Chapter 9:

As bad as he feels about his people's destruction, he sometimes wishes he could escape to a desert inn, since they're all such liars and cheats.

There's so much deceit in the land that you can't trust anyone, even your friends and neighbors.

The people should wail and lament. Jerusalem and Judah will be so thoroughly devastated that the animals and birds will run away.

God says again that he's punishing people for disobeying his law by worshipping Baals and other gods.

The wise, the mighty, and the wealthy should stop feeling so smug: only those who truly love and know the Lord have the right to boast.

God says that he'll deal with all the people who are circumcised only in the foreskin, but not in the heart. This includes Egypt, Judah, Moab, the Ammonites, Edom, desert dwellers with shaved temples, and last but not least, Israel , who should know better.

Chapter 10:

God tells Israel not to follow the ways of foreign nations or check their horoscopes.

The peoples of the world have false customs. God leads the reader through a description of how idols are made, showing that they're the work of human hands and not real gods. They're like scarecrows in a cucumber field. incapable of evil or good.

Jeremiah agrees that idols are just the creations of goldsmiths and skilled workers.

But God's the real deal, not like those images. The people who encourage idol worship are fools.

Idols are just delusions. Wake up, people!

Once Babylon conquers Judea, the people better pack their suitcases for Babylon, because that's where they're going.

Israel's like a flock, scattered because of its clueless shepherds who failed to follow God.

He asks God to correct him and his people—but not with anger, because that won't work.

Instead, maybe God could pour out his wrath on some other nations, like the enemies of Israel.