Septuagint Complete Greek and English Edition

by Septuagint

  Chapter 42

  [1] THE WORD THAT CAME TO JEREMIAS from the Lord in the days of Joakim, king of Juda, saying, [2] Go to the house of the Archabin, and thou shalt bring them to the house of the Lord, into one of the courts, and give them wine to drink.

  [3] So I brought forth Jechonias the son of Jeremin the son of Chabasin, and his brethren, and his sons, and all the family of the Archabin; [4] and I brought them into the house of the Lord, into the chamber of the sons of Joanan, the son of Ananias, the son of Godolias, a man of God, who dwells near the house of the princes that are over the house of Maasaeas the son of Selom, who kept the court. [5] And I set before them a jar of wine, and cups, and I said, Drink ye wine.

  [6] But they said, We will on no account drink wine, for our father Jonadab the son of Rechab commanded us, saying, Ye shall on no account drink wine, neither ye, nor your sons for ever: [7] nor shall ye at all build houses, nor sow any seed, nor shall ye have a vineyard: for ye shall dwell in tents all your days; that ye may live many days upon the land, in which ye sojourn. [8] And we hearkened to the voice of Jonadab our father, so as to drink no wine all our days, we, and our wives, and our sons, and our daughters; [9] and so as to build no houses to dwell in: and we have had no vineyard, nor field, nor seed: [10] but we have dwelt in tents, and have hearkened, and done according to all that Jonadab our father commanded us. [11] And it came to pass, when Nabuchodonosor came up against the land, that we said we would come in; and we entered into Jerusalem, for fear of the host of the Chaldeans, and for fear of the host of the Assyrians: and we dwelt there.

  [12] And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, [13] Thus saith the Lord, Go, and say to the men of Juda, and to them that dwell in Jerusalem, Will ye not receive correction to hearken to my words? [14] The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the word which he commanded his children, that they should drink no wine; and they have not drunk it: but I spoke to you early, and ye hearkened not. [15] And I sent to you my servants the prophets, saying, Turn ye every one from his evil way, and amend your practices, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell upon the land which I gave to you and to your fathers: but ye inclined not your ears, and hearkened not. [16] But the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command of their father; but this people has not hearkened to me. [17] Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will bring upon Juda and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the evils which I pronounced against them.

  [18] Therefore thus saith the Lord; Since the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have hearkened to the command of their father, to do as their father commanded them: [19] there shall never be wanting a man of the sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab to stand before my face while the earth remains.

  Chapter 43

  [1] IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF JOAKIM son of Josias king of Juda, the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

  [2] Take thee a roll of a book, and write upon it all the words which I spoke to thee against Jerusalem, and against Juda, and against all the nations, from the day when I spoke to thee, from the days of Josias king of Juda, even to this day. [3] Perhaps the house of Juda will hear all the evils which I purpose to do to them; that they may turn from their evil way; and so I will be merciful to their iniquities and their sins.

  [4] So Jeremiah called Baruch the son of Nerias: and he wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the Lord, which he had spoken to him, on a roll of a book. [5] And Jeremiah commanded Baruch, saying, I am in prison; I cannot enter into the house of the Lord: [6] so thou shalt read in this roll in the ears of the people in the house of the Lord, on the fast day; and in the ears of all Juda that come out of their cities, thou shalt read to them. [7] Peradventure their supplication will come before the Lord, and they will turn from their evil way: for great is the wrath and the anger of the Lord, which he has pronounced against this people.

  [8] And Baruch did according to all that Jeremiah commanded him — reading in the book the words of the Lord in the Lord’s house. [9] And it came to pass in the eighth year of king Joakim, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem, and the house of Juda, proclaimed a fast before the Lord. [10] And Baruch read in the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the Lord, in the house of Gamarias son of Saphan the scribe, in the upper court, in the entrance of the new gate of the house of the Lord, and in the ears of all the people.

  [11] And Michaeas the son of Gamarias the son of Saphan heard all the words of the Lord, out of the book. [12] And he went down to the king’s house, into the house of the scribe: and, behold, there were sitting there all the princes, Elisama the scribe, and Dalaeas the son of Selemias, and Jonathan the son of Acchobor, and Gamarias the son of Saphan, and Sedekias the son of Ananias, and all the princes. [13] And Michaeas reported to them all the words which he had heard Baruch reading in the ears of the people.

  [14] And all the princes sent to Baruch son of Nerias Judin the son of Nathanias, the son of Selemias, the son of Chusi, saying, Take in thine hand the roll in which thou readest in the ears of the people, and come. So Baruch took the roll, and went down to them. [15] And they said to him, Read it again in our ears. And Baruch read it. [16] And it came to pass, when they had heard all the words, that they took counsel each with his neighbour, and said, Let us by all means tell the king all these words. [17] And they asked Baruch, saying, Where didst thou write all these words? [18] And Baruch said, Jeremiah told me from his own mouth all these words, and I wrote them in a book. [19] And they said to Baruch, Go, and hide, thou and Jeremiah; let no man know where ye are.

  [20] And they went in to the king into the court, and gave the roll to one to keep in the house of Elisama; and they told the king all these words. [21] And the king sent Judin to fetch the roll: and he took it out of the house of Elisama: and Judin read in the ears of the king, and in the ears of all the princes who stood round the king. [22] Now the king was sitting in the winter house: and there was a fire on the hearth before him. [23] And it came to pass when Judin had read three or four leaves, he cut them off with a penknife, and cast them into the fire that was on the hearth, until the whole roll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth. [24] And the king and his servants that heard all these words sought not the Lord, and rent not their garments. [25] But Elnathan and Godolias suggested to the king that he should burn the roll.

  [26] And the king commanded Jeremeel the king’s son, and Saraeas the son of Esriel, to take Baruch and Jeremiah: but they were hidden.

  [27] Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, after the king had burnt the roll, even all the words which Baruch wrote from the mouth of Jeremiah, saying, [28] Again take thou another roll, and write all the words that were on the roll, which king Joakim has burnt. [29] And thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Thou hast burnt this roll, saying, Why hast thou written therein, saying, The king of Babylon shall certainly come in, and destroy this land, and man and cattle shall fail from off it?

  [30] Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Joakim king of Juda; He shall not have a man to sit on the throne of David: and his carcass shall be cast forth in the heat by day, and in the frost by night. [31] And I will visit him, and his family, and his servants: and I will bring upon him, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and upon the land of Juda, all the evils which I spoke of to them; and they hearkened not.

  [32] And Baruch took another roll, and wrote upon it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book which Joakim had burnt: and there were yet more words added to it like the former.

  Chapter 44

  [1] And Sedekias the son of Josias reigned instead of Joakim, whom Nabuchodonosor appointed to reign over Juda. [2] And he and his servants and the people of the land hearkened not to the words of the Lord, which he spoke by Jeremiah.

  [3] And king Sedekias sent Joachal son of Selemias and Sophonias the priest son of Maasaeas to Jeremiah, saying, Pray now for us to the Lord. [4] Now Jeremiah came and went through the midst of the city: for they had not put him into the house
of the prison. [5] And the host of Pharao was come forth out of Egypt; and the Chaldeans heard the report of them, and they went up from Jerusalem.

  [6] And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying, [7] Thus said the Lord; Thus shalt thou say to the king of Juda who sent to thee, to seek me; Behold, the army of Pharao which is come forth to help you: they shall return to the land of Egypt: [8] and the Chaldeans themselves shall turn again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. [9] For thus saith he Lord; Suppose not in your hearts, saying, The Chaldeans will certainly depart from us: for they shall not depart. [10] And though ye should smite the whole host of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there should be left a few wounded men, these should rise up each in his place, and burn this city with fire.

  [11] And it came to pass, when the host of the Chaldeans had gone up from Jerusalem for fear of the host of Pharao, [12] that Jeremiah went forth from Jerusalem to go into the land of Benjamin, to buy thence a property in the midst of the people. [13] And he was in the gate of Benjamin, and there was there a man with whom he lodged, Saruia the son of Selemias, the son of Ananias; and he caught Jeremiah, saying, Thou art fleeing to the Chaldeans. [14] And he said, It is false; I do not flee to the Chaldeans. But he hearkened not to him; and Saruia caught Jeremiah, and brought him to the princes. [15] And the princes were very angry with Jeremiah, and smote him, and sent him into the house of Jonathan the scribe: for they had made this a prison.

  [16] So Jeremiah came into the dungeon, and into the cells, and he remained there many days. [17] Then Sedekias sent, and called him; and the king asked him secretly, saying, Is there a word from the Lord? and he said, There is: thou shalt be delivered into the hands of the king of Babylon. [18] And Jeremiah said to the king, Wherein have I wronged thee, or thy servants, or this people, that thou puttest me in prison? [19] And where are your prophets who prophesied to you saying, The king of Babylon shall not come against this land? [20] Now therefore, my lord the king, let my supplication come before thy face: and why dost thou send me back to the house of Jonathan the scribe? and let me not on any account die there. [21] Then the king commanded, and they cast him into the prison, and gave him a loaf a day out of the place where they bake, until the bread failed out of the city. So Jeremiah continued in the court of the prison.

  Chapter 45

  [1] And Saphanias the son of Nathan, and Godolias the son of Paschor, and Joachal the son of Semelias, heard the words which Jeremiah spoke to the people, saying,

  [2] Thus saith the Lord; He that remains in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine: but he that goes out to the Chaldeans shall live; and his soul shall be given him for a found treasure, and he shall live. [3] For thus saith the Lord; This city shall certainly be delivered into the hands of the host of the king of Babylon, and they shall take it. [4] And they said to the king. Let that man, we pray thee, be slain, for he weakens the hands of the fighting men that are left in the city, and the hands of all the people, speaking to them according to these words: for this man does not prophesy peace to this people, but evil. [5] Then the king said, Behold, he is in your hands. For the king could not resist them. [6] And they cast him into the dungeon of Melchias the king’s son, which was in the court of the prison; and they let him down into the pit: and there was no water in the pit, but mire: and he was in the mire.

  [7] And Abdemelech the Ethiopian heard, (now he was in the king’s household,)that they had put Jeremiah into the dungeon; and the king was in the gate of Benjamin: [8] and he went forth to him, and spoke to the king and said, [9] Thou hast done evil in what thou hast done to slay this man with hunger: for there is no more bread in the city. [10] And the king commanded Abdemelech, saying, Take with thee hence thirty men, and bring him up out of the dungeon, that he die not. [11] So Abdemelech took the men and went into the underground part of the king’s house, and took thence old rags and old ropes, and threw them to Jeremiah into the dungeon. [12] And he said, Put these under the ropes. And Jeremiah did so. [13] And they drew him with the ropes, and lifted him out of the dungeon: and Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison.

  [14] Then the king sent, and called him to himself into the house of Aselisel, which was in the house of the Lord: and the King said to him, I will ask thee a question, and I pray thee hide nothing from me.

  [15] And Jeremiah said to the king, If I tell thee, wilt thou not certainly put me to death? and if I give thee counsel, thou wilt not at all hearken to me. [16] And the king swore to him, saying, As the Lord lives who gave us this soul, I will not slay thee, neither will I give thee into the hands of these men.

  [17] And Jeremiah said to him, Thus saith the Lord; If thou wilt indeed go forth to the captains of the king of Babylon, thy soul shall live, and this city shall certainly not be burnt with fire; and thou shalt live, and thy house. [18] But if thou wilt not go forth this city shall be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and thou shalt by no means escape.

  [19] And the king said to Jeremiah, I consider the Jews that have gone over to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hands, and they mock me.

  [20] And Jeremiah said, They shall in no wise deliver thee up. Hear the word of the Lord which I speak to thee; and it shall be better for thee, and thy soul shall live. [21] But if thou wilt not go forth, this is the word which the Lord has shewn me. [22] And, behold, all the women that are left in the house of the king of Juda were brought forth to the princes of the king of Babylon; and they said, The men who were at peace with thee have deceived thee, and will prevail against thee; and they shall cause thy foot to slide and fail, they have turned back from thee. [23] And they shall bring forth thy wives and thy children to the Chaldeans: and thou shalt by no means escape, for thou shalt be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon, and this city shall be burnt.

  [24] Then the king said to him, Let no man know any of these words, and certainly thou shalt not die. [25] And if the princes shall hear that I have spoken to thee, and they come to thee, and say to thee, Tell us, what said the king to thee? hide it not from us, and we will in no wise slay thee, and what said the king to thee? [26] Then thou shalt say to them, I brought my supplication before the presence of the king, that he would not send me back into the house of Jonathan, that I should die there.

  [27] And all the princes came to Jeremiah, and asked him: and he told them according to all these words, which the king had commanded him. And they were silent, because the word of the Lord was not heard. [28] And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison, until the time when Jerusalem was taken.

  Chapter 46

  [1] And it came to pass in the ninth month of Sedekias king of Juda, that Nabuchodonosor king of Babylon came, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and they besieged it. [2] And in the eleventh year of Sedekiass, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, the city was broken up. [3] And all the leaders of the king of Babylon went in, and sat in the middle gate, Marganasar, and Samagoth, and Nabusachar, and Nabusaris, Nagargas, Naserrabamath, and the rest of the leaders of the king of Babylon, [4] 5 [6] 7 [8] 9 [10] 11 [12] 13 [14] and they sent, and took Jeremiah out of the court of the prison, and gave him in charge to Godolias the son of Achicam, the son of Saphan: and they brought him out, and he sat in the midst of the people.

  [15] And the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in the court of the prison, saying, [16] Go and say to Abdemelech the Ethiopian, Thus said the Lord God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good. [17] But I will save thee in that day, and I will by no means deliver thee into the hands of the men before whom thou art afraid. [18] For I will surely save thee, and thou shalt by no means fall by the sword; and thou shalt find thy life, because thou didst trust in me, saith the Lord.

  Chapter 47

  [1] The word that came from the Lord to Jeremiah, after that Nabuzardan the captain of the guard had let him go out of Rama, when he had taken him in manacles in the midst of the ca
ptivity of Juda, even those who were carried to Babylon.

  [2] And the chief captain of the guard took him, and said to him, The Lord thy God has pronounced all these evils upon this place: [3] and the Lord has done it; because ye sinned against him, and hearkened not to his voice. [4] Behold, I have loosed thee from the manacles that were upon thine hands. If it seem good to thee to go with me to Babylon, then will I set mine eyes upon thee. [5] But if not, depart; return to Godolias the son of Achicam, the son of Saphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed governor in the land of Juda, and dwell with him in the midst of the people in the land of Juda: to whatsoever places it seems good in thine eyes to go, do thou even go. And the captain of the guard made him presents, and let him go. [6] And he came to Godolias to Massepha, and dwelt in the midst of his people that was left in the land.

  [7] And all the leaders of the host that was in the country, they and their men, heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Godolias governor in the land, and they committed to him the men and their wives, whom Nabuchodonosor had not removed to Babylon. [8] And there came to Godolias to Massepha Ismael the son of Nathanias, and Joanan son of Caree, and Saraeas the son of Thanaemeth, and the sons of Jophe the Netophathite, and Ezonias son of the Mochathite, they and their men.

  [9] And Godolias swore to them and to their men, saying, Be not afraid before the children of the Chaldeans: dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be better for you. 10 And, behold, I dwell in your presence at Massepha, to stand before the Chaldeans who shall come against you: and do ye gather grapes, and fruits, and oil, and put them into your vessels, and dwell in the cities which ye have obtained possession of.