1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim this message there: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you of Judah, all who come through these gates to worship the LORD.’” 3Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, “Amend your ways and your behavior, and I will let you live in this place. 4Do not trust in lying words, by chanting, ‘The Temple of the LORD, The Temple of the LORD, The Temple of the LORD’. 5If you truly amend your ways and your doings; if you execute true justice between a man and his neighbor; 6If you do not oppress the sojourner (foreigner), the orphan, and the widow; and if you shed no innocent blood in this place, and do not pursue other gods to your own harm; 7Then I will allow you to dwell in this place - this land that I gave to your fathers - forever and ever. 8But if you trust in lying words about the temple protecting you, 9And then steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, or go after other strange gods; 10And then come and stand before Me in this house, which is called by My name, and say, ‘We are safe to do all these abominations’, 11Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? I, even I, have seen the evil that goes on there.” says the LORD. 12“But go now to My place which was in Shiloh, where I first had set My name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of My people, Israel. 13And now, while you were engaging in all these evil deeds,” says the LORD, “I spoke to you, rising up early and speaking, but you did not listen; and I called you, but you did not answer; 14Therefore, will I do to this house, which is called by My name - this house in which you now trust, the place which I gave to you and to your fathers - just as I have done to Shiloh. 15And I will thrust you out of My sight, just as I have thrown out all your brethren, the whole seed of Ephraim.”

16“Therefore, do not pray for this people; do not cry or offer prayer for them, or make intercession to Me; for I will not hear you (Jeremiah). 17Do you not see what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18The children gather wood, the fathers kindle a fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and pour out drink offerings to other gods, to provoke Me to anger. 19But am I the One they are harming?” asks the LORD. “Are they not bringing harm and confusion to themselves? 20So this is what the LORD God says: ‘Behold, My anger and My fury shall be poured out like fire upon both man and beast in this place, even on the trees of the field, and on the fruit of the ground; it shall burn, and not be quenched.’”

21So this is what the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel says, “Go on, add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the meat yourselves. 22For in the day that I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, I did not speak to them only about burnt offerings or sacrifices; 23But I also told them, ‘Obey My voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be My people; and walk in obedience to all that I have commanded you, so that it may be well with you.’ 24But they did not listen, nor paid any attention, but did whatever came out of the imaginations of their evil heart; and they went backward, rather than forward. 25Since the day that your fathers came out of Egypt until this day, I have sent to you all My servants, the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: 26But they would not listen to Me, nor chose to hear, but they hardened their resolve to do even worse than their fathers. 27And so, when you (Jeremiah) shall repeat all these words to them, they will not listen to you. You shall also call to them, but they will not answer you.”

28“So tell them, ‘This is a nation that does not obey the voice of the LORD, their God, and rejects My correction. Truth has vanished from their lips. 29Cut off your hair, and throw it away, O Jerusalem, and lament on the baren heights; for the LORD has rejected and forsaken this generation that is under His wrath.’”

30“The children of Judah persist in doing evil in My sight”, says the LORD; “They have polluted the house that is called by My name, by setting their abominable idols in it. 31And they have built the high places of Topheth (Place of Burning), which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, where they burn their sons and daughters in the fire, a horrible act which I never commanded them, nor did it ever enter My heart. 32So beware, the days are coming”, says the LORD, “That it shall no more be called ‘Topheth’, nor ‘The Valley of the Son of Hinnom’, but ‘The Valley of Slaughter’; for they shall bury bodies in Topheth until there is no more room. 33And then the carcasses of this people shall become food for the birds and wild animals of the earth; and no one shall chase them away. 34Then I will bring to an end the sounds of mirth and gladness, of the bridegroom, and the bride, in the cities of Judah, and the streets of Jerusalem; for the land shall become desolate.”