¹⁶ But they ·made fun of [mocked] God’s ·prophets [^Lmessengers] and hated God’s ·messages [^Lwords]. They ·refused to listen to the [ridiculed/scoffed at his] prophets until, finally, the Lord became so angry with his people that ·he could not be stopped [there was no remedy/^Lhealer]. ¹⁷ So God brought the king of ·Babylon [the Chaldeans] to attack them. The king ·killed [slaughtered; ^Lkilled with the sword] the young men even when they were in the ·Temple [^Lhouse of their sanctuary]. He had no ·mercy [pity; compassion] on the young men or women, the old men or those who were ·sick [infirm]. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. ¹⁸ Nebuchadnezzar carried away to Babylon all the ·things [articles; vessels] from the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of God, both large and small, and all the treasures from the ·Temple [^Lhouse] of the Lord and from the king and his ·officers [officials].