32
And they took captive the women and children, and seized the cattle.
33
Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel.
34
And they stationed there a sinful people, lawless men. These strengthened their position;
35
they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great snare.
36
It became an ambush against the sanctuary, an evil adversary of Israel continually.
37
On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood; they even defiled the sanctuary.
38
Because of them the residents of Jerusalem fled; she became a dwelling of strangers; she became strange to her offspring, and her children forsook her.
39
Her sanctuary became desolate as a desert; her feasts were turned into mourning, her sabbaths into a reproach, her honor into contempt.
40
Her dishonor now grew as great as her glory; her exaltation was turned into mourning.
41
Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people,
42
and that each should give up his customs.