Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. {sore: Heb. hand}

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. {chains: or, manicles}

Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. {weep...: Heb. be bitter in weeping}

And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which {is} Bethlehem.

And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they {are} not: {there is} none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

And they said, Thy servants {are} twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest {is} this day with our father, and one {is} not.

And Jacob their father said unto them, Me have ye bereaved {of my children}: Joseph {is} not, and Simeon {is} not, and ye will take Benjamin {away}: all these things are against me.

Our fathers have sinned, {and are} not; and we have borne their iniquities.

And he spread it before me; and it {was} written within and without: and {there was} written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

And his return {was} to Ramah; for there {was} his house; and there he judged Israel; and there he built an altar unto the LORD.

Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,

And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I {shall} not {be}.

And Enoch walked with God: and he {was} not; for God took him.

Yet he passed away, and, lo, he {was} not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

Sorrow {is} better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. {Sorrow: or, Anger}

Our fathers have sinned, {and are} not; and we have borne their iniquities.

My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they {are} not: {there is} none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told {it} her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received {it} not. {chamberlains: Heb. eunuchs}

In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord: my sore ran in the night, and ceased not: my soul refused to be comforted. {sore: Heb. hand}

The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after that Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he had taken him being bound in chains among all that were carried away captive of Jerusalem and Judah, which were carried away captive unto Babylon. {chains: or, manicles}

Therefore said I, Look away from me; I will weep bitterly, labour not to comfort me, because of the spoiling of the daughter of my people. {weep...: Heb. be bitter in weeping}

And he returned unto his brethren, and said, The child {is} not; and I, whither shall I go?

They are gone over the passage: they have taken up their lodging at Geba; Ramah is afraid; Gibeah of Saul is fled.

Leah {was} tender eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well favoured.

And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

And Baasha king of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, that he might not suffer any to go out or come in to Asa king of Judah.

And they said, Thy servants {are} twelve brethren, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan; and, behold, the youngest {is} this day with our father, and one {is} not.

And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be like it any more.

Gibeon, and Ramah, and Beeroth,

Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where {had} they {been}?

And all his sons and all his daughters rose up to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted; and he said, For I will go down into the grave unto my son mourning. Thus his father wept for him.

For thus saith the LORD; We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. {of fear...: or, there is fear, and not peace}

And Enoch walked with God: and he {was} not; for God took him.

When thou art departed from me to day, then thou shalt find two men by Rachel's sepulchre in the border of Benjamin at Zelzah; and they will say unto thee, The asses which thou wentest to seek are found: and, lo, thy father hath left the care of the asses, and sorroweth for you, saying, What shall I do for my son? {care: Heb. business}

O satisfy us early with thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.