Thus says the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwelling places; and the city shall be built upon its own mound, and the palace shall stand in its proper place.

For thus says the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations: proclaim, give praise, and say, O LORD, save your people, the remnant of Israel.

Hear the word of the LORD, O you nations, and declare it in the coastlands afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd does his flock.

Behold, the days come, says the LORD, that I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man, and with the seed of beast.

And it shall come to pass, that as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, says the LORD.

In those days they shall say no more, The fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the children's teeth are set on edge.

Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, and the fixed order of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, who divides the sea when its waves roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:

For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house.

For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Why do you prophesy, and say, Thus says the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

So Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray you, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

And I bought the field of Hanamel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.

So I took the deed of purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:

And I gave the deed of purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.

Behold the siege mounds, they have come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what you have spoken has come to pass; and, behold, you see it.

And now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, of which you say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;

For thus says the LORD; As I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

And fields shall be bought in this land, of which you say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.

Thus says the LORD; Again there shall be heard in this place, which you say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast,

The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for his mercy endures forever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captives of the land, as at the first, says the LORD.

As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured: so will I multiply the descendants of David my servant, and the Levites that minister unto me.

Then will I cast away the descendants of Jacob, and David my servant, so that I will not take any of his descendants to be rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob: for I will cause their captivity to return, and have mercy on them.

But you shall die in peace: and with the ceremonial fires of your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so shall they burn incense for you; and they will lament you, saying, Alas lord! for I have pronounced the word, says the LORD.

When the king of Babylon's army fought against Jerusalem, and against all the cities of Judah that were left, against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these fortified cities remained of the cities of Judah.

And Zedekiah king of Judah and his princes will I give into the hand of their enemies, and into the hand of them that seek their life, and into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which has gone up from you.

Neither shall you build house, nor sow seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: but all your days you shall dwell in tents; that you may live many days in the land where you are sojourners.

But it came to pass, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem.

The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: yet I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but you hearkened not unto me.

Therefore go you, and read in the scroll, which you have written from my mouth, the words of the LORD in the ears of the people in the LORD's house upon the fasting day: and also you shall read them in the ears of all Judah that come out of their cities.

And Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of the LORD in the LORD's house.

Then read Baruch in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entrance of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people.

Then he went down into the king's house, into the scribe's chamber: and, lo, all the princes sat there, even Elishama the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the princes.

Therefore all the princes sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, saying, Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand, and came unto them.

And they said unto him, Sit down now, and read it in our ears. So Baruch read it in their ears.

So the king sent Jehudi to bring the scroll: and he took it out of Elishama the scribe's chamber. And Jehudi read it in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood beside the king.

And you shall say to Jehoiakim king of Judah, Thus says the LORD; You have burned this scroll, saying, Why have you written in it, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come and destroy this land, and shall cause to cease from there man and beast?

Then Pharaoh's army had come forth out of Egypt: and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.

Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel; Thus shall you say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh's army, which has come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land.

And it came to pass, that when the army of the Chaldeans had left from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh's army,

Then said Jeremiah, It is false; I desert not to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him: so Irijah took Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes.

Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon's army, which shall take it.

Then took they Jeremiah, and cast him into the cistern of Malchiah the son of Hammelech, that was in the court of the prison: and they let down Jeremiah with ropes. And in the dungeon there was no water, but mire: so Jeremiah sank in the mire.

Now when Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, one of the eunuchs who was in the king's house, heard that they had put Jeremiah in the cistern; the king then sitting in the gate of Benjamin;

Ebed-melech went forth out of the king's house, and spoke to the king, saying,

So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the cistern to Jeremiah.

And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, Put now these old clothes and rags under your armpits under the ropes. And Jeremiah did so.

So they drew up Jeremiah with cords, and took him up out of the cistern: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

So Zedekiah the king swore secretly unto Jeremiah, saying, As the LORD lives, that made us this soul, I will not put you to death, neither will I give you into the hand of these men that seek your life.

Then said Jeremiah unto Zedekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel; If you will assuredly go forth unto the king of Babylon's princes, then your soul shall live, and this city shall not be burned with fire; and you shall live, and your house:

But if you will not go forth to the king of Babylon's princes, then shall this city be given into the hand of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape out of their hand.

But Jeremiah said, They shall not deliver you. Obey, I beseech you, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto you: so it shall be well unto you, and your soul shall live.

And, behold, all the women that are left in the king of Judah's house shall be brought forth to the king of Babylon's princes, and those women shall say, Your friends have set upon you, and have prevailed against you: your feet have sunk in the mire, and they have turned away from you.

So they shall bring out all your wives and your children to the Chaldeans: and you shall not escape out of their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon: and you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.

But if the princes hear that I have talked with you, and they come unto you, and say unto you, Declare unto us now what you have said unto the king, hide it not from us, and we will not put you to death; also what the king said unto you:

Then you shall say unto them, I presented my supplication before the king, that he would not cause me to return to Jonathan's house, to die there.

Then came all the princes unto Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words that the king had commanded. So they ceased speaking with him; for the conversation had not been heard.

So Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison until the day that Jerusalem was taken: and he was there when Jerusalem was taken.

And it came to pass, that when Zedekiah the king of Judah saw them, and all the men of war, then they fled, and went forth out of the city by night, by the way of the king's garden, by the gate between the two walls: and he went out the way of the plain.

Moreover he put out Zedekiah's eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon.

And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

Take him, and look well after him, and do him no harm; but do unto him even as he shall say unto you.

So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard sent, and Nebushazban the Rabsaris, and Nergal-sharezer the Rab-mag, and all the king of Babylon's other officers;

Even they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and committed him unto Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, that he should carry him home: so he dwelt among the people.

Now while he was not yet gone back, he said, Go back also to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has made governor over the cities of Judah, and dwell with him among the people: or go wherever it seems convenient unto you to go. So the captain of the guard gave him rations and a gift, and let him go.

And it was so, when they came into the midst of the city, that Ishmael the son of Nethaniah killed them, and cast them into the midst of a pit, he, and the men that were with him.

But ten men were found among them that said unto Ishmael, Slay us not: for we have treasures in the field, of wheat, and of barley, and of oil, and of honey. So he refrained, and killed them not with their brethren.

Then Ishmael carried away captive all the rest of the people that were in Mizpah, even the king's daughters, and all the people that remained in Mizpah, whom Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had committed to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam: and Ishmael the son of Nethaniah carried them away captive, and departed to go over to the Ammonites.

Now it came to pass, that when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces that were with him, then they were glad.

So all the people that Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned about and returned, and went unto Johanan the son of Kareah.

But if you say, We will not dwell in this land, neither obey the voice of the LORD your God,

Saying, No; but we will go into the land of Egypt, where we shall see no war, nor hear the sound of the trumpet, nor have hunger of bread; and there will we dwell:

So shall it be with all the men that set their faces to go into Egypt to sojourn there; they shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: and none of them shall remain or escape from the disaster that I will bring upon them.

For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; As my anger and my fury has been poured forth upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so shall my fury be poured forth upon you, when you shall enter into Egypt: and you shall be an oath, and an astonishment, and a curse, and a reproach; and you shall see this place no more.

For you were hypocrites in your hearts, when you sent me unto the LORD your God, saying, Pray for us unto the LORD our God; and according unto all that the LORD our God shall say, so declare unto us, and we will do it.

Then spoke Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, You speak falsely: the LORD our God has not sent you to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there:

So Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces, and all the people, obeyed not the voice of the LORD, to dwell in the land of Judah.

Even men, and women, and children, and the king's daughters, and every person that Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah the son of Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Jeremiah the prophet, and Baruch the son of Neriah.

So they came into the land of Egypt: for they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: thus came they even to Tahpanhes.

Take great stones in your hand, and hide them in the clay in the brick pavement, which is at the entrance of Pharaoh's house in Tahpanhes, in the sight of the men of Judah;

And say unto them, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will send and take Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will set his throne upon these stones that I have hid; and he shall spread his royal pavilion over them.

So that none of the remnant of Judah, who have gone into the land of Egypt to sojourn there, shall escape or remain, that they should return into the land of Judah, to which they have a desire to return to dwell there: for none shall return but those that shall escape.

But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goes forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of food, and were well-off, and saw no evil.

So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations which you have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as it is this day.

You did say, Woe is me now! for the LORD has added grief to my sorrow; I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.

Thus shall you say unto him, The LORD says thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.

Declare you in Egypt, and publish in Migdol, and publish in Memphis and in Tahpanhes: say you, Stand fast, and prepare you; for the sword shall devour all around you.

As I live, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts, Surely as Tabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel is by the sea, so shall he come.

How say you, We are mighty and strong men for the war?

All you that are about him, bemoan him; and all you that know his name, say, How is the strong staff broken, the beautiful rod!

O inhabitant of Aroer, stand by the way, and watch; ask him that flees, and her that escapes, and say, What has happened?

O you that dwell in Moab, leave the cities, and dwell in the rock, and be like the dove that makes her nest in the sides of the cave's mouth.

I know his wrath, says the LORD; but it shall not be so; his lies shall not so effect it.

O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for you with the weeping of Jazer: your plants have gone over the sea, they reach even to the sea of Jazer: the plunderer has fallen upon your summer fruit and upon your vintage.

They shall wail, saying, How it is broken down! how has Moab turned the back with shame! so shall Moab be a derision and a dismay to all them about him.

Kerioth is taken, and the strongholds are surprised, and the mighty men's hearts in Moab at that day shall be as the heart of a woman in birth pangs.

The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry its noise was heard at the Red sea.

Concerning Damascus. Hamath is confounded, and Arpad: for they have heard evil tidings: they are fainthearted; there is sorrow on the sea; it cannot be quiet.

Declare you among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.

As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighboring cities, says the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell in it.

They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not show mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride upon horses, everyone set in array, like a man for the battle, against you, O daughter of Babylon.

Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense.