The priests will be stunned.

The prophets will be amazed and astonished."

10 I said, "Adonay Yahweh , you certainly have deceived these people and Jerusalem.

You said that everything would go well for them, but a sword is held at their throats."

11 At that time it will be said to these people and to Jerusalem: "A hot wind from the heights will blow in the desert on the tracks of my people.

It will not be a wind that winnowsa or cleanses.

12 It will be a stronger wind than that.

It will come from me.

Now, I will pass sentence on them."

13 The enemy comes up like clouds.

His chariots are like a raging wind.

His horses are faster than eagles.

How horrible it will be for us! We will be destroyed!

14 Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you may be rescued.

Don't continue making evil plans.

15 A message is heard from Dan, and a report of disaster comes from the mountains of Ephraim.

16 Warn the nations about these things.

Bring them to the attention of Jerusalem.

"Hostile troops are coming from a distant country.

They are shouting battle cries against the cities of Judah.

17 They surround them like men guarding a field, because Judah has rebelled against me,"

declares Yahweh.

18 "You brought this on yourself.

This is your punishment.

It is bitter.

It breaks your heart."

19 My anguish, my anguish!

I writhe in pain.

My heart is beating wildly!

My heart is pounding!

I can't keep quiet because I hear a ram's horn sounding the alarm for war.

20 One disaster follows another.

The whole land is ruined.

My tents are suddenly destroyed.

Their curtains are torn in an instant.

21 How long must I see the battle flag and hear the sound of rams' horns?

22 "My people are fools. They don't know me.

They are stupid people. They don't understand.

They are experts in doing wrong, and they don't know how to do good."

23 I see the earth. It's formless and empty.

I see the sky. Its lights are gone.

24 I see the mountains. They are shaking, and the hills are swaying.

25 I see that there are no people, and every bird has flown away.

26 I see that the fertile land has become a desert, and all its cities are torn down because of Yahweh and his burning anger.

27 This is what Yahweh says: The whole earth will be ruined, although I will not destroy it completely.

28 The earth will mourn, and the sky will grow black.

I have spoken, and I have planned it.

I won't change my plans, and I won't turn back.

29 All the people in the city will flee at the sound of riders and archers.

They will go off into the thickets and climb among the rocks.

The entire city will be abandoned, and no one will live in it.

30 You are going to be destroyed!

What are you going to do?

Why do you dress in red and put on gold jewelry?

Why do you wear eye shadow?

You are making yourself beautiful for nothing.

Your lovers reject you; they want to kill you.

31 I hear a woman in labor.

I hear the woman cry with anguish as she gives birth to her first child.

My people Zion are gasping for breath.

They are stretching out their hands, saying, "How horrible it is for us!

We're defenseless in the presence of murderers!"

Judah's Complete Rejection of the LORD 5 1 Walk around the streets of Jerusalem.

Look around, and think about these things.

Search the city squares.

See if you can find anyone who does what is right and seeks the truth.

Then I will forgive Jerusalem.

2 People say, "As Yahweh lives . . ."

Yet, they lie when they take this oath.

3 Yahweh, your eyes look for the truth.

You strike these people, but they don't feel it.

You crush them, but they refuse to be corrected.

They are more stubborn than rocks.

They refuse to turn back.

4 I thought, "These are poor, foolish people.

They don't know the way of Yahweh and the justice that Elohim demands.

5 Let me go to important people and speak to them.

They know the way of Yahweh and the justice that Elohim demands."

But they, too, had broken off their yokesa and torn off their chains.

6 That is why a lion from the forest will attack them.

A wolf from the wilderness will destroy them.

A leopard will lie in ambush outside their cities.

All who leave the cities will be torn to pieces, because they rebel so often and they become more and more unfaithful.

7 "Why should I forgive you?

Your children abandoned me.

They took godless oaths.

They committed adultery, even though I satisfied their needs.

They traveled in crowds to the houses of prostitutes.

8 They are like well-fed stallions that are wild with desire.

They neigh for their neighbors' wives.

9 I will punish them for these things," declares Yahweh.

"I will punish this nation.

10 "Go among Jerusalem's rows of grapevines and destroy them, but don't destroy all of them.

Cut off the branches because they don't belong to Yahweh.

11 The nations of Israel and Judah are unfaithful to me,"

declares Yahweh.

12 They lie about Yahweh and say, "He doesn't exist!

Nothing bad will happen to us.

We won't experience war or famine.

13 The prophets are nothing but windbags.