Add parallel Print Page Options

The Coming Disaster

11-12 When disaster comes, the Lord will tell you people of Jerusalem,

“I am sending a windstorm
from the desert—
    not a welcome breeze.[a]
And it will sweep you away
    as punishment for your sins.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 4.11,12 a welcome breeze: Hebrew “a wind to blow away the husks.” Farmers used a special shovel to pitch grain and husks into the air. Wind would blow away the light husks, and the grain would fall back to the ground, where it could be gathered up.

11 At that time this people and Jerusalem will be told, “A scorching wind(A) from the barren heights in the desert blows toward my people, but not to winnow or cleanse; 12 a wind(B) too strong for that comes from me. Now I pronounce my judgments(C) against them.”

Read full chapter

22 I heard the Lord say,
    “My people ignore me.
They are foolish children
who do not understand
    that they will be punished.
All they know is how to sin.”

23 After this, I looked around.
The earth was barren,
    with no form of life.
The sun, moon, and stars
    had disappeared.
24 The mountains were shaking;
25 no people could be seen,
    and all the birds
    had flown away.
26 Farmland had become a desert,
    and towns were in ruins.
The Lord's fierce anger
    had done all of this.

The Death of Jerusalem

27-28 The Lord said:

I have made my decision,
    and I won't change my mind.
This land will be destroyed,
    although not completely.
The sky will turn dark,
    and the earth will mourn.

Read full chapter

22 “My people are fools;(A)
    they do not know me.(B)
They are senseless children;
    they have no understanding.(C)
They are skilled in doing evil;(D)
    they know not how to do good.”(E)

23 I looked at the earth,
    and it was formless and empty;(F)
and at the heavens,
    and their light(G) was gone.
24 I looked at the mountains,
    and they were quaking;(H)
    all the hills were swaying.
25 I looked, and there were no people;
    every bird in the sky had flown away.(I)
26 I looked, and the fruitful land was a desert;(J)
    all its towns lay in ruins(K)
    before the Lord, before his fierce anger.(L)

27 This is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be ruined,(M)
    though I will not destroy(N) it completely.
28 Therefore the earth will mourn(O)
    and the heavens above grow dark,(P)
because I have spoken and will not relent,(Q)
    I have decided and will not turn back.(R)

Read full chapter