Jeremiah 5
5
Not One Is Upright
1“Go up and down the streets of Jerusalem,
look around and consider,
search through her squares.
If you can find but one person
who deals honestly and seeks the truth,
I will forgive this city.
2Although they say, ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’
still they are swearing falsely.”
3 Lord, do not your eyes look for truth?
You struck them, but they felt no pain;
you crushed them, but they refused correction.
They made their faces harder than stone
and refused to repent.
4I thought, “These are only the poor;
they are foolish,
for they do not know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.
5So I will go to the leaders
and speak to them;
surely they know the way of the Lord,
the requirements of their God.”
But with one accord they too had broken off the yoke
and torn off the bonds.
6Therefore a lion from the forest will attack them,
a wolf from the desert will ravage them,
a leopard will lie in wait near their towns
to tear to pieces any who venture out,
for their rebellion is great
and their backslidings many.
7“Why should I forgive you?
Your children have forsaken me
and sworn by gods that are not gods.
I supplied all their needs,
yet they committed adultery
and thronged to the houses of prostitutes.
8They are well-fed, lusty stallions,
each neighing for another man’s wife.
9Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
10“Go through her vineyards and ravage them,
but do not destroy them completely.
Strip off her branches,
for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11The people of Israel and the people of Judah
have been utterly unfaithful to me,”
declares the Lord.
12They have lied about the Lord;
they said, “He will do nothing!
No harm will come to us;
we will never see sword or famine.
13The prophets are but wind
and the word is not in them;
so let what they say be done to them.”
14Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:
“Because the people have spoken these words,
I will make my words in your mouth a fire
and these people the wood it consumes.
15People of Israel,” declares the Lord,
“I am bringing a distant nation against you—
an ancient and enduring nation,
a people whose language you do not know,
whose speech you do not understand.
16Their quivers are like an open grave;
all of them are mighty warriors.
17They will devour your harvests and food,
devour your sons and daughters;
they will devour your flocks and herds,
devour your vines and fig trees.
With the sword they will destroy
the fortified cities in which you trust.
18“Yet even in those days,” declares the Lord, “I will not destroy you completely. 19And when the people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
20“Announce this to the descendants of Jacob
and proclaim it in Judah:
21Hear this, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but do not see,
who have ears but do not hear:
22Should you not fear me?” declares the Lord.
“Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say to themselves,
‘Let us fear the Lord our God,
who gives autumn and spring rains in season,
who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25Your wrongdoings have kept these away;
your sins have deprived you of good.
26“Among my people are the wicked
who lie in wait like men who snare birds
and like those who set traps to catch people.
27Like cages full of birds,
their houses are full of deceit;
they have become rich and powerful
28and have grown fat and sleek.
Their evil deeds have no limit;
they do not seek justice.
They do not promote the case of the fatherless;
they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
29Should I not punish them for this?”
declares the Lord.
“Should I not avenge myself
on such a nation as this?
30“A horrible and shocking thing
has happened in the land:
31The prophets prophesy lies,
the priests rule by their own authority,
and my people love it this way.
But what will you do in the end?
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Jeremiah 5: NIV
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The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®
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Jeremiah 5
5
God’s Just Judgment
1Roam the streets of Jerusalem, look around and consider, search through her squares! If you can find a person, if there is one who does justice, who seeks truth, then I will pardon the city.
2Though they say, “As Adonai lives!” surely they swear falsely.
3Adonai, do Your eyes not look for faithfulness? You struck them, but they did not grieve. You disciplined them, but they refused correction. They made their faces harder than stone. They refused to return.
4Then I said: These are only the poor. They are foolish. For they do not know the way of Adonai, the ordinance of their God.
5I will go to the distinguished and speak to them. Surely they know the way of Adonai, the ordinance of their God. But they too had broken the yoke and torn off the bonds.
6Therefore a lion from the forest will kill them. A desert wolf will ravage them. A leopard watches over their cities. Everyone who ventures out will be torn to pieces, For their rebellion is great, their backslidings frequent.
7“Why therefore should I forgive you? Your children have forsaken Me and sworn by those who are not gods. Even though I fed them well, they committed adultery and thronged to the prostitute houses.
8They are well-fed, lustful stallions, each neighing for his neighbor’s wife.
9For such, should I not punish them?” It is a declaration of Adonai. “On such a nation as this should I not avenge Myself?
10Go up into her vines and ravage them, but do not completely destroy them. Strip away her branches for they are not Adonai’s.
11For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly unfaithful to Me.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
12They have lied about Adonai saying: “Not He! No harm will come to us. Nor will we see sword or famine.
13The prophets are but wind and the word is not in them. Let what they say be done to them!”
14Therefore thus says Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot: “Because you speak this word, behold, I will make My words in your mouth fire and this people wood— and it will devour them.
15See, I am bringing a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel.” It is a declaration of Adonai. “It is an enduring nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you neither know nor understand what they say.
16Their quiver is an open grave. They are all mighty warriors.
17They will devour your harvest and your food. They will devour your sons and your daughters. They will devour your flocks and your herds. They will devour your vines and your fig trees. They will demolish your fortified cities —the ones in which you trust— with the sword.
18“Yet even in those days,” declares Adonai, “I will not completely destroy you.
19So it will come to pass that when you ask, ‘Why has Adonai Eloheinu done all these things to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
20“Declare this in the house of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah, saying:
21‘Hear this you foolish people who have no understanding, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear.
22Do you not fear Me?’ says Adonai. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence?’ For I made the sand a boundary of the sea, an everlasting decree that cannot be broken. Though the waves roll, they cannot prevail. Though they roar, they cannot cross it.
23But this people have a stubborn and rebellious heart. They have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say in their heart, ‘Let us now fear Adonai Eloheinu, who gives rain in its season —fall rain and spring rain— who reserves for us the appointed weeks of harvest.’
25Your iniquities have turned these away, your sins have deprived you of bounty.
26For among My people are wicked men, watching like bait-layers lying in wait. They set a trap—they catch men.
27As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit. That is why they grew great and rich.
28They grew fat and sleek. They also overlooked evil deeds. They do not uphold a cause— the cause of an orphan to prosper— nor do they defend the right of the poor.
29Should I not punish them?” says Adonai. “On such a nation should I not avenge Myself?
30An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land.
31The prophets prophesy falsely, the kohanim rule by their own authority, and My people love it this way! But what will you do in the end?”
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