14 Why are we sitting here?
    Gather together!
Let us flee to the fortified cities(A)
    and perish there!
For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish
    and given us poisoned water(B) to drink,
    because we have sinned(C) against him.
15 We hoped for peace(D)
    but no good has come,
for a time of healing
    but there is only terror.(E)
16 The snorting of the enemy’s horses(F)
    is heard from Dan;(G)
at the neighing of their stallions
    the whole land trembles.(H)
They have come to devour(I)
    the land and everything in it,
    the city and all who live there.

17 “See, I will send venomous snakes(J) among you,
    vipers that cannot be charmed,(K)
    and they will bite you,”
declares the Lord.

18 You who are my Comforter[a] in sorrow,
    my heart is faint(L) within me.
19 Listen to the cry of my people
    from a land far away:(M)
“Is the Lord not in Zion?
    Is her King(N) no longer there?”

“Why have they aroused(O) my anger with their images,
    with their worthless(P) foreign idols?”(Q)

20 “The harvest is past,
    the summer has ended,
    and we are not saved.”

21 Since my people are crushed,(R) I am crushed;
    I mourn,(S) and horror grips me.
22 Is there no balm in Gilead?(T)
    Is there no physician(U) there?
Why then is there no healing(V)
    for the wound of my people?

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 8:18 The meaning of the Hebrew for this word is uncertain.

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?

Read full chapter