"I will removemanand beast;I will removethe birdsof the skyAnd the fishof the sea,And the ruinsalongwith the wicked;And I will cutoffmanfrom the faceof the earth,"declaresthe LORD.
The LORDsaid,"I will blotout manwhomI have createdfrom the faceof the land,from manto animalsto creepingthingsand to birdsof the sky;for I amsorrythat I have madethem."
Thereforethrough thisJacob'siniquitywill be forgiven;And thiswill be the fullpriceof the pardoningof his sin:When he makesallthe altarstoneslike pulverizedchalkstones;[When] Asherimand incensealtarswill not stand.
Then I said,"Lord,howlong?"And He answered,"Untilcitiesare devastated[and] withoutinhabitant,Housesare withoutpeopleAnd the landis utterlydesolate,
"The LORDhas removedmenfaraway, And the forsakenplacesare manyin the midstof the land.
Howlongis the landto mournAnd the vegetationof the countrysideto wither?For the wickednessof those who dwellin it, Animalsand birdshave been snatchedaway,Because[men] have said,"He will not seeour latterending."
"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!
Thereforethussaysthe LordGOD,"Behold,My angerand My wrathwill be pouredout on thisplace,on manand on beastand on the treesof the fieldand on the fruitof the ground;and it will burnand not be quenched."
"For the mountainsI will takeup a weepingand wailing,And for the pasturesof the wildernessa dirge,Becausethey are laidwastesothat noonepassesthrough,And the lowingof the cattleis not heard;Boththe birdsof the skyand the beastshave fled;they are gone.
"Becausethey ministeredto them beforetheir idolsand becamea stumblingblockof iniquityto the houseof Israel,thereforeI have swornagainstthem," declaresthe LordGOD,"that they shall bear[the punishmentfor] their iniquity.
They will flingtheir silverinto the streetsand their goldwill becomean abhorrentthing;their silverand their goldwill not be ableto deliverthem in the dayof the wrathof the LORD.They cannotsatisfytheir appetitenorcan they filltheir stomachs,for their iniquityhas becomean occasionof stumbling.
"Assyriawill not saveus, We will not rideon horses;Norwill we sayagain,Our god,'To the workof our hands;For in You the orphanfindsmercy."
O Ephraim,whatmorehave I to do with idols?It is I who answerand lookafter you. I am like a luxuriantcypress;From Me comesyour fruit.
Thereforethe landmourns,And everyonewho livesin it languishesAlong with the beastsof the fieldand the birdsof the sky,And alsothe fishof the seadisappear.
"It will comeabout in that day,"declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I will cutoffthe namesof the idolsfrom the land,and they will nolongerbe remembered;and I will alsoremovethe prophetsand the uncleanspiritfrom the land.
"The Sonof Manwill send forthHis angels,and they will gatherout of His kingdomallstumbling blocks,and thosewho commitlawlessness,
"For I sayto you, from nowon you will not seeMe untilyou say,BLESSEDIS HE WHO COMESIN THE NAMEOF THE LORD!'"
But I havea few thingsagainstyou, becauseyou havetheresome who holdthe teachingof Balaam,whokept teachingBalakto puta stumbling blockbeforethe sonsof Israel,to eatthings sacrificed to idolsand to commit [acts of] immorality.
