Jeremiah Warns Zedekiah

¹Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon made Zedekiah son of Josiah the king of Judah, and he reigned in place of Coniahson of Jehoiakim.

²But he and his officers and the people of the land refused to obey the words that the LORD had spoken through Jeremiah the prophet.

³Yet King Zedekiah sent Jehucalson of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah, to Jeremiah the prophet with the message, “Please pray to the LORD our God for us!”

⁴Now Jeremiah was free to come and go among the people, for they had not yet put him in prison.

⁵Pharaoh’s army had left Egypt, and when the Chaldeanswho were besieging Jerusalem heard the report, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

⁶Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet:

⁷“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says that you are to tell the king of Judah, who sent you to Me: Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which has marched out to help you, will go back to its own land of Egypt.

⁸Then the Chaldeans will return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it down.

⁹This is what the LORD says: Do not deceive yourselves by saying, ‘The Chaldeans will go away for good,’ for they will not!

¹⁰Indeed, if you were to strike down the entire army of the Chaldeans that is fighting against you, and only wounded men remained in their tents, they would still get up and burn this city down.”

Jeremiah Imprisoned

¹¹When the Chaldean army withdrew from Jerusalem for fear of Pharaoh’s army,

¹²Jeremiah started to leave Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to claim his portion thereamong the people.

¹³But when he reached the Gate of Benjamin, the captain of the guard, whose name was Irijah son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah, seized him and said, “You are deserting to the Chaldeans!”

¹⁴“That is a lie,” Jeremiah replied. “I am not deserting to the Chaldeans!”But Irijah would not listen to him; instead, he arrested Jeremiah and took him to the officials.

¹⁵The officials were angry with Jeremiah, and they beat him and placed him in jail in the house of Jonathan the scribe, for it had been made into a prison.

¹⁶So Jeremiah went into a cell in the dungeon and remained there a long time.

¹⁷Later, King Zedekiah sent for Jeremiah and received him in his palace, where he asked him privately, “Is there a word from the LORD?”“There is,” Jeremiah replied. “You will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon.”

¹⁸Then Jeremiah asked King Zedekiah, “How have I sinned against you or your servants or these people, that you have put me in prison?

¹⁹Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, claiming, ‘The king of Babylon will not come against you or this land’?

²⁰But now please listen, O my lord the king. May my petition come before you. Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe, or I will die there.”

²¹So King Zedekiah gave orders for Jeremiah to be placed in the courtyard of the guard and given a loaf of bread daily from the street of the bakers, until all the bread in the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the courtyard of the guard.

The Ten Curtains for the Tabernacle

¹“You are to construct the tabernacle itself with ten curtains of finely spun linen, each with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and cherubim skillfully worked into them.

²Each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide—all curtains the same size.

³Five of the curtains are to be joined together, and the other five joined as well.

⁴Make loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and do the same for the end curtain in the second set.

⁵Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops line up opposite one another.

⁶Make fifty gold clasps as well, and join the curtains together with the clasps, so that the tabernacle will be a unit.

The Eleven Curtains of Goat Hair

⁷You are to make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.

⁸Each of the eleven curtains is to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

⁹Join five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another. Then fold the sixth curtain over double at the front of the tent.

¹⁰Make fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

¹¹Make fifty bronze clasps and put them through the loops to join the tent together as a unit.

¹²As for the overlap that remains of the tent curtains, the half curtain that is left over shall hang down over the back of the tabernacle.

¹³And the tent curtains will be a cubitlonger on either side, and the excess will hang over the sides of the tabernacle to cover it.

¹⁴Also make a covering for the tent out of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

The Frames and Bases

¹⁵You are to construct upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

¹⁶Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

¹⁷Two tenonsmust be connected to each other for each frame. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

¹⁸Construct twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

¹⁹with forty silver bases under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

²⁰For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, make twenty frames

²¹and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

²²Make six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

²³and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

²⁴coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. These will serve as the two corners.

²⁵So there are to be eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

²⁶You are also to make five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

²⁷five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

²⁸The central crossbar in the middle of the frames shall extend from one end to the other.

²⁹Overlay the frames with gold and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Also overlay the crossbars with gold.

³⁰So you are to set up the tabernacle according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.

The Veil

³¹Make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

³²Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood, overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.

³³And hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimonybehind the veil. So the veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

³⁴Put the mercy seat on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.

³⁵And place the table outside the veil on the north side of the tabernacle, and put the lampstand opposite the table, on the south side.

The Curtain for the Entrance

³⁶For the entrance to the tent, you are to make a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen.

³⁷Make five posts of acacia wood for the curtain, overlay them with gold hooks, and cast five bronze bases for them.

The People Bring More than Enough

¹“So Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person are to carry out everything commanded by the LORD, who has given them skill and ability to know how to perform all the work of constructing the sanctuary.”

²Then Moses summoned Bezalel, Oholiab, and every skilled person whom the LORD had gifted—everyone whose heart stirred him to come and do the work.

³They received from Moses all the contributions that the Israelites had brought to carry out the service of constructing the sanctuary.Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning,

⁴so that all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work

⁵and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD has commanded us to do.”

⁶After Moses had given an order, they sent a proclamation throughout the camp: “No man or woman should make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing more,

⁷since what they already had was more than enough to perform all the work.

The Ten Curtains for the Tabernacle

⁸All the skilled craftsmen among the workmen made the ten curtains for the tabernacle. They were made of finely spun linen, as well as blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, with cherubim skillfully worked into them.

⁹Each curtain was twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide;all the curtains were the same size.

¹⁰And he joined five of the curtains together, and the other five he joined as well.

¹¹He made loops of blue material on the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and also on the end curtain in the second set.

¹²He made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the second set, so that the loops lined up opposite one another.

¹³He also made fifty gold clasps to join the curtains together, so that the tabernacle was a unit.

The Eleven Curtains of Goat Hair

¹⁴He then made curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven curtains in all.

¹⁵Each of the eleven curtains was the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.

¹⁶He joined five of the curtains into one set and the other six into another.

¹⁷He made fifty loops along the edge of the end curtain in the first set, and fifty loops along the edge of the corresponding curtain in the second set.

¹⁸He also made fifty bronze clasps to join the tent together as a unit.

¹⁹Additionally, he made for the tent a covering of ram skins dyed red, and over that a covering of fine leather.

The Frames and Bases

²⁰Next, he constructed upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle.

²¹Each frame was ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.

²²Two tenonswere connected to each other for each frame. He made all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.

²³He constructed twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacle,

²⁴with forty silver bases to put under the twenty frames—two bases for each frame, one under each tenon.

²⁵For the second side of the tabernacle, the north side, he made twenty frames

²⁶and forty silver bases—two bases under each frame.

²⁷He made six frames for the rear of the tabernacle, the west side,

²⁸and two frames for the two back corners of the tabernacle,

²⁹coupled together from bottom to top and fitted into a single ring. He made both corners in this way.

³⁰So there were eight frames and sixteen silver bases—two under each frame.

³¹He also made five crossbars of acacia wood for the frames on one side of the tabernacle,

³²five for those on the other side, and five for those on the rear side of the tabernacle, to the west.

³³He made the central crossbar to run through the center of the frames, from one end to the other.

³⁴And he overlaid the frames with gold and made gold rings to hold the crossbars. He also overlaid the crossbars with gold.

The Veil

³⁵Next, he made the veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it.

³⁶He also made four posts of acacia wood for it and overlaid them with gold, along with gold hooks; and he cast four silver bases for the posts.

The Curtain for the Entrance

³⁷For the entrance to the tent, he made a curtain embroidered with blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen,

³⁸together with five posts and their hooks.He overlaid the tops of the posts and their bands with gold, and their five bases were bronze.

Your Word Is a Lamp to My Feet

¹Blessedare those whose way is blameless,who walk in the Law of the LORD.

²Blessed are those who keep His testimoniesand seek Him with all their heart.

³They do no iniquity;they walk in His ways.

⁴You have ordained Your precepts,that we should keep them diligently.

⁵Oh, that my ways were committedto keeping Your statutes!

⁶Then I would not be ashamedwhen I consider all Your commandments.

⁷I will praise You with an upright heartwhen I learn Your righteous judgments.

⁸I will keep Your statutes;do not utterly forsake me.

⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?By guarding it according to Your word.

¹⁰With all my heart I have sought You;do not let me stray from Your commandments.

¹¹I have hidden Your word in my heartthat I might not sin against You.

¹²Blessed are You, O LORD;teach me Your statutes.

¹³With my lips I proclaimall the judgments of Your mouth.

¹⁴I rejoice in the way of Your testimoniesas much as in all riches.

¹⁵I will meditate on Your preceptsand regard Your ways.

¹⁶I will delight in Your statutes;I will not forget Your word.

¹⁷Deal bountifully with Your servant,that I may live and keep Your word.

¹⁸Open my eyes that I may seewondrous things from Your law.

¹⁹I am a stranger on the earth;do not hide Your commandments from me.

²⁰My soul is consumed with longingfor Your judgments at all times.

²¹You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments.

²²Remove my scorn and contempt,for I have kept Your testimonies.

²³Though rulers sit and slander me,Your servant meditates on Your statutes.

²⁴Your testimonies are indeed my delight;they are my counselors.

²⁵My soul cleaves to the dust;revive me according to Your word.

²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me;teach me Your statutes.

²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts;then I will meditate on Your wonders.

²⁸My soul melts with sorrow;strengthen me according to Your word.

²⁹Remove me from the path of deceitand graciously grant me Your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of truth;I have set Your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to Your testimonies, O LORD;let me not be put to shame.

³²I run in the path of Your commandments,for You will enlarge my heart.

³³Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,and I will keep them to the end.

³⁴Give me understanding that I may obey Your law,and follow it with all my heart.

³⁵Direct me in the path of Your commandments,for there I find delight.

³⁶Turn my heart to Your testimoniesand not to covetous gain.

³⁷Turn my eyes away from worthless things;revive me with Your word.

³⁸Establish Your word to Your servant,to produce reverence for You.

³⁹Turn away the disgrace I dread,for Your judgments are good.

⁴⁰How I long for Your precepts!Revive me in Your righteousness.

⁴¹May Your loving devotion come to me, O LORD,Your salvation, according to Your promise.

⁴²Then I can answer him who taunts,for I trust in Your word.

⁴³Never take Your word of truth from my mouth,for I hope in Your judgments.

⁴⁴I will always obey Your law,forever and ever.

⁴⁵And I will walk in freedom,for I have sought Your precepts.

⁴⁶I will speak of Your testimonies before kings,and I will not be ashamed.

⁴⁷I delight in Your commandmentsbecause I love them.

⁴⁸I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love,and I meditate on Your statutes.

⁴⁹Remember Your word to Your servant,upon which You have given me hope.

⁵⁰This is my comfort in affliction,that Your promise has given me life.

⁵¹The arrogant utterly deride me,but I do not turn from Your law.

⁵²I remember Your judgments of old, O LORD,and in them I find comfort.

⁵³Rage has taken hold of mebecause of the wicked who reject Your law.

⁵⁴Your statutes are songs to mein the house of my pilgrimage.

⁵⁵In the night, O LORD, I remember Your name,that I may keep Your law.

⁵⁶This is my practice,for I obey Your precepts.

⁵⁷The LORD is my portion;I have promised to keep Your words.

⁵⁸I have sought Your face with all my heart;be gracious to me according to Your promise.

⁵⁹I considered my waysand turned my steps to Your testimonies.

⁶⁰I hurried without hesitatingto keep Your commandments.

⁶¹Though the ropes of the wicked bind me,I do not forget Your law.

⁶²At midnight I rise to give You thanksfor Your righteous judgments.

⁶³I am a friend to all who fear You,and to those who keep Your precepts.

⁶⁴The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O LORD;teach me Your statutes.

⁶⁵You are good to Your servant, O LORD,according to Your word.

⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge,for I believe in Your commandments.

⁶⁷Before I was afflicted, I went astray;but now I keep Your word.

⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good;teach me Your statutes.

⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,I keep Your precepts with all my heart.

⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and insensitive,but I delight in Your law.

⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted,that I might learn Your statutes.

⁷²The law from Your mouth is more precious to methan thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

⁷³Your hands have made me and fashioned me;give me understanding to learn Your commandments.

⁷⁴May those who fear You see me and rejoice,for I have hoped in Your word.

⁷⁵I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

⁷⁶May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray,according to Your promise to Your servant.

⁷⁷May Your compassion come to me, that I may live,for Your law is my delight.

⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie;I will meditate on Your precepts.

⁷⁹May those who fear You turn to me,those who know Your testimonies.

⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in Your statutes,that I may not be put to shame.

⁸¹My soul faints for Your salvation;I wait for Your word.

⁸²My eyes fail, looking for Your promise;I ask, “When will You comfort me?”

⁸³Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke,I do not forget Your statutes.

⁸⁴How many days must Your servant wait?When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?

⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for mein violation of Your law.

⁸⁶All Your commandments are faithful;I am persecuted without cause—help me!

⁸⁷They almost wiped me from the earth,but I have not forsaken Your precepts.

⁸⁸Revive me according to Your loving devotion,that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth.

⁸⁹Your word, O LORD, is everlasting;it is firmly fixed in the heavens.

⁹⁰Your faithfulness continues through all generations;You established the earth, and it endures.

⁹¹Your ordinances stand to this day,for all things are servants to You.

⁹²If Your law had not been my delight,then I would have perished in my affliction.

⁹³I will never forget Your precepts,for by them You have revived me.

⁹⁴I am Yours; save me,for I have sought Your precepts.

⁹⁵The wicked wait to destroy me,but I will ponder Your testimonies.

⁹⁶I have seen a limit to all perfection,but Your commandment is without limit.

⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law!All day long it is my meditation.

⁹⁸Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,for they are always with me.

⁹⁹I have more insight than all my teachers,for Your testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰I discern more than the elders,for I obey Your precepts.

¹⁰¹I have kept my feet from every evil path,that I may keep Your word.

¹⁰²I have not departed from Your ordinances,for You Yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth!

¹⁰⁴I gain understanding from Your precepts;therefore I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp to my feetand a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶I have sworn and confirmedthat I will keep Your righteous judgments.

¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted, O LORD;revive me through Your word.

¹⁰⁸Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,and teach me Your judgments.

¹⁰⁹I constantly take my life in my hands,yet I do not forget Your law.

¹¹⁰The wicked have set a snare for me,but I have not strayed from Your precepts.

¹¹¹Your testimonies are my heritage forever,for they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹²I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes,even to the very end.

¹¹³The double-minded I despise,but Your law I love.

¹¹⁴You are my hiding place and my shield;I put my hope in Your word.

¹¹⁵Depart from me, you evildoers,that I may obey the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶Sustain me as You promised, that I may live;let me not be ashamed of my hope.

¹¹⁷Uphold me, and I will be saved,that I may always regard Your statutes.

¹¹⁸You reject all who stray from Your statutes,for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹All the wicked on earth You discard like dross;therefore I love Your testimonies.

¹²⁰My flesh trembles in awe of You;I stand in fear of Your judgments.

¹²¹I have done what is just and right;do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²²Ensure Your servant’s well-being;do not let the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation,and for Your righteous promise.

¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion,and teach me Your statutes.

¹²⁵I am Your servant; give me understanding,that I may know Your testimonies.

¹²⁶It is time for the LORD to act,for they have broken Your law.

¹²⁷Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold,even the purest gold.

¹²⁸Therefore I admire all Your preceptsand hate every false way.

¹²⁹Wonderful are Your testimonies;therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰The unfolding of Your words gives light;it informs the simple.

¹³¹I open my mouth and pant,longing for Your commandments.

¹³²Turn to me and show me mercy,as You do to those who love Your name.

¹³³Order my steps in Your word;let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴Redeem me from the oppression of man,that I may keep Your precepts.

¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant,and teach me Your statutes.

¹³⁶My eyes shed streams of tearsbecause Your law is not obeyed.

¹³⁷Righteous are You, O LORD,and upright are Your judgments.

¹³⁸The testimonies You have laid down are righteousand altogether faithful.

¹³⁹My zeal has consumed mebecause my foes forget Your words.

¹⁴⁰Your promise is completely pure;therefore Your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹I am lowly and despised,but I do not forget Your precepts.

¹⁴²Your righteousness is everlastingand Your law is true.

¹⁴³Trouble and distress have found me,but Your commandments are my delight.

¹⁴⁴Your testimonies are righteous forever.Give me understanding, that I may live.

¹⁴⁵I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD!I will obey Your statutes.

¹⁴⁶I call to You; save me,that I may keep Your testimonies.

¹⁴⁷I rise before dawn and cry for help;in Your word I have put my hope.

¹⁴⁸My eyes anticipate the watches of night,that I may meditate on Your word.

¹⁴⁹Hear my voice, O LORD, according to Your loving devotion;give me life according to Your justice.

¹⁵⁰Those who follow after wickedness draw near;they are far from Your law.

¹⁵¹You are near, O LORD,and all Your commandments are true.

¹⁵²Long ago I learned from Your testimoniesthat You have established them forever.

¹⁵³Look upon my affliction and rescue me,for I have not forgotten Your law.

¹⁵⁴Defend my cause and redeem me;revive me according to Your word.

¹⁵⁵Salvation is far from the wickedbecause they do not seek Your statutes.

¹⁵⁶Great are Your mercies, O LORD;revive me according to Your ordinances.

¹⁵⁷Though my persecutors and foes are many,I have not turned from Your testimonies.

¹⁵⁸I look on the faithless with loathingbecause they do not keep Your word.

¹⁵⁹Consider how I love Your precepts, O LORD;give me life according to Your loving devotion.

¹⁶⁰The entirety of Your word is truth,and all Your righteous judgments endure forever.

¹⁶¹Rulers persecute me without cause,but my heart fears only Your word.

¹⁶²I rejoice in Your promiselike one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³I hate and abhor falsehood,but Your law I love.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise Youfor Your righteous judgments.

¹⁶⁵Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law;nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶I wait for Your salvation, O LORD,and I carry out Your commandments.

¹⁶⁷I obey Your testimoniesand love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸I obey Your precepts and Your testimonies,for all my ways are before You.

¹⁶⁹May my cry come before You, O LORD;give me understanding according to Your word.

¹⁷⁰May my plea come before You;rescue me according to Your promise.

¹⁷¹My lips pour forth praise,for You teach me Your statutes.

¹⁷²My tongue sings of Your word,for all Your commandments are righteous.

¹⁷³May Your hand be ready to help me,for I have chosen Your precepts.

¹⁷⁴I long for Your salvation, O LORD,and Your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵Let me live to praise You;may Your judgments sustain me.

¹⁷⁶I have strayed like a lost sheep;seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments.