For as the waistbandclingsto the waistof a man,soI made the wholehouseholdof Israeland the wholehouseholdof Judahclingto Me,' declaresthe LORD,'that they might be for Me a people,for renown,for praiseand for glory;but they did not listen.'
For the LORDhas chosenJacobfor Himself, Israelfor His own possession.
He has not dealtthuswith anynation;And as for His ordinances,they have not knownthem. Praisethe LORD!
"But My peopledid not listento My voice,And Israeldid not obeyMe.
"The peoplewhomI formedfor Myself Will declareMy praise.
And they will callthem, "The holypeople,The redeemedof the LORD";And you will be called,"Soughtout, a citynot forsaken."
Thusthe LORDsaidto me, "Goand buyyourself a linenwaistbandand putit aroundyour waist,but do not putit in water."
Thiswickedpeople,whorefuseto listento My words,who walkin the stubbornnessof their heartsand have goneafterothergodsto servethem and to bowdownto them, let them be just like thiswaistbandwhichis totallyworthless.
"Therefore you are to speakthiswordto them, 'Thussaysthe LORD,the Godof Israel,"Everyjugis to be filledwith wine."'And when they sayto you, 'Do we not verywellknowthat everyjugis to be filledwith wine?'
"Thussaysthe LORDof hosts,the Godof Israel,'Behold,I am about to bringon thiscityand allits townsthe entirecalamitythat I have declaredagainstit, becausethey have stiffenedtheir necksso as not to heedMy words.'"
whohas setsignsand wondersin the landof Egypt,[and] even to thisdayboth in Israeland among mankind;and You have madea namefor Yourself, as at thisday.
It will be to Me a nameof joy,praiseand glorybefore allthe nationsof the earthwhichwill hearof allthe goodthat I dofor them, and they will fearand tremblebecauseof allthe goodand allthe peacethat I makefor it.'
"And I setwatchmenoveryou, [saying], 'Listento the soundof the trumpet!'But they said,'We will not listen.'
"And now,becauseyou have doneallthesethings,"declaresthe LORD,"and I spoketo you, risingup earlyand speaking,but you did not hear,and I calledyou but you did not answer,
"But thisis whatI commandedthem, saying,ObeyMy voice,and I will be your God,and you will be My people;and you will walkin allthe waywhichI commandyou, that it may be wellwith you.'
"Yet they did not obeyor inclinetheir ear,but walkedin [their own] counsels[and] in the stubbornnessof their evilheart,and wentbackwardand not forward.
"Yet they did not listento Me or inclinetheir ear,but stiffenedtheir neck;they did moreevilthantheir fathers.
Hearthiswordwhichthe LORDhas spokenagainstyou, sonsof Israel,againstthe entirefamilywhichHe broughtup from the landof Egypt:
Eventhe dustof your citywhich clingsto our feetwe wipe off[in protest] against you; yetbe sureof this,that the kingdomof Godhas come near.'
"The LORDhas todaydeclaredyou to be His people,a treasuredpossession,as He promisedyou, and that you should keepallHis commandments;
and that He will setyou highaboveallnationswhichHe has made,for praise,fame,and honor;and that you shall be a consecratedpeopleto the LORDyour God,as He has spoken."
"For whatgreatnationis there that has a godso nearto it as is the LORDour Godwheneverwe callon Him?
But you are A CHOSENRACE,A royalPRIESTHOOD,A HOLYNATION,A PEOPLEFOR [God's] OWN POSSESSION,sothat you may proclaimthe excellenciesof Him who has calledyou out of darknessinto His marvelouslight;
