<p class="bodytext">Hezekiah took the letter<n id="1" /> from the messengers and read it.<n id="2" /> Then Hezekiah went up to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s temple and spread it out before the <sc>Lordsc>.

<p class="poetry">Because you rage against mep> <p class="poetry">and the uproar you create has reached my ears,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will put my hook in your nose,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and my bridle between your lips,p> <p class="poetry">and I will lead you backp> <p class="poetry">the way you came.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">But those who wait for the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s help<n id="1" /> find renewed strength;p> <p class="poetry">they rise up as if they had eagles&#8217; wings,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">they run without growing weary,p> <p class="poetry">they walk without getting tired.p>

<p class="poetry">He sprouted up like a twig before God,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">like a root out of parched soil;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">no special appearance that we should want to follow him.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Among the smooth stones of the stream are the idols you love;p> <p class="poetry">they, they are the object of your devotion.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You pour out liquid offerings to them,p> <p class="poetry">you make an offering.p> <p class="poetry">Because of these things I will seek vengeance.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Behind the door and doorpost you put your symbols.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed,<n id="2" /> you depart from me<n id="3" /> and go upp> <p class="poetry">and invite them into bed with you.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">You purchase favors from them,<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">you love their bed,p> <p class="poetry">and gaze longingly<n id="6" /> on their genitals.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">All the sheep of Kedar will be gathered to you;p> <p class="poetry">the rams of Nebaioth will be available to you as sacrifices.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will go up on my altar acceptably,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and I will bestow honor on my majestic temple.p>

<p class="poetry">His people remembered the ancient times.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea,p> <p class="poetry">along with the shepherd of<n id="2" /> his flock?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the one who placed his holy Spirit among them,<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">For look, I am ready to createp> <p class="poetry">new heavens and a new earth!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">The former ones<n id="2" /> will not be remembered;p> <p class="poetry">no one will think about them anymore.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">many peoples will come and say,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Come, let us go up to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s mountain,p> <p class="poetry">to the temple of the God of Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">so<n id="1" /> he can teach us his requirements,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">and<n id="3" /> we can follow his standards.&#8221;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">For Zion will be the center for moral instruction;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">the <sc>Lordsc> will issue edicts from Jerusalem.<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">Therefore, as flaming fire<n id="1" /> devours straw,p> <p class="poetry">and dry grass disintegrates in the flames,p> <p class="poetry">so their root will rot,p> <p class="poetry">and their flower will blow away like dust.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For they have rejected the law of the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies,p> <p class="poetry">they have spurned the commands<n id="3" /> of the Holy One of Israel.<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">During<n id="1" /> the reign of Ahaz son of Jotham, son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Syria and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel marched up to Jerusalem<n id="2" /> to do battle, but they were unable to prevail against it.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">My heart cries out because of Moab&#8217;s plight,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and for the fugitives<n id="2" /> stretched out<n id="3" /> as far as Zoar and Eglath Shelishiyah.p> <p class="poetry">For they weep as they make their way up the ascent of Luhith;p> <p class="poetry">they loudly lament their demise on the road to Horonaim.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">The one who runs away from the sound of the terrorp> <p class="poetry">will fall into the pit;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who climbs out of the pit,p> <p class="poetry">will be trapped by the snare.p> <p class="poetry">For the floodgates of the heavens<n id="2" /> are opened up<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and the foundations of the earth shake.p>

<p class="poetry">Through your messengers you taunted the sovereign master,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;With my many chariots I climbed upp> <p class="poetry">the high mountains,p> <p class="poetry">the slopes of Lebanon.p> <p class="poetry">I cut down its tall cedarsp> <p class="poetry">and its best evergreens.p> <p class="poetry">I invaded its most remote regions,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">its thickest woods.p>

<p class="poetry">Go up on a high mountain, O herald Zion!p> <p class="poetry">Shout out loudly, O herald Jerusalem!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Shout, don&#8217;t be afraid!p> <p class="poetry">Say to the towns of Judah,p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Here is your God!&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">The one who slaughters a bull also strikes down a man;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who sacrifices a lamb also breaks a dog&#8217;s neck;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who presents an offering includes pig&#8217;s blood with it;<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">the one who offers incense also praises an idol.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">They have decided to behave this way;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">they enjoy these disgusting practices.<n id="6" />p>