Nehemías 9
Bible Darby
1Et le vingt-quatrième jour de ce mois, les fils d’Israël s’assemblèrent avec jeûne et vêtus de sacs, et avec de la terre sur eux.
2Et la race d’Israël se sépara de tous les fils de l’étranger ; et ils se tinrent là et confessèrent leurs péchés et les iniquités de leurs pères.
3Et ils se levèrent à leurs places, et lurent dans le livre de la loi de l’Éternel, leur Dieu, pendant un quart de la journée ; et pendant un quart, ils firent confession et se prosternèrent devant l’Éternel, leur Dieu.
4Et les lévites, Jéshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebania, Bunni, Shérébia, Bani, et Kenani, se levèrent sur l’estrade et crièrent à haute voix à l’Éternel, leur Dieu.
5Et les lévites, Jéshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabnia, Shérébia, Hodija, Shebania et Pethakhia, dirent : Levez-vous, bénissez l’Éternel, votre Dieu, d’éternité en éternité ! Et qu’on bénisse le nom de ta gloire, qui est haut élevé au-dessus de toute bénédiction et de toute louange.
6Tu es le Même, toi seul, ô Éternel ; tu as fait les cieux, les cieux des cieux et toute leur armée, la terre et tout ce qui est sur elle, les mers et tout ce qui est en elles. Et c’est toi qui fais vivre toutes ces choses, et l’armée des cieux t’adore.
7Tu es le Même, ô Éternel, Dieu, qui as choisi Abram et l’as fait sortir d’Ur des Chaldéens, et lui as donné le nom d’Abraham.
8Et tu trouvas son cœur fidèle devant toi, et tu fis avec lui une alliance pour donner le pays du Cananéen, du Héthien, de l’Amoréen, et du Phérézien, et du Jébusien, et du Guirgasien, pour le donner à sa semence ; et tu as accompli tes paroles, car tu es juste.
9Et tu vis l’affliction de nos pères en Égypte, et tu entendis leur cri vers la mer Rouge,
10et tu opéras des signes et des prodiges sur le Pharaon, et sur tous ses serviteurs, et sur tout le peuple de son pays, car tu savais qu’ils avaient agi avec fierté contre eux, et tu t’acquis un nom, comme [il paraît] aujourd’hui.
11Et tu fendis la mer devant eux, et ils passèrent à sec par le milieu de la mer ; et ceux qui les poursuivaient, tu les jetas dans les abîmes, comme une pierre dans les eaux puissantes.
12Et tu les conduisis de jour par une colonne de nuée, et de nuit par une colonne de feu, afin d’éclairer pour eux le chemin dans lequel ils devaient marcher.
13Et tu descendis sur la montagne de Sinaï, et tu parlas avec eux depuis les cieux, et tu leur donnas des ordonnances droites et des lois de vérité, de bons statuts et [de bons] commandements.
14Et tu leur fis connaître ton saint sabbat, et tu leur prescrivis des commandements et des statuts et une loi, par ton serviteur Moïse.
15Et des cieux tu leur donnas du pain pour leur faim, et tu leur fis sortir du rocher de l’eau pour leur soif, et tu leur dis d’entrer pour prendre possession du pays que tu avais juré de leur donner.
16Mais eux, savoir nos pères, agirent avec fierté, et roidirent leur cou, et n’écoutèrent pas tes commandements,
17et refusèrent d’entendre, et ne se souvinrent pas de tes merveilles que tu avais faites pour eux ; mais ils roidirent leur cou, et dans leur rébellion ils établirent un chef, pour retourner à leur servitude. Mais toi, tu es un ✝Dieu de pardons, faisant grâce, et miséricordieux, lent à la colère, et grand en bonté, et tu ne les as point abandonnés.
18Même quand ils se firent un veau de fonte, et dirent : C’est ici ton dieu qui t’a fait monter d’Égypte, – et qu’ils te firent de grands outrages,
19toi, dans tes grandes compassions, tu ne les abandonnas point dans le désert ; la colonne de nuée ne se retira point de dessus eux, le jour, pour les conduire dans le chemin, ni la colonne de feu, la nuit, pour les éclairer, et [leur montrer] le chemin dans lequel ils devaient marcher.
20Et tu [leur] donnas ton bon Esprit pour les rendre intelligents, et tu ne refusas pas ta manne à leur bouche, et tu leur donnas de l’eau pour leur soif.
21Et tu les entretins 40 ans dans le désert : ils ne manquèrent de rien ; leurs vêtements ne s’usèrent point, et leurs pieds n’enflèrent point.
22Et tu leur donnas des royaumes et des peuples, et tu les leur partageas par contrées, et ils prirent possession du pays de Sihon, du pays du roi de Hesbon, aussi bien que du pays d’Og, roi de Basan.
23Et tu multiplias leurs fils comme les étoiles des cieux, et tu les introduisis dans le pays dont tu avais dit à leurs pères, qu’ils y entreraient pour le posséder.
24Et leurs fils entrèrent et possédèrent le pays. Et tu subjuguas devant eux les habitants du pays, les Cananéens, et tu les livras en leur main, leurs rois et les peuples du pays, pour leur faire selon leur bon plaisir.
25Et ils prirent des villes fortifiées, et un pays gras, et ils possédèrent des maisons pleines de tout bien, des puits creusés, des vignes et des oliviers, et des arbres fruitiers en abondance ; et ils mangèrent, et furent rassasiés, et s’engraissèrent ; et ils vécurent dans les délices par ta grande bonté.
26Mais ils se rebellèrent et se révoltèrent contre toi, et jetèrent ta loi derrière leur dos, et tuèrent tes prophètes qui rendaient témoignage contre eux pour les ramener à toi, et ils te firent de grands outrages.
27Et tu les livras en la main de leurs adversaires qui les opprimèrent. Et au temps de leur détresse ils crièrent à toi, et toi, tu entendis des cieux, et selon tes grandes compassions tu leur accordas des sauveurs qui les sauvèrent de la main de leurs oppresseurs.
28Mais quand ils avaient du repos, ils recommençaient à faire le mal devant toi, et tu les abandonnais en la main de leurs ennemis, et ceux-ci dominaient sur eux. Et de nouveau ils criaient à toi, et toi, tu entendais des cieux, et tu les délivras maintes fois, selon tes compassions.
29Et tu rendis témoignage contre eux pour les ramener à ta loi ; mais ils agirent avec fierté, et n’écoutèrent pas tes commandements, et péchèrent contre tes ordonnances, par lesquelles, s’il les pratique, un homme vivra ; et ils opposèrent une épaule revêche, et roidirent leur cou, et n’écoutèrent pas.
30Et tu différas à leur égard pendant beaucoup d’années, et tu rendis témoignage contre eux par ton Esprit, par le moyen de tes prophètes ; mais ils ne prêtèrent pas l’oreille, et tu les livras en la main des peuples des pays.
31Toutefois, dans tes grandes compassions, tu n’en finis pas avec eux, et tu ne les abandonnas pas ; car tu es un ✶Dieu faisant grâce, et miséricordieux.
32Et maintenant, notre Dieu, le ✶Dieu grand, puissant et terrible, qui gardes l’alliance et la bonté, que ce ne soit pas peu de chose devant toi que toutes les peines qui nous ont atteints, nous, nos rois, nos princes, et nos sacrificateurs, et nos prophètes, et nos pères, et tout ton peuple, depuis les jours des rois d’Assyrie jusqu’à ce jour-ci.
33Mais tu es juste dans tout ce qui nous est survenu, car tu as agi avec vérité, et nous, nous avons agi méchamment.
34Et nos rois, nos princes, nos sacrificateurs, et nos pères, n’ont pas pratiqué ta loi, et n’ont pas été attentifs à tes commandements et à tes témoignages que tu as rendus au milieu d’eux.
35Et ils ne t’ont pas servi dans leur royaume, et dans l’abondance des biens que tu leur avais donnés, et dans le spacieux et gras pays que tu avais mis devant eux, et ils ne sont pas revenus de leurs mauvaises actions.
36Voici, nous sommes aujourd’hui serviteurs ; et quant au pays que tu donnas à nos pères pour qu’ils en mangent le fruit et les bons produits, voici, nous y sommes serviteurs ;
37et il rapporte beaucoup aux rois que tu as établis sur nous à cause de nos péchés ; et ils dominent à leur gré sur nos corps et sur notre bétail, et nous sommes dans une grande détresse.
38—
Reina-Valera 1909
1Y EL día veinticuatro del mismo mes se juntaron los hijos de Israel en ayuno, y con sacos, y tierra sobre sí.
2Y habíase ya apartado la simiente de Israel de todos los extranjeros; y estando en pie, confesaron sus pecados, y las iniquidades de sus padres.
3Y puestos de pie en su lugar, leyeron en el libro de la ley de Jehová su Dios la cuarta parte del día, y la cuarta parte confesaron y adoraron á Jehová su Dios.
4Levantáronse luego sobre la grada de los Levitas, Jesuá y Bani, Cadmiel, Sebanías, Bunni, Serebías, Bani y Chênani, y clamaron en voz alta á Jehová su Dios.
5Y dijeron los Levitas, Jesuá y Cadmiel, Bani, Hosabnías, Serebías, Odaías, Sebanías y Pethaía: Levantaos, bendecid á Jehová vuestro Dios desde el siglo hasta el siglo: y bendigan el nombre tuyo, glorioso y alto sobre toda bendición y alabanza.
6Tú, oh Jehová, eres solo; tú hiciste los cielos, y los cielos de los cielos, y toda su milicia, la tierra y todo lo que está en ella, los mares y todo lo que hay en ellos; y tú vivificas todas estas cosas, y los ejércitos de los cielos te adoran.
7Tú eres, oh Jehová, el Dios que escogiste á Abram, y lo sacaste de Ur de los Caldeos, y pusístele el nombre Abraham;
8Y hallaste fiel su corazón delante de ti, é hiciste con él alianza para darle la tierra del Cananeo, del Hetheo, y del Amorrheo, y del Pherezeo, y del Jebuseo, y del Gergeseo, para darla á su simiente: y cumpliste tu palabra, porque eres justo.
9Y miraste la aflicción de nuestros padres en Egipto, y oíste el clamor de ellos en el mar Bermejo;
10Y diste señales y maravillas en Faraón, y en todos sus siervos, y en todo el pueblo de su tierra; porque sabías que habían hecho soberbiamente contra ellos; é hicístete nombre grande, como este día.
11Y dividiste la mar delante de ellos, y pasaron por medio de ella en seco; y á sus perseguidores echaste en los profundos, como una piedra en grandes aguas.
12Y con columna de nube los guiaste de día, y con columna de fuego de noche, para alumbrarles el camino por donde habían de ir.
13Y sobre el monte de Sinaí descendiste, y hablaste con ellos desde el cielo, y dísteles juicios rectos, leyes verdaderas, y estatutos y mandamientos buenos:
14Y notificásteles el sábado tuyo santo, y les prescribiste, por mano de Moisés tu siervo, mandamientos y estatutos y ley.
15Y dísteles pan del cielo en su hambre, y en su sed les sacaste aguas de la piedra; y dijísteles que entrasen á poseer la tierra, por la cual alzaste tu mano que se la habías de dar.
16Mas ellos y nuestros padres hicieron soberbiamente, y endurecieron su cerviz, y no escucharon tus mandamientos,
17Y no quisieron oir, ni se acordaron de tus maravillas que habías hecho con ellos; antes endurecieron su cerviz, y en su rebelión pensaron poner caudillo para volverse á su servidumbre. Tú empero, eres Dios de perdones, clemente y piadoso, tardo para la ira, y de mucha misericordia, que no los dejaste.
18Además, cuando hicieron para sí becerro de fundición, y dijeron: Este es tu Dios que te hizo subir de Egipto; y cometieron grandes abominaciones;
19Tú, con todo, por tus muchas misericordias no los abandonaste en el desierto: la columna de nube no se apartó de ellos de día, para guiarlos por el camino, ni la columna de fuego de noche, para alumbrarles el camino por el cual habían de ir.
20Y diste tu espíritu bueno para enseñarlos, y no retiraste tu maná de su boca, y agua les diste en su sed.
21Y sustentástelos cuarenta años en el desierto; de ninguna cosa tuvieron necesidad: sus vestidos no se envejecieron, ni se hincharon sus pies.
22Y dísteles reinos y pueblos, y los distribuiste por cantones: y poseyeron la tierra de Sehón, y la tierra del rey de Hesbón, y la tierra de Og rey de Basán.
23Y multiplicaste sus hijos como las estrellas del cielo, y metístelos en la tierra, de la cual habías dicho á sus padres que habían de entrar á poseerla.
24Y los hijos vinieron y poseyeron la tierra, y humillaste delante de ellos á los moradores del país, á los Cananeos, los cuales entregaste en su mano, y á sus reyes, y á los pueblos de la tierra, para que hiciesen de ellos á su voluntad.
25Y tomaron ciudades fortalecidas, y tierra pingüe, y heredaron casas llenas de todo bien, cisternas hechas, viñas y olivares, y muchos árboles de comer; y comieron, y hartáronse, y engrosáronse, y deleitáronse en tu grande bondad.
26Empero te irritaron, y rebeláronse contra ti, y echaron tu ley tras sus espaldas, y mataron tus profetas que protestaban contra ellos para convertirlos á ti; é hicieron grandes abominaciones.
27Y entregástelos en mano de sus enemigos, los cuales los afligieron: y en el tiempo de su tribulación clamaron á ti, y tú desde los cielos los oíste; y según tus muchas miseraciones les dabas salvadores, que los salvasen de mano de sus enemigos.
28Mas en teniendo reposo, se volvían á hacer lo malo delante de ti; por lo cual los dejaste en mano de sus enemigos, que se enseñorearon de ellos: pero convertidos clamaban otra vez á ti, y tú desde los cielos los oías, y según tus miseraciones muchas veces los libraste.
29Y protestásteles que se volviesen á tu ley; mas ellos hicieron soberbiamente, y no oyeron tus mandamientos, sino que pecaron contra tus juicios, los cuales si el hombre hiciere, en ellos vivirá; y dieron hombro renitente, y endurecieron su cerviz, y no escucharon.
30Y alargaste sobre ellos muchos años, y protestásteles con tu espíritu por mano de tus profetas, mas no escucharon; por lo cual los entregaste en mano de los pueblos de la tierra.
31Empero por tus muchas misericordias no los consumiste, ni los dejaste; porque eres Dios clemente y misericordioso.
32Ahora pues, Dios nuestro, Dios grande, fuerte, terrible, que guardas el pacto y la misericordia, no sea tenido en poco delante de ti todo el trabajo que nos ha alcanzado á nuestros reyes, á nuestros príncipes, á nuestros sacerdotes, y á nuestros profetas, y á nuestros padres, y á todo tu pueblo, desde los días de los reyes de Asiria hasta este día.
33Tú empero eres justo en todo lo que ha venido sobre nosotros; porque rectamente has hecho, mas nosotros hemos hecho lo malo:
34Y nuestros reyes, nuestros príncipes, nuestros sacerdotes, y nuestros padres, no pusieron por obra tu ley, ni atendieron á tus mandamientos y á tus testimonios, con que les protestabas.
35Y ellos en su reino y en tu mucho bien que les diste, y en la tierra espaciosa y pingüe que entregaste delante de ellos, no te sirvieron, ni se convirtieron de sus malas obras.
36He aquí que hoy somos siervos, henos aquí, siervos en la tierra que diste á nuestros padres para que comiesen su fruto y su bien.
37Y se multiplica su fruto para los reyes que has puesto sobre nosotros por nuestros pecados, quienes se enseñorean sobre nuestros cuerpos, y sobre nuestras bestias, conforme á su voluntad, y estamos en grande angustia.
38A causa pues de todo eso nosotros hacemos fiel alianza, y la escribimos, signada de nuestros príncipes, de nuestros Levitas, y de nuestros sacerdotes.
King James Version
1Now in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.
2And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.
3And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the LORD their God.
4Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the LORD their God.
5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the LORD your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.
6Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.
7Thou art the LORD the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;
8And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:
9And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;
10And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.
11And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.
12Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.
13Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:
14And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:
15And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.
16But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,
17And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.
18Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;
19Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.
20Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.
21Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.
22Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.
24So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.
25And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.
26Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.
27Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.
28But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;
29And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.
30Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.
31Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.
33Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:
34Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.
35For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.
36Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:
37And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
38And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.
World English Bible
1Now in the twenty-fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, with sackcloth, and dirt on them.
2The offspring of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.
3They stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the LORD their God a fourth part of the day; and a fourth part they confessed and worshiped the LORD their God.
4Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani of the Levites stood up on the stairs, and cried with a loud voice to the LORD their God.
5Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, “Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting! Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise!
6You are the LORD, even you alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their army, the earth and all things that are on it, the seas and all that is in them, and you preserve them all. The army of heaven worships you.
7You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram, brought him out of Ur of the Chaldees, gave him the name of Abraham,
8found his heart faithful before you, and made a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite, to give it to his offspring, and have performed your words, for you are righteous.
9“You saw the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heard their cry by the Red Sea,
10and showed signs and wonders against Pharaoh, against all his servants, and against all the people of his land, for you knew that they dealt proudly against them, and made a name for yourself, as it is today.
11You divided the sea before them, so that they went through the middle of the sea on the dry land; and you cast their pursuers into the depths, as a stone into the mighty waters.
12Moreover, in a pillar of cloud you led them by day; and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light in the way in which they should go.
13“You also came down on Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments,
14and made known to them your holy Sabbath, and commanded them commandments, statutes, and a law, by Moses your servant,
15and gave them bread from the sky for their hunger, and brought water out of the rock for them for their thirst, and commanded them that they should go in to possess the land which you had sworn to give them.
16“But they and our fathers behaved proudly, hardened their neck, didn’t listen to your commandments,
17and refused to obey. They weren’t mindful of your wonders that you did among them, but hardened their neck, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage. But you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, and didn’t forsake them.
18Yes, when they had made themselves a molded calf, and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and had committed awful blasphemies,
19yet you in your manifold mercies didn’t forsake them in the wilderness. The pillar of cloud didn’t depart from over them by day, to lead them in the way; neither did the pillar of fire by night, to show them light, and the way in which they should go.
20You gave also your good Spirit to instruct them, and didn’t withhold your manna from their mouth, and gave them water for their thirst.
21“Yes, forty years you sustained them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing. Their clothes didn’t grow old, and their feet didn’t swell.
22Moreover you gave them kingdoms and peoples, which you allotted according to their portions. So they possessed the land of Sihon, even the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.
23You also multiplied their children as the stars of the sky, and brought them into the land concerning which you said to their fathers that they should go in to possess it.
24“So the children went in and possessed the land; and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, that they might do with them as they pleased.
25They took fortified cities and a rich land, and possessed houses full of all good things, cisterns dug out, vineyards, olive groves, and fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, became fat, and delighted themselves in your great goodness.
26“Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you, cast your law behind their back, killed your prophets that testified against them to turn them again to you, and they committed awful blasphemies.
27Therefore you delivered them into the hand of their adversaries, who distressed them. In the time of their trouble, when they cried to you, you heard from heaven; and according to your manifold mercies you gave them saviors who saved them out of the hands of their adversaries.
28But after they had rest, they did evil again before you; therefore you left them in the hands of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them; yet when they returned and cried to you, you heard from heaven; and many times you delivered them according to your mercies,
29and testified against them, that you might bring them again to your law. Yet they were arrogant, and didn’t listen to your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances (which if a man does, he shall live in them), turned their backs, stiffened their neck, and would not hear.
30Yet many years you put up with them, and testified against them by your Spirit through your prophets. Yet they would not listen. Therefore you gave them into the hand of the peoples of the lands.
31“Nevertheless in your manifold mercies you didn’t make a full end of them, nor forsake them; for you are a gracious and merciful God.
32Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who keeps covenant and loving kindness, don’t let all the travail seem little before you that has come on us, on our kings, on our princes, on our priests, on our prophets, on our fathers, and on all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria to this day.
33However you are just in all that has come on us; for you have dealt truly, but we have done wickedly.
34Also our kings, our princes, our priests, and our fathers have not kept your law, nor listened to your commandments and your testimonies with which you testified against them.
35For they have not served you in their kingdom, and in your great goodness that you gave them, and in the large and rich land which you gave before them. They didn’t turn from their wicked works.
36“Behold, we are servants today, and as for the land that you gave to our fathers to eat its fruit and its good, behold, we are servants in it.
37It yields much increase to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins. Also they have power over our bodies and over our livestock, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.
38Yet for all this, we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, our Levites, and our priests, seal it.”