| When the children of Israel that dwelt in Jewry heard this, they were sore afraid of him. There came forth trembling also and fear upon them, that they sorrowed he should do unto the city of Jerusalem and the temple of the Lord, as he had done to other cities and their temples. So they sent into all Samaria round about unto Jericho, took in and occupied all the tops of the mountains, and made fast the towns with walls, and prepared corn for them against the battle.
Eliachim also the Priest wrote unto all them that dwell toward Esdrelon (which layeth over against the great field by Dotha Im ) and unto all those by whom men might have passage unto them, that they should take in the ways of the mountains, whereby there might be any way and passage to Jerusalem, and that they should hold diligent watch where any straight way was betwixt the mountains. And the children of Israel did as Eliachim the Priest of the Lord had commanded them. And all the people cried earnestly, and humbled their souls with fasting and prayers, they and their wives. The Priests put on hairy clothes, and layed the young babes before the temple of the Lord, and covered the Altar of the Lord with an hairy cloth. And with one accord they cried unto the Lord God of Israel, that their children should not be given in to a prey, and their wives into a spoil, that their cities should not be layed waste, and that their Sanctuary should not be unhallowed, and so they to be a shame and rebuke unto the Heathen.
Then Eliachim the high Priest of the Lord went round about all Israel, and spake unto them, saying: Be ye sure, that the Lord will hear your petitions, if ye continue steadfast in fastings and prayers in the sight of the Lord. Remember Moses the servant of the Lord, which overthrew the Amalechites ( that trusted in their might and power, in their host, in their shields, in their chariots and horsemen ) not with weapons, but with holy prayers. Even so shall all the enemies of Israel be, if ye continue in this work, that ye have begun. So upon this exhortation they continued in prayer before the Lord. In so much that they which offered burnt sacrifices unto the Lord, offered offerings unto the Lord being arrayed in hairy clothes and had ashes upon their heads. And they all besought God from their whole heart, that he would visit his people of Israel. |
 |
|
