The Hebrew Prophets

`And ye, hear ye a word of Jehovah, all ye of the captivity that I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon,

Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah, and concerning Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying to you in My name falsehood: Lo, I am giving them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he hath smitten them before your eyes,

And taken from them hath been a reviling by all the removed of Judah that are in Babylon, saying, Jehovah doth set thee as Zedekiah, and as Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted with fire;

Because that they have done folly in Israel, and commit adultery with the wives of their neighbours, and speak a word in My name falsely that I have not commanded them, and I am He who knoweth and a witness--an affirmation of Jehovah.

`And unto Shemaiah the Nehelamite thou dost speak, saying,

Thus said Jehovah of Hosts, God of Israel, saying, Because that thou hast sent in thy name letters unto all the people who are in Jerusalem, and unto Zephaniah son of Maaseiah the priest, and unto all the priests, saying,

Jehovah hath made thee priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, for there being inspectors of the house of Jehovah, for every one mad and making himself a prophet, and thou hast put him unto the torture and unto the stocks.

And now, why hast thou not pushed against Jeremiah of Anathoth, who is making himself a prophet to you?

Because that he hath sent unto us to Babylon, saying, It is long, build ye houses, and abide; and plant ye gardens, and eat their fruit.'

And Zephaniah the priest readeth this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.

And there is a word of Jehovah unto Jeremiah, saying,

`Send unto all the removal, saying, Thus said Jehovah concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite, Because that Shemaiah prophesied to you, and I--I have not sent him, and he doth cause you to trust on falsehood,

Therefore, thus said Jehovah, Lo, I am seeing after Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and after his seed, he hath none dwelling in the midst of this people, nor doth he look on the good that I am doing to My people--an affirmation of Jehovah--for apostasy he hath spoken against Jehovah.'

The word that hath been unto Jeremiah from Jehovah, saying,

`Thus spake Jehovah, God of Israel, saying, Write for thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee on a book.

For, lo, days are coming--an affirmation of Jehovah--and I have turned back to the captivity of My people Israel and Judah, said Jehovah, and I have caused them to turn back unto the land that I gave to their fathers, and they do possess it.'

And these are the words that Jehovah hath spoken concerning Israel and concerning Judah:

Surely thus said Jehovah: A voice of trembling we have heard, Fear--and there is no peace.

Ask, I pray you, and see, is a male bringing forth? Wherefore have I seen every man, His hands on his loins, as a travailing woman, And all faces have been turned to paleness?

Woe! for great is that day, without any like it, Yea, a time of adversity it is to Jacob, Yet out of it he is saved.

And it hath come to pass, in that day, An affirmation of Jehovah of Hosts, I break his yoke from off thy neck, And thy bands I draw away, And lay no more service on him do strangers.

And they have served Jehovah their God, And David their king whom I raise up to them.

And thou, be not afraid, My servant Jacob, An affirmation of Jehovah, Nor be affrighted, O Israel, For, lo, I am saving thee from afar, And thy seed from the land of their captivity, And Jacob hath turned back and rested, And is quiet, and there is none troubling.

For with thee am I, An affirmation of Jehovah--to save thee, For I make an end of all the nations Whither I have scattered thee, Only, of thee I do not make an end, And I have chastised thee in judgment, And do not entirely acquit thee.

For thus said Jehovah: Incurable is thy breach, grievous thy stroke,