O Lord, according to all your justice, ¹  please turn your raging anger ²  away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain. For due to our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people are mocked by all our neighbors.

“Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets called out, saying, ‘The Lord who rules over all says, “Turn now from your evil wickedness,”’ but they would by no means obey me,” says the Lord.

But have my words and statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, not outlived your fathers? ¹  Then they paid attention ²  and confessed, ‘The Lord who rules over all has indeed done what he said he would do to us, because of our sinful ways.’”

“It will not be like the covenant ¹  that I made with their fathers, on the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they did not continue in my covenant and I had no regard for them, says the Lord.

King Jehoash of Judah collected all the sacred items that his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had consecrated, as well as his own sacred items and all the gold that could be found in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. He sent it all ¹  to King Hazael of Syria, who then withdrew ²  from Jerusalem.

The Lord said to Jacob, “Return to the land of your fathers ¹  and to your relatives. I will be with you.” ² 

¹ These are the heads of their fathers’ households: ²  The sons ³  of Reuben, the firstborn son of Israel, were Hanoch and Pallu, Hezron and Carmi. These were the clans ⁴  of Reuben.

six ¹  of their names on one stone, and the six remaining names on the second stone, according to the order of their birth. ² 

but then ¹  he may go free, ²  he and his children with him, and may return to his family and to the property of his ancestors. ³ 

Now look, you are standing in your fathers’ place, a brood of sinners, to increase still further the fierce wrath of the Lord against the Israelites.

In fact, days are coming when I will remove your strength ¹  and the strength ²  of your father’s house. There will not be an old man in your house!

These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had assigned responsibilities, like their relatives, as they served in the Lord’s temple.

Then Solomon passed away ¹  and was buried in the city of his father David. His son Rehoboam replaced him as king.

but instead sought the God of his ancestors ¹  and obeyed ²  his commands, unlike the Israelites. ³ 

Jotham passed away ¹  and was buried in the City of David. ²  His son Ahaz replaced him as king.

Look, our fathers died violently ¹  and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off ²  because of this.

Manasseh passed away ¹  and was buried in his palace. His son Amon replaced him as king.

Prepare yourselves by your families according to your divisions, as instructed ¹  by King David of Israel and his son Solomon.

who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem ¹  with the captives who had been carried into exile with Jeconiah ²  king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile.

Do not hold us accountable for the sins of earlier generations! ¹  Quickly send your compassion our way, ²  for we are in serious trouble! ³