Ecclesiastes 3:3–4

¹COME, and let us return unto the Lord: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.

²After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.

¹¶ Come, and let vs returne vnto the LORD: for hee hath torne, and hee will heale vs: he hath smitten, and he will binde vs vp.

^2*After two daies will he reuiue vs, in the third day he will raise vs vp, and we shall liue in his sight.

⁶The Lord killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.

^6*The LORD killeth and maketh aliue, he bringeth downe to the graue, and bringeth vp.

⁴¶ Thus shalt thou say unto him, The Lord saith thus; Behold, that which I have built will I break down, and that which I have planted I will pluck up, even this whole land.

⁴¶ Thus shalt thou say vnto him, The LORD saith thus, Behold, that which I haue built will I breake downe, and that which I haue planted I will plucke vp, euen this whole land:

²⁸And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the Lord.

²⁸And it shall come to passe, that like as I haue watched ouer them, to plucke vp and to breake downe, and to throw downe, and to destroy, and to afflict: so will I watch ouer them, to build and to plant, saith the LORD.

³⁹See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

³⁹See now, that I, euen I am he, and there is no god with mee; ^*I kill, and I make aliue: I wound, and I heale: neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand.

²⁶That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof:

^26†That confirmeth the word of his seruant, and performeth the counsell of his messengers, that saith to Ierusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Iudah, Yee shall be built, and I will raise vp the decayed places thereof.

⁵And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down:

⁶And I will lay it waste: it shall not be pruned, nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it.

^5†And now goe to; I will tell you what I will doe to my Uineyard, I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten vp; and breake downe the wall thereof, and it shall be troden downe.

⁶And I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned, nor digged, but there shall come vp briars and thornes: I will also command the cloudes, that they raine no raine vpon it.

²⁵If one man sin against another, the judge shall judge him: but if a man sin against the Lord, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto the voice of their father, because the Lord would slay them.

²⁵If one man sinne against another, the Iudge shall iudge him: but if a man sinne against the LORD, who shall intreat for him? Notwithstanding they hearkened not vnto the voice of their father, because the LORD would slay them.

²⁵Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

²⁶And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

²⁷And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

^25†‖†Know therefore and vnderstand, that from the going foorth of the commandement to restore and to build Ierusalem, vnto the Messiah the Prince, shall be seuen weekes; and threescore and two weekes, the street shall be built againe, and the wall, euen in troublous times.

^26‖‖And after threescore and two weekes, shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himselfe, and the people of the Prince that shall come, shall destroy the citie, and the Sanctuarie, and the ende thereof shall be with a flood, and vnto the ende of the warre desolations are determined.

^27‖*And hee shall confirme the couenant with many for one weeke: and in the midst of the weeke he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the ouerspreading of abominations hee shall make it desolate, euen vntill the consummation, & that determined, shalbe powred vpon the desolate.

⁵Go, and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the Lord, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.

⁶And I will deliver thee and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.

⁷And this shall be a sign unto thee from the Lord, that the Lord will do this thing that he hath spoken;

⁸Behold, I will bring again the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down in the sun dial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward. So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down.

⁹¶ The writing of Hezekiah king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness:

¹⁰I said in the cutting off of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: I am deprived of the residue of my years.

¹¹I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord, in the land of the living: I shall behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

¹²Mine age is departed, and is removed from me as a shepherd’s tent: I have cut off like a weaver my life: he will cut me off with pining sickness: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

¹³I reckoned till morning, that, as a lion, so will he break all my bones: from day even to night wilt thou make an end of me.

¹⁴Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter: I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward: O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me.

¹⁵What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it: I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶O Lord, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live.

¹⁷Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.

¹⁸For the grave cannot praise thee, death can not celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.

¹⁹The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

²⁰The Lord was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the Lord.

⁵Goe and say to Hezekiah, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Dauid thy father; I haue heard thy prayer, I haue seene thy teares: behold, I will adde vnto thy dayes fifteene yeeres.

⁶And I will deliuer thee and this citie, out of the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this citie.

⁷And this shall be a signe vnto thee from the LORD, that the LORD will doe this thing that he hath spoken.

^8†Behold, I will bring againe the shadow of the degrees which is gone downe in the Sunne-diall of Ahaz ten degrees backward: so the Sunne returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone downe.

⁹¶ The writing of Hezekiah king of Iudah, when he had bene sicke, and was recouered of his sicknesse:

¹⁰I saide in the cutting off of my dayes; I shall goe to the gates of the graue: I am depriued of the residue of my yeeres.

¹¹I said, I shal not see the LORD, euen the LORD in the land of the liuing: I shal behold man no more with the inhabitants of the world.

^12‖Mine age is departed, and is remoued from me as a shepheards tent: I haue cut off like a weauer my life: he will cut mee off with pining sicknesse: from day euen to night wilt thou make an end of me.

¹³I reckoned till morning, that as a Lyon so will hee breake all my bones: from day euen to night wilt thou make an end of me.

^14‖Like a crane or a swallow, so did I chatter; I did mourne as a doue: mine eyes faile with looking vpward: O LORD, I am oppressed, vndertake for me.

¹⁵What shall I say? hee hath both spoken vnto mee, and himselfe hath done it: I shall goe softly, all my yeeres in the bitternesse of my soule.

¹⁶O LORD, by these things men liue: and in all these things is the life of my spirit, so wilt thou recouer me, and make me to liue.

^17‖†Behold, for peace I had great bitternesse, but thou hast in loue to my soule deliuered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sinnes behinde thy backe.

¹⁸For the graue cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that goe downe into the pit cannot hope for thy trueth.

¹⁹The liuing, the liuing, hee shall praise thee, as I doe this day: the father to the children shall make knowen thy trueth.

²⁰The LORD was ready to saue me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments, all the dayes of our life, in the house of the LORD.

⁶Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.

⁶Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and wil reueale vnto them the abundance of peace, and trueth.

¹⁴So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter, and bring it down to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof: and ye shall know that I am the Lord.

¹⁴So wil I breake downe the wall that ye haue dawbed with vntempered morter, & bring it downe to the ground, so that the foundation thereof shall be discouered, and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the middest thereof: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

¹⁵Insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them.

¹⁶There came also a multitude out of the cities round about unto Jerusalem, bringing sick folks, and them which were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed every one.

¹⁵Insomuch y ^t they brought foorth the sicke ^‖into the streetes, and layed them on beds and couches, that at the least the shadow of Peter passing by, might ouershadow some of them.

¹⁶There came also a multitude out of the cities round about vnto Hierusalem, bringing sicke folkes, and them which were vexed with vncleane spirits: and they were healed euery one.

⁶Of Hezron, the family of the Hezronites: of Carmi, the family of the Carmites.

⁷These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbered of them were forty and three thousand and seven hundred and thirty.

⁸And the sons of Pallu; Eliab.

⁹And the sons of Eliab; Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram. This is that Dathan and Abiram, which were famous in the congregation, who strove against Moses and against Aaron in the company of Korah, when they strove against the Lord:

⁶Of Hesron the family of the Hesronites: of Carmi the family of the Carmites.

⁷These are the families of the Reubenites: and they that were numbred of them, were fourtie and three thousand, and seuen hundred and thirtie.

⁸And the sonnes of Pallu, Eliab.

⁹And the sonnes of Eliab, Nemuel, and Dathan, and Abiram: this is that Dathan & Abiram, which were famous in the Congregation, who ^*stroue against Moses and against Aaron in the companie of Korah, when they stroue against the LORD:

⁵⁴And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?

⁵⁵But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.

⁵⁶For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.

⁵⁴And when his disciples, Iames and Iohn sawe this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that wee command fire to come downe from heauen, and consume them, euen as ^*Elias did?

⁵⁵But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what maner spirit ye are of.

⁵⁶For the Sonne of man is not come to destroy mens liues, but to saue them. And they went to another village.

¹²¶ Then the angel of the Lord answered and said, O Lord of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years?

¹²¶ Then the Angel of the LORD answered, and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not haue mercie on Ierusalem, and on the cities of Iudah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten yeeres?

⁵For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

^5†††For his anger endureth but a moment; in his fauour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but ioy commeth in the morning.

¹⁵Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

¹⁵Reioyce with them that doe reioice, and weepe with them that weepe.

⁹Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

⁹Bee afflicted, and mourne, and weepe: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your ioy to heauinesse.

²⁰Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy.

²¹A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.

²²And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

²⁰Uerily, verily I say vnto you, that ye shall weepe and lament, but the world shall reioyce: And ye shall be sorrowfull, but your sorrow shall be turned into ioy.

²¹A woman, when she is in trauaile, hath sorrow, because her houre is come: but assoone as she is deliuered of the child, she remembreth no more the anguish, for ioy that a man is borne into the world.

²²And ye now therefore haue sorrow: but I will see you againe, and your heart shall reioyce, and your ioy no man taketh from you.

¹WHEN the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

²Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

¹¶ When the LORD turned againe the captiuitie of Zion: wee were like them that dreame.

^2†Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing, then said they among the heathen: The LORD hath done great things for them.

⁵They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

⁶He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

^5‖They that sow in teares: shall reape in ioy.

^6‖He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtlesse come againe with reioycing: bringing his sheaues with him.

¹⁰For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

¹⁰For godly sorrow worketh repentance to saluation not to be repented of, but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

²⁰¶ And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

²⁰¶ And Miriam the prophetesse the sister of Aaron, tooke a timbrell in her hand, and all the women went out after her, with timbrels & with dances.

⁵⁸And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

⁵⁸And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy vpon her, and they reioyced with her.

²¹Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

²²Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake.

²³Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

²⁴But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

²⁵Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

²¹Blessed are yee that hunger now: for yee shall be filled. Blessed are yee that weepe now, for yee shall laugh.

²²Blessed are yee when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shal reproach you, and cast out your name as euill, for the Sonne of mans sake.

²³Reioice yee in that day, and leape for ioy: for behold, your reward is great in heauen for in the like maner did their fathers vnto the Prophets.

^24*But woe vnto you that are rich: for yee haue receiued your consolation.

^25*Woe vnto you that are full: for yee shall hunger. Woe vnto you that laugh now: for yee shall mourne and weepe.

¹⁶And as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁶And as the Arke of the LORD came into the citie of Dauid, Michal Sauls daughter looked through a window, and saw king Dauid leaping and dauncing before the LORD, and she despised him in her heart.

¹³But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

¹⁴And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

¹³But the Angel said vnto him, Feare not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth shall beare thee a sonne, and thou shalt call his name Iohn.

¹⁴And thou shalt haue ioy and gladnesse, and many shall reioyce at his birth:

¹⁷And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

¹⁷And saying, we haue piped vnto you, and ye haue not danced: wee haue mourned vnto you, and ye haue not lamented.

¹⁵And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.

¹⁵And Iesus saide vnto them, Can the children of the bride-chamber mourne, as long as the bridegrome is with them? But the dayes will come when the bridegrome shall bee taken from them, and then shall they fast.

⁶¶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

⁶¶ And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that heare, will laugh with me.

¹²And in that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sackcloth:

¹³And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine: let us eat and drink; for to morrow we shall die.

¹²And in that day did the LORD God of hostes call to weeping and to mourning, and to baldnesse, and to girding with sackecloth.

^13*And behold ioy and gladnesse, slaying oxen and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let vs eate and drinke, for to morrow we shall die.

⁹¶ And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the Lord your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law.

¹⁰Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

¹¹So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, Hold your peace, for the day is holy; neither be ye grieved.

¹²And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

⁹¶ And Nehemiah, which is the ^‖Tirshatha, and Ezra the Priest the Scribe, and the Leuites that taught the people, said vnto all the people, This day is holy vnto the LORD your God, mourne not, nor weepe: for all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.

¹⁰Then hee sayd vnto them, Goe your way, eat the fat, & drinke the sweet, and send portions vnto them, for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy vnto our LORD: neither be ye sory, for the ioy of the LORD is your strength.

¹¹So the Leuites stilled all the people, saying, Holde your peace, for the day is holy, neither be ye grieued.

¹²And all the people went their way to eate, and to drinke, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had vnderstood the wordes that were declared vnto them.

¹NOW in the twenty and fourth day of this month the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, and with sackclothes, and earth upon them.

²And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³And they stood up in their place, and read in the book of the law of the Lord their God one fourth part of the day; and another fourth part they confessed, and worshipped the Lord their God.

⁴¶ Then stood up upon the stairs, of the Levites, Jeshua, and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cried with a loud voice unto the Lord their God.

⁵Then the Levites, Jeshua, and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodijah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, Stand up and bless the Lord your God for ever and ever: and blessed be thy glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.

⁶Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.

⁷Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham;

⁸And foundest his heart faithful before thee, and madest a covenant with him to give the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Jebusites, and the Girgashites, to give it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words; for thou art righteous:

⁹And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the Red sea;

¹⁰And shewedst signs and wonders upon Pharaoh, and on all his servants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudly against them. So didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.

¹¹And thou didst divide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the dry land; and their persecutors thou threwest into the deeps, as a stone into the mighty waters.

¹²Moreover thou leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar; and in the night by a pillar of fire, to give them light in the way wherein they should go.

¹³Thou camest down also upon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heaven, and gavest them right judgments, and true laws, good statutes and commandments:

¹⁴And madest known unto them thy holy sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and laws, by the hand of Moses thy servant:

¹⁵And gavest them bread from heaven for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rock for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should go in to possess the land which thou hadst sworn to give them.

¹⁶But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkened not to thy commandments,

¹⁷And refused to obey, neither were mindful of thy wonders that thou didst among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsookest them not.

¹⁸Yea, when they had made them a molten calf, and said, This is thy God that brought thee up out of Egypt, and had wrought great provocations;

¹⁹Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness: the pillar of the cloud departed not from them by day, to lead them in the way; neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherein they should go.

²⁰Thou gavest also thy good spirit to instruct them, and withheldest not thy manna from their mouth, and gavest them water for their thirst.

²¹Yea, forty years didst thou sustain them in the wilderness, so that they lacked nothing; their clothes waxed not old, and their feet swelled not.

²²Moreover thou gavest them kingdoms and nations, and didst divide them into corners: so they possessed the land of Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³Their children also multipliedst thou as the stars of heaven, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should go in to possess it.

²⁴So the children went in and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gavest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might do with them as they would.

²⁵And they took strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses full of all goods, wells digged, vineyards, and oliveyards, and fruit trees in abundance: so they did eat, and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselves in thy great goodness.

²⁶Nevertheless they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backs, and slew thy prophets which testified against them to turn them to thee, and they wrought great provocations.

²⁷Therefore thou deliveredst them into the hand of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time of their trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest them saviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies.

²⁸But after they had rest, they did evil again before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion over them: yet when they returned, and cried unto thee, thou heardest them from heaven; and many times didst thou deliver them according to thy mercies;

²⁹And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them again unto thy law: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not unto thy commandments, but sinned against thy judgments, (which if a man do, he shall live in them;) and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their neck, and would not hear.

³⁰Yet many years didst thou forbear them, and testifiedst against them by thy spirit in thy prophets: yet would they not give ear: therefore gavest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

³¹Nevertheless for thy great mercies’ sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.

³²Now therefore, our God, the great, the mighty, and the terrible God, who keepest covenant and mercy, let not all the trouble seem little before thee, that hath come upon us, on our kings, on our princes, and on our priests, and on our prophets, and on our fathers, and on all thy people, since the time of the kings of Assyria unto this day.

³³Howbeit thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly:

³⁴Neither have our kings, our princes, our priests, nor our fathers, kept thy law, nor hearkened unto thy commandments and thy testimonies, wherewith thou didst testify against them.

³⁵For they have not served thee in their kingdom, and in thy great goodness that thou gavest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gavest before them, neither turned they from their wicked works.

³⁶Behold, we are servants this day, and for the land that thou gavest unto our fathers to eat the fruit thereof and the good thereof, behold, we are servants in it:

³⁷And it yieldeth much increase unto the kings whom thou hast set over us because of our sins: also they have dominion over our bodies, and over our cattle, at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.

³⁸And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

¹¶ Now in the ^*twentie and fourth day of this moneth, the children of Israel were assembled with fasting, & with sackclothes, and earth vpon them.

²And the seede of Israel separated themselues from all ^†strangers, and stood and confessed their sinnes, and the iniquities of their fathers.

³And they stood vp in their place, and read in the booke of the Law of the LORD their God, one fourth part of the day, and another fourth part they confessed and worshipped the LORD their God.

⁴¶ Then stoode vp, vpon the ^‖staires of the Leuites, Ieshua and Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani, and cryed with a loude voice vnto the LORD their God.

⁵Then the Leuites, Ieshua and Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabniah, Sherebiah, Hodiiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, sayde, Stand vp, and blesse the LORD your God for euer and euer, and blessed bee thy glorious Name, which is exalted aboue all blessing and praise.

⁶Thou, euen thou art LORD alone, ^*thou hast made heauen, the heauen of heauens, with all their hoste, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therin, and thou preseruest them all, and the hoste of heauen worshippeth thee.

⁷Thou art the LORD the God, who diddest choose ^*Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Caldees, and gauest him the name of Abraham:

⁸And foundest his heart ^*faithfull before thee, & madest a ^*couenant with him, to giue the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Iebusites, and the Girgashites, to giue it, I say, to his seed, and hast performed thy words, for thou art righteous,

^9*And didst see the affliction of our fathers in Egypt, and heardest their cry by the red Sea,

¹⁰And shewedst signes and ^*wonders vpon Pharaoh, and on all his seruants, and on all the people of his land: for thou knewest that they dealt proudlie against them: so didst thou get thee a name, as it is this day.

^11*And thou didst diuide the sea before them, so that they went through the midst of the sea on the drie land, and their persecutours thou threwest into the deepes, as a stone into the mightie ^*waters.

¹²Moreouer thou ^*leddest them in the day by a cloudy pillar, and in the night, by a pillar of fire, to giue them light in the way wherin they should go.

¹³Thou ^*camest downe also vpon mount Sinai, and spakest with them from heauen, and gauest them right iudgements, and ^†true lawes, good statutes and commandements:

¹⁴And madest knowen vnto them thy holy Sabbath, and commandedst them precepts, statutes, and lawes, by the hand of Moses thy seruant:

¹⁵And ^*gauest them bread from heauen for their hunger, and broughtest forth water for them out of the rocke, for their thirst, and promisedst them that they should ^*goe in to possesse the land, ^†which thou hadst sworne to giue them.

¹⁶But they and our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks, and hearkned not to thy commandements:

¹⁷And refused to obey, neither were mindful of the wonders that thou didst among them: but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed ^*a captaine to returne to their bondage: but thou art ^†a God ready to pardon, gracious and mercifull, slow to anger, and of great kindnes, & forsookest them not.

¹⁸Yea ^*when they had made them a molten calfe, and said, This is thy God, that brought thee vp out of Egypt, and had wrought great prouocations:

¹⁹Yet thou, in thy manifold mercies, forsookest them not in the wildernesse: the ^*pillar of the cloude departed not from them by day, to leade them in the way, neither the pillar of fire by night, to shew them light, and the way wherin they should goe.

²⁰Thou gauest also thy ^*good spirit, to instruct them, and withheldest not thy ^*Manna from their mouth, and gauest them water for their thirst.

²¹Yea fourtie yeeres diddest thou sustaine them in the wildernesse, so that they lacked nothing; their ^*clothes wared not old, and their feet swelled not.

²²Moreouer, thou gauest them kingdomes and nations, and didst diuide them into corners: so they possessed the land of ^*Sihon, and the land of the king of Heshbon, and the land of Og king of Bashan.

²³Their children also multipliedst thou as the starres of heauen, and broughtest them into the land, concerning which thou hadst promised to their fathers, that they should goe in to possesse it.

²⁴So the children went in, and possessed the land, and thou subduedst before them the inhabitants of the lande, the Canaanites, and gauest them into their hands, with their kings, and the people of the land, that they might doe with them, ^†as they would.

²⁵And they tooke strong cities, and a fat land, and possessed houses ful of all goods, ^‖welles digged, vineyards, and Olive yards, and ^†fruit trees in abundance: So they did eat and were filled, and became fat, and delighted themselues in thy great goodnesse.

²⁶Neuerthelesse, they were disobedient, and rebelled against thee, and cast thy law behind their backes, and slewe thy ^*prophets, which testified against them to turne them to thee, and they wrought great prouocations.

²⁷Therefore thou deliueredst them into the hande of their enemies, who vexed them, & in the time of their trouble, when they cried vnto thee, thou heardest them from heauen: and according to thy manifold mercies, thou gauest them sauiours, who saued them out of the hand of their enemies.

²⁸But after they had rest, ^†they did euill againe before thee: therefore leftest thou them in the hand of their enemies, so that they had the dominion ouer them: yet when they returned and cried vnto thee, thou heardest them from heauen, and many times didst thou deliuer them, according to thy mercies:

²⁹And testifiedst against them, that thou mightest bring them againe vnto thy lawe: yet they dealt proudly, and hearkened not vnto thy commaundements, but sinned against thy iudgements, (which if a man doe, he shal liue in them) ^†and withdrew the shoulder, and hardened their necke, and would not heare.

³⁰Yet many yeres diddest thou ^†forbeare them, and testifiedst ^*against them by the Spirit ^†in thy Prophets: yet would they not giue eare: therefore gauest thou them into the hand of the people of the lands.

³¹Neuerthelesse, for thy great mercies sake, thou diddest not vtterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and mercifull God.

³²Now therefore, our God, the great, the ^*mightie, and the terrible God, who keepest couenant and mercie: let not all the ^†trouble seeme little before thee, ^†that hath come vpon vs, on our Kings, on our Princes, & on our Priests, and on our Prophets, & on our fathers, & on al thy people, since the time of the Kings of Assyria, vnto this day.

³³Howbeit, thou art iust in all that is brought vpon vs, for thou hast done right, but we haue done wickedly:

³⁴Neither haue our kings, our Princes, our Priests, nor our fathers kept thy Law, nor hearkened vnto thy Commandements, and thy Testimonies, wherewith thou didst testifie against them.

³⁵For they haue not serued thee in their kingdome, and in thy great goodnesse that thou gauest them, and in the large and fat land which thou gauest before them, neither turned they from their wicked workes.

³⁶Behold, we are seruants this day; and for the land that thou gauest vnto our fathers, to eat the fruit thereof, and the good thereof, behold, wee are seruants in it.

³⁷And it yeeldeth much increase vnto the kings, whom thou hast set ouer vs, because of our sinnes: also they haue dominion ouer our bodies, and ouer our cattell, at their pleasure; and wee are in great distresse.

³⁸And because of all this, wee make a sure couenant, and write it, and our Princes, Leuites, and Priestes, ^†seale vnto it.