"They refusedto listen,And did not rememberYour wondrousdeedswhichYou had performedamongthem; So they becamestubbornand appointeda leaderto returnto their slaveryin Egypt.But You are a Godof forgiveness,Graciousand compassionate,Slowto angerand aboundingin lovingkindness;And You did not forsakethem.
"I will dwellamongthe sonsof Israel,and will not forsakeMy peopleIsrael."
"May the LORDour Godbe with us, as He was with our fathers;may He not leaveus or forsakeus,
He alsorebelledagainst KingNebuchadnezzarwhohad made him swear[allegiance] by God.But he stiffenedhis neckand hardenedhis heartagainstturningto the LORDGodof Israel.
"For we are slaves;yet in our bondageour Godhas not forsakenus, but has extendedlovingkindnessto us in the sightof the kingsof Persia,to giveus revivingto raiseup the houseof our God,to restoreits ruinsand to giveus a wallin Judahand Jerusalem.
"Nevertheless, in Your greatcompassionYou did not makean endof them or forsakethem, For You are a graciousand compassionateGod.
They quicklyforgotHis works;They did not waitfor His counsel,
Our fathersin Egyptdid not understandYour wonders;They did not rememberYour abundantkindnesses,But rebelledby the sea,at the RedSea.
But there is forgivenesswith You, That You may be feared.
They did not keepthe covenantof GodAnd refusedto walkin His law;
They forgotHis deedsAnd His miraclesthat He had shownthem.
But He, being compassionate,forgave[their] iniquityand did not destroy[them]; And oftenHe restrainedHis angerAnd did not arouseallHis wrath.
But You, O Lord,are a Godmercifuland gracious,Slowto angerand abundantin lovingkindnessand truth.
For You, Lord,are good,and readyto forgive,And abundantin lovingkindnessto allwho callupon You.
The LORDsaidto Moses,"I have seenthispeople,and behold,they are an obstinatepeople.
"BecauseI calledand you refused,I stretchedout my handand noonepaidattention;
For My peoplehave forgottenMe, They burnincenseto worthlessgods And they have stumbledfrom their ways,From the ancientpaths,To walkin bypaths,Not on a highway,
"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.'"
"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.'
"To the Lordour God[belong] compassionand forgiveness,for we have rebelledagainst Him;
And rendyour heartand not your garments."Now returnto the LORDyour God,For He is graciousand compassionate,Slowto anger,aboundingin lovingkindnessAnd relentingof evil.
Yet in spiteof this,when they are in the landof their enemies,I will not rejectthem, norwill I so abhorthem as to destroythem, breakingMy covenantwith them; for I am the LORDtheir God.
The LORDis slowto angerand greatin power,And the LORDwill by nomeansleave[the guilty] unpunished.In whirlwindand stormis His way,And cloudsare the dustbeneath His feet.
The LORDsaidto Moses,"Howlongwill thispeoplespurnMe? And howlongwill they not believein Me, despite allthe signswhichI have performedin their midst?
But Mosessaid,"Whythenare you transgressingthe commandmentof the LORD,when it will not succeed?
"Indeed,you have not broughtus into a landflowingwith milkand honey,norhave you givenus an inheritanceof fieldsand vineyards.Would you putout the eyesof thesemen?We will not comeup!"
"Our fatherswere unwillingto be obedientto him, but repudiatedhim and in their heartsturned backto Egypt,
For He saysto Moses,"I WILL HAVEMERCYON WHOMI HAVE MERCY,AND I WILL HAVECOMPASSIONON WHOMI HAVE COMPASSION."
Seeto it that you do not refuseHim who is speaking.For ifthosedid not escapewhen they refusedhim who warned[them] on earth,muchless[will] we [escape] who turn awayfrom Him who [warns] from heaven.
"For the LORDwill not abandonHis peopleon accountof His greatname,becausethe LORDhas been pleasedto makeyou a peoplefor Himself.
