Jeremiah 3:19-4:12
New King James Version
19 “But I said:
‘How can I put you among the children
And give you (A)a pleasant land,
A beautiful heritage of the hosts of nations?’
“And I said:
‘You shall call Me, (B)“My Father,”
And not turn away from Me.’
20 Surely, as a wife treacherously departs from her [a]husband,
So (C)have you dealt treacherously with Me,
O house of Israel,” says the Lord.
21 A voice was heard on (D)the desolate heights,
Weeping and supplications of the children of Israel.
For they have perverted their way;
They have forgotten the Lord their God.
22 “Return, you backsliding children,
And I will (E)heal your backslidings.”
“Indeed we do come to You,
For You are the Lord our God.
23 (F)Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills,
And from the multitude of mountains;
(G)Truly, in the Lord our God
Is the salvation of Israel.
24 (H)For shame has devoured
The labor of our fathers from our youth—
Their flocks and their herds,
Their sons and their daughters.
25 We lie down in our shame,
And our [b]reproach covers us.
(I)For we have sinned against the Lord our God,
We and our fathers,
From our youth even to this day,
And (J)have not obeyed the voice of the Lord our God.”
Jeremiah Laments over Judah
4 “If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord,
(K)“Return to Me;
And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight,
Then you shall not be moved.
2 (L)And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’
(M)In truth, in [c]judgment, and in righteousness;
(N)The nations shall bless themselves in Him,
And in Him they shall (O)glory.”
3 For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
(P)“Break up your [d]fallow ground,
And (Q)do not sow among thorns.
4 (R)Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My fury come forth like fire,
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.”
An Imminent Invasion
5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:
(S)“Blow the trumpet in the land;
Cry, ‘Gather together,’
And say, (T)‘Assemble yourselves,
And let us go into the fortified cities.’
6 Set up the [e]standard toward Zion.
Take refuge! Do not delay!
For I will bring disaster from the (U)north,
And great destruction.”
7 (V)The lion has come up from his thicket,
And (W)the destroyer of nations is on his way.
He has gone forth from his place
(X)To make your land desolate.
Your cities will be laid waste,
Without inhabitant.
8 For this, (Y)clothe yourself with sackcloth,
Lament and wail.
For the fierce anger of the Lord
Has not turned back from us.
9 “And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord,
“That the heart of the king shall perish,
And the heart of the princes;
The priests shall be astonished,
And the prophets shall wonder.”
10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God!
(Z)Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem,
(AA)Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’
Whereas the sword reaches to the [f]heart.”
11 At that time it will be said
To this people and to Jerusalem,
(AB)“A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness
Toward the daughter of My people—
Not to fan or to cleanse—
12 A wind too strong for these will come for Me;
Now (AC)I will also speak judgment against them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 3:20 Lit. companion
- Jeremiah 3:25 disgrace
- Jeremiah 4:2 justice
- Jeremiah 4:3 untilled
- Jeremiah 4:6 banner
- Jeremiah 4:10 Lit. soul
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Bible Gateway Recommends
