Jeremiah 4 BSB ISV Parallel

◄ Jeremiah 4 ►

BSB Parallel ISV [BSB CSB ESV HCS KJV ISV NAS NET NIV NLT HEB]

Berean Study Bible

International Standard Version

1“If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares the LORD. “If you will remove your detestable idols from My sight and no longer waver,

1"Israel, if you return to me," declares the LORD, "Return to me, remove your detestable idols from my presence, and don't waver.

2and if you can swear, ‘As surely as the LORD lives,’ in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then the nations will be blessed by Him, and in Him they will glory.”

2If you swear, 'as surely as the LORD lives,' in truth, in justice, and in righteousness, then nations will be blessed by him, and in him they will boast."

3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your unplowed ground, and do not sow among the thorns.

3For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, "Break up your unplowed ground, and don't sow among thorns.

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, and remove the foreskins of your hearts, O men of Judah and people of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it, because of your evil deeds.”

4Circumcise yourselves to the LORD and remove the foreskin of your heart, you men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem, or else my wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to put it out, because of your evil deeds."

5Announce in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: “Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves and let us flee to the fortified cities.’

5Declare in Judah, make known in Jerusalem, by saying, "Blow the trumpet in the land, cry out, and say, 'Gather together and let's go to the fortified cities!'

6Raise a signal flag toward Zion. Seek refuge! Do not delay! For I am bringing disaster from the north, and terrible destruction.

6Raise a standard in the direction of Zion. Flee! Don't stand around! For I'm bringing calamity from the north, along with great destruction.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to lay waste your land. Your cities will be reduced to ruins and lie uninhabited.

7A lion has gone up from his thicket, and a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his place to make your land a waste. Your cities will be ruined, and without inhabitants.

8So put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, for the fierce anger of the LORD has not turned away from us.”

8So, put on sackcloth, mourn and wail, because the burning anger of the LORD has not turned away from us."

9“In that day,” declares the LORD, “the king and officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be astounded.”

9"On that day," declares the LORD, "the courage of the king and the leaders will fail. The priests will be appalled and the prophets astounded."

10Then I said, “Ah, Lord GOD, how completely You have deceived this people and Jerusalem by saying, ‘You will have peace,’ while a sword is at our throats.”

10Then I replied, "Ah, Lord GOD, you have completely deceived this people and Jerusalem when you said, 'You will have peace,' while the sword is at their throat!"

11At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A searing wind from the barren heights in the desert blows toward the daughter of My people, but not to winnow or to sift;

11At that time, it will be told this people and to Jerusalem, "A scorching wind from the barren heights in the desert is coming toward my people, and it's not for winnowing or cleansing.

12a wind too strong for that comes from Me. Now I also pronounce judgments against them.”

12A wind too strong for that is coming at my bidding. Now I'm judging them as I speak."

13Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!

13Look, he comes up like clouds, and his chariots are like a whirlwind. His horses are as swift as eagles. Woe to us—we're destroyed!

14Wash the evil from your heart, O Jerusalem, so that you may be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts within you?

14Jerusalem, wash your evil from your heart so that you may be delivered. How long will you harbor evil schemes within you?

15For a voice resounds from Dan, proclaiming disaster from the hills of Ephraim.

15For a voice announces from Dan and declares disaster from Mount Ephraim.

16Warn the nations now! Proclaim to Jerusalem: “A besieging army comes from a distant land; they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.

16"Tell the nations, 'Here they come!' Proclaim to Jerusalem, 'The besieging forces are coming from a distant land. They cry out against the cities of Judah.

17They surround her like men guarding a field, because she has rebelled against Me,” declares the LORD.

17They have surrounded her like those guarding a field because they have rebelled against me,'" declares the LORD.

18“Your ways and deeds have brought this upon you. This is your punishment; how bitter it is, because it pierces to the heart!”

18"Your lifestyles and your actions have brought these things on you. This is your calamity—it is indeed bitter, for it has reached your heart!"

19My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain! Oh, the pain in my chest! My heart pounds within me; I cannot be silent. For I have heard the sound of the horn, the alarm of battle.

19"My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain. Oh, the aching of my heart! My heart pounds within me; I cannot keep silent. For I hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm for war.

20Disaster after disaster is proclaimed, for the whole land is laid waste. My tents are destroyed in an instant, my curtains in a moment.

20Disaster upon disaster is proclaimed, for the entire land is devastated. Suddenly, my tent is destroyed, in a moment my curtains.

21How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the horn?

21How long will I see the battle standard and hear the sound of the trumpet?

22“For My people are fools; they have not known Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. They are skilled in doing evil, but they know not how to do good.”

22"For my people are foolish, they don't know me. They're stupid children, they have no understanding. They're skilled at doing evil, but how to do good, they don't know."

23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void; I looked to the heavens, and they had no light.

23I looked at the earth, and it was formless and void, at the heavens, and there was no light there.

24I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.

24I looked at the mountains; they were quaking, and all the hills moved back and forth.

25I looked, and no man was left; all the birds of the air had fled.

25I looked, and no people were there. All the birds of the sky had gone.

26I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert. All its cities were torn down before the LORD, before His fierce anger.

26I looked, and the fruitful land had become a desert. All its towns were broken down because of the LORD, because of his burning anger.

27For this is what the LORD says: “The whole land will be desolate, but I will not finish its destruction.

27For this is what the LORD says: "The entire land will be devastated, but I won't completely destroy it.

28Therefore the earth will mourn and the heavens above will grow dark. I have spoken, I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back.”

28Because of this, the land will mourn, and the heavens above will be dark. Because I have spoken and decided, I won't turn back from doing it."

29Every city flees at the sound of the horseman and archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.

29At the sound of the horseman and the archer the entire city flees. Its residents go into the thickets and climb among the rocks. Every city is abandoned, and no one lives in them.

30And you, O devastated one, what will you do, though you dress yourself in scarlet, though you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, though you enlarge your eyes with paint? You adorn yourself in vain; your lovers despise you; they want to take your life.

30You are ruined! What are you doing dressing in scarlet, putting on golden ornaments, and highlighting your eyes with makeup? You are making yourself beautiful in vain. Your lovers reject you— they're out to kill you.

31For I hear a cry like a woman in labor, a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child—the cry of the Daughter of Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands to say, “Woe is me, for my soul faints before the murderers!”

31I heard a cry like that of a woman in labor, anguish like one giving birth to her firstborn, the cry of the daughter of Zion gasping for air, stretching out her hand: "Woe is me! I'm about to faint in front of killers!"

Bible Hub