A nation whom you have not known shall eat the fruit of your land and your produce, and you shall be only oppressed and crushed continually.

You shall plant vineyards and tend them, but you shall neither drink of the wine nor gather the grapes; for the worms shall eat them.

And they shall eat the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the offspring of your cattle or the increase of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.

Let it now be known to the king, that if this city is rebuilt and the walls completed, they will not pay tax, tribute, or toll, and the king's treasury will be damaged.

Moreover I issue a decree as to what you shall do for the elders of these Jews, for the building of this house of God: Let the king's riches from the tribute of the region beyond the River be diligently given to these men for their expenses, so that they are not hindered.

Also we inform you that it shall not be lawful to impose tax, tribute, or toll upon any of the priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, temple slaves, or servants of this house of God.

And I said to them, According to our ability we have redeemed our brothers, the Jews who were sold to the nations. Now indeed, will you even sell your brothers? Or should they be sold to us? Then they were silenced and found nothing to answer.

I will set My face against you, and you shall be smitten by your enemies. Those who hate you shall reign over you, and you shall flee when no one pursues you.

therefore you shall serve your enemies, whom Jehovah will send against you, in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in need of everything; and He will put a yoke of iron upon your neck until He has destroyed you.

They answered Him, We are Abraham's seed, and have been in slavery to no one at any time. How can You say, You will be made free?