2. After the Israelites separated themselves from all of the foreigners, they stood to confess their sins and the terrible behavior of their ancestors.
3. They stood in their place and read the Instruction scroll from the Lord their God for a quarter of the day. For another quarter of the day, they confessed and worshipped the Lord their God.
4. On the stairs of the Levites stood Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani. They cried out with a loud voice to the Lord their God.
5. Then the Levites—Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah—said:Stand up and bless the Lord your God.From everlasting to everlasting bless your glorious name,which is high above all blessing and praise.
6. You alone are the Lord.You alone made heaven, even the heaven of heavens, with all their forces.You made the earth and all that is on it, and the seas and all that is in them.You preserve them all, and the heavenly forces worship you.
7. Lord God, you are the one who chose Abram.You brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham.
8. You found him to be faithful before you,and you made a covenant with him.You promised to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites,the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, and the Girgashites.And you have kept your promise because you are righteous.
9. You saw the affliction of our ancestors in Egyptand heard their cry at the Reed Sea.
10. You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh,all his servants, and the people of his land.You knew that they had acted arrogantly against our ancestors.You made a name for yourself, a name that is famous even today.
11. You divided the sea before them so that they went through it on dry land.But you cast their pursuers into the depths,as a stone into the mighty waters.
12. With a pillar of cloud you led them by dayand with a column of lightning by night;they lit the way in which the people should go.
13. You came down upon Mount Sinai and spoke with them from heaven.You gave them proper judgments and true Instruction,good statutes and commandments.
14. You made known to them your holy Sabbath,and gave them commandments, statutes, and Instruction through your servant Moses.
15. When they were hungry, you gave them bread from heaven;when they were thirsty, you brought water out of the rock for them.You told them to go in to possess the land that you had sworn to give them.
16. But our ancestors acted arrogantly.They were stubborn and wouldn’t obey your commandments.
17. They refused to obey,and didn’t remember the wonders that you accomplished in their midst.They acted arrogantly and decided to return to their slavery in Egypt.But you are a God ready to forgive, merciful and compassionate,very patient, and truly faithful.You didn’t forsake them.