9 “Long ago I gave these commands to my people: ‘You must see that justice is done, and must show kindness and mercy to one another.
10 Do not oppress widows, orphans, foreigners who live among you, or anyone else in need. And do not plan ways of harming one another.’
11 “But my people stubbornly refused to listen. They closed their minds
12 and made their hearts as hard as rock. Because they would not listen to the teaching which I sent through the prophets who lived long ago, I became very angry.
13 Because they did not listen when I spoke, I did not answer when they prayed.
14 Like a storm I swept them away to live in foreign countries. This good land was left a desolate place, with no one living in it.”