The Lord focuses his judgment more specifically on the prophets who have played such a significant role in leading the people astray. He will feed them bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink.
This is the same judgment pronounced on the people in Jeremiah 9:15. The exact meaning is not clear, but it seems to be a reference to the deadly and bitter defeat the nation will face when the Babylonians invade Judah. Even though the prophets are the focus of the Lord’s attention, his judgment of them cannot be separated from what will happen to the people who have listened to them. The ungodliness of the prophets has infected the whole nation.1
15 Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets: “Behold, I will feed them with bitter food and give them poisoned water to drink, for from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has gone out into all the land.”