But the <sc>Lordsc> was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of<n id="1" /> his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">So when Rehoboam<n id="1" /> humbled himself, the <sc>Lordsc> relented from his anger and did not annihilate him;<n id="2" /> Judah experienced some good things.<n id="3" />

<p class="bodytext">But once he became powerful, his pride destroyed him.<n id="1" /> He disobeyed<n id="2" /> the <sc>Lordsc> his God. He entered the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple to offer incense on the incense altar.

They burned down the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and tore down the wall of Jerusalem.<n id="1" /> They burned all its fortified buildings and destroyed all its valuable items.

<p class="lamhebrew">&#1495; (<i>Kheti>)p> <p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> was determined to tear downp> <p class="poetry">Daughter Zion&#8217;s wall.p> <p class="poetry">He prepared to knock it down;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">he did not withdraw his hand from destroying.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">He made the ramparts and fortified walls lament;p> <p class="poetry">together they mourned their ruin.<n id="3" />p>

David said to Abner, &#8220;Aren&#8217;t you a man? After all, who is like you in Israel? Why then haven&#8217;t you protected your lord the king? One of the soldiers came to kill your lord the king.

But the <sc>Lordsc> was unwilling to destroy David&#8217;s dynasty<n id="1" /> because of the promise<n id="2" /> he had made to give David a perpetual dynasty.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Why do you forget<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>, who made you,p> <p class="poetry">who stretched out the sky<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and founded the earth?p> <p class="poetry">Why do you constantly tremble all day long<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">at the anger of the oppressor,p> <p class="poetry">when he makes plans to destroy?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the anger of the oppressor?<n id="4" />p>