The restoration of the captives.

JEREMIAH.

Prophecy of general destruction. thou, Jeremiah? and I said, Figs; the good figs, and an astonishment; and these nations shall very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot serve the king of Babylon seventy years. be eaten, they are so evil.

4 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up.

7 And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil: surely thus saith the LORD, SO will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that reanain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt:

9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. 10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

CHAP. XXV.

12 And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations. 13 And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations. 14 For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.

15 1 For thus saith the LORD God of Israel unto me; Take the wine-cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send thee, to drink it.

16 And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.

17 Then took I the cup at the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, unto whom the LORD had sent me:

18 To wit, Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, and the kings thereof, and the princes thereof, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse; as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, and his servants, and his princes, and all his people; 20 And all the mingled people, and all the kings of the land of Uz, and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, and Ashkelon, and Azzah, and

The Babylonish captivity foretold. THE word that came to Jeremiah concerning Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod, all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that was the first year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon;

2 The which Jeremiah the prophet spake unto all the people of Judah, and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying,

3 From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, even unto this day, that is the three and twentieth year, the word of the LORD hath come unto me, and I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye have not hearkened.

21 Edom, and Moab, and the children of Ammon, 22 And all the kings of Tyrus, and all the kings of Zidon, and the kings of the isles which are beyond the sea,

23 Dedan, and Tema, and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners,

24 And all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the mingled people that dweil in the desert, 25 And all the kings of Zimri, and all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes, 26 And all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another, and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth: and 4 And the LORD hath sent unto you all his ser- the king of Sheshach shall drink after them. vants the prophets, rising early and sending 27 Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink your ear to hear. ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise 5 They said, Turn ye again now every one no more, because of the sword which I will send from his evil way, and from the evil of your among you.

doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the hath given unto you and to your fathers for cup at thy hand to drink, then shalt thou say ever and ever: unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ye

6 And go not after other gods to serve them, shall certainly drink. and to worship them, and provoke me not to 29 For lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which anger with the works of your hands; and I will is called by my name, and should ye be utterly do you no hurt. unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for 7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with of the earth, saith the LORD of hosts. the works of your hands to your own hurt. 30 Therefore prophesy thou against their all 8 Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall Because ye have not heard my words, roar from on high, and utter his voice from his

9 Behold, I will send and take all the families holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrez- habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that zar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of bring them against this land, and against the the earth.

inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations 31 A noise shall come even to the ends of the round about, and will utterly destroy them, and earth; for the LORD hath a controversy with make them an astonisliment, and a hissing, and the nations, he will plead with all flesh; he will perpetual desolations. give them that are wicked to the sword, saith

10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of the LORD. mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation,

32 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great the earth whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of

Jeremiah is arraigned.

CHAP. XXVI, XXVII

He is acquitted 33 And the slain of the LORD shall be at that hath sent me unto you to speak all these words day from one end of the earth even unto the in your ears.

other end of the earth: they shall not be lament-16 Then said the princes and all the people ed, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be unto the priests and to the prophets; This man dung upon the ground. is not worthy to die: for he hath spoken to us

34 Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow in the name of the LORD our God. yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock: 17 Then rose up certain of the elders of the for the days of your slaughter and of your dis- land, and spake to all the assembly of the peopersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like ple, saying, a pleasant vessel.

35 And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. 36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and a howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the LORD hath spoiled their pasture. 37 And the peaceable habitations are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

38 He hath forsaken his covert, as the iion: for their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger. CHAP. XXVI.

IN

Jeremiah exhorteth to repentance.

N the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,

18 Micah the Morasthite prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spake to all the people of Judah, saying, Thus saith the Lorn of hosts; Zion shall be ploughed like a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of a forest. 19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah put him at all to death? did he not fear the LORD, and besought the LORD, and the LORD repented him of the evil which he had pronounced against them? Thus might we procure great evil against our souls.

20 And there was also a man that prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath-jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah:

2 Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities 21 And when Jehoiakim the king with all his of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's mighty men, and all the princes, heard his words, house, all the words that I command thee to the king sought to put him to death: but when speak unto them; diminish not a word: Urijah heard it, he was afraid, and fled, and went 3. If so be they will hearken, and turn every into Egypt; man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

4 And thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD, If ye will not hearken to me to walk in my law, which I have set before you,

5 To hearken to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened;

6 Then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.

7 So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in

the house of the LORD.

81 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.

22 And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt, namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt.

23 And they fetched forth Urijah out of Egypt,
and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king; who
slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body
into the graves of the common people.
24 Nevertheless, the hand of Ahikam the son
of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, that they should
not give him into the hand of the people to put
him to death.

CHAP. XXVII.

Nebuchadnezzar's conquests typified.

the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the

son of Josiah king of Judah came this word unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Thus saith the LORD to me; Make thee bonds and yokes, and put them upon thy neck, 3 And send them to the king of Edom, and to the king of Moab, and to the king of the Ammonites, and to the king of Tyrus, and to the 9 Why hast thou prophesied in the naine of the king of Zidon, by the hand of the messengers LORD, saying, This house shall be like Shiloh, which come to Jerusalem unto Zedekiah king and this city shall be desolate without an inha-of Judah; bitant? And all the people were gathered against 4 And command them to say unto their masJeremiah in the house of the LORD. ters, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of

10 1 When the princes of Judah heard these Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters, things, then they came up from the king's house 5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast unto the house of the LORD, and sat down in the that are upon the ground, by my great power entry of the new gate of the LORD's house. and by my out-stretched arm, and have given it 11 Then spake the priests and the prophets unto unto whom it seemed meet unto me. the princes and to all the people, saying, This 6. And now have I given all these lands into man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Baby against this city, as ye have heard with your ears. lon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have 12 1 Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes, I given him also to serve him. and to all the people, saying, The LORD sent me 7 And all nations shall serve him, and his son, to prophesy against this house and against this and his son's son, until the very time of his land city all the words that ye have heard. come: and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.

13 Therefore now amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God; and the LORD will repent him of the evil that he hath pronounced against you.

8 And it shall come to pass, that the nation and kingdom which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish, saith the LORD, with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, until I have consumed

14 As for me, behold, I am in your hand: do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you: 15 But know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon them by his hand. the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the LORD 9 Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets,

Jeremiah exhorteth Zedekiah.

JEREMIAH.

Jeremiah's yoke broken. nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor the LORD; for I will break the yoke of the king to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which of Babylon.

speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the 5 T Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the king of Babylon: prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, 10 For they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove and in the presence of all the people that stood you far from your land; and that I should drive in the house of the LORD, you out, and ye should perish.

6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the 11 But the nations that bring their neck under LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him, thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels those will I let remain still in their own land, of the LORD's house, and all that is carried away saith the LORD; and they shall till it, and dwell captive, from Babylon into this place. therein.

12 I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live.

13 Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence, os the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon?

14 Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon; for they prophesy a lie unto you.

I

7 Nevertheless, hear thou now this word that speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; 8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old, prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.

9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him.

10 T Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck,and brake it. 15 For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, 11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king the prophets that prophesy unto you. of Babylon from the neck of all nations within 16 Also I spake to the priests and to all this peo- the space of two full years. And the prophet ple, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not Jeremiah went his way.

to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto 12 T Then the word of the LORD came unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the house shall now shortly be brought again from prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,

17 Hearken not unto them; serve the king of 13 Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; be laid waste? but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.

18 But if they be prophets, and if the word of 14 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God the LORD be with them, let them now make in- of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the tercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels neck of all these nations, that they may serve which are left in the house of the LORD, and in Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusa- serve him: and I have given him the beasts of lem, go not to Babylon. the field also.

19 T For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, and concerning the sea, and concerning the bases, and concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city,

15 ¶ Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; the LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.

16 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebel

20 Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took
aot, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the
son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem
to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Je- lion against the LORD.
rusalem;

21 Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem;

17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

CHAP. XXIX.
Jeremiah's letter to the captives.

22 They shall be carried to Babylon, and there NOW these are the words of the letter that

Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith unto the residue of the elders which were carthe LORD; then will I bring them up, and re- ried away captives, and to the priests, and to the store them to this place. prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchad nezzar had carried away captive from Jerusa · lem to Babylon;

CHAP. XXVIII.

Hananiah's false prophecy.

A ginning of king or and princes

ND it came to pass the same year, in the be- 2 (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen,

Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, salem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, departed from Jerusalem ;)

which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house 3 By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, of the LORD, in the presence of the priests, and and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zede of all the people, saying, kiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebu chadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,

2 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the 4 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Is king of Babylon. rael, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;

3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away 5 Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plan: from this place, and carried them to Babylon. gardens, and eat the fruit of them;

4 And 1 will bring again to this place Jeconiah 6 Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughthe son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the ters; and take wives for your sons, and give captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith your daughters to husbands, that they may bear

Wrath shall fall on the wicked.

JEREMIAH.

Rachel mourning is comforted.

iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I 11 For the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was have done these things unto thee. stronger than he.

16 Therefore all they that devour thee shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them shall go into captivity; and they that spoil thee shall be a spoil, and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.

12 Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd: and their soul shall be as a watered garden and they shall not sorrow any more at all 13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I wil turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. 14 And I will satiate the soul of the priests with fatness, and my people shall be satisfied with my goodness, saith the LORD.

17 For I will restore health unto thee, and will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after. 18 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have Bercy on his dwelling-places; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof. 19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving 15 Thus saith the LORD; A voice was heard and the voice of them that make merry: and I in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rawill multiply them, and they shall not be few; Ichel weeping for her children refused to be comwill also glorify them, and they shall not be small. forted for her children, because they were not. 20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, and 16 Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice their congregation shall be established before from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy me, and I will punish all that oppress them. work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD; and 21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. their governor shall proceed from the midst of 17 And there is hope in thine end, saith the them; and I will cause him to draw near, and LORD, that thy children shall come again to their he shall approach unto me: for who is this that own border. engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith 18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me and was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.

the LORD.

22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your

God.

23 Behold, the whirlwind of the LORD goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind: it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked.

19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon 24 The fierce anger of the LORD shall not re-my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confoundturn, until he have done it, and until he have ed, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.

CHAP. XXXI.

The restoration of Israel.

be

AT the same time, saith the LORD, will I the God of all the families of Israel, and

they shall be my people.

20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy

upon him, saith the LORD.

21 Set thee up way-marks, make thee high heaps: set thy heart toward the highway, even 2 Thus saith the LORD, The people which were the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virleft of the sword found grace in the wilderness; gin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities. even Israel, when I went to cause him to rest. 22 How long wilt thou go about, O thou backsli 3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, say-ding daughter? for the LORD hath created a new ing, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting thing in the earth, A woman shall compass a man. love: therefore with loving-kindness have I 23 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Isdrawn thee. rael; As yet they shall use this speech in the 4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be land of Judah and in the cities thereof, when I built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry. 5 Thou shalt yet plant vines upon the mountains of Samaria: the planters shall plant, and shall eat them as common things.

6 For there shall be a day, that the watchmen upon the mount Ephraim shall cry, Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto the LORD our God. 7 For thus saith the LORD; Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the Pations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O LORD, save thy people, the remnant of Israel.

shall bring again their captivity; The LORD bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness.

24 And there shall dwell in Judah itself, and in all the cities thereof together, husbandmen, and they that go forth with flocks.

25 For I have satiated the weary soul, and I
have replenished every sorrowful soul.
26 Upon this I awaked, and beheld; and my
sleep was sweet unto me.

27 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD,
that I will sow the house of Israel and the house
of Judah with the seed of man, and with the

8 Behold, I will bring them from the north seed of beast. country, and gather them from the coasts of the 28 And it shall come to pass, that like as I have earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the watched over them, to pluck up, and to break woman with child and her that travaileth with down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and child together: a great company shall return to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build thither. and to plant, saith the LORD.

9 They shall come with weeping, and with sup- 29 In those days they shall say no more, The plications will I lead them; I will cause them fathers have eaten a sour grape, and the chilto walk by the rivers of waters in a straight dren's teeth are set on edge.

way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am 30 But every one shall die for his own iniquia father to Israel, and Ephraim is my first-born. ty: every man that eateth the sour grape, his 10 Hear the word of the LORD, Oye nations, teeth shall be set on edge.

and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He 31 Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep I will make a new covenant with the house of im, as a shepherd doth his flock. Israel, and with the house of Judah: