Jeremiah 11

¹ The following message came to Jeremiah from the LORD:

² Speak to the men of Judah and to the citizens of Jerusalem,

³ saying to them: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Cursed be the man who does not observe the terms of this covenant,

⁴ which I enjoined upon your fathers the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, that iron foundry, saying: Listen to my voice and do all that I command you. Then you shall be my people, and I will be your God.

⁵ Thus I will fulfill the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey: the one you have today. "Amen, LORD," I answered.

⁶ Then the LORD said to me: Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the words of this covenant and obey them.

⁷ Urgently and constantly I warned your fathers to obey my voice, from the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt even to this day.

⁸ But they did not listen or give ear. Each one followed the hardness of his evil heart, till I brought upon them all the threats of this covenant which they had failed to observe as I commanded them.

⁹ A conspiracy has been found, the LORD said to me, among the men of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem.

¹⁰ They have returned to the crimes of their forefathers who refused to obey my words. They also have followed and served strange gods; the covenant which I had made with their fathers, the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken.

¹¹ Therefore, thus says the LORD: See, I bring upon them misfortune which they cannot escape. Though they cry out to me, I will not listen to them.

¹² Then the cities of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to which they have been offering incense. But these gods will give them no help whatever when misfortune strikes.

¹³ For as numerous as your cities are your gods, O Judah! And as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars for offering sacrifice to Baal.

¹⁴ Do not intercede on behalf of this people, nor utter a plea for them. I will not listen when they call to me at the time of their misfortune.

¹⁵ What right has my beloved in my house, while she prepares her plots? Can vows and sacred meat turn away your misfortune from you? Will you still be jubilant

¹⁶ when you hear the great invasion? A spreading olive tree, goodly to behold, the LORD has named you; Now he sets fire to it, its branches burn.

¹⁷ The LORD of hosts who planted you has decreed misfortune for you because of the evil done by the house of Israel and by the house of Judah, who provoked me by sacrificing to Baal.

¹⁸ I knew it because the LORD informed me; at that time you, O LORD, showed me their doings.