<p class="bodytext">The list of Joash&#8217;s<n id="1" /> sons, the many prophetic oracles pertaining to him, and the account of his building project on God&#8217;s temple are included in the record of the Scroll of the Kings.<n id="2" /> His son Amaziah replaced him as king.p>

From the time Amaziah turned from following the <sc>Lordsc>, conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem,<n id="1" /> so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him<n id="2" /> and they killed him there.

So when the envoys arrived from the Babylonian officials to visit him and inquire about the sign that occurred in the land,<n id="1" /> God left him alone to test him, in order to know his true motives.<n id="2" />p>

He erected the altar of the <sc>Lordsc> and offered on it peace offerings and thank offerings. He told the people of<n id="1" /> Judah to serve the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.

They established the altar on its foundations, even though they were in terror of the local peoples,<n id="1" /> and they offered burnt offerings on it to the <sc>Lordsc>, both the morning and the evening offerings.

On the first day of the first month he had determined to make<n id="1" /> the ascent from Babylon, and on the first day of the fifth month he arrived at Jerusalem,<n id="2" /> for the good hand of his God was on him.

for they had not met the Israelites with food<n id="1" /> and water, but instead had hired Balaam to curse them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into blessing.)

let them bring royal attire which the king himself has worn and a horse on which the king himself has ridden &#8211; one bearing the royal insignia!<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">I will make it a wasteland;p> <p class="poetry">no one will prune its vines or hoe its ground,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and thorns and briers will grow there.p> <p class="poetry">I will order the cloudsp> <p class="poetry">not to drop any rain on it.p>

<p class="poetry">At that time<n id="1" /> they will growl over their prey,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">it will sound like sea waves crashing against rocks.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">One will look out over the land and see the darkness of disaster,p> <p class="poetry">clouds will turn the light into darkness.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The <sc>Lordsc> told me, &#8220;Take a large tablet<n id="1" /> and inscribe these words<n id="2" /> on it with an ordinary stylus:<n id="3" /> &#8216;Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz.&#8217;<n id="4" />

The <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies is about to beat them<n id="1" /> with a whip, similar to the way he struck down Midian at the rock of Oreb.<n id="2" /> He will use his staff against the sea, lifting it up as he did in Egypt.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s spirit will rest on him<n id="1" /> &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that gives extraordinary wisdom,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that provides the ability to execute plans,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">a spirit that produces absolute loyalty to the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then a trustworthy king will be established;p> <p class="poetry">he will rule in a reliable manner,p> <p class="poetry">this one from David&#8217;s family.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He will be sure to make just decisionsp> <p class="poetry">and will be experienced in executing justice.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">At that time<n id="1" /> the Egyptians<n id="2" /> will be like women.<n id="3" /> They will tremble and fear because the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies brandishes his fist against them.<n id="4" />

His father&#8217;s family will gain increasing prominence because of him,<n id="1" /> including the offspring and the offshoots.<n id="2" /> All the small containers, including the bowls and all the jars will hang from this peg.&#8217;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For this reason this is what the Holy One of Israel says:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;You have rejected this message;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you trust instead in your ability to oppress and trick,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and rely on that kind of behavior.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Every blow from his punishing cudgel,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">with which the <sc>Lordsc> will beat them,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">will be accompanied by music from the<n id="3" /> tambourine and harp,p> <p class="poetry">and he will attack them with his weapons.<n id="4" />p>

this is what the <sc>Lordsc> says about him:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The virgin daughter Zion<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">despises you &#8211; she makes fun of you;p> <p class="poetry">daughter Jerusalemp> <p class="poetry">shakes her head after you.<n id="3" />p>

<t /><n id="1" /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Here is my servant whom I support,p> <p class="poetry">my chosen one in whom I take pleasure.p> <p class="poetry">I have placed my spirit on him;p> <p class="poetry">he will make just decrees<n id="2" /> for the nations.<n id="3" />p>