Jeremiah 8
1. At that time, saith * the LORD,they shall bring out * the bones of the kings of Judah, and the bones of his princes, and the bones of the priests,and the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants * of Jerusalem,out of their graves:
2. And they shall spread * them before the sun, and the moon, and all the host of heaven, whom they have loved * , and whom they have served * , and after whom they have walked * , and whom they have sought * , and whom they have worshipped * : they shall not be gathered * , nor be buried * ; they shall be for dung upon the face of the earth.
3. And death shall be chosen * rather than life by all the residue of them that remain * of this evil family, which remain * in all the places whither I have driven * them, saith * the LORD of hosts.
4. Moreover thou shalt say * unto them, Thus saith * the LORD; Shall they fall * , and not arise * ? shall he turn away * , and not return * ?
5. Why then is this people of Jerusalem slidden back * by a perpetual * backsliding? they hold * fast deceit, they refuse * to return * .
6. I hearkened * and heard * , but they spake not aright * : no man repented * him of his wickedness, saying * , What have I done * ? every one turned * to his course, as the horse rusheth * into the battle.
7. Yea, the stork in the heaven knoweth * her appointed times; and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observe * the time of their coming * ; but my people know * not the judgment of the LORD.
8. How do ye say * , We are wise, and the law of the LORD is with us? Lo, certainly in vain made * he it; the pen of the scribes * is in vain.
9. The wise men are ashamed * , they are dismayed * and taken * : lo, they have rejected * the word of the LORD; and what wisdom is in them?
10. Therefore will I give * their wives unto others, and their fields to them that shall inherit * them: for every one from the least even unto the greatest is given * to covetousness, from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth * falsely.
11. For they have healed * the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly * , saying * , Peace, peace; when there is no peace.
12. Were they ashamed * when they had committed * abomination? nay, they were not at all * ashamed * , neither could * they blush * : therefore shall they fall * among them that fall * : in the time of their visitation they shall be cast down * , saith * the LORD.
13. I will surely * consume * them, saith * the LORD: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade * ; and the things that I have given * them shall pass away * from them.
14. Why do we sit still * ? assemble * yourselves, and let us enter * into the defenced cities, and let us be silent * there: for the LORD our God hath put us to silence * , and given us water of gall to drink * , because we have sinned * against the LORD.
15. We looked * for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble !
16. The snorting of his horses was heard * from Dan: the whole land trembled * at the sound of the neighing of his strong ones; for they are come * , and have devoured * the land, and all that is in it; the city, and those that dwell * therein.
17. For, behold, I will send * serpents,cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite * you, saith * the LORD.
18. When I would comfort myself against sorrow, my heart is faint in me.
19. Behold the voice of the cry of the daughter of my people because of them that dwell in a far country: Is not the LORD in Zion? is not her king in her? Why have they provoked me to anger * with their graven images,and with strange vanities?
20. The harvest is past * , the summer is ended * , and we are not saved * .
21. For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt * ; I am black * ; astonishment hath taken hold * on me.
22. Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician * there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered * ?
