Israel called to repentance. CHAP. IV. Lamentation over Judah. 21 A voice was heard upon the high whereas the sword reacheth unto the soul. places, weeping and supplications of the 11 At that time shall it be said to this children of Israel: for they have pervert-people and to Jerusalem, A dry wind of ed their way, and they have forgotten the the high places in the wilderness toward LORD their God. the daughter of my people, not to fan, nor' 22 Return, ye backsliding children, and to cleanse, I will heal your backslidings. Behold, 12 Even a full wind from those places we come unto thee; for thou art the LORD shall come unto me: now also will I give our God. sentence against them. 23 Truly in vain is salvation hoped for 13 Behold, he shall come up as clouds, from the hills, and from the multitude of and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: mountains truly in the LORD our God is his horses are swifter than eagles. Wo the salvation of Israel. unto us! for we are spoiled. 24 For shame hath devoured the labour 14 O Jerusalem, wash thy heart from of our fathers from our youth; their flocks wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. and their herds, their sons and their How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge daughters. within thee? 25 We lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God. IFL CHAP. IV. F thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove. 15 For a voice declareth from Dan, and publisheth affliction from mount Ephraim. 16 Make ye mention to the nations behold, publish against Jerusalem, that watchers come from a far country, and give out their voice against the cities of Judah. 17 As keepers of a field, are they against her round about; because she hath been rebellious against me, saith the LORD. 18 Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy 2 And thou shalt swear The LORD liveth, wickedness, because it is bitter, because in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; it reacheth unto thy heart. and the nations shall bless themselves in 19 My bowels, my bowels! I am him, and in him shall they glory. pained at my very heart; my heart maketh 3 For thus saith the LORD to the men a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your because thou hast heard, O my soul, the fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. 4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, 20 Destruction upon destruction is and take away the foreskins of your heart, cried; for the whole land is spoiled: sudye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jeru-denly are my tents spoiled, and my cursalem; lest my fury come forth like fire, tains in a moment. and burn that none can quench it, because 21 How long shall I see the standard, of the evil of your doings. and hear the sound of the trumpet? 5 Declare ye in Judah, and publish in 22 For my people is foolish, they have Jerusalem; and say, Blow ye the trumpet not known me; they are sottish children, in the land: cry, Gather together, and say, and they have none understanding: they Assemble yourselves, and let us go into the are wise to do evil, but to do good they defenced cities. have no knowledge. 6 Set up the standard toward Zion: retire, stay not: for I will bring evil from the north, and a great destruction. 23 I beheld the earth, and lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light. 7 The lion is come up from his thicket, 24 I beheld the mountains, and lo,they and the destroyer of the Gentiles is on his trembled, and all the hills moved lightly. way; he is gone forth from his place to 25 I beheld, and lo, there was no man, make thy land desolate; and thy cities and all the birds of the heavens were fled. shall be laid waste, without an inhabitant. 26 I beheld, and lo, the fruitful place 8 For this gird you with sackcloth, was a wilderness, and all the cities thereof Jament and howl: for the fierce anger of were broken down at the presence of the the LORD is not turned back from us. LORD, and by his fierce anger. 9 And it shall come to pass at that day, 27 For thus hath the LORD said, The saith the LORD, that the heart of the king whole land shall be desolate; yet will I shall perish, and the heart of the princes; not make a full end. and the priests shall be astonished, and the 28 For this shall the earth mourn, and prophets shall wonder. the heavens above be black: because I 10 Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! surely have spoken it, I have purposed it, and thou hast greatly deceived this people and will not repent, neither will I turn back Jerusalem, saying, Ye shall have peace; from it. God's judgments on the Jews JEREMIAH. for their manifold corruptions. 11 For the house of Israel and the house 29 The whole city shall flee for the her battlements; for they are not the make thyself fair: thy lovers will despise and the word is not in them: thus shall it 31 For I have heard a voice as of a CHAP. V. of hosts, Because ye speak this word, be14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God hold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them. 15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient na RUN ye to and fro through the streets tion, a nation whose language thou know of Jerusalem, and see now, and est not, neither understandest what they know, and seek in the broad places there- say. of, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it. 2 And though they say,TheLORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. they are all mighty men. and thy bread, which thy sons and thy 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the flocks and thy herds: they shall eat up truth? thou hast stricken them, but they thy vines and thy fig-trees: they shall have not grieved; thou hast consumed impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou them, but they have refused to receive trustedst, with the sword. correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return. 4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God. 5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. LORD, I will not make a full end with you. 18 Nevertheless, in those days, saith the shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our and publish it in Judah, saying, 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall without understanding; which have eyes, 21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall and see not; which have ears, and hear not: spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence will ye not tremble at my presence, which 22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: shall be torn in pieces: because their have placed the sand for the bound of the transgressions are many, and their back-sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot siidings are increased. 7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy themselves, yet can they not prevail; pass it and though the waves thereof toss children have forsaken me, and sworn by though they roar, yet can they not pass them that are no gods: when I had fed over it? them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by a rebellious heart; they are revolted and 23 But this people hath a revolting and troops in the harlots' houses. gone. 8 They were as fed horses in the morning every one neighed after his neigh-us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth 24 Neither say they in their heart, Let bour's wife. 9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith season: he reserveth unto us the appointed rain, both the former and the latter, in bis the LORD: and shall not my soul be aveng- weeks of the harvest. ed on such a nation as this? 25 Your iniquities have turned away 10 Go ye up upon her walls, and de- these things, and your sins have withholden stroy; but make not a full end: take away good things from you. The enemies of Judah encouraged. CHAP. VI. God's judgments proclaimed." 26 For among my people are found for even the husband with the wife shall wicked men they lay wait, as he that set-be taken, the aged with him that is full of 12 And their houses shall be turned unto teth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. days. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhouses full of deceit: therefore they are others, with their fields and wives together: become great, and waxen rich. 13 For from the least of them even unto 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, habitants of the land, saith the LORD. they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the the greatest of them every one is given to fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right covetousness; and from the prophet even of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and not at all ashamed, neither could they blush; the priests bear rule by their means; and therefore they shall fall among them that be cast down, saith the LORD. my people love to have it so: and what fall: at the time that I visit them they shall will ye do in the end thereof? CHAP. VI. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in OVE children of Benjamin, gather the ways, and see, and ask for the old yourselves to flee out of the midst of paths, where is the good way, and walk Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: But they said, We will not walk therein. for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 T Therefore hear, ye nations, and 19 Hear, O earth: Behold, I will bring know, O congregation, what is among them. thoughts, because they have not hearkened evil upon this people, even the fruit of their 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, unto my words, nor to my law, but reWo unto us!jected it. and let us go up at noon. for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices us destroy her palaces. sweet unto me. 6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her. 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before together shall fall upon them; the neighthis people, and the fathers and the sons bour and his friend shall perish. 22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a peogreat nation shall be raised from the sides ple cometh from the north country, and a of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their 9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They voice roareth like the sea; and they ride shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Is-upon horses, set in array as men for war 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our rael as a vine: turn back thy hand as a against thee, O daughter of Zion. grape-gatherer into the baskets. 10 To whom shall I speak, and give hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk warning, that they may hear? Behold, their of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is by the way; for the sword of the enemy 26 TO daughter of my people, gird thee unto them a reproach; they have no de- and fear is on every side. light in it. 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only pour it out upon the children abroad, and son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler upon the assembly of young men together: shall suddenly come upon us, 567 God's judgments on the Jews JEREMIAH. for their manifold corruptions. 29 The whole city shall flee for the her battlements; for they are not the noise of the horsemen and bowmen; they Lord's. shall go into thickets, and climb up upon the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, of Judah have dealt very treacherously 11 For the house of Israel and the house and not a man dwell therein. 30 And when thou art spoiled, what against me, saith the LORD. wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself said, It is not he; neither shall evil come 12 They have belied the Lord, and with crimson, though thou deckest thee upon us; neither shall we see sword nor with ornaments of gold, though thou rendest famine : thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair: thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life. and the word is not in them: thus shall it 13 And the prophets shall become wind, be done unto them. 31 For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, and the anguish as of of hosts, Because ye speak this word, be14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God her that bringeth forth her first child; the hold, I will make my words in thy mouth voice of the daughter of Zion, that be- fire, and this people wood, and it shall dewaileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, vour them. saying, Wo is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers. CHAP. V. 15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the LORD: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient na RUN ye to and fro through the streets tion, a nation whose language thou know of Jerusalem, and see now, and est not, neither understandest what they know, and seek in the broad places there- say. of, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the they are all mighty men. truth; and I will pardon it. 16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, 17 And they shall eat up thy harvest, 2 And though they say,TheLORD liveth; and thy bread, which thy sons and thy surely they swear falsely. daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the flocks and thy herds: they shall eat up truth? thou hast stricken them, but they thy vines and thy fig-trees: they shall have not grieved; thou hast consumed impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou them, but they have refused to receive trustedst, with the sword. correction: they have made their faces return. 4 Therefore I said, Surely these are shall say, Wherefore doeth the LORD our poor; they are foolish: for they know not God all these things unto us? then shalt the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of thou answer them, Like as ye have fortheir God. 5 I will get me unto the great men, and land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land saken me, and served strange gods in your will speak unto them; for they have known that is not yours. the way of the LORD, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether and publish it in Judah, saying, broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. 20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall without understanding; which have eyes, 21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall and see not; which have ears, and hear not: spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence will ye not tremble at my presence, which 22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: shall be torn in pieces: because their have placed the sand for the bound of the transgressions are many, and their back-sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot siidings are increased. 7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy themselves, yet can they not prevail; pass it and though the waves thereof toss children have forsaken me, and sworn by though they roar, yet can they not pass them that are no gods: when I had fed over it? them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by a rebellious heart; they are revolted and 23 But this people hath a revolting and troops in the harlots' houses. gone. 8 They were as fed horses in the morning every one neighed after his neigh- us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth 24 Neither say they in their heart, Let bour's wife. 9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith season: he reserveth unto us the appointed rain, both the former and the latter, in his the LORD: and shall not my soul be aveng- weeks of the harvest. ed on such a nation as this? 10 Go ye up upon her walls, and de- these things, and your sins have withholden 25 Your iniquities have turned away stroy; but make not a full end: take away good things from you. The enemies of Judah encouraged. CHAP. VI. God's judgments proclaimed. 26 For among my people are found for even the husband with the wife shall wicked men they lay wait, as he that set-be taken, the aged with him that is full of teth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. days. 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their 12 And their houses shall be turned unto bouses full of deceit: therefore they are others, with their fields and wives together: become great, and waxen rich. for I will stretch out my hand upon the in28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, habitants of the land, saith the LORD. they overpass the deeds of the wicked: 13 For from the least of them even unto they judge not the cause, the cause of the the greatest of them every one is given to fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right covetousness; and from the prophet even of the needy do they not judge. 29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were 31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and not at all ashamed, neither could they blush; the priests bear rule by their means; and therefore they shall fall among them that my people love to have it so: and what fall: at the time that I visit them they shall will ye do in the end thereof? be cast down, saith the LORD. CHAP. VI. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in YE children of Benjamin, gather the ways, and see, and ask for the old yourselves to flee out of the midst of paths, where is the good way, and walk Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem: But they said, We will not walk therein. for evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction. 2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman. 3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her; they shall pitch their tents. against her round about; they shall feed every one in his place. 17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. 18 ¶ Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, Ocongregation, what is among them. 19 Hear, O earth: Behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, unto my words, nor to my law, but reand let us go up at noon. Wo unto us!jected it. for the day goeth away, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. 20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices us destroy her palaces. 6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts sweet unto me. said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount] 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Beagainst Jerusalem: this is the city to be hold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before visited; she is wholly oppression in the this people, and the fathers and the sons midst of her. together shall fall upon them; the neighbour and his friend shall perish. 7 As a fountain casteth out her waters, so she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her; before me continually is grief and wounds. 8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not inhabited. 22 Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country, and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth. 23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their 9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They voice roareth like the sea; and they ride shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Is-upon horses, set in array as men for war rael as a vine: turn back thy hand as a against thee, O daughter of Zion. grape-gatherer into the baskets. 24 We have heard the fame thereof: our 10 To whom shall I speak, and give hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold warning, that they may hear? Behold, their of us, and pain, as of a woman in travail. ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is by the way; for the sword of the enemy unto them a reproach; they have no de- and fear is on every side. light in it. 26 TO daughter of my people, gird thee 11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only pour it out upon the children abroad, and son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler upon the assembly of young men together: shall suddenly come upon us. |