16. Know that thus says the LORD of the king that sits upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwell in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
17. Thus says the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so bad.
18. And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and a hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations where I have driven them:
19. Because they have not hearkened to my words,
20. Hear you therefore the word of the LORD, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
21. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Mahseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
22. And because of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make you like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
23. Because they have committed folly in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, says the LORD.
24. Thus shall you also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
25. Thus speaks the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because you have sent letters in your name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Mahseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
26. The LORD has made you priest in the place of Jehoiada the priest, that you should be officers in the house of the LORD, over every man that is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that you should put him in prison, and in the stocks.
27. Now therefore why have you not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, who makes himself a prophet to you?
28. For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build yourselves houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.