Then some Levites, from the Kohathites and Korahites, got up and loudly praised the <sc>Lordsc> God of Israel.<n id="1" />p>

They called out loudly in the Judahite dialect to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, trying to scare and terrify them so they could seize the city.

Then the Levites &#8211; Jeshua, Binnui,<n id="1" /> Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Kenani &#8211; stood on the steps and called out loudly<n id="2" /> to the <sc>LORDsc> their God.

<p class="poetry">I will remember and weep!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">For I was once walking along with the great throng to the temple of God,p> <p class="poetry">shouting and giving thanks along with the crowd as we celebrated the holy festival.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="bodytext">The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect,<n id="1" /> &#8220;Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria.

<p class="poetry">Leave Babylon!p> <p class="poetry">Flee from the Babylonians!p> <p class="poetry">Announce it with a shout of joy!p> <p class="poetry">Make this known!p> <p class="poetry">Proclaim it throughout the earth!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Say, &#8216;The <sc>Lordsc> protects<n id="2" /> his servant Jacob.p>

<p class="poetry">Who among you fears the <sc>Lordsc>?p> <p class="poetry">Who obeys<n id="1" /> his servant?p> <p class="poetry">Whoever walks in deep darkness,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">without light,p> <p class="poetry">should trust in the name of the <sc>Lordsc>p> <p class="poetry">and rely on his God.p>

So tell them: &#8216;This is a nation that has not obeyed the <sc>Lordsc> their God and has not accepted correction. Faithfulness is nowhere to be found in it. These people do not even profess it anymore.<n id="1" />

But correct the way you have been living and do what is right.<n id="1" /> Obey the <sc>Lordsc> your God. If you do, the <sc>Lordsc> will forgo destroying you as he threatened he would.<n id="2" />

We and our wives and our sons and daughters have obeyed everything our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. We have never drunk wine.<n id="1" />

Then Jeremiah answered, &#8220;You will not be handed over to them. Please obey the <sc>Lordsc> by doing what I have been telling you.<n id="1" /> Then all will go well with you and your life will be spared.<n id="2" />

So Johanan son of Kareah, all the army officers, and all the rest of the people did not obey the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s command to stay in the land.

We have not obeyed<n id="1" /> the <sc>LORDsc> our God by living according to<n id="2" /> his laws<n id="3" /> that he set before us through his servants the prophets.p>

<p class="poetry">She is disobedient;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">she refuses correction.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">She does not trust the <sc>Lordsc>;p> <p class="poetry">she does not seek the advice of<n id="3" /> her God.p>

Then those who are far away<n id="1" /> will come and build the temple of the <sc>Lordsc> so that you may know that the <sc>Lordsc> who rules over all has sent me to you. This will all come to pass if you completely obey the voice of the <sc>Lordsc> your God.&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;p>

she called for her household servants and said to them, &#8220;See, my husband brought<n id="1" /> in a Hebrew man<n id="2" /> to us to humiliate us.<n id="3" /> He tried to have sex with me,<n id="4" /> but I screamed loudly.<n id="5" />

Thus you must obey the <sc>Lordsc> your God, keeping all his commandments that I am giving<n id="1" /> you today and doing what is right<n id="2" /> before him.<n id="3" />p>

I have not eaten anything when I was in mourning, or removed any of it while ceremonially unclean, or offered any of it to the dead;<n id="1" /> I have obeyed you<n id="2" /> and have done everything you have commanded me.

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;If you indeed<n id="1" /> obey the <sc>Lordsc> your God and are careful to observe all his commandments I am giving<n id="2" /> you today, the <sc>Lordsc> your God will elevate you above all the nations of the earth.

<t /><p class="bodytext">&#8220;But if you ignore<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc> your God and are not careful to keep all his commandments and statutes I am giving you today, then all these curses will come upon you in full force:<n id="2" />