Jeremiah 15

1Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth.

2And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity.

3And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy.footnote a

4And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.footnote b

5For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest?footnote c

6Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.

7And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave them of children, I will destroy my people, since they return not from their ways.footnote d

8Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.footnote e

9She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while it was yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.

10Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.

11The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee well in the time of evil and in the time of affliction.footnote f

12Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?

13Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and that for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.

14And I will make thee to pass with thine enemies into a land which thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burn upon you.

15O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.

16Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.footnote g

17I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

18Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?footnote h

19Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.

20And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.

21And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.

Judgment to Continue

1Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go! 2If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says:‘Those destined for death, to death;those destined for the sword, to the sword;footnote athose destined for famine, to famine;and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’

3I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

5Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem?Who will mourn for you?Who will turn asideto ask about your welfare? 6You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD.You have turned your back.So I will stretch out My hand against youand I will destroy you;I am weary of showing compassion.

7I will scatter them with a winnowing forkat the gates of the land.I will bereave and destroy My peoplewho have not turned from their ways. 8I will make their widows more numerousthan the sand of the sea.I will bring a destroyer at noonagainst the mothers of young men.I will suddenly bring upon themanguish and dismay.

9The mother of seven will grow faint;she will breathe her last breath.Her sun will set while it is still day;she will be disgraced and humiliated.And the rest I will put to the swordin the presence of their enemies,”declares the LORD.

Jeremiah’s Woe

10Woe to me, my mother,that you have borne me,a man of strife and conflictin all the land.I have neither lent nor borrowed,yet everyone curses me.

11The LORD said:“Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose;surely I will intercede with your enemyin your time of trouble,in your time of distress. 12Can anyone smash iron—iron from the north—or bronze? 13Your wealth and your treasuresI will give up as plunder,without charge for all your sinswithin all your borders. 14Then I will enslave you to your enemiesin a landfootnote byou do not know,for My anger will kindle a firethat will burn against you.”

15You understand, O LORD;remember me and attend to me.Avenge me against my persecutors.In Your patience, do not take me away.Know that I endure reproach for Your honor. 16Your words were found, and I ate them.Your words became my joyand my heart’s delight.For I bear Your name,O LORD God of Hosts. 17I never sat with the band of revelers,nor did I celebrate with them.Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone,for You have filled me with indignation. 18Why is my pain unending,and my wound incurable,refusing to be healed?You have indeed become like a mirage to me—water that is not there.

The LORD’s Promise

19Therefore this is what the LORD says:“If you return, I will restore you;you will stand in My presence.And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless,you will be My spokesman.It is they who must turn to you,but you must not turn to them. 20Then I will make you a wall to this people,a fortified wall of bronze;they will fight against youbut will not overcome you,for I am with you to save and deliver you,declares the LORD. 21I will deliver you from the hand of the wickedand redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”