For I heard them whispering behind my back: “Terror everywhere! That’s all he prophesies.” All my close friends watch for me to fall. “Let’s turn him in to the authorities,” they say. “Perhaps we can set a trap for him. Finally, we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.”
If I go into the countryside— there they lie, slain by the sword. If I enter the city— there they lie, sick and starving. Both prophet and priest wander throughout the land, with no revelation to share.’ ”
Why are we just sitting here? Let’s band together and go inside our walled cities and await our death, since Yahweh our God has condemned us to die. He has given us our bitter poison to drink, for we have sinned against him.
In response to all this I said: “O Lord Yahweh, you have completely deceived Jerusalem and these people! You promised peace, yet even now, the blade of the sword threatens our lives.”
Yahweh says: “Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem, and sound the alarm throughout the land of Judah! Cry out! Shout it out, and say, ‘Gather together and let us run into the fortified cities!’
But Yahweh asks, “What do I see? The army breaking ranks and retreating? Their heroes flee for their lives, beaten, defeated, and terrified, not once looking back.
“You invited terror as if to a festival, to attack me from all sides. On the day of Yahweh’s anger, none escaped and none survived. All whom I cherished and reared have been annihilated by the enemy.”
Look, I will bring terror upon you,” says Lord Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies. “Terror will come from every side; everyone will run away, and no one will be there to bring them back together.