46 Bible Verses about Freedom, Acts Of In Ot

I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.

It is a night to be observed for Jehovah for having brought them out from the land of Egypt. This night is for Jehovah and should be observed by all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.

Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: This evening you will know that it was Jehovah who brought you out of Egypt.

I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and cavalry. When your ancestors got to the Red Sea

Then Jehovah sent a man, a prophet, to the Israelites. He said to them: Jehovah, the God of Israel says, 'It was I who brought you out of slavery in Egypt.

From the time I rescued the people of Israel from Egypt until now, I have never lived in a temple. I have traveled around living in a tent.

Since the time I brought my people out of Egypt, I have not chosen any city in all the land of Israel in which a temple should be built where I would be worshiped. But I chose you, David, to rule my people.'

They will answer their own question: 'They abandoned Jehovah the God of their ancestors, who brought them out of Egypt. They adopted other gods, worshiped, and served them. That is why he brought this disaster on them.'

You brought a vine from Egypt. You forced out the nations and planted it.

They did not ask: 'Where is Jehovah who brought us from Egypt? He led us through the desert, through a wasteland and its pits, a land of drought and the shadow of death. No one lives there or travels there.'

It is the covenant I made with their ancestors when I brought them out of Egypt. Egypt was like an iron smelter (furnace) to them. I told them to obey me and to do everything that I commanded. I told them that if they obeyed, they would be my people and I would be their God.

I am Jehovah your God. I brought you out of Egypt. I will make you live in tents again as you did during your appointed festivals.

I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I led you forty years in the desert wilderness, to possess the land of the Amorite.

I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I redeemed you out of the house of bondage. I sent before you Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.

I gave my word when you came out of Egypt that my Spirit would be with you. Do not fear!

It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand and led them out of Egypt. They were not faithful to the covenant I made with them, and so I paid no attention to them.

Strengthen the tired hands and the knees that tremble with weakness. Tell the discouraged ones with anxious heart: Be strong and do not be afraid! God is coming to your rescue! He is coming to punish your enemies. Then the blind will be able to see, and the deaf will hear.read more.
The lame will leap and dance, and those who cannot speak will shout for joy. Streams of water will flow through the desert plain. The parched ground will become a lake, and dry land will be filled with springs. Marsh grass and reeds will grow where jackals used to live. There will be a highway there, called: The Road of Holiness. No sinner will ever travel that road. No fools will mislead those who follow it. No lions will be there. No fierce animals will pass that way! Those whom Jehovah has rescued will travel home by that road. They will reach Jerusalem with gladness, singing and shouting for joy. They will be happy forever. They will be forever free from sorrow and grief.

This is what Jehovah, your redeemer, and the Holy One of Israel, says: For your sake I will send an army to Babylon. I will bring back all the Babylonian refugees in the ships that they take pride in. I am Jehovah, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King. Jehovah makes a path through the sea and a road through the strong currents.read more.
He leads chariots and horses, an army and reinforcements. They lie down together and do not get up again. They are extinguished and snuffed out like a wick. This is what Jehovah says: Forget what happened in the past, and do not dwell on events from long ago. I am going to do something new. It is already happening. Do you recognize it? I will clear a way in the desert. I will make rivers on dry land. Wild animals, jackals, and ostriches will honor me. I will provide water in the desert. I will make rivers on the dry land for my chosen people to drink. I have formed these people for myself. They will praise me. Jacob, you have not prayed to me. Israel, you have grown tired of me. You did not bring me sheep for your burnt offerings or honor me with your sacrifices. I did not burden you by requiring grain offerings or trouble you by requiring incense offerings. You did not buy me any sugar cane with your money or satisfy me with the best part of your sacrifices. Rather, you burdened me with your sins and troubled me with your iniquities. I alone am the one who is going to wipe away your rebellious actions for my own sake. I will not remember your sins anymore. Remind me of what happened. Let us argue our case together. State your case so that you can prove you are right. Your first ancestor sinned, and your priests rebelled against me. That is why I will corrupt the leaders of the holy place. I will claim Jacob for destruction. I will set up Israel for ridicule. Listen, O Jacob, my servant, Listen Israel, whom I have chosen. This is what Jehovah says, the one who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: 'Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring. I will give blessing to your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One person will say: I belong to Jehovah. Another person will call himself by the name of Jacob. Still another will write on his hand: Jehovah's. And he will take the name Israel.' This is what Jehovah, Israel's King and Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts says: 'I AM THE FIRST AND I AM THE LAST-APART FROM ME THERE IS NO GOD! Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come yes, let him foretell what will come. Do not tremble. Do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses! Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock. There is not one!' All who make idols are nothing. The things they treasure are worthless. Those who would speak up for them are blind. They are shamefully ignorant. Who shapes a god and casts a useless and good for nothing idol. He and his kind will be put to shame. Craftsmen are merely men. Let them all come together and take their stand for they will be brought down to terror and infamy. The blacksmith takes a tool and works with it in the coals. He shapes an idol with hammers; he forges it with the might of his arm. He gets hungry and loses his strength. He drinks no water and grows faint. The carpenter measures with a line and makes an outline with a red chalk marker. He roughs it out with chisels and marks it with a compass. He shapes it in the form of man in all his glory, that it may dwell in a shrine. He cut down cedars, or cypress or oak. He let it grow among the trees of the forest, or planted a pine, and the rain made it grow. It is man's fuel for burning so he takes some to warm himself. He kindles a fire and bakes bread. But he also fashions a god and worships it. Yes he makes an idol and bows down to it. Half of the wood they burn in the fire. Over this half they roast meat that they can eat until they are full. They also warm themselves and say: We are warm. We can see the fire! But the rest of the wood they make into gods, carved statues. They bow to them and worship them. They pray to them and say: Rescue us, because you are our gods.

This is what Jehovah says: In the time of favor I will answer you. I will appoint you as my promise to the people. You will restore the land. You will make them inherit the desolate inheritance. Say to those who are bound: Go forth, to those in the darkness and show yourselves. They will feed along the roads and their pasture is on all bare heights. They will never be hungry or thirsty. The sun and the burning hot wind will not strike them. The one who has compassion on them will lead them and guide them to springs.read more.
I will make all my mountains a road. My highways will be raised up. They will come from far away. They will come from the north and from the west. They will come from the land of Sinim. Shout for joy, O heavens! Rejoice, O earth! Break into joyful shouting, O mountains! For Jehovah has comforted his people. He will have compassion on his afflicted. Zion replied: Jehovah has forsaken me and Jehovah has forgotten me! Can a woman forget her nursing child? Will she have no compassion on the child from her womb? Although mothers forget, I will not forget you. I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are constantly before me. Your children will hurry back. Those who destroyed you and laid you waste will leave you. Lift up your eyes and look around for they all gather together and come to you. As I live, declares Jehovah, you will certainly wear them like jewels and bind them on like a bride does. Even if you are destroyed and demolished, and your land is in ruins, you will be too crowed for your people. Those who devoured you will be long gone. The children removed from you will say to you: 'This place is too crowed for me. Make room for me to live here.' You will think in your heart: 'Who brought these children to birth? I am barren (sterile) and bereaved of my children. I am an exiled wonderer. Who gave birth to these? From where did these come?' Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, said Jehovah. I will set up my standard for the peoples. They will bring your sons and your daughters in their bosom and carried on their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians. Their princesses will be your nurses. They will bow down to you with their faces to the earth. They will lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Jehovah. Those who hopefully wait for me will not be put to shame. Can the prey be taken from the strong man? Can the captives be rescued from the tyrant? Certainly Jehovah says: The captives of the strong man will be taken away. The prey of the tyrant will be rescued. I will contend with the one who grapples with you and I will save your sons. I will feed oppressors with their own flesh. They will be intoxicated with their own blood as if by sweet wine. Everyone will know that I am Jehovah, your Savior and Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.

This is what your Lord Jehovah says, your God, who defends his people: See, I have taken out of your hand the cup that made you stagger. You will never drink from that cup, that cup of wrath, again. I will put it into the hands of your tormentors, who said to you: 'Lie down that we may walk all over you. You made your back like the ground like a street to be walked over.' Awake, awake, O Zion, put on your strength. Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city. The uncircumcised and defiled will not enter you again.read more.
Shake off your dust! Rise up and sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion. For this is what Jehovah says: You were sold for nothing, and without money you will be redeemed. The Lord Jehovah says: At first my people went down to Egypt to live as aliens. Now Assyria has oppressed them. What do I have here? Declares Jehovah. For my people have been taken away for nothing. Those who rule them mock, declares Jehovah. And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed. Therefore my people will all know my name! In that day they will know that it is I who foretold it. Yes, it is I! How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace and who bring good tidings of good things! For they proclaim salvation and say to Zion: Your God reigns as king! (Hebrew: Elohiym' malak': God rules!) Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices. Together they shout for joy. They will see it with their own eyes when Jehovah returns to Zion. Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem! Jehovah has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem. Jehovah will lay bare his holy arm (show his holy power) in the sight of all the nations, and all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God. Get out of her my people! Touch no unclean thing! Come out from it and be pure, you who carry the vessels of Jehovah. You will not leave in haste or go in panic. For Jehovah will go before you. The God of Israel will be your rear guard. My servant will act wisely. He will be raised, lifted up and highly exalted. There were many who were appalled at him and his appearance was disfigured beyond that of any man and his form marred beyond human likeness. He will startle (amaze) (astonish) many nations, and kings will shut their mouths because of him. For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand. THIS IS THE PEOPHESY ABOUT THE MESSIAH. Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm (power) of Jehovah been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him. Nothing in his appearance will make us desire him. He was despised and rejected by men. He was a man of sorrows familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised. We did not consider him to be worth much. He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows. We considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions! He was crushed for our iniquities! The punishment that brought us peace was upon him. There has been healing for us because of his wounds. We are all like sheep. We have gone astray! Each of us has turned to his own way. Jehovah has caused the iniquity (sin) of all of us to be laid on him. He was oppressed and afflicted and yet he did not open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was silent like sheep ready to be sheared. He did not open his mouth. He was oppressed, judged and taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? He was removed from the land of the living. He was destroyed because of the transgression of my people. He was buried like a criminal in a rich mans grave. He had done no wrong, nor was any deceit in his mouth. It was Jehovah's will to allow him to be crushed. Even though Jehovah makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of Jehovah will prosper in his hand. After his suffering he will see the light and be satisfied. By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many. He will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great. He will divide the spoils with the strong. This is because he poured out his life unto death. He was numbered with the transgressors. He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. Sing joyfully, O barren woman, you who never bore a child! Burst into song and shout for joy, you who were never in labor! More are the children of the desolate woman than of the woman, who has a husband, proclaims Jehovah. Enlarge the place of your tent. Stretch your tent curtains wide and do not hold back. Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes.

Sing joyfully, O barren woman, you who never bore a child! Burst into song and shout for joy, you who were never in labor! More are the children of the desolate woman than of the woman, who has a husband, proclaims Jehovah. Enlarge the place of your tent. Stretch your tent curtains wide and do not hold back. Lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes. For you will spread out to the right and to the left. Your descendants will dispossess nations and settle in their desolate cities.read more.
Do not be afraid. You will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace. You will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood. For your Maker is your husband. Jehovah of Hosts is his name! The Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer. He is called the God of all the earth. Jehovah will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit; a wife, who married young, only to be rejected, says your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you, says Jehovah your Redeemer. To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again. Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed, says Jehovah. I have compassion on you. O afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will build you with stones of turquoise, your foundations with sapphires. I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones. Your sons will all be taught by Jehovah. Your sons will have an abundance of peace. You will be established in righteousness. Tyranny will be far from you. You will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed and it will not come near you. If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing. Whoever attacks you will surrender to you. I created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. I also created the destroyer who will work havoc. Weapons forged against you will not prevail! You will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah and this is their vindication from me, declares Jehovah.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah is upon me, because Jehovah has anointed me to announce good news to the lowly and meek. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners. To proclaim the favorable Year of Jehovah and the day of vengeance of our God. To comfort all who mourn, to present a garland, instead of ashes, to those who mourn in Zion, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. They will be called oaks of righteousness. They are the planting of Jehovah, that he may be glorified.read more.
They will rebuild the ancient ruins. They will raise up the former devastations. And they will repair the ruined cities, the desolations of many generations. Strangers will stand and shepherd your flocks. Foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers. You will be called the priests of Jehovah. You will be spoken of as ministers of our God. You will eat the wealth of nations, you will boast in their riches. Instead of your shame there will be a double portion. Instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion. Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land. Everlasting joy will be theirs. For I, Jehovah, love justice. I hate robbery in the burnt offering. Therefore I will faithfully give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them. Then their offspring will be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them because they are the blessed offspring of Jehovah. I will rejoice greatly in Jehovah. I will exult in my God for he has clothed me with garments of salvation. He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, the Lord Jehovah will cause righteousness and praise to spring up before all the nations. For Zion's sake I will not remain silent. For Jerusalem's sake I will not rest until its righteousness shines like the sunrise and its salvation burns brightly like a torch. The nations will see your righteousness. All kings will see your glory. You will be given a new name that Jehovah will designate. You will be a beautiful crown in the hand of Jehovah, a royal crown in the hand of your God. You will no longer be called Deserted, and your land will no longer be called Destroyed. You will be named My Delight. Your land will be named Married (owned as a wife). Jehovah is delighted with you, and your land will be married. Your sons will marry you like a young man marries a woman. Your God will rejoice over the same way a bridegroom rejoices over his bride. I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem. They will never be silent day or night. Whoever calls on Jehovah, do not allow yourselves any rest, and do not give him any rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it an object of praise throughout the earth. Jehovah has sworn with his right hand and with his mighty arm (of power): I will never again let your enemies eat your grain, nor will foreigners drink the new wine that you produced. Those who harvest grain will eat it and praise Jehovah. Those who gather grapes will drink wine in my holy courtyards. Pass through! Pass through the gates! Prepare a way for the people! Build up! Build up the highway! Clear away the stones! Raise a flag (standard) for the people! Jehovah has announced to the ends of the earth: Tell my people, Zion, your salvation is coming. His reward for us and recompense are with him.' They will be called the holy people reclaimed (repurchased) by Jehovah! You will be called searched for, a City Not Deserted. Who is this coming from Bozrah in Edom with his clothes stained bright red? Who is this dressed in splendor, going forward with great strength? It is I, Jehovah! I am coming to announce my victory. I am powerful enough to save you! Why are your clothes red and your garments like those who trample grapes in a winepress? I have trampled alone in the winepress. No one was with me. In my anger I trampled on people. In my wrath I stomped on them. Their blood splattered my clothes so all my clothing has been stained. The day of vengeance was in my heart. The year for my reclaiming you has come. I looked, but there was no help. I was astounded that there was no outside support. So my own arm (power) brought me salvation. My anger supported me. In my wrath I trampled on people. In my rage I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground. I will acknowledge Jehovah's acts of loving-kindness, and sing the praises of Jehovah, because of everything that Jehovah has done for us. He has done many good things for the nation of Israel because of his compassion and the abundance of his loving-kindness. He said: They are my people, sons who will not lie to me. So he became their Savior. In all their difficulty he was concerned, and he was the messenger who saved them. In his love and compassion he reclaimed (redeemed) them. He always held them and carried them in the past. But they rebelled and grieved (offended and hurt) his Holy Spirit. So he turned against them as their enemy. He fought against them. His people finally remembered Moses and the days of old. Where is the one who brought them out of the sea with the shepherds of his flock? Where is the one who put his Holy Spirit in the midst of them? Where is the one who sent his powerful arm to support the right hand of Moses? Where is the one who divided the water in front of them to make an everlasting name for himself? Where is the one who led them through the deep water? Like horses in the wilderness, they did not stumble. Just like animals going down into a valley, they were given rest by Jehovah's Spirit. In this way you guided your people to make an honored name for yourself. Look down and see from heaven, from your holy and beautiful dwelling. Where is your determination (zeal) and might? Where is the longing of your heart and your compassion? Do not hold back. You are our Father. Even though Abraham does not know us and Israel does not pay attention to us, O Jehovah, you are our Father. Your name is our Defender From Everlasting. O Jehovah, why do you let us wander from your ways and become so stubborn that we are unable to respect you? Return for the sake of your servants. They are the tribes that belong to you. Your holy people possessed the land for a little while. Our enemies have trampled on your holy place. We have become like those whom you never ruled, like those who are not called by your name. O that you would split open the heavens and come down! The mountains would quake at your presence. Be like the fire that kindles brushwood and makes water boil. Come down to make your name known to your enemies. The nations may tremble in your presence. When you did awe-inspiring things that we did not expect, you came down and the mountains quaked at your presence. No one has ever heard and no one has paid attention. No one has perceived any god except you. You help those who wait for you. You greeted the one who gladly does right and remembers your ways. You were angry because we sinned. We continued to sin for a long time. Can we still be saved? All of us have become unclean, and all our righteous acts are like permanently stained rags. All of us wither like leaves, and our sins carry us away like the wind. No one calls on your name or tries to hold on to you. You have hidden your face from us. You allowed us be ruined by our sins. But now, Jehovah, you are our Father. We are the clay, and you are our potter. We are the work of your hands. Do not be too angry, Jehovah. Do not remember our sin forever. Now look, we are all your people. Your holy cities have become a wilderness. Zion has become a desert. Jerusalem is a wasteland. Our holy and beautiful Temple where our ancestors praised you has been burned to the ground. All that we valued has been ruined. Despite these things, Jehovah, will you restrain yourself? Will you be silent and make us suffer beyond measure? I permitted myself to be sought by those who did not ask for me. Those who did not seek me found me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said: 'Here I am, here I am.' All day long I held out my hands to an obstinate people, who walk in ways not good, pursuing their own imaginations (thoughts), a people who continually provoke me to my very face, offering sacrifices in gardens and burning incense on altars of brick. They sit among the graves and spend their nights keeping secret vigil. They eat the flesh of pigs. Their pots are full of unclean meat. They say: 'Keep away! Do not come near me, for I am too sacred for you! Such people are smoke in my nostrils, a fire that keeps burning all day.' See, it stands written before me. I will not keep silent but will pay back in full; I will pay it back into their laps both your sins and the sins of your fathers, says Jehovah. This is because they burned sacrifices on the mountains and defied me on the hills. I will measure into their laps the full payment for their former deeds. Jehovah says: As when juice is still found in a cluster of grapes and men say, 'Do not destroy it, there is yet some good in it,' so will I do in behalf of my servants; I will not destroy them all.

I will take you from the nations and gather you from every country. I will bring you back to your own land. I will sprinkle clean water on you and make you clean instead of unclean. Then I will cleanse you from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you. I will remove your stubborn hearts and give you obedient hearts.read more.
I will put my Spirit in you. I will enable you to live by my Laws, and you will obey my rules. Then you will live in the land that I gave your ancestors. You will be my people, and I will be your God.' I will rescue you from all your uncleanness. I will make the grain grow so that you will never again have famines. I will make fruit grow on the trees and crops grow in the fields so that you will no longer suffer disgrace among the nations because of famines. Then you will remember your evil ways and the bad things that you did. You will hate yourselves for all these wicked and disgusting things. I want you to know that I am not doing this for your sake,' proclaims the Lord Jehovah. 'Be ashamed and disgraced because of your ways, people of Israel.' This is what the Lord Jehovah says: 'On the day that I cleanse you from all your wickedness, I will cause your cities to be lived in again, and your ruins will be rebuilt. The wasteland will be cultivated. It will no longer remain empty for everyone passing by to see. People will say: This wasteland has become like the Garden of Eden. The cities were destroyed. They were empty and ruined, but now they are fortified and have people living in them. The surrounding nations that are left will know that I, Jehovah, have rebuilt the ruined places and planted crops in the land that was empty. I, Jehovah, have spoken, and I have done it.'

Jehovah spoke his word to me again: Son of man, take a stick and write on it: For Judah and for the Israelites who are associated with it.' Then take another stick and write on it: 'The stick of Ephraim, for Joseph and for all the people of Israel associated with it.' Then join both sticks together so that they will be one in your hand. Your people will say to you:read more.
Tell us what you mean by this.' Then say to them: 'This is what the Lord Jehovah says: I will take Joseph's stick, which is in Ephraim's hand, and the tribes of Israel associated with it, and I will put them with Judah's stick. I will make them into one stick. They will be one in my hand.' When you hold the sticks in your hand, let the people see them. Tell them: 'The Lord Jehovah says: I will take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from everywhere and bring them to their own land. I will form them into one nation in the land on the mountains of Israel. One king will rule all of them. They will no longer be two nations or be divided into two kingdoms. They will no longer dishonor themselves with their idols, with their detestable things, or with their rebellious acts. I will forgive them for all the times they turned away from me and sinned. I will cleanse them so that they will be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be their king. All of them will have one shepherd. They will live by my rules, and they will obey my laws. They will live in the land that I gave my servant Jacob, the land where their ancestors lived. They, their children, and their grandchildren will live in it for a very long time. My servant David will be their prince for a very long time. I will promise them peace. This will be a long lasting promise. I will establish them and make them increase in number. I will put my holy place among them for a very long time. My dwelling place will be with them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. Then the nations will know that I, Jehovah, have set Israel apart as holy, because my holy place will be among them permanently.'

If you buy Israelites (your own brothers) as slaves, you must set them free after six years. Do not send him away empty handed when you set him free. Supply him liberally from your flock and from your threshing floor and from your wine vat. Give to him as Jehovah your God has blessed you.read more.
Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and Jehovah your God redeemed you. Therefore I command you this today!

In this way you will set the fiftieth year apart and proclaim freedom to all the inhabitants of the land. During this year all property that has been sold must be restored to the original owner or the descendants, and any who have been sold as slaves may return to their families.

You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to me.

I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am Jehovah your God!

I AM JEHOVAH YOUR GOD. I brought you out of Egypt. You have known no god besides me. There is no savior except me.

Jehovah called Moses from the mountain. So Moses went up the mountain to God. Jehovah told him: This is what you must say to the descendants of Jacob. Tell the Israelites: You have seen what I did to Egypt and how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to me. If you will obey me and are faithful to the terms of my covenant, then out of all the nations you will be my own special possession, for all the earth is mine.read more.
You will be my kingdom of priests and my holy nation. These are the words you must speak to the children of Israel.'

The Israelites belong to me! They are my servants. I brought them out of Egypt. I am Jehovah your God!'

I have formed these people for myself. They will praise me.

I am Jehovah! I brought you out of Egypt to be your God. Be holy because I am holy.

Jehovah will establish you as a holy people to himself. He swore this to you, if you obey the commandments of Jehovah your God and walk in His ways. All the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by the name of Jehovah, and they will be afraid of you.

I have come down to rescue them from the Egyptians. I will bring my people out of Egypt into a country where there is good land, rich with milk and honey. I will give them the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live.

They said to the entire congregation of Israel: The land we explored is very good. If Jehovah is pleased with us, he will take us there and give us that rich and fertile land.

Jehovah your God will lead you into a good land. It is a land with rivers that do not dry up. Springs and underground streams flow through the valleys and the hills. The land has wheat and barley, grapevines, fig trees, and pomegranates. The land has honey and olive trees for olive oil. The land will have enough food for you, and you will have everything you need. The land has rocks with iron ore. You will be able to mine copper ore in the mountains.

It was then that I promised to take them out of Egypt and lead them to a land I had chosen for them, a rich and fertile land, the finest land of all.

On that day tell your children: 'We do this because of what Jehovah did for us when we left Egypt.' This festival will be like a mark on your hand. It will be a reminder on your forehead that the teachings of Jehovah are always to be a part of your conversation! Jehovah used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt. You must follow these rules every year at this time.

Jehovah will cause you to be stricken before your enemies. You will go out one way against them, and flee seven ways from them. You will be an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth.

The anger of Jehovah was hot against Israel. He delivered them into the hands of raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

The people of Israel forgot Jehovah their God. They sinned against him and worshiped the idols of Baal and Asherah. Jehovah became angry at Israel and let King Cushan Rishathaim of Mesopotamia conquer them. They were subject to him for eight years.

After Ehud died, the people of Israel sinned against Jehovah again. Jehovah let them be conquered by Jabin, a Canaanite king who ruled in the city of Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived at Harosheth-Hagoyim.

Again the people of Israel sinned against Jehovah. Therefore he let the people of Midian rule them for seven years.

In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria. He led the Israelites away to Assyria. He stationed them in Halah and Habor on the Gozan River, and in the towns of the Medes. The wrath (intense anger) of Jehovah came on Israel because they had done evil against Jehovah their God, who took them out of the land of Egypt from under the yoke of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. They worshipped other gods. They lived by the rules of the nations whom Jehovah sent out from before the children of Israel.read more.
The children of Israel secretly did things that were not right according to Jehovah their God. They built high places for themselves in all their towns, from the watchtower to the walled towns. They erected pillars of stone and wood on every high hill and under every green tree. They burned their offerings in all the high places, as those nations did whom Jehovah sent away from them. They did evil things, moving Jehovah to anger. They made themselves servants of disgusting things. Even though Jehovah said: You should not do this. Jehovah sent his messengers and prophets to warn Israel and Judah: Abandon your evil ways and obey my commands. The commandments contained in the Law I gave to your ancestors. I handed them on to you through my servants the prophets. They would not obey. They were stubborn like their ancestors. They did not trust in Jehovah their God. They refused to obey his instructions. They did not keep the covenant he made with their ancestors. They disregarded his warnings. They worshiped worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They followed the customs of the surrounding nations, disobeying Jehovah's command not to imitate them. They broke all the laws of Jehovah their God. They made two metal bull-calves to worship. They also made an image of the goddess Asherah. Also they worshiped the stars and served the god Baal. They caused their sons and their daughters to go through the fire to be sacrificed. They made use of secret arts and unnatural powers, and gave themselves up to doing evil in the eyes of Jehovah, till they provoked him to anger. Jehovah was very angry with Israel. He removed them from his sight. Only the tribe of Judah kept its place. But even Judah did not obey the commands of Jehovah their God. They were guided by the rules Israel made. So Jehovah would have nothing to do with all the offspring of Israel. He caused trouble for them. He gave them up into the hands of their attackers, till he had sent them away from before his face. He tore Israel from the house of David and made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove them away from the laws of Jehovah and made them do a great sin. The children of Israel walked in all the sins Jeroboam committed. They did not depart from these sins. Jehovah removed Israel from his sight as he said he would through all his servants the prophets. Israel was taken away from their land to Assyria, to this day.

By the rivers of Babylon, we sat down and cried as we remembered Zion. In the midst of it we hung our harps on poplar trees. It was there that those who had captured us demanded that we sing. Those who guarded us wanted us to entertain them. They said: Sing a song from Zion for us!read more.
How could we sing Jehovah's song in a foreign land?