Jeremiah 11
1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,
The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying,
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 declare them to each man in Judah and to the inhabitants 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,
Say to them, 'Yahweh, God of Israel says this: Cursed is anyone who does not listen to 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;
This is the covenant that I commanded your ancestors to keep the day I brought them out from the land of Egypt, from the furnace for smelting iron. I said, “Listen to my voice and do all of these things just as I have commanded you, for 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.
Obey me so that I may confirm the oath that I swore to your ancestors, the oath that I would give them the land flowing with milk and honey, where you live today.'” Then I, Jeremiah, answered and said, “Yes, Yahweh!”
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.
Yahweh said to me, “Proclaim all these things in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. Say, 'Listen to 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 I have been giving solemn commands to your ancestors from the day I brought them up from the land of Egypt until this present time, persistently warning them and saying, “Listen to 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.
But they did not listen or pay attention. Each person has been walking in the stubbornness of his wicked heart. So I brought all the curses in this covenant that I commanded to come against them. But the people still did not obey.”
9 And the Lord said unto me, A conspiracy hath been found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
Next Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judah and the inhabitants 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 turned to the iniquities of their earliest ancestors, who refused to listen to my word, who instead walked after other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant that I established with their ancestors.
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 Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to bring disaster on them, disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Then they will call 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.
The cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and call out to the gods to which they had given offerings, but they will certainly not be saved by them at the time of their 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.
For you Judah, the number of your gods has increased to equal the number of your cities. You have made the number of shameful altars in Jerusalem, incense altars for Baal, equal to the number of her streets.
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.
So you yourself, Jeremiah, must not pray for this people. You must not wail or pray on their behalf. For I will not be listening when they call on me in their 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.
Why is my beloved one, the one who has had so many wicked intentions, in my house? The meat of your sacrifices cannot help you. You rejoice because of your evil actions.
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.
In the past Yahweh called you a leafy olive tree, beautiful with lovely fruit. But he will light a fire on it that will sound like the roar of a storm; its branches will be broken.
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.
For Yahweh of hosts, the one who planted you, has decreed disaster against you because of the wicked acts that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have committed—they have angered me by giving offerings to Baal.'”
18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then didst thou let me see their doings.
Yahweh made me know these things, so I know them. You, Yahweh, made me see 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.”
I was like a gentle lamb being led to a butcher. I did not know that they had formed plans against me, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit! Let us cut him off from the land of the living so his name will be no longer remembered.”
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.
Yet Yahweh of hosts is the righteous judge who examines the heart and the mind. I will witness your vengeance against them, for I have presented my case to you.
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 Yahweh says this concerning the people of Anathoth who are seeking your life, “They say, 'You must not prophesy in the name of Yahweh, 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;
Therefore Yahweh of hosts says this, 'See, I am about to punish them. Their vigorous young men will die by the sword. Their sons and their daughters will die 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.
None of them will be left, because I am bringing disaster against the people of Anathoth, a year of their punishment.'”
