But after they had rest, they turned away again and did more bad stuff so You left them with their enemies, and let their enemies rule over them and make their lives hard.

But when they cried out to You, You heard from heaven and saved them and helped them.

because Your soft heart loved them so much.

Their hearts were puffed up but You brought their hearts down and led them to walk in Your ways again so they could be happy.

But they kept turning away and for many years You sent Your prophets to try to talk to them but they wouldn’t listen, so You gave them to the people of the lands.

But You didn’t take them all away because Your love for them is sooooo big; because You are so giving and so full of love.

So now, our Great and mighty and awesome God who keeps His promise and love to us, Do not let this trouble we are in seem small to you.

You were fair and right to bring all this trouble on us. You did what is right but we did what was bad. Our kings and leaders did not keep Your words or listen to what You said.

They did not serve You in the great kingdom that You gave them, in the special good land You brought them to. And they didn’t turn away from doing bad.

See how we are slaves today

in that special land

and bring much money

to the ones who are over us.

They rule over us, and all that we have, and they do what they want to us, and we are in big trouble.

Because of this we make a big promise to You and write it down and we all sign it; we promise to listen to You and be Your people only and do only what You say.

We promise to follow the Lord God only and not the bad ones.

And not to let our sons marry daughters who follow the bad ones and not to let our daughters marry sons of people who follow the bad ones so that we can keep our hearts to the Lord God only.

And we will keep the gates of the city closed on the rest day so that all the people and animals can rest and be happy to God.

And every 7^th year everyone will forgive all the debts they are owed to them.

And we will each give a piece of money every year to keep the bread on the table at the Lord’s house

and to have all the parties to Him

and the gifts remembering His great love for us

and all the work at His house.

And we promise to bring all the first things that grow from our trees and crops to God’s house for His workers there.

And we will bring all the firstborn of our animals

and our cooking dough,

and grain and oil and wine.

We promise to do all these things and not forget the house of the Lord our God

because everything in our life comes from Him, even the air we breathe.