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Hear the word of Adonai, O house of Jacob and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says Adonai:

“What fault did your fathers find in Me
    that they strayed so far from Me?
They walked after worthless things,
    becoming worthless themselves?[a]
They did not ask ‘Where is Adonai,
    who brought us up from the land of Egypt
    and led us through the wilderness,
    through a land of deserts and rifts,
    through a land of drought and distress,
    through a land where no one travels,
        where no one lives?’
Yet I brought you into a fertile land,
        to eat of its fruit and goodness.
    When you came, you defiled My land.
    You made My heritage an abomination.
The kohanim did not ask,
        ‘Where is Adonai?’
    The Torah experts did not know Me.
    The shepherds rebelled against Me.
    The prophets prophesied by Baal
        and went after unprofitable things.
Therefore I will plead with you again!”
It is a declaration of Adonai.
    “I will contend with your children’s children.
10 Cross to the coasts of Kittim[b] and see!
    Send to Kedar, and observe carefully.
    See if there has been anything like this.
11 Has a nation changed its gods—
        even though they are not gods?
    Yet My people have exchanged their glory
    for worthless things.
12 Be appalled at this, O heavens!
    Be utterly horrified and dumbfounded.”

It is a declaration of Adonai.

13 “My people have committed two evils:
    They have forsaken Me
        —the spring of living water—
    and they dug their own cisterns—
        cracked cisterns that hold no water.
14 Is Israel a servant—a slave by birth?
    Then why has he become plunder?
15 Young lions have roared at him
        they have roared loudly.
    They made his land a waste—
        his cities are in ruins and uninhabited.
16 Even the sons of Noph and Tahpanhes
    have grazed on the crown of your head.
17 Have you not brought this on yourself,
        when He led you in the way?
18 But now, what is on the road to Egypt?
        Drinking the waters of the Nile?
    Or what is on the road to Assyria?
        Drinking the waters of the Euphrates?
19 Your own wickedness will rebuke you
        and your backslidings will chide you.
    Know then and see
    how bad and bitter it is for you
    to forsake Adonai your God.
    Nor is fear of Me in you.”
It is a declaration of the Lord Adonai-Tzva’ot.

20 “Indeed, long ago I broke your yoke
        and tore off your bonds.
    You said, ‘I will not serve!’
    Instead, on every high hill
        and under every green tree
        you sprawled out as a prostitute.
21 Yet I had planted you as a choice vine
from completely faithful seed.
    How then did you become to Me
        a wandering wild vine?
22 Even though you wash with lye
        and use an abundance of soap,
    the stain of your iniquity is before Me.”
It is a declaration of the Lord Adonai.
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled—
        I have not gone after the Baalim[c]?
    Look at your behavior in the Valley!
        Recognize what you have done.
    You are a swift young camel
        galloping aimlessly,
24 a wild donkey used to the wilderness—
sniffing the wind in her passion—
in her heat, who can restrain her?
All males that pursue her will not tire themselves.
    At mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run while your feet are bare
        and your throat is thirsty.
    But you said ‘There is no hope!
No! For I have loved foreign gods
        and I will go after them.’
26 As a thief is shamed when caught,
        so the house of Israel is shamed—
    they, their kings, their princes,
        their kohanim and their prophets.
27 They say to wood, ‘You are my father’
        and to a stone, ‘You birthed me.’
    They have turned their back to Me
        and not their face.
    Yet when they are in trouble
        they say, ‘Rise up and save us!’
28 Where are your gods that you made for yourself?
    Let them come—if they can save you
        when you are in trouble!
    For you have as many gods
        as you have cities, O Judah.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 2:5 cf. Rom. 1:21.
  2. Jeremiah 2:10 Cyprus and nearby coasts.
  3. Jeremiah 2:23 Plural for Baal; gods.

שִׁמְע֥וּ דְבַר־יְהוָ֖ה בֵּ֣ית יַעֲקֹ֑ב וְכָֽל־מִשְׁפְּח֖וֹת בֵּ֥ית יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

כֹּ֣ה׀ אָמַ֣ר יְהוָ֗ה מַה־מָּצְא֨וּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶ֥ם בִּי֙ עָ֔וֶל כִּ֥י רָחֲק֖וּ מֵעָלָ֑י וַיֵּֽלְכ֛וּ אַחֲרֵ֥י הַהֶ֖בֶל וַיֶּהְבָּֽלוּ׃

וְלֹ֣א אָמְר֔וּ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה הַמַּעֲלֶ֥ה אֹתָ֖נוּ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרָ֑יִם הַמּוֹלִ֨יךְ אֹתָ֜נוּ בַּמִּדְבָּ֗ר בְּאֶ֨רֶץ עֲרָבָ֤ה וְשׁוּחָה֙ בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ צִיָּ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת בְּאֶ֗רֶץ לֹֽא־עָ֤בַר בָּהּ֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְלֹֽא־יָשַׁ֥ב אָדָ֖ם שָֽׁם׃

וָאָבִ֤יא אֶתְכֶם֙ אֶל־אֶ֣רֶץ הַכַּרְמֶ֔ל לֶאֱכֹ֥ל פִּרְיָ֖הּ וְטוּבָ֑הּ וַתָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ וַתְּטַמְּא֣וּ אֶת־אַרְצִ֔י וְנַחֲלָתִ֥י שַׂמְתֶּ֖ם לְתוֹעֵבָֽה׃

הַכֹּהֲנִ֗ים לֹ֤א אָֽמְרוּ֙ אַיֵּ֣ה יְהוָ֔ה וְתֹפְשֵׂ֤י הַתּוֹרָה֙ לֹ֣א יְדָע֔וּנִי וְהָרֹעִ֖ים פָּ֣שְׁעוּ בִ֑י וְהַנְּבִיאִים֙ נִבְּא֣וּ בַבַּ֔עַל וְאַחֲרֵ֥י לֹֽא־יוֹעִ֖לוּ הָלָֽכוּ׃

לָכֵ֗ן עֹ֛ד אָרִ֥יב אִתְּכֶ֖ם נְאֻם־יְהוָ֑ה וְאֶת־בְּנֵ֥י בְנֵיכֶ֖ם אָרִֽיב׃

10 כִּ֣י עִבְר֞וּ אִיֵּ֤י כִתִּיִּים֙ וּרְא֔וּ וְקֵדָ֛ר שִׁלְח֥וּ וְהִֽתְבּוֹנְנ֖וּ מְאֹ֑ד וּרְא֕וּ הֵ֥ן הָיְתָ֖ה כָּזֹֽאת׃

11 הַהֵימִ֥יר גּוֹי֙ אֱלֹהִ֔ים וְהֵ֖מָּה לֹ֣א אֱלֹהִ֑ים וְעַמִּ֛י הֵמִ֥יר כְּבוֹד֖וֹ בְּל֥וֹא יוֹעִֽיל׃

12 שֹׁ֥מּוּ שָׁמַ֖יִם עַל־זֹ֑את וְשַׂעֲר֛וּ חָרְב֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד נְאֻם־יְהוָֽה׃

13 כִּֽי־שְׁתַּ֥יִם רָע֖וֹת עָשָׂ֣ה עַמִּ֑י אֹתִ֨י עָזְב֜וּ מְק֣וֹר׀ מַ֣יִם חַיִּ֗ים לַחְצֹ֤ב לָהֶם֙ בֹּאר֔וֹת בֹּארֹת֙ נִשְׁבָּרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר לֹא־יָכִ֖לוּ הַמָּֽיִם׃

14 הַעֶ֙בֶד֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אִם־יְלִ֥יד בַּ֖יִת ה֑וּא מַדּ֖וּעַ הָיָ֥ה לָבַֽז׃

15 עָלָיו֙ יִשְׁאֲג֣וּ כְפִרִ֔ים נָתְנ֖וּ קוֹלָ֑ם וַיָּשִׁ֤יתוּ אַרְצוֹ֙ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה עָרָ֥יו ׳נִצְּתָה׳ ״נִצְּת֖וּ״ מִבְּלִ֥י יֹשֵֽׁב׃

16 גַּם־בְּנֵי־נֹ֖ף ׳וְתַחְפְּנֵס׳ ״וְתַחְפַּנְחֵ֑ס״ יִרְע֖וּךְ קָדְקֹֽד׃

17 הֲלוֹא־זֹ֖את תַּעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֑ךְ עָזְבֵךְ֙ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהַ֔יִךְ בְּעֵ֖ת מוֹלִיכֵ֥ךְ בַּדָּֽרֶךְ׃

18 וְעַתָּ֗ה מַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ מִצְרַ֔יִם לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֣י שִׁח֑וֹר וּמַה־לָּךְ֙ לְדֶ֣רֶךְ אַשּׁ֔וּר לִשְׁתּ֖וֹת מֵ֥י נָהָֽר׃

19 תְּיַסְּרֵ֣ךְ רָעָתֵ֗ךְ וּמְשֻֽׁבוֹתַ֙יִךְ֙ תּוֹכִחֻ֔ךְ וּדְעִ֤י וּרְאִי֙ כִּי־רַ֣ע וָמָ֔ר עָזְבֵ֖ךְ אֶת־יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יִךְ וְלֹ֤א פַחְדָּתִי֙ אֵלַ֔יִךְ נְאֻם־אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִ֖ה צְבָאֽוֹת׃

20 כִּ֣י מֵעוֹלָ֞ם שָׁבַ֣רְתִּי עֻלֵּ֗ךְ נִתַּ֙קְתִּי֙ מוֹסְרֹתַ֔יִךְ וַתֹּאמְרִ֖י לֹ֣א ׳אֶעֱבֹד׳ ״אֶעֱב֑וֹר״ כִּ֣י עַֽל־כָּל־גִּבְעָ֞ה גְּבֹהָ֗ה וְתַ֙חַת֙ כָּל־עֵ֣ץ רַעֲנָ֔ן אַ֖תְּ צֹעָ֥ה זֹנָֽה׃

21 וְאָֽנֹכִי֙ נְטַעְתִּ֣יךְ שֹׂרֵ֔ק כֻּלֹּ֖ה זֶ֣רַע אֱמֶ֑ת וְאֵיךְ֙ נֶהְפַּ֣כְתְּ לִ֔י סוּרֵ֖י הַגֶּ֥פֶן נָכְרִיָּֽה׃

22 כִּ֤י אִם־תְּכַבְּסִי֙ בַּנֶּ֔תֶר וְתַרְבִּי־לָ֖ךְ בֹּרִ֑ית נִכְתָּ֤ם עֲוֺנֵךְ֙ לְפָנַ֔י נְאֻ֖ם אֲדֹנָ֥י יְהוִֽה׃

23 אֵ֣יךְ תֹּאמְרִ֞י לֹ֣א נִטְמֵ֗אתִי אַחֲרֵ֤י הַבְּעָלִים֙ לֹ֣א הָלַ֔כְתִּי רְאִ֤י דַרְכֵּךְ֙ בַּגַּ֔יְא דְּעִ֖י מֶ֣ה עָשִׂ֑ית בִּכְרָ֥ה קַלָּ֖ה מְשָׂרֶ֥כֶת דְּרָכֶֽיהָ׃

24 פֶּ֣רֶה׀ לִמֻּ֣ד מִדְבָּ֗ר בְּאַוַּ֤ת ׳נַפְשׁוֹ׳ ״נַפְשָׁהּ֙״ שָׁאֲפָ֣ה ר֔וּחַ תַּאֲנָתָ֖הּ מִ֣י יְשִׁיבֶ֑נָּה כָּל־מְבַקְשֶׁ֙יהָ֙ לֹ֣א יִיעָ֔פוּ בְּחָדְשָׁ֖הּ יִמְצָאֽוּנְהָ׃

25 מִנְעִ֤י רַגְלֵךְ֙ מִיָּחֵ֔ף ׳וְגוֹרְנֵךְ׳ ״וּגְרוֹנֵ֖ךְ״ מִצִּמְאָ֑ה וַתֹּאמְרִ֣י נוֹאָ֔שׁ ל֕וֹא כִּֽי־אָהַ֥בְתִּי זָרִ֖ים וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֥ם אֵלֵֽךְ׃

26 כְּבֹ֤שֶׁת גַּנָּב֙ כִּ֣י יִמָּצֵ֔א כֵּ֥ן הֹבִ֖ישׁוּ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל הֵ֤מָּה מַלְכֵיהֶם֙ שָֽׂרֵיהֶ֔ם וְכֹהֲנֵיהֶ֖ם וּנְבִיאֵיהֶֽם׃

27 אֹמְרִ֨ים לָעֵ֜ץ אָ֣בִי אַ֗תָּה וְלָאֶ֙בֶן֙ אַ֣תְּ ׳יְלִדְתִּנִי׳ ״יְלִדְתָּ֔נוּ״ כִּֽי־פָנ֥וּ אֵלַ֛י עֹ֖רֶף וְלֹ֣א פָנִ֑ים וּבְעֵ֤ת רָֽעָתָם֙ יֹֽאמְר֔וּ ק֖וּמָה וְהוֹשִׁיעֵֽנוּ׃

28 וְאַיֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֣יתָ לָּ֔ךְ יָק֕וּמוּ אִם־יוֹשִׁיע֖וּךָ בְּעֵ֣ת רָעָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֚י מִסְפַּ֣ר עָרֶ֔יךָ הָי֥וּ אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהוּדָֽה׃ ס

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Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob,
    all you clans of Israel.

This is what the Lord says:

“What fault did your ancestors find in me,
    that they strayed so far from me?
They followed worthless idols(A)
    and became worthless(B) themselves.
They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord,
    who brought us up out of Egypt(C)
and led us through the barren wilderness,
    through a land of deserts(D) and ravines,(E)
a land of drought and utter darkness,
    a land where no one travels(F) and no one lives?’
I brought you into a fertile land
    to eat its fruit and rich produce.(G)
But you came and defiled my land
    and made my inheritance detestable.(H)
The priests did not ask,
    ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who deal with the law did not know me;(I)
    the leaders(J) rebelled against me.
The prophets prophesied by Baal,(K)
    following worthless idols.(L)

“Therefore I bring charges(M) against you again,”
declares the Lord.
    “And I will bring charges against your children’s children.
10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus(N) and look,
    send to Kedar[a](O) and observe closely;
    see if there has ever been anything like this:
11 Has a nation ever changed its gods?
    (Yet they are not gods(P) at all.)
But my people have exchanged their glorious(Q) God
    for worthless idols.
12 Be appalled at this, you heavens,
    and shudder with great horror,”
declares the Lord.
13 “My people have committed two sins:
They have forsaken(R) me,
    the spring of living water,(S)
and have dug their own cisterns,
    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
14 Is Israel a servant, a slave(T) by birth?
    Why then has he become plunder?
15 Lions(U) have roared;
    they have growled at him.
They have laid waste(V) his land;
    his towns are burned(W) and deserted.(X)
16 Also, the men of Memphis(Y) and Tahpanhes(Z)
    have cracked your skull.
17 Have you not brought this on yourselves(AA)
    by forsaking(AB) the Lord your God
    when he led you in the way?
18 Now why go to Egypt(AC)
    to drink water from the Nile[b]?(AD)
And why go to Assyria(AE)
    to drink water from the Euphrates?(AF)
19 Your wickedness will punish you;
    your backsliding(AG) will rebuke(AH) you.
Consider then and realize
    how evil and bitter(AI) it is for you
when you forsake(AJ) the Lord your God
    and have no awe(AK) of me,”
declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke(AL)
    and tore off your bonds;(AM)
    you said, ‘I will not serve you!’(AN)
Indeed, on every high hill(AO)
    and under every spreading tree(AP)
    you lay down as a prostitute.(AQ)
21 I had planted(AR) you like a choice vine(AS)
    of sound and reliable stock.
How then did you turn against me
    into a corrupt,(AT) wild vine?
22 Although you wash(AU) yourself with soap(AV)
    and use an abundance of cleansing powder,
    the stain of your guilt is still before me,”
declares the Sovereign Lord.(AW)
23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled;(AX)
    I have not run after the Baals’?(AY)
See how you behaved in the valley;(AZ)
    consider what you have done.
You are a swift she-camel
    running(BA) here and there,
24 a wild donkey(BB) accustomed to the desert,(BC)
    sniffing the wind in her craving—
    in her heat who can restrain her?
Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves;
    at mating time they will find her.
25 Do not run until your feet are bare
    and your throat is dry.
But you said, ‘It’s no use!(BD)
    I love foreign gods,(BE)
    and I must go after them.’(BF)

26 “As a thief is disgraced(BG) when he is caught,
    so the people of Israel are disgraced—
they, their kings and their officials,
    their priests(BH) and their prophets.(BI)
27 They say to wood,(BJ) ‘You are my father,’
    and to stone,(BK) ‘You gave me birth.’
They have turned their backs(BL) to me
    and not their faces;(BM)
yet when they are in trouble,(BN) they say,
    ‘Come and save(BO) us!’
28 Where then are the gods(BP) you made for yourselves?
    Let them come if they can save you
    when you are in trouble!(BQ)
For you, Judah, have as many gods
    as you have towns.(BR)

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 2:10 In the Syro-Arabian desert
  2. Jeremiah 2:18 Hebrew Shihor; that is, a branch of the Nile

Hear ye the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel:

Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain?

Neither said they, Where is the Lord that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, that led us through the wilderness, through a land of deserts and of pits, through a land of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land that no man passed through, and where no man dwelt?

And I brought you into a plentiful country, to eat the fruit thereof and the goodness thereof; but when ye entered, ye defiled my land, and made mine heritage an abomination.

The priests said not, Where is the Lord? and they that handle the law knew me not: the pastors also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by Baal, and walked after things that do not profit.

Wherefore I will yet plead with you, saith the Lord, and with your children's children will I plead.

10 For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing.

11 Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit.

12 Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the Lord.

13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

14 Is Israel a servant? is he a homeborn slave? why is he spoiled?

15 The young lions roared upon him, and yelled, and they made his land waste: his cities are burned without inhabitant.

16 Also the children of Noph and Tahapanes have broken the crown of thy head.

17 Hast thou not procured this unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, when he led thee by the way?

18 And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor? or what hast thou to do in the way of Assyria, to drink the waters of the river?

19 Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.

20 For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot.

21 Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?

22 For though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before me, saith the Lord God.

23 How canst thou say, I am not polluted, I have not gone after Baalim? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done: thou art a swift dromedary traversing her ways;

24 A wild ass used to the wilderness, that snuffeth up the wind at her pleasure; in her occasion who can turn her away? all they that seek her will not weary themselves; in her month they shall find her.

25 Withhold thy foot from being unshod, and thy throat from thirst: but thou saidst, There is no hope: no; for I have loved strangers, and after them will I go.

26 As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets.

27 Saying to a stock, Thou art my father; and to a stone, Thou hast brought me forth: for they have turned their back unto me, and not their face: but in the time of their trouble they will say, Arise, and save us.

28 But where are thy gods that thou hast made thee? let them arise, if they can save thee in the time of thy trouble: for according to the number of thy cities are thy gods, O Judah.

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Did you not just now call to Me:
    Avi! You are a friend of my youth.

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הֲל֣וֹא מֵעַ֔תָּה ׳קָרָאתִי׳ ״קָרָ֥את״ לִ֖י אָבִ֑י אַלּ֥וּף נְעֻרַ֖י אָֽתָּה׃

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Have you not just called to me:
    ‘My Father,(A) my friend from my youth,(B)

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Wilt thou not from this time cry unto me, My father, thou art the guide of my youth?

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“If you will return, O Israel,
        return to Me,” declares Adonai.
    “If you will put your detestable things out of My sight.
    Then you will not waver.
You will swear, ‘As Adonai lives!’
    in truth, in justice and in righteousness.
    The nations will bless themselves in Him
        and in Him they will glory.”

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אִם־תָּשׁ֨וּב יִשְׂרָאֵ֧ל׀ נְאֻם־יְהוָ֛ה אֵלַ֖י תָּשׁ֑וּב וְאִם־תָּסִ֧יר שִׁקּוּצֶ֛יךָ מִפָּנַ֖י וְלֹ֥א תָנֽוּד׃

וְנִשְׁבַּ֙עְתָּ֙ חַי־יְהוָ֔ה בֶּאֱמֶ֖ת בְּמִשְׁפָּ֣ט וּבִצְדָקָ֑ה וְהִתְבָּ֥רְכוּ ב֛וֹ גּוֹיִ֖ם וּב֥וֹ יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃ ס

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“If you, Israel, will return,(A)
    then return to me,”
declares the Lord.
“If you put your detestable idols(B) out of my sight
    and no longer go astray,
and if in a truthful, just and righteous way
    you swear,(C) ‘As surely as the Lord lives,’(D)
then the nations will invoke blessings(E) by him
    and in him they will boast.(F)

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If thou wilt return, O Israel, saith the Lord, return unto me: and if thou wilt put away thine abominations out of my sight, then shalt thou not remove.

And thou shalt swear, The Lord liveth, in truth, in judgment, and in righteousness; and the nations shall bless themselves in him, and in him shall they glory.

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