that every man should let his servant and every man his handmaid, being a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go free, - so that no man should use them as slaves, to wit a Jew his brother;

so then they hearkened - even all the princes and all the people who had entered into the covenant that every man should let his servant and every man his handmaid, go free, so as not to use them as slaves, any longer, - yea they hearkened, and let them go,

So then the word of Yahweh came unto Jeremiah from Yahweh, saying:

Therefore - Thus, saith Yahweh, Ye, have not hearkened unto me, in proclaiming liberty, every man to his brother and every man to his neighbour: Behold me! proclaiming, to you, a liberty: Declareth Yahweh unto the sword, unto the pestilence, and unto the famine, so will I make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth;

So I took Jaazaniah, son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah, and his brethren, and all his sons, - and all the house of the Rechabites;

nor house, shall ye build nor, seed, shall ye sow, nor vineyard, shall ye plant, neither shall ye have them, - but in tents, shall ye dwell, all your days, that ye may live many days on the face of the soil where ye are sojourning.

So we have hearkened unto the voice of Jonadab, son of Rechab, our father, in all that be commanded us, - not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons nor our daughters;

and not to bud houses for us to dwell in, - and so, vineyard or field or seed, have we none;

And so it came to pass when Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came up into the land, that we said, - Let us even enter, Jerusalem, because of the force of the Chaldeans and because of the force of the Syrians: So have we dwelt in Jerusalem.

Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Go and say to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, - Will ye not receive correction by hearkening unto my words? Demandeth Yahweh:

And I sent unto you all my servants the prophets, betimes, sending, saying, Return I pray you - every man from his wicked way, And amend your doings, And do not go after other gods to serve them, So shall ye remain on the soil which I gave to you, and to your fathers, - but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened, unto me.

So Jeremiah called Baruch, son of Neriah, - and Baruch wrote, from the mouth of Jeremiah, all the words of Yahweh which he had spoken unto him upon a scroll.

So then Baruch son of Neriah did according to all which Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading in the book the words of Yahweh in the house of Yahweh.

So Micaiah told them all the words which he heard, - when Baruch read in the book in the ears of the people.

All the princes, therefore sent unto Baruch, Jehudi, son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi saying, The roll wherein thou didst read in the ears of the people, take it in thy hand, and come, So Baruch son of Neriah took the roll in his hand, and came in unto them.

Then said they unto him, Sit down we pray thee and read it in our ears, So Baruch read it in their ears.

So Baruch said unto them, With his own mouth, used he to proclaim unto me all these words, - and I kept on writing in the book, with ink.

Then went they in unto the king, into the court, but the roll, had they put in charge, in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, - so they declared in the ears of the king all the words.

So then it came to pass when Jehudi had read three or four columns that he cut it up into fragments with a scribes knife, and cast them into the fire that was in the stove, - until, all the roll, was consumed on the fire that was on the stove.

But unto Jehoiakim king of Judah, shalt thou say, Thus, saith Yahweh, - Thou, hast burned this roll saying, Why hast thou written thereon - saying, The king of Babylon shall, certainly, come and lay waste this land, and cause to cease therefrom man and beast?

So, Jeremiah, took another roll and gave it unto Baruch son of Neriah the scribe, who wrote thereon, from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book, which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned, in the fire, - and further were added thereunto many words like unto them

Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Thus, shall ye say unto the king of Judah, who sent you unto me to enquire of me, - Lo! the force of Pharaoh which is coming out to you to help is about to return to its own land to Egypt;

And so it came to pass he being in the gate of Benjamin and there being there a ward-master whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah, that he seized Jeremiah the prophet, saying, Unto the Chaldeans, art thou falling away!

Then said Jeremiah, False! I am not falling away unto the Chaldeans! Howbeit he hearkened not unto him, - so Irijah seized Jeremiah, and brought him in unto the princes.

Then King Zedekiah gave command and they committed Jeremiah into the guard-court, and said that there should be given him a cake of bread daily, out of the bakers street, until all the bread out of the city should be spent, So Jeremiah remained in the guard-court.

Thus saith Yahweh, He that remaineth in this city shall die, by sword by famine, or by pestilence, - whereas, he that goeth forth unto the Chaldeans, shall live, so shall he have his life for a spoil, and shall live.

Then took they Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah son of the king, which was in the guard-court, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes, - now, in the dungeon, was no water only mire, so Jeremiah sank in the mire.

So Ebed-melech took the men with him, and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took thence pieces of cast-off clothes, and old rags, - and let them down unto Jeremiah in the dungeon with the ropes.

Then said Ebed-melech the Ethiopian unto Jeremiah, - Put, I pray thee the pieces of cast-off clothes and the old rags under thine arm-joints, under the ropes, And Jeremiah did so,

So King Zedekiah aware unto Jeremiah secretly saying, - By the life of Yahweh who made for us, this soul, I will in no wise put thee to death, Neither will I deliver thee into the hand of these men who are seeking thy life.

But, when the princes hear that I have spoken with thee and they come in unto thee and say unto thee - Do tell us we pray thee what thou didst speak unto the king, do not hide it from us so will we not put thee to death, - and what spake the king unto, thee?

Then shalt thou say unto them, - I was causing my supplication to fall prostrate before the king, - that he would not cause me to return to the house of Jonathan, to die there.

Then came in all the princes unto Jeremiah and asked him, and he told them according to all these words which the king, had commanded, - so they turned in silence from him, for the matter, had not been reported.

So Jeremiah remained in the guard-court, until the day when Jerusalem, was captured; thus it fell out when Jerusalem, was captured.

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

Take him and, thine eyes, set thou upon him, and do not unto him any harmful thing, - but just as he shall speak unto thee, so, shalt thou do with him.

So Nebuzaradan chief of the royal executioners, sent, also Nebushazban, chief of the eunuchs, and Nergal-sharezer chief of the magi, and all the chiefs of the king of Babylon;

yea they sent and fetched Jeremiah out of the guard-court, and delivered him unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, to bring him forth into a home, so he dwelt in the midst of the people.

So then the, chief of the royal executioners took Jeremiah, - and said unto him, Yahweh thy God had threatened this calamity against this place;

and so Yahweh hath brought it about and done it just as he threatened, - for ye have sinned against Yahweh, and have not hearkened unto his voice, and so this thing hath befallen you.

Now, therefore, lo! I have loosed thee today, from the fetters which were upon thy hand: If it be good in thine eyes to come with me into Babylon, come, and I will set urine eyes upon thee, but if evil in thine eyes to come with me into Babylon, forbear, - see! all the land, is before thee, whither it may be good and right in thine eyes to go, thither, go!

And ere yet he could make reply - Go thou back then unto Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon hath set in charge over the cities of Judah, and dwell thou with him in the midst of the people, or whithersoever it may be right in thine eyes to go, go! So the chief of the royal executioners gave him an allowance and a present and let him go.

And so it was when they had come into the midst of the city, that Ishmael son of Nethaniah slew them and east them into the midst of a pit, he and the men who were with him.

But, ten men, were found among them, who said unto Ishmael - Do not put us to death, for we have secret treasures in the field, wheat and barley and oil and honey, So he forbare and put them not to death in the midst of their brethren.

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

So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive out of Mizpah, compassed about, and returned and went their way unto Johanan son of Kareah.

They, therefore said unto Jeremiah, Yahweh be against us, as a witness true and faithful, - if according to all the word which Yahweh thy God shall send thee unto us, so we do not perform:

saying, - No! for, into the land of Egypt, will we go, where we shall not see war, nor the sound of a horn, shall we hear, - nor for bread, shall we be famished, - there, then will we dwell

So shall it be with all the men who have set their faces to enter Egypt to sojourn there, they shah die by sword, by famine or by pestilence, - and they shall have neither survival nor escape, from the face of the calamity which I am about to bring in upon them.

For - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, - Just as mine anger and mine indignation have been poured out upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so shall mine indignation be poured out upon you when ye enter into Egypt, - thus shall ye become a curse, and an astonishment and a contempt and a reproach, and ye shall no more see this place.

For ye have deceived yourselves at the cost of your lives, for, ye yourselves, sent me unto Yahweh your God, saying, - Pray thou in our behalf, unto Yahweh our God, - and according to all that Yahweh our God shall say, so, tell us and we will do it.

then spake Azariah son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan son of Kareah, and all the proud men, - saying unto Jeremiah - Falsely, art thou speaking, Yahweh our God hath not sent thee to say, Ye shall not enter Egypt to sojourn there;

So Johanan son of Kareah, and all the captains of the forces and all the people, hearkened not, unto the voice of Yahweh, - by remaining in the land of Judah;

Then shalt thou say unto them - Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel - Behold me! sending and fetching Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, my servant, and I will set his throne over these stones which I have hid, - and he shall spread his canopy over them.

So will I kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt, and he shall burn them and carry them away Captive, - and shall wrap the land of Egypt about him, just as a shepherd, wrappeth about, him his garment, and shall go forth from thence in peace;

Thus, saith Yahweh of hosts, God of Israel, Ye yourselves, saw all the calamity which I brought in upon Jerusalem, and upon all the cities of Judah, - and there they are, a desolation this day, and there is not in them an inhabitant:

but they hearkened not neither inclined their ear, by turning from their wickedness, - so as not to burn incense to other gods.

Now, therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh God of hosts God of Israel - Wherefore, are ye committing a great wickedness against your own lives, that ye should cut off from you man and woman child and suckling, out of the midst of Judah, - so that there should not be left you a remnant:

and I will take the remnant of Judah who did set their faces to enter the land of Egypt to sojourn there, and they shall all be consumed, in the land of Egypt, shall they fall by the sword, by famine, shall they be consumed, from the least even unto the greatest, by sword and by famine, shall they die, - so shall they become a curse, and an astonishment, and a contempt and a reproach;

but, we will certainly do, the whole thing that hath gone forth out of our own mouth, by burning incense to the queen of the heavens, and pouring out to her drink-offerings, just as we and our fathers, and our kings and our princes, did, in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, then were we filled with bread and became prosperous, and calamity, saw we none;

so that Yahweh could no longer forbear because of the wickedness of your doings, because of the abominations which ye committed, - and your land became a desolation, and an astonishment, and a contempt without inhabitant - as at this day?

Behold me! watching over them for calamity, and not for blessing, - so shall all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt, be consumed, by sword and by famine until there be an end of them.

Thou didst say, Surely woe to me! For Yahweh hath added sorrow unto my pain, - I am weary with my moaning, And rest, have I not found!

Thus, shalt thou say unto him Thus, saith Yahweh, - Lo! what I had built, I am pulling down, And what I had planted, I am rooting up, - And that is, all the land:

So much of the word of Yahweh as came unto Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations.

Egypt was like the Nile when it riseth, And like rivers, when the waters are tossed: So he said - I will rise, I will cover the earth, I will destroy the city, and the dwellers therein.

Mount the horses, And drive the chariots madly on, So let the heroes, go forth, - Ethiopians and Libyans that grasp the buckler, And Lydians that grasp - that tread - the bow, But, that day, belongeth to My Lord Yahweh of hosts -

Tell ye it in Egypt, And let it be heard in Migdol, Yea let it be heard in Noph, and in Tahpanhes, - Say ye - Stand thou forth, and prepare thyself, For a sword hath devoured round about thee.

Hath made many a one to be stumbling, Yea fallen is every one against his neighbour, So they have said - Arise and let us return to our own people, And unto the land of our birth, From the face of the sword of the oppressor.

As I live, saith the King, Yahweh of hosts, is his name: Though Like Tabor among mountains, Like Carmel, Into the sea shall he go!

Thou, therefore, do not fear, O my Servant Jacob Nor be dismayed O Israel, For behold me! Saving thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, - So shall Jacob return and be quiet and shall rest, With none to occasion alarm.

So much of the word of Yahweh as came unto Jeremiah the prophet, Against the Philistines, - before Pharaoh smote Gaza:

How, can it be quiet, when, Yahweh, hath given it a charge, - against Ashkelon and against the shore of the sea? There, hath he appointed it!

How can ye say, Heroes, are we? and Men of might for the war?

Lament ye for him - All that are round about him, and All that know his name, - Say, How is broken - The staff of strength! The rod of beauty!

Near the way, take thy stand and keep outlook, O inhabitress of Aroer: Ask - him that fleeth, and Her that hath escaped, Say, What hath happened?

Make ye him drunken, Because against Yahweh, hath he magnified himself; So shall, Moab, stagger, into his own vomit, And shall become a derision, even he!

Beyond the weeping of Jazer, will I weep for thee O vine of Sibmah, Thy tendrils, have gone over the sea, Unto the sea of Jazer, have they reached, Upon thy summer fruits And upon thy vintage, the spoiler, hath fallen.

So shall be withdrawn gladness and exultation - From the fruitful field and From the land of Moab, - And wine from the vats, have I caused to fail, They shall not treed with shouting, The shouting shall be no shouting!

How it is broken down! They have howled, How hath Moab turned the back, for shame, - So shall Moab become a derision and a terror to all round about him.

Therefore, lo! days are coming, Declareth Yahweh When I will cause to be heard against Rabbah of the sons of Ammon, an alarm of war, So shall she become a mound of desolation, And, her villages, with fire, shall blaze, - Then shall Israel, inherit them who inherited him, Saith Yahweh.

So shall, Edom, become an astonishment, - Every one passing by her, will be astonished and hiss, over all her plagues:

At the noise of their fail, hath trembled the earth, At the outcry, in the Red Sea, was heard its noise.

Lo! as an eagle, he shall mount and dart, and spread his wings over Bozrah, - So shall the heart of the heroes of Edom, in that day, become as the heart of a woman in her pain.

Of Damascus. Turned pale have Hamath and Arpad, For, a calamitous report, have they heard - they tremble, - In the sea, is anxiety, it cannot, rest.

Alas! is she not forsaken - The city so praised! The citadel I rejoiced in!

Of Kedar. And of the kingdoms of Hazor Which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote - Thus, saith Yahweh, - Arise ye go up against Kedar, So shall they spoil the sons of the East:

So shall their camels, become, a prey, And the throng of their cattle, a spoil, Then will I scatter them to every wind even the clipt-beards, - And from all sides of him, will I bring in their doom Declareth Yahweh.

So shall Hazor become A habitation of jackals An astonishment unto times age-abiding: There shall not dwell there - a man, Nor sojourn therein - a son of the earth-born.

So much of the word of Yahweh as came unto Jeremiah the prophet, Against Elam, - in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah saying: -

And I will cause Elam to be dismayed Before their enemies Even before them who are seeking their life, So will I bring upon them calamity, Even the glow of mine anger Declareth Yahweh, - And will send after them the sword, until I have made an end of them;

Tell ye among the nations And let it be heard And lift ye up a standard, Let it be heard do not conceal: Say ye - Captured is Babylon, Confounded is Bel, Broken in pieces is Merodach, Confounded are her images, Broken down her manufactured gods;

In those days, and at that time, Declareth Yahweh, Shall the sons of Israel come in, They and the sons of Judah together: Weeping as they travel, so shall they journey on, And Yahweh their God, shall they seek;

So shall the Chaldeans become a spoil, - All her spoilers, shall be satisfied, Declareth Yahweh;

Set yourselves in array against Babylon round about All ye who tread the bow, Shoot at her, do not spare so much as an arrow, - For against Yahweh, hath she sinned.

So will I bring back Israel unto his own pasture, And he shall feed upon Carmel and Bashan; And in the hill country of Ephraim and Gilead, shall, his soul, he satisfied.

How s cut and broken the hammer of all the earth! How hath Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!

So shall the most insolent one stumble and fall, And he shall have none to lift him up, - And I will kindle a fire in his cities which shall devour all who are round about him.

Therefore shall the criers dwell with, the howlers, Yea ostriches, shall dwell therein, - So shall it be dwelt in no more for ever, Neither shall it be inhabited unto generation after generation.

Bow and javelin, shall they grasp, Cruel, are they and will not have compassion, Their voice, like the sea, will roar, And, on horses, will they ride, - Set in array, as one man for battle, Against thee, O daughter of Babylon!