23 I looked at the earth,
and it was formless and empty.(A)
I looked to the heavens,
and their light was gone.(B)
24 I looked at the mountains,
and they were quaking;(C)
all the hills shook.
25 I looked, and there was no human being,(D)
and all the birds of the sky had fled.(E)
26 I looked, and the fertile field(F) was a wilderness.(G)
All its cities were torn down
because of the Lord
and his burning anger.(H)

27 For this is what the Lord says:

“The whole land will be a desolation,(I)
but I will not finish it off.(J)
28 Because of this, the earth will mourn;(K)
the skies above will grow dark.(L)
I have spoken; I have planned,
and I will not relent or turn back from it.”(M)

29 Every city flees(N)
at the sound of the horseman and the archer.
They enter the thickets
and climb among the rocks.(O)
Every city is abandoned;
no inhabitant is left.

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Jeremiah’s Vision of Coming Disaster

23 I looked at the earth, and it was empty and formless.
    I looked at the heavens, and there was no light.
24 I looked at the mountains and hills,
    and they trembled and shook.
25 I looked, and all the people were gone.
    All the birds of the sky had flown away.
26 I looked, and the fertile fields had become a wilderness.
    The towns lay in ruins,
    crushed by the Lord’s fierce anger.

27 This is what the Lord says:
“The whole land will be ruined,
    but I will not destroy it completely.
28 The earth will mourn
    and the heavens will be draped in black
because of my decree against my people.
    I have made up my mind and will not change it.”

29 At the noise of charioteers and archers,
    the people flee in terror.
They hide in the bushes
    and run for the mountains.
All the towns have been abandoned—
    not a person remains!

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