9. “Who does the lord think we are?” they ask.“Why does he speak to us like this?Are we little children,just recently weaned?
10. He tells us everything over and over—one line at a time,one line at a time,a little here,and a little there!”
11. So now God will have to speak to his peoplethrough foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!
12. God has told his people,“Here is a place of rest;let the weary rest here.This is a place of quiet rest.”But they would not listen.
13. So the lord will spell out his message for them again,one line at a time,one line at a time,a little here,and a little there,so that they will stumble and fall.They will be injured, trapped, and captured.
14. Therefore, listen to this message from the lord,you scoffing rulers in Jerusalem.
15. You boast, “We have struck a bargain to cheat deathand have made a deal to dodge the grave.The coming destruction can never touch us,for we have built a strong refuge made of lies and deception.”
16. Therefore, this is what the Sovereign lord says:“Look! I am placing a foundation stone in Jerusalem,a firm and tested stone.It is a precious cornerstone that is safe to build on.Whoever believes need never be shaken.
17. I will test you with the measuring line of justiceand the plumb line of righteousness.Since your refuge is made of lies,a hailstorm will knock it down.Since it is made of deception,a flood will sweep it away.
18. I will cancel the bargain you made to cheat death,and I will overturn your deal to dodge the grave.When the terrible enemy sweeps through,you will be trampled into the ground.
19. Again and again that flood will come,morning after morning,day and night,until you are carried away.”This message will bring terror to your people.
20. The bed you have made is too short to lie on.The blankets are too narrow to cover you.
21. The lord will come as he did against the Philistines at Mount Perazimand against the Amorites at Gibeon.He will come to do a strange thing;he will come to do an unusual deed: