"Do you seehowAhabhas humbledhimself beforeMe? Becausehe has humbledhimself beforeMe, I will not bringthe evilin his days,[but] I will bringthe evilupon his housein his son'sdays."
The Lordis not slowabout His promise,as somecountslowness,but is patienttowardyou, not wishingfor anyto perishbut for allto cometo repentance.
Whois a GodlikeYou, who pardonsiniquityAnd passesoverthe rebelliousactof the remnantof His possession?He does not retainHis angerforever,BecauseHe delightsin unchanginglove.
He said,"Throwher down."So they threwher down,and someof her bloodwas sprinkledon the walland on the horses,and he trampledher under foot.
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
As soon as they hear,they obeyme; Foreignerssubmitto me.
So Jehukilledallwho remainedof the houseof Ahabin Jezreel,and allhis greatmenand his acquaintancesand his priests,untilhe lefthim withouta survivor.
Ordo you think lightlyof the richesof His kindnessand toleranceand patience,not knowingthat the kindnessof Godleadsyou to repentance?
"Do you not seewhatthey are doingin the citiesof Judahand in the streetsof Jerusalem?
Sayto God,"Howawesomeare Your works!Because of the greatnessof Your powerYour enemieswill givefeignedobedienceto You.
Mosesand Aaronwentto Pharaohand saidto him, "Thussaysthe LORD,the Godof the Hebrews,'Howlongwill you refuseto humbleyourself beforeMe? LetMy peoplego,that they may serveMe.
Turningtowardthe woman,He saidto Simon,"Do you seethiswoman?I enteredyour house;you gaveMe nowaterfor My feet,but she has wetMy feetwith her tearsand wipedthem with her hair.
"You shall not worshipthem or servethem; for I, the LORDyour God,am a jealousGod,visitingthe iniquityof the fatherson the children,on the thirdand the fourthgenerations of those who hateMe,
Then the wordof the LORDcameto Elijahthe Tishbite,saying,
ThreeyearspassedwithoutwarbetweenAramand Israel.
becauseyour heartwas tenderand you humbledyourselfbeforethe LORDwhen you heardwhatI spokeagainstthisplaceand againstits inhabitantsthat they should becomea desolationand a curse,and you have tornyour clothesand weptbeforeMe, I trulyhave heardyou," declaresthe LORD.
When the LORDsawthat they humbledthemselves, the wordof the LORDcameto Shemaiah,saying,"They have humbledthemselves [so] I will not destroythem, but I will grantthem some[measure] of deliverance,and My wrathshall not be pouredout on Jerusalemby meansof Shishak.
Therefore,O king,may my advicebe pleasingto you: breakawaynow from your sinsby [doing] righteousnessand from your iniquitiesby showingmercyto [the] poor,in casethere may be a prolongingof your prosperity.'
"NeverthelessI will not doit in your daysfor the sakeof your fatherDavid,[but] I will tearit out of the handof your son.
And Jehudrewhis bowwith his fullstrengthand shotJorambetweenhis arms;and the arrowwentthroughhis heartand he sankin his chariot.
Now Ahabhad seventysonsin Samaria.And Jehuwrotelettersand sent[them] to Samaria,to the rulersof Jezreel,the elders,and to the guardiansof [the children of] Ahab,saying,
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
Hearthe wordof the LORD,you whotrembleat His word:"Your brotherswho hateyou, who excludeyou for My name'ssake,Have said,'Let the LORDbe glorified,that we may seeyour joy.'But they will be putto shame.
When Godsawtheir deeds,that they turnedfrom their wickedway,then Godrelentedconcerningthe calamitywhichHe had declaredHe would bringupon them. And He did not do[it].
