¹² But because our ancestors angered^(A) the God of heaven, he gave them into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the Chaldean, king of Babylon, who destroyed this temple and deported the people to Babylon.^(B)

⁷ From the days of our ancestors^(A) until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword^(B) and captivity,^(C) to pillage and humiliation^(D) at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

¹⁷ yes, this is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will send the sword, famine and plague^(A) against them and I will make them like figs^(B) that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸ I will pursue them with the sword, famine and plague and will make them abhorrent^(C) to all the kingdoms of the earth, a curse^[a](D) and an object of horror,^(E) of scorn^(F) and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them. ¹⁹ For they have not listened to my words,”^(G) declares the Lord, “words that I sent to them again and again^(H) by my servants the prophets.^(I) And you exiles have not listened either,” declares the Lord.