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14 Why are we sitting still?
(A)Gather yourselves, and let us (B)go into the fortified cities
And let us be silent there
Because Yahweh our God has silenced us
And given us [a](C)poisoned water to drink,
For (D)we have sinned against Yahweh.
15 We (E)waited for peace, but there was no good;
For a time of healing, but behold, terror!
16 From (F)Dan is heard the snorting of his horses;
At the sound of the neighing of his (G)valiant steeds
The whole land quakes;
And they come and (H)devour the land as well as its fullness,
The city and its inhabitants.
17 “For behold, I am (I)sending serpents against you,
Vipers, for which there is (J)no charm,
And they will bite you,” declares Yahweh.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:14 Or gall

The People React

14 Why are we just sitting here?
Let’s get together!
Let us go into the fortified cities and die there.
The Lord our God has condemned us to die
    by giving us poisoned water to drink,
    because we have sinned against him.
15 We hoped for peace,
but no good came.
We hoped for a time of healing,
but there is only terror.
16 The snorting of horses is heard from Dan.
At the sound of the neighing of mighty stallions,
    the whole land trembles.
They have come to devour the land and everything in it,
    the city and all who live there.

The Lord Responds

17 Look, I am sending snakes among you,
venomous snakes that cannot be charmed,
and they will bite you, declares the Lord.

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