The Persistent Sin of Judah

17 The sin of Judah is written

with an iron stylus. o

With a diamond point

it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts p

and on the horns of their q altars,

2 while their children remember their altars

and their * Asherah poles, by the green trees

on the high hills r—

3 My mountains in the countryside.

I will give up your wealth

and all your treasures as plunder s

because of the sin of your * high places t

in all your borders. u

4 You will, on your own, relinquish your inheritance

that I gave you.

I will make you serve your enemies

in a land you do not know, v

for you have set My anger on fire; w

it will burn forever.

Curse and Blessing

5 This is what the Lord says:

The man who trusts in mankind, x

who makes human flesh his strength y

and turns his heart from the Lord is cursed.

6 He will be like a juniper in the * Arabah; z

he cannot see when good comes

but dwells in the parched places in the wilderness,

in a salt land where no one lives. a

7 The man who trusts in the Lord,

whose confidence indeed is the Lord, is blessed. b

8 He will be like a tree planted by water: c

it sends its roots out toward a stream,

it doesn’t fear when heat comes,

and its foliage remains green.

It will not worry in a year of drought

or cease producing fruit.

The Deceitful Heart

9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else, d

and incurable—who can understand it? e

10 I, * Yahweh, examine the mind,

I test the heart f g

to give to each according to his way,

according to what his actions deserve. h

11 He who makes a fortune unjustly

is like a partridge that hatches eggs it didn’t lay.

In the middle of his days

his riches will abandon him,

so in the end he will be a fool. i

12 A throne of glory j

on high k from the beginning

is the place of our sanctuary. l

13 Lord, the hope of Israel, m

all who abandon You

will be put to shame.

All who turn away from Me

will be written in the dirt,

for they have abandoned

the Lord, the fountain of living water. n

Jeremiah’s Plea

14 Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed;

save me, and I will be saved,

for You are my praise. o

15 Hear how they keep challenging me, p

“Where is the word of the Lord?

Let it come!”

16 But I have not run away from being Your shepherd,

and I have not longed for the fatal day. q

You know my words were spoken in Your presence.

17 Don’t become a terror to me.

You are my refuge r in the day of disaster.

18 Let my persecutors be put to shame, s

but don’t let me be put to shame.

Let them be terrified, but don’t let me be terrified.

Bring on them the day of disaster; t

shatter them with total u destruction.

Observing the Sabbath

19 This is what the Lord said to me, “Go and stand at the People’s Gate, through which the kings of Judah enter and leave, as well as at all the gates of Jerusalem. 20 Announce to them: Hear the word of the Lord, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all the residents of Jerusalem who enter through these gates. 21 This is what the Lord says: Watch yourselves; do not pick up a load and bring it in through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. v 22 You must not carry a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work, w but you must consecrate the Sabbath day, just as I commanded your ancestors. x 23 They wouldn’t listen or pay attention but became obstinate, y not listening or accepting discipline.

24 “However, if you listen to Me, says the Lord, and do not bring loads through the gates of this city on the Sabbath day and consecrate the Sabbath day and do no work on it, 25 kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David, z riding in chariots and on horses a with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever. 26 Then people will come from the cities of Judah and from the area around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin and from the Judean foothills, from the hill country and from the * Negev b bringing * burnt offerings and sacrifice, * grain offerings and frankincense, and thank offerings to the house of the Lord. 27 If you do not listen to Me to consecrate the Sabbath day by not carrying a load while entering the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, I will set fire to its gates, c and it will consume the citadels d of Jerusalem e and not be extinguished.” f