The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 11 The Covenant is Broken

 The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 11

The Covenant is Broken

1 The word that 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 Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: “Cursed is the man who does not listen to the words of this covenant.

4 Which I commanded your fathers on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the iron furnace, saying, ‘Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.’

5 That I may confirm the oath which I swore to your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” Then I answered and said, “Amen, O Lord.”

6 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 do them.

7 For I warned your fathers on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, even to this day, rising early and warning them and saying, “Obey my voice.”

8 But they did not listen or incline their ear, but walked, each one, after the stubbornness of his evil heart. Therefore I brought upon them all the words of this covenant that I commanded them to do, but they did not do them.

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 returned to the iniquities of their fathers, who would not listen to 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 that I made with their fathers.”

11 Therefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and they shall cry unto me, but I will not hear them.

12 Then shall the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem go and cry unto the gods to whom they burned incense; but they shall not deliver them in the time of their evil.

13 For according to the number of your cities were your gods, O Judah! And according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to shame, 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 hear them in the time when they cry unto me because of their evil.

15 What has my beloved to do in my house, seeing that many in it commit great abomination, and the holy flesh has departed from you? When you do evil, then you leap for joy.

16 The Lord called you a green olive tree, beautiful with its delicious fruit; but now, at the sound of a great tumult, he has kindled a fire around it, and its branches are broken.

17 For the Lord of Hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the wickedness of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they have done to themselves, provoking me to anger by burning incense to Baal.