Captivity Threatened

Listen and give heed. Do not be arrogant,

for the LORD has spoken.

16 

Give glory to the LORD your God

before He brings darkness,

before your feet stumble

on the dusky mountains.

You wait for light,

but He turns it into deep gloom and thick darkness.

17 

But if you do not listen,

I will weep in secret because of your pride

My eyes will overflow with tears,

because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

18 

Say to the king

and to the queen mother:

“ Take a lowly seat,

for your glorious crowns have fallen from your heads.”

19 

The cities of the Negev have been shut tight,

and no one can open them.

All Judah has been carried into exile,

wholly taken captive.

20 

Lift up your eyes and see

those coming from the north.

Where is the flock entrusted to you,

the sheep that were your pride?

21 

What will you say when He sets over you

close allies whom you yourself trained

Will not pangs of anguish grip you,

as they do a woman in labor?

22 

And if you ask yourself,

“Why has this happened to me?”

It is because of the magnitude of your iniquity

that your skirts have been stripped off

[and] your body has been exposed.[fn]

23 

Can the Ethiopian[fn] change his skin,

or the leopard his spots?

Neither are you able to do good —

you who are accustomed to doing evil.

24 

“ I will scatter you like chaff

driven by the desert wind.

25 

This is your lot,

the portion I have measured to you,” declares the LORD,

“ because you have forgotten Me

and trusted in falsehood.

26 

So I will pull your skirts up over your face,

that your shame may be seen.

27 

Your adulteries and lustful neighings,

your shameless prostitution

on the hills [and] in the fields —

I have seen your detestable acts.

Woe to you, O Jerusalem!

How long will you remain unclean?” 14