Blessing or Curse
1 If you return, B Israel—
this is the LORD’S declaration—
you will return to me, l
if you remove your abhorrent idols m
from my presence
and do not waver,
2 then you can swear, “As the LORD lives,” n
in truth, o in justice, and in righteousness, p
then the nations will be blessed C by him q
and will pride themselves in him. r
3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
Break up the unplowed ground; s
do not sow among the thorns. t
4 Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;
remove the foreskin of your hearts, u
men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem.
Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire
and burn with no one to extinguish it v
because of your evil deeds.
Judgment from the North
5 Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:
Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. w
Cry out loudly and say:
Assemble yourselves,
and let’s flee to the fortified cities.
6 Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. x
Run for cover! Don’t stand still!
For I am bringing disaster from the north—
a crushing blow. y
7 A lion has gone up from his thicket; z
a destroyer of nations has set out.
He has left his lair
to make your land a waste.
Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins. a
8 Because of this, put on sackcloth;
mourn and wail, b
for the LORD’S burning anger c
has not turned away from us.
9 “On that day”—this is the LORD’S declaration—“the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless.”
10 I said, “Oh no, Lord GOD, you have certainly deceived d this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, ‘You will have peace,’ e while a sword is at D our throats.”
11 “At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, ‘A searing wind f blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to my dear E people. It comes not to winnow or to sift; 12 a wind too strong for this comes at my call. F Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’ ” g
13 Look, he advances like clouds; h
his chariots are like a storm. i
His horses are swifter than eagles. j
Woe to us, for we are ruined! k
14 Wash the evil from your heart, l Jerusalem,
so that you will be delivered.
How long will you harbor
malicious thoughts? m
15 For a voice announces from Dan,
proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.
Proclaim to Jerusalem:
Those who besiege are coming
from a distant land; n
they raise their voices
against the cities of Judah.
17 They have her surrounded o
like those who guard a field,
because she has rebelled against me. p
This is the LORD’S declaration.
have brought this on you. q
This is your punishment. It is very bitter,
because it has reached your heart!
Jeremiah’s Lament
19 My anguish, my anguish! G I writhe in agony!
My heart pounds;
I cannot be silent.
For you, my soul,
have heard the sound of the ram’s horn—
the shout of battle.
20 Disaster after disaster s is reported
because the whole land is destroyed.
Suddenly my tents are destroyed,
my tent curtains, in a moment.
21 How long must I see the signal flag
and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
they do not know me.
They are foolish children,
without understanding. t
They are skilled in doing what is evil,
but they do not know how to do what is good.” u
and it was formless and empty. v
I looked to the heavens,
and their light was gone. w
and they were quaking; x
all the hills shook.
25 I looked, and there was no human being, y
and all the birds of the sky had fled. z
26 I looked, and the fertile field a was a wilderness. b
All its cities were torn down
because of the LORD
and his burning anger. c
27 For this is what the LORD says:
The whole land will be a desolation, d
but I will not finish it off. e
28 Because of this, the earth will mourn; f
the skies above will grow dark. g
I have spoken; I have planned,
and I will not relent or turn back from it. h
29 Every city flees i
at the sound of the horseman and the archer.
They enter the thickets
and climb among the rocks. j
Every city is abandoned;
no inhabitant is left.
30 And you, devastated one, what are you doing k
that you dress yourself in scarlet,
that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry,
that you enhance your eyes with makeup? l
You beautify yourself for nothing.
Your lovers reject you; m
they intend to take your life. n
31 I hear a cry like a woman in labor, o
a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child.
The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath,
stretching out her hands: p
“Woe is me, for my life is weary
because of the murderers! ”