"Let the laborbe heavieron the men,and let them workat it so that they will paynoattentionto false words."
"You say(but [they are] onlyemptywords),'[I have] counseland strengthfor the war.'Nowon whomdo you rely,that you have rebelledagainst me?
"Is there [no] limitto windywords?Orwhatplaguesyou that you answer?
So the taskmastersof the peopleand their foremenwentout and spoketo the people,saying,"ThussaysPharaoh,'I am not going to giveyou [any] straw.
"But the quotaof brickswhichthey were makingpreviously,you shall imposeon them; you are not to reduceanyof it. Becausethey are lazy,thereforethey cryout, 'Let us goand sacrificeto our God.'
Azariahthe sonof Hoshaiah,and Johananthe sonof Kareah,and allthe arrogantmensaidto Jeremiah,"You are tellinga lie!The LORDour Godhas not sentyou to say,'You are not to enterEgyptto residethere';
"But did not My wordsand My statutes,whichI commandedMy servantsthe prophets,overtakeyour fathers?Then they repentedand said,As the LORDof hostspurposedto doto us in accordance with our waysand our deeds,soHe has dealtwith us.'"'"
"You have said,It is vainto serveGod;and whatprofitis it that we have keptHis charge,and that we have walkedin mourningbeforethe LORDof hosts?
Let no onedeceiveyou with emptywords,for becauseof these thingsthe wrathof Godcomesupon the sonsof disobedience.
