1 RUN ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it.
2 And though they say, The Lord liveth; surely they swear falsely.
3 O Lord, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
4 Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the judgment of their God.
5 I will get me unto the great men, and will speak unto them; for they have known the way of the Lord, and the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds.
6 Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay them, and a wolf of the evenings shall spoil them, a leopard shall watch over their cities: every one that goeth out thence shall be torn in pieces: because their transgressions are many, and their backslidings are increased.
7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adultery, and assembled themselves by troops in the harlots’ houses.
8 They were as fed horses in the morning: every one neighed after his neighbour’s wife.
9 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: and shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end: take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.
11 For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.
12 They have belied the Lord, and said, It is not he; neither shall evil come upon us; neither shall we see sword nor famine:
13 And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done unto them.
14 Wherefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Because ye speak this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them.
15 Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.
16 Their quiver is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.
17 And 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.
18 Nevertheless in those days, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.
19 And 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.
20 Declare this in the house of Jacob, and publish it in Judah, saying,
21 Hear now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not:
22 Fear ye not me? saith the Lord: will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass it: and though the waves thereof toss themselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet can they not pass over it?
23 But this people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.
24 Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the Lord our God, that giveth rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.
25 Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you.
26 For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares; they set a trap, they catch men.
27 As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.
28 They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper; and the right of the needy do they not judge.
29 Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
30 A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

1Runne yee to and fro thorow the streetes of Ierusalem, and see now and knowe, and seeke in the broad places thereof, if ye can finde a man, if there be any that executeth iudgement, that seeketh the trueth, and I will pardon it.

2And though they say, The Lord liueth, surely they sweare falsely.

3O Lord, are not thine eyes vpon the trueth? thou hast stricken them, but they haue not grieued; thou hast consumed them, but they haue refused to receiue correction: they haue made their faces harder then a rocke, they haue refused to returne.

4Therefore I said, Surely these are poore, they are foolish: for they know not the way of the Lord, nor the iudgement of their God.

5I wil get me vnto the great men, and will speake vnto them, for they haue knowen the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God: but these haue altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bondes.

6Wherfore a lyon out of the forrest shall slay them, and a wolfe of the euenings shall spoile them, a leopard shall watch ouer their cities: euery one that goeth out thence shalbe torne in pieces, because their transgressions are many, and their backeslidings are increased.

7 How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children haue forsaken mee, and sworne by them that are no gods: when I had fed them to the full, they then committed adulterie, and assembled themselues by troupes in the harlots houses.

8They were as fed horses in the morning: euery one neighed after his neighbours wife:

9Shall I not visit for these things, sayth the Lord, and shall not my soule bee auenged on such a nation as this?

10 Goe yee vp vpon her walles, and destroy, but make not a full ende: take away her battlements, for they are not the Lords.

11For the house of Israel, and the house of Iudah haue dealt very treacherously against me, saith the Lord.

12They haue belyed the Lord, and said; It is not he, neither shall euill come vpon vs, neither shal we see sword nor famine.

13And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them: thus shall it be done vnto them.

14Wherfore thus saith the Lord God of Hostes; Because yee speake this word, behold, I will make my words in thy mouth, fire, and this people wood, and it shall deuoure them.

15Loe, I will bring a nation vpon you from farre, O house of Israel, saith the Lord: it is a mighty nation, it is an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither vnderstandest what they say.

16Their quiuer is as an open sepulchre, they are all mighty men.

17And they shall eate vp thine haruest and thy bread, which thy sonnes and thy daughters should eate: they shall eate vp thy flockes and thine heards: they shall eate vp thy vines and thy figtrees: they shall impouerish thy fenced cities wherein thou trustedst, with the sword.

18Neuerthelesse in those daies, saith the Lord, I will not make a full end with you.

19 And it shall come to passe when yee shall say; Wherefore doth the Lord our God all these things vnto vs? then shalt thou answere them; Like as ye haue forsaken me, & serued strange Gods in your land; so shall yee serue strangers in a land that is not yours.

20Declare this in the house of Iacob, and publish it in Iudah saying;

21Heare now this, O foolish people, and without vnderstanding, which haue eyes and see not, which haue eares and heare not.

22Feare yee not mee, saith the Lord ? Will yee not tremble at my presence, which haue placed the sand for the bound of the sea, by a perpetuall decree that it cannot passe it, and though the waues thereof tosse themselues, yet can they not preuaile, though they roare, yet can they not passe ouer it?

23But this people hath a reuolting and a rebellious heart: they are reuolted and gone.

24Neither say they in their heart; Let vs now feare the Lord our God, that giueth raine, both the former and the later in his season: he reserueth vnto vs the appointed weekes of the haruest.

25 Your iniquities haue turned away these things, & your sinnes haue withholden good things from you.

26For among my people are found wicked men: they lay waite as hee that setteth snares, they set a trap, they catch men.

27As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich.

28They are waxen fat, they shine: yea they ouerpasse the deedes of the wicked: they iudge not the cause, the cause of the fatherlesse, yet they prosper: and the right of the needy doe they not iudge.

29Shall I not visit for these things, saith the Lord ? shall not my soule be auenged on such a nation as this?

30 A wonderfull and horrible thing is committed in the land.

31The prophets prophecie falsely, and the priests beare rule by their meanes, and my people loue to haue it so: and what will yee doe in the end therof?

II == Jer 4:2 ; 7:9 ; Titus 1:16

III == 2nd Chr 16:9 ; Isa 1:5 ; 9:13 ; Jer 2:30 ; 7:28 ; Zeph 3:2

IV == Jer 8:7

V == Ps 2:3 ; Mic 3:1 ; Mic 3:1

VI == Ps 104:20 ; Jer 4:7 ; Hos 13:7 ; Hab 1:8 ; Zeph 3:3

VII == Deut 32:15 , 21 ; Josh 23:7 ; Zeph 1:5 ; Gal 4:8

VIII == Jer 13:27 ; Ezek 22:11

IX == Jer 5:29 ; 9:9 ; 44:22

XII == 2nd Chr 36:16 ; Isa 28:15 ; Jer 4:10 ; 14:13

XIV == Jer 1:9

XV == Deut 28:49 ; Isa 5:26 ; 39:3 ; Jer 1:15 ; 4:16 ; 6:22

XVII == Lev 26:16 ; Deut 28:31 , 33

XVIII == Jer 4:27

XXI == Isa 6:9 ; Ezek 12:2 ; Hos 7:11 ; Matt 13:14 ; John 12:40 ; Acts 28:26 ; Rom 11:8

XXII == Job 26:10 ; 38:10-11 ; Ps 104:9 ; Prov 8:29 ; Rev 15:4

XXIV == Gen 8:22 ; Deut 11:14 ; Ps 147:8 ; Jer 14:22 ; Joel 2:23 ; Matt 5:45 ; Acts 14:17

XXV == Jer 3:3

XXVI == Prov 1:11 , 17-18 ; Hab 1:15

XXVIII == Deut 32:15 ; Job 12:6 ; Ps 73:12 ; Isa 1:23 ; Jer 12:1 ; Zech 7:10

XXIX == Jer 5:9 ; Mal 3:5

XXX == Jer 23:14 ; Hos 6:10

XXXI == Neh 3:14 ; Jer 1:14 ; 4:6 ; 14:14 ; 23:25-26 ; Ezek 13:6 ; Mich 2:11

1 Roam the streets of Jerusalem, look about and observe, Search through her public places, to find even one Who lives uprightly and seeks to be faithful, and I will pardon her!

2 Though they say, "As the LORD lives," they swear falsely.

3 O LORD, do your eyes not look for honesty? You struck them, but they did not cringe; you laid them low, but they refused correction; They set their faces harder than stone, and refused to return to you.

4 It is only the lowly, I thought, who are foolish; For they know not the way of the LORD, their duty to their God.

5 I will go to the great ones and speak with them; For they know the way of the LORD, their duty to their God. But, one and all, they had broken the yoke, torn off the harness.

6 Therefore lions from the forest slay them, wolves of the desert ravage them, Leopards keep watch round their cities: all who come out are torn to pieces For their many crimes and their numerous rebellions.

7 Why should I pardon you these things? Your sons have forsaken me, they swear by gods that are not. I fed them, but they committed adultery; to the harlot's house they throng.

8 Lustful stallions they are, each neighs after another's wife.

9 Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD; On a nation such as this shall I not take vengeance?

10 Climb to her terraces, and ravage them, destroy them (not) wholly. Tear away her tendrils, they do not belong to the LORD.

11 For they have openly rebelled against me, both the house of Israel and the house of Judah, says the LORD.

12 They denied the LORD, saying, "Not he - No evil shall befall us, neither sword nor famine shall we see.

13 The prophets have become wind, and the word is not in them. May their threats be carried out against themselves!"

14 Now, for this that you have said, says the LORD, the God of hosts - Behold, I make my words in your mouth, a fire, And this people is the wood that it shall devour! -

15 Beware, I will bring against you a nation from afar, O house of Israel, says the LORD; A long-lived nation, an ancient nation, a people whose language you know not, whose speech you cannot understand.

16 Their quivers are like open graves; all of them are warriors.

17 They will devour your harvest and your bread, devour your sons and your daughters, Devour your sheep and cattle, devour your vines and fig trees; They will beat flat with the sword the fortified city in which you trust.

18 Yet even in those days, says the LORD, I will not wholly destroy you.

19 And when they ask, "Why has the LORD done all these things to us?" say to them, "As you have forsaken me to serve strange gods in your own land, so shall you serve strangers in a land not your own."

20 Announce this to the house of Jacob, proclaim it in Judah:

21 Pay attention to this, foolish and senseless people Who have eyes and see not, who have ears and hear not.

22 Should you not fear me, says the LORD, should you not tremble before me? I made the sandy shore the sea's limit, which by eternal decree it may not overstep. Toss though it may, it is to no avail; though its billows roar, they cannot pass.

23 But this people's heart is stubborn and rebellious; they turn and go away,

24 And say not in their hearts, "Let us fear the LORD, our God, Who gives us rain early and late, in its time; Who watches for us over the appointed weeks of harvest."

25 Your crimes have prevented these things, your sins have turned back these blessings from you.

26 For there are among my people criminals; like fowlers they set traps, but it is men they catch.

27 Their houses are as full of treachery as a bird-cage is of birds; Therefore they grow powerful and rich,

28 fat and sleek. They go their wicked way; justice they do not defend By advancing the claim of the fatherless or judging the cause of the poor.

29 Shall I not punish these things? says the LORD; on a nation such as this shall I not take vengeance?

30 A shocking, horrible thing has happened in the land:

31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests teach as they wish; Yet my people will have it so; what will you do when the end comes?

v 1-3. God challenged Jeremiah to find just one person in Jerusalem who was sincerely honest and searching for the truth and He would forgive the city, but not one person was truly repentant.

v 4-6. Jeremiah thought he could find such a man among the leaders, but they were as wicked as the poor people, so God would send beasts, soldiers of Babylon.

v 7-9. Between the questions why He should not forgive Judah and why He should not punish her, God compared her lust for idolatry to rampant immorality.

v 10-19. The people thought the prophets’ word was like wind and wouldn’t believe their word of destruction, so God would make their words a consuming fire and (Babylon) a plunderer. V 10 and 19 God again promises to leave a remnant. 

v 20-24. The people did not exercise their powers of perception, so could not understand or fear God. The sea kept it’s boundaries better than the people kept God’s laws. God kept rain away between Passover and Pentecost so they could harvest their grain, but they would not acknowledge Him.

v 25-31. Wicked rich people took advantage of poor and helpless. Prophets lied and priests failed to teach the ways of God. Yet society was so degraded they were content with the situation.