The Letter of Jeremiah

¹ A copy of a letter that Jeremiah sent to those who were to be taken to Babylon as captives by the king of the Babylonians, to give them the message that God had commanded him.

The People Face a Long Captivity

² Because of the sins that you have committed before God, you will be taken to Babylon as captives by King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians.

³ Therefore when you have come to Babylon you will remain there for many years, for a long time, up to seven generations; after that I will bring you away from there in peace.

⁴ Now in Babylon you will see gods made of silver and gold and wood, which are carried aloft on the shoulders and inspire awe among the nations.

⁵ So take care not to become at all like the foreigners or to let awe of these gods possess you, when you see the multitude before and behind them worshipping them.

⁶ But say to yourself, “It is you, O Lord, whom we must worship.”

⁷ For my angel is with you, demanding an account of your souls.

Helplessness of Idols

⁸ Their tongues are smoothed by the carpenter, and they themselves are overlaid with gold and silver; but they are false and cannot speak.

⁹ People take gold and make crowns for the heads of their gods, as they would for a girl who loves ornaments;

¹⁰ and sometimes the priests secretly take gold and silver from their gods and spend it upon themselves

¹¹ and even give some of it to the prostitutes in the brothel. They adorn their gods out with garments like people—these gods of silver and gold and wood,

¹² which cannot save themselves from rust and corrosion. When they have been dressed in purple robes,

¹³ their faces are wiped because of the dust from the temple, which is thick upon them.

¹⁴ Like a local ruler the god holds a sceptre, though unable to destroy anyone who offends it.

¹⁵ It has a dagger in its right hand and has an axe; but it cannot save itself from war and robbers.

¹⁶ Therefore they evidently are not gods; so do not revere them.

¹⁷ For just as one’s dish is useless when it is broken, so are their gods, when they have been set up in the temples. Their eyes are full of the dust raised by the feet of those who enter.

¹⁸ And just as the gates are shut on every side upon a man who has offended a king, as though he were sentenced to death, so the priests make their temples secure with doors and locks and bars, in order that they may not be plundered by robbers.

¹⁹ They light lamps, even more than they light for themselves, though their gods can see none of them.

²⁰ They are just like a beam of the temple, but people say they melt their hearts. When worms from the earth devour them and their robes, they do not notice,

²¹ since their faces have been blackened by the smoke of the temple.

²² Bats, swallows, and birds light on their bodies and heads; and so do cats.

²³ From this you will know that they are not gods; so do not revere them.

²⁴ As for the gold that they wear for beauty—they will not shine unless someone wipes off the rust; for even when they were being cast, they had no feeling.

²⁵ They are bought at any cost, but there is no breath in them.

²⁶ Having no feet, they are carried on attendants’ shoulders, revealing their worthlessness to all.

²⁷ And those who serve them are ashamed because through them these gods are made to stand, lest they fall to the ground. If anyone sets one of them upright, it can not move by itself; and if it is tipped over, it will never straighten itself; but gifts are placed before them just as before the dead.

²⁸ The priests sell the sacrifices that are offered to these gods and use the money; and likewise their wives preserve some with salt, but share none with the poor or helpless.

²⁹ Women in menstruation or after childbirth take part in their sacrifices. Since you know by these things that they are not gods, do not revere them.

³⁰ For why should they be called gods? Because women serve meals for gods of silver and gold and wood?

³¹ Or because priests rush into their temples with their clothes rent, their heads and beards shaved, and their heads uncovered,

³² howling and shouting before their gods as some do at a funeral feast for a man who has died?

³³ The priests take some of the clothing of their gods to clothe their wives and children.

³⁴ Whether one does evil to them or good, they will not be able to repay it. They cannot set up a king or depose one.

³⁵ Likewise they are unable to give either wealth or money; if one makes a vow to them and does not keep it, they will never enforce it.

³⁶ They will never save anyone from death or rescue the weak from the strong.

³⁷ They will never restore sight to a blind person or rescue anyone who is in distress.

³⁸ They will never take pity on a widow or do good to an orphan.

³⁹ These things that are made of wood and overlaid with gold and silver are like stones from the mountain, and those who serve them will be put to shame.

⁴⁰ Why then must anyone think that they are gods or call them gods?

Foolishness of Worshipping Idols

Besides, even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour them;

⁴¹ for when they see a mute person who cannot speak, they bring him before Bel and think it appropriate to call out to him, as though Bel were able to understand.

⁴² Yet they themselves cannot perceive this and abandon their gods, for they have no sense.

⁴³ And the women, with cords round them, sit along the passageways, burning bran for incense; and when one of them is led off by one of the passers-by and is lain with, she derides the woman next to her, because she was not as attractive as herself and her cord was not broken.

⁴⁴ Whatever is done for them is false. Why then must anyone think that they are gods or call them gods?

⁴⁵ They are made by carpenters and goldsmiths; they can be nothing but what the artisans wish them to be.

⁴⁶ Those who make them will certainly not live very long themselves; how then can the things that are made by them be gods?

⁴⁷ They have left only lies and reproach for those who come after.

⁴⁸ For when war or calamity comes upon them, the priests consult together as to where they can hide themselves and their gods.

⁴⁹ How then can one fail to see that these are not gods, for they cannot save themselves from war or calamity?

⁵⁰ Since they are made of wood and overlaid with gold and silver, it will afterwards be known that they are false.

⁵¹ It will be apparent to all the nations and kings that they are not gods but the work of men’s hands and that there is no work of God in them.

⁵² Who then can fail to know that they are not gods?

⁵³ For they will never set up a king over a country or give rain to the people.

⁵⁴ They will never judge their own cause or deliver one who is wronged, for they have no power; they are like crows between heaven and earth.

⁵⁵ When fire breaks out in a temple of gods made of wood or overlaid with gold or silver, their priests will flee and escape, but the gods will be burnt in two like beams.

⁵⁶ Besides, they will surely offer no resistance to a king or any enemies. Why then must anyone admit or think that they are gods? 

⁵⁷ Gods made of wood and overlaid with silver and gold will never save themselves from thieves and robbers.

⁵⁸ Strong men will strip them of their gold and silver and of the robes they wear and go off with this booty, and they will not be able to help themselves.

⁵⁹ So it is better to be a king who shows his courage or a useful household utensil that serves its owner’s need than to be these false gods; better even the door of a house that protects its contents than these false gods; better also a wooden pillar in a palace than these false gods. ⁶⁰ For sun and moon and stars, shining and sent forth for service, are obedient.

⁶¹ So also the lightning, when it flashes, is widely seen; and the wind likewise blows in every land. ⁶² When God commands the clouds to go over the whole world, they carry out his command.

⁶³ And the fire sent from above to consume mountains and woods does what it is ordered. But these idols are not to be compared with them in appearance or power.

⁶⁴ Therefore one must not think that they are gods or call them gods, for they are unable either to decide a case or to do good to people.

⁶⁵ Since you know then that they are not gods, do not revere them.

⁶⁶ For they will never curse or bless kings;

⁶⁷ they will never show signs in the heavens and among the nations or shine like the sun or give light like the moon.

⁶⁸ The wild beasts are better than they are, for they can flee to cover and help themselves.

⁶⁹ So we have no evidence whatever that they are gods; therefore do not revere them.

⁷⁰ Like a scarecrow in a cucumber bed, that guards nothing, so are their gods of wood, overlaid with gold and silver.

⁷¹ In the same way, their gods of wood, overlaid with gold and silver, are like a thorn bush in a garden, on which every bird sits; or like a dead body cast out in the darkness.

⁷² By the purple and linen that rot upon them you will know that they are not gods; and they will finally themselves be consumed and be a reproach in the land.

⁷³ Better therefore is a just man who has no idols, for he will be far from reproach.