Eli was very worried about the Ark of the Covenant. He sat besides the road staring. When the man spread the news throughout the town everyone cried out in fear.

When I expected good evil came. When I waited for light darkness came.

That is why justice is far from us, and righteousness does not reach us. We hope for light and we walk in darkness. We hope for brightness but we walk in gloom.

We waited for peace, but no good came. We waited for a time of healing, but all we got was terror!

Have you completely rejected Judah? Do you despise Zion? Why have you struck us so hard that we cannot heal? We hope for peace, but no good comes from it. We hope for a time of healing, but there's only terror.

But

Samaria's wound is incurable! It came as far as Judah. It even reached to the gate of my people, Jerusalem.

I make light and create darkness. I make blessings and create disasters. I, Jehovah, do all these things.

Will the trumpet be blown in a city and the people not be afraid? Will disaster happen to a city and Jehovah not cause it?

General references

The city is left in ruins; its gate is battered to pieces.

We waited for peace, but no good came. We waited for a time of healing, but all we got was terror!