Jeremiah 11

1 The worde that came to Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

2 Heare ye the wordes of this couenant, and speake vnto the men of Iudah, and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem,

“Listen to the words of this covenant and tell them to the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem.

3 And say thou vnto them, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel, Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the wordes of this couenant,

You must tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,

4 Which I commanded vnto your fathers, when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt, from the yron fornace, saying, Obey my voyce, and doe according to all these things, which I commande you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,

which I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey Me, and do everything I command you, and you will be My people, and I will be your God.’

5 That I may confirme the othe, that I haue sworne vnto your fathers, to giue them a lande, which floweth with milke and hony, as appeareth this day. Then answered I and sayde, So be it, O Lord.

This was in order to establish the oath I swore to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is to this day.” “Amen, LORD,” I answered.

6 Then the Lord saide vnto me, Cry all these words in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, saying, Heare yee the words of this couenant, and doe them.

Then the LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: Hear the words of this covenant and carry them out.

7 For I haue protested vnto your fathers, whe I brought them vp out of the land of Egypt vnto this day, rising earely and protesting, saying, Obey my voyce.

For from the time I brought your fathers out of the land of Egypt until today, I strongly warned them again and again, saying, ‘Obey My voice.’

8 Neuerthelesse they would not obey, nor encline their eare: but euery one walked in the stubbernesse of his wicked heart: therefore I will bring vpon them all the wordes of this couenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did it not.

Yet they would not obey or incline their ears, but each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart. So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant I had commanded them to follow but they did not keep.”

9 And the Lord sayd vnto me, A conspiracie is found among the men of Iudah, and among the inhabitants of Ierusalem.

And the LORD told me, “There is a conspiracy among the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem.

10 They are turned backe to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to heare my wordes: and they went after other gods to serue them: thus the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue broken my couenant, which I made with their fathers.

They have returned to the sins of their forefathers who refused to obey My words. They have followed other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their fathers.

11 Therefore thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will bring a plague vpon them, which they shall not be able to escape, and though they crye vnto me, I will not heare them.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I am about to bring upon them a disaster that they cannot escape. They will cry out to Me, but I will not listen to them.

12 Then shall the cities of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem goe, and crie vnto the gods vnto whome they offer incense, but they shall not bee able to helpe them in time of their trouble.

Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been burning incense, but these gods certainly will not save them in their time of disaster.

13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Iudah, and according to the number of the streetes of Ierusalem haue yee set vp altars of confusion, euen altars to burne incense vnto Baal.

Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, O Judah; the altars of shame you have set up—the altars to burn incense to Baal—are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’

14 Therfore thou shalt not pray for this people, neither lift vp a crie, or prayer for them: for when they cry vnto mee in their trouble, I will not heare them.

As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf, for I will not be listening when they call out to Me in their time of disaster.

15 What shoulde my beloued tarie in mine house, seeing they haue committed abomination with manie? and the holy flesh goeth away from thee: yet when thou doest euill, thou reioycest.

What right has My beloved in My house, having carried out so many evil schemes? Can consecrated meat avert your doom, so that you can rejoice?

16 The Lord called thy name, A greene oliue tree, faire, and of goodly fruite: but with noyse and great tumult he hath set fyre vpon it, and the branches of it are broken.

The LORD once called you a flourishing olive tree, beautiful with well-formed fruit. But with a mighty roar He will set it on fire, and its branches will be consumed.

17 For the Lord of hostes that planted thee, hath pronounced a plague against thee, for the wickednes of the house of Israel, and of the house of Iudah, which they haue done against themselues to prouoke me to anger in offering incense vnto Baal.

The LORD of Hosts, who planted you, has decreed disaster against you on account of the evil that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have brought upon themselves, provoking Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.”

18 And the Lord hath taught me, and I knowe it, euen then thou shewedst mee their practises.

And the LORD informed me, so I knew. Then You showed me their deeds.

19 But I was like a lambe, or a bullocke, that is brought to the slaughter, and I knewe not that they had deuised thus against me, saying, Let vs destroy the tree with the fruite thereof, and cut him out of the lande of the liuing, that his name may be no more in memory.

For I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter; I did not know that they had plotted against me: “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be remembered no more.”

20 But O Lord of hostes, that iudgest righteously, and triest the reines and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for vnto thee haue I opened my cause.

O LORD of Hosts, who judges righteously, who examines the heart and mind, let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have committed my cause.

21 The Lord therefore speaketh thus of the men of Anathoth, (that seeke thy life, and say, Prophecie not in the Name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hands)

Therefore this is what the LORD says concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life and saying, “You must not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand.”

22 Thus therefore sayth the Lord of hostes, Beholde, I will visite them: the yong men shall die by the sword: their sonnes and their daughters shall die by famine,

So this is what the LORD of Hosts says: “I will punish them. Their young men will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine.

23 And none of them shall remaine: for I will bring a plague vpon the men of Anathoth, euen the yeere of their visitation.

There will be no remnant, for I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.”