|
|
|
|
1. The Lord says, "Walk the streets of Jerusalem. Look around and think about these things. Search the public squares of the city. See if you can find one good person, one who does honest things and who searches for the truth. If you find one good person, I will forgive Jerusalem.
|
1. Run ye to and fro H7751 through the streets H2351 of Jerusalem H3389 , and see H7200 now H4994 , and know H3045 , and seek H1245 in the broad places H7339 thereof, if H518 ye can find H4672 a man H376 , if H518 there be H3426 any that executeth H6213 judgment H4941 , that seeketh H1245 the truth H530 ; and I will pardon H5545 it.
|
|
2. The people make promises and say, 'As the Lord lives.' But they don't really mean it!"
|
2. And though H518 they say H559 , The LORD H3068 liveth H2416 ; surely H3651 they swear H7650 falsely H8267 .
|
|
3. Lord, I know that you want people to be loyal to you. You hit the people of Judah, but they did not feel any pain. You destroyed them, but they refused to learn their lesson. They became very stubborn. They refused to be sorry for the bad things they did.
|
3. O LORD H3068 , are not H3808 thine eyes H5869 upon the truth H530 ? thou hast stricken H5221 them , but they have not H3808 grieved H2342 ; thou hast consumed H3615 them, but they have refused H3985 to receive H3947 correction H4148 : they have made their faces H6440 harder H2388 than a rock H4480 H5553 ; they have refused H3985 to return H7725 .
|
|
4. But I said to myself, "It must be only the poor who are so foolish. They have not learned the way of the Lord. They don't know the teachings of their God.
|
4. Therefore I H589 said H559 , Surely H389 these H1992 are poor H1800 ; they are foolish H2973 : for H3588 they know H3045 not H3808 the way H1870 of the LORD H3068 , nor the judgment H4941 of their God H430 .
|
|
5. So I will go to the leaders of Judah. I will talk to them. Surely the leaders know the way of the Lord. Surely they know the law of their God." But the leaders had all joined together to break away from serving the Lord.
|
5. I will get H1980 me unto H413 the great men H1419 , and will speak unto H1696 them; for H3588 they H1992 have known H3045 the way H1870 of the LORD H3068 , and the judgment H4941 of their God H430 : but H389 these H1992 have altogether H3162 broken H7665 the yoke H5923 , and burst H5423 the bonds H4147 .
|
|
6. They turned against God, so a lion from the forest will attack them. A wolf from the desert will kill them. A leopard is hiding near their cities. It will tear to pieces anyone who comes out of the city. That's because the people of Judah have sinned again and again. They have wandered away from the Lord many times.
|
6. Wherefore H5921 H3651 a lion H738 out of the forest H4480 H3293 shall slay H5221 them, and a wolf H2061 of the evenings H6160 shall spoil H7703 them , a leopard H5246 shall watch H8245 over H5921 their cities H5892 : every one H3605 that goeth out H3318 thence H4480 H2007 shall be torn in pieces H2963 : because H3588 their transgressions H6588 are many H7231 , and their backslidings H4878 are increased H6105 .
|
|
7. The Lord said, "Judah, give me one good reason why I should forgive you. Your children have abandoned me. They made promises to idols that are not really gods! I gave your children everything they needed, but they were still unfaithful to me! They spent their time with prostitutes.
|
7. How H335 shall I pardon H5545 thee for this H2063 ? thy children H1121 have forsaken H5800 me , and sworn H7650 by them that are no H3808 gods H430 : when I had fed them to the full H7646 H853 , they then committed adultery H5003 , and assembled themselves H1413 by troops in the harlots H2181 houses H1004 .
|
|
8. They are like horses that have had plenty to eat and are ready to mate. They are like a horse that is calling its neighbor's wife.
|
8. They were H1961 as fed H2109 horses H5483 in the morning H7904 : every one H376 neighed H6670 after H413 his neighbor H7453 's wife H802 .
|
|
9. Should I punish the people of Judah for doing these things?" This message is from the Lord. "You know I should punish a nation such as this. I should give it the punishment it deserves.
|
9. Shall I not H3808 visit H6485 for H5921 these H428 things ? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 : and H518 shall not H3808 my soul H5315 be avenged H5358 on such H834 a nation H1471 as this H2088 ?
|
|
10. "Go along the rows of Judah's grapevines. Cut down the vines, but don't completely destroy them. Cut off all their branches, because they don't belong to the Lord.
|
10. Go ye up H5927 upon her walls H8284 , and destroy H7843 ; but make H6213 not H408 a full end H3617 : take away H5493 her battlements H5189 ; for H3588 they H1992 are not H3808 the LORD H3068 's.
|
|
11. The family of Israel and the family of Judah have been unfaithful to me in every way." This message is from the Lord.
|
11. For H3588 the house H1004 of Israel H3478 and the house H1004 of Judah H3063 have dealt very treacherously H898 H898 against me, saith H5002 the LORD H3068 .
|
|
12. "Those people lied about the Lord. They said, 'He will not do anything to us. Nothing bad will happen to us. We will never see an army attack us. We will never starve.'
|
12. They have belied H3584 the LORD H3068 , and said H559 , It is not H3808 he H1931 ; neither H3808 shall evil H7451 come H935 upon H5921 us; neither H3808 shall we see H7200 sword H2719 nor famine H7458 :
|
|
13. The prophets are only empty wind. The word of God is not in them. Bad things will happen to them."
|
13. And the prophets H5030 shall become H1961 wind H7307 , and the word H1699 is not H369 in them: thus H3541 shall it be done H6213 unto them.
|
|
14. The Lord God All-Powerful said these things: "The people said I would not punish them. So Jeremiah, the words I give you will be like fire, and these people will be like wood. That fire will burn them up completely.
|
14. Wherefore H3651 thus H3541 saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of hosts H6635 , Because H3282 ye speak H1696 H853 this H2088 word H1697 , behold H2009 , I will make H5414 my words H1697 in thy mouth H6310 fire H784 , and this H2088 people H5971 wood H6086 , and it shall devour H398 them.
|
|
15. Family of Israel, this message is from the Lord, "I will soon bring a nation from far away to attack you. It is an old nation; it is an ancient nation. The people of that nation speak a language that you do not know. You cannot understand what they say.
|
15. Lo H2009 , I will bring H935 a nation H1471 upon H5921 you from far H4480 H4801 , O house H1004 of Israel H3478 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 : it H1931 is a mighty H386 nation H1471 , it H1931 is an ancient H4480 H5769 nation H1471 , a nation H1471 whose language H3956 thou knowest H3045 not H3808 , neither H3808 understandest H8085 what H4100 they say H1696 .
|
|
16. Their arrow bags are like open graves. All their men are strong soldiers.
|
16. Their quiver H827 is as an open H6605 sepulcher H6913 , they are all H3605 mighty men H1368 .
|
|
17. They will eat all the crops that you gathered. They will eat all your food. They will eat (destroy) your sons and daughters. They will eat your flocks and your herds. They will eat your grapes and your figs. They will destroy your strong cities with their swords. They will destroy the strong cities that you trust in.
|
17. And they shall eat up H398 thine harvest H7105 , and thy bread H3899 , which thy sons H1121 and thy daughters H1323 should eat H398 : they shall eat up H398 thy flocks H6629 and thine herds H1241 : they shall eat up H398 thy vines H1612 and thy fig trees H8384 : they shall impoverish H7567 thy fenced H4013 cities H5892 , wherein H834 thou H859 trustedst H982 , with the sword H2719 .
|
|
18. This message is from the Lord: "But, Judah, when these terrible days come, I will not fully destroy you.
|
18. Nevertheless H1571 in those H1992 days H3117 , saith H5002 the LORD H3068 , I will not H3808 make H6213 a full end H3617 with H854 you.
|
|
19. The people of Judah will ask you, 'Jeremiah, why has the Lord our God done this bad thing to us?' Give them this answer: 'You people of Judah have left the Lord, and you have served foreign idols in your own land. You did those things, so now you will serve foreigners in a land that does not belong to you.'
|
19. And it shall come to pass H1961 , when H3588 ye shall say H559 , Wherefore H8478 H4100 doeth H6213 the LORD H3068 our God H430 H853 all H3605 these H428 things unto us? then shalt thou answer H559 H413 them, Like H834 as ye have forsaken H5800 me , and served H5647 strange H5236 gods H430 in your land H776 , so H3651 shall ye serve H5647 strangers H2114 in a land H776 that is not H3808 yours.
|
|
20. "Tell this message to the family of Jacob, and tell it in the nation of Judah.
|
20. Declare H5046 this H2063 in the house H1004 of Jacob H3290 , and publish H8085 it in Judah H3063 , saying H559 ,
|
|
21. Hear this message, you foolish people who have no sense. You have eyes, but you don't see! You have ears, but you don't listen!
|
21. Hear H8085 now H4994 this H2063 , O foolish H5530 people H5971 , and without H369 understanding H3820 ; which have eyes H5869 , and see H7200 not H3808 ; which have ears H241 , and hear H8085 not H3808 :
|
|
22. Surely you are afraid of me." This message is from the Lord. "You should shake with fear in front of me. I am the one who made the sandy shores to hold back the sea. I made it that way to keep the water in its place forever. The waves may pound the beach, but they will not destroy it. The waves may roar as they come in, but they cannot go beyond the beach.
|
22. Fear H3372 ye not H3808 me? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 : will ye not H3808 tremble H2342 at my presence H4480 H6440 , which H834 have placed H7760 the sand H2344 for the bound H1366 of the sea H3220 by a perpetual H5769 decree H2706 , that it cannot H3808 pass H5674 it : and though the waves H1530 thereof toss themselves H1607 , yet can they not H3808 prevail H3201 ; though they roar H1993 , yet can they not H3808 pass over H5674 it?
|
|
23. But the people of Judah are stubborn. They are always planning ways to turn against me. They turned away from me and left me.
|
23. But this H2088 people H5971 hath H1961 a revolting H5637 and a rebellious H4784 heart H3820 ; they are revolted H5493 and gone H1980 .
|
|
24. The people of Judah never say to themselves, 'Let's fear and respect the Lord our God. He gives us autumn and spring rains at just the right time. He makes sure that we have the harvest at just the right time.'
|
24. Neither H3808 say H559 they in their heart H3824 , Let us now H4994 fear H3372 H853 the LORD H3068 our God H430 , that giveth H5414 rain H1653 , both the former H3138 and the latter H4456 , in his season H6256 : he reserveth H8104 unto us the appointed H2708 weeks H7620 of the harvest H7105 .
|
|
25. People of Judah, you have done wrong. So the rains and the harvest have not come. Your sins have kept you from enjoying the good things from the Lord.
|
25. Your iniquities H5771 have turned away H5186 these H428 things , and your sins H2403 have withheld H4513 good H2896 things from H4480 you.
|
|
26. There are evil men among my people. They are like men who make nets for catching birds. They set their traps, but they catch people instead of birds.
|
26. For H3588 among my people H5971 are found H4672 wicked H7563 men : they lay wait H7789 , as he that setteth H7918 snares H3353 ; they set H5324 a trap H4889 , they catch H3920 men H376 .
|
|
27. Their houses are full of lies, like a cage full of birds. Their lies made them rich and powerful.
|
27. As a cage H3619 is full H4392 of birds H5775 , so H3651 are their houses H1004 full H4392 of deceit H4820 : therefore H5921 H3651 they are become great H1431 , and waxen rich H6238 .
|
|
28. They have grown big and fat {from the evil they have done}. There is no end to the evil they do. They will not plead the case of children who have no parents. They will not help these orphans. They will not let the poor be judged fairly.
|
28. They are waxen fat H8080 , they shine H6245 : yea H1571 , they overpass H5674 the deeds H1697 of the wicked H7451 : they judge H1777 not H3808 the cause H1779 , the cause H1779 of the fatherless H3490 , yet they prosper H6743 ; and the right H4941 of the needy H34 do they not H3808 judge H8199 .
|
|
29. Should I punish the people of Judah for doing these things?" This message is from the Lord. "You know I should punish a nation such as this. I should give it the punishment it deserves.
|
29. Shall I not H3808 visit H6485 for H5921 these H428 things ? saith H5002 the LORD H3068 : shall not H3808 my soul H5315 be avenged H5358 on such H834 a nation H1471 as this H2088 ?
|
|
30. "A terrible and shocking thing has happened in the land of Judah.
|
30. A wonderful H8047 and horrible thing H8186 is committed H1961 in the land H776 ;
|
|
31. The prophets tell lies. The priests will not do what they were chosen to do, and my people love it this way! But what will you people do when your punishment comes?
|
31. The prophets H5030 prophesy H5012 falsely H8267 , and the priests H3548 bear rule H7287 by H5921 their means H3027 ; and my people H5971 love H157 to have it so H3651 : and what H4100 will ye do H6213 in the end H319 thereof?
|