8. God, you are the Hope of Israel.You have saved Israel in times of trouble.But now you are like a stranger in the land.You are like a traveler who only stays one night.
9. You seem like a man who has been attacked by surprise.You seem like a warrior who is not able to save anyone.But you are among us, Lord.And we are called by your name.So don’t leave us without help!
10. This is what the Lord says about the people of Judah:“They really love to wander from me.They don’t stop themselves from leaving me.So now I, the Lord, will not accept them.I will now remember the evil they do.I will punish them for their sins.”
11. Then the Lord said this to me: “Don’t pray for good things to happen to the people of Judah.
12. Even if they give up eating, I will not listen to their prayers. Even if they offer burnt offerings and grain offerings to me, I will not accept them. I will destroy the people of Judah with war, hunger and terrible diseases.”
13. But I said, “Oh! Lord God, the false prophets keep telling the people something different! They are saying, ‘You will not suffer from an enemy’s sword. You will never suffer from hunger. The Lord will give you peace in this land.’”
14. Then the Lord said to me, “Those prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I did not send them. I did not appoint them or speak to them. They have been prophesying false visions, idolatries and worthless magic. And they have been prophesying their own wishful thinking.
15. So this is what I say about the prophets who are prophesying in my name. I did not send them. They said, ‘No enemy with swords will ever attack this country. There will never be hunger in this land.’ Those prophets will die from hunger. And an enemy’s sword will kill them.