¹⁶ though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters. ^(A)They alone would be delivered, but the country would be desolate. ¹⁷ Or if I should ^(B)bring a sword on that country and say, ‘Let the sword pass through the country and ^(C)cut off man and beast from it,’ ¹⁸ even though these three men were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their sons or their daughters, but they alone would be delivered.