^45 [a] And the word of Yahweh came^[b] to me, saying,^{[c] 46} “Son of man,^[d] set your face toward the way of the south,^[e] and preach to the south, and prophesy against the forest of the territory of the Negev. ⁴⁷ And you must say to the forest of the Negev, ‘Hear the word of Yahweh, thus says the Lord Yahweh: “Look! I am kindling against you a fire, and it will devour in you every fresh tree and every dry tree; the blaze of the flame will not be quenched, and all the surfaces from the south to the north will be scorched by it. ⁴⁸ And all creatures will see that I, Yahweh, I kindled it—it will not be quenched!”’” ⁴⁹ Then I said, “Ah, Lord Yahweh, they are saying about me, ‘Is he not posing a parable?’”