<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Because you are more arrogant<n id="1" /> than the nations around you,<n id="2" /> you have not followed my statutes and have not carried out my regulations. You have not even<n id="3" /> carried out the regulations of the nations around you!p>

Say, &#8216;Mountains of Israel,<n id="1" /> Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>!<n id="2" /> This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I am bringing<n id="3" /> a sword against you, and I will destroy your high places.<n id="4" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Clap your hands, stamp your feet, and say, &#8220;Ah!&#8221; because of all the evil, abominable practices of the house of Israel, for they will fall by the sword, famine, and pestilence.<n id="1" />

Then say to the people of the land, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says about the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of the land of Israel: They will eat their bread with anxiety and drink their water in fright, for their land will be stripped bare of all it contains because of the violence of all who live in it.

and say &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Woe to those who sew bands<n id="1" /> on all their wrists<n id="2" /> and make headbands<n id="3" /> for heads of every size to entrap people&#8217;s lives!<n id="4" /> Will you entrap my people&#8217;s lives, yet preserve your own lives?

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;Therefore, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Take note<n id="1" /> that I am against your wristbands with which you entrap people&#8217;s lives<n id="2" /> like birds. I will tear them from your arms and will release the people&#8217;s lives, which you hunt like birds.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;For this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: How much worse will it be when I send my four terrible judgments &#8211; sword, famine, wild animals, and plague &#8211; to Jerusalem<n id="1" /> to kill both people and animals!

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Like the wood of the vine is among the trees of the forest which I have provided as fuel for the fire &#8211; so I will provide the residents of Jerusalem<n id="1" /> as fuel.<n id="2" />

This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Because your lust<n id="1" /> was poured out and your nakedness was uncovered in your prostitution with your lovers, and because of all your detestable idols, and because of the blood of your children you have given to them,

Say to them: &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;A great eagle<n id="2" /> with broad wings, long feathers,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">with full plumage which was multi-hued,<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">came to Lebanon<n id="5" /> and took the top of the cedar.p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;I will take a sprig<n id="1" /> from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will pluck from the top one of its tender twigs;p> <p class="poetry">I myself will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.p>

&#8220;Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me,<n id="1" /> declares the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;

and say to them:p> <p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: On the day I chose Israel I swore<n id="1" /> to the descendants<n id="2" /> of the house of Jacob and made myself known to them in the land of Egypt. I swore<n id="3" /> to them, &#8220;I am the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8221;

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, speak to the house of Israel, son of man, and tell them, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: In this way too your fathers blasphemed me when they were unfaithful to me.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;&#8216;As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Each of you go and serve your idols,<n id="1" /> if you will not listen to me.<n id="2" /> But my holy name will not be profaned<n id="3" /> again by your sacrifices<n id="4" /> and your idols.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: &#8216;Because you have brought up<n id="1" /> your own guilt by uncovering your transgressions and revealing your sins through all your actions, for this reason you will be taken by force.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;As for you, son of man, prophesy and say, &#8216;This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says concerning the Ammonites and their coming humiliation;<n id="1" /> say:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;A sword, a sword drawn for slaughter,p> <p class="poetry">polished to consume,<n id="2" /> to flash like lightning &#8211;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, Oholibah, this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: Look here,<n id="1" /> I am about to stir up against you the lovers with whom you were disgusted; I will bring them against you from every side:

<p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;Therefore this is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says:p> <p class="poetry">Woe to the city of bloodshed,p> <p class="poetry">the pot whose rot<n id="1" /> is in it,p> <p class="poetry">whose rot has not been removed<n id="2" /> from it!p> <p class="poetry">Empty it piece by piece.p> <p class="poetry">No lot has fallen on it.<n id="3" />p>

Say to the Ammonites, &#8216;Hear the word of the sovereign <sc>Lordsc>: This is what the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> says: You said &#8220;Aha!&#8221; about my sanctuary when it was desecrated, about the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and about the house of Judah when they went into exile.