28
"The Lord Almighty says: I have pleaded with you as a father pleads with his sons, as a mother pleads with her daughters, or as a nursemaid pleads with her small children.
29
I begged you to be my people so that I could be your God, to be my children so that I could be your father.
30
I gathered you together as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. But now what can I do with you? I will banish you from my sight;
1
31
and even when you offer sacrifices to me, I will turn away from you. Your religious festivals, your New Moon celebrations, or your circumcision ceremonies mean nothing to me.
32
I sent to you my servants, the prophets, but you killed them and mutilated their corpses. I will make you pay for murdering them.
33
"The Lord Almighty says: Your Temple is abandoned. I will scatter you like straw blown away by the wind.
34
Your children will have no descendants because they rejected my commandments and did what I hated, just as you did.
35
I will give your home to a people that is about to appear. They will believe me, even though they have not yet heard of me. They will do what I command, even though I never performed any miracles for them.
2
36
They have not seen the prophets, but they will live by their ancient teachings.
37
I give my solemn promise that I will bless those people, and their little children will laugh and shout for joy. Those people have never seen me, but deep within them they will believe my words.
38
"Now, Father Ezra, look with pride at the people you see coming from the east.