30. Year after year you patiently warned them.You inspired your prophets to speak,but your people were deaf,so you let them be conquered by other nations.
31. And yet, because your mercy is great,you did not forsake or destroy them.You are a gracious and merciful God!
32. “O God, our God, how great you are!How terrifying, how powerful!You faithfully keep your covenant promises.From the time when Assyrian kings oppressed us,even till now, how much we have suffered!Our kings, our leaders, our priests and prophets,our ancestors, and all our people have suffered.Remember how much we have suffered!
33. You have done right to punish us;you have been faithful, even though we have sinned.
34. Our ancestors, our kings, leaders, and priestshave not kept your Law.They did not listen to your commands and warnings.
35. With your blessing, kings ruled your peoplewhen they lived in the broad, fertile land you gave them;but they failed to turn from sin and serve you.
36. And now we are slaves in the land that you gave us,this fertile land which gives us food.
37. What the land produces goes to the kingsthat you put over us because we sinned.They do as they please with us and our livestock,and we are in deep distress!”
38. Because of all that has happened, we, the people of Israel, hereby make a solemn written agreement, and our leaders, our Levites, and our priests put their seals to it.