Even now you say to me, ‘You are my father! You have been my faithful companion ever since I was young.

I looked and saw that there were no more people, and that all the birds in the sky had flown away.

Listen to what they are saying to me. They are saying, “Where are the things the Lord threatens us with? Come on! Let’s see them happen!”

The answer will come back, “It is because they broke their covenant with the Lord their God and worshiped and served other gods.”

But listen to what I say to you and to all these people.

“We will not listen to what you claim the Lord has spoken to us!

Terror, pits, and traps are in store for the people who live in Moab. I, the Lord, affirm it!

He did what displeased the Lord just as Jehoiakim had done.

I, the Lord, once called you a thriving olive tree, one that produced beautiful fruit. But I will set you on fire, fire that will blaze with a mighty roar. Then all your branches will be good for nothing.

The Lord continued, “In every town in the land I will purge them like straw blown away by the wind. I will destroy my people. I will kill off their children. I will do so because they did not change their behavior.

When the time for them to be rescued comes,” says the Lord who rules over all, “I will rescue you from foreign subjugation. I will deliver you from captivity. Foreigners will then no longer subjugate them.

“I, the Lord who rules over all, say: ‘This place will indeed lie in ruins. There will be no people or animals in it. But there will again be in it and in its towns sheepfolds where shepherds can rest their sheep.

We will obey what the Lord our God to whom we are sending you tells us to do. It does not matter whether we like what he tells us or not. We will obey what he tells us to do so that things will go well for us.”

Moab will be destroyed. Its towns will be invaded. Its finest young men will be slaughtered. I, the King, the Lord who rules over all, affirm it!

Zephaniah the priest read that letter to the prophet Jeremiah.

They are saying, ‘Announce to the surrounding nations, “The enemy is coming!” Proclaim this message to Jerusalem: “Those who besiege cities are coming from a distant land. They are ready to raise the battle cry against the towns in Judah.”’

I, the Lord, probe into people’s minds. I examine people’s hearts. I deal with each person according to how he has behaved. I give them what they deserve based on what they have done.

Then Jeremiah left Topheth where the Lord had sent him to give that prophecy. He went to the Lord’s temple and stood in its courtyard and called out to all the people.

But I will rescue you when it happens. I, the Lord, affirm it! You will not be handed over to those whom you fear.

Jeremiah finished telling all the people all these things the Lord their God had sent him to tell them.