Makethe chain,for the landis fullof bloodycrimesand the cityis fullof violence.
Moreover,Manassehshedverymuchinnocentblooduntilhe had filledJerusalemfrom oneendto another;besideshis sinwith whichhe made Judahsin,in doingevilin the sightof the LORD.
and alsofor the innocentbloodwhichhe shed,for he filledJerusalemwith innocentblood;and the LORDwouldnot forgive.
"So when you spreadout your hands[in prayer], I will hideMy eyesfrom you; Yes,eventhoughyou multiplyprayers,I will not listen.Your handsare coveredwith blood.
For your handsare defiledwith bloodAnd your fingerswith iniquity;Your lipshave spokenfalsehood,Your tonguemutterswickedness.
Their feetrunto evil,And they hastento shedinnocentblood;Their thoughtsare thoughtsof iniquity,Devastationand destructionare in their highways.
"Alsoon your skirtsis foundThe lifebloodof the innocentpoor;You did not findthem breakingin. But in spiteof allthesethings,
"But your eyesand your heartAre [intent] onlyupon your own dishonestgain,And on sheddinginnocentbloodAnd on practicingoppressionand extortion."
thussaysthe LORDto me-- "Makefor yourself bondsand yokesand putthem on your neck,
The wordwhichcameto Jeremiahfrom the LORDafterNebuzaradancaptainof the bodyguardhad releasedhim from Ramah,when he had takenhim boundin chainsamongallthe exilesof Jerusalemand Judahwho were being exiledto Babylon.
"As a wellkeepsits watersfresh,Soshe keepsfreshher wickedness.Violenceand destructionare heardin her; Sicknessand woundsare everbeforeMe.
[if] you do not oppressthe alien,the orphan,or the widow,and do not shedinnocentbloodin thisplace,norwalkafterothergodsto your own ruin,
He has walledme in so that I cannotgoout; He has mademy chainheavy.
"You have multipliedyour slainin thiscity,fillingits streetswith them."
"Then sayto the peopleof the land,'Thussaysthe LordGODconcerning the inhabitantsof Jerusalemin the landof Israel,"They will eattheir breadwith anxietyand drinktheir waterwith horror,becausetheir landwill be strippedof its fullnesson accountof the violenceof allwho livein it.
oppressesthe poorand needy,commitsrobbery,does not restorea pledge,but liftsup his eyesto the idols[and] commitsabomination,
"Behold,then, I smiteMy handat your dishonestgainwhichyou have acquiredand at the bloodshedwhichis amongyou.
"Her princeswithinher are like wolvestearingthe prey,by sheddingblood[and] destroyinglivesin orderto getdishonestgain.
"Slanderousmenhave beenin you for the purposeof sheddingblood,and in you they have eatenat the mountain[shrines]. In your midstthey have committedactsof lewdness.
Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Enough,you princesof Israel;putawayviolenceand destruction,and practicejusticeand righteousness.Stopyour expropriationsfrom My people,"declaresthe LordGOD.
Then He broughtme into the innercourtof the LORD'Shouse.And behold,at the entranceto the templeof the LORD,betweenthe porchand the altar,[were] about twenty-fivemenwith their backsto the templeof the LORDand their facestoward the east;and they were prostratingthemselves eastwardtoward the sun.
He saidto me, "Do you see[this], sonof man?Is it too lighta thingfor the houseof Judahto committhe abominationswhichthey have committedhere,that they have filledthe landwith violenceand provokedMe repeatedly?For behold,they are puttingthe twigto their nose.
Then He saidto me, "The iniquityof the houseof Israeland Judahis very,verygreat,and the landis filledwith bloodand the cityis fullof perversion;for they say,'The LORDhas forsakenthe land,and the LORDdoes not see!'
[There is] swearing,deception,murder,stealingand adultery.They employviolence,so that bloodshedfollowsbloodshed.
They covetfieldsand then seize[them], And houses,and take[them] away. They roba manand his house,A manand his inheritance.
The godlypersonhas perishedfrom the land,And thereis noupright[person] among men.Allof them liein waitfor bloodshed;Eachof them huntsthe otherwith a net.
Yetshe became an exile,She wentinto captivity;Alsoher small childrenwere dashedto piecesAt the headof everystreet;They castlotsfor her honorablemen, And allher greatmenwere boundwith fetters.
