13. This sin is like a crackthat makes a high wallquickly crumble
14. and shatterlike a crushed bowl.There's not a piece leftbig enough to carry hot coalsor to scoop up water.”
15. The holy Lord God of Israelhad told all of you,“I will keep you safeif you turn back to meand calm down.I will make you strongif you quietly trust me.”Then you stubbornly
16. said,“No! We will safely escapeon speedy horses.”But those who chase youwill be even faster.
17. As few as five of them,or even one, will be enoughto chase a thousand of you.Finally, all that will be leftwill be a few survivorsas lonely as a flag poleon a barren hill.
18. The Lord God is waitingto show how kind he isand to have pity on you.The Lord always does right;he blesses those who trust him.
19. People of Jerusalem, you don't need to cry any more. The Lord is kind, and as soon as he hears your cries for help, he will come.
20. The Lord has given you trouble and sorrow as your food and drink. But now you will again see the Lord, your teacher, and he will guide you.
21. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, you will hear a voice saying, “This is the road! Now follow it.”
22. Then you will treat your idols of silver and gold like rubbish; you will throw them away like filthy rags.
23. The Lord will send rain to water the seeds you have planted—your fields will produce more crops than you need, and your cattle will graze in open pastures.
24. Even the oxen and donkeys that plough your fields will be fed the finest grain.
25. On that day people will be slaughtered and towers destroyed, but streams of water will flow from high hills and towering mountains.
26. Then the Lord will bandage his people's injuries and heal the wounds he has caused. The moon will shine as bright as the sun, and the sun will shine seven times brighter than usual. It will be like the light of seven days all at once.
27. The Lord is comingfrom far awaywith his fiery angerand thick clouds of smoke.His angry words flame uplike a destructive fire;
28. he breathes out a floodthat comes up to the neck.He sifts the nationsand destroys them.Then he puts a bridlein every foreigner's mouthand leads them to doom.