So they gathered at Mizpah and, in a great ceremony, drew water from a well and poured it out before the Lord. They also went without food all day and confessed that they had sinned against the Lord.( It was at Mizpah that Samuel became Israel’s judge.)

他们就聚集在米斯巴，打水浇在耶和华面前，当日禁食，说：“我们得罪了耶和华。”于是撒母耳在米斯巴审判以色列人。

他们就聚集在米斯巴，打水浇在耶和华面前。当日他们禁食，说：“我们得罪了耶和华。”撒母耳在米斯巴作以色列人的士师。

他们就聚集在米斯巴，打水浇在耶和华面前。当日他们禁食，说：“我们得罪了耶和华。”撒母耳在米斯巴作以色列人的士师。

他们就在那里聚集，打水倒在耶和华面前，并在当天禁食。他们说：“我们得罪了耶和华。”于是，撒母耳在米斯巴做以色列人的士师。

于是，他们聚集在米斯巴，打了水，浇奠在耶和华面前；当日他们禁食，并且在那里说：“我们得罪了耶和华。”撒母耳就在米斯巴治理以色列人。

他们就聚集到米斯巴，打了水，浇奠在耶和华面前。当天他们禁食，并且在那里宣告：“我们对耶和华犯了罪！”于是撒母耳在米斯巴作了以色列子民的士师。

他們就聚集在米斯巴，打水澆在耶和華面前，當日禁食，說：「我們得罪了耶和華。」於是撒母耳在米斯巴審判以色列人。

他們就聚集在米斯巴，打水澆在耶和華面前。當日他們禁食，說：「我們得罪了耶和華。」撒母耳在米斯巴作以色列人的士師。

他們就聚集在米斯巴，打水澆在耶和華面前。當日他們禁食，說：「我們得罪了耶和華。」撒母耳在米斯巴作以色列人的士師。

他們就在那裡聚集，打水倒在耶和華面前，並在當天禁食。他們說：「我們得罪了耶和華。」於是，撒母耳在米斯巴做以色列人的士師。

於是，他們聚集在米斯巴，打了水，澆奠在耶和華面前；當日他們禁食，並且在那裡說：“我們得罪了耶和華。”撒母耳就在米斯巴治理以色列人。

他們就集合在米斯巴，打水倒在永恆主面前；那一天禁食，在那裏說：『我們犯罪得罪了永恆主了。』撒母耳在米斯巴作士師拯救了以色列人。

他們就聚集到米斯巴，打了水，澆奠在耶和華面前。當天他們禁食，並且在那裡宣告：「我們對耶和華犯了罪！」於是撒母耳在米斯巴作了以色列子民的士師。

遂集於米斯巴、汲水傾於耶和華前、是日禁食、曰、我獲罪於耶和華、撒母耳在米斯巴、為以色列族聽訟、

遂集至米斯巴、汲水斟於耶和華前、是日禁食曰、我獲罪耶和華。撒母耳在米斯巴為以色列族士師。

遂集於米斯巴、汲水奠於主前、是日禁食在彼、曰、我獲罪於主、於是撒母耳在米斯巴為以色列人聽訟、

When they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the Lord. On that day they fasted and there they confessed,“ We have sinned against the Lord.” Now Samuel was serving as leader of Israel at Mizpah.

When the people had come together at Mizpah, they went to the well and got water. They poured it out in front of the Lord. On that day they didn’t eat any food. They admitted they had sinned. They said,“ We’ve sinned against the Lord.” Samuel was serving as the leader of Israel at Mizpah.

So they gathered at Mizpah and drew water and poured it out before the Lord and fasted on that day and said there,“ We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the LORD’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed,“ We have sinned against the LORD.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

So they gathered to Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day and said there,“ We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the sons of Israel at Mizpah.

So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there,“ We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah.

And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

When they gathered at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out in the Lord’s presence. They fasted that day, and there they confessed,“ We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the Israelites at Mizpah.

And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured[ it] out before the LORD, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the LORD. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

After they had assembled at Mizpah, they drew water and poured it out before the LORD. They fasted on that day, and they confessed there,“ We have sinned against the LORD.” So Samuel led the people of Israel at Mizpah.

They gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Yahweh, and fasted on that day, and said there,“ We have sinned against Yahweh.” Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

Finally, they cried out to the Lord for help, saying,“ We have sinned against you because we have abandoned you as our God and have served the images of Baal.”

All of us must die eventually. Our lives are like water spilled out on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. But God does not just sweep life away; instead, he devises ways to bring us back when we have been separated from him.

If only my head were a pool of water and my eyes a fountain of tears, I would weep day and night for all my people who have been slaughtered.

“ Oh no, sir!” she replied.“ I haven’t been drinking wine or anything stronger. But I am very discouraged, and I was pouring out my heart to the Lord.

Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly!

But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray,‘ We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’

Cry aloud before the Lord, O walls of beautiful Jerusalem! Let your tears flow like a river day and night. Give yourselves no rest; give your eyes no relief.Rise during the night and cry out. Pour out your hearts like water to the Lord. Lift up your hands to him in prayer, pleading for your children, for in every street they are faint with hunger.

That is why the Lord says,“ Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.

Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions. Tsadhe

I will go home to my father and say,“ Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you,

O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. Interlude

Only acknowledge your guilt. Admit that you rebelled against the Lord your God and committed adultery against him by worshiping idols under every green tree. Confess that you refused to listen to my voice. I, the Lord, have spoken!“ Return home, you wayward children,” says the Lord,“ for I am your master. I will bring you back to the land of Israel— one from this town and two from that family— from wherever you are scattered.

Day and night I have only tears for food, while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,“ Where is this God of yours?”

Jehoshaphat was terrified by this news and begged the Lord for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting.

I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.

And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled.For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king,“ Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.”So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.

I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”

“ I am nothing— how could I ever find the answers? I will cover my mouth with my hand.

“ Son of man, bring charges against them and condemn them. Make them realize how detestable the sins of their ancestors really were.

The Spirit of the Lord came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge. He went to war against King Cushan rishathaim of Aram, and the Lord gave Othniel victory over him.

At the time of the sacrifice, I stood up from where I had sat in mourning with my clothes torn. I fell to my knees and lifted my hands to the Lord my God.I prayed,“ O my God, I am utterly ashamed; I blush to lift up my face to you. For our sins are piled higher than our heads, and our guilt has reached to the heavens.From the days of our ancestors until now, we have been steeped in sin. That is why we and our kings and our priests have been at the mercy of the pagan kings of the land. We have been killed, captured, robbed, and disgraced, just as we are today.“ But now we have been given a brief moment of grace, for the Lord our God has allowed a few of us to survive as a remnant. He has given us security in this holy place. Our God has brightened our eyes and granted us some relief from our slavery.For we were slaves, but in his unfailing love our God did not abandon us in our slavery. Instead, he caused the kings of Persia to treat us favorably. He revived us so we could rebuild the Temple of our God and repair its ruins. He has given us a protective wall in Judah and Jerusalem.“ And now, O our God, what can we say after all of this? For once again we have abandoned your commands!

He will declare to his friends,‘ I sinned and twisted the truth, but it was not worth it.

My tears flow endlessly; they will not stop

So you handed them over to their enemies, who made them suffer. But in their time of trouble they cried to you, and you heard them from heaven. In your great mercy, you sent them liberators who rescued them from their enemies.

I have cried until the tears no longer come; my heart is broken. My spirit is poured out in agony as I see the desperate plight of my people. Little children and tiny babies are fainting and dying in the streets.

“ But at last my people will confess their sins and the sins of their ancestors for betraying me and being hostile toward me.

I turned away from God, but then I was sorry. I kicked myself for my stupidity! I was thoroughly ashamed of all I did in my younger days.’

Because of your anger, my whole body is sick; my health is broken because of my sins.My guilt overwhelms me— it is a burden too heavy to bear.My wounds fester and stink because of my foolish sins.I am bent over and racked with pain. All day long I walk around filled with grief.A raging fever burns within me, and my health is broken.I am exhausted and completely crushed. My groans come from an anguished heart.

So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. I also wore rough burlap and sprinkled myself with ashes.I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed:“ O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.But we have sinned and done wrong. We have rebelled against you and scorned your commands and regulations.

On October 31 the people assembled again, and this time they fasted and dressed in burlap and sprinkled dust on their heads.Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners as they confessed their own sins and the sins of their ancestors.They remained standing in place for three hours while the Book of the Law of the Lord their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God.

Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time:“ Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all.On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds:“ Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!”The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes.Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:“ No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all.People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence.Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.