¹⁴ “They’ve sounded the alarm,^[a] and everyone is prepared, but no one is marching for battle, since I’m angry at the entire multitude. ¹⁵ The sword lurks outside, but pestilence and famine are on the prowl inside the house. Whoever is in the field will die by violence,^[b] while famine and pestilence will devour those in the city. ¹⁶ Fugitives will escape to the mountains like doves fleeing through the valleys, all of them moaning because of their own iniquity. ¹⁷ Every hand will be limp. Every knee will glisten with sweat.”^[c]

The Coming Terror

¹⁸ “They’ll clothe themselves with sackcloth, terror will overcome them, shame will cover their faces, and baldness will spread over their entire heads. ¹⁹ They’ll fling their silver into the streets, and their gold will be cast away as impure. Their silver and gold won’t be able to deliver them during the time^[d] of the Lord’s wrath. They won’t be able to satisfy their appetites or fill their stomachs, because their iniquity has tripped them up.”

The Temple Defiled

²⁰ “As for his beautiful ornament,^[e] he set it up in majesty, but they made detestable images and loathsome idols. Therefore, I’ll give them something loathsome— ²¹ I’ll give it as plunder into the control of strangers and as the spoils of war to the wicked who will invade the land to profane it. ²² I’ll turn my face away from them so that they’ll defile my treasured place. Robbers will enter and profane it!

²³ “Forge a chain, because the land is full of bloody judgment and the city is filled with violence.