"Allthe nationswill say,Whyhas the LORDdonethusto thisland?Whythisgreatoutburstof anger?'
They rejectedHis statutesand His covenantwhichHe madewith their fathersand His warningswith whichHe warnedthem. And they followedvanityand becamevain,and [went] afterthe nationswhichsurroundedthem, concerning whichthe LORDhad commandedthem not to dolike them.
becausethey did not obeythe voiceof the LORDtheir God,but transgressedHis covenant,[even] allthat Mosesthe servantof the LORDcommanded;they would neitherlistennordo[it].
"But you who forsakethe LORD,WhoforgetMy holymountain,Whoseta tablefor Fortune,And who fill[cups] with mixedwinefor Destiny,
"Now whenyou tellthispeopleallthesewords,they will sayto you, 'For whatreasonhas the LORDdeclaredallthisgreatcalamityagainstus? And whatis our iniquity,or whatis our sinwhichwe have committedagainst the LORDour God?'
not like the covenantwhichI madewith their fathersin the dayI tookthem by the handto bringthem out of the landof Egypt,My covenantwhichthey broke,although I was a husbandto them," declaresthe LORD.
Now the captainof the bodyguardhad takenJeremiahand saidto him, "The LORDyour Godpromisedthiscalamityagainstthisplace;
"It shall comeabout whenthey say,'Whyhas the LORDour Goddoneallthesethingsto us?' then you shall sayto them, 'As you have forsakenMe and servedforeigngodsin your land,soyou will servestrangersin a landthat is not yours.'
The kingsof the earthdid not believe,Nor[did] anyof the inhabitantsof the world,That the adversaryand the enemyCould enterthe gatesof Jerusalem.
"Then they will comfortyou whenyou seetheir conductand actions,for you will knowthat I have not donein vainwhateverI didto it," declaresthe LordGOD.
For thussaysthe LordGOD,"I will also dowith you as you have done,you whohave despisedthe oathby breakingthe covenant.
I will makethe landdesolateso that your enemieswho settlein it will be appalledoverit.
But becauseof your stubbornnessand unrepentantheartyou are storingup wrathfor yourselfin the dayof wrathand revelationof the righteous judgmentof God,
