 1 Then the Lord said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, my soul could not be toward this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go out. 2 If they say to you, Where shall we go? Then you shall tell them, Thus says the Lord: Those who are for death, go to death. And those for the sword, to the sword. And those for the famine, to the famine. And those for the captivity, to the captivity. 3 I will set over them four kinds, says the Lord. The sword to kill, and the dogs to tear, and the birds of the Heaven and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. 4 I will make them a horror to all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of King Hezekiah of Judah, for what he did in Jerusalem. 5 For who shall have pity on you, O Jerusalem? Or who shall weep over you? Or who shall turn aside to ask your welfare? 6 You have forsaken me, says the Lord. You have gone backward. Therefore I will stretch out my hand against you, and destroy you; I am weary with repenting. 7 I will winnow them with a fork in the gates of the land. I will deprive+ them of children. I will destroy my people since they do not turn from their ways. 8 Their widows are more numerous about me than the sand of the seas; I have brought on them, against a mother of a young man, a ravager at noonday; I have caused anguish and terror to fall on her suddenly. 9 She who bore seven languishes. She has breathed out her life. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been ashamed and humiliated. I will deliver the rest of them to the sword before their enemies, says the Lord. 10 Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and contention to the whole earth. I have not loaned, nor have men loaned to me. Yet every one curses me. 11 The Lord said, Truly I will free you for good. Truly I will cause the enemy to entreat you in the time of evil and in the time of affliction. 12 Can one break iron or bronze from the north? 13 I will give your wealth and your treasures for prey, not for price, but for all your sins, even in all your borders. 14 I will make you pass with your enemies into a land that you do not know. For a fire has been kindled in my anger. It will burn against you. 15 O Lord, you know. Remember me and visit me and take vengeance for me on those who seek to hurt me. Do not take me away in your long suffering. Know that for your sake I have suffered rebuke. 16 I found your words and ate them. Your Word was to me the joy and gladness of my heart. For I am called by your name, O Lord God of hosts. 17 I did not sit in the circle of mockers, nor rejoice. I sat alone because of your hand. For you have filled me with indignation. 18 Why has my pain been without end? Why is my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? You surely are to me like a deceitful brook, waters that cannot be trusted. 19 Therefore thus says the Lord, If you turn back, then I will bring you again. You shall stand before me. If you take the precious from the worthless, you shall be like my mouth. Let them turn back to you, but do not return to them. 20 I will make you a fortified wall of bronze to this people. They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you. For I am with you to save you and to deliver you, says the Lord. 21 I will deliver you from the wicked, and I will redeem you from the evil ones.
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