The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

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- Chapter 6 -

Find safety, people of Benjamin, by leaving Jerusalem. Blow a trumpet in Tekoa. Raise up over Beth Hakerem a signal, since wickedness is appearing from the north; a great crushing is coming.

The daughter of Zion, the beautiful and delicate woman, will be destroyed.

The shepherds and their flocks will go to them; they will set up tents against her all around; each man will shepherd with his own hand.

“Dedicate yourselves to the gods for the battle. Arise, let us attack at noon. It is too bad that the daylight is fading away, that the evening shadows are falling.

But let us attack at night and destroy her fortresses.”

For Yahweh of hosts says this: Cut her trees, and heap up siegeworks against Jerusalem. This is the right city to attack, because it is filled with oppression.

Just as a well keeps giving water, so this city keeps producing wickedness. Violence and disorder are heard in her. Suffering and plague are continually before me.

Accept discipline, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you and make you into a ruin, an uninhabited land.’”

Yahweh of hosts says this, “They will certainly glean those who are left in Israel like a vineyard. Reach out again with your hand to pick grapes from the vines.

To whom should I declare and warn so they will listen? Look! Their ears are uncircumcised; they are not able to pay attention! Look! The word of Yahweh has come to them to correct them, but they do not want it.”

But I am filled with Yahweh’s fury. I am tired of holding it in. He said, to me, “Pour it out on the children in the streets and on the groups of young men. For every man will be taken away with his wife; and every old person heavy with years.

Their houses will be turned over to others, both their fields and their wives together. For I will attack the inhabitants of the land with my hand-this is Yahweh’s declaration.

Yahweh declares that from their smallest to their greatest, each of them is greedy for dishonest gain. Prophets to priest, everyone practices deceit.

But they have healed the wounds of my people lightly. They say, ‘Peace! Peace!’ when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they committed abominations? They were not ashamed at all. They had no shame. So they will fall with those who fall at the time that I punish them. They will be overthrown,” says Yahweh.

Yahweh says this, “Stand at the road crossing and look; ask for the ancient pathways. ‘Where is this good way?’ Then go on it and find a resting place for yourselves. But the people say, ‘We will not go.’

I appointed for you watchmen to listen for the trumpet. But they said, ‘We will not listen.’

Therefore, nations, listen! See, you witnesses, what will happen to them.

Hear, earth! See, I am about to bring disaster to this people-the fruit of their thoughts. They paid no attention to my word or law, but they instead rejected it.”

“What does this frankincense going up from Sheba mean to me? Or these sweet smells from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me, nor are your sacrifices.

So Yahweh says this, ’See, I am about to place a stumbling block against this people. They will stumble over it-fathers and sons together. Inhabitants and their neighbors will also perish.’

An Invasion from the North

Yahweh says this, ’See, a people is coming from a northern land. For a great nation has been stirred up to come from a distant land.

They will pick up bows and spears. They are cruel and have no compassion. Their sound is like the sea roar, and they are riding on horses in formation as fighting men, daughter of Zion.’”

We have heard the news about them. Our hands fall limp in distress. Anguish seizes us as a woman bearing a child.

Do not go out to the fields, and do not walk on the roads, for the swords of the enemy and terror are all around.

Daughter of my people, fasten on sackcloth and roll about in the dust of a funeral for an only child. Perform a bitter funeral for yourself, for the destroyer will come suddenly upon us.

“I have made you, Jeremiah, one who tests my people like one would test metal, so you will inspect and test their ways.

They are all the most stubborn of people, who go about slandering others. All of them are bronze and iron, acting corruptly.

The bellows are scorched by the fire that is burning them; the lead is consumed in the flames. The refining continues among them, but it is uselss, because the evil is not removed.

They will be called rejected silver, for Yahweh has rejected them.”

“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.

I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion.

Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”

“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.

Arise! Let’s go up by night, and let’s destroy her palaces.”

For the LORD 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.

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.

Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”

The LORD 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.”

To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Behold, the LORD’s word has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it.

Therefore I am full of the LORD’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.

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 the LORD.”

“For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace.

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 the LORD.

The LORD says, “Stand in the ways and see, and ask for the old paths, ‘Where is the good way?’ and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’

Therefore hear, you nations, and know, congregation, what is among them.

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.

To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

Therefore The LORD 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.”

An Invasion from the North

The LORD says, “Behold, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth.

They 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.”

We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor.

Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are on every side.

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.

“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way.

They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly.

The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not plucked away.

Men will call them rejected silver, because the LORD has rejected them.”