Jeremiah’s Imprecatory Prayer

18 Then they said, “Come and let us plan plans against Jeremiah, for instruction will not be lost from the priest, nor advice from the wise man, nor the word from the prophet. Come and let us bring charges against him,[fn] and let us not listen attentively to any of his words.”

• 19 O Yahweh, and listen to the voice of my opponents.
• 20  Yet they have dug a pit for me.
• Remember my standing[fn] to speak good for them,
  • to avert your wrath from them.
  • 21 [fn] give their children to the famine, and hand them over to the[fn] of the sword,
• and let their wives be bereaved and widows,
  • and let their men be killed by death,
• their young men struck dead
  • by the sword in the battle.
  • 22  when you suddenly bring upon them the raiding band,
• for they have dug a pit to catch me,
  • and they have fixed secretly a trap for my feet.
  • 23 O Yahweh, you know[fn]
• You must not make atonement for their iniquity,
  • and you must not cause their sin to be blotted out from[fn]
• But let them be overthrown[fn]
  • Deal with them in the time of your anger.