I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.†”
6“Ah, Sovereign LORD,” I said, “I do not know how to speak;† I am only a child.”†
7But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am only a child.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8Do not be afraid† of them, for I am with you† and will rescue you,” declares the LORD.
9Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched† my mouth and said to me, “Now, I have put my words in your mouth.† 10See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”†
11The word of the LORD came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”†
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.
12The LORD said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching[2] to see that my word is fulfilled.”
13The word of the LORD came to me again: “What do you see?”†
“I see a boiling pot, tilting away from the north,” I answered.
14The LORD said to me, “From the north disaster will be poured out on all who live in the land. 15I am about to summon all the peoples of the northern kingdoms,” declares the LORD.
“Their kings will come and set up their thrones
in the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem;
they will come against all her surrounding walls
and against all the towns of Judah.†
16I will pronounce my judgments on my people
because of their wickedness† in forsaking me,†
in burning incense to other gods†
and in worshiping what their hands have made.
17“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified† by them, or I will terrify you before them. 18Today I have made you† a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land— against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land. 19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you† and will rescue† you,” declares the LORD.
Israel Forsakes God
1The word of the LORD came to me: 2“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:
“ ‘I remember the devotion of your youth,†
how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the desert,†
through a land not sown.
3Israel was holy† to the LORD,†
the firstfruits† of his harvest;
all who devoured† her were held guilty,†
and disaster overtook them,’ ”
declares the LORD.
4Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob,
all you clans of the house of Israel.
5This is what the LORD says:
“What fault did your fathers find in me,
that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols
and became worthless† themselves.
6They did not ask, ‘Where is the LORD,
who brought us up out of Egypt†
and led us through the barren wilderness,
through a land of deserts† and rifts,†
a land of drought and darkness,[3]
a land where no one travels and no one lives?’
7I brought you into a fertile land
to eat its fruit and rich produce.†
But you came and defiled my land
and made my inheritance detestable.†
8The priests did not ask,
‘Where is the LORD?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;†
the leaders rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,†
following worthless idols.†
9“Therefore I bring charges† against you again,”
declares the LORD.
“And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10Cross over to the coasts of Kittim[4] and look,
send to Kedar[5] and observe closely;
see if there has ever been anything like this:
11Has a nation ever changed its gods?
(Yet they are not gods† at all.)
But my people have exchanged their[6] Glory†
for worthless idols.
12Be appalled at this, O heavens,
and shudder with great horror,”
declares the LORD.
13“My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken me,
the spring of living water,†
and have dug their own cisterns,
broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14Is Israel a servant, a slave† by birth?
Why then has he become plunder?
15Lions† have roared;
they have growled at him.
They have laid waste† his land;
his towns are burned and deserted.
16Also, the men of Memphis[7] † and Tahpanhes†
have shaved the crown of your head.[8]
17Have you not brought this on yourselves†
by forsaking the LORD your God
when he led you in the way?
18Now why go to Egypt†
to drink water from the Shihor[9]? †
And why go to Assyria
to drink water from the River[10]?
19Your wickedness will punish you;
your backsliding† will rebuke† you.
Consider then and realize
how evil and bitter† it is for you
when you forsake the LORD your God
and have no awe† of me,”
declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
20“Long ago you broke off your yoke†
and tore off your bonds;
you said, ‘I will not serve you!’
Indeed, on every high hill†
and under every spreading tree†
you lay down as a prostitute.
21I had planted† you like a choice vine†
of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
into a corrupt,† wild vine?
22Although you wash yourself with soda
and use an abundance of soap,
the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign LORD.
23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;†
I have not run after the Baals’?†
See how you behaved in the valley;†
consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
running† here and there,
24a wild donkey† accustomed to the desert,
sniffing the wind in her craving—
in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
at mating time they will find her.
25Do not run until your feet are bare
and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!
I love foreign gods,†
and I must go after them.’
26“As a thief is disgraced† when he is caught,
so the house of Israel is disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
their priests and their prophets.
27They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’
and to stone,† ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs to me
and not their faces;†
yet when they are in trouble,† they say,
‘Come and save us!’
28Where then are the gods† you made for yourselves?
Let them come if they can save you
when you are in trouble!†
For you have as many gods
as you have towns,† O Judah.
29“Why do you bring charges against me?
You have all† rebelled against me,”
declares the LORD.
30“In vain I punished your people;
they did not respond to correction.
Your sword has devoured your prophets†
like a ravening lion.
31“You of this generation, consider the word of the LORD:
“Have I been a desert to Israel
or a land of great darkness?†
Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam;
we will come to you no more’?
32Does a maiden forget her jewelry,
a bride her wedding ornaments?
Yet my people have forgotten me,
days without number.
33How skilled you are at pursuing love!
Even the worst of women can learn from your ways.
34On your clothes men find
the lifeblood† of the innocent poor,
though you did not catch them breaking in.†
Yet in spite of all this
35you say, ‘I am innocent;
he is not angry with me.’
But I will pass judgment† on you
because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’†
36Why do you go about so much,
changing† your ways?
You will be disappointed by Egypt†
as you were by Assyria.
37You will also leave that place
with your hands on your head,†
for the LORD has rejected those you trust;
you will not be helped† by them.
and she leaves him and marries another man,
should he return to her again?
Would not the land be completely defiled?
But you have lived as a prostitute with many lovers†—
would you now return to me?”
declares the LORD.
2“Look up to the barren heights and see.
Is there any place where you have not been ravished?
By the roadside† you sat waiting for lovers,
sat like a nomad[11] in the desert.
You have defiled the land†
with your prostitution and wickedness.
3Therefore the showers have been withheld,†
and no spring rains† have fallen.
Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute;
you refuse to blush with shame.†
4Have you not just called to me:
‘My Father,† my friend from my youth,†
5will you always be angry?†
Will your wrath continue forever?’
This is how you talk,
but you do all the evil you can.”
Unfaithful Israel
6During the reign of King Josiah, the LORD said to me, “Have you seen what faithless Israel has done? She has gone up on every high hill and under every spreading tree† and has committed adultery† there. 7I thought that after she had done all this she would return to me but she did not, and her unfaithful sister† Judah saw it. 8I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear;† she also went out and committed adultery. 9Because Israel’s immorality mattered so little to her, she defiled the land† and committed adultery with stone† and wood.† 10In spite of all this, her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to me with all her heart, but only in pretense,†” declares the LORD.
11The LORD said to me, “Faithless Israel is more righteous† than unfaithful† Judah. 12Go, proclaim this message toward the north:†
“ ‘Return,† faithless Israel,’ declares the LORD,
‘I will frown on you no longer,
for I am merciful,’ declares the LORD,
‘I will not be angry† forever.
13Only acknowledge† your guilt—
you have rebelled against the LORD your God,
you have scattered your favors to foreign gods†
under every spreading tree,†
and have not obeyed† me,’ ”
declares the LORD.
14“Return,† faithless people,” declares the LORD, “for I am your husband. I will choose you— one from a town and two from a clan— and bring you to Zion. 15Then I will give you shepherds† after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding. 16In those days, when your numbers have increased greatly in the land,” declares the LORD, “men will no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It will never enter their minds or be remembered;† it will not be missed, nor will another one be made. 17At that time they will call Jerusalem The Throne† of the LORD, and all nations will gather in Jerusalem to honor† the name of the LORD. No longer will they follow the stubbornness of their evil hearts.† 18In those days the house of Judah will join the house of Israel,† and together† they will come from a northern† land to the land† I gave your forefathers as an inheritance.
19“I myself said,
“ ‘How gladly would I treat you like sons
and give you a desirable land,
the most beautiful inheritance of any nation.’
I thought you would call me ‘Father’†
and not turn away from following me.
20But like a woman unfaithful to her husband,
so you have been unfaithful to me, O house of Israel,”
declares the LORD.
21A cry is heard on the barren heights,†
the weeping and pleading of the people of Israel,
because they have perverted their ways
and have forgotten the LORD their God.
22“Return,† faithless people;
I will cure† you of backsliding.”
“Yes, we will come to you,
for you are the LORD our God.
23Surely the [idolatrous] commotion on the hills
and mountains is a deception;
surely in the LORD our God
is the salvation† of Israel.
24From our youth shameful† gods have consumed
the fruits of our fathers’ labor—
their flocks and herds,
their sons and daughters.
25Let us lie down in our shame,†
and let our disgrace cover us.
We have sinned against the LORD our God,
both we and our fathers;
from our youth† till this day
we have not obeyed the LORD our God.”
1“If you will return†, O Israel,
Jerusalem
Jeremiah 4 Evidence for habitation of Jerusalem goes back to the Chalcolithic Age,1,2 but it appears that the city was first fortified during the Middle Bronze period. First Chronicles 11:4 suggests that the pre-Israelite city was also called Jebus.3 Even so, the name “Jerusalem,” or something like it, appears to be very ancient. An eighteenth-century B.C. Egyptian execration text mentions a Rosh-lamem, and this appears to have been Jerusalem. The 12-acre Jebusite city captured by David’s men was located south of what would become the temple mount and was bounded on the east by the Kidron Valley and on the west by the Tyropoeon Valley. It was surrounded during the Late Bronze and Iron Ages by walls that were hardly modified until Nehemiah’s time. The city was watered by the Gihon spring, located below a protective tower just outside the northeastern walls. En-Rogel, a spring outside the city to the south, also provided water.
Solomon expanded the city to 32 acres. The threshing floor of Araunah, on a second hill just north of David’s city, served as a platform for the temple-palace complex built by Solomon and was enclosed within a new wall. The depression between the two hills was filled in between newly constructed retaining walls on the eastern and western sides; this area was perhaps known as the Ophel (“swelling”). Few, if any, traces remain of Solomon’s temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians.4 Zerubbabel’s temple, built on the same foundation, was later greatly improved and expanded by Herod,5 then destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.6 The Dome of the Rock and the al-Aqsa mosque presently cover the temple mount.
Over the course of time the city expanded, with new towers, gates and conduits for water added. Uzziah strengthened the walls with towers along the western wall and the temple mount (2Ch 26:15). The Tower of Hananel, at the northwestern corner of the temple mount, also existed during this period. Jotham constructed the upper gate of the temple (2Ki 15:35).
The population increased from an influx of northern refugees after the fall of Samaria in 722 B.C., and the city grew to 125 acres. Hezekiah extended the walls to enclose a hill to the west, known as the Mishneh (“second quarter”) and constructed a tunnel to ensure water flow from the Gihon spring to the Lower Pool (2Chr 32:30);7 an earlier tunnel directed water to an “Old” or Upper Pool.8 These improvements helped preserve the city from Sennacherib’s siege of 701 B.C.9
Kidron Valley with Jerusalem’s Golden Gate in background
Photograph: © Todd Bolen/Bible Places.com
Manasseh constructed a second wall near the Gihon spring (2Ch 33:14). Sixteen gates are named in descriptions of preexilic and fifth-century B.C. Jerusalem and three others in descriptions of Nehemiah’s Jerusalem; others may have existed. Some are named for nearby roads or associated geographic features, while others reflect the activities of citizens (e.g., Fish Gate, Sheep Gate, Water Gate).
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C., but the temple and walls were rebuilt during the Persian period following a half century without occupation. However, the newly inhabited area encompassed only the original Davidic and Solomonic quarters. An era of peace under the Ptolemies and then the Romans allowed Judea to prosper. Hasmonean Jerusalem expanded to 165 acres, then to 230 acres under Herod, who constructed a large, fortified palace along the western wall, protected by three towers in the northwestern corner. Another fortress protected the temple complex to the north, but this area and the lower city were the first to fall to the attack of the Romans under Titus in A.D. 70.
Jerusalem is sacred to Jews, Christians and Moslems and has been inhabited almost continuously since ancient times. These factors have ensured that much has been preserved—but much also has been lost. As later generations rebuilt over ancient sites, archaeological evidence vanished forever. Members of one religion at times deliberately destroyed what was sacred to another. Also, modern archaeologists have a limited ability to dig in the city for the simple reason that it is currently inhabited. Thus, although Jerusalem is by far the most important city of the Bible, many questions remain unanswered.
1. See Glossary for definitions of bolded words.
2. See “Archaeological Periods Chart” in the front of this Bible.
3. See “The Jebusites.”
4. See “Solomon’s Temple and Other Ancient Temples.”
5. See “Herod’s Temple.”
6. See “Josephus and the Fall of Jerusalem.”
7. See “Hezekiah’s Tunnel.”
8. See “The Pool of Siloam.”
9. See “Hezekiah Against the Assyrians.”
return to me,”
declares the LORD.
“If you put your detestable idols† out of my sight
and no longer go astray,
2and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
you swear,† ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’†
then the nations will be blessed† by him
and in him they will glory.”
3This is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem:
“Break up your unplowed ground†
and do not sow among thorns.†
4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,
circumcise your hearts,†
you men of Judah and people of Jerusalem,
or my wrath† will break out and burn like fire
because of the evil you have done—
burn with no one to quench† it.
Disaster From the North
5“Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say:
‘Sound the trumpet throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
‘Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities!’†
6Raise the signal to go to Zion!
Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster from the north,†
even terrible destruction.”
7A lion† has come out of his lair;
a destroyer of nations has set out.
He has left his place
to lay waste† your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins†
without inhabitant.
lament and wail,
for the fierce anger† of the LORD
has not turned away from us.
9“In that day,” declares the LORD,
“the king and the officials will lose heart,
the priests will be horrified,
and the prophets will be appalled.Ӡ
10Then I said, “Ah, Sovereign LORD, how completely you have deceived† this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’† when the sword is at our throats.”
11At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind† from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; 12a wind too strong for that comes from me.[12] Now I pronounce my judgments† against them.”
13Look! He advances like the clouds,†
his chariots† come like a whirlwind,†
his horses are swifter than eagles.†
Woe to us! We are ruined!
14O Jerusalem, wash† the evil from your heart and be saved.
How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?
15A voice is announcing from Dan,†
proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.
16“Tell this to the nations,
proclaim it to Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,
raising a war cry† against the cities of Judah.
17They surround† her like men guarding a field,
because she has rebelled† against me,’ ”
declares the LORD.
18“Your own conduct and actions†
have brought this upon you.†
This is your punishment.
How bitter† it is!
How it pierces to the heart!”
19Oh, my anguish, my anguish!†
I writhe in pain.
Oh, the agony of my heart!
My heart pounds within me,
I cannot keep silent.†
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;
I have heard the battle cry.†
the whole land lies in ruins.
In an instant my tents† are destroyed,
my shelter in a moment.
21How long must I see the battle standard
and hear the sound of the trumpet?
22“My people are fools;†
they do not know me.†
They are senseless children;
they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil;†
they know not how to do good.Ӡ
23I looked at the earth,
and it was formless and empty;†
and at the heavens,
and their light was gone.
24I looked at the mountains,
and they were quaking;†
all the hills were swaying.
25I looked, and there were no people;
every bird in the sky had flown away.†
26I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;
all its towns lay in ruins
before the LORD, before his fierce anger.
27This is what the LORD says:
“The whole land will be ruined,
though I will not destroy† it completely.
28Therefore the earth will mourn†
and the heavens above grow dark,†
because I have spoken and will not relent,†
I have decided and will not turn back.†”
29At the sound of horsemen and archers†
every town takes to flight.†
Some go into the thickets;
some climb up among the rocks.
All the towns are deserted;†
no one lives in them.
30What are you doing,† O devastated one?
Why dress yourself in scarlet
and put on jewels† of gold?
Why shade your eyes with paint?†
You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers† despise you;
they seek your life.
31I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,†
a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath,†
stretching out her hands† and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
my life is given over to murderers.”
Not One Is Upright
1“Go up and down† the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person†
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive† this city.
2Although they say, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’†
still they are swearing falsely.”
3O LORD, do not your eyes† look for truth?
You struck† them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.†
They made their faces harder than stone†
and refused to repent.
4I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know† the way of the LORD,
the requirements of their God.
5So I will go to the leaders†
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the LORD,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.†
6Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard† will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
and their backslidings many.†
7“Why should I forgive you?
Your children have forsaken me
and sworn† by gods that are not gods.†
I supplied all their needs,
yet they committed adultery†
and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
each neighing for another man’s wife.†
9Should I not punish them for this?Ӡ
declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
10“Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
but do not destroy them completely.†
Strip off her branches,
for these people do not belong to the LORD.
11The house of Israel and the house of Judah
have been utterly unfaithful† to me,”
declares the LORD.
12They have lied about the LORD;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;†
we will never see sword or famine.†
13The prophets† are but wind
and the word is not in them;
so let what they say be done to them.”
14Therefore this is what the LORD God Almighty says:
“Because the people have spoken these words,
I will make my words in your mouth† a fire†
and these people the wood it consumes.
15O house of Israel,” declares the LORD,
“I am bringing a distant nation† against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language† you do not know,
whose speech you do not understand.
16Their quivers are like an open grave;
all of them are mighty warriors.
17They will devour† your harvests and food,
devour† your sons and daughters;
they will devour† your flocks and herds,
devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy
the fortified cities in which you trust.†
18“Yet even in those days,” declares the LORD, “I will not destroy† you completely. 19And when the people ask,† ‘Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods† in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners† in a land not your own.’
20“Announce this to the house of Jacob
and proclaim it in Judah:
21Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes† but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:†
22Should you not fear† me?” declares the LORD.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23But these people have stubborn and rebellious† hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the LORD our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains† in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’†
25Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.
26“Among my people are wicked men
who lie in wait† like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch men.
27Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;†
they have become rich† and powerful
28and have grown fat† and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not plead the case of the fatherless† to win it,
they do not defend the rights of the poor.†
29Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
30“A horrible† and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
31The prophets prophesy lies,†
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
Jerusalem Under Siege
1“Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
The Last Days of Jerusalem
The Golden Gate of Jerusalem
Photograph courtesy of © Dr. Gary Pratico
Jeremiah 6 Jerusalem, after a 30-month siege, fell to the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar on July 18, 586 B.C.1 Contemporary writings of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Babylonian Chronicle, the Lachish Letters and Egyptian records all provide details of this period.
The Judeans hoped for the restoration of King Jehoiachin, exiled in Babylon along with 10,000 Judean soldiers and artisans since 597 B.C. Babylonian ration tablets report distributions to Jehoiachin from 595 until 570 B.C.2 A weakened Judah, ruled by Zedekiah, struggled against pressures from two sides: the ambitions of Pharaoh Apries (also known as Hophra) to gain control over the Levant (Syria-Palestine) and Babylonian interest in maintaining control of the same territory.
Zedekiah was summoned to Babylon, perhaps to proclaim his loyalty, but was soon involved in an anti-Babylonian coalition with Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre and Sidon. When he withheld annual tribute, Nebuchadnezzar responded, laying siege against Jerusalem on January 15, 588 B.C. A year later Zedekiah proclaimed the release of Hebrew slaves in the city, probably to add them to the meager ranks of the city’s defenders. The Babylonians laid siege to Lachish3 and Azekah, prompting an unsuccessful Egyptian intervention at Lachish. Nebuchadnezzar broke off the siege of Jerusalem for a month to deal with the Egyptians, prompting Zedekiah to rescind his order for the release of the Hebrew slaves. Some Judeans used the occasion to flee or to surrender to the Babylonians, following Jeremiah’s advice.
The siege quickly resumed, and Jerusalem’s wall was breached on July 18, 586 B.C. Owing to famine within the city, resistance was feeble. Zedekiah fled but was captured and blinded shortly after having been forced to witness his own sons being put to death. Jerusalem was ransacked, the temple burned and many exiled to Babylon. Others fled to Egypt after assassinating Gedaliah, the Babylonian governor.4
1. See “Nebuchadnezzar.”
2. See “Jehoiachin in Captivity and Evil-Merodach.”
3. See “The Lachish Ostraca.”
4. See “The Seals of Jaazaniah, Ishmael and Elishama” and “Gedaliah, Governor of Judah, and Baalis, King of Ammon.”
Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet in Tekoa!†
Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!†
For disaster looms out of the north,†
even terrible destruction.
2I will destroy the Daughter of Zion,
so beautiful and delicate.
3Shepherds† with their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch their tents around† her,
each tending his own portion.”
4“Prepare for battle against her!
Arise, let us attack at noon!†
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
and the shadows of evening grow long.
5So arise, let us attack at night
and destroy her fortresses!”
6This is what the LORD Almighty says:
“Cut down the trees†
and build siege ramps† against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
it is filled with oppression.
7As a well pours out its water,
so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence† and destruction† resound in her;
her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8Take warning, O Jerusalem,
or I will turn away† from you
and make your land desolate
so no one can live in it.”
9This is what the LORD Almighty says:
“Let them glean the remnant of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”
10To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen to me?
so they cannot hear.
The word† of the LORD is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
11But I am full of the wrath† of the LORD,
and I cannot hold it in.†
“Pour it out on the children in the street
and on the young men† gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
and the old, those weighed down with years.
12Their houses will be turned over to others,†
together with their fields and their wives,†
when I stretch out my hand†
against those who live in the land,”
declares the LORD.
13“From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;†
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.†
14They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.†
15Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct?
No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.†
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when I punish them,”
says the LORD.
16This is what the LORD says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,†
ask where the good way† is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest† for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17I appointed watchmen† over you and said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’†
18Therefore hear, O nations;
observe, O witnesses,
what will happen to them.
19Hear, O earth:†
I am bringing disaster on this people,
the fruit of their schemes,†
because they have not listened to my words
and have rejected my law.†
20What do I care about incense from Sheba
or sweet calamus† from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;†
your sacrifices† do not please me.”†
21Therefore this is what the LORD says:
“I will put obstacles before this people.
Fathers and sons alike will stumble† over them;
neighbors and friends will perish.”
22This is what the LORD says:
“Look, an army is coming
from the land of the north;†
a great nation is being stirred up
from the ends of the earth.
23They are armed with bow and spear;
they are cruel and show no mercy.†
They sound like the roaring sea
as they ride on their horses;†
they come like men in battle formation
to attack you, O Daughter of Zion.”
24We have heard reports about them,
and our hands hang limp.
Anguish† has gripped us,
pain like that of a woman in labor.†
25Do not go out to the fields
or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
and there is terror on every side.†
26O my people, put on sackcloth†
and roll in ashes;†
mourn with bitter wailing
as for an only son,†
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27“I have made you a tester† of metals
and my people the ore,
that you may observe
and test their ways.
28They are all hardened rebels,†
going about to slander.†
They are bronze and iron;†
they all act corruptly.
29The bellows blow fiercely
to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining goes on in vain;
the wicked are not purged out.
30They are called rejected silver,
because the LORD has rejected them.Ӡ
False Religion Worthless
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Stand† at the gate of the LORD’s house and there proclaim this message:
The Destruction of Shiloh
Jeremiah 7 Located in the middle of Israel’s hill country, Shiloh (“Maps 5–6”) was the nation’s first holy city.
At the conclusion of the conquest, around 1400 B.C.,1 Joshua erected the tabernacle at Shiloh, thereby establishing this location as Israel’s religious center (Jos 18:1). Thereafter, yearly pilgrimages were made to Shiloh for worship and sacrifice (Jdg 21:19; 1Sa 1:3, 21; 2:19).2 It remained the central shrine of Israel for over 300 years, until the city was destroyed, presumably by the Philistines, in the early eleventh century B.C. Israel remained without a primary religious locus for more than a century after that, until Solomon constructed the temple in Jerusalem around 966–959 B.C. (1Ki 6:37–38).3
The glacis at Shiloh
© Dr. James C. Martin
In the early eleventh century B.C. the Philistines defeated Israel at Ebenezer and the ark of the covenant was captured (1Sa 4:1–11).4 Although this is not specifically stated in Scripture, it appears that the Philistines followed up their victory by destroying Shiloh (Ps 78:58–61; Jer 7:12–14; 26:6). One way or another, it is clear that Shiloh ceased to exist at about this time since, after Ebenezer, this city is no longer mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, when the Philistines returned the ark, it was taken to Beth Shemesh rather than to Shiloh.5 Following the defeat at Ebenezer, Samuel took up residence at Ramah and ministered in Bethel, Gilgal and Mizpah (1Sa 7:16–17).6
Shiloh was first inhabited during the Middle Bronze II period.7 This pre-Israelite site at that time covered an area of about four acres and was surrounded by a wall of field stones and an earthen glacis. This site was destroyed in the sixteenth century B.C.; large storage containers, bronze weapons and silver jewelry were unearthed there. Remains from the Late Bronze I period suggest that this location was a cultic or ritual center, but since no masonry has been found from the period, it was probably not a regular settlement at that time.
Excavations at Shiloh have revealed a significant building complex from the Iron I period, which takes us through the time of Eli. The Iron I period excavations produced fourteen silos and two Israelite storage buildings with rooms full of large, collared-rim jars (a type of pottery used by the Israelites). This period of habitation was terminated by a fierce conflagration, probably the work of the Philistines in around 1050 B.C.
No evidence of the tabernacle has been discovered, but the situation of the storage buildings suggests that they were part of a larger complex on the summit, constituting a public storage facility, exhibiting sophisticated construction techniques, including stone drum pillars, wooden columns and paved floors. The bedrock was cut to level the floor and hew out a cistern, which was then plastered. Inside, archaeologists uncovered the richest assemblage of pottery ever unearthed from the late twelfth through early eleventh centuries B.C., including over 20 large storage jars. The fire that destroyed this complex resulted in a thick layer of ash containing carbonized roof beams and bricks burned to a reddish-yellow hue. Shiloh ultimately became proverbial for divine judgment on an apostate shrine (Jer 7:12). The discovery of Iron II material verifies that the site was at least sporadically utilized after the destruction—probably by transient peoples, since no permanent settlement evidence from this period exists.
1. See “The Conquest of Canaan.”
2. See “Israelite Shrines and Worship Before the Temple of Solomon” and “The Tabernacle at Shiloh.”
3. See “Solomon’s Temple and Other Ancient Temples.”
4. See “The Tabernacle and the Ark.”
5. See “Beth Shemesh.”
6. See “Bethel”, “The Camp at Gilgal” and “Mizpah.”
7. See “Archaeological Periods Chart” in the front of this Bible.
“ ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah who come through these gates to worship the LORD. 3This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Reform your ways† and your actions, and I will let you live in this place. 4Do not trust in deceptive† words and say, “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD!” 5If you really change your ways and your actions and deal with each other justly,† 6if you do not oppress the alien, the fatherless or the widow and do not shed innocent blood† in this place, and if you do not follow other gods† to your own harm, 7then I will let you live in this place, in the land† I gave your forefathers for ever and ever. 8But look, you are trusting in deceptive words that are worthless.
9“ ‘Will you steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury,[14] burn incense to Baal† and follow other gods† you have not known, 10and then come and stand before me in this house,† which bears my Name, and say, “We are safe”— safe to do all these detestable things? 11Has this house,† which bears my Name, become a den of robbers† to you? But I have been watching!† declares the LORD.
12“ ‘Go now to the place in Shiloh† where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did† to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13While you were doing all these things, declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again,† but you did not listen;† I called you, but you did not answer.† 14Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house that bears my Name,† the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you and your fathers. 15I will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the people of Ephraim.’†
16“So do not pray for this people nor offer any plea† or petition for them; do not plead with me, for I will not listen to you. 17Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes of bread for the Queen of Heaven.† They pour out drink offerings† to other gods to provoke† me to anger. 19But am I the one they are provoking? declares the LORD. Are they not rather harming themselves, to their own shame?†
20“ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign LORD says: My anger† and my wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and beast, on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground, and it will burn and not be quenched.
21“ ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Go ahead, add your burnt offerings to your other sacrifices† and eat† the meat yourselves! 22For when I brought your forefathers out of Egypt and spoke to them, I did not just give them commands about burnt offerings and sacrifices,† 23but I gave them this command: Obey† me, and I will be your God and you will be my people.† Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well† with you. 24But they did not listen or pay attention;† instead, they followed the stubborn inclinations of their evil hearts. They went backward and not forward. 25From the time your forefathers left Egypt until now, day after day, again and again I sent you my servants the prophets.† 26But they did not listen to me or pay attention. They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their forefathers.’†
27“When you tell† them all this, they will not listen† to you; when you call to them, they will not answer. 28Therefore say to them, ‘This is the nation that has not obeyed the LORD its God or responded to correction. Truth has perished; it has vanished from their lips. 29Cut off† your hair and throw it away; take up a lament on the barren heights, for the LORD has rejected and abandoned† this generation that is under his wrath.
The Valley of Slaughter
30“ ‘The people of Judah have done evil in my eyes, declares the LORD. They have set up their detestable idols† in the house that bears my Name and have defiled† it. 31They have built the high places of Topheth† in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters† in the fire— something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.† 32So beware, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when people will no longer call it Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom, but the Valley of Slaughter,† for they will bury† the dead in Topheth until there is no more room. 33Then the carcasses of this people will become food† for the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and there will be no one to frighten them away. 34I will bring an end to the sounds† of joy and gladness and to the voices of bride and bridegroom† in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem, for the land will become desolate.†
1“ ‘At that time, declares the LORD, the bones of the kings and officials of Judah, the bones of the priests and prophets, and the bones of the people of Jerusalem will be removed from their graves. 2They will be exposed to the sun and the moon and all the stars of the heavens, which they have loved and served† and which they have followed and consulted and worshiped. They will not be gathered up or buried, but will be like refuse lying on the ground. 3Wherever I banish them, all the survivors of this evil nation will prefer death to life,† declares the LORD Almighty.’
Sin and Punishment
4“Say to them, ‘This is what the LORD says:
“ ‘When men fall down, do they not get up?†
When a man turns away, does he not return?
5Why then have these people turned away?
Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit;†
they refuse to return.†
6I have listened attentively,
but they do not say what is right.
No one repents† of his wickedness,
saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues his own course†
like a horse charging into battle.
7Even the stork in the sky
knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know†
the requirements of the LORD.
8“ ‘How can you say, “We are wise,
for we have the law† of the LORD,”
when actually the lying pen of the scribes
has handled it falsely?
9The wise† will be put to shame;
they will be dismayed and trapped.
Since they have rejected the word† of the LORD,
what kind of wisdom do they have?
10Therefore I will give their wives to other men
and their fields to new owners.†
From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;†
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.
11They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
“Peace, peace,” they say,
when there is no peace.†
12Are they ashamed of their loathsome conduct?
No, they have no shame† at all;
they do not even know how to blush.
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when they are punished,†
says the LORD.†
13“ ‘I will take away their harvest,
declares the LORD.
There will be no grapes on the vine.†
There will be no figs† on the tree,
and their leaves will wither.†
What I have given them
will be taken† from them.[15] ’ ”
14“Why are we sitting here?
Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities†
and perish there!
For the LORD our God has doomed us to perish
and given us poisoned water† to drink,
because we have sinned† against him.
15We hoped for peace†
but no good has come,
for a time of healing
but there was only terror.†
16The snorting of the enemy’s horses
is heard from Dan;†
at the neighing of their stallions
the whole land trembles.
They have come to devour
the land and everything in it,
the city and all who live there.”
17“See, I will send venomous snakes† among you,
vipers that cannot be charmed,†
and they will bite you,”
declares the LORD.
18O my Comforter[16] in sorrow,
my heart is faint† within me.
19Listen to the cry of my people
from a land far away:†
“Is the LORD not in Zion?
Is her King no longer there?”
“Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,
with their worthless foreign idols?Ӡ
20“The harvest is past,
the summer has ended,
and we are not saved.”
21Since my people are crushed, I am crushed;
I mourn,† and horror grips me.
22Is there no balm in Gilead?†
Is there no physician there?
Why then is there no healing†
for the wound of my people?
1Oh, that my head were a spring of water
The Israelite Town and Home
Storehouse at Beersheba
Preserving Bible Times; © Dr. James C. Martin
Jeremiah 9 The typical Israelite town followed the same basic design throughout the Iron Age1 (1200–600 B.C.). Examining its layout, a Westerner might feel bewildered by an evidently unorganized array of walls and streets. But this was no labyrinth; the paths and walls first joined together families and only secondarily connected all the family units into a single community.
Each home probably housed a nuclear family but was also part of an extended family compound. This familial structure, a patriarchal social unit based upon patrilineal descent, was based on the concept of a “father’s house” (Hebrew bet av). The larger family unit consisted of the paternal head, along with his wife, his sons and their wives, the grandchildren and finally the slaves.2 When David was a youth his grown brothers were still part of the bet av of Jesse in Bethlehem (1Sa 16). Similarly, in Genesis 12:1 God commanded the already aging Abram to leave his bet av.
The four-room house was the most common type of Israelite residence. Most were two-story, rectangular structures, but the distinctive feature was the layout of the rooms. The main floor was entered through a door at the center of the (short) front wall, which led into a long hallway flanked on both sides by other corridor-like rooms. Across the back of the house was the fourth room. Actually, the four rooms could be subdivided into a number of different configurations. Even so, this basic design, along with a modified version called the three-room house, set the standard for Israelite architecture.
Such houses often had internal pillars of stone or wood. Walls were composed of sun-dried mud bricks (with plaster on the outer walls) and were built up on a few courses of foundation stones. Wooden beams served as the base for the second story, as well as the ceiling for the ground level. The roof consisted of compressed, mud-caked twigs placed over wooden beams and topped with plaster, a combination in constant need of maintenance. Windows were probably slits in the walls necessary for ventilation, since chimneys were not used, but still kept small for security purposes. The annexes or subdivisions located by archaeologists within some of these houses may have been “widow’s quarters” for grandmothers. Servants shared the family compound.
The function of the four-room house within Israelite culture remains debated, but it was well suited to the agricultural nature of Israelite society.3 The three parallel rooms may have been inspired by the need to accommodate stalls for domestic animals. In the coldest months livestock would have remained in these stalls, providing some warmth not only for the animals but also for the family upstairs. The cross-room at the back probably functioned as a storage compartment (a house excavated at Shechem included a storage pit in this area). The flat roof served as a kind of summer patio (cf. Ac 10:9), as well as a place to bathe (2Sa 11:2).4
Most towns were surrounded by a wall for security. Many had a double or casemate wall, often with homes integrated into it. Sometimes the backs of houses served as the outer defensive wall of the city, an arrangement especially common during the Iron II period. The main gate in the outer wall was not just the place through which people could exit and enter but also the primary meeting place. Inhabitants would continuously see one another going and coming and would meet there after a day in the fields. Traveling merchants encountered the townspeople at the gate, which became the site for the city market. Legal issues were discussed there as well. There are countless references in the Bible to “the gate” as the social, commercial and judicial hub of a city (e.g., Ru 4:1; 2Ki 7:1; Ps 127:5).5
The design of Israelite towns and houses in many ways mirrored Israel’s social values and customs. These traditional structures endured through many historical changes. Tragically, the remains of these cities often attest to violent destruction and to chaotic upheavals that brought recurrent disruption and turmoil to a settled, agrarian society. Jeremiah 9 anticipates such a scenario.
See also “The Ancient City.”
1. See “Archaeological Periods Chart” in the front of this Bible.
2. See “The Role of the Patriarch in Family Life” and “The Israelite Family.”
3. See “Food and Agriculture.”
5. See “The City Gate.”
and my eyes a fountain of tears!
I would weep† day and night
for the slain of my people.†
2Oh, that I had in the desert
a lodging place for travelers,
so that I might leave my people
and go away from them;
for they are all adulterers,†
a crowd of unfaithful people.
3“They make ready their tongue
like a bow, to shoot lies;†
it is not by truth
that they triumph[17] in the land.
They go from one sin to another;
they do not acknowledge me,”
declares the LORD.
4“Beware of your friends;
do not trust your brothers.†
For every brother is a deceiver,[18] †
and every friend a slanderer.
5Friend deceives friend,
and no one speaks the truth.
They have taught their tongues to lie;
they weary themselves with sinning.
6You[19] live in the midst of deception;†
in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me,”
declares the LORD.
7Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says:
“See, I will refine† and test† them,
for what else can I do
because of the sin of my people?
8Their tongue† is a deadly arrow;
it speaks with deceit.
With his mouth each speaks cordially to his neighbor,
but in his heart he sets a trap† for him.
9Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the LORD.
“Should I not avenge† myself
on such a nation as this?”
10I will weep and wail for the mountains
and take up a lament concerning the desert pastures.
They are desolate and untraveled,
and the lowing of cattle is not heard.
The birds of the air† have fled
and the animals are gone.
11“I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,
a haunt of jackals;†
and I will lay waste the towns of Judah
so no one can live there.Ӡ
12What man is wise† enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the LORD and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?
13The LORD said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.† 14Instead, they have followed† the stubbornness of their hearts;† they have followed the Baals, as their fathers taught them.” 15Therefore, this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food† and drink poisoned water.† 16I will scatter them among nations† that neither they nor their fathers have known,† and I will pursue them with the sword† until I have destroyed them.”†
17This is what the LORD Almighty says:
“Consider now! Call for the wailing women† to come;
send for the most skillful of them.
18Let them come quickly
and wail over us
till our eyes overflow with tears
and water streams from our eyelids.†
19The sound of wailing is heard from Zion:
‘How ruined† we are!
How great is our shame!
We must leave our land
because our houses are in ruins.’ ”
20Now, O women, hear the word of the LORD;
open your ears to the words of his mouth.
Teach your daughters how to wail;
teach one another a lament.†
21Death has climbed in through our windows
and has entered our fortresses;
it has cut off the children from the streets
and the young men† from the public squares.
22Say, “This is what the LORD declares:
“ ‘The dead bodies of men will lie
like refuse† on the open field,
like cut grain behind the reaper,
with no one to gather them.’ ”
23This is what the LORD says:
“Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom†
or the strong man boast of his strength†
or the rich man boast of his riches,†
24but let him who boasts boast† about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD,† who exercises kindness,†
justice and righteousness† on earth,
for in these I delight,”
declares the LORD.
25“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh†— 26Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places.[20] † For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.†”
God and Idols
1Hear what the LORD says to you, O house of Israel. 2This is what the LORD says:
“Do not learn the ways of the nations†
or be terrified by signs in the sky,
though the nations are terrified by them.
3For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a craftsman† shapes it with his chisel.
4They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.†
5Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,
their idols cannot speak;†
they must be carried
because they cannot walk.†
Do not fear them;
they can do no harm
nor can they do any good.Ӡ
6No one is like you, O LORD;
you are great,†
and your name is mighty in power.
7Who should not revere you,
O King of the nations?†
This is your due.
Among all the wise men of the nations
and in all their kingdoms,
there is no one like you.
8They are all senseless and foolish;†
they are taught by worthless wooden idols.
9Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish
and gold from Uphaz.
What the craftsman and goldsmith have made†
is then dressed in blue and purple—
all made by skilled workers.
10But the LORD is the true God;
he is the living God, the eternal King.
When he is angry, the earth trembles;
the nations cannot endure his wrath.†
11“Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish† from the earth and from under the heavens.’ ”[21]
12But God made the earth by his power;
he founded the world by his wisdom
and stretched out the heavens† by his understanding.
13When he thunders,† the waters in the heavens roar;
he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.
He sends lightning with the rain†
and brings out the wind from his storehouses.
14Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;
every goldsmith is shamed by his idols.
His images are a fraud;
they have no breath in them.
15They are worthless,† the objects of mockery;
when their judgment comes, they will perish.
16He who is the Portion† of Jacob is not like these,
for he is the Maker of all things,†
including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance†—
the LORD Almighty is his name.†
Coming Destruction
17Gather up your belongings† to leave the land,
you who live under siege.
18For this is what the LORD says:
“At this time I will hurl† out
those who live in this land;
I will bring distress on them
so that they may be captured.”
19Woe to me because of my injury!
My wound† is incurable!
Yet I said to myself,
“This is my sickness, and I must endure† it.”
all its ropes are snapped.
My sons are gone from me and are no more;†
no one is left now to pitch my tent
or to set up my shelter.
21The shepherds are senseless
and do not inquire of the LORD;
so they do not prosper
and all their flock is scattered.†
22Listen! The report is coming—
a great commotion from the land of the north!
It will make the towns of Judah desolate,
a haunt of jackals.†
Jeremiah’s Prayer
23I know, O LORD, that a man’s life is not his own;
it is not for man to direct his steps.†
24Correct me, LORD, but only with justice—
not in your anger,†
lest you reduce me to nothing.†
25Pour out your wrath on the nations†
that do not acknowledge you,
on the peoples who do not call on your name.†
For they have devoured† Jacob;
they have devoured him completely
and destroyed his homeland.†
The Covenant Is Broken
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2“Listen to the terms of this covenant and tell them to the people of Judah and to those who live in Jerusalem. 3Tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Cursed† is the man who does not obey the terms of this covenant— 4the terms I commanded your forefathers when I brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace.†’ I said, ‘Obey† me and do everything I command you, and you will be my people,† and I will be your God. 5Then I will fulfill the oath I swore† to your forefathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey’— the land you possess today.”
Incense
Jeremiah 11 Ritual incense in ancient Israel was a mixture of finely pulverized aromatic gum resins and frankincense, which was salted to produce a visible cloud of sweet-smelling smoke (Ex 30:34–35). Acquired from Syria and Arabia via ancient spice trade routes (Jer 6:20), its cost and fragrance rendered it a valuable commodity and an offering fitting for the Lord.
Incense was burned as a regular sacrifice at daybreak and again at twilight on a three-foot-long, gold-plated altar standing before the Most Holy Place (Ex 30:7–8). The aromatic cloud was the only physical entity to penetrate the veil that sealed off the divine Presence from the ministering priesthood. Thus it became a sign of earthly acts of devotion ascending to God’s dwelling place, likened in Scripture to prayer rising to heaven as a cloud of smoke rises in the sky (Ps 141:2; Rev 5:8; 8:3–4). Incense could also be offered in portable censers, which were like cups attached to the ends of long handles or bowls set upon pedestals. The annual Day of Atonement was one occasion when the high priest would carry a fire pan of burning coals behind the veil. There he would sprinkle the spice mixture upon the coals, producing an effusive incense cloud to conceal the sight of the divine Presence (Lev 16:12–13).1
Consecrated for ritual use, incense was “holy to the LORD” (Ex 30:37). It was made according to a specific formula and offered at prescribed times by the appropriate temple personnel.2 Those who burned it illicitly or unworthily were struck down by divine wrath (Lev 10:1–2; Nu 16:35; 2Ch 26:19). Idolatrous Israel exhibited her devotion to other gods by offering incense to them in homes, public city streets, sacred gardens and even in the temple itself (Isa 17:8; Jer 32:29; Eze 8:10–11). The kingdom of God, by contrast, will be characterized by a pilgrimage of the nations to adore the Lord in true worship and with offerings of incense (Isa 60:6; Mal 1:11; Mt 2:11).
1. See “The Day of Atonement.”
2. See “The Levites and the Priests.”
I answered, “Amen, LORD.”
6The LORD said to me, “Proclaim all these words in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem: ‘Listen to the terms of this covenant and follow† them. 7From the time I brought your forefathers up from Egypt until today, I warned them again and again,† saying, “Obey me.” 8But they did not listen or pay attention;† instead, they followed the stubbornness of their evil hearts. So I brought on them all the curses† of the covenant I had commanded them to follow but that they did not keep.’ ”
9Then the LORD said to me, “There is a conspiracy† among the people of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. 10They have returned to the sins of their forefathers,† who refused to listen to my words. They have followed other gods† to serve them. Both the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant I made with their forefathers. 11Therefore this is what the LORD says: ‘I will bring on them a disaster† they cannot escape. Although they cry† out to me, I will not listen† to them. 12The towns of Judah and the people of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they burn incense,† but they will not help them at all when disaster† strikes. 13You have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah; and the altars you have set up to burn incense† to that shameful† god Baal are as many as the streets of Jerusalem.’
14“Do not pray† for this people nor offer any plea or petition for them, because I will not listen† when they call to me in the time of their distress.
15“What is my beloved doing in my temple
as she works out her evil schemes with many?
Can consecrated meat avert [ your punishment]?
When you engage in your wickedness,
then you rejoice.[22] ”
16The LORD called you a thriving olive tree
with fruit beautiful in form.
But with the roar of a mighty storm
he will set it on fire,†
and its branches will be broken.†
17The LORD Almighty, who planted† you, has decreed disaster for you, because the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done evil and provoked me to anger by burning incense to Baal.†
Plot Against Jeremiah
18Because the LORD revealed their plot to me, I knew it, for at that time he showed me what they were doing. 19I had been like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter; I did not realize that they had plotted† against me, saying,
“Let us destroy the tree and its fruit;
let us cut him off from the land of the living,†
that his name be remembered† no more.”
20But, O LORD Almighty, you who judge righteously
and test the heart and mind,†
let me see your vengeance upon them,
for to you I have committed my cause.
21“Therefore this is what the LORD says about the men of Anathoth who are seeking your life† and saying, ‘Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD or you will die† by our hands’— 22therefore this is what the LORD Almighty says: ‘I will punish them. Their young men† will die by the sword, their sons and daughters by famine. 23Not even a remnant† will be left to them, because I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth in the year of their punishment.†’ ”
Jeremiah’s Complaint
1You are always righteous,† O LORD,
when I bring a case before you.
Yet I would speak with you about your justice:
Why does the way of the wicked prosper?†
Why do all the faithless live at ease?
2You have planted† them, and they have taken root;
they grow and bear fruit.
You are always on their lips
but far from their hearts.†
3Yet you know me, O LORD;
you see me and test† my thoughts about you.
Drag them off like sheep to be butchered!
Set them apart for the day of slaughter!†
4How long will the land lie parched[23] †
and the grass in every field be withered?†
Because those who live in it are wicked,
the animals and birds have perished.†
Moreover, the people are saying,
“He will not see what happens to us.”
God’s Answer
5“If you have raced with men on foot
and they have worn you out,
how can you compete with horses?
If you stumble in safe country,[24]
how will you manage in the thickets† by[25] the Jordan?
6Your brothers, your own family—
even they have betrayed you;
they have raised a loud cry against you.†
Do not trust them,
though they speak well of you.†
7“I will forsake my house,
abandon† my inheritance;
I will give the one I love
into the hands of her enemies.
8My inheritance has become to me
like a lion in the forest.
She roars at me;
therefore I hate her.†
9Has not my inheritance become to me
like a speckled bird of prey
that other birds of prey surround and attack?
Go and gather all the wild beasts;
bring them to devour.†
10Many shepherds† will ruin my vineyard
and trample down my field;
they will turn my pleasant field
into a desolate wasteland.†
11It will be made a wasteland,
parched and desolate before me;†
the whole land will be laid waste
because there is no one who cares.
12Over all the barren heights in the desert
destroyers will swarm,
for the sword of the LORD† will devour
from one end of the land to the other;†
no one will be safe.
13They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.†
So bear the shame of your harvest
because of the LORD’s fierce anger.”†
14This is what the LORD says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance I gave my people Israel, I will uproot† them from their lands and I will uproot the house of Judah from among them. 15But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring† each of them back to his own inheritance and his own country. 16And if they learn well the ways of my people and swear by my name, saying, ‘As surely as the LORD lives’†— even as they once taught my people to swear by Baal†— then they will be established among my people.† 17But if any nation does not listen, I will completely uproot and destroy† it,” declares the LORD.
A Linen Belt
1This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and buy a linen belt and put it around your waist, but do not let it touch water.” 2So I bought a belt, as the LORD directed, and put it around my waist.
3Then the word of the LORD came to me a second time: 4“Take the belt you bought and are wearing around your waist, and go now to Perath[26] and hide it there in a crevice in the rocks.” 5So I went and hid it at Perath, as the LORD told me.†
6Many days later the LORD said to me, “Go now to Perath and get the belt I told you to hide there.” 7So I went to Perath and dug up the belt and took it from the place where I had hidden it, but now it was ruined and completely useless.
8Then the word of the LORD came to me: 9“This is what the LORD says: ‘In the same way I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride† of Jerusalem. 10These wicked people, who refuse to listen to my words, who follow the stubbornness of their hearts† and go after other gods† to serve and worship them, will be like this belt— completely useless! 11For as a belt is bound around a man’s waist, so I bound the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to me,’ declares the LORD, ‘to be my people for my renown† and praise and honor.† But they have not listened.’†
Wineskins
12“Say to them: ‘This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Every wineskin should be filled with wine.’ And if they say to you, ‘Don’t we know that every wineskin should be filled with wine?’ 13then tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am going to fill with drunkenness† all who live in this land, including the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets and all those living in Jerusalem. 14I will smash them one against the other, fathers and sons alike, declares the LORD. I will allow no pity or mercy or compassion† to keep me from destroying† them.’ ”
Threat of Captivity
15Hear and pay attention,
do not be arrogant,
for the LORD has spoken.
16Give glory† to the LORD your God
before he brings the darkness,
before your feet stumble†
on the darkening hills.
You hope for light,
but he will turn it to thick darkness
and change it to deep gloom.†
17But if you do not listen,†
I will weep in secret
because of your pride;
my eyes will weep bitterly,
overflowing with tears,†
because the LORD’s flock† will be taken captive.†
18Say to the king and to the queen mother,
“Come down from your thrones,
for your glorious crowns
will fall from your heads.”
19The cities in the Negev will be shut up,
and there will be no one to open them.
All Judah† will be carried into exile,
carried completely away.
20Lift up your eyes and see
those who are coming from the north.†
Where is the flock† that was entrusted to you,
the sheep of which you boasted?
21What will you say when [the LORD] sets over you
those you cultivated as your special allies?†
Will not pain grip you
like that of a woman in labor?†
22And if you ask yourself,
“Why has this happened to me?”—
it is because of your many sins†
that your skirts have been torn off
and your body mistreated.†
23Can the Ethiopian[27] change his skin
or the leopard its spots?
Neither can you do good
who are accustomed to doing evil.
24“I will scatter you like chaff†
driven by the desert wind.†
25This is your lot,
the portion† I have decreed for you,”
declares the LORD,
“because you have forgotten me
and trusted in false gods.
26I will pull up your skirts over your face
that your shame may be seen†—
27your adulteries and lustful neighings,
your shameless prostitution!†
I have seen your detestable acts
on the hills and in the fields.†
Woe to you, O Jerusalem!
How long will you be unclean?Ӡ
Drought, Famine, Sword
1This is the word of the LORD to Jeremiah concerning the drought:
The Arad Ostraca
The Early Bronze city of Arad
Photograph courtesy of © Dr. Gary Pratico
Jeremiah 14 Jeremiah 14 reflects the panic and dismay of the people as they sought to preserve life and home in the face of overwhelming military threats. We see evidence of the same conditions reflected in a series of notes written on pieces of clay from this time period.
The site of Arad (“Map 7”), an ancient Judean desert fortress, has yielded approximately 200 ostraca (ink-inscribed potsherds) of Hebrew and Aramaic inscriptions that constitute the largest collection of written texts recovered from Biblical times. These broken pottery pieces preserve the history of the citadel and grant a glimpse into the life of its occupants during the last decades of the kingdom of Judah. The majority of the sherds, written in paleo-Hebrew, are military communiqués dating back to approximately 600 B.C. They are addressed to the commander of the fortress, Eliashiv ben Eshiyahu, with instructions to ration flour, wine and oil to soldiers serving in the Negev, as well as to the “Kittim,” an estimated 25 Aegean mercenary soldiers serving in the Judean military. A number of the ostraca contain listings of names, most likely used for recording the distribution of rations. Ostracon #24 speaks of an imminent Edomite invasion. In this letter the commander requested that reinforcement troops be sent from Arad and from the smaller fortress of Qinah to Ramat Negev, a town 6 miles (10 km) away, in order to repulse the Edomite threat.
In the vicinity of the Arad sanctuary, sherds with individual, personal names, possibly used as lots for priestly duties, were uncovered. Among those represented are Pashhur and Meremoth (Ezr 8:33; Jer 20:1), as well as “the sons of Korah” (2Ch 20:19; Ps 84:1), all priestly families mentioned in the Bible. Ostracon #18 contains the earliest extrabiblical mention of the temple as “the house of Yahweh.” In addition to their historical value, these ostraca have contributed greatly to the study of Hebrew orthography (conventional or standardized spelling of words) and its development.
An ostracon from Arad
Preserving Bible Times; © Dr. James C. Martin; permission of The Israel Museum
her cities languish;
they wail for the land,
and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.
3The nobles send their servants for water;
they go to the cisterns
but find no water.†
They return with their jars unfilled;
dismayed and despairing,
they cover their heads.†
4The ground is cracked
because there is no rain in the land;†
the farmers are dismayed
and cover their heads.
5Even the doe in the field
deserts her newborn fawn
because there is no grass.†
6Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights†
and pant like jackals;
their eyesight fails
for lack of pasture.”
7Although our sins testify† against us,
O LORD, do something for the sake of your name.
For our backsliding† is great;
we have sinned† against you.
8O Hope† of Israel,
its Savior in times of distress,
why are you like a stranger in the land,
like a traveler who stays only a night?
9Why are you like a man taken by surprise,
like a warrior powerless to save?†