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Hearts Engraved with Sin

17 Judah’s sin is written with an iron pen
        and with a point of a diamond,
    engraved on the tablet of their heart
        and on the horns of your altars.
So their children remember their altars
    and their Asherah poles by leafy trees on the high hills.
My mountain in the country,
    your wealth and all your treasures
    I will give away as plunder,
    along with your high places
        for sin within all your borders.
So you, on your own,
        let go of your heritage that I gave you.
    So I will make you serve your enemies
        in a land that you do not know.
    For you have kindled a fire in My nose
        that will burn forever.”

Planted by the Water Without Fear

Thus says Adonai:
    “Cursed is the one who trusts in man,
        and depends on flesh as his arm,
        and whose heart turns from Adonai.
For he will be like a bush in the desert.
    He cannot see goodness when it comes,
    but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness—
        a salt land where no one lives.
Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai,
    whose confidence is in Adonai.
For he will be like a tree planted by the waters,
        spreading out its roots by a stream.
    It has no fear when heat comes,
        but its leaves will be green.
    It does not worry in a year of drought,
    nor depart from yielding fruit.

A Deceitful Heart is Incurable

“The heart is deceitful above all things,
    and incurable—who can know it?
10 I Adonai search the heart,
    I try the mind,
    to give every man according to his ways,
        according to the fruit of his deeds.
11 As a partridge that broods over young that she did not lay,
    so is one who gets wealth, unjustly.
    In the middle of his days it will abandon him,
    so at his end he will be a fool.[a]
12 Throne of glory on high from the beginning!
    Place of our sanctuary,
13 Adonai, You are the hope of Israel!
    All who forsake You will be ashamed.
    Those who depart from You
        will be written in the dirt,
    for they have forsaken Adonai,
        the fountain of living waters.
14 Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed.
    Save me, and I will be saved.
    For You are my praise.
15 Look, they are saying to me,
    “Where is the word of Adonai?
    Let it come now!”[b]
16 As for me, I have not run away from being a shepherd after You,
    nor have I desired the woeful day.
    What came out of my lips You know—it was before You.
17 Be not a ruin to me—
    You are my refuge in the evil day.
18 Let my persecutors be ashamed,
    yet let me not be ashamed.
    Let them be dismayed,
    but let me not be dismayed.
    Bring on them the evil day,
    Destroy them with double destruction.

Carry No Burdens on Shabbat

19 Thus said Adonai to me: “Go, stand in the gate of the children of the people, through which the kings of Judah come in and go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say to them: ‘Hear the word of Adonai, kings of Judah, and all Judah and all inhabitants of Jerusalem who enter through these gates! 21 Thus says Adonai, “Guard your souls! Carry no burden on the day of Shabbat or bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Nor should you carry a burden out of your houses on Yom Shabbat or do any work, but keep Yom Shabbat holy—as I commanded your fathers.” 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, not hearing or accepting correction.

24 “However, if you listen attentively to Me,” says Adonai, “to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on Yom Shabbat, but sanctify Yom Shabbat and do no work on it, 25 then there will enter in through the gates of this city kings and princes sitting on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses—with their princes, the people of Judah and those dwelling in Jerusalem—and this city will be inhabited forever. 26 They will come from the cities of Judah and from all around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the lowland, from the hill country and from the South, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings, frankincense, and sacrifices of thanksgiving to the House of Adonai.

27 “But if you do not listen to Me to keep Yom Shabbat holy, by not bearing a burden or entering through the gates of Jerusalem on Yom Shabbat, then I will set its gates on fire, and it will consume the citadels of Jerusalem, and not be quenched.’”

17 “Judah’s sin is engraved with an iron tool,(A)
    inscribed with a flint point,
on the tablets of their hearts(B)
    and on the horns(C) of their altars.
Even their children remember
    their altars and Asherah poles[a](D)
beside the spreading trees
    and on the high hills.(E)
My mountain in the land
    and your[b] wealth and all your treasures
I will give away as plunder,(F)
    together with your high places,(G)
    because of sin throughout your country.(H)
Through your own fault you will lose
    the inheritance(I) I gave you.
I will enslave you to your enemies(J)
    in a land(K) you do not know,
for you have kindled my anger,
    and it will burn(L) forever.”

This is what the Lord says:

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,(M)
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.(N)
That person will be like a bush in the wastelands;
    they will not see prosperity when it comes.
They will dwell in the parched places(O) of the desert,
    in a salt(P) land where no one lives.

“But blessed(Q) is the one who trusts(R) in the Lord,
    whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
    that sends out its roots by the stream.(S)
It does not fear when heat comes;
    its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought(T)
    and never fails to bear fruit.”(U)

The heart(V) is deceitful above all things
    and beyond cure.
    Who can understand it?

10 “I the Lord search the heart(W)
    and examine the mind,(X)
to reward(Y) each person according to their conduct,
    according to what their deeds deserve.”(Z)

11 Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay
    are those who gain riches by unjust means.
When their lives are half gone, their riches will desert them,
    and in the end they will prove to be fools.(AA)

12 A glorious throne,(AB) exalted from the beginning,
    is the place of our sanctuary.
13 Lord, you are the hope(AC) of Israel;
    all who forsake(AD) you will be put to shame.
Those who turn away from you will be written in the dust(AE)
    because they have forsaken the Lord,
    the spring of living water.(AF)

14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;(AG)
    save(AH) me and I will be saved,
    for you are the one I praise.(AI)
15 They keep saying to me,
    “Where is the word of the Lord?
    Let it now be fulfilled!”(AJ)
16 I have not run away from being your shepherd;
    you know I have not desired the day of despair.
    What passes my lips(AK) is open before you.
17 Do not be a terror(AL) to me;
    you are my refuge(AM) in the day of disaster.(AN)
18 Let my persecutors be put to shame,
    but keep me from shame;
let them be terrified,
    but keep me from terror.
Bring on them the day of disaster;
    destroy them with double destruction.(AO)

Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy

19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and stand at the Gate of the People,[c] through which the kings of Judah go in and out; stand also at all the other gates of Jerusalem.(AP) 20 Say to them, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, you kings of Judah and all people of Judah and everyone living in Jerusalem(AQ) who come through these gates.(AR) 21 This is what the Lord says: Be careful not to carry a load on the Sabbath(AS) day or bring it through the gates of Jerusalem. 22 Do not bring a load out of your houses or do any work on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.(AT) 23 Yet they did not listen or pay attention;(AU) they were stiff-necked(AV) and would not listen or respond to discipline.(AW) 24 But if you are careful to obey me, declares the Lord, and bring no load through the gates of this city on the Sabbath, but keep the Sabbath day holy(AX) by not doing any work on it, 25 then kings who sit on David’s throne(AY) will come through the gates of this city with their officials. They and their officials will come riding in chariots and on horses, accompanied by the men of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, and this city will be inhabited forever.(AZ) 26 People will come from the towns of Judah and the villages around Jerusalem, from the territory of Benjamin and the western foothills, from the hill country and the Negev,(BA) bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 But if you do not obey(BB) me to keep the Sabbath(BC) day holy by not carrying any load as you come through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle an unquenchable fire(BD) in the gates of Jerusalem that will consume her fortresses.’”(BE)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 17:2 That is, wooden symbols of the goddess Asherah
  2. Jeremiah 17:3 Or hills / and the mountains of the land. / Your
  3. Jeremiah 17:19 Or Army