Jeremiah 15
15
Four Types of Calamity
1Then Yahweh said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me,#Literally “to the face of me” my heart would not be to this people. Send them away from my sight,#Literally “face” and let them go out. 2And then#Literally “And it will happen” if they say to you, ‘Where shall we go?’ Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh,
“Those who are destined for the plague, to the plague,
and those who are destined for the sword, to the sword,
and those who are destined for the famine, to the famine,
and those who are destined for the captivity, to the captivity.” ’
3“And I will summon#Or “appoint” over them four types of calamity,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh, “the sword to kill, and the dogs to drag away, and the birds#Hebrew “bird” of the air and the wild animals#Hebrew “wild animal” of the earth to devour and to destroy. 4And I will make them a terror to all of the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, the king of Judah, because of what he did in Jerusalem.
5“For who will have compassion on you, O Jerusalem,
or who will show sympathy to you,
or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?#Literally “to ask to the welfare of you”
6You have forsaken me,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.
“You go backward, so I have stretched my hand against you,
and I have destroyed you.
I am tired of becoming remorseful.
7And I have winnowed them with a winnowing fork in the gates of the land.
I am bereaved.
I have destroyed my people.
They did not turn back from their ways.
8Their widows#Hebrew “widow” will be more numerous before me than the sand of the seas.
I have brought to them, against the mothers#Hebrew “mother” of young men,#Hebrew “man”
a destroyer at noon.
I will suddenly drop on her anguish and horror.#Hebrew “horrors”
9She who gave birth to seven has withered away.
She gasps her breath.
Her sun set#Literally “came” while still day.
She has been put to shame and disgraced.
And the remainder of them I will give to the sword
before#Literally “to the face of” their enemies,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.
Jeremiah’s Lament and Yahweh’s Response
10Woe to me, O my mother, that you gave birth to me,
a man of contention and quarreling to the whole land.#Literally “to all of the land”
I have not lent out and I have not borrowed.#Literally “not they have lent out for me”
All of them are cursing me.
11Yahweh said,
“Surely#Literally “If not” I will set you free to be good#Literally “for good” for you,
surely#Literally “if not” I will cause the enemy to intercede with you
in a time of trouble,
and in a time of distress.
12Can anyone break iron,
iron from the north, or bronze?
13I will give your wealth and your treasures
as plunder without price,
even because of all your sins,
and throughout all your territories.
14And I will make you serve your enemies
in a land that you do not know,
for a fire will kindle in my anger.
Upon you it will be kindled.”
15You who know, O Yahweh, remember me, and attend to me,
and take revenge for me against my persecutors in your forbearance.#Literally “in the length of your nose”
You must take me away.
Know that I am carrying disgrace because of you.
16Your words were found and I ate them,
and your words became to me as jubilation,
even as the joy of my heart,
for your name is called on me, O Yahweh God of hosts.
17I sat not in the assembly of jokers,
nor did I exult.
Because of the presence#Literally “face” of your hand I sat alone,
for you filled me with indignation.
18Why is my pain endless, and my wound incurable?
It refuses to become healed.
Truly you are to me like a deceitful brook,
waters that are not trustworthy.
19Therefore thus says Yahweh,
“If you turn back, then I will take you back.
You will stand before me.#Literally “to the face of me”
And if you utter what is precious and not what is worthless,
you will be as my mouth.
They will turn back to you,
and you will not turn back to them.
20And I will make you to this people
a wall of fortified bronze,
and they will fight against you,
but they will not prevail over you,
for I am with you, to save you,
and to deliver you,” declares#Literally “a declaration of” Yahweh.
21“And I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked,
and I will redeem you from the hand of the tyrant.”
Currently Selected:
Jeremiah 15: LEB
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
2010 Logos Bible Software. Lexham is a registered trademark of Logos Bible Software
Jeremiah 15
15
The people of Judah will die
1The LORD said to me:#Ex 32.11-14; Nu 14.13-19; 1 S 7.5-9.
Even if Moses and Samuel were here, praying with you, I wouldn't change my mind. So send the people of Judah away. 2And when they ask where they are going, tell them that I, the LORD, have said:#Rev 13.10.
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.
4This punishment will happen#2 K 21.1-16; 2 Ch 33.1-9.
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 BC. 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 midday!
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
who 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,
20-21because I am making you strong,
like a bronze wall.
They are evil and violent,
but when they attack,
I will be there to rescue you.
I, the LORD, have spoken.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
© British and Foreign Bible Society 2012