<p class="poetry">These people make promises in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">But the fact is,<n id="2" /> what they swear to is really a lie.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">So the <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Hear, you nations!p> <p class="poetry">Be witnesses and take note of what will happen to these people.<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;So, once more I will state my case<n id="1" /> against you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc>.p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will also state it against your children and grandchildren.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">&#8220;My, how good you have becomep> <p class="poetry">at chasing after your lovers!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Why, you could even teach prostitutes a thing or two!<n id="2" />p>

So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, affirm<n id="1" /> that I am opposed to those prophets who steal messages from one another that they claim are from me.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> says, &#8216;You have not listened to what I said.<n id="2" />

<p class="poetry">So her young men will fall in her city squares.p> <p class="poetry">All her soldiers will be destroyed at that time,&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Therefore the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all says,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will now purify them in the fires of affliction<n id="2" /> and test them.p> <p class="poetry">The wickedness of my dear people<n id="3" /> has left me no choice.p> <p class="poetry">What else can I do?<n id="4" />p>

So then, listen to what I, the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel who rules over all,<n id="1" /> say.<n id="2" /> &#8216;I will make these people eat the bitter food of suffering and drink the poison water of judgment.<n id="3" />

So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say this:<n id="1" /> &#8216;I will soon bring disaster on them which they will not be able to escape! When they cry out to me for help, I will not listen to them.

<p class="bodytext">Then the <sc>Lordsc> told me about<n id="1" /> some men from Anathoth<n id="2" /> who were threatening to kill me.<n id="3" /> They had threatened,<n id="4" /> &#8220;Stop prophesying in the name of the <sc>Lordsc> or we will kill you!&#8221;<n id="5" />

So the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all<n id="1" /> said, &#8220;I will surely<n id="2" /> punish them! Their young men will be killed in battle.<n id="3" /> Their sons and daughters will die of starvation.

<p class="bodytext">Yet<n id="1" /> I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="2" /> &#8220;A new time will certainly come.<n id="3" /> People now affirm their oaths with &#8216;I swear as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> said,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;So I will now let this wicked people know &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">I will let them know my mighty power in judgment.p> <p class="poetry">Then they will know that my name is the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ask the people of other nationsp> <p class="poetry">whether they have heard of anything like this.p> <p class="poetry">Israel should have been like a virgin.p> <p class="poetry">But she has done something utterly revolting!p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;So I, the <sc>Lordsc>, say:<n id="1" /> &#8216;A new time will certainly come.<n id="2" /> People now affirm their oaths with &#8220;I swear as surely as the <sc>Lordsc> lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.&#8221;

<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>

So<n id="1" /> I will carry you far off<n id="2" /> and throw you away. I will send both you and the city I gave to you and to your ancestors out of my sight.<n id="3" />

So the <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8216;I will most assuredly remove<n id="1" /> you from the face of the earth. You will die this very year because you have counseled rebellion against the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<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>