Whoever came across them took advantage of them. Their enemies said, ‘We are not to blame, for they have sinned against Yahweh, the True Home of Justice, against Yahweh, the Living Hope of their ancestors.’
Yahweh himself supplies the answer: “Because they have rejected my laws, which I gave them, they refused to live as I told them, and they have not listened to my voice.
Answer them, ‘Because your ancestors walked away from me, declares Yahweh, and followed other gods and served and worshiped them. They abandoned me and failed to keep my instruction.
You will be mocked and insulted. Your downfall will be an appalling lesson to the surrounding nations. This will happen when I execute judgment on you in my furious anger and with my furious punishment. I, Yahweh, have spoken.
But I will let a few of them escape the sword, plague, and food shortages. I will let them live so that they can describe all their terrible actions to the people in the lands where they will go. And they will recognize that I am Yahweh.”
You will feel better when you see their evil way of life and actions, for then you will realize that I had a good reason to do what I did. I, Lord Yahweh, have spoken.”
The nations will also realize that the people of Israel went into captivity because of their guilt, for they were unfaithful to me. So, I hid my face from them and gave them over to the power of their enemies, whereby they were all killed in war.
They have turned back to commit again the same sins of their ancestors, who ignored my words. They, too, have chased after foreign gods to serve them. The people of Israel and the people of Judah have broken my covenant that I made with their ancestors.