¹ Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

² And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³ And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.

⁴ Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.

⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶ Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

⁷ Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

⁸ And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

⁹ And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;

¹⁰ And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.

¹¹ And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

¹² Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

¹³ Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

¹⁴ And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

¹⁵ And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

¹⁷ And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

¹⁸ Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

¹⁹ Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

²¹ Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

²² Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³ Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

²⁴ So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

²⁵ And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the land of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

²⁹ And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

³⁰ Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

³¹ Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

³² Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

³³ Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

³⁴ Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

³⁵ For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:

³⁷ And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

³⁸ And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

---

¹ Now in the twenty ^H6242 and fourth ^H702 day ^H3117 of this month ^H2320 the children ^H1121 of Israel ^H3478 were assembled ^H622 with fasting, ^H6685 and with sackclothes, ^H8242 and earth ^H127 upon them.

² And the seed ^H2233 of Israel ^H3478 separated ^H914 themselves from all strangers, ^{H1121 H5236} and stood ^H5975 and confessed ^H3034 their sins, ^H2403 and the iniquities ^H5771 of their fathers. ^H1

³ And they stood up ^H6965 in their place, ^H5977 and read ^H7121 in the book ^H5612 of the law ^H8451 of the LORD ^H3068 their God ^H430 one fourth part ^H7243 of the day; ^H3117 and another fourth part ^H7243 they confessed, ^H3034 and worshipped ^H7812 the LORD ^H3068 their God. ^H430

⁴ Then stood up ^H6965 upon the stairs, ^H4608 of the Levites, ^H3881 Jeshua, ^H3442 and Bani, ^H1137 Kadmiel, ^H6934 Shebaniah, ^H7645 Bunni, ^H1138 Sherebiah, ^H8274 Bani, ^H1137 and Chenani, ^H3662 and cried ^H2199 with a loud ^H1419 voice ^H6963 unto the LORD ^H3068 their God. ^H430

⁵ Then the Levites, ^H3881 Jeshua, ^H3442 and Kadmiel, ^H6934 Bani, ^H1137 Hashabniah, ^H2813 Sherebiah, ^H8274 Hodijah, ^H1941 Shebaniah, ^H7645 and Pethahiah, ^H6611 said, ^H559 Stand up ^H6965 and bless ^H1288 the LORD ^H3068 your God ^H430 for ever ^H5769 and ever: ^H5769 and blessed ^H1288 be thy glorious ^H3519 name, ^H8034 which is exalted ^H7311 above all blessing ^H1293 and praise. ^H8416

⁶ Thou, even thou, art LORD ^H3068 alone; thou hast made ^H6213 heaven, ^H8064 the heaven ^H8064 of heavens, ^H8064 with all their host, ^H6635 the earth, ^H776 and all things that are therein, the seas, ^H3220 and all that is therein, and thou preservest ^H2421 them all; and the host ^H6635 of heaven ^H8064 worshippeth ^H7812 thee.

⁷ Thou art the LORD ^H3068 the God, ^H430 who didst choose ^H977 Abram, ^H87 and broughtest him forth ^H3318 out of Ur ^H218 of the Chaldees, ^H3778 and gavest ^H7760 him the name ^H8034 of Abraham; ^H85

⁸ And foundest ^H4672 his heart ^H3824 faithful ^H539 before ^H6440 thee, and madest ^H3772 a covenant ^H1285 with him to give ^H5414 the land ^H776 of the Canaanites, ^H3669 the Hittites, ^H2850 the Amorites, ^H567 and the Perizzites, ^H6522 and the Jebusites, ^H2983 and the Girgashites, ^H1622 to give ^H5414 it, I say, to his seed, ^H2233 and hast performed ^H6965 thy words; ^H1697 for thou art righteous: ^H6662

⁹ And didst see ^H7200 the affliction ^H6040 of our fathers ^H1 in Egypt, ^H4714 and heardest ^H8085 their cry ^H2201 by the Red ^H5488 sea; ^H3220

¹⁰ And shewedst ^H5414 signs ^H226 and wonders ^H4159 upon Pharaoh, ^H6547 and on all his servants, ^H5650 and on all the people ^H5971 of his land: ^H776 for thou knewest ^H3045 that they dealt proudly ^H2102 against them. So didst thou get ^H6213 thee a name, ^H8034 as it is this day. ^H3117

¹¹ And thou didst divide ^H1234 the sea ^H3220 before ^H6440 them, so that they went through ^H5674 the midst ^H8432 of the sea ^H3220 on the dry land; ^H3004 and their persecutors ^H7291 thou threwest ^H7993 into the deeps, ^H4688 as a stone ^H68 into the mighty ^H5794 waters. ^H4325

¹² Moreover thou leddest ^H5148 them in the day ^H3119 by a cloudy ^H6051 pillar; ^H5982 and in the night ^H3915 by a pillar ^H5982 of fire, ^H784 to give them light ^H215 in the way ^H1870 wherein they should go. ^H3212

¹³ Thou camest down ^H3381 also upon mount ^H2022 Sinai, ^H5514 and spakest ^H1696 with them from heaven, ^H8064 and gavest ^H5414 them right ^H3477 judgments, ^H4941 and true ^H571 laws, ^H8451 good ^H2896 statutes ^H2706 and commandments: ^H4687

¹⁴ And madest known ^H3045 unto them thy holy ^H6944 sabbath, ^H7676 and commandedst ^H6680 them precepts, ^H4687 statutes, ^H2706 and laws, ^H8451 by the hand ^H3027 of Moses ^H4872 thy servant: ^H5650

¹⁵ And gavest ^H5414 them bread ^H3899 from heaven ^H8064 for their hunger, ^H7458 and broughtest forth ^H3318 water ^H4325 for them out of the rock ^H5553 for their thirst, ^H6772 and promisedst ^H559 them that they should go in ^H935 to possess ^H3423 the land ^H776 which thou hadst sworn ^{H3027 H5375} to give ^H5414 them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers ^H1 dealt proudly, ^H2102 and hardened ^H7185 their necks, ^H6203 and hearkened ^H8085 not to thy commandments, ^H4687

¹⁷ And refused ^H3985 to obey, ^H8085 neither were mindful ^H2142 of thy wonders ^H6381 that thou didst ^H6213 among them; but hardened ^H7185 their necks, ^H6203 and in their rebellion ^H4805 appointed ^H5414 a captain ^H7218 to return ^H7725 to their bondage: ^H5659 but thou art a God ^H433 ready to pardon, ^H5547 gracious ^H2587 and merciful, ^H7349 slow ^H750 to anger, ^H639 and of great ^H7227 kindness, ^H2617 and forsookest ^H5800 them not.

¹⁸ Yea, when they had made ^H6213 them a molten ^H4541 calf, ^H5695 and said, ^H559 This is thy God ^H430 that brought thee up ^H5927 out of Egypt, ^H4714 and had wrought ^H6213 great ^H1419 provocations; ^H5007

¹⁹ Yet thou in thy manifold ^H7227 mercies ^H7356 forsookest ^H5800 them not in the wilderness: ^H4057 the pillar ^H5982 of the cloud ^H6051 departed ^H5493 not from them by day, ^H3119 to lead ^H5148 them in the way; ^H1870 neither the pillar ^H5982 of fire ^H784 by night, ^H3915 to shew them light, ^H215 and the way ^H1870 wherein they should go. ^H3212

²⁰ Thou gavest ^H5414 also thy good ^H2896 spirit ^H7307 to instruct ^H7919 them, and withheldest ^H4513 not thy manna ^H4478 from their mouth, ^H6310 and gavest ^H5414 them water ^H4325 for their thirst. ^H6772

²¹ Yea, forty ^H705 years ^H8141 didst thou sustain ^H3557 them in the wilderness, ^H4057 so that they lacked ^H2637 nothing; their clothes ^H8008 waxed not old, ^H1086 and their feet ^H7272 swelled ^H1216 not.

²² Moreover thou gavest ^H5414 them kingdoms ^H4467 and nations, ^H5971 and didst divide ^H2505 them into corners: ^H6285 so they possessed ^H3423 the land ^H776 of Sihon, ^H5511 and the land ^H776 of the king ^H4428 of Heshbon, ^H2809 and the land ^H776 of Og ^H5747 king ^H4428 of Bashan. ^H1316

²³ Their children ^H1121 also multipliedst ^H7235 thou as the stars ^H3556 of heaven, ^H8064 and broughtest ^H935 them into the land, ^H776 concerning which thou hadst promised ^H559 to their fathers, ^H1 that they should go in ^H935 to possess ^H3423 it.

²⁴ So the children ^H1121 went in ^H935 and possessed ^H3423 the land, ^H776 and thou subduedst ^H3665 before ^H6440 them the inhabitants ^H3427 of the land, ^H776 the Canaanites, ^H3669 and gavest ^H5414 them into their hands, ^H3027 with their kings, ^H4428 and the people ^H5971 of the land, ^H776 that they might do ^H6213 with them as they would. ^H7522

²⁵ And they took ^H3920 strong ^H1219 cities, ^H5892 and a fat ^H8082 land, ^H127 and possessed ^H3423 houses ^H1004 full ^H4392 of all goods, ^H2898 wells ^H953 digged, ^H2672 vineyards, ^H3754 and oliveyards, ^H2132 and fruit ^H3978 trees ^H6086 in abundance: ^H7230 so they did eat, ^H398 and were filled, ^H7646 and became fat, ^H8080 and delighted ^H5727 themselves in thy great ^H1419 goodness. ^H2898

²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, ^H4784 and rebelled ^H4775 against thee, and cast ^H7993 thy law ^H8451 behind ^H310 their backs, ^H1458 and slew ^H2026 thy prophets ^H5030 which testified ^H5749 against them to turn ^H7725 them to thee, and they wrought ^H6213 great ^H1419 provocations. ^H5007

²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst ^H5414 them into the hand ^H3027 of their enemies, ^H6862 who vexed ^H6887 them: and in the time ^H6256 of their trouble, ^H6869 when they cried ^H6817 unto thee, thou heardest ^H8085 them from heaven; ^H8064 and according to thy manifold ^H7227 mercies ^H7356 thou gavest ^H5414 them saviours, ^H3467 who saved ^H3467 them out of the hand ^H3027 of their enemies. ^H6862

²⁸ But after they had rest, ^H5117 they did ^H6213 evil ^H7451 again ^H7725 before ^H6440 thee: therefore leftest ^H5800 thou them in the hand ^H3027 of their enemies, ^H341 so that they had the dominion ^H7287 over them: yet when they returned, ^H7725 and cried ^H2199 unto thee, thou heardest ^H8085 them from heaven; ^H8064 and many ^H7227 times ^H6256 didst thou deliver ^H5337 them according to thy mercies; ^H7356

²⁹ And testifiedst ^H5749 against them, that thou mightest bring them again ^H7725 unto thy law: ^H8451 yet they dealt proudly, ^H2102 and hearkened ^H8085 not unto thy commandments, ^H4687 but sinned ^H2398 against thy judgments, ^H4941 (which if a man ^H120 do, ^H6213 he shall live ^H2421 in them;) and withdrew ^{H5414 H5637} the shoulder, ^H3802 and hardened ^H7185 their neck, ^H6203 and would not hear. ^H8085

³⁰ Yet many ^H7227 years ^H8141 didst thou forbear ^H4900 them, and testifiedst ^H5749 against them by thy spirit ^H7307 in ^H3027 thy prophets: ^H5030 yet would they not give ear: ^H238 therefore gavest ^H5414 thou them into the hand ^H3027 of the people ^H5971 of the lands. ^H776

³¹ Nevertheless for thy great ^H7227 mercies' ^H7356 sake thou didst ^H6213 not utterly consume ^H3617 them, nor forsake ^H5800 them; for thou art a gracious ^H2587 and merciful ^H7349 God. ^H410

³² Now therefore, our God, ^H430 the great, ^H1419 the mighty, ^H1368 and the terrible ^H3372 God, ^H410 who keepest ^H8104 covenant ^H1285 and mercy, ^H2617 let not all the trouble ^H8513 seem little ^H4591 before ^H6440 thee, that hath come ^H4672 upon us, on our kings, ^H4428 on our princes, ^H8269 and on our priests, ^H3548 and on our prophets, ^H5030 and on our fathers, ^H1 and on all thy people, ^H5971 since the time ^H3117 of the kings ^H4428 of Assyria ^H804 unto this day. ^H3117

³³ Howbeit thou art just ^H6662 in all that is brought ^H935 upon us; for thou hast done ^H6213 right, ^H571 but we have done wickedly: ^H7561

³⁴ Neither have our kings, ^H4428 our princes, ^H8269 our priests, ^H3548 nor our fathers, ^H1 kept ^H6213 thy law, ^H8451 nor hearkened ^H7181 unto thy commandments ^H4687 and thy testimonies, ^H5715 wherewith thou didst testify ^H5749 against them.

³⁵ For they have not served ^H5647 thee in their kingdom, ^H4438 and in thy great ^H7227 goodness ^H2898 that thou gavest ^H5414 them, and in the large ^H7342 and fat ^H8082 land ^H776 which thou gavest ^H5414 before ^H6440 them, neither turned ^H7725 they from their wicked ^H7451 works. ^H4611

³⁶ Behold, we are servants ^H5650 this day, ^H3117 and for the land ^H776 that thou gavest ^H5414 unto our fathers ^H1 to eat ^H398 the fruit ^H6529 thereof and the good ^H2898 thereof, behold, we are servants ^H5650 in it:

³⁷ And it yieldeth much ^H7235 increase ^H8393 unto the kings ^H4428 whom thou hast set ^H5414 over us because of our sins: ^H2403 also they have dominion ^H4910 over our bodies, ^H1472 and over our cattle, ^H929 at their pleasure, ^H7522 and we are in great ^H1419 distress. ^H6869

³⁸ And because of all this we make ^H3772 a sure ^H548 covenant, and write ^H3789 it; and our princes, ^H8269 Levites, ^H3881 and priests, ^H3548 seal ^H2856 unto it.

---

¹ Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them.

² And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³ And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day; and `another' fourth part they confessed, and worshipped Jehovah their God.

⁴ Then stood up upon the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, `and' Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.

⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, `and' Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Jehovah your God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶ Thou art Jehovah, even thou alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

⁷ Thou art Jehovah the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham,

⁸ and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it unto his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous.

⁹ And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea,

¹⁰ and showedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them, and didst get thee a name, as it is this day.

¹¹ And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers thou didst cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

¹² Moreover in a pillar of cloud thou leddest them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

¹³ Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

¹⁴ and madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses thy servant,

¹⁵ and gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commandedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

¹⁷ and refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, and forsookest them not.

¹⁸ Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

¹⁹ yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way wherein they should go.

²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

²¹ Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, `and' they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

²² Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, which thou didst allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³ Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land concerning which thou didst say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

²⁴ So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

²⁵ And they took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit-trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their back, and slew thy prophets that testified against them to turn them again unto thee, and they wrought great provocations.

²⁷ Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.

²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee; therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies,

²⁹ and testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law. Yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thine ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them,) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

³⁰ Yet many years didst thou bear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

³¹ Nevertheless in thy manifold mercies thou didst not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

³² Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and lovingkindness, let not all the travail seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

³³ Howbeit thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;

³⁴ neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies wherewith thou didst testify against them.

³⁵ For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it.

³⁷ And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

³⁸ And yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, `and' our priests, seal unto it.

---

¹ And in the twenty and fourth day of this month have the sons of Israel been gathered, with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth upon them;

² and the seed of Israel are separated from all sons of a stranger, and stand and confess concerning their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers,

³ and rise up on their station, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth of the day, and a fourth they are confessing and bowing themselves to Jehovah their God.

⁴ And there stand up on the ascent, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and they cry with a loud voice unto Jehovah their God.

⁵ And the Levites say, `even' Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, `Rise, bless Jehovah your God, from the age unto the age, and they bless the name of Thine honour that `is' exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶ Thou `art' He, O Jehovah, Thyself -- Thou hast made the heavens, the heavens of the heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that `are' on it, the seas and all that `are' in them, and Thou art keeping all of them alive, and the host of the heavens to Thee are bowing themselves.

⁷ `Thou `art' He, O Jehovah God, who didst fix on Abraham, and didst bring him out from Ur of the Chaldeans, and didst make his name Abraham,

⁸ and didst find his heart stedfast before Thee, so as to make with him the covenant, to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give `it' to his seed. `And Thou dost establish Thy words, for Thou `art' righteous,

⁹ and dost see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry hast heard by the sea of Suph,

¹⁰ and dost give signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land, for Thou hast known that they have acted proudly against them, and Thou makest to Thee a name as `at' this day.

¹¹ And the sea Thou hast cleaved before them, and they pass over into the midst of the sea on the dry land, and their pursuers Thou hast cast into the depths, as a stone, into the strong waters.

¹² And by a pillar of cloud Thou hast led them by day, and by a pillar of fire by night, to lighten to them the way in which they go.

¹³ `And on mount Sinai Thou hast come down, even to speak with them from the heavens, and Thou dost give to them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commands.

¹⁴ And Thy holy sabbath Thou hast made known to them, and commands, and statutes, and law, Thou hast commanded for them, by the hand of Moses Thy servant;

¹⁵ and bread from the heavens Thou hast given to them for their hunger, and water from a rock hast brought out to them for their thirst, and dost say to them to go in to possess the land that Thou hast lifted up Thy hand to give to them.

¹⁶ `And they and our fathers have acted proudly, and harden their neck, and have not hearkened unto Thy commands,

¹⁷ yea, they refuse to hearken, and have not remembered Thy wonders that Thou hast done with them, and harden their neck and appoint a head, to turn back to their service, in their rebellion; and Thou `art' a God of pardons, gracious, and merciful, long-suffering, and abundant in kindness, and hast not forsaken them.

¹⁸ `Also, when they have made to themselves a molten calf, and say, this `is' thy god that brought thee up out of Egypt, and do great despisings,

¹⁹ and Thou, in Thine abundant mercies, hast not forsaken them in the wilderness -- the pillar of the cloud hath not turned aside from off them by day, to lead them in the way, and the pillar of the fire by night, to give light to them and the way in which they go.

²⁰ `And Thy good Spirit Thou hast given, to cause them to act wisely; and Thy manna Thou hast not withheld from their mouth, and water Thou hast given to them for their thirst,

²¹ and forty years Thou hast nourished them in a wilderness; they have not lacked; their garments have not worn out, and their feet have not swelled.

²² `And Thou givest to them kingdoms, and peoples, and dost apportion them to the corner, and they possess the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³ And their sons Thou hast multiplied as the stars of the heavens, and bringest them in unto the land that Thou hast said to their fathers to go in to possess.

²⁴ `And the sons come in, and possess the land, and Thou humblest before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and givest them into their hand, and their kings, and the peoples of the land, to do with them according to their pleasure.

²⁵ And they capture fenced cities, and fat ground, and possess houses full of all good, digged-wells, vineyards, and olive-yards, and fruit-trees in abundance, and they eat, and are satisfied, and become fat, and delight themselves in Thy great goodness.

²⁶ `And they are disobedient, and rebel against Thee, and cast Thy law behind their back, and Thy prophets they have slain, who testified against them, to bring them back unto Thee, and they do great despisings,

²⁷ and Thou givest them into the hand of their adversaries, and they distress them, and in the time of their distress they cry unto Thee, and Thou, from the heavens, dost hear, and, according to Thine abundant mercies, dost give to them saviours, and they save them out of the hand of their adversaries.

²⁸ `And when they have rest, they turn back to do evil before Thee, and Thou dost leave them in the hand of their enemies, and they rule over them; and they turn back, and call Thee, and Thou from the heavens dost hear, and dost deliver them, according to Thy mercies, many times,

²⁹ and dost testify against them, to bring them back unto Thy law; and they -- they have acted proudly, and have not hearkened to Thy commands, and against Thy judgments have sinned, -- which man doth and hath lived in them -- and they give a refractory shoulder, and their neck have hardened, and have not hearkened.

³⁰ `And Thou drawest over them many years, and testifiest against them by Thy Spirit, by the hand of Thy prophets, and they have not given ear, and Thou dost give them into the hand of peoples of the lands,

³¹ and in Thine abundant mercies Thou hast not made them a consumption, nor hast forsaken them; for a God, gracious and merciful, `art' Thou.

³² `And now, O our God -- God, the great, the mighty, and the fearful, keeping the covenant and the kindness -- let not all the travail that hath found us be little before Thee, for our kings, for our heads, and for our priests, and for our prophets, and for our fathers, and for all Thy people, from the days of the kings of Asshur unto this day;

³³ and Thou `art' righteous concerning all that hath come upon us, for truth Thou hast done, and we have done wickedly;

³⁴ and our kings, our heads, our priests, and our fathers, have not done Thy law, nor attended unto Thy commands, and to Thy testimonies, that Thou hast testified against them;

³⁵ and they, in their kingdom, and in Thine abundant goodness, that Thou hast given to them, and in the land, the large and the fat, that Thou hast set before them, have not served Thee, nor turned back from their evil doings.

³⁶ `Lo, we -- to-day -- `are' servants, and the land that Thou hast given to our fathers, to eat its fruit and its good -- lo, we `are' servants on it,

³⁷ and its increase it is multiplying to the kings whom Thou hast set over us in our sins; and over our bodies they are ruling, and over our cattle, according to their pleasure, and we `are' in great distress.

³⁸ And for all this we are making a stedfast covenant, and are writing, and over him who is sealed `are' our heads, our Levites, our priests.'

---

¹ And on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

² And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³ And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Jehovah their God a fourth part of the day; and a fourth part they confessed, and worshipped Jehovah their God.

⁴ Then stood up upon the platform of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to Jehovah their God.

⁵ And the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, Pethahiah, said, Stand up, bless Jehovah your God from eternity to eternity. And let [men] bless the name of thy glory, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶ Thou art the Same, thou alone, Jehovah, who hast made the heaven of heavens, and all their host, the earth and all that is therein, the seas and all that is therein. And thou quickenest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

⁷ Thou art the Same, Jehovah Elohim, who didst choose Abram and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

⁸ and foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest the covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, -- to give it to his seed; and thou hast performed thy words, for thou art righteous.

⁹ And thou sawest the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red Sea;

¹⁰ and didst shew signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and upon all his servants, and upon all the people of his land; for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them, and thou didst make thee a name, as it is this day.

¹¹ And thou didst divide the sea before them, and they went through the midst of the sea on dry [ground]; and their pursuers thou threwest into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

¹² And thou leddest them in the day by a pillar of cloud, and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

¹³ And thou camest down on mount Sinai, and didst speak with them from the heavens, and gavest them right judgments and true laws, good statutes and commandments.

¹⁴ And thou madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and prescribedst for them commandments and statutes and a law, through Moses thy servant.

¹⁵ And thou gavest them bread from the heavens for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and didst say to them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

¹⁶ But they, our fathers, dealt proudly, and hardened their neck, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

¹⁷ and refused to obey, neither were they mindful of thy wonders which thou hadst done among them; but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion made a captain to return to their bondage. But thou art a +God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great loving-kindness, and thou forsookest them not.

¹⁸ Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy god that brought thee up out of Egypt! and they had wrought great provocation,

¹⁹ yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness. The pillar of the cloud departed not from over them by day, to lead them on the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

²⁰ Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

²¹ Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing; their clothes grew not old, and their feet swelled not.

²² And thou gavest them kingdoms and peoples, and didst divide them by countries; and they possessed the land of Sihon, as well the land of the king of Heshbon, as the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³ And their children thou didst multiply as the stars of heaven, and thou broughtest them into the land concerning which thou didst say to their fathers that they should go in to possess it.

²⁴ And the children went in and possessed the land; and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, both their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

²⁵ And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, wells digged, vineyards and olive-gardens, and fruit trees in abundance. And they did eat and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

²⁶ But they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets who testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

²⁷ And thou gavest them into the hand of their oppressors, and they oppressed them; and in the time of their distress, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from the heavens, and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their oppressors.

²⁸ But when they had rest, they did evil again before thee; and thou didst leave them in the hand of their enemies, and they had dominion over them; and again they cried unto thee, and thou heardest [them] from the heavens, and many times didst thou deliver them, according to thy mercies.

²⁹ And thou testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law; but they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thine ordinances (which if a man do, he shall live in them); and they withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

³⁰ And many years didst thou forbear with them, and testifiedst against them by thy Spirit through thy prophets; but they would not give ear: and thou gavest them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

³¹ Nevertheless for thy manifold mercies' sake, thou didst not make a full end of them nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful ùGod.

³² And now, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible ùGod, who keepest covenant and loving-kindness, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the days of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

³³ But thou art just in all that is come upon us; for thou hast acted according to truth, and we have done wickedly.

³⁴ And our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers, have not performed thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

³⁵ And they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land that thou didst set before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are bondmen in it.

³⁷ And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: and they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure; and we are in great distress.

³⁸ And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and] our priests are at the sealing.

---

¹ Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackcloth, and earth on them.

² The seed of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³ They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of Yahweh their God a fourth part of the day; and [another] fourth part they confessed, and worshiped Yahweh their God.

⁴ Then stood up on the stairs of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, [and] Chenani, and cried with a loud voice to Yahweh their God.

⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, [and] Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless Yahweh your God from everlasting to everlasting; and blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶ You are Yahweh, even you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all; and the host of heaven worships you.

⁷ You are Yahweh the God, who did choose Abram, and brought him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham,

⁸ and found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, and the Perizzite, and the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his seed, and have performed your words; for you are righteous.

⁹ You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea,

¹⁰ and shown signs and wonders on Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land; for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and did get you a name, as it is this day.

¹¹ You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their pursuers you did cast into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.

¹² Moreover in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.

¹³ You came down also on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,

¹⁴ and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, and statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant,

¹⁵ and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and commanded those who they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers dealt proudly and hardened their neck, and didn't listen to your commandments,

¹⁷ and refused to obey, neither were mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn't forsake them.

¹⁸ Yes, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt, and had committed awful blasphemies;

¹⁹ yet you in your manifold mercies didn't forsake them in the wilderness: the pillar of cloud didn't depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.

²⁰ You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn't withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.

²¹ Yes, forty years did you sustain them in the wilderness, [and] they lacked nothing; their clothes didn't grow old, and their feet didn't swell.

²² Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you did allot after their portions: so they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³ Their children also multiplied you as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you did say to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

²⁴ So the children went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

²⁵ They took fortified cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns hewn out, vineyards, and olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance: so they ate, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.

²⁶ Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against you, and cast your law behind their back, and killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.

²⁷ Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hand of their adversaries.

²⁸ But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore left you them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times did you deliver them according to your mercies,

²⁹ and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they dealt proudly, and didn't listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, (which if a man do, he shall live in them), and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

³⁰ Yet many years did you bear with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gave you them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.

³¹ Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you did not make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.

³² Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keep covenant and loving kindness, don't let all the travail seem little before you, that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.

³³ However you are just in all that is come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly;

³⁴ neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you did testify against them.

³⁵ For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and fat land which you gave before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

³⁶ Behold, we are servants this day, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat the fruit of it and the good of it, behold, we are servants in it.

³⁷ It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins: also they have power over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

³⁸ Yet for all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, [and] our priests, seal to it.

---

¹ Now on the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel came together, taking no food and putting haircloth and dust on their bodies.

² And the seed of Israel made themselves separate from all the men of other nations, publicly requesting forgiveness for their sins and the wrongdoing of their fathers.

³ And for a fourth part of the day, upright in their places, they were reading from the book of the law of their God; and for a fourth part of the day they were requesting forgiveness and worshipping the Lord their God.

⁴ Then Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani took their places on the steps of the Levites, crying in a loud voice to the Lord their God.

⁵ Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah said, Get up and give praise to the Lord your God for ever and ever. Praise be to your great name which is lifted up high over all blessing and praise.

⁶ You are the Lord, even you only; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens with all their armies, the earth and all things in it, the seas and everything in them; and you keep them from destruction: and the armies of heaven are your worshippers.

⁷ You are the Lord, the God, who took Abram and made him yours, guiding him from Ur of the Chaldees, and gave him the name of Abraham;

⁸ You saw that his heart was true to you, and made an agreement with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite and the Perizzite and the Jebusite and the Girgashite, even to give it to his seed, and you have done what you said; for righteousness is yours:

⁹ And you saw the trouble of our fathers in Egypt, and their cry came to your ears by the Red Sea;

¹⁰ And you did signs and wonders on Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land; for you saw how cruel they were to them. So you got yourself a name as it is today.

¹¹ By you the sea was parted before them, so that they went through the sea on dry land; and those who went after them went down into the deep, like a stone into great waters.

¹² And you went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light on the way they were to go.

¹³ And you came down on Mount Sinai, and your voice came to them from heaven, giving them right decisions and true laws, good rules and orders:

¹⁴ And you gave them word of your holy Sabbath, and gave them orders and rules and a law, by the hand of Moses your servant:

¹⁵ And you gave them bread from heaven when they were in need, and made water come out of the rock for their drink, and gave them orders to go in and take for their heritage the land which your hand had been lifted up to give them.

¹⁶ But they and our fathers, in their pride, made their necks stiff, and gave no attention to your orders,

¹⁷ And would not do them, and gave no thought to the wonders you had done among them; but made their necks stiff, and turning away from you, made a captain over themselves to take them back to their prison in Egypt: but you are a God of forgiveness, full of grace and pity, slow to wrath and great in mercy, and you did not give them up.

¹⁸ Even when they had made for themselves an ox of metal, and said, This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry;

¹⁹ Even then, in your great mercy, you did not give them up in the waste land: the pillar of cloud still went before them by day, guiding them on their way, and the pillar of fire by night, to give them light, and make clear the way they were to go.

²⁰ And you gave your good spirit to be their teacher, and did not keep back your manna from their mouths, and gave them water when they had need of it.

²¹ Truly, for forty years you were their support in the waste land, and they were in need of nothing; their clothing did not get old or their feet become tired.

²² And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, making distribution to them in every part of the land: so they took for their heritage the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og, king of Bashan.

²³ And you made their children as great in number as the stars of heaven, and took them into the land, of which you had said to their fathers that they were to go in and take it for themselves.

²⁴ So the children went in and took the land, and you overcame before them the people of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them up into their hands, with their kings and the people of the land, so that they might do with them whatever it was their pleasure to do.

²⁵ And they took walled towns and a fat land, and became the owners of houses full of all good things, water-holes cut in the rock, vine-gardens and olive-gardens and a wealth of fruit-trees: so they had food enough and became fat, and had joy in the good you gave them.

²⁶ But they were hard-hearted, and went against your authority, turning their backs on your law, and putting to death your prophets, who gave witness against them with the purpose of turning them back again to you, and they did much to make you angry.

²⁷ And so you gave them up into the hands of their haters who were cruel to them: and in the time of their trouble, when they made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; and in your great mercy gave them saviours, who made them free from the hands of their haters.

²⁸ But when they had rest, they did evil again before you: so you gave them into the hands of their haters, who had rule over them: but when they came back and made their prayer to you, you gave ear to them from heaven; again and again, in your mercy, you gave them salvation;

²⁹ And gave witness against them so that you might make them come back again to your law: but their hearts were lifted up, and they gave no attention to your orders and went against your decisions (which, if a man keeps them, will be life to him), and turning their backs on you, made their necks stiff and did not give ear.

³⁰ Year after year you put up with them, and gave witness against them by your spirit through your prophets: still they did not give ear: and so you gave them up into the hands of the peoples of the lands.

³¹ Even then, in your great mercy, you did not put an end to them completely, or give them up; for you are a God of grace and mercy.

³² And now, our God, the great, the strong, the God who is to be feared, who keeps faith and mercy, let not all this trouble seem small to you, which has come on us, and on our kings and our rulers and on our priests and our prophets and our fathers and on all your people from the time of the kings of Assyria till this day.

³³ But still, you have been in the right in everything which has come on us; you have been true to us, but we have done evil:

³⁴ And our kings, our rulers, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law or given attention to your orders and your witness, with which you gave witness against them.

³⁵ For they have not been your servants in their kingdom, and in all the good things you gave them, and in the great and fat land you gave them, and they have not been turned away from their evil-doing.

³⁶ Now, today, we are servants, and as for the land which you gave to our fathers, so that the produce of it and the good might be theirs, see, we are servants in it:

³⁷ And it gives much increase to the kings whom you have put over us because of our sins: and they have power over our bodies and over our cattle at their pleasure, and we are in great trouble.

³⁸ And because of all this we are making an agreement in good faith, and putting it in writing; and our rulers, our Levites, and our priests are putting their names to it.