The Broken Covenant

1The word that came to Jeremiah from YHWH, saying: 2“Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to those dwelling in Jerusalem, 3and say to them, thus says YHWH God of Israel: Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant 4that I commanded your⁺ fathers in the day I brought them from the land of Egypt, from the furnace iron, saying, ‘Listen to My voice, and do according to all that I command you⁺, and you⁺ shall be My people, and I shall be your⁺ God, 5so that I may establish the oath that I swore to your⁺ fathers, to give to them a land flowing with milk and honey, as this day.”

And I answered and said, “Amen, YHWH.

6And YHWH 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. For I surely testified against your⁺ fathers in the day I brought them from the land of Egypt, and until this day, rising early and warning, I warned, saying, ‘Listen to My voice.’ 8And they did not hear, and they did not incline their ear; each man followed in the stubborness of their evil heart. And I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do and they have not done.”

9And YHWH said to me: “A conspiracy has been found out among the men of Judah, and among those dwelling in Jerusalem! 10They have turned back to the iniquities of their first fathers, who refused to hear My words, and they have gone after other gods to serve them! The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant that I made with their fathers.

11Therefore, thus says YHWH: ‘Behold, I am bringing on them calamity that they will not be able to escape from it; and they will call out to Me, and I will not listen to them. 12And the cities of Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem will go, and they will cry out to the gods to which they offer incense to them; they will not save them at all in the time of their calamity. 13For to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah; and the number of the streets of Jerusalem you⁺ have appointed altars of shame—altars for burning incense to Baal!

14And you—do not pray for this people or lift up for them a cry or prayer; for I will not hear them in the time of their crying out to Me on account of their calamity.

15What is unto my beloved one in My house,

her having done much evil scheming?

And the holy flesh has passed over from you;

when you are evil, then you rejoice?

16A green olive tree, lovely and of good fruit,

YHWH has called your name l

with the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it,

and its branches are broken.

17And YHWH of Hosts who planted you has spoken evil against you on account of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done themselves, provoking Me to anger by burning incense to Baal.

A Plot against Jeremiah
(Jeremiah 18:18–23)

18And YHWH has cause me to know, and I know it;

then You showed me their deeds.

19And I was docile like a lamb brought to the slaughter,

and I did not know that they had devised schemes against me:

“Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,

and let us cut him off from the land of the living,

that his name will not be remembered anymore.

20And YHWH of Hosts is the One judging in righteousness,

examining the kidneys and heart,

let me see Your vengeance on them,

for I have uncovered my dispute to You.

21Therefore thus says YHWH concerning the men of Anathoth, those seeking your soul, saying, “Do not prophesy in the name of YHWH, and you will not die by our hand!— 22Therefore thus says YHWH of Hosts: “Behold, I will punish them! The young men will die by the sword; their sons and their daughters will die by famine; 23and there will be no remnant for them! For I will bring disaster to the men of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.