The Lord’s description of this rejection of the covenant is continued as the Lord speaks of setting watchmen
over Judah. This is a reference to the Lord’s prophets, like Jeremiah, whom he sent to Israel to call them back to covenant faithfulness. The prophets would say, Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet.
As in Jeremiah 6:1 the trumpet blast was used to signal the threat of imminent danger from an invading force. On the lips of the prophets, it is the announcement of coming judgment. Over and over again the Lord had sent his prophets to warn his people to turn back to him or face judgment, but they refused. Instead, their response was a defiant, “We will pay no attention
17 I set watchmen over you, saying, ‘Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!’ But they said, ‘We will not pay attention.’