Now the Lord has fulfilled the word he spoke: I have succeeded David my father, and I sit on the throne of Israel, as the Lord has spoken, and I have built this house for the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.
An altar of earth make for me, and sacrifice upon it your burnt offerings and communion sacrifices, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be invoked I will come to you and bless you.
The Lord has devoured without pity all of Jacob’s dwellings; In his fury he has razed daughter Judah’s defenses, Has brought to the ground in dishonor a kingdom and its princes.
He laid waste his booth like a garden, destroyed his shrine; The Lord has blotted out in Zion feast day and sabbath, Has scorned in fierce wrath king and priest.
Say to the house of Israel: Thus says the Lord God: I will now desecrate my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the delight of your eyes, the concern of your soul. The sons and daughters you left behind shall fall by the sword.
I will bring in the worst of the nations to take possession of their houses. I will put an end to their proud strength, and their sanctuaries will be defiled.
Instead, you shall seek out the place which the Lord, your God, chooses out of all your tribes and designates as his dwelling to put his name there. There you shall go,