Jeremiah 11

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

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

3 and say thou to them, Thus says Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not hear the words of this covenant,

4 which 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 ye shall be my people, and I will be your God,

5 that I may establish the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then I answered, and said, Truly, O Jehovah.

6 And Jehovah said to 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.

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

8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked each one in the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did them not.

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

10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear my words, and they have 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.

11 Therefore thus says Jehovah, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape. And they shall cry to me, but I will not hearken to them.

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

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

14 Therefore do not pray thou for this people, nor lift up cry nor prayer for them, for I will not hear them in the time that they cry to me because of their trouble.

15 What has my beloved to do in my house, seeing she has wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh has passed from thee? When thou do evil, then thou rejoice.

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

17 For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, has 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 to Baal.

18 And Jehovah gave me knowledge of it, and I knew it. Then thou showed me their doings.

19 But 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 of it. And let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may no more be remembered.

20 But, O Jehovah of hosts, who judges righteously, who tries the heart and the mind, I shall see thy vengeance on them, for to thee I have revealed my case.

21 Therefore thus says Jehovah concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek thy life, saying, Thou shall not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, that thou not die by our hand.

22 Therefore thus says 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,

23 and there shall be no remnant to them. For I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.