13. You are guilty of these things.So you are like a high wall with cracks in it.It will fall suddenly and break into small pieces.
14. You will be like a clay jar that breaks.It breaks into many pieces.Those pieces will be too smallto take coals from the fireor to get water from a well.”
15. This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says:“If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved.If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong.”But you don’t want to do that.
16. You say, “No, we need horses to run away on.”So you will run away on horses.You say, “We will ride away on fast horses.”So those who chase you will be fast.
17. One enemy will make threats,and 1,000 of your men will run away.Five enemies will make threats,and all of you will run from them.You will be left alone like a flagpole on a hilltop.You will be like a banner on a hill.
18. The Lord wants to show his mercy to you.He wants to rise and comfort you.The Lord is a fair God.And everyone who waits for his help will be happy.
19. You people who live on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will not cry anymore. The Lord will hear your crying, and he will comfort you. The Lord will hear you, and he will help you.
20. The Lord has given you sorrow and hurt. It was like the bread and water you ate every day. But he is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
21. If you go the wrong way—to the right or to the left—you will hear a voice behind you. It will say, “This is the right way. You should go this way.”
22. You have statues covered with silver and gold. But you will ruin them for further use. You will throw them away like filthy rags. You will say, “Go away!”
23. At that time the Lord will send rain for you. You will plant seeds in the ground, and the ground will grow food for you. The harvest will be very great. You will have plenty of food in the fields for your animals. There will be large fields for your sheep.
24. Your oxen and donkeys will work the soil. They will have all the food they need. You will have to use shovels and pitchforks to spread all the food for your animals to eat.
25. Every mountain and hill will have streams filled with water. These things will happen after many people are killed and the towers are pulled down.