Judah Has Broken the Lord 's Agreement

^1-2-3The Lord God told me to say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:

“Yes, Lord ,” I replied, “that's true.”

⁶Then the Lord told me to say to everyone on the streets of Jerusalem and in the towns of Judah:

⁹The Lord said to me:

¹⁵Then the Lord told me to say to the people of Judah:

You are my chosen people,

but you have no right

to be here in my temple,

doing such evil things.

The sacrifices you offer me

won't protect you from disaster,

so stop celebrating.

¹⁶Once you were like an olive tree

covered with fruit.

But soon I will send a noisy mob

to break off your branches

and set you on fire.

¹⁷I am the Lord All-Powerful. You people of Judah were like a tree that I had planted, but you have made me angry by offering sacrifices to Baal, just as the northern kingdom did. And now I'm going to pull you up by the roots.

The Plot To Kill Jeremiah

*

¹⁸Some people plotted to kill me.

And like a lamb

being led to the butcher,

I knew nothing

about their plans.

¹⁹But then the Lord told me

that they had planned

to chop me down like a tree—

fruit and all—

so that no one would ever

remember me again.

²⁰I prayed, “Lord All-Powerful,[#Ws 1.6-9.]

you always do what is right,

and you know every thought.

So I trust you to help me

and to take revenge.”

²¹Then the Lord said: