Heroes of Israel's past
3   He was whole-heartedly loyal to the Lord
and in lawless times made godliness prevail.


4   Except David, Hezekiah, and Josiah,
all were guilty of wrongdoing,
for they deserted the law of the Most High;
and so the royal line of Judah came to an end.
5   They surrendered their power to others
and their glory to a foreign nation,
6   who set fire to the chosen city, the city of the sanctuary,
and left its streets deserted, as Jeremiah prophesied;
7   for they had ill-treated him,
a prophet consecrated even before his birth
to uproot, to destroy, and to demolish,
but also to build and to plant.


8   Ezekiel had a vision of the Glory,
which was revealed enthroned on the chariot of the cherubim.
9   The Lord remembered his enemies and sent a storm,
but he did good to those who kept to the straight path.
10   May the bones of the twelve prophets also
send forth new life from the ground where they lie!
For they put new heart into Jacob,
and rescued the people by their confident hope.


11   How can we tell the greatness of Zerubbabel,
who was like a signet-ring on the Lord's right hand?
12   With him was Joshua son of Jehozadak;
in their days they built the house,
raising a holy temple to the Lord,
destined for eternal glory.
13   Great is the memory of Nehemiah,
who raised our fallen walls,
constructed gates and bars,
and rebuilt our ruined homes.


14   No one on earth has been created to equal Enoch,
for he was taken up from the earth.
15   No man has been born to be Joseph's peer,

Heroes of Israel's past
the ruler of his brothers and the strength of his people;
and the Lord kept watch over his body.
16   Shem and Seth were given distinction among men,
but Adam holds pre-eminence over all creation.

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