20. To what purpose does incense from Sheba come to Me,and the sweet cane from a far country?Your burnt offerings are not acceptable,nor are your sacrifices sweet to Me.
21. Therefore thus says the Lord: See, I will lay stumbling blocks before this people,and the fathers and the sons together will fall upon them.The neighbor and his friend will perish.
22. Thus says the Lord: See, a people comesfrom the north country,and a great nation will be raisedfrom the remote parts of the earth.
23. They will lay hold on bow and spear;they are cruel and have no mercy.Their voice roars like the sea,and they ride upon horses,set in array as men for waragainst you, O daughter of Zion.
24. “We have heard the report of it;our hands grow feeble.Anguish has taken hold of us,and pain as of a woman in labor.
25. Do not go out into the field,nor walk on the road.For the sword of the enemyand terror is on every side.”
26. O daughter of my people, gird yourself with sackclothand wallow in ashes.Mourn as for an only son,a most bitter lamentation;for the destroyershall suddenly come upon us.
27. I have set you as an assayerand fortress among My peoplethat you may knowand try their way.
28. They all are stubborn rebelswalking about practicing slander.They are bronze and iron;they all are corrupters.
29. The bellows blow fiercely,the lead is consumed by the fire;the founder melts in vain,for the wicked are not plucked away.
30. Men will call them rejected silver,because the Lord has rejected them.