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Jeremiah 4

Holman Christian Standard Bible, 2009 (HCSB)

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¹ If you return, [1] Israel — — this is the LORD’s declaration — you will return to Me, ⓐ if you remove your detestable idols ⓑ from My presence and do not waver,

² then you can swear, “As the LORD lives,” ⓒ in truth, ⓓ in justice, and in righteousness, ⓔ then the nations will be blessed [2] by Him ⓕ and will pride themselves in Him. ⓖ

³ For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; ⓗ do not sow among the thorns. ⓘ

⁴ Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, ⓙ men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it ⓚ because of your evil deeds.

⁵ Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. ⓛ Cry out loudly and say: Assemble yourselves, and let’s flee to the fortified cities.

⁶ Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. ⓜ Run for cover! Don’t stand still! For I am bringing disaster from the north — a great destruction. ⓝ

⁷ A lion has gone up from his thicket; ⓞ a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to make your land a waste. Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins. ⓟ

⁸ Because of this, put on sackcloth; mourn and wail, ⓠ for the LORD’s burning anger ⓡ has not turned away from us.

⁹ “On that day” — this is the LORD’s declaration — “the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless.”

¹⁰ I said, “Oh no, Lord GOD, You have certainly deceived ⓢ this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, ‘You will have peace,’ ⓣ while a sword is at [3] our throats.”

¹¹ “At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, ‘A searing wind ⓤ blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to My dear [4] people. It comes not to winnow or to sift;

¹² a wind too strong for this comes at My call. [5] Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’” ⓥ

¹³ Look, he advances like clouds; ⓦ his chariots are like a storm. ⓧ His horses are swifter than eagles. ⓨ Woe to us, for we are ruined! ⓩ

¹⁴ Wash the evil from your heart, ⓐ Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts within you? ⓑ

¹⁵ For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.

¹⁶ Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; ⓒ they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.

¹⁷ They have her surrounded ⓓ like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against Me. ⓔ — This is the LORD’s declaration.

¹⁸ Your way of life and your actions have brought this on you. ⓕ This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart!

¹⁹ My anguish, my anguish! [6] I writhe in agony! Oh, the pain in [7] my heart! ⓖ My heart pounds; I cannot be silent. For you, my soul, have heard the sound of the ram’s horn — the shout of battle.

²⁰ Disaster after disaster ⓗ is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment.

²¹ How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?

²² “For My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. ⓘ They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.” ⓙ

²³ I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. ⓚ I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone. ⓛ

²⁴ I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; ⓜ all the hills shook.

²⁵ I looked, and no man was left; ⓝ all the birds of the sky had fled. ⓞ

²⁶ I looked, and the fertile field ⓟ was a wilderness. ⓠ All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and His burning anger. ⓡ

²⁷ For this is what the LORD says: The whole land will be a desolation, ⓢ but I will not finish it off. ⓣ

²⁸ Because of this, the earth will mourn; ⓤ the skies above will grow dark. ⓥ I have spoken; I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back from it. ⓦ

²⁹ Every city flees ⓧ at the sound of the horseman and the archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. ⓨ Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.

³⁰ And you, devastated one, what are you doing ⓩ that you dress yourself in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? ⓐ You beautify yourself for nothing. Your lovers reject you; ⓑ they want to take your life. ⓒ

³¹ I hear a cry like a woman in labor, ⓓ a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child. The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands: ⓔ Woe is me, for my life is weary because of the murderers!

#	HCSB
1	If you return, [1] Israel — — this is the LORD’s declaration — you will return to Me, ⓐ if you remove your detestable idols ⓑ from My presence and do not waver,
2	then you can swear, “As the LORD lives,” ⓒ in truth, ⓓ in justice, and in righteousness, ⓔ then the nations will be blessed [2] by Him ⓕ and will pride themselves in Him. ⓖ
3	For this is what the LORD says to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: Break up the unplowed ground; ⓗ do not sow among the thorns. ⓘ
4	Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, ⓙ men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem. Otherwise, My wrath will break out like fire and burn with no one to extinguish it ⓚ because of your evil deeds.
5	Declare in Judah, proclaim in Jerusalem, and say: Blow the ram’s horn throughout the land. ⓛ Cry out loudly and say: Assemble yourselves, and let’s flee to the fortified cities.
6	Lift up a signal flag toward Zion. ⓜ Run for cover! Don’t stand still! For I am bringing disaster from the north — a great destruction. ⓝ
7	A lion has gone up from his thicket; ⓞ a destroyer of nations has set out. He has left his lair to make your land a waste. Your cities will be reduced to uninhabited ruins. ⓟ
8	Because of this, put on sackcloth; mourn and wail, ⓠ for the LORD’s burning anger ⓡ has not turned away from us.
9	“On that day” — this is the LORD’s declaration — “the king and the officials will lose their courage. The priests will tremble in fear, and the prophets will be scared speechless.”
10	I said, “Oh no, Lord GOD, You have certainly deceived ⓢ this people and Jerusalem, by announcing, ‘You will have peace,’ ⓣ while a sword is at [3] our throats.”
11	“At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem, ‘A searing wind ⓤ blows from the barren heights in the wilderness on the way to My dear [4] people. It comes not to winnow or to sift;
12	a wind too strong for this comes at My call. [5] Now I will also pronounce judgments against them.’” ⓥ
13	Look, he advances like clouds; ⓦ his chariots are like a storm. ⓧ His horses are swifter than eagles. ⓨ Woe to us, for we are ruined! ⓩ
14	Wash the evil from your heart, ⓐ Jerusalem, so that you will be delivered. How long will you harbor malicious thoughts within you? ⓑ
15	For a voice announces from Dan, proclaiming malice from Mount Ephraim.
16	Warn the nations: Look! Proclaim to Jerusalem: Those who besiege are coming from a distant land; ⓒ they raise their voices against the cities of Judah.
17	They have her surrounded ⓓ like those who guard a field, because she has rebelled against Me. ⓔ — This is the LORD’s declaration.
18	Your way of life and your actions have brought this on you. ⓕ This is your punishment. It is very bitter, because it has reached your heart!
19	My anguish, my anguish! [6] I writhe in agony! Oh, the pain in [7] my heart! ⓖ My heart pounds; I cannot be silent. For you, my soul, have heard the sound of the ram’s horn — the shout of battle.
20	Disaster after disaster ⓗ is reported because the whole land is destroyed. Suddenly my tents are destroyed, my tent curtains, in a moment.
21	How long must I see the signal flag and hear the sound of the ram’s horn?
22	“For My people are fools; they do not know Me. They are foolish children, without understanding. ⓘ They are skilled in doing what is evil, but they do not know how to do what is good.” ⓙ
23	I looked at the earth, and it was formless and empty. ⓚ I looked to the heavens, and their light was gone. ⓛ
24	I looked at the mountains, and they were quaking; ⓜ all the hills shook.
25	I looked, and no man was left; ⓝ all the birds of the sky had fled. ⓞ
26	I looked, and the fertile field ⓟ was a wilderness. ⓠ All its cities were torn down because of the LORD and His burning anger. ⓡ
27	For this is what the LORD says: The whole land will be a desolation, ⓢ but I will not finish it off. ⓣ
28	Because of this, the earth will mourn; ⓤ the skies above will grow dark. ⓥ I have spoken; I have planned, and I will not relent or turn back from it. ⓦ
29	Every city flees ⓧ at the sound of the horseman and the archer. They enter the thickets and climb among the rocks. ⓨ Every city is abandoned; no inhabitant is left.
30	And you, devastated one, what are you doing ⓩ that you dress yourself in scarlet, that you adorn yourself with gold jewelry, that you enlarge your eyes with paint? ⓐ You beautify yourself for nothing. Your lovers reject you; ⓑ they want to take your life. ⓒ
31	I hear a cry like a woman in labor, ⓓ a cry of anguish like one bearing her first child. The cry of Daughter Zion gasping for breath, stretching out her hands: ⓔ Woe is me, for my life is weary because of the murderers!

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Jeremiah 4

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