# verses

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 Don't eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted with fire; with its head, its legs and its inner parts.


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 You shall let nothing of it remain until the morning; but that which remains of it until the morning you shall burn with fire.


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 This is how you shall eat it: with your belt on your waist, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh's Passover.


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 For I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments: I am Yahweh.


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 The blood shall be to you for a token on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.


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 This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a feast to Yahweh: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance forever. 


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 "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; even the first day you shall put away yeast out of your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel.


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 In the first day there shall be to you a holy convocation, and in the seventh day a holy convocation; no kind of work shall be done in them, except that which every man must eat, that only may be done by you.


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 You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; for in this same day have I brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations by an ordinance forever.


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 In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty first day of the month at evening.


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 There shall be no yeast found in your houses for seven days, for whoever eats that which is leavened, that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a foreigner, or one who is born in the land.


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 Then Moses called for all the elders of Israel, and said to them, Draw out, and take lambs according to your families, and kill the Passover.


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 You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and none of you shall go out of the door of his house until the morning.


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 For Yahweh will pass through to strike the Egyptians; and when He sees the blood on the lintel, and on the two doorposts, Yahweh will pass over the door, and will not allow the Destroyer to come in to your houses to strike you.


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 It shall happen when you have come to the land which Yahweh will give you, according as he has promised, that you shall keep this service.


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 that you shall say, "It is the sacrifice of Yahweh's Passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when He struck the Egyptians, and spared our houses'. The people bowed their heads and worshiped.


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 It happened at midnight, that Yahweh struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the captive who was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of livestock.


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 Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt, for there was not a house where there was not one dead.


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 He called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, get out from among my people, both you and the children of Israel; and go, serve Yahweh, as you have said!


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 The Egyptians were urgent with the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, We are all dead men.


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 The people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being bound up in their clothes on their shoulders.


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 The children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and clothing.


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 Yahweh gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. They despoiled the Egyptians. 


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 The children of Israel travelled from Raamses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot who were men, besides children.


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 They baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought out of Egypt; for it wasn't leavened, because they were thrust out of Egypt, and couldn't wait, neither had they prepared for themselves any food.


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 It happened at the end of four hundred thirty years, even the same day it happened, that all the armies of Yahweh went out from the land of Egypt.


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 It is a night to be much observed to Yahweh for bringing them out from the land of Egypt. This is that night of Yahweh, to be much observed of all the children of Israel throughout their generations.


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 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the Passover. No foreigner shall eat of it,


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 but every man's servant who is bought for money, when you have circumcised him, then shall he eat of it.


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 In one house shall it be eaten; you shall not carry out anything of the flesh abroad out of the house; neither shall you break a bone of it.


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 When a stranger shall live as a foreigner with you, and will keep the Passover to Yahweh, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one who is born in the land: but no uncircumcised person shall eat of it.


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 One law shall be to him who is born at home, and to the stranger who lives as a foreigner among you.


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 It happened the same day, that Yahweh brought the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt by their armies.


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 Sanctify to me all of the firstborn, whatever opens the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of animal. It is mine.


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 Moses said to the people, Remember this day, in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of bondage; for by strength of hand Yahweh brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten.


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 It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Amorite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month.


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 Unleavened bread shall be eaten throughout the seven days; and no leavened bread shall be seen with you, neither shall yeast be seen with you, in all your borders.


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 You shall tell your son in that day, saying, "It is because of that which Yahweh did for me when I came out of Egypt'.


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 It shall be for a sign to you on your hand, and for a memorial between your eyes, that the law of Yahweh may be in your mouth; for with a strong hand Yahweh has brought you out of Egypt.


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 It shall be, when Yahweh shall bring you into the land of the Canaanite, as He swore to you and to your fathers, and shall give it you,


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 that you shall set apart to Yahweh all that opens the womb, and every firstborn which you have that comes from an animal. The males shall be Yahweh's.


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 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb; and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck; and you shall redeem all the firstborn of man among your sons.


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 It shall be, when your son asks you in time to come, saying, "What is this?' that you shall tell him, "By strength of hand Yahweh brought us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage;


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 and it happened, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that Yahweh killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man, and the firstborn of animal. Therefore I sacrifice to Yahweh all that opens the womb, being males; but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem'.


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 It shall be for a sign on your hand, and for symbols between your eyes: for by strength of hand Yahweh brought us out of Egypt. 


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 It happened, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God didn't lead them by the way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and they return to Egypt;


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 but God led the people around by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea; and the children of Israel went up armed out of the land of Egypt.


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 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you.


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 Yahweh went before them by day in a pillar of cloud, to lead them on their way, and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, that they might go by day and by night:


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 Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.


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 Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, "They are entangled in the land. The wilderness has shut them in'.


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 I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will follow after them; and I will get honour over Pharaoh, and over all his armies; and the Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh. They did so.


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 It was told the king of Egypt that the people had fled; and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed towards the people, and they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go from serving us?


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 and he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over all of them.


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 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel; for the children of Israel went out with a high hand.


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 The Egyptians pursued after them: all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, his horsemen, and his army; and overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pihahiroth, before Baal Zephon.


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 When Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them; and they were very afraid. The children of Israel cried out to Yahweh.


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 They said to Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you treated us this way, to bring us out of Egypt?


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 Isn't this the word that we spoke to you in Egypt, saying, "Leave us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians?' For it were better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.


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 Moses said to the people, Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of Yahweh, which He will work for you today: for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you shall never see them again.


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 Lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go into the midst of the sea on dry ground.


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 I, behold, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, and they shall go in after them: and I will get Myself honour over Pharaoh, and over all his armies, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.


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 The Egyptians shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have gotten Myself honour over Pharaoh, over his chariots, and over his horsemen.


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 The angel of God, who went before the camp of Israel, moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from before them, and stood behind them.


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 It came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel; and there was the cloud and the darkness, yet gave it light by night: and the one didn't come near the other all the night.


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 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and Yahweh caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.


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 The children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on the dry ground, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.


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 The Egyptians pursued, and went in after them into the midst of the sea: all of Pharaoh's horses, his chariots, and his horsemen.


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 It happened in the morning watch, that Yahweh looked out on the Egyptian army through the pillar of fire and of cloud, and confused the Egyptian army.


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 He took off their chariot wheels, and they drove them heavily; so that the Egyptians said, Let's flee from the face of Israel, for Yahweh fights for them against the Egyptians!


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea, that the waters may come again on the Egyptians, on their chariots, and on their horsemen.


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 Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to its strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it. Yahweh overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.


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 The waters returned, and covered the chariots and the horsemen, even all Pharaoh's army that went in after them into the sea. There remained not so much as one of them.


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 But the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall to them on their right hand, and on their left.


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 Thus Yahweh saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.


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 Israel saw the great work which Yahweh did to the Egyptians, and the people feared Yahweh; and they believed in Yahweh, and in his servant Moses.


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 Moses' Song of Praise Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to Yahweh, and said, I will sing to Yahweh, for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea.


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 Yah is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. This is my God, and I will praise Him; my father's God, and I will exalt Him.


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 He has cast Pharaoh's chariots and his army into the sea. His chosen captains are sunk in the Red Sea.


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 Your right hand, Yahweh, is glorious in power. Your right hand, Yahweh, dashes the enemy in pieces.


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 In the greatness of Your excellency, You overthrow those who rise up against You. You send forth Your wrath. It consumes them as stubble.


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 With the blast of Your nostrils, the waters were piled up. The floods stood upright as a heap. The deeps were congealed in the heart of the sea.


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 The enemy said, "I will pursue. I will overtake. I will divide the spoil. My desire shall be satisfied on them. I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them'.


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 Who is like You, Yahweh, among the gods? Who is like You, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?


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 You, in Your grace, have led the people that You have redeemed. You have guided them in Your strength to Your holy habitation.


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 Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed. Trembling takes hold of the mighty men of Moab. All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.


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 Terror and dread falls on them. By the greatness of your arm they are as still as a stone--until Your people pass over, Yahweh, until the people pass over whom You have purchased.


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 You shall bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of your inheritance, the place, Yahweh, which You have made for yourself to dwell in; the sanctuary, Lord, which Your hands have established.


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 For the horses of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and Yahweh brought back the waters of the sea on them; but the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea.


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 Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances.


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 Miriam answered them, Sing to Yahweh, for He has triumphed gloriously. The horse and his rider He has thrown into the sea. 


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 Moses led Israel onward from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness, and found no water.


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 When they came to Marah, they couldn't drink from the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore its name was called Marah.


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 Then he cried to Yahweh. Yahweh showed him a tree, and he threw it into the waters, and the waters were made sweet. There He made a statute and an ordinance for them, and there He tested them;


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 and He said, If you will diligently listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, and will do that which is right in His eyes, and will pay attention to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you, which I have put on the Egyptians; for I am Yahweh who heals you.


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 They came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water, and seventy palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.


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 They took their journey from Elim, and all the congregation of the children of Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departing out of the land of Egypt.


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 The whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness;


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 and the children of Israel said to them, We wish that we had died by the hand of Yahweh in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots, when we ate our fill of bread, for you have brought us out into this wilderness, to kill this whole assembly with hunger.


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 Then Yahweh said to Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from the sky for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law, or not.


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 It shall come to pass on the sixth day, that they shall prepare that which they bring in, and it shall be twice as much as they gather daily.


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 Moses and Aaron said to all the children of Israel, At evening, then you shall know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt;


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 and in the morning, then you shall see the glory of Yahweh; because He hears your murmurings against Yahweh. Who are we, that you murmur against us?


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 Moses said, Now Yahweh shall give you meat to eat in the evening, and in the morning bread to fully satisfy you; because Yahweh hears your murmurings which you murmur against Him. And who are we? Your murmurings are not against us, but against Yahweh.


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 Moses said to Aaron, Tell all the congregation of the children of Israel, "Come near before Yahweh, for He has heard your murmurings'.


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 It happened, as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the children of Israel, that they looked toward the wilderness, and behold, the glory of Yahweh appeared in the cloud.


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 I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel. Speak to them, saying, "At evening you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall be filled with bread: and you shall know that I am Yahweh your God'. 


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 It happened at evening that quail came up and covered the camp; and in the morning the dew lay around the camp.


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 When the dew that lay had gone, behold, on the surface of the wilderness was a small round thing, small as the frost on the ground.


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 When the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, What is it? For they didn't know what it was. Moses said to them, It is the bread which Yahweh has given you to eat.


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 This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded: Gather of it everyone according to his eating; an omer a head, according to the number of your persons, you shall take it, every man for those who are in his tent.


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 When they measured it with an omer, he who gathered much had nothing over, and he who gathered little had no lack. They gathered every man according to his eating.


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 Notwithstanding they didn't listen to Moses, but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and became foul: and Moses was angry with them.


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 They gathered it morning by morning, everyone according to his eating. When the sun grew hot, it melted.


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 It happened that on the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers for each one, and all the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.


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 He said to them, This is that which Yahweh has spoken, "Tomorrow is a solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to Yahweh. Bake that which you want to bake, and boil that which you want to boil; and all that remains over lay up for yourselves to be kept until the morning'.


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 They laid it up until the morning, as Moses asked, and it didn't become foul, neither was there any worm in it.


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 Moses said, Eat that today, for today is a Sabbath to Yahweh. Today you shall not find it in the field.


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 Behold, because Yahweh has given you the Sabbath, therefore He gives you on the sixth day the bread of two days. Everyone stay in his place. Let no one go out of his place on the seventh day.


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 The house of Israel called its name Manna, and it was like coriander seed, white; and its taste was like wafers with honey.


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 Moses said, This is the thing which Yahweh has commanded, "Let an omer-full of it be kept throughout your generations, that they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt'.


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 Moses said to Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer-full of manna in it, and lay it up before Yahweh, to be kept throughout your generations.


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 The children of Israel ate the manna forty years, until they came to an inhabited land. They ate the manna until they came to the borders of the land of Canaan.


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 All the congregation of the children of Israel travelled from the wilderness of Sin, by their journeys, according to Yahweh's commandment, and encamped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink.


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 Therefore the people quarrelled with Moses, and said, Give us water to drink. Moses said to them, Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test Yahweh?


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 The people were thirsty for water there; and the people murmured against Moses, and said, Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?


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 Moses cried to Yahweh, saying, What shall I do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Walk on before the people, and take the elders of Israel with you, and take the rod in your hand with which you struck the Nile, and go.


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 Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb. You shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink. Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.


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 He called the name of the place Massah, and Meribah, because the children of Israel quarrelled, and because they put Yahweh to the test, saying, Is Yahweh among us, or not? 


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 Moses said to Joshua, Choose men for us, and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with God's rod in my hand.


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 So Joshua did as Moses had told him, and fought with Amalek; and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.


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 It happened, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed.


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 But Moses' hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side. His hands were steady until sunset.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book, and rehearse it in the ears of Joshua: that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under the sky.


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 Now Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses' father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, how that Yahweh had brought Israel out of Egypt.


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 and her two sons. The name of one son was Gershom, for Moses said, I have lived as a foreigner in a foreign land.


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 The name of the other was Eliezer, for he said, My father's God was my help and delivered me from Pharaoh's sword.


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 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses into the wilderness where he was encamped, at the Mountain of God.


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 He said to Moses, I, your father-in-law Jethro, have come to you with your wife, and her two sons with her.


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 Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, and bowed and kissed him. They asked each other of their welfare, and they came into the tent.


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 Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them.


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 Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which Yahweh had done to Israel, in that He had delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians.


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 Jethro said, Blessed be Yahweh, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh; who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians.


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 Now I know that Yahweh is greater than all gods because of the thing in which they dealt arrogantly against them.


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 Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God. Aaron came with all of the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses' father-in-law before God. 


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 It happened on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from the morning to the evening.


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 When Moses' father-in-law saw all that he did to the people, he said, What is this thing that you do for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning to evening?


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 When they have a matter, they come to me, and I judge between a man and his neighbour, and I make them know the statutes of God, and His laws.


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 You will surely wear away, both you, and this people that is with you; for the thing is too heavy for you. You are not able to perform it yourself alone.


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 Listen now to my voice. I will give you counsel, and God be with you. You represent the people before God, and bring the causes to God.


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 You shall teach them the statutes and the laws, and shall show them the way in which they must walk, and the work that they must do.


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 Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.


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 Let them judge the people at all times. It shall be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they shall judge themselves. So shall it be easier for you, and they shall share the load with you.


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 If you will do this thing, and God commands you so, then you will be able to endure, and all of these people also will go to their place in peace.


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 Moses chose able men out of all Israel, and made them heads over the people, rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.


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 They judged the people at all times. They brought the hard causes to Moses, but every small matter they judged themselves.


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 In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that same day they came into the wilderness of Sinai.


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 When they had departed from Rephidim, and had come to the wilderness of Sinai, they encamped in the wilderness; and there Israel encamped before the mountain.


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 Moses went up to God, and Yahweh called to him out of the mountain, saying, This is what you shall tell the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel:


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 "You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings, and brought you to Myself.


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 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice, and keep My covenant, then you shall be My very own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is Mine;


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 and you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation'. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.


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 Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and set before them all these words which Yahweh commanded him.


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 All the people answered together, and said, All that Yahweh has spoken we will do. Moses reported the words of the people to Yahweh.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Behold, I come to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever. Moses told the words of the people to Yahweh.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Go to the people, and sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their garments,


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 and be ready against the third day; for on the third day Yahweh will come down in the sight of all the people on Mount Sinai.


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 You shall set bounds to the people all around, saying, "Be careful that you don't go up onto the mountain, or touch its border. Whoever touches the mountain shall be surely put to death.


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 No hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot through; whether it is animal or man, he shall not live'. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come up to the mountain. The Need to Respect God's Holiness 


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 Moses went down from the mountain to the people, and sanctified the people; and they washed their clothes.


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 It happened on the third day, when it was morning, that there were thunders and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain, and the sound of an exceedingly loud trumpet; and all the people who were in the camp trembled.


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 Moses led the people out of the camp to meet God; and they stood at the lower part of the mountain.


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 Mount Sinai, all of it, smoked, because Yahweh descended on it in fire; and its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.


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 When the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by a voice.


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 Yahweh came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. Yahweh called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Go down, warn the people, lest they break through to Yahweh to gaze, and many of them perish.


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 Let the priests also, who come near to Yahweh, sanctify themselves, lest Yahweh break forth on them.


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 Moses said to Yahweh, The people can't come up to Mount Sinai, for you warned us, saying, "Set bounds around the mountain, and sanctify it'.


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 Yahweh said to him, Go down and you shall bring Aaron up with you, but don't let the priests and the people break through to come up to Yahweh, lest He break forth on them.


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 You shall not make for yourselves an idol, nor any image of anything that is in the heavens above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:


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 you shall not bow yourself down to them, nor serve them, for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation of those who hate Me,


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 You shall not take the name of Yahweh your God in vain, for Yahweh will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.


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 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to Yahweh your God. You shall not do any work in it, you, nor your son, nor your daughter, your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your livestock, nor your stranger who is within your gates;


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 for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day, and made it holy.


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 Honour your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which Yahweh your God gives you.


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 You shall not covet your neighbour's house. You shall not covet your neighbour's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbour's. 


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 All the people perceived the thunderings, the lightnings, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking. When the people saw it, they trembled, and stayed at a distance.


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 They said to Moses, Speak with us yourself, and we will listen; but don't let God speak with us, lest we die.


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 Moses said to the people, Don't be afraid, for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, that you won't sin.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, This is what you shall tell the children of Israel: "You yourselves have seen that I have talked with you from heaven.


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 You shall make an altar of earth for Me, and shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your cattle. In every place where I record My name I will come down to you and I will bless you.


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 If you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of cut stones; for if you lift up your tool on it, you have polluted it.


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 If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years and in the seventh he shall go out free without paying anything.


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 If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself. If he is married, then his wife shall go out with him.


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 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself.


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 But if the servant shall plainly say, "I love my master, my wife, and my children. I will not go out free;'


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 then his master shall bring him to the elohim, and shall bring him to the door or to the doorpost, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall serve him for ever.


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 If she doesn't please her master, who has married her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her.


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 If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, and her marital rights.


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 but not if it is unintentional, but God allows it to happen: then I will appoint you a place where he shall flee.


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 If a man schemes and comes presumptuously on his neighbour to kill him, you shall take him from My altar, that he may die.


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 Anyone who kidnaps someone and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death.


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 If men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone, or with his fist, and he doesn't die, but is confined to bed;


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 if he rises again and walks around with his staff, then he who struck him shall be cleared: only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall provide for his healing until he is thoroughly healed.


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 If a man strikes his servant or his maid with a rod, and he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished.


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 Notwithstanding, if he gets up after a day or two, he shall not be punished, for he is his property.


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 If men fight and hurt a pregnant woman so that she gives birth prematurely, and yet no harm follows, he shall be surely fined as much as the woman's husband demands and the judges allow.


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 If a man strikes his servant's eye, or his maid's eye, and destroys it, he shall let him go free for his eye's sake.


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 If he strikes out his male servant's tooth, or his female servant's tooth, he shall let him go free for his tooth's sake.


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 If a bull gores a man or a woman to death, the bull shall surely be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the bull shall not be held responsible.


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 But if the bull had a habit of goring in the past, and it has been testified to its owner, and he has not kept it in, but it has killed a man or a woman, the bull shall be stoned, and its owner shall also be put to death.


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 If a ransom is laid on him, then he shall give for the redemption of his life whatever is laid on him.


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 Whether it has gored a son or has gored a daughter, according to this judgment it shall be done to him.


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 If the bull gores a male servant or a female servant, thirty shekels of silver shall be given to their master, and the ox shall be stoned.


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 If a man opens a pit, or if a man digs a pit and doesn't cover it, and a bull or a donkey falls into it,


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 the owner of the pit shall make it good. He shall give money to its owner, and the dead animal shall be his.


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 If one man's bull injures another's, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live bull, and divide its price; and they shall also divide the dead animal.


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 Or if it is known that the bull was in the habit of goring in the past, and its owner has not kept it in, he shall surely pay bull for bull, and the dead animal shall be his own.


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 If a man steals an ox or a sheep, and kills it, or sells it; he shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.


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 If the thief is found breaking in, and is struck so that he dies, there shall be no guilt of bloodshed for him.


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 If the sun has risen on him, guilt of bloodshed shall be for him; he shall make restitution. If he has nothing, then he shall be sold for his theft.


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 If the stolen property is found in his hand alive, whether it is ox, donkey, or sheep, he shall pay double.


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 If a man causes a field or vineyard to be eaten, and lets his animal loose, and it grazes in another man's field, he shall make restitution from the best of his own field, and from the best of his own vineyard.


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 If fire breaks out, and catches in thorns so that the stacks of grain, or the standing grain, or the field are consumed; he who kindled the fire shall surely make restitution.


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 If a man delivers to his neighbour money or stuff to keep, and it is stolen out of the man's house; if the thief is found, he shall pay double.


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 If the thief isn't found, then the master of the house shall come near to God, to find out if he hasn't put his hand to his neighbour's goods.


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 For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says, "This is mine', the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbour.


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 If a man delivers to his neighbour a donkey, an ox, a sheep, or any animal to keep, and it dies or is injured, or driven away, no man seeing it;


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 the oath of Yahweh shall be between them both, whether he hasn't put his hand to his neighbour's goods; and its owner shall accept it, and he shall not make restitution.


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 If it is torn in pieces, let him bring it for evidence. He shall not make good that which was torn.


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 If a man borrows anything of his neighbour's, and it is injured, or dies, its owner not being with it, he shall surely make restitution.


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 If its owner is with it, he shall not make it good. If it is a leased thing, it came for its lease. 


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 If a man entices a virgin who isn't pledged to be married, and lies with her, he shall surely pay a dowry for her to be his wife.


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 If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money according to the dowry of virgins.


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 You shall not wrong an alien, neither shall you oppress him, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.


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 and My wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.


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 If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be to him as a creditor; neither shall you charge him interest.


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 If you take your neighbour's garment as guarantee of a loan, you shall restore it to him before the sun goes down,


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 for that is his only covering, it is his garment for his skin. What would he sleep in? It will happen, when he cries to Me, that I will hear, for I am gracious.


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 You shall not delay to offer from your harvest and from the outflow of your presses. You shall give the firstborn of your sons to Me.


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 You shall do likewise with your cattle and with your sheep. Seven days it shall be with its mother, then on the eighth day you shall give it to Me.


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 You shall be holy men to Me, therefore you shall not eat any flesh that is torn by animals in the field. You shall cast it to the dogs.


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 You shall not spread a false report. Don't join your hand with the wicked to be a malicious witness.


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 You shall not follow a crowd to do evil; neither shall you testify in court to side with a multitude to pervert justice;


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 If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again.


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 If you see the donkey of him who hates you fallen down under his burden, don't leave him, you shall surely help him with it.


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 Keep far from a false charge, and don't kill the innocent and righteous: for I will not justify the wicked.


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 You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds those who have sight and perverts the words of the righteous.


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 You shall not oppress an alien, for you know the heart of an alien, since you were aliens in the land of Egypt. 


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 but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the animals of the field shall eat. In the same way, you shall deal with your vineyard and with your olive grove.


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 Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your handmaid, and the alien may be refreshed.


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 Be careful to do all things that I have said to you; and don't invoke the name of other gods, neither let them be heard out of your mouth.


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 You shall observe the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib (for in it you came out from Egypt), and no one shall appear before me empty.


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 And the feast of harvest, the first fruits of your labours, which you sow in the field: and the feast of harvest, at the end of the year, when you gather in your labours out of the field.


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 You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread, neither shall the fat of My feast remain all night until the morning.


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 The first of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk. 


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 Behold, I send an angel before you, to keep you by the way, and to bring you into the place which I have prepared.


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 Pay attention to him, and listen to his voice. Don't provoke him, for he will not pardon your disobedience, for My name is in him.


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 But if you indeed listen to his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries.


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 For My angel shall go before you, and bring you in to the Amorite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Canaanite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite; and I will cut them off.


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 You shall not bow down to their gods, nor serve them, nor follow their practices, but you shall utterly overthrow them and demolish their pillars.


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 You shall serve Yahweh your God, and He will bless your bread and your water, and I will take sickness away from your midst.


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 I will send My terror before you, and will confuse all the people to whom you come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you.


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 I will send the hornet before you, which will drive out the Hivite, the Canaanite, and the Hittite, from before you.


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 I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate, and the animals of the field multiply against you.


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 Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and inherit the land.


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 I will set your border from the Red Sea even to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the River; for I will deliver the inhabitants of the land into your hand, and you shall drive them out before you.


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 They shall not dwell in your land, lest they make you sin against Me, for if you serve their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.


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 He said to Moses, Come up to Yahweh, you, and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel; and worship from a distance.


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 Moses alone shall come near to Yahweh, but they shall not come near, neither shall the people go up with him.


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 Moses came and told the people all the words of Yahweh, and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which Yahweh has spoken will we do.


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 Moses wrote all the words of Yahweh, and rose up early in the morning, and built an altar under the mountain, and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.


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 He sent young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of cattle to Yahweh.


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 Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.


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 He took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people, and they said, All that Yahweh has spoken will we do, and be obedient.


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 Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Look, this is the blood of the covenant, which Yahweh has made with you concerning all these words.


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 They saw the God of Israel. Under His feet was like a paved work of sapphire stone, like the skies for clearness.


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 Yahweh said to Moses, Come up to me on the mountain, and stay here, and I will give you the tablets of stone with the law and the commands that I have written, that you may teach them. 


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 He said to the elders, Wait here for us, until we come again to you. Behold, Aaron and Hur are with you. Whoever is involved in a dispute can go to them.


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 The glory of Yahweh settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days. The seventh day He called to Moses out of the midst of the cloud.


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 The appearance of the glory of Yahweh was like devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the eyes of the children of Israel.


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 Moses entered into the midst of the cloud, and went up on the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.


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 Speak to the children of Israel, that they take an offering for Me. From everyone whose heart makes him willing you shall take My offering.


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 According to all that I show you, the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all of its furniture, even so you shall make it. 


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 They shall make an ark of acacia wood. Its length shall be two and a half cubits, its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.


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 You shall overlay it with pure gold. You shall overlay it inside and outside, and you shall make a gold moulding around it.


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 You shall cast four rings of gold for it, and put them in its four feet. Two rings shall be on the one side of it, and two rings on the other side of it.


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 You shall make a mercy seat of pure gold. Two and a half cubits shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its breadth.


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 You shall make two cherubim of hammered gold. You shall make them at the two ends of the mercy seat.


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 Make one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. You shall make the cherubim on its two ends of one piece with the mercy seat.


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 The cherubim shall spread out their wings upward, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim shall be toward the mercy seat.


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 You shall put the mercy seat on top of the ark, and in the ark you shall put the testimony that I will give you.


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 There I will meet with you, and I will tell you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the testimony, all that I command you for the children of Israel. 


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 You shall make a table of acacia wood. Two cubits shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth, and one and a half cubits its height.


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 You shall make a rim of a handbreadth around it. You shall make a golden moulding on its rim around it.


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 You shall make four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that are on its four feet.


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 You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, that the table may be carried with them.


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 You shall make its dishes, its spoons, its ladles, and its bowls to pour out offerings with. You shall make them of pure gold.


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 You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. Of hammered work shall the lampstand be made, even its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers, shall be of one piece with it.


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 There shall be six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of its one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side;


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 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower; and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower, so for the six branches going out of the lampstand;


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 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of the lampstand.


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 Their buds and their branches shall be of one piece with it, all of it one beaten work of pure gold.


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 You shall make its lamps seven, and they shall light its lamps to give light to the space in front of it.


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 Moreover you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, with cherubim. By the work of the skilful workman you shall make them.


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 The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: all the curtains shall have one measure.


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 Five curtains shall be coupled together one to another; and the other five curtains shall be coupled one to another.


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 You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling; and likewise you shall make in the edge of the curtain that is outmost in the second coupling.


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 You shall make fifty loops in the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that is in the second coupling. The loops shall be opposite one to another.


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 You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and couple the curtains one to another with the clasps: and the tabernacle shall be one.


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 You shall make curtains of goats' hair for a covering over the tabernacle. You shall make them eleven curtains.


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 The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits: the eleven curtains shall have one measure.


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 You shall couple five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and shall double over the sixth curtain in the forefront of the tent.


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 You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the one curtain that is outmost in the coupling, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which is outmost in the second coupling.


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 You shall make fifty clasps of brass, and put the clasps into the loops, and couple the tent together, that it may be one.


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 The overhanging part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle.


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 The cubit on the one side, and the cubit on the other side, of that which remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle on this side and on that side, to cover it.


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 You shall make a covering for the tent of rams' skins dyed red, and a covering of sea cow hides above. 


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 There shall be two tenons in each board, joined to one another: thus you shall make for all the boards of the tabernacle.


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 You shall make forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.


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 and their forty sockets of silver; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.


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 They shall be double beneath, and in the same way they shall be whole to its top to one ring: thus shall it be for them both; they shall be for the two corners.


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 There shall be eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; two sockets under one board, and two sockets under another board.


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 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the side of the tabernacle, for the far part westward.


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 You shall overlay the boards with gold, and make their rings of gold for places for the bars: and you shall overlay the bars with gold.


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 You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. The work of the skilful workman shall it be made.


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 You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver.


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 You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil: and the veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you.


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 You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand over against the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.


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 You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer.


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 You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold: their hooks shall be of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of brass for them.


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 You shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long, and five cubits broad; the altar shall be foursquare: and its height shall be three cubits.


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 You shall make its horns on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it; and you shall overlay it with brass.


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 You shall make its pots to take away its ashes, its shovels, its basins, its flesh hooks, and its fire pans: all its vessels you shall make of brass.


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 You shall make a grating for it of network of brass: and on the net you shall make four bronze rings in its four corners.


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 You shall put it under the ledge around the altar beneath, that the net may reach halfway up the altar.


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 Its poles shall be put into the rings, and the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar, when carrying it.


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 You shall make it with hollow planks. They shall make it as it has been shown you on the mountain. 


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 You shall make the court of the tabernacle: for the south side southward there shall be hangings for the court of fine twined linen one hundred cubits long for one side;


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 and its pillars shall be twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets shall be of silver.


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 Likewise for the north side in length there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, and its pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.


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 For the breadth of the court on the west side shall be hangings of fifty cubits; their pillars ten, and their sockets ten.


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 The hangings for the one side of the gate shall be fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.


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 For the other side shall be hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.


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 For the gate of the court shall be a screen of twenty cubits, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer; their pillars four, and their sockets four.


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 All the pillars of the court around shall be filleted with silver; their hooks of silver, and their sockets of brass.


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 The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, and the breadth fifty everywhere, and the height five cubits, of fine twined linen, and their sockets of brass.


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 All the instruments of the tabernacle in all its service, and all its pins, and all the pins of the court, shall be of brass.


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 You shall command the children of Israel, that they bring to you pure olive oil beaten for the light, to cause a lamp to burn continually.


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 In the Tent of Meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall keep it in order from evening to morning before Yahweh: it shall be a statute forever throughout their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.


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 Bring Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, near to you from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to Me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron's sons.


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 You shall speak to all who are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to sanctify him, that he may minister to Me in the priest's office.


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 These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash; and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, and his sons, that he may minister to Me in the priest's office.


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 They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skilful workman.


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 The skilfully woven belt band which is on it, that is to be put on him, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.


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 six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, in the order of their birth.


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 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel: you shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold.


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 You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before Yahweh on his two shoulders for a memorial.


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 and two chains of pure gold; you shall make them like cords of braided work: and you shall put the braided chains on the settings.


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 You shall make a breastplate of judgment, the work of the skilful workman; like the work of the ephod you shall make it; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, you shall make it.


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 You shall set in it settings of stones, four rows of stones: a row of ruby, topaz, and beryl shall be the first row;


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 and the fourth row a chrysolite, an onyx, and a jasper: they shall be enclosed in gold in their settings.


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 The stones shall be according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, each one according to his name, they shall be for the twelve tribes.


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 You shall make on the breastplate two rings of gold, and shall put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.


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 The other two ends of the two braided chains you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod in its forepart.


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 You shall make two rings of gold, and you shall put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward.


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 You shall make two rings of gold, and shall put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its forepart, close by its coupling, above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.


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 They shall bind the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be on the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not swing out from the ephod.


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 Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before Yahweh continually.


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 You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron's heart, when he goes in before Yahweh; and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before Yahweh continually.


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 It shall have a hole for the head in its midst: it shall have a binding of woven work around its hole, as it were the hole of a coat of mail, that it not be torn.


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 On its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, around its hem; and bells of gold between and around them:


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 It shall be on Aaron to minister; and his sound shall be heard when he goes in to the holy place before Yahweh, and when he comes out, so that he will not die. 


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 You shall make a plate of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engravings of a signet, "HOLY TO YAHWEH'.


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 You shall put it on a lace of blue, and it shall be on the sash; on the front of the sash it shall be.


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 It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall make holy in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always on his forehead, that they may be accepted before Yahweh.


text:
 You shall weave the coat in chequer work of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash, the work of the embroiderer.


text:
 You shall make coats for Aaron's sons, and you shall make sashes for them and you shall make headbands for them, for glory and for beauty.


text:
 You shall put them on Aaron your brother, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them, and consecrate them, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me in the priest's office.


text:
 You shall make them linen breeches to cover the flesh of their nakedness; from the waist even to the thighs they shall reach.


text:
 They shall be on Aaron, and on his sons, when they go in to the Tent of Meeting, or when they come near to the altar to minister in the holy place; that they don't bear iniquity, and die: it shall be a statute forever to him and to his descendants after him.


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 This is the thing that you shall do to them to make them holy, to minister to Me in the priest's office: take one young bull and two rams without blemish,


text:
 unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil: you shall make them of fine wheat flour.


text:
 You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the Tent of Meeting, and shall wash them with water.


text:
 You shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat, the robe of the ephod, the ephod, and the breastplate, and clothe him with the skilfully woven band of the ephod;


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 You shall clothe them with belts, Aaron and his sons, and bind headbands on them; and they shall have the priesthood by a perpetual statute; and you shall consecrate Aaron and his sons.


text:
 You shall bring the bull before the Tent of Meeting; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull.


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 You shall take of the blood of the bull, and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger; and you shall pour out all the blood at the base of the altar.


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 You shall take all the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, and the fat that is on them, and burn them on the altar.


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 But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside of the camp: it is a sin offering.


text:
 You shall also take the one ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram.


text:
 You shall cut the ram into its pieces, and wash its innards, and its legs, and put them with its pieces, and with its head.


text:
 You shall burn the whole ram on the altar: it is a burnt offering to Yahweh; it is a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.


text:
 Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot, and sprinkle the blood around on the altar.


text:
 You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him; and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.


text:
 Also you shall take some of the ram's fat, the fat tail, the fat that covers the innards, the cover of the liver, the two kidneys, the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of consecration),


text:
 and one loaf of bread, one cake of oiled bread, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before Yahweh.


text:
 You shall put all of this in Aaron's hands, and in his sons' hands, and shall wave them for a wave offering before Yahweh.


text:
 You shall take them from their hands, and burn them on the altar on the burnt offering, for a pleasant aroma before Yahweh: it is an offering made by fire to Yahweh.


text:
 You shall take the breast of Aaron's ram of consecration, and wave it for a wave offering before Yahweh; and it shall be your portion.


text:
 You shall sanctify the breast of the wave offering, and the thigh of the wave offering, which is waved, and which is heaved up, of the ram of consecration, even of that which is for Aaron, and of that which is for his sons;


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 and it shall be for Aaron and his sons as their portion forever from the children of Israel; for it is a wave offering; and it shall be a wave offering from the children of Israel of the sacrifices of their peace offerings, even their wave offering to Yahweh. 


text:
 The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him, to be anointed in them, and to be consecrated in them.


text:
 Seven days shall the son who is priest in his place put them on, when he comes into the Tent of Meeting to minister in the holy place.


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 Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram, and the bread that is in the basket, at the door of the Tent of Meeting.


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 They shall eat those things with which atonement was made, to consecrate and sanctify them, but a stranger shall not eat of it, because they are holy.


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 If anything of the flesh of the consecration, or of the bread, remains to the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire: it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.


text:
 You shall do so to Aaron, and to his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. You shall consecrate them seven days.


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 Every day you shall offer the bull of sin offering for atonement; and you shall cleanse the altar, when you make atonement for it; and you shall anoint it, to sanctify it.


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 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and sanctify it; and the altar shall be most holy: whatever touches the altar shall be holy.


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 and with the one lamb a tenth part of an ephah of fine flour mixed with the fourth part of a hin of beaten oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine for a drink offering.


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 The other lamb you shall offer at evening, and shall do to it according to the meal offering of the morning, and according to its drink offering, for a pleasant aroma, an offering made by fire to Yahweh.


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 It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the Tent of Meeting before Yahweh, where I will meet with you, to speak there to you.


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 I will sanctify the Tent of Meeting and the altar: Aaron also and his sons I will sanctify, to minister to Me in the priest's office.


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 They shall know that I am Yahweh their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them: I am Yahweh their God.


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 Its length shall be a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. It shall be square, and its height shall be two cubits. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.


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 You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns; and you shall make a gold moulding around it.


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 You shall make two golden rings for it under its moulding; on its two ribs, on its two sides you shall make them; and they shall be for places for poles with which to bear it.


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 You shall put it before the veil that is by the ark of the testimony, before the mercy seat that is over the testimony, where I will meet with you.


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 Aaron shall burn incense of sweet spices on it every morning. When he tends the lamps, he shall burn it.


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 When Aaron lights the lamps at evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before Yahweh throughout your generations.


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 You shall offer no strange incense on it, nor burnt offering, nor meal offering; and you shall pour no drink offering on it.


text:
 Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once in the year: with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once in the year he shall make atonement for it throughout your generations. It is most holy to Yahweh. 


text:
 When you take a census of the children of Israel, according to those who are numbered among them, then each man shall give a ransom for himself to Yahweh, when you number them; that there be no plague among them when you number them.


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 They shall give this, everyone who passes over to those who are numbered: half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs); half a shekel for an offering to Yahweh.


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 Everyone who passes over to those who are numbered, from twenty years old and upward, shall give the offering to Yahweh.


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 The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half shekel, when they give the offering of Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.


text:
 You shall take the atonement money from the children of Israel, and shall appoint it for the service of the Tent of Meeting that it may be a memorial for the children of Israel before Yahweh, to make atonement for your souls.


text:
 You shall also make a basin of brass, and its base of brass, in which to wash. You shall put it between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it.


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 When they go into the Tent of Meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to Yahweh.


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 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die; and it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his descendants throughout their generations. 


text:
 Also take fine spices: of liquid myrrh, five hundred shekels; and of fragrant cinnamon half as much, even two hundred and fifty; and of fragrant cane, two hundred and fifty;


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 You shall make it a holy anointing oil, a perfume compounded after the art of the perfumer: it shall be a holy anointing oil.


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 You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and sanctify them, that they may minister to Me in the priest's office.


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 You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying, "This shall be a holy anointing oil to Me throughout your generations.


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 It shall not be poured on man's flesh, neither shall you make any like it, according to its composition: it is holy. It shall be holy to you.


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 Whoever compounds any like it, or whoever puts any of it on a stranger, he shall be cut off from his people'.


text:
 Yahweh said to Moses, Take to yourself sweet spices, gum resin, and onycha, and galbanum; sweet spices with pure frankincense: there shall be an equal weight of each;


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 and you shall make incense of it, a perfume after the art of the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy:


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 and you shall beat some of it very small, and put some of it before the testimony in the Tent of Meeting, where I will meet with you. It shall be to you most holy.


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 The incense which you shall make, according to its composition you shall not make for yourselves: it shall be to you holy for Yahweh.


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 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship,


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 I, behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and in the heart of all who are wise-hearted I have put wisdom, that they may make all that I have commanded you:


text:
 the Tent of Meeting, the ark of the testimony, the mercy seat that is on it, all the furniture of the Tent,


text:
 the finely worked garments--the holy garments for Aaron the priest--the garments of his sons to minister in the priest's office,


text:
 the anointing oil, and the incense of sweet spices for the holy place, according to all that I have commanded you they shall do. 


text:
 Speak also to the children of Israel, saying, "Most certainly you shall keep my Sabbaths: for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations; that you may know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies you.


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 You shall keep the Sabbath therefore; for it is holy to you. Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put to death; for whoever does any work therein, that soul shall be cut off from among his people.


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 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, holy to Yahweh. Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day shall surely be put to death.


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 Therefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.


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 It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever; for in six days Yahweh made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed'.


text:
 When He finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, He gave to Moses the two tablets of the testimony, stone tablets, written with God's finger.


text:
 When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.


text:
 Aaron said to them, Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.


text:
 He received what they handed him, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said, These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.


text:
 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh.


text:
 They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.


text:
 Yahweh spoke to Moses, Go, get down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!


text:
 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, "These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'


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 Now therefore leave Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.


text:
 Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?


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 Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, "He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?' Turn from Your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Your people.


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 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, "I will multiply your seed as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your seed, and they shall inherit it forever'.


text:
 Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other they were written.


text:
 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, There is the noise of war in the camp. 


text:
 He said, It isn't the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.


text:
 It happened, as soon as he came near to the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.


text:
 He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.


text:
 Aaron said, Don't let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.


text:
 For they said to me, "Make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him'.


text:
 I said to them, "Whoever has any gold, let them take it off;' so they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.


text:
 When Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked, for a shame among their enemies),


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 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoever is on Yahweh's side, come to me! All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.


text:
 He said to them, Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, "Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour'.


text:
 The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.


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 Moses said, Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that He may bestow on you a blessing this day. 


text:
 It happened on the next day, that Moses said to the people, You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.


text:
 Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.


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 Yet now, if You will, forgive their sin--and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written.


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 Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, My angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.


text:
 Yahweh spoke to Moses, Depart, go up from here, you and the people that you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, "I will give it to your seed'.


text:
 I will send an angel before you; and I will drive out the Canaanite, the Amorite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite:


text:
 to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in the midst of you, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way.


text:
 Yahweh said to Moses, Tell the children of Israel, "You are a stiff-necked people. If I were to go up into your midst for one moment, I would consume you. Therefore now take off your jewellery from you, that I may know what to do to you'.


text:
 Now Moses used to take the tent and to pitch it outside the camp, far away from the camp, and he called it The Tent of Meeting. It happened that everyone who sought Yahweh went out to the Tent of Meeting, which was outside the camp.


text:
 It happened that when Moses went out to the Tent, that all the people rose up, and stood, each one at their tent door, and watched Moses, until he had gone into the Tent.


text:
 It happened, when Moses entered into the Tent, that the pillar of cloud descended, stood at the door of the Tent, and spoke with Moses.


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 All the people saw the pillar of cloud stand at the door of the Tent, and all the people rose up and worshiped, everyone at their tent door.


text:
 Yahweh spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. He turned again into the camp, but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, didn't depart out of the Tent. Moses Asks to Feel God's Presence 


text:
 Moses said to Yahweh, Behold, You tell me, "Bring up this people' and yet You haven't let me know whom You will send with me. Yet You have said, "I know you by name, and you have also found grace in My sight'.


text:
 Now therefore, if I have found grace in Your sight, please show me now Your ways, that I may know You, so that I may find grace in Your sight; and consider that this nation is Your people.


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 For how would people know that I have found favour in Your sight, I and Your people? Isn't it in that You go with us, so that we are separated, I and Your people, from all the people who are on the surface of the earth?


text:
 Yahweh said to Moses, I will do this thing also that you have spoken; for you have found favour in My sight, and I know you by name.


text:
 He said, I will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.


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 It will happen, while My glory passes by, that I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and will cover you with My hand until I have passed by;


text:
 Yahweh said to Moses, Chisel two stone tablets like the first: and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke.


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 Be ready by the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself there to Me on the top of the mountain.


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 No one shall come up with you; neither let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.


text:
 He chiselled two tablets of stone like the first; and Moses rose up early in the morning, and went up to Mount Sinai, as Yahweh had commanded him, and took in his hand two stone tablets.


text:
 Yahweh passed by before him, and proclaimed, Yahweh! Yahweh! A merciful and gracious God, slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness and truth,


text:
 keeping loving kindness for thousands, forgiving iniquity and disobedience and sin; and that will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the children's children, on the third and on the fourth generation.


text:
 He said, If now I have found favour in Your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go in the midst of us; although this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your inheritance. The Exclusive Nature of Covenant with God


text:
 He said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all your people I will do marvels, such as have not been worked in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among which you are shall see the work of Yahweh; for it is an awesome thing that I do with you.


text:
 Observe that which I command you this day. Behold, I drive out before you the Amorite, the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Perizzite, the Hivite, and the Jebusite.


text:
 Be careful, lest you make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land where you are going, lest it be for a snare in the midst of you:


text:
 but you shall break down their altars, and dash in pieces their pillars, and you shall cut down their Asherim;


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 Don't make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, lest they play the prostitute after their gods, and sacrifice to their gods, and one call you and you eat of his sacrifice;


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 and you take of their daughters to your sons, and their daughters play the prostitute after their gods, and make your sons prostitute themselves to their gods.


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 You shall keep the feast of unleavened bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month Abib; for in the month Abib you came out from Egypt.


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 All that opens the womb is Mine; and all your livestock that is male, the firstborn of cow and sheep.


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 The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb: and if you will not redeem it, then you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem. No one shall appear before Me empty.


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 Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest: in ploughing time and in harvest you shall rest.


text:
 You shall observe the feast of weeks with the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the feast of harvest at the year's end.


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 For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your borders; neither shall any man desire your land when you go up to appear before Yahweh your God three times in the year.


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 You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the sacrifice of the feast of the Passover be left to the morning.


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 You shall bring the first of the first fruits of your ground to the house of Yahweh your God. You shall not boil a young goat in its mother's milk.


text:
 Yahweh said to Moses, Write you these words; for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel.


text:
 He was there with Yahweh forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread, nor drank water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments. 


text:
 It happened, when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moses didn't know that the skin of his face shone by reason of His speaking with him.


text:
 When Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come near him.


text:
 Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the congregation returned to him; and Moses spoke to them.


text:
 Afterward all the children of Israel came near, and he gave them all of the commandments that Yahweh had spoken with him on Mount Sinai.


text:
 But when Moses went in before Yahweh to speak with Him, he took the veil off, until he came out; and he came out, and spoke to the children of Israel that which he was commanded.


text:
 The children of Israel saw Moses' face, that the skin of Moses' face shone: and Moses put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with Him.


text:
 Moses assembled all the congregation of the children of Israel, and said to them, These are the words which Yahweh has commanded, that you should do them.


text:
 Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day there shall be a holy day for you, a Sabbath of solemn rest to Yahweh: whoever does any work in it shall be put to death.


text:
 Moses spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying, This is the thing which Yahweh commanded, saying,


text:
 "Take from among you an offering to Yahweh. Whoever is of a willing heart, let him bring it, Yahweh's offering: gold, silver, brass,


text:
 the tabernacle, its outer covering, its roof, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets;


text:
 and the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil, the sweet incense, the screen for the door, at the door of the tabernacle;


text:
 the altar of burnt offering, with its grating of brass, its poles, and all its vessels, the basin and its base;


text:
 the finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office'.


text:
 They came, everyone whose heart stirred him up, and everyone whom his spirit made willing, and brought Yahweh's offering, for the work of the Tent of Meeting, and for all of its service, and for the holy garments.


text:
 They came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought brooches, earrings, signet rings, and armlets, all jewels of gold; even every man who offered an offering of gold to Yahweh.


text:
 Everyone, with whom was found blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goats' hair, rams' skins dyed red, and sea cow hides, brought them.


text:
 Everyone who offered an offering of silver and brass brought Yahweh's offering; and everyone, with whom was found acacia wood for any work of the service, brought it.


text:
 All the women who were wise-hearted spun with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, the blue, the purple, the scarlet, and the fine linen.


text:
 The rulers brought the onyx stones, and the stones to be set, for the ephod and for the breastplate;


text:
 The children of Israel brought a freewill offering to Yahweh; every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all the work, which Yahweh had commanded to be made by Moses. 


text:
 Moses said to the children of Israel, Behold, Yahweh has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.


text:
 He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of workmanship;


text:
 in cutting of stones for setting, and in carving of wood, to work in all kinds of skilful workmanship.


text:
 He has put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan.


text:
 He has filled them with wisdom of heart, to work all kinds of workmanship, of the engraver, of the skilful workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of those who do any workmanship, and of those who make skilful works.


text:
 Bezalel and Oholiab shall work with every wise-hearted man, in whom Yahweh has put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all the work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that Yahweh has commanded.


text:
 Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab, and every wise-hearted man, in whose heart Yahweh had put wisdom, even everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to the work to do it;


text:
 and they received from Moses all the offering which the children of Israel had brought for the work of the service of the sanctuary, with which to make it. They brought yet to him freewill offerings every morning.


text:
 All the wise men, who performed all the work of the sanctuary, each came from his work which they did,


text:
 and they spoke to Moses, saying, The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which Yahweh commanded to make.


text:
 Moses gave commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, Let neither man nor woman make anything else for the offering for the sanctuary. So the people were restrained from bringing.


text:
 All the wise-hearted men among those who did the work made the tabernacle with ten curtains; of fine twined linen, blue, purple, and scarlet, with cherubim, the work of the skilful workman, they made them.


text:
 The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the breadth of each curtain four cubits. All the curtains had one measure.


text:
 He made loops of blue on the edge of the one curtain from the edge in the coupling. Likewise he made in the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the second coupling.


text:
 He made fifty loops in the one curtain, and he made fifty loops in the edge of the curtain that was in the second coupling. The loops were opposite one to another.


text:
 He made fifty clasps of gold, and coupled the curtains one to another with the clasps: so the tabernacle was a unit.


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 The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and four cubits the breadth of each curtain. The eleven curtains had one measure.


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 He made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was outmost in the coupling, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain which was outmost in the second coupling.


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 Each board had two tenons, joined one to another. He made all the boards of the tabernacle this way.


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 He made forty sockets of silver under the twenty boards; two sockets under one board for its two tenons, and two sockets under another board for its two tenons.


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 They were double beneath, and in the same way they were all the way to its top to one ring. He did this to both of them in the two corners.


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 There were eight boards, and their sockets of silver, sixteen sockets; under every board two sockets.


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 and five bars for the boards of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the boards of the tabernacle for the hinder part westward.


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 He overlaid the boards with gold, and made their rings of gold for places for the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.


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 He made the veil of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. He made it the work of a skilful workman.


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 He made four pillars of acacia for it, and overlaid them with gold. Their hooks were of gold. He cast four sockets of silver for them.


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 He made a screen for the door of the tent, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer;


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 and the five pillars of it with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their fillets with gold, and their five sockets were of brass.


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 Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood. Its length was two and a half cubits, and its breadth a cubit and a half, and a cubit and a half its height.


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 He cast four rings of gold for it, in its four feet; even two rings on its one side, and two rings on its other side.


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 He made a mercy seat of pure gold. Its length was two and a half cubits, and a cubit and a half its breadth.


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 one cherub at the one end, and one cherub at the other end. He made the cherubim of one piece with the mercy seat at its two ends.


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 The cherubim spread out their wings on high, covering the mercy seat with their wings, with their faces toward one another. The faces of the cherubim were toward the mercy seat.


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 He made the table of acacia wood. Its length was two cubits, and its breadth was a cubit, and its height was a cubit and a half.


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 He cast four rings of gold for it, and put the rings in the four corners that were on its four feet.


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 He made the vessels which were on the table, its dishes, its spoons, its bowls, and its pitchers with which to pour out, of pure gold. 


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 He made the lampstand of pure gold. He made the lampstand of beaten work. Its base, its shaft, its cups, its buds, and its flowers were of one piece with it.


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 There were six branches going out of its sides: three branches of the lampstand out of its one side, and three branches of the lampstand out of its other side;


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 three cups made like almond blossoms in one branch, a bud and a flower, and three cups made like almond blossoms in the other branch, a bud and a flower: so for the six branches going out of the lampstand.


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 and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, and a bud under two branches of one piece with it, for the six branches going out of it.


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 Their buds and their branches were of one piece with it. The whole thing was one beaten work of pure gold.


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 He made the altar of incense of acacia wood. It was square: its length was a cubit, and its breadth a cubit. Its height was two cubits. Its horns were of one piece with it.


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 He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, its sides around it, and its horns. He made a gold moulding around it.


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 He made two golden rings for it under its moulding crown, on its two ribs, on its two sides, for places for poles with which to carry it.


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 He made the holy anointing oil and the pure incense of sweet spices, after the art of the perfumer.


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 He made the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood. It was square. Its length was five cubits, its breadth was five cubits, and its height was three cubits.


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 He made its horns on its four corners. Its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with brass.


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 He made all the vessels of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the fire pans. He made all its vessels of brass.


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 He made for the altar a grating of a network of brass, under the ledge around it beneath, reaching halfway up.


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 He put the poles into the rings on the sides of the altar, with which to carry it. He made it hollow with planks.


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 He made the basin of brass, and its base of brass, out of the mirrors of the ministering women who ministered at the door of the Tent of Meeting. 


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 He made the court: for the south side southward the hangings of the court were of fine twined linen, one hundred cubits;


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 their pillars were twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver.


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 For the north side one hundred cubits, their pillars twenty, and their sockets twenty, of brass; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.


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 For the west side were hangings of fifty cubits, their pillars ten, and their sockets ten; the hooks of the pillars, and their fillets, of silver.


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 and so also for the other side: on this hand and that hand by the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits; their pillars three, and their sockets three.


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 The sockets for the pillars were of brass. The hooks of the pillars and their fillets were of silver; and the overlaying of their heads, of silver; and all the pillars of the court were filleted with silver.


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 The screen for the gate of the court was the work of the embroiderer, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen. Twenty cubits was the length, and the height in the breadth was five cubits, like to the hangings of the court.


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 Their pillars were four, and their sockets four, of brass; their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of the heads, and their fillets, of silver.


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 This is the amount of material used for the tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the Testimony, as they were counted, according to the commandment of Moses, for the service of the Levites, by the hand of Ithamar, the son of Aaron the priest.


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 Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 With him was Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, an engraver and a skilful workman, and an embroiderer in blue, in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen.


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 All the gold that was used for the work in all the work of the sanctuary, even the gold of the offering, was twenty-nine talents, and seven hundred thirty shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary.


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 The silver of those who were numbered of the congregation was one hundred talents, and one thousand seven hundred seventy-five shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary:


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 a beka a head, that is, half a shekel, after the shekel of the sanctuary, for each one who passed over to those who were numbered, from twenty years old and upward, for six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty men.


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 The one hundred talents of silver were for casting the sockets of the sanctuary, and the sockets of the veil; one hundred sockets for the one hundred talents, a talent for a socket.


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 From the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, overlaid their capitals, and made fillets for them.


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 From this he made the sockets to the door of the Tent of Meeting, the bronze altar, the bronze grating for it, all the vessels of the altar,


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 the sockets around the court, the sockets of the gate of the court, all the pins of the tabernacle, and all the pins around the court.


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 Of the blue, purple, and scarlet, they made finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, and made the holy garments for Aaron; as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 They beat the gold into thin plates, and cut it into wires, to work it in the blue, in the purple, in the scarlet, and in the fine linen, the work of the skilful workman.


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 The skilfully woven band that was on it, with which to fasten it on, was of the same piece, like its work; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen; as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 They worked the onyx stones, enclosed in settings of gold, engraved with the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the children of Israel.


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 He put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 He made the breastplate, the work of a skilful workman, like the work of the ephod; of gold, of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen.


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 It was square. They made the breastplate double. Its length was a span, and its breadth a span, being double.


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 The stones were according to the names of the children of Israel, twelve, according to their names; like the engravings of a signet, everyone according to his name, for the twelve tribes.


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 They made two settings of gold, and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two ends of the breastplate.


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 The other two ends of the two braided chains they put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder straps of the ephod, in its front.


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 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, on its edge, which was toward the side of the ephod inward.


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 They made two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder straps of the ephod underneath, in its front, close by its coupling, above the skilfully woven band of the ephod.


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 They bound the breastplate by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it might be on the skilfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate might not come loose from the ephod, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 The opening of the robe in its midst was like the opening of a coat of mail, with a binding around its opening, that it should not be torn.


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 They made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates around the skirts of the robe, between the pomegranates;


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 a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate, around the skirts of the robe, to minister in, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 and the turban of fine linen, and the linen headbands of fine linen, and the linen breeches of fine twined linen,


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 and the sash of fine twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, the work of the embroiderer, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 They made the plate of the holy crown of pure gold, and wrote on it a writing, like the engravings of a signet: HOLY TO YAHWEH.


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 Thus all the work of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting was finished. The children of Israel did according to all that Yahweh commanded Moses; so they did.


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 They brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent, with all its furniture, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, its sockets,


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 the pure lampstand, its lamps, even the lamps to be set in order, all its vessels, the oil for the light,


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 the hangings of the court, its pillars, its sockets, the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, its pins, all the instruments of the service of the tabernacle, for the Tent of Meeting,


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 the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest's office.


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 Moses saw all the work, and behold, they had done it as Yahweh had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.


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 You shall bring in the table, and set in order the things that are on it. You shall bring in the lampstand, and light its lamps.


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 You shall set the golden altar for incense before the ark of the testimony, and put the screen of the door to the tabernacle.


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 You shall set the altar of burnt offering before the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting.


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 You shall take the anointing oil, and anoint the tabernacle, and all that is in it, and shall make it holy, and all its furniture; and it will be holy.


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 You shall anoint the altar of burnt offering, with all its vessels, and sanctify the altar; and the altar will be most holy.


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 You shall put on Aaron the holy garments; and you shall anoint him, and sanctify him, that he may minister to Me in the priest's office.


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 You shall anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may minister to Me in the priest's office. Their anointing shall be to them for an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.


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 It happened in the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, that the tabernacle was raised up.


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 Moses raised up the tabernacle, and laid its sockets, and set up its boards, and put in its bars, and raised up its pillars.


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 He spread the covering over the tent, and put the roof of the tabernacle above on it, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 He took and put the testimony into the ark, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.


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 He brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the veil of the screen, and screened the ark of the testimony, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 He put the table in the Tent of Meeting, on the side of the tabernacle northward, outside of the veil.


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 He put the lampstand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the side of the tabernacle southward.


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 He set the altar of burnt offering at the door of the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting, and offered on it the burnt offering and the meal offering, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 He set the basin between the Tent of Meeting and the altar, and put water therein, with which to wash.


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 When they went into the Tent of Meeting, and when they came near to the altar, they washed, as Yahweh commanded Moses.


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 He raised up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the screen of the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work. God's Glory Fills the Tabernacle 


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 Moses wasn't able to enter into the Tent of Meeting, because the cloud stayed on it, and Yahweh's glory filled the tabernacle.


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 When the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the children of Israel went onward, throughout all their journeys;


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 For the cloud of Yahweh was on the tabernacle by day, and there was fire in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys.


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 Now it happened in the thirtieth year in the fourth month in the fifth of the month, as I was among the captives by the river Chebar, that the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God.


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 the word of Yahweh came specifically to Ezekiel the priest the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of Yahweh was there on him.


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 I looked, and behold, a stormy wind came out of the north, a great cloud, with flashing lightning and a brightness around it; and out of its midst as it were glowing metal out of the midst of the fire.


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 Out of its midst came the likeness of four living creatures. This was their appearance: they had the likeness of a man.


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 Their feet were straight feet; and the soles of their feet were like the soles of a calf's feet; and they gleamed like burnished brass.


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 They had the hands of a man under their wings on their four sides; and the four of them had their faces and their wings like this:


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 their wings were joined one to another; they didn't turn when they went; each one went straight forward.


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 As for the likeness of their faces, they each had the face of a man; and the face of a lion on the right side; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; the four of them also had the face of an eagle.


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 Such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; two wings of each one touched another, and two covered their bodies.


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 Each one went straight forward. Where the spirit was to go, they went; they didn't turn when they went.


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 As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, like the appearance of torches. The fire went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.


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 Now as I saw the living creatures, there was one wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, for each of the four faces of it.


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 The appearance of the wheels and their work was like a beryl: and the four of them had one likeness; and their appearance and their work was as it were a wheel within a wheel.


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 As for their rims, they were high and dreadful; and the four of them had their rims full of eyes all around.


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 When the living creatures went, the wheels went beside them; and when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up.


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 Wherever the spirit was to go, they went under the spirit's control: and the wheels were lifted up beside them, for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.


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 When those went, these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted up beside them: for the spirit of the living creature was in the wheels.


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 Over the head of the living creature there was the likeness of an expanse, like an awesome crystal to look on, stretched forth over their heads above.


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 Under the expanse were their wings straight, the one toward the other: each one had two which covered their bodies on this side, and each one had two which covered their bodies on that side.


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 When they went, I heard the noise of their wings like the noise of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, a noise of tumult like the noise of an army. When they stood, they let down their wings.


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 There was a voice above the expanse that was over their heads when they stood and let down their wings.


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 Above the expanse that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and on the likeness of the throne was a likeness as the appearance of a man on it above.


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 I saw as it were glowing metal, as the appearance of fire within it all around, from the appearance of his waist and upward. From the appearance of his waist and downward I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him.


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 As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Yahweh. When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of one that spoke.


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 The spirit entered into me when He spoke to me, and set me on my feet; and I heard Him who spoke to me.


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 He said to me, Son of man, I send you to the children of Israel, to a nation of rebels who have rebelled against Me. They and their fathers have transgressed against Me even to this very day.


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 The children are impudent and stiff-hearted. I am sending you to them; and you shall tell them, "Thus says the Lord Yahweh'.


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 They, whether they will hear or whether they will forbear (for they are a rebellious house), will at least know that there has been a prophet among them.


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 You, son of man, don't be afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you, and you do dwell among scorpions. Don't be afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.


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 You shall speak My words to them, whether they will hear, or whether they will refuse to hear; for they are most rebellious.


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 But you, son of man, hear what I tell you; don't be rebellious like that rebellious house: open your mouth, and eat that which I give you.


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 He spread it before me. It was written within and without; and there were written therein lamentations and mourning and woe.


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 He said to me, Son of man, eat that which you find. Eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel.


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 He said to me, Son of man, cause your belly to eat, and fill your stomach with this scroll that I give you. Then I ate it; and it was as sweet as honey in my mouth.


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 For you are not sent to a people of a foreign speech and of a hard language, but to the house of Israel;


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 not to many peoples of a foreign speech and of a hard language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you.


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 But the house of Israel will not listen to you; for they will not listen to Me; for all the house of Israel are obstinate and hard-hearted.


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 Behold, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads.


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 As an adamant harder than flint have I made your forehead. Don't be afraid of them, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they are a rebellious house.


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 Moreover He said to me, Son of man, all My words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart, and hear with your ears.


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 Go to them of the captivity, to the children of your people, and speak to them, and tell them, "Thus says the Lord Yahweh;' whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear.


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 Then the Spirit lifted me up, and I heard behind me the voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of Yahweh from His place.


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 I heard the noise of the wings of the living creatures as they touched one another, and the noise of the wheels beside them, even the noise of a great rushing.


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 So the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; and the hand of Yahweh was strong on me.


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 Then I came to them of the captivity at Tel Abib, by the river Chebar, and to where they lived; and I sat there overwhelmed among them seven days. 


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 Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel: therefore hear the word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me.


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 When I tell the wicked, You shall surely die; and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at your hand.


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 Yet if you warn the wicked, and he doesn't turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have saved your own life.


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 Again, when a righteous man turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, and I lay a stumbling block before him, he shall die. Because you have not given him warning, he shall die in his sin, and his righteous deeds which he has done shall not be remembered; but his blood will I require at your hand.


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 Nevertheless if you warn the righteous man, that the righteous not to sin, and he does not sin, he shall surely live, because he took warning; and you have saved your own life.


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 The hand of Yahweh was there on me; and He said to me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with you.


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 Then I arose, and went forth into the plain: and behold, the glory of Yahweh stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.


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 Then the Spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and He spoke with me, and said to me, Go, shut yourself inside your house.


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 But you, son of man, behold, they shall lay shackles on you and shall bind you with them, and you shall not go out among them.


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 I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth, that you shall be mute, and unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house.


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 But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall tell them, "Thus says the Lord Yahweh: He who hears, let him hear; and he who forbears, let him forbear;' for they are a rebellious house.


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 You also, son of man, take a tile, and lay it before yourself, and portray on it the city - Jerusalem.


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 Lay siege against it, and build forts against it, and cast up a mound against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering rams against it all around.


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 Take for yourself an iron pan and set it for a wall of iron between yourself and the city: and set your face toward it, and it shall be besieged, and you shall lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.


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 Moreover lie on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel on it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity.


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 For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be to you a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days. So you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel.


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 Again, when you have accomplished these, you shall lie on your right side, and shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah: forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it to you.


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 You shall set your face toward the siege of Jerusalem with your arm uncovered; and you shall prophesy against it.


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 Behold, I lay shackles on you, and you shall not turn yourself from one side to the other, until you have accomplished the days of your siege.


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 Take for yourself also wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet and spelt, and put them in one vessel and make bread of it; according to the number of the days that you shall lie on your side, even three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat of it.


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 Your food which you shall eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time you shall eat it.


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 You shall eat it as barley cakes, and you shall bake it in their sight with dung that comes out of man.


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 Yahweh said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean among the nations where I will drive them.


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 Then I said, Ah Lord Yahweh! Behold, my soul has not been polluted; for from my youth up even until now have I not eaten of that which dies of itself, or is torn of animals; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.


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 Then He said to me, Behold, I have given you cow's dung for man's dung, and you shall prepare your bread thereon.


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 Moreover He said to me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem. They shall eat bread by weight, and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure, and in dismay:


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 that they may want bread and water, and be dismayed one with another, and pine away in their iniquity.


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 You, son of man, take a sharp sword. You shall use it like a barber's razor on yourself, and shall cause it to pass on your head and on your beard. Then take balances to weigh, and divide the hair.


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 A third part you shall burn in the fire in the midst of the city, when the days of the siege are fulfilled; and you shall take a third part, and strike with the sword around it; and a third part you shall scatter to the wind - and I will draw out a sword after them.


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 Of these again you shall take, and throw them into the midst of the fire, and burn them in the fire; from it shall a fire come forth into all the house of Israel.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the midst of the peoples and countries which are around her.


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 She has rebelled against My ordinances in doing wickedness more than the nations, and against My statutes more than the countries that are around her; for they have rejected My ordinances, and as for My statutes, they have not walked in them.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you are rebellious more than the nations that are around you and have not walked in My statutes, neither have kept My ordinances, neither have done after the ordinances of the nations that are around you;


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 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I, even I, am against you; and I will execute judgments in the midst of you in the sight of the nations.


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 I will do in you that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all your abominations.


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 Therefore the fathers shall eat the sons in the midst of you, and the sons shall eat their fathers; and I will execute judgments on you; and the whole remnant of you will I scatter to all the winds.


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 Therefore as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely, because you have defiled My sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations, therefore will I also diminish you; neither shall My eye spare, and I also will have no pity.


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 A third part of you shall die with the plague and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of you; and a third part shall fall by the sword around you; and a third part I will scatter to all the winds, and will draw out a sword after them.


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 Thus shall My anger be accomplished, and I will cause My wrath toward them to rest, and I shall be comforted. They shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken in My zeal, when I have accomplished My wrath on them.


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 Moreover I will make you a desolation and a reproach among the peoples that are around you, in the sight of all that pass by.


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 So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment, to the peoples that are around you, when I shall execute judgments on you in anger and in wrath and in furious rebukes. I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 They shall see, when I shall send on them the evil arrows of famine that are for destruction, which I will send to destroy you: when I will increase the famine on you, and will break your staff of bread.


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 I will send on you famine and wild animals, and they shall bereave you; and pestilence and blood shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword on you: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys: Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword on you, and I will destroy your high places.


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 Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense altars shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols.


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 I will lay the dead bodies of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars.


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 In all your dwelling places the cities shall be laid waste, and the high places shall be desolate; that your altars may be laid waste and made desolate, and your idols may be broken and cease, and your incense altars may be cut down, and your works may be abolished.


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 Yet will I leave a remnant: you shall have some that escape the sword among the peoples, when you shall be scattered through the nations.


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 Those of you that escape shall remember Me among the nations where they shall be carried captive because I have been broken with their lewd heart which has departed from Me, and with their eyes, which play the prostitute after their idols. They shall loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed in all their abominations.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Strike with your hand and stamp with your foot and say, Alas! Because of all the evil abominations of the house of Israel, they shall fall by the sword, by the famine and by the plague.


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 He who is far off shall die of the plague; and he who is near shall fall by the sword; and he who remains and is besieged shall die by the famine. Thus will I accomplish My wrath on them.


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 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when their slain men shall be among their idols around their altars on every high hill, on all the tops of the mountains and under every green tree and under every thick oak, the places where they offered pleasant aroma to all their idols.


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 I will stretch out My hand on them, and make the land desolate and waste, from the wilderness toward Diblah, throughout all their habitations. They shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 You, son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh to the land of Israel, An end: the end has come on the four corners of the land.


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 Now is the end on you, and I will send My anger on you, and will judge you according to your ways; and I will bring on you all your abominations.


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 My eye shall not spare you, neither will I have pity; but I will bring your ways on you, and your abominations shall be in the midst of you. You shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Your doom has come to you, inhabitant of the land. The time has come, the day is near, a day of tumult, and not of mere echoing on the mountains.


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 Now will I shortly pour out My wrath on you and accomplish My anger against you, and will judge you according to your ways; and I will bring on you all your abominations.


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 My eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity. I will bring on you according to your ways; and your abominations shall be in the midst of you; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, do strike.


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 Behold, the day, behold, it comes: your doom is gone forth; the rod has blossomed, pride has budded.


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 Violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness. None of them shall remain, neither of their multitude, nor of their wealth. There shall be nothing of value among them.


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 The time has come, the day draws near: don't let the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all its multitude.


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 For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, even if they be still alive. The vision is touching the whole multitude of it, none shall return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.


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 They have blown the trumpet, and have made all ready, but none goes to the battle; for My wrath is on all its multitude.


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 The sword is outside, and the pestilence and the famine within. He who is in the field shall die with the sword; and he who is in the city, famine and pestilence shall devour him.


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 But those of the ones who escape shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them moaning, every one in his iniquity.


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 They shall also clothe themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be on all faces, and baldness on all their heads.


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 They shall throw their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be as an unclean thing; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of Yahweh. They shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their stomachs; because it has been the stumbling block of their iniquity.


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 As for the beauty of His ornament, He set it in majesty; but they made the images of their abominations and their detestable things therein; therefore have I made it to them as an unclean thing.


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 I will give it into the hands of the gentiles for a prey, and to the wicked of the earth for a spoil; and they shall profane it.


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 My face will I turn also from them, and they shall profane My secret place; and robbers shall enter into it, and profane it.


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 Therefore I will bring the worst of the nations, and they shall possess their houses. I will also make the pride of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be profaned.


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 Mischief shall come on mischief, and rumour shall be on rumour; and they shall seek a vision of the prophet; but the law shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the elders.


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 The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people of the land shall be troubled. I will do to them after their way, and according to their own judgments will I judge them; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 In the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house and the elders of Judah sat before me, the hand of the Lord Yahweh fell there on me.


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 Then I saw, and behold, a likeness as the appearance of fire; from the appearance of His waist and downward, fire; and from His waist and upward, as the appearance of brightness, as it were glowing metal.


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 He put forth the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head; and the Spirit lifted me up between the earth and the sky and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the gate of the inner court that looks toward the north; where there was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy.


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 Then He said to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now to the road that leads toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes toward the northern road, and behold, northward of the gate of the altar this image of jealousy was in the entry.


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 He said to me, Son of man, do you see what they do, even the great abominations that the house of Israel do commit here, so that I should go far away from My sanctuary? But you shall again see other, greater abominations.


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 Then He said to me, Son of man, dig now through the wall; and when I had dug through the wall, behold, a door.


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 So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping thing and abominable animals and all the idols of the house of Israel, portrayed around on the wall.


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 There stood before them seventy men of the elders of the house of Israel; and in their midst stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, every man with his censer in his hand; and the odour of the cloud of incense went up.


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 Then He said to me, Son of man, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, every man in his rooms of images? They say, "Yahweh doesn't see us; Yahweh has forsaken the land'.


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 Then He brought me to the door of the gate of Yahweh's house which was toward the north; and see, there sat the women weeping for Tammuz.


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 Then He said to me, Have you seen this, son of man? You shall again see greater abominations than these.


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 He brought me into the inner court of Yahweh's house; and there, at the door of Yahweh's temple, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs toward Yahweh's temple, and their faces toward the east; and they were worshipping the sun toward the east.


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 Then He said to me, Have you seen this, son of man? Is it a trivial thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? For they have filled the land with violence, and have turned again to provoke Me to anger; and behold, they put the branch to their nose.


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 Therefore will I also deal with them in anger; My eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in My ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.


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 Then He cried in my ears with a loud voice saying, Cause those who are in charge of the city to draw near, every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.


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 Behold, six men came from the way of the upper gate which looks toward the north, every man with his slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man in their midst clothed in linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side. They went in, and stood beside the bronze altar.


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 The glory of the God of Israel had gone up from the cherub upon which it rested, to the threshold of the house: and He called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writer's inkhorn by his side.


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 Yahweh said to him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark on the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry over all the abominations that are done in its midst.


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 To the others He said in my hearing, Go through the city after him, and strike. Don't let your eye spare, neither have pity;


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 kill utterly the old man, the young man and the virgin, and little children and women; but don't come near any man on whom is the mark. Begin at My sanctuary. Then they began at the old men that were before the house.


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 He said to them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the dead. Go forth! They went forth, and struck in the city.


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 It happened, while they were smiting, and I was left, that I fell on my face and cried, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! Will You destroy all who remain of Israel in Your pouring out of Your wrath on Jerusalem?


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 Then He said to me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perversion; for they say, Yahweh has forsaken the land, and Yahweh doesn't see.


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 As for Me also, My eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will bring their behaviour on their heads.


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 Behold, the man clothed in linen, who had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as You have commanded me.


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 Then I looked, and behold, in the expanse that was over the head of the cherubim there appeared above them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.


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 He spoke to the man clothed in linen and said, Go in between the whirling wheels, even under the cherub, and fill both your hands with coals of fire from between the cherubim, and scatter them over the city. He went in as I watched.


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 Now the cherubim stood on the right side of the house when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.


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 Then the glory of Yahweh was lifted up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of Yahweh's glory.


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 The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of God Almighty when He speaks.


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 It came to pass, when He commanded the man clothed in linen saying, Take fire from between the whirling wheels, from between the cherubim, that he went in and stood beside a wheel.


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 The cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubim to the fire that was between the cherubim and took of it, and put it into the hands of him who was clothed in linen, who took it and went out.


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 I looked and behold, four wheels were beside the cherubim, one wheel beside one cherub, and another wheel beside another cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like a beryl stone.


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 When they went, they went in their four directions. They didn't turn as they went, but to the place where the head looked they followed it; they didn't turn as they went.


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 Their whole body and their backs and their hands and their wings and the wheels were full of eyes all around, even the wheels that the four of them had.


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 Each one had four faces: the first face was the face of the cherub, and the second face was the face of a man, and the third face the face of a lion, and the fourth the face of an eagle.


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 When the cherubim went, the wheels went beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to mount up from the earth, the wheels also didn't turn from beside them.


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 When they stood, these stood; and when they mounted up, these mounted up with them; for the spirit of the living creature was in them.


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 The cherubim lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight when they went forth, and the wheels beside them. They stood at the door of the east gate of Yahweh's house; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.


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 This is the living creature that I saw under the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim.


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 Every one had four faces, and every one four wings; and the likeness of the hands of a man was under their wings.


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 As for the likeness of their faces, they were the faces which I saw by the river Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went each one straight forward.


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 Judah's Leaders Condemned Moreover the Spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of Yahweh's house which looks eastward. At the door of the gate were twenty-five men; and I saw in their midst Jaazaniah the son of Azzur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.


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 He said to me, Son of man, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked advice in this city;


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 The Spirit of Yahweh fell on me, and He said to me, Speak, Thus says Yahweh: "Thus you have said, house of Israel; for I know the things that come into your mind.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Your slain whom you have laid in its midst, they are indeed the meat, and this is the cauldron; but you shall be brought out of its midst.


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 I will bring you out of its midst and deliver you into the hands of foreigners, and will execute judgments among you.


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 You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 This shall not be your cauldron, neither shall you be the meat in its midst; I will judge you in the border of Israel;


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 and you shall know that I am Yahweh: for you have not walked in My statutes, neither have you executed My ordinances, but have behaved like the nations that are around you'.


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 It happened, when I prophesied, that Pelatiah the son of Benaiah died. Then fell I down on my face and cried with a loud voice, and said, Ah Lord Yahweh! will you make a full end of those remaining of Israel?


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 Son of man, the people who live in Jerusalem are talking about you and those of your nation who are with you in exile. They say, The exiles are too far away to worship Yahweh. He has given us possession of the land.


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 Judah's Return Promised Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Whereas I have removed them far off among the nations, and whereas I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them a sanctuary for a little while in the countries where they have come.


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 Therefore say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.


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 They shall return, and they shall take away all the detestable things of it and all its abominations.


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 I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh;


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 that they may walk in My statutes, and keep My ordinances, and do them: and they shall be My people, and I will be their God.


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 But as for those whose heart walks after their detestable things and their abominations, I will bring their way on their own heads, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, and the wheels were beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was over them above.


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 The glory of Yahweh went up from the midst of the city, and stood on the mountain which is on the east side of the city.


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 The Spirit lifted me up, and brought me in the vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.


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 Son of man, you dwell in the midst of the rebellious people, who have eyes to see, and don't see, who have ears to hear, and don't hear; for they are rebellious people.


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 Therefore, you son of man, prepare what you need for a journey into exile and move by day in their sight. You shall move from your place to another place in their sight: perhaps they will consider, though they are rebellious people.


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 You shall bring forth your belongings by day in their sight, as belongings for exile; and you shall go forth at evening in their sight, as when men go forth into exile.


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 In their sight you shall carry it on your shoulder, and carry it forth in the twilight; you shall cover your face, so that you don't see the land; for I have set you for a sign to the house of Israel.


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 I did as I was commanded: I brought forth my belongings by day, as if for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my hand; I brought it forth in the dark, and carried it on my shoulder in their sight.


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 Say to them, "Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This burden concerns the prince in Jerusalem, and all the people of Israel who are in it'.


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 Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.


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 The prince who is among them shall carry his belongings on his shoulder in the dark, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby. He shall cover his face, because he shall not see the land with his eyes.


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 My net also will I spread on him, and he shall be taken in My snare; and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there.


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 I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him to help him, and all his armies; and I will draw out the sword after them.


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 They shall know that I am Yahweh, when I disperse them among the nations, and scatter them through the countries.


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 But I will preserve a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence; that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they come; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 and tell the people of the land, Thus says the Lord Yahweh concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, that her land may be desolate, and all that is therein, because of the violence of all those who dwell therein.


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 The cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be a desolation; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Son of man, what is this proverb that you have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every prophetic vision fails?


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 Tell them therefore, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but tell them, The days are at hand, and the fulfilment of every prophetic vision.


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 For I am Yahweh. I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall be performed. It shall be no more deferred; for in your days, rebellious house, will I speak the word, and will perform it, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Son of man, behold, they of the house of Israel say, The vision that he sees is for many days to come, and he prophesies of times that are far off.


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 Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: None of My words shall be deferred any more, but the word which I shall speak shall be performed, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy out of their own heart, Hear the word of Yahweh:


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit, though they have seen nothing!


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 You have not gone up into the gaps, neither built up the wall for the house of Israel, to stand in the battle in the day of Yahweh.


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 They have seen falsehood and lying divination, they who say, Yahweh says; but Yahweh has not sent them; and they have made men to hope that the word would be confirmed.


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 Haven't you seen a false vision, and haven't you spoken a lying divination in that you say, Yahweh says; but I have not spoken?


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have spoken falsehood and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 My hand shall be against the prophets who see false visions, and who preach lies. They shall not be in the council of My people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.


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 Because, even because they have seduced My people, saying, Peace; and there is no peace; and when one builds up a wall, behold, they plaster it with whitewash.


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 Tell those who plaster it with whitewash, that it shall fall: there shall be an overflowing storm; and on you great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it.


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 Behold, when the wall has fallen, shall it not be said to you, Where is the plaster with which you have plastered it?


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will even tear it with a stormy wind in My wrath; and there shall be an overflowing storm in My anger, and great hailstones in wrath to consume it.


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 So will I break down the wall that you have plastered with whitewash, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation shall be uncovered; and it shall fall, and you shall be consumed in its midst: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Thus will I accomplish My anger on the wall, and on those who have plastered it with whitewash; and I will tell you, The wall is no more, neither those who plastered it;


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 namely, the prophets of Israel who prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and who see visions of peace for her when there is no peace, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 You, son of man, set your face against the daughters of your people who prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy against them,


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 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the women who sew magic wristbands for people and make magic scarves for everyone to wear on their heads, so that they can have power over other people's lives. You want to possess the power of life and death over My people and to use it for your own gain.


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 You have profaned Me among My people in order to get handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, to kill the people who should not die, and to save the people alive who should not live, by your lying to My people who listen to lies.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I hate the wristbands that you use in your attempt to control life and death. I will rip them off your arms and set free the people that you were controlling.


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 I will rip off your scarves and let My people escape from your power once and for all; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Because with lies you have grieved the heart of the righteous, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, and be saved alive:


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 therefore you shall no more see false visions, nor practise fortune telling. I will deliver My people out of your hand; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their wickedness before their face: should I be inquired of at all by them?


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 Therefore speak to them, and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his wickedness before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him according to the multitude of his idols;


text:
 that I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from Me through their idols.


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 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Return and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.


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 For each one of the house of Israel or of the foreigners who live in Israel who separates himself from Me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of Me; I Yahweh will answer him by myself.


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 I will set My face against that man, and will make him an astonishment, for a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of My people; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 If the prophet is deceived when he speaks a word, I, Yahweh, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out My hand on him, and will destroy him from the midst of My people Israel.


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 They shall bear their wickedness: the wickedness of the prophet shall be even as the wickedness of him who seeks him;


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 that the house of Israel may go no more astray from Me, neither defile themselves any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be My people, and I may be their God, says the Lord Yahweh. 


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 Son of man, when a land sins against Me by committing a trespass and I stretch out My hand on it, and break the staff of its bread and send famine on it and cut off from it man and animal;


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 though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 If I cause evil animals to pass through the land and they ravage it and it be made desolate, so that no man may pass through because of the animals;


text:
 though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters; they only should be delivered, but the land should be desolate.


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 Or if I bring a sword on that land and say, Sword, go through the land; so that I cut off from it man and animal;


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 though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they should deliver neither sons nor daughters, but they only should be delivered themselves.


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 Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out My anger on it in blood, to cut off from it man and animal;


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 though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, they would save neither son nor daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.


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 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: How much more when I send My four severe judgments on Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and savage animals, and the plague, to cut off from it man and animal!


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 Yet, behold, therein shall be left a few who shall be carried forth, both sons and daughters. They shall come forth to you, and you shall see their way and their doings; and you shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought on Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought on it.


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 They shall comfort you, when you see their way and their doings; and you shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Son of man, what is the vine plant more than any tree, the vine-branch which is among the trees of the forest?


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 Shall wood be taken of it to make any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?


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 See, it is cast into the fire for fuel; the fire has devoured both its ends, and its midst is burned. Is it profitable for any work?


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 Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work. How much less, when the fire has devoured it, and it is burned, shall it yet be of any use!


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: As the vine plant among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem.


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 I will set My face against them; they shall go forth from the fire, but the fire shall devour them; and you shall know that I am Yahweh, when I set My face against them.


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 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh to Jerusalem: Your birthplace is in the land of the Canaanite; the Amorite was your father, and your mother was a Hittite.


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 As for your birth, in the day you were born your navel was not tied neither were you washed in water to cleanse you; you weren't salted at all, nor swaddled at all.


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 No eye pitied you to do any of these things to you, to have compassion on you; but you were cast out in the open desert, because your existence was despised in the day that you were born.


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 When I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you, Though you are in your blood, live; yes, I said to you, Though you are in your blood, live.


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 I caused you to multiply as that which grows in the field, and you increased and grew great, and you attained to excellent beauty; your breasts were fashioned, and your hair was grown; yet you were naked and bare.


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 Now when I passed by you and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread My skirt over you, and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord Yahweh, and you became Mine.


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 Then washed I you with water; yes, I thoroughly washed away your blood from you, and I anointed you with oil.


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 I clothed you also with embroidered work, gave you shoes of sealskin, dressed you with fine linen, and covered you with silk.


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 Thus you were decked with gold and silver; and your clothing was of fine linen, and silk, and embroidered work; you ate fine flour, honey and oil; and you were exceedingly beautiful, and you prospered to become a kingdom.


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 Your renown went forth among the nations for your beauty; for it was perfect on account of My majesty which I had put on you, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 But you trusted in your beauty and played the prostitute because of your renown, and poured out your prostitution on everyone who passed by; his it was.


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 You took of your garments and made for yourselves high places decorated with various colours, and played the prostitute on them: such things shall not come, neither shall it be so.


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 You also took your beautiful jewels of My gold and of My silver which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men and played the prostitute with them;


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 and you took your embroidered garments and put them on the images, and set My oil and My incense before them.


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 My bread also which I gave you, fine flour, and oil, and honey, with which I fed you, you even set it before them for a pleasant aroma; and thus it was, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Moreover you have taken your sons and your daughters whom you have borne to Me, and you have sacrificed these to them to be devoured. Was your prostitution a small matter,


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 that you have slain My children and delivered them up, in causing them to pass through the fire to them?


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 In all your abominations and your prostitution you have not remembered the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, and were wallowing in your blood.


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 that you have built for yourselves a vaulted place, and have made yourselves a high place in every street.


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 You have built your lofty place at the head of every street, and have made your beauty an abomination, and have opened your feet to everyone who passed by and multiplied your prostitution.


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 You have also committed sexual immorality with the Egyptians your lustful neighbours, and have multiplied your prostitution, to provoke Me to anger.


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 See therefore, I have stretched out My hand over you and have diminished your allotted portion of food, and delivered you to the will of those who hate you, the daughters of the Philistines, who are ashamed of your lewd way.


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 You have played the prostitute also with the Assyrians because you were insatiable; yes, you have played the prostitute with them, and yet you weren't satisfied.


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 You have moreover multiplied your prostitution to the land of merchants, to Chaldea; and yet you weren't satisfied with this.


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 How weak is your heart, says the Lord Yahweh, since you do all these things, the work of an impudent prostitute;


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 in that you build your vaulted place at the head of every street, and make your high place in every street, and have not been as a prostitute, in that you scorn pay.


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 They give gifts to all prostitutes; but you give your gifts to all your lovers and bribe them that they may come to you on every side for your prostitution.


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 You are different from other women in your prostitution, in that no one follows you to play the prostitute; and whereas you give hire, and no hire is given to you, therefore you are different.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Because your filthiness was poured out and your nakedness uncovered through your prostitution with your lovers; and because of all the idols of your abominations, and for the blood of your children that you gave to them;


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 therefore see, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you have taken pleasure, and all those who you have loved, with all those who you have hated; I will even gather them against you on every side, and will uncover your nakedness to them, that they may see all your nakedness.


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 I will judge you, as women who break wedlock and shed blood are judged; and I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy.


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 I will also give you into their hand, and they shall throw down your vaulted place, and break down your lofty places; and they shall strip you of your clothes, and take your beautiful jewels; and they shall leave you naked and bare.


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 They shall also bring up a company against you, and they shall stone you with stones and thrust you through with their swords.


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 They shall burn your houses with fire, and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women; and I will cause you to cease from playing the prostitute, and you shall also give no hire any more.


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 So will I cause My wrath toward you to rest, and My jealousy shall depart from you, and I will be quiet and will be no more angry.


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 Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have raged against Me in all these things; therefore, behold, I also will bring your way on your head, says the Lord Yahweh: and you shall not commit this lewdness with all your abominations.


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 Behold, everyone who uses proverbs shall use this proverb against you, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.


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 You are the daughter of your mother, who loathes her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was a Hittite, and your father an Amorite.


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 Your elder sister is Samaria, who dwells at your left hand, she and her daughters; and your younger sister, who dwells at your right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.


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 Yet have you not walked in their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, as if that were a very little thing, you were more corrupt than they in all your ways.


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 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, Sodom your sister has not done, she nor her daughters, as you have done, you and your daughters.


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 Behold, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: pride, fullness of bread, and prosperous ease was in her and in her daughters; neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.


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 They were proud and committed sexual abomination before Me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.


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 Neither has Samaria committed half of your sins; but you have multiplied your abominations more than they, and have justified your sisters by all your abominations which you have done.


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 You also bear you your own shame, in that you have given judgment for your sisters; through your sins that you have committed more abominable than they, they are more righteous than you: yes, be also confounded, and bear your shame, in that you have justified your sisters.


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 I will turn again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, and the captivity of your captives in their midst;


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 that you may bear your own shame, and may be ashamed because of all that you have done, in that you are a comfort to them.


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 Your sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate; and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate; and you and your daughters shall return to your former estate.


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 before your wickedness was uncovered, as at the time of the reproach of the daughters of Syria, and of all who are around her, the daughters of the Philistines, who do despite to you all around.


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 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant.


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 Nevertheless I will remember My covenant made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish to you an everlasting covenant.


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 Then you shall remember your ways, and be ashamed, when you shall receive your sisters, your elder sisters and your younger; and I will give them to you for daughters, but not by your covenant.


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 that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: A great eagle with great wings and long feathers, full of feathers of various colours, came to Lebanon, and took off the top of the cedar.


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 He cropped off the highest of its young twigs and carried it to a land of commerce where he set it in a city of merchants.


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 He also took the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful soil. He placed it beside many waters and set it as a willow tree.


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 It grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and its roots were under him: so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and young shoots.


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 There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers. This vine bent its roots toward him, and shot forth its branches toward him, from the beds of its plantation, that he might water it.


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 It was planted in a good soil by many waters that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.


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 Say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up its roots, and cut off its fruit, that it may wither; that all its fresh springing leaves may wither? and not by a strong arm or many people can it be raised from its roots.


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 Yes, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? Shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind touches it? It shall wither in the beds where it grew.


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 Say now to the rebellious people, Don't you know what these things mean? Tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, and took its king, and its princes, and brought them to him to Babylon.


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 He took of the seed royal, and made a covenant with him. He also brought him under an oath, and took away the mighty of the land;


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 that the kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.


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 But he rebelled against him in sending his ambassadors to Egypt that they might give him horses and many people. Shall he prosper? Shall he who does such things escape? Shall he break the covenant, and yet escape?


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 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he broke, even with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die.


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 Neither shall Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company help him in the war, when they cast up mounds and build forts, to cut off many people.


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 For he has despised the oath by breaking the covenant; and behold, he had given his hand, and yet has done all these things; he shall not escape.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely My oath that he has despised, and My covenant that he has broken, I will even bring it on his own head.


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 I will spread My net on him, and he shall be taken in My snare, and I will bring him to Babylon and will enter into judgment with him there for his sins that he has committed against Me.


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 All his fugitives in all his bands shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered toward every wind: and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also take of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it on a high and lofty mountain.


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 In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar. Under it shall dwell all birds of every wing; in the shade of its branches shall they dwell.


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 All the trees of the field shall know that I, Yahweh, have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish. I, Yahweh, have spoken and have done it.


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 What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes and the children's teeth are set on edge?


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 As I live says the Lord Yahweh, you shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.


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 Behold, all souls are Mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine. The soul who sins, he shall die.


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 and has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither has defiled his neighbour's wife, neither has come near to a woman in her impurity,


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 and has not wronged any but has restored to the debtor his pledge, has taken nothing by robbery, has given his bread to the hungry and has covered the naked with a garment;


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 he who has not given forth on interest neither has taken any increase, who has withdrawn his hand from iniquity, has executed true justice between man and man,


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 has walked in My statutes, and has kept My commandments, to deal truly: he is just, he shall surely live, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 and who does not any of those obligations, but even has eaten on the mountains and defiled his neighbour's wife,


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 has wronged the poor and needy, has taken by robbery, has not restored the pledge and has lifted up his eyes to the idols, has committed abomination,


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 has given forth on interest, and has taken increase: shall he then live? He shall not live. He has done all these abominations. He shall surely die; his blood shall be on him.


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 Now, behold, if he fathers a son, who sees all his father's sins which he has done, and sees, and does not such like;


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 who has not eaten on the mountains, neither has lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, has not defiled his neighbour's wife,


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 neither has wronged any, has not taken anything to pledge, neither has taken by robbery, but has given his bread to the hungry and has clothed the naked;


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 who has not oppressed the poor, who has not received interest nor increase, has kept My commandments, has walked in My statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live.


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 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, robbed his brother, and did that which is not good among his people, see, he shall die in his iniquity.


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 Yet you say, Why doesn't the son bear the iniquity of the father? When the son has done that which is lawful and right, and has kept all My statutes, and has done them, he shall surely live.


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 The soul who sins, he shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be on him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be on him.


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 But if the wicked turn from all his sins that he has committed, and keep all My statutes and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die.


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 None of his transgressions that he has committed shall be remembered against him: in his righteousness that he has done he shall live.


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 Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked? says the Lord Yahweh; and not rather that he should return from his way, and live?


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 But when the righteous turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and does according to all the abominations that the wicked man does, shall he live? None of his righteous deeds that he has done shall be remembered: in his trespass that he has trespassed, and in his sin that he has sinned, in them shall he die.


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 Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. Hear now, house of Israel: Is My way not fair? Aren't your ways unfair?


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 When the righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity and dies therein; in his iniquity that he has done shall he die.


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 Again, when the wicked man turns away from his wickedness that he has committed and does that which is lawful and right, he shall save his soul alive.


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 Because he considers and turns away from all his transgressions that he has committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die.


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 Yet the house of Israel says, The way of the Lord is not fair. House of Israel, aren't My ways fair? Aren't your ways unfair?


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 Therefore I will judge you, house of Israel, each one according to his ways, says the Lord Yahweh. Return, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.


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 Cast away from you all your transgressions in which you have transgressed; and make yourself a new heart and a new spirit: for why will you die, house of Israel?


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 For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord Yahweh: therefore turn yourselves, and live.


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 and say, What was your mother? A lioness: she couched among lions, in the midst of the young lions she nourished her cubs.


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 She brought up one of her cubs: he became a young lion, and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.


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 The nations also heard of him; he was caught in their pit; and they brought him with hooks to the land of Egypt.


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 Now when she saw that she had waited and her hope was lost, then she took another of her cubs and made him a young lion.


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 He went up and down among the lions; he became a young lion and he learned to catch the prey; he devoured men.


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 He knew their palaces and laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and its fullness, because of the noise of his roaring.


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 Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces; and they spread their net over him; he was caught in their pit.


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 They put him in a cage with hooks and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into strongholds, that his voice should no more be heard on the mountains of Israel.


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 Your mother was like a vine in a vineyard planted by the waters. It was fruitful and full of branches because of the many waters.


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 It had strong rods for the sceptres of those who bore rule, and their height was exalted among the thick boughs, and they were seen in their height with the multitude of their branches.


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 But it was plucked up in fury, it was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up its fruit. Its strong rods were broken off and withered; the fire consumed them.


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 Fire is gone out of the rods of its branches, it has devoured its fruit, so that there is in it no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.


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 It happened in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that some of the elders of Israel came to inquire of Yahweh and they sat before me.


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 Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Is it to inquire of Me that you have come? As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you.


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 Will you judge them, son of man, will you judge them? Cause them to know the abominations of their fathers;


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 and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when I chose Israel, and swore to the seed of the house of Jacob, and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt, when I swore to them saying, I am Yahweh your God;


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 in that day I swore to them, to bring them forth out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands.


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 I said to them, Throw away every man the abominations of his eyes, and don't defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am Yahweh your God.


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 But they rebelled against Me, and would not listen to Me; they didn't throw away the abominations of their eyes, neither did they forsake the idols of Egypt. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them, to accomplish My anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt.


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 But I worked for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among which they were, in whose sight I made Myself known to them in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.


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 Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies them.


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 But the house of Israel rebelled against Me in the wilderness. They didn't walk in My statutes and they rejected My ordinances, which if a man keep, he shall live in them; and My Sabbaths they greatly profaned. Then I said I would pour out My wrath on them in the wilderness, to consume them.


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 But I worked for My name's sake that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them out.


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 Moreover also I swore to them in the wilderness, that I would not bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and honey, which is the glory of all lands;


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 because they rejected My ordinances, and didn't walk in My statutes, and profaned My Sabbaths: for their heart went after their idols.


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 Nevertheless My eye spared them and I didn't destroy them, neither did I make a full end of them in the wilderness.


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 I said to their children in the wilderness, Don't walk in the statutes of your fathers, neither observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols.


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 and make My Sabbaths holy; and they shall be a sign between Me and you, that you may know that I am Yahweh your God.


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 But the children rebelled against Me; they didn't walk in My statutes, neither kept My ordinances to do them, which if a man do, he shall live in them: they profaned My Sabbaths. Then I said that I would pour out My wrath upon them, to accomplish My anger against them in the wilderness.


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 Nevertheless I withdrew My hand, and worked for My name's sake, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I brought them forth.


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 Moreover I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations, and disperse them through the countries;


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 because they had not executed My ordinances but had rejected My statutes and had profaned My Sabbaths, and their eyes were after their fathers' idols.


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 Moreover also I gave them statutes that were not good, and ordinances in which they should not live;


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 and I polluted them in their own gifts, because they caused their children to pass through the fire, that I might make them desolate; to the end that they might know that I am Yahweh.


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 Therefore son of man speak to the house of Israel and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In this, moreover, have your fathers blasphemed Me, in that they have committed a trespass against Me.


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 For when I had brought them into the land which I swore to give to them, then they saw every high hill and every thick tree, and they offered there their sacrifices and there they presented the provocation of their offering; there also they made their pleasant aroma, and they poured out there their drink offerings.


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 Then I said to them, What does the high place where you go mean? So its name is called Bamah to this day. 


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 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Do you pollute yourselves in the way of your fathers? and do you play the prostitute after their abominations?


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 When you offer your gifts, when you make your sons to pass through the fire, do you pollute yourselves with all your idols to this day? Shall I be inquired of by you, house of Israel? As I live says the Lord Yahweh, I will not be inquired of by you;


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 and that which comes into your mind shall not be at all, in that you say, We will be as the nations, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone.


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 As I live says the Lord Yahweh, surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out will I be king over you.


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 I will bring you out from the peoples, and will gather you out of the countries in which you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out;


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 and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there will I enter into judgment with you face to face.


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 Like as I entered into judgment with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I enter into judgment with you, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 and I will purge out from among you the rebels and those who disobey against Me; I will bring them forth out of the land where they live, but they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 As for you, house of Israel, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Go, serve each one his idols, and hereafter also, if you will not listen to Me; but My holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and with your idols.


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 For in My holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them, serve Me in the land. There will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the first fruits of your offerings, with all your holy things.


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 As a pleasant aroma will I accept you when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries in which you have been scattered; and I will be sanctified in you in the sight of the nations.


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 You shall know that I am Yahweh when I shall bring you into the land of Israel, into the country which I swore to give to your fathers.


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 There you shall remember your ways and all your doings, in which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for all your evils that you have committed.


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 You shall know that I am Yahweh when I have dealt with you for My name's sake, not according to your evil ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, you house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh. 


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 Son of man, set your face toward the south and direct your word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the field in the south;


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 and tell the forest of the south, Hear the word of Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree. The flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burnt thereby.


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 Son of man, set your face toward Jerusalem, and drop your word toward the sanctuaries and prophesy against the land of Israel;


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 and tell the land of Israel, Thus says Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, and will draw forth My sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked.


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 Seeing then that I will cut off from you the righteous and the wicked, therefore shall My sword go forth out of its sheath against all flesh from the south to the north:


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 and all flesh shall know that I, Yahweh, have drawn forth My sword out of its sheath; it shall not return any more.


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 Sigh therefore, you son of man; with the breaking of your thighs and with bitterness you will sigh before their eyes.


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 It shall be, when they tell you, "Why do you sigh?' that you shall say, Because of the news, for it is coming. Every heart shall melt, and all hands shall be feeble, every spirit shall faint and all knees shall be weak as water. It is coming, and it shall be done, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says Yahweh: Say, A sword, a sword, it is sharpened, and also polished.


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 It is sharpened that it may make a slaughter; it is polished that it may be as lightning. Shall we then laugh? The rod of My son condemns every tree.


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 It is given to be polished, that it may be ready for use: the sword, it is sharpened, yes, it is polished, to give it into the hand of the killer.


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 Cry and wail, son of man; for it is on My people, it is on all the princes of Israel: they are delivered over to the sword with My people; strike therefore on your thigh.


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 For I am putting My people to the test, and if they refuse to repent, all these things will happen to them, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 You therefore, son of man, prophesy and strike your hands together; and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the deadly wounded: it is the sword of the great slaughter which surrounds them.


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 I have set the threatening sword against all their gates, that their hearts may tremble, and their ruins be multiplied: ah! it is made as lightning, it is pointed for slaughter.


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 Gather yourselves together, go to the right, set yourselves in array, go to the left, wherever your face is set.


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 I will also strike My hands together, and I will cause My wrath to rest: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 Also, you son of man, appoint two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; they both shall come forth out of one land. Mark out a place, mark it out at the head of the way to the city.


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 You shall appoint a way for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites, and to Judah in Jerusalem the fortified.


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 For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use fortune telling. He shook the arrows back and forth, he consulted the images, he looked in the liver.


text:
 In his right hand was the forecast for Jerusalem, to set battering rams, to open the mouth in the slaughter, to lift up the battle cry, to set battering rams against the gates, to cast up mounds, to build forts.


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 It shall seem to them as a false forecast in their opinion. They have sworn solemn oaths, but he brings their guilt to remembrance, that they may be caught.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have made your wickedness to be remembered, in that your transgressions are uncovered so that in all your doings your sins appear; because you have come to memory, you shall be taken with the hand.


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 You, deadly wounded wicked one, the prince of Israel, whose day has come, in the time of the iniquity of the end,


text:
 thus says the Lord Yahweh: Remove the mitre and take off the crown; this shall be no more the same; exalt that which is low, and abase that which is high.


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 I will overturn, overturn, overturn it. This also shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him. 


text:
 You, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh concerning the children of Ammon, and concerning their reproach; and say, A sword, a sword is drawn, for the slaughter it is polished, to cause it to devour, that it may be as lightning;


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 while they see for you false visions, while they forecast lies to you, to lay you on the necks of the wicked who are deadly wounded, whose day has come in the time of the iniquity of the end.


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 Cause it to return into its sheath. In the place where you were created, in the land of your birth, will I judge you.


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 I will pour out My indignation on you; I will blow on you with the fire of My wrath; and I will deliver you into the hand of cruel men, skilful to destroy.


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 You shall be for fuel to the fire; your blood shall be in the midst of the land; you shall be remembered no more: for I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 You, son of man, will you judge, will you judge the city of blood? So now cause her to know all her abominations.


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 You shall say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: The city sheds blood in the midst of her so that her time of judgment may come, and makes idols against herself to defile herself!


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 You have become guilty in the blood that you have shed, and are defiled in your idols which you have made; and you have caused your days to draw near, and have come even to your year of judgment. Therefore have I made you a reproach to the nations, and a mockery to all the countries.


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 Those who are near and those who are far from you shall mock you, you infamous one and full of tumult.


text:
 In you have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of you have they dealt by oppression with the foreigner; in you have they wronged the fatherless and the widow.


text:
 Slanderous men have been in you to shed blood; and in you they have eaten on the mountains: in the midst of you they have committed lewdness.


text:
 In you have they uncovered their fathers' nakedness; in you have they humbled her who was unclean in her impurity.


text:
 One has committed abomination with his neighbour's wife, another has lewdly defiled his daughter-in-law; and another in you has humbled his sister, his father's daughter.


text:
 In you have they taken bribes to shed blood. You have taken interest and increase, you have greedily gained from your neighbours by oppression and have forgotten Me, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Behold, therefore, I have struck My hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at the blood which has been shed in the midst of you.


text:
 Can your heart endure, or can your hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and will do it.


text:
 I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries; and I will consume your filthiness out of you.


text:
 You shall be profaned in yourself, in the sight of the nations; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me: all of them are brass, tin, iron and lead in the midst of the furnace; they are the dross of silver.


text:
 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.


text:
 As they gather silver, brass, iron, lead and tin into the midst of the furnace to blow the fire onto it to melt it; so will I gather you in My anger and in My wrath, and I will lay you there, and melt you.


text:
 Yes, I will gather you, and blow on you with the fire of My wrath, and you shall be melted in its midst.


text:
 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so you will be melted in its midst; and you will know that I, Yahweh, have poured out My wrath on you.


text:
 There is a conspiracy of her prophets in its midst, like a roaring lion tearing the prey: they have devoured souls; they take treasure and precious things; they have made her widows many in its midst.


text:
 Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things: they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they caused men to discern between the unclean and the clean and have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.


text:
 Her princes in its midst are like wolves tearing the prey, to shed blood and to destroy people so that they may get dishonest gain.


text:
 Her prophets have plastered for them with whitewash, seeing false visions and foretelling lies to them, saying, Thus says the Lord Yahweh, when Yahweh has not spoken.


text:
 The people of the land have used oppression and committed robbery; yes, they have troubled the poor and needy and have oppressed the foreigner wrongfully.


text:
 I sought for a man among them, who should build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.


text:
 Therefore have I poured out My indignation on them; I have consumed them with the fire of My wrath. Their own way have I brought on their heads, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 and they played the prostitute in Egypt; they played the prostitute in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there were fondled the breasts of their virginity.


text:
 Their names were Oholah the elder, and Oholibah her sister: and they became Mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah, and Jerusalem Oholibah.


text:
 Oholah played the prostitute when she was Mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours,


text:
 who were clothed with blue, governors and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses.


text:
 She bestowed her prostitution on them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them; and on whoever she doted, with all their idols she defiled herself.


text:
 Neither has she left her prostitution since the days of Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they fondled the breasts of her virginity; and they poured out their prostitution on her.


text:
 Therefore I delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians on whom she doted.


text:
 These uncovered her nakedness; they took her sons and her daughters and her they killed with the sword, and she became a byword among women; for they executed judgments on her.


text:
 Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet was she more corrupt in her doting than she, and in her prostitution which was more than the prostitution of her sister.


text:
 She doted on the Assyrians, governors and rulers, her neighbours, clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.


text:
 She increased her prostitution; for she saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion,


text:
 dressed with girdles on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them princes to look on, after the likeness of the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth.


text:
 The Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their prostitution, and she was polluted with them, and her soul was alienated from them.


text:
 So she displayed her prostitution, and uncovered her nakedness: then My soul was alienated from her, like as My soul was alienated from her sister.


text:
 Yet she multiplied her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth, in which she had played the prostitute in the land of Egypt.


text:
 She doted on their paramours, whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys, and whose issue is like the issue of horses.


text:
 Thus you called to memory the lewdness of your youth, in the fondling of your bosom by the Egyptians for the breasts of your youth.


text:
 Therefore, Oholibah, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will raise up your lovers against you, from whom your soul is alienated, and I will bring them against you on every side:


text:
 the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them; desirable young men, governors and rulers all of them, princes and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.


text:
 They shall come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons, and with a company of peoples; they shall set themselves against you with buckler and shield and helmet all around; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments.


text:
 I will set My jealousy against you, and they shall deal with you in fury; they shall take away your nose and your ears; and your residue shall fall by the sword. They shall take your sons and your daughters; and your residue shall be devoured by the fire.


text:
 Thus will I make your lewdness to cease from you, and your prostitution brought from the land of Egypt; so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them, nor remember Egypt any more.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will deliver you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom your soul is alienated;


text:
 and they shall deal with you in hatred, and shall take away all your labour, and shall leave you naked and bare; and the nakedness of your prostitution shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your prostitution.


text:
 These things shall be done to you because you have played the prostitute after the nations, and because you are polluted with their idols.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You will drink of your sister's cup, which is deep and large; you will be ridiculed and held in derision; it contains much.


text:
 You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of your sister Samaria.


text:
 You shall even drink it and drain it out, and you shall gnaw the broken pieces of it, and shall tear off your breasts; for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have forgotten Me, and cast Me behind your back, therefore you also shall bear your lewdness and your prostitution.


text:
 Yahweh said moreover to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations.


text:
 For they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands; and with their idols have they committed adultery; and they have also caused their sons, whom they bore to Me, to pass through the fire to their idols to be devoured.


text:
 Moreover this they have done to Me: they have defiled My sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned My Sabbaths.


text:
 For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the same day into My sanctuary to profane it; and behold, thus have they done in the midst of My house.


text:
 Furthermore you have sent for men who come from far, to whom a messenger was sent, and behold, they came; for whom you did wash yourself, paint your eyes, and decorate yourself with ornaments,


text:
 and sat on a stately bed, with a table prepared before it, whereupon you set My incense and My oil.


text:
 The voice of a multitude being at ease was with her: and with men of the common sort were brought drunkards from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on both their hands, and beautiful crowns on their heads.


text:
 Then I said of her who was an adulteress of old, Now will they play the prostitute with her, and she with them.


text:
 They went in to her, as they go in to a prostitute: so went they in to Oholah and to Oholibah, the lewd women.


text:
 Righteous men, they shall judge them with the judgment of adulteresses, and with the judgment of women who shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will bring up a company against them, and will give them to be tossed back and forth and robbed.


text:
 The company shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.


text:
 Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.


text:
 They shall recompense your lewdness on you, and you shall bear the sins of your idols; and you shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


text:
 Son of man, write the name of the day, this selfsame day: the king of Babylon came close to Jerusalem this day.


text:
 Utter a parable to the rebellious house and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Set on the cauldron, set it on, and also pour water into it.


text:
 Gather its pieces into it, even every good piece, the thigh, and the shoulder; fill it with the choice bones.


text:
 Take the choice of the flock, and also a pile of wood for the bones under the cauldron; make it boil well; yes, let its bones be boiled in its midst.


text:
 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the city of blood, to the cauldron whose rust is therein, and whose rust is not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece; no lot is fallen on it.


text:
 For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it on the bare rock; she didn't pour it on the ground, to cover it with dust.


text:
 So that it may cause wrath to come up to take vengeance, I have set her blood on the bare rock, that it should not be covered.


text:
 Heap on the wood, make the fire hot, boil well the flesh, make thick the broth, and let the bones be burned.


text:
 Then set it empty on its coals, that it may be hot and its brass may be hot, so that its filthiness may be molten in it, that its rust may be consumed.


text:
 She has wearied herself with lies; yet her great rust doesn't go forth out of her; her rust doesn't go forth by fire.


text:
 In your filthiness is lewdness: because I have cleansed you and you weren't cleansed, you shall not be cleansed from your filthiness any more, until I have caused My wrath toward you to rest.


text:
 I, Yahweh, have spoken it: it shall happen, and I will do it: I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I relent; according to your ways and according to your doings shall they judge you, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Son of man, behold, I will take away from you the desire of your eyes with a stroke: yet you shall neither mourn nor weep, neither shall your tears run down.


text:
 Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead; bind your headdress on you, and put your shoes on your feet, don't cover your lips nor eat men's bread.


text:
 So I spoke to the people in the morning; and at evening my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.


text:
 Speak to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will profane My sanctuary, the pride of your power, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pities; and your sons and your daughters whom you have left behind shall fall by the sword.


text:
 Your ornaments shall be on your heads, and your shoes on your feet: you shall not mourn nor weep; but you shall pine away in your iniquities, and groan one toward another.


text:
 Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; according to all that he has done, you will do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 You, son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their heart, their sons and their daughters,


text:
 In that day your mouth will be opened to him who has escaped, and you shall speak, and be no more mute. So you will be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 and tell the people of Ammon, Hear the word of the Lord Yahweh: Thus says the Lord Yahweh, Because you said, Aha, against My sanctuary when it was profaned, and against the land of Israel when it was made desolate; and against the house of Judah when they went into captivity:


text:
 therefore behold, I will deliver you to the people of the east for a possession, and they shall set their encampments in you, and make their dwellings in you; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk.


text:
 I will make Rabbah a stable for camels, and the people of Ammon a resting place for flocks: and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because you have clapped your hands, stamped with the feet and rejoiced with all the despite of your soul against the land of Israel;


text:
 therefore behold, I have stretched out My hand upon you and will deliver you for a spoil to the nations; and I will cut you off from the peoples, and I will cause you to perish out of the countries. I will destroy you; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because Moab and Seir say, Behold, the house of Judah is like all the nations;


text:
 therefore, behold, I will open the side of Moab from the cities, from his cities which are on his frontiers, the glory of the country, Beth Jeshimoth, Baal Meon, and Kiriathaim,


text:
 to the people of the east, to go against the children of Ammon; and I will give them for a possession, that the people of Ammon may not be remembered among the nations.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because Edom has dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance and has greatly offended and revenged himself on them;


text:
 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, I will stretch out My hand on Edom, and will cut off man and animal from it; and I will make it desolate: from Teman even to Dedan shall they fall by the sword.


text:
 I will lay My vengeance on Edom by the hand of My people Israel; and they shall do in Edom according to My anger and according to My wrath; and they shall know My vengeance, says the Lord Yahweh. 


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because the Philistines have dealt by revenge, and have taken vengeance with despite of soul to destroy for the old enmity;


text:
 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I will stretch out My hand on the Philistines, and I will cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the rest of the sea coast.


text:
 I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful rebukes; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall lay My vengeance on them.


text:
 It happened in the eleventh year in the first day of the month that the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


text:
 Son of man, because Tyre has said against Jerusalem, Aha, she is broken! The gate of the peoples is now is turned to me; I shall be replenished, now that she is laid waste:


text:
 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh, Behold, I am against you, Tyre, and will cause many nations to come up against you, as the sea causes its waves to come up.


text:
 They shall destroy the walls of Tyre and break down her towers. I will also scrape her dust from her and make her a bare rock.


text:
 She shall be a place for the spreading of nets in the midst of the sea; for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh; and she shall become a spoil to the nations.


text:
 Her daughters who are in the field shall be slain with the sword; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will bring on Tyre Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, king of kings, from the north, with horses, with chariots, with horsemen and a company, and many people.


text:
 He shall kill your daughters in the field with the sword; and he shall make forts against you, and cast up a mound against you, and raise up the buckler against you.


text:
 He shall set his battering engines against your walls, and with his axes he shall break down your towers.


text:
 By reason of the abundance of his horses their dust shall cover you. Your walls shall shake at the noise of the horsemen, and of the wagons, and of the chariots, when he shall enter into your gates, as men enter into a city in which is made a breach.


text:
 With the hoofs of his horses shall he tread down all your streets; he shall kill your people with the sword; and the pillars of your strength shall go down to the ground.


text:
 They shall make a spoil of your riches, and make a prey of your merchandise; and they shall break down your walls, and destroy your pleasant houses; and they shall lay your stones and your timber and your dust in the midst of the waters.


text:
 I will make you a bare rock; you shall be a place for the spreading of nets. You shall be built no more: for I Yahweh have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh to Tyre: shall not the islands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when the slaughter is made in the midst of you?


text:
 Then all the princes of the sea shall come down from their thrones and lay aside their robes and strip off their embroidered garments: they shall clothe themselves with trembling; they shall sit on the ground and shall tremble every moment, being astonished at you.


text:
 They shall take up a lamentation over you and tell you, How you are destroyed, who was inhabited by mariners, the renowned city, who was strong in the sea, she and her inhabitants, who caused their terror to be on all who lived there!


text:
 Now shall the islands tremble in the day of your fall; yes, the islands that are in the sea shall be dismayed at your departure.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: When I shall make you a desolate city like the cities that are not inhabited; when I shall bring up the deep on you and the great waters shall cover you;


text:
 then will I bring you down with those who descend into the pit, to the people of old time, and will make you to dwell in the lower parts of the earth, in the places that are desolate of old, with those who go down to the pit, that you be not inhabited; and I will set glory in the land of the living.


text:
 I will make you a terror, and you shall no more be rebuilt; though you are sought for, yet you will never be found again, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 and tell Tyre: You who dwell at the entry of the sea, who are the merchant of the peoples to many islands, thus says the Lord Yahweh: You, Tyre, have said, I am perfect in beauty.


text:
 They have made all your planks of fir trees from Senir; they have taken a cedar from Lebanon to make a mast for you.


text:
 Of the oaks of Bashan have they made your oars; they have made your benches of ivory inlaid in boxwood from the islands of Kittim.


text:
 Of fine linen with embroidered work from Egypt was your sail, that it might be to you for a banner; blue and purple from the islands of Elishah was your awning.


text:
 The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad were your rowers. Your wise men, Tyre, were in you; they were your pilots.


text:
 The old men of Gebal and the wise men of it were in you, your repairers of ship seams. All the ships of the sea with their mariners were in you to deal in your merchandise.


text:
 Persia, Lud and Put were in your army, your men of war. They hung the shield and helmet in you; they set forth your beauty.


text:
 The men of Arvad with your army were on your walls all around, and heroic men were in your towers; they hung their shields on your walls all around; they have perfected your beauty.


text:
 Tarshish was your merchant by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches; with silver, iron, tin and lead they traded for your wares.


text:
 Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were your traffickers; they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass for your merchandise.


text:
 The men of Dedan were your traffickers; many islands were the market under your control. They brought you in exchange horns of ivory and ebony.


text:
 Syria was your merchant by reason of the multitude of your handiworks. They traded for your wares with emeralds, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral and rubies.


text:
 Judah and the land of Israel, they were your traffickers. They traded for your merchandise wheat of Minnith, and confections, honey, oil and balm.


text:
 Damascus was your merchant for the multitude of your handiworks, by reason of the multitude of all kinds of riches, with the wine of Helbon and white wool.


text:
 Vedan and Javan traded with yarn for your wares: bright iron, cassia and calamus were among your merchandise.


text:
 Arabia and all the princes of Kedar, they were the merchants of your hand. In lambs, rams, goats, in these were they your merchants.


text:
 The traffickers of Sheba and Raamah, they were your traffickers. They traded for your wares with the chief of all spices and with all precious stones and gold.


text:
 These were your traffickers in choice wares, in wrappings of blue and embroidered work and in chests of rich clothing, bound with cords and made of cedar, among your merchandise.


text:
 The ships of Tarshish were your caravans for your merchandise, and you were replenished, and made very glorious in the heart of the seas.


text:
 Your rowers have brought you into great waters. The east wind has broken you in the heart of the seas.


text:
 Your riches, your wares, your merchandise, your mariners, your pilots, your repairers of ship hulls and the dealers in your merchandise, and all your men of war who are in you, with all your company which is in the midst of you, shall fall into the heart of the seas in the day of your ruin.


text:
 All who handled the oar, the mariners and all the pilots of the sea shall come down from their ships. They shall stand on the land,


text:
 and shall cause their voice to be heard over you, and shall cry bitterly and shall cast up dust on their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes;


text:
 and they shall make themselves bald for you, and clothe them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for you in bitterness of soul with bitter mourning.


text:
 In their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for you and lament over you, saying, Who is there like Tyre, like her who is brought to silence in the midst of the sea?


text:
 When your wares went forth out of the seas, you filled many peoples; you enriched the kings of the earth with the multitude of your riches and of your merchandise.


text:
 In the time that you were broken by the seas in the depths of the waters, your merchandise and all your company fell in your midst.


text:
 All the inhabitants of the islands are astonished at you, and their kings are horribly afraid; they are troubled in their face.


text:
 The merchants among the peoples hiss at you; you are become a terror, and you shall never again have any being.


text:
 Son of man, tell the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because your heart is lifted up, and you have said, I am a god, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet you are man, and not God, though you set your heart as the heart of God.


text:
 By your wisdom and by your understanding you have become rich, and have gathered gold and silver into your treasures.


text:
 By your great wisdom and by your traffic you have increased your riches, and your heart is lifted up because of your riches.


text:
 therefore, behold, I will bring strangers on you, the terrible of the nations; and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom, and they shall defile your brightness.


text:
 They shall bring you down to the pit; and you shall die the death of those who are slain, in the heart of the seas.


text:
 Will you yet say before him who kills you, I am God? But you are man and not God in the hand of him who stabs you.


text:
 You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Son of man, take up a lamentation over the king of Tyre and tell him, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You seal up the imitation, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.


text:
 You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone adorned you: ruby, topaz, emerald, chrysolite, onyx, jasper, sapphire, turquoise, and beryl. Gold workmanship of tambourines and of pipes was yours. In the day that you were created they were prepared.


text:
 I put a terrifying messenger there to guard you. You lived on My holy mountain and walked among sparkling gems.


text:
 You were perfect in your ways from the day that you were created, until unrighteousness was found in you.


text:
 By the abundance of your trading they filled the midst of you with violence, and you have sinned; therefore I have cast you as profane out of the mountain of God; and the angel who guarded you drove you away from the midst of the stones of fire.


text:
 Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you have corrupted your wisdom by reason of your brightness. I have cast you to the ground; I have laid you before kings, that they may see you.


text:
 By the multitude of your iniquities, in the unrighteousness of your trading, you have profaned your sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of you; it has devoured you, and I have turned you to ashes on the earth in the sight of all those who see you.


text:
 All those who know you among the peoples shall be astonished at you. You have become a terror, and your life shall end evermore. 


text:
 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you Sidon. I will be glorified in the midst of you; and they shall know that I am Yahweh when I shall have executed judgments in her, and shall be sanctified in her.


text:
 For I will send plague into her and blood into her streets. The wounded shall fall in the midst of her, with the sword on her on every side; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 There shall be no more a pricking brier to the house of Israel, nor a hurting thorn of any that are around them, that scorned them; and they shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: When I shall have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and shall be sanctified in them in the sight of the nations, then shall they dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob.


text:
 They shall dwell securely therein; yes, they shall build houses, and plant vineyards, and shall dwell securely, when I have executed judgments on all those who do them despite all around them; and they shall know that I am Yahweh their God.


text:
 In the tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


text:
 Son of man, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt.


text:
 Speak and say, "Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Pharaoh king of Egypt, the great monster that lies in the midst of his rivers, that has said, "My river is My own, and I have made it for Myself'.


text:
 I will put hooks in your jaws, and I will make the fish of your rivers stick to your scales; and I will bring you up out of the midst of your rivers, with all the fish of your rivers which stick to your scales.


text:
 I'll cast you forth into the wilderness, you and all the fish of your rivers. You'll fall on the open field. You won't be bound together, nor gathered. I have given you for food to the animals of the earth and to the birds of the sky.


text:
 All the inhabitants of Egypt will know that I am Yahweh, because they have been a staff of reed to the house of Israel.


text:
 When they took hold of you by your hand, you broke, and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke, and paralyzed all of their thighs.


text:
 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will bring a sword on you, and will cut off man and animal from you.


text:
 The land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste; and they shall know that I am Yahweh. Because you have said, "The river is mine, and I have made it;'


text:
 therefore, behold, I am against you and against your rivers, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from the tower of Seveneh even to the border of Ethiopia.


text:
 No foot of man shall pass through it, nor foot of animal shall pass through it, neither shall it be inhabited forty years.


text:
 I will make the land of Egypt a desolation in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities among the cities that are laid waste shall be a desolation forty years; and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and will disperse them through the countries.


text:
 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: At the end of forty years will I gather the Egyptians from the peoples where they were scattered;


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 and I will bring back the captivity of Egypt, and will cause them to return into the land of Pathros, into the land of their birth; and they shall be there a base kingdom.


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 It shall be the most base of the kingdoms; neither shall it any more lift itself up above the nations; and I will diminish them, that they shall no more rule over the nations.


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 It shall be no more the confidence of the house of Israel, bringing iniquity to remembrance, when they turn to look after them; and they shall know that I am the Lord Yahweh.


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 It came to pass in the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, in the first day of the month, the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


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 Son of man, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon caused his army to serve a great service against Tyre: every head was made bald, and every shoulder was worn; yet had he no wages, nor his army, for Tyre, for the service that he had served against it.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will give the land of Egypt to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and he shall carry off her multitude and take her a spoil and take her a prey; and it shall be the wages for his army.


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 I have given him the land of Egypt as his recompense for which he served, because they worked for Me, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 In that day will I cause a horn to bud forth to the house of Israel, and I will give you the opening of the mouth in their midst; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 For the day is near, even the day of Yahweh is near; it shall be a day of clouds, a time of the nations.


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 A sword shall come on Egypt and anguish shall be in Ethiopia, when the slain shall fall in Egypt; and they shall take away her multitude, and her foundations shall be broken down.


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 Ethiopia, Put and Lud, and all the mixed people, and Cub, and the children of the land that is allied with them, shall fall with them by the sword.


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 Thus says Yahweh: They also who uphold Egypt shall fall; and the pride of her power shall come down: from the tower of Seveneh shall they fall in it by the sword, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 They shall be desolate in the midst of the countries that are desolate; and her cities shall be in the midst of the cities that are wasted.


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 They shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have set a fire in Egypt, and all her helpers are destroyed.


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 In that day shall messengers go forth from before Me in ships to make the careless Ethiopians afraid; and there shall be anguish on them, as in the day of Egypt; for, behold, it comes.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also make the multitude of Egypt to cease, by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.


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 He and his people with him, the terrible of the nations, shall be brought in to destroy the land; and they shall draw their swords against Egypt, and fill the land with the slain.


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 I will make the rivers dry, and will sell the land into the hand of evil men; and I will make the land desolate, and all that is therein, by the hand of strangers: I, Yahweh, have spoken it.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will also destroy the idols and I will cause the images to cease from Memphis; there shall be no more a prince from the land of Egypt: and I will put a fear in the land of Egypt.


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 I will set a fire in Egypt; Sin shall be in great anguish, No shall be broken up and Memphis shall have adversaries in the daytime.


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 The young men of Aven and of Pibeseth shall fall by the sword; and these cities shall go into captivity.


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 At Tehaphnehes also the day shall withdraw itself, when I shall break there the yokes of Egypt, and the pride of her power shall cease in her: as for her, a cloud shall cover her, and her daughters shall go into captivity.


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 It happened in the eleventh year, in the first month, in the seventh day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,


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 Son of man, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; and behold, it has not been bound up, to apply healing medicines, to put a bandage to bind it that it be strong to hold the sword.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, the strong arm, and that which was broken; and I will cause the sword to fall out of his hand.


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 I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon and put My sword in his hand: but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he shall groan before him with the groanings of a deadly wounded man.


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 I will hold up the arms of the king of Babylon; and the arms of Pharaoh shall fall down; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I shall put My sword into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall stretch it out on the land of Egypt.


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 I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them through the countries; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 It happened in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


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 Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with beautiful branches, and with a forest-like shade and of high stature; and its top was among the thick boughs.


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 The waters nourished it, the deep made it to grow. Its rivers ran all around its plantation; and it sent out its channels to all the trees of the field.


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 Therefore its stature was exalted above all the trees of the field; and its boughs were multiplied, and its branches became long by reason of many waters, when it shot them forth.


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 All the birds of the sky made their nests in its boughs; and under its branches all the animals of the field brought forth their young; and all great nations lived under its shadow.


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 Thus was it beautiful in its greatness, in the length of its branches; for its root was by many waters.


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 The cedars in the garden of God could not hide it; the fir trees were not like its boughs, and the plane trees were not as its branches; nor was any tree in the garden of God like it in its beauty.


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 I made it beautiful by the multitude of its branches, so that all the trees of Eden that were in the garden of God envied it.


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 Therefore thus said the Lord Yahweh: Because you are exalted in stature and he has set your top among the thick boughs and his heart is lifted up in his height,


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 I will even deliver him into the hand of the mighty one of the nations. He shall surely deal with him. I have driven him out for his wickedness.


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 Gentiles, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off and have left him: on the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth are gone away from his shadow, and have left him.


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 On his ruin all the birds of the sky shall dwell, and all the animals of the field shall be on his branches;


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 so that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs. Their mighty ones shall not stand up on their height, even all who drink water; for they are all delivered to death, to the lower parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with those who go down to the pit.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day when he went down to Sheol I caused a mourning. I covered the deep for him, and I restrained its rivers; and the great waters were stayed; and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.


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 I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to Sheol with those who descend into the pit. And all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, were comforted in the lower parts of the earth.


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 They also went down into Sheol with him to those who are slain by the sword; yes, those who were his arm, that lived under his shadow in the midst of the nations.


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 To whom are you thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? Yet you will be brought down with the trees of Eden to the lower parts of the earth: you shall lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 It happened in the twelfth year, in the twelfth month, in the first day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me saying,


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 Son of man, take up a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt and tell him, You were likened to a young lion of the nations: yet you are as a monster in the seas; and you broke out with your rivers, and troubled the waters with your feet and fouled their rivers.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I will spread out My net on you with a company of many peoples; and they shall bring you up in My net.


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 I will leave you on the land, I will cast you forth on the open field and will cause all the birds of the sky to settle on you, and I will satisfy the animals of the whole earth with you.


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 I will also water with your blood the land in which you swim, even to the mountains; and the watercourses shall be full of you.


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 When I shall extinguish you, I will cover the sky and make its stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud and the moon shall not give its light.


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 All the bright lights of the sky will I make dark over you and set darkness on your land, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 I will also trouble the hearts of many peoples, when I shall bring your destruction among the nations, into the countries which you have not known.


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 Yes, I will make many peoples amazed at you, and their kings shall be horribly afraid for you, when I shall brandish My sword before them; and they shall tremble every moment, every man for his own life, in the day of your fall.


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 By the swords of the mighty will I cause your multitude to fall; they are all the terrible of the nations; and they shall bring to nothing the pride of Egypt, and all its multitude shall be destroyed.


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 I will destroy also all its animals from beside many waters; neither shall the foot of man trouble them any more, nor the hoofs of animals trouble them.


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 When I shall make the land of Egypt desolate and waste, a land destitute of that of which it was once full, when I shall strike all those who dwell therein, then shall they know that I am Yahweh.


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 This is the lamentation with which they shall lament, with which the daughters of the nations shall lament therewith; over Egypt and over all her multitude shall they lament therewith, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Lamentation over Egypt's Supporters It happened also in the twelfth year, in the fifteenth day of the month, that the word of Yahweh came to me, saying,


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 Son of man, wail for the multitude of Egypt, and cast them down, even her, and the daughters of the famous nations, to the lower parts of the earth, with those who go down into the pit.


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 They shall fall in the midst of those who are slain by the sword, she is delivered to the sword; draw her away and all her multitudes.


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 The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of Sheol with those who help him. They are gone down, they lie still, even the uncircumcised, slain by the sword.


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 Assyria is there and all her company; her graves are all around her; all of them slain, fallen by the sword.


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 Their graves are set in the uttermost parts of the pit, and her company is around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who caused terror in the land of the living.


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 There is Elam and all her multitude around her grave; all of them slain, fallen by the sword, who are gone down uncircumcised into the lower parts of the earth. They who caused their terror in the land of the living have now borne their shame with those who go down to the pit.


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 They have set her a bed in the midst of the slain with all her multitude; her graves are around her; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for their terror was caused in the land of the living, and they have borne their shame with those who go down to the pit. He is put in the midst of those who are slain.


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 There is Meshech, Tubal, and all their multitude; their graves are around them; all of them uncircumcised, slain by the sword; for they caused their terror in the land of the living.


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 They shall not lie with the mighty who are fallen of the uncircumcised who are gone down to Sheol with their weapons of war, and have laid their swords under their heads, and their iniquities are on their bones; for they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living.


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 But you shall be broken in the midst of the uncircumcised, and shall lie with those who are slain by the sword.


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 There is Edom, her kings and all her princes, who in their might are laid with those who are slain by the sword. They shall lie with the uncircumcised, and with those who go down to the pit.


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 There are the princes of the north, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who are gone down with the slain; in the terror which they caused by their might they are put to shame. They lie uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the pit.


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 When Pharaoh sees them, he will take comfort in his hordes. Pharaoh and all his army will die violently, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 For I have put his terror in the land of the living; and he shall be laid in the midst of the uncircumcised with those who are slain by the sword, even Pharaoh and all his hordes, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Son of man, speak to the children of your people and tell them, When I bring the sword on a land, and the people of the land take a man from among them and set him for their watchman;


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 then whoever hears the sound of the trumpet and doesn't take warning, if the sword come and take him away, his blood shall be on his own head.


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 He heard the sound of the trumpet and didn't take warning; his blood shall be on him; whereas if he had taken warning, he would have delivered his soul.


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 But if the watchman sees the sword come and doesn't blow the trumpet and the people aren't warned, and the sword comes and takes away any person from among them; he is taken away in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at the watchman's hand.


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 So you, son of man, I have set you a watchman to the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at My mouth, and give them warning from Me.


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 When I tell the wicked, O wicked man, you shall surely die, if you don't speak to warn the wicked from his way; that wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand.


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 Nevertheless, if you warn the wicked of his way to turn from it, and he doesn't turn from his way; he shall die in his iniquity, but you have delivered your soul.


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 You, son of man, tell the house of Israel: Thus you speak, saying, Our transgressions and our sins are on us, and we pine away in them; how then can we live?


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 Tell them, As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways; for why will you die, house of Israel?


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 You, son of man, tell the children of your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not save him in the day of his disobedience; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, he shall not fall thereby in the day that he turns from his wickedness; neither shall he who is righteous be able to live thereby in the day that he sins.


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 When I tell the righteous that he shall surely live; if he trust to his righteousness and commit iniquity, none of his righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in his iniquity that he has committed, therein shall he die.


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 Again, when I say to the wicked, You shall surely die; if he turn from his sin and do that which is lawful and right;


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 if the wicked restore the pledge, give again that which he had taken by robbery, walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity; he shall surely live, he shall not die.


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 None of his sins that he has committed shall be remembered against him. He has done that which is lawful and right; he shall surely live.


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 Yet the children of your people say, The way of the Lord is not fair; but as for them, their way is not fair.


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 When the wicked turns from his wickedness and does that which is lawful and right, he shall live thereby.


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 Yet you say, The way of the Lord is not fair. House of Israel, I will judge every one of you after his ways. Explanation of Judah's Demise 


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 It happened in the twelfth year of our captivity, in the tenth month, in the fifth day of the month, that one who had escaped out of Jerusalem came to me saying, The city has been struck.


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 Now the hand of the Yahweh had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; and He had opened my mouth by the time the man came to me in the morning. So my mouth was opened, and I was no longer dumb.


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 Son of man, they who inhabit those waste places in the land of Israel speak, saying, "Abraham was one, and he inherited the land; but we are many; the land is given us for inheritance'.


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 Therefore tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: You eat with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood. Shall you possess the land?


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 You rely on your sword, you work abomination, and every one of you defiles his neighbour's wife. Shall you possess the land?


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 You shall tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and him who is in the open field will I give to the animals to be devoured; and those who are in the strongholds and in the caves shall die of the pestilence.


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 I will make the land a desolation and an astonishment; the pride of her power shall cease and the mountains of Israel shall be desolate, so that none shall pass through.


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 Then shall they know that I am Yahweh, when I have made the land a desolation and an astonishment, because of all their abominations which they have committed.


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 As for you, son of man, the children of your people talk of you by the walls and in the doors of the houses, speaking one to another, each one to his brother saying, Please come and hear what is the word that comes forth from Yahweh.


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 They come to you as the people come, and they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but don't do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goes after their gain.


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 Behold, you are to them as a very lovely song of one who has a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear your words, but they don't do them.


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 When this comes to pass (behold, it comes!), then shall they know that a prophet has been among them.


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 Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy and tell them, even to the shepherds, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who feed themselves! Shouldn't the shepherds feed the sheep?


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 You eat the fat and you clothe yourself with the wool, you kill the fatlings; but you don't feed the sheep.


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 You haven't strengthened the diseased, neither have you healed that which was sick, neither have you bound up that which was broken, neither have you caused to return that which was driven away, neither have you sought that which was lost; but with force and with rigour you have ruled over them.


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 They were scattered because there was no shepherd; and they became food to all the animals of the field and were scattered.


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 My sheep wandered through all the mountains and on every high hill. Yes, My sheep were scattered on all the surface of the earth; and there was none who searched or sought them.


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 As I live, says the Lord Yahweh, surely because My sheep became a prey, and My sheep became food to all the animals of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did My shepherds search for My sheep, but the shepherds fed themselves, and didn't feed My sheep;


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require My sheep at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the sheep; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; and I will deliver My sheep from their mouth, that they may not be food for them.


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 For thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I Myself, even I, will search for My sheep, and will seek them out.


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 As a shepherd seeks out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered abroad, so will I seek out My sheep; and I will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day.


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 I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country.


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 I will feed them with good pasture; on the mountains of the height of Israel shall their fold be. There shall they lie down in a good fold; on fat pasture shall they feed on the mountains of Israel.


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 I Myself will be the shepherd of My sheep, and I will cause them to lie down, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 I will seek that which was lost, and will cause to return that which was driven away. I will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sick: but the fat and the strong I will destroy; I will feed them in justice.


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 As for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord Yahweh: See, I judge between sheep and sheep, the rams and the male goats.


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 Does it seem a small thing to you to have fed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the remainder of your pasture; to have drunk of the clear waters, but you must foul what remains with your feet?


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 As for My sheep, they eat that which you have trodden with your feet, and they drink that which you have fouled with your feet.


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 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh to them: Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep.


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 Because you thrust with side and with shoulder and push all the diseased with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad;


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 therefore will I save My flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.


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 I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even My servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.


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 I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause dangerous animals to cease out of the land; they shall dwell securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods.


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 I will make them and the places around My hill a blessing; I will cause the shower to come down in its season, there shall be showers of blessing.


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 The tree of the field shall yield its fruit and the earth shall yield its increase and they shall be secure in their land; and they shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have broken the bars of their yoke and have delivered them out of the hand of those who made slaves of them.


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 They shall no more be a prey to the nations, neither shall the animals of the earth devour them; but they shall dwell securely, and none shall make them afraid.


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 I will raise up to them a plantation for renown, and they shall be no more consumed with famine in the land, neither bear the shame of the nations any more.


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 They shall know that I, Yahweh their God, am with them; and that they, the house of Israel, are My people, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 and tell it, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, and I will stretch out My hand against you, I will make you a desolation and an astonishment.


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 Because you have had a perpetual hatred, and have given over the children of Israel to the power of the sword in the time of their calamity, at the time when the punishment of their iniquity had an end;


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 therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you. Since you have not hated blood, therefore blood shall pursue you.


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 Thus will I make Mount Seir an astonishment and a desolation; and I will cut off from it the one who passes through and the one who returns.


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 I will fill its mountains with its slain. In your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses shall they fall who are slain with the sword.


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 I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities shall not be inhabited; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Because you have said, These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will possess it; whereas Yahweh was there.


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 Therefore, as I live, says the Lord Yahweh, I will do according to your anger, and according to your envy which you have shown out of your hatred against them; and I will make Myself known among them, when I shall judge you.


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 You shall know that I, Yahweh, have heard all your insults which you have spoken against the mountains of Israel, saying, They are laid desolate, they have been given us to devour.


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 You have magnified yourselves against Me with your mouth, and have multiplied your words against Me, which I have heard.


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 As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so will I do to you. You shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, even all of it; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 You, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of Yahweh.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because the enemy has said against you, Aha! and, The ancient high places are ours in possession;


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 therefore prophesy and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh. Because, even because they have made you desolate and swallowed you up on every side, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became the talk and evil gossip of the nations;


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 therefore, you mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord Yahweh. Thus says the Lord Yahweh to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys, to the desolate wastes and to the cities that are forsaken, which are become a prey and a mockery to the other nations that are all around;


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 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Surely in the fire of My jealousy have I spoken against the residue of the nations, and against all Edom, that have appointed My land to themselves for a possession with the joy of all their heart, with despite of soul, to cast it out for a prey.


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 Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and tell to the mountains and to the hills, to the rivers and to the valleys, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I have spoken in My zeal and in My wrath, because you have borne the shame of the nations:


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 therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: I have sworn saying, Surely the nations that are around you, they shall bear their shame.


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 But you, mountains of Israel, you shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are at hand to return.


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 and I will multiply men on you, all the house of Israel, even all of it; and the cities shall be inhabited, and the waste places shall be built.


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 I will multiply on you man and animal; and they shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited after your former manner, and I will do better to you than at your beginnings; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 Yes, I will cause men to walk on you, even My people Israel; and they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance, and you shall no more henceforth bereave them of children.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Because they say to you, You are a destroyer of men, and have caused bereavement in your nation;


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 therefore you shall destroy men no more, neither cause bereavement in your nation any more, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Neither will I let you hear any more the shame of the nations, neither shall you bear the reproach of the peoples any more, neither shall you cause your nation to stumble any more, says the Lord Yahweh.


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 Son of man, when the people of Israel lived in their own land, they defiled it by their way and by their doings. Their way before Me was as the uncleanness of a woman in her impurity.


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 Therefore I poured out My wrath on them for the blood which they had poured out on the land, and because they had defiled it with their idols;


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 and I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries. According to their way and according to their doings I judged them.


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 When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned My holy name; in that men said of them, These are the people of Yahweh, and are gone forth out of His land.


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 But I had respect for My holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations where they went.


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 Therefore tell the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: I don't do this for your sake, house of Israel, but for My holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you went.


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 I will sanctify My great name which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, says the Lord Yahweh, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.


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 For I will take you from among the nations, and gather you out of all the countries, and will bring you into your own land.


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 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you.


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 I will also give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.


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 I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall keep My laws and do them.


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 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and you shall be My people, and I will be your God.


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 I will save you from all your uncleanness, and I will call for the grain and will multiply it, and lay no famine on you.


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 I will multiply the fruit of the tree and the increase of the field, that you may receive no more the reproach of famine among the nations.


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 Then you shall remember your evil ways and your doings that were not good; and you shall loathe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations.


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 Not for your sake do I this, says the Lord Yahweh, be it known to you. Be ashamed and confounded for your ways, house of Israel.


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 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the day that I cleanse you from all your wickedness, I will cause the cities to be inhabited and the waste places shall be built.


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 The land that was desolate shall be cultivated whereas it was a desolation in the sight of all who passed by.


text:
 They shall say, This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined cities are fortified and inhabited.


text:
 Then the nations that are left around you shall know that I, Yahweh, have built the ruined places and planted that which was desolate. I, Yahweh, have spoken it, and I will do it.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: For this also will I be inquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them. I will increase them with men like a flock.


text:
 As the flock for sacrifice, as the flock of Jerusalem in her appointed feasts, so shall the wasted cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 The hand of Yahweh was on me and He brought me out in the Spirit of Yahweh, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.


text:
 He caused me to pass by them all around: and, there were very many in the open valley; and, they were very dry.


text:
 Again He said to me, Prophesy over these bones, and tell them, you dry bones, hear the word of Yahweh.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh to these bones: I will cause spirit to enter into you, and you shall live.


text:
 I will lay sinews on you, and will bring up flesh on you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 So I prophesied as I was commanded. As I prophesied, there was a noise, and an earthquake; and the bones came together, bone to its bone.


text:
 I saw, and, there were sinews on them, and flesh came up, and skin covered them above; but there was no breath in them.


text:
 Then He said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and tell the wind, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Come from the four winds, breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.


text:
 So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up on their feet, an exceedingly great army.


text:
 Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are totally cut off.


text:
 Therefore prophesy and tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, My people; and I will bring you into the land of Israel.


text:
 You shall know that I am Yahweh, when I have opened your graves, My people, and caused you to come up out of your graves.


text:
 I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land; and you shall know that I, Yahweh, have spoken it and performed it, says Yahweh. 


text:
 You, son of man, take one stick and write on it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions. Then take another stick and write on it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel his companions.


text:
 When the children of your people shall speak to you saying, Will you not show us what you mean by these?


text:
 tell them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his companions; and I will put them with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.


text:
 Say to them, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the nations where they are gone, and will gather them on every side and bring them into their own land.


text:
 I will make them one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all; and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.


text:
 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions; but I will save them out of all their dwelling places in which they have sinned and will cleanse them. So shall they be My people, and I will be their God.


text:
 My servant David shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd. They shall also walk in My ordinances and observe My statutes and do them.


text:
 They shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they shall dwell therein, they and their children and their children's children, forever: and David My servant shall be their prince for ever.


text:
 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will place them and multiply them and will set My sanctuary in their midst forevermore.


text:
 The nations shall know that I am Yahweh who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary shall be in their midst forevermore.


text:
 Son of man, set your face toward Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him


text:
 and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal.


text:
 I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and will bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armour, a great company with buckler and shield, all of them handling swords;


text:
 Gomer, and all his hordes; the house of Togarmah in the uttermost parts of the north and all his hordes; even many peoples with you.


text:
 Be prepared, yes, prepare yourself, you, and all your companies who are assembled to you, and be a guard to them.


text:
 After many days you shall be visited. In the latter years you shall come into the land that is brought back from the sword, that is gathered out of many peoples, on the mountains of Israel, which have been a continual waste; but it is brought forth out of the peoples, and they shall dwell securely all of them.


text:
 You shall ascend, you shall come like a storm, you shall be like a cloud to cover the land, you, and all your hordes, and many peoples with you.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: It shall happen in that day, that thoughts shall come into your mind, and you shall devise an evil plan.


text:
 You shall say, I will go up to the land of unwalled villages; I will go to those who are at rest, who dwell securely, all of them dwelling without walls and having neither bars nor gates;


text:
 to take the spoil and to take the wealth; to turn your hand against the waste places that are now inhabited, and against the people who are gathered out of the nations, who have gotten livestock and goods, who dwell in the middle of the land.


text:
 Sheba, Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all her young lions, shall say to you: Have you come to take the spoil? Have you assembled your company to take the wealth? To carry away silver and gold, to take away livestock and goods, to take great spoil?


text:
 Therefore, son of man, prophesy and tell Gog, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In that day when My people Israel dwells securely, shall you not know it?


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 You shall come from your place out of the uttermost parts of the north, you, and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great company and a mighty army;


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 and you shall come up against My people Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. It shall happen in the latter days that I will bring you against My land, that the nations may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in you, Gog, before their eyes.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Are you he of whom I spoke in old time by My servants the prophets of Israel, who prophesied in those days for many years that I would bring you against them?


text:
 It shall happen in that day, when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh, that My wrath shall come up into My nostrils.


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 For in My anger and in the fire of My wrath have I spoken, Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel;


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 so that the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the animals of the field and all creeping things which creep on the earth, and all the men who are on the surface of the earth, shall shake at My presence. The mountains shall be thrown down, the steep places shall fall and every wall shall fall to the ground.


text:
 I will call to all My mountains for a sword against him, says the Lord Yahweh. Every man's sword shall be against his brother.


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 With pestilence and with blood will I enter into judgment with him; and I will rain on him and on his hordes and on the many peoples who are with him, an overflowing shower, and great hailstones, fire, and sulphur.


text:
 I will magnify Myself, and sanctify Myself, and I will make Myself known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


text:
 You, son of man, prophesy against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Behold, I am against you, Gog, chief prince of Meshech, and Tubal:


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 and I will turn you around, and will lead you on, and will cause you to come up from the uttermost parts of the north; and I will bring you on the mountains of Israel;


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 and I will strike your bow out of your left hand, and will cause your arrows to fall out of your right hand.


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 You shall fall on the mountains of Israel, you, and all your hordes, and the peoples who are with you. I will give you to the birds of prey of every sort, and to the animals of the field to be devoured.


text:
 I will send a fire on Magog, and on those who dwell confidently along the sea coasts; and they shall know that I am Yahweh.


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 My holy name will I make known in the midst of My people Israel; neither will I allow My holy name to be profaned any more: and the nations shall know that I am Yahweh, the Holy One in Israel.


text:
 Behold, it has come, and it is done, says the Lord Yahweh; this is the day about which I have spoken.


text:
 Those who dwell in the cities of Israel shall go forth, and shall make fires of the weapons and burn them, both the shields and the bucklers, the bows and the arrows, and the war clubs, and the spears, and they shall make fires of them seven years.


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 They shall take no wood out of the field, neither cut down any out of the forests; for they shall make fires of the weapons; and they shall plunder those who plundered them, and rob those who robbed them, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 It shall happen in that day, that I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the valley of those who pass through on the east of the sea; and it shall stop those who pass through. There shall they bury Gog and all his multitude; and they shall call it The valley of Hamon Gog.


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 Yes, all the people of the land shall bury them; and it shall be to them for a renown in the day that I shall be glorified, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 After the seven months are over, men will be chosen to travel through the land in order to find and bury those bodies remaining on the ground, so that they can cleanse the land.


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 They shall go up and down the land; and when anyone sees a man's bone, then shall he set up a sign by it, until the undertakers have buried it in the valley of Hamon Gog.


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 You, son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh: Speak thus to the birds of prey, and to every animal of the field: Assemble yourselves, and come; gather yourselves on every side to My sacrifice that I do sacrifice for you, even a great sacrifice on the mountains of Israel, that you may eat flesh and drink blood.


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 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth, of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan.


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 You shall eat fat until you be full, and drink blood until you are drunk, of My sacrifice which I have sacrificed for you.


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 You shall be filled at My table with horses and chariots, with mighty men, and with all men of war, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 I will set My glory among the nations; and all the nations shall see My judgment that I have executed, and My hand that I have laid on them.


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 The nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity; because they trespassed against Me, and I hid My face from them: so I gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they fell all of them by the sword.


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 According to their uncleanness and according to their transgressions did I to them; and I hid My face from them.


text:
 Therefore thus says the Lord Yahweh: Now will I bring back the captivity of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for My holy name.


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 They shall bear their shame, and all their trespasses by which they have trespassed against Me, when they shall dwell securely in their land, and none shall make them afraid;


text:
 when I have brought them back from the peoples, and gathered them out of their enemies' lands, and am sanctified in them in the sight of many nations.


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 They shall know that I am Yahweh their God, in that I caused them to go into captivity among the nations, and have gathered them to their own land; and I will leave none of them any more there;


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 neither will I hide My face any more from them; for I have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, in the beginning of the year, in the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after that the city was struck, on that very day, the hand of Yahweh was on me and He brought me there.


text:
 In the visions of God brought He me into the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain, whereon was as it were the frame of a city on the south.


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 He brought me there; and, behold, there was a man whose appearance was like the appearance of brass, with a line of flax in his hand, and a measuring reed; and he stood in the gate.


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 The man said to me, Son of man, see with your eyes and hear with your ears, and set your heart on all that I shall show you; for you are brought here with the intent that I may show these things to you: declare all that you see to the people of Israel.


text:
 See, a wall on the outside of the house all around, and in the man's hand a measuring reed six cubits long, of a cubit and a handbreadth each: so he measured the thickness of the building, one reed; and the height, one reed.


text:
 Then he came to the gate which looks toward the east, and went up its steps: and he measured the threshold of the gate, one reed broad; and the other threshold, one reed broad.


text:
 Every lodge was one reed long, and one reed broad; and the space between the lodges was five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the porch of the gate toward the house was one reed.


text:
 Then measured he the porch of the gate, eight cubits; and its posts, two cubits; and the porch of the gate was toward the house.


text:
 The lodges of the gate eastward were three on this side and three on that side; these three were of the same measure: and the posts had the same measure on this side and on that side.


text:
 He measured the breadth of the opening of the gate, ten cubits; and the length of the gate, thirteen cubits;


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 and a border before the lodges of one cubit on this side, and a border of one cubit on that side; and the lodges, six cubits on this side, and six cubits on that side.


text:
 He measured the gate from the roof of the one lodge to the roof of the other, a breadth of twenty-five cubits; door against door.


text:
 From the forefront of the gate at the entrance to the forefront of the inner porch of the gate were fifty cubits.


text:
 There were closed windows to the lodges, and to their posts within the gate all around, and likewise to the arches; and windows were around inward; and on each post were palm trees. 


text:
 Then brought he me into the outer court; and behold, there were rooms and a pavement, made for the court all around: thirty rooms were on the pavement.


text:
 The pavement was by the side of the gates, answerable to the length of the gates, even the lower pavement.


text:
 Then he measured the breadth from the forefront of the lower gate to the forefront of the inner court outside, one hundred cubits, both on the east and on the north. 


text:
 The gate of the outer court whose prospect is toward the north, he measured its length and its breadth.


text:
 The lodges of it were three on this side and three on that side; and its posts and its arches were after the measure of the first gate: its length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.


text:
 The windows of it, and its arches, and the palm trees of it, were after the measure of the gate whose prospect is toward the east; and they went up to it by seven steps; and its arches were before them.


text:
 There was a gate to the inner court over against the other gate, both on the north and on the east; and he measured from gate to gate one hundred cubits. 


text:
 He led me toward the south; and behold, a gate toward the south: and he measured its posts and its arches according to these measures.


text:
 There were windows in it and in its arches all around, like those windows: the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.


text:
 There were seven steps to go up to it, and its arches were before them; and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, on its posts.


text:
 There was a gate to the inner court toward the south: and he measured from gate to gate toward the south a hundred cubits. 


text:
 Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate: and he measured the south gate according to these measures;


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 and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows in it and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad.


text:
 The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts: and the ascent to it had eight steps.


text:
 He brought me into the inner court toward the east: and he measured the gate according to these measures;


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 and its lodges, and its posts, and its arches, according to these measures: and there were windows therein and in its arches all around; it was fifty cubits long, and twenty-five cubits broad.


text:
 The arches of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps.


text:
 its lodges, its posts, and its arches: and there were windows therein all around; the length was fifty cubits, and the breadth twenty-five cubits.


text:
 The posts of it were toward the outer court; and palm trees were on its posts, on this side, and on that side: and the ascent to it had eight steps. 


text:
 In the porch of the gate were two tables on this side, and two tables on that side, to kill thereon the burnt offering and the sin offering and the trespass offering.


text:
 On the one side outside, as one goes up to the entry of the gate toward the north, were two tables; and on the other side, which belonged to the porch of the gate, were two tables.


text:
 Four tables were on this side, and four tables on that side, by the side of the gate; eight tables, whereupon they killed the sacrifices.


text:
 There were four tables for the burnt offering, of cut stone, a cubit and a half long, and a cubit and a half broad, and one cubit high; whereupon they laid the instruments with which they killed the burnt offering and the sacrifice.


text:
 The hooks, a handbreadth long, were fastened within all around: and on the tables was the flesh of the offering. The Priests' Rooms 


text:
 Outside of the inner gate were rooms for the singers in the inner court, which was at the side of the north gate; and their prospect was toward the south; one at the side of the east gate having the prospect toward the north.


text:
 He said to me, This room, whose prospect is toward the south, is for the priests, the keepers of the duty of the house;


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 and the room whose prospect is toward the north is for the priests, the keepers of the charge of the altar: these are the sons of Zadok, who from among the sons of Levi come near to Yahweh to minister to Him.


text:
 He measured the court, one hundred cubits long, and a hundred cubits broad, foursquare; and the altar was before the house. 


text:
 Then he brought me to the porch of the house, and measured each post of the porch, five cubits on this side, and five cubits on that side: and the breadth of the gate was three cubits on this side, and three cubits on that side.


text:
 The length of the porch was twenty cubits, and the breadth eleven cubits; even by the steps by which they went up to it: and there were pillars by the posts, one on this side, and another on that side.


text:
 He brought me to the temple and measured the doorposts, six cubits broad on the one side, and six cubits broad on the other side, which was the breadth of the structure.


text:
 The breadth of the entrance was ten cubits; and the sides of the entrance were five cubits on the one side, and five cubits on the other side: and he measured its length, forty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits.


text:
 Then he went inside and measured each post of the entrance, two cubits; and the entrance, six cubits; and the breadth of the entrance, seven cubits.


text:
 He measured its length, twenty cubits, and the breadth, twenty cubits, before the temple. He said to me, This is the most holy place.


text:
 Then he measured the wall of the house, six cubits; and the breadth of every side room, four cubits, all around the house on every side.


text:
 The side rooms were in three floors, one over another, and thirty on each floor. The outer wall on each floor was thinner than on the floor below, so that the rooms could rest on the wall without being anchored into it.


text:
 The walls of the house, when seen from the outside, seemed to have the same thickness all the way to the top. Against the house's outer wall, on the outside of the rooms, two wide stairways were built, so that it was possible to go from the lower story to the middle and the upper stories.


text:
 I saw also that the house had a raised base all around: the foundations of the side rooms were a full reed of six great cubits.


text:
 The thickness of the wall, which was for the side rooms, on the outside, was five cubits: and that which was left was the place of the side rooms that belonged to the house.


text:
 The doors of the side rooms were toward the place that was left, one door toward the north, and another door toward the south: and the breadth of the free space that was left was five cubits all around.


text:
 The building that was before the separate place at the side toward the west was seventy cubits broad; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all around, and its length ninety cubits.


text:
 So he measured the house, one hundred cubits long; and the separate place, and the building, with its walls, one hundred cubits long;


text:
 also the breadth of the face of the house, and of the separate place toward the east, one hundred cubits.


text:
 He measured the length of the building before the separate place which was at its back, and its galleries on the one side and on the other side, one hundred cubits; and the inner temple, and the porches of the court;


text:
 the thresholds, and the closed windows, and the galleries around on their three stories, over against the threshold, with wood ceilings all around, and from the ground up to the windows, (now the windows were covered),


text:
 to the space above the door, even to the inner house, and outside, and by all the wall all around inside and outside, by measure.


text:
 It was made with cherubim and palm trees; and a palm tree was between cherub and cherub, and each cherub had two faces;


text:
 so that there was the face of a man toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side. Thus was it made through all the house all around:


text:
 from the ground to above the door were cherubim and palm trees made: thus was the wall of the temple.


text:
 As for the temple, the door posts were squared; and as for the face of the sanctuary, the appearance of it was as the appearance of the temple.


text:
 The altar was of wood, three cubits high, and its length two cubits; and its corners, and its length, and its walls, were of wood: and he said to me, This is the table that is before Yahweh.


text:
 The doors had two leaves apiece, two turning leaves: two leaves for the one door, and two leaves for the other.


text:
 There were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubim and palm trees, like as were made on the walls; and there was a threshold of wood on the face of the porch outside.


text:
 There were closed windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch: thus were the side rooms of the house, and the thresholds.


text:
 More on the Priests' Rooms Then he brought me forth into the outer court, the way toward the north: and he brought me into the room that was opposite the separate place, and which was opposite the building toward the north.


text:
 The length of the building whose door faced north was a hundred cubits, and the breadth was fifty cubits.


text:
 Over against the twenty cubits which belonged to the inner court, and over against the pavement which belonged to the outer court, was gallery against gallery in the third story.


text:
 Before the rooms was a walk of ten cubits' breadth inward, a way of one cubit; and their doors were toward the north.


text:
 Now the upper rooms were shorter; for the galleries took away from these, more than from the lower and the middle, in the building.


text:
 For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the courts. Thus the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones.


text:
 The wall that was outside by the side of the rooms, toward the outer court before the rooms, its length was fifty cubits.


text:
 For the length of the rooms that were in the outer court was fifty cubits: and see, before the temple were one hundred cubits.


text:
 In the thickness of the wall of the court toward the east, before the separate place, and before the building, there were rooms.


text:
 The way before them was like the appearance of the way of the rooms which were toward the north; according to their length so was their breadth: and all their exits were both according to their fashions, and according to their doors.


text:
 According to the doors of the rooms that were toward the south was a door at the head of the way, even the way directly before the wall toward the east, as one enters into them.


text:
 Then he said to me, The north rooms and the south rooms, which are before the separate place, they are the holy rooms, where the priests who are near to Yahweh shall eat the most holy things: there shall they lay the most holy things, and the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; for the place is holy.


text:
 When the priests enter in, then shall they not go out of the holy place into the outer court, but there they shall lay their garments in which they minister; for they are holy: and they shall put on other garments, and shall approach to those things which are for the people.


text:
 Now when he had made an end of measuring the inner house, he brought me forth by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east, and measured it all around.


text:
 He measured on the east side with the measuring reed five hundred reeds, with the measuring reed all around.


text:
 He measured it on the four sides: it had a wall around it, the length five hundred, and the breadth five hundred, to make a separation between that which was holy and that which was common.


text:
 Behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the east: and His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shined with His glory.


text:
 It was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw when I came to destroy the city; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face.


text:
 The Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of Yahweh filled the house.


text:
 He said to me, Son of man, this is the place of My throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever. The house of Israel shall no more defile My holy name, neither they, nor their kings, by their prostitution, and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high places;


text:
 in their setting of their threshold by My threshold, and their doorpost beside My doorpost, and there was but the wall between Me and them; and they have defiled My holy name by their abominations which they have committed: therefore I have consumed them in My anger.


text:
 Now let them put away their prostitution, and the dead bodies of their kings, far from Me; and I will dwell in their midst forever.


text:
 You, son of man, show the house to the people of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern.


text:
 If they be ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the form of the house, and its fashion, and its exits, and its entrances, and all its forms, and all its ordinances, and all its forms, and all its laws; and write it in their sight; that they may keep the whole form of it, and all its ordinances, and do them.


text:
 This is the law of the house: on the top of the mountain the whole limit around it shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. 


text:
 These are the measures of the altar by cubits (the cubit is a cubit and a handbreadth): the bottom shall be a cubit, and the breadth a cubit, and its border around its edge a span; and this shall be the base of the altar.


text:
 From the bottom on the ground to the lower ledge shall be two cubits, and the breadth one cubit; and from the lesser ledge to the greater ledge shall be four cubits, and the breadth a cubit.


text:
 The upper altar shall be four cubits; and from the altar hearth and upward there shall be four horns.


text:
 The ledge shall be fourteen cubits long by fourteen broad in the four sides of it; and the border about it shall be half a cubit; and its bottom shall be a cubit around; and its steps shall look toward the east.


text:
 He said to me, Son of man, thus says the Lord Yahweh: These are the ordinances of the altar in the day when they shall make it, to offer burnt offerings thereon, and to sprinkle blood thereon.


text:
 You shall give to the priests the Levites who are of the seed of Zadok, who are near to Me, to minister to Me, says the Lord Yahweh, a young bull for a sin offering.


text:
 You shall take of its blood, and put it on the four horns of it, and on the four corners of the ledge, and on the border all around: thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it.


text:
 You shall also take the bull of the sin offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place of the house, outside of the sanctuary.


text:
 On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin offering; and they shall cleanse the altar, as they cleansed it with the bull.


text:
 When you have finished cleansing it, you shall offer a young bull without blemish, and a ram out of the flock without blemish.


text:
 You shall bring them near to Yahweh, and the priests shall cast salt on them, and they shall offer them up for a burnt offering to Yahweh.


text:
 Seven days you shall prepare every day a goat for a sin offering: they shall also prepare a young bull, and a ram out of the flock, without blemish.


text:
 When they have accomplished the days, it shall be that on the eighth day, and onwards, the priests shall make your burnt offerings on the altar and your peace offerings; and I will accept you, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Then he brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which looks toward the east; and it was shut.


text:
 Yahweh said to me, This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, neither shall any man enter in by it; for Yahweh, the God of Israel, has entered in by it; therefore it shall be shut.


text:
 As for the prince, he shall sit therein as prince to eat bread before Yahweh; he shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate, and shall go out by the way of the same.


text:
 Then he brought me by the way of the north gate before the house; and I looked, and behold, the glory of Yahweh filled the house of Yahweh: and I fell on my face.


text:
 Yahweh said to me, Son of man, mark well, and see with your eyes, and hear with your ears all that I tell you concerning all the ordinances of the house of Yahweh, and all its laws; and mark well the entrance of the house, with every exit of the sanctuary.


text:
 You shall tell the rebellious house of Israel, Thus says the Lord Yahweh: you house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,


text:
 in that you have brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to profane it, even My house, when you offer My bread, the fat and the blood; and they have broken My covenant, to add to all your abominations.


text:
 You have not performed the duty of My holy things; but you have set performers of My duty in My sanctuary for yourselves.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh, No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter into My sanctuary, of any foreigners who are among the people of Israel.


text:
 But the Levites who went far from Me, when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, they shall bear their iniquity.


text:
 Yet now they are to be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house, and ministering in the house: they shall kill the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them.


text:
 Because they ministered to them before their idols, and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel; therefore have I lifted up My hand against them, says the Lord Yahweh, and they shall bear their iniquity.


text:
 They shall not come near to Me, to execute the office of priest to Me, nor to come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they shall bear their shame, and their abominations which they have committed.


text:
 Yet will I make them performers of the duty of the house, for all its service, and for all that shall be done therein.


text:
 But the priests the Levites, the sons of Zadok, who performed the duty of My sanctuary when the children of Israel went astray from Me, they shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer to Me the fat and the blood, says the Lord Yahweh:


text:
 they shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table, to minister to Me, and they shall keep My instructions.


text:
 It shall be that when they enter in at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and no wool shall come on them, while they minister in the gates of the inner court, and within.


text:
 They shall have linen headware on their heads, and shall have linen breeches on their waists; they shall not clothe themselves with anything that causes sweat.


text:
 When they go forth into the outer court, even into the outer court to the people, they shall put off their garments in which they minister, and lay them in the holy rooms; and they shall put on other garments, that they not sanctify the people with unclean garments.


text:
 Neither shall they shave their heads, nor allow their locks to grow long; they shall only cut off the hair of their heads.


text:
 Neither shall they take for their wives a widow, nor her who is divorced; but they shall take virgins of the seed of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest.


text:
 They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.


text:
 In a controversy they shall stand to judge; according to My ordinances shall they judge it: and they shall keep My laws and My statutes in all My appointed feasts; and they shall make My Sabbaths holy.


text:
 They shall not go near a dead person to defile themselves; but for father, or for mother, or for son, or for daughter, for brother, or for sister who has had no husband, they may defile themselves.


text:
 In the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 They shall have an inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession.


text:
 They shall eat the meal offering, and the sin offering, and the trespass offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs.


text:
 The first of all the first fruits of every thing, and every offering of everything, of all your offerings, shall be for the priest: you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, to cause a blessing to rest on your house.


text:
 The priests shall not eat of anything that dies of itself, or is torn, whether it be bird or animal.


text:
 Moreover, when you shall divide by lot the land for inheritance, you shall offer an offering to Yahweh, a holy portion of the land; the length shall be the length of twenty-five thousand reeds, and the breadth shall be ten thousand: it shall be holy in all its border all around.


text:
 Of this there shall be for the holy place five hundred in length by five hundred in breadth, square all around; and fifty cubits for its suburbs all around.


text:
 Of this measure you shall measure a length of twenty-five thousand, and a breadth of ten thousand: and in it shall be the sanctuary, which is most holy.


text:
 It is a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, the ministers of the sanctuary, who come near to minister to Yahweh; and it shall be a place for their houses, and a holy place for the sanctuary.


text:
 Twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth, shall be to the Levites, the ministers of the house, for a possession to themselves, as places to live in.


text:
 You shall appoint the possession of the city five thousand broad, and twenty-five thousand long, side by side with the offering of the holy portion: it shall be for the whole house of Israel.


text:
 Whatever is for the prince shall be on the one side and on the other side of the holy offering and of the possession of the city, in front of the holy offering and in front of the possession of the city, on the west side westward, and on the east side eastward; and in length answerable to one of the portions, from the west border to the east border.


text:
 In the land it shall be to him for a possession in Israel: and My princes shall no more oppress My people; but they shall give the land to the house of Israel according to their tribes.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: Let it suffice you, princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute justice and righteousness instead of dispossessing My people, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 The ephah and the bath shall be of one measure, that the bath may contain the tenth part of a homer, and the ephah the tenth part of a homer: its measure shall be after the homer.


text:
 The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels plus twenty-five shekels plus fifteen shekels shall be your mina. 


text:
 This is the offering that you shall offer: the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of wheat; and you shall give the sixth part of an ephah from a homer of barley;


text:
 and the set portion of oil, of the bath of oil, the tenth part of a bath out of the cor, which is ten baths, even a homer (for ten baths are a homer);


text:
 and one lamb of the flock, out of two hundred, from the well-watered pastures of Israel--for a meal offering, and for a burnt offering, and for peace offerings, to make atonement for them, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 It shall be the prince's part to give the burnt offerings, and the meal offerings, and the drink offerings, in the feasts, and on the new moons, and on the Sabbaths, in all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel: he shall prepare the sin offering and the meal offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings, to make atonement for the house of Israel.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: In the first month, in the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish; and you shall cleanse the sanctuary.


text:
 The priest shall take of the blood of the sin offering, and put it on the door posts of the house and on the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and on the posts of the gate of the inner court.


text:
 So you shall do on the seventh day of the month for everyone who errs, and for him who is ignorant: so you shall make atonement for the house.


text:
 In the first month, in the fourteenth day of the month, you shall have the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.


text:
 On that day shall the prince prepare for himself and for all the people of the land a bull for a sin offering.


text:
 The seven days of the feast he shall prepare a burnt offering to Yahweh, seven bulls and seven rams without blemish daily the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin offering.


text:
 He shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for a bull, and an ephah for a ram, and a hin of oil to an ephah.


text:
 In the seventh month, in the fifteenth day of the month, in the feast, shall he do the like the seven days; according to the sin offering, according to the burnt offering, and according to the meal offering, and according to the oil.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: The gate of the inner court that looks toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened, and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.


text:
 The prince shall enter by the way of the porch of the gate outside, and shall stand by the post of the gate; and the priests shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, and he shall worship at the threshold of the gate: then he shall go forth; but the gate shall not be shut until the evening.


text:
 The people of the land shall worship at the door of that gate before Yahweh on the Sabbaths and on the new moons.


text:
 The burnt offering that the prince shall offer to Yahweh shall be on the Sabbath day six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish;


text:
 and the meal offering shall be an ephah for the ram, and the meal offering for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.


text:
 On the day of the new moon it shall be a young bull without blemish, and six lambs, and a ram; they shall be without blemish:


text:
 and he shall prepare a meal offering, an ephah for the bull, and an ephah for the ram, and for the lambs according as he is able, and a hin of oil to an ephah.


text:
 When the prince shall enter, he shall go in by the way of the porch of the gate, and he shall go out by its way.


text:
 But when the people of the land shall come before Yahweh in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go out straight before him.


text:
 In the feasts and in the solemnities the meal offering shall be an ephah for a bull and an ephah for a ram, and for the lambs as he is able to give, and a hin of oil to an ephah.


text:
 When the prince shall prepare a freewill offering, a burnt offering or peace offerings as a freewill offering to Yahweh, one shall open for him the gate that looks toward the east; and he shall prepare his burnt offering and his peace offerings, as he does on the Sabbath day: then he shall go out; and after his going forth one shall shut the gate.


text:
 You shall prepare a lamb a year old without blemish for a burnt offering to Yahweh daily: morning by morning you shall prepare it.


text:
 You shall prepare a meal offering with it morning by morning, the sixth part of an ephah, and the third part of a hin of oil, to moisten the fine flour; a meal offering to Yahweh continually by a perpetual ordinance.


text:
 Thus shall they prepare the lamb, and the meal offering, and the oil, morning by morning, for a continual burnt offering.


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: If the prince give a gift to any of his sons, it is his inheritance, it shall belong to his sons; it is their possession by inheritance.


text:
 But if he gives of his inheritance as a gift to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall return to the prince; but as for his inheritance, it shall be for his sons.


text:
 Moreover the prince shall not take of the people's inheritance by thrusting them out of their possession; he shall give an inheritance to his sons out of his own possession, that My people not be scattered every man from his possession.


text:
 Then he brought me through the entry, which was at the side of the gate, into the holy rooms for the priests, which looked toward the north: and behold, there was a place on the hinder part westward.


text:
 He said to me, This is the place where the priests shall boil the trespass offering and the sin offering, and where they shall bake the meal offering; so that they do not bring them into the outer court, to sanctify the people.


text:
 Then he brought me into the outer court, and caused me to pass by the four corners of the court; and behold, in every corner of the court there was another court.


text:
 In the four corners of the court there were enclosed courts, forty cubits long and thirty broad: these four in the corners were of one measure.


text:
 There was a wall around in them, around the four, and boiling places were made under the walls all around.


text:
 Then he said to me, These are the boiling houses, where the ministers of the house shall boil the sacrifices of the people.


text:
 The River He brought me back to the door of the house; and see, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward (for the front of the house was toward the east); and the waters came down from under the right side of the house, on the south of the altar.


text:
 Then he brought me out by the way of the north gate, and led me round by the way outside to the outer gate, to the gate that looks toward the east; and, there ran out waters on the right side.


text:
 When the man went forth eastward with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the ankles.


text:
 Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the knees. Again he measured one thousand, and caused me to pass through the waters, waters that were to the waist.


text:
 Afterward he measured one thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass through; for the waters were risen, waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed through.


text:
 He said to me, Son of man, have you seen this? Then he brought me and caused me to return to the bank of the river.


text:
 Now when I had returned, see, on the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.


text:
 Then he said to me, These waters issue forth toward the eastern region, and shall go down into the Salt Sea Arabah; and the waters of the sea shall be healed.


text:
 It shall happen, that every living creature which swarms, in every place where the rivers come, shall live; and there shall be a very great multitude of fish; for these waters have come there, and the waters of the sea shall be healed, and everything shall live wherever the river comes.


text:
 It shall happen, that fishermen shall stand by it: from En Gedi even to En Eglaim shall be a place for the spreading of nets; their fish shall be after their species, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.


text:
 By the river on its banks, on this side and on that side, shall grow every tree for food whose leaf shall not wither, neither shall its fruit fail: it shall bear new fruit every month, because its waters issue out of the sanctuary; and its fruit shall be for food, and its leaf for healing. 


text:
 Thus says the Lord Yahweh: This shall be the border, by which you shall divide the land for inheritance according to the twelve tribes of Israel: Joseph shall have two portions.


text:
 You shall inherit it, one as well as another; for I swore to give it to your fathers: and this land shall fall to you for inheritance.


text:
 This shall be the border of the land: On the north side, from the great sea, by the road to Hethlon, to the entrance of Zedad;


text:
 Hamath, Berothah, Sibraim, which is between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath; Hazer Hatticon, which is by the border of Hauran.


text:
 The border from the sea, shall be from the sea to Hazar Enon at the border of Damascus; and on the north northward is the border of Hamath. This is the north side.


text:
 The east side, between Hauran and Damascus and Gilead, and the land of Israel, shall be the Jordan; from the north border to the east sea you shall measure. This is the east side.


text:
 The south side southward shall be from Tamar as far as the waters of Meriboth Kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the great sea. This is the south side southward.


text:
 The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as over against the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.


text:
 It shall happen, that you shall divide it by lot for an inheritance to you and to the aliens who live among you, who shall father children among you; and they shall be to you as the native-born among the children of Israel; they shall have inheritance with you among the tribes of Israel.


text:
 It shall happen, that in what tribe the foreigner lives, there you shall give him his inheritance, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 Now these are the names of the tribes: From the north end, beside the way of Hethlon to the entrance of Hamath, Hazar Enan at the border of Damascus, northward beside Hamath, (and they shall have their sides east and west), Dan, one portion.


text:
 By the border of Judah, from the east side to the west side, shall be the district which you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in breadth, and in length as one of the portions, from the east side to the west side: and the sanctuary shall be in its midst.


text:
 The district that you shall offer to Yahweh shall be twenty-five thousand in length, and ten thousand in breadth.


text:
 This holy district shall be for the priests: toward the north twenty-five thousand in length, and toward the west ten thousand in breadth, and toward the east ten thousand in breadth, and toward the south twenty-five thousand in length: and the sanctuary of Yahweh shall be in its midst.


text:
 It shall be for the priests who are sanctified of the sons of Zadok, who have kept My instruction, who didn't go astray when the children of Israel went astray, as the Levites went astray.


text:
 It shall be to them an offering from the offering of the land, a thing most holy, by the border of the Levites.


text:
 Opposite the border of the priests, the Levites shall have an area twenty-five thousand cubits in length, and ten thousand in breadth: the entire length shall be twenty-five thousand, and the breadth ten thousand.


text:
 They shall sell none of it, nor exchange it, nor shall the first fruits of the land be separated; for it is holy to Yahweh.


text:
 The five thousand that are left in the breadth, in front of the twenty-five thousand, shall be for common use, for the city, for dwellings and for suburbs; and the city shall be in its midst.


text:
 These shall be its measures: the north side four thousand five hundred, and the south side four thousand five hundred, and on the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred.


text:
 The city shall have suburbs: toward the north two hundred and fifty, and toward the south two hundred and fifty, and toward the east two hundred and fifty, and toward the west two hundred and fifty.


text:
 The remainder in the length, alongside the holy district, shall be ten thousand eastward, and ten thousand westward; and it shall be adjacent to the holy district; and its increase shall be for food to those who labour in the city.


text:
 The entire district shall be twenty-five thousand by twenty-five thousand: you shall offer the holy district foursquare, with the possession of the city.


text:
 The residue shall be for the prince, on the one side and on the other of the holy offering and of the possession of the city; in front of the twenty-five thousand of the offering toward the east border, and westward in front of the twenty-five thousand toward the west border, answerable to the portions, it shall be for the prince: and the holy offering and the sanctuary of the house shall be in its midst.


text:
 Moreover from the possession of the Levites, and from the possession of the city, being in the midst of that which is the prince's, between the border of Judah and the border of Benjamin, it shall be for the prince.


text:
 By the border of Gad, at the south side southward, the border shall be even from Tamar to the waters of Meribath Kadesh, to the brook of Egypt, to the great sea.


text:
 This is the land which you shall divide by lot to the tribes of Israel for inheritance, and these are their individual portions, says the Lord Yahweh.


text:
 and the gates of the city shall be after the names of the tribes of Israel, three gates northward: the gate of Reuben, one; the gate of Judah, one; the gate of Levi, one.


text:
 At the east side four thousand five hundred reeds, and three gates: even the gate of Joseph, one; the gate of Benjamin, one; the gate of Dan, one.


text:
 At the south side four thousand five hundred reeds by measure, and three gates: the gate of Simeon, one; the gate of Issachar, one; the gate of Zebulun, one.


text:
 At the west side four thousand five hundred reeds, with their three gates: the gate of Gad, one; the gate of Asher, one; the gate of Naphtali, one.


text:
 It shall be eighteen thousand reeds around: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahweh is there.


text:
 Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of Yahweh by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, Yahweh stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, so that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying,


text:
 Thus says Cyrus king of Persia, "Yahweh, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and He has commanded me to build Him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah.


text:
 Whoever there is among you of all His people, may his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of Yahweh, the God of Israel (He is God), which is in Jerusalem.


text:
 Whoever is left, in any place where he lives, let the men of his place help him with silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, besides the freewill offering for God's house which is in Jerusalem'. 


text:
 Then the heads of fathers' households of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests, and the Levites, even all whose spirit God had stirred to go up, rose up to build the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem.


text:
 All those who were around them strengthened their hands with vessels of silver, with gold, with goods, and with animals, and with precious things, besides all that was willingly offered.


text:
 Also Cyrus the king brought forth the vessels of the house of Yahweh, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out of Jerusalem, and had put in the house of his gods;


text:
 even those, Cyrus king of Persia brought out by the hand of Mithredath the treasurer, and numbered them to Sheshbazzar, the prince of Judah.


text:
 This is the number of them: thirty platters of gold, one thousand platters of silver, twenty-nine knives,


text:
 thirty bowls of gold, silver bowls of a second sort four hundred and ten, and other vessels one thousand.


text:
 All the vessels of gold and of silver were five thousand four hundred. Sheshbazzar brought all these up, when the captives were brought up from Babylon to Jerusalem.


text:
 Now these are the children of the province, who went up out of the captivity of those who had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away to Babylon, and who returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each one to his city;


text:
 who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, Baanah. The number of the men of the people of Israel:


text:
 The children of Pahathmoab, of the children of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve.


text:
 The children of the porters: the children of Shallum, the children of Ater, the children of Talmon, the children of Akkub, the children of Hatita, the children of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine.


text:
 The children of Solomon's servants: the children of Sotai, the children of Hassophereth, the children of Peruda,


text:
 the children of Shephatiah, the children of Hattil, the children of Pochereth Hazzebaim, the children of Ami.


text:
 These were those who went up from Tel Melah, Tel Harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer; but they could not show their fathers' houses, and their genealogy, whether they were of Israel:


text:
 the children of Delaiah, the children of Tobiah, the children of Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two.


text:
 Of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Hakkoz, the children of Barzillai, who took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name.


text:
 These sought their place among those who were registered by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they deemed polluted and put from the priesthood.


text:
 The governor told them that they should not eat of the most holy things, until there stood up a priest with Urim and Thummim.


text:
 besides their male servants and their female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven: and they had two hundred singing men and singing women.


text:
 Some of the heads of fathers' households, when they came to the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for God's house to set it up in its place:


text:
 they gave after their ability into the treasury of the work sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver and one hundred priests' garments.


text:
 So the priests, and the Levites, and some of the people, and the singers, and the porters, and the Nethinim, lived in their cities, and all Israel in their cities.


text:
 When the seventh month had come and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.


text:
 Then Jeshua the son of Jozadak stood up with his brothers the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel and his brothers, and built the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.


text:
 In spite of their fear because of the peoples of the surrounding lands, they set the altar on its base; and they offered burnt offerings on it to Yahweh, even burnt offerings morning and evening.


text:
 They kept the feast of tents, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the ordinance, as the duty of every day required;


text:
 and afterwards the continual burnt offering, the offerings of the new moons, of all the set feasts of Yahweh that were consecrated, and of each one who willingly offered a freewill offering to Yahweh.


text:
 From the first day of the seventh month, they began to offer burnt offerings to Yahweh; but the foundation of Yahweh's temple was not yet laid.


text:
 They also gave money to the masons, and to the carpenters. They also gave food, drink and oil to the people of Sidon and Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from Cyrus King of Persia. 


text:
 Now in the second year of their coming to God's house at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and the rest of their brothers the priests and the Levites, and all those who had come out of the captivity to Jerusalem, began the work and appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upward, to have the oversight of the work of Yahweh's house.


text:
 Then Jeshua stood with his sons and his brothers, Kadmiel and his sons, the sons of Judah, together, having the oversight of the workmen in God's house: the sons of Henadad, with their sons and their brothers the Levites.


text:
 When the builders laid the foundation of Yahweh's temple, they set the priests in their clothing with trumpets, with the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals, to praise Yahweh, according to the directions of David king of Israel.


text:
 They sang to one another in praising and giving thanks to Yahweh: For He is good, for His grace endures forever toward Israel. All the people shouted with a great shout when they praised Yahweh, because the foundation of the house of Yahweh had been laid. 


text:
 But many of the priests and Levites and heads of fathers' households, the old men who had seen the first house, when the foundation of this house was laid before their eyes, wept with a loud voice. Many also shouted aloud for joy,


text:
 so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.


text:
 Now when the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the children of the captivity were building a temple to Yahweh, the God of Israel;


text:
 then they drew near to Zerubbabel, and to the heads of fathers' households and said to them, Let us build with you; for we seek your God, as you do; and we sacrifice to Him since the days of Esar Haddon king of Assyria, who brought us up here.


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 But Zerubbabel, and Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of fathers' households of Israel, said to them, You have nothing in common with us in building a house to our God; but we ourselves together will build to Yahweh, the God of Israel, as king Cyrus the king of Persia has commanded us.


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 Then the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,


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 and hired counsellors against them to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia. 


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 In the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.


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 In the days of Artaxerxes wrote Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel and the rest of his companions, to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Syrian, and set forth in the Syrian language.


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 Rehum the chancellor and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king in this way:


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 then Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions, the Dinaites, and the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Shushanchites, the Dehaites, the Elamites,


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 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar brought over, and set in the city of Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River, and so forth, wrote.


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 This is the copy of the letter that they sent to Artaxerxes the king: Your servants the men beyond the River, and so forth.


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 Be it known to the king, that the Jews who came up from you have come to us to Jerusalem; they are building the rebellious and the bad city, and have finished the walls, and repaired the foundations.


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 Be it known now to the king that if this city is built, and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and in the end it will be hurtful to the kings.


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 Now because we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's dishonour, therefore have we sent and informed the king;


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 that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers: so you shall find in the book of the records, and know that this city is a rebellious city, and hurtful to kings and provinces, and that they have made rebellion within the same city from old time; for which cause this city was laid waste.


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 We inform the king that if this city be built and the walls finished, because of this you shall have no portion beyond the River. 


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 Then the king sent an answer to Rehum the chancellor, and to Shimshai the scribe, and to the rest of their companions who dwell in Samaria, and in the rest of the country beyond the River: Peace, and so forth.


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 I decreed, and search has been made, and it is found that this city of old time has made insurrection against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it.


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 There have been mighty kings also over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all the country beyond the River; and tribute, custom, and toll, was paid to them.


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 Make a decree now to cause these men to cease, and that this city not be built, until a decree shall be made by me.


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 Then when the copy of king Artaxerxes' letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their companions, they went in haste to Jerusalem to the Jews, and made them to cease by force and power.


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 Then ceased the work of God's house which is at Jerusalem; and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia.


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 Now the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem; in the name of the God of Israel they prophesied to them.


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 Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build God's house which is at Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.


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 At the same time came to them Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and their companions, and said thus to them, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?


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 But the eye of their God was on the elders of the Jews, and they did not make them cease, until the matter should come to Darius, and then answer should be returned by letter concerning it.


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 This is the copy of the letter that Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, and Shetharbozenai, and his companions the Apharsachites, who were beyond the River, sent to Darius the king. 


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 Be it known to the king, that we went into the province of Judah, to the house of the great God, which is built with great stones, and timber is laid in the walls; and this work goes on with diligence and prospers in their hands.


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 Then we asked those elders, and said to them thus, Who gave you a decree to build this house, and to finish this wall?


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 We asked them their names also, to inform you that we might write the names of the men who were at their head.


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 Thus they returned us answer saying, We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and are building the house that was built these many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished.


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 But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven to wrath, He gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.


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 But in the first year of Cyrus king of Babylon, Cyrus the king made a decree to build this house of God.


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 The gold and silver vessels also of God's house, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem, and brought into the temple of Babylon, those Cyrus the king took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one whose name was Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor;


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 and he said to him, "Take these vessels, go, put them in the temple that is in Jerusalem, and let God's house be built in its place'.


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 Then the same Sheshbazzar came, and laid the foundations of God's house which is in Jerusalem: and since that time even until now has it been in building, and yet it is not completed.


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 Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let a search be made in the king's treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.


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 The Search for Cyrus' Decree Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made in the house of the archives, where the treasures were laid up in Babylon.


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 There was found at Achmetha, in the palace that is in the province of Media, a scroll, and therein was thus written for a record:


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 In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning God's house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid; its height sixty cubits, and its breadth sixty cubits;


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 with three courses of great stones, and a course of new timber: and let the expenses be given out of the king's house.


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 Also let the gold and silver vessels of God's house, which Nebuchadnezzar took forth out of the temple which is at Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored, and brought again to the temple which is at Jerusalem, each one to its place; and you shall put them in God's house. A New Decree for the Work to Continue 


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 Now therefore, Tattenai, governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the River, you must not hinder this matter.


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 Leave the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in its place.


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 Moreover I make a decree what you shall do to these elders of the Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, even of the tribute beyond the River, expenses be given with all diligence to these men, that they be not hindered.


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 That which they have need of, both young bulls, and rams, and lambs, for burnt offerings to the God of heaven; also wheat, salt, wine, and oil, according to the word of the priests who are at Jerusalem, let it be given them day by day without fail;


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 that they may offer sacrifices of pleasant aroma to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons.


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 Also I have made a decree, that whoever shall alter this word, let a beam be pulled out from his house, and let him be lifted up and fastened thereon; and let his house be made a dunghill for this:


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 and the God who has caused His name to dwell there overthrow all kings and peoples who shall put forth their hand to alter the same, to destroy this house of God which is at Jerusalem. I Darius have made a decree; let it be done with all diligence.


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 Then Tattenai, the governor beyond the River, Shetharbozenai, and their companions, because Darius the king had sent a decree, did accordingly with all diligence.


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 The elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. They built and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the decree of Cyrus, and Darius, and Artaxerxes king of Persia.


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 This house was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king. 


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 The children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy.


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 They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs; and for a sin offering for all Israel, twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel.


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 They set the priests in their divisions, and the Levites in their courses, for the service of God, which is at Jerusalem; as it is written in the book of Moses.


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 For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure: and they killed the Passover for all the children of the captivity, and for their brothers the priests, and for themselves.


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 The children of Israel who had come again out of the captivity, and all such as had separated themselves to them from the filthiness of the nations of the land, to seek Yahweh, the God of Israel, ate,


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 and kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with joy: for Yahweh had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, to strengthen their hands in the work of God's house, the God of Israel.


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 Now after these things, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia, Ezra the son of Seraiah, the son of Azariah, the son of Hilkiah,


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 this Ezra went up from Babylon: and he was a willing scribe in the law of Moses, which Yahweh, the God of Israel, had given; and the king granted him all his request, according to the hand of Yahweh his God on him.


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 There went up some of the children of Israel, and of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the porters and the Nethinim, to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king.


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 For on the first day of the first month began he to go up from Babylon; and on the first day of the fifth month came he to Jerusalem, according to the good hand of his God on him.


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 For Ezra had set his heart to seek the law of Yahweh, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and ordinances. 


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 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave to Ezra the priest, the scribe, even the scribe of the words of the commandments of Yahweh, and of His statutes to Israel:


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 Artaxerxes, king of kings, to Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, perfect peace and so forth.


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 I make a decree, that all those of the people of Israel, and their priests and the Levites, in my realm, who are minded of their own free will to go to Jerusalem, go with you.


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 Because you are sent of the king and his seven counsellors, to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the law of your God which is in your hand,


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 and to carry the silver and gold, which the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel whose habitation is in Jerusalem,


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 and all the silver and gold that you shall find in all the province of Babylon, with the freewill offering of the people, and of the priests, offering willingly for the house of their God which is in Jerusalem;


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 therefore you shall with all diligence buy with this money bulls, rams, lambs, with their meal offerings and their drink offerings, and shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem.


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 Whatever shall seem good to you and to your brothers to do with the rest of the silver and the gold, do that after the will of your God.


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 The vessels that are given to you for the service of the house of your God, deliver before the God of Jerusalem.


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 Whatever more shall be needful for the house of your God, which you shall have occasion to grant, grant it out of the king's treasure house.


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 I, even I Artaxerxes the king, do make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, shall require of you, it be done with all diligence,


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 to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred measures of wheat, one hundred baths of wine, one hundred baths of oil, and salt without prescribing how much.


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 Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done exactly for the house of the God of heaven; for why should there be wrath against the realm of the king and his sons?


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 Also we inform you, that concerning any of the priests and Levites, the singers, porters, Nethinim, or servants of this house of God, it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on them.


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 You, Ezra, after the wisdom of your God which is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people who are beyond the River, all such as know the laws of your God; and teach him who doesn't know them.


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 Whoever will not do the law of your God, and the law of the king, let judgement be executed on him with all diligence, whether it be to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment. Ezra's Response 


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 Blessed be Yahweh, the God of our fathers, who has put such a thing as this in the king's heart, to beautify the house of Yahweh which is in Jerusalem;


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 and has extended grace to me before the king, his counsellors and before all the king's mighty princes. I was strengthened according to the hand of Yahweh my God upon me, and I gathered together out of Israel chief men to go up with me.


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 Now these are the heads of their fathers' households, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylon, in the reign of Artaxerxes the king:


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 Of the sons of Shecaniah, of the sons of Parosh, Zechariah; and with him were reckoned by genealogy of the males one hundred and fifty.


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 Of the sons of Adonikam, who were the last; and these are their names: Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah; and with them sixty males.


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 I gathered them together to the river that runs to Ahava; and there we encamped three days: and I viewed the people and the priests, and found there none of the sons of Levi.


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 Then sent I for Eliezer, for Ariel, for Shemaiah, and for Elnathan, and for Jarib, and for Elnathan, and for Nathan, and for Zechariah, and for Meshullam, chief men; also for Joiarib, and for Elnathan, who were teachers.


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 I sent them forth to Iddo the chief at the place Casiphia; and I told them what they should tell Iddo, and his brothers the Nethinim, at the place Casiphia, that they should bring to us ministers for the house of our God.


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 According to the good hand of our God on us they brought us a man of discretion, of the sons of Mahli, the son of Levi, the son of Israel; and Sherebiah, with his sons and his brothers, eighteen;


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 and of the Nethinim, whom David and the princes had given for the service of the Levites, two hundred and twenty Nethinim: all of them were mentioned by name. 


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 Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek of Him a straight way for us, and for our little ones, and for all our substance.


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 For I was ashamed to ask of the king a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the enemy in the way, because we had spoken to the king saying, The hand of our God is on all those who seek Him for good; but His power and His wrath is against all those who forsake Him.


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 Then I set apart twelve of the chiefs of the priests, even Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their brothers with them,


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 and weighed to them the silver, and the gold, and the vessels, even the offering for the house of our God, which the king, and his counsellors, and his princes, and all Israel there present, had offered:


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 I weighed into their hand six hundred fifty talents of silver, and silver vessels one hundred talents; of gold one hundred talents;


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 and twenty bowls of gold, of one thousand darics; and two vessels of fine bright brass, precious as gold.


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 I said to them, You are holy to Yahweh, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill offering to Yahweh, the God of your fathers.


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 Guard and keep them, until you weigh them before the chiefs of the priests and the Levites, and the princes of the fathers' households of Israel, at Jerusalem, in the rooms of the house of Yahweh.


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 So the priests and the Levites received the weight of the silver and the gold, and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem to the house of our God. 


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 Then we departed from the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem: and the hand of our God was on us, and He delivered us from the hand of the enemy and the bandit by the way.


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 On the fourth day the silver and the gold and the vessels were weighed in the house of our God into the hand of Meremoth the son of Uriah the priest; and with him was Eleazar the son of Phinehas; and with them was Jozabad the son of Jeshua, and Noadiah the son of Binnui, the Levite.


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 The children of the captivity, who had come out of exile, offered burnt offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs and twelve male goats for a sin offering: all this was a burnt offering to Yahweh.


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 They delivered the king's commissions to the king's satraps, and to the governors beyond the River: and they furthered the people and God's house.


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 Now when these things were done, the princes drew near to me saying, The people of Israel, and the priests and the Levites, have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands and are following their abominations, even those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites.


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 For they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy seed have mixed themselves with the peoples of the lands. Yes, the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this trespass. 


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 When I heard this thing, I tore my garment and my robe, and plucked off the hair of my head and of my beard, and sat down confounded.


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 Then were assembled to me all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression of those that had been carried away; and I sat confounded until the evening offering.


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 At the evening offering I arose up from my humiliation, even with my garment and my robe torn; and I fell on my knees, and spread out my hands to Yahweh my God;


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 and I said, My God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to You, my God; for our iniquities have increased over our head, and our guiltiness has grown up to the heavens.


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 Since the days of our fathers we have been exceeding guilty to this day; and for our iniquities we, our kings and our priests, have been delivered into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder and to confusion of face, as it is this day.


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 Now for a little moment grace has been shown from Yahweh our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a nail in His holy place, that our God may lighten our eyes, and give us a little reviving in our bondage.


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 For we are bondservants; yet our God has not forsaken us in our bondage, but has extended loving kindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.


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 which You have commanded by Your servants the prophets saying, "The land, to which you go to possess it, is an unclean land through the uncleanness of the peoples of the lands, through their abominations, which have filled it from one end to another with their filthiness.


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 Now therefore don't give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters to your sons, nor seek their peace or their prosperity forever; that you may be strong, and eat the good of the land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever'.


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 After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, since You, our God, has punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and has given us such a remnant,


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 shall we again break Your commandments, and join in affinity with the peoples that do these abominations? Wouldn't You be angry with us until You had consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor any to escape?


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 Yahweh, the God of Israel, You are righteous; for we are left a remnant that has escaped, as it is this day. Behold, we are before You in our guiltiness; for we cannot remain before You because of this.


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 Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God's house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.


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 Shecaniah the son of Jehiel, one of the sons of Elam, answered Ezra, We have trespassed against our God, and have married foreign women of the peoples of the land. Yet now there is hope for Israel concerning this thing.


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 Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them, according to the counsel of my lord, and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God. Let it be done according to the law.


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 Then Ezra arose, and made the chiefs of the priests, the Levites, and all Israel, to swear that they would do according to this word. So they swore.


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 Then Ezra rose up from before God's house, and went into the chamber of Jehohanan the son of Eliashib: and when he came there, he ate no bread, nor drank water; for he mourned because of the trespass of the captives.


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 They made proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the children of the captivity, that they should gather themselves together to Jerusalem;


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 and that whoever didn't come within three days, according to the counsel of the princes and the elders, all his substance should be forfeited, and himself separated from the assembly of the captives.


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 Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together to Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month: and all the people sat in the broad place before God's house, trembling because of this matter, and because of the great rain.


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 Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, You have trespassed, and have married foreign women, to increase the guilt of Israel.


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 Now therefore make confession to Yahweh, the God of your fathers, and do His will; and separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the foreign women.


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 But the people are many, and it is a time of much rain, and we are not able to stand outside; neither is this a work of one day or two; for we have greatly transgressed in this matter.


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 Let now our princes be appointed for all the assembly, and let all those who are in our cities who have married foreign women come at appointed times, and with them the elders of every city, and its judges, until the fierce wrath of our God be turned from us, until this matter is resolved.


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 Only Jonathan the son of Asahel and Jahzeiah the son of Tikvah stood up against this; and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite helped them.


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 The children of the captivity did so. Ezra the priest, with certain heads of fathers' households, after their fathers' houses, and all of them by their names, were set apart; and they sat down in the first day of the tenth month to examine the matter.


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 They made an end with all the men who had married foreign women by the first day of the first month. 


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 Among the sons of the priests there were found who had married foreign women: of the sons of Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and his brothers, Maaseiah, and Eliezer, and Jarib, and Gedaliah.


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 They gave their hand that they would put away their wives; and being guilty, they offered a ram of the flock for their guilt.


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 Of the Levites: Jozabad, and Shimei, and Kelaiah (the same is Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer.


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 Of Israel: Of the sons of Parosh: Ramiah, and Izziah, and Malchijah, and Mijamin, and Eleazar, and Malchijah, and Benaiah.


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 Of the sons of Pahathmoab: Adna, and Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, and Binnui, and Manasseh.


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 Paul, an apostle (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead),


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 who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us out of this present evil world, according to the will of our God and Father.


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 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you to the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel.


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 Not that there is another one; but there are some who trouble you, and want to distort the gospel of Christ.


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 But though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you any gospel other than that which we preached to you, let him be accursed.


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 As we have said before, so I now say again: If anyone preaches to you any gospel other than that which you received, let him be accursed.


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 For am I now seeking the favour of men or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still pleasing men, I should not be a servant of Christ. 


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 For, brothers, I make known to you, as regards the gospel which was preached by me, that it is not from man.


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 For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through direct revelation from Jesus Christ.


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 For you have heard of my manner of life in time past in the Jews' religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God and made havoc of it.


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 And I advanced in the Jews' religion beyond many of my own age among my fellow countrymen, being even more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.


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 But when it was the good pleasure of God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me through His grace,


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 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach him among the Gentiles- immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood,


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 nor did I go to Jerusalem to those that were apostles ahead of me; but I went away into Arabia, and returned to Damascus.


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 They only heard say: He that once persecuted us now preaches the faith of which he once made havoc!


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 Paul's Argument with Peter Then after the space of fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, also taking Titus with me.


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 And I went up there by revelation, and I laid before them the gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately before them who were of repute, lest by any means I should be running, or had run, in vain.


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 In view of the false brothers unknowingly brought in, who came in secretly to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into bondage,


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 we did not yield to them in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you.


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 But from those who were reputed to be somewhat (whatever they were, it makes no matter to me, God does not accept man's person) they, I say, who were of repute added nothing to me.


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 But on the contrary, when they saw that I had been entrusted with the gospel of the uncircumcision, even as Peter with the Gospel to the circumcision


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 (for he that worked through Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, worked through me also to the Gentiles);


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 and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, then James, Cephas and John, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcision.


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 For before that certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.


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 And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.


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 But when I saw that they did not walk straightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before all: If you, being a Jew, live as do the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why do you compel the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?


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 yet knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, even we believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. Because by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.


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 But if, while we seek to be made righteous in Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? God forbid!


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 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live but Christ living in me; and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.


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 I do not make void the grace of God. For if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing!


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 O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? It was before your own eyes that Jesus Christ was openly displayed as crucified.


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 Let me ask you only this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing works of the law, or by hearing with faith?


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 Does he that supplies to you the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?


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 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would make the Gentiles righteous by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, when it says: In you shall all the nations be blessed.


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 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do all things that are written in the book of the law.


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 Now it is evident that no one is justified by the law before God! For, The righteous shall live by faith.


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 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written: Cursed is everyone that hangs on a tree.


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 This was so that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. 


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 Brothers, I speak in human terms. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void, or adds thereto.


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 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He did not say: And to seeds, in the plural, but in the singular: And to your seed, who is Christ!


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 This is what I mean; the law which came years afterward, does not annul a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to make the promise of no effect.


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 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise! But God has granted it to Abraham by promise.


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 For what, then, was the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. The law was given through angels by the hand of a mediator.


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 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid! For if there had been a law given which could give life, truly righteousness would have been of the law.


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 But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.


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 Now before faith came, we were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.


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 There can be neither Jew nor Gentile, there can be neither slave nor free, there can be no male and female- for you all are one in Christ Jesus.


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 God's Adopted Children But I mean so long as the heir is a child, he differs nothing from a slave, though he is lord of all.


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 So we also! When we were children, we were held in bondage under the elementary principles of the world.


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 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more?


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 and though my condition was a trial to you, you did not scorn or despise me, but received me as a messenger of God, as Christ Jesus.


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 Where then is that satisfaction you felt? For I testify, that if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.


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 They zealously seek you for no good purpose. On the other hand, they desire to exclude you- so you might go running after them.


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 But it is good to be zealous in a good matter at all times, and not only when I am present with you.


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 I so wish I could be present with you now and change my tone, for I am in doubt about you. The Allegory of Abraham's Two Sons 


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 However the son by the handmaid was born after the flesh, but the son by the freewoman was born through the promise.


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 Such things contain an allegory. For these women are two covenants. One from mount Sinai, bearing children to bondage, which is Hagar.


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 Now this Hagar represents mount Sinai in Arabia, she corresponds to the Jerusalem that now is; for she is in bondage with her children.


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 For it is written: Rejoice, O barren one who did not bear; break forth and cry aloud, you who were not in labour! For the children of the desolate woman will be more than those of the one who has a husband.


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 But as then, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so also it is now.


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 However, what does the scripture say? Cast out the handmaid and her son, for the son of the handmaid shall not inherit with the son of the freewoman.


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 For freedom did Christ set us free. Therefore, stand fast and do not get entangled again in a yoke of bondage.


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 Yes, I testify again to every man that receives circumcision, that he is a debtor to do the whole law.


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 For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.


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 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.


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 But I, brothers, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then has the stumbling-block of the cross been done away.


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 For you, brothers, were called for freedom. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.


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 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. For these are contrary to each other. You may not do the things you would like to!


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 envyings, drunkenness, revellings and such like. Of which I forewarn you now, even as I did previously forewarn you, that they who practise such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.


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 Brothers, even if a man is caught in any sin, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, looking to yourself, lest you also be tempted.


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 But let each man test his own work, and then shall he have his boasting in regard to himself alone, and not of his neighbour.


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 For he that sows to his own flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption. But he that sows to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap eternal life.


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 So then, as we have opportunity, let us work that which is good toward all men, and especially toward those that are in the family of the faith. 


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 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ.


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 For not even they who receive circumcision do themselves fully keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised so they can boast about you.


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 But far be it for me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.


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 For neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything. What counts is being a new creation.


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 Now the earth was formless and empty; darkness was on the surface of the deep and God's Spirit was hovering over the surface of the waters.


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 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. There was evening and there was morning, one day.


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 God said, Let there be an expanse in the middle of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.


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 God made the expanse, and divided the waters which were under the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so.


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 God said, Let the waters under the sky be gathered together to one place, and let the dry land appear; and it was so.


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 God called the dry land earth, and the gathering together of the waters He called seas. God saw that it was good.


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 God said, Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with its seed in it, on the earth; and it was so.


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 The earth sprouted vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good.


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 God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of sky to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years;


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 God made the two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He also made the stars.


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 and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness. God saw that it was good.


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 God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of sky.


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 God created the large sea creatures, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed, after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind. God saw that it was good.


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 God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.


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 God said, Let the earth produce living creatures after their kind, livestock, creeping things, and animals of the earth after their kind; and it was so.


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 God made the animals of the earth after their kind, and the livestock after their kind, and everything that creeps on the ground after its kind. God saw that it was good. 


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 God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the sky, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.


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 God blessed them, and God said to them, Be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.


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 God said, Behold, I have given you every herb yielding seed, which is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree, which bears fruit yielding seed. It will be your food.


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 To every animal of the earth, and to every bird of the sky, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food; and it was so.


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 God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was evening and there was morning, a sixth day.


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 On the seventh day God finished His work which He had made; and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had made.


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 God blessed the seventh day, and made it holy, because He rested in it from all His work which He had created to make. 


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 This is the history of the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens.


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 No plant of the field was yet in the earth, and no herb of the field had yet sprung up; for Yahweh God had not caused it to rain on the earth. There was not a man to cultivate the ground,


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 Yahweh God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.


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 Out of the ground Yahweh God made every tree to grow that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the middle of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.


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 A river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it was parted, and became four headstreams.


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 The name of the first is Pison: this is the one which flows through the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold;


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 The name of the third river is Tigris: this is the one which flows east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates.


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 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, you shall not eat of it; for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die. 


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 Out of the ground Yahweh God formed every animal of the field, and every bird of the sky, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name.


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 The man gave names to all livestock, and to the birds of the sky, and to every animal of the field; but for man there was not found a helper suitable for him.


text:
 Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to fall on the man, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place.


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 He made the rib, which Yahweh God had taken from the man, into a woman, and brought her to the man.


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 The man said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh! She will be called "woman', because she was taken out of Man.


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 Therefore a man will leave his father and his mother, and will join with his wife, and they will be one flesh.


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 Now the serpent was more subtle than any animal of the field which Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, Has God really said, "You shall not eat of any tree of the garden?'


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 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, "You shall not eat of it, neither shall you touch it, lest you die'.


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 rather God knows that in the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.


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 When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit, and ate; and she gave some to her husband with her, and he ate.


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 The eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked. They sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves loincloths.


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 They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden. 


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 The man said, I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.


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 God said, Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?


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 Yahweh God said to the woman, What is this you have done? The woman said, The serpent deceived me, and I ate.


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 Yahweh God said to the serpent, Because you have done this, you are cursed above all livestock, and above every animal of the field. On your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life.


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 I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will bruise your head, and you will bruise his heel.


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 To the woman He said, I will greatly multiply your pain in childbirth. In pain you will bear children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.


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 To Adam He said, Because you have listened to your wife's voice, and have eaten of the tree, of which I commanded you, saying, "You shall not eat of it', cursed is the ground for your sake. In toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.


text:
 By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.


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 Yahweh God said, Behold, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he reach out his hand, and also take of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever


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 Therefore Yahweh God sent him out from the garden of Eden, to cultivate the ground from which he was taken.


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 So He drove out the man; and He placed Cherubs at the east of the garden of Eden, and the flame of a sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.


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 The man knew Eve his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Cain, and said, I have gotten a man with Yahweh's help.


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 Again she gave birth, to Cain's brother Abel. Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a cultivator of the ground.


text:
 Abel also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of its fat. Yahweh respected Abel and his offering,


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 but He didn't respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and the expression on his face fell.


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 If you do well, will it not be lifted up? If you don't do well, sin crouches at the door. Its desire is for you, but you are to rule over it.


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 Cain said to Abel, his brother, Let's go into the field. It happened when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel, his brother, and killed him. 


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 Now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother's blood from your hand.


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 From now on, when you cultivate the ground, it won't yield its strength to you. You shall be a fugitive and a wanderer in the land.


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 Behold, you have driven me out this day from the surface of the ground. I will be hidden from your face, and I will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the land. It will happen that whoever finds me will kill me.


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 Yahweh said to him, Therefore whoever slays Cain, vengeance will be taken on him sevenfold. Yahweh appointed a sign for Cain, lest any finding him should strike him.


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 Cain knew his wife. She conceived, and gave birth to Enoch. He built a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch.


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 To Enoch was born Irad; Irad became the father of Mehujael. Mehujael became the father of Methushael. Methushael became the father of Lamech.


text:
 Zillah also gave birth to Tubal Cain, the forger of every cutting instrument of brass and iron. Tubal Cain's sister was Naamah.


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 Lamech said to his wives, Adah and Zillah, hear my voice. You wives of Lamech, listen to my speech, for I have slain a man for wounding me, a young man for bruising me. If Cain will be avenged seven times, truly Lamech seventy-seven times.


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 Adam knew his wife again. She gave birth to a son, and named him Seth, for God has appointed me another child instead of Abel, for Cain killed him.


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 There was also a son born to Seth, and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call themselves by Yahweh's name.


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 This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, He made him in God's likeness.


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 He created them male and female, and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.


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 Adam lived one hundred and thirty years, and became the father of a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.


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 The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years, and he became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Seth lived after he became the father of Enosh eight hundred and seven years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Enosh lived after he became the father of Kenan, eight hundred and fifteen years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Kenan lived after he became the father of Mahalalel eight hundred and forty years, and became the father of sons and daughters;


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 Mahalalel lived after he became the father of Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Jared lived after he became the father of Enoch eight hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Enoch walked with God after he became the father of Methuselah for three hundred years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Methuselah lived after he became the father of Lamech seven hundred and eighty-two years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 and he named him Noah, saying, This same will comfort us in our work and in the toil of our hands, because of the ground which Yahweh has cursed.


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 Lamech lived after he became the father of Noah five hundred and ninety-five years, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 It happened that when men began to multiply on the surface of the land, and daughters were born to them,


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 that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful, and they took for themselves wives of all that they chose.


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 Yahweh said, My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one hundred twenty years.


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 There were aggressive men <n>[Nephilim]</n> in the earth in those days, and also after that, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.


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 Yahweh saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.


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 Yahweh said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the surface of the ground; man, along with animals, creeping things, and birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.


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 This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time. Noah walked with God.


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 God said to Noah, The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold, I will destroy them with the earth.


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 Make a ship of gopher wood. You shall make rooms in the ship, and shall seal it inside and outside with pitch.


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 This is how you shall make it. The length of the ship will be three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.


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 You shall make a roof in the ship, and you shall finish it leaving a cubit between the roof and the sides. You shall set the door of the ship in its side. You shall make it with lower, second, and third levels.


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 I, even I, do bring the flood of waters on this earth, to destroy all flesh having the breath of life from under the sky. Everything that is in the earth will die.


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 But I will establish my covenant with you- you shall come into the ship, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons' wives with you.


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 Of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ship, to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female.


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 Of the birds after their kind, of the livestock after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every sort shall come to you, to keep them alive.


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 Take with you of all food that is eaten, and gather it to yourself; and it will be for food for you, and for them.


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 Yahweh said to Noah, Come with all of your household into the ship, for I have seen your righteousness before Me in this generation.


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 You shall take seven pairs of every clean animal with you, the male and his female. Of the animals that are not clean, take two, the male and his female.


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 Also of the birds of the sky, seven and seven, male and female, to keep seed alive on the surface of all the earth.


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 In seven days, I will cause it to rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. Every living thing that I have made, I will destroy from the surface of the ground.


text:
 Noah went into the ship with his sons, his wife, and his sons' wives, in the face of the floodwaters.


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 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky's windows were opened.


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 In the same day Noah, and Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah, and Noah's wife, and the three wives of his sons with them, entered into the ship;


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 they, and every animal after its kind, all the livestock after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort.


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 Those who went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God commanded him; and Yahweh shut him in.


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 The flood was forty days on the earth. The waters increased, and lifted up the ship, and it was lifted up above the earth.


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 The waters prevailed, and increased greatly on the earth; and the ship floated on the surface of the waters.


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 The waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth. All the high mountains that were under the whole sky were covered.


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 All flesh died that moved on the earth, including birds, livestock, animals, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.


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 Every living thing was destroyed that was on the surface of the land, including man, livestock, creeping things, and birds of the sky. They were destroyed from the land. Only Noah was left alive, and those who were with him in the ship.


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 God remembered Noah, all the animals, and all the livestock that were with him in the ship; and God made a wind to pass over the earth. The waters subsided.


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 The deep's fountains and the sky's windows were also stopped, and the rain from the sky was restrained.


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 The waters receded from the earth in going and returning. After the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters decreased.


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 The waters receded continually until the tenth month. In the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains were seen.


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 but the dove found no place to rest her foot, and she returned to him into the ship; for the waters were on the surface of the whole earth. He put out his hand, and took her, and brought her to him into the ship.


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 The dove came back to him at evening, and, behold, in her mouth was an olive leaf plucked off. So Noah knew that the waters were abated from the earth.


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 It happened in the six hundred and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth. Noah removed the covering of the ship, and looked. He saw that the surface of the ground was dried.


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 Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh, including birds, livestock, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply on the earth.


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 Every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, whatever moves on the earth, after their families, went out of the ship.


text:
 Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.


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 Yahweh smelled the pleasant aroma. Yahweh said in His heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake, because the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I ever again strike everything living, as I have done.


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 While the earth remains, seed time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.


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 God's Covenant with Noah God blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.


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 The fear of you and the dread of you will be on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the sky. Everything that the ground teems with, and all the fish of the sea, are delivered into your hand.


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 Every moving thing that lives will be food for you. As the green herb, I have given everything to you.


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 I will surely require your blood of your lives. At the hand of every animal I will require it. At the hand of man, even at the hand of every man's brother, I will require the life of man.


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 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the livestock, and every animal of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ship, even every animal of the earth.


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 I will establish My covenant with you: all flesh will not be cut off any more by the waters of the flood, neither will there ever again be a flood to destroy the earth.


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 God said, This is the token of the covenant which I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: 


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 and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh.


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 The rainbow will be in the cloud. I will look at it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.


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 God said to Noah, This is the token of the covenant which I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.


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 The sons of Noah who went out from the ship were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham is the father of Canaan.


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 Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it on both their shoulders, went in backwards, and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were backwards, and they didn't see their father's nakedness.


text:
 The Descendants of Noah's Sons Now this is the history of the generations of the sons of Noah and of Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Sons were born to them after the flood.


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 Of these were the islands of the nations divided in their lands, everyone after his language, after their families, in their nations.


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 he was a mighty hunter before Yahweh. Therefore it is said, Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before Yahweh.


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 the Arvadite, the Zemarite, and the Hamathite. Afterward the families of the Canaanites were spread abroad.


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 The border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as you go toward Gerar, to Gaza; as you go toward Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, to Lasha.


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 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, in their nations.


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 To Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, to him also were children born.


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 To Eber were born two sons. The name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided. His brother's name was Joktan.


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 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their languages, in their lands, after their nations.


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 These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations. Of these were the nations divided in the earth after the flood.


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 It happened, as they travelled east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they lived there.


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 A man said to his neighbour, Come, let's make bricks, and burn them thoroughly. They had brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar.


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 They said, Come, let's build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top reaches to the sky, and let's make ourselves a name, lest we be scattered abroad on the surface of the whole earth.


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 Yahweh said, Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is what they begin to do. Now nothing will be withheld from them, which they intend to do.


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 Come, let us go down, and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.


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 So Yahweh scattered them abroad from there on the surface of all the earth. They stopped building the city.


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 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of all the earth. From there, Yahweh scattered them abroad on the surface of all the earth. 


text:
 This is the history of the generations of Shem. Shem was one hundred years old and became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood.


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 Shem lived five hundred years after he became the father of Arpachshad, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Arpachshad lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Shelah, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 and Shelah lived four hundred and three years after he became the father of Eber, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Eber lived four hundred and thirty years after he became the father of Peleg, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Peleg lived two hundred and nine years after he became the father of Reu, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Reu lived two hundred and seven years after he became the father of Serug, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Serug lived two hundred years after he became the father of Nahor, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Nahor lived one hundred and nineteen years after he became the father of Terah, and became the father of sons and daughters.


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 Now this is the history of the generations of Terah. Terah became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran became the father of Lot.


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 Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram's wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor's wife, Milcah, the daughter of Haran, who was also the father of Iscah.


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 Terah took Abram his son, Lot the son of Haran, his son's son, and Sarai his daughter-in-law, his son Abram's wife. They went from Ur of the Chaldees, to go into the land of Canaan. They came to Haran and lived there.


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 Now Yahweh had said to Abram, Get you out of your country, and from your relatives, and from your father's house, to the land that I will show you.


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 I will make of you a great nation. I will bless you and make your name great. You will be a blessing.


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 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you.


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 So Abram went, as Yahweh had spoken to him. Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed out of Haran.


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 Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his brother's son, all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls whom they had gotten in Haran, and they went to go into the land of Canaan. Into the land of Canaan they came.


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 Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. The Canaanite was then in the land.


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 Yahweh appeared to Abram and said, I will give this land to your seed. He built an altar there to Yahweh, who appeared to him.


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 He left from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, having Bethel on the west, and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to Yahweh and called on the name of Yahweh.


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 There was a famine in the land. Abram went down into Egypt to live as a foreigner there, for the famine was severe in the land.


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 It happened, when he had come near to enter Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, See now, I know that you are a beautiful woman to look at.


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 It will happen, when the Egyptians will see you, that they will say, "This is his wife'; they will kill me, but they will save you alive.


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 Please say that you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that my soul may live because of you.


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 It happened that when Abram had come into Egypt, the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful.


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 The princes of Pharaoh saw her, and praised her to Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh's house.


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 He dealt well with Abram for her sake. He had sheep, cattle, male donkeys, male servants, female servants, female donkeys, and camels.


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 Pharaoh called Abram and said, What is this that you have done to me? Why didn't you tell me that she was your wife?


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 Why did you say, "She is my sister', so that I took her to be my wife? Now therefore, see your wife, take her, and go your way.


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 Pharaoh commanded men concerning him, and they brought him on the way with his wife and all that he had.


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 He went on his journeys from the South even to Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,


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 to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Abram called on the name of Yahweh.


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 The land was not able to bear them, that they might live together: for their substance was great, so that they could not live together.


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 There was a strife between the herdsmen of Abram's livestock and the herdsmen of Lot's livestock: and the Canaanite and the Perizzite lived in the land at that time.


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 Abram said to Lot, Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.


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 Isn't the whole land before you? Please separate yourself from me. If you go to the left hand, then I will go to the right. Or if you go to the right hand, then I will go to the left.


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 Lot lifted up his eyes, and saw all the plain of the Jordan, that it was well-watered everywhere, before Yahweh destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, like the garden of Yahweh, like the land of Egypt, as you go to Zoar.


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 So Lot chose the Plain of the Jordan for himself. Lot travelled east, and they separated themselves the one from the other.


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 Abram lived in the land of Canaan, and Lot lived in the cities of the plain, and moved his tent as far as Sodom.


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 Now the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinners against Yahweh. Yahweh's Promises to Abram 


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 Yahweh said to Abram, after Lot was separated from him, Now, lift up your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward,


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 I will make your offspring as the dust of the earth, so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then your seed may also be numbered.


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 Abram moved his tent, and came and lived by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to Yahweh.


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 It happened in the days of Amraphel, king of Shinar, Arioch, king of Ellasar, Chedorlaomer, king of Elam, and Tidal, king of Goiim,


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 that they made war with Bera, king of Sodom, and with Birsha, king of Gomorrah, Shinab, king of Admah, and Shemeber, king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar).


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 In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer came, and the kings who were with him, and struck the Rephaim in Ashteroth Karnaim, and the Zuzim in Ham, and the Emim in Shaveh Kiriathaim,


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 They returned, and came to En Mishpat (the same is Kadesh), and struck all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites, that lived in Hazazon Tamar.


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 The king of Sodom, and the king of Gomorrah, and the king of Admah, and the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (the same is Zoar) went out; and they set the battle in array against them in the valley of Siddim;


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 against Chedorlaomer king of Elam, and Tidal king of Goiim, and Amraphel king of Shinar, and Arioch king of Ellasar; four kings against the five.


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 Now the valley of Siddim was full of tar pits; and the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, and they fell there, and those who remained fled to the hills.


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 Abram Rescues Lot from Chedorlaomer One who had escaped came and told Abram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner; and these were allies of Abram.


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 When Abram heard that his relative was taken captive, he led out his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued as far as Dan.


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 He divided himself against them by night, he and his servants, and struck them, and pursued them to Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus.


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 He brought back all the goods, and also brought back his relative, Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people.


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 The king of Sodom went out to meet him, after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, at the valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).


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 and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand. Abram gave him a tenth of all.


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 Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to Yahweh, God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,


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 that I will not take a thread nor a sandal strap nor anything that is yours, lest you should say, "I have made Abram rich'.


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 I will accept nothing from you except that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who went with me: Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their portion.


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 Yahweh's Covenant with Abram After these things the word of Yahweh came to Abram in a vision, saying, Don't be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.


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 Abram said, Lord Yahweh, what will you give me, since I go childless, and he who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus?


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 Behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, saying, This man will not be your heir, but he who will come out of your own body will be your heir.


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 Yahweh brought him outside, and said, Look now toward the sky, and count the stars, if you are able to count them. He said to Abram, So shall your seed be.


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 He said to him, I am Yahweh who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land to inherit it.


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 He said to him, Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.


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 He brought him all of these, and divided them in the middle, and laid each half opposite the other; but he didn't divide the birds.


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 When the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. Now terror and great darkness fell on him.


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 He said to Abram, Know for sure that your seed will live as foreigners in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them. They will afflict them four hundred years.


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 I will also judge that nation, whom they will serve. Afterward they will come out with great wealth,


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 In the fourth generation they will come here again, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet full.


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 It came to pass that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold, a smoking furnace, and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.


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 In that day Yahweh made a covenant with Abram, saying, To your seed I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:


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 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, bore him no children. She had a handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.


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 Sarai said to Abram, See now, Yahweh has restrained me from bearing. Please go in to my handmaid. It may be that I will obtain children by her. Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.


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 Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her handmaid, after Abram had lived ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to Abram her husband to be his wife.


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 He went in to Hagar, and she conceived. When she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.


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 Sarai said to Abram, This wrong is your fault. I gave my handmaid into your bosom, and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes. Yahweh judge between me and you.


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 But Abram said to Sarai, Behold, your maid is in your hand. Do to her whatever is good in your eyes. Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she fled from her face.


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 The angel of Yahweh found her by a fountain of water in the wilderness, by the fountain in the way to Shur.


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 He said, Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, where did you come from? Where are you going? She said, I am fleeing from the face of my mistress Sarai.


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 The angel of Yahweh said to her, I will greatly multiply your seed, that they will not be numbered for multitude.


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 The angel of Yahweh said to her, Behold, you are with child, and will bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael, because Yahweh has heard your affliction.


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 He will be like a wild donkey among men. His hand will be against every man, and every man's hand against him. He will live opposite all of his brothers.


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 She called the name of Yahweh who spoke to her, You, God, see me, for she said, Have I even stayed alive after seeing Him?


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 Yahweh Re-Affirms the Covenant Promises When Abram was ninety-nine years old, Yahweh appeared to Abram, and said to him, I am God Almighty. Walk before me, and be blameless.


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 Neither will your name any more be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.


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 I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your seed after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God to you and to your seed after you.


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 I will give to you, and to your seed after you, the land in which you are travelling, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession. I will be their God.


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 God said to Abraham, As for you, you will keep My covenant, you and your seed after you throughout their generations.


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 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your seed after you. Every male among you shall be circumcised.


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 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin. It will be a token of the covenant between Me and you.


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 He who is eight days old will be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he who is born in the house, or bought with money from any foreigner who is not of your seed:


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 He who is born in your house, and he who is bought with your money, must be circumcised. My covenant will be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant.


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 The uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people. He has broken My covenant.


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 God said to Abraham, As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but her name will be Sarah.


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 I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. Yes, I will bless her, and she will be a mother of nations. Kings of peoples will come from her.


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 Then Abraham fell on his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, A child shall be born to him who is one hundred years old! Sarah, who is ninety years old, shall give birth!


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 God said, No, but Sarah, your wife, will bear you a son. You shall call his name Isaac. I will establish My covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him.


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 As for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He will become the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.


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 Abraham took Ishmael his son, all who were born in his house, and all who were bought with his money; every male among the men of Abraham's house, and circumcised the flesh of their foreskin in the same day, as God had said to him.


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 All the men of his house, those born in the house, and those bought with money of a foreigner, were circumcised with him.


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 He lifted up his eyes and looked, and saw that three men stood opposite him. When he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself to the earth,


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 and said, My lord, if now I have found favour in your sight, please don't go away from your servant.


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 I will get a morsel of bread so you can refresh your heart. After that you may go your way, for this is why you have come to your servant. They said, Very well, do as you have said.


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 Abraham ran into the tent to Sarah, and said, Quickly prepare three measures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes.


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 Abraham ran to the herd, and fetched a tender and good calf, and gave it to the servant. He hurried to dress it.


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 He took butter, milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them. He stood by them under the tree, and they ate.


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 He said, I will certainly return to you when the season comes round. Behold, Sarah your wife will have a son. Sarah heard in the tent door, which was behind him.


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 Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I have grown old will I have pleasure, my lord being old also?


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 Yahweh said to Abraham, Why did Sarah laugh, saying, "Will I really bear a child, seeing I am old?'


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 Is anything too hard for Yahweh? At the set time I will return to you, when the season comes round, and Sarah will have a son.


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 The men rose up from there, and looked toward Sodom. Abraham went with them to see them on their way.


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 since Abraham will surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed in him?


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 For I have known him, to the end that he may command his children and his household after him, that they may keep the way of Yahweh, to do righteousness and justice; to the end that Yahweh may bring on Abraham that which He has spoken of him.


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 Yahweh said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous,


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 I will go down now, and see whether their deeds are as bad as the reports which have come to me. If not, I will know. 


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 What if there are fifty righteous within the city? Will You consume and not spare the place for the fifty righteous who are in it?


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 Be it far from You to do things like that, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be like the wicked. May that be far from You. Shouldn't the Judge of all the earth do right?


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 Yahweh said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sake.


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 Abraham answered, See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord, who am but dust and ashes.


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 What if there will lack five of the fifty righteous? Will You destroy all the city for lack of five? He said, I will not destroy it, if I find forty-five there.


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 He spoke to Him yet again, and said, What if there are forty found there? He said, I will not do it for the forty's sake.


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 He said, Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak. What if there are thirty found there? He said, I will not do it, if I find thirty there.


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 He said, See now, I have taken it on myself to speak to the Lord. What if there are twenty found there? He said, I will not destroy it for the twenty's sake.


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 He said, Oh don't let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there? He said, I will not destroy it for the ten's sake.


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 Yahweh went His way, as soon as He had finished communing with Abraham, and Abraham returned to his place.


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 The two angels came to Sodom at evening. Lot sat in the gate of Sodom. Lot saw them, and rose up to meet them. He bowed himself with his face to the earth,


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 and he said, See now, my lords, please turn aside into your servant's house, stay all night, wash your feet, and you can rise up early, and go on your way. They said, No, but we will stay in the street all night.


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 He urged them greatly, and they came in with him, and entered into his house. He made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.


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 But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, surrounded the house, both young and old, all the people from every quarter.


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 They called to Lot, and said to him, Where are the men who came in to you this night? Bring them out to us, that we may have sex with them.


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 See now, I have two virgin daughters. Please let me bring them out to you, and you may do to them what seems good to you. Only don't do anything to these men, because they have come under the shadow of my roof.


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 They said, Stand back! Then they said, This one fellow came in to live as a foreigner, and he appoints himself a judge. Now will we deal worse with you, than with them! They pressed hard on the man Lot, and drew near in order to break the door.


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 They struck the men who were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great, so that they wearied themselves to find the door. 


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 The men said to Lot, Do you have anybody else here? Sons-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whoever you have in the city, bring them out of the place:


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 for we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown so great before Yahweh that Yahweh has sent us to destroy it.


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 Lot went out, and spoke to his sons-in-law, who were pledged to marry his daughters, and said, Get up! Get out of this place, for Yahweh will destroy the city. But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be joking.


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 When the morning came, then the angels hurried Lot, saying, Get up! Take your wife, and your two daughters who are here, lest you be consumed in the sin of the city.


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 But he lingered; and the men grabbed his hand, his wife's hand, and his two daughters' hands, Yahweh being merciful to him; and they took him out, and set him outside of the city.


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 It came to pass, when they had taken them out, that one of them said, Escape for your life! Don't look behind you, and don't stay anywhere in the plain. Escape to the mountains, lest you be consumed!


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 See now, your servant has found favour in your sight, and you have magnified your grace, which you have shown to me in saving my life. I can't escape to the mountain, lest evil pursue me there, and I die.


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 See now, this city is near to flee to, and it is a little one. Oh let me escape there (isn't it a little one?), and my soul will live.


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 He said to him, Behold, I have granted your request concerning this thing also, that I will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken.


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 Hurry, escape there, for I can't do anything until you get there. Therefore the name of the city was called Zoar.


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 He overthrew those cities, all the plain, all the inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew on the ground.


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 He looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and toward all the land of the plain, and looked, and saw that the smoke of the land went up as the smoke of a furnace.


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 It happened, when God destroyed the cities of the plain, that God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the middle of the overthrow, when He overthrew the cities in which Lot lived. The Birth of Moab and Ammon 


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 Lot went up out of Zoar and lived in the mountain, and his two daughters with him; for he was afraid to live in Zoar. He lived in a cave with his two daughters.


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 The firstborn said to the younger, Our father is old, and there is not a man in the earth to come in to us in the way of all the earth.


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 Come, let's make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed.


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 They made their father drink wine that night: and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father. He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she arose.


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 It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let us make him drink wine again tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father's seed.


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 They made their father drink wine that night also. The younger went and lay with him. He didn't know when she lay down, nor when she got up.


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 The younger also bore a son, and called his name Ben Ammi. He is the father of the children of Ammon to this day.


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 Abraham travelled from there toward the land of the South, and lived between Kadesh and Shur. He lived as a foreigner in Gerar.


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 But God came to Abimelech in a dream of the night, and said to him, Behold, you are a dead man, because of the woman whom you have taken. For she is a man's wife.


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 Didn't he tell me, "She is my sister?' She, even she herself, said, "He is my brother'. In the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands have I done this.


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 God said to him in the dream, Yes, I know that in the integrity of your heart you have done this, and I also withheld you from sinning against me. Therefore I didn't allow you to touch her.


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 Now therefore, restore the man's wife. For he is a prophet, and he will pray for you, and you will live. If you don't restore her, know for sure that you will die, you, and all who are yours.


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 Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants, and told all these things in their ear. The men were very scared.


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 Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought on me and on my kingdom a great sin? You have done things to me that ought not to be done!


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 Abraham said, Because I thought, "Surely the fear of God is not in this place. They will kill me for my wife's sake'.


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 Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.


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 It happened, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, "This is your kindness which you shall show to me. Everywhere that we go, say of me, He is my brother'.


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 Abimelech took sheep and cattle, male servants and female servants, and gave them to Abraham, and restored Sarah his wife, to him.


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 To Sarah he said, Behold, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver. Behold, it is for you an adorning of the eyes before all that are with you. In front of all you are reproved.


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 Abraham prayed to God. God healed Abimelech, and his wife, and his female servants, and they bore children.


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 For Yahweh had closed up tight all the wombs of the house of Abimelech, because of Sarah, Abraham's wife.


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 Sarah conceived, and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.


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 She said, Who would have said to Abraham, that Sarah would nurse children! For I have borne him a son in his old age. 


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 Therefore she said to Abraham, Cast out this handmaid and her son! For the son of this handmaid will not be heir with my son Isaac!


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 God said to Abraham, Don't let it be grievous in your sight because of the boy, and because of your handmaid. In all that Sarah says to you, listen to her voice. For in Isaac will your seed be called.


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 Abraham rose up early in the morning, and took bread and a bottle of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder; and gave her the child, and sent her away. She departed, and wandered in the wilderness of Beersheba.


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 She went and sat down opposite him, a good way off, about a bow shot away. For she said, Let me not see the death of the child. She sat over against him, and lifted up her voice, and wept.


