I don’t understand why I still hurt. I don’t understand why my wound is not cured and cannot be healed. I think you have changed. You are like a spring of water that became dry. You are like a spring whose water has stopped flowing.
Israel and Judah, why are you still crying about your wound? There is no cure for it. I did this to you because of your great guilt. I did this because of your many sins.
“Jeremiah, speak this message to the people of Judah: ‘My eyes fill with tears night and day without stopping. I cry for my virgin daughter, and for my dear people, because someone hit them and crushed them. They have been hurt very badly.
But they made fun of God’s prophets and refused to listen to them. They hated God’s messages. Finally, the Lord could not hold his anger any longer. He became angry with his people and there was nothing that could be done to stop it.
Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are like the whole family of Israel. The people of Israel say, ‘Our bones have dried up; our hope is gone. We have been completely destroyed!’
As a well keeps its water fresh, so Jerusalem keeps its wickedness fresh. I hear about the robbing and violence in this city all the time. I see nothing but pain and sickness there all the time.
My dear Jerusalem, what can I say about you? What can I compare you to? What can I say you are like? How can I comfort you, city of Zion? You have been hurt much too badly for anyone to heal.
Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound, so they went to Assyria for help. They told their problems to the great king, but he cannot heal you or cure your wound.
Nineveh, you have been hurt badly, and nothing can heal your wound. Everyone who hears the news of your destruction claps their hands. They are all happy, because they all felt the pain you caused again and again.
Lord, have you completely rejected the nation of Judah? Do you hate Zion? You hurt us so badly that we cannot be made well again. Why did you do that? We were hoping for peace, but nothing good has come. We were hoping for a time of healing, but only terror came.