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1Here is what Yahweh says: “At that time, they will desecrate the graves of Jerusalem and bring out the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its princes, the bones of the priests, the bones of the false prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of the city.[#8:1 Possibly, the priests of Baal and occultic worship.]
2They will spread them out before the sun and the moon and all the stars of heaven, which they loved and served. They went after cosmic powers, inquired of them, bowed down before them in adoration, and worshiped them. Because they did these things , their bones will not be buried but will become fertilizer for the ground.[#8:2 Or “dung on the ground.” This was fulfilled during the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians. See Jer. 39:1–18; 2 Kings 25:1–26; 2 Baruch 2:24.]
3However, I will leave some of these evil people alive and banish them to other places. Yet all the survivors will prefer death over life. For I, Lord Yahweh , Commander of Angel Armies, have spoken.”[#8:3 In other words, it will be even worse for the survivors who are taken in captivity and scattered abroad. See Deut. 28:64–68; 30:19–20; Lam. 4:9.]
4“Jeremiah , say to the people, ‘Yahweh says:
“ ‘Don’t people get back up when they fall down?
Don’t they turn around when they take the wrong road?
5So why have you, the people of Jerusalem,
continually refused to turn back to me?
Why do you cling so tightly to your deception
instead of coming home to me?’ ”
6I have listened carefully to what they say,
but nothing they say is right.
No one is sorry about his sin,
saying, “What have I done wrong?”
Everyone keeps on going his own way,
like a war-horse plunging headlong into battle.
7“Even the stork in the skies[#8:7 The stork is seen by some as a symbol of godliness and kindness, being known for its love and care for its offspring. The Hebrew word for “stork” shares a root word with the word for “loving-kindness” (Hb. chesed ).]
knows her season of migration .
And migratory birds —the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane —
instinctively take flight
according to the times I have set for them,
but my people pay no attention
to the orders of Yahweh .
8How dare you say, ‘We are wise,
because we have the law of Yahweh ?’
Look! The scribes teach lies about the law.
They have made the law itself into a lie!
9The know-it-alls will be shamed, terrorized, and trapped.
They walked away from the word of Yahweh ,
so wisdom walked away from them.
10Therefore I will give their wives to other men
and their fields to those who will take over the land.
From the smallest to the greatest,
they are all greedy for corrupt profits;
priest and prophet alike, they all practice deceit.
11And they treat the wounds of my beloved people[#8:11 “They” refers to the prophets and priests, who are speaking later in this verse and again in vv. 14–15.; #8:11 Or “daughter of my people.”]
as though they were scratches.
‘Don’t worry,’ they say. ‘Peace, everything is well,’
when there is no peace, and nothing is well.
12They have acted shamefully,
and have committed abhorrent acts,
yet they feel no shame.
They don’t know how to blush.
Surely, they will fall among the fallen,
and stumble when I deal with them,” says Yahweh .
13Yahweh says:
“I will surely make an end of them.
There will be neither cluster on the vine
nor figs on the fig trees—
even the leaves have withered.
I gave them a good harvest , but it escaped from them.”
14Why are we just sitting here?
Let’s band together and go inside our walled cities
and await our death,
since Yahweh our God has condemned us to die.
He has given us our bitter poison to drink,
for we have sinned against him.
15We had hoped for peace and prosperity,
but no blessing came.
We had hoped for a time of healing,
but we were overtaken by sudden terror!
16The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan.[#8:16 Most believe the horses were the cavalry of the advancing army of Nebuchadnezzar (see 4:13; 6:22–23). Others believe “his” refers to God.]
At the sound of the cries of his stallions,
the whole land quakes.
They have entered to completely devastate the land,
Jerusalem, and its inhabitants.
17“For look! I am sending slithering snakes to bite you—
venomous vipers that cannot be charmed,” declares Yahweh .
18My joy has vanished,[#8:18 Or “my brightness [shining] has vanished.” The Hebrew text is somewhat problematic and uncertain. Many translations, starting with Jerome and including the Septuagint, render this “My grief [weeping] is incurable.”]
grief grips my soul,
and I am sick at heart.
19Listen! I hear my beloved people[#8:19 Or “I hear the daughter of my people.”]
crying out in despair throughout the land:
“Is Yahweh no longer in Zion?
Is her King not dwelling within her?”
“So why have they provoked me to anger with their carved images
and with their foreign, phony gods?”
20“Summer has ended,
the harvest is past,
and still we are not saved!”
21I am broken over the brokenness of my dear people.[#8:21 Jeremiah fully identified with the suffering of his people. True prophetic ministry enters into the emotional life of God’s people and is able to “celebrate with those who celebrate, and weep with those who grieve” ( Rom. 12:15).]
I mourn all day long .
Horror has gripped me.
22Is there no healer in Gilead?[#8:22 Biblical Hebrew has no noun for a doctor, only for a healer. Jeremiah’s two questions were meant to be answered with a yes. We do have a healer named Jesus, whose love and mercy become a soothing ointment to our souls.]
Is there no medicine there?
Why then have the people I love not been healed?