But wait. What do such things have to do with righteousness?To modern ears, the word sounds priggish and unattractive because we equate righteousness with self-righteousness. But if that were so, why would Jesus commend those who hunger and thirst for righteousness? To be righteous is simply to be in right relationship with God and others. Instead of fighting God, we allow him to reshape us so that we become more like him.

If you doubt how much God values righteousness, listen to this passage from Daniel: "Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever" (12:3 NIV). True righteousness is not something repellant but something attractive and compelling, a shining of God's light and life into a dark world, desperate for his love.

Yahweh Tsidqenu, the LORD Our Righteousness, bring us into deeper relationship with yourself, reshaping our hearts and minds. May we please you, shining like the brightness of the heavens, like the stars forever and ever.

Promises Associated with the Name YAHWEH TSIDQENU.

Blessings cover the head of a righteous person. (Proverbs 10:6) The name of a righteous person remains blessed. (Proverbs 10:7) The mouth of a righteous person is a fountain of life. (Proverbs 10:11) The lips of a righteous person feed many. (Proverbs 10:21) That which wicked people dread happens to them, but the LORD grants the desire of righteous people. (Proverbs 10:24) When the storm has passed, the wicked person has vanished, but the righteous person has an everlasting foundation. (Proverbs 10:25) A righteous person is rescued from trouble, and a wicked person takes his place. (Proverbs 11:8)

The Two Fig Baskets 24 1 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took Jehoiakina (son of King Jehoiakim of Judah), the princes of Judah, the skilled workers, and the builders from Jerusalem into captivity and brought them to Babylon. After this, Yahweh showed me two baskets of figs set in front of Yahweh's temple. 2 One basket had very good figs, like figs that ripen first. The other basket had very bad figs. These figs were so bad that they couldn't be eaten.

3 Then Yahweh asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"

I answered, "Figs. Figs that are very good. I also see figs that are very bad, so bad that they can't be eaten."

4 Yahweh spoke his word to me, 5 "This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: The captives of Judah, whom I sent away from here to Babylon, are like these good figs. I will look kindly on them. 6 I will watch over them for their own good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down. I will plant them and not uproot them. 7 I will give them the desire to know that I am Yahweh. They will be my people, and I will be their Elohim , because they will wholeheartedly come back to me.

8 "But this is what the LORD says about the bad figs that are so bad that they can't be eaten. Yahweh says, 'Like these bad figs, I will abandon King Zedekiah of Judah, his princes, the remaining few in Jerusalem who stayed behind in this land, and those who are living in Egypt. 9 I will make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms of the earth. They will be a disgrace and an example. They will become something ridiculed and cursed wherever I scatter them. 10 I will send wars, famines, and plagues until they disappear from the land that I gave to them and their ancestors.'"

Judgment on Judah and the Nations 25 1 Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was in his fourth year as king. (This was the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.) 2 The prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to everyone who lived in Jerusalem. He said, 3 "For 23 years, from the time that Josiah, son of Amon, was in his thirteenth year as king of Judah until today, Yahweh continued to speak his word to me. So I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.

4 "Even though Yahweh has sent all his servants the prophets to you, you haven't listened or paid attention to them. 5 The prophets said, 'Turn from your evil ways and the evil you have done, and live in the land that Yahweh permanently gave to you and your ancestors. 6 Don't follow other gods to serve and worship them. Don't make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I won't harm you. 7 But you haven't listened to me, declares Yahweh. You have made me furious about the idols your hands have shaped and have brought harm upon yourselves.'

8 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: You did not listen to my words, 9 so I'm going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares Yahweh. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I'm going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined. 10 I will take from them the sounds of joy and happiness, the sounds of brides and grooms, the sound of mills, and the light of lamps. 11 This whole land will be ruined and become a wasteland. These nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.

12 "When the 70 years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation for their crimes, declares Yahweh. I will turn Babylon into a permanent wasteland. 13 I will bring on that land all the disasters I threatened to do to it, everything that Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations, everything written in this book. 14 Many nations and great kings will make slaves of the people of Babylon, and I will pay them back for what they have done."

15 This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel said to me: Take from my hand this cup filled with the wine of my fury, and make all the nations to whom I'm sending you drink from it. 16 When they drink from it, they will stagger and go insane because of the wars that I'm going to send them.

17 So I took the cup from Yahweh's hand. I made all the nations to whom Yahweh sent me drink from it: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah as well as its kings and officials. When they drank from it, they became wastelands and ruins, something ridiculed and cursed, until today.

19 I also made these people drink from it: Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, officials, all his people, 20 and all the foreign people living among them; all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of Philistia, those from the cities of Ashkelon, Gaza, and Ekron, and the people left in Ashdod; 21 Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre and Sidon, and the kings on the seacoast; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who shave the hair on their foreheads; 24 all the kings of Arabia, and all the kings of the foreign people living in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media; 26 all the kings of the north, near and far, one after another-all the kingdoms of the earth. Last of all, the king of Sheshach will drink from the cup.

27 The LORD said, "Say to them, 'This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, vomit, fall down, and don't get up because of the wars that I'm going to send you.' 28 But if they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink from it, say to them, 'This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: You must drink from it! 29 I am going to bring disaster on the city that is named after me. Do you think you'll go unpunished? You will not go unpunished! I'm declaring war on all those who live on earth, declares Yahweh Tsebaoth .'

30 "That is why you will prophesy all these things to them and say, 'Yahweh roars from above.

He thunders from his holy dwelling place.

He roars against his land.

He shouts like those who stomp grapes.

He shouts against all those who live on earth.

31 The sound is echoing to the ends of the earth because Yahweh has brought charges against the nations.

He will judge all humans.

He will kill the wicked, declares Yahweh.'

32 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Disaster is spreading from nation to nation.

A great storm is brewing from the distant corners of the earth."

33 On that day those killed by Yahweh will stretch from one end of the earth to the other. They will not be mourned, taken away, or buried. They will become like manure on the ground.

34 Mourn, you shepherds, and cry.

Roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock.

The time has come for you to be slaughtered.

The time has come for you to be scattered, and you will break like fine pottery.

35 There will be no place for the shepherds to flee, no escape for the leaders of the flock.

36 The shepherds are crying and the leaders of the flock are mourning because Yahweh is stripping their pasture.

37 The peaceful pastures are destroyed by Yahweh's burning anger.

38 He has left his lair like a lion.

Their land has been ruined because of the heat of the oppressor, because of the fury of his anger.

Jeremiah Is Arrested 26 1 Yahweh spoke his word when Judah's King Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, began to rule. He said, 2 "This is what Yahweh says: Stand in the courtyard of Yahweh's temple, and speak to all the people who come from the cities of Judah to worship in Yahweh's temple. Tell them everything that I command you to tell them. Don't leave out a single word. 3 Maybe they'll listen, and they'll turn from their evil ways. Then I'll change my plan about the disaster I intend to bring on them because of the evil they have done."

4 The LORD added, "Also say to them, 'This is what Yahweh says: Suppose you don't listen to me and don't follow my teachings that I set in front of you. 5 Suppose you don't listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I sent to you again and again, even though you didn't listen. 6 Then I will do to this temple what I did to Shiloh. I will turn this city into something that will be cursed by all the nations on earth.'"

7 The priests, the prophets, and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these things in Yahweh's temple. 8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished saying everything that Yahweh had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets, and all the people grabbed him and said, "You must die! 9 Why do you prophesy in Yahweh's name that this temple will be like Shiloh and this city will become a pile of rubble with no one living here?" Then all the people crowded around Jeremiah in Yahweh's temple.

10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went from the king's palace to Yahweh's temple. They sat at the entrance of New Gate to Yahweh's temple. 11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man is condemned to die because he prophesied against this city as you yourselves have heard."

12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people, "Yahweh sent me to prophesy everything that you have heard me say against this temple and against this city. 13 Now, change your ways and what you are doing, and listen to Yahweh your Elohim. Then Yahweh will change his plan about the disaster that he intends to bring on you.

14 "My life is in your hands. Do with me whatever you think is good and right. 15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you, this city, and the people living in it will be guilty of killing an innocent person. Yahweh has certainly sent me to speak all these things to you."

16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and prophets, "This man should not be condemned to die. He has spoken to us in the name of Yahweh our Elohim ."

17 Then some of the leaders in the land got up and said to the entire crowd, 18 "Micah from Moresheth prophesied at the time of Judah's King Hezekiah and said to all the people of Judah, 'This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says: Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a pile of rubble, and the temple mountain will become a worship site covered with trees.'

19 Did Judah's King Hezekiah and all the people of Judah put Micah to death? No! Hezekiah feared Yahweh and sought Yahweh's favor. So Yahweh changed his plan about the disaster he intended to bring on them. But we are about to bring a bigger disaster on ourselves."

20 There was another man prophesying in the name of Yahweh . His name was Uriah, son of Shemaiah, from Kiriath Jearim. He prophesied against this city and this land as Jeremiah did. 21 When King Jehoiakim and all his personal troops and officials heard what Uriah said, the king wanted to put him to death. But Uriah heard about it and fled in fear to Egypt. 22 King Jehoiakim sent soldiers to Egypt: Elnathan (son of Achbor) and other soldiers along with him. 23 They brought Uriah from Egypt and took him to King Jehoiakim. The king executed Uriah and threw his body into the burial ground for the common people. 24 Ahikam, son of Shaphan, supported Jeremiah. So Jeremiah was not handed over to the people to be put to death.

The Yoke of Babylon Will Be on Judah 27 1 When Zedekiah, son of King Josiah of Judah, began to rule, Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah.

2 This is what Yahweh said to me: Make leather straps and a wooden yoke,a and strap the yoke on your neck. 3 Then send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon, with messengers who have come to King Zedekiah of Judah in Jerusalem. 4 Give them an order for their masters: "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: Say this to your masters, 5 'I used my great strength and my powerful arm to make the earth along with the people and the animals on it. I give it to anyone I please. 6 Now I have handed all these countries over to my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made wild animals serve him. 7 All nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until Babylon is defeated. Then many nations and great kings will make him their slave.

8 "'Suppose nations or kingdoms won't serve or surrender to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will punish those nations by wars, famines, and plagues, until I have put an end to them by Nebuchadnezzar's power, declares Yahweh. 9 Don't listen to prophets, mediums, interpreters of dreams, fortunetellers, or sorcerers who tell you that you'll never serve the king of Babylon. 10 They are prophesying lies to you. They will cause you to be taken far from your lands. I'll scatter you, and you will die. 11 But suppose a nation surrenders to the king of Babylon and serves him. I will let it stay in its own land. People will farm the land and live on it,'" declares Yahweh.

12 I spoke the same message to King Zedekiah of Judah, "Surrender to the king of Babylon, serve him and his people, and you will stay alive. 13 Why should you and your people die in wars, famines, and plagues? Yahweh has threatened the nations that don't serve the king of Babylon. 14 Don't listen to the prophets who tell you that you'll never serve the king of Babylon. They are prophesying lies to you. 15 I didn't send them, declares Yahweh. They prophesy lies in my name. So I will scatter you, and you and the prophets will die."

16 I also spoke this message to the priests and all the people. "This is what Yahweh said to me: Don't listen to the prophets who tell you that the utensils of Yahweh's temple will be brought back from Babylon soon. They are prophesying lies to you. 17 Don't listen to them. Instead, serve the king of Babylon, and live. Why should this city be turned into rubble? 18 If they are prophets and Yahweh is speaking to them, they should beg Yahweh Tsebaoth not to allow the utensils that are left in Yahweh's temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem to be taken away to Babylon.

19-20 "Babylon's King Nebuchadnezzar took Jehoiakin,a son of King Jehoiakim of Judah, into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem. But he didn't take the pillars, the bronze pool, the stands, and the rest of the utensils that are left in this city. 21 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says about the utensils that are left in Yahweh's temple, in the royal palace of Judah, and in Jerusalem: 22 They will be taken to Babylon and stay there until I come for them, declares Yahweh . I will take them from there and bring them back to this place."

Hananiah's False Prophecy 28 1 In that same year, early in the rule of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the fifth month of his fourth year as king, the prophet Hananiah, son of Azzur, from Gibeon, spoke to me in Yahweh's temple. He said to me in front of the priests and all the people, 2 "This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: I will break the yokeb of the king of Babylon. 3 Within two years I will bring back all the utensils of Yahweh's temple that King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took from this place and carried off to Babylon. 4 I will also bring back to this place Jehoiakin, son of King Jehoiakim of Judah, and all the captives of Judah who went to Babylon, declares Yahweh. So I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon."

5 The prophet Jeremiah replied to the prophet Hananiah in front of the priests and all the people standing in Yahweh's temple. 6 He said, "Amen! May Yahweh do this! May Yahweh make your prophecy come true and bring back the utensils of Yahweh's temple and all the captives from Babylon to this place. 7 But now listen to this message that I am speaking to you and to all the people: 8 Long ago, the prophets who preceded you and me prophesied wars, disasters, and plagues against many countries and great kingdoms. 9 But the prophet who prophesied peace was recognized as a prophet that Yahweh sent only if the message of the prophet came true."

10 Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah and broke it. 11 Hananiah said in front of all the people, "This is what Yahweh says: In the same way, I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon off the neck of all the nations within two years." Then the prophet Jeremiah went on his way.

12 After the prophet Hananiah broke the yoke off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 13 "Tell Hananiah, 'This is what Yahweh says: You have broken the wooden yoke, but Ic will replace it with an iron yoke. 14 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: I will put an iron yoke on the necks of all these nations so that they will serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. They will serve him! I will even make wild animals serve him.'"

15 Then Jeremiah told the prophet Hananiah, "Now listen, Hananiah, Yahweh hasn't sent you. You have made these people believe a lie. 16 This is what Yahwehsays: I'm going to remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have encouraged rebellion against Yahweh ."

17 So the prophet Hananiah died in the seventh month of that year.

Jeremiah Writes to the Captives in Babylon 29 1 The prophet Jeremiah sent a letter from Jerusalem to the rest of the leaders among the captives. He also sent it to the priests, the prophets, and all the people that Nebuchadnezzar took away as captives from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiakina and his mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and metal workers left Jerusalem.) 3 He sent the letter with Shaphan's son Elasah and Hilkiah's son Gemariah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah had sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. The letter said: 4 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says to all those who were taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce. 6 Get married, and have sons and daughters. Find wives for your sons, and let your daughters get married so that they can have sons and daughters. Grow in number there; don't decrease. 7 Work for the good of the city where I've taken you as captives, and pray to Yahweh for that city. When it prospers, you will also prosper.

8 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: Don't let the prophets or the mediums who are among you trick you. Don't even listen to your own dreams. 9 These people are prophesying lies to you in my name. I didn't send them, declares Yahweh.

10 This is what Yahweh says: When Babylon's 70 years are over, I will come to you. I will keep my promise to you and bring you back to this place. 11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares Yahweh. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14 I will let you find me, declares Yahweh. I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I've scattered you, declares Yahweh. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.

15 You've said that Yahweh has given you prophets in Babylon. 16 But this is what Yahweh says about the king who sits on David's throne and about all the people who live in this city, the people who are your relatives and who weren't taken away as captives: 17 Yahweh Tsebaoth says: I'm going to send them wars, famines, and plagues. These people are like rotten figs to me, figs that are so bad that they can't be eaten. 18 I will chase them with wars, famines, and plagues. I will make them a horrifying sight to all the kingdoms on the earth. They will become something cursed, ridiculed, and hissed at, and they will be a disgrace among all the nations where I scatter them. 19 They didn't listen to me, declares Yahweh. I sent them my servants the prophets again and again, but they refused to listen, declares Yahweh.

20 So listen to the word of Yahweh, all you captives who were sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.

21 This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says about Kolaiah's son Ahab and about Maaseiah's son Zedekiah, who prophesy lies to you in my name: I'm going to hand them over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I will kill them as you watch. 22 Because of them, all the captives from Judah who are in Babylon will use this curse: May Yahweh curse you as he cursed Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned to death. 23 They have done shameful things in Israel. They committed adultery with their neighbors' wives and spoke lies in my name. I didn't command them to do this. I know what they have done. I'm a witness, declares Yahweh.

24 The LORD says, "Say to Shemaiah from Nehelam, 25 'This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth , the Elohim of Israel, says: You sent letters in your own name to all the people who are in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah, son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests. These letters said: 26 Yahweh made you priest instead of Jehoiada so that there would be officials for Yahweh's temple. You should put any lunatic who acts like a prophet in prison and in shackles. 27 Now, why haven't you arrested Jeremiah from Anathoth? After all, he acts like a prophet among you. 28 That's why Jeremiah sent this message to us in Babylon: You will be captives a long time. Build houses, and live in them. Plant gardens, and eat what they produce.'"

29 The priest Zephaniah read this letter to the prophet Jeremiah.

30 Then Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 31 "Send this message to all the captives: 'This is what Yahweh says about Shemaiah from Nehelam: Shemaiah prophesied to you, but I didn't send him. He has made you believe a lie. 32 Yahweh says: I will punish Shemaiah from Nehelam. I will also punish his descendants. No one from his family will be left alive. He will not see the blessings that I'm going to send my people, declares Yahweh, because he has encouraged rebellion against Yahweh .'"

Israel's Glorious Future 30 1 Yahweh spoke his word to Jeremiah. He said, 2 "This is what Yahweh Elohim of Israel says: Write in a book everything that I tell you. 3 The days are coming," declares Yahweh, "when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity. I will bring them back to the land that I gave their ancestors, and they will take possession of it."

4 This is the message that Yahweh spoke about Israel and Judah: 5 "This is what Yahweh says: "We hear cries of fear, cries of panic, not cries of peace.

6 Ask now, and see: Can a man give birth to a child?

Why, then, do I see every strong man holding his stomach in pain like a woman giving birth to a child?

Why has every face turned pale?

7 How terrible that day will be!

There will be no other day like it.

It will be a time of calamity for the descendants of Jacob, but they will be rescued from it.

8 "On that day," declares Yahweh Tsebaoth , "I will break the yokesa off your necks and tear off your ropes. Foreigners will no longer make you serve them. 9 You will serve Yahweh your Elohim and David your king. I will establish him for you.

10 "Don't be afraid, my servant Jacob," declares Yahweh.

Don't be terrified, Israel.

I'm going to rescue you from a faraway place.

I'm going to rescue your descendants from where they are captives.

The descendants of Jacob will again have peace and security, and no one will frighten them.

11 I am with you, and I will rescue you," declares Yahweh.

"I will completely destroy all the nations where I scattered you, but I will not completely destroy you.

I will correct you with justice.

I won't let you go entirely unpunished.

12 "This is what Yahweh says: Your wound is incurable.

Your injury is beyond healing.

13 No one argues that you should be healed.