Jeremiah 6

They’re coming! Run for your lives!
If you live in Benjamin’s [1] tribe, run.
Jerusalem, get out of town.
Tekoa, [2] sound the alarm.
Beth-haccherem, [3] blow that ram’s horn.
Destructive invaders are coming from the north.
2Jerusalem, my dear Zion, [4]
You sit there like a lovely meadow.
3That’s about to change.
Invading shepherds [5] are coming
And they’re bringing their flocks.
They’re going to take your fields
And eat your food—all they want.
4An invader yells,
“Armor up. Sandals in the dirt. [6]
We attack at noon.”
Later, “Damn, [7] we’re losing daylight!
It’s getting dark.
5Well, it’s a night fight now.
Rip their palaces to the ground.”
6The LORD of everyone says this:
Chop down their trees.
Build siege ramps.
Take them to the top of Jerusalem’s wall.
We’ve got to lay some hurt on this evil town.
7A well loves fresh spring water
The way this town loves fresh evil.
Here they come, deafening screams of violence,
Destruction, sickness, and injury.

Jerusalem, take this warning
Or take what’s coming.
I will end you with my disgust.
I will empty this land.
9The LORD of everyone says:
Pick off those Israelites
Like you’re picking grapes.
And like a grape picker
Double back on the vineyard
And pick off the ones you missed.

Jeremiah [8] says:
Who exactly am I supposed to warn?
Look at them.
They’ve got their fingers in their ears.
They can’t hear me.
And they’re not interested in hearing about you.
They hate your warnings.
11I’ve got so much righteous anger
That I’m about to explode.

The LORD [9] says:
Let her rip.
Tear into kids playing in the streets,
And older kids chatting.
They’re all doomed.
They’ll be taken away
With dads and moms,
Grands and great-grands.
12When I punish you, says the LORD,
Your houses, your land, your wives
Won’t be yours anymore.
Other men will take them.
13People of Judah are greedy and crooked,
From the most important
To the most invisible,
From prophet to priest to everyone else.
14They treated my wounded people with lies,
Saying all is well [10] and they’ll be fine.
But it’s not well and they won’t be fine
15What they’ve done is repulsive.
But they’re not ashamed.
They’d have to paint on a blush.
These leaders are going down
When everyone else goes down.
The LORD says so

People, you stood at a crossroads.
Your ancestors took the high road.
That was the road to peace.
But you took the low road.
17I sent messengers to warn you.
They said, “Sound the alarm
And blow the ram’s horn!”
But you blew them off,
And said, “Not a chance.”
18So, I’m calling on nations of the world.
I want people everywhere
To watch what happens to Judah.
19Everyone, listen.
It’s harvest time for Judah.
They planted evil.
Now they’ll get disaster.
They ignored my laws.
And they rejected my warnings.
20So what if they bring me expensive offerings—
Incense from Sheba,
Sugar cane from who knows where?
Burn anything you want,
Meat and sweet-smelling incense.
I don’t want any of it.

Watch me drop these people.
Fathers and sons will fall together.
Neighbors and friends will die.
22The LORD says,
Listen, invaders are coming.
They’ll attack from the north.
Their huge army is getting ready now.
They’ll come from far away.
23They’re bringing cruelty, spear, and bow.
But they’re leaving mercy far behind.
They ride on warhorses,
Pounding the earth like thundering waves.
Jerusalem, my dear Zion,
They’re coming for you.
24The people will say,
Oh no! We heard about them.
We’re shaking in terror,
Like a woman in labor, afraid of dying.
25The LORD says,
It’s too late to run,
So stay off the road
And out of the field.
For all you’ll find
Are terror and swords.
26Strip off your good clothes.
Put on your mourning sackcloth, [11]
And throw ashes on yourself.
Cry like you’ve lost your only child,
With a loud and bitter wailing.
For the killers are coming.

Jeremiah, you are my Human Resources manager.
Evaluate my people and get to know them.
28Here’s what you’ll find.
They are crooked and stubborn contrarians—
Rebels constantly badmouthing others.
29You can try to refine them like metal,
And melt away the impurities.
But their wickedness is fireproof.
30Stamp them “Rejected Silver,”
For they are rejects to the LORD.