Certainly you have heard how the kings of Assyria have annihilated all lands. ¹  Do you really think you will be rescued? ² 

Now, O Lord our God, rescue us from his power, so that all the kingdoms of the earth will know that you, Lord, are the only God.”

¹ Certainly you must have heard! ²  Long ago I worked it out, In ancient times I planned ³  it; and now I am bringing it to pass. The plan is this: Fortified cities will crash into heaps of ruins. ⁴ 

“Go, tell my servant David: ‘This is what the Lord says: “You must not build me a house in which to live.

for you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a dynasty ¹  for him. That is why your servant has had the courage to pray to you. ² 

Now you are willing to bless your servant’s dynasty ¹  so that it may stand permanently before you, for you, O Lord, have blessed it and it will be blessed from now on into the future.” ² 

But God said to me, ‘You must not build a temple to honor me, ¹  for you are a warrior and have spilled blood.’

David praised the Lord before the entire assembly: ¹  “O Lord God of our father Israel, you deserve praise forevermore!

Now, Lord God, may your promise ¹  to my father David be realized, ²  for you have made me king over a great nation as numerous as the dust of the earth.

But you will not build the temple; your very own son will build the temple for my honor.’ ¹ 

Now ascend, O Lord God, to your resting place, you and the ark of your strength! May your priests, O Lord God, experience your deliverance! ¹  May your loyal followers rejoice in the prosperity you give! ² 

Our God, you drove out ¹  the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel and gave it as a permanent possession ²  to the descendants of your friend ³  Abraham.

Even if you go and fight bravely in battle, God will defeat you ¹  before the enemy. God is capable of helping or defeating.” ² 

You defeated Edom ¹  and it has gone to your head. ²  Gloat over your success, ³  but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?” ⁴ 

“Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint ¹  toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this.

They replied, “We will return these things, ¹  and we will no longer demand anything from them. We will do just as you say.” Then I called the priests and made the wealthy and the officials ²  swear to do what had been promised. ³ 

“You are the LORD God who chose Abram and brought him forth from Ur of the Chaldeans. You changed his name to Abraham.

Then the servants of the king who were at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why are you violating the king’s commandment?”

Have you ¹  not made a hedge ²  around him and his household and all that he has on every side? You have blessed ³  the work of his hands, and his livestock ⁴  have increased ⁵  in the land.

Even when I must walk through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for you are with me; your rod and your staff reassure me. ¹