13. “‘I will take away their crops, says the Lord.There will be no grapes on the vine.There will be no figs on the fig tree.Even the leaves will dry up and die.I will take away what I gave them!’”
14. “Why are we just sitting here?Let’s get together!We have sinned against the Lord.So he has given us poisoned water to drink.Come, let’s run to the strong, walled cities.The Lord our God has decided that we must die.So let’s die there.
15. We hoped to have peace.But nothing good has come.We hoped for a time when he would heal us.But only disaster has come!
16. From the land of the tribe of Dan,the snorting of the enemy’s horses is heard.The ground shakes from the neighing of their large horses.They have come to destroythe land and everything in it.They have come to destroythe city and all the people who live there.”
17. “Look! I am sending poisonous snakes to attack you.These snakes cannot be charmed.They will bite you,” says the Lord.
18. God, you are my comfort when I am very sad.You are my comfort when I’m afraid.
19. Listen to my people!They are crying for help from a faraway land.They say, “Is the Lord still in Jerusalem?Is Jerusalem’s king still there?”But God says, “Why did the people make me angry by worshiping idols?They worshiped their useless foreign idols.”
20. And the people say, “Harvest time is over.Summer has ended.And we have not been saved.”
21. My people are crushed. So I am crushed.I cry loudly, and I am afraid for them.
22. Surely there is a balm in the land of Gilead.Surely there is a doctor there.So why aren’t the hurts of my people healed?