16. “But I will let a few of the people live. They will not die from the disease, hunger, and war. I will let them live so that they can tell other people about the terrible things they did against me. Then they will know that I am the Lord.”
17. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said,
18. “Son of man, you must act as if you are very frightened. You must shake when you eat your food. You must act worried and afraid when you drink your water.
19. You must say this to the common people: ‘This is what the Lord GOD says to the people living in Jerusalem and in the other parts of Israel. You will be very worried while you eat your food. You will be terrified while you drink your water, because everything in your country will be destroyed! This will happen because the people living there are so violent.
20. Many people live in your cities now, but those cities will be ruined. Your whole country will be destroyed! Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”
21. Then the word of the Lord came to me. He said,
22. “Son of man, why do people quote this saying about the land of Israel: ‘Trouble will not come soon; what is seen in visions will not come’?
23. “Tell the people that the Lord GOD will end that saying. They will not say that about Israel anymore. Now they will quote this saying: ‘Trouble will come soon; what is seen in visions will happen.’