3 From the thirteenth year of Judah’s King Josiah, Amon’s son, to this very day—twenty-three years—the Lord’s word has come to me. I have delivered it to you repeatedly, although you wouldn’t listen.
4 In fact, the Lord has tirelessly sent you all his servants, the prophets, but you wouldn’t listen or pay attention.
5 They said, "Each one of you, turn from your evil ways and deeds and live in the fertile land that the Lord gave you and your ancestors for all time.
6 Don’t follow or worship other gods and don’t anger me by what you make with your hands. Then I won’t bring disaster upon you."
7 But you wouldn’t listen to me, making me angry by what you do and bringing disaster upon yourselves, declares the Lord.
8 Therefore, this is what the Lord of heavenly forces says: Because you haven’t listened to my words,
9 I am going to muster all the tribes of the north and my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares the Lord, and I will bring them against this country and its residents as well as against all the surrounding nations. I will completely destroy them and will make them an object of horror, shock, and ruins for all time.