Jeremiah 9:11–15

11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

a haunt of jackals;

and I will lay waste the towns of Judah

so no one can live there.”

12 Who is wise enough to understand this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it? Why has the land been ruined and laid waste like a desert that no one can cross?

13 The Lord said, “It is because they have forsaken my law, which I set before them; they have not obeyed me or followed my law. 14 Instead, they have followed the stubbornness of their hearts; they have followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “See, I will make this people eat bitter food and drink poisoned water.

11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons;

And I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.

12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this?

And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord hath spoken, that he may declare it,

For what the land perisheth

And is burned up like a wilderness, that none passeth through?

13 And the Lord saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them,

And have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;

14 But have walked after the imagination of their own heart,

And after Baalim, which their fathers taught them:

15 Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel;

Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood,

And give them water of gall to drink.

11 “I will make Jerusalem into a heap of ruins,” says the Lord.

“It will be a place haunted by jackals.

The towns of Judah will be ghost towns,

with no one living in them.”

12 Who is wise enough to understand all this? Who has been instructed by the Lord and can explain it to others? Why has the land been so ruined that no one dares to travel through it?

13 The Lord replies, “This has happened because my people have abandoned my instructions; they have refused to obey what I said. 14 Instead, they have stubbornly followed their own desires and worshiped the images of Baal, as their ancestors taught them. 15 So now, this is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: Look! I will feed them with bitterness and give them poison to drink.

11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins, a den of jackals.

I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant.”

12 Who is the wise man who may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why does the land perish and burn up like a wilderness, so that no one can pass through?

13 And the Lord said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice, nor walked according to it, 14 but they have walked according to the dictates of their own hearts and after the Baals, which their fathers taught them,” 15 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

11 “I, the Lord, will make the city of Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

a home for wild dogs.

I will destroy the cities of Judah

so no one can live there.”

12 What person is wise enough to understand these things? Is there someone who has been taught by the Lord who can explain them? Why was the land ruined? Why has it been made like an empty desert where no one goes?

13 The Lord answered, “It is because Judah quit following my teachings that I gave them. They have not obeyed me or done what I told them to do. 14 Instead, they were stubborn and followed the Baals, as their ancestors taught them to do. 15 So this is what the Lord All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: “I will soon make the people of Judah eat bitter food and drink poisoned water.

11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.

12 Who is the wise man, that may understand this? and who is he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? wherefore is the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through? 13 And Jehovah saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein, 14 but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baalim, which their fathers taught them; 15 therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.

11 And I will make Jerusalem heaps, a dwelling-place of jackals; and I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.

12 Who is a wise man, that he may understand this? and he to whom the mouth of Jehovah hath spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land perished, burnt up like a wilderness, so that none passeth through? 13 And Jehovah saith, Because they have forsaken my law which I set before them, and have not hearkened unto my voice, nor walked in it, 14 but have walked after the stubbornness of their own heart, and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them; 15 therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will feed this people with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink,

11 I will turn Jerusalem into a pile of rubble, a home for jackals. 

I will destroy the cities of Judah so that no one can live there. 

12 No one is wise enough to understand this. 

To whom has the Lord revealed this 

so that they can explain it? 

The land dies; it has been ruined like the desert 

so that no one can travel through it. 

13 The Lord answered, 

“They’ve abandoned my teachings that I placed in front of them. 

They didn’t obey me, and they didn’t follow them. 

14 They followed their own stubborn ways and other gods—the Baals, 

as their ancestors taught them.” 

15 This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: 

I am going to feed these people bitterness 

and give them poison to drink. 

11 I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble,

a jackals’ den.

I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,

an uninhabited place.

12 Who is the man wise enough to understand this? Who has the Lord spoken to, that he may explain it? Why is the land destroyed and scorched like a wilderness, so no one can pass through?

13 The Lord said, “It is because they abandoned My instruction that I set in front of them and did not obey My voice or walk according to it. 14 Instead, they followed the stubbornness of their hearts and followed after the Baals as their fathers taught them.” 15 Therefore, this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “I am about to feed this people wormwood and give them poisonous water to drink.

11 I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

a lair of jackals,

and I will make the towns of Judah a desolation,

without inhabitant.

12 Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the Lord spoken, so that they may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? 13 And the Lord says: Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them and have not obeyed my voice or walked in accordance with it 14 but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their ancestors taught them. 15 Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am feeding this people with wormwood and giving them poisonous water to drink.

11 And I will make Jerusalem as heaps of ruins, a lair of jackals,

and the towns of Judah I will make a desolation, without inhabitants.

12 Who is the wise man that can understand this?

And to whom has the mouth of Yahweh spoken, so that he may declare it?

Why is the land destroyed?

It is laid waste like the desert so that no one passes through.”

13 And Yahweh said, “Because of their forsaking my law that I set before them, and they have not obeyed my voice, and have not walked in it, 14 but they went after the stubbornness of their heart, and after the Baals, which their ancestors taught them.” 15 Therefore thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of Israel, “Look, I am feeding this people wormwood, and providing drink for them, water of poison,

11 The Lord says, “I will knock all of Jerusalem’s buildings down.

I will make it a home for wild dogs.

The towns of Judah will be completely destroyed.

No one will be able to live in them.”

12 Who is wise enough to understand those things? Who has been taught by the Lord? Who can explain them? Why has the land been destroyed so completely? Why has it become like a desert that no one can go across?

13 The Lord answered me, “Because my people have turned away from my law. I gave it to them. But they have not kept it. They have not obeyed me. 14 Instead, they have done what their stubborn hearts wanted them to do. They have worshiped the gods that are named after Baal. They have done what their people have taught them to do down through the years.”

15 So now the Lord who rules over all speaks. He is the God of Israel. He says, “I will make these people eat bitter food. I will make them drink poisoned water.

11 “I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

A haunt of jackals;

And I will make the cities of Judah a desolation, without inhabitant.”

12 Who is the wise man that may understand this? And who is he to whom the mouth of the Lord has spoken, that he may declare it? Why is the land ruined, laid waste like a desert, so that no one passes through?

13 The Lord said, “Because they have forsaken My law which I set before them, and have not obeyed My voice nor walked according to it,

14 but have walked after the stubbornness of their heart and after the Baals, as their fathers taught them,”

15 therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, “behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood and give them poisoned water to drink.