The Lord brought the king of Babylon against them. The Babylonians killed Judah’s young men, even chasing them in to the Temple. They had no pity on the people, killing both young men and women, the old and the infirm. God handed all of them over to Nebuchadnezzar. The king took home to Babylon all the articles, large and small, used in the the Lord’s Temple and from the palace of the king and his officials. Then his army burned the Temple of God, tore down the walls of Jerusalem, burned al the palaces and completely destroyed everything of value. The few who survived were taken as servants to the king and his sons until the kingdom of Persia came into power. So the message of the Lord spoken through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The land finally enjoyed its Sabbath rest, lying desolate until the seventy years were fulfilled, just as the prophet had said. (vv. 17-21, NLT)