But Ahaz responded, &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to ask; I don&#8217;t want to put the <sc>Lordsc> to a test.&#8221;<n id="1" />

<p class="poetry">Who comprehends<n id="1" /> the mind<n id="2" /> of the <sc>Lordsc>,p> <p class="poetry">or gives him instruction as his counselor?<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">They help one another;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">one says to the other, &#8216;Be strong!&#8217;p>

But the chief adviser said, &#8220;My master did not send me to speak these words only to your master and to you.<n id="1" /> His message is also for the men who sit on the wall, for they will eat their own excrement and drink their own urine along with you!&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

I will perform a mighty act among them<n id="1" /> and then send some of those who remain to the nations &#8211; to Tarshish, Pul,<n id="2" /> Lud<n id="3" /> (known for its archers<n id="4" />), Tubal, Javan,<n id="5" /> and to the distant coastlands<n id="6" /> that have not heard about me or seen my splendor. They will tell the nations of my splendor.

<n id="1" /><p class="bodytext">At that time<n id="2" /> the sovereign master will remove their beautiful ankle jewelry,<n id="3" /> neck ornaments, crescent shaped ornaments,

They say, &#8220;Let&#8217;s attack Judah, terrorize it, and conquer it.<n id="1" /> Then we&#8217;ll set up the son of Tabeel as its king.&#8221;<n id="2" />

Then I will summon<n id="1" /> as my reliable witnesses Uriah the priest and Zechariah son of Jeberekiah.&#8221;

<p class="poetry">You must recognize the authority of the <sc>Lordsc> who commands armies.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">He is the one you must respect;p> <p class="poetry">he is the one you must fear.<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Then the <sc>Lordsc> provoked<n id="1" /> their adversaries to attack them,<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">he stirred up<n id="3" /> their enemies &#8211;p>

<p class="poetry">Indeed, the cries of distress echo throughout Moabite territory;p> <p class="poetry">their wailing can be heard in Eglaim and Beer Elim.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">The officials of Zoan are fools,p> <p class="poetry">the officials of Memphis<n id="1" /> are misled;p> <p class="poetry">the rulers<n id="2" /> of her tribes lead Egypt astray.p>

The <sc>Lordsc> will strike Egypt, striking and then healing them. They will turn to the <sc>Lordsc> and he will listen to their prayers<n id="1" /> and heal them.p>

<p class="poetry">My heart palpitates,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">I shake in fear;<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">the twilight I desiredp> <p class="poetry">has brought me terror.p>

<p class="poetry">They<n id="1" /> removed the defenses<n id="2" /> of Judah.p> <p class="poetry">At that time<n id="3" /> you lookedp> <p class="poetry">for the weapons in the House of the Forest.<n id="4" />p>

<p class="poetry">You saw the many breaksp> <p class="poetry">in the walls of the city of David;<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">you stored up water in the lower pool.p>

<p class="poetry">The earth will be completely devastatedp> <p class="poetry">and thoroughly ransacked.p> <p class="poetry">For the <sc>Lordsc> has decreed this judgment.<n id="1" />p>

<p class="poetry">Who is the <sc>Lordsc><n id="1" /> trying to teach?p> <p class="poetry">To whom is he explaining a message?<n id="2" />p> <p class="poetry">Those just weaned from milk!p> <p class="poetry">Those just taken from their mother&#8217;s breast!<n id="3" />p>

<p class="poetry">Turn aside from the way,p> <p class="poetry">stray off the path.<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">Remove from our presence the Holy One of Israel.&#8221;<n id="2" />p>

<p class="poetry">Your mind will recall the terror you experienced,<n id="1" />p> <p class="poetry">and you will ask yourselves,<n id="2" /> &#8220;Where is the scribe?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the one who weighs the money?p> <p class="poetry">Where is the one who counts the towers?&#8221;<n id="3" />p>