33. I will scatter you among the nations, and I will pull out my sword and destroy you. Your land will become empty, your cities a waste.
34. When you are taken to your enemy’s country, your land will finally get its rest. It will enjoy its time of rest all the time it lies empty.
35. During the time the land is empty, it will have the rest you should have given it while you lived in it.
36. “ ‘Those of you who are left alive will lose their courage in the land of their enemies. They will be frightened by the sound of a leaf being blown by the wind. They will run as if someone were chasing them with a sword, and they will fall even when no one is chasing them.
37. They will fall over each other, as if someone were chasing them with a sword, even though no one is chasing them. You will not be strong enough to stand up against your enemies.
38. You will die among other nations and disappear in your enemies’ countries.
39. So those who are left alive will rot away in their enemies’ countries because of their sins. They will also rot away because of their ancestors’ sins.
40. “ ‘But maybe the people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors; maybe they will admit they turned against me and sinned against me,
41. which made me turn against them and send them into the land of their enemies. If these disobedient people are sorry for what they did and accept punishment for their sin,
42. I will remember my agreement with Jacob, my agreement with Isaac, and my agreement with Abraham, and I will remember the land.
43. The land will be left empty by its people, and it will enjoy its time of rest as it lies bare without them. Then those who are left alive will accept the punishment for their sins. They will learn that they were punished because they hated my laws and refused to obey my rules.