1. My people, listen to my teachings. Listen to what I say.
2. I will tell you a story. I will tell you about things from the past that are hard to understand.
3. We have heard the story, and we know it well. Our fathers told it to us.
4. And we will not forget it. Our people will be telling this story to the last generation. We will all praise the Lord and tell about the amazing things he did.
5. He made an agreement with Jacob. He gave the law to Israel. He gave the commands to our ancestors. He told them to teach the law to their children.
6. Then the next generation, even the children not yet born, would learn the law. And they would be able to teach it to their own children.
7. So they would all trust in God, never forgetting what he had done and always obeying his commands.
8. They would not be like their ancestors, who were stubborn and refused to obey. Their hearts were not devoted to God, and they were not faithful to him.
9. The men from Ephraim had their weapons, but they ran from the battle.