The stability of the church. CHAP. XXXII. Imprisonment of Jeremiah. 34 And they shall teach no more every 8 So Hanameel mine uncle's son catne man his neighbour, and every man his bro- to me in the court of the prison, according ther, saying, Know the LORD: for they to the word of the LORD, and said unto shall all know me, from the least of them me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: Anathoth, which is in the country of Benfor I will forgive their iniquity, and I will jamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, remember their sin no more. and the redemption is thine; buy it for thy35 Thus saith the LORD, which giveth self. Then I knew that this was the word the sun for a light by day, and the ordi- of the LORD. nances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name: 9 And I bought the field of Hanameel ine uncle's son,that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. 36 If those ordinances depart from be- 10 And I subscribed the evidence, and fore me, saith the LORD, then the seed of sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed Israel also shall cease from being a nation him the money in the balances. before me for ever. 11 So I took the evidence of the pur 37 Thus saith the LORD; If heaven above chase, both that which was sealed accordcan be measured, and the foundations of ing to the law and custom, and that which the earth searched out beneath, I will also was open: cast off all the seed of Israel for all that they have done, saith the Lord. 38 ¶ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. 39 And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. 12 And I gave the evidence of the pur chase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. 13 And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 40 And the whole valley of the dead 14 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields God of Israel; Take these evidences, this unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner evidence of the purchase, both which is of the horse-gate toward the east, shall be sealed, and this evidence which is open; holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked and put them in an earthen vessel, that up, nor thrown down any more for ever. they may continue many days. 15 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the THE word that came to Jeremiah from God of Israel; Houses and fields and vinethe LORD in the tenth year of Ze-yards shall be possessed again in this land. dekiah king of Judah, which was the 16 Now when I had delivered the evieighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. THE CHAP. XXXII. 2 For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah's house. dence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, 17 Ah LORD God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched-out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou pro- 18 Thou shewest loving-kindness unto phesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Be- thousands, and recompensest the iniquity bold, I will give this city into the hand of of the fathers into the bosom of their chilthe king of Babylon, and he shall take it; dren after them: The Great, The Mighty 4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not God,The LORD of hosts, is his name, escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, 19 Great in counsel, and mighty in but shall surely be delivered into the hand work: for thine eyes are open upon all the of the king of Babylon, and shall speak ways of the sons of men; to give every one with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes according to his ways, and according to shall behold his eyes; 5 And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper 1? 6 And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, the fruit of his doings: 20 Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day; 21 And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, 7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum and with wonders, and with a strong hand, thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, and with a stretched-out arm, and with Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for great terror; the right of redemption is thine to buy it. 22 And hast given them this land, which The captivity confirmed. JEREMIAH. A gracious return promised. thou didst swear to their fathers to give ther came it into my mind, that they should them, a land flowing with milk and honey; do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. 23 And they came in, and possessed it; 36 And now therefore thus saith the but they obeyed not thy voice, neither LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this walked in thy law; they have done nothing city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered of all that thou commandedst them to do: into the hand of the king of Babylon by therefore thou hast caused all this evil to the sword, and by the famine, and by the come upon them pestilence; 24 Behold the mounts, they are come 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all unto the city to take it; and the city is countries, whither I have driven them in given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that mine anger, and in my fury,and in great fight against it, because of the sword, and wrath; and I will bring them again unto of the famine, and of the pestilence: and this place, and I will cause them to dwell what thou hast spoken is come to pass; safely: and behold, thou seest it. 25 And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 38 And they shall be my people and I will be their God: 39 And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: 40 And I will make an everlasting cove27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of nant with them, that I will not turn away all flesh is there any thing too hard for me? from them, to do them good; but I will put 28 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Be- my fear in their hearts, that they shall not hold, I will give this city into the hand of depart from me. the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebu- 41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do chadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall them good, and I will plant them in this take it: land assuredly with my whole heart and 29 And the Chaldeans, that fight against with my whole soul. this city, shall come and set fire on this 42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I city, and burn it with the houses, upon have brought all this great evil upon this whose roofs they have offered incense unto people, so will I bring upon them all the Baal, and poured out drink-offerings unto good that I have promised them. other gods, to provoke me to anger. 43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger 44 Men shall buy fields for money, and with the work of their hands, saith the subscribe evidences, and seal them, and LORD. take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, 31 For this city hath been to me as a and in the places about Jerusalem, and in provocation of mine anger and of my fury the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the from the day that they built it even unto mountains, and in the cities of the valley, this day; that I should remove it from be- and in the cities of the south: for I will fore my face, cause their captivity to return, saith the 32 Because of all the evil of the 'chil-LORD. dren of Israel and of the children of Ju CHAP. XXXIII. dah, which they have done to provoke me MOREOVER the word of the LORD to anger, they, their kings, their princes, came unto Jeremiah the second time, their priests, and their prophets, and the while he was yet shut up in the court of men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jeru- the prison, saying, salem. 2 Thus saith the LORD the maker there33 And they have turned unto me the of, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; back, and not the face: though I taught The LORD is his name; them, rising up early and teaching them, 3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, yet they have not hearkened to receive and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not. instruction. 34 But they set their abominations in 4 For thus saith the LORD, the God of the house which is called by my name, to Israel, concerning the houses of this city, defile it. and concerning the houses of the kings of 35 And they built the high places of Judah, which are thrown down by the Baal, which are in the valley of the son of mounts, and by the sword: Hinnom, to cause their sons and their 5 They come to fight with the Chaldedaughters to pass through the fire unto Mo-ans, but it is to fill them with the dead bolech; which I commanded them not, nei-dies of men, whom I have slain in mine Christ the Branch of CHAP. XXXIV. righteousness promised. anger and in my fury, and for all whose want a man before me to offer burnt-offerwickedness I have hid my face from this ings, and to kindle meat-offerings, and to city. do sacrifice continually. 6 Behold, I will bring it health and 19 And the word of the LORD came cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto Jeremiah, saying, unto them the abundance of peace and truth. 20 Thus saith the LORD; If ye can 7 And I will cause the captivity of Ju-break my covenant of the day, and my codah and the captivity of Israel to return, venant of the night, and that there should and will build them, as at the first. not be day and night in their season; 8 And I will cleanse them from all their 21 Then may also my covenant be iniquity, whereby they have sinned against broken with David my servant, that he me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, should not have a son to reign upon his whereby they have sinned, and whereby throne; and with the Levites the priests, they have transgressed against me. my ministers. 9 And it shall be to me a name of joy, 22 As the host of heaven cannot be numa praise, and an honour before all the na-bered, neither the sand of the sea measured: tions of the earth, which shall hear all the so will I multiply the seed of David my sergood that I do unto them: and they shall vant, and the Levites that minister unto fear and tremble for all the goodness and me. for all the prosperity that I procure unto it. 23 Moreover the word of the LORD 10 Thus saith the LORD; Again there came to Jeremiah, saying, shall be heard in this place, which ye say 24 Considerest thou not what this people shall be desolate without man and without have spoken, saying, The two families beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in which the LORD hath chosen, he hath even the streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate, cast them off? thus they have despised my without man, and without inhabitant, and people, that they should be no more a nawithout beast, tion before them. 11 The voice of joy, and the voice of 25 Thus saith the LORD; If my covegladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and nant be not with day and night, and if I the voice of the bride, the voice of them have not appointed the ordinances of heathat shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: ven and earth; for the LORD is good; for his mercy en- 26 Then will I cast away the seed of dureth for ever: and of them that shall Jacob, and David my servant, so that I bring the sacrifice of praise into the house will not take any of his seed to be rulers of the LORD. For I will cause to return over the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jathe captivity of the land, as at the first, cob: for I will cause their captivity to saith the LORD. return, and have mercy on them. 12 Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Again CHAP. XXXIV. in this place, which is desolate without word which came unto Jeremiah HE man and without beast, and in all the ci- from the LORD, when Nebuchadnezties thereof, shall be a habitation of shep-zar king of Babylon, and all his army, and herds causing their flocks to lie down. all the kingdoms of the earth of his do13 In the citics of the mountains, in the minion, and all the people fought against cities of the vale, and in the cities of the Jerusalem, and against all the cities thereof, south, and in the land of Benjamin, and in saying, the places about Jerusalem, and in the 2 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Iscities of Judah, shall the flocks pass again rael; Go and speak to Zedekiah king of under the hands of him that telleth them, Judah, and tell him, Thus saith the LORD; saith the LORD. Behold, I will give this city into the hand 14 Behold, the days come, saith the of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn LORD, that I will perform that good thing it with fire: which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. 3 And thou shalt not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and deli15 ¶ In those days, and at that time, vered into his hand; and thine eyes shall will I cause the Branch of righteousness to behold the eyes of the king of Babylon, grow up unto David; and he shall execute and he shall speak with thee mouth to Judgment and righteousness in the land. mouth, and thou shalt go to Babylon. 16 In those days shall Judah be saved, 4 Yet hear the word of the LORD, O and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this Zedekiah king of Judah; Thus saith the is the name wherewith she shall be called, LORD of thee, Thou shalt. not die by the The LORD our Righteousness. sword: 17 For thus saith the LORD; David 5 But thou shalt die in peace: and with shall never want a man to sit upon the the burnings of thy fathers, the former throne of the house of Israel; kings which were before thee, so shall they burn odours for thee; and they will lament 18 Neither shall the priests the Levites Jeremiah prophesies the JEREMIAH. captivity of Zedekiah, &c. thee, saying, Ah lord! for I have pro-moved into all the kingdoms of the earth. nounced the word, saith the LORD. 18 And I will give the men that have 6 Then Jeremiah the prophet spake all transgressed my covenant, which have not these words unto Zedekiah king of Judah performed the words of the covenant which in Jerusalem, they had made before me, when they cut 7 When the king of Babylon's army the calf in twain, and passed between the fought against Jerusalem, and against all parts thereof, the cities of Judah that were left, against 19 The princes of Judah, and the princes Lachish, and against Azekah: for these of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, and the priests, defenced cities remained of the cities of and all the people of the land, which passed Judah. between the parts of the calf; 8 This is the word that came unto 20 I will even give them into the hand Jeremiah from the LORD, after that the of their enemies, and into the hand of them king Zedekiah had made a covenant with that seek their life: and their dead bodies all the people which were at Jerusalem, to shall be for meat unto the fowls of the proclaim liberty unto them; heaven, and to the beasts of the earth. 9 That every man should let his man- 21 And Zedekiah king of Judah and servant, and every man his maid-servant, his princes will I give into the hand of being a Hebrew or a Hebrewess, go their enemies, and into the hand of them free; that none should serve himself of that seek their life, and into the hand of them, to wit, of a Jew his brother. the king of Babylon's army, which are 10 Now when all the princes, and all gone up from you. the people which had entered into the 22 Behold, I will command, saith the covenant, heard that every one should let LORD, and cause them to return to this his man-servant, and every one his maid- city; and they shall fight against it, and servant, go free, that none should serve take it, and burn it with fire: and I will themselves of them any more, then they make the cities of Judah a desolation withobeyed, and let them go. out an inhabitant. 11 But afterwards they turned, and caused the servants and the handmaids, whom they had let go free, to return, and brought them into subjection for servants and for handmaids. CHAP. XXXV. THE word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, saying, 12 Therefore the word of the LORD 2 Go unto the house of the Rechabites, came to Jeremiah, from the LORD, saying, and speak unto them, and bring them into 13 Thus saith the LORD, the God of the house of the LORD, into one of the Israel; I made a covenant with your fathers chambers, and give them wine to drink. in the day that I brought them forth out of 3 Then I took Jaazaniah the son of Jethe land of Egypt, out of the house of remiah, the son of Habaziniah, and his bond-men, saying, brethren, and all his sons, and the whole 14 At the end of seven years let ye go house of the Rechabites; every man his brother a Hebrew, which 4 And I brought them into the house of hath been sold unto thee; and when he the LORD, into the chamber of the sons of hath served thee six years, thou shalt let Hanan, the son of Igdaliah, a man of God, him go free from thee; but your fathers which was by the chamber of the princes, hearkened not unto me, neither inclined which was above the chamber of Maaseiah their ear. the son of Shallum, the keeper of the door: 15 And ye were now turned, and had 5 And I set before the sons of the house done right in my sight, in proclaiming of the Rechabites pots full of wine, and liberty every man to his neighbour; and cups, and I said unto them, Drink ye wine. ye had made a covenant before me in the 6 But they said, We will drink no wine: house which is called by my name: for Jonadab the son of Rechab our father 16 But ye turned and polluted my name, commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no and caused every man his servant, and wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever: every man his handmaid, whom he had set 7 Neither shall ye build house, nor sow at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and seed, nor plant vineyard, nor have any: brought them into subjection, to be unto but all your days ye shall dwell in tents; you for servants and for handmaids. that ye may live many days in the land 17 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ye where ye be strangers. have not hearkened unto me, in proclaim- 8 Thus have we obeyed the voice of ing liberty, every one to his brother, and Jonadab the son of Rechab our father in all every man to his neighbour: behold, I that he hath charged us, to drink no wine proclaim a liberty for you, saith the LORD, all our days, we, our wives, our sons, nor to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the our daughters; famine; and I will make you to be re- 9 Nor to build houses for us to dwell in: The Jews threatened. CHAP. XXXVI. Jeremiah's prophecy written neither have we vineyard, nor field, nor unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the seed: 10 But we have dwelt in tents, and have day I spake unto thee, from the days of obeyed, and done according to all that Josiah, even unto this day. 3 It may be that the house of Judah will Jonadab our father commanded us. 11 But it came to pass, when Nebu- hear all the evil which I purpose to do chadrezzar king of Babylon came up into unto them; that they may return every the land, that we said, Come, and let us man from his evil way; that I may forgive go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of their iniquity and their sin. the Chaldeans, and for fear of the army of 4 Then Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Neriah: and Baruch wrote from the the Syrians: so we dwell at Jerusalem. mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the LORD, which he had spoken unto him, 12 ¶ Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 13 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the upon a roll of a book. God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Ju 5 And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, dah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will saying, I am shut up, I cannot go into the ye not receive instruction to hearken to house of the LORD: my words? saith the LORD. 6 Therefore go thou and read in the roll, 14 The words of Jonadab the son of Re- which thou hast written from my mouth, chab, that he commanded his sons not to the words of the LORD in the ears of the drink wine, are performed; for unto this people in the LORD's house upon the fastday they drink none, but obey their fa- ing day: and also thou shalt read them in ther's commandment: notwithstanding I the ears of all Judah that come out of their have spoken unto you, rising early and cities. speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. 7 It may be they will present their sup15 I have sent also unto you all my ser- plication before the LORD, and will return vants the prophets, rising up early and every one from his evil way for great is sending them, saying, Return ye now the anger and the fury that the LORD hath every man from his evil way, and amend pronounced against this people. 8 And Baruch the son of Neriah did acyour doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land cording to all that Jeremiah the prophet which I have given to you and to your commanded him, reading in the book the fathers: but ye have not inclined your words of the LORD in the LORD's house. 9 And it came to pass in the fifth year ear, nor hearkened unto me. 16 Because the sons of Jonadab the son of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Juof Rechab have performed the command-dah, in the ninth month, that they proment of their father, which he command-claimed a fast before the LORD to all the ed them; but this people hath not heark-people in Jerusalem, and to all the people that came from the cities of Judah unto ened unto me: 17 Therefore thus saith the LORD God Jerusalem. 10 Then read Baruch in the book the of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon Judah and upon all the in-words of Jeremiah in the house of the habitants of Jerusalem all the evil that have pronounced against them; because I have spoken unto them, but they have not heard; and I have called unto them, but they have not answered. LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shaphan the scribe, in the higher court, at the entry of the new gate of the LORD's house, in the ears of all the people. 11 T When Michaiah the son of Gema18 T And Jeremiah said unto the house riah, the son of Shaphan, had heard out of of the Rechabites, Thus saith the LORD of the book all the words of the LORD, 12 Then he went down into the king's hosts, the God of Israel; Because ye have obeyed the commandment of Jonadab house, into the scribe's chamber: and Io, your father, and kept all his precepts, and all the princes sat there, even Elishama done according unto all that he hath com- the scribe, and Delaiah the son of Shemaiah, and Elnathan the son of Achbor, manded you: 19 Therefore thus saith the LORD of and Gemariah the son of Shaphan, and hosts, the God of Israel; Jonadab the son Zedekiah the son of Hananiah, and all the of Rechab shall not want a man to stand princes. before me for ever. CHAP. XXXVI. 13 Then Michaiah declared unto them all the words that he had heard, when Ba AND it came to pass in the fourth year ruch read the book in the ears of the people. 14 Therefore all the princes sent Jeof Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jere- hudi the son of Nethaniah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Cushi, unto Baruch, miah from the LORD, saying, 2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write saying, Take in thine hand the roll where therein all the words that I have spoken in thou hast read in the ears of the people, 2 P 593 |