At that time<n id="1" /> the nation of Judah and the nation of Israel will be reunited.<n id="2" /> Together they will come back from a land in the north to the land that I gave to your ancestors as a permanent possession. &#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I thought, &#8220;Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They act like fools because they do not know what the <sc>Lordsc> demands.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They do not know what their God requires of them.<n id="3" />p>

Stop putting your confidence in the false belief that says,<n id="1" /> &#8220;We are safe!<n id="2" /> The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here! The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here! The temple of the <sc>Lordsc> is here!&#8221;<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">I will take away their harvests,<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lord.sc>p> <p class="poetry">There will be no grapes on their vines.p> <p class="poetry">There will be no figs on their fig trees.p> <p class="poetry">Even the leaves on their trees will wither.p> <p class="poetry">The crops that I gave them will be taken away.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors<n id="1" /> have known anything about. I will send people chasing after them with swords<n id="2" /> until I have destroyed them.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Do not start following pagan religious practices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Do not be in awe of signs that occur<n id="2" /> in the skyp> <p class="poetry">even though the nations hold them in awe.p>

<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;I will now throw outp> <p class="poetry">those who live in this land.p> <p class="poetry">I will bring so much trouble on themp> <p class="poetry">that they will actually feel it.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Then those living in the towns of Judah and in Jerusalem will<n id="1" /> go and cry out for help to the gods to whom they have been sacrificing. However, those gods will by no means<n id="2" /> be able to save them when disaster strikes them.

<p class="poetry">So I said to the <sc>Lordsc>,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;O <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="2" /> you are a just judge!p> <p class="poetry">You examine people&#8217;s hearts and minds.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I want to see you pay them back for what they have donep> <p class="poetry">because I trust you to vindicate my cause.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Their widows will become in my sight more numerous<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">than the grains of sand on the seashores.p> <p class="poetry">At noontime I will bring a destroyerp> <p class="poetry">against the mothers of their young men.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will cause anguish<n id="3" /> and terrorp> <p class="poetry">to fall suddenly upon them.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">May those who persecute me be disgraced.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let me be disgraced.p> <p class="poetry">May they be dismayed.p> <p class="poetry">Do not let me be dismayed.p> <p class="poetry">Bring days of disaster on them.p> <p class="poetry">Bring on them the destruction they deserve.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Should good be paid back with evil?p> <p class="poetry">Yet they are virtually digging a pit to kill me.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Just remember how I stood before youp> <p class="poetry">pleading on their behalf<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to keep you from venting your anger on them.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">O <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all,<n id="1" /> you test and prove the righteous.p> <p class="poetry">You see into people&#8217;s hearts and minds.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Pay them back for what they have donep> <p class="poetry">because I trust you to vindicate my cause.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>

I will bring war, starvation, and disease<n id="1" /> on them until they are completely destroyed from the land I gave them and their ancestors.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I will put an end to the sounds of joy and gladness, to the glad celebration of brides and grooms in these lands.<n id="1" /> I will put an end to the sound of people grinding meal. I will put an end to lamps shining in their houses.<n id="2" />

For many nations and great kings will make slaves of the king of Babylon and his nation<n id="1" /> too. I will repay them for all they have done!&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

Do not listen to them,<n id="1" /> because their prophecies are lies.<n id="2" /> Listening to them will only cause you<n id="3" /> to be taken far away from your native land. I will drive you out of your country and you will die in exile.<n id="4" />

Do not listen to the prophets who are telling you that you do not need to serve<n id="1" /> the king of Babylon. For they are prophesying lies to you.

For I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I did not send them. They are prophesying lies to you. If you<n id="2" /> listen to them, I will drive you and the prophets who are prophesying lies out of the land and you will all die in exile.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>