Day of Disaster

16 Then the word of the Lord came to me: ² “You must not marry^(A) and have sons or daughters in this place.” ³ For this is what the Lord says about the sons and daughters born in this land and about the women who are their mothers and the men who are their fathers:^{(B) 4} “They will die of deadly diseases. They will not be mourned or buried^(C) but will be like dung lying on the ground.^(D) They will perish by sword and famine,^(E) and their dead bodies will become food for the birds and the wild animals.”^(F)

⁸ “Furthermore, tell the people, ‘This is what the Lord says: See, I am setting before you the way of life^(A) and the way of death. ⁹ Whoever stays in this city will die by the sword, famine or plague.^(B) But whoever goes out and surrenders^(C) to the Babylonians who are besieging you will live; they will escape with their lives.^{(D) 10} I have determined to do this city harm^(E) and not good, declares the Lord. It will be given into the hands^(F) of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire.’^(G)

⁸ “‘But like the bad^(A) figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah^(B) king of Judah, his officials^(C) and the survivors^(D) from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt.^{(E) 9} I will make them abhorrent^(F) and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword,^(G) a curse^[a](H) and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish^(I) them. ¹⁰ I will send the sword,^(J) famine^(K) and plague^(L) against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.^(M)’”