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The Blind Perversity of the Whole Nation

You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord:
When people fall, do they not get up again?
    If they go astray, do they not turn back?(A)
Why then has this people[a] turned away
    in perpetual faithlessness?
They have held fast to deceit;
    they have refused to return.(B)
I have given heed and listened,
    but they do not speak honestly;
no one repents of wickedness,
    saying, “What have I done!”
All of them turn to their own course
    like a horse plunging headlong into battle.(C)
Even the stork in the heavens
    knows its times,
and the turtledove, swallow, and crane[b]
    observe the time of their coming,
but my people do not know
    the ordinance of the Lord.(D)

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Footnotes

  1. 8.5 Heb ms Gk: MT this people, Jerusalem,
  2. 8.7 Meaning of Heb uncertain

The Blind Perversity of the Whole Nation

“You shall say to them, Thus says the Lord:
When men fall, do they not rise again?
    If one turns away, does he not return?
Why then has this people turned away
    in perpetual backsliding?
They hold fast to deceit,
    they refuse to return.
I have given heed and listened,
    but they have not spoken aright;
no man repents of his wickedness,
    saying, ‘What have I done?’
Every one turns to his own course,
    like a horse plunging headlong into battle.
Even the stork in the heavens
    knows her times;
and the turtledove, swallow, and crane[a]
    keep the time of their coming;
but my people know not
    the ordinance of the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:7 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain

Sin and Punishment

“Say to them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘When people fall down, do they not get up?(A)
    When someone turns away,(B) do they not return?
Why then have these people turned away?
    Why does Jerusalem always turn away?
They cling to deceit;(C)
    they refuse to return.(D)
I have listened(E) attentively,
    but they do not say what is right.
None of them repent(F) of their wickedness,
    saying, “What have I done?”
Each pursues their own course(G)
    like a horse charging into battle.
Even the stork in the sky
    knows her appointed seasons,
and the dove, the swift and the thrush
    observe the time of their migration.
But my people do not know(H)
    the requirements of the Lord.

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