1. The Lord spoke his word to Jeremiah about all the people of Judah when Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, was in his fourth year as king. (This was the first year that Nebuchadnezzar was king of Babylon.)
2. The prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and to everyone who lived in Jerusalem. He said,
3. “For 23 years, from the time that Josiah, son of Amon, was in his thirteenth year as king of Judah until today, the Lord continued to speak his word to me. So I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened.
4. “Even though the Lord has sent all his servants the prophets to you, you haven’t listened or paid attention to them.
5. The prophets said, ‘Turn from your evil ways and the evil you have done, and live in the land that the Lord permanently gave to you and your ancestors.
6. Don’t follow other gods to serve and worship them. Don’t make me furious about the idols your hands have shaped. Then I won’t harm you.
7. But you haven’t listened to me, declares the Lord. You have made me furious about the idols your hands have shaped and ⌊have brought⌋ harm upon yourselves.’
8. “This is what the Lord of Armies says: You did not listen to my words,
9. so I’m going to send for all the families from the north. I will also send for my servant King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, declares the Lord. I will bring the families from the north to attack this land, its people, and all these surrounding nations. I’m going to destroy them and turn them into something terrible, something ridiculed, and something permanently ruined.
10. I will take from them the sounds of joy and happiness, the sounds of brides and grooms, the sound of mills, and the light of lamps.
11. This whole land will be ruined and become a wasteland. These nations will serve the king of Babylon for 70 years.
12. “When the 70 years are over, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation for their crimes, declares the Lord. I will turn Babylon into a permanent wasteland.