Thussaysthe LORD,"As the newwineis foundin the cluster,And one says,'Do not destroyit, for there is benefitin it,' SoI will acton behalfof My servantsIn order not to destroyallof them.
So the LORDsaid,"IfI findin Sodomfiftyrighteouswithinthe city,then I will sparethe wholeplaceon their account."
Unlessthe LORDof hostsHad leftus a fewsurvivors,We would be like Sodom,We would be likeGomorrah.
A remnantwill return,the remnantof Jacob,to the mightyGod.
For thoughyour people,O Israel,may be like the sandof the sea,[Only] a remnantwithin them will return;A destructionis determined,overflowingwith righteousness.
"For the sakeof My nameI delayMy wrath,And [for] My praiseI restrain[it] for you, In order not to cutyou off.
"Yetthere will be a tenthportionin it, And it will againbe [subject] to burning,Like a terebinthor an oakWhosestumpremains whenit is felled.The holyseedis its stump."
For I am with you,' declaresthe LORD,'to saveyou; For I will destroycompletelyallthe nationswhereI have scatteredyou, OnlyI will not destroyyou completely.But I will chastenyou justlyAnd will by nomeansleaveyou unpunished.'
Whoknowswhether He will [not] turnand relentAnd leavea blessingbehindHim, [Even] a grain offeringand a drinkofferingFor the LORDyour God?
"Unlessthosedayshad been cutshort,nolifewould have been saved;but for the sakeof the electthosedayswill be cut short.
"Unlessthe Lordhad shortened[those] days,nolifewould have been saved;but for the sakeof the elect,whomHe chose,He shortenedthe days.
