4 Give yourselves to the service of the Lord.Decide to obey him.Do this, men of Judah and people of Jerusalem.If you don’t, my anger will spread among you like a fire.No one will be able to put it outbecause of the evil you have done.
5 “Announce this message to Judah and say it in Jerusalem:‘Blow the trumpet throughout the country!’Shout out loud and say,‘Come together!Let’s all escape to the strong, walled cities!’
6 Raise the signal flag toward Jerusalem!Run for your lives! And don’t wait!Do this because I am bringing disaster from the north.It will be terrible destruction.”
7 A lion has come out of his den.A destroyer of nations has begun to march.He has left his hometo destroy your land.Your towns will be destroyed.There will be no people left to live in them.
8 So put on rough cloth,show how sad you are and cry loudly.The terrible anger of the Lordhas not turned away from us.
9 “When this happens,” says the Lord,“the king and officers will lose their courage.The priests will be terribly afraid.And the prophets will be shocked!”
10 Then I, Jeremiah, said, “Lord God, you have tricked the people of Judah and Jerusalem. You said, ‘You will have peace.’ But now the sword is pointing at our throats!”