5. Thus says the Lord God: This is Jerusalem; in the center of the nations I have set her, and countries are round about her.
6. And she has changed and rebelled against My ordinances more wickedly than the [heathen] nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for [Israel] rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they have not walked in them. [Rom. 2:14, 15.]
7. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you were more turbulent and raged [against Me] more than the nations that are round about you and have not walked in My statutes, neither have kept My ordinances, nor have done according to the ordinances [concerning] the nations that are round about you; [Deut. 7:2-6; Josh. 23:7; Judg. 2:2.]
8. Therefore thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, even I, am against you, and I will execute judgments in the midst of you in the sight of the nations.
9. And because of all your abominations, I will do in you that which I have not done and the like of which I will never do again. [Lam. 4:6; Dan. 9:12; Amos 3:2.]
10. Therefore fathers shall eat their sons in your midst, and sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments on you and all who are left of you I will scatter to all the winds. [Lev. 26:33; Deut. 28:64; Ezek. 12:14; Zech. 2:6.]
11. Therefore, as I live, says the Lord God, surely because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish you and withdraw My eye that it shall not spare you. And I also will have no pity.
12. And a third of you shall die of pestilence and be consumed by famine in the midst of you; a third shall fall by the sword round about you; and I will scatter a third to all the winds and will draw out a sword after them.
13. Thus shall My anger be spent and I will cause My wrath toward them to rest and I will be eased and comforted. And they shall know, understand, and realize that I the Lord have spoken in My zeal, when I have accomplished My wrath upon them. [Ezek. 36:6; 38:19.]
14. Moreover, I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the nations that are round about you and in the sight of all who pass by. [Lev. 26:31, 32; Neh. 2:17.]
15. So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, a warning and a horror and an astonishment to the [heathen] nations around you when I shall execute judgments upon you in anger and in wrath and in furious chastisements and rebukes–I the Lord have spoken it. [Deut. 28:37; Ps. 79:4; Jer. 24:9.]
16. When I shall loose against them the evil arrows of hunger that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you, then I will increase the famine upon you and will break your staff of bread.
17. And I will send upon you hunger and wild beasts, and they shall bereave you [of your loved ones]; and pestilence and blood shall pass through you, and I will bring the sword upon you. I the Lord have spoken it.