Jeremiah 25
25This message for all the people of Judah came to Jeremiah from the Lord during the fourth year of Jehoiakim’s reign over Judah. This was the year when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began his reign.H1697H3414H5971H3063H7243H8141H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H7224H8141H5019H4428H8942Jeremiah the prophet said to all the people in Judah and Jerusalem,H3414H5030H1696H5971H3063H3427H3389H5593“For the past twenty-three years—from the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, until now—the Lord has been giving me his messages. I have faithfully passed them on to you, but you have not listened.H7969H6240H8141H2977H1121H526H4428H3063H3117H7969H6242H8141H1697H3068H1696H7925H1696H80854“Again and again the Lord has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention.H3068H7971H5650H5030H7925H7971H8085H5186H241H80855Each time the message was this: ‘Turn from the evil road you are traveling and from the evil things you are doing. Only then will I let you live in this land that the Lord gave to you and your ancestors forever.H559H7725H376H7451H1870H7455H4611H3427H127H3068H5414H1H5704H5769H57696Do not provoke my anger by worshiping idols you made with your own hands. Then I will not harm you.’H3212H310H312H430H5647H7812H3707H4639H3027H74897“But you would not listen to me,” says the Lord. “You made me furious by worshiping idols you made with your own hands, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer.H8085H5002H3068H3707H4639H3027H74518And now the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Because you have not listened to me,H559H3068H6635H8085H16979I will gather together all the armies of the north under King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, whom I have appointed as my deputy. I will bring them all against this land and its people and against the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy you and make you an object of horror and contempt and a ruin forever.H7971H3947H4940H6828H5002H3068H5019H4428H894H5650H935H776H3427H1471H5439H2763H7760H8047H8322H5769H272310I will take away your happy singing and laughter. The joyful voices of bridegrooms and brides will no longer be heard. Your millstones will fall silent, and the lights in your homes will go out.H6H6963H8342H6963H8057H6963H2860H6963H3618H6963H7347H216H521611This entire land will become a desolate wasteland. Israel and her neighboring lands will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.H776H2723H8047H1471H5647H4428H894H7657H814112“Then, after the seventy years of captivity are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and his people for their sins,” says the Lord. “I will make the country of the Babylonians a wasteland forever.H7657H8141H4390H6485H4428H894H1471H5002H3068H5771H776H3778H7760H5769H807713I will bring upon them all the terrors I have promised in this book—all the penalties announced by Jeremiah against the nations.H935H776H1697H1696H3789H5612H3414H5012H147114Many nations and great kings will enslave the Babylonians, just as they enslaved my people. I will punish them in proportion to the suffering they cause my people.”H7227H1471H1419H4428H5647H7999H6467H4639H302715This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup filled to the brim with my anger, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink from it.H559H3068H430H3478H3947H3196H3563H2534H3027H1471H7971H824816When they drink from it, they will stagger, crazed by the warfare I will send against them.”H8354H1607H1984H6440H2719H797117So I took the cup of anger from the Lord and made all the nations drink from it—every nation to which the Lord sent me.H3947H3563H3068H3027H1471H8248H3068H797118I went to Jerusalem and the other towns of Judah, and their kings and officials drank from the cup. From that day until this, they have been a desolate ruin, an object of horror, contempt, and cursing.H3389H5892H3063H4428H8269H5414H2723H8047H8322H7045H311719I gave the cup to Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people,H6547H4428H4714H5650H8269H597120along with all the foreigners living in that land. I also gave it to all the kings of the land of Uz and the kings of the Philistine cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and what remains of Ashdod.H6153H4428H776H5780H4428H776H6430H831H5804H6138H7611H79521Then I gave the cup to the nations of Edom, Moab, and Ammon,H123H4124H1121H598322and the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings of the regions across the sea.H4428H6865H4428H6721H4428H339H5676H322023I gave it to Dedan, Tema, and Buz, and to the people who live in distant places.H1719H8485H938H7112H628524I gave it to the kings of Arabia, the kings of the nomadic tribes of the desert,H4428H6152H4428H6153H7931H405725and to the kings of Zimri, Elam, and Media.H4428H2174H4428H5867H4428H407426And I gave it to the kings of the northern countries, far and near, one after the other—all the kingdoms of the world. And finally, the king of Babylon himself drank from the cup of the Lord’s anger.H4428H6828H7350H7138H376H251H4467H776H6440H127H4428H8347H8354H31027Then the Lord said to me, “Now tell them, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Drink from this cup of my anger. Get drunk and vomit; fall to rise no more, for I am sending terrible wars against you.’H559H559H3068H6635H430H3478H8354H7937H7006H5307H6965H6440H2719H797128And if they refuse to accept the cup, tell them, ‘The Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: You have no choice but to drink from it.H3985H3947H3563H3027H8354H559H559H3068H6635H8354H835429I have begun to punish Jerusalem, the city that bears my name. Now should I let you go unpunished? No, you will not escape disaster. I will call for war against all the nations of the earth. I, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, have spoken!’H2490H7489H5892H7121H8034H5352H5352H5352H7121H2719H3427H776H5002H3068H663530“Now prophesy all these things, and say to them, “‘The Lord will roar against his own land from his holy dwelling in heaven. He will shout like those who tread grapes; he will shout against everyone on earth.H5012H1697H559H3068H7580H4791H5414H6963H6944H4583H7580H7580H5116H6030H1959H1869H3427H77631His cry of judgment will reach the ends of the earth, for the Lord will bring his case against all the nations. He will judge all the people of the earth, slaughtering the wicked with the sword. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”H7588H935H7097H776H3068H7379H1471H8199H1320H5414H7563H2719H5002H306832This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: “Look! Disaster will fall upon nation after nation! A great whirlwind of fury is rising from the most distant corners of the earth!”H559H3068H6635H7451H3318H1471H1471H1419H5591H5782H3411H77633In that day those the Lord has slaughtered will fill the earth from one end to the other. No one will mourn for them or gather up their bodies to bury them. They will be scattered on the ground like manure.H2491H3068H3117H7097H776H7097H776H5594H622H6912H1828H6440H12734Weep and moan, you evil shepherds! Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock! The time of your slaughter has arrived; you will fall and shatter like a fragile vase.H3213H7462H2199H6428H117H6629H3117H2873H8600H4390H5307H2532H362735You will find no place to hide; there will be no way to escape.H7462H4498H6H117H6629H641336Listen to the frantic cries of the shepherds. The leaders of the flock are wailing in despair, for the Lord is ruining their pastures.H6963H6818H7462H3215H117H6629H3068H7703H483037Peaceful meadows will be turned into a wasteland by the Lord’s fierce anger.H7965H4999H1826H6440H2740H639H306838He has left his den like a strong lion seeking its prey, and their land will be made desolate by the sword of the enemy and the Lord’s fierce anger.H5800H5520H3715H776H8047H6440H2740H3238H6440H2740H639
Jeremiah 26
26This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah.H7225H4468H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H1697H3068H5592“This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard in front of the Temple of the Lord, and make an announcement to the people who have come there to worship from all over Judah. Give them my entire message; include every word.H559H3068H5975H2691H3068H1004H1696H5892H3063H935H7812H3068H1004H1697H6680H1696H1639H16973Perhaps they will listen and turn from their evil ways. Then I will change my mind about the disaster I am ready to pour out on them because of their sins.H8085H7725H376H7451H1870H5162H7451H2803H6213H6440H7455H46114“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says: If you will not listen to me and obey my word I have given you,H559H559H3068H8085H3212H8451H5414H64405and if you will not listen to my servants, the prophets—for I sent them again and again to warn you, but you would not listen to them—H8085H1697H5650H5030H7971H7925H7971H80856then I will destroy this Temple as I destroyed Shiloh, the place where the Tabernacle was located. And I will make Jerusalem an object of cursing in every nation on earth.’”H5414H1004H7887H5414H5892H7045H1471H7767The priests, the prophets, and all the people listened to Jeremiah as he spoke in front of the Lord’s Temple.H3548H5030H5971H8085H3414H1696H1697H1004H30688But when Jeremiah had finished his message, saying everything the Lord had told him to say, the priests and prophets and all the people at the Temple mobbed him. “Kill him!” they shouted.H3414H3615H1696H3068H6680H1696H5971H3548H5030H5971H8610H559H4191H41919“What right do you have to prophesy in the Lord’s name that this Temple will be destroyed like Shiloh? What do you mean, saying that Jerusalem will be destroyed and left with no inhabitants?” And all the people threatened him as he stood in front of the Temple.H5012H8034H3068H559H1004H7887H5892H2717H3427H5971H6950H3414H1004H306810When the officials of Judah heard what was happening, they rushed over from the palace and sat down at the New Gate of the Temple to hold court.H8269H3063H8085H1697H5927H4428H1004H1004H3068H3427H6607H2319H8179H306811The priests and prophets presented their accusations to the officials and the people. “This man should die!” they said. “You have heard with your own ears what a traitor he is, for he has prophesied against this city.”H559H3548H5030H8269H5971H559H376H4941H4194H5012H5892H8085H24112Then Jeremiah spoke to the officials and the people in his own defense. “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this Temple and this city,” he said. “The Lord gave me every word that I have spoken.H559H3414H8269H5971H559H3068H7971H5012H1004H5892H1697H808513But if you stop your sinning and begin to obey the Lord your God, he will change his mind about this disaster that he has announced against you.H3190H1870H4611H8085H6963H3068H430H3068H5162H7451H169614As for me, I am in your hands—do with me as you think best.H3027H6213H5869H2896H347715But if you kill me, rest assured that you will be killing an innocent man! The responsibility for such a deed will lie on you, on this city, and on every person living in it. For it is absolutely true that the Lord sent me to speak every word you have heard.”H3045H3045H4191H5414H5355H1818H5892H3427H571H3068H7971H1696H1697H24116Then the officials and the people said to the priests and prophets, “This man does not deserve the death sentence, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”H559H8269H5971H3548H5030H376H4941H4194H1696H8034H3068H43017Then some of the wise old men stood and spoke to all the people assembled there.H6965H582H2205H776H559H6951H5971H55918They said, “Remember when Micah of Moresheth prophesied during the reign of King Hezekiah of Judah. He told the people of Judah, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: Mount Zion will be plowed like an open field; Jerusalem will be reduced to ruins! A thicket will grow on the heights where the Temple now stands.’H4320H4183H5012H3117H2396H4428H3063H559H5971H3063H559H559H3068H6635H6726H2790H7704H3389H5856H2022H1004H1116H329319But did King Hezekiah and the people kill him for saying this? No, they turned from their sins and worshiped the Lord. They begged him for mercy. Then the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had pronounced against them. So we are about to do ourselves great harm.”H2396H4428H3063H3063H4191H4191H3373H3068H2470H3068H6440H3068H5162H7451H1696H587H6213H1419H7451H531520At this time Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim was also prophesying for the Lord. And he predicted the same terrible disaster against the city and nation as Jeremiah did.H376H5012H8034H3068H223H1121H8098H7157H5012H5892H776H1697H341421When King Jehoiakim and the army officers and officials heard what he was saying, the king sent someone to kill him. But Uriah heard about the plan and escaped in fear to Egypt.H3079H4428H1368H8269H8085H1697H4428H1245H4191H223H8085H3372H1272H935H471422Then King Jehoiakim sent Elnathan son of Acbor to Egypt along with several other men to capture Uriah.H3079H4428H7971H582H4714H494H1121H5907H582H471423They took him prisoner and brought him back to King Jehoiakim. The king then killed Uriah with a sword and had him buried in an unmarked grave.H3318H223H4714H935H3079H4428H5221H2719H7993H5038H6913H1121H597124Nevertheless, Ahikam son of Shaphan stood up for Jeremiah and persuaded the court not to turn him over to the mob to be killed.H3027H296H1121H8227H3414H5414H3027H5971H4191
Jeremiah 27
27This message came to Jeremiah from the Lord early in the reign of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah.H7225H4467H3079H1121H2977H4428H3063H1697H3414H3068H5592This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke, and fasten it on your neck with leather thongs.H559H3068H6213H4147H4133H5414H66773Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon through their ambassadors who have come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem.H7971H4428H123H4428H4124H4428H1121H5983H4428H6865H4428H6721H3027H4397H935H3389H6667H4428H30634Give them this message for their masters: ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says:H6680H559H113H559H3068H6635H430H3478H559H1135With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose.H6213H776H120H929H6440H776H1419H3581H5186H2220H5414H5869H34746Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control.H5414H776H3027H5019H4428H894H5650H2416H7704H5414H56477All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon.H1471H5647H1121H1121H1121H6256H776H935H7227H1471H1419H4428H56478So you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the Lord. I will send war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it.H1471H4467H5647H5019H4428H894H5414H6677H5923H4428H894H1471H6485H5002H3068H2719H7458H1698H8552H30279“‘Do not listen to your false prophets, fortune-tellers, interpreters of dreams, mediums, and sorcerers who say, “The king of Babylon will not conquer you.”H8085H5030H7080H2472H6049H3786H559H559H5647H4428H89410They are all liars, and their lies will lead to your being driven out of your land. I will drive you out and send you far away to die.H5012H8267H7368H127H5080H611But the people of any nation that submits to the king of Babylon will be allowed to stay in their own country to farm the land as usual. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”H1471H935H6677H5923H4428H894H5647H3240H127H5002H3068H5647H342712Then I repeated this same message to King Zedekiah of Judah. “If you want to live, submit to the yoke of the king of Babylon and his people.H1696H6667H4428H3063H1697H559H935H6677H5923H4428H894H5647H5971H242113Why do you insist on dying—you and your people? Why should you choose war, famine, and disease, which the Lord will bring against every nation that refuses to submit to Babylon’s king?H4191H5971H2719H7458H1698H3068H1696H1471H5647H4428H89414Do not listen to the false prophets who keep telling you, ‘The king of Babylon will not conquer you.’ They are liars.H8085H1697H5030H559H559H5647H4428H894H5012H826715This is what the Lord says: ‘I have not sent these prophets! They are telling you lies in my name, so I will drive you from this land. You will all die—you and all these prophets, too.’”H7971H5002H3068H5012H8267H8034H5080H6H5030H501216Then I spoke to the priests and the people and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Do not listen to your prophets who claim that soon the gold articles taken from my Temple will be returned from Babylon. It is all a lie!H1696H3548H5971H559H559H3068H8085H1697H5030H5012H559H3627H3068H1004H4120H7725H894H5012H826717Do not listen to them. Surrender to the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this whole city be destroyed?H8085H5647H4428H894H2421H5892H272318If they really are prophets and speak the Lord’s messages, let them pray to the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. Let them pray that the articles remaining in the Lord’s Temple and in the king’s palace and in the palaces of Jerusalem will not be carried away to Babylon!’H5030H1697H3068H3426H6293H3068H6635H3627H3498H1004H3068H1004H4428H3063H3389H935H89419“For the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has spoken about the pillars in front of the Temple, the great bronze basin called the Sea, the water carts, and all the other ceremonial articles.H559H3068H6635H5982H3220H4350H3499H3627H3498H589220King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon left them here when he exiled Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, to Babylon, along with all the other nobles of Judah and Jerusalem.H5019H4428H894H3947H1540H3204H1121H3079H4428H3063H3389H894H2715H3063H338921Yes, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says about the precious things still in the Temple and in the palace of Judah’s king:H559H3068H6635H430H3478H3627H3498H1004H3068H1004H4428H3063H338922‘They will all be carried away to Babylon and will stay there until I send for them,’ says the Lord. ‘Then I will bring them back to Jerusalem again.’”H935H894H3117H6485H5002H3068H5927H7725H4725
Dublin, OH
. This was the year when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began his reign.H1697
