Jeremiah 6
Christian Standard Bible
Threatened Siege of Jerusalem
6 “Run for cover(A)
out of Jerusalem, Benjaminites.
Sound the ram’s horn(B) in Tekoa;(C)
raise a smoke signal(D) over Beth-haccherem,[a]
for disaster threatens from the north,(E)
even a crushing blow.
2 Though she is beautiful and delicate,
I will destroy[b] Daughter Zion.
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch their tents all around her.(F)
Each will pasture his own portion.
4 Set them apart for war(G) against her;
rise up, let’s attack at noon.
Woe to us, for the day is passing;
the evening shadows grow long.
5 Rise up, let’s attack by night.
Let’s destroy her fortresses.”
6 For this is what the Lord of Armies says:
Cut down the trees;(H)
raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished.
There is nothing but oppression within her.(I)
7 As a well gushes out its water,
so she pours out her evil.[c]
Violence and destruction(J) resound in her.
Sickness and wounds keep coming to my attention.
8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away from you;(K)
I will make you a desolation,
a land without inhabitants.(L)
Wrath on Israel
9 This is what the Lord of Armies says:
Glean the remnant of Israel(M)
as thoroughly as a vine.
Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer
over the branches.
10 Who can I speak to and give such a warning[d]
that they will listen?
Look, their ear is uncircumcised,[e](N)
so they cannot pay attention.
See, the word of the Lord has become contemptible to them—
they find no pleasure in it.(O)
11 But I am full of the Lord’s wrath;
I am tired of holding it back.(P)
Pour it out on the children in the street,(Q)
on the gathering of young men as well.
For both husband and wife will be captured,
the old with the very old.[f]
12 Their houses will be turned over to others,(R)
their fields and wives as well,
for I will stretch out my hand(S)
against the inhabitants of the land.
This is the Lord’s declaration.
13 For from the least to the greatest of them,(T)
everyone is making profit dishonestly.(U)
From prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.(V)
14 They have treated my people’s brokenness superficially,
claiming, “Peace, peace,”(W)
when there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they acted so detestably?
They weren’t at all ashamed.
They can no longer feel humiliation.(X)
Therefore, they will fall among the fallen.
When I punish them, they will collapse,(Y)
says the Lord.
Disaster because of Disobedience
16 This is what the Lord says:
Stand by the roadways and look.
Ask about the ancient paths,(Z)
“Which is the way to what is good?”
Then take it
and find rest for yourselves.(AA)
But they protested, “We won’t!”
17 I appointed watchmen over you(AB)
and said, “Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.”
But they protested, “We won’t listen!”
18 Therefore listen, you nations
and you witnesses,
learn what the charge is against them.
19 Listen, earth!
I am about to bring disaster on these people,
the fruit of their own plotting,(AC)
for they have paid no attention to my words.
They have rejected my instruction.(AD)
20 What use to me is frankincense from Sheba(AE)
or sweet cane(AF) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please me.(AG)
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
I am going to place stumbling blocks before these people;
fathers and sons together will stumble over them;(AH)
friends and neighbors will also perish.
A Cruel Nation from the North
22 This is what the Lord says:
Look,(AI) an army is coming from a northern land;(AJ)
a great nation will be stirred up
from the remote regions of the earth.(AK)
23 They grasp bow and javelin.
They are cruel and show no mercy.(AL)
Their voice roars like the sea,(AM)
and they ride on horses,
lined up like men in battle formation
against you, Daughter Zion.
24 We have heard about it,
and our hands have become weak.
Distress has seized us—
pain, like a woman in labor.(AN)
25 Don’t go out to the fields;
don’t walk on the road.
For the enemy has a sword;
terror is on every side.(AO)
26 My dear[g] people, dress yourselves in sackcloth
and roll in the dust.(AP)
Mourn as you would for an only son,(AQ)
a bitter lament,
for suddenly the destroyer(AR) will come on us.(AS)
Jeremiah Appointed as an Examiner
27 I have appointed you to be an assayer among my people—
a refiner[h]—
so you may know and assay their way of life.(AT)
28 All are stubborn rebels
spreading slander.(AU)
They are bronze and iron;
all of them are corrupt.(AV)
29 The bellows blow,
blasting the lead with fire.
The refining is completely in vain;
the evil ones are not separated out.
30 They are called rejected silver,
for the Lord has rejected them.(AW)
Jeremiah 6
International Standard Version
The Enemy Besieges Jerusalem
6 “Flee to safety, you people of Benjamin,
leave Jerusalem.
Sound the trumpet in Tekoa,
and raise a signal over Beth-haccerem!
For calamity and terrible destruction
are turning toward you[a] from the north.
2 I’ll destroy the lovely and delicate
Daughter of Zion.[b]
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come against her.
They’ll pitch their tents all around her,
and every one will tend his flock in his own place.
4 Prepare for war against her.
Get ready, let’s attack at noon!
How terrible for us that the day is coming to an end,[c]
and that the evening shadows are lengthening.
5 Get ready, let’s attack at night,
and destroy her fortresses.”[d]
Instructions for the Attackers
6 For this is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“Cut down trees and
set up siege works against Jerusalem.
It is the city to be judged,
and there is oppression throughout the entire city.[e]
7 As a well keeps its waters fresh,[f]
so the city[g] keeps her wickedness fresh.[h]
Violence and destruction are heard in her,
sickness and wounds are always before me.
8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
or I’ll be alienated from you.
I’ll make you desolate,
a land not inhabited.”
9 This is what the Lord of the Heavenly Armies says:
“Let them glean the remnant of Israel
as thoroughly as they would the vine.
Pass your hand over them like grape gatherers
over the branches.
10 To whom will I speak and give a warning
so they’ll listen?
Look, their ears are closed,[i]
and they cannot hear.
Look, this message from the Lord is contemptible to them;
they don’t delight in it.
11 I’m full of the wrath of the Lord,
and I’m tired of holding it back.
Pour it out on the children in the street
and on the groups of young men gathered together.
Indeed, both husband and wife will be caught in it,
the old and the very old.
12 Their houses will be turned over to others—
their fields and wives together—
when I stretch out my hand against
those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
13 “Indeed, from the least important to the most important,
they’re all greedy for dishonest gain.
From prophet to priest,
they all act deceitfully.
14 They treated my people’s wound superficially, telling them,
‘Peace, peace,’ but there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed because they did
what was repugnant to God?[j]
They were not ashamed at all—
they don’t even know how to blush!
Therefore they’ll fall with those who fall.
When I punish them, they’ll be brought down,”
says the Lord.
Israel Refuses to Repent
16 This is what the Lord says:
“Stand beside the roads and watch.
Ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is.
Walk in it and find rest for yourselves.
But they said, ‘We won’t walk in it!’[k]
17 I appointed watchmen over you.
Listen for the sound of the trumpet.
But they said, ‘We won’t listen!’
18 Therefore, hear, nations,
and know, congregation,
what will happen to them.[l]
19 Listen, earth!
I’m about to bring calamity on this people,
on the fruit of their plans,
because they didn’t listen to my words
and they rejected my instruction.[m]
20 What good is frankincense
that comes from Sheba[n] to me,
or sweet cane from a distant country?
Your burnt offerings aren’t acceptable,
nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.”
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
“I’m about to put stumbling blocks in front of this people,
and fathers and sons will stumble over them together.
The neighbor and his friends will perish.”
The Invaders from the North
22 This is what the Lord says:
“Look, people are coming from a northern country.
A great nation is stirring from the ends of the earth.
23 They grab bow and spear;
they’re cruel and show no mercy.
Their sound roars like the sea
as they ride on horses,
deployed like men ready for battle
against you, daughter of Zion.”
24 We have heard the news about it,
and our hands are limp.
Distress has seized us
like a woman in labor.
25 Don’t go out into the field,
and don’t travel on the road,
because the enemy has a sword,
and terror is on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth
and roll in ashes.
Mourn with bitter wailing,
as one mourns at the death of[o] an only son.
For the destroyer will come on us suddenly.
People Rejected by the Lord
27 “I’ve made you an assayer[p] of my people,
as well as[q] a fortress.
You know how
to test their way.”
28 All of them are very rebellious,
going around as slanderers.
They’re bronze and iron,
and all of them are corrupt.
29 The bellows blow fiercely to consume
the lead with the fire.
The assayer[r] keeps on refining,
but the impurities[s] aren’t separated out.
30 They’re called reject silver,
because the Lord has rejected them.
Footnotes
- Jeremiah 6:1 The Heb. lacks toward you
- Jeremiah 6:2 I.e. Jerusalem
- Jeremiah 6:4 Lit. is turning
- Jeremiah 6:5 Or palaces
- Jeremiah 6:6 Lit. through her
- Jeremiah 6:7 Or cool
- Jeremiah 6:7 Lit. she
- Jeremiah 6:7 Or cool
- Jeremiah 6:10 Lit. uncircumcised
- Jeremiah 6:15 Lit. committed an abomination
- Jeremiah 6:16 The Heb. lacks in it
- Jeremiah 6:18 Or what is among them
- Jeremiah 6:19 Or Law
- Jeremiah 6:20 I.e. Yemen
- Jeremiah 6:26 The Heb. lacks at the death of
- Jeremiah 6:27 I.e. one who tests metal for purity
- Jeremiah 6:27 The Heb. lacks as well as (cf. Jer 1:18)
- Jeremiah 6:29 Lit. He
- Jeremiah 6:29 Or wicked
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