A Fountain of Tears
Study note
Jeremiah wishes his head were a fountain of water and his eyes a spring of tears so he could weep day and night for the people who have been killed. He wishes he could leave his people and go live alone in the desert, because they are all unfaithful liars. Neighbor deceives neighbor, and no one speaks the truth.
1 If only my head were a fountain and my eyes a never-ending stream of tears! Then I could weep all day and all night for my people who have been killed. Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!
2 If only I had a little hut out in the desert where travelers stop! Then I could leave my people behind and get away from them, because every one of them is unfaithful — they are nothing but a pack of liars. Oh that I had in the wilderness a lodging place of wayfaring men; that I might leave my people, and go from them! for they be all adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.
3 "They bend their tongues like bows to shoot lies. They've become powerful in the land, but not through honesty. They pile one sin on top of another, and they don't know me at all," says the Lord. And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD.
4 "Watch out for your neighbors! Don't even trust your own relatives. Every brother is a cheater, and every neighbor goes around spreading lies." Take ye heed every one of his neighbour, and trust ye not in any brother: for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanders.
5 "Everyone lies to the person next to them. No one tells the truth anymore. They've trained their tongues to lie. They wear themselves out doing wrong." And they will deceive every one his neighbour, and will not speak the truth: they have taught their tongue to speak lies, and weary themselves to commit iniquity.
6 "You live right in the middle of lies and dishonesty. They use their lies as an excuse to ignore me," says the Lord. Thine habitation is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know me, saith the LORD.
God Will Refine His People
Study note
Because the people's tongues are like deadly arrows, speaking peace to their neighbors while planning to harm them, God says he must test and refine them. He will weep for the mountains and mourn for the pastures because they have been destroyed. Jerusalem will become a pile of ruins where only wild animals live.
7 So the Lord of Heaven's Armies says, "I will test them like metal in a fire. What other choice do I have with my people?" Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, Behold, I will melt them, and try them; for how shall I do for the daughter of my people?
8 "Their words are like poisoned arrows — always lying. They smile at their neighbors and say nice things, but secretly they're plotting to attack them." Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait.
9 "Shouldn't I punish them for doing this?" asks the Lord. "Shouldn't I make a nation like this pay?" Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this?
10 "I will cry and mourn for the mountains. I will sing a sad funeral song for the pastures in the wilderness. They are so burned up that no one walks through them anymore. No cattle are heard. The birds have flown away and the animals have all left." For the mountains will I take up a weeping and wailing, and for the habitations of the wilderness a lamentation, because they are burned up, so that none can pass through them; neither can men hear the voice of the cattle; both the fowl of the heavens and the beast are fled; they are gone.
11 "I will turn Jerusalem into a pile of rubble where only wild dogs live. I will make every town in Judah empty, with not a single person left." And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.
Why the Land Is Ruined
Study note
God explains that the land is ruined because the people abandoned his law and followed the stubbornness of their own hearts. They chased after the false gods their ancestors taught them to worship. God will scatter them among nations they have never known and pursue them with the sword.
12 Who is wise enough to figure this out? Who has the Lord spoken to, so they can explain it? Why has the land been destroyed and scorched like a desert that no one crosses? Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of the LORD hath spoken, that he may declare it, for what the land perisheth and is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?
13 The Lord answered, "It's because they abandoned my law, which I clearly laid out in front of them. They didn't obey me or follow my instructions." And the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
14 "Instead, they followed the stubbornness of their own hearts. They went chasing after the false gods called the Baals, just like their parents taught them to do." But have walked after the imagination of their own heart, and after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:
15 The Lord of Heaven's Armies, Israel's God, says this. "I will force these people to eat bitter food. I will make them drink poisoned water." Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.
16 "I will scatter them across nations they and their ancestors have never even heard of. And I will send the sword after them until I have finished them off." I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them.
A Call to Mourn
Study note
God calls for the professional mourning women to come and weep. Death has climbed in through the windows and entered the palaces. It has cut down the children in the streets and the young men in the public squares. Bodies will lie in the open fields like sheaves behind the harvester, with no one to gather them.
17 The Lord of Heaven's Armies says, "Think about what's happening! Send for the women who are skilled at mourning. Call for the very best of them." Thus saith the LORD of hosts, Consider ye, and call for the mourning women, that they may come; and send for cunning women, that they may come:
18 "Have them come quickly and weep for us until tears pour from our eyes and water streams down our cheeks." And let them make haste, and take up a wailing for us, that our eyes may run down with tears, and our eyelids gush out with waters.
19 "The sound of sobbing rises from Zion: 'We are ruined! We are completely disgraced! We have to leave our land because our homes have been demolished.'" For a voice of wailing is heard out of Zion, How are we spoiled! we are greatly confounded, because we have forsaken the land, because our dwellings have cast us out.
20 "Women, listen to what the Lord is saying! Let his words sink into your ears. Teach your daughters how to weep, and teach each other songs of mourning." Yet hear the word of the LORD, O ye women, and let your ear receive the word of his mouth, and teach your daughters wailing, and every one her neighbour lamentation.
21 "Death has crawled in through our windows and slipped into our finest buildings. It has taken the children from the streets and the young men from the town squares." For death is come up into our windows, and is entered into our palaces, to cut off the children from without, and the young men from the streets.
22 Tell them, "The Lord says: 'Dead bodies will fall like manure in the open fields. They will be like cut grain left behind the harvester. No one will pick them up.'" Speak, Thus saith the LORD, Even the carcases of men shall fall as dung upon the open field, and as the handful after the harvestman, and none shall gather them.
True Boasting
Study note
In one of the most important passages in Jeremiah, God says the wise should not boast in their wisdom, the strong should not boast in their strength, and the rich should not boast in their riches. Instead, people should boast that they understand and know the Lord, who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. God will punish all nations, including Judah, that are uncircumcised in heart.
23 The Lord says, "Wise people should not brag about how smart they are. Strong people should not brag about their muscles. Rich people should not brag about their money." Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 "If anyone wants to brag, here is the only thing worth bragging about: that they truly know me and understand who I am. I am the Lord, and I practice loyal love, justice, and doing what is right throughout the world. These are the things that make me happy," says the Lord. But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.
25 "The days are coming," says the Lord. "I will punish those who only went through the outward rite. They never changed their hearts." Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will punish all them which are circumcised with the uncircumcised;
26 "I will punish Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon, Moab, and all the desert tribes who shave the hair at their temples. All these nations are uncircumcised in their bodies, but all of Israel is uncircumcised in their hearts." Egypt, and Judah, and Edom, and the children of Ammon, and Moab, and all that are in the utmost corners, that dwell in the wilderness: for all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart.