19. “And when your people ask, ‘Why did the lord our God do all this to us?’ you must reply, ‘You rejected him and gave yourselves to foreign gods in your own land. Now you will serve foreigners in a land that is not your own.’
20. “Make this announcement to Israel,and say this to Judah:
21. Listen, you foolish and senseless people,with eyes that do not seeand ears that do not hear.
22. Have you no respect for me?Why don’t you tremble in my presence?I, the lord, define the ocean’s sandy shorelineas an everlasting boundary that the waters cannot cross.The waves may toss and roar,but they can never pass the boundaries I set.
23. But my people have stubborn and rebellious hearts.They have turned away and abandoned me.
24. They do not say from the heart,‘Let us live in awe of the lord our God,for he gives us rain each spring and fall,assuring us of a harvest when the time is right.’
25. Your wickedness has deprived you of these wonderful blessings.Your sin has robbed you of all these good things.
26. “Among my people are wicked menwho lie in wait for victims like a hunter hiding in a blind.They continually set trapsto catch people.
27. Like a cage filled with birds,their homes are filled with evil plots.And now they are great and rich.
28. They are fat and sleek,and there is no limit to their wicked deeds.They refuse to provide justice to orphansand deny the rights of the poor.