Jeremiah 8
The Faithlessness of Jerusalem
8“At that time,” declares Yahweh, “they will abring out the bones of the kings of Judah and the bones of its princes, and the bones of the priests and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem from their graves. 2“And they will spread them out to the sun, the moon, and to all the ahost of heaven, which they have loved and which they have served, and which they have walked after and which they have sought, and which they have worshiped. They will not be gathered bor buried; cthey will be as dung on the face of the ground. 3“And adeath will be chosen rather than life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family, that remains in all the bplaces to which I have banished them,” declares Yahweh of hosts. 4“You shall say to them, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “Do men afall and not get up again?Does one turn away and not 1turn back?
5“Why then has this people, Jerusalem,1,aTurned away in continual faithlessness?They bhold fast to deceit;They crefuse to return.6“I ahave given heed and heard,They have spoken what is not right;bNo man regretted his evil,Saying, ‘What have I done?’Everyone turned to his course,Like a chorse charging into the battle.7“Even the stork in the skyaKnows her seasons;And the bturtledove and the swift and the craneKeep the time of their 1migration;But cMy people do not knowThe legal judgment of Yahweh.8“aHow can you say, ‘We are wise,And the law of Yahweh is with us’?But behold, the lying pen of the scribesHas made it into a lie.9“The wise men are aput to shame;They are dismayed and captured;Behold, they have brejected the word of Yahweh,And what kind of wisdom do they have?10“Therefore I will agive their wives to others,Their fields to 1new possessors,Because from the least even to the greatestEveryone is bgreedy for gain;From the prophet even to the priestEveryone practices lying.11“They aheal the brokenness of the daughter of My people superficially,Saying, ‘Peace, peace,’But there is no peace.12“Were they aashamed because of the abomination they had done?They certainly were not ashamed,And they did not know how to feel dishonor;Therefore they shall bfall among those who fall;At the ctime of their 1punishment they shall be brought down,”Says Yahweh.13“I will asurely gather them up,” declares Yahweh;“There will be bno grapes on the vineAnd cno figs on the fig tree,And the leaf will wither;And what I have given them will pass away.”’”14Why are we sitting still?aGather yourselves, and let us bgo into the fortified citiesAnd let us be silent thereBecause Yahweh our God has silenced usAnd given us 1,cpoisoned water to drink,For dwe have sinned against Yahweh.15We awaited for peace, but there was no good;For a time of healing, but behold, terror!16From aDan is heard the snorting of his horses;At the sound of the neighing of his bvaliant steedsThe whole land quakes;And they come and cdevour the land as well as its fullness,The city and its inhabitants.17“For behold, I am asending serpents against you,Vipers, for which there is bno charm,And they will bite you,” declares Yahweh.