God's benefits to the church. CHAP. LXVI. His judgments against the wicked he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's and the hand of the LORD shall be known toneck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offer ward his servants, and his indignation toward ed swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if his enemies. he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their 15 For behold, the LORD will come with fire, own ways, and their soul delighteth in their and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to renabominations. der his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. 4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not. 16 For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many. 17 They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh, and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith 18 For I know their works and their thoughts; 6 A voice of noise from the city, a voice from it shall come, that I will gather all nations and the temple, a voice of the LORD that rendereth tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory. recompense to his enemies. 19 And I will set a sign among them, and I will 7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; be- send those that escape of them unto the nations, fore her pain came, she was delivered of a man- to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, child. to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that 5 Hear the word of the LORD, ye that tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let the LORD be glorified: but he shall appear to the LORD. your joy, and they shall be ashamed. 8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath have not heard my fame, neither have seen my seen such things? shall the earth be made to glory; and they shall declare my glory among bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be boru the Gentiles. at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she 20 And they shall bring all your brethren for brought forth her children. 9 Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the LORD: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God. 10 Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her: rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her: 11 That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. an offering unto the LORD, out of all nations, 22 For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the LORD, so shall your seed and your name 12 For thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will ex-remain. tend peace to her like a river, and the glory of 23 And it shall come to pass, that from one the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall new-moon to another, and from one sabbath to ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and another, shall all flesh come to worship before be dandled upon her knees. me, saith the LORD. 13 As one whom his mother comforteth, so will 24 And they shall go forth, and look upon the I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Je-carcasses of the men that have transgressed rusalem. against me: for their worm shall not die, neither 14 And when ye see this, your heart shall re-shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be joice, and your bones shall flourish like an herb: an abhorring unto all flesh. THE 10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. 11 Moreover the word of the LORD came 2 To whom the word of the LORD came in the unto me, saying, Jeremiah, What seest thou? days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, And I said, I see a rod of an almond-tree. in the thirteenth year of his reign. 12 Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well 3 It came also in the days of Jehoiakim the seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. son of Josiah king of Judah, unto the end of the 13 And the word of the LORD came unto me eleventh year of Zedekiah the son of Josiah the second time, saying, What seest thou? And king of Judah, unto the carrying away of Jeru-I said, I see a seething-pot; and the face thereof salem captive in the fifth month. is toward the north. 4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanotified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. 6 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child. 7 But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. 8 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. 14 Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. 15 For lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. 16 And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. 17 Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and 9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touch- arise, and speak unto them all that I command ed my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Be-thee: be not dismayed at their faces, lest I conhold, I have put my words in thy mouth. found thee before them. 403 The Jews' causeless revolt against God. JEREMIAH The authors of their own calamities. 18 For behold, I have made thee this day a de-burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not trans fenced city, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls gress; when upon every high hill and under every against the whole land, against the kings of Ju-green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. dah, against the princes thereof, against the 21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly priests thereof, and against the people of the land. a right seed: how then art thou turned into the 19 And they shall fight against thee; but they degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me? shall not prevail against thee; for I am with 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and thee, saith the LORD, to deliver thee. take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is markCHAP. II. ed before me, saith the Lord GOD. God expostulateth with Israel. [OREOVER the word of the LORD came to me, saying, Mo 23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? See thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways; 2 Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the 24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espou- snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her ocBals, when thou wentest after me in the wilder-casion who can turn her away? all they that ness, in a land that was not sown. seek her will not weary themselves; in her 3 Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the month they shall find her. first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him 25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is the LORD. no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and 4 Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of after them will I go. Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: 26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, 5 1 Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their your fathers found in me, that they are gone far kings, their princes, and their priests, and their from me, and have walked after vanity, and are prophets, become vain? 27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and 6 Neither said they, Where is the LORD that to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led they have turned their back unto me, and not us through the wilderness, through a land of de- their face: but in the time of their trouble they serts and of pits, through a land of drought, and will say, Arise, and save us. of the shadow of death, through a land that no 28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made man passed through, and where no man dwelt? thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the 7 And I brought you into a plentiful country, time of thy trouble: for according to the numto eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; ber of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah. but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made my heritage an abomination. 29 Wherefore will ye plead with me ? ye all have transgressed against me, saith the LORD. 8 The priests said not, Where is the LORD? 30 In vain have I smitten your children; they and they that handle the law knew me not: the received no correction: your own sword hath pastors also transgressed against me, and the devoured your prophets, like a destroying lion. prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after 31 O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. things that do not profit. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of 91 Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith darkness? wherefore say my people, We are the LORD, and with your children's children will I plead. 10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. 11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. lords; we will come no more unto thee? 32 Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. 33 Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways. 34 Also in thy skirts is found the blood of the 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and souls of the poor innocents: I have not found be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the it by secret search, but upon all these. Lord. 35 Yet thou sayest, Because I am innocent, 13 For my people have committed two evils; surely his anger shall turn from me. Behold, they have forsaken me the fountain of living will plead with thee, because thou sayest, I have waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken not sinned. cisterns, that can hold no water. 14 Is Israel a servant? is he a home-born slane? why is he spoiled? 15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant. 16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head. 17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, when he led thee by the way? 36 Why gaddest thou about so much to change thy way? thou also shalt be ashamed of Egypt, as thou wast ashamed of Assyria. 37 Yea, thou shalt go forth from him, and thy hands upon thy head: for the LORD hath rejected thy confidences, and thou shalt not prosper in them. CHAP. III. God's great mercy to Judah. THEY say, If a man put away his wife, and she go from him, and become another man's, 18 And now what hast thou to do in the way shall he return unto her again? shall not that of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what land be greatly polluted? but thou hast played hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the harlot with many lovers; yet return again to the waters of the river? me, saith the LORD. 19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, 2 Lift up thine eyes unto the high places, and and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know see where thou hast not been lain with. In the therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bit-ways hast thou sat for them, as the Arabian in ter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, the wilderness; and thou hast polluted the land and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord with thy whoredoms, and with thy wickedness. GoD of hosts. 3 Therefore the showers have been withholden, 2011 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and and there hath been no latter rain; and thou Promises to the penitent. CHAP. IV. Fearful judgments upon Judah hadet a whore's forehead, thou refusedst to be hills, and from the multitude of mountains: truashamed. 4 Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth? 5 Will he reserve his anger for ever? will he keep it to the end? Behold, thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest. ly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. 24 For shame hath devoured the labour of our fathers from our youth; their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. 25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the 6 The LORD said also unto me in the days of LORD our God, we and our fathers, from ou Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that which back-youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed sliding Israel hath done? she is gone up upon the voice of the LORD our God. every high mountain, and under every green tree, and there hath played the harlot. 7 And I said after she had done all these things Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it. 8 And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery, I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and played the harlot also. CHAP. IV. Israel, &c. called to repentance. thou wilt return, Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. 2 And thou shalt swear, The LORD liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory. 3 ¶ For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. 9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. 10 And yet for all this, her treacherous sister 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and take Judak hath not turned unto me with her whole away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Juheart, but feignedly, saith the LORD. dah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my fury 11 And the LORD said unto me, The backslid-jcome forth like fire, and burn that none can ing Israel hath justified herself more than trea-quench it, because of the evil of your doings. cherous Judah. 5 Declare ye in Judah, and publish in Jerusa12 ¶ Go and proclaim these words toward the lem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet in the land i north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever. cry, Gather together, and say, Assemble your- 13 Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the LORD thy God, and 7 The lion is come up from his thicket, and the hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under destroyer of the Gentiles is on his way; he is every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my gone forth from his place to make thy land desovoice, saith the LORD. late; and thy cities shall be laid waste, without 14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the an inhabitant. LORD; for I am married unto you and I will 8 For this gird you with sackcloth, lament take you one of a city, and two of a family, and and howl: for the fierce anger of the LORD is I will bring you to Zion: not turned back from us. 15 And I will give you pastors according to my 9 And it shall come to pass at that day, saith heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and the LORD, that the heart of the king shall perish, understanding. and the heart of the princes; and the priests 16 And it shall come to pass, when ye be multi-shall be astonished, and the prophets shall wonplied and increased in the land, in those days, der. saith the LORD, they shall say no more, The ark 10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely thou of the covenant of the LORD: neither shall it hast greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, come to mind: neither shall they remember it; saying, Ye shall have peace; whereas the sword neither shall they visit it; neither shall that be done any more. 17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart. 18 In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come to gether out of the land of the north to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers. 19 But I said, How shall I put thee among the children, and give thee a pleasant land, a goodly heritage of the hosts of nations? and I said, Thou shalt call me, My father; and shalt not turn away from me. reacheth unto the soul. 11 At that time shall it be said to this people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of the high places in the wilderness toward the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor to cleanse, 12 Even a full wind from those places shall come unto me: now also will I give sentence against them. 13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Wo unto us! for we are spoiled. 14 O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee? 15 For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim. 2011 Surely as a wife treacherously departeth 16 Make ye mention to the nations; behold, from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherous-publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come ly with me, O house of Israei, saith the LORD. from a far country, and give out their voice 21 A voice was heard upon the high places, against the cities of Judah. weeping and supplications of the children of 17 As keepers of a field, are they against her Israel: for they have perverted their way, and they have forgotten the LORD their God. 22 Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD our God. 23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for from the round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD. 18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth unto thy heart. 19 My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at God lamenteth over Judah. JEREMIAH. The Jew's' manifold corruptions my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; then committed adultery, and assembled themI cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, selves by troops in the harlots' houses. O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 20 Destruction upon destruction is cried; for the whole land is spoiled: suddenly are my tents spoiled, and my curtains in a moment. 21 flow long shall I see the standard, and hear the sound of the trumpet? 22 For my people is foolish, they have not known me; they are sottish children, and they have none understanding: they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. 23 I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 24 I beheld the mountains, and lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. 25 beheld, and lo, there was no man, and all the birds of the heavens were fled. 8 They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour's wife. 9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged on such Ja nation as this? 10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the LORD's. 11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the LORD. 12 They have belied the LORD, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine: 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. 14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. 26 I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof were broken down at the presence of the LORD, and by his fierce anger. 15 Lo. I will bring a nation upon you from far, 27 For thus hath the LORD said, The whole O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty land shall be desolate; yet will I not make a full nation it is an ancient nation, a nation whose end. language thou knowest not, neither understand28 For this shall the earth mourn, and the hea-est what they say. vens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it. 16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. 17 And they shall eat up thy harvest, and thy 29 The whole city shall flee for the noise of the bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should horsemen and bowmen; they shall go into thick-cat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thy herds: ets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig-trees: be forsaken, and not a man dwell therein. they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, where 30 And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou in thou trustedst, with the sword. do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, 18 Nevertheless, in those days, saith the LORD, though thon deckest thee with ornaments of I will not make a full end with you. gold, though thou rendest thy face with painting, 19 And it shall come to pass, when ye shall in vain shalt thou make thyself fair: thy lovers say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our God all these will despise thee, they will seek thy life. things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, 31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in!Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange travail, and the anguish as of her that bringeth gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers în forth her first child; the voice of the daughter a land that is not yours. of Zion, that bewaileth herself, that spreadeth 20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and pubher hands, saying, Wo is me now! for my soul lish it in Judah, saying, is wearied because of murderers. CHAP. V. God's judgments upon the Jews. RUN ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. 2 And though they say, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. 21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not: 22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it? 30 LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? 23 But this people hath a revolting and a rethou hast stricken them, but they have not griev-bellious heart; they are revolted and gone. ed; thou hast consunied them, but they have 24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now refused to receive correction: they have made fear the LORD our God, that giveth rain, both the their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return 4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God. 51 will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest. 25 ¶ Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. 26 For among my people are found wicked men : they lay wait, as he that setteth suares; they set a trap, they catch men. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shal: spoil them, 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they a leopard shall watch over their cities: every overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they because their transgressions are many, and their prosper; and the right of the needy do they not backslidings are increased. judge. 7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they 'nation as this? The prophet's lamentation. : CHAP. VI, VII He calleth on the people to mourn 30 ¶ A wonderful and horrible thing is commit-[cause they have not hearkened unto my words, ted in the land; nor to my law, but rejected it. 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests tear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? CHAP. VI. The enemy sent against Judah. YE children of Benjamin, gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comeJy and delicate woman. 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Wo unto us! for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet unto me. 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 22 Thus saith the LORD. Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war against thee, O daughter of Zion. 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let us de- way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on stroy her palaces. every side. 6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew 26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusa- sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make lem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter oppression in the midst of her. lamentation: for the spoiler shall suddenly come 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she upon us. casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil 27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress is heard in her; before me continually is grief among my people, that thou mayest know and and wounds. try their way. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 91 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consum- 10 To whom shall I speak, and give warning, the I ORD hath rejected them. CHAP. VII. 1 word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they THE word that came to Jeremiah from the have no delight in it. LORD, saying, 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD; 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and I am weary with holding in: I will pour it out proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at of young men together: for even the husband these gates to worship the LORD. with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Isthat is full of days. rael, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. 12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. 4 Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The tem ple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 13 For from the least of them even unto the 5 For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and greatest of them every one is given to covetous- your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment ness; and from the prophet even unto the priest between a man and his neighbour; every one dealeth falsely. 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daugh- and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in ter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; this place, neither walk after other gods to your when there is no peace. hurt; 15 Were they ashamed when they had com- 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, mitted abomination? nay, they were not at all in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever ashamed, neither could they blush; therefore and ever. they shall fall among them that fall: at the time 8 ¶ Behold, ye trust in lying words, that canthat I visit them they shall be cast down, saith not profit. the LORD. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the and walk after other gods whom ye know not; good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find 10 And come and stand before me in this house, rest for your souls. But they said, We will not which is called by my name, and say, We are walk therein. delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 11 Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. 12 But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see 19 Hear, O earth: Behold, I will bring evil upon what I did to it for the wickedness of my people this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, be-Israel. |