Jeremiah 8:14-17

New International Reader's Version

¹⁴ Why are we sitting here?
    Let’s gather together!
Let’s run to the cities that have high walls around them!
    Let’s die there!
The Lord our God has sentenced us to death.
    He has given us poisoned water to drink.
    That’s because we’ve sinned against him.
¹⁵ We hoped peace would come.
    But nothing good has happened to us.
We hoped we would finally be healed.
    But there is only terror.
¹⁶ When our enemy’s horses snort,
    the noise is heard all the way from the city of Dan.
When their stallions neigh,
    the whole land trembles with fear.
They have come to destroy
    the land and everything in it.
    The city and everyone who lives there will be destroyed.

¹⁷ “People of Judah, I will send poisonous snakes among you.
    No one will be able to charm them.
    And they will bite you,”
    announces the Lord.