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Jeremiah 6
New King James Version
Jeremiah 6
New King James Version
Impending Destruction from the North
6 “O you children of Benjamin,
Gather yourselves to flee from the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,
And set up a signal-fire in (A)Beth Haccerem;
(B)For disaster appears out of the north,
And great destruction.
2 I have likened the daughter of Zion
To a lovely and delicate woman.
3 The (C)shepherds with their flocks shall come to her.
They shall pitch their tents against her all around.
Each one shall pasture in his own place.”
4 “Prepare(D) war against her;
Arise, and let us go up (E)at noon.
Woe to us, for the day goes away,
For the shadows of the evening are lengthening.
5 Arise, and let us go by night,
And let us destroy her palaces.”
6 For thus has the Lord of hosts said:
“Cut down trees,
And build a mound against Jerusalem.
This is the city to be punished.
She is full of oppression in her midst.
7 (F)As a fountain [a]wells up with water,
So she wells up with her wickedness.
(G)Violence and plundering are heard in her.
Before Me continually are [b]grief and wounds.
8 Be instructed, O Jerusalem,
Lest (H)My soul depart from you;
Lest I make you desolate,
A land not inhabited.”
9 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“They shall thoroughly glean as a vine the remnant of Israel;
As a grape-gatherer, put your hand back into the branches.”
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
That they may hear?
Indeed their (I)ear is uncircumcised,
And they cannot give heed.
Behold, (J)the word of the Lord is a reproach to them;
They have no delight in it.
11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the Lord.
(K)I am weary of holding it in.
“I will pour it out (L)on the children outside,
And on the assembly of young men together;
For even the husband shall be taken with the wife,
The aged with him who is full of days.
12 And (M)their houses shall be turned over to others,
Fields and wives together;
For I will stretch out My hand
Against the inhabitants of the land,” says the Lord.
13 “Because from the least of them even to the greatest of them,
Everyone is given to (N)covetousness;
And from the prophet even to the (O)priest,
Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have also (P)healed the [c]hurt of My people [d]slightly,
(Q)Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’
When there is no peace.
15 Were they (R)ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No! They were not at all ashamed;
Nor did they know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time I punish them,
They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.
16 Thus says the Lord:
“Stand in the ways and see,
And ask for the (S)old paths, where the good way is,
And walk in it;
Then you will find (T)rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 Also, I set (U)watchmen over you, saying,
(V)‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, O congregation, what is among them.
19 (W)Hear, O earth!
Behold, I will certainly bring (X)calamity on this people—
(Y)The fruit of their thoughts,
Because they have not heeded My words
Nor My law, but rejected it.
20 (Z)For what purpose to Me
Comes frankincense (AA)from Sheba,
And (AB)sweet cane from a far country?
(AC)Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,
Nor your sacrifices sweet to Me.”
21 Therefore thus says the Lord:
“Behold, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people,
And the fathers and the sons together shall fall on them.
The neighbor and his friend shall perish.”
22 Thus says the Lord:
“Behold, a people comes from the (AD)north country,
And a great nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.
23 They will lay hold on bow and spear;
They are cruel and have no mercy;
Their voice (AE)roars like the sea;
And they ride on horses,
As men of war set in array against you, O daughter of Zion.”
24 We have heard the report of it;
Our hands grow feeble.
(AF)Anguish has taken hold of us,
Pain as of a woman in [e]labor.
25 Do not go out into the field,
Nor walk by the way.
Because of the sword of the enemy,
Fear is on every side.
26 O daughter of my people,
(AG)Dress in sackcloth
(AH)And roll about in ashes!
(AI)Make mourning as for an only son, most bitter lamentation;
For the plunderer will suddenly come upon us.
27 “I have set you as an assayer and (AJ)a fortress among My people,
That you may know and test their way.
28 (AK)They are all stubborn rebels, (AL)walking as slanderers.
They are (AM)bronze and iron,
They are all corrupters;
29 The bellows blow fiercely,
The lead is consumed by the fire;
The smelter refines in vain,
For the wicked are not drawn off.
30 People will call them (AN)rejected silver,
Because the Lord has rejected them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 6:7 gushes
- Jeremiah 6:7 sickness
- Jeremiah 6:14 Lit. crushing
- Jeremiah 6:14 Superficially
- Jeremiah 6:24 childbirth
Jeremiah 6
New International Version
Jeremiah 6
New International Version
Jerusalem Under Siege
6 “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet(A) in Tekoa!(B)
Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!(C)
For disaster looms out of the north,(D)
even terrible destruction.
2 I will destroy Daughter Zion,(E)
so beautiful and delicate.(F)
3 Shepherds(G) with their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch their tents around(H) her,
each tending his own portion.”
4 “Prepare for battle against her!
Arise, let us attack at noon!(I)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
and the shadows of evening grow long.
5 So arise, let us attack at night
and destroy her fortresses!”
6 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Cut down the trees(J)
and build siege ramps(K) against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
it is filled with oppression.(L)
7 As a well pours out its water,
so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence(M) and destruction(N) resound in her;
her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8 Take warning, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away(O) from you
and make your land desolate
so no one can live in it.”
9 This is what the Lord Almighty says:
“Let them glean the remnant(P) of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”
10 To whom can I speak and give warning?
Who will listen(Q) to me?
Their ears are closed[a](R)
so they cannot hear.(S)
The word(T) of the Lord is offensive to them;
they find no pleasure in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath(U) of the Lord,
and I cannot hold it in.(V)
“Pour it out on the children in the street
and on the young men(W) gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
and the old, those weighed down with years.(X)
12 Their houses will be turned over to others,(Y)
together with their fields and their wives,(Z)
when I stretch out my hand(AA)
against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
13 “From the least to the greatest,
all(AB) are greedy for gain;(AC)
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.(AD)
14 They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.(AE)
15 Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
No, they have no shame at all;
they do not even know how to blush.(AF)
So they will fall among the fallen;
they will be brought down when I punish(AG) them,”
says the Lord.
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand at the crossroads and look;
ask for the ancient paths,(AH)
ask where the good way(AI) is, and walk in it,
and you will find rest(AJ) for your souls.
But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I appointed watchmen(AK) over you and said,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’(AL)
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’(AM)
18 Therefore hear, you nations;
you who are witnesses,
observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth:(AN)
I am bringing disaster(AO) on this people,
the fruit of their schemes,(AP)
because they have not listened to my words(AQ)
and have rejected my law.(AR)
20 What do I care about incense from Sheba(AS)
or sweet calamus(AT) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;(AU)
your sacrifices(AV) do not please me.”(AW)
21 Therefore this is what the Lord says:
“I will put obstacles before this people.
Parents and children alike will stumble(AX) over them;
neighbors and friends will perish.”
22 This is what the Lord says:
“Look, an army is coming
from the land of the north;(AY)
a great nation is being stirred up
from the ends of the earth.(AZ)
23 They are armed with bow and spear;
they are cruel and show no mercy.(BA)
They sound like the roaring sea(BB)
as they ride on their horses;(BC)
they come like men in battle formation
to attack you, Daughter Zion.(BD)”
24 We have heard reports about them,
and our hands hang limp.(BE)
Anguish(BF) has gripped us,
pain like that of a woman in labor.(BG)
25 Do not go out to the fields
or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
and there is terror on every side.(BH)
26 Put on sackcloth,(BI) my people,
and roll in ashes;(BJ)
mourn with bitter wailing(BK)
as for an only son,(BL)
for suddenly the destroyer(BM)
will come upon us.
27 “I have made you a tester(BN) of metals
and my people the ore,
that you may observe
and test their ways.
28 They are all hardened rebels,(BO)
going about to slander.(BP)
They are bronze and iron;(BQ)
they all act corruptly.
29 The bellows blow fiercely
to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining(BR) goes on in vain;
the wicked are not purged out.
30 They are called rejected silver,(BS)
because the Lord has rejected them.”(BT)
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 6:10 Hebrew uncircumcised
Jeremiah 6
English Standard Version
Jeremiah 6
English Standard Version
Impending Disaster for Jerusalem
6 Flee for safety, (A)O people of Benjamin,
from the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow the trumpet in (B)Tekoa,
and raise a signal on (C)Beth-haccherem,
for disaster looms (D)out of the north,
and great destruction.
2 The lovely and delicately bred I will destroy,
(E)the daughter of Zion.[a]
3 (F)Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her;
(G)they shall pitch their tents around her;
they shall pasture, each in his place.
4 (H)“Prepare war against her;
arise, and let us attack (I)at noon!
Woe to us, for the day declines,
for the shadows of evening lengthen!
5 Arise, and let us attack by night
and destroy her palaces!”
6 For thus says the Lord of hosts:
(J)“Cut down her trees;
(K)cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem.
This is the city that must be (L)punished;
there is nothing but oppression within her.
7 (M)As a well keeps its water fresh,
so she keeps fresh her evil;
(N)violence and destruction are heard within her;
sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8 Be warned, O Jerusalem,
(O)lest I turn from you in disgust,
lest I make you (P)a desolation,
an uninhabited land.”
9 Thus says the Lord of hosts:
(Q)“They shall glean thoroughly as a vine
the remnant of Israel;
like a grape gatherer pass your hand again
over its branches.”
10 (R)To whom shall I speak and give warning,
that they may hear?
(S)Behold, their ears are uncircumcised,
(T)they cannot listen;
behold, (U)the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn;
they take no pleasure in it.
11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
(V)I am weary of holding it in.
(W)“Pour it out upon the children in the street,
and upon the gatherings of young men, also;
(X)both husband and wife (Y)shall be taken,
the elderly and the very aged.
12 (Z)Their houses shall be turned over to others,
their fields and wives together,
for I will stretch out my hand
against the inhabitants of the land,”
declares the Lord.
13 (AA)“For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone (AB)is greedy for unjust gain;
and from (AC)prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, (AD)‘Peace, peace,’
(AE)when there is no peace.
15 (AF)Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
(AG)at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”
says the Lord.
16 Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for (AH)the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
(AI)and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 (AJ)I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Pay attention to (AK)the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, (AL)‘We will not pay attention.’
18 Therefore hear, O nations,
and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people,
(AM)the fruit of their devices,
because they have not paid attention to my words;
and as for my law, they have rejected it.
20 (AN)What use to me is (AO)frankincense that comes from (AP)Sheba,
or sweet cane from a distant land?
(AQ)Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,
nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
21 Therefore thus says the Lord:
(AR)‘Behold, I will lay before this people
stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble;
fathers and sons together,
neighbor and friend shall perish.’”
22 Thus says the Lord:
(AS)“Behold, a people is coming (AT)from the north country,
a great nation is stirring from (AU)the farthest parts of the earth.
23 They lay hold on bow and javelin;
they are (AV)cruel and have no mercy;
(AW)the sound of them is like the roaring sea;
they ride on horses,
set in array as a man for battle,
against you, O daughter of Zion!”
24 We have heard the report of it;
(AX)our hands fall helpless;
anguish has taken hold of us,
(AY)pain as of a woman in labor.
25 Go not out into the field,
nor walk on the road,
for the enemy has a sword;
(AZ)terror is on every side.
26 O daughter of my people, (BA)put on sackcloth,
and (BB)roll in ashes;
(BC)make mourning as for an only son,
most bitter lamentation,
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27 “I have made you (BD)a tester of metals among my people,
that you may know and (BE)test their ways.
28 (BF)They are all stubbornly rebellious,
(BG)going about with slanders;
they are (BH)bronze and iron;
all of them act corruptly.
29 The (BI)bellows blow fiercely;
the lead is consumed by the fire;
(BJ)in vain the refining goes on,
for the wicked are not removed.
30 (BK)Rejected silver they are called,
for the Lord has rejected them.”
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 6:2 Or I have likened the daughter of Zion to the loveliest pasture
Jeremiah 6
New American Standard Bible
Jeremiah 6
New American Standard Bible
The Coming Destruction of Jerusalem
6 “Flee to safety, you sons of (A)Benjamin,
From the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow a trumpet in Tekoa
And raise a warning signal over [a](B)Beth-haccerem;
For evil looks down from the (C)north,
Along with a great destruction.
2 The beautiful and (D)delicate one, (E)the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.
3 (F)Shepherds and their flocks will come to her,
They will (G)pitch their tents [b]around her,
They will pasture, each in his [c]place.
4 ‘[d](H)Prepare for war against her;
Arise, and let’s [e]attack at (I)noon.
Woe to us, for the day declines,
For the shadows of the evening lengthen!
5 Arise, and let’s [f]attack by night
And (J)destroy her [g]palaces!’”
6 For this is what the Lord of armies says:
“(K)Cut down her trees
And pile up an (L)assault ramp against Jerusalem.
This is the city to be punished,
In whose midst there is only (M)oppression.
7 (N)As a well [h]keeps its waters fresh,
So she [i]keeps fresh her wickedness.
(O)Violence and destruction are heard in her;
(P)Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.
8 (Q)Be warned, Jerusalem,
Or [j](R)I shall be alienated from you,
And make you a desolation,
An uninhabited land.”
9 This is what the Lord of armies says:
“They will (S)thoroughly glean the (T)remnant of Israel like the vine;
Pass your hand over the branches again
Like a grape gatherer.”
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning,
That they may hear?
Behold, their (U)ears are [k]closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, (V)the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke;
They take no delight in it.
11 But I am (W)full of the wrath of the Lord;
I am (X)weary of holding it in.
“(Y)Pour it out on the children in the street
And on the [l]gathering of young men together;
For both husband and wife shall be taken,
The old [m]and the very old.
12 Their (Z)houses shall be turned over to others,
Their fields and their wives together;
For I will (AA)stretch out My hand
Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord.
13 “For (AB)from the least of them to the greatest of them,
Everyone is (AC)greedy for gain,
And from the prophet to the priest
Everyone deals falsely.
14 They have (AD)healed the brokenness of My people superficially,
Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
But there is no peace.
15 Were they (AE)ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
They were not ashamed at all,
Nor did they know even how to be ashamed.
Therefore they will fall among those who fall;
At the time that I punish them,
They will collapse,” says the Lord.
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand by the ways and see and ask for the (AF)ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then (AG)you will find a resting place for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 And I set (AH)watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not listen.’
18 Therefore hear, you nations,
And know, you congregation, what is among them.
19 (AI)Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people,
The (AJ)fruit of their [n]plans,
Because they have not listened to My words,
And as for My Law, they have (AK)rejected it also.
20 (AL)For what purpose does (AM)frankincense come to Me from Sheba,
And the [o](AN)sweet cane from a distant land?
(AO)Your burnt offerings are not acceptable
And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“Behold, (AP)I am [p]placing stumbling blocks before this people.
And they will stumble against them,
(AQ)Fathers and sons together;
Neighbor and [q]friend will perish.”
The Enemy from the North
22 This is what the Lord says:
“Behold, there is (AR)a people coming from the north land,
And a great nation will be stirred up from the (AS)remote parts of the earth.
23 They seize (AT)bow and spear;
They are (AU)cruel and have no mercy;
Their voice (AV)roars like the sea,
And they ride on horses,
Lined up as a man for the battle
Against you, daughter of Zion!”
24 We have (AW)heard the report of it;
Our hands are limp.
(AX)Anguish has seized us,
Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.
25 (AY)Do not go out into the field,
And (AZ)do not walk on the road;
For the enemy has a sword,
(BA)Terror is on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, (BB)put on sackcloth
And (BC)roll in ashes;
[r](BD)Mourn as for an only son,
A most bitter mourning.
For suddenly the destroyer
Will come against us.
27 “I have (BE)made you an assayer and an examiner among My people,
So that you may know and put their way to the test.”
28 All of them are stubbornly rebellious,
(BF)Going about as a slanderer;
They are (BG)bronze and iron.
They are, all of them, corrupt.
29 The bellows blow fiercely,
The lead is consumed by the fire;
In vain the refining goes on,
But the (BH)wicked are not [s]separated.
30 (BI)They call them rejected silver,
Because the (BJ)Lord has rejected them.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 6:1 I.e., house of the vineyard
- Jeremiah 6:3 Lit against her round about
- Jeremiah 6:3 Lit hand
- Jeremiah 6:4 Lit Sanctify war
- Jeremiah 6:4 Lit go up
- Jeremiah 6:5 Lit go up
- Jeremiah 6:5 Or fortified towers
- Jeremiah 6:7 Lit keeps cold
- Jeremiah 6:7 Lit keeps cold
- Jeremiah 6:8 Lit my soul
- Jeremiah 6:10 Lit uncircumcised
- Jeremiah 6:11 Lit council
- Jeremiah 6:11 Lit with fullness of days
- Jeremiah 6:19 Or devices
- Jeremiah 6:20 Lit good
- Jeremiah 6:21 Lit giving
- Jeremiah 6:21 Lit his friend
- Jeremiah 6:26 Lit Make for yourself mourning
- Jeremiah 6:29 Or drawn off
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.
English Standard Version (ESV) 
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) 
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.