Twenty-three years unheard

1The word that came to Yirmeyahu concerning all the people of Judah in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah, king of Judah—it was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon—

2which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying:

3From the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, these twenty-three years, the word of Yahweh has come to me, and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened.

4And Yahweh sent to you all his servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you did not listen, nor did you incline your ear to hear.

5saying, ‘Please turn back, each man from his evil way and from the evil of your deeds, and dwell in the land that Yahweh gave to you and to your fathers from of old and forever.’

6And do not go after other gods to serve them and to bow down to them, and do not provoke me to anger by the work of your hands, and I will do you no harm.

7Yet you did not listen to me, declares Yahweh, to provoke me to anger by the work of your hands, to your own harm.