Berean Standard Bible

Jeremiah 4

1“IfH518 you will returnH7725, O IsraelH3478, returnH7725 to MeH413,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068. “IfH518 you will removeH5493 your detestable idolsH8251 from My sightH6440 and no longerH3808 waverH5110,2and if you can swearH7650, ‘As surely as the LORDH3068 livesH2416,’ in truthH571, in justiceH4941, and in righteousnessH6666, then the nationsH1471 will be blessedH1288 by Him, and in Him they will gloryH1984.”

3ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559 to the menH376 of JudahH3063 and JerusalemH3389:

“Break upH5214 your unplowed groundH5215,and do notH408 sowH2232 amongH413 the thornsH6975.4Circumcise yourselvesH4135 to the LORDH3068,and removeH5493 the foreskinsH6190 of your heartsH3824,O menH376 of JudahH3063 and peopleH3427 of JerusalemH3389.OtherwiseH6435, My wrathH2534 will break outH3318 like fireH784and burnH1197 with noH369 one to extinguish itH3518,because ofH6440 your evilH7455 deedsH4611.”

Disaster from the North

5AnnounceH5046 in JudahH3063, proclaimH8085 in JerusalemH3389, and sayH559:

“BlowH8628 the ram’s hornH7782 throughout the landH776.Cry aloudH7121 H4390 and sayH559,‘Assemble yourselvesH622and let us fleeH935 toH413 the fortifiedH4013 citiesH5892.’6RaiseH5375 a signal flagH5251 toward ZionH6726.Seek refugeH5756! Do notH408 delayH5975!ForH3588 IH595 am bringingH935 disasterH7451 from the northH6828,and terribleH1419 destructionH7667.7A lionH738 has gone upH5927 from his thicketH5441,and a destroyerH7843 of nationsH1471 has set outH5265.He has leftH3318 his lairH4725to layH7760 wasteH8047 your landH776.Your citiesH5892 will be reducedH369 to ruinsH5327and lie uninhabitedH3427.8SoH5921 H2063 put onH2296 sackclothH8242,mournH5594 and wailH3213,forH3588 the fierceH2740 angerH639 of the LORDH3068has notH3808 turned awayH7725 from usH4480.”

9 “In thatH1931 dayH3117,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068,“the kingH4428 H3820 and officialsH8269 will loseH6 their courageH3820.The priestsH3548 will tremble in fearH8074,and the prophetsH5030 will be astoundedH8539.”

10Then I saidH559, “AhH162, LordH136 GODH3069, how completelyH403 You have deceivedH5377 thisH2088 peopleH5971 and JerusalemH3389 by sayingH559, ‘You will haveH1961 peaceH7965,’ while a swordH2719 is atH5704 our throatsH5315.”

11At thatH1931 timeH6256 it will be saidH559 to thisH2088 peopleH5971 and to JerusalemH3389, “A searingH6703 windH7307 from the barren heightsH8205 in the desertH4057 blows towardH1870 the daughterH1323 of My peopleH5971, but notH3808 to winnowH2219 H3808 or to siftH1305; 12a windH7307 too strongH4392 for thatH428 comesH935 from Me. NowH6258 IH589 alsoH1571 pronounceH1696 judgmentsH4941 against themH854.”

13BeholdH2009, he advancesH5927 like the cloudsH6051,his chariotsH4818 like the whirlwindH5492.His horsesH5483 are swifterH7043 than eaglesH5404.WoeH188 to us, forH3588 we are ruinedH7703!14WashH3526 the evilH7451 from your heartH3820, O JerusalemH3389,so thatH4616 you may be savedH3467.How longH5704 H4970 will you harborH3885wickedH205 thoughtsH4284 within youH7130?15ForH3588 a voiceH6963 resoundsH5046 from DanH1835,proclaimingH8085 disasterH205 from the hillsH2022 of EphraimH669.16WarnH2142 the nationsH1471 nowH2009!ProclaimH8085 toH5921 JerusalemH3389:“A besieging armyH5341 comesH935 from a distantH4801 landH776;they raiseH5414 their voicesH6963 againstH5921 the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063.17They surround herH5439 like men guardingH8104 a fieldH7704 H1961 H5921,becauseH3588 she has rebelled against MeH4784,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

18“Your waysH1870 and deedsH4611 have broughtH6213 thisH428 upon you. ThisH2063 is your punishmentH7451; how bitter it isH4751 H3588, becauseH3588 it piercesH5060 to theH5704 heartH3820!”

19My anguishH4578, my anguishH4578! I writhe in painH2342!Oh, the painH7023 in my chestH3820!My heartH3820 poundsH1993 within me;I cannotH3808 be silentH2790.ForH3588 IH5315 have heardH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782,the alarmH8643 of battleH4421.20DisasterH7667 afterH5921 disasterH7667 is proclaimedH7121,forH3588 the wholeH3605 landH776 is laid wasteH7703.My tentsH168 are destroyedH7703 in an instantH6597,my curtainsH3407 in a momentH7281.21How longH5704 H4970 must I seeH7200 the signal flagH5251and hearH8085 the soundH6963 of the hornH7782?

22“ForH3588 My peopleH5971 are foolsH191;they have notH3808 known MeH3045.TheyH1992 are foolishH5530 childrenH1121,withoutH3808 understandingH995.TheyH1992 are skilledH2450 H1992 in doing evilH7489,but they knowH3045 notH3808 how to do goodH3190.”

23I lookedH7200 at the earthH776 H2009,and it was formlessH8414 and voidH922;I looked toH413 the heavensH8064,and they had noH369 lightH216.24I lookedH7200 at the mountainsH2022,and beholdH2009, they were quakingH7493;allH3605 the hillsH1389 were swayingH7043.25I lookedH7200 H2009, and noH369 man was leftH120;allH3605 the birdsH5775 of the airH8064 had fledH5074.26I lookedH7200 H2009, and the fruitful landH3759 was a desertH4057.AllH3605 its citiesH5892 were torn downH5422beforeH6440 the LORDH3068,beforeH6440 His fierceH2740 angerH639.

27ForH3588 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559:

“The wholeH3605 landH776 will beH1961 desolateH8077,but I will notH3808 finish its destructionH3617 H6213.28ThereforeH5921 H2063 the earthH776 will mournH56and the heavensH8064 aboveH4605 H5921 H3588 will grow darkH6937.I have spokenH1696, I have plannedH2161,and I will notH3808 relentH5162 H3808 or turn backH7725 H4480.”

29EveryH3605 cityH5892 fleesH1272at the soundH6963 of the horsemanH6571 and archerH7411 H7198.They enterH935 the thicketsH5645and climbH5927 among the rocksH3710.EveryH3605 cityH5892 is abandonedH5800;noH369 inhabitant is leftH3427 H376.

30And youH859, O devastatedH7703 oneH4100, what will you doH6213,thoughH3588 you dressH3847 yourself in scarletH8144,thoughH3588 you adornH5710 yourself with goldH2091 jewelryH5716,thoughH3588 you enlargeH7167 your eyesH5869 with paintH6320?You adorn yourselfH3302 in vainH7723; your loversH5689 despiseH3988 you;they want to takeH1245 your lifeH5315.31ForH3588 I hearH8085 a cryH6963 like a woman in laborH2470,a cry of anguishH6869 like one bearing her first childH1069—the cryH6963 of the DaughterH1323 of ZionH6726 gasping for breathH3306,stretching outH6566 her handsH3709 to say,“Woe is meH188 H4994,forH3588 my soulH5315 faintsH5888 before the murderersH2026!”