Jeremiah 5:10-6:26

New International Version

¹⁰“Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
    but do not destroy them completely.^(A)
Strip off her branches,
    for these people do not belong to the Lord.
¹¹The people of Israel and the people of Judah
    have been utterly unfaithful^(B) to me,”
declares the Lord.

¹²They have lied^(C) about the Lord;
    they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;^(D)
    we will never see sword or famine.^(E)
¹³The prophets^(F) are but wind^(G)
    and the word is not in them;
    so let what they say be done to them.”

¹⁴Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:

“Because the people have spoken these words,
    I will make my words in your mouth^(H) a fire^(I)
    and these people the wood it consumes.^(J)
¹⁵People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
    “I am bringing a distant nation^(K) against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
    a people whose language^(L) you do not know,
    whose speech you do not understand.
¹⁶Their quivers^(M) are like an open grave;
    all of them are mighty warriors.
¹⁷They will devour^(N) your harvests and food,
    devour^(O) your sons and daughters;
they will devour^(P) your flocks and herds,
    devour your vines and fig trees.^(Q)
With the sword^(R) they will destroy
    the fortified cities^(S) in which you trust.^(T)

¹⁸“Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy^(U) you completely. ¹⁹And when the people ask,^(V) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods^(W) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners^(X) in a land not your own.’

²⁰“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
    and proclaim^(Y) it in Judah:
²¹Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,^(Z)
    who have eyes^(AA) but do not see,
    who have ears but do not hear:^(AB)
²²Should you not fear^(AC) me?” declares the Lord.
    “Should you not tremble^(AD) in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,^(AE)
    an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
    they may roar,^(AF) but they cannot cross it.
²³But these people have stubborn and rebellious^(AG) hearts;
    they have turned aside^(AH) and gone away.
²⁴They do not say to themselves,
    ‘Let us fear^(AI) the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains^(AJ) in season,
    who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’^(AK)
²⁵Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
    your sins have deprived you of good.^(AL)

²⁶“Among my people are the wicked^(AM)
    who lie in wait^(AN) like men who snare birds
    and like those who set traps^(AO) to catch people.
²⁷Like cages full of birds,
    their houses are full of deceit;^(AP)
they have become rich^(AQ) and powerful
²⁸    and have grown fat^(AR) and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
    they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;^(AS)
    they do not defend the just cause of the poor.^(AT)
²⁹Should I not punish them for this?”
    declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge^(AU) myself
    on such a nation as this?

³⁰“A horrible^(AV) and shocking thing
    has happened in the land:
³¹The prophets prophesy lies,^(AW)
    the priests^(AX) rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
    But what will you do in the end?^(AY)

Jerusalem Under Siege

6 “Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
    Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet^(AZ) in Tekoa!^(BA)
    Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!^(BB)
For disaster looms out of the north,^(BC)
    even terrible destruction.
²I will destroy Daughter Zion,^(BD)
    so beautiful and delicate.^(BE)
³Shepherds^(BF) with their flocks will come against her;
    they will pitch their tents around^(BG) her,
    each tending his own portion.”

⁴“Prepare for battle against her!
    Arise, let us attack at noon!^(BH)
But, alas, the daylight is fading,
    and the shadows of evening grow long.
⁵So arise, let us attack at night
    and destroy her fortresses!”

⁶This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Cut down the trees^(BI)
    and build siege ramps^(BJ) against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished;
    it is filled with oppression.^(BK)
⁷As a well pours out its water,
    so she pours out her wickedness.
Violence^(BL) and destruction^(BM) resound in her;
    her sickness and wounds are ever before me.
⁸Take warning, Jerusalem,
    or I will turn away^(BN) from you
and make your land desolate
    so no one can live in it.”

⁹This is what the Lord Almighty says:

“Let them glean the remnant^(BO) of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine;
pass your hand over the branches again,
like one gathering grapes.”

¹⁰To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen^(BP) to me?
Their ears are closed^[a]^(BQ)
    so they cannot hear.^(BR)
The word^(BS) of the Lord is offensive to them;
    they find no pleasure in it.
¹¹But I am full of the wrath^(BT) of the Lord,
    and I cannot hold it in.^(BU)

“Pour it out on the children in the street
    and on the young men^(BV) gathered together;
both husband and wife will be caught in it,
    and the old, those weighed down with years.^(BW)
¹²Their houses will be turned over to others,^(BX)
    together with their fields and their wives,^(BY)
when I stretch out my hand^(BZ)
    against those who live in the land,”
declares the Lord.
¹³“From the least to the greatest,
    all^(CA) are greedy for gain;^(CB)
prophets and priests alike,
    all practice deceit.^(CC)
¹⁴They dress the wound of my people
    as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
    when there is no peace.^(CD)
¹⁵Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct?
    No, they have no shame at all;
    they do not even know how to blush.^(CE)
So they will fall among the fallen;
    they will be brought down when I punish^(CF) them,”
says the Lord.

¹⁶This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,^(CG)
ask where the good way^(CH) is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest^(CI) for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
¹⁷I appointed watchmen^(CJ) over you and said,
    ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’^(CK)
    But you said, ‘We will not listen.’^(CL)
¹⁸Therefore hear, you nations;
    you who are witnesses,
    observe what will happen to them.
¹⁹Hear, you earth:^(CM)
    I am bringing disaster^(CN) on this people,
    the fruit of their schemes,^(CO)
because they have not listened to my words^(CP)
    and have rejected my law.^(CQ)
²⁰What do I care about incense from Sheba^(CR)
    or sweet calamus^(CS) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;^(CT)
    your sacrifices^(CU) do not please me.”^(CV)

²¹Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“I will put obstacles before this people.
Parents and children alike will stumble^(CW) over them;
neighbors and friends will perish.”

²²This is what the Lord says:

“Look, an army is coming
    from the land of the north;^(CX)
a great nation is being stirred up
    from the ends of the earth.^(CY)
²³They are armed with bow and spear;
    they are cruel and show no mercy.^(CZ)
They sound like the roaring sea^(DA)
    as they ride on their horses;^(DB)
they come like men in battle formation
    to attack you, Daughter Zion.^(DC)”

²⁴We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.^(DD)
Anguish^(DE) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.^(DF)
²⁵Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.^(DG)
²⁶Put on sackcloth,^(DH) my people,
    and roll in ashes;^(DI)
mourn with bitter wailing^(DJ)
    as for an only son,^(DK)
for suddenly the destroyer^(DL)
    will come upon us.