Jeremiah 4-6

New International Version

4 “If you, Israel, will return,^(A)
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols^(B) out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,
²and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear,^(C) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’^(D)
then the nations will invoke blessings^(E) by him
    and in him they will boast.^(F)”

³This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem:

“Break up your unplowed ground^(G)
    and do not sow among thorns.^(H)
⁴Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
    circumcise your hearts,^(I)
    you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
or my wrath^(J) will flare up and burn like fire^(K)
    because of the evil^(L) you have done—
    burn with no one to quench^(M) it.

Disaster From the North

⁵“Announce in Judah and proclaim^(N) in Jerusalem and say:
    ‘Sound the trumpet^(O) throughout the land!’
Cry aloud and say:
    ‘Gather together!
    Let us flee to the fortified cities!’^(P)
⁶Raise the signal^(Q) to go to Zion!
    Flee for safety without delay!
For I am bringing disaster^(R) from the north,^(S)
    even terrible destruction.”

⁷A lion^(T) has come out of his lair;^(U)
    a destroyer^(V) of nations has set out.
He has left his place
    to lay waste^(W) your land.
Your towns will lie in ruins^(X)
    without inhabitant.
⁸So put on sackcloth,^(Y)
    lament^(Z) and wail,
for the fierce anger^(AA) of the Lord
    has not turned away from us.

⁹“In that day,” declares the Lord,
“the king and the officials will lose heart,^(AB)
the priests will be horrified,
and the prophets will be appalled.”^(AC)

¹⁰Then I said, “Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived^(AD) this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’^(AE) when the sword is at our throats!”

¹¹At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind^(AF) from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; ¹²a wind^(AG) too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments^(AH) against them.”

¹³Look! He advances like the clouds,^(AI)
    his chariots^(AJ) come like a whirlwind,^(AK)
his horses^(AL) are swifter than eagles.^(AM)
    Woe to us! We are ruined!^(AN)
¹⁴Jerusalem, wash^(AO) the evil from your heart and be saved.^(AP)
    How long^(AQ) will you harbor wicked thoughts?
¹⁵A voice is announcing from Dan,^(AR)
    proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.^(AS)
¹⁶“Tell this to the nations,
    proclaim concerning Jerusalem:
‘A besieging army is coming from a distant land,^(AT)
    raising a war cry^(AU) against the cities of Judah.^(AV)
¹⁷They surround^(AW) her like men guarding a field,
    because she has rebelled^(AX) against me,’”
declares the Lord.
¹⁸“Your own conduct and actions^(AY)
    have brought this on you.^(AZ)
This is your punishment.
    How bitter^(BA) it is!
    How it pierces to the heart!”

¹⁹Oh, my anguish, my anguish!^(BB)
    I writhe in pain.^(BC)
Oh, the agony of my heart!
    My heart pounds^(BD) within me,
    I cannot keep silent.^(BE)
For I have heard the sound of the trumpet;^(BF)
    I have heard the battle cry.^(BG)
²⁰Disaster follows disaster;^(BH)
    the whole land lies in ruins.^(BI)
In an instant my tents^(BJ) are destroyed,
    my shelter in a moment.
²¹How long must I see the battle standard^(BK)
    and hear the sound of the trumpet?^(BL)

²²“My people are fools;^(BM)
    they do not know me.^(BN)
They are senseless children;
    they have no understanding.^(BO)
They are skilled in doing evil;^(BP)
    they know not how to do good.”^(BQ)

²³I looked at the earth,
    and it was formless and empty;^(BR)
and at the heavens,
    and their light^(BS) was gone.
²⁴I looked at the mountains,
    and they were quaking;^(BT)
    all the hills were swaying.
²⁵I looked, and there were no people;
    every bird in the sky had flown away.^(BU)
²⁶I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;^(BV)
    all its towns lay in ruins^(BW)
    before the Lord, before his fierce anger.^(BX)

²⁷This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,^(BY)
    though I will not destroy^(BZ) it completely.
²⁸Therefore the earth will mourn^(CA)
    and the heavens above grow dark,^(CB)
because I have spoken and will not relent,^(CC)
    I have decided and will not turn back.^(CD)”

²⁹At the sound of horsemen and archers^(CE)
    every town takes to flight.^(CF)
Some go into the thickets;
    some climb up among the rocks.^(CG)
All the towns are deserted;^(CH)
    no one lives in them.

³⁰What are you doing,^(CI) you devastated one?
    Why dress yourself in scarlet
    and put on jewels^(CJ) of gold?
Why highlight your eyes with makeup?^(CK)
    You adorn yourself in vain.
Your lovers^(CL) despise you;
    they want to kill you.^(CM)

³¹I hear a cry as of a woman in labor,^(CN)
    a groan as of one bearing her first child—
the cry of Daughter Zion^(CO) gasping for breath,^(CP)
    stretching out her hands^(CQ) and saying,
“Alas! I am fainting;
    my life is given over to murderers.”^(CR)

Not One Is Upright

5 “Go up and down^(CS) the streets of Jerusalem,
    look around and consider,^(CT)
    search through her squares.
If you can find but one person^(CU)
    who deals honestly^(CV) and seeks the truth,
    I will forgive^(CW) this city.
²Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’^(CX)
    still they are swearing falsely.^(CY)”

³Lord, do not your eyes^(CZ) look for truth?
    You struck^(DA) them, but they felt no pain;
    you crushed them, but they refused correction.^(DB)
They made their faces harder than stone^(DC)
    and refused to repent.^(DD)
⁴I thought, “These are only the poor;
    they are foolish,^(DE)
for they do not know^(DF) the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.
⁵So I will go to the leaders^(DG)
    and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
    the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
    and torn off the bonds.^(DH)
⁶Therefore a lion from the forest^(DI) will attack them,
    a wolf from the desert will ravage^(DJ) them,
a leopard^(DK) will lie in wait near their towns
    to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
    and their backslidings many.^(DL)

⁷“Why should I forgive you?
    Your children have forsaken me
    and sworn^(DM) by gods that are not gods.^(DN)
I supplied all their needs,
    yet they committed adultery^(DO)
    and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.^(DP)
⁸They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
    each neighing for another man’s wife.^(DQ)
⁹Should I not punish them for this?”^(DR)
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(DS) myself
    on such a nation as this?

¹⁰“Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.^(DT)
Strip off her branches,
    for these people do not belong to the Lord.
¹¹The people of Israel and the people of Judah
    have been utterly unfaithful^(DU) to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹²They have lied^(DV) about the Lord;
    they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;^(DW)
    we will never see sword or famine.^(DX)
¹³The prophets^(DY) are but wind^(DZ)
    and the word is not in them;
    so let what they say be done to them.”

¹⁴Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:

“Because the people have spoken these words,
    I will make my words in your mouth^(EA) a fire^(EB)
    and these people the wood it consumes.^(EC)
¹⁵People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
    “I am bringing a distant nation^(ED) against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
    a people whose language^(EE) you do not know,
    whose speech you do not understand.
¹⁶Their quivers^(EF) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
¹⁷They will devour^(EG) your harvests and food,
    devour^(EH) your sons and daughters;
they will devour^(EI) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.^(EJ)
With the sword^(EK) they will destroy
    the fortified cities^(EL) in which you trust.^(EM)

¹⁸“Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy^(EN) you completely. ¹⁹And when the people ask,^(EO) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods^(EP) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners^(EQ) in a land not your own.’

²⁰“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim^(ER) it in Judah:
²¹Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,^(ES)
    who have eyes^(ET) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:^(EU)
²²Should you not fear^(EV) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble^(EW) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,^(EX)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,^(EY) but they cannot cross it.
²³But these people have stubborn and rebellious^(EZ) hearts;
    they have turned aside^(FA) and gone away.
²⁴They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear^(FB) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains^(FC) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’^(FD)
²⁵Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.^(FE)

²⁶“Among my people are the wicked^(FF)
    who lie in wait^(FG) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps^(FH) to catch people.
²⁷Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(FI)
they have become rich^(FJ) and powerful
²⁸    and have grown fat^(FK) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;^(FL)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.^(FM)
²⁹Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(FN) myself
    on such a nation as this?

³⁰“A horrible^(FO) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹The prophets prophesy lies,^(FP)
    the priests^(FQ) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?^(FR)

Jerusalem Under Siege

6 “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
    Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet^(FS) in Tekoa!^(FT)
    Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!^(FU)
For disaster looms out of the north,^(FV)
    even terrible destruction.
²I will destroy Daughter Zion,^(FW)
    so beautiful and delicate.^(FX)
³Shepherds^(FY) with their flocks will come against her;
    they will pitch their tents around^(FZ) her,
    each tending his own portion.”

⁴“Prepare for battle against her!
    Arise, let us attack at noon!^(GA)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
    and the shadows of evening grow long.
⁵So arise, let us attack at night
    and destroy her fortresses!”

⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Cut down the trees^(GB)
    and build siege ramps^(GC) against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
    it is filled with oppression.^(GD)
⁷As a well pours out its water,
    so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence^(GE) and destruction^(GF) resound in her;
    her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
⁸Take warning, Jerusalem,
    or I will turn away^(GG) from you
and make your land desolate
    so no one can live in it.”

⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Let them glean the remnant^(GH) of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”

¹⁰To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen^(GI) to me?
Their ears are closed^[a]^(GJ)
    so they cannot hear.^(GK)
The word^(GL) of the Lord is offensive to them;
    they find no pleasure in it.
¹¹But I am full of the wrath^(GM) of the Lord,
    and I cannot hold it in.^(GN)

“Pour it out on the children in the street
    and on the young men^(GO) gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
    and the old, those weighed down with years.^(GP)
¹²Their houses will be turned over to others,^(GQ)
    together with their fields and their wives,^(GR)
when I stretch out my hand^(GS)
    against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
¹³“From the least to the greatest,
    all^(GT) are greedy for gain;^(GU)
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.^(GV)
¹⁴They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.^(GW)
¹⁵Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.^(GX)
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when I punish^(GY) them,”
says the Lord.

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,^(GZ)
ask where the good way^(HA) is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest^(HB) for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
¹⁷I appointed watchmen^(HC) over you and said,
    ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’^(HD)
    But you said, ‘We will not listen.’^(HE)
¹⁸Therefore hear, you nations;
    you who are witnesses,
    observe what will happen to them.
¹⁹Hear, you earth:^(HF)
    I am bringing disaster^(HG) on this people,
    the fruit of their schemes,^(HH)
because they have not listened to my words^(HI)
    and have rejected my law.^(HJ)
²⁰What do I care about incense from Sheba^(HK)
    or sweet calamus^(HL) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;^(HM)
    your sacrifices^(HN) do not please me.”^(HO)

²¹Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“I will put obstacles before this people.
Parents and children alike will stumble^(HP) over them;
neighbors and friends will perish.”

²²This is what the Lord says:

“Look, an army is coming
    from the land of the north;^(HQ)
a great nation is being stirred up
    from the ends of the earth.^(HR)
²³They are armed with bow and spear;
    they are cruel and show no mercy.^(HS)
They sound like the roaring sea^(HT)
    as they ride on their horses;^(HU)
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Zion.^(HV)”

²⁴We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.^(HW)
Anguish^(HX) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(HY)
²⁵Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.^(HZ)
²⁶Put on sackcloth,^(IA) my people,
    and roll in ashes;^(IB)
mourn with bitter wailing^(IC)
    as for an only son,^(ID)
for suddenly the destroyer^(IE)
    will come upon us.

²⁷“I have made you a tester^(IF) of metals
    and my people the ore,
that you may observe
    and test their ways.
²⁸They are all hardened rebels,^(IG)
    going about to slander.^(IH)
They are bronze and iron;^(II)
    they all act corruptly.
²⁹The bellows blow fiercely
    to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining^(IJ) goes on in vain;
    the wicked are not purged out.
³⁰They are called rejected silver,^(IK)
    because the Lord has rejected them.”^(IL)