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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.

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“‘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(A) over you and covered your naked body. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant(B) with you, declares the Sovereign Lord, and you became mine.(C)

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“Go and shout this message to Jerusalem. This is what the Lord says:

“I remember how eager you were to please me
    as a young bride long ago,
how you loved me and followed me
    even through the barren wilderness.
In those days Israel was holy to the Lord,
    the first of his children.[a]
All who harmed his people were declared guilty,
    and disaster fell on them.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

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Footnotes

  1. 2:3 Hebrew the firstfruits of his harvest.

“Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says:

“‘I remember the devotion of your youth,(A)
    how as a bride you loved me
and followed me through the wilderness,(B)
    through a land not sown.
Israel was holy(C) to the Lord,(D)
    the firstfruits(E) of his harvest;
all who devoured(F) her were held guilty,(G)
    and disaster overtook them,’”
declares the Lord.

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Others were given in exchange for you.
    I traded their lives for yours
because you are precious to me.
    You are honored, and I love you.

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Since you are precious and honored(A) in my sight,
    and because I love(B) you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
    nations in exchange for your life.

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“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she replied. “Spread the corner of your covering over me, for you are my family redeemer.”

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“Who are you?” he asked.

“I am your servant Ruth,” she said. “Spread the corner of your garment(A) over me, since you are a guardian-redeemer[a](B) of our family.”

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Footnotes

  1. Ruth 3:9 The Hebrew word for guardian-redeemer is a legal term for one who has the obligation to redeem a relative in serious difficulty (see Lev. 25:25-55); also in verses 12 and 13.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.

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But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.(A)

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“But I came by and saw you there, helplessly kicking about in your own blood. As you lay there, I said, ‘Live!’

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“‘Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”[a](A)

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Footnotes

  1. Ezekiel 16:6 A few Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint and Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts repeat and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, “Live!”

The Lord’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child, I loved him,
    and I called my son out of Egypt.

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God’s Love for Israel

11 “When Israel was a child,(A) I loved(B) him,
    and out of Egypt I called my son.(C)

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22 The Lord will not abandon his people, because that would dishonor his great name. For it has pleased the Lord to make you his very own people.

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22 For the sake(A) of his great name(B) the Lord will not reject(C) his people, because the Lord was pleased to make(D) you his own.

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For you are a holy people, who belong to the Lord your God. Of all the people on earth, the Lord your God has chosen you to be his own special treasure.

“The Lord did not set his heart on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other nations, for you were the smallest of all nations! Rather, it was simply that the Lord loves you, and he was keeping the oath he had sworn to your ancestors. That is why the Lord rescued you with such a strong hand from your slavery and from the oppressive hand of Pharaoh, king of Egypt.

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For you are a people holy(A) to the Lord your God.(B) The Lord your God has chosen(C) you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.(D)

The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous(E) than other peoples, for you were the fewest(F) of all peoples.(G) But it was because the Lord loved(H) you and kept the oath he swore(I) to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand(J) and redeemed(K) you from the land of slavery,(L) from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.

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31 For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon you or destroy you or forget the solemn covenant he made with your ancestors.

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31 For the Lord your God is a merciful(A) God; he will not abandon(B) or destroy(C) you or forget(D) the covenant with your ancestors, which he confirmed to them by oath.

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13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.[a] You bound yourself with an oath to them, saying, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven. And I will give them all of this land that I have promised to your descendants, and they will possess it forever.’”

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Footnotes

  1. 32:13 Hebrew Israel. The names “Jacob” and “Israel” are often interchanged throughout the Old Testament, referring sometimes to the individual patriarch and sometimes to the nation.

13 Remember(A) your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:(B) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars(C) in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land(D) I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’”

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‘You have seen what I did to the Egyptians. You know how I carried you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.”

So Moses returned from the mountain and called together the elders of the people and told them everything the Lord had commanded him. And all the people responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has commanded.” So Moses brought the people’s answer back to the Lord.

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‘You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt,(A) and how I carried you on eagles’ wings(B) and brought you to myself.(C) Now if you obey me fully(D) and keep my covenant,(E) then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.(F) Although the whole earth(G) is mine, you[a] will be for me a kingdom of priests(H) and a holy nation.’(I) These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

So Moses went back and summoned the elders(J) of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.(K) The people all responded together, “We will do everything the Lord has said.”(L) So Moses brought their answer back to the Lord.

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 19:6 Or possession, for the whole earth is mine. You

Long ago the Lord said to Israel:
“I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love.
    With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.

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The Lord appeared to us in the past,[a] saying:

“I have loved(A) you with an everlasting love;
    I have drawn(B) you with unfailing kindness.

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Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 31:3 Or Lord has appeared to us from afar