He altered his behavior in their presence. ¹  Since he was in their power, ²  he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.

But if you will not pay attention to this warning, ¹  I will weep alone because of your arrogant pride. I will weep bitterly and my eyes will overflow with tears ²  because you, the Lord’s flock, ³  will be carried ⁴  into exile.”

“Tell these people this, Jeremiah: ¹  ‘My eyes overflow with tears day and night without ceasing. ²  For my people, my dear children, ³  have suffered a crushing blow. They have suffered a serious wound. ⁴ 

“Son of man, realize that I am about to take the delight of your eyes away from you with a jolt, ¹  but you must not mourn or weep or shed tears.

On the south side it will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, the river, ¹  to the Great Sea. This is the south side.

Next to the border of Gad, at the south side, the border will run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the Stream of Egypt ¹  and on to the Great Sea.

People ¹  will stagger from sea to sea, ²  and from the north around to the east. They will wander about looking for a revelation from ³  the Lord, but they will not find any. ⁴ 

Draw me ¹  after you; let us hurry! ²  May the king ³  bring ⁴  me into his ⁵  bedroom chambers! ⁶  The Maidens ⁷  to the Lover: We will ⁸  rejoice and delight in you; ⁹  we will praise your love more than wine. The Beloved to Her Lover: How rightly the young women adore you!

Why did you run away secretly ¹  and deceive me? ²  Why didn’t you tell me so I could send you off with a celebration complete with singing, tambourines, and harps? ³ 

The jar of flour was never empty and the jug of oil never ran out, just as the Lord had promised ¹  through Elijah.

For the music director; by David. In the Lord I have taken shelter. ²  How can you say to me, ³  “Flee to a mountain like a bird! ⁴ 

For the music director; by David, a psalm, a song. God springs into action! ²  His enemies scatter; his adversaries ³  run from him. ⁴ 

Your plunder ¹  disappears as if locusts were eating it; ²  they swarm over it like locusts! ³ 

He shouts a battle cry ¹  against the sea ²  and makes it dry up; ³  he makes all the rivers ⁴  run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither; ⁵  the blossom of Lebanon withers.

The chariots ¹  race madly ²  through the streets, they rush back and forth ³  in the broad plazas; they look ⁴  like lightning bolts, ⁵  they dash here and there ⁶  like flashes of lightning. ⁷ 

Finally, pray for us, brothers and sisters, ¹  that the Lord’s message ²  may spread quickly and be honored ³  as in fact it was among you,

But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others ¹  who call on the Lord from a pure heart. ² 

When they had brought them outside, they ¹  said, “Run ²  for your lives! Don’t look ³  behind you or stop anywhere in the valley! ⁴  Escape to the mountains or you will be destroyed!”

For this is what the Lord God of Israel says, ‘The jar of flour will not be empty and the jug of oil will not run out until the day the Lord makes it rain on the surface of the ground.’”

Certainly ¹  the Lord watches the whole earth carefully ²  and is ready to strengthen those who are devoted to him. ³  You have acted foolishly in this matter; from now on you will have war.