1 A t 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.

“At that time,” says the Lord, “they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of its 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.

2 A nd 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.

They shall spread them before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served and after which they have walked, which they have sought and which they have worshiped. They shall not be gathered nor buried; they shall be like refuse on the face of the earth.

3 A nd 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.

Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the Lord of hosts. The Peril of False Teaching

4 M oreover, 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 ?

“Moreover you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Will they fall and not rise? Will one turn away and not return?

5 W hy 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.

Why has this people slidden back, Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding? They hold fast to deceit, They refuse to return.

6 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.

I listened and heard, But they do not speak aright. No man repented of his wickedness, Saying, ‘What have I done?’ Everyone turned to his own course, As the horse rushes into the battle.

7 Y es, 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.

“Even the stork in the heavens Knows her appointed times; And the turtledove, the swift, and the swallow Observe the time of their coming. But My people do not know the judgment of the Lord.

8 H ow 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).

“How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the Lord is with us’? Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood.

9 T he 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?

The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord; So what wisdom do they have?

10 T herefore 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.

Therefore I will give their wives to others, And their fields to those who will inherit them; Because from the least even to the greatest Everyone is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest Everyone deals falsely.

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

For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of My people slightly, Saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace.

12 T hey 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.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No! They were not at all ashamed, Nor did they know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; In the time of their punishment They shall be cast down,” says the Lord.

13 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.

“I will surely consume them,” says the Lord. “No grapes shall be on the vine, Nor figs on the fig tree, And the leaf shall fade; And the things I have given them shall pass away from them.”’”

14 W hy 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.

“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, And let us enter the fortified cities, And let us be silent there. For the Lord our God has put us to silence And given us water of gall to drink, Because we have sinned against the Lord.

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

“ We looked for peace, but no good came; And for a time of health, and there was trouble!

16 T he 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.

The snorting of His horses was heard from Dan. The whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of His strong ones; For they have come and devoured the land and all that is in it, The city and those who dwell in it.”

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

“For behold, I will send serpents among you, Vipers which cannot be charmed, And they shall bite you,” says the Lord. The Prophet Mourns for the People

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

I would comfort myself in sorrow; My heart is faint in me.

19 B ehold 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?

Listen! The voice, The cry of the daughter of my people From 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— With foreign idols?”

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

“The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!”

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

For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of 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 restored?

Is there no balm in Gilead, Is there no physician there? Why then is there no recovery For the health of the daughter of my people?