1-2. “And when the time comes”—God’s Decree!—“I’ll see to it that they dig up the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of the princes and priests and prophets, and yes, even the bones of the common people. They’ll dig them up and spread them out like a congregation at worship before sun, moon, and stars, all those sky gods they’ve been so infatuated with all these years, following their ‘lucky stars’ in doglike devotion. The bones will be left scattered and exposed, to reenter the soil as fertilizer, like manure.
3. “Everyone left—all from this evil generation unlucky enough to still be alive in whatever godforsaken place I will have driven them to—will wish they were dead.” Decree of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.
10-12. “‘So here’s what will happen to the know-it-alls:I’ll make them wifeless and homeless.Everyone’s after the dishonest dollar,little people and big people alike.Prophets and priests and everyone in betweentwist words and doctor truth.My dear Daughter—my people—broken, shattered,and yet they put on Band-Aids,Saying, “It’s not so bad. You’ll be just fine.”But things are not “just fine”!Do you suppose they are embarrassedover this outrage?Not really. They have no shame.They don’t even know how to blush.There’s no hope for them. They’ve hit bottomand there’s no getting up.As far as I’m concerned,they’re finished.’” God has spoken.
13. “‘I went out to see if I could salvage anything’”—God’s Decree—“‘but found nothing:Not a grape, not a fig,just a few withered leaves.I’m taking backeverything I gave them.’”
14-16. So why are we sitting here, doing nothing?Let’s get organized.Let’s go to the big cityand at least die fighting.We’ve gotten God’s ultimatum:We’re damned if we do and damned if we don’t—damned because of our sin against him.We hoped things would turn out for the best,but it didn’t happen that way.We were waiting around for healing—and terror showed up!From Dan at the northern borderswe hear the hooves of horses,Horses galloping, horses neighing.The ground shudders and quakes.They’re going to swallow up the whole country.Towns and people alike—fodder for war.
17. “‘What’s more, I’m dispatchingpoisonous snakes among you,Snakes that can’t be charmed,snakes that will bite you and kill you.’”God’s Decree!