"I will makeJerusalema heapof ruins, A hauntof jackals;And I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolation,withoutinhabitant."
He spokein the presenceof his brothersand the wealthy[men] of Samariaand said,"Whatare these feebleJewsdoing?Are they going to restore[it] for themselves? Can they offersacrifices?Can they finishin a day?Can they revivethe stonesfrom the dustyrubbleeven the burnedones?"
Whois wise?Let him giveheedto thesethings,And considerthe lovingkindnessesof the LORD.
YetYou have crushedus in a placeof jackalsAnd coveredus with the shadowof death.
O God,the nationshave invadedYour inheritance;They have defiledYour holytemple;They have laidJerusalemin ruins.
Hyenaswill howlin their fortifiedtowers And jackalsin their luxuriouspalaces.Her [fateful] timealso will sooncomeAnd her dayswill not be prolonged.
For You have madea cityinto a heap,A fortifiedcityinto a ruin;A palaceof strangersis a citynomore,It will neverbe rebuilt.
Thornswill comeup in its fortifiedtowers,Nettlesand thistlesin its fortifiedcities;It will also be a hauntof jackals[And] an abodeof ostriches.
Confirmingthe wordof His servantAnd performingthe purposeof His messengers.[It is I] who saysof Jerusalem,'She shall be inhabited!'And of the citiesof Judah,They shall be built.'And I will raiseup her ruins[again].
"For, behold,I am callingallthe familiesof the kingdomsof the north,"declaresthe LORD;"and they will comeand they will seteachonehis throneat the entranceof the gatesof Jerusalem,and againstallits wallsroundaboutand againstallthe citiesof Judah.
The soundof a report!Behold,it comes--A greatcommotionout of the landof the north--To makethe citiesof JudahA desolation,a hauntof jackals.
"Now whenyou tellthispeopleallthesewords,they will sayto you, 'For whatreasonhas the LORDdeclaredallthisgreatcalamityagainstus? And whatis our iniquity,or whatis our sinwhichwe have committedagainst the LORDour God?'
Thiswholelandwill be a desolationand a horror,and thesenationswill servethe kingof Babylonseventyyears.
Jerusalemand the citiesof Judahand its kings[and] its princes,to makethem a ruin,a horror,a hissingand a curse,as it is thisday;
"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."'
"Whyhave you prophesiedin the nameof the LORDsaying,'Thishousewill be like Shilohand thiscitywill be desolate,withoutinhabitant?"And allthe peoplegatheredaboutJeremiahin the houseof the LORD.
Behold,I am going to command,'declaresthe LORD,'and I will bringthem backto thiscity;and they will fightagainstit and takeit and burnit with fire;and I will makethe citiesof Judaha desolationwithoutinhabitant.'"
For thussaysthe LORD,"The wholelandshall be a desolation,Yet I will not executea completedestruction.
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,'You yourselveshave seenallthe calamitythat I have broughton Jerusalemand allthe citiesof Judah;and behold,thisdaythey are in ruinsand noonelivesin them,
"Hazorwill becomea hauntof jackals,A desolationforever;Noonewill livethere,Norwill a sonof manresidein it."
"For a nationhas comeup againsther out of the north;it will makeher landan objectof horror,and there will be noinhabitantin it. Bothmanand beasthave wanderedoff, they have goneaway!
"Babylonwill becomea heap[of ruins], a hauntof jackals,An objectof horrorand hissing,withoutinhabitants.
Is therenobalmin Gilead?Is therenophysicianthere?Whythenhas not the healthof the daughterof my peoplebeen restored?
The roadsof Zionare in mourningBecausenoone comesto the appointedfeasts.Allher gatesare desolate;Her priestsare groaning,Her virginsare afflicted,And she herselfis bitter.
The Lordhas swallowedup; He has not sparedAllthe habitationsof Jacob.In His wrathHe has throwndownThe strongholdsof the daughterof Judah;He has brought[them] downto the ground;He has profanedthe kingdomand its princes.
Panicand pitfallhave befallenus, Devastationand destruction;
I will makethe landdesolateso that your enemieswho settlein it will be appalledoverit.
For I will makeSamariaa heapof ruinsin the open country,Plantingplacesfor a vineyard.I will pourher stonesdowninto the valleyAnd will laybareher foundations.
Therefore,on accountof you Zionwill be plowedas a field,Jerusalemwill becomea heapof ruins,And the mountainof the temple[will become] highplacesof a forest.
"The statutesof OmriAnd allthe worksof the houseof Ahabare observed;And in their devicesyou walk.ThereforeI will giveyou up for destructionAnd your inhabitantsfor derision,And you will bearthe reproachof My people."
Allits landis brimstoneand salt,a burningwaste, unsownand unproductive,and nograssgrowsin it, like the overthrowof Sodomand Gomorrah,Admahand Zeboiim,whichthe LORDoverthrewin His angerand in His wrath.'
And he criedout with a mightyvoice,saying,"Fallen,fallenis Babylonthe great!She has becomea dwelling placeof demonsand a prisonof everyuncleanspirit,and a prisonof everyuncleanand hatefulbird.
