Many a time did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their own inventions, and were brought down in their wickedness.

He shall be judge among the heathen; he shall fill them with dead bodies, and smite in sunder the heads over divers countries.

The dead praise not thee, O LORD, neither all they that go down into silence.

{Tet} O LORD, thou hast dealt graciously with thy servant, according unto thy word.

Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being imperfect; and in thy book were all my members written, which day by day were fashioned, when as yet there was not one of them.

For the enemy persecuteth my soul; he smiteth my life down to the ground; he layeth me in the darkness, as the dead men of the world.

and then say, "Alas, why hated I nurture? Why did my heart despise correction?

The man that wandereth out of the way of wisdom, shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

And then sayeth he, "I did it but in sport!"

Make not thy boast of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what may happen today.

The wind goeth toward the South and turneth unto the North, fetcheth his compass, whirleth about, and goeth forth and returneth again to his circuits from whence he did come.

And look whatsoever mine eyes desired, I let them have it: and wherein soever my heart delighted, or had any pleasure, I withheld it not from it. Thus my heart rejoiced in all that I did, and this I took for the portion of all my travail.

Wherefore I judged those that are dead, to be more happy than such as be alive.

And why? As long as a man liveth, he is careless: for a quick dog, say they, is better than a dead lion.

For they that be living, know that they shall die: but they that be dead, know nothing, neither deserve they anymore. For their memorial is forgotten,

Whatsoever thou takest in hand to do, that do with all thy power: for among the dead, where thou goest unto, there is neither work, counsel, knowledge nor wisdom.

Dead flies corrupt sweet ointment and make it to stink. Even so, oft times, he that hath been had in estimation for wisdom and honour is abhorred because of a little foolishness.

Thy stature is like a date tree, and thy breasts like the grapes.

I said, I will climb up the date tree, and take hold of his branches. Thy breasts also shall be as the vine grapes, the smell of thy nostrils like the smell of apples,

From above flickered the Seraphims, whereof every one had six wings: With twain each covered his face, with twain his feet, and with twain did he fly.

And therefore if they say unto you, "Ask counsel at the soothsayers, witches, charmers and conjurers," then make them this answer: "Is there a people anywhere, that asketh not counsel at his God? Should they run unto the dead for the living?"

That ye come not among the prisoners, or lie among the dead? After all this shall not the wrath of the LORD cease, but yet shall his hand be stretched out still.

Shall I not do unto Jerusalem and their Images, as I did unto Samaria and their Images?"

But doth the axe boost itself, against him that heweth therewith? Or doth the saw make any bragging, against him that ruleth it? That were even like as if the rod did exalt itself against him that beareth it: or as though the staff should magnify itself, as who say it were not wood.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD God of Hosts, "Thou my people, that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid for the king of the Assyrians: He shall wag his staff at thee, yea and beat thee with the rod, as the Egyptians did sometimes:

Moreover, the LORD of Hosts shall prepare a scourge for him, like as was the punishment of Midian upon the mount of Oreb. And he shall lift up his rod over the sea, as he did sometimes over the Egyptians.

This is the heavy burden of Babylon, which Isaiah the son of Amos did see.

and thou art cast out of thy grave like a wild branch - like as dead men's raiment that are shot through with the sword, as they that go down to the stones of the deep, as a dead corpse that is trodden under feet -

They went up to the idols' house, even to Dibon to the high places, to weep for Nebo; and Moab did mourn for Medeba. All their heads were bald, and all their beards shaven.

Then spake the LORD unto Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, "Go, and loose off that sackcloth from thy loins, and put off thy shoes from thy feet." And so he did, going naked and barefoot.

O thou city of miracles, seditious and willful? Thy slain men are neither killed with sword, nor dead in battle.

But as for thy dead men and ours, that be departed, they are in life and resurrection. They lie in the earth, they wake, and have joy: for thy dew is a dew of life and light. But the place of the malicious Tyrants is fallen away.

For the LORD shall step forth as he did upon the mount Perazim, and shall take on as he did upon the vale of Gibeon: that he may bring forth his device, his strange device: and fulfill his work, his wonderful work.

Thus the angel went forth, and slew of the Assyrians host, a hundred and eighty five thousand. And when men arose up early, at Jerusalem: Behold, all lay full of dead bodies.

The Isles saw and did fear, and ye ends of the earth were abashed, drew nigh, and came hither.

Who suffered Jacob to be trodden under foot, and Israel to be spoiled? Did not the LORD? Now have we sinned against him, and have had no delight to walk in his ways, neither been obedient unto his law.

Therefore I either suspended, or slew the chiefest princes: I did curse Jacob, and gave Israel into reproof."

For thus hath the LORD said: My people went down aforetime into Egypt, there to be strangers. Afterward did the king of the Assyrians oppress them for naught.

He put his sepulchre with the wicked, and with the rich in his death: because he did none iniquity, neither was guile found in his mouth.

"Come," say they, "I will fetch wine, so shall we fill ourselves, that we may be drunken. And do tomorrow, like as today; yea, and much more."

We grope like the blind upon the wall, we grope even as one that hath none eyes. We stumble at the noonday, as though it were toward night; in the falling places, like men that are half dead.

Therefore will I number you with the sword, that ye shall be destroyed all together. For when I called, no man gave me answer: when I spake, ye hearkened not unto me, but did wickedness before mine eyes, and chose the thing that pleased me not.

Therefore will I also have pleasure in laughing them to scorn, and the thing that they fear, will I bring upon them. For when I called, no man gave answer; when I spake, they would not hear: But did wickedness before mine eyes, and chose the things that displease me.

"Before I fashioned thee in thy mother's womb, I did know thee: And before thou wast born, I sanctified thee and ordained thee, to be a Prophet unto the people."

Like as a thief that is taken with the deed cometh to shame, even so is the house of Israel come to confusion: the common people, their kings and rulers, their priests and prophets.

Go to my place in Shiloh, whereunto I gave my name afore time, and look well what I did to the same place for the wickedness of my people of Israel.

Yea, the dead bodies of this people shall be eaten up of the fowls of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, and no man shall fray them away.

Fie! For shame! How abominable things do they? And yet they be not ashamed; yea, they know of no shame. Wherefore in the time of their visitation, they shall fall among the dead bodies, sayeth the LORD.

But tell thou plainly, thus sayeth the LORD, "The dead bodies of men shall lie upon the ground, as the dung upon the field, and as the hay after the mower, and there shall be no man to take them up."

For the LORD of Hosts that planted thee hath devised a plague for thee, O thou houses of Israel and Judah, for the evil that ye have done to provoke him to wrath, in that ye did service unto Baal."

For as straightly as a breech lieth upon a man's loins, so straightly did I bind the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah unto me, sayeth the LORD: that they might be my people; that they might have a glorious name; that they might be in honour. But they would not obey me.

And the LORD said unto me, "The prophets preach lies unto them in my name. I have not spoken with them, neither gave I them any charge, neither did I send them. Yet they preach unto you false visions, charming vanity, and deceitfulness of their own heart.

I will scatter them about also in all kingdoms and lands to be plagued, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for the things that he did in Jerusalem.

There shall not one visit another, to mourn with them for their dead, or to comfort them. One shall not offer another the cup of consolation, to forget their heaviness for father and mother.

Then said they, "Come, let us imagine something against this Jeremiah." Yea, this did even the priests, to whom the law was committed: the Senators, that were the wisest: and the prophets, which wanted not the word of God. "Come," said they, "let us cut out his tongue, and let us not regard his words."

For in this place will I slay the Senators of Judah and Jerusalem, and kill them down with the sword in the sight of their enemies, and of them that seek their lives. And their dead carcasses will I give to be meat for the fowls of the air, and beasts of the field.

For the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah are defiled, like as Tophet, because of all the houses; in whose parlors they did sacrifice unto all the host of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto strange gods.'"

Mourn not over the dead, and be not woe for them, but be sorry for him that departeth away: for he cometh not again, and seeth his native country no more.

Thinkest thou to reign, now that thou provokest me to wrath with thy Cedar trees? Did not thy father eat and drink, and prosper well, as long as he dealt with equity and righteousness?

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

and their best fields shall lie dead because of the horrible wrath of the LORD.

then will I do to this house, as I did unto Shiloh, and will make this city to be abhorred of all the people of the earth.'"

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?'"

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?"

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 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.

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."

Which letter Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah did bear, whom Zedekiah the king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. These were the words of Jeremiah's letter:

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;

Which letter Zephaniah the priest did read, and let Jeremiah the prophet hear it.

and the whole valley of the dead carcasses, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron: and from thence unto the corner of the horse gate toward the East, whereas the Sanctuary of the LORD also shall be set. And when it is now builded, and set up of this fashion it shall never be broken, nor cast down anymore."

when the Chaldeans come to besiege them: and they shall be filled with the dead carcasses of men, whom I will slay in my wrath and displeasure: when I turn my face from this city, because of all her wickedness.

As for you, ye were now turned, and did right before me, in that ye proclaimed, every man to let his neighbour go free, and in that ye made a covenant before me, in the temple that beareth my name.

Those men will I give into the power of their enemies, and into the hands of them that follow upon their lives. And their dead bodies shall be meat for the fowls of the air, and beasts of the field.

Then did Jeremiah call Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote in the book at the mouth of Jeremiah, all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him.

So Baruch the son of Neriah did, according unto all that Jeremiah the Prophet commanded him, reading the words of the LORD out of the book in the LORD's house.

Therefore thus the LORD sayeth, of Jehoiakim the king of Judah: There shall none of his generation sit upon the throne of David. His dead corpse shall be cast out, that the heat of the day and the frost of the night may come upon him.

Then took Jeremiah another book, and gave it Baruch the Scribe, the son of Neriah, which wrote therein out of the mouth of Jeremiah all the sermons that were in the first book, which Jehoiakim the king of Judah did burn. And there were added unto them many more sermons than before."

And Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said unto the prophet Jeremiah, "O put these rags and clothes under thine arm holes, betwixt them and the cords." And Jeremiah did so.

Now the pit wherein Ishmael did cast the dead bodies of the men whom he slew because of Gedaliah, had king Asa caused to be made, for fear of Baasha the king of Israel, and the same pit did Ishmael fill with slain men.

Last of all, when we women did sacrifice and offered unto the Queen of heaven, did we make her cakes and pour unto her drink offerings, to do her service, without our husbands' wills?"

"Did not the LORD remember the sacrifices that ye, your forefathers, your kings and rulers, with all the people, have offered in the cities of Judah, in the streets and land of Jerusalem? And hath he not considered this in his mind?

Insomuch that the LORD might no longer suffer the wickedness of your inventions, and the abominable things which ye did? Is not your land desolate and void; yea, and abhorred, so that no man dwelleth therein any more, as it is come to pass this day?

Did not all this happen unto you, because ye made such sacrifice, and sinned against the LORD? Ye have not followed his voice, to walk in his law, in his ordinances and statutes. Yea, this is the cause that all misfortune happened unto you, as it is come to pass this day."

Thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts the God of Israel: Ye and your wives have spoken with your own mouth, the thing that ye have fulfilled in deed. Yea, thus have ye said, 'We will not fail, but do the thing that pleaseth us: we will do sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of heaven.' Purposely have ye set up your own good meanings, and hastily have ye fulfilled your own intent.

They did cry, even there, 'O Pharaoh king of Egypt, thou troublous king; the time will bring sedition.'

For her furiousness may neither uphold her with strength nor deed.

He lived wickedly before the LORD even as Jehoiakim did.

But the poor people of the country did Nebuzaradan the chief Captain leave in the land, to occupy the vineyards and fields.

{Tet} Her skirts are defiled, she remembered not what would follow: therefore is her fall so great, and there is no man to comfort her. O LORD, consider my trouble, for my enemy hath the upper hand.

{Tet} Her ports are cast down to the ground, her bars are broken and smitten in sunder: her king and princes are carried away to the gentiles. They have neither law nor Prophets, nor yet any vision from the LORD.

{Khaf} Mine eyes begin to fail me through weeping, my body is disquieted, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the great hurt of my people, seeing the children and babes did swoon in the streets of the city.

He hath set me in darkness, as they that be dead forever.

{Tet} O how good is the LORD unto them that put their trust in him, and to the soul that seeketh after him?

{Tet} They that be slain with the sword, are happier than such as die of hunger, and perish away famishing for the fruits of the field.

And the similitude of the beasts and the fashion of them was as burning coals of fire and as fire brands, walking between the beasts. And the fire did shine, and out of the fire proceeded lightning.

and said unto me, "Thou son of man, thy belly shall eat, and thy bowels shall be filled with the book, that I give thee." Then did I eat the book and it was, in my mouth, sweeter than honey.

"Now if a righteous man go from his righteousness, and do the thing that is evil: I will lay a stumbling block before him, and he shall die, because thou hast not given him warning - Yea, die shall he in his own sin, so that the virtue which he did before shall not be thought upon, but his blood will I require of thine hand.

Then said I, "O LORD God: Behold, my soul was yet never stained, for from my youth up to this hour. I did never eat of a dead carcass, or that which was slain of wild beasts, neither came there ever any unclean flesh in my mouth."

and will handle thee of such a fashion as I never did before, and as I never will do from that time forth, and that because of all thine abominations.