The presenceof the LORDhas scatteredthem, He will not continueto regardthem; They did not honorthe priests,They did not favorthe elders.
"Cursedbe their anger,for it is fierce;And their wrath,for it is cruel.I will dispersethem in Jacob,And scatterthem in Israel.
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.
And that He would casttheir seedamong the nationsAnd scatterthem in the lands.
Nevertheless He lookedupon their distressWhen He heardtheir cry;
And the peoplewill be like the priest,the servantlike his master,the maidlike her mistress,the buyerlike the seller,the lenderlike the borrower,the creditorlike the debtor.
"I was angrywith My people,I profanedMy heritageAnd gavethem into your hand.You did not showmercyto them, On the agedyou madeyour yokeveryheavy.
"I will makethem an objectof horroramong allthe kingdomsof the earthbecauseof Manasseh,the sonof Hezekiah,the kingof Judah,for whathe didin Jerusalem.
I will makethem a terror[and an] evilfor allthe kingdomsof the earth,as a reproachand a proverb,a tauntand a cursein allplaceswhereI will scatterthem.
Then the captainof the guardtookSeraiahthe chiefpriestand Zephaniahthe secondpriest,with the threeofficersof the temple.
See,O LORD,and look!With whomhave You dealtthus?Should womeneattheir offspring,The littleoneswhowere bornhealthy?Should priestand prophetbe slainIn the sanctuaryof the Lord?
And He has violentlytreatedHis tabernaclelike a garden[booth]; He has destroyedHis appointedmeetingplace.The LORDhas caused to be forgottenThe appointedfeastand sabbathin Zion,And He has despisedkingand priestIn the indignationof His anger.
Princeswere hungby their hands;Elderswere not respected.
Therefore,fatherswill eat[their] sonsamongyou, and sonswill eattheir fathers;for I will executejudgmentson you and scatterallyour remnantto everywind.
"The LORDshall causeyou to be defeatedbeforeyour enemies;you will goout onewayagainstthem, but you will fleesevenwaysbeforethem, and you will be [an example of] terrorto allthe kingdomsof the earth.
I would have said,"I will cutthem to pieces,I will removethe memoryof them from men,"
NOT LIKETHE COVENANTWHICHI MADEWITH THEIR FATHERSON THE DAYWHEN I TOOKTHEM BY THE HANDTO LEADTHEM OUT OF THE LANDOF EGYPT;FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUEIN MY COVENANT,AND I DID NOT CAREFOR THEM, SAYSTHE LORD.
