Jeremiah 15

1 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 For who has pity on you, O Jerusalem? And who bemoans for you? And who turns aside to ask of your welfare?

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

6 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,

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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?

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 Does one break iron, Northern iron and bronze?

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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,

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

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