WhogaveJacobup for spoil,and Israelto plunderers?Was it not the LORD,against whomwe have sinned,And in whose waysthey were not willingto walk,And whose lawthey did not obey?
"Nationwas crushedby nation,and cityby city,for Godtroubledthem with everykind of distress.
Therefore He broughtup againstthem the kingof the Chaldeanswho slewtheir youngmenwith the swordin the houseof their sanctuary,and hadnocompassionon youngmanor virgin,oldmanor infirm;He gave[them] allinto his hand.
"So I gavethem overto the stubbornnessof their heart,To walkin their own devices.
"Ohthat My peoplewould listento Me, That Israelwould walkin My ways!
For thusthe LordGOD,the HolyOneof Israel,has said,"In repentanceand restyou will be saved,In quietnessand trustis your strength."But you were not willing,
Whoamong you will giveearto this?Who will giveheedand listenhereafter?
The One forminglightand creatingdarkness,Causingwell-beingand creatingcalamity;I am the LORDwho doesallthese.
"I was angrywith My people,I profanedMy heritageAnd gavethem into your hand.You did not showmercyto them, On the agedyou madeyour yokeveryheavy.
"Ifonlyyou had paidattentionto My commandments!Then your well-beingwould have beenlike a river,And your righteousnesslike the wavesof the sea.
"Because of the iniquityof his unjustgainI was angryand struckhim; I hid[My face] and was angry,And he wenton turningaway,in the wayof his heart.
But they rebelledAnd grievedHis HolySpirit;Therefore He turnedHimself to become their enemy,He foughtagainst them.
"But they have not becomecontriteeven to thisday,norhave they fearednorwalkedin My lawor My statutes,whichI have setbeforeyou and beforeyour fathers."'
"Behold,I am bringinga nationagainstyou from afar,O houseof Israel,"declaresthe LORD."It is an enduringnation,It is an ancientnation,A nationwhose languageyou do not know,Norcan you understandwhatthey say.
"The yokeof my transgressionsis bound;By His handthey are knittogether.They have comeupon my neck;He has made my strengthfail.The Lordhas givenme into the handsOf [those against whom] I am not ableto stand.
"The LORDis righteous;For I have rebelledagainstHis command;Hearnow,allpeoples,And beholdmy pain;My virginsand my youngmenHave goneinto captivity.
The LordgaveJehoiakimkingof Judahinto his hand,along with someof the vesselsof the houseof God;and he broughtthem to the landof Shinar,to the houseof his god,and he broughtthe vesselsinto the treasuryof his god.
Ifa trumpetis blownin a citywill not the peopletremble?Ifa calamityoccursin a cityhas not the LORDdoneit?
"But the kingwas enraged,and he senthis armiesand destroyedthosemurderersand settheir cityon fire.
"The LORDwill bringa nationagainstyou from afar,from the endof the earth,as the eagleswoopsdown,a nationwhoselanguageyou shall not understand,
"Howcould onechasea thousand,And twoputtenthousandto flight,Unlesstheir Rockhad soldthem, And the LORDhad giventhem up?
The angerof the LORDburnedagainst Israel,and He soldthem into the handsof the Philistinesand into the handsof the sonsof Ammon.
The angerof the LORDburnedagainst Israel,and He gavethem into the handsof plundererswho plunderedthem; and He soldthem into the handsof their enemiesaround[them], so that they couldnolongerstandbeforetheir enemies.
Then the angerof the LORDwas kindledagainst Israel,so that He soldthem into the handsof Cushan-rishathaimkingof Mesopotamia;and the sonsof IsraelservedCushan-rishathaimeightyears.
