66 Bible Verses about Jerusalem, Significance Of
Most Relevant Verses
But one tribe will be his because of my servant David, and because of Jerusalem. Out of the tribes of Israel he will have the town I have made mine.
When your people go to war against their enemies, they pray to you, O Jehovah, toward the city you have chosen and the temple I built for your name. Hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you, for everyone sins. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy far or near who takes them to another country as captives.read more.
If they come to their senses and are sorry for what they have done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land of their enemies where they are captives, if they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you. Forgive all their wrongs when they rebelled against you. Cause those who captured them to have mercy on them. They are your own people. You brought them out of Egypt from the middle of an iron smelter.
When your people go to war against their enemies, you send them and they pray to you toward this city you have chosen and the Temple I built for your name, then hear their prayer for mercy in heaven, and do what is right for them. They may sin against you. There is no man who is without sin. You may become angry with them and hand them over to an enemy who takes them to another country as captives, whether it is far or near.read more.
If they come to their senses, are sorry for what they've done, and plead with you in the land where they are captives, saying: We have sinned. We have done wrong. We have been wicked. If they change their attitude toward you in the land where they are captives. If they pray to you toward the land that you gave their ancestors, and the city you have chosen, and the Temple I have built for your name, then in heaven, the place where you live, hear their prayer for mercy. Do what is right for them. Forgive your people, who have sinned against you.
I will let Solomon's son keep one tribe. That way I will always have a descendant of my servant David ruling in Jerusalem, the city I have chosen as the place where I am worshiped.
Solomon's son Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king of Judah. He ruled seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city Jehovah chose from all the territory of Israel as the place where he was to be worshiped. Rehoboam's mother was Naamah from Ammon.
King Rehoboam strengthened his position in Jerusalem and ruled. He was forty-one years old when he began to rule. He ruled for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that Jehovah chose from all the tribes of Israel, and the city where Jehovah put his name. Rehoboam's mother was an Ammonite woman named Naamah.
Jehovah said: I will send Judah away from before my face, as I have sent Israel. I will have nothing more to do with this town. It is Jerusalem my town. And the holy house of which I said: 'My name will be there.'
Keep in mind, O Jehovah, the order you gave your servant Moses, saying: 'If you do wrong I will send you wandering among the peoples: If you come back to me and obey my orders, even if you have been forced out and are living in the farthest horizons, I will gather you from there, and bring you to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my name.'
David constructed buildings for himself in the City of David. Then he prepared a place for God's Ark and pitched a tent for it. David insisted that only the Levites carry God's Ark because Jehovah had chosen them to carry his Ark and to serve him from generation to generation. David called together all Israel at Jerusalem to bring Jehovah's Ark to the place he had prepared for it.
Once again David called together the best soldiers in Israel, a total of thirty thousand men. He led them to Baalah in Judah, in order to bring the Ark of the Covenant bearing the name of Jehovah of Hosts, whose throne is above the winged creatures. They took it from Abinadab's home on the hill and placed it on a new cart. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the cart.read more.
Ahio walked in front. David and all the Israelites danced and sang with all their might to honor Jehovah. They played harps, lyres, drums, tambourines, rattles, and cymbals. As they came to the threshing place of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out and took hold of the Ark of the Covenant. At once Jehovah God became angry with Uzzah. He killed him because of his irreverence. Uzzah died there beside the Ark of the Covenant. Because of that the place has been called Perez Uzzah (breakthrough of Uzzah) ever since. David was furious because Jehovah punished Uzzah in anger. Then David was afraid of Jehovah and said: How can I take the Ark of the Covenant with me now? So he decided not to take it with him to Jerusalem. Instead, he turned off the road and took it to the house of Obed Edom, a native of the city of Gath. The Ark of Jehovah stayed at the home of Obed Edom from Gath for three months. Jehovah blessed Obed Edom and his whole family. King David was told: Jehovah has blessed Obed Edom's home and everything he owns because of the Ark of God. Then David joyfully went to get the Ark of God from Obed Edom's house and bring it to the City of David. When those who carried the Ark of Jehovah walked six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. Wearing a linen ephod, David danced in Jehovah's presence with all his might. He and the entire nation of Israel brought the Ark of Jehovah with shouts of joy and the sounding of rams' horns. When the Ark of Jehovah came to the City of David, Saul's daughter Michal looked out of a window and saw King David leaping and dancing in Jehovah's presence. She despised him in her heart. The men carrying the Ark set it in its place inside the tent David put up for it. David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in Jehovah's presence. David finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and the fellowship offerings. Then he blessed the people in the name of Jehovah of Hosts. He also distributed to all the people, to the whole crowd of Israelites, men and women, one loaf of bread, one date cake, and one raisin cake. Then all the people went home.
Solomon began to build Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah. That is where Jehovah appeared to his father David. David had prepared the site on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite.
These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of Jehovah after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them.
All the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned to Jerusalem. They rejoiced while Jehoshaphat led them. Jehovah gave them a reason to rejoice about what had happened to their enemies. They brought harps, lyres, and trumpets to Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem.
Manasseh had a carved idol made. Then he set it up in God's Temple, where God had said to David and his son Solomon: I have chosen this temple and Jerusalem from all the tribes of Israel. I will put my name here from generation to generation.
All the officials, the priests, and the people became increasingly unfaithful and followed all the disgusting practices of the nations. Although Jehovah made the Temple in Jerusalem holy, they made the Temple unclean.
It was the first year of Cyrus, king of Persia. In order that the word of Jehovah (YHWH) given by the mouth of Jeremiah might come true, Jehovah moved the spirit of Cyrus, king of Persia. He made a public statement through all his kingdom, and put it in writing, saying: These are the words of Cyrus, king of Persia: 'Jehovah the God of heaven has given me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has made me responsible for building a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. May your God be with you and let you go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah. There you are to build the house of Jehovah the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem.
Your God has decided you will be strong. Display your strength, O God, as you have for us before. Kings will bring you gifts because of your temple high above Jerusalem.
He entered Jerusalem and went to the temple. When evening came he went with the twelve to Bethany.'
Every year his parents went to Jerusalem at the feast of the Passover. When he was twelve years old they went to the feast of the Passover, as was their custom. When the feast ended they started the return trip. Jesus remained behind in Jerusalem and his parents did not know this.read more.
They thought he was in the traveling company. After a day's journey they looked for him among their relatives and friends. When they could not find him they returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers. He was listening and asking them questions. All that heard him were amazed at his understanding. When they saw him they were astonished. His mother said to him: Son, why did you treat us this way? Your father and I have searched for you and we have been worried. He said: Why did you look for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house? They did not understand what he said to them. He went with them to Nazareth. He remained subject to them. His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
He led him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle (highest level) of the temple. Then he said to him: If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here.
He came and stood by me, and said: 'Brother Saul, see again!' At that very moment I saw again and looked at him. He said: 'The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will. You are to see his righteous servant, and to hear him speak with his own voice. You will be a witness for him to tell everyone what you have seen and heard.read more.
Wait no longer! Get up and be baptized and have your sins washed away by praying to him.' I went back to Jerusalem. Then I have a vision while I prayed in the temple. I saw the Lord. He said to me: 'Hurry and leave Jerusalem because the people here will not accept your witness about me.'
These are the statutes and the judgments you should carefully observe in the land Jehovah, the God of your fathers, has given you to possess as long as you live on the earth. Destroy all the places where the nations you dispossess serve their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. Tear down their altars and smash their sacred pillars. Burn their Asherah poles with fire. Cut down the carved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place.read more.
Do not worship Jehovah your God with such things. You should seek Jehovah at the place Jehovah your God chooses out of all your tribes. This is where he will dwell and establish his name. This is where you should go. There you shall bring your burnt offerings, your sacrifices, your tithes, and the contribution of your hand, your vowed offerings, your freewill offerings, and the firstborn of your herd and of your flock. You and your households should eat there before Jehovah your God, and rejoice in all your undertakings that Jehovah your God has blessed.
Jehovah your God will expand your country's borders as he promised. You will say: I am hungry for meat. Then eat as much meat as you want. If the place Jehovah your God chooses to put his name is too far away from you, you may slaughter an animal from the herds or flocks that Jehovah has given you. Eat as much as you want in your city. I have commanded you to do this. Eat it as you would eat a gazelle or a deer. Clean and unclean people may eat it together.read more.
Make sure you never eat blood, because blood contains life. Never eat the life with the meat. Never eat blood! Pour it on the ground like water. If you do not eat blood, things will go well for you and your descendants. You will be doing what Jehovah considers right. Take the holy things and the offerings you have vowed to bring, and go to the place Jehovah will choose. Sacrifice the meat and the blood of your burnt offerings on the altar of Jehovah your God. The blood of your sacrifices is to be poured out beside the altar of Jehovah your God, but you may eat the meat. If you obey these laws, you will be doing what Jehovah your God says is right and good. Then he will help you and your descendants succeed.
The people of Judah sinned against Jehovah. They did more to arouse his anger against them than all their ancestors had done. They built places of worship for false gods. They put up stone pillars and symbols of Asherah to worship on the hills and under shady trees. There were also male (cult) prostitutes in the temples of idols throughout the land. The people of Judah practiced all the disgusting practices done by the nations that Jehovah forced out of the Israelites' way.
He was thirty-five years old. He ruled in Jerusalem for twenty-five years. His mother was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhi. Like his father Asa before him, he did what was right in the sight of Jehovah. However the places of worship were not destroyed, and the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.
Jehoshaphat ruled as king of Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to rule. He ruled for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, daughter of Shilhi. Jehoshaphat carefully followed the example his father Asa had set and did what Jehovah considered right. However the illegal worship sites on the hills were not torn down. The people still did not have their hearts set on the God of their ancestors.
Jehoash became king of Judah. It was the seventh year of Jehu's rule over Israel. Jehoash ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. Jehoash did what was right in the eyes of Jehovah all his days, because he was guided by the teaching of Jehoiada the priest. The high places were not taken away. The people continued making offerings and burning them in the high places.
Ahaz son of Jotham became king of Judah. It was in the seventeenth year of the reign of Pekah son of Remaliah as king of Israel. Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king. He ruled sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the eyes of Jehovah his God, as David his father did. He walked in ways of the kings of Israel. He even offered his son to walk through the fire. He copied the disgusting ways of the nations. Jehovah sent the people of the nations out of the land before the children of Israel.read more.
He made offerings and burned them on the high places and on the hills and under every green tree.
Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to rule. He ruled for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what Jehovah considered right, as his ancestor David had done. He followed the example of the kings of Israel. He even made metal idols for worshiping other gods such as the Baals. He burned sacrifices in the valley of Ben Hinnom. He sacrificed his son by burning him alive. This was one of the disgusting things done by the nations that Jehovah had driven out from the land Israel possessed.read more.
He offered sacrifices and burned incense as an offering at the illegal worship sites on hills and under every large tree.
Then the king sent for all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king went up to the Temple of Jehovah. All the inhabitants of Judah young and old also went to Jehovah's Temple. Josiah read everything written in the Book of the Promise found in Jehovah's Temple so they could all hear it. The king stood beside the pillar and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commands, instructions, and laws with all his heart and mind. He confirmed the terms of the promise written in this book. All the people joined in the promise.read more.
Then the king ordered the high priest Hilkiah, the priests who served under Hilkiah, and the doorkeepers to remove from Jehovah's Temple all utensils that had been made for Baal, Asherah, and the entire army of heaven. Josiah burned the utensils outside Jerusalem. It was in an open field near the Kidron Brook. Then he carried their ashes to Bethel. He got rid of the pagan priests. The kings of Judah appointed them to sacrifice at the illegal places of worship in the cities of Judah and all around Jerusalem. They had been sacrificing to Baal, the sun god, the moon god, the constellations of the zodiac (Mazzalohth Constellation-Job 38:32), and the entire army of heaven. He removed the pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah from the temple. He took it to the Kidron Valley outside Jerusalem. There he burned it in the Kidron Valley, ground it to dust, and threw its ashes on the tombs of the common people. He tore down the houses of the male temple (cult) prostitutes who were in Jehovah's Temple. This is where women did weaving for Asherah. He brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah from Geba to Beersheba and made the places where those priests sacrificed unclean. He tore down the worship site at the entrance of the Gate of Joshua, the gate named after the mayor of the city. The worship site was to the left of anyone going through the city gate. The priests of the illegal worship sites had never gone to Jehovah's altar in Jerusalem. Instead, they ate their unleavened bread among the other worshipers. Josiah also made Topheth in the valley of Ben Hinnom unclean so that people would never again sacrifice their sons or daughters by burning them to the god Molech. He also removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the worship of the sun. He burned the chariots used in this worship. The altars the kings of Judah built on the palace roof above King Ahaz' quarters, King Josiah tore down, along with the altars put up by King Manasseh in the two courtyards of the Temple. He smashed the altars to bits and threw them into Kidron Valley. The king made the illegal places of worship east of Jerusalem unclean. They were on the southern part of the Hill of Destruction. King Solomon of Israel built them for Astarte the disgusting goddess of the Sidonians. Also made unclean were references to Chemosh the disgusting god of Moab, and Milcom the disgusting god of the Ammonites. Josiah crushed the sacred stones. He cut down the poles dedicated to Asherah. And he filled their places with human bones. He also tore down the altar at Bethel the place of worship made by Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin. He tore down both the altar and the place of worship. They burned the worship site. They crushed it into powder and burned the pole dedicated to Asherah. Josiah turned and saw the tombs on the hill. He sent men to take the bones out of the tombs and burn them on the altar to make it unclean. This fulfilled the word of Jehovah announced by the man of God. What is that headstone I see over there? Josiah asked. The men of the town said: It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah. The one who foretold all these things you have done to the altar of Bethel. He said: Let him be. Do not move his bones. So they let his bones be with the bones of the prophet who came from Samaria. Josiah removed all the houses of the high places the kings of Israel built in the towns of Samaria. This provoked Jehovah to anger and he did with them as he had done in Bethel. He killed all the priests of the high places on the altars. Their bones were burned on the altars. Then the king went back to Jerusalem.
The king sent for all the respected leaders of Judah and Jerusalem to join him. The king, everyone in Judah, everyone living in Jerusalem, the priests, the Levites, and all the people, young and old, went up to Jehovah's Temple. He read everything written in the Book of the Covenant found in Jehovah's Temple so that they could hear it. The king stood in his place and made a promise to Jehovah that he would follow Jehovah and obey his commandments, instructions, and laws with his entire heart and being. He said he would live by the terms of the covenant (promise) written in this book.read more.
He also made all those found in Jerusalem and Benjamin join with him in the covenant. Then the people of Jerusalem lived according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors.
Hezekiah sent a message to all Israel and Judah. He wrote letters to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. He invited them to come to Jehovah's Temple in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Jehovah the God of Israel. The king, his officials, and the whole assembly in Jerusalem decided to celebrate the Passover in the second month. They could not celebrate it at the regular time because not enough priests had performed the ceremonies to make themselves holy and the people had not gathered in Jerusalem.read more.
The king and the entire assembly considered their plan to be the right thing to do. They decided to send an announcement throughout Israel from Beersheba to Dan. They summoned everyone to come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover of Jehovah God of Israel. These people had not celebrated it in large numbers as the written instructions said they should. Messengers carried letters from the king and his officials throughout Israel and Judah. The king's order said: Israelites should return to Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then he will return to the few of you who escaped from the power of the kings of Assyria. Do not be like your ancestors and your relatives who were unfaithful to Jehovah the God of their ancestors. He made them something that shocks people, as you have seen. Do not stiffen your neck like your fathers, but yield to Jehovah and enter his sanctuary that he has consecrated from generation to generation. Serve Jehovah your God that His burning anger may turn away from you. If you return to Jehovah, your brothers and your sons will find compassion before those who led them captive and will return to this land. Jehovah your God is gracious and compassionate. He will not turn his face away from you if you return to him. So the couriers passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun, but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them. Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of Jehovah. Many people were gathered at Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Unleavened Bread in the second month. It was a very large assembly. They arose and removed the altars in Jerusalem. They also removed all the incense altars and cast them into the Kidron Brook. They slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. The priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves. They consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of Jehovah. They stood in their regular places as instructed by the law of Moses. Moses was a man of God. The priests sprinkled the blood they received from the Levites. Many people in the assembly had not made themselves holy. So the Levites had to kill the Passover lambs for all who were not clean and could not make their lambs holy for Jehovah. Many people from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun had not made themselves clean. So they ate the Passover, but not in the way the written instructions said they should. Hezekiah prayed for them: May Jehovah forgive everyone who have their hearts set on dedicating their lives to serve God. May Jehovah the God of their ancestors do this for those who are not clean as required for the holy place. Jehovah listened to Hezekiah and healed the people. Thus the Israelites in Jerusalem celebrated the Festival of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. Each day the Levites and priests praised Jehovah in song. They played Jehovah's instruments loudly. Hezekiah spoke encouraging words to all the Levites who had the skills to serve Jehovah. They ate the festival meals for seven days, sacrificed fellowship offerings, and confessed their sins to Jehovah the God of their ancestors. Then the whole assembly decided to celebrate the festival for seven more days. So they joyfully celebrated for seven more days. Hezekiah king of Judah contributed one thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep to the assembly. The princes contributed one thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep to the assembly. A large number of priests consecrated themselves. The entire assembly of Judah rejoiced with the priests and the Levites. The entire assembly that came from Israel, both the sojourners who came from the land of Israel and those living in Judah rejoiced. There was great joy in Jerusalem. Nothing occurred like this in Jerusalem since the days of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel. The Levitical priests arose and blessed the people. Their voice was heard and their prayer came to God's holy dwelling place, to heaven. When this ended, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah, broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the Asherim and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, Ephraim and Manasseh. They destroyed them all. Then all the sons of Israel returned to their cities, each to his possession. Hezekiah assigned the priests and the Levites to divisions. Each priest or Levite was put in a division based on the service he performed. The services included: sacrificing burnt offerings, sacrificing fellowship offerings, serving, giving thanks, or praising within the gates of Jehovah's camp. He set aside part of the king's property for burnt offerings, the morning and evening offerings, burnt offerings on the weekly worship days, the New Moon Festivals, and the annual festivals, as it is written in Jehovah's Law. He told the people living in Jerusalem to give the priests and Levites the portions they were due so that they could devote themselves to Jehovah's Law.
They will bring all your brothers from every nation like a grain offering to Jehovah. They will come on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules and camels to my holy mountain, Jerusalem, declares Jehovah. They will come like the people of Israel who bring their grain offerings in clean dishes to Jehovah's temple.
The hilltop shrines of Bethaven, where the people of Israel worship idols, will be destroyed. Thorns and weeds will grow up over their altars. The people will call out to the mountains: 'Hide us! And to the hills, cover us!'
Our fathers worshipped in this mountain. But you say Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus replied: Woman believe me. The hour comes when you will worship the Father neither in the mountain nor in Jerusalem.
Blessed is Jehovah out of Zion, who dwells at Jerusalem. Praise Jehovah!
Then the moon will be abashed and the sun ashamed, For Jehovah of Hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, And his glory will be before his elders.
In terror they will run to their stronghold, and their officers will be frightened at the sight of the battle flag. Jehovah declares this. His fire (light) is in Zion and his furnace is in Jerusalem.
At that time, they will call Jerusalem the throne of Jehovah. All nations will gather in Jerusalem because the name of Jehovah will be found there. They will no longer follow their own stubborn, evil ways.
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. Shake off your dust! Rise up and sit enthroned, O Jerusalem. Free yourself from the chains on your neck, O captive Daughter of Zion.
Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and what they do is against Jehovah! They are defiant in his honored presence.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed. Her sin has been paid for and she has received double for all her sins from Jehovah's hand.
I was the first to tell Zion: Look, here they are! I gave to Jerusalem a messenger of good news.
Burst into songs of joy together, you ruins of Jerusalem! Jehovah has comforted his people. He has redeemed Jerusalem.
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 spoke his word to me: Go and announce to Jerusalem, 'This is what Jehovah says: I remember the unfailing loyalty of your youth, the love you had for me as a bride. I remember how you followed me into the desert, into a land that was not sown (farmed).
O Jerusalem, wash the evil from your heart so that you may be saved. How long will your wicked thoughts lodge within you?
Be warned, O Jerusalem, I will be alienated from you. I will make you desolation, a land not inhabited.
Jeremiah, I will use Babylon to destroy the pride of the people of Judah and Jerusalem.
Who will take pity on you, Jerusalem? No one will mourn for you. No one will bother to ask how you are doing.
Zion's hands are outstretched. She has no comforter. Jehovah gave orders to the attackers of Jacob round about him: Jerusalem is an unclean (abhorrent) thing among them.
What example am I to give you? What comparison am I to make for you, O daughter of Jerusalem? What am I to make equal to you, so that I may give you comfort, O virgin daughter of Zion? Your destruction is great like the sea. Who is able to make you well? The visions your prophets have seen for you are false and foolish! They have not made you fully aware of your sin so your fate might be changed. They have seen for you false words, driving you away. All who go by make a noise with their hands at you. They make hisses, shaking their heads at the daughter of Jerusalem. They say: Is this the town that was the crown of everything beautiful, the joy of all the earth?
Therefore, the Lord Jehovah says: 'Behold, I, even I, am against you! I will execute judgments against you in the sight of the nations.
The word of Jehovah came to me: Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices. Say this, 'The Lord Jehovah says this to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites. Your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.read more.
On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths. No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Instead, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised. When I passed by you and saw you squirming in your blood, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' Yes, I said to you while you were in your blood, 'Live!' I made you numerous like plants of the field. You grew up, became tall and reached the age for fine ornaments. Your breasts were formed and your hair had grown. Yet you were naked and bare.' Then I passed by you and saw that you were at the time for love. So I spread my skirt over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became mine, declares the Lord Jehovah. Then I bathed you with water, washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil. I also clothed you with embroidered cloth and put sandals of porpoise skin on your feet. I wrapped you with fine linen and covered you with silk. I adorned you with ornaments, put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.' I also put a ring in your nostril, earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. You were adorned with gold and silver. Your dress was of fine linen, silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour, honey and oil; so you were exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty. You became famous in every nation because of your beauty. Your beauty was perfect because I gave you my glory,' declares the Lord Jehovah. But you trusted your beauty. You used your fame to become a prostitute. You had sex with everyone who walked by. You took some of your clothes and made your worship sites colorful. This is where you acted like a prostitute. Such things should not happen. They should not occur. You took your beautiful gold and silver jewelry that I had given you and made male idols for yourself. Then you committed adultery with them. You took off your embroidered clothes and covered the idols with them. You offered my olive oil and incense in their presence. You also offered them sweet and fragrant sacrifices. You gave flour, olive oil, and honey-all the food that I gave you to eat. This is what happened,' declares the Lord Jehovah. You took your sons and daughters, who belonged to me, and you sacrificed them as food to idols. Was your prostitution not enough? You slaughtered my children and presented them as burnt offerings to idols. During your disgusting life as a prostitute you never once remembered your childhood, when you were naked, squirming in your own blood.' The Lord Jehovah said: You are doomed! Doomed! You did all that evil, and then by the side of every road you built places to worship idols and practice prostitution. You dragged your beauty through the mud. You offered yourself to everyone who came by, and you were more of a prostitute every day. You let your lustful neighbors, the Egyptians, go to bed with you, and you used your prostitution to make me angry. Now I have raised my hand to punish you and to take away your share of my blessing. I have handed you over to the Philistines, who hate you. They are also disgusted with your immoral actions. The others did not satisfy you so you ran after the Assyrians. You were their prostitute, but they did not satisfy you either. You were also a prostitute for the Babylonians, that nation of merchants, but they did not satisfy you either. I, the Lord Jehovah am furious with you. You were so disgusting that you would have done anything to get what you wanted. You had sex on every street corner, and when you finished, you refused to accept money. That is worse than being a prostitute! You are an unfaithful wife who would rather have sex with strangers than with your own husband. Prostitutes accept money for having sex, but you bribe men from everywhere to have sex with you. You are not like other prostitutes. Men do not ask you for sex. You offer to pay them! Jerusalem, you prostitute, listen to the word of Jehovah. You chased after lovers, then took off your clothes and had sex. You even worshiped disgusting idols and sacrificed your own children as offerings to them. So I, the Lord Jehovah, will gather every one of your lovers, those you liked and those you hated. They will stand around you, and I will rip off your clothes and let all of those lovers stare at your nakedness. I will judge you like women who commit adultery or shed blood are judged. I will bring on you the blood of wrath and jealousy. I will also give you into the hands of your lovers. They will tear down your shrines, demolish your high places, strip you of your clothing, take away your jewels, and will leave you naked and bare. They will incite a crowd against you and they will stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. They will burn your houses with fire and execute judgments on you in the sight of many women. Then I will stop you from playing the harlot. You will also no longer pay your lovers. I will calm my fury against you and my indignation will depart from you. I will be pacified and angry no more. You have not remembered the days of your youth but have enraged me by all these things. I will therefore bring your conduct down on your own head,' declares the Lord Jehovah. 'That way you will not commit this lewdness on top of all your other abominations. Everyone who quotes proverbs will quote this proverb concerning you: Like mother, like daughter. You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and children. You are also the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. Now your older sister is Samaria, who lives north of you with her daughters. Your younger sister, who lives south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. Yet you have not merely walked in their ways or done according to their abominations; but, as if that were too little, you acted more corruptly in all your conduct than they. As I am alive,' declares the Lord Jehovah, 'Sodom, your sister and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. This was the guilt of your sister Sodom. She and her daughters had arrogance, abundant food and careless ease, but she did not help the poor and needy. They were arrogant and did disgusting things in front of me. So I did away with them when I saw this. Samaria did not commit half the sins you did. You have done many more disgusting things than they ever did. Because of all the disgusting things that you have done, you make your sisters look innocent. You will have to suffer disgrace because you accused your sisters. Yet, your sins are more disgusting than theirs. They look like they are innocent compared to you. Be ashamed of yourself and suffer disgrace, because you have made your sisters look like they are innocent.' I will restore the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters, and Samaria and her daughters. I will also restore your fortune along with theirs. You will have to suffer disgrace and be ashamed of everything you have done, including comforting them. When Sodom and her daughters and Samaria and her daughters return to what they once were, you and your daughters will return to what you once were. You did not mention your sister Sodom when you were arrogant. You did not mention her before your wickedness was revealed. Now the daughters of Aram and their neighbors despise you. The daughters of the Philistines also despise you. Those around you hate you. You must suffer because of all the crude and disgusting things you have done,' declares Jehovah. The Lord Jehovah says: 'I will treat you the way you deserve, because you ignored your promises and broke the covenant. I will honor the covenant I made with you when you were young. I will make a covenant with you that will last forever. You will remember how you have acted, and be ashamed of it when you get your older sister and your younger sister back. I will let them be like daughters to you, even though this was not part of my covenant with you.' I will renew my covenant with you, and you will know that I am Jehovah. I will forgive all the wrongs you have done, but you will remember them and be too ashamed to open your mouth.' The Lord Jehovah has spoken.
Jehovah spoke his word to me again: Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. They played the prostitute in Egypt. They played the prostitute in their youth. There their breasts were pressed and there their virgin bosom was handled.read more.
Their names were Oholah the elder and Oholibah her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Samaria is Oholah and Jerusalem is Oholibah. Oholah played the prostitute while she was mine; and she lusted after her lovers, after the Assyrians, her neighbors. The Assyrians were clothed in purple, governors and officials, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding on horses. She gave her acts of fornication to them, all of whom were the choicest men of Assyria; and with all whom she lusted after, with all their idols she defiled herself. She did not forsake her acts of fornication from the time in Egypt. In her youth men had lain with her. They handled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust on her. Therefore, I gave her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, after whom she lusted. They uncovered her nakedness. They took her sons and her daughters, but they killed her with the sword. Thus she became a byword among women, and they executed judgments on her. Now her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt in her lust than she. Her prostitution was more than the fornication of her sister. She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and officials, the ones near, magnificently dressed, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men. I saw that she had defiled herself and that they both went the same way. So she increased her acts of fornication. And she saw men portrayed on the wall, images of the Chaldeans portrayed with vermilion (reddish-orange color), girded with belts on their loins, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers, like the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth. When she saw them she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. The Babylonians came to her, to the bed of love, and defiled her with their acts of prostitution. When they had defiled her, she became disgusted with them. She uncovered her acts if prostitution and uncovered her nakedness. I became disgusted with her, as I had become disgusted with her sister. Yet she multiplied her acts of prostitution. She remembered the days of her youth, when she prostituted herself in the land of Egypt. She lusted after their paramours, whose flesh is like the flesh of donkeys and whose genital organ is like the genital organ of horses. Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom because of the breasts of your youth. Therefore, O Oholibah, the Lord Jehovah says: 'Behold I will arouse your lovers against you, from whom you were alienated. I will bring them against you from every side: the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, governors and officials all of them, officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses. They will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet. I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their customs. I will set my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in wrath. They will remove your nose and your ears. Your survivors will fall by the sword. They will take your sons and your daughters. The fire will consume your survivors. They will also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels. I will make your lewdness and your fornication brought from the land of Egypt to cease from you, so that you will not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.' The Lord Jehovah says: 'Behold, I will give you into the hand of those whom you hate, into the hand of those from whom you were alienated. They will deal with you in hatred, take all your property, and leave you naked and bare. And the nakedness of your fornications will be uncovered, both your lewdness and your acts of prostitution. These things will be done to you because you have played the prostitute with the nations, because you have defiled yourself with their idols. You have walked in the way of your sister. Therefore I will give her cup into your hand. The Lord Jehovah says this: 'You will drink your sister's cup, which is deep and wide. You will be laughed at and held in derision; it contains much. You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, the cup of horror and desolation, the cup of your sister Samaria. You will drink it and drain it. Then you will gnaw its fragments and tear your breasts. I have spoken, declares the Lord Jehovah.' Therefore, the Lord Jehovah says: 'Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, bear now the punishment of your lewdness and your acts of prostitution.' Jehovah said to me: Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominations. For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. Thus they have committed adultery with their idols and even caused their sons, whom they bore to me, to pass through the fire to them as food. Again, they have done this to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and have profaned my Sabbaths. For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, they entered my sanctuary on the same day to profane it. Then they did within my house. Furthermore, they have even sent for men who come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent. They came and you bathed, painted your eyes and decorated yourselves with ornaments for them. You sat on a splendid couch with a table arranged before it on which you had set my incense and my oil. The sound of a carefree multitude was with her. Drunkards were brought from the wilderness with men of the common sort. And they put bracelets on the hands of the women and beautiful crowns on their heads. Then I said concerning her who was worn out by adultery: Will they now commit adultery with her when she is thus? But they went into her as they would go into a prostitute. Thus they went into Oholah and into Oholibah, the lewd women. But they, righteous men, will judge them with the judgment of adulteresses and with the judgment of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses and blood is on their hands. The Lord Jehovah says: 'Bring up a company against them and give them over to terror and plunder. The company will stone them with stones and cut them down with their swords. They will slay their sons and their daughters and burn their houses with fire. Thus I will make lewdness cease from the land. All women will be admonished and not commit lewdness as you have done. Your lewdness will be repaid upon you. You will bear the penalty of worshiping your idols. You will know that I am the Lord Jehovah!'
Shout for joy, O daughter of Zion! Shout (and sing) in triumph, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! Jehovah has removed his judgments against you. He has turned aside your enemies. The King of Israel, Jehovah, is in your midst! You will fear calamity no more. Jerusalem will be told in that day: Do not be afraid, O Zion! Do not loose courage.read more.
Jehovah your God is with you! He is a mighty one. He will exult over you with joy. He will refresh you with his love. He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.
Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous having salvation. He is humble, and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the son of a she ass. I will destroy the war chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem. The battle bow will be dismantled. He will speak peace to the nations! His dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you kill the prophets and stone the messengers who are sent to you! How often I wanted to gather your children together, even as a hen gathers her chickens under her wings. But you were not willing! Behold, your house is left desolate. I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he that comes in the name of Jehovah.' (Psalm 118:26)
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets! You stone those sent to you. How often I would have gathered your children together, even as a hen gathers her own brood under her wings. But you would not have it! Behold, your house is made desolate. I tell you, you shall not see me until you say blessed is he who comes in the name of Jehovah. (Psalm 118:26)
After Jesus spoke he went to Jerusalem. When he came close to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples. He told them, Go into the nearby village. You will find a colt tied. No man has ever sat on him. Untie him and bring him to me.read more.
If any one asks why you untied him say the Lord needs him. They left and found things to be as he said. The owners found them when they untied the colt and asked why do you untie the colt? They said: The Lord needs him. They brought him to Jesus. Then they threw their garments on the colt and Jesus sat on him. As he went, they spread their garments in the way. He was near the descent of the Mount of Olives. The entire crowd of disciples rejoiced and praised God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen. They said: Blessed is the King that comes in the name of Jehovah! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven! (Psalms 118:26; 134:3)
They led him away. Simon of Cyrene was traveling from the country. They seized him and forced him to carry the stake for Jesus. A great crowd of people followed. Many women cried and grieved over him. Jesus turned to them and said: Daughters of Jerusalem do not weep for me but weep for yourselves and for your children.read more.
The days are coming when they will say blessed are the barren those without children and the breasts that never nursed. Then they will say to the mountains fall on us and to the hills cover us. If they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry? Two criminals were to be put to death with him. They came to the place called the skull. They impaled him and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left. [Jesus said: Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do.](This verse not found in older manuscripts.) They cast lots and divided his garments among themselves. The people stood watching while the rulers scoffed at him, saying: He saved others let him save himself if this is his chosen, the Christ of God. The soldiers mocked him and offered him vinegar, saying: If you are the King of the Jews save yourself. There was a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. One of the criminals who were hanged complained bitterly to him saying: Are you the Christ? Save yourself and us. The other rebuked him saying: Do you not respect God, seeing you are also condemned? We are indeed justly condemned for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man has done nothing wrong. He said: Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom. He replied: Today I tell you this. You will be with me in paradise. It was about the sixth hour. Darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The sun failed to shine. The veil of the temple was torn in two. Jesus cried with a loud voice: Father, into your hands I commend my spirit. After saying this he quit breathing. The centurion saw what was done and glorified God, saying: Certainly this was a righteous man. The crowds gathered at this sight. When they saw the things that were done they left beating their breasts. All of his friends and the women who followed him from Galilee stood watching from a distance.
It was early in the morning on the first day of the week. They went to the tomb with the spices that they had prepared. The stone was rolled away from the tomb. When they entered they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.read more.
They were perplexed about what had happened. Two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. This frightened them and they bowed down prostrate on the ground. The two men said to them: Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here. He has arisen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was yet in Galilee. He said the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be impaled, and the third day rise again. They remembered his words. When they returned from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven, and to all the rest. They were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them. They told these things to the apostles. These words seemed to be idle talk and they did not believe them. Peter ran to the tomb. Looking inside he saw the linen cloths by themselves. He departed to his home, wondering about that which occurred.
When they were gathered together he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem. They were to wait for the promise of the Father that he spoke about. John baptized with water; but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a few days, He said. When they met they asked him: Lord will you restore the kingdom to Israel at this time?read more.
He replied: It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has set within His own authority. You will receive power, when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. When he said these things, while they watched, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind. It filled the house where they were sitting. Tongues of fire that sat on each of them appeared.read more.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit. They began to speak with different tongues, as the Spirit moved them to speak. Devout Jews from every nation under heaven were dwelling at Jerusalem. When they heard this sound a crowd came together in confusion, because men heard them speak in their own language. And they were all amazed and marveled. They said to each other: Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans? How do we each hear them in our own language? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we hear them speak in our language the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed and were in doubt. They asked each other: What does this mean? Others mockingly said: These men are full of new wine. But Peter, stood up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said to them: You men of Judea, and all you who dwell at Jerusalem let me explain this to you. Listen to my words. These men are not drunk as you suppose for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel spoke about: It will come to pass in the last days, says God, I will pour out from my Spirit upon all flesh. (Greek: apo, from) Your sons and your daughters will prophesy (proclaim God's Word). Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out (a portion from) (some of) my Spirit in those days and they will prophesy: (Joel 2:28) I will show wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath: blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke. The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable (awesome) Day of Jehovah arrives. (Joel 2:31) It will come to pass, that whoever will call on the name of Jehovah will be saved. (Joel 2:32)
Saul agreed to his death. There was at that time a great persecution against the congregation at Jerusalem. All but the apostles were scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.
