⁸ “People from many nations will pass by this city and will ask one another, ‘Why has the Lord done such a thing to this great city?’^{(A) 9} And the answer will be: ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the Lord their God and have worshiped and served other gods.^(B)’”

⁸ I will devastate this city and make it an object of horror and scorn;^(A) all who pass by will be appalled^(B) and will scoff because of all its wounds.^(C)

¹⁰ “When you tell these people all this and they ask you, ‘Why has the Lord decreed such a great disaster against us? What wrong have we done? What sin have we committed against the Lord our God?’^{(A) 11} then say to them, ‘It is because your ancestors forsook me,’ declares the Lord, ‘and followed other gods and served and worshiped^(B) them. They forsook me and did not keep my law.^{(C) 12} But you have behaved more wickedly than your ancestors.^(D) See how all of you are following the stubbornness of your evil hearts^(E) instead of obeying me.

¹⁹ And when the people ask,^(A) ‘Why has the Lord our God done all this to us?’ you will tell them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods^(B) in your own land, so now you will serve foreigners^(C) in a land not your own.’