1The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah , saying , 2Hear ye the words of this covenant , and speak unto the men of Judah , and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; 3and say thou unto them , Thus saith Jehovah , the God of Israel : Cursed be the man that heareth not the words of this covenant , 4which I commanded your fathers in the day that 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 which I command you : so shall ye be my people , and I will be your God; 5that I may establish the oath which I sware unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey , as at this day . Then answered I , and said , Amen, O Jehovah .
The Prophetic Warning
6And Jehovah 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 . 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 . 8Yet they obeyed not , nor inclined their ear , but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart : therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant , which I commanded them to do , but they did them not . 9And Jehovah said unto me , A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah , and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem . 10They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers , who refused to hear my words ; and they are gone 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. 11Therefore thus saith Jehovah , Behold , I will bring evil upon them , which they shall not be able to escape ; and they shall cry unto me , but I will not hearken unto them . 12Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods unto which they offer incense : but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble . 13For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah ; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the shameful thing , even altars to burn incense unto Baal .
The Conspiracy Against Jeremiah
14Therefore pray not thou for this people , neither lift up cry nor prayer for them ; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me because of their trouble . 15What hath my beloved to do in my house , seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many , and the holy flesh is passed from thee ? when thou doest evil , then thou rejoicest . 16Jehovah called thy name , A green olive-tree, fair with goodly fruit : with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it , and the branches of it are broken . 17For Jehovah of hosts , who planted thee , hath pronounced evil against thee , because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah , which they have wrought for themselves in provoking me to anger by offering incense unto Baal . 18And Jehovah gave me knowledge of it , and I knew it : then thou showedst me their doings . 19But I was like a gentle lamb that is led 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 . 20But , O Jehovah of hosts , who judgest righteously , who triest the heart and the mind , I shall see thy vengeance on them ; for unto thee have I revealed my cause . 21Therefore thus saith Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth , that seek thy life , saying, Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of Jehovah , that thou die not by our hand ; 22therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts , Behold , I will punish them : the young men shall die by the sword ; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine ; 23and there shall be no remnant unto them : for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth , even the year of their visitation .