<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;I will now throw outp> <p class="poetry">those who live in this land.p> <p class="poetry">I will bring so much trouble on themp> <p class="poetry">that they will actually feel it.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">May that man be like the cities<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">that the <sc>Lordsc> destroyed without showing any mercy.p> <p class="poetry">May he hear a cry of distress in the morningp> <p class="poetry">and a battle cry at noon.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;But<n id="1" /> tell the people of Jerusalem<n id="2" /> that the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;I will give you a choice between two courses of action. One will result in life; the other will result in death.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery.p> <p class="poetry">They will stumble and fall headlong.p> <p class="poetry">For I will bring disaster on them.p> <p class="poetry">A day of reckoning is coming for them.&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> affirms it!<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to Jeremiah<n id="1" /> early in the reign of Josiah&#8217;s son, King Zedekiah of Judah.<n id="2" />

The city is sure to fall into the hands of the Babylonians.<n id="1" /> Yet, in spite of this,<n id="2" /> you, Lord <sc>Godsc>,<n id="3" /> have said to me, &#8220;Buy that field with silver and have the transaction legally witnessed.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

Pray that the <sc>Lordsc> your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">I will bring terror on you from every side,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the Lord <sc>Godsc> who rules over all.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You will be scattered in every direction.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">No one will gather the fugitives back together.p>

<p class="poetry">I have opened up the place where my weapons are stored.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I have brought out the weapons for carrying out my wrath.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For I, the Lord <sc>Godsc> who rules over all,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">have work to carry out in the land of Babylonia.<n id="4" />p>

&#8220;Go and declare in the hearing of the people of Jerusalem:<n id="1" /> &#8216;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8220;I have fond memories of you,<n id="2" /> how devoted you were to me in your early years.<n id="3" /> I remember how you loved me like a new bride; you followed me through the wilderness, through a land that had never been planted.

<p class="poetry">Your own wickedness will bring about your punishment.p> <p class="poetry">Your unfaithful acts will bring down discipline on you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Know, then, and realize how utterly harmful<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">it was for you to reject me, the <sc>Lordsc> your God,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">to show no respect for me,&#8221;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">says the Lord <sc>Godsc> who rules over all.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">When Josiah was king of Judah, the <sc>Lordsc> said to me, &#8220;Jeremiah, you have no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done.<n id="1" /> You have seen how she went up to every high hill and under every green tree to give herself like a prostitute to other gods.<n id="2" />

So,&#8221; the Lord <sc>Godsc><n id="1" /> says, &#8220;my raging fury will be poured out on this land.<n id="2" /> It will be poured out on human beings and animals, on trees and crops.<n id="3" /> And it will burn like a fire which cannot be extinguished.&#8221;p>

Then I will keep the promise I swore on oath to your ancestors to give them a land flowing with milk and honey.&#8221;<n id="1" /> That is the very land that you still live in today.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" /> And I responded, &#8220;Amen! Let it be so,<n id="3" /> <sc>Lordsc>!&#8221;p>

But they must make sure you learn to follow the religious practices of my people.<n id="1" /> Once they taught my people to swear their oaths using the name of the god Baal.<n id="2" /> But then, they must swear oaths using my name, saying, &#8220;As surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives, I swear.&#8221;<n id="3" /> If they do these things,<n id="4" /> then they will be included among the people I call my own.<n id="5" />

<p class="bodytext">Then I said, &#8220;Oh, Lord <sc>Godsc>,<n id="1" /> look!<n id="2" /> The prophets are telling them that you said,<n id="3" /> &#8216;You will not experience war or suffer famine.<n id="4" /> I will give you lasting peace and prosperity in this land.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

He said through them,<n id="1" /> &#8216;Each of you must turn from your wicked ways and stop doing the evil things you are doing.<n id="2" /> If you do, I will allow you to continue to live here in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors as a lasting possession.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Then the officials and all the people rendered their verdict to the priests and the prophets. They said,<n id="1" /> &#8220;This man should not be condemned to die.<n id="2" /> For he has spoken to us under the authority of the <sc>Lordsc> our God.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to Jeremiah after King Zedekiah had made a covenant<n id="1" /> with all the people in Jerusalem<n id="2" /> to grant their slaves their freedom.

Are you looking for great things for yourself? Do not look for such things. For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I am about to bring disaster on all humanity.<n id="2" /> But I will allow you to escape with your life<n id="3" /> wherever you go.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;p>