“And in those days there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, for great disturbances were on all the inhabitants of the lands,
‘If I go out to the field, then see those slain with the sword! And if I enter the city, then see those sick from scarcity of food! For both prophet and priest go about in a land they do not know.’ ”
For I heard many mocking, “Fear on every side!” “Expose,” they say, “yea, let us expose him!” All my friends watched for my stumbling, saying, “He might be lured away, so that we prevail against him, and take our revenge on him.”
Then I said, “Ah, Master יהוה! Truly, You have greatly deceived this people and Yerushalayim, saying, ‘Peace is for you,’ whereas the sword reaches to the heart.”
“Why do I see them afraid, turned back? And their fighters are beaten down. And they have fled in haste, and did not look back, for fear was all around,” declares יהוה.
“Their tents and their flocks, their curtains and all their vessels shall be taken. And they shall take away their camels for themselves. And they shall cry out to them, ‘Fear is on every side!’
“See, I am bringing fear upon you, from all those around you,” declares the Master יהוה of hosts. “And you shall be driven out, each one straight ahead, with no one to bring home the wanderer.
Why are we sitting still? Gather yourselves, and let us go into the walled cities, and let us be silent there. For יהוה our Elohim has let us perish and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against יהוה.
“Would You proclaim, as in a day of appointed time, The fears that surround me? And no one escaped or survived In the day of the displeasure of יהוה. Those whom I have nursed and brought up My enemy has destroyed.”