The Epistle [or Letter] of Jeremiah [Jeremy]
6
1 A copy of an epistle, which Jeremy sent unto them which were to be led captives into Babylon by the king
of the Babylonians, to certify them, as it was commanded him of God.
2 Because of the sins which ye have committed before God, ye shall be led away captives into Babylon by
Nabuchodonosor king of the Babylonians.
3 So when ye be come unto Babylon, ye shall remain there many years, and for a long season, namely, seven
generations: and after that I will bring you away peaceably from thence.
4 Now shall ye see in Babylon gods of silver, and of gold, and of wood, borne upon shoulders, which cause
the nations to fear.
5 Beware therefore that ye in no wise be like to strangers, neither be ye and of them, when ye see the
multitude before them and behind them, worshipping them.
8 As for their tongue, it is polished by the workman, and they themselves are gilded and laid over with
silver; yet are they but false, and cannot speak.
9 And taking gold, as it were for a virgin that loveth to go gay, they make crowns for the heads of their
gods.
10 Sometimes also the priests convey from their gods gold and silver, and bestow it upon themselves.
11 Yea, they will give thereof to the common harlots, and deck them as men with garments,
being gods of silver, and gods of gold, and wood.
12 Yet cannot these gods save themselves from rust and moth, though they be covered with purple raiment.
14 And he that cannot put to death one that offendeth him holdeth a sceptre, as though he were a judge of
the country.
15 He hath also in his right hand a dagger and an ax: but cannot deliver himself from war and thieves.
17 For like as a vessel that a man useth is nothing worth when it is broken; even so it is with their gods:
when they be set up in the temple, their eyes be full of dust through the feet of them that come in.
18 And as the doors are made sure on every side upon him that offendeth the king, as being committed to
suffer death: even so the priests make fast their temples with doors, with locks, and bars, lest their
gods be spoiled with robbers.
20 They are as one of the beams of the temple, yet they say their hearts are gnawed upon by things creeping
out of the earth; and when they eat them and their clothes, they feel it not.
24 Notwithstanding the gold that is about them to make them beautiful, except they wipe off the rust, they
will not shine: for neither when they were molten did they feel it.
26 They are borne upon shoulders, having no feet whereby they declare unto men that they be nothing worth.
27 They also that serve them are ashamed: for if they fall to the ground at any time, they cannot rise up
again of themselves: neither, if one set them upright, can they move of themselves: neither, if they
be bowed down, can they make themselves straight: but they set gifts before them as unto dead men.
28 As for the things that are sacrificed unto them, their priests sell and abuse; in like manner their wives
lay up part thereof in salt; but unto the poor and impotent they give nothing of it.
29 Menstruous women and women in childbed eat their sacrifices: by these things ye may know that they are
no gods: fear them not.
30 For how can they be called gods? because women set meat before the gods of silver, gold, and wood.
31 And the priests sit in their temples, having their clothes rent, and their heads and beards shaven, and
nothing upon their heads.
34 Whether it be evil that one doeth unto them, or good, they are not able to recompense it: they can neither
set up a king, nor put him down.
35 In like manner, they can neither give riches nor money: though a man make a vow unto them, and keep it
not, they will not require it.
39 Their gods of wood, and which are overlaid with gold and silver, are like the stones that be hewn out
of the mountain: they that worship them shall be confounded.
40 How should a man then think and say that they are gods, when even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour
them?
41 Who if they shall see one dumb that cannot speak, they bring him, and intreat Bel that he may speak,
as though he were able to understand.
43 The women also with cords about them, sitting in the ways, burn bran for perfume: but if any of them,
drawn by some that passeth by, lie with him, she reproacheth her fellow, that she was not thought as
worthy as herself, nor her cord broken.
45 They are made of carpenters and goldsmiths: they can be nothing else than the workmen will have them
to be.
46 And they themselves that made them can never continue long; how should then the things that are made
of them be gods?
48 For when there cometh any war or plague upon them, the priests consult with themselves, where they may
be hidden with them.
49 How then cannot men perceive that they be no gods, which can neither save themselves from war, nor from
plague?
50 For seeing they be but of wood, and overlaid with silver and gold, it shall be known hereafter that they
are false:
51 And it shall manifestly appear to all nations and kings that they are no gods, but the works of men’s
hands, and that there is no work of God in them.
54 Neither can they judge their own cause, nor redress a wrong, being unable: for they are as crows between
heaven and earth.
55 Whereupon when fire falleth upon the house of gods of wood, or laid over with gold or silver, their priests
will flee away, and escape; but they themselves shall be burned asunder like beams.
56 Moreover they cannot withstand any king or enemies: how can it then be thought or said that they be gods?
57 Neither are those gods of wood, and laid over with silver or gold, able to escape either from thieves
or robbers.
58 Whose gold, and silver, and garments wherewith they are clothed, they that are strong take, and go away
withal: neither are they able to help themselves.
59 Therefore it is better to be a king that sheweth his power, or else a profitable vessel in an house,
which the owner shall have use of, than such false gods; or to be a door in an house, to keep such things
therein, than such false gods. or a pillar of wood in a a palace, than such false gods.
61 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.
63 And the fire sent from above to consume hills and woods doeth as it is commanded: but these are like
unto them neither in shew nor power.
64 Wherefore it is neither to be supposed nor said that they are gods, seeing, they are able neither to
judge causes, nor to do good unto men.
67 Neither can they shew signs in the heavens among the heathen, nor shine as the sun, nor give light as
the moon.
70 For as a scarecrow in a garden of cucumbers keepeth nothing: so are their gods of wood, and laid over
with silver and gold.
71 And likewise their gods of wood, and laid over with silver and gold, are like to a white thorn in an
orchard, that every bird sitteth upon; as also to a dead body, that is east into the dark.