14 This is what the LORD says concerning all My awicked neighbors who bdo harm to the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel: “Behold, I am going to drive them out of their land, and I will cdrive the house of Judah out from among them.Jer 49:1, 7; Zeph 2:8-10Jer 2:3; 50:11, 12; Zech 2:8Deut 30:3; Ps 106:47; Is 11:11-16 15 And it will come about that after I have driven them out, I will aagain have compassion on them; and I will bbring them back, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land.Jer 48:47; 49:6, 39Amos 9:14 16 Then, if they will really alearn the ways of My people, to bswear by My name, ‘As the LORD lives,’ just as they taught My people to cswear by Baal, they will be dbuilt up in the midst of My people.Is 42:6; 49:6Jer 4:2; Zeph 1:5Josh 23:7; Jer 5:7Jer 3:17; 4:2; 16:19 17 But if they do not listen, then I will adrive out that nation, drive it out and destroy it,” declares the LORD.Ps 2:8-12; Is 60:12
Jeremiah’s Prayer
aRighteous are You, LORD, when I plead my case with You;Nevertheless I would bdiscuss matters of justice with You:Why has the cway of the wicked prospered?Why are all those who ddeal in treachery at ease?Ezra 9:15; Ps 51:4; 129:4; Jer 11:20Job 13:3Job 12:6; Jer 5:27, 28; Hab 1:4; Mal 3:15Jer 3:7, 20; 5:112 You have aplanted them, they have also taken root;They grow, they have also produced fruit.You are bnear 1to their lipsBut far from their 2mind.Lit in their mouthLit kidneysJer 11:17; 45:4; Ezek 17:5-10Is 29:13; Jer 3:10; Ezek 33:31; Titus 1:163 But You aknow me, LORD;You see meAnd bexamine my heart’s attitude toward You.Drag them off like sheep for the slaughter,And 1set them apart for a cday of slaughter!Lit sanctify themPs 139:1-4Ps 7:9; 11:5; Jer 11:20Jer 17:18; 50:27; James 5:54 How long is the aland to mourn,And the bvegetation of the 1countryside to dry up?Due to the cwickedness of those who live in it,dAnimals and birds have been snatched away,Because people have said, “He will not see our final eend.”Lit whole fieldJer 4:28; 9:10; 23:10Joel 1:10-17Ps 107:34Jer 4:25; 7:20; 9:10; Hos 4:3; Hab 3:17Jer 5:31; Ezek 7:2
5 “If you have run with infantrymen and they have tired you out,How can you compete with horses?If you fall down in a land of peace,How will you do in the athicket by the Jordan?Jer 49:19; 50:446 “For even your abrothers and the household of your father,Even they have dealt treacherously with you,Even they have called aloud after you.Do not believe them, though they say bnice things to you.”Gen 37:4-11; Job 6:15; Ps 69:8; Jer 9:4, 5Ps 12:2; Prov 26:25
God’s Answer
7 “I have aforsaken My house,I have abandoned My inheritance;I have handed the bbeloved of My soulOver to her enemies.Is 2:6; Jer 7:29; 23:39Jer 11:15; Hos 11:1-88 “My inheritance has become to MeLike a lion in the forest;She has 1aroared against Me;Therefore I have come to bhate her.Lit raised her voiceIs 59:13Hos 9:15; Amos 6:89 “Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me?Are the abirds of prey against her on every side?Go, gather all the banimals of the field,Bring them to devour!2 Kin 24:2; Ezek 23:22-25Is 56:9; Jer 7:33; 15:3; 34:2010 “Many ashepherds have ruined My bvineyard,They have ctrampled down My field;They have made My dpleasant fieldA desolate wilderness.Jer 6:3; 23:1Ps 80:8-16; Is 5:1-7Is 63:18Jer 3:1911 “1It has been made a desolation;Desolate, it amourns 2before Me;The bwhole land has been made desolate,Because no one ctakes it to heart.Lit One has made itOr uponJer 12:4; 14:2; 23:10Jer 4:20, 27; 25:11Is 42:2512 “On all the 1abare heights in the wildernessDestroyers have come,For the bsword of the LORD is devouringFrom one end of the land even to the 2other;There is cno peace for 3anyone.Or caravan trailsLit other end of the landLit all fleshJer 3:2, 21Is 34:6; Jer 47:6; Amos 9:4Jer 16:5; 30:513 “They have asown wheat but have harvested thorns,They have bstrained themselves 1to no profit.So be ashamed of your cproduceBecause of the dfierce anger of the LORD.”Lit they do not profitLev 26:16; Deut 28:38; Mic 6:15; Hag 1:6Is 55:2; Jer 9:5Jer 17:10Jer 4:26; 25:37, 38
Jeremiah’s Prayer
You, O LORD are uncompromisingly arighteous and consistently just when I plead my case with You;Yet let me bdiscuss issues of justice with You:Why has the cway of the wicked prospered?Why are those who ddeal in treachery at ease and thriving?Ezra 9:15; Ps 51:4; 129:4; Jer 11:20Job 13:3Job 12:6; Jer 5:27, 28; Hab 1:4; Mal 3:15Jer 3:7, 20; 5:112 You have aplanted them, they have also taken root;They grow, they have even produced fruit.You are 1bhonored by their hypocritical lipsBut You are far from their heart and mind.Lit near their mouth.Jer 11:17; 45:4; Ezek 17:5-10Is 29:13; Jer 3:10; Ezek 33:31; Titus 1:163 But You, O LORD, aknow me and understand my devotion to You;You see me;And You bexamine the attitude of my heart toward You.Drag out the faithless like sheep for the slaughter O LORDAnd set them apart for the cday of slaughter.Ps 139:1-4Ps 7:9; 11:5; Jer 11:20Jer 17:18; 50:27; James 5:54 How long must the aland mournAnd the bgrass of the countryside wither?Because of the cwickedness and hypocrisy of those who live in it,The dbeasts and the birds are consumed and are swept away by the drought,Because men mocking me have said, “He will not live long enough to see what happens at our final eend.”Jer 4:28; 9:10; 23:10Joel 1:10-17Ps 107:34Jer 4:25; 7:20; 9:10; Hos 4:3; Hab 3:17Jer 5:31; Ezek 7:2
5 The LORD rebukes Jeremiah for his impatience, saying “If you have raced with men on foot and they have tired you out,Then how can you compete with horses?If you fall down in a land of peace where you feel secure,Then how will you do among the lions in the flooded athicket beside the Jordan?Jer 49:19; 50:446 “For even your tribal abrothers and the household of your father,Even they have dealt treacherously with you;Indeed they are like a pack of hounds howling after you.Do not believe them, although they may say bkind words and promise you good things.”Gen 37:4-11; Job 6:15; Ps 69:8; Jer 9:4, 5Ps 12:2; Prov 26:25
God’s Answer
7 “I have aabandoned My house,I have given up My precious inheritance ;I have given the dearly bbeloved of My lifeInto the hands of her enemies.Is 2:6; Jer 7:29; 23:39Jer 11:15; Hos 11:1-88 “My inheritance has become to MeLike a lion in the forest;She has araised her voice and roared against Me;So I have come to treat her as if I bhate her.Is 59:13Hos 9:15; Amos 6:89 “Is My inheritance like a speckled bird of prey to Me unlike the others?Are the abirds of prey surrounding her on every side?Go, gather all the wild bbeasts of the field;Bring them to devour her!2 Kin 24:2; Ezek 23:22-25Is 56:9; Jer 7:33; 15:3; 34:2010 “Many ashepherds have destroyed My bvineyard ,They have ctrampled My field underfoot;They have made My dpleasant fieldA desolate wilderness.Jer 6:3; 23:1Ps 80:8-16; Is 5:1-7Is 63:18Jer 3:1911 “They have made it a wasteland,Desolate, it amourns before Me;The bwhole land has been made a wasteland,Because no man ctakes it to heart.Jer 12:4; 14:2; 23:10Jer 4:20, 27; 25:11Is 42:2512 “Destroyers have comeOn all the acaravan roads in the desert,For the bsword of the LORD is devouringFrom one end of the land even to the other;cNo one has peace or a way of escape.Jer 3:2, 21Is 34:6; Jer 47:6; Amos 9:4Jer 16:5; 30:513 “They have aplanted wheat but have reaped thorns;They have bexhausted themselves but without profit.So be ashamed of your charvestBecause of the dfierce and raging anger of the LORD.”Lev 26:16; Deut 28:38; Mic 6:15; Hag 1:6Is 55:2; Jer 9:5Jer 17:10Jer 4:26; 25:37, 38
14 Thus says the LORD regarding all My aevil neighbors who bstrike at the inheritance which I have granted to My people Israel, “Behold, I will uproot them from their land and I will cuproot the house of Judah from among them.Jer 49:1, 7; Zeph 2:8-10Jer 2:3; 50:11, 12; Zech 2:8Deut 30:3; Ps 106:47; Is 11:11-16 15 And it shall come about that after I have uprooted them, I will areturn and have compassion on them; and I will bbring them back again, each one to his inheritance and each one to his land.Jer 48:47; 49:6, 39Amos 9:14 16 And if these neighboring nations will diligently alearn the ways of My people, to bswear by My Name, saying, ‘As the LORD lives’—even as they taught My people to cswear by Baal, then they will be dbuilt up among My people.Is 42:6; 49:6Jer 4:2; Zeph 1:5Josh 23:7; Jer 5:7Jer 3:17; 4:2; 16:19 17 But if any nation will not listen and obey, I will completely auproot and destroy that nation, says the LORD.”Ps 2:8-12; Is 60:12