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1. The LORD said to Jeremiah:
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1. The word H1697 which H834 came H1961 to H413 Jeremiah H3414 from H4480 H854 the LORD H3068 , saying H559 ,
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2. "Go down at once to the potter's house. I will speak to you further there."
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2. Arise H6965 , and go down H3381 to the potter H3335 's house H1004 , and there H8033 I will cause thee to hear H8085 H853 my words H1697 .
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3. So I went down to the potter's house and found him working at his wheel.
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3. Then I went down H3381 to the potter H3335 's house H1004 , and, behold H2009 , he wrought H6213 a work H4399 on H5921 the wheels H70 .
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4. Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit.
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4. And the vessel H3627 that H834 he H1931 made H6213 of clay H2563 was marred H7843 in the hand H3027 of the potter H3335 : so he made H6213 it again H7725 another H312 vessel H3627 , as H834 seemed H5869 good H3474 to the potter H3335 to make H6213 it .
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5. Then the LORD said to me,
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5. Then the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came H1961 to H413 me, saying H559 ,
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6. "I, the LORD, say: 'O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter's hand.'
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6. O house H1004 of Israel H3478 , cannot H3808 H3201 I do H6213 with you as this H2088 potter H3335 ? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 . Behold H2009 , as the clay H2563 is in the potter H3335 's hand H3027 , so H3651 are ye H859 in mine hand H3027 , O house H1004 of Israel H3478 .
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7. There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom.
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7. At what instant H7281 I shall speak H1696 concerning H5921 a nation H1471 , and concerning H5921 a kingdom H4467 , to pluck up H5428 , and to pull down H5422 , and to destroy H6 it ;
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8. But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it.
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8. If that H1931 nation H1471 , against H5921 whom H834 I have pronounced H1696 , turn H7725 from their evil H4480 H7451 , I will repent H5162 of H5921 the evil H7451 that H834 I thought H2803 to do H6213 unto them.
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9. And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom.
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9. And at what instant H7281 I shall speak H1696 concerning H5921 a nation H1471 , and concerning H5921 a kingdom H4467 , to build H1129 and to plant H5193 it ;
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10. But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it.
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10. If it do H6213 evil H7451 in my sight H5869 , that it obey H8085 not H1115 my voice H6963 , then I will repent H5162 of H5921 the good H2896 , wherewith H834 I said H559 I would benefit H3190 them.
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11. So now, tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem this: The LORD says, 'I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right.'
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11. Now H6258 therefore go H4994 to, speak H559 to H413 the men H376 of Judah H3063 , and to H5921 the inhabitants H3427 of Jerusalem H3389 , saying H559 , Thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 ; Behold H2009 , I H595 frame H3335 evil H7451 against H5921 you , and devise H2803 a device H4284 against H5921 you: return H7725 ye now H4994 every one H376 from his evil H7451 way H4480 H1870 , and make your ways H1870 and your doings H4611 good H3190 .
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12. But they just keep saying, 'We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!'"
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12. And they said H559 , There is no hope H2976 : but H3588 we will walk H1980 after H310 our own devices H4284 , and we will every one H376 do H6213 the imagination H8307 of his evil H7451 heart H3820 .
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13. Therefore, the LORD says, "Ask the people of other nations whether they have heard of anything like this. Israel should have been like a virgin. But she has done something utterly revolting!
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13. Therefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 ; Ask H7592 ye now H4994 among the heathen H1471 , who H4310 hath heard H8085 such H428 things : the virgin H1330 of Israel H3478 hath done H6213 a very H3966 horrible thing H8186 .
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14. Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow?
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14. Will a man leave H5800 the snow H7950 of Lebanon H3844 which cometh from the rock H4480 H6697 of the field H7704 ? or shall the cold H7119 flowing H5140 waters H4325 that come from another place H2114 be forsaken H5428 ?
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15. Yet my people have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to worthless idols! This makes them stumble along in the way they live and leave the old reliable path of their fathers. They have left them to walk in bypaths, in roads that are not smooth and level.
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15. Because H3588 my people H5971 hath forgotten H7911 me , they have burned incense H6999 to vanity H7723 , and they have caused them to stumble H3782 in their ways H1870 from the ancient H5769 paths H7635 , to walk H1980 in paths H5410 , in a way H1870 not H3808 cast up H5549 ;
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16. So their land will become an object of horror. People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision.
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16. To make H7760 their land H776 desolate H8047 , and a perpetual H5769 hissing H8292 ; every one H3605 that passeth H5674 thereby H5921 shall be astonished H8074 , and wag H5110 his head H7218 .
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17. I will scatter them before their enemies like dust blowing in front of a burning east wind. I will turn my back on them and not look favorably on them when disaster strikes them."
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17. I will scatter H6327 them as with an east H6921 wind H7307 before H6440 the enemy H341 ; I will show H7200 them the back H6203 , and not H3808 the face H6440 , in the day H3117 of their calamity H343 .
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18. Then some people said, "Come on! Let us consider how to deal with Jeremiah! There will still be priests to instruct us, wise men to give us advice, and prophets to declare God's word. Come on! Let's bring charges against him and get rid of him! Then we will not need to pay attention to anything he says."
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18. Then said H559 they, Come H1980 , and let us devise H2803 devices H4284 against H5921 Jeremiah H3414 ; for H3588 the law H8451 shall not H3808 perish H6 from the priest H4480 H3548 , nor counsel H6098 from the wise H4480 H2450 , nor the word H1697 from the prophet H4480 H5030 . Come H1980 , and let us smite H5221 him with the tongue H3956 , and let us not H408 give heed H7181 to H413 any H3605 of his words H1697 .
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19. Then I said, "LORD, pay attention to me. Listen to what my enemies are saying.
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19. Give heed H7181 to H413 me , O LORD H3068 , and hearken H8085 to the voice H6963 of them that contend H3401 with me.
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20. Should good be paid back with evil? Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me. Just remember how I stood before you pleading on their behalf to keep you from venting your anger on them.
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20. Shall evil H7451 be recompensed H7999 for H8478 good H2896 ? for H3588 they have digged H3738 a pit H7745 for my soul H5315 . Remember H2142 that I stood H5975 before H6440 thee to speak H1696 good H2896 for H5921 them, and to turn away H7725 H853 thy wrath H2534 from H4480 them.
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21. So let their children die of starvation. Let them be cut down by the sword. Let their wives lose their husbands and children. Let the older men die of disease and the younger men die by the sword in battle.
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21. Therefore H3651 deliver up H5414 H853 their children H1121 to the famine H7458 , and pour out H5064 their blood by H5921 the force H3027 of the sword H2719 ; and let their wives H802 be H1961 bereaved of their children H7909 , and be widows H490 ; and let their men H376 be H1961 put H2026 to death H4194 ; let their young men H970 be slain H5221 by the sword H2719 in battle H4421 .
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22. Let cries of terror be heard in their houses when you send bands of raiders unexpectedly to plunder them. For they have virtually dug a pit to capture me and have hidden traps for me to step into.
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22. Let a cry H2201 be heard H8085 from their houses H4480 H1004 , when H3588 thou shalt bring H935 a troop H1416 suddenly H6597 upon H5921 them: for H3588 they have digged H3738 a pit H7745 to take H3920 me , and hid H2934 snares H6341 for my feet H7272 .
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23. But you, LORD, know all their plots to kill me. Do not pardon their crimes! Do not ignore their sins as though you had erased them! Let them be brought down in defeat before you! Deal with them while you are still angry!
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23. Yet, LORD H3068 , thou H859 knowest H3045 H853 all H3605 their counsel H6098 against H5921 me to slay H4194 me : forgive H3722 not H408 their iniquity H5771 , neither H408 blot out H4229 their sin H2403 from thy sight H4480 H6440 , but let them be H1961 overthrown H3782 before H6440 thee; deal H6213 thus with them in the time H6256 of thine anger H639 .
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