“‘ “Later, I was passing by again. I looked at you. I saw that you were old enough for love. So I married you and took good care of you. I covered your naked body. I made a firm promise to you. I entered into a covenant with you. And you became mine,” announces the Lord and King.

“我从你旁边经过，看见你的时候正动爱情，便用衣襟搭在你身上，遮盖你的赤体；又向你起誓，与你结盟，你就归于我。这是主耶和华说的。

“我从你旁边经过看见你，看哪，正是你渴慕爱情的时候，我就用我衣服的边搭在你身上，遮盖你的赤体；又向你起誓，与你立约，你就归我。这是主耶和华说的。

“我从你旁边经过看见你，看哪，正是你渴慕爱情的时候，我就用我衣服的边搭在你身上，遮盖你的赤体；又向你起誓，与你立约，你就归我。这是主耶和华说的。

“‘后来我又从你旁边经过，见你正值少女怀春，我便用衣襟遮盖你的身体，向你起誓，与你定下婚约，你便属于我。这是主耶和华说的。

我又从你身旁经过，见你已经到了谈情说爱的时候，我就用我的衣襟搭在你身上，遮盖你赤裸的身体；我又向你起誓，与你立约，于是你就属于我了。这是主耶和华的宣告。

「我從你旁邊經過，看見你的時候正動愛情，便用衣襟搭在你身上，遮蓋你的赤體；又向你起誓，與你結盟，你就歸於我。這是主耶和華說的。

「我從你旁邊經過看見你，看哪，正是你渴慕愛情的時候，我就用我衣服的邊搭在你身上，遮蓋你的赤體；又向你起誓，與你立約，你就歸我。這是主耶和華說的。

「我從你旁邊經過看見你，看哪，正是你渴慕愛情的時候，我就用我衣服的邊搭在你身上，遮蓋你的赤體；又向你起誓，與你立約，你就歸我。這是主耶和華說的。

「『後來我又從你旁邊經過，見你正值少女懷春，我便用衣襟遮蓋你的身體，向你起誓，與你定下婚約，你便屬於我。這是主耶和華說的。

我又從你身旁經過，見你已經到了談情說愛的時候，我就用我的衣襟搭在你身上，遮蓋你赤裸的身體；我又向你起誓，與你立約，於是你就屬於我了。這是主耶和華的宣告。

『我從你旁邊經過，看了看你，啊，那時正是你愛情發動的時期；我便鋪開我的衣邊到你身上去遮蓋你的裸體；我又向你起誓，與你結盟，主永恆主發神諭說，你就屬於我。

我過而見爾時、乃相愛之際、則以衣襟覆爾、蔽爾裸體、與爾誓約、爾則歸我、主耶和華言之矣、

主耶和華曰、我過而見汝、若女及笄、我以裾覆爾、締結姻盟、于歸乎我。

主天主曰、我從爾旁經過以觀爾、見爾已長、可以于歸、遂以衣裾覆爾、遮爾赤體、向爾發誓、與爾結盟、俾爾歸於我、

“‘ Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.

“ When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord God, and you became mine.

And when I passed by again, I saw that you were old enough for love. So I wrapped my cloak around you to cover your nakedness and declared my marriage vows. I made a covenant with you, says the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.

“‘ Then I passed by you and saw you, and you were indeed at the age for love. So I spread the edge of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged myself to you, entered into a covenant with you— this is the declaration of the Lord GOD— and you became mine.

“ Then I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were at the time for love; so I spread My garment over you and covered your nakedness. I also swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you so that you became Mine,” declares the Lord God.

“ When I passed by you again and looked upon you, indeed your time was the time of love; so I spread My wing over you and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore an oath to you and entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine,” says the Lord God.

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord Jehovah, and thou becamest mine.

“ Then I passed by you and saw you, and you were indeed at the age for love. So I spread the edge of My garment over you and covered your nakedness. I pledged Myself to you, entered into a covenant with you, and you became Mine.” This is the declaration of the Lord God.

Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time[ was] the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord GOD, and thou becamest mine.

“‘ Then I passed by you and watched you, noticing that you had reached the age for love. I spread my cloak over you and covered your nakedness. I swore a solemn oath to you and entered into a marriage covenant with you, declares the sovereign LORD, and you became mine.

“‘“ Now when I passed by you, and looked at you, behold, your time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over you, and covered your nakedness. Yes, I swore to you, and entered into a covenant with you,” says the Lord Yahweh,“ and you became mine.

“ Who are you?” he asked.“ I’m Ruth,” she said.“ You are my family protector. So take good care of me by making me your wife.”

You are priceless to me. I love you and honor you. So I will trade other people for you. I will give up other nations to save your lives.

“ Go. Announce my message to the people in Jerusalem. I want everyone to hear it. Tell them,“ Here is what the Lord says.“‘ I remember how faithful you were to me when you were young. You loved me as if you were my bride. You followed me through the desert. Nothing had been planted there.Your people were holy to me. They were the first share of my harvest. All those who destroyed them were held guilty. And trouble came to their enemies,’ ” announces the Lord.

‘ You have seen for yourselves what I did to Egypt. You saw how I carried you on the wings of eagles and brought you to myself.Now obey me completely. Keep my covenant. If you do, then out of all the nations you will be my special treasure. The whole earth is mine.But you will be a kingdom of priests to serve me. You will be my holy nation.’ That is what you must tell the Israelites.”So Moses went back. He sent for the elders of the people. He explained to them everything the Lord had commanded him to say.All the people answered together. They said,“ We will do everything the Lord has said.” So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

You are a holy nation. The Lord your God has set you apart for himself. He has chosen you to be his special treasure. He chose you out of all the nations on the face of the earth to be his people.The Lord chose you because he loved you very much. He didn’t choose you because you had more people than other nations. In fact, you had the smallest number of all.The Lord chose you because he loved you. He wanted to keep the promise he had made to your people of long ago. That’s why he used his mighty hand to bring you out of Egypt. He bought you back from the land where you were slaves. He set you free from the power of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt.

But here is how God has shown his love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel. You made a promise to them in your own name. You said,‘ I will make your children after you as many as the stars in the sky. I will give them all this land I promised them. It will belong to them forever.’ ”

The Lord your God is tender and loving. He won’t leave you or destroy you. He won’t forget the covenant he made with your people of long ago. He gave his word when he made it.

“‘ “I was passing by. I saw you kicking around in your blood. As you were lying there, I said to you,‘ Live!’

But the Lord will be true to his great name. He won’t turn his back on his people. That’s because he was pleased to make you his own people.

Tell them,‘ The Lord and King says,“ I chose Israel. On that day I raised my hand and made a promise. I made a promise to the members of Jacob’s family line. I made myself known to them in Egypt. I raised my hand and told them,‘ I am the Lord your God.’On that day I promised I would bring them out of Egypt. I told them I would take them to a land I had found for them. It had plenty of milk and honey. It was the most beautiful land of all.

The Lord said to Moses,“ You and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and 70 of the elders of Israel must come to worship the Lord. Do not come close when you worship.Only Moses can come close to me. The others must not come near. And the people may not go up with him.”Moses went and told the people all the Lord’ s words and laws. They answered with one voice. They said,“ We will do everything the Lord has told us to do.”Then Moses wrote down everything the Lord had said. Moses got up early the next morning. He built an altar at the foot of the mountain. He set up 12 stone pillars. They stood for the 12 tribes of Israel.Then he sent young Israelite men to sacrifice burnt offerings. They also sacrificed young bulls as friendship offerings to the Lord.Moses put half of the blood in bowls. He splashed the other half against the altar.Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it to the people. They answered,“ We will do everything the Lord has told us to do. We will obey him.”Then Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people. He said,“ This is the blood that puts the covenant into effect. The Lord has made this covenant with you in keeping with all these words.”

The Lord continues,“ When Israel was a young nation, I loved them. I chose to bring my son out of Egypt.

The Lord says,“ People of Israel, you are my servants. Family of Jacob, I have chosen you. You are the children of my friend Abraham.I gathered you from one end of the earth to the other. From the farthest places on earth I brought you together. I said,‘ You are my servants.’ I have chosen you. I have not turned my back on you.

I will talk about the kind things the Lord has done. I’ll praise him for everything he’s done for us. He has done many good things for the nation of Israel. That’s because he loves us and is very kind to us.In the past he said,“ They are my people. They are children who will be faithful to me.” So he saved them.When they suffered, he suffered with them. He sent his angel to save them. He set them free because he is loving and kind. He lifted them up and carried them. He did it again and again in days long ago.

At that time I will make a covenant for the good of my people. I will make it with the wild animals and the birds in the sky. It will also be made with the creatures that move along the ground. I will remove bows and swords and other weapons of war from the land. Then my people can lie down in safety.I will make Israel my own. She will belong to me forever. I will do to her what is right and fair. I will love her tenderly.I will be faithful to her. And she will recognize me as the Lord.

The Lord appeared to us in the past. He said,“ I have loved you with a love that lasts forever. I have kept on loving you with a kindness that never fails.

It will not be like the covenant I made with their people of long ago. That was when I took them by the hand. I led them out of Egypt. But they broke my covenant. They did it even though I was like a husband to them,” announces the Lord.

And that’s not all. Rebekah’s children were born at the same time by the same father. He was our father Isaac.Here is what happened. Rebekah’s twins had not even been born. They hadn’t done anything good or bad yet. So they show that God’s purpose is based firmly on his free choice.It was not because of anything they did but because of God’s choice. So Rebekah was told,“ The older son will serve the younger one.”( Genesis 25:23)It is written,“ I chose Jacob instead of Esau.”( Malachi 1:2, 3)

“ Israel, I have loved you,” says the Lord.“ But you ask,‘ How have you loved us?’“ Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” says the Lord.“ But I chose Jacob