CHAPTER 11
“Listen
to the words
of this
covenant
and tell
them to
the men
of Judah
and the residents
of Jerusalem.
You must tell them that
this is what
the LORD,
the God
of Israel,
says:
‘Cursed is
the man
who
does not
obey
the words
of this
covenant,
which
I commanded
your forefathers
when
I brought them out
of the land
of Egypt,
out of the iron
furnace,
saying,
“Obey Me,
and do
everything
that
I command you,
and you will be
My people,
and I
will be
your God."
This was in order to
establish
the oath
I swore
to your forefathers,
to give
them a land
flowing
with milk
and honey,
as it is to this day.’”
“Amen,
LORD,”
I answered.
Then the LORD
said
to me,
“Proclaim
all
these
words
in the cities
of Judah
and in the streets
of Jerusalem,
saying,
‘Hear
the words
of this
covenant
and carry them out.
For
from the time
I brought
your fathers
out of the land
of Egypt
until today,
I strongly warned
them time and time again,
saying,
“Obey
My voice.”
Yet they would
not
obey
or incline
their ears,
but each one
followed
the stubbornness
of his evil
heart.
So I brought
on
them all
the curses
of this
covenant
I commanded
them to follow
but they did not keep.’”
And the LORD
told
me,
“There is
a conspiracy
among the men
of Judah
and the residents
of Jerusalem.
They have returned
to
the sins
of their forefathers
who
refused
to obey
My words.
They
have followed
other
gods
to serve them.
The house
of Israel
and the house
of Judah
have broken
the covenant
I made
with
their fathers.
Therefore
this is what
the LORD
says:
I am about to bring
upon them
a disaster
that
they cannot
escape.
They will cry out
to Me,
but I will not
listen
to them.
Then the cities
of Judah
and the residents
of Jerusalem
will go
and cry out
to
the gods
to which
they
have been burning incense,
but these gods certainly will not
save them
in their time
of disaster.
Your gods
are
indeed
as numerous
as your cities,
O Judah,
and the altars
you have set up
to shame—
the altars
to burn incense
to Baal—
are as many
as the streets
of Jerusalem.
As for you,
do not
pray
for
these
people.
Do not
raise up
a cry
or a prayer
on their behalf,
for
I will not
be listening
when they call out
to
Me at the time
of their disaster.
What right
has My beloved
in My house,
having carried out
so many
evil schemes?
Can consecrated
meat
avert
your doom,
so that
you can rejoice?
The LORD
once called
you
a flourishing
olive tree,
beautiful
with well-formed
fruit.
But with a mighty
roar
He will set fire
to it,
and its branches
will be consumed.
The LORD
of Hosts
who planted
you
has decreed
disaster
upon you,
because of
the evil that
the house
of Israel
and the house
of Judah
have brought upon themselves,
provoking Me to anger
by burning incense
to Baal.”
For I
was like a gentle
lamb
led
to slaughter;
I did not
know
that
they had plotted
against me:
“Let us destroy
the tree
with its fruit;
let us cut him off
from the land
of the living,
that his name
will be remembered
no
more."
But, O LORD
of Hosts,
who judges
righteously,
who tests
the heart
and mind,
let me see
Your vengeance
upon them,
for
I have committed
my cause
to You.
Therefore,
this is what
the LORD
says
concerning
the people
of Anathoth
who are seeking
your life
and saying,
“You must not
prophesy
in the name
of the LORD,
or you will die
by our hand.”
So
this is what
the LORD
of Hosts
says:
“I will punish them.
Their young men
will die
by the sword,
their sons
and daughters
by famine.
There will be
no
remnant,
for
I will bring
disaster
on
the people
of Anathoth
in the year
of their punishment.”