are joiningwith their kinsmen,their nobles,and are takingon themselves a curseand an oathto walkin God'slaw,whichwas giventhroughMoses,God'sservant,and to keepand to observeallthe commandmentsof GODour Lord,and His ordinancesand His statutes;
But Jehuwas not carefulto walkin the lawof the LORD,the Godof Israel,with allhis heart;he did not departfrom the sinsof Jeroboam,whichhe made Israelsin.
The kingstoodby the pillarand madea covenantbeforethe LORD,to walkafterthe LORD,and to keepHis commandmentsand His testimoniesand His statuteswith all[his] heartand all[his] soul,to carryout the wordsof thiscovenantthat were writtenin thisbook.And allthe peopleenteredinto the covenant.
Now the firstwholivedin their possessionsin their cities[were] Israel,the priests,the Levitesand the templeservants.
Then the kingstoodin his placeand madea covenantbeforethe LORDto walkafterthe LORD,and to keepHis commandmentsand His testimoniesand His statuteswith allhis heartand with allhis soul,to performthe wordsof the covenantwrittenin thisbook.
"Nowtherefore, O LORD,the Godof Israel,keepwith Your servantDavid,my father,that whichYou have promisedhim, saying,You shall not lacka manto siton the throneof Israel,ifonlyyour sonstakeheedto their way,to walkin My lawas you have walkedbeforeMe.'
So I contendedwith them and cursedthem and strucksomeof them and pulledout their hair,and made them swearby God,"You shall not giveyour daughtersto their sons,nortakeof their daughtersfor your sonsor for yourselves.
The templeservants:the sonsof Ziha,the sonsof Hasupha,the sonsof Tabbaoth,
Then Ezrathe priestbroughtthe lawbeforethe assemblyof men,womenand allwho [could] listenwith understanding,on the firstdayof the seventhmonth.
He readfrom it beforethe squarewhichwas in frontof the WaterGatefrom earlymorninguntilmidday,in the presenceof menand women,those who could understand;and allthe peoplewere attentiveto the bookof the law.
The descendantsof Israelseparatedthemselves from allforeigners,and stoodand confessedtheir sinsand the iniquitiesof their fathers.
"Now because of allthisWe are makingan agreementin writing;And on the sealeddocument [are the names of] our leaders,our Levites[and] our priests."
Sothat they might keepHis statutesAnd observeHis laws,Praisethe LORD!
I have swornand I will confirmit, That I will keepYour righteousordinances.
O LORD,our Lord,Howmajesticis Your namein allthe earth,Whohave displayedYour splendorabovethe heavens!
O LORD,our Lord,Howmajesticis Your namein allthe earth!
Whenthe LORDwill havecompassionon Jacoband againchooseIsrael,and settlethem in their own land,then strangerswill jointhem and attachthemselves to the houseof Jacob.
"And you will sayto them, 'Thussaysthe LORD,"Ifyou will not listento Me, to walkin My lawwhichI have setbeforeyou,
"Although recentlyyou [had] turnedand donewhatis rightin My sight,eachmanproclaimingreleaseto his neighbor,and you had madea covenantbeforeMe in the housewhichis calledby My name.
"I will putMy Spiritwithinyou and causeyou to walkin My statutes,and you will be carefulto observeMy ordinances.
Thus you are to be holyto Me, for I the LORDam holy;and I have setyou apartfrom the peoplesto be Mine.
"Rememberthe lawof MosesMy servant,[even the] statutesand ordinanceswhichI commandedhim in Horebfor allIsrael.
(then the priestshall have the womanswearwith the oathof the curse,and the priestshall sayto the woman),"the LORDmakeyou a curseand an oathamongyour peopleby the LORD'Smakingyour thighwasteawayand your abdomenswell;
For the Lawwas giventhroughMoses;graceand truthwere realizedthroughJesusChrist.
"You are My friendsifyou dowhatI commandyou.
"Did not Mosesgiveyou the Law,and [yet] noneof you carriesout the Law?Whydo you seekto killMe?"
Then when he arrivedand witnessedthe graceof God,he rejoicedand [began] to encouragethem allwith resoluteheartto remain[true] to the Lord;
But somemenjoinedhim and believed,amongwhomalsowere Dionysiusthe Areopagiteand a womannamedDamarisand otherswith them.
"Sodo not listento them, for morethan fortyof them are lying in waitfor him whohave boundthemselvesunder a cursenot to eatordrinkuntilthey slayhim; and nowthey are readyand waitingfor the promisefrom you."
[Let] love[be] without hypocrisy.Abhorwhat is evil;clingto what is good.
"Moseschargedus with a law,A possessionfor the assemblyof Jacob.
Then MosessummonedallIsraeland saidto them: "Hear,O Israel,the statutesand the ordinanceswhichI am speakingtodayin your hearing,that you may learnthem and observethem carefully.
"So you shall observeto dojustas the LORDyour Godhas commandedyou; you shall not turnasideto the rightor to the left.
