"Yea, otherwise."

"How?"

"By his vile and haughty treatment of the king's ambassador."

"Be sparing with thine insolence, or at this time thou mayest fare far
worse."

"The Chaldean ambassador is not to be frightened by idle threats from one
who lives at the mercy of his master."

"Thinkest thou thyself safe because thou art surrounded with a few
soldiers? Knowest thou not that within my call there are hundreds of
armed men, ready to execute my will?"

"And knowest thou not that Jerusalem is in the hands of the Chaldeans,
and that threescore thousand men of war are stationed in the city?"

"Threescore thousand! But come, sir, what is the message of the King of
Babylon to the King of Judah? Let thy words be few."

"Then thou art commanded, without delay, to appear in my master's
presence, and there learn his sovereign will concerning thyself and the
city."

"Commanded! Ha, ha, ha! Go thy way, and inform thy master that if he
desires to see Jehoiakim, King of Judah, he must call at the royal
palace, where he may have his desires gratified."