The temple sermon
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Stand in the gate of the LORD's house and cry out this word there. Say: Listen to the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who come in through these gates to worship the LORD. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Fix up your ways and your doings, and I'll let you stay in this place. Don’t trust lying words that say, “The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.” Because if you really do fix up your ways and your doings, if you really do justice between a man and his neighbour, If you don't push around the foreigner and the orphan and the widow, and don't spill innocent blood in this place, and don't go after other gods to your own harm — Then I'll let you stay in this place, in the land I gave your fathers, forever and ever. Look at you — trusting in lying words that are no profit. Will you steal and kill and commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense to Baal and go after other gods you don't know, And then come and stand before me in this house that's called by my name and say, We're safe — so you can go on doing all these disgusting things? Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? I have seen it myself, says the LORD. Go over now to my place at Shiloh, where I first made my name live, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because you've done all these things, declares the LORD, and I spoke to you again and again and you didn't listen, and I called you and you didn't answer — I'll do to this house that's called by my name, the one you trust in, and to the place I gave you and your fathers, what I did to Shiloh. And I'll throw you out of my sight the way I threw out all your brothers, the whole offspring of Ephraim.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: Stand in the gate of the Lord's house and call out this word there. Say: Listen to the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who come in through these gates to worship the Lord. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Fix up your ways and what you do, and I'll let you stay in this place. Don't trust in lying words that say, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord. Because if you really do fix up your ways and what you do, if you really do justice between a man and his neighbour, if you don't push around the foreigner and the orphan and the widow, and don't spill innocent blood in this place, and don't go after other gods to your own harm — then I'll let you stay in this place, in the land I gave your fathers, forever and ever. Look at you — trusting in lying words that are no use. Will you steal and kill and commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense to Baal and go after other gods you don't know, and then come and stand in front of me in this house that's called by my name and say, We're safe — so you can go on doing all these disgusting things? Has this house that's called by my name turned into a den of robbers in your eyes? Look — I've seen it myself, declares the Lord. Go over now to my place at Shiloh, where I first made my name live, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because you've done all these things, declares the Lord, and I spoke to you again and again and you didn't listen, and I called you and you didn't answer — I'll do to this house that's called by my name, the one you trust in, and to the place I gave you and your fathers, what I did to Shiloh. And I'll throw you out of my sight the way I threw out all your brothers, the whole offspring of Ephraim.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not; Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
Stand in the gate of the LORD's house and cry out this word there. Say: Listen to the word of the LORD, all you of Judah who come in through these gates to worship the LORD.
Stand in the gate of the Lord's house and call out this word there. Say: Listen to the word of the Lord, all you of Judah who come in through these gates to worship the Lord.
Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Fix up your ways and your doings, and I'll let you stay in this place.
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Fix up your ways and what you do, and I'll let you stay in this place.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place.
Don’t trust lying words that say, “The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.”
Don't trust in lying words that say, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord.
Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these.
Because if you really do fix up your ways and your doings, if you really do justice between a man and his neighbour,
Because if you really do fix up your ways and what you do, if you really do justice between a man and his neighbour,
For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour;
If you don't push around the foreigner and the orphan and the widow, and don't spill innocent blood in this place, and don't go after other gods to your own harm —
if you don't push around the foreigner and the orphan and the widow, and don't spill innocent blood in this place, and don't go after other gods to your own harm —
If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt:
Then I'll let you stay in this place, in the land I gave your fathers, forever and ever.
then I'll let you stay in this place, in the land I gave your fathers, forever and ever.
Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.
Look at you — trusting in lying words that are no profit.
Look at you — trusting in lying words that are no use.
Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit.
Will you steal and kill and commit adultery and swear falsely and burn incense to Baal and go after other gods you don't know,
Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not;
And then come and stand before me in this house that's called by my name and say, We're safe — so you can go on doing all these disgusting things?
and then come and stand in front of me in this house that's called by my name and say, We're safe — so you can go on doing all these disgusting things?
And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations?
Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? I have seen it myself, says the LORD.
Has this house that's called by my name turned into a den of robbers in your eyes? Look — I've seen it myself, declares the Lord.
Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.
Go over now to my place at Shiloh, where I first made my name live, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel.
But go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel.
And now, because you've done all these things, declares the LORD, and I spoke to you again and again and you didn't listen, and I called you and you didn't answer —
And now, because you've done all these things, declares the Lord, and I spoke to you again and again and you didn't listen, and I called you and you didn't answer —
And now, because ye have done all these works, saith the LORD, and I spake unto you, rising up early and speaking, but ye heard not; and I called you, but ye answered not;
I'll do to this house that's called by my name, the one you trust in, and to the place I gave you and your fathers, what I did to Shiloh.
Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh.
And I'll throw you out of my sight the way I threw out all your brothers, the whole offspring of Ephraim.
And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.
Don't pray for this people
So don't pray for this people. Don't lift up a cry or a prayer for them and don't push me over it, because I won't listen to you. Can't you see what they're doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood and the fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to other gods, so they can make me angry. Is it me they're making angry? declares the LORD. Isn't it themselves, to their own shame? So this is what the LORD GOD says: Look: my anger and my fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast and on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground. It'll burn and it won't be put out. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Pile your burnt offerings onto your sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves. Because I didn't speak to your fathers or order them about burnt offerings and sacrifices on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt. This is what I ordered them: Listen to my voice, and I'll be your God and you'll be my people. Walk in the whole way I order you, so it goes well for you. But they didn't listen and didn't turn their ear. They walked in their own plans, in the stubbornness of their wicked heart, and went backwards instead of forwards. From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until today, I've sent you all my servants the prophets, sending them day after day. But they didn't listen to me and didn't turn their ear. They stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. So you'll say all these words to them and they won't listen to you. You'll call them and they won't answer you. So tell them: This is the nation that won't listen to the voice of the LORD their God or take correction. Truth is gone, cut off from their mouth.
So don't pray for this people. Don't lift up a cry or a prayer for them and don't push me over it, because I won't listen to you. Can't you see what they're doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood and the fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven and pour out drink offerings to other gods, so they can make me angry. Is it me they're making angry? declares the Lord. Isn't it themselves, to their own shame? So this is what the Lord God says: Look — my anger and my fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast and on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground. It'll burn and it won't be put out. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Pile your burnt offerings onto your sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves. Because I didn't speak to your fathers or order them about burnt offerings and sacrifices on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt. This is what I ordered them: Listen to my voice, and I'll be your God and you'll be my people. Walk in the whole way I order you, so it goes well for you. But they didn't listen and didn't turn their ear. They walked in their own plans, in the stubbornness of their wicked heart, and went backwards instead of forwards. From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until today, I've sent you all my servants the prophets, sending them day after day. But they didn't listen to me and didn't turn their ear. They stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers. So you'll say all these words to them and they won't listen to you. You'll call them and they won't answer you. So tell them: This is the nation that won't listen to the voice of the Lord their God or take correction. Truth is gone, cut off from their mouth.
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee. But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
So don't pray for this people. Don't lift up a cry or a prayer for them and don't push me over it, because I won't listen to you.
Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
Can't you see what they're doing in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
Can't you see what they're doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?
The children gather wood and the fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven and pour out drink offerings to other gods, so they can make me angry.
The children gather wood and the fathers light the fire and the women knead the dough, to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven and pour out drink offerings to other gods, so they can make me angry.
The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Is it me they're making angry? declares the LORD. Isn't it themselves, to their own shame?
Is it me they're making angry? declares the Lord. Isn't it themselves, to their own shame?
Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces?
So this is what the LORD GOD says: Look: my anger and my fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast and on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground. It'll burn and it won't be put out.
So this is what the Lord God says: Look — my anger and my fury will be poured out on this place, on man and beast and on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground. It'll burn and it won't be put out.
Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.
This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Pile your burnt offerings onto your sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves.
This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Pile your burnt offerings onto your sacrifices and eat the meat yourselves.
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh.
Because I didn't speak to your fathers or order them about burnt offerings and sacrifices on the day I brought them out of the land of Egypt.
For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices:
This is what I ordered them: Listen to my voice, and I'll be your God and you'll be my people. Walk in the whole way I order you, so it goes well for you.
But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.
But they didn't listen and didn't turn their ear. They walked in their own plans, in the stubbornness of their wicked heart, and went backwards instead of forwards.
But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.
From the day your fathers came out of the land of Egypt until today, I've sent you all my servants the prophets, sending them day after day.
Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:
But they didn't listen to me and didn't turn their ear. They stiffened their neck. They did worse than their fathers.
Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.
So you'll say all these words to them and they won't listen to you. You'll call them and they won't answer you.
Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.
So tell them: This is the nation that won't listen to the voice of the LORD their God or take correction. Truth is gone, cut off from their mouth.
So tell them: This is the nation that won't listen to the voice of the Lord their God or take correction. Truth is gone, cut off from their mouth.
But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
The Valley of Slaughter
Cut off your hair and throw it away, and take up a lament on the bare heights. Because the LORD has rejected and left the generation he was angry with. Because the people of Judah have done what's wrong in my eyes, declares the LORD. They've set their disgusting things up in the house that's called by my name, to make it filthy. And they've built the worship shrines of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire — which I never ordered and which never came into my mind. So look: the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it won't be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom any more, but the Valley of Slaughter. Because they'll bury in Topheth till there's no room left. And the bodies of this people will be food for the birds of heaven and the animals of the earth, with nobody to scare them off. And I'll put a stop in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem to the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. Because the land will be a desolation.
Cut off your hair and throw it away, and take up a lament on the bare heights. Because the Lord has knocked back and left the generation he was angry with. Because the people of Judah have done what's wrong in my eyes, declares the Lord. They've set their disgusting things up in the house that's called by my name, to make it filthy. And they've built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire — which I never ordered and which never came into my mind. So look — the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it won't be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom any more, but the Valley of Slaughter. Because they'll bury in Topheth till there's no room left. And the bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and the animals of the earth, with nobody to scare them off. And I'll put a stop in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem to the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. Because the land will be a wreck.
Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it. And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart. Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place. And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away. Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.
Cut off your hair and throw it away, and take up a lament on the bare heights. Because the LORD has rejected and left the generation he was angry with.
Cut off your hair and throw it away, and take up a lament on the bare heights. Because the Lord has knocked back and left the generation he was angry with.
Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the LORD hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.
Because the people of Judah have done what's wrong in my eyes, declares the LORD. They've set their disgusting things up in the house that's called by my name, to make it filthy.
Because the people of Judah have done what's wrong in my eyes, declares the Lord. They've set their disgusting things up in the house that's called by my name, to make it filthy.
For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have set their abominations in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.
And they've built the worship shrines of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire — which I never ordered and which never came into my mind.
And they've built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom, to burn their sons and daughters in the fire — which I never ordered and which never came into my mind.
And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.
So look: the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it won't be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom any more, but the Valley of Slaughter. Because they'll bury in Topheth till there's no room left.
So look — the days are coming, declares the Lord, when it won't be called Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom any more, but the Valley of Slaughter. Because they'll bury in Topheth till there's no room left.
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be called Tophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet, till there be no place.
And the bodies of this people will be food for the birds of heaven and the animals of the earth, with nobody to scare them off.
And the bodies of this people will be food for the birds of the sky and the animals of the earth, with nobody to scare them off.
And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth; and none shall fray them away.
And I'll put a stop in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem to the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the groom and the voice of the bride. Because the land will be a desolation.
And I'll put a stop in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem to the sound of joy and gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. Because the land will be a wreck.
Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride: for the land shall be desolate.