Jeremiah 6
6
Jerusalem Under Siege
1Flee for refuge, children of Benjamin, from the midst of Jerusalem! Blow the shofar in Tekoa and raise a signal in Beth-cherem! For disaster looms from the north, even terrible destruction.
2“The lovely, delicate Daughter of Zion I will cut off.”
3Shepherds with their flocks are coming against her. All around her they pitch their tents, each pasturing in his own place.
4“Prepare for war against her. Rise up! Let’s attack at noon.” “Oy for us! For day is fading— evening shadows are lengthening.”
5“Rise up! Let’s attack at night and destroy her palaces.”
6For thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: “Chop down her trees! Raise a siege ramp at Jerusalem. This city must be punished— in her midst is only oppression.
7As a well gushes out its waters, so she pours out her wickedness. Violence and havoc are heard in her, sickness and wounds ever before Me.
8Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I abandon you, lest I make you desolate— an uninhabited land.”
9Thus says Adonai-Tzva’ot: “Glean the remnant of Israel thoroughly as a vine. Pass your hand over the branches once more, like a grape-gatherer.”
10“To whom can I speak and warn so they would hear? See, their ears are uncircumcised, unable to hear! The word of Adonai has become scorn to them. They have no delight in it.
11So I am full of the wrath of Adonai. I am weary of holding it in! Pour it out on a child in the street, on young men gathered together. For husband will be taken with wife, the aged with the very old.
12Their homes will be turned over to others—together with their fields and their wives. For I will stretch out My hand on the inhabitants of the land.” It is a declaration of Adonai.
13“For from the least to the greatest, all of them are greedy for gain, and from prophet even to kohen, everyone practices deceit.
14They healed the wound of My people superficially, saying ‘Shalom, shalom!’ when there is no shalom.”
15""Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at al ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among thos who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,"" says Adonai.
16Thus says Adonai: “Stand in the roads and look. Ask for the ancient paths— where the good way is— and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We won’t walk in it.’
17So I set watchmen over you, saying ‘Listen to the sound of the shofar!’ But they said, ‘We won’t listen.’
18Therefore hear, O nations and observe, O congregation, what is against them.
19Hear, O earth! See, I will bring disaster on this people —fruit of their schemes— for they did not listen to My words and rejected My Torah.
20Of what use to Me is frankincense coming from Sheba or sweet cane from a distant country? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor are your sacrifices pleasing to Me.”
Destruction from the North
21Therefore thus says Adonai: “Look, I am laying before this people stumbling blocks— and against them they will stumble— fathers and the sons together, a neighbor and his friend, and they will perish.”
22Thus says Adonai: “Look, a people coming from a northern land, a great nation roused from the ends of the earth!
23They are armed with bow and spear, cruel and with no compassion. They sound like the roaring sea— as they ride on horses as men in battle formation, against you, Daughter of Zion!”
24“We have heard of their fame. Our hands hang limp; anguish has gripped us, pain like a woman in labor.
25Don’t go out into the field or walk on the road. Since the enemy has a sword, there’s terror on every side!”
26“Daughter of My people, put on sackcloth and roll in ashes. Mourn as for an only son with bitter lamentation.” “For suddenly the destroyer will come on us!”
27“I have made you a metal-tester among My people—so you may observe and test their way.
28They are all stubborn rebels spreading slander. They are bronze and iron, all of them are corrupt.
29The bellows blow fiercely, blasting away the lead with fire. The refining is completely in vain, for the wicked are not drawn off.
30They are called ‘cast off silver’— for Adonai has cast them off.”
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Jeremiah 6: TLV
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Copyright © 2014 - Messianic Jewish Family Bible Society
Jeremiah 6
6
Jerusalem Is Surrounded
1“Run for your lives, people of Benjamin!
Run away from Jerusalem!
Blow the war trumpet in the town of Tekoa!
Raise the warning flag over the town of Beth Hakkerem!
Disaster is coming from the north.
Terrible destruction is coming to you.
2Jerusalem, I will destroy you.
You are fragile and gentle.
3Shepherds with their flocks will come against Jerusalem.
They will set up their tents all around her.
Each shepherd will take care of his own section.”
4They say, “Get ready to fight against Jerusalem!
Get up! We will attack at noon!
But it is already getting late.
The evening shadows are growing long.
5So get up! We will attack at night.
We will destroy the strong towers of Jerusalem!”
6This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says:
“Cut down the trees around Jerusalem.
Build an attack ramp to the top of Jerusalem’s walls.
This city must be punished!
Inside this city is nothing but slavery.
7Jerusalem pours out her evil
as a well pours out its water.
The sounds of violence and destruction are heard within her.
I can see the sickness and hurts of Jerusalem.
8Listen to this warning, Jerusalem.
If you don’t listen, I will turn my back on you.
I will make your land an empty desert.
No one will be able to live there!”
9This is what the Lord of heaven’s armies says:
“Gather the few people of Israel who are left alive.
Gather them as you would the last grapes on a grapevine.
Check each vine again,
like someone who gathers grapes.”
10To whom can I speak? Whom can I warn?
Who will listen to me?
The people of Israel have closed ears!
So they cannot hear my warnings.
They don’t like the word of the Lord.
They don’t want to listen to it!
11But I am full of the anger of the Lord.
I am tired of holding it in.
“Pour out the Lord’s anger on the children who play in the street.
Pour it out on the young men gathered together.
A husband and his wife will both be caught in his anger.
The very old people will be caught in it.
12Their houses will be turned over to others.
Their fields and wives will be given away.
I will raise my hand
and punish the people of Judah,” says the Lord.
13“Everyone, from the least important to the greatest,
is greedy for money.
Even the prophets and priests
all tell lies.
14They try to heal my people’s serious injuries
as if they were small wounds.
They say, ‘It’s all right, it’s all right!’
But really, it is not all right.
15They should be ashamed of the terrible way they act.
But they are not ashamed at all.
They don’t even know how to blush about their sins.
So they will fall, along with everyone else.
They will be thrown to the ground when I punish them,” says the Lord.
16This is what the Lord says:
“Stand where the roads cross and look.
Ask where the old way is.
Ask where the good way is, and walk on it.
If you do, you will find rest for yourselves.
But you have said, ‘We will not walk on the good way!’
17I chose watchmen to watch over you.
I told you, ‘Listen for the sound of the war trumpet!’
But you said, ‘We will not listen.’
18So listen, all you nations.
Pay attention, you witnesses.
Watch what I will do to the people of Judah.
19Hear this, people of the earth:
I am going to bring disaster to the people of Judah!
It will happen because of the evil they plan.
They have not listened to my messages.
They have rejected my teachings.
20Why do you bring me offerings of incense from the land of Sheba?
Why do you bring me sweet-smelling cane from a faraway land?
Your burnt offerings will not be accepted.
Your sacrifices do not please me.”
21So this is what the Lord says:
“I will put problems in front of Judah.
Fathers and sons will stumble over them.
Neighbors and friends will die.”
22This is what the Lord says:
“Look, an army is coming
from the land of the north.
A great nation is coming
from the far sides of the earth.
23The soldiers carry bows and spears.
They are cruel and show no mercy.
They sound like the roaring ocean
when they ride their horses.
That army is coming lined up for battle.
It is coming to attack you, Jerusalem.”
24We have heard the news about that army.
We are helpless from fear.
We feel trapped by our troubles.
We are in pain like a woman having a baby.
25Don’t go out into the fields.
Don’t walk down the roads!
This is because the enemy has swords.
There is terror on every side.
26My people, put on rough cloth
and roll in the ashes to show how sad you are.
Cry loudly for those who are dead.
Cry as if your only son had died.
Do it because the destroyer
will soon come against us.
27“Jeremiah, I have made you like a worker who tests metal.
And my people are like the ore for the metal.
You must observe their ways.
And you must test them.
28My people have turned against me and are stubborn.
They go around telling lies about people.
They are like bronze and iron,
that became covered with rust.
29The fire is fanned to make it hotter.
But the lead does not melt.
The pure silver does not come out.
And the evil is not removed from my people.
30My people will be called rejected silver.
They will be given that name because the Lord has rejected them.”
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