Jeremiah 4; Jeremiah 5; Jeremiah 6

1 The LORD declares, "If you come back, Israel, if you come back to me, if you take your disgusting idols out of my sight and you don't wander away from me,

2 if you take the oath, "As the LORD lives..." in an honest, fair, and right way, then the nations will be blessed, and they will be honored by me."

3 This is what the LORD says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: Plow your unplowed fields, and don't plant among thorns.

4 Be circumcised by the LORD, and get rid of the foreskins of your hearts, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you don't, my fury will flare up like a fire. It will burn, and no one will be able to put it out, because of the evil you do.

5 Report this message in Judah. Make it heard in Jerusalem. Say, "Blow the ram's horn throughout the land." Shout loudly and say, "Gather together! Let's go into the fortified cities."

6 Raise the flag to signal people to go to Zion. Take cover! Don't just stand there! I'm bringing disaster and widespread destruction from the north.

7 A lion has come out of its lair. A destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to destroy your land. Your cities will be ruined, and no one will live in them.

8 So put on sackcloth, mourn, and cry because the LORD's burning anger hasn't turned away from us.

9 "When that day comes," declares the LORD, "the king and the leaders will lose their courage. The priests will be stunned. The prophets will be amazed and astonished."

10 I said, "Almighty LORD, you certainly have deceived these people and Jerusalem. You said that everything would go well for them, but a sword is held at their throats."

11 At that time it will be said to these people and to Jerusalem: "A hot wind from the heights will blow in the desert on the tracks of my people. It will not be a wind that winnows or cleanses.

12 It will be a stronger wind than that. It will come from me. Now, I will pass sentence on them."

13 The enemy comes up like clouds. His chariots are like a raging wind. His horses are faster than eagles. How horrible it will be for us! We will be destroyed!

14 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you may be rescued. Don't continue making evil plans.

15 A message is heard from Dan, and a report of disaster comes from the mountains of Ephraim.

16 Warn the nations about these things. Bring them to the attention of Jerusalem. "Hostile troops are coming from a distant country. They are shouting battle cries against the cities of Judah.

17 They surround them like men guarding a field, because Judah has rebelled against me," declares the LORD.

18 "You brought this on yourself. This is your punishment. It is bitter. It breaks your heart."

19 My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. My heart is beating wildly! My heart is pounding! I can't keep quiet because I hear a ram's horn sounding the alarm for war.

20 One disaster follows another. The whole land is ruined. My tents are suddenly destroyed. Their curtains are torn in an instant.

21 How long must I see the battle flag and hear the sound of rams' horns?

22 "My people are fools. They don't know me. They are stupid people. They don't understand. They are experts in doing wrong, and they don't know how to do good."

23 I see the earth. It's formless and empty. I see the sky. Its lights are gone.

24 I see the mountains. They are shaking, and the hills are swaying.

25 I see that there are no people, and every bird has flown away.

26 I see that the fertile land has become a desert, and all its cities are torn down because of the LORD and his burning anger.

27 This is what the LORD says: The whole earth will be ruined, although I will not destroy it completely.

28 The earth will mourn, and the sky will grow black. I have spoken, and I have planned it. I won't change my plans, and I won't turn back.

29 All the people in the city will flee at the sound of riders and archers. They will go off into the thickets and climb among the rocks. The entire city will be abandoned, and no one will live in it.

30 You are going to be destroyed! What are you going to do? Why do you dress in red and put on gold jewelry? Why do you wear eye shadow? You are making yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers reject you; they want to kill you.

31 I hear a woman in labor. I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child. My people Zion are gasping for breath. They are stretching out their hands, saying, "How horrible it is for us! We're defenseless in the presence of murderers!"

1 Walk around the streets of Jerusalem. Look around, and think about these things. Search the city squares. See if you can find anyone who does what is right and seeks the truth. Then I will forgive Jerusalem.

2 People say, "As the LORD lives...." Yet, they lie when they take this oath.

3 LORD, your eyes look for the truth. You strike these people, but they don't feel it. You crush them, but they refuse to be corrected. They are more stubborn than rocks. They refuse to turn back.

4 I thought, "These are poor, foolish people. They don't know the way of the LORD and the justice that God demands.

5 Let me go to important people and speak to them. They know the way of the LORD and the justice that God demands." But they, too, had broken off their yokes and torn off their chains.

6 That is why a lion from the forest will attack them. A wolf from the wilderness will destroy them. A leopard will lie in ambush outside their cities. All who leave the cities will be torn to pieces, because they rebel so often and they become more and more unfaithful.

7 "Why should I forgive you? Your children abandoned me. They took godless oaths. They committed adultery, even though I satisfied their needs. They traveled in crowds to the houses of prostitutes.

8 They are like well-fed stallions that are wild with desire. They neigh for their neighbors' wives.

9 I will punish them for these things," declares the LORD. "I will punish this nation.

10 "Go among Jerusalem's rows of grapevines and destroy them, but don't destroy all of them. Cut off the branches because they don't belong to the LORD.

11 The nations of Israel and Judah are unfaithful to me," declares the LORD.

12 They lie about the LORD and say, "He doesn't exist! Nothing bad will happen to us. We won't experience war or famine.

13 The prophets are nothing but windbags. The LORD hasn't spoken through them, so let what they say happen to them."

14 This is what the LORD God of Armies says: Because you've talked like this, I'm going to put my words in your mouth like a fire. These people will be like wood. My words will burn them up.

15 Nation of Israel, I'm going to bring a nation from far away to attack you, declares the LORD. It is a nation that has lasted a long time. It is an ancient nation. You don't know the language of this nation. You can't understand what its people say.

16 Their arrow quivers are like open graves. They are all mighty warriors.

17 They will devour your harvest and your food. They will devour your sons and your daughters. They will devour your flocks and your cattle. They will devour your grapevines and your fig trees. With their swords they will destroy the fortified cities you trust.

18 Yet, even in those days, declares the LORD, I won't destroy all of you.

19 They will ask, "Why has the LORD our God done all this to us?" Answer them, "You have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land. So you will serve foreigners in a land that isn't yours."

20 "Tell this to the descendants of Jacob, and make this heard in Judah:

21 Hear this, you stupid and senseless people! You have eyes, but you cannot see. You have ears, but you cannot hear.

22 Don't you fear me?" asks the LORD. "Don't you tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, a permanent barrier that it cannot cross. Although the waves toss continuously, they can't break through. Although they roar, they can't cross it.

23 But these people are stubborn and rebellious. They have turned aside and wandered away from me.

24 They don't say to themselves, 'We should fear the LORD our God. He sends rain at the right time, the autumn rain and the spring rain. He makes sure that we have harvest seasons.'

25 Your wickedness has turned these things away. Your sins have kept good things away from you.

26 "Wicked people are found among my people. They lie in ambush like bird catchers. They set traps and catch people.

27 Like cages filled with birds, their houses are filled with deceit. That is why they become powerful and rich.

28 They grow big and fat. Their evil deeds have no limits. They have no respect for the rights of others. They have no respect for the rights of orphans. But they still prosper. They don't defend the rights of the poor.

29 I will punish them for these things," declares the LORD. "I will punish this nation.

30 "Something horrible and disgusting is happening in the land:

31 Prophets prophesy lies. Priests rule under the prophets' directions, and my people love this. But what will you do in the end?"

1 "Take cover, people of Benjamin! Run away from Jerusalem! Blow the ram's horn in Tekoa. Raise the flag over Beth Hakkerem, because disaster and widespread destruction are coming from the north.

2 "My people Zion are like lovely pastures.

3 With their flocks, shepherds will come to them, pitch their tents all around them, and each of them will tend his own flock.

4 [The shepherds say,] 'Prepare yourselves for war against Zion. Let's attack at noon! How horrible it will be for us. The day is passing, and the shadows of evening are growing longer.

5 Let's attack at night and destroy its palaces.'"

6 This is what the LORD of Armies says: Cut down its trees. Build up dirt mounds to attack Jerusalem. This city must be punished. There is nothing but oppression in it.

7 As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its evil fresh. Violence and destruction can be heard in it. I see that it is sick and wounded.

8 Pay attention to my warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you. I will make your land desolate, a land where no one will live.

9 This is what the LORD of Armies says: Thoroughly pick through the faithful few of Israel like someone picks through a grapevine. Like someone picking grapes, pass your hand over its branches again.

10 Whom can I speak to? Whom can I give a warning to? Who will listen? Their ears are plugged, and they aren't able to pay attention. When the LORD speaks his word to them, they show contempt for it and object to it.

11 I am filled with the anger of the LORD. I am tired of holding it in. "Pour it out on the children in the street and on the gangs of young men. A man and his wife will be taken away as well as very old people.

12 Their households, their fields, and their wives will be turned over to others. I will use my power against those who live in the land," declares the LORD.

13 "All of them, from the least important to the most important, are eager to make money dishonestly. All of them, from prophets to priests, act deceitfully.

14 They treat my people's wounds as though they were not serious, saying, 'Everything is alright! Everything is alright!' But it's not alright.

15 Are they ashamed when they do disgusting things? No, they're not ashamed. They don't even know how to blush. So they will die with those who die. They will be brought down when I punish them," says the LORD.

16 This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look. Ask which paths are the old, reliable paths. Ask which way leads to blessings. Live that way, and find a resting place for yourselves. But you said that you wouldn't live that way.

17 I posted watchmen over you. Pay attention to the sound of the ram's horn. But you said that you wouldn't pay attention.

18 Listen, you nations, and learn, you witnesses, what will happen to them.

19 Listen, earth! I'm going to bring disaster on these people. It is the result of their own plots, because they won't pay attention to my words. They reject my teachings.

20 Incense that comes from Sheba is no good to me. Sugar cane that comes from a distant land is no good to me. I won't accept your burnt offerings. I'm not pleased with your sacrifices.

21 This is what the LORD says: I'm going to lay stumbling blocks in front of these people. Parents and children will stumble over them. Neighbors and their friends will die.

22 This is what the LORD says: An army is going to come from the north. A great nation is preparing itself in the distant parts of the earth.

23 Its people take hold of bows and spears. They are cruel and have no compassion. They sound like the roaring sea. They ride on horses. They march like soldiers ready for battle against my people Zion.

24 We have heard the news about them. Our hands hang limp. We are gripped by anguish and pain like a woman giving birth to a child.

25 Don't go into the field or walk on the road. The enemy has a sword. Terror is all around.

26 Wear sackcloth, and roll around in ashes, my people. Mourn as if you have lost your only child, and cry bitterly. The destroyer will suddenly attack us.

27 "Jeremiah, I have put you in charge of testing and refining my people. You will know how to test their ways.

28 They are all vicious rebels. They go around slandering. They are all like bronze and iron. They corrupt themselves.

29 The bellows of the blast furnace blow fiercely to make the fire melt away the lead. It is useless to go on refining because the impurities can't be removed.

30 [People] will call them useless silver because the LORD has rejected them."