Jeremiah

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

1This is the message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD.

2Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

2"Listen to the words of this agreement. Then tell them to the men of Judah and to the people living in Jerusalem."

3And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

3Tell them this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: cursed is anyone who does not obey the words of this agreement.

4Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:

4I gave this agreement to your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt, out of that furnace hot enough to melt iron. I said, "Obey me and do everything I command you. Then you will be my people, and I will be your God."

5That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD.

5I did this to keep the promise I made to your ancestors: to give them a land rich with milk and honey, the land you have today. Then I answered, "Yes, LORD. Let it be so."

6Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

6Then the LORD said to me, "Announce all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say: Listen to the words of this agreement, and do them."

7For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

7From the day I brought your ancestors out of Egypt until now, I warned them again and again: "Obey me."

8Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but they did them not.

8But they would not obey or even listen. Each one followed his own stubborn, evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of the agreement I told them to keep, and they did not keep it.

9And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

9Then the LORD said to me, "The men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem are plotting together against me."

10They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

10They have gone back to the sins of their ancestors, who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods and served them. Both Israel and Judah have broken the agreement I made with their ancestors.

11Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

11So this is what the LORD says: I am going to bring a disaster on them that they cannot escape. They will cry out to me, but I will not listen to them.

NoteThe KJV says God will "bring evil upon them." Here "evil" means disaster or ruin, the trouble that is coming, not wickedness.

12Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

12Then the towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they burn incense to. But those gods will not save them at all when trouble comes.

13For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

13Judah, you have as many gods as you have towns. You have set up as many shameful altars for burning incense to Baal as Jerusalem has streets.

14Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

14So do not pray for these people, Jeremiah. Do not cry out or beg for them. I will not listen when they call to me in their trouble.

15What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.

15What is my beloved people doing in my house, after all the evil they have planned? Can meat from sacrifices stop what is coming, so you can celebrate?

Note"Holy flesh" is meat from animals offered to God at the temple. The question asks whether such offerings can cancel the punishment coming.

16The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

16The LORD once called you a healthy olive tree, beautiful and full of good fruit. But with a great roar he will set it on fire, and its branches will be burned up.

17For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.

17The LORD of Armies planted you, and now he says disaster will come to you. Israel and Judah brought this harm on themselves by burning incense to Baal and making me angry.

18And the LORD hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

18The LORD told me what they were doing, so I knew. Then you, LORD, showed me their plans.

19But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.

19I had been like a gentle lamb led away to be killed. I did not know they were plotting against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree and its fruit. Let us cut him off from the land of the living, so no one remembers his name again."

20But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.

20But LORD of Armies, you judge fairly. You test the heart and the deepest thoughts. Let me see you pay them back, for I have handed my case over to you.

NoteThe KJV says God "triest the reins and the heart." "Reins" means the kidneys, which was an old way of speaking about a person's innermost thoughts and feelings.

21Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the LORD, that thou die not by our hand:

21So this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth, who want to kill you. They say, "Do not speak messages in the name of the LORD, or we will kill you."

22Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:

22So this is what the LORD of Armies says: I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword. Their sons and daughters will die of hunger.

23And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.

23Not one of them will be left. I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth in the year I punish them.

Note"The year of their visitation" means the year when God comes to punish them.