Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, one of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was an adviser to the king ¹  in every matter pertaining to the people.

The descendants of Levi were recorded in the Book of the Chronicles ¹  as heads of families up to the days of Johanan son of Eliashib.

He established a rule ¹  in Jacob; he set up a law in Israel. He commanded our ancestors to make his deeds known to their descendants, ² 

so that the next generation, children yet to be born, might know about them. They will grow up and tell their descendants about them. ¹ 

May his descendants ¹  be cut off! ²  May the memory of them be wiped out by the time the next generation arrives! ³ 

The Lord made a reliable promise to David; ¹  he will not go back on his word. ²  He said, ³  “I will place one of your descendants ⁴  on your throne.

Be assured that ¹  the evil person will certainly be punished, ²  but the descendants of the righteous ³  will not suffer unjust judgment. ⁴ 

‘Some of your very own descendants whom you father ¹  will be taken away and will be made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’”

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. From the east I will bring your descendants; from the west I will gather you.

Your descendants would have been as numerous as sand, ¹  and your children ²  like its granules. Their name would not have been cut off and eliminated from my presence. ³ 

Their descendants will be known among the nations, their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will recognize that the Lord has blessed them.” ¹ 

They will not work in vain, or give birth to children that will experience disaster. ¹  For the Lord will bless their children and their descendants. ² 

Now listen to what the Lord has to say, you descendants ¹  of Jacob, all you family groups from the nation ²  of Israel.

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.

Yes, ¹  the descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab have carried out the orders that their ancestor gave them. But you people ²  have not obeyed me!

the clan of the descendants of Levi by itself and their wives by themselves; and the clan of the Shimeites ¹  by itself and their wives by themselves –

“We are descendants ¹  of Abraham,” they replied, ²  “and have never been anyone’s slaves! How can you say, ³  ‘You will become free’?”

I know that you are Abraham’s descendants. ¹  But you want ²  to kill me, because my teaching ³  makes no progress among you. ⁴ 

So then, because ¹  he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants ²  on his throne, ³ 

But God spoke as follows: ‘Your ¹  descendants will be foreigners ²  in a foreign country, whose citizens will enslave them and mistreat them for four hundred years. ³