He commanded the people of Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his law and his commands.

吩咐犹大人寻求耶和华他们列祖的神，遵行他的律法、诫命；

吩咐犹大人寻求耶和华—他们列祖的上帝，遵行他的律法和诫命，

吩咐犹大人寻求耶和华—他们列祖的神，遵行他的律法和诫命，

命令犹大人寻求他们祖先的上帝耶和华，遵行祂的律法和诫命。

吩咐犹大人寻求耶和华他们列祖的神，遵行他的律法和诫命。

吩咐猶大人尋求耶和華－他們列祖的神，遵行他的律法、誡命；

吩咐猶大人尋求耶和華－他們列祖的上帝，遵行他的律法和誡命，

吩咐猶大人尋求耶和華－他們列祖的神，遵行他的律法和誡命，

命令猶大人尋求他們祖先的上帝耶和華，遵行祂的律法和誡命。

吩咐猶大人尋求耶和華他們列祖的神，遵行他的律法和誡命。

吩咐猶大人要尋求永恆主他們列祖的上帝，遵行他的律法誡命。

命猶大人尋求其列祖之上帝耶和華、行其法律誡命、

命猶大族、宗事列祖之上帝耶和華、遵其律例、禁令。

命猶大人尋求主其列祖之天主、遵行主之律法誡命、

He commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their ancestors, and to obey his laws and commands.

He commanded Judah to worship the Lord, the God of their people. He commanded them to obey the Lord’ s laws and commands.

and commanded Judah to seek the Lord, the God of their fathers, and to keep the law and the commandment.

He told the people of Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands.

and commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers and to comply with the Law and the commandment.

He commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their fathers, and to observe the law and the commandment.

and commanded Judah to seek Jehovah, the God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

He told the people of Judah to seek the Lord God of their ancestors and to carry out the instruction and the commands.

And commanded Judah to seek the LORD God of their fathers, and to do the law and the commandment.

He ordered Judah to seek the LORD God of their ancestors and to observe his law and commands.

and commanded Judah to seek Yahweh, the God of their fathers, and to obey his law and command.

joined their leaders and bound themselves with an oath. They swore a curse on themselves if they failed to obey the Law of God as issued by his servant Moses. They solemnly promised to carefully follow all the commands, regulations, and decrees of the Lord our Lord:“ We promise not to let our daughters marry the pagan people of the land, and not to let our sons marry their daughters.“ We also promise that if the people of the land should bring any merchandise or grain to be sold on the Sabbath or on any other holy day, we will refuse to buy it. Every seventh year we will let our land rest, and we will cancel all debts owed to us.“ In addition, we promise to obey the command to pay the annual Temple tax of one eighth of an ounce of silver for the care of the Temple of our God.This will provide for the Bread of the Presence; for the regular grain offerings and burnt offerings; for the offerings on the Sabbaths, the new moon celebrations, and the annual festivals; for the holy offerings; and for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel. It will provide for everything necessary for the work of the Temple of our God.“ We have cast sacred lots to determine when— at regular times each year— the families of the priests, Levites, and the common people should bring wood to God’s Temple to be burned on the altar of the Lord our God, as is written in the Law.“ We promise to bring the first part of every harvest to the Lord’s Temple year after year— whether it be a crop from the soil or from our fruit trees.We agree to give God our oldest sons and the firstborn of all our herds and flocks, as prescribed in the Law. We will present them to the priests who minister in the Temple of our God.We will store the produce in the storerooms of the Temple of our God. We will bring the best of our flour and other grain offerings, the best of our fruit, and the best of our new wine and olive oil. And we promise to bring to the Levites a tenth of everything our land produces, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns.“ A priest— a descendant of Aaron— will be with the Levites as they receive these tithes. And a tenth of all that is collected as tithes will be delivered by the Levites to the Temple of our God and placed in the storerooms.The people and the Levites must bring these offerings of grain, new wine, and olive oil to the storerooms and place them in the sacred containers near the ministering priests, the gatekeepers, and the singers.“ We promise together not to neglect the Temple of our God.”

Then Hezekiah ordered that the burnt offering be placed on the altar. As the burnt offering was presented, songs of praise to the Lord were begun, accompanied by the trumpets and other instruments of David, the former king of Israel.

Then I demanded that the rooms be purified, and I brought back the articles for God’s Temple, the grain offerings, and the frankincense.

At the same time, God’s hand was on the people in the land of Judah, giving them all one heart to obey the orders of the king and his officials, who were following the word of the Lord.

I have warned him that judgment is coming upon his family forever, because his sons are blaspheming God and he hasn’t disciplined them.

From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Then he restored the altar of the Lord and sacrificed peace offerings and thanksgiving offerings on it. He also encouraged the people of Judah to worship the Lord, the God of Israel.

And he required everyone in Jerusalem and the people of Benjamin to make a similar pledge. The people of Jerusalem did so, renewing their covenant with God, the God of their ancestors.So Josiah removed all detestable idols from the entire land of Israel and required everyone to worship the Lord their God. And throughout the rest of his lifetime, they did not turn away from the Lord, the God of their ancestors.

Now this is what the Lord says to the family of Israel:“ Come back to me and live!

Then a proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem that all the exiles should come to Jerusalem.Those who failed to come within three days would, if the leaders and elders so decided, forfeit all their property and be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.Within three days, all the people of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. This took place on December 19, and all the people were sitting in the square before the Temple of God. They were trembling both because of the seriousness of the matter and because it was raining.Then Ezra the priest stood and said to them:“ You have committed a terrible sin. By marrying pagan women, you have increased Israel’s guilt.So now confess your sin to the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do what he demands. Separate yourselves from the people of the land and from these pagan women.”Then the whole assembly raised their voices and answered,“ Yes, you are right; we must do as you say!”

I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.I will refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar. I hate all who deal crookedly; I will have nothing to do with them.I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors. I will not endure conceit and pride.I will search for faithful people to be my companions. Only those who are above reproach will be allowed to serve me.I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house, and liars will not stay in my presence.My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked and free the city of the Lord from their grip.

But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord.”

They brought seven bulls, seven rams, and seven male lambs as a burnt offering, together with seven male goats as a sin offering for the kingdom, for the Temple, and for Judah. The king commanded the priests, who were descendants of Aaron, to sacrifice the animals on the altar of the Lord.

King Hezekiah and the officials ordered the Levites to praise the Lord with the psalms written by David and by Asaph the seer. So they offered joyous praise and bowed down in worship.

Seek the Lord while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.

I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”

who decide to follow the Lord, the God of their ancestors, even though they are not properly cleansed for the ceremony.”

I have tried hard to find you— don’t let me wander from your commands.

Then I commanded that the gates of Jerusalem should be shut as darkness fell every Friday evening, not to be opened until the Sabbath ended. I sent some of my own servants to guard the gates so that no merchandise could be brought in on the Sabbath day.The merchants and tradesmen with a variety of wares camped outside Jerusalem once or twice.But I spoke sharply to them and said,“ What are you doing out here, camping around the wall? If you do this again, I will arrest you!” And that was the last time they came on the Sabbath.Then I commanded the Levites to purify themselves and to guard the gates in order to preserve the holiness of the Sabbath. Remember this good deed also, O my God! Have compassion on me according to your great and unfailing love.