34.  Do  ye  suppose  that  our  fathers  would  have  been
more  choice  than  uiey,  if  they  had  been  righteous  ?  I  say
unto  you,  Nay ;

35.  Behold,  the  Lord  esteemeth  all  flesh  in  one  :  he  that
is  righteous  is  favored  of  God.  But  behold,  this  people  had
rejected  every  word  of  God,  and  they  were  ripe  in  iniquity  ;
and  the  fulness  of  the  wrath  of  God  was  upon  them ;  and
the  Lord  did  curse  the  land  against  them,  and  bless  it  unto
our  fathers ;  yea,  he  did  curse  it  against  them  unto  their
destruction ;  and  he  did  bless  it  unto  our  fathers,  unto  their
obtaining  power  over  it.
36.  Behold,  the  Lord  hath  created  the  earth  that  it  should
be  inhabited :  and  he  hath  created  his  children,  that  they
should  possess  it.
37.  And  he  raiseth  up  a  righteous  nation,  and  destroyeth
the  nations  of  the  wicked.
38.  And  he  leadeth  away  the  righteous  into  precious
lands,  and  the  wicked  he  destroyeth,  and  curseth  tne  land
unto  them  for  their  sakes.
39.  He  ruleth  high  in  the  heavens,  for  it  is  his  throne»
and  this  earth  is  his  footstool.
CHAP.  Xm.]  I.  KEPHI,  4$

40.  And  he  loveth  those  who  will  have  him  to  be  their
Grod.  Behold,  he  loved  our  fathers  1  and  he  covenanted  with
them,  yea,  even  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob :  and  he-
remembered  the  covenants  which  he  had  made ;  wheref ore,^
he  did  bring  them  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt,

41.  And  he  did  straighten  them  in  the  wilderness  with
his  rod ;  for  they  hardened  their  hearts,  even  as  ye  have  ;
and  the  Lord  straightened  them  because  of  their  iniquity.
