LXX Concordance for αὐτοὶ

“But the men will agree to live with us and be one people only on this condition: if all our men are circumcised as they are.

Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him.

“If you are honest, let one of you[fn] be confined to the guardhouse, while the rest of you go and take grain to relieve the hunger of your households.

They did not realize that Joseph understood them, since there was an interpreter between them.

As they began emptying their sacks, there in each man's sack was his bag of silver! When they and their father saw their bags of silver, they were afraid.

At morning light, the men were sent off with their donkeys.

“Don't continue to supply the people with straw for making bricks, as before. They must go and gather straw for themselves.

“Go get straw yourselves wherever you can find it, but there will be no reduction at all in your workload.' ”

“No, go ​— ​just able-bodied men ​— ​worship the LORD, since that's what you want.” And they were driven from Pharaoh's presence.

“They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every major case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load,[fn] and they will bear it with you.

“‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself.

“You must not oppress a resident alien; you yourselves know how it feels to be a resident alien because you were resident aliens in the land of Egypt.

“Moses alone is to approach the LORD, but the others are not to approach, and the people are not to go up with him.”

“They should use[fn] gold; blue, purple, and scarlet yarn; and fine linen.

They took from Moses's presence all the contributions that the Israelites had brought for the task of making the sanctuary. Meanwhile, the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning.

“This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they have been offering in the open country. They are to bring them to the priest at the entrance to the tent of meeting and offer them as fellowship sacrifices to the LORD.

“They must no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they have prostituted themselves with. This will be a permanent statute for them throughout their generations.

“They are to be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God. For they present the food offerings to the LORD, the food of their God, and they must be holy.

“Tell Aaron and his sons to deal respectfully with the holy offerings of the Israelites that they have consecrated to me, so they do not profane my holy name; I am the LORD.

“The priests must not profane the holy offerings the Israelites give to the LORD

“For the land abandoned by them will make up for its Sabbaths by lying desolate without the people, while they make amends for their iniquity, because they rejected my ordinances and abhorred my statutes.

“Appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the testimony, all its furnishings, and everything in it. They are to transport the tabernacle and all its articles, take care of it, and camp around it.

“The Levites are to camp around the tabernacle of the testimony and watch over it, so that no wrath will fall on the Israelite community.”

“How long must I endure this evil community that keeps complaining about me? I have heard the Israelites' complaints that they make against me.

“The priest will then make atonement for the entire Israelite community so that they may be forgiven, for the sin was unintentional. They are to bring their offering, a food offering to the LORD, and their sin offering before the LORD for their unintentional sin.

So Moses told Korah, “You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow ​— ​you, they, and Aaron.

They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

“The staff of the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of the Israelites' complaints that they have been making about you.”

“Look, I have given the Levites every tenth in Israel as an inheritance in return for the work they do, the work of the tent of meeting.

“The Levites will do the work of the tent of meeting, and they will bear the consequences of their iniquity. The Levites will not receive an inheritance among the Israelites; this is a permanent statute throughout your generations.

Ships will come from the coast of Kittim;

they will carry out raids against Asshur and Eber,

but they too will come to destruction.

An Israelite man came bringing a Midianite woman to his relatives in the sight of Moses and the whole Israelite community while they were weeping at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

“For they attacked you with the treachery that they used against you in the Peor incident. They did the same in the case involving their sister Cozbi, daughter of the Midianite leader who was killed the day the plague came at Peor.”

They traveled from Pi-hahiroth[fn] and crossed through the middle of the sea into the wilderness. They took a three-day journey into the Wilderness of Etham and camped at Marah.

“Your children, who you said would be plunder, your sons who[fn] don't yet know good from evil, will enter there. I will give them the land, and they will take possession of it.

“The day you stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, the LORD said to me, ‘Assemble the people before me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me all the days they live on the earth and may instruct their children.'

“Then their children who do not know the law will listen and learn to fear the LORD your God as long as you live in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.”

“They have provoked my jealousy

with what is not a god;[fn]

they have enraged me with their worthless idols.

So I will provoke their jealousy

with what is not a people;[fn]

I will enrage them with a foolish nation.

Before the men fell asleep, she went up on the roof

“But keep yourselves from the things set apart, or you will be set apart for destruction. If you[fn] take any of those things, you will set apart the camp of Israel for destruction and make trouble for it.

Then all the troops of Ai were summoned to pursue them, and they pursued Joshua and were drawn away from the city.

they acted deceptively. They gathered provisions[fn] and took worn-out sacks on their donkeys and old wineskins, cracked and mended.

So the five Amorite kings ​— ​the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, and Eglon ​— ​joined forces, advanced with all their armies, besieged Gibeon, and fought against it.

They went out with all their armies ​— ​a multitude as numerous as the sand on the seashore ​— ​along with a vast number of horses and chariots.

“If you ever turn away and become loyal to the rest of these nations remaining among you, and if you intermarry or associate with them and they with you,

The house of Joseph also attacked Bethel, and the LORD was with them.

For the Midianites came with their cattle and their tents like a great swarm of locusts. They and their camels were without number, and they entered the land to lay waste to it.

Each of the troops also cut his own branch and followed Abimelech. They put the branches against the inner chamber and set it on fire; about a thousand men and women died, including all the men of the Tower of Shechem.

“Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them deliver you whenever you are oppressed.”

While they were near Micah's home, they recognized the accent of the young Levite. So they went over to him and asked, “Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is keeping you here? ”

After they had taken the gods Micah had made and the priest that belonged to him, they went to Laish, to a quiet and unsuspecting people. They killed them with their swords and burned the city.

Then ten thousand fit young men from all Israel made a frontal assault against Gibeah, and the battle was fierce, but the Benjaminites did not know that disaster was about to strike them.

“They are doing the same thing to you that they have done to me,[fn] since the day I brought them out of Egypt until this day, abandoning me and worshiping other gods.

As they were climbing the hill to the city, they found some young women coming out to draw water and asked, “Is the seer here? ”

“After that you will come to Gibeah of God where there are Philistine garrisons.[fn] When you arrive at the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place prophesying. They will be preceded by harps, tambourines, flutes, and lyres.

Terror spread through the Philistine camp and the open fields to all the troops. Even the garrison and the raiding parties were terrified. The earth shook, and terror spread from God.[fn]

There were Hebrews from the area who had gone earlier into the camp to join the Philistines, but even they joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.

Saul and the men of Israel gathered and camped in the Valley of Elah; then they lined up in battle formation to face the Philistines.

It was reported to David, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and raiding the threshing floors.”

but Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. By sunset, they had gone as far as the hill of Ammah, which is opposite Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon.

Jonathan and Ahimaaz were staying at En-rogel, where a servant girl would come and pass along information to them. They in turn would go and inform King David, because they dared not be seen entering the city.

They were at the great stone in Gibeon when Amasa joined them. Joab was wearing his uniform and over it was a belt around his waist with a sword in its sheath. As he approached, the sword fell out.

and handed them over to the Gibeonites. They hanged[fn] them on the hill in the presence of the LORD; the seven of them died together. They were executed in the first days of the harvest at the beginning of the barley harvest.[fn]

Adonijah and all the invited guests who were with him heard the noise as they finished eating. Joab heard the sound of the ram's horn and said, “Why is the town in such an uproar? ”

so that they may fear you

all the days they live on the land

you gave our ancestors.

But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to slavery; they were soldiers, his servants, his commanders, his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry.

Every man would bring his annual tribute: items[fn] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,[fn] spices, and horses and mules.

from the nations about which the LORD had told the Israelites, “You must not intermarry with them, and they must not intermarry with you, because they will turn your heart away to follow their gods.” To these women Solomon was deeply attached[fn] in love.

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel! ” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.

So she left.

After she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing her containers, and she kept pouring.

“each priest is to take it from his assessor[fn] and repair whatever damage is found in the temple.”[fn]

They are still observing the former practices to this day. None of them fear the LORD or observe the statutes and ordinances, the law and commandments that the LORD had commanded the descendants of Jacob, whom he had given the name Israel.

However, these nations would not listen but continued observing their former practices.

One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. Then his son Esar-haddon became king in his place.

“But no accounting is to be required from them for the silver given to them since they work with integrity.”

The descendants of half the tribe of Manasseh settled in the land from Bashan to Baal-hermon (that is, Senir or Mount Hermon); they were numerous.

They helped David against the raiders, for they were all valiant warriors and commanders in the army.

When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans had fled, they likewise fled before Joab's brother Abishai and entered the city. Then Joab went to Jerusalem.

Joab replied, “May the LORD multiply the number of his people a hundred times over! My lord the king, aren't they all my lord's servants? Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel? ”

They also cast lots the same way as their relatives the descendants of Aaron did in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of the families of the priests and Levites ​— ​the family heads and their younger brothers alike.

They cast lots for their duties, young and old alike, teacher as well as pupil.

All of these were among the sons of Obed-edom with their sons and relatives; they were capable men with strength for the work ​— ​sixty-two from Obed-edom.

so that they may fear you

and walk in your ways

all the days they live on the land

you gave our ancestors.

But Solomon did not consign the Israelites to be slaves for his work; they were soldiers, commanders of his captains, and commanders of his chariots and his cavalry.

Each of them would bring his own gift ​— ​items[fn] of silver and gold, clothing, weapons,[fn][fn] spices, and horses and mules ​— ​as an annual tribute.

When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel! ” So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him.

Look how they repay us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you gave us as an inheritance.

So he did what was evil in the LORD's sight like the house of Ahab, for they were his advisers after the death of his father, to his destruction.

“No one is to enter the LORD's temple but the priests and those Levites who serve; they may enter because they are holy, but all the people are to obey the requirement of the LORD.

He sacrificed to the gods of Damascus which had defeated him; he said, “Since the gods of the kings of Aram are helping them, I will sacrifice to them so that they will help me.” But they were the downfall of him and of all Israel.

As for the Israelites and Judahites who lived in the cities of Judah, they also brought a tenth of the herds and flocks, and a tenth of the dedicated things that were consecrated to the LORD their God. They gathered them into large piles.

But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the other heads of Israel's families answered them, “You may have no part with us in building a house for our God, since we alone will build it for the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus, the king of Persia has commanded us.”

They are your servants and your people. You redeemed them by your great power and strong hand.

I went out at night through the Valley Gate toward the Serpent's[fn] Well and the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire.

The high priest Eliashib and his fellow priests began rebuilding the Sheep Gate. They dedicated it and installed its doors. After building the wall to the Tower of the Hundred and the Tower of Hananel, they dedicated it.

The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.

Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old[fn] Gate. They built it with beams and installed its doors, bolts, and bars.

Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate. They rebuilt it and installed its doors, bolts, and bars, and repaired five hundred yards[fn] of the wall to the Dung Gate.

Sanballat and Geshem sent me a message: “Come, let's meet together in the villages of[fn] the Ono Valley.” They were planning to harm me.

While he was facing the square in front of the Water Gate, he read out of it from daybreak until noon before the men, the women, and those who could understand. All the people listened attentively[fn] to the book of the law.

But our ancestors acted arrogantly;

they became stiff-necked and did not listen to your commands.

When they were in their kingdom,

with your abundant goodness that you gave them,

and in the spacious and fertile land you set before them,

they would not serve you or turn from their wicked ways.

We will bring a loaf from our first batch of dough to the priests at the storerooms of the house of our God. We will also bring the firstfruits of our grain offerings, of every fruit tree, and of the new wine and fresh oil. A tenth of our land's produce belongs to the Levites, for the Levites are to collect the one-tenth offering in all our agricultural towns.

how much more those who dwell in clay houses,

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed like a moth!

The hungry consume his harvest,

even taking it out of the thorns.[fn]

The thirsty[fn] pant for his children's wealth.

Would you show partiality to him

or argue the case in his defense?

How long until you stop talking?

Show some sense, and then we can talk.

They collapse and fall,

but we rise and stand firm.

I can count all my bones;

people[fn] look and stare at me.

When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh,

my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.

For evildoers will be destroyed,

but those who put their hope in the LORD

will inherit the land.

They looked and froze with fear;

they fled in terror.

They stir up strife,[fn] they lurk,

they watch my steps

while they wait to take my life.

They scavenge for food;

they growl if they are not satisfied.

Common people are only a vapor;

important people, an illusion.

Together on a scale,

they weigh less than[fn] a vapor.

But those who intend to destroy my life

will go into the depths of the earth.

For they persecute the one you struck

and talk about the pain of those you wounded.

abandoned[fn] among the dead.

I am like the slain lying in the grave,

whom you no longer remember,

and who are cut off from your care.[fn]

For forty years I was disgusted with that generation;

I said, “They are a people whose hearts go astray;

they do not know my ways.”

“They will perish, but you will endure;

all of them will wear out like clothing.

You will change them like a garment,

and they will pass away.

He rescued them many times,

but they continued to rebel deliberately

and were beaten down by their iniquity.

They saw the LORD's works,

his wondrous works in the deep.

but they set an ambush to kill themselves;[fn]

they attack their own lives.

All the streams flow to the sea,

yet the sea is never full;

to the place where the streams flow,

there they flow again.

I said to myself, “This happens so that God may test the children of Adam and they may see for themselves that they are like animals.”

So I commended the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive.

“Only see this: I have discovered that God made people upright, but they pursued many schemes.”

Turn your eyes away from me,

for they captivate me.

Your hair is like a flock of goats

streaming down from Gilead.

Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth,

for the LORD has spoken:

“I have raised children[fn] and brought them up,

but they have rebelled against me.

Indeed, they[fn] will be ashamed of the sacred trees

you desired,

and you will be embarrassed because of the garden shrines

you have chosen.

But look: joy and gladness,

butchering of cattle, slaughtering of sheep and goats,

eating of meat, and drinking of wine —

“Let's eat and drink, for tomorrow we die! ”

Indeed, the bed is too short to stretch out on,

and its cover too small to wrap up in.

And every stroke of the appointed[fn] staff

that the LORD brings down on him

will be to the sound of tambourines and lyres;

he will fight against him with brandished weapons.

Listen! Their warriors cry loudly in the streets;

the messengers of peace weep bitterly.

One day, while he was worshiping in the temple of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer struck him down with the sword and escaped to the land of Ararat. Then his son Esar-haddon became king in his place.

“They will be turned back and utterly ashamed —

those who trust in an idol

and say to a cast image,

‘You are our gods! '

The gods cower; they crouch together;

they are not able to rescue the burden,

but they themselves go into captivity.

But they rebelled

and grieved his Holy Spirit.

So he became their enemy

and fought against them.

“These people continually anger me

to my face,

sacrificing in gardens,

burning incense on bricks,

“People will build houses and live in them;

they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

Like the shame of a thief when he is caught,

so the house of Israel has been put to shame.

They, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets

I will go to the powerful

and speak to them.

Surely they know the way of the LORD,

the justice of their God.

However, these also had broken the yoke

and torn off the chains.

“Don't you see how they behave in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

“But are they really provoking me? ” This is the LORD's declaration. “Isn't it they themselves being provoked to disgrace? ”

“I will scatter them among the nations that they and their ancestors have not known. I will send a sword after them until I have finished them off.”

“They have returned to the iniquities of their ancestors who refused to obey my words and have followed other gods to worship them. The house of Israel and the house of Judah broke my covenant I made with their ancestors.

“Then the cities of Judah and the residents of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods they have been burning incense to, but they certainly will not save them in their time of disaster.

Even your brothers ​— ​your own father's family —

even they were treacherous to you;

even they have cried out loudly after you.

Do not have confidence in them,

though they speak well of you.

But the LORD said to me, “These prophets are prophesying a lie in my name. I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a false vision, worthless divination, the deceit of their own minds.

“The people they are prophesying to will be thrown into the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword. There will be no one to bury them ​— ​they, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. I will pour out their own evil on them.”

Therefore, this is what the LORD says:

If you return, I will take you back;

you will stand in my presence.

And if you speak noble words,

rather than worthless ones,

you will be my spokesman.

It is they who must return to you;

you must not return to them.

Hear how they keep challenging me,

“Where is the word of the LORD?

Let it come! ”

“kings and princes will enter through the gates of this city. They will sit on the throne of David; they will ride in chariots and on horses with their officials, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. This city will be inhabited forever.

“because they have abandoned me and made this a foreign place. They have burned incense in it to other gods that they, their ancestors, and the kings of Judah have never known. They have filled this place with the blood of the innocent.

“For if you conscientiously carry out this word, then kings sitting on David's throne will enter through the gates of this palace riding on chariots and horses ​— ​they, their officers, and their people.

“They will never return to the land they long to return to.”

I did not send out these prophets,

yet they ran.

I did not speak to them,

yet they prophesied.

“They are prophesying a lie to you so that you will be removed from your land. I will banish you, and you will perish.

“Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you, ‘Don't serve the king of Babylon,' for they are prophesying a lie to you.

Then I spoke to the priests and all these people, saying, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not listen to the words of your prophets. They are prophesying to you, claiming, “Look, very soon now the articles of the LORD's temple will be brought back from Babylon.” They are prophesying a lie to you.

“for they are prophesying falsely to you in my name. I have not sent them.” This is the LORD's declaration.

On that day —

this is the declaration of the LORD of Armies —

I will break his yoke from your neck

and tear off your chains,

and strangers will never again enslave him.

“At that time” ​— ​this is the LORD's declaration ​— ​“I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they will be my people.”

“This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt ​— ​my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”[fn] ​— ​the LORD's declaration.

“because of all the evil the Israelites and Judeans have done to anger me ​— ​they, their kings, their officials, their priests, and their prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem.

“The Chaldeans will then return and fight against this city. They will capture it and burn it.

All the commanders of the armies that were in the countryside ​— ​they and their men ​— ​heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam over the land. He had been put in charge of the men, women, and children from among the poorest of the land, who had not been deported to Babylon.

Ishmael son of Nethaniah came out of Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. When he encountered them, he said, “Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam! ”

And they said to Jeremiah, “May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we don't act according to every word the LORD your God sends you to tell us.

“Then the remnant of Judah ​— ​those going to live for a while there in the land of Egypt ​— ​will have no fugitive or survivor to return to the land of Judah where they are longing[fn] to return to stay, for they will not return except for a few fugitives.”

Why have I seen this?

They are terrified,

they are retreating,

their warriors are crushed,

they flee headlong,

they never look back,

terror is on every side!

This is the LORD's declaration.

Even her mercenaries among her

are like stall-fed calves.

They too will turn back;

together they will flee;

they will not take their stand,

for the day of their calamity is coming on them,

the time of their punishment.

In those days and at that time —

this is the LORD's declaration —

the Israelites and Judeans will come together,

weeping as they come,

and will seek the LORD their God.

I called to my lovers,

but they betrayed me.

My priests and elders

perished in the city

while searching for food

to keep themselves alive.

He said to me, “Son of man, I am sending you to the Israelites, to[fn] the rebellious pagans who have rebelled against me. The Israelites and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this day.

And he said to me, “Do you see this, son of man? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the detestable acts they are doing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and repeatedly anger me, even putting the branch to their nose?[fn]

“ ‘Since they have led my people astray by saying, “Peace,” when there is no peace, and since when a flimsy wall is being built, they plaster it with whitewash,

“Even if these three men ​— ​Noah, Daniel, and Job ​— ​were in it, they would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.” This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

“Even if these three men were in it, as I live” ​— ​the declaration of the Lord GOD ​— ​“they could not rescue their sons or daughters. They alone would be rescued, but the land would be desolate.

“Even if these three men were in it, as I live” ​— ​the declaration of the Lord GOD ​— ​“they could not rescue their sons or daughters, but they alone would be rescued.

“Even if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live” ​— ​the declaration of the Lord GOD ​— ​“they could not rescue their son or daughter. They would rescue only themselves by their righteousness.

“Even so, there will be survivors left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out. Indeed, they will come out to you, and you will observe their conduct and actions. Then you will be consoled about the devastation I have brought on Jerusalem, about all I have brought on it.

Then I said, “Oh, Lord GOD, they are saying of me, ‘Isn't he just composing parables? ' ”

“She didn't give up her promiscuity that began in Egypt, when men slept with her in her youth, caressed her virgin nipples, and poured out their lust on her.

“They exposed her nakedness, seized her sons and daughters, and killed her with the sword. Since they executed judgment against her, she became notorious among women.

“When I vent my jealous fury on you, they will deal with you in wrath. They will cut off your nose and ears, and the rest of you[fn] will fall by the sword. They will seize your sons and daughters, and the rest of you will be consumed by fire.

“But righteous men will judge them the way adulteresses and those who shed blood are judged, for they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands.

therefore I am about to give you to the people of the east as a possession. They will set up their encampments and pitch their tents among you. They will eat your fruit and drink your milk.

“They too descended with it to Sheol, to those slain by the sword. As its allies[fn][fn] they had lived in its shade among the nations.

“Then they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people. This is the declaration of the Lord GOD.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Look how they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are cut off.'

He said to me, “Son of man, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will dwell among the Israelites forever. The house of Israel and their kings will no longer defile my holy name by their religious prostitution and by the corpses[fn] of their kings at their high places.[fn]

“and they will be ashamed of all that they have done. Reveal[fn] the design of the temple to them ​— ​its layout with its exits and entrances ​— ​its complete design along with all its statutes, design specifications, and laws. Write it down in their sight so that they may observe its complete design and all its statutes and may carry them out.

“Before they go out to the outer court,[fn] to the people, they must take off the clothes they have been ministering in, leave them in the holy chambers, and dress in other clothes so that they do not transmit holiness to the people through their clothes.

The king then gave the command, and those men who had maliciously accused Daniel[fn] were brought and thrown into the lions' den ​— ​they, their children, and their wives. They had not reached the bottom of the den before the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.

Then the LORD said to me, “Go again; show love to a woman who is loved by another man and is an adulteress, just as the LORD loves the Israelites though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.”

I will not punish your daughters

when they act promiscuously

or your daughters-in-law

when they commit adultery,

for the men themselves go off with prostitutes

and make sacrifices with cult prostitutes.

People without discernment are doomed.

But they, like Adam,[fn] have violated the covenant;

there they have betrayed me.

Woe to them, for they fled from me;

destruction to them, for they rebelled against me!

Though I want to redeem them,

they speak lies against me.

For they have gone up to Assyria

like a wild donkey going off on its own.

Ephraim has paid for love.

Though they offer sacrificial gifts[fn]

and eat the flesh,

the LORD does not accept them.

Now he will remember their guilt

and punish their sins;

they will return to Egypt.

I discovered Israel

like grapes in the wilderness.

I saw your ancestors

like the first fruit of the fig tree in its first season.

But they went to Baal-peor,

consecrated themselves to Shame,[fn]

and became abhorrent,

like the thing they loved.

Israel called to the Egyptians

even as Israel was leaving them.[fn]

They kept sacrificing to the Baals

and burning offerings to idols.

Now they continue to sin

and make themselves a cast image,

idols skillfully made from their silver,

all of them the work of craftsmen.

People say about them,

“Let the men who sacrifice[fn] kiss the calves.”

But they do not know the LORD's intentions

or understand his plan,

that he has gathered them

like sheaves to the threshing floor.

Nineveh has been like a pool of water

from her first days,[fn]

but they are fleeing.

“Stop! Stop! ” they cry,

but no one turns back.

The remnant of Israel will no longer

do wrong or tell lies;

a deceitful tongue will not be found

in their mouths.

They will pasture and lie down,

with nothing to make them afraid.

“I am fiercely angry with the nations that are at ease, for I was a little angry, but they made the destruction worse.[fn]

Though Edom says, “We have been devastated, but we will rebuild[fn] the ruins,” the LORD of Armies says this: “They may build, but I will demolish. They will be called a wicked country and the people the LORD has cursed[fn] forever.

When all the commanders of the armies ​— ​they and their men ​— ​heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah, they came to Gedaliah at Mizpah. The commanders included Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite ​— ​they and their men.