<p class="bodytext">I, Daniel, watched as two others stood there, one on each side of the river.<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the wilderness.p> <p class="poetry">I viewed your ancestors<n id="1" /> like an early fig on a fig tree in its first season.p> <p class="poetry">Then they came to Baal-Peor and they dedicated themselves to shame &#8211;p> <p class="poetry">they became as detestable as what they loved.p>

<p class="poetry">They say to the people:<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Journey over to Calneh and look at it!p> <p class="poetry">Then go from there to Hamath-Rabbah!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Then go down to Gath of the Philistines!p> <p class="poetry">Are they superior to our two<n id="3" /> kingdoms?p> <p class="poetry">Is their territory larger than yours?&#8221;<n id="4" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">The sovereign <sc>Lordsc> showed me this: I saw<n id="1" /> him making locusts just as the crops planted late<n id="2" /> were beginning to sprout. (The crops planted late sprout after the royal harvest.<n id="3" />)

<p class="bodytext">The sovereign <sc>Lordsc> showed me this: I saw<n id="1" /> the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> summoning a shower of fire.<n id="2" /> It consumed the great deep and devoured the fields.p>

<p class="poetry">You should not<n id="1" /> have gloated<n id="2" /> when your relatives<n id="3" /> suffered calamity.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">You should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah when they were destroyed.<n id="5" />p> <p class="poetry">You should not have boasted<n id="6" /> when they suffered adversity.<n id="7" />p>

<p class="poetry">You should not have entered the city<n id="1" /> of my people when they experienced distress.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">You should not have joined<n id="3" /> in gloating over their misfortune when they suffered distress.<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">You should not have looted<n id="5" /> their wealth when they endured distress.<n id="6" />p>

When God saw their actions &#8211; they turned<n id="1" /> from their evil way of living!<n id="2" /> &#8211; God relented concerning the judgment<n id="3" /> he had threatened them with<n id="4" /> and he did not destroy them.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">I must endure<n id="1" /> the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s anger,p> <p class="poetry">for I have sinned against him.p> <p class="poetry">But then<n id="2" /> he will defend my cause,<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">and accomplish justice on my behalf.p> <p class="poetry">He will lead me out into the light;p> <p class="poetry">I will experience firsthand<n id="4" /> his deliverance.<n id="5" />p>

<p class="poetry">I am against you,&#8221; declares the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;I will strip off your clothes!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will show your nakedness to the nationsp> <p class="poetry">and your shame to the kingdoms;p>

<p class="poetry">Everyone who sees you will turn away from you in disgust;p> <p class="poetry">they will say, &#8216;Nineveh has been devastated!p> <p class="poetry">Who will lament for her?&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">There will be no one to comfort you!&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;Look at the nations and pay attention!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">You will be shocked and amazed!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">For I will do something in your lifetime<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">that you will not believe even though you are forewarned.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You are too just<n id="1" /> to tolerate<n id="2" /> evil;p> <p class="poetry">you are unable to condone<n id="3" /> wrongdoing.p> <p class="poetry">So why do you put up with such treacherous people?<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">Why do you say nothing when the wicked devour<n id="5" /> those more righteous than they are?<n id="6" />p>

<p class="poetry">I will stand at my watch post;p> <p class="poetry">I will remain stationed on the city wall.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will keep watching, so I can see what he says to mep> <p class="poetry">and can know<n id="2" /> how I should answerp> <p class="poetry">when he counters my argument.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">He takes his battle position<n id="1" /> and shakes<n id="2" /> the earth;p> <p class="poetry">with a mere look he frightens<n id="3" /> the nations.p> <p class="poetry">The ancient mountains disintegrate;<n id="4" />p> <p class="poetry">the primeval hills are flattened.p> <p class="poetry">He travels on the ancient roads.<n id="5" />p>

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then I asked one nearby, &#8220;What are these, sir?&#8221; The angelic messenger<n id="1" /> who replied to me said, &#8220;I will show you what these are.&#8221;

I asked, &#8220;Where are you going?&#8221; He replied, &#8220;To measure Jerusalem<n id="1" /> in order to determine its width and its length.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Next I saw Joshua the high priest<n id="1" /> standing before the angel of the <sc>Lordsc>, with Satan<n id="2" /> standing at his right hand to accuse him.

<t /><p class="bodytext">After this the angelic messenger<n id="1" /> who had been speaking to me went out and said, &#8220;Look, see what is leaving.&#8221;

<t /><p class="bodytext">Once more I looked, and this time I saw four chariots emerging from between two mountains of bronze.<n id="1" />