⁷ Therefore thus says the Lord God: ^(A)Your slain whom you have laid in the midst of it, ^(B)they are the meat, and ^(C)this city is the cauldron, but you shall be brought out of the midst of it.

³ And ^(A)utter a parable to ^(B)the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:

⁶ “Therefore thus says the Lord God: ^(E)Woe to the bloody city, to ^(F)the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.^{[b] 7} For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on ^(G)the bare rock; ^(H)she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust. ⁸ To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered. ⁹ Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! ^(I)I also will make the pile great. ¹⁰ Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices,^[c] and let the bones be burned up. ¹¹ Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, ^(J)that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed. ^12 (K)She has wearied herself with toil;^[d] its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion! ¹³ On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, ^(L)you shall not be cleansed anymore till ^(M)I have satisfied my fury upon you.

The People Exiled to Babylon

²⁴ And the captain of the guard took ^(A)Seraiah the chief priest, and ^(B)Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; ²⁵ and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and ^(C)seven men of the king's council, who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the midst of the city. ²⁶ And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at ^(D)Riblah. ²⁷ And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at ^(E)Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.

^18 (A)And the captain of the guard took ^(B)Seraiah the chief priest and ^(C)Zephaniah the second priest and the three keepers of the threshold; ¹⁹ and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the men of war, and ^(D)five men of the king's council who were found in the city; and the secretary of the commander of the army, who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land, who were found in the city. ²⁰ And Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them and brought them to the king of Babylon at ^(E)Riblah. ²¹ And the king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at ^(F)Riblah in the land of Hamath. ^(G)So Judah was taken into exile out of its land.

Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah

²² And over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had left, he appointed ^(H)Gedaliah the son of ^(I)Ahikam, son of Shaphan, governor.

⁹ Like ^(A)emery harder than flint have I made your forehead. ^(B)Fear them not, nor be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house.” ¹⁰ Moreover, he said to me, “Son of man, ^(C)all my words that I shall speak to you receive ^(D)in your heart, and hear with your ears. ¹¹ And go to the exiles, ^(E)to your people, and speak to them and say to them, ^(F)‘Thus says the Lord God,’ ^(G)whether they hear or refuse to hear.”