"Nowit is in my heartto makea covenantwith the LORDGodof Israel,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom us.
However,the LORDdid not turnfrom the fiercenessof His greatwrathwith whichHis angerburnedagainst Judah,becauseof allthe provocationswith whichManassehhad provokedHim.
The kingstoodby the pillarand madea covenantbeforethe LORD,to walkafterthe LORD,and to keepHis commandmentsand His testimoniesand His statuteswith all[his] heartand all[his] soul,to carryout the wordsof thiscovenantthat were writtenin thisbook.And allthe peopleenteredinto the covenant.
Then Jehoiadamadea covenantbetweenhimself and allthe peopleand the king,that they would be the LORD'Speople.
"Nowdo not stiffenyour necklike your fathers,but yieldto the LORDand enterHis sanctuarywhichHe has consecratedforever,and servethe LORDyour God,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom you.
"Let our leadersrepresentthe wholeassemblyand let allthose in our citieswho have marriedforeignwivescomeat appointedtimes,togetherwith the eldersand judgesof eachcity,untilthe fierceangerof our Godon accountof thismatteris turnedawayfrom us."
"So nowlet us makea covenantwith our Godto putawayallthe wivesand their children,according to the counselof my lordand of those who trembleat the commandmentof our God;and let it be doneaccording to the law.
Then Ezrablessedthe LORDthe greatGod.And allthe peopleanswered,"Amen,Amen!"while liftingup their hands;then they bowedlowand worshipedthe LORDwith [their] facesto the ground.
"Now because of allthisWe are makingan agreementin writing;And on the sealeddocument [are the names of] our leaders,our Levites[and] our priests."
"Goand proclaimthesewordstoward the northand say,Return,faithlessIsrael,'declaresthe LORD;I will not lookupon you in anger. For I am gracious,'declaresthe LORD;'I will not be angryforever.
Will He be angryforever?Will He be indignantto the end?'Behold,you have spokenAnd have doneevilthings,And you have hadyour way."
"Although recentlyyou [had] turnedand donewhatis rightin My sight,eachmanproclaimingreleaseto his neighbor,and you had madea covenantbeforeMe in the housewhichis calledby My name.
I will givethe menwho have transgressedMy covenant,whohave not fulfilledthe wordsof the covenantwhichthey madebeforeMe, [when] they cutthe calfin twoand passedbetweenits parts--
"They will askfor the wayto Zion,[turning] their facesin its direction;they will comethat they may jointhemselves to the LORD[in] an everlastingcovenantthat will not be forgotten.
and [this], not as we had expected,but they firstgavethemselvesto the Lordand to us by the willof God.
They raisedoverhim a greatheapof stonesthat stands to thisday,and the LORDturnedfrom the fiercenessof His anger.Thereforethe nameof that placehas been calledthe valleyof Achorto thisday.
