The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah

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- Chapter 8 -

“At that time-this is Yahweh’s declaration-they will bring out from the graves the bones of the kings of Judah and its officials, the bones of the priests and the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

Then they will spread them out in the light of the sun and moon and all the stars of the skies; these things in the sky that they have followed and served, that they have walked after and sought, and that they have worshiped. The bones will not be gathered or buried again. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.

In every remaining place where I have driven them, they will choose death instead of life for themselves, all who are still left over from this evil nation-this is the declaration of Yahweh of hosts.

So say to them, ’Yahweh says this: Does anyone fall and not get up? Does anyone get lost and not try to return?

Why has this people, Jerusalem, turned away in permanent faithlessness? They hold on to treachery and refuse to repent.

I paid attention and listened, but they did not speak right; no one was sorry for his wickedness, no one who says, “What have I done?” All of them go where they wish, like a stallion rushing toward battle.

Even the stork in heaven knows the right times; and the doves, swifts, and cranes. They go on their migrations at the right time, but my people do not know Yahweh’s decrees.

How can you say, “We are wise, for the law of Yahweh is with us”? Indeed, see! The deceitful pen of the scribes has created deceit.

The wise men will be ashamed. They are dismayed and trapped. See! They reject Yahweh’s word, so what use is their wisdom?

So I will give their wives to others, and their fields to those who will possess them, for from the youngest to the greatest, all of them are exceedingly greedy! From the prophet to the priest, all of them practice deceit.

For they treated the fracture of the daughter of my people as if it were a trivial thing. They said, “Peace, Peace,” but there was no peace.

Were they ashamed when they practiced abominations? They were not ashamed. They had no humility. So they will fall at the time of their punishment, with those who have already fallen. They will be overthrown, says Yahweh.

I will remove them completely-this is Yahweh’s declaration-there will be no grapes on the vine, nor will there be figs on the fig trees. For the leaf will wither, and what I have given to them will pass away.

The People Respond

Why are we sitting here? Come to gether; let us go to the fortified cities, and we will become silent there in death. For Yahweh our God will silence us. He will make us drink poison, since we have sinned against him.

We are hoping for peace, but there will be nothing good. We are hoping for a time of healing, but see, there will be terror.

The snorting of his stallions is heard from Dan. The whole earth shakes at the sound of the neighing of his strong horses. For they will come and consume the land and its wealth, the city and the ones living in it.

For see, I am sending out snakes among you, vipers that you cannot charm. They will bite you-this is Yahweh’s declaration.’”

Jeremiah Weeps for His People

My sorrow has no end, and my heart is sick.

See! The screaming voice of the daughter of my people from a far distant land! Is not Yahweh in Zion? Or is not her king in her? Why then would they offend me with their carved figures and foreign worthless idols?

The harvest has passed on, summer is over. But we have not been saved.

I am hurt because of the hurt of the daughter of my people. I mourn at the horrible things that have happened to her; I am dismayed.

Is there no medicine in Gilead? Is there no healer there? Why will the healing of the daughter of my people not happen?

“At that time,” says the LORD, “they will bring the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of his princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves.

They will spread them before the sun, the moon, and all the army of the sky, which they have loved, which they have served, after which they have walked, which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered or be buried. They will be like dung on the surface of the earth.

Death will be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says the LORD of Armies.

“Moreover you shall tell them, ‘The LORD says: “‘Do men fall, and not rise up again? Does one turn away, and not return?

Why then have the people of Jerusalem fallen back by a perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit. They refuse to return.

I listened and heard, but they didn’t say what is right. No one repents of his wickedness, saying, “What have I done?” Everyone turns to his course, as a horse that rushes headlong in the battle.

Yes, the stork in the sky knows her appointed times. The turtledove, the swallow, and the crane observe the time of their coming; but my people don’t know the LORD’s law.

“‘How do you say, “We are wise, and the LORD’s law is with us”? But, behold, the false pen of the scribes has made that a lie.

The wise men are disappointed. They are dismayed and trapped. Behold, they have rejected the LORD’s word. What kind of wisdom is in them?

Therefore I will give their wives to others and their fields to those who will possess them. For everyone from the least even to the greatest is given to covetousness; from the prophet even to the priest everyone deals falsely.

They have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there is no peace.

Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed. They couldn’t blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. In the time of their visitation they will be cast down, says the LORD.

“‘I will utterly consume them, says the LORD. No grapes will be on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaf will fade. The things that I have given them will pass away from them.’”

The People Respond

“Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves! Let’s enter into the fortified cities, and let’s be silent there; for the LORD our God has put us to silence, and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.

We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of healing, and behold, dismay!

The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan. The whole land trembles at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they have come, and have devoured the land and all that is in it, the city and those who dwell therein.”

“For, behold, I will send serpents, adders among you, which will not be charmed; and they will bite you,” says the LORD.

Jeremiah Weeps for His People

Oh that I could comfort myself against sorrow! My heart is faint within me.

Behold, the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people from a land that is very far off: “Isn’t the LORD in Zion? Isn’t her King in her?” “Why have they provoked me to anger with their engraved images, and with foreign idols?”

“The harvest is past. The summer has ended, and we are not saved.”

For the hurt of the daughter of my people, I am hurt. I mourn. Dismay has taken hold of me.

Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then isn’t the health of the daughter of my people recovered?