The Broken Covenant

11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, 2 “Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 and say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord God of Israel: a“Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant 4 which I commanded your fathers in the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt, bfrom the iron furnace, saying, c‘Obey My voice, and do according to all that I command you; so shall you be My people, and I will be your God,’ 5 that I may establish the doath which I have sworn to your fathers, to give them e‘a land flowing with milk and honey,’ as it is this day.” ’ ”

And I answered and said, 1“So be it, Lord.”

6 Then the Lord said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying: ‘Hear the words of this covenant fand do them. 7 For I earnestly exhorted your fathers in the day I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, until this day, grising early and exhorting, saying, “Obey My voice.” 8 hYet they did not obey or incline their ear, but ieveryone 2followed the dictates of his evil heart; therefore I will bring upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but which they have not done.’ ”

9 And the Lord said to me, j“A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10 They have turned back to kthe iniquities of their forefathers who refused to hear 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 which I made with their fathers.”

11 Therefore thus says the Lord: “Behold, I will surely bring calamity on them which they will not be able to 3escape; and lthough they cry out to Me, I will not listen to them. 12 Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and mcry out to the gods to whom they offer incense, but they will not save them at all in the time of their trouble. 13 For according to the number of your ncities were your gods, O Judah; and according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem you have set up altars to that shameful thing, altars to burn incense to Baal.

14 “So odo not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer for them; for I will not hear them in the time that they cry out to Me because of their trouble.

15 “What phas My beloved to do in My house,

Having qdone lewd deeds with many?

And rthe holy flesh has passed from you.

When you do evil, then you srejoice.

16 The Lord called your name,

tGreen Olive Tree, Lovely and of Good Fruit.

With the noise of a great tumult

He has kindled fire on it,

And its branches are broken.

17 “For the Lord of hosts, uwho planted you, has pronounced doom against you 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 to Baal.”