7. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.”
8. Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!”
9. And he replied: Go and say to this people:Listen carefully, but do not understand!Look intently, but do not perceive!
10. Make the heart of this people sluggish,dull their ears and close their eyes;Lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,and their heart understand,and they turn and be healed.
11. “How long, O Lord?” I asked. And he replied: Until the cities are desolate,without inhabitants,Houses, without people,and the land is a desolate waste.