"Was it I who conceivedallthispeople?Was it I who broughtthem forth,that You should sayto me, 'Carrythem in your bosomas a nursecarriesa nursinginfant,to the landwhichYou sworeto their fathers'?
for allthe landwhichyou see,I will giveit to you and to your descendantsforever.
"The LORD,the Godof heaven,whotookme from my father'shouseand from the landof my birth,and whospoketo me and whosworeto me, saying,To your descendantsI will givethisland,'He will sendHis angelbeforeyou, and you will takea wifefor my sonfrom there.
"Sojournin thislandand I will be with you and blessyou, for to you and to your descendantsI will givealltheselands,and I will establishthe oathwhichI sworeto your fatherAbraham.
Josephsaidto his brothers,"I am about to die,but Godwill surelytakecareof you and bringyou up from thislandto the landwhichHe promisedon oathto Abraham,to Isaacand to Jacob."
Now Ahabhad seventysonsin Samaria.And Jehuwrotelettersand sent[them] to Samaria,to the rulersof Jezreel,the elders,and to the guardiansof [the children of] Ahab,saying,
And the one who[was] overthe household,and he who[was] overthe city,the elders,and the guardiansof [the children], sent[word] to Jehu,saying,"We are your servants,allthat you sayto us we will do,we will not makeanymanking;dowhatis goodin your sight."
"Now whenthe LORDbringsyou to the landof the Canaanite,as He sworeto you and to your fathers,and givesit to you,
"It shall be whenthe LORDbringsyou to the landof the Canaanite,the Hittite,the Amorite,the Hiviteand the Jebusite,whichHe sworeto your fathersto giveyou, a landflowingwith milkand honey,that you shall observethisritein thismonth.
Then the LORDspoketo Moses,"Depart,goup from here,you and the peoplewhomyou have broughtup from the landof Egypt,to the landof whichI sworeto Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob,saying,To your descendantsI will giveit.'
I will bringyou to the landwhichI sworeto giveto Abraham,Isaac,and Jacob,and I will giveit to you [for] a possession;I am the LORD.'"
Like a shepherdHe will tendHis flock,In His armHe will gatherthe lambsAnd carry[them] in His bosom;He will gently leadthe nursing[ewes].
"Can a womanforgether nursingchildAnd havenocompassionon the sonof her womb?Eventhesemay forget,but I will not forgetyou.
"Kingswill be your guardians,And their princessesyour nurses.They will bowdownto you with their facesto the earthAnd lickthe dustof your feet;And [you] will knowthat I am the LORD;Those whohopefullywaitfor Me will not be putto shame.
"Then I will setoverthem oneshepherd,My servantDavid,and he will feedthem; he will feedthem himselfand be their shepherd.
"I amthe goodshepherd;the goodshepherdlays downHis lifefor the sheep.
For ifyou were to havecountlesstutorsin Christ,yet[you would] not [have] manyfathers,for in ChristJesusI became your fatherthroughthe gospel.
My children,with whomI amagainin laboruntilChristis formedin you--
and in the wildernesswhereyou sawhowthe LORDyour Godcarriedyou, justas a mancarrieshis son,in allthe waywhichyou have walkeduntilyou cameto thisplace.'
But we provedto be gentleamongyou, as a nursing[mother] tenderly caresfor her ownchildren.
