And I enforced not to be a shepherd that should not follow thee: and the day of destruction have I not desired, thou knowest. And that proceeded out of my mouth was right in thy sight.

if that people against whom I have thus devised convert from their wickedness: Immediately, I repent of the plague, that I devised to bring upon them.

But my people hath so forgotten me, that they have made sacrifice unto vain gods. And while they followed their own ways they are come out of the high street, and gone into a foot way not used to be trodden.

Wherethrough they have brought their land into an everlasting wilderness and scorn: So that whosoever traveleth thereby, shall be abashed, and wag their heads.

Let the noise be heard out of their houses, when the murderer cometh suddenly upon them: For they have digged a pit to take me, and laid snares for my feet.

Yet LORD, thou knowest all their counsel that they have devised, to slay me. And therefore forgive them not their wickedness, and let not their sin be put out of thy sight: but let them be judged before thee as the guilty: This shalt thou do unto them in the time of thy indignation.

And that because they have forsaken me, and unhallowed this place, and have offered in it unto strange gods: whom neither they, their fathers, nor the kings of Judah have known. They have filled this place also with the blood of innocents,

for they have set up an altar unto Baal, to burn their children for a burnt offering unto Baal, which I neither commanded, nor charged them, neither thought once thereupon.

'Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts: Even so will I destroy this people and city: as a Potter breaketh a vessel, that cannot be made whole again. In Tophet shall they be buried, for they shall have none other place.

"Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon every town about it, all the plagues that I have devised against them: for they have been obstinate, and would not obey my warnings."

because I have now preached long against malicious Tyranny, and showed them of destruction. For the which cause they cast the word of the LORD in my teeth, and take me ever to the worst.

Wherefore, I thought from henceforth not to speak of him, nor to preach anymore in his name. But the word of the LORD was a very burning fire in my heart and in my bones, which when I would have stopped, I might not.

But the LORD stood by me, like a mighty giant: therefore my persecutors fell, and could do nothing. They shall be sore confounded, for they have done unwisely, they shall have an everlasting shame.

because he slew me not, as soon as I came out of my mother's womb, and because my mother was not my grave herself, that the birth might not have come out, but remained still in her.

Wherefore came I forth of my mother's womb? To have experience of labour and sorrow? And to lead my life with shame?

'Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: behold, I will turn back the weapons, that ye have in your hands, wherewith ye fight against the king of Babylon and the Chaldeans, which besiege you round about the walls, and I will bring them together into the midst of this city,

And after this, sayeth the LORD, I shall deliver Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his servants, his people - and such as are escaped in the city, from the pestilence, sword, and hunger - into the power of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon: yea into the hands of their enemies; into the hands of those that follow upon their lives, which shall smite them with the sword. They shall not pity them, they shall not spare them, they shall have no mercy upon them.'

For I have set my face against this city, sayeth the LORD, to plague it, and to do it no good. It must be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and be burnt with fire.'

Then shall it be answered: Because they have broken the covenant of the LORD their God, and have worshipped and served strange gods.'"

Write this man among the outlaws, for no prosperity shall this man have all his life long. Neither shall any of his seed be so happy as to sit upon the seat of David, and to bear rule in Judah."

"For the prophets and the priests themselves are polluted hypocrites, and their wickedness have I found in my house, sayeth the LORD.

I have seen folly among the Prophets of Samaria, that they preached for Baal, and deceived my people of Israel.

I have seen also among the Prophets of Jerusalem foul adultery, and presumptuous lies. They take the most shameful men by the hand, flattering them, so that they cannot return from their wickedness. All these with their citizens are, unto me, as Sodom and as the inhabiters of Gomorrah."

"I have not sent these Prophets, sayeth the LORD, "and yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, and yet they preached.

I have heard well enough what the prophets say, that preach lies in my name, saying, 'I have dreamed, I have dreamed.'

And as for 'the burden of the LORD,' ye shall speak no more of it: for every man's own word is his burden, because ye have altered the words of the living God the LORD of Hosts our God.

And not once to name the burden of the LORD. Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Forsomuch as ye have used this term, 'the burden of the LORD,' whereas I notwithstanding sent unto you and forbade you to speak of the LORD's burden -

"Thus sayeth the LORD the God of Israel: like as thou knowest the good figs, so shall I know the men led away, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, for their profit:

I will send the sword, hunger and pestilence among them, until I have clean consumed them out of the land, that I gave unto them and their fathers."

"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, unto this present day, that is even the twenty third year, the word of the LORD hath been committed unto me. And so I have spoken to you. I have risen up early, I have given you warning in season, but ye would not hear me.

'Nevertheless, ye would not hear me,' sayeth the LORD, 'but have defiled me with the works of your hands, to your own great harm.'

"Wherefore, thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, 'Because ye have not hearkened unto my word;

and will fulfill all my words upon that land which I have devised against it - yea, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied of all people -

that when they have drunken thereof, they may be mad, and out of their wits, when the sword cometh that I will send among them.'

The shepherds shall have no way to flee, and the rams of the flock shall not escape.

if peradventure they will hearken, and turn every man from his wicked way: that I may also repent of the plague, which I have determined to bring upon them, because of their wicked inventions.

And after this manner shalt thou speak unto them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: If ye will not obey me, to walk in my laws, which I have given you,

Then spake the priests and the prophets unto the rulers and to all the people, these words, "This man is worthy to die, for he hath preached against this city, as ye yourselves have heard with your ears."

Then said Jeremiah unto the rulers and to all the people, "The LORD hath sent me to preach against this house and against this city all the words that ye have heard.

I am he that made the earth, the men, and the cattle that are upon the ground, with my great power and outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it pleased me.

Moreover, that people and kingdom which will not serve Nebuchadnezzar, and that will not put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, the same people will I visit with the sword, with hunger, and with pestilence, until I have consumed them in his hands, sayeth the LORD.

neither have I sent them, sayeth the LORD: howbeit they are bold, falsely for to prophesy in my name: that I might the sooner drive you out, and that ye might perish with your preachers.'"

"Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon,

For why? They preach you lies in my name, and I have not sent them, sayeth the LORD.

But thus sayeth the LORD: When ye have fulfilled seventy years at Babylon, I will bring you home, and of mine own goodness I will carry you hither again to this place.

For I know what I have devised for you sayeth the LORD. My thoughts are to give you peace, and not trouble, which I give you already; and that ye might have hope again.

I will be found of you, sayeth the LORD. And will deliver you out of prison, and gather you together again out of all places, wherein I have scattered you, sayeth the LORD: and will bring you again to the same place, from whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

And I will persecute them with the sword, with hunger and death. I will deliver them up to be vexed of all kingdoms, to be cursed, abhorred, laughed to scorn, and put to confusion of all the people, among whom I have scattered them:

and that because they have not been obedient unto my commandments, sayeth the LORD; which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets. I stood up early, and sent unto them, but they would not hear, sayeth the LORD.

Because they sinned shamefully in Israel. For they have not only defiled their neighbours' wives, but also preached lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them. This I testify, and assure, sayeth the LORD.

"Thus sayeth the LORD God of Israel: Write up diligently all the words, that I have spoken unto thee, in a book.

For lo, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will bring again the prisoners of my people of Israel and Judah, sayeth the LORD: For I will restore them unto the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall have it in possession."

"And as for thee, O my servant Jacob, fear not, sayeth the LORD; and be not afraid, O Israel. For lo, I will help thee also from far, and thy seed from the land of their captivity. And Jacob shall turn again, he shall be in rest, and have a prosperous life, and no man shall make him afraid.

For I am with thee, to help thee, sayeth the LORD. And though I shall destroy all the people among whom I have scattered thee, yet will I not destroy thee, but correct thee, and that with discretion. For I know, that thou art in no wise without fault.

All thy lovers have forgotten thee, and care nothing for thee. For I have given thee a cruel stroke, and chastened thee roughly: and that for the multitude of thy misdeeds, for thy sins have had the overhand.

Why makest thou moan for thy harm? I myself have pity of thy sorrow; but for the multitude of thy misdeeds and sins I have done this unto thee.

"For thus sayeth the LORD: Behold, I will set up Jacob's tents again, and defend his dwelling place. The city shall be builded in her old estate, and their houses shall have their right foundation.

The terrible displeasure of the LORD shall not leave off, until he have done and performed the intent of his heart, which in the latter days ye shall understand.

And they shall come, and rejoice upon the hill of Zion, and shall have plenteousness of goods, which the LORD shall give them: Namely, wheat, wine, oil, young sheep and calves. And their conscience shall be as a well-watered garden, for they shall no more be hungry.

Yea, even thy posterity shall have consolation in this, sayeth the LORD, that thy children shall come again into their own land.

Moreover, I heard Ephraim, that was led away captive, complain on this manner, 'O LORD, thou hast corrected me, and thy chastening have I received, as an untamed calf. Convert thou me, and I shall be converted, for thou art my LORD God.

Yea, as soon as thou turnest me, I shall reform myself: and when I understand, I shall smite upon my thigh. For verily I have committed shameful things: O let my youth bear this reproof and confusion.'

Upon this complaint, I thought thus by myself: Is not Ephraim my dear son? Is he not the child, with whom I have had all mirth and pastime? For since the time that I first communed with him, I have him ever in remembrance: therefore my very heart driveth me unto him; gladly and lovingly will I have mercy upon him, sayeth the LORD.

For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: It will come thereto, that when I have brought Judah out of captivity, these words shall be heard in the land and in his cities, 'The LORD, which is the fair bridegroom of righteousness, make thee fruitful O thou holy hill!'

Yea it shall come thereto, that like as I have gone about in times past to root them out, to scatter them, to break them down, to destroy them and chasten them: Even so will I also go diligently about, to build them up again, and to plant them, sayeth the LORD.

Then shall it no more be said, 'The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.'

Moreover, thus sayeth the LORD: like as the heaven above cannot be measured, and as the foundations of the earth beneath may not be sought out; So will I also not cast out the whole seed of Israel, for that they have committed, sayeth the LORD.

Now when they came therein, and possessed it, they followed not thy voice, and walked not in thy law: but all that thou commandedst them to do, that have they not done. And therefore come all these plagues upon them.

For the Chaldeans shall come, and win this city, and set fire upon it, and burn it: with the gorgeous houses in whose parlors they have made sacrifice unto Baal, and poured drink offerings unto strange gods, to provoke me unto wrath.

For seeing the children of Israel, and the children of Judah have wrought wickedness before me ever from their youth up, what have they else done, but provoked me with the works of their own hands, sayeth the LORD?

because of the great blasphemies of the children of Israel and Judah, which they have done to provoke me: yea they, their kings, their princes, their Priests, their Prophets, whole Judah, and all the citizens of Jerusalem.

They would not hear, to be reformed and correct. They have set their gods in the house that is hallowed unto my name, to defile it.

They have builded high places for Baal in the valley of the children of Hinnom, to cause their sons and daughters to pass through fire in honor of Moloch: which I never commanded them, neither came it ever in my thought, to make Judah sin with such abomination.

Behold, I will gather them together from all lands wherein I have scattered them in my wrath, in my fearful and great displeasure: and will bring them again unto this place, where they shall dwell safely.

Yea I will have a lust and pleasure to do them good, and faithfully to plant them in this land, with my whole heart, and with all my soul.

For thus sayeth the LORD: Like as I have brought all this great plague upon this people, so will I also bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

And men shall have their possessions in this land, whereof ye say now, that it shall neither be inhabited of people nor of cattle, but be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans.

Thou hast cried unto me, and I have heard thee: I have showed great and high things, which were unknown unto you."

From all misdeeds wherein they have offended against me, I will cleanse them: And all their blasphemies which they have done against me, when they regarded me not, I will forgive them.

Behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will perform the good thing, which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah.

"Thus sayeth the LORD: May the covenant which I have made with day and night be broken, that there should not be day and night in due season?

Then may my covenant also be broken, which I made with David my servant, and so he not to have a son to reign in his Throne. So shall also the priests and Levites never fail, but serve me.

"Considerest thou not what this people speaketh? 'Two kindreds,' say they, 'had the LORD chosen, and those same two hath he cast away.' For so far is my people come, that they have no hope to come together any more, and to be one people again.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD: If I have made no covenant with day and night, and given no statute unto heaven and earth;

but shalt die in peace. Like as thy forefathers the kings, thy progenitors, were burnt: so shalt thou be burnt also, and in the mourning they shall say, 'Oh, lord.' For thus have I determined, sayeth the LORD.'"

'When seven years are out, every man shall let his bought servant, a Hebrew go free, if he have served him six years.' But your fathers obeyed me not and hearkened not unto me.

But yet ye have turned yourselves again, and blasphemed my name, in this: That every man hath required his servant and handmaid again, whom ye had letten go quit and free, and compelled them to serve you again, and to be your bondmen.

And therefore thus sayeth the LORD: Ye have not obeyed me, every man to proclaim freedom unto his brother and neighbour: wherefore, I will call you unto a freedom, sayeth the LORD - even unto the sword, to the pestilence, and to hunger, and will make you to be plagued in all the kingdoms of the earth.

Yea, those men that have broken my covenant, and not kept the words of the covenant which they made before me - when they hewed the calf in two, and when there went through the two halves thereof -

yea, ye shall have no vineyards: but for all your time ye shall dwell in tents, that ye may live long in the land, wherein ye be strangers.'

Thus have we obeyed the commandment of Jonadab the son of Rechab our father, in all that he hath charged us, and so we drink no wine all our life long: we, nor our wives, our sons, and our daughters.

Neither build we any house to dwell therein, we have also among us neither vineyards, nor corn land to sow:

The words which Jonadab the son of Rechab commanded his sons, that they should drink no wine, are fast and surely kept: for unto this day they drink no wine but obey their father's commandment. But as for me, I have stood up early, I have spoken unto you, and given you earnest warning: and yet have ye not been obedient unto me.

Yea, I have sent my servants, all the prophets, unto you. I rose up early, and sent you word, saying: O turn you, every man from his wicked way: amend your lives, and go not after strange gods, to worship them: that ye may continue in the land, which I have given unto you and your fathers. But ye would neither hear me, nor follow me.

The children of Jonadab Rechab's son have steadfastly kept their father's commandment that he gave them, but this people is not obedient unto me.

And therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon everyone that dwelleth in Jerusalem, all the trouble that I have devised against them. For I have spoken unto them, but they would not follow: I have called unto them, nevertheless they would give me no answer."

Jeremiah also spake unto the household of the Rechabites, "Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Forsomuch as ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according unto all that he hath bidden you:

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not fail, but have one out of his stock, to stand always before me."

"Take a book, and write therein all the words, that I have spoken to thee, to Israel, to Judah, and to all the people, from the time that I began for to speak unto thee in the reign of Josiah, unto this day.

That when the house of Judah heareth of the plague, which I have devised for them, they may peradventure turn, every man from his wicked way, that I may forgive their offenses and sins."