14. A signal has been blown on the trumpet, and weapons are prepared for battle. But no one goes to war, because in my anger I will strike down everyone in Israel.
15. War, disease, and starvation are everywhere! People who live in the countryside will be killed in battle, and those who live in towns will die from starvation or deadly diseases.
16. Anyone who survives will escape into the hills, like doves who leave the valleys to find safety.All of you will moan because of your sins.
17. Your hands will tremble, and your knees will go limp.
18. You will put on sackcloth to show your sorrow, but terror will overpower you. Shame will be written all over your faces, and you will shave your heads in despair.
19. Your silver and gold will be thrown into the streets like rubbish, because those are the two things that led you into sin, and now they cannot save you from my anger. They are not even worth enough to buy food.
20. You took great pride in using your beautiful jewellery to make disgusting idols of foreign gods. So I will make your jewellery worthless.
21. Wicked foreigners will rob and disgrace you.
22. They will break into my temple and leave it unfit as a place to worship me, but I will look away and let it happen.
23. Your whole country is in confusion! Murder and violence are everywhere in Israel,
24. so I will tell the most wicked nations to come and take over your homes. They will put an end to the pride you have in your strong army, and they will make your places of worship unfit to use.
25. You will be terrified and will desperately look for peace—but there will be no peace.
26. One tragedy will follow another, and you'll hear only bad news. People will beg prophets to give them a message from me. Priests will stop teaching my Law, and wise leaders won't be able to give advice.