²¹ “‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices^(A) and eat^(B) the meat yourselves! ²² For when I brought your ancestors out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands^(C) about burnt offerings and sacrifices,^{(D) 23} but I gave them this command:^(E) Obey^(F) me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.^(G) Walk in obedience to all^(H) I command you, that it may go well^(I) with you. ²⁴ But they did not listen^(J) or pay attention;^(K) instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts.^(L) They went backward^(M) and not forward. ²⁵ From the time your ancestors left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again^(N) I sent you my servants^(O) the prophets.^{(P) 26} But they did not listen to me or pay attention.^(Q) They were stiff-necked^(R) and did more evil than their ancestors.’^(S)

²⁷ “When you tell^(T) them all this, they will not listen^(U) to you; when you call to them, they will not answer.^{(V) 28} Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the Lord its God or responded to correction.^(W) Truth^(X) has perished; it has vanished from their lips.

²⁹ “‘Cut off^(Y) your hair and throw it away; take up a lament^(Z) on the barren heights, for the Lord has rejected and abandoned^(AA) this generation that is under his wrath.

The Valley of Slaughter

³⁰ “‘The people of Judah have done evil^(AB) in my eyes, declares the Lord. They have set up their detestable idols^(AC) in the house that bears my Name and have defiled^(AD) it. ³¹ They have built the high places of Topheth^(AE) in the Valley of Ben Hinnom^(AF) to burn their sons and daughters^(AG) in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.^{(AH) 32} So beware, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter,^(AI) for they will bury^(AJ) the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. ³³ Then the carcasses^(AK) of this people will become food^(AL) for the birds and the wild animals, and there will be no one to frighten them away.^{(AM) 34} I will bring an end to the sounds^(AN) of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom^(AO) in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem,^(AP) for the land will become desolate.^(AQ)

8 “‘At that time, declares the Lord, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones^(AR) of the people of Jerusalem will be removed^(AS) from their graves. ² They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served^(AT) and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped.^(AU) They will not be gathered up or buried,^(AV) but will be like dung lying on the ground.^{(AW) 3} Wherever I banish them,^(AX) all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,^(AY) declares the Lord Almighty.’

²² Say, “This is what the Lord declares:

²³ This is what the Lord says:

⁴ and the offerings^(A) of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.^(B)

⁵ “So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers,^(C) adulterers^(D) and perjurers,^(E) against those who defraud laborers of their wages,^(F) who oppress the widows^(G) and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners^(H) among you of justice, but do not fear^(I) me,” says the Lord Almighty.

Breaking Covenant by Withholding Tithes

⁶ “I the Lord do not change.^(J) So you, the descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.^{(K) 7} Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away^(L) from my decrees and have not kept them. Return^(M) to me, and I will return to you,”^(N) says the Lord Almighty.

“But you ask,^(O) ‘How are we to return?’

⁸ “Will a mere mortal rob^(P) God? Yet you rob me.

“But you ask, ‘How are we robbing you?’

“In tithes^(Q) and offerings. ⁹ You are under a curse^(R)—your whole nation—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe^(S) into the storehouse,^(T) that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates^(U) of heaven and pour out^(V) so much blessing^(W) that there will not be room enough to store it.^{(X) 11} I will prevent pests from devouring^(Y) your crops, and the vines in your fields will not drop their fruit before it is ripe,^(Z)” says the Lord Almighty. ¹² “Then all the nations will call you blessed,^(AA) for yours will be a delightful land,”^(AB) says the Lord Almighty.^(AC)

Israel Speaks Arrogantly Against God

¹³ “You have spoken arrogantly^(AD) against me,” says the Lord.

“Yet you ask,^(AE) ‘What have we said against you?’

¹⁴ “You have said, ‘It is futile^(AF) to serve^(AG) God. What do we gain by carrying out his requirements^(AH) and going about like mourners^(AI) before the Lord Almighty? ¹⁵ But now we call the arrogant^(AJ) blessed. Certainly evildoers^(AK) prosper,^(AL) and even when they put God to the test, they get away with it.’”

The Faithful Remnant

¹⁶ Then those who feared the Lord talked with each other, and the Lord listened and heard.^(AM) A scroll^(AN) of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared^(AO) the Lord and honored his name.

¹⁷ “On the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty, “they will be my^(AP) treasured possession.^(AQ) I will spare^(AR) them, just as a father has compassion and spares his son^(AS) who serves him. ¹⁸ And you will again see the distinction between the righteous^(AT) and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.^(AU)