9. Say: Thus says the Lord God: Can it thrive?Will he not tear up its rootsand strip its fruit?Then all its green leaves will wither—neither strong arm nor mighty nationis needed to uproot it.
10. True, it is planted; but will it thrive?Will it not wither upWhen the east wind strikes it,wither in the very bed where it sprouted?
11. The word of the Lord came to me:
12. Now say to the rebellious house:Do you not understand this? Tell them!The king of Babylon came to Jerusalemand took away its king and officialsand brought them to him in Babylon.
13. After removing the nobles from the land,he then took one of the royal lineAnd made a covenant with him,binding him under oath,
14. To be a humble kingdom,without high aspirations,to keep his covenant and so survive.
15. But this one rebelled against himby sending envoys to EgyptTo obtain horses and a mighty army.Can he thrive?Can he escape if he does this?Can he break a covenant and go free?
16. As I live—oracle of the Lord God—in the house of the king who set him up to rule,Whose oath he ignored and whose covenant he broke,there in Babylon I swear he shall die!
17. Pharaoh shall not help him on the day of battle,with a great force and mighty horde,When ramps are thrown up and siege works builtfor the cutting down of many lives.
18. He ignored his oath, breaking his covenant;even though he gave his hand, he did all these things—he shall not escape!
19. Therefore, thus says the Lord God:As I live, my oath which he spurned,And my covenant which he broke,I will bring down on his head.
20. I will spread my net over him,and he will be caught in my snare.I will bring him to Babylonto judge him therebecause he broke faith with me.