Woe be unto the shepherds, that destroy and scatter my flock," sayeth the LORD.

Wherefore, this is the commandment of the LORD God of Israel, unto the shepherds that feed my people, "Ye scatter and thrust out my flock, and look not upon them. Therefore now will I visit the wickedness of your imaginations, sayeth the LORD:

And will gather together the remnant of my flock, from all lands that I had driven them unto, and will bring them again to their pastures, that they may grow and increase.

"Behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will raise up the righteous Branch of David, which shall bear rule, and discuss matters with wisdom, and shall set up equity and righteousness again in the earth.

In his time shall Judah be saved and Israel shall dwell without fear. And this is the name that they shall call him: even, 'The LORD our righteous maker.'

And therefore behold, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that it shall no more be said, 'The LORD liveth, which brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt':

My heart breaketh in my body because of the false prophets, all my bones shake: I am become like a drunken man that by the reason of wine can take no rest; for very fear of the LORD, and of his holy words.

Because the land is full of adulterers, wherethrough it is destroyed and mourneth, and the pleasant pastures of the desert are dried up. Yea the way that men take is wicked, and their governance is nothing like the holy word of 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."

And therefore the LORD of Hosts giveth you this warning, "Hear not the words of the prophets, that preach unto you, and deceive you: for they speak the meaning of their own heart, and not out of the mouth of the LORD.

They say unto them, that despise me: The LORD hath spoken it, 'Tush, ye shall prosper right well.' And unto all them that walk after the lusts of their own heart, they say, 'Tush, there shall no misfortune happen you.'

For who hath sitten in the council of the LORD, that he hath heard and understood what he is about to do? Who hath marked his device, and heard it?

Behold, the stormy weather of the LORD - that is, his indignation - shall go forth, and shall fall down upon the head of the ungodly.

Am I then God that seeth but the thing, which is nigh at hand, and not that is afar off? sayeth the LORD.

May any man hide himself so, that I shall not see him, sayeth the LORD? Do not I fulfill heaven and earth, sayeth the LORD?

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

Whose purpose is, with the dreams that everyone tell, to make my people forget my name, as their forefathers did when Baal came up.

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell it: and he that understandeth my word, let him show it faithfully. For what hath chaff and wheat to do together, sayeth the LORD?

Is not my word like a fire, sayeth the LORD, and like a hammer that breaketh the hard stone?

"Therefore, thus sayeth the LORD: behold, I will upon the prophets, that steal my word privily from every man.

Behold, here am I, sayeth the LORD, against the prophets that take upon their tongues to speak: The LORD hath said it.

Behold, here am I, sayeth the LORD, against those prophets that dare prophesy lies, and deceive my people with their vanities, and miracles, whom I never sent, nor commanded them. They shall do this people great harm, sayeth the LORD.

And the prophet, priest, or people that useth this term, 'the burden of the LORD' - him will I visit, and his house also.

Behold therefore, I will repute you as a burden, and will cast you out of my presence: yea and the city also, that I gave you and your fathers.

After that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had led away captive Jechoniah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the mighty men also of Judah, with the workmasters, and cunning men of Jerusalem, unto Babylon. The LORD showed me a vision: Behold, there stood two mounds of figs before the Temple of the LORD.

In the one mound were very good figs, even like as those that be first ripe. In the other mound were very naughty figs, which might not be eaten they were so evil.

Then said the LORD unto me, "What seest thou Jeremiah?" I said, "Figs, whereof some be very good, and some so evil that no man may eat them."

And I will give them a heart, to know how that I am the LORD. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

And like as thou knowest the naughty figs, which may not be eaten they are so evil: Even so will I, sayeth the LORD, let Zedekiah the king of Judah - yea, and all his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem that remain over in this land, and them also that dwell in Egypt - to be vexed and plagued in all kingdoms and lands.

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."

A sermon that was given unto Jeremiah, upon all the people of Judah: In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was, in the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.

"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.

He said, 'Turn again every man from his evil way, and from your wicked imaginations, and so shall ye dwell forever in the land that the LORD promised you and your forefathers:

Lo, I will send out, and call for all the people that dwell in the North, sayeth the LORD, and will prepare Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon my servant, and will bring them upon this land, and upon all that dwell therein, and upon all the people that are about them, and will utterly root them out. I will make of them a wilderness, a mockage, and a continual desert.

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 -

so that they also shall be subdued unto divers nations and great kings, for I will recompense them according to their deeds and works of their own hands.'

"For thus hath the LORD God of Israel spoken unto me, 'Take this wine cup of indignation from my hand, that thou mayest cause all the people, to whom I send thee, for to drink of it:

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.'

all the kings of Tyre and Sidon; the kings of the Isles that are beyond the sea;

all the kings of Arabia, and, generally, all the kings that dwell in the desert;

all kings toward the north, whether they be far or nigh, everyone with his neighbours; Yea, and all the kingdoms that are upon the whole earth. The king of Sheshach, said he, shall drink with them also.

'And say thou unto them: This is the commandment of the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Drink and be drunken, spew and fall, that ye never rise: and that through the sword which I will send among you.

But if they will no receive the cup of thy hand, and drink it, then tell them: Thus doth the LORD of Hosts threaten you: drink it ye shall, and that shortly.

For lo, I begin to plague the city that my name is given unto: think ye then, that I will leave you unpunished? Ye shall not go quit. For why? I call for a sword upon all the inhabiters of the earth, sayeth the LORD of Hosts.

"Thus sayeth the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all them which, out of the cities of Judah, come to do worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to say. Look that thou keep not one word back,

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.

Now when he had spoken out all the words that the LORD commanded him to preach unto all the people, then the priests, the prophets and all the people took hold upon him, and said, "Thou shalt die.

How darest thou be so bold, as to say in the name of the LORD, 'It shall happen to this house as it did unto Shiloh? And this city shall be so waste, that no man shall dwell therein?'"

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.

Therefore amend your ways, and your advisements, and be obedient unto the voice of the LORD your God: so shall the LORD repent of the plague, that he had devised against you.

But this shall ye know: if ye put me to death, ye shall make yourselves, this city and all the inhabiters thereof, guilty of innocent blood. For this is of a truth: that the LORD hath sent me unto you, to speak all these words in your ears."

Did Hezekiah king of Judah and the people of Judah put him to death for this? No verily, but rather feared the LORD, and made their prayer unto him. For the which cause also the LORD repented of the plague, that he had devised against them. Should we then do such a shameful deed against our souls?"

There was a prophet also, that preached stiffly in the name of the LORD, called Uriah the son of Shemaiah of Kiriathjearim: this man preached also against this city and against this land, according to all as Jeremiah sayeth.

Now when Jehoiakim the king with all the estate and princes had heard his words, the king went about to slay him. When Uriah perceived that, he was afraid, and fled, and departed into Egypt.

Which fetched Uriah out of Egypt, and brought him unto king Jehoiakim that slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the common people's grave.

But Ahikam the son of Shaphan helped Jeremiah, that he came not into the hands of the people to be slain.

and send them to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and to the king of Sidon: and that by the messengers, which shall come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah the king of Judah,

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.

For they preach you lies, to bring you far from your land, and that I might cast you out, and destroy you.

But the people that put their necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, those I will let remain still in their own land, sayeth the LORD, and they shall occupy it, and dwell therein.'"

All these things told I Zedekiah the king of Judah, and said, "Put your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, that ye may live.

Why wilt thou and thy people perish with the sword, with hunger, with pestilence: like as the LORD hath devised for all people that will not serve the king of Babylon?

Therefore give no ear unto those Prophets that tell you, 'Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon.' 'For they preach you lies,

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.'"

I spake to the Priests also, and to all the people, "Thus sayeth the LORD: Hear not the words of those Prophets, that preach unto you, and say, 'Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall shortly be brought hither again from Babylon.' For they prophesy lies unto you.

Hear them not, but serve the king of Babylon, that ye may live. Wherefore will ye make this city to be destroyed?

But if they be true Prophets in very deed, and if the word of the LORD be committed unto them, then let them pray the LORD of Hosts that the remnant of the ornaments, which are in the house of the LORD, and remain yet in the house of the king of Judah and at Jerusalem, be not carried to Babylon also.

For thus hath the LORD of Hosts spoken concerning the pillars, the laver, the seat and the residue of the ornaments that yet remain in this city,

And this was done in the same year: even in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah, king of Judah. But in the fourth year of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fifth Month, it happened, that Hananiah the son of Azzur, the prophet of Gibeon, spake to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, and said,

and after two years will I bring again into this place all the ornaments of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon carried away from this place unto Babylon.

Yea, I will bring again Jechoniah the son of Jehoiakim the king of Judah himself, with all the prisoners of Judah that are carried unto Babylon even into this place, sayeth the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."

Then the prophet Jeremiah gave answer unto the prophet Hananiah, before the priests and before all the people that were present in the house of the LORD.

And the prophet Jeremiah said, "Amen, the LORD do that, and grant the thing which thou hast prophesied: that he may bring again all the ornaments of the LORD's house, and restore all the prisoners from Babylon into this place.

Nevertheless, hearken thou also what I will say, that thou and all the people may hear.

The prophets that were before us in times past, which prophesied of war, or trouble, or pestilence -

either of peace, upon many nations and great kingdoms - were proved by this, if God had sent them in very deed: when the thing came to pass, which that prophet told before."

and with that said Hananiah, that all the people might hear, "Thus hath the LORD spoken: Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, from the neck of all nations; yea, and that within this two years." And so the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

Now after that Hananiah the prophet had taken the chain from the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and broken it, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Jeremiah saying,

For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: I will put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all this people, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, yea and so shall they do. And I will give him the beasts in the field.'"

This is the Copy of the letter, that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the prisoners: the Senators, priests, prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had led unto Babylon:

after the time that king Jechoniah, and his Queen, his chamberlains the princes of Judah and Jerusalem the workmasters of Jerusalem were departed thither.

"Thus hath the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, spoken unto all the prisoners, that were led from Jerusalem unto Babylon:

Build you houses to dwell therein; plant you gardens, that ye may enjoy the fruits thereof;

take you wives, to bear you sons and daughters; provide wives for your sons, and husbands for your daughters, that they may get sons and daughters, and that ye may multiply there. Labour not to be few,

"For thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: Let not those prophets and soothsayers that be among you deceive you: and believe not your own dreams.

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.

Ye shall seek me, and find me: Yea, if so be that ye seek me with your whole heart,

"But whereas ye say that God hath raised you up prophets at Babylon:

Thus hath the LORD spoken concerning the king that sitteth in the stool of David, and all the people that dwell in this city, your brethren that are not gone with you into captivity.

Thus, I say, speaketh the LORD of Hosts: Behold, I will send a sword, hunger and pestilence upon them, and will make them like untimely figs, that may not be eaten for bitterness.

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.

Thus hath the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel spoken, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy lies unto you in my name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, that he may slay them before your eyes.

And all the prisoners of Judah that are in Babylon, shall take upon them this term of cursing, and say, 'Now God do unto thee, as he did unto Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Because thou hast sealed letters under thy name unto all the people that is at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, yea and sent them to all the priests: wherein thou writest thus unto him:

'The LORD hath ordained thee to be priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, that thou shouldest be the chief in the house of the LORD above all prophets, and preachers, and that thou mightest put them in prison, or in the stocks.

How happeneth it then, that thou hast not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which never leaveth of his prophesying?

And beside all this, he hath sent us word unto Babylon, and told us plainly, that our captivity shall long endure: that we should build us houses to dwell therein, and to plant us gardens, that we might enjoy the fruit thereof.'

Send word to all them that be in captivity, on this manner: Thus hath the LORD spoken concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you without my commission, and brought you into a false hope,