Listen, earth! I’m going to bring disaster on these people. It is the result of their own plots, because they won’t pay attention to my words. They reject my teachings.
As flames burn up straw and dry grass shrivels in flames, so their roots will rot, and their blossoms will blow away like dust. They have rejected the teachings of the Lord of Armies and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.
You have left me,” declares the Lord. “You have turned your back on me. So I will use my power against you and destroy you. I’m tired of showing compassion to you.
“This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I’m going to bring on this city and on all its towns the disasters that I threatened. They’ve become impossible to deal with, and they refuse to obey me.”
Say, “Listen to the Lord’s word, you kings of Judah and those who live in Jerusalem. This is what the Lord of Armies, the God of Israel, says: I’m going to bring such a disaster on this place that the ears of everyone who hears about it will ring.
“ ‘I will punish you because of the evil things you have done,’ ” declares the Lord. “ ‘I will start a fire in your forests, and it will burn up everything around you.’ ”
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.
Be circumcised by the Lord, and get rid of the foreskins of your hearts, people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. If you don’t, my fury will flare up like a fire. It will burn, and no one will be able to put it out, because of the evil you do.
I’ll defeat the people of Elam in the presence of their enemies, in the presence of those who want to kill them. I’ll bring disaster with my burning anger, declares the Lord. I’ll send armies after them until I put an end to them.
Whom can I speak to? Whom can I give a warning to? Who will listen? Their ears are plugged, and they aren’t able to pay attention. When the Lord speaks his word to them, they show contempt for it and object to it.
All Israel has ignored your teachings and refused to listen to you. So you brought on us the curses you swore in an oath, the curses written in the Teachings of your servant Moses. We sinned against you.
You have planted wickedness and harvested evil. You have eaten the fruit that your lies produced. You have trusted your own power and your many warriors.
I will destroy my people because they are ignorant. You have refused to learn, so I will refuse to let you be my priests. You have forgotten the teachings of your God, so I will forget your children.
This is what the Lord says: Because Judah has committed three crimes, and now a fourth crime, I will not change my plans. The people of Judah have rejected the Lord’s Teachings and haven’t kept his laws. They have been led astray by false teachings, the same ones their ancestors followed.
Listen, all you people! Pay attention, earth and all who are on it. The Almighty Lord will be a witness against you. The Lord will be a witness from his holy temple.
Listen to the Lord’s lawsuit, you mountains. Listen, you strong foundations of the earth. The Lord has filed a lawsuit against his people. He is arguing his case against Israel.
I call on heaven and earth as witnesses today that I have offered you life or death, blessings or curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants will live.
you will quickly disappear from the land you’re going to possess on the other side of the Jordan River. You won’t live very long there. You’ll be completely wiped out.