Jeremiah 15

1Then the LORD said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me to plead for them, my heart would not go out to this people. Send them away from my presence; let them leave! 2And when they ask you, ‘Where are we to go?’ tell them, ‘The LORD says this: Whoever is marked out for death, to death; whoever is marked out for the sword, to the sword; whoever is marked out for famine, to famine; and whoever is marked out for captivity, to captivity.’ 3Over them I will set four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, dogs to drag them off, and the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4Because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, and what he did in Jerusalem, I will make them a horror to every kingdom on earth.” 5Who will take pity on you, Jerusalem? Who will grieve over you? Who will turn aside to ask how you are? 6You have rejected me, declares the LORD; you keep turning your back. So I have reached out my hand against you and destroyed you; I am tired of relenting. 7With a winnowing fork I have scattered them at the gates of the land. I have taken their children and destroyed my people, because they did not turn from their ways. 8Before me their widows have become more than the sand of the seas. At noon I have brought a destroyer against them, against the mothers of young men; I have made anguish and terror fall on them suddenly. 9The mother of seven grows faint and gasps out her life; her sun has set while it is still day; she is shamed and humiliated. And those of them who remain I will give to the sword before their enemies, declares the LORD.

10Woe is me, my mother, that you gave birth to me, a man the whole land strives and quarrels with! I have not lent money, and no one has lent money to me, yet every one of them curses me.

11The LORD said: I will surely set you free for your good; I will surely make your enemy come to you pleading in the time of disaster, in the time of distress. 12Can anyone smash iron, iron from the north, or bronze? 13Your wealth and your treasures I will hand over as plunder, free of charge, because of all your sins throughout your territory. 14I will make you go with your enemies into a land you do not know, for a fire has been lit by my anger, and it will burn against you.

15You know, LORD; remember me and come to my aid, and avenge me on those who hunt me down. Do not be so patient with them that I am swept away. Know that it is for your sake that I suffer insults. 16Your words were found, and I fed on them; your word became a joy to me and gladness to my heart, because your name has been called over me, LORD God of Armies.

17I never sat in the circle of revelers or celebrated with them; with your hand on me I sat by myself, because you had filled me with indignation.

18Why is my pain endless and my wound beyond cure? It will not heal. Will you truly be to me like a stream that deceives, like waters that cannot be trusted?

19So the LORD says this: If you turn back, I will take you back, and you will stand before me. If you bring out what is precious and not what is worthless, you will be as my mouth. They may turn to you, but you are not to turn to them. 20I will make you a fortified wall of bronze facing this people; they will make war on you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to save you and to rescue you, declares the LORD. 21I will rescue you from the power of the wicked and ransom you from the grip of the ruthless.