Jeremiah 6

1Be strong, O sons of Benjamin, in the midst of Jerusalem. Blow the trumpet in Tekoa, and for the sake of Beth Haccerem, set up a signal; because evil looms from the north, and great destruction is coming.

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2Your crown will be taken away, O daughter of Zion.

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3Shepherds and their flocks will come to her, and they shall pitch their tents against her all around; and they shall feed their flocks, each with his hand.

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4Get ready to war against her, to rise up against her in battle at noon. Woe to us! Because the day draws to a close, and the shadows of evening come to an end.

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5Arise and go up in the night, and utterly destroy her foundations.

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6For thus says the Lord: 'Cut down her trees; pour out your power against Jerusalem, O false city. There is oppression in her entirely.

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7As a reservoir chills down water, so evil causes her to grow cold. Ungodliness and misery will be heard in her presence continually.

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8Be instructed, O Jerusalem, by pain and affliction, lest My soul depart from you; lest I make you a land not to be trodden, where no one shall dwell.'

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9For thus says the Lord: 'Glean, glean as a vine the remnant of Israel; return them as one who gathers for his basket.'

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10To whom shall I speak and testify? Will it be heard? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot hear. Behold, the word of the Lord was an insult to them, and they do not wish to hear it.

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11'I was filled with my anger, but held fast and did not end their lives. I will pour it out against the children from the outside, against the youth of the assembly; and the husband and wife will be taken together, the elder full of days.

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12Their houses shall be turned over to others, together with their wives and fields. For I will stretch out My hand against the inhabitants of this land,' says the Lord.

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13'Because from the least of them even to the greatest, everyone accomplished lawlessness. From the priest even to the false prophet, everyone acted falsely.

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14With contempt they healed the calamity of My people incompletely, saying, 'Peace, peace.' But where is peace?

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15They were ashamed because they failed; but they were not ashamed as those truly ashamed, for they did not recognize their dishonor. Therefore, they shall utterly fall when they do fall, and at the time of their visitation they shall perish,' says the Lord.

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16Thus says the Lord: 'Stand in the ways and see, and ask about the eternal pathways of the Lord. See what the good way is and walk in it. Here you will find purification for your souls. But they said, 'We will not walk in it.'

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17I set watchmen over you. Listen to the sound of their trumpet. But they said, 'We will not listen.'

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18Therefore the Gentiles heard, and those who shepherd their flocks.

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19Hear, O earth. Behold, I will bring evils upon this people, the fruit of their turning away, because they did not heed My words, but rejected My law.

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20Why do you bring frankincense to Me from Sheba and cinnamon from a far country? Your whole burnt offerings are not acceptable, and your sacrifices are not sweet to Me.'

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21Therefore thus says the Lord: 'Behold, I will bring weakness upon this people, and the fathers and the sons together shall be weak. The neighbor and his friend shall perish.'

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22Thus says the Lord: 'Behold, a people will come from the north, and a nation will be raised from the farthest parts of the earth.

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23They will take hold of bow and spear; and they are reckless and will show no mercy. Their voice is like the roaring sea, and they are deployed on horses and chariots. They shall draw up in battle order as a fire for war against you, O daughter of Zion.'

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24You will say, 'We heard the report of them, and our hands became feeble. Distress takes hold of us as pains of a woman in labor.'

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25Do not go out into the field nor walk along the ways, for the swords of enemies linger on every side.

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26O daughter of my people, dress yourself in sackcloth and sprinkle yourself with ashes. Make for yourself a bitter lamentation as if for a beloved son, because suddenly misery will come upon you.

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27'I gave you an assayer to prove you among the peoples, and you shall know Me when I test their way.

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28They all are inattentive and walk perversely. They are bronze and iron, and all have corrupted themselves.

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29The blowpipe and the lead failed because the fire gave out. The silversmith coins money in vain, and their evils have not melted away.

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30Call them rejected silver, because the Lord rejected them.'

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