Impending Siege of Jerusalem
Jeremiah 6“Y’all must flee for safety, children of Benjamin, from the middle of Jerusalem! Y’all are to blow the trumpet in Tekoa and raise up a signal on Beth Haccherem, for disaster looks down from the north with a great destruction. I will cut off the beautiful and delicate one, the daughter of Zion. Shepherds with their flocks will come to her. They will pitch their tents against her all around. They will feed everyone in his place.”
“Y’all prepare war against her! Arise, y’all! Let’s go up at noon. Woe to us! For the day declines, for the shadows of the evening are stretched out. Arise, y’all! Let’s go up by night, and let’s destroy her palaces.” For YHWH Almighty said, “Y’all must cut down trees and build siege ramps against Jerusalem. This is the city to be visited. She is filled with oppression within herself. As a well produces its waters, so she produces her wickedness. Violence and destruction is heard in her. Sickness and wounds are continually before me. Be instructed, Jerusalem, lest my soul be alienated from you, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”
YHWH Almighty says, “They will glean-glean the remnant of Israel like a vine. Turn again your hand as a grape gatherer into the baskets.”
To whom should I speak and testify, that they may hear? Look, their ear is uncircumcised, and they can’t listen. Indeed, the word of YHWH has become a reproach to them. They have no delight in it. Therefore I am full of YHWH’s wrath. I am weary with holding it in.
“Pour it out on the children in the street, and on the assembly of young men together; for even the husband with the wife will be taken, the aged with him who is full of days. Their houses will be turned to others, their fields and their wives together; for I will stretch out my hand on the inhabitants of the land, says YHWH.” “For from their least even to their greatest, everyone is given to covetousness. From the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have healed also the hurt of my people superficially, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ when there is no peace. Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush. Therefore they will fall among those who fall. When I visit them, they will be cast down,” says YHWH.YHWH says, “Y’all are to stand at the crossroads and look. Ask* about the old paths, where is the good way is. Then y’all must walk in it, and y’all will find rest for your* souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’ I set watchmen over y’all, saying, ‘Y’all must listen to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not listen!’ Therefore y’all must listen, nations, and know, congregation, what is among them. Listen, earth! I will bring evil on this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not listened to my words and they have rejected my law. To what purpose does frankincense from Sheba come to me, and the sweet cane from a far country? Y’all’s burnt offerings are not acceptable, and y’all’s sacrifices are not pleasing to me.”
Therefore YHWH says, “I am going to lay stumbling blocks before this people. The fathers and the sons together will stumble against them. The neighbor and his friend will perish.” This is what YHWH says, “Look, a people comes from the north country. A great nation will be stirred up from the uttermost parts of the earth. They take hold of bow and spear. They are cruel, and have no mercy. Their voice roars like the sea, and they ride on horses, everyone set in array, as a man to the battle, against you, daughter of Zion.”
We have heard its report. Our hands become feeble. Anguish has taken hold of us, and pains as of a woman in labor. Don’t go out into the field or walk by the way; for the sword of the enemy and terror are on every side. Daughter of my people, clothe yourself with sackcloth, and wallow in ashes! Mourn, as for an only son, most bitter lamentation, for the destroyer will suddenly come on us.
“I have made you a tester of metals and a fortress among my people, that you may know and try their way. They are all grievous rebels, going around to slander. They are bronze and iron. All of them deal corruptly. The bellows blow fiercely. The lead is consumed in the fire. In vain they go on refining, for the wicked are not separated out. Men will call them rejected silver, because YHWH has rejected them.”