Jeremiah 6

Threatened Siege of Jerusalem

1 "Run for cover, Benjaminites,
out of Jerusalem!
Sound the ram's horn in Tekoa;
raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem,
for disaster threatens from the north,
even great destruction.
2 [Though she is] beautiful and delicate,
I will destroy Daughter Zion.
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch [their] tents all around her.
Each will pasture his own portion.
4 Set [them] apart for war against her;
rise up, let's attack at noon.
Woe to us, for the day is passing;
the evening shadows grow long.

5 Rise up, let's attack by night.
Let us destroy her fortresses."

6 For this is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Cut down the trees;
raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished.
There is nothing but oppression within her.
7 As a well gushes out its water,
so she pours out her evil.
Violence and destruction resound in her.
Sickness and wounds keep coming to My attention.

8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away from you;
I will make you a desolation,
a land without inhabitants.

Wrath on Israel

9 This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Glean the remnant of Israel
as thoroughly as a vine.
Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer
over the branches.

10 Who can I speak to and give such a warning
that they will listen?
Look, their ear is uncircumcised,
so they cannot pay attention.
See, the word of the Lord has become contemptible to them-
they find no pleasure in it.
11 But I am full of the Lord's wrath;
I am tired of holding it back.
Pour [it] out on the children in the street,
on the gang of young men as well.
For both husband and wife will be captured,
the old with the very old.

12 Their houses will be turned over to others,
[their] fields and wives as well,
for I will stretch out My hand
against the inhabitants of the land.
[This is] the Lord's declaration.

13 For from the least to the greatest of them,
everyone is making profit dishonestly.
From prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely.
14 They have treated My people's brokenness superficially,
claiming, "Peace, peace,"
when there is no peace.

15 Were they ashamed when they acted so abhorrently?
They weren't at all ashamed.
They can no longer feel humiliation.
Therefore, they will fall among the fallen.
When I punish them, they will collapse,
says the Lord.

Disaster because of Disobedience

16 This is what the Lord says:

Stand by the roadways and look.
Ask about the ancient paths:
Which is the way to what is good?
Then take it
and find rest for yourselves.
But they protested, "We won't!"

17 I appointed watchmen over you
[and said]: Listen for the sound of the ram's horn.
But they protested, "We won't listen!"

18 Therefore listen, you nations
and you witnesses,
learn what [the charge] is against them.
19 Listen, earth!
I am about to bring disaster on these people,
the fruit of their own plotting,
for they have paid no attention to My word.
They have rejected My instruction.
20 What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba
or sweet cane from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please Me.

21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
I am going to place stumbling blocks before these people;
fathers and sons together will stumble over them;
friends and neighbors will [also] perish.

A Cruel Nation from the North

22 This is what the Lord says:

Look, an army is coming from a northern land;
a great nation will be awakened
from the remote regions of the earth.

23 They grasp bow and javelin.
They are cruel and show no mercy.
Their voice roars like the sea,
and they ride on horses,
lined up like men in battle formation
against you, Daughter Zion.

24 We have heard about it,
and we are discouraged.
Distress has seized us-
pain like a woman in labor.

25 Don't go out to the fields;
don't walk on the road.
For the enemy has a sword;
terror is on every side.

26 My dear people, dress yourselves in sackcloth
and roll in the dust.
Mourn [as you would for] an only son,
a bitter lament,
for suddenly the destroyer will come on us.

Jeremiah Appointed as an Examiner

27 I have appointed you to be an assayer among My people-
a refiner-
so you may know and assay their way of life.
28 All are stubborn rebels
spreading slander.
[They are] bronze and iron;
all of them are corrupt.
29 The bellows blow,
blasting the lead with fire.
The refining is completely in vain;
the evil ones are not separated out.

30 They are called rejected silver,
for the Lord has rejected them.

Jeremiah 6

1 Flee for safety, ye children of Benjamin, out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and raise up a signal on Beth-haccherem; for evil looketh forth from the north, and a great destruction.2 The comely and delicate one, the daughter of Zion, will I cut off.3 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.4 Prepare ye war against her; arise, and let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day declineth, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out.5 Arise, and let us go up by night, and let us destroy her palaces.6 For thus hath Jehovah of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast up a mound against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.7 As a well casteth forth its waters, so she casteth forth her wickedness: violence and destruction is heard in her; before me continually is sickness and wounds.8 Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from thee; lest I make thee a desolation, a land not inhabited.9 Thus saith Jehovah of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine: turn again thy hand as a grape-gatherer into the baskets.10 To whom shall I speak and testify, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of Jehovah is become unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.11 Therefore I am full of the wrath of Jehovah; I am weary with holding in: pour it out upon the children in the street, and upon the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the aged with him that is full of days.12 And their houses shall be turned unto others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith Jehovah.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 my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.16 Thus saith Jehovah, Stand ye in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way; and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls: but they said, We will not walk therein.17 And I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet; but they said, We will not hearken.18 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; and as for my law, they have rejected it.20 To what purpose cometh there to me frankincense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your burnt-offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing unto me.21 Therefore thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will lay stumbling-blocks before this people; and the fathers and the sons together shall stumble against them; the neighbor and his friend shall perish.22 Thus saith Jehovah, Behold, a people cometh from the north country; and a great nation shall be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.23 They lay hold on bow and spear; they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like the sea, and they ride upon horses, every one set in array, as a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Zion.24 We have heard the report thereof; our hands wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pangs as of a woman in travail.25 Go not forth into the field, nor walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy, and terror, are on every side.26 O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation; for the destroyer shall suddenly come upon us.27 I have made thee a trier and a fortress among my people; that thou mayest know and try their way.28 They are all grievous revolters, going about with slanders; they are brass and iron: they all of them deal corruptly.29 The bellows blow fiercely; the lead is consumed of the fire: in vain do they go on refining; for the wicked are not plucked away.30 Refuse silver shall men call them, because Jehovah hath rejected them.