¹⁹ They set fire^(A) to God’s temple^(B) and broke down the wall^(C) of Jerusalem; they burned all the palaces and destroyed^(D) everything of value there.^(E)

²⁰ He carried into exile^(F) to Babylon the remnant, who escaped from the sword, and they became servants^(G) to him and his successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. ²¹ The land enjoyed its sabbath rests;^(H) all the time of its desolation it rested,^(I) until the seventy years^(J) were completed in fulfillment of the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.

¹⁹ They will all come and settle in the steep ravines and in the crevices^(A) in the rocks, on all the thornbushes^(B) and at all the water holes. ²⁰ In that day^(C) the Lord will use^(D) a razor hired from beyond the Euphrates River^(E)—the king of Assyria^(F)—to shave your head and private parts, and to cut off your beard^(G) also.^{(H) 21} In that day,^(I) a person will keep alive a young cow and two goats.^{(J) 22} And because of the abundance of the milk they give, there will be curds to eat. All who remain in the land will eat curds^(K) and honey.^{(L) 23} In that day,^(M) in every place where there were a thousand vines worth a thousand silver shekels,^[a](N) there will be only briers and thorns.^{(O) 24} Hunters will go there with bow and arrow, for the land will be covered with briers^(P) and thorns. ²⁵ As for all the hills^(Q) once cultivated by the hoe, you will no longer go there for fear of the briers and thorns;^(R) they will become places where cattle are turned loose and where sheep run.^(S)

The Lord’s Devastation of the Earth