1 Then said the LORD unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, {yet} my mind {could} not {be} toward this people: cast {them} out of my sight, and let them go forth.
2 And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the LORD; Such as {are} for death, to death; and such as {are} for the sword, to the sword; and such as {are} for the famine, to the famine; and such as {are} for the captivity, to the captivity.
3 And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the LORD: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy. {kinds: Heb. families}
4 And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for {that} which he did in Jerusalem. {cause...: Heb. give them for a removing}
5 For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? {how...: Heb. of thy peace?}
6 Thou hast forsaken me, saith the LORD, thou art gone backward: therefore will I stretch out my hand against thee, and destroy thee; I am weary with repenting.
7 And I will fan them with a fan in the gates of the land; I will bereave {them} of children, I will destroy my people, {since} they return not from their ways. {children: or, whatsoever is dear}
8 Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas: I have brought upon them against the mother of the young men a spoiler at noonday: I have caused {him} to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city. {the mother...: or, the mother city a young man spoiling, etc, or, the mother and the young men}
9 She that hath borne seven languisheth: she hath given up the ghost; her sun is gone down while {it was} yet day: she hath been ashamed and confounded: and the residue of them will I deliver to the sword before their enemies, saith the LORD.
10 Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; {yet} every one of them doth curse me.
11 The LORD said, Verily it shall be well with thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat thee {well} in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. {cause...: or, intreat the enemy for thee}
12 Shall iron break the northern iron and the steel?
13 Thy substance and thy treasures will I give to the spoil without price, and {that} for all thy sins, even in all thy borders.
14 And I will make {thee} to pass with thine enemies into a land {which} thou knowest not: for a fire is kindled in mine anger, {which} shall burn upon you.
15 O LORD, thou knowest: remember me, and visit me, and revenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering: know that for thy sake I have suffered rebuke.
16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts. {I am...: Heb. thy name is called upon me}
17 I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of thy hand: for thou hast filled me with indignation.
18 Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, {which} refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, {and as} waters {that} fail? {fail: Heb. be not sure?}
19 Therefore thus saith the LORD, If thou return, then will I bring thee again, {and} thou shalt stand before me: and if thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth: let them return unto thee; but return not thou unto them.
20 And I will make thee unto this people a fenced brasen wall: and they shall fight against thee, but they shall not prevail against thee: for I {am} with thee to save thee and to deliver thee, saith the LORD.
21 And I will deliver thee out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem thee out of the hand of the terrible.