18 “Yet even then,” says the Lord, “I will not destroy you completely.
19 When the people of Judah ask, ‘Why has the Lord our God done all these terrible things to us?’ then give them this answer: ‘You have left the Lord and served foreign idols in your own land. So now you will serve foreigners in a land that does not belong to you.’
20 “Announce this message to the family of Jacob,and tell it to the nation of Judah:
21 Hear this message, you foolish people who have no sense.They have eyes, but they don’t really see.They have ears, but they don’t really listen.
22 Surely you are afraid of me,” says the Lord.“You should shake with fear in my presence.I am the one who made the beaches to be a border for the sea,a border the water can never go past.The waves may pound the beach, but they can’t win over it.They may roar, but they cannot go beyond it.
23 But the people of Judah are stubborn and have turned against me.They have turned aside and gone away from me.
24 They do not say to themselves,‘We should fear the Lord our God,who gives us autumn and spring rains in their seasons,who makes sure we have the harvest at the right time.’