⁴ This is what the Lord of armies, the God of Israel, has said to all those whom I have taken away prisoners from Jerusalem to Babylon:

⁵ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, has said: Like these good figs, so in my eyes will be the prisoners of Judah, whom I have sent from this place into the land of the Chaldaeans for their good.

⁵ And now, this is what I will do to my vine-garden: I will take away the circle of thorns round it, and it will be burned up; its wall will be broken down and the beasts of the field will go through it;

⁵ Ho! Assyrian, the rod of my wrath, the instrument of my punishment!

⁶ I will send him against a nation of wrongdoers, and against the people of my wrath I will give him orders, to take their wealth in war, crushing them down like the dust in the streets.

⁷ I am the giver of light and the maker of the dark; causing blessing, and sending troubles; I am the Lord, who does all these things.

¹ Truly, the Lord's hand has not become short, so that he is unable to give salvation; and his ear is not shut from hearing:

² But your sins have come between you and your God, and by your evil doings his face has been veiled from you, so that he will give you no answer.

⁶ If the horn is sounded in the town will the people not be full of fear? will evil come on a town if the Lord has not done it?