1 T he word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

2 F or the king of Babylon’s army was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the house of the king of Judah.

Now at that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard, which was in the house of the king of Judah,

3 F or Zedekiah king of Judah had locked him up, saying, Why do you prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

because Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy, saying, ‘ Thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will take it;

4 A nd Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hands of the Chaldeans but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye;

and Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye;

5 A nd he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, says the Lord; and though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not prosper ?

and he will take Zedekiah to Babylon, and he will be there until I visit him,” declares the Lord. “If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed”’?”

6 A nd Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

And Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

7 B ehold, Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle shall come to you and say, Buy my field that is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it.

‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle is coming to you, saying, “Buy for yourself my field which is at Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.”’

8 S o Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard in accordance with the word of the Lord, and he said to me, I pray you, buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin, for the right of inheritance is yours and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the guard according to the word of the Lord and said to me, ‘Buy my field, please, that is at Anathoth, which is in the land of Benjamin; for you have the right of possession and the redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.

9 A nd I bought the field that was in Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son and weighed out for him the money—seventeen shekels of silver.

“I bought the field which was at Anathoth from Hanamel my uncle’s son, and I weighed out the silver for him, seventeen shekels of silver.

10 A nd I signed the deed and sealed it, called witnesses, and weighed out for him the money on the scales.

I signed and sealed the deed, and called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales.

11 S o I took the deed of the purchase—both that which was sealed, containing the terms and conditions, and the copy which was unsealed—

Then I took the deeds of purchase, both the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions and the open copy;

12 A nd I gave the purchase deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, in the presence of all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard.

and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of Hanamel my uncle’s son and in the sight of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, before all the Jews who were sitting in the court of the guard.

13 A nd I charged Baruch before them, saying,

And I commanded Baruch in their presence, saying,

14 T hus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this unsealed deed, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last a long time.

‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “Take these deeds, this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, that they may last a long time.”

15 F or thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall be purchased yet again in this land.

For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “ Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”’ Jeremiah Prays and God Explains

16 N ow when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the Lord, saying:

“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, then I prayed to the Lord, saying,

17 A las, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! There is nothing too hard or too wonderful for You—

‘ Ah Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,

18 Y ou Who show loving-kindness to thousands but recompense the iniquity of the fathers into the bosoms of their children after them. The great, the mighty God; the Lord of hosts is His name—

who shows lovingkindness to thousands, but repays the iniquity of fathers into the bosom of their children after them, O great and mighty God. The Lord of hosts is His name;

19 G reat in counsel and mighty in deeds, Whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to reward or repay each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings,

great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, giving to everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds;

20 W ho wrought signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day, both in Israel and among other men, and made for Yourself a name, as at this day.

who has set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and even to this day both in Israel and among mankind; and You have made a name for Yourself, as at this day.

21 A nd You brought forth Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm and with great terror;

You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and with wonders, and with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with great terror;

22 A nd You gave them this land which You swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;

and gave them this land, which You swore to their forefathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey.

23 A nd they entered and took possession of it, but they obeyed not Your voice, nor walked in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do. Therefore You have caused all this evil to come upon them.

They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law; they have done nothing of all that You commanded them to do; therefore You have made all this calamity come upon them.

24 S ee the siege mounds; they have come up to the city to take it. And the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because by the sword and the famine and the pestilence. What You have spoken has come to pass, and behold, You see it.

Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it.

25 Y et, O Lord God, You said to me, Buy the field with money and get witnesses, even though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

You have said to me, O Lord God, “Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’”

26 T hen came the word of the Lord to Jeremiah, saying,

Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying,

27 B ehold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is there anything too hard for Me?

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?”

28 T herefore thus says the Lord: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

Therefore thus says the Lord, “Behold, I am about to give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he will take it.

29 A nd the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come in and set this city on fire and burn it, along with the houses on whose roofs incense has been offered to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods to provoke Me to anger.

The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will enter and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses where people have offered incense to Baal on their roofs and poured out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger.

30 F or the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done only evil before Me from their youth; for the children of Israel have only provoked Me to anger with the work of their hands, says the Lord.

Indeed the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah have been doing only evil in My sight from their youth; for the sons of Israel have been only provoking Me to anger by the work of their hands,” declares the Lord.

31 F or this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they building it even to this day that I must remove it from before My face—

“Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath from the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from before My face,

32 B ecause of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their princes, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

because of all the evil of the sons of Israel and the sons of Judah which they have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their leaders, their priests, their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

33 A nd they have turned their backs to Me and not their faces; though I taught them persistently, yet they would not listen and receive instruction.

They have turned their back to Me and not their face; though I taught them, teaching again and again, they would not listen and receive instruction.

34 B ut they set their abominations in the house which is called by My Name to defile it.

But they put their detestable things in the house which is called by My name, to defile it.

35 A nd they built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech—which I did not command them, nor did it come into My mind or heart that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

They built the high places of Baal that are in the valley of Ben-hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire to Molech, which I had not commanded them nor had it entered My mind that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

36 A nd now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and by famine and by pestilence:

“Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’

37 B ehold, I will gather them out of all countries to which I drove them in My anger and in My wrath and in great indignation; I will bring them again to this place, and I will make them dwell safely.

Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.

38 A nd they will be My people, and I will be their God.

They shall be My people, and I will be their God;

39 A nd I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever for the good of themselves and of their children after them.

and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

40 A nd I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will not turn away from following them to do them good, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will not depart from Me.

I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me.

41 Y es, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly and in truth with My whole heart and with My whole being.

I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

42 F or thus says the Lord: As I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.

For thus says the Lord, ‘ Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them.

43 A nd fields shall be bought in this land of which you say, It is desolate, without man or beast; it is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “ It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.”

44 M en shall buy fields for money and shall sign deeds, seal them, and call witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South (the Negeb), for I will cause them to be released from their exile, says the Lord.

Men will buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the Negev; for I will restore their fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”