"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 Jehoiadamadea covenantbetweenthe LORDand the kingand the people,that they would be the LORD'Speople,also betweenthe kingand the people.
"Nowit is in my heartto makea covenantwith the LORDGodof Israel,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom us.
The handof Godwas alsoon Judahto givethem oneheartto dowhatthe kingand the princescommandedby the wordof the LORD.
"Go,inquireof the LORDfor me and for those who are leftin Israeland in Judah,concerningthe wordsof the bookwhichhas been found;for greatis the wrathof the LORDwhichis pouredout on us becauseour fathershave not observedthe wordof the LORD,to doaccording to allthat is writtenin thisbook."
"Becauseyour heartwas tenderand you humbledyourselfbeforeGodwhen you heardHis wordsagainstthisplaceand againstits inhabitants,and [because] you humbledyourselfbeforeMe, toreyour clothesand weptbeforeMe, I trulyhave heardyou," declaresthe LORD.
"Nowtherefore, makeconfessionto the LORDGodof your fathersand doHis will;and separateyourselves from the peoplesof the landand from the foreignwives."
Allthesehad marriedforeignwives,and someof them hadwives[by whom] they hadchildren.
So allthe menof Judahand Benjaminassembledat Jerusalemwithin the threedays.It was the ninthmonthon the twentiethof the month,and allthe peoplesatin the opensquare[before] the houseof God,tremblingbecauseof this matterand the heavy rain.
Then everyonewho trembledat the wordsof the Godof Israelon accountof the unfaithfulnessof the exilesgatheredto me, and I satappalleduntilthe eveningoffering.
Now on the sealeddocument [were the names of]: Nehemiahthe governor,the sonof Hacaliah,and Zedekiah,
They foundwrittenin the lawhowthe LORDhad commandedthroughMosesthat the sonsof Israelshould livein boothsduring the feastof the seventhmonth.
"Now because of allthisWe are makingan agreementin writing;And on the sealeddocument [are the names of] our leaders,our Levites[and] our priests."
My fleshtremblesfor fearof You, And I am afraidof Your judgments.Ayin.
I consideredmy waysAnd turnedmy feetto Your testimonies.
"For My handmadeallthesethings,Thus allthesethingscameinto being,"declaresthe LORD."But to thisoneI will look,To him whois humbleand contriteof spirit,and whotremblesat My word.
To the lawand to the testimony!Ifthey do not speakaccording to thisword,it is becausethey havenodawn.
The LORDsaidto him, "Gothrough the midstof the city,[even] through the midstof Jerusalem,and puta markon the foreheadsof the menwho sighand groanoverallthe abominationswhich are being committedin its midst."
that you may enterinto the covenantwith the LORDyour God,and into His oathwhichthe LORDyour Godis makingwith you today,
They wentto Joshuato the campat Gilgaland saidto him and to the menof Israel,"We have comefrom a farcountry;nowtherefore, makea covenantwith us."
