CHAPTER 8

1 In that day, saith Jehovah, they shall bring forth 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 citizens of Jerusalem, Out of their graves;

2 And they shall spread them before the sun, And the moon, and all the host of heaven, Which they have loved and served, And after which they have walked, And which they have sought, And before which they have bowed themselves; They shall not be gathered nor buried; For dung on the face of the land shall they be:

3 And chosen shall be death, Rather than life, by all the residue, Who shall remain of this wicked nation, Who shall remain in all the places Where I shall drive them, saith Jehovah of hosts.

4 Thou shalt also say to them, Thus saith Jehovah, — Shall not they who have fallen rise again? If any one turns aside shall he not return?

5 Why rebel does this people at Jerusalem With a perpetual rebellion? They have held fast deceit, They have refused to return.

6 I hearkened and heard; they will not speak aright; There is no one who repents of his wickedness, And says, “What have I done?” Every one turns to his own course, Like a horse who rushes into battle. (1:425)

7 Even the stork in the heavens knows its times; The turtle also, and the swallow and the crane, Observe the time of their journey; But my people know not the judgment of Jehovah.

8 How say ye, “We are wise And the law of Jehovah is with us:” Surely, behold in vain Hath the writer prepared his pen, In vain are the scribes!

9 Ashamed are the wise, terrified and taken; Behold the word of Jehovah have they rejected; And wisdom, what is it to them! (1:432)

10 I will therefore give their wives to aliens, And their fields to inheritors; For from the least even to the greatest, Every one is given to covetousness; From the prophet even to the priest, All have acted deceitfully;

11 And healed have they the wound Of the daughter of my people slightly, By saying, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace.

12 Had they shame, that they had done abomination? Even of shame they were not ashamed, And how to blush they knew not: Fall therefore shall they with the fallen; At the time of their visitation They shall perish, saith Jehovah.

13 Destroying, I will destroy them, saith Jehovah; No grapes shall be on the vine, And no figs on the fig-tree; The leaf also shall fall, And what I gave them shall pass from them.

14 Why do we sit still? Assemble ye, And let us enter into fortified cities, And let us rest there: Surely, Jehovah our God hath made us silent, And given us waters of gall to drink: Because we have sinned against Jehovah. (1:442)

15 We looked for peace, but there was no good; For time of healing, but behold terror.

16 From Dan is heard the snorting of his horses; At the sound of the neighing of his strong ones, Tremble does the whole land; For they will come and devour The land and its abundance, The city and its inhabitants.

17 For behold, I will send among you Serpents and basilisks, Which will not be charmed; And they shall bite you, saith Jehovah.

18 I would strengthen myself against grief: But within me my heart is weak.

19 Behold the voice of the crying Of the daughter of my people from a far country! “Is not Jehovah in Sion? Is not her king within her?” — Why have they provoked me to wrath With their images, with foreign vanities?

20 Past has the harvest, ended is the summer, And we have not been saved! (1:452)

21 For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt, I am become black; Astonishment has laid hold on me.

22 Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? For why is not restored The healing of the daughter of my people! (1:456)