3. All your leaders escaped togetherbut were captured without a single bow shot.All your escapees were bound together, even though they fled far away.
4. Therefore, I said, "Don’t look at me;let me weep bitterly.Don’t try to comfort meabout the destruction of my dearly loved people."
5. The Lord God of heavenly forces has a day of tumult and trampling and turmoil in the Valley of Vision,a breaking down of walls,a cry for help to the mountains.
6. Elam carried the quiver with chariots and horsemen,and Kir uncovered the shield.
7. Your finest valleys were filled with chariots,and horsemen doggedly guarded the gate.
8. Judah’s covering has been stripped away.On that day, you trusted the weapons in the Forest House.
9. You observed the many broken defenses in David’s City,and you collected the waters of the lower pool.
10. You counted Jerusalem’s houses,and you tore down houses to fortify the wall.
11. You made a reservoir between the walls for the water of the earlier pool.But you didn’t trust its maker;you didn’t consider the one who planned it long ago.
12. The Lord God of heavenly forces called on that dayfor weeping and mourning, and shaven heads, and wearing of mourning clothes.
13. But instead there wasfun and frivolity,killing of cattleand slaughtering of sheep,eating of meat and drinking of wine:"Eat and drink! Tomorrow we will die!"
14. But the Lord of heavenly forces has revealed in my hearing:This iniquity won’t be forgiven you until you die, says the Lord God of heavenly forces.
15. The Lord God of heavenly forces says, Go now to this official, to Shebna, who is in charge of the house, and say to him:
16. What do you have here—and whom do you have here—that you have hewed out a tomb for yourself,you who cuts his grave on high and carves himself a home in the cliff?