One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at {one} end,

{So} the posts that rode upon mules {and} camels went out, being hastened and pressed on by the king's commandment. And the decree was given at Shushan the palace.

{And} Pul the king of Assyria came against the land: and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his hand might be with him to confirm the kingdom in his hand.

If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the LORD, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

In the days of Pekah king of Israel came Tiglathpileser king of Assyria, and took Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali, and carried them captive to Assyria.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.

And the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, and the spirit of Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria, and he carried them away, even the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and brought them unto Halah, and Habor, and Hara, and to the river Gozan, unto this day.

And Tilgathpilneser king of Assyria came unto him, and distressed him, but strengthened him not.

But yet in it {shall be} a tenth, and {it} shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance {is} in them, when they cast {their leaves: so} the holy seed {shall be} the substance thereof. {and it...: or, when it is returned, and hath been broused} {substance: or, stock, or, stem}

Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye {even} to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Say unto them, {As} I live, saith the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?

Turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.

Except the LORD of hosts had left unto us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom, {and} we should have been like unto Gomorrah.

O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse {your} hands, {ye} sinners; and purify {your} hearts, {ye} double minded.

O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.

Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the LORD.

One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at {one} end,

And the letters were sent by posts into all the king's provinces, to destroy, to kill, and to cause to perish, all Jews, both young and old, little children and women, in one day, {even} upon the thirteenth {day} of the twelfth month, which is the month Adar, and {to take} the spoil of them for a prey.

So the posts passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh even unto Zebulun: but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them.

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty {is} a fading flower, which {are} on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! {overcome: Heb. broken}

And all the houses also of the high places that {were} in the cities of Samaria, which the kings of Israel had made to provoke {the LORD} to anger, Josiah took away, and did to them according to all the acts that he had done in Bethel.

And he wrote in the king Ahasuerus' name, and sealed {it} with the king's ring, and sent letters by posts on horseback, {and} riders on mules, camels, {and} young dromedaries:

And he sent messengers throughout all Manasseh; who also was gathered after him: and he sent messengers unto Asher, and unto Zebulun, and unto Naphtali; and they came up to meet them. {gathered: Heb. called}

And I said after she had done all these {things}, Turn thou unto me. But she returned not. And her treacherous sister Judah saw {it}.