This is what Jehovah has said: ‘Here I am gathering the captive ones of the tents of Jacob, and for his tabernacles I shall have pity. And the city [Zion, or, Jerusalem] will actually be rebuilt upon her mound; and upon its rightful site the dwelling tower itself will sit.

13, 14. (a) How did those Israelites surviving the sword of the conquerors come to be in a “wilderness” condition, and where were they seeking repose? (b) With love to what extent did Jehovah love Israel, and so with what personal quality would he draw them to himself?

¹³ Jehovah purposed to make a surpassing demonstration of his loving-kindness to his covenant people. That is why he did not let the sword of their conquerors kill them off completely. There were to be survivors. These would find living in exile in an enemy land to be like tenting in a wilderness in which they found no real repose, for it was not their homeland, not their God-given land.