Jeremiah 8:14–16

Why do we sit still?

Gather together; let us go into the fortified cities

and perish there,

for the Lord our God has doomed us to perish

and has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the Lord.

We looked for peace, but no good came;

for a time of healing, but behold, terror.

“The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan;

at the sound of the neighing of their stallions

the whole land quakes.

They come and devour the land and all that fills it,

the city and those who dwell in it.

Why are we sitting here?

Gather together!

Let us flee to the fortified cities

and perish there!

For the Lord our God has doomed us to perish

and given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against him.

We hoped for peace

but no good has come,

for a time of healing

but there is only terror.

The snorting of the enemy’s horses

is heard from Dan;

at the neighing of their stallions

the whole land trembles.

They have come to devour

the land and everything in it,

the city and all who live there.

Why are we just sitting here?

Gather together; let’s enter the fortified cities

and perish there,

for the Lord our God has destroyed us.

He has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the Lord.

We hoped for peace, but there was nothing good;

for a time of healing, but there was only terror.

From Dan, the snorting of horses is heard.

At the sound of the neighing of mighty steeds,

the whole land quakes.

They come to devour the land and everything in it,

the city and all its residents.

“Then the people will say,

‘Why should we wait here to die?

Come, let’s go to the fortified towns and die there.

For the Lord our God has decreed our destruction

and has given us a cup of poison to drink

because we sinned against the Lord.

We hoped for peace, but no peace came.

We hoped for a time of healing, but found only terror.’

“The snorting of the enemies’ warhorses can be heard

all the way from the land of Dan in the north!

The neighing of their stallions makes the whole land tremble.

They are coming to devour the land and everything in it—

cities and people alike.

Why are we sitting?

Gather, and let us go into the fortified cities,

and let us perish there,

for Yahweh our God has caused us to perish,

and has provided drink for us, water of poison,

because we have sinned against Yahweh.

We hope for peace,

but there is no good,

for a time of healing,

but there is terror.

“From Dan is heard the snorting of their horses,

from the sound of the neighing of their stallions all the land quakes,

for they come and devour the land,

and that which fills the city,

and those who live in it.

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. We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble! 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.