Jer 6 | HCSB | STEP | “Run for cover , Benjaminites , out of Jerusalem ! Sound the ram’s horn in Tekoa ; raise a smoke signal over Beth-haccherem , for disaster threatens from the north , even great destruction .

Jeremiah 6

Threatened Siege of Jerusalem

1 “Run for cover, ^a Benjaminites,
out of Jerusalem!
Sound the ram’s horn ^b in Tekoa; ^c
raise a smoke signal ^d over Beth-haccherem, ^{▼▼= House of the Vineyard}
for disaster threatens from the north, ^f
even great destruction.
2 Though she is beautiful and delicate,
I will destroy ^{▼▼Or silence} Daughter ^{▼▼Zion: Originally a term for the fortified section of Jerusalem and then, by extension, used for the temple and the city of Jerusalem both in the present time and in the future}Zion.
3 Shepherds and their flocks will come against her;
they will pitch their tents all around her. ⁱ
Each will pasture his own portion.
4 Set them apart for war ^j against her;
rise up, let’s attack at noon.
Woe to us, for the day is passing;
the evening shadows grow long.
5 Rise up, let’s attack by night.
Let us destroy her fortresses.”

6 For this is what the Lord of ^{▼▼Hosts/hosts: Military forces consisting of God's angels, sometimes including the sun, moon, and stars, and occasionally, Israel}Hosts says:

Cut down the trees; ^l
raise a siege ramp against Jerusalem.
This city must be punished.
There is nothing but oppression within her. ^m
7 As a well gushes out its water,
so she pours out her evil. ^{▼▼Or well keeps its water fresh, so she keeps her evil fresh}
Violence and destruction ^o resound in her.
Sickness and wounds keep coming to My attention.
8 Be warned, Jerusalem,
or I will turn away from you; ^p
I will make you a desolation,
a land without inhabitants. ^q

Wrath on Israel

9 This is what the Lord of Hosts says:

Glean the remnant of Israel ^r
as thoroughly as a vine.
Pass your hand once more like a grape gatherer
over the branches.

10 Who can I speak to and give such a warning ^{▼▼Or and bear witness}
that they will listen?
Look, their ear is uncircumcised, ^{▼▼They are unresponsive to God.
,} ^u
so they cannot pay attention.
See, the word of the Lord has become contemptible to them –
they find no pleasure in it. ^v
11 But I am full of the Lord’s wrath;
I am tired of holding it back. ^w
Pour it out on the children in the street, ^x
on the gang of young men as well.
For both husband and wife will be captured,
the old with the very old. ^{▼▼Lit with fullness of days}
12 Their houses will be turned over to others, ^z
their fields and wives as well,
for I will stretch out My hand ^aa
against the inhabitants of the land.
This is the Lord’s declaration.

13 For from the least to the greatest of them, ^ab
everyone is making profit dishonestly. ^ac
From prophet to priest,
everyone deals falsely. ^ad
14 They have treated My people’s brokenness superficially,
claiming, “Peace, peace,” ^ae
when there is no peace.
15 Were they ashamed when they acted so abhorrently?
They weren’t at all ashamed.
They can no longer feel humiliation. ^af
Therefore, they will fall among the fallen.
When I punish them, they will collapse, ^ag
says the Lord.

Disaster because of Disobedience

16 This is what the Lord says:

Stand by the roadways and look.
Ask about the ancient paths: ^ah
Which is the way to what is good?
Then take it
and find rest for yourselves. ^ai
But they protested, “We won’t!”
17 I appointed watchmen over you ^aj
and said: Listen for the sound of the ram’s horn.
But they protested, “We won’t listen!”

18 Therefore listen, you nations
and you witnesses,
learn what the charge is against them.
19 Listen, earth!
I am about to bring disaster on these people,
the fruit of their own plotting, ^ak
for they have paid no attention to My word.
They have rejected My instruction. ^al
20 What use to Me is frankincense from Sheba ^am
or sweet cane ^an from a distant land?
Your ^{▼▼burnt offering(s): Or holocaust, an offering completely burned to ashes; it was used in connection with worship, seeking God's favor, expiating sin, or averting judgment.}burnt offerings are not acceptable;
your sacrifices do not please Me. ^ap
21 Therefore, this is what the Lord says:
I am going to place stumbling blocks before these people;
fathers and sons together will stumble over them; ^aq
friends and neighbors will also perish.

A Cruel Nation from the North

22 This is what the Lord says:

Look, an army is coming from a northern land; ^ar
a great nation will be awakened
from the remote regions of the earth. ^as
23 They grasp bow and javelin.
They are cruel and show no mercy. ^at
Their voice roars like the sea, ^au
and they ride on horses,
lined up like men in battle formation
against you, Daughter Zion.

24 We have heard about it,
and we are discouraged. ^{▼▼Lit and our hands fail}
Distress has seized us –
pain like a woman in ^aw labor. ^ax
25 Don’t go out to the fields;
don’t walk on the road.
For the enemy has a sword;
terror is on every side. ^ay

26 My dear ^{▼▼Lit Daughter of My} people, dress yourselves in ^{▼▼sackcloth: Garment made of poor quality material and worn as a sign of grief and mourning}sackcloth
and roll in the dust. ^bb
Mourn as you would for an only son, ^bc
a bitter lament,
for suddenly the destroyer ^bd will come on us. ^be

Jeremiah Appointed as an Examiner

27 I have appointed you to be an assayer among My people –
a refiner ^{▼▼Text emended; MT reads fortress} –
so you may know and assay their way of life. ^bg
28 All are stubborn rebels
spreading slander. ^bh
They are bronze and iron;
all of them are corrupt. ^bi
29 The bellows blow,
blasting the lead with fire.
The refining is completely in vain;
the evil ones are not separated out.
30 They are called rejected silver,
for the Lord has rejected them. ^bj