"But they, our fathers,actedarrogantly;They becamestubbornand would not listento Your commandments.
However, they did not listen,but stiffenedtheir necklike their fathers,whodid not believein the LORDtheir God.
"For our fathershave beenunfaithfuland have doneevilin the sightof the LORDour God,and have forsakenHim and turnedtheir facesawayfrom the dwellingplaceof the LORD,and have turned[their] backs.
"Nowdo not stiffenyour necklike your fathers,but yieldto the LORDand enterHis sanctuarywhichHe has consecratedforever,and servethe LORDyour God,that His burningangermay turnawayfrom you.
He alsorebelledagainst KingNebuchadnezzarwhohad made him swear[allegiance] by God.But he stiffenedhis neckand hardenedhis heartagainstturningto the LORDGodof Israel.
"Then You performedsignsand wondersagainst Pharaoh,Against allhis servantsand allthe peopleof his land;For You knewthat they actedarrogantlytowardthem, And madea namefor Yourself as [it is] thisday.
And admonishedthem in order to turnthem backto Your law.Yet they actedarrogantlyand did not listento Your commandmentsbut sinnedagainst Your ordinances,By whichif a manobservesthem he shall live.And they turneda stubbornshoulderand stiffenedtheir neck,and would not listen.
We have sinnedlikeour fathers,We have committediniquity,we have behavedwickedly.
"Hear,O My people,and I will admonishyou; O Israel,ifyou would listento Me!
And He said,"Ifyou will giveearnestheedto the voiceof the LORDyour God,and dowhat is rightin His sight,and giveearto His commandments,and keepallHis statutes,I will putnoneof the diseaseson you whichI have puton the Egyptians;for I, the LORD,am your healer."
The LORDsaidto Moses,"I have seenthispeople,and behold,they are an obstinatepeople.
A manwho hardens[his] neckafter much reproofWill suddenlybe brokenbeyondremedy.
"Ifonlyyou had paidattentionto My commandments!Then your well-beingwould have beenlike a river,And your righteousnesslike the wavesof the sea.
"BecauseI knowthat you are obstinate,And your neckis an ironsinewAnd your foreheadbronze,
But they rebelledAnd grievedHis HolySpirit;Therefore He turnedHimself to become their enemy,He foughtagainst them.
"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.'"
"O generation,heedthe wordof the LORD.Have I beena wildernessto Israel,Ora landof thickdarkness?Whydo My peoplesay,We [are free to] roam;We will nolongercometo You'?
"Yet they did not listento Me or inclinetheir ear,but stiffenedtheir neck;they did moreevilthantheir fathers.
But she has rebelledagainstMy ordinancesmorewickedlythanthe nationsand againstMy statutesmorethanthe landswhichsurroundher; for they have rejectedMy ordinancesand have not walkedin My statutes.'
"You men who are stiff-neckedand uncircumcisedin heartand earsare alwaysresistingthe HolySpirit;you are doing justas your fathersdid.
But becauseof your stubbornnessand unrepentantheartyou are storingup wrathfor yourselfin the dayof wrathand revelationof the righteous judgmentof God,
"For I knowyour rebellionand your stubbornness;behold,while I am stillalivewith you today,you have beenrebelliousagainstthe LORD;howmuchmore,then, aftermy death?
"But Jeshurungrewfatand kicked--You are grownfat,thick,and sleek--Then he forsookGodwho madehim, And scornedthe Rockof his salvation.
Ohthat they hadsucha heartin them, that they would fearMe and keepallMy commandmentsalways,that it may be wellwith them and with their sonsforever!
"The LORDspokefurther to me, saying,'I have seenthispeople,and indeed,it is a stubbornpeople.
RememberYour servants,Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob;do not lookat the stubbornnessof thispeopleor at their wickednessor their sin.
"Know,then, [it is] not because of your righteousness[that] the LORDyour Godis givingyou thisgoodlandto possess,for you are a stubbornpeople.
But encourageone anotherdayafterday,as longas it is [still] called"Today,"sothat noneof you will be hardenedby the deceitfulnessof sin.
whileit is said,"TODAYIFYOU HEARHIS VOICE,DO NOT HARDENYOUR HEARTS,AS WHENTHEY PROVOKEDME."
