“ This city has always stirred up my great anger. It has done it since the day it was built. Now I must remove it from my sight.

这城自从建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒气和忿怒，使我将这城从我面前除掉；

这城自从建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒气和愤怒，以致我将这城从我面前除掉；

这城自从建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒气和愤怒，以致我将这城从我面前除掉；

这城自从建立以来一直惹我发怒，以致我不得不毁灭它。

‘因为这城自从建造的那天，直到今日，都不断惹起我的怒气和烈怒，以致我要把她从我面前除掉。

這城自從建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒氣和忿怒，使我將這城從我面前除掉；

這城自從建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒氣和憤怒，以致我將這城從我面前除掉；

這城自從建造的那日直到今日，常惹我的怒氣和憤怒，以致我將這城從我面前除掉；

這城自從建立以來一直惹我發怒，以致我不得不毀滅它。

‘因為這城自從建造的那天，直到今日，都不斷惹起我的怒氣和烈怒，以致我要把她從我面前除掉。

因為這城自從人建造它那一天、直到今日、就常激我的怒氣和烈怒，以致我須將這城從我面前除掉。

此邑自始建、迄於今日、干我怒、激我忿、致屏之於我前、

自建此城、以迄今日、斯民也干予震怒、我遐棄之。

自建斯城之日、以迄今日、恆干我怒、激我忿、使我除之於我前、

From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight.

This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight

“ From the time this city was built until now, it has done nothing but anger me, so I am determined to get rid of it.

“ for this city has caused my wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from my presence

“ Indeed this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My wrath since the day that they built it, even to this day, so that it should be removed from My sight,

‘ For this city has been to Me a provocation of My anger and My fury from the day that they built it, even to this day; so I will remove it from before My face

For this city hath been to me a provocation of mine anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,

“ for this city has caused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. I will therefore remove it from My presence,

For this city hath been to me[ as] a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,

This will happen because the people of this city have aroused my anger and my wrath since the time they built it until now. They have made me so angry that I am determined to remove it from my sight.

For this city has been to me a provocation of my anger and of my wrath from the day that they built it even to this day, so that I should remove it from before my face,

So the Lord said,“ I will remove Judah from my land. I will do to them what I did to Israel. I will turn my back on Jerusalem. It is the city I chose. I will also turn my back on this temple. I spoke about it. I said,‘ I will put my Name there.’ ”( 1 Kings 8:29)

These things happened to Judah in keeping with what the Lord had commanded. He brought enemies against his people in order to remove them from his land. He removed them because of all the sins Manasseh had committed.Manasseh had spilled the blood of many people who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong. In fact, he spilled so much of their blood that he filled Jerusalem with it. So the Lord refused to forgive him.

He built altars in the Lord’ s temple. The Lord had said about his temple,“ I will put my Name there in Jerusalem.”In the two courtyards of the Lord’ s temple Manasseh built altars to honor all the stars.He sacrificed his own son in the fire to another god. He practiced all kinds of evil magic. He got messages from those who had died. He talked to the spirits of the dead. He did many things that were evil in the eyes of the Lord. Manasseh made the Lord very angry.Manasseh had carved a pole used to worship the female god named Asherah. He put it in the temple. The Lord had spoken to David and his son Solomon about the temple. He had said,“ My Name will be in this temple and in Jerusalem forever. Out of all the cities in the tribes of Israel I have chosen Jerusalem.

But they prophesy lies to you. If you listen to them, you will be removed far away from your lands. I will drive you away from them. And you will die.

The Lord who rules over all speaks to the Babylonians. He says,“ Cut down some trees. Use the wood to build ramps against Jerusalem’s walls. I must punish that city. It is filled with people who treat others badly.Wells keep giving fresh water. And Jerusalem keeps on sinning. Its people are always fighting and causing trouble. When I look at them, I see nothing but sickness and wounds.

Manasseh also spilled the blood of many people who weren’t guilty of doing anything wrong. He spilled so much blood that he filled Jerusalem with it from one end of the city to the other. And he caused Judah to commit sin. So they also did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.

“ Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. And you would not let me!

Shouldn’t I punish them for this?” announces the Lord.“ Shouldn’t I pay back the nation that does these things?“ Armies of Babylon, go through their vineyards and destroy them. But do not destroy them completely. Strip off their branches. These people do not belong to me.The people of Israel and the people of Judah have not been faithful to me at all,” announces the Lord.

There is a hill east of Jerusalem. Solomon built a high place for worshiping Chemosh there. He built a high place for worshiping Molek there too. Chemosh was the god of Moab. Molek was the god of Ammon. The Lord hated both of those gods.Solomon also built high places so that all his wives from other nations could worship their gods. Those women burned incense and offered sacrifices to their gods.

I have also seen something horrible among Jerusalem’s prophets. They are not faithful to me. They are not living by the truth. They strengthen the hands of those who do evil. So not one of them turns from their sinful ways. All of them are like the people of Sodom to me. They are just like the people of Gomorrah.”So the Lord who rules over all speaks about the prophets. He says,“ I will make them eat bitter food. I will make them drink poisoned water. The prophets of Jerusalem have spread their ungodly ways all through the land.”

There was an altar at Bethel. It was at the high place made by Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit sin. Even that altar and high place were destroyed by Josiah. He burned the high place. He ground it into powder. He also burned the Asherah pole.

In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day. Certainly no prophet can die outside Jerusalem!“ Jerusalem! Jerusalem! You kill the prophets and throw stones in order to kill those who are sent to you. Many times I have wanted to gather your people together. I have wanted to be like a hen who gathers her chicks under her wings. And you would not let me.

“ Son of man, are you going to judge Jerusalem? Will you judge this city that has so many murderers in it? Then tell its people they have done many evil things. I hate those things.Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ Your city brings death on itself. You spill blood inside its walls. You make yourselves‘ unclean’ by making statues of gods.You are guilty of spilling blood. Your statues have made you‘ unclean.’ You have brought your days to a close. The end of your years has come. So the nations will make fun of you. All the countries will laugh at you.Those who are near you will tell jokes about you. So will those who are far away. Trouble fills the streets of your sinful city.“‘ “The princes of Israel are in your city. All of them use their power to spill blood.They have made fun of fathers and mothers alike. They have crushed outsiders. They have treated badly the children whose fathers have died. They have done the same thing to widows.You have looked down on the holy things that were set apart to me. You have misused my Sabbath days.You have spread lies about others so you can spill someone’s blood. You eat at the mountain temples. You commit impure acts.You bring shame on your fathers by having sex with their wives. You have sex with women during their monthly period. That is when they are‘ unclean.’One of you has sex with another man’s wife. I hate that sin. Another brings shame on his daughter- in- law by having sex with her. Still another has sex with his sister, even though she is his own father’s daughter.You accept money from people who want special favors. You do this to spill someone’s blood. You charge interest to poor people when you lend them money. You make money from them. You get rich by cheating your neighbors. And you have forgotten me,” announces the Lord and King.“‘ “I will clap my hands because I am so angry. You got rich by cheating others. You spilled blood inside the walls of your city.Will you be brave on the day I deal with you? Will you be strong at that time? I have spoken. I will do this. I am the Lord.I will scatter you among the nations. I will send you to other countries. I will put an end to your‘ uncleanness.’You will be‘ unclean’ in the sight of the nations. Then you will know that I am the Lord.” ’ ”A message from the Lord came to me. The Lord said,“ Son of man, the people of Israel have become like scum to me. All of them are like the copper, tin, iron and lead left inside a furnace. They are only the scum that is removed from silver.”So the Lord and King says,“ People of Israel, all of you have become like scum. So I will gather you together in Jerusalem.People put silver, copper, iron, lead and tin into a furnace. They melt it with a blazing fire. In the same way, I will gather you. I will pour out my burning anger on you. I will put you inside the city and melt you.I will gather you together. My burning anger will blaze out at you. And you will be melted inside Jerusalem.Silver is melted in a furnace. And you will be melted inside the city. Then you will know that I have poured out my burning anger on you. I am the Lord.”

Tell him,“ The Lord says,‘ I am going to bring horrible trouble on this place and its people. Everything written in the book the king of Judah has read will take place.That’s because the people have deserted me. They have burned incense to other gods. They have made me very angry because of the statues of gods their hands have made. So my anger will burn like a fire against this place. And the fire of my anger will not be put out.’ ” ’

Her people have committed many sins. They have become impure. All those who honored Jerusalem now look down on her. They all look at her as if she were a naked woman. The city groans and turns away in shame.