23 “To the Judah leaders, who themselves have sworn oaths, it will seem like a false divination, but he will remind them of their guilt, and so they’ll be captured.
24 “So this is what God, the Master, says: ‘Because your sin is now out in the open so everyone can see what you’ve been doing, you’ll be taken captive.
25-27 “‘O Zedekiah, blasphemous and evil prince of Israel: Time’s up. It’s “punishment payday.” God says, Take your royal crown off your head. No more “business as usual.” The underdog will be promoted and the top dog will be demoted. Ruins, ruins, ruins! I’ll turn the whole place into ruins. And ruins it will remain until the one comes who has a right to it. Then I’ll give it to him.’
28-32 “But, son of man, your job is to prophesy. Tell them, ‘This is the Message from God, the Master, against the Ammonites and against their cruel taunts:“‘A sword! A sword!Bared to kill,Sharp as a razor,flashing like lightning.Despite false sword propagandacirculated in Ammon,The sword will sever Ammonite necks,for whom it’s punishment payday.Return the sword to the sheath! I’ll judge you in your home country,in the land where you grew up.I’ll empty out my wrath on you,breathe hot anger down your neck.I’ll give you to vicious menskilled in torture.You’ll end up as stove-wood.Corpses will litter your land.Not so much as a memory will be left of you.I, God, have said so.’”