Jeremiah 5
5
Is anyone honest and faithful?
The LORD said to me:
1“Search Jerusalem
for honest people
who try to be faithful.
If you can find even one,
I'll forgive the whole city.
2Everyone breaks promises
made in my name.”
3I answered, “I know
that you look for truth.
You punished your people
for their lies,
but in spite of the pain,
they became more stubborn
and refused to turn back
to you.”
4Then I thought to myself,
“These common people
act like fools,
and they have never learnt
what the LORD their God
demands of them.
5I'll go and talk to the leaders.
They know what God demands.”
But even they had decided
not to obey the LORD.
6The people have rebelled
and rejected the LORD
too many times.
So enemies will attack
like lions from the forest
or wolves from the desert.
Those enemies will watch
the towns of Judah,
and like leopards
they will tear to pieces
whoever goes outside.
Enemies will punish Judah
The LORD said:
7People of Judah,
how can I forgive you?
I gave you everything,
but you abandoned me
and worshipped idols.
You men go to prostitutes
and are unfaithful
to your wives.
8You are no better than animals,
and you always want sex
with someone else's wife.
9Why shouldn't I punish
the people of Judah?
10I will tell their enemies,
“Go through my vineyard.
Don't destroy the vines,
but cut off the branches,
because they are the people
who don't belong to me.”
11In every way, Judah and Israel
have been unfaithful to me.
12-13Their prophets lie and say,
“The LORD won't punish us.
We will have peace
and plenty of food.”
They tell these lies in my name,
so now they will be killed in war
or starve to death.
14I am the LORD God All-Powerful.
Jeremiah, I will tell you
exactly what to say.
Your words will be a fire;
Israel and Judah
will be the fuel.
15People of Israel,
I have made my decision.
An army from a distant country
will attack you.
I've chosen an ancient nation,
and you won't understand
their language.
16All of them are warriors,
and their arrows bring death.
17This nation will eat your crops
and livestock;
they will leave no fruit
on your vines or trees.
And although you feel safe
behind thick walls,
your towns will be destroyed
and your children killed.
Israel refused to worship the LORD
18The LORD said:
Jeremiah, the enemy army won't kill everyone in Judah. 19And the people who survive will ask, “Why did the LORD our God do such terrible things to us?” Then tell them:
I am the LORD,
but you abandoned me
and worshipped other gods
in your own land.
Now you will be slaves
in a foreign country.
20Tell these things to each other,
you people of Judah,
you descendants of Jacob.
21You fools! Why don't you listen#Is 6.9,10; Ez 12.2; Mk 8.18.
when I speak?
Why can't you understand
22that you should worship me#Job 38.8-11.
with fear and trembling?
I'm the one who made the shore
to hold back the ocean.
Waves may crash on the beach,
but they can come no further.
23You stubborn people have rebelled
and turned your backs on me.
24You refuse to say,
“Let's worship the LORD!
He's the one who sends rain
in spring and autumn
and gives us a good harvest.”
25That's why I cannot bless you!
26-27A hunter traps birds
and puts them in a cage,
but some of you trap humans
and make them your slaves.
You are evil, and you lie and cheat
to make yourselves rich.
You are powerful
28and prosperous,
but you refuse to help#5.28 refuse to help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text. the poor
get the justice they deserve.
29You need to be punished,
and so I will take revenge.
30Look at the terrible things
going on in this country.
I am shocked!
31Prophets give their messages
in the name of a false god,#5.31 give…god: Or “tell lies”.
my priests don't want
to serve me,#5.31 don't…me: Or “don't care what I want”.
and you—my own people—
like it this way!
But on the day of disaster,
where will you turn for help?
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Jeremiah 5: CEVUK
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© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012
Jeremiah 5
5
Futile search for a good person
1Search every street in Jerusalem,
comb the squares,
look far and wide
for one person,
even one who acts justly
and seeks truth that I may pardon her!
2Even when making a pledge—“As the LORD lives”—
they swear falsely.
3 LORD, don’t you look for integrity?
You have struck them down,
but they didn’t even cringe.
You have crushed them,
but they have ignored your discipline.
They make their faces harder than rock
and refuse to return.
4Then I thought to myself,
These are the poor who don’t know better!
They don’t understand the LORD’s way
or the justice of their God.
5Let me go and speak to the powerful people,
for they will surely know the LORD’s way
and the justice of their God.
But they too have broken their yoke
and shattered the chains.
6Therefore, a lion from the forest will attack them;
a wolf from the desert will destroy them;
a leopard prowling around their towns
will tear to pieces anyone venturing out—
because of their many crimes
and countless acts of unfaithfulness.
7How can I pardon you?
Your children have forsaken me
and swear by gods that are not gods.
Although I could have satisfied them,
they committed adultery,
dashing off to the prostitution house.
8They are lusty stallions roving about,
snorting for another’s wife.
9The LORD declares:
Shouldn’t I confront these acts?
Shouldn’t I take revenge on such a nation?
Contempt for God
10Climb through her vineyards and ravage them,
although not completely.
Prune back her branches,
because they aren’t the LORD’s.
11The people of Israel and Judah
have been utterly faithless to me,
declares the LORD.
12They have lied about the LORD
and said, “He’ll do nothing!#5.12 Or not he
Disaster won’t come upon us;
we won’t see war or famine.”
13The prophets are so much wind;
the word isn’t in them.
Thus and so may it be done to them.
14Therefore, the LORD God of heavenly forces proclaims:
Because you have spoken this way,
I will put my words
in your mouth as a fire;
it will consume the people,
who are but kindling.
15I am about to bring a distant nation against you,
people of Israel,
declares the LORD.
It is an established nation,
an ancient nation,
a nation whose language you don’t know,
whose speech you won’t understand.
16Its weapons are deadly;#5.16 Or Its quiver is like an open grave
its warriors are many.
17It will devour your harvest and food;
it will devour your sons and daughters;
it will devour your flocks and herds;
it will devour your vines and fig trees;
it will shatter your fortified towns in which you trust—
with the sword!
18Yet even in those days, declares the LORD, I won’t completely destroy you. 19And when they ask, “Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?” you must reply, “Just as you have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land not your own.”
Shouldn’t you fear me?
20Declare this to the people of Jacob,
announce it in Judah:
21Listen, you foolish and senseless people,
who have eyes but don’t see
and ears but don’t hear.
22Shouldn’t you fear me,
declares the LORD,
and tremble before me,
the one who set the shoreline for the sea,
an ancient boundary that it can’t pass?
Though its waves may rise and roar,
they can’t pass the limits I have set.
23And yet the people have stubborn and rebellious hearts;
they turn and go their own way.
24They don’t say in their hearts,
Let’s fear the LORD our God,
who provides rain in autumn and spring
and who assures us of a harvest in its season.
25Your wrongdoing has turned these blessings#5.25 Heb lacks blessings. away.
Your sin has robbed you of good.
26Criminals are found among my people;
they set traps to catch people,
like hunters lying in wait.#5.26 Heb uncertain
27Like a cage full of birds,
so their houses are full of loot.
No wonder they are rich and powerful
28and have grown fat and sleek!
To be sure, their evil deeds exceed all limits,
and yet they prosper.
They are indifferent to the plight of the orphan,
reluctant to defend the rights of the poor.
29Shouldn’t I punish such acts?
declares the LORD.
Shouldn’t I repay that nation for its deeds?
30An awful, a terrible thing
has happened in the land:
31The prophets prophesy falsely,
the priests rule at their sides,#5.31 Or by their hands
and my people love it this way!
But what will you do when the end comes?
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