I bowed my head and thanked the Lord. I blessed the Lord, the God of my master Abraham. I thanked him for leading me straight to the granddaughter of my master’s brother.
So please listen in heaven to their prayer. Then forgive us for our sins. Teach the people to live right. Then, Lord, please send rain to the land you gave them.
Many people will go there. They will say, “Come! Let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain. Let’s go up to the temple of the God of Jacob. Then God will teach us his way of living. And we will follow him.”
The Lord is trying to teach a lesson to the people. The Lord is trying to make the people understand his teachings. But the people are like little babies. They are like babies that were at their mother’s breast only a very short time ago.
\{In the past,\} my Master (God) gave you sorrow and hurt—it was like the bread and water you ate every day. But God is your teacher, and he will not continue to hide from you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes.
Then, if you do wrong and go (live) the wrong way (to the right or to the left), you will hear a voice behind you saying, “This is the right way. You should go this way!”
The Lord, the Holy One of Israel, saves you. And the Lord says, “I will send armies to Babylon for you. Many people will be captured. Those people, the Chaldeans, will be taken away in their own boats. (The Chaldeans are very proud of those boats.)
My people, leave Babylon!\par My people, run from the Chaldeans!\par Tell this news with joy to the people!\par Spread this news to the faraway places\par on earth!\par Tell the people,\par “The Lord rescued his servant Jacob!\par
“Those people hurt you.\par But I will force those people\par to eat their own bodies.\par Their own blood will be\par the wine that makes them drunk.\par Then every person will know that\par the Lord saved you.\par All people will know that\par the Powerful One of Jacob saved you.”\par
The Lord, the Holy One of Israel,\par the Protector of Israel says,\par “My Servant is humble.\par He serves rulers.\par But people hate him.\par But, kings will see him,\par and stand \{to honor him\}.\par Great leaders will bow down to him.”\par
Why? Because your husband {\cf2\super [429]} \par is the One (God) who made you.\par His name is the Lord All-Powerful.\par He is the Protector {\cf2\super [430]} of Israel.\par He is the Holy One of Israel.\par And he will be called\par the God of all the earth!\par
The Lord says these things:\par “Stand at the crossroads and look.\par Ask where the old road is.\par Ask where the good road is,\par and walk on that road.\par If you do, you will find rest for yourselves.\par But you people have said,\par ‘We will not walk on the good road!’\par
People from many nations will go there.\par They will say,\par “Come, let’s go up to the Lord’s mountain.\par Let’s go to the temple of the God of Jacob.\par Then God will teach us his way of living.\par And we will follow him.”\par
It is written in the prophets {\cf2\super [91]} : ‘God will teach all the people.’ {\cf2\super [92]} People listen to the Father and learn from him. Those people come to me.
But do not follow too closely. Stay about 1,000 yards [7] behind them. You have not been here before. But if you follow them, then you will know where to go.”
