"Nowbecausewe are in the serviceof the palace,and it is not fittingfor us to seethe king'sdishonor,thereforewe have sentand informedthe king,
"Nowlet it be knownto the king,that ifthat cityis rebuiltand the wallsare finished,they will not paytribute,customor toll,and it will damagethe revenueof the kings.
sothat a searchmay be madein the recordbooksof your fathers.And you will discoverin the recordbooksand learnthat that cityis a rebelliouscityand damagingto kingsand provinces,and that they have incitedrevoltwithinit in pastdays;thereforethat citywas laidwaste.
"They cometo you as peoplecome,and sitbeforeyou [as] My peopleand hearyour words,but they do not dothem, for they dothe lustfuldesires[expressed] by their mouth,[and] their heartgoesaftertheir gain.
