"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Becauseyou have sentlettersin your own nameto allthe peoplewhoare in Jerusalem,and to Zephaniahthe sonof Maaseiah,the priest,and to allthe priests,saying,
Then Hezekiahtookthe letterfrom the handof the messengersand readit, and he wentup to the houseof the LORDand spreadit out beforethe LORD.
When he heard[them] sayconcerningTirhakahkingof Cush,"Behold,he has comeout to fightagainstyou," he sentmessengersagainto Hezekiahsaying,
He also wrotelettersto insultthe LORDGodof Israel,and to speakagainstHim, saying,"As the godsof the nationsof the landshave not deliveredtheir peoplefrom my hand,sothe Godof Hezekiahwill not deliverHis peoplefrom my hand."
Alsoin thosedaysmanyletterswentfrom the noblesof Judahto Tobiah,and Tobiah's[letters] cameto them.
Moreover,they were speakingabout his gooddeedsin my presenceand reportedmy wordsto him. Then Tobiahsentlettersto frightenme.
Then Sanballatsenthis servantto me in the samemannera fifthtimewith an openletterin his hand.
Now theseare the wordsof the letterwhichJeremiahthe prophetsentfrom Jerusalemto the restof the eldersof the exile,the priests,the prophetsand allthe peoplewhomNebuchadnezzarhad takeninto exilefrom Jerusalemto Babylon.
Zephaniahthe priestreadthisletterto Jeremiahthe prophet.
Yet KingZedekiahsentJehucalthe sonof Shelemiah,and Zephaniahthe sonof Maaseiah,the priest,to Jeremiahthe prophet,saying,"Pleaseprayto the LORDour Godon our behalf."
Then the captainof the guardtookSeraiahthe chiefpriestand Zephaniahthe secondpriest,with the threeofficersof the temple.
and askedfor lettersfrom him to the synagoguesat Damascus,sothat ifhe foundanybelongingto the Way,bothmenand women,he might bringthem boundto Jerusalem.
