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The Lord’s Rejection of Judah

“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.

“My people Zion are like lovely pastures.
With their flocks, shepherds will come to them,
    pitch their tents all around them,
        and each of them will tend his own flock.
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.
Let’s attack at night and destroy its palaces.’”

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth says:

Cut down its trees.
    Build up dirt mounds to attack Jerusalem.
    This city must be punished.
        There is nothing but oppression in it.
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.
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.

This is what Yahweh Tsebaoth 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 Yahweh speaks his word to them,
        they show contempt for it and object to it.
11 I am filled with the anger of Yahweh.
    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 Yahweh.
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 Yahweh.

16 This is what Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh 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 Yahweh has rejected them.”

Jerusalem Under Siege

“Flee for safety, people of Benjamin!
    Flee from Jerusalem!
Sound the trumpet(A) in Tekoa!(B)
    Raise the signal over Beth Hakkerem!(C)
For disaster looms out of the north,(D)
    even terrible destruction.
I will destroy Daughter Zion,(E)
    so beautiful and delicate.(F)
Shepherds(G) with their flocks will come against her;
    they will pitch their tents around(H) her,
    each tending his own portion.”

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

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

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

This is what the Lord Almighty says:

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

10 To whom can I speak and give warning?
    Who will listen(Q) to me?
Their ears are closed[a](R)
    so they cannot hear.(S)
The word(T) of the Lord is offensive to them;
    they find no pleasure in it.
11 But I am full of the wrath(U) of the Lord,
    and I cannot hold it in.(V)

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

16 This is what the Lord says:

“Stand at the crossroads and look;
    ask for the ancient paths,(AH)
ask where the good way(AI) is, and walk in it,
    and you will find rest(AJ) for your souls.
    But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17 I appointed watchmen(AK) over you and said,
    ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’(AL)
    But you said, ‘We will not listen.’(AM)
18 Therefore hear, you nations;
    you who are witnesses,
    observe what will happen to them.
19 Hear, you earth:(AN)
    I am bringing disaster(AO) on this people,
    the fruit of their schemes,(AP)
because they have not listened to my words(AQ)
    and have rejected my law.(AR)
20 What do I care about incense from Sheba(AS)
    or sweet calamus(AT) from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;(AU)
    your sacrifices(AV) do not please me.”(AW)

21 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

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

22 This is what the Lord says:

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

24 We have heard reports about them,
    and our hands hang limp.(BE)
Anguish(BF) has gripped us,
    pain like that of a woman in labor.(BG)
25 Do not go out to the fields
    or walk on the roads,
for the enemy has a sword,
    and there is terror on every side.(BH)
26 Put on sackcloth,(BI) my people,
    and roll in ashes;(BJ)
mourn with bitter wailing(BK)
    as for an only son,(BL)
for suddenly the destroyer(BM)
    will come upon us.

27 “I have made you a tester(BN) of metals
    and my people the ore,
that you may observe
    and test their ways.
28 They are all hardened rebels,(BO)
    going about to slander.(BP)
They are bronze and iron;(BQ)
    they all act corruptly.
29 The bellows blow fiercely
    to burn away the lead with fire,
but the refining(BR) goes on in vain;
    the wicked are not purged out.
30 They are called rejected silver,(BS)
    because the Lord has rejected them.”(BT)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 6:10 Hebrew uncircumcised