Jeremiah 15

1 The Lord told me: Even if Moses and Samuel were standing before me pleading with me on behalf of these people, I wouldn't feel sorry for them. Send them away from me. Have them leave.

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 If they ask you, “Where shall we go?” tell them that this is what the Lord says: Those to be killed by the plague, to the plague; those to be killed by the sword, to the sword; those to be killed by famine, to famine; and those to be killed in captivity, to captivity.

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 I will put four kinds of destroyers in charge of them, declares the Lord: swords to kill, dogs to drag their bodies away, and the birds of prey and wild animals to eat them and destroy 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 I will make all the kingdoms of the world horrified by them, because of the evil things Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, king of Judah 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 Who will be sorry for you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will stop to ask you 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 deserted me, declares the Lord. You have turned your back on me. So I will take action against you and destroy you; I am tired of showing you mercy.

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 I will scatter you with a winnowing fork from every town in the country. I will destroy my people and take away their children because they refuse to give up their evil 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 There will be more widows than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon and mothers will lose their young sons. They will suddenly experience agony and shock.

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 A mother of seven children will collapse; she will gasp for breath. Her sun will set while it's still daytime; she will be ashamed and humiliated. I will let the enemies kill the rest of them, declares 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 How sad I am, my mother, that you gave birth to me! I'm a victim of argument and conflict wherever I go in the country. I have never lent anyone anything, or borrowed anything, but still everyone curses 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.

11 But the Lord told me: Don't worry, I'm going to take away your problems so you can do good. I will make your enemies plead with you whenever they're in trouble or suffering.

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 Can anyone break iron, iron from the north, or bronze?

Does one break iron, Northern iron and bronze?

13 I will give away your wealth and valuable possessions for free. They will become plunder for your enemies because of all the sins you committed throughout your country.

I give your strength and your treasures for a prey—not for price, Even for all your sins, and in all your borders.

14 Then I will have your enemies make you their slaves in an unfamiliar country, because I will so angry it will be like lighting a fire that will burn you up.

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 You know what's happening to me, Lord. Please remember me and look after me. Punish my persecutors! Please be patient—don't let me die! You know I put up with criticism because I want to honor you.

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 When I received your messages, I ate them up! What you said made me really happy—I was delighted. I belong to you, Lord God Almighty!

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 didn't join in with a bunch of jokers as they had fun. I stayed by myself because you have called me, and you have filled me with outrage.

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 doesn't my pain ever stop? Why is my wound incurable? Why can't it be healed? You've really become like a seasonal stream to me, an unreliable source of water.

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 So this is what the Lord says: If you come back to me, I will take you back and you will serve me again. If what you talk about are worthwhile subjects and not nonsense, you will be my spokesman, Jeremiah. They must be the ones who follow you; you must not follow 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 Then I will make you a wall to these people, a strong wall of bronze. They will fight against you but they won't defeat you. I am with you to save you and rescue you, declares 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 liberate you from the power of the wicked, and free you from clutches of the cruel.

“And I have delivered you from the hand of evildoers, And I have ransomed you From the hand of the terrible!”