For the fortifiedcityis isolated,A homesteadforlornand forsakenlike the desert;Therethe calfwill graze,And thereit will liedownand feedon its branches.
"The citiesof Aroerare forsaken;They will be for flocksto liedownin, And therewill be nooneto frighten[them].
In that daytheir strongcitieswill be like forsakenplacesin the forest,Or like brancheswhichthey abandonedbeforethe sonsof Israel;And the land will be a desolation.
The cityof chaosis brokendown;Everyhouseis shutup sothat nonemay enter.
For You have madea cityinto a heap,A fortifiedcityinto a ruin;A palaceof strangersis a citynomore,It will neverbe rebuilt.
And it will hailwhen the forestcomesdown,And the citywill be utterlylaidlow.
The wildernessand the desertwill be glad,And the Arabahwill rejoiceand blossom;Like the crocus
"Then you will sayin your heart,'Whohas begottenthesefor me, Since I have beenbereavedof my childrenAnd am barren,an exileand a wanderer?And whohas rearedthese?Behold,I was leftalone;From wheredid thesecome?'"
Your holycitieshave becomea wilderness,Zionhas becomea wilderness,Jerusalema desolation.
Now in that daya manmay keepalivea heiferand a pairof sheep;
As for allthe hillswhichused to be cultivatedwith the hoe,you will not gotherefor fearof briarsand thorns;but they will becomea placefor pasturingoxenand for sheepto trample.
"And the peacefulfoldsare madesilentBecauseof the fierceangerof the LORD.
"Micahof Moreshethprophesiedin the daysof Hezekiahkingof Judah;and he spoketo allthe peopleof Judah,saying,'Thusthe LORDof hostshas said,"Zionwill be plowed[as] a field,And Jerusalemwill becomeruins,And the mountainof the houseas the highplacesof a forest."'
then I will makethishouselike Shiloh,and thiscityI will makea curseto allthe nationsof the earth."'"
Then the kingof Babylonstruckthem downand putthem to deathat Riblahin the landof Hamath.So Judahwas ledawayinto exilefrom its land.
The roadsof Zionare in mourningBecausenoone comesto the appointedfeasts.Allher gatesare desolate;Her priestsare groaning,Her virginsare afflicted,And she herselfis bitter.
Becauseof MountZionwhichliesdesolate,Foxesprowlin it.
Therefore,O mountainsof Israel,hearthe wordof the LordGOD.Thussaysthe LordGODto the mountainsand to the hills,to the ravinesand to the valleys,to the desolatewastesand to the forsakencitieswhichhave becomea preyand a derisionto the restof the nationswhichare roundabout,
Therefore,on accountof you Zionwill be plowedas a field,Jerusalemwill becomea heapof ruins,And the mountainof the temple[will become] highplacesof a forest.
