Jeremiah 6:16-21

Expanded Bible

“Stand ·where the roads cross [at the crossroads] and look.
    Ask where the ·old [eternal; enduring] way is [Deut. 32:7],
where the good way is, and walk on it.
    If you do, you will find rest for ·yourselves [souls].
    But they have said, ‘We will not ·walk on the good way [follow it].’
¹⁷ I set watchmen [^Cprophets] over you
    and told you, ‘·Listen for [Pay attention to] the sound of the ·war trumpet [ram’s horn]!’
    But they said, ‘We will not ·listen [pay attention].’
¹⁸ So listen, all you nations,
    and ·pay attention [^Lknow], you ·witnesses [assembly].
    Watch what I will do to them [^Cthe people of Judah].
¹⁹ Hear this, people of the earth:
    I am going to bring ·disaster [trouble; evil] to this people [^Cof Judah]
    because of the ·evil they plan [^Lthe fruit of their plots].
They have not ·listened [paid attention] to my ·messages [words]
    and have rejected my ·teachings [laws; instructions].
²⁰ Why do you bring me offerings of ·incense [frankincense] from the land of Sheba [^Cunknown location, perhaps present-day Yemen, Eritrea, or Ethiopia; see 1 Kin. 10:1–13]?
    Why do you bring me sweet-smelling cane from a faraway land?
Your burnt offerings [Lev. 1:1–7] will not be accepted;
    your sacrifices do not please me [Ps. 40:6–8; Mic. 6:6–8].”
²¹ So this is what the Lord says:
“I will put stumbling blocks [^Cproblems] in front of this people [^CJudah].
    Fathers and sons will stumble over them together.
    Neighbors and friends will ·die [perish].”