19They made a calf in Horeb,
and worshiped a molten image.
20Thus they exchanged their glory
for an image of a bull that eats grass.
21They forgot God, their Savior,
who had done great things in Egypt,
22Wondrous works in the land of Ham,
and awesome things by the Red Sea.
23Therefore he said that he would destroy them,
had Moses, his chosen, not stood before him in the breach,
to turn away his wrath, so that he wouldn’t destroy them.
24Yes, they despised the pleasant land.
They didn’t believe his word,
25but murmured in their tents,
and didn’t listen to Yahweh’s voice.
26Therefore he swore to them
that he would overthrow them in the wilderness,
27that he would overthrow their offspring among the nations,
and scatter them in the lands.
28They joined themselves also to Baal Peor,
and ate the sacrifices of the dead.
29Thus they provoked him to anger with their deeds.
The plague broke in on them.
30Then Phinehas stood up, and executed judgment,
so the plague was stopped.
31That was credited to him for righteousness,
for all generations to come.
32They angered him also at the waters of Meribah,
so that Moses was troubled for their sakes;
33because they were rebellious against his spirit,
he spoke rashly with his lips.
34They didn’t destroy the peoples,
as Yahweh commanded them,
35but mixed themselves with the nations,
and learned their works.
36They served their idols,
which became a snare to them.
37Yes, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.
38They shed innocent blood,
even the blood of their sons and of their daughters,
whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan.
The land was polluted with blood.
39Thus were they defiled with their works,
and prostituted themselves in their deeds.
40Therefore Yahweh burned with anger against his people.
He abhorred his inheritance.
41He gave them into the hand of the nations.
Those who hated them ruled over them.
42Their enemies also oppressed them.
They were brought into subjection under their hand.
43He rescued them many times,
but they were rebellious in their counsel,
and were brought low in their iniquity.
44Nevertheless he regarded their distress,
when he heard their cry.
45He remembered for them his covenant,
and repented according to the multitude of his loving kindnesses.
46He made them also to be pitied
by all those who carried them captive.
47Save us, Yahweh, our God,
gather us from among the nations,
to give thanks to your holy name,
to triumph in your praise!
48Blessed be Yahweh, the God of Israel,
from everlasting even to everlasting!
Let all the people say, “Amen.”
Praise Yah!