6. This is a message about the animals in southern Judah:Southern Judah is a dangerous placefull of lions and lionesses,poisonous snakes and darting snakes.The messengers travel through there with their wealth on the backs of donkeysand their treasure on the backs of camels.They carry them to a nation that cannot help them,
7. to Egypt whose help is useless.So I call that country Rahab the Do-Nothing.
8. Now write this on a sign for the people,write this on a scroll,so that for the days to comethis will be a witness forever.
9. These people are like children who lie and refuse to obey;they refuse to listen to the Lord’s teachings.
10. They tell the seers,“Don’t see any more visions!”They say to the prophets,“Don’t tell us the truth!Say things that will make us feel good;see only good things for us.
11. Stop blocking our path.Get out of our way.Stop telling usabout God, the Holy One of Israel.”
12. So this is what the Holy One of Israel says:“You people have refused to accept this messageand have depended on cruelty and lies to help you.
13. You are guilty of these things.So you will be like a high wall with cracks in itthat falls suddenly and breaks into small pieces.
14. You will be like a clay jar that breaks,smashed into many pieces.Those pieces will be too smallto take coals from the fireor to get water from a well.”
15. This is what the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, says:“If you come back to me and trust me, you will be saved.If you will be calm and trust me, you will be strong.”But you don’t want to do that.
16. You say, “No, we need horses to run away on.”So you will run away on horses.You say, “We will ride away on fast horses.”So those who chase you will be fast.