Jeremiah

Consultation with Jeremiah

Then the army officers, especially Johanan, son of Kareah, and Azariah, son of Hoshaiah, along with all the people from the smallest to the greatest came to speak to Jeremiah:

“Listen to our plea and pray to the Lord our God for us, this remnant of people, because, really, we are few, from many, as you can see.

May the Lord your God show us how and what we should do.”

Jeremiah, the prophet, replied to them: “I have heard you. Yes, I will speak to the Lord as you requested. And whatever the word of the Lord is, I will tell you honestly and openly.”

They said to Jeremiah: “May the Lord be a true and worthy witness against us if we do not act according to every word that the Lord your God will say to us through you!

Whether it be good or bad for us, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you; so it will be well with us for having obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”

Ten days later, the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.

He then called Johanan, son of Kareah, and the army officers with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest;

and said to them: “This is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me with your petition:

If you wish to live peacefully In this land, I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I will relent of the harm I did you.

You are afraid of the king of Babylon, but do not fear him —word of the Lord— for I am with you to save you and rescue you from his hand.

I will put mercy in his heart so that he may have mercy on you and let you live in your own land.

But if you say: ‘No, we will no longer live in this land,’ disobeying the voice of the Lord your God,

and if you say: ‘No, we shall go to Egypt where we shall no more have wars or hear the trumpet call, where we shall not be hungry for bread!’

Then hear the word of the Lord, remnant of Judah! The Lord God of Hosts and God of Israel speaks: “If you turn towards Egypt, to go there, and stay there,

the sword you fear will strike you, there, in the land of Egypt; and famine, which you dread, will be yours there, in Egypt; and you will die.

All those who turn towards Egypt, To enter and live there, will die; by the sword, famine, and pestilence. No one will escape or flee from the misfortune I will bring them.”

This is what the Lord God of Hosts And God of Israel says: “Just as my burning anger was poured out on the people of Jerusalem, so will my fury be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will become a curse and a reproach and never again see this place.”

That is what the Lord has foretold, O remnant of Judah. Do not go to Egypt; be sure I have warned you today.

You risked your lives when you sent me to the Lord your God, saying: ‘Pray for us to the Lord our God and tell us all that the Lord says; and we shall do it.’

I have told you today, though you still do not obey the Lord your God in all that he told you, through me.

Be sure of this; it will be by the sword, famine, and pestilence that you will die in the place where you want to go and live.”