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

The People Respond

14 Why are we sitting here?
    Join together! Let’s go to the fortified cities
        and perish there!
For the Lord our God has condemned us to perish
    and given us poisoned water to drink,
        because we have sinned against him.[a]
15 We waited for peace, but no good has come,
    for a time of healing, but instead there was terror.

The Lord’s Warning

16 “The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan.
    At the neighing of their stallions,
        the whole earth quakes.
They’re coming to devour
    the land and all it contains,
        the city and all who live in it.
17 Look, I’ll send snakes among you,
    vipers that cannot be charmed,
        and they’ll bite you.”

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:14 Lit. the Lord