"For I will not contendforever,Norwill I alwaysbe angry;For the spiritwould growfaintbeforeMe, And the breath[of those whom] I have made.
Then the LORDsaid,"My Spiritshall not strivewith manforever,becausehe alsois flesh;nevertheless his daysshall be one hundredand twentyyears."
When the angelstretchedout his handtoward Jerusalemto destroyit, the LORDrelentedfrom the calamityand saidto the angelwho destroyedthe people,"It is enough!Nowrelaxyour hand!"And the angelof the LORDwas by the threshingfloorof Araunahthe Jebusite.
In whosehandis the lifeof everylivingthing,And the breathof allmankind?
Will You be angrywith us forever?Will You prolongYour angerto allgenerations?
then the dustwill returnto the earthas it was, and the spiritwill returnto Godwhogaveit.
You contendedwith them by banishingthem, by drivingthem away.With His fiercewindHe has expelled[them] on the dayof the eastwind.
Thereforethe LORDlongsto be graciousto you, And thereforeHe waits on highto havecompassionon you. For the LORDis a Godof justice;How blessedare allthose who longfor Him.
ThussaysGodthe LORD,Who createdthe heavensand stretchedthem out, Who spreadout the earthand its offspring,Who givesbreathto the peopleon it And spiritto those who walkin it,
But now,O LORD,You are our Father,We are the clay,and You our potter;And allof us are the workof Your hand.
Correctme, O LORD,but with justice;Not with Your anger,orYou will bringme to nothing.
Will He be angryforever?Will He be indignantto the end?'Behold,you have spokenAnd have doneevilthings,And you have hadyour way."
But KingZedekiahsworeto Jeremiahin secretsaying,"As the LORDlives,whomadethislifefor us, surelyI will not putyou to deathnorwill I giveyou over to the handof thesemenwhoare seekingyour life."
"Behold,allsoulsare Mine; the soulof the fatheras well as the soulof the sonis Mine. The soulwho sinswill die.
Thussaysthe LORD,"For threetransgressionsof Edomand for fourI will not revokeits [punishment], Becausehe pursuedhis brotherwith the sword,While he stifledhis compassion;His angeralso torecontinually,And he maintainedhis furyforever.
Whois a GodlikeYou, who pardonsiniquityAnd passesoverthe rebelliousactof the remnantof His possession?He does not retainHis angerforever,BecauseHe delightsin unchanginglove.
The burdenof the wordof the LORDconcerningIsrael.[Thus] declaresthe LORDwho stretchesout the heavens,laysthe foundationof the earth,and formsthe spiritof manwithinhim,
But they fellon their facesand said,"O God,Godof the spiritsof allflesh,when onemansins,will You be angrywith the entirecongregation?"
Furthermore,we hadearthlyfathersto disciplineus, and we respectedthem; shall we not muchratherbe subjectto the Fatherof spirits,and live?
