²⁴ “Have you not noticed that these people are saying, ‘The Lord has rejected the two kingdoms^[a](A) he chose’? So they despise^(B) my people and no longer regard them as a nation.^(C)

² and in the presence of his associates^(A) and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble^(B)—burned as they are?”

³ Tobiah^(C) the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!”^(D)

⁴ Hear us, our God, for we are despised.^(E) Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity.

The Remnant of Israel

11 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means!^(A) I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham,^(B) from the tribe of Benjamin.^{(C) 2} God did not reject his people,^(D) whom he foreknew.^(E) Don’t you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel: ³ “Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me”^[a]?^{(F) 4} And what was God’s answer to him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”^{[b](G) 5} So too, at the present time there is a remnant^(H) chosen by grace.^{(I) 6} And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works;^(J) if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

²² I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel.^(A) There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms.^(B)

² This is what the Sovereign Lord says:^(A) The enemy said of you, “Aha!^(B) The ancient heights^(C) have become our possession.^(D)”’

¹⁰ “‘Because you have said, “These two nations and countries will be ours and we will take possession^(A) of them,” even though I the Lord was there, ¹¹ therefore as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, I will treat you in accordance with the anger^(B) and jealousy you showed in your hatred of them and I will make myself known among them when I judge you.^{(C) 12} Then you will know that I the Lord have heard all the contemptible things you have said against the mountains of Israel. You said, “They have been laid waste and have been given over to us to devour.^(D)” ¹³ You boasted^(E) against me and spoke against me without restraint, and I heard it.^{(F) 14} This is what the Sovereign Lord says: While the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate.^{(G) 15} Because you rejoiced^(H) when the inheritance of Israel became desolate, that is how I will treat you. You will be desolate, Mount Seir,^(I) you and all of Edom.^(J) Then they will know that I am the Lord.’”

² “Son of man, because Tyre^(A) has said of Jerusalem, ‘Aha!^(B) The gate to the nations is broken, and its doors have swung open to me; now that she lies in ruins I will prosper,’