Old Testament · Jeremiah

Jeremiah 11

The Broken Covenant

1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying: 2Hear the words of this covenant^a, and speak to the men^b of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 3And say to them: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Cursed is the man who does not hear the words of this covenant, 4which I commanded^c your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying: Hear My voice, and do them according to all that I command you; and you shall be to Me for a people, and I will be to you for God, 5in order to establish the oath that I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. And I answered and said: Amen, O LORD.

6And 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 do them. 7For I earnestly warned your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and warning, saying: Hear My voice. 8But they did not hear, and they did not incline their ear, but walked each man in the stubbornness of their evil heart; so I brought upon them all the words of this covenant which I commanded them to do, but they did not do.

9And the LORD said to me: A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve^d them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I cut with their fathers.

11Therefore thus says the LORD: Behold, I am bringing upon them evil which they will not be able to come out of; and they will cry to Me, but I will not hear them. 12And the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their evil. 13For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to the shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.

14And you, do not pray for this people, and do not lift up for them cry or prayer; for I am not hearing in the time they cry to Me concerning their evil.

15What has My beloved to do in My house, her doing wickedness with the many? And the holy flesh^e—shall it pass from upon you? For when you do evil, then you exult.
16A green olive tree, fair in fruit and form, the LORD called your name; with the sound of a great tumult He kindled fire upon it, and its branches were broken.

17And the LORD of hosts^f, who planted you, has spoken evil against you, because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah which they have done to themselves, to provoke Me, by burning incense to Baal.

A Plot against Jeremiah

(Jeremiah 18:18–23)

18And the LORD gave me knowledge, and I knew; then You showed me their doings.
19But I was like a docile lamb led to the slaughter; and I did not know that against me they had devised devices: Let us destroy the tree with its bread, and let us cut him off from the land of the living^g, that his name be remembered no more.
20But the LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the kidneys and the heart—let me see Your vengeance upon them, for to You I have revealed my cause.

21Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth, who seek your soul^h, saying: Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you not die by our hand— 22therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I am punishing them; the young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; 23and there shall be no remnant to them; for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, the year of their visitation.