<p class="poetry">Its soldiers are armed with bows and spears.p> <p class="poetry">They are cruel and show no mercy.p> <p class="poetry">They sound like the roaring seap> <p class="poetry">as they ride forth on their horses.p> <p class="poetry">Lined up in formation like men going into battle,p> <p class="poetry">they are coming against you, fair Babylon!<n id="1" />p>

like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds after the rain.<n id="1" /> This was the appearance of the surrounding brilliant light; it looked like the glory of the <sc>Lordsc>. When I saw<n id="2" /> it, I threw myself face down, and I heard a voice speaking.p>

<p class="bodytext">Now, while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I threw myself face down and cried out with a loud voice, &#8220;Alas, sovereign <sc>Lordsc>! You are completely wiping out the remnant of Israel!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Into his right hand<n id="1" /> comes the portent for Jerusalem &#8211; to set up battering rams, to give the signal<n id="2" /> for slaughter, to shout out the battle cry,<n id="3" /> to set up battering rams against the gates, to erect a siege ramp, to build a siege wall.

The sound of a carefree crowd accompanied her,<n id="1" /> including all kinds of men;<n id="2" /> even Sabeans<n id="3" /> were brought from the desert. The sisters<n id="4" /> put bracelets on their wrists and beautiful crowns on their heads.

I made the nations shake at the sound of its fall, when I threw it down to Sheol, along with those who descend to the pit.<n id="1" /> Then all the trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon, all that were well-watered, were comforted in the earth below.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;All Israel has broken<n id="1" /> your law and turned away by not obeying you.<n id="2" /> Therefore you have poured out on us the judgment solemnly threatened<n id="3" /> in the law of Moses the servant of God, for we have sinned against you.<n id="4" />

<p class="poetry">The voice of the <sc>Lordsc> thunders<n id="1" /> as he leads his army.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Indeed, his warriors<n id="3" /> are innumerable;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Surely his command is carried out!<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes, the day of the <sc>Lordsc> is awesome<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">and very terrifying &#8211; who can survive<n id="7" /> it?p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;I am against you!&#8221; declares<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies:<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will burn your chariots<n id="3" /> with fire;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">the sword will devour your young lions;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">you will no longer prey upon the land;<n id="6" />p> <p class="poetry">the voices of your messengers<n id="7" /> will no longer be heard.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Flocks and herds<n id="1" /> will lie down in the middle of it,p> <p class="poetry">as well as every kind of wild animal.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Owls<n id="3" /> will sleep in the tops of its support pillars;p> <p class="poetry">they will hoot through the windows.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Rubble will cover the thresholds;<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">even the cedar work<n id="6" /> will be exposed to the elements.<n id="7" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak,<n id="1" /> along with the whole remnant of the people,<n id="2" /> obeyed<n id="3" /> the <sc>Lordsc> their God. They responded favorably to the message of the prophet Haggai, who spoke just as the <sc>Lordsc> their God had instructed him,<n id="4" /> and the people began to respect the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="5" />

Indeed, for forty years the Israelites traveled through the desert until all the men old enough to fight when they left Egypt, the ones who had disobeyed the <sc>Lordsc>, died off.<n id="1" /> For the <sc>Lordsc> had sworn a solemn oath to them that he would not let them see the land he had sworn on oath to give them,<n id="2" /> a land rich in<n id="3" /> milk and honey.

<p class="bodytext">On the seventh day the child died. But the servants of David were afraid to inform him that the child had died, for they said, &#8220;While the child was still alive he would not listen to us<n id="1" /> when we spoke to him. How can we tell him that the child is dead? He will do himself harm!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I am presently eighty years old. Am I able to discern good and bad? Can I<n id="1" /> taste what I eat and drink? Am I still able to hear the voices of male and female singers? Why should I<n id="2" /> continue to be a burden to my lord the king?

<p class="bodytext">Now Elisha was sitting in his house with the community leaders.<n id="1" /> The king<n id="2" /> sent a messenger on ahead, but before he arrived,<n id="3" /> Elisha<n id="4" /> said to the leaders,<n id="5" /> &#8220;Do you realize this assassin intends to cut off my head?&#8221;<n id="6" /> Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and lean against it. His master will certainly be right behind him.&#8221;<n id="7" />

<p class="bodytext">He wrote them a second letter, saying, &#8220;If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me,<n id="1" /> then take the heads of your master&#8217;s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.&#8221;<n id="2" /> Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent<n id="3" /> men of the city were raising them.

<t /><p class="poetry">Indeed, this is what the <sc>Lordsc> says to me:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;The <sc>Lordsc> will be like a growling lion,p> <p class="poetry">like a young lion growling over its prey.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Though a whole group of shepherds gathers against it,p> <p class="poetry">it is not afraid of their shoutsp> <p class="poetry">or intimidated by their yelling.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">In this same way the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies will descendp> <p class="poetry">to do battle on Mount Zion and on its hill.<n id="3" />p>