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.

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.

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.

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.

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 couriers who were riding the royal horses went forth with the king’s edict without delay. And the law was presented in Susa the citadel as well.

One runner after another will come to the king of Babylon. One messenger after another will come bringing news. They will bring news to the king of Babylon that his whole city has been captured.

During Pekah’s reign over Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel Beth Maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, including all the territory of Naphtali. He deported the people to Assyria.

King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came, but he gave him more trouble than support.

“ My days are swifter than a runner, they speed by without seeing happiness.

Pul king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid him a thousand talents of silver to gain his support and to solidify his control of the kingdom.

“ If you, Israel, want to come back,” says the LORD,“ if you want to come back to me you must get those disgusting idols out of my sight and must no longer go astray.

Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for your sin has been your downfall!

Say to them,‘ As surely as I live, declares the sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but prefer that the wicked change his behavior and live. Turn back, turn back from your evil deeds! Why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Seek the LORD while he makes himself available; call to him while he is nearby!The wicked need to abandon their lifestyle and sinful people their plans. They should return to the LORD, and he will show mercy to them, and to their God, for he will freely forgive them.

So the God of Israel stirred up King Pul of Assyria( that is, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria), and he carried away the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh and took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan, where they remain to this very day.

Bring us back to yourself, O LORD, so that we may return to you; renew our life as in days before,

Even if only a tenth of the people remain in the land, it will again be destroyed, like one of the large sacred trees or an Asherah pole, when a sacred pillar on a high place is thrown down. That sacred pillar symbolizes the special chosen family.”

If the LORD who commands armies had not left us a few survivors, we would have quickly become like Sodom, we would have become like Gomorrah.

“ Yet even now,” the LORD says,“ return to me with all your heart– with fasting, weeping, and mourning. Tear your hearts, not just your garments!”Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger and boundless in loyal love– often relenting from calamitous punishment.Who knows? Perhaps he will be compassionate and grant a reprieve, and leave blessing in his wake– a meal offering and a drink offering for you to offer to the LORD your God!

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double- minded.