Category: Jeremiah

Israel’s Mourning Turned to Joy

1 “At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be My people.”

2 Thus says the Lord,

“The people who survived the sword

Found grace in the wilderness—

Israel, when it went to find its rest.”

3 The Lordappeared to him from afar,saying,

“I have loved you with an everlasting love;

Therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.

4 Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt,

O virgin of Israel!

Again you will take up your tambourines,

And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers.

5 Again you will plant vineyards

On the hills of Samaria;

The planters will plant

And will enjoythem.

6 For there will be a day when watchmen

On the hills of Ephraim call out,

‘Arise, and let us go uptoZion,

To the Lordour God.’ ”

7 For thus says the Lord,

“Sing aloud 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.’

8 Behold, I am bringing them from the north country,

And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth,

Among them the blind and the lame,

The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together;

A great company, they will return here.

9 With weeping they will come,

And by supplication I will lead them;

I will make them walk by streams of waters,

On a straight path in which they will not stumble;

For I am a father to Israel,

And Ephraim is My firstborn.”

10 Hear the word of the Lord, O nations,

And declare in the coastlands afar off,

And say, “He who scattered Israel will gather him

And keep him as a shepherd keeps his flock.”

11 For the Lordhas ransomed Jacob

And redeemed him from the hand of him who was stronger than he.

12 “They will come and shout for joy on the height of Zion,

And they will be radiant over the bounty of the Lord—

Over the grain and the new wine and the oil,

And over the young of the flock and the herd;

And their life will be like a watered garden,

And they will never languish again.

13 Then the virgin will rejoice in the dance,

And the young men and the old, together,

For I will turn their mourning into joy

And will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow.

14 I will fill the soul of the priests with abundance,

And My people will be satisfied with My goodness,” declares the Lord.

15 Thus says the Lord,

“A voice is heard in Ramah,

Lamentationandbitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

She refuses to be comforted for her children,

Because they are no more.”

16 Thus says the Lord,

“Restrain your voice from weeping

And your eyes from tears;

For your work will be rewarded,” declares the Lord,

“And they will return from the land of the enemy.

17 There is hope for your future,” declares the Lord,

“Andyourchildren will return to their own territory.

18 I have surely heard Ephraim grieving,

‘You have chastised me, and I was chastised,

Like an untrained calf;

Bring me back that I may be restored,

For You are the Lordmy God.

19 For after I turned back, I repented;

And after I was instructed, I smote onmythigh;

I was ashamed and also humiliated

Because I bore the reproach of my youth.’

20 Is Ephraim My dear son?

Is he a delightful child?

Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him,

I certainlystillremember him;

Therefore My heart yearns for him;

I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the Lord.

21 “Set up for yourself roadmarks,

Place for yourself guideposts;

Direct your mind to the highway,

The way by which you went.

Return, O virgin of Israel,

Return to these your cities.

22 How long will you go here and there,

O faithless daughter?

For the Lordhas created a new thing in the earth—

A woman will encompass a man.”

23 Thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, “Once again they will speak this word in the land of Judah and in its cities when I restore their fortunes,

‘The Lordbless you, O abode of righteousness,

O holy hill!’

24 Judah and all its cities will dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks.

25 For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.”

26 At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.

A New Covenant

27 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of man and with the seed of beast.

28 As I have watched over them to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy and to bring disaster, so I will watch over them to build and to plant,” declares the Lord.

29 “In those days they will not say again,

‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes,

And the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

30 But everyone will die for his own iniquity; each man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth will be set on edge.

31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,

32 not like the covenant which I made with their fathers in the day I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, although I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord.

33 “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares the Lord, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.

34 They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares the Lord, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

35 Thus says the Lord,

Who gives the sun for light by day

And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar;

The Lordof hosts is His name:

36 “If this fixed order departs

From before Me,” declares the Lord,

“Then the offspring of Israel also will cease

From being a nation before Me forever.”

37 Thus says the Lord,

“If the heavens above can be measured

And the foundations of the earth searched out below,

Then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel

For all that they have done,” declares the Lord.

38 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when the city will be rebuilt for the Lordfrom the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate.

39 The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah.

40 And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord; it will not be plucked up or overthrown anymore forever.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/31-47a1f2659792df586537fbc3b01d1961.mp3?version_id=100—

Jeremiah Imprisoned

1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lordin the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

2 Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, whichwas inthe house of the king of Judah,

3 because Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it;

4 and Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye;

5 and he will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” declares the Lord. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed” ’?”

6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lordcame to me, saying,

7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buyit.” ’

8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of the Lordand said to me, ‘Buy my field, please, that is at Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for you have the right of possession and the redemption is yours; buyitfor yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

9 “I bought the field which was at Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son, and I weighed out the silver for him, seventeen shekels of silver.

10 I signed and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales.

11 Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealedcopy containingthe terms and conditions and the opencopy;

12 and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’ssonand in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard.

13 And I commanded Baruch in their presence, saying,

14 ‘Thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, that they may last a long time.”

15 For thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.” ’

Jeremiah Prays and God Explains

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the Lord, saying,

17 ‘Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,

18 who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lordof hosts is His name;

19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;

20 who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt,andeven to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day.

21 You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror;

22 and gave them this land, which You swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

23 They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them.

24 Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You seeit.

25 You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ ”

26 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah, saying,

27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

28 Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.

29 The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses wherepeoplehave offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.

30 Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord.

31 “Indeed this city has been to Mea provocation ofMy anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from before My face,

32 because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

33 They have turnedtheirback to Me and nottheirface; thoughItaught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.

34 But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.

35 They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass throughthe fireto Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

36 “Now therefore thus says the LordGod of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’

37 Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.

38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God;

39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and forthe good oftheir children after them.

40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.

41 I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

42 For thus says the Lord, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.

43 Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

44 Men will buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of theNegev; for I will restore their fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/32-63468ada80092bfb811af67ce6f23d38.mp3?version_id=100—

Restoration Promised

1 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying,

2 “Thus says the Lordwho madethe earth,the Lordwho formed it to establish it, the Lordis His name,

3 ‘Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

4 For thus says the LordGod of Israel concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken downto make a defenseagainst the siege ramps and against the sword,

5 ‘Whiletheyare coming to fight with the Chaldeans and to fill them with the corpses of men whom I have slain in My anger and in My wrath, and I have hidden My face from this city because of all their wickedness:

6 Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them; and I will reveal to them an abundance of peace and truth.

7 I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel and will rebuild them as they were at first.

8 I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me.

9 It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’

10 “Thus says the Lord, ‘Yet again there will be heard in this place, of which you say, “It is a waste, without man and without beast,”that is,in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man and without inhabitant and without beast,

11 the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say,

“Give thanks to the Lordof hosts,

For the Lordis good,

For His lovingkindness is everlasting”;

and of thosewho bring a thank offering into the house of the Lord. For I will restore the fortunes of the land as they were at first,’ says the Lord.

12 “Thus says the Lordof hosts, ‘There will again be in this place which is waste, without man or beast, and in all its cities, a habitation of shepherds who rest their flocks.

13 In the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, in the cities of the Negev, in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem and in the cities of Judah, the flocks will again pass under the hands of the one who numbers them,’ says the Lord.

The Davidic Kingdom

14 ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

15 In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.

16 In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this isthe nameby which she will be called: the Lordis our righteousness.’

17 For thus says the Lord, ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;

18 and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to prepare sacrifices continually.’ ”

19 The word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah, saying,

20 “Thus says the Lord, ‘If you can break My covenant for the day and My covenant for the night, so that day and night will not be at their appointed time,

21 then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant so that he will not have a son to reign on his throne, and with the Levitical priests, My ministers.

22 As the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David My servant and the Levites who minister to Me.’ ”

23 And the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah, saying,

24 “Have you not observed what this people have spoken, saying, ‘The two families which the Lordchose, He has rejected them’? Thus they despise My people, no longer are they as a nation in their sight.

25 Thus says the Lord, ‘If My covenantforday and nightstandnot,andthe fixed patterns of heaven and earth I have not established,

26 then I would reject the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, not taking from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But I will restore their fortunes and will have mercy on them.’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/33-dc65a6ecda41b191edc1d788023e3e1d.mp3?version_id=100—

A Prophecy against Zedekiah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army, with all the kingdoms of the earth that were under his dominion and all the peoples, were fighting against Jerusalem and against all its cities, saying,

2 “Thus says the LordGod of Israel, ‘Go and speak to Zedekiah king of Judah and say to him: “Thus says the Lord, ‘Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.

3 You will not escape from his hand, for you will surely be captured and delivered into his hand; and you will see the king of Babylon eye to eye, and he will speak with you face to face, and you will go to Babylon.’ ” ’

4 Yet hear the word of the Lord, O Zedekiah king of Judah! Thus says the Lordconcerning you, ‘You will not die by the sword.

5 You will die in peace; and asspiceswere burned for your fathers, the former kings who were before you, so they will burnspicesfor you; and they will lament for you, “Alas, lord!” ’ For I have spoken the word,” declares the Lord.

6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah in Jerusalem

7 when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the remaining cities of Judah,that is,Lachish and Azekah, for theyaloneremained as fortified cities among the cities of Judah.

8 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lordafter King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people who were in Jerusalem to proclaim release to them:

9 that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman; so that no one should keep them, a Jew his brother, in bondage.

10 And all the officials and all the people obeyed who had entered into the covenant that each man should set free his male servant and each man his female servant, so that no one should keep them any longer in bondage; they obeyed, and setthem free.

11 But afterward they turned around and took back the male servants and the female servants whom they had set free, and brought them into subjection for male servants and for female servants.

12 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

13 “Thus says the LordGod of Israel, ‘I made a covenant with your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, saying,

14 “At the end of seven years each of you shall set free his Hebrew brother who has been sold to you and has served you six years, you shall send him out free from you; but your forefathers did not obey Me or incline their ear to Me.

15 Although recently youhadturned and done what is right in My sight, each man proclaiming release to his neighbor, and you had made a covenant before Me in the house which is called by My name.

16 Yet you turned and profaned My name, and each man took back his male servant and each man his female servant whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them into subjection to be your male servants and female servants.” ’

17 “Therefore thus says the Lord, ‘You have not obeyed Me in proclaiming release each man to his brother and each man to his neighbor. Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to the sword, to the pestilence and to the famine; and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

18 I will give the men who have transgressed My covenant, who have not fulfilled the words of the covenant which they made before Me,whenthey cut the calf in two and passed between its parts—

19 the officials of Judah and the officials of Jerusalem, the court officers and the priests and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf—

20 I will give them into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life. And their dead bodies will be food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth.

21 Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials I will give into the hand of their enemies and into the hand of those who seek their life, and into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon which has gone away from you.

22 Behold, I am going to command,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it and take it and burn it with fire; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant.’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/34-08cd9c5c946ec438901167c6c1b83487.mp3?version_id=100—

The Rechabites’ Obedience

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lordin the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying,

2 “Go to the house of the Rechabites and speak to them, and bring them into the house of the Lord, into one of the chambers, and give them wine to drink.”

3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jeremiah, son of Habazziniah, and his brothers and all his sons and the whole house of the Rechabites,

4 and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Hanan the son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, which was above the chamber of Maaseiah the son of Shallum, the doorkeeper.

5 Then I set before the men of the house of the Rechabites pitchers full of wine and cups; and I said to them, “Drink wine!”

6 But they said, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever.

7 You shall not build a house, and you shall not sow seed and you shall not plant a vineyard or own one; but in tents you shall dwell all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’

8 We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, not to drink wine all our days, we, our wives, our sons or our daughters,

9 nor to build ourselves houses to dwell in; and we do not have vineyard or field or seed.

10 We have only dwelt in tents, and have obeyed and have done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us.

11 But when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, we said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ So we have dwelt in Jerusalem.”

Judah Rebuked

12 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah, saying,

13 “Thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Go and say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the Lord.

14 “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are observed. So they do not drinkwineto this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. But I have spoken to you again and again; yet you have not listened to Me.

15 Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sendingthemagain and again, saying: ‘Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers; but you have not inclined your ear or listened to Me.

16 Indeed, the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have observed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.’ ” ’

17 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them but they did not listen, and I have called them but they did not answer.’ ”

18 Then Jeremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, “Thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father, kept all his commands and done according to all that he commanded you;

19 therefore thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, “Jonadab the son of Rechab shall not lack a man to stand before Me always.” ’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/35-2740f17380e23011410ed713862ec41c.mp3?version_id=100—

Jeremiah’s Scroll Read in the Temple

1 In the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying,

2 “Take a scroll and write on it all the words which I have spoken to you concerning Israel and concerning Judah, and concerning all the nations, from the day Ifirstspoke to you, from the days of Josiah, even to this day.

3 Perhaps the house of Judah will hear all the calamity which I plan to bring on them, in order that every man will turn from his evil way; then I will forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the Lordwhich He had spoken to him.

5 Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, “I am restricted; I cannot go into the house of the Lord.

6 So you go and read from the scroll which you have written at my dictation the words of the Lordto the people in the Lord’shouse on a fast day. And also you shall read them to allthe people ofJudah who come from their cities.

7 Perhaps their supplication will come before the Lord, and everyone will turn from his evil way, for great is the anger and the wrath that the Lordhas pronounced against this people.”

8 Baruch the son of Neriah did according to all that Jeremiah the prophet commanded him, reading from the book the words of the Lordin the Lord’shouse.

9 Now in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the Lord.

10 Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lordin the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’shouse, to all the people.

11 Now when Micaiah the son of Gemariah, the son of Shaphan, had heard all the words of the Lordfrom the book,

12 he went down to the king’s house, into the scribe’s chamber. And behold, all the officials were sitting there—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 theotherofficials.

13 Micaiah declared to them all the words that he had heard when Baruch read from the book to the people.

14 Then all the officials sent Jehudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, to Baruch, saying, “Take in your hand the scroll from which you have read to the people and come.” So Baruch the son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and went to them.

15 They said to him, “Sit down, please, and read it to us.” So Baruch read it to them.

16 When they had heard all the words, they turned in fear one to another and said to Baruch, “We will surely report all these words to the king.”

17 And they asked Baruch, saying, “Tell us, please, how did you write all these words?Was itat his dictation?”

18 Then Baruch said to them, “He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the book.”

19 Then the officials said to Baruch, “Go, hide yourself, you and Jeremiah, and do not let anyone know where you are.”

The Scroll Is Burned

20 So they went to the king in the court, but they had deposited the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the scribe, and they reported all the words to the king.

21 Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it out of the chamber of Elishama the scribe. And Jehudi read it to the king as well as to all the officials who stood beside the king.

22 Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, witha fireburning in the brazier before him.

23 When Jehudi had read three or four columns,the kingcut it with a scribe’s knife and threwitinto the fire that was in the brazier, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier.

24 Yet the king and all his servants who heard all these words were not afraid, nor did they rend their garments.

25 Even though Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah pleaded with the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them.

26 And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son, Seraiah the son of Azriel, and Shelemiah the son of Abdeel to seize Baruch the scribe and Jeremiah the prophet, but the Lordhid them.

The Scroll Is Replaced

27 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah after the king had burned the scroll and the words which Baruch had written at the dictation of Jeremiah, saying,

28 “Take again another scroll and write on it all the former words that were on the first scroll which Jehoiakim the king of Judah burned.

29 And concerning Jehoiakim king of Judah you shall say, ‘Thus says the Lord, “You have burned this scroll, saying, ‘Why have you written on it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will make man and beast to cease from it?’ ”

30 Therefore thus says the Lordconcerning Jehoiakim king of Judah, “He shall have no one to sit on the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat of the day and the frost of the night.

31 I will also punish him and his descendants and his servants for their iniquity, and I will bring on them and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and the men of Judah all the calamity that I have declared to them—but they did not listen.” ’ ”

32 Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Baruch the son of Neriah, the scribe, and he wrote on it at the dictation of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Jehoiakim king of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/36-6e6f33fd050a28b303c04b16636545d9.mp3?version_id=100—

Jeremiah Warns against Trust in Pharaoh

1 Now Zedekiah the son of Josiah whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had made king in the land of Judah, reigned as king in place of Coniah the son of Jehoiakim.

2 But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lordwhich He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet.

3 Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah, the priest, to Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “Please pray to the Lordour God on our behalf.”

4 Now Jeremiah wasstillcoming in and going out among the people, for they had notyetput him in the prison.

5 Meanwhile, Pharaoh’s army had set out from Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who had been besieging Jerusalem heard the report about them, they lifted thesiegefrom Jerusalem.

6 Then the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah the prophet, saying,

7 “Thus says the LordGod of Israel, ‘Thus you are to say to the king of Judah, who sent you to Me to inquire of Me: “Behold, Pharaoh’s army which has come out for your assistance is going to return to its own land of Egypt.

8 The Chaldeans will also return and fight against this city, and they will capture it and burn it with fire.” ’

9 Thus says the Lord, ‘Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go.

10 For even if you had defeated the entire army of Chaldeans who were fighting against you, and there wereonlywounded men left among them, each man in his tent, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.’ ”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

11 Now it happened when the army of the Chaldeans had liftedthe siegefrom Jerusalem because of Pharaoh’s army,

12 that Jeremiah went out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin in order to take possession ofsomeproperty there among the people.

13 While he was at the Gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah the son of Hananiah was there; and he arrested Jeremiah the prophet, saying, “You are going over to the Chaldeans!”

14 But Jeremiah said, “A lie! I am not going over to the Chaldeans”; yet he would not listen to him. So Irijah arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials.

15 Then the officials were angry at Jeremiah and beat him, and they put him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, which they had made into the prison.

16 For Jeremiah had come into the dungeon, that is, the vaulted cell; and Jeremiah stayed there many days.

17 Now King Zedekiah sent and took himout;and in his palace the king secretly asked him and said, “Is there a word from the Lord?” And Jeremiah said, “There is!” Then he said, “You will be given into the hand of the king of Babylon!”

18 Moreover Jeremiah said to King Zedekiah, “Inwhatwayhave I sinned against you, or against your servants, or against this people, that you have put me in prison?

19 Where then are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or against this land’?

20 But now, please listen, O my lord the king; please let my petition come before you and do not make me return to the house of Jonathan the scribe, that I may not die there.”

21 Then King Zedekiah gave commandment, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guardhouse and gave him a loaf of bread daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guardhouse.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/37-37ef8b06fc452a0a05b27cade8a8e482.mp3?version_id=100—

Jeremiah Thrown into the Cistern

1 Now Shephatiah the son of Mattan, and Gedaliah the son of Pashhur, and Jucal the son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur the son of Malchijah heard the words that Jeremiah was speaking to all the people, saying,

2 “Thus says the Lord, ‘He who stays in this city will die by the sword and by famine and by pestilence, but he who goes out to the Chaldeans will live and have hisownlife as booty and stay alive.’

3 Thus says the Lord, ‘This city will certainly be given into the hand of the army of the king of Babylon and he will capture it.’ ”

4 Then the officials said to the king, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm.”

5 So King Zedekiah said, “Behold, he is in your hands; for the king candonothing against you.”

6 Then they took Jeremiah and cast him into the cisternofMalchijah the king’s son, which was in the court of the guardhouse; and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. Now in the cistern there was no water but only mud, and Jeremiah sank into the mud.

7 But Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, a eunuch, while he was in the king’s palace, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. Now the king was sitting in the Gate of Benjamin;

8 and Ebed-melech went out from the king’s palace and spoke to the king, saying,

9 “My lord the king, these men have acted wickedly in all that they have done to Jeremiah the prophet whom they have cast into the cistern; and he will die right where he is because of the famine, for there is no more bread in the city.”

10 Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, “Take thirty men from here under your authority and bring up Jeremiah the prophet from the cistern before he dies.”

11 So Ebed-melech took the men under his authority and went into the king’s palace toa placebeneath the storeroom and took from there worn-out clothes and worn-out rags and let them down by ropes into the cistern to Jeremiah.

12 Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, “Now put these worn-out clothes and rags under your armpits under the ropes”; and Jeremiah did so.

13 So they pulled Jeremiah up with the ropes and lifted him out of the cistern, and Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse.

14 Then King Zedekiah sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance that is in the house of the Lord; and the king said to Jeremiah, “I am going to ask you something; do not hide anything from me.”

15 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I tell you, will you not certainly put me to death? Besides, if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16 But King Zedekiah swore to Jeremiah in secret saying, “As the Lordlives, who made this life for us, surely I will not put you to death nor will I give you over to the hand of these men who are seeking your life.”

Interview with Zedekiah

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the LordGod of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘If you will indeed go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then you will live, this city will not be burned with fire, and you and your household will survive.

18 But if you will not go out to the officers of the king of Babylon, then this city will be given over to the hand of the Chaldeans; and they will burn it with fire, and you yourself will not escape from their hand.’ ”

19 Then King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “I dread the Jews who have gone over to the Chaldeans, for they may give me over into their hand and they will abuse me.”

20 But Jeremiah said, “They will not give you over. Please obey the Lordin what I am saying to you, that it may go well with you and you may live.

21 But if you keep refusing to go out, this is the word which the Lordhas shown me:

22 ‘Then behold, all of the women who have been left in the palace of the king of Judah are going to be brought out to the officers of the king of Babylon; and those women will say,

“Your close friends

Have misled and overpowered you;

While your feet were sunk in the mire,

They turned back.”

23 They will also bring out all your wives and your sons to the Chaldeans, and you yourself will not escape from their hand, but will be seized by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city will be burned with fire.’ ”

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no man know about these words and you will not die.

25 But if the officials hear that I have talked with you and come to you and say to you, ‘Tell us now what you said to the king and what the king said to you; do not hideitfrom us and we will not put you to death,’

26 then you are to say to them, ‘I was presenting my petition before the king, not to make me return to the house of Jonathan to die there.’ ”

27 Then all the officials came to Jeremiah and questioned him. So he reported to them in accordance with all these words which the king had commanded; and they ceased speaking with him, since the conversation had not been overheard.

28 So Jeremiah stayed in the court of the guardhouse until the day that Jerusalem was captured.

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/38-2d044ce7a1ebce29ee22983b60490784.mp3?version_id=100—

Jerusalem Captured

1 Now when Jerusalem was captured in the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and all his army came to Jerusalem and laid siege to it;

2 in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, in the ninthdayof the month, the citywallwas breached.

3 Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came in and sat down at the Middle Gate: Nergal-sar-ezer, Samgar-nebu, Sar-sekim the Rab-saris, Nergal-sar-ezertheRab-mag, and all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon.

4 When Zedekiah the king of Judah and all the men of war saw them, they fled and went out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and he went out toward theArabah.

5 But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and they seized him and brought him up to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him.

6 Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes at Riblah; the king of Babylon also slew all the nobles of Judah.

7 He then blinded Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him in fetters of bronze to bring him to Babylon.

8 The Chaldeans also burned with fire the king’s palace and the houses of the people, and they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

9 As for the rest of the people who were left in the city, the deserters who had gone over to him and the rest of the people who remained, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard carriedtheminto exile in Babylon.

10 But some of the poorest people who had nothing, Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard left behind in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at that time.

Jeremiah Spared

11 Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon gave orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard, saying,

12 “Take him and look after him, and do nothing harmful to him, but rather deal with him just as he tells you.”

13 So Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard sentword,along with Nebushazban the Rab-saris, and Nergal-sar-ezer the Rab-mag, and all the leading officers of the king of Babylon;

14 they even sent and took Jeremiah out of the court of the guardhouse and entrusted him to Gedaliah, the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him home. So he stayed among the people.

15 Now the word of the Lordhad come to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guardhouse, saying,

16 “Go and speak to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lordof hosts, the God of Israel, “Behold, I am about to bring My words on this city for disaster and not for prosperity; and they will take place before you on that day.

17 But I will deliver you on that day,” declares the Lord, “and you will not be given into the hand of the men whom you dread.

18 For I will certainly rescue you, and you will not fall by the sword; but you will have yourownlife as booty, because you have trusted in Me,” declares the Lord.’ ”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/39-e495f66dc73b8ea08b337157a1a56294.mp3?version_id=100—

Jeremiah Remains in Judah

1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lordafter Nebuzaradan captain of the bodyguard had released him from Ramah, when he had taken him bound in chains among all the exiles of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon.

2 Now the captain of the bodyguard had taken Jeremiah and said to him, “The Lordyour God promised this calamity against this place;

3 and the Lordhas broughtiton and done just as He promised. Because youpeoplesinned against the Lordand did not listen to His voice, therefore this thing has happened to you.

4 But now, behold, I am freeing you today from the chains which are on your hands. If you would prefer to come with me to Babylon, comealong,and I will look after you; but if you would prefer not to come with me to Babylon, never mind. Look, the whole land is before you; go wherever it seems good and right for you to go.”

5 As Jeremiah was still not going back,he said,“Go on back then to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the cities of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or else go anywhere it seems right for you to go.” So the captain of the bodyguard gave him a ration and a gift and let him go.

6 Then Jeremiah went to Mizpah to Gedaliah the son of Ahikam and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

7 Now all the commanders of the forces that were in the field, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah the son of Ahikam over the land and that he had put him in charge of the men, women and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been exiled to Babylon.

8 So they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah, along with Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, and Seraiah the son of Tanhumeth, and the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jezaniah the son of the Maacathite,boththey and their men.

9 Then Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, swore to them and to their men, saying, “Do not be afraid of serving the Chaldeans; stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, that it may go well with you.

10 Now as for me, behold, I am going to stay at Mizpah to standfor youbefore the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather in wine and summer fruit and oil and putthemin yourstoragevessels, and live in your cities that you have taken over.”

11 Likewise, also all the Jews who were in Moab and among the sons of Ammon and in Edom and who were in all theothercountries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant for Judah, and that he had appointed over them Gedaliah the son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan.

12 Then all the Jews returned from all the places to which they had been driven away and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, and gathered in wine and summer fruit in great abundance.

13 Now Johanan the son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces that were in the field came to Gedaliah at Mizpah

14 and said to him, “Are you well aware that Baalis the king of the sons of Ammon has sent Ishmael the son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam did not believe them.

15 Then Johanan the son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah in Mizpah, saying, “Let me go and kill Ishmael the son of Nethaniah, and not a man will know! Why should he take your life, so that all the Jews who are gathered to you would be scattered and the remnant of Judah would perish?”

16 But Gedaliah the son of Ahikam said to Johanan the son of Kareah, “Do not do this thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.”

—https://api-cdn.youversionapi.com/audio-bible-youversionapi/80/32k/JER/40-17d9dd49aa0800921b4d3c369ccbe5e6.mp3?version_id=100—