JEREMIAH. The prophecies and historical notices of Jeremiah, preceding the destruc tion of Jerusalem. CH. I. — XXXIX. 2 3 INSCRIPTION.. 1 THE words of Jeremiah, the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests, who dwelt in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin; to whom the word of Jehovah came in the days of Josiah, the son of Amon, king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign; to whom it also came in the days of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the end of the eleventh year of Zedekiah, the son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the carrying away of Jerusalem into captivity in the fifth month. I. The call of Jeremiah to his office; two visions. CH. I. 4-19. 4,5 THE word of Jehovah came to me, saying: Before I formed thee in the womb, I knew thee; and before thou camest into the world, I chose thee; I appointed thee to be a prophet to the nations. 6 Then said I, Alas, O Lord Jehovah! Behold, I am not 7 able to speak; for I am a child. But Jehovah said to me, Say not, I am a child; but go to whomever I send thee, 8 and speak whatever I command thee! Be not afraid of them! For I am with thee to help thee, saith Jeho9 vah. Then Jehovah put forth his hand, and touched my 10 mouth. Jehovah also said to me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth, Behold, I have set thee this 11 day over nations and over kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to overthrow; and to build, and to plant. Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, I see a rod of almond12 wood. And Jehovah said to me, Thou hast seen right; for I am watchful over my word to perform it. 13 And the word of Jehovah came to me a second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a boiling pot, 14 whose face is turned from the north. And Jehovah said to me, From the north shall evil break forth upon all the 15 inhabitants of the land. For, behold, I will call all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, saith Jehovah; and they shall come, and shall set every one his throne at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all her 16 walls around, and against all the cities of Judah. And I will pronounce my judgments against them for all their wickedness, in that they have forsaken me, and have burned incense to other gods, and worshipped the work 17 of their own hands. Thou, therefore, gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak to them all that I command thee; be not afraid of them, lest I confound thee before them. 18 For, behold, I make thee this day a fortified city, and a pillar of iron, and a wall of brass against all this land, against the kings of Judah, against the princes thereof, against the priests thereof, and against the people of the 19 land. They shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee; for I will be with thee, saith Jehovah, to help thee. II. God's expostulation with Israel on account of their disobedience and idola 1 THE word of Jehovah came to me, saying: 2 Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, Thus saith Jehovah : I remember the kindness shown thee in thy youth, When thou wast led by me through the wilderness, 3 Israel was a sacred thing to Jehovah, 4 His first ripe fruit. All that devoured him were held guilty; Hear ye the word of Jehovah, O house of Jacob, 5 Thus saith Jehovah: What fault did your fathers find in me, That they went far from me, And walked after vanity, and practised folly?` 6 They said not, Where is Jehovah, Who brought us up from the land of Egypt, Through a land of drought and deathlike gloom, 7 I brought you to a land of fruitful fields, To eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof; 9 Therefore I will yet contend with you, saith Jeho vah; Yea, with your children's children will I contend. 10 For pass over to the islands of the Chittæans, and see; Send ye to Kedar, and inform yourselves well; And see if such a thing hath been done! 11 Hath any nation changed their gods, even those that are no gods? But my people have changed their glory for that which cannot profit. 12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this! Shudder, and be amazed! saith Jehovah. 13 For my people have committed two evils; 14 Me have they forsaken, the fountain of living water, Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant? Why then hath he become a spoil? 15 The young lions roar over him; They lift up their voice; They have made his land a desolation; His cities are burned so as to be without an inhabitant. 16 Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes have consumed the crown of thy head. 17 Hath not this come upon thee, Because thou didst forsake Jehovah thy God, When he would have led thee in the way? 18 And now what hast thou to do with the way of Egypt, To drink the waters of the Nile? Or what hast thou to do with the way of Assyria, To drink the waters of the Euphrates? 19 Thy wickedness shall chasten thee, 20 And thy transgressions reprove thee; And thou shalt know and see that it is an evil and bitter thing That thou hast forsaken Jehovah thy God, And that the fear of me is not with thee, Saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts. Of old hast thou broken thy yoke, And burst thy bands, And said, "I will not be in subjection!" And under every green tree, Hast thou reclined, playing the harlot. .21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, Wholly a genuine seed; How then art thou changed to the degenerate shoot of a strange vine? 22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, |