The courierswentthroughout allIsraeland Judahwith the lettersfrom the handof the kingand his princes,even according to the commandof the king,saying,"O sonsof Israel,returnto the LORDGodof Abraham,Isaacand Israel,that He may returnto those of you whoescaped[and] are leftfrom the handof the kingsof Assyria.
At the timeof the offeringof the [evening] sacrifice,Elijahthe prophetcamenearand said,"O LORD,the Godof Abraham,Isaacand Israel,todaylet it be knownthat You are Godin Israeland that I am Your servantand I have doneallthesethingsat Your word.
Pul,kingof Assyria,cameagainstthe land,and MenahemgavePula thousandtalentsof silverso that his handmight be with him to strengthenthe kingdomunder his rule.
In the daysof Pekahkingof Israel,Tiglath-pileserkingof Assyriacameand capturedIjonand Abel-beth-maacahand Janoahand Kedeshand Hazorand Gileadand Galilee,allthe landof Naphtali;and he carriedthem captiveto Assyria.
"O LORD,the Godof Abraham,Isaacand Israel,our fathers,preservethisforeverin the intentionsof the heartof Your people,and directtheir heartto You;
So the Godof Israelstirredup the spiritof Pul,kingof Assyria,even the spiritof Tilgath-pilneserkingof Assyria,and he carriedthem awayinto exile,namely the Reubenites,the Gaditesand the half-tribeof Manasseh,and broughtthem to Halah,Habor,Haraand to the riverof Gozan,to thisday.
So Tilgath-pilneserkingof Assyriacameagainsthim and afflictedhim insteadof strengtheninghim.
Letterswere sentby couriersto allthe king'sprovincesto destroy,to killand to annihilateallthe Jews,bothyoungand old,womenand children,in oneday,the thirteenth[day] of the twelfthmonth,whichis the monthAdar,and to seizetheir possessionsas plunder.
The couriers,hastenedand impelledby the king'scommand,wentout, ridingon the royalsteeds;and the decreewas givenout at the citadelin Susa.
"Now my daysare swifterthana runner;They fleeaway,they seenogood.
Unlessthe LORDof hostsHad leftus a fewsurvivors,We would be like Sodom,We would be likeGomorrah.
"Yetthere will be a tenthportionin it, And it will againbe [subject] to burning,Like a terebinthor an oakWhosestumpremains whenit is felled.The holyseedis its stump."
Now theseare the wordsof the letterwhichJeremiahthe prophetsentfrom Jerusalemto the restof the eldersof the exile,the priests,the prophetsand allthe peoplewhomNebuchadnezzarhad takeninto exilefrom Jerusalemto Babylon.
Return,O faithlesssons,'declaresthe LORD;For I am a masterto you, And I will takeyou onefrom a cityand twofrom a family,And I will bringyou to Zion.'
"Ifyou will return,O Israel,"declaresthe LORD,"[Then] you should returnto Me. And ifyou will putawayyour detestedthingsfrom My presence,And will not waver,
One courierrunsto meetanother,And one messengerto meetanother,To tellthe kingof BabylonThat his cityhas been capturedfrom end[to end];
Let us examineand probeour ways,And let us returnto the LORD.
Restoreus to You, O LORD,that we may be restored;Renewour daysas of old,
"Sayto them, 'As I live!'declaresthe LordGOD,'I takenopleasurein the deathof the wicked,but ratherthat the wickedturnfrom his wayand live.Turnback,turnbackfrom your evilways!Whythen will you die,O houseof Israel?'
Return,O Israel,to the LORDyour God,For you have stumbledbecause of your iniquity.
"Come,let us returnto the LORD.For He has torn[us], but He will healus; He has wounded[us], but He will bandageus.
"Therefore sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnto Me," declaresthe LORDof hosts,"that I may returnto you," saysthe LORDof hosts.
"Do not be like your fathers,to whomthe formerprophetsproclaimed,saying,'Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Returnnowfrom your evilwaysand from your evildeeds."'But they did not listenor giveheedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Drawnearto Godand He will draw nearto you. Cleanseyour hands,you sinners;and purifyyour hearts,you double-minded.
