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Judah Is like a Broken Jar
19 This is what the Lord said to me: “Go and buy a clay ·jar [jug] from a potter. 2 Take some of the elders of the people and the ·priests [L elders of the priests], and go out to the Valley of Ben Hinnom, near the front of the Potsherd Gate. There speak [proclaim] the words I tell you. 3 Say, ‘Kings of Judah and ·people [L inhabitants] of Jerusalem, listen to this ·message [L word] from the Lord. This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: I will soon bring ·a disaster [evil; trouble] on this place [C Judah and Jerusalem] that will ·amaze and frighten [L tingle the ears of] everyone who hears about it. 4 They [C the people of Judah] have ·quit following [abandoned; forsaken] me. They have made this a place for foreign gods. They have burned sacrifices to other gods that neither they, nor their ·ancestors [fathers], nor the kings of Judah had ever known before. They filled this place with the blood of innocent people. 5 They have built ·places on hilltops to worship [L high places to; C sites associated with pagan worship or inappropriate worship of God] Baal [C God of the Canaanites], where they burn their children in the fire to Baal. That is something I did not command or speak about; it never even ·entered my mind [L came up in my heart; Lev. 18:21; Deut. 12:31; 18:10]. 6 Now people call this place the Valley of Ben Hinnom [2 Kin. 23:10–11] or Topheth [C “Spit”], but the days are coming, says the Lord, when people will call it the Valley of Killing [Slaughter; 7:30–34].
7 “‘At this place I will ·ruin [make void] the plans of the people of Judah and Jerusalem. The enemy will chase them, and I will ·have them killed with swords [L make them fall by the sword before their enemies and by the hand of those who seek their life]. I will make their ·dead bodies [corpses] food for the birds of the ·sky [heavens] and ·wild animals [L beasts of the land/country]. 8 I will ·completely destroy this city [make this city a desolation]. People will ·make fun of [hiss at] it and shake their heads when they pass by. They will ·be shocked [hiss] when they see how the city was destroyed. 9 An enemy army will ·surround [besiege] the city and will not let anyone go out to get food. I will make the people so hungry that they will eat the ·bodies [flesh] of their own sons and daughters, and then they will begin to eat ·each other [their neighbors].’
10 “While the people with you are watching, break that ·jar [jug]. 11 Then say this: ‘The Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts] says: I will break this ·nation [people] and this city just as someone breaks a clay ·jar [jug] that cannot be ·put back together [mended; repaired] again. The dead people will be buried here in Topheth [C “Spit”; v. 6; 7:32], because there is no other place for them. 12 This is what I will do to these ·people [inhabitants] and to this place, says the Lord. I will make this city like Topheth. 13 The houses in Jerusalem and the king’s palaces will become as unclean [C in a ritual sense] as this place, Topheth, because the people worshiped gods on the roofs of their houses [C flat roofs were living space]. They ·worshiped the stars and burned incense to honor them [L burned incense to the whole host of heaven] and gave drink offerings to gods.’”
14 When Jeremiah left Topheth [v. 11] where the Lord had sent him to prophesy, he went to the Lord’s ·Temple [L house], stood in the courtyard, and said to all the people: 15 “This is what the Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], the God of Israel, says: ‘I will soon bring ·disaster [evil; trouble] to ·Jerusalem [L this city] and the villages around it, as I said I would. This will happen because ·the people are very stubborn [L they stiffened their necks] and do not listen at all to ·what I say [L my words].’”
Pashhur Will Be Captured
20 Pashhur son of Immer was a priest and the ·highest [chief] officer in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. When he heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, 2 he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten. And he ·locked [put] Jeremiah in stocks [C wooden restraints] at the Upper Gate of Benjamin of the Lord’s Temple. 3 The next day when Pashhur ·took [released] Jeremiah ·out of the blocks of wood [from the stocks], Jeremiah said to him, “The Lord’s name for you is not Pashhur. Now his name for you is Magor-Missabib [C “Terror on Every Side”]. 4 This is what the Lord says: ‘I will soon make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. You will watch enemies ·killing [L make fall] your friends with swords. And I will give all the people of Judah to the king of Babylon, who will ·take them away as captives [exile them] to Babylon and then will ·kill [L strike] them with swords. 5 I will give all the wealth of this city to its enemies—its goods, its valuables, and the treasures of the kings of Judah. ·The enemies will carry all those valuables off to Babylon [L …into the hands of their enemies who will plunder them, take them and bring them to Babylon]. 6 And Pashhur, you and everyone in your house will ·be taken captive [go into exile]. You will be forced to go to Babylon, where you will die and be buried, you and your friends to whom you have prophesied lies.’”
Jeremiah’s Fifth Complaint
7 Lord, you ·tricked [enticed; seduced] me, and I was ·fooled [tricked; enticed; seduced].
You ·are stronger than I am [overpowered me], so you won.
I have become a ·joke [laughing-stock];
everyone ·makes fun of [ridicules] me all day long.
8 Every time I speak, I shout.
·I am always shouting about violence and destruction [L I call out “Violence” and “Destruction”].
·I tell the people about the message I received from the Lord [L …for the word of the Lord is with me],
·but this only brings me insults
and mockery [L for reproach and derision are with me] all day long.
9 Sometimes I say to myself,
“I will ·forget about the Lord [L not remember him],
I will not speak anymore in his name.”
But then his message becomes like a burning fire ·inside me [L in my heart],
·deep within [L shut in] my bones.
I get tired of trying to hold it inside of me,
and finally, I cannot hold it in.
10 I hear many people whispering about me:
“Terror on every side!
Tell on him! Let’s tell [C the rulers] about him.”
My friends are all just waiting for me to make ·some mistake [a false step].
They are saying,
“Maybe we can ·trick [entice; seduce] him
so we can defeat him
and ·pay him back [take revenge against him].”
11 But the Lord is with me like a ·strong [or fearful] warrior,
so those who are ·chasing [persecuting] me will trip and ·fall [stumble];
they will not defeat me.
They will be ·ashamed [humiliated] because they have failed,
and their shame will never be forgotten.
12 Lord ·All-Powerful [Almighty; of Heaven’s Armies; T of hosts], you test ·good [righteous] people;
you look deeply into the ·heart [L kidneys] and ·mind [L heart] of a person.
I have ·told [committed/revealed to] you my ·arguments [case] against these people,
so let me see ·you give them the punishment they deserve [your vengeance against them].
13 Sing to the Lord!
Praise the Lord!
He ·saves [protects; rescues] the life of the ·poor [needy]
from the ·power [hand] of the wicked.
Jeremiah’s Sixth Complaint
14 ·Let there be a curse on [Cursed be] the day I was born;
let there be no blessing on the day when my mother gave birth to me.
15 ·Let there be a curse on [Cursed be] the man
who brought my father the news:
“You have a son!”
This made my father very glad.
16 Let that man be like the towns
the Lord ·destroyed [overturned] without ·pity [mercy; Gen. 18].
Let him hear loud crying in the morning
and battle cries at noon,
17 because he did not kill me ·before I was born [L in the womb; 1:5].
Then my mother would have been my grave;
she would have stayed pregnant forever.
18 Why did I have to come out of ·my mother’s body [the womb]?
All I have known is trouble and sorrow,
and my ·life [days] will end in ·shame [humiliation; Job 3].
God Rejects King Zedekiah’s Request
21 This is the word that the Lord spoke to Jeremiah. It came when Zedekiah king of Judah [C ruled 597–586 bc] sent Pashhur son of Malkijah [C not the same man as in 20:1; 38:1; 1 Chr. 9:12] and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah [29:25, 29; 37:3; 52:24; 2 Kin. 25:18] to Jeremiah. 2 They said, “·Ask [Inquire of; L Seek] the Lord for us what will happen, because Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon is ·attacking [fighting against] us. Maybe the Lord will do ·miracles [wonderful works] for us as he did in the past so ·Nebuchadnezzar will stop attacking us and leave [he will go up from us].”
3 But Jeremiah answered them, “Tell King Zedekiah this: 4 ‘Here is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: You have weapons of war in your hands to defend yourselves against the king of Babylon and the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans], who are all around the city wall. But I will ·make those weapons useless [turn them against you]. Soon I will ·bring [assemble] them [C the weapons] into the center of this city. 5 In my anger, my ·very great anger [fury and great wrath], I myself will fight against you with my ·great power [outstretched hand] and ·strength [strong arm]. 6 I will ·kill [strike] ·everything living in Jerusalem [L the inhabitants of this city]—both people and animals. They will die from ·terrible diseases [plagues; pestilence]. 7 Then, says the Lord, I’ll hand over Zedekiah king of Judah, his officers, and the people in Jerusalem who do not die from the ·terrible diseases [plagues; pestilence] or ·battle [L sword] or ·hunger [famine], ·to [L into the hands of] Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [L and into the hands of their enemies]. ·I will let those win who want to kill the people of Judah [L …and into the hands of those who seek their lives], so ·the people of Judah and Jerusalem will be killed in war [L he will strike them with the edge of the sword]. Nebuchadnezzar will not show any mercy or pity or ·feel sorry [compassion] for them!’
8 “Also tell this to this people [C of Jerusalem]: ‘This is what the Lord says: I ·will let you choose to live or die [L place before you the way of life and the way of death; Deut. 30:11–20]. 9 Anyone who ·stays [resides] in Jerusalem will die ·in war [L by sword] or from ·hunger [famine] or from a ·terrible disease [plague; pestilence]. But anyone who goes out [C of Jerusalem] and ·surrenders to [L falls before] the ·Babylonians [L Chaldeans] who are ·attacking [L besieging] you will live. Anyone who leaves the city will save his life as if it were ·a prize won [L plunder] in war. 10 I have ·decided to make trouble for [L set my face against] this city and not ·to help it [L for good], says the Lord. I will give it to the king of Babylon, and he will burn it with fire.’
11 “Say to ·Judah’s royal family [L the house of the king of Judah]: ‘Hear the word of the Lord. 12 ·Family [L House] of David, this is what the Lord says:
You must judge people ·fairly [with justice] every morning.
·Save [Protect; Rescue] the person who has been robbed
from the ·power [L hand] of his ·attacker [oppressor].
If you don’t, ·I will become very angry [L my wrath will come out like fire].
·My anger will be like a fire that no one can put out [L It will burn and no one can extinguish; 2 Kin. 25:9],
because you have done evil things.
13 “‘I am against you [C Jerusalem],
you who live ·on top of the mountain
over this valley [L in the valley, the rock of the plain], says the Lord.
You say, “·No one can attack [L Who can come down against…?] us
or come into our ·strong city [refuge].”
14 But I will give you the punishment you deserve, says the Lord.
I will ·start [kindle] a fire in your forests
that will ·burn up [L devour] everything around you!’”
4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not ·living in darkness [L in darkness], and so that day will not ·surprise you [or overtake you] like a thief. 5 [L For] You are all ·people who belong to the light [L children/sons of the light] and ·who belong to [L children/sons of] the day. We do not belong to the night or to darkness. 6 So we should not be like other people who are sleeping [C spiritually], but we should be ·alert [awake] and ·have self-control [sober]. 7 [L For] Those who sleep sleep at night. Those who get drunk get drunk at night. 8 But we belong to the day, so we should ·control ourselves [be sober]. We should ·wear faith and love to protect us [L put on the breastplate/body armor of faith and love], and the hope of salvation should be our helmet [Is. 59:17]. 9 God did not ·choose [appoint; destine] us ·to suffer his anger [L for wrath] but to ·have [receive; gain; possess] salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. 10 ·Jesus [L …who] died for us so that we can live together with him, whether we are ·alive [L awake] or ·dead [L asleep] when he comes. 11 So encourage each other and ·give each other strength [build each other up], just as you are doing now.
Final Instructions and Greetings
12 Now, brothers and sisters, we ask you to ·appreciate [acknowledge; respect] those who work hard among you, who ·lead [or care for] you in the Lord and ·teach [instruct; admonish] you. 13 ·Respect [Regard; Esteem] them ·with a very special [or very highly with your] love because of the work they do.
Live in peace with each other. 14 We ·ask [urge; exhort; encourage] you, brothers and sisters, to ·warn [admonish; rebuke] those who ·do not work [are idle; or are undisciplined]. ·Encourage [Comfort] the people who are ·afraid [apprehensive; fainthearted; discouraged]. Help those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 15 ·Be sure [See to it] that no one pays back ·wrong [evil] for ·wrong [evil], but always ·try to do [strive for; L pursue] what is good for each other and for all people.
16 Always ·be joyful [rejoice]. 17 Pray ·continually [without ceasing], 18 and give thanks ·whatever happens [in all circumstances; in everything]. That is ·what God wants [God’s will] for you in Christ Jesus.
19 Do not ·hold back the work of [stifle; quench; extinguish] the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not treat ·prophecy [L prophecies; C occurring in the church] ·as if it were unimportant [with contempt]. 21 But test everything. ·Keep [Hold on to] what is good, 22 and stay away from ·everything that is [every form/kind of] evil.
23 Now may God himself, the God of peace, ·make you holy in every way [sanctify you completely/through and through]. May your whole self—spirit, soul, and body—be kept ·faultless [blameless] when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. 24 The One who calls you is ·trustworthy [faithful], and he will ·do this [make this happen].
25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.
26 Greet all ·believers [L the brothers (and sisters)] with a holy kiss. 27 I ·tell [solemnly charge; adjure] you ·by the authority of [or before; or in] the Lord to read this letter to all the believers.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
A Cry for Justice
A psalm of Asaph [C a Levitical musician, a descendant of Gershon, at the time of David; 1 Chr. 6:39; 15:17; 2 Chr. 5:12].
82 God ·is in charge of the great meeting [L takes his place/presides in the great assembly/or the assembly of the gods/divine council; C the angels (powers and authorities; Eph. 6:12) are here called “gods”];
he judges among the “gods” [John 10:35–36].
2 He says, “How long will you ·defend evil people [or judge unfairly]?
How long will you show ·greater kindness [favor; preference] to the wicked? ·
3 ·Defend [Judge] the ·weak [or poor] and the orphans;
·defend the rights of [vindicate] the poor and ·suffering [needy].
4 ·Save [Rescue] the ·weak [or poor] and helpless;
·free [protect] them from the ·power [L hand] of the wicked.
5 “You know nothing. You don’t understand.
You walk in the dark,
while the ·world is falling apart [L foundations of the earth are tottering].
6 I said, ‘You are “gods.”
You are all sons of God Most High.’
7 But you will die like any other person;
you will fall like all the ·leaders [princes; C God will punish these evil angels].”
8 God, ·come [rise up] and judge the earth,
because you ·own [inherit] all the nations.
9 ·If you have an argument with [L Make your accusations against] your neighbor,
·don’t tell other people what was said [keep it a secret from others].
10 Whoever hears it might shame you,
and ·you might not ever be respected again [L the slander against you will never stop].
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