For the LORDhad saidto Moses,"Sayto the sonsof Israel,You are an obstinatepeople;should I goup in your midstfor onemoment,I would destroyyou. Nowtherefore, putoffyour ornamentsfrom you, that I may knowwhatI shall dowith you.'"
"I will godownnow,and seeif they have doneentirelyaccording to its outcry,which has cometo Me; and ifnot, I will know."
He said,"Do not stretchout your handagainstthe lad,and donothingto him; for nowI knowthat you fearGod,since you have not withheldyour son,your onlyson, from Me."
"In a momentthey die,and at midnightPeopleare shakenand passaway,And the mightyare takenawaywithouta hand.
Searchme, O God,and knowmy heart;Tryme and knowmy anxiousthoughts;
Howthey are destroyedin a moment!They are utterlysweptawayby suddenterrors!
The LORDsaidto Moses,"I have seenthispeople,and behold,they are an obstinatepeople.
So the sonsof Israelstrippedthemselves of their ornaments,from MountHoreb[onward].
Therefore in that daythe LordGODof hostscalled[you] to weeping,to wailing,To shavingthe headand to wearingsackcloth.
"BecauseI knowthat you are obstinate,And your neckis an ironsinewAnd your foreheadbronze,
For the iniquityof the daughterof my peopleIs greaterthanthe sinof Sodom,Which was overthrownas in a moment,And nohandswere turnedtoward her.
"Yet evennow,"declaresthe LORD,"Returnto Me with allyour heart,And with fasting,weepingand mourning;
"Separateyourselves from amongthiscongregation,that I may consumethem instantly."
"You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcisedin heartand earsare alwaysresistingthe HolySpirit;you are doing justas your fathersdid.
"You shall rememberallthe waywhichthe LORDyour Godhas ledyou in the wildernessthesefortyyears,that He might humbleyou, testingyou, to knowwhatwas in your heart,whether you would keepHis commandmentsornot.
