The Broken Covenant

111 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord , saying , 2 " Hear the words of this covenant , and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem ; 3 and say to them, 'Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel , " Cursed is the man who does not heed the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your forefathers in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt , from the iron furnace , saying , ' Listen to My voice , and do according to all which I command you; so you shall be My people , and I will be your God ,' 5 in order to confirm the oath which I swore to your forefathers , to give them a land flowing with milk and honey , as it is this day ."' " Then I said , " Amen , O Lord ." 6 And 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 do them. 7 'For I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt , even to this day , warning persistently , saying , " Listen to My voice ." 8 'Yet they did not obey or incline their ear , but walked , each one , in the stubbornness of his evil heart ; therefore I brought on them all the words of this covenant , which I commanded them to do , but they did not.' " 9 Then the Lord said to me, "A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem . 10 "They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to hear My words , and they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken My covenant which I made with their fathers ."

11 Therefore thus says the Lord , "Behold I am bringing disaster on them which they will not be able to escape ; though they will cry to Me, yet I will not listen to them. 12 "Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry to the gods to whom they burn incense , but they surely will not save them in the time of their disaster . 13 "For your gods are as many as your cities , O Judah ; and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the shameful thing , altars to burn incense to Baal . 14 "Therefore do not pray for this people , nor lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not listen when they call to Me because of their disaster . 15 "What right has My beloved in My house When she has done many vile deeds ? Can the sacrificial flesh take away from you your disaster , So that you can rejoice ?" 16 The Lord called your name , "A green olive tree , beautiful in fruit and form "; With the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, And its branches are worthless . 17 The Lord of hosts , who planted you, has pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah , which they have done to provoke Me by offering up sacrifices to Baal .

The Plot against Jeremiah

18 Moreover, the Lord made it known to me and I knew it; Then You showed me their deeds . 19 But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter ; And I did not know that they had devised plots against me, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit , And let us cut him off from the land of the living , That his name be remembered no more ." 20 But, O Lord of hosts , who judges righteously , Who tries the feelings and the heart , Let me see Your vengeance on them, For to You have I committed my cause . 21 Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the men of Anathoth , who seek your life , saying , " Do not prophesy in the name of the Lord , so that you will not die at our hand "; 22 therefore , thus says the Lord of hosts , "Behold , I am about to punish them! The young men will die by the sword , their sons and daughters will die by famine ; 23 and a remnant will not be left to them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth - the year of their punishment ."