Jeremiah 17

Sin engraved on the heart

1Judah’s sin is written with an iron pen,
engraved with a hard stone point
on the tablet of their heart
and on the horns of your altars. 2Their children remember their altars and Asherah poles
beside flourishing trees
on the high hills. 3My mountain in the open country,
I will give your wealth and all your treasures as plunder,
your high places because of sin
throughout your territory. 4Through your own doing, you will let go of the inheritance I gave you. I will make you serve your enemies in a land you do not know. For you have kindled a fire in my anger; it will burn forever.

Two kinds of trust

5This is what the LORD says:
“Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings,
makes flesh an arm of strength,
and turns their heart away from the LORD. 6That person will be like a shrub in the Arabah,
never seeing good when it comes,
living in scorched wilderness places,
a salt land where no one lives. 7Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is the LORD. 8That person will be like a tree planted by water,
sending roots toward a stream.
It does not notice when heat comes;
its leaves stay green.
In a year of drought it is not anxious
and does not stop bearing fruit.” 9The heart is more deceitful than anything,
and desperately sick.
Who can understand it? 10“I, the LORD, search the heart
and test the innermost being,
to give each person according to their ways,
according to the fruit of their deeds.” 11Like a partridge that broods over eggs it did not lay
is one who gains wealth unjustly.
In the middle of life it will leave them;
in the end they will prove a fool. 12A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,
is the place of our sanctuary. 13LORD, hope of Israel,
all who abandon you will be ashamed.
“Those who turn away from me will be written in the dust,”
for they have abandoned the LORD,
the spring of living water.

The prophet’s appeal

14Heal me, LORD, and I will be healed;
save me, and I will be saved,
for you are my praise. 15They keep saying to me,
“Where is the LORD’s word?
Let it come!” 16But I have not rushed away from shepherding in your service,
nor have I longed for the dreadful day.
You know;
what left my lips was before you. 17Do not become a terror to me;
you are my refuge in the day of disaster. 18Let my persecutors be ashamed, not me.
Let them be terrified, not me.
Bring the day of disaster on them;
break them with a double breaking.

At the gates on the Sabbath

19This is what the LORD said to me: “Go and stand at the People’s Gate, through which Judah’s kings enter and leave, and at all Jerusalem’s gates.

20Say to them: Hear the LORD’s word, kings of Judah, all Judah, and all Jerusalem’s inhabitants who enter through these gates.

21This is what the LORD says: Take care for your lives. Do not carry a load on the Sabbath day or bring one through Jerusalem’s gates.

22Do not take a load out of your houses on the Sabbath day or do any work. Keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors.

23But they did not listen or incline their ears. They stiffened their necks, refusing to listen or accept correction.

24“If you truly listen to me,” declares the LORD, “bringing no load through this city’s gates on the Sabbath day and keeping the Sabbath holy by doing no work on it, 25then kings and officials sitting on David’s throne will enter this city’s gates, riding in chariots and on horses—they and their officials, the people of Judah and Jerusalem’s inhabitants. This city will be inhabited forever.

26People will come from Judah’s cities and the country around Jerusalem, from Benjamin’s territory, the Shephelah, the hill country, and the Negeb. They will bring burnt offerings, sacrifices, grain offerings, and frankincense, and bring thank offerings into the LORD’s house.

27But if you do not listen to me by keeping the Sabbath day holy and not carrying loads through Jerusalem’s gates on the Sabbath day, I will kindle a fire in her gates. It will consume Jerusalem’s palaces and will not be put out.”