1Then Yahweh said to me, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before me, I would not have sympathy for these people. Send them away from my sight, and let them leave!
2When they ask you, ‘Where should we go?’ you must tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “Those destined for death, to death; those for the sword, to the sword; those for hunger, to hunger; and those for captivity, to captivity.”’
3“I will send four kinds of doom upon them,” says Yahweh: “the sword to kill, dogs to tear, birds of the sky, and animals of the earth to devour and destroy.
4I will make them wander among all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh, son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem.”
5Who will pity you, Jerusalem? Who will mourn for you? Who will take the time to ask how you are doing?
6“You have rejected me,” says Yahweh. “You have turned your back on me; therefore, I have reached out my hand against you and destroyed you. I am tired of showing mercy.
7I have sifted them with a fan at the city gates within the land; I have taken away their children. I have destroyed my people, yet they did not turn from their ways.
8Their widows are more numerous to me than the sand of the seas; I have brought a destroyer upon the mothers of young men at midday. I have suddenly brought anguish and terror upon them.
9The woman who bore seven children is weak and has given up her spirit. Her sun has set while it was still daylight. She is disappointed and confused; and I will hand over their survivors to the sword before their enemies,” says Yahweh.
10Woe is me, my mother, that you gave birth to me as a man of conflict and a person of dispute to the whole earth! I have not loaned anything, nor have people loaned anything to me; yet everyone curses me.
11Yahweh said, “I will certainly strengthen you for good. I will certainly make the enemy plead with you in times of trouble and distress.
12Can anyone break iron, especially iron from the north, and bronze?
13I will give your wealth and your treasures away as plunder without payment, because of all your sins, throughout all your borders.
14I will make them go with your enemies into a land you do not know, because a fire is burning in my anger, and it will burn against you.”
15Yahweh, you know; remember me, look after me, and get revenge on my persecutors. You are patient, so don't take me away. Remember that I suffer insults for your sake.
16I found your words and I consumed them; your words were a joy to me and made my heart happy, for I am called by your name, Yahweh, God of Armies.
17I did not sit in the company of those who celebrate, nor did I rejoice; I sat alone because of your hand, for you filled me with indignation.
18Why is my pain constant, and my wound incurable, refusing to heal? Will you truly be like a deceptive stream to me, like waters that dry up?
19Therefore Yahweh says: “If you return, then I will restore you, so you can stand before me; and if you separate the precious from the worthless, you will be my spokesman. They will come back to you, but you must not go back to them.
20I will make you a fortified bronze wall to these people; they will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, because I am with you to save you and rescue you,” says Yahweh.
21“I will rescue you from the power of evil people; I will save you from the grasp of cruel people.”