The Bible (Old and New Testaments)

For the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel saith thus, Houses and fieldes, and vineyardes shall be possessed againe in this land.

Now when I had deliuered the booke of the possession vnto Baruch, the sonne of Neriah, I prayed vnto the Lord, saying,

Ah Lord God, beholde, thou hast made the heauen and the earth by thy great power, and by thy stretched out arme, and there is nothing hard vnto thee.

Thou shewest mercie vnto thousands, and recompensest the iniquitie of the fathers into the bosome of their children after them: O God the great and mightie, whose Name is ye Lord of hostes,

Great in counsell, and mightie in worke, (for thine eyes are open vpon all the wayes of ye sonnes of men, to giue to euery one according to his wayes, and according to the fruite of his workes)

Which hast set signes and wonders in the land of Egypt vnto this day, and in Israel, and among all men, and hast made thee a Name, as appeareth this day,

And hast brought thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signes, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, with a stretched out arme, and with great terrour,

And hast giuen them this land, which thou diddest sweare to their fathers to giue them, euen a land, that floweth with milke and hony,

And they came in, and possessed it, but they obeyed not thy voyce, neither walked in thy Law: all that thou commaundedst them to doe, they haue not done: therefore thou hast caused this whole plague to come vpon them.

Beholde, the mounts, they are come into the citie to take it, and the citie is giuen into the hande of the Caldeans, that fight against it by meanes of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence, and what thou hast spoken, is come to passe, and beholde, thou seest it.

And thou hast sayd vnto me, O Lord God, Bye vnto thee the fielde for siluer, and take witnesses: for the citie shall be giuen into the hand of the Caldeans.

Then came the worde of the Lord vnto Ieremiah, saying,

Beholde, I am the LORD GOD of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Beholde, I wil giue this citie into the hand of the Caldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchad-nezzar, King of Babel, and he shall take it.

And the Caldeans shall come and fight against this citie, and set fire on this citie and burne it, with the houses, vpon whose rouses they haue offred incense vnto Baal, and powred drinke offrings vnto other gods, to prouoke me vnto anger.

For the children of Israel, and the children of Iudah haue surely done euill before me from their youth: for the children of Israel haue surely prouoked me to anger with the workes of their hands, saith the Lord.

Therefore this citie hath bene vnto me as a prouocation of mine anger, and of my wrath, from the day, that they built it, euen vnto this day, that I should remoue it out of my sight,

Because of all the euill of the children of Israel, and of the children of Iudah, which they haue done to prouoke mee to anger, euen they, their Kings, their Princes, their Priests, and their Prophets, and the men of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem.

And they haue turned vnto me the backe and not the face: though I taught them rising vp earely, and instructing them, yet they were not obedient to receiue doctrine,

But they set their abominations in ye house (whereupon my Name was called) to defile it,

And they built the hie places of Baal, which are in the valley of Ben-hinnom, to cause their sonnes and their daughters to passe through the fire vnto Molech, which I commanded them not, neither came it into my minde, that they should doe such abomination, to cause Iudah to sinne.

And nowe therefore, thus hath the Lord God of Israel spoken, concerning this citie, whereof ye say, It shalbe deliuered into the hand of the King of Babel by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence,

Beholde, I will gather them out of all countreys, wherein I haue scattered them in mine anger, and in my wrath, and in great indignation, and I wil bring them againe vnto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely.

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

And I wil giue them one heart and one way that they may feare me for euer for ye wealth of them, and of their children after them.

And I wil make an euerlasting couenant with them, that I wil neuer turne away from them to doe them good, but I wil put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

Yea, I wil delite in them to do them good, and I wil plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with all my soule.

For thus sayth the Lord, Like as I haue brought all this great plague vpon this people, so wil I bring vpon them all the good that I haue promised them.

And the fields shalbe possessed in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast, and shalbe giuen into the hand of the Caldeans.

Men shall buy fields for siluer, and make writings and seale them, and take witnesses in the land of Beniamin, and round about Ierusalem, and in the cities of Iudah, and in the cities of the mountaines, and in the cities of the plaine, and in the cities of the South: for I wil cause their captiuitie to returne, saith the Lord.

Moreover, the worde of the Lord came vnto Ieremiah the second time (while he was yet shut vp in the court of prison) saying,

Thus sayth the Lord, the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, and established it, the Lord is his Name.

Call vnto me, and I will answere thee, and shewe thee great and mightie things, which thou knowest not.

For thus saith the Lord God of Israel, concerning the houses of this citie, and concerning the houses of the Kings of Iudah, which are destroyed by the mounts, and by the sword,

They come to fight with the Caldeans, but it is to fill themselues with the dead bodies of men, whome I haue slaine in mine anger and in my wrath: for I haue hid my face from this citie, because of all their wickednes.

Behold, I will giue it health and amendment: for I wil cure them, and will reueile vnto them the abundance of peace, and trueth.

And I wil cause the captiuitie of Iudah and the captiuitie of Israel to returne, and will build them as at the first.

And I wil clense them from all their iniquitie, whereby they haue sinned against me: yea, I wil pardon all their iniquities, whereby they haue sinned against me, and whereby they haue rebelled against me.

And it shalbe to me a name, a ioy, a praise, and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall heare all ye good that I doe vnto them: and they shall feare and tremble for all the goodnes, and for all the wealth, that I shew vnto this citie.

Thus sayth the Lord, Againe there shalbe heard in this place (which ye say shalbe desolate, without man, and without beast, euen in the cities of Iudah, and in the streetes of Ierusalem, that are desolate without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast)

The voyce of ioy and the voyce of gladnes, the voyce of the bridegrome, and the voyce of the bride, the voyce of them that shall say, Prayse the Lord of hostes, because the Lord is good: for his mercy endureth for euer, and of them that offer the sacrifice of prayse in the House of the Lord, for I will cause to returne the captiuitie of the land, as at the first, sayth the Lord.

Thus sayth the Lord of hostes, Againe in this place, which is desolate, without man, and without beast, and in all the cities thereof there shall be dwelling for shepheards to rest their flockes.

In the cities of the mountaines, in the cities in the plaine, and in the cities of the South, and in the land of Beniamin, and about Ierusalem, and in the cities of Iudah shall the sheepe passe againe, vnder the hand of him that telleth them, sayth the Lord.

Beholde, the dayes come, sayth the Lord, that I wil performe that good thing, which I haue promised vnto the house of Israel, and to the house of Iudah.

In those dayes and at that time, wil I cause the branch of righteousnesse to growe vp vnto Dauid, and he shall execute iudgement, and righteousnes in the land.

In those dayes shall Iudah be saued, and Ierusalem shall dwell safely, and hee that shall call her, is the Lord our righteousnesse.

For thus sayth the Lord, Dauid shall neuer want a man to sit vpon the throne of the house of Israel.

Neither shall the Priests and Leuites want a man before me to offer burnt offerings, and to offer meat offerings, and to doe sacrifice continually.

And the worde of the Lord came vnto Ieremiah, saying,

Thus sayth the Lord, If you can breake my couenant of the day, and my couenant of the night, that there should not be day, and night in their season,

Then may my couenant be broken with Dauid my seruant, that he should not haue a sonne to reigne vpon his throne, and with the Leuites, and Priests my ministers.

As the army of heauen can not be nombred, neither the sand of the sea measured: so wil I multiplie the seede of Dauid my seruant, and the Leuites, that minister vnto me.

Moreouer, the worde of the Lord came to Ieremiah, saying,

Considerest thou not what this people haue spoken, saying, The two families, which the Lord hath chosen, hee hath euen cast them off? thus they haue despised my people, that they should be no more a nation before them.

Thus sayth the Lord, If my couenant be not with day and night, and if I haue not appointed the order of heauen and earth,

Then will I cast away the seede of Iaakob and Dauid my seruant, and not take of his seede to be rulers ouer the seede of Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob: for I wil cause their captiuitie to returne, and haue compassion on them.

The worde which came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord (when Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel, and all his hoste, and all the kingdomes of the earth, that were vnder the power of his hand, and all people fought against Ierusalem, and against all the cites thereof) saying,

Thus sayth the Lord God of Israel, Goe, and speake to Zedekiah King of Iudah, and tell him, Thus sayth the Lord, Beholde, I will giue this citie into the hand of the King of Babel, and he shall burne it with fire,

And thou shall not escape out of his hand, but shalt surely be taken, and deliuered into his hand, and thine eyes shall beholde the face of the King of Babel, and he shall speake with thee mouth to mouth, and thou shalt go to Babel.

Yet heare the worde of the Lord, O Zedekiah, King of Iudah: thus sayth the Lord of thee, Thou shalt not dye by the sword,

But thou shalt die in peace: and according to the burning for thy fathers the former Kings which were before thee, so shall they burne odours for thee, and they shall lament thee, saying, Oh lorde: for I haue pronounced the worde, sayth the Lord.

Then Ieremiah the Prophet spake all these words vnto Zedekiah King of Iudah in Ierusalem,

(When the King of Babels hoste fought against Ierusalem, and against all the cities of Iudah, that were left, euen against Lachish, and against Azekah: for these strong cities remained of the cities of Iudah)

This is the worde that came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, after that the King Zedekiah had made a couenant with all the people, which were at Ierusalem, to proclaime libertie vnto them,

That euery man should let his seruant go free, and euery man his handmayde, which was an Ebrue or an Ebruesse, and that none should serue himselfe of them, to wit, of a Iewe his brother.

Now when all the princes, and all the people which had agreed to the couenant, heard that euery one should let his seruant go free, and euery one his handmaide, and that none should serue them selues of them any more, they obeyed and let them go.

But afterwarde they repented and caused the seruants and the handmayds, whom they had let go free, to returne, and helde them in subiection as seruants and handmayds.

Therefore the worde of the Lord came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I made a couenant with your fathers, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of seruants, saying,

At the terme of seuen yeres let ye go, euery man his brother an Ebrewe which hath bene solde vnto thee: and when he hath serued the sixe yeres, thou shalt let him go free from thee: but your fathers obeyed me not, neither inclined their eares.

And ye were nowe turned, and had done right in my sight in proclayming libertie, euery man to his neighbour, and ye had made a couenant before mee in the house, whereupon my Name is called.

But ye repented, and polluted my Name: for ye haue caused euery man his seruant, and euery man his handmayde, whom ye had set at libertie at their pleasure, to returne, and holde them in subiection to bee vnto you as seruantes and as handmaydes.

Therefore thus saith the Lord, Ye haue not obeyed mee, in proclayming freedome euery man to his brother, and euery man to his neighbour: beholde, I proclaime a libertie for you, saith the Lord, to the sworde, to the pestilence, and to the famine, and I will make you a terrour to all the kingdomes of the earth.

And I will giue those men that haue broken my couenant, and haue not kept the wordes of the couenant, which they had made before me, when they cut the calfe in twaine, and passed betweene the partes thereof:

The princes of Iudah, and the princes of Ierusalem, the Eunuches, and the Priestes, and all the people of the lande, which passed betweene the partes of the calfe,

I wil euen giue them into the hand of their enemies, and into the handes of them that seeke their life: and their dead bodies shalbe for meate vnto the foules of the heauen, and to the beastes of the earth.

And Zedekiah King of Iudah, and his princes will I giue into the hand of their enemies, and into the hande of them that seeke their life, and into the hande of the King of Babels hoste, which are gone vp from you.

Beholde, I will commande, saith the Lord, and cause them to returne to this citie, and they shall fight against it, and take it, and burne it with fire: and I will make the cities of Iudah desolate without an inhabitant.

The worde which came vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, in the dayes of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah, saying,

Go vnto the house of the Rechabites, and speake vnto them, and bring them into the house of the Lord into one of the chambers, and giue them wine to drinke.

Then tooke I Iaazaniah, the sonne of Ieremiah the sonne of Habazziniah, and his brethren, and all his sonnes, and the whole house of the Rechabites,

And I brought them into the House of the Lord, into the chamber of the sonnes of Hanan, the sonne of Igdaliah a man of God, which was by the chamber of the princes, which was aboue the chamber of Maaseiah the sonne of Shallum, the keeper of the treasure.

And I set before the sonnes of the house of the Rechabites, pots full of wine, and cuppes, and said vnto them, Drinke wine.

But they said, We will drinke no wine: for Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father commanded vs, saying, Ye shall drinke no wine, neither you nor your sonnes for euer.

Neither shall ye build house, nor sow seede, nor plant vineyarde, nor haue any, but all your dayes ye shall dwell in tentes, that ye may liue a long time in the land where ye be strangers.

Thus haue wee obeyed the voyce of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab our father, in all that he hath charged vs, and wee drinke no wine all our dayes, neither wee, our wiues, our sonnes, nor our daughters.

Neither builde wee houses for vs to dwell in, neither haue we vineyard, nor fielde, nor seede,

But we haue remained in tentes, and haue obeyed, and done according to all that Ionadab our father commanded vs.

But when Nebuchad-nezzar King of Babel came vp into the land, we said, Come, and let vs go to Ierusalem, from the hoste of the Caldeans, and from the host of Aram: so we dwel at Ierusalem.

Then came the word of the Lord vnto Ieremiah, saying,

Thus saith the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, Goe, and tell the men of Iudah, and the inhabitants of Ierusalem, Will ye not receiue doctrine to obey my wordes, saith the Lord?

The commandement of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab that hee commanded his sonnes, that they should drinke no wine, is surely kept: for vnto this day they drinke none, but obey their fathers commandement: notwithstanding I haue spoken vnto you, rising earely, and speaking, but ye would not obey me.

I haue sent also vnto you all my seruants the Prophetes, rising vp earely, and sending, them, saying, Returne nowe euery man from his euill way, and amende your workes, and goe not after other gods to serue them, and ye shall dwel in the lande which I haue giuen vnto you, and to your fathers, but ye would not encline your eare, nor obey mee.

Surely the sonnes of Ionadab the sonne of Rechab, haue kept the commandement of their father, which he gaue them, but this people hath not obeyed me.

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, Beholde, I will bring vpon Iudah, and vpon all the inhabitants of Ierusalem, all the euill that I haue pronounced against them, because I haue spoke vnto them, but they would not heare, and I haue called vnto them, but they would not answere.

And Ieremiah said to the house of the Rechabites, Thus saith the Lord of hostes the God of Israel, Because ye haue obeyed the commandement of Ionadab your father, and kept all his precepts, and done according vnto all that hee hath commanded you,

Therefore thus saith the Lord of hostes, the God of Israel, Ionadab the sonne of Rechab shall not want a man, to stand before me for euer.

And in the fourth yeere of Iehoiakim the sonne of Iosiah King of Iudah, came this word vnto Ieremiah from the Lord, saying,

Take thee a roule or booke, and write therein all the wordes that I haue spoken to thee against Israel, and against Iudah, and against all the nations, from the day that I spake vnto thee, euen from the dayes of Iosiah vnto this day.

It may bee that the House of Iudah will heare of all the euill, which I determined to doe vnto them that they may returne euery man from his euil way, that I may forgiue their iniquitie and their sinnes.