Jeremiah 11

1 This is the Lord's message that came to Jeremiah:

The word which came to Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying:

2 Listen to the terms of this agreement, and then repeat them to the people of Judah and Jerusalem.

Hear ye the words of this covenant, And speak ye to the men of Judah, And the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

3 Tell them this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: You are cursed if you don't obey the terms of this agreement.

And say thou to them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who will not obey the words of this covenant,

4 I made this agreement with your forefathers when I led them out of Egypt, out of the iron-making furnace, saying, “Obey me, and do everything I order you to do, and you will be my people, and I will be your God.”

Which I commanded your fathers, When I brought them forth from the land of Egypt, From the iron furnace, saying, “Obey ye my voice, And do all which I command you; So shall ye be my people, And I will be your God;

5 I did this to fulfill what I promised to your forefathers—to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it still is today. Amen, Lord, I answered.

So that I may perform the oath, Which I made to your fathers, To give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” Then answered I, and said, So may it be, O Jehovah!

6 Then the Lord told me, Go and publicly announce this whole message in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Pay attention the terms of this agreement and do what they say.

Then said Jehovah to me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, And the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them!

7 From the time I led your forefathers out of Egypt until now, I seriously warned them time and again, saying, “Do what I tell you!”

For I have earnestly admonished your fathers, From the time when I brought them up from the land of Egypt to this day, Rising early and admonishing them, saying, “Obey ye my voice!”

8 But they refused to obey, they wouldn't listen. Instead each of them followed their own stubborn and evil thinking. I had ordered them to follow the agreement, but they didn't do so. So I brought down on them all the curses contained in the agreement.

Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, But walked every one in the obstinacy of his evil heart; Therefore have I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, Which I commanded them to obey, And they obeyed not.

9 The Lord told me, There is a rebellion happening among the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem.

Jehovah also said to me: A conspiracy hath been found among the men of Judah, And the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

10 They have gone back to the sins of their forefathers who refused to obey what I said. They have gone to worship other gods. The people of Israel and Judah have broken the agreement I made with their forefathers.

They turn back to the iniquities of their forefathers, Who refused to hearken to my words; They go after strange gods and serve them; The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant Which I made with their fathers.

11 So this is what the Lord says: I'm going to bring upon them a disaster they won't be able to escape. They will cry out to me for help, but I won't listen to them.

Therefore thus saith Jehovah: Behold I bring upon them a calamity, From which they shall not be able to escape; And though they cry to me, I will not hear them.

12 Then the people in the towns of Judah and Jerusalem will go and call out for help to the gods they've been burning incense to, but these gods won't be able to do anything to save them in their time of trouble.

Then may the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, And cry to the gods to whom they burn incense; But they shall not save them at all in the time of their calamity.

13 You certainly have as many gods as you have towns, Judah! You have built shameful altars, altars to burn incense to Baal. You have as many altars as the streets of Jerusalem.

For according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah! According to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to a thing of shame, Altars for burning incense to Baal.

14 Jeremiah, don't pray for these people. Don't cry for help or offer a prayer on their behalf, because I won't be listening when they cry out to me in the time of their trouble.

Therefore pray not thou for this people, Nor lift up a cry or a prayer for them; For I will not hear when they cry to me On account of their calamity.

15 What right do the people I love have to be in my Temple when they've done so many evil things? Do you think the meat of sacrifices will save you? When disaster strikes will you be happy?

What hath my beloved to do in my house, While many pollute it with wickedness? The holy flesh shall pass away from thee, For when thou doest evil, thou rejoicest.

16 At one time the Lord said you were a healthy olive tree, full of leaves and bearing beautiful fruit. But with a great noise he will set fire to it, destroying its branches.

Jehovah hath called thee an olive-tree, Green, fair, and of goodly fruit; With the noise of a great crackling doth he kindle a fire upon it, And the branches of it shall be broken.

17 I, the Lord Almighty, was the one who planted you, but I have announced you will be destroyed because of the evil that the people of Israel and Judah have committed, making me angry by burning incense to Baal.

For Jehovah of hosts, who planted thee, Hath pronounced evil against thee, On account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of Judah, which they have committed In provoking me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

18 The Lord told me about it, so I knew. Then he showed me what they were actually doing.

Jehovah made it known to me, and I knew it; Thou didst show me their machinations!

19 I was like a trusting little lamb being led away to be slaughtered. I didn't know that they had been plotting against me. They said, “Let's destroy the tree along with everything it produces. Let's kill him so no one will even remember his name.”

For I was like a tame lamb, that is led to the slaughter, And knew not that they had formed plots against me, [[saying, ]] “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, Let us cut him off from the land of the living, That his name may no more be remembered!”

20 I appeal to you, Lord Almighty, you who judge rightly and examine peoples thoughts and feelings, let me see how you punish them, because I've left my case in your hands.

But, O Jehovah of hosts, the righteous judge, Who triest the reins and the heart, I shall see thy vengeance on them, For to thee have I revealed my cause!

21 So this is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth who are trying to kill you, telling you, “Don't prophesy in the name of the Lord, or we'll kill you.”

Therefore thus saith Jehovah against the men of Anathoth, Who seek thy life, and say, “Prophesy not in the name of Jehovah, Lest thou die by our hand!”

22 This is the reply of the Lord Almighty: I will punish them. Their young men will killed by the sword, their sons and daughters will be killed by famine.

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

23 There won't be anyone left because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth at the time when they're punished.

There shall be none of them left; For I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, At the time of their punishment.