‘ This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: I will make your weapons useless against the king of Babylon and the Babylonians who are outside your walls attacking you. In fact, I will bring your enemies right into the heart of this city.I myself will fight against you with a strong hand and a powerful arm, for I am very angry. You have made me furious!
“ But their children, too, rebelled against me. They refused to keep my decrees and follow my regulations, even though obedience would have given them life. And they also violated my Sabbath days. So again I threatened to pour out my fury on them in the wilderness.Nevertheless, I withdrew my judgment against them to protect the honor of my name before the nations that had seen my power in bringing them out of Egypt.But I took a solemn oath against them in the wilderness. I swore I would scatter them among all the nationsbecause they did not obey my regulations. They scorned my decrees by violating my Sabbath days and longing for the idols of their ancestors.