However, only to your ancestors did he ¹  show his loving favor, ²  and he chose you, their descendants, ³  from all peoples – as is apparent today.

When your ancestors went down to Egypt, they numbered only seventy, but now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of the sky. ¹ 

and that you may enjoy long life in the land the Lord promised to give to your ancestors ¹  and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey.

If the Lord your God enlarges your borders as he promised your ancestors ¹  and gives you all the land he pledged to them, ² 

So we cried out to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he ¹  heard us and saw our humiliation, toil, and oppression.

They sacrificed to demons, not God, to gods they had not known; to new gods who had recently come along, gods your ancestors ¹  had not known about.

Be strong and brave! You must lead these people in the conquest of this land that I solemnly promised their ancestors I would hand over to them. ¹ 

So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long do you intend to put off occupying ¹  the land the Lord God of your ancestors ²  has given you?

So the Lord gave Israel all the land he had solemnly promised to their ancestors, ¹  and they conquered ²  it and lived in it.

The Lord made them secure, ¹  in fulfillment of all he had solemnly promised their ancestors. ²  None of their enemies could resist them. ³ 

Now ¹  obey ²  the Lord and worship ³  him with integrity and loyalty. Put aside the gods your ancestors ⁴  worshiped ⁵  beyond the Euphrates ⁶  and in Egypt and worship ⁷  the Lord.

The Lord was furious with Israel. ¹  He said, “This nation ²  has violated the terms of the agreement I made with their ancestors ³  by disobeying me. ⁴ 

They were left to test Israel, so the Lord would know if his people would obey the commands he gave their ancestors through Moses. ¹ 

Samuel said to the people, “The Lord is the one who chose Moses and Aaron and who brought your ancestors ¹  up from the land of Egypt.

Now take your positions, so I may confront you ¹  before the Lord regarding all the Lord’s just actions toward you and your ancestors. ² 

If a decision is not made, ¹  when my master the king is buried with his ancestors, ²  my son Solomon and I ³  will be considered state criminals.” ⁴ 

then listen from heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them back to the land you gave to their ancestors.

May the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors. May he not abandon us or leave us.

May he make us submissive, ¹  so we can follow all his instructions ²  and obey ³  the commandments, rules, and regulations he commanded our ancestors.

Judah did evil in the sight of ¹  the Lord. They made him more jealous by their sins than their ancestors had done. ²