23. “I will pile troubles upon them.I will shoot my arrows at them.
24. They will be starved and sick.They will be destroyed by terrible diseases.I will send them vicious animalsand gliding, poisonous snakes.
25. In the streets the sword will kill.In their homes there will be terror.Young men and women will die.So will babies and gray-haired men.
26. I will scatter them as I said.And no one will remember them.
27. But I didn’t want their enemy to brag.Their enemy might misunderstand.They might say, ‘We have won!The Lord has done none of this.’”
28. Israel has no sense.They do not understand.
29. I wish they were wise and understood this.I wish they could see what will happen to them.
30. One person cannot chase 1,000 people.And 2 people cannot fight 10,000.This only happens if the Lord has sold them.Their Rock would have to give them up.
31. The rock of these people is not like our Rock.Our enemies agree to that.
32. Their vine comes from Sodom.Their fields are like Gomorrah.Their grapes are full of poison.Their bunches of grapes are bitter.
33. Their wine is like snake poison,like the deadly poison of cobras.
34. “I have been saving this.I have it locked in my storehouses.
35. I will punish those who do wrong. I will repay them.Sometime their foot will slip.Their day of trouble is near.And their punishment will come quickly.”
36. The Lord will defend his people.He will have mercy on his servants.He will see that their strength is gone.He will see that nobody is left, slaves or free.
37. Then he will say, “Where are their gods?Where is the rock they trusted?
38. Who ate the fat from their sacrifices?Who drank the wine of their drink offering?Let those gods come to help you!Let them protect you!
39. “Now you will see that I am the one God!There is no god but me.I send life and death.I can hurt, and I can heal.No one can escape from me.
40. I raise my hand toward heaven and make this promise:As surely as I live forever,