8. They would not be like their ancestorswho were stubborn and disobedient.Their hearts were not loyal to God.They were not true to him.
9. The men of Ephraim had bows for weapons.But they ran away on the day of battle.
10. They didn’t keep their agreement with God.They refused to live by his teachings.
11. They forgot what he had doneand the miracles he had shown them.
12. He did miracles while their ancestors watched,in the fields of Zoan in Egypt.
13. He divided the Red Sea and led them through.He made the water stand up like a wall.
14. He led them with a cloud by day.And he led them at night by the light of a fire.
15. He split the rocks in the desert.And he gave them much water, as if it were from the deep ocean.
16. He brought streams out of the rock.The water flowed down like rivers.
17. But the people continued to sin against him.In the desert they turned against God Most High.
18. They decided to test Godby asking for the food they wanted.
19. Then they spoke against God.They said, “Can God prepare food in the desert?
20. When he hit the rock, water poured out.Rivers flowed down.But can he give us bread also?Will he provide his people with meat?”
21. When the Lord heard them, he was very angry.His anger was like fire to the people of Jacob.His anger grew against the people of Israel.
22. They had not believed God.They had not trusted him to save them.
23. But he gave a command to the clouds above.The doors of heaven opened.
24. He rained manna down on them to eat.He gave them grain from heaven.
25. So they ate the bread of angels.He sent them all the food they could eat.
26. He sent the east wind from heaven.He led the south wind by his power.
27. He rained meat on them like dust.The birds were as many as the sand of the sea.