4. I thought, “These are poor, foolish people.They don’t know the way of the Lordand the justice that God demands.
5. Let me go to important people and speak to them.They know the way of the Lordand the justice that God demands.”But they, too, had broken off their yokes and torn off their chains.
6. That is why a lion from the forest will attack them.A wolf from the wilderness will destroy them.A leopard will lie in ambush outside their cities.All who leave the cities will be torn to pieces,because they rebel so oftenand they become more and more unfaithful.
7. “Why should I forgive you?Your children abandoned me.They took godless oaths.They committed adultery, even though I satisfied their needs.They traveled in crowds to the houses of prostitutes.
8. They are like well-fed stallions that are wild with desire.They neigh for their neighbors’ wives.
9. I will punish them for these things,” declares the Lord.“I will punish this nation.
10. “Go among Jerusalem’s rows of grapevines and destroy them,but don’t destroy all of them.Cut off the branches because they don’t belong to the Lord.
11. The nations of Israel and Judah are unfaithful to me,”declares the Lord.
12. They lie about the Lord and say,“He doesn’t exist!Nothing bad will happen to us.We won’t experience war or famine.
13. The prophets are nothing but windbags.The Lord hasn’t spoken through them,so let what they say happen to them.”
14. This is what the Lord God of Armies says:Because you’ve talked like this,I’m going to put my words in your mouth like a fire.These people will be like wood.My words will burn them up.
15. Nation of Israel, I’m going to bring a nation from far awayto attack you, declares the Lord.It is a nation that has lasted a long time.It is an ancient nation.You don’t know the language of this nation.You can’t understand what its people say.
16. Their arrow quivers are like open graves.They are all mighty warriors.
17. They will devour your harvest and your food.They will devour your sons and your daughters.They will devour your flocks and your cattle.They will devour your grapevines and your fig trees.With their swords they will destroythe fortified cities you trust.
18. Yet, even in those days, declares the Lord,I won’t destroy all of you.
19. They will ask, “Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?” Answer them, “You have abandoned me and served foreign gods in your land. So you will serve foreigners in a land that isn’t yours.”
20. “Tell this to the descendants of Jacob, and make this heard in Judah: