4. 1 "O
Israel," says the Lord, "if you wanted to return to me, you could.
You could throw away your detestable idols and stray away no more. 2 Then
when you swear by my name, saying, 'As surely as the Lord lives,' you could do
so with truth, justice, and righteousness. Then you would be a blessing to the
nations of the world, and all people would come and praise my name." 3 This is
what the Lord says to the people of Judah and Jerusalem£º "Plow up the
hard ground of your hearts! Do not waste your good seed among thorns. 4 O
people of Judah and Jerusalem, surrender your pride and power. Change your
hearts before the Lord, or my anger will burn like an unquenchable fire because
of all your sins. 5
"Shout to Judah, and broadcast to Jerusalem! Tell them to sound the alarm
throughout the land£º 'Run for your lives! Flee to the fortified cities!' 6 Raise a
signal flag as a warning for Jerusalem£º 'Flee now! Do not delay!' For I am
bringing terrible destruction upon you from the north." 7 A lion
stalks from its den, a destroyer of nations. It has left its lair and is headed
your way. It's going to devastate your land! Your towns will lie in ruins, with
no one living in them anymore. 8 So put
on clothes of mourning and weep with broken hearts, for the fierce anger of the
Lord is still upon us. 9
"In that day," says the Lord, "the king and the officials will
tremble in fear. The priests will be struck with horror, and the prophets will
be appalled." 10 Then I
said, "O Sovereign Lord, the people have been deceived by what you said,
for you promised peace for Jerusalem. But the sword is held at their throats!" 11 The
time is coming when the Lord will say to the people of Jerusalem, "My dear
people, a burning wind is blowing in from the desert, and it's not a gentle
breeze useful for winnowing grain. 12 It is
a roaring blast sent by me! Now I will pronounce your destruction!" 13 Our
enemy rushes down on us like storm clouds! His chariots are like whirlwinds.
His horses are swifter than eagles. How terrible it will be, for we are doomed! 14 O
Jerusalem, cleanse your heart that you may be saved. How long will you harbor
your evil thoughts? 15 Your
destruction has been announced from Dan and the hill country of Ephraim. 16
"Warn the surrounding nations and announce this to Jerusalem£º The enemy
is coming from a distant land, raising a battle cry against the towns of Judah. 17 They
surround Jerusalem like watchmen around a field, for my people have rebelled
against me," says the Lord. 18
"Your own actions have brought this upon you. This punishment is bitter,
piercing you to the heart!" 19 My
heart, my heart - I writhe in pain! My heart pounds within me! I cannot be
still. For I have heard the blast of enemy trumpets and the roar of their
battle cries. 20 Waves
of destruction roll over the land, until it lies in complete desolation.
Suddenly my tents are destroyed; in a moment my shelters are crushed. 21 How
long must I see the battle flags and hear the trumpets of war? 22
"My people are foolish and do not know me," says the Lord. "They
are stupid children who have no understanding. They are clever enough at doing
wrong, but they have no idea how to do right!" 23 I
looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless. I looked at the heavens,
and there was no light. 24 I
looked at the mountains and hills, and they trembled and shook. 25 I
looked, and all the people were gone. All the birds of the sky had flown away. 26 I
looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness. The towns lay in ruins,
crushed by the Lord's fierce anger. 27 This
is what the Lord says£º "The whole land will be ruined, but I will not
destroy it completely. 28 The
earth will mourn and the heavens will be draped in black because of my decree
against my people. I have made up my mind and will not change it." 29 At the
noise of charioteers and archers, the people flee in terror. They hide in the bushes
and run for the mountains. All the towns have been abandoned - not a person
remains! 30 What
are you doing, you who have been plundered? Why do you dress up in beautiful
clothing and put on gold jewelry? Why do you brighten your eyes with mascara? Your
primping will do you no good! The allies who were your lovers despise you and
seek to kill you. 31 I hear
a cry, like that of a woman in labor, the groans of a woman giving birth to her
first child. It is beautiful Jerusalem gasping for breath and crying out,
"Help! I'm being murdered!" 5. 1
"Run up and down every street in Jerusalem," says the Lord.
"Look high and low; search throughout the city! If you can find even one
just and honest person, I will not destroy the city. 2 But
even when they are under oath, saying, 'As surely as the Lord lives,' they are
still telling lies!" 3 Lord,
you are searching for honesty. You struck your people, but they paid no
attention. You crushed them, but they refused to be corrected. They are
determined, with faces set like stone; they have refused to repent. 4 Then I
said, "But what can we expect from the poor? They are ignorant. They don't
know the ways of the Lord. They don't understand God's laws. 5 So I
will go and speak to their leaders. Surely they know the ways of the Lord and
understand God's laws." But the leaders, too, as one man, had thrown off
God's yoke and broken his chains. 6 So now
a lion from the forest will attack them; a wolf from the desert will pounce on
them. A leopard will lurk near their towns, tearing apart any who dare to
venture out. For their rebellion is great, and their sins are many. 7
"How can I pardon you? For even your children have turned from me. They
have sworn by gods that are not gods at all! I fed my people until they were
full. But they thanked me by committing adultery and lining up at the brothels. 8 They
are well-fed, lusty stallions, each neighing for his neighbor's wife. 9 Should
I not punish them for this?" says the Lord. "Should I not avenge
myself against such a nation? 10
"Go down the rows of the vineyards and destroy the grapevines, leaving a
scattered few alive. Strip the branches from the vines, for these people do not
belong to the Lord. 11 The
people of Israel and Judah are full of treachery against me," says the
Lord. 12
"They have lied about the Lord and said, 'He won't bother us! No disasters
will come upon us. There will be no war or famine. 13 God's
prophets are all windbags who don't really speak for him. Let their predictions
of disaster fall on themselves!'" 14
Therefore, this is what the Lord God of Heaven's Armies says£º "Because
the people are talking like this, my messages will flame out of your mouth and
burn the people like kindling wood. 15 O
Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you," says the Lord.
"It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you do
not know, whose speech you cannot understand. 16 Their
weapons are deadly; their warriors are mighty. 17 They
will devour the food of your harvest; they will devour your sons and daughters.
They will devour your flocks and herds; they will devour your grapes and figs.
And they will destroy your fortified towns, which you think are so safe. 18
"Yet even in those days I will not blot you out completely," says the
Lord. 19
"And when your people ask, 'Why did the Lord our God do all this to us?'
you must reply, 'You rejected him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your
own land. Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.' 20
"Make this announcement to Israel, and say this to Judah£º 21
Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears
that do not hear. 22 Have
you no respect for me? Why don't you tremble in my presence? I, the Lord,
define the ocean's sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters
cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the
boundaries I set. 23 But my
people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned
me. 24 They
do not say from the heart, 'Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he
gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is
right.' 25 Your
wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed
you of all these good things. 26
"Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait for victims like a hunter
hiding in a blind. They continually set traps to catch people. 27 Like a
cage filled with birds, their homes are filled with evil plots. And now they
are great and rich. 28 They
are fat and sleek, and there is no limit to their wicked deeds. They refuse to
provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor. 29 Should
I not punish them for this?" says the Lord. "Should I not avenge
myself against such a nation? 30 A
horrible and shocking thing has happened in this land - 31 the
prophets give false prophecies, and the priests rule with an iron hand. Worse
yet, my people like it that way! But what will you do when the end comes? 6. 1
"Run for your lives, you people of Benjamin! Get out of Jerusalem! Sound
the alarm in Tekoa! Send up a signal at Beth-hakkerem! A powerful army is
coming from the north, coming with disaster and destruction. 2 O
Jerusalem, you are my beautiful and delicate daughter - but I will destroy you! 3 Enemies
will surround you, like shepherds camped around the city. Each chooses a place
for his troops to devour. 4 They
shout, 'Prepare for battle! Attack at noon!' 'No, it's too late; the day is
fading, and the evening shadows are falling.' 5 Well then,
let's attack at night and destroy her palaces!'" 6 This is
what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says£º "Cut down the trees for battering
rams. Build siege ramps against the walls of Jerusalem. This is the city to be
punished, for she is wicked through and through. 7 She
spouts evil like a fountain. Her streets echo with the sounds of violence and
destruction. I always see her sickness and sores. 8 Listen
to this warning, Jerusalem, or I will turn from you in disgust. Listen, or I
will turn you into a heap of ruins, a land where no one lives." 9 This is
what the Lord of Heaven's Armies says£º "Even the few who remain in Israel
will be picked over again, as when a harvester checks each vine a second time
to pick the grapes that were missed." 10 To
whom can I give warning? Who will listen when I speak? Their ears are closed,
and they cannot hear. They scorn the word of the Lord. They don't want to
listen at all. 11 So now
I am filled with the Lord's fury. Yes, I am tired of holding it in! "I
will pour out my fury on children playing in the streets and on gatherings of
young men, on husbands and wives and on those who are old and gray. 12 Their
homes will be turned over to their enemies, as will their fields and their
wives. For I will raise my powerful fist against the people of this land,"
says the Lord. 13
"From the least to the greatest, their lives are ruled by greed. From
prophets to priests, they are all frauds. 14 They
offer superficial treatments for my people's mortal wound. They give assurances
of peace when there is no peace. 15 Are
they ashamed of their disgusting actions? Not at all - they don't even know how
to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought
down when I punish them," says the Lord. 16 This
is what the Lord says£º "Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for
the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for
your souls. But you reply, 'No, that's not the road we want!' 17 I
posted watchmen over you who said, 'Listen for the sound of the alarm.' But you
replied, 'No! We won't pay attention!' 18
"Therefore, listen to this, all you nations. Take note of my people's
situation. 19
Listen, all the earth! I will bring disaster on my people. It is the fruit of
their own schemes, because they refuse to listen to me. They have rejected my
word. 20
There's no use offering me sweet frankincense from Sheba. Keep your fragrant
calamus imported from distant lands! I will not accept your burnt offerings.
Your sacrifices have no pleasing aroma for me." 21
Therefore, this is what the Lord says£º "I will put obstacles in my
people's path. Fathers and sons will both fall over them. Neighbors and friends
will die together." 22 This
is what the Lord says£º "Look! A great army coming from the north! A great
nation is rising against you from far-off lands. 23 They
are armed with bows and spears. They are cruel and show no mercy. They sound
like a roaring sea as they ride forward on horses. They are coming in battle
formation, planning to destroy you, beautiful Jerusalem." 24 We
have heard reports about the enemy, and we wring our hands in fright. Pangs of
anguish have gripped us, like those of a woman in labor. 25 Don't
go out to the fields! Don't travel on the roads! The enemy's sword is
everywhere and terrorizes us at every turn! 26 Oh, my
people, dress yourselves in burlap and sit among the ashes. Mourn and weep
bitterly, as for the loss of an only son. For suddenly the destroying armies
will be upon you! 27
"Jeremiah, I have made you a tester of metals, that you may determine the
quality of my people. 28 They
are the worst kind of rebel, full of slander. They are as hard as bronze and
iron, and they lead others into corruption. 29 The
bellows fiercely fan the flames to burn out the corruption. But it does not
purify them, for the wickedness remains.
30 I will
label them 'Rejected Silver,' for I, the Lord, am discarding them."