When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard that someone had come to pursue the prosperity of the Israelites, they were greatly displeased.
When Sanballat the Horonite, Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard about this, they mocked and despised us, and said, ‘What is this you’re doing? Are you rebelling against the king? ’
They twisted together a crown of thorns, put it on his head, and placed a staff in his right hand. And they knelt down before him and mocked him: ‘Hail, king of the Jews! ’
Then Herod, when he realised that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under, in keeping with the time he had learned from the wise men.
When all our enemies heard this, all the surrounding nations were intimidated and lost their confidence, for they realised that this task had been accomplished by our God.
But King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, ‘I am worried about the Judeans who have defected to the Chaldeans. They may hand me over to the Judeans to abuse me.’