'My People' in the Bible

They shall not build, and another possess; they shall not plant, and another eat. But the life of my people shall be like a tree, and so shall the work of their hands.

whether the Gentiles themselves deal so falsely and untruly with their gods - which yet are no gods indeed! But my people hath given over their high honour, for a thing that may not help them.

For my people hath done two evils: They have forsaken me, the well of the water of life; and digged them pits, yea, vile and broken pits, that hold no water.

If ye be the people of the LORD, then hearken unto his word: Am I then become a wilderness unto the people of Israel? Or a land that hath no light? Wherefore sayeth my people then, 'We are lords; and we will come no more unto thee'?

Doth a maiden forget her raiment, or a bride her stomacher? But as for my people, they have forgotten me for days innumerable.

Then shall it be said to the people and to Jerusalem, "A strong wind in the high places of the wilderness cometh through the way of my people; but neither to fan nor to cleanse.

"Nevertheless this shall come upon them because my people is become foolish, and hath utterly no understanding. They are the children of foolishness, and without any discretion. To do evil, they have wit enough: but to do well, they have no wisdom."

For among my people are found wicked persons, that privily lay snares and wait for me, to take them and destroy them.

The Prophets teach falsely, and the priests follow them, and my people hath pleasure therein. What will come thereof at the last?

And beside that, they heal the hurt of my people with sweet words, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace at all.

Wherefore, gird a sackcloth about thee, O daughter of my people; sprinkle thyself with ashes, mourn and weep bitterly, as upon the only beloved son: for the destroyer shall suddenly fall upon us.

Go to my place in Shiloh, whereunto I gave my name afore time, and look well what I did to the same place for the wickedness of my people of Israel.

but this I commanded them, saying, 'Hearken and obey my voice, and I shall be your God, and ye shall be my people: so that ye walk in all the ways, which I have commanded you, that ye may prosper.'

The Stork knoweth her appointed time; the Turtledove, the Swallow and the Crane consider the time of their travail: but my people will not know the time of the punishment of the LORD.

Nevertheless, they heal the hurt of my people with sweet words, saying, 'Peace, peace,' where there is no peace at all.

for lo, the voice of the crying of my people is heard from a far country: "Is not the LORD in Zion? Is not the king in her?" "Wherefore then have they grieved me," shall the LORD say, "with their images and foolish strange fashions?"

I am sore vexed, because of the hurt of my people: I am heavy and abashed,

for there is no more treacle at Gilead, and there is no Physician, that can heal the hurt of my people.

O Who will give my head water enough, and a well of tears for mine eyes, that I may weep night and day for the slaughter of my people?

Would God that I had a cottage somewhere far from folk, that I might leave my people, and go from them: for they be all adulterers and a shrinking sort.

Therefore thus sayeth the LORD of Hosts, "Behold, I will melt them, and try them, for what should I else do to my people?

which I commanded unto your fathers; what time as I brought them out of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Be obedient unto my voice, and do according to all that I commanded you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God,

Thus sayeth the LORD upon all mine evil neighbours, that lay hand on mine heritage, which I have given my people of Israel, "Behold, I will pluck them, namely Israel, out of their land; and put out the house of Judah from among them.

And if they, namely that trouble my people, will learn the ways of them, to swear by my name, 'The LORD liveth' - like as they learned my people to swear by Baal - then shall they be reckoned among my people.

For as straightly as a breech lieth upon a man's loins, so straightly did I bind the whole house of Israel, and the whole house of Judah unto me, sayeth the LORD: that they might be my people; that they might have a glorious name; that they might be in honour. But they would not obey me.

"This shalt thou say also unto them: 'Mine eyes shall weep without ceasing day and night. For my people shall be destroyed with great harm, and shall perish with a great plague.

I will scatter thee abroad with the fan on every side of the land: I will waste my people and destroy them, for they have had no lust to turn from their own ways.

But my people hath so forgotten me, that they have made sacrifice unto vain gods. And while they followed their own ways they are come out of the high street, and gone into a foot way not used to be trodden.

Wherefore, this is the commandment of the LORD God of Israel, unto the shepherds that feed my people, "Ye scatter and thrust out my flock, and look not upon them. Therefore now will I visit the wickedness of your imaginations, sayeth the LORD:

I have seen folly among the Prophets of Samaria, that they preached for Baal, and deceived my people of Israel.

But if they had continued in my counsel and heard my words: they had turned my people from their evil ways and wicked imaginations.

Whose purpose is, with the dreams that everyone tell, to make my people forget my name, as their forefathers did when Baal came up.

Behold, here am I, sayeth the LORD, against those prophets that dare prophesy lies, and deceive my people with their vanities, and miracles, whom I never sent, nor commanded them. They shall do this people great harm, sayeth the LORD.

And I will give them a heart, to know how that I am the LORD. They shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

For lo, the time cometh, sayeth the LORD, that I will bring again the prisoners of my people of Israel and Judah, sayeth the LORD: For I will restore them unto the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall have it in possession."

Ye shall be my people also, and I will be your God."

At the same time, sayeth the LORD, shall I be the God of all the generations of Israel, and they shall be my people."

I will pour plenteousness upon the hearts of the priests, and my people shall be satisfied with good things, sayeth the LORD."

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, sayeth the LORD: I will plant my law in the inward parts of them, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

And they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

"Considerest thou not what this people speaketh? 'Two kindreds,' say they, 'had the LORD chosen, and those same two hath he cast away.' For so far is my people come, that they have no hope to come together any more, and to be one people again.

My people hath been a lost flock. My shepherds have deceived them, and have made them go astray upon the hills. They have gone from the mountains to the little hill, and forgotten their fold.

O my people, come out of Babylon: that every man may save his life from the fearful wrath of the LORD.

{Khaf} Mine eyes begin to fail me through weeping, my body is disquieted, my liver is poured upon the earth, for the great hurt of my people, seeing the children and babes did swoon in the streets of the city.

I am laughed to scorn of all my people; they make songs upon me all the day long.

Whole rivers of water gush out of mine eyes, for the great hurt of my people.

{Gimel} The Dragons give their young ones suck with bare breasts: but the daughter of my people is cruel, and dwelleth in the wilderness like the Ostriches.

{Vav} The sin of the daughter of my people is become greater than the wickedness of Sodom, that suddenly was destroyed, and not taken with hands.

{Yod} The women, which of nature are pitiful, have sodden their own children with their hands that they might be their meat, in the miserable destruction of the daughter of my people.

that ye may walk in my commandments, and keep mine ordinances, and do them. That ye may be my people, and I your God.

Mine hands shall come upon the prophets that look out vain things and preach lies: they shall not be in the council of my people, nor written in the book of the house of Israel, neither shall they come in the land of Israel: that ye may know how that I am the LORD God.

"'And that for this cause: they have deceived my people, and told them of peace, where no peace was. One setteth up a wall, and they daub it with loose clay.

and say, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Woe be unto you, that sew pillows under all armholes, and bolsters under the heads both of young and old, to catch souls withal. For when ye have gotten the souls of my people in your captivity, ye promise them life,

and dishonour me to my people for a handful of barley, and for a piece of bread. When ye kill the souls of them that die not, and promise life to them that live not: Thus ye dissemble with my people, that believeth your lies.

Your bolsters also will I tear in pieces, and deliver my people out of your hand: so that they shall come no more in your hands to be spoiled, and ye shall know, that I am the LORD.

therefore shall ye spy out no more vanity, nor prophesy your own guessings. For I will deliver my people out of your hand, that ye may know how that I am the LORD.'"

I will set my face against that man. And will make him to be an example for others; yea, and a common byword. And will root him out of my people, that he may know how that I am the LORD.

And if that Prophet be deceived, when he telleth him a word: then I the LORD myself have deceived that Prophet, and will stretch forth mine hand upon him, to root him out of my people of Israel:

that the house of Israel be led no more from me through error, and be no more defiled in their wickedness: but that they may be my people, and I their God, sayeth the LORD God.'"

Cry, O thou son of man, and howl: for this sword shall smite my people, and all the rulers in Israel, which with my people shall be slain down to the ground through this sword. Smite therefore thou upon thy thigh, for it is gone forth to make a trial.

Through my people of Israel will I avenge me again upon Edom: they shall handle him, according to my wrath and indignation, so that they shall know my vengeance, sayeth the LORD God.

These come unto thee, after the manner of a great people: yea, my people sit down before thee, and hear thy words, but they do not thereafter: for in their mouths they show themselves, as though they were fervent, but their heart goeth after their own covetous lucre.

Thus shall they understand, that I the LORD their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, sayeth the LORD God.

And as for you, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot out your branches, and bring forth your fruit to my people of Israel: for it is hard by, that it will come.

And ye shall dwell in the land which I gave your fathers. And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.

Therefore prophesy thou, and speak unto them, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: Behold, I will open your graves, O my people, and take you out of your sepulchers, and bring you into the land of Israel again.

they shall also defile themselves no more with their abominations, Idols, and all their wicked doings. I will help them out of all their dwelling places, wherein they have sinned: and will so cleanse them, that they shall be my people, and I their God.

My dwelling shall be with them, yea I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

"Therefore, O thou son of man, thou shalt prophesy, and say unto Gog, 'Thus sayeth the LORD God: In that day thou shalt know, that my people of Israel dwelleth safe:

Yea, thou shalt come upon my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land. This shall come to pass in the latter days: I will bring thee up into my land, that the Heathen may know me, when I get me honour upon thee; O Gog, before their eyes.

I will make also the name of my holiness to be known among my people of Israel: and I will not let my holy name be evil spoken of any more: but the very Heathen also shall know that I am the LORD, the holy one of Israel.

They shall show my people the difference between the holy and unholy, betwixt the clean and unclean.

This shall be his own land in Israel, that my princes be no more chargeable unto my people. And such as remaineth yet over in the land, shall be given unto the house of Israel according to their tribes.

"Thus sayeth the LORD God: O ye princes, ye have now oppressed and destroyed enough. Now leave off, handle now according to the thing that is equal and lawful: and thrust out my people no more, sayeth the LORD God.

The prince also shall take none of the people's inheritance, nor put them from their possession: but to his own sons shall he give his possession, that my people be not scattered abroad, but that every man may have his own."

As I was yet speaking at my prayers, knowledging mine own sins, and the sins of my people, making so mine intercession before the LORD my God, for the holy hill's sake of my God:

Then said he, "Call his name Loammi. For why? Ye are not my people, therefore will I not be yours.

And though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, which can neither be measured nor told: yet in the place where it is said unto them, 'Ye be not my people': even there shall it be thus reported of them, 'They be the children of the living God.'

Tell your brethren, that they are my people; and your sistren, that they have obtained mercy.

I will sow them upon earth, for a seed to mine own self, and will have mercy upon her, that was without mercy. And to them which were not my people, I will say, 'Thou art my people.' And he shall say, 'Thou art my God.'"

My people perish, because they have no knowledge. Seeing then that thou hast refused understanding, therefore will I refuse thee also: so that thou shalt no more be my priest. And forsomuch as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.

They eat up the sins of my people, and courage them in their wickedness.

My people ask counsel at their stocks, their staff must tell them. For a whorish mind hath deceived them, so that they commit fornication against their God.

But Judah shall have a harvest for himself, when I return the captivity of my people.

My people hath no lust to turn unto me, their prophets lay the yoke upon them, but they ease them not of their burden.

And ye shall eat and have enough and praise the name of the LORD your God, which hath wrought wonders with you. And my people shall not be in shame forever.

And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no more. And my people shall not be in shame forever.

I shall gather all people together, and bring them into the valley of Jehoshaphat. And there will I reason with them: because of my people and heritage of Israel; whom they have scattered about in the nations, and parted my land.

Yea, they have cast lots for my people, the young men have they set in the brothel house, and sold the damsels for wine, that they might have to drink.

And the LORD said unto me, "Amos, what seest thou?" I answered, "A mason's trowel." Then said the Lord, "Behold, I will lay the trowel among my people of Israel, and will no more oversee them:

the LORD took me, and said unto me, 'Go thy way, and prophesy unto my people of Israel.'

And he said, "Amos, what seest thou?" I answered, "A mound with summer fruit." Then said the LORD unto me, "The end cometh upon my people of Israel, I will no more oversee them.

But all the wicked doers of my people, that say, 'Tush, the plague is not so nigh to come so hastily upon us,' those shall perish with the sword.

And I will turn the captivity of my people Israel: and they shall build the cities that are fallen in decay, and shall inhabit them, and shall plant vines and drink wine, and shall make gardens and eat the fruit of them.

Thou shalt no more come in at the gates of my people, in the time of their decay; thou shalt not see their misery in the day of their fall. Thou shalt send out no man against their host, in the day of their adversity;

For their wound is past remedy. And why? It is come into Judah, and hath touched the port of my people at Jerusalem already.

In that day shall this term be used, and a mourning shall be made over you on this manner, "We be utterly desolate, the portion of my people is translated. When will he part unto us the land, that he hath taken from us?"

but my people doth the contrary, therefore must I take part against them. For they take away both coat and cloak from the simple. Ye have turned yourselves to fight;

the women of my people have ye shot out from their good houses, and taken away my excellent gifts from their children.

ye eat the flesh of my people, and flay of their skin; ye break their bones, ye chop them in pieces as it were into a cauldron, and as flesh into a pot.