And it cameabout, whenit had finishedeatingthe vegetationof the land,that I said,"LordGOD,pleasepardon!Howcan Jacobstand,For he is small?"
Help,LORD,for the godlymanceasesto be, For the faithfuldisappearfrom among the sonsof men.
For they coveredthe surfaceof the wholeland,so that the landwas darkened;and they ateeveryplantof the landand allthe fruitof the treesthat the hailhad left.Thus nothinggreenwas lefton treeor plantof the fieldthrough allthe landof Egypt.
He said,"IfnowI have foundfavorin Your sight,O Lord,I pray,let the Lordgoalong in our midst,eventhoughthe peopleare so obstinate,and pardonour iniquityand our sin,and takeus as Your own possession."
Perhapsthe LORDyour Godwill hearthe wordsof Rabshakeh,whomhis masterthe kingof Assyriahas sentto reproachthe livingGod,and will rebukethe wordswhichthe LORDyour Godhas heard.Therefore, offera prayerfor the remnantthat is left.'"
Thesetwothingshave befallenyou; Whowill mournfor you? The devastationand destruction,famineand sword;Howshall I comfortyou?
"Althoughour iniquitiestestifyagainst us, O LORD,actfor Your name'ssake!Trulyour apostasieshave beenmany,We have sinnedagainst You.
and saidto Jeremiahthe prophet,"Pleaselet our petitioncomebeforeyou, and prayfor us to the LORDyour God,[that is] for allthisremnant;becausewe are left[but] a fewout of many,as your own eyes[now] seeus,
Now it cameabout as I prophesied,that Pelatiahsonof Benaiahdied.Then I fellon my faceand criedout with a loudvoiceand said,"Alas,LordGOD!Will You bringthe remnantof Israelto a completeend?"
As they were striking[the people] and I [alone] was left,I fellon my faceand criedout saying,"Alas,LordGOD!Are You destroyingthe wholeremnantof Israelby pouringout Your wrathon Jerusalem?"
"O Lord,hear!O Lord,forgive!O Lord,listenand takeaction!For Your own sake,O my God,do not delay,becauseYour cityand Your peopleare calledby Your name."
Let the priests,the LORD'Sministers,Weepbetweenthe porchand the altar,And let them say,"SpareYour people,O LORD,And do not makeYour inheritancea reproach,A bywordamong the nations.Whyshould they among the peoplessay,Whereis their God?'"
"I smoteyou with scorching[wind] and mildew;And the caterpillarwas devouringYour manygardensand vineyards,figtreesand olivetrees;Yet you have not returnedto Me," declaresthe LORD.
Then I said,"LordGOD,pleasestop!Howcan Jacobstand,for he is small?"
"For whohas despisedthe dayof smallthings?But thesesevenwill be gladwhen they seethe plumblinein the handof Zerubbabel--[these are] the eyesof the LORDwhichrangeto and frothroughoutthe earth."
They were toldnot to hurtthe grassof the earth,noranygreen thing,noranytree,but onlythe menwhodo not havethe sealof Godon their foreheads.
