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WEBC: World English Bible, Catholic Edition

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Patriarchs
Egypt and Exodus
Desert Wanderings
Conquest and Judges
Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
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Royal Kingdom
Divided Kingdom
Exile
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Maccabean Revolt
Wisdom & Poetry
Exile
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Messianic Fulfillment
The Church

Day 136 of 365

about 20 minutes

Tobit 13-14

Tobit Chapter 13

¹And Tobit wrote a prayer for rejoicing, and said, “Blessed is God who lives forever! Blessed is his kingdom! ²For he scourges, and shows mercy. He leads down to the grave, and brings up again. There is no one who will escape his hand. ³Give thanks to him before the Gentiles, all you children of Israel! For he has scattered us among them. ⁴Declare his greatness, there. Extol him before all the living, because he is our Lord, and God is our Father forever. ⁵He will scourge us for our iniquities, and will again show mercy, and will gather us out of all the nations among whom you are all scattered. ⁶If you turn to him with your whole heart and with your whole soul, to do truth before him, then he will turn to you, and won’t hide his face from you. See what he will do with you. Give him thanks with your whole mouth. Bless the Lord of righteousness. Exalt the everlasting King. I give him thanks in the land of my captivity, and show his strength and majesty to a nation of sinners. Turn, you sinners, and do righteousness before him. Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you? ⁷I exalt my God. My soul exalts the King of heaven, and rejoices in his greatness. ⁸Let all men speak, and let them give him thanks in Jerusalem. ⁹O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge you for the works of your sons, and will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous. ¹⁰Give thanks to the Lord with goodness, and bless the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be built in you again with joy, and that he may make glad in you those who are captives, and love in you forever those who are miserable. ¹¹Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven. Generations of generations will praise you, and sing songs of rejoicing. ¹²All those who hate you are cursed. All those who love you forever will be blessed. ¹³Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for the sons of the righteous; for they will be gathered together and will bless the Lord of the righteous. ¹⁴Oh blessed are those who love you. They will rejoice for your peace. Blessed are all those who mourned for all your scourges; because they will rejoice for you when they have seen all your glory. They will be made glad forever. ¹⁵Let my soul bless God the great King. ¹⁶For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires, emeralds, and precious stones; your walls and towers and battlements with pure gold. ¹⁷The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl, carbuncle, and stones of Ophir. ¹⁸All her streets will say, “Hallelujah!” and give praise, saying, “Blessed be God, who has exalted you forever!”

1: And Tobit wrote a prayer for rejoicing, and said, “Blessed is God who lives forever! Blessed is his kingdom!

2: For he scourges, and shows mercy. He leads down to the grave, and brings up again. There is no one who will escape his hand.

3: Give thanks to him before the Gentiles, all you children of Israel! For he has scattered us among them.

4: Declare his greatness, there. Extol him before all the living, because he is our Lord, and God is our Father forever.

5: He will scourge us for our iniquities, and will again show mercy, and will gather us out of all the nations among whom you are all scattered.

6: If you turn to him with your whole heart and with your whole soul, to do truth before him, then he will turn to you, and won’t hide his face from you. See what he will do with you. Give him thanks with your whole mouth. Bless the Lord of righteousness. Exalt the everlasting King. I give him thanks in the land of my captivity, and show his strength and majesty to a nation of sinners. Turn, you sinners, and do righteousness before him. Who can tell if he will accept you and have mercy on you?

7: I exalt my God. My soul exalts the King of heaven, and rejoices in his greatness.

8: Let all men speak, and let them give him thanks in Jerusalem.

9: O Jerusalem, the holy city, he will scourge you for the works of your sons, and will again have mercy on the sons of the righteous.

10: Give thanks to the Lord with goodness, and bless the everlasting King, that his tabernacle may be built in you again with joy, and that he may make glad in you those who are captives, and love in you forever those who are miserable.

11: Many nations will come from afar to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands, even gifts to the King of heaven. Generations of generations will praise you, and sing songs of rejoicing.

12: All those who hate you are cursed. All those who love you forever will be blessed.

13: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad for the sons of the righteous; for they will be gathered together and will bless the Lord of the righteous.

14: Oh blessed are those who love you. They will rejoice for your peace. Blessed are all those who mourned for all your scourges; because they will rejoice for you when they have seen all your glory. They will be made glad forever.

15: Let my soul bless God the great King.

16: For Jerusalem will be built with sapphires, emeralds, and precious stones; your walls and towers and battlements with pure gold.

17: The streets of Jerusalem will be paved with beryl, carbuncle, and stones of Ophir.

18: All her streets will say, “Hallelujah!” and give praise, saying, “Blessed be God, who has exalted you forever!”

Tobit Chapter 14

¹Then Tobit finished giving thanks. ²He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight. After eight years, he received it again. He gave alms and he feared the Lord God more and more, and gave thanks to him. ³Now he grew very old; and he called his son with the six sons of his son, and said to him, “My child, take your sons. Behold, I have grown old, and am ready to depart out of this life. ⁴Go into Media, my child, for I surely believe all the things which Jonah the prophet spoke of Nineveh, that it will be overthrown, but in Media there will rather be peace for a season. Our kindred will be scattered on the earth from the good land. Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God in it will be burned up, and will be desolate for a time. ⁵God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into the land, and they will build the house, but not like to the former house, until the times of that age are fulfilled. Afterward they will return from the places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honor. The house of God will be built in it forever with a glorious building, even as the prophets spoke concerning it. ⁶And all the nations will turn to fear the Lord God truly, and will bury their idols. ⁷All the nations will bless the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people; and all those who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our kindred. ⁸And now, my child, depart from Nineveh, because those things which the prophet Jonah spoke will surely come to pass. ⁹But you must keep the law and the ordinances, and show yourself merciful and righteous, that it may be well with you. ¹⁰Bury me decently, and your mother with me. Don’t stay at Nineveh. See, my child, what Aman did to Achiacharus who nourished him, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and all the recompense that he made him. Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his recompense, and he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snare of death which he set for him; but Aman fell into the snare, and perished. ¹¹And now, my children, consider what alms does, and how righteousness delivers.” While he was saying these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed; but he was one hundred fifty eight years old. Tobias buried him magnificently. ¹²When Anna died, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and his sons to Ecbatana to Raguel his father-in-law, ¹³and he grew old in honor, and he buried his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificently, and he inherited their possessions, and his father Tobit’s. ¹⁴He died at Ecbatana of Media, being one hundred twenty seven years old. ¹⁵Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, which Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus took captive. Before his death, he rejoiced over Nineveh.

1: Then Tobit finished giving thanks.

2: He was fifty-eight years old when he lost his sight. After eight years, he received it again. He gave alms and he feared the Lord God more and more, and gave thanks to him.

3: Now he grew very old; and he called his son with the six sons of his son, and said to him, “My child, take your sons. Behold, I have grown old, and am ready to depart out of this life.

4: Go into Media, my child, for I surely believe all the things which Jonah the prophet spoke of Nineveh, that it will be overthrown, but in Media there will rather be peace for a season. Our kindred will be scattered on the earth from the good land. Jerusalem will be desolate, and the house of God in it will be burned up, and will be desolate for a time.

5: God will again have mercy on them, and bring them back into the land, and they will build the house, but not like to the former house, until the times of that age are fulfilled. Afterward they will return from the places of their captivity, and build up Jerusalem with honor. The house of God will be built in it forever with a glorious building, even as the prophets spoke concerning it.

6: And all the nations will turn to fear the Lord God truly, and will bury their idols.

7: All the nations will bless the Lord, and his people will give thanks to God, and the Lord will exalt his people; and all those who love the Lord God in truth and righteousness will rejoice, showing mercy to our kindred.

8: And now, my child, depart from Nineveh, because those things which the prophet Jonah spoke will surely come to pass.

9: But you must keep the law and the ordinances, and show yourself merciful and righteous, that it may be well with you.

10: Bury me decently, and your mother with me. Don’t stay at Nineveh. See, my child, what Aman did to Achiacharus who nourished him, how out of light he brought him into darkness, and all the recompense that he made him. Achiacharus was saved, but the other had his recompense, and he went down into darkness. Manasses gave alms, and escaped the snare of death which he set for him; but Aman fell into the snare, and perished.

11: And now, my children, consider what alms does, and how righteousness delivers.” While he was saying these things, he gave up the ghost in the bed; but he was one hundred fifty eight years old. Tobias buried him magnificently.

12: When Anna died, he buried her with his father. But Tobias departed with his wife and his sons to Ecbatana to Raguel his father-in-law,

13: and he grew old in honor, and he buried his father-in-law and mother-in-law magnificently, and he inherited their possessions, and his father Tobit’s.

14: He died at Ecbatana of Media, being one hundred twenty seven years old.

15: Before he died, he heard of the destruction of Nineveh, which Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus took captive. Before his death, he rejoiced over Nineveh.

Judith 1-4

Judith Chapter 1

¹In the twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over the Assyrians in Nineveh, the great city, in the days of Arphaxad, who reigned over the Medes in Ecbatana, ²and built around Ecbatana walls of hewn stones three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits, ³and set its towers at its gates one hundred cubits high, and its breadth in the foundation was sixty cubits, ⁴and made its gates, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and their breadth forty cubits, for his mighty army to go out of, and the setting in array of his footmen— ⁵in those days King Nebuchadnezzar made war with King Arphaxad in the great plain. This plain is on the borders of Ragau. ⁶There came to meet him all that lived in the hill country, and all that lived by Euphrates, Tigris, and Hydaspes, and in the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymaeans. Many nations of the sons of Chelod assembled themselves to the battle. ⁷And Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent to all who lived in Persia, and to all who lived westward, to those who lived in Cilicia, Damascus, Libanus, Antilibanus, and to all who lived along the sea coast, ⁸and to those among the nations that were of Carmel and Gilead, and to the higher Galilee and the great plain of Esdraelon, ⁹and to all who were in Samaria and its cities, and beyond Jordan to Jerusalem, Betane, Chellus, Kadesh, the river of Egypt, Tahpanhes, Rameses, and all the land of Goshen, ¹⁰until you come above Tanis and Memphis, and to all that lived in Egypt, until you come to the borders of Ethiopia. ¹¹All those who lived in all the land made light of the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians, and didn’t go with him to the war; for they were not afraid of him, but he was before them as one man. They turned away his messengers from their presence without effect, and with disgrace. ¹²And Nebuchadnezzar was exceedingly angry with all this land, and he swore by his throne and kingdom that he would surely be avenged upon all the coasts of Cilicia, Damascus, and Syria, that he would kill with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, the children of Ammon, all Judea, and all who were in Egypt, until you come to the borders of the two seas. ¹³And he set the battle in array with his army against King Arphaxad in the seventeenth year; and he prevailed in his battle, and turned to flight all the army of Arphaxad, with all his horses and all his chariots. ¹⁴He took possession of his cities. He came to Ecbatana and took the towers, plundered its streets, and turned its beauty into shame. ¹⁵He took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, struck him through with his darts, and utterly destroyed him to this day. ¹⁶He returned with them to Nineveh, he and all his company of sundry nations—an exceedingly great multitude of men of war. There he took his ease and banqueted, he and his army, for one hundred twenty days.

1: In the twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned over the Assyrians in Nineveh, the great city, in the days of Arphaxad, who reigned over the Medes in Ecbatana,

2: and built around Ecbatana walls of hewn stones three cubits broad and six cubits long, and made the height of the wall seventy cubits, and its breadth fifty cubits,

3: and set its towers at its gates one hundred cubits high, and its breadth in the foundation was sixty cubits,

4: and made its gates, even gates that were raised to the height of seventy cubits, and their breadth forty cubits, for his mighty army to go out of, and the setting in array of his footmen—

5: in those days King Nebuchadnezzar made war with King Arphaxad in the great plain. This plain is on the borders of Ragau.

6: There came to meet him all that lived in the hill country, and all that lived by Euphrates, Tigris, and Hydaspes, and in the plain of Arioch the king of the Elymaeans. Many nations of the sons of Chelod assembled themselves to the battle.

7: And Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians sent to all who lived in Persia, and to all who lived westward, to those who lived in Cilicia, Damascus, Libanus, Antilibanus, and to all who lived along the sea coast,

8: and to those among the nations that were of Carmel and Gilead, and to the higher Galilee and the great plain of Esdraelon,

9: and to all who were in Samaria and its cities, and beyond Jordan to Jerusalem, Betane, Chellus, Kadesh, the river of Egypt, Tahpanhes, Rameses, and all the land of Goshen,

10: until you come above Tanis and Memphis, and to all that lived in Egypt, until you come to the borders of Ethiopia.

11: All those who lived in all the land made light of the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians, and didn’t go with him to the war; for they were not afraid of him, but he was before them as one man. They turned away his messengers from their presence without effect, and with disgrace.

12: And Nebuchadnezzar was exceedingly angry with all this land, and he swore by his throne and kingdom that he would surely be avenged upon all the coasts of Cilicia, Damascus, and Syria, that he would kill with his sword all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, the children of Ammon, all Judea, and all who were in Egypt, until you come to the borders of the two seas.

13: And he set the battle in array with his army against King Arphaxad in the seventeenth year; and he prevailed in his battle, and turned to flight all the army of Arphaxad, with all his horses and all his chariots.

14: He took possession of his cities. He came to Ecbatana and took the towers, plundered its streets, and turned its beauty into shame.

15: He took Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau, struck him through with his darts, and utterly destroyed him to this day.

16: He returned with them to Nineveh, he and all his company of sundry nations—an exceedingly great multitude of men of war. There he took his ease and banqueted, he and his army, for one hundred twenty days.

Judith Chapter 2

¹In the eighteenth year, the twenty-second day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians that he should be avenged on all the land, even as he spoke. ²He called together all his servants and all his great men, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and with his own mouth, recounted the wickedness of all the land. ³They decreed to destroy all flesh which didn’t follow the word of his mouth. ⁴It came to pass, when he had ended his counsel, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, who was second to himself, and said to him, ⁵“The great king, the lord of all the earth, says: ‘Behold, you shall go out from my presence, and take with you men who trust in their strength, to one hundred twenty thousand footmen and twelve thousand horses with their riders. ⁶And you shall go out against all the west country, because they disobeyed the commandment of my mouth. ⁷You shall declare to them that they should prepare earth and water, because I will go out in my wrath against them, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of my army, who will plunder them. ⁸Their slain will fill their valleys and brooks, and the river will be filled with their dead until it overflows. ⁹I will lead them as captives to the utmost parts of all the earth. ¹⁰But you shall go forth, and take all their coasts for me first. If they will yield themselves to you, then you must reserve them for me until the day of their reproof. ¹¹As for those who resist, your eye shall not spare; but you shall give them up to be slain and to be plundered in all your land. ¹²For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, I have spoken, and I will do this with my hand. ¹³Moreover, you shall not transgress anything of the commandments of your lord, but you shall surely accomplish them, as I have commanded you. You shall not defer to do them.’ ” ¹⁴So Holofernes went out from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors, the captains, and officers of the army of Asshur. ¹⁵He counted chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, to one hundred twenty thousand, with twelve thousand archers on horseback. ¹⁶He arranged them as a great multitude is ordered for the war. ¹⁷He took camels, donkeys, and mules for their baggage, an exceedingly great multitude, and sheep, oxen, and goats without number for their provision, ¹⁸and a large supply of rations for every man, and a huge amount of gold and silver out of the king’s house. ¹⁹He went out, he and all his army, on their journey, to go before King Nebuchadnezzar, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, horsemen, and chosen footmen. ²⁰A great company of various nations went out with them like locusts and like the sand of the earth. For they could not be counted by reason of their multitude. ²¹And they departed out of Nineveh three days’ journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and encamped from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the Upper Cilicia. ²²And he took all his army, his footmen, horsemen, and chariots, and went away from there into the hill country, ²³and destroyed Put and Lud, and plundered all the children of Rasses and the children of Ishmael, which were along the wilderness to the south of the land of the Chellians. ²⁴And he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and broke down all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, until you come to the sea. ²⁵And he took possession of the borders of Cilicia, and killed all who resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, opposite Arabia. ²⁶He surrounded all the children of Midian, and set their tents on fire, and plundered their sheepfolds. ²⁷He went down into the plain of Damascus in the days of wheat harvest, and set all their fields on fire, and utterly destroyed their flocks and herds, plundered their cities, laid their plains waste, and struck all their young men with the edge of the sword. ²⁸And the fear and the dread of him fell upon those who lived on the sea coast, upon those who were in Sidon and Tyre, those who lived in Sur and Ocina, and all who lived in Jemnaan. Those who lived in Azotus and Ascalon feared him exceedingly.

1: In the eighteenth year, the twenty-second day of the first month, there was talk in the house of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians that he should be avenged on all the land, even as he spoke.

2: He called together all his servants and all his great men, and communicated with them his secret counsel, and with his own mouth, recounted the wickedness of all the land.

3: They decreed to destroy all flesh which didn’t follow the word of his mouth.

4: It came to pass, when he had ended his counsel, Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians called Holofernes the chief captain of his army, who was second to himself, and said to him,

5: “The great king, the lord of all the earth, says: ‘Behold, you shall go out from my presence, and take with you men who trust in their strength, to one hundred twenty thousand footmen and twelve thousand horses with their riders.

6: And you shall go out against all the west country, because they disobeyed the commandment of my mouth.

7: You shall declare to them that they should prepare earth and water, because I will go out in my wrath against them, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of my army, who will plunder them.

8: Their slain will fill their valleys and brooks, and the river will be filled with their dead until it overflows.

9: I will lead them as captives to the utmost parts of all the earth.

10: But you shall go forth, and take all their coasts for me first. If they will yield themselves to you, then you must reserve them for me until the day of their reproof.

11: As for those who resist, your eye shall not spare; but you shall give them up to be slain and to be plundered in all your land.

12: For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, I have spoken, and I will do this with my hand.

13: Moreover, you shall not transgress anything of the commandments of your lord, but you shall surely accomplish them, as I have commanded you. You shall not defer to do them.’ ”

14: So Holofernes went out from the presence of his lord, and called all the governors, the captains, and officers of the army of Asshur.

15: He counted chosen men for the battle, as his lord had commanded him, to one hundred twenty thousand, with twelve thousand archers on horseback.

16: He arranged them as a great multitude is ordered for the war.

17: He took camels, donkeys, and mules for their baggage, an exceedingly great multitude, and sheep, oxen, and goats without number for their provision,

18: and a large supply of rations for every man, and a huge amount of gold and silver out of the king’s house.

19: He went out, he and all his army, on their journey, to go before King Nebuchadnezzar, and to cover all the face of the earth westward with their chariots, horsemen, and chosen footmen.

20: A great company of various nations went out with them like locusts and like the sand of the earth. For they could not be counted by reason of their multitude.

21: And they departed out of Nineveh three days’ journey toward the plain of Bectileth, and encamped from Bectileth near the mountain which is at the left hand of the Upper Cilicia.

22: And he took all his army, his footmen, horsemen, and chariots, and went away from there into the hill country,

23: and destroyed Put and Lud, and plundered all the children of Rasses and the children of Ishmael, which were along the wilderness to the south of the land of the Chellians.

24: And he went over Euphrates, and went through Mesopotamia, and broke down all the high cities that were upon the river Arbonai, until you come to the sea.

25: And he took possession of the borders of Cilicia, and killed all who resisted him, and came to the borders of Japheth, which were toward the south, opposite Arabia.

26: He surrounded all the children of Midian, and set their tents on fire, and plundered their sheepfolds.

27: He went down into the plain of Damascus in the days of wheat harvest, and set all their fields on fire, and utterly destroyed their flocks and herds, plundered their cities, laid their plains waste, and struck all their young men with the edge of the sword.

28: And the fear and the dread of him fell upon those who lived on the sea coast, upon those who were in Sidon and Tyre, those who lived in Sur and Ocina, and all who lived in Jemnaan. Those who lived in Azotus and Ascalon feared him exceedingly.

Judith Chapter 3

¹And they sent to him messengers with words of peace, saying, ²“Behold, we the servants of Nebuchadnezzar the great king lie before you. Use us as it is pleasing in your sight. ³Behold, our dwellings, and all our country, and all our fields of wheat, and our flocks and herds, and all the sheepfolds of our tents, lie before your face. Use them as it may please you. ⁴Behold, even our cities and those who dwell in them are your servants. Come and deal with them as it is good in your eyes.” ⁵So the men came to Holofernes, and declared to him according to these words. ⁶He came down toward the sea coast, he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for allies. ⁷They received him, they and all the country round about them, with garlands and dances and timbrels. ⁸He cast down all their borders, and cut down their sacred groves. It had been given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations would worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and that all their tongues and their tribes would call upon him as a god. ⁹Then he came toward Esdraelon near to Dotaea, which is opposite the great ridge of Judea. ¹⁰He encamped between Geba and Scythopolis. He was there a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his army.

1: And they sent to him messengers with words of peace, saying,

2: “Behold, we the servants of Nebuchadnezzar the great king lie before you. Use us as it is pleasing in your sight.

3: Behold, our dwellings, and all our country, and all our fields of wheat, and our flocks and herds, and all the sheepfolds of our tents, lie before your face. Use them as it may please you.

4: Behold, even our cities and those who dwell in them are your servants. Come and deal with them as it is good in your eyes.”

5: So the men came to Holofernes, and declared to him according to these words.

6: He came down toward the sea coast, he and his army, and set garrisons in the high cities, and took out of them chosen men for allies.

7: They received him, they and all the country round about them, with garlands and dances and timbrels.

8: He cast down all their borders, and cut down their sacred groves. It had been given to him to destroy all the gods of the land, that all the nations would worship Nebuchadnezzar only, and that all their tongues and their tribes would call upon him as a god.

9: Then he came toward Esdraelon near to Dotaea, which is opposite the great ridge of Judea.

10: He encamped between Geba and Scythopolis. He was there a whole month, that he might gather together all the baggage of his army.

Judith Chapter 4

¹The children of Israel who lived in Judea heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and how he had plundered all their temples and destroyed them utterly. ²They were exceedingly afraid at his approach, and were troubled for Jerusalem and for the temple of the Lord their God; ³because they had newly come up from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were recently gathered together; and the vessels, the altar, and the house were sanctified after being profaned. ⁴And they sent into every coast of Samaria, to Konae, to Beth-horon, Belmaim, Jericho, to Choba, Aesora, and to the valley of Salem; ⁵and they occupied beforehand all the tops of the high mountains, fortified the villages that were in them, and stored supplies for the provision of war, for their fields were newly reaped. ⁶Joakim the high priest, who was in those days at Jerusalem, wrote to those who lived in Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which is opposite Esdraelon toward the plain that is near to Dothaim, ⁷charging them to seize upon the ascents of the hill country; because by them was the entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them from approaching, inasmuch as the approach was narrow, with space for two men at the most. ⁸And the children of Israel did as Joakim the high priest had commanded them, as did the senate of all the people of Israel, which was in session at Jerusalem. ⁹And every man of Israel cried to God with great earnestness, and with great earnestness they humbled their souls. ¹⁰They, their wives, their children, their cattle, and every sojourner, hireling, and servant bought with their money put sackcloth on their loins. ¹¹Every man and woman of Israel, including the little children and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell prostrate before the temple, cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. They put sackcloth around the altar. ¹²They cried to the God of Israel earnestly with one consent, that he would not give their children as prey, their wives as plunder, the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to being profaned and being made a reproach, for the nations to rejoice at. ¹³The Lord heard their voice, and looked at their affliction. The people continued fasting many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁴And Joakim the high priest, and all the priests who stood before the Lord, and those who ministered to the Lord, had their loins dressed in sackcloth and offered the continual burnt offering, the vows, and the free gifts of the people. ¹⁵They had ashes on their turbans. They cried to the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel for good.

1: The children of Israel who lived in Judea heard all that Holofernes the chief captain of Nebuchadnezzar king of the Assyrians had done to the nations, and how he had plundered all their temples and destroyed them utterly.

2: They were exceedingly afraid at his approach, and were troubled for Jerusalem and for the temple of the Lord their God;

3: because they had newly come up from the captivity, and all the people of Judea were recently gathered together; and the vessels, the altar, and the house were sanctified after being profaned.

4: And they sent into every coast of Samaria, to Konae, to Beth-horon, Belmaim, Jericho, to Choba, Aesora, and to the valley of Salem;

5: and they occupied beforehand all the tops of the high mountains, fortified the villages that were in them, and stored supplies for the provision of war, for their fields were newly reaped.

6: Joakim the high priest, who was in those days at Jerusalem, wrote to those who lived in Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which is opposite Esdraelon toward the plain that is near to Dothaim,

7: charging them to seize upon the ascents of the hill country; because by them was the entrance into Judea, and it was easy to stop them from approaching, inasmuch as the approach was narrow, with space for two men at the most.

8: And the children of Israel did as Joakim the high priest had commanded them, as did the senate of all the people of Israel, which was in session at Jerusalem.

9: And every man of Israel cried to God with great earnestness, and with great earnestness they humbled their souls.

10: They, their wives, their children, their cattle, and every sojourner, hireling, and servant bought with their money put sackcloth on their loins.

11: Every man and woman of Israel, including the little children and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, fell prostrate before the temple, cast ashes upon their heads, and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. They put sackcloth around the altar.

12: They cried to the God of Israel earnestly with one consent, that he would not give their children as prey, their wives as plunder, the cities of their inheritance to destruction, and the sanctuary to being profaned and being made a reproach, for the nations to rejoice at.

13: The Lord heard their voice, and looked at their affliction. The people continued fasting many days in all Judea and Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty.

14: And Joakim the high priest, and all the priests who stood before the Lord, and those who ministered to the Lord, had their loins dressed in sackcloth and offered the continual burnt offering, the vows, and the free gifts of the people.

15: They had ashes on their turbans. They cried to the Lord with all their power, that he would look upon all the house of Israel for good.

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Scripture text: World English Bible, Catholic Edition (WEBC) — public domain

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