Each of you should merely ask the prophet, ‘What answer did the Lord give you? Or what did the Lord say?’

For the Lord will rescue the descendants of Jacob. He will secure their release from those who had overpowered them.

Now King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had issued orders concerning Jeremiah. He had passed them on through Nebuzaradan, the captain of his royal guard,

Now the Lord had spoken to Jeremiah while he was still confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse,

“They have blown the trumpet and everyone is ready, but no one goes to battle, because my anger is against their whole crowd.

The Lord said to me, “Son of man, these are the men who plot evil and give wicked advice in this city.

Realize that it is coming and it will be done, declares the sovereign Lord. It is the day I have spoken about.

Thus they will provide the lamb, the grain offering, and the olive oil morning by morning, as a perpetual burnt offering.

In whatever tribe the foreigner resides, there you will give him his inheritance,” declares the sovereign Lord.

The holy ones of the Most High will receive the kingdom and will take possession of the kingdom forever and ever.’

They have committed treason against the Lord, because they bore illegitimate children. Soon the new moon festival will devour them and their fields.

Ephraim will be ruined in the day of judgment! What I am declaring to the tribes of Israel will certainly take place!

I have seen a disgusting thing in the temple of Israel: there Ephraim practices temple prostitution and Judah defiles itself.

They have gone up to Assyria, like a wild donkey that wanders off. Ephraim has hired prostitutes as lovers.

I spoke to the prophets; I myself revealed many visions; I spoke in parables through the prophets.”

“I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger will turn away from them.

You sold Judeans and Jerusalemites to the Greeks, removing them far from their own country.

Indeed, look! The Lord is giving the command. He will smash the large house to bits, and the small house into little pieces.

You wrongly evict widows among my people from their cherished homes. You defraud their children of their prized inheritance.

Indeed, Gaza will be deserted and Ashkelon will become a heap of ruins. Invaders will drive away the people of Ashdod by noon, and Ekron will be overthrown.