Chapter 5

Run ye to and fro³³ through the streets of Jerusalem, and see³ now, and know,³ and seek¹⁶ in the broad places thereof, if ye can find⁴ a man, if there be [any] that executeth⁶ judgment, that seeketh¹⁸ the truth; and I will pardon⁴ it.

And though they say,⁴ The LORD liveth; surely they swear¹¹ falsely.

O LORD, [are] not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken⁵² them, but they have not grieved;¹ thou hast consumed¹⁴ them, [but] they have refused¹⁴ to receive² correction: they have made their faces harder¹⁴ than a rock; they have refused¹⁴ to return.²

Therefore I said,¹ Surely these [are] poor; they are foolish:⁸ for they know¹ not the way of the LORD, [nor] the judgment of their God.

I will get⁴ me unto the great men, and will speak¹⁷ unto them; for they have known¹ the way of the LORD, [and] the judgment of their God: but these have altogether broken¹ the yoke, [and] burst¹⁴ the bonds.

Wherefore a lion out of the forest shall slay⁵² them, [and] a wolf of the evenings shall spoil⁴ them, a leopard shall watch⁶ over their cities: every one that goeth out⁶ thence shall be torn in pieces:¹¹ because their transgressions are many,¹ [and] their backslidings are increased.¹

How shall I pardon⁴ thee for this? thy children have forsaken¹ me, and sworn¹¹ by [them that are] no gods: when I had fed them to the full,⁵⁵ they then committed adultery,⁴ and assembled¹⁰⁸ themselves by troops in the harlots'⁶ houses.

They were [as] fed⁹⁴ horses in the morning:⁵⁶ every one neighed⁴ after his neighbour's wife.

Shall I not visit⁴ for these [things]? saith⁷ the LORD: and shall not my soul be avenged¹⁰¹ on such a nation as this?

Go ye up³ upon her walls, and destroy;¹⁶ but make⁴ not a full end: take away⁵⁴ her battlements; for they [are] not the LORD'S.

For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very² treacherously¹ against me, saith⁷ the LORD.

They have belied¹⁴ the LORD, and said,⁴ [It is] not he; neither shall evil come⁴ upon us; neither shall we see⁴ sword nor famine:

And the prophets shall become wind, and the word¹⁵ [is] not in them: thus shall it be done¹¹ unto them.

Wherefore thus saith¹ the LORD God of hosts, Because ye speak¹⁵ this word, behold, I will make⁶ my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour¹ them.

Lo, I will bring⁵⁶ a nation upon you from far, O house of Israel, saith⁷ the LORD: it [is] a mighty nation, it [is] an ancient nation, a nation whose language thou knowest⁴ not, neither understandest⁴ what they say.¹⁷

Their quiver [is] as an open⁷ sepulchre, they [are] all mighty men.

And they shall eat up¹ thine harvest, and thy bread, [which] thy sons and thy daughters should eat:⁴ they shall eat up⁴ thy flocks and thine herds: they shall eat up⁴ thy vines and thy fig trees: they shall impoverish²⁵ thy fenced cities, wherein thou trustedst,⁶ with the sword.

Nevertheless in those days, saith⁷ the LORD, I will not make⁴ a full end with you.

And it shall come to pass, when ye shall say,⁴ Wherefore ⁴¹⁰⁰ doeth¹ the LORD our God all these [things] unto us? then shalt thou answer¹ them, Like as ye have forsaken¹ me, and served⁴ strange gods in your land, so shall ye serve⁴ strangers⁵ in a land [that is] not yours.

Declare⁵⁴ this in the house of Jacob, and publish⁵⁴ it in Judah, saying,²

Hear³ now this, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see⁴ not; which have ears, and hear⁴ not:

Fear⁴ ye not me? saith⁷ the LORD: will ye not tremble⁴ at my presence, which have placed¹ the sand [for] the bound of the sea by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass⁴ it: and though the waves thereof toss¹⁰¹ themselves, yet can they not prevail;⁴ though they roar,¹ yet can they not pass over⁴ it?

But this people hath a revolting⁶ and a rebellious⁶ heart; they are revolted¹ and gone.⁴

Neither say¹ they in their heart, Let us now fear⁴ the LORD our God, that giveth⁶ rain, both the former and the latter, in his season: he reserveth⁴ unto us the appointed weeks of the harvest.

Your iniquities have turned away⁵² these [things], and your sins have withholden¹ good [things] from you.

For among my people are found⁸ wicked [men]: they lay wait,⁴ as he that setteth² snares; they set⁵² a trap, they catch⁴ men.

As a cage is full of birds, so [are] their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great,¹ and waxen rich.⁵⁵

They are waxen fat,¹ they shine:¹ yea, they overpass¹ the deeds of the wicked: they judge¹ not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper;⁵⁵ and the right of the needy do they not judge.¹

Shall I not visit⁴ for these [things]? saith⁷ the LORD: shall not my soul be avenged¹⁰¹ on such a nation as this?

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed⁸ in the land;

The prophets prophesy⁸ falsely, and the priests bear rule⁴ by their means; and my people love¹ [to have it] so: and what will ye do⁴ in the end thereof?