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Jeremiah 25-28
Complete Jewish Bible
Jeremiah 25-28
Complete Jewish Bible
25 This is the word that came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the people of Y’hudah in the fourth year of Y’hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y’hudah; this was also the first year of N’vukhadretzar king of Bavel. 2 Yirmeyahu the prophet proclaimed it before all the people of Y’hudah and all the inhabitants of Yerushalayim: 3 “For twenty-three years, since the thirteenth year of Yoshiyahu the son of Amon, king of Y’hudah, until today, the word of Adonai has come to me; and I have proclaimed it to you on numerous occasions; but you haven’t listened. 4 Moreover, Adonai sent you all his servants the prophets — again, on numerous occasions — but you didn’t listen or pay attention. 5 The message was always: ‘Every one of you, turn back from his evil way, from the evil of your actions. Then you will live in the land Adonai gave you and your ancestors forever and ever. 6 Don’t follow other gods by serving and worshipping them. “Don’t provoke my anger with things your own hands have made; then I will do you no harm. 7 But you wouldn’t listen to me,” says Adonai, “so that you could provoke me with the products of your hands, to your own harm.”
8 “Therefore, here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: ‘Because you haven’t paid attention to what I’ve been saying, 9 I’m going to send for all the families of the north,’ says Adonai, ‘and for my servant N’vukhadretzar the king of Bavel, and bring them against this land, against its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them, making them an object of horror and ridicule, a perpetual ruin. 10 Moreover, I will silence among them the sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bridegroom and bride, the grinding of millstones and the light of lamps. 11 This entire land will become a ruin, a waste; and these nations will serve the king of Bavel for seventy years. 12 But when the seventy years are over, I will punish the king of Bavel and that nation for their sin,’ says Adonai, ‘and I will turn the land of the Kasdim into everlasting ruins. 13 I will inflict on that land all my words that I have decreed against it, everything written in this book, in which Yirmeyahu has prophesied against all the nations. 14 For they too will become slaves to many nations and to powerful kings; I will pay them back according to their deeds and the work of their own hands.’
15 “For here is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says to me: ‘Take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand, and make all the nations where I am sending you drink it. 16 They will drink, stagger to and fro and behave like crazy people because of the sword that I will send among them.’”
17 Then I took the cup from Adonai’s hand and made all the nations drink, where Adonai had sent me — 18 Yerushalayim and the cities of Y’hudah, along with their kings and leaders, to make them a ruin and an object of horror, ridicule and cursing, as it is today; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, with his servants and leaders and all his people, both native 20 and foreign; all the kings of the land of ‘Utz; all the kings of the land of the P’lishtim, Ashkelon, ‘Azah, ‘Ekron and those remaining in Ashdod; 21 Edom, Mo’av, and the people of ‘Amon; 22 all the kings of Tzor, of Tzidon and of the coastlands across the sea; 23 D’dan, Teima, Buz and all who cut the corners of their beards; 24 all the kings of Arabia and of the mixed peoples living in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, of ‘Eilam and of the Medes; 26 and all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another — indeed, all the kingdoms of the world that there are on the surface of the earth. And the king of Sheshakh will drink last of all.
27 “You are to say to them, ‘Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: Drink until you’re so drunk that you throw up, fall down, and never get up again, because of the sword I am sending among you!’ 28 If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink it, then say to them, ‘Here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says: You must drink! 29 For, look! — if I am bringing disaster on the city that bears my own name, do you expect to go unpunished? Yes, I will summon a sword for all the inhabitants of the earth,’ says Adonai.
30 “As for you, [Yirmeyahu,] prophesy all these words against them; say to them,
‘Adonai is roaring from on high,
raising his voice from his holy dwelling,
roaring with might against his own habitation,
shouting out loud, like those who tread grapes,
against everyone living on earth.
31 The sound resounds to the ends of the earth,
for Adonai is indicting the nations,
about to pass judgment on all humankind;
the wicked he has handed over to the sword,’
says Adonai.” 32 Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot:
“Disaster is spreading from nation to nation,
a mighty tempest is being unleashed
from the farthest ends of the earth.”
33 On that day, those killed by Adonai will be strewn
from one end of the earth to the other;
they will not be mourned or gathered or buried,
but will lie on the ground like dung.
34 “Wail, shepherds! Cry!
Wallow in the dust, you lords of the flock!
For the days for your slaughter have come.
I will break you in pieces,
and like a prized vase you will fall.”
35 The shepherds have no way to flee,
the lords of the flock no way to escape.
36 Hear the cry of the shepherds,
the wails of the lords of the flock!
For Adonai is destroying their pasture,
37 the peaceful grazing grounds are silenced,
because of Adonai’s fierce anger.
38 Like a lion, he has abandoned his lair;
for their land has become desolate
because of the oppressor’s fierce sword
and because of Adonai’s fierce anger.
26 At the beginning of the reign of Y’hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y’hudah, this word came from Adonai: 2 “Adonai says: ‘Stand in the courtyard of Adonai’s house and speak to the people from all the cities in Y’hudah who come to worship at Adonai’s house; say everything I order you to say to them, and don’t leave out a word. 3 Maybe they will listen, and each of them turn from his evil way; then I will be able to relent from the disaster I intend to bring on them because of how evil their deeds are. 4 So tell them that this is what Adonai says: “If you will not pay attention to me and live according to my Torah, which I have given you, 5 and listen to what my servants the prophets, whom I send to you, say — I have sent them frequently, but you haven’t listened — 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city an object of cursing for all the nations of the earth.”’”
7 The cohanim, the prophets and all the people heard Yirmeyahu speaking these words in the house of Adonai. 8 When Yirmeyahu had finished saying everything Adonai had ordered him to say to all the people, the cohanim, prophets and all the people seized him, shouting, “You will die for this! 9 Why have you prophesied in the name of Adonai, ‘This house will become like Shiloh,’ and, ‘This city will become uninhabited ruins’?” The people all crowded in on Yirmeyahu in Adonai’s house.
10 When the officials of Y’hudah heard about it, they came up from the king’s palace to Adonai’s house and sat at the entrance to the New Gate of Adonai’s house. 11 The cohanim and prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man deserves a death sentence, because he has prophesied against this city; you have heard it with your own ears.” 12 Then Yirmeyahu said to the officials and all the people, “Adonai sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city all the words you have heard. 13 Therefore now, improve your ways and your doings; and listen to the voice of Adonai your God; then Adonai will relent from the disaster he has decreed against you. 14 But as for me, here, I am in your hands; do with me whatever seems good and right to you. 15 Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city and on its inhabitants; because the fact is that Adonai sent me to you to speak all these words, so that you could hear them.”
16 The officials and all the people then said to the cohanim and prophets, “This man does not deserve a death sentence, because he has spoken to us in the name of Adonai our God.” 17 At this point some of the leaders of the land stood up and addressed all the people assembled: 18 “Back in the time of Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah, Mikhah from Moreshet was a prophet. He told all the people of Y’hudah, ‘Adonai-Tzva’ot says,
“Tziyon will be plowed under like a field,
Yerushalayim will become heaps of ruins,
and the mountain of the house like a forested height.”’
19 “Did Hizkiyahu king of Y’hudah and all Y’hudah put him to death? Not at all. Rather, he feared Adonai, and prayed for Adonai’s favor; and Adonai relented from the disaster he had pronounced against them. So [if we put Yirmeyahu to death,] we might bring great disaster on ourselves.”
20 On the other hand, there was also a man who prophesied in the name of Adonai, Uriyahu the son of Sh’ma‘yahu from Kiryat-Ye‘arim, who prophesied against this city and against this land exactly what Yirmeyahu is saying. 21 When Y’hoyakim the king, with all his military men and other officials, heard what he was saying, the king wanted to have him killed. On hearing of this, Uriyahu became frightened, fled and went to Egypt. 22 Y’hoyakim the king sent men to Egypt — Elnatan the son of ‘Akhbor and some others. 23 They brought Uriyahu back from Egypt and took him to Y’hoyakim the king, who put him to the sword and threw his corpse into the burial-ground of the common people.
24 But in this situation concerning Yirmeyahu, Achikam the son of Shafan used his influence to help him, so that he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
27 At the beginning of the reign of Y’hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y’hudah, this word came to Yirmeyahu from Adonai: 2 “Adonai says this to me: ‘Make yourself a yoke of straps and crossbars, and put it on your neck. 3 Send [similar yokes] to the kings of Edom, of Mo’av, of the people of ‘Amon, of Tzor, and of Tzidon by means of the envoys they send to Yerushalayim, and to Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah. 4 Give them this message for their masters by telling their envoys that Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says for them to tell their masters:
5 “‘“I made the earth, humankind, and the animals on the earth by my great power and my outstretched arm; and I give it to whom it seems right to me. 6 For now, I have given over all these lands to my servant N’vukhadnetzar the king of Bavel; I have also given him the wild animals to serve him. 7 All the nations will serve him, his son and his grandson, until his own country gets its turn — at which time many nations and great kings will make him their slave. 8 The nation and kingdom that refuses to serve this N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel, that will not put their necks under the yoke of the king of Bavel, I will punish,” says Adonai “with sword, famine and plague, until I have put an end to them through him.
9 “‘“You, therefore, don’t listen to your prophets, diviners, dreamers, magicians or sorcerers, when they tell you that you won’t be subject to the king of Bavel; 10 for they are prophesying lies to you that will result in your being removed far from your land, with my driving you out, so that you perish. 11 But the nation that puts its neck under the yoke of the king of Bavel and serves him, that nation I will allow to remain on their own soil,” says Adonai. “They will farm it and live there.”’”
12 Then I spoke to Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah in just the same way: “Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Bavel, serve him and his people, and you will live. 13 Why would you want to die, you and your people, by sword, famine and plague — which is what Adonai has decreed for the nation that will not serve the king of Bavel? 14 Don’t listen to the words of the prophets who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Bavel’; because they are prophesying lies to you. 15 ‘For I have not sent them,’ says Adonai, ‘and they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out, and you will perish — you and the prophets prophesying to you.’”
16 I also spoke to the cohanim and to all this people; I said, “This is what Adonai says: ‘Don’t listen to the words of the prophets prophesying to you that the articles from Adonai’s house will soon be returned from Bavel; because they are prophesying lies to you. 17 Don’t listen to them. Serve the king of Bavel, and stay alive; why should this city become a ruin?’ 18 But if they are in fact prophets, and if the word of Adonai is with them, then let them now intercede with Adonai-Tzva’ot that the articles still remaining in the house of Adonai and in the palace of the king of Y’hudah will not go off to Bavel. 19 For this is what Adonai-Tzva’ot says concerning the columns, the Sea, the bases and the rest of the articles still here in this city, 20 that N’vukhadnetzar, king of Bavel did not seize when he carried off captive Y’khanyahu the son of Y’hoyakim, king of Y’hudah, from Yerushalayim to Bavel, along with all the leading men of Y’hudah and Yerushalayim — 21 yes, this is what Adonai Shaddai, the God of Isra’el, says about the things remaining in the house of Adonai, in the palace of the king of Y’hudah and in Yerushalayim: 22 ‘They will be carried to Bavel; and there they will stay until the day I remember them, bring them back and restore them to this place,’ says Adonai.”
28 That same year, at the beginning of the reign of Tzidkiyahu king of Y’hudah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, Hananyah the son of ‘Azur the prophet, from Giv‘on, spoke to me in Adonai’s house in front of the cohanim and all the people, saying, 2 “This is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: ‘I have broken the yoke of the king of Bavel. 3 Within two years I will restore to this place all the articles from Adonai’s house that N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel removed from this place and carried to Bavel. 4 Also I will bring back here Y’khanyah the son of Y’hoyakim, king of Y’hudah, along with all those from Y’hudah who were taken captive to Bavel,’ says Adonai, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Bavel.’”
5 Then the prophet Yirmeyahu said to the prophet Hananyah in front of the cohanim and all the people standing in Adonai’s house — 6 the prophet Yirmeyahu said, “Amen! May Adonai do it! May Adonai fulfill the words you have prophesied and bring back from Bavel to this place the articles from Adonai’s house and all the people who were carried away captive! 7 Nevertheless, listen now to this word that I am speaking for you to hear and for all the people to hear. 8 The prophets who were here before me and before you prophesied in times past against many countries and against great kingdoms about war, disaster and plagues. 9 As for a prophet who prophesies peace — when the word of that prophet is fulfilled, it will be evident concerning that prophet that Adonai indeed did send him.”
10 At this point Hananyah the prophet took the crossbar off the prophet Yirmeyahu’s neck and broke it. 11 Then Hananyah, in front of all the people, said, “Thus says Adonai: ‘In just this way will I break off the yoke of N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel from the necks of all the nations within two years.’”
The prophet Yirmeyahu left them; 12 but then this word of Adonai came to Yirmeyahu, after Hananyah the prophet had broken off the crossbar from the neck of the prophet Yirmeyahu: 13 “Go and tell Hananyah that Adonai:says, ‘You have broken the crossbars of wood, but you will make in their place crossbars of iron. 14 For here is what Adonai-Tzva’ot, the God of Isra’el, says: “I have put a yoke of iron on the necks of all these nations, so that they can serve N’vukhadnetzar king of Bavel; and they will serve him; and I have given him the wild animals too.”’”
15 Then the prophet Yirmeyahu said to Hananyah the prophet, “Listen here, Hananyah! Adonai has not sent you! You are making these people trust in a lie! 16 Therefore, here is what Adonai says: ‘I am about to send you away from the face of the earth — this year you will die, because you have preached rebellion against Adonai.’” 17 Hananyah the prophet died that same year, in the seventh month.
Jeremiah 25-28
New International Version
Jeremiah 25-28
New International Version
Seventy Years of Captivity
25 The word came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim(A) son of Josiah king of Judah, which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar(B) king of Babylon. 2 So Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people of Judah(C) and to all those living in Jerusalem: 3 For twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of Josiah(D) son of Amon king of Judah until this very day—the word of the Lord has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again,(E) but you have not listened.(F)
4 And though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets(G) to you again and again, you have not listened or paid any attention.(H) 5 They said, “Turn(I) now, each of you, from your evil ways and your evil practices, and you can stay in the land(J) the Lord gave to you and your ancestors for ever and ever. 6 Do not follow other gods(K) to serve and worship them; do not arouse my anger with what your hands have made. Then I will not harm you.”
7 “But you did not listen to me,” declares the Lord, “and you have aroused(L) my anger with what your hands have made,(M) and you have brought harm(N) to yourselves.”
8 Therefore the Lord Almighty says this: “Because you have not listened to my words, 9 I will summon(O) all the peoples of the north(P) and my servant(Q) Nebuchadnezzar(R) king of Babylon,” declares the Lord, “and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants and against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy[a](S) them and make them an object of horror and scorn,(T) and an everlasting ruin.(U) 10 I will banish from them the sounds(V) of joy and gladness, the voices of bride and bridegroom,(W) the sound of millstones(X) and the light of the lamp.(Y) 11 This whole country will become a desolate wasteland,(Z) and these nations will serve(AA) the king of Babylon seventy years.(AB)
12 “But when the seventy years(AC) are fulfilled, I will punish the king of Babylon(AD) and his nation, the land of the Babylonians,[b] for their guilt,” declares the Lord, “and will make it desolate(AE) forever. 13 I will bring on that land all the things I have spoken against it, all that are written(AF) in this book and prophesied by Jeremiah against all the nations. 14 They themselves will be enslaved(AG) by many nations(AH) and great kings; I will repay(AI) them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.”
The Cup of God’s Wrath
15 This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup(AJ) filled with the wine of my wrath and make all the nations to whom I send(AK) you drink it. 16 When they drink(AL) it, they will stagger(AM) and go mad(AN) because of the sword(AO) I will send among them.”
17 So I took the cup from the Lord’s hand and made all the nations to whom he sent(AP) me drink it: 18 Jerusalem(AQ) and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a ruin(AR) and an object of horror and scorn,(AS) a curse[c](AT)—as they are today;(AU) 19 Pharaoh king(AV) of Egypt,(AW) his attendants, his officials and all his people, 20 and all the foreign people there; all the kings of Uz;(AX) all the kings of the Philistines(AY) (those of Ashkelon,(AZ) Gaza,(BA) Ekron, and the people left at Ashdod); 21 Edom,(BB) Moab(BC) and Ammon;(BD) 22 all the kings of Tyre(BE) and Sidon;(BF) the kings of the coastlands(BG) across the sea; 23 Dedan,(BH) Tema,(BI) Buz(BJ) and all who are in distant places[d];(BK) 24 all the kings of Arabia(BL) and all the kings of the foreign people(BM) who live in the wilderness; 25 all the kings of Zimri,(BN) Elam(BO) and Media;(BP) 26 and all the kings of the north,(BQ) near and far, one after the other—all the kingdoms(BR) on the face of the earth. And after all of them, the king of Sheshak[e](BS) will drink it too.
27 “Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk(BT) and vomit, and fall to rise no more because of the sword(BU) I will send among you.’ 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink(BV), tell them, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says: You must drink it! 29 See, I am beginning to bring disaster(BW) on the city that bears my Name,(BX) and will you indeed go unpunished?(BY) You will not go unpunished, for I am calling down a sword(BZ) on all(CA) who live on the earth,(CB) declares the Lord Almighty.’
30 “Now prophesy all these words against them and say to them:
“‘The Lord will roar(CC) from on high;
he will thunder(CD) from his holy dwelling(CE)
and roar mightily against his land.
He will shout like those who tread(CF) the grapes,
shout against all who live on the earth.
31 The tumult(CG) will resound to the ends of the earth,
for the Lord will bring charges(CH) against the nations;
he will bring judgment(CI) on all(CJ) mankind
and put the wicked to the sword,(CK)’”
declares the Lord.
32 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Look! Disaster(CL) is spreading
from nation to nation;(CM)
a mighty storm(CN) is rising
from the ends of the earth.”(CO)
33 At that time those slain(CP) by the Lord will be everywhere—from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned or gathered(CQ) up or buried,(CR) but will be like dung lying on the ground.
34 Weep and wail, you shepherds;(CS)
roll(CT) in the dust, you leaders of the flock.
For your time to be slaughtered(CU) has come;
you will fall like the best of the rams.[f](CV)
35 The shepherds will have nowhere to flee,
the leaders of the flock no place to escape.(CW)
36 Hear the cry(CX) of the shepherds,(CY)
the wailing of the leaders of the flock,
for the Lord is destroying their pasture.
37 The peaceful meadows will be laid waste
because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 Like a lion(CZ) he will leave his lair,
and their land will become desolate(DA)
because of the sword[g] of the oppressor(DB)
and because of the Lord’s fierce anger.(DC)
Jeremiah Threatened With Death
26 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim(DD) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord: 2 “This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard(DE) of the Lord’s house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord.(DF) Tell(DG) them everything I command you; do not omit(DH) a word. 3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn(DI) from their evil ways. Then I will relent(DJ) and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done. 4 Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen(DK) to me and follow my law,(DL) which I have set before you, 5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened(DM)), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh(DN) and this city a curse[h](DO) among all the nations of the earth.’”
7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded(DP) him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized(DQ) him and said, “You must die!(DR) 9 Why do you prophesy in the Lord’s name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?”(DS) And all the people crowded(DT) around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials(DU) of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate(DV) of the Lord’s house. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, “This man should be sentenced to death(DW) because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!”(DX)
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials(DY) and all the people: “The Lord sent me to prophesy(DZ) against this house and this city all the things you have heard.(EA) 13 Now reform(EB) your ways and your actions and obey(EC) the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent(ED) and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you. 14 As for me, I am in your hands;(EE) do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood(EF) on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words(EG) in your hearing.”
16 Then the officials(EH) and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man should not be sentenced to death!(EI) He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”
17 Some of the elders of the land stepped forward and said to the entire assembly of people, 18 “Micah(EJ) of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah. He told all the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“‘Zion(EK) will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble,(EL)
the temple hill(EM) a mound overgrown with thickets.’[i](EN)
19 “Did Hezekiah king of Judah or anyone else in Judah put him to death? Did not Hezekiah(EO) fear the Lord and seek(EP) his favor? And did not the Lord relent,(EQ) so that he did not bring the disaster(ER) he pronounced against them? We are about to bring a terrible disaster(ES) on ourselves!”
20 (Now Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath Jearim(ET) was another man who prophesied in the name of the Lord; he prophesied the same things against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim(EU) and all his officers and officials(EV) heard his words, the king was determined to put him to death.(EW) But Uriah heard of it and fled(EX) in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim, however, sent Elnathan(EY) son of Akbor to Egypt, along with some other men. 23 They brought Uriah out of Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim, who had him struck down with a sword(EZ) and his body thrown into the burial place of the common people.)(FA)
24 Furthermore, Ahikam(FB) son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Judah to Serve Nebuchadnezzar
27 Early in the reign of Zedekiah[j](FC) son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke(FD) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. 3 Then send(FE) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,(FF) Tyre and Sidon(FG) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. 4 Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: 5 With my great power and outstretched arm(FH) I made(FI) the earth and its people and the animals(FJ) that are on it, and I give(FK) it to anyone I please. 6 Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant(FL) Nebuchadnezzar(FM) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.(FN) 7 All nations will serve(FO) him and his son and his grandson until the time(FP) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate(FQ) him.
8 “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish(FR) that nation with the sword,(FS) famine(FT) and plague,(FU) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. 9 So do not listen to your prophets,(FV) your diviners,(FW) your interpreters of dreams,(FX) your mediums(FY) or your sorcerers(FZ) who tell you, ‘You will not serve(GA) the king of Babylon.’ 10 They prophesy lies(GB) to you that will only serve to remove(GC) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. 11 But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke(GD) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live(GE) there, declares the Lord.”’”
12 I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke(GF) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.(GG) 13 Why will you and your people die(GH) by the sword, famine and plague(GI) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? 14 Do not listen(GJ) to the words of the prophets(GK) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies(GL) to you. 15 ‘I have not sent(GM) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.(GN) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,(GO) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”
16 Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles(GP) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Do not listen(GQ) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.(GR) Why should this city become a ruin? 18 If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead(GS) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. 19 For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,(GT) the movable stands and the other articles(GU) that are left in this city, 20 which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried(GV) Jehoiachin[k](GW) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— 21 yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: 22 ‘They will be taken(GX) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day(GY) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring(GZ) them back and restore them to this place.’”
The False Prophet Hananiah
28 In the fifth month of that same year, the fourth year, early in the reign of Zedekiah(HA) king of Judah, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, who was from Gibeon,(HB) said to me in the house of the Lord in the presence of the priests and all the people: 2 “This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘I will break the yoke(HC) of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back to this place all the articles(HD) of the Lord’s house that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon removed from here and took to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiachin[l](HE) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and all the other exiles from Judah who went to Babylon,’ declares the Lord, ‘for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’”(HF)
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah before the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the Lord. 6 He said, “Amen! May the Lord do so! May the Lord fulfill the words you have prophesied by bringing the articles of the Lord’s house and all the exiles back to this place from Babylon.(HG) 7 Nevertheless, listen to what I have to say in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people: 8 From early times the prophets who preceded you and me have prophesied war, disaster and plague(HH) against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.(HI)”
10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke(HJ) off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it, 11 and he said(HK) before all the people, “This is what the Lord says: ‘In the same way I will break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years.’” At this, the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.
12 After the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: 13 “Go and tell Hananiah, ‘This is what the Lord says: You have broken a wooden yoke, but in its place you will get a yoke of iron. 14 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke(HL) on the necks of all these nations to make them serve(HM) Nebuchadnezzar(HN) king of Babylon, and they will serve him. I will even give him control over the wild animals.(HO)’”
15 Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Listen, Hananiah! The Lord has not sent(HP) you, yet you have persuaded this nation to trust in lies.(HQ) 16 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I am about to remove you from the face of the earth.(HR) This very year you are going to die,(HS) because you have preached rebellion(HT) against the Lord.’”
17 In the seventh month of that same year, Hananiah the prophet died.(HU)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 25:9 The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the Lord, often by totally destroying them.
- Jeremiah 25:12 Or Chaldeans
- Jeremiah 25:18 That is, their names to be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, to be seen by others as cursed
- Jeremiah 25:23 Or who clip the hair by their foreheads
- Jeremiah 25:26 Sheshak is a cryptogram for Babylon.
- Jeremiah 25:34 Septuagint; Hebrew fall and be shattered like fine pottery
- Jeremiah 25:38 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint (see also 46:16 and 50:16); most Hebrew manuscripts anger
- Jeremiah 26:6 That is, its name will be used in cursing (see 29:22); or, others will see that it is cursed.
- Jeremiah 26:18 Micah 3:12
- Jeremiah 27:1 A few Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac (see also 27:3,12 and 28:1); most Hebrew manuscripts Jehoiakim (Most Septuagint manuscripts do not have this verse.)
- Jeremiah 27:20 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
- Jeremiah 28:4 Hebrew Jeconiah, a variant of Jehoiachin
Complete Jewish Bible (CJB)
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