1“At that time,” says Yahweh, “they will dig up the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the residents of Jerusalem from their graves.
2They will spread them out before the sun, moon, and all the stars of the sky—which they loved, served, followed, sought out, and worshiped. Their bones will not be gathered or buried; instead, they will be like manure on the surface of the ground.”
3Death will be preferred over life by all the survivors who are left from this evil family, those who remain in all the places where I have driven them,” says Yahweh of Armies.
4“Also, you must tell them, ‘Yahweh says: “‘If people fall, don’t they get back up? If someone turns away, don’t they come back?
5Why then have the people of Jerusalem turned away permanently? They cling to lies and refuse to return.
6I listened and heard, but they did not say what was right. No one regrets their wickedness, asking, “What have I done?” Everyone rushes back to their wrong path, like a horse charging headlong into battle.
7Even the stork in the sky knows its appointed seasons. The turtledove, swallow, and crane observe their migration times. But my people do not know Yahweh’s law.
8How can you say, “We are wise, and Yahweh’s law is with us?” But look, the scribes’ lying pens have produced lies.
9The wise men are disgraced. They are dismayed and trapped. Look, they have rejected Yahweh’s word. What kind of wisdom do they have?
10Therefore, I will give their wives to others and their fields to new owners. For everyone, from the least important to the most important, is greedy for gain; everyone, from prophets to priests, practices deceit.
11They offered only a superficial cure for the deep wound of my people, saying, “Peace, peace,” when there was no peace.
12Were they ashamed when they committed their detestable acts? No, they were not ashamed at all, nor could they blush. Therefore, they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will be thrown down, says Yahweh.
13I will completely destroy them, says Yahweh: there will be no grapes on the vine, no figs on the fig tree, and the leaves will wither; and what I have given them will be taken away.
14Why do we sit still? Gather yourselves and let’s go into the fortified cities and stay silent there; for Yahweh our God has silenced us and given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against Yahweh.
15We hoped for peace, but no good came; and we looked for a time of healing, but instead, there was terror!
16The snorting of his horses is heard from Dan; at the sound of his powerful horses neighing, the whole land trembles. For they have come and devoured the land and everything in it; the city and its inhabitants.
17For look, I will send snakes, venomous serpents among you, which cannot be charmed, and they will bite you, says Yahweh.
18Oh, if only I could find comfort in my sorrow! My heart is weak within me.
19Listen! The cry of my people from a very distant land: “Isn’t Yahweh in Zion? Isn’t her King in her?” “Why have they angered me with their carved idols and their useless foreign gods?”
20The harvest is over, the summer has ended, and we are not saved.”
21I am wounded by the wound of my people; I mourn; despair has taken hold of me.
22Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no doctor there? Why then has the health of my people not been restored?