God’s People Unrepentant

14 Why are we just sitting here?
Gather together; let us enter the fortified cities
and perish there,[a]
for the Lord our God has destroyed[b] us.
He has given us poisoned water to drink,(A)
because we have sinned against the Lord.
15 We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good;
for a time of healing, but there was only terror.(B)

16 From Dan the snorting of horses is heard.
At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds,(C)
the whole land quakes.
They come to devour the land and everything in it,
the city and all its residents.
17 Indeed, I am about to send snakes among you,
poisonous vipers(D) that cannot be charmed.(E)
They will bite you.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:14 Or there be silenced
  2. Jeremiah 8:14 Or silenced

A lament for God’s people

14 Why are we sitting here?
    Come, let’s go to the fortified towns
        and meet our doom there.
The Lord our God has doomed us
    by giving us poisoned water to drink,
        because we have sinned against the Lord!
15 We longed for relief,
        but received none;
    for a time of healing,
        but found only terror.
16 The snorting of their horses can be heard as far as Dan;
    the neighing of their stallions makes the whole land tremble.
They come to devour the land and everything in it,
    towns and people alike.
17 See, I’m sending serpents against you,
    vipers that you can’t charm,
    and they will bite you,
        declares the Lord.

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