Jeremiah 5:15-30
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 5
15Behold, I am bringing a nation against you from far away, you house of Israel,' declares the Lord. 'It is an enduring nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. 16Their quiver is like an open grave, All of them are warriors.
18Yet even in those days,' declares the Lord, 'I will not make a complete destruction of you.
19And it shall come about when they say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Just as you have abandoned Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you will serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
20'Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21‘Now hear this, you foolish and senseless people, Who have eyes but do not see, Who have ears but do not hear.
22Do you not fear Me?’ declares the Lord. ‘Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, An eternal limit, and it will not cross over it. Though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; Though they roar, they will not cross over it.
23But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; They have turned aside and departed.
24They do not say in their heart, 'Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain in its season, Both the autumn rain and the spring rain, Who keeps for us The appointed weeks of the harvest.'
25Your wrongdoings have turned these away, And your sins have kept good away from you.
26For wicked people are found among My people, They watch like fowlers lying in wait; They set a trap, They catch people.
27Like a cage full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit; Therefore they have become great and rich.
28They are fat, they are sleek, They also excel in deeds of wickedness; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the orphan, so that they may be successful; And they do not defend the rights of the poor.
29Shall I not punish them for these things?’ declares the Lord, ‘Or shall I not avenge Myself On a nation such as this?’
30'An appalling and horrible thing Has happened in the land:
King James Version
17And they shall eat up thine harvest, and thy bread, which thy sons and thy daughters should eat: they shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.
18Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.
19And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say, Wherefore doeth the Lord our God all these things unto us? then shalt thou answer them, Like as ye have forsaken me, and served strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours.
20Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
Christian Standard Bible
Chapter 5
15I am about to bring a nation from far away against you, house of Israel. This is the Lord’s declaration. It is an established nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know and whose speech you do not understand. 16Their quiver is like an open grave; they are all warriors. 17They will consume your harvest and your food. They will consume your sons and your daughters. They will consume your flocks and your herds. They will consume your vines and your fig trees. With the sword they will destroy your fortified cities in which you trust.
18"But even in those days"—this is the Lord’s declaration—"I will not finish you off.
19When people ask, ‘For what offense has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ You will respond to them, ‘Just as you abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land, so will you serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’
22Do you not fear me? This is the Lord’s declaration. Do you not tremble before me, the one who set the sand as the boundary of the sea, an enduring barrier that it cannot cross? The waves surge, but they cannot prevail. They roar but cannot pass over it.
23But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned aside and have gone away.
24They have not said to themselves, ‘Let’s fear the Lord our God, who gives the seasonal rains, both autumn and spring, who guarantees to us the fixed weeks of the harvest.’
25Your guilty acts have diverted these things from you. Your sins have withheld my bounty from you,
26for wicked men live among my people. They watch like hunters lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
27Like a cage full of birds, so their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have grown powerful and rich.
28They have become fat and sleek. They have also excelled in evil matters. They have not taken up cases, such as the case of the fatherless, so they might prosper, and they have not defended the rights of the needy.
New Living Translation
Chapter 5
15O Israel, I will bring a distant nation against you,' says the Lord. 'It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you cannot understand. 16Their weapons are deadly; their warriors are mighty. 17They will devour the food of your harvest; they will devour your sons and daughters. They will devour your flocks and herds; they will devour your grapes and figs. And they will destroy your fortified towns, which you think are so safe.
18Yet even in those days I will not blot you out completely,' says the Lord.
19And when your people ask, ‘Why did the Lord our God do all this to us?’ you must reply, ‘You rejected him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your own land. Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.’
20'Make this announcement to Israel, and say this to Judah:
21Listen, you foolish and senseless people, with eyes that do not see and ears that do not hear.
22Have you no respect for me? Why don’t you tremble in my presence? I, the Lord, define the ocean’s sandy shoreline as an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross. The waves may toss and roar, but they can never pass the boundaries I set.
23But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts. They have turned away and abandoned me.
24They do not say from the heart, ‘Let us live in awe of the Lord our God, for he gives us rain each spring and fall, assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’
25Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings. Your sin has robbed you of all these good things.
26'Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind. They continually set traps to catch people.
27Like a cage filled with birds, their homes are filled with evil plots. And now they are great and rich.
28They are fat and sleek, and there is no limit to their wicked deeds. They refuse to provide justice to orphans and deny the rights of the poor.
29Should I not punish them for this?' says the Lord. 'Should I not avenge myself against such a nation?
30A horrible and shocking thing has happened in this land —
English Standard Version
Chapter 5
15 Behold, I am bringing against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, declares the Lord. It is an enduring nation; it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say. 16 Their quiver is like an open tomb; they are all mighty warriors. 17 They shall eat up your harvest and your food; they shall eat up your sons and your daughters; they shall eat up your flocks and your herds; they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; your fortified cities in which you trust they shall beat down with the sword." 18"But even in those days, declares the Lord, I will not make a full end of you. 19And when your people say, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?’ you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve foreigners in a land that is not yours.’"
20Declare this in the house of Jacob; proclaim it in Judah:
21"Hear this, O foolish and senseless people, who have eyes, but see not, who have ears, but hear not.
22 Do you not fear me? declares the Lord. Do you not tremble before me? I placed the sand as the boundary for the sea, a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass; though the waves toss, they cannot prevail; though they roar, they cannot pass over it.
23 But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say in their hearts, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives the rain in its season, the autumn rain and the spring rain, and keeps for us the weeks appointed for the harvest.’
25 Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have kept good from you.
26For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men.
27Like a cage full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; therefore they have become great and rich;
28 they have grown fat and sleek. They know no bounds in deeds of evil; they judge not with justice the cause of the fatherless, to make it prosper, and they do not defend the rights of the needy.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things? declares the Lord, and shall I not avenge myself on a nation such as this?"
30An appalling and horrible thing has happened in the land:
New International Version
Chapter 5
15People of Israel," declares the Lord, "I am bringing a distant nation against you— an ancient and enduring nation, a people whose language you do not know, whose speech you do not understand. 16Their quivers are like an open grave; all of them are mighty warriors. 17They will devour your harvests and food, devour your sons and daughters; they will devour your flocks and herds, devour your vines and fig trees. With the sword they will destroy the fortified cities in which you trust.
18"Yet even in those days," declares the Lord, "I will not destroy you completely.
19And when the people ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners in a land not your own.’
20"Announce this to the descendants of Jacob and proclaim it in Judah:
21Hear this, you foolish and senseless people, who have eyes but do not see, who have ears but do not hear:
22Should you not fear me?" declares the Lord. "Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it.
23But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
24They do not say to themselves, ‘Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.’
25Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
26"Among my people are the wicked who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch people.
27Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
28and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not seek justice. They do not promote the case of the fatherless; they do not defend the just cause of the poor.
New King James Version
Chapter 5
15Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel,” says the Lord. “It is a mighty nation, It is an ancient nation, A nation whose language you do not know, Nor can you understand what they say. 16Their quiver is like an open tomb; They are all mighty men. 17And they shall eat up your harvest and your bread, Which your sons and daughters should eat. They shall eat up your flocks and your herds; They shall eat up your vines and your fig trees; They shall destroy your fortified cities, In which you trust, with the sword.
18“Nevertheless in those days,” says the Lord, “I will not make a complete end of you.
19And it will be when you say, ‘Why does the Lord our God do all these things to us?’ then you shall answer them, ‘Just as you have forsaken Me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve aliens in a land that is not yours.’
20“Declare this in the house of Jacob And proclaim it in Judah, saying,
21‘Hear this now, O foolish people, Without understanding, Who have eyes and see not, And who have ears and hear not:
22 Do you not fear Me?’ says the Lord. ‘Will you not tremble at My presence, Who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, By a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, Yet they cannot prevail; Though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it.
23But this people has a defiant and rebellious heart; They have revolted and departed.
24They do not say in their heart, “Let us now fear the Lord our God, Who gives rain, both the former and the latter, in its season. He reserves for us the appointed weeks of the harvest.”
25 Your iniquities have turned these things away, And your sins have withheld good from you.
26‘For among My people are found wicked men; They lie in wait as one who sets snares; They set a trap; They catch men.
27As a cage is full of birds, So their houses are full of deceit. Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28They have grown fat, they are sleek; Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked; They do not plead the cause, The cause of the fatherless; Yet they prosper, And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord. ‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’
30“An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land:
