8. They are lustful stallions,each neighs after the other’s wife.
9. Should I not punish them for this?—oracle of the Lord;on a nation like this should I not take vengeance?
10. Climb her terraces, and ravage them,destroy them completely.Tear away her tendrils,they do not belong to the Lord.
11. For they have openly rebelled against me,both the house of Israel and the house of Judah—oracle of the Lord.
12. They denied the Lord,saying, “He is nothing,No evil shall come to us,neither sword nor famine shall we see.
13. The prophets are wind,and the word is not with them.Let it be done to them!”
14. Therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of hosts,because you have said this—See! I make my wordsa fire in your mouth,And this people the woodthat it shall devour!—
15. Beware! I will bring against youa nation from far away,O House of Israel—oracle of the Lord;A long-lived nation, an ancient nation,a people whose language you do not know,whose speech you cannot understand.
16. Their quivers are like open graves;all of them are warriors.
17. They will devour your harvest and your bread,devour your sons and your daughters,Devour your sheep and cattle,devour your vines and fig trees;With their swords they will beat downthe fortified cities in which you trust.
18. Yet even in those days—oracle of the Lord—I will not completely destroy you.
19. And when they ask, “Why has the Lord our God done all these things to us?” say to them, “As you have abandoned me to serve foreign gods in your own land, so shall you serve foreigners in a land not your own.”
20. Announce this to the house of Jacob,proclaim it in Judah: