The People Have Violated Their Covenant with God

11:1 The Lord said to Jeremiah:1 11:2 “Hear2 the terms of the covenant3 I made with Israel4 and pass them on5 to the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem.6 11:3 Tell them that the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Anyone who does not keep the terms of the covenant will be under a curse.7 11:4 Those are the terms that I charged your ancestors8 to keep9 when I brought them out of Egypt, that place which was like an iron-smelting furnace.10 I said at that time,11 “Obey me and carry out the terms of the agreement12 exactly as I commanded you. If you do,13 you will be my people and I will be your God.14 11:5 Then I will keep the promise I swore on oath to your ancestors to give them a land flowing with milk and honey.”15 That is the very land that you still live in today.’ ”16 And I responded, “Amen! Let it be so,17 Lord!”

11:6 The Lord said to me, “Announce all the following words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of my covenant with you18 and carry them out! 11:7 For I solemnly warned your ancestors to obey me.19 I warned them again and again,20 ever since I delivered them out of Egypt until this very day. 11:8 But they did not listen to me or pay any attention to me! Each one of them followed the stubborn inclinations of his own wicked heart. So I brought on them all the punishments threatened in the covenant because they did not carry out its terms as I commanded them to do.’ ”21

11:9 The Lord said to me, “The people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem have plotted rebellion against me!22 11:10 They have gone back to the evil ways23 of their ancestors of old who refused to obey what I told them. They, too, have paid allegiance to24 other gods and worshiped them. Both the nation of Israel and the nation of Judah25 have violated the covenant I made with their ancestors. 11:11 So I, the Lord, say this:26 ‘I will soon bring disaster on them which they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them. 11:12 Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will27 go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means28 be able to save them when disaster strikes them. 11:13 This is in spite of the fact that29 the people of Judah have as many gods as they have towns30 and the citizens of Jerusalem have set up as many altars to sacrifice to that disgusting god, Baal, as they have streets in the city!’31 11:14 So, Jeremiah,32 do not pray for these people. Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf. Do not plead with me to save them.33 For I will not listen to them when they call out to me for help when disaster strikes them.”34

11:15 The Lord says to the people of Judah,35

“What right do you have to be in my temple, my beloved people?36

Many of you have done wicked things.37

Can your acts of treachery be so easily canceled by sacred offerings38

that you take joy in doing evil even while you make them?39

11:16 I, the Lord, once called40 you a thriving olive tree,

one that produced beautiful fruit.

But I will set you41 on fire,

fire that will blaze with a mighty roar.42

Then all your branches will be good for nothing.43

11:17 For though I, the Lord who rules over all,44 planted you in the land,45

I now decree that disaster will come on you46

because the nations of Israel and Judah have done evil

and have made me angry by offering sacrifices to the god Baal.”47