13. When you look for me with all your heart, you will find me.
14. "I will be found by you," announces the Lord. "And I will bring you back from where you were taken as prisoners. I will gather you from all of the nations. I will gather you from the places where I have forced you to go," announces the Lord. "I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you away."
15. You might say, "The Lord has given us prophets in Babylonia."
16. But here is what the Lord says about the king who now sits on David's throne. He also says it about all of the people who remain in this city. And he says it about all those who did not go with you to Babylon.
17. The Lord who rules over all says, "I will send war, hunger and plague against them. I will make them like bad figs. They are so bad they can't be eaten.
18. I will hunt them down with war, hunger and plague. I will make all of the kingdoms on earth displeased with them. They will call down curses on them. All of the nations where I drive them will be shocked at them. They will make fun of them. And they will bring shame on them.
19. "That is because they have not listened to my words," announces the Lord. "I sent messages to them again and again. I sent them through my servants the prophets. And you who were taken to Babylon have not listened either," announces the Lord.
20. So listen to the Lord's message. Listen, all of you whom he has sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon.
21. The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He speaks about Ahab and Zedekiah. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. Ahab is the son of Kolaiah. Zedekiah is the son of Maaseiah. The Lord says about Ahab and Zedekiah, "I will hand them over to Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylonia. He will put them to death. You will see it with your own eyes.
22. "Because of what happens to them, people will use their names when they call down curses on someone. All those who have been taken from Judah to Babylon will use their names in that way. They will say, 'May the Lord treat you like Zedekiah and Ahab. The king of Babylonia burned them in the fire.'
23. "That will happen because they have done awful things in Israel. They have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives. They have spoken lies in my name. I did not tell them to do that. I know what they have done. And I am a witness to it," announces the Lord.
24. Tell Shemaiah, the Nehelamite,
25. "The Lord who rules over all is the God of Israel. He says, 'You sent letters in your own name to all of the people in Jerusalem. You also sent them to the priest Zephaniah, the son of Maaseiah. And you sent them to all of the other priests. " 'You said to Zephaniah,
26. "The Lord has appointed you priest in place of Jehoiada. He has put you in charge of the Lord's house. You are supposed to arrest any crazy person who claims to be a prophet. You should put him in prison. You should put iron bands around his neck.
27. " ' "So why haven't you punished Jeremiah from Anathoth? He claims to be a prophet among you.
28. He has sent a message to us in Babylon. It says, 'You will be there a long time. So build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.' " ' "
29. But the priest Zephaniah read the letter to me.