16. Gather the people;prepare a holy meeting;assemble the elders;gather the children,even nursing infants.Let the groom leave his roomand the bride her chamber.
17. Between the porch and the altarlet the priests, the Lord’s ministers, weep.Let them say, "Have mercy, Lord, on your people,and don’t make your inheritance a disgrace,an example of failure among the nations.Why should they say among the peoples,‘Where is their God?’"
18. Then the Lord became passionate about this land, and had pity on his people.