So I sent messengers to them saying, “I am engaged in an important work, and I am unable to come down. Why should the work come to a halt when I leave it to come down to you?”

may your ear be attentive and your eyes be open to hear the prayer of your servant that I am praying to you today throughout both day and night on behalf of your servants the Israelites. I am confessing the sins of the Israelites that we have committed against you – both I myself and my family have sinned.

But I replied, “Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!”

Even I and my relatives and my associates are lending them money and grain. But let us abandon this practice of seizing collateral!