For I was ashamedto requestfrom the kingtroopsand horsemento protectus from the enemyon the way,becausewe had saidto the king,"The handof our Godis favorablydisposedto allthose who seekHim, but His powerand His angerare againstallthose who forsakeHim."
"As for you, my sonSolomon,knowthe Godof your father,and serveHim with a wholeheartand a willingmind;for the LORDsearchesallhearts,and understandseveryintentof the thoughts.Ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will rejectyou forever.
and he wentout to meetAsaand saidto him, "Listento me, Asa,and allJudahand Benjamin:the LORDis with you when you are with Him. And ifyou seekHim, He will let you findHim; but ifyou forsakeHim, He will forsakeyou.
"For the eyesof the LORDmoveto and frothroughoutthe earththat He may stronglysupportthose whose heartis completelyHis. You have actedfoolishlyin this.Indeed,from nowon you will surely havewars."
and has extendedlovingkindnessto me beforethe kingand his counselorsand before allthe king'smightyprinces.Thus I was strengthenedaccording to the handof the LORDmy Godupon me, and I gatheredleadingmenfrom Israelto goup with me.
ThisEzrawentup from Babylon,and he was a scribeskilledin the lawof Moses,whichthe LORDGodof Israelhad given;and the kinggrantedhim allhe requestedbecause the handof the LORDhis God[was] upon him.
For on the firstof the firstmonthhe beganto goup from Babylon;and on the firstof the fifthmonthhe cameto Jerusalem,because the goodhandof his God[was] upon him.
Then we journeyedfrom the riverAhavaon the twelfthof the firstmonthto goto Jerusalem;and the handof our Godwas overus, and He deliveredus from the handof the enemyand the ambushesby the way.
Then I cameto the governors[of the provinces] beyondthe Riverand gavethem the king'sletters.Now the kinghad sentwith me officersof the armyand horsemen.
They have boweddownand fallen,But we have risenand stoodupright.
The LORDredeemsthe soulof His servants,And noneof those who takerefugein Him will be condemned.
Whounderstandsthe powerof Your angerAnd Your fury,according to the fearthat is due You?
The LORDis goodto those who waitfor Him, To the personwho seeksHim.
And we knowthat Godcausesall thingsto work togetherfor goodto thosewho loveGod,to thosewho are calledaccordingto [His] purpose.
But I have usednoneof these things.And I am not writingthese thingssothat it will be donesoin my case;for it would be betterfor me to diethanhave anyman makemy boastan emptyone.
For ifin anythingI have boastedto him aboutyou, I was not put to shame;but as we spokeall thingsto you in truth,soalsoour boastingbeforeTitusprovedto be [the] truth.
BUT MY RIGHTEOUS ONESHALL LIVEBY FAITH;AND IFHE SHRINKS BACK,MY SOULHASNOPLEASUREIN HIM.
"Thussaysthe wholecongregationof the LORD,'Whatis thisunfaithfulactwhichyou have committedagainst the Godof Israel,turningawayfrom followingthe LORDthis day,by buildingyourselves an altar,to rebelagainst the LORDthis day?
"When you transgressthe covenantof the LORDyour God,whichHe commandedyou, and goand serveothergodsand bowdownto them, then the angerof the LORDwill burnagainst you, and you will perishquicklyfrom offthe goodlandwhichHe has givenyou."
"FOR THE EYESOF THE LORDARE TOWARDTHE RIGHTEOUS,AND HIS EARSATTEND TO THEIR PRAYER,BUT THE FACEOF THE LORDIS AGAINSTTHOSE WHO DOEVIL."
