¹⁸ But since we left off making offerings to ^(A)the queen of heaven and pouring out drink offerings to her, we have lacked everything ^(B)and have been consumed by the sword and by famine.”

^13 (A)“Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord. ^(B)But you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ ¹⁴ You have said, ^(C)‘It is vain to serve God. ^(D)What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts? ¹⁵ And now we call ^(E)the arrogant blessed. ^(F)Evildoers not only prosper but ^(G)they put God to the test and they escape.’”

^5 (A)We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. ⁶ But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

^12 (A)then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been driven and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah. And they ^(B)gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.