Jeremiah 5

The Justice of Gods Judgment

1 Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem; See now and know; And seek in her open places If you can find a man, If there is anyone who executes judgment, Who seeks the truth, And I will pardon her.2 Though they say, As the Lord lives, Surely they swear falsely.3 O Lord, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, But they have not grieved; You have consumed them, But they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than rock; They have refused to return.4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor. They are foolish; For they do not know the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God.5 I will go to the great men and speak to them, For they have known the way of the Lord, The judgment of their God. But these have altogether broken the yoke And burst the bonds.6 Therefore a lion from the forest shall slay them, A wolf of the deserts shall destroy them; A leopard will watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from there shall be torn in pieces, Because their transgressions are many; Their backslidings have increased.7 How shall I pardon you for this? Your children have forsaken Me And sworn by those that are not gods. When I had fed them to the full, Then they committed adultery And assembled themselves by troops in the harlots houses.8 They were like well-fed lusty stallions; Every one neighed after his neighbors wife.9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord. And shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?10 Go up on her walls and destroy, But do not make a complete end. Take away her branches, For they are not the Lords.11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah Have dealt very treacherously with Me, says the Lord.12 They have lied about the Lord, And said, It is not He. Neither will evil come upon us, Nor shall we see sword or famine.13 And the prophets become wind, For the word is not in them. Thus shall it be done to them.14 Therefore thus says the Lord God of hosts: Because you speak this word, Behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire, And this people wood, And it shall devour them.15 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel, says the Lord. It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say.16 Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men.17 And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.18 Nevertheless in those days, says the Lord, I will not make a complete end of you.19 And it will be when you say, Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us? then you shall answer them, Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.20 Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,21 Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:22 Do you not fear Me? says the Lord. Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.23 But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed.24 They do not say in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.26 For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.27 As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.28 They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.29 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the Lord. Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?30 An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:31 The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

JEREMIAH 5

Is Anyone Honest and Faithful?

The [Lord] said to me:

1 “Search Jerusalem
for honest people
who try to be faithful.
If you can find even one,
I'll forgive the whole city.

2 Everyone breaks promises
made in my name.”

3 I answered, “I know
that you look for truth.
You punished your people
for their lies,
but in spite of the pain,
they became more stubborn
and refused to turn back
to you.”

4 Then I thought to myself,
“These common people
act like fools,
and they have never learned
what the [Lord] their God
demands of them.

5 So I'll go and talk to the leaders.
They know what God demands.”
But even they had decided
not to obey the [Lord].

6 The people have rebelled
and rejected the [Lord]
too many times.
So enemies will attack
like lions from the forest
or wolves from the desert.
Those enemies will watch
the towns of Judah,
and like leopards
they will tear to pieces
whoever goes outside.

Enemies Will Punish Judah

The [Lord] said:

7 People of Judah,
how can I forgive you?
I gave you everything,
but you abandoned me
and worshiped idols.
You men go to prostitutes
and are unfaithful
to your wives.

8 You are no better than animals,
and you always want sex
with someone else's wife.

9 Why shouldn't I punish
the people of Judah?

10 I will tell their enemies,
“Go through my vineyard.
Don't destroy the vines,
but cut off the branches,
because they are the people
who don't belong to me.”

11 In every way, Judah and Israel
have been unfaithful to me.
*

12 Their prophets lie and say,
“The [Lord] won't punish us.
We will have peace
and plenty of food.”

13 They tell these lies in my name,
so now they will be killed in war
or starve to death.

14 I am the [Lord] God All-Powerful.
Jeremiah, I will tell you
exactly what to say.
Your words will be a fire;
Israel and Judah
will be the fuel.

15 People of Israel,
I have made my decision.
An army from a distant country
will attack you.
I've chosen an ancient nation,
and you won't understand
their language.

16 All of them are warriors,
and their arrows bring death.

17 This nation will eat your crops
and livestock;
they will leave no fruit
on your vines or fig trees.
And although you feel safe
behind thick walls,
your towns will be destroyed
and your children killed.

Israel Refused //To Worship the [Lord]

18 The [Lord] said:
Jeremiah, the enemy army won't kill everyone in Judah.

19 And the people who survive will ask, “Why did the [Lord] our God do such terrible things to us?” Then tell them:
I am the [Lord],
but you abandoned me
and worshiped other gods
in your own land.
Now you will be slaves
in a foreign country.

20 Tell these things to each other,
you people of Judah,
you descendants of Jacob.

21  t You fools! Why don't you listen
when I speak?
Why can't you understand

22  t that you should worship me
with fear and trembling?
I'm the one who made the shore
to hold back the ocean.
Waves may crash on the beach,
but they can come no farther.

23 You stubborn people have rebelled
and turned your backs on me.

24 You refuse to say,
“Let's worship the [Lord]!
He's the one who sends rain
in spring and autumn
and gives us a good harvest.”

25 That's why I cannot bless you!
*

26 A hunter traps birds
and puts them in a cage,
but some of you trap humans
and make them your slaves.

27 You are evil, and you lie and cheat
to make yourselves rich.
You are powerful

28 and prosperous,
but you refuse to helpt the poor
get the justice they deserve.

29 You need to be punished,
and so I will take revenge.

30 Look at the terrible things
going on in this country.
I am shocked!

31 Prophets give their messages
in the name of a false god, t
my priests don't want
to serve me, t
and you—my own people—
like it this way!
But on the day of disaster,
where will you turn for help?