He ledthem also by a straightway,To goto an inhabitedcity.
Now theseare the headsof the provinceswholivedin Jerusalem,but in the citiesof Judaheachlivedon his own propertyin their cities--the Israelites,the priests,the Levites,the templeservantsand the descendantsof Solomon'sservants.
And thereHe makes the hungryto dwell,So that they may establishan inhabitedcity,
They wanderedin the wildernessin a desertregion;They did not finda wayto an inhabitedcity.
To Him who ledHis peoplethrough the wilderness,For His lovingkindnessis everlasting;
You ledYour peoplelike a flockBy the handof Mosesand Aaron.
But He ledforthHis own peoplelike sheepAnd guidedthem in the wildernesslike a flock;
Your earswill heara wordbehindyou, "Thisis the way,walkin it," wheneveryou turnto the rightor to the left.
Then my peoplewill livein a peacefulhabitation,And in securedwellingsand in undisturbedrestingplaces;
Thussaysthe LORD,your Redeemer,the HolyOneof Israel,"I am the LORDyour God,who teachesyou to profit,Who leadsyou in the wayyou should go.
"Judahand allits citieswill dwelltogetherin it, the farmerand they who goaboutwith flocks.
"With weepingthey will come,And by supplicationI will leadthem; I will make them walkby streamsof waters,On a straightpathin which they will not stumble;For I ama fatherto Israel,And Ephraimis My firstborn."
Thussaysthe LORD,"Standby the waysand seeand askfor the ancientpaths,Wherethe goodwayis, and walkin it; And you will findrestfor your souls.But they said,'We will not walk[in it].'
Whetherit was two daysora monthora yearthat the cloudlingeredoverthe tabernacle,stayingaboveit, the sonsof Israelremainedcampedand did not setout; but when it was lifted,they did setout.
But as it is, they desirea better[country], that is, a heavenly one.ThereforeGodis not ashamedto be calledtheir God;for He has prepareda cityfor them.
But you have cometo MountZionand to the cityof the livingGod,the heavenlyJerusalem,and to myriadsof angels,
forsakingthe rightway,they have gone astray,having followedthe wayof Balaam,the [son] of Beor,wholovedthe wagesof unrighteousness;
For it would be betterfor them not to have knownthe wayof righteousness,thanhaving knownit, to turn awayfrom the holycommandmenthandedon to them.
