"I am sendingyou to them who are stubbornand obstinatechildren,and you shall sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD.'
But Micaiahsaid,"As the LORDlives,whatthe LORDsaysto me, that I shall speak."
"Nowdo not stiffenyour necklike your fathers,but yieldto the LORDand enterHis sanctuarywhichHe has consecratedforever,and servethe LORDyour God,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom you.
He alsorebelledagainst KingNebuchadnezzarwhohad made him swear[allegiance] by God.But he stiffenedhis neckand hardenedhis heartagainstturningto the LORDGodof Israel.
Do not hardenyour hearts,as at Meribah,As in the dayof Massahin the wilderness,
A wickedmandisplaysa boldface,But as for the upright,he makeshis waysure.
"BecauseI knowthat you are obstinate,And your neckis an ironsinewAnd your foreheadbronze,
But the LORDsaidto me, "Do not say,'I am a youth,'BecauseeverywhereI sendyou, you shall go,And allthat I commandyou, you shall speak.
"Therefore the showershave been withheld,And there has beennospringrain.Yet you hada harlot'sforehead;You refusedto be ashamed.
Then the kingsentJehudito getthe scroll,and he tookit out of the chamberof Elishamathe scribe.And Jehudireadit to the kingas well as to allthe officialswho stoodbesidethe king.
O LORD,do not Your eyes[look] for truth?You have smittenthem, [But] they did not weaken;You have consumedthem, But they refusedto takecorrection.They have madetheir facesharderthanrock;They have refusedto repent.
"Were they ashamedbecauseof the abominationthey have done?They were not evenashamedat all;They did not evenknowhow to blush.Thereforethey shall fallamong those who fall;At the timethat I punishthem, They shall be castdown,"saysthe LORD.
"Were they ashamedbecauseof the abominationthey had done?They certainlywere not ashamed,And they did not knowhow to blush;Thereforethey shall fallamong those who fall;At the timeof their punishmentthey shall be broughtdown,"Saysthe LORD.
"Goto the exiles,to the sonsof your people,and speakto them and tellthem, whetherthey listenornot, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD.'"
"But when I speakto you, I will openyour mouthand you will sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LordGOD.'He who hears,let him hear;and he who refuses,let him refuse;for they are a rebellioushouse.
Then He saidto me, "Sonof man,goto the houseof Israeland speakwith My wordsto them.
yet the houseof Israelwill not be willingto listento you, sincethey are not willingto listento Me. Surelythe wholehouseof Israelis stubbornand obstinate.
"But the LORDtookme from followingthe flockand the LORDsaidto me, 'Goprophesyto My peopleIsrael.'
"They madetheir hearts[like] flintsothat they could not hearthe lawand the wordswhichthe LORDof hostshad sentby His Spiritthroughthe formerprophets;therefore greatwrathcamefrom the LORDof hosts.
"Behold,I sendyou out as sheepin the midstof wolves;sobe shrewdas serpentsand innocentas doves.
"So circumciseyour heart,and stiffenyour necknolonger.
"For I knowyour rebellionand your stubbornness;behold,while I am stillalivewith you today,you have beenrebelliousagainstthe LORD;howmuchmore,then, aftermy death?
