Listen to this warning, Jerusalem.\par If you don’t listen\par then I will turn my back on you.\par I will make your land an empty desert.\par No person will be able to live there.”\par
But your ancestors did not obey me. They did not pay attention to me. Your ancestors were very stubborn. I punished them, but it did not do any good. They did not listen to me.
Young lions’ (enemies) roar at Israel.\par The lions growl.\par Lions have destroyed the land of Israel.\par The cities of Israel have been burned.\par There are no people left in them.\par
Lord, I wandered away from you.\par But I learned about the bad things I did.\par So I changed my heart and life.\par I am ashamed and embarrassed about the foolish things I did when I was young.’\par
“Those people should have come to me for help. But they turned their backs to me. I tried to teach those people again and again. But they would not listen to me. I tried to correct them, but they would not listen.
So the Lord says this: “I will show my anger against this place. I will punish people and animals. I will punish the trees in the field and the crops that grow in the ground. My anger will be like a hot fire—and no person will be able to stop it.”
So you must tell them these things: This is the nation that did not obey the Lord its God. These people did not listen to God’s teachings. These people don’t know the true teachings.
“I (the Lord) will make the city of Jerusalem\par a pile of garbage.\par It will be a home for jackals. {\cf2\super [75]} \par I will destroy the cities in the land of Judah,\par so no one will live there.”\par
“Oholibah {\cf2\super [186]} let everyone see that she was unfaithful. She let so many men enjoy her naked body, that I became disgusted with her—just like I had become disgusted with her sister.
Their mother has acted like a prostitute. Their mother should be ashamed of the things she did. She said, ‘I will go to my lovers. {\cf2\super [14]} My lovers give me food and water. They give me wool and linen. They give me wine and olive oil.’
But even if the Israelites do raise their children, \{it will not help\}. I will take the children away from them. I will leave them, and they will have nothing but troubles.
I tell you these things so you will learn a lesson. I want you to fear and respect me. If you do this, then your home won’t be destroyed. If you do this, then I won’t have to punish you the way I planned.” But those bad people only wanted to do more of the same bad things they had already done!