Study Desk

The Lord told me to say to the people of Judah: I am the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, but I won't accept sacrifices from you. So don't even bother bringing them to me. You might as well just cook the meat for yourselves.

Instead, I told them, "If you listen to me and do what I tell you, I will be your God, you will be my people, and all will go well for you."

Ever since your ancestors left Egypt, I have been sending my servants the prophets to speak for me.

Storks, doves, swallows, and thrushes all know when it's time to fly away for the winter and when to come back. But you, my people, don't know what I demand.

All they ever offer to my deeply wounded people are empty hopes for peace.

The people of Judah say to each other, "What are we waiting for? Let's run to a town with walls and die there. We rebelled against the Lord , and we were sentenced to die by drinking poison.

We had hoped for peace and a time of healing, but all we got was terror.

I wish that my eyes were fountains of tears, so I could cry day and night for my people who were killed.

They wear themselves out, always looking for a new way to cheat their friends.

I weep for the pastureland in the hill country. It's so barren and scorched that no one travels there. No cattle can be found there, and birds and wild animals have all disappeared.

The Lord All-Powerful said, "Send for the women who are paid to weep at funerals, especially the women who can cry the loudest."

The people answered, "Let them come quickly and cry for us, until our own eyes are flooded with tears.

You, Lord , are the only true and living God. You will rule for all time. When you are angry the earth shakes, and nations are destroyed.

Then they will offer sacrifices to their other gods and ask them for help. After all, the people of Judah have more gods than towns, and more altars for Baal than there are streets in Jerusalem. But those gods won't be able to rescue the people of Judah from disaster.

Jeremiah, don't pray for these people or beg me to rescue them. If you do, I won't listen, and I certainly won't listen if they pray!

Then the Lord said: Jeremiah, some men from Anathoth say they will kill you, if you keep on speaking for me.

Whenever I complain to you, Lord , you are always fair. But now I have questions about your justice. Why is life easy for sinners? Why are they successful?

My people, you planted wheat, but because I was furious, I let only weeds grow. You wore yourselves out for nothing!

The Lord told me, "Go and buy a pair of linen shorts. Wear them for a while, but don't wash them."

The people of Judah are evil and stubborn. So instead of listening to me, they do whatever they want and even worship other gods. When I am finished with these people, they will be good for nothing, just like this pair of shorts.