because you were heartsick and have humbled yourself before God when you heard his words concerning this place and its inhabitants; because you humbled yourself before me, tore your garments, and wept before me, I in turn have heard—oracle of the Lord.
No longer shall violence be heard of in your land, or plunder and ruin within your borders. You shall call your walls “Salvation” and your gates “Praise.”
Your commerce was full of lawlessness, and you sinned. Therefore I banished you from the mountain of God; the cherub drove you out from among the fiery stones.
He said: Do you see, son of man? Are the abominable things the house of Judah has done here so slight that they should also fill the land with violence, provoking me again and again? Now they are putting the branch to my nose!
For the violence done to Lebanon shall cover you, and the destruction of the animals shall terrify you; Because of the shedding of human blood, and violence done to the land, to the city and to all who live in it.
Because you plundered many nations, the remaining peoples shall plunder you; Because of the shedding of human blood, and violence done to the land, to the city and to all who live in it.
Now we know that what the law says is addressed to those under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world stand accountable to God,
For I know that after my death you are sure to act corruptly and to turn aside from the way along which I commanded you, so that evil will befall you in time to come because you have done what is evil in the Lord’s sight, and provoked him by your deeds. The Song of Moses.
But when the judge died, they would again do worse than their ancestors, following other gods, serving and bowing down to them, relinquishing none of their evil practices or stubborn ways.