In each city there were shields and spears; he strongly fortified them.<n id="1" /> Judah and Benjamin belonged to him.p>

They solemnly agreed<n id="1" /> to seek the <sc>Lordsc> God of their ancestors<n id="2" /> with their whole heart and being.

So look, the <sc>Lordsc> is about to severely afflict<n id="1" /> your people, your sons, your wives, and all you own.

All Judah was happy about the oath, because they made the vow with their whole heart. They willingly sought the <sc>Lordsc> and he responded to them.<n id="1" /> He made them secure on every side.<n id="2" />p>

In every city throughout Judah he set up high places to offer sacrifices to other gods. He angered the <sc>Lordsc> God of his ancestors.p>

He wholeheartedly and successfully reinstituted service in God&#8217;s temple and obedience to the law, in order to follow his God.<n id="1" />p>

When they return to you with all their heart and being<n id="1" /> in the land where they are held prisoner and direct their prayers toward the land you gave to their ancestors, your chosen city, and the temple I built for your honor,<n id="2" />

and built up Baalath, all the storage cities that belonged to him,<n id="1" /> and all the cities where chariots and horses were kept.<n id="2" /> He built whatever he wanted in Jerusalem,<n id="3" /> Lebanon, and throughout his entire kingdom.<n id="4" />p>

The king stood by his pillar<n id="1" /> and renewed<n id="2" /> the covenant before the <sc>Lordsc>, agreeing to follow<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc> and to obey his commandments, laws, and rules with all his heart and being,<n id="4" /> by carrying out the terms<n id="5" /> of this covenant recorded on this scroll.