Jeremiah 6
6
1Flee for safety, O people of Benjamin,
from the midst of Jerusalem!
Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,
and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem;
for evil looms out of the north,
and great destruction.
2The comely and delicately bred I will destroy,
the daughter of Zion.
3Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her;
they shall pitch their tents around her,
they shall pasture, each in his place.
4“Prepare war against her;
up, and let us attack at noon!”
“Woe to us, for the day declines,
for the shadows of evening lengthen!”
5“Up, and let us attack by night,
and destroy her palaces!”
6For thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Hew down her trees;
cast up a siege mound against Jerusalem.
This is the city which must be punished;
there is nothing but oppression within her.
7As a well keeps its water fresh,
so she keeps fresh her wickedness;
violence and destruction are heard within her;
sickness and wounds are ever before me.
8Be warned, O Jerusalem,
lest I be alienated from you;
lest I make you a desolation,
an uninhabited land.”
9Thus says the Lord of hosts:
“Glean#6.9 Cn: Heb they shall glean thoroughly as a vine
the remnant of Israel;
like a grape-gatherer pass your hand again
over its branches.”
10To whom shall I speak and give warning,
that they may hear?
Behold, their ears are closed,#6.10 Heb uncircumcised
they cannot listen;
behold, the word of the Lord is to them an object of scorn,
they take no pleasure in it.
11Therefore I am full of the wrath of the Lord;
I am weary of holding it in.
“Pour it out upon the children in the street,
and upon the gatherings of young men, also;
both husband and wife shall be taken,
the old folk and the very aged.
12Their houses shall be turned over to others,
their fields and wives together;
for I will stretch out my hand
against the inhabitants of the land,”
says the Lord.
13“For from the least to the greatest of them,
every one is greedy for unjust gain;
and from prophet to priest,
every one deals falsely.
14They have healed the wound of my people lightly,
saying, ‘Peace, peace,’
when there is no peace.
15Were they ashamed when they committed abomination?
No, they were not at all ashamed;
they did not know how to blush.
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,”
says the Lord.
16 #
Mt 11.29. Thus says the Lord:
“Stand by the roads, and look,
and ask for the ancient paths,
where the good way is; and walk in it,
and find rest for your souls.
But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’
17I set watchmen over you, saying,
‘Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!’
But they said, ‘We will not give heed.’
18Therefore hear, O nations,
and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
19Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing evil upon this people,
the fruit of their devices,
because they have not given heed to my words;
and as for my law, they have rejected it.
20To what purpose does frankincense come to me from Sheba,
or sweet cane from a distant land?
Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,
nor your sacrifices pleasing to me.
21Therefore thus says the Lord:
‘Behold, I will lay before this people
stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble;
fathers and sons together,
neighbor and friend shall perish.’ ”
22Thus says the Lord:
“Behold, a people is coming from the north country,
a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.
23They lay hold on bow and spear,
they are cruel and have no mercy,
the sound of them is like the roaring sea;
they ride upon horses,
set in array as a man for battle,
against you, O daughter of Zion!”
24We have heard the report of it,
our hands fall helpless;
anguish has taken hold of us,
pain as of a woman in travail.
25 #
Jer 20.3,10; 46.5; 49.29; Ps 31.13. Go not forth into the field,
nor walk on the road;
for the enemy has a sword,
terror is on every side.
26O daughter of my people, gird on sackcloth,
and roll in ashes;
make mourning as for an only son,
most bitter lamentation;
for suddenly the destroyer
will come upon us.
27“I have made you an assayer and tester among my people,
that you may know and assay their ways.
28They are all stubbornly rebellious,
going about with slanders;
they are bronze and iron,
all of them act corruptly.
29The bellows blow fiercely,
the lead is consumed by the fire;
in vain the refining goes on,
for the wicked are not removed.
30Refuse silver they are called,
for the Lord has rejected them.”
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Jeremiah 6: RSV
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Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Jeremiah 6
6
Prepare for war
1Escape, people of Benjamin,
get out of Jerusalem!
Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,
sound the alarm in Beth-haccherem;
for disaster looms from the north,
massive devastation.
2You are like a lovely pasture, Daughter Zion.#6.2 Heb uncertain
3Shepherds come to her with their flocks.
They pitch their tents around her
and graze in their place.
4“Prepare for battle against her;
get ready; let’s attack by noon!
Oh, no! Daylight is fading,
and the evening shadows lengthen.
5Get ready, let’s attack by night
and destroy her fortresses!”
6The LORD of heavenly forces proclaims:
Cut down her trees,
and build siege ramps against Jerusalem.
This city must be held accountable,#6.6 Heb uncertain
for there’s nothing but oppression in her midst.
7As a well brings forth fresh water,
she brings forth evil.
Violence and destruction are heard within her;
injury and wounds are ever before me.
8Hear me out,#6.8 Or Accept correction Jerusalem,
or else I’ll turn away from you
and reduce you to ruins,
a land unfit to live in.
Unresponsive people
9This is what the LORD of heavenly forces says:
From top to bottom, let them harvest
the remaining few in Israel.
Pick clean every
last grape on the vine!
10To whom can I speak and warn?
How can I get someone’s attention?
Their ears are shut tight,#6.10 Or uncircumcised
so they won’t hear.
They are ashamed of the LORD’s word
and take no pleasure in it.
11But I’m filled with the LORD’s rage
and am tired of holding it in.
Pour it out on the children in the streets
and on the youths gathered together;
husband with wife will be trapped,
as will those old and gray.
12Their homes will be turned over to others,
their fields and wives as well.
I will stretch out my hand
against the people of this land,
declares the LORD.
13From the least to the greatest,
each is eager to profit;
from prophet to priest,
each trades in dishonesty.
14They treat the wound of my people
as if it were nothing:
“All is well, all is well,” they insist,
when in fact nothing is well.
15They should be ashamed
of their detestable practices,
but they have no shame;
they don’t even blush!
Therefore, they will fall among the fallen
and stumble when I bring disaster,
declares the LORD.
16The LORD proclaims:
Stop at the crossroads and look around;
ask for the ancient paths.
Where is the good way?
Then walk in it
and find a resting place for yourselves.
But you#6.16 Or they said, “We won’t go!”
17Still, I have appointed watchmen to warn you.
But you#6.17 Or they said, “We won’t listen!”
18Therefore, pay attention, nations;
take notice, assembly,
what is ahead of them.#6.18 Heb uncertain
19Pay attention, earth:
I’m bringing disaster upon my people,
the fruit of their own devices,
because they have ignored my words
and they have rejected my teaching.
20What use to me is incense from Sheba
or sweet cane from a faraway land?
Your entirely burned offerings won’t buy your pardon;
your sacrifices won’t appease me.
21Therefore, the LORD proclaims:
I’m putting obstacles before this people,
and both parents and children will stumble over them;
neighbor and friend alike will perish.
Panic-stricken Zion
22The LORD proclaims:
An army is on the move
from the northern regions;
a great nation is roused
from the ends of the earth.
23Equipped with bow and spear,
they are cruel;
they show no mercy.
Their horsemen sound
like the roaring sea,
arrayed in battle formation
against you, Daughter Zion.
24We have heard reports of them
and are panic-stricken;
distress overwhelms us,
pain like that of a woman in labor.
25Don’t go out into the field!
Don’t walk on the road!
The enemies’ sword
terrorizes at every turn.
26My people,
put on funeral clothes and roll in ashes;
weep and wail as for an only child,
because the destroyer will suddenly descend upon us.
Prophet as tester
27I have made you a tester of metals,
to examine my people#6.27 Heb uncertain
to know and prove their ways.
28They are tin#6.28 Or bronze and iron;
they are headstrong and rebellious.
They live to slander.
They act corruptly—every last one!
29The bellows roar;
the lead is consumed.#6.29 Heb uncertain
Yet the refining fails;
the impurities#6.29 Or wicked remain.
30They are called “rejected silver,”
for the LORD has rejected them.
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