The In-Dept Study of the Bible
Jeremiah 06
1 “Flee for safety, you children of Benjamin,
out of the middle of Jerusalem!
Blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a
signal on Beth Haccherem, for evil looks
out from the north with a great destruction.
2 I will cut off the beautiful and delicate
one, the daughter of Zion.
3 Shepherds with their flocks will come
to her. They will pitch their tents against
her all around. They will feed everyone in
his place.”
4 “Prepare war against her! Arise! Let’s
go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day
declines, for the shadows of the evening
are stretched out.
5 Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s
destroy her palaces.”
6 For Yahweh of Armies said, “Cut
down trees, and cast up a mound against
Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She
is filled with oppression within herself.
7 As a well produces its waters, so she
produces her wickedness. Violence and
destruction is heard in her. Sickness and
wounds are continually before me.
8 Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul
be alienated from you, lest I make you a
desolation, an uninhabited land.”
9 Yahweh of Armies says, “They will thoroughly
glean the remnant of Israel like a
vine. Turn again your hand as a grape
gatherer into the baskets.
10 To whom should I speak and testify,
that theymayhear? Behold,their ear is
uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold,
Yahweh’s word has become a reproach to
them. They have no delight in it.
11 Therefore I am full of Yahweh’s wrath.
I am weary with holding it in. “Pour it out
on the children in the street,
and on the assembly of young men
together; for even the husband with the wife will be
taken, the aged with him who is full of days.
12 Their houses will be turned to others,
their fields and their wives together;
for I will stretch out my hand on the
inhabitants of the land, says Yahweh.”
13 “For from their least even to their
greatest, everyone is given to covetousness.
From the prophet even to the priest,
everyone deals falsely.
14 They have healed also the hurt of my
people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is
no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush.
Therefore they will fall among those who
fall. When I visit them, they will be cast
down,” says Yahweh.
16 Yahweh says, “Stand in the ways and
see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the
good way?’ and walk init, and you willfind
rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will
not walk in it.’
17 I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they
said, ‘We will not listen!’
18 Therefore hear, you nations, and
know, congregation, what is among them.
19 Hear, earth! Behold, I will bring
evil on this people, even the fruit of their
thoughts, because they have not listened
to my words; and as for my law, they have
rejected it.
20 To what purpose does frankincense
from Sheba come to me, and the sweet
cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings
arenot acceptable, and your sacrifices
are not pleasing to me.”
21 Therefore Yahweh says, “Behold, I will
lay stumbling blocks before this people.
The fathers and the sons together will
stumble against them. The neighbor and
his friend will perish.”
22 Yahweh says, “Behold, a people comes
from the north country. A great nation will
be stirred up from the uttermost parts of
the earth.
23They take hold of bow and spear. They
are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice
roars like the sea, and they ride on horses,
everyone set in array, as a man to the
battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”
24 We have heard its report. Our hands
become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of
us, and pains as of a woman in labor.
25 Don’t go out into the field or walk by
the way; for the sword of the enemy and
terror are on every side.
26 Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes!
Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter
lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
27 “Ihavemade youa tester ofmetals and
a fortress among my people, that you may
know and try their way.
28 They are all grievous rebels, going
around to slander. They are bronze and
iron. All of them deal corruptly.
29 The bellows blow fiercely. The lead
is consumed in the fire. In vain they go
on refining, for the wicked are not plucked
away.
30 Men will call them rejected silver,
because Yahweh has rejected them.”