The people in the cities had no power.
They people were scared and confused.
They were about to be cut down
like grass and plants in the field.
They were like grass growing
on the housetops,
dying before it grows tall.
\{Israel\} grows among his brothers.\par But a powerful east wind will come—\par the Lord’s wind will blow from the desert.\par Then \{Israel’s\} well will become dry.\par His spring of water will become dry.\par The wind will take every valuable thing\par from \{Israel’s\} treasure.\par
The Israelites \{did a foolish thing\}—it was like trying to plant the wind. But \{they will get only troubles\}—they will harvest a whirlwind. The grain in the fields will grow. It will give no food. Even if it grew something, strangers would eat it.
Ephraim {\cf2\super [97]} will be punished.\par Their root is dying.\par They will not have any more babies.\par They might give birth to babies,\par but I will kill the precious babies\par that come from their bodies.\par