He and the men with him said to me, “Some of the people who returned are still alive. They are back in the land of Judah. But they are having a hard time. They are ashamed. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down. Its gates have been burned with fire.”
Let all those who laugh at me because I’m in trouble be ashamed and bewildered. Let all who think they are better than I am put on shame and dishonor as if they were clothes.
At that time seven women will grab hold of one man. They’ll say to him, “We will eat our own food. We’ll provide our own clothes. Just let us become your wives. Take away our shame!”
The people of Jerusalem say, “Don’t laugh when we suffer, you enemies of ours! We have fallen. But we’ll get up. Even though we sit in the dark, the Lord will give us light.
“I will save the houses in Judah first. The honor of David’s family line is great. So is the honor of those who live in Jerusalem. But their honor will not be greater than the honor of the rest of Judah.
Then the Pharisees replied, “When you were born, you were already deep in sin. How dare you talk like that to us!” And they threw him out of the synagogue.