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Chapter 15

The Lord said to me: Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, my heart would not turn toward this people. Send them away from me and let them go.(A) If they ask you, “Where should we go?” tell them, Thus says the Lord: Whoever is marked for death, to death; whoever is marked for the sword, to the sword; whoever is marked for famine, to famine; whoever is marked for captivity, to captivity.(B) Four kinds of scourge I have decreed against them—oracle of the Lord—the sword to kill them; dogs to drag them off; the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy them.(C) And I will make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.(D)

Scene of Tragedy

Who will pity you, Jerusalem,
    who will grieve for you?
Who will stop to ask
    about your welfare?(E)
It is you who have disowned me—oracle of the Lord
    turned your back upon me;
I stretched out my hand to destroy you,
    because I was weary of relenting.(F)
I winnowed them with a winnowing fork
    at the gates of the land;
I have bereaved, destroyed my people;
    they have not turned from their evil ways.(G)
Their widows were more numerous before me
    than the sands of the sea.
I brought against the mother of youths
    the destroyer at midday;
Suddenly I struck her
    with anguish and terror.
The mother of seven faints away,
    breathing out her life;
Her sun sets in full day,
    she is ashamed, abashed.
Their survivors I will give to the sword
    in the presence of their enemies—oracle of the Lord.(H)

Jeremiah’s Complaint

10 Woe to me, my mother, that you gave me birth!
    a man of strife and contention to all the land!
I neither borrow nor lend,
    yet everyone curses me.(I)
11 Tell me, Lord, have I not served you for their good?
    Have I not interceded with you
    in time of misfortune and anguish?(J)
12 Can one break iron,
    iron from the north, and bronze?
13 [a]Your wealth and your treasures
    I give as plunder, demanding no payment,
    because of all your sins, throughout all your territory.
14 And I shall enslave you to your enemies
    in a land you do not know,
For fire has broken out from my anger,
    it is kindled against you.
15     You know, Lord:
Remember me and take care of me,
    avenge me on my persecutors.
Because you are slow to anger, do not banish me;
    know that for you I have borne insult.(K)
16 When I found your words, I devoured them;
    your words were my joy, the happiness of my heart,
Because I bear your name,
    Lord, God of hosts.
17 I did not sit celebrating
    in the circle of merrymakers;
Under the weight of your hand I sat alone
    because you filled me with rage.(L)
18 Why is my pain continuous,
    my wound incurable, refusing to be healed?
To me you are like a deceptive brook,
    waters that cannot be relied on!(M)
19     Thus the Lord answered me:
If you come back and I take you back,
    in my presence you shall stand;
If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless,
    you shall be my mouth.
Then they will be the ones who turn to you,
    not you who turn to them.
20 And I will make you toward this people
    a fortified wall of bronze.
Though they fight against you,
    they shall not prevail,
For I am with you,
    to save and rescue you—oracle of the Lord.(N)
21 I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked,
    and ransom you from the power of the violent.

Footnotes

  1. 15:13–14 Though the wording of these verses is close to that in 17:3–4, the present passage is evidently God’s word to Jeremiah, whereas 17:3–4 is evidently a word of judgment on Judah. It is noteworthy that the references to “you” in the present passage are singular, until a shift to plural in “against you” in the last line; this “you” is then doubtless a reference to both the prophet and his enemies.

15 Then the Lord said to me: “Even if Moses(A) and Samuel(B) were to stand before me, my heart would not go out to this people.(C) Send them away from my presence!(D) Let them go! And if they ask you, ‘Where shall we go?’ tell them, ‘This is what the Lord says:

“‘Those destined for death, to death;
those for the sword, to the sword;(E)
those for starvation, to starvation;(F)
those for captivity, to captivity.’(G)

“I will send four kinds of destroyers(H) against them,” declares the Lord, “the sword(I) to kill and the dogs(J) to drag away and the birds(K) and the wild animals to devour and destroy.(L) I will make them abhorrent(M) to all the kingdoms of the earth(N) because of what Manasseh(O) son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

“Who will have pity(P) on you, Jerusalem?
    Who will mourn for you?
    Who will stop to ask how you are?
You have rejected(Q) me,” declares the Lord.
    “You keep on backsliding.
So I will reach out(R) and destroy you;
    I am tired of holding back.(S)
I will winnow(T) them with a winnowing fork
    at the city gates of the land.
I will bring bereavement(U) and destruction on my people,(V)
    for they have not changed their ways.(W)
I will make their widows(X) more numerous
    than the sand of the sea.
At midday I will bring a destroyer(Y)
    against the mothers of their young men;
suddenly I will bring down on them
    anguish and terror.(Z)
The mother of seven will grow faint(AA)
    and breathe her last.(AB)
Her sun will set while it is still day;
    she will be disgraced(AC) and humiliated.
I will put the survivors to the sword(AD)
    before their enemies,”(AE)
declares the Lord.

10 Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,(AF)
    a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!(AG)
I have neither lent(AH) nor borrowed,
    yet everyone curses(AI) me.

11 The Lord said,

“Surely I will deliver you(AJ) for a good purpose;
    surely I will make your enemies plead(AK) with you
    in times of disaster and times of distress.

12 “Can a man break iron—
    iron from the north(AL)—or bronze?

13 “Your wealth(AM) and your treasures
    I will give as plunder,(AN) without charge,(AO)
because of all your sins
    throughout your country.(AP)
14 I will enslave you to your enemies
    in[a] a land you do not know,(AQ)
for my anger will kindle a fire(AR)
    that will burn against you.”

15 Lord, you understand;
    remember me and care for me.
    Avenge me on my persecutors.(AS)
You are long-suffering(AT)—do not take me away;
    think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.(AU)
16 When your words came, I ate(AV) them;
    they were my joy and my heart’s delight,(AW)
for I bear your name,(AX)
    Lord God Almighty.
17 I never sat(AY) in the company of revelers,
    never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand(AZ) was on me
    and you had filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain unending
    and my wound grievous and incurable?(BA)
You are to me like a deceptive brook,
    like a spring that fails.(BB)

19 Therefore this is what the Lord says:

“If you repent, I will restore you
    that you may serve(BC) me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
    you will be my spokesman.(BD)
Let this people turn to you,
    but you must not turn to them.
20 I will make you a wall(BE) to this people,
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
    but will not overcome(BF) you,
for I am with you
    to rescue and save you,”(BG)
declares the Lord.
21 “I will save(BH) you from the hands of the wicked(BI)
    and deliver(BJ) you from the grasp of the cruel.”(BK)

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 15:14 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac (see also 17:4); most Hebrew manuscripts I will cause your enemies to bring you / into