“Do not get married and do not have children here in this land.

I did not send those prophets. Yet they were in a hurry to give their message. I did not tell them anything. Yet they prophesied anyway.

Out of those places you will hear songs of thanksgiving and the sounds of laughter and merriment. I will increase their number and they will not dwindle away. I will bring them honor and they will no longer be despised.

But the people of Jerusalem and Judah would not listen or pay any attention. They would not stop the wickedness they were doing nor quit sacrificing to other gods.

I, the Lord, affirm that I know how arrogant they are. But their pride is ill-founded. Their boastings will prove to be false.

ח (Khet) The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end.

But as for me, my eye will not pity them nor will I spare them; I hereby repay them for what they have done.”

You took some of your clothing and made for yourself decorated high places; you engaged in prostitution on them. You went to him to become his.

I also gave them decrees which were not good and regulations by which they could not live.

Then you will do as I have done: You will not cover your lip or eat food brought by others.

“Yet your people say, ‘The behavior of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their behavior that is not right.

“‘They must not shave their heads nor let their hair grow long; they must only trim their heads.

They will eat, but not be satisfied; they will engage in prostitution, but not increase in numbers; because they have abandoned the Lord by pursuing other gods.

They do not jostle one another; each of them marches straight ahead. They burst through the city defenses and do not break ranks.

Fast runners will find no place to hide; strong men will have no strength left; warriors will not be able to save their lives.

A lion has roared! Who is not afraid? The sovereign Lord has spoken! Who can refuse to prophesy?

Even if you offer me burnt and grain offerings, I will not be satisfied; I will not look with favor on your peace offerings of fattened calves.

You are happy because you conquered Lo-Debar. You say, “Did we not conquer Karnaim by our own power?”

‘Don’t preach with such impassioned rhetoric,’ they say excitedly. ‘These prophets should not preach of such things; we will not be overtaken by humiliation.’

But they do not know what the Lord is planning; they do not understand his strategy. He has gathered them like stalks of grain to be threshed at the threshing floor.