Chapter 1
1 Jeremiah's Call and Commission
The words 1697 of Jeremiah 3414 the son 1121 of Hilkiah 2518, of the priests 3548 who 834 were in Anathoth 6068 in the land 776 of Benjamin 1144,
2 to whom 834 the word 1697 of the LORD 3068 came 1961 in the days 3117 of Josiah 2977 the son 1121 of Amon 526, king 4428 of Judah 3063, in the thirteenth year 8141 of his reign 4427.
3 It came 1961 also in the days 3117 of Jehoiakim 3079 the son 1121 of Josiah 2977, king 4428 of Judah 3063, until 5704 the end 8552 of the eleventh year 8141 of Zedekiah 6667 the son 1121 of Josiah 2977, king 4428 of Judah 3063, until 5704 the exile 1540 of Jerusalem 3389 in the fifth 2549 month 2320.
4 ¶ Now the word 1697 of the LORD 3068 came 1961 to me saying 559,
5 "Before 2962 I formed 3335 you in the womb 990 I knew 3045 you, And before 2962 you were born I consecrated 6942 you; I have appointed 5414 you a prophet 5030 to the nations 1471."
6 Then I said 559, "Alas 162, Lord 136 GOD 3068! Behold 2009, I do not know 3045 how to speak 1696, Because 3588 I am a youth 5288."
7 But the LORD 3068 said 559 to me, "Do not say 559, 'I am a youth 5288,' Because 3588 everywhere I send 7971 you, you shall go 1980, And all 3605 that I command 6680 you, you shall speak 1696.
8 "Do not be afraid 3372 of them, For I am with you to deliver 5337 you," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
9 Then the LORD 3068 stretched 7971 out His hand 3027 and touched 5060 my mouth 6310, and the LORD 3068 said 559 to me, "Behold 2009, I have put 5414 My words 1697 in your mouth 6310.
10 "See 7200, I have appointed 6485 you this 2088 day 3117 over 5921 the nations 1471 and over 5921 the kingdoms 4467, To pluck 5428 up and to break 5422 down 5422, To destroy 6 and to overthrow 2040, To build 1129 and to plant 5193."
11 The Almond Rod and Boiling Pot
¶ The word 1697 of the LORD 3068 came 1961 to me saying 559, "What 4100 do you see 7200, Jeremiah 3414?" And I said 559, "I see 7200 a rod 4731 of an almond 8247 tree 8247."
12 Then the LORD 3068 said 559 to me, "You have seen 7200 well 3190, for I am watching 8245 over 5921 My word 1697 to perform 6213 it."
13 ¶ The word 1697 of the LORD 3068 came 1961 to me a second 8145 time 8145 saying 559, "What 4100 do you see 7200?" And I said 559, "I see 7200 a boiling 5301 pot 5518, facing 6440 away from the north 6828."
14 Then the LORD 3068 said 559 to me, "Out of the north 6828 the evil 7463 will break 6605 forth 6605 on all 3605 the inhabitants 3427 of the land 776.
15 "For, behold 2009, I am calling 7121 all 3605 the families 4940 of the kingdoms 4467 of the north 6828," declares 5002 the LORD 3068; "and they will come 935 and they will set 5414 each 376 one 376 his throne 3678 at the entrance 6607 of the gates 8179 of Jerusalem 3389, and against 5921 all 3605 its walls 2346 round 5439 about 5439 and against 5921 all 3605 the cities 5892 of Judah 3063.
16 "I will pronounce 1696 My judgments 4941 on them concerning 5921 all 3605 their wickedness 7463, whereby 834 they have forsaken 5800 Me and have offered 6999 sacrifices 6999 to other 312 gods 430, and worshiped 7812 the works 4639 of their own hands 3027.
17 "Now, gird 247 up your loins 4975 and arise 6965, and speak 1696 to them all 3605 which 834 I command 6680 you. Do not be dismayed 2865 before them, or 6435 I will dismay 2865 you before 6440 them.
18 "Now behold 2009, I have made 5414 you today 3117 as a fortified 4013 city 5892 and as a pillar 5982 of iron 1270 and as walls 2346 of bronze 5178 against 5921 the whole 3605 land 776, to the kings 4428 of Judah 3063, to its princes 8269, to its priests 3548 and to the people 5971 of the land 776.
19 "They will fight 3898 against 413 you, but they will not overcome 3201 you, for I am with you to deliver 5337 you," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
Chapter 2
1 Judah's Apostasy
Now the word 1697 of the LORD 3068 came 1961 to me saying 559,
2 "Go 1980 and proclaim 7121 in the ears 241 of Jerusalem 3389, saying 559, 'Thus 3541 says 559 the LORD 3068, "I remember 2142 concerning you the devotion 2617 of your youth 5271, The love 160 of your betrothals 3623, Your following 1980 after 310 Me in the wilderness 4057, Through a land 776 not sown 2232.
3 "Israel 3478 was holy 6944 to the LORD 3068, The first 7225 of His harvest 8393. All 3605 who ate 398 of it became 816 guilty 816; Evil 7463 came 935 upon them," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.'"
4 ¶ Hear 8085 the word 1697 of the LORD 3068, O house 1004 of Jacob 3290, and all 3605 the families 4940 of the house 1004 of Israel 3478.
5 Thus 3541 says 559 the LORD 3068, "What 4100 injustice 5766 did your fathers 1 find 4672 in Me, That they went 7368 far 7368 from Me And walked 1980 after 310 emptiness 1892 and became 1891 empty 1891?
6 "They did not say 559, 'Where 346 is the LORD 3068 Who brought 5927 us up out of the land 776 of Egypt 4714, Who led 1980 us through the wilderness 4057, Through a land 776 of deserts 6160 and of pits 7745, Through a land 776 of drought 6723 and of deep 6757 darkness 6757, Through a land 776 that no 3808 one 376 crossed 5674 And where 8033 no 3808 man 120 dwelt 3427?'
7 "I brought 935 you into the fruitful 3759 land 776 To eat 398 its fruit 6529 and its good 2898 things 2898. But you came 935 and defiled 2930 My land 776, And My inheritance 5159 you made 7760 an abomination 8441.
8 "The priests 3548 did not say 559, 'Where 346 is the LORD 3068?' And those who handle 8610 the law 8451 did not know 3045 Me; The rulers 7462 also transgressed 6586 against Me, And the prophets 5030 prophesied 5012 by Baal 1168 And walked 1980 after 310 things that did not profit 3276.
9 ¶ "Therefore 3651 I will yet 5750 contend 7378 with you," declares 5002 the LORD 3068, "And with your sons' 1121 sons 1121 I will contend 7378.
10 "For cross 5674 to the coastlands 339 of Kittim 3794 and see 7200, And send 7971 to Kedar 6938 and observe 995 closely 3966 And see 7200 if 2005 there has been 1961 such {a thing} as this 384!
11 "Has a nation 1471 changed 4171 gods 430 When they were not gods 430? But My people 5971 have changed 4171 their glory 3519 For that which does not profit 3276.
12 "Be appalled 8074, O heavens 8064, at this 384, And shudder 8175, be very 3966 desolate 2717," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
13 "For My people 5971 have committed 6213 two 8147 evils 7451: They have forsaken 5800 Me, The fountain 4726 of living 2416 waters 4325, To hew 2672 for themselves cisterns 877, Broken 7665 cisterns 877 That can 3201 hold 3557 no 3808 water 4325.
14 ¶ "Is Israel 3478 a slave 5650? Or 518 is he a homeborn servant? Why 4069 has he become 1961 a prey 957?
15 "The young 3715 lions 3715 have roared 7580 at him, They have roared loudly. And they have made 7896 his land 776 a waste 8047; His cities 5892 have been destroyed 5327, without 1097 inhabitant 3427.
16 "Also 1571 the men 1121 of Memphis 5297 and Tahpanhes 8471 Have shaved 7462 the crown 6936 of your head 6936.
17 "Have you not done 6213 this 384 to yourself By your forsaking 5800 the LORD 3068 your God 430 When 6256 He led 1980 you in the way 1870?
18 "But now 6258 what 4100 are you doing on the road 1870 to Egypt 4714, To drink 8354 the waters 4325 of the Nile 7883? Or what 4100 are you doing on the road 1870 to Assyria 804, To drink 8354 the waters 4325 of the Euphrates 5104?
19 "Your own wickedness 7463 will correct 3256 you, And your apostasies 4878 will reprove 3198 you; Know 3045 therefore and see 7200 that it is evil 7451 and bitter 4751 For you to forsake 5800 the LORD 3068 your God 430, And the dread 6345 of Me is not in you," declares 5002 the Lord 136 GOD 3068 of hosts 6635.
20 ¶ "For long 5769 ago 5769 I broke 7665 your yoke 5923 {And} tore 5423 off 5423 your bonds 4147; But you said 559, 'I will not serve 5647!' For on every 3605 high 1364 hill 1389 And under 8478 every 3605 green 7488 tree 6086 You have lain 6808 down 6808 as a harlot 2181.
21 "Yet I planted 5193 you a choice 8321 vine 8321, A completely 3605 faithful 571 seed 2233. How 349 then have you turned 2015 yourself before Me Into the degenerate 5493 shoots of a foreign 5237 vine 1612?
22 "Although you wash 3526 yourself with lye 5427 And use 7235 much 7235 soap 1287, The stain 3799 of your iniquity 5771 is before 6440 Me," declares 5002 the Lord 136 GOD 3068.
23 "How 349 can you say 559, 'I am not defiled 2930, I have not gone 1980 after 310 the Baals 1168'? Look 7200 at your way 1870 in the valley 1516! Know 3045 what 4100 you have done 6213! You are a swift 7031 young 1072 camel 1072 entangling 8308 her ways 1870,
24 A wild 6501 donkey 6501 accustomed 3928 to the wilderness 4057, That sniffs 7602 the wind 7307 in her passion. In {the time of} her heat 8385 who 4310 can turn 7725 her away 7725? All 3605 who seek 1245 her will not become 3286 weary 3286; In her month 2320 they will find 4672 her.
25 "Keep 4513 your feet 7272 from being unshod 3182 And your throat 1627 from thirst 6773; But you said 559, 'It is hopeless 2976! No 3808! For I have loved 157 strangers 2114, And after 310 them I will walk 1980.'
26 ¶ "As the thief 1590 is shamed 954 when 3588 he is discovered 4672, So 3651 the house 1004 of Israel 3478 is shamed 954; They, their kings 4428, their princes 8269 And their priests 3548 and their prophets 5030,
27 Who say 559 to a tree 6086, 'You are my father 1,' And to a stone 68, 'You gave 3205 me birth 3205.' For they have turned 6437 {their} back 6203 to Me, And not {their} face 6440; But in the time 6256 of their trouble 7463 they will say 559, 'Arise 6965 and save 3467 us.'
28 "But where 346 are your gods 430 Which 834 you made 6213 for yourself? Let them arise 6965, if 518 they can save 3467 you In the time 6256 of your trouble 7463; For {according to} the number 4557 of your cities 5892 Are your gods 430, O Judah 3063.
29 ¶ "Why 4100 do you contend 7378 with Me? You have all 3605 transgressed 6586 against Me," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
30 "In vain 7723 I have struck 5221 your sons 1121; They accepted 3947 no 3808 chastening 4148. Your sword 2719 has devoured 398 your prophets 5030 Like a destroying 7843 lion 743.
31 "O generation 1755, heed 7200 the word 1697 of the LORD 3068. Have I been 1961 a wilderness 4057 to Israel 3478, Or 518 a land 776 of thick 3991 darkness 3991? Why 4069 do My people 5971 say 559, 'We {are free to} roam 7300; We will no 3808 longer 5750 come 935 to You'?
32 "Can a virgin 1330 forget 7911 her ornaments 5716, Or a bride 3618 her attire 7196? Yet My people 5971 have forgotten 7911 Me Days 3117 without 369 number 4557.
33 "How 4100 well 3190 you prepare 3190 your way 1870 To seek 1245 love 160! Therefore 3651 even 1571 the wicked 7451 women 7451 You have taught 3925 your ways 1870.
34 "Also 1571 on your skirts 3671 is found 4672 The lifeblood of the innocent 5355 poor 34; You did not find 4672 them breaking 4290 in. But in spite 5921 of all 3605 these 428 things 428,
35 Yet you said 559, 'I am innocent 5352; Surely 389 His anger 639 is turned 7725 away 7725 from me.' Behold 2009, I will enter 8199 into judgment 8199 with you Because 5921 you say 559, 'I have not sinned 2398.'
36 "Why 4100 do you go 235 around so 3966 much 3966 Changing 8132 your way 1870? Also 1571, you will be put 954 to shame 954 by Egypt 4714 As you were put 954 to shame 954 by Assyria 804.
37 "From this 2088 {place} also 1571 you will go 3318 out With your hands 3027 on your head 7218; For the LORD 3068 has rejected 3988 those in whom 4009 you trust 4009, And you will not prosper 6743 with them."
Chapter 3
1 The Polluted Land
{God} says 559, "If 2005 a husband 376 divorces 7971 his wife 802 And she goes 1980 from him And belongs 1961 to another 312 man 376, Will he still 5750 return 7725 to her? Will not that land 776 be completely 2610 polluted 2610? But you are a harlot 2181 {with} many 7227 lovers 7453; Yet you turn 7725 to Me," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
2 "Lift 5375 up your eyes 5869 to the bare 8205 heights 8205 and see 7200; Where 375 have you not been violated 7693? By the roads 1870 you have sat 3427 for them Like an Arab 6163 in the desert 4057, And you have polluted 2610 a land 776 With your harlotry 2183 and with your wickedness 7463.
3 "Therefore the showers 7241 have been withheld 4513, And there has been 1961 no 3808 spring 4456 rain 4456. Yet you had 1961 a harlot's forehead 4696; You refused 3985 to be ashamed 3637.
4 "Have you not just now 6258 called 7121 to Me, 'My Father 1, You are the friend 441 of my youth 5271?
5 'Will He be angry 5201 forever 5769? Will He be indignant 8104 to the end 5331?' Behold 2009, you have spoken 1696 And have done 6213 evil 7451 things 7451, And you have had 3201 your way 3201."
6 Faithless Israel
¶ Then the LORD 3068 said 559 to me in the days 3117 of Josiah 2977 the king 4428, "Have you seen 7200 what 834 faithless 4878 Israel 3478 did 6213? She went 1980 up on every 3605 high 1364 hill 2022 and under 8478 every 3605 green 7488 tree 6086, and she was a harlot 2181 there 8033.
7 "I thought 559, 'After 310 she has done 6213 all 3605 these 428 things 428 she will return 7725 to Me'; but she did not return 7725, and her treacherous 901 sister 269 Judah 3063 saw 7200 it.
8 "And I saw 7200 that for all 3605 the adulteries 5003 of faithless 4878 Israel 3478, I had sent 7971 her away 7971 and given 5414 her a writ 5612 of divorce 3748, yet her treacherous 898 sister 269 Judah 3063 did not fear 3372; but she went 1980 and was a harlot 2181 also 1571.
9 "Because 4480 of the lightness 7032 of her harlotry 2184, she polluted 2610 the land 776 and committed 5003 adultery 5003 with stones 68 and trees 6086.
10 "Yet 1571 in spite of all 3605 this 384 her treacherous 901 sister 269 Judah 3063 did not return 7725 to Me with all 3605 her heart 3820, but rather in deception 8267," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
11 God Invites Repentance
¶ And the LORD 3068 said 559 to me, "Faithless 4878 Israel 3478 has proved 6663 herself 5315 more 4480 righteous 6663 than 4480 treacherous 898 Judah 3063.
12 "Go 1980 and proclaim 7121 these 428 words 1697 toward the north 6828 and say 559, 'Return 7725, faithless 4878 Israel 3478,' declares 5002 the LORD 3068; 'I will not look 5307 upon you in anger. For I am gracious 2623,' declares 5002 the LORD 3068; 'I will not be angry 5201 forever 5769.
13 'Only 389 acknowledge 3045 your iniquity 5771, That you have transgressed 6586 against the LORD 3068 your God 430 And have scattered 6340 your favors 1870 to the strangers 2114 under 8478 every 3605 green 7488 tree 6086, And you have not obeyed 8085 My voice 6963,' declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
14 'Return 7725, O faithless 7726 sons 1121,' declares 5002 the LORD 3068; 'For I am a master 1166 to you, And I will take 3947 you one 259 from a city 5892 and two 8147 from a family 4940, And I will bring 935 you to Zion 6726.'
15 ¶ "Then I will give 5414 you shepherds 7462 after My own heart 3820, who will feed 7462 you on knowledge 1844 and understanding 7919.
16 "It shall be in those 1992 days 3117 when 3588 you are multiplied 7235 and increased 6509 in the land 776," declares 5002 the LORD 3068, "they will no 3808 longer 5750 say 559, 'The ark 727 of the covenant 1285 of the LORD 3068.' And it will not come 5927 to mind 3820, nor 3808 will they remember 2142 it, nor 3808 will they miss 6485 {it,} nor 3808 will it be made 6213 again 5750.
17 "At that time 6256 they will call 7121 Jerusalem 3389 'The Throne 3678 of the LORD 3068,' and all 3605 the nations 1471 will be gathered 6960 to it, to Jerusalem 3389, for the name 8034 of the LORD 3068; nor 3808 will they walk 1980 anymore 5750 after 310 the stubbornness 8307 of their evil 7451 heart 3820.
18 "In those 1992 days 3117 the house 1004 of Judah 3063 will walk 1980 with the house 1004 of Israel 3478, and they will come 935 together 3164 from the land 776 of the north 6828 to the land 776 that I gave 5157 your fathers 1 as an inheritance 5157.
19 ¶ "Then I said 559, 'How 349 I would set 7896 you among My sons 1121 And give 5414 you a pleasant 2532 land 776, The most 6635 beautiful 6643 inheritance 5159 of the nations 1471!' And I said 559, 'You shall call 7121 Me, My Father 1, And not turn 7725 away 7725 from following 310 Me.'
20 "Surely 403, as a woman 802 treacherously 898 departs from her lover 7453, So 3651 you have dealt 898 treacherously 898 with Me, O house 1004 of Israel 3478," declares 5002 the LORD 3068.
21 ¶ A voice 6963 is heard 8085 on the bare 8205 heights 8205, The weeping 1065 {and} the supplications 8469 of the sons 1121 of Israel 3478; Because 3588 they have perverted 5753 their way 1870, They have forgotten 7911 the LORD 3068 their God 430.
22 "Return 7725, O faithless 7726 sons 1121, I will heal 7495 your faithlessness 4878." "Behold 2009, we come 857 to You; For You are the LORD 3068 our God 430.
23 "Surely 403, the hills 1389 are a deception 8267, A tumult 1995 {on} the mountains 2022. Surely 403 in the LORD 3068 our God 430 Is the salvation 8668 of Israel 3478.
24 ¶ "But the shameful 1322 thing 1322 has consumed 398 the labor 3018 of our fathers 1 since 4480 our youth 5271, their flocks 6629 and their herds 1241, their sons 1121 and their daughters 1323.
25 "Let us lie 7901 down 7901 in our shame 1322, and let our humiliation 3639 cover 3680 us; for we have sinned 2398 against the LORD 3068 our God 430, we and our fathers 1, from our youth 5271 even to this 2088 day 3117. And we have not obeyed 8085 the voice 6963 of the LORD 3068 our God 430."
Chapter 4
1 Judah Threatened with Invasion
"If 518 you will return 7725, O Israel 3478," declares 5002 the LORD 3068, "{Then} you should return 7725 to Me. And if 518 you will put 5493 away 5493 your detested 8251 things 8251 from My presence 6440, And will not waver 5110,
2 And you will swear 7650, 'As the LORD 3068 lives 2416,' In truth 571, in justice 4941 and in righteousness 6666; Then the nations 1471 will bless 1288 themselves in Him, And in Him they will glory 1984."
3 ¶ For thus 3541 says 559 the LORD 3068 to the men 376 of Judah 3063 and to Jerusalem 3389, "Break 5214 up your fallow 5215 ground 5215, And do not sow 2232 among 413 thorns 6975.
4 "Circumcise 4135 yourselves to the LORD 3068 And remove 5493 the foreskins 6190 of your heart 3824, Men 376 of Judah 3063 and inhabitants 3427 of Jerusalem 3389, Or 6435 else 6435 My wrath 2534 will go 3318 forth 3318 like fire 784 And burn 1197 with none 369 to quench 3518 it, Because of the evil 7455 of your deeds 4611."
5 ¶ Declare 5046 in Judah 3063 and proclaim 8085 in Jerusalem 3389, and say 559, "Blow 8628 the trumpet 7782 in the land 776; Cry 7121 aloud 4390 and say 559, 'Assemble 622 yourselves, and let us go 935 Into the fortified 4013 cities 5892.'
6 "Lift 5375 up a standard 5251 toward Zion 6726! Seek 5756 refuge 5756, do not stand 5975 {still,} For I am bringing 935 evil 7463 from the north 6828, And great 1419 destruction 7667.
7 "A lion 743 has gone 5927 up from his thicket 5441, And a destroyer 7843 of nations 1471 has set 5265 out; He has gone 3318 out from his place 4725 To make 7760 your land 776 a waste 8047. Your cities 5892 will be ruins 5327 Without 369 inhabitant 3427.
8 "For this 384, put 2296 on sackcloth 8242, Lament 5594 and wail 3213; For the fierce 2740 anger 639 of the LORD 3068 Has not turned 7725 back 7725 from us."
9 "It shall come 1961 about in that day 3117," declares 5002 the LORD 3068, "that the heart 3820 of the king 4428 and the heart 3820 of the princes 8269 will fail 6; and the priests 3548 will be appalled 8074 and the prophets 5030 will be astounded 8539."
10 ¶ Then I said 559, "Ah 162, Lord 136 GOD 3068! Surely 403 You have utterly 5378 deceived 5378 this 2088 people 5971 and Jerusalem 3389, saying 559, 'You will have 1961 peace 7965'; whereas a sword 2719 touches 5060 the throat 5315."
11 ¶ In that time 6256 it will be said 559 to this 2088 people 5971 and to Jerusalem 3389, "A scorching 6703 wind 7307 from the bare 8205 heights 8205 in the wilderness 4057 in the direction 1870 of the daughter 1323 of My people 5971--not to winnow 2219 and not to cleanse 1305,
12 a wind 7307 too 4480 strong 4392 for this 428--will come 935 at My command; now 6258 I will also 1571 pronounce 1696 judgments 4941 against them.
13 "Behold 2009, he goes 5927 up like clouds 6051, And his chariots 4818 like the whirlwind 5492; His horses 5483 are swifter 7043 than 4480 eagles 5404. Woe 188 to us, for we are ruined 7703!"
14 ¶ Wash 3526 your heart 3820 from evil 7463, O Jerusalem 3389, That you may be saved 3467. How 4970 long will your wicked 205 thoughts 4284 Lodge 3885 within 7130 you?
15 For a voice 6963 declares 5046 from Dan 1835, And proclaims 8085 wickedness 205 from Mount 2022 Ephraim 669.
16 "Report 2142 {it} to the nations 1471, now 2009! Proclaim 8085 over 5921 Jerusalem 3389, 'Besiegers 5341 come 935 from a far 4801 country 776, And lift 5414 their voices 6963 against 5921 the cities 5892 of Judah 3063.
17 'Like watchmen 8104 of a field 7706 they are against 5921 her round 5439 about 5439, Because 3588 she has