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 11 For the house of Israel and the house the rocks: every city shall be forsaken, of Judah have dealt very treacherously and not a man dwell therein. against me, saith the LORD. 30 And when thou art spoiled, what 12 They have belied the LORD, and wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself said, It is not he; neither shall evil come 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. 13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them. 31 For I have, heard a voice as of a 14 Wherefore thus saith the LORD God woman in travail, and the anguish as of of hosts, Because ye speak this word, be 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 de waileth herself, that spreadeth her hands, vour them. saying, Wo is me now! for my soul is wearied because of murderers. 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 naUN ye to and fro through the streets tion, a nation whose language thou know CHAP. V. Rof Jerusalem, and see now, and est not, neither understandest what they know, and seek in the broad places thereof, 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, The LORD liveth; surely they swear falsely. say. 16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men. 17 And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy 3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the flocks and thine 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. 18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the LORD, I will not make a full end with you. 19 ¶ And it shall come to pass, when ye 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. saken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours. 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 20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, of their God: but these have altogether and publish it in Judah, saying, bren the yoke, and burst the bonds. 21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and 6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall without understanding; which have eyes, 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 22 Fear ye not me? saith the LORD: cities: every one that goeth out thence will ye not tremble at my presence, which 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 slidings are increased. pass it: and though the waves thereof toss 7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy themselves, yet can they not prevail; 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 23 But this people hath a revolting and adultery, and assembled themselves by a rebellious heart; they are revolted and troops in the harlots' houses. gone. 8 They were as fed horses in the morn- 24 Neither say they in their heart, Let ing every one neighed after his neigh- us now fear the LORD our God, that giveth bour's wife. rain, both the former and the latter, in his 9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith season: he reserveth unto us the appointed the LORD: and shall not my soul be aveng-weeks of the harvest. ed on such a nation as this? 25 T Your iniquities have turned away 10 T 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 teth snares; they set a trap, they catch men. days. 12 And their houses shall be turned unta 27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inbecome great, and waxen rich. 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 fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right 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? 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even 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 do in the end thereof? be cast down, saith the LORD. will ye 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in 30 T A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; CHAP. VI. 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 T Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, 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 unto my words, nor to my law, but re 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and 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 T For thus hath the LORD of hosts sweet unto me. 21 Therefore thus saith the LORD, Be-, said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a mount against 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 together shall fall upon them; the neighmidst of her. bour 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 thine 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. 25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot 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. 26 TO daughter of my people, gird thee 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 Idolatry threatened. 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, 27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou may- as I have cast out all your brethren, even est know and try their way. the whole seed of Ephraim. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned,, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. CHAP. VII. HE word that came to Jeremiah from 16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. 17 T Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drinkofferings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, 19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Ju- the LORD: do they not provoke themselves dah, that enter in at these gates to worship to the confusion of their own faces? the LORD. 20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, poured out upon this place, upon man, and and I will cause you to dwell in this place. upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, 4 Trustye not in lying words, saying, The and upon the fruit of the ground; and it temple of the LORD, The temple of the shall burn, and shall not be quenched. LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these." 21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the 5 Forifye thoroughly amend your ways God of Israel; Put your burnt-offerings and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt; 22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: 23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk your ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to fathers, for ever and ever. 8 T Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. I 25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day 10 And come and stand before me in have even sent unto you all my servants this house, which is called by my name, the prophets, daily rising up early and and say, We are delivered to do all these sending them: abominations? 26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor 11 Is this house, which is called by my inclined their ear, but hardened their name, become a den of robbers in your neck: they did worse than their fathers. eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith 27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these the LORD. words unto them; but they will not heark. 12 But go ye now unto my place which en to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the but they will not answer thee. first, and see what I did to it for the wick- 28 But thou shalt say unto them, This edness of my people Israel. is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of 13 And now, because ye have done all the LORD their God, nor receiveth corthese works, saith the LORD, and I spake rection: truth is perished, and is cut off unto you, rising up early and speaking, from their mouth. but ye heard not; and I called you, but 29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, ye answered not; and cast it away, and take up a lamenta14 Therefore will I do unto this house, tion on high places; for the LORD hath rewhich is called by my name, wherein ye jected and forsaken the generation of his trust, and unto the place which I gave to wrath. you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh. 30 For the children of Judah bave done evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have 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 houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. 28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right 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 T A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; 12 And their houses shall be turned unta others, with their fields and wives together: for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD. 13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even 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. 16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in YE children of Benjamin, gather the ways, and see, and ask for the old CHAP. VI. way, 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 know, O congregation, 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 unto my words, nor to my law, but re 4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Wo unto us!jected it. for the day goeth away, for the shadows of 20 To what purpose cometh there to me the evening are stretched out. incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane 5 Arise, and let us go by night, and let from a far country? your burnt-offerings us destroy her palaces. are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices 6 T 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, Be-, against 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 thine 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. An exhortation to repentance. JEREMIAH. Idolatry threatened. 27 I have set thee for a tower and a 15 And I will cast you out of my sight, fortress among my people, that thou may- as I have cast out all your brethren, even est know and try their way. the whole seed of Ephraim. 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. CHAP. VII. HE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all ye of Judah, that enter in at these gates to worship the LORD. 16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me : for I will not hear thee. 17 ¶ Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women, knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drinkofferings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. 19 Do they provoke me to anger? saith the LORD: do they not provoke themselves to the confusion of their own faces? 20 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; 3 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, poured out upon this place, upon man, and and I will cause you to dwell in this place. upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, 4 Trustye not in lying words, saying, The and upon the fruit of the ground; and it temple of the LORD, The temple of the shall burn, and shall not be quenched. LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. 21 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the 5 Forifye thoroughly amend your ways God of Israel; Put your burnt-offerings and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt; 22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: 23 But this thing commanded I them, saying, Ohey my voice, and I will be your 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this God, and ye shall be my people: and walk place, in the land that I gave to your ye in all the ways that I have commanded fathers, for ever and ever. you, that it may be well unto you. 8 ¶ Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. 9 Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; 10 And come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? 11 Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD. I 24 But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. 25 Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: 26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. 27 Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not heark12 But go ye now unto my place which en to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; was in Shiloh, where I set my name at the but they will not answer thee. first, and see what I did to it for the wick- 28 But thou shall say unto them, This edness of my people Israel. is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of 13 And now, because ye have done all the LORD their God, nor receiveth corthese works, saith the LORD, and I spake rection: truth is perished, and is cut off unto you, rising up early and speaking, from their mouth. but ye heard not; and I called you, but 29 Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, ye answered not; and cast it away, and take up a lamenta14 Therefore will I do unto this house, tion on high places; for the LORD hath rewhich is called by my name, wherein ye jected and forsaken the generation of his trust, and unto the place which I gave to wrath. 1 you and to your fathers, as I have done to 30 For the children of Judah bave done Shiloh. evil in my sight, saith the LORD: they have |