Jeremiah 50:17

"Israel is a hunted sheep; the lions have driven him away; first, the king of Assyria devoured him; and now at last Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon hath broken his bones. Therefore thus saith Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria. And I will bring Israel again to his pasture, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead. In those days, and at that time, saith Jehovah, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I leave as a remnant."

This paragraph mentions two past events, the destruction of Samaria and the Northern Israel in 722 B.C., and that by Nebuchadnezzar in 597 B.C., at which time the first wave of captives were carried to Babylon and Zedekiah became regent king for Nebuchadnezzar. This was four years later.

The message is that God had humiliated and destroyed the king of Assyria at Nineveh, and that he would bring a similar destruction upon Babylon.

"In those days ..." (Jeremiah 50:20)."These words are the usual Messianic formula,"[16] indicating that the pardon and forgiveness promised to Israel will come in the times of the Messiah in their acceptance and obedience to the Gospel of Christ.