Berean Standard Bible

Jeremiah 9

1 Oh, thatH5414 my headH7218 were a spring of waterH4325, and my eyesH5869 a fountainH4726 of tearsH1832! I would weepH1058 dayH3119 and nightH3915 over the slainH2491 daughterH1323 of my peopleH5971.2If onlyH4310 H5414 I had a traveler’sH732 lodgeH4411 in the wildernessH4057, I would abandonH5800 my peopleH5971 and departH1980 from themH854, forH3588 they are allH3605 adulterersH5003, a crowdH6116 of faithless peopleH898.

3“They bendH1869 their tonguesH3956 like bowsH7198;liesH8267 prevailH1396 overH3808 truthH530 in the landH776.ForH3588 they proceedH3318 from evilH7451 toH413 evilH7451,and they do notH3808 take Me into accountH3045,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.4“Let everyoneH376 guardH8104 againstH5921 his neighborH7453;do notH408 trustH982 anyH3605 brotherH251,forH3588 everyH3605 brotherH251 deals craftilyH6117,and everyH3605 friendH7453 spreadsH1980 slanderH7400.5Each oneH376 betraysH2048 his friendH7453;noH3808 one tellsH1696 the truthH571.They have taughtH3925 their tonguesH3956 to lieH1696 H8267;they wear themselves outH3811 committing iniquityH5753.6You dwellH3427 1 in the midstH8432 of deceptionH4820;in their deceitH4820 they refuseH3985 to knowH3045 MeH853,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

7ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 saysH559:

“BeholdH2005, I will refine themH6884 and test themH974,forH3588 whatH349 else can I doH6213because ofH6440 2 the daughterH1323 of My peopleH5971?8Their tonguesH3956 are deadlyH7819 arrowsH2671;they speakH1696 deceptionH4820.With his mouthH6310 a man speaksH1696 peaceH7965 toH854 his neighborH7453,but in his heartH7130 he setsH7760 a trap for himH696.9Should I notH3808 punishH6485 them forH5921 these thingsH428?declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.Should I notH3808 avengeH5358 MyselfH5315onH518 such a nationH1471 as thisH2088?”

10I will take upH5375 a weepingH1065 and wailingH5092 forH5921 the mountainsH2022,a dirgeH7015 overH5921 the wildernessH4057 pastureH4999,forH3588 they have been scorchedH3341 so noH1097 oneH376 passes throughH5674,and the lowingH6963 of cattleH4735 is notH3808 heardH8085.Both the birdsH5775 of the airH8064 andH5704 the beastsH929 have fledH5074;they have gone awayH1980.

11“And I will makeH5414 JerusalemH3389 a heap of rubbleH1530,a hauntH4583 for jackalsH8577 ;3and I will makeH5414 the citiesH5892 of JudahH3063 a desolationH8077,withoutH1097 inhabitantH3427.”

12WhoH4310 is the manH376 wiseH2450 enough to understandH995 thisH2063? To whomH834 has the mouthH6310 of the LORDH3068 spokenH1696 , that he may explain itH5046? WhyH5921 H4100 is the landH776 destroyedH6 and scorchedH5327 like a desertH4057, so noH1097 one can pass through itH5674?

13And the LORDH3068 answeredH559, “It is becauseH5921 they have forsakenH5800 My lawH8451, whichH834 I setH5414 before themH6440; they have notH3808 walkedH1980 in it or obeyedH8085 My voiceH6963. 14Instead, they have followedH1980 H310 the stubbornnessH8307 of their heartsH3820 and gone afterH310 the BaalsH1168, asH834 their fathersH1 taught themH3925.”

15ThereforeH3651 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: “BeholdH2005, I will feedH398 thisH2088 peopleH5971 wormwoodH3939 and give them poisonedH7219 waterH4325 to drinkH8248. 16I will scatter themH6327 among the nationsH1471 thatH834 neitherH3808 theyH1992 nor their fathersH1 have knownH3045, and I will sendH7971 a swordH2719 afterH310 themH853 untilH5704 I have finished them offH3615 .”

17This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 of HostsH6635 saysH559:

“Take noteH995, and summonH7121 the wailing womenH6969 H935;sendH7971 H935 forH413 the most skillfulH2450 among them.18Let them come quicklyH4116and take upH5375 a lamentH5092 over usH5921,that our eyesH5869 may overflowH3381 with tearsH1832,and our eyelidsH6079 may gushH5140 with waterH4325.19ForH3588 the soundH6963 of wailingH5092is heardH8085 from ZionH6726:‘HowH349 devastated we areH7703!How greatH3966 is our shameH954!ForH3588 we have abandonedH5800 the landH776becauseH3588 our dwellingsH4908 have been torn downH7993.’”

20NowH3588, O womenH802, hearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.OpenH3947 your earsH241 to the wordH1697 of His mouthH6310.TeachH3925 your daughtersH1323 to wailH5092,and oneH802 anotherH7468 to lamentH7015.21ForH3588 deathH4194 has climbed inH5927 through our windowsH2474;it has enteredH935 our fortressesH759to cut offH3772 the childrenH5768 from the streetsH2351,the young menH970 from the town squaresH7339.

22Declare thatH1696 this is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH5002:

“The corpsesH5038 of menH120 will fallH5307 like dungH1828uponH5921 the openH6440 fieldH7704,like newly cut grainH5995 behindH310 the reaperH7114,with noH369 one to gather itH622.”

23This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559:

“Let notH408 the wiseH2450 man boastH1984 in his wisdomH2451,norH408 the strong manH1368 in his strengthH1369,norH408 the wealthy manH6223 in his richesH6239.24ButH3588 H518 let him who boastsH1984 boastH1984 in thisH2063,that he understandsH7919 and knowsH3045 MeH853,thatH3588 IH589 am the LORDH3068,4who exercisesH6213 loving devotionH2617,5justiceH4941 and righteousnessH6666 on the earthH776—forH3588 I delightH2654 in these thingsH428,”declaresH5002 the LORDH3068.

25“BeholdH2009, the daysH3117 are comingH935,” declaresH5002 the LORDH3068, “when I will punishH6485 H5921 all who areH3605 circumcisedH4135 only in the fleshH6190— 26 EgyptH4714 H5921, JudahH3063 H5921, EdomH123 H5921, AmmonH1121 H5983 H5921, MoabH4124 H5921, and allH3605 the inhabitantsH3427 of the desertH4057 H3588 who clip the hairH7112 of their templesH6285. For allH3605 these nationsH1471 are uncircumcisedH6189, and the wholeH3605 houseH1004 of IsraelH3478 is uncircumcisedH6189 in heartH3820.”

Notes

1. Jeremiah 9:6 That is, Jeremiah dwells (the Hebrew is singular) ↩
2. Jeremiah 9:7 LXX because of the wickedness of ↩
3. Jeremiah 9:11 Or serpents or dragons ↩
4. Jeremiah 9:24 Cited in 1 Corinthians 1:31 and 2 Corinthians 10:17 ↩
5. Jeremiah 9:24 Forms of the Hebrew chesed are translated here and in most cases throughout the Scriptures as loving devotion; the range of meaning includes love, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and mercy, as well as loyalty to a covenant. ↩