People will come from the towns of Judah and from the villages around Jerusalem; they will come from the territory of Benjamin, from the foothills, from the mountains, and from southern Judah. They will bring to my Temple burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and incense, as well as thank offerings.

In the towns in the hill country, in the foothills, and in southern Judah, in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages around Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah, shepherds will once again count their sheep. I, the LORD, have spoken."

The land will be divided among them in seven parts; Judah will stay in its territory in the south, and Joseph in its territory in the north.

"Mortal man," he said, "look toward the south. Speak against the south and prophesy against the forest of the south.

Tell the southern forest to hear what the Sovereign LORD is saying: Look! I am starting a fire, and it will burn up every tree in you, whether green or dry. Nothing will be able to put it out. It will spread from south to north, and everyone will feel the heat of the flames.

They will attack every town in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and the high, fortified walls in which you trust will fall.

When God tears down, who can rebuild, and who can free those God imprisons?

Finally Nebuzaradan, the commanding officer, took away as prisoners to Babylonia the people who were left in the city, together with those who had deserted to him.

in the territory of Hamath. There the king had them beaten and put to death. So the people of Judah were carried away from their land into exile.

I will turn your cities into ruins, destroy your places of worship, and refuse to accept your sacrifices.

I will bring war on you and scatter you in foreign lands. Your land will be deserted, and your cities left in ruins.

"But if you disobey the LORD your God and do not faithfully keep all his commands and laws that I am giving you today, all these evil things will happen to you:

"The LORD will scatter you among all the nations, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you will serve gods made of wood and stone, gods that neither you nor your ancestors have ever worshiped before.

Your life will always be in danger. Day and night you will be filled with terror, and you will live in constant fear of death.

The LORD will send you back to Egypt in ships, even though he said that you would never have to go there again. There you will try to sell yourselves to your enemies as slaves, but no one will want to buy you."

in the territory of Hamath. There the king had them beaten and put to death. So the people of Judah were carried away from their land into exile.