1 A t that time, saith the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves:

At that time, says the Lord, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves.

2 a nd they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.

And they will scatter before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked and which they have sought, inquired of, and required and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered, or be buried; they shall be like dung upon the face of the earth.

3 A nd death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the Lord of hosts.

And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family (nation), who remain in all the places to which I have driven them, says the Lord of hosts.

4 M oreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return?

Moreover, you shall say to them, Thus says the Lord: Shall men fall and not rise up again? Shall one turn away and not repent and return ?

5 W hy then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return.

Why then is this people of Jerusalem turned away with a perpetual turning away ? They hold fast to deceit (idolatry); they refuse to repent and return.

6 I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle.

I have listened and heard, but they have not spoken aright; no man repents of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? Everyone turns to his course, as the horse rushes like a torrent into battle.

7 Y ea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the Lord.

Yes, the stork in the heavens knows her appointed times, and the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their return. But My people do not know the law of the Lord.

8 H ow do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.

How can you say, We are wise, and we have the written law of the Lord ? Behold, the truth is, the lying pen of the scribes has made of the law a falsehood (a mere code of ceremonial observances).

9 T he wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the Lord; and what wisdom is in them?

The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, and what wisdom and broad, full intelligence is in them?

10 T herefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.

Therefore will I give their wives to others and their fields to those who gain possession of them; for everyone, from the least even to the greatest, is given to covetousness (is greedy for unjust gain); from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely.

11 F or they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.

For they have healed the wound of the daughter of My people only lightly and slightingly, saying, Peace, peace, when there is no peace.

12 W ere they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the Lord.

They are brought to shame because they have committed abominations (extremely disgusting and shamefully vile things). And yet they were not at all ashamed, nor could they blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time of their punishment they shall be overthrown, says the Lord.

13 I will surely consume them, saith the Lord: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

I will gather and sweep them away, utterly consuming them, says the Lord. no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and even the leaf is withered; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

14 W hy do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.

Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fortified cities and be silent or perish there! For the Lord our God has decreed our ruin and given us bitter and poisonous water to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord.

15 W e looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!

We looked for peace and completeness, but no good came, and for a time of healing, but behold, dismay, trouble, and terror!

16 T he snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.

The snorting of horses is heard from Dan. At the sound of the neighing of his strong war-horses the whole land quakes; for they come and devour the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell in it.

17 F or, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord.

For behold, I am sending among you serpents, adders which cannot be charmed, and they shall bite you, says the Lord.

18 W hen I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.

Oh, that I could comfort myself against sorrow,, my heart is sick and faint within me!

19 B ehold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?

Behold the cry of the daughter of my people because of those who dwell in a far country: Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her? Why have they provoked Me to anger with their carved images and with foreign idols?

20 T he harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.

The harvest is past, the summer has ended and the gathering of fruit is over, yet we are not saved!

21 F or the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me.

For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I go around mourning; dismay has taken hold on me.

22 I s there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is not the health of the daughter of my people restored?