Study Desk

Family of David, this is what the Lord says: "‘You must judge people fairly every day. Protect the victims from the criminals. If you don't do that, I will become very angry. My anger will be like a fire that no one will be able to put out. This will happen because you have done evil things.'

This will be the answer to that question: ‘God destroyed Jerusalem because the people of Judah stopped following the agreement of the Lord their God. They worshiped and served other gods.'"

Don't cry for the king who has died. Don't cry for him. But cry very hard for the king who must leave this place. Cry for him because he will never return or see his homeland again.

"Judah, go up to the mountains of Lebanon and cry out. Let your voice be heard in the mountains of Bashan. Cry out in the mountains of Abarim, because all your ‘lovers' will be destroyed.

The Lord says, "Write this down about Jehoiachin: ‘He does not have children anymore! Jehoiachin will not be successful because none of his children will sit on the throne of David. None of his children will rule in Judah.'"

A message to the prophets: I am very sad—my heart is broken. All my bones are shaking. Because of the Lord and his holy words, I am like a man who is drunk.

So this is what the Lord All-Powerful says about those Jerusalem prophets: "I will make them suffer. Their food will be bitter, their water like poison. I will punish them because they started a spiritual sickness that spread through the whole country."

Someone might try to hide from me in some hiding place. But it is easy for me to see that person, says the Lord , because I am everywhere in heaven and earth." This message is from the Lord :

"A prophet, or a priest, or maybe one of the people might say, ‘This is an announcement from the Lord ….' Because of that lie, I will punish that person and their whole family.

But you will never again use the expression, ‘The announcement of the Lord .' That is because his message should not be a heavy load for anyone. But you changed the words of our God. He is the living God, the Lord All-Powerful!

I will make them want to know me. They will know that I am the Lord . They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will do this because the prisoners in Babylon will turn to me with their whole hearts."

They will drink this wine. Then they will vomit and act like crazy people. They will do this because of the war that I will soon bring against them."

"Jeremiah, say to those nations, this is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of the people of Israel, says: ‘Drink this cup of my anger. Get drunk from it and vomit. Fall down and don't get up. Don't get up because I am bringing wars against you.'

I hear the shepherds shouting. I hear the leaders of the sheep crying, because the Lord is destroying their pastures.

Those peaceful pastures will be ruined because of the Lord 's anger.

He is like an angry lion that has left his cave. And because of his terrible anger and by the attacks of the enemy army, their land will become an empty desert.

Maybe they will listen and obey my message. Maybe they will stop living such evil lives. If they change, I will change my mind about my plans to punish them. I am planning this punishment because of the many evil things they have done.

But the false prophets are saying, ‘You will never be slaves to the king of Babylon.' "Don't listen to those prophets, because they are telling you lies.

Then I told the priests and all the people that this is what the Lord says: "Those false prophets are saying, ‘The Babylonians took many things from the Lord 's Temple. These things will be brought back soon.' Don't listen to them because they are telling you lies.

So this is what the Lord says: ‘Soon I will take you from this world, Hananiah. You will die this year, because you taught the people to turn against the Lord .'"