The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
In the above, Proverbs 20:27, the LORD is speaking of the intellect of man, created by God and designed to search out (critically think, to discern) inner meanings, assessing underlying objectives in association with results.
The word rendered “spirit” is the twenty-four times used Hebrew word nshamah (neshamah), meaning “a puff, i.e. wind, angry or vital breath, divine inspiration, intellect. or (concretely) an animal:–blast, (that) breath(-eth), inspiration, soul, spirit.”
It (nshamah) is the word first used in Genesis 2:7, when we’re told God breathed the “breath” of life into Adam.
Genesis 2
7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath [nshamah] of life; and man became a living soul.
1 Corinthians 15
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
43 It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
45 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.
46 Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.
47 The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the LORD from heaven.
Proverbs 20
18 Every purpose is established by counsel: and with good advice make war.
19 He that goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flatters with his lips.
20 Whoso curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.
21 An inheritance may be gotten hastily at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed.
22 Say not you, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save you.
23 Divers weights are an abomination unto the LORD; and a false balance is not good.
24 Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way [without the mind {breath} of God, and His counsel]?
25 It is a snare to the man who devours that which is holy, and after vows to make enquiry [as do the “build back better” crowd: destroyers who claim more of the same destruction will create utopia].
26 A wise king scatters the wicked, and brings the wheel over them.
27 The spirit [nshamah] of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
28 Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upheld by mercy.
When the above verse says man “became a living soul” it’s speaking of when man was given an intellect and thereby became self-aware, meaning all were God-given the ability to come to correct conclusions, only hinder by choice of information received (data, true or false). When given the truth (uncorrupted definition), most of humanity will come to correct conclusions. Therefore, the wicked, those now in power, alter reality in their description of it, censoring and redefining, even reversing good and evil, because their intentions are to normalize their evil deeds.
When full understanding comes, by correct and complete (uncorrupted) information given and received, man is quickened into his spiritually “self-aware” state, by which he puts on (accepts) his immortal nature (the image of the heavenly, understanding the spirit underlying the law, which is what it’s intended to accomplish).
THE WAY OF THE LORD is to constrain misinformation (which the world now falsely calls truth, knowing it’s not,) by the insertion of truth, by His breath (nshamah).
2 Samuel 22
6 The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me;
7 In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears.
8 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth.
9 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
10 He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet.
11 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: and he was seen upon the wings of the wind.
12 And he made darkness pavilions round about him, dark waters, and thick clouds of the skies.
13 Through the brightness before him were coals of fire kindled.
14 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice.
15 And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
16 And the channels of the sea appeared, the foundations of the world were discovered, at the rebuking of the LORD, at the blast [nshamah] of the breath of his nostrils.
17 He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters [the words of men who intend to mislead];
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me.
19 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.
20 He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
21 The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness: according to the cleanness of my hands has he recompensed me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his judgments were before me: and as for his statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also upright before him, and have kept myself from mine iniquity.
25 Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness; according to my cleanness in his eye sight.
26 With the merciful you will show yourself merciful, and with the upright man you will show yourself upright.
27 With the pure you will show yourself pure; and with the froward you will show yourself unsavory.
28 And the afflicted people you will save: but your eyes are upon the haughty, that you mayest bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, O LORD: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
30 For by you I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
31 As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
32 For who is God, save the LORD? and who is a rock, save our God?
33 God is my strength and power: and he makes my way perfect.
34 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet: and sets me upon my high places.
35 He teaches my hands to war; so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
36 You have also given me the shield of your salvation: and your gentleness has made me great.
37 You have enlarged my steps under me; so that my feet did not slip.
38 I have pursued mine enemies, and destroyed them; and turned not again until I had consumed them.
39 And I have consumed them, and wounded them, that they could not arise: yea, they are fallen under my feet.
40 For you have girded me with strength to battle: them that rose up against me have you subdued under me.
41 You have also given me the necks of mine enemies, that I might destroy them that hate me.
The “blast” of the LORD’s Spirit (breath – ruwach) is the inspiration of man (effectually working in them), giving understanding by which He moves (and empowers) them to do His work (will).
Job 32
6 And Elihu [he is God {speaking}] the son of Barachel [which is God’s blessing] the Buzite [against those He despises] answered and said, I am young, and you are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show you mine opinion.
7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.
8 But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration [nshamah] of the Almighty gives them understanding.
9 Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.
10 Therefore I said, Hearken to me; I also will show mine opinion.
It (nshamah) is His quickening us into life, out of corruption, bringing it into our dead flesh.
Job 33
4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath [nshamah] of the Almighty has given me life.
5 If you can answer me, set your words in order before me, stand up.
6 Behold, I am according to your wish in God’s stead: I also am formed out of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not make you afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon you.
8 Surely you have spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of your words, saying,
9 I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me, he counts me for his enemy,
11 He puts my feet in the stocks, he marks all my paths.
12 Behold, in this you are not just: I will answer you, that God is greater than man.
13 Why do you strive against him? for he gives not account of any of his matters.
14 For God speaks once, yea twice, yet man perceives it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumbering upon the bed;
16 Then he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
17 That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.
18 He keeps back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.
19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:
20 So that his life abhors bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 Yea, his soul draws near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show unto man his uprightness:
24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.
27 He looks upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;
28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light [understanding] of the living.
The deeper understanding of the nshamah bringing life, by the means described in Job 33:23, is added to in Genesis 2:7, saying it’s from the “dust” of the ground, and “breathed” from God. The word “dust” is the Hebrew word ‘aphar, and “breathed” is the word naphach. The “dust” of the world is what hides God’s word from man, covering His identity, and in this state, without form and void, the darkness covers deep understanding contained therein.
As we know, when we’re told of the condition the earth became (hayah), in Genesis 1:2, Moses uses the words tohuw (“without form”) and bohuw (“void”). These words only appear together two other times: once in Jeremiah 4:23 rendered the same, and the other in Isaiah 34:11 where they tell us “without form” is “confusion,” and the “void” is the resulting “emptiness.” These are the foundation and building of the world in which we now find ourselves.
The word ‘aphar (first letter ‘Aleph) is used by the LORD to lead us to the twice-used word ‘apher (first letter ‘Ayin). The latter word (‘apher), in the Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, is given the number (of a man), 666. As previously discussed, it is the face covering (hiding) the prophets (true and false), covered in 1 Kings 20:30, and uncovered in 1 Kings 20:41. This “covering,” in Genesis 1:2, is the darkness (ignorance of the time, when confusion rules and all words are empty), which only ends when the light comes (understanding from heaven) and the true prophets are uncovered.
In 1 Kings 20, this covering and uncovering depict, in a pattern, the LORD smitten (in betrayal and on the cross) and resurrected, as the king sees (reference Zedikiah’s blinding ending the seated king line – see Jeremiah 52:10 & 11) again the prophet uncovered (in the light).
The chapter begins by telling of the king of Israel, Ahab, listening to God’s prophet, defeating the king of Syria and the kings with him who attacked them. After defeating them in a second attack, instead of destroying them as God said, they made peace with those who remained. In the treaty, the king of Syria promised to let Ahab make streets (ways – broadways that lead to destruction) in Damascus (when the work of God is silenced) as his father made in Samaria. This promise tells of his, Ahab’s, slaying the prophets and replacing God’s way with idols.
This (not listening and following God’s advice) is then depicted as the smiting the prophet, so the word of God would flow from the Rock in who we can trust. When they (God’s people), after not listening, and the resulting confusion and emptiness occur, do smite the prophet, it is betrayal, which results in the prophet’s face becoming hidden (masked) in confusion.
When the prophet’s face is finally uncovered, he tells the king of Israel, the cause of the entire situation was not listening to the LORD: not destroying the enemies and their corrupt ways as commanded.
For context defining this moment, the confusion of false prophets and following their ways are depicted in the face covering, #666 ‘apher, which the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon says is a face bandage (mask).
Job 33
31 Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold your peace, and I will speak.
32 If you have anything to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, hearken unto me: hold your peace, and I shall teach you wisdom [and bring you out of darkness into the light].
Revelation 13
17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark [confusion], or the name of the beast [Babel – confused language], or the number of his name.
18 Here is wisdom. Let him that has understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man [James Strong – in his Hebrew Dictionary]; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [#666].
1 Kings 20
1 And Benhadad [the children of idols] the king of Syria gathered all his host together: and there were thirty and two kings with him, and horses, and chariots; and he went up and besieged Samaria, and warred against it.
2 And he sent messengers to Ahab king of Israel into the city, and said unto him, Thus saith Benhadad,
3 Your silver and your gold is mine; your wives also and your children, even the goodliest, are mine.
4 And the king of Israel answered and said, My lord, O king, according to your saying, I am yours, and all that I have.
5 And the messengers came again, and said, Thus speak Benhadad, saying, Although I have sent unto you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver, and your gold, and your wives, and your children;
6 Yet I will send my servants unto you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants; and it shall be, that whatsoever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put it in their hand, and take it away.
7 Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Mark, I pray you, and see how this man seeks mischief: for he sent unto me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold; and I denied him not.
8 And all the elders and all the people said unto him, Hearken not unto him, nor consent.
9 Wherefore he said unto the messengers of Benhadad, Tell my lord the king, All that you did send for to your servant at the first I will do: but this thing I may not do. And the messengers departed, and brought him word again.
10 And Benhadad sent unto him, and said, The gods do so unto me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people that follow me.
11 And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girds on his harness boast himself as he that puts it off.
12 And it came to pass, when Ben-hadad heard this message, as he was drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array. And they set themselves in array against the city.
13 And, behold, there came a prophet unto Ahab king of Israel, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day; and you shall know that I am the LORD.
14 And Ahab said, By whom? And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Even by the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall order the battle? And he answered, You.
15 Then he numbered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were two hundred and thirty two: and after them he numbered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being seven thousand.
16 And they went out at noon. But Benhadad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the thirty and two kings that helped him.
17 And the young men of the princes of the provinces went out first; and Benhadad sent out, and they told him, saying, There are men come out of Samaria.
18 And he said, Whether they be come out for peace, take them alive; or whether they be come out for war, take them alive.
19 So these young men of the princes of the provinces came out of the city, and the army which followed them.
20 And they slew every one his man: and the Syrians fled; and Israel pursued them: and Benhadad the king of Syria escaped on an horse with the horsemen.
21 And the king of Israel went out, and smote the horses and chariots, and slew the Syrians with a great slaughter.
22 And the prophet came to the king of Israel, and said unto him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do: for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you.
23 And the servants of the king of Syria said unto him, Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.
24 And do this thing, Take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their rooms:
25 And number you an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot: and we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. And he hearkened unto their voice, and did so.
26 And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Benhadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek [from #662, ‘aphaq, meaning abstaining {from hearing the prophets} which {covering the face of} is the stronghold of the enemy] to fight against Israel.
27 And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.
28 And there came a man of God, and spoke unto the king of Israel, and said, Thus saith the LORD, Because the Syrians have said, The LORD is God of the hills, but he is not God of the valleys, therefore will I deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.
29 And they pitched one over against the other seven days. And so it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined: and the children of Israel slew of the Syrians a hundred thousand footmen in one day.
30 But the rest fled to Aphek, into the city; and there a wall fell upon twenty and seven thousand of the men that were left. And Benhadad fled, and came into the city, into an inner chamber.
31 And his servants said unto him, Behold now, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings: let us, I pray you, put sackcloth on our loins, and ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel: peradventure he will save your life.
32 So they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Benhadad saith, I pray you, let me live. And he said, Is he yet alive? he is my brother.
33 Now the men did diligently observe whether any thing would come from him, and did hastily catch it: and they said, Your brother Benhadad. Then he said, Go you, bring him. Then Benhadad came forth to him; and he caused him to come up into the chariot.
34 And Ben-hadad said unto him, The cities, which my father took from your father, I will restore; and you shall make streets for you in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. Then said Ahab, I will send you away with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and sent him away.
35 And a certain man of the sons of the prophets said unto his neighbor in the word of the LORD, Smite me, I pray you. And the man refused to smite him.
36 Then said he unto him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall slay you. And as soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him, and slew him.
37 Then he found another man, and said, Smite me, I pray you. And the man smote him, so that in smiting he wounded him.
38 So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with ashes [‘apher – #666, a mask] upon his face.
39 And as the king passed by, he cried unto the king: and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle; and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man unto me, and said, Keep this man: if by any means he be missing, then shall your life be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.
40 And as your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall your judgment be; yourself have decided it.
41 And he hasted, and took the ashes [‘apher – #666, a mask – “confusion of face”] away from his face; and the king of Israel discerned him that he was of the prophets.
42 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Because you have let go out of your hand a man whom I appointed to utter destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people.
43 And the king of Israel went to his house heavy and displeased, and came to Samaria.
Jeremiah 7
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and from your judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto your servants the prophets, which spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O LORD, righteousness belongs unto you, but unto us CONFUSION OF FACES, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither you have driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against you.
8 O LORD, to us belongs CONFUSION OF FACE, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.
9 To the LORD our God belongs mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Isaiah 54
1 Sing, O barren, you that did not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you that did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.
2 Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations: spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes;
3 For you shall break forth on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.
4 Fear not; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be you confounded; for you shall not be put to shame: for you shall forget the shame of your youth, and shall not remember the reproach of your widowhood any more.
5 For your Maker is your husband; the LORD of hosts is his name; and your Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.
6 For the LORD has called you as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when you wast refused, saith your God.
7 For a small moment have I forsaken you; but with great mercies will I gather you.
8 In a little wrath I hid my face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on you, saith the LORD your Redeemer.
9 For this is as the waters of Noah unto me: for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn that I would not be wroth with you, nor rebuke you.
10 For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that has mercy on you.
11 O you afflicted, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with fair colors, and lay your foundations with sapphires.
12 And I will make your windows of agates, and your gates of carbuncles, and all your borders of pleasant stones.
13 And all your children shall be taught of the LORD; and great shall be the peace of your children.
14 In righteousness shall you be established: you shall be far from oppression; for you shall not fear: and from terror; for it shall not come near you.
15 Behold, they shall surely gather together, but not by me: whosoever shall gather together against you shall fall for your sake.
16 Behold, I have created the smith that blows [naphach – to quicken you to life in] the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
17 No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.
Isaiah 57
1 The righteous perishes [leave the corrupt houses], and no man lays it to heart: and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.
2 He shall enter into peace: they shall rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness.
3 But draw near hither, you sons of the sorceress, the seed of the adulterer and the whore.
4 Against whom do you sport yourselves? against whom make you a wide mouth, and draw out the tongue? are you not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood.
5 Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the cliffs of the rocks?
6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is your portion; they, they are your lot: even to them have you poured a drink offering, you have offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
7 Upon a lofty and high mountain have you set your bed: even thither went you up to offer sacrifice.
8 Behind the doors also and the posts have you set up your remembrance: for you have discovered yourself to another than me, and are gone up; you have enlarged your bed, and made you a covenant with them; you loved their bed where you saw it.
9 And you went to the [Syrian] king with ointment, and did increase your perfumes, and did send your messengers far off, and did debase yourself even unto hell.
10 You are wearied in the greatness of your way; yet said you not, There is no hope: you have found the life of your hand; therefore you were not grieved.
11 And of whom have you been afraid or feared, that you have lied, and have not remembered me, nor laid it to your heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and you fear me not?
12 I will declare your righteousness, and your works; for they shall not profit you.
13 When you cry, let your companies deliver you; but the wind shall carry them all away; vanity shall take them: but he that puts his trust in me shall possess the land, and shall inherit my holy mountain;
14 And shall say, Cast you up, cast you up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.
15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
16 For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth: for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls [nshamah – the life in those who’ve believed this report] which I have made.
17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on forwardly [twisting and perverting truth] in the way of his heart.
18 I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners.
19 I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him.
20 But the wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.
Ezekiel 37
7 So I prophesied as I was commanded: and as I prophesied, there was a noise [qowl – the voice of God], and behold a shaking, and the bones came together, bone to his bone.
8 And when I beheld, lo, the sinews and the flesh came up upon them, and the skin covered them above: but there was no breath in them.
9 Then said he unto me, Prophesy unto the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus saith the LORD God; Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon [naphach – to quicken to life] these slain, that they may live.
10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army.
11 Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.
12 Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.
13 And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,
14 And shall put my spirit in you, and you shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall you know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
15 The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,
16 Moreover, you son of man, take you one stick, and write upon it, For Judah, and for the children of Israel his companions: then take another stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the stick of Ephraim and for all the house of Israel his companions:
17 And join them one to another into one stick; and they shall become one in your hand.
18 And when the children of your people shall speak unto you, saying, Will you not show us what you meanest by these?
19 Say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be ONE [BODY] in mine hand.
20 And the sticks whereon you write shall be in your hand before their eyes.
21 And say unto them, Thus saith the LORD God; Behold, I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather them on every side, and bring them into their own land:
22 And I will make them one nation in the land upon the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king to them all: and they shall be no more two nations, neither shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all.
23 Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwelling-places, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their God.
24 And David my servant shall be king over them; and they all shall have one shepherd: they shall also walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes, and do them.
25 And they shall dwell in the land that I have given unto Jacob my servant, wherein your fathers have dwelt; and they shall dwell therein, even they, and their children, and their children’s children forever: and my servant David shall be their prince forever.
26 Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them: and I will place them, and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore.
27 My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
28 And the heathen shall know that I the LORD do sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore.
Psalms 98
1 O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he has done marvelous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, has gotten him the victory.
2 The LORD has made known his salvation: his righteousness has he openly shown in the sight of the heathen.
3 He has remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm.
6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.
7 Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
8 Let the floods clap their hands: let the hills be joyful together
9 Before the LORD; for he comes to judge the earth: with righteousness shall he judge the world, and the people with equity.
