6. So couriers ran throughout all Israel and Judah with a letter from the hand of the king and his officials as a command from the king:“Sons of Israel, return to the Lord of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel that He might turn to the remnant who has escaped from the king of Assyria.
7. Do not act like your fathers and brothers who were faithless before the Lord God of their fathers, and He appointed them for horror, as you observe.
8. So now do not harden your necks as your fathers, but give yourselves to the Lord and come to the sanctuary that He has consecrated permanently. Serve the Lord your God so that His burning anger might turn away from you all.
9. Because if you return to the Lord, your brothers and children will find compassion before those who have taken them captive, in order to return you to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn His face from you if you all return to Him.”
10. So the couriers ran from city to city in the land of Ephraim and Manasseh and up to Zebulun, but the people laughed at them and mocked them.
11. However some men from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and journeyed to Jerusalem.