The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah 6

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1 O ye children of Benjamin gather yourselves to flee out of the midst of Jerusalem and blow the trumpet in Tekoa and set up a sign of fire in Beth-haccerem for evil appeareth out of the north and great destruction ⚑

2 I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman ⚑

3 The shepherds with their flocks shall come unto her they shall pitch their tents against her round about they shall feed every one in his place ⚑

4 Prepare ye war against her arise and let us go up at noon Woe unto us for the day goeth away for the shadows of the evening are stretched out ⚑

5 Arise and let us go by night and let us destroy her palaces ⚑

6 For thus hath the LORD of hosts said Hew ye down trees and cast a mount against Jerusalem this is the city to be visited she is wholly oppression in the midst of her ⚑

7 As a fountain casteth out her waters so she casteth out her wickedness violence and spoil is heard in her before me continually is grief and wounds ⚑

8 Be thou instructed O Jerusalem lest my soul depart from thee lest I make thee desolate a land not inhabited ⚑

9 Thus saith the LORD of hosts They shall throughly glean the remnant of Israel as a vine turn back thine hand as a grapegatherer into the baskets ⚑

10 To whom shall I speak and give warning that they may hear behold their ear is uncircumcised and they cannot hearken behold the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach they have no delight in it ⚑

11 Therefore I am full of the fury of the LORD I am weary with holding in I will pour it out upon the children abroad and upon the assembly of young men together for even the husband with the wife shall be taken the aged with him that is full of days ⚑

12 And their houses shall be turned unto others with their fields and wives together for I will stretch out my hand upon the inhabitants of the land saith the LORD ⚑

13 For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely ⚑

14 They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly saying Peace peace when there is no peace ⚑

15 Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination nay they were not at all ashamed neither could they blush therefore they shall fall among them that fall at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down saith the LORD ⚑

16 Thus saith the LORD Stand ye in the ways and see and ask for the old paths where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls But they said We will not walk therein ⚑

17 Also I set watchmen over you saying Hearken to the sound of the trumpet But they said We will not hearken ⚑

18 Therefore hear ye nations and know O congregation what is among them ⚑

19 Hear O earth behold I will bring evil upon this people even the fruit of their thoughts because they have not hearkened unto my words nor to my law but rejected it ⚑

20 To what purpose cometh there to me incense from Sheba and the sweet cane from a far country your burnt offerings are not acceptable nor your sacrifices sweet unto me ⚑

21 Therefore thus saith the LORD Behold I will lay stumblingblocks before this people and the fathers and the sons together shall fall upon them the neighbour and his friend shall perish ⚑

22 Thus saith the LORD Behold a people cometh from the north country and a great nation shall be raised from the sides of the earth ⚑

23 They shall lay hold on bow and spear they are cruel and have no mercy their voice roareth like the sea and they ride upon horses set in array as men for war against thee O daughter of Zion ⚑

24 We have heard the fame thereof our hands wax feeble anguish hath taken hold of us and pain as of a woman in travail ⚑

25 Go not forth into the field nor walk by the way for the sword of the enemy and fear is on every side ⚑

26 O daughter of my people gird thee with sackcloth and wallow thyself in ashes make thee mourning as for an only son most bitter lamentation for the spoiler shall suddenly come upon us ⚑

27 I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people that thou mayest know and try their way ⚑

28 They are all grievous revolters walking with slanders they are brass and iron they are all corrupters ⚑

29 The bellows are burned the lead is consumed of the fire the founder melteth in vain for the wicked are not plucked away ⚑

30 Reprobate silver shall men call them because the LORD hath rejected them ⚑

King James Version (1769) with Apocrypha · Crosswire Bible Society / eBible.org (standard text of 1769) · Public Domain

Cross-references: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · public domain