“Thus says Yahweh.

‘In this place

Of which you say.

‘It is a waste

Without humans

Or animals.’

That is

In the towns of Judah,

In the streets of Jerusalem.

They are desolate,

Without inhabitants,

Human or animal.’”

Jeremiah returns to a familiar theme, the desolation of Israel. Yahweh said that there were no humans or animals in the towns of Judah or in the streets of Jerusalem. Thus Judah and Jerusalem were desolate without any inhabitants.