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 noon; I will suddenly bring down on her Shock and horror.9She who 11gave birth to seven sons withers away; 12Her breathing is labored. Her 13sun has set while it was still day; She has been 14shamed and humiliated. So I will 15turn over their survivors to the sword Before their enemies,” declares the Lord.

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

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

1526You know, Lord; Remember me, take notice of me, And 27take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that 28for Your sake I endure reproach.16Your words were found and I 29ate them, And Your 30words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart; For I have been 31called by Your name, Lord God of armies.17I 32did not sit in a circle of revelers and celebrate. Because of Your hand upon me I sat 33alone, For You 34filled me with indignation.18Why has my pain been endless And my 35wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You indeed be to me 36like a deceptive stream With water that is unreliable?

19Therefore, this is what the Lord says: “37If you return, then I will restore you-- 38You will stand before Me; And 39if you extract the precious from the worthless, You will become 40My spokesman. They, for their part, may turn to you, But as for you, you are not to turn to them.20Then I will 41make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; And though they fight against you, They will not prevail over you; For 42I am with you to save you And rescue you,” declares the Lord.21“So I will 43rescue you from the hand of the wicked, And I will 44redeem you from the 45grasp of the violent.”