- 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.
- Do not be like your fathers and brothers, who were unfaithful to the LORD, the God of their fathers, so that he made them an object of horror, as you see.
- Do not be stiff-necked, as your fathers were; submit to the LORD. Come to the sanctuary, which he has consecrated forever. Serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger will turn away from you.
- If you return to the LORD, then your brothers and your children will be shown compassion by their captors and will come back to this land, for the LORD your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face from you if you return to him."
- The couriers went from town to town in Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulun, but the people scorned and ridiculed them.
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- 驛卒就把王和眾首領的信、遵著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。
- 你們不要效法你們列祖、和你們的弟兄、他們干犯耶和華他們列祖的 神、以致耶和華丟棄他們、使他們敗亡、〔或作令人驚駭〕正如你們所見的。
- 現在不要像你們列祖硬著頸項、只要歸順耶和華、進入他的聖所、就是永遠成聖的居所.又要事奉耶和華你們的 神、好使他的烈怒轉離你們。
- 你們若轉向耶和華、你們的弟兄和兒女、必在擄掠他們的人面前蒙憐恤、得以歸回這地、因為耶和華你們的 神有恩典、施憐憫.你們若轉向他、他必不轉臉不顧你們。
- 驛卒就由這城跑到那城、傳遍了以法蓮、瑪拿西、直到西布倫.那裡的人卻戲笑他們、譏誚他們。
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