Uzziah built up Elat and restored it to Judah after King Amaziah had passed away.

“You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egypt, and you heard their cry at the Red Sea.

“But they – our ancestors – behaved presumptuously; they rebelled and did not obey your commandments.

Grandchildren are like a crown to the elderly, and the glory of children is their parents.

A house and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the Lord.

If you stop doing these things, I will allow you to continue to live in this land which I gave to your ancestors as a lasting possession.

But your ancestors did not listen to me nor pay attention to me. They became obstinate and were more wicked than even their own forefathers.’”

He has done this to show mercy to our ancestors, and to remember his holy covenant –

“Woe to you when all people speak well of you, for their ancestors did the same things to the false prophets.

Woe to you! You build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed.

So you testify that you approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed the prophets and you build their tombs!

The God of our forefathers raised up Jesus, whom you seized and killed by hanging him on a tree.

Then a famine occurred throughout Egypt and Canaan, causing great suffering, and our ancestors could not find food.

So when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there the first time.

Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, but pushed him aside and turned back to Egypt in their hearts,

And we proclaim to you the good news about the promise to our ancestors,

And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our ancestors,

Not only that, but when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our ancestor Isaac –

Pharaoh said to Joseph’s brothers, “What is your occupation?” They said to Pharaoh, “Your servants take care of flocks, just as our ancestors did.”

Indeed, may the Lord, the God of your ancestors, make you a thousand times more numerous than you are now, blessing you just as he said he would!