Jeremiah 9 from 4Q70 Jeremiah^a

1 Oh that my head were waters,

and my eyes a spring of tears,

that I might weep day and night

for the slain of the daughter of my people!

2 Oh that I had in the wilderness

a lodging place of wayfaring men;

that I might leave my people,

and go from them!

For they are all adulterers,

an assembly of treacherous men.

3 “They bend their tongue,

as their bow, for falsehood.

They have grown strong in the land,

but not for truth;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.

[..]

8 Their tongue is a deadly arrow.

It speaks deceit.

One speaks peaceably to his neighbor with his mouth,

but in his heart, he waits to ambush him.

9 Shouldn’t I punish them for these things?” says Yahweh.

“Shouldn’t my soul be avenged on a nation such as this?

10 I will weep and wail for the mountains,

and lament for the pastures of the wilderness,

because they are burned up, so that no one passes through;

Men can’t hear the voice of the livestock.

Both the birds of the sky and the animals have fled.

They are gone.

 

11 “I will make Jerusalem heaps,

a dwelling place of jackals.

I will make the cities of Judah a desolation,

without inhabitant.”

12 Who is wise enough to understand this? Who is he to whom the mouth of Yahweh has spoken, that he may declare it? Why has the land perished and burned up like a wilderness, so that no one passes through?

13 Yahweh says, “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 Baals, which their fathers taught them.” 15 Therefore Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel, says, “Behold, I will feed them, even this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink. 16 I will scatter them also among the nations, whom neither they nor their fathers have known; and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.”

 

Jeremiah 9 from Scroll 4Q71 Jeremiah^b

23 Yahweh says,

“Don’t let the wise man glory in his wisdom.

Don’t let the mighty man glory in his might.

Don’t let the rich man glory in his riches.

24 But let him who glories glory in this,

that he has understanding, and knows me,

that I am Yahweh who exercises loving kindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth;

for I delight in these things,” says Yahweh.

[..]

26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the children of Ammon, Moab, and all who have the corners of their hair cut off, who dwell in the wilderness; for all the nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in heart.”

 

Jeremiah 9 from Scroll 4Q72 Jeremiah^c

1 Oh that my head were waters,

and my eyes a spring of tears,

that I might weep day and night

for the slain of the daughter of my people!

2 Oh that I had in the wilderness

a lodging place of wayfaring men;

that I might leave my people,

and go from them!

For they are all adulterers,

an assembly of treacherous men.

3 “They bend their tongue,

as their bow, for falsehood.

They have grown strong in the land,

but not for truth;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh of Armies.

4 “Everyone beware of his neighbor,

and don’t trust in any brother;

for every brother will utterly supplant,

and every neighbor will go around with slanders.

5 Everyone will deceive their neighbors,

and will not speak the truth.

They have taught their tongue to speak lies.

They weary themselves commiting iniquity.

6 Your habitation is in the middle of deceit.

Through deceit, they refuse to know me,” says Yahweh.