Study Desk

^[a]1Oh, that my head were a spring of water and my eyes a fountain of tears!^(a) I would weep^(b) day and night for the slain of my people.^(c)

Oh, that I had in the desert^(d) a lodging place for travelers, so that I might leave my people and go away from them; for they are all adulterers,^(e) a crowd of unfaithful^(f) people.

"They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies;^(g) it is not by truth that they triumph^[b] in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge^(h) me," declares the Lord .

"Beware of your friends;⁽ⁱ⁾ do not trust anyone in your clan.^(j) For every one of them is a deceiver,^[c](k) and every friend a slanderer.^(l)

Friend deceives friend,^(m) and no one speaks the truth.⁽ⁿ⁾ They have taught their tongues to lie;^(o) they weary themselves with sinning.

You^[d] live in the midst of deception;^(p) in their deceit they refuse to acknowledge me," declares the Lord .

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says: "See, I will refine^(q) and test^(r) them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?

Their tongue^(s) is a deadly arrow; it speaks deceitfully. With their mouths they all speak cordially to their neighbors,^(t) but in their hearts they set traps^(u) for them.^(v)

Should I not punish them for this?" declares the Lord . "Should I not avenge^(w) myself on such a nation as this?"

I will weep and wail for the mountains and take up a lament concerning the wilderness grasslands.^(x) They are desolate and untraveled, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. The birds^(y) have all fled and the animals are gone.

"I will make Jerusalem a heap^(z) of ruins, a haunt of jackals;^(aa) and I will lay waste the towns of Judah^(ab) so no one can live there."^(ac)

Who is wise^(ad) enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?

The Lord said, "It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law.^(ae)

Instead, they have followed^(af) the stubbornness of their hearts;^(ag) they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them."

Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: "See, I will make this people eat bitter food^(ah) and drink poisoned water.^(ai)

I will scatter them among nations^(aj) that neither they nor their ancestors have known,^(ak) and I will pursue them with the sword^(al) until I have made an end of them."^(am)

This is what the Lord Almighty says: "Consider now! Call for the wailing women^(an) to come; send for the most skillful of them.

Let them come quickly and wail over us till our eyes overflow with tears and water streams from our eyelids.^(ao)

The sound of wailing is heard from Zion: ‘How ruined^(ap) we are! How great is our shame! We must leave our land because our houses are in ruins.'"

Now, you women, hear the word of the Lord ; open your ears to the words of his mouth.^(aq) Teach your daughters how to wail; teach one another a lament.^(ar)

Death has climbed in through our windows^(as) and has entered our fortresses; it has removed the children from the streets and the young men^(at) from the public squares.

Say, "This is what the Lord declares: "‘Dead bodies will lie like dung^(au) on the open field, like cut grain behind the reaper, with no one to gather them.'"

This is what the Lord says: "Let not the wise boast of their wisdom^(av) or the strong boast of their strength^(aw) or the rich boast of their riches,^(ax)

but let the one who boasts boast^(ay) about this: that they have the understanding to know^(az) me, that I am the Lord ,^(ba) who exercises kindness,^(bb) justice and righteousness^(bc) on earth, for in these I delight," declares the Lord .

"The days are coming," declares the Lord , "when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh^(bd)—

Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab and all who live in the wilderness in distant places.^[e](be) For all these nations are really uncircumcised,^(bf) and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.^(bg)"

God and Idols^(a)

Hear what the Lord says to you, people of Israel.

This is what the Lord says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations^(b) or be terrified by signs^(c) in the heavens, though the nations are terrified by them.

For the practices of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman^(d) shapes it with his chisel.^(e)

They adorn it with silver^(f) and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.^(g)

Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak;^(h) they must be carried because they cannot walk.⁽ⁱ⁾ Do not fear them; they can do no harm^(j) nor can they do any good."^(k)

No one is like you,^(l) Lord ; you are great,^(m) and your name is mighty in power.

Who should not fear⁽ⁿ⁾ you, King of the nations?^(o) This is your due. Among all the wise leaders of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is no one like you.

They are all senseless^(p) and foolish;^(q) they are taught by worthless wooden idols.^(r)

Hammered silver is brought from Tarshish^(s) and gold from Uphaz. What the craftsman and goldsmith have made^(t) is then dressed in blue and purple— all made by skilled workers.

But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God,^(u) the eternal King.^(v) When he is angry,^(w) the earth trembles;^(x) the nations cannot endure his wrath.^(y)

"Tell them this: ‘These gods, who did not make the heavens and the earth, will perish^(z) from the earth and from under the heavens.'"^[a]

But God made^(aa) the earth^(ab) by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom^(ac) and stretched out the heavens^(ad) by his understanding.

When he thunders,^(ae) the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning^(af) with the rain^(ag) and brings out the wind from his storehouses.^(ah)

Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed^(ai) by his idols. The images he makes are a fraud;^(aj) they have no breath in them.

They are worthless,^(ak) the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish.

He who is the Portion^(al) of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things,^(am) including Israel, the people of his inheritance^(an)— the Lord Almighty is his name.^(ao)

Gather up your belongings^(ap) to leave the land, you who live under siege.

For this is what the Lord says: "At this time I will hurl^(aq) out those who live in this land; I will bring distress^(ar) on them so that they may be captured."

Woe to me because of my injury! My wound^(as) is incurable! Yet I said to myself, "This is my sickness, and I must endure^(at) it."

My tent^(au) is destroyed; all its ropes are snapped. My children are gone from me and are no more;^(av) no one is left now to pitch my tent or to set up my shelter.

The shepherds^(aw) are senseless^(ax) and do not inquire of the Lord ;^(ay) so they do not prosper^(az) and all their flock is scattered.^(ba)

Listen! The report is coming— a great commotion from the land of the north!^(bb) It will make the towns of Judah desolate,^(bc) a haunt of jackals.^(bd)

Lord , I know that people's lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.^(be)

Discipline me, Lord , but only in due measure— not in your anger,^(bf) or you will reduce me to nothing.^(bg)

Pour out your wrath on the nations^(bh) that do not acknowledge you, on the peoples who do not call on your name.^(bi) For they have devoured^(bj) Jacob; they have devoured him completely and destroyed his homeland.^(bk)

Drought, Famine, Sword

This is the word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:^(a)

"Judah mourns,^(b) her cities languish; they wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem.

The nobles send their servants for water; they go to the cisterns but find no water.^(c) They return with their jars unfilled; dismayed and despairing, they cover their heads.^(d)

The ground is cracked because there is no rain in the land;^(e) the farmers are dismayed and cover their heads.

Even the doe in the field deserts her newborn fawn because there is no grass.^(f)

Wild donkeys stand on the barren heights^(g) and pant like jackals; their eyes fail for lack of food."^(h)

Although our sins testify⁽ⁱ⁾ against us, do something, Lord , for the sake of your name.^(j) For we have often rebelled;^(k) we have sinned^(l) against you.

You who are the hope^(m) of Israel, its Savior⁽ⁿ⁾ in times of distress,^(o) why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?

Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save?^(p) You are among^(q) us, Lord , and we bear your name;^(r) do not forsake^(s) us!

This is what the Lord says about this people: "They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet.^(t) So the Lord does not accept^(u) them; he will now remember^(v) their wickedness and punish them for their sins."^(w)

Then the Lord said to me, "Do not pray^(x) for the well-being of this people.

Although they fast, I will not listen to their cry;^(y) though they offer burnt offerings^(z) and grain offerings,^(aa) I will not accept^(ab) them. Instead, I will destroy them with the sword,^(ac) famine^(ad) and plague."^(ae)

But I said, "Alas, Sovereign Lord ! The prophets^(af) keep telling them, ‘You will not see the sword or suffer famine.^(ag) Indeed, I will give you lasting peace^(ah) in this place.'"

Then the Lord said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies^(ai) in my name. I have not sent^(aj) them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions,^(ak) divinations,^(al) idolatries^[a] and the delusions of their own minds.

Therefore this is what the Lord says about the prophets who are prophesying in my name: I did not send them, yet they are saying, ‘No sword or famine will touch this land.' Those same prophets will perish^(am) by sword and famine.^(an)

And the people they are prophesying to will be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and sword. There will be no one to bury^(ao) them, their wives, their sons and their daughters.^(ap) I will pour out on them the calamity they deserve.^(aq)

"Speak this word to them: "‘Let my eyes overflow with tears^(ar) night and day without ceasing; for the Virgin^(as) Daughter, my people, has suffered a grievous wound, a crushing blow.^(at)

If I go into the country, I see those slain by the sword; if I go into the city, I see the ravages of famine.^(au) Both prophet and priest have gone to a land they know not.^(av)'"

Have you rejected Judah completely?^(aw) Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed?^(ax) We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.^(ay)

We acknowledge^(az) our wickedness, Lord , and the guilt of our ancestors;^(ba) we have indeed sinned^(bb) against you.

For the sake of your name^(bc) do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne.^(bd) Remember your covenant^(be) with us and do not break it.

Do any of the worthless idols^(bf) of the nations bring rain?^(bg) Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.^(bh)