31. However, in Your abundant compassion,You did not destroy them or abandon them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
32. So now, our God — the great, mighty,and awe-inspiring God who keeps His gracious covenant —do not view lightly all the hardships that have afflicted us,our kings and leaders,our priests and prophets,our ancestors and all Your people,from the days of the Assyrian kings until today.
33. You are righteous concerning all that has come on us,because You have acted faithfully,while we have acted wickedly.
34. Our kings, leaders, priests, and ancestorsdid not obey Your lawor listen to Your commandsand warnings You gave them.
35. When they were in their kingdom,with Your abundant goodness that You gave them,and in the spacious and fertile land You set before them, they would not serve You or turn from their wicked ways.
36. Here we are today,slaves in the land You gave our ancestorsso that they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness.Here we are — slaves in it!
37. Its abundant harvest goes to the kingsYou have set over us,because of our sins.They rule over our bodiesand our livestock as they please. We are in great distress.
38. In view of all this, we are making a binding agreement in writing on a sealed document containing the names of our leaders, Levites, and priests.