15
1 The LORD said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul would not incline toward this people. Send them out of my presence; let them go. 2 When they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them: 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; those destined for captivity, to captivity. 3 I will appoint four kinds of destroyers against them, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, dogs to drag away, the birds of the heavens and the animals of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem.
5 For who will pity you, Jerusalem?
Who will mourn for you?
Who will turn aside to ask about your welfare?
6 You have forsaken me, declares the LORD;
you keep going backward.
So I will stretch out my hand against you and destroy you;
I am weary of relenting.
7 I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land.
I will bereave my people and destroy them, for they have not turned from their ways.
8 Their widows will be more numerous before me than the sand of the seas.
I will bring a destroyer at noon against the mother of a young man;
I will suddenly bring anguish and terrors upon her.
9 She who bore seven languishes;
she breathes out her life.
Her sun has set while it is still day;
she is ashamed and humiliated.
I will give their remnant to the sword before their enemies, declares the LORD.”
10 Woe to me, my mother, that you gave birth to me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land!
I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.
11 The LORD said, “Surely I will set you free for your good;
surely I will make the enemy plead with you in a time of disaster and a time of distress.
12 Can iron break iron from the north, or bronze?
13 I will give your wealth and your treasures as plunder, without payment, because of all your sins throughout all your territory.
14 I will make you cross over with your enemies into a land you do not know, for a fire has been kindled in my anger;
it will burn against you.”
15 You know, LORD.
Remember me, attend to me, and avenge me on my persecutors.
In your patience, do not take me away;
know that for your sake I bear reproach.
16 Your words were found, and I ate them;
your words became the joy and gladness of my heart, for I bear your name, LORD, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit in the company of revelers and rejoice.
Because of your hand I sat alone, for you filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending and my wound incurable, refusing to heal?
Will you be to me like a deceptive stream, like waters that cannot be trusted?
19 Therefore this is what the LORD says: “If you return, I will restore you, and you will stand before me.
If you separate the precious from the worthless, you will be as my mouth.
Let them turn to you, but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a fortified bronze wall to this people.
They will fight against you, but they will not prevail over you, for I am with you to save you and deliver you,” declares the LORD.
21 “I will deliver you from the hand of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”