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Jeremiah 11
Easy-to-Read Version
Jeremiah 11
Easy-to-Read Version
The Agreement Is Broken
11 This is the message from the Lord: 2 “Jeremiah, listen to the words of this agreement and tell them to the people living in Jerusalem and the rest of Judah. 3 Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Bad things will happen to anyone who does not obey this agreement. 4 I am talking about the agreement I made with your ancestors when I brought them out of that furnace[a] called Egypt.’ At that time I told them, ‘Listen to me and obey all the commands I give you. Then you will be my people and I will be your God.’
5 “I did this to keep the promise that I had made to your ancestors. I promised to give them a very fertile land—a land flowing with milk and honey. And you are living in that country today.”
I answered, “Amen, Lord.”
6 The Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, tell this message in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the words of this agreement, and then obey these laws. 7 I gave a warning to your ancestors at the time I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I have warned them again and again to this day. I told them to obey me. 8 But your ancestors did not listen to me. They were stubborn and did what their own evil hearts wanted. The agreement says that bad things will happen to them if they don’t obey. So I made all the bad things happen to them. I commanded them to obey the agreement, but they did not.’”
9 The Lord said to me, “Jeremiah, I know that the people of Judah and the people living in Jerusalem have made secret plans. 10 They are committing the same sins that their ancestors did. Their ancestors refused to listen to my message. They followed and worshiped other gods. The family of Israel and the family of Judah have broken the agreement I made with their ancestors.”
11 So this is what the Lord says: “I will soon make something terrible happen to the people of Judah. They will not be able to escape. They will be sorry and cry to me for help, but I will not listen to them. 12 The people in the towns of Judah and in the city of Jerusalem will go and pray to their idols for help. They burn incense to those idols. But their idols will not be able to help the people of Judah when that terrible disaster comes.
13 “People of Judah, you have many idols—there are as many idols as there are towns in Judah. You have built many altars for worshiping that disgusting god Baal—there are as many altars as there are streets in Jerusalem.
14 “As for you, Jeremiah, don’t pray for these people of Judah. Don’t beg for them. Don’t say prayers for them. I will not listen. They will suffer and then call to me for help, but I will not listen.
15 “Judah is the one I love, but why is she in my temple?
She has done too many evil things.
Judah, do you think vows and sacrifices will keep you from being destroyed?
Will I then allow you to enjoy your evil ways?”
16 The Lord gave you a name.
He called you, “A green olive tree, beautiful to look at.”
But with a powerful storm, he will set that tree on fire,
and its branches will be burned up.[b]
17 The Lord All-Powerful planted you, and he said that disaster will come to you. That is because the family of Israel and the family of Judah have done evil things. They offered sacrifices to Baal, and that made him angry!
Evil Plans Against Jeremiah
18 The Lord showed me that the men of Anathoth[c] were making plans against me. He showed me what they were doing, so I knew they were against me. 19 Before he showed me this, I was like a gentle lamb waiting to be butchered. I did not understand that they were against me. They were saying this about me: “Let us destroy the tree and its fruit! Let us kill him! Then people will forget him.” 20 So I prayed, “Lord All-Powerful, you are a fair judge. You know how to test people’s hearts and minds. I will tell you my arguments, and I will let you give them the punishment they deserve.”
21 The Lord said to me, “Those people from Anathoth are planning to take your life. They are telling you not to prophesy in the name of the Lord or they will kill you. This is what I have to say about them: 22 I, the Lord All-Powerful, promise that I will soon punish those people. Their young men will die in war. Their sons and daughters will die from hunger. 23 No one from the city of Anathoth will be left. No one will survive. I will punish them and cause something bad to happen to them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 11:4 furnace Literally, “iron furnace.” That is, an oven hot enough to soften iron so that it can be hammered into something useful.
- Jeremiah 11:16 The meaning of these verses is uncertain.
- Jeremiah 11:18 men of Anathoth Anathoth was Jeremiah’s hometown. The people who were plotting against him there included his own relatives. See Jer. 12:6.
Jeremiah 11
New International Version
Jeremiah 11
New International Version
The Covenant Is Broken
11 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: 2 “Listen to the terms of this covenant(A) and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. 3 Tell them that this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed(B) is the one who does not obey the terms of this covenant— 4 the terms I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt,(C) out of the iron-smelting furnace.(D)’ I said, ‘Obey(E) me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,(F) and I will be your God. 5 Then I will fulfill the oath I swore(G) to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’(H)—the land you possess today.”
I answered, “Amen,(I) Lord.”
6 The Lord said to me, “Proclaim(J) all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow(K) them. 7 From the time I brought your ancestors up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again,(L) saying, “Obey me.” 8 But they did not listen or pay attention;(M) instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts.(N) So I brought on them all the curses(O) of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.(P)’”
9 Then the Lord said to me, “There is a conspiracy(Q) among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. 10 They have returned to the sins of their ancestors,(R) who refused to listen to my words.(S) They have followed other gods(T) to serve them.(U) Both Israel and Judah have broken the covenant(V) I made with their ancestors. 11 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster(W) they cannot escape.(X) Although they cry(Y) out to me, I will not listen(Z) to them. 12 The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,(AA) but they will not help them at all when disaster(AB) strikes. 13 You, Judah, have as many gods(AC) as you have towns;(AD) and the altars you have set up to burn incense(AE) to that shameful(AF) god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’
14 “Do not pray(AG) for this people or offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen(AH) when they call to me in the time of their distress.
15 “What is my beloved doing in my temple
as she, with many others, works out her evil schemes?
Can consecrated meat(AI) avert your punishment?(AJ)
When you engage in your wickedness,
then you rejoice.[a]”
16 The Lord called you a thriving olive tree(AK)
with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
he will set it on fire,(AL)
and its branches will be broken.(AM)
17 The Lord Almighty, who planted(AN) you, has decreed disaster(AO) for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused(AP) my anger by burning incense to Baal.(AQ)
Plot Against Jeremiah
18 Because the Lord revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19 I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter;(AR) I did not realize that they had plotted(AS) against me, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
let us cut him off from the land of the living,(AT)
that his name be remembered(AU) no more.”
20 But you, Lord Almighty, who judge righteously(AV)
and test the heart(AW) and mind,(AX)
let me see your vengeance(AY) on them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
21 Therefore this is what the Lord says about the people of Anathoth(AZ) who are threatening to kill you,(BA) saying, “Do not prophesy(BB) in the name of the Lord or you will die(BC) by our hands”— 22 therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will punish them. Their young men(BD) will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. 23 Not even a remnant(BE) will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.(BF)”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 11:15 Or Could consecrated meat avert your punishment? / Then you would rejoice
Jeremiah 11
King James Version
Jeremiah 11
King James Version
11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying,
2 Hear ye the words of this covenant, and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem;
3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God:
5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O Lord.
6 Then the Lord said unto me, Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant, and do them.
7 For I earnestly protested unto your fathers in the day that I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, even unto this day, rising early and protesting, saying, Obey my voice.
8 Yet they obeyed not, nor inclined their ear, but walked every one in the imagination of their evil heart: therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do: but they did them not.
9 And the Lord said unto me, A conspiracy is found among the men of Judah, and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
10 They are turned back to the iniquities of their forefathers, which refused to hear my words; and they went after other gods to serve them: the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant which I made with their fathers.
11 Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.
12 Then shall the cities of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem go, and cry unto the gods unto whom they offer incense: but they shall not save them at all in the time of their trouble.
13 For according to the number of thy cities were thy gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem have ye set up altars to that shameful thing, even altars to burn incense unto Baal.
14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
15 What hath my beloved to do in mine house, seeing she hath wrought lewdness with many, and the holy flesh is passed from thee? when thou doest evil, then thou rejoicest.
16 The Lord called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
17 For the Lord of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
18 And the Lord hath given me knowledge of it, and I know it: then thou shewedst me their doings.
19 But I was like a lamb or an ox that is brought to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me, saying, Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof, and let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name may be no more remembered.
20 But, O Lord of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have I revealed my cause.
21 Therefore thus saith the Lord of the men of Anathoth, that seek thy life, saying, Prophesy not in the name of the Lord, that thou die not by our hand:
22 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, I will punish them: the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine:
23 And there shall be no remnant of them: for I will bring evil upon the men of Anathoth, even the year of their visitation.
Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International
New International Version (NIV) 
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