Nowthen thussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Godof Israel,"Whyare you doinggreatharmto yourselves,so as to cutofffrom you manand woman,childand infant,from amongJudah,leavingyourselves withoutremnant,
But they liein waitfor their own blood;They ambushtheir own lives.
He who neglectsdisciplinedespiseshimself,But he who listensto reproofacquiresunderstanding.
His own iniquitieswill capturethe wicked,And he will be heldwith the cordsof his sin.
"But he who sinsagainst me injureshimself;Allthose who hateme lovedeath."
and do not goafterothergodsto servethem and to worshipthem, and do not provokeMe to angerwith the workof your hands,and I will doyou noharm.'
"Yet you have not listenedto Me," declaresthe LORD,"in orderthat you might provokeMe to angerwith the workof your handsto your own harm.
"Did Hezekiahkingof Judahand allJudahputhim to death?Did he not fearthe LORDand entreatthe favorof the LORD,and the LORDchangedHis mindaboutthe misfortunewhichHe had pronouncedagainstthem? But we are committinga greatevilagainstourselves."
"But the shamefulthinghas consumedthe laborof our fatherssinceour youth,their flocksand their herds,their sonsand their daughters.
Then Jeremiahsaidto Zedekiah,"Thussaysthe LORDGodof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Ifyou will indeedgoout to the officersof the kingof Babylon,then you will live,thiscitywill not be burnedwith fire,and you and your householdwill survive.
For you have [only] deceivedyourselves;for it is you who sentme to the LORDyour God,saying,"Prayfor us to the LORDour God;and whateverthe LORDour Godsays,tellus so,and we will doit."
So there will be norefugeesor survivorsfor the remnantof Judahwho have enteredthe landof Egyptto residethereand then to returnto the landof Judah,to whichthey are longingto returnand live;for nonewill returnexcept[a few] refugees.'"
provokingMe to angerwith the worksof your hands,burningsacrificesto othergodsin the landof Egypt,whereyou are enteringto reside,sothat you might be cutoffand becomea curseand a reproachamong allthe nationsof the earth?
And with you I shattermanand woman,And with you I shatteroldmanand youth,And with you I shatteryoungmanand virgin,
"Do they spiteMe?" declaresthe LORD."Is it not themselves [they spite], to their ownshame?"
For deathhas comeup through our windows;It has enteredour palacesTo cutoffthe childrenfrom the streets,The youngmenfrom the townsquares.
My eyesfailbecause of tears,My spiritis greatlytroubled;My heartis pouredout on the earthBecauseof the destructionof the daughterof my people,When littleonesand infantsfaintIn the streetsof the city.
You calledas in the dayof an appointedfeastMy terrorson everyside;And there was noone whoescapedor survivedIn the dayof the LORD'Sanger.Those whomI boreand reared,My enemyannihilatedthem.
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
"Utterlyslayoldmen,youngmen,maidens,littlechildren,and women,but do not touchanymanon whomis the mark;and you shall startfrom My sanctuary."So they startedwith the elderswho[were] beforethe temple.
"You have deviseda shamefulthingfor your houseBy cuttingoffmanypeoples;So you are sinningagainst yourself.
"As for the censersof thesemenwhohave sinnedat the cost of their lives,let them be madeinto hammeredsheetsfor a platingof the altar,sincethey did presentthem beforethe LORDand they are holy;and they shall be for a signto the sonsof Israel."
Outsidethe swordwill bereave,And insideterror--Bothyoungmanand virgin,The nurslingwith the manof grayhair.
They utterlydestroyedeverythingin the city,bothmanand woman,youngand old,and oxand sheepand donkey,with the edgeof the sword.
"Thisis the thingthat you shall do:you shall utterlydestroyeverymanand everywomanwho has lainwith a man."
Nowgoand strikeAmalekand utterlydestroyallthat he has, and do not sparehim; but putto deathbothmanand woman,childand infant,oxand sheep,cameland donkey.'"
And he struckNobthe cityof the priestswith the edgeof the sword,bothmenand women,childrenand infants;also oxen,donkeys,and sheep[he struck] with the edgeof the sword.
