Jeremiah 15
15
The People of Judah Will Die
1 #
Ex 32.11-14; Nu 14.13-19;
1 S 7.5-10. The Lord said to me:
Even if Moses and Samuel were here, praying with you, I wouldn't change my mind. So send the people of Judah away. 2#Rev 13.10. And when they ask where they are going, tell them that I, the Lord, have said:
Some of you are going to die
of horrible diseases.
Others are going to die in war
or from starvation.
The rest will be led away
to a foreign country.
3I will punish you
in four different ways:
You will be killed in war
and your bodies dragged off
by dogs,
your flesh will be eaten by birds,
and your bones will be chewed on
by wild animals.
4 #
2 K 21.1-16; 2 Ch 33.1-9. This punishment will happen
because of the horrible things#15.4 the horrible things: See 2 Kings 21.1-16.
your King Manasseh#15.4 Manasseh: Hebrew “Manasseh son of Hezekiah”; he ruled 687–642 b.c. did.
And you will be disgusting
to all nations on earth.
5People of Jerusalem,
who will feel sorry for you?
Will anyone bother
to ask if you are well?
6My people, you abandoned me
and walked away.
I am tired of showing mercy;
that's why I'll destroy you
7by scattering you like straw
blown by the wind.
I will punish you with sorrow
and death,
because you refuse
to change your ways.
8There will be more widows
in Judah
than grains of sand on a beach.
A surprise attack at noon!
And the mothers in Jerusalem
mourn for their children.
9A mother is in deep despair
and struggles for breath.
Her daylight has turned
to darkness—
she has suffered the loss
of her seven sons.
I will kill anyone who survives.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
Jeremiah Complains
10I wish I had never been born!
I'm always in trouble
with everyone in Judah.
I never lend or borrow money,
but everyone curses me
just the same.
11Then the Lord replied,
“I promise to protect you,
and when disaster comes,
even your enemies
will beg you for help.”#15.11 help: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of verse 11.
The Enemy Cannot Be Defeated
The Lord told me to say:
12People of Judah,
just as you can't break iron
mixed with bronze,
you can't defeat the enemies
that will attack
from the north.
13I will give them
everything you own,
because you have sinned
everywhere in your country.
14My anger is a fire
that cannot be put out,#15.14 that cannot be put out: Some Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts “against you.”
so I will make you slaves
of your enemies
in a foreign land.#15.14 I will make … land: Many Hebrew manuscripts; most Hebrew manuscripts “I will make your enemies go through to a land you don't know about.”
Jeremiah Complains Again
15You can see how I suffer
insult after insult,
all because of you, Lord.
Don't be so patient
with my enemies;
take revenge on them
before they kill me.
16When you spoke to me,
I was glad to obey,
because I belong to you,
the Lord All-Powerful.
17I don't go to parties
and have a good time.
Instead, I keep to myself,
because you have filled me
with your anger.
18I am badly injured
and in constant pain.
Are you going to disappoint me,
like a stream that goes dry
in the heat of summer?
The Lord Replies
19Then the Lord told me:
Stop talking like a fool!
If you turn back to me
and speak my message,
I will let you be my prophet
once again.
I hope the people of Judah
will accept what you say.
But you can ignore their threats,
* 20because I am making you strong,
like a bronze wall.
They are evil and violent,
but when they attack,
21I will be there to rescue you.
I, the Lord, have spoken.
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Jeremiah 15: CEVDCI
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
Jeremiah 15
15
The Lord’s Negative Response
1Then the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel#Ex 32:11–14; 1Sm 7:9; 12:23; Ps 99:6; 106:23; Ezk 14:14 should stand before me,#Jr 15:19; 35:19 my compassions would not reach out to these people. Send them from my presence, and let them go.#Ex 6:1; 8:2; 9:2; 10:27; Jr 50:33 2If they ask you, ‘Where will we go? ’ tell them: This is what the Lord says:
Those destined for death,#Jr 14:12; 43:11; Ezk 5:12; Zch 11:9 to death;
those destined for the sword, to the sword.
Those destined for famine, to famine;
those destined for captivity, to captivity.
3“I will ordain four kinds#15:3 Lit families of judgment for them” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away,#Jr 22:19; 49:20–50:45 and the birds of the sky and the wild animals of the land#Is 18:6; Jr 7:33; 19:7 to devour and destroy. 4I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh#2Kg 21:1–18; 2Ch 33:1–20 son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?#Lm 1:1–2; Am 5:2
Who will show sympathy toward you?#Is 51:19; Nah 3:7
Who will turn aside
to ask about your well-being?
6You have left me.”#Dt 32:15
This is the Lord’s declaration.
“You have turned your back,
so I have stretched out my hand against you
and destroyed you.
I am tired#Is 1:14; 7:13; Jr 6:11; 20:9 of showing compassion.
7I scattered them with a winnowing fork
at the city gates of the land.
I made them childless; I destroyed my people.
They would not turn from their ways.#Jdg 2:19; 2Kg 17:13; 2Ch 7:14; Neh 9:35; Jr 18:11; 25:5; 35:15
8I made their widows more numerous
than the sand of the seas.#Gn 22:17; 32:12; 41:49
I brought a destroyer at noon
against the mother of young men.
I suddenly released on her
agitation and terrors.
9The mother of seven grew faint;#Ru 4:15; 1Sm 2:5; Jb 42:13
she breathed her last breath.
Her sun set while it was still day;
she was ashamed and humiliated.
The rest of them I will give over to the sword
in the presence of their enemies.”
This is the Lord’s declaration.
Jeremiah’s Complaint
10Woe is me, my mother,
that you gave birth to me,#Jb 3:1–10
a man who incites dispute and conflict
in all the land.
I did not lend or borrow,
yet everyone curses me.#Is 53:3
The Lord’s Response
11The Lord said:
Haven’t I set you loose for your good?
Haven’t I punished you
in a time of trouble,
in a time of distress with the enemy?#15:11 Hb obscure
12Can anyone smash iron,
iron from the north, or bronze?
13I will give up your wealth
and your treasures as plunder,
without cost,#Ps 44:12; Is 52:3 for all your sins
in all your borders.
14Then I will make you serve your enemies#15:14 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr, Tg; other Hb mss read you pass through
in a land you do not know,
for my anger will kindle a fire
that will burn against you.#Dt 32:22; Jr 17:3–4; Ezk 32:9
Jeremiah’s Prayer for Vengeance
15You know,#Jr 12:3 Lord;
remember me and take note of me.#Jdg 16:28; Neh 5:19; 13:14,22,31; Ps 106:4; Lk 23:42
Avenge me against my persecutors.#Jr 11:20
In your patience,#15:15 Lit In the slowness of your anger don’t take me away.
Know that I suffer disgrace for your honor.#Ps 69:7–9
16Your words were found, and I ate them.#Ezk 3:3
Your words became a delight to me
and the joy of my heart,
for I bear your name,#Jr 14:9
Lord God of Armies.
17I never sat with the band of revelers,
and I did not celebrate with them.
Because your hand was on me, I sat alone,#2Kg 3:15; Ps 102:7; Is 8:11; Lm 3:28
for you filled me with indignation.
18Why has my pain become unending,
my wound incurable,#Jr 19:8; 30:12,14,17
refusing to be healed?
You truly have become like a mirage to me —
water that is not reliable.
Jeremiah Told to Repent
19Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
If you return, I will take you back;
you will stand in my presence.
And if you speak noble words,
rather than worthless ones,
you will be my spokesman.#Ex 4:16
It is they who must return to you;
you must not return to them.
20Then I will make you a fortified wall of bronze
to this people.
They will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to save you and rescue you.#Jr 1:8,19; 30:11; 42:11
This is the Lord’s declaration.
21I will rescue you from the power of evil people
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.
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