1The word that came to Jeremiah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, which was the first year of the reign of Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, concerning all the people of Judah;
2Which Jeremiah, the prophet, then spoke to all the people of Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
3”For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, until this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking; but you have not listened.
4And the LORD has sent to you all His servants, the prophets, rising early and sending them; but you have not listened, nor wanted to hear.
5They (the prophets) said, ‘Turn now, each of you, from your evil ways, and evil activities, so that you may dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and to your fathers forever and ever;
6And do not seek other gods to worship and serve, provoking My anger with the useless idols you make with your own hands; and then I will do you no harm.’
7But you would not listen to Me”, says the LORD; “but proceeded to provoke Me to anger with those idols you made, to your own harm.”
8Therefore, thus says the LORD Almighty, “Because you have not listened to My words,
9I will summon all the people of the north”, says the LORD, “and My servant, Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon, and bring them against this land, and its inhabitants, as well as all the surrounding nations, and will utterly destroy them, making them an object of astonishment, scorn, and perpetual desolation.
10I will also take away any sound of mirth or joy, or that of the bride or bridegroom, and sound of the millstones grinding, and the light of lamps.
11And this whole land shall be desolate; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
12And after seventy years, I will punish Babylon, her king, and the Chaldeans, for their sins, and will make it desolate e forever”, says the LORD.
13“And I will bring upon that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, and prophesied by Jeremiah against all these nations.
14For they, themselves, shall be enslaved by many nations and great kings; and I will repay them according to their deeds, the works of their own hands.”
15This is what the LORD God of Israel said to me; “Take from My hand this cup, filled to the brim with the wine of My anger, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it.
16And when they drink it, they shall stagger, crazed, and go mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”
17So I took the cup from the LORD's hand, and made all the nations to drink, to whom the LORD had sent me;
18To wit: Jerusalem, and the cities of Judah, its kings, and its officials, to make them a desolation, an object of horror, and a curse; as they are this day;
19Pharaoh, king of Egypt, his attendants, his officials, and all his people;
20And all the mixed people, and all the kings of the land of Uz; and all the kings of the land of the Philistines, Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod;
21Edom; Moab; and the children of Ammon;
22And all the kings of Tyre; and all the kings of Sidon; and the kings of the coastlands beyond the sea;
23Dedan; Tema; and Buz, and all that are in the utmost corners;
24And all the kings of Arabia; and all the kings of the mixed people that dwell in the desert;
25And all the kings of Zimri; all the kings of Elam; and all the kings of the Medes;
26And all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another; and all the kingdoms of the world, which are upon the face of the earth; and after them, the king of Sheshach shall drink it, too.
27Then you shall say to them, “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, ‘Drink, get drunk, and vomit, and fall, to rise no more, because of the sword that I will send among you’.
28And it if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink, then you shall say to them, “Thus says the LORD of hosts; ‘You shall certainly drink.
29For I have begun to bring disaster on the city which is called by My name; and should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth,’ says the LORD of hosts.”
30Therefore, prophesy all these words against them, and say to them, “The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter His voice from His holy habitation; He shall roar mightily against His habitation; He shall give a shout, like those who tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31His shout of judgement shall reach even to the ends of the earth; for the LORD has a controversy with the nations, He will judge all flesh; He will put those who are wicked to the sword”, declares the LORD.
32Thus says the LORD of hosts, “Behold, disaster shall spread from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall rise from the ends of the earth.
33And at that time, those slain by the LORD shall be everywhere - from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be mourned, nor gathered, nor buried; they shall be refuse upon the ground.
34Weep and wail, you shepherds (rulers); and wallow in the ashes, you leaders of the flock; for the days of your slaughter have arrived; and you shall fall and shatter like a delicate vase.
35And the shepherds shall have nowhere to flee, nor shall the leaders of the flock escape.
36The cry of the shepherds, and wailing of the leaders of the flock, shall be heard; for the LORD has destroyed their pasture.
37And the placid meadows are cut down because of the fierce anger of the LORD.
38Like a lion, He has left His den; and their land is desolate because of the fierceness of the sword, and because of His fierce anger.” Easy Reader Bible: Purple Letter Edition © 2023 by Jim Musser. Used by Permission. All rights Reserved. Bible Hub |
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