Jeremiah 5:1-17 ▼

1 “Roam about in the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and take note! And seek in her open squares to see if you⁺ can find a man, if there be any doing justice and seeking the truth, and I will grant forgiveness to her.

2 And if they say ‘As YHWH’ lives,’ surely they swear to a falsehood.”

3 O YHWH, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have struck them, and they have not grieved; You have finished them off; they have refused to receive discipline. They have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to turn back.

4 And I said, “Surely these are poor; they are foolish, for they do not know the way of YHWH, the justice of their God.

5 I shall go Myself to the great ones, and will speak to them, for they have known the way of YHWH, the justice of their God.” But they have broken the yoke as one; they have drawn away the bonds.

6 Therefore a lion will strike them down from the forest, a wolf of the desert plains will ravage them; a leopard is keeping watch over their cities—therefore all going out from them will be torn apart, because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are numerous!

7 “How can I grant forgiveness to you for this? Your sons have forsaken Me and have sworn by those not gods. And I satisfied them, and they committed adultery, and in the houses of a harlot they gather themselves together.

8 They were well-fed lusting horses—each man neighing after the wife of his neighbor.

9 Should I not punish over these things,” a declaration of YHWH, “And shall not My soul avenge itself on such a nation as this?

10 Go up among her vine-rows, and ravage them! You shall not make a full end. And take away her branches, for they are not of YHWH.

11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have been utterly treacherous with Me,” a declaration of YHWH.

12 They have lied about YHWH and said, “It is not He! And neither will evil come upon us, and we shall not see sword or famine.

13 And the prophets will become as wind; and for the word is not in them; thus shall it be done to them.

14 Therefore, thus says YHWH God of Hosts: “Because you⁺ speak this word, behold, I will make My words into a fire in your mouth, and this people the wood, and it shall devour them!

15 Behold, I am bringing against you⁺ a nation from afar, O house of Israel,” a declaration of YHWH. “It is an enduring nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose tongue you do not know, and you do not understand what they say.

16 Its quiver is kept open like a grave, all of them are mighty men.

17 And it will consume your harvest and your bread; they will consume your sons and daughters, it will consume your flock and your herd, it will consume your vine and your fig tree; it will beat down with the sword your fortified cities, which you are trusting in them.”