"You onlyhave I chosenamongallthe familiesof the earth;ThereforeI will punishyou for allyour iniquities."
"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?
"Yeton your fathersdid the LORDsetHis affectionto lovethem, and He chosetheir descendantsafterthem, [even] you aboveallpeoples,as [it is] thisday.
[There will be] tribulationand distressfor everysoulof manwho doesevil,of the Jewfirstand alsoof the Greek,
"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.
"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.
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."
"Whatwill you saywhenHe appointsoveryou-- And you yourselfhad taughtthem-- Former companionsto be headoveryou? Will not pangstakeholdof you Likea womanin childbirth?
therefore,thussaysthe LORDof hosts,"Behold,I am about to punishthem! The youngmenwill dieby the sword,their sonsand daughterswill dieby famine;
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.
"Behold,the daysare coming,"declaresthe LORD,"that I will punishallwho are circumcisedand yet uncircumcised--
"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.
We have become[like] those over whom You have neverruled,[Like] those who were not calledby Your name.
He declaresHis wordsto Jacob,His statutesand His ordinancesto Israel.
"The LORDhas todaydeclaredyou to be His people,a treasuredpossession,as He promisedyou, and that you should keepallHis commandments;
Theseare the familiesof the sonsof Noah,according to their genealogies,by their nations;and out of thesethe nationswere separatedon the earthafterthe flood.
and He madefrom one[man] everynationof mankindto liveon allthe faceof the earth,having determined[their] appointedtimesand the boundariesof their habitation,
[All] becauseof the manyharlotriesof the harlot,The charmingone,the mistressof sorceries,Who sellsnationsby her harlotriesAnd familiesby her sorceries.
They have gonedeepin depravityAs in the daysof Gibeah;He will remembertheir iniquity,He will punishtheir sins.
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.
"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.
"For the LORD'Sportionis His people;Jacobis the allotmentof His inheritance.
but ifanyonelovesGod,he is knownby Him.
"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."
"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?
And becauseof allyour abominations,I will doamong you whatI have not done,and the likeof whichI will neverdoagain.
I knowEphraim,and Israelis not hiddenfrom Me; For now,O Ephraim,you have playedthe harlot,Israelhas defileditself.
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.
"But gonow,leadthe peoplewhereI toldyou. Behold,My angelshall gobeforeyou; nevertheless in the daywhen I punish,I will punishthem for their sin."
