¶ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,

¹Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

²And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,

Which I commanded³ your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron⁴ furnace, saying, Obey⁵ my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be⁶ my people, and I will be your God:

That I may perform⁷ the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land⁸ flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it⁹, O LORD.

Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim¹⁰ all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear¹¹ ye the words of this covenant, and do them.

For I earnestly¹² protested unto your fathers in the¹³ day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.

Yet they obeyed¹⁴ not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination¹⁵ of their evil heart: therefore¹⁶ I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did them not.

¹⁷And the LORD said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

¶ They are turned¹⁸ back to the iniquities¹⁹ of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel²⁰ and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.

¶ Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring²¹ evil upon them, which²² they shall not be able to escape²³; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.

Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go²⁴, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble²⁵.

For according²⁶ to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars²⁷ to that shameful thing²⁸, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.

Therefore pray²⁹ not thou for³⁰ this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble³¹.

What³² hath my³³ beloved to do³⁴ in mine house, seeing³⁵ she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy³⁶ flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil³⁷, then thou rejoicest.

The LORD called thy name, A green³⁸ olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with³⁹ the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.

For the LORD of hosts, that⁴⁰ planted thee, hath pronounced⁴¹ evil against thee, for the evil 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 Baal.

¶ And the LORD⁴² hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.

But I was⁴³ like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I⁴⁴ knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy⁴⁵ the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from⁴⁶ the land of the living, that his⁴⁷ name may be no more remembered.

¶ But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest⁴⁸ righteously, that triest⁴⁹ the reins and the heart, let⁵⁰ me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed⁵¹ my cause.

Therefore thus saith the LORD of the men of Anathoth, that seek⁵² thy life, saying, Prophesy⁵³ not in the name of the LORD, that thou⁵⁴ die not by our hand:

Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will punish⁵⁵ them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:

And there shall be no⁵⁶ remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year⁵⁷ of their visitation.