on their behalf. But he also goes on to call the people to fidelity to him, so that they might continue to be the “treasured possession” (סְגֻלָּה) of Yahweh among all the peoples of the earth. They are also called to be a “kingdom of priests” and a “holy nation.” The idea of being a “holy” nation is that the Israelites were to be separate from the nations around them. They were to be set apart because Yahweh had chosen the Israelites to be his people. Being a kingdom of priests, on the other hand,