God

'This is what ADONAI, the God of Isra'el, says: "I will make the weapons of war that you have in your hands ineffectual in your fight against the king of Bavel and the Kasdim who are outside the walls besieging you. Instead, I will gather them inside this city;

and I myself will fight against you with my hand stretched out and with a strong arm, in anger, rage and great fury.

I will strike the inhabitants of this city, humans and animals alike, and they will die of a terrible plague.

Afterwards," says ADONAI "I will hand over Tzidkiyahu king of Y'hudah, his servants, the people, and anyone remaining alive in this city after the plague, war and famine, to N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel and to their enemies, to those who seek their lives; and he will put them to the sword. He will not spare them; he will have no pity, no compassion."'

"And here is what you are to tell this people: 'ADONAI says: "Look! I am presenting you with the way of life and the way of death.

For I have determined absolutely that this city will have evil, not good," says ADONAI. "It is going to be handed over to the king of Bavel, and he will burn it to the ground."'

"To the royal house of Y'hudah say: 'Hear the word of ADONAI;

house of David, this is what ADONAI says: "Judge fairly every morning, rescue the wronged from their oppressors; or my fury will lash out like fire, burning so hot that no one can quench it, because of how evil your actions are."

ADONAI says, "I am against you, [Yerushalayim,] situated in a valley like a rock on a plain. You who say, 'Who can come down against us? Who can enter our lairs?'

I will punish you," says ADONAI, "as your deeds deserve. I will set its forest on fire, and it will devour everything around it."'"

ADONAI said, "Go down to the house of the king of Y'hudah and there speak this word:

'King of Y'hudah occupying David's throne, hear the word of ADONAI - you, your servants and your people who enter through these gates.

This is what ADONAI says: "Do what is right and just; rescue the wronged from their oppressors; do nothing wrong or violent to the stranger, orphan or widow; don't shed innocent blood in this place.

But if you will not pay attention to these words, then I swear by myself," says ADONAI, "that this palace will become a ruin."'

"For here is what ADONAI says concerning the palace of the king of Y'hudah: 'You are like Gil'ad to me, like the peak of the L'vanon; yet I will turn you into a desert, uninhabited cities.

I will designate men to destroy you, each one with his weapons; they will chop down your choice cedars and throw them in the fire.'

"Many nations will pass by this city, and they will say to one another, 'Why has ADONAI done such a thing to this great city?'

The answer will be, 'Because they abandoned the covenant of ADONAI their God and worshipped other gods, serving them.'"

For this is what ADONAI says about Shalum the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah, who succeeded Yoshiyahu his father as king: "He has left this place, never to return;

who says, 'I will build me a spacious palace with airy upper rooms,' then makes windows and cedar panels painted with vermilion!

He upheld the cause of the poor and the weak, so everything went well. Isn't that what knowing me is all about?" says ADONAI.

Therefore here is what ADONAI says concerning Y'hoyakim the son of Yoshiyahu, king of Y'hudah: "There will be no one to mourn for him, 'Oh! My brother!' or 'Oh! My sister!' There will be no one to mourn for him, 'Oh! My master!' or 'Oh! His glory!'

I spoke to you in your times of prosperity, but you said, 'I won't listen.' This has been your pattern since you were young - you pay no attention to what I say.

"As I live," says ADONAI, "even if Koniyahu the son of Y'hoyakim king of Y'hudah were the signet ring on my right hand, I would pull you off

and hand you over to those who seek your life, to those you fear, N'vukhadretzar king of Bavel and the Kasdim.