I will destineyou for the sword,And allof you will bowdownto the slaughter.BecauseI called,but you did not answer;I spoke,but you did not hear.And you didevilin My sightAnd chosethat in whichI did not delight."
"Washyourselves, makeyourselves clean;Removethe evilof your deedsfrom My sight.Ceaseto do evil,
"But ifyou refuseand rebel,You will be devouredby the sword."Truly,the mouthof the LORDhas spoken.
Nothing[remains] but to crouchamongthe captivesOr fallamongthe slain.In [spite of] allthis,His angerdoes not turnawayAnd His handis stillstretchedout.
In that daythe LORDwill punishLeviathanthe fleeingserpent,With His fierceand greatand mightysword,EvenLeviathanthe twistedserpent;And He will killthe dragonwho[lives] in the sea.
Your menwill fallby the swordAnd your mightyonesin battle.
For the LORD'Sindignationis againstallthe nations,And [His] wrathagainstalltheir armies;He has utterlydestroyedthem, He has giventhem over to slaughter.
For My swordis satiatedin heaven,Beholdit shall descendfor judgmentupon EdomAnd upon the peoplewhom I have devotedto destruction.
The swordof the LORDis filledwith blood,It is satedwith fat,with the bloodof lambsand goats,With the fatof the kidneysof rams.For the LORDhas a sacrificein BozrahAnd a greatslaughterin the landof Edom.
"But when I look,thereis noone,And thereis nocounseloramongthem Who, if I ask,can givean answer.
"Whywas therenomanwhen I came?When I called,[why] was therenoneto answer?Is My handsoshortthat it cannotransom?OrhaveI nopowerto deliver?Behold,I dryup the seawith My rebuke,I makethe riversa wilderness;Their fishstinkfor lackof waterAnd dieof thirst.
Yes, truthis lacking;And he who turnsasidefrom evilmakeshimself a prey.Now the LORDsaw,And it was displeasingin His sightthat therewas nojustice.
"I troddownthe peoplesin My angerAnd made them drunkin My wrath,And I pouredout their lifebloodon the earth."
A peoplewho continuallyprovokeMe to My face,Offeringsacrificesin gardensand burningincenseon bricks;
For the LORDwill executejudgmentby fireAnd by His swordon allflesh,And those slainby the LORDwill be many.
"For My eyesare on alltheir ways;they are not hiddenfrom My face,noris their iniquityconcealedfrom My eyes.
Therefore,givetheir childrenover to famineAnd deliverthem up to the powerof the sword;And let their wivesbecomechildlessand widowed.Let their menalso be smittento death,Their youngmenstruckdownby the swordin battle.
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,'You have not obeyedMe in proclaimingreleaseeachmanto his brotherand eachmanto his neighbor.Behold,I am proclaiminga releaseto you,' declaresthe LORD,to the sword,to the pestilenceand to the famine;and I will makeyou a terrorto allthe kingdomsof the earth.
"Thereforethussaysthe LORD,the Godof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Behold,I am bringingon Judahand on allthe inhabitantsof Jerusalemallthe disasterthat I have pronouncedagainstthem; becauseI spoketo them but they did not listen,and I have calledthem but they did not answer.'"
"And now,becauseyou have doneallthesethings,"declaresthe LORD,"and I spoketo you, risingup earlyand speaking,but you did not hear,and I calledyou but you did not answer,
"You shall speakallthesewordsto them, but they will not listento you; and you shall callto them, but they will not answeryou.
I will also bringupon you a swordwhich will executevengeancefor the covenant;and when you gathertogether into your cities,I will sendpestilenceamongyou, so that you shall be deliveredinto enemyhands.
"And I will executevengeancein angerand wrathOn the nationswhichhave not obeyed."
Are not [these] the wordswhichthe LORDproclaimedby the formerprophets,when Jerusalemwas inhabitedand prosperousalong with its citiesaroundit, and the Negevand the foothillswere inhabited?'"
"And he sentout his slavesto callthosewho had been invitedto the wedding feast,and they were unwillingto come.
"But the kingwas enraged,and he senthis armiesand destroyedthosemurderersand settheir cityon fire.
He cameto His own,and thosewho were His owndid not receiveHim.
Outsidethe swordwill bereave,And insideterror--Bothyoungmanand virgin,The nurslingwith the manof grayhair.
