The elders of the city of Zion sit silently on the ground. They have sprinkled dust on their heads. They’ve put on the clothes of sadness. The young women of Jerusalem have bowed their heads toward the ground.
The roads to Zion are empty. No one travels to her appointed feasts. All the public places near her gates are deserted. Her priests groan. Her young women are sad. And Zion herself weeps bitterly.
Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him. That’s because they saw how much he was suffering.
“ City of Babylon, go down and sit in the dust. Leave your throne and sit on the ground. Queen city of the Babylonians, your life will not be comfortable and easy anymore.
You didn’t recognize the time when God came to you. So your enemies will smash you to the ground. They will destroy you and all the people inside your walls. They will not leave one stone on top of another.”
Then all the princes along the coast will step down from their thrones. They will put their robes away. They will take off their beautiful clothes. They will sit on the ground. They will put on terror as if it were their clothes. They will tremble with fear all the time. They will be shocked because of what has happened to you.
