Uzziah passed away and was buried near his ancestors in a cemetery belonging to the kings. (This was because he had a skin disease.) His son Jotham replaced him as king.

Jotham grew powerful because he was determined to please the Lord his God.

In one day King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel killed 120,000 warriors in Judah, because they had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors.

Oded, a prophet of the Lord, was there. He went to meet the army as they arrived in Samaria and said to them: "Look, because the Lord God of your ancestors was angry with Judah he handed them over to you. You have killed them so mercilessly that God has taken notice.

The Lord humiliated Judah because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he encouraged Judah to sin and was very unfaithful to the Lord.

Look, our fathers died violently and our sons, daughters, and wives were carried off because of this.

Then the priests slaughtered them. They offered their blood as a sin offering on the altar to make atonement for all Israel, because the king had decreed that the burnt sacrifice and sin offering were for all Israel.

They were unable to observe it at the regular time because not enough priests had consecrated themselves and the people had not assembled in Jerusalem.

Because many in the assembly had not consecrated themselves, the Levites slaughtered the Passover lambs of all who were ceremonially unclean and could not consecrate their sacrifice to the Lord.

"Be strong and brave! Don't be afraid and don't panic because of the king of Assyria and this huge army that is with him! We have with us one who is stronger than those who are with him.

"Go, seek an oracle from the Lord for me and those who remain in Israel and Judah. Find out about the words of this scroll that has been discovered. For the Lord's fury has been ignited against us, because our ancestors have not obeyed the word of the Lord by doing all that this scroll instructs!"

This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!'"

Afterward they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the descendants of Aaron, were offering burnt sacrifices and fat portions until evening. The Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron.

I was embarrassed to request soldiers and horsemen from the king to protect us from the enemy along the way, because we had said to the king, "The good hand of our God is on everyone who is seeking him, but his great anger is against everyone who forsakes him."

Everyone who held the words of the God of Israel in awe gathered around me because of the unfaithful acts of the people of the exile. Devastated, I continued to sit there until the evening offering.

From the days of our fathers until this very day our guilt has been great. Because of our iniquities we, along with our kings and priests, have been delivered over by the local kings to sword, captivity, plunder, and embarrassment -- right up to the present time.

"Everything that has happened to us has come about because of our wicked actions and our great guilt. Even so, our God, you have exercised restraint toward our iniquities and have given us a remnant such as this.

O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left as a remnant this day. Indeed, we stand before you in our guilt. However, because of this guilt no one can really stand before you."

All the men of Judah and Benjamin were gathered in Jerusalem within the three days. (It was in the ninth month, on the twentieth day of that month.) All the people sat in the square at the temple of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the rains.

I considered these things carefully and then registered a complaint with the wealthy and the officials. I said to them, "Each one of you is seizing the collateral from your own countrymen!" Because of them I called for a great public assembly.

For many in Judah had sworn allegiance to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah. His son Jonathan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah.

"Because of all of this we are entering into a binding covenant in written form; our leaders, our Levites, and our priests have affixed their names on the sealed document."

"Now the rest of the people -- the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple attendants, and all those who have separated themselves from the neighboring peoples because of the law of God, along with their wives, their sons, and their daughters, all of whom are able to understand --

Was it not because of things like these that King Solomon of Israel sinned? Among the many nations there was no king like him. He was loved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. But the foreign wives made even him sin!

Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, and the Levites.

"Don't imagine that because you are part of the king's household you will be the one Jew who will escape. If you keep quiet at this time, liberation and protection for the Jews will appear from another source, while you and your father's household perish. It may very well be that you have achieved royal status for such a time as this!"

The king asked, "What great honor was bestowed on Mordecai because of this?" The king's attendants who served him responded, "Not a thing was done for him."

King Ahasuerus replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Look, I have already given Haman's estate to Esther, and he has been hanged on the gallows because he took hostile action against the Jews.

Throughout every province and throughout every city where the king's edict and his law arrived, the Jews experienced happiness and joy, banquets and holidays. Many of the resident peoples pretended to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had overcome them.

Therefore, because of the account found in this letter and what they had faced in this regard and what had happened to them, the Jews established as binding on themselves, their descendants, and all who joined their company that they should observe these two days without fail, just as written and at the appropriate time on an annual basis.

because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb on me, nor did it hide trouble from my eyes!

But because it is heavier than the sand of the sea, that is why my words have been wild.

They are dark because of ice; snow is piled up over them.

They were distressed, because each one had been so confident; they arrived there, but were disappointed.

And you will be secure, because there is hope; you will be protected and will take your rest in safety.

Because he covered his face with fat, and made his hips bulge with fat,

my face is reddened because of weeping, and on my eyelids there is a deep darkness,

Because you have closed their minds to understanding, therefore you will not exalt them.

"This is why my troubled thoughts bring me back -- because of my feelings within me.

Is it because of your piety that he rebukes you and goes to judgment with you?

That is why I am terrified in his presence; when I consider, I am afraid because of him.

Yet I have not been silent because of the darkness, because of the thick darkness that covered my face.

They spend the night naked because they lack clothing; they have no covering against the cold.

They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle in the rocks because they lack shelter.

Because God has untied my tent cord and afflicted me, people throw off all restraint in my presence.

if I have rejoiced because of the extent of my wealth, or because of the great wealth my hand had gained,

If I have rejoiced over the misfortune of my enemy or exulted because calamity found him --

because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors --

So these three men refused to answer Job further, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

With Job's three friends he was also angry, because they could not find an answer, and so declared Job guilty.

Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was.

And I have waited. But because they do not speak, because they stand there and answer no more,

who shows no partiality to princes, and does not take note of the rich more than the poor, because all of them are the work of his hands?

because they have turned away from following him, and have not understood any of his ways,

Is it your opinion that God should recompense it, because you reject this? But you must choose, and not I, so tell us what you know.

But Job will be tested to the end, because his answers are like those of wicked men.

"People cry out because of the excess of oppression; they cry out for help because of the power of the mighty.

Then they cry out -- but he does not answer -- because of the arrogance of the wicked.

Take heed, do not turn to evil, for because of this you have been tested by affliction.

You, whose garments are hot when the earth is still because of the south wind,

Tell us what we should say to him. We cannot prepare a case because of the darkness.

Will you rely on it because its strength is great? Will you commit your labor to it?

After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, "My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.

So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. And my servant Job will intercede for you, and I will respect him, so that I do not deal with you according to your folly, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has."

Give sincere homage! Otherwise he will be angry, and you will die because of your behavior, when his anger quickly ignites. How blessed are all who take shelter in him!

But as for me, because of your great faithfulness I will enter your house; I will bow down toward your holy temple as I worship you.

Lord, lead me in your righteousness because of those who wait to ambush me, remove the obstacles in the way in which you are guiding me!

Condemn them, O God! May their own schemes be their downfall! Drive them away because of their many acts of insurrection, for they have rebelled against you.

Relent, Lord, rescue me! Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

My eyes grow dim from suffering; they grow weak because of all my enemies.

The Lord judges the nations. Vindicate me, Lord, because I am innocent, because I am blameless, O Exalted One!

Then I will tell about all your praiseworthy acts; in the gates of Daughter Zion I will rejoice because of your deliverance."

Yes, the wicked man boasts because he gets what he wants; the one who robs others curses and rejects the Lord.

He says to himself, "I will never be upended, because I experience no calamity."

Lord, you have heard the request of the oppressed; you make them feel secure because you listen to their prayer.

"Because of the violence done to the oppressed, because of the painful cries of the needy, I will spring into action," says the Lord. "I will provide the safety they so desperately desire."

Then my enemy will say, "I have defeated him!" Then my foes will rejoice because I am upended.

But I trust in your faithfulness. May I rejoice because of your deliverance!

I constantly trust in the Lord; because he is at my right hand, I will not be upended.

As for me, because I am innocent I will see your face; when I awake you will reveal yourself to me.

The earth heaved and shook; the roots of the mountains trembled; they heaved because he was angry.

He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.

For the king trusts in the Lord, and because of the sovereign Lord's faithfulness he is not upended.

Do not hold against me the sins of my youth or my rebellious acts! Because you are faithful to me, extend to me your favor, O Lord!

For the sake of your reputation, O Lord, forgive my sin, because it is great.

Teach me how you want me to live; lead me along a level path because of those who wait to ambush me!

I will be happy and rejoice in your faithfulness, because you notice my pain and you are aware of how distressed I am.

For my life nears its end in pain; my years draw to a close as I groan. My strength fails me because of my sin, and my bones become brittle.

Because of all my enemies, people disdain me; my neighbors are appalled by my suffering -- those who know me are horrified by my condition; those who see me in the street run away from me.

Smile on your servant! Deliver me because of your faithfulness!

You godly ones, shout for joy because of the Lord! It is appropriate for the morally upright to offer him praise.

Then I will rejoice in the Lord and be happy because of his deliverance.

My whole body is sick because of your judgment; I am deprived of health because of my sin.

My wounds are infected and starting to smell, because of my foolish sins.

I am numb with pain and severely battered; I groan loudly because of the anxiety I feel.

Because of my condition, even my friends and acquaintances keep their distance; my neighbors stand far away.

I have prayed for deliverance, because otherwise they will gloat over me; when my foot slips they will arrogantly taunt me.

I am silent and cannot open my mouth because of what you have done.

As for me, you uphold me because of my integrity; you allow me permanent access to your presence.

I will pray to God, my high ridge: "Why do you ignore me? Why must I walk around mourning because my enemies oppress me?"