"Now behold,Godis with us at [our] headand His priestswith the signaltrumpetsto soundthe alarmagainstyou. O sonsof Israel,do not fightagainstthe LORDGodof your fathers,for you will not succeed."
Then the Spiritof Godcameon Zechariahthe sonof Jehoiadathe priest;and he stoodabovethe peopleand saidto them, "ThusGodhas said,Whydo you transgressthe commandmentsof the LORDand do not prosper?Becauseyou have forsakenthe LORD,He has also forsakenyou.'"
"With him is [only] an armof flesh,but with us is the LORDour Godto helpus and to fightour battles."And the peoplereliedon the wordsof Hezekiahkingof Judah.
"Ordo you have an armlike God,And can you thunderwith a voicelikeHis?
"Wisein heartand mightyin strength,Whohas defiedHim withoutharm?
Some[boast] in chariotsand somein horses,But we will boastin the nameof the LORD,our God.
The LORDof hostsis with us; The Godof Jacobis our stronghold.Selah.
"Woeto [the one] who quarrelswith his Maker--An earthenwarevesselamongthe vesselsof earth!Will the claysayto the potter,'Whatare you doing?'Or the thingyou are making[say], 'He hasnohands'?
"Noweaponthat is formedagainstyou will prosper;And everytonguethat accusesyou in judgmentyou will condemn.Thisis the heritageof the servantsof the LORD,And their vindicationis from Me," declaresthe LORD.
"Devisea plan,but it will be thwarted;Statea proposal,but it will not stand,For Godis with us."
"From this[place] alsoyou will goout With your handson your head;For the LORDhas rejectedthose in whomyou trust,And you will not prosperwith them."
"I seta snarefor you and you were alsocaught,O Babylon,While you yourselfwere not aware;You have been foundand alsoseizedBecauseyou have engagedin conflictwith the LORD."
"Say,'Thussaysthe LordGOD,"Will it thrive?Will he not pullup its rootsand cutoffits fruit,so that it withers--so that allits sproutingleaveswither?And neitherby greatstrengthnorby manypeoplecan it be raisedfrom its roots[again].
"They will be as mightymen,Treadingdown[the enemy] in the mireof the streetsin battle;And they will fight,for the LORD[will be] with them; And the riderson horseswill be putto shame.
But Mosessaid,"Whythenare you transgressingthe commandmentof the LORD,when it will not succeed?
"He has not observedmisfortunein Jacob;Norhas He seentroublein Israel;The LORDhis Godis with him, And the shoutof a kingis among them.
Mosessentthem, a thousandfrom each tribe,to the war,and Phinehasthe sonof Eleazarthe priest,to the warwith them, and the holyvesselsand the trumpetsfor the alarmin his hand.
but ifit is of God,you will not be ableto overthrowthem; or elseyou may evenbe foundfighting against God."
Whatthenshall we sayto these things?IfGod[is] for us, who[is] againstus?
for the LORDyour Godis the one who goeswith you, to fightfor you againstyour enemies,to saveyou.'
and you will gropeat noon,as the blindmangropesin darkness,and you will not prosperin your ways;but you shall onlybe oppressedand robbedcontinually,with noneto saveyou.
For it was fittingfor Him, for whomare allthings,and throughwhomare all things,in bringingmanysonsto glory,to perfectthe authorof their salvationthroughsufferings.
