Jeremiah 4:1-13

English Standard Version

4 “If you return, O Israel,
declares the Lord,
    ^(A)to me you should return.
If you remove your detestable things from my presence,
    ^(B)and do not waver,
^2 (C)and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’
    in truth, in justice, and in righteousness,
then ^(D)nations shall bless themselves in him,
    ^(E)and in him shall they glory.”

^(F)“Break up your fallow ground,
    and ^(G)sow not among thorns.
^4 (H)Circumcise yourselves to the Lord;
    remove the foreskin of your hearts,
    O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;
^(I)lest my wrath go forth like fire,
    and burn with none to quench it,
    ^(J)because of the evil of your deeds.”

^(K)“Blow the trumpet through the land;
    cry aloud and say,
^(L)‘Assemble, and let us go
    into the fortified cities!’
^6 (M)Raise a standard toward Zion,
    flee for safety, stay not,
for I bring disaster from ^(N)the north,
    ^(O)and great destruction.
^7 (P)A lion has gone up from his thicket,
    a destroyer of nations has set out;
    he has gone out from his place
to make your land a waste;
    your cities will be ruins
    ^(Q)without inhabitant.
⁸ For this ^(R)put on sackcloth,
    lament and wail,
for ^(S)the fierce anger of the Lord
    has not turned back from us.”

¹³ Behold, he comes up like clouds;
    ^(X)his chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are ^(Y)swifter than eagles—
    woe to us, ^(Z)for we are ruined!