9. Should I not punish them for this?’declares the Lord.‘Should I not avenge myselfon such a nation as this?
10. ‘Go through her vineyards and ravage them,but do not destroy them completely.Strip off her branches,for these people do not belong to the Lord.
11. The people of Israel and the people of Judahhave been utterly unfaithful to me,’declares the Lord.
12. They have lied about the Lord;they said, ‘He will do nothing!No harm will come to us;we will never see sword or famine.
13. The prophets are but windand the word is not in them;so let what they say be done to them.’
14. Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty says:‘Because the people have spoken these words,I will make my words in your mouth a fireand these people the wood it consumes.
15. People of Israel,’ declares the Lord,‘I am bringing a distant nation against you –an ancient and enduring nation,a people whose language you do not know,whose speech you do not understand.
16. Their quivers are like an open grave;all of them are mighty warriors.