1. The Lord says, “The leaders of my people are sure to be judged. They were supposed to watch over my people like shepherds watch over their sheep. But they are causing my people to be destroyed and scattered.
2. So the Lord God of Israel has this to say about the leaders who are ruling over his people: “You have caused my people to be dispersed and driven into exile. You have not taken care of them. So I will punish you for the evil that you have done. I, the Lord, affirm it!
3. Then I myself will regather those of my people who are still alive from all the countries where I have driven them. I will bring them back to their homeland. They will greatly increase in number.
4. I will install rulers over them who will care for them. Then they will no longer need to fear or be terrified. None of them will turn up missing. I, the Lord, promise it!
5. “I, the Lord, promise that a new time will certainly comewhen I will raise up for them a righteous branch, a descendant of David.He will rule over them with wisdom and understandingand will do what is just and right in the land.
6. Under his rule Judah will enjoy safetyand Israel will live in security.This is the name he will go by:‘The Lord has provided us with justice.’
7. “So I, the Lord, say: ‘A new time will certainly come. People now affirm their oaths with “I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the people of Israel out of Egypt.”
8. But at that time they will affirm them with “I swear as surely as the Lord lives who delivered the descendants of the former nation of Israel from the land of the north and from all the other lands where he had banished them.” At that time they will live in their own land.’”
9. Here is what the Lord says concerning the false prophets:My heart and my mind are deeply disturbed.I tremble all over.I am like a drunk person,like a person who has had too much wine,because of the way the Lordand his holy word are being mistreated.
10. For the land is full of people unfaithful to him.They live wicked lives and they misuse their power.So the land is dried up because it is under his curse.The pastures in the wilderness are withered.
11. Moreover, the Lord says,“Both the prophets and priests are godless.I have even found them doing evil in my temple!
12. So the paths they follow will be dark and slippery.They will stumble and fall headlong.For I will bring disaster on them.A day of reckoning is coming for them.”The Lord affirms it!
13. The Lord says, “I saw the prophets of Samariadoing something that was disgusting.They prophesied in the name of the god Baaland led my people Israel astray.
14. But I see the prophets of Jerusalemdoing something just as shocking.They are unfaithful to me and continually prophesy lies.So they give encouragement to people who are doing evil,with the result that they do not stop their evildoing.I consider all of them as bad as the people of Sodom,and the citizens of Jerusalem as bad as the people of Gomorrah.