Reminder of the Covenant

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2“Listen to the words of this covenanta and tell them to the men of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem. 3Tell them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Let a curse be on the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,a 4which I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt,a out of the iron furnace.”b I declared, “Obey me, and do everything that I command you, and you will be my people, and I will be your God,”c 5in order to establish the oath I swore to your ancestors,a to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is today.’ ”

I answered, “Amen, Lord.”b

6The Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Obey the words of this covenant and carry them out.’ 7For I strongly warned your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt until today, warning them time and time again,a a ‘Obey me.’ 8Yet they would not obey or pay attention; each one followed the stubbornness of his evil heart.a So I brought on them all the curses of this covenant, because they had not done what I commanded them to do.”

9The Lord said to me, “A conspiracy has been discovered among the men of Judaha and the residents of Jerusalem. 10They have returned to the iniquities of their ancestorsa who refused to obey my words and have followed other gods to worship them.b The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant I made with their ancestors.

11“Therefore, this is what the Lord says: I am about to bring on them disaster that they cannot escape.a They will cry out to me, but I will not hear them. 12Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they have been burning incense to, but they certainly will not save them in their time of disaster.a 13Your gods are indeed as numerous as your cities, Judah,a and the altars you have set up to Shamea b — altars to burn incense to Baal — as numerous as the streets of Jerusalem.

14“As for you, do not pray for these people. Do not raise up a cry or a prayer on their behalf,a for I will not be listening when they call out to me at the time of their disaster.

15What right does my beloved have

to be in my house,a

having carried out so many evil schemes?

Can holy meata b prevent your disasterB

so you can celebrate?

16The Lord named you

a flourishing olive tree,a

beautiful with well-formed fruit.

He has set fire to it,

and its branches are consumeda b

with the sound of a mighty tumult.c

17“The Lord of Armies who planted youa has decreed disaster against you, because of the disasterA the house of Israel and the house of Judah brought on themselves when they angered me by burning incense to Baal.”

18The Lord informed me, so I knew.

Then you helped me to see their deeds,

19for I was like a docileA lamb led to slaughter.a

I didn’t know that they had devised plots against me:

“Let’s destroy the tree with its fruit;B

let’s cut him off from the land of the livingb

so that his name will no longer be remembered.”

20But, Lord of Armies, who judges righteously,

who testsa heartA and mind,b

let me see your vengeance on them,

for I have presented my case to you.c

21Therefore, here is what the Lord says concerning the people of Anathotha who intend to take your life. They warn, “Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord,b or you will certainly die at our hand.” 22Therefore, this is what the Lord of Armies says: “I am about to punish them. The young men will die by the sword; their sons and daughters will die by famine.a 23They will have no remnant, for I will bring disaster on the people of Anathotha in the year of their punishment.”