The chief adviser then stood there and called out loudly in the Judahite dialect, ¹  “Listen to the message of the great king, the king of Assyria.

David said, ¹  “Of these, 24,000 are to direct the work of the Lord’s temple; 6,000 are to be officials and judges;

But the eyes of the wicked fail, ¹  and escape ²  eludes them; their one hope ³  is to breathe their last.” ⁴ 

The Lord is God and he has delivered us. ¹  Tie the offering ²  with ropes to the horns of the altar! ³ 

Teach me to do what pleases you, ¹  for you are my God. May your kind presence ²  lead me ³  into a level land. ⁴ 

and your poverty will come like a robber, ¹  and your need like an armed man. ² 

The many nations massing together are as good as dead, ¹  those who make a commotion as loud as the roaring of the sea’s waves. ²  The people making such an uproar are as good as dead, ³  those who make an uproar as loud as the roaring of powerful waves. ⁴ 

My heart palpitates, ¹  I shake in fear; ²  the twilight I desired has brought me terror.

From this day forward I am he; no one can deliver from my power; ¹  I will act, and who can prevent it?”

“So, once more I will state my case ¹  against you,” says the Lord. “I will also state it against your children and grandchildren. ² 

However, Ahikam son of Shaphan ¹  used his influence to keep Jeremiah from being handed over and executed by the people. ² 

The descendants of Jacob will enjoy their former privileges. Their community will be reestablished in my favor ¹  and I will punish all who try to oppress them.

He said to them, “Defile the temple and fill the courtyards with corpses. Go!” So they went out and struck people down throughout the city.

The circumference of the city will be six miles. ¹  The name of the city from that day forward will be: ‘The Lord Is There.’” ² 

They ¹  charge ²  like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. ³  Each one proceeds on his course; they do not alter ⁴  their path.

Listen to what the Lord says: “Get up! Defend yourself ¹  before the mountains! ²  Present your case before the hills!” ³ 

The commander ¹  orders ²  his officers; they stumble ³  as they advance; ⁴  they rush to the city wall ⁵  and they set up ⁶  the covered siege tower. ⁷ 

You pierce the heads of his warriors ¹  with a spear. ²  They storm forward to scatter us; ³  they shout with joy as if they were plundering the poor with no opposition. ⁴ 

Now therefore reflect carefully on the recent past, ¹  before one stone was laid on another in the Lord’s temple. ² 

Jesus ¹  said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and took hold ²  of Jesus and arrested him.