Jer 4:5-18 | ESV | STEP | Declare in Judah , and proclaim in Jerusalem , and say , Blow the trumpet through the land ; cry aloud and say , Assemble , and let us go into the fortified cities !

Jeremiah 4:5-18

Disaster from the North

5 Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say,

^a“Blow the trumpet through the land;
cry aloud and say,
^b‘Assemble, and let us go
into the fortified cities!’
6 ^cRaise a standard toward Zion,
flee for safety, stay not,
for I bring disaster from ^dthe north,
^eand great destruction.
7 ^fA lion has gone up from his thicket,
a destroyer of nations has set out;
he has gone out from his place
to make your land a waste;
your cities will be ruins
^gwithout inhabitant.
8 For this ^hput on sackcloth,
lament and wail,
for ⁱthe fierce anger of the Lord
has not turned back from us.”
9 “In that day, declares the Lord, ^jcourage shall fail both king and officials. The priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded.” 10 Then I said, “Ah, Lord God, ^ksurely you have utterly deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, ‘It shall be well with you,’ whereas the sword has reached their very life.”

11 At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, “A hot wind from ^lthe bare heights in the desert toward the daughter of my people, not to winnow or cleanse, 12 a wind too full for this comes for me. Now it is I who ^mspeak in judgment upon them.”

13 Behold, he comes up like clouds;
ⁿhis chariots like the whirlwind;
his horses are ^oswifter than eagles—
woe to us, ^pfor we are ruined!
14 O Jerusalem, ^qwash your heart from evil,
that you may be saved.
How long shall your wicked thoughts
lodge within you?
15 For a voice ^rdeclares from Dan
and proclaims trouble from ^sMount Ephraim.
16 Warn the nations that he is coming;
announce to Jerusalem,
“Besiegers come ^tfrom a distant land;
they shout against the cities of Judah.
17 Like keepers of a field ^uare they against her all around,
because she has rebelled against me,

declares the Lord.
18 Your ways and your deeds
have brought this upon you.
This is your doom, and ^vit is bitter;
it has reached your very heart.”