Jeremiah 32:31

For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,

The city in view is Jerusalem, which had been a provocation of anger and fury from the day it was built even unto that day. Its provocation was not momentary but continual, a persistent rebellion stretching from its founding to the time of judgment.

Because of that continual provocation God determined to remove the city from before His face and put it out of His sight. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, was appointed as the instrument of God's anger to carry out that removal. He came against the city again and again because its kings rebelled.

Jehoiakim served Nebuchadnezzar three years, then rebelled and was bound and taken to Babylon. When Jehoiachin rebelled, the temple was stripped of its gold and treasures, and Jehoiachin with his court and 10,000 people were carried away. Only the poorest of the land were left, and Zedekiah was made king in his place.

Zedekiah served eight years and then rebelled, so in his ninth year the city was besieged for a year and a half before it was taken. Then the temple and the great houses were burned, the walls were broken down round about, and Zedekiah with many people was taken to Babylon. Gedaliah was left as governor over the few poor who remained, but after he was murdered by Ishmael with ten men, all the people small and great with the captains fled to Egypt for fear of the Chaldeans.

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