The earth is defiled by its inhabitants, for they have violated laws, disregarded the regulation, and broken the permanent treaty.

Highways are empty, there are no travelers. Treaties are broken, witnesses are despised, human life is treated with disrespect.

Pay attention and come to me! Listen, so you can live! Then I will make an unconditional covenantal promise to you, just like the reliable covenantal promises I made to David.

For you say, “We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”