The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel told Jeremiah<n id="1" /> to go and give King Zedekiah of Judah a message. He told Jeremiah<n id="2" /> to tell him, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;I am going to<n id="3" /> hand this city over to the king of Babylon and he will burn it down.

<p class="bodytext">Then Jeremiah spoke to the Rechabite community, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> says, &#8216;You have obeyed the orders of your ancestor Jonadab. You have followed all his instructions. You have done exactly as he commanded you.&#8217;

<p class="poetry">This is what the Lord says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;What fault could your ancestors<n id="1" /> have possibly found in mep> <p class="poetry">that they strayed so far from me?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They paid allegiance to<n id="3" /> worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Yes,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> has this to sayp> <p class="poetry">to the people of Judah and Jerusalem:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Like a farmer breaking up hard unplowed ground,p> <p class="poetry">you must break your rebellious will and make a new beginning;p> <p class="poetry">just as a farmer must clear away thorns lest the seed is wasted,p> <p class="poetry">you must get rid of the sin that is ruining your lives.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">All of this is because<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="2" /> has said:p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Cut down the trees around Jerusalemp> <p class="poetry">and build up a siege ramp against its walls.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">This is the city which is to be punished.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Nothing but oppression happens in it.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="bodytext">This is what the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> said to me:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Those who remain in Israel will bep> <p class="poetry">like the grapes thoroughly gleaned<n id="3" /> from a vine.p> <p class="poetry">So go over them again, as though you were a grape harvesterp> <p class="poetry">passing your hand over the branches one last time.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;This is what the <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Beware! An army<n id="1" /> is coming from a land in the north.p> <p class="poetry">A mighty nation is stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> says: Change the way you have been living and do what is right.<n id="2" /> If you do, I will allow you to continue to live in this land.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">Therefore the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will now purify them in the fires of affliction<n id="2" /> and test them.p> <p class="poetry">The wickedness of my dear people<n id="3" /> has left me no choice.p> <p class="poetry">What else can I do?<n id="4" />p>

So then, listen to what I, the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all,<n id="1" /> say.<n id="2" /> &#8216;I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> told me to say to this people,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Take note of what I say.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Call for the women who mourn for the dead!p> <p class="poetry">Summon those who are the most skilled at it!&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Wise people should not boast that they are wise.p> <p class="poetry">Powerful people should not boast that they are powerful.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Rich people should not boast that they are rich.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Do not start following pagan religious practices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not be in awe of signs that occur<n id="2" /> in the skyp> <p class="poetry">even though the nations hold them in awe.p>

<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>

Tell them that the <sc>Lord,sc> the God of Israel, says, &#8216;Anyone who does not keep the terms of the covenant will be under a curse.<n id="1" />

So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say this:<n id="1" /> &#8216;I will soon bring disaster on them which they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them.

<p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> told me about<n id="1" /> some men from Anathoth<n id="2" /> who were threatening to kill me.<n id="3" /> They had threatened,<n id="4" /> &#8220;Stop prophesying in the name of the <sc>Lordsc> or we will kill you!&#8221;<n id="5" />

So the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;I will surely<n id="2" /> punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle.<n id="3" /> Their sons and daughters will die of starvation.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to me, &#8220;Go and buy some linen shorts<n id="1" /> and put them on.<n id="2" /> Do not put them in water.&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> I will surely send you away for your own good.p> <p class="poetry">I will surely<n id="2" /> bring the enemy upon you in a time of trouble and distress.p>