So these officials said to the king, &#8220;This man must be put to death. For he is demoralizing<n id="1" /> the soldiers who are left in the city as well as all the other people there by these things he is saying.<n id="2" /> This<n id="3" /> man is not seeking to help these people but is trying to harm them.&#8221;<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">I answered, &#8220;Oh, Lord <sc>Godsc>,<n id="1" /> I really<n id="2" /> do not know how to speak well enough for that,<n id="3" /> for I am too young.&#8221;<n id="4" />

Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you,<n id="1" /> for I will be with you to protect<n id="2" /> you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.

Then the <sc>Lordsc> said, &#8220;You have observed correctly. This means<n id="1" /> I am watching to make sure my threats are carried out.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">Come back to me, you wayward people.p> <p class="poetry">I want to cure your waywardness.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Say,<n id="2" /> &#8216;Here we are. We come to youp> <p class="poetry">because you are the <sc>Lordsc> our God.p>

<p class="poetry">Look! The enemy is approaching like gathering clouds.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The roar of his chariots is like that of a whirlwind.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">His horses move more swiftly than eagles.&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">I cry out,<n id="3" /> &#8220;We are doomed,<n id="4" /> for we will be destroyed!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">They will surround Jerusalem<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">like men guarding a field<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">because they have rebelled against me,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">All this will happen because the <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The whole land will be desolate;p> <p class="poetry">however, I will not completely destroy it.p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> commanded the enemy,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;March through the vineyards of Israel and Judah and ruin them.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">But do not destroy them completely.p> <p class="poetry">Strip off their branchesp> <p class="poetry">for these people do not belong to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For the nations of Israel and Judah<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">have been very unfaithful to me,&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">says the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;Indeed, there are wicked scoundrels among my people.p> <p class="poetry">They lie in wait like bird catchers hiding in ambush.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They set deadly traps<n id="2" /> to catch people.p>

<p class="poetry">Do not go out into the countryside.p> <p class="poetry">Do not travel on the roads.p> <p class="poetry">For the enemy is there with sword in hand.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They are spreading terror everywhere.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8216;Death has climbed in<n id="1" /> through our windows.p> <p class="poetry">It has entered into our fortified houses.p> <p class="poetry">It has taken away our children who play in the streets.p> <p class="poetry">It has taken away our young men who gather in the city squares.&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, we know that people do not control their own destiny.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">It is not in their power to determine what will happen to them.<n id="2" />p>

Not one of them will survive.<n id="1" /> I will bring disaster on those men from Anathoth who threatened you.<n id="2" /> A day of reckoning is coming for them.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> told me,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Tell the king and the queen mother,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Surrender your thrones,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">for your glorious crownsp> <p class="poetry">will be removed<n id="3" /> from your heads.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You will probably ask yourself,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Why have these things happened to me?p> <p class="poetry">Why have I been treated like a disgraced adulteressp> <p class="poetry">whose skirt has been torn off and her limbs exposed?&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">It is because you have sinned so much.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They are dismayed because the ground is cracked<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">because there has been no rain in the land.p> <p class="poetry">The farmers, too, are dismayedp> <p class="poetry">and bury their faces in their hands.p>

<p class="poetry">Wild donkeys stand on the hilltopsp> <p class="poetry">and pant for breath like jackals.p> <p class="poetry">Their eyes are strained looking for food,p> <p class="poetry">because there is none to be found.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>