13. The people of Israel have not repented; even though the Lord Almighty has punished them, they have not returned to him.
14. In a single day the Lord will punish Israel's leaders and its people; he will cut them off, head and tail.
15. The old and honourable men are the head — and the tail is the prophets whose teachings are lies!
16. Those who lead these people have misled them and totally confused them.
17. And so the Lord will not let any of the young men escape, and he will not show pity to any of the widows and orphans, because all the people are godless and wicked and everything they say is evil. Yet even so the Lord's anger will not be ended, but his hand will still be stretched out to punish.
18. The wickedness of the people burns like a fire that destroys thorn bushes and thistles. It burns like a forest fire that sends up columns of smoke.
19. Because the Lord Almighty is angry, his punishment burns like a fire throughout the land and destroys the people, and it is everyone for himself.
20. Everywhere in the country people snatch and eat any bit of food they can find, but their hunger is never satisfied. They even eat their own children!
21. The people of Manasseh and the people of Ephraim attack each other, and together they attack Judah. Yet even so the Lord's anger is not ended; his hand is still stretched out to punish.