Jeremiah 15

¹ Then the LORD said to me, "Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart would not be with this people. Send them away from my presence — let them go!"

² And if they ask you, 'Where shall we go?' say to them: This is what the LORD says:
"Those destined for the plague — to the plague;
those destined for the sword — to the sword;
those destined for famine — to the famine;
those destined for captivity — to captivity."

³ I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyer, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

⁴ I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.

⁵ "Who will have pity on you, Jerusalem?
Who will mourn for you?
Who will turn aside to ask how you are?

⁶ You have forsaken me, declares the LORD;
you keep going backward.
So I will stretch out my hand against you and destroy you —
I am weary of showing compassion."

⁷ I winnowed them with a winnowing fork
at the gates of the land;
I bereaved them and destroyed my people,
for they did not turn from their ways.

⁸ Their widows are more numerous to me
than the sand of the seas.
I have brought against them, against the mother of young men,
a destroyer at noonday.
I have made anguish and terror
fall upon her suddenly.

⁹ She who bore seven sons pines away;
she breathes her last breath.
Her sun has set while it was still day;
she is shamed and disgraced.
And those remaining I will give to the sword
before their enemies,
declares the LORD.

¹⁰ Woe is me, my mother, that you bore me —
a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I have not lent on interest, nor have they lent to me on interest,
yet all of them curse me.

¹¹ The LORD said:
"Surely I will set you free for good purposes;
surely I will make the enemy plead with you
in a time of disaster and a time of distress."

¹² Can iron break northern iron and bronze?

¹³ Your wealth and your treasures
I will give as plunder — free of charge —
because of all your sins,
throughout all your territory.

¹⁴ I will make you serve your enemies
in a land you do not know,
for a fire is kindled in my anger;
it will burn against you forever.

¹⁵ You know, LORD;
remember me, take notice of me,
and take vengeance for me on my persecutors.
In your patience do not take me away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.

¹⁶ Your words were found, and I ate them,
and your words became to me a joy
and the delight of my heart,
for I am called by your name,
O LORD, God of hosts.

¹⁷ I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,
nor did I rejoice;
I sat alone because your hand was upon me,
for you had filled me with indignation.

¹⁸ Why is my pain unending
and my wound grievous, refusing to be healed?
Will you truly be to me like a deceptive brook,
like waters that fail?

¹⁹ Therefore this is what the LORD says:
"If you return, I will restore you,
and you will stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, not what is worthless,
you will be as my mouth.
Let them turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

²⁰ I will make you to this people
a fortified wall of bronze.
They will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to save you and to deliver you,
declares the LORD.

²¹ I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked
and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless."