<p class="poetry">The prophets prophesy lies.p> <p class="poetry">The priests exercise power by their own authority.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">And my people love to have it this way.p> <p class="poetry">But they will not be able to help you when the time of judgment comes!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">As a well continually pours out fresh waterp> <p class="poetry">so it continually pours out wicked deeds.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Sounds of violence and destruction echo throughout it.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">All I see are sick and wounded people.&#8217;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Therefore the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will now purify them in the fires of affliction<n id="2" /> and test them.p> <p class="poetry">The wickedness of my dear people<n id="3" /> has left me no choice.p> <p class="poetry">What else can I do?<n id="4" />p>

So then, listen to what I, the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all,<n id="1" /> say.<n id="2" /> &#8216;I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">For our leaders<n id="1" /> are stupid.p> <p class="poetry">They have not sought the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s advice.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">So they do not act wisely,p> <p class="poetry">and the people they are responsible for<n id="3" /> have all been scattered.p>

So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say this:<n id="1" /> &#8216;I will soon bring disaster on them which they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them.

<p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> told me about<n id="1" /> some men from Anathoth<n id="2" /> who were threatening to kill me.<n id="3" /> They had threatened,<n id="4" /> &#8220;Stop prophesying in the name of the <sc>Lordsc> or we will kill you!&#8221;<n id="5" />

So the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;I will surely<n id="2" /> punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle.<n id="3" /> Their sons and daughters will die of starvation.

<p class="bodytext">Yet<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="2" /> &#8220;A new time will certainly come.<n id="3" /> People now affirm their oaths with &#8216;I swear as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;So I will now let this wicked people know &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">I will let them know my mighty power in judgment.p> <p class="poetry">Then they will know that my name is the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ask the people of other nationsp> <p class="poetry">whether they have heard of anything like this.p> <p class="poetry">Israel should have been like a virgin.p> <p class="poetry">But she has done something utterly revolting!p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;A new time will certainly come.<n id="2" /> People now affirm their oaths with &#8220;I swear as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">For the land is full of people unfaithful to him.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They live wicked lives and they misuse their power.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">So the land is dried up<n id="3" /> because it is under his curse.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">The pastures in the wilderness are withered.p>

<p class="poetry">So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery.p> <p class="poetry">They will stumble and fall headlong.p> <p class="poetry">For I will bring disaster on them.p> <p class="poetry">A day of reckoning is coming for them.&#8221;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> affirms it!<n id="2" />p>

So<n id="1" /> I will carry you far off<n id="2" /> and throw you away. I will send both you and the city I gave to you and to your ancestors out of my sight.<n id="3" />

So the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;I will most assuredly remove<n id="1" /> you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

For he has even sent a message to us here in Babylon. He wrote and told us,<n id="1" /> &#8220;You will be there a long time. Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">But<n id="1" /> all who destroyed you will be destroyed.p> <p class="poetry">All your enemies will go into exile.p> <p class="poetry">Those who plundered you will be plundered.p> <p class="poetry">I will cause those who pillaged you to be pillaged.<n id="2" />p>

In the past I saw to it that they were uprooted and torn down, that they were destroyed and demolished. But now I will see to it that they are built up and firmly planted.<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Therefore I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;I will indeed hand<n id="2" /> this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and the Babylonian army.<n id="3" /> They will capture it.