&#8220;I raised you up<n id="1" /> from the dust and made you ruler over my people Israel. Yet you followed in Jeroboam&#8217;s footsteps<n id="2" /> and encouraged my people Israel to sin; their sins have made me angry.<n id="3" />

&#8220;Have you noticed how Ahab shows remorse<n id="1" /> before me? Because he shows remorse before me, I will not bring disaster on his dynasty during his lifetime, but during the reign of his son.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

The <sc>Lordsc> said to Jehu, &#8220;You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab&#8217;s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.&#8221;<n id="1" />

&#8220;King Manasseh of Judah has committed horrible sins.<n id="1" /> He has sinned more than the Amorites before him and has encouraged Judah to sin by worshiping his disgusting idols.<n id="2" />

&#8216;You displayed a sensitive spirit<n id="1" /> and humbled yourself before the <sc>Lordsc> when you heard how I intended to make this place and its residents into an appalling example of an accursed people.<n id="2" /> You tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,&#8217; says the <sc>Lordsc>.

&#8216;You displayed a sensitive spirit<n id="1" /> and humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its residents. You humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before me, and I have heard you,&#8217; says the <sc>Lordsc>.

<p class="poetry">The sovereign master<n id="1" /> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;These people say they are loyal to me;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they say wonderful things about me,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but they are not really loyal to me.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Their worship consists ofp> <p class="poetry">nothing but man-made ritual.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">The spirit of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> is upon me,p> <p class="poetry">because the <sc>Lordsc> has chosen<n id="1" /> me.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He has commissioned<n id="3" /> me to encourage<n id="4" /> the poor,p> <p class="poetry">to help<n id="5" /> the brokenhearted,p> <p class="poetry">to decree the release of captives,p> <p class="poetry">and the freeing of prisoners,p>

<p class="poetry">I predestine you to die by the sword,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">all of you will kneel down at the slaughtering block,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">because I called to you, and you did not respond,p> <p class="poetry">I spoke and you did not listen.p> <p class="poetry">You did evil before me;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">you chose to do what displeases me.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">So I will choose severe punishment<n id="1" /> for them;p> <p class="poetry">I will bring on them what they dread,p> <p class="poetry">because I called, and no one responded,p> <p class="poetry">I spoke and they did not listen.p> <p class="poetry">They did evil before me;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they chose to do what displeases me.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">Because of that,<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, the God who rules over all,<n id="2" /> said to me,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Because these people have spoken<n id="4" /> like this,<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">I will make the words that I put in your mouth like fire.p> <p class="poetry">And I will make this people like woodp> <p class="poetry">which the fiery judgments you speak will burn up.&#8221;<n id="6" />p>

You also have done all these things, says the <sc>Lordsc>, and I have spoken to you over and over again.<n id="1" /> But you have not listened! You have refused to respond when I called you to repent!<n id="2" />

I will do so because these people<n id="1" /> have rejected me and have defiled<n id="2" /> this place. They have offered sacrifices in it to other gods which neither they nor their ancestors<n id="3" /> nor the kings of Judah knew anything about. They have filled it with the blood of innocent children.<n id="4" />

But just suppose you continue to say, &#8216;The message of the <sc>Lordsc> is burdensome.&#8217; Here is what the <sc>Lordsc> says will happen: &#8216;I sent word to you that you must not say, &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s message is burdensome.&#8221; But you used the words &#8220;The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s message is burdensome&#8221; anyway.

This will happen to them because they have done what is shameful<n id="1" /> in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbors&#8217; wives and have spoken lies while claiming my authority.<n id="2" /> They have spoken words that I did not command them to speak. I know what they have done. I have been a witness to it,&#8217; says the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

that the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> has a message for him.<n id="2" /> Tell him,<n id="3" /> &#8216;On your own initiative<n id="4" /> you sent a letter<n id="5" /> to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah<n id="6" /> and to all the other priests and to all the people in Jerusalem.<n id="7" /> In your letter you said to Zephaniah,<n id="8" />

&#8220;Send a message to all the exiles in Babylon. Tell them, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> has spoken about Shemaiah the Nehelamite. &#8220;Shemaiah has spoken to you as a prophet even though I did not send him. He is making you trust in a lie.<n id="1" />

<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="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Because you are more arrogant<n id="1" /> than the nations around you,<n id="2" /> you have not followed my statutes and have not carried out my regulations. You have not even<n id="3" /> carried out the regulations of the nations around you!p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, as surely as I live, says the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>, because you defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable idols and with all your abominable practices, I will withdraw; my eye will not pity you, nor will I spare<n id="1" /> you.