Blessing or Curse
1If you return,4:1 Or Repent Israel —
this is the Lord’s declaration —
you will return to me,4:1 Zch 1:3
from my presence
and do not waver,
and then the nations will be blessed4:2 Or will bless one another by him4:2 Gn 26:3–4
3For this is what the Lord says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem:
Break up the unplowed ground;4:3 Hs 10:12
do not sow among the thorns.4:3 Mt 13:7
4Circumcise yourselves to the Lord;
remove the foreskin of your hearts,4:4 Gn 17:14; Dt 10:16; Jr 9:25; Rm 2:28–29
men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem.
Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire
because of your evil deeds.
Judgment from the North
5Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,
Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land.4:5 Jr 6:1; Hs 5:8; Jl 2:1; 1Th 4:16–17
Cry out loudly and say,
“Assemble yourselves,
and let’s flee to the fortified cities.”
Run for cover! Don’t stand still!
For I am bringing disaster from the north —
a destroyer of nations has set out.
He has left his lair
to make your land a waste.
8Because of this, put on sackcloth;
mourn and wail,4:8 Jl 1:13
has not turned away from us.
9“On that day” — this is the Lord’s declaration — “the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless.”
Woe to us, for we are ruined!4:13 Lm 5:16
so that you will be delivered.
How long will you harbor
malicious thoughts?4:14 Ps 119:113
15For a voice announces from Dan,
proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.
16Warn the nations: Look!
Proclaim to Jerusalem:
Those who besiege are coming
from a distant land;4:16 Is 39:3
they raise their voices
against the cities of Judah.
17They have her surrounded4:17 2Kg 25:1–4
like those who guard a field,
because she has rebelled against me.4:17 Is 1:20
This is the Lord’s declaration.
18Your way and your actions
have brought this on you.4:18 Ps 107:17; Pr 1:31; Jr 7:3,5; 17:10; 18:11; 23:22; 25:5; 26:3,13; 32:19; Hs 4:9; 12:2; Zch 1:4,6
This is your punishment. It is very bitter,
because it has reached your heart!
Jeremiah’s Lament
19My anguish, my anguish!4:19 Lit My inner parts, my inner parts I writhe in agony!
My heart pounds;
I cannot be silent.
For you, my soul,
have heard the sound of the ram’s horn —
the shout of battle.
because the whole land is destroyed.
Suddenly my tents are destroyed,
my tent curtains, in a moment.
21How long must I see the signal flag
and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
22“For my people are fools;
they do not know me.
They are foolish children,
They are skilled in doing what is evil,
but they do not know how to do what is good.”4:22 Rm 16:19
23I looked at the earth,
I looked to the heavens,
24I looked at the mountains,
all the hills shook.
and all the birds of the sky had fled.4:25 Zph 1:3
All its cities were torn down
because of the Lord
and his burning anger.4:26 Ps 76:7
27For this is what the Lord says:
“The whole land will be a desolation,4:27 Is 6:11
I have spoken; I have planned,
at the sound of the horseman and the archer.
They enter the thickets
and climb among the rocks.4:29 Is 2:19–21
Every city is abandoned;
no inhabitant is left.
that you dress yourself in scarlet,
that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry,
that you enhance your eyes with makeup?4:30 2Kg 9:30
You beautify yourself for nothing.
they intend to take your life.4:30 Ezk 23:9–10,22
a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child.
The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath,
stretching out her hands:4:31 Is 1:15
“Woe is me, for my life is weary
because of the murderers!”
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