Jeremiah 6

The Coming Destruction of Jerusalem

1“Flee to safety, you sons of 1Benjamin, From the midst of Jerusalem! Blow a trumpet in Tekoa And raise a warning signal over 23Beth-haccerem; For evil looks down from the 4north, Along with a great destruction.2The beautiful and 5delicate one, 6the daughter of Zion, I will destroy.37Shepherds and their flocks will come to her, They will 8pitch their tents 9around her, They will pasture, each in his 10place.4‘1112Prepare for war against her; Arise, and let’s 13attack at 14noon. Woe to us, for the day declines, For the shadows of the evening lengthen!5Arise, and let’s 15attack by night And 16destroy her 17palaces!’”6For this is what the Lord of armies says: “18Cut down her trees And pile up an 19assault ramp against Jerusalem. This is the city to be punished, In whose midst there is only 20oppression.721As a well 22keeps its waters fresh, So she 23keeps fresh her wickedness. 24Violence and destruction are heard in her; 25Sickness and wounds are constantly before Me.826Be warned, Jerusalem, Or 2728I shall be alienated from you, And make you a desolation, An uninhabited land.”

9This is what the Lord of armies says: “They will 29thoroughly glean the 30remnant of Israel like the vine; Pass your hand over the branches again Like a grape gatherer.”10To whom shall I speak and give warning, That they may hear? Behold, their 31ears are 32closed And they cannot listen. Behold, 33the word of the Lord has become for them a rebuke; They take no delight in it.11But I am 34full of the wrath of the Lord; I am 35weary of holding it in. “36Pour it out on the children in the street And on the 37gathering of young men together; For both husband and wife shall be taken, The old 38and the very old.12Their 39houses shall be turned over to others, Their fields and their wives together; For I will 40stretch out My hand Against the inhabitants of the land,” declares the Lord.13“For 41from the least of them to the greatest of them, Everyone is 42greedy for gain, And from the prophet to the priest Everyone deals falsely.14They have 43healed the brokenness of My people superficially, Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ But there is no peace.15Were they 44ashamed because of the abomination they had done? They were not ashamed at all, Nor did they know even how to be ashamed. Therefore they will fall among those who fall; At the time that I punish them, They will collapse,” says the Lord.

16This is what the Lord says: “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the 45ancient paths, Where the good way is, and walk in it; Then 46you will find a resting place for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’17And I set 47watchmen over you, saying, ‘Listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen.’18Therefore hear, you nations, And know, you congregation, what is among them.1948Hear, earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The 49fruit of their 50plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My Law, they have 51rejected it also.2052For what purpose does 53frankincense come to Me from Sheba, And the 5455sweet cane from a distant land? 56Your burnt offerings are not acceptable And your sacrifices are not pleasing to Me.”21Therefore, this is what the Lord says: “Behold, 57I am 58placing stumbling blocks before this people. And they will stumble against them, 59Fathers and sons together; Neighbor and 60friend will perish.”

The Enemy from the North

22This is what the Lord says: “Behold, there is 61a people coming from the north land, And a great nation will be stirred up from the 62remote parts of the earth.23They seize 63bow and spear; They are 64cruel and have no mercy; Their voice 65roars like the sea, And they ride on horses, Lined up as a man for the battle Against you, daughter of Zion!”24We have 66heard the report of it; Our hands are limp. 67Anguish has seized us, Pain like that of a woman in childbirth.2568Do not go out into the field, And 69do not walk on the road; For the enemy has a sword, 70Terror is on every side.26Daughter of my people, 71put on sackcloth And 72roll in ashes; 7374Mourn as for an only son, A most bitter mourning. For suddenly the destroyer Will come against us.

27“I have 75made you an assayer and an examiner among My people, So that you may know and put their way to the test.”28All of them are stubbornly rebellious, 76Going about as a slanderer; They are 77bronze and iron. They are, all of them, corrupt.29The bellows blow fiercely, The lead is consumed by the fire; In vain the refining goes on, But the 78wicked are not 79separated.3080They call them rejected silver, Because the 81Lord has rejected them.