16. And, although they had entered without bow and arrow, and without shield and sword, their God fought on their behalf and was victorious.
17. And there was no one who could attack this people, except when they withdrew from the worship of the Lord their God.
18. But as often as they worshipped any other, except their own God, they were delivered to plunder, and to the sword, and into reproach.
19. But as often as they were repentant for having withdrawn from the worship of their God, the God of heaven gave them the power to resist.
20. And, indeed, they overthrew the king of the Canaanites, and of the Jebusites, and of the Perizzites, and of the Hethites, and of the Hevites, and of the Amorrhites, and all the powerful ones in Hesebon, and these same possessed their lands and their cities.
21. And, as long as they did not sin in the sight of their God, it was well with them. For their God hates iniquity.
22. And even some years ago, when they had withdrawn from the way that their God had given them to walk, they were destroyed in battles by many nations and very many of them were led away captive into a land not their own.
23. But, more recently, returning to the Lord their God, from the dispersion in which they had been scattered, they have united and have ascended into all these mountains, and they again possess Jerusalem, where their holy things are.
24. Therefore, now my lord, inquire if there may be any iniquity of theirs in the sight of their God. If so, let us ascend to them, because their God will surely deliver them to you, and they will be subjugated under the yoke of your power.
25. But if, in truth, there may be no offense of this people before their God, we will not be able to resist them, because their God will defend them, and we will become a disgrace to the whole earth."