The LORD will fight as he did at Mount Perazim and in the valley of Gibeon, in order to do what he intends to do---strange as his actions may seem. He will complete his work, his mysterious work.

I do not want anyone to die," says the Sovereign LORD. "Turn away from your sins and live."

Tell them that as surely as I, the Sovereign LORD, am the living God, I do not enjoy seeing sinners die. I would rather see them stop sinning and live. Israel, stop the evil you are doing. Why do you want to die?

In the case of our human fathers, they punished us and we respected them. How much more, then, should we submit to our spiritual Father and live!

Our human fathers punished us for a short time, as it seemed right to them; but God does it for our own good, so that we may share his holiness.