Jeremiah 15:6-21

6You who have 1forsaken Me,” declares the Lord, “You keep 2going backward. So I will 3stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am 4tired of relenting!7I will 5winnow them with a winnowing fork At the gates of the land; I will 6bereave them of children, I will destroy My people; 7They did not 8repent of their ways.8Their 9widows will be more numerous before Me Than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, against the mother of a young man, A 10destroyer at noonday; I will suddenly bring down on her Anguish and dismay.9She who 11bore seven sons pines away; 12Her breathing is labored. Her 13sun has set while it was yet day; She has been 14shamed and humiliated. So I will 15give over their survivors to the sword Before their enemies,” declares the Lord.

1016Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me As a 17man of strife and a man of contention to all the land! I have not 18lent, nor have men lent money to me, Yet everyone curses me.11The Lord said, “Surely I will 19set you free for purposes of good; Surely I will cause the 20enemy to make supplication to you In a time of disaster and a time of distress.

12“Can anyone smash iron, 21Iron from the north, or bronze?13Your 22wealth and your treasures I will give for booty 23without cost, Even for all your sins And within all your borders.14Then I will cause your enemies to bring 24it Into a 25land you do not know; For a 26fire has been kindled in My anger, It will burn upon you.”

1527You who know, O Lord, Remember me, take notice of me, And 28take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that 29for Your sake I endure reproach.16Your words were found and I 30ate them, And Your 31words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been 32called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.17I 33did not sit in the circle of merrymakers, Nor did I exult. Because of Your hand upon me I sat 34alone, For You 35filled me with indignation.18Why has my pain been perpetual And my 36wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me 37like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?

19Therefore, thus says the Lord, “38If you return, then I will restore you-- 39Before Me you will stand; And 40if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become 41My spokesman. They for their part may turn to you, But as for you, you must not turn to them.20Then I will 42make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For 43I am with you to save you And deliver you,” declares the Lord.21“So I will 44deliver you from the hand of the wicked, And I will 45redeem you from the 46grasp of the violent.”