Bible in 90 Days
False Prophets and Empty Oracles
9 My heart within me is broken
Because of the prophets;
(A)All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man,
And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord,
And because of His holy words.
10 For (B)the land is full of adulterers;
For (C)because of a curse the land mourns.
(D)The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil,
And their might is not right.
11 “For (E)both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, (F)in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
12 “Therefore(G) their way shall be to them
Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on
And fall in them;
For I (H)will bring disaster on them,
The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
13 “And I have seen [a]folly in the prophets of Samaria:
(I)They prophesied by Baal
And (J)caused My people Israel to err.
14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
(K)They commit adultery and walk in lies;
They also (L)strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like (M)Sodom to Me,
And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
‘Behold, I will feed them with (N)wormwood,
And make them drink the water of gall;
For from the prophets of Jerusalem
[b]Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”
16 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you.
They make you worthless;
(O)They speak a vision of their own heart,
Not from the mouth of the Lord.
17 They continually say to those who despise Me,
‘The Lord has said, (P)“You shall have peace” ’;
And to everyone who (Q)walks according to the [c]dictates of his own heart, they say,
(R)‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”
18 For (S)who has stood in the counsel of the Lord,
And has perceived and heard His word?
Who has marked His word and heard it?
19 Behold, a (T)whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—
A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 The (U)anger of the Lord will not turn back
Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart.
(V)In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
21 “I(W) have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 But if they had stood in My counsel,
And had caused My people to hear My words,
Then they would have (X)turned them from their evil way
And from the evil of their doings.
23 “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord,
“And not a God afar off?
24 Can anyone (Y)hide himself in secret places,
So I shall not see him?” says the Lord;
(Z)“Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord.
25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, (AA)as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
29 “Is not My word like a (AB)fire?” says the Lord,
“And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30 “Therefore behold, (AC)I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am (AD)against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their (AE)lies and by (AF)their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not (AG)profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is (AH)the [d]oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, [e]‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The [f]oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 And the [g]oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have (AI)perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The [h]oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, (AJ)will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring (AK)an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual (AL)shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”
The Sign of Two Baskets of Figs
24 The (AM)Lord showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar (AN)king of Babylon had carried away captive (AO)Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so (AP)bad. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad.”
4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I [i]acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and (AQ)I will bring them back to this land; (AR)I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7 Then I will give them (AS)a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be (AT)My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me (AU)with their whole heart.
8 ‘And as the bad (AV)figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad’—surely thus says the Lord—‘so will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, his princes, the (AW)residue of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and (AX)those who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9 I will deliver them to (AY)trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their harm, (AZ)to be a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them. 10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are [j]consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.’ ”
Seventy Years of Desolation
25 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, (BA)in the fourth year of (BB)Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: 3 (BC)“From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, (BD)but you have not listened. 4 And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets, (BE)rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5 They said, (BF)‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 6 Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might (BG)provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.
8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, 9 behold, I will send and take (BH)all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (BI)My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and (BJ)make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will [k]take from them the (BK)voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, (BL)the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy (BM)years.
12 ‘Then it will come to pass, (BN)when [l]seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the Lord; (BO)‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13 So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. 14 (BP)(For many nations (BQ)and great kings shall (BR)be served by them also; (BS)and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their own hands.)’ ”
Judgment on the Nations
15 For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: “Take this (BT)wine cup of [m]fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. 16 And (BU)they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”
17 Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the Lord had sent me: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them (BV)a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and (BW)a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people; 20 all the mixed multitude, all the kings of (BX)the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the (BY)Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and (BZ)the remnant of Ashdod); 21 (CA)Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of (CB)Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are across the (CC)sea; 23 (CD)Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners; 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the (CE)mixed multitude who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of (CF)Elam, and all the kings of the (CG)Medes; 26 (CH)all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of [n]Sheshach shall drink after them.
27 “Therefore you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (CI)“Drink, (CJ)be drunk, and vomit! Fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.” ’ 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, (CK)I begin to bring calamity on the city (CL)which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for (CM)I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’
30 “Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
‘The Lord will (CN)roar from on high,
And utter His voice from (CO)His holy habitation;
He will roar mightily against (CP)His fold.
He will give (CQ)a shout, as those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth—
For the Lord has (CR)a controversy with the nations;
(CS)He will plead His case with all flesh.
He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.”
32 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Behold, disaster shall go forth
From nation to nation,
And (CT)a great whirlwind shall be raised up
From the farthest parts of the earth.
33 (CU)And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be (CV)lamented, (CW)or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.
34 “Wail,(CX) shepherds, and cry!
Roll about in the ashes,
You leaders of the flock!
For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled;
You shall fall like a precious vessel.
35 And the shepherds will have no [o]way to flee,
Nor the leaders of the flock to escape.
36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds,
And a wailing of the leaders to the flock will be heard.
For the Lord has plundered their pasture,
37 And the peaceful dwellings are cut down
Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He has left His lair like the lion;
For their land is desolate
Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor,
And because of His fierce anger.”
Jeremiah Saved from Death(CY)
26 In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Stand in (CZ)the court of the Lord’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, (DA)all the words that I command you to speak to them. (DB)Do not diminish a word. 3 (DC)Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may (DD)relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.’ 4 And you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: (DE)“If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5 to heed the words of My servants the prophets (DF)whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded), 6 then I will make this house like (DG)Shiloh, and will make this city (DH)a curse to all the nations of the earth.” ’ ”
7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the Lord. 8 Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be (DI)desolate, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house. 11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, [p]“This man deserves to (DJ)die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”
12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard. 13 Now therefore, (DK)amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, here (DL)I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and [q]proper to you. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”
16 So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 (DM)Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying: 18 (DN)“Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts:
(DO)“Zion shall be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem shall become (DP)heaps of ruins,
And the mountain of the [r]temple
Like the [s]bare hills of the forest.” ’
19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? (DQ)Did he not fear the Lord and (DR)seek the Lord’s favor? And the Lord (DS)relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. (DT)But we are doing great evil against ourselves.”
20 Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah. 21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt. 22 Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt. 23 And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the [t]common people.
24 Nevertheless (DU)the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.
Symbol of the Bonds and Yokes
27 In[u] the beginning of the reign of [v]Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, (DV)king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord to me: ‘Make for yourselves bonds and yokes, (DW)and put them on your neck, 3 and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon, by the hand of the messengers who come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 And command them to say to their masters, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel—thus you shall say to your masters: 5 (DX)‘I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are on the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, and (DY)have given it to whom it seemed proper to Me. 6 (DZ)And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, (EA)My servant; and (EB)the beasts of the field I have also given him to serve him. 7 (EC)So all nations shall serve him and his son and his son’s son, (ED)until the time of his land comes; (EE)and then many nations and great kings shall make him serve them. 8 And it shall be, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and which will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation I will punish,’ says the Lord, ‘with the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until I have consumed them by his hand. 9 Therefore do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your [w]dreamers, your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who speak to you, saying, “You shall not serve the king of Babylon.” 10 For they prophesy a (EF)lie to you, to remove you far from your land; and I will drive you out, and you will perish. 11 But the nations that bring their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let them remain in their own land,’ says the Lord, ‘and they shall till it and dwell in it.’ ” ’ ”
12 I also spoke to (EG)Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live! 13 (EH)Why will you die, you and your people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, as the Lord has spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Therefore (EI)do not listen to the words of the prophets who speak to you, saying, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they prophesy (EJ)a lie to you; 15 for I have (EK)not sent them,” says the Lord, “yet they prophesy a lie 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 the Lord: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets who prophesy to you, saying, “Behold, (EL)the vessels of the Lord’s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon”; for they prophesy a lie to you. 17 Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon, and live! Why should this city be laid waste? 18 But if they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, let them now make intercession to the Lord of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, do not go to Babylon.’
19 “For thus says the Lord of hosts (EM)concerning the pillars, concerning the Sea, concerning the carts, and concerning the remainder of the vessels that remain in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take, when he carried away (EN)captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the (EO)vessels that remain in the house of the Lord, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem: 22 ‘They shall be (EP)carried to Babylon, and there they shall be until the day that I (EQ)visit them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then (ER)I will bring them up and restore them to this place.’ ”
Hananiah’s Falsehood and Doom
28 And (ES)it happened in the same year, at the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the (ET)fourth year and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of (EU)Azur the prophet, who was from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, 2 “Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: ‘I have broken (EV)the yoke of the king of Babylon. 3 (EW)Within two full years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the Lord’s house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (EX)took away from this place and carried to Babylon. 4 And I will bring back to this place [x]Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon,’ says the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’ ”
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and in the presence of all the people who stood in the house of the Lord, 6 and the prophet Jeremiah said, (EY)“Amen! The Lord do so; the Lord perform your words which you have prophesied, to bring back the vessels of the Lord’s house and all who were carried away captive, from Babylon to this place. 7 Nevertheless hear now this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 The prophets who have been before me and before you of old prophesied against many countries and great kingdoms—of war and disaster and pestilence. 9 As for (EZ)the prophet who prophesies of (FA)peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.”
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the (FB)yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. 11 And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Even so I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon (FC)from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years.’ ” And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 Now the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “You have broken the yokes of wood, but you have made in their place yokes of iron.” 14 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: (FD)“I have put a yoke of iron on the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him. (FE)I have given him the beasts of the field also.” ’ ”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but (FF)you make this people trust in a (FG)lie. 16 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall (FH)die, because you have taught (FI)rebellion against the Lord.’ ”
17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.
Jeremiah’s Letter to the Captives
29 Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were (FJ)carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This happened after (FK)Jeconiah[y] the king, the (FL)queen mother, the [z]eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of (FM)Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying,
4 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon:
5 Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 6 Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. 7 And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, (FN)and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst (FO)deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. 9 For they prophesy (FP)falsely to you in My name; I have not sent them, says the Lord.
10 For thus says the Lord: After (FQ)seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to (FR)return to this place. 11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will (FS)call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will (FT)listen to you. 13 And (FU)you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me (FV)with all your heart. 14 (FW)I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; (FX)I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.
15 Because you have said, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon”— 16 (FY)therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity— 17 thus says the Lord of hosts: Behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like (FZ)rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. 18 And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I (GA)will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be (GB)a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, 19 because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which (GC)I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord. 20 Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a (GD)lie to you in My name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes. 22 (GE)And because of them a curse shall be taken up by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, (GF)whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire”; 23 because (GG)they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed I (GH)know, and am a witness, says the Lord.
24 You shall also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, 25 Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: You have sent letters in your name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, (GI)to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26 “The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be (GJ)officers in the house of the Lord over every man who is (GK)demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should (GL)put him in prison and in the stocks. 27 Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you? 28 For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘This captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit.’ ”
29 Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. 30 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: 31 Send to all those in captivity, saying, Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, (GM)and I have not sent him, and he has caused you to trust in a (GN)lie— 32 therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his [aa]family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that I will do for My people, says the Lord, (GO)because he has taught rebellion against the Lord.
Restoration of Israel and Judah
30 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Thus speaks the Lord God of Israel, saying: ‘Write in a book for yourself all the words that I have spoken to you. 3 For behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that (GP)I will bring back from captivity My people Israel and Judah,’ says the Lord. (GQ)‘And I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.’ ”
4 Now these are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah.
5 “For thus says the Lord:
‘We have heard a voice of trembling,
Of [ab]fear, and not of peace.
6 Ask now, and see,
Whether a [ac]man is ever in [ad]labor with child?
So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins
(GR)Like a woman in labor,
And all faces turned pale?
7 (GS)Alas! For that day is great,
(GT)So that none is like it;
And it is the time of Jacob’s trouble,
But he shall be saved out of it.
8 ‘For it shall come to pass in that day,’
Says the Lord of hosts,
‘That I will break his yoke from your neck,
And will burst your bonds;
Foreigners shall no more enslave them.
9 But they shall serve the Lord their God,
And (GU)David their king,
Whom I will (GV)raise up for them.
10 ‘Therefore (GW)do not fear, O My servant Jacob,’ says the Lord,
‘Nor be dismayed, O Israel;
For behold, I will save you from afar,
And your seed (GX)from the land of their captivity.
Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet,
And no one shall make him afraid.
11 For I am with (GY)you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you;
(GZ)Though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you,
(HA)Yet I will not make a complete end of you.
But I will correct you (HB)in justice,
And will not let you go altogether unpunished.’
12 “For thus says the Lord:
(HC)‘Your affliction is incurable,
Your wound is severe.
13 There is no one to plead your cause,
That you may be bound up;
(HD)You have no healing medicines.
14 (HE)All your lovers have forgotten you;
They do not seek you;
For I have wounded you with the wound (HF)of an enemy,
With the chastisement (HG)of a cruel one,
For the multitude of your iniquities,
(HH)Because your sins have increased.
15 Why (HI)do you cry about your affliction?
Your sorrow is incurable.
Because of the multitude of your iniquities,
Because your sins have increased,
I have done these things to you.
16 ‘Therefore all those who devour you (HJ)shall be devoured;
And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into (HK)captivity;
Those who plunder you shall become (HL)plunder,
And all who prey upon you I will make a (HM)prey.
17 (HN)For I will restore health to you
And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord,
‘Because they called you an outcast saying:
“This is Zion;
No one seeks her.” ’
18 “Thus says the Lord:
‘Behold, I will bring back the captivity of Jacob’s tents,
And (HO)have mercy on his dwelling places;
The city shall be built upon its own [ae]mound,
And the palace shall remain according to its own plan.
19 Then (HP)out of them shall proceed thanksgiving
And the voice of those who make merry;
(HQ)I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish;
I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.
20 Their children also shall be (HR)as before,
And their congregation shall be established before Me;
And I will punish all who oppress them.
21 Their nobles shall be from among them,
(HS)And their governor shall come from their midst;
Then I will (HT)cause him to draw near,
And he shall approach Me;
For who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord.
22 ‘You shall be (HU)My people,
And I will be your God.’ ”
23 Behold, the (HV)whirlwind of the Lord
Goes forth with fury,
A [af]continuing whirlwind;
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
24 The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it,
And until He has performed the intents of His heart.
(HW)In the latter days you will consider it.
The Remnant of Israel Saved
31 “At (HX)the same time,” says the Lord, (HY)“I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”
2 Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
Found grace in the wilderness—
Israel, when (HZ)I went to give him rest.”
3 The Lord has appeared [ag]of old to me, saying:
“Yes, (IA)I have loved you with (IB)an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have (IC)drawn you.
4 Again (ID)I will build you, and you shall be rebuilt,
O virgin of Israel!
You shall again be adorned with your (IE)tambourines,
And shall go forth in the dances of those who rejoice.
5 (IF)You shall yet plant vines on the mountains of Samaria;
The planters shall plant and [ah]eat them as ordinary food.
6 For there shall be a day
When the watchmen will cry on Mount Ephraim,
(IG)‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion,
To the Lord our God.’ ”
7 For thus says the Lord:
(IH)“Sing with gladness for Jacob,
And shout among the chief of the nations;
Proclaim, give praise, and say,
‘O Lord, save Your people,
The remnant of Israel!’
8 Behold, I will bring them (II)from the north country,
And (IJ)gather them from the ends of the earth,
Among them the blind and the lame,
The woman with child
And the one who labors with child, together;
A great throng shall return there.
9 (IK)They shall come with weeping,
And with supplications I will lead them.
I will cause them to walk (IL)by the rivers of waters,
In a straight way in which they shall not stumble;
For I am a Father to Israel,
And Ephraim is My (IM)firstborn.
10 “Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,
And declare it in the [ai]isles afar off, and say,
‘He who scattered Israel (IN)will gather him,
And keep him as a shepherd does his flock.’
11 For (IO)the Lord has redeemed Jacob,
And ransomed him (IP)from the hand of one stronger than he.
12 Therefore they shall come and sing in (IQ)the height of Zion,
Streaming to (IR)the goodness of the Lord—
For wheat and new wine and oil,
For the young of the flock and the herd;
Their souls shall be like a (IS)well-watered garden,
(IT)And they shall sorrow no more at all.
13 “Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance,
And the young men and the old, together;
For I will turn their mourning to joy,
Will comfort them,
And make them rejoice rather than sorrow.
14 I will [aj]satiate the soul of the priests with abundance,
And My people shall be satisfied with My goodness, says the Lord.”
Mercy on Ephraim
15 Thus says the Lord:
(IU)“A voice was heard in (IV)Ramah,
Lamentation and bitter (IW)weeping,
Rachel weeping for her children,
Refusing to be comforted for her children,
Because (IX)they are no more.”
16 Thus says the Lord:
“Refrain your voice from (IY)weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
17 There is (IZ)hope in your future, says the Lord,
That your children shall come back to their own border.
18 “I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself:
‘You have (JA)chastised me, and I was chastised,
Like an untrained bull;
(JB)Restore me, and I will return,
For You are the Lord my God.
19 Surely, (JC)after my turning, I repented;
And after I was instructed, I struck myself on the thigh;
I was (JD)ashamed, yes, even humiliated,
Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’
20 Is Ephraim My dear son?
Is he a pleasant child?
For though I spoke against him,
I earnestly remember him still;
(JE)Therefore My [ak]heart yearns for him;
(JF)I will surely have mercy on him, says the Lord.
21 “Set up signposts,
Make landmarks;
(JG)Set your heart toward the highway,
The way in which you went.
[al]Turn back, O virgin of Israel,
Turn back to these your cities.
22 How long will you (JH)gad about,
O you (JI)backsliding daughter?
For the Lord has created a new thing in the earth—
A woman shall encompass a man.”
Future Prosperity of Judah
23 Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “They shall again use this speech in the land of Judah and in its cities, when I bring back their captivity: (JJ)‘The Lord bless you, O home of justice, and (JK)mountain of holiness!’ 24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and (JL)in all its cities together, farmers and those going out with flocks. 25 For I have [am]satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”
26 After this I awoke and looked around, and my sleep was (JM)sweet to me.
27 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that (JN)I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and the seed of beast. 28 And it shall come to pass, that as I have (JO)watched over them (JP)to pluck up, to break down, to throw down, to destroy, and to afflict, so I will watch over them (JQ)to build and to plant, says the Lord. 29 (JR)In those days they shall say no more:
‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’
30 (JS)But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.
A New Covenant
31 “Behold, the (JT)days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that (JU)I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, [an]though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 (JV)But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: (JW)I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their [ao]hearts; (JX)and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for (JY)they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For (JZ)I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
35 Thus says the Lord,
(KA)Who gives the sun for a light by day,
The ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night,
Who disturbs (KB)the sea,
And its waves roar
(KC)(The Lord of hosts is His name):
36 “If (KD)those ordinances depart
From before Me, says the Lord,
Then the seed of Israel shall also cease
From being a nation before Me forever.”
37 Thus says the Lord:
(KE)“If heaven above can be measured,
And the foundations of the earth searched out beneath,
I will also (KF)cast off all the seed of Israel
For all that they have done, says the Lord.
38 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, that the city shall be built for the Lord (KG)from the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. 39 (KH)The surveyor’s line shall again extend straight forward over the hill Gareb; then it shall turn toward Goath. 40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Brook Kidron, (KI)to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, (KJ)shall be holy to the Lord. It shall not be plucked up or thrown down anymore forever.”
Jeremiah Buys a Field
32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord (KK)in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up (KL)in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you (KM)prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord: (KN)“Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; 4 and Zedekiah king of Judah (KO)shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him [ap]face to face, and see him (KP)eye to eye; 5 then he shall (KQ)lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be (KR)until I visit him,” says the Lord; (KS)“though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed” ’?”
6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the (KT)right of redemption is yours to buy it.” ’ 8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord. 9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and (KU)weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I signed the [aq]deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to (KV)Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle’s son, and in the presence of the (KW)witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.
13 “Then I charged (KX)Baruch before them, saying, 14 ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days.” 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Houses and fields and vineyards shall be (KY)possessed again in this land.” ’
Jeremiah Prays for Understanding
16 “Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, (KZ)You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. (LA)There is nothing too [ar]hard for You. 18 You show (LB)lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them—the Great, (LC)the Mighty God, whose name is (LD)the Lord of hosts. 19 You are (LE)great in counsel and mighty in [as]work, for Your (LF)eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, (LG)to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings. 20 You have set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, to this day, and in Israel and among other men; and You have made Yourself (LH)a name, as it is this day. 21 You (LI)have brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror; 22 You have given them this land, of which You swore to their fathers to give them—(LJ)“a land flowing with milk and honey.” 23 And they came in and took possession of it, but (LK)they have not obeyed Your voice or walked in Your law. They have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have caused all this calamity to come upon them.
24 ‘Look, the siege mounds! They have come to the city to take it; and the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of (LL)the sword and famine and pestilence. What You have spoken has happened; there You see it! 25 And You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy the field for money, and take witnesses”!—yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ”
God’s Assurance of the People’s Return
26 Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the (LM)God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? 28 Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it. 29 And the Chaldeans who fight against this city shall come and (LN)set fire to this city and burn it, with the houses (LO)on whose roofs they have offered incense to Baal and poured out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger; 30 because the children of Israel and the children of Judah (LP)have done only evil before Me from their youth. For the children of Israel have provoked Me only to anger with the work of their hands,’ says the Lord. 31 ‘For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; (LQ)so I will remove it from before My face 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me to anger—(LR)they, their kings, their princes, their priests, (LS)their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 And they have turned to Me the (LT)back, and not the face; though I taught them, (LU)rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 But they (LV)set their abominations in [at]the house which is called by My name, to defile it. 35 And they built the high places of Baal which are in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to (LW)cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to (LX)Molech, (LY)which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.’
36 “Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: 37 Behold, I will (LZ)gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them (MA)to dwell safely. 38 They shall be (MB)My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will (MC)give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And (MD)I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but (ME)I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, (MF)I will rejoice over them to do them good, and (MG)I will [au]assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.’
42 “For thus says the Lord: (MH)‘Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 And fields will be bought in this land (MI)of which you say, “It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44 Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in (MJ)the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the [av]lowland, and in the cities of the [aw]South; for (MK)I will cause their captives to return,’ says the Lord.”
Excellence of the Restored Nation
33 Moreover the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still (ML)shut up in the court of the prison, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord (MM)who made it, the Lord who formed it to establish it (MN)(the[ax] Lord is His name): 3 (MO)‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and [ay]mighty things, which you do not know.’
4 “For thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah, which have been pulled down to fortify against (MP)the siege mounds and the sword: 5 ‘They come to fight with the Chaldeans, but only to (MQ)fill their places with the dead bodies of men whom I will slay in My anger and My fury, all for whose wickedness I have hidden My face from this city. 6 Behold, (MR)I will bring it health and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them the abundance of peace and truth. 7 And (MS)I will cause the captives of Judah and the captives of Israel to return, and will rebuild those places (MT)as at the first. 8 I will (MU)cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned and by which they have transgressed against Me. 9 (MV)Then it shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise, and an honor before all nations of the earth, who shall hear all the good that I do to them; they shall (MW)fear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.’
10 “Thus says the Lord: ‘Again there shall be heard in this place—(MX)of which you say, “It is desolate, without man and without beast”—in the cities of Judah, in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast, 11 the (MY)voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who will say:
(MZ)“Praise the Lord of hosts,
For the Lord is good,
For His mercy endures forever”—
and of those who will bring (NA)the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause the captives of the land to return as at the first,’ says the Lord.
12 “Thus says the Lord of hosts: (NB)‘In this place which is desolate, without man and without beast, and in all its cities, there shall again be a dwelling place of shepherds causing their flocks to lie down. 13 (NC)In the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the South, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, the flocks shall again (ND)pass under the hands of him who counts them,’ says the Lord.
14 (NE)‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the Lord, ‘that (NF)I will perform that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel and to the house of Judah:
15 ‘In those days and at that time
I will cause to grow up to David
A (NG)Branch of righteousness;
He shall execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
16 In those days Judah will be saved,
And Jerusalem will dwell safely.
And this is the name by which she will be called:
[az]THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.’
17 “For thus says the Lord: ‘David shall never (NH)lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; 18 nor shall the (NI)priests, the Levites, lack a man to (NJ)offer burnt offerings before Me, to [ba]kindle grain offerings, and to sacrifice continually.’ ”
The Permanence of God’s Covenant
19 And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, 20 “Thus says the Lord: ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, 21 then (NK)My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levites, the priests, My ministers. 22 As (NL)the host of heaven cannot be numbered, nor the sand of the sea measured, so will I (NM)multiply the descendants of David My servant and the (NN)Levites who minister to Me.’ ”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.