Jeremiah 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

Who Grieves for Jerusalem?

1Then said Adonai to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me, My soul could not be toward this people. Cast them out of My presence, and let them go out!”

2It will come to pass, when they say to you, ‘Where should we go?’ Then You will tell them, thus says Adonai: “Those for death—to death! Those for the sword—to the sword! Those for famine—to famine! Those for exile—to exile!

3I have appointed over them four kinds” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “the sword to slay, the dogs to drag, the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and to destroy.

4“So I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

5“Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem? Or who will grieve for you? Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

6You have cast Me off” —it is a declaration of Adonai— “You keep going backward! So I stretch out My hand against you and will destroy you. I am weary with relenting.

7I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave them of children and destroy My people, since they do not repent of their ways.

8Their widows will increase before Me more than the sand of the seas, I will bring a destroyer at noonday against the mother of a young man. Suddenly I will bring down on her anguish and terrors.

9She who bore seven languishes. She breathes out her soul. Her sun sets while it is yet day. She is shamed and humiliated. Their survivors I give to the sword before their enemies.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

10Oy to me, my mother, that you gave birth to me— a man of strife and conflict to all the land! I did not lend or borrow, yet everyone curses me.

11Adonai said: “Surely I will release you for good. Surely I will make the enemy appeal to you in a time of trouble, in a time of affliction.

12Can anyone smash iron— iron and bronze from the north?

13Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder without cost, for all your sins, in all your borders.

14I will take you away with your enemies into a land you do not know, for a fire is kindled in My nostril, which will burn against you.”

15Adonai, you know. Remember me and think of me. Avenge me against my persecutors. Because of Your long-suffering, do not take me away. Know that for Your sake I endure scorn.

16Your words were found, so I ate them. Your words were a delight to me and the joy of my heart. For I am called by Your Name, Adonai-Elohei-Tzva’ot.

17I never sat in the company of revelers nor made merry. Because of Your hand I sat alone, for You filled me with indignation.

18Why is my pain unending and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will You be to me like a mirage of water that is undependable?

19Therefore thus says Adonai: “If you return, I will restore you, you will stand before Me. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will be as My mouth. Let them turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

20I will make you a fortified bronze wall to this people. They will fight against you, but will not prevail against you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you.” It is a declaration of Adonai.

21“So I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the grasp of the ruthless.”

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