For this reason the sovereign master, the Lord who commands armies, will make his healthy ones emaciated. His majestic glory will go up in smoke.

This very day, standing in Nob, they shake their fist at Daughter Zion’s mountain – at the hill of Jerusalem.

Is this really your boisterous city whose origins are in the distant past, and whose feet led her to a distant land to reside?

Now they come into being, not in the past; before today you did not hear about them, so you could not say, ‘Yes, I know about them.’

“Indeed, a time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will cause people and animals to sprout up in the lands of Israel and Judah.

However, listen to what I, the Lord, promise you, King Zedekiah of Judah. I, the Lord, promise that you will not die in battle or be executed.

If they do this, tell them, ‘I was pleading with the king not to send me back to die in the dungeon of Jonathan’s house.’”

“Look! An army is about to come from the north. A mighty nation and many kings are stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.

He burned down the Lord’s temple, the royal palace, and all the houses in Jerusalem, including every large house.

He said to me, “Son of man, eat what you see in front of you – eat this scroll – and then go and speak to the house of Israel.”

You engaged in prostitution with the Assyrians because your sexual desires were insatiable; you prostituted yourself with them and yet you were still not satisfied.

“‘When she realized that she waited in vain, her hope was lost. She took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.

“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the sovereign Lord says: Will you defile yourselves like your fathers and engage in prostitution with detestable idols?

Then all those living in Egypt will know that I am the Lord because they were a reed staff for the house of Israel;

Those who share the king’s fine food will attempt to destroy him, and his army will be swept away; many will be killed in battle.

The arrogance of Israel testifies against him, yet they refuse to return to the Lord their God! In spite of all this they refuse to seek him!

No one brings grain offerings or drink offerings to the temple of the Lord anymore. So the priests, those who serve the Lord, are in mourning.

Listen to the cattle groan! The herds of livestock wander around in confusion because they have no pasture. Even the flocks of sheep are suffering.

“Go to Bethel and rebel! At Gilgal rebel some more! Bring your sacrifices in the morning, your tithes on the third day!

We’re eager to trade silver for the poor, a pair of sandals for the needy! We want to mix in some chaff with the grain!”