I will completely destroy your cities. I will destroy your places of worship. The pleasant smell of your offerings will not give me any delight.

我要使你们的城邑变为荒凉，使你们的众圣所成为荒场；我也不闻你们馨香的香气。

使你们的城镇变成废墟，你们的众圣所变荒凉，我也不闻你们芬芳的香气。

使你们的城镇变成废墟，你们的众圣所变荒凉，我也不闻你们芬芳的香气。

我要使你们的城邑沦为废墟，使你们的敬拜场所荒凉，也不再悦纳你们的馨香之祭。

我必使你们的城市变为荒场，使你们的圣所荒凉；我也不闻你们馨香的祭。

我要使你們的城邑變為荒涼，使你們的眾聖所成為荒場；我也不聞你們馨香的香氣。

使你們的城鎮變成廢墟，你們的眾聖所變荒涼，我也不聞你們芬芳的香氣。

使你們的城鎮變成廢墟，你們的眾聖所變荒涼，我也不聞你們芬芳的香氣。

我要使你們的城邑淪為廢墟，使你們的敬拜場所荒涼，也不再悅納你們的馨香之祭。

我必使你們的城市變為荒場，使你們的聖所荒涼；我也不聞你們馨香的祭。

我要使你們的城市荒廢，使你們各地的聖所荒涼；我不聞你們怡神之香氣。

俾爾邑垣荒墟、聖所寂寞、不享爾馨香、

毀爾邑垣、使聖所寂寞、不享爾馨香。

使爾城邑荒涼、使爾殿宇寂寥、我不再饗爾之馨香、

I will turn your cities into ruins and lay waste your sanctuaries, and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings.

And I will lay your cities waste and will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing aromas.

I will make your cities desolate and destroy your places of pagan worship. I will take no pleasure in your offerings that should be a pleasing aroma to me.

I will reduce your cities to ruins and devastate your sanctuaries. I will not smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.

I will turn your cities into ruins as well and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your soothing aromas.

I will lay your cities waste and bring your sanctuaries to desolation, and I will not smell the fragrance of your sweet aromas.

And I will make your cities a waste, and will bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savor of your sweet odors.

I will reduce your cities to ruins and devastate your sanctuaries. I will not smell the pleasing aroma of your sacrifices.

And I will make your cities waste, and bring your sanctuaries unto desolation, and I will not smell the savour of your sweet odours.

I will lay your cities waste and make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will refuse to smell your soothing aromas.

I will lay your cities waste, and will bring your sanctuaries to desolation. I will not take delight in the sweet fragrance of your offerings.

But I said to the king,“ May you live forever! Why shouldn’t I look sad? The city where my people of long ago are buried has been destroyed. And fire has burned up its gates.”

What if we keep sinning on purpose? What if we do it even after we know the truth? Then there is no offering for our sins.

The Lord deserted his altar. He left his temple. He gave the walls of Jerusalem’s palaces into the hands of her enemies. They shouted loudly in the house of the Lord. You would have thought it was the day of an appointed feast.

Lions have come out of their dens. Those who destroy nations have begun to march out. They have left their place to destroy your land completely. Your towns will be broken to pieces. No one will live in them.

Then the Babylonians broke through the city wall. Judah’s whole army ran away at night. They went out through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden. They escaped even though the Babylonians surrounded the city. Judah’s army ran toward the Arabah Valley.But the Babylonian army chased King Zedekiah. They caught up with him in the plains near Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him. They had scattered in every direction.The king was captured. He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah. That’s where Nebuchadnezzar decided how he would be punished.Nebuchadnezzar’s men killed the sons of Zedekiah. They forced him to watch it with his own eyes. Then they poked out his eyes. They put him in bronze chains. And they took him to Babylon.Nebuzaradan was an official of the king of Babylon. In fact, he was commander of the royal guard. He came to Jerusalem. It was in the 19th year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon. It was on the seventh day of the fifth month.Nebuzaradan set the Lord’ s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building.The whole Babylonian army broke down the walls around Jerusalem. That’s what the commander told them to do.

Kill the old men and women, the young men and women, and the children. But do not touch anyone who has the mark. Start at my temple.” So they began with the old men who were in front of the temple.

“ Do you think I need any more of your sacrifices?” asks the Lord.“ I have more than enough of your burnt offerings. I have more than enough of rams and the fat of your fattest animals. I do not find any pleasure in the blood of your bulls, lambs and goats.Who asked you to bring all these animals when you come to worship me? Who asked you and your animals to walk all over my courtyards?Stop bringing offerings that do not mean anything to me! I hate your incense. I can’t stand your worthless gatherings. I can’t stand the way you celebrate your New Moon feasts, Sabbath days and special services.Your New Moon feasts and your other appointed feasts I hate with my whole being. They have become a heavy load to me. I am tired of carrying it.

Jerusalem’s enemies took away all her treasures. Her people saw outsiders enter her temple. The Lord had commanded them not to do that.

The Lord says,“ I hate your holy feasts. I can’t stand them. Your gatherings stink.You bring me burnt offerings and grain offerings. But I will not accept them. You bring your best friendship offerings. But I will not even look at them.Take the noise of your songs away! I will not listen to the music of your harps.

But suppose you do not obey these commands,” announces the Lord.“ Then I promise you that this palace will be destroyed. You can be as sure of this promise as you are sure that I live.” ’ ”

Some will be killed by the sword. Others will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be taken over by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles come to an end.

But others are not like that. They sacrifice bulls to me, but at the same time they kill people. They offer lambs to me, but they also sacrifice dogs to other gods. They bring grain offerings to me, but they also offer pig’s blood to other gods. They burn incense to me, but they also worship statues of gods. They have chosen to go their own way. They take delight in things I hate.

Nebuzaradan set the Lord’ s temple on fire. He also set fire to the royal palace and all the houses in Jerusalem. He burned down every important building.

Why do you prophesy these things in the Lord’ s name? Why do you say that this house will become like Shiloh? Why do you say that this city will be empty and deserted?” And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the Lord’ s house.

I said to them,“ You can see the trouble we’re in. Jerusalem has been destroyed. Fire has burned up its gates. Come on. Let’s rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. Then people won’t be ashamed anymore.”

Your country has been deserted. Your cities have been burned down. The food from your fields is being eaten up by outsiders. They are doing it right in front of you. Your land has been completely destroyed. It looks as if strangers have taken it over.

Walk through this place that has been torn down beyond repair. See how completely your enemies have destroyed the temple!In the place where you used to meet with us, your enemies have shouted,“ We’ve won the battle!” They have set up their flags to show they have beaten us.They acted like people cutting down a forest with axes.They smashed all the beautiful wooden walls with their axes and hatchets.They burned your temple to the ground. They polluted the place where your Name is.They had said in their hearts,“ We will crush them completely!” They burned every place where you were worshiped in the land.

The Lord says,“ I will knock down all of Jerusalem’s buildings. I will make it a home for wild dogs. The towns of Judah will be completely destroyed. No one will be able to live in them.”

The Babylonians set God’s temple on fire. They broke down the wall of Jerusalem. They burned all the palaces. They destroyed everything of value there.

So I will make this house like Shiloh. All the nations on earth will use the name of this city in a curse.” ’ ”

We have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place. He says Jesus will change the practices that Moses handed down to us.”

Some of Jesus’ disciples were talking about the temple. They spoke about how it was decorated with beautiful stones and with gifts that honored God. But Jesus asked,“ Do you see all this? The time will come when not one stone will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.”

‘ Speak to the people of Israel. Tell them,“ The Lord and King says,‘ I am about to make my temple“ unclean.” I will let the Babylonians burn it down. It is the beautiful building you are so proud of. You take delight in it. You love it. The sons and daughters you left behind will be killed by swords.

So because of what you have done, Zion will be plowed up like a field. Jerusalem will be turned into a pile of trash. The temple hill will be covered with bushes and weeds.

People’s hearts will melt away in fear. Many will be wounded or killed. I have prepared the sword to kill people at all their city gates. Look! It strikes like lightning. It is in the killer’s hand.

The smell of the offerings pleased the Lord. He said to himself,“ I will never put a curse on the ground again because of human beings. I will not do it even though their hearts are always directed toward evil. Their thoughts are evil from the time they are young. I will never destroy all living things again, as I have just done.

They will ask you,‘ Why are you groaning?’ Then you will say,‘ Because of the news that is coming. The hearts of all the people will melt away in fear. Their hands will not be able to help them. Their spirits will grow weak. And they will be so afraid they’ll wet themselves.’ The news is coming! You can be sure those things will happen,” announces the Lord and King.

No matter where you live, the towns will be destroyed. The high places will be torn down. So your altars will be completely destroyed. The statues of your gods will be smashed to pieces. Your incense altars will be broken down. And everything you have made will be wiped out.

Destroyed cities will lie empty. People will lock themselves inside their houses.In the streets people will cry out for wine. All joy will turn into sadness. All joyful sounds will be driven out of the earth.All the buildings will be knocked down. Every city gate will be smashed to pieces.

The city of Jerusalem is so empty! She used to be full of people. But now she’s like a woman whose husband has died. She used to be great among the nations. She was like a queen among the kingdoms. But now she is a slave.

Jesus left the temple. He was walking away when his disciples came up to him. They wanted to call his attention to the temple buildings.“ Do you see all these things?” Jesus asked.“ What I’m about to tell you is true. Not one stone here will be left on top of another. Every stone will be thrown down.”