Jeremiah 6
The Doom of Jerusalem
and Judah |
1 |
O ye children of Benjamin, gather
yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem, and blow the
trumpet in Teko'a, and set up a sign of fire in Beth-hac'cerem: for
evil appeareth out of the north, and great destruction.
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2 |
I have likened the daughter of Zion to a
comely and delicate woman.
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3 |
The shepherds with their flocks shall
come unto her; they shall pitch their tents against her round
about; they shall feed every one in his place.
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4 |
Prepare ye war against her; arise, and
let us go up at noon. Woe unto us! for the day goeth away, for the
shadows of the evening are stretched out.
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5 |
Arise, and let us go by night, and let us
destroy her palaces.
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6 |
For thus hath the LORD of hosts said, Hew ye down trees, and cast a
mount against Jerusalem: this is the city to be visited; she is wholly oppression in the midst of her.
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7 |
As a fountain casteth out her waters, so
she casteth out her wickedness: violence and spoil is heard in her;
before me continually is grief and wounds.
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8 |
Be thou instructed, O Jerusalem, lest my
soul depart from thee; lest I make thee desolate, a land not
inhabited.
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9 |
Thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall thoroughly glean the remnant
of Israel as a vine: turn back thine hand as a grape gatherer into
the baskets.
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10 |
To whom shall I speak, and give warning,
that they may hear? Behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and
they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in
it.
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11 |
Therefore I am full of the fury of the
LORD; I am weary with holding in: I will pour
it out upon the children abroad, and upon the assembly of young men
together: for even the husband with the wife shall be taken, the
aged with him that is full of days.
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12 |
And their houses shall be turned unto
others, with their fields and wives together: for I will
stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land, saith the
LORD.
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13 |
For from the least of them even unto the
greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from
the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth
falsely.
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14 |
They have healed also the hurt of the
daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there
is no peace. Ezek. 13.10
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15 |
Were they ashamed when they had committed
abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they
blush; therefore they shall fall among them that fall: at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith the LORD. Jer. 8.10-12
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16 |
Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the
old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye
shall find rest for your souls. Mt. 11.29 But they said, We will not walk therein.
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17 |
Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said,
We will not hearken.
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18 |
Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O
congregation, what is among them.
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19 |
Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil
upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because
they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected
it.
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20 |
To what purpose cometh there to me
incense from Sheba, and the sweet cane from a far country? your
burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices sweet
unto me.
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21 |
Therefore thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will lay stumblingblocks before this
people, and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them;
the neighbor and his friend shall perish.
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22 |
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, a people cometh from the north country,
and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the
earth.
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23 |
They shall lay hold on bow and spear;
they are cruel, and have no mercy; their voice roareth like
the sea; and they ride upon horses, set in array as men for war
against thee, O daughter of Zion.
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24 |
We have heard the fame thereof: our hands
wax feeble: anguish hath taken hold of us, and pain, as of a
woman in travail.
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25 |
Go not forth into the field, nor walk by
the way; for the sword of the enemy and fear is on
every side.
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26 |
O daughter of my people, gird thee with sackcloth, and wallow thyself in ashes: make thee mourning, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation: for the spoiler
shall suddenly come upon us.
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27 |
I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, that thou mayest know and try
their way.
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28 |
They are all grievous revolters,
walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters.
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29 |
The bellows are burned, the lead is
consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked
are not plucked away.
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30 |
Reprobate silver shall men call
them, because the LORD hath rejected
them.
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