Is this the one who made the world like a desert, who ruined its cities, and refused to free his prisoners so they could return home?”’

使世界如同荒野，使城邑倾覆，不释放被掳的人归家，是这个人吗？’

使世界如同荒野，使城镇倾覆；是他，不释放被掳的人归家。’

使世界如同荒野，使城镇倾覆；是他，不释放被掳的人归家。’

这就是那曾使天下荒凉、城邑倾覆、不肯释放俘虏回家的人吗？’

使世界如同荒野，倾覆城镇，又不释放囚犯的，就是这人吗？’

那使世界如同荒野，倾覆其城镇，又不释放囚犯回家的，难道就是这人吗？’

使世界如同荒野，使城邑傾覆，不釋放被擄的人歸家，是這個人嗎？

使世界如同荒野，使城鎮傾覆；是他，不釋放被擄的人歸家。』

使世界如同荒野，使城鎮傾覆；是他，不釋放被擄的人歸家。』

這就是那曾使天下荒涼、城邑傾覆、不肯釋放俘虜回家的人嗎？』

使世界如同荒野，傾覆城鎮，又不釋放囚犯的，就是這人嗎？’

使世界如荒野，將城市翻毁，不開釋被擄之人回家的，是這個人麼？」

那使世界如同荒野，傾覆其城鎮，又不釋放囚犯回家的，難道就是這人嗎？』

寰區荒落、城邑傾圮、不令俘虜返故土者、乃斯人耶、

the man who made the world a wilderness, who overthrew its cities and would not let his captives go home?”

Did he turn the world into a desert? Did he destroy its cities? Did he refuse to let his prisoners go home?’

who made the world like a desert and overthrew its cities, who did not let his prisoners go home?’

Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world’s greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?’

who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?”

Who made the world like a wilderness And overthrew its cities, Who did not allow his prisoners to go home?’

Who made the world as a wilderness And destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’

that made the world as a wilderness, and overthrew the cities thereof; that let not loose his prisoners to their home?

who turned the world into a wilderness, who destroyed its cities and would not release the prisoners to return home?”

[ That] made the world as a wilderness, and destroyed the cities thereof;[ that] opened not the house of his prisoners?

who made the world like a wilderness, and overthrew its cities, who didn’t release his prisoners to their home?”

Like fire they devour everything in their path; a flame blazes behind them. The land looks like the Garden of Eden before them, but behind them there is only a desolate wilderness– for nothing escapes them!

It is me– I stir him up and commission him; I will make all his ways level. He will rebuild my city; he will send my exiled people home, but not for a price or a bribe,” says the LORD who commands armies.

Babylon, the most admired of kingdoms, the Chaldeans’ source of honor and pride, will be destroyed by God just as Sodom and Gomorrah were.No one will live there again; no one will ever reside there again. No bedouin will camp there, no shepherds will rest their flocks there.Wild animals will rest there, the ruined houses will be full of hyenas. Ostriches will live there, wild goats will skip among the ruins.Wild dogs will yip in her ruined fortresses, jackals will yelp in the once-splendid palaces. Her time is almost up, her days will not be prolonged.

“ Thus says King Cyrus of Persia:“‘ The LORD God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has instructed me to build a temple for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.Anyone from his people among you( may his God be with him!) may go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and may build the temple of the LORD God of Israel– he is the God who is in Jerusalem.Anyone who survives in any of those places where he is a resident foreigner must be helped by his neighbors with silver, gold, equipment, and animals, along with voluntary offerings for the temple of God which is in Jerusalem.’”

No, this is the kind of fast I want. I want you to remove the sinful chains, to tear away the ropes of the burdensome yoke, to set free the oppressed, and to break every burdensome yoke.

Your chosen cities have become a desert; Zion has become a desert, Jerusalem is a desolate ruin.

The Israelites seized from their brothers 200,000 wives, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a huge amount of plunder and took it back to Samaria.Oded, a prophet of the LORD, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them:“ Look, because the LORD God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice.And now you are planning to enslave the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the LORD your God?Now listen to me! Send back those you have seized from your brothers, for the LORD is very angry at you!”So some of the Ephraimite family leaders, Azariah son of Jehochanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jechizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai confronted those returning from the battle.They said to them,“ Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the LORD? Our guilt is already great and the LORD is very angry at Israel.”So the soldiers released the captives and the plunder before the officials and the entire assembly.Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked. So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin. They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys. They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, the city of the date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.

I will stretch out my hand against them and make the land a desolate waste from the wilderness to Riblah, in all the places where they live. Then they will know that I am the LORD!”

The LORD will attack the north and destroy Assyria. He will make Nineveh a heap of ruins; it will be as barren as the desert.Flocks and herds will lie down in the middle of it, as well as every kind of wild animal. Owls will sleep in the tops of its support pillars; they will hoot through the windows. Rubble will cover the thresholds; even the cedar work will be exposed to the elements.