The epistle of Jeremias to the captives, as a preservative against
idolatry.
A copy of the epistle that Jeremias sent to them that were to be led
away captives into Babylon, by the king of Babylon, to declare to them
according to what was commanded him by God.
6:1. For the sins that you have committed before God, you shall be
carried away captives into Babylon by Nabuchodonosor the king of
Babylon.
6:2. And when you are come into Babylon, you shall be there many years,
and for a long time, even to seven generations: and after that I will
bring you away from thence with peace.
Seven generations.... That is, seventy years.
6:3. But now, you shall see in Babylon gods of gold, and of silver, and
of stone, and of wood borne upon shoulders, causing fear to the
Gentiles.
6:4. Beware therefore that you imitate not the doings of others, and be
afraid, and the fear of them should seize upon you.
6:5. But when you see the multitude behind, and before, adoring them,
say you in your hearts: Thou oughtest to be adored, O Lord.
6:6. For my angel is with you: And I myself will demand an account of
your souls.
6:7. For their tongue that is polished by the craftsman, and themselves
laid over with gold and silver, are false things, and they cannot
speak.
6:8. And as if it were for a maiden that loveth to go gay: so do they
take gold and make them up.
6:9. Their gods have golden crowns upon their heads: whereof the
priests secretly convey away from them gold, and silver, and bestow it
on themselves.
6:10. Yea and they give thereof to prostitutes, and they dress out
harlots: and again when they receive it of the harlots, they adorn
their gods.
6:11. And these gods cannot defend themselves from the rust, and the
moth.
6:12. But when they have covered them with a purple garment, they wipe
their face because of the dust of the house, which is very much among
them.
6:13. This holdeth a sceptre as a man, as a judge of the country, but
cannot put to death one that offendeth him.
6:14. And this hath in his hand a sword, or an axe, but cannot save
himself from war, or from robbers, whereby be it known to you, that
they are not gods.
6:15. Therefore fear them not. For as a vessel that a man uses when it
is broken becometh useless, even so are their gods:
6:16. When they are placed in the house, their eyes are full of dust by
the feet of them that go in.
6:17. And as the gates are made sure on every side upon one that hath
offended the king, or like a dead man carried to the grave, so do the
priests secure the doors with bars and locks, lest they be stripped by
thieves.
6:18. They light candles to them, and in great number, of which they
cannot see one: but they are like beams in the house.
6:19. And they say that the creeping things which are of the earth,
gnaw their hearts, while they eat them and their garments, and they
feel it not.
6:20. Their faces are black with the smoke that is made in the house.
6:21. Owls, and swallows, and other birds fly upon their bodies, and
upon their heads, and cats in like manner.
6:22. Whereby you may know that they are no gods. Therefore fear them
not.
6:23. The gold also which they have, is for shew, but except a man wipe
off the rust, they will not shine: for neither when they were molten,
did they feel it.
6:24. Men buy them at a high price, whereas there is no breath in them.
6:25. And having not the use of feet they are carried upon shoulders,
declaring to men how vile they are. Be they confounded also that
worship them.
6:26. Therefore if they fall to the ground, they rise not up again of
themselves, nor if a man set them upright, will they stand by
themselves, but their gifts shall be set before them, as to the dead.
6:27. The things that are sacrificed to them, their priests sell and
abuse: in like manner also their wives take part of them, but give
nothing of it either to the sick, or to the poor.
6:28. The childbearing and menstruous women touch their sacrifices:
knowing, therefore, by these things that they are not gods, fear them
not.
6:29. For how can they be called gods? because women set offerings
before the gods of silver, and of gold, and of wood:
6:30. And priests sit in their temples, having their garments rent, and
their heads and beards shaven, and nothing upon their heads.
6:31. And they roar and cry before their gods, as men do at the feast
when one is dead.
6:32. The priests take away their garments, and clothe their wives and
their children.
6:33. And whether it be evil that one doth unto them, or good, they are
not able to recompense it: neither can they set up a king, nor put him
down:
6:34. In like manner they can neither give riches, nor requite evil. If
a man make a vow to them, and perform it not: they cannot require it.
6:35. They cannot deliver a man from death, nor save the weak from the
mighty.
6:36. They cannot restore the blind man to his sight: nor deliver a man
from distress.
6:37. They shall not pity the widow, nor do good to the fatherless.
6:38. Their gods, of wood, and of stone, and of gold, and of silver,
are like the stones that are hewn out of the mountains: and they that
worship them shall be confounded.
6:39. How then is it to be supposed, or to be said, that they are gods?
6:40. Even the Chaldeans themselves dishonor them: who when they hear
of one dumb that cannot speak, they present him to Bel, entreating him,
that he may speak.
6:41. As though they could be sensible that have no motion themselves:
and they, when they shall perceive this, will leave them: for their
gods themselves have no sense.
6:42. The women also, with cords about them, sit in the ways, burning
olive-stones.
6:43. And when any one of them, drawn away by some passenger, lieth
with him, she upbraideth her neighbor, that she was not thought as
worthy as herself, nor her cord broken.
6:44. But all things that are done about them, are false: how is it
then to be thought, or to be said, that they are gods?
6:45. And they are made by workmen, and by goldsmiths. They shall be
nothing else but what the priests will have them to be.
6:46. For the artificers themselves that make them, are of no long
continuance. Can those things then that are made by them, be gods?
6:47. But they have left false things and reproach to them that come
after.
6:48. For when war cometh upon them, or evils: the priests consult
with themselves, where they may hide themselves with them.
6:49. How then can they be thought to be gods, that can neither deliver
themselves from war, nor save themselves from evils?
6:50. For seeing they are but of wood, and laid over with gold, and
with silver, it shall be known hereafter that they are false things, by
all nations, and kings: and it shall be manifest that they are no gods,
but the work of men’s hands, and that there is no work of God in them.
6:51. Whence, therefore, is it known that they are not gods, but the
work of men’s hands, and no work of God is in them?
6:52. They cannot set up a king over the land, nor give rain to men.
6:53. They determine no causes, nor deliver countries from oppression:
because they can do nothing, and are as daws between heaven and earth.
6:54. For when fire shall fall upon the house of these gods of wood,
and of silver, and of gold, their priests indeed will flee away, and be
saved: but they themselves shall be burnt in the midst like beams.
6:55. And they cannot withstand a king and war. How then can it be
supposed, or admitted, that they are gods?
6:56. Neither are these gods of wood, and of stone, and laid over with
gold, and with silver, able to deliver themselves from thieves or
robbers: they that are stronger than them,
They that are stronger than them.... That is, robbers and thieves are
stronger than these idols, being things without life or motion.
6:57. Shall take from them the gold, and silver, and the raiment
wherewith they are clothed, and shall go their way, neither shall they
help themselves.
6:58. Therefore it is better to be a king that sheweth his power: or
else a profitable vessel in the house, with which the owner thereof
will be well satisfied: or a door in the house, to keep things safe
that are therein, than such false gods.
6:59. The sun, and the moon, and the stars being bright, and sent forth
for profitable uses, are obedient.
6:60. In like manner the lightning, when it breaketh forth, is easy to
be seen: and after the same manner the wind bloweth in every country.
6:61. And the clouds, when God commandeth them to go over the whole
world, do that which is commanded them.
6:62. The fire also being sent from above to consume mountains, and
woods, doth as it is commanded. But these neither in shew, nor in
power, are like to any one of them.
6:63. Wherefore it is neither to be thought, nor to be said, that they
are gods: since they are neither able to judge causes, nor to do any
good to men.
6:64. Knowing, therefore, that they are not gods, fear them not.
6:65. For neither can they curse kings, nor bless them.
6:66. Neither do they shew signs in the heaven to the nations, nor
shine as the sun, nor give light as the moon.
6:67. Beasts are better than they, which can fly under a covert, and
help themselves.
6:68. Therefore there is no manner of appearance that they are gods: so
fear them not.
6:69. For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keepeth nothing, so
are their gods of wood, and of silver, and laid over with gold.
6:70. They are no better than a white thorn in a garden, upon which
every bird sitteth. In like manner also their gods of wood, and laid
over with gold, and with silver, are like to a dead body cast forth in
the dark.
6:71. By the purple also and the scarlet which are motheaten upon them,
you shall know that they are not gods. And they themselves at last are
consumed, and shall be a reproach in the country.
6:72. Better, therefore, is the just man that hath no idols: for he
shall be far from reproach.