9. They are always rebelling against God, always lying, always refusing to listen to the Lord's teachings.
10. They tell the prophets to keep quiet. They say, “Don't talk to us about what's right. Tell us what we want to hear. Let us keep our illusions.
11. Get out of our way and stop blocking our path. We don't want to hear about your holy God of Israel.”
12. But this is what the holy God of Israel says: “You ignore what I tell you and rely on violence and deceit.
13. You are guilty. You are like a high wall with a crack running down it; suddenly you will collapse.
14. You will be shattered like a clay pot, so badly broken that there is no piece big enough to pick up hot coals with, or to scoop water from a cistern.”
15. The Sovereign Lord, the holy God of Israel, says to the people, “Come back and quietly trust in me. Then you will be strong and secure.” But you refuse to do it!
16. Instead, you plan to escape from your enemies by riding fast horses. And you are right — escape is what you will have to do! You think your horses are fast enough, but those who pursue you will be faster!
17. A thousand of you will run away when you see one enemy soldier, and five soldiers will be enough to make you all run away. Nothing will be left of your army except a lonely flagstaff on the top of a hill!
18. And yet the Lord is waiting to be merciful to you. He is ready to take pity on you because he always does what is right. Happy are those who put their trust in the Lord.
19. You people who live in Jerusalem will not weep any more. The Lord is compassionate, and when you cry to him for help, he will answer you.
20. The Lord will make you go through hard times, but he himself will be there to teach you, and you will not have to search for him any more.
21. If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, “Here is the road. Follow it.”
22. You will take your idols plated with silver and your idols covered with gold, and will throw them away like filth, shouting, “Out of my sight!”
23. Whenever you sow your seeds, the Lord will send rain to make them grow and will give you a rich harvest, and your livestock will have plenty of pasture.
24. The oxen and donkeys that plough your fields will eat the finest and best fodder.