"And the LORDª spakeª° to¹ Manasseh,ª and to¹ his people:ª but they would not¹ hearken.ª°" {2Ch 33:10} + "And the LORDª Godª of their fathersª sentª° to¹ them byª his messengers,ª rising up betimes,ª° and sending;ª° because¹ he had compassionª° on¹ his people,ª and on¹ his dwelling place:ª" {2Ch 36:15} + "Nevertheless they were disobedient,ª° and rebelledª° against thee, and castª°¹ thy lawª behindª their backs,ª and slewª° thy prophetsª which¹ testifiedª° against them to turnª° them to¹ thee, and they wroughtª° greatª provocations.ª" {Neh 9:26} + "Yet manyª yearsª didst thou forbearª°¹ them, and testifiedstª° against them by thy spiritª inª thy prophets:ª yet would they not¹ give ear:ª° therefore gavestª° thou them into the handª of the peopleª of the lands.ª" {Neh 9:30} + "Wherefore,ªª behold,ª° Iª sendª° untoª youª prophets,ª andª wise men,ª andª scribes:ª andª [some] ofª themª ye shall killª° andª crucify;ª° andª [some] ofª themª shall ye scourgeª° inª yourª synagogues,ª andª persecuteª° [them] fromª cityª toª city:ª ... O Jerusalem,ª Jerusalem,ª [thou] that killestª° the¹ prophets,ª andª stonestª° them which are sentª° untoª thee,ª how oftenª would¹ I²° have gathered²° thy²² children² together,ª°¹¹ even asª¹ a henª gatherethª° herª chickensª underª [her] wings,ª andª ye wouldª° not!ª" {Mtt 23:34-37}; In the following verses the doom of Judah and Jerusalem is passed, and it is a heavy doom. The prophets were sent in the first place to teach them the knowledge of God, to remind them of their duty, and direct them in it. If they succeeded not in that, their next work was to reprove them for their sins, and to set them in view before them, that they might repent and reform, and return to their duty. If in this they prevailed not, their next work was to foretell the judgments of God, that the terror of them might awaken to repentance those who would not be made sensible of the obligations of his love; or else that the execution of them, in their season, might be a demonstration of the divine mission of the prophets who foretold them. They were made judges to those who would not hear and receive them as teachers. - Henry.