1At that time, saith the LORD, they shall bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests, and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, out of their graves: 2And they shall spread them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved, and whom they have served, and after whom they have walked, and whom they have sought, and whom they have worshipped: they shall not be gathered, nor be buried; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth. 3And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
4¶ Moreover thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD; Shall they fall, and not arise? shall he turn away, and not return? 5Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back by a perpetual backsliding? they hold fast deceit, they refuse to return. 6I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done? every one turned to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle. 7Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming; but my people know not the judgment of the LORD. 8How do ye say, We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made he it; the pen of the scribes is in vain.8.8 in vain made…: or, the false pen of the scribes worketh for falsehood 9The wise men are ashamed, they are dismayed and taken: lo, they have rejected the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?8.9 The wise…: or, Have they been ashamed, etc8.9 what…: Heb. the wisdom of what thing 10Therefore will I give their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. 11For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace. 12Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush: therefore shall they fall among them that fall: in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down, saith the LORD.8.12 I will…: or, In gathering I will consume
13¶ I will surely consume them, saith the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them. 14Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.8.14 gall: or, poison 15We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 16The snorting of his horses was heard from Dan: the whole land trembled at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come, and have devoured the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell therein.8.16 all…: Heb. the fulness thereof 17For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the LORD.
18¶ When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.8.18 in: Heb. upon 19Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger with their graven images, and with strange vanities?8.19 them…: Heb. the country of them that are far off 20The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?8.22 recovered: Heb. gone up?
Falske ledere har forført Guds folk
1Når fjenderne kommer, vil de åbne gravene, hvor Judas konger, stormænd, præster, profeter og andre ligger. 2De vil sprede deres knogler ud på jorden, så de ligger utildækket under solen og månen og stjernerne, som de i sin tid tilbad og søgte råd hos. Der vil de ligge og blive til gødning. 3Nogle få af mit oprørske folk vil overleve og blive sendt i eksil, men de vil ønske de var døde,” siger Herren, den Almægtige.
4Derefter bad Herren mig sige følgende til folket: „Hør, hvad Herren siger: Når man falder, skynder man sig så ikke at komme på benene igen? Og når man er gået i den forkerte retning, vender man så ikke straks om, når man opdager det? 5Hvorfor bliver Jerusalems indbyggere så ved med at gøre oprør? Hvorfor nægter de at vende om fra deres vantro? 6Jeg lytter opmærksomt til deres samtaler, men ingen siger et sandt ord. Ingen angrer deres synd eller indrømmer deres fejltagelser. Nej, de styrter sig hovedkulds ud i synden som stridsheste, der stormer frem til kamp. 7Selv storken ved, hvornår den skal trække bort, og det samme gælder duen, tranen og svalen. Hvert år vender de tilbage i rette tid. Men mit folk? De er ligeglade med mine befalinger.
8Hvordan kan I påstå, at I er kloge og kender mine love, når jeres skriftlærde har løjet for jer og fordrejet dem? 9Men jeg vil lukke munden på dem og straffe dem. Hvad visdom er der i at forkaste Herrens ord? 10Jeg overdrager deres koner og ejendom til andre, fordi de alle kun er ude på at skrabe til sig, så meget de kan. Selv præsterne og profeterne er fulde af løgn. 11De behandler dybe sår, som var det ufarlige rifter. ‚Det sker der ikke noget ved,’ forsikrer de, men de tager grueligt fejl. 12De skal straffes for deres afskyelige afgudsdyrkelse, for de har ikke skam i livet. Derfor skal de dø ligesom alle de andre, siger Herren. 13Da jeg ville høste, var der ingen druer på vinstokkene og ingen figner på figentræerne. Alle bladene var visne. Derfor sender jeg en fjende, som skal trampe dem ned.”8,13 Teksten er uklar.
14Da vil folket sige: „Hvad venter vi på? Kom, lad os samles i de befæstede byer, for vi vil ikke dø uden kamp. Vores Gud, Herren, har fældet dødsdom over os og rakt os giftbægeret som straf for vores synder. 15Vi havde håbet på fred og bedre tider, men nu er ulykken over os. 16Fjendens hær kan allerede høres i Dan, hele landet skælver af angst. Fjenderne er på vej for at ødelægge landet, lægge byerne i ruiner og slå hele befolkningen ihjel.”
17„Ja,” siger Herren, „jeg sender en hær imod jer som utæmmelige giftslanger, der dræber jer med deres bid.”
Jeremias sørger over Judas synder
18Da udbrød jeg: „Mit hjerte er knust af sorg! 19Hør folkets fortvivlede skrig ud over landet.
‚Hvor er Herren blevet af?’ råber de. ‚Hvorfor har han forladt sit tempel i Jerusalem?’
Men Herren vil svare: ‚Hvorfor vakte I min vrede med jeres afgudsbilleder og tomme ritualer?’
20‚Ak,’ råber folket til Herren, ‚tiden er gået, og nu er det for sent.8,20 Ordret „Høsten er overstået, og sommeren er forbi”. Det er en talemåde for, at tiden er forspildt. Hvorfor greb du ikke ind og reddede os?’ ”
21Jeg er fortvivlet over mit folks ulykke. Jeg er knust, utrøstelig og stum af sorg. 22Er der ingen salve tilbage i Gilead? Er der ingen læge, der kan lindre smerten? Er der slet ingen redning for mit folk? 23Jeg ville ønske, jeg havde et hav af tårer, for så kunne jeg græde dag og nat over Jerusalems dræbte indbyggere.
