“It did no good for me to punish your people. They did not respond to such correction. You slaughtered your prophets like a voracious lion.”

Come back to me, you wayward people. I want to cure your waywardness. Say, ‘Here we are. We come to you because you are the Lord our God.

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

Their children are always thinking about their altars and their sacred poles dedicated to the goddess Asherah, set up beside the green trees on the high hills

The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor and I will punish all who try to oppress them.

“When that time comes, people will no longer say, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, but the children’s teeth have grown numb.’

Johanan and all the officers of the troops that had been hiding in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah.

Moab, you are doomed! You people who worship Chemosh will be destroyed. Your sons will be taken away captive. Your daughters will be carried away into exile.

Yet in days to come I will reverse Ammon’s ill fortune.” says the Lord.

ב (Bet) The precious sons of Zion were worth their weight in gold – Alas! – but now they are treated like broken clay pots, made by a potter.

He said to me, “Son of man, stand on your feet and I will speak with you.”

He said to me, “Son of man, go to the house of Israel and speak my words to them.

“Son of man, I have appointed you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you must give them a warning from me.

As for you, son of man, they will put ropes on you and tie you up with them, so you cannot go out among them.

“Son of man, turn toward the mountains of Israel and prophesy against them:

I will place the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols, and I will scatter your bones around your altars.

He said to me, “Son of man, dig into the wall.” So I dug into the wall and discovered a doorway.

He said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? You will see even greater abominations than these!”

“Son of man, has not the house of Israel, that rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’

“Son of man, eat your bread with trembling, and drink your water with anxious shaking.