A warning that the people of Judah will be exiled

15 You people of Judah, pay very careful attention [DOU].

Do not be proud, because Yahweh has spoken to you.

16 It is as though he is ready to bring darkness on you

and to cause you to stumble and fall as you walk on the hills when it is becoming dark.

So praise/honor Yahweh your God before that happens.

If you do not do that, you will look for light,

but all you will see is darkness and gloom.

17 And if you still refuse to heed what he says,

what will happen to you because of your being proud will cause me to cry when I am alone.

My eyes will be filled with tears

because you, Yahweh’s people,

whom he takes care of like a shepherd takes care of [MET] his flock,

will all be captured by your enemies and taken to other countries.

18 You people of Judah, say to the king and to his mother,

“Come down from sitting on your thrones

and humbly sit in the dust,

because your enemies will soon snatch from your heads your glorious crowns.”

19 The towns in the southern part of Judah will be surrounded by your enemies,

and no one will be able to get through their lines to rescue the people in those towns.

You people of Judah will be captured and taken away;

you will all be ◄exiled/taken to foreign countries►.

20 You leaders of Jerusalem, open your eyes and look:

The enemy armies are ready to march down from the north.

When that happens, what will happen to [RHQ] the people of Judah who are like a beautiful flock of sheep,

people that he gave to you to take care of?

21 What will you say [RHQ] when Yahweh appoints people from other countries to rule over you,

people who you mistakenly thought were your friends?

You will [RHQ] suffer very much pain,

like a woman who is about to give birth to a baby.

22 You will ask yourselves, “Why is this happening to us?”

I will reply that it is because of your many sins.

That is why soldiers of the invading armies will lift up the skirts of your women and rape them.

23 A man from Ethiopia certainly cannot [RHQ] change the color of his black skin,

and a leopard certainly cannot [RHQ] change its spots.

Similarly, you cannot start doing what is good,

because you have always done what is evil.

24 Yahweh says, “I will scatter you like chaff

that is blown away by the wind from the desert.

25 That is what is certainly going to happen to you;

the things that I have determined will happen to you,

because you have forgotten me,

and you are trusting in false gods.

26 It is as though I myself will pull your skirts up over your faces

and cause you to be very ashamed because everyone will be able to see your sex organs.

27 I have seen that you act like men who are eager to commit adultery;

you are like male horses that whinny when they desire to have sex with a female horse.

I have seen that you worship disgusting idols in the fields and on the hills.

You people of Jerusalem, terrible things will happen to you!

How long will it be [RHQ] until you are acceptable to me again?”