42. Then you will know that I am the Lord, because I will bring you to the land of Israel, the land that I promised to give your ancestors.
43. There you will remember the way you lived and everything you did to dishonor yourselves. You will be disgusted by every wrong thing that you did.
44. Then you will know that I am the Lord, because I will deal with you for the sake of my name. I will not deal with you based on the evil and corrupt things that you have done, nation of Israel, declares the Almighty Lord.’”
45. The Lord spoke his word to me. He said,
46. “Son of man, turn to the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest in the Negev.
47. Tell the forest in the Negev, ‘Listen to the word of the Lord. This is what the Almighty Lord says: I am about to set fire to you to destroy all your green trees and all your dry trees. The blazing fire will not be put out. It will burn the whole land from the south to the north.
48. Then everyone will know that I, the Lord, started the fire. It will never be put out.’ ”
49. Then I said, “Oh no! Almighty Lord, no! The people already say that I’m only telling stories.”