1 “ If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord, “return to Me. If you will put away your false gods from Me and be faithful to Me,

“If you will return, O Israel,” says the Lord, “Return to Me; And if you will put away your abominations out of My sight, Then you shall not be moved.

2 a nd promise, ‘As the Lord lives,’ by what is true and right and good, then the nations will be happy in Him. And in Him they will have honor.”

And you shall swear, ‘The Lord lives,’ In truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; The nations shall bless themselves in Him, And in Him they shall glory.”

3 F or the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, “Break up your ground which has not been planted, and do not plant seeds among thorns.

For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, And do not sow among thorns.

4 S et yourselves apart to the Lord, and put away the flesh from your heart, men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Or My anger will go out like fire and burn with no one to stop it, because of the sinful things you do.” Armies from the North Are Coming

Circumcise yourselves to the Lord, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings.” An Imminent Invasion

5 M ake it known in Judah and Jerusalem, and say, “Sound the horns in the land.” Cry out and say, “Gather together, and let us go into the strong cities made ready for battle.”

Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry, ‘Gather together,’ And say, ‘Assemble yourselves, And let us go into the fortified cities.’

6 L ift up a flag toward Zion! Run to a safe place, do not stand still. For I am bringing much trouble from the north that will destroy much.

Set up the standard toward Zion. Take refuge! Do not delay! For I will bring disaster from the north, And great destruction.”

7 A lion has gone up from his secret place. A destroyer of nations has begun to move. He has gone out from his place to make your land a waste. Your cities will be destroyed and no people will live in them.

The lion has come up from his thicket, And the destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone forth from his place To make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, Without inhabitant.

8 C over yourselves with cloth made from hair because of this. Cry out in sorrow. For the burning anger of the Lord has not turned away from us.

For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail. For the fierce anger of the Lord Has not turned back from us.

9 “ In that day,” says the Lord, “the heart of the king and the hearts of the rulers will become weak. The religious leaders will be filled with fear. And the men of God will be troubled and filled with wonder.”

“And it shall come to pass in that day,” says the Lord, “ That the heart of the king shall perish, And the heart of the princes; The priests shall be astonished, And the prophets shall wonder.”

10 T hen I said, “O Lord God, for sure You have fooled these people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘You will have peace,’ when in truth a sword brings danger to their lives.”

Then I said, “Ah, Lord God! Surely You have greatly deceived this people and Jerusalem, Saying, ‘You shall have peace,’ Whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”

11 A t that time it will be said to these people and Jerusalem, “A hot wind from the open hill-tops in the desert will come toward My people, but not to blow away what is of no worth, and not to make clean.

At that time it will be said To this people and to Jerusalem, “A dry wind of the desolate heights blows in the wilderness Toward the daughter of My people— Not to fan or to cleanse—

12 A wind too strong for this will come at My word. Now I will bring punishment against them.” Armies Are All Around Judah

A wind too strong for these will come for Me; Now I will also speak judgment against them.”

13 S ee, he comes up like clouds. His war-wagons come like the strong-wind. His horses are faster than eagles. It is bad for us, for we are destroyed!

“Behold, he shall come up like clouds, And his chariots like a whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are plundered!”

14 W ash your heart from sin, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved. How long will your sinful thoughts stay within you?

O Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, That you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?

15 F or a voice calls out from Dan, and tells of sin from Mount Ephraim.

For a voice declares from Dan And proclaims affliction from Mount Ephraim:

16 “ Tell it to the nations now! Make it known over all Jerusalem, saying, ‘An army is coming from a far country, and they lift up their voices against the cities of Judah.

“Make mention to the nations, Yes, proclaim against Jerusalem, That watchers come from a far country And raise their voice against the cities of Judah.

17 T hey are against her all around, like watchmen of a field, because she has turned against Me,’ says the Lord.

Like keepers of a field they are against her all around, Because she has been rebellious against Me,” says the Lord.

18 “ Your ways and what you do have brought these things to you. This is your sin. How bitter it is! It has touched your very heart!” Jeremiah Feels Pain for His People

“Your ways and your doings Have procured these things for you. This is your wickedness, Because it is bitter, Because it reaches to your heart.” Sorrow for the Doomed Nation

19 M y soul, my soul! I am in pain! O, my heart! My heart is beating so hard! It cannot be quiet, for I hear the sound of the horn, telling of the coming war.

O my soul, my soul! I am pained in my very heart! My heart makes a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, Because you have heard, O my soul, The sound of the trumpet, The alarm of war.

20 N ews of much trouble comes again and again, for the whole land is laid waste. All at once my tents and my curtains are destroyed.

Destruction upon destruction is cried, For the whole land is plundered. Suddenly my tents are plundered, And my curtains in a moment.

21 H ow long must I see the flag and hear the sound of the horn?

How long will I see the standard, And hear the sound of the trumpet?

22 “ For My people are foolish. They do not know Me. They are children who do not think, and they have no understanding. They know a lot about how to do sinful things, but they do not know how to do good.” Jeremiah Saw What the Future Would Be Like

“For My people are foolish, They have not known Me. They are silly children, And they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, But to do good they have no knowledge.”

23 I looked on the earth and saw that it was an empty waste. I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.

I beheld the earth, and indeed it was without form, and void; And the heavens, they had no light.

24 I looked on the mountains and saw they were shaking, and all the hills moved this way and that.

I beheld the mountains, and indeed they trembled, And all the hills moved back and forth.

25 I looked and saw that there were no people. And all the birds of the heavens had left.

I beheld, and indeed there was no man, And all the birds of the heavens had fled.

26 I looked and saw that the rich land was a desert. All its cities were laid waste before the Lord and His burning anger.

I beheld, and indeed the fruitful land was a wilderness, And all its cities were broken down At the presence of the Lord, By His fierce anger.

27 F or the Lord says, “The whole land will be laid waste, yet I will not destroy everything.

For thus says the Lord: “The whole land shall be desolate; Yet I will not make a full end.

28 F or the earth will be filled with sorrow and the heavens above will be dark, because I have spoken. I have planned it, and will not change My mind or turn back.”

For this shall the earth mourn, And the heavens above be black, Because I have spoken. I have purposed and will not relent, Nor will I turn back from it.

29 E very city runs as they hear the sound of the horseman and the one who fights with arrows. They go among the trees and the rocks. Every city is left empty, and no one lives in them.

The whole city shall flee from the noise of the horsemen and bowmen. They shall go into thickets and climb up on the rocks. Every city shall be forsaken, And not a man shall dwell in it.

30 A nd you, O destroyed one, what will you do? Even when you dress in red, and wear objects of gold, and color your eyes to make them look bigger, you make yourself beautiful for nothing. Your lovers hate you, and want to kill you.

“And when you are plundered, What will you do? Though you clothe yourself with crimson, Though you adorn yourself with ornaments of gold, Though you enlarge your eyes with paint, In vain you will make yourself fair; Your lovers will despise you; They will seek your life.

31 I heard a cry as of a woman in pain, as if she were giving birth to her first child. It was the cry of the people of Zion, working hard to breathe, holding out hands, and saying, “O, it is bad for me! I am losing strength in front of those who want to kill me.”

“For I have heard a voice as of a woman in labor, The anguish as of her who brings forth her first child, The voice of the daughter of Zion bewailing herself; She spreads her hands, saying, ‘Woe is me now, for my soul is weary Because of murderers!’