Jeremiah 11

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

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

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

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

3 And say thou unto them, Thus hath said the Lord God of Israel, Cursed be the man that hearkeneth not to the words of this covenant,

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 your fathers on the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, Hearken to my voice, and do the same, in accordance with all which I may command you; and so shall ye be to me for a people, and I will be to you for a 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 In order that I may fulfill the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give unto them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. And I answered, and said, 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 said the Lord 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.

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 earnestly warned your fathers on the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt even until this day, sending out early and warning, saying, Hearken to my voice;

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 Yet they hearkened not, and inclined not their ear, but walked every one in the stubbornness of their evil heart: therefore did I bring over them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but which they did 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 said unto me, A conspiracy hath been found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

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

10 They are returned again to the iniquities of their earlier forefathers, who had refused to hearken to my words; and they themselves are [also] 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.

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 hath said the Lord, Behold, I will bring an evil upon them, from which they shall not be able to rid themselves; and they will cry unto me, but I will not hearken unto 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 let the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense; but they shall not save them in the least in the time of their distress.

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 equal to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and equal to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to the disgraceful idol, altars, to burn incense unto Ba'al.

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 But thou—thou must not pray in behalf of this people, neither lift up in their behalf entreaty or prayer; for I will not hear at the time that they call unto me, because of their distress.

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 hath my beloved to do in my house, while she executeth the evil counsel of so many [sinners]? Yea, the holy flesh passeth away from thee; for even with thy wickedness, thou rejoicest still.

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 An ever-green olive-tree, beautiful in fruit and form, did the Lord call thy name: with the noise of a great tumult hath he kindled fire around it, and they break off its branches.

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 And the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath decreed evil against thee; on account of the wickedness of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves, to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Ba'al.

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 given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then didst thou let me see their doings.

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

19 But I was like a sheep or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, [saying, ] “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may not be remembered any more.”

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 hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I entrusted 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 Therefore thus hath said the Lord concerning the men of 'Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, “Thou shalt not prophesy in the name of the Lord, that thou mayest not die by our hand:”

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 Therefore thus hath said the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will inflict punishment on them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by the 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 no remnant shall remain of them; for I will bring evil upon the men of 'Anathoth, in the year of their punishment.

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