and said, "'I solemnly swear by my own name,' decrees the Lord, 'that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son,

When they have a dispute, it comes to me and I decide between a man and his neighbor, and I make known the decrees of God and his laws."

Then they presented the decrees of the king to the king's satraps and to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, who gave help to the people and to the temple of God.

For the Lord's decrees are just, and everything he does is fair.

By day the Lord decrees his loyal love, and by night he gives me a song, a prayer to the living God.

Praise the Lord, you angels of his, you powerful warriors who carry out his decrees and obey his orders!

Today they stand firm by your decrees, for all things are your servants.

O sovereign master, your decrees can give men life; may years of life be restored to me. Restore my health and preserve my life.'

Who acts and carries out decrees? Who summons the successive generations from the beginning? I, the Lord, am present at the very beginning, and at the very end -- I am the one.

"Here is my servant whom I support, my chosen one in whom I take pleasure. I have placed my spirit on him; he will make just decrees for the nations.

A crushed reed he will not break, a dim wick he will not extinguish; he will faithfully make just decrees.

He will not grow dim or be crushed before establishing justice on the earth; the coastlands will wait in anticipation for his decrees."

"I announced events beforehand, I issued the decrees and made the predictions; suddenly I acted and they came to pass.

They seek me day after day; they want to know my requirements, like a nation that does what is right and does not reject the law of their God. They ask me for just decrees; they want to be near God.

You have sacrificed to other gods! You have sinned against the Lord! You have not obeyed the Lord! You have not followed his laws, his statutes, and his decrees! That is why this disaster that is evident to this day has happened to you."

I also gave them decrees which were not good and regulations by which they could not live.