1Jehovah said to me: 2»Listen to the terms of the covenant. Tell the people of Judah and of Jerusalem: 3»Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not obey the terms of this covenant.’ 4»It is the covenant I made with their ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt. Egypt was like an iron smelter furnace to them. I told them to obey me and to do everything that I commanded. I told them that if they obeyed, they would be my people and I would be their God. 5»Then I would keep the promise I made to their ancestors that I would give them the rich and fertile land which they now have.’» ’« I answered: « Amen Yes Jehovah.« 6Jehovah said to me: »Go to the cities of Judah and to the streets of Jerusalem. Proclaim my message there and tell the people: ‘Listen to the terms of the covenant and obey them.’ 7»I solemnly warned your fathers in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt. Even to this day I persistently warned them, saying: ‘Listen to my voice.’ 8»Yet they did not obey or incline their ear pay attention. They walked, each one, in the stubbornness of his evil heart! Therefore I brought on them all the words of the covenant I commanded them to do. But they did not do it.’« 9Jehovah said to me: »A conspiracy has been found among the men of Judah and among the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 10»They went back to the evil ways of their ancestors and refused to obey my words. They followed other gods and worshiped them. The nations of Israel and Judah have rejected the covenant that I made to their ancestors.« 11»‘Therefore Jehovah says: ‘I am going to bring a disaster on them that they cannot escape. Although they will cry out to me, I will not listen to them. 12»‘Then the cities of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem will cry to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. But these gods will never rescue them in a time of distress. 13»‘Judah, you have as many gods as you have cities. You have set up many altars in Jerusalem to sacrifice to Baal. You have as many detestable altars as there are streets in Jerusalem.’ 14»Jeremiah, do not pray for these people. Do not cry or pray for them. I will not listen when they call to me for help in times of trouble. 15»What right do these people I love have to be in my house when they do so many deceitful things? Can the meat from their sacrifices turn tragedy away from them? They exult celebrate when they do evil. 16»Jehovah called you a large olive tree that has fine-looking fruit to look at. He will set fire to you with a mighty lightning storm, and your branches will be broken. 17»Jehovah of Hosts planted you. He has pronounced disaster on you. This is because of the evil things that Israel and Judah have done. They have made him infuriated by burning incense as an offering to Baal. 18Jehovah revealed their plot to me so that I would understand. He showed me what they were doing. 19I was like an unquestioning lamb brought to the slaughter. I did not know that they were plotting against me. They were saying: »Let us destroy the tree with its fruit. Let us cut Jeremiah off from this world of the living so that we will not be reminded of him anymore.« 20O Jehovah of Hosts, you are a fair judge. You test motives and thoughts. I want to see you take revenge on them. For that reason I presented my case to you. 21This is what Jehovah says: »The people of Anathoth want to kill you. They say: Do not prophesy in the name of Jehovah, or we will kill you.« 22This is what Jehovah of Hosts says: »I am going to punish them. The young men will die by the sword because of war. Their sons and daughters will die by famine. 23»I will bring disaster on the people of Anathoth. It will be a year of punishment. There will be no survivors.«