Thereforethussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am planningagainstthisfamilya calamityFrom whichyou cannotremoveyour necks;And you will not walkhaughtily,For it will be an eviltime.
For the ruthlesswill cometo an endand the scornerwill be finished,Indeed allwho are intenton doingevilwill be cutoff;
Moreover, the LORDsaid,"Becausethe daughtersof Zionare proudAnd walkwith headsheldhighand seductiveeyes,And goalong with mincingstepsAnd tinklethe bangleson their feet,
Who say,"Let Him makespeed,let Him hastenHis work,that we may see[it]; And let the purposeof the HolyOneof IsraeldrawnearAnd cometo pass,that we may know[it]!"
"So nowthen, speakto the menof Judahand againstthe inhabitantsof Jerusalemsaying,'Thussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am fashioningcalamityagainstyou and devisinga planagainstyou. Ohturnback,eachof you from his evilway,and reformyour waysand your deeds."'
I spokewordslike alltheseto Zedekiahkingof Judah,saying,"Bringyour necksunder the yokeof the kingof Babylonand servehim and his people,and live!
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,'You have not obeyedMe in proclaimingreleaseeachmanto his brotherand eachmanto his neighbor.Behold,I am proclaiminga releaseto you,' declaresthe LORD,to the sword,to the pestilenceand to the famine;and I will makeyou a terrorto allthe kingdomsof the earth.
When Jehudihad readthreeor fourcolumns,[the king] cutit with a scribe'sknifeand threw[it] into the firethat was in the brazier,untilallthe scrollwas consumedin the firethat was in the brazier.
Azariahthe sonof Hoshaiah,and Johananthe sonof Kareah,and allthe arrogantmensaidto Jeremiah,"You are tellinga lie!The LORDour Godhas not sentyou to say,'You are not to enterEgyptto residethere';
"And deathwill be chosenratherthanlifeby allthe remnantthat remainsof thisevilfamily,that remainsin allthe placesto whichI have driventhem," declaresthe LORDof hosts.
"The yokeof my transgressionsis bound;By His handthey are knittogether.They have comeupon my neck;He has made my strengthfail.The Lordhas givenme into the handsOf [those against whom] I am not ableto stand.
The LORDhas donewhatHe purposed;He has accomplishedHis wordWhichHe commandedfrom daysof old.He has throwndownwithoutsparing,And He has caused the enemyto rejoiceoveryou; He has exaltedthe mightof your adversaries.
Our pursuersare at our necks;We are wornout, there is norestfor us.
"NowI, Nebuchadnezzar,praise,exaltand honorthe Kingof heaven,for allHis worksare true and His waysjust,and He is ableto humblethose whowalkin pride."
"Flightwill perishfrom the swift,And the stalwartwill not strengthenhis power,Northe mightymansavehis life.
Hearthiswordwhichthe LORDhas spokenagainstyou, sonsof Israel,againstthe entirefamilywhichHe broughtup from the landof Egypt:
"You onlyhave I chosenamongallthe familiesof the earth;ThereforeI will punishyou for allyour iniquities."
Thereforeat sucha timethe prudentperson keepssilent,for it is an eviltime.
Woeto those who schemeiniquity,Who workout evilon their beds!When morningcomes, they doit, For it is in the powerof their hands.
whofor my liferiskedtheir ownnecks,to whomnot onlydo I give thanks,but alsoallthe churchesof the Gentiles;
making the mostof your time,becausethe daysare evil.
therefore you shall serveyour enemieswhomthe LORDwill sendagainst you, in hunger,in thirst,in nakedness,and in the lackof allthings;and He will putan ironyokeon your neckuntilHe has destroyedyou.
For judgment[will be] mercilessto one who has shownnomercy;mercytriumphs overjudgment.
