He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house.

The officials were very angry at Jeremiah. They had him flogged and put in prison in the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary, which they had converted into a place for confining prisoners.

Now listen to what the Lord has to say, you descendants of Jacob, all you family groups from the nation of Israel.

For the nations of Israel and Judah have been very unfaithful to me,” says the Lord.

The Lord told me to say to the royal court of Judah, “Listen to what the Lord says,

At that time the nation of Judah and the nation of Israel will be reunited. Together they will come back from a land in the north to the land that I gave to your ancestors as a permanent possession. ”

However, some of the officials of Judah heard about what was happening and they rushed up to the Lord’s temple from the royal palace. They set up court at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord’s temple.

Indeed, the Lord God of Israel who rules over all has already spoken about the valuable articles that are left in the Lord’s temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem.

“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah.

“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah.

“I, the Lord, affirm: ‘The time will certainly come when I will fulfill my gracious promise concerning the nations of Israel and Judah.

“Go to the Rechabite community. Invite them to come into one of the side rooms of the Lord’s temple and offer them some wine to drink.”

The Babylonians burned down the royal palace, the temple of the Lord, and the people’s homes, and they tore down the wall of Jerusalem.

He had Zedekiah’s eyes put out and had him bound in chains. Then the king of Babylon had him led off to Babylon and he was imprisoned there until the day he died.

“Proclaim this message among the descendants of Jacob. Make it known throughout Judah.

“‘Do not go to a house where people are feasting and sit down to eat and drink with them either.

“Go down at once to the potter’s house. I will speak to you further there.”

‘Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.

They set up their disgusting idols in the temple which I have claimed for my own and defiled it.

The houses in Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled by dead bodies just like this place, Topheth. For they offered sacrifice to the stars and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the roofs of those houses.’”