"Nowdo not stiffenyour necklike your fathers,but yieldto the LORDand enterHis sanctuarywhichHe has consecratedforever,and servethe LORDyour God,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom you.
However,the LORDdid not turnfrom the fiercenessof His greatwrathwith whichHis angerburnedagainst Judah,becauseof allthe provocationswith whichManassehhad provokedHim.
Allthe officials,the mightymen,and alsoallthe sonsof KingDavidpledgedallegianceto KingSolomon.
"Nowtherefore, listento me and returnthe captiveswhomyou capturedfrom your brothers,for the burningangerof the LORDis againstyou."
and saidto them, "You must not bringthe captivesin here,for you are proposing[to bring] upon us guiltagainst the LORDaddingto our sinsand our guilt;for our guiltis greatso that [His] burningangeris againstIsrael."
"Nowit is in my heartto makea covenantwith the LORDGodof Israel,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom us.
He alsorebelledagainst KingNebuchadnezzarwhohad made him swear[allegiance] by God.But he stiffenedhis neckand hardenedhis heartagainstturningto the LORDGodof Israel.
Sincethe daythat I broughtMy peoplefrom the landof Egypt,I did not choosea cityout of allthe tribesof Israel[in which] to builda housethat My namemight be there,nordid I chooseanymanfor a leaderoverMy peopleIsrael;
but I have chosenJerusalemthat My namemight be there,and I have chosenDavidto be overMy peopleIsrael.'
"For nowI have chosenand consecratedthishousethat My namemay be thereforever,and My eyesand My heartwill be thereperpetually.
"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."
They pledgedto putawaytheir wives,and being guilty,[they offered] a ramof the flockfor their offense.
ThusI have seenYou in the sanctuary,To seeYour powerand Your glory.
They have seenYour procession,O God,The processionof my God,my King,into the sanctuary.
Envoyswill comeout of Egypt;Ethiopiawill quicklystretchout her handsto God.
UntilI cameinto the sanctuaryof God;[Then] I perceivedtheir end.
He sentupon them His burninganger,Furyand indignationand trouble,A bandof destroyingangels.
The LORDsaidto Moses,"I have seenthispeople,and behold,they are an obstinatepeople.
"Raiseyour battlecryagainsther on everyside!She has givenherselfup, her pillarshave fallen,Her wallshave been torndown.For thisis the vengeanceof the LORD:Takevengeanceon her; As she has done[to others, so] doto her.
ThenJesussaidto him, "Go,Satan!For it is written,YOU SHALL WORSHIPTHE LORDYOUR GOD,AND SERVEHIM ONLY.'"
"IfanyoneservesMe, he must followMe; and whereI am,thereMy servantwill be also;ifanyoneservesMe, the Fatherwill honorhim.
But as for IsraelHe says,"ALLTHE DAYLONG I HAVE STRETCHEDOUT MY HANDSTO A DISOBEDIENTAND OBSTINATEPEOPLE."
But nowhaving been freedfrom sinand enslavedto God,you deriveyour benefit,resultingin sanctification,and the outcome,eternallife.
"So circumciseyour heart,and stiffenyour necknolonger.
"You shall fear[only] the LORDyour God;and you shall worshipHim and swearby His name.
"You should diligentlykeepthe commandmentsof the LORDyour God,and His testimoniesand His statuteswhichHe has commandedyou.
"Ifit is disagreeablein your sightto servethe LORD,choosefor yourselves todaywhomyou will serve:whetherthe godswhichyour fathersservedwhichwere beyondthe River,or the godsof the Amoritesin whoselandyou are living;but as for me and my house,we will servethe LORD."
"For thisreason,they are beforethe throneof God;and they serveHim dayand nightin His temple;and He who sitson the thronewill spread His tabernacleoverthem.
