"You onlyhave I chosenamongallthe familiesof the earth;ThereforeI will punishyou for allyour iniquities."
Theseare the familiesof the sonsof Noah,according to their genealogies,by their nations;and out of thesethe nationswere separatedon the earthafterthe flood.
"For I have chosenhim, sothat he may commandhis childrenand his householdafterhim to keepthe wayof the LORDby doingrighteousnessand justice,sothat the LORDmay bringupon AbrahamwhatHe has spokenabouthim."
He declaresHis wordsto Jacob,His statutesand His ordinancesto Israel.
"But gonow,leadthe peoplewhereI toldyou. Behold,My angelshall gobeforeyou; nevertheless in the daywhen I punish,I will punishthem for their sin."
We have become[like] those over whom You have neverruled,[Like] those who were not calledby Your name.
"For, behold,I am callingallthe familiesof the kingdomsof the north,"declaresthe LORD;"and they will comeand they will seteachonehis throneat the entranceof the gatesof Jerusalem,and againstallits wallsroundaboutand againstallthe citiesof Judah.
Pourout Your wrathon the nationsthat do not knowYou And on the familiesthat do not callYour name;For they have devouredJacob;They have devouredhim and consumedhim And have laidwastehis habitation.
therefore,thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Behold,I am about to punishthem! The youngmenwill dieby the sword,their sonsand daughterswill dieby famine;
"Whatwill you saywhenHe appointsoveryou-- And you yourselfhad taughtthem-- Former companionsto be headoveryou? Will not pangstakeholdof you Likea womanin childbirth?
Thussaysthe LORDto thispeople,"Even sothey have lovedto wander;they have not kepttheir feetin check.Therefore the LORDdoes not acceptthem; nowHe will remembertheir iniquityand calltheir sinsto account."
"Behold,the daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"that I will punishallwho are circumcisedand yet uncircumcised--
And becauseof allyour abominations,I will doamong you whatI have not done,and the likeof whichI will neverdoagain.
"Utterlyslayoldmen,youngmen,maidens,littlechildren,and women,but do not touchanymanon whomis the mark;and you shall startfrom My sanctuary."So they startedwith the elderswho[were] beforethe temple.
"Thus He has confirmedHis wordswhichHe had spokenagainstus and againstour rulerswhoruledus, to bringon us greatcalamity;for underthe wholeheaventhere has not been done[anything] like whatwas doneto Jerusalem.
"I will punishher for the daysof the BaalsWhenshe used to offersacrificesto them And adornherself with her earringsand jewelry,And followher lovers,so that she forgotMe," declaresthe LORD.
I knowEphraim,and Israelis not hiddenfrom Me; For now,O Ephraim,you have playedthe harlot,Israelhas defileditself.
As for My sacrificialgifts,They sacrificethe fleshand eat[it], [But] the LORDhas takennodelightin them. NowHe will remembertheir iniquity,And punish[them] for their sins;They will returnto Egypt.
They have gonedeepin depravityAs in the daysof Gibeah;He will remembertheir iniquity,He will punishtheir sins.
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Judahand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausethey rejectedthe lawof the LORDAnd have not keptHis statutes;Their liesalso have ledthem astray,Those afterwhichtheir fatherswalked.
Do twomen walktogetherunlessthey have madean appointment?
Woeto thosewho are at easein ZionAnd to those who [feel] securein the mountainof Samaria,The distinguishedmen of the foremostof nations,To whomthe houseof Israelcomes.
Thereforethussaysthe LORD,"Behold,I am planningagainstthisfamilya calamityFrom whichyou cannotremoveyour necks;And you will not walkhaughtily,For it will be an eviltime.
[All] becauseof the manyharlotriesof the harlot,The charmingone,the mistressof sorceries,Who sellsnationsby her harlotriesAnd familiesby her sorceries.
and He madefrom one[man] everynationof mankindto liveon allthe faceof the earth,having determined[their] appointedtimesand the boundariesof their habitation,
[There will be] tribulationand distressfor everysoulof manwho doesevil,of the Jewfirstand alsoof the Greek,
but ifanyonelovesGod,he is knownby Him.
"Yeton your fathersdid the LORDsetHis affectionto lovethem, and He chosetheir descendantsafterthem, [even] you aboveallpeoples,as [it is] thisday.
"The LORDhas todaydeclaredyou to be His people,a treasuredpossession,as He promisedyou, and that you should keepallHis commandments;
"For the LORD'Sportionis His people;Jacobis the allotmentof His inheritance.
"Indeed,asknowconcerning the formerdayswhichwere beforeyou, sincethe daythat Godcreatedmanon the earth,and [inquire] from one endof the heavensto the other.Has [anything] been donelike thisgreatthing,orhas [anything] been heardlikeit?
"For you are a holypeopleto the LORDyour God;the LORDyour Godhas chosenyou to be a peoplefor His own possessionout of allthe peopleswhoare on the faceof the earth.
For [it is] timefor judgmentto beginwith the householdof God;and if[it] [begins] with us first,what[will be] the outcomefor thosewho do not obeythe gospelof God?
