A warning for Judah

8 Yahweh told me to write on a scroll a message,

in order that it would be a witness to the people of Judah

that would endure forever.

9 It would remind them that they are deceitful and always rebelling against Yahweh;

they refuse to pay attention to what he tells/teaches them.

10 They tell the people who see/receive visions from Yahweh,

“Stop seeing visions!”

They tell the prophets,

“Do not reveal to us what is right!

Tell us pleasant things;

do not tell us visions about things that are true!

11 Stop doing what you have been doing [DOU];

stop telling us what the Holy One of Israel says to us!”

12 Therefore, this is what the Holy One of Israel says:

“You have rejected my message,

and you are relying on those who oppress and deceive others.

13 Therefore, the result of your sin of rejecting me will be that you will suddenly experience disasters;

what will happen to you will be like [SIM] a cracked wall that suddenly collapses [DOU].

14 You will be smashed like a clay jar is smashed when it is dropped,

and it shatters completely, with the result that there is not one piece big enough

to carry some coals from a stove

or to carry a little bit of water from a well.”

15 Yahweh, our God, the Holy One of Israel, also says this:

“You will be rescued from your enemies only if you repent and trust in what I will do for you;

you will be strong only if you quit worrying and trust in me.

But you do not want to do that.

16 You said, ‘No, we will escape on horses that the army of Egypt will give us!’

So, you will try to flee.

You said, ‘We will escape from the army of Assyria by riding on swift horses!’

But those who pursue you will also ride swiftly.

17 As a result, 1,000 of you will flee when only one of them pursues you!

When only five of their soldiers threaten to kill you,

all of you will flee.

Only a few of you will be left, like [SIM] a single flagpole on top of a mountain

with one signal flag on the pole.”

18 But Yahweh wants to be kind to you;

he desires to show you that he is merciful.

Do not forget that Yahweh is a God who acts justly;

he is pleased with those who patiently trust in him.