8 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?