Jeremiah 15
15
1 THEN THE Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood [interceding for them] before Me, yet My mind could not be turned with favor toward this people [Judah]. Send them out of My sight and let them go!
2 And if they say to you, Where shall we go? then tell them, Thus says the Lord: Such as are [destined] for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for famine, to famine; and such as are for captivity, to captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds [of destroyers], says the Lord: the sword to slay, the dogs to tear and drag away, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and to destroy.
4 And I will cause them to be tossed to and fro among all the kingdoms of the earth and to be made a horror to all nations because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for [the horrible wickedness] which he did in Jerusalem. [II Kings 21:3-7.]
5 For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who will bemoan you? Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6 You have rejected and forsaken Me, says the Lord. You keep going in reverse. Therefore I will stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting [concerning your punishment].
7 I will winnow them with a fan and a winnowing fork in the gates of the land; I will bereave them [of children], I will destroy My people; from their [evil] ways they did not return.
8 I will increase the number of their widows more than the sand of the seas. I will bring upon them, [both] against the mother of young men and the young men [themselves], a destroyer at noonday. I will cause anguish and terrors to fall upon her [Jerusalem] suddenly.
9 She who has borne seven languishes; she has expired. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day; she has been put to shame, confounded, and disgraced. And the rest of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies, says the Lord.
10 Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me to be a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither loaned, nor have men loaned to me, yet everyone curses me. [Jer. 1:18, 19.]
11 The Lord said, Truly your release, affliction, and strengthening will be for good [purposes]; surely [Jeremiah] I will intercede for you with the enemy and I will cause the enemy to ask for your aid in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. [Jer. 21:1, 2; 37:3; 42:2; Rom. 8:28.]
12 Can iron break the iron from the north and the bronze?
13 Your [nation's] substance and your treasures will I give as spoil, without price, and that for all your sins, even in all your territory.
14 And I will make [your possessions] to pass with your enemies into a land which you do not know and I will make you to serve [your conquerors] there, for a fire is kindled in My anger which will burn upon you [Israel].
15 [Jeremiah said] O Lord, You know and understand; [earnestly] remember me and visit me and avenge me on my persecutors. Take me not away [from joy or from life itself] in Your long-suffering [to my enemies]; know that for Your sake I suffer and bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them; and Your words were to me a joy and the rejoicing of my heart, for I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.
17 I sat not in the assembly of those who make merry, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because Your [powerful] hand was upon me, for You had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain perpetual and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail and are uncertain?
19 Therefore thus says the Lord [to Jeremiah]: If you return [and give up this mistaken tone of distrust and despair], then I will give you again a settled place of quiet and safety, and you will be My minister; and if you separate the precious from the vile [cleansing your own heart from unworthy and unwarranted suspicions concerning God's faithfulness], you shall be My mouthpiece. [But do not yield to them.] Let them return to you–not you to [the people].
20 And I will make you to this people a fortified, bronze wall; they will fight against you, but they will not prevail over you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, says the Lord.
21 And I will deliver you out of the hands of the wicked, and I will redeem you out of the palms of the terrible and ruthless tyrants.
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 15: AMPC
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation
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.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers