Jeremiah 15
1 Then the Lord said to me, Even if Moses and Samuel came before me, I would have no desire for this people: send them away from before me, and let them go.
And YHWH says to me: “Though Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My soul is not toward this people, Send from before My face, and they go out.
2 And it will be, when they say to you, Where are we to go? then you are to say to them, The Lord has said, Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are to be in need of food, to need of food; and such as are to be taken away prisoners, to be taken away.
And it has come to pass, when they say to you, To where do we go out? That you have said to them, Thus said YHWH: Those who [are] for death—to death, And those who are for the sword—to the sword, And those who are for famine—to famine, And those who are for captivity—to captivity.
3 And I will put over them four divisions, says the Lord: the sword causing death, dogs pulling the dead bodies about, and the birds of heaven, and the beasts of the earth to take their bodies for food and put an end to them.
And I have appointed four kinds over them,” A declaration of YHWH, “The sword to slay, and the dogs to drag, And the bird of the heavens, And the beast of the earth, to consume and to devour.
4 And I will make them a cause of fear to all the kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and what he did in Jerusalem.
And I have given them for a trembling To all kingdoms of the earth, Because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah, For that which he did in Jerusalem.
5 For who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? and who will have sorrow for you? or who will go out of his way to see how you are?
For who has pity on you, O Jerusalem? And who bemoans for you? And who turns aside to ask of your welfare?
6 You have given me up, says the Lord, you have gone back: so my hand is stretched out against you for your destruction; I am tired of changing my purpose.
You have left Me,” A declaration of YHWH, “You go backward, And I stretch out My hand against you, And I destroy you, I have been weary of relenting,
7 And I have sent a cleaning wind on them in the public places of the land; I have taken their children from them; I have given my people to destruction; they have not been turned from their ways.
And I scatter them with a fan, In the gates of the land, I have bereaved [them], I have destroyed My people, They did not turn back from their ways.
8 I have let their widows be increased in number more than the sand of the seas: I have sent against them, against the mother and the young men, one who makes waste in the heat of the day, causing pain and fears to come on her suddenly.
Its widows have been more to Me than the sand of the seas, I brought on them—against the mother—A young man—a spoiler—at noon. I caused wrath and trouble to fall on her suddenly.
9 The mother of seven is without strength; her spirit is gone from her, her sun has gone down while it is still day: she has been shamed and overcome: and the rest of them I will give up to the sword before their haters, says the Lord.
The bearer of seven has languished, She has breathed out her spirit, Her sun has gone in while yet day, It has been ashamed and confounded, And I give up their remnant to the sword before their enemies,” A declaration of YHWH.
10 Sorrow is mine, my mother, because you have given birth to me, a cause of fighting and argument in all the earth! I have not made men my creditors and I am not in debt to any, but every one of them is cursing me.
Woe to me, my mother, For you have borne me, A man of strife and a man of contention to all the land, I have not lent on usury, Nor have they lent on usury to me—All of them are reviling me.
YHWH said, “Did I not direct you for good? Did I not intercede for you in a time of evil, And in a time of adversity, with the enemy?
12 Is it possible for iron to be broken; even iron from the north, and brass?
Does one break iron, Northern iron and bronze?
13 I will give your wealth and your stores to your attackers, without a price, because of all your sins, even in every part of your land.
I give your strength and your treasures for a prey—not for price, Even for all your sins, and in all your borders.
14 They will go away with your haters into a land which is strange to you: for my wrath is on fire with a flame which will be burning on you.
And I have caused your enemies To pass over into the land [that] You have not known, For a fire has been kindled in My anger, It burns against you.”
15 O Lord, you have knowledge: keep me in mind and come to my help, and give their right reward to those who are attacking me; take me not away, for you are slow to be angry: see how I have undergone shame because of you from all those who make little of your word;
You, You have known, O YHWH, Remember me, and inspect me, And take vengeance for me of my pursuers, In Your long-suffering do not take me away, Know [that] I have borne reproach for You.
16 But to me your word is a joy, making my heart glad; for I am named by your name, O Lord God of armies.
Your words have been found, and I eat them, And Your word is to me for a joy, And for the rejoicing of my heart, For Your Name is called on me, O YHWH, God of Hosts.
17 I did not take my seat among the band of those who are glad, and I had no joy; I kept by myself because of your hand; for you have made me full of wrath.
I have not sat in an assembly of deriders, Nor do I exult, because of your hand—I have sat alone, For You have filled me [with] indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound without hope of being made well? Sorrow is mine, for you are to me as a stream offering false hope and as waters which are not certain.
Why has my pain been continuous? And my wound incurable? It has refused to be healed, You are surely as a failing stream to me, Waters [that are] not steadfast.
19 For this cause the Lord has said, If you will come back, then I will again let you take your place before me; and if you give out what is of value and not that which has no value, you will be as my mouth: let them come back to you, but do not go back to them.
Therefore, thus said YHWH: “If you turn back, then I bring you back, You stand before Me, And if you bring out the precious from the vile, You are as My mouth! They return to you, And you do not return to them.
20 And I will make you a strong wall of brass to this people; they will be fighting against you, but they will not overcome you: for I am with you to keep you safe, says the Lord.
And I have made you to this people For a wall—bronze—fortified, And they have fought against you, And they do not prevail against you, For I [am] with you to save you, And to deliver you,” A declaration of YHWH,
21 I will keep you safe from the hands of the evil-doers, and I will give you salvation from the hands of the cruel ones.
“And I have delivered you from the hand of evildoers, And I have ransomed you From the hand of the terrible!”
