The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 15

 The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 15

1 But the Lord said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel were to stand before me, my heart would not be with this people. Send them away from my presence, and let them go.”

2 And when they say to you, “Where shall we go?” you shall say to them, “Thus says the Lord: ‘Those destined for death, to death; those destined for the sword, to the sword; those destined for famine, to famine; and those destined for captivity, to captivity.’”

3 For I will punish them with four kinds of plagues, declares the Lord: with the sword to kill, with dogs to drag them away, with the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy them.

4 I will make them a fugitive among all the kingdoms of the earth because of Manasseh son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, for all that he did in Jerusalem.

5 For who would have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who would grieve for you? Or who would turn aside to ask for your peace?

6 You have forsaken me, says the Lord, you have turned away; therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and destroy you; I am weary of relenting.

7 And I will winnow them with a winnowing fork at the gates of the land; I have bereaved them, I have destroyed my people; they have not returned from their ways.

8 Her widows have become more numerous than the sands of the sea; I have brought a destroyer at midday upon the mother of the young men; I have caused him to fall suddenly upon her, and to fill the city with terrors.

9 She who bore seven children is weak; her soul expires; her sun has set while it is still day; she is confounded and ashamed; and those who remain of her I will give to the sword before their enemies, says the Lord.

10 Woe is me, my mother! Why did you give birth to me, a man of strife and a man of contention to all the earth? I have never lent to them at interest, nor have they lent to me at interest, yet each of them curses me.

11 The Lord says: Surely I will strengthen you for good, and in the time of calamity and in the time of distress I will cause the enemy to plead with you.

12 Can anyone break iron, iron from the north, or steel?

13 I will give your wealth and your treasures as plunder without price, because of all your sins, even within all your borders.

14 And I will carry you away with your enemies to a land you do not know; for fire is kindled in my anger, and it will burn upon you.

15 You, O Lord, know: remember me, and visit me, and avenge me of my persecutors; do not take me away, in your longsuffering; know that for your sake I have suffered reproach.

16 When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God of hosts.

17 I never sat in the assembly of mockers, nor did I rejoice; because of your hand I sat alone, for you filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Are you to me like a deceptive brook, like waters that fail?

19 Therefore thus says the Lord: If you return, then I will restore you, and you shall stand before me; And if you separate the precious from the vile, you will be like my mouth; let them return to you, but you must not return to them.

20 And I will make you a fortified wall of bronze against this people; they will fight against you, but they will not prevail against you, for I am with you to protect you and deliver you from them, declares the Lord.

21 And I will rescue you from the hand of the wicked, and I will deliver you from the hand of the strong.