1‘If you, Israel, will return,’ declares the Lord, ‘then return to me.’ ‘If you put your detestable idols out of my sight and no longer go astray,2and if in a truthful, just and righteous way you swear, “As surely as the Lord lives,” then the nations will invoke blessings by him and in him they will boast.’3This is what the Lord says to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: ‘Break up your unploughed ground and do not sow among thorns.4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, circumcise your hearts, you people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, or my wrath will flare up and burn like fire because of the evil you have done – burn with no-one to quench it.
Disaster from the North
5‘Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say: “Sound the trumpet throughout the land!” Cry aloud and say: “Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities!”6Raise the signal to go to Zion! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, even terrible destruction.’7A lion has come out of his lair; a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to lay waste your land. Your towns will lie in ruins without inhabitant.8So put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned away from us.9‘In that day,’ declares the Lord, ‘the king and the officials will lose heart, the priests will be horrified, and the prophets will be appalled.’10Then I said, ‘Alas, Sovereign Lord! How completely you have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, “You will have peace,” when the sword is at our throats!’11At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, ‘A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert blows towards my people, but not to winnow or cleanse;12a wind too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments against them.’13Look! He advances like the clouds, his chariots come like a whirlwind, his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us! We are ruined!14Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbour wicked thoughts?15A voice is announcing from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.16‘Tell this to the nations, proclaim concerning Jerusalem: “A besieging army is coming from a distant land, raising a war cry against the cities of Judah.17They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against me,” ’ declares the Lord.18‘Your own conduct and actions have brought this on you. This is your punishment. How bitter it is! How it pierces to the heart!’19Oh, my anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the agony of my heart! My heart pounds within me, I cannot keep silent. For I have heard the sound of the trumpet; I have heard the battle cry.20Disaster follows disaster; the whole land lies in ruins. In an instant my tents are destroyed, my shelter in a moment.21How long must I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?22‘My people are fools; they do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding. They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good.’23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty; and at the heavens, and their light was gone.24I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.25I looked, and there were no people; every bird in the sky had flown away.26I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert; all its towns lay in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger.27This is what the Lord says: ‘The whole land will be ruined, though I will not destroy it completely.28Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above grow dark, because I have spoken and will not relent, I have decided and will not turn back.’29At the sound of horsemen and archers every town takes to flight. Some go into the thickets; some climb up among the rocks. All the towns are deserted; no-one lives in them.30What are you doing, you devastated one? Why dress yourself in scarlet and put on jewels of gold? Why highlight your eyes with makeup? You adorn yourself in vain. Your lovers despise you; they want to kill you.31I hear a cry as of a woman in labour, a groan as of one bearing her first child – the cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands and saying, ‘Alas! I am fainting; my life is given over to murderers.’
Jeremiah 4
English Standard Version
1“If you return, O Israel, declares the Lord, to me you should return. If you remove your detestable things from my presence, and do not waver, (1Ki 14:15; Joe 2:12)2and if you swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.” (De 6:13; Isa 65:16; 1Co 1:31; 2Co 10:17)3For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. (Ho 10:12; Mt 13:7; Mt 13:22; Mr 4:7; Mr 4:18; Lu 8:7; Lu 8:14)4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest my wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds.” (De 10:16; De 28:20; Jer 9:26; Jer 21:12; Ro 2:28)
Disaster from the North
5Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet through the land; cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble, and let us go into the fortified cities!’ (Jer 6:1; Jer 8:14; Ho 5:8; Joe 2:1)6Raise a standard toward Zion, flee for safety, stay not, for I bring disaster from the north, and great destruction. (Isa 1:28; Jer 1:13; Jer 50:2; Jer 51:12; Jer 51:27)7A lion has gone up from his thicket, a destroyer of nations has set out; he has gone out from his place to make your land a waste; your cities will be ruins without inhabitant. (Isa 5:9; Isa 6:11; Jer 2:15; Jer 5:6; Jer 33:10; Jer 34:22; Jer 46:19; Jer 49:19)8For this put on sackcloth, lament and wail, for the fierce anger of the Lord has not turned back from us.” (Nu 25:4; Ps 78:49; Isa 13:9; Isa 22:12; Isa 32:11; Jer 6:26)9“In that day, declares the Lord, courage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” (Ps 48:4)10Then I said, “Ah, Lord God, surely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.” (1Ki 22:22; Eze 14:9)11At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, (Jer 3:2)12a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who speak in judgment upon them.” (Jer 1:16)13Behold, he comes up like clouds; his chariots like the whirlwind; his horses are swifter than eagles— woe to us, for we are ruined! (2Sa 1:23; Isa 5:28; Jer 9:19; La 4:19)14O Jerusalem, wash your heart from evil, that you may be saved. How long shall your wicked thoughts lodge within you? (Ps 51:2; Ps 51:7; Isa 1:16; Jas 4:8)15For a voice declares from Dan and proclaims trouble from Mount Ephraim. (Jos 24:33; Jer 8:16)16Warn the nations that he is coming; announce to Jerusalem, “Besiegers come from a distant land; they shout against the cities of Judah. (Jer 5:15)17Like keepers of a field are they against her all around, because she has rebelled against me, declares the Lord. (2Ki 25:1; Jer 6:3)18Your ways and your deeds have brought this upon you. This is your doom, and it is bitter; it has reached your very heart.” (Jer 2:19)
Anguish over Judah’s Desolation
19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh the walls of my heart! My heart is beating wildly; I cannot keep silent, for I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. (Isa 16:11; Isa 22:4; Jer 9:1; Hab 3:16)20Crash follows hard on crash; the whole land is laid waste. Suddenly my tents are laid waste, my curtains in a moment. (Jer 10:20; Jer 49:29; Eze 7:26)21How long must I see the standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?22“For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are ‘wise’—in doing evil! But how to do good they know not.” (Ps 36:3; Ps 82:5; Isa 1:3; Isa 1:16; Ro 16:19)23I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light. (Ge 1:2; Isa 5:30)24I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro. (Na 1:5)25I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled. (Zep 1:3)26I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the Lord, before his fierce anger. (Ps 107:34; Jer 4:8)27For thus says the Lord, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end. (Ne 9:31; Jer 5:10; Jer 5:18; Jer 30:11; Jer 46:28; Eze 11:13)28“For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.” (Nu 23:19; Isa 50:3; Jer 12:4; Ho 4:3)29At the noise of horseman and archer every city takes to flight; they enter thickets; they climb among rocks; all the cities are forsaken, and no man dwells in them. (Jer 4:7)30And you, O desolate one, what do you mean that you dress in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? In vain you beautify yourself. Your lovers despise you; they seek your life. (2Ki 9:30; Isa 61:10; La 1:2; La 1:19; Eze 23:22)31For I heard a cry as of a woman in labor, anguish as of one giving birth to her first child, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands, “Woe is me! I am fainting before murderers.” (Isa 1:15; Isa 13:8; Jer 6:24; La 1:17)