8. “Ezra, tear your hair in grief and call down on these people all the disasters they deserve. They are rebellious and refuse to obey my Law.
9. How much longer can I tolerate these people for whom I have done so much?
10. For their sake I overthrew many kings and crushed the king of Egypt together with his officials and all his army.
11. I destroyed all the nations that opposed them, and in the east I scattered the people of the provinces of Tyre and Sidon and killed all the enemies of Israel.
12. “Ezra, tell them that the Lord says:
13. I brought you across the Red Sea and made safe roads for you where there were none. I made Moses your leader and gave you Aaron as your priest.
14. I provided you with light from a pillar of fire and performed great miracles among you, but you have forgotten me. I, the Lord, have spoken.
15. “The Lord Almighty says: I sent you quails as a sign of my care for you. I provided you with camps where you could be safe, but all you did there was complain.
16. Even when I destroyed your enemies, you did not appreciate what I had done. You have never done anything but complain.
17. Have you forgotten the blessings I gave you? There in the desert when you were hungry and thirsty you cried out to me:
18. ‘Why have you brought us out to this desert to kill us? Being slaves to the Egyptians was better than coming here to die.’
19. I was moved by your bitter groans and gave you manna, the bread of angels.
20. When you were thirsty, I split the rock and all the water you needed flowed out. To protect you from the heat, I provided you with shady trees.