He was so wicked he worshiped the disgusting idols,<n id="1" /> just like the Amorites<n id="2" /> whom the <sc>Lordsc> had driven out from before the Israelites.)p>

The <sc>Lordsc> saw Israel&#8217;s intense suffering;<n id="1" /> everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer.<n id="2" />

<p class="bodytext">So the <sc>Lordsc> was furious<n id="1" /> with Israel and rejected them;<n id="2" /> only the tribe of Judah was left.

Did not the Cushites and Libyans have a huge army with chariots and a very large number of horsemen? But when you relied on the <sc>Lordsc>, he handed them over to you!

So Amaziah dismissed the troops that had come to him from Ephraim and sent them home.<n id="1" /> They were very angry at Judah and returned home incensed.

A huge crowd assembled in Jerusalem to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month.<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Hezekiah was very wealthy and greatly respected. He made storehouses for his silver, gold, precious stones, spices, and all his other valuable possessions.<n id="1" />

He built royal cities<n id="1" /> and owned a large number of sheep and cattle, for God gave him a huge amount of possessions.p>

So the king said to me, &#8220;Why do you appear to be depressed when you aren&#8217;t sick? What can this be other than sadness of heart?&#8221; This made me very fearful.p>

But Queen Vashti refused<n id="1" /> to come at the king&#8217;s bidding<n id="2" /> conveyed through the eunuchs. Then the king became extremely angry, and his rage consumed<n id="3" /> him.p>

Then they sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, yet no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his pain<n id="1" /> was very great.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Because of all my enemies, people disdain me;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">my neighbors are appalled by my suffering<n id="2" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">those who know me are horrified by my condition;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">those who see me in the street run away from me.p>

<t /><p class="psasuper">For the music director; by the Korahites; according to the <i>alamothi> style;<n id="2" /> a song.p> <p class="poetry">God is our strong refuge;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">he is truly our helper in times of trouble.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The nobles of the nations assemble,p> <p class="poetry">along with the people of the God of Abraham,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">for God has authority over the rulers<n id="2" /> of the earth.p> <p class="poetry">He is highly exalted!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">I was angry at my people;p> <p class="poetry">I defiled my special possessionp> <p class="poetry">and handed them over to you.p> <p class="poetry">You showed them no mercy;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you even placed a very heavy burden on old people.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Both of these will come upon youp> <p class="poetry">suddenly, in one day!p> <p class="poetry">You will lose your children and be widowed.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You will be overwhelmed by these tragedies,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">despite<n id="3" /> your many incantationsp> <p class="poetry">and your numerous amulets.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, do not be too angry!p> <p class="poetry">Do not hold our sins against us continually!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Take a good look at your people, at all of us!<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Go west<n id="1" /> across the sea to the coasts of Cyprus<n id="2" /> and see.p> <p class="poetry">Send someone east to Kedar<n id="3" /> and have them look carefully.p> <p class="poetry">See if such a thing as this has ever happened:p>

<p class="poetry">For the sound of wailing is soon to be heard in Zion.p> <p class="poetry">They will wail,<n id="1" /> &#8216;We are utterly ruined!<n id="2" /> We are completely disgraced!p> <p class="poetry">For our houses have been torn downp> <p class="poetry">and we must leave our land.&#8217;&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="bodytext">Therefore, the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Ask the people of other nationsp> <p class="poetry">whether they have heard of anything like this.p> <p class="poetry">Israel should have been like a virgin.p> <p class="poetry">But she has done something utterly revolting!p>