<p class="poetry">The earth will tremble and writhe in agony.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> will carry out his plan.p> <p class="poetry">He plans to make the land of Babylonia<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">a wasteland where no one lives.<n id="3" />p>

For he will die in the country where they took him as a captive. He will never see this land again.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

They answered Jeremiah, &#8220;May the <sc>Lordsc> be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not do just as<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> sends you to tell us to do.

<t /><p class="bodytext">The prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah while he was writing down in a scroll the words that Jeremiah spoke to him.<n id="1" /> This happened in the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.<n id="2" />

But as soon as they were inside the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men who were with him slaughtered them and threw their bodies<n id="1" /> in a cistern.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Moreover I, the <sc>Lordsc>, tell you:<n id="1" /> &#8216;Do not go into a house where they are having a funeral meal. Do not go there to mourn and express your sorrow for them. For I have stopped showing them my good favor,<n id="2" /> my love, and my compassion. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, so affirm it!<n id="3" />

that the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> has a message for him.<n id="2" /> Tell him,<n id="3" /> &#8216;On your own initiative<n id="4" /> you sent a letter<n id="5" /> to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah<n id="6" /> and to all the other priests and to all the people in Jerusalem.<n id="7" /> In your letter you said to Zephaniah,<n id="8" />

Then Nergal-Sharezer of Samgar, Nebo-Sarsekim, who was a chief officer, Nergal-Sharezer, who was a high official,<n id="1" /> and all the other officers of the king of Babylon came and set up quarters<n id="2" /> in the Middle Gate.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">&#8220;A noise is heard on the hilltops.p> <p class="poetry">It is the sound of the people of Israel crying and pleading to their gods.p> <p class="poetry">Indeed they have followed sinful ways;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">they have forgotten to be true to the <sc>Lordsc> their God.<n id="2" />p>

So, mourn,<n id="1" /> you people of this nation.<n id="2" /> Cut off your hair and throw it away. Sing a song of mourning on the hilltops. For the <sc>Lordsc> has decided to reject<n id="3" /> and forsake this generation that has provoked his wrath!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">These people make promises in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But the fact is,<n id="2" /> what they swear to is really a lie.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;That is why I will scatter your people<n id="2" /> like chaffp> <p class="poetry">that is blown away by a desert wind.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Because you did that,p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm that<n id="1" /> a time is comingp> <p class="poetry">when I will make Rabbah, the capital city of Ammon,p> <p class="poetry">hear the sound of the battle cry.p> <p class="poetry">It will become a mound covered with ruins.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Its villages will be burned to the ground.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Then Israel will take back its landp> <p class="poetry">from those who took their land from them.p> <p class="poetry">I, the Lord, affirm it!<n id="4" />p>

Charge them to give their masters a message from me. Tell them, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all<n id="1" /> says to give your masters this message.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">Anyone who flees at the sound of terrorp> <p class="poetry">will fall into a pit.p> <p class="poetry">Anyone who climbs out of the pitp> <p class="poetry">will be caught in a trap.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the time is comingp> <p class="poetry">when I will punish the people of Moab.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> I will surely send you away for your own good.p> <p class="poetry">I will surely<n id="2" /> bring the enemy upon you in a time of trouble and distress.p>

So I will throw you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your ancestors have ever known. There you must worship other gods day and night, for I will show you no mercy.&#8217;&#8221;p>

You did miracles and amazing deeds in the land of Egypt which have had lasting effect. By this means you gained both in Israel and among humankind a renown that lasts to this day.<n id="1" />

So my anger and my wrath were poured out and burned like a fire through the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem. That is why they have become the desolate ruins that they are today.&#8217;p>

I will make this city an object of horror, a thing to be hissed at. All who pass by it will be filled with horror and will hiss out their scorn<n id="1" /> because of all the disasters that have happened to it.<n id="2" />