27 “I have made you a tester(A) of metals
    and my people the ore,
that you may observe
    and test their ways.
28 They are all hardened rebels,(B)
    going about to slander.(C)
They are bronze and iron;(D)
    they all act corruptly.
29 The bellows blow fiercely
    to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining(E) goes on in vain;
    the wicked are not purged out.
30 They are called rejected silver,(F)
    because the Lord has rejected them.”(G)

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Prophet as tester

27 I have made you a tester of metals,
    to examine my people[a]
    to know and prove their ways.
28 They are tin[b] and iron;
    they are headstrong and rebellious.
They live to slander.
    They act corruptly—every last one!
29 The bellows roar;
    the lead is consumed.[c]
Yet the refining fails;
    the impurities[d] remain.
30 They are called “rejected silver,”
    for the Lord has rejected them.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 6:27 Heb uncertain
  2. Jeremiah 6:28 Or bronze
  3. Jeremiah 6:29 Heb uncertain
  4. Jeremiah 6:29 Or wicked