<p class="poetry"><v id="(9:1)" /> I wish I had a lodging place in the desertp> <p class="poetry">where I could spend some time like a weary traveler.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Then I would desert my peoplep> <p class="poetry">and walk away from themp> <p class="poetry">because they are all unfaithful to God,p> <p class="poetry">a congregation<n id="2" /> of people that has been disloyal to him.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Everyone must be on his guard around his friends.p> <p class="poetry">He must not even trust any of his relatives.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For every one of them will find some way to cheat him.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">And all of his friends will tell lies about him.p>

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> answered, &#8220;This has happened because these people have rejected my laws which I gave them. They have not obeyed me or followed those laws.<n id="1" />

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">The people I call my own attack me like birds of prey or like hyenas.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But other birds of prey are all around them.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Let all the nations gather together like wild beasts.p> <p class="poetry">Let them come and destroy these people I call my own.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said to me, &#8220;Go and buy some linen shorts<n id="1" /> and put them on.<n id="2" /> Do not put them in water.&#8221;<n id="3" />

&#8220;Take the shorts that you bought and are wearing<n id="1" /> and go at once<n id="2" /> to Perath.<n id="3" /> Bury the shorts there<n id="4" /> in a crack in the rocks.&#8221;

Many days later the <sc>Lordsc> said to me, &#8220;Go at once to Perath and get<n id="1" /> the shorts I ordered you to bury there.&#8221;

So I went to Perath and dug up<n id="1" /> the shorts from the place where I had buried them. I found<n id="2" /> that they were ruined; they were good for nothing.p>

<p class="poetry">I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;You people have deserted me!p> <p class="poetry">You keep turning your back on me.&#8217;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">So I have unleashed my power against you<n id="3" /> and have begun to destroy you.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">I have grown tired of feeling sorry for you!&#8221;<n id="5" />p>

And you have acted even more wickedly than your ancestors! Each one of you has followed the stubborn inclinations of your own wicked heart and not obeyed me.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">Yet my people have forgotten mep> <p class="poetry">and offered sacrifices to worthless idols!p> <p class="poetry">This makes them stumble along in the way they livep> <p class="poetry">and leave the old reliable path of their fathers.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They have left them to walk in bypaths,p> <p class="poetry">in roads that are not smooth and level.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;&#8216;Do not weep for the king who was killed.p> <p class="poetry">Do not grieve for him.p> <p class="poetry">But weep mournfully for the king who has gone into exile.p> <p class="poetry">For he will never return to see his native land again.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">My judgment will carry off all your leaders like a storm wind!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Your allies will go into captivity.p> <p class="poetry">Then you will certainly<n id="2" /> be disgraced and put to shamep> <p class="poetry">because of all the wickedness you have done.p>

<p class="poetry">They continually say<n id="1" /> to those who reject what the <sc>Lordsc> has said,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Things will go well for you!&#8217;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">They say to all those who follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts,p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Nothing bad will happen to you!&#8217;p>

Do not pay allegiance to<n id="1" /> other gods and worship and serve them. Do not make me angry by the things that you do.<n id="2" /> Then I will not cause you any harm.&#8217;

Tell them that the <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;You must obey me! You must live according to the way I have instructed you in my laws.<n id="2" />

&#8220;Go and tell Hananiah that the <sc>Lordsc> says,<n id="1" /> &#8216;You have indeed broken the wooden yoke. But you have<n id="2" /> only succeeded in replacing it with an iron one!<n id="3" />

<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>

<p class="poetry">I will say,<n id="1" /> &#8216;My dear children of Israel,<n id="2" /> keep in mindp> <p class="poetry">the road you took when you were carried off.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Mark off in your minds the landmarks.p> <p class="poetry">Make a mental note of telltale signs marking the way back.p> <p class="poetry">Return, my dear children of Israel.p> <p class="poetry">Return to these cities of yours.p>