Jeremias 17
1 Cursed is the man who trusts in man, and will lean his arm of flesh upon him, while his heart departs from the Lord.
“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond. It is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of your altars.
Even their children remember their altars and their Asherah poles by the green trees on the high hills.
My mountain in the field, I will give your substance and all your treasures for a plunder, and your high places, because of sin, throughout all your borders.
You, even of yourself, will discontinue from your heritage that I gave you. I will cause you to serve your enemies in the land which you do not know, for you have kindled a fire in my anger which will burn forever.”
The LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man, relies on strength of flesh, and whose heart departs from the LORD.
6 And he shall be as the wild tamarisk in the desert: he shall not see when good comes; but he shall dwell in barren [places], and in the wilderness, in a salt land which is not inhabited.
For he will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when good comes, but will inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, an uninhabited salt land.
7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord shall be.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose confidence is in the LORD.
8 And he shall be as a thriving tree by the waters, and he shall cast forth his root toward a moist place: he shall not fear when heat comes, and there shall be upon him shady branches: he shall not fear in a year of drought, and he shall not fail to bear fruit.
For he will be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes, but its leaf will be green, and will not be concerned in the year of drought. It will not cease from yielding fruit.
9 The heart is deep beyond all things, and it is the man, and who can know him?
The heart is deceitful above all things and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
10 I the Lord try the hearts, and prove the reins, to give to every one according to his ways, and according to the fruits of his devices.
“I, the LORD, search the mind. I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.”
11 The partridge utters her voice, she gathers [eggs] which she did not lay; [so is a man] gaining his wealth unjustly; in the midst of his days [his riches] shall leave him, and at his latter end he will be a fool.
As the partridge that sits on eggs which she has not laid, so is he who gets riches, and not by right. In the middle of his days, they will leave him. At his end, he will be a fool.
12 An exalted throne of glory is our sanctuary.
A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary.
13 O Lord, the hope of Israel, let all that have left you be ashamed, let them that have revolted be written on the earth, because they have forsaken the fountain of life, the Lord.
LORD, the hope of Israel, all who forsake you will be disappointed. Those who depart from me will be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the spring of living waters.
14 Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved; for you are my boast.
Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved; for you are my praise.
15 Behold, they say to me, Where is the word of the Lord? let it come.
Behold, they ask me, “Where is the LORD’s word? Let it be fulfilled now.”
16 But I have not been weary of following you, nor have I desired the day of man; you know; the [words] that proceed out of my lips are before your face.
As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I have not desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.
17 Be not to me a stranger, [but] spare me in the evil day.
Do not be a terror to me. You are my refuge in the day of evil.
18 Let them that persecute me be ashamed, but let me not be ashamed: let them be alarmed, but let me not be alarmed: bring upon them the evil day, crush them with double destruction.
Let them be disappointed who persecute me, but do not let me be disappointed. Let them be dismayed, but do not let me be dismayed. Bring on them the day of evil, and destroy them with double destruction.
19 Thus says the Lord; Go and stand in the gates of the children of your people, by which the kings of Juda enter, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem:
The LORD said this to me: “Go and stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem.
20 and you shall say to them, Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Juda, and all Judea, and all Jerusalem, [all] who go in at these gates:
Tell them, ‘Hear the LORD’s word, you kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates:
21 thus says the Lord; Take heed to your souls, and take up no burdens on the sabbath-day, and go not forth [through] the gates of Jerusalem;
The LORD says, “Be careful, and bear no burden on the Sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem.
22 and carry forth no burdens out of your houses on the sabbath-day, and you shall do no work: sanctify the sabbath-day, as I commanded your fathers.
Do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath day. Do not do any work, but make the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers.
23 But they listened not, and inclined not their ear, but stiffened their neck more than their fathers [did], so as not to hear me, and not to receive correction.
But they did not listen. They did not turn their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, and might not receive instruction.
24 And it shall come to pass, if you will listen to me, says the Lord, to carry in no burdens through the gates of this city on the sabbath-day, and to sanctify the sabbath-day, so as to do no work [upon it],
It will happen, if you diligently listen to me,” says the LORD, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but to make the Sabbath day holy, to do no work therein;
25 that there shall enter through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, and riding on their chariots and horses, they, and their princes, the men of Juda, and the dwellers in Jerusalem: and this city shall be inhabited for ever.
then there will enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on David’s throne, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their princes, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city will remain forever.
26 And [men] shall come out of the cities of Juda, and from round about Jerusalem, and out of the land of Benjamin, and out of the plain country, and from the hill country, and from the south [country], bringing whole burnt offerings, and sacrifices, and incense, and manna, and frankincense, bringing praise to the house of the Lord.
They will come from the cities of Judah, and from the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country, and from the South, bringing burnt offerings, sacrifices, meal offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving to the LORD’s house.
27 But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to me to sanctify the sabbath-day, to bear no burdens, nor go in [with them by] the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath-day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the streets of Jerusalem, and shall not be quenched.
But if you will not listen to me to make the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it will devour the palaces of Jerusalem. It will not be quenched.”’”
