Jeremiah 11

1. The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD saying,

2. “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the people of Jerusalem.

3. And say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,

4. Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice and do according to all that I command you; so you shall be My people, and I will be your God;’

5. So that I may fulfill the oath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them ‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is this day.” ’ ” Then I answered and said, “Amen, O LORD.”

6. Then the LORD said to me, “Declare all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Hear the words of this covenant, and do them,

7. For I earnestly forewarned your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and warning persistently, saying, “Obey My voice.”

8. Yet they did not obey nor bow down their ear, but walked each one in the imagination of his evil heart. So I will bring on them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do; but they did not do them.’ ”

9. And the LORD said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the people of Jerusalem.

10. They have turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, who refused to hear My words. And they went after other gods to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers.”

11. Thus says the LORD, “Behold, I will bring evil on them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry to Me, I will not hear them.

12. Then shall the cities of Judah and the people of Jerusalem go and cry to the gods to whom they offer incense. But they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.

13. For according to the number of your cities are your gods, O Judah. And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.

14. And you, do not pray for this people, nor lift up a cry or prayer for them. For I will not hear them when they call to Me in the time of their distress.

15. What has My beloved to do in My house, since she has committed lewdness with many? And the holy flesh has passed from you. When you do evil, then you rejoice.

16. The LORD called your name, a green olive tree, fair, with fine fruit. With the sound of a great storm He has set fire to it, and its branches are worthless.

17. For the LORD of hosts who planted you has spoken evil against you, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves to provoke Me to anger by offering incense to Baal.”

18. And the LORD has given me knowledge of it, and I knew. Then You showed me their doings.

19. But I was like a docile lamb being brought to the slaughter. And I did not know that they had plotted devised plots against me, saying, “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, so that his name may be remembered no more.”

20. But, O LORD of hosts Who judges righteously, Who tries the heart and the mind, let me see Your vengeance on them. For to You I have committed my cause.

21. “Therefore thus says the LORD of the men of Anathoth, who seek your life, saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, that you do not die by our hand.’

22. Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, ‘Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine;

23. And there shall be no remnant of them. For I will bring evil on the men of Anathoth, in the year of their judgment.’ ”