All nations must serve him and his son and grandson<n id="1" /> until the time comes for his own nation to fall.<n id="2" /> Then many nations and great kings will in turn subjugate Babylon.<n id="3" />

<p class="poetry">The <sc>Lordsc> says, &#8220;I will not reject all the descendants of Israelp> <p class="poetry">because of all that they have done.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">That could only happen if the heavens above could be measuredp> <p class="poetry">or the foundations of the earth below could all be explored,&#8221;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">says the <sc>Lordsc>.<n id="3" />p>

Just as surely as I have done this, so surely will I never reject the descendants of Jacob. Nor will I ever refuse to choose one of my servant David&#8217;s descendants to rule over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Indeed,<n id="1" /> I will restore them<n id="2" /> and show mercy to them.&#8221;p>

<p class="poetry">Cries of anguish raised from Heshbon and Elealehp> <p class="poetry">will be sounded as far as Jahaz.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They will be sounded from Zoar as far as Horonaim and Eglath Shelishiyah.p> <p class="poetry">For even the waters of Nimrim will be dried up.p>

So now, bear your disgrace, because you have given your sisters reason to justify their behavior.<n id="1" /> Because the sins you have committed were more abominable than those of your sisters; they have become more righteous than you. So now, be ashamed and bear the disgrace of making your sisters appear righteous.p>

The inhabitants of one will go to another and say, &#8220;Let&#8217;s go up at once to ask the favor of the <sc>Lordsc>, to seek the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all. Indeed, I&#8217;ll go with you.&#8221;&#8217;

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;I wish that one of you would close the temple doors,<n id="1" /> so that you no longer would light useless fires on my altar. I am not pleased with you,&#8221; says the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all, &#8220;and I will no longer accept an offering from you.

until the <sc>Lordsc> gives your brothers a place like yours to settle and they conquer the land the <sc>Lordsc> your God is ready to hand over to them. Then you may go back to your allotted land and occupy the land Moses the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s servant assigned you east of the Jordan.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Then the king said to the messengers<n id="1" /> who were stationed beside him, &#8220;Turn and kill the priests of the <sc>Lordsc>, for they too have sided<n id="2" /> with David! They knew he was fleeing, but they did not inform me.&#8221; But the king&#8217;s servants refused to harm<n id="3" /> the priests of the <sc>Lordsc>.p>

Look, my father, and see the edge of your robe in my hand! When I cut off the edge of your robe, I didn&#8217;t kill you. So realize and understand that I am not planning<n id="1" /> evil or rebellion. Even though I have not sinned against you, you are waiting in ambush to take my life.

Now the entire family has risen up against your servant, saying, &#8216;Turn over the one who struck down his brother, so that we can execute him and avenge the death<n id="1" /> of his brother whom he killed. In so doing we will also destroy the heir.&#8217; They want to extinguish my remaining coal,<n id="2" /> leaving no one on the face of the earth to carry on the name of my husband.&#8221;p>

I also shook out my garment,<n id="1" /> and I said, &#8220;In this way may God shake out from his house and his property every person who does not carry out<n id="2" /> this matter. In this way may he be shaken out and emptied!&#8221; All the assembly replied, &#8220;So be it!&#8221; and they praised the <sc>LORDsc>. Then the people did as they had promised.<n id="3" />p>

&#8220;Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast in my behalf. Don&#8217;t eat and don&#8217;t drink for three days, night or day. My female attendants and I<n id="1" /> will also fast in the same way. Afterward I will go to the king, even though it violates the law.<n id="2" /> If I perish, I perish!&#8221;p>