^45 [a] And the word of the Lord came to me: ^46 (A)“Son of man, ^(B)set your face toward the southland;^{[b] (C)}preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb. ⁴⁷ Say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the Lord: Thus says the Lord God, Behold, ^(D)I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every ^(E)green tree in you and every ^(F)dry tree. The blazing flame shall not be quenched, and ^(G)all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. ^48 (H)All flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” ⁴⁹ Then I said, ^(I)“Ah, Lord God! They are saying of me, ^(J)‘Is he not a maker of parables?’”