All of that happened because the people of Israel had not obeyed the LORD their God. They rejected the solemn agreement he had made with them, and they ignored everything that the LORD's servant Moses had told them.
Then tell them I have said: People of Judah, your ancestors turned away from me; they rejected my laws and teachings and started worshipping other gods.
Your friends have forgotten you; they don't care any more. Even I have acted like an enemy. And because your sins are horrible and countless, I will be cruel as I punish you. So don't bother to cry out for relief from your pain.
We have not escaped any of the terrible curses written by Moses, and yet we have refused to beg you for mercy and to remind ourselves of how faithful you have always been.
But my warnings and my words spoken by the prophets caught up with your ancestors. So they turned back to me and said, “LORD All-Powerful, you have punished us for our sins, just as you had planned.”
People of Judah and Israel, you have been a curse to the nations, but I will save you and make you a blessing to them. So don't be afraid or lose courage.