You will die a peaceful death. They will burn incense at your burial just as they did at the burial of your ancestors, the former kings who preceded you. They will mourn for you, saying, “Alas, master!” Indeed, you have my own word on this. I, the Lord, affirm it!’”

Have you forgotten all the wicked things that have been done in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem by your ancestors, by the kings of Judah and their wives, and by you and your wives?

Instead we will do everything we vowed we would do. We will sacrifice and pour out drink offerings to the goddess called the Queen of Heaven just as we and our ancestors, our kings, and our leaders previously did in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. For then we had plenty of food, were well off, and had no troubles.

“The Lord did indeed remember and call to mind what you did! He remembered the incense you and your ancestors, your kings, your leaders, and all the rest of the people of the land offered to other gods in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem.

The Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says, “I will punish Amon, the god of Thebes. I will punish Egypt, its gods, and its kings. I will punish Pharaoh and all who trust in him.

“Look! An army is about to come from the north. A mighty nation and many kings are stirring into action in faraway parts of the earth.

“Sharpen your arrows! Fill your quivers! The Lord will arouse a spirit of hostility in the kings of Media, for he intends to destroy Babylonia. For that is how the Lord will get his revenge— how he will get his revenge for the Babylonians’ destruction of his temple.

Prepare the nations to do battle against her. Prepare the kings of the Medes. Prepare their governors and all their leaders. Prepare all the countries they rule to do battle against her.

He spoke kindly to him and gave him a more prestigious position than the other kings who were with him in Babylon.