20
They gathered together and besieged the citadel in the one hundred and fiftieth year; and he built siege towers and other engines of war.
21
But some of the garrison escaped from the siege and some of the ungodly Israelites joined them.
22
They went to the king and said, "How long will you fail to do justice and to avenge our brethren?
23
We were happy to serve your father, to live by what he said and to follow his commands.
24
For this reason the sons of our people besieged the citadel and became hostile to us; moreover, they have put to death as many of us as they have caught, and they have seized our inheritances.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1952 [2nd edition, 1971] by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.