrifices, meal-offerings, frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, to the house of Yahwah.

27 But if you do not hearken to me to hallow the sabbath day (to not bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Yerusalem on the sabbath day) then I will kindle a fire in the gates of it. It will devour the palaces of Yerusalem, and it will not be quenched.

Chapter 18

1 The Word which came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Arise, go down to the potter's house, I will cause you to hear my words there.

3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was making a work on the wheels.

4 When the vessel he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5 Then the Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

6 O house of Yisrayah, cannot I do with you as this potter? Yahwah says: Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Yisrayah.

7 At what instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to break down, and to destroy it;

8 if that nation, concerning which I spoke, turns from their evil, I will repent of the evil I thought to do to them.

9 At what instant I speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;

10 if they do what is evil in my sight, that they do not obey my voice, then I will repent of the good with which I said I would benefit them.

11 Now therefore, speak to the men of Yahudah, and to the inhabitants of Yerusalem, saying: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you. Return now everyone from his evil way, amend your ways, and your doings.

12 But they say: It is in vain. We will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart.

13 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Ask now among the nations, who has heard such things? The virgin of Yisrayah does a very horrible thing.

14 Shall the snow of Lebanon fail from the rock of the field? Or will the cold waters that flow down from afar be dried up?

15 For my people forgot me, they burn incense to other gods. They are made to stumble in their ways, in the ancient paths, to walk in bypaths, in a way not cast up;

16 to make their land an astonishment, and a perpetual hissing. Everyone that passes by there will be astonished, and shake his head.

17 I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy. I will show them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.

18 Then they said: Come, and let us devise devices against YeremYah. For the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.

19 Give heed to me, O Yahwah, and hearken to the voice of those who contend with me.

20 Shall evil be recompensed for good? They dig a pit for my soul. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.

21 Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives become childless, and widows. Let their men be slain of death, and their young men smitten of the sword in battle.

22 Let a cry be heard from their houses, when you suddenly bring a troop upon them, for they dig a pit to take me, and hide snares for my feet.

23 Yet, Yahwah, you know all their counsel against me to kill me. Do not forgive their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from your sight. Let them be overthrown before you, deal with them in the time of your anger.

Chapter 19

1 Thus said Yahwah: Go, buy a potter's earthen bottle, take of the elders of the people, and of the elders of the priests.

2 Go forth to the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the gate Harsith, and proclaim there the words I tell you.

3 Say: Hear the Word of Yahwah, O kings of Yahudah, and inhabitants of Yerusalem. Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I bring evil upon this place, which whosoever hears, his ears will tingle.

4 They forget me, and estranged this place. They burn incense in it to false gods, that they do not know, they, their fathers, and the kings of Yahudah. They filled this place with the blood of innocents,

5 and built the high places of The LORD, to burn their sons in the fire for burnt-offerings to The LORD! I did not command this, nor speak it, nor did it come into my mind.

6 Therefore, behold, the days come: says Yahwah; this place will no longer be called Topheth, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter.

7 I make void the counsel of Yahudah and Yerusalem in this place. I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies I give to be food for the birds of the heavens, and for the beasts of the earth.

8 I will make this city an astonishment, and a hissing. Everyone who passes by here will be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues of it.

9 I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters. They will eat everyone the flesh of his friend, in the siege and in the distress, with which their enemies, and those who seek their life, will distress them.

10 Then you will break the bottle in the sight of the men who go with you,

11 and say to them: Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Even so I break this people, and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again. They will bury in Topheth till there is no place to bury.

12 Thus I do to this place: says Yahwah: and to the inhabitants of it, even making this city as Topheth.

13 The houses of Yerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Yahudah, which are defiled, will be as the place of Topheth, even all the houses upon whose roofs they burn incense to all the host of heaven, and pour out drink-offerings to false gods.

14 Then YeremYah came from Topheth, where Yahwah had sent him to prophesy. He stood in the court of Yahwah's house, and said to all the people:

15 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I bring upon this city and upon all its towns all the evil I pronounced against it, because they make their neck stiff, that they do not hear my words.

Chapter 20

1 Now Pashhur, the son of Immer the priest, who was chief officer in the house of Yahwah, heard YeremYah prophesying these things.

2 Then Pashhur smote YeremYah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper gate of Benjamin, which was in the house of Yahwah.

3 It came to pass the next day that Pashhur brought forth YeremYah out of the stocks. Then YeremYah said to him: Yahwah does not call your name Pashhur, but Magor-missabib.

4 For thus Yahwah says: Behold, I make you a terror to yourself, and to all your friends. They will fall by the sword of their enemies, and your eyes will behold it. I give all Yahudah into the hand of the king of Babylon, he will carry them captive to Babylon, and will kill them with the sword.

5 Moreover I give all the riches of this city, and all the gains of it, all the precious things of it, yea, all the treasures of the kings of Yahudah I give into the hand of their enemies. They will make them a prey, take them, and carry them to Babylon.

6 You, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house will go into captivity. You will come to Babylon. There you will die, and there you will be buried, you, and all your friends to whom you prophesy falsely.

7 O Yahwah, you persuaded me, and I was persuaded. You are stronger than I, and prevailed. I am become a laughing-stock all the day, everyone mocks me.

8 For as often as I speak, I cry out, I cry: Violence and destruction! Because the Word of Yahwah is made a reproach to me, and a derision, all the day.

9 If I say: I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more in His Name, then there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I cannot contain.

10 I hear the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. Maybe he will be persuaded, we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.

11 But Yahwah is with me as a mighty one and a terrible, therefore my persecutors will stumble, they will not prevail. They will be utterly put to shame, because they do not deal wisely, even with an everlasting dishonor which will never be forgotten.

12 But, O Yahwah of hosts, who tries the righteous, who sees the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for I revealed my cause to you.

13 Sing to Yahwah, praise Yahwah, for He delivers the soul of the needy from the hand of evil-doers.

14 Cursed is the day in which I was born, let the day in which my mother bore me not be blessed.

15 Cursed is the man who brought tidings to my father, making him very glad, saying: A man-child is born to you.

16 Let that man be as the cities Yahwah overthrew, and did not repent. Let him hear a cry in the morning, and shouting at noontime,

17 because he did not kill me from the womb, so my mother would have been my grave, and her womb always great.

18 Why did I come forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame? [Job 3:10-11, 10:19]

Chapter 21

1 The Word which came to YeremYah from Yahwah, when king Zedekiyah [Zedekiah] sent to him Pashhur the son of Malchiyah, and Zephanyah [Zephaniah] the son of Machseyah, the priest, saying:

2 I pray you, inquire of Yahwah for us. Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon makes war against us. Maybe Yahwah will deal with us according to all His wondrous works, that he may go up from us.

3 Then YeremYah said to them: Thus you will say to Zedekiyah:

4 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands, with which you fight against the king of Babylon, and against the Chaldeans who besiege you outside the walls. I will gather them into the midst of this city.

5 I myself fight against you with an outstretched hand, and with a strong arm, even in anger, in wrath, and in great indignation.

6 I smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast, they will die of a great pestilence.

7 Afterward: says Yahwah; I will deliver Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, his servants, and the people, even such as are left in this city from the pestilence, from the sword, and from the famine, into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life. He will smite them with the edge of the sword. He will not spare them, nor have pity, nor have mercy.

8 You will say to this people: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.

9 He who abides in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. But he who goes out, and passes over to the Chaldeans who besiege you, he will live, and his life will be to him for a prey.

10 For I set my face upon this city for evil, and not for good: says Yahwah. It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

11 Touching the house of the king of Yahudah, hear the Word of Yahwah.

12 O house of David, thus Yahwah says: Execute justice in the morning, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor, unless my wrath go forth like fire, and burn so that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

13 Behold, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley, and of the rock of the plain: says Yahwah. You who say: Who will come down against us? Who will enter into our habitations?

14 I punish you according to the fruit of your doings: says Yahwah. I kindle a fire in her forest, and it will devour all that is round about her.

Chapter 22

1 Thus said Yahwah: Go down to the house of the king of Yahudah, and speak this word there.

2 Say: Hear the Word of Yahwah, O king of Yahudah, who sits upon the throne of David, you, your servants, and your people who enter in by these gates.

3 Thus Yahwah says: Execute justice and righteousness, and deliver him who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong, do no violence to the sojourner, the fatherless, nor the widow, neither shed innocent blood in this place.

4 For if you do this thing indeed, then there will enter in by the gates of this house kings sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, he, his servants, and his people.

5 But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself: says Yahwah; this house will become a desolation.

6 For thus says Yahwah concerning the house of the king of Yahudah: You are Gilead to me, and the head of Lebanon. Yet surely I will make you a wilderness, and cities which are not inhabited.

7 I prepare destroyers against you, everyone with his weapons. They will cut down your choice cedars, and cast them into the fire.

8 Many nations will pass by this city, and they will say every man to his neighbor: Why did Yahwah do this to this great city?

9 Then they will answer: Because they forgot the covenant of Yahwah their Father, to worship the gods, and serve them.

10 Do not weep for the dead, neither bemoan him. But weep sore for him who goes away, for he will not return, nor see his native country.

11 For thus says Yahwah touching Shallum the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, who reigned instead of Yoshiyah his father, and who went forth out of this place: He will not return there any more.

12 But in the place where they led him captive, there he will die, and he will see this land no more.

13 Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by injustice. He uses his neighbor's service without wages, and does not give him his hire.

14 He says: I will build me a wide house and spacious chambers. He cuts him out windows, and it is ceiled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.

15 Shall you reign, because you strive to excel in cedar? Did your father not eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.

16 He judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it was well. Was this not to know Me: says Yahwah?

17 But your eyes and your heart are only for your covetousness, for shedding innocent blood, for oppression, and for violence, to do it.

18 Therefore thus says Yahwah concerning Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah: They will not lament for him, saying: Ah my brother! Or: Ah sister! They will not lament for him, saying: Ah master! Or: Ah his glory!

19 He will be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Yerusalem.

20 Go up to Lebanon, and cry. Lift up your voice in Bashan, and cry from Abarim, for all your lovers are destroyed.

21 I spoke to you in your prosperity. But you said: I will not hear. This was your manner from your youth, that you do not obey my voice.

22 The wind will feed all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Surely then you will be ashamed and confounded for all your wickedness.

23 O inhabitant of Lebanon, who make your nest in the cedars, how greatly to be pitied you will be when pangs come upon you, the pain as of a woman in travail!

24 As I live: says Yahwah; though Conyah the son of Yahuyaqim king of Yahudah were the signet upon my right hand, yet I would pluck you from there.

25 I give you into the hand of those who seek your life, and into the hand of them of whom you are afraid, even into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of the Chaldeans.

26 I cast you out, and your mother who bore you, into another country, where you were not born. There you will die.

27 But to the land where their soul longs to return, there they will not return.

28 Is this man Conyah a despised broken vessel? Is he a vessel in which none delights? Therefore are they cast out, he and his seed, and are cast into the land they do not know.

29 O earth, earth, earth, hear the Word of Yahwah.

30 Thus Yahwah says: Write this man childless, a man who will not prosper in his days. For no more will a man of his seed prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling in Yahudah.

Chapter 23

1 Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture: says Yahwah!

2 Therefore thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, against the shepherds who feed my people: You scattered my flock, drove them away, and do not visit them. Behold, I visit the evil of your doings upon you: says Yahwah.

3 I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I drove them, bring them again to their folds, and they will be fruitful and multiply.

4 I will set up shepherds over them, who will feed them, and they will fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor will any be lacking: says Yahwah.

5 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will raise to David a righteous Branch. He will reign as king, deal wisely, and will execute justice and righteousness in the land.

6 In His days Yahudah will be saved, and Yisrayah will dwell safely. This is His Name by which He will be called: Yahwah our righteousness.

7 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; they will no more say; As Yahwah lives, who brought up the children of Yisrayah out of the land of Egypt.

8 But: As Yahwah lives, who brought up and who led the seed of the house of Yisrayah out of the north country, and from all the countries where I drove them. They will dwell in their own land.

9 Concerning the prophets. My heart within me is broken, all my bones shake. I am like a drunken man, and like a man whom wine has overcome, because of Yahwah, and because of His holy words.

10 The land is full of adulterers, because of swearing the land mourns, the pastures of the wilderness are dried up. Their course is evil, and their might is not right.

11 Both prophet and priest are profane. Yea, I found their wickedness in my house: says Yahwah.

12 Therefore their way will be to them as slippery places in the darkness. They will be driven on, and fall there. I bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation: says Yahwah.

13 I see folly in the prophets of Samaria. They prophesy by The LORD [Baal, Adonai], and cause my people Yisrayah to err.

14 In the prophets of Yerusalem also I see a horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evil-doers, so that none returns from his wickedness. They are all of them become to me as Sodom, and the inhabitants of it as Gomorrah.

15 Therefore thus says Yahwah 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 Yerusalem is unrighteousness gone forth into all the land.

16 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Do not hearken to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They teach you vanity, they speak a vision of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of Yahwah.

17 They say continually to those who despise me: Yahwah said you will have peace. And to every one who walks in the stubbornness of his own heart they say: No evil will come upon you.

18 Who stood in the council of Yahwah, that he should perceive and hear His Word? Who marked my word, and heard it?

19 Behold, the tempest of Yahwah, even His wrath, is gone forth, yea, a whirling tempest. It will burst upon the head of the wicked.

20 The anger of Yahwah will not return until He has executed, and till He performs the intents of His heart (in the latter days you will understand it perfectly).

21 I did not send these prophets, yet they ran. I did not speak to them, yet they prophesied.

22 But if they had stood in my council, then they would cause my people to hear my words, and turn them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.

23 Am I a Father at hand: says Yahwah; not a God afar off?

24 Can any hide himself in secret places so that I will not see him: says Yahwah? Do I not fill heaven and earth: says Yahwah?

25 I hear what the prophets say, who prophesy lies in my Name, saying: I dreamed, I dreamed.

26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets to prophesy lies, even the prophets of the deceit of their own heart?

27 They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through LORD worship.

28 The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream. He who has my Word, let him speak my Word faithfully. What is the straw to the wheat: says Yahwah?

29 Is my Word not like fire: says Yahwah; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?

30 Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets who steal my words every one from his neighbor: says Yahwah.

31 Behold, I am against the prophets: says Yahwah. They use their tongues, and say: He says.

32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams: says Yahwah. They lie, and cause my people to err by their lies, by their vain boasting. I did not send them, nor command them, neither do they profit this people at all: says Yahwah.

33 When this people, or the prophet, or a priest, will ask you, saying: What is the burden of Yahwah? Then you will say to them: What burden? I will cast you off: says Yahwah.

34 As for the prophet, the priest, and the people, who will say: The burden of Yahwah; I will even punish that man and his house.

35 Thus you will say everyone to his neighbor, and everyone to his brother: What did Yahwah answer? And: What did Yahwah speak?

36 You will mention the burden of Yahwah no more, for every man's own word is his burden. You perverted the words of the living Father, of Yahwah of hosts our Father.

37 Thus you will say to the prophet: What did Yahwah answer you? And: What did Yahwah speak?

38 But if you say: The burden of Yahwah. Therefore thus Yahwah says: Because you say this word (The burden of Yahwah) and I sent to you, saying: You will not say the burden of Yahwah; therefore, behold, I will utterly forget you.

39 I will cast you off, away from my presence, with the city I gave to you and to your fathers.

40 I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which will not be forgotten.

Chapter 24

1 Yahwah showed me. Behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of Yahwah, after Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive YeconYah the son of Yahuyaqim, king of Yahudah, and the princes of Yahudah, with the craftsmen and smiths, from Yerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.

2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first-ripe. The other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.

3 Then Yahwah said to me: What do you see, YeremYah? I said: Figs. The good figs, very good. And the bad, very bad, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.

4 The Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

5 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Yahudah, whom I sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for good.

6 For I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. I will build them, and not pull them down. I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

7 I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am Yahwah. They will be my people, and I will be their Father, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.

8 As the bad figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad, surely thus Yahwah says: So I will give up Zedekiyah the king of Yahudah, his princes, and the residue of Yerusalem, who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.

9 I will even give them up to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I drive them.

10 I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they are consumed from off the land I gave to them and to their fathers.

Chapter 25

1 The Word that came to YeremYah concerning all the people of Yahudah, in the fourth year of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah (the same was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon),

2 which YeremYah the prophet spoke to all the people of Yahudah, and to all the inhabitants of Yerusalem, saying:

3 From the thirteenth year of Yoshiyah the son of Amon, king of Yahudah, even to today, these three and twenty years, the Word of Yahwah has come to me, and I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking. But you do not hearken.

4 Yahwah has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them (but you do not hearken, nor incline your ear to hear),

5 saying: Return you now everyone from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings. Dwell in the land Yahwah gave to you and to your fathers, from of old and even for evermore.

6 Do not go after false gods to serve them, and to worship them. Do not provoke me to anger with the work of your hands, and I will do you no hurt.

7 Yet you do not hearken to me: says Yahwah. You provoke me to anger with the work of your hands to your own hurt.

8 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts: You do not hear my words.

9 Behold, I send and take all the families of the north: says Yahwah. I send to Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, to bring them against this land, against the inhabitants of it, and against all these nations round about. I will utterly destroy them, make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.

10 Moreover I will take the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness from them, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the lamp.

11 This whole land will be a desolation, an astonishment, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.

12 It will come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, for their iniquity: says Yahwah. I will make the land of the Chaldeans desolate forever.

13 I will bring upon that land all my words which I pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which YeremYah prophesied against all the nations.

14 Many nations and great kings will make bondmen of them, even of them. I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the work of their hands.

15 For thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, to me: Take this cup of the wine of wrath at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.

16 They will drink, reel to and fro, and be mad, because of the sword I send among them.

17 Then I took the cup at Yahwah's hand, and made all the nations to drink, to whom Yahwah sent me.

18 To wit: Yerusalem, the cities of Yahudah, the kings of it, and the princes of it, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is today;

19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people;

20 all the mingled people, all the kings of the land of the Uz, all the kings of the Philistines, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;

21 Edom, Moab, and the children of Ammon;

22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, the kings of the isle which is beyond the sea;

23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, all who have the corners of their hair cut off;

24 all the kings of Arabia, all the kings of the mingled people who dwell in the wilderness;

25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, all the kings of the Medes;

26 all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth; and the king of Sheshach will drink after them.

27 You will say to them: Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Drink, be drunken, and spew. Fall, and rise no more, because of the sword I send among you.

28 It will be, if they refuse to take the cup at your hand to drink, then you will say to them: Thus says Yahwah of hosts: You will surely drink.

29 Lo, I begin to work evil at the city which is called by my Name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You will not be unpunished, for I call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth: says Yahwah of hosts.

30 Therefore prophesy all these words against them, and say to them: Yahwah roars from on high, and utters His voice from His holy habitation. He roars mightily against His fold. He gives a shout, as those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

31 A noise comes even to the end of the earth, for Yahwah has a controversy with the nations. He enters into judgment with all flesh. As for the wicked, He gives them to the sword: says Yahwah.

32 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Behold, evil goes forth from nation to nation, and a great tempest is raised up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

33 The slain of Yahwah will be at that day from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They will not be lamented, nor gathered, nor buried. They will be dung upon the face of the ground.

34 Wail, you shepherds, and cry. Wallow in ashes, you principal of the flock. The days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come, and you will fall like a goodly vessel.

35 The shepherds have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.

36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and the wailing of the principal of the flock! For Yahwah lays their pasture waste.

37 The peaceable folds are brought to silence because of the fierce anger of Yahwah.

38 He left His cover, as the lion. Their land is become an astonishment because of the fierceness of the oppressing sword, and because of His fierce anger.

Chapter 26

1 In the beginning of the reign of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, the Word came from Yahwah, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah: Stand in the court of Yahwah's house. Speak to all the cities of Yahudah who come to worship in Yahwah's house all the words I command you to speak to them. Diminish not a word.

3 It may be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent Me of the evil I purpose to do to them because of the evil of their doings.

4 You will say to them: Thus says Yahwah: If you will not hearken to Me, to walk in my law which I set before you

5 (to hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, even rising up early and sending them, but you do not hearken),

6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people, heard YeremYah speaking these words in the house of Yahwah.

8 It came to pass, when YeremYah made an end of speaking all Yahwah commanded him to speak to all the people, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, laid hold on him, saying: You will surely die.

9 Why do you prophesy in the Name of Yahwah, saying: This house will be like Shiloh, and this city will be desolate, without inhabitant? All the people were gathered to YeremYah in the house of Yahwah.

10 When the princes of Yahudah heard these things, they came up from the king's house to the house of Yahwah. They sat in the entry of the new gate of Yahwah's house.

11 Then the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and to all the people, saying: This man is worthy of death, for he prophesied against this city, as you heard with your ears.

12 Then YeremYah spoke to all the princes, and to all the people, saying: Yahwah sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words you heard.

13 Now therefore amend your ways and your doings. Obey the voice of Yahwah your Father, and Yahwah will repent Him of the evil He pronounced against you.

14 But as for me, behold, I am in your hand, do with me as is good and right in your eyes.

15 Only know for certain, if you put me to death, you bring innocent blood upon yourselves, upon this city, and upon the inhabitants of it. For of a truth Yahwah sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.

16 Then the princes and all the people said to the priests and to the prophets: This man is not worthy of death, for he spoke to us in the Name of Yahwah our Father.

17 Then certain of the elders of the land rose up, and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying:

18 Micah the Morashtite prophesied in the days of Hezekyah king of Yahudah. He spoke to all the people of Yahudah, saying: Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Zion will be plowed as a field, Yerusalem will become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest.

19 Did Hezekyah king of Yahudah and all Yahudah put him to death? Did he not fear Yahwah, and ask the favor of Yahwah, and Yahwah repented Him of the evil He had pronounced against them? Thus would we commit great evil against our own souls.

20 There was also a man who prophesied in the Name of Yahwah, Uryah the son of Shemayah of Kiriath-jearim, he prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of YeremYah.

21 When Yahuyaqim the king, with all his mighty-men, and all the princes, heard his words, the king tried to put him to death. When Uryah heard it, he was afraid, fled, and went into Egypt.

22 Yahuyaqim the king sent men into Egypt (namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him, into Egypt).

23 They fetched forth Uryah out of Egypt, brought him to Yahuyaqim the king, who killed him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

24 But the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with YeremYah, that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

Chapter 27

1 In the beginning of the reign of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, this Word came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah to me; Make bonds and bars, and put them upon your neck.

3 Send them to the king of Edom, to the king of Moab, to the king of the children of Ammon, to the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Yerusalem to Zedekiyah king of Yahudah.

4 Give them a charge to their masters, saying: Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Thus you will say to your masters:

5 I made the earth, the men, and the beasts that are upon the face of the earth, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and I give it to whom it seems right to me.

6 Now I give all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant. The beasts of the field also I give him to serve him.

7 All the nations will serve him, his son, and his son's son, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings will make him their bondman.

8 It will come to pass, the nation and the kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I consume them by his hand: says Yahwah.

9 But as for you, do not hearken to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreams, nor to your soothsayers, nor to your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying: You will not serve the king of Babylon.

10 For they prophesy a lie to you, to remove you far from your land, that I should drive you out, and you should perish.

11 But the nation that will bring their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, that nation I will let remain in their own land: says Yahwah. They will till it, and dwell there.

12 I spoke to Zedekiyah king of Yahudah according to all these words, saying: Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and live.

13 Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as Yahwah spoke concerning the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

14 Do not hearken to the words of the prophets that speak to you, saying: You will not serve the king of Babylon. For they prophesy a lie to you.

15 I did not send them: says Yahwah. They prophesy falsely in my Name, that I may drive you out, and that you may perish, you, and the prophets who prophesy to you.

16 Also I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying: Thus says Yahwah: Do not hearken to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying: Behold, the vessels of Yahwah's house will now shortly be brought again from Babylon. For they prophesy a lie to you.

17 Do not hearken to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city become a desolation?

18 But if they are prophets, and if the Word of Yahwah is with them, let them now make intercession to Yahwah of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of Yahwah, and in the house of the king of Yahudah, and at Yerusalem, not go to Babylon.

19 For thus says Yahwah of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that are left in this city

20 (which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away captive Jeconyah the son of Yahuyaqim, king of Yahudah, from Yerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Yahudah and Yerusalem),

21 yea, thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah (concerning the vessels that are left in the house of Yahwah, and in the house of the king of Yahudah, and at Yerusalem),

22 they will be carried to Babylon, and there they will be, until the day I visit them: says Yahwah. Then I will bring them up, and restore them to this place.

Chapter 28

1 It came to pass the same year (in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, in the fourth year, in the fifth month), Hananyah the son of Azzur, the prophet, who was of Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of Yahwah, in the presence of the priests, and of all the people, saying:

2 Thus speaks Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, saying; I broke the yoke of the king of Babylon.

3 Within two full years I will bring again into this place all the vessels of Yahwah's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried to Babylon.

4 I will bring again to this place Jeconyah the son of Yahuyaqim, king of Yahudah, with all the captives of Yahudah who went to Babylon: says Yahwah. I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.

5 Then the prophet YeremYah said to the prophet Hananyah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of Yahwah,

6 even the prophet YeremYah said: Amein, Yahwah do so. Yahwah perform your words which you prophesied, to bring again the vessels of Yahwah's house, and all those of the captivity, from Babylon to this place.

7 Nevertheless hear you now this word that I speak in your ears, and in the ears of all the people:

8 The prophets who were before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, of evil, and of pestilence.

9 The prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, then the prophet is known, that Yahwah truly sent him.

10 Then Hananyah the prophet took the bar from off the prophet YeremYah's neck, and broke it.

11 Hananyah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying: Thus says Yahwah: Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon within two full years from off the neck of all the nations. The prophet YeremYah went his way.

12 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, after Hananyah the prophet broke the bar from off the neck of the prophet YeremYah, saying:

13 Go, tell Hananyah, saying: Thus says Yahwah: You broke the bars of wood, but you made bars of iron instead.

14 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: I put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I give him the beasts of the field also.

15 Then the prophet YeremYah said to Hananyah the prophet: Hear now, Hananyah. Yahwah did not send you. You make this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I will send you away from off the face of the earth, this year you will die, because you spoke rebellion against Yahwah.

17 So Hananyah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

Chapter 29

1 Now these are the words of the letter YeremYah the prophet sent from Yerusalem to the residue of the elders of the captivity, to the priests, to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar carried away captive from Yerusalem to Babylon

2 (after Yekonyah the king, the queen-mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Yahudah and Yerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths, were departed from Yerusalem),

3 by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemaryah the son of Hilkyah (whom Zedekiyah king of Yahudah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), saying:

4 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, to all the captivity, whom I caused to be carried away captive from Yerusalem to Babylon:

5 Build houses, and dwell in them. Plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.

6 Take wives, beget sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters, multiply there, do not be diminished.

7 Seek the peace of the city where I caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahwah for it, for in the peace of it you will have peace.

8 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Do not let your prophets who are in the midst of you, and your diviners, deceive you. Neither hearken you to your dreams you cause to be dreamed.

9 For they prophesy falsely to you in my Name. I did not send them: says Yahwah.

10 For thus Yahwah says: After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.

11 I know the thoughts I think toward you: says Yahwah; thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end.

12 You will call upon Me, you will go and pray to Me, and I will hearken to you.

13 You will seek Me, and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

14 I will be found of you: says Yahwah. I will turn your captivity again. I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I drive you: says Yahwah. I will bring you again to the place from where I caused you to be carried away captive.

15 You said: Yahwah raised us up prophets in Babylon.

16 So this says Yahwah concerning the king who sits upon the throne of David, and concerning all the people who dwell in this city, your brothers who are not gone forth with you into captivity.

17 This says Yahwah of hosts: Behold, I will send the sword upon them, the famine, and the pestilence. I will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.

18 I will pursue after them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an execration, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.

19 They do not hearken to my words: says Yahwah. I sent my servants the prophets to them, rising up early and sending them. But you would not hear: says Yahwah.

20 Hear therefore the Word of Yahwah, all you of the captivity, whom I sent away from Yerusalem to Babylon.

21 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, concerning Ahab the son of Kolayah, and concerning Zedekiyah the son of Maaseyah, who prophesy a lie to you in my Name: Behold, I deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he will kill them before your eyes.

22 Of them will be taken up a curse by all the captives of Yahudah who are in Babylon, saying: Yahwah make you like Zedekiyah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire.

23 They wrought folly in Yisrayah, committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and spoke words falsely in my Name, which I did not command them. I am He who knows, and am witness: says Yahwah.

24 Concerning Shemayah the Nehelamite you will speak, saying:

25 Thus speaks Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, saying: Because you sent letters in your own name to all the people who are at Yerusalem, and to Zephanyah the son of Maaseyah, the priest, and to all the priests, saying:

26 Yahwah makes you priest instead of Yahuyada the priest, that there may be officers in the house of Yahwah. Every man who is mad, and makes himself a prophet, you should put him in the stocks and in shackles.

27 Now therefore, why do you not rebuke YeremYah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you,

28 forasmuch as he sent to us in Babylon, saying: The captivity is long (build houses, dwell in them, plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them)?

29 Zephanyah the priest read this letter in the ears of YeremYah the prophet.

30 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, saying:

31 Send to all those of the captivity. Say: Thus says Yahwah concerning Shemayah the Nehelamite: Shemayah prophesied to you, and I did not send him, he caused you to trust in a lie.

32 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I will punish Shemayah the Nehelamite, and his seed. He will not have a man to dwell among this people, neither will he behold the good I will do to my people: says Yahwah; because he spoke rebellion against Yahwah.

Chapter 30

1 The Word that came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Thus speaks Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, saying: Write all the words I spoke to you in a book.

3 Lo, the days come: says Yahwah; I will turn again the captivity of my people Yisrayah and Yahudah. Yahwah says: I will cause them to return to the land I gave to their fathers, and they will possess it.

4 These are the words Yahwah spoke concerning Yisrayah and concerning Yahudah.

5 For thus Yahwah says: We heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace.

6 Ask you now, and see whether a man does travail with child? Why do I see every man with his hands on his loins, as a woman in travail, and all faces are turned into paleness?

7 Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it. It is even the time of Yaacob's adversary, but he will be saved out of it.

8 It will come to pass in that day: says Yahwah of hosts; I will break his yoke from off your neck, and will burst your bonds, strangers will no longer make him their bondman.

9 They will serve Yahwah their Father, and David their king, whom I will raise up to them.

10 Do not fear, O Yaacob my servant: says Yahwah. Neither be dismayed, O Yisrayah. Lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Yaacob will return, will be quiet and at ease, and none will make him afraid.

11 I am with you to save you: says Yahwah. I will make a full end of all the nations where I scatter you, but I will not make a full end of you. I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.

12 For thus Yahwah says: Your hurt is incurable, and your wound grievous.

13 There is none to plead your cause, that you may be bound up. You have no healing medicines.

14 All your lovers forget you, they do not seek you. I wounded you with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins were increased.

15 Why cry for your hurt? Your pain is incurable. I do these things to you for the greatness of your iniquity, because your sins are increased.

16 Therefore all those who devour you will be devoured. All your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity. Those who despoil you will be a spoil, and all who prey upon you I will give for a prey.

17 I will restore health to you, and I will heal you of your wounds: says Yahwah. They called you an outcast, saying: It is Zion, whom no man seeks after.

18 Thus Yahwah says: Behold, I will turn again the captivity of Yaacob's tents, and have compassion on his dwelling-places. The city will be built upon its own hill, and the palace will be inhabited after its own manner.

19 Out of them will proceed thanksgiving, and the voice of those who make merry. I will multiply them, and they will not be few. I will also glorify them, and they will not be small.

20 Their children also will be as before, and their congregation will be established before me, and I will punish all who oppress them.

21 Their prince will be of themselves, and their ruler will proceed from the midst of them. I will cause him to draw near, and he will approach to me. For who is he who has boldness to approach to me: says Yahwah?

22 You are my people, and I am your Father.

23 Behold, the tempest of Yahwah, even His wrath, is gone forth, a sweeping tempest. It will burst upon the head of the wicked.

24 The fierce anger of Yahwah will not return, until He has executed, till He performs the intents of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it.

Chapter 31

1 At that time: says Yahwah; I will be the Father of all the families of Yisrayah, and they will be my people.

2 Thus Yahwah says: The people who were left of the sword found favor in the wilderness, even Yisrayah, when I went to cause him to rest.

3 Yahwah appeared of old to me, saying: Yea, I loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I draw you with lovingkindness.

4 Again I will build you, and you will be built, O virgin of Yisrayah. Again you will be adorned with your tabrets, and will go forth in the dances of those who make merry.

5 Again you will plant vineyards upon the mountains of Samaria. The planters will plant, and enjoy the fruit of it.

6 For there will be a day that the watchmen [Nazarenes] upon the hills of Ephrayim will cry: Arise! Let us go up to Zion to Yahwah our Father.

7 For thus Yahwah says: Sing with gladness for Yaacob, and shout for the chief of the nations. Publish you, praise you, and say, O Yahwah, save your people, the remnant of Yisrayah.

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north country, and gather them from the uttermost parts of the earth, the blind and the lame with them, the woman with child together with her who travails with child. A great company will they return here.

9 They will come with weeping, I will lead them with supplications. I will cause them to walk by rivers of waters, in a straight way in which they do not stumble, for I am a Father to Yisrayah, and Ephrayim is my first-born.

10 Hear the Word of Yahwah, O you nations, and declare it in the isles afar off. Say: He who scattered Yisrayah will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.

11 For Yahwah ransomed Yaacob, and redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.

12 They will come and sing in the height of Zion, and will flow to the goodness of Yahwah, to the grain, to the new wine, to the oil, to the young of the flock, and of the herd. Their soul will be as a watered garden, and they will not sorrow anymore at all.

13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance, and the young men and the old together. For I will turn their mourning into joy, will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

14 I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people will be satisfied with my goodness: says Yahwah.

15 Thus Yahwah says: A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are not.

16 Thus Yahwah says: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears. Your work will be rewarded: says Yahwah. They will come again from the land of the enemy.

17 There is hope for your latter end: says Yahwah. Your children will come again to their own border.

18 I surely heard Ephrayim bemoaning himself thus: You chastised me, and I was chastised, as a calf unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn me, and I will be turned, for you are Yahwah my Father.

19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented. After that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I bear the reproach of my youth.

20 Is Ephrayim my dear son? Is he a darling child? For as often as I speak against him, I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore my heart yearns for him. I will surely have mercy upon him: says Yahwah.

21 Set you up waymarks, make guide-posts, set your heart toward the highway, even the way by which you went. Turn again, O virgin of Yisrayah, turn again to these your cities.

22 How long will you go here and there, O you backsliding daughter? Yahwah creates a new thing in the earth: a woman will encompass a man.

23 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Yet again they will use this speech in the land of Yahudah and in the cities of it, when I will bring again their captivity: Yahwah bless you, O habitation of righteousness, O mountain of holiness.

24 Yahudah and all the cities of it will dwell together, the husbandmen, and those who go about with flocks.

25 For I satiate the weary soul, and I replenish every sorrowful soul.

26 Upon this I awaked, beheld, and my sleep was sweet to me.

27 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will sow the house of Yisrayah and the house of Yahudah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.

28 It will come to pass, like as I watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy, and to afflict, so will I watch over them to build and to plant: says Yahwah.

29 In those days they will not say: The fathers eat sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

30 But everyone will die for his own iniquity. Every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.

31 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will renew my covenant with the house of Yisrayah, and with the house of Yahudah.

32 There will be a slight difference to the covenant I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. They broke my covenant, although I was a husband to them: says Yahwah.

33 But this is the covenant I will make with the house of Yisrayah after those days: says Yahwah. I will put my law in their inward parts. I will write it in their heart. I will be their Father, and they will be my children.

34 They will not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying: Know Yahwah. For they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them: says Yahwah. I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.

35 Thus says Yahwah (who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who stirs up the sea, so the waves of it roar. Yahwah of hosts is His Name):

36 If these ordinances depart from before Me; says Yahwah; then the seed of Yisrayah also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.

37 Thus Yahwah says: If heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of the earth searched out beneath, then I will also cast off all the seed of Yisrayah for all they have done: says Yahwah.

38 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; the city will be built to Yahwah from the tower of Hananel to the gate of the corner.

39 The measuring line will go out further straight onward to the hill Gareb, and will turn about to Goah.

40 The whole valley of the dead bodies, of the ashes, and all the fields to the brook Kidron, to the corner of the horse gate toward the east, will be holy to Yahwah. It will not be plucked up, nor thrown down, any more forever.

Chapter 32

1 The Word that came to YeremYah from Yahwah in the tenth year of Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.

2 Now at that time the king of Babylon's army was besieging Yerusalem, and YeremYah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the king of Yahudah's house.

3 For Zedekiyah king of Yahudah had shut him up, saying: Why do you prophesy, and say: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it?

4 And, Zedekiyah king of Yahudah will not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, will speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes will behold his eyes?

5 He will bring Zedekiyah to Babylon, and there he will be until I visit him? Yahwah says: Though you fight with the Chaldeans, you will not prosper.

6 YeremYah said: The Word of Yahwah came to me, saying:

7 Behold. Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying: Buy my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.

8 So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the guard according to the Word of Yahwah, and said to me: Buy my field, I pray you, that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin. For the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours. Buy it for yourself. Then I knew this was the Word of Yahwah.

9 I bought the field that was in Anathoth of Hanamel my uncle's son, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.

10 I subscribed the deed, sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.

11 So I took the deed of the purchase (both what was sealed, according to the law and custom, and what was open),

12 and I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neryah, the son of Mahseyah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses who subscribed the deed of the purchase, before all the Yahudim who sat in the court of the guard.

13 I charged Baruch before them, saying:

14 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Take these deeds, this deed of the purchase which is sealed, and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.

15 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Houses, fields, and vineyards, will yet again be bought in this land.

16 Now after I delivered the deed of the purchase to Baruch the son of Neryah, I prayed to Yahwah, saying:

17 Ah Father Yahwah! Behold, you made the heavens and the earth by your great power, and by your outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you,

18 who shows lovingkindness to thousands, and recompenses the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them. The great, the mighty Yahwah (Yahwah of hosts is His Name),

19 great in counsel, and mighty in work. Your eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

20 You set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even to this day, both in Yisrayah and among other men (and made you a Name, as at this day).

21 You brought forth your people Yisrayah out of the land of Egypt with signs, with wonders, with a strong hand, with an outstretched arm, and with great terror.

22 You gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

23 They came in, and possessed it. But they did not obey your voice, neither walked in your law. They do nothing of all you commanded them to do, therefore you caused all this evil to come upon them.

24 Behold, the mounds, they are come to the city to take it. The city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, of the famine, and of the pestilence. What you spoke is come to pass. Behold, you see it.

25 You said to me, O Father Yahwah: Buy the field for money, and call witnesses, yet the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

26 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, saying:

27 Behold, I am Yahwah, the Father of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?

28 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.

29 The Chaldeans who fight against this city will come and set this city on fire, and burn it, with the houses, upon whose roofs they offered incense to The LORD, and poured out drink-offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger.

30 For the children of Yisrayah and the children of Yahudah only do that which is evil in my sight from their youth. For the children of Yisrayah only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands: says Yahwah.

31 This city is a provocation to me of my anger and of my wrath from the day they built it even to today.

32 I should remove it from before my face, because of all the evil of the children of Yisrayah, and of the children of Yahudah, which they do to provoke me to anger (they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Yahudah, and the inhabitants of Yerusalem).

33 They turned the back to me, and not the face. Though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they do not hearken to receive instruction.

34 But they set their abominations in the house which is called by my Name, to defile it.

35 They built the high places of The LORD, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech (which I did not command them, neither did it come into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Yahudah to sin).

36 Now therefore thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah (concerning this city, of which you say: It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence):

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all the countries, where I drive them in my anger, in my wrath, and in great indignation. I will bring them again to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.

38 They will be my people, and I will be their Father.

39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for the good of them, and of their children after them.

40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from following them, to do them good. I will put my fear in their hearts, that they may not depart from Me.

41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole soul.

42 For thus Yahwah says: Like as I bring all this great evil upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good I promised them.

43 Fields will be bought in this land, of which you say: It is desolate, without man or beast, it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

44 Men will buy fields for money, subscribe the deeds, seal them, and call witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, in the places about Yerusalem, in the cities of Yahudah, in the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South. For I will cause their captivity to return: says Yahwah.

Chapter 33

1 Moreover the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the guard, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah who does it, Yahwah who forms it to establish it, Yahwah is His Name:

3 Call to me. I will answer you, and will show you great things, and difficult, which you do not know.

4 For thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Yahudah, which are broken down to make a defence against the mounds, and against the sword:

5 Men come to fight with the Chaldeans, and to fill them with the dead bodies of men, whom I killed in my anger and in my wrath, and for all whose wickedness I hid my face from this city.

6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, I will cure them. I will reveal to them abundance of peace and truth.

7 I will cause the captivity of Yahudah and the captivity of Yisrayah to return, and will build them, as at the first.

8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, which they sin against me. I will pardon all their iniquities, which they sin against me, and which they transgress against me.

9 This city will be to me for a name of joy, for a praise, and for a glory, before all the nations of the earth, which will hear all the good I do to them, and will fear and tremble for all the good and for all the peace that I procure to it.

10 Thus Yahwah says: Yet again there will be heard in this place (of which you say: It is waste, without man and without beast, even in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem, that are desolate, without man, without inhabitant, and without beast)

11 the voice of joy, the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride. The voice of those who say: Give thanks to Yahwah of hosts, for Yahwah is good, for His lovingkindness endures forever. And of those who bring sacrifices of thanksgiving into the house of Yahwah. For I will cause the captivity of the land to return as at the first: says Yahwah.

12 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Yet again there will be in this place, which is waste, without man and without beast, and in all the cities of it, a habitation of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down.

13 In the cities of the hill-country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places about Yerusalem, and in the cities of Yahudah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of him who numbers them: says Yahwah.

14 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will perform that good word I spoke concerning the house of Yisrayah, and concerning the house of Yahudah.

15 In those days, and at that time, I will cause a Branch of righteousness to grow up to David. He will execute justice and righteousness in the land.

16 In those days Yahudah will be saved, and Yerusalem will dwell safely. This is the Name by which He will be called: Yahwah our Righteousness.

17 For thus Yahwah says: David will never lack a man to sit upon the throne of the house of Yisrayah.

18 Neither will the priests the Levites lack a man before me to offer burnt-offerings, to burn meal-offerings, and to do sacrifice continually.

19 The Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, saying:

20 Thus says Yahwah: If you can break my covenant of the day, and my covenant of the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season;

21 then also my covenant with David my servant may be broken, that he will not have a son to reign upon his throne; and with the Levites the priests, my ministers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured; so I will multiply the seed of David my servant, and the Levites who minister to me.

23 The Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, saying:

24 Do not consider what this people speak, saying; The two families Yahwah chose, He cast them off? Thus do they despise my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

25 Thus Yahwah says: If my covenant of day and night does not stand, if I did not appoint the ordinances of heaven and earth,

26 then I will also cast away the seed of Yaacob, and of David my servant. I will not take of his seed to be rulers over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Yaacob. I will cause their captivity to return, and will have mercy on them.

Chapter 34

1 The Word which came to YeremYah from Yahwah, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, all his army, all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion, and all the peoples, were fighting against Yerusalem, and against all the cities of it, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Go, speak to Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, and tell him: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, I give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

3 You will not escape out of his hand, but will surely be taken, and delivered into his hand. Your eyes will behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, he will speak with you mouth to mouth, and you will go to Babylon.

4 Yet hear the Word of Yahwah, O Zedekiyah king of Yahudah. Thus says Yahwah concerning you: You will not die by the sword.

5 You will die in peace. With the burnings of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will make a burning for you. They will lament you, saying: Ah Master! For I spoke the word: says Yahwah.

6 Then YeremYah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiyah king of Yahudah in Yerusalem,

7 when the king of Babylon's army was fighting against Yerusalem, and against all the cities of Yahudah that were left, against Lachish and against Azekah. For these alone remained of the cities of Yahudah as fortified cities.

8 The Word that came to YeremYah from Yahwah, after the king Zedekiyah made a covenant with all the people who were at Yerusalem, to proclaim liberty to them.

9 That every man should let his manservant, and every man his maidservant, that is a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free. That none should make bondmen of them, to wit, of a Yahudi [Jew] his brother.

10 All the princes and all the people obeyed, who entered into the covenant, that everyone should let his man-servant, and everyone his maid-servant, go free, that none should make bondmen of them any more. They obeyed, and let them go.

11 But afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids to return, whom they had let go free, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids.

12 Therefore the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

13 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: I made a covenant with your fathers in the day I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage, saying:

14 At the end of seven years you will let go every man his brother who is a Hebrew, who was sold to you, and served you six years, you will let him go free from you. But your fathers did not hearken to me, neither inclined their ear.

15 You were now turned, and had done what is right in my eyes, in proclaiming liberty every man to his neighbor. You made a covenant before me in the house which is called by my Name.

16 But you turned, profaned my Name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom you had let go free at their pleasure, to return. You brought them into subjection, to be to you for servants and for handmaids.

17 Therefore thus Yahwah says: You do not hearken to Me, to proclaim liberty, every man to his brother, and every man to his neighbor. Behold, I proclaim to you a liberty: says Yahwah; to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine. I make you to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 I will give the men who transgressed my covenant, who did not perform the words of the covenant which they made before me when they cut the calf in two and passed between the parts of it

19 (the princes of Yahudah, the princes of Yerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land, who passed between the parts of the calf).

20 I will even give them into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of those who seek their life. Their dead bodies will be for food to the birds of the heavens, and to the beasts of the earth.

21 Zedekiyah king of Yahudah and his princes I give into the hand of their enemies, into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, that are gone away from you.

22 Behold, I command: says Yahwah; and cause them to return to this city. They will fight against it, take it, and burn it with fire. I will make the cities of Yahudah a desolation, without inhabitant.

Chapter 35

1 The Word which came to YeremYah from Yahwah in the days of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, saying:

2 Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak to them. Bring them into the house of Yahwah, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.

3 Then I took Jaazanyah the son of YeremYah, the son of Habazzinyah, his brothers, all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites.

4 I brought them into the house of Yahwah, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdalyah, the man of Yahwah, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was above the chamber of Maaseyah the son of Shallum, the keeper of the threshold.

5 I set bowls full of wine before the sons of the house of the Rechabites, and cups. I said to them: Drink wine.

6 But they said: We will drink no wine. For Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying: You will drink no wine, not you, nor your sons, forever.

7 Neither will you build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any. All your days you will dwell in tents, that you may live many days in the land in which you sojourn.

8 We obey the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all he charged us, to drink no wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons, or our daughters.

9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in, neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor seed.

10 We dwell in tents. We obey and do according to all Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 But it came to pass, when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said: Come, let us go to Yerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians. So we dwell at Yerusalem.

12 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, saying:

13 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Go, say to the men of Yahudah and the inhabitants of Yerusalem: Will you not receive instruction to hearken to my words; says Yahwah?

14 The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons, to not drink wine, are performed. To this day they drink none, for they obey their father's commandment. But I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, and you do not hearken to me.

15 I also sent all my servants the prophets to you, rising up early and sending them, saying: Return you now every man from his evil way, amend your doings, do not go after the gods to serve them, and you will dwell in the land I gave to you and to your fathers. But you do not incline your ear, nor hearken to me.

16 The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab perform the commandment of their father which he commanded them, but this people does not hearken to me.

17 Therefore thus says Yahwah, the Master of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I bring upon Yahudah and upon all the inhabitants of Yerusalem all the evil I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they do not hear. I called to them, but they do not answer.

18 YeremYah said to the house of the Rechabites: Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Because you obey the commandment of Jonadab your father, keep all his commandments, and do according to all he commanded you,

19 therefore this says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Jonadab the son of Rechab will not lack a man to stand before Me forever.

Chapter 36

1 It came to pass in the fourth year of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, that the Word came to YeremYah from Yahwah, saying:

2 Take a roll of a book, and write down all the words I spoke to you against Yisrayah, against Yahudah, and against all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Yoshiyah, even to today.

3 It may be the house of Yahudah will hear all the evil I purpose to do to them, and they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

4 Then YeremYah called Baruch the son of Neryah. Baruch wrote from the mouth of YeremYah all the words of Yahwah, which He had spoken to him, upon a roll of a book.

5 YeremYah commanded Baruch, saying: I am shut up [in prison], I cannot go into the house of Yahwah.

6 Therefore you go, and read in the roll, which you wrote from my mouth, the words of Yahwah in the ears of the people in Yahwah's house upon the fast-day. Also you will read them in the ears of all Yahudah who come out of their cities.

7 It may be they will present their supplication before Yahwah, and will return everyone from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath Yahwah pronounced against this people.

8 Baruch the son of Neryah did according to all YeremYah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of Yahwah in Yahwah's house.

9 Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, in the ninth month, that all the people in Yerusalem, and all the people who came from the cities of Yahudah to Yerusalem, proclaimed a fast before Yahwah.

10 Then Baruch read in the book the words of YeremYah in the house of Yahwah, in the chamber of Gemaryah the son of Shaphan, the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the new gate of Yahwah's house, in the ears of all the people.

11 When Micayah the son of Gemaryah, the son of Shaphan, heard all the words of Yahwah out of the book,

12 he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber. Lo, all the princes were sitting there, to wit, Elishama the scribe, Delayah the son of Shemayah, Elnathan the son of Achbor, Gemaryah the son of Shaphan, Zedekiyah the son of Hananyah, and all the princes.

13 Then Micayah declared to them all the words he had heard, when Baruch read the book in the ears of the people.

14 Therefore all the princes sent Yahudi the son of Nethanyah, the son of Shelemyah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying: Take in your hand the roll in which you read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neryah took the roll in his hand, and came to them.

15 They said to him: Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

16 Now it came to pass, when they heard all the words, they turned in fear one toward another, and said to Baruch: We will surely tell the king of all these words.

17 They asked Baruch, saying: Tell us now, how did you write all these words at his mouth?

18 Then Baruch answered them: He pronounced all these words to me with his mouth, and I wrote them with ink in the book.

19 Then the princes said to Baruch: Go, hide, you and YeremYah, and let no man know where you are.

20 They went in to the king into the court (but they had laid up the roll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe), and they told all the words in the ears of the king.

21 So the king sent Yahudi to fetch the roll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. Yahudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood beside the king.

22 Now the king was sitting in the winter-house in the ninth month, and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him.

23 It came to pass, when Yahudi had read three or four leaves, the king cut it with a knife, and cast it into the fire that was in the brazier, until all the roll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.

24 They were not afraid, nor tore their garments, not the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words.

25 Moreover Elnathan, Delayah, and Gemaryah, made intercession to the king that he would not burn the roll, but he would not hear them.

26 The king commanded Jerahmeel the king's son, Serayah the son of Azriel, and Shelemyah the son of Abdeel, to take Baruch the scribe and YeremYah the prophet. But Yahwah hid them.

27 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, after the king burned the roll, and the words Baruch wrote at the mouth of YeremYah, saying:

28 Take you again another roll, and write in it all the former words that were in the first roll, which Yahuyaqim the king of Yahudah burned.

29 And concerning Yahuyaqim king of Yahudah you will say: Thus says Yahwah: You burned this roll, saying: Why did you write this, saying: The king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cause man and beast to cease from there?

30 Therefore thus says Yahwah concerning Yahuyaqim king of Yahudah: He will have none to sit upon the throne of David. His dead body will be cast out in the day to the heat, and in the night to the frost.

31 I will punish him, his seed, and his servants, for their iniquity. I will bring upon them, upon the inhabitants of Yerusalem, and upon the men of Yahudah, all the evil I pronounced against them, but they did not hearken.

32 Then YeremYah took another roll, and gave it to Baruch the scribe, the son of Neryah, who wrote there from the mouth of YeremYah all the words of the book which Yahuyaqim king of Yahudah burned in the fire, and there were also added many similar words to them.

Chapter 37

1 Zedekiyah the son of Yoshiyah reigned as king, instead of Conyah the son of Yahuyaqim, whom Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon made king in the land of Yahudah.

2 But not he, nor his servants, nor the people of the land, hearkened to the words of Yahwah, which He spoke by the prophet YeremYah.

3 Zedekiyah the king sent Yahucal the son of Shelemyah, and Zephanyah the son of Maaseyah, the priest, to the prophet YeremYah, saying: Pray now to Yahwah our Father for us.

4 Now YeremYah came in and went out among the people, for they had not put him into prison.

5 Pharaoh's army was come forth out of Egypt, and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Yerusalem heard tidings of them, they broke up from Yerusalem.

6 Then the Word of Yahwah came to the prophet YeremYah, saying:

7 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah: Thus you will say to the king of Yahudah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Behold, Pharaoh's army, which is come forth to help you, will return to Egypt into their own land.

8 The Chaldeans will come again, and fight against this city. They will take it, and burn it with fire.

9 Thus Yahwah says: Do not deceive yourselves, saying: The Chaldeans will surely depart from us. They will not depart.

10 Though you had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans who fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet they would rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.

11 It came to pass, when the army of the Chaldeans was broken up from Yerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,

12 then YeremYah went forth out of Yerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to receive his portion there, in the midst of the people.

13 When he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the ward was there, whose name was Iriyah, the son of Shelemyah, the son of Hananyah. He laid hold on YeremYah the prophet, saying: You are falling away to the Chaldeans.

14 Then YeremYah said: It is false. I am not falling away to the Chaldeans. But he did not hearken to him. Iriyah laid hold on YeremYah, and brought him to the princes.

15 The princes were wroth with YeremYah, smote him, and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.

16 YeremYah was come into the dungeon-house, into the cells, and YeremYah remained there many days.

17 Then Zedekiyah the king sent, and fetched him. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said: Is there any word from Yahwah? YeremYah said: There is. He said also: You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.

18 Moreover YeremYah said to king Zedekiyah: when did I sin against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you put me in prison?

19 Where now are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying: The king of Babylon will not come against you, nor against this land?

20 Now hear, I pray you, O my master the king. Let my supplication, I pray you, be presented before you, that you cause me to not return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, unless I die there.

21 Then Zedekiyah the king commanded, and they committed YeremYah into the court of the guard. They gave him daily a loaf of bread out of the bakers' street, until all the bread in the city was spent. Thus YeremYah remained in the court of the guard.

Chapter 38

1 Shephatyah the son of Mattan, Gedalyah the son of Pashhur, Jucal the son of Shelemyah, and Pashhur the son of Malchiyah, heard the words YeremYah spoke to all the people, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah: He who abides in this city will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. But he who goes forth to the Chaldeans will live, his life will be to him for a prey, and he will live.

3 Thus Yahwah says: This city will surely be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon, and he will take it.

4 Then the princes said to the king: Let this man be put to death, we pray you. He weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, in speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but the hurt.

5 Zedekiyah the king said: Behold, he is in your hand, for the king is not he who can do anything against you.

6 Then they took YeremYah, and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiyah the king's son, that was in the court of the guard. They let YeremYah down with cords. In the dungeon there was no water, but mire, and YeremYah sank in the mire.

7 Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, who was in the king's house, heard they put YeremYah in the dungeon (the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin),

8 Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spoke to the king, saying:

9 My master the king, these men did evil in all they did to YeremYah the prophet, whom they cast into the dungeon. He is like to die in the place where he is, because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying: Take from here thirty men with you, and take up YeremYah the prophet out of the dungeon, before he dies.

11 So Ebed-melech took the men with him, went into the house of the king under the treasury, took there rags and worn-out garments, and let them down by cords into the dungeon to YeremYah.

12 Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to YeremYah: Put these rags and worn-out garments under your armholes under the cords. YeremYah did so.

13 So they drew up YeremYah with the cords, and took him up out of the dungeon. YeremYah remained in the court of the guard.

14 Then Zedekiyah the king sent, and took YeremYah the prophet to him into the third entry that is in the house of Yahwah. The king said to YeremYah: I will ask you a thing, hide nothing from me.

15 Then YeremYah said to Zedekiyah: If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? If I give you counsel, you will not hearken to me.

16 So Zedekiyah the king swore secretly to YeremYah, saying: As Yahwah lives, who made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.

17 Then YeremYah said to Zedekiyah: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: If you will go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul will live. This city will not be burned with fire, and you will live, and your house.

18 But if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then this city will be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, they will burn it with fire, and you will not escape out of their hand.

19 Zedekiyah the king said to YeremYah: I am afraid of the Yahudim who are fallen away to the Chaldeans, unless they deliver me into their hand, and they mock me.

20 But YeremYah said: They will not deliver you. I beg you, obey the voice of Yahwah, in what I speak to you. So it will be well with you, and your soul will live.

21 But if you refuse to go forth, this is the word Yahwah showed me:

22 behold, all the women who are left in the king of Yahudah's house will be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes. Those women will say: Your familiar friends set on you, and prevailed over you. Now that your feet are sunk in the mire, they are turned away back.

23 They will bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans. You will not escape out of their hand, but will be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. You will cause this city to be burned with fire.

24 Then Zedekiyah said to YeremYah: Let no man know of these words, and you will not die.

25 But if the princes hear that I talked with you, they may come to you, and say to you: Declare to us now what you said to the king. Do not hide it from us, also what the king said to you, and we will not put you to death.

26 Then you will say to them: I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

27 Then all the princes came to YeremYah, and asked him, and he told them according to all these words the king commanded. So they left off speaking with him, for the matter was not perceived.

28 So YeremYah abode in the court of the guard until the day Yerusalem was taken.

Chapter 39

1 It came to pass Yerusalem was taken. In the ninth year of Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon and all his army came against Yerusalem, and besieged it.

2 In the eleventh year of Zedekiyah, in the fourth month, the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city.

3 All the princes of the king of Babylon came in, and sat in the middle gate, to wit, Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim, Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, with all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon.

4 It came to pass, when Zedekiyah the king of Yahudah and all the men of war saw them, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, through the gate between the two walls. He went out toward the wadi Arabah.

5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after them, and overtook Zedekiyah in the plains of Yericho. When they took him, they brought him up to Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath. He gave judgment upon him.

6 Then the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiyah in Riblah before his eyes, also the king of Babylon killed all the nobles of Yahudah.

7 Moreover he put out Zedekiyah's eyes, and bound him in fetters, to carry him to Babylon.

8 The Chaldeans burned the king's house with fire, and the houses of the people, and broke down the walls of Yerusalem.

9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the residue of the people who remained in the city, the deserters also who fell away to him, and the residue of the people who remained.

10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, who had nothing, in the land of Yahudah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

11 Now Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon gave charge concerning YeremYah to Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, saying:

12 Take him, look well to him, and do him no harm. Do to him even as he will say to you.

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard sent (and Nebushazban, Rab-saris, and Nergal-sharezer, Rab-mag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon),

14 they sent, took YeremYah out of the court of the guard, and committed him to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home. So he dwelt among the people.

15 Now the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah, while he was shut up in the court of the guard, saying:

16 Go, speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian. Say: Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good. They will be accomplished before you in that day.

17 But I will deliver you in that day: says Yahwah; you will not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid.

18 For I will surely save you, you will not fall by the sword, but your life will be for a prey to you, because you put your trust in Me: says Yahwah.

Chapter 40

1 The Word which came to YeremYah from Yahwah, after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard let him go from Ramah, when he took him being bound in chains among all the captives of Yerusalem and Yahudah, who were carried away captive to Babylon.

2 The captain of the guard took YeremYah, and said to him: Yahwah your Father pronounced this evil upon this place.

3 Yahwah brought it, and did according as He spoke. Because you sinned against Yahwah, and do not obey His voice, therefore this thing is come upon you.

4 Behold, I loose you today from the chains which are upon your hand. If it seem good to you to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will look well to you. But if it seem ill to you to come with me into Babylon, then do not. Behold, all the land is before you. Where it seems good and right to you to go, go there.

5 He said: Go back there to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the cities of Yahudah, and dwell with him among the people. Or go wheresoever it seems right to you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him victuals, and a present, and let him go.

6 Then YeremYah went to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah, and dwelt with him among the people that were left in the land.

7 Now all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, even they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon made Gedalyah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, and children, of the poorest of the land, of those who were not carried away captive to Babylon.

8 They came to Gedalyah to Mizpah, to wit, Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Serayah the son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezanyah the son of the Maacathite, they and their men.

9 Gedalyah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan swore to them and to their men, saying: Do not fear to serve the Chaldeans. Dwell in the land, serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you.

10 As for me, behold, I will dwell at Mizpah, to stand before the Chaldeans who come to us. But you, gather wine, summer fruits, and oil, put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that you have.

11 Likewise all the Yahudim who were in Moab, among the children of Ammon, in Edom, and who were in all the countries, heard the king of Babylon left a remnant of Yahudah, and that he had set over them Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

12 Then all the Yahudim returned out of all places where they were driven, and came to the land of Yahudah, to Gedalyah, to Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much.

13 Moreover Yahchanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were in the fields, came to Gedalyah to Mizpah,

14 and said to him: Do you know the Lord of the king of the children of Ammon sent Ishmael the son of Nethanyah to take your life? But Gedalyah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Yahchanan the son of Kareah spoke to Gedalyah in Mizpah secretly, saying: Let me go, I pray you. I will slay Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, and no man will know it. Why should he take your life, that all the Yahudim who are gathered to you should be scattered, and the remnant of Yahudah perish?

16 But Gedalyah the son of Ahikam said to Yahchanan the son of Kareah: You will not do this thing, you speak falsely of Ishmael.

Chapter 41

1 Now it came to pass in the seventh month, Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, the son of Elishama, of the seed royal and one of the chief officers of the king, and ten men with him, came to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam to Mizpah. They ate bread together there in Mizpah.

2 Then Ishmael the son of Nethanyah arose, and the ten men who were with him. He smote Gedalyah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan with the sword, and killed him whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

3 Ishmael also killed all the Yahudim who were with him, to wit, with Gedalyah, at Mizpah, and the Chaldeans who were found there, the men of war.

4 It came to pass the second day after he killed Gedalyah, and no man knew it,

5 that there came men from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven and their clothes torn, and having cut themselves, with meal-offerings and frankincense in their hand, to bring them to the house of Yahwah.

6 Ishmael the son of Nethanyah went forth from Mizpah to meet them, weeping all along as he went. It came to pass, as he met them, he said to them: Come to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam.

7 It was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethanyah killed them, and cast them into the midst of the pit, he, and the men who were with him.

8 But ten men were found among those who said to Ishmael: Do not kill us. We have stores hidden in the field, of wheat, of barley, of oil, and of honey. So he repented, and did not kill them among their brothers.

9 Now the pit in which Ishmael cast all the dead bodies of the men whom he killed, by the side of Gedalyah, the same was what Asa the king had made for fear of Baasha king of Yisrayah. Ishmael the son of Nethanyah filled it with those who were slain.

10 Then Ishmael carried away captive all the residue of the people who were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people who remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard committed to Gedalyah the son of Ahikam. Ishmael the son of Nethanyah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the children of Ammon.

11 But Yahchanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, heard of all the evil Ishmael the son of Nethanyah did.

12 Then they took all the men, went to fight with Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, and found him by the great waters that are in Gibeon.

13 Now it came to pass, when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Yahchanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, then they were glad.

14 So all the people Ishmael carried away captive from Mizpah turned about, came back, and went to Yahchanan the son of Kareah.

15 But Ishmael the son of Nethanyah escaped from Yahchanan with eight men, and went to the children of Ammon.

16 Then Yahchanan took the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces who were with him, all the remnant of the people whom he recovered from Ishmael the son of Nethanyah, from Mizpah, after he killed Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, to wit, the men of war, the women, the children, and the eunuchs, whom he brought back from Gibeon.

17 They dwelt in Geruth Chimham, which is by Bethlehem. They were ready to go to enter into Egypt, because of the Chaldeans.

18 For they were afraid of them, because Ishmael the son of Nethanyah killed Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon made governor over the land.

Chapter 42

1 Then all the captains of the forces, Yahchanan the son of Kareah, Jezanyah the son of Hoshayah, and all the people from the least even to the greatest, came near,

2 and said to YeremYah the prophet: We pray you, let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to Yahwah your Father, even for all this remnant. For we are left but a few of many, as your eyes do behold us.

3 That Yahwah your Father may show us the way in which we should walk, and the thing we should do.

4 Then YeremYah the prophet said to them: I hear you. Behold, I will pray to Yahwah your Father according to your words. It will come to pass that whatsoever thing Yahwah will answer you, I will declare it to you. I will keep nothing back from you.

5 Then they said to YeremYah: Yahwah is a true and faithful witness among us, if we do not according to all the word with which Yahwah your Father will send you to us.

6 Whether it is good, or whether it is evil, we will obey the voice of Yahwah our Father, to whom we send you. It may be well with us when we obey the voice of Yahwah our Father.

7 It came to pass after ten days, the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah.

8 Then he called Yahchanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least even to the greatest,

9 and said to them: Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, to whom you sent me to present your supplication before Him:

10 If you will still abide in this land, then I will build you, and not pull you down. I will plant you, and not pluck you up. For I repent Me of the evil I did to you.

11 Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, of whom you are afraid. Do not be afraid of him: says Yahwah; for I am with you to save you, and to deliver you from his hand.

12 I will grant you mercy, that he may have mercy upon you, and cause you to return to your own land.

13 But if you say: We will not dwell in this land; you do not obey the voice of Yahwah your Father.

14 Saying: No. We will go into the land of Egypt, where we will see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread. There we will dwell.

15 Now therefore hear the Word of Yahwah, O remnant of Yahudah. Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: If you indeed set your faces to enter into Egypt, and go to sojourn there,

16 it will come to pass that the sword, which you fear, will overtake you there in the land of Egypt. The famine, of which you are afraid, will follow hard after you there in Egypt. There you will die.

17 So it will be with all the men who set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there. They will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence. None of them will remain or escape from the evil I will bring upon them.

18 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: As my anger and my wrath was poured forth upon the inhabitants of Yerusalem, so my wrath will be poured forth upon you if you enter into Egypt. You will be an execration, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach. And you will not see this place anymore.

19 Yahwah spoke concerning you, O remnant of Yahudah. Do not go into Egypt, know certainly I testified to you today.

20 For you dealt deceitfully against your own souls. You sent me to Yahwah your Father, saying: Pray for us to Yahwah our Father. According to all Yahwah our Father says, so declare to us, and we will do it.

21 I declared it to you today, but you do not obey the voice of Yahwah your Father in anything for which He sent me to you.

22 Now therefore know certainly you will die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, in the place where you desire to go to sojourn there.

Chapter 43

1 It came to pass YeremYah made an end of speaking to all the people all the words of Yahwah their Father, with which Yahwah their Father had sent him to them, even all these words.

2 Then Azaryah the son of Hoshayah spoke, with Yahchanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying to YeremYah: You speak falsely. Yahwah our Father did not send you to say: You will not go into Egypt to sojourn there.

3 But Baruch the son of Neryah sets you on against us, to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they may put us to death, and carry us away captive to Babylon.

4 So Yahchanan the son of Kareah, all the captains of the forces, and all the people, did not obey the voice of Yahwah, to dwell in the land of Yahudah.

5 But Yahchanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, took all the remnant of Yahudah (who were returned from all the nations where they were driven, to sojourn in the land of Yahudah,

6 the men, the women, the children, the king's daughters, and every person Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left with Gedalyah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan), with YeremYah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neryah.

7 They came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of Yahwah. They came to Tahpanhes.

8 Then the Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah in Tahpanhes, saying:

9 Take great stones in your hand, and hide them in mortar in the brickwork, which is at the entry of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Yahudah.

10 Say to them: Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones I hid. He will spread his royal pavilion over them.

11 He will come, and will smite the land of Egypt. Such as are for death are given to death, and such as are for captivity to captivity, and such as are for the sword to the sword.

12 I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt. He will burn them, and carry them away captive. He will array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd puts on his garment, and he will go forth from there in peace.

13 He will also break the obelisks of Beth-shemesh, that is in the land of Egypt. He will burn the houses of the gods of Egypt with fire.

Chapter 44

1 The Word that came to YeremYah concerning all the Yahudim who dwelt in the land of Egypt, who dwelt at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the country of Pathros, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah; You saw all the evil I brought upon Yerusalem, and upon all the cities of Yahudah (behold, today they are a desolation, and no man dwells there)

3 because of their wickedness which they committed to provoke me to anger, in that they went to burn incense, and to serve gods they did not know, neither they, nor you, nor your fathers.

4 However I sent to you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying: Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate.

5 But they did not hearken, nor incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to the gods.

6 So my wrath and my anger poured forth, and was kindled in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem. They are wasted and desolate, as it is today.

7 Therefore thus says Yahwah, the Father of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Why do you commit this great evil against your own souls, to cut off from you man and woman, infant and suckling, out of the midst of Yahudah, to leave you none remaining;

8 in that you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, burning incense to gods in the land of Egypt, where you are gone to sojourn, that you may be cut off, and that you may be a curse and a reproach among all the nations of the earth?

9 Do you forget the wickedness of your fathers, the wickedness of the kings of Yahudah, the wickedness of their wives, your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives which they commit in the land of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem?

10 They are not humbled even to this day, neither do they fear, nor walk in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers.

11 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I set my face against you for evil, even to cut off all Yahudah.

12 I will take the remnant of Yahudah, who set their faces to go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and you will all be consumed. In the land of Egypt you will fall, you will be consumed by the sword and by the famine. You will die, from the least even to the greatest, by the sword and by the famine. You will be an execration, an astonishment, a curse, and a reproach.

13 I will punish those who dwell in the land of Egypt, as I punished Yerusalem, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence.

14 None of the remnant of Yahudah who go into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, will escape or be left, to return into the land of Yahudah, to which they have a desire to return to dwell there. None will return save such as will escape.

15 Then all the men who knew their wives burned incense to the gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, even all the people who dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered YeremYah, saying:

16 As for the word you spoke to us in the Name of Yahwah, we will not hearken to you.

17 But we will certainly perform every word that is gone forth out of our mouth, to burn incense to the queen of heaven [Easter], and to pour out drink-offerings to her, as we did, we and our fathers, our kings and our princes, in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem. For then we had plenty of victuals, were well, and saw no evil.

18 But since we left off burning incense to the queen of heaven, and pouring out drink-offerings to her, we have lacked all things, and have been consumed by the sword, and by the famine.

19 When we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink-offerings to her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink-offerings to her, without our husbands?

20 Then YeremYah said to all the people, to the men, and to the women, even to all the people who gave him that answer, saying:

21 The incense you burned in the cities of Yahudah, and in the streets of Yerusalem, you and your fathers, your kings and your princes, and the people of the land, did Yahwah not remember them, and did it not come into His mind?

22 Yahwah could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations you committed. That is why your land is become a desolation, an astonishment, and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is today.

23 Because you burned incense, and because you sinned against Yahwah, and would not obey the voice of Yahwah, nor walk in His law, nor in His statutes, nor in His testimonies: that is why this evil is happened to you, as it is today.

24 Moreover YeremYah said to all the people, and to all the women: Hear the Word of Yahwah, all Yahudah who are in the land of Egypt.

25 Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, saying: You and your wives both spoke with your mouths, and fulfilled it with your hands, saying: We will surely perform our vows we vowed, to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink-offerings to her. Establish your vows then, and perform your vows.

26 Therefore hear the Word of Yahwah, all Yahudah who dwells in the land of Egypt: Behold, I swear by my great Name. Yahwah says: My Name will not be named anymore in the mouth of any man of Yahudah in all the land of Egypt, saying: As the Father Yahwah lives.

27 Behold, I watch over them for evil, and not for good. All the men of Yahudah who are in the land of Egypt will be consumed by the sword, and by the famine, until there is an end of them.

28 Those who escape the sword will return out of the land of Egypt into the land of Yahudah, few in number. All the remnant of Yahudah, who are gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, will know whose word will stand: mine, or theirs.

29 Here is a sign to you: says Yahwah; that I punish you in this place, that you may know my words will surely stand against you for evil.

30 This says Yahwah: Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of those who seek his life, as I gave Zedekiyah king of Yahudah into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, who was his enemy, and sought his life.

Chapter 45

1 The word YeremYah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neryah, when he wrote these words in a book at the mouth of YeremYah, in the fourth year of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah, saying:

2 Thus says Yahwah, the Father of Yisrayah, to you, O Baruch:

3 You said: Woe is me now! For Yahwah added sorrow to my pain. I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.

4 Thus you will say to him: Thus says Yahwah: Behold, what I built I will break down, and what I planted I will pluck up, and this in the whole land.

5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. Behold, I bring evil upon all flesh: says Yahwah. But your life I will give to you for a prey in all places where you go.

Chapter 46

1 The Word of Yahwah which came to YeremYah the prophet concerning the nations.

2 Of Egypt: concerning the army of Pharaoh-neco king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Yahuyaqim the son of Yoshiyah, king of Yahudah.

3 Prepare the buckler and shield, draw near to battle.

4 Harness the horses, and get up, you horsemen. Stand forth with your helmets, furbish the spears, put on the coats of mail.

5 How did I see it? They are dismayed, and are turned backward. Their mighty ones are beaten down, are fled apace, and do not look back. Terror is on every side: says Yahwah.

6 Do not let the swift flee away, nor the mighty man escape, in the north by the river Euphrates they stumble and fall.

7 Who is this that rises up like the Nile, whose waters toss themselves like the rivers?

8 Egypt rises up like the Nile, and his waters toss themselves like the rivers. He says: I will rise up, I will cover the earth, I will destroy cities, and the inhabitants of it.

9 Go up, you horses; rage, you chariots; and let the mighty men go forth: Cush and Put, who handle the shield; and the Ludim, who handle and bend the bow.

10 For that day is a day of Yahwah of armies, a day of vengeance, that He may avenge Him of His adversaries. The sword will devour and be satiate, it will drink its fill of their blood. For the Father, Yahwah of hosts, has a sacrifice in the north country by the river Euphrates.

11 Go up into Gilead, and take balm, O virgin daughter of Egypt. In vain do you use many medicines, there is no healing for you.

12 The nations hear of your shame, and the earth is full of your cry. The mighty man stumbles against the mighty, they are fallen both of them together.

13 The Word Yahwah spoke to YeremYah the prophet, how Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon should come and smite the land of Egypt.

14 Declare in Egypt, publish in Migdol, publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes. Say: Stand forth, and prepare. For the sword devours round about you.

15 Why are your strong ones swept away? They did not stand, because Yahwah drove them.

16 He made many to stumble, yea, they fell one upon another. They said: Arise, let us go again to our own people, to the land of our nativity, from the oppressing sword.

17 They cried there: Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise, he let the appointed time pass by.

18 As I live: says the King, whose Name is Yahwah of hosts; surely like Tabor among the mountains, and like Carmel by the sea, so he comes.

19 O you daughter who dwells in Egypt, furnish yourself to go into captivity. For Memphis will become a desolation, and will be burnt up, without inhabitant.

20 Egypt is a very fair heifer, but destruction is come out of the north, it is come.

21 Also her hired men in the midst of her are like calves of the stall. They also are turned back, they are fled away together, they did not stand. The day of their calamity is come upon them, the time of their visitation.

22 The sound of it goes like the serpent. They march with an army, and come against her with axes, as hewers of wood.

23 They will cut down her forest: says Yahwah; though it cannot be searched. They are more than the locusts, and are innumerable.

24 The daughter of Egypt is put to shame, she is delivered into the hand of the people of the north.

25 Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah, says: Behold, I punish Amon of No, Pharaoh, and Egypt, with her gods, and her kings (even Pharaoh, and those who trust in him).

26 I deliver them into the hand of those who seek their lives. Into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and into the hand of his servants. Afterwards it will be inhabited, as in the days of old: says Yahwah.

27 But do not fear, O Yaacob my servant, neither be dismayed, O Yisrayah. Lo, I will save you from afar, and your seed from the land of their captivity. Yaacob will return, will be quiet, at ease, and none will make him afraid.

28 Do not fear, O Yaacob my servant: says Yahwah. For I am with you. I will make a full end of all the nations where I drive you. I will not make a full end of you, but I will correct you in measure, and will in no way leave you unpunished.

Chapter 47

1 The Word of Yahwah that came to YeremYah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh smote Gaza.

2 Thus Yahwah says: Behold, waters [soldiers] rise up out of the north, will become an overflowing stream, and will overflow the land and all that is there, the city and those who dwell there. The men will cry, and all the inhabitants of the land will wail.

3 At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his strong ones, at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of his wheels. The fathers do not look back to their children for feebleness of hands,

4 because of the day that comes to destroy all the Philistines, to cut off from Tyre and Sidon every helper that remains. For Yahwah will destroy the Philistines, the remnant of the isle of Caphtor.

5 Baldness is come upon Gaza. Ashkelon is brought to nothing, the remnant of their valley. How long will you cut yourself?

6 O you sword of Yahwah, how long will it be until you are quiet? Put yourself up into your scabbard. Rest, and be still.

7 How can you be quiet, seeing Yahwah gave you a charge? Against Ashkelon, and against the sea-shore, there He appointed it.

Chapter 48

1 Of Moab [child of Lot]. Thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Woe to Nebo! For it is laid waste. Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken. Misgab is put to shame, and broken down.

2 The praise of Moab is no more. In Heshbon they devised evil against her: Come, and let us cut her off from being a nation. You also, O Madmen, will be brought to silence, the sword will pursue you.

3 The sound of a cry from Horonaim, desolation and great destruction!

4 Moab is destroyed, her little ones cause a cry to be heard.

5 For by the ascent of Luhith they will go up with continual weeping, for at the descent of Horonaim they heard the distress of the cry of destruction.

6 Flee, save your lives, and be like the heath in the wilderness.

7 Because you trusted in your works and in your treasures, you also will be taken. Chemosh goes forth into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

8 The destroyer will come upon every city, and no city will escape. The valley also will perish, and the plain will be destroyed, as Yahwah spoke.

9 Give wings to Moab, that she may fly, and get her away. Her cities will become a desolation, without any to dwell there.

10 Cursed is he who does the work of Yahwah negligently, and cursed is he who keeps back his sword from blood.

11 Moab has been at ease from his youth, he settled on his lees, and has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, neither has he gone into captivity. Therefore his taste remains in him, and his scent is not changed.

12 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will send to him those who pour off, and they will pour him off. They will empty his vessels, and break their bottles in pieces.

13 Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Yisrayah was ashamed of Beth-el their confidence.

14 How do you say: We are mighty men, and valiant men for the war?

15 Moab is laid waste. They are gone up into his cities, and his chosen young men are gone down to the slaughter: says the King, whose Name is Yahwah of hosts.

16 The calamity of Moab is near to come, and his affliction hurries along.

17 All you who are round about him, bemoan him, and all you who know his name, say: How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!

18 O you daughter who dwells in Dibon, come down from your glory, and sit in thirst. For the destroyer of Moab is come up against you, he destroys your strongholds.

19 O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch. Ask him who flees, and her who escapes, say: What was done?

20 Moab is put to shame, it is broken down. Wail and cry. Tell it by the Arnon, Moab is laid waste.

21 Judgment is come upon the plain country, upon Holon, upon Jahzah, upon Mephaath,

22 upon Dibon, upon Nebo, upon Beth-diblathaim,

23 upon Kiriathaim, upon Beth-gamul, upon Beth-meon,

24 upon Kerioth, upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.

25 The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken: says Yahwah.

26 Make him drunken, for he magnified himself against Yahwah. Moab will wallow in his vomit, and he will also be in derision.

27 For was Yisrayah not a derision to you? Was he found among thieves? For as often as you speak of him, you wag the head.

28 O you inhabitants of Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock. Be like the dove that makes her nest over the mouth of the abyss.

29 We heard of the pride of Moab, that he is very proud. His loftiness, his pride, his arrogancy, and the haughtiness of his heart.

30 I know his wrath: says Yahwah. It is nothing, his boastings have wrought nothing.

31 Therefore I wail for Moab. Yea, I cry out for all Moab, for the men of Kir-heres they will mourn.

32 With more than the weeping of Jazer I will weep for you, O vine of Sibmah. Your branches passed over the sea, they reached even to the sea of Jazer. Upon your summer fruits and upon your vintage the destroyer is fallen.

33 Gladness and joy is taken away from the fruitful field, and from the land of Moab. I cause wine to cease from the winepresses. None will tread with shouting, the shouting will be no shouting.

34 From the cry of Heshbon even to Elealeh, even to Jahaz they uttered their voice, from Zoar even to Horonaim, to Eglathshelishiyah. For the waters of Nimrim also will become desolate.

35 Moreover I will cause to cease in Moab: says Yahwah; him who offers in the high place, and him who burns incense to his god.

36 Therefore my heart sounds for Moab like pipes, and my heart sounds like pipes for the men of Kir-heres. Therefore the abundance he has gotten is perished.

37 For every head is bald, and every beard clipped. Upon all the hands are cuttings, and upon the loins sackcloth.

38 On all the housetops of Moab and in the streets of it there is lamentation everywhere. I broke Moab like a vessel in which none delights: says Yahwah.

39 How is it broken down! How do they wail! How has Moab turned the back with shame! So will Moab become a derision and a terror to all who are round about him.

40 For thus Yahwah says: Behold, he will fly as an eagle, and will spread out his wings against Moab.

41 Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are seized. At that day the heart of the mighty men of Moab will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

42 Moab will be destroyed from being a people, because he magnified himself against Yahwah.

43 Fear, the pit, and the snare, are upon you, O inhabitant of Moab: says Yahwah.

44 He who flees from the fear will fall into the pit. He who gets up out of the pit will be taken in the snare. I will bring upon him, even upon Moab, the year of their visitation: says Yahwah.

45 Those who fled stand without strength under the shadow of Heshbon. A fire is gone forth out of Heshbon, a flame from the midst of Sihon, it devoured the corner of Moab, and the crown of the head of the tumultuous ones.

46 Woe to you, O Moab! The people of Chemosh is undone. Your sons are taken away captive, and your daughters into captivity.

47 Yet I will bring back the captivity of Moab in the latter days: says Yahwah. Thus far is the judgment of Moab.

Chapter 49

1 Of the children of Ammon [child of Lot]. Thus Yahwah says: Has Yisrayah no sons? Has he no heir? Why then does Malcam possess Gad, and his people dwell in the cities of it?

2 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; that I will cause an alarm of war to be heard against Rabbah of the children of Ammon. It will become a desolate heap, and her daughters will be burned with fire. Then Yisrayah will possess those who possessed him: says Yahwah.

3 Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste; cry, you daughters of Rabbah, gird you with sackcloth; lament, run to and fro among the fences; for Malcam will go into captivity, his priests and his princes together.

4 Why do you glory in the valleys, your flowing valley, O backsliding daughter? You trusted in your treasures, saying: Who will come to me?

5 Behold, I will bring a fear upon you: says the Father, Yahwah of hosts; from all who are round about you. You will be driven out every man right forth, and there will be none to gather the fugitives together.

6 But afterward I will bring back the captivity of the children of Ammon: says Yahwah.

7 Of Edom [children of Esau]. Thus says Yahwah of hosts: Is wisdom no longer in Teman? Is counsel perished from the prudent? Is their wisdom vanished?

8 Flee, turn back, dwell in the depths, O inhabitants of Dedan. I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him.

9 If grape-gatherers came to you, would they not leave some gleaning grapes? If thieves by night, would they not destroy till they had enough?

10 But I made Esau bare, I uncovered his secret places, and he will not be able to hide himself. His seed is destroyed, his brothers, and his neighbors. He is not.

11 Leave your fatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let your widows trust in me.

12 For thus Yahwah says: Behold, those to whom it does not pertain to drink of the cup will assuredly drink, and are you he who will altogether go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but you will surely drink.

13 For I swear by myself: says Yahwah. Bozrah will become an astonishment, a reproach, a waste, and a curse. All the cities of it will be perpetual wastes.

14 I heard tidings from Yahwah, an ambassador is sent among the nations, saying: Gather yourselves together, come against her, and rise up to the battle.

15 Behold, I make you small among the nations, despised among men.

16 As for your terribleness, the pride of your heart deceives you, O you who dwell in the clefts of the rock, who holds the height of the hill. Though you should make your nest as high as the eagle, I will bring you down from there: says Yahwah.

17 Edom will become an astonishment. Everyone who passes by it will be astonished, and will hiss at all the plagues of it.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom, Gomorrah, and the neighbor cities of it: says Yahwah; no man will dwell there, neither will any son of man sojourn there.

19 Behold, he will come up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation. I will suddenly make them run away from it, and whoever is chosen, him I will appoint over it. For who is like Me? Who will appoint Me a time? Who is the shepherd who can stand before Me?

20 Therefore hear the counsel of Yahwah, that He takes against Edom, and His purposes, that He purposes against the inhabitants of Teman. Surely they will drag them away, even the little ones of the flock, surely He will make their habitation desolate over them.

21 The earth trembles at the noise of their fall, there is a cry, the noise of which is heard in the Red Sea.

22 Behold, he will come up, fly as the eagle, and spread out his wings against Bozrah. The heart of the mighty men of Edom at that day will be as the heart of a woman in her pangs.

23 Of Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad. For they hear evil tidings, they are melted away. There is sorrow on the sea, it cannot be quiet.

24 Damascus is waxed feeble, she turns herself to flee, and trembling seizes on her. Anguish and sorrows take hold of her, as of a woman in travail.

25 How is the city of praise not forgotten, the city of my joy?

26 Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, and all the men of war will be brought to silence in that day: says Yahwah of hosts.

27 I kindle a fire in the wall of Damascus, and it will devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.

28 Of Kedar, and of the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote. Thus Yahwah says: Arise, go up to Kedar, and destroy the children of the east.

29 They will take their tents and their flocks. They will carry away for themselves their curtains, all their vessels, and their camels. They will cry to them: Terror on every side!

30 Flee, wander far off, dwell in the depths, O you inhabitants of Hazor: says Yahwah. Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon takes counsel against you, and conceives a purpose against you.

31 Arise, get you up to a nation that is at ease, that dwells without care: says Yahwah; that has neither gates nor bars, that dwells alone.

32 Their camels will be a booty, and the multitude of their cattle a spoil. I will scatter those who have the corners of their hair cut off to all winds, and I will bring their calamity from every side of them: says Yahwah.

33 Hazor will be a dwelling-place of jackals, a desolation forever. No man will dwell there, neither will any son of man sojourn there.

34 The Word of Yahwah came to YeremYah the prophet concerning Elam [son of Shem], in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiyah king of Yahudah, saying:

35 Thus says Yahwah of hosts; Behold, I will break the bow of Elam, the chief of their might.

36 Upon Elam I will bring the four winds from the four quarters of heaven, and will scatter them toward all those winds. There is no nation where the outcasts of Elam will not come.

37 I will cause Elam to be dismayed before their enemies, and before those who seek their life. I will bring evil upon them, even my fierce anger: says Yahwah. I will send the sword after them, till I consume them.

38 I will set my throne in Elam, and will destroy from there king and princes: says Yahwah.

39 But it will come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring back the captivity of Elam: says Yahwah.

Chapter 50

1 The word Yahwah spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by YeremYah the prophet.

2 Declare among the nations and publish. Set up a standard, publish, and do not conceal. Say: Babylon is taken, Bel is put to shame, Merodach is dismayed. Her images are put to shame, her idols are dismayed.

3 For out of the north there comes up a nation against her, which will make her land desolate, and none will dwell there. They are fled, they are gone, both man and beast.

4 In those days, and in that time: says Yahwah; the children of Yisrayah will come, they and the children of Yahudah together. They will go on their way weeping, and will seek Yahwah their Father.

5 They will inquire concerning Zion with their faces pointing there, saying: Come, join yourselves to Yahwah in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

6 My people are lost sheep, their shepherds cause them to go astray. They turned them away on the mountains, they went from mountain to hill, they forgot their resting-place.

7 All who found them devour them. Their adversaries say: We are not guilty, because they sinned against Yahwah, the habitation of righteousness, even Yahwah, the hope of their fathers.

8 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he-goats before the flocks.

9 Lo, I stir up and cause to come up against Babylon a company of great nations from the north country. They will set themselves in array against her, from there she will be taken. Their arrows will be as of an expert mighty man, none will return in vain.

10 Chaldea will be a prey, all who prey upon her will be satisfied: says Yahwah.

11 Because you are glad, because you rejoice, O you who plundered my heritage, because you are wanton as a heifer that treads out the grain, and neigh as strong horses,

12 your mother will be utterly put to shame. She who bore you will be confounded. Behold, she will be the hindermost of the nations, a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

13 Because of the wrath of Yahwah she will not be inhabited, but she will be wholly desolate. Every one who goes by Babylon will be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

14 Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about, all you who bend the bow. Shoot at her, spare no arrows. For she sinned against Yahwah.

15 Shout against her round about. She submitted herself, her bulwarks are fallen, her walls are thrown down, for it is the vengeance of Yahwah. Take vengeance upon her. As she did, do to her.

16 Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him who handles the sickle in the time of harvest. For fear of the oppressing sword they will turn every one to his people, and they will flee every one to his own land.

17 Yisrayah is a hunted sheep, the lions drive him away. First, the king of Assyria devoured him. Now at last Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon broke his bones.

18 Therefore thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria.

19 I will bring Yisrayah again to his pasture. He will feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul will be satisfied upon the hills of Ephrayim and in Gilead.

20 In those days, and in that time: says Yahwah; the iniquity of Yisrayah will be looked for, and there will be none. The sins of Yahudah, and they will not be found, for I will pardon those whom I leave as a remnant.

21 Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod. Slay and utterly destroy after them: says Yahwah; and do according to all I command you.

22 A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

23 How is the hammer of the whole earth cut apart and broken! How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

24 I laid a snare for you, you are taken, O Babylon, and you were not aware. You are found, and also caught, because you worked against Yahwah.

25 Yahwah opened His armory, and brought forth the weapons of His indignation. Yahwah of hosts has a work to do in the land of the Chaldeans.

26 Come against her from the utmost border, open her store-houses, cast her up as heaps, destroy her utterly, let nothing of her be left.

27 Slay all her bulls, let them go down to the slaughter, woe to them! For their day is come, the time of their visitation.

28 The voice of those who flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of Yahwah our Father, the vengeance of His temple.

29 Call together the archers against Babylon, all those who bend the bow. Camp against her round about, let none escape of it, recompense her according to her work. According to all she did, do to her, for she was proud against Yahwah, against the Holy One of Yisrayah.

30 Therefore her young men will fall in her streets, and all her men of war will be brought to silence in that day: says Yahwah.

31 Behold, I am against you, O you proud one: says the Father, Yahwah of hosts. Your day is come, the time that I will visit you.

32 The proud one will stumble and fall, and none will raise him up. I kindle a fire in his cities, and it will devour all who are round about him.

33 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: The children of Yisrayah and the children of Yahudah are oppressed together. All who took them captive hold them fast, they refuse to let them go.

34 Their Redeemer is strong. Yahwah of hosts is His Name. He will thoroughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the earth, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

35 A sword is upon the Chaldeans: says Yahwah; upon the inhabitants of Babylon, upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

36 A sword is upon the boasters, they will become fools. A sword is upon her mighty men, they will be dismayed.

37 A sword is upon their horses, upon their chariots, upon all the mingled people who are in the midst of her, and they will become as women. A sword is upon her treasures, they will be robbed.

38 A drought is upon her waters, they will be dried up, for it is a land of graven images, and they are mad over idols.

39 Then the wild beasts of the desert will dwell there with the wolves, and the ostriches will dwell there. It will be uninhabited for ever, neither will it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

40 As when Yahwah overthrew Sodom, Gomorrah, and the neighbor cities of it: says Yahwah; so will no man dwell there, neither will any son of man sojourn there.

41 Behold, a people comes from the north. A great nation and many kings [Media and Persia] are stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

42 They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roars like the sea; they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, O daughter of Babylon.

43 The king of Babylon hears the tidings of them, and his hands turn feeble. Anguish takes hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

44 Behold, the enemy comes up like a lion from the pride of the Jordan against the strong habitation, for I will suddenly make them run away from it. Whoever is chosen, him I will appoint over it, for who is like Me? Who will appoint Me a time? Who is the shepherd who can stand before Me?

45 Therefore hear the counsel of Yahwah, that He takes against Babylon, and His purposes, that He purposes against the land of the Chaldeans. Surely they will drag them away, even the little ones of the flock, surely He will make their habitation desolate over them.

46 At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth trembles, and the cry is heard among the nations.

Chapter 51

1 Thus Yahwah says: Behold, I will raise up a destroying wind against Babylon, and against those who dwell in Leb-kamai.

2 I will send to Babylon strangers who will winnow her, and they will empty her land. In the day of trouble they will be against her round about.

3 Against him who bends let the archer bend his bow, and against him who lifts himself up in his coat of mail. Do not spare her young men, destroy all her host utterly.

4 They will fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans, and thrust through in her streets.

5 For Yisrayah is not forgotten, nor Yahudah, of his Father, of Yahwah of hosts, though their land is full of guilt against the Holy One of Yisrayah.

6 Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and save every man his life, do not be cut off in her iniquity. It is the time of Yahwah's vengeance, He will render to her a recompense.

7 Babylon was a golden cup in Yahwah's hand, that made all the earth drunken. The nations drank of her wine, therefore the nations are mad.

8 Babylon is suddenly fallen, and destroyed. Wail for her, take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

9 We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forget her, and let us go everyone into his own country. For her judgment reaches to heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

10 Yahwah brought our righteousness forth. Come, and let us declare in Zion the work of Yahwah our Father.

11 Make the arrows sharp, hold the shields firm. Yahwah stirs up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because His purpose is against Babylon, to destroy it. It is the vengeance of Yahwah, the vengeance of His temple.

12 Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set the watchmen, prepare the ambushes. Yahwah has both purposed and done what He spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

13 O you who dwell upon many waters, abundant in treasures, your end is come, the measure of your covetousness.

14 Yahwah of hosts swore by Himself, saying: Surely I will fill you with men, as with the canker-worm, and they will lift up a shout against you.

15 He made the earth by His power, He established the world by His wisdom, and He stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

16 When He utters His voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and brings forth the wind out of His treasuries.

17 Every man is become brutish, and is without knowledge. Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idol, for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

18 They are vanity, a work of delusion. In the time of their visitation they will perish.

19 The portion of Yaacob is not like these, for he is the former of all things, and Yisrayah is the tribe of His inheritance. Yahwah of hosts is His Name.

20 You are my battle-axe, and weapons of war. With you I will break in pieces the nations; with you I will destroy kingdoms;

21 with you I will break in pieces the horse and his rider;

22 with you I will break in pieces the chariot and him who rides there; with you I will break in pieces man and woman; with you I will break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I will break in pieces the young man and the virgin;

23 with you I will break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I will break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with you I will break in pieces governors and deputies.

24 I will render to Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil they did in Zion in your sight: says Yahwah.

25 Behold, I am against you: says Yahwah; O destroying mountain which destroys all the earth. I will stretch out my hand upon you, roll you down from the rocks, and will make you a burnt mountain.

26 They will not take a stone of you for a corner, nor a stone for foundations. You will be desolate forever: says Yahwah.

27 Set up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her. Call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz. Appoint a marshal against her, cause the horses to come up as the rough canker-worm.

28 Prepare against her the nations, the kings of the Medes, the governors of it, all the deputies of it, and all the land of their dominion.

29 The land trembles and is in pain, for the purposes of Yahwah against Babylon do stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant.

30 The mighty men of Babylon decline to fight, they remain in their strongholds. Their might fails, they are become as women. Her dwelling-places are set on fire, her bars are broken.

31 One post will run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to show the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every quarter.

32 The passages are seized, they burned the reeds with fire, and the men of war are frightened.

33 For thus says Yahwah of hosts, the Father of Yisrayah: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing-floor at the time when it is trampled. Yet a little while, and the time of harvest will come for her.

34 Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon devoured me, he crushed me, he made me an empty vessel, like a monster he swallowed me up, he filled his maw with my delicacies, he cast me out.

35 The violence done to me and to my flesh are upon Babylon: the inhabitant of Zion will say. My blood is upon the inhabitants of Chaldea: Yerusalem will say.

36 Therefore thus Yahwah says: Behold, I plead your cause, and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea, and make her fountain dry.

37 Babylon will become heaps, a dwelling-place for jackals, an astonishment, a hissing, without inhabitant.

38 They will roar together like young lions, they will growl as lions' whelps.

39 When they are heated, I will make their feast, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake: says Yahwah.

40 I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he-goats.

41 How is Sheshach taken! The praise of the whole earth seized! How is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

42 The sea [army] is come up upon Babylon, she is covered with the multitude of the waves of it.

43 Her cities are become a desolation, a dry land, and a desert, a land in which no man dwells, nor does any son of man pass there.

44 I execute judgment upon Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth what he swallowed up. The nations will not flow to him any more. Yea, the wall of Babylon will fall.

45 My people, go out of the midst of her, and save yourselves every man from the fierce anger of Yahwah.

46 Do not let your heart faint, neither fear for the tidings that will be heard in the land. For tidings will come one year, and after that in another year tidings will come, then violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

47 Behold, the days come, I will execute judgment upon the graven images of Babylon. Her whole land will be confounded, and all her dead will fall in the midst of her.

48 Then the heavens, the earth, and all that is in them, will sing for joy over Babylon, for the destroyers will come to her from the north: says Yahwah.

49 As Babylon caused the slain of Yisrayah to fall, so at Babylon will fall the slain of all the land.

50 You who escaped the sword, go, do not stand still, remember Yahwah from afar, and let Yerusalem come into your mind.

51 We are confounded, because we heard reproach. Confusion covered our faces, for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of Yahwah's house.

52 Behold, the days come: says Yahwah; I will execute judgment upon her graven images, and through all her land the wounded will groan.

53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet destroyers will come to her from me: says Yahwah.

54 The sound of a cry from Babylon, and of great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans!

55 For Yahwah lays Babylon waste, and destroys the great voice out of her. Their waves roar like many waters, the noise of their voice is uttered.

56 The destroyer is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, their bows are broken in pieces. For Yahwah is a Yahwah of recompenses, He will surely requite.

57 I will make her princes and her wise men drunk, with her governors, her deputies, and her mighty men. They will sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake: says the King, whose Name is Yahwah of hosts.

58 Thus says Yahwah of hosts: The broad walls of Babylon will be utterly overthrown, her high gates will be burned with fire, the peoples will labor for vanity, the nations for the fire, and they will be weary.

59 The word which YeremYah the prophet commanded Serayah the son of Neryah, the son of Mahseyah, when he went with Zedekiyah the king of Yahudah to Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. Now Serayah was chief chamberlain.

60 YeremYah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written concerning Babylon.

61 YeremYah said to Serayah: When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words.

62 Say: O Yahwah, you spoke concerning this place, to cut it off, that none will dwell there, neither man nor beast, but that it will be desolate forever.

63 It will be, when you make an end of reading this book, that you will bind a stone to it, and cast it into the middle of the Euphrates River.

64 You will say: Thus will Babylon sink, and will not rise again because of the evil that I will bring upon her, and they will be weary. Thus far are the words of YeremYah.

Chapter 52

1 Zedekiyah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Yerusalem. His mother's name was Hamutal the daughter of YeremYah of Libnah.

2 He did what was evil in the sight of Yahwah, according to all Yahuyaqim did.

3 For through the anger of Yahwah it came to pass in Yerusalem and Yahudah, until He had cast them out from His presence. Zedekiyah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

4 It came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came against Yerusalem, he and all his army, and camped against it. They built forts against it round about.

5 So the city was besieged to the eleventh year of king Zedekiyah.

6 In the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was severe in the city, so there was no bread for the people of the land.

7 Then a breach was made in the city. All the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king's garden (now the Chaldeans were against the city round about), and they went toward the Arabah.

8 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiyah in the plains of Jericho. All his army was scattered from him.

9 Then they took the king, and carried him up to the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath. He gave judgment upon him.

10 The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiyah before his eyes, he killed also all the princes of Yahudah in Riblah.

11 He put out the eyes of Zedekiyah. The king of Babylon bound him in fetters, carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, who stood before the king of Babylon, came into Yerusalem.

13 He burned the house of Yahwah, and the king's house. All the houses of Yerusalem, even every great house, he burned with fire.

14 All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls of Yerusalem round about.

15 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the poorest of the people, and the residue of the people who were left in the city, and those who fell away, who fell to the king of Babylon, and the residue of the multitude.

16 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poorest of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

17 The pillars of bronze that were in the house of Yahwah, and the bases and the brazen sea that were in the house of Yahwah, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze of them to Babylon.

18 They took away the pots also, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the spoons, and all the vessels of bronze with which they ministered.

19 The cups, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the candlesticks, the spoons, and the bowls, (what was of gold, in gold, and what was of silver, in silver) the captain of the guard took away.

20 The two pillars, the one sea, and the twelve brazen bulls that were under the bases, which king Solomon made for the house of Yahwah. The bronze of all these vessels was without weight.

21 As for the pillars, the height of the one pillar was eighteen cubits, a line of twelve cubits did compass it, and the thickness of it was four fingers (it was hollow).

22 A capital of bronze was upon it. The height of the one capital was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the capital round about, all of bronze. The second pillar also had like to these, and pomegranates.

23 There were ninety and six pomegranates on the sides, all the pomegranates were a hundred upon the network round about.

24 The captain of the guard took Serayah the chief priest, Zephanyah the second priest, and the three keepers of the threshold.

25 Out of the city he took an officer who was set over the men of war (and seven men of those who saw the king's face, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the captain of the host, who mustered the people of the land), and threescore men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city.

26 Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

27 The king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Yahudah was carried away captive out of his land.

28 This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Yahudim and three and twenty;

29 in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Yerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons;

30 in the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Yahudim seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

31 It came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Yahuiachin king of Yahudah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Yahuiachin king of Yahudah, and brought him forth out of prison.

32 He spoke kindly to him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings who were with him in Babylon,

33 and changed his prison garments. Yahuiachin ate bread before him continually all the days of his life.

34 For his allowance, there was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.








Next Book

Top Of The Page