He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.

They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest."

"Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.

"Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.

"Now at vintage-time he sent a servant to the vinedressers, that he might receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the vinedressers.

"Again he sent them another servant, and at him they threw stones, wounded [him] in the head, and sent [him] away shamefully treated.

that the LORD sent a prophet to the children of Israel, who said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'I brought you up from Egypt and brought you out of the house of bondage;

'Also I said to you, "I [am] the LORD your God; do not fear the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell." But you have not obeyed My voice.' "

Yet the LORD testified against Israel and against Judah, by all of His prophets, every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways, and keep My commandments [and] My statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by My servants the prophets."

And the LORD God of their fathers sent [warnings] to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending [them,] because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.

But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the LORD arose against His people, till [there was] no remedy.

Yet for many years You had patience with them, And testified against them by Your Spirit in Your prophets. Yet they would not listen; Therefore You gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

"From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this [is] the twenty-third year in which the word of the LORD has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened.

"They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.

"Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

"Thus says the LORD: 'Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship [in] the LORD's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word.

"And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the LORD: "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you,

"then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth." ' "

"I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending [them,] saying, 'Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.' But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.

'However I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising early and sending [them,] saying, "Oh, do not do this abominable thing that I hate!"

'But they did not listen or incline their ear to turn from their wickedness, to burn no incense to other gods.

" O Ephraim, what shall I do to you? O Judah, what shall I do to you? For your faithfulness is like a morning cloud, And like the early dew it goes away.

For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.

"Therefore say to them, 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: "Return to Me," says the LORD of hosts, "and I will return to you," says the LORD of hosts.

"Your fathers, where [are] they? And the prophets, do they live forever?

"Thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Execute true justice, Show mercy and compassion Everyone to his brother.

"But they refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear.

"Therefore it happened, [that] just as He proclaimed and they would not hear, so they called out and I would not listen," says the LORD of hosts.

"You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and [that] your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another -- to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.

"Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.

"Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and [some] of them they will kill and persecute,'

" O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen [gathers] her brood under [her] wings, but you were not willing!

Now Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah went near and struck Micaiah on the cheek, and said, "Which way did the spirit from the LORD go from me to speak to you?"

Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in prison, for [he was] enraged at him because of this. And Asa oppressed [some] of the people at that time.

Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them back to the LORD; and they testified against them, but they would not listen.

So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him with stones in the court of the house of the LORD.

" Nevertheless they were disobedient And rebelled against You, Cast Your law behind their backs And killed Your prophets, who testified against them To turn them to Yourself; And they worked great provocations.

"In vain I have chastened your children; They received no correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets Like a destroying lion.

Then Pashhur struck Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that [were] in the high gate of Benjamin, which [was] by the house of the LORD.

Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the LORD, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and [other] men [who went] with him to Egypt.

Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

"The LORD has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be officers [in] the house of the LORD over every man [who] is demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should put him in prison and in the stocks.

Now therefore, why have you not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you?

Therefore the princes were angry with Jeremiah, and they struck him and put him in prison in the house of Jonathan the scribe. For they had made that the prison.

When Jeremiah entered the dungeon and the cells, and Jeremiah had remained there many days,

Therefore the princes said to the king, "Please, let this man be put to death, for thus he weakens the hands of the men of war who remain in this city, and the hands of all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man does not seek the welfare of this people, but their harm."

So they took Jeremiah and cast him into the dungeon of Malchiah the king's son, which [was] in the court of the prison, and they let Jeremiah down with ropes. And in the dungeon [there was] no water, but mire. So Jeremiah sank in the mire.