The LORD has made a solemn promise, and he will not abandon you, for he has decided to make you his own people.

"But I know everything about you, what you do and where you go. I know how you rage against me.

I have received the report of that rage and that pride of yours, and now I will put a hook through your nose and a bit in your mouth and will take you back by the same road you came."

I will defend this city and protect it, for the sake of my own honor and because of the promise I made to my servant David.' "

You thought you would always be a queen, and did not take these things to heart or think how it all would end.

I am going to do this because the people have abandoned me and defiled this place by offering sacrifices here to other gods---gods that neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known anything about. They have filled this place with the blood of innocent people,

Her uncleanness was easily seen, but she showed no concern for her fate. Her downfall was terrible; no one can comfort her. Her enemies have won, and she cries to the LORD for mercy.

But even in the desert they defied me. They broke my laws and rejected my commands, which bring life to anyone who obeys them. They completely profaned the Sabbath. I was ready to let them feel the force of my anger there in the desert and to destroy them.

But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me lead Israel out of Egypt.

Make the Sabbath a holy day, so that it will be a sign of the covenant we made, and will remind you that I am the LORD your God.

But I did not, since that would have brought dishonor to my name among the nations which had seen me bring Israel out of Egypt.

and the angel told me to proclaim what the LORD Almighty had said: "I have a deep love and concern for Jerusalem, my holy city,

and I am very angry with the nations that enjoy quiet and peace. For while I was holding back my anger against my people, those nations made the sufferings of my people worse.

Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on your people.

Now if you kill all your people, the nations who have heard of your fame will say

that you killed your people in the wilderness because you were not able to bring them into the land you promised to give them.

The Canaanites and everyone else in the country will hear about it. They will surround us and kill every one of us! And then what will you do to protect your honor?"

To you alone, O LORD, to you alone, and not to us, must glory be given because of your constant love and faithfulness.

Why should the nations ask us, "Where is your God?"

LORD, don't give the wicked what they want; don't let their plots succeed.

He boasts, "Every one of my commanders is a king!

I reached out to punish those kingdoms that worship idols, idols more numerous than those of Jerusalem and Samaria.

But the Lord says, "When I finish what I am doing on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, I will punish the emperor of Assyria for all his boasting and all his pride."

The nations of the world were like a bird's nest, and I gathered their wealth as easily as gathering eggs. Not a wing fluttered to scare me off; no beak opened to scream at me!"

of Judah to tell him: "The god you are trusting in has told you that you will not fall into my hands, but don't let that deceive you.

My ancestors destroyed the cities of Gozan, Haran, and Rezeph, and killed the people of Betheden who lived in Telassar, and none of their gods could save them.

King Hezekiah took the letter from the messengers and read it. Then he went to the Temple, placed the letter there in the presence of the LORD,

"Almighty LORD, God of Israel, seated above the winged creatures, you alone are God, ruling all the kingdoms of the world. You created the earth and the sky.

We all know, LORD, that the emperors of Assyria have destroyed many nations, made their lands desolate,

Now, LORD our God, rescue us from the Assyrians, so that all the nations of the world will know that you alone are God."

the LORD had said, "The city of Jerusalem laughs at you, Sennacherib, and makes fun of you.

he said, "Look how great Babylon is! I built it as my capital city to display my power and might, my glory and majesty."

You will be driven away from human society, live with wild animals, and eat grass like an ox for seven years. Then you will acknowledge that the Supreme God has power over human kingdoms and that he can give them to anyone he chooses."

"When the seven years had passed," said the king, "I looked up at the sky, and my sanity returned. I praised the Supreme God and gave honor and glory to the one who lives forever. "He will rule forever, and his kingdom will last for all time.

"When my sanity returned, my honor, my majesty, and the glory of my kingdom were given back to me. My officials and my noblemen welcomed me, and I was given back my royal power with even greater honor than before.