Jeremiah 6

1 “O sons of Benjamin, be strengthened in the midst of Jerusalem, and sound the trumpet in Tekoa, and lift up a banner over the house of Haccherem. For an evil has been seen from the north, with great destruction.

Find safety, people of Benjamin, by leaving Jerusalem. Blow a trumpet in Tekoa. Raise up over Beth Hakkerem a signal, since wickedness is appearing from the north; a great crushing is coming.

2 I have compared the daughter of Zion to a beautiful and delicate woman.

The daughter of Zion, the beautiful and delicate woman, will be destroyed.

3 The pastors will come to her with their flocks. They have pitched their tents against her all around. Each one will feed those who are under his hand.

The shepherds and their flocks will go to them; they will set up tents against her all around; each man will shepherd with his own hand.

4 ‘Sanctify a war against her! Rise up together, and let us ascend at midday.’ ‘Woe to us! For the day has declined; for the shadows of the evening have grown longer.’

“Dedicate yourselves to the gods for the battle. Arise, let us attack at noon. It is too bad that the daylight is fading away, that the evening shadows are falling.

5 ‘Rise up, and let us ascend in the night, and let us destroy her houses.’”

But let us attack at night and destroy her fortresses.”

6 For thus says the Lord of hosts: “Cut down her trees, and build a rampart around Jerusalem. This is the city of visitation! Every kind of false claim is in her midst.

For Yahweh of hosts says this: Cut her trees, and heap up siegeworks against Jerusalem. This is the right city to attack, because it is filled with oppression.

7 Just as a cistern makes its water cold, so has she made her wickedness cold. Iniquity and devastation will be heard in her; sickness and wounds will be ever before me.

As a well pours out fresh water, so this city keeps producing wickedness. Violence and disorder are heard within her; sickness and wounds are continually before my face.

8 O Jerusalem, accept instruction, lest perhaps my soul may withdraw from you; lest perhaps I may set you in a desert, in an uninhabitable land.”

Accept discipline, Jerusalem, or I will turn away from you and make you into a ruin, an uninhabited land.'”

9 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “They will gather the remnant of Israel, even as a single cluster of grapes is gathered from a vine. Direct your hand, as a grape-gatherer directs his hand to the basket.

Yahweh of hosts says this, “They will certainly glean those who are left in Israel like a vineyard. Reach out again with your hand to pick grapes from the vines.

10 To whom should I speak, and to whom should I testify, so as to be heard? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and so they are unable to hear. Behold, for them, the word of the Lord has become a disgrace. And so they will not accept it.

To whom should I declare and warn so they will listen? Look! Their ears are uncircumcised; they are not able to pay attention! Look! The word of Yahweh has come to them to correct them, but they do not want it.”

11 For this reason, I have been filled with the fury of the Lord. I labor to bear it. Let it be poured out upon the child outside, or upon a group of young men meeting together. For a man will be taken captive with a woman, an elder will be taken captive with one who is full of days.

But I am filled with Yahweh's fury. I am tired of holding it in. He said, to me, “Pour it out on the children in the streets and on the groups of young men. For every man will be taken away with his wife; and every old person heavy with years.

12 And their houses will be given over to others, with both their lands and their wives. For I will extend my hand over the inhabitants of the earth, says the Lord.

Their houses will be turned over to others, both their fields and their wives together. For I will attack the inhabitants of the land with my hand—this is Yahweh's declaration.

13 Certainly, from the least of them even to the greatest, all of them practice greed. And from the prophet even to the priest, all of them act with deceit.

Yahweh declares that from the least to the greatest, all of them are greedy for dishonest gain. From the prophet to the priest, all of them practice deceit.

14 And they healed the destruction of the daughter of my people with disgrace, by saying: ‘Peace, peace.’ And there was no peace.

They have healed the wounds of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, Peace,' when there is no peace.

15 They were confounded, because they committed an abomination. Or rather, they were not confounded with shame, because they did not know how to blush. For this reason, they will fall among those who are being destroyed. In the time of their visitation, they will fall, says the Lord.”

Were they ashamed when they practiced abominations? They were not ashamed; they did not know how to blush! So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says Yahweh.

16 Thus says the Lord: “Stand above the ways, and see and ask, about the ancient paths, as to which is the good way, and then walk in it. And you will find refreshment for your souls. But they said: ‘We will not walk.’

Yahweh says this, “Stand at the road crossing and look; ask for the ancient pathways. 'Where is this good way?' Then go on it and find a resting place for yourselves. But the people say, 'We will not go.'

17 And I appointed watchers over you, saying: ‘Listen for the sound of the trumpet.’ And they said: ‘We will not listen.’

I appointed for you watchmen to listen for the trumpet. But they said, 'We will not listen.'

18 For this reason, hear, O Gentiles, and know, O congregation, how much I will do to them.

Therefore, nations, listen! See, you witnesses, what will happen to them.

19 Hear, O earth! Behold, I will lead evils over this people, as the fruits of their own thoughts. For they have not listened to my words, and they have cast aside my law.

Hear, earth! See, I am about to bring disaster to this people—the fruit of their thoughts. They paid no attention to my word or law, but they instead rejected it.”

20 For what reason are you bringing me frankincense from Sheba, and sweet smelling reeds from a far away land? Your holocausts are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”

“What does this frankincense going up from Sheba mean to me? Or these sweet smells from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable to me, nor are your sacrifices.

21 Therefore, thus says the Lord: “Behold I will bring this people to utter ruin, and they will fall, with their fathers and sons; neighbor and relative will perish together.”

So Yahweh says this, 'See, I am about to place a stumbling block against this people. They will stumble over it—fathers and sons together. Inhabitants and their neighbors will also perish.'

22 Thus says the Lord: “Behold, a people is coming from the land of the north, and a great nation will rise up from the ends of the earth.

Yahweh says this, 'See, a people is coming from the land of the north, a great nation is being stirred up from the farthest parts of the earth.

23 They will take hold of arrow and shield. They are cruel, and they will not take pity. Their voice will roar like the ocean. And they will climb upon horses, for they have been prepared like men for battle, against you, O daughter of Zion.

They will pick up bows and spears. They are cruel and have no compassion. Their sound is like the sea roar, and they are riding on horses, set out in order as men for battle, against you, daughter of Zion.'”

24 ‘We have heard of their fame. Our hands have become weakened. Tribulation has overtaken us, like the pains of a woman giving birth.’

We have heard the reports about them and our hands fall limp in distress. Anguish seizes us as a woman giving birth.

25 Do not choose to go out into the fields, and you should not walk along the roadway. For the sword and the terror of the enemy is on every side.

Do not go out to the fields, and do not walk on the roads, for the swords of the enemy and terror are all around.

26 Wrap yourself in haircloth, O daughter of my people. And sprinkle yourself with ashes. Make a mourning for yourself, as for an only son, a bitter lamentation: ‘for the destroyer will overwhelm us suddenly.’

Daughter of my people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn with painful sobs as for an only son, for the destroyer will suddenly come upon us.

27 I have presented you as a strong tester among my people. And you will test and know their way.

“I have made you, Jeremiah, one who tests my people like one would test metal, so you will inspect and test their ways.

28 All these leaders who are turning away and walking deceitfully, they are brass and iron; they have all been corrupted.

They are all the most stubborn of people, who go about slandering others. All of them are bronze and iron, acting corruptly.

29 The bellows has failed; the lead has been consumed by fire; the molten metal was melted to no purpose. For their wickedness has not been consumed.

The bellows are scorched by the fire that is burning them; the lead is consumed in the flames. The refining continues among them, but it is useless, because the evil is not removed.

30 Call them: ‘Rejected silver.’ For the Lord has cast them aside.”

They will be called rejected silver, for Yahweh has rejected them.”