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.” ’ ”

你们若不听这些话，耶和华说：我指着自己起誓，这城必变为荒场。’”

你们若不听这些话，我指着自己起誓，这王宫必变为废墟。这是耶和华说的。’

你们若不听这些话，我指着自己起誓，这王宫必变为废墟。这是耶和华说的。’

但如果你们不遵守我的命令，我凭自己起誓，这王宫必沦为废墟。这是耶和华说的。’”

如果你们不听从这些话，我指着自己起誓，这宫殿必变为废墟。’”这是耶和华的宣告。

你們若不聽這些話，耶和華說：我指着自己起誓，這城必變為荒場。』

你們若不聽這些話，我指着自己起誓，這王宮必變為廢墟。這是耶和華說的。』

你們若不聽這些話，我指着自己起誓，這王宮必變為廢墟。這是耶和華說的。』

但如果你們不遵守我的命令，我憑自己起誓，這王宮必淪為廢墟。這是耶和華說的。』」

如果你們不聽從這些話，我指著自己起誓，這宮殿必變為廢墟。’”這是耶和華的宣告。

但你們若不聽這些話，永恆主發神諭說，我指着自己來起誓，這王宮必變為荒廢之處。

如爾不聽斯言、耶和華曰、我指己而誓、此室必為荒蕪、

如爾不聽、我耶和華指己而誓、此殿必致荒蕪。

如爾不聽斯言、主曰、我指己而誓、此殿必致荒蕪、

But if you do not obey these commands, declares the Lord, I swear by myself that this palace will become a ruin.’”

But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that this house shall become a desolation.

But if you refuse to pay attention to this warning, I swear by my own name, says the Lord, that this palace will become a pile of rubble.’”

But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by myself— this is the LORD’s declaration— that this house will become a ruin.’”

But if you will not obey these words, I swear by Myself,” declares the Lord,“ that this house will become a place of ruins.” ’ ”

But if you will not hear these words, I swear by Myself,” says the Lord,“ that this house shall become a desolation.”’”

But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith Jehovah, that this house shall become a desolation.

But if you do not obey these words, then I swear by Myself”— this is the Lord’s declaration—“ that this house will become a ruin.”

But if ye will not hear these words, I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the LORD, affirm it!”

But if you will not hear these words, I swear by myself,” says Yahweh,“ that this house will become a desolation.”’”

The Lord and King has made a promise in his own name. He is the Lord God who rules over all. He announces,“ I hate the pride of Jacob’s people. I can’t stand their forts. I will hand the city of Samaria and everything in it over to their enemies.”

When God made his promise to Abraham, God gave his word. There was no one greater than himself to promise by. So he promised by making an appeal to himself.

He said,“ I am giving you my word that I will bless you. I will bless you because of what you have done,” announces the Lord.“ You have not held back your son, your only son.

But what if you do not obey me? Suppose you do not keep the Sabbath day holy. And suppose you carry a load through the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day. Then I will start a fire that can’t be put out. It will begin at the gates of Jerusalem. It will destroy its mighty towers.” ’ ”

I raise my hand to heaven. Here is the promise I make. You can be sure that I live forever.And you can be just as sure that I will sharpen my flashing sword. My hand will hold it when I judge. I will get even with my enemies. I will pay back those who hate me.I will make my arrows drip with blood. My sword will destroy people. It will kill some. It will even kill prisoners. It will cut off the heads of enemy leaders.”

So God gave his word when he made his promise. He wanted to make it very clear that his purpose does not change. He wanted those who would receive what was promised to know this.

I spoke to you again and again,” announces the Lord.“ I warned you while you were doing all these things. But you did not listen. I called out to you. But you did not answer.So what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the house where my Name is. It is the temple you trust in. It is the place I gave to you and your people of long ago.

People of Jacob, you are proud that the Lord is your God. But he has made a promise in his own name. He says,“ I will never forget anything Israel has done.“ The land will tremble because of what will happen. Everyone who lives in it will mourn. So the whole land will rise like the Nile River. It will be stirred up. Then it will settle back down again like that river in Egypt.”

The Babylonians set the royal palace on fire. They also set fire to the houses of the people. And they broke down the walls of Jerusalem.

People will answer,‘ Because they have deserted the Lord. He is the God of their people who lived long ago. He brought them out of Egypt. But they have been holding on to other gods. They’ve been worshiping them. They’ve been serving them. That’s why the Lord has brought all this horrible trouble on them.’ ”

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.

“ But suppose all of you turn away from me. You refuse to obey the rules and commands I have given you. And you go off to serve other gods and worship them.

So I will make this house like Shiloh. All the nations on earth will use the name of this city in a curse.” ’ ”Jeremiah spoke these words in the Lord’ s house. The priests, the prophets and all the people heard him.Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say. But as soon as he did, the priests, the prophets and all the people grabbed him. They said,“ You must die!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.

So tell them,‘ Here is what I am announcing. I am the Lord. You can be sure that I live. And here is what you can be just as sure of. I will do to you the very thing that I heard you say.You will die in this desert. Every one of you 20 years old or more will die. Every one of you who was counted in the list of the people will die. Every one of you who has spoken out against me will be wiped out.I lifted up my hand and promised to make this land your home. But now not all of you will enter the land. Caleb, the son of Jephunneh, will enter it. So will Joshua, the son of Nun. They are the only ones who will enter the land.

So when I was angry, I made a promise. I said,‘ They will never enjoy the rest I planned for them.’ ”

But if you are not willing to obey me, you will be killed by swords.” The Lord has spoken.

God promised that those people would never enjoy the rest he planned for them. God gave his word when he made that promise. Didn’t he make that promise to those who didn’t obey?