Now give praise to the <sc>Lordsc> God of your fathers, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the local residents<n id="1" /> and from these foreign wives.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">All of them were wanting<n id="1" /> to scare us, supposing, &#8220;Their hands will grow slack from the work, and it won&#8217;t get done.&#8221;p> <p class="bodytext">So now, strengthen my hands!<n id="2" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">&#8220;But now they mock me, those who are younger<n id="1" /> than I,p> <p class="poetry">whose fathers I disdained too much<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">to put with my sheep dogs.<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Now I will triumphp> <p class="poetry">over my enemies who surround me!<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will offer sacrifices in his dwelling place and shout for joy!<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">I will sing praises to the <sc>Lordsc>!p>

<p class="poetry">Now I will inform youp> <p class="poetry">what I am about to do to my vineyard:p> <p class="poetry">I will remove its hedge and turn it into pasture,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I will break its wall and allow animals to graze there.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">So now, do not mock,p> <p class="poetry">or your chains will become heavier!p> <p class="poetry">For I have heard a message about decreed destruction,p> <p class="poetry">from the sovereign master, the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies, against the entire land.<n id="1" />p>

Now make a deal with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.

Furthermore it was by the command of the <sc>Lordsc> that I marched up against this land to destroy it. The <sc>Lordsc> told me, &#8216;March up against this land and destroy it!&#8217;&#8221;&#8217;&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

Now, O <sc>Lordsc> our God, rescue us from his power, so all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the <sc>Lordsc>.&#8221;<n id="1" />p>

<t /><p class="poetry">Now, this is what the <sc>Lordsc> says,p> <p class="poetry">the one who created you, O Jacob,p> <p class="poetry">and formed you, O Israel:p> <p class="poetry">&#8220;Don&#8217;t be afraid, for I will protect<n id="1" /> you.p> <p class="poetry">I call you by name, you are mine.p>

<p class="poetry">So now, listen to this,p> <p class="poetry">O one who lives so lavishly,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">who lives securely,p> <p class="poetry">who says to herself,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">&#8216;I am unique! No one can compare to me!<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">I will never have to live as a widow;p> <p class="poetry">I will never lose my children.&#8217;<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">Approach me! Listen to this!p> <p class="poetry">From the very first I have not spoken in secret;p> <p class="poetry">when it happens,<n id="1" /> I am there.&#8221;p> <p class="poetry">So now, the sovereign <sc>Lordsc> has sent me, accompanied by his spirit.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">What good will it do you<n id="1" /> then<n id="2" /> to go down to Egyptp> <p class="poetry">to seek help from the Egyptians?<n id="3" />p> <p class="poetry">What good will it do you<n id="4" /> to go over to Assyriap> <p class="poetry">to seek help from the Assyrians?<n id="5" />p>

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" />

But now please listen, your royal Majesty,<n id="1" /> and grant my plea for mercy.<n id="2" /> Do not send me back to the house of Jonathan, the royal secretary. If you do, I will die there.&#8221;<n id="3" />

So now be very sure of this: You will die from war, starvation, or disease in the place where you want to go and live.&#8221;p>

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with great power<n id="1" /> and made a name for yourself that is remembered to this day &#8211; we have sinned and behaved wickedly.

<p class="bodytext">&#8220;So now, our God, accept<n id="1" /> the prayer and requests of your servant, and show favor to<n id="2" /> your devastated sanctuary for your own sake.<n id="3" />

He said, &#8220;Do you know why I have come to you?<n id="1" /> Now I am about to return to engage in battle with the prince of Persia. When I go, the prince of Greece is coming.

So now listen to the <sc>Lordsc>&#8217;s message! You say, &#8216;Don&#8217;t prophesy against Israel! Don&#8217;t preach<n id="1" /> against the family of Isaac!&#8217;p>