Jeremiah 39

¹In the ninth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army and laid siege to it. ²And on the ninth day of the fourth month of Zedekiah’s eleventh year, the city wall was broken through. ³Then all the officials of the king of Babylon came and took seats in the Middle Gate: Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴When Zedekiah king of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled; they left the city at night by way of the king’s garden, through the gate between the two walls, and headed toward the Arabah.^[80]

⁵But the Babylonian^[81] army pursued them and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho. They captured him and took him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. ⁶There at Riblah the king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and also killed all the nobles of Judah. ⁷Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes and bound him with bronze shackles to take him to Babylon.

⁸The Babylonians^[82] set fire to the royal palace and the houses of the people and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard carried into exile to Babylon the people who remained in the city, along with those who had gone over to him, and the rest of the people. ¹⁰But Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard left behind in the land of Judah some of the poor people, who owned nothing; and at that time he gave them vineyards and fields.

¹¹Now Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had given these orders about Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard: ¹²“Take him and look after him; don’t harm him but do for him whatever he asks.” ¹³So Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard, Nebushazban a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer a high official and all the other officers of the king of Babylon ¹⁴sent and had Jeremiah taken out of the courtyard of the guard. They turned him over to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, to take him back to his home. So he remained among his own people.

¹⁵While Jeremiah had been confined in the courtyard of the guard, the word of the LORD came to him: ¹⁶“Go and tell Ebed-Melek the Cushite, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am about to fulfill my words against this city—words concerning disaster, not prosperity. At that time they will be fulfilled before your eyes. ¹⁷But I will rescue you on that day, declares the LORD; you will not be given into the hands of those you fear. ¹⁸I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the LORD.’ ”

Jeremiah 40

Jeremiah Freed

¹The word came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had released him at Ramah. He had found Jeremiah bound in chains among all the captives from Jerusalem and Judah who were being carried into exile to Babylon. ²When the commander of the guard found Jeremiah, he said to him, “The LORD your God decreed this disaster for this place. ³And now the LORD has brought it about; he has done just as he said he would. All this happened because you people sinned against the LORD and did not obey him. ⁴But today I am freeing you from the chains on your wrists. Come with me to Babylon, if you like, and I will look after you; but if you do not want to, then don’t come. Look, the whole country lies before you; go wherever you please.” ⁵However, before Jeremiah turned to go,^[83] Nebuzaradan added, “Go back to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon has appointed over the towns of Judah, and live with him among the people, or go anywhere else you please.”

Then the commander gave him provisions and a present and let him go. ⁶So Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah and stayed with him among the people who were left behind in the land.

Gedaliah Assassinated

⁷When all the army officers and their men who were still in the open country heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam as governor over the land and had put him in charge of the men, women and children who were the poorest in the land and who had not been carried into exile to Babylon, ⁸they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan and Jonathan the sons of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah^[84] the son of the Maakathite, and their men. ⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, took an oath to reassure them and their men. “Do not be afraid to serve the Babylonians,^[85]” he said. “Settle down in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you. ¹⁰I myself will stay at Mizpah to represent you before the Babylonians who come to us, but you are to harvest the wine, summer fruit and olive oil, and put them in your storage jars, and live in the towns you have taken over.”

¹¹When all the Jews in Moab, Ammon, Edom and all the other countries heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, as governor over them, ¹²they all came back to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah, from all the countries where they had been scattered. And they harvested an abundance of wine and summer fruit.

¹³Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers still in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴and said to him, “Don’t you know that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?” But Gedaliah son of Ahikam did not believe them.

¹⁵Then Johanan son of Kareah said privately to Gedaliah in Mizpah, “Let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one will know it. Why should he take your life and cause all the Jews who are gathered around you to be scattered and the remnant of Judah to perish?”

¹⁶But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, “Don’t do such a thing! What you are saying about Ishmael is not true.”

Jeremiah 41

¹In the seventh month Ishmael son of Nethaniah, the son of Elishama, who was of royal blood and had been one of the king’s officers, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah. While they were eating together there, ²Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men who were with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan, with the sword, killing the one whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land. ³Ishmael also killed all the men of Judah who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, as well as the Babylonian^[86] soldiers who were there.

⁴The day after Gedaliah’s assassination, before anyone knew about it, ⁵eighty men who had shaved off their beards, torn their clothes and cut themselves came from Shechem, Shiloh and Samaria, bringing grain offerings and incense with them to the house of the LORD. ⁶Ishmael son of Nethaniah went out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he went. When he met them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.” ⁷When they went into the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw them into a cistern. ⁸But ten of them said to Ishmael, “Don’t kill us! We have wheat and barley, olive oil and honey, hidden in a field.” So he let them alone and did not kill them with the others. ⁹Now the cistern where he threw all the bodies of the men he had killed along with Gedaliah was the one King Asa had made as part of his defense against Baasha king of Israel. Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled it with the dead.

¹⁰Ishmael made captives of all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah—the king’s daughters along with all the others who were left there, over whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

¹¹When Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him heard about all the crimes Ishmael son of Nethaniah had committed, ¹²they took all their men and went to fight Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They caught up with him near the great pool in Gibeon. ¹³When all the people Ishmael had with him saw Johanan son of Kareah and the army officers who were with him, they were glad. ¹⁴All the people Ishmael had taken captive at Mizpah turned and went over to Johanan son of Kareah. ¹⁵But Ishmael son of Nethaniah and eight of his men escaped from Johanan and fled to the Ammonites.

Flight to Egypt

¹⁶Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him led away all the people of Mizpah who had survived, whom Johanan had recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah after Ishmael had assassinated Gedaliah son of Ahikam—the soldiers, women, children and court officials he had recovered from Gibeon. ¹⁷And they went on, stopping at Geruth Kimham near Bethlehem on their way to Egypt ¹⁸to escape the Babylonians.^[87] They were afraid of them because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had appointed as governor over the land.

Jeremiah 42

¹Then all the army officers, including Johanan son of Kareah and Jezaniah^[88] son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest approached ²Jeremiah the prophet and said to him, “Please hear our petition and pray to the LORD your God for this entire remnant. For as you now see, though we were once many, now only a few are left. ³Pray that the LORD your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do.”

⁴“I have heard you,” replied Jeremiah the prophet. “I will certainly pray to the LORD your God as you have requested; I will tell you everything the LORD says and will keep nothing back from you.”

⁵Then they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the LORD your God sends you to tell us. ⁶Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the LORD our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the LORD our God.”

⁷Ten days later the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. ⁸So he called together Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers who were with him and all the people from the least to the greatest. ⁹He said to them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your petition, says: ¹⁰‘If you stay in this land, I will build you up and not tear you down; I will plant you and not uproot you, for I have relented concerning the disaster I have inflicted on you. ¹¹Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, whom you now fear. Do not be afraid of him, declares the LORD, for I am with you and will save you and deliver you from his hands. ¹²I will show you compassion so that he will have compassion on you and restore you to your land.’

¹³“However, if you say, ‘We will not stay in this land,’ and so disobey the LORD your God, ¹⁴and if you say, ‘No, we will go and live in Egypt, where we will not see war or hear the trumpet or be hungry for bread,’ ¹⁵then hear the word of the LORD, you remnant of Judah. This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there, ¹⁶then the sword you fear will overtake you there, and the famine you dread will follow you into Egypt, and there you will die. ¹⁷Indeed, all who are determined to go to Egypt to settle there will die by the sword, famine and plague; not one of them will survive or escape the disaster I will bring on them.’ ¹⁸This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘As my anger and wrath have been poured out on those who lived in Jerusalem, so will my wrath be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You will be a curse^[89] and an object of horror, a curse^[90] and an object of reproach; you will never see this place again.’

  Dad’s Little Secret

¹⁹“Remnant of Judah, the LORD has told you, ‘Do not go to Egypt.’ Be sure of this: I warn you today ²⁰that you made a fatal mistake when you sent me to the LORD your God and said, ‘Pray to the LORD our God for us; tell us everything he says and we will do it.’ ²¹I have told you today, but you still have not obeyed the LORD your God in all he sent me to tell you. ²²So now, be sure of this: You will die by the sword, famine and plague in the place where you want to go to settle.”

Jeremiah 43

¹When Jeremiah had finished telling the people all the words of the LORD their God—everything the LORD had sent him to tell them— ²Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there.’ ³But Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us to hand us over to the Babylonians,^[91] so they may kill us or carry us into exile to Babylon.”

⁴So Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers and all the people disobeyed the LORD’s command to stay in the land of Judah. ⁵Instead, Johanan son of Kareah and all the army officers led away all the remnant of Judah who had come back to live in the land of Judah from all the nations where they had been scattered. ⁶They also led away all those whom Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam, the son of Shaphan—the men, the women, the children and the king’s daughters. And they took Jeremiah the prophet and Baruch son of Neriah along with them. ⁷So they entered Egypt in disobedience to the LORD and went as far as Tahpanhes.

⁸In Tahpanhes the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ⁹“While the Jews are watching, take some large stones with you and bury them in clay in the brick pavement at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes. ¹⁰Then say to them, ‘This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I will send for my servant Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and I will set his throne over these stones I have buried here; he will spread his royal canopy above them. ¹¹He will come and attack Egypt, bringing death to those destined for death, captivity to those destined for captivity, and the sword to those destined for the sword. ¹²He will set fire to the temples of the gods of Egypt; he will burn their temples and take their gods captive. As a shepherd picks his garment clean of lice, so he will pick Egypt clean and depart. ¹³There in the temple of the sun^[92] in Egypt he will demolish the sacred pillars and will burn down the temples of the gods of Egypt.’ ”

Jeremiah 44

Disaster Because of Idolatry

¹This word came to Jeremiah concerning all the Jews living in Lower Egypt—in Migdol, Tahpanhes and Memphis—and in Upper Egypt: ²“This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You saw the great disaster I brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Today they lie deserted and in ruins ³because of the evil they have done. They aroused my anger by burning incense to and worshiping other gods that neither they nor you nor your ancestors ever knew. ⁴Again and again I sent my servants the prophets, who said, ‘Do not do this detestable thing that I hate!’ ⁵But they did not listen or pay attention; they did not turn from their wickedness or stop burning incense to other gods. ⁶Therefore, my fierce anger was poured out; it raged against the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem and made them the desolate ruins they are today.

⁷“Now this is what the LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Why bring such great disaster on yourselves by cutting off from Judah the men and women, the children and infants, and so leave yourselves without a remnant? ⁸Why arouse my anger with what your hands have made, burning incense to other gods in Egypt, where you have come to live? You will destroy yourselves and make yourselves a curse^[93] and an object of reproach among all the nations on earth. ⁹Have you forgotten the wickedness committed by your ancestors and by the kings and queens of Judah and the wickedness committed by you and your wives in the land of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰To this day they have not humbled themselves or shown reverence, nor have they followed my law and the decrees I set before you and your ancestors.

¹¹“Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: I am determined to bring disaster on you and to destroy all Judah. ¹²I will take away the remnant of Judah who were determined to go to Egypt to settle there. They will all perish in Egypt; they will fall by the sword or die from famine. From the least to the greatest, they will die by sword or famine. They will become a curse and an object of horror, a curse and an object of reproach. ¹³I will punish those who live in Egypt with the sword, famine and plague, as I punished Jerusalem. ¹⁴None of the remnant of Judah who have gone to live in Egypt will escape or survive to return to the land of Judah, to which they long to return and live; none will return except a few fugitives.”

¹⁵Then all the men who knew that their wives were burning incense to other gods, along with all the women who were present—a large assembly—and all the people living in Lower and Upper Egypt, said to Jeremiah, ¹⁶“We will not listen to the message you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD! ¹⁷We will certainly do everything we said we would: We will burn incense to the Queen of Heaven and will pour out drink offerings to her just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. At that time we had plenty of food and were well off and suffered no harm. ¹⁸But ever since we stopped burning incense to the Queen of Heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have had nothing and have been perishing by sword and famine.”

When you’re plagued by problems, do you immediately assume you know the reason? Sometimes we miss the point because we refuse to hear what God’s telling us.

44:15–18

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¹⁹The women added, “When we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink offerings to her, did not our husbands know that we were making cakes impressed with her image and pouring out drink offerings to her?”

²⁰Then Jeremiah said to all the people, both men and women, who were answering him, ²¹“Did not the LORD remember and call to mind the incense burned in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem by you and your ancestors, your kings and your officials and the people of the land? ²²When the LORD could no longer endure your wicked actions and the detestable things you did, your land became a curse and a desolate waste without inhabitants, as it is today. ²³Because you have burned incense and have sinned against the LORD and have not obeyed him or followed his law or his decrees or his stipulations, this disaster has come upon you, as you now see.”

²⁴Then Jeremiah said to all the people, including the women, “Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah in Egypt. ²⁵This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: You and your wives have done what you said you would do when you promised, ‘We will certainly carry out the vows we made to burn incense and pour out drink offerings to the Queen of Heaven.’

“Go ahead then, do what you promised! Keep your vows! ²⁶But hear the word of the LORD, all you Jews living in Egypt: ‘I swear by my great name,’ says the LORD, ‘that no one from Judah living anywhere in Egypt will ever again invoke my name or swear, “As surely as the Sovereign LORD lives.” ²⁷For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed. ²⁸Those who escape the sword and return to the land of Judah from Egypt will be very few. Then the whole remnant of Judah who came to live in Egypt will know whose word will stand—mine or theirs.

²⁹“ ‘This will be the sign to you that I will punish you in this place,’ declares the LORD, ‘so that you will know that my threats of harm against you will surely stand.’ ³⁰This is what the LORD says: ‘I am going to deliver Pharaoh Hophra king of Egypt into the hands of his enemies who want to kill him, just as I gave Zedekiah king of Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the enemy who wanted to kill him.’ ”

Jeremiah 45

A Message to Baruch

¹When Baruch son of Neriah wrote on a scroll the words Jeremiah the prophet dictated in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, Jeremiah said this to Baruch: ²“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: ³You said, ‘Woe to me! The LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am worn out with groaning and find no rest.’ ⁴But the LORD has told me to say to you, ‘This is what the LORD says: I will overthrow what I have built and uproot what I have planted, throughout the earth. ⁵Should you then seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them. For I will bring disaster on all people, declares the LORD, but wherever you go I will let you escape with your life.’ ”

Do you want great things for yourself? Don’t. That was good advice then and still is now. Don’t focus only on yourself. Life’s not all about you.

45:5

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Jeremiah 46

A Message About Egypt

¹This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the nations:

²Concerning Egypt:

This is the message against the army of Pharaoh Necho king of Egypt, which was defeated at Carchemish on the Euphrates River by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon in the fourth year of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah:

³“Prepare your shields, both large and small,

and march out for battle!

⁴Harness the horses,

mount the steeds!

Take your positions

with helmets on!

Polish your spears,

put on your armor!

⁵What do I see?

They are terrified,

they are retreating,

their warriors are defeated.

They flee in haste

without looking back,

and there is terror on every side,”

declares the LORD.

⁶“The swift cannot flee

nor the strong escape.

In the north by the River Euphrates

they stumble and fall.

⁷“Who is this that rises like the Nile,

like rivers of surging waters?

⁸Egypt rises like the Nile,

like rivers of surging waters.

She says, ‘I will rise and cover the earth;

I will destroy cities and their people.’

⁹Charge, you horses!

Drive furiously, you charioteers!

March on, you warriors—men of Cush^[94] and Put who carry shields,

men of Lydia who draw the bow.

¹⁰But that day belongs to the Lord, the LORD Almighty—

a day of vengeance, for vengeance on his foes.

The sword will devour till it is satisfied,

till it has quenched its thirst with blood.

For the Lord, the LORD Almighty, will offer sacrifice

in the land of the north by the River Euphrates.

¹¹“Go up to Gilead and get balm,

Virgin Daughter Egypt.

But you try many medicines in vain;

there is no healing for you.

¹²The nations will hear of your shame;

your cries will fill the earth.

One warrior will stumble over another;

both will fall down together.”

¹³This is the message the LORD spoke to Jeremiah the prophet about the coming of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to attack Egypt:

¹⁴“Announce this in Egypt, and proclaim it in Migdol;

proclaim it also in Memphis and Tahpanhes:

‘Take your positions and get ready,

for the sword devours those around you.’

¹⁵Why will your warriors be laid low?

They cannot stand, for the LORD will push them down.

¹⁶They will stumble repeatedly;

they will fall over each other.

They will say, ‘Get up, let us go back

to our own people and our native lands,

away from the sword of the oppressor.’

¹⁷There they will exclaim,

‘Pharaoh king of Egypt is only a loud noise;

he has missed his opportunity.’

¹⁸“As surely as I live,” declares the King,

whose name is the LORD Almighty,

“one will come who is like Tabor among the mountains,

like Carmel by the sea.

¹⁹Pack your belongings for exile,

you who live in Egypt,

for Memphis will be laid waste

and lie in ruins without inhabitant.

²⁰“Egypt is a beautiful heifer,

but a gadfly is coming

against her from the north.

²¹The mercenaries in her ranks

are like fattened calves.

They too will turn and flee together,

they will not stand their ground,

for the day of disaster is coming upon them,

the time for them to be punished.

²²Egypt will hiss like a fleeing serpent

as the enemy advances in force;

they will come against her with axes,

like men who cut down trees.

²³They will chop down her forest,”

declares the LORD,

“dense though it be.

They are more numerous than locusts,

they cannot be counted.

²⁴Daughter Egypt will be put to shame,

given into the hands of the people of the north.”

²⁵The LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to bring punishment on Amon god of Thebes, on Pharaoh, on Egypt and her gods and her kings, and on those who rely on Pharaoh. ²⁶I will give them into the hands of those who want to kill them—Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and his officers. Later, however, Egypt will be inhabited as in times past,” declares the LORD.

²⁷“Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant;

do not be dismayed, Israel.

I will surely save you out of a distant place,

your descendants from the land of their exile.

Jacob will again have peace and security,

and no one will make him afraid.

²⁸Do not be afraid, Jacob my servant,

for I am with you,” declares the LORD.

“Though I completely destroy all the nations

among which I scatter you,

I will not completely destroy you.

I will discipline you but only in due measure;

I will not let you go entirely unpunished.”

Jeremiah 47

A Message About the Philistines

¹This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:

²This is what the LORD says:

“See how the waters are rising in the north;

they will become an overflowing torrent.

They will overflow the land and everything in it,

the towns and those who live in them.

The people will cry out;

all who dwell in the land will wail

³at the sound of the hooves of galloping steeds,

at the noise of enemy chariots

and the rumble of their wheels.

Parents will not turn to help their children;

their hands will hang limp.

⁴For the day has come

to destroy all the Philistines

and to remove all survivors

who could help Tyre and Sidon.

The LORD is about to destroy the Philistines,

the remnant from the coasts of Caphtor.^[95]

⁵Gaza will shave her head in mourning;

Ashkelon will be silenced.

You remnant on the plain,

how long will you cut yourselves?

⁶“ ‘Alas, sword of the LORD,

how long till you rest?

Return to your sheath;

cease and be still.’

⁷But how can it rest

when the LORD has commanded it,

when he has ordered it

to attack Ashkelon and the coast?”

Jeremiah 48

A Message About Moab

¹Concerning Moab:

This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

“Woe to Nebo, for it will be ruined.

Kiriathaim will be disgraced and captured;

the stronghold^[96] will be disgraced and shattered.

²Moab will be praised no more;

in Heshbon^[97] people will plot her downfall:

‘Come, let us put an end to that nation.’

You, the people of Madmen,^[98] will also be silenced;

the sword will pursue you.

³Cries of anguish arise from Horonaim,

cries of great havoc and destruction.

⁴Moab will be broken;

her little ones will cry out.^[99]

⁵They go up the hill to Luhith,

weeping bitterly as they go;

on the road down to Horonaim

anguished cries over the destruction are heard.

⁶Flee! Run for your lives;

become like a bush^[100] in the desert.

⁷Since you trust in your deeds and riches,

you too will be taken captive,

and Chemosh will go into exile,

together with his priests and officials.

⁸The destroyer will come against every town,

and not a town will escape.

The valley will be ruined

and the plateau destroyed,

because the LORD has spoken.

⁹Put salt on Moab,

for she will be laid waste^[101];

her towns will become desolate,

with no one to live in them.

¹⁰“A curse on anyone who is lax in doing the LORD’s work!

A curse on anyone who keeps their sword from bloodshed!

¹¹“Moab has been at rest from youth,

like wine left on its dregs,

not poured from one jar to another—

she has not gone into exile.

So she tastes as she did,

and her aroma is unchanged.

¹²But days are coming,”

declares the LORD,

“when I will send men who pour from pitchers,

and they will pour her out;

they will empty her pitchers

and smash her jars.

¹³Then Moab will be ashamed of Chemosh,

as Israel was ashamed

when they trusted in Bethel.

¹⁴“How can you say, ‘We are warriors,

men valiant in battle’?

¹⁵Moab will be destroyed and her towns invaded;

her finest young men will go down in the slaughter,”

declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

¹⁶“The fall of Moab is at hand;

her calamity will come quickly.

¹⁷Mourn for her, all who live around her,

all who know her fame;

say, ‘How broken is the mighty scepter,

how broken the glorious staff!’

¹⁸“Come down from your glory

and sit on the parched ground,

you inhabitants of Daughter Dibon,

for the one who destroys Moab

will come up against you

and ruin your fortified cities.

¹⁹Stand by the road and watch,

you who live in Aroer.

Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping,

ask them, ‘What has happened?’

²⁰Moab is disgraced, for she is shattered.

Wail and cry out!

Announce by the Arnon

that Moab is destroyed.

²¹Judgment has come to the plateau—

to Holon, Jahzah and Mephaath,

²²to Dibon, Nebo and Beth Diblathaim,

²³to Kiriathaim, Beth Gamul and Beth Meon,

²⁴to Kerioth and Bozrah—

to all the towns of Moab, far and near.

²⁵Moab’s horn^[102] is cut off;

her arm is broken,”

declares the LORD.

²⁶“Make her drunk,

for she has defied the LORD.

Let Moab wallow in her vomit;

let her be an object of ridicule.

²⁷Was not Israel the object of your ridicule?

Was she caught among thieves,

that you shake your head in scorn

whenever you speak of her?

²⁸Abandon your towns and dwell among the rocks,

you who live in Moab.

Be like a dove that makes its nest

at the mouth of a cave.

²⁹“We have heard of Moab’s pride—

how great is her arrogance!—

of her insolence, her pride, her conceit

and the haughtiness of her heart.

³⁰I know her insolence but it is futile,”

declares the LORD,

“and her boasts accomplish nothing.

³¹Therefore I wail over Moab,

for all Moab I cry out,

I moan for the people of Kir Hareseth.

³²I weep for you, as Jazer weeps,

  Shirk the Work?

you vines of Sibmah.

Your branches spread as far as the sea^[103];

they reached as far as^[104] Jazer.

The destroyer has fallen

on your ripened fruit and grapes.

³³Joy and gladness are gone

from the orchards and fields of Moab.

I have stopped the flow of wine from the presses;

no one treads them with shouts of joy.

Although there are shouts,

they are not shouts of joy.

³⁴“The sound of their cry rises

from Heshbon to Elealeh and Jahaz,

from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah,

for even the waters of Nimrim are dried up.

³⁵In Moab I will put an end

to those who make offerings on the high places

and burn incense to their gods,”

declares the LORD.

³⁶“So my heart laments for Moab like the music of a pipe;

it laments like a pipe for the people of Kir Hareseth.

The wealth they acquired is gone.

³⁷Every head is shaved

and every beard cut off;

every hand is slashed

and every waist is covered with sackcloth.

³⁸On all the roofs in Moab

and in the public squares

there is nothing but mourning,

for I have broken Moab

like a jar that no one wants,”

declares the LORD.

³⁹“How shattered she is! How they wail!

How Moab turns her back in shame!

Moab has become an object of ridicule,

an object of horror to all those around her.”

⁴⁰This is what the LORD says:

“Look! An eagle is swooping down,

spreading its wings over Moab.

⁴¹Kerioth^[105] will be captured

and the strongholds taken.

In that day the hearts of Moab’s warriors

will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

⁴²Moab will be destroyed as a nation

because she defied the LORD.

⁴³Terror and pit and snare await you,

you people of Moab,”

declares the LORD.

⁴⁴“Whoever flees from the terror

will fall into a pit,

whoever climbs out of the pit

will be caught in a snare;

for I will bring on Moab

the year of her punishment,”

declares the LORD.

⁴⁵“In the shadow of Heshbon

the fugitives stand helpless,

for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,

a blaze from the midst of Sihon;

it burns the foreheads of Moab,

the skulls of the noisy boasters.

⁴⁶Woe to you, Moab!

The people of Chemosh are destroyed;

your sons are taken into exile

and your daughters into captivity.

⁴⁷“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab

in days to come,”

declares the LORD.

Here ends the judgment on Moab.

Jeremiah 49

A Message About Ammon

¹Concerning the Ammonites:

This is what the LORD says:

“Has Israel no sons?

Has Israel no heir?

Why then has Molek^[106] taken possession of Gad?

Why do his people live in its towns?

²But the days are coming,”

declares the LORD,

“when I will sound the battle cry

against Rabbah of the Ammonites;

it will become a mound of ruins,

and its surrounding villages will be set on fire.

Then Israel will drive out

those who drove her out,”

says the LORD.

³“Wail, Heshbon, for Ai is destroyed!

Cry out, you inhabitants of Rabbah!

Put on sackcloth and mourn;

rush here and there inside the walls,

for Molek will go into exile,

together with his priests and officials.

⁴Why do you boast of your valleys,

boast of your valleys so fruitful?

Unfaithful Daughter Ammon,

you trust in your riches and say,

‘Who will attack me?’

⁵I will bring terror on you

from all those around you,”

declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

“Every one of you will be driven away,

and no one will gather the fugitives.

⁶“Yet afterward, I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites,”

declares the LORD.

A Message About Edom

⁷Concerning Edom:

This is what the LORD Almighty says:

“Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?

Has counsel perished from the prudent?

Has their wisdom decayed?

⁸Turn and flee, hide in deep caves,

you who live in Dedan,

for I will bring disaster on Esau

at the time when I punish him.

⁹If grape pickers came to you,

would they not leave a few grapes?

If thieves came during the night,

would they not steal only as much as they wanted?

¹⁰But I will strip Esau bare;

I will uncover his hiding places,

so that he cannot conceal himself.

His armed men are destroyed,

also his allies and neighbors,

so there is no one to say,

¹¹‘Leave your fatherless children; I will keep them alive.

Your widows too can depend on me.’ ”

¹²This is what the LORD says: “If those who do not deserve to drink the cup must drink it, why should you go unpunished? You will not go unpunished, but must drink it. ¹³I swear by myself,” declares the LORD, “that Bozrah will become a ruin and a curse,^[107] an object of horror and reproach; and all its towns will be in ruins forever.”

¹⁴I have heard a message from the LORD;

an envoy was sent to the nations to say,

“Assemble yourselves to attack it!

Rise up for battle!”

¹⁵“Now I will make you small among the nations,

despised by mankind.

¹⁶The terror you inspire

and the pride of your heart have deceived you,

you who live in the clefts of the rocks,

who occupy the heights of the hill.

Though you build your nest as high as the eagle’s,

from there I will bring you down,”

declares the LORD.

¹⁷“Edom will become an object of horror;

all who pass by will be appalled and will scoff

because of all its wounds.

¹⁸As Sodom and Gomorrah were overthrown,

along with their neighboring towns,”

says the LORD,

“so no one will live there;

no people will dwell in it.

¹⁹“Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets

to a rich pastureland,

I will chase Edom from its land in an instant.

Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?

Who is like me and who can challenge me?

And what shepherd can stand against me?”

²⁰Therefore, hear what the LORD has planned against Edom,

what he has purposed against those who live in Teman:

The young of the flock will be dragged away;

their pasture will be appalled at their fate.

²¹At the sound of their fall the earth will tremble;

their cry will resound to the Red Sea.^[108]

²²Look! An eagle will soar and swoop down,

spreading its wings over Bozrah.

In that day the hearts of Edom’s warriors

will be like the heart of a woman in labor.

A Message About Damascus

²³Concerning Damascus:

“Hamath and Arpad are dismayed,

for they have heard bad news.

They are disheartened,

troubled like^[109] the restless sea.

²⁴Damascus has become feeble,

she has turned to flee

and panic has gripped her;

anguish and pain have seized her,

pain like that of a woman in labor.

²⁵Why has the city of renown not been abandoned,

the town in which I delight?

²⁶Surely, her young men will fall in the streets;

all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”

declares the LORD Almighty.

²⁷“I will set fire to the walls of Damascus;

it will consume the fortresses of Ben-Hadad.”

A Message About Kedar and Hazor

²⁸Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon attacked:

This is what the LORD says:

“Arise, and attack Kedar

and destroy the people of the East.

²⁹Their tents and their flocks will be taken;

their shelters will be carried off

with all their goods and camels.

People will shout to them,

‘Terror on every side!’

³⁰“Flee quickly away!

Stay in deep caves, you who live in Hazor,”

declares the LORD.

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has plotted against you;

he has devised a plan against you.

³¹“Arise and attack a nation at ease,

which lives in confidence,”

declares the LORD,

“a nation that has neither gates nor bars;

its people live far from danger.

³²Their camels will become plunder,

and their large herds will be spoils of war.

I will scatter to the winds those who are in distant places^[110]

and will bring disaster on them from every side,”

declares the LORD.

³³“Hazor will become a haunt of jackals,

a desolate place forever.

No one will live there;

no people will dwell in it.”

A Message About Elam

³⁴This is the word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning Elam, early in the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah:

³⁵This is what the LORD Almighty says:

“See, I will break the bow of Elam,

the mainstay of their might.

³⁶I will bring against Elam the four winds

from the four quarters of heaven;

I will scatter them to the four winds,

and there will not be a nation

where Elam’s exiles do not go.

³⁷I will shatter Elam before their foes,

before those who want to kill them;

I will bring disaster on them,

even my fierce anger,”

declares the LORD.

“I will pursue them with the sword

until I have made an end of them.

³⁸I will set my throne in Elam

and destroy her king and officials,”

declares the LORD.

³⁹“Yet I will restore the fortunes of Elam

in days to come,”

declares the LORD.

Jeremiah 50

A Message About Babylon

¹This is the word the LORD spoke through Jeremiah the prophet concerning Babylon and the land of the Babylonians^[111]:

²“Announce and proclaim among the nations,

lift up a banner and proclaim it;

keep nothing back, but say,

‘Babylon will be captured;

Bel will be put to shame,

Marduk filled with terror.

Her images will be put to shame

and her idols filled with terror.’

³A nation from the north will attack her

During its time, Babylon was the leading nation on earth. But Jeremiah, speaking for God, had the audacity to declare Babylon’s doom. Would you have dared to believe him?

50:1–3

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and lay waste her land.

No one will live in it;

both people and animals will flee away.

⁴“In those days, at that time,”

declares the LORD,

“the people of Israel and the people of Judah together

will go in tears to seek the LORD their God.

⁵They will ask the way to Zion

and turn their faces toward it.

They will come and bind themselves to the LORD

in an everlasting covenant

that will not be forgotten.

⁶“My people have been lost sheep;

their shepherds have led them astray

and caused them to roam on the mountains.

They wandered over mountain and hill

and forgot their own resting place.

⁷Whoever found them devoured them;

their enemies said, ‘We are not guilty,

for they sinned against the LORD, their verdant pasture,

the LORD, the hope of their ancestors.’

⁸“Flee out of Babylon;

leave the land of the Babylonians,

and be like the goats that lead the flock.

⁹For I will stir up and bring against Babylon

an alliance of great nations from the land of the north.

They will take up their positions against her,

and from the north she will be captured.

Their arrows will be like skilled warriors

who do not return empty-handed.

¹⁰So Babylonia^[112] will be plundered;

all who plunder her will have their fill,”

declares the LORD.

¹¹“Because you rejoice and are glad,

you who pillage my inheritance,

because you frolic like a heifer threshing grain

and neigh like stallions,

¹²your mother will be greatly ashamed;

she who gave you birth will be disgraced.

She will be the least of the nations—

a wilderness, a dry land, a desert.

¹³Because of the LORD’s anger she will not be inhabited

but will be completely desolate.

All who pass Babylon will be appalled;

they will scoff because of all her wounds.

¹⁴“Take up your positions around Babylon,

all you who draw the bow.

Shoot at her! Spare no arrows,

for she has sinned against the LORD.

¹⁵Shout against her on every side!

She surrenders, her towers fall,

her walls are torn down.

Since this is the vengeance of the LORD,

take vengeance on her;

do to her as she has done to others.

¹⁶Cut off from Babylon the sower,

and the reaper with his sickle at harvest.

Because of the sword of the oppressor

let everyone return to their own people,

let everyone flee to their own land.

¹⁷“Israel is a scattered flock

that lions have chased away.

The first to devour them

was the king of Assyria;

the last to crush their bones

was Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.”

¹⁸Therefore this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

“I will punish the king of Babylon and his land

as I punished the king of Assyria.

¹⁹But I will bring Israel back to their own pasture,

and they will graze on Carmel and Bashan;

their appetite will be satisfied

on the hills of Ephraim and Gilead.

²⁰In those days, at that time,”

declares the LORD,

“search will be made for Israel’s guilt,

but there will be none,

and for the sins of Judah,

but none will be found,

for I will forgive the remnant I spare.

²¹“Attack the land of Merathaim

and those who live in Pekod.

Pursue, kill and completely destroy^[113] them,”

declares the LORD.

“Do everything I have commanded you.

²²The noise of battle is in the land,

the noise of great destruction!

²³How broken and shattered

is the hammer of the whole earth!

How desolate is Babylon

among the nations!

²⁴I set a trap for you, Babylon,

and you were caught before you knew it;

you were found and captured

because you opposed the LORD.

²⁵The LORD has opened his arsenal

and brought out the weapons of his wrath,

for the Sovereign LORD Almighty has work to do

in the land of the Babylonians.

²⁶Come against her from afar.

Break open her granaries;

pile her up like heaps of grain.

Completely destroy her

and leave her no remnant.

²⁷Kill all her young bulls;

let them go down to the slaughter!

Woe to them! For their day has come,

the time for them to be punished.

²⁸Listen to the fugitives and refugees from Babylon

declaring in Zion

how the LORD our God has taken vengeance,

vengeance for his temple.

²⁹“Summon archers against Babylon,

all those who draw the bow.

Encamp all around her;

let no one escape.

Repay her for her deeds;

do to her as she has done.

For she has defied the LORD,

the Holy One of Israel.

³⁰Therefore, her young men will fall in the streets;

all her soldiers will be silenced in that day,”

declares the LORD.

³¹“See, I am against you, you arrogant one,”

declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty,

“for your day has come,

the time for you to be punished.

³²The arrogant one will stumble and fall

and no one will help her up;

I will kindle a fire in her towns

that will consume all who are around her.”

³³This is what the LORD Almighty says:

“The people of Israel are oppressed,

and the people of Judah as well.

All their captors hold them fast,

refusing to let them go.

³⁴Yet their Redeemer is strong;

the LORD Almighty is his name.

He will vigorously defend their cause

so that he may bring rest to their land,

but unrest to those who live in Babylon.

³⁵“A sword against the Babylonians!”

declares the LORD—

“against those who live in Babylon

and against her officials and wise men!

³⁶A sword against her false prophets!

They will become fools.

A sword against her warriors!

They will be filled with terror.

³⁷A sword against her horses and chariots

and all the foreigners in her ranks!

They will become weaklings.

A sword against her treasures!

They will be plundered.

³⁸A drought on^[114] her waters!

They will dry up.

For it is a land of idols,

idols that will go mad with terror.

³⁹“So desert creatures and hyenas will live there,

and there the owl will dwell.

It will never again be inhabited

or lived in from generation to generation.

⁴⁰As I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah

along with their neighboring towns,”

declares the LORD,

“so no one will live there;

no people will dwell in it.

⁴¹“Look! An army is coming from the north;

a great nation and many kings

are being stirred up from the ends of the earth.

⁴²They are armed with bows and spears;

they are cruel and without mercy.

They sound like the roaring sea

as they ride on their horses;

they come like men in battle formation

to attack you, Daughter Babylon.

⁴³The king of Babylon has heard reports about them,

and his hands hang limp.

Anguish has gripped him,

pain like that of a woman in labor.

⁴⁴Like a lion coming up from Jordan’s thickets

to a rich pastureland,

I will chase Babylon from its land in an instant.

Who is the chosen one I will appoint for this?

Who is like me and who can challenge me?

And what shepherd can stand against me?”

⁴⁵Therefore, hear what the LORD has planned against Babylon,

what he has purposed against the land of the Babylonians:

The young of the flock will be dragged away;

their pasture will be appalled at their fate.

⁴⁶At the sound of Babylon’s capture the earth will tremble;

its cry will resound among the nations.

Jeremiah 51

¹This is what the LORD says:

“See, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer

against Babylon and the people of Leb Kamai.^[115]

²I will send foreigners to Babylon

to winnow her and to devastate her land;

they will oppose her on every side

in the day of her disaster.

³Let not the archer string his bow,

nor let him put on his armor.

Do not spare her young men;

completely destroy^[116] her army.

⁴They will fall down slain in Babylon,^[117]

fatally wounded in her streets.

⁵For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken

by their God, the LORD Almighty,

though their land^[118] is full of guilt

before the Holy One of Israel.

⁶“Flee from Babylon!

Run for your lives!

Do not be destroyed because of her sins.

It is time for the LORD’s vengeance;

he will repay her what she deserves.

⁷Babylon was a gold cup in the LORD’s hand;

she made the whole earth drunk.

The nations drank her wine;

therefore they have now gone mad.

⁸Babylon will suddenly fall and be broken.

Wail over her!

Get balm for her pain;

perhaps she can be healed.

⁹“ ‘We would have healed Babylon,

but she cannot be healed;

let us leave her and each go to our own land,

for her judgment reaches to the skies,

it rises as high as the heavens.’

¹⁰“ ‘The LORD has vindicated us;

come, let us tell in Zion

what the LORD our God has done.’

¹¹“Sharpen the arrows,

take up the shields!

The LORD has stirred up the kings of the Medes,

because his purpose is to destroy Babylon.

The LORD will take vengeance,

vengeance for his temple.

¹²Lift up a banner against the walls of Babylon!

Reinforce the guard,

station the watchmen,

prepare an ambush!

The LORD will carry out his purpose,

his decree against the people of Babylon.

¹³You who live by many waters

and are rich in treasures,

your end has come,

the time for you to be destroyed.

¹⁴The LORD Almighty has sworn by himself:

I will surely fill you with troops, as with a swarm of locusts,

and they will shout in triumph over you.

¹⁵“He made the earth by his power;

he founded the world by his wisdom

and stretched out the heavens by his understanding.

¹⁶When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;

he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.

He sends lightning with the rain

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

¹⁷“Everyone is senseless and without knowledge;

every goldsmith is shamed by his idols.

The images he makes are a fraud;

they have no breath in them.

¹⁸They are worthless, the objects of mockery;

when their judgment comes, they will perish.

¹⁹He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these,

Ever doubt God’s greatness? Just compare what God makes (e.g., humans, the universe) to what people make (e.g., replicas, idols). The difference is huge.

51:15–19

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for he is the Maker of all things,

including the people of his inheritance—

the LORD Almighty is his name.

²⁰“You are my war club,

my weapon for battle—

with you I shatter nations,

with you I destroy kingdoms,

²¹with you I shatter horse and rider,

with you I shatter chariot and driver,

²²with you I shatter man and woman,

with you I shatter old man and youth,

with you I shatter young man and young woman,

²³with you I shatter shepherd and flock,

with you I shatter farmer and oxen,

with you I shatter governors and officials.

²⁴“Before your eyes I will repay Babylon and all who live in Babylonia^[119] for all the wrong they have done in Zion,” declares the LORD.

²⁵“I am against you, you destroying mountain,

you who destroy the whole earth,”

declares the LORD.

“I will stretch out my hand against you,

roll you off the cliffs,

and make you a burned-out mountain.

²⁶No rock will be taken from you for a cornerstone,

nor any stone for a foundation,

for you will be desolate forever,”

declares the LORD.

²⁷“Lift up a banner in the land!

Blow the trumpet among the nations!

Prepare the nations for battle against her;

summon against her these kingdoms:

Ararat, Minni and Ashkenaz.

Appoint a commander against her;

send up horses like a swarm of locusts.

²⁸Prepare the nations for battle against her—

the kings of the Medes,

their governors and all their officials,

and all the countries they rule.

²⁹The land trembles and writhes,

for the LORD’s purposes against Babylon stand—

to lay waste the land of Babylon

so that no one will live there.

³⁰Babylon’s warriors have stopped fighting;

they remain in their strongholds.

Their strength is exhausted;

they have become weaklings.

Her dwellings are set on fire;

the bars of her gates are broken.

³¹One courier follows another

and messenger follows messenger

to announce to the king of Babylon

that his entire city is captured,

³²the river crossings seized,

the marshes set on fire,

and the soldiers terrified.”

³³This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says:

“Daughter Babylon is like a threshing floor

at the time it is trampled;

the time to harvest her will soon come.”

³⁴“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon has devoured us,

he has thrown us into confusion,

he has made us an empty jar.

Like a serpent he has swallowed us

and filled his stomach with our delicacies,

and then has spewed us out.

³⁵May the violence done to our flesh^[120] be on Babylon,”

say the inhabitants of Zion.

“May our blood be on those who live in Babylonia,”

says Jerusalem.

³⁶Therefore this is what the LORD says:

“See, I will defend your cause

and avenge you;

I will dry up her sea

and make her springs dry.

³⁷Babylon will be a heap of ruins,

a haunt of jackals,

an object of horror and scorn,

a place where no one lives.

³⁸Her people all roar like young lions,

they growl like lion cubs.

³⁹But while they are aroused,

I will set out a feast for them

and make them drunk,

so that they shout with laughter—

then sleep forever and not awake,”

declares the LORD.

⁴⁰“I will bring them down

like lambs to the slaughter,

like rams and goats.

⁴¹“How Sheshak^[121] will be captured,

the boast of the whole earth seized!

How desolate Babylon will be

among the nations!

⁴²The sea will rise over Babylon;

its roaring waves will cover her.

⁴³Her towns will be desolate,

a dry and desert land,

a land where no one lives,

through which no one travels.

⁴⁴I will punish Bel in Babylon

and make him spew out what he has swallowed.

The nations will no longer stream to him.

And the wall of Babylon will fall.

⁴⁵“Come out of her, my people!

Run for your lives!

Run from the fierce anger of the LORD.

⁴⁶Do not lose heart or be afraid

when rumors are heard in the land;

one rumor comes this year, another the next,

rumors of violence in the land

and of ruler against ruler.

⁴⁷For the time will surely come

when I will punish the idols of Babylon;

her whole land will be disgraced

and her slain will all lie fallen within her.

⁴⁸Then heaven and earth and all that is in them

will shout for joy over Babylon,

for out of the north

destroyers will attack her,”

declares the LORD.

⁴⁹“Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain,

just as the slain in all the earth

have fallen because of Babylon.

⁵⁰You who have escaped the sword,

leave and do not linger!

Remember the LORD in a distant land,

and call to mind Jerusalem.”

⁵¹“We are disgraced,

for we have been insulted

and shame covers our faces,

because foreigners have entered

the holy places of the LORD’s house.”

⁵²“But days are coming,” declares the LORD,

“when I will punish her idols,

and throughout her land

the wounded will groan.

⁵³Even if Babylon ascends to the heavens

and fortifies her lofty stronghold,

I will send destroyers against her,”

declares the LORD.

⁵⁴“The sound of a cry comes from Babylon,

the sound of great destruction

from the land of the Babylonians.^[122]

⁵⁵The LORD will destroy Babylon;

he will silence her noisy din.

Waves of enemies will rage like great waters;

the roar of their voices will resound.

⁵⁶A destroyer will come against Babylon;

her warriors will be captured,

and their bows will be broken.

For the LORD is a God of retribution;

he will repay in full.

⁵⁷I will make her officials and wise men drunk,

her governors, officers and warriors as well;

they will sleep forever and not awake,”

declares the King, whose name is the LORD Almighty.

⁵⁸This is what the LORD Almighty says:

“Babylon’s thick wall will be leveled

and her high gates set on fire;

the peoples exhaust themselves for nothing,

the nations’ labor is only fuel for the flames.”

⁵⁹This is the message Jeremiah the prophet gave to the staff officer Seraiah son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, when he went to Babylon with Zedekiah king of Judah in the fourth year of his reign. ⁶⁰Jeremiah had written on a scroll about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon—all that had been recorded concerning Babylon. ⁶¹He said to Seraiah, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. ⁶²Then say, ‘LORD, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither people nor animals will live in it; it will be desolate forever.’ ⁶³When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. ⁶⁴Then say, ‘So will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster I will bring on her. And her people will fall.’ ”

The words of Jeremiah end here.

Jeremiah 52

The Fall of Jerusalem

¹Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eleven years. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah; she was from Libnah. ²He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. ³It was because of the LORD’s anger that all this happened to Jerusalem and Judah, and in the end he thrust them from his presence.

Now Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

⁴So in the ninth year of Zedekiah’s reign, on the tenth day of the tenth month, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched against Jerusalem with his whole army. They encamped outside the city and built siege works all around it. ⁵The city was kept under siege until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

⁶By the ninth day of the fourth month the famine in the city had become so severe that there was no food for the people to eat. ⁷Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army fled. They left the city at night through the gate between the two walls near the king’s garden, though the Babylonians^[123] were surrounding the city. They fled toward the Arabah,^{[124] 8}but the Babylonian^[125] army pursued King Zedekiah and overtook him in the plains of Jericho. All his soldiers were separated from him and scattered, ⁹and he was captured.

He was taken to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, where he pronounced sentence on him. ¹⁰There at Riblah the king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes; he also killed all the officials of Judah. ¹¹Then he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, bound him with bronze shackles and took him to Babylon, where he put him in prison till the day of his death.

¹²On the tenth day of the fifth month, in the nineteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, Nebuzaradan commander of the imperial guard, who served the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ¹³He set fire to the temple of the LORD, the royal palace and all the houses of Jerusalem. Every important building he burned down. ¹⁴The whole Babylonian army, under the commander of the imperial guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵Nebuzaradan the commander of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest people and those who remained in the city, along with the rest of the craftsmen^[126] and those who had deserted to the king of Babylon. ¹⁶But Nebuzaradan left behind the rest of the poorest people of the land to work the vineyards and fields.

¹⁷The Babylonians broke up the bronze pillars, the movable stands and the bronze Sea that were at the temple of the LORD and they carried all the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁸They also took away the pots, shovels, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, dishes and all the bronze articles used in the temple service. ¹⁹The commander of the imperial guard took away the basins, censers, sprinkling bowls, pots, lampstands, dishes and bowls used for drink offerings—all that were made of pure gold or silver.

Tamar—When Heartbreak Happens

²⁰The bronze from the two pillars, the Sea and the twelve bronze bulls under it, and the movable stands, which King Solomon had made for the temple of the LORD, was more than could be weighed. ²¹Each pillar was eighteen cubits high and twelve cubits in circumference^[127]; each was four fingers thick, and hollow. ²²The bronze capital on top of one pillar was five cubits^[128] high and was decorated with a network and pomegranates of bronze all around. The other pillar, with its pomegranates, was similar. ²³There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; the total number of pomegranates above the surrounding network was a hundred.

²⁴The commander of the guard took as prisoners Seraiah the chief priest, Zephaniah the priest next in rank and the three doorkeepers. ²⁵Of those still in the city, he took the officer in charge of the fighting men, and seven royal advisers. He also took the secretary who was chief officer in charge of conscripting the people of the land, sixty of whom were found in the city. ²⁶Nebuzaradan the commander took them all and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²⁷There at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, the king had them executed.

So Judah went into captivity, away from her land. ²⁸This is the number of the people Nebuchadnezzar carried into exile:

in the seventh year, 3,023 Jews;

²⁹in Nebuchadnezzar’s eighteenth year,

832 people from Jerusalem;

³⁰in his twenty-third year,

745 Jews taken into exile by Nebuzaradan the commander of the imperial guard.

There were 4,600 people in all.

Jehoiachin Released

³¹In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the year Awel-Marduk became king of Babylon, on the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth month, he released Jehoiachin king of Judah and freed him from prison. ³²He spoke kindly to him and gave him a seat of honor higher than those of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. ³³So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes and for the rest of his life ate regularly at the king’s table. ³⁴Day by day the king of Babylon gave Jehoiachin a regular allowance as long as he lived, till the day of his death.

One Big Happy Family?

Profile: Christina

My parents got divorced when I was eight. That was six years ago. My dad got married less than a year after they divorced. (Guess that’s why they got divorced.) Anyway, for a while it was just Mom and me. Well, not anymore. Mom’s getting married again.

She wants me to be happy for her. But how can I be? Everything’s awful. She’s marrying Bill, this guy from our church. I’ve got nothing against him. It’s just his family I have a hard time getting along with. He’s got a son who’s seventeen and thinks he’s God’s gift to women or something. (News flash, Nelson. You’re not.) We don’t speak unless we have to. Bill’s got a thirteen-year-old daughter who’s obnoxious. Her name is Kathryn, but she calls herself Kay. Whatever.

We might have to move out of our house into their house. I don’t want to move! If I have to share a room with Kathryn (Kay!!), I will freak. She’d better not touch my stuff.

Mom wants us together all the time before the wedding so we can get to know each other. I think we already know more than enough about each other.

I finally got used to Dad’s new family. (I have a half sister who’s four.) Now this has to happen. I don’t even know what to call Bill. I think he’s hoping I’ll call him Dad. No thanks. I already have a dad.

Sometimes I wish I had a less complicated family.

blended families in focus

With the high divorce rate today, many families are changing and blending. Has that been your experience? If so, you already know that blending families isn’t easy. If you’re in a blended family …

» Let go of what you can’t control (the circumstances, other people) and concentrate on what’s in your realm of control (your responses, your words, your attitude).

» Keep the lines of communication open between you and your parent and potential (or actual) stepparent. If talking is difficult, write your thoughts out first, and then talk them over together.

» Your parent is excited about a new chapter in life. It’s fine if you’re not quite there yet. Be honest and ask your family for patience as you get used to the changes.

» “Pray continually” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

» Make Ephesians 4:29–32 your personal motto.

» Find common ground. Maybe your new stepsister likes the same music you do. Maybe your stepdad likes to hike just as much as you do. Don’t expect miracles, but do give it a chance.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Don’t Leave Me Lonely

Profile: Paige

“You always have to have a boyfriend, don’t you?” Vanessa asked with a smile. She’s my best friend and seems to know me better than I know myself. “Yeah, Paige, have you ever gone without some guy in your life?” Molly chimed in.

“That is so not true, you guys. Remember, Austin and I broke up for two whole days last year!” I joked as I tossed my trash into the bin and walked back to the lunch table.

My friends were only kidding me. But their words hit home—more than they knew. They’re right. I’ve always had a guy in my life. So what does that say about me? That I’m like psycho-dependent or something? I don’t know.

Right now, I’m scared not to be with Austin. He’d go nuts. I tried breaking up with him before, and he freaked out on me. He called me on my cell phone and cussed me out, saying he was going to hurt himself if we didn’t get back together. Then he came by my house—I could hear his car driving by, back and forth all night, and he kept calling my cell and hanging up. But the next day he was so sweet. He was sorry for all that. He’d just “lost his head,” that’s all. He said we were meant for each other and that he loved me. We’re back together and everything, but sometimes I’m still not sure he’s right for me. But without him I’d be alone.

dependency in focus

Relationships are great—as long as the other person supports your growth as an individual. If you’re constantly in relationships, choosing guys that are controlling or emotionally abusive, or putting up with abusive behavior from a guy, you are in an unhealthy pattern. These are signs of dependency and self-esteem issues.

» Girls who are overly dependent on guys are often attracted to the rebel types or guys with emotional problems. Helping “solve” the guy’s problems is one more way these girls can avoid their own.

» God knows all your issues and he still loves you. Read Psalm 139 to get an overview of how God values you and to gain some encouragement to value yourself.

» If you’re noticing a pattern of dating controlling guys, then you might need to do more than move on. Seek some professional counseling to help you process why you’re drawn to these unhealthy relationships … before you really get hurt.

» And if you’re in a relationship where your guy threatens you or actually physically hurts you, act now. Go to an adult you trust and develop a plan to address this issue.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Alone and “Ann”onymous

Profile: Anna

You can describe most girls at our school with one word: Musician. Jock. Cheerleader. Brain. Dork. Popular. Artsy. Whatever. Then there’s me. I don’t feel like I fit in anywhere. I’m the kind of girl who knows a lot of people and can kind of roam from group to group—yet I’m not really close with anyone. Every day at school I feel like a misfit.

I’m not a brainiac like my brother. I’m definitely not a rebel. I’m not Miss Prim-and-Proper either, though. I’m kind of on the fringes of the popular crowd, but I don’t really belong.

I’m too blunt sometimes. I have my own sense of style (I guess you’d call it that) and am not afraid to show up at school wearing sweats and no makeup. Most of the girls hold me at a distance since I’m not like them. If you asked the people I hang out with about me, they’d probably say I’m nice and all, but they don’t really know the real me.

I am in student council. I love everything about it—speaking, community service projects, planning events. It’s incredible. I’ve been told that I’m a good speaker. But is that my high school identity: “Anna Ferguson, Public Speaker”? Yeah, right. Like that’s gonna win me any friends.

fitting in in focus

Ever feel like you know a lot of people but you don’t quite belong anywhere? That’s especially hard for girls. Girls tend to travel in packs, and girls are notorious for getting catty or turning on each other. How do you cope with the ups and downs of trying to fit in?

» Be yourself. If you don’t fit neatly into any of those one-word categories, don’t try. Eventually you’ll find a friend who loves you just the way you are. Be patient.

» You may not be the only one who feels this way. Look for other girls around you who may be struggling to fit in, and who knows—you might be just what they need, and vice versa.

» At the end of the day, there is one best friend who is always there—Jesus Christ. He’ll never turn his back on you. You belong perfectly with him (see Matthew 28:20).

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Where’s the Love?

Profile: Allison

I love hanging out with my friends. I don’t have to pump myself up to hang out with them. I just do it because I like being with them. We never run out of things to say or do (or laugh about!). But with God, I always feel like I have to make an effort.

I feel so guilty! I’m supposed to love God, right? But sometimes I’m not so sure that I do. I mean, I don’t feel anything toward him. It’s kind of hard with him being invisible and all.

I’ve been a Christian since I was twelve. So, it’s been five years. I know we’re supposed to go to church, read the Bible, pray and tell others about Jesus to show our love for him. I try to do all of that. But I don’t enjoy any of it. I read the Bible because I know I should, not because I’m dying to. And sometimes church is boring. (Okay, yeah, I’ve fallen asleep a few times.) And praying? I never think to pray unless I’ve got something big going on. And so far I don’t think I’ve told anybody about Jesus! Every time I have a chance to say something, I freeze up.

Last night, I tried to read the Bible just before I went to bed. Well, next thing I knew, I was waking up three hours later, drooling on the book of Jeremiah.

Are we supposed to fake it with God?

loving God in focus

We’re called to love God with our whole heart and mind (see Matthew 22:37). Think you can do that on your own? No one can—not even the most strong-willed girl out there! You can’t fake that kind of devotion. We love him because he loved us first (see 1 John 4:19). A genuine love for God can flow when you …

» Take time to be honest with God about everything you’re feeling. Sometimes anger or other emotions toward God can make you “feel” like you’re just going through the motions.

» Realize that you won’t always “feel” love for God (see 2 Corinthians 5:7). Choose to love God and to show it by obedience and living a life that reflects that love. Your heart will follow your mind.

» Accept God’s unconditional love and stop trying to earn or repay it.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Call Me Supergirl

Profile: Leanne

This morning when my alarm clock blared, I realized I’d scheduled two meetings before school. I had to blow off studying for chemistry with my friend Tracy because I knew my English teacher needed to talk with me about the after-school poetry reading. I hope Tracy understands I didn’t ditch her on purpose.

The other day she muttered something under her breath about my being an “imaginary friend,” but I pretended I didn’t hear her. What does she expect me to do? With soccer, the school newspaper, working at Jamba Juice and being class president, I’m just about maxed out. Whenever Tracy calls or asks if I can go running or something, I’m always tied up trying to keep my life under control.

Lately, my dad says the only time he sees me is when I whiz by the breakfast table on my way to school. I guess that’s why he started calling me “Supergirl.” Kind of embarrassing when he says it in front of my friends!

Yesterday our athletic director asked me if I’d be willing to coach a little kids’ soccer team this spring. For some reason, I said yes. I know I’ve got too much going, and I feel like I can’t concentrate on anything anymore—but how could I say no to that? It’ll be a good experience and look good on my college applications, and besides, those little kids are so cute.

Still, some days I find myself daydreaming about having a normal life, whatever that means.

overcommitment in focus

So many girls out there are overcommitted. Are you? Are you sleep-deprived because you have so much going on? Do you feel worn thin by rushing around from one thing to the next? Do you feel like everyone wants a piece of you—your family, your friends, your teachers, your coaches—and there’s just not enough of you to go around? Remember …

» Busyness is dangerous because it makes us lose sight of God’s best plan for our lives (see Matthew 6:33).

» Spend time with God and ask him where you should focus your energy (see Psalm 46:10).

» Prioritize what’s most important. Don’t shortchange the things that matter most, like devotions, sleep and homework.

» If you’re feeling overwhelmed, choose to focus on fewer things and do those things well.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Dad’s Little Secret

Profile: Lydia

Dad and I have always been close. We talk about everything. Well, almost everything. We haven’t talked about what I found in the basement two days ago: Playboy and Penthouse magazines.

I couldn’t believe it when I found the box. Those horrible magazines! I found them behind the furnace, of all places. Maybe if they had been just ten inches to the right—actually in the furnace—that would’ve been better.

They had to be Dad’s. My brother Christopher wouldn’t have left anything like this around. He’s not into leaving a paper trail or evidence of any kind.

All I could think was, My own father looks at this stuff. How long has he been doing this? What would Mom think? Does she know?

I know that some porn is considered more “hard-core” than Playboy. Christopher told me that after I caught him looking at some stuff on the Internet. He told me that guys who look at hard-core pornography really have a problem. Like that makes looking at Playboy okay? All of it makes me sick!

I couldn’t even look at my dad after I found it. It’s like he wasn’t the same person anymore.

Maybe he knows something’s wrong. He keeps asking me if I’m okay. I can’t understand why he’d do this. My dad’s a Christian! Yet he’s got this porn stash. It’s like he’s got this secret life.

I wish I knew what to do.

pornography in focus

It’s everywhere. Pornography, that is. It’s on the Internet, on television, at bookstores. Frequent exposure to pornography can lead to feelings of alienation and some changes in personality. If you know someone who struggles with pornography addiction …

» Talk with a trusted Christian adult about the issue. Pray together and come up with a plan for what to do next.

» Just telling a person to “stop” won’t bring about lasting change. Pornography addiction is a bondage that is difficult but not impossible to break. The Holy Spirit can bring freedom. (See John 8:32; Galatians 5:1, 16, 22–25.)

» Show God’s love to the person and work with other adults to confront the person in a nonjudgmental way.

» Be prepared for denial or rationalization.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Shirk the Work?

Profile: Whitney

At my church, everybody’s always going on and on about serving. You gotta serve on the missions team. You gotta teach Sunday school. It’s like the focus is so on “do this, do that.”

It’s not like I don’t want to serve. It’s just that all of the old people at my church won’t let us do anything. They look at us like we’re poison or something. Or maybe they think we’re too dumb to know what we’re doing.

Like in the church nursery. I volunteered to help out once a month with the babies after my mama nagged me to “do something” at church. I love babies, so I really didn’t mind. So, I’d go there and do my thing. But every time I made a move, one of the primary caregivers (that’s what they call the nursery supervisors) would say, “Hold the baby like this, Whitney.” Like I didn’t know you’re supposed to support a baby’s head with your hand. Or, she’d make me clean the room while she got to play with the babies.

After three months of that, I stopped helping out. I’d rather hang out with my friends in the church atrium.

Anyway, I thought the main thing about Christianity was believing in Jesus. Well, I believe in him. I’m real tight with God. So what’s all this about serving? Isn’t that like trying to buy my way into heaven?

serving others in focus

Think you’re exempt from serving? Not if you want to have real faith. “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead … Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds” (James 2:17–18). Serving helps you to …

» Be God’s hands and feet (see Matthew 25:34–40).

» Jump-start your faith.

» Express your love for God—not earn your salvation (see Ephesians 2:8–10).

» Focus on others rather than on yourself.

» Serving others takes time, persistence and humility. It involves knowing where your passions and abilities lie. Bottom line? It involves really wanting to do stuff for others.

For more on this topic, see the index found here.

Peninnah—Rubbing It In

Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her. 1 Samuel 1:6

Not only did Peninnah have to share her husband, Elkanah, with his other wife, Hannah, but she also had to face the fact that he loved Hannah more. Even though Peninnah had given him many sons and daughters, she couldn’t win his favor. Hannah still had his heart—even though she couldn’t have any children.

So what did Peninnah do? She could have looked to God for her strength. She could have befriended Hannah to fill the void her husband left in her heart. But Peninnah chose a different path. She resorted to some classic girl-fight tactics. She tried to cut Hannah down, picked on her for being childless and insulted her, never letting her forget her pain. Peninnah tormented Hannah at every opportunity.

Because Peninnah was jealous, she let her feelings of loss and pain turn ugly.

The truth is, there will always be some girl who seems to be getting more than you. You think she’s more popular, prettier or more talented. Maybe she’s the guys’ favorite, the teachers’ pet or a sister who can do no wrong.

Our natural instinct is to try to lift ourselves up by putting others down. We feel that if we can’t be the most popular, at least we can trash the one who is. That may be what we want to do, but there’s no place for this kind of attitude in a Christian’s life.

What glory is there for the girl who keeps pointing out she is smarter than the prom queen? Especially if the beautiful prom queen has a learning disability and is embarrassed by her struggles in school. Peninnah’s story reminds us that even the girls who seem to have more than we do in one area (like Hannah) have their own heartaches and still need friendship and encouragement. Peninnah’s efforts to lift herself up by stepping on Hannah actually backfired—her jealousy said more about her own shortcomings than Hannah’s. In the same way, how we treat others shows either that we are self-confident enough to lift others up or that we are just jealous little girls.

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Dear God, I don’t want to hurt others to try to get ahead. Help me to lift others up—even the ones who don’t seem like they need it. Amen.

Tamar—When Heartbreak Happens

“No, my brother!” she said to him. “Don’t force me! Such a thing should not be done in Israel! Don’t do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace?” 2 Samuel 13:12–13

She was terrified. She never realized how strong her half brother was—until the moment she realized she could not fight him off.

Many girls are victims of sexual assault, incest, rape or molestation. Even Tamar, the princess daughter of the mighty King David, was not safe. She pleaded as she struggled with Amnon, giving every reason she could think of for him not to rape her. But he chose to ignore her pleas.

Amnon had thought he was in love with Tamar. Second Samuel 13:2 says that “Amnon became so obsessed with his sister Tamar that he made himself ill.” Not exactly a description of someone really in love. In fact, Amnon wasn’t in love with Tamar at all. True love never hurts others or forces others to do things against their will.

Amnon’s rape of Tamar had nothing to do with love. Rape is a violent crime against an innocent victim, and Tamar did nothing to provoke it. Not only did the rape hurt Tamar physically, but it also crushed her spirit and broke her heart. She carried that pain with her the rest of her life. Many girls carry the same emotional scars. They feel as if they should have done something different to avoid what happened or that they are now damaged goods. But if Christ has set us free from our sins, can’t he also free us from the disgrace of others’ sins against us? Yes—he can; he will; he does. In him, we can find freedom from shame and hopelessness. Freedom from feelings of bitterness and false guilt. Freedom to live joyfully, powerfully and victoriously in Christ.

Letting go of our pain doesn’t mean what happened to us was okay. It makes us okay—a vast difference. Due to customs of the time, Tamar couldn’t marry another man after she lost her virginity. That’s why she protested to Amnon, “Sending me away would be a greater wrong than what you have already done to me” (2 Samuel 13:16). Fortunately, girls today don’t have to live with that same stigma. Tamar was never able to let go of her sadness and shame, and it shaped the rest of her life. Ask God to help you let go of anything holding you back today.

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Dear God, I give you my heartbreak today, so it won’t hold me back tomorrow. Set me free from shame, and give me the power to move forward. Amen.