The Broken Covenant

11 The word that came to Jeremiah from Yahweh, ⌊saying⌋,a 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the ⌊people⌋b of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 3 and say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel: “The man is cursed who does not obey the words of this covenant, 4 which I commanded your ancestorsc in the day of my bringing them from the land of Egypt, from the furnace of iron, ⌊saying⌋,d ‘Listen to my voice and do according to all that I command you, ⌊so will you be my people, and I will be your God⌋.’e 5 in order to keep the oath that I swore to your ancestors,f to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day.” ’ ” Then I answered and said, “⌊Let it be so⌋,g O Yahweh.”

6 And Yahweh said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, ⌊saying⌋,h ‘Hear the words of this covenant and do them, 7 for I solemnly admonished your ancestorsi in the day of my leading them out from the land of Egypt and up to this day, ⌊admonishing persistently⌋,j ⌊saying⌋,k “Obey my voice.” 8 But they did not obey and they did not incline their ear. Instead each one walked in the stubbornness of hisl evil heart. Therefore, I brought on them all the words of this covenant which I commanded themm to do, and they did not do it.’ ”n

9 And Yahweh said to me, “A conspiracy is found among the ⌊people⌋o of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to the iniquities of their former ancestors,p who refused to obey my words, and they have gone after other gods, to serve them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken my covenant that I ⌊made⌋q with their ancestors.”r

11 ⌊Therefore⌋s thus says Yahweh, “I am about to bring on them disaster from which they will not be able to escape. Though they cry out to me, yet I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they are making smoke offerings, but they will certainly not save them in the time of their trouble. 13 For the number of your towns are your gods, O Judah, and the number of the streets of Jerusalem are the altars you have set up to the shameful things, to make smoke offerings to Baal. 14 Therefore you must not pray for this people, and you must not lift up for them a cry of entreaty, or a prayer, for I will not listen in the time of their calling to me, in the time of their trouble.

15 ⌊What rights has my beloved in my house⌋t

when she has done many wicked things?u

Can the flesh of holiness pass over you?

For ⌊you engage in your wickedness⌋,v then you exult.

16 Yahweh called your name, ‘A leafy olive tree, ⌊beautiful with fine fruit⌋.’w

With the sound of a great storm he will set fire to it,

and its branches will be good for nothing.

17 And Yahweh of hosts, the one who planted you,

has spoken evil against you,

because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah,

that they have done to themselves,

to provoke me to anger by making smoke offerings to Baal.”