15-17 God, the God of their ancestors, repeatedly sent warning messages to them. Out of compassion for both his people and his Temple he wanted to give them every chance possible. But they wouldn’t listen; they poked fun at God’s messengers, despised the message itself, and in general treated the prophets like idiots. God became more and more angry until there was no turning back—God called in Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who came and killed indiscriminately—and right in The Temple itself; it was a ruthless massacre: young men and virgins, the elderly and weak—they were all the same to him.

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The Fall of Jerusalem(A)(B)

15 The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers(C) again and again,(D) because he had pity on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they mocked God’s messengers, despised his words and scoffed(E) at his prophets until the wrath(F) of the Lord was aroused against his people and there was no remedy.(G) 17 He brought up against them the king of the Babylonians,[a](H) who killed their young men with the sword in the sanctuary, and did not spare young men(I) or young women, the elderly or the infirm.(J) God gave them all into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Chronicles 36:17 Or Chaldeans