Near the beginning of the reign of Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim, Yoshiyah’s/Josiah’s son), this message came from Yahweh: 2 Yahweh says this: Stand in the courtyard of my temple and speak about all of Yehudah’s cities who come to worship at my residence. Proclaim all the messages that I’ve commanded you to say to them—don’t hold anything back. 3 Maybe they’ll listen and everyone will turn from their wicked ways, and then I would turn back the disaster that I’m planning to send to them because of their wicked behaviour, 4 so you need to tell them that Yahweh says this:

If you don’t listen to me so as to follow my instructions that I’ve given to you all, 5 if you don’t listen to the words of my servants the prophets that I’ve been regularly sending to you, and indeed you haven’t listened, 6 then I’ll destroy this house like I did at Shiloh[ref] and I’ll turn this city into a curse to/for all the nations in the world.

 Several years earlier, when Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim) son of Yoshiyah (Josiah) was the king of Yehudah (Judah), Yahweh had given Yirmeyah (Jeremiah) this message:[ref] 2 Go to the Rekavite clan and talk with them, then bring them into one of the rooms in my temple, and give them wine to drink. 3 So I took Yaazanyah (son of Yirmeyah, son of Havatsinyah) and his brothers and his sons, and all the rest of the Rekavite clan, 4 and I took them to the rooms of the sons of Hanan (son of Igdalyah, man of God) at the temple. Those rooms were beside the leaders’ room, which was above the room of Maaseyah (Shallum’s son), the gatekeeper. 5 Then I placed bowls and cups of wine in front of the Rekavites and told them to drink some.

6 But they responded, “We don’t drink wine, because our ancestor, Rekav’s son Yonadav, commanded all of us and our descendants not to ever drink any wine. 7 He also told us not to build any houses, or to plant any crops or vineyards, saying that we must always live in tents, so that we’d have long lives in the land that we’re staying in as foreigners. 8 We’ve obeyed the voice of our ancestor, Rekav’s son Yonadav in everything that he commanded us and we, our wives, and our children have never drunk wine in our lives. 9 We’ll never build houses to live in, or own any vineyards, fields, or seed. 10 We’ve lived in tents, and we’ve followed everything that our ancestor Yonadav told us, 11 but when the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar attacked the land, we decided that we must move to Yerushalem to escape from the Babylonian and Aramean armies, so now we’re all living in Yerushalem.

12 Then Yahweh gave this message to Yirmeyah, saying that 13 Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says to go and ask the people in Yehudah, including those who live in Yerushalem: Won’t you all accept correction and listen to my messages? This is Yahweh’s declaration: 14 Rekav’s son Yonadav told his descendants not to drink any wine and they’ve followed that to this very day. In contrast, I’ve personally and consistently spoken to all of you but you haven’t taken any notice of what I’ve said. 15 I persistently sent all my servants, the prophets, out to you all to tell each person to turn from their wicked behaviour and start doing good instead, and to stop following after other gods and serving them. Then they’d live on the land that I gave to your ancestors and to all of you, however, you all won’t listen to me or pay attention to me. 16 Yes, Yonadav’s descendants have followed the instructions that their ancestor gave them, but this people, refuses to obey me, 17 so Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh, says this: Listen, I’m sending all the disasters that I pronounced for Yehudah, including everyone living in Yerushalem. I’m sending them against them because I spoke to them, but they wouldn’t listen. I called to them, but they wouldn’t answer.

18 Then Yirmeyah told the Rekavite clan that Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: You’ve all listened to the commands of your ancestor Yonadav and have kept them all. You’ve obeyed everything that he commanded you all to do, 19 so Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: There’ll always be someone descended from Rekav’s son Yonadav to serve me.

 This is the message that came to Yirmeyah (Jeremiah) concerning all the people of Yehudah (Judah) in the fourth year of the reign of Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim, son of Yehudah’s King Yoshiyah (Josiah)), which was the first year of the reign of the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar. 2 The prophet Yirmeyah proclaimed this to all the people across Yehudah including all of Yerushalem’s inhabitants, saying: 3 Yahweh’s messages have been coming to me for twenty-three years since the thirteenth year of the reign of Yehudah’s king Yoshiyah (Josiah, Amon’s son), and I’ve passed them on to you all over and over again, but you haven’t taken any notice of them. 4 Yahweh sent all his servants the prophets to you again and again, but you all haven’t listened or paid any attention. 5 Those prophets said, ‘Let everyone turn from their wicked ways and their evil activities, and return to the land that Yahweh gave in ancient times to your ancestors and to all of you as a permanent inheritance. 6 So don’t walk after other gods to worship them or to bow down to them, and don’t provoke him with things you make with your hands, and then he won’t harm you all.’ 7 But Yahweh declares that you all haven’t listened to me, because with what you’ve made, you’ve provoked me to do harm to you.

8 So Commander-in-chief Yahweh says this: Since all of you haven’t listen to my messages, 9 listen, I’m about to send out a command to fetch all the northern peoples. Yahweh declares that I will bring my servant, the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar and his armies against this land and its inhabitants, and against all the nations around you. I will mark them for destruction and turn them into a horror—something to be hissed at, and permanent ruins. 10 I’ll put an end to the sounds of gladness and celebration, the sounds of brides and grooms, and the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.[ref] 11 Then all of this land will become a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the Babylonian king for seventy years.[ref]

12 Then after seventy years have passed, then I’ll punish the king of Babylon and that nation—the land of the Chaldeans—for their wickedness, and make it into a permanent wasteland. That is Yahweh’s declaration. 13 Then I’ll carry out all the messages that I’d spoken against that land, and everything written in this document that Yirmeyah has prophesied against all the nations. 14 Yes many other nations and great kings will also make slaves out of those nations. I’ll repay them for everything they’ve done.

15 Yes Yisrael’s god Yahweh told me, “Take this cup of the wine of fury from my hand, and all the nations that I’m sending you to, make them drink it. 16 They’ll drink and then stagger around and act like mad people when they see the deadly army that I’m sending out to them.

17 So I took the cup from Yahweh’s hand and made all the nations that he’d sent me to, drink from it, 18 as well as Yehudah’s cities including Yerushalem and its king and officials—to turn them into ruins and something terrifying, and into something to hiss and curse at, as they are until this present day. 19 Those nations included:

• Egypt’s King Far’oh (Pharaoh), his officials, his leaders, and all his people,
• 20 all people of mixed heritage and all the kings of the land of Uts,
• all the kings of the land of Philistia: Ashkelon, Azzah (Gaza), Ekron, and the remnant from Ashdod,
• 21 Edom, Moav, and the Ammonites,
• 22 all the kings of Tsor (Tyre) and Tsidon (Sidon),
• the kings from the coastlands across the sea,
• 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz,
• and all who cut the corners of their hair,
• 24 all the Arabian kings,
• and all the kings of the mixed tribes who live in the desert,
• 25 all the kings from Zimri, Elam, and Media,
• 26 all the kings of the north, both near and far, one after another,
• all the kingdoms around the world.

And after all of them, the Babylonian[fn] king will drink it too.

27 Then Yahweh told me to tell them, ‘Yisrael’s god, Commander-in-chief Yahweh, says this: Drink and become drunk, then vomit, fall down, and don’t get up again until the deadly army arrives that I’m sending among you.’ 28 Then if any of the above refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, tell me, ‘Commander-in-chief Yahweh says that you certainly must drink it, 29 because listen, I’m about to bring disaster to the city that is called by my name, and should you yourselves be free from punishment? You won’t be free, because I’m calling a deadly army against all the inhabitants of the land.’

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

30 You must prophesy all these messages against them, telling them:

‘Yahweh will roar from the heights

and he’ll shout with his voice from his sacred residence,

and he will roar mightily against his land,

and he will shout, like those who tread grapes in a wine-pressing pit

against all those who live on the earth.

31 The uproar will be heard even at the ends of the earth

because Yahweh brings a charge against the nations.

He will pass judgement on all humankind

and have the wicked killed in war.

That is Yahweh’s declaration.

32 Commander-in-chief says this:

Listen, disaster is spreading from nation to nation.

A terrible storm is rising from the ends of the earth.

33 Then those killed that day by Yahweh will be spread from one end of the earth to the other. They won’t be mourned over, gathered, or buried—they’ll be like dung lying on the ground.

34 Wail, you shepherds, and call out for help.

Roll around in the dust, you leaders of the flock,

because the time has come for your slaughter.

You’ll all be scattered when you fall, like fragments of broken pottery.

35 There’s no safe place for the shepherds to go to.

≈ There’ll be no escape for the leaders of the flock.

36 Hear the shepherds’ cries of distress

≈ and the wails of the leaders of the flock,

→ because Yahweh is destroying their pastures.

37 So the peaceful pastures will be devastated

because of Yahweh’s fierce anger.

38 He’s left his den like a young lion would,

because their land will become a horror

due to the oppressor’s anger and Yahweh’s fierce angry.

 In the fourth year of the reign Yehudah’s King Yehoyakim (or Jehoiakim, son of Yoshiyah/Josiah), Yahweh gave this message to Yirmeyah:[ref] 2 Get a scroll for yourself and write all the messages on it that I’ve told you concerning Yisrael and Yehudah, and all the other nations. Do this for everything I have said, back from the time of Yoshiyah until the present time. 3 Perhaps Yehudah’s people will hear about all the disasters that I intend to bring on them and then turn away from their wicked ways, so I can forgive them for their wickedness and their disobedience.

4 Then Yirmeyah called Neriyah’s son Baruk, and Yirmeyah dictated all the messages that Yahweh had given to him, for Baruk to record on a scroll. 5 Then Yirmeyah instructed Baruk saying, “I’m restrained from entering Yahweh’s residence 6 so you must go and read from the scroll that you wrote at my dictation. On the day of the fast, you must read Yahweh’s messages so that all the people in the temple will hear them as well as the people from the rest of Yehudah’s cities. Proclaim these messages to them. 7 Perhaps Yaweh will take notice of their pleas for mercy. Perhaps everyone will turn from their wicked ways, since the anger and fury that Yahweh has proclaimed against this nation is severe. 8 So Neriyah’s son Baruk did everything that the prophet Yirmeyah had told him to—he read Yahweh’s messages aloud at Yahweh’s temple.

9 In the ninth month of the next year, all the people in Yerushalem and the visitors to the city from the rest of Yehudah, announced a fast to honour Yahweh. 10 Again Baruk read Yirmeyah’s messages aloud at Yahweh’s temple, from the room of Gemaryah (son of the scribe Shafan) in the upper courtyard, by the entrance gate to Yahweh’s residence. He did this so that all the people could hear it.

11 When Mikayah (son of Gemaryah son of Shafan) heard all Yahweh’s messages from the scroll, 12 he went down to to the secretary’s room in the palace, and wow, all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Shemayah’s son Delayah, Akbor’s son Elnatan, Shafan’s son Gemaryah, and Hananyah’s son Tsidkiyah, along with all the other officials. 13 When Mikayah reported to them all the messages that he’d heard Baruk read aloud for the people to hear, 14 the officials sent Yehudi (son of Netanyah son of Shelemyah son of Kushi) to Baruk. Yehudi ordered Baruk, “Take the scroll in your hand, the scroll from which you were reading in the hearing of the people, and come.” So Neriyah’s son Baruk took the scroll and went to the officials 15 where they told him to sit down and read it to them, so Baruk read out the messages. 16 When they heard it all, they were afraid and decided together that they needed to report it all to the king, 17 and they asked Baruk, “How come you wrote down all these messages from Yirmeyah?”

18 “He dictated them to me,” he replied, “and I just wrote them down on the scroll.”

19 Then the officials told Baruk, “Go and hide, and Yirmeyah as well. Don’t let anyone know where you two are.”

20 Then they left the scroll in the secretary Elishama’s room and went out to the king in the courtyard and told him everything they’d heard. 21 The king sent Yehudi to get the scroll, and he went and got it from the secretary Elishama’s room. Then Yehudi read it aloud for the king and all the officials who were standing beside him to hear. 22 That month, the king was in his winter house and a brazier was burning in front of him. 23 Whenever Yehudi had read a couple of columns, the king would slice it off with a knife and toss it into the fire until the entire scroll was gone, 24 but neither the king or any of his servants were afraid of the messages (and they didn’t tear their clothes to indicate repentance—25 Elnatan, Delayah, and Gemaryah had urged the king not to burn the scroll, but he hadn’t taken any notice of them). 26 Then the king ordered a relative Yerahme’el, Azriel’s son Serayah, and Abdeel’s son Shelemyah to arrest the scribe Baruk and the prophet Yirmeyah, but Yahweh had hidden them.

27 After the king had burnt the scroll with the messages on it that Yirmeyah had dictated to Baruk, Yahweh gave this message to Yirmeyah: 28 Get yourself another scroll and write down all the messages that were on the original scroll that Yehudah’s King Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim) burnt. 29 Then you must tell the king that Yahweh says: You burnt that scroll, asking why it was written that the Babylonian king would come and destroy this land and leave it without people or animals. 30 Now Yahweh says about King Yehoyakim: No descendant of his will ever sit on David’s throne. As for him, his corpse will be thrown out into the heat of the day and the frost at night. 31 I’ll punish him, his descendants, and his servants for their wickedness. The disasters that I’ve threatened them with, but which they ignored, I’ll send onto them and all Yerushalem’s inhabitants, and onto every person in the rest of Yehudah.

32 So Yirmeyah got another scroll and gave it to Baruk, son of Neriyah the scribe. Yirmeyah again dictated all the messages that had been on the scroll burnt by Yehudah’s King Yehoyakim, and Baruk wrote them onto the scroll, along with several other similar messages.

 This is the message that the prophet Yirmeyah (Jeremiah) dictated to Neriyah’s son Baruk to have it written on a scroll in the fourth year of of the reign of Yehudah’s King Yehoyakim (Jehoiakim, son of Yoshiyah/Josiah):[ref] 2 Yisrael’s god Yahweh says this to you Baruk: 3 You’ve said, ‘I’m not doing well because Yahweh has piled sorrow on top of my pain. I’m exhausted from groaning and I can’t find any peace.’

4 Yahweh says to tell Baruk, Listen, I’m about to tear down what I’ve built throughout the world, and to pull out what I’ve planted. 5 But maybe you’re hoping for great things for yourself? Don’t hope for that, because listen, disaster is coming for all humanity, but wherever you go, I’m giving you your life as your ‘spoil of war’. That is Yahweh’s declaration.

 In the third year of Yehudah’s King Yehoyakim’s reign, Babylon’s King Nevukadnetstsar (Nebuchadnezzar) came to Yerushalem (Jerusalem) and besieged the city.[ref] 2 After two years, the master allowed King Yehoyakim to be defeated by Nevukadnetstsar who then took some of the items out of the temple and took them to Shinar (Babylonia) where he placed them in his god’s temple storerooms.[ref]