9 “Say, ‘Thus says the Lord God:
“Will it thrive?
^aWill he not pull up its roots,
Cut off its fruit,
And leave it to wither?
All of its spring leaves will wither,
And no great power or many people
Will be needed to pluck it up by its roots. ‡

10 Behold, it is planted,
Will it thrive?
^aWill it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it?
It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew.” ’ ”  ‡

12 “Say now to ^athe rebellious house: ‘Do you not know what these things mean?’ Tell them, ‘Indeed ^bthe king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon.  ‡

13 ^aAnd he took the king’s offspring, made a covenant with him, ^band put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land,  ‡