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because they have abandoned Me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in it to other gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah have ever known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

I will make this city a desolation and an object of scorn. All who pass by will be horrified, and will scoff because of all its wounds.

"Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: 'I am about to bring on this city and on all the villages around it every disaster I have pronounced against them, because they have stiffened their necks so as not to heed My words.'"

because he did not kill me in the womb so that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb forever enlarged.

O house of David, this is what the LORD says: 'Administer justice every morning, and rescue the victim of robbery from the hand of his oppressor, or My wrath will go forth like fire and burn with none to extinguish it because of their evil deeds.

Then people will reply, 'Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and have worshiped and served other gods.'

Are you a king because you excel in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink and administer justice and righteousness? Then it went well with him.

The wind will drive away all your shepherds, and your lovers will go into captivity. Then you will be ashamed and humiliated because of all your wickedness.

As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me, and all my bones tremble. I have become like a drunkard, like a man overcome by wine, because of the LORD, because of His holy words.

For the land is full of adulterers-because of the curse the land mourns, and the pastures of the wilderness have dried up-their course is evil and their power is misused.

But if you claim, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' then this is what the LORD says: Because you have said, 'This is the oracle of the LORD,' and I specifically told you not to make this claim,

Therefore, this is what the LORD of Hosts says: 'Because you have not obeyed My words,

And they will drink and stagger and go out of their minds, because of the sword that I will send among them."

Then you are to tell them, 'This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Drink, get drunk, and vomit. Fall down and never get up again, because of the sword I will send among you.'

The tumult will resound to the ends of the earth because the LORD brings a charge against the nations. He enters into judgment on all mankind and puts the wicked to the sword,' declares the LORD."

The peaceful meadows will become lifeless because of the LORD's burning anger.

He has left His den like a lion, for their land has been made a desolation by the sword of the oppressor, and because of His fierce anger.

Perhaps they will listen and turn-each from his evil way of life-so that I may relent of the disaster that I am planning to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.

Therefore, this is what the LORD says: 'I am about to remove you from the face of the earth. You will die this year because you have preached rebellion against the LORD.'"

Because you may say, "The LORD has raised up for us prophets in Babylon,"