The word that came
to Jeremiah
from the LORD
, saying
,
" aStand in the gate
of the LORD'S
house
and proclaim
there
this
word
and say
, `Hear
the word
of the LORD
, all
you of Judah
, who enter
by these
gates
to worship
the LORD
!' "
Thus says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, " aAmend
your ways
and your deeds
, and I will let you dwell
in this
place
.
" aDo not trust in deceptive
words
, saying
, ` 1This
is the temple
of the LORD
, the temple
of the LORD
, the temple
of the LORD
.'
"For aif you truly
amend
your ways
and your deeds
, if
you truly
bpractice
justice
between
a man
and his neighbor
,
if you do not oppress the alien
, the 1 aorphan
, or the widow
, and do not shed
binnocent
blood
in this
place
, nor
cwalk
after
other
gods
to your own ruin
,
then I will let you adwell in this
place
, in the bland
that I gave
to your fathers
forever
and ever
.
"Behold, you are trusting
in adeceptive
words
to no
avail
.
"Will you steal, murder
, and commit
adultery
and swear
falsely
, and 1 aoffer
sacrifices
to Baal
and walk
after
bother
gods
that you have not known
,
then acome and stand
before
Me in bthis
house
, which
is called
by My name
, and say
, `We are delivered
!'--that you may do
all
these
abominations
?
"Has athis house
, which
is called
by My name
, become
a bden
of robbers
in your sight
? Behold
, cI, even
I, have seen
it," declares
the LORD
.
"But go now
to My place
which
was in aShiloh
, where
I bmade My name
dwell
at the first
, and csee
what
I did
to it because
of the wickedness
of My people
Israel
.
"And now, because
you have done
all
these
things
," declares
the LORD
, "and I spoke
to you, arising
up early
and bspeaking
, but you did not hear
, and I ccalled
you but you did not answer
,
therefore, I will do to the ahouse
which
is called
by My name
, bin which
you trust
, and to the place
which
I gave
you and your fathers
, as I cdid
to Shiloh
.
"I will acast you out of My sight
, as I have cast
out all
your brothers
, all
the 1offspring
of bEphraim
.
"As for you, ado not pray for this
people
, and do not lift
up cry
or prayer
for them, and do not intercede
with Me; for I do not hear
you.
"Do you not see what
they are doing
in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem
?
"The 1children gather
wood
, and the fathers
kindle
the fire
, and the women
knead
dough
to make
cakes
for the queen
of heaven
; and they apour
out drink
offerings
to other
gods
in order
to bspite
Me.
" aDo they spite Me?" declares
the LORD
. "Is it not themselves they spite, to 1their own
bshame
?"
Therefore thus
says
the Lord
1GOD
, "Behold
, My aanger
and My wrath
will be poured
out on this
place
, on man
and on beast
and on the btrees
of the field
and on the fruit
of the ground
; and it will burn
and not be quenched
."
Thus says
the LORD
of hosts
, the God
of Israel
, "Add
your aburnt
offerings
to your sacrifices
and beat
flesh
.
"For I did not aspeak to your fathers
, or command
them in the day
that I brought
them out of the land
of Egypt
, concerning
burnt
offerings
and sacrifices
.
"But this is 1what
I commanded
them, saying
, ` aObey
My voice
, and bI will be your God
, and you will be My people
; and you will walk
in all
the way
which
I command
you, that it may cbe well
with you.'
"Yet they adid not obey or incline
their ear
, but walked
in their own counsels
and in the stubbornness
of their evil
heart
, and 1 bwent
backward
and not forward
.
"Since the day
that your fathers
came
out of the land
of Egypt
until
this
day
, I have asent
you all
My servants
the prophets
, daily
rising
early
and sending
them.
"Yet they did not listen to Me or incline
their ear
, but astiffened
their neck
; they bdid more
evil
than
their fathers
.
"You shall aspeak all
these
words
to them, but they will not listen
to you; and you shall call
to them, but they will bnot answer
you.
"You shall say to them, `This
is the nation
that adid not obey
the voice
of the LORD
their God
or accept
correction
; 1 btruth
has perished
and has been cut
off
from their mouth
.
` aCut off
1your hair
and cast
it away
, And btake
up a lamentation
on the bare
heights
; For the LORD
has crejected
and forsaken
The generation
of His wrath
.'
"For the sons of Judah
have done
that which
is evil
in My sight
," declares
the LORD
, "they have aset
their detestable
things
in the house
which
is called
by My name
, to defile
it.
"They have abuilt the high
places
of Topheth
, which
is in the valley
of the son
of Hinnom
, to bburn
their sons
and their daughters
in the fire
, which
I cdid not command
, and it did not come
into My 1mind
.
" aTherefore, behold
, days
are coming
," declares
the LORD
, "when it will no
longer
be called
Topheth
, or the valley
of the son
of Hinnom
, but the valley
of the Slaughter
; for they will bbury
in Topheth
1because
there
is no
other place
.
"The adead bodies
of this
people
will be food
for the birds
of the sky
and for the beasts
of the earth
; and no
one
will frighten
them away.
"Then I will make to acease from the cities
of Judah
and from the streets
of Jerusalem
the voice
of joy
and the voice
of gladness
, the voice
of the bridegroom
and the voice
of the bride
; for the bland
will become
a ruin
.