Jeremiah 5:1-13 - The Depravity Of Jerusalem

¹ Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in her open places, if you can find a man, if there is one who does justice, who seeks the truth; and I will pardon her. ² And though they say, As Jehovah lives; surely they swear falsely. ³ O Jehovah, are not Your eyes on the truth? You have stricken them, but they have not grieved; You have destroyed them, but they have refused to receive correction; they have made their faces harder than rock; they have refused to return.

⁴ So I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish; for they do not know the way of Jehovah, nor the judgment of their God. ⁵ I will go up for myself to the great men, and will speak to them; for they have known the way of Jehovah and the judgment of their God. But these have broken the yoke together and have torn off the bonds! ⁶ Therefore a lion out of the forest shall kill them, and a wolf of the deserts shall rob them; a leopard shall watch over their cities. Everyone who goes out from them shall be torn in pieces, because their sins are many and their backslidings are multiplied.

⁷ Why shall I pardon you for this? Your sons have forsaken Me, and have sworn by No-gods. When I adjured them, then they committed adultery, and gathered themselves by troops in a harlot's house. ⁸ They were like lusty, well-fed stallions in the morning; every one neighing after his neighbor's wife. ⁹ Shall I not judge for these things? says Jehovah. And shall not My soul be avenged on such a nation as this?

¹⁰ Go up on her vine-rows and destroy; but do not make a full end; take away her branches, for they are not Jehovah's. ¹¹ For the house of Israel and the house of Judah have dealt very deceitfully against Me, says Jehovah. ¹² They have lied against Jehovah and said, It is not He; neither shall evil come on us; nor shall we see sword nor famine. ¹³ And the prophets shall become wind, and the Word is not in them; so it shall be done to them.