ISV(i)
16 “Now as for you, Son of Man, grab a stick of wood for yourself and write on it these words: ‘FOR JUDAH AND THE ISRAELIS, HIS COMPANIONS’
“Then grab another stick and write on it: ‘FOR JOSEPH, THE STICK OF EPHRAIM, AND ALL THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, HIS COMPANIONS’
17 “Then join them together end-to-end so that they become a single baton in your hand. 18 When the descendants of your people ask you, ‘Would you please explain to us what you mean by this?’ 19 you are to tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Watch me! I’m taking the baton that represents Joseph, which Ephraim is holding in his hand, along with his companions the tribes of Israel, and I’m going to join them with the baton that represents Judah. I’m making them a single baton, that is, a complete baton in my hand.”
20 “The batons on which you engrave your writing are to remain right in front of them in your hand. 21 Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Watch me take the Israelis out of the nations where they’ve gone and return them from every direction. I’m going to bring them back into their own land. 22 I’m going to make them a united people in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and I’ll set a single king to rule over them. They’ll never again be two separate people. They’ll never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will never again defile themselves with their idols, with other loathsome things, or with any of their sins. Instead, I will deliver them from all of the places where they have sinned, and then I’ll cleanse them. They will be my people and I will be their God.”’”
24David’s Rule as King“‘“My servant King David will be there for them, and one shepherd will be appointed for them. They will live according to my decrees, keep my regulations, and practice them.
25 They will live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob and on which your ancestors lived. They will live in that land, along with their children and grandchildren, forever. David my servant will be their everlasting leader.
“Then grab another stick and write on it:
17 “Then join them together end-to-end so that they become a single baton in your hand. 18 When the descendants of your people ask you, ‘Would you please explain to us what you mean by this?’ 19 you are to tell them, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Watch me! I’m taking the baton that represents Joseph, which Ephraim is holding in his hand, along with his companions the tribes of Israel, and I’m going to join them with the baton that represents Judah. I’m making them a single baton, that is, a complete baton in my hand.”
20 “The batons on which you engrave your writing are to remain right in front of them in your hand. 21 Then tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: “Watch me take the Israelis out of the nations where they’ve gone and return them from every direction. I’m going to bring them back into their own land. 22 I’m going to make them a united people in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and I’ll set a single king to rule over them. They’ll never again be two separate people. They’ll never again be divided into two kingdoms. 23 They will never again defile themselves with their idols, with other loathsome things, or with any of their sins. Instead, I will deliver them from all of the places where they have sinned, and then I’ll cleanse them. They will be my people and I will be their God.”’”
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