"The LORDhas removedmenfaraway, And the forsakenplacesare manyin the midstof the land.
At the soundof the horsemanand bowmaneverycityflees;They gointo the thicketsand climbamong the rocks;Everycityis forsaken,And nomandwellsin them.
"Moreover, the LORDwill scatteryou among allpeoples,from one endof the earthto the other endof the earth;and thereyou shall serveothergods,woodand stone,whichyou or your fathershave not known.
Whydo You forgetus forever?Why do You forsakeus solong?
"I will makethem an objectof horroramong allthe kingdomsof the earthbecauseof Manasseh,the sonof Hezekiah,the kingof Judah,for whathe didin Jerusalem.
"I have forsakenMy house,I have abandonedMy inheritance;I have giventhe belovedof My soulInto the handof her enemies.
You have increasedthe nation,O LORD,You have increasedthe nation,You are glorified;You have extendedallthe bordersof the land.
Then the kingof Babylonstruckthem down and putthem to deathat Riblahin the landof Hamath.So Judahwas ledawayinto exilefrom its land.
Then the restof the peoplewho were leftin the cityand the deserterswhohad desertedto the kingof Babylonand the restof the people,Nebuzaradanthe captainof the guardcarriedawayinto exile.
For iftheir rejectionis the reconciliationof the world,whatwill [their] acceptancebe but lifefrom the dead?
In my earsthe LORDof hosts[has sworn], "Surely,manyhousesshall becomedesolate,[Even] greatand fineones,withoutoccupants.
I will makemortalmanscarcerthanpuregoldAnd mankindthanthe goldof Ophir.
Then the kingof Babylonstruckthem downand putthem to deathat Riblahin the landof Hamath.So Judahwas ledawayinto exilefrom its land.
"I will removemanand beast;I will removethe birdsof the skyAnd the fishof the sea,And the ruinsalongwith the wicked;And I will cutoffmanfrom the faceof the earth,"declaresthe LORD.
