5“For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem, Or who will mourn for you, Or who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6“You have abandoned (rejected) Me,” says the LORD. “You keep going backward. Therefore I shall stretch out My hand against you and destroy you; I am tired of delaying [your punishment]!
7“I will winnow (sort, separate) them with a winnowing fork At the gates of the land; I will deprive them of children, I will destroy My people; They did not repent and turn from their [evil] ways.
8“I will make their widows more numerous before Me Than the sand of the seas; I will bring against them, against the mother of the young men, A [a]destroyer at noonday; I will suddenly cause anguish and terror To fall on her.
9“She who has borne seven [sons] languishes; She has breathed out her soul. Her sun has set while it was still day; She has been shamed and humiliated. So I will hand over [the rest of] the survivors to the sword Before their enemies,” says the LORD.
10Woe to me, my mother, that you have given birth to me To be a man of strife and a man of contention to all the earth! I have not loaned, nor have men lent money to me, Yet everyone curses me.
11The LORD said, “Surely [it will go well for Judah’s obedient remnant for] I will set you free for good purposes; Surely [Jeremiah] I will [intercede for you with the enemy and I will] cause the enemy to plead with you [for help] In a time of disaster and a time of distress.
12“Can anyone crush iron, The iron from the north, or bronze?
13“Your [nation’s] riches and your treasures I will give as plunder without price [to the Babylonians], Because of all your sins And within all your territories.
14“Then I will make your enemies bring [you along with] your possessions Into a land which you do not know [for there you will serve your conquerors]; For a fire has been kindled in My anger, Which will burn upon you.”
Jeremiah’s Prayer and God’s Answer
15O LORD, You know and understand; Remember me [thoughtfully], take notice of me, take vengeance for me on my persecutors. Do not, in view of Your patience, take me away; Know that for Your sake I endure [continual] rebuke and dishonor.
16Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became a joy to me and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O LORD God of hosts.
17I did not sit with the group of those who celebrate, Nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because Your [powerful] hand was upon me, For You had filled me with indignation [at their sin].
18Why has my pain been perpetual And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you indeed be to me like a deceptive brook With water that is unreliable?
19Therefore, thus says the LORD [to Jeremiah],
“If you repent [and give up this mistaken attitude of despair and self-pity], then I will restore you [to a state of inner peace] So that you may stand before Me [as My obedient representative]; And if you separate the precious from the worthless [examining yourself and cleansing your heart from unwarranted doubt concerning My faithfulness], You will become My spokesman. Let the people turn to you [and learn to value My values]-- But you, you must not turn to them [with regard for their idolatry and wickedness].
20“And I will make you to this people A fortified wall of bronze; They will fight against you, But they will not prevail over you, For I am with you [always] to save you And [b]protect you,” says the LORD.
21“So I will rescue you out of the hand of the wicked, And I will redeem you from the [grasping] palm of the terrible and ruthless [tyrant].”
8 A midday attack would be completely unexpected.
20 Lit deliver.
