Lexicon :: Strong's H4611 - maʿălāl

“The LORD will send against you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you do until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of the wickedness of your actions in abandoning me.

Whenever the judge died, the Israelites would act even more corruptly than their ancestors, following other gods to serve them and bow in worship to them. They did not turn from their evil practices or their obstinate ways.

The man’s name was Nabal, and his wife’s name, Abigail. The woman was intelligent and beautiful, but the man, a Calebite, was harsh and evil in his dealings.

When they were in their kingdom,

with your abundant goodness that you gave them,

and in the spacious and fertile land you set before them,

they would not serve you or turn from their wicked ways.

Repay them according to what they have done —

according to the evil of their deeds.

Repay them according to the work of their hands;

give them back what they deserve.

I will remember the LORD’s works;

yes, I will remember your ancient wonders.

so that they might put their confidence in God

and not forget God’s works,

but keep his commands.

They angered the LORD with their deeds,

and a plague broke out against them.

They defiled themselves by their actions

and prostituted themselves by their deeds.

Even a young man is known by his actions —

by whether his behavior is pure and upright.

“Wash yourselves. Cleanse yourselves.

Remove your evil deeds from my sight.

Stop doing evil.

For Jerusalem has stumbled

and Judah has fallen

because they have spoken and acted against the LORD,

defying his glorious presence.

Tell the righteous that it will go well for them,

for they will eat the fruit of their labor.

Circumcise yourselves to the LORD;

remove the foreskin of your hearts,

men of Judah and residents of Jerusalem.

Otherwise, my wrath will break out like fire

and burn with no one to extinguish it

because of your evil deeds.

Your way and your actions

have brought this on you.

This is your punishment. It is very bitter,

because it has reached your heart!

“ ‘This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: Correct your ways and your actions, and I will allow you to live in this place.

Instead, if you really correct your ways and your actions, if you act justly toward one another,[fn]

The LORD informed me, so I knew.

Then you helped me to see their deeds,

I, the LORD, examine the mind,

I test the heart[fn]

to give to each according to his way,

according to what his actions deserve.

“So now, say to the men of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem, ‘This is what the LORD says: Look, I am about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now, each from your evil way, and correct your ways and your deeds.’

“House of David, this is what the LORD says:

Administer justice every morning,

and rescue the victim of robbery

from his oppressor,

or my anger will flare up like fire

and burn unquenchably

because of your evil deeds.

I will punish you according to what you have done —

this is the LORD’s declaration.

I will kindle a fire in your forest

that will consume everything around it.’ ”

“Therefore, this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who tend my people: You have scattered my flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I am about to attend to you because of your evil acts” ​— ​this is the LORD’s declaration.

If they had really stood in my council,

they would have enabled my people to hear my words

and would have turned them from their evil ways

and their evil deeds.

“He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your evil way of life and from your evil deeds. Live in the land the LORD gave to you and your ancestors long ago and forever.

“Perhaps they will listen and turn ​— ​each from his evil way of life ​— ​so that I might relent concerning the disaster that I plan to do to them because of the evil of their deeds.

“So now, correct your ways and deeds, and obey the LORD your God so that he might relent concerning the disaster he had pronounced against you.

“the one great in counsel and powerful in action. Your eyes are on all the ways of the children of men[fn] in order to reward each person according to his ways and as the result of his actions.

“Time and time again[fn] I have sent you all my servants the prophets, proclaiming, “Turn, each one from his evil way, and correct your actions. Stop following other gods to serve them. Live in the land that I gave you and your ancestors.” But you did not pay attention or obey me.

“The LORD can no longer bear your evil deeds and the detestable acts you have committed, so your land has become a waste, a desolation, and an example for cursing, without inhabitant, as you see today.

“ ‘You will remember your evil ways and your deeds that were not good, and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and detestable practices.

The same judgment will happen

to both people and priests.

I will punish them for their ways

and repay them for their deeds.

Their actions do not allow them

to return to their God,

for a spirit of promiscuity is among them,

and they do not know the LORD.

But they never consider that I remember all their evil.

Now their actions are all around them;

they are right in front of my face.

All their evil appears at Gilgal,

for there I began to hate them.

I will drive them from my house

because of their evil, wicked actions.

I will no longer love them;

all their leaders are rebellious.

The LORD also has a dispute with Judah.

He is about to punish Jacob according to his conduct;

he will repay him based on his actions.

House of Jacob, should it be asked,

“Is the Spirit of the LORD impatient?

Are these the things he does? ”

Don’t my words bring good

to the one who walks uprightly?

Then they will cry out to the LORD,

but he will not answer them.

He will hide his face from them at that time

because of the crimes they have committed.

Then the earth will become a wasteland

because of its inhabitants

and as a result of their actions.

“Do not be like your ancestors; the earlier prophets proclaimed to them: This is what the LORD of Armies says: Turn from your evil ways and your evil deeds. But they did not listen or pay attention to me ​— ​this is the LORD’s declaration.

“But didn’t my words and my statutes that I commanded my servants the prophets overtake your ancestors? ’ ”

So the people repented and said, “As the LORD of Armies decided to deal with us for our ways and our deeds, so he has dealt with us.”