Jerusalem’s Judgment Inescapable

¹² The word of the Lord came to me: ¹³ “Son of man, if a country sins^(A) against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply^(B) and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals,^{(C) 14} even if these three men—Noah,^(D) Daniel^[a](E) and Job^(F)—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness,^(G) declares the Sovereign Lord.

¹⁵ “Or if I send wild beasts^(H) through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts,^{(I) 16} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate.^(J)

¹⁷ “Or if I bring a sword^(K) against that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass throughout the land,’ and I kill its people and their animals,^{(L) 18} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved.

¹⁹ “Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath^(M) on it through bloodshed,^(N) killing its people and their animals,^{(O) 20} as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness.^(P)

²¹ “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments^(Q)—sword^(R) and famine^(S) and wild beasts and plague^(T)—to kill its men and their animals!^{(U) 22} Yet there will be some survivors^(V)—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it.^(W) They will come to you, and when you see their conduct^(X) and their actions, you will be consoled^(Y) regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. ²³ You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord.^(Z)”

Punishment for Disobedience

¹⁴ “‘But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands,^{(A) 15} and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws^(B) and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant,^{(C) 16} then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever^(D) that will destroy your sight and sap your strength.^(E) You will plant seed in vain, because your enemies will eat it.^{(F) 17} I will set my face^(G) against you so that you will be defeated^(H) by your enemies;^(I) those who hate you will rule over you,^(J) and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you.^(K)

¹⁸ “‘If after all this you will not listen to me,^(L) I will punish^(M) you for your sins seven times over.^{(N) 19} I will break down your stubborn pride^(O) and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.^{(P) 20} Your strength will be spent in vain,^(Q) because your soil will not yield its crops, nor will the trees of your land yield their fruit.^(R)

²¹ “‘If you remain hostile^(S) toward me and refuse to listen to me, I will multiply your afflictions seven times over,^(T) as your sins deserve. ²² I will send wild animals^(U) against you, and they will rob you of your children, destroy your cattle and make you so few^(V) in number that your roads will be deserted.^(W)

²³ “‘If in spite of these things you do not accept my correction^(X) but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁴ I myself will be hostile^(Y) toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over. ²⁵ And I will bring the sword^(Z) on you to avenge^(AA) the breaking of the covenant. When you withdraw into your cities, I will send a plague^(AB) among you, and you will be given into enemy hands. ²⁶ When I cut off your supply of bread,^(AC) ten women will be able to bake your bread in one oven, and they will dole out the bread by weight. You will eat, but you will not be satisfied.

²⁷ “‘If in spite of this you still do not listen to me^(AD) but continue to be hostile toward me, ²⁸ then in my anger^(AE) I will be hostile^(AF) toward you, and I myself will punish you for your sins seven times over.^{(AG) 29} You will eat^(AH) the flesh of your sons and the flesh of your daughters.^{(AI) 30} I will destroy your high places,^(AJ) cut down your incense altars^(AK) and pile your dead bodies^[a] on the lifeless forms of your idols,^(AL) and I will abhor^(AM) you. ³¹ I will turn your cities into ruins^(AN) and lay waste^(AO) your sanctuaries,^(AP) and I will take no delight in the pleasing aroma of your offerings.^{(AQ) 32} I myself will lay waste the land,^(AR) so that your enemies who live there will be appalled.^{(AS) 33} I will scatter^(AT) you among the nations^(AU) and will draw out my sword^(AV) and pursue you. Your land will be laid waste,^(AW) and your cities will lie in ruins.^{(AX) 34} Then the land will enjoy its sabbath years all the time that it lies desolate^(AY) and you are in the country of your enemies;^(AZ) then the land will rest and enjoy its sabbaths. ³⁵ All the time that it lies desolate, the land will have the rest^(BA) it did not have during the sabbaths you lived in it.

³⁶ “‘As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf^(BB) will put them to flight.^(BC) They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.^{(BD) 37} They will stumble over one another^(BE) as though fleeing from the sword, even though no one is pursuing them. So you will not be able to stand before your enemies.^{(BF) 38} You will perish^(BG) among the nations; the land of your enemies will devour you.^{(BH) 39} Those of you who are left will waste away in the lands of their enemies because of their sins; also because of their ancestors’^(BI) sins they will waste away.^(BJ)