12-13 “The barbarians will invade,
    swarm over hills and plains.
The judgment sword of God will take its toll
    from one end of the land to the other.
    Nothing living will be safe.
They will plant wheat and reap weeds.
    Nothing they do will work out.
They will look at their meager crops and wring their hands.
    All this the result of God’s fierce anger!”

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14-17 God’s Message: “Regarding all the bad neighbors who abused the land I gave to Israel as their inheritance: I’m going to pluck them out of their lands, and then pluck Judah out from among them. Once I’ve pulled the bad neighbors out, I will relent and take them tenderly to my heart and put them back where they belong, put each of them back in their home country, on their family farms. Then if they will get serious about living my way and pray to me as well as they taught my people to pray to that god Baal, everything will go well for them. But if they won’t listen, then I’ll pull them out of their land by the roots and cart them off to the dump. Total destruction!” God’s Decree.

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12 Over all the barren heights in the desert
    destroyers will swarm,
for the sword(A) of the Lord(B) will devour(C)
    from one end of the land to the other;(D)
    no one will be safe.(E)
13 They will sow wheat but reap thorns;
    they will wear themselves out but gain nothing.(F)
They will bear the shame of their harvest
    because of the Lord’s fierce anger.”(G)

14 This is what the Lord says: “As for all my wicked neighbors who seize the inheritance(H) I gave my people Israel, I will uproot(I) them from their lands and I will uproot(J) the people of Judah from among them.

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