Messengers went all through Israel and Judah. They carried letters from the king and his officials. The king had ordered them to do that. The letters said,“ People of Israel, return to the Lord. He is the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel. Return to him. Then he will return to you who are left in the land. You have escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria.

驿卒就把王和众首领的信，遵着王命传遍以色列和犹大。信内说：“以色列人哪，你们当转向耶和华亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神，好叫他转向你们这脱离亚述王手的余民。

信差遵着王命，拿着王和众领袖所发的信，送达全以色列和犹大，说：“以色列人哪，当转向耶和华—亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的上帝，好叫他转向你们这些脱离亚述诸王之手的余民。

信差遵着王命，拿着王和众领袖所发的信，送达全以色列和犹大，说：“以色列人哪，当转向耶和华—亚伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神，好叫他转向你们这些脱离亚述诸王之手的余民。

信差遵照王的命令带着王和众官员的信走遍以色列和犹大，宣告说：“以色列人啊，你们应当归向亚伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的上帝耶和华，好使祂转向你们这些从亚述王手中逃脱的余民。

信差就带着王和众领袖发出的书信，走遍全以色列和犹大，照着王的吩咐，宣告说：“以色列人哪，你们应当转向耶和华，亚伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的神，使他也转向你们这些在亚述王手中逃脱的余民。

驛卒就把王和眾首領的信，遵着王命傳遍以色列和猶大。信內說：「以色列人哪，你們當轉向耶和華－亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神，好叫他轉向你們這脫離亞述王手的餘民。

信差遵着王命，拿着王和眾領袖所發的信，送達全以色列和猶大，說：「以色列人哪，當轉向耶和華－亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的上帝，好叫他轉向你們這些脫離亞述諸王之手的餘民。

信差遵着王命，拿着王和眾領袖所發的信，送達全以色列和猶大，說：「以色列人哪，當轉向耶和華－亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列的神，好叫他轉向你們這些脫離亞述諸王之手的餘民。

信差遵照王的命令帶著王和眾官員的信走遍以色列和猶大，宣告說：「以色列人啊，你們應當歸向亞伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的上帝耶和華，好使祂轉向你們這些從亞述王手中逃脫的餘民。

信差就帶著王和眾領袖發出的書信，走遍全以色列和猶大，照著王的吩咐，宣告說：“以色列人哪，你們應當轉向耶和華，亞伯拉罕、以撒和以色列的神，使他也轉向你們這些在亞述王手中逃脫的餘民。

跑文書的帶着王和他的大臣手發的詔書就去、走遍以色列和猶大，並且遵照王所吩咐的說：『以色列人哪，你們要轉向永恆主、亞伯拉罕以撒以色列的上帝，好叫他轉向你們這逃脫亞述王掌握的餘民。

於是郵傳者遵王命、傳王與牧伯之書於以色列、及猶大地、曰、以色列人歟、爾當復歸亞伯拉罕以撒以色列之上帝耶和華、俾其轉向爾曹、脫於亞述王手之遺民、

王與群伯、使趨承者致書、遍以色列猶大二族、曰、以色列族、當歸亞伯拉罕、以撒、以色列之上帝、凡不見害於亞述列王之遺民者、必蒙耶和華祐、

趨承者遵王命、將王與牧伯之書、傳遍以色列及猶大、書曰、以色列人、爾當歸主亞伯拉罕以撒雅各之天主、若是、則主必復眷顧復眷顧原文作歸爾曹所餘、脫於亞述列王之手者、

At the king’s command, couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the king and from his officials, which read:“ People of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to you who are left, who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his princes, as the king had commanded, saying,“ O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

At the king’s command, runners were sent throughout Israel and Judah. They carried letters that said:“ O people of Israel, return to the Lord, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he will return to the few of us who have survived the conquest of the Assyrian kings.

So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying,“ Israelites, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that he may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped the grasp of the kings of Assyria.

The couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with the letters from the hand of the king and his princes, even according to the command of the king, saying,“ Sons of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that He may return to those of you who escaped and are left from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

Then the runners went throughout all Israel and Judah with the letters from the king and his leaders, and spoke according to the command of the king:“ Children of Israel, return to the Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel; then He will return to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant that are escaped of you out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

So the couriers went throughout Israel and Judah with letters from the hand of the king and his officials, and according to the king’s command, saying,“ Israelites, return to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel so that He may return to those of you who remain, who have escaped from the grasp of the kings of Assyria.

So the posts went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying, Ye children of Israel, turn again unto the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and he will return to the remnant of you, that are escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

Messengers delivered the letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. This royal edict read:“ O Israelites, return to the LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so he may return to you who have been spared from the kings of Assyria.

So the couriers went with the letters from the king and his princes throughout all Israel and Judah, and according to the commandment of the king, saying,“ You children of Israel, turn again to Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, that he may return to the remnant of you that have escaped out of the hand of the kings of Assyria.

The messengers rode on the royal horses. They raced along. That’s what the king commanded them to do. The order was also sent out in the fort of Susa.

One messenger after another comes to the king of Babylon. All of them announce that his entire city is captured.

During the rule of Pekah, the king of Israel, Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land again. He was king of Assyria. He captured the towns of Ijon, Abel Beth Maakah, Janoah, Kedesh and Hazor. He also captured the lands of Gilead and Galilee. That included the whole territory of Naphtali. He took the people away from their own land. He sent them off to Assyria.

Tiglath- Pileser came to Ahaz. But he gave Ahaz trouble instead of help. Tiglath- Pileser was king of Assyria.

“ God, my days race by like a runner. They fly away without seeing any joy.

Then Tiglath- Pileser marched into the land of Israel. He was king of Assyria. Menahem gave him 38 tons of silver to get his help. He wanted to make his control over the kingdom stronger.

“ If you, Israel, will return,” announces the Lord,“ then return to me. Put the statues of your gods out of my sight. I hate them. Stop going astray.

Israel, return to the Lord your God. Your sins have destroyed you!

Tell them,‘ When sinful people die, it does not give me any joy. But when they turn away from their sins and live, that makes me very happy. And that is just as sure as I am alive,’ announces the Lord and King.‘ So turn away from your sins! Change your evil ways! Why should you die, people of Israel?’

Turn to the Lord before it’s too late. Call out to him while he’s still ready to help you.Let those who are evil stop doing evil things. And let them quit thinking evil thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord. The Lord will show them his tender love. Let them turn to our God. He is always ready to forgive.

So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul. He was king of Assyria. He was also called Tiglath- Pileser. He took the tribes of Reuben and Gad and half of the tribe of Manasseh to other countries as his prisoners. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara and the river of Gozan. And that’s where they still are to this day.

Lord, please bring us back to you. Then we can return. Make our lives like new again.

Suppose only a tenth of the people remain there. Even then the land will be completely destroyed again. But when oak trees and terebinth trees are cut down, stumps are left. And my holy people will be like stumps that begin to grow again.”

The Lord who rules over all has let some people live through that time of trouble. If he hadn’t, we would have become like Sodom. We would have been like Gomorrah.

The Lord announces to his people,“ Return to me with all your heart. There is still time. Do not eat any food. Weep and mourn.”Don’t just tear your clothes to show how sad you are. Let your hearts be broken. Return to the Lord your God. He is gracious. He is tender and kind. He is slow to get angry. He is full of love. He won’t bring his judgment. He won’t destroy you.Who knows? He might turn toward you and not bring his judgment. He might even give you his blessing. Then you can bring grain offerings and drink offerings to the Lord your God.

Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners. Make your hearts pure, you who can’t make up your minds.