Micaiah said, &#8220;If you really do return safely, then the <sc>Lordsc> has not spoken through me!&#8221; Then he added, &#8220;Take note,<n id="1" /> all you people.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Moreover, keep me from committing flagrant<n id="1" /> sins;p> <p class="poetry">do not allow such sins to control me.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Then I will be blameless,p> <p class="poetry">and innocent of blatant<n id="3" /> rebellion.p>

<p class="poetry">Free me<n id="1" /> from prison,p> <p class="poetry">that I may give thanks to your name.p> <p class="poetry">Because of me the godly will assemble,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">for you will vindicate me.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Do not stare at me because<n id="1" /> I am dark,p> <p class="poetry">for<n id="2" /> the sun has burned my skin.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">My brothers<n id="4" /> were angry<n id="5" /> with me;p> <p class="poetry">they made me the keeper of the vineyards.p> <p class="poetry">Alas, my own vineyard<n id="6" /> I could not keep!<n id="7" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Listen, O heavens,p> <p class="poetry">pay attention, O earth!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> speaks:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I raised children,<n id="2" /> I brought them up,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">but<n id="4" /> they have rebelled<n id="5" /> against me!p>

Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk.<n id="1" /> In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me?

<p class="poetry">I solemnly make this oath<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">what I say is true and reliable:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;Surely every knee will bow to me,p> <p class="poetry">every tongue will solemnly affirm;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">When you cry out for help, let your idols<n id="1" /> help you!p> <p class="poetry">The wind blows them all away,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">a breeze carries them away.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">But the one who looks to me for help<n id="4" /> will inherit the landp> <p class="poetry">and will have access to<n id="5" /> my holy mountain.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">They say, &#8216;Keep to yourself!p> <p class="poetry">Don&#8217;t get near me, for I am holier than you!&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">These people are like smoke in my nostrils,p> <p class="poetry">like a fire that keeps burning all day long.p>

&#8220;They will go out and observe the corpses of those who rebelled against me, for the maggots that eat them will not die,<n id="1" /> and the fire that consumes them will not die out.<n id="2" /> All people will find the sight abhorrent.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">This is what the Lord says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;What fault could your ancestors<n id="1" /> have possibly found in mep> <p class="poetry">that they strayed so far from me?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They paid allegiance to<n id="3" /> worthless idols, and so became worthless to me.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" /> &#8220;As for you, Jeremiah,<n id="2" /> do not pray for these people! Do not cry out to me or petition me on their behalf! Do not plead with me to save them,<n id="3" /> because I will not listen to you.

<t /><p class="bodytext">I said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Oh, mother, how I regret<n id="2" /> that you ever gave birth to me!p> <p class="poetry">I am always starting arguments and quarrels with the people of this land.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I have not lent money to anyone and I have not borrowed from anyone.p> <p class="poetry">Yet all of these people are treating me with contempt.&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

But, if you do not obey these commands, I solemnly swear<n id="1" /> that this palace will become a pile of rubble. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I will purify them from all the sin that they committed against me. I will forgive all their sins which they committed in rebelling against me.<n id="1" />

I will certainly save you. You will not fall victim to violence.<n id="1" /> You will escape with your life<n id="2" /> because you trust in me. I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm it!&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

For I solemnly swear,&#8221;<n id="1" /> says the <sc>Lordsc>, &#8220;that Bozrah<n id="2" /> will become a pile of ruins. It will become an object of horror and ridicule, an example to be used in curses.<n id="3" /> All the towns around it will lie in ruins forever.&#8221;p>

As he spoke to me,<n id="1" /> a wind<n id="2" /> came into me and stood me on my feet, and I heard the one speaking to me.p>

<p class="bodytext">Then a wind<n id="1" /> came into me and stood me on my feet. The <sc>Lordsc><n id="2" /> spoke to me and said, &#8220;Go shut yourself in your house.

I will throw my net over him and he will be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and judge him there because of the unfaithfulness he committed against me.