“When this happens,” says the Lord, “the king and officers will lose their courage. The priests will be terribly afraid, and the prophets will be shocked!”
Then the city was broken into, and the whole army ran away at night through the gate between the two walls by the king’s garden. While the Babylonians were still surrounding the city, Zedekiah and his men ran away toward the Jordan Valley.
The Egyptians will be afraid, and I will ruin their plans. They will ask advice from their idols and spirits of the dead, from their mediums and fortune-tellers.”
Whenever punishment comes, it will take you away. It will come morning after morning; it will defeat you by day and by night. Those who understand this punishment will be terrified.”
“A thief is ashamed when someone catches him stealing. In the same way, the family of Israel is ashamed— they, their kings, their officers, their priests, and their prophets.
Cry, you leaders! Cry out loud! Roll around in the dust, leaders of the people! It is now time for you to be killed. You will fall and be scattered, like pieces of a broken jar.
The towns of Moab will be captured, and the strong, walled cities will be defeated. At that time Moab’s warriors will be frightened, like a woman who is having a baby.
Then the city wall was broken through, and the whole army of Judah ran away at night. They left the city through the gate between the two walls by the king’s garden. Even though the Babylonians were surrounding the city, Zedekiah and his men headed toward the Jordan Valley.
‘Listen, you people who doubt! You can wonder, and then die. I will do something in your lifetime that you won’t believe even when you are told about it!’ ”