The Hebrew Prophets

Then said Ieremiah vnto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had giuen him that answere, saying,

Did not the Lord remember the incense, that yee burnt in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, both you, and your fathers, your Kinges, and your princes, and the people of the land, and hath he not considered it?

So that the Lord could no longer forbeare, because of the wickednes of your inuentions, and because of the abominations, which ye haue committed: therefore is your lande desolate and an astonishment, and a curse and without inhabitant, as appeareth this day.

Because ye haue burnt incense and because ye haue sinned against the Lord, and haue not obeyed the voyce of the Lord, nor walked in his Lawe, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies, therefore this plague is come vpon you, as appeareth this day.

Moreouer Ieremiah saide vnto all the people and to all the women, Heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that are in the land of Egypt.

Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Ye and your wiues haue both spoken with your mouthes, and fulfilled with your hande, saying, We will performe our vowes that we haue vowed to burne incense to the Queene of heauen, and to powre out drinke offerings to her: yee will perfourme your vowes and doe the things that yee haue vowed.

Therefore heare the word of the Lord, all Iudah that dwel in the land of Egypt. Beholde, I haue sworne by my great Name, sayeth the Lord, that my Name shall no more be called vpon by the mouth of any man of Iudah, in all the lande of Egypt, saying, The Lord God liueth.

Behold, I wil watch ouer them for euil and not for good, and all men of Iudah that are in the land of Egypt, shalbe consumed by the sword, and by the famine, vntill they be vtterly destroied.

Yet a small nomber that escape the sworde, shall returne out of the lande of Egypt into the lande of Iudah: and all the remnant of Iudah that are gone into the lande of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words shall stad, mine or theirs.

And this shall be a signe vnto you, saith the Lord, whe I visit you in this place, that ye may know that my words shall surely stand against you for euill.

Thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will giue Pharaoh Hophra King of Egypt into the hand of his enemies, and into the hand of them that seeke his life: as I gaue Zedekiah King of Iudah into the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel his enemie, who also sought his life.

The worde that Ieremiah the Prophet spake vnto Baruch the sonne of Neriah, when he had written these woordes in a booke at the mouth of Ieremiah, in the fourth yeere of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah, saying,

Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel vnto thee, O Baruch,

Thou diddest say, Wo is me nowe: for the Lord hath laied sorrow vnto my sorrowe: I fainted in my mourning, and I can finde no rest.

Thus shalt thou say vnto him, The Lord sayeth thus, Behold, that which I haue built, will I destroy, and that which I haue planted, will I plucke vp, euen this whole lande.

And seekest thou great things for thy self? seeke them not: for beholde, I wil bring a plague vpon al flesh, saith the Lord: but thy life wil I giue thee for a pray in all places, whither thou goest.

The wordes of the Lord, which came to Ieremiah the Prophet against the Gentiles,

As against Egypt, against ye armie of Pharaoh Necho King of Egypt, which was by the riuer Perath in Carchemish, which Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel smote in the fourth yere of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah.

Make readie buckler and shielde, and goe forth to battell.

Make readie the horses, and let the horsemen get vp, and stande vp with your sallets, fourbish the speares, and put on the brigandines.

Wherefore haue I seene them afraid, and driuen backe? for their mighty men are smitten, and are fled away, and looke not backe: for feare was rounde about, sayeth the Lord.

The swift shall not flee away, nor the strong man escape: they shall stumble, and fall towarde the North by the riuer Perath.

Who is this, that commeth vp, as a flood, whose waters are mooued like the riuers?

Egypt riseth vp like the flood, and his waters are mooued like the riuers, and he sayth, I wil goe vp, and will couer the earth: I wil destroy the citie with them that dwell therein.

Come vp, ye horses, and rage ye charets, and let the valiant men come foorth, the blacke Mores, and the Lybians that beare the shield, and the Lydians that handle and bend the bowe.