Jeremiah 32:16-44

New International Version

¹⁶“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch^(A) son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord:

¹⁷“Ah, Sovereign Lord,^(B) you have made the heavens and the earth^(C) by your great power and outstretched arm.^(D) Nothing is too hard^(E) for you. ¹⁸You show love^(F) to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents’ sins into the laps^(G) of their children^(H) after them. Great and mighty God,^(I) whose name is the Lord Almighty,^(J) ¹⁹great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds.^(K) Your eyes are open to the ways of all mankind;^(L) you reward each person according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve.^(M) ²⁰You performed signs and wonders^(N) in Egypt^(O) and have continued them to this day, in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown^(P) that is still yours. ²¹You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand^(Q) and an outstretched arm^(R) and with great terror.^(S) ²²You gave them this land you had sworn to give their ancestors, a land flowing with milk and honey.^(T) ²³They came in and took possession^(U) of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law;^(V) they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster^(W) on them.

²⁴“See how the siege ramps^(X) are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague,^(Y) the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said^(Z) has happened,^(AA) as you now see. ²⁵And though the city will be given into the hands of the Babylonians, you, Sovereign Lord, say to me, ‘Buy the field^(AB) with silver and have the transaction witnessed.^(AC)’”

²⁶Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ²⁷“I am the Lord, the God of all mankind.^(AD) Is anything too hard for me?^(AE) ²⁸Therefore this is what the Lord says: I am about to give this city into the hands of the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar^(AF) king of Babylon, who will capture it.^(AG) ²⁹The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down,^(AH) along with the houses^(AI) where the people aroused my anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings^(AJ) to other gods.^(AK)

³⁰“The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth;^(AL) indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but arouse my anger^(AM) with what their hands have made,^(AN) declares the Lord. ³¹From the day it was built until now, this city^(AO) has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove^(AP) it from my sight. ³²The people of Israel and Judah have provoked^(AQ) me by all the evil^(AR) they have done—they, their kings and officials,^(AS) their priests and prophets, the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem. ³³They turned their backs^(AT) to me and not their faces; though I taught^(AU) them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.^(AV) ³⁴They set up their vile images^(AW) in the house that bears my Name^(AX) and defiled^(AY) it. ³⁵They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(AZ) to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molek,^(BA) though I never commanded—nor did it enter my mind^(BB)—that they should do such a detestable^(BC) thing and so make Judah sin.^(BD)

³⁶“You are saying about this city, ‘By the sword, famine and plague^(BE) it will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon’; but this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ³⁷I will surely gather^(BF) them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger^(BG) and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.^(BH) ³⁸They will be my people,^(BI) and I will be their God. ³⁹I will give them singleness^(BJ) of heart and action, so that they will always fear^(BK) me and that all will then go well for them and for their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant^(BL) with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire^(BM) them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.^(BN) ⁴¹I will rejoice^(BO) in doing them good^(BP) and will assuredly plant^(BQ) them in this land with all my heart and soul.^(BR)

⁴²“This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity^(BS) on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised^(BT) them. ⁴³Once more fields will be bought^(BU) in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate^(BV) waste, without people or animals, for it has been given into the hands of the Babylonians.’ ⁴⁴Fields will be bought for silver, and deeds^(BW) will be signed, sealed and witnessed^(BX) in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the western foothills and of the Negev,^(BY) because I will restore^(BZ) their fortunes,^[a] declares the Lord.”