1 THEN the LORD said to me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me pleading, yet my soul would not be pleased with this people; but I will cast them out of my sight and let them go.

2 And it shall come to pass, if they say to you, Where shall we go? Then you shall tell them, Thus says the LORD: Those numbered for death, to death; and those numbered for the sword, to the sword; and those numbered for famine, to famine; and those numbered for captivity, to captivity.

3 And I will decree against them four kinds of afflictions, says the LORD: The sword to slay, the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the air and the wild beasts of the earth to devour and destroy.

4 And I will cause them to be a horror in all the kingdoms of the earth, because of the transgressions of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem.

5 For who shall have pity upon you, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan you? or who shall go aside to inquire about your peace?

6 You have forsaken me, says the LORD, you are gone backward; therefore I will stretch out my hand against you and destroy you; and I shall not spare you again.

7 And I will fan them with a fan in the cities of the earth; I have bereaved them of their children. I have destroyed my people, and yet they did not return from their ways.

8 Their widows are increased in number more than the sand of the sea; I have brought against them, both against the mother and against the young men, robbers at noonday; I have caused terror and trembling to fall upon them suddenly.

9 She who has borne seven children languishes; her pride is gone; her sun has gone down while it was yet day; she has been ashamed and confounded; and the rest of them I will deliver to the sword before their enemies, says the LORD.

10 Woe is me, my mother, that you have borne me a judge, a rebuker to the whole earth. I am neither a debtor, nor a creditor; yet all of them curse me.

11 The LORD said, Verily I shall not leave you at ease, but I will cause an enemy from the north to encounter you in the time of tribulation and in the time of evil;

12 For he is hard as iron and as brass.

13 Your riches, your treasures, and all your borders, I will give to the spoil, because of your sins.

14 And I shall cause you to be enslaved to your enemies in a land which you do not know; for a fire is kindled in my anger, which shall burn upon you.

15 O LORD, thou knowest; remember me and save me and avenge me of my persecutors; take me not away in thy longsuffering; know that for thy sake I have suffered reproach.

16 Thy commandments have I kept and carried out, thy word was to me a delight and the joy of my heart; for I am called by thy name.

17 O LORD God of hosts, I did not sit in the assembly of the mockers, but I was afraid because of thy hand, and I sat alone; for thou hast filled me with indignation.

18 Why is my pain so grievous and my wound so severe that it refuses to be healed? Wilt thou be to me as a mirage that cannot be believed?

19 Therefore thus says the LORD, If you repent, then I will bring you back again, and you shall stand before me; and if you bring forth the precious words and not the vile, you shall be as my mouth, says the LORD; the people shall turn to you; but you shall not turn to them.

20 I have made you to this people as a fortified wall of brass; and they shall fight against you. but they shall not prevail; for I am with you to save you and to deliver you, says the LORD.

21 And I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked, and I will save you from the hand of the mighty.