Jeremiah 15

1 Then sayde the Lord vnto me, Though Moses and Samuel stoode before mee, yet mine affection coulde not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them depart.

Then the LORD said to me: “Even if Moses and Samuel should stand before Me, My heart would not go out to this people. Send them from My presence, and let them go.

2 And if they say vnto thee, Whither shall we depart? then tell them, Thus saith the Lord, Such as are appointed to death, vnto death: and such as are for the sworde, to the sworde: and such as are for the famine, to the famine: and such as are for the captiuitie, to the captiuitie.

If they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you are to tell them that this is what the LORD says: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’

3 And I wil appoint ouer them foure kindes, sayth the Lord, the sworde to slay, and the dogs to teare in pieces, and the soules of the heauen, and the beastes of the earth to deuoure, and to destroy.

I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

4 I will scatter them also in all kingdomes of the earth, because of Manasseh the sonne of Hezekiah King of Iudah, for that which he did in Ierusalem.

I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

5 Who shall then haue pitie vpon thee, O Ierusalem? or who shalbe sorie for thee? or who shall go to pray for thy peace?

Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?

6 Thou hast forsaken me, sayth the Lord, and gone backward: therefore wil I stretch out mine hand against thee, and destroy thee: for I am weary with repenting.

You have forsaken Me, declares the LORD. You have turned your back. So I will stretch out My hand against you and I will destroy you; I am weary of showing compassion.

7 And I wil scatter them with the fanne in the gates of the earth I haue wasted, and destroyed my people, yet they would not returne from their wayes.

I will scatter them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land. I will bereave and destroy My people who have not turned from their ways.

8 Their widdowes are increased by mee aboue the sande of the sea: I haue brought vpon them, and against the assembly of the yong men a destroyer at noone day: I haue caused him to fal vpon them, and the citie suddenly, and speedily.

I will make their widows more numerous than the sand of the sea. I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mothers of young men. I will suddenly bring upon them anguish and dismay.

9 Shee that hath borne seuen, hath bene made weake: her heart hath failed: the sunne hath failed her, whiles it was day: she hath bene confounded, and ashamed, and the residue of them will I deliuer vnto the sworde before their enemies, sayth the Lord.

The mother of seven will grow faint; she will breathe her last breath. Her sun will set while it is still day; she will be disgraced and humiliated. And the rest I will put to the sword in the presence of their enemies,”

10 Wo is mee, my mother, that thou hast borne mee, a contentious man, and a man that striueth with the whole earth I haue neither lent on vsury, nor men haue lent vnto me on vsurie: yet euery one doeth curse me.

Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.

11 The Lord sayd, Surely thy remnant shall haue wealth: surely I will cause thine enemie to intreate thee in the time of trouble, and in the time of affliction.

The LORD said: “Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose; surely I will intercede with your enemy in your time of trouble, in your time of distress.

12 Shall the yron breake the yron, and the brasse that commeth from the North?

Can anyone smash iron— iron from the north—or bronze?

13 Thy substance and thy treasures wil I giue to be spoyled without gaine, and that for all thy sinnes euen in all thy borders.

Your wealth and your treasures I will give up as plunder, without charge for all your sins within all your borders.

14 And I wil make thee to go with thine enemies into a land that thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, which shall burne you.

Then I will enslave you to your enemies in a land you do not know, for My anger will kindle a fire that will burn against you.”

15 O Lord, thou knowest, remember me, and visite me, and reuenge me of my persecuters: take mee not away in the continuance of thine anger: know that for thy sake I haue suffered rebuke.

You understand, O LORD; remember me and attend to me. Avenge me against my persecutors. In Your patience, do not take me away. Know that I endure reproach for Your honor.

16 Thy wordes were founde by me, and I did eate them, and thy worde was vnto me the ioy and reioycing of mine heart: for thy Name is called vpon me, O Lord God of hostes.

Your words were found, and I ate them. Your words became my joy and my heart’s delight. For I bear Your name, O LORD God of Hosts.

17 I sate not in the assembly of the mockers, neither did I reioyce, but sate alone because of thy plague: for thou hast filled me with indignation.

I never sat with the band of revelers, nor did I celebrate with them. Because Your hand was on me, I sat alone, for You have filled me with indignation.

18 Why is mine heauines continuall? and my plague desperate and cannot be healed? why art thou vnto me as a lyar, and as waters that faile?

Why is my pain unending, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You have indeed become like a mirage to me— water that is not there.

19 Therefore thus saith the Lord, If thou returne, then wil I bring thee againe, and thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take away the precious from the vile, thou shalt be according to my worde: let them returne vnto thee, but returne not thou vnto them.

Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you; you will stand in My presence. And if you speak words that are noble instead of worthless, you will be My spokesman. It is they who must turn to you, but you must not turn to them.

20 And I will make thee vnto this people a strong brasen wall, and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not preuaile against thee: for I am with thee to saue thee and to deliuer thee, saith ye Lord.

Then I will make you a wall to this people, a fortified wall of bronze; they will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to save and deliver you, declares the LORD.

21 And I will deliuer thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeeme thee out of the hand of the tyrants.

I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”