16. know that thus hath the Lord said of the king that sits upon the throne of David and of all the people that dwell in this city and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17. thus hath the Lord of the hosts said: Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence and will make them like the evil figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
18. And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will give them over as a reproach to all the kingdoms of the earth, as a curse, and as an astonishment, and a hissing, and an affront, unto all the Gentiles where I have driven them:
19. because they did not hearken unto my words, said the Lord, which I sent unto them by my slaves the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye did not hear, said the Lord.
20. Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have cast out of Jerusalem unto Babylon:
21. Thus hath the Lord of the hosts the God of Israel said regarding Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and regarding Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy falsely unto you in my name; Behold, I deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22. and of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
23. because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken a word falsely in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know and am a witness, saith the Lord.
24. Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
25. Thus hath the Lord of the hosts the God of Israel spoken, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem and to Zephaniah the priest, the son of Maaseiah and to all the priests, saying,
26. The Lord has made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should preside in the house of the Lord over every man that is furious and prophesies, putting him in the prison and in the stocks.
27. Now therefore why hast thou not reprehended Jeremiah of Anathoth, for prophesying falsely unto you?