For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you. If you<n id="2" /> listen to them, I will drive you and the prophets who are prophesying lies out of the land and you will all die in exile.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

From earliest times, the prophets who preceded you and me invariably<n id="1" /> prophesied war, disaster,<n id="2" /> and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms.

<p class="bodytext">Now at that time,<n id="1" /> the armies of the king of Babylon were besieging Jerusalem.<n id="2" /> The prophet Jeremiah was confined in the courtyard of the guardhouse<n id="3" /> attached to the royal palace of Judah.

<p class="bodytext">So Baruch son of Neriah did exactly what the prophet Jeremiah had told him to do. He read what the <sc>Lordsc> had said from the scroll in the temple of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />

Neither he nor the officials who served him nor the people of Judah paid any attention to what the <sc>Lordsc> said through the prophet Jeremiah.<n id="1" />p>

Where now are the prophets who prophesied to you that<n id="1" /> the king of Babylon would not attack you or this land?

I sent my servants the prophets to you people over and over<n id="1" /> again warning you not to do this disgusting thing I hate.<n id="2" />

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Nebuchadnezzar coming to attack the land of Egypt.<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> spoke to the prophet Jeremiah<n id="1" /> about the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Early in the reign<n id="1" /> of King Zedekiah of Judah, the <sc>Lordsc> spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about Elam.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1496; (<i>Teti>)p> <p class="poetry">Her city gates have fallen<n id="1" /> to the ground;p> <p class="poetry">he smashed to bits<n id="2" /> the bars that lock her gates.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Her king and princes were taken into exile;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">there is no more guidance available.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">As for her prophets,p> <p class="poetry">they no longer receive<n id="6" /> a vision from the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1504; (<i>Nuni>)p> <p class="poetry">Your prophets saw visions for youp> <p class="poetry">that were worthless lies.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They failed to expose your sinp> <p class="poetry">so as to restore your fortunes.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They saw oracles for youp> <p class="poetry">that were worthless<n id="3" /> lies.p>

<t /><p class="lamhebrew">&#1512; (<i>Reshi>)p> <p class="poetry">Look, O <sc>Lord!sc> Consider!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Whom have you ever afflicted<n id="2" /> like this?p> <p class="poetry">Should women eat their offspring,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">their healthy infants?<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Should priest and prophetp> <p class="poetry">be killed in the Lord&#8217;s<n id="5" /> sanctuary?p>

And as for them,<n id="1" /> whether they listen<n id="2" /> or not &#8211; for they are a rebellious<n id="3" /> house<n id="4" /> &#8211; they will know that a prophet has been among them.

Disaster after disaster will come, and one rumor after another. They will seek a vision from a prophet; priestly instruction will disappear, along with counsel from the elders.

This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit but have seen nothing!

those prophets of Israel who would prophesy about Jerusalem<n id="1" /> and would see visions of peace for it, when there was no peace,&#8221; declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;p>

Her princes<n id="1" /> within her are like a roaring lion tearing its prey; they have devoured lives. They take away riches and valuable things; they have made many women widows<n id="2" /> within it.

Her prophets coat their messages with whitewash.<n id="1" /> They see false visions and announce lying omens for them, saying, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says,&#8217; when the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken.

We have not paid attention to your servants the prophets, who spoke by your authority<n id="1" /> to our kings, our leaders, and our ancestors,<n id="2" /> and to all the inhabitants<n id="3" /> of the land as well.p>