Jeremiah 4:1-12 ▼

1 “If you will return, O Israel,” says the LORD, “If you will return to Me, And if you will put away your detestable things and remove your man-made gods from My sight, And not stray or waver,

2 And if you swear [your oaths], ‘As the LORD lives,’ In truth, in justice, and in righteousness, Then the nations will bless themselves in Him, And in Him they will glory.”

3 For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and to Jerusalem, “Plow your uncultivated ground [for a season], And do not sow among thorns.

4 “Circumcise (dedicate, sanctify) yourselves to the LORD And remove the foreskin [sins] of your heart, Men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Or else My wrath will go forth like fire [consuming all that gets in its way] And burn and there will be no one to quench it, Because of the evil of your acts.”

5 Declare in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say, “Blow the trumpet in the land; Cry aloud and say, ‘Assemble yourselves, and let us go Into the fortified cities.’

6 “Raise a banner toward Zion [to mark the way for those seeking safety inside Jerusalem’s walls]! Seek refuge, do not stand [immobile], For I am bringing evil from the north (the army of Babylon), And great destruction.

7 “A lion has left his lair, And a destroyer of nations is on his way. He has gone out from his place To desolate your land; Your cities will be in ruins Without an inhabitant.

8 “For this reason, put on sackcloth [for mourning], Lament (mourn with expressions of grief for the dead) and wail, For the fierce anger of the LORD Has not turned back from us.”

9 “It shall come about in that day,” says the LORD, “that the heart and courage of the king will fail (be paralyzed), and also the heart of the princes; the priests will be appalled and the prophets will be astounded and horrified.”

10 Then I said, “Alas, Lord GOD! Surely You have completely deceived and misled this people and Jerusalem, [for the prophets represented You as] saying [to Your people], ‘You will have peace,’ but [in fact] a sword reaches to their throat.”

11 In that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A scorching wind from the barren heights in the wilderness [comes at My command] against the daughter of My people—not [a wind] to winnow and not to cleanse [from chaff, as when threshing, but]

12 a wind too strong and full for this comes at My word. Now I will also speak judgment against My people.”