I, the Lord, say: ‘That is how I will deal with this city and its citizens. I will make it like Topheth.

I will kill everything living in Jerusalem, people and animals alike! They will die from terrible diseases.

The Lord told me, “Go down to the palace of the king of Judah. Give him a message from me there.

The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”

You will never come back to this land to which you will long to return!”

The Lord says, “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered.

I did not send those prophets. Yet they were in a hurry to give their message. I did not tell them anything. Yet they prophesied anyway.

But if they had stood in my inner circle, they would have proclaimed my message to my people. They would have caused my people to turn from their wicked ways and stop doing the evil things they are doing.

The Lord says, “I have heard what those prophets who are prophesying lies in my name are saying. They are saying, ‘I have had a dream! I have had a dream!’

“Therefore, the Lord who rules over all says, ‘You have not listened to what I said.

I made all of these other people drink it: Pharaoh, king of Egypt; his attendants, his officials, his people,

Listen to the cries of anguish of the leaders. Listen to the wails of the shepherds of the flocks. They are wailing because the Lord is about to destroy their lands.

“The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘I will break the yoke of servitude to the king of Babylon.

The prophet Hananiah then took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it.

Zephaniah the priest read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah.

But they will be subject to the Lord their God and to the Davidic ruler whom I will raise up as king over them.

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

I will provide the priests with abundant provisions. My people will be filled to the full with the good things I provide.”

I will restore Judah and Israel and will rebuild them as they were in days of old.

The prophet Jeremiah told all this to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem.