18. “Human being, the people of Israel have become useless like scum to me. They are like the copper, tin, iron and lead left in the furnace. These are left when silver is purified by melting.
19. So this is what the Lord God says: ‘You have become useless like scum. I am going to gather you into Jerusalem.
20. People gather silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace. Then they melt it in a blazing fire. In the same way I will gather you in my hot anger. I will put you in Jerusalem and melt you.
21. I will gather you. And I will make you feel the heat of my anger. You will be melted in the fire.
22. Silver is melted in the furnace. In the same way you will be melted in the city. Then you will know that I, the Lord, have poured out my anger against you.’”
23. The Lord spoke his word to me. He said:
24. “Human being, say to the land, ‘You are a land that has not had rain or showers in a day of anger.’