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17.19
JEREMIAH

19Thus said the Lord unto me: Go, and stand in the gate of the children of the people, whereby the kings of Judah come in, and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem; 20and say unto them:

Hear ye the word of the Lord, ye kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, that enter in by these gates; 21thus saith the Lord: Take heed for the sake of your souls, and bear no burden on the sabbath day, nor bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem; 22neither carry forth a burden out of your houses on the sabbath day, neither do ye any work; but hallow ye the sabbath day, as I commanded your fathers; 23but they hearkened not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, nor receive instruction. 24And it shall come to pass, if ye diligently hearken unto Me, saith the Lord, to bring in no burden through the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but to hallow the sabbath day, to do no work therein; 25then shall there enter in by the gates of this city kings and princes sitting upon the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their princes, the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited for ever. 26And they shall come from the cities of Judah, and from the places round about Jerusalem, and from the land of Benjamin, and from the Lowland, and from the mountains, and from the South, bringing burnt-offerings, and sacrifices, and meal-offerings, and frankincense, and bringing sacrifices of thanksgiving, unto the house of the Lord. 27But if ye will not hearken unto Me to hallow the sabbath day, and not to bear a burden and enter in at the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day; then will I kindle a fire in the gates thereof, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem, and it shall not be quenched.


18The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: 2'Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear My words.' 3Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he was at his work on the wheels. 4And whensoever the vessel that he made of the clay was marred in the hand of the potter, he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

5Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6'O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay in the potter's hand, so are ye in My hand, O house of Israel. 7At one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up and to break down and to destroy it; 8but if that nation turn from their evil, because of which I have spoken against it, I repent of the evil that I thought to do unto it. 9And at one instant I may speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; 10but if it do evil in My sight, that it hearken not to My voice, then I repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit it. 11Now therefore do thou speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: Thus saith the Lord: Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you; return ye now every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your doings. 12But they say: There is no hope; but we will walk after our own devices,

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