16 God made an eternal promise
17 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
18 when he said, “I'll give youthe land of Canaan.”
19 At the time there wereonly a few of us,and we were homeless.
20 We wandered from nationto nation, from one countryto another.
21 God did not let anyonemistreat our people.Instead he protected usby punishing rulers
22 and telling them,“Don't touch my chosen leadersor harm my prophets!”