17. The Lord of heavenly forces proclaims: I’m going to send the sword, famine, and disease against them. I will make them like rotten figs that are too spoiled to eat.
18. I will pursue them with the sword, famine, and disease; and I will make them an object of horror to all nations on earth and an object of cursing, scorn, shock, and disgrace among all the countries where I have scattered them,
19. because they wouldn’t listen to my words, declares the Lord, which I sent them time and again through my servants the prophets. They wouldn’t listen, declares the Lord.
20. But now, all you exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon, listen to the Lord’s word.
21. This is what the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims concerning Ahab, Kolaiah’s son, and Zedekiah, Maaseiah’s son, who are prophesying lies to you in my name: I will hand them over to Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar, and he will slay them before your very eyes.
22. Because of them, all the Judean exiles in Babylon will use this curse: "The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, who were burned alive by the king of Babylon."
23. They committed a horrible scandal in Israel—adultery with their neighbors’ wives and deceit spoken in my name, with which I had nothing to do. Yet I’m still aware of it and am witness to it, declares the Lord.
24. Tell Shemaiah the Nehelamite,
25. This is what the Lord of heavenly forces, the God of Israel, proclaims: You sent letters on your own accord to all the people in Jerusalem, to the priest Zephaniah, Maaseiah’s son, and to the rest of the priests.
26. You said to Zephaniah: The Lord has appointed you priest in charge of the Lord’s temple instead of Jehoiada. You are responsible for putting every madman who prophesies into stocks and neck irons.