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³ "I will send four kinds of destroyers against them," declares the LORD , "the sword to kill and the dogs to drag away and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. ⁴ I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh son of Hezekiah king of Judah did in Jerusalem.

⁵ "Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem?
Who will mourn for you?
Who will stop to ask how you are?

⁶ You have rejected me," declares the LORD .
"You keep on backsliding.
So I will lay hands on you and destroy you;
I can no longer show compassion.

⁷ I will winnow them with a winnowing fork
at the city gates of the land.
I will bring bereavement and destruction on my people,
for they have not changed their ways.

⁸ I will make their widows more numerous
than the sand of the sea.
At midday I will bring a destroyer
against the mothers of their young men;
suddenly I will bring down on them
anguish and terror.

⁹ The mother of seven will grow faint
and breathe her last.
Her sun will set while it is still day;
she will be disgraced and humiliated.
I will put the survivors to the sword
before their enemies,"
declares the LORD .

¹⁰ Alas, my mother, that you gave me birth,
a man with whom the whole land strives and contends!
I have neither lent nor borrowed,
yet everyone curses me.

¹¹ The LORD said,
"Surely I will deliver you for a good purpose;
surely I will make your enemies plead with you
in times of disaster and times of distress.

¹² "Can a man break iron-
iron from the north-or bronze?

¹³ Your wealth and your treasures
I will give as plunder, without charge,
because of all your sins
throughout your country.

¹⁴ I will enslave you to your enemies
in a land you do not know,
for my anger will kindle a fire
that will burn against you."

¹⁵ You understand, O LORD ;
remember me and care for me.
Avenge me on my persecutors.
You are long-suffering-do not take me away;
think of how I suffer reproach for your sake.

¹⁶ When your words came, I ate them;
they were my joy and my heart's delight,
for I bear your name,
O LORD God Almighty.

¹⁷ I never sat in the company of revelers,
never made merry with them;
I sat alone because your hand was on me
and you had filled me with indignation.

¹⁸ Why is my pain unending
and my wound grievous and incurable?
Will you be to me like a deceptive brook,
like a spring that fails?

¹⁹ Therefore this is what the LORD says:
"If you repent, I will restore you
that you may serve me;
if you utter worthy, not worthless, words,
you will be my spokesman.
Let this people turn to you,
but you must not turn to them.

²⁰ I will make you a wall to this people,
a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you
but will not overcome you,
for I am with you
to rescue and save you,"
declares the LORD .

²¹ "I will save you from the hands of the wicked
and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel."