4 Now Yahweh’s message came to me:

5 “Before I formed you in your mother, I already knew you,

≈ and before you came out of the womb, I had a plan for you.

I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

6 But I said, “Oh no, Yahweh, my master. Listen, I don’t know how to speak, because I’m just a young lad.”

7 but Yahweh told me, “Don’t say that you’re only a child, because you must go to everyone I send you to and you must tell them everything that I command you to say. 8 Don’t be afraid of them, because I’ll be with you to rescue you.”

That’s Yahweh’s message.

9 Then Yahweh stretched out his hand and touched my mouth and said, “Listen, I’ve put my messages into your mouth. 10 I’m appointing you today over the nations and kingdoms—to uproot and to break down, to destroy and to pull down, to build and to plant.”

11 Another time, Yahweh’s message came to me, saying, “Yirmeyah (Jeremiah), what do you see?”

“I see a branch from an almond tree,” I replied.

12 Then Yahweh told me, “You’ve done well to see that, because I keep watch[fn] on my message to make sure it happens.”

13 Then Yahweh asked me a second time what I was seeing, and I replied, “I see a pot full of boiling water and it’s tipping towards the north.”

14 “Yes, disaster will come from the north and be released onto all the inhabitants of this region,” Yahweh continued. 15 “Listen, I’m about to summon all the clans of the northern kingdoms, and they’ll come and attack the walls around Yerushalem and all of Yehudah’s other cities, then each king will place his throne at the entrance to Yerushalem’s gates.” That is Yahweh’s declaration. 16 “That’s how I’ll judge my people for their wickedness as they’ve abandoned me and sacrificed to other gods and bowed down to idols that they made with their own hands. 17 So Yirmeyah, get yourself ready and go and tell them everything that I’ll tell you. Don’t be scared in front of them or else I’ll scare you right there in front of them! 18 And listen, today I’ve you as strong as a fortified city and an iron pillar and bronze walls, as far as the kings of Yehudah are concerned, along with their officials and priests, and the general population. 19 They’ll oppose you but they won’t be able to defeat you because I’ll be with you to rescue you,” says Yahweh.

2 Then Yahweh gave me a message 2 to proclaim to Yerushalem’s ears:

“Yahweh says: I remember your loyal commitment when you were all young

≈ and your love when you were committed to me.

You all followed after me in the wilderness where no crops were planted.

3 Yisrael was set apart for Yahweh—the firstfruits of his harvest.

All those who devoured it became guilty—calamity came to them.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

4 Listen to Yahweh’s message you descendants of Yakov (Jacob),

≈ and all you clans that are part of Yisrael (Israel).

5 Yahweh asks: what injustices did you ancestors find in me,

that caused them to become distant from me.

They chased after vanity and became vain.

6 They didn’t try to find out where Yahweh was—

the one brought led them out of Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim)

then led them through the wilderness with its pits and desert areas.

It was a region of deep darkness without water—

an area that no one passes through, let alone lives in.

7 Then I took you to the Carmel region

to eat its fruit and other good things.

However you came and defiled my land

≈ and made the inheritance that I gave you into something detestable.

8 The priests didn’t ask where Yahweh was,

and the handlers of the law didn’t know me.

The shepherds rebelled against me,

and the prophets prophesied by Ba’al

and they went after things that wouldn’t profit them.

9 Yahweh declares: I will bring a case against you all,

and I’ll contend against your children and your grandchildren.

10 If you all cross over west to the coasts of Cypress island and look,

or head east to Kedar, ask around and pay careful attention

to see if something like this has ever happened before.

11 Has a country ever swapped out its gods (not that they were actual gods)?

But my people have exchanged their greatness for something of no benefit.

12 You heavens, be appalled and shudder.

≈ Become utterly desolate.

That’s what Yahweh says

13 because my people have done two evil things:

1. They’ve abandoned the spring of living water

and 2. They’ve gone and dug wells for themselves—broken cisterns that can’t hold any water.

14 Is Yisrael a slave? Was it born into slavery?

Why has it been carried off as plunder?

15 Young lions roared at it—

≈ they’ve made their voice heard.

They’ve made the land into wasteland—

≈ its cities have become ruins without any inhabitants.

16 Also the people from Memphis (Heb. Nof) and Tahpanhes have shaved your heads.

17 Didn’t you bring this on yourself by abandoning your god, Yahweh

at the time when he was leading you along the right path.

18 So now, what’s the point of travelling to Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim) to drink from Shihor’s waters?

≈ And why bother taking a trip to Assyria (Heb. Ashshur) to drink the river water?

19 Your own wickedness will punish you

≈ and your turning away will rebuke you.

So see and know that it’s evil and bitter to abandon your god Yahweh,

and you no longer have respect for me.

That’s Commander-in-chief Yahweh’s declaration.

20 I broke off your yoke from long ago.

≈ I tore your chains to pieces and you said that you wouldn’t disobey,

because you’d been lying down with prostitutes on every high hill and under every leafy tree.

21 I myself had planted you as a choice vine from a reliable seed,

but how you’ve changed yourself into some degenerate, wild vine,

22 because even if you wash yourself with bleach or use heaps of soap,

your guilt remains as a stain in front of me.

That is the declaration of my master, Yahweh.

23 How can you say, ‘I’m not defiled—I haven’t worshipped the Baals’?

Consider your conduct in the valley.

≈ Recognise what you’ve done:

behaving like a young, female camel that flits here and there.

24 You’re like a wild, female donkey, accustomed to the wilderness in its desire for the wind.

No one can hold her back when she’s in heat.

All those searching for her won’t give up trying to find her at mating time.

25 Keep your feet from becoming bare, and your throat from thirst,

but you’ve said that it’s hopeless,

as you love foreign gods and feel obliged to follow them.

26 It’s like the shame felt by a thief who gets caught.

So too, you Israelis will be shamed:

the people, their kings and officials, and their priests and prophets

27 who say to the tree, ‘You’re my father,’

and to the standing stone, ‘You gave birth to me.’

Yes, they show their backs to me, not their faces,

but when calamity comes, they’ll say, ‘Do something and rescue us!’

28 So where then are the gods that you made for yourself?

Let them take action if they can save you at the time of your calamity,

because you have as many gods and you have cities in Yehudah (Judah).

29 Why do you all complain to me, when all of you have rebelled against me?

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

30 It was a waste of time when I beat your sons—they wouldn’t accept discipline.

You’ve all killed your prophets like a destructive lion.

31 You in this generation, pay attention to Yahweh’s message.

Have I been a wilderness to Yisrael, or a land of thick darkness?

Why would my people say that they’ve now gone their own ways

and so won’t come back to me again?

32 Would a young woman forget to wear her jewelry,

≈ or a bride forget to wear her wedding sashes?

However my people have forgotten me for such a long time.

33 You’ve become very good at finding love—

you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!

34 The blood of innocent, poor people was even found on your clothes—

it wasn’t because you caught them breaking in, but you did it anyway

35 then you said, ‘But I’m innocent—surely he’s not angry at me.’

Listen, I’m about to judge you because you said that you didn’t sin.

36 Why are you constantly changing your alliances?

You’ll be disappointed by Egypt (Heb. Mitsrayim) just like you were disappointed by Assyria (Heb. Ashshur).

37 What’s more, you’ll be removed from this place will your hands on your head,

because Yahweh has rejected the ones that you put your confidence in

→ and they won’t be of any help to you.

19 Then I thought to myself about how I’d accept you to be my children,

and give you a desirable land—an inheritance that all nations consider very beautiful.

I decided that you’ll all call me ‘my father’,

and then you all won’t turn away from me.

20 However, like a woman who deals treacherously with her companion,

so too you’ve all dealt treacherously with me, you Israeli people.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

21 A sound of weeping is heard on the barren hilltops—

≈ the Israeli people begging for mercy

because they’ve followed paths of disobedience

≈ and they’ve forgotten their god, Yahweh.

22 Come back, you unfaithful children—I will cure your faithlessness.

Say, look, we’re coming back to you because you’re our god, Yahweh.

23 Deception definitely comes from the hills—a commotion of mountains.

Our god Yahweh is certainly Yisrael’s salvation.

24 From our youth, that shameful idol worship has consumed our ancestors’ hard work—

their sheep and cattle, and their sons and daughters.

25 Let us lie down in our shame, and let our humiliation cover us,

because we’ve disobeyed our god, Yahweh.

Our ancestors and then we ourselves, haven’t listened to the voice of our god, Yahweh.

4 Yahweh says:

If you’ll return, Yisrael (Israel),

yes, if you’ll return to me

and remove those detestable idols away from me without wavering,

2 and if you promise as Yahweh lives, in truth, justice, and righteousness,

then the nations will bless themselves in him,

and it’s him that they’ll boast about.

3 Yes, tells the people from Yerushalem and across all Yehudah (Judah):

Plough your unploughed ground, but don’t sow thornbushes.[ref]

4 Circumcise yourselves to Yahweh by removing the foreskins from your hearts

you people of Yerushalem and Yehudah,

so that my rage doesn’t burst out and burn like fire,

because there wouldn’t be anyone to extinguish it due to the wickedness of your behaviour.

5 Announce in Yerushalem and declare in Yehudah to blow the horn in the land.

Call out loudly to gather together and enter the fortified cities.

6 Lift up a banner towards Tsiyyon (Zion) and get to safety.

Don’t stand still because I’m about to bring calamity from the north with horrific destruction.

7 A lion has come up from its thicket,

≈ and a destroyer of nations has set out.

He’s come out from his place to make your country into a wasteland.

Your cities will be reduced to ruins with no inhabitants.

8 So put on sackcloth—mourn and wail

because Yahweh’s burning anger hasn’t turned away from us.

9 Yahweh says that at that time,

the king and his officials will lose heart

and the priests and prophets will be astonished.

10 Then I replied, “Oh now! My master Yahweh,

you’ve certainly completely deceived Yerushalem and also this people,

saying, ‘It will be well for you all.’ Yet the sword will come for our throats.”

11 When that happens, Yerushalem and this people will be told:

A scorching wind will come from the bare hills in the wilderness.

It won’t be coming just to winnow the grain and blow away the chaff—

12 it’ll be a strong blast from me.

Then I’ll speak judgements against them.

13 Listen, he goes up like the clouds,

and his chariots are like the storm wind.

≈ His horses are faster than eagles.

→ We won’t end well because we’ll be devastated.

14 Yerushalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you can be saved.

How much longer will you hold onto your wicked thoughts for,

15 because a voice from Dan declares trouble

and disaster is proclaimed from Efrayim’s hill?

16 Remind the nations—

≈ listen, announce to Yerushalem:

They’re coming from a distant land to lay seige against you,

and they raise their voice against Yehudah’s cities.

17 They’ll surround Yerushalem like the watchmen around a field because it rebelled against me.

That’s Yahweh’s declaration.

18 Your conduct and your actions have brought that to you, Yerushalem.

That’s your punishment—it’s bitter and it’ll pierce to your heart.

19 My inward parts, my insides!

≈ I writhe with chest pains.

≈ My heart is pounding—I won’t stay silent,

→ because my soul, you hear the sound of the trumpet—an alarm for battle.

20 Destruction followed by more destruction has been proclaimed,

≈ because all the land has been devastated.

Suddenly my tents are devastated—

≈ my tent fabrics gone in a moment.

21 How long do I have to watch the enemy’s banner for?