Look how they are repaying us! They come to drive us out of our allotted land which you assigned to us!

“Your father made us work too hard! ¹  Now if you lighten the demands he made and don’t make us work as hard, we will serve you.” ² 

He has with him mere human strength, ¹  but the Lord our God is with us to help us and fight our battles!” The army ²  was encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

‘If disaster comes on us in the form of military attack, ¹  judgment, plague, or famine, we will stand in front of this temple before you, for you are present in this temple. ²  We will cry out to you for help in our distress, so that you will ³  hear and deliver us.’

He asked them, “How do you advise me to respond to these people who said to me, ‘Lessen the demands your father placed on us’?” ¹ 

But as for us, the Lord is our God and we have not rejected him. Aaron’s descendants serve as the Lord’s priests and the Levites assist them with the work. ¹ 

Our God, will you not judge them? For we are powerless against this huge army that attacks us! We don’t know what we should do; we look to you for help.” ¹ 

Hezekiah says, “The Lord our God will rescue us from the power ¹  of the king of Assyria.” But he is misleading you and you will die of hunger and thirst! ² 

He said to the people of Judah: ¹  “Let’s build these cities and fortify them with walls, towers, and barred gates. ²  The land remains ours because we have followed ³  the Lord our God and he has made us secure on all sides.” ⁴  So they built the cities ⁵  and prospered.

Now look, God is with us as our leader. His priests are ready to blow the trumpets to signal the attack against you. ¹  You Israelites, don’t fight against the Lord God of your ancestors, ²  for you will not win!”

“Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic ¹  because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him. ² 

They said to them, “Don’t bring those captives here! Are you planning on making us even more sinful and guilty before the Lord? ¹  Our guilt is already great and the Lord is very angry at Israel.” ² 

“Go, seek an oracle from ¹  the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about ²  the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord’s fury has been ignited against us, ³  because our ancestors ⁴  have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!” ⁵ 

The young advisers with whom Rehoboam ¹  had grown up said to him, “Say this to these people who have said to you, ‘Your father made us work hard, but now lighten our burden’ ²  – say this to them: ‘I am a lot harsher than my father! ³ 

Asa prayed ¹  to the Lord his God: “O Lord, there is no one but you who can help the weak when they are vastly outnumbered. ²  Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you and have marched on your behalf against this huge army. ³  O Lord our God, don’t let men prevail against you!” ⁴ 

Now I intend ¹  to make a covenant with the Lord God of Israel, so that he may relent from his raging anger. ² 

After King Amaziah of Judah consulted with his advisers, ¹  he sent this message to the king of Israel, Joash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, “Come, face me on the battlefield.” ² 

The leaders of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, “The Lord is just.” ¹ 

Then Jehoshaphat added, ¹  “First seek an oracle from the Lord.” ² 

Respond to the requests of your servant and your people Israel for this place. ¹  Hear from your heavenly dwelling place and respond favorably and forgive. ²