"Behold,He tearsdown,and it cannotbe rebuilt;He imprisonsa man,and there can be norelease.
Those that entered,maleand femaleof allflesh,enteredas Godhad commandedhim; and the LORDclosed[it] behindhim.
"IfHe passesby or shutsup, Or callsan assembly,whocan restrainHim?
"Godhandsme overto ruffiansAnd tossesme into the handsof the wicked.
"He breaksme downon everyside,and I am gone;And He has uprootedmy hopelike a tree.
"He sealsthe handof everyman,That allmenmay knowHis work.
Considerthe workof God,For whois ableto straightenwhatHe has bent?
"I will also makeit a possessionfor the hedgehogand swampsof water,and I will sweepit with the broomof destruction,"declaresthe LORDof hosts.
"Then I will setthe keyof the houseof Davidon his shoulder,When he opensnoonewill shut,When he shutsnoonewill open.
For You have madea cityinto a heap,A fortifiedcityinto a ruin;A palaceof strangersis a citynomore,It will neverbe rebuilt.
Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"The broadwallof Babylonwill be completelyrazedAnd her highgateswill be seton fire;So the peopleswill toilfor nothing,And the nationsbecomeexhausted[only] for fire."
and say,'Justsoshall Babylonsinkdownand not riseagain becauseof the calamitythat I am going to bringupon her; and they will becomeexhausted.'"Thusfarare the wordsof Jeremiah.
"I will makeyou a barerock;you will be a placefor the spreadingof nets.You will be builtnomore,for I the LORDhave spoken,"declaresthe LordGOD.
ThoughEdomsays,"We have been beatendown,but we will returnand buildup the ruins";thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"They may build,but I will teardown;and [men] will callthem the wickedterritory,and the peopletoward whomthe LORDis indignantforever."
For Godhas shutup allin disobediencesothat He may show mercyto all.
"And to the angelof the churchin Philadelphiawrite:He who is holy,who is true,who hasthe keyof David,who opensand noonewill shut,and who shutsand no oneopens,saysthis:
"Thisdaythe LORDwill deliveryou up into my hands,and I will strikeyou downand removeyour headfrom you. And I will givethe deadbodiesof the armyof the Philistinesthisdayto the birdsof the skyand the wildbeastsof the earth,that allthe earthmay knowthat thereis a Godin Israel,
"You have declaredtodaythat you have donegoodto me, that the LORDdeliveredme into your handand [yet] you did not killme.
Then Abishaisaidto David,"TodayGodhas deliveredyour enemyinto your hand;nowtherefore, pleaselet me strikehim with the spearto the groundwith onestroke,and I will not strike him the secondtime."
