1 Give ear, O my people, to my law: incline your ears to the words of my mouth. |
2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old: |
3 Which we have heard and known, and our fathers have told us. |
4 We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done. |
5 For he established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children: |
6 That the generation to come might know them, even the children which should be born; who should arise and declare them to their children: |
7 That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments: |
8 And might not be as their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation; a generation that set not their heart aright, and whose spirit was not stedfast with God. |
9 The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle. |
10 They kept not the covenant of God, and refused to walk in his law; |
11 And forgat his works, and his wonders that he had shewed them. |
12 Marvellous things did he in the sight of their fathers, in the land of Egypt, in the field of Zoan. |
13 He divided the sea, and caused them to pass through; and he made the waters to stand as an heap. |
14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire. |
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. |
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers. |
17 And they sinned yet more against him by provoking the most High in the wilderness. |
18 And they tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust. |
19 Yea, they spake against God; they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? |
20 Behold, he smote the rock, that the waters gushed out, and the streams overflowed; can he give bread also? can he provide flesh for his people? |
21 Therefore the LORD heard this, and was wroth: so a fire was kindled against Jacob, and anger also came up against Israel; |
22 Because they believed not in God, and trusted not in his salvation: |
23 Though he had commanded the clouds from above, and opened the doors of heaven, |
24 And had rained down manna upon them to eat, and had given them of the corn of heaven. |
25 Man did eat angels' food: he sent them meat to the full. |
26 He caused an east wind to blow in the heaven: and by his power he brought in the south wind. |
27 He rained flesh also upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: |
28 And he let it fall in the midst of their camp, round about their habitations. |
29 So they did eat, and were well filled: for he gave them their own desire; |
30 They were not estranged from their lust. But while their meat was yet in their mouths, |
31 The wrath of God came upon them, and slew the fattest of them, and smote down the chosen men of Israel. |
32 For all this they sinned still, and believed not for his wondrous works. |
33 Therefore their days did he consume in vanity, and their years in trouble. |
