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Israel Does Not Follow God

57 ·Those who are right with God [The righteous] ·may die [perish; pass away],
    but no one ·pays attention [cares; L sets/takes it to heart].
·Good people [The devout; People of lovingkindness/loyalty/covenant love] are taken away [C by death],
    but no one understands.
·Those who do right [The righteous] are being taken away ·from [to be spared from; or by the power of] evil
    and are given peace.
Those who ·live [walk] ·as God wants [uprightly]
·find rest in death [L rest on their beds].

“Come here, you ·magicians [L sons/children of a sorceress]!
    Come here, you ·children [offspring; seed] of prostitutes and adulterers!
Of whom are you ·making fun [mocking; ridiculing]?
    Whom are you ·insulting [sneering at; L opening your mouth at]?
    At whom do you stick out your tongue?
You ·turn against God [L are children of rebellion],
    and you are ·liars [L the offspring/seed of liars].
You ·have sexual relations [burn with lust; L inflame yourselves] beneath the oaks and under every green tree [C a reference to pagan fertility rites].
You ·kill [slaughter] children in the ·ravines [valleys]
    and ·sacrifice them in the rocky places [L under the rocky clefts; C child sacrifices, like those associated with the Phoenician god Molech; Lev. 18:21; 2 Kin. 23:19; Jer. 32:35].
You take the smooth rocks from the ·ravines [valleys]
    as your portion.
    ·To them you are devoted [L They, they are your lot].
You pour drink offerings ·on them to worship them [L out to them],
    and you give grain [L gift; tribute] offerings [Lev. 2:1] to them.
    ·Do you think this makes me want to show you mercy [Should I relent because of these things; or Should I be happy about these things]?
You make your bed on every hill and mountain,
    and there you offer sacrifices.
You have hidden your ·idols [signs; pagan symbols; memorials]
    behind your doors and doorposts.
You have ·left [deserted] me, and you have uncovered ·yourself [or your bed].
    You have ·pulled back the covers [opened it] and climbed into bed.
You have made an ·agreement [pact; covenant] with those whose beds you love,
    and you have looked at their nakedness [C euphemisms for sexual relations, here referring to pagan worship].
You ·use your oils and perfumes
    to look nice for [L went with oil and increased your perfumes for] ·Molech [or the king].
You have sent your messengers to faraway lands;
    you even tried to send them to ·the place of the dead [or the grave; L Sheol].
10 You were tired from doing these things,
    but you never ·gave up [L said, “It is hopeless”].
You found ·new strength [L the life of your hand],
    so you did not ·quit [faint; grow weary].

11 “Whom ·were you so afraid of [L did you fear or dread]
    that you lied to me?
You have not remembered me
    or even ·thought about me [L set/taken it to heart].
·I [or Is It because I…?] have been quiet for a long time.
    Is that why you are not afraid of me?
12 I will tell about your ‘·goodness [righteousness]’ and ·what you do [your works],
    and those things will ·do you no good [not profit/help you].
13 When you cry out for help,
    let ·the gods you have gathered [your collection of idols] ·help [save; rescue] you.
The wind will blow them all away;
    just a ·puff of wind [breath] will take them away.
But the person who depends on me will ·receive [inherit] the land
    and ·own [possess] my holy mountain.”

The Lord Will Save His People

14 Someone will say, “Build ·a road [up; or it]! Build ·a road [up; or it]! Prepare the way [40:3; 62:10]!
    ·Make the way clear [Remove the obstacles] for my people.”
15 And this is the reason: God lives forever and is holy.
    He is high and ·lifted up [exalted].
He says, “I live in a high and holy place,
    but I also live with people who are ·sad [contrite] and ·humble [lowly in spirit].
I ·give new life to [revive the spirit of] those who are ·humble [lowly]
    and to those whose hearts are ·broken [contrite; repentant].
16 I will not ·accuse [or contend/fight against them] forever,
    nor will I always be angry,
because then ·human life [the spirit] would grow weak.
    ·Human beings [L The breath], whom I created, would die.
17 I was angry because ·they were dishonest in order to make money [of their sinful greed].
    I punished them and ·turned away from them [L hid my face] in anger,
    but they ·continued to do evil [L turned away in the way of their heart].
18 I have seen ·what they have done [their ways], but I will heal them.
    I will guide them and comfort them and those who ·felt sad for them [mourn].
    ·They will all praise me [I will create praise on their lips; L …creating fruit of lips].
19 ·I will give peace, real peace [L Peace, peace], to those far and near,
    and I will heal them,” says the Lord.
20 But ·evil people [the wicked] are like the ·angry [surging; tossing] sea,
    which cannot rest,
    whose waves toss up ·waste [mire; muck] and mud.
21 “There is no peace for ·evil people [the wicked],” says my God.

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