When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they said, “He must be the king of Israel.” So they turned and attacked him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

But they did not repudiate<n id="1" /> the sinful ways of the family<n id="2" /> of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins.<n id="3" /> There was even an Asherah pole<n id="4" /> standing in Samaria.

Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk.<n id="1" /> In whom are you trusting that you would dare to rebel against me?

(Now the priests of the high places did not go up to the altar of the <sc>Lordsc> in Jerusalem, but they did eat unleavened cakes among their fellow priests.)<n id="1" />

<p class="bodytext">Yet the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s great anger against Judah did not subside; he was still infuriated by all the things Manasseh had done.<n id="1" />

Just as the <sc>Lordsc> had announced, he rejected Judah because of all the sins which Manasseh had committed.<n id="1" />

Only may the <sc>Lordsc> give you insight and understanding when he places you in charge of Israel, so you may obey<n id="1" /> the law of the <sc>Lordsc> your God.

<p class="bodytext">Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah were<n id="1" /> against this, assisted by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite.

<p class="poetry">Look, you make my days short-lived,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and my life span is nothing from your perspective.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Surely all people, even those who seem secure, are nothing but vapor.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">You severely discipline people for their sins;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">like a moth you slowly devour their strength.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Surely all people are a mere vapor. (Selah)p>

<p class="poetry">Men are nothing but a mere breath;p> <p class="poetry">human beings are unreliable.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">When they are weighed in the scales,p> <p class="poetry">all of them together are lighter than air.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> holds in his hand a cup fullp> <p class="poetry">of foaming wine mixed with spices,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and pours it out.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Surely all the wicked of the earthp> <p class="poetry">will slurp it up and drink it to its very last drop.&#8221;<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Wild animals and wild dogs will congregate there;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">wild goats will bleat to one another.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes, nocturnal animals<n id="3" /> will rest therep> <p class="poetry">and make for themselves a nest.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Owls<n id="1" /> will make nests and lay eggs<n id="2" /> there;p> <p class="poetry">they will hatch them and protect them.<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Yes, hawks<n id="4" /> will gather there,p> <p class="poetry">each with its mate.p>

Your claim to have a strategy and military strength is just empty talk.<n id="1" /> In whom are you trusting, that you would dare to rebel against me?

<p class="poetry">You did not buy me aromatic reeds;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you did not present to me<n id="2" /> the fat of your sacrifices.p> <p class="poetry">Yet you burdened me with your sins;p> <p class="poetry">you made me weary with your evil deeds.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">you say, &#8216;I have not done anything wrong,p> <p class="poetry">so the <sc>Lordsc> cannot really be angry with me any more.&#8217;p> <p class="poetry">But, watch out!<n id="1" /> I will bring down judgment on youp> <p class="poetry">because you say, &#8216;I have not committed any sin.&#8217;p>

<p class="poetry">I thought, &#8220;Surely it is only the ignorant poor who act this way.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">They act like fools because they do not know what the <sc>Lordsc> demands.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">They do not know what their God requires of them.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry"><sc>Lordsc>, you have always been fairp> <p class="poetry">whenever I have complained to you.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">However, I would like to speak with you about the disposition of justice.<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Why are wicked people successful?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">Why do all dishonest people have such easy lives?p>

<p class="bodytext">However, Ahikam son of Shaphan<n id="1" /> used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people.<n id="2" />p>