Holy Bible Catholic Edition, Anglicized Text

NRSV

New Revised Standard Version

Contents

Abbreviations

Preface to the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

Preface to the New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition

To the Reader

The Old Testament

Genesis

Exodus

Leviticus

Numbers

Deuteronomy

Joshua

Judges

Ruth

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

1 Kings

2 Kings

1 Chronicles

2 Chronicles

Ezra

Nehemiah

Tobit

Judith

Esther

1 Maccabees

2 Maccabees

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Song of Solomon

The Wisdom of Solomon

Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Baruch

Ezekiel

Daniel

Hosea

Joel

Amos

Obadiah

Jonah

Micah

Nahum

Habakkuk

Zephaniah

Haggai

Zechariah

Malachi

Concordance

Credits

Copyright

About the Publisher

Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are used for the books of the Bible:

OLD TESTAMENT

Gen … Genesis

Ex … Exodus

Lev … Leviticus

Num … Numbers

Deut … Deuteronomy

Josh … Joshua

Judg … Judges

Ruth … Ruth

1 Sam … 1 Samuel

2 Sam … 2 Samuel

1 Kings … 1 Kings

2 Kings … 2 Kings

1 Chr … 1 Chronicles

2 Chr … 2 Chronicles

Ezra … Ezra

Neh … Nehemiah

Tob … Tobit

Jdt … Judith

Esth … Esther

1 Macc … 1 Maccabees

2 Macc … 2 Maccabees

Job … Job

Ps(s) … Psalms

Prov … Proverbs

Eccl … Ecclesiastes

Song … Song of Solomon

Wis … Wisdom of Solomon

Sir … Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

Isa … Isaiah

Jer … Jeremiah

Lam … Lamentations

Bar … Baruch

Ezek … Ezekiel

Dan … Daniel

Hos … Hosea

Joel … Joel

Am … Amos

Ob … Obadiah

Jon … Jonah

Mic … Micah

Nah … Nahum

Hab … Habakkuk

Zeph … Zephaniah

Hag … Haggai

Zech … Zechariah

Mal … Malachi

In the notes to the books of the Old Testament the following abbreviations are used:

Ant. Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews

Aram Aramaic

Ch(s) Chapter(s)

Cn Correction; made where the text has suffered in transmission and the versions provide no satisfactory restoration, but where the Standard Bible Committee agrees with the judgment of competent scholars as to the most probable reconstruction of the original text.

Gk Septuagint, Greek version of the OT

Heb Hebrew of the consonantal Masoretic Text of the OT

Josephus Flavius Josephus (Jewish historian, ca. 37–95 CE)

Macc. The book(s) of the Maccabees

Ms(s) Manuscript(s)

MT The Hebrew of the pointed

Masoretic Text of the OT

OL Old Latin

Q Ms(s) Manuscript(s) found at Qumran by the Dead Sea

Sam Samaritan Hebrew text of the OT

Syr Syriac Version of the OT

Syr H Syriac Version of Origen’s Hexapla

Tg Targum

Vg Vulgate, Latin Version of the OT

Preface to the New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition

THIS CATHOLIC EDITION of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible has been authorized by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops in the U.S.A. and by the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. It has received the ecclesiastical approval of the Catholic Bishops of both the United States and Canada. The undersigned, who prepared this edition, is a member of the Revised Standard Version Bible Translation Committee as well as an active member and past president of the Catholic Biblical Association of America.

Roman Catholics are already familiar with the accuracy and elegance of the New Revised Standard Version, first published in 1990. It has previously appeared in two major types of edition: an edition of the Old and New Testaments alone, the Bible of most Protestants; and an edition of the Old and New Testaments with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books placed between the two Testaments. The text of the latter edition received the Imprimatur (official approbation) of the United States and Canadian Catholic Bishops. The New Revised Standard Version is truly an ecumenical translation, for it was produced by Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, and Jewish scholars. Because of this Catholic presence no change in the translation was requested for this edition. The only exceptions are the Book of Esther, which exists in two different forms that are explained below, and the Book of Daniel, which includes the deuterocanonical portions that are listed below.

Regarding the number of the books of the Old Testament canon and their arrangement, however, Protestants and Jews on the one hand, and Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians on the other, hold different beliefs. From the time of the Reformation in the sixteenth century, Protestants have adopted the Jewish canon of the Old Testament, which was established by the rabbis at the end of the first century of the Common Era. This canon includes only those books that were written in Hebrew and Aramaic. In addition to these books, however, Roman Catholics, following the ancient tradition of the Christian church, also hold the Deuterocanonical Books of the Old Testament to be sacred and inspired, and therefore canonical. Protestants and Jews call these books Apocrypha, a word that means “hidden or concealed,” an inappropriate title for works that were part of the Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) from pre-Christian times. The Roman Catholic canon, which was fixed by the time of the Council of Hippo in 393 and reaffirmed by the two Councils of Carthage in 397 and 419, was formally defined by the Council of Trent in 1546. This canon contains seven Deuterocanonical Books: Tobit, Judith, the Wisdom of Solomon, Sirach (the Wisdom of Ben Sira, also known as Ecclesiasticus), Baruch including the Letter of Jeremiah as chapter 6, and 1 and 2 Maccabees; and extra portions of two other books: the Additions to Esther; and the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews inserted between verses 23 and 24 of Daniel 3, Susanna as Daniel 13, and Bel and the Dragon as Daniel 14. Over and above these books and extra portions, the Bible of Greek and Slavonic Orthodox Christians includes 1 Esdras, the Prayer of Manasseh, Psalm 151, and 3 Maccabees. The Slavonic Bible also contains 2 Esdras, and an appendix to the Greek Bible includes 4 Maccabees.

Several of the Deuterocanonical Books were written originally in Hebrew or Aramaic, the rest in Greek. More than two-thirds of the Book of Sirach is now extant in Hebrew, and four fragments of the Book of Tobit in Hebrew and Aramaic were recovered from Qumran Cave IV. It seems certain that Judith and the additions to Daniel were also written originally in Hebrew. Hebrew is the original language of the prose parts of Baruch; the poetic parts were composed in Greek. The Wisdom of Solomon was written completely in Greek. The original language of 1 Maccabees was Hebrew while 2 Maccabees was composed in Greek.

The Book of Esther has two different forms: the short Hebrew original; and the longer Greek version that contains one hundred and seven additional verses comprising six distinct portions, A through F. It is the translation of the entire Greek version that appears in the Deuterocanonical section of the New Revised Standard Version. In this Catholic edition, however, the translation of the Greek portions has been inserted at the appropriate places of the translation of the Hebrew form of the book. Some of the Greek portions apparently had a Hebrew origin; the others were written in Greek.

What is distinctive about this Catholic edition—as well as every other edition published by Roman Catholics—is that the Deuterocanonical Books and portions are placed in their proper order among the other books of the Old Testament. Thus, Tobit, Judith, the long form of Esther, and 1 and 2 Maccabees are found among the so-called historical books directly after Nehemiah. The Wisdom of Solomon and the Book of Sirach follow after the Song of Solomon among the wisdom books. Because Baruch, the well-known secretary of Jeremiah, is said to be the author of the work that bears his name, the book is placed after Jeremiah and Lamentations. This order of books comes from the Latin Vulgate translated by St. Jerome in the late fourth and early fifth centuries. It is essentially the same order as that found in the fourth-century Codex Vaticanus, one of the oldest extant manuscripts of the Septuagint.

Roman Catholics will welcome this edition of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible for personal reading and study as well as liturgical usage. Based on the latest manuscript discoveries and critical editions, it offers the fruits of the best biblical scholarship in the idiom of today while being sensitive to the contemporary concern for inclusive language when referring to human beings.

ALEXANDER A. DI LELLA, O.F.M.
Andrews-Kelly-Ryan Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies
The Catholic University of America

September 30, 1992
Feast of St. Jerome

Preface to the New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition

THE PUBLICATION of the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible in 1990 marked the latest stage in the development of an authoritative English language text, a process that started in England with the translation commonly known as the Authorized or King James Version of 1611. The ongoing task of translation had already resulted in the Revised Standard Version of 1952, and a fuller account of this developmental process can be found in the preface To the Reader.

The RSV rapidly found favour throughout the English-speaking world, and in the United Kingdom the translation was quickly adopted by churches, theological colleges, and university faculties as their standard version. In all these places, the RSV was recognized as being authoritative and accurate, impartial in its scholarship, and well-suited to the needs of the Christian community of that period.

The continuance of the Translation Committee’s work after the RSV first appeared is a testimony to the fluid nature of the labour with which it is concerned. Bible translators must try to reflect the language of the people for whom they are writing, and the NRSV, recognizing that the English language was evolving rapidly, adopted terms that are familiar to contemporary readers. Yet the English language has developed in different ways in separate countries, and there has been an ongoing divergence between the language as it is used in the United States of America, and the form most commonly used in the British Isles and other countries where British usage is preferred. Therefore, whilst the appearance of the NRSV was warmly welcomed, it soon became apparent that there was a sufficient number of variances between American and British usage to suggest that an edition embodying British usage would be appreciated. The task of producing a text that would meet this need was therefore undertaken, with the convenient (if not strictly accurate) description of an Anglicized Edition.

All those participating in the process of ‘anglicization’ accepted that no attempt could be made to alter the basic translation in any way; their responsibility was simply to render words that might otherwise be uncertain or awkward into the best generally acceptable equivalent in British usage, whilst at the same time adjusting appropriate points of spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

It is the spelling of various words that will for many present the most obvious examples of change. (Readers may care to note that the verb ending -ize, in Britain sometimes regarded as American usage, has been retained where this is etymologically permissable). Other common changes include: the insertion of ‘and’ into numbers higher than one hundred; the replacement of obsolete (in British usage) past participles such as ‘gotten’ the avoidance of subjunctive verbs, still familiar in American but much rarer in British usage; the reinstatement of prepositions such as ‘to’ and ‘for’ often elided in US idiom.

The Anglicized Edition’s editors also found that words in common use could sometimes have different meanings in various English-speaking cultures, which must affect understanding and interpretation of the text. Thus, references to the (freshwater) Sea of Galilee retain this form, but where the proper name is not given in full, ‘sea’ is replaced by ‘lake’, a more unmistakable description for readers to whom sea implies salt water, corresponding to the American ‘ocean’. The ‘tone’ of a particular word may also vary between countries; what is an acceptable ‘informal’ use in the USA may sometimes be seen as a vulgarism in Britain and other places.

Many smaller alterations have been made, apparently insignificant in themselves, yet which contribute to the overall rendition of the biblical narrative in what may be termed British style.

The intention that lies behind the publication of the New Revised Standard Version Anglicized Edition has been to present an already excellent version of the Scriptures in the form most accessible to its intended readers, so reinforcing their understanding. The editorial work was carried out in Great Britain, but the active support and encouragement of members of the original Translation Committee has ensured that the foundational scholarship which undergirds the NRSV has been retained, and enhanced for those who prefer British usage. It is the earnest hope of all involved in the task that their efforts will enable still more readers to gain fresh insights into the written Word of God.

OXFORD
October 1995

To the Reader

THIS PREFACE IS ADDRESSED TO YOU by the Committee of translators, who wish to explain, as briefly as possible, the origin and character of our work. The publication of our revision is yet another step in the long, continual process of making the Bible available in the form of the English language that is most widely current in our day. To summarize in a single sentence: the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible is an authorized revision of the Revised Standard Version, published in 1952, which was a revision of the American Standard Version, published in 1901, which, in turn, embodied earlier revisions of the King James Version, published in 1611.

In the course of time, the King James Version came to be regarded as the “Authorized Version.” With good reason it has been termed “the noblest monument of English prose,” and it has entered, as no other book has, into the making of the personal character and the public institutions of the English-speaking peoples. We owe to it an incalculable debt.

Yet the King James Version has serious defects. By the middle of the nineteenth century, the development of biblical studies and the discovery of many biblical manuscripts more ancient than those on which the King James Version was based made it apparent that these defects were so many as to call for revision. The task was begun, by authority of the Church of England, in 1870. The (British) Revised Version of the Bible was published in 1881–85; and the American Standard Version, its variant embodying the preferences of the American scholars associated with the work, was published, as was mentioned above, in 1901. In 1928 the copyright of the latter was acquired by the International Council of Religious Education and thus passed into the ownership of the churches of the United States and Canada that were associated in this council through their boards of education and publication.

The Council appointed a committee of scholars to have charge of the text of the American Standard Version and to undertake inquiry concerning the need for further revision. After studying the questions of whether revision should be undertaken and, if so, what its nature and extent should be, in 1937 the Council authorized a revision. The scholars who served as members of the Committee worked in two sections, one dealing with the OT and one with the NT. In 1946 the Revised Standard Version of the NT was published. The publication of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, containing the OT and NT, took place on September 30, 1952. A translation of the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the OT followed in 1957. In 1977 this collection was issued in an expanded edition containing three additional texts received by Eastern Orthodox communions (3 and 4 Maccabees and Psalm 151). Thereafter the Revised Standard Version gained the distinction of being officially authorized for use by all major Christian churches: Protestant, Anglican, Roman Catholic, and Eastern Orthodox.

The Revised Standard Version Bible Committee is a continuing body, comprising about thirty members, both men and women. Ecumenical in representation, it includes scholars affiliated with various Protestant denominations as well as several Roman Catholic members, an Eastern Orthodox member, and a Jewish member who serves in the OT section. For a period of time the Committee included several members from Canada and from England.

Because no translation of the Bible is perfect or acceptable to all groups of readers, and because discoveries of older manuscripts and further investigation of linguistic features of the text continue to become available, renderings of the Bible have proliferated. During the years following the publication of the Revised Standard Version, twenty-six other English translations and revisions of the Bible were produced by committees and by individual scholars—not to mention twenty-five other translations and revisions of the NT alone. One of the latter was the second edition of the RSV NT, issued in 1971, twenty-five years after its initial publication.

Following the publication of the RSV OT in 1952, significant advances were made in the discovery and interpretation of documents in Semitic languages related to Hebrew. In addition to the information that had become available in the late 1940s from the Dead Sea texts of Isaiah and Habakkuk, subsequent acquisitions from the same area brought to light many other early copies of all the books of the Hebrew scriptures (except Esther), though most of these copies are fragmentary. During the same period early Greek manuscript copies of books of the NT also became available.

In order to take these discoveries into account, along with recent studies of documents in Semitic languages related to Hebrew, in 1974 the Policies Committee of the Revised Standard Version, which is a standing committee of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., authorized the preparation of a revision of the entire RSV Bible.

For the OT the Committee has made use of the Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia (1977; ed. sec. emendata, 1983). This is an edition of the Hebrew and Aramaic text as current early in the Christian era and fixed by Jewish scholars (the “Masoretes”) of the sixth to the ninth centuries. The vowel signs, which were added by the Masoretes, are accepted in the main, but where a more probable and convincing reading can be obtained by assuming different vowels, this has been done. No notes are given in such cases, because the vowel points are less ancient and reliable than the consonants. When an alternative reading given by the Masoretes is translated in a footnote, it is identified by the words “Another reading is.”

Departures from the consonantal text of the best manuscripts have been made only where it seems clear that errors in copying had been made before the text was standardized. Most of the corrections adopted are based on the ancient versions (translations into Greek, Aramaic, Syriac, and Latin), which were made prior to the time of the work of the Masoretes and which therefore may reflect earlier forms of the Hebrew text. In such instances a footnote specifies the version or versions from which the correction has been derived and also gives a translation of the Masoretic Text. Where it was deemed appropriate to do so, information is supplied in footnotes from subsidiary Jewish traditions concerning other textual readings (the Tiqqune Sopherim, “emendations of the scribes”). These are identified in the footnotes as “Ancient Heb tradition.”

Occasionally it is evident that the text has suffered in transmission and that none of the versions provides a satisfactory restoration. Here we can only follow the best judgment of competent scholars as to the most probable reconstruction of the original text. Such reconstructions are indicated in footnotes by the abbreviation Cn (“Correction”), and a translation of the Masoretic Text is added.

For the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books of the OT the Committee has made use of a number of texts. For most of these books the basic Greek text from which the present translation was made is the edition of the Septuagint prepared by Alfred Rahlfs and published by the Württemberg Bible Society (Stuttgart, 1935). For several of the books the more recently published individual volumes of the Göttingen Septuagint project were utilized. For the book of Tobit it was decided to follow the form of the Greek text found in Codex Sinaiticus (supported as it is by evidence from Qumran); where this text is defective, it was supplemented and corrected by other Greek manuscripts. For the three Additions to Daniel (namely, Susanna, the Prayer of Azariah and the Song of the Three Jews, and Bel and the Dragon) the Committee continued to use the Greek version attributed to Theodotion (the so-called Theodotion-Daniel). In translating Ecclesiasticus (Sirach), although constant reference was made to the Hebrew fragments of a large portion of this book (those discovered at Qumran and Masada as well as those recovered from the Cairo Geniza), the Committee generally followed the Greek text (including verse numbers) published by Joseph Ziegler in the Göttingen Septuagint (1965). But in many places the Committee has translated the Hebrew text when this provides a reading that is clearly superior to the Greek; the Syriac and Latin versions were also consulted throughout and occasionally adopted. The basic text adopted in rendering 2 Esdras is the Latin version given in Biblia Sacra, edited by Robert Weber (Stuttgart, 1971). This was supplemented by consulting the Latin text as edited by R. L. Bensly (1895) and by Bruno Violet (1910) as well as by taking into account the several Oriental versions of 2 Esdras, namely, the Syriac, Ethiopic, Arabic (two forms, referred to as Arabic 1 and Arabic 2), Armenian, and Georgian versions. Finally, since the Additions to the Book of Esther are disjointed and quite unintelligible as they stand in most editions of the Apocrypha, we have provided them with their original context by translating the whole of the Greek version of Esther from Robert Hanhart’s Göttingen edition (1983).

For the NT the Committee has based its work on the most recent edition of The Greek New Testament, prepared by an interconfessional and international committee and published by the United Bible Societies (1966; 3d ed. corrected, 1983; information concerning changes to be introduced into the critical apparatus of the forthcoming 4th edition was available to the Committee). As in that edition, double brackets are used to enclose a few passages that are generally regarded to be later additions to the text, but that we have retained because of their evident antiquity and their importance in the textual tradition. Only in very rare instances have we replaced the text or the punctuation of the Bible Societies’ edition by an alternative that seemed to us to be superior. Here and there in the footnotes the phrase “Other ancient authorities read” identifies alternative readings preserved by Greek manuscripts and early versions. In both OT and NT, alternative renderings of the text are indicated by the word “Or.”

As for the style of English adopted for the present revision, among the mandates given to the Committee in 1980 by the Division of Education and Ministry of the National Council of Churches of Christ (which now holds the copyright of the RSV Bible) was the directive to continue in the tradition of the King James Bible, but to introduce such changes as are warranted on the basis of accuracy, clarity, euphony, and current English usage. Within the constraints set by the original texts and by the mandates of the Division, the Committee has followed the maxim “As literal as possible, as free as necessary.” As a consequence, the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) remains essentially a literal translation. Paraphrastic renderings have been adopted only sparingly, and then chiefly to compensate for a deficiency in the English language—the lack of a common-gender third-person singular pronoun.

During the almost half a century since the publication of the RSV, many in the churches have become sensitive to the danger of linguistic sexism arising from the inherent bias of the English language toward the masculine gender, a bias that in the case of the Bible has often restricted or obscured the meaning of the original text. The mandates from the Division specified that, in references to men and women, masculine-oriented language should be eliminated as far as this can be done without altering passages that reflect the historical situation of ancient patriarchal culture. As can be appreciated, more than once the Committee found that the several mandates stood in tension and even in conflict. The various concerns had to be balanced case by case in order to provide a faithful and acceptable rendering without using contrived English. Only very occasionally has the pronoun “he” or “him” been retained in passages where the reference may have been to a woman as well as to a man, for example, in several legal texts in Leviticus and Deuteronomy. In such instances of formal, legal language, the options of either putting the passage in the plural or of introducing additional nouns to avoid masculine pronouns in English seemed to the Committee to obscure the historic structure and literary character of the original. In the vast majority of cases, however, inclusiveness has been attained by simple rephrasing or by introducing plural forms when this does not distort the meaning of the passage. Of course, in narrative and in parable no attempt was made to generalize the sex of individual persons.

Another aspect of style will be detected by readers who compare the more stately English rendering of the OT with the less formal rendering adopted for the NT. For example, the traditional distinction between “shall” and “will” in English has been retained in the OT as appropriate in rendering a document that embodies what may be termed the classic form of Hebrew, while in the NT the abandonment of such distinctions in the usage of the future tense in English reflects the more colloquial nature of the Koine Greek used by most NT authors except when they are quoting the OT.

Careful readers will notice that here and there in the OT the word LORD (or in certain cases GOD) is printed in capital letters. This represents the traditional manner in English versions of rendering the divine name, the “tetragrammaton” (see the text notes on Exodus 3.14–15), following the precedent of the ancient Greek and Latin translators and the long-established practice in the reading of the Hebrew scriptures in the synagogue. Although it is almost if not quite certain that the name was originally pronounced “Yahweh,” this pronunciation was not indicated when the Masoretes added vowel sounds to the consonantal Hebrew text. To the four consonants YHWH of the divine name, which had come to be regarded as too sacred to be pronounced, they attached vowel signs indicating that in its place should be read the Hebrew word Adonai, meaning “Lord” (or Elohim, meaning “God”). Ancient Greek translators employed the word Kyrios (“Lord”) for the name. The Vulgate likewise used the Latin word Dominus (“Lord”). The form “Jehovah” is of late medieval origin; it is a combination of the consonants of the divine name and the vowels attached to it by the Masoretes but belonging to an entirely different word. Although the American Standard Version (1901) had used “Jehovah” to render the tetragrammaton (the sound of y being represented by j and the sound of w by v, as in Latin), for two reasons the Committees that produced the RSV and the NRSV returned to the more familiar usage of the King James Version. (1) The word “Jehovah” does not accurately represent any form of the divine name ever used in Hebrew. (2) The use of any proper name for the one and only God, as though there were other gods from whom the true God had to be distinguished, began to be discontinued in Judaism before the Christian era and is inappropriate for the universal faith of the Christian church.

It will be seen that in the Psalms and in other prayers addressed to God the archaic second-person singular pronouns (“thee, thou, thine”) and verb forms (“art, hast, hadst”) are no longer used. Although some readers may regret this change, it should be pointed out that in the original languages neither the OT nor the NT makes any linguistic distinction between addressing a human being and addressing the deity. Furthermore, in the tradition of the King James Version one will not expect to find the use of capital letters for pronouns that refer to the deity—such capitalization is an unnecessary innovation that has only recently been introduced into a few English translations of the Bible. Finally, we have left to the discretion of the licensed publishers such matters as section headings, cross-references, and clues to the pronunciation of proper names.

This new version seeks to preserve all that is best in the English Bible as it has been known and used through the years. It is intended for use in public reading and congregational worship as well as in private study, instruction, and meditation. We have resisted the temptation to introduce terms and phrases that merely reflect current moods, and have tried to put the message of the scriptures in simple, enduring words and expressions that are worthy to stand in the great tradition of the King James Bible and its predecessors.

In traditional Judaism and Christianity, the Bible has been more than a historical document to be preserved or a classic of literature to be cherished and admired; it is recognized as the unique record of God’s dealings with people over the ages. The OT sets forth the call of a special people to enter into covenant relation with the God of justice and steadfast love and to bring God’s law to the nations. The NT records the life and work of Jesus Christ, the one in whom “the Word became flesh,” as well as describes the rise and spread of the early Christian church. The Bible carries its full message not to those who regard it simply as a noble literary heritage of the past or who wish to use it to enhance political purposes and advance otherwise desirable goals, but to all persons and communities who read it so that they may discern and understand what God is saying to them. That message must not be disguised in phrases that are no longer clear or hidden under words that have changed or lost their meaning; it must be presented in language that is direct and plain and meaningful to people today. It is the hope and prayer of the translators that this version of the Bible may continue to hold a large place in congregational life and to speak to all readers, young and old alike, helping them to understand and believe and respond to its message.

For the Committee,
Bruce M. Metzger

THE HEBREW SCRIPTURES

commonly called

THE OLD TESTAMENT

New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition

GENESIS

Six Days of Creation and the Sabbath

IN THE beginning when God createda the heavens and the earth, ²the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from Godb swept over the face of the waters. ³Then God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light. ⁴And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. ⁵God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

⁶ And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.’ ⁷So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. ⁸God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

⁹ And God said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.’ And it was so. ¹⁰God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. ¹¹Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.’ And it was so. ¹²The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. ¹³And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.

¹⁴ And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, ¹⁵and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.’ And it was so. ¹⁶God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. ¹⁷God set them in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth, ¹⁸to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. ¹⁹And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

²⁰ And God said, ‘Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the dome of the sky.’ ²¹So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, of every kind, with which the waters swarm, and every winged bird of every kind. And God saw that it was good. ²²God blessed them, saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.’ ²³And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

²⁴ And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.’ And it was so. ²⁵God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good.

²⁶ Then God said, ‘Let us make humankinda in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth,b and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.’

²⁷ So God created humankinda in his image,

in the image of God he created them;c

male and female he created them.

²⁸God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.’ ²⁹God said, ‘See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food. ³⁰And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.’ And it was so. ³¹God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

2

THUS the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. ²And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. ³So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.

⁴ These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.

Another Account of the Creation

In the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, ⁵when no plant of the field was yet in the earth and no herb of the field had yet sprung up—for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was no one to till the ground; ⁶but a stream would rise from the earth, and water the whole face of the ground—⁷then the LORD God formed man from the dust of the ground, d and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being. ⁸And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east; and there he put the man whom he had formed. ⁹Out of the ground the LORD God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

¹⁰ A river flows out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it divides and becomes four branches. ¹¹The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; ¹²and the gold of that land is good; bdellium and onyx stone are there. ¹³The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one that flows around the whole land of Cush. ¹⁴The name of the third river is Tigris, which flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.

¹⁵ The LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and keep it. ¹⁶And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You may freely eat of every tree of the garden; ¹⁷but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.’

¹⁸ Then the LORD God said, ‘It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner.’ ¹⁹So out of the ground the LORD God formed every animal of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. ²⁰The man gave names to all cattle, and to the birds of the air, and to every animal of the field; but for the mana there was not found a helper as his partner. ²¹So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then he took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. ²²And the rib that the LORD God had taken from the man he made into a woman and brought her to the man. ²³Then the man said,

‘This at last is bone of my bones

and flesh of my flesh;

this one shall be called Woman,b

for out of Manc this one was taken.’

²⁴Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and clings to his wife, and they become one flesh. ²⁵And the man and his wife were both naked, and were not ashamed.

The First Sin and Its Punishment

3

NOW the serpent was more crafty than any other wild animal that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, “You shall not eat from any tree in the garden”?’ ²The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden; ³but God said, “You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, nor shall you touch it, or you shall die.”’ ⁴But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not die; ⁵for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,d knowing good and evil.’⁶ So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate.⁷ Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.

⁸ They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. ⁹But the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, ‘Where are you?’ ¹⁰He said, ‘I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.’ ¹¹He said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?’ ¹²The man said, ‘The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit from the tree, and I ate.’ ¹³Then the LORD God said to the woman, ‘What is this that you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent tricked me, and I ate.’ ¹⁴The LORD God said to the serpent,

‘Because you have done this,

cursed are you among all animals

and among all wild creatures;

upon your belly you shall go,

and dust you shall eat

all the days of your life.

¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman,

and between your offspring and hers;

he will strike your head,

and you will strike his heel.’

¹⁶To the woman he said,

‘I will greatly increase your pangs in childbearing;

in pain you shall bring forth children,

yet your desire shall be for your husband,

and he shall rule over you.’

¹⁷And to the mana he said,

‘Because you have listened to the voice of your wife,

and have eaten of the tree

about which I commanded you,

“You shall not eat of it”,

cursed is the ground because of you;

in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life;

¹⁸ thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you;

and you shall eat the plants of the field.

¹⁹ By the sweat of your face

you shall eat bread

until you return to the ground,

for out of it you were taken;

you are dust,

and to dust you shall return.’

²⁰ The man named his wife Eve,b because she was the mother of all who live. ²¹And the LORD God made garments of skins for the manc and for his wife, and clothed them.

²² Then the LORD God said, ‘See, the man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil; and now, he might reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever’—²³therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from which he was taken. ²⁴He drove out the man; and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim, and a sword flaming and turning to guard the way to the tree of life.

Cain Murders Abel

4

NOW the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, ‘I have produceda a man with the help of the LORD.’ ²Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a tiller of the ground. ³In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, ⁴and Abel for his part brought of the firstlings of his flock, their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, ⁵but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell. ⁶The LORD said to Cain, ‘Why are you angry, and why has your countenance fallen? ⁷If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is lurking at the door; its desire is for you, but you must master it.’

⁸ Cain said to his brother Abel, ‘Let us go out to the field.’b And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him. ⁹Then the LORD said to Cain, ‘Where is your brother Abel?’ He said, ‘I do not know; am I my brother’s keeper?’ ¹⁰And the LORD said, ‘What have you done? Listen; your brother’s blood is crying out to me from the ground! ¹¹And now you are cursed from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand. ¹²When you till the ground, it will no longer yield to you its strength; you will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.’ ¹³Cain said to the LORD, ‘My punishment is greater than I can bear! ¹⁴Today you have driven me away from the soil, and I shall be hidden from your face; I shall be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and anyone who meets me may kill me.’ ¹⁵Then the LORD said to him, ‘Not so!c Whoever kills Cain will suffer a sevenfold vengeance.’ And the LORD put a mark on Cain, so that no one who came upon him would kill him. ¹⁶Then Cain went away from the presence of the LORD, and settled in the land of Nod,d east of Eden.

Beginnings of Civilization

¹⁷ Cain knew his wife, and she conceived and bore Enoch; and he built a city, and named it Enoch after his son Enoch. ¹⁸To Enoch was born Irad; and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael the father of Methushael, and Methushael the father of Lamech. ¹⁹Lamech took two wives; the name of one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. ²⁰Adah bore Jabal; he was the ancestor of those who live in tents and have livestock. ²¹His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the ancestor of all those who play the lyre and pipe. ²²Zillah bore Tubal-cain, who made all kinds of bronze and iron tools. The sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.

²³ Lamech said to his wives:

‘Adah and Zillah, hear my voice;

you wives of Lamech, listen to what I say:

I have killed a man for wounding me,

a young man for striking me.

²⁴ If Cain is avenged sevenfold,

truly Lamech seventy-sevenfold.’

²⁵ Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, for she said, ‘God has appointeda for me another child instead of Abel, because Cain killed him.’ ²⁶To Seth also a son was born, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to invoke the name of the LORD.

Adam’s Descendants to Noah and His Sons

5

THIS is the list of the descendants of Adam. When God created humankind,b he made themc in the likeness of God. ²Male and female he created them, and he blessed them and named them ‘Humankind’b when they were created.

³ When Adam had lived for one hundred and thirty years, he became the father of a son in his likeness, according to his image, and named him Seth. ⁴The days of Adam after he became the father of Seth were eight hundred years; and he had other sons and daughters. ⁵Thus all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years; and he died.

⁶ When Seth had lived for one hundred and five years, he became the father of Enosh. ⁷Seth lived after the birth of Enosh for eight hundred and seven years, and had other sons and daughters. ⁸Thus all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years; and he died.

⁹ When Enosh had lived for ninety years, he became the father of Kenan. ¹⁰Enosh lived after the birth of Kenan for eight hundred and fifteen years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹¹Thus all the days of Enosh were nine hundred and five years; and he died.

¹² When Kenan had lived for seventy years, he became the father of Mahalalel. ¹³Kenan lived after the birth of Mahalalel for eight hundred and forty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁴Thus all the days of Kenan were nine hundred and ten years; and he died.

¹⁵ When Mahalalel had lived for sixty-five years, he became the father of Jared. ¹⁶Mahalalel lived after the birth of Jared for eight hundred and thirty years, and had other sons and daughters. ¹⁷Thus all the days of Mahalalel were eight hundred and ninety-five years; and he died.

¹⁸ When Jared had lived for one hundred and sixty-two years he became the father of Enoch. ¹⁹Jared lived after the birth of Enoch for eight hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁰Thus all the days of Jared were nine hundred and sixty-two years; and he died.

²¹ When Enoch had lived for sixty-five years, he became the father of Methuselah. ²²Enoch walked with God after the birth of Methuselah for three hundred years, and had other sons and daughters. ²³Thus all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. ²⁴Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him.

²⁵ When Methuselah had lived for one hundred and eighty-seven years, he became the father of Lamech. ²⁶Methuselah lived after the birth of Lamech for seven hundred and eighty-two years, and had other sons and daughters. ²⁷Thus all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred and sixty-nine years; and he died.

²⁸ When Lamech had lived for one hundred and eighty-two years, he became the father of a son; ²⁹he named him Noah, saying, ‘Out of the ground that the LORD has cursed this one shall bring us relief from our work and from the toil of our hands.’ ³⁰Lamech lived after the birth of Noah for five hundred and ninety-five years, and had other sons and daughters. ³¹Thus all the days of Lamech were seven hundred and seventy-seven years; and he died.

³² After Noah was five hundred years old, Noah became the father of Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

The Wickedness of Humankind

6

WHEN people began to multiply on the face of the ground, and daughters were born to them, ²the sons of God saw that they were fair; and they took wives for themselves of all that they chose. ³Then the LORD said, ‘My spirit shall not abidea in mortals for ever, for they are flesh; their days shall be one hundred and twenty years.’ ⁴The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterwards—when the sons of God went in to the daughters of humans, who bore children to them. These were the heroes that were of old, warriors of renown.

⁵ The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. ⁶And the LORD was sorry that he had made humankind on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷So the LORD said, ‘I will blot out from the earth the human beings I have created—people together with animals and creeping things and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.’ ⁸But Noah found favour in the sight of the LORD.

Noah Pleases God

⁹ These are the descendants of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation; Noah walked with God. ¹⁰And Noah had three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

¹¹ Now the earth was corrupt in God’s sight, and the earth was filled with violence. ¹²And God saw that the earth was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted its ways upon the earth. ¹³And God said to Noah, ‘I have determined to make an end of all flesh, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; now I am going to destroy them along with the earth. ¹⁴Make yourself an ark of cypressa wood; make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and out with pitch. ¹⁵This is how you are to make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. ¹⁶Make a roofb for the ark, and finish it to a cubit above; and put the door of the ark in its side; make it with lower, second, and third decks. ¹⁷For my part, I am going to bring a flood of waters on the earth, to destroy from under heaven all flesh in which is the breath of life; everything that is on the earth shall die. ¹⁸But I will establish my covenant with you; and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁹And of every living thing, of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female. ²⁰Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground according to its kind, two of every kind shall come in to you, to keep them alive. ²¹Also take with you every kind of food that is eaten, and store it up; and it shall serve as food for you and for them.’ ²²Noah did this; he did all that God commanded him.

The Great Flood

7

THEN the LORD said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. ²Take with you seven pairs of all clean animals, the male and its mate; and a pair of the animals that are not clean, the male and its mate; ³and seven pairs of the birds of the air also, male and female, to keep their kind alive on the face of all the earth. ⁴For in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights; and every living thing that I have made I will blot out from the face of the ground.’ ⁵And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.

⁶ Noah was six hundred years old when the flood of waters came on the earth. ⁷And Noah with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives went into the ark to escape the waters of the flood. ⁸Of clean animals, and of animals that are not clean, and of birds, and of everything that creeps on the ground, ⁹two and two, male and female, went into the ark with Noah, as God had commanded Noah. ¹⁰And after seven days the waters of the flood came on the earth.

¹¹ In the six-hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. ¹²The rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights. ¹³On the very same day Noah with his sons, Shem and Ham and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons, entered the ark, ¹⁴they and every wild animal of every kind, and all domestic animals of every kind, and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every bird of every kind—every bird, every winged creature. ¹⁵They went into the ark with Noah, two and two of all flesh in which there was the breath of life. ¹⁶And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the LORD shut him in.

¹⁷ The flood continued for forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. ¹⁸The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters. ¹⁹The waters swelled so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered; ²⁰the waters swelled above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep. ²¹And all flesh died that moved on the earth, birds, domestic animals, wild animals, all swarming creatures that swarm on the earth, and all human beings; ²²everything on dry land in whose nostrils was the breath of life died. ²³He blotted out every living thing that was on the face of the ground, human beings and animals and creeping things and birds of the air; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those that were with him in the ark. ²⁴And the waters swelled on the earth for one hundred and fifty days.

The Flood Subsides

8

BUT God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and all the domestic animals that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided; ²the fountains of the deep and the windows of the heavens were closed, the rain from the heavens was restrained, ³and the waters gradually receded from the earth. At the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters had abated; ⁴and in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. ⁵The waters continued to abate until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, the tops of the mountains appeared.

⁶ At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made ⁷and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. ⁸Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; ⁹but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. ¹⁰He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; ¹¹and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. ¹²Then he waited another seven days, and sent out the dove; and it did not return to him any more.

¹³ In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from the earth; and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and saw that the face of the ground was drying. ¹⁴In the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry. ¹⁵Then God said to Noah, ¹⁶‘Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and your sons’ wives with you. ¹⁷Bring out with you every living thing that is with you of all flesh—birds and animals and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth—so that they may abound on the earth, and be fruitful and multiply on the earth.’ ¹⁸So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons’ wives. ¹⁹And every animal, every creeping thing, and every bird, everything that moves on the earth, went out of the ark by families.

God’s Promise to Noah

²⁰ Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt-offerings on the altar. ²¹And when the LORD smelt the pleasing odour, the LORD said in his heart, ‘I will never again curse the ground because of humankind, for the inclination of the human heart is evil from youth; nor will I ever again destroy every living creature as I have done.

²² As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest, cold and heat,

summer and winter, day and night,

shall not cease.’

The Covenant with Noah

9

GOD blessed Noah and his sons, and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth. ²The fear and dread of you shall rest on every animal of the earth, and on every bird of the air, on everything that creeps on the ground, and on all the fish of the sea; into your hand they are delivered. ³Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you; and just as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything. ⁴Only, you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood. ⁵For your own lifeblood I will surely require a reckoning: from every animal I will require it and from human beings, each one for the blood of another, I will require a reckoning for human life.

⁶ Whoever sheds the blood of a human,

by a human shall that person’s blood be shed;

for in his own image

God made humankind.

⁷And you, be fruitful and multiply, abound on the earth and multiply in it.’

⁸ Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, ⁹‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, ¹⁰and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark.a ¹¹I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.’ ¹²God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: ¹³I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. ¹⁴When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, ¹⁵I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. ¹⁶When the bow is in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth.’ ¹⁷God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’

Noah and His Sons

¹⁸ The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. ¹⁹These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.

²⁰ Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. ²¹He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent. ²²And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. ²³Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. ²⁴When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, ²⁵he said,

‘Cursed be Canaan;

lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.’

²⁶He also said,

‘Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.

²⁷ May God make space forb Japheth,

and let him live in the tents of Shem;

and let Canaan be his slave.’

²⁸ After the flood Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years. ²⁹All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

Nations Descended from Noah

10

THESE are the descendants of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth; children were born to them after the flood.

² The descendants of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. ³The descendants of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Riphath, and Togarmah. ⁴The descendants of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.a ⁵From these the coastland peoples spread. These are the descendants of Japhethb in their lands, with their own language, by their families, in their nations.

⁶ The descendants of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. ⁷The descendants of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabtah, Raamah, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. ⁸Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first on earth to become a mighty warrior. ⁹He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, ‘Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.’ ¹⁰The beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, and Accad, all of them in the land of Shinar. ¹¹From that land he went into Assyria, and built Nineveh, Rehoboth-ir, Calah, and ¹²Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. ¹³Egypt became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, ¹⁴Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim, from which the Philistines come.c

¹⁵ Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, ¹⁶and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, ¹⁷the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, ¹⁸the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. Afterwards the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. ¹⁹And the territory of the Canaanites extended from Sidon, in the direction of Gerar, as far as Gaza, and in the direction of Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. ²⁰These are the descendants of Ham, by their families, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

²¹ To Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the elder brother of Japheth, children were born. ²²The descendants of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, and Aram. ²³The descendants of Aram: Uz, Hul, Gether, and Mash. ²⁴Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. ²⁵To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg,d for in his days the earth was divided, and his brother’s name was Joktan. ²⁶Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, ²⁷Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, ²⁸Obal, Abimael, Sheba, ²⁹Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the descendants of Joktan. ³⁰The territory in which they lived extended from Mesha in the direction of Sephar, the hill country of the east. ³¹These are the descendants of Shem, by their families, their languages, their lands, and their nations.

³² These are the families of Noah’s sons, according to their genealogies, in their nations; and from these the nations spread abroad on the earth after the flood.

The Tower of Babel

11

NOW the whole earth had one language and the same words. ²And as they migrated from the east,a they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. ³And they said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.’ And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. ⁴Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.’ ⁵The LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. ⁶And the LORD said, ‘Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. ⁷Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’ ⁸So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. ⁹Therefore it was called Babel, because there the LORD confusedb the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Descendants of Shem

¹⁰ These are the descendants of Shem. When Shem was one hundred years old, he became the father of Arpachshad two years after the flood; ¹¹and Shem lived after the birth of Arpachshad for five hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹² When Arpachshad had lived for thirty-five years, he became the father of Shelah; ¹³and Arpachshad lived after the birth of Shelah for four hundred and three years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁴ When Shelah had lived for thirty years, he became the father of Eber; ¹⁵and Shelah lived after the birth of Eber for four hundred and three years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁶ When Eber had lived for thirty-four years, he became the father of Peleg; ¹⁷and Eber lived after the birth of Peleg for four hundred and thirty years, and had other sons and daughters.

¹⁸ When Peleg had lived for thirty years, he became the father of Reu; ¹⁹and Peleg lived after the birth of Reu for two hundred and nine years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁰ When Reu had lived for thirty-two years, he became the father of Serug; ²¹and Reu lived after the birth of Serug for two hundred and seven years, and had other sons and daughters.

²² When Serug had lived for thirty years, he became the father of Nahor; ²³and Serug lived after the birth of Nahor for two hundred years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁴ When Nahor had lived for twenty-nine years, he became the father of Terah; ²⁵and Nahor lived after the birth of Terah for one hundred and nineteen years, and had other sons and daughters.

²⁶ When Terah had lived for seventy years, he became the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran.

Descendants of Terah

²⁷ Now these are the descendants of Terah. Terah was the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran; and Haran was the father of Lot. ²⁸Haran died before his father Terah in the land of his birth, in Ur of the Chaldeans. ²⁹Abram and Nahor took wives; the name of Abram’s wife was Sarai, and the name of Nahor’s wife was Milcah. She was the daughter of Haran the father of Milcah and Iscah. ³⁰Now Sarai was barren; she had no child.

³¹ Terah took his son Abram and his grandson Lot son of Haran, and his daughter-in-law Sarai, his son Abram’s wife, and they went out together from Ur of the Chaldeans to go into the land of Canaan; but when they came to Haran, they settled there. ³²The days of Terah were two hundred and five years; and Terah died in Haran.

The Call of Abram

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NOW the LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ²I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’a

⁴ So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ⁵Abram took his wife Sarai and his brother’s son Lot, and all the possessions that they had gathered, and the persons whom they had acquired in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, ⁶Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oakb of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ⁷Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, ‘To your offspringc I will give this land.’ So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. ⁸From there he moved on to the hill country on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and invoked the name of the LORD. ⁹And Abram journeyed on by stages towards the Negeb.

Abram and Sarai in Egypt

¹⁰ Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to reside there as an alien, for the famine was severe in the land. ¹¹When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to his wife Sarai, ‘I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; ¹²and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, “This is his wife” then they will kill me, but they will let you live. ¹³Say you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.’ ¹⁴When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. ¹⁵When the officials of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁶And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, male donkeys, male and female slaves, female donkeys, and camels.

¹⁷ But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram’s wife. ¹⁸So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, ‘What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? ¹⁹Why did you say, “She is my sister”, so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife; take her, and be gone.’ ²⁰And Pharaoh gave his men orders concerning him; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.

Abram and Lot Separate

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SO ABRAM went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, into the Negeb.

² Now Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. ³He journeyed on by stages from the Negeb as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai, ⁴to the place where he had made an altar at the first; and there Abram called on the name of the LORD. ⁵Now Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks and herds and tents, ⁶so that the land could not support both of them living together; for their possessions were so great that they could not live together, ⁷and there was strife between the herders of Abram’s livestock and the herders of Lot’s livestock. At that time the Canaanites and the Perizzites lived in the land.

⁸ Then Abram said to Lot, ‘Let there be no strife between you and me, and between your herders and my herders; for we are kindred. ⁹Is not the whole land before you? Separate yourself from me. If you take the left hand, then I will go to the right; or if you take the right hand, then I will go to the left.’ ¹⁰Lot looked about him, and saw that the plain of the Jordan was well watered everywhere like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, in the direction of Zoar; this was before the LORD had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah. ¹¹So Lot chose for himself all the plain of the Jordan, and Lot journeyed eastwards; thus they separated from each other. ¹²Abram settled in the land of Canaan, while Lot settled among the cities of the Plain and moved his tent as far as Sodom. ¹³Now the people of Sodom were wicked, great sinners against the LORD.

¹⁴ The LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, ‘Raise your eyes now, and look from the place where you are, northwards and southwards and eastwards and westwards; ¹⁵for all the land that you see I will give to you and to your offspringa for ever. ¹⁶I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth; so that if one can count the dust of the earth, your offspring also can be counted. ¹⁷Rise up, walk through the length and the breadth of the land, for I will give it to you.’ ¹⁸So Abram moved his tent, and came and settled by the oaks Hebron; and there he built an altar to the LORD.

Lot’s Captivity and Rescue

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IN THE days of King Amraphel of Shinar, King Arioch of Ellasar, King Chedorlaomer of Elam, and King Tidal of Goiim, ²these kings made war with King Bera of Sodom, King Birsha of Gomorrah, King Shinab of Admah, King Shemeber of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar). ³All these joinedb of Mamre, which are at forces in the Valley of Siddim (that is, the Dead Sea).a ⁴For twelve years they had served Chedorlaomer, but in the thirteenth year they rebelled. ⁵In the fourteenth year Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him came and subdued the Rephaim in Ashteroth-karnaim, the Zuzim in Ham, the Emim in Shaveh-kiriathaim, ⁶and the Horites in the hill country of Seir as far as El-paran on the edge of the wilderness; ⁷then they turned back and came to En-mishpat (that is, Kadesh), and subdued all the country of the Amalekites, and also the Amorites who lived in Hazazon-tamar. ⁸Then the king of Sodom, the king of Gomorrah, the king of Admah, the king of Zeboiim, and the king of Bela (that is, Zoar) went out, and they joined battle in the Valley of Siddim ⁹with King Chedorlaomer of Elam, King Tidal of Goiim, King Amraphel of Shinar, and King Arioch of Ellasar, four kings against five. ¹⁰Now the Valley of Siddim was full of bitumen pits; and as the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah fled, some fell into them, and the rest fled to the hill country. ¹¹So the enemy took all the goods of Sodom and Gomorrah, and all their provisions, and went their way; ¹²they also took Lot, the son of Abram’s brother, who lived in Sodom, and his goods, and departed.

¹³ Then one who had escaped came and told Abram the Hebrew, who was living by the oaksb of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and of Aner; these were allies of Abram. ¹⁴When Abram heard that his nephew had been taken captive, he led forth his trained men, born in his house, three hundred and eighteen of them, and went in pursuit as far as Dan. ¹⁵He divided his forces against them by night, he and his servants, and routed them and pursued them to Hobah, north of Damascus. ¹⁶Then he brought back all the goods, and also brought back his nephew Lot with his goods, and the women and the people.

Abram Blessed by Melchizedek

¹⁷ After his return from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him at the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King’s Valley). ¹⁸And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High.c ¹⁹He blessed him and said,

‘Blessed be Abram by God Most High,c

maker of heaven and earth;

²⁰ and blessed be God Most High,c

who has delivered your enemies into your hand!’

And Abram gave him one-tenth of everything. ²¹Then the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people, but take the goods for yourself.’ ²²But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have sworn to the LORD, God Most High,c maker of heaven and earth, ²³that I would not take a thread or a sandal-thong or anything that is yours, so that you might not say, “I have made Abram rich.” ²⁴I will take nothing but what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me—Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Let them take their share.’

God’s Covenant with Abram

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AFTER these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision, ‘Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great.’ ²But Abram said, ‘O Lord GOD, what will you give me, for I continue childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?’a ³And Abram said, ‘You have given me no offspring, and so a slave born in my house is to be my heir.’ ⁴But the word of the LORD came to him, ‘This man shall not be your heir; no one but your very own issue shall be your heir.’ ⁵He brought him outside and said, ‘Look towards heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them.’ Then he said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’ ⁶And he believed the LORD; and the LORDb reckoned it to him as righteousness.

⁷ Then he said to him, ‘I am the LORD who brought you from Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess.’ ⁸But he said, ‘O Lord GOD, how am I to know that I shall possess it?’ ⁹He said to him, ‘Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtle-dove, and a young pigeon.’ ¹⁰He brought him all these and cut them in two, laying each half over against the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. ¹¹And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

¹² As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram, and a deep and terrifying darkness descended upon him. ¹³Then the LORDb said to Abram, ‘Know this for certain, that your offspring shall be aliens in a land that is not theirs, and shall be slaves there, and they shall be oppressed for four hundred years; ¹⁴but I will bring judgement on the nation that they serve, and afterwards they shall come out with great possessions. ¹⁵As for yourself, you shall go to your ancestors in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. ¹⁶And they shall come back here in the fourth generation; for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’

¹⁷ When the sun had gone down and it was dark, a smoking fire-pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. ¹⁸On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, ¹⁹the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, ²⁰the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, ²¹the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.’

The Birth of Ishmael

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NOW Sarai, Abram’s wife, bore him no children. She had an Egyptian slave-girl whose name was Hagar, ²and Sarai said to Abram, ‘You see that the LORD has prevented me from bearing children; go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.’ And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai. ³So, after Abram had lived for ten years in the land of Canaan, Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar the Egyptian, her slave-girl, and gave her to her husband Abram as a wife. ⁴He went in to Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked with contempt on her mistress. ⁵Then Sarai said to Abram, ‘May the wrong done to me be on you! I gave my slave-girl to your embrace, and when she saw that she had conceived, she looked on me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me!’ ⁶But Abram said to Sarai, ‘Your slave-girl is in your power; do to her as you please.’ Then Sarai dealt harshly with her, and she ran away from her.

⁷ The angel of the LORD found her by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur. ⁸And he said, ‘Hagar, slave-girl of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?’ She said, ‘I am running away from my mistress Sarai.’ ⁹The angel of the LORD said to her, ‘Return to your mistress, and submit to her.’ ¹⁰The angel of the LORD also said to her, ‘I will so greatly multiply your offspring that they cannot be counted for multitude.’ ¹¹And the angel of the LORD said to her,

‘Now you have conceived and shall bear a son;

you shall call him Ishmael,a

for the LORD has given heed to your affliction.

¹² He shall be a wild ass of a man,

with his hand against everyone,

and everyone’s hand against him;

and he shall live at odds with all his kin.’

¹³So she named the LORD who spoke to her, ‘You are El-roi’b for she said, ‘Have I really seen God and remained alive after seeing him?’c ¹⁴Therefore the well was called Beer-lahai-roi;d it lies between Kadesh and Bered.

¹⁵ Hagar bore Abram a son; and Abram named his son, whom Hagar bore, Ishmael. ¹⁶Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore hime Ishmael.

The Sign of the Covenant

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WHEN Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty;f walk before me, and be blameless.² And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.’³ Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,⁴ ‘As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁵ No longer shall your name be Abram,g but your name shall be Abraham;h for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations.⁶ I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.⁷ I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring i after you.⁸ And I will give to you, and to your offspring after you, the land where you are now an alien, all the land of Canaan, for a perpetual holding; and I will be their God.’

⁹ God said to Abraham, ‘As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. ¹⁰This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. ¹¹You shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. ¹²Throughout your generations every male among you shall be circumcised when he is eight days old, including the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring. ¹³Both the slave born in your house and the one bought with your money must be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. ¹⁴Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.’

¹⁵ God said to Abraham, ‘As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. ¹⁶I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.’ ¹⁷Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?’ ¹⁸And Abraham said to God, ‘O that Ishmael might live in your sight!’ ¹⁹God said, ‘No, but your wife Sarah shall bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac.a I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his offspring after him. ²⁰As for Ishmael, I have heard you; I will bless him and make him fruitful and exceedingly numerous; he shall be the father of twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation. ²¹But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear to you at this season next year.’ ²²And when he had finished talking with him, God went up from Abraham.

²³ Then Abraham took his son Ishmael and all the slaves born in his house or bought with his money, every male among the men of Abraham’s house, and he circumcised the flesh of their foreskins that very day, as God had said to him. ²⁴Abraham was ninety-nine years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁵And his son Ishmael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin. ²⁶That very day Abraham and his son Ishmael were circumcised; ²⁷and all the men of his house, slaves born in the house and those bought with money from a foreigner, were circumcised with him.

A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah

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THE LORD appeared to Abrahamb by the oaksc of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. ²He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. ³He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. ⁴Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. ⁵Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ ⁶And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measuresd of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ ⁷Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. ⁸Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

⁹ They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ ¹⁰Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. ¹¹Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. ¹²So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ ¹³The LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” ¹⁴Is anything too wonderful for the LORD? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ ¹⁵But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’ for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

Judgement Pronounced on Sodom

¹⁶ Then the men set out from there, and they looked towards Sodom; and Abraham went with them to set them on their way. ¹⁷The LORD said, ‘Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, ¹⁸seeing that Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?a ¹⁹ No, for I have chosenb him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice; so that the LORD may bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.’²⁰ Then the LORD said, ‘How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! ²¹I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know.’

²² So the men turned from there, and went towards Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the LORD.c ²³ Then Abraham came near and said, ‘Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? ²⁴Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? ²⁵Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?’²⁶ And the LORD said, ‘If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake.’ ²⁷Abraham answered, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes.²⁸ Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?’ And he said, ‘I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there.’²⁹ Again he spoke to him, ‘Suppose forty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of forty I will not do it.’³⁰ Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there.’ He answered, ‘I will not do it, if I find thirty there.’³¹ He said, ‘Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it.’³² Then he said, ‘Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there.’ He answered, ‘For the sake of ten I will not destroy it.’³³ And the LORD went his way, when he had finished speaking to Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place.

The Depravity of Sodom

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THE two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of Sodom. When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them, and bowed down with his face to the ground. ²He said, ‘Please, my lords, turn aside to your servant’s house and spend the night, and wash your feet; then you can rise early and go on your way.’ They said, ‘No; we will spend the night in the square.’ ³But he urged them strongly; so they turned aside to him and entered his house; and he made them a feast, and baked unleavened bread, and they ate. ⁴But before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people to the last man, surrounded the house; ⁵and they called to Lot, ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us, so that we may know them.’ ⁶Lot went out of the door to the men, shut the door after him, ⁷and said, ‘I beg you, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. ⁸Look, I have two daughters who have not known a man; let me bring them out to you, and do to them as you please; only do nothing to these men, for they have come under the shelter of my roof.’ ⁹But they replied, ‘Stand back!’ And they said, ‘This fellow came here as an alien, and he would play the judge! Now we will deal worse with you than with them.’ Then they pressed hard against the man Lot, and came near the door to break it down. ¹⁰But the men inside reached out their hands and brought Lot into the house with them, and shut the door. ¹¹And they struck with blindness the men who were at the door of the house, both small and great, so that they were unable to find the door.

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed

¹² Then the men said to Lot, ‘Have you anyone else here? Sons-in-law, sons, daughters, or anyone you have in the city—bring them out of the place. ¹³For we are about to destroy this place, because the outcry against its people has become great before the LORD, and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.’ ¹⁴So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law, who were to marry his daughters, ‘Up, get out of this place; for the LORD is about to destroy the city.’ But he seemed to his sons-in-law to be jesting.

¹⁵ When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, ‘Get up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or else you will be consumed in the punishment of the city.’ ¹⁶But he lingered; so the men seized him and his wife and his two daughters by the hand, the LORD being merciful to him, and they brought him out and left him outside the city. ¹⁷When they had brought them outside, theya said, ‘Flee for your life; do not look back or stop anywhere in the Plain; flee to the hills, or else you will be consumed.’ ¹⁸And Lot said to them, ‘Oh, no, my lords; ¹⁹your servant has found favour with you, and you have shown me great kindness in saving my life; but I cannot flee to the hills, for fear the disaster will overtake me and I die. ²⁰Look, that city is near enough to flee to, and it is a little one. Let me escape there—is it not a little one?—and my life will be saved!’ ²¹He said to him, ‘Very well, I grant you this favour too, and will not overthrow the city of which you have spoken. ²²Hurry, escape there, for I can do nothing until you arrive there.’ Therefore the city was called Zoar.b ²³The sun had risen on the earth when Lot came to Zoar.

²⁴ Then the LORD rained on Sodom and Gomorrah sulphur and fire from the LORD out of heaven; ²⁵and he overthrew those cities, and all the Plain, and all the inhabitants of the cities, and what grew on the ground. ²⁶But Lot’s wife, behind him, looked back, and she became a pillar of salt.

²⁷ Abraham went early in the morning to the place where he had stood before the LORD; ²⁸and he looked down towards Sodom and Gomorrah and towards all the land of the Plain, and saw the smoke of the land going up like the smoke of a furnace.

²⁹ So it was that, when God destroyed the cities of the Plain, God remembered Abraham, and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow, when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had settled.

The Shameful Origin of Moab and Ammon

³⁰ Now Lot went up out of Zoar and settled in the hills with his two daughters, for he was afraid to stay in Zoar; so he lived in a cave with his two daughters. ³¹And the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Our father is old, and there is not a man on earth to come in to us after the manner of all the world. ³²Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father.’ ³³So they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. ³⁴On the next day, the firstborn said to the younger, ‘Look, I lay last night with my father; let us make him drink wine tonight also; then you go in and lie with him, so that we may preserve offspring through our father.’ ³⁵So they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger rose, and lay with him; and he did not know when she lay down or when she rose. ³⁶Thus both the daughters of Lot became pregnant by their father. ³⁷The firstborn bore a son, and named him Moab; he is the ancestor of the Moabites to this day. ³⁸The younger also bore a son and named him Ben-ammi; he is the ancestor of the Ammonites to this day.

Abraham and Sarah at Gerar

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FROM there Abraham journeyed towards the region of the Negeb, and settled between Kadesh and Shur. While residing in Gerar as an alien, ²Abraham said of his wife Sarah, ‘She is my sister.’ And King Abimelech of Gerar sent and took Sarah. ³But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, ‘You are about to die because of the woman whom you have taken; for she is a married woman.’ ⁴Now Abimelech had not approached her; so he said, ‘Lord, will you destroy an innocent people? ⁵Did he not himself say to me, “She is my sister”? And she herself said, “He is my brother.” I did this in the integrity of my heart and the innocence of my hands.’ ⁶Then God said to him in the dream, ‘Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart; furthermore it was I who kept you from sinning against me. Therefore I did not let you touch her. ⁷Now then, return the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all that are yours.’

⁸ So Abimelech rose early in the morning, and called all his servants and told them all these things; and the men were very much afraid. ⁹Then Abimelech called Abraham, and said to him, ‘What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such great guilt on me and my kingdom? You have done things to me that ought not to be done.’ ¹⁰And Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What were you thinking of, that you did this thing?’ ¹¹Abraham said, ‘I did it because I thought, There is no fear of God at all in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife. ¹²Besides, she is indeed my sister, the daughter of my father but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. ¹³And when God caused me to wander from my father’s house, I said to her, “This is the kindness you must do me: at every place to which we come, say of me, He is my brother.”’ ¹⁴Then Abimelech took sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves, and gave them to Abraham, and restored his wife Sarah to him. ¹⁵Abimelech said, ‘My land is before you; settle where it pleases you.’ ¹⁶To Sarah he said, ‘Look, I have given your brother a thousand pieces of silver; it is your exoneration before all who are with you; you are completely vindicated.’ ¹⁷Then Abraham prayed to God; and God healed Abimelech, and also healed his wife and female slaves so that they bore children. ¹⁸For the LORD had closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech because of Sarah, Abraham’s wife.

The Birth of Isaac

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THE LORD dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah as he had promised. ²Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time of which God had spoken to him. ³Abraham gave the name Isaac to his son whom Sarah bore him. ⁴And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. ⁵Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him. ⁶Now Sarah said, ‘God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me.’ ⁷And she said, ‘Who would ever have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.’

Hagar and Ishmael Sent Away

⁸ The child grew, and was weaned; and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. ⁹But Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had borne to Abraham, playing with her son Isaac.a ¹⁰So she said to Abraham, ‘Cast out this slave woman with her son; for the son of this slave woman shall not inherit along with my son Isaac.’ ¹¹The matter was very distressing to Abraham on account of his son. ¹²But God said to Abraham, ‘Do not be distressed because of the boy and because of your slave woman; whatever Sarah says to you, do as she tells you, for it is through Isaac that offspring shall be named after you. ¹³As for the son of the slave woman, I will make a nation of him also, because he is your offspring.’ ¹⁴So Abraham rose early in the morning, and took bread and a skin of water, and gave it to Hagar, putting it on her shoulder, along with the child, and sent her away. And she departed, and wandered about in the wilderness of Beer-sheba.

¹⁵ When the water in the skin was gone, she cast the child under one of the bushes. ¹⁶Then she went and sat down opposite him a good way off, about the distance of a bowshot; for she said, ‘Do not let me look on the death of the child.’ And as she sat opposite him, she lifted up her voice and wept. ¹⁷And God heard the voice of the boy; and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven, and said to her, ‘What troubles you, Hagar? Do not be afraid; for God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. ¹⁸Come, lift up the boy and hold him fast with your hand, for I will make a great nation of him.’ ¹⁹Then God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, and filled the skin with water, and gave the boy a drink.

²⁰ God was with the boy, and he grew up; he lived in the wilderness, and became an expert with the bow. ²¹He lived in the wilderness of Paran; and his mother got a wife for him from the land of Egypt.

Abraham and Abimelech Make a Covenant

²² At that time Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, said to Abraham, ‘God is with you in all that you do; ²³now therefore swear to me here by God that you will not deal falsely with me or with my offspring or with my posterity, but as I have dealt loyally with you, you will deal with me and with the land where you have resided as an alien.’ ²⁴And Abraham said, ‘I swear it.’

²⁵ When Abraham complained to Abimelech about a well of water that Abimelech’s servants had seized, ²⁶Abimelech said, ‘I do not know who has done this; you did not tell me, and I have not heard of it until today.’ ²⁷So Abraham took sheep and oxen and gave them to Abimelech, and the two men made a covenant. ²⁸Abraham set apart seven ewe lambs of the flock. ²⁹And Abimelech said to Abraham, ‘What is the meaning of these seven ewe lambs that you have set apart?’ ³⁰He said, ‘These seven ewe lambs you shall accept from my hand, in order that you may be a witness for me that I dug this well.’ ³¹Therefore that place was called Beer-sheba;a because there both of them swore an oath. ³² When they had made a covenant at Beer-sheba, Abimelech, with Phicol the commander of his army, left and returned to the land of the Philistines.³³ Abraham b planted a tamarisk tree in Beer-sheba, and called there on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God.c ³⁴ And Abraham resided as an alien for many days in the land of the Philistines.

The Command to Sacrifice Isaac

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AFTER these things God tested Abraham. He said to him, ‘Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ ²He said, ‘Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt-offering on one of the mountains that I shall show you.’ ³So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac; he cut the wood for the burnt-offering, and set out and went to the place in the distance that God had shown him. ⁴On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place far away. ⁵Then Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey; the boy and I will go over there; we will worship, and then we will come back to you.’ ⁶Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering and laid it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. So the two of them walked on together. ⁷Isaac said to his father Abraham, ‘Father!’ And he said, ‘Here I am, my son.’ He said, ‘The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering?’ ⁸Abraham said, ‘God himself will provide the lamb for a burnt-offering, my son.’ So the two of them walked on together.

⁹ When they came to the place that God had shown him, Abraham built an altar there and laid the wood in order. He bound his son Isaac, and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. ¹⁰Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to killd his son. ¹¹But the angel of the LORD called to him from heaven, and said, ‘Abraham, Abraham!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹²He said, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.’ ¹³And Abraham looked up and saw a ram, caught in a thicket by its horns. Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt-offering instead of his son. ¹⁴So Abraham called that place ‘The LORD will provide’a as it is said to this day, ‘On the mount of the LORD it shall be provided.’b

¹⁵ The angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, ¹⁶and said, ‘By myself I have sworn, says the LORD: Because you have done this, and have not withheld your son, your only son, ¹⁷I will indeed bless you, and I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of their enemies, ¹⁸and by your offspring shall all the nations of the earth gain blessing for themselves, because you have obeyed my voice.’ ¹⁹So Abraham returned to his young men, and they arose and went together to Beer-sheba; and Abraham lived at Beer-sheba.

The Children of Nahor

²⁰ Now after these things it was told Abraham, ‘Milcah also has borne children, to your brother Nahor: ²¹Uz the firstborn, Buz his brother, Kemuel the father of Aram, ²²Chesed, Hazo, Pildash, Jidlaph, and Bethuel.’ ²³Bethuel became the father of Rebekah. These eight Milcah bore to Nahor, Abraham’s brother. ²⁴Moreover, his concubine, whose name was Reumah, bore Tebah, Gaham, Tahash, and Maacah.

Sarah’s Death and Burial

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SARAH lived for one hundred and twenty-seven years; this was the length of Sarah’s life. ²And Sarah died at Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan; and Abraham went in to mourn for Sarah and to weep for her. ³Abraham rose up from beside his dead, and said to the Hittites, ⁴‘I am a stranger and an alien residing among you; give me property among you for a burying-place, so that I may bury my dead out of my sight.’ ⁵The Hittites answered Abraham, ⁶‘Hear us, my lord; you are a mighty prince among us. Bury your dead in the choicest of our burial places; none of us will withhold from you any burial ground for burying your dead.’ ⁷Abraham rose and bowed to the Hittites, the people of the land. ⁸He said to them, ‘If you are willing that I should bury my dead out of my sight, hear me, and entreat for me Ephron son of Zohar, ⁹so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying-place.’ ¹⁰Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city, ¹¹‘No, my lord, hear me; I give you the field, and I give you the cave that is in it; in the presence of my people I give it to you; bury your dead.’ ¹²Then Abraham bowed down before the people of the land. ¹³He said to Ephron in the hearing of the people of the land, ‘If you only will listen to me! I will give the price of the field; accept it from me, so that I may bury my dead there.’ ¹⁴Ephron answered Abraham, ¹⁵‘My lord, listen to me; a piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver—what is that between you and me? Bury your dead.’ ¹⁶Abraham agreed with Ephron; and Abraham weighed out for Ephron the silver that he had named in the hearing of the Hittites, four hundred shekels of silver, according to the weights current among the merchants.

¹⁷ So the field of Ephron in Machpelah, which was to the east of Mamre, the field with the cave that was in it and all the trees that were in the field, throughout its whole area, passed ¹⁸to Abraham as a possession in the presence of the Hittites, in the presence of all who went in at the gate of his city. ¹⁹After this, Abraham buried Sarah his wife in the cave of the field of Machpelah facing Mamre (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan. ²⁰The field and the cave that is in it passed from the Hittites into Abraham’s possession as a burying-place.

The Marriage of Isaac and Rebekah

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NOW Abraham was old, well advanced in years; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. ²Abraham said to his servant, the oldest of his house, who had charge of all that he had, ‘Put your hand under my thigh ³and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and earth, that you will not get a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I live, ⁴but will go to my country and to my kindred and get a wife for my son Isaac.’ ⁵The servant said to him, ‘Perhaps the woman may not be willing to follow me to this land; must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?’ ⁶Abraham said to him, ‘See to it that you do not take my son back there. ⁷The LORD, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my birth, and who spoke to me and swore to me, “To your offspring I will give this land”, he will send his angel before you; you shall take a wife for my son from there. ⁸But if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be free from this oath of mine; only you must not take my son back there.’ ⁹So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master and swore to him concerning this matter.

¹⁰ Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed, taking all kinds of choice gifts from his master; and he set out and went to Aram-naharaim, to the city of Nahor. ¹¹He made the camels kneel down outside the city by the well of water; it was towards evening, the time when women go out to draw water. ¹²And he said, ‘O LORD, God of my master Abraham, please grant me success today and show steadfast love to my master Abraham. ¹³I am standing here by the spring of water, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. ¹⁴Let the girl to whom I shall say, “Please offer your jar that I may drink”, and who shall say, “Drink, and I will water your camels”—let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac. By this I shall know that you have shown steadfast love to my master.’

¹⁵ Before he had finished speaking, there was Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder. ¹⁶The girl was very fair to look upon, a virgin whom no man had known. She went down to the spring, filled her jar, and came up. ¹⁷Then the servant ran to meet her and said, ‘Please let me sip a little water from your jar.’ ¹⁸‘Drink, my lord,’ she said, and quickly lowered her jar upon her hand and gave him a drink. ¹⁹When she had finished giving him a drink, she said, ‘I will draw for your camels also, until they have finished drinking.’ ²⁰So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough and ran again to the well to draw, and she drew for all his camels. ²¹The man gazed at her in silence to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful.

²² When the camels had finished drinking, the man took a gold nose-ring weighing a half-shekel, and two bracelets for her arms weighing ten gold shekels, ²³and said, ‘Tell me whose daughter you are. Is there room in your father’s house for us to spend the night?’ ²⁴She said to him, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel son of Milcah, whom she bore to Nahor.’ ²⁵She added, ‘We have plenty of straw and fodder and a place to spend the night.’ ²⁶The man bowed his head and worshipped the LORD ²⁷and said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken his steadfast love and his faithfulness towards my master. As for me, the LORD has led me on the way to the house of my master’s kin.’

²⁸ Then the girl ran and told her mother’s household about these things. ²⁹Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban; and Laban ran out to the man, to the spring. ³⁰As soon as he had seen the nose-ring, and the bracelets on his sister’s arms, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, ‘Thus the man spoke to me’, he went to the man; and there he was, standing by the camels at the spring. ³¹He said, ‘Come in, O blessed of the LORD. Why do you stand outside when I have prepared the house and a place for the camels?’ ³²So the man came into the house; and Laban unloaded the camels, and gave him straw and fodder for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. ³³Then food was set before him to eat; but he said, ‘I will not eat until I have told my errand.’ He said, ‘Speak on.’

³⁴ So he said, ‘I am Abraham’s servant. ³⁵The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become wealthy; he has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female slaves, camels and donkeys. ³⁶And Sarah my master’s wife bore a son to my master when she was old; and he has given him all that he has. ³⁷My master made me swear, saying, “You shall not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, in whose land I live; ³⁸but you shall go to my father’s house, to my kindred, and get a wife for my son.” ³⁹I said to my master, “Perhaps the woman will not follow me.” ⁴⁰But he said to me, “The LORD, before whom I walk, will send his angel with you and make your way successful. You shall get a wife for my son from my kindred, from my father’s house. ⁴¹Then you will be free from my oath, when you come to my kindred; even if they will not give her to you, you will be free from my oath.”

⁴² ‘I came today to the spring, and said, “O LORD, the God of my master Abraham, if now you will only make successful the way I am going! ⁴³I am standing here by the spring of water; let the young woman who comes out to draw, to whom I shall say, ‘Please give me a little water from your jar to drink,’ ⁴⁴and who will say to me, ‘Drink, and I will draw for your camels also’—let her be the woman whom the LORD has appointed for my master’s son.”

⁴⁵ ‘Before I had finished speaking in my heart, there was Rebekah coming out with her water-jar on her shoulder; and she went down to the spring, and drew. I said to her, “Please let me drink.” ⁴⁶She quickly let down her jar from her shoulder, and said, “Drink, and I will also water your camels.” So I drank, and she also watered the camels. ⁴⁷Then I asked her, “Whose daughter are you?” She said, “The daughter of Bethuel, Nahor’s son, whom Milcah bore to him.” So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her arms. ⁴⁸Then I bowed my head and worshipped the LORD, and blessed the LORD, the God of my master Abraham, who had led me by the right way to obtain the daughter of my master’s kinsman for his son. ⁴⁹Now then, if you will deal loyally and truly with my master, tell me; and if not, tell me, so that I may turn either to the right hand or to the left.’

⁵⁰ Then Laban and Bethuel answered, ‘The thing comes from the LORD; we cannot speak to you anything bad or good. ⁵¹Look, Rebekah is before you; take her and go, and let her be the wife of your master’s son, as the LORD has spoken.’

⁵² When Abraham’s servant heard their words, he bowed himself to the ground before the LORD. ⁵³And the servant brought out jewellery of silver and of gold, and garments, and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave to her brother and to her mother costly ornaments. ⁵⁴Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank, and they spent the night there. When they rose in the morning, he said, ‘Send me back to my master.’ ⁵⁵Her brother and her mother said, ‘Let the girl remain with us a while, at least ten days; after that she may go.’ ⁵⁶But he said to them, ‘Do not delay me, since the LORD has made my journey successful; let me go, that I may go to my master.’ ⁵⁷They said, ‘We will call the girl, and ask her.’ ⁵⁸And they called Rebekah, and said to her, ‘Will you go with this man?’ She said, ‘I will.’ ⁵⁹So they sent away their sister Rebekah and her nurse along with Abraham’s servant and his men. ⁶⁰And they blessed Rebekah and said to her,

‘May you, our sister, become

thousands of myriads;

may your offspring gain possession

of the gates of their foes.’

⁶¹Then Rebekah and her maids rose up, mounted the camels, and followed the man; thus the servant took Rebekah, and went his way.

⁶² Now Isaac had come froma Beer-lahai-roi, and was settled in the Negeb. ⁶³Isaac went out in the evening to walkb in the field; and looking up, he saw camels coming. ⁶⁴And Rebekah looked up, and when she saw Isaac, she slipped quickly from the camel, ⁶⁵and said to the servant, ‘Who is the man over there, walking in the field to meet us?’ The servant said, ‘It is my master.’ So she took her veil and covered herself. ⁶⁶And the servant told Isaac all the things that he had done. ⁶⁷Then Isaac brought her into his mother Sarah’s tent. He took Rebekah, and she became his wife; and he loved her. So Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Abraham Marries Keturah

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ABRAHAM took another wife, whose name was Keturah. ²She bore him Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. ³Jokshan was the father of Sheba and Dedan. The sons of Dedan were Asshurim, Letushim, and Leummim. ⁴The sons of Midian were Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the children of Keturah. ⁵Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. ⁶But to the sons of his concubines Abraham gave gifts, while he was still living, and he sent them away from his son Isaac, eastwards to the east country.

The Death of Abraham

⁷ This is the length of Abraham’s life, one hundred and seventy-five years. ⁸Abraham breathed his last and died in a good old age, an old man and full of years, and was gathered to his people. ⁹His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, east of Mamre, ¹⁰the field that Abraham purchased from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried, with his wife Sarah. ¹¹After the death of Abraham God blessed his son Isaac. And Isaac settled at Beer-lahai-roi.

Ishmael’s Descendants

¹² These are the descendants of Ishmael, Abraham’s son, whom Hagar the Egyptian, Sarah’s slave-girl, bore to Abraham. ¹³These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, named in the order of their birth: Nebaioth, the firstborn of Ishmael; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ¹⁴Mishma, Dumah, Massa, ¹⁵Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. ¹⁶These are the sons of Ishmael and these are their names, by their villages and by their encampments, twelve princes according to their tribes. ¹⁷(This is the length of the life of Ishmael, one hundred and thirty-seven years; he breathed his last and died, and was gathered to his people.) ¹⁸They settled from Havilah to Shur, which is opposite Egypt in the direction of Assyria; he settled downa alongsideb all his people.

The Birth and Youth of Esau and Jacob

¹⁹ These are the descendants of Isaac, Abraham’s son: Abraham was the father of Isaac, ²⁰and Isaac was forty years old when he married Rebekah, daughter of Bethuel the Aramean of Paddan-aram, sister of Laban the Aramean. ²¹Isaac prayed to the LORD for his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD granted his prayer, and his wife Rebekah conceived. ²²The children struggled together within her; and she said, ‘If it is to be this way, why do I live?’c So she went to inquire of the LORD. ²³And the LORD said to her,

‘Two nations are in your womb,

and two peoples born of you shall be divided;

one shall be stronger than the other,

the elder shall serve the younger.’

²⁴When her time to give birth was at hand, there were twins in her womb. ²⁵The first came out red, all his body like a hairy mantle; so they named him Esau. ²⁶Afterwards his brother came out, with his hand gripping Esau’s heel; so he was named Jacob.d Isaac was sixty years old when she bore them.

²⁷ When the boys grew up, Esau was a skilful hunter, a man of the field, while Jacob was a quiet man, living in tents. ²⁸Isaac loved Esau, because he was fond of game; but Rebekah loved Jacob.

Esau Sells His Birthright

²⁹ Once when Jacob was cooking a stew, Esau came in from the field, and he was famished. ³⁰Esau said to Jacob, ‘Let me eat some of that red stuff, for I am famished!’ (Therefore he was called Edom.a) ³¹Jacob said, ‘First sell me your birthright.’ ³²Esau said, ‘I am about to die; of what use is a birthright to me?’ ³³Jacob said, ‘Swear to me first.’b So he swore to him, and sold his birthright to Jacob. ³⁴Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and drank, and rose and went his way. Thus Esau despised his birthright.

Isaac and Abimelech

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NOW there was a famine in the land, besides the former famine that had occurred in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went to Gerar, to King Abimelech of the Philistines. ²The LORD appeared to Isaacc and said, ‘Do not go down to Egypt; settle in the land that I shall show you. ³Reside in this land as an alien, and I will be with you, and will bless you; for to you and to your descendants I will give all these lands, and I will fulfil the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. ⁴I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of heaven, and will give to your offspring all these lands; and all the nations of the earth shall gain blessing for themselves through your offspring, ⁵because Abraham obeyed my voice and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws.’

⁶ So Isaac settled in Gerar. ⁷When the men of the place asked him about his wife, he said, ‘She is my sister’ for he was afraid to say, ‘My wife,’ thinking, ‘or else the men of the place might kill me for the sake of Rebekah, because she is attractive in appearance.’ ⁸When Isaac had been there a long time, King Abimelech of the Philistines looked out of a window and saw him fondling his wife Rebekah. ⁹So Abimelech called for Isaac, and said, ‘So she is your wife! Why then did you say, “She is my sister”?’ Isaac said to him, ‘Because I thought I might die because of her.’ ¹⁰Abimelech said, ‘What is this you have done to us? One of the people might easily have lain with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.’ ¹¹So Abimelech warned all the people, saying, ‘Whoever touches this man or his wife shall be put to death.’

¹² Isaac sowed seed in that land, and in the same year reaped a hundredfold. The LORD blessed him, ¹³and the man became rich; he prospered more and more until he became very wealthy. ¹⁴He had possessions of flocks and herds, and a great household, so that the Philistines envied him. ¹⁵(Now the Philistines had stopped up and filled with earth all the wells that his father’s servants had dug in the days of his father Abraham.) ¹⁶And Abimelech said to Isaac, ‘Go away from us; you have become too powerful for us.’

¹⁷ So Isaac departed from there and camped in the valley of Gerar and settled there. ¹⁸Isaac dug again the wells of water that had been dug in the days of his father Abraham; for the Philistines had stopped them up after the death of Abraham; and he gave them the names that his father had given them. ¹⁹But when Isaac’s servants dug in the valley and found there a well of spring water, ²⁰the herders of Gerar quarrelled with Isaac’s herders, saying, ‘The water is ours.’ So he called the well Esek,d because they contended with him. ²¹Then they dug another well, and they quarrelled over that one also; so he called it Sitnah.e ²²He moved from there and dug another well, and they did not quarrel over it; so he called it Rehoboth,a saying, ‘Now the LORD has made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.’

²³ From there he went up to Beer-sheba. ²⁴And that very night the LORD appeared to him and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham; do not be afraid, for I am with you and will bless you and make your offspring numerous for my servant Abraham’s sake.’ ²⁵So he built an altar there, called on the name of the LORD, and pitched his tent there. And there Isaac’s servants dug a well.

²⁶ Then Abimelech went to him from Gerar, with Ahuzzath his adviser and Phicol the commander of his army. ²⁷Isaac said to them, ‘Why have you come to me, seeing that you hate me and have sent me away from you?’ ²⁸They said, ‘We see plainly that the LORD has been with you; so we say, let there be an oath between you and us, and let us make a covenant with you ²⁹so that you will do us no harm, just as we have not touched you and have done to you nothing but good and have sent you away in peace. You are now the blessed of the LORD.’ ³⁰So he made them a feast, and they ate and drank. ³¹In the morning they rose early and exchanged oaths; and Isaac set them on their way, and they departed from him in peace. ³²That same day Isaac’s servants came and told him about the well that they had dug, and said to him, ‘We have found water!’ ³³He called it Shibah;b therefore the name of the city is Beer-shebac to this day.

Esau’s Hittite Wives

³⁴ When Esau was forty years old, he married Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite; ³⁵and they made life bitter for Isaac and Rebekah.

Isaac Blesses Jacob

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WHEN Isaac was old and his eyes were dim so that he could not see, he called his elder son Esau and said to him, ‘My son’ and he answered, ‘Here I am.’ ²He said, ‘See, I am old; I do not know the day of my death. ³Now then, take your weapons, your quiver and your bow, and go out to the field, and hunt game for me. ⁴Then prepare for me savoury food, such as I like, and bring it to me to eat, so that I may bless you before I die.’

⁵ Now Rebekah was listening when Isaac spoke to his son Esau. So when Esau went to the field to hunt for game and bring it, ⁶Rebekah said to her son Jacob, ‘I heard your father say to your brother Esau, ⁷“Bring me game, and prepare for me savoury food to eat, that I may bless you before the LORD before I die.” ⁸Now therefore, my son, obey my word as I command you. ⁹Go to the flock, and get me two choice kids, so that I may prepare from them savoury food for your father, such as he likes; ¹⁰and you shall take it to your father to eat, so that he may bless you before he dies.’ ¹¹But Jacob said to his mother Rebekah, ‘Look, my brother Esau is a hairy man, and I am a man of smooth skin. ¹²Perhaps my father will feel me, and I shall seem to be mocking him, and bring a curse on myself and not a blessing.’ ¹³His mother said to him, ‘Let your curse be on me, my son; only obey my word, and go, get them for me.’ ¹⁴So he went and got them and brought them to his mother; and his mother prepared savoury food, such as his father loved. ¹⁵Then Rebekah took the best garments of her elder son Esau, which were with her in the house, and put them on her younger son Jacob; ¹⁶and she put the skins of the kids on his hands and on the smooth part of his neck. ¹⁷Then she handed the savoury food, and the bread that she had prepared, to her son Jacob.

¹⁸ So he went in to his father, and said, ‘My father’ and he said, ‘Here I am; who are you, my son?’ ¹⁹Jacob said to his father, ‘I am Esau your firstborn. I have done as you told me; now sit up and eat of my game, so that you may bless me.’ ²⁰But Isaac said to his son, ‘How is it that you have found it so quickly, my son?’ He answered, ‘Because the LORD your God granted me success.’ ²¹Then Isaac said to Jacob, ‘Come near, that I may feel you, my son, to know whether you are really my son Esau or not.’ ²²So Jacob went up to his father Isaac, who felt him and said, ‘The voice is Jacob’s voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ ²³He did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hands; so he blessed him. ²⁴He said, ‘Are you really my son Esau?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ ²⁵Then he said, ‘Bring it to me, that I may eat of my son’s game and bless you.’ So he brought it to him, and he ate; and he brought him wine, and he drank. ²⁶Then his father Isaac said to him, ‘Come near and kiss me, my son.’ ²⁷So he came near and kissed him; and he smelled the smell of his garments, and blessed him, and said,

‘Ah, the smell of my son

is like the smell of a field that the LORD has blessed.

²⁸ May God give you of the dew of heaven,

and of the fatness of the earth,

and plenty of grain and wine.

²⁹ Let peoples serve you,

and nations bow down to you.

Be lord over your brothers,

and may your mother’s sons bow down to you.

Cursed be everyone who curses you,

and blessed be everyone who blesses you!’

Esau’s Lost Blessing

³⁰ As soon as Isaac had finished blessing Jacob, when Jacob had scarcely gone out from the presence of his father Isaac, his brother Esau came in from his hunting. ³¹He also prepared savoury food, and brought it to his father. And he said to his father, ‘Let my father sit up and eat of his son’s game, so that you may bless me.’ ³²His father Isaac said to him, ‘Who are you?’ He answered, ‘I am your firstborn son, Esau.’ ³³Then Isaac trembled violently, and said, ‘Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it alla before you came, and I have blessed him?—yes, and blessed he shall be!’ ³⁴When Esau heard his father’s words, he cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me, me also, father!’ ³⁵But he said, ‘Your brother came deceitfully, and he has taken away your blessing.’ ³⁶Esau said, ‘Is he not rightly named Jacob?b For he has supplanted me these two times. He took away my birthright; and look, now he has taken away my blessing.’ Then he said, ‘Have you not reserved a blessing for me?’ ³⁷Isaac answered Esau, ‘I have already made him your lord, and I have given him all his brothers as servants, and with grain and wine I have sustained him. What then can I do for you, my son?’ ³⁸Esau said to his father, ‘Have you only one blessing, father? Bless me, me also, father!’ And Esau lifted up his voice and wept.

³⁹ Then his father Isaac answered him:

‘See, away froma the fatness of the earth shall your home be,

and away fromb the dew of heaven on high.

⁴⁰ By your sword you shall live,

and you shall serve your brother;

but when you break loose,c

you shall break his yoke from your neck.’

Jacob Escapes Esau’s Fury

⁴¹ Now Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him, and Esau said to himself, ‘The days of mourning for my father are approaching; then I will kill my brother Jacob.’ ⁴²But the words of her elder son Esau were told to Rebekah; so she sent and called her younger son Jacob and said to him, ‘Your brother Esau is consoling himself by planning to kill you. ⁴³Now therefore, my son, obey my voice; flee at once to my brother Laban in Haran, ⁴⁴and stay with him for a while, until your brother’s fury turns away—⁴⁵until your brother’s anger against you turns away, and he forgets what you have done to him; then I will send, and bring you back from there. Why should I lose both of you in one day?’

⁴⁶ Then Rebekah said to Isaac, ‘I am weary of my life because of the Hittite women. If Jacob marries one of the Hittite women such as these, one of the women of the land, what good will my life be to me?’

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THEN Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, ‘You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women. ²Go at once to Paddan-aram to the house of Bethuel, your mother’s father; and take as wife from there one of the daughters of Laban, your mother’s brother. ³May God Almightyd bless you and make you fruitful and numerous, that you may become a company of peoples. ⁴May he give to you the blessing of Abraham, to you and to your offspring with you, so that you may take possession of the land where you now live as an alien—land that God gave to Abraham.’ ⁵Thus Isaac sent Jacob away; and he went to Paddan-aram, to Laban son of Bethuel the Aramean, the brother of Rebekah, Jacob’s and Esau’s mother.

Esau Marries Ishmael’s Daughter

⁶ Now Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him away to Paddan-aram to take a wife from there, and that as he blessed him he charged him, ‘You shall not marry one of the Canaanite women’, ⁷and that Jacob had obeyed his father and his mother and gone to Paddan-aram. ⁸So when Esau saw that the Canaanite women did not please his father Isaac, ⁹Esau went to Ishmael and took Mahalath daughter of Abraham’s son Ishmael, and sister of Nebaioth, to be his wife in addition to the wives he had.

Jacob’s Dream at Bethel

¹⁰ Jacob left Beer-sheba and went towards Haran. ¹¹He came to a certain place and stayed there for the night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place. ¹²And he dreamed that there was a laddera set up on the earth, the top of it reaching to heaven; and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. ¹³And the LORD stood beside himb and said, ‘I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring; ¹⁴and your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south; and all the families of the earth shall be blessedc in you and in your offspring. ¹⁵Know that I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.’ ¹⁶Then Jacob woke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the LORD is in this place—and I did not know it!’ ¹⁷And he was afraid, and said, ‘How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.’

¹⁸ So Jacob rose early in the morning, and he took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. ¹⁹He called that place Bethel;d but the name of the city was Luz at the first. ²⁰Then Jacob made a vow, saying, ‘If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, ²¹so that I come again to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, ²²and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God’s house; and of all that you give me I will surely give one-tenth to you.’

Jacob Meets Rachel

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THEN Jacob went on his journey, and came to the land of the people of the east. ²As he looked, he saw a well in the field and three flocks of sheep lying there beside it; for out of that well the flocks were watered. The stone on the well’s mouth was large, ³and when all the flocks were gathered there, the shepherds would roll the stone from the mouth of the well, and water the sheep, and put the stone back in its place on the mouth of the well.

⁴ Jacob said to them, ‘My brothers, where do you come from?’ They said, ‘We are from Haran.’ ⁵He said to them, ‘Do you know Laban son of Nahor?’ They said, ‘We do.’ ⁶He said to them, ‘Is it well with him?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied, ‘and here is his daughter Rachel, coming with the sheep.’ ⁷He said, ‘Look, it is still broad daylight; it is not time for the animals to be gathered together. Water the sheep, and go, pasture them.’ ⁸But they said, ‘We cannot until all the flocks are gathered together, and the stone is rolled from the mouth of the well; then we water the sheep.’

⁹ While he was still speaking with them, Rachel came with her father’s sheep; for she kept them. ¹⁰Now when Jacob saw Rachel, the daughter of his mother’s brother Laban, and the sheep of his mother’s brother Laban, Jacob went up and rolled the stone from the well’s mouth, and watered the flock of his mother’s brother Laban. ¹¹Then Jacob kissed Rachel, and wept aloud. ¹²And Jacob told Rachel that he was her father’s kinsman, and that he was Rebekah’s son; and she ran and told her father.

¹³ When Laban heard the news about his sister’s son Jacob, he ran to meet him; he embraced him and kissed him, and brought him to his house. Jacoba told Laban all these things, ¹⁴and Laban said to him, ‘Surely you are my bone and my flesh!’ And he stayed with him for a month.

Jacob Marries Laban’s Daughters

¹⁵ Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?’ ¹⁶Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. ¹⁷Leah’s eyes were lovely,b and Rachel was graceful and beautiful. ¹⁸Jacob loved Rachel; so he said, ‘I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel.’ ¹⁹Laban said, ‘It is better that I give her to you than that I should give her to any other man; stay with me.’ ²⁰So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him but a few days because of the love he had for her.

²¹ Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife that I may go in to her, for my time is completed.’ ²²So Laban gathered together all the people of the place, and made a feast. ²³But in the evening he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. ²⁴(Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah to be her maid.) ²⁵When morning came, it was Leah! And Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? Did I not serve with you for Rachel? Why then have you deceived me?’ ²⁶Laban said, ‘This is not done in our country—giving the younger before the firstborn. ²⁷Complete the week of this one, and we will give you the other also in return for serving me for another seven years.’ ²⁸Jacob did so, and completed her week; then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel as a wife. ²⁹(Laban gave his maid Bilhah to his daughter Rachel to be her maid.) ³⁰So Jacob went in to Rachel also, and he loved Rachel more than Leah. He served Labanc for another seven years.

³¹ When the LORD saw that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb; but Rachel was barren. ³²Leah conceived and bore a son, and she named him Reuben;d for she said, ‘Because the LORD has looked on my affliction; surely now my husband will love me.’ ³³She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘Because the LORD has hearde that I am hated, he has given me this son also’ and she named him Simeon. ³⁴Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘Now this time my husband will be joinedf to me, because I have borne him three sons’ therefore he was named Levi. ³⁵She conceived again and bore a son, and said, ‘This time I will praiseg the LORD’ therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.

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WHEN Rachel saw that she bore Jacob no children, she envied her sister; and she said to Jacob, ‘Give me children, or I shall die!’ ²Jacob became very angry with Rachel and said, ‘Am I in the place of God, who has withheld from you the fruit of the womb?’ ³Then she said, ‘Here is my maid Bilhah; go in to her, that she may bear upon my knees and that I too may have children through her.’ ⁴So she gave him her maid Bilhah as a wife; and Jacob went in to her. ⁵And Bilhah conceived and bore Jacob a son. ⁶Then Rachel said, ‘God has judged me, and has also heard my voice and given me a son’ therefore she named him Dan.a ⁷Rachel’s maid Bilhah conceived again and bore Jacob a second son. ⁸Then Rachel said, ‘With mighty wrestlings I have wrestledb with my sister, and have prevailed’ so she named him Naphtali.

⁹ When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, she took her maid Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife. ¹⁰Then Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a son. ¹¹And Leah said, ‘Good fortune!’ so she named him Gad.c ¹²Leah’s maid Zilpah bore Jacob a second son. ¹³And Leah said, ‘Happy am I! For the women will call me happy’ so she named him Asher.d

¹⁴ In the days of wheat harvest Reuben went and found mandrakes in the field, and brought them to his mother Leah. Then Rachel said to Leah, ‘Please give me some of your son’s mandrakes.’ ¹⁵But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband? Would you take away my son’s mandrakes also?’ Rachel said, ‘Then he may lie with you tonight for your son’s mandrakes.’ ¹⁶When Jacob came from the field in the evening, Leah went out to meet him, and said, ‘You must come in to me; for I have hired you with my son’s mandrakes.’ So he lay with her that night. ¹⁷And God heeded Leah, and she conceived and bore Jacob a fifth son. ¹⁸Leah said, ‘God has given me my hiree because I gave my maid to my husband’ so she named him Issachar. ¹⁹And Leah conceived again, and she bore Jacob a sixth son. ²⁰Then Leah said, ‘God has endowed me with a good dowry; now my husband will honourf me, because I have borne him six sons’ so she named him Zebulun. ²¹Afterwards she bore a daughter, and named her Dinah.

²² Then God remembered Rachel, and God heeded her and opened her womb. ²³She conceived and bore a son, and said, ‘God has taken away my reproach’ ²⁴and she named him Joseph,g saying, ‘May the LORD add to me another son!’

Jacob Prospers at Laban’s Expense

²⁵ When Rachel had borne Joseph, Jacob said to Laban, ‘Send me away, that I may go to my own home and country. ²⁶Give me my wives and my children for whom I have served you, and let me go; for you know very well the service I have given you.’ ²⁷But Laban said to him, ‘If you will allow me to say so, I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you; ²⁸name your wages, and I will give them.’ ²⁹Jacob said to him, ‘You yourself know how I have served you, and how your cattle have fared with me. ³⁰For you had little before I came, and it has increased abundantly; and the LORD has blessed you wherever I turned. But now when shall I provide for my own household also?’ ³¹He said, ‘What shall I give you?’ Jacob said, ‘You shall not give me anything; if you will do this for me, I will again feed your flock and keep it: ³²let me pass through all your flock today, removing from it every speckled and spotted sheep and every black lamb, and the spotted and speckled among the goats; and such shall be my wages. ³³So my honesty will answer for me later, when you come to look into my wages with you. Every one that is not speckled and spotted among the goats and black among the lambs, if found with me, shall be counted stolen.’ ³⁴Laban said, ‘Good! Let it be as you have said.’ ³⁵But that day Laban removed the male goats that were striped and spotted, and all the female goats that were speckled and spotted, every one that had white on it, and every lamb that was black, and put them in charge of his sons; ³⁶and he set a distance of three days’ journey between himself and Jacob, while Jacob was pasturing the rest of Laban’s flock.

³⁷ Then Jacob took fresh rods of poplar and almond and plane, and peeled white streaks in them, exposing the white of the rods. ³⁸He set the rods that he had peeled in front of the flocks in the troughs, that is, the watering-places, where the flocks came to drink. And since they bred when they came to drink, ³⁹the flocks bred in front of the rods, and so the flocks produced young that were striped, speckled, and spotted. ⁴⁰Jacob separated the lambs, and set the faces of the flocks toward the striped and the completely black animals in the flock of Laban; and he put his own droves apart, and did not put them with Laban’s flock. ⁴¹Whenever the stronger of the flock were breeding, Jacob laid the rods in the troughs before the eyes of the flock, that they might breed among the rods, ⁴²but for the feebler of the flock he did not lay them there; so the feebler were Laban’s, and the stronger Jacob’s. ⁴³Thus the man grew exceedingly rich, and had large flocks, and male and female slaves, and camels and donkeys.

Jacob Flees with Family and Flocks

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NOW Jacob heard that the sons of Laban were saying, ‘Jacob has taken all that was our father’s; he has gained all this wealth from what belonged to our father.’ ²And Jacob saw that Laban did not regard him as favourably as he did before. ³Then the LORD said to Jacob, ‘Return to the land of your ancestors and to your kindred, and I will be with you.’ ⁴So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah into the field where his flock was, ⁵and said to them, ‘I see that your father does not regard me as favourably as he did before. But the God of my father has been with me. ⁶You know that I have served your father with all my strength; ⁷yet your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me. ⁸If he said, “The speckled shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore speckled; and if he said, “The striped shall be your wages”, then all the flock bore striped. ⁹Thus God has taken away the livestock of your father, and given them to me.

¹⁰ During the mating of the flock I once had a dream in which I looked up and saw that the male goats that leaped upon the flock were striped, speckled, and mottled. ¹¹Then the angel of God said to me in the dream, “Jacob,” and I said, “Here I am!” ¹²And he said, “Look up and see that all the goats that leap on the flock are striped, speckled, and mottled; for I have seen all that Laban is doing to you. ¹³I am the God of Bethel,a where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.”’ ¹⁴ Then Rachel and Leah answered him, ‘Is there any portion or inheritance left to us in our father’s house? ¹⁵Are we not regarded by him as foreigners? For he has sold us, and he has been using up the money given for us.¹⁶ All the property that God has taken away from our father belongs to us and to our children; now then, do whatever God has said to you.’

¹⁷ So Jacob arose, and set his children and his wives on camels; ¹⁸and he drove away all his livestock, all the property that he had gained, the livestock in his possession that he had acquired in Paddan-aram, to go to his father Isaac in the land of Canaan.

¹⁹ Now Laban had gone to shear his sheep, and Rachel stole her father’s household gods. ²⁰And Jacob deceived Laban the Aramean, in that he did not tell him that he intended to flee. ²¹So he fled with all that he had; starting out he crossed the Euphrates,a and set his face towards the hill country of Gilead.

Laban Overtakes Jacob

²² On the third day Laban was told that Jacob had fled. ²³So he took his kinsfolk with him and pursued him for seven days until he caught up with him in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁴But God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream by night, and said to him, ‘Take heed that you say not a word to Jacob, either good or bad.’

²⁵ Laban overtook Jacob. Now Jacob had pitched his tent in the hill country, and Laban with his kinsfolk camped in the hill country of Gilead. ²⁶Laban said to Jacob, ‘What have you done? You have deceived me, and carried away my daughters like captives of the sword. ²⁷Why did you flee secretly and deceive me and not tell me? I would have sent you away with mirth and songs, with tambourine and lyre. ²⁸And why did you not permit me to kiss my sons and my daughters farewell? What you have done is foolish. ²⁹It is in my power to do you harm; but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, “Take heed that you speak to Jacob neither good nor bad.” ³⁰Even though you had to go because you longed greatly for your father’s house, why did you steal my gods?’ ³¹Jacob answered Laban, ‘Because I was afraid, for I thought that you would take your daughters from me by force. ³²But anyone with whom you find your gods shall not live. In the presence of our kinsfolk, point out what I have that is yours, and take it.’ Now Jacob did not know that Rachel had stolen the gods.b

³³ So Laban went into Jacob’s tent, and into Leah’s tent, and into the tent of the two maids, but he did not find them. And he went out of Leah’s tent, and entered Rachel’s. ³⁴Now Rachel had taken the household gods and put them in the camel’s saddle, and sat on them. Laban felt all about in the tent, but did not find them. ³⁵And she said to her father, ‘Let not my lord be angry that I cannot rise before you, for the way of women is upon me.’ So he searched, but did not find the household gods.

³⁶ Then Jacob became angry, and upbraided Laban. Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is my offence? What is my sin, that you have hotly pursued me? ³⁷Although you have felt about through all my goods, what have you found of all your household goods? Set it here before my kinsfolk and your kinsfolk, so that they may decide between us two. ³⁸These twenty years I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks. ³⁹That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night. ⁴⁰It was like this with me: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes. ⁴¹These twenty years I have been in your house; I served you for fourteen years for your two daughters, and six years for your flock, and you have changed my wages ten times. ⁴²If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fearc of Isaac, had not been on my side, surely now you would have sent me away empty-handed. God saw my affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked you last night.’

Laban and Jacob Make a Covenant

⁴³ Then Laban answered and said to Jacob, ‘The daughters are my daughters, the children are my children, the flocks are my flocks, and all that you see is mine. But what can I do today about these daughters of mine, or about their children whom they have borne? ⁴⁴Come now, let us make a covenant, you and I; and let it be a witness between you and me.’ ⁴⁵So Jacob took a stone, and set it up as a pillar. ⁴⁶And Jacob said to his kinsfolk, ‘Gather stones,’ and they took stones, and made a heap; and they ate there by the heap. ⁴⁷Laban called it Jegar-sahadutha:a but Jacob called it Galeed.b ⁴⁸Laban said, ‘This heap is a witness between you and me today.’ Therefore he called it Galeed, ⁴⁹and the pillarc Mizpah,d for he said, ‘The LORD watch between you and me, when we are absent one from the other. ⁵⁰If you ill-treat my daughters, or if you take wives in addition to my daughters, though no one else is with us, remember that God is witness between you and me.’

⁵¹ Then Laban said to Jacob, ‘See this heap and see the pillar, which I have set between you and me. ⁵²This heap is a witness, and the pillar is a witness, that I will not pass beyond this heap to you, and you will not pass beyond this heap and this pillar to me, for harm. ⁵³May the God of Abraham and the God of Nahor’—the God of their father—‘judge between us.’ So Jacob swore by the Feare of his father Isaac, ⁵⁴and Jacob offered a sacrifice on the height and called his kinsfolk to eat bread; and they ate bread and tarried all night in the hill country.

⁵⁵f Early in the morning Laban rose up, and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters and blessed them; then he departed and returned home.

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JACOB went on his way and the angels of God met him; ²and when Jacob saw them he said, ‘This is God’s camp!’ So he called that place Mahanaim.g

Jacob Sends Presents to Appease Esau

³ Jacob sent messengers before him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom, ⁴instructing them, ‘Thus you shall say to my lord Esau: Thus says your servant Jacob, “I have lived with Laban as an alien, and stayed until now; ⁵and I have oxen, donkeys, flocks, male and female slaves; and I have sent to tell my lord, in order that I may find favour in your sight.”’

⁶ The messengers returned to Jacob, saying, ‘We came to your brother Esau, and he is coming to meet you, and four hundred men are with him.’ ⁷Then Jacob was greatly afraid and distressed; and he divided the people that were with him, and the flocks and herds and camels, into two companies, ⁸thinking, ‘If Esau comes to one company and destroys it, then the company that is left will escape.’

⁹ And Jacob said, ‘O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, O LORD who said to me, “Return to your country and to your kindred, and I will do you good”, ¹⁰I am not worthy of the least of all the steadfast love and all the faithfulness that you have shown to your servant, for with only my staff I crossed this Jordan; and now I have become two companies. ¹¹Deliver me, please, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau, for I am afraid of him; he may come and kill us all, the mothers with the children. ¹²Yet you have said, “I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted because of their number.”’

¹³ So he spent that night there, and from what he had with him he took a present for his brother Esau, ¹⁴two hundred female goats and twenty male goats, two hundred ewes and twenty rams, ¹⁵thirty milch camels and their colts, forty cows and ten bulls, twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys. ¹⁶These he delivered into the hand of his servants, each drove by itself, and said to his servants, ‘Pass on ahead of me, and put a space between drove and drove.’ ¹⁷He instructed the foremost, ‘When Esau my brother meets you, and asks you, “To whom do you belong? Where are you going? And whose are these ahead of you?” ¹⁸then you shall say, “They belong to your servant Jacob; they are a present sent to my lord Esau; and moreover he is behind us.”’ ¹⁹He likewise instructed the second and the third and all who followed the droves, ‘You shall say the same thing to Esau when you meet him, ²⁰and you shall say, “Moreover your servant Jacob is behind us.”’ For he thought, ‘I may appease him with the present that goes ahead of me, and afterwards I shall see his face; perhaps he will accept me.’ ²¹So the present passed on ahead of him; and he himself spent that night in the camp.

Jacob Wrestles at Peniel

²² The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. ²³He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. ²⁴Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. ²⁵When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket; and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. ²⁶Then he said, ‘Let me go, for the day is breaking.’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go, unless you bless me.’ ²⁷So he said to him, ‘What is your name?’ And he said, ‘Jacob.’ ²⁸Then the mana said, ‘You shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel,b for you have striven with God and with humans,c and have prevailed.’ ²⁹Then Jacob asked him, ‘Please tell me your name.’ But he said, ‘Why is it that you ask my name?’ And there he blessed him. ³⁰So Jacob called the place Peniel,d saying, ‘For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life is preserved.’ ³¹The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. ³²Therefore to this day the Israelites do not eat the thigh muscle that is on the hip socket, because he struck Jacob on the hip socket at the thigh muscle.

Jacob and Esau Meet

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NOW Jacob looked up and saw Esau coming, and four hundred men with him. So he divided the children among Leah and Rachel and the two maids. ²He put the maids with their children in front, then Leah with her children, and Rachel and Joseph last of all. ³He himself went on ahead of them, bowing himself to the ground seven times, until he came near his brother.

⁴ But Esau ran to meet him, and embraced him, and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept. ⁵When Esau looked up and saw the women and children, he said, ‘Who are these with you?’ Jacob said, ‘The children whom God has graciously given your servant.’ ⁶Then the maids drew near, they and their children, and bowed down; ⁷Leah likewise and her children drew near and bowed down; and finally Joseph and Rachel drew near, and they bowed down. ⁸Esau said, ‘What do you mean by all this company that I met?’ Jacob answered, ‘To find favour with my lord.’ ⁹But Esau said, ‘I have enough, my brother; keep what you have for yourself.’ ¹⁰Jacob said, ‘No, please; if I find favour with you, then accept my present from my hand; for truly to see your face is like seeing the face of God—since you have received me with such favour. ¹¹Please accept my gift that is brought to you, because God has dealt graciously with me, and because I have everything I want.’ So he urged him, and he took it.

¹² Then Esau said, ‘Let us journey on our way, and I will go alongside you.’ ¹³But Jacob said to him, ‘My lord knows that the children are frail and that the flocks and herds, which are nursing, are a care to me; and if they are overdriven for one day, all the flocks will die. ¹⁴Let my lord pass on ahead of his servant, and I will lead on slowly, according to the pace of the cattle that are before me and according to the pace of the children, until I come to my lord in Seir.’

¹⁵ So Esau said, ‘Let me leave with you some of the people who are with me.’ But he said, ‘Why should my lord be so kind to me?’ ¹⁶So Esau returned that day on his way to Seir. ¹⁷But Jacob journeyed to Succoth,a and built himself a house, and made booths for his cattle; therefore the place is called Succoth.

Jacob Reaches Shechem

¹⁸ Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem, which is in the land of Canaan, on his way from Paddan-aram; and he camped before the city. ¹⁹And from the sons of Hamor, Shechem’s father, he bought for one hundred pieces of moneyb the plot of land on which he had pitched his tent. ²⁰There he erected an altar and called it El-Elohe-Israel.c

The Rape of Dinah

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NOW Dinah the daughter of Leah, whom she had borne to Jacob, went out to visit the women of the region. ²When Shechem son of Hamor the Hivite, prince of the region, saw her, he seized her and lay with her by force. ³And his soul was drawn to Dinah daughter of Jacob; he loved the girl, and spoke tenderly to her. ⁴So Shechem spoke to his father Hamor, saying, ‘Get me this girl to be my wife.’

⁵ Now Jacob heard that Shechemd had defiled his daughter Dinah; but his sons were with his cattle in the field, so Jacob held his peace until they came. ⁶And Hamor the father of Shechem went out to Jacob to speak with him, ⁷just as the sons of Jacob came in from the field. When they heard of it, the men were indignant and very angry, because he had committed an outrage in Israel by lying with Jacob’s daughter, for such a thing ought not to be done.

⁸ But Hamor spoke with them, saying, ‘The heart of my son Shechem longs for your daughter; please give her to him in marriage. ⁹Make marriages with us; give your daughters to us, and take our daughters for yourselves. ¹⁰You shall live with us; and the land shall be open to you; live and trade in it, and get property in it.’ ¹¹Shechem also said to her father and to her brothers, ‘Let me find favour with you, and whatever you say to me I will give. ¹²Put the marriage present and gift as high as you like, and I will give whatever you ask me; only give me the girl to be my wife.’

¹³ The sons of Jacob answered Shechem and his father Hamor deceitfully, because he had defiled their sister Dinah. ¹⁴They said to them, ‘We cannot do this thing, to give our sister to one who is uncircumcised, for that would be a disgrace to us. ¹⁵Only on this condition will we consent to you: that you will become as we are and every male among you be circumcised. ¹⁶Then we will give our daughters to you, and we will take your daughters for ourselves, and we will live among you and become one people. ¹⁷But if you will not listen to us and be circumcised, then we will take our daughter and be gone.’

¹⁸ Their words pleased Hamor and Hamor’s son Shechem. ¹⁹And the young man did not delay to do the thing, because he was delighted with Jacob’s daughter. Now he was the most honoured of all his family. ²⁰So Hamor and his son Shechem came to the gate of their city and spoke to the men of their city, saying, ²¹‘These people are friendly with us; let them live in the land and trade in it, for the land is large enough for them; let us take their daughters in marriage, and let us give them our daughters. ²²Only on this condition will they agree to live among us, to become one people: that every male among us be circumcised as they are circumcised. ²³Will not their livestock, their property, and all their animals be ours? Only let us agree with them, and they will live among us.’ ²⁴And all who went out of the city gate heeded Hamor and his son Shechem; and every male was circumcised, all who went out of the gate of his city.

Dinah’s Brothers Avenge Their Sister

²⁵ On the third day, when they were still in pain, two of the sons of Jacob, Simeon and Levi, Dinah’s brothers, took their swords and came against the city unawares, and killed all the males. ²⁶They killed Hamor and his son Shechem with the sword, and took Dinah out of Shechem’s house, and went away. ²⁷And the other sons of Jacob came upon the slain, and plundered the city, because their sister had been defiled. ²⁸They took their flocks and their herds, their donkeys, and whatever was in the city and in the field. ²⁹All their wealth, all their little ones and their wives, all that was in the houses, they captured and made their prey. ³⁰Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, ‘You have brought trouble on me by making me odious to the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites and the Perizzites; my numbers are few, and if they gather themselves against me and attack me, I shall be destroyed, both I and my household.’ ³¹But they said, ‘Should our sister be treated like a whore?’

Jacob Returns to Bethel

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GOD said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and settle there. Make an altar there to the God who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’ ²So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, ‘Put away the foreign gods that are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your clothes; ³then come, let us go up to Bethel, that I may make an altar there to the God who answered me in the day of my distress and has been with me wherever I have gone.’ ⁴So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods that they had, and the rings that were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak that was near Shechem.

⁵ As they journeyed, a terror from God fell upon the cities all around them, so that no one pursued them. ⁶Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him, ⁷and there he built an altar and called the place El-bethel,a because it was there that God had revealed himself to him when he fled from his brother. ⁸And Deborah, Rebekah’s nurse, died, and she was buried under an oak below Bethel. So it was called Allon-bacuth.b

⁹ God appeared to Jacob again when he came from Paddan-aram, and he blessed him. ¹⁰God said to him, ‘Your name is Jacob; no longer shall you be called Jacob, but Israel shall be your name.’ So he was called Israel. ¹¹God said to him, ‘I am God Almighty:c be fruitful and multiply; a nation and a company of nations shall come from you, and kings shall spring from you. ¹²The land that I gave to Abraham and Isaac I will give to you, and I will give the land to your offspring after you.’ ¹³Then God went up from him at the place where he had spoken with him. ¹⁴Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he had spoken with him, a pillar of stone; and he poured out a drink-offering on it, and poured oil on it. ¹⁵So Jacob called the place where God had spoken with him Bethel.

The Birth of Benjamin and the Death of Rachel

¹⁶ Then they journeyed from Bethel; and when they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel was in childbirth, and she had a difficult labour. ¹⁷When she was in her difficult labour, the midwife said to her, ‘Do not be afraid; for now you will have another son.’ ¹⁸As her soul was departing (for she died), she named him Ben-oni;d but his father called him Benjamin.e ¹⁹So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem), ²⁰and Jacob set up a pillar at her grave; it is the pillar of Rachel’s tomb, which is there to this day. ²¹Israel journeyed on, and pitched his tent beyond the tower of Eder.

²² While Israel lived in that land, Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard of it.

Now the sons of Jacob were twelve. ²³The sons of Leah: Reuben (Jacob’s firstborn), Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. ²⁴The sons of Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁵The sons of Bilhah, Rachel’s maid: Dan and Naphtali. ²⁶The sons of Zilpah, Leah’s maid: Gad and Asher. These were the sons of Jacob who were born to him in Paddan-aram.

The Death of Isaac

²⁷ Jacob came to his father Isaac at Mamre, or Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), where Abraham and Isaac had resided as aliens. ²⁸Now the days of Isaac were one hundred and eighty years. ²⁹And Isaac breathed his last; he died and was gathered to his people, old and full of days; and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.

Esau’s Descendants

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THESE are the descendants of Esau (that is, Edom). ²Esau took his wives from the Canaanites: Adah daughter of Elon the Hittite, Oholibamah daughter of Anah sona of Zibeon the Hivite, ³and Basemath, Ishmael’s daughter, sister of Nebaioth. ⁴Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau; Basemath bore Reuel; ⁵and Oholibamah bore Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. These are the sons of Esau who were born to him in the land of Canaan.

⁶ Then Esau took his wives, his sons, his daughters, and all the members of his household, his cattle, all his livestock, and all the property he had acquired in the land of Canaan; and he moved to a land some distance from his brother Jacob. ⁷For their possessions were too great for them to live together; the land where they were living could not support them because of their livestock. ⁸So Esau settled in the hill country of Seir; Esau is Edom.

⁹ These are the descendants of Esau, ancestor of the Edomites, in the hill country of Seir. ¹⁰These are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, son of Adah the wife of Esau; Reuel, the son of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹¹The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, and Kenaz. ¹²(Timna was a concubine of Eliphaz, Esau’s son; she bore Amalek to Eliphaz.) These were the sons of Adah, Esau’s wife. ¹³These were the sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah. These were the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹⁴These were the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, daughter of Anah sonb of Zibeon: she bore to Esau Jeush, Jalam, and Korah.

Clans and Kings of Edom

¹⁵ These are the clansc of the sons of Esau. The sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: the clansc Teman, Omar, Zepho, Kenaz, ¹⁶Korah, Gatam, and Amalek; these are the clansc of Eliphaz in the land of Edom; they are the sons of Adah. ¹⁷These are the sons of Esau’s son Reuel: the clansc Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah; these are the clansc of Reuel in the land of Edom; they are the sons of Esau’s wife Basemath. ¹⁸These are the sons of Esau’s wife Oholibamah: the clansc Jeush, Jalam, and Korah; these are the clansc born of Esau’s wife Oholibamah, the daughter of Anah. ¹⁹These are the sons of Esau (that is, Edom), and these are their clans.c

²⁰ These are the sons of Seir the Horite, the inhabitants of the land: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, ²¹Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the clansc of the Horites, the sons of Seir in the land of Edom. ²²The sons of Lotan were Hori and Heman; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. ²³These are the sons of Shobal: Alvan, Manahath, Ebal, Shepho, and Onam. ²⁴These are the sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah; he is the Anah who found the springsd in the wilderness, as he pastured the donkeys of his father Zibeon. ²⁵These are the children of Anah: Dishon and Oholibamah daughter of Anah. ²⁶These are the sons of Dishon: Hemdan, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. ²⁷These are the sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Akan. ²⁸These are the sons of Dishan: Uz and Aran. ²⁹These are the clansc of the Horites: the clansc Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, ³⁰Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan; these are the clansc of the Horites, clan by clane in the land of Seir.

³¹ These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom, before any king reigned over the Israelites. ³²Bela son of Beor reigned in Edom, the name of his city being Dinhabah. ³³Bela died, and Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah succeeded him as king. ³⁴Jobab died, and Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded him as king. ³⁵Husham died, and Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him as king, the name of his city being Avith. ³⁶Hadad died, and Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him as king. ³⁷Samlah died, and Shaul of Rehoboth on the Euphrates succeeded him as king. ³⁸Shaul died, and Baal-hanan son of Achbor succeeded him as king. ³⁹Baal-hanan son of Achbor died, and Hadar succeeded him as king, the name of his city being Pau; his wife’s name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-zahab.

⁴⁰ These are the names of the clansa of Esau, according to their families and their localities by their names: the clansa Timna, Alvah, Jetheth, ⁴¹Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, ⁴²Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, ⁴³Magdiel, and Iram; these are the clansa of Edom (that is, Esau, the father of Edom), according to their settlements in the land that they held.

Joseph Dreams of Greatness

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JACOB settled in the land where his father had lived as an alien, the land of Canaan. ²This is the story of the family of Jacob.

Joseph, being seventeen years old, was shepherding the flock with his brothers; he was a helper to the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah, his father’s wives; and Joseph brought a bad report of them to their father. ³Now Israel loved Joseph more than any other of his children, because he was the son of his old age; and he had made him a long robe with sleeves.b ⁴But when his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, they hated him, and could not speak peaceably to him.

⁵ Once Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more. ⁶He said to them, ‘Listen to this dream that I dreamed. ⁷There we were, binding sheaves in the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose and stood upright; then your sheaves gathered around it, and bowed down to my sheaf.’ ⁸His brothers said to him, ‘Are you indeed to reign over us? Are you indeed to have dominion over us?’ So they hated him even more because of his dreams and his words.

⁹ He had another dream, and told it to his brothers, saying, ‘Look, I have had another dream: the sun, the moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to me.’ ¹⁰But when he told it to his father and to his brothers, his father rebuked him, and said to him, ‘What kind of dream is this that you have had? Shall we indeed come, I and your mother and your brothers, and bow to the ground before you?’ ¹¹So his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the matter in mind.

Joseph Is Sold by His Brothers

¹² Now his brothers went to pasture their father’s flock near Shechem. ¹³And Israel said to Joseph, ‘Are not your brothers pasturing the flock at Shechem? Come, I will send you to them.’ He answered, ‘Here I am.’ ¹⁴So he said to him, ‘Go now, see if it is well with your brothers and with the flock; and bring word back to me.’ So he sent him from the valley of Hebron.

He came to Shechem, ¹⁵and a man found him wandering in the fields; the man asked him, ‘What are you seeking?’ ¹⁶‘I am seeking my brothers,’ he said; ‘tell me, please, where they are pasturing the flock.’ ¹⁷The man said, ‘They have gone away, for I heard them say, “Let us go to Dothan.”’ So Joseph went after his brothers, and found them at Dothan. ¹⁸They saw him from a distance, and before he came near to them, they conspired to kill him. ¹⁹They said to one another, ‘Here comes this dreamer. ²⁰Come now, let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; then we shall say that a wild animal has devoured him, and we shall see what will become of his dreams.’ ²¹But when Reuben heard it, he delivered him out of their hands, saying, ‘Let us not take his life.’ ²²Reuben said to them, ‘Shed no blood; throw him into this pit here in the wilderness, but lay no hand on him’—that he might rescue him out of their hand and restore him to his father. ²³So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the long robe with sleevesa that he wore; ²⁴and they took him and threw him into a pit. The pit was empty; there was no water in it.

²⁵ Then they sat down to eat; and looking up they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead, with their camels carrying gum, balm, and resin, on their way to carry it down to Egypt. ²⁶Then Judah said to his brothers, ‘What profit is there if we kill our brother and conceal his blood? ²⁷Come, let us sell him to the Ishmaelites, and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.’ And his brothers agreed. ²⁸When some Midianite traders passed by, they drew Joseph up, lifting him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver. And they took Joseph to Egypt.

²⁹ When Reuben returned to the pit and saw that Joseph was not in the pit, he tore his clothes. ³⁰He returned to his brothers, and said, ‘The boy is gone; and I, where can I turn?’ ³¹Then they took Joseph’s robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. ³²They had the long robe with sleevesa taken to their father, and they said, ‘This we have found; see now whether it is your son’s robe or not.’ ³³ He recognized it, and said, ‘It is my son’s robe! A wild animal has devoured him; Joseph is without doubt torn to pieces.’³⁴ Then Jacob tore his garments, and put sackcloth on his loins, and mourned for his son for many days.³⁵ All his sons and all his daughters sought to comfort him; but he refused to be comforted, and said, ‘No, I shall go down to Sheol to my son, mourning.’ Thus his father bewailed him.³⁶ Meanwhile the Midianites had sold him in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh’s officials, the captain of the guard.

Judah and Tamar

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IT HAPPENED at that time that Judah went down from his brothers and settled near a certain Adullamite whose name was Hirah. ²There Judah saw the daughter of a certain Canaanite whose name was Shua; he married her and went in to her. ³She conceived and bore a son; and he named him Er. ⁴Again she conceived and bore a son whom she named Onan. ⁵Yet again she bore a son, and she named him Shelah. Sheb was in Chezib when she bore him. ⁶Judah took a wife for Er his firstborn; her name was Tamar. ⁷But Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD put him to death. ⁸Then Judah said to Onan, ‘Go in to your brother’s wife and perform the duty of a brother-in-law to her; raise up offspring for your brother.’ ⁹But since Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, he spilled his semen on the ground whenever he went in to his brother’s wife, so that he would not give offspring to his brother. ¹⁰What he did was displeasing in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death also. ¹¹Then Judah said to his daughter-in-law Tamar, ‘Remain a widow in your father’s house until my son Shelah grows up’—for he feared that he too would die, like his brothers. So Tamar went to live in her father’s house.

¹² In course of time the wife of Judah, Shua’s daughter, died; when Judah’s time of mourning was over,a he went up to Timnah to his sheep-shearers, he and his friend Hirah the Adullamite. ¹³When Tamar was told, ‘Your father-in-law is going up to Timnah to shear his sheep’, ¹⁴she put off her widow’s garments, put on a veil, wrapped herself up, and sat down at the entrance to Enaim, which is on the road to Timnah. She saw that Shelah was grown up, yet she had not been given to him in marriage. ¹⁵When Judah saw her, he thought her to be a prostitute, for she had covered her face. ¹⁶He went over to her at the roadside, and said, ‘Come, let me come in to you’, for he did not know that she was his daughter-in-law. She said, ‘What will you give me, that you may come in to me?’ ¹⁷He answered, ‘I will send you a kid from the flock.’ And she said, ‘Only if you give me a pledge, until you send it.’ ¹⁸He said, ‘What pledge shall I give you?’ She replied, ‘Your signet and your cord, and the staff that is in your hand.’ So he gave them to her, and went in to her, and she conceived by him. ¹⁹Then she got up and went away, and taking off her veil she put on the garments of her widowhood.

²⁰ When Judah sent the kid by his friend the Adullamite, to recover the pledge from the woman, he could not find her. ²¹He asked the townspeople, ‘Where is the temple prostitute who was at Enaim by the wayside?’ But they said, ‘No prostitute has been here.’ ²²So he returned to Judah, and said, ‘I have not found her; moreover, the townspeople said, “No prostitute has been here.”’ ²³Judah replied, ‘Let her keep the things as her own, otherwise we will be laughed at; you see, I sent this kid, and you could not find her.’

²⁴ About three months later Judah was told, ‘Your daughter-in-law Tamar has played the whore; moreover she is pregnant as a result of whoredom.’ And Judah said, ‘Bring her out, and let her be burned.’ ²⁵As she was being brought out, she sent word to her father-in-law, ‘It was the owner of these who made me pregnant.’ And she said, ‘Take note, please, whose these are, the signet and the cord and the staff.’ ²⁶Then Judah acknowledged them and said, ‘She is more in the right than I, since I did not give her to my son Shelah.’ And he did not lie with her again.

²⁷ When the time of her delivery came, there were twins in her womb. ²⁸While she was in labour, one put out a hand; and the midwife took and bound on his hand a crimson thread, saying, ‘This one came out first.’ ²⁹But just then he drew back his hand, and out came his brother; and she said, ‘What a breach you have made for yourself!’ Therefore he was named Perez.b ³⁰Afterwards his brother came out with the crimson thread on his hand; and he was named Zerah.c

Joseph and Potiphar’s Wife

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NOW Joseph was taken down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. ²The LORD was with Joseph, and he became a successful man; he was in the house of his Egyptian master. ³His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hands. ⁴So Joseph found favour in his sight and attended him; he made him overseer of his house and put him in charge of all that he had. ⁵From the time that he made him overseer in his house and over all that he had, the LORD blessed the Egyptian’s house for Joseph’s sake; the blessing of the LORD was on all that he had, in house and field. ⁶So he left all that he had in Joseph’s charge; and, with him there, he had no concern for anything but the food that he ate.

Now Joseph was handsome and good-looking. ⁷And after a time his master’s wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, ‘Lie with me.’ ⁸But he refused and said to his master’s wife, ‘Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand. ⁹He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ ¹⁰And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her. ¹¹One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house, ¹²she caught hold of his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me!’ But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside. ¹³When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside, ¹⁴she called out to the members of her household and said to them, ‘See, my husbanda has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice; ¹⁵and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.’ ¹⁶Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home, ¹⁷and she told him the same story, saying, ‘The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me; ¹⁸but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside.’

¹⁹ When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, ‘This is the way your servant treated me’, he became enraged. ²⁰And Joseph’s master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; he remained there in prison. ²¹But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favour in the sight of the chief jailer. ²²The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s care all the prisoners who were in the prison, and whatever was done there, he was the one who did it. ²³The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph’s care, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper.

The Dreams of Two Prisoners

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SOME time after this, the cupbearer of the king of Egypt and his baker offended their lord the king of Egypt. ²Pharaoh was angry with his two officers, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker, ³and he put them in custody in the house of the captain of the guard, in the prison where Joseph was confined. ⁴The captain of the guard charged Joseph with them, and he waited on them; and they continued for some time in custody. ⁵One night they both dreamed—the cupbearer and the baker of the king of Egypt, who were confined in the prison—each his own dream, and each dream with its own meaning. ⁶When Joseph came to them in the morning, he saw that they were troubled. ⁷So he asked Pharaoh’s officers, who were with him in custody in his master’s house, ‘Why are your faces downcast today?’ ⁸They said to him, ‘We have had dreams, and there is no one to interpret them.’ And Joseph said to them, ‘Do not interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me.’

⁹ So the chief cupbearer told his dream to Joseph, and said to him, ‘In my dream there was a vine before me, ¹⁰and on the vine there were three branches. As soon as it budded, its blossoms came out and the clusters ripened into grapes. ¹¹Pharaoh’s cup was in my hand; and I took the grapes and pressed them into Pharaoh’s cup, and placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand.’ ¹²Then Joseph said to him, ‘This is its interpretation: the three branches are three days; ¹³within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head and restore you to your office; and you shall place Pharaoh’s cup in his hand, just as you used to do when you were his cupbearer. ¹⁴But remember me when it is well with you; please do me the kindness to make mention of me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this place. ¹⁵For in fact I was stolen out of the land of the Hebrews; and here also I have done nothing that they should have put me into the dungeon.’

¹⁶ When the chief baker saw that the interpretation was favourable, he said to Joseph, ‘I also had a dream: there were three cake baskets on my head, ¹⁷and in the uppermost basket there were all sorts of baked food for Pharaoh, but the birds were eating it out of the basket on my head.’ ¹⁸And Joseph answered, ‘This is its interpretation: the three baskets are three days; ¹⁹within three days Pharaoh will lift up your head—from you!—and hang you on a pole; and the birds will eat the flesh from you.’

²⁰ On the third day, which was Pharaoh’s birthday, he made a feast for all his servants, and lifted up the head of the chief cupbearer and the head of the chief baker among his servants. ²¹He restored the chief cupbearer to his cupbearing, and he placed the cup in Pharaoh’s hand; ²²but the chief baker he hanged, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. ²³Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Joseph Interprets Pharaoh’s Dream

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AFTER two whole years, Pharaoh dreamed that he was standing by the Nile, ²and there came up out of the Nile seven sleek and fat cows, and they grazed in the reed grass. ³Then seven other cows, ugly and thin, came up out of the Nile after them, and stood by the other cows on the bank of the Nile. ⁴The ugly and thin cows ate up the seven sleek and fat cows. And Pharaoh awoke. ⁵Then he fell asleep and dreamed a second time; seven ears of grain, plump and good, were growing on one stalk. ⁶Then seven ears, thin and blighted by the east wind, sprouted after them. ⁷The thin ears swallowed up the seven plump and full ears. Pharaoh awoke, and it was a dream. ⁸In the morning his spirit was troubled; so he sent and called for all the magicians of Egypt and all its wise men. Pharaoh told them his dreams, but there was no one who could interpret them to Pharaoh.

⁹ Then the chief cupbearer said to Pharaoh, ‘I remember my faults today. ¹⁰Once Pharaoh was angry with his servants, and put me and the chief baker in custody in the house of the captain of the guard. ¹¹We dreamed on the same night, he and I, each having a dream with its own meaning. ¹²A young Hebrew was there with us, a servant of the captain of the guard. When we told him, he interpreted our dreams to us, giving an interpretation to each according to his dream. ¹³As he interpreted to us, so it turned out; I was restored to my office, and the baker was hanged.’

¹⁴ Then Pharaoh sent for Joseph, and he was hurriedly brought out of the dungeon. When he had shaved himself and changed his clothes, he came in before Pharaoh. ¹⁵And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.’ ¹⁶Joseph answered Pharaoh, ‘It is not I; God will give Pharaoh a favourable answer.’ ¹⁷Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘In my dream I was standing on the banks of the Nile; ¹⁸and seven cows, fat and sleek, came up out of the Nile and fed in the reed grass. ¹⁹Then seven other cows came up after them, poor, very ugly, and thin. Never had I seen such ugly ones in all the land of Egypt. ²⁰The thin and ugly cows ate up the first seven fat cows, ²¹but when they had eaten them no one would have known that they had done so, for they were still as ugly as before. Then I awoke. ²²I fell asleep a second timea and I saw in my dream seven ears of grain, full and good, growing on one stalk, ²³and seven ears, withered, thin, and blighted by the east wind, sprouting after them; ²⁴and the thin ears swallowed up the seven good ears. But when I told it to the magicians, there was no one who could explain it to me.’

²⁵ Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh’s dreams are one and the same; God has revealed to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁶The seven good cows are seven years, and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one. ²⁷The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, as are the seven empty ears blighted by the east wind. They are seven years of famine. ²⁸It is as I told Pharaoh; God has shown to Pharaoh what he is about to do. ²⁹There will come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt. ³⁰After them there will arise seven years of famine, and all the plenty will be forgotten in the land of Egypt; the famine will consume the land. ³¹The plenty will no longer be known in the land because of the famine that will follow, for it will be very grievous. ³²And the doubling of Pharaoh’s dream means that the thing is fixed by God, and God will shortly bring it about. ³³Now therefore let Pharaoh select a man who is discerning and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt. ³⁴Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land, and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plenteous years. ³⁵Let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming, and lay up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. ³⁶That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to befall the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.’

Joseph’s Rise to Power

³⁷ The proposal pleased Pharaoh and all his servants. ³⁸Pharaoh said to his servants, ‘Can we find anyone else like this—one in whom is the spirit of God?’ ³⁹So Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Since God has shown you all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you. ⁴⁰You shall be over my house, and all my people shall order themselves as you command; only with regard to the throne will I be greater than you.’ ⁴¹And Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.’ ⁴²Removing his signet ring from his hand, Pharaoh put it on Joseph’s hand; he arrayed him in garments of fine linen, and put a gold chain around his neck. ⁴³He had him ride in the chariot of his second-in-command; and they cried out in front of him, ‘Bow the knee!’a Thus he set him over all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁴Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘I am Pharaoh, and without your consent no one shall lift up hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.’ ⁴⁵Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-paneah; and he gave him Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, as his wife. Thus Joseph gained authority over the land of Egypt.

⁴⁶ Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from the presence of Pharaoh, and went through all the land of Egypt. ⁴⁷During the seven plenteous years the earth produced abundantly. ⁴⁸He gathered up all the food of the seven years when there was plentyb in the land of Egypt, and stored up food in the cities; he stored up in every city the food from the fields around it. ⁴⁹So Joseph stored up grain in such abundance—like the sand of the sea—that he stopped measuring it; it was beyond measure.

⁵⁰ Before the years of famine came, Joseph had two sons, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. ⁵¹Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh,c ‘For’, he said, ‘God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.’ ⁵²The second he named Ephraim,d ‘For God has made me fruitful in the land of my misfortunes.’

⁵³ The seven years of plenty that prevailed in the land of Egypt came to an end; ⁵⁴and the seven years of famine began to come, just as Joseph had said. There was famine in every country, but throughout the land of Egypt there was bread. ⁵⁵When all the land of Egypt was famished, the people cried to Pharaoh for bread. Pharaoh said to all the Egyptians, ‘Go to Joseph; what he says to you, do.’ ⁵⁶And since the famine had spread over all the land, Joseph opened all the storehouses,e and sold to the Egyptians, for the famine was severe in the land of Egypt. ⁵⁷Moreover, all the world came to Joseph in Egypt to buy grain, because the famine became severe throughout the world.

Joseph’s Brothers Go to Egypt

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WHEN Jacob learned that there was grain in Egypt, he said to his sons, ‘Why do you keep looking at one another? ²I have heard’, he said, ‘that there is grain in Egypt; go down and buy grain for us there, that we may live and not die.’ ³So ten of Joseph’s brothers went down to buy grain in Egypt. ⁴But Jacob did not send Joseph’s brother Benjamin with his brothers, for he feared that harm might come to him. ⁵Thus the sons of Israel were among the other people who came to buy grain, for the famine had reached the land of Canaan.

⁶ Now Joseph was governor over the land; it was he who sold to all the people of the land. And Joseph’s brothers came and bowed themselves before him with their faces to the ground. ⁷When Joseph saw his brothers, he recognized them, but he treated them like strangers and spoke harshly to them. ‘Where do you come from?’ he said. They said, ‘From the land of Canaan, to buy food.’ ⁸Although Joseph had recognized his brothers, they did not recognize him. ⁹Joseph also remembered the dreams that he had dreamed about them. He said to them, ‘You are spies; you have come to see the nakedness of the land!’ ¹⁰They said to him, ‘No, my lord; your servants have come to buy food. ¹¹We are all sons of one man; we are honest men; your servants have never been spies.’ ¹²But he said to them, ‘No, you have come to see the nakedness of the land!’ ¹³They said, ‘We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of a certain man in the land of Canaan; the youngest, however, is now with our father, and one is no more.’ ¹⁴But Joseph said to them, ‘It is just as I have said to you; you are spies! ¹⁵Here is how you shall be tested: as Pharaoh lives, you shall not leave this place unless your youngest brother comes here! ¹⁶Let one of you go and bring your brother, while the rest of you remain in prison, in order that your words may be tested, whether there is truth in you; or else, as Pharaoh lives, surely you are spies.’ ¹⁷And he put them all together in prison for three days.

¹⁸ On the third day Joseph said to them, ‘Do this and you will live, for I fear God: ¹⁹if you are honest men, let one of your brothers stay here where you are imprisoned. The rest of you shall go and carry grain for the famine of your households, ²⁰and bring your youngest brother to me. Thus your words will be verified, and you shall not die.’ And they agreed to do so. ²¹They said to one another, ‘Alas, we are paying the penalty for what we did to our brother; we saw his anguish when he pleaded with us, but we would not listen. That is why this anguish has come upon us.’ ²²Then Reuben answered them, ‘Did I not tell you not to wrong the boy? But you would not listen. So now there comes a reckoning for his blood.’ ²³They did not know that Joseph understood them, since he spoke with them through an interpreter. ²⁴He turned away from them and wept; then he returned and spoke to them. And he picked out Simeon and had him bound before their eyes. ²⁵Joseph then gave orders to fill their bags with grain, to return every man’s money to his sack, and to give them provisions for their journey. This was done for them.

Joseph’s Brothers Return to Canaan

²⁶ They loaded their donkeys with their grain, and departed. ²⁷When one of them opened his sack to give his donkey fodder at the lodging-place, he saw his money at the top of the sack. ²⁸He said to his brothers, ‘My money has been put back; here it is in my sack!’ At this they lost heart and turned trembling to one another, saying, ‘What is this that God has done to us?’

²⁹ When they came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, they told him all that had happened to them, saying, ³⁰‘The man, the lord of the land, spoke harshly to us, and charged us with spying on the land. ³¹But we said to him, “We are honest men, we are not spies. ³²We are twelve brothers, sons of our father; one is no more, and the youngest is now with our father in the land of Canaan.” ³³Then the man, the lord of the land, said to us, “By this I shall know that you are honest men: leave one of your brothers with me, take grain for the famine of your households, and go your way. ³⁴Bring your youngest brother to me, and I shall know that you are not spies but honest men. Then I will release your brother to you, and you may trade in the land.”’

³⁵ As they were emptying their sacks, there in each one’s sack was his bag of money. When they and their father saw their bundles of money, they were dismayed. ³⁶And their father Jacob said to them, ‘I am the one you have bereaved of children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and now you would take Benjamin. All this has happened to me!’ ³⁷Then Reuben said to his father, ‘You may kill my two sons if I do not bring him back to you. Put him in my hands, and I will bring him back to you.’ ³⁸But he said, ‘My son shall not go down with you, for his brother is dead, and he alone is left. If harm should come to him on the journey that you are to make, you would bring down my grey hairs with sorrow to Sheol.’

The Brothers Come Again, Bringing Benjamin

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NOW the famine was severe in the land. ²And when they had eaten up the grain that they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, ‘Go again, buy us a little more food.’ ³But Judah said to him, ‘The man solemnly warned us, saying, “You shall not see my face unless your brother is with you.” ⁴If you will send our brother with us, we will go down and buy you food; ⁵but if you will not send him, we will not go down, for the man said to us, “You shall not see my face, unless your brother is with you.”’ ⁶Israel said, ‘Why did you treat me so badly as to tell the man that you had another brother?’ ⁷They replied, ‘The man questioned us carefully about ourselves and our kindred, saying, “Is your father still alive? Have you another brother?” What we told him was in answer to these questions. Could we in any way know that he would say, “Bring your brother down”?’ ⁸Then Judah said to his father Israel, ‘Send the boy with me, and let us be on our way, so that we may live and not die—you and we and also our little ones. ⁹I myself will be surety for him; you can hold me accountable for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him before you, then let me bear the blame for ever. ¹⁰If we had not delayed, we would now have returned twice.’

¹¹ Then their father Israel said to them, ‘If it must be so, then do this: take some of the choice fruits of the land in your bags, and carry them down as a present to the man—a little balm and a little honey, gum, resin, pistachio nuts, and almonds. ¹²Take double the money with you. Carry back with you the money that was returned in the top of your sacks; perhaps it was an oversight. ¹³Take your brother also, and be on your way again to the man; ¹⁴may God Almightya grant you mercy before the man, so that he may send back your other brother and Benjamin. As for me, if I am bereaved of my children, I am bereaved.’ ¹⁵So the men took the present, and they took double the money with them, as well as Benjamin. Then they went on their way down to Egypt, and stood before Joseph.

¹⁶ When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, ‘Bring the men into the house, and slaughter an animal and make ready, for the men are to dine with me at noon.’ ¹⁷The man did as Joseph said, and brought the men to Joseph’s house. ¹⁸Now the men were afraid because they were brought to Joseph’s house, and they said, ‘It is because of the money, replaced in our sacks the first time, that we have been brought in, so that he may have an opportunity to fall upon us, to make slaves of us and take our donkeys.’ ¹⁹So they went up to the steward of Joseph’s house and spoke with him at the entrance to the house. ²⁰They said, ‘Oh, my lord, we came down the first time to buy food; ²¹and when we came to the lodging-place we opened our sacks, and there was each one’s money in the top of his sack, our money in full weight. So we have brought it back with us. ²²Moreover, we have brought down with us additional money to buy food. We do not know who put our money in our sacks.’ ²³He replied, ‘Rest assured, do not be afraid; your God and the God of your father must have put treasure in your sacks for you; I received your money.’ Then he brought Simeon out to them. ²⁴When the stewarda had brought the men into Joseph’s house, and given them water, and they had washed their feet, and when he had given their donkeys fodder, ²⁵they made the present ready for Joseph’s coming at noon, for they had heard that they would dine there.

²⁶ When Joseph came home, they brought him the present that they had carried into the house, and bowed to the ground before him. ²⁷He inquired about their welfare, and said, ‘Is your father well, the old man of whom you spoke? Is he still alive?’ ²⁸They said, ‘Your servant our father is well; he is still alive.’ And they bowed their heads and did obeisance. ²⁹Then he looked up and saw his brother Benjamin, his mother’s son, and said, ‘Is this your youngest brother, of whom you spoke to me? God be gracious to you, my son!’ ³⁰With that, Joseph hurried out, because he was overcome with affection for his brother, and he was about to weep. So he went into a private room and wept there. ³¹Then he washed his face and came out; and controlling himself he said, ‘Serve the meal.’ ³²They served him by himself, and them by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because the Egyptians could not eat with the Hebrews, for that is an abomination to the Egyptians. ³³When they were seated before him, the firstborn according to his birthright and the youngest according to his youth, the men looked at one another in amazement. ³⁴Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs. So they drank and were merry with him.

Joseph Detains Benjamin

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THEN he commanded the steward of his house, ‘Fill the men’s sacks with food, as much as they can carry, and put each man’s money in the top of his sack. ²Put my cup, the silver cup, in the top of the sack of the youngest, with his money for the grain.’ And he did as Joseph told him. ³As soon as the morning was light, the men were sent away with their donkeys. ⁴When they had gone only a short distance from the city, Joseph said to his steward, ‘Go, follow after the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, “Why have you returned evil for good? Why have you stolen my silver cup?b ⁵Is it not from this that my lord drinks? Does he not indeed use it for divination? You have done wrong in doing this.”’

⁶ When he overtook them, he repeated these words to them. ⁷They said to him, ‘Why does my lord speak such words as these? Far be it from your servants that they should do such a thing! ⁸Look, the money that we found at the top of our sacks, we brought back to you from the land of Canaan; why then would we steal silver or gold from your lord’s house? ⁹Should it be found with any one of your servants, let him die; moreover, the rest of us will become my lord’s slaves.’ ¹⁰He said, ‘Even so; in accordance with your words, let it be: he with whom it is found shall become my slave, but the rest of you shall go free.’ ¹¹Then each one quickly lowered his sack to the ground, and each opened his sack. ¹²He searched, beginning with the eldest and ending with the youngest; and the cup was found in Benjamin’s sack. ¹³At this they tore their clothes. Then each one loaded his donkey, and they returned to the city.

¹⁴ Judah and his brothers came to Joseph’s house while he was still there; and they fell to the ground before him. ¹⁵Joseph said to them, ‘What deed is this that you have done? Do you not know that one such as I can practise divination?’ ¹⁶And Judah said, ‘What can we say to my lord? What can we speak? How can we clear ourselves? God has found out the guilt of your servants; here we are then, my lord’s slaves, both we and also the one in whose possession the cup has been found.’ ¹⁷But he said, ‘Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the one in whose possession the cup was found shall be my slave; but as for you, go up in peace to your father.’

Judah Pleads for Benjamin’s Release

¹⁸ Then Judah stepped up to him and said, ‘O my lord, let your servant please speak a word in my lord’s ears, and do not be angry with your servant; for you are like Pharaoh himself. ¹⁹My lord asked his servants, saying, “Have you a father or a brother?” ²⁰And we said to my lord, “We have a father, an old man, and a young brother, the child of his old age. His brother is dead; he alone is left of his mother’s children, and his father loves him.” ²¹Then you said to your servants, “Bring him down to me, so that I may set my eyes on him.” ²²We said to my lord, “The boy cannot leave his father, for if he should leave his father, his father would die.” ²³Then you said to your servants, “Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you shall see my face no more.” ²⁴When we went back to your servant my father we told him the words of my lord. ²⁵And when our father said, “Go again, buy us a little food”, ²⁶we said, “We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother goes with us, will we go down; for we cannot see the man’s face unless our youngest brother is with us.” ²⁷Then your servant my father said to us, “You know that my wife bore me two sons; ²⁸one left me, and I said, Surely he has been torn to pieces; and I have never seen him since. ²⁹If you take this one also from me, and harm comes to him, you will bring down my grey hairs in sorrow to Sheol.” ³⁰Now therefore, when I come to your servant my father and the boy is not with us, then, as his life is bound up in the boy’s life, ³¹when he sees that the boy is not with us, he will die; and your servants will bring down the grey hairs of your servant our father with sorrow to Sheol. ³²For your servant became surety for the boy to my father, saying, “If I do not bring him back to you, then I will bear the blame in the sight of my father all my life.” ³³Now therefore, please let your servant remain as a slave to my lord in place of the boy; and let the boy go back with his brothers. ³⁴For how can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? I fear to see the suffering that would come upon my father.’

Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers

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THEN Joseph could no longer control himself before all those who stood by him, and he cried out, ‘Send everyone away from me.’ So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ²And he wept so loudly that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. ³Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am Joseph. Is my father still alive?’ But his brothers could not answer him, so dismayed were they at his presence.

⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘Come closer to me.’ And they came closer. He said, ‘I am your brother Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither ploughing nor harvest. ⁷God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. ⁹Hurry and go up to my father and say to him, “Thus says your son Joseph, God has made me lord of all Egypt; come down to me, do not delay. ¹⁰You shall settle in the land of Goshen, and you shall be near me, you and your children and your children’s children, as well as your flocks, your herds, and all that you have. ¹¹I will provide for you there—since there are five more years of famine to come—so that you and your household, and all that you have, will not come to poverty.” ¹²And now your eyes and the eyes of my brother Benjamin see that it is my own mouth that speaks to you. ¹³You must tell my father how greatly I am honoured in Egypt, and all that you have seen. Hurry and bring my father down here.’ ¹⁴Then he fell upon his brother Benjamin’s neck and wept, while Benjamin wept upon his neck. ¹⁵And he kissed all his brothers and wept upon them; and after that his brothers talked with him.

¹⁶ When the report was heard in Pharaoh’s house, ‘Joseph’s brothers have come’, Pharaoh and his servants were pleased. ¹⁷Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Say to your brothers, “Do this: load your animals and go back to the land of Canaan. ¹⁸Take your father and your households and come to me, so that I may give you the best of the land of Egypt, and you may enjoy the fat of the land.” ¹⁹You are further charged to say, “Do this: take wagons from the land of Egypt for your little ones and for your wives, and bring your father, and come. ²⁰Give no thought to your possessions, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.”’

²¹ The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons according to the instruction of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey. ²²To each one of them he gave a set of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. ²³To his father he sent the following: ten donkeys loaded with the good things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain, bread, and provision for his father on the journey. ²⁴Then he sent his brothers on their way, and as they were leaving he said to them, ‘Do not quarrela along the way.’

²⁵ So they went up out of Egypt and came to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan. ²⁶And they told him, ‘Joseph is still alive! He is even ruler over all the land of Egypt.’ He was stunned; he could not believe them. ²⁷But when they told him all the words of Joseph that he had said to them, and when he saw the wagons that Joseph had sent to carry him, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. ²⁸Israel said, ‘Enough! My son Joseph is still alive. I must go and see him before I die.’

Jacob Brings His Whole Family to Egypt

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WHEN Israel set out on his journey with all that he had and came to Beer-sheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. ²God spoke to Israel in visions of the night, and said, ‘Jacob, Jacob.’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ ³Then he said, ‘I am God,a the God of your father; do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make of you a great nation there. ⁴I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again; and Joseph’s own hand shall close your eyes.’

⁵ Then Jacob set out from Beer-sheba; and the sons of Israel carried their father Jacob, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. ⁶They also took their livestock and the goods that they had acquired in the land of Canaan, and they came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, ⁷his sons, and his sons’ sons with him, his daughters, and his sons’ daughters; all his offspring he brought with him into Egypt.

⁸ Now these are the names of the Israelites, Jacob and his offspring, who came to Egypt. Reuben, Jacob’s firstborn, ⁹and the children of Reuben: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ¹⁰The children of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul,b the son of a Canaanite woman. ¹¹The children of Levi: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹²The children of Judah: Er, Onan, Shelah, Perez, and Zerah (but Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan); and the children of Perez were Hezron and Hamul. ¹³The children of Issachar: Tola, Puvah, Jashub,c and Shimron. ¹⁴The children of Zebulun: Sered, Elon, and Jahleel ¹⁵(these are the sons of Leah, whom she bore to Jacob in Paddan-aram, together with his daughter Dinah; in all his sons and his daughters numbered thirty-three). ¹⁶The children of Gad: Ziphion, Haggi, Shuni, Ezbon, Eri, Arodi, and Areli. ¹⁷The children of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. The children of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel ¹⁸(these are the children of Zilpah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Leah; and these she bore to Jacob—sixteen persons). ¹⁹The children of Jacob’s wife Rachel: Joseph and Benjamin. ²⁰To Joseph in the land of Egypt were born Manasseh and Ephraim, whom Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore to him. ²¹The children of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim, and Ard ²²(these are the children of Rachel, who were born to Jacob—fourteen persons in all). ²³The children of Dan: Hashum.d ²⁴The children of Naphtali: Jahzeel, Guni, Jezer, and Shillem ²⁵(these are the children of Bilhah, whom Laban gave to his daughter Rachel, and these she bore to Jacob—seven persons in all). ²⁶All the persons belonging to Jacob who came into Egypt, who were his own offspring, not including the wives of his sons, were sixty-six persons in all. ²⁷The children of Joseph, who were born to him in Egypt, were two; all the persons of the house of Jacob who came into Egypt were seventy.

Jacob Settles in Goshen

²⁸ Israele sent Judah ahead to Joseph to lead the way before him into Goshen. When they came to the land of Goshen, ²⁹Joseph made ready his chariot and went up to meet his father Israel in Goshen. He presented himself to him, fell on his neck, and wept on his neck a good while. ³⁰Israel said to Joseph, ‘I can die now, having seen for myself that you are still alive.’ ³¹Joseph said to his brothers and to his father’s household, ‘I will go up and tell Pharaoh, and will say to him, “My brothers and my father’s household, who were in the land of Canaan, have come to me. ³²The men are shepherds, for they have been keepers of livestock; and they have brought their flocks, and their herds, and all that they have.” ³³When Pharaoh calls you, and says, “What is your occupation?” ³⁴you shall say, “Your servants have been keepers of livestock from our youth even until now, both we and our ancestors”—in order that you may settle in the land of Goshen, because all shepherds are abhorrent to the Egyptians.’

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SO JOSEPH went and told Pharaoh, ‘My father and my brothers, with their flocks and herds and all that they possess, have come from the land of Canaan; they are now in the land of Goshen.’ ²From among his brothers he took five men and presented them to Pharaoh. ³Pharaoh said to his brothers, ‘What is your occupation?’ And they said to Pharaoh, ‘Your servants are shepherds, as our ancestors were.’ ⁴They said to Pharaoh, ‘We have come to reside as aliens in the land; for there is no pasture for your servants’ flocks because the famine is severe in the land of Canaan. Now, we ask you, let your servants settle in the land of Goshen.’ ⁵Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, ‘Your father and your brothers have come to you. ⁶The land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land; let them live in the land of Goshen; and if you know that there are capable men among them, put them in charge of my livestock.’

⁷ Then Joseph brought in his father Jacob, and presented him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh. ⁸Pharaoh said to Jacob, ‘How many are the years of your life?’ ⁹Jacob said to Pharaoh, ‘The years of my earthly sojourn are one hundred and thirty; few and hard have been the years of my life. They do not compare with the years of the life of my ancestors during their long sojourn.’ ¹⁰Then Jacob blessed Pharaoh, and went out from the presence of Pharaoh. ¹¹Joseph settled his father and his brothers, and granted them a holding in the land of Egypt, in the best part of the land, in the land of Rameses, as Pharaoh had instructed. ¹²And Joseph provided his father, his brothers, and all his father’s household with food, according to the number of their dependants.

The Famine in Egypt

¹³ Now there was no food in all the land, for the famine was very severe. The land of Egypt and the land of Canaan languished because of the famine. ¹⁴Joseph collected all the money to be found in the land of Egypt and in the land of Canaan, in exchange for the grain that they bought; and Joseph brought the money into Pharaoh’s house. ¹⁵When the money from the land of Egypt and from the land of Canaan was spent, all the Egyptians came to Joseph, and said, ‘Give us food! Why should we die before your eyes? For our money is gone.’ ¹⁶And Joseph answered, ‘Give me your livestock, and I will give you food in exchange for your livestock, if your money is gone.’ ¹⁷So they brought their livestock to Joseph; and Joseph gave them food in exchange for the horses, the flocks, the herds, and the donkeys. That year he supplied them with food in exchange for all their livestock. ¹⁸When that year was ended, they came to him the following year, and said to him, ‘We cannot hide from my lord that our money is all spent; and the herds of cattle are my lord’s. There is nothing left in the sight of my lord but our bodies and our lands. ¹⁹Shall we die before your eyes, both we and our land? Buy us and our land in exchange for food. We with our land will become slaves to Pharaoh; just give us seed, so that we may live and not die, and that the land may not become desolate.’

²⁰ So Joseph bought all the land of Egypt for Pharaoh. All the Egyptians sold their fields, because the famine was severe upon them; and the land became Pharaoh’s. ²¹As for the people, he made slaves of thema from one end of Egypt to the other. ²²Only the land of the priests he did not buy; for the priests had a fixed allowance from Pharaoh, and lived on the allowance that Pharaoh gave them; therefore they did not sell their land. ²³Then Joseph said to the people, ‘Now that I have this day bought you and your land for Pharaoh, here is seed for you; sow the land. ²⁴And at the harvests you shall give one-fifth to Pharaoh, and four-fifths shall be your own, as seed for the field and as food for yourselves and your households, and as food for your little ones.’ ²⁵They said, ‘You have saved our lives; may it please my lord, we will be slaves to Pharaoh.’ ²⁶So Joseph made it a statute concerning the land of Egypt, and it stands to this day, that Pharaoh should have the fifth. The land of the priests alone did not become Pharaoh’s.

The Last Days of Jacob

²⁷ Thus Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the region of Goshen; and they gained possessions in it, and were fruitful and multiplied exceedingly. ²⁸Jacob lived in the land of Egypt for seventeen years; so the days of Jacob, the years of his life, were one hundred and forty-seven years.

²⁹ When the time of Israel’s death drew near, he called his son Joseph and said to him, ‘If I have found favour with you, put your hand under my thigh and promise to deal loyally and truly with me. Do not bury me in Egypt. ³⁰When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place.’ He answered, ‘I will do as you have said.’ ³¹And he said, ‘Swear to me’ and he swore to him. Then Israel bowed himself on the head of his bed.

Jacob Blesses Joseph’s Sons

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AFTER this Joseph was told, ‘Your father is ill.’ So he took with him his two sons Manasseh and Ephraim. ²When Jacob was told, ‘Your son Joseph has come to you’, heb summoned his strength and sat up in bed. ³And Jacob said to Joseph, ‘God Almightyc appeared to me at Luz in the land of Canaan, and he blessed me, ⁴and said to me, “I am going to make you fruitful and increase your numbers; I will make of you a company of peoples, and will give this land to your offspring after you for a perpetual holding.” ⁵Therefore your two sons, who were born to you in the land of Egypt before I came to you in Egypt, are now mine; Ephraim and Manasseh shall be mine, just as Reuben and Simeon are. ⁶As for the offspring born to you after them, they shall be yours. They shall be recorded under the names of their brothers with regard to their inheritance. ⁷For when I came from Paddan, Rachel, alas, died in the land of Canaan on the way, while there was still some distance to go to Ephrath; and I buried her there on the way to Ephrath’ (that is, Bethlehem).

⁸ When Israel saw Joseph’s sons, he said, ‘Who are these?’ ⁹Joseph said to his father, ‘They are my sons, whom God has given me here.’ And he said, ‘Bring them to me, please, that I may bless them.’ ¹⁰Now the eyes of Israel were dim with age, and he could not see well. So Joseph brought them near him; and he kissed them and embraced them. ¹¹Israel said to Joseph, ‘I did not expect to see your face; and here God has let me see your children also.’ ¹²Then Joseph removed them from his father’s knees,a and he bowed himself with his face to the earth. ¹³Joseph took them both, Ephraim in his right hand towards Israel’s left, and Manasseh in his left hand towards Israel’s right, and brought them near him. ¹⁴But Israel stretched out his right hand and laid it on the head of Ephraim, who was the younger, and his left hand on the head of Manasseh, crossing his hands, for Manasseh was the firstborn. ¹⁵He blessed Joseph, and said,

‘The God before whom my ancestors Abraham and Isaac walked,

the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day,

¹⁶ the angel who has redeemed me from all harm, bless the boys;

and in them let my name be perpetuated, and the name of my ancestors Abraham and Isaac;

and let them grow into a multitude on the earth.’

¹⁷ When Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took his father’s hand, to remove it from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head. ¹⁸Joseph said to his father, ‘Not so, my father! Since this one is the firstborn, put your right hand on his head.’ ¹⁹But his father refused, and said, ‘I know, my son, I know; he also shall become a people, and he also shall be great. Nevertheless, his younger brother shall be greater than he, and his offspring shall become a multitude of nations.’ ²⁰So he blessed them that day, saying,

‘By youb Israel will invoke blessings, saying,

“God make youb like Ephraim and like Manasseh.”’

So he put Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. ²¹Then Israel said to Joseph, ‘I am about to die, but God will be with you and will bring you again to the land of your ancestors. ²²I now give to you one portionc more than to your brothers, the portionc that I took from the hand of the Amorites with my sword and with my bow.’

Jacob’s Last Words to His Sons

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THEN Jacob called his sons, and said: ‘Gather around, that I may tell you what will happen to you in days to come.

² Assemble and hear, O sons of Jacob;

listen to Israel your father.

³ ‘Reuben, you are my firstborn,

my might and the first fruits of my vigour,

excelling in rank and excelling in power.

⁴ Unstable as water, you shall no longer excel

because you went up on to your father’s bed;

then you defiled it—youa went up on to my couch!

⁵ ‘Simeon and Levi are brothers;

weapons of violence are their swords.

⁶ May I never come into their council;

may I not be joined to their company—

for in their anger they killed men,

and at their whim they hamstrung oxen.

⁷ Cursed be their anger, for it is fierce,

and their wrath, for it is cruel!

I will divide them in Jacob,

and scatter them in Israel.

⁸ ‘Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

your father’s sons shall bow down before you.

⁹ Judah is a lion’s whelp;

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He crouches down, he stretches out like a lion,

like a lioness—who dares rouse him up?

¹⁰ The sceptre shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet,

until tribute comes to him;b

and the obedience of the peoples is his.

¹¹ Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey’s colt to the choice vine,

he washes his garments in wine

and his robe in the blood of grapes;

¹² his eyes are darker than wine,

and his teeth whiter than milk.

¹³ ‘Zebulun shall settle at the shore of the sea;

he shall be a haven for ships,

and his border shall be at Sidon.

¹⁴ ‘Issachar is a strong donkey,

lying down between the sheepfolds;

¹⁵ he saw that a resting-place was good,

and that the land was pleasant;

so he bowed his shoulder to the burden,

and became a slave at forced labour.

¹⁶ ‘Dan shall judge his people

as one of the tribes of Israel.

¹⁷ Dan shall be a snake by the roadside,

a viper along the path,

that bites the horse’s heels

so that its rider falls backwards.

¹⁸ ‘I wait for your salvation, O LORD.

¹⁹ ‘Gad shall be raided by raiders,

but he shall raid at their heels.

²⁰ ‘Asher’sa food shall be rich,

and he shall provide royal delicacies.

²¹ ‘Naphtali is a doe let loose

that bears lovely fawns.b

²² ‘Joseph is a fruitful bough,

a fruitful bough by a spring;

his branches run over the wall. c

²³ The archers fiercely attacked him;

they shot at him and pressed him hard.

²⁴ Yet his bow remained taut,

and his armsd were made agile

by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,

by the name of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel,

²⁵ by the God of your father, who will help you,

by the Almightye who will bless you

with blessings of heaven above,

blessings of the deep that lies beneath,

blessings of the breasts and of the womb.

²⁶ The blessings of your father

are stronger than the blessings of the eternal mountains,

the bountiesf of the everlasting hills;

may they be on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of him who was set apart from his brothers.

²⁷ ‘Benjamin is a ravenous wolf,

in the morning devouring the prey,

and at evening dividing the spoil.’

²⁸ All these are the twelve tribes of Israel, and this is what their father said to them when he blessed them, blessing each one of them with a suitable blessing.

Jacob’s Death and Burial

²⁹ Then he charged them, saying to them, ‘I am about to be gathered to my people. Bury me with my ancestors—in the cave in the field of Ephron the Hittite, ³⁰in the cave in the field at Machpelah, near Mamre, in the land of Canaan, in the field that Abraham bought from Ephron the Hittite as a burial site. ³¹There Abraham and his wife Sarah were buried; there Isaac and his wife Rebekah were buried; and there I buried Leah—³²the field and the cave that is in it were purchased from the Hittites.’ ³³When Jacob ended his charge to his sons, he drew up his feet into the bed, breathed his last, and was gathered to his people.

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THEN Joseph threw himself on his father’s face and wept over him and kissed him. ²Joseph commanded the physicians in his service to embalm his father. So the physicians embalmed Israel; ³they spent forty days in doing this, for that is the time required for embalming. And the Egyptians wept for him for seventy days.

⁴ When the days of weeping for him were past, Joseph addressed the household of Pharaoh, ‘If now I have found favour with you, please speak to Pharaoh as follows: ⁵My father made me swear an oath; he said, “I am about to die. In the tomb that I hewed out for myself in the land of Canaan, there you shall bury me.” Now therefore let me go up, so that I may bury my father; then I will return.’ ⁶Pharaoh answered, ‘Go up, and bury your father, as he made you swear to do.’

⁷ So Joseph went up to bury his father. With him went up all the servants of Pharaoh, the elders of his household, and all the elders of the land of Egypt, ⁸as well as all the household of Joseph, his brothers, and his father’s household. Only their children, their flocks, and their herds were left in the land of Goshen. ⁹Both chariots and charioteers went up with him. It was a very great company. ¹⁰When they came to the threshing-floor of Atad, which is beyond the Jordan, they held there a very great and sorrowful lamentation; and he observed a time of mourning for his father for seven days. ¹¹When the Canaanite inhabitants of the land saw the mourning on the threshing-floor of Atad, they said, ‘This is a grievous mourning on the part of the Egyptians.’ Therefore the place was named Abel-mizraim;a it is beyond the Jordan. ¹²Thus his sons did for him as he had instructed them. ¹³They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham bought as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite. ¹⁴After he had buried his father, Joseph returned to Egypt with his brothers and all who had gone up with him to bury his father.

Joseph Forgives His Brothers

¹⁵ Realizing that their father was dead, Joseph’s brothers said, ‘What if Joseph still bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong that we did to him?’ ¹⁶So they approachedb Joseph, saying, ‘Your father gave this instruction before he died, ¹⁷“Say to Joseph: I beg you, forgive the crime of your brothers and the wrong they did in harming you.” Now therefore please forgive the crime of the servants of the God of your father.’ Joseph wept when they spoke to him. ¹⁸Then his brothers also wept,c fell down before him, and said, ‘We are here as your slaves.’ ¹⁹But Joseph said to them, ‘Do not be afraid! Am I in the place of God? ²⁰Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today. ²¹So have no fear; I myself will provide for you and your little ones.’ In this way he reassured them, speaking kindly to them.

Joseph’s Last Days and Death

²² So Joseph remained in Egypt, he and his father’s household; and Joseph lived for one hundred and ten years. ²³Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation; the children of Machir son of Manasseh were also born on Joseph’s knees.

²⁴ Then Joseph said to his brothers, ‘I am about to die; but God will surely come to you, and bring you up out of this land to the land that he swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.’ ²⁵So Joseph made the Israelites swear, saying, ‘When God comes to you, you shall carry up my bones from here.’ ²⁶And Joseph died, being one hundred and ten years old; he was embalmed and placed in a coffin in Egypt.

EXODUS

THESE are the names of the sons of Israel who came to Egypt with Jacob, each with his household: ²Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah, ³Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin, ⁴Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. ⁵The total number of people born to Jacob was seventy. Joseph was already in Egypt. ⁶Then Joseph died, and all his brothers, and that whole generation. ⁷But the Israelites were fruitful and prolific; they multiplied and grew exceedingly strong, so that the land was filled with them.

The Israelites Are Oppressed

⁸ Now a new king arose over Egypt, who did not know Joseph. ⁹He said to his people, ‘Look, the Israelite people are more numerous and more powerful than we. ¹⁰Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, or they will increase and, in the event of war, join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land.’ ¹¹Therefore they set taskmasters over them to oppress them with forced labour. They built supply cities, Pithom and Rameses, for Pharaoh. ¹²But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread, so that the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. ¹³The Egyptians became ruthless in imposing tasks on the Israelites, ¹⁴and made their lives bitter with hard service in mortar and brick and in every kind of field labour. They were ruthless in all the tasks that they imposed on them.

¹⁵ The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ¹⁶‘When you act as midwives to the Hebrew women, and see them on the birthstool, if it is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, she shall live.’ ¹⁷But the midwives feared God; they did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but they let the boys live. ¹⁸So the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and allowed the boys to live?’ ¹⁹The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women; for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ ²⁰So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. ²¹And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families. ²²Then Pharaoh commanded all his people, ‘Every boy that is born to the Hebrewsa you shall throw into the Nile, but you shall let every girl live.’

Birth and Youth of Moses

2

NOW a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. ²The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. ³When she could hide him no longer she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. ⁴His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him.

⁵ The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. ⁶When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews’ children,’ she said. ⁷Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ ⁸Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes.’ So the girl went and called the child’s mother. ⁹Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages.’ So the woman took the child and nursed it. ¹⁰When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and she took him as her son. She named him Moses,b ‘because’, she said, ‘I drew him outc of the water.’

Moses Flees to Midian

¹¹ One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to his people and saw their forced labour. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his kinsfolk. ¹²He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. ¹³When he went out the next day, he saw two Hebrews fighting; and he said to the one who was in the wrong, ‘Why do you strike your fellow Hebrew?’ ¹⁴He answered, ‘Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Do you mean to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?’ Then Moses was afraid and thought, ‘Surely the thing is known.’ ¹⁵When Pharaoh heard of it, he sought to kill Moses.

But Moses fled from Pharaoh. He settled in the land of Midian, and sat down by a well. ¹⁶The priest of Midian had seven daughters. They came to draw water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock. ¹⁷But some shepherds came and drove them away. Moses got up and came to their defence and watered their flock. ¹⁸When they returned to their father Reuel, he said, ‘How is it that you have come back so soon today?’ ¹⁹They said, ‘An Egyptian helped us against the shepherds; he even drew water for us and watered the flock.’ ²⁰He said to his daughters, ‘Where is he? Why did you leave the man? Invite him to break bread.’ ²¹Moses agreed to stay with the man, and he gave Moses his daughter Zipporah in marriage. ²²She bore a son, and he named him Gershom; for he said, ‘I have been an aliend residing in a foreign land.’

²³ After a long time the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned under their slavery, and cried out. Out of the slavery their cry for help rose up to God. ²⁴God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. ²⁵God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them.

Moses at the Burning Bush

3

MOSES was keeping the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian; he led his flock beyond the wilderness, and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. ²There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of a bush; he looked, and the bush was blazing, yet it was not consumed. ³Then Moses said, ‘I must turn aside and look at this great sight, and see why the bush is not burned up.’ ⁴When the LORD saw that he had turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ ⁵Then he said, ‘Come no closer! Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ ⁶He said further, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.

⁷ Then the LORD said, ‘I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, ⁸and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the country of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ⁹The cry of the Israelites has now come to me; I have also seen how the Egyptians oppress them. ¹⁰So come, I will send you to Pharaoh to bring my people, the Israelites, out of Egypt.’ ¹¹But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ ¹²He said, ‘I will be with you; and this shall be the sign for you that it is I who sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall worship God on this mountain.’

The Divine Name Revealed

¹³ But Moses said to God, ‘If I come to the Israelites and say to them, “The God of your ancestors has sent me to you”, and they ask me, “What is his name?” what shall I say to them?’ ¹⁴God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’a He said further, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “I AM has sent me to you.”’ ¹⁵God also said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the Israelites, “The LORD,b the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you”:

This is my name for ever,

and this my title for all generations.

¹⁶Go and assemble the elders of Israel, and say to them, “The LORD, the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying: I have given heed to you and to what has been done to you in Egypt. ¹⁷I declare that I will bring you up out of the misery of Egypt, to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ¹⁸They will listen to your voice; and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, “The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; let us now go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, so that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.” ¹⁹I know, however, that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand.a ²⁰ So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all my wonders that I will perform in it; after that he will let you go.²¹ I will bring this people into such favour with the Egyptians that, when you go, you will not go empty-handed;²² each woman shall ask her neighbour and any woman living in the neighbour’s house for jewellery of silver and of gold, and clothing, and you shall put them on your sons and on your daughters; and so you shall plunder the Egyptians.’

Moses’ Miraculous Power

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THEN Moses answered, ‘But suppose they do not believe me or listen to me, but say, “The LORD did not appear to you.”’ ²The LORD said to him, ‘What is that in your hand?’ He said, ‘A staff.’ ³And he said, ‘Throw it on the ground.’ So he threw the staff on the ground, and it became a snake; and Moses drew back from it. ⁴Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Reach out your hand, and seize it by the tail’—so he reached out his hand and grasped it, and it became a staff in his hand—⁵‘so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.’

⁶ Again, the LORD said to him, ‘Put your hand inside your cloak.’ He put his hand into his cloak; and when he took it out, his hand was leprous,b as white as snow. ⁷Then God said, ‘Put your hand back into your cloak’—so he put his hand back into his cloak, and when he took it out, it was restored like the rest of his body—⁸‘If they will not believe you or heed the first sign, they may believe the second sign. ⁹If they will not believe even these two signs or heed you, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground; and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.’

¹⁰ But Moses said to the LORD, ‘O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’ ¹¹Then the LORD said to him, ‘Who gives speech to mortals? Who makes them mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? ¹²Now go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you are to speak.’ ¹³But he said, ‘O my Lord, please send someone else.’ ¹⁴Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, ‘What of your brother Aaron the Levite? I know that he can speak fluently; even now he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you his heart will be glad. ¹⁵You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth; and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and will teach you what you shall do. ¹⁶He indeed shall speak for you to the people; he shall serve as a mouth for you, and you shall serve as God for him. ¹⁷Take in your hand this staff, with which you shall perform the signs.’

Moses Returns to Egypt

¹⁸ Moses went back to his father-in-law Jethro and said to him, ‘Please let me go back to my kindred in Egypt and see whether they are still living.’ And Jethro said to Moses, ‘Go in peace.’ ¹⁹The LORD said to Moses in Midian, ‘Go back to Egypt; for all those who were seeking your life are dead.’ ²⁰So Moses took his wife and his sons, put them on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt; and Moses carried the staff of God in his hand.

²¹ And the LORD said to Moses, ‘When you go back to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the wonders that I have put in your power; but I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. ²²Then you shall say to Pharaoh, “Thus says the LORD: Israel is my firstborn son. ²³I said to you, ‘Let my son go that he may worship me.’ But you refused to let him go; now I will kill your firstborn son.”’

²⁴ On the way, at a place where they spent the night, the LORD met him and tried to kill him. ²⁵But Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin, and touched Moses’a feet with it, and said, ‘Truly you are a bridegroom of blood to me!’ ²⁶So he let him alone. It was then she said, ‘A bridegroom of blood by circumcision.’

²⁷ The LORD said to Aaron, ‘Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.’ So he went; and he met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. ²⁸Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him, and all the signs with which he had charged him. ²⁹Then Moses and Aaron went and assembled all the elders of the Israelites. ³⁰Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and performed the signs in the sight of the people. ³¹The people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had given heed to the Israelites and that he had seen their misery, they bowed down and worshipped.

Bricks without Straw

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AFTERWARDS Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Let my people go, so that they may celebrate a festival to me in the wilderness.”’ ²But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should heed him and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and I will not let Israel go.’ ³Then they said, ‘The God of the Hebrews has revealed himself to us; let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness to sacrifice to the LORD our God, or he will fall upon us with pestilence or sword.’ ⁴But the king of Egypt said to them, ‘Moses and Aaron, why are you taking the people away from their work? Get to your labours!’ ⁵Pharaoh continued, ‘Now they are more numerous than the people of the landb and yet you want them to stop working!’ ⁶That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people, as well as their supervisors, ⁷‘You shall no longer give the people straw to make bricks, as before; let them go and gather straw for themselves. ⁸But you shall require of them the same quantity of bricks as they have made previously; do not diminish it, for they are lazy; that is why they cry, “Let us go and offer sacrifice to our God.” ⁹Let heavier work be laid on them; then they will labour at it and pay no attention to deceptive words.’

¹⁰ So the taskmasters and the supervisors of the people went out and said to the people, ‘Thus says Pharaoh, “I will not give you straw. ¹¹Go and get straw yourselves, wherever you can find it; but your work will not be lessened in the least.”’ ¹²So the people scattered throughout the land of Egypt, to gather stubble for straw. ¹³The taskmasters were urgent, saying, ‘Complete your work, the same daily assignment as when you were given straw.’ ¹⁴And the supervisors of the Israelites, whom Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and were asked, ‘Why did you not finish the required quantity of bricks yesterday and today, as you did before?’

¹⁵ Then the Israelite supervisors came to Pharaoh and cried, ‘Why do you treat your servants like this? ¹⁶No straw is given to your servants, yet they say to us, “Make bricks!” Look how your servants are beaten! You are unjust to your own people.’a ¹⁷ He said, ‘You are lazy, lazy; that is why you say, “Let us go and sacrifice to the LORD.”¹⁸ Go now, and work; for no straw shall be given you, but you shall still deliver the same number of bricks.’¹⁹ The Israelite supervisors saw that they were in trouble when they were told, ‘You shall not lessen your daily number of bricks.’²⁰ As they left Pharaoh, they came upon Moses and Aaron who were waiting to meet them.²¹ They said to them, ‘The LORD look upon you and judge! You have brought us into bad odour with Pharaoh and his officials, and have put a sword in their hand to kill us.’

²² Then Moses turned again to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD, why have you mistreated this people? Why did you ever send me? ²³Since I first came to Pharaoh to speak in your name, he has mistreated this people, and you have done nothing at all to deliver your people.’

Israel’s Deliverance Assured

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THEN the LORD said to Moses, ‘Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh: Indeed, by a mighty hand he will let them go; by a mighty hand he will drive them out of his land.’

² God also spoke to Moses and said to him: ‘I am the LORD. ³I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as God Almighty,b but by my name “The LORD”c I did not make myself known to them. ⁴I also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land in which they resided as aliens. ⁵I have also heard the groaning of the Israelites, whom the Egyptians are holding as slaves, and I have remembered my covenant. ⁶Say therefore to the Israelites, “I am the LORD, and I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and deliver you from slavery to them. I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgement. ⁷I will take you as my people, and I will be your God. You shall know that I am the LORD your God, who has freed you from the burdens of the Egyptians. ⁸I will bring you into the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; I will give it to you for a possession. I am the LORD.”’ ⁹Moses told this to the Israelites; but they would not listen to Moses, because of their broken spirit and their cruel slavery.

¹⁰ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, ¹¹‘Go and tell Pharaoh king of Egypt to let the Israelites go out of his land.’ ¹²But Moses spoke to the LORD, ‘The Israelites have not listened to me; how then shall Pharaoh listen to me, poor speaker that I am?’d ¹³Thus the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, and gave them orders regarding the Israelites and Pharaoh king of Egypt, charging them to free the Israelites from the land of Egypt.

The Genealogy of Moses and Aaron

¹⁴ The following are the heads of their ancestral houses: the sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi; these are the families of Reuben. ¹⁵The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jachin, Zohar, and Shaul,a the son of a Canaanite woman; these are the families of Simeon. ¹⁶The following are the names of the sons of Levi according to their genealogies: Gershon,b Kohath, and Merari, and the length of Levi’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. ¹⁷The sons of Gershon:b Libni and Shimei, by their families. ¹⁸The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, and the length of Kohath’s life was one hundred and thirty-three years. ¹⁹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the families of the Levites according to their genealogies. ²⁰Amram married Jochebed his father’s sister and she bore him Aaron and Moses, and the length of Amram’s life was one hundred and thirty-seven years. ²¹The sons of Izhar: Korah, Nepheg, and Zichri. ²²The sons of Uzziel: Mishael, Elzaphan, and Sithri. ²³Aaron married Elisheba, daughter of Amminadab and sister of Nahshon, and she bore him Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ²⁴The sons of Korah: Assir, Elkanah, and Abiasaph; these are the families of the Korahites. ²⁵Aaron’s son Eleazar married one of the daughters of Putiel, and she bore him Phinehas. These are the heads of the ancestral houses of the Levites by their families.

²⁶ It was this same Aaron and Moses to whom the LORD said, ‘Bring the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, company by company.’ ²⁷It was they who spoke to Pharaoh king of Egypt to bring the Israelites out of Egypt, the same Moses and Aaron.

Moses and Aaron Obey God’s Commands

²⁸ On the day when the LORD spoke to Moses in the land of Egypt, ²⁹he said to him, ‘I am the LORD; tell Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I am speaking to you.’ ³⁰But Moses said in the LORD’s presence, ‘Since I am a poor speaker,c why would Pharaoh listen to me?’

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THE LORD said to Moses, ‘See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. ²You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land. ³But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and I will multiply my signs and wonders in the land of Egypt. ⁴When Pharaoh does not listen to you, I will lay my hand upon Egypt and bring my people the Israelites, company by company, out of the land of Egypt by great acts of judgement. ⁵The Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out my hand against Egypt and bring the Israelites out from among them.’ ⁶Moses and Aaron did so; they did just as the LORD commanded them. ⁷Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.

Aaron’s Miraculous Rod

⁸ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ⁹‘When Pharaoh says to you, “Perform a wonder”, then you shall say to Aaron, “Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it will become a snake.”’ ¹⁰So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did as the LORD had commanded; Aaron threw down his staff before Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. ¹¹Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers; and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same by their secret arts. ¹²Each one threw down his staff, and they became snakes; but Aaron’s staff swallowed up theirs. ¹³Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said.

The First Plague: Water Turned to Blood

¹⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh’s heart is hardened; he refuses to let the people go. ¹⁵Go to Pharaoh in the morning, as he is going out to the water; stand by at the river bank to meet him, and take in your hand the staff that was turned into a snake. ¹⁶Say to him, “The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you to say, ‘Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.’ But until now you have not listened. ¹⁷Thus says the LORD, ‘By this you shall know that I am the LORD.’ See, with the staff that is in my hand I will strike the water that is in the Nile, and it shall be turned to blood. ¹⁸The fish in the river shall die, the river itself shall stink, and the Egyptians shall be unable to drink water from the Nile.”’ ¹⁹The LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron, “Take your staff and stretch out your hand over the waters of Egypt—over its rivers, its canals, and its ponds, and all its pools of water—so that they may become blood; and there shall be blood throughout the whole land of Egypt, even in vessels of wood and in vessels of stone.”’

²⁰ Moses and Aaron did just as the LORD commanded. In the sight of Pharaoh and of his officials he lifted up the staff and struck the water in the river, and all the water in the river was turned into blood, ²¹and the fish in the river died. The river stank so that the Egyptians could not drink its water, and there was blood throughout the whole land of Egypt. ²²But the magicians of Egypt did the same by their secret arts; so Pharaoh’s heart remained hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said. ²³Pharaoh turned and went into his house, and he did not take even this to heart. ²⁴And all the Egyptians had to dig along the Nile for water to drink, for they could not drink the water of the river.

²⁵ Seven days passed after the LORD had struck the Nile.

The Second Plague: Frogs

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THEN the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh and say to him, “Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ²If you refuse to let them go, I will plague your whole country with frogs. ³The river shall swarm with frogs; they shall come up into your palace, into your bedchamber and your bed, and into the houses of your officials and of your people,b and into your ovens and your kneading bowls. ⁴The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your officials.”’ ⁵c And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron, “Stretch out your hand with your staff over the rivers, the canals, and the pools, and make frogs come up on the land of Egypt.”’ ⁶So Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up and covered the land of Egypt. ⁷But the magicians did the same by their secret arts, and brought frogs up on the land of Egypt.

⁸ Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘Pray to the LORD to take away the frogs from me and my people, and I will let the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.’ ⁹Moses said to Pharaoh, ‘Kindly tell me when I am to pray for you and for your officials and for your people, that the frogs may be removed from you and your houses and be left only in the Nile.’ ¹⁰And he said, ‘Tomorrow.’ Moses said, ‘As you say! So that you may know that there is no one like the LORD our God, ¹¹the frogs shall leave you and your houses and your officials and your people; they shall be left only in the Nile.’ ¹²Then Moses and Aaron went out from Pharaoh; and Moses cried out to the LORD concerning the frogs that he had brought upon Pharaoh.a¹³And the LORD did as Moses requested: the frogs died in the houses, the courtyards, and the fields. ¹⁴And they gathered them together in heaps, and the land stank. ¹⁵But when Pharaoh saw that there was a respite, he hardened his heart, and would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

The Third Plague: Gnats

¹⁶ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Say to Aaron, “Stretch out your staff and strike the dust of the earth, so that it may become gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt.”’ ¹⁷And they did so; Aaron stretched out his hand with his staff and struck the dust of the earth, and gnats came on humans and animals alike; all the dust of the earth turned into gnats throughout the whole land of Egypt. ¹⁸The magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, but they could not. There were gnats on both humans and animals. ¹⁹And the magicians said to Pharaoh, ‘This is the finger of God!’ But Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had said.

The Fourth Plague: Flies

²⁰ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ²¹For if you will not let my people go, I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, and your people, and into your houses; and the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies; so also the land where they live. ²²But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people live, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I the LORD am in this land. ²³Thus I will make a distinctionb between my people and your people. This sign shall appear tomorrow.”’²⁴ The LORD did so, and great swarms of flies came into the house of Pharaoh and into his officials’ houses; in all of Egypt the land was ruined because of the flies.

²⁵ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said, ‘Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.’ ²⁶But Moses said, ‘It would not be right to do so; for the sacrifices that we offer to the LORD our God are offensive to the Egyptians. If we offer in the sight of the Egyptians sacrifices that are offensive to them, will they not stone us? ²⁷We must go a three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the LORD our God as he commands us.’ ²⁸So Pharaoh said, ‘I will let you go to sacrifice to the LORD your God in the wilderness, provided you do not go very far away. Pray for me.’ ²⁹Then Moses said, ‘As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the LORD that the swarms of flies may depart tomorrow from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; only do not let Pharaoh again deal falsely by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the LORD.’

³⁰ So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. ³¹And the LORD did as Moses asked: he removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his officials, and from his people; not one remained. ³²But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and would not let the people go.

The Fifth Plague: Livestock Diseased

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THEN the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ²For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, ³the hand of the LORD will strike with a deadly pestilence your livestock in the field: the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. ⁴But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing shall die of all that belongs to the Israelites.”’ ⁵The LORD set a time, saying, ‘Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.’ ⁶And on the next day the LORD did so; all the livestock of the Egyptians died, but of the livestock of the Israelites not one died. ⁷Pharaoh inquired and found that not one of the livestock of the Israelites was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the people go.

The Sixth Plague: Boils

⁸ Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Take handfuls of soot from the kiln, and let Moses throw it in the air in the sight of Pharaoh. ⁹It shall become fine dust all over the land of Egypt, and shall cause festering boils on humans and animals throughout the whole land of Egypt.’ ¹⁰So they took soot from the kiln, and stood before Pharaoh, and Moses threw it in the air, and it caused festering boils on humans and animals. ¹¹The magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils, for the boils afflicted the magicians as well as all the Egyptians. ¹²But the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he would not listen to them, just as the LORD had spoken to Moses.

The Seventh Plague: Thunder and Hail

¹³ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Rise up early in the morning and present yourself before Pharaoh, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews: Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ¹⁴For this time I will send all my plagues upon you yourself, and upon your officials, and upon your people, so that you may know that there is no one like me in all the earth. ¹⁵For by now I could have stretched out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. ¹⁶But this is why I have let you live: to show you my power, and to make my name resound through all the earth. ¹⁷You are still exalting yourself against my people, and will not let them go. ¹⁸Tomorrow at this time I will cause the heaviest hail to fall that has ever fallen in Egypt from the day it was founded until now. ¹⁹Send, therefore, and have your livestock and everything that you have in the open field brought to a secure place; every human or animal that is in the open field and is not brought under shelter will die when the hail comes down upon them.”’ ²⁰Those officials of Pharaoh who feared the word of the LORD hurried their slaves and livestock off to a secure place. ²¹Those who did not regard the word of the LORD left their slaves and livestock in the open field.

²² The LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand towards heaven so that hail may fall on the whole land of Egypt, on humans and animals and all the plants of the field in the land of Egypt.’ ²³Then Moses stretched out his staff towards heaven, and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and fire came down on the earth. And the LORD rained hail on the land of Egypt; ²⁴there was hail with fire flashing continually in the midst of it, such heavy hail as had never fallen in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation. ²⁵The hail struck down everything that was in the open field throughout all the land of Egypt, both human and animal; the hail also struck down all the plants of the field, and shattered every tree in the field. ²⁶Only in the land of Goshen, where the Israelites were, there was no hail.

²⁷ Then Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron, and said to them, ‘This time I have sinned; the LORD is in the right, and I and my people are in the wrong. ²⁸Pray to the LORD! Enough of God’s thunder and hail! I will let you go; you need stay no longer.’ ²⁹Moses said to him, ‘As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will stretch out my hands to the LORD; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, so that you may know that the earth is the LORD’s. ³⁰But as for you and your officials, I know that you do not yet fear the LORD God.’ ³¹(Now the flax and the barley were ruined, for the barley was in the ear and the flax was in bud. ³²But the wheat and the spelt were not ruined, for they are late in coming up.) ³³So Moses left Pharaoh, went out of the city, and stretched out his hands to the LORD; then the thunder and the hail ceased, and the rain no longer poured down on the earth. ³⁴But when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunder had ceased, he sinned once more and hardened his heart, he and his officials. ³⁵So the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he would not let the Israelites go, just as the LORD had spoken through Moses.

The Eighth Plague: Locusts

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THEN the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his officials, in order that I may show these signs of mine among them, ²and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I have made fools of the Egyptians and what signs I have done among them—so that you may know that I am the LORD.’

³ So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh, and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, so that they may worship me. ⁴For if you refuse to let my people go, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country. ⁵They shall cover the surface of the land, so that no one will be able to see the land. They shall devour the last remnant left you after the hail, and they shall devour every tree of yours that grows in the field. ⁶They shall fill your houses, and the houses of all your officials and of all the Egyptians—something that neither your parents nor your grandparents have seen, from the day they came on earth to this day.”’ Then he turned and went out from Pharaoh.

⁷ Pharaoh’s officials said to him, ‘How long shall this fellow be a snare to us? Let the people go, so that they may worship the LORD their God; do you not yet understand that Egypt is ruined?’ ⁸So Moses and Aaron were brought back to Pharaoh, and he said to them, ‘Go, worship the LORD your God! But which ones are to go?’ ⁹Moses said, ‘We will go with our young and our old; we will go with our sons and daughters and with our flocks and herds, because we have the LORD’s festival to celebrate.’ ¹⁰He said to them, ‘The LORD indeed will be with you, if ever I let your little ones go with you! Plainly you have some evil purpose in mind. ¹¹No, never! Your men may go and worship the LORD, for that is what you are asking.’ And they were driven out from Pharaoh’s presence.

¹² Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt, so that the locusts may come upon it and eat every plant in the land, all that the hail has left.’ ¹³So Moses stretched out his staff over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind upon the land all that day and all that night; when morning came, the east wind had brought the locusts. ¹⁴The locusts came upon all the land of Egypt and settled on the whole country of Egypt, such a dense swarm of locusts as had never been before, nor ever shall be again. ¹⁵They covered the surface of the whole land, so that the land was black; and they ate all the plants in the land and all the fruit of the trees that the hail had left; nothing green was left, no tree, no plant in the field, in all the land of Egypt. ¹⁶Pharaoh hurriedly summoned Moses and Aaron and said, ‘I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. ¹⁷Do forgive my sin just this once, and pray to the LORD your God that at the least he remove this deadly thing from me.’ ¹⁸So he went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the LORD. ¹⁹The LORD changed the wind into a very strong west wind, which lifted the locusts and drove them into the Red Sea;a not a single locust was left in all the country of Egypt. ²⁰But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he would not let the Israelites go.

The Ninth Plague: Darkness

²¹ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand towards heaven so that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, a darkness that can be felt.’ ²²So Moses stretched out his hand towards heaven, and there was dense darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. ²³People could not see one another, and for three days they could not move from where they were; but all the Israelites had light where they lived. ²⁴Then Pharaoh summoned Moses, and said, ‘Go, worship the LORD. Only your flocks and your herds shall remain behind. Even your children may go with you.’ ²⁵But Moses said, ‘You must also let us have sacrifices and burnt-offerings to sacrifice to the LORD our God. ²⁶Our livestock also must go with us; not a hoof shall be left behind, for we must choose some of them for the worship of the LORD our God, and we will not know what to use to worship the LORD until we arrive there.’ ²⁷But the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he was unwilling to let them go. ²⁸Then Pharaoh said to him, ‘Get away from me! Take care that you do not see my face again, for on the day you see my face you shall die.’ ²⁹Moses said, ‘Just as you say! I will never see your face again.’

Warning of the Final Plague

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THE LORD said to Moses, ‘I will bring one more plague upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt; afterwards he will let you go from here; indeed, when he lets you go, he will drive you away. ²Tell the people that every man is to ask his neighbour and every woman is to ask her neighbour for objects of silver and gold.’ ³The LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians. Moreover, Moses himself was a man of great importance in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharaoh’s officials, and in the sight of the people.

⁴ Moses said, ‘Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out through Egypt. ⁵Every firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne to the firstborn of the female slave who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the livestock. ⁶Then there will be a loud cry throughout the whole land of Egypt, such as has never been nor will ever be again. ⁷But not a dog shall growl at any of the Israelites—not at people, not at animals—so that you may know that the LORD makes a distinction between Egypt and Israel. ⁸Then all these officials of yours shall come down to me, and bow low to me, saying, “Leave us, you and all the people who follow you.” After that I will leave.’ And in hot anger he left Pharaoh.

⁹ The LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, in order that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’ ¹⁰Moses and Aaron performed all these wonders before Pharaoh; but the LORD hardened Pharaoh’s heart, and he did not let the people of Israel go out of his land.

The First Passover Instituted

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THE LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: ²This month shall mark for you the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year for you. ³Tell the whole congregation of Israel that on the tenth of this month they are to take a lamb for each family, a lamb for each household. ⁴If a household is too small for a whole lamb, it shall join its closest neighbour in obtaining one; the lamb shall be divided in proportion to the number of people who eat of it. ⁵Your lamb shall be without blemish, a year-old male; you may take it from the sheep or from the goats. ⁶You shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month; then the whole assembled congregation of Israel shall slaughter it at twilight. ⁷They shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it. ⁸They shall eat the lamb that same night; they shall eat it roasted over the fire with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ⁹Do not eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over the fire, with its head, legs, and inner organs. ¹⁰You shall let none of it remain until the morning; anything that remains until the morning you shall burn. ¹¹This is how you shall eat it: your loins girded, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and you shall eat it hurriedly. It is the passover of the LORD. ¹²For I will pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down every firstborn in the land of Egypt, both human beings and animals; on all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgements: I am the LORD. ¹³The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live: when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

¹⁴ This day shall be a day of remembrance for you. You shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD; throughout your generations you shall observe it as a perpetual ordinance. ¹⁵Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread; on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses, for whoever eats leavened bread from the first day until the seventh day shall be cut off from Israel. ¹⁶On the first day you shall hold a solemn assembly, and on the seventh day a solemn assembly; no work shall be done on those days; only what everyone must eat, that alone may be prepared by you.

¹⁷You shall observe the festival of unleavened bread, for on this very day I brought your companies out of the land of Egypt: you shall observe this day throughout your generations as a perpetual ordinance. ¹⁸In the first month, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day, you shall eat unleavened bread. ¹⁹For seven days no leaven shall be found in your houses; for whoever eats what is leavened shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether an alien or a native of the land. ²⁰You shall eat nothing leavened; in all your settlements you shall eat unleavened bread.

²¹ Then Moses called all the elders of Israel and said to them, ‘Go, select lambs for your families, and slaughter the passover lamb. ²²Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood in the basin. None of you shall go outside the door of your house until morning. ²³For the LORD will pass through to strike down the Egyptians; when he sees the blood on the lintel and on the two doorposts, the LORD will pass over that door and will not allow the destroyer to enter your houses to strike you down. ²⁴You shall observe this rite as a perpetual ordinance for you and your children. ²⁵When you come to the land that the LORD will give you, as he has promised, you shall keep this observance. ²⁶And when your children ask you, “What do you mean by this observance?” ²⁷you shall say, “It is the passover sacrifice to the LORD, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt, when he struck down the Egyptians but spared our houses.”’ And the people bowed down and worshipped.

²⁸ The Israelites went and did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron.

The Tenth Plague: Death of the Firstborn

²⁹ At midnight the LORD struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on his throne to the firstborn of the prisoner who was in the dungeon, and all the firstborn of the livestock. ³⁰Pharaoh arose in the night, he and all his officials and all the Egyptians; and there was a loud cry in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. ³¹Then he summoned Moses and Aaron in the night, and said, ‘Rise up, go away from my people, both you and the Israelites! Go, worship the LORD, as you said. ³²Take your flocks and your herds, as you said, and be gone. And bring a blessing on me too!’

The Exodus: From Rameses to Succoth

³³ The Egyptians urged the people to hasten their departure from the land, for they said, ‘We shall all be dead.’ ³⁴So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading-bowls wrapped up in their cloaks on their shoulders. ³⁵The Israelites had done as Moses told them; they had asked the Egyptians for jewellery of silver and gold, and for clothing, ³⁶and the LORD had given the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they let them have what they asked. And so they plundered the Egyptians.

³⁷ The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides children. ³⁸A mixed crowd also went up with them, and livestock in great numbers, both flocks and herds. ³⁹They baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt; it was not leavened, because they were driven out of Egypt and could not wait, nor had they prepared any provisions for themselves.

⁴⁰ The time that the Israelites had lived in Egypt was four hundred and thirty years. ⁴¹At the end of four hundred and thirty years, on that very day, all the companies of the LORD went out from the land of Egypt. ⁴²That was for the LORD a night of vigil, to bring them out of the land of Egypt. That same night is a vigil to be kept for the LORD by all the Israelites throughout their generations.

Directions for the Passover

⁴³ The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: This is the ordinance for the passover: no foreigner shall eat of it, ⁴⁴but any slave who has been purchased may eat of it after he has been circumcised; ⁴⁵no bound or hired servant may eat of it. ⁴⁶It shall be eaten in one house; you shall not take any of the animal outside the house, and you shall not break any of its bones. ⁴⁷The whole congregation of Israel shall celebrate it. ⁴⁸If an alien who resides with you wants to celebrate the passover to the LORD, all his males shall be circumcised; then he may draw near to celebrate it; he shall be regarded as a native of the land. But no uncircumcised person shall eat of it; ⁴⁹there shall be one law for the native and for the alien who resides among you.

⁵⁰ All the Israelites did just as the LORD had commanded Moses and Aaron. ⁵¹That very day the LORD brought the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, company by company.

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THE LORD said to Moses: ²Consecrate to me all the firstborn; whatever is the first to open the womb among the Israelites, of human beings and animals, is mine.

The Festival of Unleavened Bread

³ Moses said to the people, ‘Remember this day on which you came out of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, because the LORD brought you out from there by strength of hand; no leavened bread shall be eaten. ⁴Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out. ⁵When the LORD brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this observance in this month. ⁶For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a festival to the LORD. ⁷Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen in your possession, and no leaven shall be seen among you in all your territory. ⁸You shall tell your child on that day, “It is because of what the LORD did for me when I came out of Egypt.” ⁹It shall serve for you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead, so that the teaching of the LORD may be on your lips; for with a strong hand the LORD brought you out of Egypt. ¹⁰You shall keep this ordinance at its proper time from year to year.

The Consecration of the Firstborn

¹¹ ‘When the LORD has brought you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your ancestors, and has given it to you, ¹²you shall set apart to the LORD all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your livestock that are males shall be the LORD’s. ¹³But every firstborn donkey you shall redeem with a sheep; if you do not redeem it, you must break its neck. Every firstborn male among your children you shall redeem. ¹⁴When in the future your child asks you, “What does this mean?” you shall answer, “By strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. ¹⁵When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the LORD killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from human firstborn to the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the LORD every male that first opens the womb, but every firstborn of my sons I redeem.” ¹⁶It shall serve as a sign on your hand and as an emblema on your forehead that by strength of hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt.’

The Pillars of Cloud and Fire

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was nearer; for God thought, ‘If the people face war, they may change their minds and return to Egypt.’ ¹⁸So God led the people by the roundabout way of the wilderness towards the Red Sea.b The Israelites went up out of the land of Egypt prepared for battle. ¹⁹And Moses took with him the bones of Joseph, who had required a solemn oath of the Israelites, saying, ‘God will surely take notice of you, and then you must carry my bones with you from here.’ ²⁰They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham, on the edge of the wilderness. ²¹The LORD went in front of them in a pillar of cloud by day, to lead them along the way, and in a pillar of fire by night, to give them light, so that they might travel by day and by night. ²²Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.

Crossing the Red Sea

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THEN the LORD said to Moses: ²‘Tell the Israelites to turn back and camp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall camp opposite it, by the sea. ³Pharaoh will say of the Israelites, ‘They are wandering aimlessly in the land; the wilderness has closed in on them.’ ⁴I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, so that I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army; and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD. And they did so.’

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, the minds of Pharaoh and his officials were changed towards the people, and they said, ‘What have we done, letting Israel leave our service?’ ⁶So he had his chariot made ready, and took his army with him; ⁷he took six hundred picked chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them. ⁸The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out boldly. ⁹The Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his chariot drivers and his army; they overtook them camped by the sea, by Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

¹⁰ As Pharaoh drew near, the Israelites looked back, and there were the Egyptians advancing on them. In great fear the Israelites cried out to the LORD. ¹¹They said to Moses, ‘Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us, bringing us out of Egypt? ¹²Is this not the very thing we told you in Egypt, “Let us alone and let us serve the Egyptians”? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.’ ¹³But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid, stand firm, and see the deliverance that the LORD will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today you shall never see again. ¹⁴The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.’

¹⁵ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Why do you cry out to me? Tell the Israelites to go forward. ¹⁶But you lift up your staff, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the Israelites may go into the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷Then I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them; and so I will gain glory for myself over Pharaoh and all his army, his chariots, and his chariot drivers. ¹⁸And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I have gained glory for myself over Pharaoh, his chariots, and his chariot drivers.’

¹⁹ The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. ²⁰It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The LORD drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. ²²The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. ²³The Egyptians pursued, and went into the sea after them, all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and chariot drivers. ²⁴At the morning watch the LORD in the pillar of fire and cloud looked down upon the Egyptian army, and threw the Egyptian army into panic. ²⁵He cloggeda their chariot wheels so that they turned with difficulty. The Egyptians said, ‘Let us flee from the Israelites, for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.’

The Pursuers Drowned

²⁶ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the water may come back upon the Egyptians, upon their chariots and chariot drivers.’ ²⁷So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea returned to its normal depth. As the Egyptians fled before it, the LORD tossed the Egyptians into the sea. ²⁸The waters returned and covered the chariots and the chariot drivers, the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed them into the sea; not one of them remained. ²⁹But the Israelites walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.

³⁰ Thus the LORD saved Israel that day from the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. ³¹Israel saw the great work that the LORD did against the Egyptians. So the people feared the LORD and believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.

The Song of Moses

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THEN Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the LORD:

‘I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;

horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.

² The LORD is my strength and my might,a

and he has become my salvation;

this is my God, and I will praise him,

my father’s God, and I will exalt him.

³ The LORD is a warrior;

the LORD is his name.

⁴ ‘Pharaoh’s chariots and his army he cast into the sea;

his picked officers were sunk in the Red Sea.b

⁵ The floods covered them;

they went down into the depths like a stone.

⁶ Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power—

your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy.

⁷ In the greatness of your majesty you overthrew your adversaries;

you sent out your fury, it consumed them like stubble.

⁸ At the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up,

the floods stood up in a heap;

the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea.

⁹ The enemy said, “I will pursue, I will overtake,

I will divide the spoil, my desire shall have its fill of them.

I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them.”

¹⁰ You blew with your wind, the sea covered them;

they sank like lead in the mighty waters.

¹¹ ‘Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

awesome in splendour, doing wonders?

¹² You stretched out your right hand,

the earth swallowed them.

¹³ ‘In your steadfast love you led the people whom you redeemed;

you guided them by your strength to your holy abode.

¹⁴ The peoples heard, they trembled;

pangs seized the inhabitants of Philistia.

¹⁵ Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed;

trembling seized the leaders of Moab;

all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away.

¹⁶ Terror and dread fell upon them;

by the might of your arm, they became still as a stone

until your people, O LORD, passed by,

until the people whom you acquired passed by.

¹⁷ You brought them in and planted them on the mountain of your own possession,

the place, O LORD, that you made your abode,

the sanctuary, O LORD, that your hands have established.

¹⁸ The LORD will reign for ever and ever.

¹⁹ When the horses of Pharaoh with his chariots and his chariot drivers went into the sea, the LORD brought back the waters of the sea upon them; but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground.

The Song of Miriam

²⁰ Then the prophet Miriam, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dancing. ²¹And Miriam sang to them:

‘Sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously;

horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.’

Bitter Water Made Sweet

²² Then Moses ordered Israel to set out from the Red Sea,a and they went into the wilderness of Shur. They went for three days in the wilderness and found no water. ²³When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter. That is why it was called Marah.b ²⁴ And the people complained against Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’²⁵ He cried out to the LORD; and the LORD showed him a piece of wood; c he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet.

There the LORDd made for them a statute and an ordinance and there he put them to the test. ²⁶He said, ‘If you will listen carefully to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in his sight, and give heed to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will not bring upon you any of the diseases that I brought upon the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.’

²⁷ Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees; and they camped there by the water.

Bread from Heaven

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THE whole congregation of the Israelites set out from Elim; and Israel came to the wilderness of Sin, which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had departed from the land of Egypt. ²The whole congregation of the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness. ³The Israelites said to them, ‘If only we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the fleshpots and ate our fill of bread; for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.’

⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I am going to rain bread from heaven for you, and each day the people shall go out and gather enough for that day. In that way I will test them, whether they will follow my instruction or not. ⁵On the sixth day, when they prepare what they bring in, it will be twice as much as they gather on other days.’ ⁶So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you shall know that it was the LORD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, ⁷and in the morning you shall see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaining against the LORD. For what are we, that you complain against us?’ ⁸And Moses said, ‘When the LORD gives you meat to eat in the evening and your fill of bread in the morning, because the LORD has heard the complaining that you utter against him—what are we? Your complaining is not against us but against the LORD.’

⁹ Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Say to the whole congregation of the Israelites, “Draw near to the LORD, for he has heard your complaining.”’ ¹⁰And as Aaron spoke to the whole congregation of the Israelites, they looked towards the wilderness, and the glory of the LORD appeared in the cloud. ¹¹The LORD spoke to Moses and said, ¹²‘I have heard the complaining of the Israelites; say to them, “At twilight you shall eat meat, and in the morning you shall have your fill of bread; then you shall know that I am the LORD your God.”’

¹³ In the evening quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning there was a layer of dew around the camp. ¹⁴When the layer of dew lifted, there on the surface of the wilderness was a fine flaky substance, as fine as frost on the ground. ¹⁵When the Israelites saw it, they said to one another, ‘What is it?’a For they did not know what it was. Moses said to them, ‘It is the bread that the LORD has given you to eat. ¹⁶This is what the LORD has commanded: “Gather as much of it as each of you needs, an omer to a person according to the number of persons, all providing for those in their own tents.”’ ¹⁷The Israelites did so, some gathering more, some less. ¹⁸But when they measured it with an omer, those who gathered much had nothing over, and those who gathered little had no shortage; they gathered as much as each of them needed. ¹⁹And Moses said to them, ‘Let no one leave any of it over until morning.’ ²⁰But they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul. And Moses was angry with them. ²¹Morning by morning they gathered it, as much as each needed; but when the sun grew hot, it melted.

²² On the sixth day they gathered twice as much food, two omers apiece. When all the leaders of the congregation came and told Moses, ²³he said to them, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded: “Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy sabbath to the LORD; bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil, and all that is left over put aside to be kept until morning.”’ ²⁴So they put it aside until morning, as Moses commanded them; and it did not become foul, and there were no worms in it. ²⁵Moses said, ‘Eat it today, for today is a sabbath to the LORD; today you will not find it in the field. ²⁶For six days you shall gather it; but on the seventh day, which is a sabbath, there will be none.’

²⁷ On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, and they found none. ²⁸The LORD said to Moses, ‘How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and instructions? ²⁹See! The LORD has given you the sabbath, therefore on the sixth day he gives you food for two days; each of you stay where you are; do not leave your place on the seventh day.’ ³⁰So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The house of Israel called it manna; it was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey. ³²Moses said, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded: “Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations, in order that they may see the food with which I fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you out of the land of Egypt.”’ ³³And Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take a jar, and put an omer of manna in it, and place it before the LORD, to be kept throughout your generations.’ ³⁴As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron placed it before the covenant,a for safe-keeping. ³⁵The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they came to a habitable land; they ate manna, until they came to the border of the land of Canaan. ³⁶An omer is a tenth of an ephah.

Water from the Rock

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FROM the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the LORD commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. ²The people quarrelled with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water to drink.’ Moses said to them, ‘Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the LORD?’ ³But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, ‘Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?’ ⁴So Moses cried out to the LORD, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me.’ ⁵The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. ⁶I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink.’ Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷He called the place Massahb and Meribah,c because the Israelites quarrelled and tested the LORD, saying, ‘Is the LORD among us or not?’

Amalek Attacks Israel and Is Defeated

⁸ Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. ⁹Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose some men for us and go out; fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.’ ¹⁰So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed; and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. ¹²But Moses’ hands grew weary; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; so his hands were steady until the sun set. ¹³And Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Write this as a reminder in a book and recite it in the hearing of Joshua: I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ ¹⁵And Moses built an altar and called it, The LORD is my banner. ¹⁶He said, ‘A hand upon the banner of the LORD!d The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’

Jethro’s Advice

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JETHRO, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for his people Israel, how the LORD had brought Israel out of Egypt. ²After Moses had sent away his wife Zipporah, his father-in-law Jethro took her back, ³along with her two sons. The name of one was Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been an aliena in a foreign land’), ⁴and the name of the other, Eliezerb (for he said, ‘The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh’). ⁵Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came into the wilderness where Moses was encamped at the mountain of God, bringing Moses’ sons and wife to him. ⁶He sent word to Moses, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you, with your wife and her two sons.’ ⁷Moses went out to meet his father-in-law; he bowed down and kissed him; each asked after the other’s welfare, and they went into the tent. ⁸Then Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had beset them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them. ⁹Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done to Israel, in delivering them from the Egyptians.

¹⁰ Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has delivered you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. ¹¹Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods, because he delivered the people from the Egyptians,c when they dealt arrogantly with them.’ ¹²And Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, brought a burnt-offering and sacrifices to God; and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law in the presence of God.

¹³ The next day Moses sat as judge for the people, while the people stood around him from morning until evening. ¹⁴When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?’ ¹⁵Moses said to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God. ¹⁶When they have a dispute, they come to me and I decide between one person and another, and I make known to them the statutes and instructions of God.’ ¹⁷Moses” father-in-law said to him, ‘What you are doing is not good. ¹⁸You will surely wear yourself out, both you and these people with you. For the task is too heavy for you; you cannot do it alone. ¹⁹Now listen to me. I will give you counsel, and God be with you! You should represent the people before God, and you should bring their cases before God; ²⁰teach them the statutes and instructions and make known to them the way they are to go and the things they are to do. ²¹You should also look for able men among all the people, men who fear God, are trustworthy, and hate dishonest gain; set such men over them as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. ²²Let them sit as judges for the people at all times; let them bring every important case to you, but decide every minor case themselves. So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you. ²³If you do this, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all these people will go to their home in peace.’

²⁴ So Moses listened to his father-in-law and did all that he had said. ²⁵Moses chose able men from all Israel and appointed them as heads over the people, as officers over thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. ²⁶And they judged the people at all times; hard cases they brought to Moses, but any minor case they decided themselves. ²⁷Then Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went off to his own country.

The Israelites Reach Mount Sinai

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AT THE third new moon after the Israelites had gone out of the land of Egypt, on that very day, they came into the wilderness of Sinai. ²They had journeyed from Rephidim, entered the wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness; Israel camped there in front of the mountain. ³Then Moses went up to God; the LORD called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the Israelites: ⁴You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. ⁵Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, ⁶but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the Israelites.’

⁷ So Moses came, summoned the elders of the people, and set before them all these words that the LORD had commanded him. ⁸The people all answered as one: ‘Everything that the LORD has spoken we will do.’ Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD. ⁹Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘I am going to come to you in a dense cloud, in order that the people may hear when I speak with you and so trust you ever after.’

The People Consecrated

When Moses had told the words of the people to the LORD, ¹⁰the LORD said to Moses: ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes ¹¹and prepare for the third day, because on the third day the LORD will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. ¹²You shall set limits for the people all around, saying, “Be careful not to go up the mountain or to touch the edge of it. Any who touch the mountain shall be put to death. ¹³No hand shall touch them, but they shall be stoned or shot with arrows;a whether animal or human being, they shall not live.” When the trumpet sounds a long blast, they may go up on the mountain.’ ¹⁴So Moses went down from the mountain to the people. He consecrated the people, and they washed their clothes. ¹⁵And he said to the people, ‘Prepare for the third day; do not go near a woman.’

¹⁶ On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, as well as a thick cloud on the mountain, and a blast of a trumpet so loud that all the people who were in the camp trembled. ¹⁷Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God. They took their stand at the foot of the mountain. ¹⁸Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke, because the LORD had descended upon it in fire; the smoke went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently. ¹⁹As the blast of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses would speak and God would answer him in thunder. ²⁰When the LORD descended upon Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain, the LORD summoned Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. ²¹Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people not to break through to the LORD to look; otherwise many of them will perish. ²²Even the priests who approach the LORD must consecrate themselves or the LORD will break out against them.’ ²³Moses said to the LORD, ‘The people are not permitted to come up to Mount Sinai; for you yourself warned us, saying, “Set limits around the mountain and keep it holy.”’

²⁴The LORD said to him, ‘Go down, and come up bringing Aaron with you; but do not let either the priests or the people break through to come up to the LORD; otherwise he will break out against them.’ ²⁵So Moses went down to the people and told them.

The Ten Commandments

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THEN God spoke all these words:

² I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ³you shall have no other gods beforea me.

⁴ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁵You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and the fourth generation of those who reject me, ⁶but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generationb of those who love me and keep my commandments.

⁷ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

⁸ Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. ⁹For six days you shall labour and do all your work. ¹⁰But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. ¹¹For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.

¹² Honour your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

¹³ You shall not murder.c

¹⁴ You shall not commit adultery.

¹⁵ You shall not steal.

¹⁶ You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

¹⁷ You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

¹⁸ When all the people witnessed the thunder and lightning, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking, they were afraidd and trembled and stood at a distance, ¹⁹and said to Moses, ‘You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, or we will die.’ ²⁰Moses said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; for God has come only to test you and to put the fear of him upon you so that you do not sin.’ ²¹Then the people stood at a distance, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

The Law concerning the Altar

²² The LORD said to Moses: Thus you shall say to the Israelites: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I spoke with you from heaven. ²³You shall not make gods of silver alongside me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. ²⁴You need make for me only an altar of earth and sacrifice on it your burnt-offerings and your offerings of well-being, your sheep and your oxen; in every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. ²⁵But if you make for me an altar of stone, do not build it of hewn stones; for if you use a chisel upon it you profane it. ²⁶You shall not go up by steps to my altar, so that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’

The Law concerning Slaves

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THESE are the ordinances that you shall set before them:

² When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve for six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. ³If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. ⁴If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone. ⁵But if the slave declares, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out a free person’, ⁶then his master shall bring him before God.a He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

⁷ When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. ⁸If she does not please her master, who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt unfairly with her. ⁹If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. ¹⁰If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish the food, clothing, or marital rights of the first wife.b ¹¹And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out without debt, without payment of money.

The Law concerning Violence

¹² Whoever strikes a person mortally shall be put to death. ¹³If it was not premeditated, but came about by an act of God, then I will appoint for you a place to which the killer may flee. ¹⁴But if someone wilfully attacks and kills another by treachery, you shall take the killer from my altar for execution.

¹⁵ Whoever strikes father or mother shall be put to death.

¹⁶ Whoever kidnaps a person, whether that person has been sold or is still held in possession, shall be put to death.

¹⁷ Whoever curses father or mother shall be put to death.

¹⁸ When individuals quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or fist so that the injured party, though not dead, is confined to bed, ¹⁹but recovers and walks around outside with the help of a staff, then the assailant shall be free of liability, except to pay for the loss of time, and to arrange for full recovery.

²⁰ When a slave-owner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. ²¹But if the slave survives for a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property.

²² When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage, and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judge sdetermine. ²³If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, ²⁴eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, ²⁵burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.

²⁶ When a slave-owner strikes the eye of a male or female slave, destroying it, the owner shall let the slave go, a free person, to compensate for the eye. ²⁷If the owner knocks out a tooth of a male or female slave, the slave shall be let go, a free person, to compensate for the tooth.

Laws concerning Property

²⁸ When an ox gores a man or a woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten; but the owner of the ox shall not be liable. ²⁹If the ox has been accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has been warned but has not restrained it, and it kills a man or a woman, the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death. ³⁰If a ransom is imposed on the owner, then the owner shall pay whatever is imposed for the redemption of the victim’s life. ³¹If it gores a boy or a girl, the owner shall be dealt with according to this same rule. ³²If the ox gores a male or female slave, the owner shall pay to the slave-owner thirty shekels of silver, and the ox shall be stoned.

³³ If someone leaves a pit open, or digs a pit and does not cover it, and an ox or a donkey falls into it, ³⁴the owner of the pit shall make restitution, giving money to its owner, but keeping the dead animal.

³⁵ If someone’s ox hurts the ox of another, so that it dies, then they shall sell the live ox and divide the price of it; and the dead animal they shall also divide. ³⁶But if it was known that the ox was accustomed to gore in the past, and its owner has not restrained it, the owner shall restore ox for ox, but keep the dead animal.

Laws of Restitution

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WHEN someone steals an ox or a sheep, and slaughters it or sells it, the thief shall pay five oxen for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.b The thief shall make restitution, but if unable to do so, shall be sold for the theft. ⁴When the animal, whether ox or donkey or sheep, is found alive in the thief’s possession, the thief shall pay double.

²c If a thief is found breaking in, and is beaten to death, no blood-guilt is incurred; ³but if it happens after sunrise, blood-guilt is incurred.

⁵ When someone causes a field or vineyard to be grazed over, or lets livestock loose to graze in someone else’s field, restitution shall be made from the best in the owner’s field or vineyard.

⁶ When fire breaks out and catches in thorns so that the stacked grain or the standing grain or the field is consumed, the one who started the fire shall make full restitution.

⁷ When someone delivers to a neighbour money or goods for safe keeping, and they are stolen from the neighbour’s house, then the thief, if caught, shall pay double. ⁸If the thief is not caught, the owner of the house shall be brought before God,d to determine whether or not the owner had laid hands on the neighbour’s goods.

⁹ In any case of disputed ownership involving ox, donkey, sheep, clothing, or any other loss, of which one party says, ‘This is mine’, the case of both parties shall come before God;a the one whom God condemnsb shall pay double to the other.

¹⁰ When someone delivers to another a donkey, ox, sheep, or any other animal for safekeeping, and it dies or is injured or is carried off, without anyone seeing it, ¹¹an oath before the LORD shall decide between the two of them that the one has not laid hands on the property of the other; the owner shall accept the oath, and no restitution shall be made. ¹²But if it was stolen, restitution shall be made to its owner. ¹³If it was mangled by beasts, let it be brought as evidence; restitution shall not be made for the mangled remains.

¹⁴ When someone borrows an animal from another and it is injured or dies, the owner not being present, full restitution shall be made. ¹⁵If the owner was present, there shall be no restitution; if it was hired, only the hiring fee is due.

Social and Religious Laws

¹⁶ When a man seduces a virgin who is not engaged to be married, and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife. ¹⁷But if her father refuses to give her to him, he shall pay an amount equal to the bride-price for virgins.

¹⁸ You shall not permit a female sorcerer to live.

¹⁹ Whoever lies with an animal shall be put to death.

²⁰ Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.

²¹ You shall not wrong or oppress a resident alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. ²²You shall not abuse any widow or orphan. ²³If you do abuse them, when they cry out to me, I will surely heed their cry; ²⁴my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children orphans.

²⁵ If you lend money to my people, to the poor among you, you shall not deal with them as a creditor; you shall not exact interest from them. ²⁶If you take your neighbour’s cloak in pawn, you shall restore it before the sun goes down; ²⁷for it may be your neighbour’s only clothing to use as cover; in what else shall that person sleep? And if your neighbour cries out to me, I will listen, for I am compassionate.

²⁸ You shall not revile God, or curse a leader of your people.

²⁹ You shall not delay to make offerings from the fullness of your harvest and from the outflow of your presses.c

The firstborn of your sons you shall give to me. ³⁰You shall do the same with your oxen and with your sheep: for seven days it shall remain with its mother; on the eighth day you shall give it to me.

³¹ You shall be people consecrated to me; therefore you shall not eat any meat that is mangled by beasts in the field; you shall throw it to the dogs.

Justice for All

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YOU shall not spread a false report. You shall not join hands with the wicked to act as a malicious witness. ²You shall not follow a majority in wrongdoing; when you bear witness in a lawsuit, you shall not side with the majority so as to pervert justice; ³nor shall you be partial to the poor in a lawsuit.

⁴ When you come upon your enemy’s ox or donkey going astray, you shall bring it back.

⁵ When you see the donkey of one who hates you lying under its burden and you would hold back from setting it free, you must help to set it free.a

⁶ You shall not pervert the justice due to your poor in their lawsuits. ⁷Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent or those in the right, for I will not acquit the guilty. ⁸You shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the officials, and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

⁹ You shall not oppress a resident alien; you know the heart of an alien, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt.

Sabbatical Year and Sabbath

¹⁰ For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; ¹¹but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat. You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive orchard.

¹² For six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may have relief, and your home-born slave and the resident alien may be refreshed. ¹³Be attentive to all that I have said to you. Do not invoke the names of other gods; do not let them be heard on your lips.

The Annual Festivals

¹⁴ Three times in the year you shall hold a festival for me. ¹⁵You shall observe the festival of unleavened bread; as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt.

No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

¹⁶ You shall observe the festival of harvest, of the first fruits of your labour, of what you sow in the field. You shall observe the festival of ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in from the field the fruit of your labour. ¹⁷Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

¹⁸ You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with anything leavened, or let the fat of my festival remain until the morning.

¹⁹ The choicest of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring into the house of the LORD your God.

You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

The Conquest of Canaan Promised

²⁰ I am going to send an angel in front of you, to guard you on the way and to bring you to the place that I have prepared. ²¹Be attentive to him and listen to his voice; do not rebel against him, for he will not pardon your transgression; for my name is in him.

²² But if you listen attentively to his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and a foe to your foes.

²³ When my angel goes in front of you, and brings you to the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, and I blot them out, ²⁴you shall not bow down to their gods, or worship them, or follow their practices, but you shall utterly demolish them and break their pillars in pieces. ²⁵You shall worship the LORD your God, and Ia will bless your bread and your water; and I will take sickness away from among you. ²⁶No one shall miscarry or be barren in your land; I will fulfil the number of your days. ²⁷I will send my terror in front of you, and will throw into confusion all the people against whom you shall come, and I will make all your enemies turn their backs to you. ²⁸And I will send the pestilenceb in front of you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. ²⁹I will not drive them out from before you in one year, or the land would become desolate and the wild animals would multiply against you. ³⁰Little by little I will drive them out from before you, until you have increased and possess the land. ³¹I will set your borders from the Red Seac to the sea of the Philistines, and from the wilderness to the Euphrates; for I will hand over to you the inhabitants of the land, and you shall drive them out before you. ³²You shall make no covenant with them and their gods. ³³They shall not live in your land, or they will make you sin against me; for if you worship their gods, it will surely be a snare to you.

The Blood of the Covenant

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THEN he said to Moses, ‘Come up to the LORD, you and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and worship at a distance. ²Moses alone shall come near the LORD; but the others shall not come near, and the people shall not come up with him.’

³ Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the ordinances; and all the people answered with one voice, and said, ‘All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do.’ ⁴And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning, and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and set up twelve pillars, corresponding to the twelve tribes of Israel. ⁵He sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings and sacrificed oxen as offerings of well-being to the LORD. ⁶Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he dashed against the altar. ⁷Then he took the book of the covenant, and read it in the hearing of the people; and they said, ‘All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient.’ ⁸Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people, and said, ‘See the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.’

On the Mountain with God

⁹ Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up, ¹⁰and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness. ¹¹Godd did not lay his hand on the chief men of the people of Israel; also they beheld God, and they ate and drank.

¹² The LORD said to Moses, ‘Come up to me on the mountain, and wait there; and I will give you the tablets of stone, with the law and the commandment, which I have written for their instruction.’ ¹³So Moses set out with his assistant Joshua, and Moses went up into the mountain of God. ¹⁴To the elders he had said, ‘Wait here for us, until we come to you again; for Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a dispute may go to them.’

¹⁵ Then Moses went up on the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. ¹⁶The glory of the LORD settled on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; on the seventh day he called to Moses out of the cloud. ¹⁷Now the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a devouring fire on the top of the mountain in the sight of the people of Israel. ¹⁸Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.

Offerings for the Tabernacle

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THE LORD said to Moses: ²Tell the Israelites to take for me an offering; from all whose hearts prompt them to give you shall receive the offering for me. ³This is the offering that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze, ⁴blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine linen, goats’ hair, ⁵tanned rams’ skins, fine leather,a acacia wood, ⁶oil for the lamps, spices for the anointing-oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁷onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and for the breastpiece. ⁸And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them. ⁹In accordance with all that I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.

The Ark of the Covenant

¹⁰ They shall make an ark of acacia wood; it shall be two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹You shall overlay it with pure gold, inside and outside you shall overlay it, and you shall make a moulding of gold upon it all round. ¹²You shall cast four rings of gold for it and put them on its four feet, two rings on one side of it, and two rings on the other side. ¹³You shall make poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ¹⁴And you shall put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, by which to carry the ark. ¹⁵The poles shall remain in the rings of the ark; they shall not be taken from it. ¹⁶You shall put into the ark the covenantb that I shall give you.

¹⁷ Then you shall make a mercy-seatc of pure gold; two cubits and a half shall be its length, and a cubit and a half its width. ¹⁸You shall make two cherubim of gold; you shall make them of hammered work, at the two ends of the mercy-seat.d ¹⁹Make one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other; of one piece with the mercy-seatd you shall make the cherubim at its two ends. ²⁰The cherubim shall spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seatd with their wings. They shall face each other; the faces of the cherubim shall be turned towards the mercy-seat.d²¹ You shall put the mercy-seat d on the top of the ark; and in the ark you shall put the covenant b that I shall give you.²² There I will meet you, and from above the mercy-seat, d from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the covenant, b I will deliver to you all my commands for the Israelites.

The Table for the Bread of the Presence

²³ You shall make a table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. ²⁴You shall overlay it with pure gold, and make a moulding of gold round it. ²⁵You shall make round it a rim a handbreadth wide, and a moulding of gold round the rim. ²⁶You shall make for it four rings of gold, and fasten the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ²⁷The rings that hold the poles used for carrying the table shall be close to the rim. ²⁸You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold, and the table shall be carried with these. ²⁹You shall make its plates and dishes for incense, and its flagons and bowls with which to pour drink-offerings; you shall make them of pure gold. ³⁰And you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always.

The Lampstand

³¹ You shall make a lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand shall be made of hammered work; its cups, its calyxes, and its petals shall be of one piece with it; ³²and there shall be six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; ³³three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. ³⁴On the lampstand itself there shall be four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyxes and petals. ³⁵There shall be a calyx of one piece with it under the first pair of branches, a calyx of one piece with it under the next pair of branches, and a calyx of one piece with it under the last pair of branches—so for the six branches that go out of the lampstand. ³⁶Their calyxes and their branches shall be of one piece with it, the whole of it one hammered piece of pure gold. ³⁷You shall make the seven lamps for it; and the lamps shall be set up so as to give light on the space in front of it. ³⁸Its snuffers and trays shall be of pure gold. ³⁹It, and all these utensils, shall be made from a talent of pure gold. ⁴⁰And see that you make them according to the pattern for them, which is being shown you on the mountain.

The Tabernacle

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MOREOVER, you shall make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns; you shall make them with cherubim skilfully worked into them. ²The length of each curtain shall be twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains shall be of the same size. ³Five curtains shall be joined to one another; and the other five curtains shall be joined to one another. ⁴You shall make loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain in the first set; and likewise you shall make loops on the edge of the outermost curtain in the second set. ⁵You shall make fifty loops on the one curtain, and you shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is in the second set; the loops shall be opposite one another. ⁶You shall make fifty clasps of gold, and join the curtains to one another with the clasps, so that the tabernacle may be one whole.

⁷ You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; you shall make eleven curtains. ⁸The length of each curtain shall be thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains shall be of the same size. ⁹You shall join five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves, and the sixth curtain you shall double over at the front of the tent. ¹⁰You shall make fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that is outermost in the second set.

¹¹ You shall make fifty clasps of bronze, and put the clasps into the loops, and join the tent together, so that it may be one whole. ¹²The part that remains of the curtains of the tent, the half-curtain that remains, shall hang over the back of the tabernacle. ¹³The cubit on one side, and the cubit on the other side, of what remains in the length of the curtains of the tent, shall hang over the sides of the tabernacle, on this side and that side, to cover it. ¹⁴You shall make for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather.a

The Framework

¹⁵ You shall make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. ¹⁶Ten cubits shall be the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. ¹⁷There shall be two pegs in each frame to fit the frames together; you shall make these for all the frames of the tabernacle. ¹⁸You shall make the frames for the tabernacle: twenty frames for the south side; ¹⁹and you shall make forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under the first frame for its two pegs, and two bases under the next frame for its two pegs; ²⁰and for the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side twenty frames, ²¹and their forty bases of silver, two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame; ²²and for the rear of the tabernacle westward you shall make six frames. ²³You shall make two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear; ²⁴they shall be separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; it shall be the same with both of them; they shall form the two corners. ²⁵And so there shall be eight frames, with their bases of silver, sixteen bases; two bases under the first frame, and two bases under the next frame.

²⁶ You shall make bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of one side of the tabernacle, ²⁷and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the side of the tabernacle at the rear to the west. ²⁸The middle bar, halfway up the frames, shall pass through from end to end. ²⁹You shall overlay the frames with gold, and shall make their rings of gold to hold the bars; and you shall overlay the bars with gold. ³⁰Then you shall erect the tabernacle according to the plan for it that you were shown on the mountain.

The Curtain

³¹ You shall make a curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim skilfully worked into it. ³²You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, which have hooks of gold and rest on four bases of silver. ³³You shall hang the curtain under the clasps, and bring the ark of the covenantb inside, within the curtain; and the curtain shall separate for you the holy place from the most holy. ³⁴You shall put the mercy-seatc on the ark of the covenanta in the most holy place. ³⁵You shall set the table outside the curtain, and the lampstand on the south side of the tabernacle opposite the table; and you shall put the table on the north side.

³⁶ You shall make a screen for the entrance of the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework. ³⁷You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five bases of bronze for them.

The Altar of Burnt-Offering

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YOU shall make the altar of acacia wood, five cubits long and five cubits wide; the altar shall be square, and it shall be three cubits high. ²You shall make horns for it on its four corners; its horns shall be of one piece with it, and you shall overlay it with bronze. ³You shall make pots for it to receive its ashes, and shovels and basins and forks and firepans; you shall make all its utensils of bronze. ⁴You shall also make for it a grating, a network of bronze; and on the net you shall make four bronze rings at its four corners. ⁵You shall set it under the ledge of the altar so that the net shall extend half-way down the altar. ⁶You shall make poles for the altar, poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with bronze; ⁷the poles shall be put through the rings, so that the poles shall be on the two sides of the altar when it is carried. ⁸You shall make it hollow, with boards. They shall be made just as you were shown on the mountain.

The Court and Its Hangings

⁹ You shall make the court of the tabernacle. On the south side the court shall have hangings of fine twisted linen one hundred cubits long for that side; ¹⁰its twenty pillars and their twenty bases shall be of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. ¹¹Likewise, for its length on the north side there shall be hangings one hundred cubits long, their pillars twenty and their bases twenty, of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands shall be of silver. ¹²For the width of the court on the west side there shall be fifty cubits of hangings, with ten pillars and ten bases. ¹³The width of the court on the front to the east shall be fifty cubits. ¹⁴There shall be fifteen cubits of hangings on one side, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁵There shall be fifteen cubits of hangings on the other side, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶For the gate of the court there shall be a screen twenty cubits long, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework; it shall have four pillars and with them four bases. ¹⁷All the pillars around the court shall be banded with silver; their hooks shall be of silver, and their bases of bronze. ¹⁸The length of the court shall be one hundred cubits, the width fifty, and the height five cubits, with hangings of fine twisted linen and bases of bronze. ¹⁹All the utensils of the tabernacle for every use, and all its pegs and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.

The Oil for the Lamp

²⁰ You shall further command the Israelites to bring you pure oil of beaten olives for the light, so that a lamp may be set up to burn regularly. ²¹In the tent of meeting, outside the curtain that is before the covenant,a Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the LORD. It shall be a perpetual ordinance to be observed throughout their generations by the Israelites.

Vestments for the Priesthood

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THEN bring near to you your brother Aaron, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. ²You shall make sacred vestments for the glorious adornment of your brother Aaron. ³And you shall speak to all who have ability, whom I have endowed with skill, that they make Aaron’s vestments to consecrate him for my priesthood. ⁴These are the vestments that they shall make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a chequered tunic, a turban, and a sash. When they make these sacred vestments for your brother Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests, ⁵they shall use gold, blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine linen.

The Ephod

⁶ They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, skilfully worked. ⁷It shall have two shoulder-pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. ⁸The decorated band on it shall be of the same workmanship and materials, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. ⁹You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, ¹⁰six of their names on one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, in the order of their birth. ¹¹As a gem-cutter engraves signets, so you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel; you shall mount them in settings of gold filigree. ¹²You shall set the two stones on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for remembrance. ¹³You shall make settings of gold filigree, ¹⁴and two chains of pure gold, twisted like cords; and you shall attach the corded chains to the settings.

The Breastplate

¹⁵ You shall make a breastpiece of judgement, in skilled work; you shall make it in the style of the ephod; of gold, of blue and purple and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen you shall make it. ¹⁶It shall be square and doubled, a span in length and a span in width. ¹⁷You shall set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian,b chrysolite, and emerald shall be the first row;¹⁸ and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire, c and a moonstone;¹⁹ and the third row a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;²⁰ and the fourth row a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they shall be set in gold filigree.²¹ There shall be twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they shall be like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.²² You shall make for the breastpiece chains of pure gold, twisted like cords;²³ and you shall make for the breastpiece two rings of gold, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece.²⁴ You shall put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece; ²⁵the two ends of the two cords you shall attach to the two settings, and so attach it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. ²⁶You shall make two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod. ²⁷You shall make two rings of gold, and attach them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the decorated band of the ephod. ²⁸The breastpiece shall be bound by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it may lie on the decorated band of the ephod, and so that the breastpiece shall not come loose from the ephod. ²⁹So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgement on his heart when he goes into the holy place, for a continual remembrance before the LORD. ³⁰In the breastpiece of judgement you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aaron’s heart when he goes in before the LORD; thus Aaron shall bear the judgement of the Israelites on his heart before the LORD continually.

Other Priestly Vestments

³¹ You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. ³²It shall have an opening for the head in the middle of it, with a woven binding round the opening, like the opening in a coat of mail,a so that it may not be torn. ³³On its lower hem you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, all round the lower hem, with bells of gold between them all round—³⁴a golden bell and a pomegranate alternating all round the lower hem of the robe. ³⁵Aaron shall wear it when he ministers, and its sound shall be heard when he goes into the holy place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he may not die.

³⁶ You shall make a rosette of pure gold, and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ ³⁷You shall fasten it on the turban with a blue cord; it shall be on the front of the turban. ³⁸It shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall take on himself any guilt incurred in the holy offering that the Israelites consecrate as their sacred donations; it shall always be on his forehead, in order that they may find favour before the LORD.

³⁹ You shall make the chequered tunic of fine linen, and you shall make a turban of fine linen, and you shall make a sash embroidered with needlework.

⁴⁰ For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics and sashes and head-dresses; you shall make them for their glorious adornment. ⁴¹You shall put them on your brother Aaron, and on his sons with him, and shall anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests. ⁴²You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh; they shall reach from the hips to the thighs; ⁴³Aaron and his sons shall wear them when they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister in the holy place; or they will bring guilt on themselves and die. This shall be a perpetual ordinance for him and for his descendants after him.

The Ordination of the Priests

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NOW this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, so that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish, ²and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil. You shall make them of choice wheat flour. ³You shall put them in one basket and bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. ⁴You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water. ⁵Then you shall take the vestments, and put on Aaron the tunic and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and gird him with the decorated band of the ephod; ⁶and you shall set the turban on his head, and put the holy diadem on the turban. ⁷You shall take the anointing-oil, and pour it on his head and anoint him. ⁸Then you shall bring his sons, and put tunics on them, ⁹and you shall gird them with sashesa and tie head-dresses on them; and the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual ordinance. You shall then ordain Aaron and his sons.

¹⁰ You shall bring the bull in front of the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the bull, ¹¹and you shall slaughter the bull before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, ¹²and shall take some of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and all the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. ¹³You shall take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and turn them into smoke on the altar. ¹⁴But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung, you shall burn with fire outside the camp; it is a sin-offering.

¹⁵ Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, ¹⁶and you shall slaughter the ram, and shall take its blood and dash it against all sides of the altar. ¹⁷Then you shall cut the ram into its parts, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its parts and its head, ¹⁸and turn the whole ram into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt-offering to the LORD; it is a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD.

¹⁹ You shall take the other ram; and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram, ²⁰and you shall slaughter the ram, and take some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the lobes of the right ears of his sons, and on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet, and dash the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. ²¹Then you shall take some of the blood that is on the altar, and some of the anointing-oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron and his vestments and on his sons and his sons’ vestments with him; then he and his vestments shall be holy, as well as his sons and his sons’ vestments.

²² You shall also take the fat of the ram, the fat-tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the appendage of the liver, the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh (for it is a ram of ordination), ²³and one loaf of bread, one cake of bread made with oil, and one wafer, out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the LORD; ²⁴and you shall place all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and raise them as an elevation-offering before the LORD. ²⁵Then you shall take them from their hands, and turn them into smoke on the altar on top of the burnt-offering of pleasing odour before the LORD; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

²⁶ You shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron’s ordination and raise it as an elevation-offering before the LORD; and it shall be your portion. ²⁷You shall consecrate the breast that was raised as an elevation-offering and the thigh that was raised as an elevation-offering from the ram of ordination, from that which belonged to Aaron and his sons. ²⁸These things shall be a perpetual ordinance for Aaron and his sons from the Israelites, for this is an offering; and it shall be an offering by the Israelites from their sacrifice of offerings of well-being, their offering to the LORD.

²⁹ The sacred vestments of Aaron shall be passed on to his sons after him; they shall be anointed in them and ordained in them. ³⁰The son who is priest in his place shall wear them for seven days, when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the holy place.

³¹ You shall take the ram of ordination, and boil its flesh in a holy place; ³²and Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ³³They themselves shall eat the food by which atonement is made, to ordain and consecrate them, but no one else shall eat of them, because they are holy. ³⁴If any of the flesh for the ordination, or of the bread, remains until the morning, then you shall burn the remainder with fire; it shall not be eaten, because it is holy.

³⁵ Thus you shall do to Aaron and to his sons, just as I have commanded you; over seven days you shall ordain them. ³⁶Also every day you shall offer a bull as a sin-offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin-offering for the altar, when you make atonement for it, and shall anoint it, to consecrate it. ³⁷For seven days you shall make atonement for the altar, and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy; whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

The Daily Offerings

³⁸ Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two lambs a year old regularly each day. ³⁹One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening; ⁴⁰and with the first lamb one-tenth of a measure of choice flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink-offering. ⁴¹And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and shall offer with it a grain-offering and its drink-offering, as in the morning, for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁴²It shall be a regular burnt-offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD, where I will meet you, to speak to you there. ⁴³I will meet the Israelites there, and it shall be sanctified by my glory; ⁴⁴I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar; Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate, to serve me as priests. ⁴⁵I will dwell among the Israelites, and I will be their God. ⁴⁶And they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of the land of Egypt that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God.

The Altar of Incense

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YOU shall make an altar on which to offer incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. ²It shall be one cubit long, and one cubit wide; it shall be square, and shall be two cubits high; its horns shall be of one piece with it. ³You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top, and its sides all round and its horns; and you shall make for it a moulding of gold all round. ⁴And you shall make two golden rings for it; under its moulding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall hold the poles with which to carry it. ⁵You shall make the poles of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold. ⁶You shall place it in front of the curtain that is above the ark of the covenant,a in front of the mercy-seatb that is over the covenant,a where I will meet you. ⁷Aaron shall offer fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall offer it, ⁸and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening he shall offer it, a regular incense-offering before the LORD throughout your generations. ⁹You shall not offer unholy incense on it, or a burnt-offering, or a grain-offering; and you shall not pour a drink-offering on it. ¹⁰Once a year Aaron shall perform the rite of atonement on its horns. Throughout your generations he shall perform the atonement for it once a year with the blood of the atoning sin-offering. It is most holy to the LORD.

The Half-Shekel for the Sanctuary

¹¹ The LORD spoke to Moses: ¹²When you take a census of the Israelites to register them, at registration all of them shall give a ransom for their lives to the LORD, so that no plague may come upon them for being registered. ¹³This is what each one who is registered shall give: half a shekel according to the shekel of the sanctuary (the shekel is twenty gerahs), half a shekel as an offering to the LORD. ¹⁴Each one who is registered, from twenty years old and upwards, shall give the LORD’s offering. ¹⁵The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less, than the half-shekel, when you bring this offering to the LORD to make atonement for your lives. ¹⁶You shall take the atonement money from the Israelites and shall designate it for the service of the tent of meeting; before the LORD it will be a reminder to the Israelites of the ransom given for your lives.

The Bronze Basin

¹⁷ The LORD spoke to Moses: ¹⁸You shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it; ¹⁹with the waterc Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. ²⁰When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to make an offering by fire to the LORD, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. ²¹They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die: it shall be a perpetual ordinance for them, for him and for his descendants throughout their generations.

The Anointing-Oil and Incense

²² The LORD spoke to Moses: ²³Take the finest spices: of liquid myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet-smelling cinnamon half as much, that is, two hundred and fifty, and two hundred and fifty of aromatic cane, ²⁴and five hundred of cassia—measured by the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of olive oil; ²⁵and you shall make of these a sacred anointing-oil blended as by the perfumer; it shall be a holy anointing-oil. ²⁶With it you shall anoint the tent of meeting and the ark of the covenant,a ²⁷and the table and all its utensils, and the lampstand and its utensils, and the altar of incense, ²⁸and the altar of burnt-offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand; ²⁹you shall consecrate them, so that they may be most holy; whatever touches them will become holy. ³⁰You shall anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, in order that they may serve me as priests. ³¹You shall say to the Israelites, ‘This shall be my holy anointing-oil throughout your generations. ³²It shall not be used in any ordinary anointing of the body, and you shall make no other like it in composition; it is holy, and it shall be holy to you. ³³Whoever compounds any like it or whoever puts any of it on an unqualified person shall be cut off from the people.’

³⁴ The LORD said to Moses: Take sweet spices, stacte, and onycha, and galbanum, sweet spices with pure frankincense (an equal part of each), ³⁵and make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy; ³⁶and you shall beat some of it into powder, and put part of it before the covenanta in the tent of meeting where I shall meet you; it shall be for you most holy. ³⁷When you make incense according to this composition, you shall not make it for yourselves; it shall be regarded by you as holy to the LORD. ³⁸Whoever makes any like it to use as perfume shall be cut off from the people.

Bezalel and Oholiab

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THE LORD spoke to Moses: ²See, I have called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: ³and I have filled him with divine spirit,b with ability, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft,⁴ to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,⁵ in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.⁶ Moreover, I have appointed with him Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have given skill to all the skilful, so that they may make all that I have commanded you:⁷ the tent of meeting, and the ark of the covenant,a and the mercy-seatc that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent,⁸ the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense,⁹ and the altar of burnt-offering with all its utensils, and the basin with its stand,¹⁰ and the finely worked vestments, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests,¹¹ and the anointing-oil and the fragrant incense for the holy place. They shall do just as I have commanded you.

The Sabbath Law

¹² The LORD said to Moses: ¹³You yourself are to speak to the Israelites: ‘You shall keep my sabbaths, for this is a sign between me and you throughout your generations, given in order that you may know that I, the LORD, sanctify you. ¹⁴You shall keep the sabbath, because it is holy for you; everyone who profanes it shall be put to death; whoever does any work on it shall be cut off from among the people. ¹⁵For six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a sabbath of solemn rest, holy to the LORD; whoever does any work on the sabbath day shall be put to death. ¹⁶Therefore the Israelites shall keep the sabbath, observing the sabbath throughout their generations, as a perpetual covenant. ¹⁷It is a sign for ever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.’

The Two Tablets of the Covenant

¹⁸ When Goda finished speaking with Moses on Mount Sinai, he gave him the two tablets of the covenant,b tablets of stone, written with the finger of God.

The Golden Calf

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WHEN the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered around Aaron and said to him, ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ ²Aaron said to them, ‘Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.’ ³So all the people took off the gold rings from their ears, and brought them to Aaron. ⁴He took the gold from them, formed it in a mould,c and cast an image of a calf; and they said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’ ⁵When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation and said, ‘Tomorrow shall be a festival to the LORD.’ ⁶They rose early the next day, and offered burnt-offerings and brought sacrifices of well-being; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to revel.

⁷ The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down at once! Your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have acted perversely; ⁸they have been quick to turn aside from the way that I commanded them; they have cast for themselves an image of a calf, and have worshipped it and sacrificed to it, and said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”’ ⁹The LORD said to Moses, ‘I have seen this people, how stiff-necked they are. ¹⁰Now let me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them; and of you I will make a great nation.’

¹¹ But Moses implored the LORD his God, and said, ‘O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? ¹²Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people. ¹³Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, how you swore to them by your own self, saying to them, “I will multiply your descendants like the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it for ever.”’ ¹⁴And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.

¹⁵ Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenantb in his hands, tablets that were written on both sides, written on the front and on the back. ¹⁶The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved upon the tablets. ¹⁷When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, ‘There is a noise of war in the camp.’ ¹⁸But he said,

‘It is not the sound made by victors,

or the sound made by losers;

it is the sound of revellers that I hear.’

¹⁹As soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets from his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.

²¹ Moses said to Aaron, ‘What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?’ ²²And Aaron said, ‘Do not let the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on evil. ²³They said to me, “Make us gods, who shall go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” ²⁴So I said to them, “Whoever has gold, take it off” so they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!’

²⁵ When Moses saw that the people were running wild (for Aaron had let them run wild, to the derision of their enemies), ²⁶then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, ‘Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me!’ And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. ²⁷He said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “Put your sword on your side, each of you! Go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill your brother, your friend, and your neighbour.”’ ²⁸The sons of Levi did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand of the people fell on that day. ²⁹Moses said, ‘Today you have ordained yourselvesa for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of a son or a brother, and so have brought a blessing on yourselves this day.’

³⁰ On the next day Moses said to the people, ‘You have sinned a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.’ ³¹So Moses returned to the LORD and said, ‘Alas, this people has sinned a great sin; they have made for themselves gods of gold. ³²But now, if you will only forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of the book that you have written.’ ³³But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. ³⁴But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see, my angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for punishment, I will punish them for their sin.’

³⁵ Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf—the one that Aaron made.

The Command to Leave Sinai

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THE LORD said to Moses, ‘Go, leave this place, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, “To your descendants I will give it.” ²I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ³Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, or I would consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked people.’

⁴ When the people heard these harsh words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. ⁵For the LORD had said to Moses, ‘Say to the Israelites, “You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will decide what to do to you.”’ ⁶Therefore the Israelites stripped themselves of their ornaments, from Mount Horeb onwards.

The Tent outside the Camp

⁷ Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting. And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting, which was outside the camp. ⁸Whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. ⁹When Moses entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. ¹⁰When all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent, all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of their tents. ¹¹Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp; but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.

Moses’ Intercession

¹² Moses said to the LORD, ‘See, you have said to me, “Bring up this people” but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, “I know you by name, and you have also found favour in my sight.” ¹³Now if I have found favour in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favour in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.’ ¹⁴He said, ‘My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ ¹⁵And he said to him, ‘If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. ¹⁶For how shall it be known that I have found favour in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.’

¹⁷ The LORD said to Moses, ‘I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favour in my sight, and I know you by name.’ ¹⁸Moses said, ‘Show me your glory, I pray.’ ¹⁹And he said, ‘I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, “The LORD”a and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. ²⁰But’, he said, ‘you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.’ ²¹And the LORD continued, ‘See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; ²²and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; ²³then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.’

Moses Makes New Tablets

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THE LORD said to Moses, ‘Cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you broke. ²Be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai and present yourself there to me, on the top of the mountain. ³No one shall come up with you, and do not let anyone be seen throughout all the mountain; and do not let flocks or herds graze in front of that mountain.’ ⁴So Moses cut two tablets of stone like the former ones; and he rose early in the morning and went up on Mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded him, and took in his hand the two tablets of stone. ⁵The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name, ‘The LORD.’a ⁶The LORD passed before him, and proclaimed,

‘The LORD, the LORD,

a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger,

and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

⁷ keeping steadfast love for the thousandth generation,b

forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

yet by no means clearing the guilty,

but visiting the iniquity of the parents

upon the children

and the children’s children,

to the third and the fourth generation.’

⁸And Moses quickly bowed his head towards the earth, and worshipped. ⁹He said, ‘If now I have found favour in your sight, O Lord, I pray, let the Lord go with us. Although this is a stiff-necked people, pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your inheritance.’

The Covenant Renewed

¹⁰ He said: I hereby make a covenant. Before all your people I will perform marvels, such as have not been performed in all the earth or in any nation; and all the people among whom you live shall see the work of the LORD; for it is an awesome thing that I will do with you.

¹¹ Observe what I command you today. See, I will drive out before you the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. ¹²Take care not to make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land to which you are going, or it will become a snare among you. ¹³You shall tear down their altars, break their pillars, and cut down their sacred polesc ¹⁴(for you shall worship no other god, because the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God). ¹⁵You shall not make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to their gods, someone among them will invite you, and you will eat of the sacrifice. ¹⁶And you will take wives from among their daughters for your sons, and their daughters who prostitute themselves to their gods will make your sons also prostitute themselves to their gods.

¹⁷ You shall not make cast idols.

¹⁸ You shall keep the festival of unleavened bread. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the time appointed in the month of Abib; for in the month of Abib you came out from Egypt.

¹⁹ All that first opens the womb is mine, all your maled livestock, the firstborn of cow and sheep. ²⁰The firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. All the firstborn of your sons you shall redeem.

No one shall appear before me empty-handed.

²¹ For six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; even in ploughing time and in harvest time you shall rest. ²²You shall observe the festival of weeks, the first fruits of wheat harvest, and the festival of ingathering at the turn of the year. ²³Three times in the year all your males shall appear before the LORD God, the God of Israel. ²⁴For I will cast out nations before you, and enlarge your borders; no one shall covet your land when you go up to appear before the LORD your God three times in the year.

²⁵ You shall not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven, and the sacrifice of the festival of the passover shall not be left until the morning.

²⁶ The best of the first fruits of your ground you shall bring to the house of the LORD your God.

You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

²⁷ The LORD said to Moses: Write these words; in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel. ²⁸He was there with the LORD for forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the ten commandments.a

The Shining Face of Moses

²⁹ Moses came down from Mount Sinai. As he came down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenantb in his hand, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. ³⁰When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, the skin of his face was shining, and they were afraid to come near him. ³¹But Moses called to them; and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses spoke with them. ³²Afterwards all the Israelites came near, and he gave them in commandment all that the LORD had spoken with him on Mount Sinai. ³³When Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil on his face; ³⁴but whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would take the veil off, until he came out; and when he came out, and told the Israelites what he had been commanded, ³⁵the Israelites would see the face of Moses, that the skin of his face was shining; and Moses would put the veil on his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

Sabbath Regulations

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MOSES assembled all the congregation of the Israelites and said to them: These are the things that the LORD has commanded you to do:

² For six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day you shall have a holy sabbath of solemn rest to the LORD; whoever does any work on it shall be put to death. ³You shall kindle no fire in all your dwellings on the sabbath day.

Preparations for Making the Tabernacle

⁴ Moses said to all the congregation of the Israelites: This is the thing that the LORD has commanded: ⁵Take from among you an offering to the LORD; let whoever is of a generous heart bring the LORD’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze; ⁶blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine linen; goats’ hair, ⁷tanned rams’ skins, and fine leather;a acacia wood, ⁸oil for the light, spices for the anointing-oil and for the fragrant incense, ⁹and onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece.

¹⁰ All who are skilful among you shall come and make all that the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle, ¹¹its tent and its covering, its clasps and its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ¹²the ark with its poles, the mercy-seat,b and the curtain for the screen; ¹³the table with its poles and all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ¹⁴the lampstand also for the light, with its utensils and its lamps, and the oil for the light; ¹⁵and the altar of incense, with its poles, and the anointing-oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance, the entrance of the tabernacle; ¹⁶the altar of burnt-offering, with its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils, the basin with its stand; ¹⁷the hangings of the court, its pillars and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court; ¹⁸the pegs of the tabernacle and the pegs of the court, and their cords; ¹⁹the finely worked vestments for ministering in the holy place, the holy vestments for the priest Aaron, and the vestments of his sons, for their service as priests.

Offerings for the Tabernacle

²⁰ Then all the congregation of the Israelites withdrew from the presence of Moses. ²¹And they came, everyone whose heart was stirred, and everyone whose spirit was willing, and brought the LORD’s offering to be used for the tent of meeting, and for all its service, and for the sacred vestments. ²²So they came, both men and women; all who were of a willing heart brought brooches and earings and signet rings and pendants, all sorts of gold objects, everyone bringing an offering of gold to the LORD. ²³And everyone who possessed blue or purple or crimson yarn or fine linen or goats’ hair or tanned rams’ skins or fine leather,a brought them. ²⁴Everyone who could make an offering of silver or bronze brought it as the LORD’s offering; and everyone who possessed acacia wood of any use in the work, brought it. ²⁵All the skilful women spun with their hands, and brought what they had spun in blue and purple and crimson yarns and fine linen; ²⁶all the women whose hearts moved them to use their skill spun the goats’ hair. ²⁷And the leaders brought onyx stones and gems to be set in the ephod and the breastpiece, ²⁸and spices and oil for the light, and for the anointing-oil, and for the fragrant incense. ²⁹All the Israelite men and women whose hearts made them willing to bring anything for the work that the LORD had commanded by Moses to be done, brought it as a freewill-offering to the LORD.

Bezalel and Oholiab

³⁰ Then Moses said to the Israelites: See, the LORD has called by name Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; ³¹he has filled him with divine spirit,c with skill, intelligence, and knowledge in every kind of craft,³² to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,³³ in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, in every kind of craft.³⁴ And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. ³⁵He has filled them with skill to do every kind of work done by an artisan or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of artisan or skilled designer.

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BEZALEL and Oholiab and everyone skilful to whom the LORD has given skill and understanding to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded.

² Moses then called Bezalel and Oholiab and everyone skilful to whom the LORD had given skill, everyone whose heart was stirred to come to do the work; ³and they received from Moses all the freewill-offerings that the Israelites had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill-offerings every morning, ⁴so that all the artisans who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task being performed, ⁵and said to Moses, ‘The people are bringing much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.’ ⁶So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp: ‘No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.’ So the people were restrained from bringing; ⁷for what they had already brought was more than enough to do all the work.

Construction of the Tabernacle

⁸ All those with skill among the workers made the tabernacle with ten curtains; they were made of fine twisted linen, and blue, purple, and crimson yarns, with cherubim skilfully worked into them. ⁹The length of each curtain was twenty-eight cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; all the curtains were of the same size.

¹⁰ He joined five curtains to one another, and the other five curtains he joined to one another. ¹¹He made loops of blue on the edge of the outermost curtain of the first set; likewise he made them on the edge of the outermost curtain of the second set; ¹²he made fifty loops on the one curtain, and he made fifty loops on the edge of the curtain that was in the second set; the loops were opposite one another. ¹³And he made fifty clasps of gold, and joined the curtains one to the other with clasps; so the tabernacle was one whole.

¹⁴ He also made curtains of goats’ hair for a tent over the tabernacle; he made eleven curtains. ¹⁵The length of each curtain was thirty cubits, and the width of each curtain four cubits; the eleven curtains were of the same size. ¹⁶He joined five curtains by themselves, and six curtains by themselves. ¹⁷He made fifty loops on the edge of the outermost curtain of one set, and fifty loops on the edge of the other connecting curtain. ¹⁸He made fifty clasps of bronze to join the tent together so that it might be one whole. ¹⁹And he made for the tent a covering of tanned rams’ skins and an outer covering of fine leather.a

²⁰ Then he made the upright frames for the tabernacle of acacia wood. ²¹Ten cubits was the length of a frame, and a cubit and a half the width of each frame. ²²Each frame had two pegs for fitting together; he did this for all the frames of the tabernacle. ²³The frames for the tabernacle he made in this way: twenty frames for the south side; ²⁴and he made forty bases of silver under the twenty frames, two bases under the first frame for its two pegs, and two bases under the next frame for its two pegs. ²⁵For the second side of the tabernacle, on the north side, he made twenty frames ²⁶and their forty bases of silver, two bases under the first frame and two bases under the next frame. ²⁷For the rear of the tabernacle westward he made six frames. ²⁸He made two frames for corners of the tabernacle in the rear. ²⁹They were separate beneath, but joined at the top, at the first ring; he made two of them in this way, for the two corners. ³⁰There were eight frames with their bases of silver: sixteen bases, under every frame two bases.

³¹ He made bars of acacia wood, five for the frames of one side of the tabernacle, ³²and five bars for the frames of the other side of the tabernacle, and five bars for the frames of the tabernacle at the rear westward. ³³He made the middle bar to pass through from end to end half-way up the frames. ³⁴And he overlaid the frames with gold, and made rings of gold for them to hold the bars, and overlaid the bars with gold.

³⁵ He made the curtain of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, with cherubim skilfully worked into it. ³⁶For it he made four pillars of acacia, and overlaid them with gold; their hooks were of gold, and he cast for them four bases of silver. ³⁷He also made a screen for the entrance to the tent, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and fine twisted linen, embroidered with needlework; ³⁸and its five pillars with their hooks. He overlaid their capitals and their bases with gold, but their five bases were of bronze.

Making the Ark of the Covenant

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BEZALEL made the ark of acacia wood; it was two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high. ²He overlaid it with pure gold inside and outside, and made a moulding of gold round it. ³He cast for it four rings of gold for its four feet, two rings on one side of it and two rings on its other side. ⁴He made poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold, ⁵and put the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark, to carry the ark. ⁶He made a mercy-seata of pure gold; two cubits and a half was its length, and a cubit and a half its width. ⁷He made two cherubim of hammered gold; at the two ends of the mercy-seatb he made them,⁸ one cherub at one end, and one cherub at the other end; of one piece with the mercy-seatb he made the cherubim at its two ends.⁹ The cherubim spread out their wings above, overshadowing the mercy-seatb with their wings. They faced one another; the faces of the cherubim were turned towards the mercy-seat.b

Making the Table for the Bread of the Presence

¹⁰ He also made the table of acacia wood, two cubits long, one cubit wide, and a cubit and a half high. ¹¹He overlaid it with pure gold, and made a moulding of gold round it. ¹²He made around it a rim a handbreadth wide, and made a moulding of gold round the rim. ¹³He cast for it four rings of gold, and fastened the rings to the four corners at its four legs. ¹⁴The rings that held the poles used for carrying the table were close to the rim. ¹⁵He made the poles of acacia wood to carry the table, and overlaid them with gold. ¹⁶And he made the vessels of pure gold that were to be on the table, its plates and dishes for incense, and its bowls and flagons with which to pour drink-offerings.

Making the Lampstand

¹⁷ He also made the lampstand of pure gold. The base and the shaft of the lampstand were made of hammered work; its cups, its calyxes, and its petals were of one piece with it. ¹⁸There were six branches going out of its sides, three branches of the lampstand out of one side of it and three branches of the lampstand out of the other side of it; ¹⁹three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on one branch, and three cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with calyx and petals, on the other branch—so for the six branches going out of the lampstand. ²⁰On the lampstand itself there were four cups shaped like almond blossoms, each with its calyxes and petals. ²¹There was a calyx of one piece with it under the first pair of branches, a calyx of one piece with it under the next pair of branches, and a calyx of one piece with it under the last pair of branches. ²²Their calyxes and their branches were of one piece with it, the whole of it one hammered piece of pure gold. ²³He made its seven lamps and its snuffers and its trays of pure gold. ²⁴He made it and all its utensils of a talent of pure gold.

Making the Altar of Incense

²⁵ He made the altar of incense of acacia wood, one cubit long, and one cubit wide; it was square, and was two cubits high; its horns were of one piece with it. ²⁶He overlaid it with pure gold, its top, and its sides all round, and its horns; and he made for it a moulding of gold all round, ²⁷and made two golden rings for it under its moulding, on two opposite sides of it, to hold the poles with which to carry it. ²⁸And he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with gold.

Making the Anointing-Oil and the Incense

²⁹ He made the holy anointing-oil also, and the pure fragrant incense, blended as by the perfumer.

Making the Altar of Burnt-Offering

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HE MADE the altar of burnt-offering also of acacia wood; it was five cubits long, and five cubits wide; it was square, and three cubits high. ²He made horns for it on its four corners; its horns were of one piece with it, and he overlaid it with bronze. ³He made all the utensils of the altar, the pots, the shovels, the basins, the forks, and the firepans: all its utensils he made of bronze. ⁴He made for the altar a grating, a network of bronze, under its ledge, extending half-way down. ⁵He cast four rings on the four corners of the bronze grating to hold the poles; ⁶he made the poles of acacia wood, and overlaid them with bronze. ⁷And he put the poles through the rings on the sides of the altar, to carry it with them; he made it hollow, with boards.

⁸ He made the basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting.

Making the Court of the Tabernacle

⁹ He made the court; for the south side the hangings of the court were of fine twisted linen, one hundred cubits long; ¹⁰its twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. ¹¹For the north side there were hangings one hundred cubits long; its twenty pillars and their twenty bases were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. ¹²For the west side there were hangings fifty cubits long, with ten pillars and ten bases; the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver. ¹³And for the front to the east, fifty cubits. ¹⁴The hangings for one side of the gate were fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁵And so for the other side; on each side of the gate of the court were hangings of fifteen cubits, with three pillars and three bases. ¹⁶All the hangings around the court were of fine twisted linen. ¹⁷The bases for the pillars were of bronze, but the hooks of the pillars and their bands were of silver; the overlaying of their capitals was also of silver, and all the pillars of the court were banded with silver. ¹⁸The screen for the entrance to the court was embroidered with needlework in blue, purple, and crimson yarns and fine twisted linen. It was twenty cubits long and, along the width of it, five cubits high, corresponding to the hangings of the court. ¹⁹There were four pillars; their four bases were of bronze, their hooks of silver, and the overlaying of their capitals and their bands of silver. ²⁰All the pegs for the tabernacle and for the court all around were of bronze.

Materials of the Tabernacle

²¹ These are the records of the tabernacle, the tabernacle of the covenant,a which were drawn up at the commandment of Moses, the work of the Levites being under the direction of Ithamar son of the priest Aaron. ²² Bezalel son of Uri son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, made all that the LORD commanded Moses;²³ and with him was Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, engraver, designer, and embroiderer in blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and in fine linen.

²⁴ All the gold that was used for the work, in all the construction of the sanctuary, the gold from the offering, was twenty-nine talents and seven hundred and thirty shekels, measured by the sanctuary shekel. ²⁵The silver from those of the congregation who were counted was one hundred talents and one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, measured by the sanctuary shekel; ²⁶a beka a head (that is, half a shekel, measured by the sanctuary shekel), for everyone who was counted in the census, from twenty years old and upwards, for six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty men. ²⁷The hundred talents of silver were for casting the bases of the sanctuary and the bases of the curtain: one hundred bases for the hundred talents, a talent for a base. ²⁸Of the one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels he made hooks for the pillars, and overlaid their capitals and made bands for them. ²⁹The bronze that was contributed was seventy talents and two thousand four hundred shekels; ³⁰with it he made the bases for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the bronze altar and the bronze grating for it and all the utensils of the altar, ³¹the bases all around the court, and the bases of the gate of the court, all the pegs of the tabernacle, and all the pegs around the court.

Making the Vestments for the Priesthood

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OF THE blue, purple, and crimson yarns they made finely worked vestments, for ministering in the holy place; they made the sacred vestments for Aaron; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

² He made the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. ³Gold leaf was hammered out and cut into threads to work into the blue, purple, and crimson yarns and into the fine twisted linen, in skilled design. ⁴They made for the ephod shoulder-pieces, joined to it at its two edges. ⁵The decorated band on it was of the same materials and workmanship, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁶ The onyx stones were prepared, enclosed in settings of gold filigree and engraved like the engravings of a signet, according to the names of the sons of Israel. ⁷He set them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, to be stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁸ He made the breastpiece, in skilled work, like the work of the ephod, of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. ⁹It was square; the breastpiece was made double, a span in length and a span in width when doubled. ¹⁰They set in it four rows of stones. A row of carnelian,a chrysolite, and emerald was the first row; ¹¹ and the second row, a turquoise, a sapphire,b and a moonstone;¹² and the third row, a jacinth, an agate, and an amethyst;¹³ and the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper; they were enclosed in settings of gold filigree.¹⁴ There were twelve stones with names corresponding to the names of the sons of Israel; they were like signets, each engraved with its name, for the twelve tribes.¹⁵ They made on the breastpiece chains of pure gold, twisted like cords;¹⁶ and they made two settings of gold filigree and two gold rings, and put the two rings on the two edges of the breastpiece;¹⁷ and they put the two cords of gold in the two rings at the edges of the breastpiece.¹⁸ Two ends of the two cords they had attached to the two settings of filigree; in this way they attached it in front to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. ¹⁹Then they made two rings of gold, and put them at the two ends of the breastpiece, on its inside edge next to the ephod.²⁰ They made two rings of gold, and attached them in front to the lower part of the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its joining above the decorated band of the ephod.²¹ They bound the breastpiece by its rings to the rings of the ephod with a blue cord, so that it should lie on the decorated band of the ephod, and that the breastpiece should not come loose from the ephod; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²² He also made the robe of the ephod woven all of blue yarn; ²³and the opening of the robe in the middle of it was like the opening in a coat of mail,c with a binding round the opening, so that it might not be torn. ²⁴On the lower hem of the robe they made pomegranates of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen. ²⁵They also made bells of pure gold, and put the bells between the pomegranates on the lower hem of the robe all round, between the pomegranates; ²⁶a bell and a pomegranate, a bell and a pomegranate all round on the lower hem of the robe for ministering; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²⁷ They also made the tunics, woven of fine linen, for Aaron and his sons, ²⁸and the turban of fine linen, and the head-dresses of fine linen, and the linen undergarments of fine twisted linen, ²⁹and the sash of fine twisted linen, and of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, embroidered with needlework; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

³⁰ They made the rosette of the holy diadem of pure gold, and wrote on it an inscription, like the engraving of a signet, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ ³¹They tied to it a blue cord, to fasten it on the turban above; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Work Completed

³² In this way all the work of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting was finished; the Israelites had done everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³³Then they brought the tabernacle to Moses, the tent and all its utensils, its hooks, its frames, its bars, its pillars, and its bases; ³⁴the covering of tanned rams’ skins and the covering of fine leather,a and the curtain for the screen; ³⁵the ark of the covenantb with its poles and the mercy-seat;c ³⁶the table with all its utensils, and the bread of the Presence; ³⁷the pure lampstand with its lamps set on it and all its utensils, and the oil for the light; ³⁸the golden altar, the anointing-oil and the fragrant incense, and the screen for the entrance of the tent; ³⁹the bronze altar, and its grating of bronze, its poles, and all its utensils; the basin with its stand; ⁴⁰the hangings of the court, its pillars, and its bases, and the screen for the gate of the court, its cords, and its pegs; and all the utensils for the service of the tabernacle, for the tent of meeting; ⁴¹the finely worked vestments for ministering in the holy place, the sacred vestments for the priest Aaron, and the vestments of his sons to serve as priests. ⁴²The Israelites had done all of the work just as the LORD had commanded Moses. ⁴³When Moses saw that they had done all the work just as the LORD had commanded, he blessed them.

The Tabernacle Erected and Its Equipment Installed

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THE LORD spoke to Moses: ²On the first day of the first month you shall set up the tabernacle of the tent of meeting. ³You shall put in it the ark of the covenant,b and you shall screen the ark with the curtain.⁴ You shall bring in the table, and arrange its setting; and you shall bring in the lampstand, and set up its lamps.⁵ You shall put the golden altar for incense before the ark of the covenant,b and set up the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle.⁶ You shall set the altar of burnt-offering before the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting,⁷ and place the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it.⁸ You shall set up the court all around, and hang up the screen for the gate of the court. ⁹Then you shall take the anointing-oil, and anoint the tabernacle and all that is in it, and consecrate it and all its furniture, so that it shall become holy.¹⁰ You shall also anoint the altar of burnt-offering and all its utensils, and consecrate the altar, so that the altar shall be most holy.¹¹ You shall also anoint the basin with its stand, and consecrate it.¹² Then you shall bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water,¹³ and put on Aaron the sacred vestments, and you shall anoint him and consecrate him, so that he may serve me as priest.¹⁴ You shall bring his sons also and put tunics on them,¹⁵ and anoint them, as you anointed their father, that they may serve me as priests: and their anointing shall admit them to a perpetual priesthood throughout all generations to come.

¹⁶ Moses did everything just as the LORD had commanded him. ¹⁷In the first month in the second year, on the first day of the month, the tabernacle was set up. ¹⁸Moses set up the tabernacle; he laid its bases, and set up its frames, and put in its poles, and raised up its pillars; ¹⁹and he spread the tent over the tabernacle, and put the covering of the tent over it; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁰He took the covenanta and put it into the ark, and put the poles on the ark, and set the mercy-seatb above the ark; ²¹and he brought the ark into the tabernacle, and set up the curtain for screening, and screened the ark of the covenant;a as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²²He put the table in the tent of meeting, on the north side of the tabernacle, outside the curtain, ²³and set the bread in order on it before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁴He put the lampstand in the tent of meeting, opposite the table on the south side of the tabernacle, ²⁵and set up the lamps before the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁶He put the golden altar in the tent of meeting before the curtain, ²⁷and offered fragrant incense on it; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ²⁸He also put in place the screen for the entrance of the tabernacle. ²⁹He set the altar of burnt-offering at the entrance of the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, and offered on it the burnt-offering and the grain-offering as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³⁰He set the basin between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it for washing, ³¹with which Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet. ³²When they went into the tent of meeting, and when they approached the altar, they washed; as the LORD had commanded Moses. ³³He set up the court around the tabernacle and the altar, and put up the screen at the gate of the court. So Moses finished the work.

The Cloud and the Glory

³⁴ Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled upon it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁶Whenever the cloud was taken up from the tabernacle, the Israelites would set out on each stage of their journey; ³⁷but if the cloud was not taken up, then they did not set out until the day that it was taken up. ³⁸For the cloud of the LORD was on the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloudc by night, before the eyes of all the house of Israel at each stage of their journey.

LEVITICUS

The Burnt-Offering

THE LORD summoned Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them:

When any of you bring an offering of livestock to the LORD, you shall bring your offering from the herd or from the flock.

³ If the offering is a burnt-offering from the herd, you shall offer a male without blemish; you shall bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, for acceptance in your behalf before the LORD. ⁴You shall lay your hand on the head of the burnt-offering, and it shall be acceptable in your behalf as atonement for you. ⁵The bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall offer the blood, dashing the blood against all sides of the altar that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁶The burnt-offering shall be flayed and cut up into its parts. ⁷The sons of the priest Aaron shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. ⁸Aaron’s sons the priests shall arrange the parts, with the head and the suet, on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; ⁹but its entrails and its legs shall be washed with water. Then the priest shall turn the whole into smoke on the altar as a burnt-offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD.

¹⁰ If your gift for a burnt-offering is from the flock, from the sheep or goats, your offering shall be a male without blemish. ¹¹It shall be slaughtered on the north side of the altar before the LORD, and Aaron’s sons the priests shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar. ¹²It shall be cut up into its parts, with its head and its suet, and the priest shall arrange them on the wood that is on the fire on the altar; ¹³but the entrails and the legs shall be washed with water. Then the priest shall offer the whole and turn it into smoke on the altar; it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD.

¹⁴ If your offering to the LORD is a burnt-offering of birds, you shall choose your offering from turtle-doves or pigeons. ¹⁵The priest shall bring it to the altar and wring off its head, and turn it into smoke on the altar; and its blood shall be drained out against the side of the altar. ¹⁶He shall remove its crop with its contentsa and throw it at the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes. ¹⁷He shall tear it open by its wings without severing it. Then the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar, on the wood that is on the fire; it is a burnt-offering, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD.

Grain-Offerings

2

WHEN anyone presents a grain-offering to the LORD, the offering shall be of choice flour; the worshipper shall pour oil on it, and put frankincense on it, ²and bring it to Aaron’s sons the priests. After taking from it a handful of the choice flour and oil, with all its frankincense, the priest shall turn this token portion into smoke on the altar, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD. ³And what is left of the grain-offering shall be for Aaron and his sons, a most holy part of the offerings by fire to the LORD.

⁴ When you present a grain-offering baked in the oven, it shall be of choice flour: unleavened cakes mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil. ⁵If your offering is grain prepared on a griddle, it shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, unleavened; ⁶break it in pieces, and pour oil on it; it is a grain-offering. ⁷If your offering is grain prepared in a pan, it shall be made of choice flour in oil. ⁸You shall bring to the LORD the grain-offering that is prepared in any of these ways; and when it is presented to the priest, he shall take it to the altar. ⁹The priest shall remove from the grain-offering its token portion and turn this into smoke on the altar, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD. ¹⁰And what is left of the grain-offering shall be for Aaron and his sons; it is a most holy part of the offerings by fire to the LORD.

¹¹ No grain-offering that you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you must not turn any leaven or honey into smoke as an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹²You may bring them to the LORD as an offering of choice products, but they shall not be offered on the altar for a pleasing odour. ¹³You shall not omit from your grain-offerings the salt of the covenant with your God; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.

¹⁴ If you bring a grain-offering of first fruits to the LORD, you shall bring as the grain-offering of your first fruits coarse new grain from fresh ears, parched with fire. ¹⁵You shall add oil to it and lay frankincense on it; it is a grain-offering. ¹⁶And the priest shall turn a token portion of it into smoke—some of the coarse grain and oil with all its frankincense; it is an offering by fire to the LORD.

Offerings of Well-Being

3

IF THE offering is a sacrifice of well-being, if you offer an animal of the herd, whether male or female, you shall offer one without blemish before the LORD. ²You shall lay your hand on the head of the offering and slaughter it at the entrance of the tent of meeting; and Aaron’s sons the priests shall dash the blood against all sides of the altar. ³You shall offer from the sacrifice of well-being, as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is around the entrails; ⁴the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys. ⁵Then Aaron’s sons shall turn these into smoke on the altar, with the burnt-offering that is on the wood on the fire, as an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD.

⁶ If your offering for a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD is from the flock, male or female, you shall offer one without blemish. ⁷If you present a sheep as your offering, you shall bring it before the LORD ⁸and lay your hand on the head of the offering. It shall be slaughtered before the tent of meeting, and Aaron’s sons shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar. ⁹You shall present its fat from the sacrifice of well-being, as an offering by fire to the LORD: the whole broad tail, which shall be removed close to the backbone, the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is around the entrails; ¹⁰the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which you shall remove with the kidneys. ¹¹Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food-offering by fire to the LORD.

¹² If your offering is a goat, you shall bring it before the LORD ¹³and lay your hand on its head; it shall be slaughtered before the tent of meeting; and the sons of Aaron shall dash its blood against all sides of the altar. ¹⁴You shall present as your offering from it, as an offering by fire to the LORD, the fat that covers the entrails, and all the fat that is around the entrails; ¹⁵the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which you shall remove with the kidneys. ¹⁶Then the priest shall turn these into smoke on the altar as a food-offering by fire for a pleasing odour.

All fat is the LORD’s. ¹⁷It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations, in all your settlements: you must not eat any fat or any blood.

Sin-Offerings

4

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²Speak to the people of Israel, saying: When anyone sins unintentionally in any of the LORD’s commandments about things not to be done, and does any one of them:

³ If it is the anointed priest who sins, thus bringing guilt on the people, he shall offer for the sin that he has committed a bull of the herd without blemish as a sin-offering to the LORD. ⁴He shall bring the bull to the entrance of the tent of meeting before the LORD and lay his hand on the head of the bull; the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD. ⁵The anointed priest shall take some of the blood of the bull and bring it into the tent of meeting. ⁶The priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle some of the blood seven times before the LORD in front of the curtain of the sanctuary. ⁷The priest shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar of fragrant incense that is in the tent of meeting before the LORD; and the rest of the blood of the bull he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering, which is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁸He shall remove all the fat from the bull of sin-offering: the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is around the entrails; ⁹the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins; and the appendage of the liver, which he shall remove with the kidneys, ¹⁰just as these are removed from the ox of the sacrifice of well-being. The priest shall turn them into smoke upon the altar of burnt-offering. ¹¹But the skin of the bull and all its flesh, as well as its head, its legs, its entrails, and its dung—¹²all the rest of the bull—he shall carry out to a clean place outside the camp, to the ash heap, and shall burn it on a wood fire; at the ash heap it shall be burned.

¹³ If the whole congregation of Israel errs unintentionally and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly, and they do any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and incur guilt; ¹⁴when the sin that they have committed becomes known, the assembly shall offer a bull of the herd for a sin-offering and bring it before the tent of meeting. ¹⁵The elders of the congregation shall lay their hands on the head of the bull before the LORD, and the bull shall be slaughtered before the LORD. ¹⁶The anointed priest shall bring some of the blood of the bull into the tent of meeting, ¹⁷and the priest shall dip his finger in the blood and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD, in front of the curtain. ¹⁸He shall put some of the blood on the horns of the altar that is before the LORD in the tent of meeting; and the rest of the blood he shall pour out at the base of the altar of burnt-offering that is at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ¹⁹He shall remove all its fat and turn it into smoke on the altar. ²⁰He shall do with the bull just as is done with the bull of sin-offering; he shall do the same with this. The priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven. ²¹He shall carry the bull outside the camp, and burn it as he burned the first bull; it is the sin-offering for the assembly.

²² When a ruler sins, doing unintentionally any one of all the things that by commandments of the LORD his God ought not to be done, and incurs guilt, ²³once the sin that he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring as his offering a male goat without blemish. ²⁴He shall lay his hand on the head of the goat; it shall be slaughtered at the spot where the burnt-offering is slaughtered before the LORD; it is a sin-offering. ²⁵The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar of burnt-offering. ²⁶All its fat he shall turn into smoke on the altar, like the fat of the sacrifice of well-being. Thus the priest shall make atonement on his behalf for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.

²⁷ If anyone of the ordinary people among you sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, and incurs guilt, ²⁸when the sin that you have committed is made known to you, you shall bring a female goat without blemish as your offering, for the sin that you have committed. ²⁹You shall lay your hand on the head of the sin-offering; and the sin-offering shall be slaughtered at the place of the burnt-offering. ³⁰The priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and he shall pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. ³¹He shall remove all its fat, as the fat is removed from the offering of well-being, and the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar for a pleasing odour to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf, and you shall be forgiven.

³² If the offering you bring as a sin-offering is a sheep, you shall bring a female without blemish. ³³You shall lay your hand on the head of the sin-offering; and it shall be slaughtered as a sin-offering at the spot where the burnt-offering is slaughtered. ³⁴The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin-offering with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt-offering, and pour out the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. ³⁵You shall remove all its fat, as the fat of the sheep is removed from the sacrifice of well-being, and the priest shall turn it into smoke on the altar, with the offerings by fire to the LORD. Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for the sin that you have committed, and you shall be forgiven.

5

WHEN any of you sin in that you have heard a public adjuration to testify and—though able to testify as one who has seen or learned of the matter—do not speak up, you are subject to punishment. ²Or when any of you touch any unclean thing—whether the carcass of an unclean beast or the carcass of unclean livestock or the carcass of an unclean swarming thing—and are unaware of it, you have become unclean, and are guilty. ³Or when you touch human uncleanness—any uncleanness by which one can become unclean—and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall be guilty. ⁴Or when any of you utter aloud a rash oath for a bad or a good purpose, whatever people utter in an oath, and are unaware of it, when you come to know it, you shall in any of these be guilty. ⁵When you realize your guilt in any of these, you shall confess the sin that you have committed. ⁶And you shall bring to the LORD, as your penalty for the sin that you have committed, a female from the flock, a sheep or a goat, as a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for your sin.

⁷ But if you cannot afford a sheep, you shall bring to the LORD, as your penalty for the sin that you have committed, two turtle-doves or two pigeons, one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering. ⁸You shall bring them to the priest, who shall offer first the one for the sin-offering, wringing its head at the nape without severing it. ⁹He shall sprinkle some of the blood of the sin-offering on the side of the altar, while the rest of the blood shall be drained out at the base of the altar; it is a sin-offering. ¹⁰And the second he shall offer for a burnt-offering according to the regulation. Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for the sin that you have committed, and you shall be forgiven.

¹¹ But if you cannot afford two turtle-doves or two pigeons, you shall bring as your offering for the sin that you have committed one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour for a sin-offering; you shall not put oil on it or lay frankincense on it, for it is a sin-offering. ¹²You shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall scoop up a handful of it as its memorial portion, and turn this into smoke on the altar, with the offerings by fire to the LORD; it is a sin-offering. ¹³Thus the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for whichever of these sins you have committed, and you shall be forgiven. Like the grain-offering, the rest shall be for the priest.

Offerings with Restitution

¹⁴ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁵When any of you commit a trespass and sin unintentionally in any of the holy things of the LORD, you shall bring, as your guilt-offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, convertible into silver by the sanctuary shekel; it is a guilt-offering. ¹⁶And you shall make restitution for the holy thing in which you were remiss, and shall add one-fifth to it and give it to the priest. The priest shall make atonement on your behalf with the ram of the guilt-offering, and you shall be forgiven.

¹⁷ If any of you sin without knowing it, doing any of the things that by the LORD’s commandments ought not to be done, you have incurred guilt, and are subject to punishment. ¹⁸You shall bring to the priest a ram without blemish from the flock, or the equivalent, as a guilt-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on your behalf for the error that you committed unintentionally, and you shall be forgiven. ¹⁹It is a guilt-offering; you have incurred guilt before the LORD.

6a

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²When any of you sin and commit a trespass against the LORD by deceiving a neighbour in a matter of a deposit or a pledge, or by robbery, or if you have defrauded a neighbour, ³or have found something lost and lied about it—if you swear falsely regarding any of the various things that one may do and sin thereby—⁴when you have sinned and realize your guilt, and would restore what you took by robbery or by fraud or the deposit that was committed to you, or the lost thing that you found, ⁵or anything else about which you have sworn falsely, you shall repay the principal amount and shall add one-fifth to it. You shall pay it to its owner when you realize your guilt. ⁶And you shall bring to the priest, as your guilt-offering to the LORD, a ram without blemish from the flock, or its equivalent, for a guilt-offering. ⁷The priest shall make atonement on your behalf before the LORD, and you shall be forgiven for any of the things that one may do and incur guilt thereby.

Instructions concerning Sacrifices

⁸b The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁹Command Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the ritual of the burnt-offering. The burnt-offering itself shall remain on the hearth upon the altar all night until the morning, while the fire on the altar shall be kept burning. ¹⁰The priest shall put on his linen vestments after putting on his linen undergarments next to his body; and he shall take up the ashes to which the fire has reduced the burnt-offering on the altar, and place them beside the altar. ¹¹Then he shall take off his vestments and put on other garments, and carry the ashes out to a clean place outside the camp. ¹²The fire on the altar shall be kept burning; it shall not go out. Every morning the priest shall add wood to it, lay out the burnt-offering on it, and turn into smoke the fat pieces of the offerings of well-being. ¹³A perpetual fire shall be kept burning on the altar; it shall not go out.

¹⁴ This is the ritual of the grain-offering: The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the LORD, in front of the altar. ¹⁵They shall take from it a handful of the choice flour and oil of the grain-offering, with all the frankincense that is on the offering, and they shall turn its memorial portion into smoke on the altar as a pleasing odour to the LORD. ¹⁶Aaron and his sons shall eat what is left of it; it shall be eaten as unleavened cakes in a holy place; in the court of the tent of meeting they shall eat it. ¹⁷It shall not be baked with leaven. I have given it as their portion of my offerings by fire; it is most holy, like the sin-offering and the guilt-offering. ¹⁸Every male among the descendants of Aaron shall eat of it, as their perpetual due throughout your generations, from the LORD’s offerings by fire; anything that touches them shall become holy.

¹⁹ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁰This is the offering that Aaron and his sons shall offer to the LORD on the day when he is anointed: one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour as a regular offering, half of it in the morning and half in the evening. ²¹It shall be made with oil on a griddle; you shall bring it well soaked, as a grain-offering of bakedc pieces, and you shall present it as a pleasing odour to the LORD. ²²And so the priest, anointed from among Aaron’s descendants as a successor, shall prepare it; it is the LORD’s—a perpetual due—to be turned entirely into smoke. ²³Every grain-offering of a priest shall be wholly burned; it shall not be eaten.

²⁴ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁵Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying: This is the ritual of the sin-offering. The sin-offering shall be slaughtered before the LORD at the spot where the burnt-offering is slaughtered; it is most holy. ²⁶The priest who offers it as a sin-offering shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place, in the court of the tent of meeting. ²⁷Whatever touches its flesh shall become holy; and when any of its blood is spattered on a garment, you shall wash the bespattered part in a holy place. ²⁸An earthen vessel in which it was boiled shall be broken; but if it is boiled in a bronze vessel, that shall be scoured and rinsed in water. ²⁹Every male among the priests shall eat of it; it is most holy. ³⁰But no sin-offering shall be eaten from which any blood is brought into the tent of meeting for atonement in the holy place; it shall be burned with fire.

7

THIS is the ritual of the guilt-offering. It is most holy; ²at the spot where the burnt-offering is slaughtered, they shall slaughter the guilt-offering, and its blood shall be dashed against all sides of the altar. ³All its fat shall be offered: the broad tail, the fat that covers the entrails, ⁴the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver, which shall be removed with the kidneys. ⁵The priest shall turn them into smoke on the altar as an offering by fire to the LORD; it is a guilt-offering. ⁶Every male among the priests shall eat of it; it shall be eaten in a holy place; it is most holy.

⁷ The guilt-offering is like the sin-offering, there is the same ritual for them; the priest who makes atonement with it shall have it. ⁸So, too, the priest who offers anyone’s burnt-offering shall keep the skin of the burnt-offering that he has offered. ⁹And every grain-offering baked in the oven, and all that is prepared in a pan or on a griddle, shall belong to the priest who offers it. ¹⁰But every other grain-offering, mixed with oil or dry, shall belong to all the sons of Aaron equally.

Further Instructions

¹¹ This is the ritual of the sacrifice of the offering of well-being that one may offer to the LORD. ¹²If you offer it for thanksgiving, you shall offer with the thank-offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of choice flour well soaked in oil. ¹³With your thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being you shall bring your offering with cakes of leavened bread. ¹⁴From this you shall offer one cake from each offering, as a gift to the LORD; it shall belong to the priest who dashes the blood of the offering of well-being. ¹⁵And the flesh of your thanksgiving sacrifice of well-being shall be eaten on the day it is offered; you shall not leave any of it until morning. ¹⁶But if the sacrifice you offer is a votive offering or a freewill-offering, it shall be eaten on the day that you offer your sacrifice, and what is left of it shall be eaten the next day; ¹⁷but what is left of the flesh of the sacrifice shall be burned on the third day. ¹⁸If any of the flesh of your sacrifice of well-being is eaten on the third day, it shall not be acceptable, nor shall it be credited to the one who offers it; it shall be an abomination, and the one who eats of it shall incur guilt.

¹⁹ Flesh that touches any unclean thing shall not be eaten; it shall be burned. As for other flesh, all who are clean may eat such flesh. ²⁰But those who eat flesh from the LORD’s sacrifice of well-being while in a state of uncleanness shall be cut off from their kin. ²¹When any one of you touches any unclean thing—human uncleanness or an unclean animal or any unclean creature—and then eats flesh from the LORD’s sacrifice of well-being, you shall be cut off from your kin.

²² The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to the people of Israel, saying: You shall eat no fat of ox or sheep or goat. ²⁴The fat of an animal that died or was torn by wild animals may be put to any use, except that you must not eat it. ²⁵If any one of you eats the fat from an animal of which an offering by fire may be made to the LORD, you who eat it shall be cut off from your kin. ²⁶You must not eat any blood whatever, either of bird or of animal, in any of your settlements. ²⁷Any one of you who eats any blood shall be cut off from your kin.

²⁸ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁹Speak to the people of Israel, saying: Any one of you who would offer to the LORD your sacrifice of well-being must yourself bring to the LORD your offering from your sacrifice of well-being. ³⁰Your own hands shall bring the LORD’s offering by fire; you shall bring the fat with the breast, so that the breast may be raised as an elevation-offering before the LORD. ³¹The priest shall turn the fat into smoke on the altar, but the breast shall belong to Aaron and his sons. ³²And the right thigh from your sacrifices of well-being you shall give to the priest as an offering; ³³the one among the sons of Aaron who offers the blood and fat of the offering of well-being shall have the right thigh for a portion. ³⁴For I have taken the breast of the elevation-offering, and the thigh that is offered, from the people of Israel, from their sacrifices of well-being, and have given them to Aaron the priest and to his sons, as a perpetual due from the people of Israel. ³⁵This is the portion allotted to Aaron and to his sons from the offerings made by fire to the LORD, once they have been brought forward to serve the LORD as priests; ³⁶these the LORD commanded to be given them, when he anointed them, as a perpetual due from the people of Israel throughout their generations.

³⁷ This is the ritual of the burnt-offering, the grain-offering, the sin-offering, the guilt-offering, the offering of ordination, and the sacrifice of well-being, ³⁸which the LORD commanded Moses on Mount Sinai, when he commanded the people of Israel to bring their offerings to the LORD, in the wilderness of Sinai.

The Rites of Ordination

8

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Take Aaron and his sons with him, the vestments, the anointing-oil, the bull of sin-offering, the two rams, and the basket of unleavened bread; ³and assemble the whole congregation at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁴And Moses did as the LORD commanded him. When the congregation was assembled at the entrance of the tent of meeting, ⁵Moses said to the congregation, ‘This is what the LORD has commanded to be done.’

⁶ Then Moses brought Aaron and his sons forward, and washed them with water. ⁷He put the tunic on him, fastened the sash around him, clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod on him. He then put the decorated band of the ephod around him, tying the ephod to him with it. ⁸He placed the breastpiece on him, and in the breastpiece he put the Urim and the Thummim. ⁹And he set the turban on his head, and on the turban, in front, he set the golden ornament, the holy crown, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Then Moses took the anointing-oil and anointed the tabernacle and all that was in it, and consecrated them. ¹¹He sprinkled some of it on the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all its utensils, and the basin and its base, to consecrate them. ¹²He poured some of the anointing-oil on Aaron’s head and anointed him, to consecrate him. ¹³And Moses brought forward Aaron’s sons, and clothed them with tunics, and fastened sashes around them, and tied head-dresses on them, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁴ He led forward the bull of sin-offering; and Aaron and his sons laid their hands upon the head of the bull of sin-offering, ¹⁵and it was slaughtered. Moses took the blood and with his finger put some on each of the horns of the altar, purifying the altar; then he poured out the blood at the base of the altar. Thus he consecrated it, to make atonement for it. ¹⁶Moses took all the fat that was around the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and turned them into smoke on the altar. ¹⁷But the bull itself, its skin and flesh and its dung, he burned with fire outside the camp, as the LORD commanded Moses.

¹⁸ Then he brought forward the ram of burnt-offering. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, ¹⁹and it was slaughtered. Moses dashed the blood against all sides of the altar. ²⁰The ram was cut into its parts, and Moses turned into smoke the head and the parts and the suet. ²¹And after the entrails and the legs were washed with water, Moses turned into smoke the whole ram on the altar; it was a burnt-offering for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD, as the LORD commanded Moses.

²² Then he brought forward the second ram, the ram of ordination. Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the head of the ram, ²³and it was slaughtered. Moses took some of its blood and put it on the lobe of Aaron’s right ear and on the thumb of his right hand and on the big toe of his right foot. ²⁴After Aaron’s sons were brought forward, Moses put some of the blood on the lobes of their right ears and on the thumbs of their right hands and on the big toes of their right feet; and Moses dashed the rest of the blood against all sides of the altar. ²⁵He took the fat—the broad tail, all the fat that was around the entrails, the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat—and the right thigh. ²⁶From the basket of unleavened bread that was before the LORD, he took one cake of unleavened bread, one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer, and placed them on the fat and on the right thigh. ²⁷He placed all these on the palms of Aaron and on the palms of his sons, and raised them as an elevation-offering before the LORD. ²⁸Then Moses took them from their hands and turned them into smoke on the altar with the burnt-offering. This was an ordination-offering for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD. ²⁹Moses took the breast and raised it as an elevation-offering before the LORD; it was Moses’ portion of the ram of ordination, as the LORD commanded Moses.

³⁰ Then Moses took some of the anointing-oil and some of the blood that was on the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his vestments, and also on his sons and their vestments. Thus he consecrated Aaron and his vestments, and also his sons and their vestments.

³¹ And Moses said to Aaron and his sons, ‘Boil the flesh at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and eat it there with the bread that is in the basket of ordination-offerings, as I was commanded, “Aaron and his sons shall eat it” ³²and what remains of the flesh and the bread you shall burn with fire. ³³You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting for seven days, until the day when your period of ordination is completed. For it will take seven days to ordain you; ³⁴as has been done today, the LORD has commanded to be done to make atonement for you. ³⁵You shall remain at the entrance of the tent of meeting day and night for seven days, keeping the LORD’s charge so that you do not die; for so I am commanded.’ ³⁶Aaron and his sons did all the things that the LORD commanded through Moses.

Aaron’s Priesthood Inaugurated

9

ON THE eighth day Moses summoned Aaron and his sons and the elders of Israel. ²He said to Aaron, ‘Take a bull calf for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering, without blemish, and offer them before the LORD. ³And say to the people of Israel, “Take a male goat for a sin-offering; a calf and a lamb, yearlings without blemish, for a burnt-offering; ⁴and an ox and a ram for an offering of well-being to sacrifice before the LORD; and a grain-offering mixed with oil. For today the LORD will appear to you.”’ ⁵They brought what Moses commanded to the front of the tent of meeting; and the whole congregation drew near and stood before the LORD. ⁶And Moses said, ‘This is the thing that the LORD commanded you to do, so that the glory of the LORD may appear to you.’ ⁷Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘Draw near to the altar and sacrifice your sin-offering and your burnt-offering, and make atonement for yourself and for the people; and sacrifice the offering of the people, and make atonement for them; as the LORD has commanded.’

⁸ Aaron drew near to the altar, and slaughtered the calf of the sin-offering, which was for himself. ⁹The sons of Aaron presented the blood to him, and he dipped his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar; and the rest of the blood he poured out at the base of the altar. ¹⁰But the fat, the kidneys, and the appendage of the liver from the sin-offering he turned into smoke on the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses; ¹¹and the flesh and the skin he burned with fire outside the camp.

¹² Then he slaughtered the burnt-offering. Aaron’s sons brought him the blood, and he dashed it against all sides of the altar. ¹³And they brought him the burnt-offering piece by piece, and the head, which he turned into smoke on the altar. ¹⁴He washed the entrails and the legs and, with the burnt-offering, turned them into smoke on the altar.

¹⁵ Next he presented the people’s offering. He took the goat of the sin-offering that was for the people, and slaughtered it, and presented it as a sin-offering like the first one. ¹⁶He presented the burnt-offering, and sacrificed it according to regulation. ¹⁷He presented the grain-offering, and, taking a handful of it, he turned it into smoke on the altar, in addition to the burnt-offering of the morning.

¹⁸ He slaughtered the ox and the ram as a sacrifice of well-being for the people. Aaron’s sons brought him the blood, which he dashed against all sides of the altar, ¹⁹and the fat of the ox and of the ram—the broad tail, the fat that covers the entrails, the two kidneys and the fat on them,a and the appendage of the liver. ²⁰They first laid the fat on the breasts, and the fat was turned into smoke on the altar; ²¹and the breasts and the right thigh Aaron raised as an elevation-offering before the LORD, as Moses had commanded.

²² Aaron lifted his hands towards the people and blessed them; and he came down after sacrificing the sin-offering, the burnt-offering, and the offering of well-being. ²³Moses and Aaron entered the tent of meeting, and then came out and blessed the people; and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. ²⁴Fire came out from the LORD and consumed the burnt-offering and the fat on the altar; and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.

Nadab and Abihu

10

NOW Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, each took his censer, put fire in it, and laid incense on it; and they offered unholy fire before the LORD, such as he had not commanded them. ²And fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. ³Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the LORD meant when he said,

“Through those who are near me

I will show myself holy,

and before all the people

I will be glorified.”’

And Aaron was silent.

⁴ Moses summoned Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Uzziel the uncle of Aaron, and said to them, ‘Come forward, and carry your kinsmen away from the front of the sanctuary to a place outside the camp.’ ⁵They came forward and carried them by their tunics out of the camp, as Moses had ordered. ⁶And Moses said to Aaron and to his sons Eleazar and Ithamar, ‘Do not dishevel your hair, and do not tear your vestments, or you will die and wrath will strike all the congregation; but your kindred, the whole house of Israel, may mourn the burning that the LORD has sent. ⁷You shall not go outside the entrance of the tent of meeting, or you will die; for the anointing-oil of the LORD is on you.’ And they did as Moses had ordered.

⁸ And the LORD spoke to Aaron: ⁹Drink no wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, when you enter the tent of meeting, that you may not die; it is a statute for ever throughout your generations. ¹⁰You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean; ¹¹and you are to teach the people of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them through Moses.

¹² Moses spoke to Aaron and to his remaining sons, Eleazar and Ithamar: Take the grain-offering that is left from the LORD’s offerings by fire, and eat it unleavened beside the altar, for it is most holy; ¹³you shall eat it in a holy place, because it is your due and your sons’ due, from the offerings by fire to the LORD; for so I am commanded. ¹⁴But the breast that is elevated and the thigh that is raised, you and your sons and daughters as well may eat in any clean place; for they have been assigned to you and your children from the sacrifices of the offerings of well-being of the people of Israel. ¹⁵The thigh that is raised and the breast that is elevated they shall bring, together with the offerings by fire of the fat, to raise for an elevation-offering before the LORD; they are to be your due and that of your children for ever, as the LORD has commanded.

¹⁶ Then Moses made inquiry about the goat of the sin-offering, and—it had already been burned! He was angry with Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s remaining sons, and said, ¹⁷‘Why did you not eat the sin-offering in the sacred area? For it is most holy, and Goda has given it to you that you may remove the guilt of the congregation, to make atonement on their behalf before the LORD. ¹⁸Its blood was not brought into the inner part of the sanctuary. You should certainly have eaten it in the sanctuary, as I commanded.’ ¹⁹And Aaron spoke to Moses, ‘See, today they offered their sin-offering and their burnt-offering before the LORD; and yet such things as these have befallen me! If I had eaten the sin-offering today, would it have been agreeable to the LORD?’ ²⁰And when Moses heard that, he agreed.

Clean and Unclean Foods

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THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: ²Speak to the people of Israel, saying:

From among all the land animals, these are the creatures that you may eat. ³Any animal that has divided hoofs and is cloven-footed and chews the cud—such you may eat. ⁴But among those that chew the cud or have divided hoofs, you shall not eat the following: the camel, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. ⁵The rock-badger, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. ⁶The hare, for even though it chews the cud, it does not have divided hoofs; it is unclean for you. ⁷The pig, for even though it has divided hoofs and is cloven-footed, it does not chew the cud; it is unclean for you. ⁸Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch; they are unclean for you.

⁹ These you may eat, of all that are in the waters. Everything in the waters that has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the streams—such you may eat. ¹⁰But anything in the seas or the streams that does not have fins and scales, of the swarming creatures in the waters and among all the other living creatures that are in the waters—they are detestable to you ¹¹and detestable they shall remain. Of their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall regard as detestable. ¹²Everything in the waters that does not have fins and scales is detestable to you.

¹³ These you shall regard as detestable among the birds. They shall not be eaten; they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, ¹⁴the buzzard, the kite of any kind; ¹⁵every raven of any kind; ¹⁶the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, the hawk of any kind; ¹⁷the little owl, the cormorant, the great owl, ¹⁸the water-hen, the desert-owl,b the carrion vulture, ¹⁹the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat.c

²⁰ All winged insects that walk upon all fours are detestable to you. ²¹But among the winged insects that walk on all fours you may eat those that have jointed legs above their feet, with which to leap on the ground. ²²Of them you may eat: the locust according to its kind, the bald locust according to its kind, the cricket according to its kind, and the grasshopper according to its kind. ²³But all other winged insects that have four feet are detestable to you.

Unclean Animals

²⁴ By these you shall become unclean; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until the evening, ²⁵and whoever carries any part of the carcass of any of them shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening. ²⁶Every animal that has divided hoofs but is not cloven-footed or does not chew the cud is unclean for you; everyone who touches one of them shall be unclean. ²⁷All that walk on their paws, among the animals that walk on all fours, are unclean for you; whoever touches the carcass of any of them shall be unclean until the evening, ²⁸and the one who carries the carcass shall wash his clothes and be unclean until the evening; they are unclean for you.

²⁹ These are unclean for you among the creatures that swarm upon the earth: the weasel, the mouse, the great lizard according to its kind, ³⁰the gecko, the land-crocodile, the lizard, the sand-lizard, and the chameleon. ³¹These are unclean for you among all that swarm; whoever touches one of them when they are dead shall be unclean until the evening. ³²And anything upon which any of them falls when they are dead shall be unclean, whether an article of wood or cloth or skin or sacking, any article that is used for any purpose; it shall be dipped into water, and it shall be unclean until the evening, and then it shall be clean. ³³And if any of them falls into any earthen vessel, all that is in it shall be unclean, and you shall break the vessel. ³⁴Any food that could be eaten shall be unclean if water from any such vessel comes upon it; and any liquid that could be drunk shall be unclean if it was in any such vessel. ³⁵Everything on which any part of the carcass falls shall be unclean; whether an oven or stove, it shall be broken in pieces; they are unclean, and shall remain unclean for you. ³⁶But a spring or a cistern holding water shall be clean, while whatever touches the carcass in it shall be unclean. ³⁷If any part of their carcass falls upon any seed set aside for sowing, it is clean; ³⁸but if water is put on the seed and any part of their carcass falls on it, it is unclean for you.

³⁹ If an animal of which you may eat dies, anyone who touches its carcass shall be unclean until the evening. ⁴⁰Those who eat of its carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening; and those who carry the carcass shall wash their clothes and be unclean until the evening.

⁴¹ All creatures that swarm upon the earth are detestable; they shall not be eaten. ⁴²Whatever moves on its belly, and whatever moves on all fours, or whatever has many feet, all the creatures that swarm upon the earth, you shall not eat; for they are detestable. ⁴³You shall not make yourselves detestable with any creature that swarms; you shall not defile yourselves with them, and so become unclean. ⁴⁴For I am the LORD your God; sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming creature that moves on the earth. ⁴⁵For I am the LORD who brought you up from the land of Egypt, to be your God; you shall be holy, for I am holy.

⁴⁶ This is the law pertaining to land animal and bird and every living creature that moves through the waters and every creature that swarms upon the earth, ⁴⁷to make a distinction between the unclean and the clean, and between the living creature that may be eaten and the living creature that may not be eaten.

Purification of Women after Childbirth

12

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel, saying:

If a woman conceives and bears a male child, she shall be ceremonially unclean for seven days; as at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. ³On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. ⁴Her time of blood purification shall be thirty-three days; she shall not touch any holy thing, or come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purification are completed. ⁵If she bears a female child, she shall be unclean for two weeks, as in her menstruation; her time of blood purification shall be sixty-six days.

⁶ When the days of her purification are completed, whether for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting a lamb in its first year for a burnt-offering, and a pigeon or a turtle-dove for a sin-offering. ⁷He shall offer it before the LORD, and make atonement on her behalf; then she shall be clean from her flow of blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, male or female. ⁸If she cannot afford a sheep, she shall take two turtle-doves or two pigeons, one for a burnt-offering and the other for a sin-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf, and she shall be clean.

Leprosy: Varieties and Symptoms

13

THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

² When a person has on the skin of his body a swelling or an eruption or a spot, and it turns into a leprousa disease on the skin of his body, he shall be brought to Aaron the priest or to one of his sons the priests. ³The priest shall examine the disease on the skin of his body, and if the hair in the diseased area has turned white and the disease appears to be deeper than the skin of his body, it is a leprousa disease; after the priest has examined him he shall pronounce him ceremonially unclean. ⁴But if the spot is white in the skin of his body, and appears no deeper than the skin, and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall confine the diseased person for seven days. ⁵The priest shall examine him on the seventh day, and if he sees that the disease is checked and the disease has not spread in the skin, then the priest shall confine him for seven days more. ⁶The priest shall examine him again on the seventh day, and if the disease has abated and the disease has not spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean; it is only an eruption; and he shall wash his clothes, and be clean. ⁷But if the eruption spreads in the skin after he has shown himself to the priest for his cleansing, he shall appear again before the priest. ⁸The priest shall make an examination, and if the eruption has spread in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is a leprousa disease.

⁹ When a person contracts a leprousa disease, he shall be brought to the priest. ¹⁰The priest shall make an examination, and if there is a white swelling in the skin that has turned the hair white, and there is quick raw flesh in the swelling, ¹¹it is a chronic leprousa disease in the skin of his body. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; he shall not confine him, for he is unclean. ¹²But if the disease breaks out in the skin, so that it covers all the skin of the diseased person from head to foot, so far as the priest can see, ¹³then the priest shall make an examination, and if the disease has covered all his body, he shall pronounce him clean of the disease; since it has all turned white, he is clean. ¹⁴But if raw flesh ever appears on him, he shall be unclean; ¹⁵the priest shall examine the raw flesh and pronounce him unclean. Raw flesh is unclean, for it is a leprousa disease. ¹⁶But if the raw flesh again turns white, he shall come to the priest; ¹⁷the priest shall examine him, and if the disease has turned white, the priest shall pronounce the diseased person clean. He is clean.

¹⁸ When there is on the skin of one’s body a boil that has healed, ¹⁹and in the place of the boil there appears a white swelling or a reddish-white spot, it shall be shown to the priest. ²⁰The priest shall make an examination, and if it appears deeper than the skin and its hair has turned white, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; this is a leprousa disease, broken out in the boil. ²¹But if the priest examines it and the hair on it is not white, nor is it deeper than the skin but has abated, the priest shall confine him for seven days. ²²If it spreads in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is diseased. ²³But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread, it is the scar of the boil; the priest shall pronounce him clean.

²⁴ Or, when the body has a burn on the skin and the raw flesh of the burn becomes a spot, reddish-white or white, ²⁵the priest shall examine it. If the hair in the spot has turned white and it appears deeper than the skin, it is a leprousa disease; it has broken out in the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him unclean. This is a leprousa disease. ²⁶But if the priest examines it and the hair in the spot is not white, and it is no deeper than the skin but has abated, the priest shall confine him for seven days. ²⁷The priest shall examine him on the seventh day; if it is spreading in the skin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean. This is a leprousa disease.²⁸ But if the spot remains in one place and does not spread in the skin but has abated, it is a swelling from the burn, and the priest shall pronounce him clean; for it is the scar of the burn.²⁹ When a man or woman has a disease on the head or in the beard,³⁰ the priest shall examine the disease. If it appears deeper than the skin and the hair in it is yellow and thin, the priest shall pronounce him unclean; it is an itch, a leprousa disease of the head or the beard.³¹ If the priest examines the itching disease, and it appears no deeper than the skin and there is no black hair in it, the priest shall confine the person with the itching disease for seven days.³² On the seventh day the priest shall examine the itch; if the itch has not spread, and there is no yellow hair in it, and the itch appears to be no deeper than the skin,³³ he shall shave, but the itch he shall not shave. The priest shall confine the person with the itch for seven days more.³⁴ On the seventh day the priest shall examine the itch; if the itch has not spread in the skin and it appears to be no deeper than the skin, the priest shall pronounce him clean. He shall wash his clothes and be clean.³⁵ But if the itch spreads in the skin after he was pronounced clean,³⁶ the priest shall examine him. If the itch has spread in the skin, the priest need not seek for the yellow hair; he is unclean.³⁷ But if in his eyes the itch is checked, and black hair has grown in it, the itch is healed, he is clean; and the priest shall pronounce him clean.

³⁸ When a man or a woman has spots on the skin of the body, white spots, ³⁹the priest shall make an examination, and if the spots on the skin of the body are of a dull white, it is a rash that has broken out on the skin; he is clean.

⁴⁰ If anyone loses the hair from his head, he is bald but he is clean. ⁴¹If he loses the hair from his forehead and temples, he has baldness of the forehead but he is clean. ⁴²But if there is on the bald head or the bald forehead a reddish-white diseased spot, it is a leprousa disease breaking out on his bald head or his bald forehead. ⁴³The priest shall examine him; if the diseased swelling is reddish-white on his bald head or on his bald forehead, which resembles a leprousa disease in the skin of the body, ⁴⁴he is leprous,a he is unclean. The priest shall pronounce him unclean; the disease is on his head.

⁴⁵ The person who has the leprousa disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head be dishevelled; and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ ⁴⁶He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.

⁴⁷ Concerning clothing: when a leprousa disease appears in it, in woollen or linen cloth, ⁴⁸in warp or woof of linen or wool, or in a skin or in anything made of skin, ⁴⁹if the disease shows greenish or reddish in the garment, whether in warp or woof or in skin or in anything made of skin, it is a leprousa disease and shall be shown to the priest. ⁵⁰The priest shall examine the disease, and put the diseased article aside for seven days. ⁵¹He shall examine the disease on the seventh day. If the disease has spread in the cloth, in warp or woof, or in the skin, whatever be the use of the skin, this is a spreading leprousa disease; it is unclean. ⁵²He shall burn the clothing, whether diseased in warp or woof, woollen or linen, or anything of skin, for it is a spreading leprousa disease; it shall be burned in fire.

⁵³ If the priest makes an examination, and the disease has not spread in the clothing, in warp or woof or in anything of skin, ⁵⁴the priest shall command them to wash the article in which the disease appears, and he shall put it aside for seven days more. ⁵⁵The priest shall examine the diseased article after it has been washed. If the diseased spot has not changed colour, though the disease has not spread, it is unclean; you shall burn it in fire, whether the leprousa spot is on the inside or on the outside.

⁵⁶ If the priest makes an examination, and the disease has abated after it is washed, he shall tear the spot out of the cloth, in warp or woof, or out of skin. ⁵⁷If it appears again in the garment, in warp or woof, or in anything of skin, it is spreading; you shall burn with fire that in which the disease appears. ⁵⁸But the cloth, warp or woof, or anything of skin from which the disease disappears when you have washed it, shall then be washed a second time, and it shall be clean.

⁵⁹ This is the ritual for a leprousa disease in a cloth of wool or linen, either in warp or woof, or in anything of skin, to decide whether it is clean or unclean.

Purification of Lepers and Leprous Houses

14

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²This shall be the ritual for the leprousaperson at the time of his cleansing:

He shall be brought to the priest; ³the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall make an examination. If the disease is healed in the leprousa person, ⁴the priest shall command that two living clean birds and cedar wood and crimson yarn and hyssop be brought for the one who is to be cleansed. ⁵The priest shall command that one of the birds be slaughtered over fresh water in an earthen vessel. ⁶He shall take the living bird with the cedar wood and the crimson yarn and the hyssop, and dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was slaughtered over the fresh water. ⁷He shall sprinkle it seven times upon the one who is to be cleansed of the leprousa disease; then he shall pronounce him clean, and he shall let the living bird go into the open field.⁸ The one who is to be cleansed shall wash his clothes, and shave off all his hair, and bathe himself in water, and he shall be clean. After that he shall come into the camp, but shall live outside his tent for seven days.⁹ On the seventh day he shall shave all his hair: of head, beard, eyebrows; he shall shave all his hair. Then he shall wash his clothes, and bathe his body in water, and he shall be clean.

¹⁰ On the eighth day he shall take two male lambs without blemish, and one ewe lamb in its first year without blemish, and a grain-offering of three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil, and one logb of oil.¹¹ The priest who cleanses shall set the person to be cleansed, along with these things, before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting.¹² The priest shall take one of the lambs, and offer it as a guilt-offering, along with the logb of oil, and raise them as an elevation-offering before the LORD.¹³ He shall slaughter the lamb in the place where the sin-offering and the burnt-offering are slaughtered in the holy place; for the guilt-offering, like the sin-offering, belongs to the priest: it is most holy.¹⁴ The priest shall take some of the blood of the guilt-offering and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot. ¹⁵The priest shall take some of the logb of oil and pour it into the palm of his own left hand,¹⁶ and dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and sprinkle some oil with his finger seven times before the LORD.¹⁷ Some of the oil that remains in his hand the priest shall put on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot, on top of the blood of the guilt-offering.¹⁸ The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed. Then the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD:¹⁹ the priest shall offer the sin-offering, to make atonement for the one to be cleansed from his uncleanness. Afterwards he shall slaughter the burnt-offering;²⁰ and the priest shall offer the burnt-offering and the grain-offering on the altar. Thus the priest shall make atonement on his behalf and he shall be clean.

²¹ But if he is poor and cannot afford so much, he shall take one male lamb for a guilt-offering to be elevated, to make atonement on his behalf, and one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering, and a logb of oil; ²²also two turtle-doves or two pigeons, such as he can afford, one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering. ²³On the eighth day he shall bring them for his cleansing to the priest, to the entrance of the tent of meeting, before the LORD; ²⁴and the priest shall take the lamb of the guilt-offering and the logb of oil, and the priest shall raise them as an elevation-offering before the LORD. ²⁵The priest shall slaughter the lamb of the guilt-offering and shall take some of the blood of the guilt-offering, and put it on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of the right hand, and on the big toe of the right foot. ²⁶The priest shall pour some of the oil into the palm of his own left hand, ²⁷and shall sprinkle with his right finger some of the oil that is in his left hand seven times before the LORD. ²⁸The priest shall put some of the oil that is in his hand on the lobe of the right ear of the one to be cleansed, and on the thumb of the right hand, and the big toe of the right foot, where the blood of the guilt-offering was placed. ²⁹The rest of the oil that is in the priest’s hand he shall put on the head of the one to be cleansed, to make atonement on his behalf before the LORD. ³⁰And he shall offer, of the turtle-doves or pigeons such as he can afford, ³¹onea for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering, along with a grain-offering; and the priest shall make atonement before the LORD on behalf of the one being cleansed. ³²This is the ritual for one who has a leprousb disease, who cannot afford the offerings for his cleansing.

³³ The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying:

³⁴ When you come into the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a leprousb disease in a house in the land of your possession, ³⁵the owner of the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘There seems to me to be some sort of disease in my house.’ ³⁶The priest shall command that they empty the house before the priest goes to examine the disease, or all that is in the house will become unclean; and afterwards the priest shall go in to inspect the house. ³⁷He shall examine the disease; if the disease is in the walls of the house with greenish or reddish spots, and if it appears to be deeper than the surface, ³⁸the priest shall go outside to the door of the house and shut up the house for seven days. ³⁹The priest shall come again on the seventh day and make an inspection; if the disease has spread in the walls of the house, ⁴⁰the priest shall command that the stones in which the disease appears be taken out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city. ⁴¹He shall have the inside of the house scraped thoroughly, and the plaster that is scraped off shall be dumped in an unclean place outside the city. ⁴²They shall take other stones and put them in the place of those stones, and take other plaster and plaster the house.

⁴³ If the disease breaks out again in the house, after he has taken out the stones and scraped the house and plastered it, ⁴⁴the priest shall go and make inspection; if the disease has spread in the house, it is a spreading leprousb disease in the house; it is unclean. ⁴⁵He shall have the house torn down, its stones and timber and all the plaster of the house, and taken outside the city to an unclean place. ⁴⁶All who enter the house while it is shut up shall be unclean until the evening; ⁴⁷and all who sleep in the house shall wash their clothes; and all who eat in the house shall wash their clothes.

⁴⁸ If the priest comes and makes an inspection, and the disease has not spread in the house after the house was plastered, the priest shall pronounce the house clean; the disease is healed. ⁴⁹For the cleansing of the house he shall take two birds, with cedar wood and crimson yarn and hyssop, ⁵⁰and shall slaughter one of the birds over fresh water in an earthen vessel, ⁵¹and shall take the cedar wood and the hyssop and the crimson yarn, along with the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slaughtered bird and the fresh water, and sprinkle the house seven times. ⁵²Thus he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the fresh water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood and hyssop and crimson yarn; ⁵³and he shall let the living bird go out of the city into the open field; so he shall make atonement for the house, and it shall be clean.

⁵⁴ This is the ritual for any leprousa disease: for an itch, ⁵⁵for leprousa diseases in clothing and houses, ⁵⁶and for a swelling or an eruption or a spot, ⁵⁷to determine when it is unclean and when it is clean. This is the ritual for leprousa diseases.

Concerning Bodily Discharges

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THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them:

When any man has a discharge from his member,b his discharge makes him ceremonially unclean. ³The uncleanness of his discharge is this: whether his memberb flows with his discharge, or his memberb is stopped from discharging, it is uncleanness for him. ⁴Every bed on which the one with the discharge lies shall be unclean; and everything on which he sits shall be unclean. ⁵Anyone who touches his bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁶All who sit on anything on which the one with the discharge has sat shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁷All who touch the body of the one with the discharge shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁸If the one with the discharge spits on persons who are clean, then they shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ⁹Any saddle on which the one with the discharge rides shall be unclean. ¹⁰All who touch anything that was under him shall be unclean until the evening, and all who carry such a thing shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹¹All those whom the one with the discharge touches without his having rinsed his hands in water shall wash their clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹²Any earthen vessel that the one with the discharge touches shall be broken; and every vessel of wood shall be rinsed in water.

¹³ When the one with a discharge is cleansed of his discharge, he shall count seven days for his cleansing; he shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in fresh water, and he shall be clean. ¹⁴On the eighth day he shall take two turtle-doves or two pigeons and come before the LORD to the entrance of the tent of meeting and give them to the priest. ¹⁵The priest shall offer them, one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on his behalf before the LORD for his discharge.

¹⁶ If a man has an emission of semen, he shall bathe his whole body in water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹⁷Everything made of cloth or of skin on which the semen falls shall be washed with water, and be unclean until the evening. ¹⁸If a man lies with a woman and has an emission of semen, both of them shall bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening.

¹⁹ When a woman has a discharge of blood that is her regular discharge from her body, she shall be in her impurity for seven days, and whoever touches her shall be unclean until the evening. ²⁰Everything upon which she lies during her impurity shall be unclean; everything also upon which she sits shall be unclean. ²¹Whoever touches her bed shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ²²Whoever touches anything upon which she sits shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening; ²³whether it is the bed or anything upon which she sits, when he touches it he shall be unclean until the evening. ²⁴If any man lies with her, and her impurity falls on him, he shall be unclean for seven days; and every bed on which he lies shall be unclean.

²⁵ If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, not at the time of her impurity, or if she has a discharge beyond the time of her impurity, for all the days of the discharge she shall continue in uncleanness; as in the days of her impurity, she shall be unclean. ²⁶Every bed on which she lies during all the days of her discharge shall be treated as the bed of her impurity; and everything on which she sits shall be unclean, as in the uncleanness of her impurity. ²⁷Whoever touches these things shall be unclean, and shall wash his clothes, and bathe in water, and be unclean until the evening. ²⁸If she is cleansed of her discharge, she shall count seven days, and after that she shall be clean. ²⁹On the eighth day she shall take two turtle-doves or two pigeons and bring them to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ³⁰The priest shall offer one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering; and the priest shall make atonement on her behalf before the LORD for her unclean discharge.

³¹ Thus you shall keep the people of Israel separate from their uncleanness, so that they do not die in their uncleanness by defiling my tabernacle that is in their midst.

³² This is the ritual for those who have a discharge: for him who has an emission of semen, becoming unclean thereby, ³³for her who is in the infirmity of her period, for anyone, male or female, who has a discharge, and for the man who lies with a woman who is unclean.

The Day of Atonement

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THE LORD spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they drew near before the LORD and died. ²The LORD said to Moses:

Tell your brother Aaron not to come just at any time into the sanctuary inside the curtain before the mercy-seata that is upon the ark, or he will die; for I appear in the cloud upon the mercy-seat.a ³Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bull for a sin-offering and a ram for a burnt-offering. ⁴He shall put on the holy linen tunic, and shall have the linen undergarments next to his body, fasten the linen sash, and wear the linen turban; these are the holy vestments. He shall bathe his body in water, and then put them on. ⁵He shall take from the congregation of the people of Israel two male goats for a sin-offering, and one ram for a burnt-offering.

⁶ Aaron shall offer the bull as a sin-offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house. ⁷He shall take the two goats and set them before the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting; ⁸and Aaron shall cast lots on the two goats, one lot for the LORD and the other lot for Azazel.b ⁹Aaron shall present the goat on which the lot fell for the LORD, and offer it as a sin-offering; ¹⁰but the goat on which the lot fell for Azazela shall be presented alive before the LORD to make atonement over it, so that it may be sent away into the wilderness to Azazel.a

¹¹ Aaron shall present the bull as a sin-offering for himself, and shall make atonement for himself and for his house; he shall slaughter the bull as a sin-offering for himself. ¹²He shall take a censer full of coals of fire from the altar before the LORD, and two handfuls of crushed sweet incense, and he shall bring it inside the curtain ¹³and put the incense on the fire before the LORD, so that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seatb that is upon the covenant,c or he will die. ¹⁴He shall take some of the blood of the bull, and sprinkle it with his finger on the front of the mercy-seat,b and before the mercy-seatb he shall sprinkle the blood with his finger seven times.

¹⁵ He shall slaughter the goat of the sin-offering that is for the people and bring its blood inside the curtain, and do with its blood as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it upon the mercy-seatb and before the mercy-seat.b ¹⁶Thus he shall make atonement for the sanctuary, because of the uncleannesses of the people of Israel, and because of their transgressions, all their sins; and so he shall do for the tent of meeting, which remains with them in the midst of their uncleannesses. ¹⁷No one shall be in the tent of meeting from the time he enters to make atonement in the sanctuary until he comes out and has made atonement for himself and for his house and for all the assembly of Israel. ¹⁸Then he shall go out to the altar that is before the LORD and make atonement on its behalf, and shall take some of the blood of the bull and of the blood of the goat, and put it on each of the horns of the altar. ¹⁹He shall sprinkle some of the blood on it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.

²⁰ When he has finished atoning for the holy place and the tent of meeting and the altar, he shall present the live goat. ²¹Then Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, and confess over it all the iniquities of the people of Israel, and all their transgressions, all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and sending it away into the wilderness by means of someone designated for the task.d ²²The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a barren region; and the goat shall be set free in the wilderness.

²³ Then Aaron shall enter the tent of meeting, and shall take off the linen vestments that he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there. ²⁴He shall bathe his body in water in a holy place, and put on his vestments; then he shall come out and offer his burnt-offering and the burnt-offering of the people, making atonement for himself and for the people. ²⁵The fat of the sin-offering he shall turn into smoke on the altar. ²⁶The one who sets the goat free for Azazela shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterwards may come into the camp. ²⁷The bull of the sin-offering and the goat of the sin-offering, whose blood was brought in to make atonement in the holy place, shall be taken outside the camp; their skin and their flesh and their dung shall be consumed in fire. ²⁸The one who burns them shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterwards may come into the camp.

²⁹ This shall be a statute to you for ever: In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, you shall deny yourselves,a and shall do no work, neither the citizen nor the alien who resides among you. ³⁰For on this day atonement shall be made for you, to cleanse you; from all your sins you shall be clean before the LORD. ³¹It is a sabbath of complete rest to you, and you shall deny yourselves;a it is a statute for ever. ³²The priest who is anointed and consecrated as priest in his father’s place shall make atonement, wearing the linen vestments, the holy vestments. ³³He shall make atonement for the sanctuary, and he shall make atonement for the tent of meeting and for the altar, and he shall make atonement for the priests and for all the people of the assembly. ³⁴This shall be an everlasting statute for you, to make atonement for the people of Israel once in the year for all their sins. And Moses did as the LORD had commanded him.

The Slaughtering of Animals

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THE LORD spoke to Moses:

² Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the people of Israel and say to them: This is what the LORD has commanded. ³If anyone of the house of Israel slaughters an ox or a lamb or a goat in the camp, or slaughters it outside the camp, ⁴and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to present it as an offering to the LORD before the tabernacle of the LORD, he shall be held guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood, and he shall be cut off from the people. ⁵This is in order that the people of Israel may bring their sacrifices that they offer in the open field, that they may bring them to the LORD, to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and offer them as sacrifices of well-being to the LORD. ⁶The priest shall dash the blood against the altar of the LORD at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and turn the fat into smoke as a pleasing odour to the LORD, ⁷so that they may no longer offer their sacrifices for goat-demons, to whom they prostitute themselves. This shall be a statute for ever to them throughout their generations.

⁸ And say to them further: Anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them who offers a burnt-offering or sacrifice, ⁹and does not bring it to the entrance of the tent of meeting, to sacrifice it to the LORD, shall be cut off from the people.

Eating Blood Prohibited

¹⁰ If anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens who reside among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood, and will cut that person off from the people. ¹¹For the life of the flesh is in the blood; and I have given it to you for making atonement for your lives on the altar; for, as life, it is the blood that makes atonement. ¹²Therefore I have said to the people of Israel: No person among you shall eat blood, nor shall any alien who resides among you eat blood. ¹³And anyone of the people of Israel, or of the aliens who reside among them, who hunts down an animal or bird that may be eaten shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth.

¹⁴ For the life of every creature—its blood is its life; therefore I have said to the people of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any creature, for the life of every creature is its blood; whoever eats it shall be cut off. ¹⁵All persons, citizens or aliens, who eat what dies of itself or what has been torn by wild animals, shall wash their clothes, and bathe themselves in water, and be unclean until the evening; then they shall be clean. ¹⁶But if they do not wash themselves or bathe their body, they shall bear their guilt.

Sexual Relations

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

² Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: I am the LORD your God. ³You shall not do as they do in the land of Egypt, where you lived, and you shall not do as they do in the land of Canaan, to which I am bringing you. You shall not follow their statutes. ⁴My ordinances you shall observe and my statutes you shall keep, following them: I am the LORD your God. ⁵You shall keep my statutes and my ordinances; by doing so one shall live: I am the LORD.

⁶ None of you shall approach anyone near of kin to uncover nakedness: I am the LORD. ⁷You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father, which is the nakedness of your mother; she is your mother, you shall not uncover her nakedness. ⁸You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife; it is the nakedness of your father. ⁹You shall not uncover the nakedness of your sister, your father’s daughter or your mother’s daughter, whether born at home or born abroad. ¹⁰You shall not uncover the nakedness of your son’s daughter or of your daughter’s daughter, for their nakedness is your own nakedness. ¹¹You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s wife’s daughter, begotten by your father, since she is your sister. ¹²You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s sister; she is your father’s flesh. ¹³You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister, for she is your mother’s flesh. ¹⁴You shall not uncover the nakedness of your father’s brother, that is, you shall not approach his wife; she is your aunt. ¹⁵You shall not uncover the nakedness of your daughter-in-law: she is your son’s wife; you shall not uncover her nakedness. ¹⁶You shall not uncover the nakedness of your brother’s wife; it is your brother’s nakedness. ¹⁷You shall not uncover the nakedness of a woman and her daughter, and you shall not takea her son’s daughter or her daughter’s daughter to uncover her nakedness; they are yourb flesh; it is depravity. ¹⁸And you shall not takea a woman as a rival to her sister, uncovering her nakedness while her sister is still alive.

¹⁹ You shall not approach a woman to uncover her nakedness while she is in her menstrual uncleanness. ²⁰You shall not have sexual relations with your kinsman’s wife, and defile yourself with her. ²¹You shall not give any of your offspring to sacrifice themc to Molech, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD. ²²You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination. ²³You shall not have sexual relations with any animal and defile yourself with it, nor shall any woman give herself to an animal to have sexual relations with it: it is perversion.

²⁴ Do not defile yourselves in any of these ways, for by all these practices the nations I am casting out before you have defiled themselves. ²⁵Thus the land became defiled; and I punished it for its iniquity, and the land vomited out its inhabitants. ²⁶But you shall keep my statutes and my ordinances and commit none of these abominations, either the citizen or the alien who resides among you ²⁷(for the inhabitants of the land, who were before you, committed all of these abominations, and the land became defiled); ²⁸otherwise the land will vomit you out for defiling it, as it vomited out the nation that was before you. ²⁹For whoever commits any of these abominations shall be cut off from their people. ³⁰So keep my charge not to commit any of these abominations that were done before you, and not to defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God.

Ritual and Moral Holiness

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying:

² Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them: You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy. ³You shall each revere your mother and father, and you shall keep my sabbaths: I am the LORD your God. ⁴Do not turn to idols or make cast images for yourselves: I am the LORD your God.

⁵ When you offer a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD, offer it in such a way that it is acceptable in your behalf. ⁶It shall be eaten on the same day you offer it, or on the next day; and anything left over until the third day shall be consumed in fire. ⁷If it is eaten at all on the third day, it is an abomination; it will not be acceptable. ⁸All who eat it shall be subject to punishment, because they have profaned what is holy to the LORD; and any such person shall be cut off from the people.

⁹ When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰You shall not strip your vineyard bare, or gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the alien: I am the LORD your God.

¹¹ You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; and you shall not lie to one another. ¹²And you shall not swear falsely by my name, profaning the name of your God: I am the LORD.

¹³ You shall not defraud your neighbour; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a labourer until morning. ¹⁴You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling-block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

¹⁵ You shall not render an unjust judgement; you shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great: with justice you shall judge your neighbour. ¹⁶You shall not go around as a slanderera among your people, and you shall not profit by the bloodb of your neighbour: I am the LORD.

¹⁷ You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbour, or you will incur guilt yourself. ¹⁸You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the LORD.

¹⁹ You shall keep my statutes. You shall not let your animals breed with a different kind; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed; nor shall you put on a garment made of two different materials.

²⁰ If a man has sexual relations with a woman who is a slave, designated for another man but not ransomed or given her freedom, an inquiry shall be held. They shall not be put to death, since she has not been freed; ²¹but he shall bring a guilt-offering for himself to the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, a ram as guilt-offering. ²²And the priest shall make atonement for him with the ram of guilt-offering before the LORD for his sin that he committed; and the sin he committed shall be forgiven him.

²³ When you come into the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall regard their fruit as forbidden;a for three years it shall be forbiddenb to you; it must not be eaten. ²⁴In the fourth year all their fruit shall be set apart for rejoicing in the LORD. ²⁵But in the fifth year you may eat of their fruit, that their yield may be increased for you: I am the LORD your God.

²⁶ You shall not eat anything with its blood. You shall not practise augury or witchcraft. ²⁷You shall not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard. ²⁸You shall not make any gashes in your flesh for the dead or tattoo any marks upon you: I am the LORD.

²⁹ Do not profane your daughter by making her a prostitute, so that the land may not become prostituted and full of depravity. ³⁰You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

³¹ Do not turn to mediums or wizards; do not seek them out, to be defiled by them: I am the LORD your God.

³² You shall rise before the aged, and defer to the old; and you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.

³³ When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. ³⁴The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

³⁵ You shall not cheat in measuring length, weight, or quantity. ³⁶You shall have honest balances, honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin: I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt. ³⁷You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them: I am the LORD.

Penalties for Violations of Holiness

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Say further to the people of Israel: Any of the people of Israel, or of the aliens who reside in Israel, who give any of their offspring to Molech shall be put to death; the people of the land shall stone them to death. ³I myself will set my face against them, and will cut them off from the people, because they have given of their offspring to Molech, defiling my sanctuary and profaning my holy name. ⁴And if the people of the land should ever close their eyes to them, when they give of their offspring to Molech, and do not put them to death, ⁵I myself will set my face against them and against their family, and will cut them off from among their people, them and all who follow them in prostituting themselves to Molech.

⁶ If any turn to mediums and wizards, prostituting themselves to them, I will set my face against them, and will cut them off from the people. ⁷Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy; for I am the LORD your God. ⁸Keep my statutes, and observe them; I am the LORD; I sanctify you. ⁹All who curse father or mother shall be put to death; having cursed father or mother, their blood is upon them.

¹⁰ If a man commits adultery with the wife ofa his neighbour, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death. ¹¹The man who lies with his father’s wife has uncovered his father’s nakedness; both of them shall be put to death; their blood is upon them. ¹²If a man lies with his daughter-in-law, both of them shall be put to death; they have committed perversion; their blood is upon them. ¹³If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall be put to death; their blood is upon them. ¹⁴If a man takes a wife and her mother also, it is depravity; they shall be burned to death, both he and they, that there may be no depravity among you. ¹⁵If a man has sexual relations with an animal, he shall be put to death; and you shall kill the animal. ¹⁶If a woman approaches any animal and has sexual relations with it, you shall kill the woman and the animal; they shall be put to death, their blood is upon them.

¹⁷ If a man takes his sister, a daughter of his father or a daughter of his mother, and sees her nakedness, and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace, and they shall be cut off in the sight of their people; he has uncovered his sister’s nakedness, he shall be subject to punishment. ¹⁸If a man lies with a woman having her sickness and uncovers her nakedness, he has laid bare her flow and she has laid bare her flow of blood; both of them shall be cut off from their people. ¹⁹You shall not uncover the nakedness of your mother’s sister or of your father’s sister, for that is to lay bare one’s own flesh; they shall be subject to punishment. ²⁰If a man lies with his uncle’s wife, he has uncovered his uncle’s nakedness; they shall be subject to punishment; they shall die childless. ²¹If a man takes his brother’s wife, it is impurity; he has uncovered his brother’s nakedness; they shall be childless.

²² You shall keep all my statutes and all my ordinances, and observe them, so that the land to which I bring you to settle in may not vomit you out. ²³You shall not follow the practices of the nation that I am driving out before you. Because they did all these things, I abhorred them. ²⁴But I have said to you: You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am the LORD your God; I have separated you from the peoples. ²⁵You shall therefore make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between the unclean bird and the clean; you shall not bring abomination on yourselves by animal or by bird or by anything with which the ground teems, which I have set apart for you to hold unclean. ²⁶You shall be holy to me; for I the LORD am holy, and I have separated you from the other peoples to be mine.

²⁷ A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them.

The Holiness of Priests

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THE LORD said to Moses: Speak to the priests, the sons of Aaron, and say to them:

No one shall defile himself for a dead person among his relatives, ²except for his nearest kin: his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother; ³likewise, for a virgin sister, close to him because she has had no husband, he may defile himself for her. ⁴But he shall not defile himself as a husband among his people and so profane himself. ⁵They shall not make bald spots upon their heads, or shave off the edges of their beards, or make any gashes in their flesh. ⁶They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God; for they offer the LORD’s offerings by fire, the food of their God; therefore they shall be holy. ⁷They shall not marry a prostitute or a woman who has been defiled; neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband. For they are holy to their God, ⁸and you shall treat them as holy, since they offer the food of your God; they shall be holy to you, for I the LORD, I who sanctify you, am holy. ⁹When the daughter of a priest profanes herself through prostitution, she profanes her father; she shall be burned to death.

¹⁰ The priest who is exalted above his fellows, on whose head the anointing-oil has been poured and who has been consecrated to wear the vestments, shall not dishevel his hair, nor tear his vestments. ¹¹He shall not go where there is a dead body; he shall not defile himself even for his father or mother. ¹²He shall not go outside the sanctuary and thus profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing-oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD. ¹³He shall marry only a woman who is a virgin. ¹⁴A widow, or a divorced woman, or a woman who has been defiled, a prostitute, these he shall not marry. He shall marry a virgin of his own kin, ¹⁵that he may not profane his offspring among his kin; for I am the LORD; I sanctify him.

¹⁶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁷Speak to Aaron and say: No one of your offspring throughout their generations who has a blemish may approach to offer the food of his God. ¹⁸For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, one who is blind or lame, or one who has a mutilated face or a limb too long, ¹⁹or one who has a broken foot or a broken hand, ²⁰or a hunchback, or a dwarf, or a man with a blemish in his eyes or an itching disease or scabs or crushed testicles. ²¹No descendant of Aaron the priest who has a blemish shall come near to offer the LORD’s offerings by fire; since he has a blemish, he shall not come near to offer the food of his God. ²²He may eat the food of his God, of the most holy as well as of the holy. ²³But he shall not come near the curtain or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries; for I am the LORD; I sanctify them. ²⁴Thus Moses spoke to Aaron and to his sons and to all the people of Israel.

The Use of Holy Offerings

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Direct Aaron and his sons to deal carefully with the sacred donations of the people of Israel, which they dedicate to me, so that they may not profane my holy name; I am the LORD. ³Say to them: If anyone among all your offspring throughout your generations comes near the sacred donations, which the people of Israel dedicate to the LORD, while he is in a state of uncleanness, that person shall be cut off from my presence: I am the LORD. ⁴No one of Aaron’s offspring who has a leprousa disease or suffers a discharge may eat of the sacred donations until he is clean. Whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse or a man who has had an emission of semen, ⁵ and whoever touches any swarming thing by which he may be made unclean or any human being by whom he may be made unclean—whatever his uncleanness may be—⁶the person who touches any such shall be unclean until evening and shall not eat of the sacred donations unless he has washed his body in water. ⁷When the sun sets he shall be clean; and afterwards he may eat of the sacred donations, for they are his food. ⁸That which died or was torn by wild animals he shall not eat, becoming unclean by it: I am the LORD. ⁹They shall keep my charge, so that they may not incur guilt and die in the sanctuarya for having profaned it: I am the LORD; I sanctify them.

¹⁰ No lay person shall eat of the sacred donations. No bound or hired servant of the priest shall eat of the sacred donations; ¹¹but if a priest acquires anyone by purchase, the person may eat of them; and those that are born in his house may eat of his food. ¹²If a priest’s daughter marries a layman, she shall not eat of the offering of the sacred donations; ¹³but if a priest’s daughter is widowed or divorced, without offspring, and returns to her father’s house, as in her youth, she may eat of her father’s food. No lay person shall eat of it. ¹⁴If a man eats of the sacred donation unintentionally, he shall add one-fifth of its value to it, and give the sacred donation to the priest. ¹⁵No one shall profane the sacred donations of the people of Israel, which they offer to the LORD, ¹⁶causing them to bear guilt requiring a guilt-offering, by eating their sacred donations: for I am the LORD; I sanctify them.

Acceptable Offerings

¹⁷ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁸Speak to Aaron and his sons and all the people of Israel and say to them: When anyone of the house of Israel or of the aliens residing in Israel presents an offering, whether in payment of a vow or as a freewill-offering that is offered to the LORD as a burnt-offering, ¹⁹to be acceptable in your behalf it shall be a male without blemish, of the cattle or the sheep or the goats. ²⁰You shall not offer anything that has a blemish, for it will not be acceptable in your behalf.

²¹ When anyone offers a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD, in fulfilment of a vow or as a freewill-offering, from the herd or from the flock, to be acceptable it must be perfect; there shall be no blemish in it. ²²Anything blind, or injured, or maimed, or having a discharge or an itch or scabs—these you shall not offer to the LORD or put any of them on the altar as offerings by fire to the LORD. ²³An ox or a lamb that has a limb too long or too short you may present for a freewill-offering; but it will not be accepted for a vow. ²⁴Any animal that has its testicles bruised or crushed or torn or cut, you shall not offer to the LORD; such you shall not do within your land, ²⁵nor shall you accept any such animals from a foreigner to offer as food to your God; since they are mutilated, with a blemish in them, they shall not be accepted in your behalf.

²⁶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁷When an ox or a sheep or a goat is born, it shall remain for seven days with its mother, and from the eighth day onwards it shall be acceptable as the LORD’s offering by fire. ²⁸But you shall not slaughter, from the herd or the flock, an animal with its young on the same day. ²⁹When you sacrifice a thanksgiving-offering to the LORD, you shall sacrifice it so that it may be acceptable in your behalf. ³⁰It shall be eaten on the same day; you shall not leave any of it until morning: I am the LORD.

³¹ Thus you shall keep my commandments and observe them: I am the LORD. ³²You shall not profane my holy name, that I may be sanctified among the people of Israel: I am the LORD; I sanctify you, ³³I who brought you out of the land of Egypt to be your God: I am the LORD.

Appointed Festivals

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: These are the appointed festivals of the LORD that you shall proclaim as holy convocations, my appointed festivals.

The Sabbath, Passover, and Unleavened Bread

³ For six days shall work be done; but the seventh day is a sabbath of complete rest, a holy convocation; you shall do no work: it is a sabbath to the LORD throughout your settlements.

⁴ These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, the holy convocations, which you shall celebrate at the time appointed for them. ⁵In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight,a there shall be a passover-offering to the LORD, ⁶and on the fifteenth day of the same month is the festival of unleavened bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. ⁷On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. ⁸For seven days you shall present the LORD’s offerings by fire; on the seventh day there shall be a holy convocation: you shall not work at your occupations.

The Offering of First Fruits

⁹ The LORD spoke to Moses: ¹⁰Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you and you reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. ¹¹He shall raise the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may find acceptance; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall raise it. ¹²On the day when you raise the sheaf, you shall offer a lamb a year old, without blemish, as a burnt-offering to the LORD. ¹³And the grain-offering with it shall be two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD; and the drink-offering with it shall be of wine, one-fourth of a hin. ¹⁴You shall eat no bread or parched grain or fresh ears until that very day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your settlements.

The Festival of Weeks

¹⁵ And from the day after the sabbath, from the day on which you bring the sheaf of the elevation-offering, you shall count off seven weeks; they shall be complete. ¹⁶You shall count until the day after the seventh sabbath, fifty days; then you shall present an offering of new grain to the LORD. ¹⁷You shall bring from your settlements two loaves of bread as an elevation-offering, each made of two-tenths of an ephah; they shall be of choice flour, baked with leaven, as first fruits to the LORD. ¹⁸You shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, one young bull, and two rams; they shall be a burnt-offering to the LORD, along with their grain-offering and their drink-offerings, an offering by fire of pleasing odour to the LORD. ¹⁹You shall also offer one male goat for a sin-offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of well-being. ²⁰The priest shall raise them with the bread of the first fruits as an elevation-offering before the LORD, together with the two lambs; they shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. ²¹On that same day you shall make proclamation; you shall hold a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. This is a statute for ever in all your settlements throughout your generations.

²² When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the LORD your God.

The Festival of Trumpets

²³ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁴Speak to the people of Israel, saying: In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall observe a day of complete rest, a holy convocation commemorated with trumpet blasts. ²⁵You shall not work at your occupations; and you shall present the LORD’s offering by fire.

The Day of Atonement

²⁶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁷Now, the tenth day of this seventh month is the day of atonement; it shall be a holy convocation for you: you shall deny yourselvesa and present the LORD’s offering by fire; ²⁸and you shall do no work during that entire day; for it is a day of atonement, to make atonement on your behalf before the LORD your God. ²⁹For anyone who does not practise self-denialb during that entire day shall be cut off from the people. ³⁰And anyone who does any work during that entire day, such a one I will destroy from the midst of the people. ³¹You shall do no work: it is a statute for ever throughout your generations in all your settlements. ³²It shall be to you a sabbath of complete rest, and you shall deny yourselves;a on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening you shall keep your sabbath.

The Year of Jubilee

³³ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ³⁴Speak to the people of Israel, saying: On the fifteenth day of this seventh month, and lasting seven days, there shall be the festival of boothsc to the LORD. ³⁵The first day shall be a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. ³⁶For seven days you shall present the LORD’s offerings by fire; on the eighth day you shall observe a holy convocation and present the LORD’s offerings by fire; it is a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations.

³⁷ These are the appointed festivals of the LORD, which you shall celebrate as times of holy convocation, for presenting to the LORD offerings by fire—burnt-offerings and grain-offerings, sacrifices and drink-offerings, each on its proper day—³⁸apart from the sabbaths of the LORD, and apart from your gifts, and apart from all your votive offerings, and apart from all your freewill-offerings, which you give to the LORD.

³⁹ Now, the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the produce of the land, you shall keep the festival of the LORD, lasting seven days; a complete rest on the first day, and a complete rest on the eighth day. ⁴⁰On the first day you shall take the fruit of majesticd trees, branches of palm trees, boughs of leafy trees, and willows of the brook; and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. ⁴¹You shall keep it as a festival to the LORD seven days in the year; you shall keep it in the seventh month as a statute for ever throughout your generations. ⁴²You shall live in booths for seven days; all that are citizens in Israel shall live in booths, ⁴³so that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel live in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

⁴⁴ Thus Moses declared to the people of Israel the appointed festivals of the LORD.

The Lamp

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Command the people of Israel to bring you pure oil of beaten olives for the lamp, that a light may be kept burning regularly. ³Aaron shall set it up in the tent of meeting, outside the curtain of the covenant,a to burn from evening to morning before the LORD regularly; it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations. ⁴He shall set up the lamps on the lampstand of pure goldb before the LORD regularly.

The Bread for the Tabernacle

⁵ You shall take choice flour, and bake twelve loaves of it; two-tenths of an ephah shall be in each loaf. ⁶You shall place them in two rows, six in a row, on the table of pure gold.c ⁷You shall put pure frankincense with each row, to be a token offering for the bread, as an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁸Every sabbath day Aaron shall set them in order before the LORD regularly as a commitment of the people of Israel, as a covenant for ever. ⁹They shall be for Aaron and his descendants, who shall eat them in a holy place, for they are most holy portions for him from the offerings by fire to the LORD, a perpetual due.

Blasphemy and Its Punishment

¹⁰ A man whose mother was an Israelite and whose father was an Egyptian came out among the people of Israel; and the Israelite woman’s son and a certain Israelite began fighting in the camp. ¹¹The Israelite woman’s son blasphemed the Name in a curse. And they brought him to Moses—now his mother’s name was Shelomith, daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan—¹²and they put him in custody, until the decision of the LORD should be made clear to them.

¹³ The LORD said to Moses, saying: ¹⁴Take the blasphemer outside the camp; and let all who were within hearing lay their hands on his head, and let the whole congregation stone him. ¹⁵And speak to the people of Israel, saying: Anyone who curses God shall bear the sin. ¹⁶One who blasphemes the name of the LORD shall be put to death; the whole congregation shall stone the blasphemer. Aliens as well as citizens, when they blaspheme the Name, shall be put to death. ¹⁷Anyone who kills a human being shall be put to death. ¹⁸Anyone who kills an animal shall make restitution for it, life for life. ¹⁹Anyone who maims another shall suffer the same injury in return: ²⁰fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth; the injury inflicted is the injury to be suffered. ²¹One who kills an animal shall make restitution for it; but one who kills a human being shall be put to death. ²²You shall have one law for the alien and for the citizen: for I am the LORD your God. ²³Moses spoke thus to the people of Israel; and they took the blasphemer outside the camp, and stoned him to death. The people of Israel did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Sabbatical Year

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THE LORD spoke to Moses on Mount Sinai, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When you enter the land that I am giving you, the land shall observe a sabbath for the LORD. ³For six years you shall sow your field, and for six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in their yield; ⁴but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of complete rest for the land, a sabbath for the LORD: you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. ⁵You shall not reap the aftergrowth of your harvest or gather the grapes of your unpruned vine: it shall be a year of complete rest for the land. ⁶You may eat what the land yields during its sabbath—you, your male and female slaves, your hired and your bound labourers who live with you; ⁷for your livestock also, and for the wild animals in your land all its yield shall be for food.

The Year of Jubilee

⁸ You shall count off seven weeksa of years, seven times seven years, so that the period of seven weeks of years gives forty-nine years. ⁹ Then you shall have the trumpet sounded loud; on the tenth day of the seventh month—on the day of atonement—you shall have the trumpet sounded throughout all your land.¹⁰ And you shall hallow the fiftieth year and you shall proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you: you shall return, every one of you, to your property and every one of you to your family.¹¹ That fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you: you shall not sow, or reap the aftergrowth, or harvest the unpruned vines.¹² For it is a jubilee; it shall be holy to you: you shall eat only what the field itself produces.

¹³ In this year of jubilee you shall return, every one of you, to your property. ¹⁴When you make a sale to your neighbour or buy from your neighbour, you shall not cheat one another. ¹⁵When you buy from your neighbour, you shall pay only for the number of years since the jubilee; the seller shall charge you only for the remaining crop-years. ¹⁶If the years are more, you shall increase the price, and if the years are fewer, you shall diminish the price; for it is a certain number of harvests that are being sold to you. ¹⁷You shall not cheat one another, but you shall fear your God; for I am the LORD your God.

¹⁸ You shall observe my statutes and faithfully keep my ordinances, so that you may live on the land securely. ¹⁹The land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill and live on it securely. ²⁰Should you ask, ‘What shall we eat in the seventh year, if we may not sow or gather in our crop?’ ²¹I will order my blessing for you in the sixth year, so that it will yield a crop for three years. ²²When you sow in the eighth year, you will be eating from the old crop; until the ninth year, when its produce comes in, you shall eat the old. ²³The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine; with me you are but aliens and tenants. ²⁴Throughout the land that you hold, you shall provide for the redemption of the land.

²⁵ If anyone of your kin falls into difficulty and sells a piece of property, then the next-of-kin shall come and redeem what the relative has sold. ²⁶If the person has no one to redeem it, but then prospers and finds sufficient means to do so, ²⁷the years since its sale shall be computed and the difference shall be refunded to the person to whom it was sold, and the property shall be returned. ²⁸But if there are not sufficient means to recover it, what was sold shall remain with the purchaser until the year of jubilee; in the jubilee it shall be released, and the property shall be returned.

²⁹ If anyone sells a dwelling-house in a walled city, it may be redeemed until a year has elapsed since its sale; the right of redemption shall be for one year. ³⁰If it is not redeemed before a full year has elapsed, a house that is in a walled city shall pass in perpetuity to the purchaser, throughout the generations; it shall not be released in the jubilee. ³¹But houses in villages that have no walls around them shall be classed as open country; they may be redeemed, and they shall be released in the jubilee. ³²As for the cities of the Levites, the Levites shall for ever have the right of redemption of the houses in the cities belonging to them. ³³Such property as may be redeemed from the Levites—houses sold in a city belonging to them—shall be released in the jubilee; because the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the people of Israel. ³⁴But the open land around their cities may not be sold; for that is their possession for all time.

³⁵ If any of your kin fall into difficulty and become dependent on you,a you shall support them; they shall live with you as though resident aliens. ³⁶Do not take interest in advance or otherwise make a profit from them, but fear your God; let them live with you. ³⁷You shall not lend them your money at interest taken in advance, or provide them food at a profit. ³⁸I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to give you the land of Canaan, to be your God.

³⁹ If any who are dependent on you become so impoverished that they sell themselves to you, you shall not make them serve as slaves. ⁴⁰They shall remain with you as hired or bound labourers. They shall serve with you until the year of the jubilee. ⁴¹Then they and their children with them shall be free from your authority; they shall go back to their own family and return to their ancestral property. ⁴²For they are my servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves are sold. ⁴³You shall not rule over them with harshness, but shall fear your God. ⁴⁴As for the male and female slaves whom you may have, it is from the nations around you that you may acquire male and female slaves. ⁴⁵You may also acquire them from among the aliens residing with you, and from their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property. ⁴⁶You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

⁴⁷ If resident aliens among you prosper, and if any of your kin fall into difficulty with one of them and sell themselves to an alien, or to a branch of the alien’s family, ⁴⁸after they have sold themselves they shall have the right of redemption; one of their brothers may redeem them, ⁴⁹or their uncle or their uncle’s son may redeem them, or anyone of their family who is of their own flesh may redeem them; or if they prosper they may redeem themselves. ⁵⁰They shall compute with the purchaser the total from the year when they sold themselves to the alien until the jubilee year; the price of the sale shall be applied to the number of years: the time they were with the owner shall be rated as the time of a hired labourer. ⁵¹If many years remain, they shall pay for their redemption in proportion to the purchase price; ⁵²and if few years remain until the jubilee year, they shall compute thus: according to the years involved they shall make payment for their redemption. ⁵³As a labourer hired by the year they shall be under the alien’s authority, who shall not, however, rule with harshness over them in your sight. ⁵⁴And if they have not been redeemed in any of these ways, they and their children with them shall go free in the jubilee year. ⁵⁵For to me the people of Israel are servants; they are my servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

Rewards for Obedience

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YOU shall make for yourselves no idols and erect no carved images or pillars, and you shall not place figured stones in your land, to worship at them; for I am the LORD your God. ²You shall keep my sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

³ If you follow my statutes and keep my commandments and observe them faithfully, ⁴I will give you your rains in their season, and the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. ⁵Your threshing shall overtake the vintage, and the vintage shall overtake the sowing; you shall eat your bread to the full, and live securely in your land. ⁶And I will grant peace in the land, and you shall lie down, and no one shall make you afraid; I will remove dangerous animals from the land, and no sword shall go through your land. ⁷You shall give chase to your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. ⁸Five of you shall give chase to a hundred, and a hundred of you shall give chase to ten thousand; your enemies shall fall before you by the sword. ⁹I will look with favour upon you and make you fruitful and multiply you; and I will maintain my covenant with you. ¹⁰You shall eat old grain long stored, and you shall have to clear out the old to make way for the new. ¹¹I will place my dwelling in your midst, and I shall not abhor you. ¹²And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be my people. ¹³I am the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be their slaves no more; I have broken the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.

Penalties for Disobedience

¹⁴ But if you will not obey me, and do not observe all these commandments, ¹⁵if you spurn my statutes, and abhor my ordinances, so that you will not observe all my commandments, and you break my covenant, ¹⁶I in turn will do this to you: I will bring terror on you; consumption and fever that waste the eyes and cause life to pine away. You shall sow your seed in vain, for your enemies shall eat it. ¹⁷I will set my face against you, and you shall be struck down by your enemies; your foes shall rule over you, and you shall flee though no one pursues you. ¹⁸And if in spite of this you will not obey me, I will continue to punish you sevenfold for your sins. ¹⁹I will break your proud glory, and I will make your sky like iron and your earth like copper. ²⁰Your strength shall be spent to no purpose: your land shall not yield its produce, and the trees of the land shall not yield their fruit.

²¹ If you continue hostile to me, and will not obey me, I will continue to plague you sevenfold for your sins. ²²I will let loose wild animals against you, and they shall bereave you of your children and destroy your livestock; they shall make you few in number, and your roads shall be deserted.

²³ If in spite of these punishments you have not turned back to me, but continue hostile to me, ²⁴then I too will continue hostile to you: I myself will strike you sevenfold for your sins. ²⁵I will bring the sword against you, executing vengeance for the covenant; and if you withdraw within your cities, I will send pestilence among you, and you shall be delivered into enemy hands. ²⁶When I break your staff of bread, ten women shall bake your bread in a single oven, and they shall dole out your bread by weight; and though you eat, you shall not be satisfied.

²⁷ But if, despite this, you disobey me, and continue hostile to me, ²⁸I will continue hostile to you in fury; I in turn will punish you myself sevenfold for your sins. ²⁹You shall eat the flesh of your sons, and you shall eat the flesh of your daughters. ³⁰I will destroy your high places and cut down your incense-altars; I will heap your carcasses on the carcasses of your idols. I will abhor you. ³¹I will lay your cities waste, will make your sanctuaries desolate, and I will not smell your pleasing odours. ³²I will devastate the land, so that your enemies who come to settle in it shall be appalled at it. ³³And you I will scatter among the nations, and I will unsheathe the sword against you; your land shall be a desolation, and your cities a waste.

³⁴ Then the land shall enjoya its sabbath years as long as it lies desolate, while you are in the land of your enemies; then the land shall rest, and enjoya its sabbath years. ³⁵As long as it lies desolate, it shall have the rest it did not have on your sabbaths when you were living on it. ³⁶And as for those of you who survive, I will send faintness into their hearts in the lands of their enemies; the sound of a driven leaf shall put them to flight, and they shall flee as one flees from the sword, and they shall fall though no one pursues. ³⁷They shall stumble over one another, as if to escape a sword, though no one pursues; and you shall have no power to stand against your enemies. ³⁸You shall perish among the nations, and the land of your enemies shall devour you. ³⁹And those of you who survive shall languish in the land of your enemies because of their iniquities; also they shall languish because of the iniquities of their ancestors.

⁴⁰ But if they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their ancestors, in that they committed treachery against me and, moreover, that they continued hostile to me—⁴¹so that I, in turn, continued hostile to them and brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled and they make amends for their iniquity, ⁴²then will I remember my covenant with Jacob; I will remember also my covenant with Isaac and also my covenant with Abraham, and I will remember the land. ⁴³For the land shall be deserted by them, and enjoya its sabbath years by lying desolate without them, while they shall make amends for their iniquity, because they dared to spurn my ordinances, and they abhorred my statutes. ⁴⁴Yet for all that, when they are in the land of their enemies, I will not spurn them, or abhor them so as to destroy them utterly and break my covenant with them; for I am the LORD their God; ⁴⁵but I will remember in their favour the covenant with their ancestors whom I brought out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, to be their God: I am the LORD.

⁴⁶ These are the statutes and ordinances and laws that the LORD established between himself and the people of Israel on Mount Sinai through Moses.

Votive Offerings

27

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to the people of Israel and say to them: When a person makes an explicit vow to the LORD concerning the equivalent for a human being, ³the equivalent for a male shall be: from twenty to sixty years of age the equivalent shall be fifty shekels of silver by the sanctuary shekel. ⁴If the person is a female, the equivalent is thirty shekels. ⁵If the age is from five to twenty years of age, the equivalent is twenty shekels for a male and ten shekels for a female. ⁶If the age is from one month to five years, the equivalent for a male is five shekels of silver, and for a female the equivalent is three shekels of silver. ⁷And if the person is sixty years old or over, then the equivalent for a male is fifteen shekels, and for a female ten shekels. ⁸If any cannot afford the equivalent, they shall be brought before the priest and the priest shall assess them; the priest shall assess them according to what each one making a vow can afford.

⁹ If it concerns an animal that may be brought as an offering to the LORD, any such that may be given to the LORD shall be holy. ¹⁰Another shall not be exchanged or substituted for it, either good for bad or bad for good; and if one animal is substituted for another, both that one and its substitute shall be holy. ¹¹If it concerns any unclean animal that may not be brought as an offering to the LORD, the animal shall be presented before the priest. ¹²The priest shall assess it: whether good or bad, according to the assessment of the priest, so it shall be. ¹³But if it is to be redeemed, one-fifth must be added to the assessment.

¹⁴ If a person consecrates a house to the LORD, the priest shall assess it: whether good or bad, as the priest assesses it, so it shall stand. ¹⁵And if the one who consecrates the house wishes to redeem it, one-fifth shall be added to its assessed value, and it shall revert to the original owner.

¹⁶ If a person consecrates to the LORD any inherited land-holding, its assessment shall be in accordance with its seed requirements: fifty shekels of silver to a homer of barley seed. ¹⁷If the person consecrates the field as of the year of jubilee, that assessment shall stand; ¹⁸but if the field is consecrated after the jubilee, the priest shall compute the price for it according to the years that remain until the year of jubilee, and the assessment shall be reduced. ¹⁹And if the one who consecrates the field wishes to redeem it, then one-fifth shall be added to its assessed value, and it shall revert to the original owner; ²⁰but if the field is not redeemed, or if it has been sold to someone else, it shall no longer be redeemable. ²¹But when the field is released in the jubilee, it shall be holy to the LORD as a devoted field; it becomes the priest’s holding. ²²If someone consecrates to the LORD a field that has been purchased, which is not a part of the inherited land-holding, ²³the priest shall compute for it the proportionate assessment up to the year of jubilee, and the assessment shall be paid as of that day, a sacred donation to the LORD. ²⁴In the year of jubilee the field shall return to the one from whom it was bought, whose holding the land is. ²⁵All assessments shall be by the sanctuary shekel: twenty gerahs shall make a shekel.

²⁶ A firstling of animals, however, which as a firstling belongs to the LORD, cannot be consecrated by anyone; whether ox or sheep, it is the LORD’s. ²⁷If it is an unclean animal, it shall be ransomed at its assessment, with one-fifth added; if it is not redeemed, it shall be sold at its assessment.

²⁸ Nothing that a person owns that has been devoted to destruction for the LORD, be it human or animal, or inherited land-holding, may be sold or redeemed; every devoted thing is most holy to the LORD. ²⁹No human beings who have been devoted to destruction can be ransomed; they shall be put to death.

³⁰ All tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the LORD’s; they are holy to the LORD. ³¹If persons wish to redeem any of their tithes, they must add one-fifth to them. ³²All tithes of herd and flock, every tenth one that passes under the shepherd’s staff, shall be holy to the LORD. ³³Let no one inquire whether it is good or bad, or make substitution for it; if one makes substitution for it, then both it and the substitute shall be holy and cannot be redeemed.

³⁴ These are the commandments that the LORD gave to Moses for the people of Israel on Mount Sinai.

NUMBERS

The First Census of Israel

THE LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: ²Take a census of the whole congregation of Israelites, in their clans, by ancestral houses, according to the number of names, every male individually; ³from twenty years old and upwards, everyone in Israel able to go to war. You and Aaron shall enrol them, company by company. ⁴A man from each tribe shall be with you, each man the head of his ancestral house. ⁵These are the names of the men who shall assist you:

From Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur.

⁶ From Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁷ From Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab.

⁸ From Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar.

⁹ From Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon.

¹⁰ From the sons of Joseph:

from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;

from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

¹¹ From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni.

¹² From Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

¹³ From Asher, Pagiel son of Ochran.

¹⁴ From Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel.

¹⁵ From Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.

¹⁶These were the ones chosen from the congregation, the leaders of their ancestral tribes, the heads of the divisions of Israel.

¹⁷ Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name, ¹⁸and on the first day of the second month they assembled the whole congregation together. They registered themselves in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names from twenty years old and upwards, individually, ¹⁹as the LORD commanded Moses. So he enrolled them in the wilderness of Sinai.

²⁰ The descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, individually, every male from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ²¹those enrolled of the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.

²² The descendants of Simeon, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, those of them that were numbered, according to the number of names, individually, every male from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ²³those enrolled of the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.

²⁴ The descendants of Gad, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of the names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ²⁵those enrolled of the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.

²⁶ The descendants of Judah, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ²⁷those enrolled of the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.

²⁸ The descendants of Issachar, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ²⁹those enrolled of the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.

³⁰ The descendants of Zebulun, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ³¹those enrolled of the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.

³² The descendants of Joseph, namely, the descendants of Ephraim, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ³³those enrolled of the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.

³⁴ The descendants of Manasseh, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ³⁵those enrolled of the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.

³⁶ The descendants of Benjamin, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ³⁷those enrolled of the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.

³⁸ The descendants of Dan, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ³⁹those enrolled of the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.

⁴⁰ The descendants of Asher, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ⁴¹those enrolled of the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.

⁴² The descendants of Naphtali, their lineage, in their clans, by their ancestral houses, according to the number of names, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war: ⁴³those enrolled of the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁴ These are those who were enrolled, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled with the help of the leaders of Israel, twelve men, each representing his ancestral house. ⁴⁵So the whole number of the Israelites, by their ancestral houses, from twenty years old and upwards, everyone able to go to war in Israel—⁴⁶their whole number was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. ⁴⁷The Levites, however, were not numbered by their ancestral tribe along with them.

⁴⁸ The LORD had said to Moses: ⁴⁹Only the tribe of Levi you shall not enrol, and you shall not take a census of them with the other Israelites. ⁵⁰Rather you shall appoint the Levites over the tabernacle of the covenant,a and over all its equipment, and over all that belongs to it; they are to carry the tabernacle and all its equipment, and they shall tend it, and shall camp around the tabernacle. ⁵¹When the tabernacle is to set out, the Levites shall take it down; and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up. And any outsider who comes near shall be put to death. ⁵²The other Israelites shall camp in their respective regimental camps, by companies; ⁵³but the Levites shall camp around the tabernacle of the covenant,a so that there may be no wrath on the congregation of the Israelites; and the Levites shall perform the guard duty of the tabernacle of the covenant.a ⁵⁴ The Israelites did so; they did just as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Order of Encampment and Marching

2

THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ²The Israelites shall camp each in their respective regiments, under ensigns by their ancestral houses; they shall camp facing the tent of meeting on every side. ³Those to camp on the east side towards the sunrise shall be of the regimental encampment of Judah by companies. The leader of the people of Judah shall be Nahshon son of Amminadab, ⁴with a company as enrolled of seventy-four thousand six hundred. ⁵Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Issachar. The leader of the Issacharites shall be Nethanel son of Zuar, ⁶with a company as enrolled of fifty-four thousand four hundred. ⁷Then the tribe of Zebulun: The leader of the Zebulunites shall be Eliab son of Helon, ⁸with a company as enrolled of fifty-seven thousand four hundred. ⁹The total enrolment of the camp of Judah, by companies, is one hundred and eighty-six thousand four hundred. They shall set out first on the march.

¹⁰ On the south side shall be the regimental encampment of Reuben by companies. The leader of the Reubenites shall be Elizur son of Shedeur, ¹¹with a company as enrolled of forty-six thousand five hundred. ¹²And those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Simeon. The leader of the Simeonites shall be Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, ¹³with a company as enrolled of fifty-nine thousand three hundred. ¹⁴Then the tribe of Gad: The leader of the Gadites shall be Eliasaph son of Reuel, ¹⁵with a company as enrolled of forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty. ¹⁶The total enrolment of the camp of Reuben, by companies, is one hundred and fifty-one thousand four hundred and fifty. They shall set out second.

¹⁷ The tent of meeting, with the camp of the Levites, shall set out in the centre of the camps; they shall set out just as they camp, each in position, by their regiments.

¹⁸ On the west side shall be the regimental encampment of Ephraim by companies. The leader of the people of Ephraim shall be Elishama son of Ammihud, ¹⁹with a company as enrolled of forty thousand five hundred. ²⁰Next to him shall be the tribe of Manasseh. The leader of the people of Manasseh shall be Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, ²¹with a company as enrolled of thirty-two thousand two hundred. ²²Then the tribe of Benjamin: The leader of the Benjaminites shall be Abidan son of Gideoni, ²³with a company as enrolled of thirty-five thousand four hundred. ²⁴The total enrolment of the camp of Ephraim, by companies, is one hundred and eight thousand one hundred. They shall set out third on the march.

²⁵ On the north side shall be the regimental encampment of Dan by companies. The leader of the Danites shall be Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, ²⁶with a company as enrolled of sixty-two thousand seven hundred. ²⁷Those to camp next to him shall be the tribe of Asher. The leader of the Asherites shall be Pagiel son of Ochran, ²⁸with a company as enrolled of forty-one thousand five hundred. ²⁹Then the tribe of Naphtali: The leader of the Naphtalites shall be Ahira son of Enan, ³⁰with a company as enrolled of fifty-three thousand four hundred. ³¹The total enrolment of the camp of Dan is one hundred and fifty-seven thousand six hundred. They shall set out last, by companies.a

³² This was the enrolment of the Israelites by their ancestral houses; the total enrolment in the camps by their companies was six hundred and three thousand five hundred and fifty. ³³Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, the Levites were not enrolled among the other Israelites.

³⁴ The Israelites did just as the LORD had commanded Moses: They camped by regiments, and they set out the same way, everyone by clans, according to ancestral houses.

The Sons of Aaron

3

THIS is the lineage of Aaron and Moses at the time when the LORD spoke with Moses on Mount Sinai. ²These are the names of the sons of Aaron: Nadab the firstborn, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; ³these are the names of the sons of Aaron, the anointed priests, whom he ordained to minister as priests. ⁴Nadab and Abihu died before the LORD when they offered unholy fire before the LORD in the wilderness of Sinai, and they had no children. Eleazar and Ithamar served as priests in the lifetime of their father Aaron.

The Duties of the Levites

⁵ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁶Bring the tribe of Levi near, and set them before Aaron the priest, so that they may assist him. ⁷They shall perform duties for him and for the whole congregation in front of the tent of meeting, doing service at the tabernacle; ⁸they shall be in charge of all the furnishings of the tent of meeting, and attend to the duties for the Israelites as they do service at the tabernacle. ⁹You shall give the Levites to Aaron and his descendants; they are unreservedly given to him from among the Israelites. ¹⁰But you shall make a register of Aaron and his descendants; it is they who shall attend to the priesthood, and any outsider who comes near shall be put to death.

¹¹ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹²I hereby accept the Levites from among the Israelites as substitutes for all the firstborn that open the womb among the Israelites. The Levites shall be mine, ¹³for all the firstborn are mine; when I killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, I consecrated for my own all the firstborn in Israel, both human and animal; they shall be mine. I am the LORD.

A Census of the Levites

¹⁴ Then the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, saying: ¹⁵Enrol the Levites by ancestral houses and by clans. You shall enrol every male from a month old and upwards. ¹⁶So Moses enrolled them according to the word of the LORD, as he was commanded. ¹⁷The following were the sons of Levi, by their names: Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁸These are the names of the sons of Gershon by their clans: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁹The sons of Kohath by their clans: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ²⁰The sons of Merari by their clans: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites, by their ancestral houses.

²¹ To Gershon belonged the clan of the Libnites and the clan of the Shimeites; these were the clans of the Gershonites. ²²Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was seven thousand five hundred. ²³The clans of the Gershonites were to camp behind the tabernacle on the west, ²⁴with Eliasaph son of Lael as head of the ancestral house of the Gershonites. ²⁵The responsibility of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting was to be the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶the hangings of the court, the screen for the entrance of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service pertaining to these.

²⁷ To Kohath belonged the clan of the Amramites, the clan of the Izharites, the clan of the Hebronites, and the clan of the Uzzielites; these are the clans of the Kohathites. ²⁸Counting all the males, from a month old and upwards, there were eight thousand six hundred, attending to the duties of the sanctuary. ²⁹The clans of the Kohathites were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle, ³⁰with Elizaphan son of Uzziel as head of the ancestral house of the clans of the Kohathites. ³¹Their responsibility was to be the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen—all the service pertaining to these. ³²Eleazar son of Aaron the priest was to be chief over the leaders of the Levites, and to have oversight of those who had charge of the sanctuary.

³³ To Merari belonged the clan of the Mahlites and the clan of the Mushites: these are the clans of Merari. ³⁴Their enrolment, counting all the males from a month old and upwards, was six thousand two hundred. ³⁵The head of the ancestral house of the clans of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail; they were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle. ³⁶The responsibility assigned to the sons of Merari was to be the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories—all the service pertaining to these; ³⁷also the pillars of the court all around, with their bases and pegs and cords.

³⁸ Those who were to camp in front of the tabernacle on the east—in front of the tent of meeting towards the east—were Moses and Aaron and Aaron’s sons, having charge of the rites within the sanctuary, whatever had to be done for the Israelites; and any outsider who came near was to be put to death. ³⁹The total enrolment of the Levites whom Moses and Aaron enrolled at the commandment of the LORD, by their clans, all the males from a month old and upwards, was twenty-two thousand.

The Redemption of the Firstborn

⁴⁰ Then the LORD said to Moses: Enrol all the firstborn males of the Israelites, from a month old and upwards, and count their names. ⁴¹But you shall accept the Levites for me—I am the LORD—as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the livestock of the Israelites. ⁴²So Moses enrolled all the firstborn among the Israelites, as the LORD commanded him. ⁴³The total enrolment, all the firstborn males from a month old and upwards, counting the number of names, was twenty-two thousand two hundred and seventy-three.

⁴⁴ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁴⁵Accept the Levites as substitutes for all the firstborn among the Israelites, and the livestock of the Levites as substitutes for their livestock; and the Levites shall be mine. I am the LORD. ⁴⁶As the price of redemption of the two hundred and seventy-three of the firstborn of the Israelites, over and above the number of the Levites, ⁴⁷you shall accept five shekels apiece, reckoning by the shekel of the sanctuary, a shekel of twenty gerahs. ⁴⁸Give to Aaron and his sons the money by which the excess number of them is redeemed. ⁴⁹So Moses took the redemption money from those who were over and above those redeemed by the Levites; ⁵⁰from the firstborn of the Israelites he took the money, one thousand three hundred and sixty-five shekels, reckoned by the shekel of the sanctuary; ⁵¹and Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, according to the word of the LORD, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

The Kohathites

4

THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ²Take a census of the Kohathites separate from the other Levites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ³from thirty years old up to fifty years old, all who qualify to do work relating to the tent of meeting. ⁴The service of the Kohathites relating to the tent of meeting concerns the most holy things.

⁵ When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the screening curtain, and cover the ark of the covenanta with it; ⁶then they shall put on it a covering of fine leather,b and spread over that a cloth all of blue, and shall put its poles in place. ⁷Over the table of the bread of the Presence they shall spread a blue cloth, and put on it the plates, the dishes for incense, the bowls, and the flagons for the drink-offering; the regular bread also shall be on it; ⁸then they shall spread over them a crimson cloth, and cover it with a covering of fine leather,b and shall put its poles in place. ⁹They shall take a blue cloth, and cover the lampstand for the light, with its lamps, its snuffers, its trays, and all the vessels for oil with which it is supplied; ¹⁰and they shall put it with all its utensils in a covering of fine leather,a and put it on the carrying-frame. ¹¹Over the golden altar they shall spread a blue cloth, and cover it with a covering of fine leather,a and shall put its poles in place; ¹²and they shall take all the utensils of the service that are used in the sanctuary, and put them in a blue cloth, and cover them with a covering of fine leather,a and put them on the carrying-frame. ¹³They shall take away the ashes from the altar, and spread a purple cloth over it; ¹⁴and they shall put on it all the utensils of the altar, which are used for the service there, the firepans, the forks, the shovels, and the basins, all the utensils of the altar; and they shall spread on it a covering of fine leather,a and shall put its poles in place.¹⁵ When Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the Kohathites shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, or they will die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the Kohathites are to carry.

¹⁶ Eleazar son of Aaron the priest shall have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain-offering, and the anointing-oil, the oversight of all the tabernacle and all that is in it, in the sanctuary and in its utensils.

¹⁷ Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ¹⁸You must not let the tribe of the clans of the Kohathites be destroyed from among the Levites. ¹⁹This is how you must deal with them in order that they may live and not die when they come near to the most holy things: Aaron and his sons shall go in and assign each to a particular task or burden. ²⁰But the Kohathitesb must not go in to look on the holy things even for a moment; otherwise they will die.

The Gershonites and Merarites

²¹ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²²Take a census of the Gershonites also, by their ancestral houses and by their clans; ²³from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enrol them, all who qualify to do work in the tent of meeting. ²⁴This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites, in serving and bearing burdens: ²⁵They shall carry the curtains of the tabernacle, and the tent of meeting with its covering, and the outer covering of fine leathera that is on top of it, and the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, ²⁶and the hangings of the court, and the screen for the entrance of the gate of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and their cords, and all the equipment for their service; and they shall do all that needs to be done with regard to them. ²⁷All the service of the Gershonites shall be at the command of Aaron and his sons, in all that they are to carry, and in all that they have to do; and you shall assign to their charge all that they are to carry. ²⁸This is the service of the clans of the Gershonites relating to the tent of meeting, and their responsibilities are to be under the oversight of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

²⁹ As for the Merarites, you shall enrol them by their clans and their ancestral houses; ³⁰from thirty years old up to fifty years old you shall enrol them, everyone who qualifies to do the work of the tent of meeting. ³¹This is what they are charged to carry, as the whole of their service in the tent of meeting: the frames of the tabernacle, with its bars, pillars, and bases, ³²and the pillars of the court all around with their bases, pegs, and cords, with all their equipment and all their related service; and you shall assign by name the objects that they are required to carry. ³³This is the service of the clans of the Merarites, the whole of their service relating to the tent of meeting, under the hand of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest.

Census of the Levites

³⁴ So Moses and Aaron and the leaders of the congregation enrolled the Kohathites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ³⁵from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting; ³⁶and their enrolment by clans was two thousand seven hundred and fifty. ³⁷This was the enrolment of the clans of the Kohathites, all who served at the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

³⁸ The enrolment of the Gershonites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ³⁹from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting—⁴⁰their enrolment by their clans and their ancestral houses was two thousand six hundred and thirty. ⁴¹This was the enrolment of the clans of the Gershonites, all who served at the tent of meeting, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the LORD.

⁴² The enrolment of the clans of the Merarites, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ⁴³from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified for work relating to the tent of meeting—⁴⁴their enrolment by their clans was three thousand two hundred. ⁴⁵This is the enrolment of the clans of the Merarites, whom Moses and Aaron enrolled according to the commandment of the LORD by Moses.

⁴⁶ All those who were enrolled of the Levites, whom Moses and Aaron and the leaders of Israel enrolled, by their clans and their ancestral houses, ⁴⁷from thirty years old up to fifty years old, everyone who qualified to do the work of service and the work of bearing burdens relating to the tent of meeting, ⁴⁸their enrolment was eight thousand five hundred and eighty. ⁴⁹According to the commandment of the LORD through Moses they were appointed to their several tasks of serving or carrying; thus they were enrolled by him, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Unclean Persons

5

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Command the Israelites to put out of the camp everyone who is leprous,a or has a discharge, and everyone who is unclean through contact with a corpse; ³ you shall put out both male and female, putting them outside the camp; they must not defile their camp, where I dwell among them. ⁴The Israelites did so, putting them outside the camp; as the LORD had spoken to Moses, so the Israelites did.

Confession and Restitution

⁵ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁶Speak to the Israelites: When a man or a woman wrongs another, breaking faith with the LORD, that person incurs guilt ⁷and shall confess the sin that has been committed. The person shall make full restitution for the wrong, adding one-fifth to it, and giving it to the one who was wronged. ⁸If the injured party has no next-of-kin to whom restitution may be made for the wrong, the restitution for wrong shall go to the LORD for the priest, in addition to the ram of atonement with which atonement is made for the guilty party. ⁹Among all the sacred donations of the Israelites, every gift that they bring to the priest shall be his. ¹⁰The sacred donations of all are their own; whatever anyone gives to the priest shall be his.

Concerning an Unfaithful Wife

¹¹ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹²Speak to the Israelites and say to them: If any man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him, ¹³if a man has had intercourse with her but it is hidden from her husband, so that she is undetected though she has defiled herself, and there is no witness against her since she was not caught in the act; ¹⁴if a spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife who has defiled herself; or if a spirit of jealousy comes on him, and he is jealous of his wife, though she has not defiled herself; ¹⁵then the man shall bring his wife to the priest. And he shall bring the offering required for her, one-tenth of an ephah of barley flour. He shall pour no oil on it and put no frankincense on it, for it is a grain-offering of jealousy, a grain-offering of remembrance, bringing iniquity to remembrance.

¹⁶ Then the priest shall bring her near, and set her before the LORD; ¹⁷the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel, and take some of the dust that is on the floor of the tabernacle and put it into the water. ¹⁸The priest shall set the woman before the LORD, dishevel the woman’s hair, and place in her hands the grain-offering of remembrance, which is the grain-offering of jealousy. In his own hand the priest shall have the water of bitterness that brings the curse. ¹⁹Then the priest shall make her take an oath, saying, ‘If no man has lain with you, if you have not turned aside to uncleanness while under your husband’s authority, be immune to this water of bitterness that brings the curse. ²⁰But if you have gone astray while under your husband’s authority, if you have defiled yourself and some man other than your husband has had intercourse with you’—²¹let the priest make the woman take the oath of the curse and say to the woman—‘the LORD make you an execration and an oath among your people, when the LORD makes your uterus drop, your womb discharge; ²²now may this water that brings the curse enter your bowels and make your womb discharge, your uterus drop!’ And the woman shall say, ‘Amen. Amen.’

²³ Then the priest shall put these curses in writing, and wash them off into the water of bitterness. ²⁴He shall make the woman drink the water of bitterness that brings the curse, and the water that brings the curse shall enter her and cause bitter pain. ²⁵The priest shall take the grain-offering of jealousy out of the woman’s hand, and shall elevate the grain-offering before the LORD and bring it to the altar; ²⁶and the priest shall take a handful of the grain-offering, as its memorial portion, and turn it into smoke on the altar, and afterwards shall make the woman drink the water. ²⁷When he has made her drink the water, then, if she has defiled herself and has been unfaithful to her husband, the water that brings the curse shall enter into her and cause bitter pain, and her womb shall discharge, her uterus drop, and the woman shall become an execration among her people. ²⁸But if the woman has not defiled herself and is clean, then she shall be immune and be able to conceive children.

²⁹ This is the law in cases of jealousy, when a wife, while under her husband’s authority, goes astray and defiles herself, ³⁰or when a spirit of jealousy comes on a man and he is jealous of his wife; then he shall set the woman before the LORD, and the priest shall apply this entire law to her. ³¹The man shall be free from iniquity, but the woman shall bear her iniquity.

The Nazirites

6

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When either men or women make a special vow, the vow of a nazirite,a to separate themselves to the LORD, ³they shall separate themselves from wine and strong drink; they shall drink no wine vinegar or other vinegar, and shall not drink any grape juice or eat grapes, fresh or dried. ⁴All their days as naziritesb they shall eat nothing that is produced by the grape-vine, not even the seeds or the skins.

⁵ All the days of their nazirite vow no razor shall come upon the head; until the time is completed for which they separate themselves to the LORD, they shall be holy; they shall let the locks of the head grow long.

⁶ All the days that they separate themselves to the LORD they shall not go near a corpse. ⁷Even if their father or mother, brother or sister, should die, they may not defile themselves; because their consecration to God is upon the head. ⁸All their days as naziritesb they are holy to the LORD.

⁹ If someone dies very suddenly nearby, defiling the consecrated head, then they shall shave the head on the day of their cleansing; on the seventh day they shall shave it. ¹⁰On the eighth day they shall bring two turtle-doves or two young pigeons to the priest at the entrance of the tent of meeting, ¹¹and the priest shall offer one as a sin-offering and the other as a burnt-offering, and make atonement for them, because they incurred guilt by reason of the corpse. They shall sanctify the head that same day, ¹²and separate themselves to the LORD for their days as nazirites,b and bring a male lamb a year old as a guilt-offering. The former time shall be void, because the consecrated head was defiled.

¹³ This is the law for the naziritesb when the time of their consecration has been completed: they shall be brought to the entrance of the tent of meeting, ¹⁴and they shall offer their gift to the LORD, one male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt-offering, one ewe lamb a year old without blemish as a sin-offering, one ram without blemish as an offering of well-being, ¹⁵and a basket of unleavened bread, cakes of choice flour mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, with their grain-offering and their drink-offerings. ¹⁶The priest shall present them before the LORD and offer their sin-offering and burnt-offering, ¹⁷and shall offer the ram as a sacrifice of well-being to the LORD, with the basket of unleavened bread; the priest also shall make the accompanying grain-offering and drink-offering. ¹⁸Then the naziritesb shall shave the consecrated head at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and shall take the hair from the consecrated head and put it on the fire under the sacrifice of well-being. ¹⁹The priest shall take the shoulder of the ram, when it is boiled, and one unleavened cake out of the basket, and one unleavened wafer, and shall put them in the palms of the nazirites,b after they have shaved the consecrated head.²⁰ Then the priest shall elevate them as an elevation-offering before the LORD; they are a holy portion for the priest, together with the breast that is elevated and the thigh that is offered. After that the naziritesa may drink wine.

²¹ This is the law for the naziritesa who take a vow. Their offering to the LORD must be in accordance with the naziriteb vow, apart from what else they can afford. In accordance with whatever vow they take, so they shall do, following the law for their consecration.

The Priestly Benediction

²² The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²³Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the Israelites: You shall say to them,

²⁴ The LORD bless you and keep you;

²⁵ the LORD make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;

²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.

²⁷ So they shall put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

Offerings of the Leaders

7

ON THE day when Moses had finished setting up the tabernacle, and had anointed and consecrated it with all its furnishings, and had anointed and consecrated the altar with all its utensils, ²the leaders of Israel, heads of their ancestral houses, the leaders of the tribes, who were over those who were enrolled, made offerings. ³They brought their offerings before the LORD, six covered wagons and twelve oxen, a wagon for every two of the leaders, and for each one an ox; they presented them before the tabernacle. ⁴Then the LORD said to Moses: ⁵Accept these from them, that they may be used in performing the service of the tent of meeting, and give them to the Levites, to each according to his service. ⁶So Moses took the wagons and the oxen, and gave them to the Levites. ⁷Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the Gershonites, according to their service; ⁸and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the Merarites, according to their service, under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron the priest. ⁹But to the Kohathites he gave none, because they were charged with the care of the holy things that had to be carried on the shoulders.

¹⁰ The leaders also presented offerings for the dedication of the altar at the time when it was anointed; the leaders presented their offering before the altar. ¹¹The LORD said to Moses: They shall present their offerings, one leader each day, for the dedication of the altar.

¹² The one who presented his offering on the first day was Nahshon son of Amminadab, of the tribe of Judah; ¹³his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ¹⁴one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ¹⁵one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ¹⁶one male goat for a sin-offering; ¹⁷and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nahshon son of Amminadab.

¹⁸ On the second day Nethanel son of Zuar, the leader of Issachar, presented an offering; ¹⁹he presented for his offering one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ²⁰one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²¹one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, as a burnt-offering; ²²one male goat as a sin-offering; ²³and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Nethanel son of Zuar.

²⁴ On the third day Eliab son of Helon, the leader of the Zebulunites: ²⁵his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ²⁶one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ²⁷one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ²⁸one male goat for a sin-offering; ²⁹and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliab son of Helon.

³⁰ On the fourth day Elizur son of Shedeur, the leader of the Reubenites: ³¹his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ³²one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³³one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ³⁴one male goat for a sin-offering; ³⁵and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elizur son of Shedeur.

³⁶ On the fifth day Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, the leader of the Simeonites: ³⁷his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ³⁸one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ³⁹one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁴⁰one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁴¹and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai.

⁴² On the sixth day Eliasaph son of Deuel, the leader of the Gadites: ⁴³his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁴⁴one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁴⁵one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁴⁶one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁴⁷and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Eliasaph son of Deuel.

⁴⁸ On the seventh day Elishama son of Ammihud, the leader of the Ephraimites: ⁴⁹his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁵⁰one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵¹one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁵²one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁵³and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Elishama son of Ammihud.

⁵⁴ On the eighth day Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, the leader of the Manassites: ⁵⁵his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁵⁶one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁵⁷one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁵⁸one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁵⁹and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.

⁶⁰ On the ninth day Abidan son of Gideoni, the leader of the Benjaminites: ⁶¹his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁶²one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶³one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁶⁴one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁶⁵and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Abidan son of Gideoni.

⁶⁶ On the tenth day Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai, the leader of the Danites: ⁶⁷his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁶⁸one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁶⁹one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁷⁰one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁷¹and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai.

⁷² On the eleventh day Pagiel son of Ochran, the leader of the Asherites: ⁷³his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁷⁴one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁷⁵one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁷⁶one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁷⁷and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Pagiel son of Ochran.

⁷⁸ On the twelfth day Ahira son of Enan, the leader of the Naphtalites: ⁷⁹his offering was one silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels, one silver basin weighing seventy shekels, according to the shekel of the sanctuary, both of them full of choice flour mixed with oil for a grain-offering; ⁸⁰one golden dish weighing ten shekels, full of incense; ⁸¹one young bull, one ram, one male lamb a year old, for a burnt-offering; ⁸²one male goat for a sin-offering; ⁸³and for the sacrifice of well-being, two oxen, five rams, five male goats, and five male lambs a year old. This was the offering of Ahira son of Enan.

⁸⁴ This was the dedication-offering for the altar, at the time when it was anointed, from the leaders of Israel: twelve silver plates, twelve silver basins, twelve golden dishes, ⁸⁵each silver plate weighing one hundred and thirty shekels and each basin seventy, all the silver of the vessels two thousand four hundred shekels according to the shekel of the sanctuary, ⁸⁶the twelve golden dishes, full of incense, weighing ten shekels apiece according to the shekel of the sanctuary, all the gold of the dishes being one hundred and twenty shekels; ⁸⁷all the livestock for the burnt-offering twelve bulls, twelve rams, twelve male lambs a year old, with their grain-offering; and twelve male goats for a sin-offering; ⁸⁸and all the livestock for the sacrifice of well-being twenty-four bulls, the rams sixty, the male goats sixty, the male lambs a year old sixty. This was the dedication-offering for the altar, after it was anointed.

⁸⁹ When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with the LORD,a he would hear the voice speaking to him from above the mercy-seatb that was on the ark of the covenantc from between the two cherubim; thus it spoke to him.

The Seven Lamps

8

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to Aaron and say to him: When you set up the lamps, the seven lamps shall give light in front of the lampstand. ³Aaron did so; he set up its lamps to give light in front of the lampstand, as the LORD had commanded Moses. ⁴Now this was how the lampstand was made, out of hammered work of gold. From its base to its flowers, it was hammered work; according to the pattern that the LORD had shown Moses, so he made the lampstand.

Consecration and Service of the Levites

⁵ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁶Take the Levites from among the Israelites and cleanse them. ⁷Thus you shall do to them, to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification on them, have them shave their whole body with a razor and wash their clothes, and so cleanse themselves. ⁸Then let them take a young bull and its grain-offering of choice flour mixed with oil, and you shall take another young bull for a sin-offering. ⁹You shall bring the Levites before the tent of meeting, and assemble the whole congregation of the Israelites. ¹⁰When you bring the Levites before the LORD, the Israelites shall lay their hands on the Levites, ¹¹and Aaron shall present the Levites before the LORD as an elevation-offering from the Israelites, that they may perform the service of the LORD. ¹²The Levites shall lay their hands on the heads of the bulls, and he shall offer one for a sin-offering and the other for a burnt-offering to the LORD, to make atonement for the Levites. ¹³Then you shall have the Levites stand before Aaron and his sons, and you shall present them as an elevation-offering to the LORD.

¹⁴ Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the other Israelites, and the Levites shall be mine. ¹⁵Thereafter the Levites may go in to perform service at the tent of meeting, once you have cleansed them and presented them as an elevation-offering. ¹⁶For they are unreservedly given to me from among the Israelites; I have taken them for myself, in place of all that open the womb, the firstborn of all the Israelites. ¹⁷For all the firstborn among the Israelites are mine, both human and animal. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, ¹⁸but I have taken the Levites in place of all the firstborn among the Israelites. ¹⁹Moreover, I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the Israelites, to do the service for the Israelites at the tent of meeting, and to make atonement for the Israelites, in order that there may be no plague among the Israelites for coming too close to the sanctuary.

²⁰ Moses and Aaron and the whole congregation of the Israelites did with the Levites accordingly; the Israelites did with the Levites just as the LORD had commanded Moses concerning them. ²¹The Levites purified themselves from sin and washed their clothes; then Aaron presented them as an elevation-offering before the LORD, and Aaron made atonement for them to cleanse them. ²²Thereafter the Levites went in to perform their service in the tent of meeting in attendance on Aaron and his sons. As the LORD had commanded Moses concerning the Levites, so they dealt with them.

²³ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁴This applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upwards they shall begin to do duty in the service of the tent of meeting; ²⁵and from the age of fifty years they shall retire from the duty of the service and serve no more. ²⁶They may assist their brothers in the tent of meeting in carrying out their duties, but they shall perform no service. Thus you shall deal with the Levites in assigning their duties.

The Passover at Sinai

9

THE LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the first month of the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying: ²Let the Israelites keep the passover at its appointed time. ³On the fourteenth day of this month, at twilight,a you shall keep it at its appointed time; according to all its statutes and all its regulations you shall keep it. ⁴ So Moses told the Israelites that they should keep the passover.⁵ They kept the passover in the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, at twilight,a in the wilderness of Sinai. Just as the LORD had commanded Moses, so the Israelites did.⁶ Now there were certain people who were unclean through touching a corpse, so that they could not keep the passover on that day. They came before Moses and Aaron on that day,⁷ and said to him, ‘Although we are unclean through touching a corpse, why must we be kept from presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time among the Israelites?’⁸ Moses spoke to them, ‘Wait, so that I may hear what the LORD will command concerning you.’

⁹ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁰Speak to the Israelites, saying: Anyone of you or your descendants who is unclean through touching a corpse, or is away on a journey, shall still keep the passover to the LORD. ¹¹In the second month on the fourteenth day, at twilight,a they shall keep it; they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. ¹²They shall leave none of it until morning, nor break a bone of it; according to all the statute for the passover they shall keep it. ¹³But anyone who is clean and is not on a journey, and yet refrains from keeping the passover, shall be cut off from the people for not presenting the LORD’s offering at its appointed time; such a one shall bear the consequences for the sin. ¹⁴Any alien residing among you who wishes to keep the passover to the LORD shall do so according to the statute of the passover and according to its regulation; you shall have one statute for both the resident alien and the native.

The Cloud and the Fire

¹⁵ On the day the tabernacle was set up, the cloud covered the tabernacle, the tent of the covenant;a and from evening until morning it was over the tabernacle, having the appearance of fire. ¹⁶It was always so: the cloud covered it by dayb and the appearance of fire by night. ¹⁷Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent, then the Israelites would set out; and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the Israelites would camp. ¹⁸At the command of the LORD the Israelites would set out, and at the command of the LORD they would camp. As long as the cloud rested over the tabernacle, they would remain in camp. ¹⁹Even when the cloud continued over the tabernacle for many days, the Israelites would keep the charge of the LORD, and would not set out. ²⁰Sometimes the cloud would remain for a few days over the tabernacle, and according to the command of the LORD they would remain in camp; then according to the command of the LORD they would set out. ²¹Sometimes the cloud would remain from evening until morning; and when the cloud lifted in the morning, they would set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they would set out. ²²Whether it was two days, or a month, or a longer time, that the cloud continued over the tabernacle, resting upon it, the Israelites would remain in camp and would not set out; but when it lifted they would set out. ²³At the command of the LORD they would camp, and at the command of the LORD they would set out. They kept the charge of the LORD, at the command of the LORD by Moses.

The Silver Trumpets

10

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Make two silver trumpets; you shall make them of hammered work; and you shall use them for summoning the congregation, and for breaking camp. ³When both are blown, the whole congregation shall assemble before you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁴But if only one is blown, then the leaders, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall assemble before you. ⁵When you blow an alarm, the camps on the east side shall set out; ⁶when you blow a second alarm, the camps on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. ⁷But when the assembly is to be gathered, you shall blow, but you shall not sound an alarm. ⁸The sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets; this shall be a perpetual institution for you throughout your generations. ⁹When you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, so that you may be remembered before the LORD your God and be saved from your enemies. ¹⁰Also on your days of rejoicing, at your appointed festivals, and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt-offerings and over your sacrifices of well-being; they shall serve as a reminder on your behalf before the LORD your God: I am the LORD your God.

Departure from Sinai

¹¹ In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the covenant.a ¹²Then the Israelites set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai, and the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran. ¹³They set out for the first time at the command of the LORD by Moses. ¹⁴The standard of the camp of Judah set out first, company by company, and over the whole company was Nahshon son of Amminadab. ¹⁵Over the company of the tribe of Issachar was Nethanel son of Zuar; ¹⁶and over the company of the tribe of Zebulun was Eliab son of Helon.

¹⁷ Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and the Merarites, who carried the tabernacle, set out. ¹⁸Next the standard of the camp of Reuben set out, company by company; and over the whole company was Elizur son of Shedeur. ¹⁹Over the company of the tribe of Simeon was Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai, ²⁰and over the company of the tribe of Gad was Eliasaph son of Deuel.

²¹ Then the Kohathites, who carried the holy things, set out; and the tabernacle was set up before their arrival. ²²Next the standard of the Ephraimite camp set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Elishama son of Ammihud. ²³Over the company of the tribe of Manasseh was Gamaliel son of Pedahzur, ²⁴and over the company of the tribe of Benjamin was Abidan son of Gideoni.

²⁵ Then the standard of the camp of Dan, acting as the rearguard of all the camps, set out, company by company, and over the whole company was Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. ²⁶Over the company of the tribe of Asher was Pagiel son of Ochran, ²⁷and over the company of the tribe of Naphtali was Ahira son of Enan. ²⁸This was the order of march of the Israelites, company by company, when they set out.

²⁹ Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses’ father-in-law, ‘We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, “I will give it to you” come with us, and we will treat you well; for the LORD has promised good to Israel.’ ³⁰But he said to him, ‘I will not go, but I will go back to my own land and to my kindred.’ ³¹He said, ‘Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us. ³²Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the LORD does for us, the same we will do for you.’

³³ So they set out from the mount of the LORD on three days’ journey with the ark of the covenant of the LORD going before them for three days’ journey, to seek out a resting-place for them, ³⁴the cloud of the LORD being over them by day when they set out from the camp.

³⁵ Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say,

‘Arise, O LORD, let your enemies be scattered,

and your foes flee before you.’

³⁶And whenever it came to rest, he would say,

‘Return, O LORD of the ten thousand thousands of Israel.’a

Complaining in the Desert

11

NOW when the people complained in the hearing of the LORD about their misfortunes, the LORD heard it and his anger was kindled. Then the fire of the LORD burned against them, and consumed some outlying parts of the camp. ²But the people cried out to Moses; and Moses prayed to the LORD, and the fire abated. ³So that place was called Taberah,b because the fire of the LORD burned against them.

⁴ The rabble among them had a strong craving; and the Israelites also wept again, and said, ‘If only we had meat to eat! ⁵We remember the fish we used to eat in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; ⁶but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.’

⁷ Now the manna was like coriander seed, and its colour was like the colour of gum resin. ⁸The people went around and gathered it, ground it in mills or beat it in mortars, then boiled it in pots and made cakes of it; and the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. ⁹When the dew fell on the camp in the night, the manna would fall with it.

¹⁰ Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, all at the entrances of their tents. Then the LORD became very angry, and Moses was displeased. ¹¹So Moses said to the LORD, ‘Why have you treated your servant so badly? Why have I not found favour in your sight, that you lay the burden of all this people on me? ¹²Did I conceive all this people? Did I give birth to them, that you should say to me, “Carry them in your bosom, as a nurse carries a sucking child”, to the land that you promised on oath to their ancestors? ¹³Where am I to get meat to give to all this people? For they come weeping to me and say, “Give us meat to eat!” ¹⁴I am not able to carry all this people alone, for they are too heavy for me. ¹⁵If this is the way you are going to treat me, put me to death at once—if I have found favour in your sight—and do not let me see my misery.’

The Seventy Elders

¹⁶ So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Gather for me seventy of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tent of meeting, and have them take their place there with you. ¹⁷I will come down and talk with you there; and I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them; and they shall bear the burden of the people along with you so that you will not bear it all by yourself. ¹⁸And say to the people: Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat; for you have wailed in the hearing of the LORD, saying, “If only we had meat to eat! Surely it was better for us in Egypt.” Therefore the LORD will give you meat, and you shall eat. ¹⁹You shall eat not only one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, ²⁰but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you—because you have rejected the LORD who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, “Why did we ever leave Egypt?”’ ²¹But Moses said, ‘The people I am with number six hundred thousand on foot; and you say, “I will give them meat, that they may eat for a whole month”! ²²Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them? Are there enough fish in the sea to catch for them?’ ²³The LORD said to Moses, ‘Is the LORD’s power limited?a Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not.’

²⁴ So Moses went out and told the people the words of the LORD; and he gathered seventy elders of the people, and placed them all around the tent. ²⁵Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders; and when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do so again.

²⁶ Two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them; they were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. ²⁷And a young man ran and told Moses, ‘Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.’ ²⁸And Joshua son of Nun, the assistant of Moses, one of his chosen men,a said, ‘My lord Moses, stop them!’ ²⁹But Moses said to him, ‘Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD’s people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!’ ³⁰And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

The Quails

³¹ Then a wind went out from the LORD, and it brought quails from the sea and let them fall beside the camp, about a day’s journey on this side and a day’s journey on the other side, all around the camp, about two cubits deep on the ground. ³²So the people worked all that day and night and all the next day, gathering the quails; the least anyone gathered was ten homers; and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. ³³But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the LORD was kindled against the people, and the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. ³⁴So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah,b because there they buried the people who had the craving. ³⁵From Kibroth-hattaavah the people journeyed to Hazeroth.

Aaron and Miriam Jealous of Moses

12

WHILE they were at Hazeroth, Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Cushite woman whom he had married (for he had indeed married a Cushite woman); ²and they said, ‘Has the LORD spoken only through Moses? Has he not spoken through us also?’ And the LORD heard it. ³Now the man Moses was very humble,c more so than anyone else on the face of the earth. ⁴Suddenly the LORD said to Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, ‘Come out, you three, to the tent of meeting.’ So the three of them came out. ⁵Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud, and stood at the entrance of the tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; and they both came forward. ⁶And he said, ‘Hear my words:

When there are prophets among you,

I the LORD make myself known to them in visions;

I speak to them in dreams.

⁷ Not so with my servant Moses;

he is entrusted with all my house.

⁸ With him I speak face to face—clearly, not in riddles;

and he beholds the form of the LORD.

Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?’ ⁹And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them, and he departed.

¹⁰ When the cloud went away from over the tent, Miriam had become leprous,d as white as snow. And Aaron turned towards Miriam and saw that she was leprous. ¹¹Then Aaron said to Moses, ‘Oh, my lord, do not punish use for a sin that we have so foolishly committed. ¹²Do not let her be like one stillborn, whose flesh is half consumed when it comes out of its mother’s womb.’ ¹³And Moses cried to the LORD, ‘O God, please heal her.’ ¹⁴But the LORD said to Moses, ‘If her father had but spat in her face, would she not bear her shame for seven days? Let her be shut out of the camp for seven days, and after that she may be brought in again.’ ¹⁵So Miriam was shut out of the camp for seven days; and the people did not set out on the march until Miriam had been brought in again. ¹⁶After that the people set out from Hazeroth, and camped in the wilderness of Paran.

Spies Sent into Canaan

13

THE LORD said to Moses, ²‘Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites; from each of their ancestral tribes you shall send a man, every one a leader among them.’ ³So Moses sent them from the wilderness of Paran, according to the command of the LORD, all of them leading men among the Israelites. ⁴These were their names: From the tribe of Reuben, Shammua son of Zaccur; ⁵from the tribe of Simeon, Shaphat son of Hori; ⁶from the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh; ⁷from the tribe of Issachar, Igal son of Joseph; ⁸from the tribe of Ephraim, Hoshea son of Nun; ⁹from the tribe of Benjamin, Palti son of Raphu; ¹⁰from the tribe of Zebulun, Gaddiel son of Sodi; ¹¹from the tribe of Joseph (that is, from the tribe of Manasseh), Gaddi son of Susi; ¹²from the tribe of Dan, Ammiel son of Gemalli; ¹³from the tribe of Asher, Sethur son of Michael; ¹⁴from the tribe of Naphtali, Nahbi son of Vophsi; ¹⁵from the tribe of Gad, Geuel son of Machi. ¹⁶These were the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses changed the name of Hoshea son of Nun to Joshua.

¹⁷ Moses sent them to spy out the land of Canaan, and said to them, ‘Go up there into the Negeb, and go up into the hill country, ¹⁸and see what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many, ¹⁹and whether the land they live in is good or bad, and whether the towns that they live in are unwalled or fortified, ²⁰and whether the land is rich or poor, and whether there are trees in it or not. Be bold, and bring some of the fruit of the land.’ Now it was the season of the first ripe grapes.

²¹ So they went up and spied out the land from the wilderness of Zin to Rehob, near Lebo-hamath. ²²They went up into the Negeb, and came to Hebron; and Ahiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the Anakites, were there. (Hebron was built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) ²³And they came to the Wadi Eshcol, and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them. They also brought some pomegranates and figs. ²⁴That place was called the Wadi Eshcol,a because of the cluster that the Israelites cut down from there.

The Report of the Spies

²⁵ At the end of forty days they returned from spying out the land. ²⁶And they came to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation of the Israelites in the wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. ²⁷And they told him, ‘We came to the land to which you sent us; it flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. ²⁸Yet the people who live in the land are strong, and the towns are fortified and very large; and besides, we saw the descendants of Anak there. ²⁹The Amalekites live in the land of the Negeb; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live by the sea, and along the Jordan.’

³⁰ But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.’ ³¹Then the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we are.’ ³²So they brought to the Israelites an unfavourable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, ‘The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. ³³There we saw the Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.’

The People Rebel

14

THEN all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. ²And all the Israelites complained against Moses and Aaron; the whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! ³Why is the LORD bringing us into this land to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become booty; would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?’ ⁴So they said to one another, ‘Let us choose a captain, and go back to Egypt.’

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell on their faces before all the assembly of the congregation of the Israelites. ⁶And Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes ⁷and said to all the congregation of the Israelites, ‘The land that we went through as spies is an exceedingly good land. ⁸If the LORD is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that flows with milk and honey. ⁹Only, do not rebel against the LORD; and do not fear the people of the land, for they are no more than bread for us; their protection is removed from them, and the LORD is with us; do not fear them.’ ¹⁰But the whole congregation threatened to stone them.

Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹And the LORD said to Moses, ‘How long will this people despise me? And how long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them? ¹²I will strike them with pestilence and disinherit them, and I will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.’

Moses Intercedes for the People

¹³ But Moses said to the LORD, ‘Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for in your might you brought up this people from among them, ¹⁴and they will tell the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you, O LORD, are in the midst of this people; for you, O LORD, are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them and you go in front of them, in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night. ¹⁵Now if you kill this people all at one time, then the nations who have heard about you will say, ¹⁶“It is because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them that he has slaughtered them in the wilderness.” ¹⁷And now, therefore, let the power of the LORD be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying,

¹⁸ “The LORD is slow to anger,

and abounding in steadfast love,

forgiving iniquity and transgression,

but by no means clearing the guilty,

visiting the iniquity of the parents

upon the children

to the third and the fourth generation.”

¹⁹Forgive the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now.’

²⁰ Then the LORD said, ‘I do forgive, just as you have asked; ²¹nevertheless—as I live, and as all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD—²²none of the people who have seen my glory and the signs that I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and yet have tested me these ten times and have not obeyed my voice, ²³shall see the land that I swore to give to their ancestors; none of those who despised me shall see it. ²⁴But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit and has followed me wholeheartedly, I will bring into the land into which he went, and his descendants shall possess it. ²⁵Now, since the Amalekites and the Canaanites live in the valleys, turn tomorrow and set out for the wilderness by the way to the Red Sea.’a

An Attempted Invasion is Repulsed

²⁶ And the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: ²⁷How long shall this wicked congregation complain against me? I have heard the complaints of the Israelites, which they complain against me. ²⁸Say to them, ‘As I live’, says the LORD, ‘I will do to you the very things I heard you say: ²⁹your dead bodies shall fall in this very wilderness; and of all your number, included in the census, from twenty years old and upwards, who have complained against me, ³⁰not one of you shall come into the land in which I swore to settle you, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. ³¹But your little ones, who you said would become booty, I will bring in, and they shall know the land that you have despised. ³²But as for you, your dead bodies shall fall in this wilderness. ³³And your children shall be shepherds in the wilderness for forty years, and shall suffer for your faithlessness, until the last of your dead bodies lies in the wilderness. ³⁴According to the number of the days in which you spied out the land, forty days, for every day a year, you shall bear your iniquity, forty years, and you shall know my displeasure.’ ³⁵I the LORD have spoken; surely I will do thus to all this wicked congregation gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall come to a full end, and there they shall die.

³⁶ And the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land, who returned and made all the congregation complain against him by bringing a bad report about the land—³⁷the men who brought an unfavourable report about the land died by a plague before the LORD. ³⁸But Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh alone remained alive, of those men who went to spy out the land.

³⁹ When Moses told these words to all the Israelites, the people mourned greatly. ⁴⁰They rose early in the morning and went up to the heights of the hill country, saying, ‘Here we are. We will go up to the place that the LORD has promised, for we have sinned.’ ⁴¹But Moses said, ‘Why do you continue to transgress the command of the LORD? That will not succeed. ⁴²Do not go up, for the LORD is not with you; do not let yourselves be struck down before your enemies. ⁴³For the Amalekites and the Canaanites will confront you there, and you shall fall by the sword; because you have turned back from following the LORD, the LORD will not be with you.’ ⁴⁴But they presumed to go up to the heights of the hill country, even though the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and Moses, had not left the camp. ⁴⁵Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and defeated them, pursuing them as far as Hormah.

Various Offerings

15

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Speak to the Israelites and say to them: When you come into the land you are to inhabit, which I am giving you, ³and you make an offering by fire to the LORD from the herd or from the flock—whether a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as a freewill-offering or at your appointed festivals—to make a pleasing odour for the LORD, ⁴then whoever presents such an offering to the LORD shall present also a grain-offering, one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of oil. ⁵Moreover, you shall offer one-fourth of a hin of wine as a drink-offering with the burnt-offering or the sacrifice, for each lamb. ⁶For a ram, you shall offer a grain-offering, two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour mixed with one-third of a hin of oil; ⁷and as a drink-offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine, a pleasing odour to the LORD. ⁸When you offer a bull as a burnt-offering or a sacrifice, to fulfil a vow or as an offering of well-being to the LORD, ⁹then you shall present with the bull a grain-offering, three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour, mixed with half a hin of oil, ¹⁰and you shall present as a drink-offering half a hin of wine, as an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD.

¹¹ Thus it shall be done for each ox or ram, or for each of the male lambs or the kids. ¹²According to the number that you offer, so you shall do with each and every one. ¹³Every native Israelite shall do these things in this way, in presenting an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD. ¹⁴An alien who lives with you, or who takes up permanent residence among you, and wishes to offer an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD, shall do as you do. ¹⁵As for the assembly, there shall be for both you and the resident alien a single statute, a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you and the alien shall be alike before the LORD. ¹⁶You and the alien who resides with you shall have the same law and the same ordinance.

¹⁷ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁸Speak to the Israelites and say to them: After you come into the land to which I am bringing you, ¹⁹whenever you eat of the bread of the land, you shall present a donation to the LORD. ²⁰From your first batch of dough you shall present a loaf as a donation; you shall present it just as you present a donation from the threshing-floor. ²¹Throughout your generations you shall give to the LORD a donation from the first of your batch of dough.

²² But if you unintentionally fail to observe all these commandments that the LORD has spoken to Moses—²³everything that the LORD has commanded you by Moses, from the day the LORD gave commandment and thereafter, throughout your generations—²⁴then if it was done unintentionally without the knowledge of the congregation, the whole congregation shall offer one young bull for a burnt-offering, a pleasing odour to the LORD, together with its grain-offering and its drink-offering, according to the ordinance, and one male goat for a sin-offering. ²⁵The priest shall make atonement for all the congregation of the Israelites, and they shall be forgiven; it was unintentional, and they have brought their offering, an offering by fire to the LORD, and their sin-offering before the LORD, for their error. ²⁶All the congregation of the Israelites shall be forgiven, as well as the aliens residing among them, because the whole people was involved in the error.

²⁷ An individual who sins unintentionally shall present a female goat a year old for a sin-offering. ²⁸And the priest shall make atonement before the LORD for the one who commits an error, when it is unintentional, to make atonement for the person, who then shall be forgiven. ²⁹For both the native among the Israelites and the alien residing among them—you shall have the same law for anyone who acts in error. ³⁰But whoever acts high-handedly, whether a native or an alien, affronts the LORD, and shall be cut off from among the people. ³¹Because of having despised the word of the LORD and broken his commandment, such a person shall be utterly cut off and bear the guilt.

Penalty for Violating the Sabbath

³² When the Israelites were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the sabbath day. ³³Those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses, Aaron, and to the whole congregation. ³⁴They put him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. ³⁵Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him outside the camp.’ ³⁶The whole congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Fringes on Garments

³⁷ The LORD said to Moses: ³⁸Speak to the Israelites, and tell them to make fringes on the corners of their garments throughout their generations and to put a blue cord on the fringe at each corner. ³⁹You have the fringe so that, when you see it, you will remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and not follow the lust of your own heart and your own eyes. ⁴⁰So you shall remember and do all my commandments, and you shall be holy to your God. ⁴¹I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, to be your God: I am the LORD your God.

Revolt of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram

16

NOW Korah son of Izhar son of Kohath son of Levi, along with Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—descendants of Reuben—took ²two hundred and fifty Israelite men, leaders of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men,a and they confronted Moses. ³They assembled against Moses and against Aaron, and said to them, ‘You have gone too far! All the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. So why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?’ ⁴When Moses heard it, he fell on his face. ⁵Then he said to Korah and all his company, ‘In the morning the LORD will make known who is his, and who is holy, and who will be allowed to approach him; the one whom he will choose he will allow to approach him. ⁶Do this: take censers, Korah and all youra company, ⁷and tomorrow put fire in them, and lay incense on them before the LORD; and the man whom the LORD chooses shall be the holy one. You Levites have gone too far!’ ⁸Then Moses said to Korah, ‘Hear now, you Levites! ⁹Is it too little for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the congregation of Israel, to allow you to approach him in order to perform the duties of the LORD’s tabernacle, and to stand before the congregation and serve them? ¹⁰He has allowed you to approach him, and all your brother Levites with you; yet you seek the priesthood as well! ¹¹Therefore you and all your company have gathered together against the LORD. What is Aaron that you rail against him?’

¹² Moses sent for Dathan and Abiram sons of Eliab; but they said, ‘We will not come! ¹³Is it too little that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the wilderness, that you must also lord it over us? ¹⁴It is clear you have not brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey, or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Would you put out the eyes of these men? We will not come!’

¹⁵ Moses was very angry and said to the LORD, ‘Pay no attention to their offering. I have not taken one donkey from them, and I have not harmed any one of them.’ ¹⁶And Moses said to Korah, ‘As for you and all your company, be present tomorrow before the LORD, you and they and Aaron; ¹⁷and let each one of you take his censer, and put incense on it, and each one of you present his censer before the LORD, two hundred and fifty censers; you also, and Aaron, each his censer.’ ¹⁸So each man took his censer, and they put fire in the censers and laid incense on them, and they stood at the entrance of the tent of meeting with Moses and Aaron. ¹⁹Then Korah assembled the whole congregation against them at the entrance of the tent of meeting. And the glory of the LORD appeared to the whole congregation.

²⁰ Then the LORD spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: ²¹Separate yourselves from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment. ²²They fell on their faces, and said, ‘O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one person sin and you become angry with the whole congregation?’

²³ And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁴Say to the congregation: Get away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. ²⁵So Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram; the elders of Israel followed him. ²⁶He said to the congregation, ‘Turn away from the tents of these wicked men, and touch nothing of theirs, or you will be swept away for all their sins.’ ²⁷So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram; and Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents, together with their wives, their children, and their little ones. ²⁸And Moses said, ‘This is how you shall know that the LORD has sent me to do all these works; it has not been of my own accord: ²⁹If these people die a natural death, or if a natural fate comes on them, then the LORD has not sent me. ³⁰But if the LORD creates something new, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they go down alive into Sheol, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.’

³¹ As soon as he finished speaking all these words, the ground under them was split apart. ³²The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households—everyone who belonged to Korah and all their goods. ³³So they with all that belonged to them went down alive into Sheol; the earth closed over them, and they perished from the midst of the assembly. ³⁴All Israel around them fled at their outcry, for they said, ‘The earth will swallow us too!’ ³⁵And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the two hundred and fifty men offering the incense.

³⁶a Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ³⁷Tell Eleazar son of Aaron the priest to take the censers out of the blaze; then scatter the fire far and wide. ³⁸For the censers of these sinners have become holy at the cost of their lives. Make them into hammered plates as a covering for the altar, for they presented them before the LORD and they became holy. Thus they shall be a sign to the Israelites. ³⁹So Eleazar the priest took the bronze censers that had been presented by those who were burned; and they were hammered out as a covering for the altar—⁴⁰a reminder to the Israelites that no outsider, who is not of the descendants of Aaron, shall approach to offer incense before the LORD, so as not to become like Korah and his company—just as the LORD had said to him through Moses.

⁴¹ On the next day, however, the whole congregation of the Israelites rebelled against Moses and against Aaron, saying, ‘You have killed the people of the LORD.’ ⁴²And when the congregation had assembled against them, Moses and Aaron turned towards the tent of meeting; the cloud had covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. ⁴³Then Moses and Aaron came to the front of the tent of meeting, ⁴⁴and the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ⁴⁵‘Get away from this congregation, so that I may consume them in a moment.’ And they fell on their faces. ⁴⁶Moses said to Aaron, ‘Take your censer, put fire on it from the altar and lay incense on it, and carry it quickly to the congregation and make atonement for them. For wrath has gone out from the LORD; the plague has begun.’ ⁴⁷So Aaron took it as Moses had ordered, and ran into the middle of the assembly, where the plague had already begun among the people. He put on the incense, and made atonement for the people. ⁴⁸He stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stopped. ⁴⁹Those who died by the plague were fourteen thousand seven hundred, besides those who died in the affair of Korah. ⁵⁰When the plague was stopped, Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance of the tent of meeting.

The Budding of Aaron’s Rod

17b

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying:² Speak to the Israelites, and get twelve staffs from them, one for each ancestral house, from all the leaders of their ancestral houses. Write each man’s name on his staff,³ and write Aaron’s name on the staff of Levi. For there shall be one staff for the head of each ancestral house.⁴ Place them in the tent of meeting before the covenant,c where I meet with you.⁵ And the staff of the man whom I choose shall sprout; thus I will put a stop to the complaints of the Israelites that they continually make against you.⁶ Moses spoke to the Israelites; and all their leaders gave him staffs, one for each leader, according to their ancestral houses, twelve staffs; and the staff of Aaron was among theirs. ⁷So Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the tent of the covenant.a

⁸ When Moses went into the tent of the covenanta on the next day, the staff of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted. It put forth buds, produced blossoms, and bore ripe almonds. ⁹Then Moses brought out all the staffs from before the LORD to all the Israelites; and they looked, and each man took his staff. ¹⁰And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Put back the staff of Aaron before the covenant,a to be kept as a warning to rebels, so that you may make an end of their complaints against me, or else they will die.’ ¹¹Moses did so; just as the LORD commanded him, so he did.

¹² The Israelites said to Moses, ‘We are perishing; we are lost, all of us are lost! ¹³Everyone who approaches the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all to perish?’

Responsibility of Priests and Levites

18

THE LORD said to Aaron: You and your sons and your ancestral house with you shall bear responsibility for offences connected with the sanctuary, while you and your sons alone shall bear responsibility for offences connected with the priesthood. ²So bring with you also your brothers of the tribe of Levi, your ancestral tribe, in order that they may be joined to you, and serve you while you and your sons with you are in front of the tent of the covenant.a ³They shall perform duties for you and for the whole tent. But they must not approach either the utensils of the sanctuary or the altar, otherwise both they and you will die. ⁴They are attached to you in order to perform the duties of the tent of meeting, for all the service of the tent; no outsider shall approach you. ⁵You yourselves shall perform the duties of the sanctuary and the duties of the altar, so that wrath may never again come upon the Israelites. ⁶It is I who now take your brother Levites from among the Israelites; they are now yours as a gift, dedicated to the LORD, to perform the service of the tent of meeting. ⁷But you and your sons with you shall diligently perform your priestly duties in all that concerns the altar and the area behind the curtain. I give your priesthood as a gift;b any outsider who approaches shall be put to death.

The Priests’ Portion

⁸ The LORD spoke to Aaron: I have given you charge of the offerings made to me, all the holy gifts of the Israelites; I have given them to you and your sons as a priestly portion due to you in perpetuity. ⁹This shall be yours from the most holy things, reserved from the fire: every offering of theirs that they render to me as a most holy thing, whether grain-offering, sin-offering, or guilt-offering, shall belong to you and your sons. ¹⁰As a most holy thing you shall eat it; every male may eat it; it shall be holy to you. ¹¹This also is yours: I have given to you, together with your sons and daughters, as a perpetual due, whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the elevation-offerings of the Israelites; everyone who is clean in your house may eat them. ¹²All the best of the oil and all the best of the wine and of the grain, the choice produce that they give to the LORD, I have given to you. ¹³The first fruits of all that is in their land, which they bring to the LORD, shall be yours; everyone who is clean in your house may eat of it. ¹⁴Every devoted thing in Israel shall be yours. ¹⁵The first issue of the womb of all creatures, human and animal, which is offered to the LORD, shall be yours; but the firstborn of human beings you shall redeem, and the firstborn of unclean animals you shall redeem. ¹⁶Their redemption price, reckoned from one month of age, you shall fix at five shekels of silver, according to the shekel of the sanctuary (that is, twenty gerahs). ¹⁷But the firstborn of a cow, or the firstborn of a sheep, or the firstborn of a goat, you shall not redeem; they are holy. You shall dash their blood on the altar, and shall turn their fat into smoke as an offering by fire for a pleasing odour to the LORD; ¹⁸but their flesh shall be yours, just as the breast that is elevated and as the right thigh are yours. ¹⁹All the holy offerings that the Israelites present to the LORD I have given to you, together with your sons and daughters, as a perpetual due; it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD for you and your descendants as well. ²⁰Then the LORD said to Aaron: You shall have no allotment in their land, nor shall you have any share among them; I am your share and your possession among the Israelites.

²¹ To the Levites I have given every tithe in Israel for a possession in return for the service that they perform, the service in the tent of meeting. ²²From now on the Israelites shall no longer approach the tent of meeting, or else they will incur guilt and die. ²³But the Levites shall perform the service of the tent of meeting, and they shall bear responsibility for their own offences; it shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations. But among the Israelites they shall have no allotment, ²⁴because I have given to the Levites as their portion the tithe of the Israelites, which they set apart as an offering to the LORD. Therefore I have said of them that they shall have no allotment among the Israelites.

²⁵ Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²⁶You shall speak to the Levites, saying: When you receive from the Israelites the tithe that I have given you from them for your portion, you shall set apart an offering from it to the LORD, a tithe of the tithe. ²⁷It shall be reckoned to you as your gift, the same as the grain of the threshing-floor and the fullness of the wine press. ²⁸Thus you also shall set apart an offering to the LORD from all the tithes that you receive from the Israelites; and from them you shall give the LORD’s offering to the priest Aaron. ²⁹Out of all the gifts to you, you shall set apart every offering due to the LORD; the best of all of them is the part to be consecrated. ³⁰Say also to them: When you have set apart the best of it, then the rest shall be reckoned to the Levites as produce of the threshing-floor, and as produce of the wine press. ³¹You may eat it in any place, you and your households; for it is your payment for your service in the tent of meeting. ³²You shall incur no guilt by reason of it, when you have offered the best of it. But you shall not profane the holy gifts of the Israelites, on pain of death.

Ceremony of the Red Heifer

19

THE LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: ²This is a statute of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect, in which there is no blemish and on which no yoke has been laid. ³You shall give it to the priest Eleazar, and it shall be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. ⁴The priest Eleazar shall take some of its blood with his finger and sprinkle it seven times towards the front of the tent of meeting. ⁵Then the heifer shall be burned in his sight; its skin, its flesh, and its blood, with its dung, shall be burned. ⁶The priest shall take cedar wood, hyssop, and crimson material, and throw them into the fire in which the heifer is burning. ⁷Then the priest shall wash his clothes and bathe his body in water, and afterwards he may come into the camp; but the priest shall remain unclean until evening. ⁸The one who burns the heifera shall wash his clothes in water and bathe his body in water; he shall remain unclean until evening. ⁹Then someone who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer, and deposit them outside the camp in a clean place; and they shall be kept for the congregation of the Israelites for the water for cleansing. It is a purification-offering. ¹⁰The one who gathers the ashes of the heifer shall wash his clothes and be unclean until evening.

This shall be a perpetual statute for the Israelites and for the alien residing among them. ¹¹Those who touch the dead body of any human being shall be unclean for seven days. ¹²They shall purify themselves with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean; but if they do not purify themselves on the third day and on the seventh day, they will not become clean. ¹³All who touch a corpse, the body of a human being who has died, and do not purify themselves, defile the tabernacle of the LORD; such persons shall be cut off from Israel. Since water for cleansing was not dashed on them, they remain unclean; their uncleanness is still on them.

¹⁴ This is the law when someone dies in a tent: everyone who comes into the tent, and everyone who is in the tent, shall be unclean for seven days. ¹⁵And every open vessel with no cover fastened on it is unclean. ¹⁶Whoever in the open field touches one who has been killed by a sword, or who has died naturally,b or a human bone, or a grave, shall be unclean for seven days.¹⁷ For the unclean they shall take some ashes of the burnt purification-offering, and running water shall be added in a vessel; ¹⁸then a clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the furnishings, on the persons who were there, and on whoever touched the bone, the slain, the corpse, or the grave.¹⁹ The clean person shall sprinkle the unclean ones on the third day and on the seventh day, thus purifying them on the seventh day. Then they shall wash their clothes and bathe themselves in water, and at evening they shall be clean.²⁰ Any who are unclean but do not purify themselves, those persons shall be cut off from the assembly, for they have defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. Since the water for cleansing has not been dashed on them, they are unclean.

²¹ It shall be a perpetual statute for them. The one who sprinkles the water for cleansing shall wash his clothes, and whoever touches the water for cleansing shall be unclean until evening.²² Whatever the unclean person touches shall be unclean, and anyone who touches it shall be unclean until evening.

The Waters of Meribah

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THE Israelites, the whole congregation, came into the wilderness of Zin in the first month, and the people stayed in Kadesh. Miriam died there, and was buried there.

² Now there was no water for the congregation; so they gathered together against Moses and against Aaron. ³The people quarrelled with Moses and said, ‘Would that we had died when our kindred died before the LORD! ⁴Why have you brought the assembly of the LORD into this wilderness for us and our livestock to die here? ⁵Why have you brought us up out of Egypt, to bring us to this wretched place? It is no place for grain, or figs, or vines, or pomegranates; and there is no water to drink.’ ⁶Then Moses and Aaron went away from the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting; they fell on their faces, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. ⁷The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁸Take the staff, and assemble the congregation, you and your brother Aaron, and command the rock before their eyes to yield its water. Thus you shall bring water out of the rock for them; thus you shall provide drink for the congregation and their livestock.

⁹ So Moses took the staff from before the LORD, as he had commanded him. ¹⁰Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock, and he said to them, ‘Listen, you rebels, shall we bring water for you out of this rock?’ ¹¹Then Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. ¹²But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘Because you did not trust in me, to show my holiness before the eyes of the Israelites, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land that I have given them.’ ¹³These are the waters of Meribah,a where the people of Israel quarrelled with the LORD, and by which he showed his holiness.

Passage through Edom Refused

¹⁴ Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, ‘Thus says your brother Israel: You know all the adversity that has befallen us: ¹⁵how our ancestors went down to Egypt, and we lived in Egypt for a long time; and the Egyptians oppressed us and our ancestors; ¹⁶and when we cried to the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel and brought us out of Egypt; and here we are in Kadesh, a town on the edge of your territory. ¹⁷Now let us pass through your land. We will not pass through field or vineyard, or drink water from any well; we will go along the King’s Highway, not turning aside to the right hand or to the left until we have passed through your territory.’

¹⁸ But Edom said to him, ‘You shall not pass through, or we will come out with the sword against you.’ ¹⁹The Israelites said to him, ‘We will stay on the highway; and if we drink of your water, we and our livestock, then we will pay for it. It is only a small matter; just let us pass through on foot.’ ²⁰But he said, ‘You shall not pass through.’ And Edom came out against them with a large force, heavily armed. ²¹Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through their territory; so Israel turned away from them.

The Death of Aaron

²² They set out from Kadesh, and the Israelites, the whole congregation, came to Mount Hor. ²³Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron at Mount Hor, on the border of the land of Edom, ²⁴‘Let Aaron be gathered to his people. For he shall not enter the land that I have given to the Israelites, because you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. ²⁵Take Aaron and his son Eleazar, and bring them up Mount Hor; ²⁶strip Aaron of his vestments, and put them on his son Eleazar. But Aaron shall be gathered to his people,a and shall die there.’ ²⁷Moses did as the LORD had commanded; they went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole congregation. ²⁸Moses stripped Aaron of his vestments, and put them on his son Eleazar; and Aaron died there on the top of the mountain. Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain. ²⁹When all the congregation saw that Aaron had died, all the house of Israel mourned for Aaron for thirty days.

The Bronze Serpent

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WHEN the Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb, heard that Israel was coming by the way of Atharim, he fought against Israel and took some of them captive. ²Then Israel made a vow to the LORD and said, ‘If you will indeed give this people into our hands, then we will utterly destroy their towns.’ ³The LORD listened to the voice of Israel, and handed over the Canaanites; and they utterly destroyed them and their towns; so the place was called Hormah.b

⁴ From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea,c to go around the land of Edom; but the people became impatient on the way. ⁵The people spoke against God and against Moses, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we detest this miserable food.’ ⁶Then the LORD sent poisonousd serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many Israelites died. ⁷The people came to Moses and said, ‘We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you; pray to the LORD to take away the serpents from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people. ⁸And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a poisonouse serpent, and set it on a pole; and everyone who is bitten shall look at it and live.’ ⁹So Moses made a serpent of bronze, and put it upon a pole; and whenever a serpent bit someone, that person would look at the serpent of bronze and live.

The Journey to Moab

¹⁰ The Israelites set out, and camped in Oboth. ¹¹They set out from Oboth, and camped at Iye-abarim, in the wilderness bordering Moab towards the sunrise. ¹²From there they set out, and camped in the Wadi Zered. ¹³From there they set out, and camped on the other side of the Arnon, inf the wilderness that extends from the boundary of the Amorites; for the Arnon is the boundary of Moab, between Moab and the Amorites. ¹⁴Wherefore it is said in the Book of the Wars of the LORD,

‘Waheb in Suphah and the wadis.

The Arnon ¹⁵and the slopes of the wadis

that extend to the seat of Ar,

and lie along the border of Moab.’g

¹⁶ From there they continued to Beer;h that is the well of which the LORD said to Moses, ‘Gather the people together, and I will give them water.’ ¹⁷Then Israel sang this song:

‘Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—

¹⁸ the well that the leaders sank,

that the nobles of the people dug,

with the sceptre, with the staff.’

From the wilderness to Mattanah, ¹⁹from Mattanah to Nahaliel, from Nahaliel to Bamoth, ²⁰and from Bamoth to the valley lying in the region of Moab by the top of Pisgah that overlooks the waste-land.a

King Sihon Defeated

²¹ Then Israel sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, saying, ²²‘Let me pass through your land; we will not turn aside into field or vineyard; we will not drink the water of any well; we will go by the King’s Highway until we have passed through your territory.’ ²³But Sihon would not allow Israel to pass through his territory. Sihon gathered all his people together, and went out against Israel to the wilderness; he came to Jahaz, and fought against Israel. ²⁴Israel put him to the sword, and took possession of his land from the Arnon to the Jabbok, as far as to the Ammonites; for the boundary of the Ammonites was strong. ²⁵Israel took all these towns, and Israel settled in all the towns of the Amorites, in Heshbon, and in all its villages. ²⁶For Heshbon was the city of King Sihon of the Amorites, who had fought against the former king of Moab and captured all his land as far as the Arnon. ²⁷Therefore the ballad-singers say,

‘Come to Heshbon, let it be built;

let the city of Sihon be established.

²⁸ For fire came out from Heshbon,

flame from the city of Sihon.

It devoured Ar of Moab,

and swallowed upb the heights of the Arnon.

²⁹ Woe to you, O Moab!

You are undone, O people of Chemosh!

He has made his sons fugitives,

and his daughters captives,

to an Amorite king, Sihon.

³⁰ So their posterity perished

from Heshbonc to Dibon,

and we laid waste until fire spread to Medeba.’d

³¹ Thus Israel settled in the land of the Amorites. ³²Moses sent to spy out Jazer; and they captured its villages, and dispossessed the Amorites who were there.

King Og Defeated

³³ Then they turned and went up the road to Bashan; and King Og of Bashan came out against them, he and all his people, to battle at Edrei. ³⁴But the LORD said to Moses, ‘Do not be afraid of him; for I have given him into your hand, with all his people, and all his land. You shall do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who ruled in Heshbon.’ ³⁵So they killed him, his sons, and all his people, until there was no survivor left; and they took possession of his land.

Balak Summons Balaam to Curse Israel

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THE Israelites set out, and camped in the plains of Moab across the Jordan from Jericho. ²Now Balak son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. ³Moab was in great dread of the people, because they were so numerous; Moab was overcome with fear of the people of Israel. ⁴And Moab said to the elders of Midian, ‘This horde will now lick up all that is around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.’ Now Balak son of Zippor was king of Moab at that time. ⁵He sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is on the Euphrates, in the land of Amaw,a to summon him, saying, ‘A people has come out of Egypt; they have spread over the face of the earth, and they have settled next to me. ⁶Come now, curse this people for me, since they are stronger than I; perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them from the land; for I know that whomsoever you bless is blessed, and whomsoever you curse is cursed.’

⁷ So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the fees for divination in their hand; and they came to Balaam, and gave him Balak’s message. ⁸He said to them, ‘Stay here tonight, and I will bring back word to you, just as the LORD speaks to me’ so the officials of Moab stayed with Balaam. ⁹God came to Balaam and said, ‘Who are these men with you?’ ¹⁰Balaam said to God, ‘King Balak son of Zippor of Moab has sent me this message: ¹¹“A people has come out of Egypt and has spread over the face of the earth; now come, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to fight against them and drive them out.”’ ¹²God said to Balaam, ‘You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.’ ¹³So Balaam rose in the morning, and said to the officials of Balak, ‘Go to your own land, for the LORD has refused to let me go with you.’ ¹⁴So the officials of Moab rose and went to Balak, and said, ‘Balaam refuses to come with us.’

¹⁵ Once again Balak sent officials, more numerous and more distinguished than these. ¹⁶They came to Balaam and said to him, ‘Thus says Balak son of Zippor: “Do not let anything hinder you from coming to me; ¹⁷for I will surely do you great honour, and whatever you say to me I will do; come, curse this people for me.”’ ¹⁸But Balaam replied to the servants of Balak, ‘Although Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold, I could not go beyond the command of the LORD my God, to do less or more. ¹⁹You remain here, as the others did, so that I may learn what more the LORD may say to me.’ ²⁰That night God came to Balaam and said to him, ‘If the men have come to summon you, get up and go with them; but do only what I tell you to do.’ ²¹So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.

Balaam, the Donkey, and the Angel

²² God’s anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the road as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back on to the road. ²⁴Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side. ²⁵When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it scraped against the wall, and scraped Balaam’s foot against the wall; so he struck it again. ²⁶Then the angel of the LORD went ahead, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left. ²⁷When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, it lay down under Balaam; and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. ²⁸Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and it said to Balaam, ‘What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?’ ²⁹Balaam said to the donkey, ‘Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!’ ³⁰But the donkey said to Balaam, ‘Am I not your donkey, which you have ridden all your life to this day? Have I been in the habit of treating you in this way?’ And he said, ‘No.’

³¹ Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face. ³²The angel of the LORD said to him, ‘Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perversea before me. ³³The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely I would by now have killed you and let it live.’ ³⁴Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, ‘I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing to you, I will return home.’ ³⁵The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, ‘Go with the men; but speak only what I tell you to speak.’ So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.

³⁶ When Balak heard that Balaam had come, he went out to meet him at Ir-moab, on the boundary formed by the Arnon, at the farthest point of the boundary. ³⁷Balak said to Balaam, ‘Did I not send to summon you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honour you?’ ³⁸Balaam said to Balak, ‘I have come to you now, but do I have power to say just anything? The word God puts in my mouth, that is what I must say.’ ³⁹Then Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth. ⁴⁰Balak sacrificed oxen and sheep, and sent them to Balaam and to the officials who were with him.

Balaam’s First Oracle

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⁴¹ On the next day Balak took Balaam and brought him up to Bamoth-baal; and from there he could see part of the people of Israel.b ¹Then Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’ ²Balak did as Balaam had said; and Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³Then Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stay here beside your burnt-offerings while I go aside. Perhaps the LORD will come to meet me. Whatever he shows me I will tell you.’ And he went to a bare height.

⁴ Then God met Balaam; and Balaam said to him, ‘I have arranged the seven altars, and have offered a bull and a ram on each altar.’ ⁵The LORD put a word in Balaam’s mouth, and said, ‘Return to Balak, and this is what you must say.’ ⁶So he returned to Balak,c who was standing beside his burnt-offerings with all the officials of Moab. ⁷Then Balaamd uttered his oracle, saying:

‘Balak has brought me from Aram,

the king of Moab from the eastern mountains:

“Come, curse Jacob for me;

Come, denounce Israel!”

⁸ How can I curse whom God has not cursed?

How can I denounce those whom the LORD has not denounced?

⁹ For from the top of the crags I see him,

from the hills I behold him;

Here is a people living alone,

and not reckoning itself among the nations!

¹⁰ Who can count the dust of Jacob,

or number the dust-clouda of Israel?

Let me die the death of the upright,

and let my end be like his!’

¹¹ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘What have you done to me? I brought you to curse my enemies, but now you have done nothing but bless them.’ ¹²He answered, ‘Must I not take care to say what the LORD puts into my mouth?’

Balaam’s Second Oracle

¹³ So Balak said to him, ‘Come with me to another place from which you may see them; you shall see only part of them, and shall not see them all; then curse them for me from there.’ ¹⁴So he took him to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah. He built seven altars, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ¹⁵Balaam said to Balak, ‘Stand here beside your burnt-offerings, while I meet the LORD over there.’ ¹⁶The LORD met Balaam, put a word into his mouth, and said, ‘Return to Balak, and this is what you shall say.’ ¹⁷When he came to him, he was standing beside his burnt-offerings with the officials of Moab. Balak said to him, ‘What has the LORD said?’ ¹⁸Then Balaam uttered his oracle, saying:

‘Rise, Balak, and hear;

listen to me, O son of Zippor:

¹⁹ God is not a human being, that he should lie,

or a mortal, that he should change his mind.

Has he promised, and will he not do it?

Has he spoken, and will he not fulfil it?

²⁰ See, I received a command to bless;

he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

²¹ He has not beheld misfortune in Jacob;

nor has he seen trouble in Israel.

The LORD their God is with them,

acclaimed as a king among them.

²² God, who brings them out of Egypt,

is like the horns of a wild ox for them.

²³ Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob,

no divination against Israel;

now it shall be said of Jacob and Israel,

“See what God has done!”

²⁴ Look, a people rising up like a lioness,

and rousing itself like a lion!

It does not lie down until it has eaten the prey

and drunk the blood of the slain.’

²⁵ Then Balak said to Balaam, ‘Do not curse them at all, and do not bless them at all.’ ²⁶But Balaam answered Balak, ‘Did I not tell you, “Whatever the LORD says, that is what I must do”?’

²⁷ So Balak said to Balaam, ‘Come now, I will take you to another place; perhaps it will please God that you may curse them for me from there.’ ²⁸So Balak took Balaam to the top of Peor, which overlooks the waste-land.a ²⁹ Balaam said to Balak, ‘Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven bulls and seven rams for me.’³⁰ So Balak did as Balaam had said, and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

Balaam’s Third Oracle

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NOW Balaam saw that it pleased the LORD to bless Israel, so he did not go, as at other times, to look for omens, but set his face towards the wilderness. ²Balaam looked up and saw Israel camping tribe by tribe. Then the spirit of God came upon him, ³and he uttered his oracle, saying:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,b

⁴ the oracle of one who hears the words of God,

who sees the vision of the Almighty,c

who falls down, but with eyes uncovered:

⁵ how fair are your tents, O Jacob,

your encampments, O Israel!

⁶ Like palm groves that stretch far away,

like gardens beside a river,

like aloes that the LORD has planted,

like cedar trees beside the waters.

⁷ Water shall flow from his buckets,

and his seed shall have abundant water,

his king shall be higher than Agag,

and his kingdom shall be exalted.

⁸ God, who brings him out of Egypt,

is like the horns of a wild ox for him;

he shall devour the nations that are his foes

and break their bones.

He shall strike with his arrows.d

⁹ He crouched, he lay down like a lion,

and like a lioness; who will rouse him up?

Blessed is everyone who blesses you,

and cursed is everyone who curses you.’

¹⁰ Then Balak’s anger was kindled against Balaam, and he struck his hands together. Balak said to Balaam, ‘I summoned you to curse my enemies, but instead you have blessed them these three times. ¹¹Now be off with you! Go home! I said, “I will reward you richly”, but the LORD has denied you any reward.’ ¹²And Balaam said to Balak, ‘Did I not tell your messengers whom you sent to me, ¹³“If Balak should give me his house full of silver and gold, I would not be able to go beyond the word of the LORD, to do either good or bad of my own will; what the LORD says, that is what I will say”? ¹⁴So now, I am going to my people; let me advise you what this people will do to your people in days to come.’

Balaam’s Fourth Oracle

¹⁵ So he uttered his oracle, saying:

‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor,

the oracle of the man whose eye is clear,a

¹⁶ the oracle of one who hears the words of God,

and knows the knowledge of the Most High,b

who sees the vision of the Almighty,c

who falls down, but with his eyes uncovered:

¹⁷ I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near—

a star shall come out of Jacob,

and a sceptre shall rise out of Israel;

it shall crush the borderlandsd of Moab,

and the territorye of all the Shethites.

¹⁸ Edom will become a possession,

Seir a possession of its enemies,f

while Israel does valiantly.

¹⁹ One out of Jacob shall rule,

and destroy the survivors of Ir.’

²⁰ Then he looked on Amalek, and uttered his oracle, saying:

‘First among the nations was Amalek,

but its end is to perish for ever.’

²¹ Then he looked on the Kenite, and uttered his oracle, saying:

‘Enduring is your dwelling-place,

and your nest is set in the rock;

²² yet Kain is destined for burning.

How long shall Asshur take you away captive?’

²³ Again he uttered his oracle, saying:

‘Alas, who shall live when God does this?

²⁴ But ships shall come from Kittim

and shall afflict Asshur and Eber;

and he also shall perish for ever.’

²⁵ Then Balaam got up and went back to his place, and Balak also went his way.

Worship of Baal of Peor

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WHILE Israel was staying at Shittim, the people began to have sexual relations with the women of Moab. ²These invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods. ³Thus Israel yoked itself to the Baal of Peor, and the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel. ⁴The LORD said to Moses, ‘Take all the chiefs of the people, and impale them in the sun before the LORD, in order that the fierce anger of the LORD may turn away from Israel.’ ⁵And Moses said to the judges of Israel, ‘Each of you shall kill any of your people who have yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor.’

⁶ Just then one of the Israelites came and brought a Midianite woman into his family, in the sight of Moses and in the sight of the whole congregation of the Israelites, while they were weeping at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ⁷When Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he got up and left the congregation. Taking a spear in his hand, ⁸he went after the Israelite man into the tent, and pierced the two of them, the Israelite and the woman, through the belly. So the plague was stopped among the people of Israel. ⁹Nevertheless, those that died by the plague were twenty-four thousand.

¹⁰ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹¹‘Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron the priest, has turned back my wrath from the Israelites by manifesting such zeal among them on my behalf that in my jealousy I did not consume the Israelites. ¹²Therefore say, “I hereby grant him my covenant of peace. ¹³It shall be for him and for his descendants after him a covenant of perpetual priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the Israelites.”’

¹⁴ The name of the slain Israelite man, who was killed with the Midianite woman, was Zimri son of Salu, head of an ancestral house belonging to the Simeonites. ¹⁵The name of the Midianite woman who was killed was Cozbi daughter of Zur, who was the head of a clan, an ancestral house in Midian.

¹⁶ The LORD said to Moses, ¹⁷‘Harass the Midianites, and defeat them; ¹⁸for they have harassed you by the trickery with which they deceived you in the affair of Peor, and in the affair of Cozbi, the daughter of a leader of Midian, their sister; she was killed on the day of the plague that resulted from Peor.’

A Census of the New Generation

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AFTER the plague the LORD said to Moses and to Eleazar son of Aaron the priest, ²‘Take a census of the whole congregation of the Israelites, from twenty years old and upwards, by their ancestral houses, everyone in Israel able to go to war.’ ³Moses and Eleazar the priest spoke with them in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho, saying, ⁴‘Take a census of the people,a from twenty years old and upwards’, as the LORD commanded Moses.

The Israelites, who came out of the land of Egypt, were:

⁵ Reuben, the firstborn of Israel. The descendants of Reuben: of Hanoch, the clan of the Hanochites; of Pallu, the clan of the Palluites; ⁶of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Carmi, the clan of the Carmites. ⁷These are the clans of the Reubenites; the number of those enrolled was forty-three thousand seven hundred and thirty. ⁸And the descendants of Pallu: Eliab. ⁹The descendants of Eliab: Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the same Dathan and Abiram, chosen from the congregation, who rebelled against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they rebelled against the LORD, ¹⁰and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up along with Korah, when that company died, when the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men; and they became a warning. ¹¹Notwithstanding, the sons of Korah did not die.

¹² The descendants of Simeon by their clans: of Nemuel, the clan of the Nemuelites; of Jamin, the clan of the Jaminites; of Jachin, the clan of the Jachinites; ¹³of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites; of Shaul, the clan of the Shaulites.a ¹⁴ These are the clans of the Simeonites, twenty-two thousand two hundred.¹⁵ The children of Gad by their clans: of Zephon, the clan of the Zephonites; of Haggi, the clan of the Haggites; of Shuni, the clan of the Shunites;¹⁶ of Ozni, the clan of the Oznites; of Eri, the clan of the Erites;¹⁷ of Arod, the clan of the Arodites; of Areli, the clan of the Arelites.¹⁸ These are the clans of the Gadites: the number of those enrolled was forty thousand five hundred.

¹⁹ The sons of Judah: Er and Onan; Er and Onan died in the land of Canaan. ²⁰The descendants of Judah by their clans were: of Shelah, the clan of the Shelanites; of Perez, the clan of the Perezites; of Zerah, the clan of the Zerahites. ²¹The descendants of Perez were: of Hezron, the clan of the Hezronites; of Hamul, the clan of the Hamulites. ²²These are the clans of Judah: the number of those enrolled was seventy-six thousand five hundred.

²³ The descendants of Issachar by their clans: of Tola, the clan of the Tolaites; of Puvah, the clan of the Punites; ²⁴of Jashub, the clan of the Jashubites; of Shimron, the clan of the Shimronites. ²⁵These are the clans of Issachar: sixty-four thousand three hundred enrolled.

²⁶ The descendants of Zebulun by their clans: of Sered, the clan of the Seredites; of Elon, the clan of the Elonites; of Jahleel, the clan of the Jahleelites. ²⁷These are the clans of the Zebulunites; the number of those enrolled was sixty thousand five hundred.

²⁸ The sons of Joseph by their clans: Manasseh and Ephraim. ²⁹The descendants of Manasseh: of Machir, the clan of the Machirites; and Machir was the father of Gilead; of Gilead, the clan of the Gileadites. ³⁰These are the descendants of Gilead: of Iezer, the clan of the Iezerites; of Helek, the clan of the Helekites; ³¹and of Asriel, the clan of the Asrielites; and of Shechem, the clan of the Shechemites; ³²and of Shemida, the clan of the Shemidaites; and of Hepher, the clan of the Hepherites. ³³Now Zelophehad son of Hepher had no sons, but daughters: and the names of the daughters of Zelophehad were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ³⁴These are the clans of Manasseh; the number of those enrolled was fifty-two thousand seven hundred.

³⁵ These are the descendants of Ephraim according to their clans: of Shuthelah, the clan of the Shuthelahites; of Becher, the clan of the Becherites; of Tahan, the clan of the Tahanites. ³⁶And these are the descendants of Shuthelah: of Eran, the clan of the Eranites. ³⁷These are the clans of the Ephraimites: the number of those enrolled was thirty-two thousand five hundred. These are the descendants of Joseph by their clans.

³⁸ The descendants of Benjamin by their clans: of Bela, the clan of the Belaites; of Ashbel, the clan of the Ashbelites; of Ahiram, the clan of the Ahiramites; ³⁹of Shephupham, the clan of the Shuphamites; of Hupham, the clan of the Huphamites. ⁴⁰And the sons of Bela were Ard and Naaman: of Ard, the clan of the Ardites; of Naaman, the clan of the Naamites. ⁴¹These are the descendants of Benjamin by their clans; the number of those enrolled was forty-five thousand six hundred.

⁴² These are the descendants of Dan by their clans: of Shuham, the clan of the Shuhamites. These are the clans of Dan by their clans. ⁴³All the clans of the Shuhamites: sixty-four thousand four hundred enrolled.

⁴⁴ The descendants of Asher by their families: of Imnah, the clan of the Imnites; of Ishvi, the clan of the Ishvites; of Beriah, the clan of the Beriites. ⁴⁵Of the descendants of Beriah: of Heber, the clan of the Heberites; of Malchiel, the clan of the Malchielites. ⁴⁶And the name of the daughter of Asher was Serah. ⁴⁷These are the clans of the Asherites: the number of those enrolled was fifty-three thousand four hundred.

⁴⁸ The descendants of Naphtali by their clans: of Jahzeel, the clan of the Jahzeelites; of Guni, the clan of the Gunites; ⁴⁹of Jezer, the clan of the Jezerites; of Shillem, the clan of the Shillemites. ⁵⁰These are the Naphtalitesa by their clans: the number of those enrolled was forty-five thousand four hundred.

⁵¹ This was the number of the Israelites enrolled: six hundred and one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

⁵² The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁵³To these the land shall be apportioned for inheritance according to the number of names. ⁵⁴To a large tribe you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small tribe you shall give a small inheritance; every tribe shall be given its inheritance according to its enrolment. ⁵⁵But the land shall be apportioned by lot; according to the names of their ancestral tribes they shall inherit. ⁵⁶Their inheritance shall be apportioned according to lot between the larger and the smaller.

⁵⁷ This is the enrolment of the Levites by their clans: of Gershon, the clan of the Gershonites; of Kohath, the clan of the Kohathites; of Merari, the clan of the Merarites. ⁵⁸These are the clans of Levi: the clan of the Libnites, the clan of the Hebronites, the clan of the Mahlites, the clan of the Mushites, the clan of the Korahites. Now Kohath was the father of Amram. ⁵⁹The name of Amram’s wife was Jochebed daughter of Levi, who was born to Levi in Egypt; and she bore to Amram: Aaron, Moses, and their sister Miriam. ⁶⁰To Aaron were born Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ⁶¹But Nadab and Abihu died when they offered unholy fire before the LORD. ⁶²The number of those enrolled was twenty-three thousand, every male one month old and upwards; for they were not enrolled among the Israelites because there was no allotment given to them among the Israelites.

⁶³ These were those enrolled by Moses and Eleazar the priest, who enrolled the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho. ⁶⁴Among these there was not one of those enrolled by Moses and Aaron the priest, who had enrolled the Israelites in the wilderness of Sinai. ⁶⁵For the LORD had said of them, ‘They shall die in the wilderness.’ Not one of them was left, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

The Daughters of Zelophehad

27

THEN the daughters of Zelophehad came forward. Zelophehad was son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh son of Joseph, a member of the Manassite clans. The names of his daughters were: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ²They stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders, and all the congregation, at the entrance of the tent of meeting, and they said, ³‘Our father died in the wilderness; he was not among the company of those who gathered themselves together against the LORD in the company of Korah, but died for his own sin; and he had no sons. ⁴Why should the name of our father be taken away from his clan because he had no son? Give to us a possession among our father’s brothers.’

⁵ Moses brought their case before the LORD. ⁶And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁷The daughters of Zelophehad are right in what they are saying; you shall indeed let them possess an inheritance among their father’s brothers and pass the inheritance of their father on to them. ⁸You shall also say to the Israelites, ‘If a man dies, and has no son, then you shall pass his inheritance on to his daughter. ⁹If he has no daughter, then you shall give his inheritance to his brothers. ¹⁰If he has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to his father’s brothers. ¹¹And if his father has no brothers, then you shall give his inheritance to the nearest kinsman of his clan, and he shall possess it. It shall be for the Israelites a statute and ordinance, as the LORD commanded Moses.’

Joshua Appointed Moses’ Successor

¹² The LORD said to Moses, ‘Go up this mountain of the Abarim range, and see the land that I have given to the Israelites. ¹³When you have seen it, you also shall be gathered to your people, as your brother Aaron was, ¹⁴because you rebelled against my word in the wilderness of Zin when the congregation quarrelled with me.a You did not show my holiness before their eyes at the waters.’ (These are the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin.) ¹⁵Moses spoke to the LORD, saying,¹⁶ ‘Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation ¹⁷who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep without a shepherd.’¹⁸ So the LORD said to Moses, ‘Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him;¹⁹ have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight.²⁰ You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey. ²¹But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation.’ ²²So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation;²³ he laid his hands on him and commissioned him—as the LORD had directed through Moses.

Daily Offerings

28

THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Command the Israelites, and say to them: My offering, the food for my offerings by fire, my pleasing odour, you shall take care to offer to me at its appointed time. ³And you shall say to them, This is the offering by fire that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, daily, as a regular offering. ⁴One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;a ⁵also one-tenth of an ephah of choice flour for a grain-offering, mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil. ⁶It is a regular burnt-offering, ordained at Mount Sinai for a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD. ⁷Its drink-offering shall be one-fourth of a hin for each lamb; in the sanctuary you shall pour out a drink-offering of strong drink to the LORD. ⁸The other lamb you shall offer at twilighta with a grain-offering and a drink-offering like the one in the morning; you shall offer it as an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD.

Sabbath Offerings

⁹ On the sabbath day: two male lambs a year old without blemish, and two-tenths of an ephah of choice flour for a grain-offering, mixed with oil, and its drink-offering—¹⁰this is the burnt-offering for every sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its drink-offering.

Monthly Offerings

¹¹ At the beginnings of your months you shall offer a burnt-offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish; ¹²also three-tenths of an ephah of choice flour for a grain-offering, mixed with oil, for each bull; and two-tenths of choice flour for a grain-offering, mixed with oil, for the one ram; ¹³and one-tenth of choice flour mixed with oil as a grain-offering for every lamb—a burnt-offering of pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD. ¹⁴Their drink-offerings shall be half a hin of wine for a bull, one-third of a hin for a ram, and one-fourth of a hin for a lamb. This is the burnt-offering of every month throughout the months of the year. ¹⁵And there shall be one male goat for a sin-offering to the LORD; it shall be offered in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its drink-offering.

Offerings at Passover

¹⁶ On the fourteenth day of the first month there shall be a passover-offering to the LORD. ¹⁷And on the fifteenth day of this month is a festival; for seven days shall unleavened bread be eaten. ¹⁸On the first day there shall be a holy convocation. You shall not work at your occupations. ¹⁹You shall offer an offering by fire, a burnt-offering to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old; see that they are without blemish. ²⁰Their grain-offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil: three-tenths of an ephah shall you offer for a bull, and two-tenths for a ram; ²¹one-tenth shall you offer for each of the seven lambs; ²²also one male goat for a sin-offering, to make atonement for you. ²³You shall offer these in addition to the burnt-offering of the morning, which belongs to the regular burnt-offering. ²⁴In the same way you shall offer daily, for seven days, the food of an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD; it shall be offered in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its drink-offering. ²⁵And on the seventh day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations.

Offerings at the Festival of Weeks

²⁶ On the day of the first fruits, when you offer a grain-offering of new grain to the LORD at your festival of weeks, you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. ²⁷You shall offer a burnt-offering, a pleasing odour to the LORD: two young bulls, one ram, seven male lambs a year old. ²⁸Their grain-offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for each bull, two-tenths for one ram, ²⁹one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; ³⁰with one male goat, to make atonement for you. ³¹In addition to the regular burnt-offering with its grain-offering, you shall offer them and their drink-offering. They shall be without blemish.

Offerings at the Festival of Trumpets

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ON THE first day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. It is a day for you to blow the trumpets, ²and you shall offer a burnt-offering, a pleasing odour to the LORD: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish. ³Their grain-offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of one ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the ram, ⁴and one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; ⁵with one male goat for a sin-offering, to make atonement for you. ⁶These are in addition to the burnt-offering of the new moon and its grain-offering, and the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering, and their drink-offerings, according to the ordinance for them, a pleasing odour, an offering by fire to the LORD.

Offerings on the Day of Atonement

⁷ On the tenth day of this seventh month you shall have a holy convocation, and deny yourselves;a you shall do no work. ⁸You shall offer a burnt-offering to the LORD, a pleasing odour: one young bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old. They shall be without blemish. ⁹Their grain-offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for the bull, two-tenths for the one ram, ¹⁰one-tenth for each of the seven lambs; ¹¹with one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the sin-offering of atonement, and the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering, and their drink-offerings.

Offerings at the Festival of Booths

¹² On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not work at your occupations. You shall celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days. ¹³You shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD: thirteen young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old. They shall be without blemish. ¹⁴Their grain-offering shall be of choice flour mixed with oil, three-tenths of an ephah for each of the thirteen bulls, two-tenths for each of the two rams, ¹⁵and one-tenth for each of the fourteen lambs; ¹⁶also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering, its grain-offering and its drink-offering.

¹⁷ On the second day: twelve young bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ¹⁸with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ¹⁹also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering, and their drink-offerings.

²⁰ On the third day: eleven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²¹with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ²²also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering and its drink-offering.

²³ On the fourth day: ten bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁴with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ²⁵also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering, its grain-offering and its drink-offering.

²⁶ On the fifth day: nine bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ²⁷with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ²⁸also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering and its drink-offering.

²⁹ On the sixth day: eight bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁰with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ³¹also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering, its grain-offering, and its drink-offerings.

³² On the seventh day: seven bulls, two rams, fourteen male lambs a year old without blemish, ³³with the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bulls, for the rams, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ³⁴also one male goat for a sin-offering, besides the regular burnt-offering, its grain-offering, and its drink-offering.

³⁵ On the eighth day you shall have a solemn assembly; you shall not work at your occupations. ³⁶You shall offer a burnt-offering, an offering by fire, a pleasing odour to the LORD: one bull, one ram, seven male lambs a year old without blemish, ³⁷and the grain-offering and the drink-offerings for the bull, for the ram, and for the lambs, as prescribed in accordance with their number; ³⁸also one male goat for a sin-offering, in addition to the regular burnt-offering and its grain-offering and its drink-offering.

³⁹ These you shall offer to the LORD at your appointed festivals, in addition to your votive offerings and your freewill-offerings, as your burnt-offerings, your grain-offerings, your drink-offerings, and your offerings of well-being.

⁴⁰a So Moses told the Israelites everything just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Vows Made by Women

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THEN Moses said to the heads of the tribes of the Israelites: This is what the LORD has commanded. ²When a man makes a vow to the LORD, or swears an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.

³ When a woman makes a vow to the LORD, or binds herself by a pledge, while within her father’s house, in her youth, ⁴and her father hears of her vow or her pledge by which she has bound herself, and says nothing to her; then all her vows shall stand, and any pledge by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁵But if her father expresses disapproval to her at the time that he hears of it, no vow of hers, and no pledge by which she has bound herself, shall stand; and the LORD will forgive her, because her father had expressed to her his disapproval.

⁶ If she marries, while obligated by her vows or any thoughtless utterance of her lips by which she has bound herself, ⁷and her husband hears of it and says nothing to her at the time that he hears, then her vows shall stand, and her pledges by which she has bound herself shall stand. ⁸But if, at the time that her husband hears of it, he expresses disapproval to her, then he shall nullify the vow by which she was obligated, or the thoughtless utterance of her lips, by which she bound herself; and the LORD will forgive her. ⁹(But every vow of a widow or of a divorced woman, by which she has bound herself, shall be binding upon her.) ¹⁰And if she made a vow in her husband’s house, or bound herself by a pledge with an oath, ¹¹and her husband heard it and said nothing to her, and did not express disapproval to her, then all her vows shall stand, and any pledge by which she bound herself shall stand. ¹²But if her husband nullifies them at the time that he hears them, then whatever proceeds out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning her pledge of herself, shall not stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will forgive her. ¹³Any vow or any binding oath to deny herself,a her husband may allow to stand, or her husband may nullify. ¹⁴But if her husband says nothing to her from day to day,b then he validates all her vows, or all her pledges, by which she is obligated; he has validated them, because he said nothing to her at the time that he heard of them. ¹⁵But if he nullifies them some time after he has heard of them, then he shall bear her guilt.

¹⁶ These are the statutes that the LORD commanded Moses concerning a husband and his wife, and a father and his daughter while she is still young and in her father’s house.

War against Midian

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²‘Avenge the Israelites on the Midianites; afterwards you shall be gathered to your people.’ ³So Moses said to the people, ‘Arm some of your number for the war, so that they may go against Midian, to execute the LORD’s vengeance on Midian. ⁴You shall send a thousand from each of the tribes of Israel to the war.’ ⁵So out of the thousands of Israel, a thousand from each tribe were conscripted, twelve thousand armed for battle. ⁶Moses sent them to the war, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar the priest,a with the vessels of the sanctuary and the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand. ⁷They did battle against Midian, as the LORD had commanded Moses, and killed every male. ⁸They killed the kings of Midian: Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian, in addition to others who were slain by them; and they also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. ⁹The Israelites took the women of Midian and their little ones captive; and they took all their cattle, their flocks, and all their goods as booty. ¹⁰All their towns where they had settled, and all their encampments, they burned, ¹¹but they took all the spoil and all the booty, both people and animals. ¹²Then they brought the captives and the booty and the spoil to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the congregation of the Israelites, at the camp on the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

Return from the War

¹³ Moses, Eleazar the priest, and all the leaders of the congregation went to meet them outside the camp. ¹⁴Moses became angry with the officers of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, who had come from service in the war. ¹⁵Moses said to them, ‘Have you allowed all the women to live? ¹⁶These women here, on Balaam’s advice, made the Israelites act treacherously against the LORD in the affair of Peor, so that the plague came among the congregation of the LORD. ¹⁷Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known a man by sleeping with him. ¹⁸But all the young girls who have not known a man by sleeping with him, keep alive for yourselves. ¹⁹Camp outside the camp for seven days; whoever of you has killed any person or touched a corpse, purify yourselves and your captives on the third and on the seventh day. ²⁰You shall purify every garment, every article of skin, everything made of goats’ hair, and every article of wood.’

²¹ Eleazar the priest said to the troops who had gone to battle: ‘This is the statute of the law that the LORD has commanded Moses: ²²gold, silver, bronze, iron, tin, and lead—²³everything that can withstand fire, shall be passed through fire, and it shall be clean. Nevertheless it shall also be purified with the water for purification; and whatever cannot withstand fire, shall be passed through the water. ²⁴You must wash your clothes on the seventh day, and you shall be clean; afterwards you may come into the camp.’

Disposition of Captives and Booty

²⁵ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, ²⁶‘You and Eleazar the priest and the heads of the ancestral houses of the congregation make an inventory of the booty captured, both human and animal. ²⁷Divide the booty into two parts, between the warriors who went out to battle and all the congregation. ²⁸From the share of the warriors who went out to battle, set aside as tribute for the LORD one item out of every five hundred, whether persons, oxen, donkeys, sheep, or goats. ²⁹Take it from their half and give it to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the LORD. ³⁰But from the Israelites’ half you shall take one out of every fifty, whether persons, oxen, donkeys, sheep, or goats—all the animals—and give them to the Levites who have charge of the tabernacle of the LORD.’

³¹ Then Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD had commanded Moses:

³² The booty remaining from the spoil that the troops had taken totalled six hundred and seventy-five thousand sheep, ³³seventy-two thousand oxen, ³⁴sixty-one thousand donkeys, ³⁵and thirty-two thousand persons in all, women who had not known a man by sleeping with him.

³⁶ The half-share, the portion of those who had gone out to war, was in number three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep and goats, ³⁷and the LORD’s tribute of sheep and goats was six hundred and seventy-five. ³⁸The oxen were thirty-six thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was seventy-two. ³⁹The donkeys were thirty thousand five hundred, of which the LORD’s tribute was sixty-one. ⁴⁰The persons were sixteen thousand, of which the LORD’s tribute was thirty-two persons. ⁴¹Moses gave the tribute, the offering for the LORD, to Eleazar the priest, as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁴² As for the Israelites’ half, which Moses separated from that of the troops, ⁴³the congregation’s half was three hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred sheep and goats, ⁴⁴thirty-six thousand oxen, ⁴⁵thirty thousand five hundred donkeys, ⁴⁶and sixteen thousand persons. ⁴⁷From the Israelites’ half Moses took one of every fifty, both of persons and of animals, and gave them to the Levites who had charge of the tabernacle of the LORD; as the LORD had commanded Moses.

⁴⁸ Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, approached Moses, ⁴⁹and said to Moses, ‘Your servants have counted the warriors who are under our command, and not one of us is missing. ⁵⁰And we have brought the LORD’s offering, what each of us found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, ear-rings, and pendants, to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD.’ ⁵¹Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from them, all in the form of crafted articles. ⁵²And all the gold of the offering that they offered to the LORD, from the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, was sixteen thousand seven hundred and fifty shekels. ⁵³(The troops had all taken plunder for themselves.) ⁵⁴So Moses and Eleazar the priest received the gold from the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tent of meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.

Conquest and Division of Transjordan

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NOW the Reubenites and the Gadites owned a very great number of cattle. When they saw that the land of Jazer and the land of Gilead was a good place for cattle, ²the Gadites and the Reubenites came and spoke to Moses, to Eleazar the priest, and to the leaders of the congregation, saying, ³‘Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo, and Beon—⁴the land that the LORD subdued before the congregation of Israel—is a land for cattle; and your servants have cattle.’ ⁵They continued, ‘If we have found favour in your sight, let this land be given to your servants for a possession; do not make us cross the Jordan.’

⁶ But Moses said to the Gadites and to the Reubenites, ‘Shall your brothers go to war while you sit here? ⁷Why will you discourage the hearts of the Israelites from going over into the land that the LORD has given them? ⁸Your fathers did this, when I sent them from Kadesh-barnea to see the land. ⁹When they went up to the Wadi Eshcol and saw the land, they discouraged the hearts of the Israelites from going into the land that the LORD had given them. ¹⁰The LORD’s anger was kindled on that day and he swore, saying, ¹¹“Surely none of the people who came up out of Egypt, from twenty years old and upwards, shall see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, because they have not unreservedly followed me—¹²none except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have unreservedly followed the LORD.” ¹³And the LORD’s anger was kindled against Israel, and he made them wander in the wilderness for forty years, until all the generation that had done evil in the sight of the LORD had disappeared. ¹⁴And now you, a brood of sinners, have risen in place of your fathers, to increase the LORD’s fierce anger against Israel! ¹⁵If you turn away from following him, he will again abandon them in the wilderness; and you will destroy all this people.’

¹⁶ Then they came up to him and said, ‘We will build sheepfolds here for our flocks, and towns for our little ones, ¹⁷but we will take up arms as a vanguarda before the Israelites, until we have brought them to their place. Meanwhile our little ones will stay in the fortified towns because of the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁸We will not return to our homes until all the Israelites have obtained their inheritance. ¹⁹We will not inherit with them on the other side of the Jordan and beyond, because our inheritance has come to us on this side of the Jordan to the east.’

²⁰ So Moses said to them, ‘If you do this—if you take up arms to go before the LORD for the war, ²¹and all those of you who bear arms cross the Jordan before the LORD, until he has driven out his enemies from before him ²²and the land is subdued before the LORD—then after that you may return and be free of obligation to the LORD and to Israel, and this land shall be your possession before the LORD. ²³But if you do not do this, you have sinned against the LORD; and be sure your sin will find you out. ²⁴Build towns for your little ones, and folds for your flocks; but do what you have promised.’

²⁵ Then the Gadites and the Reubenites said to Moses, ‘Your servants will do as my lord commands. ²⁶Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock shall remain there in the towns of Gilead; ²⁷but your servants will cross over, everyone armed for war, to do battle for the LORD, just as my lord orders.’

²⁸ So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua son of Nun, and to the heads of the ancestral houses of the Israelite tribes. ²⁹And Moses said to them, ‘If the Gadites and the Reubenites, everyone armed for battle before the LORD, will cross over the Jordan with you and the land shall be subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead for a possession; ³⁰but if they will not cross over with you armed, they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.’ ³¹The Gadites and the Reubenites answered, ‘As the LORD has spoken to your servants, so we will do. ³²We will cross over armed before the LORD into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side ofb the Jordan.’

³³ Moses gave to them—to the Gadites and to the Reubenites and to the half-tribe of Manasseh son of Joseph—the kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites and the kingdom of King Og of Bashan, the land and its towns, with the territories of the surrounding towns. ³⁴And the Gadites rebuilt Dibon, Ataroth, Aroer, ³⁵Atroth-shophan, Jazer, Jogbehah, ³⁶Beth-nimrah, and Beth-haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep. ³⁷And the Reubenites rebuilt Heshbon, Elealeh, Kiriathaim, ³⁸Nebo, and Baal-meon (some names being changed), and Sibmah; and they gave names to the towns that they rebuilt. ³⁹The descendants of Machir son of Manasseh went to Gilead, captured it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were there; ⁴⁰so Moses gave Gilead to Machir son of Manasseh, and he settled there. ⁴¹Jair son of Manasseh went and captured their villages, and renamed them Havvoth-jair.a ⁴²And Nobah went and captured Kenath and its villages, and renamed it Nobah after himself.

The Stages of Israel’s Journey from Egypt

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THESE are the stages by which the Israelites went out of the land of Egypt in military formation under the leadership of Moses and Aaron. ²Moses wrote down their starting points, stage by stage, by command of the LORD; and these are their stages according to their starting places. ³They set out from Rameses in the first month, on the fifteenth day of the first month; on the day after the passover the Israelites went out boldly in the sight of all the Egyptians, ⁴while the Egyptians were burying all their firstborn, whom the LORD had struck down among them. The LORD executed judgements even against their gods.

⁵ So the Israelites set out from Rameses, and camped at Succoth. ⁶They set out from Succoth, and camped at Etham, which is on the edge of the wilderness. ⁷They set out from Etham, and turned back to Pi-hahiroth, which faces Baal-zephon; and they camped before Migdol. ⁸They set out from Pi-hahiroth, passed through the sea into the wilderness, went a three days’ journey in the wilderness of Etham, and camped at Marah. ⁹They set out from Marah and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there. ¹⁰They set out from Elim and camped by the Red Sea.b ¹¹ They set out from the Red Seab and camped in the wilderness of Sin.¹² They set out from the wilderness of Sin and camped at Dophkah.¹³ They set out from Dophkah and camped at Alush.¹⁴ They set out from Alush and camped at Rephidim, where there was no water for the people to drink.¹⁵ They set out from Rephidim and camped in the wilderness of Sinai.¹⁶ They set out from the wilderness of Sinai and camped at Kibroth-hattaavah.¹⁷ They set out from Kibroth-hattaavah and camped at Hazeroth.¹⁸ They set out from Hazeroth and camped at Rithmah.¹⁹ They set out from Rithmah and camped at Rimmon-perez. ²⁰They set out from Rimmon-perez and camped at Libnah.²¹ They set out from Libnah and camped at Rissah.²² They set out from Rissah and camped at Kehelathah. ²³They set out from Kehelathah and camped at Mount Shepher.²⁴ They set out from Mount Shepher and camped at Haradah.²⁵ They set out from Haradah and camped at Makheloth.²⁶ They set out from Makheloth and camped at Tahath.²⁷ They set out from Tahath and camped at Terah.²⁸ They set out from Terah and camped at Mithkah.²⁹ They set out from Mithkah and camped at Hashmonah.³⁰ They set out from Hashmonah and camped at Moseroth.³¹ They set out from Moseroth and camped at Bene-jaakan.³² They set out from Bene-jaakan and camped at Hor-haggidgad.³³ They set out from Hor-haggidgad and camped at Jotbathah.³⁴ They set out from Jotbathah and camped at Abronah. ³⁵They set out from Abronah and camped at Ezion-geber. ³⁶They set out from Ezion-geber and camped in the wilderness of Zin (that is, Kadesh). ³⁷They set out from Kadesh and camped at Mount Hor, on the edge of the land of Edom.

³⁸ Aaron the priest went up Mount Hor at the command of the LORD and died there in the fortieth year after the Israelites had come out of the land of Egypt, on the first day of the fifth month. ³⁹Aaron was one hundred and twenty-three years old when he died on Mount Hor.

⁴⁰ The Canaanite, the king of Arad, who lived in the Negeb in the land of Canaan, heard of the coming of the Israelites.

⁴¹ They set out from Mount Hor and camped at Zalmonah. ⁴²They set out from Zalmonah and camped at Punon. ⁴³They set out from Punon and camped at Oboth. ⁴⁴They set out from Oboth and camped at Iye-abarim, in the territory of Moab. ⁴⁵They set out from Iyim and camped at Dibon-gad. ⁴⁶They set out from Dibon-gad and camped at Almon-diblathaim. ⁴⁷They set out from Almon-diblathaim and camped in the mountains of Abarim, before Nebo. ⁴⁸They set out from the mountains of Abarim and camped in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho; ⁴⁹they camped by the Jordan from Beth-jeshimoth as far as Abel-shittim in the plains of Moab.

Directions for the Conquest of Canaan

⁵⁰ In the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ⁵¹Speak to the Israelites, and say to them: When you cross over the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ⁵²you shall drive out all the inhabitants of the land from before you, destroy all their figured stones, destroy all their cast images, and demolish all their high places. ⁵³You shall take possession of the land and settle in it, for I have given you the land to possess. ⁵⁴You shall apportion the land by lot according to your clans; to a large one you shall give a large inheritance, and to a small one you shall give a small inheritance; the inheritance shall belong to the person on whom the lot falls; according to your ancestral tribes you shall inherit. ⁵⁵But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you, then those whom you let remain shall be as barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides; they shall trouble you in the land where you are settling. ⁵⁶And I will do to you as I thought to do to them.

The Boundaries of the Land

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THE LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Command the Israelites, and say to them: When you enter the land of Canaan (this is the land that shall fall to you for an inheritance, the land of Canaan, defined by its boundaries), ³your south sector shall extend from the wilderness of Zin along the side of Edom. Your southern boundary shall begin from the end of the Dead Seaa on the east; ⁴ your boundary shall turn south of the ascent of Akrabbim, and cross to Zin, and its outer limit shall be south of Kadesh-barnea; then it shall go on to Hazar-addar, and cross to Azmon; ⁵the boundary shall turn from Azmon to the Wadi of Egypt, and its termination shall be at the Sea.

⁶ For the western boundary, you shall have the Great Sea and itsb coast; this shall be your western boundary.

⁷ This shall be your northern boundary: from the Great Sea you shall mark out your line to Mount Hor; ⁸from Mount Hor you shall mark it out to Lebo-hamath, and the outer limit of the boundary shall be at Zedad; ⁹then the boundary shall extend to Ziphron, and its end shall be at Hazar-enan; this shall be your northern boundary.

¹⁰ You shall mark out your eastern boundary from Hazar-enan to Shepham; ¹¹and the boundary shall continue down from Shepham to Riblah on the east side of Ain; and the boundary shall go down, and reach the eastern slope of the sea of Chinnereth; ¹²and the boundary shall go down to the Jordan, and its end shall be at the Dead Sea.a This shall be your land with its boundaries all round.

¹³ Moses commanded the Israelites, saying: This is the land that you shall inherit by lot, which the LORD has commanded to give to the nine tribes and to the half-tribe; ¹⁴for the tribe of the Reubenites by their ancestral houses and the tribe of the Gadites by their ancestral houses have taken their inheritance, and also the half-tribe of Manasseh; ¹⁵the two tribes and the half-tribe have taken their inheritance beyond the Jordan at Jericho eastwards, towards the sunrise.

Tribal Leaders

¹⁶ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁷These are the names of the men who shall apportion the land to you for inheritance: the priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun. ¹⁸You shall take one leader of every tribe to apportion the land for inheritance. ¹⁹These are the names of the men: Of the tribe of Judah, Caleb son of Jephunneh. ²⁰Of the tribe of the Simeonites, Shemuel son of Ammihud. ²¹Of the tribe of Benjamin, Elidad son of Chislon. ²²Of the tribe of the Danites a leader, Bukki son of Jogli. ²³Of the Josephites: of the tribe of the Manassites a leader, Hanniel son of Ephod, ²⁴and of the tribe of the Ephraimites a leader, Kemuel son of Shiphtan. ²⁵Of the tribe of the Zebulunites a leader, Eli-zaphan son of Parnach. ²⁶Of the tribe of the Issacharites a leader, Paltiel son of Azzan. ²⁷And of the tribe of the Asherites a leader, Ahihud son of Shelomi. ²⁸Of the tribe of the Naphtalites a leader, Pedahel son of Ammihud. ²⁹These were the ones whom the LORD commanded to apportion the inheritance for the Israelites in the land of Canaan.

Cities for the Levites

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IN THE plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho, the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ²Command the Israelites to give, from the inheritance that they possess, towns for the Levites to live in; you shall also give to the Levites pasture lands surrounding the towns. ³The towns shall be theirs to live in, and their pasture lands shall be for their cattle, for their livestock, and for all their animals. ⁴The pasture lands of the towns, which you shall give to the Levites, shall reach from the wall of the town outwards a thousand cubits all around. ⁵You shall measure, outside the town, for the east side two thousand cubits, for the south side two thousand cubits, for the west side two thousand cubits, and for the north side two thousand cubits, with the town in the middle; this shall belong to them as pasture land for their towns.

⁶ The towns that you give to the Levites shall include the six cities of refuge, where you shall permit a slayer to flee, and in addition to them you shall give forty-two towns. ⁷The towns that you give to the Levites shall total forty-eight, with their pasture lands. ⁸And as for the towns that you shall give from the possession of the Israelites, from the larger tribes you shall take many, and from the smaller tribes you shall take few; each, in proportion to the inheritance that it obtains, shall give of its towns to the Levites.

Cities of Refuge

⁹ The LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ¹⁰Speak to the Israelites, and say to them: When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, ¹¹then you shall select cities to be cities of refuge for you, so that a slayer who kills a person without intent may flee there. ¹²The cities shall be for you a refuge from the avenger, so that the slayer may not die until there is a trial before the congregation.

¹³ The cities that you designate shall be six cities of refuge for you: ¹⁴you shall designate three cities beyond the Jordan, and three cities in the land of Canaan, to be cities of refuge. ¹⁵These six cities shall serve as refuge for the Israelites, for the resident or transient alien among them, so that anyone who kills a person without intent may flee there.

Concerning Murder and Blood-Revenge

¹⁶ But anyone who strikes another with an iron object, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁷Or anyone who strikes another with a stone in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁸Or anyone who strikes another with a weapon of wood in hand that could cause death, and death ensues, is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. ¹⁹The avenger of blood is the one who shall put the murderer to death; when they meet, the avenger of blood shall execute the sentence. ²⁰Likewise, if someone pushes another from hatred, or hurls something at another, lying in wait, and death ensues, ²¹or in enmity strikes another with the hand, and death ensues, then the one who struck the blow shall be put to death; that person is a murderer; the avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when they meet.

²² But if someone pushes another suddenly without enmity, or hurls any object without lying in wait, ²³or, while handling any stone that could cause death, unintentionallya drops it on another and death ensues, though they were not enemies, and no harm was intended, ²⁴then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the avenger of blood, in accordance with these ordinances; ²⁵and the congregation shall rescue the slayer from the avenger of blood. Then the congregation shall send the slayer back to the original city of refuge. The slayer shall live in it until the death of the high priest who was anointed with the holy oil. ²⁶But if the slayer shall at any time go outside the bounds of the original city of refuge, ²⁷and is found by the avenger of blood outside the bounds of the city of refuge, and is killed by the avenger, no blood-guilt shall be incurred. ²⁸For the slayer must remain in the city of refuge until the death of the high priest; but after the death of the high priest the slayer may return home.

²⁹ These things shall be a statute and ordinance for you throughout your generations wherever you live.

³⁰ If anyone kills another, the murderer shall be put to death on the evidence of witnesses; but no one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness. ³¹Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer who is subject to the death penalty; a murderer must be put to death. ³²Nor shall you accept ransom for one who has fled to a city of refuge, enabling the fugitive to return to live in the land before the death of the high priest. ³³You shall not pollute the land in which you live; for blood pollutes the land, and no expiation can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it. ³⁴You shall not defile the land in which you live, in which I also dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the Israelites.

Marriage of Female Heirs

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THE heads of the ancestral houses of the clans of the descendants of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh, of the Josephite clans, came forward and spoke in the presence of Moses and the leaders, the heads of the ancestral houses of the Israelites; ²they said, ‘The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for inheritance by lot to the Israelites; and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of our brother Zelophehad to his daughters. ³But if they are married into another Israelite tribe, then their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our ancestors and added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they marry; so it will be taken away from the allotted portion of our inheritance. ⁴And when the jubilee of the Israelites comes, then their inheritance will be added to the inheritance of the tribe into which they have married; and their inheritance will be taken from the inheritance of our ancestral tribe.’

⁵ Then Moses commanded the Israelites according to the word of the LORD, saying, ‘The descendants of the tribe of Joseph are right in what they are saying. ⁶This is what the LORD commands concerning the daughters of Zelophehad, “Let them marry whom they think best; only it must be into a clan of their father’s tribe that they are married, ⁷so that no inheritance of the Israelites shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for all Israelites shall retain the inheritance of their ancestral tribes. ⁸Every daughter who possesses an inheritance in any tribe of the Israelites shall marry one from the clan of her father’s tribe, so that all Israelites may continue to possess their ancestral inheritance. ⁹No inheritance shall be transferred from one tribe to another; for each of the tribes of the Israelites shall retain its own inheritance.”’

¹⁰ The daughters of Zelophehad did as the LORD had commanded Moses. ¹¹Mahlah, Tirzah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Noah, the daughters of Zelophehad, married sons of their father’s brothers. ¹²They were married into the clans of the descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, and their inheritance remained in the tribe of their father’s clan.

¹³ These are the commandments and the ordinances that the LORD commanded through Moses to the Israelites in the plains of Moab by the Jordan at Jericho.

DEUTERONOMY

Events at Horeb Recalled

THESE are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan—in the wilderness, on the plain opposite Suph, between Paran and Tophel, Laban, Hazeroth, and Di-zahab. ²(By the way of Mount Seir it takes eleven days to reach Kadesh-barnea from Horeb.) ³In the fortieth year, on the first day of the eleventh month, Moses spoke to the Israelites just as the LORD had commanded him to speak to them. ⁴This was after he had defeated King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth anda in Edrei. ⁵Beyond the Jordan in the land of Moab, Moses undertook to expound this law as follows:

⁶ The LORD our God spoke to us at Horeb, saying, ‘You have stayed long enough at this mountain. ⁷Resume your journey, and go into the hill country of the Amorites as well as into the neighbouring regions—the Arabah, the hill country, the Shephelah, the Negeb, and the sea coast—the land of the Canaanites and the Lebanon, as far as the great river, the river Euphrates. ⁸See, I have set the land before you; go in and take possession of the land that Ib swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give to them and to their descendants after them.’

Appointment of Tribal Leaders

⁹ At that time I said to you, ‘I am unable by myself to bear you. ¹⁰The LORD your God has multiplied you, so that today you are as numerous as the stars of heaven. ¹¹May the LORD, the God of your ancestors, increase you a thousand times more and bless you, as he has promised you! ¹²But how can I bear the heavy burden of your disputes all by myself? ¹³Choose for each of your tribes individuals who are wise, discerning, and reputable to be your leaders.’ ¹⁴You answered me, ‘The plan you have proposed is a good one.’ ¹⁵So I took the leaders of your tribes, wise and reputable individuals, and installed them as leaders over you, commanders of thousands, commanders of hundreds, commanders of fifties, commanders of tens, and officials, throughout your tribes. ¹⁶I charged your judges at that time: ‘Give the members of your community a fair hearing, and judge rightly between one person and another, whether citizen or resident alien. ¹⁷You must not be partial in judging: hear out the small and the great alike; you shall not be intimidated by anyone, for the judgement is God’s. Any case that is too hard for you, bring to me, and I will hear it.’ ¹⁸So I charged you at that time with all the things that you should do.

Israel’s Refusal to Enter the Land

¹⁹ Then, just as the LORD our God had ordered us, we set out from Horeb and went through all that great and terrible wilderness that you saw, on the way to the hill country of the Amorites, until we reached Kadesh-barnea. ²⁰I said to you, ‘You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the LORD our God is giving us. ²¹See, the LORD your God has given the land to you; go up, take possession, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you; do not fear or be dismayed.’

²² All of you came to me and said, ‘Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land for us and bring back a report to us regarding the route by which we should go up and the cities we will come to.’ ²³The plan seemed good to me, and I selected twelve of you, one from each tribe. ²⁴They set out and went up into the hill country, and when they reached the Valley of Eshcol they spied it out ²⁵and gathered some of the land’s produce, which they brought down to us. They brought back a report to us, and said, ‘It is a good land that the LORD our God is giving us.’

²⁶ But you were unwilling to go up. You rebelled against the command of the LORD your God; ²⁷you grumbled in your tents and said, ‘It is because the LORD hates us that he has brought us out of the land of Egypt, to hand us over to the Amorites to destroy us. ²⁸Where are we heading? Our kindred have made our hearts fail by reporting, “The people are stronger and taller than we are; the cities are large and fortified up to heaven! We actually saw there the offspring of the Anakim!”’ ²⁹I said to you, ‘Have no dread or fear of them. ³⁰The LORD your God, who goes before you, is the one who will fight for you, just as he did for you in Egypt before your very eyes, ³¹and in the wilderness, where you saw how the LORD your God carried you, just as one carries a child, all the way that you travelled until you reached this place. ³²But in spite of this, you have no trust in the LORD your God, ³³who goes before you on the way to seek out a place for you to camp, in fire by night, and in the cloud by day, to show you the route you should take.’

The Penalty for Israel’s Rebellion

³⁴ When the LORD heard your words, he was wrathful and swore: ³⁵‘Not one of these—not one of this evil generation—shall see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors, ³⁶except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He shall see it, and to him and to his descendants I will give the land on which he set foot, because of his complete fidelity to the LORD.’ ³⁷Even with me the LORD was angry on your account, saying, ‘You also shall not enter there. ³⁸Joshua son of Nun, your assistant, shall enter there; encourage him, for he is the one who will secure Israel’s possession of it. ³⁹And as for your little ones, who you thought would become booty, your children, who today do not yet know right from wrong, they shall enter there; to them I will give it, and they shall take possession of it. ⁴⁰But as for you, journey back into the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea.’a

⁴¹ You answered me, ‘We have sinned against the LORD! We are ready to go up and fight, just as the LORD our God commanded us.’ So all of you strapped on your battle gear, and thought it easy to go up into the hill country. ⁴²The LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up and do not fight, for I am not in the midst of you; otherwise you will be defeated by your enemies.”’ ⁴³Although I told you, you would not listen. You rebelled against the command of the LORD and presumptuously went up into the hill country. ⁴⁴The Amorites who lived in that hill country then came out against you and chased you as bees do. They beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah. ⁴⁵When you returned and wept before the LORD, the LORD would neither heed your voice nor pay you any attention.

The Desert Years

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⁴⁶ After you had stayed at Kadesh as many days as you did, ¹we journeyed back into the wilderness, in the direction of the Red Sea,a as the LORD had told me, and skirted Mount Seir for many days. ²Then the LORD said to me: ³‘You have been skirting this hill country long enough. Head north, ⁴and charge the people as follows: You are about to pass through the territory of your kindred, the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, so be very careful ⁵not to engage in battle with them, for I will not give you even so much as a foot’s length of their land, since I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession. ⁶You shall purchase food from them for money, so that you may eat; and you shall also buy water from them for money, so that you may drink. ⁷Surely the LORD your God has blessed you in all your undertakings; he knows your going through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.’ ⁸So we passed by our kin, the descendants of Esau who live in Seir, leaving behind the route of the Arabah, and leaving behind Elath and Ezion-geber.

When we had headed out along the route of the wilderness of Moab, ⁹the LORD said to me: ‘Do not harass Moab or engage them in battle, for I will not give you any of its land as a possession, since I have given Ar as a possession to the descendants of Lot.’ ¹⁰(The Emim—a large and numerous people, as tall as the Anakim—had formerly inhabited it. ¹¹Like the Anakim, they are usually reckoned as Rephaim, though the Moabites call them Emim. ¹²Moreover, the Horim had formerly inhabited Seir, but the descendants of Esau dispossessed them, destroying them and settling in their place, as Israel has done in the land that the LORD gave them as a possession.)¹³ ‘Now then, proceed to cross over the Wadi Zered.’

So we crossed over the Wadi Zered. ¹⁴And the length of time we had travelled from Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the Wadi Zered was thirty-eight years, until the entire generation of warriors had perished from the camp, as the LORD had sworn concerning them. ¹⁵Indeed, the LORD’s own hand was against them, to root them out from the camp, until all had perished.

¹⁶ Just as soon as all the warriors had died from among the people, ¹⁷the LORD spoke to me, saying, ¹⁸‘Today you are going to cross the boundary of Moab at Ar. ¹⁹When you approach the frontier of the Ammonites, do not harass them or engage them in battle, for I will not give the land of the Ammonites to you as a possession, because I have given it to the descendants of Lot.’ ²⁰(It also is usually reckoned as a land of Rephaim. Rephaim formerly inhabited it, though the Ammonites call them Zamzummim, ²¹a strong and numerous people, as tall as the Anakim. But the LORD destroyed them from before the Ammonites so that they could dispossess them and settle in their place. ²²He did the same for the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir, by destroying the Horim before them so that they could dispossess them and settle in their place even to this day. ²³As for the Avvim, who had lived in settlements in the vicinity of Gaza, the Caphtorim, who came from Caphtor, destroyed them and settled in their place.)²⁴ ‘Proceed on your journey and cross the Wadi Arnon. See, I have handed over to you King Sihon the Amorite of Heshbon, and his land. Begin to take possession by engaging him in battle. ²⁵This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the peoples everywhere under heaven; when they hear report of you, they will tremble and be in anguish because of you.’

Defeat of King Sihon

²⁶ So I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemoth to King Sihon of Heshbon with the following terms of peace: ²⁷‘If you let me pass through your land, I will travel only along the road; I will turn aside neither to the right nor to the left. ²⁸You shall sell me food for money, so that I may eat, and supply me water for money, so that I may drink. Only allow me to pass through on foot—²⁹just as the descendants of Esau who live in Seir have done for me and likewise the Moabites who live in Ar—until I cross the Jordan into the land that the LORD our God is giving us.’ ³⁰But King Sihon of Heshbon was not willing to let us pass through, for the LORD your God had hardened his spirit and made his heart defiant in order to hand him over to you, as he has now done.

³¹ The LORD said to me, ‘See, I have begun to give Sihon and his land over to you. Begin now to take possession of his land.’ ³²So when Sihon came out against us, he and all his people for battle at Jahaz, ³³the LORD our God gave him over to us; and we struck him down, along with his offspring and all his people. ³⁴At that time we captured all his towns, and in each town we utterly destroyed men, women, and children. We left not a single survivor. ³⁵Only the livestock we kept as spoil for ourselves, as well as the plunder of the towns that we had captured. ³⁶From Aroer on the edge of the Wadi Arnon (including the town that is in the wadi itself) as far as Gilead, there was no citadel too high for us. The LORD our God gave everything to us. ³⁷You did not encroach, however, on the land of the Ammonites, avoiding the whole upper region of the Wadi Jabbok as well as the towns of the hill country, just asa the LORD our God had charged.

Defeat of King Og

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WHEN we headed up the road to Bashan, King Og of Bashan came out against us, he and all his people, for battle at Edrei. ²The LORD said to me, ‘Do not fear him, for I have handed him over to you, along with his people and his land. Do to him as you did to King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon.’ ³So the LORD our God also handed over to us King Og of Bashan and all his people. We struck him down until not a single survivor was left. ⁴At that time we captured all his towns; there was no citadel that we did not take from them—sixty towns, the whole region of Argob, the kingdom of Og in Bashan. ⁵All these were fortress towns with high walls, double gates, and bars, besides a great many villages. ⁶And we utterly destroyed them, as we had done to King Sihon of Heshbon, in each city utterly destroying men, women, and children. ⁷But all the livestock and the plunder of the towns we kept as spoil for ourselves.

⁸ So at that time we took from the two kings of the Amorites the land beyond the Jordan, from the Wadi Arnon to Mount Hermon ⁹(the Sidonians call Hermon Sirion, while the Amorites call it Senir), ¹⁰all the towns of the tableland, the whole of Gilead, and all of Bashan, as far as Salecah and Edrei, towns of Og’s kingdom in Bashan.¹¹(Now only King Og of Bashan was left of the remnant of the Rephaim. In fact his bed, an iron bed, can still be seen in Rabbah of the Ammonites. By the common cubit it is nine cubits long and four cubits wide.) ¹²As for the land that we took possession of at that time, I gave to the Reubenites and Gadites the territory north of Aroera that is on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, as well as half the hill country of Gilead with its towns, ¹³and I gave to the half-tribe of Manasseh the rest of Gilead and all of Bashan, Og’s kingdom. (The whole region of Argob: all that portion of Bashan used to be called a land of Rephaim; ¹⁴Jair the Manassite acquired the whole region of Argob as far as the border of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and he named them—that is, Bashan—after himself, Havvoth-jair,b as it is to this day.) ¹⁵To Machir I gave Gilead. ¹⁶And to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory from Gilead as far as the Wadi Arnon, with the middle of the wadi as a boundary, and up to the Jabbok, the wadi being the boundary of the Ammonites; ¹⁷the Arabah also, with the Jordan and its banks, from Chinnereth down to the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea,c with the lower slopes of Pisgah on the east.

¹⁸ At that time, I charged you as follows: ‘Although the LORD your God has given you this land to occupy, all your troops shall cross over armed as the vanguard of your Israelite kin. ¹⁹Only your wives, your children, and your livestock—I know that you have much livestock—shall stay behind in the towns that I have given to you. ²⁰When the LORD gives rest to your kindred, as to you, and they too have occupied the land that the LORD your God is giving them beyond the Jordan, then each of you may return to the property that I have given to you.’ ²¹And I charged Joshua as well at that time, saying: ‘Your own eyes have seen everything that the LORD your God has done to these two kings; so the LORD will do to all the kingdoms into which you are about to cross. ²²Do not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.’

Moses Views Canaan from Pisgah

²³ At that time, too, I entreated the LORD, saying: ²⁴‘O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your might; what god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours! ²⁵Let me cross over to see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and the Lebanon.’ ²⁶But the LORD was angry with me on your account and would not heed me. The LORD said to me, ‘Enough from you! Never speak to me of this matter again! ²⁷Go up to the top of Pisgah and look around you to the west, to the north, to the south, and to the east. Look well, for you shall not cross over this Jordan. ²⁸But charge Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, because it is he who shall cross over at the head of this people and who shall secure their possession of the land that you will see.’ ²⁹So we remained in the valley opposite Beth-peor.

Moses Commands Obedience

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SO NOW, Israel, give heed to the statutes and ordinances that I am teaching you to observe, so that you may live to enter and occupy the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, is giving you. ²You must neither add anything to what I command you nor take away anything from it, but keep the commandments of the LORD your God with which I am charging you. ³You have seen for yourselves what the LORD did with regard to the Baal of Peor—how the LORD your God destroyed from among you everyone who followed the Baal of Peor, ⁴while those of you who held fast to the LORD your God are all alive today.

⁵ See, just as the LORD my God has charged me, I now teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe in the land that you are about to enter and occupy. ⁶You must observe them diligently, for this will show your wisdom and discernment to the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and discerning people!’ ⁷For what other great nation has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is whenever we call to him? ⁸And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this entire law that I am setting before you today?

⁹ But take care and watch yourselves closely, so as neither to forget the things that your eyes have seen nor to let them slip from your mind all the days of your life; make them known to your children and your children’s children—¹⁰how you once stood before the LORD your God at Horeb, when the LORD said to me, ‘Assemble the people for me, and I will let them hear my words, so that they may learn to fear me as long as they live on the earth, and may teach their children to do so’ ¹¹you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain while the mountain was blazing up to the very heavens, shrouded in dark clouds. ¹²Then the LORD spoke to you out of the fire. You heard the sound of words but saw no form; there was only a voice. ¹³He declared to you his covenant, which he charged you to observe, that is, the ten commandments;a and he wrote them on two stone tablets. ¹⁴And the LORD charged me at that time to teach you statutes and ordinances for you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy.

¹⁵ Since you saw no form when the LORD spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire, take care and watch yourselves closely, ¹⁶so that you do not act corruptly by making an idol for yourselves, in the form of any figure—the likeness of male or female, ¹⁷the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, ¹⁸the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. ¹⁹And when you look up to the heavens and see the sun, the moon, and the stars, all the host of heaven, do not be led astray and bow down to them and serve them, things that the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples everywhere under heaven. ²⁰But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron-smelter, out of Egypt, to become a people of his very own possession, as you are now.

²¹ The LORD was angry with me because of you, and he vowed that I should not cross the Jordan and that I should not enter the good land that the LORD your God is giving for your possession. ²²For I am going to die in this land without crossing over the Jordan, but you are going to cross over to take possession of that good land. ²³So be careful not to forget the covenant that the LORD your God made with you, and not to make for yourselves an idol in the form of anything that the LORD your God has forbidden you. ²⁴For the LORD your God is a devouring fire, a jealous God.

²⁵ When you have had children and children’s children, and become complacent in the land, if you act corruptly by making an idol in the form of anything, thus doing what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, and provoking him to anger, ²⁶I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that you will soon utterly perish from the land that you are crossing the Jordan to occupy; you will not live long on it, but will be utterly destroyed. ²⁷The LORD will scatter you among the peoples; only a few of you will be left among the nations where the LORD will lead you. ²⁸There you will serve other gods made by human hands, objects of wood and stone that neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. ²⁹From there you will seek the LORD your God, and you will find him if you search after him with all your heart and soul. ³⁰In your distress, when all these things have happened to you in time to come, you will return to the LORD your God and heed him. ³¹Because the LORD your God is a merciful God, he will neither abandon you nor destroy you; he will not forget the covenant with your ancestors that he swore to them.

³² For ask now about former ages, long before your own, ever since the day that God created human beings on the earth; ask from one end of heaven to the other: has anything so great as this ever happened or has its like ever been heard of? ³³Has any people ever heard the voice of a god speaking out of a fire, as you have heard, and lived? ³⁴Or has any god ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation, by trials, by signs and wonders, by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by terrifying displays of power, as the LORD your God did for you in Egypt before your very eyes? ³⁵To you it was shown so that you would acknowledge that the LORD is God; there is no other besides him. ³⁶From heaven he made you hear his voice to discipline you. On earth he showed you his great fire, while you heard his words coming out of the fire. ³⁷And because he loved your ancestors, he chose their descendants after them. He brought you out of Egypt with his own presence, by his great power, ³⁸driving out before you nations greater and mightier than yourselves, to bring you in, giving you their land for a possession, as it is still today. ³⁹So acknowledge today and take to heart that the LORD is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. ⁴⁰Keep his statutes and his commandments, which I am commanding you today for your own well-being and that of your descendants after you, so that you may long remain in the land that the LORD your God is giving you for all time.

Cities of Refuge East of the Jordan

⁴¹ Then Moses set apart on the east side of the Jordan three cities ⁴²to which a homicide could flee, someone who unintentionally kills another person, the two not having been at enmity before; the homicide could flee to one of these cities and live: ⁴³Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland belonging to the Reubenites, Ramoth in Gilead belonging to the Gadites, and Golan in Bashan belonging to the Manassites.

Transition to the Second Address

⁴⁴ This is the law that Moses set before the Israelites. ⁴⁵These are the decrees and the statutes and ordinances that Moses spoke to the Israelites when they had come out of Egypt, ⁴⁶beyond the Jordan in the valley opposite Beth-peor, in the land of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned at Heshbon, whom Moses and the Israelites defeated when they came out of Egypt. ⁴⁷They occupied his land and the land of King Og of Bashan, the two kings of the Amorites on the eastern side of the Jordan: ⁴⁸from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, as far as Mount Siriona (that is, Hermon), ⁴⁹together with all the Arabah on the east side of the Jordan as far as the Sea of the Arabah, under the slopes of Pisgah.

The Ten Commandments

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MOSES convened all Israel, and said to them:

Hear, O Israel, the statutes and ordinances that I am addressing to you today; you shall learn them and observe them diligently. ²The LORD our God made a covenant with us at Horeb. ³Not with our ancestors did the LORD make this covenant, but with us, who are all of us here alive today. ⁴The LORD spoke with you face to face at the mountain, out of the fire. ⁵(At that time I was standing between the LORD and you to declare to you the wordsb of the LORD; for you were afraid because of the fire and did not go up the mountain.) And he said:

⁶ I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; ⁷you shall have no other gods beforec me.

⁸ You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. ⁹You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me, ¹⁰but showing steadfast love to the thousandth generationd of those who love me and keep my commandments.

¹¹ You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not acquit anyone who misuses his name.

¹² Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy, as the LORD your God commanded you. ¹³For six days you shall labour and do all your work. ¹⁴But the seventh day is a sabbath to the LORD your God; you shall not do any work—you, or your son or your daughter, or your male or female slave, or your ox or your donkey, or any of your livestock, or the resident alien in your towns, so that your male and female slave may rest as well as you. ¹⁵Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God brought you out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm; therefore the LORD your God commanded you to keep the sabbath day.

¹⁶ Honour your father and your mother, as the LORD your God commanded you, so that your days may be long and that it may go well with you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

¹⁷ You shall not murder.a

¹⁸ Neither shall you commit adultery.

¹⁹ Neither shall you steal.

²⁰ Neither shall you bear false witness against your neighbour.

²¹ Neither shall you covet your neighbour’s wife.

Neither shall you desire your neighbour’s house, or field, or male or female slave, or ox, or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbour.

Moses the Mediator of God’s Will

²² These words the LORD spoke with a loud voice to your whole assembly at the mountain, out of the fire, the cloud, and the thick darkness, and he added no more. He wrote them on two stone tablets, and gave them to me. ²³When you heard the voice out of the darkness, while the mountain was burning with fire, you approached me, all the heads of your tribes and your elders; ²⁴and you said, ‘Look, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the fire. Today we have seen that God may speak to someone and the person may still live. ²⁵So now why should we die? For this great fire will consume us; if we hear the voice of the LORD our God any longer, we shall die. ²⁶For who is there of all flesh that has heard the voice of the living God speaking out of fire, as we have, and remained alive? ²⁷Go near, you yourself, and hear all that the LORD our God will say. Then tell us everything that the LORD our God tells you, and we will listen and do it.’

²⁸ The LORD heard your words when you spoke to me, and the LORD said to me: ‘I have heard the words of this people, which they have spoken to you; they are right in all that they have spoken. ²⁹If only they had such a mind as this, to fear me and to keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and with their children for ever! ³⁰Go, say to them, “Return to your tents.” ³¹But you, stand here by me, and I will tell you all the commandments, the statutes and the ordinances, that you shall teach them, so that they may do them in the land that I am giving them to possess.’ ³²You must therefore be careful to do as the LORD your God has commanded you; you shall not turn to the right or to the left. ³³You must follow exactly the path that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you are to possess.

The Great Commandment

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NOW this is the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that the LORD your God charged me to teach you to observe in the land that you are about to cross into and occupy, ²so that you and your children and your children’s children may fear the LORD your God all the days of your life, and keep all his decrees and his commandments that I am commanding you, so that your days may be long. ³Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe them diligently, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may multiply greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has promised you.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.a ⁵You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might. ⁶Keep these words that I am commanding you today in your heart. ⁷Recite them to your children and talk about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. ⁸Bind them as a sign on your hand, fix them as an emblemb on your forehead, ⁹and write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Caution against Disobedience

¹⁰ When the LORD your God has brought you into the land that he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give you—a land with fine, large cities that you did not build, ¹¹houses filled with all sorts of goods that you did not fill, hewn cisterns that you did not hew, vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant—and when you have eaten your fill, ¹²take care that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ¹³The LORD your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear. ¹⁴Do not follow other gods, any of the gods of the peoples who are all around you, ¹⁵because the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a jealous God. The anger of the LORD your God would be kindled against you and he would destroy you from the face of the earth.

¹⁶ Do not put the LORD your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah. ¹⁷You must diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his decrees, and his statutes that he has commanded you. ¹⁸Do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, so that it may go well with you, and so that you may go in and occupy the good land that the LORD swore to your ancestors to give you, ¹⁹thrusting out all your enemies from before you, as the LORD has promised.

²⁰ When your children ask you in time to come, ‘What is the meaning of the decrees and the statutes and the ordinances that the LORD our God has commanded you?’ ²¹then you shall say to your children, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²²The LORD displayed before our eyes great and awesome signs and wonders against Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his household. ²³He brought us out from there in order to bring us in, to give us the land that he promised on oath to our ancestors. ²⁴Then the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our lasting good, so as to keep us alive, as is now the case. ²⁵If we diligently observe this entire commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us, we will be in the right.’

A Chosen People

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WHEN the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are about to enter and occupy, and he clears away many nations before you—the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations mightier and more numerous than you—²and when the LORD your God gives them over to you and you defeat them, then you must utterly destroy them. Make no covenant with them and show them no mercy. ³Do not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons, ⁴for that would turn away your children from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the LORD would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly. ⁵But this is how you must deal with them: break down their altars, smash their pillars, hew down their sacred poles,a and burn their idols with fire. ⁶ For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; the LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

⁷ It was not because you were more numerous than any other people that the LORD set his heart on you and chose you—for you were the fewest of all peoples. ⁸It was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath that he swore to your ancestors, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. ⁹Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, ¹⁰and who repays in their own person those who reject him. He does not delay but repays in their own person those who reject him. ¹¹Therefore, observe diligently the commandment—the statutes and the ordinances—that I am commanding you today.

Blessings for Obedience

¹² If you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them, the LORD your God will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that he swore to your ancestors; ¹³he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you. ¹⁴You shall be the most blessed of peoples, with neither sterility nor barrenness among you or your livestock. ¹⁵The LORD will turn away from you every illness; all the dread diseases of Egypt that you experienced, he will not inflict on you, but he will lay them on all who hate you. ¹⁶You shall devour all the peoples that the LORD your God is giving over to you, showing them no pity; you shall not serve their gods, for that would be a snare to you.

¹⁷ If you say to yourself, ‘These nations are more numerous than I; how can I dispossess them?’ ¹⁸do not be afraid of them. Just remember what the LORD your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt, ¹⁹the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs and wonders, the mighty hand and the outstretched arm by which the LORD your God brought you out. The LORD your God will do the same to all the peoples of whom you are afraid. ²⁰Moreover, the LORD your God will send the pestilenceb against them, until even the survivors and the fugitives are destroyed. ²¹Have no dread of them, for the LORD your God, who is present with you, is a great and awesome God. ²²The LORD your God will clear away these nations before you little by little; you will not be able to make a quick end of them, otherwise the wild animals would become too numerous for you. ²³But the LORD your God will give them over to you, and throw them into great panic, until they are destroyed. ²⁴He will hand their kings over to you and you shall blot out their name from under heaven; no one will be able to stand against you, until you have destroyed them. ²⁵The images of their gods you shall burn with fire. Do not covet the silver or the gold that is on them and take it for yourself, because you could be ensnared by it; for it is abhorrent to the LORD your God. ²⁶Do not bring an abhorrent thing into your house, or you will be set apart for destruction like it. You must utterly detest and abhor it, for it is set apart for destruction.

A Warning Not to Forget God in Prosperity

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THIS entire commandment that I command you today you must diligently observe, so that you may live and increase, and go in and occupy the land that the LORD promised on oath to your ancestors. ²Remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments. ³He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.a ⁴The clothes on your back did not wear out and your feet did not swell these forty years. ⁵Know then in your heart that as a parent disciplines a child so the LORD your God disciplines you. ⁶Therefore keep the commandments of the LORD your God, by walking in his ways and by fearing him. ⁷For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, ⁸a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, ⁹a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. ¹⁰You shall eat your fill and bless the LORD your God for the good land that he has given you.

¹¹ Take care that you do not forget the LORD your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. ¹²When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, ¹³and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, ¹⁴then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, ¹⁵who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid waste-land with poisonousb snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, ¹⁶and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. ¹⁷Do not say to yourself, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’ ¹⁸But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today. ¹⁹If you do forget the LORD your God and follow other gods to serve and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. ²⁰Like the nations that the LORD is destroying before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the LORD your God.

The Consequences of Rebelling against God

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HEAR, O Israel! You are about to cross the Jordan today, to go in and dispossess nations larger and mightier than you, great cities, fortified to the heavens, ²a strong and tall people, the offspring of the Anakim, whom you know. You have heard it said of them, ‘Who can stand up to the Anakim?’ ³Know then today that the LORD your God is the one who crosses over before you as a devouring fire; he will defeat them and subdue them before you, so that you may dispossess and destroy them quickly, as the LORD has promised you.

⁴ When the LORD your God thrusts them out before you, do not say to yourself, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to occupy this land’ it is rather because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is dispossessing them before you. ⁵It is not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart that you are going in to occupy their land; but because of the wickedness of those nations that the LORD your God is dispossessing them before you, in order to fulfil the promise that the LORD made on oath to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

⁶ Know, then, that the LORD your God is not giving you this good land to occupy because of your righteousness; for you are a stubborn people. ⁷Remember and do not forget how you provoked the LORD your God to wrath in the wilderness; you have been rebellious against the LORD from the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place.

⁸ Even at Horeb you provoked the LORD to wrath, and the LORD was so angry with you that he was ready to destroy you. ⁹When I went up the mountain to receive the stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant that the LORD made with you, I remained on the mountain for forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water. ¹⁰And the LORD gave me the two stone tablets written with the finger of God; on them were all the words that the LORD had spoken to you at the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly. ¹¹At the end of forty days and forty nights the LORD gave me the two stone tablets, the tablets of the covenant. ¹²Then the LORD said to me, ‘Get up, go down quickly from here, for your people whom you have brought from Egypt have acted corruptly. They have been quick to turn from the way that I commanded them; they have cast an image for themselves.’ ¹³Furthermore, the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen that this people is indeed a stubborn people. ¹⁴Let me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make of you a nation mightier and more numerous than they.’

¹⁵ So I turned and went down from the mountain, while the mountain was ablaze; the two tablets of the covenant were in my two hands. ¹⁶Then I saw that you had indeed sinned against the LORD your God, by casting for yourselves an image of a calf; you had been quick to turn from the way that the LORD had commanded you. ¹⁷So I took hold of the two tablets and flung them from my two hands, smashing them before your eyes. ¹⁸Then I lay prostrate before the LORD as before, for forty days and forty nights; I neither ate bread nor drank water, because of all the sin you had committed, provoking the LORD by doing what was evil in his sight. ¹⁹For I was afraid that the anger that the LORD bore against you was so fierce that he would destroy you. But the LORD listened to me that time also. ²⁰The LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him, but I interceded also on behalf of Aaron at that same time. ²¹Then I took the sinful thing you had made, the calf, and burned it with fire and crushed it, grinding it thoroughly, until it was reduced to dust; and I threw the dust of it into the stream that runs down the mountain.

²² At Taberah also, and at Massah, and at Kibroth-hattaavah, you provoked the LORD to wrath. ²³And when the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea, saying, ‘Go up and occupy the land that I have given you’, you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God, neither trusting him nor obeying him. ²⁴You have been rebellious against the LORD as long as he hasa known you.

²⁵ Throughout the forty days and forty nights that I lay prostrate before the LORD when the LORD intended to destroy you, ²⁶I prayed to the LORD and said, ‘Lord GOD, do not destroy the people who are your very own possession, whom you redeemed in your greatness, whom you brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand. ²⁷Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; pay no attention to the stubbornness of this people, their wickedness and their sin, ²⁸otherwise the land from which you have brought us might say, “Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land that he promised them, and because he hated them, he has brought them out to let them die in the wilderness.” ²⁹For they are the people of your very own possession, whom you brought out by your great power and by your outstretched arm.’

The Second Pair of Tablets

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AT THAT time the LORD said to me, ‘Carve out two tablets of stone like the former ones, and come up to me on the mountain, and make an ark of wood. ²I will write on the tablets the words that were on the former tablets, which you smashed, and you shall put them in the ark.’ ³So I made an ark of acacia wood, cut two tablets of stone like the former ones, and went up the mountain with the two tablets in my hand. ⁴Then he wrote on the tablets the same words as before, the ten commandmentsb that the LORD had spoken to you on the mountain out of the fire on the day of the assembly; and the LORD gave them to me. ⁵So I turned and came down from the mountain, and put the tablets in the ark that I had made; and there they are, as the LORD commanded me.

⁶ (The Israelites journeyed from Beeroth-bene-jaakanc to Moserah. There Aaron died, and there he was buried; his son Eleazar succeeded him as priest. ⁷From there they journeyed to Gudgodah, and from Gudgodah to Jotbathah, a land with flowing streams. ⁸At that time the LORD set apart the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister to him, and to bless in his name, to this day. ⁹Therefore Levi has no allotment or inheritance with his kindred; the LORD is his inheritance, as the LORD your God promised him.)

¹⁰ I stayed on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. And once again the LORD listened to me. The LORD was unwilling to destroy you. ¹¹The LORD said to me, ‘Get up, go on your journey at the head of the people, that they may go in and occupy the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them.’

The Essence of the Law

¹² So now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? Only to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, ¹³and to keep the commandments of the LORD your Goda and his decrees that I am commanding you today, for your own well-being. ¹⁴Although heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to the LORD your God, the earth with all that is in it, ¹⁵yet the LORD set his heart in love on your ancestors alone and chose you, their descendants after them, out of all the peoples, as it is today. ¹⁶Circumcise, then, the foreskin of your heart, and do not be stubborn any longer. ¹⁷For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who is not partial and takes no bribe, ¹⁸who executes justice for the orphan and the widow, and who loves the strangers, providing them with food and clothing. ¹⁹You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. ²⁰You shall fear the LORD your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear. ²¹He is your praise; he is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things that your own eyes have seen. ²²Your ancestors went down to Egypt seventy persons; and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in heaven.

Rewards for Obedience

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YOU shall love the LORD your God, therefore, and keep his charge, his decrees, his ordinances, and his commandments always. ²Remember today that it was not your children (who have not known or seen the discipline of the LORD your God), but it is you who must acknowledge his greatness, his mighty hand and his outstretched arm, ³his signs and his deeds that he did in Egypt to Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, and to all his land; ⁴what he did to the Egyptian army, to their horses and chariots, how he made the water of the Red Seab flow over them as they pursued you, so that the LORD has destroyed them to this day; ⁵what he did to you in the wilderness, until you came to this place; ⁶and what he did to Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab son of Reuben, how in the midst of all Israel the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up, along with their households, their tents, and every living being in their company; ⁷for it is your own eyes that have seen every great deed that the LORD did.

⁸ Keep, then, this entire commandment that I am commanding you today, so that you may have strength to go in and occupy the land that you are crossing over to occupy, ⁹and so that you may live long in the land that the LORD swore to your ancestors to give to them and their descendants, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰For the land that you are about to enter to occupy is not like the land of Egypt, from which you have come, where you sow your seed and irrigate by foot like a vegetable garden. ¹¹But the land that you are crossing over to occupy is a land of hills and valleys, watered by rain from the sky, ¹²a land that the LORD your God looks after. The eyes of the LORD your God are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

¹³ If you will only heed his every commandmenta that I am commanding you today—loving the LORD your God, and serving him with all your heart and with all your soul—¹⁴then heb will give the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the later rain, and you will gather in your grain, your wine, and your oil; ¹⁵and heb will give grass in your fields for your livestock, and you will eat your fill. ¹⁶Take care, or you will be seduced into turning away, serving other gods and worshipping them, ¹⁷for then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you and he will shut up the heavens, so that there will be no rain and the land will yield no fruit; then you will perish quickly from the good land that the LORD is giving you.

¹⁸ You shall put these words of mine in your heart and soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and fix them as an emblemc on your forehead. ¹⁹Teach them to your children, talking about them when you are at home and when you are away, when you lie down and when you rise. ²⁰Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, ²¹so that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the LORD swore to your ancestors to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.

²² If you will diligently observe this entire commandment that I am commanding you, loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him, ²³then the LORD will drive out all these nations before you, and you will dispossess nations larger and mightier than yourselves. ²⁴Every place on which you set foot shall be yours; your territory shall extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River, the river Euphrates, to the Western Sea. ²⁵No one will be able to stand against you; the LORD your God will put the fear and dread of you on all the land on which you set foot, as he promised you.

²⁶ See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: ²⁷the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God that I am commanding you today; ²⁸and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn from the way that I am commanding you today, to follow other gods that you have not known.

²⁹ When the LORD your God has brought you into the land that you are entering to occupy, you shall set the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal. ³⁰As you know, they are beyond the Jordan, some distance to the west, in the land of the Canaanites who live in the Arabah, opposite Gilgal, beside the oakd of Moreh.

³¹ When you cross the Jordan to go in to occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and when you occupy it and live in it, ³²you must diligently observe all the statutes and ordinances that I am setting before you today.

Pagan Shrines to Be Destroyed

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THESE are the statutes and ordinances that you must diligently observe in the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you to occupy all the days that you live on the earth.

² You must demolish completely all the places where the nations whom you are about to dispossess served their gods, on the mountain heights, on the hills, and under every leafy tree. ³Break down their altars, smash their pillars, burn their sacred polesa with fire, and hew down the idols of their gods, and thus blot out their name from their places. ⁴ You shall not worship the LORD your God in such ways. ⁵But you shall seek the place that the LORD your God will choose out of all your tribes as his habitation to put his name there. You shall go there, ⁶bringing there your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, your votive gifts, your freewill-offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and flocks. ⁷And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your households together, rejoicing in all the undertakings in which the LORD your God has blessed you.

⁸ You shall not act as we are acting here today, all of us according to our own desires, ⁹for you have not yet come into the rest and the possession that the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁰When you cross over the Jordan and live in the land that the LORD your God is allotting to you, and when he gives you rest from your enemies all around so that you live in safety, ¹¹then you shall bring everything that I command you to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name: your burnt-offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and your donations, and all your choice votive gifts that you vow to the LORD. ¹²And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God, you together with your sons and your daughters, your male and female slaves, and the Levites who reside in your towns (since they have no allotment or inheritance with you).

A Prescribed Place of Worship

¹³ Take care that you do not offer your burnt-offerings at any place you happen to see. ¹⁴But only at the place that the LORD will choose in one of your tribes—there you shall offer your burnt-offerings and there you shall do everything I command you.

¹⁵ Yet whenever you desire you may slaughter and eat meat within any of your towns, according to the blessing that the LORD your God has given you; the unclean and the clean may eat of it, as they would of gazelle or deer. ¹⁶The blood, however, you must not eat; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. ¹⁷Nor may you eat within your towns the tithe of your grain, your wine, or your oil, the firstlings of your herds or your flocks, any of your votive gifts that you vow, your freewill-offerings, or your donations; ¹⁸these you shall eat in the presence of the LORD your God at the place that the LORD your God will choose, you together with your son and your daughter, your male and female slaves, and the Levites resident in your towns, rejoicing in the presence of the LORD your God in all your undertakings. ¹⁹Take care that you do not neglect the Levite as long as you live in your land.

²⁰ When the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he has promised you, and you say, ‘I am going to eat some meat’, because you wish to eat meat, you may eat meat whenever you have the desire. ²¹If the place where the LORD your God will choose to put his name is too far from you, and you slaughter as I have commanded you any of your herd or flock that the LORD has given you, then you may eat within your towns whenever you desire.

²²Indeed, just as gazelle or deer is eaten, so you may eat it; the unclean and the clean alike may eat it. ²³Only be sure that you do not eat the blood; for the blood is the life, and you shall not eat the life with the meat. ²⁴Do not eat it; you shall pour it out on the ground like water. ²⁵Do not eat it, so that all may go well with you and your children after you, because you do what is right in the sight of the LORD. ²⁶But the sacred donations that are due from you, and your votive gifts, you shall bring to the place that the LORD will choose. ²⁷You shall present your burnt-offerings, both the meat and the blood, on the altar of the LORD your God; the blood of your other sacrifices shall be poured out besidea the altar of the LORD your God, but the meat you may eat.

²⁸ Be careful to obey all these words that I command you today,b so that it may go well with you and with your children after you for ever, because you will be doing what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God.

Warning against Idolatry

²⁹ When the LORD your God has cut off before you the nations whom you are about to enter to dispossess them, when you have dispossessed them and live in their land, ³⁰take care that you are not ensnared into imitating them, after they have been destroyed before you: do not inquire concerning their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations worship their gods? I also want to do the same.’ ³¹You must not do the same for the LORD your God, because every abhorrent thing that the LORD hates they have done for their gods. They would even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. ³²c You must diligently observe everything that I command you; do not add to it or take anything from it.

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IF PROPHETS or those who divine by dreams appear among you and promise you omens or portents,² and the omens or the portents declared by them take place, and they say, ‘Let us follow other gods’ (whom you have not known) ‘and let us serve them’,³ you must not heed the words of those prophets or those who divine by dreams; for the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you indeed love the LORD your God with all your heart and soul.⁴ The LORD your God you shall follow, him alone you shall fear, his commandments you shall keep, his voice you shall obey, him you shall serve, and to him you shall hold fast.⁵ But those prophets or those who divine by dreams shall be put to death for having spoken treason against the LORD your God—who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of slavery—to turn you from the way in which the LORD your God commanded you to walk. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

⁶ If anyone secretly entices you—even if it is your brother, your father’s son ore your mother’s son, or your own son or daughter, or the wife you embrace, or your most intimate friend—saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’, whom neither you nor your ancestors have known, ⁷any of the gods of the peoples that are around you, whether near you or far away from you, from one end of the earth to the other, ⁸you must not yield to or heed any such persons. Show them no pity or compassion and do not shield them. ⁹But you shall surely kill them; your own hand shall be first against them to execute them, and afterwards the hand of all the people. ¹⁰Stone them to death for trying to turn you away from the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. ¹¹Then all Israel shall hear and be afraid, and never again do any such wickedness.

¹² If you hear it said about one of the towns that the LORD your God is giving you to live in, ¹³that scoundrels from among you have gone out and led the inhabitants of the town astray, saying, ‘Let us go and worship other gods’, whom you have not known, ¹⁴then you shall inquire and make a thorough investigation. If the charge is established that such an abhorrent thing has been done among you, ¹⁵you shall put the inhabitants of that town to the sword, utterly destroying it and everything in it—even putting its livestock to the sword. ¹⁶All of its spoil you shall gather into its public square; then burn the town and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt-offering to the LORD your God. It shall remain a perpetual ruin, never to be rebuilt. ¹⁷Do not let anything devoted to destruction stick to your hand, so that the LORD may turn from his fierce anger and show you compassion, and in his compassion multiply you, as he swore to your ancestors, ¹⁸if you obey the voice of the LORD your God by keeping all his commandments that I am commanding you today, doing what is right in the sight of the LORD your God.

Pagan Practices Forbidden

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YOU are children of the LORD your God. You must not lacerate yourselves or shave your forelocks for the dead. ²For you are a people holy to the LORD your God; it is you the LORD has chosen out of all the peoples on earth to be his people, his treasured possession.

Clean and Unclean Foods

³ You shall not eat any abhorrent thing. ⁴These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, ⁵the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain-sheep. ⁶Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof cloven in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. ⁷Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cloven you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock-badger, because they chew the cud but do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. ⁸And the pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. You shall not eat their meat, and you shall not touch their carcasses.

⁹ Of all that live in water you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. ¹⁰And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you.

¹¹ You may eat any clean birds. ¹²But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, ¹³the buzzard, the kite of any kind; ¹⁴every raven of any kind; ¹⁵the ostrich, the nighthawk, the seagull, the hawk of any kind; ¹⁶the little owl and the great owl, the water-hen ¹⁷and the desert-owl,a the carrion vulture and the cormorant, ¹⁸the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat.b ¹⁹And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. ²⁰You may eat any clean winged creature.

²¹ You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to aliens residing in your towns for them to eat, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the LORD your God.

You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.

Regulations concerning Tithes

²² Set apart a tithe of all the yield of your seed that is brought in yearly from the field. ²³In the presence of the LORD your God, in the place that he will choose as a dwelling for his name, you shall eat the tithe of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the firstlings of your herd and flock, so that you may learn to fear the LORD your God always. ²⁴But if, when the LORD your God has blessed you, the distance is so great that you are unable to transport it, because the place where the LORD your God will choose to set his name is too far away from you, ²⁵then you may turn it into money. With the money secure in hand, go to the place that the LORD your God will choose; ²⁶spend the money for whatever you wish—oxen, sheep, wine, strong drink, or whatever you desire. And you shall eat there in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your household rejoicing together. ²⁷As for the Levites resident in your towns, do not neglect them, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you.

²⁸ Every third year you shall bring out the full tithe of your produce for that year, and store it within your towns; ²⁹the Levites, because they have no allotment or inheritance with you, as well as the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows in your towns, may come and eat their fill so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work that you undertake.

Laws concerning the Sabbatical Year

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EVERY seventh year you shall grant a remission of debts. ²And this is the manner of the remission: every creditor shall remit the claim that is held against a neighbour, not exacting it from a neighbour who is a member of the community, because the LORD’s remission has been proclaimed. ³From a foreigner you may exact it, but you must remit your claim on whatever any member of your community owes you. ⁴There will, however, be no one in need among you, because the LORD is sure to bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a possession to occupy, ⁵if only you will obey the LORD your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I command you today. ⁶When the LORD your God has blessed you, as he promised you, you will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow; you will rule over many nations, but they will not rule over you.

⁷ If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted towards your needy neighbour. ⁸You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be. ⁹Be careful that you do not entertain a mean thought, thinking, ‘The seventh year, the year of remission, is near’, and therefore view your needy neighbour with hostility and give nothing; your neighbour might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt. ¹⁰Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the LORD your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. ¹¹Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbour in your land.’

¹² If a member of your community, whether a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is solda to you and works for you for six years, in the seventh year you shall set that person free. ¹³And when you send a male slaveb out from you a free person, you shall not send him out empty-handed. ¹⁴Provide liberally out of your flock, your threshing-floor, and your wine press, thus giving to him some of the bounty with which the LORD your God has blessed you. ¹⁵Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the LORD your God redeemed you; for this reason I lay this command upon you today. ¹⁶But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you’, because he loves you and your household, since he is well off with you, ¹⁷then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his earlobe into the door, and he shall be your slavec for ever.

You shall do the same with regard to your female slave.d

¹⁸ Do not consider it a hardship when you send them out from you free persons, because for six years they have given you services worth the wages of hired labourers; and the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do.

The Firstborn of Livestock

¹⁹ Every firstling male born of your herd and flock you shall consecrate to the LORD your God; you shall not do work with your firstling ox nor shear the firstling of your flock. ²⁰You shall eat it, you together with your household, in the presence of the LORD your God year by year at the place that the LORD will choose. ²¹But if it has any defect—any serious defect, such as lameness or blindness—you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God; ²²within your towns you may eat it, the unclean and the clean alike, as you would a gazelle or deer. ²³Its blood, however, you must not eat; you shall pour it out on the ground like water.

The Passover Reviewed

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OBSERVE the monthe of Abib by keeping the passover to the LORD your God, for in the month of Abib the LORD your God brought you out of Egypt by night. ²You shall offer the passover sacrifice to the LORD your God, from the flock and the herd, at the place that the LORD will choose as a dwelling for his name. ³You must not eat with it anything leavened. For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread with it—the bread of affliction—because you came out of the land of Egypt in great haste, so that all the days of your life you may remember the day of your departure from the land of Egypt. ⁴No leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory for seven days; and none of the meat of what you slaughter on the evening of the first day shall remain until morning. ⁵You are not permitted to offer the passover sacrifice within any of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you. ⁶But at the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name, only there shall you offer the passover sacrifice, in the evening at sunset, the time of day when you departed from Egypt. ⁷You shall cook it and eat it at the place that the LORD your God will choose; the next morning you may go back to your tents. ⁸For six days you shall continue to eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a solemn assembly for the LORD your God, when you shall do no work.

The Festival of Weeks Reviewed

⁹ You shall count seven weeks; begin to count the seven weeks from the time the sickle is first put to the standing grain. ¹⁰Then you shall keep the festival of weeks to the LORD your God, contributing a freewill-offering in proportion to the blessing that you have received from the LORD your God. ¹¹Rejoice before the LORD your God—you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female slaves, the Levites resident in your towns, as well as the strangers, the orphans, and the widows who are among you—at the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. ¹²Remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and diligently observe these statutes.

The Festival of Booths Reviewed

¹³ You shall keep the festival of booths ¹⁴ Rejoice during your festival, you and your sons and your daughters, your male and female slaves, as well as the Levites, the strangers, the orphans, and the widows resident in your towns. ¹⁵For seven days you shall keep the festival to the LORD your God at the place that the LORD will choose; for the LORD your God will bless you in all your produce and in all your undertakings, and you shall surely celebrate.

¹⁶ Three times a year all your males shall appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose: at the festival of unleavened bread, at the festival of weeks, and at the festival of booths.a They shall not appear before the LORD empty-handed; ¹⁷all shall give as they are able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God that he has given you.

Municipal Judges and Officers

¹⁸ You shall appoint judges and officials throughout your tribes, in all your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, and they shall render just decisions for the people. ¹⁹You must not distort justice; you must not show partiality; and you must not accept bribes, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of those who are in the right. ²⁰Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, so that you may live and occupy the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Forbidden Forms of Worship

²¹ You shall not plant any tree as a sacred polea beside the altar that you make for the LORD your God; ²²nor shall you set up a stone pillar—things that the LORD your God hates.

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YOU must not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep that has a defect, anything seriously wrong; for that is abhorrent to the LORD your God. ² If there is found among you, in one of your towns that the LORD your God is giving you, a man or woman who does what is evil in the sight of the LORD your God, and transgresses his covenant ³by going to serve other gods and worshipping them—whether the sun or the moon or any of the host of heaven, which I have forbidden—⁴and if it is reported to you or you hear of it, and you make a thorough inquiry, and the charge is proved true that such an abhorrent thing has occurred in Israel, ⁵then you shall bring out to your gates that man or that woman who has committed this crime and you shall stone the man or woman to death. ⁶On the evidence of two or three witnesses the death sentence shall be executed; a person must not be put to death on the evidence of only one witness. ⁷The hands of the witnesses shall be the first raised against the person to execute the death penalty, and afterwards the hands of all the people. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

Legal Decisions by Priests and Judges

⁸ If a judicial decision is too difficult for you to make between one kind of bloodshed and another, one kind of legal right and another, or one kind of assault and another—any such matters of dispute in your towns—then you shall immediately go up to the place that the LORD your God will choose, ⁹where you shall consult with the levitical priests and the judge who is in office in those days; they shall announce to you the decision in the case. ¹⁰Carry out exactly the decision that they announce to you from the place that the LORD will choose, diligently observing everything they instruct you. ¹¹You must carry out fully the law that they interpret for you or the ruling that they announce to you; do not turn aside from the decision that they announce to you, either to the right or to the left. ¹²As for anyone who presumes to disobey the priest appointed to minister there to the LORD your God, or the judge, that person shall die. So you shall purge the evil from Israel. ¹³All the people will hear and be afraid, and will not act presumptuously again.

Limitations of Royal Authority

¹⁴ When you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and have taken possession of it and settled in it, and you say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me’, ¹⁵you may indeed set over you a king whom the LORD your God will choose. One of your own community you may set as king over you; you are not permitted to put a foreigner over you, who is not of your own community. ¹⁶Even so, he must not acquire many horses for himself, or return the people to Egypt in order to acquire more horses, since the LORD has said to you, ‘You must never return that way again.’ ¹⁷And he must not acquire many wives for himself, or else his heart will turn away; also silver and gold he must not acquire in great quantity for himself. ¹⁸When he has taken the throne of his kingdom, he shall have a copy of this law written for him in the presence of the levitical priests. ¹⁹It shall remain with him and he shall read in it all the days of his life, so that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, diligently observing all the words of this law and these statutes, ²⁰neither exalting himself above other members of the community nor turning aside from the commandment, either to the right or to the left, so that he and his descendants may reign long over his kingdom in Israel.

Privileges of Priests and Levites

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THE levitical priests, the whole tribe of Levi, shall have no allotment or inheritance within Israel. They may eat the sacrifices that are the LORD’s portiona ²but they shall have no inheritance among the other members of the community; the LORD is their inheritance, as he promised them.

³ This shall be the priests’ due from the people, from those offering a sacrifice, whether an ox or a sheep: they shall give to the priest the shoulder, the two jowls, and the stomach. ⁴The first fruits of your grain, your wine, and your oil, as well as the first of the fleece of your sheep, you shall give him. ⁵For the LORD your God has chosen Levib out of all your tribes, to stand and minister in the name of the LORD, him and his sons for all time.

⁶ If a Levite leaves any of your towns, from wherever he has been residing in Israel, and comes to the place that the LORD will choose (and he may come whenever he wishes), ⁷then he may minister in the name of the LORD his God, like all his fellow-Levites who stand to minister there before the LORD. ⁸They shall have equal portions to eat, even though they have income from the sale of family possessions.a

Child-Sacrifice, Divination, and Magic Prohibited

⁹ When you come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you must not learn to imitate the abhorrent practices of those nations. ¹⁰No one shall be found among you who makes a son or daughter pass through fire, or who practises divination, or is a soothsayer, or an augur, or a sorcerer, ¹¹or one who casts spells, or who consults ghosts or spirits, or who seeks oracles from the dead. ¹²For whoever does these things is abhorrent to the LORD; it is because of such abhorrent practices that the LORD your God is driving them out before you. ¹³You must remain completely loyal to the LORD your God. ¹⁴Although these nations that you are about to dispossess do give heed to soothsayers and diviners, as for you, the LORD your God does not permit you to do so.

A New Prophet Like Moses

¹⁵ The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophetc like me from among your own people; you shall heed such a prophet.d ¹⁶ This is what you requested of the LORD your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said: ‘If I hear the voice of the LORD my God any more, or ever again see this great fire, I will die.’ ¹⁷Then the LORD replied to me: ‘They are right in what they have said. ¹⁸I will raise up for them a propheta like you from among their own people; I will put my words in the mouth of the prophet, b who shall speak to them everything that I command.¹⁹ Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophetc shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable.²⁰ But any prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, or who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded the prophet to speak—that prophet shall die.’²¹ You may say to yourself, ‘How can we recognize a word that the LORD has not spoken?’²² If a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD but the thing does not take place or prove true, it is a word that the LORD has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; do not be frightened by it.

Laws concerning the Cities of Refuge

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WHEN the LORD your God has cut off the nations whose land the LORD your God is giving you, and you have dispossessed them and settled in their towns and in their houses, ²you shall set apart three cities in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess. ³You shall calculate the distancesd and divide into three regions the land that the LORD your God gives you as a possession, so that any homicide can flee to one of them.

⁴ Now this is the case of a homicide who might flee there and live, that is, someone who has killed another person unintentionally when the two had not been at enmity before: ⁵Suppose someone goes into the forest with another to cut wood, and when one of them swings the axe to cut down a tree, the head slips from the handle and strikes the other person who then dies; the killer may flee to one of these cities and live. ⁶But if the distance is too great, the avenger of blood in hot anger might pursue and overtake and put the killer to death, although a death sentence was not deserved, since the two had not been at enmity before. ⁷Therefore I command you: You shall set apart three cities.

⁸ If the LORD your God enlarges your territory, as he swore to your ancestors—and he will give you all the land that he promised your ancestors to give you, ⁹provided you diligently observe this entire commandment that I command you today, by loving the LORD your God and walking always in his ways—then you shall add three more cities to these three, ¹⁰so that the blood of an innocent person may not be shed in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, thereby bringing blood-guilt upon you.

¹¹ But if someone at enmity with another lies in wait and attacks and takes the life of that person, and flees into one of these cities, ¹²then the elders of the killer’s city shall send to have the culprit taken from there and handed over to the avenger of blood to be put to death. ¹³Show no pity; you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, so that it may go well with you.

Property Boundaries

¹⁴ You must not move your neighbour’s boundary marker, set up by former generations, on the property that will be allotted to you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess.

Law concerning Witnesses

¹⁵ A single witness shall not suffice to convict a person of any crime or wrongdoing in connection with any offence that may be committed. Only on the evidence of two or three witnesses shall a charge be sustained. ¹⁶If a malicious witness comes forward to accuse someone of wrongdoing, ¹⁷then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days, ¹⁸and the judges shall make a thorough inquiry. If the witness is a false witness, having testified falsely against another, ¹⁹then you shall do to the false witness just as the false witness had meant to do to the other. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. ²⁰The rest shall hear and be afraid, and a crime such as this shall never again be committed among you. ²¹Show no pity: life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.

Rules of Warfare

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WHEN you go out to war against your enemies, and see horses and chariots, an army larger than your own, you shall not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt. ²Before you engage in battle, the priest shall come forward and speak to the troops, ³and shall say to them: ‘Hear, O Israel! Today you are drawing near to do battle against your enemies. Do not lose heart, or be afraid, or panic, or be in dread of them; ⁴for it is the LORD your God who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to give you victory.’ ⁵Then the officials shall address the troops, saying, ‘Has anyone built a new house but not dedicated it? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another dedicate it. ⁶Has anyone planted a vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another be first to enjoy its fruit. ⁷Has anyone become engaged to a woman but not yet married her? He should go back to his house, or he might die in the battle and another marry her.’ ⁸The officials shall continue to address the troops, saying, ‘Is anyone afraid or disheartened? He should go back to his house, or he might cause the heart of his comrades to fail like his own.’ ⁹When the officials have finished addressing the troops, then the commanders shall take charge of them.

¹⁰ When you draw near to a town to fight against it, offer it terms of peace. ¹¹If it accepts your terms of peace and surrenders to you, then all the people in it shall serve you in forced labour. ¹²If it does not submit to you peacefully, but makes war against you, then you shall besiege it; ¹³and when the LORD your God gives it into your hand, you shall put all its males to the sword. ¹⁴You may, however, take as your booty the women, the children, livestock, and everything else in the town, all its spoil. You may enjoy the spoil of your enemies, which the LORD your God has given you. ¹⁵Thus you shall treat all the towns that are very far from you, which are not towns of the nations here. ¹⁶But as for the towns of these peoples that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance, you must not let anything that breathes remain alive. ¹⁷You shall annihilate them—the Hittites and the Amorites, the Canaanites and the Perizzites, the Hivites and the Jebusites—just as the LORD your God has commanded, ¹⁸so that they may not teach you to do all the abhorrent things that they do for their gods, and you thus sin against the LORD your God.

¹⁹ If you besiege a town for a long time, making war against it in order to take it, you must not destroy its trees by wielding an axe against them. Although you may take food from them, you must not cut them down. Are trees in the field human beings that they should come under siege from you? ²⁰You may destroy only the trees that you know do not produce food; you may cut them down for use in building siege-works against the town that makes war with you, until it falls.

Law concerning Murder by Persons Unknown

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IF, IN the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess, a body is found lying in open country, and it is not known who struck the person down, ²then your elders and your judges shall come out to measure the distances to the towns that are near the body. ³The elders of the town nearest the body shall take a heifer that has never been worked, one that has not pulled in the yoke; ⁴the elders of that town shall bring the heifer down to a wadi with running water, which is neither ploughed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the wadi. ⁵Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to pronounce blessings in the name of the LORD, and by their decision all cases of dispute and assault shall be settled. ⁶All the elders of that town nearest the body shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the wadi, ⁷and they shall declare: ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor were we witnesses to it. ⁸Absolve, O LORD, your people Israel, whom you redeemed; do not let the guilt of innocent blood remain in the midst of your people Israel.’ Then they will be absolved of blood-guilt. ⁹So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, because you must do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

Female Captives

¹⁰ When you go out to war against your enemies, and the LORD your God hands them over to you and you take them captive, ¹¹suppose you see among the captives a beautiful woman whom you desire and want to marry, ¹²and so you bring her home to your house: she shall shave her head, pare her nails, ¹³discard her captive’s garb, and shall remain in your house for a full month, mourning for her father and mother; after that you may go in to her and be her husband, and she shall be your wife. ¹⁴But if you are not satisfied with her, you shall let her go free and not sell her for money. You must not treat her as a slave, since you have dishonoured her.

The Right of the Firstborn

¹⁵ If a man has two wives, one of them loved and the other disliked, and if both the loved and the disliked have borne him sons, the firstborn being the son of the one who is disliked, ¹⁶then on the day when he wills his possessions to his sons, he is not permitted to treat the son of the loved as the firstborn in preference to the son of the disliked, who is the firstborn. ¹⁷He must acknowledge as firstborn the son of the one who is disliked, giving him a double portiona of all that he has; since he is the first issue of his virility, the right of the firstborn is his.

Rebellious Children

¹⁸ If someone has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey his father and mother, who does not heed them when they discipline him, ¹⁹then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his town at the gate of that place. ²⁰They shall say to the elders of his town, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.’ ²¹Then all the men of the town shall stone him to death. So you shall purge the evil from your midst; and all Israel will hear, and be afraid.

Miscellaneous Laws

²² When someone is convicted of a crime punishable by death and is executed, and you hang him on a tree, ²³his corpse must not remain all night upon the tree; you shall bury him that same day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse. You must not defile the land that the LORD your God is giving you for possession.

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YOU shall not watch your neighbour’s ox or sheep straying away and ignore them; you shall take them back to their owner. ²If the owner does not reside near you or you do not know who the owner is, you shall bring it to your own house, and it shall remain with you until the owner claims it; then you shall return it. ³You shall do the same with a neighbour’s donkey; you shall do the same with a neighbour’s garment; and you shall do the same with anything else that your neighbour loses and you find. You may not withhold your help.

⁴ You shall not see your neighbour’s donkey or ox fallen on the road and ignore it; you shall help to lift it up.

⁵ A woman shall not wear a man’s apparel, nor shall a man put on a woman’s garment; for whoever does such things is abhorrent to the LORD your God.

⁶ If you come on a bird’s nest, in any tree or on the ground, with fledglings or eggs, with the mother sitting on the fledglings or on the eggs, you shall not take the mother with the young. ⁷Let the mother go, taking only the young for yourself, in order that it may go well with you and you may live long.

⁸ When you build a new house, you shall make a parapet for your roof; otherwise you might have blood-guilt on your house, if anyone should fall from it.

⁹ You shall not sow your vineyard with a second kind of seed, or the whole yield will have to be forfeited, both the crop that you have sown and the yield of the vineyard itself.

¹⁰ You shall not plough with an ox and a donkey yoked together.

¹¹ You shall not wear clothes made of wool and linen woven together.

¹² You shall make tassels on the four corners of the cloak with which you cover yourself.

Laws concerning Sexual Relations

¹³ Suppose a man marries a woman, but after going in to her, he dislikes her ¹⁴and makes up charges against her, slandering her by saying, ‘I married this woman; but when I lay with her, I did not find evidence of her virginity.’ ¹⁵The father of the young woman and her mother shall then submit the evidence of the young woman’s virginity to the elders of the city at the gate. ¹⁶The father of the young woman shall say to the elders: ‘I gave my daughter in marriage to this man but he dislikes her; ¹⁷now he has made up charges against her, saying, “I did not find evidence of your daughter’s virginity.” But here is the evidence of my daughter’s virginity.’ Then they shall spread out the cloth before the elders of the town. ¹⁸The elders of that town shall take the man and punish him; ¹⁹they shall fine him one hundred shekels of silver (which they shall give to the young woman’s father) because he has slandered a virgin of Israel. She shall remain his wife; he shall not be permitted to divorce her as long as he lives.

²⁰ If, however, this charge is true, that evidence of the young woman’s virginity was not found, ²¹then they shall bring the young woman out to the entrance of her father’s house and the men of her town shall stone her to death, because she committed a disgraceful act in Israel by prostituting herself in her father’s house. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

²² If a man is caught lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman as well as the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel.

²³ If there is a young woman, a virgin already engaged to be married, and a man meets her in the town and lies with her, ²⁴you shall bring both of them to the gate of that town and stone them to death, the young woman because she did not cry for help in the town and the man because he violated his neighbour’s wife. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

²⁵ But if the man meets the engaged woman in the open country, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. ²⁶You shall do nothing to the young woman; the young woman has not committed an offence punishable by death, because this case is like that of someone who attacks and murders a neighbour. ²⁷Since he found her in the open country, the engaged woman may have cried for help, but there was no one to rescue her.

²⁸ If a man meets a virgin who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are caught in the act, ²⁹the man who lay with her shall give fifty shekels of silver to the young woman’s father, and she shall become his wife. Because he violated her he shall not be permitted to divorce her as long as he lives.

³⁰a A man shall not marry his father’s wife, thereby violating his father’s rights.b

Those Excluded from the Assembly

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NO ONE whose testicles are crushed or whose penis is cut off shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.

² Those born of an illicit union shall not be admitted to the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.

³ No Ammonite or Moabite shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD. Even to the tenth generation, none of their descendants shall be admitted to the assembly of the LORD, ⁴because they did not meet you with food and water on your journey out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam son of Beor, from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. ⁵(Yet the LORD your God refused to heed Balaam; the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you.) ⁶You shall never promote their welfare or their prosperity as long as you live.

⁷ You shall not abhor any of the Edomites, for they are your kin. You shall not abhor any of the Egyptians, because you were an alien residing in their land. ⁸The children of the third generation that are born to them may be admitted to the assembly of the LORD.

Sanitary, Ritual, and Humanitarian Precepts

⁹ When you are encamped against your enemies you shall guard against any impropriety.

¹⁰ If one of you becomes unclean because of a nocturnal emission, then he shall go outside the camp; he must not come within the camp. ¹¹When evening comes, he shall wash himself with water, and when the sun has set, he may come back into the camp.

¹² You shall have a designated area outside the camp to which you shall go. ¹³With your utensils you shall have a trowel; when you relieve yourself outside, you shall dig a hole with it and then cover up your excrement. ¹⁴Because the LORD your God travels along with your camp, to save you and to hand over your enemies to you, therefore your camp must be holy, so that he may not see anything indecent among you and turn away from you.

¹⁵ Slaves who have escaped to you from their owners shall not be given back to them. ¹⁶They shall reside with you, in your midst, in any place they choose in any one of your towns, wherever they please; you shall not oppress them.

¹⁷ None of the daughters of Israel shall be a temple prostitute; none of the sons of Israel shall be a temple prostitute. ¹⁸You shall not bring the fee of a prostitute or the wages of a male prostitutea into the house of the LORD your God in payment for any vow, for both of these are abhorrent to the LORD your God.

¹⁹ You shall not charge interest on loans to another Israelite, interest on money, interest on provisions, interest on anything that is lent. ²⁰On loans to a foreigner you may charge interest, but on loans to another Israelite you may not charge interest, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings in the land that you are about to enter and possess.

²¹ If you make a vow to the LORD your God, do not postpone fulfilling it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and you would incur guilt. ²²But if you refrain from vowing, you will not incur guilt. ²³Whatever your lips utter you must diligently perform, just as you have freely vowed to the LORD your God with your own mouth.

²⁴ If you go into your neighbour’s vineyard, you may eat your fill of grapes, as many as you wish, but you shall not put any in a container.

²⁵ If you go into your neighbour’s standing grain, you may pluck the ears with your hand, but you shall not put a sickle to your neighbour’s standing grain.

Laws concerning Marriage and Divorce

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SUPPOSE a man enters into marriage with a woman, but she does not please him because he finds something objectionable about her, and so he writes her a certificate of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house; she then leaves his house ²and goes off to become another man’s wife. ³Then suppose the second man dislikes her, writes her a bill of divorce, puts it in her hand, and sends her out of his house (or the second man who married her dies); ⁴her first husband, who sent her away, is not permitted to take her again to be his wife after she has been defiled; for that would be abhorrent to the LORD, and you shall not bring guilt on the land that the LORD your God is giving you as a possession.

Miscellaneous Laws

⁵ When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be charged with any related duty. He shall be free at home for one year, to be happy with the wife whom he has married.

⁶ No one shall take a mill or an upper millstone in pledge, for that would be taking a life in pledge.

⁷ If someone is caught kidnapping another Israelite, enslaving or selling the Israelite, then that kidnapper shall die. So you shall purge the evil from your midst.

⁸ Guard against an outbreak of a leprousa skin disease by being very careful; you shall carefully observe whatever the levitical priests instruct you, just as I have commanded them. ⁹ Remember what the LORD your God did to Miriam on your journey out of Egypt.

¹⁰ When you make your neighbour a loan of any kind, you shall not go into the house to take the pledge. ¹¹You shall wait outside, while the person to whom you are making the loan brings the pledge out to you. ¹²If the person is poor, you shall not sleep in the garment given you asb the pledge. ¹³You shall give the pledge back by sunset, so that your neighbour may sleep in the cloak and bless you; and it will be to your credit before the LORD your God.

¹⁴ You shall not withhold the wages of poor and needy labourers, whether other Israelites or aliens who reside in your land in one of your towns. ¹⁵You shall pay them their wages daily before sunset, because they are poor and their livelihood depends on them; otherwise they might cry to the LORD against you, and you would incur guilt.

¹⁶ Parents shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their parents; only for their own crimes may persons be put to death.

¹⁷ You shall not deprive a resident alien or an orphan of justice; you shall not take a widow’s garment in pledge. ¹⁸Remember that you were a slave in Egypt and the LORD your God redeemed you from there; therefore I command you to do this.

¹⁹ When you reap your harvest in your field and forget a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be left for the alien, the orphan, and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all your undertakings. ²⁰When you beat your olive trees, do not strip what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow.

²¹ When you gather the grapes of your vineyard, do not glean what is left; it shall be for the alien, the orphan, and the widow. ²²Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt; therefore I am commanding you to do this.

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SUPPOSE two persons have a dispute and enter into litigation, and the judges decide between them, declaring one to be in the right and the other to be in the wrong. ²If the one in the wrong deserves to be flogged, the judge shall make that person lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of lashes proportionate to the offence. ³Forty lashes may be given but not more; if more lashes than these are given, your neighbour will be degraded in your sight.

⁴ You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.

Levirate Marriage

⁵ When brothers reside together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the deceased shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her, taking her in marriage, and performing the duty of a husband’s brother to her, ⁶and the firstborn whom she bears shall succeed to the name of the deceased brother, so that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. ⁷But if the man has no desire to marry his brother’s widow, then his brother’s widow shall go up to the elders at the gate and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ ⁸Then the elders of his town shall summon him and speak to him. If he persists, saying, ‘I have no desire to marry her’, ⁹then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders, pull his sandal off his foot, spit in his face, and declare, ‘This is what is done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ ¹⁰Throughout Israel his family shall be known as ‘the house of him whose sandal was pulled off.’

Various Commands

¹¹ If men get into a fight with one another, and the wife of one intervenes to rescue her husband from the grip of his opponent by reaching out and seizing his genitals, ¹²you shall cut off her hand; show no pity.

¹³ You shall not have in your bag two kinds of weights, large and small. ¹⁴You shall not have in your house two kinds of measures, large and small. ¹⁵You shall have only a full and honest weight; you shall have only a full and honest measure, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ¹⁶For all who do such things, all who act dishonestly, are abhorrent to the LORD your God.

¹⁷ Remember what Amalek did to you on your journey out of Egypt, ¹⁸how he attacked you on the way, when you were faint and weary, and struck down all who lagged behind you; he did not fear God. ¹⁹Therefore when the LORD your God has given you rest from all your enemies on every hand, in the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, you shall blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven; do not forget.

First Fruits and Tithes

26

WHEN you have come into the land that the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance to possess, and you possess it, and settle in it, ²you shall take some of the first of all the fruit of the ground, which you harvest from the land that the LORD your God is giving you, and you shall put it in a basket and go to the place that the LORD your God will choose as a dwelling for his name. ³You shall go to the priest who is in office at that time, and say to him, ‘Today I declare to the LORD your God that I have come into the land that the LORD swore to our ancestors to give us.’ ⁴When the priest takes the basket from your hand and sets it down before the altar of the LORD your God, ⁵you shall make this response before the LORD your God: ‘A wandering Aramean was my ancestor; he went down into Egypt and lived there as an alien, few in number, and there he became a great nation, mighty and populous. ⁶When the Egyptians treated us harshly and afflicted us, by imposing hard labour on us, ⁷we cried to the LORD, the God of our ancestors; the LORD heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. ⁸The LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a terrifying display of power, and with signs and wonders; ⁹and he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. ¹⁰So now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground that you, O LORD, have given me.’ You shall set it down before the LORD your God and bow down before the LORD your God. ¹¹Then you, together with the Levites and the aliens who reside among you, shall celebrate with all the bounty that the LORD your God has given to you and to your house.

¹² When you have finished paying all the tithe of your produce in the third year (which is the year of the tithe), giving it to the Levites, the aliens, the orphans, and the widows, so that they may eat their fill within your towns, ¹³then you shall say before the LORD your God: ‘I have removed the sacred portion from the house, and I have given it to the Levites, the resident aliens, the orphans, and the widows, in accordance with your entire commandment that you commanded me; I have neither transgressed nor forgotten any of your commandments: ¹⁴I have not eaten of it while in mourning; I have not removed any of it while I was unclean; and I have not offered any of it to the dead. I have obeyed the LORD my God, doing just as you commanded me. ¹⁵Look down from your holy habitation, from heaven, and bless your people Israel and the ground that you have given us, as you swore to our ancestors—a land flowing with milk and honey.’

Concluding Exhortation

¹⁶ This very day the LORD your God is commanding you to observe these statutes and ordinances; so observe them diligently with all your heart and with all your soul. ¹⁷Today you have obtained the LORD’s agreement: to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him. ¹⁸Today the LORD has obtained your agreement: to be his treasured people, as he promised you, and to keep his commandments; ¹⁹for him to set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honour; and for you to be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised.

The Inscribed Stones and Altar on Mount Ebal

27

THEN Moses and the elders of Israel charged all the people as follows: Keep the entire commandment that I am commanding you today. ²On the day that you cross over the Jordan into the land that the LORD your God is giving you, you shall set up large stones and cover them with plaster. ³You shall write on them all the words of this law when you have crossed over, to enter the land that the LORD your God is giving you, a land flowing with milk and honey, as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you. ⁴So when you have crossed over the Jordan, you shall set up these stones, about which I am commanding you today, on Mount Ebal, and you shall cover them with plaster. ⁵And you shall build an altar there to the LORD your God, an altar of stones on which you have not used an iron tool. ⁶You must build the altar of the LORD your God of unhewna stones. Then offer up burnt-offerings on it to the LORD your God, ⁷make sacrifices of well-being, and eat them there, rejoicing before the LORD your God. ⁸You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very clearly.

⁹ Then Moses and the levitical priests spoke to all Israel, saying: Keep silence and hear, O Israel! This very day you have become the people of the LORD your God. ¹⁰Therefore obey the LORD your God, observing his commandments and his statutes that I am commanding you today.

Twelve Curses

¹¹ The same day Moses charged the people as follows: ¹²When you have crossed over the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim for the blessing of the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. ¹³And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. ¹⁴Then the Levites shall declare in a loud voice to all the Israelites:

¹⁵ ‘Cursed be anyone who makes an idol or casts an image, anything abhorrent to the LORD, the work of an artisan, and sets it up in secret.’ All the people shall respond, saying, ‘Amen!’

¹⁶ ‘Cursed be anyone who dishonours father or mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁷ ‘Cursed be anyone who moves a neighbour’s boundary marker.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁸ ‘Cursed be anyone who misleads a blind person on the road.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

¹⁹ ‘Cursed be anyone who deprives the alien, the orphan, and the widow of justice.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²⁰ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his father’s wife, because he has violated his father’s rights.’b All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²¹ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with any animal.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²² ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his sister, whether the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²³ ‘Cursed be anyone who lies with his mother-in-law.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²⁴ ‘Cursed be anyone who strikes down a neighbour in secret.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²⁵ ‘Cursed be anyone who takes a bribe to shed innocent blood.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

²⁶ ‘Cursed be anyone who does not uphold the words of this law by observing them.’ All the people shall say, ‘Amen!’

Blessings for Obedience

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IF YOU will only obey the LORD your God, by diligently observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth; ²all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the LORD your God:

³ Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

⁴ Blessed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, and the fruit of your livestock, both the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock.

⁵ Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading-bowl.

⁶ Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

⁷ The LORD will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before you; they shall come out against you one way, and flee before you seven ways. ⁸The LORD will command the blessing upon you in your barns, and in all that you undertake; he will bless you in the land that the LORD your God is giving you. ⁹The LORD will establish you as his holy people, as he has sworn to you, if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in his ways. ¹⁰All the peoples of the earth shall see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they shall be afraid of you. ¹¹The LORD will make you abound in prosperity, in the fruit of your womb, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your ground in the land that the LORD swore to your ancestors to give you. ¹²The LORD will open for you his rich storehouse, the heavens, to give the rain of your land in its season and to bless all your undertakings. You will lend to many nations, but you will not borrow. ¹³The LORD will make you the head, and not the tail; you shall be only at the top, and not at the bottom—if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today, by diligently observing them, ¹⁴and if you do not turn aside from any of the words that I am commanding you today, either to the right or to the left, following other gods to serve them.

Warnings against Disobedience

¹⁵ But if you will not obey the LORD your God by diligently observing all his commandments and decrees, which I am commanding you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you:

¹⁶ Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the field.

¹⁷ Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading-bowl.

¹⁸ Cursed shall be the fruit of your womb, the fruit of your ground, the increase of your cattle, and the issue of your flock.

¹⁹ Cursed shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

²⁰ The LORD will send upon you disaster, panic, and frustration in everything you attempt to do, until you are destroyed and perish quickly, on account of the evil of your deeds, because you have forsaken me. ²¹The LORD will make the pestilence cling to you until it has consumed you from the land that you are entering to possess. ²²The LORD will afflict you with consumption, fever, inflammation, with fiery heat and drought, and with blight and mildew; they shall pursue you until you perish. ²³The sky over your head shall be bronze, and the earth under you iron. ²⁴The LORD will change the rain of your land into powder, and only dust shall come down upon you from the sky until you are destroyed.

²⁵ The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies; you shall go out against them one way and flee before them seven ways. You shall become an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ²⁶Your corpses shall be food for every bird of the air and animal of the earth, and there shall be no one to frighten them away. ²⁷The LORD will afflict you with the boils of Egypt, with ulcers, scurvy, and itch, of which you cannot be healed. ²⁸The LORD will afflict you with madness, blindness, and confusion of mind; ²⁹you shall grope about at noon as blind people grope in darkness, but you shall be unable to find your way; and you shall be continually abused and robbed, without anyone to help. ³⁰You shall become engaged to a woman, but another man shall lie with her. You shall build a house, but not live in it. You shall plant a vineyard, but not enjoy its fruit. ³¹Your ox shall be butchered before your eyes, but you shall not eat of it. Your donkey shall be stolen in front of you, and shall not be restored to you. Your sheep shall be given to your enemies, without anyone to help you. ³²Your sons and daughters shall be given to another people, while you look on; you will strain your eyes looking for them all day but be powerless to do anything. ³³A people whom you do not know shall eat up the fruit of your ground and of all your labours; you shall be continually abused and crushed, ³⁴and driven mad by the sight that your eyes shall see. ³⁵The LORD will strike you on the knees and on the legs with grievous boils of which you cannot be healed, from the sole of your foot to the crown of your head. ³⁶The LORD will bring you, and the king whom you set over you, to a nation that neither you nor your ancestors have known, where you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone. ³⁷You shall become an object of horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples where the LORD will lead you.

³⁸ You shall carry much seed into the field but shall gather little in, for the locust shall consume it. ³⁹You shall plant vineyards and dress them, but you shall neither drink the wine nor gather the grapes, for the worm shall eat them. ⁴⁰You shall have olive trees throughout all your territory, but you shall not anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives shall drop off. ⁴¹You shall have sons and daughters, but they shall not remain yours, for they shall go into captivity. ⁴²All your trees and the fruit of your ground the cicada shall take over. ⁴³Aliens residing among you shall ascend above you higher and higher, while you shall descend lower and lower. ⁴⁴They shall lend to you but you shall not lend to them; they shall be the head and you shall be the tail.

⁴⁵ All these curses shall come upon you, pursuing and overtaking you until you are destroyed, because you did not obey the LORD your God, by observing the commandments and the decrees that he commanded you. ⁴⁶They shall be among you and your descendants as a sign and a portent for ever.

⁴⁷ Because you did not serve the LORD your God joyfully and with gladness of heart for the abundance of everything, ⁴⁸therefore you shall serve your enemies whom the LORD will send against you, in hunger and thirst, in nakedness and lack of everything. He will put an iron yoke on your neck until he has destroyed you. ⁴⁹The LORD will bring a nation from far away, from the end of the earth, to swoop down on you like an eagle, a nation whose language you do not understand, ⁵⁰a grim-faced nation showing no respect to the old or favour to the young. ⁵¹It shall consume the fruit of your livestock and the fruit of your ground until you are destroyed, leaving you neither grain, wine, and oil, nor the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, until it has made you perish. ⁵²It shall besiege you in all your towns until your high and fortified walls, in which you trusted, come down throughout your land; it shall besiege you in all your towns throughout the land that the LORD your God has given you. ⁵³In the desperate straits to which the enemy siege reduces you, you will eat the fruit of your womb, the flesh of your own sons and daughters whom the LORD your God has given you. ⁵⁴Even the most refined and gentle of men among you will begrudge food to his own brother, to the wife whom he embraces, and to the last of his remaining children, ⁵⁵giving to none of them any of the flesh of his children whom he is eating, because nothing else remains to him, in the desperate straits to which the enemy siege will reduce you in all your towns. ⁵⁶She who is the most refined and gentle among you, so gentle and refined that she does not venture to set the sole of her foot on the ground, will begrudge food to the husband whom she embraces, to her own son, and to her own daughter, ⁵⁷begrudging even the afterbirth that comes out from between her thighs, and the children that she bears, because she is eating them in secret for lack of anything else, in the desperate straits to which the enemy siege will reduce you in your towns.

⁵⁸ If you do not diligently observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, fearing this glorious and awesome name, the LORD your God, ⁵⁹then the LORD will overwhelm both you and your offspring with severe and lasting afflictions and grievous and lasting maladies. ⁶⁰He will bring back upon you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were in dread, and they shall cling to you. ⁶¹Every other malady and affliction, even though not recorded in the book of this law, the LORD will inflict on you until you are destroyed. ⁶²Although once you were as numerous as the stars in heaven, you shall be left few in number, because you did not obey the LORD your God. ⁶³And just as the LORD took delight in making you prosperous and numerous, so the LORD will take delight in bringing you to ruin and destruction; you shall be plucked off the land that you are entering to possess. ⁶⁴The LORD will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other; and there you shall serve other gods, of wood and stone, which neither you nor your ancestors have known. ⁶⁵Among those nations you shall find no ease, no resting-place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a languishing spirit. ⁶⁶Your life shall hang in doubt before you; night and day you shall be in dread, with no assurance of your life. ⁶⁷In the morning you shall say, ‘If only it were evening!’ and at evening you shall say, ‘If only it were morning!’—because of the dread that your heart shall feel and the sights that your eyes shall see. ⁶⁸The LORD will bring you back in ships to Egypt, by a route that I promised you would never see again; and there you shall offer yourselves for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but there will be no buyer.

29a

THESE are the words of the covenant that the LORD commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in the land of Moab, in addition to the covenant that he had made with them at Horeb.

The Covenant Renewed in Moab

² b Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, ³the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders. ⁴But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear. ⁵I have led you for forty years in the wilderness. The clothes on your back have not worn out, and the sandals on your feet have not worn out; ⁶you have not eaten bread, and you have not drunk wine or strong drink—so that you may know that I am the LORD your God. ⁷When you came to this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of Bashan came out against us for battle, but we defeated them. ⁸We took their land and gave it as an inheritance to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. ⁹Therefore diligently observe the words of this covenant, in order that you may succeedc in everything that you do.

¹⁰You stand assembled today, all of you, before the Lord your God—the leaders of your tribes,d your elders, and your officials, all the men of Israel,¹¹ your children, your women, and the aliens who are in your camp, both those who cut your wood and those who draw your water—¹²to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God, sworn by an oath, which the LORD your God is making with you today;¹³ in order that he may establish you today as his people, and that he may be your God, as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.¹⁴ I am making this covenant, sworn by an oath, not only with you who stand here with us today before the LORD our God,¹⁵ but also with those who are not here with us today.¹⁶ You know how we lived in the land of Egypt, and how we came through the midst of the nations through which you passed.¹⁷ You have seen their detestable things, the filthy idols of wood and stone, of silver and gold, that were among them.¹⁸ It may be that there is among you a man or woman, or a family or tribe, whose heart is already turning away from the LORD our God to serve the gods of those nations. It may be that there is among you a root sprouting poisonous and bitter growth.¹⁹ All who hear the words of this oath and bless themselves, thinking in their hearts, ‘We are safe even though we go our own stubborn ways’ (thus bringing disaster on moist and dry alike)e—²⁰the LORD will be unwilling to pardon them, for the LORD’S anger and passion will smoke against them. All the curses written in this book will descend on them, and the LORD will blot out their names from under heaven. ²¹The LORD will single them out from all the tribes of Israel for calamity, in accordance with all the curses of the covenant written in this book of the law. ²²The next generation, your children who rise up after you, as well as the foreigner who comes from a distant country, will see the devastation of that land and the afflictions with which the LORD has afflicted it—²³all its soil burned out by sulphur and salt, nothing planted, nothing sprouting, unable to support any vegetation, like the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim, which the LORD destroyed in his fierce anger—²⁴they and indeed all the nations will wonder, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land? What caused this great display of anger?’ ²⁵They will conclude, ‘It is because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, which he made with them when he brought them out of the land of Egypt. ²⁶They turned and served other gods, worshipping them, gods whom they had not known and whom he had not allotted to them; ²⁷so the anger of the LORD was kindled against that land, bringing on it every curse written in this book. ²⁸The LORD uprooted them from their land in anger, fury, and great wrath, and cast them into another land, as is now the case.’ ²⁹The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our children for ever, to observe all the words of this law.

God’s Fidelity Assured

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WHEN all these things have happened to you, the blessings and the curses that I have set before you, if you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God has driven you, ²and return to the LORD your God, and you and your children obey him with all your heart and with all your soul, just as I am commanding you today, ³then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have compassion on you, gathering you again from all the peoples among whom the LORD your God has scattered you. ⁴Even if you are exiled to the ends of the world,a from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there he will bring you back. ⁵The LORD your God will bring you into the land that your ancestors possessed, and you will possess it; he will make you more prosperous and numerous than your ancestors.

⁶ Moreover, the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that you may live. ⁷The LORD your God will put all these curses on your enemies and on the adversaries who took advantage of you. ⁸Then you shall again obey the LORD, observing all his commandments that I am commanding you today, ⁹and the LORD your God will make you abundantly prosperous in all your undertakings, in the fruit of your body, in the fruit of your livestock, and in the fruit of your soil. For the LORD will again take delight in prospering you, just as he delighted in prospering your ancestors, ¹⁰when you obey the LORD your God by observing his commandments and decrees that are written in this book of the law, because you turn to the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

Exhortation to Choose Life

¹¹ Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too hard for you, nor is it too far away. ¹²It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ ¹³Neither is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will cross to the other side of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it?’ ¹⁴No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and in your heart for you to observe.

¹⁵ See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. ¹⁶If you obey the commandments of the LORD your Goda that I am commanding you today, by loving the LORD your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. ¹⁷But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, ¹⁸I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. ¹⁹I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, ²⁰loving the LORD your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the LORD swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

Joshua Becomes Moses’ Successor

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WHEN Moses had finished speaking allb these words to all Israel, ²he said to them: ‘I am now a hundred and twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, “You shall not cross over this Jordan.” ³The LORD your God himself will cross over before you. He will destroy these nations before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua also will cross over before you, as the LORD promised. ⁴The LORD will do to them as he did to Sihon and Og, the kings of the Amorites, and to their land, when he destroyed them. ⁵The LORD will give them over to you and you shall deal with them in full accord with the command that I have given to you. ⁶Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the LORD your God who goes with you; he will not fail you or forsake you.’

⁷ Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel: ‘Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their ancestors to give them; and you will put them in possession of it. ⁸It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.’

The Law to Be Read Every Seventh Year

⁹ Then Moses wrote down this law, and gave it to the priests, the sons of Levi, who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and to all the elders of Israel. ¹⁰Moses commanded them: ‘Every seventh year, in the scheduled year of remission, during the festival of booths,c ¹¹when all Israel comes to appear before the LORD your God at the place that he will choose, you shall read this law before all Israel in their hearing. ¹²Assemble the people—men, women, and children, as well as the aliens residing in your towns—so that they may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God and to observe diligently all the words of this law, ¹³and so that their children, who have not known it, may hear and learn to fear the LORD your God, as long as you live in the land that you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.’

Moses and Joshua Receive God’s Charge

¹⁴ The LORD said to Moses, ‘Your time to die is near; call Joshua and present yourselves in the tent of meeting, so that I may commission him.’ So Moses and Joshua went and presented themselves in the tent of meeting, ¹⁵and the LORD appeared at the tent in a pillar of cloud; the pillar of cloud stood at the entrance to the tent.

¹⁶ The LORD said to Moses, ‘Soon you will lie down with your ancestors. Then this people will begin to prostitute themselves to the foreign gods in their midst, the gods of the land into which they are going; they will forsake me, breaking my covenant that I have made with them. ¹⁷My anger will be kindled against them on that day. I will forsake them and hide my face from them; they will become easy prey, and many terrible troubles will come upon them. On that day they will say, “Have not these troubles come upon us because our God is not in our midst?” ¹⁸On that day I will surely hide my face on account of all the evil they have done by turning to other gods. ¹⁹Now therefore write this song, and teach it to the Israelites; put it in their mouths, in order that this song may be a witness for me against the Israelites. ²⁰For when I have brought them into the land flowing with milk and honey, which I promised on oath to their ancestors, and they have eaten their fill and grown fat, they will turn to other gods and serve them, despising me and breaking my covenant. ²¹And when many terrible troubles come upon them, this song will confront them as a witness, because it will not be lost from the mouths of their descendants. For I know what they are inclined to do even now, before I have brought them into the land that I promised them on oath.’ ²²That very day Moses wrote this song and taught it to the Israelites.

²³ Then the LORD commissioned Joshua son of Nun and said, ‘Be strong and bold, for you shall bring the Israelites into the land that I promised them; I will be with you.’

²⁴ When Moses had finished writing down in a book the words of this law to the very end, ²⁵Moses commanded the Levites who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, ²⁶‘Take this book of the law and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God; let it remain there as a witness against you. ²⁷For I know well how rebellious and stubborn you are. If you already have been so rebellious towards the LORD while I am still alive among you, how much more after my death! ²⁸Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, so that I may recite these words in their hearing and call heaven and earth to witness against them. ²⁹For I know that after my death you will surely act corruptly, turning aside from the way that I have commanded you. In time to come trouble will befall you, because you will do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger through the work of your hands.’

The Song of Moses

³⁰ Then Moses recited the words of this song, to the very end, in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

32

GIVE ear, O heavens, and I will speak;

let the earth hear the words of my mouth.

² May my teaching drop like the rain,

my speech condense like the dew;

like gentle rain on grass,

like showers on new growth.

³ For I will proclaim the name of the LORD;

ascribe greatness to our God!

⁴ The Rock, his work is perfect,

and all his ways are just.

A faithful God, without deceit,

just and upright is he;

⁵ yet his degenerate children have dealt falsely with him,a

a perverse and crooked generation.

⁶ Do you thus repay the LORD,

O foolish and senseless people?

Is not he your father, who created you,

who made you and established you?

⁷ Remember the days of old,

consider the years long past;

ask your father, and he will inform you;

your elders, and they will tell you.

⁸ When the Most Highb apportioned the nations,

when he divided humankind,

he fixed the boundaries of the peoples

according to the number of the gods;c

⁹ the LORD’s own portion was his people,

Jacob his allotted share.

¹⁰ He sustainedd him in a desert land,

in a howling wilderness waste;

he shielded him, cared for him,

guarded him as the apple of his eye.

¹¹ As an eagle stirs up its nest,

and hovers over its young;

as it spreads its wings, takes them up,

and bears them aloft on its pinions,

¹² the LORD alone guided him;

no foreign god was with him.

¹³ He set him upon the heights of the land,

and fed him witha produce of the field;

he nursed him with honey from the crags,

with oil from flinty rock;

¹⁴ curds from the herd, and milk from the flock,

with fat of lambs and rams;

Bashan bulls and goats,

together with the choicest wheat—

you drank fine wine from the blood of grapes.

¹⁵ Jacob ate his fill;b

Jeshurun grew fat, and kicked.

You grew fat, bloated, and gorged!

He abandoned God who made him,

and scoffed at the Rock of his salvation.

¹⁶ They made him jealous with strange gods,

with abhorrent things they provoked him.

¹⁷ They sacrificed to demons, not God,

to deities they had never known,

to new ones recently arrived,

whom your ancestors had not feared.

¹⁸ You were unmindful of the Rock that bore you;c

you forgot the God who gave you birth.

¹⁹ The LORD saw it, and was jealous;d

he spurnede his sons and daughters.

²⁰ He said: I will hide my face from them,

I will see what their end will be;

for they are a perverse generation,

children in whom there is no faithfulness.

²¹ They made me jealous with what is no god,

provoked me with their idols.

So I will make them jealous with what is no people,

provoke them with a foolish nation.

²² For a fire is kindled by my anger,

and burns to the depths of Sheol;

it devours the earth and its increase,

and sets on fire the foundations of the mountains.

²³ I will heap disasters upon them,

spend my arrows against them:

²⁴ wasting hunger,

burning consumption,

bitter pestilence.

The teeth of beasts I will send against them,

with venom of things crawling in the dust.

²⁵ In the street the sword shall bereave,

and in the chambers terror,

for young man and woman alike,

nursing child and old grey head.

²⁶ I thought to scatter thema

and blot out the memory of them from humankind;

²⁷ but I feared provocation by the enemy,

for their adversaries might misunderstand

and say, ‘Our hand is triumphant;

it was not the LORD who did all this.’

²⁸ They are a nation void of sense;

there is no understanding in them.

²⁹ If they were wise, they would understand this;

they would discern what the end would be.

³⁰ How could one have routed a thousand,

and two put a myriad to flight,

unless their Rock had sold them,

the LORD had given them up?

³¹ Indeed their rock is not like our Rock;

our enemies are fools.a

³² Their vine comes from the vine-stock of Sodom,

from the vineyards of Gomorrah;

their grapes are grapes of poison,

their clusters are bitter;

³³ their wine is the poison of serpents,

the cruel venom of asps.

³⁴ Is not this laid up in store with me,

sealed up in my treasuries?

³⁵ Vengeance is mine, and recompense,

for the time when their foot shall slip;

because the day of their calamity is at hand,

their doom comes swiftly.

³⁶ Indeed the LORD will vindicate his people,

have compassion on his servants,

when he sees that their power is gone,

neither bond nor free remaining.

³⁷ Then he will say: Where are their gods,

the rock in which they took refuge,

³⁸ who ate the fat of their sacrifices,

and drank the wine of their libations?

Let them rise up and help you,

let them be your protection!

³⁹ See now that I, even I, am he;

there is no god besides me.

I kill and I make alive;

I wound and I heal;

and no one can deliver from my hand.

⁴⁰ For I lift up my hand to heaven,

and swear: As I live for ever,

⁴¹ when I whet my flashing sword,

and my hand takes hold on judgement;

I will take vengeance on my adversaries,

and will repay those who hate me.

⁴² I will make my arrows drunk with blood,

and my sword shall devour flesh—

with the blood of the slain and the captives,

from the long-haired enemy.

⁴³ Praise, O heavens,a his people,

worship him, all you gods!b

For he will avenge the blood of his children,c

and take vengeance on his adversaries;

he will repay those who hate him,b

and cleanse the land for his people.d

⁴⁴ Moses came and recited all the words of this song in the hearing of the people, he and Joshuae son of Nun. ⁴⁵When Moses had finished reciting all these words to all Israel, ⁴⁶he said to them: ‘Take to heart all the words that I am giving in witness against you today; give them as a command to your children, so that they may diligently observe all the words of this law. ⁴⁷This is no trifling matter for you, but rather your very life; through it you may live long in the land that you are crossing over the Jordan to possess.’

Moses’ Death Foretold

⁴⁸ On that very day the LORD addressed Moses as follows: ⁴⁹‘Ascend this mountain of the Abarim, Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, across from Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites for a possession; ⁵⁰you shall die there on the mountain that you ascend and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin; ⁵¹because both of you broke faith with me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to maintain my holiness among the Israelites. ⁵²Although you may view the land from a distance, you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelites.’

Moses’ Final Blessing on Israel

33

THIS is the blessing with which Moses, the man of God, blessed the Israelites before his death. ²He said:

The LORD came from Sinai,

and dawned from Seir upon us;a

he shone forth from Mount Paran.

With him were myriads of holy ones;b

at his right, a host of his own.c

³ Indeed, O favourite amongd peoples,

all his holy ones were in your charge;

they marched at your heels,

accepted direction from you.

⁴ Moses charged us with the law,

as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.

⁵ There arose a king in Jeshurun,

when the leaders of the people assembled—

the united tribes of Israel.

⁶ May Reuben live, and not die out,

even though his numbers are few.

⁷And this he said of Judah:

O LORD, give heed to Judah,

and bring him to his people;

strengthen his hands for him,e

and be a help against his adversaries.

⁸And of Levi he said:

Give to Levi f your Thummim,

and your Urim to your loyal one,

whom you tested at Massah,

with whom you contended at the waters of Meribah;

⁹ who said of his father and mother,

‘I regard them not’

he ignored his kin,

and did not acknowledge his children.

For they observed your word,

and kept your covenant.

¹⁰ They teach Jacob your ordinances,

and Israel your law;

they place incense before you,

and whole burnt-offerings on your altar.

¹¹ Bless, O LORD, his substance,

and accept the work of his hands;

crush the loins of his adversaries,

of those that hate him, so that they do not rise again.

¹²Of Benjamin he said:

The beloved of the LORD rests in safety—

the High Goda surrounds him all day long—

the belovedb rests between his shoulders.

¹³And of Joseph he said:

Blessed by the LORD be his land,

with the choice gifts of heaven above,

and of the deep that lies beneath;

¹⁴ with the choice fruits of the sun,

and the rich yield of the months;

¹⁵ with the finest produce of the ancient mountains,

and the abundance of the everlasting hills;

¹⁶ with the choice gifts of the earth and its fullness,

and the favour of the one who dwells on Sinai.c

Let these come on the head of Joseph,

on the brow of the prince among his brothers.

¹⁷ A firstbornd bull—majesty is his!

His horns are the horns of a wild ox;

with them he gores the peoples,

driving them toe the ends of the earth;

such are the myriads of Ephraim,

such the thousands of Manasseh.

¹⁸And of Zebulun he said:

Rejoice, Zebulun, in your going out;

and Issachar, in your tents.

¹⁹ They call peoples to the mountain;

there they offer the right sacrifices;

for they suck the affluence of the seas

and the hidden treasures of the sand.

²⁰And of Gad he said:

Blessed be the enlargement of Gad!

Gad lives like a lion;

he tears at arm and scalp.

²¹ He chose the best for himself,

for there a commander’s allotment was reserved;

he came at the head of the people,

he executed the justice of the LORD,

and his ordinances for Israel.

²²And of Dan he said:

Dan is a lion’s whelp

that leaps forth from Bashan.

²³And of Naphtali he said:

O Naphtali, sated with favour,

full of the blessing of the LORD,

possess the west and the south.

²⁴And of Asher he said:

Most blessed of sons be Asher;

may he be the favourite of his brothers,

and may he dip his foot in oil.

²⁵ Your bars are iron and bronze;

and as your days, so is your strength.

²⁶ There is none like God, O Jeshurun,

who rides through the heavens to your help,

majestic through the skies.

²⁷ He subdues the ancient gods,a

shattersb the forces of old;c

he drove out the enemy before you,

and said, ‘Destroy!’

²⁸ So Israel lives in safety,

untroubled is Jacob’s aboded

in a land of grain and wine,

where the heavens drop down dew.

²⁹ Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you,

a people saved by the LORD,

the shield of your help,

and the sword of your triumph!

Your enemies shall come fawning to you,

and you shall tread on their backs.

Moses Dies and Is Buried in the Land of Moab

34

THEN Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho, and the LORD showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan, ²all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the Western Sea, ³the Negeb, and the Plain—that is, the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar. ⁴The LORD said to him, ‘This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, “I will give it to your descendants” I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not cross over there.’ ⁵Then Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in the land of Moab, at the LORD’s command. ⁶He was buried in a valley in the land of Moab, opposite Beth-peor, but no one knows his burial place to this day. ⁷Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died; his sight was unimpaired and his vigour had not abated. ⁸The Israelites wept for Moses in the plains of Moab for thirty days; then the period of mourning for Moses was ended.

⁹ Joshua son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, because Moses had laid his hands on him; and the Israelites obeyed him, doing as the LORD had commanded Moses.

¹⁰ Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face. ¹¹He was unequalled for all the signs and wonders that the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his servants and his entire land, ¹²and for all the mighty deeds and all the terrifying displays of power that Moses performed in the sight of all Israel.

JOSHUA

God’s Commission to Joshua

AFTER the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD spoke to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying, ²‘My servant Moses is dead. Now proceed to cross the Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the Israelites. ³Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, as I promised to Moses. ⁴From the wilderness and the Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, to the Great Sea in the west shall be your territory. ⁵No one shall be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. ⁶Be strong and courageous; for you shall put this people in possession of the land that I swore to their ancestors to give them. ⁷Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to act in accordance with all the law that my servant Moses commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go. ⁸This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful. ⁹I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.’

Preparations for the Invasion

¹⁰ Then Joshua commanded the officers of the people, ¹¹‘Pass through the camp, and command the people: “Prepare your provisions; for in three days you are to cross over the Jordan, to go in to take possession of the land that the LORD your God gives you to possess.”’

¹² To the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh Joshua said, ¹³‘Remember the word that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, saying, “The LORD your God is providing you a place of rest, and will give you this land.” ¹⁴Your wives, your little ones, and your livestock shall remain in the land that Moses gave you beyond the Jordan. But all the warriors among you shall cross over armed before your kindred and shall help them, ¹⁵until the LORD gives rest to your kindred as well as to you, and they too take possession of the land that the LORD your God is giving them. Then you shall return to your own land and take possession of it, the land that Moses the servant of the LORD gave you beyond the Jordan to the east.’

¹⁶ They answered Joshua: ‘All that you have commanded us we will do, and wherever you send us we will go. ¹⁷Just as we obeyed Moses in all things, so we will obey you. Only may the LORD your God be with you, as he was with Moses! ¹⁸Whoever rebels against your orders and disobeys your words, whatever you command, shall be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.’

Spies Sent to Jericho

2

THEN Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, ‘Go, view the land, especially Jericho.’ So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. ²The king of Jericho was told, ‘Some Israelites have come here tonight to search out the land.’ ³Then the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab, ‘Bring out the men who have come to you, who entered your house, for they have come only to search out the whole land.’ ⁴But the woman took the two men and hid them. Then she said, ‘True, the men came to me, but I did not know where they came from. ⁵And when it was time to close the gate at dark, the men went out. Where the men went I do not know. Pursue them quickly, for you can overtake them.’ ⁶She had, however, brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax that she had laid out on the roof. ⁷So the men pursued them on the way to the Jordan as far as the fords. As soon as the pursuers had gone out, the gate was shut.

⁸ Before they went to sleep, she came up to them on the roof ⁹and said to the men: ‘I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that dread of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before you. ¹⁰For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Seaa before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites that were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. ¹¹As soon as we heard it, our hearts failed, and there was no courage left in any of us because of you. The LORD your God is indeed God in heaven above and on earth below. ¹²Now then, since I have dealt kindly with you, swear to me by the LORD that you in turn will deal kindly with my family. Give me a sign of good faith ¹³that you will spare my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them, and deliver our lives from death.’ ¹⁴The men said to her, ‘Our life for yours! If you do not tell this business of ours, then we will deal kindly and faithfully with you when the LORD gives us the land.’

¹⁵ Then she let them down by a rope through the window, for her house was on the outer side of the city wall and she resided within the wall itself. ¹⁶She said to them, ‘Go towards the hill country, so that the pursuers may not come upon you. Hide yourselves there for three days, until the pursuers have returned; then afterwards you may go on your way.’ ¹⁷The men said to her, ‘We will be released from this oath that you have made us swear to you ¹⁸if we invade the land and you do not tie this crimson cord in the window through which you let us down, and you do not gather into your house your father and mother, your brothers, and all your family. ¹⁹If any of you go out of the doors of your house into the street, they shall be responsible for their own death, and we shall be innocent; but if a hand is laid upon any who are with you in the house, we shall bear the responsibility for their death. ²⁰But if you tell this business of ours, then we shall be released from this oath that you made us swear to you.’ ²¹She said, ‘According to your words, so be it.’ She sent them away and they departed. Then she tied the crimson cord in the window.

²² They departed and went into the hill country and stayed there for three days, until the pursuers returned. The pursuers had searched all along the way and found nothing. ²³Then the two men came down again from the hill country. They crossed over, came to Joshua son of Nun, and told him all that had happened to them. ²⁴They said to Joshua, ‘Truly the LORD has given all the land into our hands; moreover, all the inhabitants of the land melt in fear before us.’

Israel Crosses the Jordan

3

EARLY in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over. ²At the end of three days the officers went through the camp ³and commanded the people, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place. Follow it, ⁴so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come any nearer to it.’ ⁵Then Joshua said to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.’ ⁶To the priests Joshua said, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on in front of the people.’ So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people.

⁷ The LORD said to Joshua, ‘This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. ⁸You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, “When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.”’ ⁹Joshua then said to the Israelites, ‘Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God.’ ¹⁰Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: ¹¹the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. ¹²So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. ¹³When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap.’

¹⁴ When the people set out from their tents to cross over the Jordan, the priests bearing the ark of the covenant were in front of the people. ¹⁵Now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest. So when those who bore the ark had come to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the edge of the water, ¹⁶the waters flowing from above stood still, rising up in a single heap far off at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, while those flowing towards the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea,a were wholly cut off. Then the people crossed over opposite Jericho. ¹⁷While all Israel were crossing over on dry ground, the priests who bore the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, until the entire nation finished crossing over the Jordan.

Twelve Stones Set Up at Gilgal

4

WHEN the entire nation had finished crossing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua: ²‘Select twelve men from the people, one from each tribe, ³and command them, “Take twelve stones from here out of the middle of the Jordan, from the place where the priests’ feet stood, carry them over with you, and lay them down in the place where you camp tonight.”’ ⁴Then Joshua summoned the twelve men from the Israelites, whom he had appointed, one from each tribe. ⁵Joshua said to them, ‘Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the middle of the Jordan, and each of you take up a stone on his shoulder, one for each of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶so that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, “What do those stones mean to you?” ⁷then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off in front of the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the Israelites a memorial for ever.’

⁸ The Israelites did as Joshua commanded. They took up twelve stones out of the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the LORD told Joshua, carried them over with them to the place where they camped, and laid them down there. ⁹(Joshua set up twelve stones in the middle of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.)

¹⁰ The priests who bore the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan, until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people crossed over in haste. ¹¹As soon as all the people had finished crossing over, the ark of the LORD, and the priests, crossed over in front of the people. ¹²The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the Israelites, as Moses had ordered them. ¹³About forty thousand armed for war crossed over before the LORD to the plains of Jericho for battle.

¹⁴ On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him, as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.

¹⁵ The LORD said to Joshua, ¹⁶‘Command the priests who bear the ark of the covenantb to come up out of the Jordan.’ ¹⁷Joshua therefore commanded the priests, ‘Come up out of the Jordan.’ ¹⁸When the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the middle of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet touched dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before.

¹⁹ The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they camped in Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. ²⁰Those twelve stones, which they had taken out of the Jordan, Joshua set up in Gilgal, ²¹saying to the Israelites, ‘When your children ask their parents in time to come, “What do these stones mean?” ²²then you shall let your children know, “Israel crossed over the Jordan here on dry ground.” ²³For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you crossed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea,a which he dried up for us until we crossed over, ²⁴so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, and so that you may fear the LORD your God for ever.’

The New Generation Circumcised

5

WHEN all the kings of the Amorites beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the Israelites until they had crossed over, their hearts failed, and there was no longer any spirit in them, because of the Israelites.

² At that time the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites a second time.’ ³So Joshua made flint knives, and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath-haaraloth.b ⁴This is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: all the males of the people who came out of Egypt, all the warriors, had died during the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt. ⁵Although all the people who came out had been circumcised, yet all the people born on the journey through the wilderness after they had come out of Egypt had not been circumcised. ⁶For the Israelites travelled for forty years in the wilderness, until all the nation, the warriors who came out of Egypt, perished, not having listened to the voice of the LORD. To them the LORD swore that he would not let them see the land that he had sworn to their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷So it was their children, whom he raised up in their place, that Joshua circumcised; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.

⁸ When the circumcising of all the nation was done, they remained in their places in the camp until they were healed. ⁹The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Today I have rolled away from you the disgrace of Egypt.’ And so that place is called Gilgalc to this day.

The Passover at Gilgal

¹⁰ While the Israelites were encamped in Gilgal they kept the passover in the evening on the fourteenth day of the month in the plains of Jericho. ¹¹On the day after the passover, on that very day, they ate the produce of the land, unleavened cakes and parched grain. ¹²The manna ceased on the day they ate the produce of the land, and the Israelites no longer had manna; they ate the crops of the land of Canaan that year.

Joshua’s Vision

¹³ Once when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing before him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went to him and said to him, ‘Are you one of us, or one of our adversaries?’ ¹⁴He replied, ‘Neither; but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.’ And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshipped, and he said to him, ‘What do you command your servant, my lord?’ ¹⁵The commander of the army of the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Remove the sandals from your feet, for the place where you stand is holy.’ And Joshua did so.

Jericho Taken and Destroyed

6

NOW Jericho was shut up inside and out because of the Israelites; no one came out and no one went in. ²The LORD said to Joshua, ‘See, I have handed Jericho over to you, along with its king and soldiers. ³You shall march around the city, all the warriors circling the city once. Thus you shall do for six days, ⁴with seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark. On the seventh day you shall march around the city seven times, the priests blowing the trumpets. ⁵When they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, as soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city will fall down flat, and all the people shall charge straight ahead.’ ⁶So Joshua son of Nun summoned the priests and said to them, ‘Take up the ark of the covenant, and have seven priests carry seven trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark of the LORD.’ ⁷To the people he said, ‘Go forward and march around the city; have the armed men pass on before the ark of the LORD.’

⁸ As Joshua had commanded the people, the seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the LORD went forward, blowing the trumpets, with the ark of the covenant of the LORD following them. ⁹And the armed men went before the priests who blew the trumpets; the rearguard came after the ark, while the trumpets blew continually. ¹⁰To the people Joshua gave this command: ‘You shall not shout or let your voice be heard, nor shall you utter a word, until the day I tell you to shout. Then you shall shout.’ ¹¹So the ark of the LORD went around the city, circling it once; and they came into the camp, and spent the night in the camp.

¹² Then Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD. ¹³The seven priests carrying the seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD passed on, blowing the trumpets continually. The armed men went before them, and the rearguard came after the ark of the LORD, while the trumpets blew continually. ¹⁴On the second day they marched around the city once and then returned to the camp. They did this for six days.

¹⁵ On the seventh day they rose early, at dawn, and marched around the city in the same manner seven times. It was only on that day that they marched around the city seven times. ¹⁶And at the seventh time, when the priests had blown the trumpets, Joshua said to the people, ‘Shout! For the LORD has given you the city. ¹⁷The city and all that is in it shall be devoted to the LORD for destruction. Only Rahab the prostitute and all who are with her in her house shall live, because she hid the messengers we sent. ¹⁸As for you, keep away from the things devoted to destruction, so as not to coveta and take any of the devoted things and make the camp of Israel an object for destruction, bringing trouble upon it. ¹⁹But all silver and gold, and vessels of bronze and iron, are sacred to the LORD; they shall go into the treasury of the LORD.’ ²⁰So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpets, they raised a great shout, and the wall fell down flat; so the people charged straight ahead into the city and captured it. ²¹Then they devoted to destruction by the edge of the sword all in the city, both men and women, young and old, oxen, sheep, and donkeys.

²² Joshua said to the two men who had spied out the land, ‘Go into the prostitute’s house, and bring the woman out of it and all who belong to her, as you swore to her.’ ²³So the young men who had been spies went in and brought Rahab out, along with her father, her mother, her brothers, and all who belonged to her—they brought all her kindred out—and set them outside the camp of Israel. ²⁴They burned down the city, and everything in it; only the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD. ²⁵But Rahab the prostitute, with her family and all who belonged to her, Joshua spared. Her familya has lived in Israel ever since. For she hid the messengers whom Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.

²⁶ Joshua then pronounced this oath, saying,

‘Cursed before the LORD be anyone who tries

to build this city—this Jericho!

At the cost of his firstborn he shall lay its foundation,

and at the cost of his youngest he shall set up its gates!’

²⁷ So the LORD was with Joshua; and his fame was in all the land.

The Sin of Achan and Its Punishment

7

BUT the Israelites broke faith in regard to the devoted things: Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took some of the devoted things; and the anger of the LORD burned against the Israelites.

² Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is near Beth-aven, east of Bethel, and said to them, ‘Go up and spy out the land.’ And the men went up and spied out Ai. ³Then they returned to Joshua and said to him, ‘Not all the people need go up; about two or three thousand men should go up and attack Ai. Since they are so few, do not make the whole people toil up there.’ ⁴So about three thousand of the people went up there; and they fled before the men of Ai. ⁵The men of Ai killed about thirty-six of them, chasing them from outside the gate as far as Shebarim and killing them on the slope. The hearts of the people failed and turned to water.

⁶ Then Joshua tore his clothes, and fell to the ground on his face before the ark of the LORD until the evening, he and the elders of Israel; and they put dust on their heads. ⁷Joshua said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Why have you brought this people across the Jordan at all, to hand us over to the Amorites so as to destroy us? Would that we had been content to settle beyond the Jordan! ⁸O Lord, what can I say, now that Israel has turned their backs to their enemies! ⁹The Canaanites and all the inhabitants of the land will hear of it, and surround us, and cut off our name from the earth. Then what will you do for your great name?’

¹⁰ The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Stand up! Why have you fallen upon your face? ¹¹Israel has sinned; they have transgressed my covenant that I imposed on them. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have acted deceitfully, and they have put them among their own belongings. ¹²Therefore the Israelites are unable to stand before their enemies; they turn their backs to their enemies, because they have become a thing devoted for destruction themselves. I will be with you no more, unless you destroy the devoted things from among you. ¹³Proceed to sanctify the people, and say, “Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘There are devoted things among you, O Israel; you will be unable to stand before your enemies until you take away the devoted things from among you.’ ¹⁴In the morning therefore you shall come forward tribe by tribe. The tribe that the LORD takes shall come near by clans, the clan that the LORD takes shall come near by households, and the household that the LORD takes shall come near one by one. ¹⁵And the one who is taken as having the devoted things shall be burned with fire, together with all that he has, for having transgressed the covenant of the LORD, and for having done an outrageous thing in Israel.”’

¹⁶ So Joshua rose early in the morning, and brought Israel near tribe by tribe, and the tribe of Judah was taken. ¹⁷He brought near the clans of Judah, and the clan of the Zerahites was taken; and he brought near the clan of the Zerahites, family by family,a and Zabdi was taken. ¹⁸And he brought near his household one by one, and Achan son of Carmi son of Zabdi son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, was taken. ¹⁹Then Joshua said to Achan, ‘My son, give glory to the LORD God of Israel and make confession to him. Tell me now what you have done; do not hide it from me.’ ²⁰And Achan answered Joshua, ‘It is true; I am the one who sinned against the LORD God of Israel. This is what I did: ²¹when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, then I coveted them and took them. They now lie hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.’

²² So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent; and there it was, hidden in his tent with the silver underneath. ²³They took them out of the tent and brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites; and they spread them out before the LORD. ²⁴Then Joshua and all Israel with him took Achan son of Zerah, with the silver, the mantle, and the bar of gold, with his sons and daughters, with his oxen, donkeys, and sheep, and his tent and all that he had; and they brought them up to the Valley of Achor. ²⁵Joshua said, ‘Why did you bring trouble on us? The LORD is bringing trouble on you today.’ And all Israel stoned him to death; they burned them with fire, cast stones on them, ²⁶and raised over him a great heap of stones that remains to this day. Then the LORD turned from his burning anger. Therefore that place to this day is called the Valley of Achor.b

Ai Captured by a Stratagem and Destroyed

8

THEN the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed; take all the fighting men with you, and go up now to Ai. See, I have handed over to you the king of Ai with his people, his city, and his land. ²You shall do to Ai and its king as you did to Jericho and its king; only its spoil and its livestock you may take as booty for yourselves. Set an ambush against the city, behind it.’

³ So Joshua and all the fighting men set out to go up against Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand warriors and sent them out by night ⁴with the command, ‘You shall lie in ambush against the city, behind it; do not go very far from the city, but all of you stay alert. ⁵I and all the people who are with me will approach the city. When they come out against us, as before, we shall flee from them. ⁶They will come out after us until we have drawn them away from the city; for they will say, “They are fleeing from us, as before.” While we flee from them, ⁷you shall rise up from the ambush and seize the city; for the LORD your God will give it into your hand. ⁸And when you have taken the city, you shall set the city on fire, doing as the LORD has ordered; see, I have commanded you.’ ⁹So Joshua sent them out; and they went to the place of ambush, and lay between Bethel and Ai, to the west of Ai; but Joshua spent that night in the camp.a

¹⁰ In the morning Joshua rose early and mustered the people, and went up, with the elders of Israel, before the people to Ai. ¹¹All the fighting men who were with him went up, and drew near before the city, and camped on the north side of Ai, with a ravine between them and Ai. ¹²Taking about five thousand men, he set them in ambush between Bethel and Ai, to the west of the city. ¹³So they stationed the forces, the main encampment that was north of the city and its rearguard west of the city. But Joshua spent that night in the valley. ¹⁴When the king of Ai saw this, he and all his people, the inhabitants of the city, hurried out early in the morning to the meeting-place facing the Arabah to meet Israel in battle; but he did not know that there was an ambush against him behind the city. ¹⁵And Joshua and all Israel made a pretence of being beaten before them, and fled in the direction of the wilderness. ¹⁶So all the people who were in the city were called together to pursue them, and as they pursued Joshua they were drawn away from the city. ¹⁷There was not a man left in Ai or Bethel who did not go out after Israel; they left the city open, and pursued Israel.

¹⁸ Then the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Stretch out the sword that is in your hand towards Ai; for I will give it into your hand.’ And Joshua stretched out the sword that was in his hand towards the city. ¹⁹As soon as he stretched out his hand, the troops in ambush rose quickly out of their place and rushed forward. They entered the city, took it, and at once set the city on fire. ²⁰So when the men of Ai looked back, the smoke of the city was rising to the sky. They had no power to flee this way or that, for the people who fled to the wilderness turned back against the pursuers. ²¹When Joshua and all Israel saw that the ambush had taken the city and that the smoke of the city was rising, then they turned back and struck down the men of Ai. ²²And the others came out from the city against them; so they were surrounded by Israelites, some on one side, and some on the other; and Israel struck them down until no one was left who survived or escaped. ²³But the king of Ai was taken alive and brought to Joshua.

²⁴ When Israel had finished slaughtering all the inhabitants of Ai in the open wilderness where they pursued them, and when all of them to the very last had fallen by the edge of the sword, all Israel returned to Ai, and attacked it with the edge of the sword. ²⁵The total of those who fell that day, both men and women, was twelve thousand—all the people of Ai. ²⁶For Joshua did not draw back his hand, with which he stretched out the sword, until he had utterly destroyed all the inhabitants of Ai. ²⁷Only the livestock and the spoil of that city Israel took as their booty, according to the word of the LORD that he had issued to Joshua. ²⁸So Joshua burned Ai, and made it for ever a heap of ruins, as it is to this day. ²⁹And he hanged the king of Ai on a tree until evening; and at sunset Joshua commanded, and they took his body down from the tree, threw it down at the entrance of the gate of the city, and raised over it a great heap of stones, which stands there to this day.

Joshua Renews the Covenant

³⁰ Then Joshua built on Mount Ebal an altar to the LORD, the God of Israel, ³¹just as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded the Israelites, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, ‘an altar of unhewna stones, on which no iron tool has been used’ and they offered on it burnt-offerings to the LORD, and sacrificed offerings of well-being.³² And there, in the presence of the Israelites, Joshuab wrote on the stones a copy of the law of Moses, which he had written.³³ All Israel, alien as well as citizen, with their elders and officers and their judges, stood on opposite sides of the ark in front of the levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the LORD, half of them in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded at the first, that they should bless the people of Israel.³⁴ And afterwards he read all the words of the law, blessings and curses, according to all that is written in the book of the law.³⁵ There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel, and the women, and the little ones, and the aliens who resided among them.

The Gibeonites Save Themselves by Trickery

9

NOW when all the kings who were beyond the Jordan in the hill country and in the lowland all along the coast of the Great Sea towards Lebanon—the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites—heard of this, ²they gathered together with one accord to fight Joshua and Israel.

³ But when the inhabitants of Gibeon heard what Joshua had done to Jericho and to Ai, ⁴they on their part acted with cunning: they went and prepared provisions,c and took worn-out sacks for their donkeys, and wineskins, worn-out and torn and mended, ⁵with worn-out, patched sandals on their feet, and worn-out clothes; and all their provisions were dry and mouldy. ⁶They went to Joshua in the camp at Gilgal, and said to him and to the Israelites, ‘We have come from a far country; so now make a treaty with us.’ ⁷But the Israelites said to the Hivites, ‘Perhaps you live among us; then how can we make a treaty with you?’ ⁸They said to Joshua, ‘We are your servants.’ And Joshua said to them, ‘Who are you? And where do you come from?’ ⁹They said to him, ‘Your servants have come from a very far country, because of the name of the LORD your God; for we have heard a report of him, of all that he did in Egypt, ¹⁰and of all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, King Sihon of Heshbon, and King Og of Bashan who lived in Ashtaroth. ¹¹So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country said to us, “Take provisions in your hand for the journey; go to meet them, and say to them, ‘We are your servants; come now, make a treaty with us.’” ¹²Here is our bread; it was still warm when we took it from our houses as our food for the journey, on the day we set out to come to you, but now, see, it is dry and mouldy; ¹³these wineskins were new when we filled them, and see, they are burst; and these garments and sandals of ours are worn out from the very long journey.’ ¹⁴So the leadersa partook of their provisions, and did not ask direction from the LORD. ¹⁵And Joshua made peace with them, guaranteeing their lives by a treaty; and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.

¹⁶ But when three days had passed after they had made a treaty with them, they heard that they were their neighbours and were living among them. ¹⁷So the Israelites set out and reached their cities on the third day. Now their cities were Gibeon, Chephirah, Beeroth, and Kiriath-jearim. ¹⁸But the Israelites did not attack them, because the leaders of the congregation had sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel. Then all the congregation murmured against the leaders. ¹⁹But all the leaders said to all the congregation, ‘We have sworn to them by the LORD, the God of Israel, and now we must not touch them. ²⁰This is what we will do to them: We will let them live, so that wrath may not come upon us, because of the oath that we swore to them.’ ²¹The leaders said to them, ‘Let them live.’ So they became hewers of wood and drawers of water for all the congregation, as the leaders had decided concerning them.

²² Joshua summoned them, and said to them, ‘Why did you deceive us, saying, “We are very far from you”, while in fact you are living among us? ²³Now therefore you are cursed, and some of you shall always be slaves, hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.’ ²⁴They answered Joshua, ‘Because it was told to your servants for a certainty that the LORD your God had commanded his servant Moses to give you all the land, and to destroy all the inhabitants of the land before you; so we were in great fear for our lives because of you, and did this thing. ²⁵And now we are in your hand: do as it seems good and right in your sight to do to us.’ ²⁶This is what he did for them: he saved them from the Israelites; and they did not kill them. ²⁷But on that day Joshua made them hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the altar of the LORD, to continue to this day, in the place that he should choose.

The Sun Stands Still

10

WHEN King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem heard how Joshua had taken Ai, and had utterly destroyed it, doing to Ai and its king as he had done to Jericho and its king, and how the inhabitants of Gibeon had made peace with Israel and were among them, ²heb became greatly frightened, because Gibeon was a large city, like one of the royal cities, and was larger than Ai, and all its men were warriors. ³So King Adoni-zedek of Jerusalem sent a message to King Hoham of Hebron, to King Piram of Jarmuth, to King Japhia of Lachish, and to King Debir of Eglon, saying, ⁴‘Come up and help me, and let us attack Gibeon; for it has made peace with Joshua and with the Israelites.’ ⁵Then the five kings of the Amorites—the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon—gathered their forces, and went up with all their armies and encamped against Gibeon, and made war against it.

⁶ And the Gibeonites sent to Joshua at the camp in Gilgal, saying, ‘Do not abandon your servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us; for all the kings of the Amorites who live in the hill country are gathered against us.’ ⁷So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the fighting force with him, all the mighty warriors. ⁸The LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not fear them, for I have handed them over to you; not one of them shall stand before you.’ ⁹So Joshua came upon them suddenly, having marched up all night from Gilgal. ¹⁰And the LORD threw them into a panic before Israel, who inflicted a great slaughter on them at Gibeon, chased them by the way of the ascent of Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. ¹¹As they fled before Israel, while they were going down the slope of Beth-horon, the LORD threw down huge stones from heaven on them as far as Azekah, and they died; there were more who died because of the hailstones than the Israelites killed with the sword.

¹² On the day when the LORD gave the Amorites over to the Israelites, Joshua spoke to the LORD; and he said in the sight of Israel,

‘Sun, stand still at Gibeon,

and Moon, in the valley of Aijalon.’

¹³ And the sun stood still, and the moon stopped,

until the nation took vengeance on their enemies.

Is this not written in the Book of Jashar? The sun stopped in mid-heaven, and did not hurry to set for about a whole day. ¹⁴There has been no day like it before or since, when the LORD heeded a human voice; for the LORD fought for Israel.

¹⁵ Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

Five Kings Defeated

¹⁶ Meanwhile, these five kings fled and hid themselves in the cave at Makkedah. ¹⁷And it was told Joshua, ‘The five kings have been found, hidden in the cave at Makkedah.’ ¹⁸Joshua said, ‘Roll large stones against the mouth of the cave, and set men by it to guard them; ¹⁹but do not stay there yourselves; pursue your enemies, and attack them from the rear. Do not let them enter their towns, for the LORD your God has given them into your hand.’ ²⁰When Joshua and the Israelites had finished inflicting a very great slaughter on them, until they were wiped out, and when the survivors had entered into the fortified towns, ²¹all the people returned safe to Joshua in the camp at Makkedah; no one dared to speaka against any of the Israelites.

²² Then Joshua said, ‘Open the mouth of the cave, and bring those five kings out to me from the cave.’ ²³They did so, and brought the five kings out to him from the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon. ²⁴When they brought the kings out to Joshua, Joshua summoned all the Israelites, and said to the chiefs of the warriors who had gone with him, ‘Come near, put your feet on the necks of these kings.’ Then they came near and put their feet on their necks. ²⁵And Joshua said to them, ‘Do not be afraid or dismayed; be strong and courageous; for thus the LORD will do to all the enemies against whom you fight.’ ²⁶Afterwards Joshua struck them down and put them to death, and he hung them on five trees. And they hung on the trees until evening. ²⁷At sunset Joshua commanded, and they took them down from the trees and threw them into the cave where they had hidden themselves; they set large stones against the mouth of the cave, which remain to this very day.

²⁸ Joshua took Makkedah on that day, and struck it and its king with the edge of the sword; he utterly destroyed every person in it; he left no one remaining. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho.

²⁹ Then Joshua passed on from Makkedah, and all Israel with him, to Libnah, and fought against Libnah. ³⁰The LORD gave it also and its king into the hand of Israel; and he struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it; he left no one remaining in it; and he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho.

³¹ Next Joshua passed on from Libnah, and all Israel with him, to Lachish, and laid siege to it, and assaulted it. ³²The LORD gave Lachish into the hand of Israel, and he took it on the second day, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and every person in it, as he had done to Libnah.

³³ Then King Horam of Gezer came up to help Lachish; and Joshua struck him and his people, leaving him no survivors.

³⁴ From Lachish Joshua passed on with all Israel to Eglon; and they laid siege to it, and assaulted it; ³⁵and they took it that day, and struck it with the edge of the sword; and every person in it he utterly destroyed that day, as he had done to Lachish.

³⁶ Then Joshua went up with all Israel from Eglon to Hebron; they assaulted it, ³⁷and took it, and struck it with the edge of the sword, and its king and its towns, and every person in it; he left no one remaining, just as he had done to Eglon, and utterly destroyed it with every person in it.

³⁸ Then Joshua, with all Israel, turned back to Debir and assaulted it, ³⁹and he took it with its king and all its towns; they struck them with the edge of the sword, and utterly destroyed every person in it; he left no one remaining, just as he had done to Hebron, and, as he had done to Libnah and its king, so he did to Debir and its king.

⁴⁰ So Joshua defeated the whole land, the hill country and the Negeb and the lowland and the slopes, and all their kings; he left no one remaining, but utterly destroyed all that breathed, as the LORD God of Israel commanded. ⁴¹And Joshua defeated them from Kadesh-barnea to Gaza, and all the country of Goshen, as far as Gibeon. ⁴²Joshua took all these kings and their land at one time, because the LORD God of Israel fought for Israel. ⁴³Then Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, to the camp at Gilgal.

The United Kings of Northern Canaan Defeated

11

WHEN King Jabin of Hazor heard of this, he sent to King Jobab of Madon, to the king of Shimron, to the king of Achshaph, ²and to the kings who were in the northern hill country, and in the Arabah south of Chinneroth, and in the lowland, and in Naphoth-dor on the west, ³to the Canaanites in the east and the west, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, and the Jebusites in the hill country, and the Hivites under Hermon in the land of Mizpah. ⁴They came out, with all their troops, a great army, in number like the sand on the seashore, with very many horses and chariots. ⁵All these kings joined their forces, and came and camped together at the waters of Merom, to fight with Israel.

⁶ And the LORD said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them, for tomorrow at this time I will hand over all of them, slain, to Israel; you shall hamstring their horses, and burn their chariots with fire.’ ⁷So Joshua came suddenly upon them with all his fighting force, by the waters of Merom, and fell upon them. ⁸And the LORD handed them over to Israel, who attacked them and chased them as far as Great Sidon and Misrephoth-maim, and eastwards as far as the valley of Mizpeh. They struck them down, until they had left no one remaining. ⁹And Joshua did to them as the LORD commanded him; he hamstrung their horses, and burned their chariots with fire.

¹⁰ Joshua turned back at that time, and took Hazor, and struck its king down with the sword. Before that time Hazor was the head of all those kingdoms. ¹¹And they put to the sword all who were in it, utterly destroying them; there was no one left who breathed, and he burned Hazor with fire. ¹²And all the towns of those kings, and all their kings, Joshua took, and struck them with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them, as Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded. ¹³But Israel burned none of the towns that stood on mounds except Hazor, which Joshua did burn. ¹⁴All the spoil of these towns, and the livestock, the Israelites took for their booty; but all the people they struck down with the edge of the sword, until they had destroyed them, and they did not leave any who breathed. ¹⁵As the LORD had commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and so Joshua did; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.

Summary of Joshua’s Conquests

¹⁶ So Joshua took all that land: the hill country and all the Negeb and all the land of Goshen and the lowland and the Arabah and the hill country of Israel and its lowland, ¹⁷from Mount Halak, which rises towards Seir, as far as Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon below Mount Hermon. He took all their kings, struck them down, and put them to death. ¹⁸Joshua made war a long time with all those kings. ¹⁹There was not a town that made peace with the Israelites, except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon; all were taken in battle. ²⁰For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts so that they would come against Israel in battle, in order that they might be utterly destroyed, and might receive no mercy, but be exterminated, just as the LORD had commanded Moses.

²¹ At that time Joshua came and wiped out the Anakim from the hill country, from Hebron, from Debir, from Anab, and from all the hill country of Judah, and from all the hill country of Israel; Joshua utterly destroyed them with their towns. ²²None of the Anakim was left in the land of the Israelites; some remained only in Gaza, in Gath, and in Ashdod. ²³So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses; and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their tribal allotments. And the land had rest from war.

The Kings Conquered by Moses

12

NOW these are the kings of the land, whom the Israelites defeated, whose land they occupied beyond the Jordan towards the east, from the Wadi Arnon to Mount Hermon, with all the Arabah eastwards: ²King Sihon of the Amorites who lived at Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, and from the middle of the valley as far as the river Jabbok, the boundary of the Ammonites, that is, half of Gilead, ³and the Arabah to the Sea of Chinneroth eastwards, and in the direction of Beth-jeshimoth, to the sea of the Arabah, the Dead Sea,a southwards to the foot of the slopes of Pisgah; ⁴and King Ogb of Bashan, one of the last of the Rephaim, who lived at Ashtaroth and at Edrei ⁵and ruled over Mount Hermon and Salecah and all Bashan to the boundary of the Geshurites and the Maacathites, and over half of Gilead to the boundary of King Sihon of Heshbon. ⁶Moses, the servant of the LORD, and the Israelites defeated them; and Moses the servant of the LORD gave their land for a possession to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

The Kings Conquered by Joshua

⁷ The following are the kings of the land whom Joshua and the Israelites defeated on the west side of the Jordan, from Baal-gad in the valley of Lebanon to Mount Halak, that rises towards Seir (and Joshua gave their land to the tribes of Israel as a possession according to their allotments, ⁸in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Arabah, in the slopes, in the wilderness, and in the Negeb, the land of the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites):

⁹ the king of Jericho one

the king of Ai, which is next to Bethel one

¹⁰ the king of Jerusalem one

the king of Hebron one

¹¹ the king of Jarmuth one

the king of Lachish one

¹² the king of Eglon one

the king of Gezer one

¹³ the king of Debir one

the king of Geder one

¹⁴ the king of Hormah one

the king of Arad one

¹⁵ the king of Libnah one

the king of Adullam one

¹⁶ the king of Makkedah one

the king of Bethel one

¹⁷ the king of Tappuah one

the king of Hepher one

¹⁸ the king of Aphek one

the king of Lasharon one

¹⁹ the king of Madon one

the king of Hazor one

²⁰ the king of Shimron-meron one

the king of Achshaph one

²¹ the king of Taanach one

the king of Megiddo one

²² the king of Kedesh one

the king of Jokneam in Carmel one

²³ the king of Dor in Naphath-dor one

the king of Goiim in Galilee,a one

²⁴ the king of Tirzah one

thirty-one kings in all.

The Parts of Canaan Still Unconquered

13

NOW Joshua was old and advanced in years; and the LORD said to him, ‘You are old and advanced in years, and very much of the land still remains to be possessed. ²This is the land that still remains: all the regions of the Philistines, and all those of the Geshurites ³(from the Shihor, which is east of Egypt, northwards to the boundary of Ekron, it is reckoned as Canaanite; there are five rulers of the Philistines, those of Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath, and Ekron), and those of the Avvim ⁴in the south; all the land of the Canaanites, and Mearah that belongs to the Sidonians, to Aphek, to the boundary of the Amorites, ⁵and the land of the Gebalites, and all Lebanon, towards the east, from Baal-gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo-hamath, ⁶all the inhabitants of the hill country from Lebanon to Misrephoth-maim, even all the Sidonians. I will myself drive them out from before the Israelites; only allot the land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have commanded you. ⁷Now therefore divide this land for an inheritance to the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh.’

The Territory East of the Jordan

⁸ With the other half-tribe of Manasseh,b the Reubenites and the Gadites received their inheritance, which Moses gave them, beyond the Jordan eastwards, as Moses the servant of the LORD gave them: ⁹from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, and the town that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland fromc Medeba as far as Dibon;¹⁰ and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, as far as the boundary of the Ammonites;¹¹ and Gilead, and the region of the Geshurites and Maacathites, and all Mount Hermon, and all Bashan to Salecah; ¹²all the kingdom of Og in Bashan, who reigned in Ashtaroth and in Edrei (he alone was left of the survivors of the Rephaim); these Moses had defeated and driven out. ¹³Yet the Israelites did not drive out the Geshurites or the Maacathites; but Geshur and Maacath live within Israel to this day.

¹⁴ To the tribe of Levi alone Moses gave no inheritance; the offerings by fire to the LORD God of Israel are their inheritance, as he said to them.

The Territory of Reuben

¹⁵ Moses gave an inheritance to the tribe of the Reubenites according to their clans. ¹⁶Their territory was from Aroer, which is on the edge of the Wadi Arnon, and the town that is in the middle of the valley, and all the tableland by Medeba; ¹⁷with Heshbon, and all its towns that are in the tableland; Dibon, and Bamoth-baal, and Beth-baal-meon, ¹⁸and Jahaz, and Kedemoth, and Mephaath, ¹⁹and Kiriathaim, and Sibmah, and Zereth-shahar on the hill of the valley, ²⁰and Beth-peor, and the slopes of Pisgah, and Beth-jeshimoth, ²¹that is, all the towns of the tableland, and all the kingdom of King Sihon of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses defeated with the leaders of Midian, Evi and Rekem and Zur and Hur and Reba, as princes of Sihon, who lived in the land. ²²Along with the rest of those they put to death, the Israelites also put to the sword Balaam son of Beor, who practised divination. ²³And the border of the Reubenites was the Jordan and its banks. This was the inheritance of the Reubenites according to their families, with their towns and villages.

The Territory of Gad

²⁴ Moses gave an inheritance also to the tribe of the Gadites, according to their families. ²⁵Their territory was Jazer, and all the towns of Gilead, and half the land of the Ammonites, to Aroer, which is east of Rabbah, ²⁶and from Heshbon to Ramath-mizpeh and Betonim, and from Mahanaim to the territory of Debir,a ²⁷and in the valley Beth-haram, Beth-nimrah, Succoth, and Zaphon, the rest of the kingdom of King Sihon of Heshbon, the Jordan and its banks, as far as the lower end of the Sea of Chinnereth, eastwards beyond the Jordan. ²⁸This is the inheritance of the Gadites according to their clans, with their towns and villages.

The Territory of the Half-Tribe of Manasseh (East)

²⁹ Moses gave an inheritance to the half-tribe of Manasseh; it was allotted to the half-tribe of the Manassites according to their families. ³⁰Their territory extended from Mahanaim, through all Bashan, the whole kingdom of King Og of Bashan, and all the settlements of Jair, which are in Bashan, sixty towns, ³¹and half of Gilead, and Ashtaroth, and Edrei, the towns of the kingdom of Og in Bashan; these were allotted to the people of Machir son of Manasseh according to their clans—for half the Machirites.

³² These are the inheritances that Moses distributed in the plains of Moab, beyond the Jordan east of Jericho. ³³But to the tribe of Levi Moses gave no inheritance; the LORD God of Israel is their inheritance, as he said to them.

The Distribution of Territory West of the Jordan

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THESE are the inheritances that the Israelites received in the land of Canaan, which the priest Eleazar, and Joshua son of Nun, and the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites distributed to them. ²Their inheritance was by lot, as the LORD had commanded Moses for the nine and a half tribes. ³For Moses had given an inheritance to the two and a half tribes beyond the Jordan; but to the Levites he gave no inheritance among them. ⁴For the people of Joseph were two tribes, Manasseh and Ephraim; and no portion was given to the Levites in the land, but only towns to live in, with their pasture lands for their flocks and herds. ⁵The Israelites did as the LORD commanded Moses; they allotted the land.

Hebron Allotted to Caleb

⁶ Then the people of Judah came to Joshua at Gilgal; and Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite said to him, ‘You know what the LORD said to Moses the man of God in Kadesh-barnea concerning you and me. ⁷I was forty years old when Moses the servant of the LORD sent me from Kadesh-barnea to spy out the land; and I brought him an honest report. ⁸But my companions who went up with me made the heart of the people fail; yet I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God. ⁹And Moses swore on that day, saying, “Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children for ever, because you have wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God.” ¹⁰And now, as you see, the LORD has kept me alive, as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the LORD spoke this word to Moses, while Israel was journeying through the wilderness; and here I am today, eighty-five years old. ¹¹I am still as strong today as I was on the day that Moses sent me; my strength now is as my strength was then, for war, and for going and coming. ¹²So now give me this hill country of which the LORD spoke on that day; for you heard on that day how the Anakim were there, with great fortified cities; it may be that the LORD will be with me, and I shall drive them out, as the LORD said.’

¹³ Then Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb son of Jephunneh for an inheritance. ¹⁴So Hebron became the inheritance of Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite to this day, because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁵Now the name of Hebron formerly was Kiriath-arba;a this Arba wasb the greatest man among the Anakim. And the land had rest from war.

The Territory of Judah

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THE lot for the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families reached southwards to the boundary of Edom, to the wilderness of Zin at the farthest south. ²And their southern boundary ran from the end of the Dead Sea,c from the bay that faces southwards; ³it goes out southwards of the ascent of Akrabbim, passes along to Zin, and goes up south of Kadesh-barnea, along by Hezron, up to Addar, makes a turn to Karka, ⁴passes along to Azmon, goes out by the Wadi of Egypt, and comes to its end at the sea. This shall be your southern boundary. ⁵And the eastern boundary is the Dead Sea,c to the mouth of the Jordan. And the boundary on the north side runs from the bay of the sea at the mouth of the Jordan; ⁶and the boundary goes up to Beth-hoglah, and passes along north of Beth-arabah; and the boundary goes up to the Stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son; ⁷and the boundary goes up to Debir from the Valley of Achor, and so northwards, turning towards Gilgal, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the valley; and the boundary passes along to the waters of En-shemesh, and ends at En-rogel; ⁸then the boundary goes up by the valley of the son of Hinnom at the southern slope of the Jebusites (that is, Jerusalem); and the boundary goes up to the top of the mountain that lies over against the valley of Hinnom, on the west, at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim; ⁹then the boundary extends from the top of the mountain to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah, and from there to the towns of Mount Ephron; then the boundary bends around to Baalah (that is, Kiriath-jearim); ¹⁰and the boundary circles west of Baalah to Mount Seir, passes along to the northern slope of Mount Jearim (that is, Chesalon), and goes down to Beth-shemesh, and passes along by Timnah; ¹¹the boundary goes out to the slope of the hill north of Ekron, then the boundary bends around to Shikkeron, and passes along to Mount Baalah, and goes out to Jabneel; then the boundary comes to an end at the sea. ¹²And the western boundary was the Mediterranean with its coast. This is the boundary surrounding the people of Judah according to their families.

Caleb Occupies His Portion

¹³ According to the commandment of the LORD to Joshua, he gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh a portion among the people of Judah, Kiriath-arba,a that is, Hebron (Arba was the father of Anak). ¹⁴And Caleb drove out from there the three sons of Anak: Sheshai, Ahiman, and Talmai, the descendants of Anak. ¹⁵From there he went up against the inhabitants of Debir; now the name of Debir formerly was Kiriath-sepher. ¹⁶And Caleb said, ‘Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it, to him I will give my daughter Achsah as wife.’ ¹⁷Othniel son of Kenaz, the brother of Caleb, took it; and he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife. ¹⁸When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb said to her, ‘What do you want?’ ¹⁹She said to him, ‘Give me a present; since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me springs of water as well.’ So Caleb gave her the upper springs and the lower springs.

The Towns of Judah

²⁰ This is the inheritance of the tribe of the people of Judah according to their families. ²¹The towns belonging to the tribe of the people of Judah in the extreme south, towards the boundary of Edom, were Kabzeel, Eder, Jagur, ²²Kinah, Dimonah, Adadah, ²³Kedesh, Hazor, Ithnan, ²⁴Ziph, Telem, Bealoth, ²⁵Hazor-hadattah, Kerioth-hezron (that is, Hazor), ²⁶Amam, Shema, Moladah, ²⁷Hazar-gaddah, Heshmon, Beth-pelet, ²⁸Hazar-shual, Beer-sheba, Biziothiah, ²⁹Baalah, Iim, Ezem, ³⁰Eltolad, Chesil, Hormah, ³¹Ziklag, Madmannah, Sansannah, ³²Lebaoth, Shilhim, Ain, and Rimmon: in all, twenty-nine towns, with their villages.

³³ And in the lowlands, Eshtaol, Zorah, Ashnah, ³⁴Zanoah, En-gannim, Tappuah, Enam, ³⁵Jarmuth, Adullam, Socoh, Azekah, ³⁶Shaaraim, Adithaim, Gederah, Gederothaim: fourteen towns with their villages.

³⁷ Zenan, Hadashah, Migdal-gad, ³⁸Dilan, Mizpeh, Jokthe-el, ³⁹Lachish, Bozkath, Eglon, ⁴⁰Cabbon, Lahmam, Chitlish, ⁴¹Gederoth, Beth-dagon, Naamah, and Makkedah: sixteen towns with their villages.

⁴² Libnah, Ether, Ashan, ⁴³Iphtah, Ashnah, Nezib, ⁴⁴Keilah, Achzib, and Mareshah: nine towns with their villages.

⁴⁵ Ekron, with its dependencies and its villages; ⁴⁶from Ekron to the sea, all that were near Ashdod, with their villages.

⁴⁷ Ashdod, its towns and its villages; Gaza, its towns and its villages; to the Wadi of Egypt, and the Great Sea with its coast.

⁴⁸ And in the hill country, Shamir, Jattir, Socoh, ⁴⁹Dannah, Kiriath-sannah (that is, Debir), ⁵⁰Anab, Eshtemoh, Anim, ⁵¹Goshen, Holon, and Giloh: eleven towns with their villages.

⁵² Arab, Dumah, Eshan, ⁵³Janim, Beth-tappuah, Aphekah, ⁵⁴Humtah, Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron), and Zior: nine towns with their villages.

⁵⁵ Maon, Carmel, Ziph, Juttah, ⁵⁶Jezreel, Jokdeam, Zanoah, ⁵⁷Kain, Gibeah, and Timnah: ten towns with their villages.

⁵⁸ Halhul, Beth-zur, Gedor, ⁵⁹Maarath, Beth-anoth, and Eltekon: six towns with their villages.

⁶⁰ Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim) and Rabbah: two towns with their villages.

⁶¹ In the wilderness, Beth-arabah, Middin, Secacah, ⁶²Nibshan, the City of Salt, and En-gedi: six towns with their villages.

⁶³ But the people of Judah could not drive out the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem; so the Jebusites live with the people of Judah in Jerusalem to this day.

The Territory of Ephraim

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THE allotment of the Josephites went from the Jordan by Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, into the wilderness, going up from Jericho into the hill country to Bethel; ²then going from Bethel to Luz, it passes along to Ataroth, the territory of the Archites; ³then it goes down westwards to the territory of the Japhletites, as far as the territory of Lower Beth-horon, then to Gezer, and it ends at the sea.

⁴ The Josephites—Manasseh and Ephraim—received their inheritance.

⁵ The territory of the Ephraimites by their families was as follows: the boundary of their inheritance on the east was Ataroth-addar as far as Upper Beth-horon, ⁶and the boundary goes from there to the sea; on the north is Michmethath; then on the east the boundary makes a turn towards Taanath-shiloh, and passes along beyond it on the east to Janoah, ⁷then it goes down from Janoah to Ataroth and to Naarah, and touches Jericho, ending at the Jordan. ⁸From Tappuah the boundary goes westwards to the Wadi Kanah, and ends at the sea. Such is the inheritance of the tribe of the Ephraimites by their families, ⁹together with the towns that were set apart for the Ephraimites within the inheritance of the Manassites, all those towns with their villages. ¹⁰They did not, however, drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer: so the Canaanites have lived within Ephraim to this day but have been made to do forced labour.

The Other Half-Tribe of Manasseh (West)

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THEN allotment was made to the tribe of Manasseh, for he was the firstborn of Joseph. To Machir the firstborn of Manasseh, the father of Gilead, were allotted Gilead and Bashan, because he was a warrior. ²And allotments were made to the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, by their families, Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher, and Shemida; these were the male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph, by their families.

³ Now Zelophehad son of Hepher son of Gilead son of Machir son of Manasseh had no sons, but only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah, and Tirzah. ⁴They came before the priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun and the leaders, and said, ‘The LORD commanded Moses to give us an inheritance along with our male kin.’ So according to the commandment of the LORD he gave them an inheritance among the kinsmen of their father. ⁵Thus there fell to Manasseh ten portions, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is on the other side of the Jordan, ⁶because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance along with his sons. The land of Gilead was allotted to the rest of the Manassites.

⁷ The territory of Manasseh reached from Asher to Michmethath, which is east of Shechem; then the boundary goes along southwards to the inhabitants of Entappuah. ⁸The land of Tappuah belonged to Manasseh, but the town of Tappuah on the boundary of Manasseh belonged to the Ephraimites. ⁹Then the boundary went down to the Wadi Kanah. The towns here, to the south of the wadi, among the towns of Manasseh, belong to Ephraim. Then the boundary of Manasseh goes along the north side of the wadi and ends at the sea. ¹⁰The land to the south is Ephraim’s and that to the north is Manasseh’s, with the sea forming its boundary; on the north Asher is reached, and on the east Issachar. ¹¹Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh had Beth-shean and its villages, Ibleam and its villages, the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, the inhabitants of En-dor and its villages, the inhabitants of Taanach and its villages, and the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages (the third is Naphath).a ¹²Yet the Manassites could not take possession of those towns; but the Canaanites continued to live in that land. ¹³But when the Israelites grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labour, but did not utterly drive them out.

The Tribe of Joseph Protests

¹⁴ The tribe of Joseph spoke to Joshua, saying, ‘Why have you given me but one lot and one portion as an inheritance, since we are a numerous people, whom all along the LORD has blessed?’ ¹⁵And Joshua said to them, ‘If you are a numerous people, go up to the forest, and clear ground there for yourselves in the land of the Perizzites and the Rephaim, since the hill country of Ephraim is too narrow for you.’ ¹⁶The tribe of Joseph said, ‘The hill country is not enough for us; yet all the Canaanites who live in the plain have chariots of iron, both those in Beth-shean and its villages and those in the Valley of Jezreel.’ ¹⁷Then Joshua said to the house of Joseph, to Ephraim and Manasseh, ‘You are indeed a numerous people, and have great power; you shall not have one lot only, ¹⁸but the hill country shall be yours, for though it is a forest, you shall clear it and possess it to its farthest borders; for you shall drive out the Canaanites, though they have chariots of iron, and though they are strong.’

The Territories of the Remaining Tribes

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THEN the whole congregation of the Israelites assembled at Shiloh, and set up the tent of meeting there. The land lay subdued before them.

² There remained among the Israelites seven tribes whose inheritance had not yet been apportioned. ³So Joshua said to the Israelites, ‘How long will you be slack about going in and taking possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your ancestors, has given you? ⁴Provide three men from each tribe, and I will send them out that they may begin to go throughout the land, writing a description of it with a view to their inheritances. Then come back to me. ⁵They shall divide it into seven portions, Judah continuing in its territory on the south, and the house of Joseph in their territory on the north. ⁶You shall describe the land in seven divisions and bring the description here to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD our God. ⁷The Levites have no portion among you, for the priesthood of the LORD is their heritage; and Gad and Reuben and the half-tribe of Manasseh have received their inheritance beyond the Jordan eastwards, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave them.’

⁸ So the men started on their way; and Joshua charged those who went to write the description of the land, saying, ‘Go throughout the land and write a description of it, and come back to me; and I will cast lots for you here before the LORD in Shiloh.’ ⁹So the men went and traversed the land and set down in a book a description of it by towns in seven divisions; then they came back to Joshua in the camp at Shiloh, ¹⁰and Joshua cast lots for them in Shiloh before the LORD; and there Joshua apportioned the land to the Israelites, to each a portion.

The Territory of Benjamin

¹¹ The lot of the tribe of Benjamin according to its families came up, and the territory allotted to it fell between the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Joseph. ¹²On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan; then the boundary goes up to the slope of Jericho on the north, then up through the hill country westwards; and it ends at the wilderness of Beth-aven. ¹³From there the boundary passes along southwards in the direction of Luz, to the slope of Luz (that is, Bethel), then the boundary goes down to Ataroth-addar, on the mountain that lies south of Lower Beth-horon. ¹⁴Then the boundary goes in another direction, turning on the western side southwards from the mountain that lies to the south, opposite Beth-horon, and it ends at Kiriath-baal (that is, Kiriath-jearim), a town belonging to the tribe of Judah. This forms the western side. ¹⁵The southern side begins at the outskirts of Kiriath-jearim; and the boundary goes from there to Ephron,a to the spring of the Waters of Nephtoah; ¹⁶then the boundary goes down to the border of the mountain that overlooks the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is at the northern end of the valley of Rephaim; and it then goes down the valley of Hinnom, south of the slope of the Jebusites, and downwards to En-rogel; ¹⁷then it bends in a northerly direction going on to En-shemesh, and from there goes to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim; then it goes down to the Stone of Bohan, Reuben’s son; ¹⁸and passing on to the north of the slope of Beth-arabahb it goes down to the Arabah; ¹⁹then the boundary passes on to the north of the slope of Beth-hoglah; and the boundary ends at the northern bay of the Dead Sea,c at the south end of the Jordan: this is the southern border. ²⁰The Jordan forms its boundary on the eastern side. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin, according to its families, boundary by boundary all round.

²¹ Now the towns of the tribe of Benjamin according to their families were Jericho, Beth-hoglah, Emek-keziz, ²²Beth-arabah, Zemaraim, Bethel, ²³Avvim, Parah, Ophrah, ²⁴Chephar-ammoni, Ophni, and Geba—twelve towns with their villages: ²⁵Gibeon, Ramah, Beeroth, ²⁶Mizpeh, Chephirah, Mozah, ²⁷Rekem, Irpeel, Taralah, ²⁸Zela, Haeleph, Jebusd (that is, Jerusalem), Gibeah,a and Kiriath-jearimb—fourteen towns with their villages. This is the inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin according to its families.

The Territory of Simeon

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THE second lot came out for Simeon, for the tribe of Simeon, according to its families; its inheritance lay within the inheritance of the tribe of Judah. ²It had for its inheritance Beer-sheba, Sheba, Moladah, ³Hazar-shual, Balah, Ezem, ⁴Eltolad, Bethul, Hormah, ⁵Ziklag, Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susah, ⁶Beth-lebaoth, and Sharuhen—thirteen towns with their villages; ⁷Ain, Rimmon, Ether, and Ashan—four towns with their villages; ⁸together with all the villages all around these towns as far as Baalath-beer, Ramah of the Negeb. This was the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon according to its families. ⁹The inheritance of the tribe of Simeon formed part of the territory of Judah; because the portion of the tribe of Judah was too large for them, the tribe of Simeon obtained an inheritance within their inheritance.

The Territory of Zebulun

¹⁰ The third lot came up for the tribe of Zebulun, according to its families. The boundary of its inheritance reached as far as Sarid; ¹¹then its boundary goes up westwards, and on to Maralah, and touches Dabbesheth, then the wadi that is east of Jokneam; ¹²from Sarid it goes in the other direction eastwards towards the sunrise to the boundary of Chisloth-tabor; from there it goes to Daberath, then up to Japhia; ¹³from there it passes along on the east towards the sunrise to Gath-hepher, to Ethkazin, and going on to Rimmon it bends towards Neah; ¹⁴then on the north the boundary makes a turn to Hannathon, and it ends at the valley of Iphtah-el; ¹⁵and Kattath, Nahalal, Shimron, Idalah, and Bethlehem—twelve towns with their villages. ¹⁶This is the inheritance of the tribe of Zebulun, according to its families—these towns with their villages.

The Territory of Issachar

¹⁷ The fourth lot came out for Issachar, for the tribe of Issachar, according to its families. ¹⁸Its territory included Jezreel, Chesulloth, Shunem, ¹⁹Hapharaim, Shion, Anaharath, ²⁰Rabbith, Kishion, Ebez, ²¹Remeth, En-gannim, En-haddah, Bethpazzez; ²²the boundary also touches Tabor, Shahazumah, and Beth-shemesh, and its boundary ends at the Jordan—sixteen towns with their villages. ²³This is the inheritance of the tribe of Issachar, according to its families—the towns with their villages.

The Territory of Asher

²⁴ The fifth lot came out for the tribe of Asher according to its families. ²⁵Its boundary included Helkath, Hali, Beten, Achshaph, ²⁶Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal; on the west it touches Carmel and Shihor-libnath, ²⁷then it turns eastwards, goes to Beth-dagon, and touches Zebulun and the valley of Iphtah-el northwards to Beth-emek and Neiel; then it continues in the north to Cabul, ²⁸Ebron, Rehob, Hammon, Kanah, as far as Great Sidon; ²⁹then the boundary turns to Ramah, reaching to the fortified city of Tyre; then the boundary turns to Hosah, and it ends at the sea; Mahalab,a Achzib, ³⁰Ummah, Aphek, and Rehob—twenty-two towns with their villages. ³¹This is the inheritance of the tribe of Asher according to its families—these towns with their villages.

The Territory of Naphtali

³² The sixth lot came out for the tribe of Naphtali, for the tribe of Naphtali, according to its families. ³³And its boundary ran from Heleph, from the oak in Zaanannim, and Adami-nekeb, and Jabneel, as far as Lakkum; and it ended at the Jordan; ³⁴then the boundary turns westwards to Aznoth-tabor, and goes from there to Hukkok, touching Zebulun at the south, and Asher on the west, and Judah on the east at the Jordan. ³⁵The fortified towns are Ziddim, Zer, Hammath, Rakkath, Chinnereth, ³⁶Adamah, Ramah, Hazor, ³⁷Kedesh, Edrei, En-hazor, ³⁸Iron, Migdal-el, Horem, Beth-anath, and Beth-shemesh—nineteen towns with their villages. ³⁹This is the inheritance of the tribe of Naphtali according to its families—the towns with their villages.

The Territory of Dan

⁴⁰ The seventh lot came out for the tribe of Dan, according to its families. ⁴¹The territory of its inheritance included Zorah, Eshtaol, Ir-shemesh, ⁴²Shaalabbin, Aijalon, Ithlah, ⁴³Elon, Timnah, Ekron, ⁴⁴Eltekeh, Gibbethon, Baalath, ⁴⁵Jehud, Beneberak, Gath-rimmon, ⁴⁶Me-jarkon, and Rakkon at the border opposite Joppa. ⁴⁷When the territory of the Danites was lost to them, the Danites went up and fought against Leshem, and after capturing it and putting it to the sword, they took possession of it and settled in it, calling Leshem, Dan, after their ancestor Dan. ⁴⁸This is the inheritance of the tribe of Dan, according to their families—these towns with their villages.

Joshua’s Inheritance

⁴⁹ When they had finished distributing the several territories of the land as inheritances, the Israelites gave an inheritance among them to Joshua son of Nun. ⁵⁰By command of the LORD they gave him the town that he asked for, Timnath-serah in the hill country of Ephraim; he rebuilt the town, and settled in it.

⁵¹ These are the inheritances that the priest Eleazar and Joshua son of Nun and the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites distributed by lot at Shiloh before the LORD, at the entrance of the tent of meeting. So they finished dividing the land.

The Cities of Refuge

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THEN the LORD spoke to Joshua, saying, ²‘Say to the Israelites, “Appoint the cities of refuge, of which I spoke to you through Moses, ³so that anyone who kills a person without intent or by mistake may flee there; they shall be for you a refuge from the avenger of blood. ⁴The slayer shall flee to one of these cities and shall stand at the entrance of the gate of the city, and explain the case to the elders of that city; then the fugitive shall be taken into the city, and given a place, and shall remain with them. ⁵And if the avenger of blood is in pursuit, they shall not give up the slayer, because the neighbour was killed by mistake, there having been no enmity between them before. ⁶The slayer shall remain in that city until there is a trial before the congregation, until the death of the one who is high priest at the time: then the slayer may return home, to the town in which the deed was done.”’

⁷ So they set apart Kedesh in Galilee in the hill country of Naphtali, and Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and Kiriath-arba (that is, Hebron) in the hill country of Judah. ⁸And beyond the Jordan east of Jericho, they appointed Bezer in the wilderness on the tableland, from the tribe of Reuben, and Ramoth in Gilead, from the tribe of Gad, and Golan in Bashan, from the tribe of Manasseh. ⁹These were the cities designated for all the Israelites, and for the aliens residing among them, that anyone who killed a person without intent could flee there, so as not to die by the hand of the avenger of blood, until there was a trial before the congregation.

Cities Allotted to the Levites

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THEN the heads of the families of the Levites came to the priest Eleazar and to Joshua son of Nun and to the heads of the families of the tribes of the Israelites; ²they said to them at Shiloh in the land of Canaan, ‘The LORD commanded through Moses that we be given towns to live in, along with their pasture lands for our livestock.’ ³So by command of the LORD the Israelites gave to the Levites the following towns and pasture lands out of their inheritance.

⁴ The lot came out for the families of the Kohathites. So those Levites who were descendants of Aaron the priest received by lot thirteen towns from the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin.

⁵ The rest of the Kohathites received by lot ten towns from the families of the tribe of Ephraim, from the tribe of Dan, and the half-tribe of Manasseh.

⁶ The Gershonites received by lot thirteen towns from the families of the tribe of Issachar, from the tribe of Asher, from the tribe of Naphtali, and from the half-tribe of Manasseh in Bashan.

⁷ The Merarites according to their families received twelve towns from the tribe of Reuben, the tribe of Gad, and the tribe of Zebulun.

⁸ These towns and their pasture lands the Israelites gave by lot to the Levites, as the LORD had commanded through Moses.

⁹ Out of the tribe of Judah and the tribe of Simeon they gave the following towns mentioned by name, ¹⁰which went to the descendants of Aaron, one of the families of the Kohathites who belonged to the Levites, since the lot fell to them first. ¹¹They gave them Kiriath-arba (Arba being the father of Anak), that is Hebron, in the hill country of Judah, along with the pasture lands around it. ¹²But the fields of the town and its villages had been given to Caleb son of Jephunneh as his holding.

¹³ To the descendants of Aaron the priest they gave Hebron, the city of refuge for the slayer, with its pasture lands, Libnah with its pasture lands, ¹⁴Jattir with its pasture lands, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, ¹⁵Holon with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, ¹⁶Ain with its pasture lands, Juttah with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands—nine towns out of these two tribes. ¹⁷Out of the tribe of Benjamin: Gibeon with its pasture lands, Geba with its pasture lands, ¹⁸Anathoth with its pasture lands, and Almon with its pasture lands—four towns. ¹⁹The towns of the descendants of Aaron—the priests—were thirteen in all, with their pasture lands.

²⁰ As to the rest of the Kohathites belonging to the Kohathite families of the Levites, the towns allotted to them were out of the tribe of Ephraim. ²¹To them were given Shechem, the city of refuge for the slayer, with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasture lands, ²²Kibzaim with its pasture lands, and Beth-horon with its pasture lands—four towns. ²³Out of the tribe of Dan: Elteke with its pasture lands, Gibbethon with its pasture lands, ²⁴Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands—four towns. ²⁵Out of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Taanach with its pasture lands, and Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands—two towns. ²⁶The towns of the families of the rest of the Kohathites were ten in all, with their pasture lands.

²⁷ To the Gershonites, one of the families of the Levites, were given out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the slayer, and Beeshterah with its pasture lands—two towns. ²⁸Out of the tribe of Issachar: Kishion with its pasture lands, Daberath with its pasture lands, ²⁹Jarmuth with its pasture lands, En-gannim with its pasture lands—four towns. ³⁰Out of the tribe of Asher: Mishal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, ³¹Helkath with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands—four towns. ³²Out of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the slayer, Hammoth-dor with its pasture lands, and Kartan with its pasture lands—three towns. ³³The towns of the several families of the Gershonites were in all thirteen, with their pasture lands.

³⁴ To the rest of the Levites—the Merarite families—were given out of the tribe of Zebulun: Jokneam with its pasture lands, Kartah with its pasture lands, ³⁵Dimnah with its pasture lands, Nahalal with its pasture lands—four towns. ³⁶Out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands, ³⁷Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands—four towns. ³⁸Out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, the city of refuge for the slayer, Mahanaim with its pasture lands, ³⁹Heshbon with its pasture lands, Jazer with its pasture lands—four towns in all. ⁴⁰As for the towns of the several Merarite families, that is, the remainder of the families of the Levites, those allotted to them were twelve in all.

⁴¹ The towns of the Levites within the holdings of the Israelites were in all forty-eight towns with their pasture lands. ⁴²Each of these towns had its pasture lands around it; so it was with all these towns.

⁴³ Thus the LORD gave to Israel all the land that he swore to their ancestors that he would give them; and having taken possession of it, they settled there. ⁴⁴And the LORD gave them rest on every side just as he had sworn to their ancestors; not one of all their enemies had withstood them, for the LORD had given all their enemies into their hands. ⁴⁵Not one of all the good promises that the LORD had made to the house of Israel had failed; all came to pass.

The Eastern Tribes Return to Their Territory

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THEN Joshua summoned the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, ²and said to them, ‘You have observed all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, and have obeyed me in all that I have commanded you; ³you have not forsaken your kindred these many days, down to this day, but have been careful to keep the charge of the LORD your God. ⁴And now the LORD your God has given rest to your kindred, as he promised them; therefore turn and go to your tents in the land where your possession lies, which Moses the servant of the LORD gave you on the other side of the Jordan. ⁵Take good care to observe the commandment and instruction that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded you, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to keep his commandments, and to hold fast to him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.’ ⁶So Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their tents.

⁷ Now to one half of the tribe of Manasseh Moses had given a possession in Bashan; but to the other half Joshua had given a possession beside their fellow-Israelites in the land west of the Jordan. And when Joshua sent them away to their tents and blessed them, ⁸he said to them, ‘Go back to your tents with much wealth, and with very much livestock, with silver, gold, bronze, and iron, and with a great quantity of clothing; divide the spoil of your enemies with your kindred.’ ⁹So the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh returned home, parting from the Israelites at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the land of Gilead, their own land of which they had taken possession by command of the LORD through Moses.

A Memorial Altar East of the Jordan

¹⁰ When they came to the regiona near the Jordan that lies in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built there an altar by the Jordan, an altar of great size. ¹¹The Israelites heard that the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh had built an altar at the frontier of the land of Canaan, in the regionb near the Jordan, on the side that belongs to the Israelites. ¹²And when the people of Israel heard of it, the whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh, to make war against them.

¹³ Then the Israelites sent the priest Phinehas son of Eleazar to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, in the land of Gilead, ¹⁴and with him ten chiefs, one from each of the tribal families of Israel, every one of them the head of a family among the clans of Israel. ¹⁵They came to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh in the land of Gilead, and they said to them, ¹⁶‘Thus says the whole congregation of the LORD, “What is this treachery that you have committed against the God of Israel in turning away today from following the LORD, by building yourselves an altar today in rebellion against the LORD? ¹⁷Have we not had enough of the sin at Peor from which even yet we have not cleansed ourselves, and for which a plague came upon the congregation of the LORD, ¹⁸that you must turn away today from following the LORD! If you rebel against the LORD today, he will be angry with the whole congregation of Israel tomorrow. ¹⁹But now, if your land is unclean, cross over into the LORD’s land where the LORD’s tabernacle now stands, and take for yourselves a possession among us; only do not rebel against the LORD, or rebel against usc by building yourselves an altar other than the altar of the LORD our God. ²⁰Did not Achan son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity!”’

²¹ Then the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh said in answer to the heads of the families of Israel, ²²‘The LORD, God of gods! The LORD, God of gods! He knows; and let Israel itself know! If it was in rebellion or in breach of faith towards the LORD, do not spare us today ²³for building an altar to turn away from following the LORD; or if we did so to offer burnt-offerings or grain-offerings or offerings of well-being on it, may the LORD himself take vengeance. ²⁴No! We did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, “What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? ²⁵For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you Reubenites and Gadites; you have no portion in the LORD.” So your children might make our children cease to worship the LORD. ²⁶Therefore we said, “Let us now build an altar, not for burnt-offering, nor for sacrifice, ²⁷but to be a witness between us and you, and between the generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt-offerings and sacrifices and offerings of well-being; so that your children may never say to our children in time to come, ‘You have no portion in the LORD.’” ²⁸And we thought, If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we could say, “Look at this copy of the altar of the LORD, which our ancestors made, not for burnt-offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.” ²⁹Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD, and turn away this day from following the LORD by building an altar for burnt-offering, grain-offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle!’

³⁰ When the priest Phinehas and the chiefs of the congregation, the heads of the families of Israel who were with him, heard the words that the Reubenites and the Gadites and the Manassites spoke, they were satisfied. ³¹The priest Phinehas son of Eleazar said to the Reubenites and the Gadites and the Manassites, ‘Today we know that the LORD is among us, because you have not committed this treachery against the LORD; now you have saved the Israelites from the hand of the LORD.’

³² Then the priest Phinehas son of Eleazar and the chiefs returned from the Reubenites and the Gadites in the land of Gilead to the land of Canaan, to the Israelites, and brought back word to them. ³³The report pleased the Israelites; and the Israelites blessed God and spoke no more of making war against them, to destroy the land where the Reubenites and the Gadites were settled. ³⁴The Reubenites and the Gadites called the altar Witness;a ‘For’, said they, ‘it is a witness between us that the LORD is God.’

Joshua Exhorts the People

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A LONG time afterwards, when the LORD had given rest to Israel from all their enemies all around, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, ²Joshua summoned all Israel, their elders and heads, their judges and officers, and said to them, ‘I am now old and well advanced in years; ³and you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. ⁴I have allotted to you as an inheritance for your tribes those nations that remain, along with all the nations that I have already cut off, from the Jordan to the Great Sea in the west. ⁵The LORD your God will push them back before you, and drive them out of your sight; and you shall possess their land, as the LORD your God promised you. ⁶Therefore be very steadfast to observe and do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, turning aside from it neither to the right nor to the left, ⁷so that you may not be mixed with these nations left here among you, or make mention of the names of their gods, or swear by them, or serve them, or bow yourselves down to them, ⁸but hold fast to the LORD your God, as you have done to this day. ⁹For the LORD has driven out before you great and strong nations; and as for you, no one has been able to withstand you to this day. ¹⁰One of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, as he promised you. ¹¹Be very careful, therefore, to love the LORD your God. ¹²For if you turn back, and join the survivors of these nations left here among you, and intermarry with them, so that you marry their women and they yours, ¹³know assuredly that the LORD your God will not continue to drive out these nations before you; but they shall be a snare and a trap for you, a scourge on your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land that the LORD your God has given you.

¹⁴ ‘And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one thing has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you; all have come to pass for you, not one of them has failed. ¹⁵But just as all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you have been fulfilled for you, so the LORD will bring upon you all the bad things, until he has destroyed you from this good land that the LORD your God has given you. ¹⁶If you transgress the covenant of the LORD your God, which he enjoined on you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, then the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you, and you shall perish quickly from the good land that he has given to you.’

The Tribes Renew the Covenant

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THEN Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel; and they presented themselves before God. ²And Joshua said to all the people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Long ago your ancestors—Terah and his sons Abraham and Nahor—lived beyond the Euphrates and served other gods. ³Then I took your father Abraham from beyond the River and led him through all the land of Canaan and made his offspring many. I gave him Isaac; ⁴and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I gave Esau the hill country of Seir to possess, but Jacob and his children went down to Egypt. ⁵Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt with what I did in its midst; and afterwards I brought you out. ⁶When I brought your ancestors out of Egypt, you came to the sea; and the Egyptians pursued your ancestors with chariots and horsemen to the Red Sea.a ⁷When they cried out to the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and made the sea come upon them and cover them; and your eyes saw what I did to Egypt. Afterwards you lived in the wilderness for a long time. ⁸Then I brought you to the land of the Amorites, who lived on the other side of the Jordan; they fought with you, and I handed them over to you, and you took possession of their land, and I destroyed them before you. ⁹Then King Balak, son of Zippor of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent and invited Balaam son of Beor to curse you, ¹⁰but I would not listen to Balaam; therefore he blessed you; so I rescued you out of his hand. ¹¹When you went over the Jordan and came to Jericho, the citizens of Jericho fought against you, and also the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I handed them over to you. ¹²I sent the horneta ahead of you, which drove out before you the two kings of the Amorites; it was not by your sword or by your bow. ¹³I gave you a land on which you had not laboured, and towns that you had not built, and you live in them; you eat the fruit of vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.

¹⁴ ‘Now therefore revere the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. ¹⁵Now if you are unwilling to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.’

¹⁶ Then the people answered, ‘Far be it from us that we should forsake the LORD to serve other gods; ¹⁷for it is the LORD our God who brought us and our ancestors up from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, and who did those great signs in our sight. He protected us along all the way that we went, and among all the peoples through whom we passed; ¹⁸and the LORD drove out before us all the peoples, the Amorites who lived in the land. Therefore we also will serve the LORD, for he is our God.’

¹⁹ But Joshua said to the people, ‘You cannot serve the LORD, for he is a holy God. He is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins. ²⁰If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then he will turn and do you harm, and consume you, after having done you good.’ ²¹And the people said to Joshua, ‘No, we will serve the LORD!’ ²²Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen the LORD, to serve him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’ ²³He said, ‘Then put away the foreign gods that are among you, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’ ²⁴The people said to Joshua, ‘The LORD our God we will serve, and him we will obey.’ ²⁵So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and made statutes and ordinances for them at Shechem. ²⁶Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God; and he took a large stone, and set it up there under the oak in the sanctuary of the LORD. ²⁷Joshua said to all the people, ‘See, this stone shall be a witness against us; for it has heard all the words of the LORD that he spoke to us; therefore it shall be a witness against you, if you deal falsely with your God.’ ²⁸So Joshua sent the people away to their inheritances.

Death of Joshua and Eleazar

²⁹ After these things Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being one hundred and ten years old. ³⁰They buried him in his own inheritance at Timnath-serah, which is in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash.

³¹ Israel served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua and had known all the work that the LORD did for Israel.

³² The bones of Joseph, which the Israelites had brought up from Egypt, were buried at Shechem, in the portion of ground that Jacob had bought from the children of Hamor, the father of Shechem, for one hundred pieces of money;a it became an inheritance of the descendants of Joseph.

³³ Eleazar son of Aaron died; and they buried him at Gibeah, the town of his son Phinehas, which had been given him in the hill country of Ephraim.

JUDGES

Israel’s Failure to Complete the Conquest of Canaan

AFTER the death of Joshua, the Israelites inquired of the LORD, ‘Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?’ ²The LORD said, ‘Judah shall go up. I hereby give the land into his hand.’ ³Judah said to his brother Simeon, ‘Come up with me into the territory allotted to me, that we may fight against the Canaanites; then I too will go with you into the territory allotted to you.’ So Simeon went with him. ⁴Then Judah went up and the LORD gave the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand; and they defeated ten thousand of them at Bezek. ⁵They came upon Adoni-bezek at Bezek, and fought against him, and defeated the Canaanites and the Perizzites. ⁶Adoni-bezek fled; but they pursued him, and caught him, and cut off his thumbs and big toes. ⁷Adoni-bezek said, ‘Seventy kings with their thumbs and big toes cut off used to pick up scraps under my table; as I have done, so God has paid me back.’ They brought him to Jerusalem, and he died there.

⁸ Then the people of Judah fought against Jerusalem and took it. They put it to the sword and set the city on fire. ⁹Afterwards the people of Judah went down to fight against the Canaanites who lived in the hill country, in the Negeb, and in the lowlands. ¹⁰Judah went against the Canaanites who lived in Hebron (the name of Hebron was formerly Kiriath-arba); and they defeated Sheshai and Ahiman and Talmai.

¹¹ From there they went against the inhabitants of Debir (the name of Debir was formerly Kiriath-sepher). ¹²Then Caleb said, ‘Whoever attacks Kiriath-sepher and takes it, I will give him my daughter Achsah as wife.’ ¹³And Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, took it; and he gave him his daughter Achsah as wife. ¹⁴When she came to him, she urged him to ask her father for a field. As she dismounted from her donkey, Caleb said to her, ‘What do you want?’ ¹⁵She said to him, ‘Give me a present; since you have set me in the land of the Negeb, give me also Gulloth-mayim.’a So Caleb gave her Upper Gulloth and Lower Gulloth.

¹⁶ The descendants of Hobabb the Kenite, Moses’ father-in-law, went up with the people of Judah from the city of palms into the wilderness of Judah, which lies in the Negeb near Arad. Then they went and settled with the Amalekites.a ¹⁷Judah went with his brother Simeon, and they defeated the Canaanites who inhabited Zephath, and devoted it to destruction. So the city was called Hormah. ¹⁸Judah took Gaza with its territory, Ashkelon with its territory, and Ekron with its territory. ¹⁹The LORD was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain, because they had chariots of iron. ²⁰Hebron was given to Caleb, as Moses had said; and he drove out from it the three sons of Anak. ²¹But the Benjaminites did not drive out the Jebusites who lived in Jerusalem; so the Jebusites have lived in Jerusalem among the Benjaminites to this day.

²² The house of Joseph also went up against Bethel; and the LORD was with them. ²³The house of Joseph sent out spies to Bethel (the name of the city was formerly Luz). ²⁴When the spies saw a man coming out of the city, they said to him, ‘Show us the way into the city, and we will deal kindly with you.’ ²⁵So he showed them the way into the city; and they put the city to the sword, but they let the man and all his family go. ²⁶So the man went to the land of the Hittites and built a city, and named it Luz; that is its name to this day.

²⁷ Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages; but the Canaanites continued to live in that land. ²⁸When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labour, but did not in fact drive them out.

²⁹ And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer; but the Canaanites lived among them in Gezer.

³⁰ Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol; but the Canaanites lived among them, and became subject to forced labour.

³¹ Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon, or of Ahlab, or of Achzib, or of Helbah, or of Aphik, or of Rehob; ³²but the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; for they did not drive them out.

³³ Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, but lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land; nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labour for them.

³⁴ The Amorites pressed the Danites back into the hill country; they did not allow them to come down to the plain. ³⁵The Amorites continued to live in Har-heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labour. ³⁶The border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upwards.

Israel’s Disobedience

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NOW the angel of the LORD went up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, ‘I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you into the land that I had promised to your ancestors. I said, “I will never break my covenant with you. ²For your part, do not make a covenant with the inhabitants of this land; tear down their altars.” But you have not obeyed my command. See what you have done! ³So now I say, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall become adversariesa to you, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ ⁴When the angel of the LORD spoke these words to all the Israelites, the people lifted up their voices and wept. ⁵So they named that place Bochim,b and there they sacrificed to the LORD.

Death of Joshua

⁶ When Joshua dismissed the people, the Israelites all went to their own inheritances to take possession of the land. ⁷The people worshipped the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great work that the LORD had done for Israel. ⁸Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten years. ⁹So they buried him within the bounds of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. ¹⁰Moreover, that whole generation was gathered to their ancestors, and another generation grew up after them, who did not know the LORD or the work that he had done for Israel.

Israel’s Unfaithfulness

¹¹ Then the Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and worshipped the Baals; ¹²and they abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; they followed other gods, from among the gods of the peoples who were all around them, and bowed down to them; and they provoked the LORD to anger. ¹³They abandoned the LORD, and worshipped Baal and the Astartes. ¹⁴So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them over to plunderers who plundered them, and he sold them into the power of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer withstand their enemies. ¹⁵Whenever they marched out, the hand of the LORD was against them to bring misfortune, as the LORD had warned them and sworn to them; and they were in great distress.

¹⁶ Then the LORD raised up judges, who delivered them out of the power of those who plundered them. ¹⁷Yet they did not listen even to their judges; for they lusted after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their ancestors had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the LORD; they did not follow their example. ¹⁸Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them, the LORD was with the judge, and he delivered them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge; for the LORD would be moved to pity by their groaning because of those who persecuted and oppressed them. ¹⁹But whenever the judge died, they would relapse and behave worse than their ancestors, following other gods, worshipping them and bowing down to them. They would not drop any of their practices or their stubborn ways. ²⁰So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel; and he said, ‘Because this people have transgressed my covenant that I commanded their ancestors, and have not obeyed my voice, ²¹I will no longer drive out before them any of the nations that Joshua left when he died.’ ²²In order to test Israel, whether or not they would take care to walk in the way of the LORD as their ancestors did, ²³the LORD had left those nations, not driving them out at once, and had not handed them over to Joshua.

Nations Remaining in the Land

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NOW these are the nations that the LORD left to test all those in Israel who had no experience of any war in Canaan ²(it was only that successive generations of Israelites might know war, to teach those who had no experience of it before): ³the five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites who lived on Mount Lebanon, from Mount Baal-hermon as far as Lebo-hamath. ⁴They were for the testing of Israel, to know whether Israel would obey the commandments of the LORD, which he commanded their ancestors by Moses. ⁵So the Israelites lived among the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; ⁶and they took their daughters as wives for themselves, and their own daughters they gave to their sons; and they worshipped their gods.

Othniel

⁷ The Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, forgetting the LORD their God, and worshipping the Baals and the Asherahs. ⁸Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram-naharaim; and the Israelites served Cushan-rishathaim for eight years. ⁹But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the Israelites, who delivered them, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. ¹⁰The spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel; he went out to war, and the LORD gave King Cushan-rishathaim of Aram into his hand; and his hand prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. ¹¹So the land had rest for forty years. Then Othniel son of Kenaz died.

Ehud

¹² The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; and the LORD strengthened King Eglon of Moab against Israel, because they had done what was evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹³In alliance with the Ammonites and the Amalekites, he went and defeated Israel; and they took possession of the city of palms. ¹⁴So the Israelites served King Eglon of Moab for eighteen years.

¹⁵ But when the Israelites cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up for them a deliverer, Ehud son of Gera, the Benjaminite, a left-handed man. The Israelites sent tribute by him to King Eglon of Moab. ¹⁶Ehud made for himself a sword with two edges, a cubit in length; and he fastened it on his right thigh under his clothes. ¹⁷Then he presented the tribute to King Eglon of Moab. Now Eglon was a very fat man. ¹⁸When Ehud had finished presenting the tribute, he sent the people who carried the tribute on their way. ¹⁹But he himself turned back at the sculptured stones near Gilgal, and said, ‘I have a secret message for you, O king.’ So the king said,a ‘Silence!’ and all his attendants went out from his presence. ²⁰Ehud came to him, while he was sitting alone in his cool roof-chamber, and said, ‘I have a message from God for you.’ So he rose from his seat. ²¹Then Ehud reached with his left hand, took the sword from his right thigh, and thrust it into Eglon’sa belly; ²²the hilt also went in after the blade, and the fat closed over the blade, for he did not draw the sword out of his belly; and the dirt came out.b ²³Then Ehud went out into the vestibule,c and closed the doors of the roof-chamber on him, and locked them.

²⁴ After he had gone, the servants came. When they saw that the doors of the roof-chamber were locked, they thought, ‘He must be relieving himselfd in the cool chamber.’ ²⁵So they waited until they were embarrassed. When he still did not open the doors of the roof-chamber, they took the key and opened them. There was their lord lying dead on the floor.

²⁶ Ehud escaped while they delayed, and passed beyond the sculptured stones, and escaped to Seirah. ²⁷When he arrived, he sounded the trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites went down with him from the hill country, having him at their head. ²⁸He said to them, ‘Follow after me; for the LORD has given your enemies the Moabites into your hand.’ So they went down after him, and seized the fords of the Jordan against the Moabites, and allowed no one to cross over. ²⁹At that time they killed about ten thousand of the Moabites, all strong, able-bodied men; no one escaped. ³⁰So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest for eighty years.

Shamgar

³¹ After him came Shamgar son of Anath, who killed six hundred of the Philistines with an ox-goad. He too delivered Israel.

Deborah and Barak

4

THE Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, after Ehud died. ²So the LORD sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. ³Then the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly for twenty years.

⁴ At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. ⁵She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgement. ⁶She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel, commands you, “Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. ⁷I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin’s army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.”’ ⁸Barak said to her, ‘If you will go with me, I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go.’ ⁹And she said, ‘I will surely go with you; nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.’ Then Deborah got up and went with Barak to Kedesh. ¹⁰Barak summoned Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and ten thousand warriors went up behind him; and Deborah went up with him.

¹¹ Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the other Kenites,a that is, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had encamped as far away as Elon-bezaanannim, which is near Kedesh.

¹² When Sisera was told that Barak son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, ¹³Sisera called out all his chariots, nine hundred chariots of iron, and all the troops who were with him, from Harosheth-ha-goiim to the Wadi Kishon. ¹⁴Then Deborah said to Barak, ‘Up! For this is the day on which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. The LORD is indeed going out before you.’ So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with ten thousand warriors following him. ¹⁵And the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and all his army into a panicb before Barak; Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot,¹⁶ while Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-ha-goiim. All the army of Sisera fell by the sword; no one was left.

¹⁷ Now Sisera had fled away on foot to the tent of Jael wife of Heber the Kenite; for there was peace between King Jabin of Hazor and the clan of Heber the Kenite.¹⁸ Jael came out to meet Sisera, and said to him, ‘Turn aside, my lord, turn aside to me; have no fear.’ So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. ¹⁹Then he said to her, ‘Please give me a little water to drink; for I am thirsty.’ So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him.²⁰ He said to her, ‘Stand at the entrance of the tent, and if anybody comes and asks you, “Is anyone here?” say, “No.”’²¹ But Jael wife of Heber took a tent-peg, and took a hammer in her hand, and went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple, until it went down into the ground—he was lying fast asleep from weariness—and he died.²² Then, as Barak came in pursuit of Sisera, Jael went out to meet him, and said to him, ‘Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.’ So he went into her tent; and there was Sisera lying dead, with the tent-peg in his temple.

²³ So on that day God subdued King Jabin of Canaan before the Israelites. ²⁴Then the hand of the Israelites bore harder and harder on King Jabin of Canaan, until they destroyed King Jabin of Canaan.

The Song of Deborah

5

THEN Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying:

² ‘When locks are long in Israel,

when the people offer themselves willingly—

blessc the LORD!

³ ‘Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;

to the LORD I will sing,

I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel.

⁴ ‘LORD, when you went out from Seir,

when you marched from the region of Edom,

the earth trembled,

and the heavens poured,

the clouds indeed poured water.

⁵ The mountains quaked before the LORD, the One of Sinai,

before the LORD, the God of Israel.

⁶ ‘In the days of Shamgar son of Anath,

in the days of Jael, caravans ceased

and travellers kept to the byways.

⁷ The peasantry prospered in Israel,

they grew fat on plunder,

because you arose, Deborah,

arose as a mother in Israel.

⁸ When new gods were chosen,

then war was in the gates.

Was shield or spear to be seen

among forty thousand in Israel?

⁹ My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel

who offered themselves willingly among the people.

Bless the LORD.

¹⁰ ‘Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,

you who sit on rich carpets,a

and you who walk by the way.

¹¹ To the sound of musiciansa at the watering-places,

there they repeat the triumphs of the LORD,

the triumphs of his peasantry in Israel.

‘Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD.

¹² ‘Awake, awake, Deborah!

Awake, awake, utter a song!

Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,

O son of Abinoam.

¹³ Then down marched the remnant of the noble;

the people of the LORD marched down for himb against the mighty.

¹⁴ From Ephraim they set outc into the valley,d

following you, Benjamin, with your kin;

from Machir marched down the commanders,

and from Zebulun those who bear the marshal’s staff;

¹⁵ the chiefs of Issachar came with Deborah,

and Issachar faithful to Barak;

into the valley they rushed out at his heels.

Among the clans of Reuben

there were great searchings of heart.

¹⁶ Why did you tarry among the sheepfolds,

to hear the piping for the flocks?

Among the clans of Reuben

there were great searchings of heart.

¹⁷ Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;

and Dan, why did he abide with the ships?

Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,

settling down by his landings.

¹⁸ Zebulun is a people that scorned death;

Naphtali too, on the heights of the field.

¹⁹ ‘The kings came, they fought;

then fought the kings of Canaan,

at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;

they got no spoils of silver.

²⁰ The stars fought from heaven,

from their courses they fought against Sisera.

²¹ The torrent Kishon swept them away,

the onrushing torrent, the torrent Kishon.

March on, my soul, with might!

²² ‘Then loud beat the horses’ hoofs

with the galloping, galloping of his steeds.

²³ ‘Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD,

curse bitterly its inhabitants,

because they did not come to the help of the LORD,

to the help of the LORD against the mighty.

²⁴ ‘Most blessed of women be Jael,

the wife of Heber the Kenite,

of tent-dwelling women most blessed.

²⁵ He asked water and she gave him milk,

she brought him curds in a lordly bowl.

²⁶ She put her hand to the tent-peg

and her right hand to the workmen’s mallet;

she struck Sisera a blow,

she crushed his head,

she shattered and pierced his temple.

²⁷ He sank, he fell,

he lay still at her feet;

at her feet he sank, he fell;

where he sank, there he fell dead.

²⁸ ‘Out of the window she peered,

the mother of Sisera gazeda through the lattice:

“Why is his chariot so long in coming?

Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?”

²⁹ Her wisest ladies make answer,

indeed, she answers the question herself:

³⁰ “Are they not finding and dividing the spoil?—

A girl or two for every man;

spoil of dyed stuffs for Sisera,

spoil of dyed stuffs embroidered,

two pieces of dyed work embroidered for my neck as spoil?”

³¹ ‘So perish all your enemies, O LORD!

But may your friends be like the sun as it rises in its might.’

And the land had rest for forty years.

The Midianite Oppression

6

THE Israelites did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. ²The hand of Midian prevailed over Israel; and because of Midian the Israelites provided for themselves hiding-places in the mountains, caves and strongholds. ³For whenever the Israelites put in seed, the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east would come up against them. ⁴They would encamp against them and destroy the produce of the land, as far as the neighbourhood of Gaza, and leave no sustenance in Israel, and no sheep or ox or donkey. ⁵For they and their livestock would come up, and they would even bring their tents, as thick as locusts; neither they nor their camels could be counted; so they wasted the land as they came in. ⁶Thus Israel was greatly impoverished because of Midian; and the Israelites cried out to the LORD for help.

⁷ When the Israelites cried to the LORD on account of the Midianites, ⁸the LORD sent a prophet to the Israelites; and he said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I led you up from Egypt, and brought you out of the house of slavery; ⁹and I delivered you from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the hand of all who oppressed you, and drove them out before you, and gave you their land; ¹⁰and I said to you, “I am the LORD your God; you shall not pay reverence to the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.” But you have not given heed to my voice.’

The Calling of Gideon

¹¹ Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the oak at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, as his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the wine press, to hide it from the Midianites. ¹²The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, ‘The LORD is with you, you mighty warrior.’ ¹³Gideon answered him, ‘But sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our ancestors recounted to us, saying, “Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?” But now the LORD has cast us off, and given us into the hand of Midian.’ ¹⁴Then the LORD turned to him and said, ‘Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian; I hereby commission you.’ ¹⁵He responded, ‘But sir, how can I deliver Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.’ ¹⁶The LORD said to him, ‘But I will be with you, and you shall strike down the Midianites, every one of them.’ ¹⁷Then he said to him, ‘If now I have found favour with you, then show me a sign that it is you who speak with me. ¹⁸Do not depart from here until I come to you, and bring out my present, and set it before you.’ And he said, ‘I will stay until you return.’

¹⁹ So Gideon went into his house and prepared a kid, and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour; the meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the oak and presented them. ²⁰The angel of God said to him, ‘Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour out the broth.’ And he did so. ²¹Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes; and fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the meat and the unleavened cakes; and the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight. ²²Then Gideon perceived that it was the angel of the LORD; and Gideon said, ‘Help me, Lord GOD! For I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face.’ ²³But the LORD said to him, ‘Peace be to you; do not fear, you shall not die.’ ²⁴Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD, and called it, The LORD is peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.

²⁵ That night the LORD said to him, ‘Take your father’s bull, the second bull seven years old, and pull down the altar of Baal that belongs to your father, and cut down the sacred polea that is beside it; ²⁶and build an altar to the LORD your God on the top of the stronghold here, in proper order; then take the second bull, and offer it as a burnt-offering with the wood of the sacred polea that you shall cut down.’²⁷ So Gideon took ten of his servants, and did as the LORD had told him; but because he was too afraid of his family and the townspeople to do it by day, he did it by night.

Gideon Destroys the Altar of Baal

²⁸ When the townspeople rose early in the morning, the altar of Baal was broken down, and the sacred polea beside it was cut down, and the second bull was offered on the altar that had been built. ²⁹So they said to one another, ‘Who has done this?’ After searching and inquiring, they were told, ‘Gideon son of Joash did it.’ ³⁰Then the townspeople said to Joash, ‘Bring out your son, so that he may die, for he has pulled down the altar of Baal and cut down the sacred polea beside it.’³¹ But Joash said to all who were arrayed against him, ‘Will you contend for Baal? Or will you defend his cause? Whoever contends for him shall be put to death by morning. If he is a god, let him contend for himself, because his altar has been pulled down.’³² Therefore on that day Gideonb was called Jerubbaal, that is to say, ‘Let Baal contend against him’, because he pulled down his altar.

³³ Then all the Midianites and the Amalekites and the people of the east came together, and crossing the Jordan they encamped in the Valley of Jezreel.³⁴ But the spirit of the LORD took possession of Gideon; and he sounded the trumpet, and the Abiezrites were called out to follow him.³⁵ He sent messengers throughout all Manasseh, and they too were called out to follow him. He also sent messengers to Asher, Zebulun, and Naphtali, and they went up to meet them.

The Sign of the Fleece

³⁶ Then Gideon said to God, ‘In order to see whether you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said, ³⁷I am going to lay a fleece of wool on the threshing-floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.’ ³⁸And it was so. When he rose early next morning and squeezed the fleece, he wrung enough dew from the fleece to fill a bowl with water. ³⁹Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not let your anger burn against me, let me speak one more time; let me, please, make trial with the fleece just once more; let it be dry only on the fleece, and on all the ground let there be dew.’ ⁴⁰And God did so that night. It was dry on the fleece only, and on all the ground there was dew.

Gideon Surprises and Routs the Midianites

7

THEN Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) and all the troops that were with him rose early and encamped beside the spring of Harod; and the camp of Midian was north of them, belowa the hill of Moreh, in the valley.

² The LORD said to Gideon, ‘The troops with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand. Israel would only take the credit away from me, saying, “My own hand has delivered me.” ³Now therefore proclaim this in the hearing of the troops, “Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home.”’ Thus Gideon sifted them out;b twenty-two thousand returned, and ten thousand remained.

⁴ Then the LORD said to Gideon, ‘The troops are still too many; take them down to the water and I will sift them out for you there. When I say, “This one shall go with you”, he shall go with you; and when I say, “This one shall not go with you”, he shall not go.’ ⁵So he brought the troops down to the water; and the LORD said to Gideon, ‘All those who lap the water with their tongues, as a dog laps, you shall put to one side; all those who kneel down to drink, putting their hands to their mouths,c you shall put to the other side.’ ⁶The number of those that lapped was three hundred; but all the rest of the troops knelt down to drink water. ⁷Then the LORD said to Gideon, ‘With the three hundred that lapped I will deliver you, and give the Midianites into your hand. Let all the others go to their homes.’ ⁸So he took the jars of the troops from their hands,d and their trumpets; and he sent all the rest of Israel back to their own tents, but retained the three hundred. The camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

⁹ That same night the LORD said to him, ‘Get up, attack the camp; for I have given it into your hand. ¹⁰But if you fear to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah; ¹¹and you shall hear what they say, and afterwards your hands shall be strengthened to attack the camp.’ Then he went down with his servant Purah to the outposts of the armed men that were in the camp. ¹²The Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the east lay along the valley as thick as locusts; and their camels were without number, countless as the sand on the seashore. ¹³When Gideon arrived, there was a man telling a dream to his comrade; and he said, ‘I had a dream, and in it a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian, and came to the tent, and struck it so that it fell; it turned upside down, and the tent collapsed.’ ¹⁴And his comrade answered, ‘This is no other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, a man of Israel; into his hand God has given Midian and all the army.’

¹⁵ When Gideon heard the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshipped; and he returned to the camp of Israel, and said, ‘Get up; for the LORD has given the army of Midian into your hand.’ ¹⁶After he divided the three hundred men into three companies, and put trumpets into the hands of all of them, and empty jars, with torches inside the jars, ¹⁷he said to them, ‘Look at me, and do the same; when I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. ¹⁸When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then you also blow the trumpets around the whole camp, and shout, “For the LORD and for Gideon!”’

¹⁹ So Gideon and the hundred who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch; and they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. ²⁰So the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars, holding in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow; and they cried, ‘A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!’ ²¹Every man stood in his place all around the camp, and all the men in camp ran; they cried out and fled. ²²When they blew the three hundred trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow and against all the army; and the army fled as far as Beth-shittah towards Zererah,a as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. ²³And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after the Midianites.

²⁴ Then Gideon sent messengers throughout all the hill country of Ephraim, saying, ‘Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters against them, as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan.’ So all the men of Ephraim were called out, and they seized the waters as far as Beth-barah, and also the Jordan. ²⁵They captured the two captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; they killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb they killed at the wine press of Zeeb, as they pursued the Midianites. They brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon beyond the Jordan.

Gideon’s Triumph and Vengeance

8

THEN the Ephraimites said to him, ‘What have you done to us, not to call us when you went to fight against the Midianites?’ And they upbraided him violently. ²So he said to them, ‘What have I done now in comparison with you? Is not the gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim better than the vintage of Abiezer? ³God has given into your hands the captains of Midian, Oreb and Zeeb; what have I been able to do in comparison with you?’ When he said this, their anger against him subsided.

⁴ Then Gideon came to the Jordan and crossed over, he and the three hundred who were with him, exhausted and famished.b ⁵ So he said to the people of Succoth, ‘Please give some loaves of bread to my followers, for they are exhausted, and I am pursuing Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian.’ ⁶But the officials of Succoth said, ‘Do you already have in your possession the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna, that we should give bread to your army?’ ⁷Gideon replied, ‘Well then, when the LORD has given Zebah and Zalmunna into my hand, I will trample your flesh on the thorns of the wilderness and on briers.’ ⁸From there he went up to Penuel, and made the same request of them; and the people of Penuel answered him as the people of Succoth had answered. ⁹So he said to the people of Penuel, ‘When I come back victorious, I will break down this tower.’

¹⁰ Now Zebah and Zalmunna were in Karkor with their army, about fifteen thousand men, all who were left of all the army of the people of the east; for one hundred and twenty thousand men bearing arms had fallen. ¹¹So Gideon went up by the caravan route east of Nobah and Jogbehah, and attacked the army; for the army was off its guard. ¹²Zebah and Zalmunna fled; and he pursued them and took the two kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, and threw all the army into a panic.

¹³ When Gideon son of Joash returned from the battle by the ascent of Heres, ¹⁴he caught a young man, one of the people of Succoth, and questioned him; and he listed for him the officials and elders of Succoth, seventy-seven people. ¹⁵Then he came to the people of Succoth, and said, ‘Here are Zebah and Zalmunna, about whom you taunted me, saying, “Do you already have in your possession the hands of Zebah and Zalmunna, that we should give bread to your troops who are exhausted?”’ ¹⁶So he took the elders of the city and he took thorns of the wilderness and briers and with them he trampleda the people of Succoth. ¹⁷He also broke down the tower of Penuel, and killed the men of the city.

¹⁸ Then he said to Zebah and Zalmunna, ‘What about the men whom you killed at Tabor?’ They answered, ‘As you are, so were they, every one of them; they resembled the sons of a king.’ ¹⁹And he replied, ‘They were my brothers, the sons of my mother; as the LORD lives, if you had saved them alive, I would not kill you.’ ²⁰So he said to Jether his firstborn, ‘Go, kill them!’ But the boy did not draw his sword, for he was afraid, because he was still a boy. ²¹Then Zebah and Zalmunna said, ‘You come and kill us; for as the man is, so is his strength.’ So Gideon proceeded to kill Zebah and Zalmunna; and he took the crescents that were on the necks of their camels.

Gideon’s Idolatry

²² Then the Israelites said to Gideon, ‘Rule over us, you and your son and your grandson also; for you have delivered us out of the hand of Midian.’ ²³Gideon said to them, ‘I will not rule over you, and my son will not rule over you; the LORD will rule over you.’ ²⁴Then Gideon said to them, ‘Let me make a request of you; each of you give me an ear-ring he has taken as booty.’ (For the enemyb had golden ear-rings, because they were Ishmaelites.) ²⁵‘We will willingly give them,’ they answered. So they spread a garment, and each threw into it an ear-ring he had taken as booty. ²⁶The weight of the golden ear-rings that he requested was one thousand seven hundred shekels of gold (apart from the crescents and the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian, and the collars that were on the necks of their camels). ²⁷Gideon made an ephod of it and put it in his town, in Ophrah; and all Israel prostituted themselves to it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. ²⁸So Midian was subdued before the Israelites, and they lifted up their heads no more. So the land had rest for forty years in the days of Gideon.

Death of Gideon

²⁹ Jerubbaal son of Joash went to live in his own house. ³⁰Now Gideon had seventy sons, his own offspring, for he had many wives. ³¹His concubine who was in Shechem also bore him a son, and he named him Abimelech. ³²Then Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age, and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash at Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

³³ As soon as Gideon died, the Israelites relapsed and prostituted themselves with the Baals, making Baal-berith their god. ³⁴The Israelites did not remember the LORD their God, who had rescued them from the hand of all their enemies on every side; ³⁵and they did not exhibit loyalty to the house of Jerubbaal (that is, Gideon) in return for all the good that he had done to Israel.

Abimelech Attempts to Establish a Monarchy

9

NOW Abimelech son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem to his mother’s kinsfolk and said to them and to the whole clan of his mother’s family, ²‘Say in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem, “Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal rule over you, or that one rule over you?” Remember also that I am your bone and your flesh.’ ³So his mother’s kinsfolk spoke all these words on his behalf in the hearing of all the lords of Shechem; and their hearts inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, ‘He is our brother.’ ⁴They gave him seventy pieces of silver out of the temple of Baal-berith with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless fellows, who followed him. ⁵He went to his father’s house at Ophrah, and killed his brothers the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone; but Jotham, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, survived, for he hid himself. ⁶Then all the lords of Shechem and all Beth-millo came together, and they went and made Abimelech king, by the oak of the pillara at Shechem.

The Parable of the Trees

⁷ When it was told to Jotham, he went and stood on the top of Mount Gerizim, and cried aloud and said to them, ‘Listen to me, you lords of Shechem, so that God may listen to you.

⁸ The trees once went out

to anoint a king over themselves.

So they said to the olive tree,

“Reign over us.”

⁹ The olive tree answered them,

“Shall I stop producing my rich oil by which gods and mortals are honoured, and go to sway over the trees?”

¹⁰ Then the trees said to the fig tree,

“You come and reign over us.”

¹¹ But the fig tree answered them,

“Shall I stop producing my sweetness and my delicious fruit, and go to sway over the trees?”

¹² Then the trees said to the vine,

“You come and reign over us.”

¹³ But the vine said to them,

“Shall I stop producing my wine that cheers gods and mortals, and go to sway over the trees?”

¹⁴ So all the trees said to the bramble,

“You come and reign over us.”

¹⁵ And the bramble said to the trees,

“If in good faith you are anointing me king over you, then come and take refuge in my shade;

but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”

¹⁶ ‘Now therefore, if you acted in good faith and honour when you made Abimelech king, and if you have dealt well with Jerubbaal and his house, and have done to him as his actions deserved—¹⁷for my father fought for you, and risked his life, and rescued you from the hand of Midian; ¹⁸but you have risen up against my father’s house this day, and have killed his sons, seventy men on one stone, and have made Abimelech, the son of his slave-woman, king over the lords of Shechem, because he is your kinsman—¹⁹if, I say, you have acted in good faith and honour towards Jerubbaal and towards his house this day, then rejoice in Abimelech, and let him also rejoice in you; ²⁰but if not, let fire come out from Abimelech, and devour the lords of Shechem, and Beth-millo; and let fire come out from the lords of Shechem, and from Beth-millo, and devour Abimelech.’ ²¹Then Jotham ran away and fled, going to Beer, where he remained for fear of his brother Abimelech.

The Downfall of Abimelech

²² Abimelech ruled over Israel for three years. ²³But God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the lords of Shechem; and the lords of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech. ²⁴This happened so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avengeda and their blood be laid on their brother Abimelech, who killed them, and on the lords of Shechem, who strengthened his hands to kill his brothers. ²⁵So, out of hostility to him, the lords of Shechem set ambushes on the mountain tops. They robbed all who passed by them along that way; and it was reported to Abimelech.

²⁶ When Gaal son of Ebed moved into Shechem with his kinsfolk, the lords of Shechem put confidence in him. ²⁷They went out into the field and gathered the grapes from their vineyards, trod them, and celebrated. Then they went into the temple of their god, ate and drank, and ridiculed Abimelech. ²⁸Gaal son of Ebed said, ‘Who is Abimelech, and who are we of Shechem, that we should serve him? Did not the son of Jerubbaal and Zebul his officer serve the men of Hamor father of Shechem? Why then should we serve him? ²⁹If only this people were under my command! Then I would remove Abimelech; I would saya to him, “Increase your army, and come out.”’

³⁰ When Zebul the ruler of the city heard the words of Gaal son of Ebed, his anger was kindled. ³¹He sent messengers to Abimelech at Arumah,b saying, ‘Look, Gaal son of Ebed and his kinsfolk have come to Shechem, and they are stirring upc the city against you. ³²Now therefore, go by night, you and the troops that are with you, and lie in wait in the fields. ³³Then early in the morning, as soon as the sun rises, get up and rush on the city; and when he and the troops that are with him come out against you, you may deal with them as best you can.’

³⁴ So Abimelech and all the troops with him got up by night and lay in wait against Shechem in four companies. ³⁵When Gaal son of Ebed went out and stood in the entrance of the gate of the city, Abimelech and the troops with him rose from the ambush. ³⁶And when Gaal saw them, he said to Zebul, ‘Look, people are coming down from the mountain tops!’ And Zebul said to him, ‘The shadows on the mountains look like people to you.’ ³⁷Gaal spoke again and said, ‘Look, people are coming down from Tabbur-erez, and one company is coming from the direction of Elon-meonenim.’d ³⁸Then Zebul said to him, ‘Where is your boaste now, you who said, “Who is Abimelech, that we should serve him?” Are not these the troops you made light of? Go out now and fight with them.’ ³⁹So Gaal went out at the head of the lords of Shechem, and fought with Abimelech. ⁴⁰Abimelech chased him, and he fled before him. Many fell wounded, up to the entrance of the gate. ⁴¹So Abimelech resided at Arumah; and Zebul drove out Gaal and his kinsfolk, so that they could not live on at Shechem.

⁴² On the following day the people went out into the fields. When Abimelech was told, ⁴³he took his troops and divided them into three companies, and lay in wait in the fields. When he looked and saw the people coming out of the city, he rose against them and killed them. ⁴⁴Abimelech and the company that wasf with him rushed forward and stood at the entrance of the gate of the city, while the two companies rushed on all who were in the fields and killed them. ⁴⁵Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city, and killed the people that were in it; and he razed the city and sowed it with salt.

⁴⁶ When all the lords of the Tower of Shechem heard of it, they entered the stronghold of the temple of El-berith. ⁴⁷Abimelech was told that all the lords of the Tower of Shechem were gathered together. ⁴⁸So Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the troops that were with him. Abimelech took an axe in his hand, cut down a bundle of brushwood, and took it up and laid it on his shoulder. Then he said to the troops with him, ‘What you have seen me do, do quickly, as I have done.’ ⁴⁹So every one of the troops cut down a bundle and following Abimelech put it against the stronghold, and they set the stronghold on fire over them, so that all the people of the Tower of Shechem also died, about a thousand men and women.

⁵⁰ Then Abimelech went to Thebez, and encamped against Thebez, and took it. ⁵¹But there was a strong tower within the city, and all the men and women and all the lords of the city fled to it and shut themselves in; and they went to the roof of the tower. ⁵²Abimelech came to the tower, and fought against it, and came near to the entrance of the tower to burn it with fire. ⁵³But a certain woman threw an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head, and crushed his skull. ⁵⁴Immediately he called to the young man who carried his armour and said to him, ‘Draw your sword and kill me, so people will not say about me, “A woman killed him.”’ So the young man thrust him through, and he died. ⁵⁵When the Israelites saw that Abimelech was dead, they all went home. ⁵⁶Thus God repaid Abimelech for the crime he committed against his father in killing his seventy brothers; ⁵⁷and God also made all the wickedness of the people of Shechem fall back on their heads, and on them came the curse of Jotham son of Jerubbaal.

Tola and Jair

10

AFTER Abimelech, Tola son of Puah son of Dodo, a man of Issachar, who lived at Shamir in the hill country of Ephraim, rose to deliver Israel. ²He judged Israel for twenty-three years. Then he died, and was buried at Shamir.

³ After him came Jair the Gileadite, who judged Israel for twenty-two years. ⁴He had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys; and they had thirty towns, which are in the land of Gilead, and are called Havvoth-jair to this day. ⁵Jair died, and was buried in Kamon.

Oppression by the Ammonites

⁶ The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, worshipping the Baals and the Astartes, the gods of Aram, the gods of Sidon, the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites, and the gods of the Philistines. Thus they abandoned the LORD, and did not worship him. ⁷So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he sold them into the hand of the Philistines and into the hand of the Ammonites, ⁸and they crushed and oppressed the Israelites that year. For eighteen years they oppressed all the Israelites that were beyond the Jordan in the land of the Amorites, which is in Gilead. ⁹The Ammonites also crossed the Jordan to fight against Judah and against Benjamin and against the house of Ephraim; so that Israel was greatly distressed.

¹⁰ So the Israelites cried to the LORD, saying, ‘We have sinned against you, because we have abandoned our God and have worshipped the Baals.’ ¹¹And the LORD said to the Israelites, ‘Did I not deliver youa from the Egyptians and from the Amorites, from the Ammonites and from the Philistines? ¹²The Sidonians also, and the Amalekites, and the Maonites oppressed you; and you cried to me, and I delivered you out of their hand. ¹³Yet you have abandoned me and worshipped other gods; therefore I will deliver you no more. ¹⁴Go and cry to the gods whom you have chosen; let them deliver you in the time of your distress.’ ¹⁵And the Israelites said to the LORD, ‘We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to you; but deliver us this day!’ ¹⁶So they put away the foreign gods from among them and worshipped the LORD; and he could no longer bear to see Israel suffer.

¹⁷ Then the Ammonites were called to arms, and they encamped in Gilead; and the Israelites came together, and they encamped at Mizpah. ¹⁸The commanders of the people of Gilead said to one another, ‘Who will begin the fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead.’

Jephthah

11

NOW Jephthah the Gileadite, the son of a prostitute, was a mighty warrior. Gilead was the father of Jephthah. ²Gilead’s wife also bore him sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah away, saying to him, ‘You shall not inherit anything in our father’s house; for you are the son of another woman.’ ³Then Jephthah fled from his brothers and lived in the land of Tob. Outlaws collected around Jephthah and went raiding with him.

⁴ After a time the Ammonites made war against Israel. ⁵And when the Ammonites made war against Israel, the elders of Gilead went to bring Jephthah from the land of Tob. ⁶They said to Jephthah, ‘Come and be our commander, so that we may fight with the Ammonites.’ ⁷But Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, ‘Are you not the very ones who rejected me and drove me out of my father’s house? So why do you come to me now when you are in trouble?’ ⁸The elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, ‘Nevertheless, we have now turned back to you, so that you may go with us and fight with the Ammonites, and become head over us, over all the inhabitants of Gilead.’ ⁹Jephthah said to the elders of Gilead, ‘If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the LORD gives them over to me, I will be your head.’ ¹⁰And the elders of Gilead said to Jephthah, ‘The LORD will be witness between us; we will surely do as you say.’ ¹¹So Jephthah went with the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them; and Jephthah spoke all his words before the LORD at Mizpah.

¹² Then Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites and said, ‘What is there between you and me, that you have come to me to fight against my land?’ ¹³The king of the Ammonites answered the messengers of Jephthah, ‘Because Israel, on coming from Egypt, took away my land from the Arnon to the Jabbok and to the Jordan; now therefore restore it peaceably.’ ¹⁴Once again Jephthah sent messengers to the king of the Ammonites ¹⁵and said to him: ‘Thus says Jephthah: Israel did not take away the land of Moab or the land of the Ammonites, ¹⁶but when they came up from Egypt, Israel went through the wilderness to the Red Seaa and came to Kadesh. ¹⁷Israel then sent messengers to the king of Edom, saying, “Let us pass through your land” but the king of Edom would not listen. They also sent to the king of Moab, but he would not consent. So Israel remained at Kadesh. ¹⁸Then they journeyed through the wilderness, went around the land of Edom and the land of Moab, arrived on the eastern side of the land of Moab, and camped on the other side of the Arnon. They did not enter the territory of Moab, for the Arnon was the boundary of Moab. ¹⁹Israel then sent messengers to King Sihon of the Amorites, king of Heshbon; and Israel said to him, “Let us pass through your land to our country.” ²⁰But Sihon did not trust Israel to pass through his territory; so Sihon gathered all his people together, and encamped at Jahaz, and fought with Israel. ²¹Then the LORD, the God of Israel, gave Sihon and all his people into the hand of Israel, and they defeated them; so Israel occupied all the land of the Amorites, who inhabited that country. ²²They occupied all the territory of the Amorites from the Arnon to the Jabbok and from the wilderness to the Jordan. ²³So now the LORD, the God of Israel, has conquered the Amorites for the benefit of his people Israel. Do you intend to take their place? ²⁴Should you not possess what your god Chemosh gives you to possess? And should we not be the ones to possess everything that the LORD our God has conquered for our benefit? ²⁵Now are you any better than King Balak son of Zippor of Moab? Did he ever enter into conflict with Israel, or did he ever go to war with them? ²⁶While Israel lived in Heshbon and its villages, and in Aroer and its villages, and in all the towns that are along the Arnon, for three hundred years, why did you not recover them within that time? ²⁷It is not I who have sinned against you, but you are the one who does me wrong by making war on me. Let the LORD, who is judge, decide today for the Israelites or for the Ammonites.’ ²⁸But the king of the Ammonites did not heed the message that Jephthah sent him.

Jephthah’s Vow

²⁹ Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh. He passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites. ³⁰And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD, and said, ‘If you will give the Ammonites into my hand, ³¹then whoever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return victorious from the Ammonites, shall be the LORD’s, to be offered up by me as a burnt-offering.’ ³²So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them; and the LORD gave them into his hand. ³³He inflicted a massive defeat on them from Aroer to the neighbourhood of Minnith, twenty towns, and as far as Abel-keramim. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.

Jephthah’s Daughter

³⁴ Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah; and there was his daughter coming out to meet him with timbrels and with dancing. She was his only child; he had no son or daughter except her. ³⁵When he saw her, he tore his clothes, and said, ‘Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low; you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow.’ ³⁶She said to him, ‘My father, if you have opened your mouth to the LORD, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has given you vengeance against your enemies, the Ammonites.’ ³⁷And she said to her father, ‘Let this thing be done for me: Grant me two months, so that I may go and wandera on the mountains, and bewail my virginity, my companions and I.’ ³⁸‘Go,’ he said and sent her away for two months. So she departed, she and her companions, and bewailed her virginity on the mountains. ³⁹At the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to the vow he had made. She had never slept with a man. So there arose an Israelite custom that ⁴⁰for four days every year the daughters of Israel would go out to lament the daughter of Jephthah the Gileadite.

Intertribal Dissension

12

THE men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, ‘Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites, and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house down over you!’ ²Jephthah said to them, ‘My people and I were engaged in conflict with the Ammonites who oppressed usa severely. But when I called you, you did not deliver me from their hand. ³When I saw that you would not deliver me, I took my life in my hand, and crossed over against the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day, to fight against me?’ ⁴Then Jephthah gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim; and the men of Gilead defeated Ephraim, because they said, ‘You are fugitives from Ephraim, you Gileadites—in the heart of Ephraim and Manasseh.’b ⁵Then the Gileadites took the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. Whenever one of the fugitives of Ephraim said, ‘Let me go over’, the men of Gilead would say to him, ‘Are you an Ephraimite?’ When he said, ‘No’, ⁶they said to him, ‘Then say Shibboleth’, and he said, ‘Sibboleth’, for he could not pronounce it right. Then they seized him and killed him at the fords of the Jordan. Forty-two thousand of the Ephraimites fell at that time.

⁷ Jephthah judged Israel for six years. Then Jephthah the Gileadite died, and was buried in his town in Gilead.c

Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon

⁸ After him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. ⁹He had thirty sons. He gave his thirty daughters in marriage outside his clan and brought in thirty young women from outside for his sons. He judged Israel for seven years. ¹⁰Then Ibzan died, and was buried at Bethlehem.

¹¹ After him Elon the Zebulunite judged Israel; and he judged Israel for ten years. ¹²Then Elon the Zebulunite died, and was buried at Aijalon in the land of Zebulun.

¹³ After him Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite judged Israel. ¹⁴He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys; he judged Israel for eight years. ¹⁵Then Abdon son of Hillel the Pirathonite died, and was buried at Pirathon in the land of Ephraim, in the hill country of the Amalekites.

The Birth of Samson

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THE Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and the LORD gave them into the hand of the Philistines for forty years.

² There was a certain man of Zorah, of the tribe of the Danites, whose name was Manoah. His wife was barren, having borne no children. ³And the angel of the LORD appeared to the woman and said to her, ‘Although you are barren, having borne no children, you shall conceive and bear a son. ⁴Now be careful not to drink wine or strong drink, or to eat anything unclean, ⁵for you shall conceive and bear a son. No razor is to come on his head, for the boy shall be a nazirited to God from birth. It is he who shall begin to deliver Israel from the hand of the Philistines.’ ⁶Then the woman came and told her husband, ‘A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like that of an angela of God, most awe-inspiring; I did not ask him where he came from, and he did not tell me his name; ⁷but he said to me, “You shall conceive and bear a son. So then drink no wine or strong drink, and eat nothing unclean, for the boy shall be a naziriteb to God from birth to the day of his death.”’

⁸ Then Manoah entreated the LORD, and said, ‘O LORD, I pray, let the man of God whom you sent come to us again and teach us what we are to do concerning the boy who will be born.’ ⁹God listened to Manoah, and the angel of God came again to the woman as she sat in the field; but her husband Manoah was not with her. ¹⁰So the woman ran quickly and told her husband, ‘The man who came to me the other day has appeared to me.’ ¹¹Manoah got up and followed his wife, and came to the man and said to him, ‘Are you the man who spoke to this woman?’ And he said, ‘I am.’ ¹²Then Manoah said, ‘Now when your words come true, what is to be the boy’s rule of life; what is he to do?’ ¹³The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, ‘Let the woman give heed to all that I said to her. ¹⁴She may not eat of anything that comes from the vine. She is not to drink wine or strong drink, or eat any unclean thing. She is to observe everything that I commanded her.’

¹⁵ Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, ‘Allow us to detain you, and prepare a kid for you.’ ¹⁶The angel of the LORD said to Manoah, ‘If you detain me, I will not eat your food; but if you want to prepare a burnt-offering, then offer it to the LORD.’ (For Manoah did not know that he was the angel of the LORD.) ¹⁷Then Manoah said to the angel of the LORD, ‘What is your name, so that we may honour you when your words come true?’ ¹⁸But the angel of the LORD said to him, ‘Why do you ask my name? It is too wonderful.’

¹⁹ So Manoah took the kid with the grain-offering, and offered it on the rock to the LORD, to him who worksc wonders.d ²⁰When the flame went up towards heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD ascended in the flame of the altar while Manoah and his wife looked on; and they fell on their faces to the ground. ²¹The angel of the LORD did not appear again to Manoah and his wife. Then Manoah realized that it was the angel of the LORD. ²²And Manoah said to his wife, ‘We shall surely die, for we have seen God.’ ²³But his wife said to him, ‘If the LORD had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt-offering and a grain-offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.’

²⁴ The woman bore a son, and named him Samson. The boy grew, and the LORD blessed him. ²⁵The spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

Samson’s Marriage

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ONCE Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw a Philistine woman. ²Then he came up, and told his father and mother, ‘I saw a Philistine woman at Timnah; now get her for me as my wife.’ ³But his father and mother said to him, ‘Is there not a woman among your kin, or among all oure people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?’ But Samson said to his father, ‘Get her for me, because she pleases me.’ ⁴His father and mother did not know that this was from the LORD; for he was seeking a pretext to act against the Philistines. At that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel.

⁵ Then Samson went down with his father and mother to Timnah. When he came to the vineyards of Timnah, suddenly a young lion roared at him. ⁶The spirit of the LORD rushed on him, and he tore the lion apart with his bare hands as one might tear apart a kid. But he did not tell his father or his mother what he had done. ⁷Then he went down and talked with the woman, and she pleased Samson. ⁸After a while he returned to marry her, and he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion, and honey. ⁹He scraped it out into his hands, and went on, eating as he went. When he came to his father and mother, he gave some to them, and they ate it. But he did not tell them that he had taken the honey from the carcass of the lion.

¹⁰ His father went down to the woman, and Samson made a feast there as the young men were accustomed to do. ¹¹When the people saw him, they brought thirty companions to be with him. ¹²Samson said to them, ‘Let me now put a riddle to you. If you can explain it to me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments. ¹³But if you cannot explain it to me, then you shall give me thirty linen garments and thirty festal garments.’ So they said to him, ‘Ask your riddle; let us hear it.’ ¹⁴He said to them,

‘Out of the eater came something to eat.

Out of the strong came something sweet.’

But for three days they could not explain the riddle.

¹⁵ On the fourtha day they said to Samson’s wife, ‘Coax your husband to explain the riddle to us, or we will burn you and your father’s house with fire. Have you invited us here to impoverish us?’ ¹⁶So Samson’s wife wept before him, saying, ‘You hate me; you do not really love me. You have asked a riddle of my people, but you have not explained it to me.’ He said to her, ‘Look, I have not told my father or my mother. Why should I tell you?’ ¹⁷She wept before him for the seven days that their feast lasted; and because she nagged him, on the seventh day he told her. Then she explained the riddle to her people. ¹⁸The men of the town said to him on the seventh day before the sun went down,

‘What is sweeter than honey?

What is stronger than a lion?’

And he said to them,

‘If you had not ploughed with my heifer,

you would not have found out my riddle.’

¹⁹Then the spirit of the LORD rushed on him, and he went down to Ashkelon. He killed thirty men of the town, took their spoil, and gave the festal garments to those who had explained the riddle. In hot anger he went back to his father’s house. ²⁰And Samson’s wife was given to his companion, who had been his best man.

Samson Defeats the Philistines

15

AFTER a while, at the time of the wheat harvest, Samson went to visit his wife, bringing along a kid. He said, ‘I want to go into my wife’s room.’ But her father would not allow him to go in. ²Her father said, ‘I was sure that you had rejected her; so I gave her to your companion. Is not her younger sister prettier than she? Why not take her instead?’ ³Samson said to them, ‘This time, when I do mischief to the Philistines, I will be without blame.’ ⁴So Samson went and caught three hundred foxes, and took some torches; and he turned the foxesa tail to tail, and put a torch between each pair of tails. ⁵When he had set fire to the torches, he let the foxes go into the standing grain of the Philistines, and burned up the shocks and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards andb olive groves. ⁶Then the Philistines asked, ‘Who has done this?’ And they said, ‘Samson, the son-in-law of the Timnite, because he has taken Samson’s wife and given her to his companion.’ So the Philistines came up, and burned her and her father. ⁷Samson said to them, ‘If this is what you do, I swear I will not stop until I have taken revenge on you.’ ⁸He struck them down hip and thigh with great slaughter; and he went down and lived in the cleft of the rock of Etam.

⁹ Then the Philistines came up and encamped in Judah, and made a raid on Lehi. ¹⁰The men of Judah said, ‘Why have you come up against us?’ They said, ‘We have come up to bind Samson, to do to him as he did to us.’ ¹¹Then three thousand men of Judah went down to the cleft of the rock of Etam, and they said to Samson, ‘Do you not know that the Philistines are rulers over us? What then have you done to us?’ He replied, ‘As they did to me, so I have done to them.’ ¹²They said to him, ‘We have come down to bind you, so that we may give you into the hands of the Philistines.’ Samson answered them, ‘Swear to me that you yourselves will not attack me.’ ¹³They said to him, ‘No, we will only bind you and give you into their hands; we will not kill you.’ So they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.

¹⁴ When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting to meet him; and the spirit of the LORD rushed on him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that has caught fire, and his bonds melted off his hands. ¹⁵Then he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached down and took it, and with it he killed a thousand men. ¹⁶And Samson said,

‘With the jawbone of a donkey,

heaps upon heaps,

with the jawbone of a donkey

I have slain a thousand men.’

¹⁷When he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone; and that place was called Ramath-lehi.c

¹⁸ By then he was very thirsty, and he called on the LORD, saying, ‘You have granted this great victory by the hand of your servant. Am I now to die of thirst, and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?’ ¹⁹So God split open the hollow place that is at Lehi, and water came from it. When he drank, his spirit returned, and he revived. Therefore it was named En-hakkore,d which is at Lehi to this day. ²⁰And he judged Israel in the days of the Philistines for twenty years.

Samson and Delilah

16

ONCE Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute and went in to her. ²The Gazites were told,a ‘Samson has come here.’ So they encircled the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They kept quiet all night, thinking, ‘Let us wait until the light of the morning; then we will kill him.’ ³But Samson lay only until midnight. Then at midnight he rose up, took hold of the doors of the city gate and the two posts, pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that is in front of Hebron.

⁴ After this he fell in love with a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah. ⁵The lords of the Philistines came to her and said to her, ‘Coax him, and find out what makes his strength so great, and how we may overpower him, so that we may bind him in order to subdue him; and we will each give you eleven hundred pieces of silver.’ ⁶So Delilah said to Samson, ‘Please tell me what makes your strength so great, and how you could be bound, so that one could subdue you.’ ⁷Samson said to her, ‘If they bind me with seven fresh bowstrings that are not dried out, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else.’ ⁸Then the lords of the Philistines brought her seven fresh bowstrings that had not dried out, and she bound him with them. ⁹While men were lying in wait in an inner chamber, she said to him, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ But he snapped the bowstrings, as a strand of fibre snaps when it touches the fire. So the secret of his strength was not known.

¹⁰ Then Delilah said to Samson, ‘You have mocked me and told me lies; please tell me how you could be bound.’ ¹¹He said to her, ‘If they bind me with new ropes that have not been used, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else.’ ¹²So Delilah took new ropes and bound him with them, and said to him, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ (The men lying in wait were in an inner chamber.) But he snapped the ropes off his arms like a thread.

¹³ Then Delilah said to Samson, ‘Until now you have mocked me and told me lies; tell me how you could be bound.’ He said to her, ‘If you weave the seven locks of my head with the web and make it tight with the pin, then I shall become weak, and be like anyone else.’ ¹⁴So while he slept, Delilah took the seven locks of his head and wove them into the web,b and made them tight with the pin. Then she said to him, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ But he awoke from his sleep, and pulled away the pin, the loom, and the web.

¹⁵ Then she said to him, ‘How can you say, “I love you”, when your heart is not with me? You have mocked me three times now and have not told me what makes your strength so great.’ ¹⁶Finally, after she had nagged him with her words day after day, and pestered him, he was tired to death. ¹⁷So he told her his whole secret, and said to her, ‘A razor has never come upon my head; for I have been a naziritec to God from my mother’s womb. If my head were shaved, then my strength would leave me; I would become weak, and be like anyone else.’

¹⁸ When Delilah realized that he had told her his whole secret, she sent and called the lords of the Philistines, saying, ‘This time come up, for he has told his whole secret to me.’ Then the lords of the Philistines came up to her, and brought the money in their hands. ¹⁹She let him fall asleep on her lap; and she called a man, and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. He began to weaken,d and his strength left him. ²⁰Then she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you, Samson!’ When he awoke from his sleep, he thought, ‘I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the LORD had left him. ²¹So the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes. They brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze shackles; and he ground at the mill in the prison. ²²But the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaved.

Samson’s Death

²³ Now the lords of the Philistines gathered to offer a great sacrifice to their god Dagon, and to rejoice; for they said, ‘Our god has given Samson our enemy into our hand.’ ²⁴When the people saw him, they praised their god; for they said, ‘Our god has given our enemy into our hand, the ravager of our country, who has killed many of us.’ ²⁵And when their hearts were merry, they said, ‘Call Samson, and let him entertain us.’ So they called Samson out of the prison, and he performed for them. They made him stand between the pillars; ²⁶and Samson said to the attendant who held him by the hand, ‘Let me feel the pillars on which the house rests, so that I may lean against them.’ ²⁷Now the house was full of men and women; all the lords of the Philistines were there, and on the roof there were about three thousand men and women, who looked on while Samson performed.

²⁸ Then Samson called to the LORD and said, ‘Lord GOD, remember me and strengthen me only this once, O God, so that with this one act of revenge I may pay back the Philistines for my two eyes.’a ²⁹And Samson grasped the two middle pillars on which the house rested, and he leaned his weight against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. ³⁰Then Samson said, ‘Let me die with the Philistines.’ He strained with all his might; and the house fell on the lords and all the people who were in it. So those he killed at his death were more than those he had killed during his life. ³¹Then his brothers and all his family came down and took him and brought him up and buried him between Zorah and Eshtaol in the tomb of his father Manoah. He had judged Israel for twenty years.

Micah and the Levite

17

THERE was a man in the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Micah. ²He said to his mother, ‘The eleven hundred pieces of silver that were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and even spoke it in my hearing—that silver is in my possession; I took it; but now I will return it to you.’b And his mother said, ‘May my son be blessed by the LORD!’ ³Then he returned the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, ‘I consecrate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make an idol of cast metal.’ ⁴So when he returned the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into an idol of cast metal; and it was in the house of Micah. ⁵This man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest. ⁶In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.

⁷ Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the clan of Judah. He was a Levite residing there. ⁸This man left the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live wherever he could find a place. He came to the house of Micah in the hill country of Ephraim to carry on his work.a ⁹Micah said to him, ‘From where do you come?’ He replied, ‘I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to live wherever I can find a place.’ ¹⁰Then Micah said to him, ‘Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, a set of clothes, and your living.’b ¹¹The Levite agreed to stay with the man; and the young man became to him like one of his sons. ¹²So Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. ¹³Then Micah said, ‘Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because the Levite has become my priest.’

The Migration of Dan

18

IN THOSE days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the Danites was seeking for itself a territory to live in; for until then no territory among the tribes of Israel had been allotted to them. ²So the Danites sent five valiant men from the whole number of their clan, from Zorah and from Eshtaol, to spy out the land and to explore it; and they said to them, ‘Go, explore the land.’ When they came to the hill country of Ephraim, to the house of Micah, they stayed there. ³While they were at Micah’s house, they recognized the voice of the young Levite; so they went over and asked him, ‘Who brought you here? What are you doing in this place? What is your business here?’ ⁴He said to them, ‘Micah did such and such for me, and he hired me, and I have become his priest.’ ⁵Then they said to him, ‘Inquire of God that we may know whether the mission we are undertaking will succeed.’ ⁶The priest replied, ‘Go in peace. The mission you are on is under the eye of the LORD.’

⁷ The five men went on, and when they came to Laish, they observed the people who were there living securely, after the manner of the Sidonians, quiet and unsuspecting, lackingc nothing on earth, and possessing wealth.d Furthermore, they were far from the Sidonians and had no dealings with Aram.e ⁸ When they came to their kinsfolk at Zorah and Eshtaol, they said to them, ‘What do you report?’⁹ They said, ‘Come, let us go up against them; for we have seen the land, and it is very good. Will you do nothing? Do not be slow to go, but enter in and possess the land. ¹⁰When you go, you will come to an unsuspecting people. The land is broad—God has indeed given it into your hands—a place where there is no lack of anything on earth.’

¹¹ Six hundred men of the Danite clan, armed with weapons of war, set out from Zorah and Eshtaol, ¹²and went up and encamped at Kiriath-jearim in Judah. On this account that place is called Mahaneh-danf to this day; it is west of Kiriath-jearim. ¹³From there they passed on to the hill country of Ephraim, and came to the house of Micah.

¹⁴ Then the five men who had gone to spy out the land (that is, Laish) said to their comrades, ‘Do you know that in these buildings there are an ephod, teraphim, and an idol of cast metal? Now therefore consider what you will do.’ ¹⁵So they turned in that direction and came to the house of the young Levite, at the home of Micah, and greeted him. ¹⁶While the six hundred men of the Danites, armed with their weapons of war, stood by the entrance of the gate, ¹⁷the five men who had gone to spy out the land proceeded to enter and take the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim.a The priest was standing by the entrance of the gate with the six hundred men armed with weapons of war. ¹⁸When the men went into Micah’s house and took the idol of cast metal, the ephod, and the teraphim, the priest said to them, ‘What are you doing?’ ¹⁹They said to him, ‘Keep quiet! Put your hand over your mouth, and come with us, and be to us a father and a priest. Is it better for you to be priest to the house of one person, or to be priest to a tribe and clan in Israel?’ ²⁰Then the priest accepted the offer. He took the ephod, the teraphim, and the idol, and went along with the people.

²¹ So they resumed their journey, putting the little ones, the livestock, and the goods in front of them. ²²When they were some distance from the home of Micah, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house were called out, and they overtook the Danites. ²³They shouted to the Danites, who turned around and said to Micah, ‘What is the matter that you come with such a company?’ ²⁴He replied, ‘You take my gods that I made, and the priest, and go away, and what have I left? How then can you ask me, “What is the matter?”’ ²⁵And the Danites said to him, ‘You had better not let your voice be heard among us or else hot-tempered fellows will attack you, and you will lose your life and the lives of your household.’ ²⁶Then the Danites went on their way. When Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his home.

The Danites Settle in Laish

²⁷ The Danites, having taken what Micah had made, and the priest who belonged to him, came to Laish, to a people quiet and unsuspecting, put them to the sword, and burned down the city. ²⁸There was no deliverer, because it was far from Sidon and they had no dealings with Aram.b It was in the valley that belongs to Beth-rehob. They rebuilt the city, and lived in it. ²⁹They named the city Dan, after their ancestor Dan, who was born to Israel; but the name of the city was formerly Laish. ³⁰Then the Danites set up the idol for themselves. Jonathan son of Gershom, son of Moses,c and his sons were priests to the tribe of the Danites until the time the land went into captivity. ³¹So they maintained as their own Micah’s idol that he had made, as long as the house of God was at Shiloh.

The Levite’s Concubine

19

IN THOSE days, when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite, residing in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. ²But his concubine became angry withd him, and she went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there for some four months. ³Then her husband setout after her, to speak tenderly to her and bring her back. He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. When he reacheda her father’s house, the girl’s father saw him and came with joy to meet him. ⁴His father-in-law, the girl’s father, made him stay, and he remained with him for three days; so they ate and drank, and heb stayed there. ⁵On the fourth day they got up early in the morning, and he prepared to go; but the girl’s father said to his son-in-law, ‘Fortify yourself with a bit of food, and after that you may go.’ ⁶So the two men sat and ate and drank together; and the girl’s father said to the man, ‘Why not spend the night and enjoy yourself?’ ⁷When the man got up to go, his father-in-law kept urging him until he spent the night there again. ⁸On the fifth day he got up early in the morning to leave; and the girl’s father said, ‘Fortify yourself.’ So they lingeredc until the day declined, and the two of them ate and drank.d ⁹When the man with his concubine and his servant got up to leave, his father-in-law, the girl’s father, said to him, ‘Look, the day has worn on until it is almost evening. Spend the night. See, the day has drawn to a close. Spend the night here and enjoy yourself. Tomorrow you can get up early in the morning for your journey, and go home.’

¹⁰ But the man would not spend the night; he got up and departed, and arrived opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). He had with him a couple of saddled donkeys, and his concubine was with him. ¹¹When they were near Jebus, the day was far spent, and the servant said to his master, ‘Come now, let us turn aside to this city of the Jebusites, and spend the night in it.’ ¹²But his master said to him, ‘We will not turn aside into a city of foreigners, who do not belong to the people of Israel; but we will continue on to Gibeah.’ ¹³Then he said to his servant, ‘Come, let us try to reach one of these places, and spend the night at Gibeah or at Ramah.’ ¹⁴So they passed by and went on their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. ¹⁵They turned aside there, to go in and spend the night at Gibeah. He went in and sat down in the open square of the city, but no one took them in to spend the night.

¹⁶ Then at evening there was an old man coming from his work in the field. The man was from the hill country of Ephraim, and he was residing in Gibeah. (The people of the place were Benjaminites.) ¹⁷When the old man looked up and saw the wayfarer in the open square of the city, he said, ‘Where are you going and where do you come from?’ ¹⁸He answered him, ‘We are passing from Bethlehem in Judah to the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, from which I come. I went to Bethlehem in Judah; and I am going to my home.e Nobody has offered to take me in. ¹⁹We your servants have straw and fodder for our donkeys, with bread and wine for me and the woman and the young man along with us. We need nothing more.’ ²⁰The old man said, ‘Peace be to you. I will care for all your wants; only do not spend the night in the square.’ ²¹So he brought him into his house, and fed the donkeys; they washed their feet, and ate and drank.

Gibeah’s Crime

²² While they were enjoying themselves, the men of the city, a depraved lot, surrounded the house, and started pounding on the door. They said to the old man, the master of the house, ‘Bring out the man who came into your house, so that we may have intercourse with him.’ ²³And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, ‘No, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. Since this man is my guest, do not do this vile thing. ²⁴Here are my virgin daughter and his concubine; let me bring them out now. Ravish them and do whatever you want to them; but against this man do not do such a vile thing.’ ²⁵But the men would not listen to him. So the man seized his concubine, and put her out to them. They wantonly raped her, and abused her all through the night until the morning. And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. ²⁶As morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man’s house where her master was, until it was light.

²⁷ In the morning her master got up, opened the doors of the house, and when he went out to go on his way, there was his concubine lying at the door of the house, with her hands on the threshold. ²⁸‘Get up,’ he said to her, ‘we are going.’ But there was no answer. Then he put her on the donkey; and the man set out for his home. ²⁹When he had entered his house, he took a knife, and grasping his concubine he cut her into twelve pieces, limb by limb, and sent her throughout all the territory of Israel. ³⁰Then he commanded the men whom he sent, saying, ‘Thus shall you say to all the Israelites, “Has such a thing ever happeneda since the day that the Israelites came up from the land of Egypt until this day? Consider it, take counsel, and speak out.”’

The Other Tribes Attack Benjamin

20

THEN all the Israelites came out, from Dan to Beer-sheba, including the land of Gilead, and the congregation assembled in one body before the LORD at Mizpah. ²The chiefs of all the people, of all the tribes of Israel, presented themselves in the assembly of the people of God, four hundred thousand foot-soldiers bearing arms. ³(Now the Benjaminites heard that the people of Israel had gone up to Mizpah.) And the Israelites said, ‘Tell us, how did this criminal act come about?’ ⁴The Levite, the husband of the woman who was murdered, answered, ‘I came to Gibeah that belongs to Benjamin, I and my concubine, to spend the night. ⁵The lords of Gibeah rose up against me, and surrounded the house at night. They intended to kill me, and they raped my concubine until she died. ⁶Then I took my concubine and cut her into pieces, and sent her throughout the whole extent of Israel’s territory; for they have committed a vile outrage in Israel. ⁷So now, you Israelites, all of you, give your advice and counsel here and now.’

⁸ All the people got up as one, saying, ‘We will not any of us go to our tents, nor will any of us return to our houses. ⁹But now this is what we will do to Gibeah: we will go upb against it by lot. ¹⁰We will take ten men of a hundred throughout all the tribes of Israel, and a hundred of a thousand, and a thousand of ten thousand, to bring provisions for the troops, who are going to repayc Gibeah of Benjamin for all the disgrace that they have done in Israel.’ ¹¹So all the men of Israel gathered against the city, united as one.

¹² The tribes of Israel sent men through all the tribe of Benjamin, saying, ‘What crime is this that has been committed among you? ¹³Now then, hand over those scoundrels in Gibeah, so that we may put them to death, and purge the evil from Israel.’ But the Benjaminites would not listen to their kinsfolk, the Israelites. ¹⁴The Benjaminites came together out of the towns to Gibeah, to go out to battle against the Israelites. ¹⁵On that day the Benjaminites mustered twenty-six thousand armed men from their towns, besides the inhabitants of Gibeah. ¹⁶Of all this force, there were seven hundred picked men who were left-handed; every one could sling a stone at a hair, and not miss. ¹⁷And the Israelites, apart from Benjamin, mustered four hundred thousand armed men, all of them warriors.

¹⁸ The Israelites proceeded to go up to Bethel, where they inquired of God, ‘Which of us shall go up first to battle against the Benjaminites?’ And the LORD answered, ‘Judah shall go up first.’

¹⁹ Then the Israelites got up in the morning, and encamped against Gibeah. ²⁰The Israelites went out to battle against Benjamin; and the Israelites drew up the battle line against them at Gibeah. ²¹The Benjaminites came out of Gibeah, and struck down on that day twenty-two thousand of the Israelites. ²³a The Israelites went up and wept before the LORD until the evening; and they inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall we again draw near to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites?’ And the LORD said, ‘Go up against them.’ ²²The Israelites took courage, and again formed the battle line in the same place where they had formed it on the first day.

²⁴ So the Israelites advanced against the Benjaminites on the second day. ²⁵Benjamin moved out against them from Gibeah the second day, and struck down eighteen thousand of the Israelites, all of them armed men. ²⁶Then all the Israelites, the whole army, went back to Bethel and wept, sitting there before the LORD; they fasted that day until evening. Then they offered burnt-offerings and sacrifices of well-being before the LORD. ²⁷And the Israelites inquired of the LORD (for the ark of the covenant of God was there in those days, ²⁸and Phinehas son of Eleazar, son of Aaron, ministered before it in those days), saying, ‘Shall we go out once more to battle against our kinsfolk the Benjaminites, or shall we desist?’ The LORD answered, ‘Go up, for tomorrow I will give them into your hand.’

²⁹ So Israel stationed men in ambush around Gibeah. ³⁰Then the Israelites went up against the Benjaminites on the third day, and set themselves in array against Gibeah, as before. ³¹When the Benjaminites went out against the army, they were drawn away from the city. As before they began to inflict casualties on the troops, along the main roads, one of which goes up to Bethel and the other to Gibeah, as well as in the open country, killing about thirty men of Israel. ³²The Benjaminites thought, ‘They are being routed before us, as previously.’ But the Israelites said, ‘Let us retreat and draw them away from the city towards the roads.’ ³³The main body of the Israelites drew back its battle line to Baal-tamar, while those Israelites who were in ambush rushed out of their place westb of Geba. ³⁴There came against Gibeah ten thousand picked men out of all Israel, and the battle was fierce. But the Benjaminites did not realize that disaster was close upon them.

³⁵ The LORD defeated Benjamin before Israel; and the Israelites destroyed twenty-five thousand one hundred men of Benjamin that day, all of them armed.

³⁶ Then the Benjaminites saw that they were defeated.a

The Israelites gave ground to Benjamin, because they trusted to the troops in ambush that they had stationed against Gibeah. ³⁷The troops in ambush rushed quickly upon Gibeah. Then they put the whole city to the sword. ³⁸Now the agreement between the main body of Israel and the men in ambush was that when they sent up a cloud of smoke out of the city ³⁹the main body of Israel should turn in battle. But Benjamin had begun to inflict casualties on the Israelites, killing about thirty of them; so they thought, ‘Surely they are defeated before us, as in the first battle.’ ⁴⁰But when the cloud, a column of smoke, began to rise out of the city, the Benjaminites looked behind them—and there was the whole city going up in smoke towards the sky! ⁴¹Then the main body of Israel turned, and the Benjaminites were dismayed, for they saw that disaster was close upon them. ⁴²Therefore they turned away from the Israelites in the direction of the wilderness; but the battle overtook them, and those who came out of the cityb were slaughtering them in between.c ⁴³Cutting downd the Benjaminites, they pursued them from Nohahe and trod them down as far as a place east of Gibeah. ⁴⁴Eighteen thousand Benjaminites fell, all of them courageous fighters. ⁴⁵When they turned and fled towards the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, five thousand of them were cut down on the main roads, and they were pursued as far as Gidom, and two thousand of them were slain. ⁴⁶So all who fell that day of Benjamin were twenty-five thousand arms-bearing men, all of them courageous fighters. ⁴⁷But six hundred turned and fled towards the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, and remained at the rock of Rimmon for four months. ⁴⁸Meanwhile, the Israelites turned back against the Benjaminites, and put them to the sword—the city, the people, the animals, and all that remained. Also the remaining towns they set on fire.

The Benjaminites Saved from Extinction

21

NOW the Israelites had sworn at Mizpah, ‘No one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin.’ ²And the people came to Bethel, and sat there until evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and wept bitterly. ³They said, ‘O LORD, the God of Israel, why has it come to pass that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel?’ ⁴On the next day, the people got up early, and built an altar there, and offered burnt-offerings and sacrifices of well-being. ⁵Then the Israelites said, ‘Which of all the tribes of Israel did not come up in the assembly to the LORD?’ For a solemn oath had been taken concerning whoever did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah, saying, ‘That one shall be put to death.’ ⁶But the Israelites had compassion for Benjamin their kin, and said, ‘One tribe is cut off from Israel this day. ⁷What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since we have sworn by the LORD that we will not give them any of our daughters as wives?’

⁸ Then they said, ‘Is there anyone from the tribes of Israel who did not come up to the LORD to Mizpah?’ It turned out that no one from Jabesh-gilead had come to the camp, to the assembly. ⁹For when the roll was called among the people, not one of the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead was there. ¹⁰So the congregation sent twelve thousand soldiers there and commanded them, ‘Go, put the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead to the sword, including the women and the little ones. ¹¹This is what you shall do; every male and every woman that has lain with a male you shall devote to destruction.’ ¹²And they found among the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead four hundred young virgins who had never slept with a man and brought them to the camp at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan.

¹³ Then the whole congregation sent word to the Benjaminites who were at the rock of Rimmon, and proclaimed peace to them. ¹⁴Benjamin returned at that time; and they gave them the women whom they had saved alive of the women of Jabesh-gilead; but they did not suffice for them.

¹⁵ The people had compassion on Benjamin because the LORD had made a breach in the tribes of Israel. ¹⁶So the elders of the congregation said, ‘What shall we do for wives for those who are left, since there are no women left in Benjamin?’ ¹⁷And they said, ‘There must be heirs for the survivors of Benjamin, in order that a tribe may not be blotted out from Israel. ¹⁸Yet we cannot give any of our daughters to them as wives.’ For the Israelites had sworn, ‘Cursed be anyone who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ¹⁹So they said, ‘Look, the yearly festival of the LORD is taking place at Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.’ ²⁰And they instructed the Benjaminites, saying, ‘Go and lie in wait in the vineyards, ²¹and watch; when the young women of Shiloh come out to dance in the dances, then come out of the vineyards and each of you carry off a wife for himself from the young women of Shiloh, and go to the land of Benjamin. ²²Then if their fathers or their brothers come to complain to us, we will say to them, “Be generous and allow us to have them; because we did not capture in battle a wife for each man. But neither did you incur guilt by giving your daughters to them.”’ ²³The Benjaminites did so; they took wives for each of them from the dancers whom they abducted. Then they went and returned to their territory, and rebuilt the towns, and lived in them. ²⁴So the Israelites departed from there at that time by tribes and families, and they went out from there to their own territories.

²⁵ In those days there was no king in Israel; all the people did what was right in their own eyes.

RUTH

Elimelech’s Family Goes to Moab

IN THE days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a certain man of Bethlehem in Judah went to live in the country of Moab, he and his wife and two sons. ²The name of the man was Elimelech and the name of his wife Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Chilion; they were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in Judah. They went into the country of Moab and remained there. ³But Elimelech, the husband of Naomi, died, and she was left with her two sons. ⁴These took Moabite wives; the name of one was Orpah and the name of the other Ruth. When they had lived there for about ten years, ⁵both Mahlon and Chilion also died, so that the woman was left without her two sons or her husband.

Naomi and Her Moabite Daughters-in-Law

⁶ Then she started to return with her daughters-in-law from the country of Moab, for she had heard in the country of Moab that the LORD had had consideration for his people and given them food. ⁷So she set out from the place where she had been living, she and her two daughters-in-law, and they went on their way to go back to the land of Judah. ⁸But Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, ‘Go back each of you to your mother’s house. May the LORD deal kindly with you, as you have dealt with the dead and with me. ⁹The LORD grant that you may find security, each of you in the house of your husband.’ Then she kissed them, and they wept aloud. ¹⁰They said to her, ‘No, we will return with you to your people.’ ¹¹But Naomi said, ‘Turn back, my daughters, why will you go with me? Do I still have sons in my womb that they may become your husbands? ¹²Turn back, my daughters, go your way, for I am too old to have a husband. Even if I thought there was hope for me, even if I should have a husband tonight and bear sons, ¹³would you then wait until they were grown? Would you then refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, it has been far more bitter for me than for you, because the hand of the LORD has turned against me.’ ¹⁴Then they wept aloud again. Orpah kissed her mother-in-law, but Ruth clung to her.

¹⁵ So she said, ‘See, your sister-in-law has gone back to her people and to her gods; return after your sister-in-law.’ ¹⁶But Ruth said,

‘Do not press me to leave you

or to turn back from following you!

Where you go, I will go;

where you lodge, I will lodge;

your people shall be my people,

and your God my God.

¹⁷ Where you die, I will die—

there will I be buried.

May the LORD do thus and so to me,

and more as well,

if even death parts me from you!’

¹⁸When Naomi saw that she was determined to go with her, she said no more to her.

¹⁹ So the two of them went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they came to Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them; and the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’ ²⁰She said to them,

‘Call me no longer Naomi,a

call me Mara,b

for the Almightyc has dealt bitterly with me.

²¹ I went away full,

but the LORD has brought me back empty;

why call me Naomi

when the LORD has dealt harshly withd me,

and the Almightyc has brought calamity upon me?’

²² So Naomi returned together with Ruth the Moabite, her daughter-in-law, who came back with her from the country of Moab. They came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest.

Ruth Meets Boaz

2

NOW Naomi had a kinsman on her husband’s side, a prominent rich man, of the family of Elimelech, whose name was Boaz. ²And Ruth the Moabite said to Naomi, ‘Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain, behind someone in whose sight I may find favour.’ She said to her, ‘Go, my daughter.’ ³So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech. ⁴Just then Boaz came from Bethlehem. He said to the reapers, ‘The LORD be with you.’ They answered, ‘The LORD bless you.’ ⁵Then Boaz said to his servant who was in charge of the reapers, ‘To whom does this young woman belong?’ ⁶The servant who was in charge of the reapers answered, ‘She is the Moabite who came back with Naomi from the country of Moab. ⁷She said, “Please let me glean and gather among the sheaves behind the reapers.” So she came, and she has been on her feet from early this morning until now, without resting even for a moment.’e

⁸ Then Boaz said to Ruth, ‘Now listen, my daughter, do not go to glean in another field or leave this one, but keep close to my young women. ⁹Keep your eyes on the field that is being reaped, and follow behind them. I have ordered the young men not to bother you. If you get thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn.’ ¹⁰Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, ‘Why have I found favour in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?’ ¹¹But Boaz answered her, ‘All that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband has been fully told me, and how you left your father and mother and your native land and came to a people that you did not know before. ¹²May the LORD reward you for your deeds, and may you have a full reward from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge!’ ¹³Then she said, ‘May I continue to find favour in your sight, my lord, for you have comforted me and spoken kindly to your servant, even though I am not one of your servants.’

¹⁴ At mealtime Boaz said to her, ‘Come here, and eat some of this bread, and dip your morsel in the sour wine.’ So she sat beside the reapers, and he heaped up for her some parched grain. She ate until she was satisfied, and she had some left over. ¹⁵When she got up to glean, Boaz instructed his young men, ‘Let her glean even among the standing sheaves, and do not reproach her. ¹⁶You must also pull out some handfuls for her from the bundles, and leave them for her to glean, and do not rebuke her.’

¹⁷ So she gleaned in the field until evening. Then she beat out what she had gleaned, and it was about an ephah of barley. ¹⁸She picked it up and came into the town, and her mother-in-law saw how much she had gleaned. Then she took out and gave her what was left over after she herself had been satisfied. ¹⁹Her mother-in-law said to her, ‘Where did you glean today? And where have you worked? Blessed be the man who took notice of you.’ So she told her mother-in-law with whom she had worked, and said, ‘The name of the man with whom I worked today is Boaz.’ ²⁰Then Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, ‘Blessed be he by the LORD, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!’ Naomi also said to her, ‘The man is a relative of ours, one of our nearest kin.’a ²¹Then Ruth the Moabite said, ‘He even said to me, “Stay close by my servants, until they have finished all my harvest.”’ ²²Naomi said to Ruth, her daughter-in-law, ‘It is better, my daughter, that you go out with his young women, otherwise you might be bothered in another field.’ ²³So she stayed close to the young women of Boaz, gleaning until the end of the barley and wheat harvests; and she lived with her mother-in-law.

Ruth and Boaz at the Threshing-Floor

3

NAOMI her mother-in-law said to her, ‘My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. ²Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing-floor. ³Now wash and anoint yourself, and put on your best clothes and go down to the threshing-floor; but do not make yourself known to the man until he has finished eating and drinking. ⁴When he lies down, observe the place where he lies; then, go and uncover his feet and lie down; and he will tell you what to do.’ ⁵She said to her, ‘All that you tell me I will do.’

⁶ So she went down to the threshing-floor and did just as her mother-in-law had instructed her. ⁷When Boaz had eaten and drunk, and he was in a contented mood, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of grain. Then she came quietly and uncovered his feet, and lay down. ⁸At midnight the man was startled and turned over, and there, lying at his feet, was a woman! ⁹He said, ‘Who are you?’ And she answered, ‘I am Ruth, your servant; spread your cloak over your servant, for you are next-of-kin.’a ¹⁰ He said, ‘May you be blessed by the LORD, my daughter; this last instance of your loyalty is better than the first; you have not gone after young men, whether poor or rich.¹¹ And now, my daughter, do not be afraid; I will do for you all that you ask, for all the assembly of my people know that you are a worthy woman. ¹²But now, though it is true that I am a near kinsman, there is another kinsman more closely related than I.¹³ Remain this night, and in the morning, if he will act as next-of-kina for you, good; let him do so. If he is not willing to act as next-of-kina for you, then, as the LORD lives, I will act as next-of-kina for you. Lie down until the morning.’

¹⁴ So she lay at his feet until morning, but got up before one person could recognize another; for he said, ‘It must not be known that the woman came to the threshing-floor.’ ¹⁵Then he said, ‘Bring the cloak you are wearing and hold it out.’ So she held it, and he measured out six measures of barley, and put it on her back; then he went into the city. ¹⁶She came to her mother-in-law, who said, ‘How did things go with you,b my daughter?’ Then she told her all that the man had done for her, ¹⁷saying, ‘He gave me these six measures of barley, for he said, “Do not go back to your mother-in-law empty-handed.”’ ¹⁸She replied, ‘Wait, my daughter, until you learn how the matter turns out, for the man will not rest, but will settle the matter today.’

The Marriage of Boaz and Ruth

4

NO SOONER had Boaz gone up to the gate and sat down there than the next-of-kin,a of whom Boaz had spoken, came passing by. So Boaz said, ‘Come over, friend; sit down here.’ And he went over and sat down. ²Then Boaz took ten men of the elders of the city, and said, ‘Sit down here’ so they sat down. ³He then said to the next-of-kin,a ‘Naomi, who has come back from the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged to our kinsman Elimelech. ⁴So I thought I would tell you of it, and say: Buy it in the presence of those sitting here, and in the presence of the elders of my people. If you will redeem it, redeem it; but if you will not, tell me, so that I may know; for there is no one prior to you to redeem it, and I come after you.’ So he said, ‘I will redeem it.’ ⁵Then Boaz said, ‘The day you acquire the field from the hand of Naomi, you are also acquiring Ruthc the Moabite, the widow of the dead man, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance.’ ⁶At this, the next-of-kina said, ‘I cannot redeem it for myself without damaging my own inheritance. Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem it.’

⁷ Now this was the custom in former times in Israel concerning redeeming and exchanging: to confirm a transaction, one party took off a sandal and gave it to the other; this was the manner of attesting in Israel. ⁸So when the next-of-kina said to Boaz, ‘Acquire it for yourself’, he took off his sandal. ⁹Then Boaz said to the elders and all the people, ‘Today you are witnesses that I have acquired from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech and all that belonged to Chilion and Mahlon. ¹⁰I have also acquired Ruth the Moabite, the wife of Mahlon, to be my wife, to maintain the dead man’s name on his inheritance, in order that the name of the dead may not be cut off from his kindred and from the gate of his native place; today you are witnesses.’ ¹¹Then all the people who were at the gate, along with the elders, said, ‘We are witnesses. May the LORD make the woman who is coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you produce children in Ephrathah and bestow a name in Bethlehem; ¹²and, through the children that the LORD will give you by this young woman, may your house be like the house of Perez, whom Tamar bore to Judah.’

The Genealogy of David

¹³ So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. When they came together, the LORD made her conceive, and she bore a son. ¹⁴Then the women said to Naomi, ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has not left you this day without next-of-kin;a and may his name be renowned in Israel! ¹⁵He shall be to you a restorer of life and a nourisher of your old age; for your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you than seven sons, has borne him.’ ¹⁶Then Naomi took the child and laid him in her bosom, and became his nurse. ¹⁷The women of the neighbourhood gave him a name, saying, ‘A son has been born to Naomi.’ They named him Obed; he became the father of Jesse, the father of David.

¹⁸ Now these are the descendants of Perez: Perez became the father of Hezron, ¹⁹Hezron of Ram, Ram of Amminadab, ²⁰Amminadab of Nahshon, Nahshon of Salmon, ²¹Salmon of Boaz, Boaz of Obed, ²²Obedof Jesse, and Jesse of David.

1 SAMUEL

Samuel’s Birth and Dedication

THERE was a certain man of Ramathaim, a Zuphitea from the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham son of Elihu son of Tohu son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. ²He had two wives; the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the other Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.

³ Now this man used to go up year by year from his town to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD. ⁴On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters; ⁵but to Hannah he gave a double portion,b because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb. ⁶Her rival used to provoke her severely, to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. ⁷So it went on year after year; as often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat. ⁸Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Hannah, why do you weep? Why do you not eat? Why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?’

⁹ After they had eaten and drunk at Shiloh, Hannah rose and presented herself before the LORD.c Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. ¹⁰She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD, and wept bitterly. ¹¹She made this vow: ‘O LORD of hosts, if only you will look on the misery of your servant, and remember me, and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a male child, then I will set him before you as a nazirited until the day of his death. He shall drink neither wine nor intoxicants,e and no razor shall touch his head.’

¹² As she continued praying before the LORD, Eli observed her mouth. ¹³Hannah was praying silently; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard; therefore Eli thought she was drunk. ¹⁴So Eli said to her, ‘How long will you make a drunken spectacle of yourself? Put away your wine.’ ¹⁵But Hannah answered, ‘No, my lord, I am a woman deeply troubled; I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink, but I have been pouring out my soul before the LORD. ¹⁶Do not regard your servant as a worthless woman, for I have been speaking out of my great anxiety and vexation all this time.’ ¹⁷Then Eli answered, ‘Go in peace; the God of Israel grant the petition you have made to him.’ ¹⁸And she said, ‘Let your servant find favour in your sight.’ Then the woman went to her quarters,a ate and drank with her husband,b and her countenance was sad no longer.c

¹⁹ They rose early in the morning and worshipped before the LORD; then they went back to their house at Ramah. Elkanah knew his wife Hannah, and the LORD remembered her. ²⁰In due time Hannah conceived and bore a son. She named him Samuel, for she said, ‘I have asked him of the LORD.’

²¹ The man Elkanah and all his household went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and to pay his vow. ²²But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, ‘As soon as the child is weaned, I will bring him, that he may appear in the presence of the LORD, and remain there for ever; I will offer him as a nazirited for all time.’e ²³Her husband Elkanah said to her, ‘Do what seems best to you, wait until you have weaned him; only—may the LORD establish his word.’f So the woman remained and nursed her son, until she weaned him. ²⁴When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,g an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the LORD at Shiloh; and the child was young. ²⁵Then they slaughtered the bull, and they brought the child to Eli. ²⁶And she said, ‘Oh, my lord! As you live, my lord, I am the woman who was standing here in your presence, praying to the LORD. ²⁷For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me the petition that I made to him. ²⁸Therefore I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives, he is given to the LORD.’

She left him there forh the LORD.

Hannah’s Prayer

2

HANNAH prayed and said,

‘My heart exults in the LORD;

my strength is exalted in my God.i

My mouth derides my enemies,

because I rejoice in myj victory.

² ‘There is no Holy One like the LORD,

no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

³ Talk no more so very proudly,

let not arrogance come from your mouth;

for the LORD is a God of knowledge,

and by him actions are weighed.

⁴ The bows of the mighty are broken,

but the feeble gird on strength.

⁵ Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread,

but those who were hungry are fat with spoil.

The barren has borne seven,

but she who has many children is forlorn.

⁶ The LORD kills and brings to life;

he brings down to Sheol and raises up.

⁷ The LORD makes poor and makes rich;

he brings low, he also exalts.

⁸ He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap,

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honour.a

For the pillars of the earth are the LORD’s,

and on them he has set the world.

⁹ ‘He will guard the feet of his faithful ones,

but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness;

for not by might does one prevail.

¹⁰ The LORD! His adversaries shall be shattered;

the Most Highb will thunder in heaven.

The LORD will judge the ends of the earth;

he will give strength to his king,

and exalt the power of his anointed.’

Eli’s Wicked Sons

¹¹ Then Elkanah went home to Ramah, while the boy remained to minister to the LORD, in the presence of the priest Eli.

¹² Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels; they had no regard for the LORD ¹³or for the duties of the priests to the people. When anyone offered sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come, while the meat was boiling, with a three-pronged fork in his hand, ¹⁴and he would thrust it into the pan, or kettle, or cauldron, or pot; all that the fork brought up the priest would take for himself.c This is what they did at Shiloh to all the Israelites who came there. ¹⁵Moreover, before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the one who was sacrificing, ‘Give meat for the priest to roast; for he will not accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.’ ¹⁶And if the man said to him, ‘Let them burn the fat first, and then take whatever you wish’, he would say, ‘No, you must give it now; if not, I will take it by force.’ ¹⁷Thus the sin of the young men was very great in the sight of the LORD; for they treated the offerings of the LORD with contempt.

The Child Samuel at Shiloh

¹⁸ Samuel was ministering before the LORD, a boy wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹His mother used to make for him a little robe and take it to him each year, when she went up with her husband to offer the yearly sacrifice. ²⁰Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, and say, ‘May the LORD repaya you with children by this woman for the gift that she made tob the LORD’ and then they would return to their home.

²¹ Andc the LORD took note of Hannah; she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. And the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the LORD.

Prophecy against Eli’s Household

²² Now Eli was very old. He heard all that his sons were doing to all Israel, and how they lay with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³He said to them, ‘Why do you do such things? For I hear of your evil dealings from all these people. ²⁴No, my sons; it is not a good report that I hear the people of the LORD spreading abroad. ²⁵If one person sins against another, someone can intercede for the sinner with the LORD;d but if someone sins against the LORD, who can make intercession?’ But they would not listen to the voice of their father; for it was the will of the LORD to kill them.

²⁶ Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favour with the LORD and with the people.

²⁷ A man of God came to Eli and said to him, ‘Thus the LORD has said, “I revealede myself to the family of your ancestor in Egypt when they were slavesf to the house of Pharaoh. ²⁸I chose him out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to offer incense, to wear an ephod before me; and I gave to the family of your ancestor all my offerings by fire from the people of Israel. ²⁹Why then look with greedy eyeg at my sacrifices and my offerings that I commanded, and honour your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choicest parts of every offering of my people Israel?” ³⁰Therefore the LORD the God of Israel declares: “I promised that your family and the family of your ancestor should go in and out before me for ever” but now the LORD declares: “Far be it from me; for those who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be treated with contempt. ³¹See, a time is coming when I will cut off your strength and the strength of your ancestor’s family, so that no one in your family will live to old age. ³²Then in distress you will look with greedy eyeh on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed upon Israel; and no one in your family shall ever live to old age. ³³The only one of you whom I shall not cut off from my altar shall be spared to weep out hisi eyes and grieve hisj heart; all the members of your household shall die by the sword.k ³⁴The fate of your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, shall be the sign to you—both of them shall die on the same day. ³⁵I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who shall do according to what is in my heart and in my mind. I will build him a sure house, and he shall go in and out before my anointed one for ever. ³⁶Everyone who is left in your family shall come to implore him for a piece of silver or a loaf of bread, and shall say, Please put me in one of the priest’s places, that I may eat a morsel of bread.”’

Samuel’s Calling and Prophetic Activity

3

NOW the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread.

² At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; ³the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. ⁴Then the LORD called, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’a and he said, ‘Here I am!’ ⁵and ran to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call; lie down again.’ So he went and lay down. ⁶The LORD called again, ‘Samuel!’ Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ But he said, ‘I did not call, my son; lie down again.’ ⁷Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. ⁸The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, ‘Here I am, for you called me.’ Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. ⁹Therefore Eli said to Samuel, ‘Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, “Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.”’ So Samuel went and lay down in his place.

¹⁰ Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, ‘Samuel! Samuel!’ And Samuel said, ‘Speak, for your servant is listening.’ ¹¹Then the LORD said to Samuel, ‘See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make both ears of anyone who hears of it tingle. ¹²On that day I will fulfil against Eli all that I have spoken concerning his house, from beginning to end. ¹³For I have told him that I am about to punish his house for ever, for the iniquity that he knew, because his sons were blaspheming God,b and he did not restrain them. ¹⁴Therefore I swear to the house of Eli that the iniquity of Eli’s house shall not be expiated by sacrifice or offering for ever.’

¹⁵ Samuel lay there until morning; then he opened the doors of the house of the LORD. Samuel was afraid to tell the vision to Eli. ¹⁶But Eli called Samuel and said, ‘Samuel, my son.’ He said, ‘Here I am.’ ¹⁷Eli said, ‘What was it that he told you? Do not hide it from me. May God do so to you and more also, if you hide anything from me of all that he told you.’ ¹⁸So Samuel told him everything and hid nothing from him. Then he said, ‘It is the LORD; let him do what seems good to him.’

4

¹⁹ As Samuel grew up, the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. ²⁰And all Israel from Dan to Beer-sheba knew that Samuel was a trustworthy prophet of the LORD. ²¹The LORD continued to appear at Shiloh, for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the LORD. ¹And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.

The Ark of God Captured

In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel,c and Israel went out to battle against them;d they encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek. ²The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle was joined,e Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle. ³When the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, ‘Why has the LORD put us to rout today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, so that he may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.’ ⁴So the people sent to Shiloh, and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. The two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

⁵ When the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded. ⁶When the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, ‘What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?’ When they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp, ⁷the Philistines were afraid; for they said, ‘Gods havea come into the camp.’ They also said, ‘Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before. ⁸Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness. ⁹Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, in order not to become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight.’

¹⁰ So the Philistines fought; Israel was defeated, and they fled, everyone to his home. There was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot-soldiers. ¹¹The ark of God was captured; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

Death of Eli

¹² A man of Benjamin ran from the battle line, and came to Shiloh the same day, with his clothes torn and with earth upon his head. ¹³When he arrived, Eli was sitting upon his seat by the road watching, for his heart trembled for the ark of God. When the man came into the city and told the news, all the city cried out. ¹⁴When Eli heard the sound of the outcry, he said, ‘What is this uproar?’ Then the man came quickly and told Eli. ¹⁵Now Eli was ninety-eight years old and his eyes were set, so that he could not see. ¹⁶The man said to Eli, ‘I have just come from the battle; I fled from the battle today.’ He said, ‘How did it go, my son?’ ¹⁷The messenger replied, ‘Israel has fled before the Philistines, and there has also been a great slaughter among the troops; your two sons also, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.’ ¹⁸When he mentioned the ark of God, Elib fell over backwards from his seat by the side of the gate; and his neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and heavy. He had judged Israel for forty years.

¹⁹ Now his daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant, about to give birth. When she heard the news that the ark of God was captured, and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she bowed and gave birth; for her labour pains overwhelmed her. ²⁰As she was about to die, the women attending her said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, for you have borne a son.’ But she did not answer or give heed. ²¹She named the child Ichabod, meaning, ‘The glory has departed from Israel’, because the ark of God had been captured and because of her father-in-law and her husband. ²²She said, ‘The glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.’

The Philistines and the Ark

5

WHEN the Philistines captured the ark of God, they brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod; ²then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it into the house of Dagon and placed it beside Dagon. ³When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and put him back in his place. ⁴But when they rose early on the next morning, Dagon had fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the LORD, and the head of Dagon and both his hands were lying cut off upon the threshold; only the trunk ofa Dagon was left to him. ⁵This is why the priests of Dagon and all who enter the house of Dagon do not step on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.

⁶ The hand of the LORD was heavy upon the people of Ashdod, and he terrified and struck them with tumours, both in Ashdod and in its territory. ⁷And when the inhabitants of Ashdod saw how things were, they said, ‘The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us; for his hand is heavy on us and on our god Dagon.’ ⁸So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?’ The inhabitants of Gath replied, ‘Let the ark of God be moved on to us.’b So they moved the ark of the God of Israel to Gath.c ⁹But after they had brought it to Gath,d the hand of the LORD was against the city, causing a very great panic; he struck the inhabitants of the city, both young and old, so that tumours broke out on them. ¹⁰So they sent the ark of the God of Israele to Ekron. But when the ark of God came to Ekron, the people of Ekron cried out, ‘Whyf have they brought across to usg the ark of the God of Israel to kill usg and ourh people?’ ¹¹They sent therefore and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, ‘Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it return to its own place, that it may not kill us and our people.’ For there was a deathly panici throughout the whole city. The hand of God was very heavy there; ¹²those who did not die were stricken with tumours, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.

The Ark Returned to Israel

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THE ark of the LORD was in the country of the Philistines for seven months. ²Then the Philistines called for the priests and the diviners and said, ‘What shall we do with the ark of the LORD? Tell us what we should send with it to its place.’ ³They said, ‘If you send away the ark of the God of Israel, do not send it empty, but by all means return him a guilt-offering. Then you will be healed and will be ransomed;j will not his hand then turn from you?’ ⁴And they said, ‘What is the guilt-offering that we should return to him?’ They answered, ‘Five gold tumours and five gold mice, according to the number of the lords of the Philistines; for the same plague was upon all of you and upon your lords. ⁵So you must make images of your tumours and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel; perhaps he will lighten his hand on you and your gods and your land. ⁶Why should you harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharaoh hardened their hearts? After he had made fools of them, did they not let the people go, and they departed? ⁷Now then, get ready a new cart and two milch-cows that have never borne a yoke, and yoke the cows to the cart, but take their calves home, away from them. ⁸Take the ark of the LORD and place it on the cart, and put in a box at its side the figures of gold, which you are returning to him as a guilt-offering. Then send it off, and let it go on its way. ⁹And watch; if it goes up on the way to its own land, to Beth-shemesh, then it is he who has done us this great harm; but if not, then we shall know that it is not his hand that struck us; it happened to us by chance.’

¹⁰ The men did so; they took two milch-cows and yoked them to the cart, and shut up their calves at home. ¹¹They put the ark of the LORD on the cart, and the box with the gold mice and the images of their tumours. ¹²The cows went straight in the direction of Beth-shemesh along one highway, lowing as they went; they turned neither to the right nor to the left, and the lords of the Philistines went after them as far as the border of Beth-shemesh.

¹³ Now the people of Beth-shemesh were reaping their wheat harvest in the valley. When they looked up and saw the ark, they went with rejoicing to meet it.a ¹⁴The cart came into the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh, and stopped there. A large stone was there; so they split up the wood of the cart and offered the cows as a burnt-offering to the LORD. ¹⁵The Levites took down the ark of the LORD and the box that was beside it, in which were the gold objects, and set them upon the large stone. Then the people of Beth-shemesh offered burnt-offerings and presented sacrifices on that day to the LORD. ¹⁶When the five lords of the Philistines saw it, they returned that day to Ekron.

¹⁷ These are the gold tumours, which the Philistines returned as a guilt-offering to the LORD: one for Ashdod, one for Gaza, one for Ashkelon, one for Gath, one for Ekron; ¹⁸also the gold mice, according to the number of all the cities of the Philistines belonging to the five lords, both fortified cities and unwalled villages. The great stone, beside which they set down the ark of the LORD, is a witness to this day in the field of Joshua of Beth-shemesh.

The Ark at Kiriath-jearim

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¹⁹ The descendants of Jeconiah did not rejoice with the people of Beth-shemesh when they greetedb the ark of the LORD; and he killed seventy men of them.c The people mourned because the LORD had made a great slaughter among the people. ²⁰Then the people of Beth-shemesh said, ‘Who is able to stand before the LORD, this holy God? To whom shall he go so that we may be rid of him?’ ²¹So they sent messengers to the inhabitants of Kiriath-jearim, saying, ‘The Philistines have returned the ark of the LORD. Come down and take it up to you.’ ¹And the people of Kiriath-jearim came and took up the ark of the LORD, and brought it to the house of Abinadab on the hill. They consecrated his son, Eleazar, to have charge of the ark of the LORD.

² From the day that the ark was lodged at Kiriath-jearim, a long time passed, some twenty years, and all the house of Israel lamentedd after the LORD.

Samuel as Judge

³ Then Samuel said to all the house of Israel, ‘If you are returning to the LORD with all your heart, then put away the foreign gods and the Astartes from among you. Direct your heart to the LORD, and serve him only, and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.’ ⁴So Israel put away the Baals and the Astartes, and they served the LORD only.

⁵ Then Samuel said, ‘Gather all Israel at Mizpah, and I will pray to the LORD for you.’ ⁶So they gathered at Mizpah, and drew water and poured it out before the LORD. They fasted that day, and said, ‘We have sinned against the LORD.’ And Samuel judged the people of Israel at Mizpah.

⁷ When the Philistines heard that the people of Israel had gathered at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the people of Israel heard of it they were afraid of the Philistines. ⁸The people of Israel said to Samuel, ‘Do not cease to cry out to the LORD our God for us, and pray that he may save us from the hand of the Philistines.’ ⁹So Samuel took a sucking lamb and offered it as a whole burnt-offering to the LORD; Samuel cried out to the LORD for Israel, and the LORD answered him. ¹⁰As Samuel was offering up the burnt-offering, the Philistines drew near to attack Israel; but the LORD thundered with a mighty voice that day against the Philistines and threw them into confusion; and they were routed before Israel. ¹¹And the men of Israel went out of Mizpah and pursued the Philistines, and struck them down as far as beyond Beth-car.

¹² Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Jeshanah,a and named it Ebenezer;b for he said, ‘Thus far the LORD has helped us.’ ¹³So the Philistines were subdued and did not again enter the territory of Israel; the hand of the LORD was against the Philistines all the days of Samuel. ¹⁴The towns that the Philistines had taken from Israel were restored to Israel, from Ekron to Gath; and Israel recovered their territory from the hand of the Philistines. There was peace also between Israel and the Amorites.

¹⁵ Samuel judged Israel all the days of his life. ¹⁶He went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all these places. ¹⁷Then he would come back to Ramah, for his home was there; he administered justice there to Israel, and built there an altar to the LORD.

Israel Demands a King

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WHEN Samuel became old, he made his sons judges over Israel. ²The name of his firstborn son was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beer-sheba. ³Yet his sons did not follow in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.

⁴ Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, ⁵and said to him, ‘You are old and your sons do not follow in your ways; appoint for us, then, a king to govern us, like other nations.’ ⁶But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to govern us.’ Samuel prayed to the LORD, ⁷and the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. ⁸Just as they have done to me,a from the day I brought them up out of Egypt to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so also they are doing to you. ⁹Now then, listen to their voice; only—you shall solemnly warn them, and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.’

¹⁰ So Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king. ¹¹He said, ‘These will be the ways of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and appoint them to his chariots and to be his horsemen, and to run before his chariots; ¹²and he will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and some to plough his ground and to reap his harvest, and to make his implements of war and the equipment of his chariots. ¹³He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. ¹⁴He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his courtiers. ¹⁵He will take one-tenth of your grain and of your vineyards and give it to his officers and his courtiers. ¹⁶He will take your male and female slaves, and the best of your cattleb and donkeys, and put them to his work. ¹⁷He will take one-tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves. ¹⁸And in that day you will cry out because of your king, whom you have chosen for yourselves; but the LORD will not answer you in that day.’

Israel’s Request for a King Granted

¹⁹ But the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel; they said, ‘No! but we are determined to have a king over us, ²⁰so that we also may be like other nations, and that our king may govern us and go out before us and fight our battles.’ ²¹When Samuel had heard all the words of the people, he repeated them in the ears of the LORD. ²²The LORD said to Samuel, ‘Listen to their voice and set a king over them.’ Samuel then said to the people of Israel, ‘Each of you return home.’

Saul Chosen to Be King

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THERE was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish son of Abiel son of Zeror son of Becorath son of Aphiah, a Benjaminite, a man of wealth. ²He had a son whose name was Saul, a handsome young man. There was not a man among the people of Israel more handsome than he; he stood head and shoulders above everyone else.

³ Now the donkeys of Kish, Saul’s father, had strayed. So Kish said to his son Saul, ‘Take one of the boys with you; go and look for the donkeys.’ ⁴He passed through the hill country of Ephraim and passed through the land of Shalishah, but they did not find them. And they passed through the land of Shaalim, but they were not there. Then he passed through the land of Benjamin, but they did not find them.

⁵ When they came to the land of Zuph, Saul said to the boy who was with him, ‘Let us turn back, or my father will stop worrying about the donkeys and worry about us.’ ⁶But he said to him, ‘There is a man of God in this town; he is a man held in honour. Whatever he says always comes true. Let us go there now; perhaps he will tell us about the journey on which we have set out.’ ⁷Then Saulreplied to the boy, ‘But if we go, what can we bring the man? For the bread in our sacks is gone, and there is no present to bring to the man of God. What have we?’ ⁸The boy answered Saul again, ‘Here, I have with me a quarter-shekel of silver; I will give it to the man of God, to tell us our way.’ ⁹(Formerly in Israel, anyone who went to inquire of God would say, ‘Come, let us go to the seer’ for the one who is now called a prophet was formerly called a seer.) ¹⁰Saul said to the boy, ‘Good; come, let us go.’ So they went to the town where the man of God was.

¹¹ As they went up the hill to the town, they met some girls coming out to draw water, and said to them, ‘Is the seer here?’ ¹²They answered, ‘Yes, there he is just ahead of you. Hurry; he has come just now to the town, because the people have a sacrifice today at the shrine. ¹³As soon as you enter the town, you will find him, before he goes up to the shrine to eat. For the people will not eat until he comes, since he must bless the sacrifice; afterwards those eat who are invited. Now go up, for you will meet him immediately.’ ¹⁴So they went up to the town. As they were entering the town, they saw Samuel coming out towards them on his way up to the shrine.

¹⁵ Now the day before Saul came, the LORD had revealed to Samuel: ¹⁶‘Tomorrow about this time I will send to you a man from the land of Benjamin, and you shall anoint him to be ruler over my people Israel. He shall save my people from the hand of the Philistines; for I have seen the suffering ofa my people, because their outcry has come to me.’ ¹⁷ When Samuel saw Saul, the LORD told him, ‘Here is the man of whom I spoke to you. He it is who shall rule over my people.’¹⁸ Then Saul approached Samuel inside the gate, and said, ‘Tell me, please, where is the house of the seer?’ ¹⁹Samuel answered Saul, ‘I am the seer; go up before me to the shrine, for today you shall eat with me, and in the morning I will let you go and will tell you all that is on your mind.²⁰ As for your donkeys that were lost three days ago, give no further thought to them, for they have been found. And on whom is all Israel’s desire fixed, if not on you and on all your ancestral house?’²¹ Saul answered, ‘I am only a Benjaminite, from the least of the tribes of Israel, and my family is the humblest of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin. Why then have you spoken to me in this way?’

²² Then Samuel took Saul and his servant-boy and brought them into the hall, and gave them a place at the head of those who had been invited, of whom there were about thirty. ²³And Samuel said to the cook, ‘Bring the portion I gave you, the one I asked you to put aside.’ ²⁴The cook took up the thigh and what went with itb and set them before Saul. Samuel said, ‘See, what was kept is set before you. Eat; for it is setc before you at the appointed time, so that you might eat with the guests.’d

So Saul ate with Samuel that day. ²⁵When they came down from the shrine into the town, a bed was spread for Saule on the roof, and he lay down to sleep.f ²⁶Then at the break of dawng Samuel called to Saul upon the roof, ‘Get up, so that I may send you on your way.’ Saul got up, and both he and Samuel went out into the street.

Samuel Anoints Saul

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²⁷ As they were going down to the outskirts of the town, Samuel said to Saul, ‘Tell the boy to go on before us, and when he has passed on, stop here yourself for a while, that I may make known to you the word of God.’ ¹Samuel took a phial of oil and poured it on his head, and kissed him; he said, ‘The LORD has anointed you ruler over his people Israel. You shall reign over the people of the LORD and you will save them from the hand of their enemies all around. Now this shall be the sign to you that the LORD has anointed you rulera over his heritage: ²When you depart from me today you will meet two men by Rachel’s tomb in the territory of Benjamin at Zelzah; they will say to you, “The donkeys that you went to seek are found, and now your father has stopped worrying about them and is worrying about you, saying: What shall I do about my son?” ³Then you shall go on from there further and come to the oak of Tabor; three men going up to God at Bethel will meet you there, one carrying three kids, another carrying three loaves of bread, and another carrying a skin of wine. ⁴They will greet you and give you two loaves of bread, which you shall accept from them. ⁵After that you shall come to Gibeath-elohim,b at the place where the Philistine garrison is; there, as you come to the town, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the shrine with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre playing in front of them; they will be in a prophetic frenzy. ⁶Then the spirit of the LORD will possess you, and you will be in a prophetic frenzy along with them and be turned into a different person. ⁷Now when these signs meet you, do whatever you see fit to do, for God is with you. ⁸And you shall go down to Gilgal ahead of me; then I will come down to you to present burnt-offerings and offer sacrifices of well-being. For seven days you shall wait, until I come to you and show you what you shall do.’

Saul Prophesies

⁹ As he turned away to leave Samuel, God gave him another heart; and all these signs were fulfilled that day. ¹⁰When they were going from therec to Gibeah,d a band of prophets met him; and the spirit of God possessed him, and he fell into a prophetic frenzy along with them. ¹¹When all who knew him before saw how he prophesied with the prophets, the people said to one another, ‘What has come over the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?’ ¹²A man of the place answered, ‘And who is their father?’ Therefore it became a proverb, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’ ¹³When his prophetic frenzy had ended, he went home.e

¹⁴ Saul’s uncle said to him and to the boy, ‘Where did you go?’ And he replied, ‘To seek the donkeys; and when we saw they were not to be found, we went to Samuel.’ ¹⁵Saul’s uncle said, ‘Tell me what Samuel said to you.’ ¹⁶Saul said to his uncle, ‘He told us that the donkeys had been found.’ But about the matter of the kingship, of which Samuel had spoken, he did not tell him anything.

Saul Proclaimed King

¹⁷ Samuel summoned the people to the LORD at Mizpah ¹⁸and said to them,f ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, “I brought up Israel out of Egypt, and I rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and from the hand of all the kingdoms that were oppressing you.” ¹⁹But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses; and you have said, “No! but set a king over us.” Now therefore present yourselves before the LORD by your tribes and by your clans.’

²⁰ Then Samuel brought all the tribes of Israel near, and the tribe of Benjamin was taken by lot. ²¹He brought the tribe of Benjamin near by its families, and the family of the Matrites was taken by lot. Finally he brought the family of the Matrites near man by man,a and Saul the son of Kish was taken by lot. But when they sought him, he could not be found. ²²So they inquired again of the LORD, ‘Did the man come here?’b and the LORD said, ‘See, he has hidden himself among the baggage.’ ²³Then they ran and brought him from there. When he took his stand among the people, he was head and shoulders taller than any of them. ²⁴Samuel said to all the people, ‘Do you see the one whom the LORD has chosen? There is no one like him among all the people.’ And all the people shouted, ‘Long live the king!’

²⁵ Samuel told the people the rights and duties of the kingship; and he wrote them in a book and laid it up before the LORD. Then Samuel sent all the people back to their homes. ²⁶Saul also went to his home at Gibeah, and with him went warriors whose hearts God had touched. ²⁷But some worthless fellows said, ‘How can this man save us?’ They despised him and brought him no present. But he held his peace.

Now Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had been grievously oppressing the Gadites and the Reubenites. He would gouge out the right eye of each of them and would not grant Israel a deliverer. No one was left of the Israelites across the Jordan whose right eye Nahash, king of the Ammonites, had not gouged out. But there were seven thousand men who had escaped from the Ammonites and had entered Jabesh-gilead.c

Saul Defeats the Ammonites

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ABOUT a month later,d Nahash the Ammonite went up and besieged Jabesh-gilead; and all the men of Jabesh said to Nahash, ‘Make a treaty with us, and we will serve you.’ ²But Nahash the Ammonite said to them, ‘On this condition I will make a treaty with you, namely that I gouge out everyone’s right eye, and thus put disgrace upon all Israel.’ ³The elders of Jabesh said to him, ‘Give us seven days’ respite that we may send messengers through all the territory of Israel. Then, if there is no one to save us, we will give ourselves up to you.’ ⁴When the messengers came to Gibeah of Saul, they reported the matter in the hearing of the people; and all the people wept aloud.

⁵ Now Saul was coming from the field behind the oxen; and Saul said, ‘What is the matter with the people, that they are weeping?’ So they told him the message from the inhabitants of Jabesh. ⁶And the spirit of God came upon Saul in power when he heard these words, and his anger was greatly kindled. ⁷He took a yoke of oxen, and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by messengers, saying, ‘Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!’ Then the dread of the LORD fell upon the people, and they came out as one. ⁸When he mustered them at Bezek, those from Israel were three hundred thousand, and those from Judah seventye thousand. ⁹They said to the messengers who had come, ‘Thus shall you say to the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead: “Tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you shall have deliverance.”’ When the messengers came and told the inhabitants of Jabesh, they rejoiced. ¹⁰So the inhabitants of Jabesh said, ‘Tomorrow we will give ourselves up to you, and you may do to us whatever seems good to you.’ ¹¹The next day Saul put the people in three companies. At the morning watch they came into the camp and cut down the Ammonites until the heat of the day; and those who survived were scattered, so that no two of them were left together.

¹² The people said to Samuel, ‘Who is it that said, “Shall Saul reign over us?” Give them to us so that we may put them to death.’ ¹³But Saul said, ‘No one shall be put to death this day, for today the LORD has brought deliverance to Israel.’

¹⁴ Samuel said to the people, ‘Come, let us go to Gilgal and there renew the kingship.’ ¹⁵So all the people went to Gilgal, and there they made Saul king before the LORD in Gilgal. There they sacrificed offerings of well-being before the LORD, and there Saul and all the Israelites rejoiced greatly.

Samuel’s Farewell Address

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SAMUEL said to all Israel, ‘I have listened to you in all that you have said to me, and have set a king over you. ²See, it is the king who leads you now; I am old and grey, but my sons are with you. I have led you from my youth until this day. ³Here I am; testify against me before the LORD and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken? Or whose donkey have I taken? Or whom have I defrauded? Whom have I oppressed? Or from whose hand have I taken a bribe to blind my eyes with it? Testify against mea and I will restore it to you.’ ⁴They said, ‘You have not defrauded us or oppressed us or taken anything from the hand of anyone.’ ⁵He said to them, ‘The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that you have not found anything in my hand.’ And they said, ‘He is witness.’

⁶ Samuel said to the people, ‘The LORD is witness, whob appointed Moses and Aaron and brought your ancestors up out of the land of Egypt. ⁷Now therefore take your stand, so that I may enter into judgement with you before the LORD, and I will declare to youc all the saving deeds of the LORD that he performed for you and for your ancestors. ⁸When Jacob went into Egypt and the Egyptians oppressed them,d then your ancestors cried to the LORD and the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, who brought forth your ancestors out of Egypt, and settled them in this place. ⁹But they forgot the LORD their God; and he sold them into the hand of Sisera, commander of the army of King Jabin ofe Hazor, and into the hand of the Philistines, and into the hand of the king of Moab; and they fought against them. ¹⁰Then they cried to the LORD, and said, “We have sinned, because we have forsaken the LORD, and have served the Baals and the Astartes; but now rescue us out of the hand of our enemies, and we will serve you.” ¹¹And the LORD sent Jerubbaal and Barak,f and Jephthah, and Samson,g and rescued you out of the hand of your enemies on every side; and you lived in safety. ¹²But when you saw that King Nahash of the Ammonites came against you, you said to me, “No, but a king shall reign over us”, though the LORD your God was your king. ¹³See, here is the king whom you have chosen, for whom you have asked; see, the LORD has set a king over you. ¹⁴If you will fear the LORD and serve him and heed his voice and not rebel against the commandment of the LORD, and if both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God, it will be well; ¹⁵but if you will not heed the voice of the LORD, but rebel against the commandment of the LORD, then the hand of the LORD will be against you and your king.a ¹⁶Now therefore take your stand and see this great thing that the LORD will do before your eyes. ¹⁷Is it not the wheat harvest today? I will call upon the LORD, that he may send thunder and rain; and you shall know and see that the wickedness that you have done in the sight of the LORD is great in demanding a king for yourselves.’ ¹⁸So Samuel called upon the LORD, and the LORD sent thunder and rain that day; and all the people greatly feared the LORD and Samuel.

¹⁹ All the people said to Samuel, ‘Pray to the LORD your God for your servants, so that we may not die; for we have added to all our sins the evil of demanding a king for ourselves.’ ²⁰And Samuel said to the people, ‘Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil, yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart; ²¹and do not turn aside after useless things that cannot profit or save, for they are useless. ²²For the LORD will not cast away his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. ²³Moreover as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you; and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. ²⁴Only fear the LORD, and serve him faithfully with all your heart; for consider what great things he has done for you. ²⁵But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.’

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice

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SAUL was…b years old when he began to reign; and he reigned for…and twoc years over Israel.

² Saul chose three thousand out of Israel; two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and the hill country of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin; the rest of the people he sent home to their tents. ³Jonathan defeated the garrison of the Philistines that was at Geba; and the Philistines heard of it. And Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, ‘Let the Hebrews hear!’ ⁴When all Israel heard that Saul had defeated the garrison of the Philistines, and also that Israel had become odious to the Philistines, the people were called out to join Saul at Gilgal.

⁵ The Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots, and six thousand horsemen, and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude; they came up and encamped at Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. ⁶When the Israelites saw that they were in distress (for the troops were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns. ⁷Some Hebrews crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

⁸ He waited for seven days, the time appointed by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people began to slip away from Saul.d ⁹So Saul said, ‘Bring the burnt-offering here to me, and the offerings of well-being.’ And he offered the burnt-offering. ¹⁰As soon as he had finished offering the burnt-offering, Samuel arrived; and Saul went out to meet him and salute him. ¹¹Samuel said, ‘What have you done?’ Saul replied, ‘When I saw that the people were slipping away from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines were mustering at Michmash, ¹²I said, “Now the Philistines will come down upon me at Gilgal, and I have not entreated the favour of the LORD” so I forced myself, and offered the burnt-offering.’ ¹³Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel for ever, ¹⁴but now your kingdom will not continue; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart; and the LORD has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.’ ¹⁵And Samuel left and went on his way from Gilgal.a The rest of the people followed Saul to join the army; they went up from Gilgal towards Gibeah of Benjamin.b

Preparations for Battle

Saul counted the people who were present with him, about six hundred men. ¹⁶Saul, his son Jonathan, and the people who were present with them stayed in Geba of Benjamin; but the Philistines encamped at Michmash. ¹⁷And raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies; one company turned towards Ophrah, to the land of Shual, ¹⁸another company turned towards Beth-horon, and another company turned towards the mountainc that looks down upon the valley of Zeboim towards the wilderness.

¹⁹ Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel; for the Philistines said, ‘The Hebrews must not make swords or spears for themselves’ ²⁰so all the Israelites went down to the Philistines to sharpen their ploughshares, mattocks, axes, or sickles;d ²¹The charge was two-thirds of a shekele for the ploughshares and for the mattocks, and one-third of a shekel for sharpening the axes and for setting the goads.f ²²So on the day of the battle neither sword nor spear was to be found in the possession of any of the people with Saul and Jonathan; but Saul and his son Jonathan had them.

Jonathan Surprises and Routs the Philistines

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²³ Now a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass of Michmash. ¹One day Jonathan son of Saul said to the young man who carried his armour, ‘Come, let us go over to the Philistine garrison on the other side.’ But he did not tell his father. ²Saul was staying in the outskirts of Gibeah under the pomegranate tree that is at Migron; the troops that were with him were about six hundred men, ³along with Ahijah son of Ahitub, Ichabod’s brother, son of Phinehas son of Eli, the priest of the LORD in Shiloh, carrying an ephod. Now the people did not know that Jonathan had gone. ⁴In the pass,g by which Jonathan tried to go over to the Philistine garrison, there was a rocky crag on one side and a rocky crag on the other; the name of one was Bozez, and the name of the other Seneh. ⁵One crag rose on the north in front of Michmash, and the other on the south in front of Geba.

⁶ Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armour, ‘Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised; it may be that the LORD will act for us; for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving by many or by few.’ ⁷His armour-bearer said to him, ‘Do all that your mind inclines to.a I am with you; as your mind is, so is mine.’b ⁸Then Jonathan said, ‘Now we will cross over to those men and will show ourselves to them. ⁹If they say to us, “Wait until we come to you”, then we will stand still in our place, and we will not go up to them. ¹⁰But if they say, “Come up to us”, then we will go up; for the LORD has given them into our hand. That will be the sign for us.’ ¹¹So both of them showed themselves to the garrison of the Philistines; and the Philistines said, ‘Look, Hebrews are coming out of the holes where they have hidden themselves.’ ¹²The men of the garrison hailed Jonathan and his armour-bearer, saying, ‘Come up to us, and we will show you something.’ Jonathan said to his armour-bearer, ‘Come up after me; for the LORD has given them into the hand of Israel.’ ¹³Then Jonathan climbed up on his hands and feet, with his armour-bearer following after him. The Philistinesc fell before Jonathan, and his armour-bearer, coming after him, killed them.¹⁴ In that first slaughter Jonathan and his armour-bearer killed about twenty men within an area about half a furrow long in an acred of land.¹⁵ There was a panic in the camp, in the field, and among all the people; the garrison and even the raiders trembled; the earth quaked; and it became a very great panic.

¹⁶ Saul’s lookouts in Gibeah of Benjamin were watching as the multitude was surging back and forth.e ¹⁷ Then Saul said to the troops that were with him, ‘Call the roll and see who has gone from us.’ When they had called the roll, Jonathan and his armour-bearer were not there.¹⁸ Saul said to Ahijah, ‘Bring the arkf of God here.’ For at that time the arkf of God went with the Israelites.¹⁹ While Saul was talking to the priest, the tumult in the camp of the Philistines increased more and more; and Saul said to the priest, ‘Withdraw your hand.’²⁰ Then Saul and all the people who were with him rallied and went into the battle; and every sword was against the other, so that there was very great confusion.²¹ Now the Hebrews who previously had been with the Philistines and had gone up with them into the camp turned and joined the Israelites who were with Saul and Jonathan.²² Likewise, when all the Israelites who had gone into hiding in the hill country of Ephraim heard that the Philistines were fleeing, they too followed closely after them in the battle.²³ So the LORD gave Israel the victory that day.

The battle passed beyond Beth-aven, and the troops with Saul numbered altogether about ten thousand men. The battle spread out over the hill country of Ephraim.

Saul’s Rash Oath

²⁴ Now Saul committed a very rash act on that day.g He had laid an oath on the troops, saying, ‘Cursed be anyone who eats food before it is evening and I have been avenged on my enemies.’ So none of the troops tasted food. ²⁵All the troopsa came upon a honeycomb; and there was honey on the ground. ²⁶When the troops came upon the honeycomb, the honey was dripping out; but they did not put their hands to their mouths, for they feared the oath. ²⁷But Jonathan had not heard his father charge the troops with the oath; so he extended the staff that was in his hand, and dipped the tip of it in the honeycomb, and put his hand to his mouth; and his eyes brightened. ²⁸Then one of the soldiers said, ‘Your father strictly charged the troops with an oath, saying, “Cursed be anyone who eats food this day.” And so the troops are faint.’ ²⁹Then Jonathan said, ‘My father has troubled the land; see how my eyes have brightened because I tasted a little of this honey. ³⁰How much better if today the troops had eaten freely of the spoil taken from their enemies; for now the slaughter among the Philistines has not been great.’

³¹ After they had struck down the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon, the troops were very faint; ³²so the troops flew upon the spoil, and took sheep and oxen and calves, and slaughtered them on the ground; and the troops ate them with the blood. ³³Then it was reported to Saul, ‘Look, the troops are sinning against the LORD by eating with the blood.’ And he said, ‘You have dealt treacherously; roll a large stone before me here.’b ³⁴Saul said, ‘Disperse yourselves among the troops, and say to them, “Let all bring their oxen or their sheep, and slaughter them here, and eat; and do not sin against the LORD by eating with the blood.”’ So all of the troops brought their oxen with them that night, and slaughtered them there. ³⁵And Saul built an altar to the LORD; it was the first altar that he built to the LORD.

Jonathan in Danger of Death

³⁶ Then Saul said, ‘Let us go down after the Philistines by night and despoil them until the morning light; let us not leave one of them.’ They said, ‘Do whatever seems good to you.’ But the priest said, ‘Let us draw near to God here.’ ³⁷So Saul inquired of God, ‘Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the hand of Israel?’ But he did not answer him that day. ³⁸Saul said, ‘Come here, all you leaders of the people; and let us find out how this sin has arisen today. ³⁹For as the LORD lives who saves Israel, even if it is in my son Jonathan, he shall surely die!’ But there was no one among all the people who answered him. ⁴⁰He said to all Israel, ‘You shall be on one side, and I and my son Jonathan will be on the other side.’ The people said to Saul, ‘Do what seems good to you.’ ⁴¹Then Saul said, ‘O LORD God of Israel, why have you not answered your servant today? If this guilt is in me or in my son Jonathan, O LORD God of Israel, give Urim; but if this guilt is in your people Israel,c give Thummim.’ And Jonathan and Saul were indicated by the lot, but the people were cleared. ⁴²Then Saul said, ‘Cast the lot between me and my son Jonathan.’ And Jonathan was taken.

⁴³ Then Saul said to Jonathan, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ Jonathan told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand; here I am, I will die.’ ⁴⁴Saul said, ‘God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathan!’ ⁴⁵Then the people said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathan die, who has accomplished this great victory in Israel? Perish the thought! As the LORD lives, not one hair of his head shall fall to the ground; for he has worked with God today.’ So the people ransomed Jonathan, and he did not die. ⁴⁶Then Saul withdrew from pursuing the Philistines; and the Philistines went to their own place.

Saul’s Continuing Wars

⁴⁷ When Saul had taken the kingship over Israel, he fought against all his enemies on every side—against Moab, against the Ammonites, against Edom, against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines; wherever he turned he routed them. ⁴⁸He did valiantly, and struck down the Amalekites, and rescued Israel out of the hands of those who plundered them.

⁴⁹ Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malchishua; and the names of his two daughters were these: the name of the firstborn was Merab, and the name of the younger, Michal. ⁵⁰The name of Saul’s wife was Ahinoam daughter of Ahimaaz. And the name of the commander of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul’s uncle; ⁵¹Kish was the father of Saul, and Ner the father of Abner was the son of Abiel.

⁵² There was hard fighting against the Philistines all the days of Saul; and when Saul saw any strong or valiant warrior, he took him into his service.

Saul Defeats the Amalekites but Spares Their King

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SAMUEL said to Saul, ‘The LORD sent me to anoint you king over his people Israel; now therefore listen to the words of the LORD. ²Thus says the LORD of hosts, “I will punish the Amalekites for what they did in opposing the Israelites when they came up out of Egypt. ³Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have; do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.”’

⁴ So Saul summoned the people, and numbered them in Telaim, two hundred thousand foot-soldiers, and ten thousand soldiers of Judah. ⁵Saul came to the city of the Amalekites and lay in wait in the valley. ⁶Saul said to the Kenites, ‘Go! Leave! Withdraw from among the Amalekites, or I will destroy you with them; for you showed kindness to all the people of Israel when they came up out of Egypt.’ So the Kenites withdrew from the Amalekites. ⁷Saul defeated the Amalekites, from Havilah as far as Shur, which is east of Egypt. ⁸He took King Agag of the Amalekites alive, but utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. ⁹Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep and of the cattle and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was valuable, and would not utterly destroy them; all that was despised and worthless they utterly destroyed.

Saul Rejected as King

¹⁰ The word of the LORD came to Samuel: ¹¹‘I regret that I made Saul king, for he has turned back from following me, and has not carried out my commands.’ Samuel was angry; and he cried out to the LORD all night. ¹²Samuel rose early in the morning to meet Saul, and Samuel was told, ‘Saul went to Carmel, where he set up a monument for himself, and on returning he passed on down to Gilgal.’ ¹³When Samuel came to Saul, Saul said to him, ‘May you be blessed by the LORD; I have carried out the command of the LORD.’ ¹⁴But Samuel said, ‘What then is this bleating of sheep in my ears, and the lowing of cattle that I hear?’ ¹⁵Saul said, ‘They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the cattle, to sacrifice to the LORD your God; but the rest we have utterly destroyed.’ ¹⁶Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Stop! I will tell you what the LORD said to me last night.’ He replied, ‘Speak.’

¹⁷ Samuel said, ‘Though you are little in your own eyes, are you not the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel. ¹⁸And the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, “Go, utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.” ¹⁹Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do what was evil in the sight of the LORD?’ ²⁰Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, I have gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, I have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. ²¹But from the spoil the people took sheep and cattle, the best of the things devoted to destruction, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.’ ²²And Samuel said,

‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices,

as in obedience to the voice of the LORD?

Surely, to obey is better than sacrifice,

and to heed than the fat of rams.

²³ For rebellion is no less a sin than divination,

and stubbornness is like iniquity and idolatry.

Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,

he has also rejected you from being king.’

²⁴ Saul said to Samuel, ‘I have sinned; for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. ²⁵Now therefore, I pray, pardon my sin, and return with me, so that I may worship the LORD.’ ²⁶Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not return with you; for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.’ ²⁷As Samuel turned to go away, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. ²⁸And Samuel said to him, ‘The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this very day, and has given it to a neighbour of yours, who is better than you. ²⁹Moreover, the Glory of Israel will not recanta or change his mind; for he is not a mortal, that he should change his mind.’ ³⁰Then Saulb said, ‘I have sinned; yet honour me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, so that I may worship the LORD your God.’ ³¹So Samuel turned back after Saul; and Saul worshipped the LORD.

³² Then Samuel said, ‘Bring Agag king of the Amalekites here to me.’ And Agag came to him haltingly.c Agag said, ‘Surely this is the bitterness of death.’d ³³But Samuel said,

‘As your sword has made women childless,

so your mother shall be childless among women.’

And Samuel hewed Agag in pieces before the LORD in Gilgal.

³⁴ Then Samuel went to Ramah; and Saul went up to his house in Gibeah of Saul. ³⁵Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul. And the LORD was sorry that he had made Saul king over Israel.

Samuel Anoints David

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THE LORD said to Samuel, ‘How long will you grieve over Saul? I have rejected him from being king over Israel. Fill your horn with oil and set out; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for myself a king among his sons.’ ²Samuel said, ‘How can I go? If Saul hears of it, he will kill me.’ And the LORD said, ‘Take a heifer with you, and say, “I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.” ³Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for me the one whom I name to you.’ ⁴Samuel did what the LORD commanded, and came to Bethlehem. The elders of the city came to meet him trembling, and said, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ ⁵He said, ‘Peaceably; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD; sanctify yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.’ And he sanctified Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice.

⁶ When they came, he looked on Eliab and thought, ‘Surely the LORD’s anointed is now before the LORD.’a ⁷ But the LORD said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the LORD does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.’⁸ Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’⁹ Then Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, ‘Neither has the LORD chosen this one.’¹⁰ Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel, and Samuel said to Jesse, ‘The LORD has not chosen any of these.’ ¹¹Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Are all your sons here?’ And he said, ‘There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the sheep.’ And Samuel said to Jesse, ‘Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.’¹² He sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, ‘Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.’¹³ Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.

David Plays the Lyre for Saul

¹⁴ Now the spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD tormented him. ¹⁵And Saul’s servants said to him, ‘See now, an evil spirit from God is tormenting you. ¹⁶Let our lord now command the servants who attend you to look for someone who is skilful in playing the lyre; and when the evil spirit from God is upon you, he will play it, and you will feel better.’ ¹⁷So Saul said to his servants, ‘Provide for me someone who can play well, and bring him to me.’ ¹⁸One of the young men answered, ‘I have seen a son of Jesse the Bethlehemite who is skilful in playing, a man of valour, a warrior, prudent in speech, and a man of good presence; and the LORD is with him.’ ¹⁹So Saul sent messengers to Jesse, and said, ‘Send me your son David who is with the sheep.’ ²⁰Jesse took a donkey loaded with bread, a skin of wine, and a kid, and sent them by his son David to Saul. ²¹And David came to Saul, and entered his service. Saul loved him greatly, and he became his armour-bearer. ²²Saul sent to Jesse, saying, ‘Let David remain in my service, for he has found favour in my sight.’ ²³And whenever the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand, and Saul would be relieved and feel better, and the evil spirit would depart from him.

David and Goliath

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NOW the Philistines gathered their armies for battle; they were gathered at Socoh, which belongs to Judah, and encamped between Socoh and Azekah, in Ephes-dammim. ²Saul and the Israelites gathered and encamped in the valley of Elah, and formed ranks against the Philistines. ³The Philistines stood on the mountain on one side, and Israel stood on the mountain on the other side, with a valley between them. ⁴And there came out from the camp of the Philistines a champion named Goliath, of Gath, whose height was sixa cubits and a span. ⁵He had a helmet of bronze on his head, and he was armoured with a coat of mail; the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. ⁶He had greaves of bronze on his legs and a javelin of bronze slung between his shoulders. ⁷The shaft of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his spear’s head weighed six hundred shekels of iron; and his shield-bearer went before him. ⁸He stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, ‘Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. ⁹If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants; but if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.’ ¹⁰And the Philistine said, ‘Today I defy the ranks of Israel! Give me a man, that we may fight together.’ ¹¹When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.

¹² Now David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. In the days of Saul the man was already old and advanced in years.b ¹³The three eldest sons of Jesse had followed Saul to the battle; the names of his three sons who went to the battle were Eliab the firstborn, and next to him Abinadab, and the third Shammah. ¹⁴David was the youngest; the three eldest followed Saul, ¹⁵but David went back and forth from Saul to feed his father’s sheep at Bethlehem. ¹⁶For forty days the Philistine came forward and took his stand, morning and evening.

¹⁷ Jesse said to his son David, ‘Take for your brothers an ephah of this parched grain and these ten loaves, and carry them quickly to the camp to your brothers; ¹⁸also take these ten cheeses to the commander of their thousand. See how your brothers fare, and bring some token from them.’

¹⁹ Now Saul, and they, and all the men of Israel, were in the valley of Elah, fighting with the Philistines. ²⁰David rose early in the morning, left someone in charge of the sheep, took the provisions, and went as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army was going forth to the battle line, shouting the war cry. ²¹Israel and the Philistines drew up for battle, army against army. ²²David left the things in charge of the keeper of the baggage, ran to the ranks, and went and greeted his brothers. ²³As he talked with them, the champion, the Philistine of Gath, Goliath by name, came up out of the ranks of the Philistines, and spoke the same words as before. And David heard him.

²⁴ All the Israelites, when they saw the man, fled from him and were very much afraid. ²⁵The Israelites said, ‘Have you seen this man who has come up? Surely he has come up to defy Israel. The king will greatly enrich the man who kills him, and will give him his daughter and make his family free in Israel.’ ²⁶David said to the men who stood by him, ‘What shall be done for the man who kills this Philistine, and takes away the reproach from Israel? For who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?’ ²⁷The people answered him in the same way, ‘So shall it be done for the man who kills him.’

²⁸ His eldest brother Eliab heard him talking to the men; and Eliab’s anger was kindled against David. He said, ‘Why have you come down? With whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your presumption and the evil of your heart; for you have come down just to see the battle.’ ²⁹David said, ‘What have I done now? It was only a question.’ ³⁰He turned away from him towards another and spoke in the same way; and the people answered him again as before.

³¹ When the words that David spoke were heard, they repeated them before Saul; and he sent for him. ³²David said to Saul, ‘Let no one’s heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.’ ³³Saul said to David, ‘You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him; for you are just a boy, and he has been a warrior from his youth.’ ³⁴But David said to Saul, ‘Your servant used to keep sheep for his father; and whenever a lion or a bear came, and took a lamb from the flock, ³⁵I went after it and struck it down, rescuing the lamb from its mouth; and if it turned against me, I would catch it by the jaw, strike it down, and kill it. ³⁶Your servant has killed both lions and bears; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, since he has defied the armies of the living God.’ ³⁷David said, ‘The LORD, who saved me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will save me from the hand of this Philistine.’ So Saul said to David, ‘Go, and may the LORD be with you!’

³⁸ Saul clothed David with his armour; he put a bronze helmet on his head and clothed him with a coat of mail. ³⁹David strapped Saul’s sword over the armour, and he tried in vain to walk, for he was not used to them. Then David said to Saul, ‘I cannot walk with these; for I am not used to them.’ So David removed them. ⁴⁰Then he took his staff in his hand, and chose five smooth stones from the wadi, and put them in his shepherd’s bag, in the pouch; his sling was in his hand, and he drew near to the Philistine.

⁴¹ The Philistine came on and drew near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him. ⁴²When the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was only a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance. ⁴³The Philistine said to David, ‘Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?’ And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. ⁴⁴The Philistine said to David, ‘Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the field.’ ⁴⁵But David said to the Philistine, ‘You come to me with sword and spear and javelin; but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. ⁴⁶This very day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head; and I will give the dead bodies of the Philistine army this very day to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth, so that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel, ⁴⁷and that all this assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s and he will give you into our hand.’

⁴⁸ When the Philistine drew nearer to meet David, David ran quickly towards the battle line to meet the Philistine. ⁴⁹David put his hand in his bag, took out a stone, slung it, and struck the Philistine on his forehead; the stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground.

⁵⁰ So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, striking down the Philistine and killing him; there was no sword in David’s hand. ⁵¹Then David ran and stood over the Philistine; he grasped his sword, drew it out of its sheath, and killed him; then he cut off his head with it.

When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled. ⁵²The troops of Israel and Judah rose up with a shout and pursued the Philistines as far as Gatha and the gates of Ekron, so that the wounded Philistines fell on the way from Shaaraim as far as Gath and Ekron. ⁵³The Israelites came back from chasing the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. ⁵⁴David took the head of the Philistine and brought it to Jerusalem; but he put his armour in his tent.

⁵⁵ When Saul saw David go out against the Philistine, he said to Abner, the commander of the army, ‘Abner, whose son is this young man?’ Abner said, ‘As your soul lives, O king, I do not know.’ ⁵⁶The king said, ‘Inquire whose son the stripling is.’ ⁵⁷On David’s return from killing the Philistine, Abner took him and brought him before Saul, with the head of the Philistine in his hand. ⁵⁸Saul said to him, ‘Whose son are you, young man?’ And David answered, ‘I am the son of your servant Jesse the Bethlehemite.’

Jonathan’s Covenant with David

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WHEN Davidb had finished speaking to Saul, the soul of Jonathan was bound to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. ²Saul took him that day and would not let him return to his father’s house. ³Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. ⁴Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that he was wearing, and gave it to David, and his armour, and even his sword and his bow and his belt. ⁵David went out and was successful wherever Saul sent him; as a result, Saul set him over the army. And all the people, even the servants of Saul, approved.

⁶ As they were coming home, when David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the towns of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, with tambourines, with songs of joy, and with musical instruments.c ⁷And the women sang to one another as they made merry,

‘Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands.’

⁸Saul was very angry, for this saying displeased him. He said, ‘They have ascribed to David tens of thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands; what more can he have but the kingdom?’ ⁹So Saul eyed David from that day on.

Saul Tries to Kill David

¹⁰ The next day an evil spirit from God rushed upon Saul, and he raved within his house, while David was playing the lyre, as he did day by day. Saul had his spear in his hand; ¹¹and Saul threw the spear, for he thought, ‘I will pin David to the wall.’ But David eluded him twice.

¹² Saul was afraid of David, because the LORD was with him but had departed from Saul. ¹³So Saul removed him from his presence, and made him a commander of a thousand; and David marched out and came in, leading the army. ¹⁴David had success in all his undertakings; for the LORD was with him. ¹⁵When Saul saw that he had great success, he stood in awe of him. ¹⁶But all Israel and Judah loved David; for it was he who marched out and came in leading them.

David Marries Michal

¹⁷ Then Saul said to David, ‘Here is my elder daughter Merab; I will give her to you as a wife; only be valiant for me and fight the LORD’s battles.’ For Saul thought, ‘I will not raise a hand against him; let the Philistines deal with him.’ ¹⁸David said to Saul, ‘Who am I and who are my kinsfolk, my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son-in-law to the king?’ ¹⁹But at the time when Saul’s daughter Merab should have been given to David, she was given to Adriel the Meholathite as a wife.

²⁰ Now Saul’s daughter Michal loved David. Saul was told, and the thing pleased him. ²¹Saul thought, ‘Let me give her to him that she may be a snare for him and that the hand of the Philistines may be against him.’ Therefore Saul said to David a second time,a ‘You shall now be my son-in-law.’ ²²Saul commanded his servants, ‘Speak to David in private and say, “See, the king is delighted with you, and all his servants love you; now then, become the king’s son-in-law.”’ ²³So Saul’s servants reported these words to David in private. And David said, ‘Does it seem to you a little thing to become the king’s son-in-law, seeing that I am a poor man and of no repute?’ ²⁴The servants of Saul told him, ‘This is what David said.’ ²⁵Then Saul said, ‘Thus shall you say to David, “The king desires no marriage present except a hundred foreskins of the Philistines, that he may be avenged on the king’s enemies.”’ Now Saul planned to make David fall by the hand of the Philistines. ²⁶When his servants told David these words, David was well pleased to be the king’s son-in-law. Before the time had expired, ²⁷David rose and went, along with his men, and killed one hundredb of the Philistines; and David brought their foreskins, which were given in full number to the king, that he might become the king’s son-in-law. Saul gave him his daughter Michal as a wife. ²⁸But when Saul realized that the LORD was with David, and that Saul’s daughter Michal loved him, ²⁹Saul was still more afraid of David. So Saul was David’s enemy from that time forward.

³⁰ Then the commanders of the Philistines came out to battle; and as often as they came out, David had more success than all the servants of Saul, so that his fame became very great.

Jonathan Intercedes for David

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SAUL spoke to his son Jonathan and to all his servants about killing David. But Saul’s son Jonathan took great delight in David. ²Jonathan told David, ‘My father Saul is trying to kill you; therefore be on guard tomorrow morning; stay in a secret place and hide yourself. ³I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you; if I learn anything I will tell you.’ ⁴Jonathan spoke well of David to his father Saul, saying to him, ‘The king should not sin against his servant David, because he has not sinned against you, and because his deeds have been of good service to you; ⁵for he took his life in his hand when he attacked the Philistine, and the LORD brought about a great victory for all Israel. You saw it, and rejoiced; why then will you sin against an innocent person by killing David without cause?’ ⁶Saul heeded the voice of Jonathan; Saul swore, ‘As the LORD lives, he shall not be put to death.’ ⁷So Jonathan called David and related all these things to him. Jonathan then brought David to Saul, and he was in his presence as before.

Michal Helps David Escape from Saul

⁸ Again there was war, and David went out to fight the Philistines. He launched a heavy attack on them, so that they fled before him. ⁹Then an evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his spear in his hand, while David was playing music. ¹⁰Saul sought to pin David to the wall with the spear; but he eluded Saul, so that he struck the spear into the wall. David fled and escaped that night.

¹¹ Saul sent messengers to David’s house to keep watch over him, planning to kill him in the morning. David’s wife Michal told him, ‘If you do not save your life tonight, tomorrow you will be killed.’ ¹²So Michal let David down through the window; he fled away and escaped. ¹³Michal took an idola and laid it on the bed; she put a netb of goats’ hair on its head, and covered it with the clothes. ¹⁴When Saul sent messengers to take David, she said, ‘He is sick.’ ¹⁵Then Saul sent the messengers to see David for themselves. He said, ‘Bring him up to me in the bed, that I may kill him.’ ¹⁶When the messengers came in, the idolc was in the bed, with the coveringb of goats’ hair on its head. ¹⁷Saul said to Michal, ‘Why have you deceived me like this, and let my enemy go, so that he has escaped?’ Michal answered Saul, ‘He said to me, “Let me go; why should I kill you?”’

David Joins Samuel in Ramah

¹⁸ Now David fled and escaped; he came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. He and Samuel went and settled at Naioth. ¹⁹Saul was told, ‘David is at Naioth in Ramah.’ ²⁰Then Saul sent messengers to take David. When they saw the company of the prophets in a frenzy, with Samuel standing in charge ofb them, the spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also fell into a prophetic frenzy. ²¹When Saul was told, he sent other messengers, and they also fell into a frenzy. Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also fell into a frenzy. ²²Then he himself went to Ramah. He came to the great well that is in Secu;a he asked, ‘Where are Samuel and David?’ And someone said, ‘They are at Naioth in Ramah.’ ²³He went there, towards Naioth in Ramah; and the spirit of God came upon him. As he was going, he fell into a prophetic frenzy, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. ²⁴He too stripped off his clothes, and he too fell into a frenzy before Samuel. He lay naked all that day and all that night. Therefore it is said, ‘Is Saul also among the prophets?’

The Friendship of David and Jonathan

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DAVID fled from Naioth in Ramah. He came before Jonathan and said, ‘What have I done? What is my guilt? And what is my sin against your father that he is trying to take my life?’ ²He said to him, ‘Perish the thought! You shall not die. My father does nothing either great or small without disclosing it to me; and why should my father hide this from me? Never!’ ³But David also swore, ‘Your father knows well that you like me; and he thinks, “Do not let Jonathan know this, or he will be grieved.” But truly, as the LORD lives and as you yourself live, there is but a step between me and death.’ ⁴Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Whatever you say, I will do for you.’ ⁵David said to Jonathan, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon, and I should not fail to sit with the king at the meal; but let me go, so that I may hide in the field until the third evening. ⁶If your father misses me at all, then say, “David earnestly asked leave of me to run to Bethlehem his city; for there is a yearly sacrifice there for all the family.” ⁷If he says, “Good!” it will be well with your servant; but if he is angry, then know that evil has been determined by him. ⁸Therefore deal kindly with your servant, for you have brought your servant into a sacred covenantb with you. But if there is guilt in me, kill me yourself; why should you bring me to your father?’ ⁹Jonathan said, ‘Far be it from you! If I knew that it was decided by my father that evil should come upon you, would I not tell you?’ ¹⁰Then David said to Jonathan, ‘Who will tell me if your father answers you harshly?’ ¹¹Jonathan replied to David, ‘Come, let us go out into the field.’ So they both went out into the field.

¹² Jonathan said to David, ‘By the LORD, the God of Israel! When I have sounded out my father, about this time tomorrow, or on the third day, if he is well disposed towards David, shall I not then send and disclose it to you? ¹³But if my father intends to do you harm, the LORD do so to Jonathan, and more also, if I do not disclose it to you, and send you away, so that you may go in safety. May the LORD be with you, as he has been with my father. ¹⁴If I am still alive, show me the faithful love of the LORD; but if I die,c ¹⁵never cut off your faithful love from my house, even if the LORD were to cut off every one of the enemies of David from the face of the earth.’ ¹⁶Thus Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, ‘May the LORD seek out the enemies of David.’ ¹⁷Jonathan made David swear again by his love for him; for he loved him as he loved his own life.

¹⁸ Jonathan said to him, ‘Tomorrow is the new moon; you will be missed, because your place will be empty. ¹⁹On the day after tomorrow, you shall go a long way down; go to the place where you hid yourself earlier, and remain beside the stone there.c ²⁰I will shoot three arrows to the side of it, as though I shot at a mark. ²¹Then I will send the boy, saying, “Go, find the arrows.” If I say to the boy, “Look, the arrows are on this side of you, collect them”, then you are to come, for, as the LORD lives, it is safe for you and there is no danger. ²²But if I say to the young man, “Look, the arrows are beyond you”, then go; for the LORD has sent you away. ²³As for the matter about which you and I have spoken, the LORD is witnessa between you and me for ever.’

²⁴ So David hid himself in the field. When the new moon came, the king sat at the feast to eat. ²⁵The king sat upon his seat, as at other times, upon the seat by the wall. Jonathan stood, while Abner sat by Saul’s side; but David’s place was empty.

²⁶ Saul did not say anything that day; for he thought, ‘Something has befallen him; he is not clean, surely he is not clean.’ ²⁷But on the second day, the day after the new moon, David’s place was empty. And Saul said to his son Jonathan, ‘Why has the son of Jesse not come to the feast, either yesterday or today?’ ²⁸Jonathan answered Saul, ‘David earnestly asked leave of me to go to Bethlehem; ²⁹he said, “Let me go; for our family is holding a sacrifice in the city, and my brother has commanded me to be there. So now, if I have found favour in your sight, let me get away, and see my brothers.” For this reason he has not come to the king’s table.’

³⁰ Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan. He said to him, ‘You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? ³¹For as long as the son of Jesse lives upon the earth, neither you nor your kingdom shall be established. Now send and bring him to me, for he shall surely die.’ ³²Then Jonathan answered his father Saul, ‘Why should he be put to death? What has he done?’ ³³But Saul threw his spear at him to strike him; so Jonathan knew that it was the decision of his father to put David to death. ³⁴Jonathan rose from the table in fierce anger and ate no food on the second day of the month, for he was grieved for David, and because his father had disgraced him.

³⁵ In the morning Jonathan went out into the field to the appointment with David, and with him was a little boy. ³⁶He said to the boy, ‘Run and find the arrows that I shoot.’ As the boy ran, he shot an arrow beyond him. ³⁷When the boy came to the place where Jonathan’s arrow had fallen, Jonathan called after the boy and said, ‘Is the arrow not beyond you?’ ³⁸Jonathan called after the boy, ‘Hurry, be quick, do not linger.’ So Jonathan’s boy gathered up the arrows and came to his master. ³⁹But the boy knew nothing; only Jonathan and David knew the arrangement. ⁴⁰Jonathan gave his weapons to the boy and said to him, ‘Go and carry them to the city.’ ⁴¹As soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heapb and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. He bowed three times, and they kissed each other, and wept with each other; David wept the more.c ⁴²Then Jonathan said to David, ‘Go in peace, since both of us have sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, “The LORD shall be between me and you, and between my descendants and your descendants, for ever.”’ He got up and left; and Jonathan went into the city.d

David and the Holy Bread

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DAVID came to Nob to the priest Ahimelech. Ahimelech came trembling to meet David, and said to him, ‘Why are you alone, and no one with you?’ ²David said to the priest Ahimelech, ‘The king has charged me with a matter, and said to me, “No one must know anything of the matter about which I send you, and with which I have charged you.” I have made an appointmenta with the young men for such and such a place. ³Now then, what have you at hand? Give me five loaves of bread, or whatever is here.’ ⁴The priest answered David, ‘I have no ordinary bread at hand, only holy bread—provided that the young men have kept themselves from women.’ ⁵David answered the priest, ‘Indeed, women have been kept from us as always when I go on an expedition; the vessels of the young men are holy even when it is a common journey; how much more today will their vessels be holy?’ ⁶So the priest gave him the holy bread; for there was no bread there except the bread of the Presence, which is removed from before the LORD to be replaced by hot bread on the day it is taken away.

⁷ Now a certain man of the servants of Saul was there that day, detained before the LORD; his name was Doeg the Edomite, the chief of Saul’s shepherds.

⁸ David said to Ahimelech, ‘Is there no spear or sword here with you? I did not bring my sword or my weapons with me, because the king’s business required haste.’ ⁹The priest said, ‘The sword of Goliath the Philistine, whom you killed in the valley of Elah, is here wrapped in a cloth behind the ephod; if you will take that, take it, for there is none here except that one.’ David said, ‘There is none like it; give it to me.’

David Flees to Gath

¹⁰ David rose and fled that day from Saul; he went to King Achish of Gath. ¹¹The servants of Achish said to him, ‘Is this not David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,

“Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands”?’

¹²David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of King Achish of Gath. ¹³So he changed his behaviour before them; he pretended to be mad when in their presence.b He scratched marks on the doors of the gate, and let his spittle run down his beard. ¹⁴Achish said to his servants, ‘Look, you see the man is mad; why then have you brought him to me? ¹⁵Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to play the madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?’

David and His Followers at Adullam

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DAVID left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam; when his brothers and all his father’s house heard of it, they went down there to him. ²Everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered to him; and he became captain over them. Those who were with him numbered about four hundred.

³ David went from there to Mizpeh of Moab. He said to the king of Moab, ‘Please let my father and mother comec to you, until I know what God will do for me.’ ⁴He left them with the king of Moab, and they stayed with him all the time that David was in the stronghold. ⁵Then the prophet Gad said to David, ‘Do not remain in the stronghold; leave, and go into the land of Judah.’ So David left, and went into the forest of Hereth.

Saul Slaughters the Priests

⁶ Saul heard that David and those who were with him had been located. Saul was sitting at Gibeah, under the tamarisk tree on the height, with his spear in his hand, and all his servants were standing around him. ⁷Saul said to his servants who stood around him, ‘Hear now, you Benjaminites; will the son of Jesse give every one of you fields and vineyards, will he make you all commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds? ⁸Is that why all of you have conspired against me? No one discloses to me when my son makes a league with the son of Jesse, none of you is sorry for me or discloses to me that my son has stirred up my servant against me, to lie in wait, as he is doing today.’ ⁹Doeg the Edomite, who was in charge of Saul’s servants, answered, ‘I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech son of Ahitub; ¹⁰he inquired of the LORD for him, gave him provisions, and gave him the sword of Goliath the Philistine.’

¹¹ The king sent for the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and for all his father’s house, the priests who were at Nob; and all of them came to the king. ¹²Saul said, ‘Listen now, son of Ahitub.’ He answered, ‘Here I am, my lord.’ ¹³Saul said to him, ‘Why have you conspired against me, you and the son of Jesse, by giving him bread and a sword, and by inquiring of God for him, so that he has risen against me, to lie in wait, as he is doing today?’

¹⁴ Then Ahimelech answered the king, ‘Who among all your servants is so faithful as David? He is the king’s son-in-law, and is quicka to do your bidding, and is honoured in your house. ¹⁵Is today the first time that I have inquired of God for him? By no means! Do not let the king impute anything to his servant or to any member of my father’s house; for your servant has known nothing of all this, much or little.’ ¹⁶The king said, ‘You shall surely die, Ahimelech, you and all your father’s house.’ ¹⁷The king said to the guard who stood around him, ‘Turn and kill the priests of the LORD, because their hand also is with David; they knew that he fled, and did not disclose it to me.’ But the servants of the king would not raise their hand to attack the priests of the LORD. ¹⁸Then the king said to Doeg, ‘You, Doeg, turn and attack the priests.’ Doeg the Edomite turned and attacked the priests; on that day he killed eighty-five who wore the linen ephod. ¹⁹Nob, the city of the priests, he put to the sword; men and women, children and infants, oxen, donkeys, and sheep, he put to the sword.

²⁰ But one of the sons of Ahimelech son of Ahitub, named Abiathar, escaped and fled after David. ²¹Abiathar told David that Saul had killed the priests of the LORD. ²²David said to Abiathar, ‘I knew on that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul. I am responsibleb for the lives of all your father’s house. ²³Stay with me, and do not be afraid; for the one who seeks my life seeks your life; you will be safe with me.’

David Saves the City of Keilah

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NOW they told David, ‘The Philistines are fighting against Keilah, and are robbing the threshing-floors.’ ²David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go and attack these Philistines?’ The LORD said to David, ‘Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah.’ ³But David’s men said to him, ‘Look, we are afraid here in Judah; how much more then if we go to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?’ ⁴Then David inquired of the LORD again. The LORD answered him, ‘Yes, go down to Keilah; for I will give the Philistines into your hand.’ ⁵So David and his men went to Keilah, fought with the Philistines, brought away their livestock, and dealt them a heavy defeat. Thus David rescued the inhabitants of Keilah.

⁶ When Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he came down with an ephod in his hand. ⁷Now it was told Saul that David had come to Keilah. And Saul said, ‘God has givena him into my hand; for he has shut himself in by entering a town that has gates and bars.’ ⁸Saul summoned all the people to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. ⁹When David learned that Saul was plotting evil against him, he said to the priest Abiathar, ‘Bring the ephod here.’ ¹⁰David said, ‘O LORD, the God of Israel, your servant has heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah, to destroy the city on my account. ¹¹And now, willb Saul come down as your servant has heard? O LORD, the God of Israel, I beseech you, tell your servant.’ The LORD said, ‘He will come down.’ ¹²Then David said, ‘Will the men of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?’ The LORD said, ‘They will surrender you.’ ¹³Then David and his men, who were about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they wandered wherever they could go. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he gave up the expedition. ¹⁴David remained in the strongholds in the wilderness, in the hill country of the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but the LORDc did not give him into his hand.

David Eludes Saul in the Wilderness

¹⁵ David was in the Wilderness of Ziph at Horesh when he learned thatd Saul had come out to seek his life. ¹⁶Saul’s son Jonathan set out and came to David at Horesh; there he strengthened his hand through the LORD.e ¹⁷He said to him, ‘Do not be afraid; for the hand of my father Saul shall not find you; you shall be king over Israel, and I shall be second to you; my father Saul also knows that this is so.’ ¹⁸Then the two of them made a covenant before the LORD; David remained at Horesh, and Jonathan went home.

¹⁹ Then some Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, ‘David is hiding among us in the strongholds of Horesh, on the hill of Hachilah, which is south of Jeshimon. ²⁰Now, O king, whenever you wish to come down, do so; and our part will be to surrender him into the king’s hand.’ ²¹Saul said, ‘May you be blessed by the LORD for showing me compassion! ²²Go and make sure once more; find out exactly where he is, and who has seen him there; for I am told that he is very cunning. ²³Look around and learn all the hiding-places where he lurks, and come back to me with sure information. Then I will go with you; and if he is in the land, I will search him out among all the thousands of Judah.’ ²⁴So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul.

David and his men were in the wilderness of Maon, in the Arabah to the south of Jeshimon. ²⁵Saul and his men went to search for him. When David was told, he went down to the rock and stayed in the wilderness of Maon. When Saul heard that, he pursued David into the wilderness of Maon. ²⁶Saul went on one side of the mountain, and David and his men on the other side of the mountain. David was hurrying to get away from Saul, while Saul and his men were closing in on David and his men to capture them. ²⁷Then a messenger came to Saul, saying, ‘Hurry and come; for the Philistines have made a raid on the land.’ ²⁸So Saul stopped pursuing David, and went against the Philistines; therefore that place was called the Rock of Escape.a ²⁹b David then went up from there, and lived in the strongholds of En-gedi.

David Spares Saul’s Life

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WHEN Saul returned from following the Philistines, he was told, ‘David is in the wilderness of En-gedi.’ ²Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to look for David and his men in the direction of the Rocks of the Wild Goats. ³He came to the sheepfolds beside the road, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself.c Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave. ⁴The men of David said to him, ‘Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, “I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it seems good to you.”’ Then David went and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. ⁵Afterwards David was stricken to the heart because he had cut off a corner of Saul’s cloak. ⁶He said to his men, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD’s anointed, to raise my hand against him; for he is the LORD’s anointed.’ ⁷So David scolded his men severely and did not permit them to attack Saul. Then Saul got up and left the cave, and went on his way.

⁸ Afterwards David also rose up and went out of the cave and called after Saul, ‘My lord the king!’ When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance. ⁹David said to Saul, ‘Why do you listen to the words of those who say, “David seeks to do you harm”? ¹⁰This very day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you into my hand in the cave; and some urged me to kill you, but I sparedd you. I said, “I will not raise my hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’s anointed.” ¹¹See, my father, see the corner of your cloak in my hand; for by the fact that I cut off the corner of your cloak, and did not kill you, you may know for certain that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you are hunting me to take my life. ¹²May the LORD judge between me and you! May the LORD avenge me on you; but my hand shall not be against you. ¹³As the ancient proverb says, “Out of the wicked comes forth wickedness” but my hand shall not be against you. ¹⁴Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A single flea? ¹⁵May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you. May he see to it, and plead my cause, and vindicate me against you.’

¹⁶ When David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ Saul lifted up his voice and wept. ¹⁷He said to David, ‘You are more righteous than I; for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil. ¹⁸Today you have explained how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands. ¹⁹For who has ever found an enemy, and sent the enemy safely away? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day. ²⁰Now I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand. ²¹Swear to me therefore by the LORD that you will not cut off my descendants after me, and that you will not wipe out my name from my father’s house.’ ²²So David swore this to Saul. Then Saul went home; but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

Death of Samuel

25

NOW Samuel died; and all Israel assembled and mourned for him. They buried him at his home in Ramah.

Then David got up and went down to the wilderness of Paran.

David and the Wife of Nabal

² There was a man in Maon, whose property was in Carmel. The man was very rich; he had three thousand sheep and a thousand goats. He was shearing his sheep in Carmel. ³Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail. The woman was clever and beautiful, but the man was surly and mean; he was a Calebite. ⁴David heard in the wilderness that Nabal was shearing his sheep. ⁵So David sent ten young men; and David said to the young men, ‘Go up to Carmel, and go to Nabal, and greet him in my name. ⁶Thus you shall salute him: “Peace be to you, and peace be to your house, and peace be to all that you have. ⁷I hear that you have shearers; now your shepherds have been with us, and we did them no harm, and they missed nothing, all the time they were in Carmel. ⁸Ask your young men, and they will tell you. Therefore let my young men find favour in your sight; for we have come on a feast day. Please give whatever you have at hand to your servants and to your son David.”’

⁹ When David’s young men came, they said all this to Nabal in the name of David; and then they waited. ¹⁰But Nabal answered David’s servants, ‘Who is David? Who is the son of Jesse? There are many servants today who are breaking away from their masters. ¹¹Shall I take my bread and my water and the meat that I have butchered for my shearers, and give it to men who come from I do not know where?’ ¹²So David’s young men turned away, and came back and told him all this. ¹³David said to his men, ‘Every man strap on his sword!’ And every one of them strapped on his sword; David also strapped on his sword; and about four hundred men went up after David, while two hundred remained with the baggage.

¹⁴ But one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, ‘David sent messengers out of the wilderness to salute our master; and he shouted insults at them. ¹⁵Yet the men were very good to us, and we suffered no harm, and we never missed anything when we were in the fields, as long as we were with them; ¹⁶they were a wall to us both by night and by day, all the while we were with them keeping the sheep. ¹⁷Now therefore know this and consider what you should do; for evil has been decided against our master and against all his house; he is so ill-natured that no one can speak to him.’

¹⁸ Then Abigail hurried and took two hundred loaves, two skins of wine, five sheep ready dressed, five measures of parched grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs. She loaded them on donkeys ¹⁹and said to her young men, ‘Go on ahead of me; I am coming after you.’ But she did not tell her husband Nabal. ²⁰As she rode on the donkey and came down under cover of the mountain, David and his men came down towards her; and she met them. ²¹Now David had said, ‘Surely it was in vain that I protected all that this fellow has in the wilderness, so that nothing was missed of all that belonged to him; but he has returned me evil for good. ²²God do so to Davida and more also, if by morning I leave as much as one male of all who belong to him.’

²³ When Abigail saw David, she hurried and alighted from the donkey, and fell before David on her face, bowing to the ground. ²⁴She fell at his feet and said, ‘Upon me alone, my lord, be the guilt; please let your servant speak in your ears, and hear the words of your servant. ²⁵My lord, do not take seriously this ill-natured fellow Nabal; for as his name is, so is he; Nabalb is his name, and folly is with him; but I, your servant, did not see the young men of my lord, whom you sent.

²⁶ ‘Now then, my lord, as the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, since the LORD has restrained you from blood-guilt and from taking vengeance with your own hand, now let your enemies and those who seek to do evil to my lord be like Nabal. ²⁷And now let this present that your servant has brought to my lord be given to the young men who follow my lord. ²⁸Please forgive the trespass of your servant; for the LORD will certainly make my lord a sure house, because my lord is fighting the battles of the LORD; and evil shall not be found in you as long as you live. ²⁹If anyone should rise up to pursue you and to seek your life, the life of my lord shall be bound in the bundle of the living under the care of the LORD your God; but the lives of your enemies he shall sling out as from the hollow of a sling. ³⁰When the LORD has done to my lord according to all the good that he has spoken concerning you, and has appointed you prince over Israel, ³¹my lord shall have no cause of grief, or pangs of conscience, for having shed blood without cause or for having saved himself. And when the LORD has dealt well with my lord, then remember your servant.’

³² David said to Abigail, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who sent you to meet me today! ³³Blessed be your good sense, and blessed be you, who have kept me today from blood-guilt and from avenging myself by my own hand! ³⁴For as surely as the LORD the God of Israel lives, who has restrained me from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, truly by morning there would not have been left to Nabal as much as one male.’ ³⁵Then David received from her hand what she had brought him; he said to her, ‘Go up to your house in peace; see, I have heeded your voice, and I have granted your petition.’

³⁶ Abigail came to Nabal; he was holding a feast in his house, like the feast of a king. Nabal’s heart was merry within him, for he was very drunk; so she told him nothing at all until the morning light. ³⁷In the morning, when the wine had gone out of Nabal, his wife told him these things, and his heart died within him; he became like a stone. ³⁸About ten days later the LORD struck Nabal, and he died.

³⁹ When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, ‘Blessed be the LORD who has judged the case of Nabal’s insult to me, and has kept back his servant from evil; the LORD has returned the evildoing of Nabal upon his own head.’ Then David sent and wooed Abigail, to make her his wife. ⁴⁰When David’s servants came to Abigail at Carmel, they said to her, ‘David has sent us to you to take you to him as his wife.’ ⁴¹She rose and bowed down, with her face to the ground, and said, ‘Your servant is a slave to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.’ ⁴²Abigail got up hurriedly and rode away on a donkey; her five maids attended her. She went after the messengers of David and became his wife.

⁴³ David also married Ahinoam of Jezreel; both of them became his wives. ⁴⁴Saul had given his daughter Michal, David’s wife, to Palti son of Laish, who was from Gallim.

David Spares Saul’s Life a Second Time

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THEN the Ziphites came to Saul at Gibeah, saying, ‘David is in hiding on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimon.’a ²So Saul rose and went down to the Wilderness of Ziph, with three thousand chosen men of Israel, to seek David in the Wilderness of Ziph. ³Saul encamped on the hill of Hachilah, which is opposite Jeshimona beside the road. But David remained in the wilderness. When he learned that Saul had come after him into the wilderness, ⁴David sent out spies, and learned that Saul had indeed arrived. ⁵Then David set out and came to the place where Saul had encamped; and David saw the place where Saul lay, with Abner son of Ner, the commander of his army. Saul was lying within the encampment, while the army was encamped around him.

⁶ Then David said to Ahimelech the Hittite, and to Joab’s brother Abishai son of Zeruiah, ‘Who will go down with me into the camp to Saul?’ Abishai said, ‘I will go down with you.’ ⁷So David and Abishai went to the army by night; there Saul lay sleeping within the encampment, with his spear stuck in the ground at his head; and Abner and the army lay around him. ⁸Abishai said to David, ‘God has given your enemy into your hand today; now therefore let me pin him to the ground with one stroke of the spear; I will not strike him twice.’ ⁹But David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him; for who can raise his hand against the LORD’s anointed, and be guiltless?’ ¹⁰David said, ‘As the LORD lives, the LORD will strike him down; or his day will come to die; or he will go down into battle and perish. ¹¹The LORD forbid that I should raise my hand against the LORD’s anointed; but now take the spear that is at his head, and the water-jar, and let us go.’ ¹²So David took the spear that was at Saul’s head and the water-jar, and they went away. No one saw it, or knew it, nor did anyone awake; for they were all asleep, because a deep sleep from the LORD had fallen upon them.

¹³ Then David went over to the other side, and stood on top of a hill far away, with a great distance between them. ¹⁴David called to the army and to Abner son of Ner, saying, ‘Abner! Will you not answer?’ Then Abner replied, ‘Who are you that calls to the king?’ ¹⁵David said to Abner, ‘Are you not a man? Who is like you in Israel? Why then have you not kept watch over your lord the king? For one of the people came in to destroy your lord the king. ¹⁶This thing that you have done is not good. As the LORD lives, you deserve to die, because you have not kept watch over your lord, the LORD’s anointed. See now, where is the king’s spear, or the water-jar that was at his head?’

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice, and said, ‘Is that your voice, my son David?’ David said, ‘It is my voice, my lord, O king.’ ¹⁸And he added, ‘Why does my lord pursue his servant? For what have I done? What guilt is on my hands? ¹⁹Now therefore let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If it is the LORD who has stirred you up against me, may he accept an offering; but if it is mortals, may they be cursed before the LORD, for they have driven me out today from my share in the heritage of the LORD, saying, “Go, serve other gods.” ²⁰Now, therefore, do not let my blood fall to the ground, away from the presence of the LORD; for the king of Israel has come out to seek a single flea, like one who hunts a partridge in the mountains.’

²¹ Then Saul said, ‘I have done wrong; come back, my son David, for I will never harm you again, because my life was precious in your sight today; I have been a fool, and have made a great mistake.’ ²²David replied, ‘Here is the spear, O king! Let one of the young men come over and get it. ²³The LORD rewards everyone for his righteousness and his faithfulness; for the LORD gave you into my hand today, but I would not raise my hand against the LORD’s anointed. ²⁴As your life was precious today in my sight, so may my life be precious in the sight of the LORD, and may he rescue me from all tribulation.’ ²⁵Then Saul said to David, ‘Blessed be you, my son David! You will do many things and will succeed in them.’ So David went on his way, and Saul returned to his place.

David Serves King Achish of Gath

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DAVID said in his heart, ‘I shall now perish one day by the hand of Saul; there is nothing better for me than to escape to the land of the Philistines; then Saul will despair of seeking me any longer within the borders of Israel, and I shall escape out of his hand.’ ²So David set out and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to King Achish son of Maoch of Gath. ³David stayed with Achish at Gath, he and his troops, every man with his household, and David with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail of Carmel, Nabal’s widow. ⁴When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer sought for him.

⁵ Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favour in your sight, let a place be given me in one of the country towns, so that I may live there; for why should your servant live in the royal city with you?’ ⁶So that day Achish gave him Ziklag; therefore Ziklag has belonged to the kings of Judah to this day. ⁷The length of time that David lived in the country of the Philistines was one year and four months.

⁸ Now David and his men went up and made raids on the Geshurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites; for these were the landed settlements from Telama on the way to Shur and on to the land of Egypt. ⁹David struck the land, leaving neither man nor woman alive, but took away the sheep, the oxen, the donkeys, the camels, and the clothing, and came back to Achish. ¹⁰When Achish asked, ‘Against whoma have you made a raid today?’ David would say, ‘Against the Negeb of Judah’, or ‘Against the Negeb of the Jerahmeelites’, or ‘Against the Negeb of the Kenites.’ ¹¹ David left neither man nor woman alive to be brought back to Gath, thinking, ‘They might tell about us, and say, “David has done so and so.”’ Such was his practice all the time he lived in the country of the Philistines.¹² Achish trusted David, thinking, ‘He has made himself utterly abhorrent to his people Israel; therefore he shall always be my servant.’

28

IN THOSE days the Philistines gathered their forces for war, to fight against Israel. Achish said to David, ‘You know, of course, that you and your men are to go out with me in the army.’ ²David said to Achish, ‘Very well, then you shall know what your servant can do.’ Achish said to David, ‘Very well, I will make you my bodyguard for life.’

Saul Consults a Medium

³ Now Samuel had died, and all Israel had mourned for him and buried him in Ramah, his own city. Saul had expelled the mediums and the wizards from the land. ⁴The Philistines assembled, and came and encamped at Shunem. Saul gathered all Israel, and they encamped at Gilboa. ⁵When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶When Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, not by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets. ⁷Then Saul said to his servants, ‘Seek out for me a woman who is a medium, so that I may go to her and inquire of her.’ His servants said to him, ‘There is a medium at Endor.’

⁸ So Saul disguised himself and put on other clothes and went there, he and two men with him. They came to the woman by night. And he said, ‘Consult a spirit for me, and bring up for me the one whom I name to you.’ ⁹The woman said to him, ‘Surely you know what Saul has done, how he has cut off the mediums and the wizards from the land. Why then are you laying a snare for my life to bring about my death?’ ¹⁰But Saul swore to her by the LORD, ‘As the LORD lives, no punishment shall come upon you for this thing.’ ¹¹Then the woman said, ‘Whom shall I bring up for you?’ He answered, ‘Bring up Samuel for me.’ ¹²When the woman saw Samuel, she cried out with a loud voice; and the woman said to Saul, ‘Why have you deceived me? You are Saul!’ ¹³The king said to her, ‘Have no fear; what do you see?’ The woman said to Saul, ‘I see a divine beingb coming up out of the ground.’ ¹⁴He said to her, ‘What is his appearance?’ She said, ‘An old man is coming up; he is wrapped in a robe.’ So Saul knew that it was Samuel, and he bowed with his face to the ground, and did obeisance.

¹⁵ Then Samuel said to Saul, ‘Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?’ Saul answered, ‘I am in great distress, for the Philistines are warring against me, and God has turned away from me and answers me no more, either by prophets or by dreams; so I have summoned you to tell me what I should do.’ ¹⁶Samuel said, ‘Why then do you ask me, since the LORD has turned from you and become your enemy? ¹⁷The LORD has done to you just as he spoke by me; for the LORD has torn the kingdom out of your hand, and given it to your neighbour David. ¹⁸Because you did not obey the voice of the LORD, and did not carry out his fierce wrath against Amalek, therefore the LORD has done this thing to you today. ¹⁹Moreover, the LORD will give Israel along with you into the hands of the Philistines; and tomorrow you and your sons shall be with me; the LORD will also give the army of Israel into the hands of the Philistines.’

²⁰ Immediately Saul fell full length on the ground, filled with fear because of the words of Samuel; and there was no strength in him, for he had eaten nothing all day and all night. ²¹The woman came to Saul, and when she saw that he was terrified, she said to him, ‘Your servant has listened to you; I have taken my life in my hand, and have listened to what you have said to me. ²²Now therefore, you also listen to your servant; let me set a morsel of bread before you. Eat, that you may have strength when you go on your way.’ ²³He refused, and said, ‘I will not eat.’ But his servants, together with the woman, urged him; and he listened to their words. So he got up from the ground and sat on the bed. ²⁴Now the woman had a fatted calf in the house. She quickly slaughtered it, and she took flour, kneaded it, and baked unleavened cakes. ²⁵She put them before Saul and his servants, and they ate. Then they rose and went away that night.

The Philistines Reject David

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NOW the Philistines gathered all their forces at Aphek, while the Israelites were encamped by the fountain that is in Jezreel. ²As the lords of the Philistines were marching on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were marching in the rear with Achish, ³the commanders of the Philistines said, ‘What are these Hebrews doing here?’ Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, ‘Is this not David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years? Since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.’ ⁴But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him; and the commanders of the Philistines said to him, ‘Send the man back, so that he may return to the place that you have assigned to him; he shall not go down with us to battle, or else he may become an adversary to us in the battle. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? ⁵Is this not David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

“Saul has killed his thousands,

and David his tens of thousands”?’

⁶ Then Achish called David and said to him, ‘As the LORD lives, you have been honest, and to me it seems right that you should march out and in with me in the campaign; for I have found nothing wrong in you from the day of your coming to me until today. Nevertheless the lords do not approve of you. ⁷So go back now; and go peaceably; do nothing to displease the lords of the Philistines.’ ⁸David said to Achish, ‘But what have I done? What have you found in your servant from the day I entered your service until now, that I should not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’ ⁹Achish replied to David, ‘I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God; nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, “He shall not go up with us to the battle.” ¹⁰Now then rise early in the morning, you and the servants of your lord who came with you, and go to the place that I appointed for you. As for the evil report, do not take it to heart, for you have done well before me.a Start early in the morning, and leave as soon as you have light.’ ¹¹So David set out with his men early in the morning, to return to the land of the Philistines. But the Philistines went up to Jezreel.

David Avenges the Destruction of Ziklag

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NOW when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negeb and on Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag, burned it down, ²and taken captive the women and allb who were in it, both small and great; they killed none of them, but carried them off, and went on their way. ³When David and his men came to the city, they found it burnt down, and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. ⁴Then David and the people who were with him raised their voices and wept, until they had no more strength to weep. ⁵David’s two wives also had been taken captive, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ⁶David was in great danger; for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in spirit for their sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

⁷ David said to the priest Abiathar son of Ahimelech, ‘Bring me the ephod.’ So Abiathar brought the ephod to David. ⁸David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I pursue this band? Shall I overtake them?’ He answered him, ‘Pursue; for you shall surely overtake and shall surely rescue.’ ⁹So David set out, he and the six hundred men who were with him. They came to the Wadi Besor, where those stayed who were left behind. ¹⁰But David went on with the pursuit, he and four hundred men; two hundred stayed behind, too exhausted to cross the Wadi Besor.

¹¹ In the open country they found an Egyptian, and brought him to David. They gave him bread and he ate; they gave him water to drink; ¹²they also gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit revived; for he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights. ¹³Then David said to him, ‘To whom do you belong? Where are you from?’ He said, ‘I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite. My master left me behind because I fell sick three days ago. ¹⁴We had made a raid on the Negeb of the Cherethites and on that which belongs to Judah and on the Negeb of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag down.’ ¹⁵David said to him, ‘Will you take me down to this raiding party?’ He said, ‘Swear to me by God that you will not kill me, or hand me over to my master, and I will take you down to them.’

¹⁶ When he had taken him down, they were spread out all over the ground, eating and drinking and dancing, because of the great amount of spoil they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah. ¹⁷David attacked them from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not one of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who mounted camels and fled. ¹⁸David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives. ¹⁹Nothing was missing, whether small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything that had been taken; David brought back everything. ²⁰David also captured all the flocks and herds, which were driven ahead of the other cattle; people said, ‘This is David’s spoil.’

²¹ Then David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow David, and who had been left at the Wadi Besor. They went out to meet David and to meet the people who were with him. When David drew near to the people he saluted them. ²²Then all the corrupt and worthless fellows among the men who had gone with David said, ‘Because they did not go with us, we will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except that each man may take his wife and children, and leave.’ ²³But David said, ‘You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us; he has preserved us and handed over to us the raiding party that attacked us. ²⁴Who would listen to you in this matter? For the share of the one who goes down into the battle shall be the same as the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.’ ²⁵From that day forward he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel; it continues to the present day.

²⁶ When David came to Ziklag, he sent part of the spoil to his friends, the elders of Judah, saying, ‘Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of the LORD’ ²⁷it was for those in Bethel, in Ramoth of the Negeb, in Jattir, ²⁸in Aroer, in Siphmoth, in Eshtemoa, ²⁹in Racal, in the towns of the Jerahmeelites, in the towns of the Kenites, ³⁰in Hormah, in Bor-ashan, in Athach, ³¹in Hebron, all the places where David and his men had roamed.

The Death of Saul and His Sons

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NOW the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and many fella on Mount Gilboa. ²The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. ³The battle pressed hard upon Saul; the archers found him, and he was badly wounded by them. ⁴Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and thrust me through, and make sport of me.’ But his armour-bearer was unwilling; for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell upon it. ⁵When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon his sword and died with him. ⁶So Saul and his three sons and his armour-bearer and all his men died together on the same day. ⁷When the men of Israel who were on the other side of the valley and those beyond the Jordan saw that the men of Israel had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they forsook their towns and fled; and the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his three sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹They cut off his head, stripped off his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to the houses of their idols and to the people. ¹⁰They put his armour in the temple of Astarte;b and they fastened his body to the wall of Beth-shan. ¹¹But when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹²all the valiant men set out, travelled all night long, and took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan. They came to Jabesh and burned them there. ¹³Then they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

2 SAMUEL

David Mourns for Saul and Jonathan

AFTER the death of Saul, when David had returned from defeating the Amalekites, David remained two days in Ziklag. ²On the third day, a man came from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and dirt on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground and did obeisance. ³David said to him, ‘Where have you come from?’ He said to him, ‘I have escaped from the camp of Israel.’ ⁴David said to him, ‘How did things go? Tell me!’ He answered, ‘The army fled from the battle, but also many of the army fell and died; and Saul and his son Jonathan also died.’ ⁵Then David asked the young man who was reporting to him, ‘How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan died?’ ⁶The young man reporting to him said, ‘I happened to be on Mount Gilboa; and there was Saul leaning on his spear, while the chariots and the horsemen drew close to him. ⁷When he looked behind him, he saw me, and called to me. I answered, “Here, sir.” ⁸And he said to me, “Who are you?” I answered him, “I am an Amalekite.” ⁹He said to me, “Come, stand over me and kill me; for convulsions have seized me, and yet my life still lingers.” ¹⁰So I stood over him, and killed him, for I knew that he could not live after he had fallen. I took the crown that was on his head and the armlet that was on his arm, and I have brought them here to my lord.’

¹¹ Then David took hold of his clothes and tore them; and all the men who were with him did the same. ¹²They mourned and wept, and fasted until evening for Saul and for his son Jonathan, and for the army of the LORD and for the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. ¹³David said to the young man who had reported to him, ‘Where do you come from?’ He answered, ‘I am the son of a resident alien, an Amalekite.’ ¹⁴David said to him, ‘Were you not afraid to lift your hand to destroy the LORD’s anointed?’ ¹⁵Then David called one of the young men and said, ‘Come here and strike him down.’ So he struck him down and he died. ¹⁶David said to him, ‘Your blood be on your head; for your own mouth has testified against you, saying, “I have killed the LORD’s anointed.”’

¹⁷ David intoned this lamentation over Saul and his son Jonathan. ¹⁸(He ordered that The Song of the Bowa be taught to the people of Judah; it is written in the Book of Jashar.) He said:

¹⁹ Your glory, O Israel, lies slain upon your high places!

How the mighty have fallen!

²⁰ Tell it not in Gath,

proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon;

or the daughters of the Philistines will rejoice,

the daughters of the uncircumcised will exult.

²¹ You mountains of Gilboa,

let there be no dew or rain upon you,

nor bounteous fields!b

For there the shield of the mighty was defiled,

the shield of Saul, anointed with oil no more.

²² From the blood of the slain,

from the fat of the mighty,

the bow of Jonathan did not turn back,

nor the sword of Saul return empty.

²³ Saul and Jonathan, beloved and lovely!

In life and in death they were not divided;

they were swifter than eagles,

they were stronger than lions.

²⁴ O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul,

who clothed you with crimson, in luxury,

who put ornaments of gold on your apparel.

²⁵ How the mighty have fallen

in the midst of the battle!

Jonathan lies slain upon your high places.

²⁶ I am distressed for you, my brother Jonathan;

greatly beloved were you to me;

your love to me was wonderful,

passing the love of women.

²⁷ How the mighty have fallen,

and the weapons of war perished!

David Anointed King of Judah

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AFTER this David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?’ The LORD said to him, ‘Go up.’ David said, ‘To which shall I go up?’ He said, ‘To Hebron.’ ²So David went up there, along with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel. ³David brought up the men who were with him, every one with his household; and they settled in the towns of Hebron. ⁴Then the people of Judah came, and there they anointed David king over the house of Judah.

When they told David, ‘It was the people of Jabesh-gilead who buried Saul’, ⁵David sent messengers to the people of Jabesh-gilead, and said to them, ‘May you be blessed by the LORD, because you showed this loyalty to Saul your lord, and buried him! ⁶Now may the LORD show steadfast love and faithfulness to you! And I too will reward you because you have done this thing. ⁷Therefore let your hands be strong, and be valiant; for Saul your lord is dead, and the house of Judah has anointed me king over them.’

Ishbaal King of Israel

⁸ But Abner son of Ner, commander of Saul’s army, had taken Ishbaala son of Saul, and brought him over to Mahanaim. ⁹He made him king over Gilead, the Ashurites, Jezreel, Ephraim, Benjamin, and over all Israel. ¹⁰Ishbaal,a Saul’s son, was forty years old when he began to reign over Israel, and he reigned for two years. But the house of Judah followed David. ¹¹The time that David was king in Hebron over the house of Judah was seven years and six months.

The Battle of Gibeon

¹² Abner son of Ner, and the servants of Ishbaala son of Saul, went out from Mahanaim to Gibeon. ¹³Joab son of Zeruiah, and the servants of David, went out and met them at the pool of Gibeon. One group sat on one side of the pool, while the other sat on the other side of the pool. ¹⁴Abner said to Joab, ‘Let the young men come forward and have a contest before us.’ Joab said, ‘Let them come forward.’ ¹⁵So they came forward and were counted as they passed by, twelve for Benjamin and Ishbaala son of Saul, and twelve of the servants of David. ¹⁶Each grasped his opponent by the head, and thrust his sword in his opponent’s side; so they fell down together. Therefore that place was called Helkath-hazzurim,b which is at Gibeon. ¹⁷The battle was very fierce that day; and Abner and the men of Israel were beaten by the servants of David.

¹⁸ The three sons of Zeruiah were there, Joab, Abishai, and Asahel. Now Asahel was as swift of foot as a wild gazelle. ¹⁹Asahel pursued Abner, turning neither to the right nor to the left as he followed him. ²⁰Then Abner looked back and said, ‘Is it you, Asahel?’ He answered, ‘Yes, it is.’ ²¹Abner said to him, ‘Turn to your right or to your left, and seize one of the young men, and take his spoil.’ But Asahel would not turn away from following him. ²²Abner said again to Asahel, ‘Turn away from following me; why should I strike you to the ground? How then could I show my face to your brother Joab?’ ²³But he refused to turn away. So Abner struck him in the stomach with the butt of his spear, so that the spear came out at his back. He fell there, and died where he lay. And all those who came to the place where Asahel had fallen and died, stood still.

²⁴ But Joab and Abishai pursued Abner. As the sun was going down they came to the hill of Ammah, which lies before Giah on the way to the wilderness of Gibeon. ²⁵The Benjaminites rallied around Abner and formed a single band; they took their stand on the top of a hill. ²⁶Then Abner called to Joab, ‘Is the sword to keep devouring for ever? Do you not know that the end will be bitter? How long will it be before you order your people to turn from the pursuit of their kinsmen?’ ²⁷Joab said, ‘As God lives, if you had not spoken, the people would have continued to pursue their kinsmen, not stopping until morning.’ ²⁸Joab sounded the trumpet and all the people stopped; they no longer pursued Israel or engaged in battle any further.

²⁹ Abner and his men travelled all that night through the Arabah; they crossed the Jordan, and, marching the whole forenoon,a they came to Mahanaim. ³⁰Joab returned from the pursuit of Abner; and when he had gathered all the people together, there were missing of David’s servants nineteen men besides Asahel. ³¹But the servants of David had killed of Benjamin three hundred and sixty of Abner’s men. ³²They took up Asahel and buried him in the tomb of his father, which was at Bethlehem. Joab and his men marched all night, and the day broke upon them at Hebron.

Abner Defects to David

3

THERE was a long war between the house of Saul and the house of David; David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul became weaker and weaker.

² Sons were born to David at Hebron: his firstborn was Amnon, of Ahinoam of Jezreel; ³his second, Chileab, of Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel; the third, Absalom son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; ⁴the fourth, Adonijah son of Haggith; the fifth, Shephatiah son of Abital; ⁵and the sixth, Ithream, of David’s wife Eglah. These were born to David in Hebron.

⁶ While there was war between the house of Saul and the house of David, Abner was making himself strong in the house of Saul. ⁷Now Saul had a concubine whose name was Rizpah daughter of Aiah. And Ishbaalb said to Abner, ‘Why have you gone in to my father’s concubine?’ ⁸The words of Ishbaalc made Abner very angry; he said, ‘Am I a dog’s head for Judah? Today I keep showing loyalty to the house of your father Saul, to his brothers, and to his friends, and have not given you into the hand of David; and yet you charge me now with a crime concerning this woman. ⁹So may God do to Abner and so may he add to it! For just what the LORD has sworn to David, that will I accomplish for him, ¹⁰to transfer the kingdom from the house of Saul, and set up the throne of David over Israel and over Judah, from Dan to Beer-sheba.’ ¹¹And Ishbaalb could not answer Abner another word, because he feared him.

¹² Abner sent messengers to David at Hebron,d saying, ‘To whom does the land belong? Make your covenant with me, and I will give you my support to bring all Israel over to you.’ ¹³He said, ‘Good; I will make a covenant with you. But one thing I require of you: you shall never appear in my presence unless you bring Saul’s daughter Michal when you come to see me.’ ¹⁴Then David sent messengers to Saul’s son Ishbaal,e saying, ‘Give me my wife Michal, to whom I became engaged at the price of one hundred foreskins of the Philistines.’ ¹⁵Ishbaale sent and took her from her husband Paltiel the son of Laish. ¹⁶But her husband went with her, weeping as he walked behind her all the way to Bahurim. Then Abner said to him, ‘Go back home!’ So he went back.

¹⁷ Abner sent word to the elders of Israel, saying, ‘For some time past you have been seeking David as king over you. ¹⁸Now then bring it about; for the LORD has promised David: Through my servant David I will save my people Israel from the hand of the Philistines, and from all their enemies.’ ¹⁹Abner also spoke directly to the Benjaminites; then Abner went to tell David at Hebron all that Israel and the whole house of Benjamin were ready to do.

²⁰ When Abner came with twenty men to David at Hebron, David made a feast for Abner and the men who were with him. ²¹Abner said to David, ‘Let me go and rally all Israel to my lord the king, in order that they may make a covenant with you, and that you may reign over all that your heart desires.’ So David dismissed Abner, and he went away in peace.

Abner Is Killed by Joab

²² Just then the servants of David arrived with Joab from a raid, bringing much spoil with them. But Abner was not with David at Hebron, for Davida had dismissed him, and he had gone away in peace. ²³When Joab and all the army that was with him came, it was told Joab, ‘Abner son of Ner came to the king, and he has dismissed him, and he has gone away in peace.’ ²⁴Then Joab went to the king and said, ‘What have you done? Abner came to you; why did you dismiss him, so that he got away? ²⁵You know that Abner son of Ner came to deceive you, and to learn your comings and goings and to learn all that you are doing.’

²⁶ When Joab came out from David’s presence, he sent messengers after Abner, and they brought him back from the cistern of Sirah; but David did not know about it. ²⁷When Abner returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gateway to speak with him privately, and there he stabbed him in the stomach. So he died for sheddingb the blood of Asahel, Joab’sc brother. ²⁸Afterwards, when David heard of it, he said, ‘I and my kingdom are for ever guiltless before the LORD for the blood of Abner son of Ner. ²⁹May the guiltd fall on the head of Joab, and on all his father’s house; and may the house of Joab never be without one who has a discharge, or who is leprous,e or who holds a spindle, or who falls by the sword, or who lacks food!’ ³⁰So Joab and his brother Abishai murdered Abner because he had killed their brother Asahel in the battle at Gibeon.

³¹ Then David said to Joab and to all the people who were with him, ‘Tear your clothes, and put on sackcloth, and mourn over Abner.’ And King David followed the bier. ³²They buried Abner at Hebron. The king lifted up his voice and wept at the grave of Abner, and all the people wept. ³³The king lamented for Abner, saying,

‘Should Abner die as a fool dies?

³⁴ Your hands were not bound,

your feet were not fettered;

as one falls before the wicked

you have fallen.’

And all the people wept over him again. ³⁵Then all the people came to persuade David to eat something while it was still day; but David swore, saying, ‘So may God do to me, and more, if I taste bread or anything else before the sun goes down!’ ³⁶All the people took notice of it, and it pleased them; just as everything the king did pleased all the people. ³⁷So all the people and all Israel understood that day that the king had no part in the killing of Abner son of Ner. ³⁸And the king said to his servants, ‘Do you not know that a prince and a great man has fallen this day in Israel? ³⁹Today I am powerless, even though anointed king; these men, the sons of Zeruiah, are too violent for me. The LORD pay back the one who does wickedly in accordance with his wickedness!’

Ishbaal Assassinated

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WHEN Saul’s son Ishbaala heard that Abner had died at Hebron, his courage failed, and all Israel was dismayed. ²Saul’s son had two captains of raiding bands; the name of one was Baanah, and the name of the other Rechab. They were sons of Rimmon, a Benjaminite from Beeroth—for Beeroth is considered to belong to Benjamin. ³(Now the people of Beeroth had fled to Gittaim and are there as resident aliens to this day).

⁴ Saul’s son Jonathan had a son who was crippled in his feet. He was five years old when the news about Saul and Jonathan came from Jezreel. His nurse picked him up and fled; and, in her haste to flee, it happened that he fell and became lame. His name was Mephibosheth.b

⁵ Now the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, Rechab and Baanah, set out, and about the heat of the day they came to the house of Ishbaal,c while he was taking his noonday rest. ⁶They came inside the house as though to take wheat, and they struck him in the stomach; then Rechab and his brother Baanah escaped.d ⁷Now they had come into the house while he was lying on his couch in his bedchamber; they attacked him, killed him, and beheaded him. Then they took his head and travelled by way of the Arabah all night long. ⁸They brought the head of Ishbaalc to David at Hebron and said to the king, ‘Here is the head of Ishbaal,c son of Saul your enemy who sought your life; the LORD has avenged my lord the king this day on Saul and on his offspring.’

⁹ David answered Rechab and his brother Baanah, the sons of Rimmon the Beerothite, ‘As the LORD lives, who has redeemed my life out of every adversity, ¹⁰when the one who told me, “See, Saul is dead”, thought he was bringing good news, I seized him and killed him at Ziklag—this was the reward I gave him for his news. ¹¹How much more then, when wicked men have killed a righteous man on his bed in his own house! And now shall I not require his blood at your hand, and destroy you from the earth?’ ¹²So David commanded the young men, and they killed them; they cut off their hands and feet, and hung their bodies beside the pool at Hebron. But the head of Ishbaalc they took and buried in the tomb of Abner at Hebron.

David Anointed King of All Israel

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THEN all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron, and said, ‘Look, we are your bone and flesh. ²For some time, while Saul was king over us, it was you who led out Israel and brought it in. The LORD said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over Israel.’ ³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel. ⁴David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for forty years. ⁵At Hebron he reigned over Judah for seven years and six months; and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah for thirty-three years.

Jerusalem Made Capital of the Combined Kingdom

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, ‘You will not come in here, even the blind and the lame will turn you back’—thinking, ‘David cannot come in here.’ ⁷Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, which is now the city of David. ⁸David had said on that day, ‘Whoever wishes to strike down the Jebusites, let him get up the water shaft to attack the lame and the blind, those whom David hates.’a Therefore it is said, ‘The blind and the lame shall not come into the house.’ ⁹David occupied the stronghold, and named it the city of David. David built the city all around from the Millo inwards. ¹⁰And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.

¹¹ King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar trees, and carpenters and masons who built David a house. ¹²David then perceived that the LORD had established him king over Israel, and that he had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ In Jerusalem, after he came from Hebron, David took more concubines and wives; and more sons and daughters were born to David. ¹⁴These are the names of those who were born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet.

Philistine Attack Repulsed

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁹David inquired of the LORD, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ The LORD said to David, ‘Go up; for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand.’ ²⁰So David came to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. He said, ‘The LORD has burst forth againstb my enemies before me, like a bursting flood.’ Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim.c ²¹ The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them away.

²² Once again the Philistines came up, and were spread out in the valley of Rephaim. ²³When David inquired of the LORD, he said, ‘You shall not go up; go round to their rear, and come upon them opposite the balsam trees. ²⁴When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then be on the alert; for then the LORD has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ ²⁵David did just as the LORD had commanded him; and he struck down the Philistines from Geba all the way to Gezer.

David Brings the Ark to Jerusalem

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DAVID again gathered all the chosen men of Israel, thirty thousand. ²David and all the people with him set out and went from Baale-judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the name of the LORD of hosts who is enthroned on the cherubim. ³They carried the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio,a the sons of Abinadab, were driving the new cart ⁴with the ark of God;b and Ahioa went in front of the ark. ⁵David and all the house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all their might, with songsc and lyres and harps and tambourines and castanets and cymbals.

⁶ When they came to the threshing-floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen shook it. ⁷The anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God struck him there because he reached out his hand to the ark;d and he died there beside the ark of God. ⁸David was angry because the LORD had burst forth with an outburst upon Uzzah; so that place is called Perez-uzzahe to this day. ⁹David was afraid of the LORD that day; he said, ‘How can the ark of the LORD come into my care?’ ¹⁰So David was unwilling to take the ark of the LORD into his care in the city of David; instead David took it to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹¹The ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite for three months; and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household.

¹² It was told King David, ‘The LORD has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.’ So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing; ¹³and when those who bore the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a fatling. ¹⁴David danced before the LORD with all his might; David was girded with a linen ephod. ¹⁵So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

¹⁶ As the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought in the ark of the LORD, and set it in its place, inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being before the LORD. ¹⁸When David had finished offering the burnt-offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD of hosts, ¹⁹and distributed food among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, both men and women, to each a cake of bread, a portion of meat,f and a cake of raisins. Then all the people went back to their homes.

²⁰ David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, ‘How the king of Israel honoured himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants’ maids, as any vulgar fellow might shamelessly uncover himself!’ ²¹David said to Michal, ‘It was before the LORD, who chose me in place of your father and all his household, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD, that I have danced before the LORD. ²²I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in my own eyes; but by the maids of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honour.’ ²³And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.

God’s Covenant with David

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NOW when the king was settled in his house, and the LORD had given him rest from all his enemies around him, ²the king said to the prophet Nathan, ‘See now, I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of God stays in a tent.’ ³Nathan said to the king, ‘Go, do all that you have in mind; for the LORD is with you.’

⁴ But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: ⁵Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: Are you the one to build me a house to live in? ⁶I have not lived in a house since the day I brought up the people of Israel from Egypt to this day, but I have been moving about in a tent and a tabernacle. ⁷Wherever I have moved about among all the people of Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the tribal leadersa of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people Israel, saying, ‘Why have you not built me a house of cedar?’ ⁸Now therefore thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep to be prince over my people Israel; ⁹and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies from before you; and I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ¹⁰And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall afflict them no more, as formerly, ¹¹from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will give you rest from all your enemies. Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. ¹²When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹³He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever. ¹⁴I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. When he commits iniquity, I will punish him with a rod such as mortals use, with blows inflicted by human beings. ¹⁵But I will not takeb my steadfast love from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. ¹⁶Your house and your kingdom shall be made sure for ever before me;c your throne shall be established for ever. ¹⁷In accordance with all these words and with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer

¹⁸ Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, ‘Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁹And yet this was a small thing in your eyes, O Lord GOD; you have spoken also of your servant’s house for a great while to come. May this be instruction for the people,a O Lord GOD!²⁰ And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord GOD! ²¹ Because of your promise, and according to your own heart, you have wrought all this greatness, so that your servant may know it.²² Therefore you are great, O LORD God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.²³ Who is like your people, like Israel? Is there anotherb nation on earth whose God went to redeem it as a people, and to make a name for himself, doing great and awesome things for them, c by driving outd before his people nations and their gods?e ²⁴ And you established your people Israel for yourself to be your people for ever; and you, O LORD, became their God.²⁵ And now, O LORD God, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, confirm it for ever; do as you have promised.²⁶ Thus your name will be magnified for ever in the saying, “The LORD of hosts is God over Israel” and the house of your servant David will be established before you.²⁷ For you, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made this revelation to your servant, saying, “I will build you a house” therefore your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to you.²⁸ And now, O Lord GOD, you are God, and your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant;²⁹ now therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, so that it may continue for ever before you; for you, O Lord GOD, have spoken, and with your blessing shall the house of your servant be blessed for ever.’

David’s Wars

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SOME time afterwards, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; David took Metheg-ammah out of the hand of the Philistines.

² He also defeated the Moabites and, making them lie down on the ground, measured them off with a cord; he measured two lengths of cord for those who were to be put to death, and one lengthf for those who were to be spared. And the Moabites became servants to David and brought tribute.

³ David also struck down King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah, as he went to restore his monumentg at the river Euphrates. ⁴David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen, and twenty thousand foot-soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left enough for a hundred chariots. ⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand men of the Arameans. ⁶Then David put garrisons among the Arameans of Damascus; and the Arameans became servants to David and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷David took the gold shields that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Betah and from Berothai, towns of Hadadezer, King David took a great amount of bronze.

⁹ When King Toi of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of Hadadezer, ¹⁰Toi sent his son Joram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Now Hadadezer had often been at war with Toi. Joram brought with him articles of silver, gold, and bronze; ¹¹these also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he dedicated from all the nations he subdued, ¹²from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, Amalek, and from the spoil of King Hadadezer son of Rehob of Zobah.

¹³ David won a name for himself. When he returned, he killed eighteen thousand Edomitesa in the Valley of Salt. ¹⁴He put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the Edomites became David’s servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Officers

¹⁵ So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁶Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁷Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Seraiah was secretary; ¹⁸Benaiah son of Jehoiada was overb the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were priests.

David’s Kindness to Mephibosheth

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DAVID asked, ‘Is there still anyone left of the house of Saul to whom I may show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?’ ²Now there was a servant of the house of Saul whose name was Ziba, and he was summoned to David. The king said to him, ‘Are you Ziba?’ And he said, ‘At your service!’ ³The king said, ‘Is there anyone remaining of the house of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘There remains a son of Jonathan; he is crippled in his feet.’ ⁴The king said to him, ‘Where is he?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘He is in the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar.’ ⁵Then King David sent and brought him from the house of Machir son of Ammiel, at Lo-debar. ⁶Mephiboshethc son of Jonathan son of Saul came to David, and fell on his face and did obeisance. David said, ‘Mephibosheth!’c He answered, ‘I am your servant.’ ⁷David said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, for I will show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan; I will restore to you all the land of your grandfather Saul, and you yourself shall eat at my table always.’ ⁸He did obeisance and said, ‘What is your servant, that you should look upon a dead dog such as I am?’

⁹ Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba, and said to him, ‘All that belonged to Saul and to all his house I have given to your master’s grandson. ¹⁰You and your sons and your servants shall till the land for him, and shall bring in the produce, so that your master’s grandson may have food to eat; but your master’s grandson Mephiboshethc shall always eat at my table.’ Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants. ¹¹Then Ziba said to the king, ‘According to all that my lord the king commands his servant, so your servant will do.’ Mephiboshethc ate at David’sd table, like one of the king’s sons. ¹²Mephiboshethc had a young son whose name was Mica. And all who lived in Ziba’s house became Mephibosheth’se servants. ¹³Mephiboshethc lived in Jerusalem, for he always ate at the king’s table. Now he was lame in both his feet.

The Ammonites and Arameans Are Defeated

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SOME time afterwards the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him. ²David said, ‘I will deal loyally with Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father dealt loyally with me.’ So David sent envoys to console him concerning his father. When David’s envoys came into the land of the Ammonites, ³the princes of the Ammonites said to their lord Hanun, ‘Do you really think that David is honouring your father just because he has sent messengers with condolences to you? Has not David sent his envoys to you to search the city, to spy it out, and to overthrow it?’ ⁴So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half the beard of each, cut off their garments in the middle at their hips, and sent them away. ⁵When David was told, he sent to meet them, for the men were greatly ashamed. The king said, ‘Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.’

⁶ When the Ammonites saw that they had become odious to David, the Ammonites sent and hired the Arameans of Beth-rehob and the Arameans of Zobah, twenty thousand foot-soldiers, as well as the king of Maacah, one thousand men, and the men of Tob, twelve thousand men. ⁷When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army with the warriors. ⁸The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the gate; but the Arameans of Zobah and of Rehob, and the men of Tob and Maacah, were by themselves in the open country.

⁹ When Joab saw that the battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel, and arrayed them against the Arameans; ¹⁰the rest of his men he put in charge of his brother Abishai, and he arrayed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹He said, ‘If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you. ¹²Be strong, and let us be courageous for the sake of our people, and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.’ ¹³So Joab and the people who were with him moved forward into battle against the Arameans; and they fled before him. ¹⁴When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, and entered the city. Then Joab returned from fighting against the Ammonites, and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they gathered themselves together. ¹⁶Hadadezer sent and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates; and they came to Helam, with Shobach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. ¹⁷When it was told to David, he gathered all Israel together, and crossed the Jordan, and came to Helam. The Arameans arrayed themselves against David and fought with him. ¹⁸The Arameans fled before Israel; and David killed of the Arameans seven hundred chariot teams and forty thousand horsemen,a and wounded Shobach the commander of their army, so that he died there. ¹⁹When all the kings who were servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with Israel, and became subject to them. So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba

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IN THE spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.

² It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. ³David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, ‘This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.’ ⁴So David sent messengers to fetch her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. ⁵The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, ‘I am pregnant.’

⁶ So David sent word to Joab, ‘Send me Uriah the Hittite.’ And Joab sent Uriah to David. ⁷When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. ⁸Then David said to Uriah, ‘Go down to your house, and wash your feet.’ Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. ⁹But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. ¹⁰When they told David, ‘Uriah did not go down to his house’, David said to Uriah, ‘You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?’ ¹¹Uriah said to David, ‘The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths;a and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.’ ¹²Then David said to Uriah, ‘Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.’ So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, ¹³David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.

David Has Uriah Killed

¹⁴ In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. ¹⁵In the letter he wrote, ‘Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be struck down and die.’ ¹⁶As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. ¹⁷The men of the city came out and fought with Joab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite was killed as well. ¹⁸Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting; ¹⁹and he instructed the messenger, ‘When you have finished telling the king all the news about the fighting, ²⁰then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, “Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? ²¹Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal?b Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?” then you shall say, “Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.”’

²² So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. ²³The messenger said to David, ‘The men gained an advantage over us, and came out against us in the field; but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. ²⁴Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king’s servants are dead; and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.’ ²⁵David said to the messenger, ‘Thus you shall say to Joab, “Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack on the city, and overthrow it.” And encourage him.’

²⁶ When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. ²⁷When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.

Nathan Condemns David

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But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, ¹and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, ‘There were two men in a certain city, one rich and the other poor. ²The rich man had very many flocks and herds; ³but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meagre fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. ⁴Now there came a traveller to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.’ ⁵Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, ‘As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; ⁶he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.’

⁷ Nathan said to David, ‘You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; ⁸I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. ⁹Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. ¹⁰Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. ¹¹Thus says the LORD: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbour, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun. ¹²For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.’ ¹³David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the LORD.’ Nathan said to David, ‘Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die. ¹⁴Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD,a the child that is born to you shall die.’ ¹⁵Then Nathan went to his house.

Bathsheba’s Child Dies

The LORD struck the child that Uriah’s wife bore to David, and it became very ill. ¹⁶David therefore pleaded with God for the child; David fasted, and went in and lay all night on the ground. ¹⁷The elders of his house stood beside him, urging him to rise from the ground; but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. ¹⁸On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead; for they said, ‘While the child was still alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us; how then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.’ ¹⁹But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, he perceived that the child was dead; and David said to his servants, ‘Is the child dead?’ They said, ‘He is dead.’

²⁰ Then David rose from the ground, washed, anointed himself, and changed his clothes. He went into the house of the LORD, and worshipped; he then went to his own house; and when he asked, they set food before him and he ate. ²¹Then his servants said to him, ‘What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while it was alive; but when the child died, you rose and ate food.’ ²²He said, ‘While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept; for I said, “Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me, and the child may live.” ²³But now he is dead; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me.’

Solomon Is Born

²⁴ Then David consoled his wife Bathsheba, and went to her, and lay with her; and she bore a son, and he named him Solomon. The LORD loved him, ²⁵and sent a message by the prophet Nathan; so he named him Jedidiah,a because of the LORD.

The Ammonites Crushed

²⁶ Now Joab fought against Rabbah of the Ammonites, and took the royal city. ²⁷Joab sent messengers to David, and said, ‘I have fought against Rabbah; moreover, I have taken the water city. ²⁸Now, then, gather the rest of the people together, and encamp against the city, and take it; or I myself will take the city, and it will be called by my name.’ ²⁹So David gathered all the people together and went to Rabbah, and fought against it and took it. ³⁰He took the crown of Milcomb from his head; the weight of it was a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought forth the spoil of the city, a very great amount. ³¹He brought out the people who were in it, and set them to work with saws and iron picks and iron axes, or sent them to the brickworks. Thus he did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Amnon and Tamar

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SOME time passed. David’s son Absalom had a beautiful sister whose name was Tamar; and David’s son Amnon fell in love with her. ²Amnon was so tormented that he made himself ill because of his sister Tamar, for she was a virgin and it seemed impossible to Amnon to do anything to her. ³But Amnon had a friend whose name was Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah; and Jonadab was a very crafty man. ⁴He said to him, ‘O son of the king, why are you so haggard morning after morning? Will you not tell me?’ Amnon said to him, ‘I love Tamar, my brother Absalom’s sister.’ ⁵Jonadab said to him, ‘Lie down on your bed, and pretend to be ill; and when your father comes to see you, say to him, “Let my sister Tamar come and give me something to eat, and prepare the food in my sight, so that I may see it and eat it from her hand.”’ ⁶So Amnon lay down, and pretended to be ill; and when the king came to see him, Amnon said to the king, ‘Please let my sister Tamar come and make a couple of cakes in my sight, so that I may eat from her hand.’

⁷ Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, ‘Go to your brother Amnon’s house, and prepare food for him.’ ⁸So Tamar went to her brother Amnon’s house, where he was lying down. She took dough, kneaded it, made cakes in his sight, and baked the cakes. ⁹Then she took the pan and set thema out before him, but he refused to eat. Amnon said, ‘Send out everyone from me.’ So everyone went out from him. ¹⁰Then Amnon said to Tamar, ‘Bring the food into the chamber, so that I may eat from your hand.’ So Tamar took the cakes she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. ¹¹But when she brought them near him to eat, he took hold of her, and said to her, ‘Come, lie with me, my sister.’ ¹²She answered him, ‘No, my brother, do not force me; for such a thing is not done in Israel; do not do anything so vile! ¹³As for me, where could I carry my shame? And as for you, you would be as one of the scoundrels in Israel. Now therefore, I beg you, speak to the king; for he will not withhold me from you.’ ¹⁴But he would not listen to her; and being stronger than she was, he forced her and lay with her.

¹⁵ Then Amnon was seized with a very great loathing for her; indeed, his loathing was even greater than the lust he had felt for her. Amnon said to her, ‘Get out!’ ¹⁶But she said to him, ‘No, my brother;b for this wrong in sending me away is greater than the other that you did to me.’ But he would not listen to her. ¹⁷He called the young man who served him and said, ‘Put this woman out of my presence, and bolt the door after her.’ ¹⁸(Now she was wearing a long robe with sleeves; for this is how the virgin daughters of the king were clothed in earlier times.c) So his servant put her out, and bolted the door after her. ¹⁹But Tamar put ashes on her head, and tore the long robe that she was wearing; she put her hand on her head, and went away, crying aloud as she went.

²⁰ Her brother Absalom said to her, ‘Has Amnon your brother been with you? Be quiet for now, my sister; he is your brother; do not take this to heart.’ So Tamar remained, a desolate woman, in her brother Absalom’s house. ²¹When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn.d ²²But Absalom spoke to Amnon neither good nor bad; for Absalom hated Amnon, because he had raped his sister Tamar.

Absalom Avenges the Violation of His Sister

²³ After two full years Absalom had sheepshearers at Baal-hazor, which is near Ephraim, and Absalom invited all the king’s sons. ²⁴Absalom came to the king, and said, ‘Your servant has sheepshearers; will the king and his servants please go with your servant?’ ²⁵But the king said to Absalom, ‘No, my son, let us not all go, or else we will be burdensome to you.’ He pressed him, but he would not go but gave him his blessing. ²⁶Then Absalom said, ‘If not, please let my brother Amnon go with us.’ The king said to him, ‘Why should he go with you?’ ²⁷But Absalom pressed him until he let Amnon and all the king’s sons go with him. Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast.a ²⁸Then Absalom commanded his servants, ‘Watch when Amnon’s heart is merry with wine, and when I say to you, “Strike Amnon”, then kill him. Do not be afraid; have I not myself commanded you? Be courageous and valiant.’ ²⁹So the servants of Absalom did to Amnon as Absalom had commanded. Then all the king’s sons rose, and each mounted his mule and fled.

³⁰ While they were on the way, the report came to David that Absalom had killed all the king’s sons, and not one of them was left. ³¹The king rose, tore his garments, and lay on the ground; and all his servants who were standing by tore their garments. ³²But Jonadab, the son of David’s brother Shimeah, said, ‘Let not my lord suppose that they have killed all the young men the king’s sons; Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnonb raped his sister Tamar. ³³Now therefore, do not let my lord the king take it to heart, as if all the king’s sons were dead; for Amnon alone is dead.’

³⁴ But Absalom fled. When the young man who kept watch looked up, he saw many people coming from the Horonaim roadc by the side of the mountain. ³⁵Jonadab said to the king, ‘See, the king’s sons have come; as your servant said, so it has come about.’ ³⁶As soon as he had finished speaking, the king’s sons arrived, and raised their voices and wept; and the king and all his servants also wept very bitterly.

³⁷ But Absalom fled, and went to Talmai son of Ammihud, king of Geshur. David mourned for his son day after day. ³⁸Absalom, having fled to Geshur, stayed there for three years. ³⁹And the heart ofd the king went out, yearning for Absalom; for he was now consoled over the death of Amnon.

Absalom Returns to Jerusalem

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NOW Joab son of Zeruiah perceived that the king’s mind was on Absalom. ²Joab sent to Tekoa and brought from there a wise woman. He said to her, ‘Pretend to be in mourning; put on mourning garments, do not anoint yourself with oil, but behave like a woman who has been mourning many days for the dead. ³Go to the king and speak to him as follows.’ And Joab put the words into her mouth.

⁴ When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, ‘Help, O king!’ ⁵The king asked her, ‘What is your trouble?’ She answered, ‘Alas, I am a widow; my husband is dead. ⁶Your servant had two sons, and they fought with one another in the field; there was no one to part them, and one struck the other and killed him. ⁷Now the whole family has risen against your servant. They say, “Give up the man who struck his brother, so that we may kill him for the life of his brother whom he murdered, even if we destroy the heir as well.” Thus they would quench my one remaining ember, and leave to my husband neither name nor remnant on the face of the earth.’

⁸ Then the king said to the woman, ‘Go to your house, and I will give orders concerning you.’ ⁹The woman of Tekoa said to the king, ‘On me be the guilt, my lord the king, and on my father’s house; let the king and his throne be guiltless.’ ¹⁰The king said, ‘If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me, and he shall never touch you again.’

¹¹Then she said, ‘Please, may the king keep the LORD your God in mind, so that the avenger of blood may kill no more, and my son not be destroyed.’ He said, ‘As the LORD lives, not one hair of your son shall fall to the ground.’

¹² Then the woman said, ‘Please let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.’ He said, ‘Speak.’ ¹³The woman said, ‘Why then have you planned such a thing against the people of God? For in giving this decision the king convicts himself, inasmuch as the king does not bring his banished one home again. ¹⁴We must all die; we are like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up. But God will not take away a life; he will devise plans so as not to keep an outcast banished for ever from his presence.a ¹⁵Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid; your servant thought, “I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. ¹⁶For the king will hear, and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would cut both me and my son off from the heritage of God.” ¹⁷Your servant thought, “The word of my lord the king will set me at rest” for my lord the king is like the angel of God, discerning good and evil. The LORD your God be with you!’

¹⁸ Then the king answered the woman, ‘Do not withhold from me anything I ask you.’ The woman said, ‘Let my lord the king speak.’ ¹⁹The king said, ‘Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?’ The woman answered and said, ‘As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn right or left from anything that my lord the king has said. For it was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. ²⁰In order to change the course of affairs your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth.’

²¹ Then the king said to Joab, ‘Very well, I grant this; go, bring back the young man Absalom.’ ²²Joab prostrated himself with his face to the ground and did obeisance, and blessed the king; and Joab said, ‘Today your servant knows that I have found favour in your sight, my lord the king, in that the king has granted the request of his servant.’ ²³So Joab set off, went to Geshur, and brought Absalom to Jerusalem. ²⁴The king said, ‘Let him go to his own house; he is not to come into my presence.’ So Absalom went to his own house, and did not come into the king’s presence.

David Forgives Absalom

²⁵ Now in all Israel there was no one to be praised so much for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. ²⁶When he cut the hair of his head (for at the end of every year he used to cut it; when it was heavy on him, he cut it), he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight. ²⁷There were born to Absalom three sons, and one daughter whose name was Tamar; she was a beautiful woman.

²⁸ So Absalom lived two full years in Jerusalem without coming into the king’s presence. ²⁹Then Absalom sent for Joab to send him to the king; but Joab would not come to him. He sent a second time, but Joab would not come. ³⁰Then he said to his servants, ‘Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there; go and set it on fire.’ So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire. ³¹Then Joab rose and went to Absalom at his house, and said to him, ‘Why have your servants set my field on fire?’ ³²Absalom answered Joab, ‘Look, I sent word to you: Come here, that I may send you to the king with the question, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me to be there still.” Now let me go into the king’s presence; if there is guilt in me, let him kill me!’ ³³Then Joab went to the king and told him; and he summoned Absalom. So he came to the king and prostrated himself with his face to the ground before the king; and the king kissed Absalom.

Absalom Usurps the Throne

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AFTER this Absalom got himself a chariot and horses, and fifty men to run ahead of him. ²Absalom used to rise early and stand beside the road into the gate; and when anyone brought a suit before the king for judgement, Absalom would call out and say, ‘From what city are you?’ When the person said, ‘Your servant is of such and such a tribe in Israel’, ³Absalom would say, ‘See, your claims are good and right; but there is no one deputed by the king to hear you.’ ⁴Absalom said moreover, ‘If only I were judge in the land! Then all who had a suit or cause might come to me, and I would give them justice.’ ⁵Whenever people came near to do obeisance to him, he would put out his hand and take hold of them, and kiss them. ⁶Thus Absalom did to every Israelite who came to the king for judgement; so Absalom stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷ At the end of foura years Absalom said to the king, ‘Please let me go to Hebron and pay the vow that I have made to the LORD. ⁸For your servant made a vow while I lived at Geshur in Aram: If the LORD will indeed bring me back to Jerusalem, then I will worship the LORD in Hebron.’b ⁹The king said to him, ‘Go in peace.’ So he got up, and went to Hebron. ¹⁰But Absalom sent secret messengers throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then shout: Absalom has become king at Hebron!’ ¹¹Two hundred men from Jerusalem went with Absalom; they were invited guests, and they went in their innocence, knowing nothing of the matter. ¹²While Absalom was offering the sacrifices, he sent forc Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counsellor, from his city Giloh. The conspiracy grew in strength, and the people with Absalom kept increasing.

David Flees from Jerusalem

¹³ A messenger came to David, saying, ‘The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom.’ ¹⁴Then David said to all his officials who were with him at Jerusalem, ‘Get up! Let us flee, or there will be no escape for us from Absalom. Hurry, or he will soon overtake us, and bring disaster down upon us, and attack the city with the edge of the sword.’ ¹⁵The king’s officials said to the king, ‘Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king decides.’ ¹⁶So the king left, followed by all his household, except ten concubines whom he left behind to look after the house. ¹⁷The king left, followed by all the people; and they stopped at the last house. ¹⁸All his officials passed by him; and all the Cherethites, and all the Pelethites, and all the six hundred Gittites who had followed him from Gath, passed on before the king.

¹⁹ Then the king said to Ittai the Gittite, ‘Why are you also coming with us? Go back, and stay with the king; for you are a foreigner, and also an exile from your home. ²⁰You came only yesterday, and shall I today make you wander about with us, while I go wherever I can? Go back, and take your kinsfolk with you; and may the LORD showa steadfast love and faithfulness to you.’ ²¹But Ittai answered the king, ‘As the LORD lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether for death or for life, there also your servant will be.’ ²²David said to Ittai, ‘Go then, march on.’ So Ittai the Gittite marched on, with all his men and all the little ones who were with him. ²³The whole country wept aloud as all the people passed by; the king crossed the Wadi Kidron, and all the people moved on towards the wilderness.

²⁴ Abiathar came up, and Zadok also, with all the Levites, carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, until the people had all passed out of the city. ²⁵Then the king said to Zadok, ‘Carry the ark of God back into the city. If I find favour in the eyes of the LORD, he will bring me back and let me see both it and the place where it remains. ²⁶But if he says, “I take no pleasure in you”, here I am, let him do to me what seems good to him.’ ²⁷The king also said to the priest Zadok, ‘Look,b go back to the city in peace, you and Abiathar,c with your two sons, Ahimaaz your son, and Jonathan son of Abiathar. ²⁸See, I will wait at the fords of the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.’ ²⁹So Zadok and Abiathar carried the ark of God back to Jerusalem, and they remained there.

³⁰ But David went up the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went, with his head covered and walking barefoot; and all the people who were with him covered their heads and went up, weeping as they went. ³¹David was told that Ahithophel was among the conspirators with Absalom. And David said, ‘O LORD, I pray you, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness.’

Hushai Becomes David’s Spy

³² When David came to the summit, where God was worshipped, Hushai the Archite came to meet him with his coat torn and earth on his head. ³³David said to him, ‘If you go on with me, you will be a burden to me. ³⁴But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “I will be your servant, O king; as I have been your father’s servant in time past, so now I will be your servant”, then you will defeat for me the counsel of Ahithophel. ³⁵The priests Zadok and Abiathar will be with you there. So whatever you hear from the king’s house, tell it to the priests Zadok and Abiathar. ³⁶Their two sons are with them there, Zadok’s son Ahimaaz and Abiathar’s son Jonathan; and by them you shall report to me everything you hear.’ ³⁷So Hushai, David’s friend, came into the city, just as Absalom was entering Jerusalem.

David’s Adversaries

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WHEN David had passed a little beyond the summit, Ziba the servant of Mephiboshethd met him, with a couple of donkeys saddled, carrying two hundred loaves of bread, one hundred bunches of raisins, one hundred of summer fruits, and one skin of wine. ²The king said to Ziba, ‘Why have you brought these?’ Ziba answered, ‘The donkeys are for the king’s household to ride, the bread and summer fruit for the young men to eat, and the wine is for those to drink who faint in the wilderness.’ ³The king said, ‘And where is your master’s son?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘He remains in Jerusalem; for he said, “Today the house of Israel will give me back my grandfather’s kingdom.”’ ⁴Then the king said to Ziba, ‘All that belonged to Mephiboshetha is now yours.’ Ziba said, ‘I do obeisance; let me find favour in your sight, my lord the king.’

Shimei Curses David

⁵ When King David came to Bahurim, a man of the family of the house of Saul came out whose name was Shimei son of Gera; he came out cursing. ⁶He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; now all the people and all the warriors were on his right and on his left. ⁷Shimei shouted while he cursed, ‘Out! Out! Murderer! Scoundrel! ⁸The LORD has avenged on all of you the blood of the house of Saul, in whose place you have reigned; and the LORD has given the kingdom into the hand of your son Absalom. See, disaster has overtaken you; for you are a man of blood.’

⁹ Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, ‘Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.’ ¹⁰But the king said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the LORD has said to him, “Curse David”, who then shall say, “Why have you done so?”’ ¹¹David said to Abishai and to all his servants, ‘My own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD has bidden him. ¹²It may be that the LORD will look on my distress,b and the LORD will repay me with good for this cursing of me today.’ ¹³So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went, throwing stones and flinging dust at him. ¹⁴The king and all the people who were with him arrived weary at the Jordan;c and there he refreshed himself.

The Counsel of Ahithophel

¹⁵ Now Absalom and all the Israelitesd came to Jerusalem; Ahithophel was with him. ¹⁶When Hushai the Archite, David’s friend, came to Absalom, Hushai said to Absalom, ‘Long live the king! Long live the king!’ ¹⁷Absalom said to Hushai, ‘Is this your loyalty to your friend? Why did you not go with your friend?’ ¹⁸Hushai said to Absalom, ‘No; but the one whom the LORD and this people and all the Israelites have chosen, his I will be, and with him I will remain. ¹⁹Moreover, whom should I serve? Should it not be his son? Just as I have served your father, so I will serve you.’

²⁰ Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, ‘Give us your counsel; what shall we do?’ ²¹Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Go in to your father’s concubines, the ones he has left to look after the house; and all Israel will hear that you have made yourself odious to your father, and the hands of all who are with you will be strengthened.’ ²²So they pitched a tent for Absalom upon the roof; and Absalom went in to his father’s concubines in the sight of all Israel. ²³Now in those days the counsel that Ahithophel gave was as if one consulted the oraclea of God; so all the counsel of Ahithophel was esteemed, both by David and by Absalom.

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MOREOVER, Ahithophel said to Absalom, ‘Let me choose twelve thousand men, and I will set out and pursue David tonight. ²I will come upon him while he is weary and discouraged, and throw him into a panic; and all the people who are with him will flee. I will strike down only the king, ³and I will bring all the people back to you as a bride comes home to her husband. You seek the life of only one man,b and all the people will be at peace.’ ⁴The advice pleased Absalom and all the elders of Israel.

The Counsel of Hushai

⁵ Then Absalom said, ‘Call Hushai the Archite also, and let us hear too what he has to say.’ ⁶When Hushai came to Absalom, Absalom said to him, ‘This is what Ahithophel has said; shall we do as he advises? If not, you tell us.’ ⁷Then Hushai said to Absalom, ‘This time the counsel that Ahithophel has given is not good.’ ⁸Hushai continued, ‘You know that your father and his men are warriors, and that they are enraged, like a bear robbed of her cubs in the field. Besides, your father is expert in war; he will not spend the night with the troops. ⁹Even now he has hidden himself in one of the pits, or in some other place. And when some of our troopsc fall at the first attack, whoever hears it will say, “There has been a slaughter among the troops who follow Absalom.”¹⁰ Then even the valiant warrior, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will utterly melt with fear; for all Israel knows that your father is a warrior, and that those who are with him are valiant warriors.¹¹ But my counsel is that all Israel be gathered to you, from Dan to Beer-sheba, like the sand by the sea for multitude, and that you go to battle in person.¹² So we shall come upon him in whatever place he may be found, and we shall light on him as the dew falls on the ground; and he will not survive, nor will any of those with him.¹³ If he withdraws into a city, then all Israel will bring ropes to that city, and we shall drag it into the valley, until not even a pebble is to be found there.’¹⁴ Absalom and all the men of Israel said, ‘The counsel of Hushai the Archite is better than the counsel of Ahithophel.’ For the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, so that the LORD might bring ruin on Absalom.

Hushai Warns David to Escape

¹⁵ Then Hushai said to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, ‘Thus and so did Ahithophel counsel Absalom and the elders of Israel; and thus and so I have counselled. ¹⁶Therefore send quickly and tell David, “Do not lodge tonight at the fords of the wilderness, but by all means cross over; otherwise the king and all the people who are with him will be swallowed up.”’ ¹⁷Jonathan and Ahimaaz were waiting at En-rogel; a servant-girl used to go and tell them, and they would go and tell King David; for they could not risk being seen entering the city. ¹⁸But a boy saw them, and told Absalom; so both of them went away quickly, and came to the house of a man at Bahurim, who had a well in his courtyard; and they went down into it. ¹⁹The man’s wife took a covering, stretched it over the well’s mouth, and spread out grain on it; and nothing was known of it. ²⁰When Absalom’s servants came to the woman at the house, they said, ‘Where are Ahimaaz and Jonathan?’ The woman said to them, ‘They have crossed over the brooka of water.’ And when they had searched and could not find them, they returned to Jerusalem.

²¹ After they had gone, the men came up out of the well, and went and told King David. They said to David, ‘Go and cross the water quickly; for thus and so has Ahithophel counselled against you.’ ²²So David and all the people who were with him set out and crossed the Jordan; by daybreak not one was left who had not crossed the Jordan.

²³ When Ahithophel saw that his counsel was not followed, he saddled his donkey and went off home to his own city. He set his house in order, and hanged himself; he died and was buried in the tomb of his father.

²⁴ Then David came to Mahanaim, while Absalom crossed the Jordan with all the men of Israel. ²⁵Now Absalom had set Amasa over the army in the place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra the Ishmaelite,b who had married Abigal daughter of Nahash, sister of Zeruiah, Joab’s mother. ²⁶The Israelites and Absalom encamped in the land of Gilead.

²⁷ When David came to Mahanaim, Shobi son of Nahash from Rabbah of the Ammonites, and Machir son of Ammiel from Lo-debar, and Barzillai the Gileadite from Rogelim ²⁸brought beds, basins, and earthen vessels, wheat, barley, meal, parched grain, beans and lentils,c ²⁹honey and curds, sheep, and cheese from the herd, for David and the people with him to eat; for they said, ‘The troops are hungry and weary and thirsty in the wilderness.’

The Defeat and Death of Absalom

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THEN David mustered the men who were with him, and set over them commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds. ²And David divided the army into three groups:d one-third under the command of Joab, one-third under the command of Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, and one-third under the command of Ittai the Gittite. The king said to the men, ‘I myself will also go out with you.’ ³But the men said, ‘You shall not go out. For if we flee, they will not care about us. If half of us die, they will not care about us. But you are worth ten thousand of us;e therefore it is better that you send us help from the city.’ ⁴The king said to them, ‘Whatever seems best to you I will do.’ So the king stood at the side of the gate, while all the army marched out by hundreds and by thousands. ⁵The king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, ‘Deal gently for my sake with the young man Absalom.’ And all the people heard when the king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom.

⁶ So the army went out into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim. ⁷The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. ⁸The battle spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims that day than the sword.

⁹ Absalom happened to meet the servants of David. Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanginga between heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. ¹⁰A man saw it, and told Joab, ‘I saw Absalom hanging in an oak.’ ¹¹Joab said to the man who told him, ‘What, you saw him! Why then did you not strike him there to the ground? I would have been glad to give you ten pieces of silver and a belt.’ ¹²But the man said to Joab, ‘Even if I felt in my hand the weight of a thousand pieces of silver, I would not raise my hand against the king’s son; for in our hearing the king commanded you and Abishai and Ittai, saying: For my sake protect the young man Absalom! ¹³On the other hand, if I had dealt treacherously against his lifeb (and there is nothing hidden from the king), then you yourself would have stood aloof.’ ¹⁴Joab said, ‘I will not waste time like this with you.’ He took three spears in his hand, and thrust them into the heart of Absalom, while he was still alive in the oak. ¹⁵And ten young men, Joab’s armour-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him.

¹⁶ Then Joab sounded the trumpet, and the troops came back from pursuing Israel, for Joab restrained the troops. ¹⁷They took Absalom, threw him into a great pit in the forest, and raised over him a very great heap of stones. Meanwhile all the Israelites fled to their homes. ¹⁸Now Absalom in his lifetime had taken and set up for himself a pillar that is in the King’s Valley, for he said, ‘I have no son to keep my name in remembrance’ he called the pillar by his own name. It is called Absalom’s Monument to this day.

David Hears of Absalom’s Death

¹⁹ Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said, ‘Let me run, and carry tidings to the king that the LORD has delivered him from the power of his enemies.’ ²⁰Joab said to him, ‘You are not to carry tidings today; you may carry tidings another day, but today you shall not do so, because the king’s son is dead.’ ²¹Then Joab said to a Cushite, ‘Go, tell the king what you have seen.’ The Cushite bowed before Joab, and ran. ²²Then Ahimaaz son of Zadok said again to Joab, ‘Come what may, let me also run after the Cushite.’ And Joab said, ‘Why will you run, my son, seeing that you have no rewardc for the tidings?’ ²³‘Come what may,’ he said, ‘I will run.’ So he said to him, ‘Run.’ Then Ahimaaz ran by the way of the Plain, and outran the Cushite.

²⁴ Now David was sitting between the two gates. The sentinel went up to the roof of the gate by the wall, and when he looked up, he saw a man running alone. ²⁵The sentinel shouted and told the king. The king said, ‘If he is alone, there are tidings in his mouth.’ He kept coming, and drew near. ²⁶Then the sentinel saw another man running; and the sentinel called to the gatekeeper and said, ‘See, another man running alone!’ The king said, ‘He also is bringing tidings.’ ²⁷The sentinel said, ‘I think the running of the first one is like the running of Ahimaaz son of Zadok.’ The king said, ‘He is a good man, and comes with good tidings.’

²⁸ Then Ahimaaz cried out to the king, ‘All is well!’ He prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground, and said, ‘Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delivered up the men who raised their hand against my lord the king.’ ²⁹The king said, ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ Ahimaaz answered, ‘When Joab sent your servant,a I saw a great tumult, but I do not know what it was.’ ³⁰The king said, ‘Turn aside, and stand here.’ So he turned aside, and stood still.

³¹ Then the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, ‘Good tidings for my lord the king! For the LORD has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power of all who rose up against you.’ ³²The king said to the Cushite, ‘Is it well with the young man Absalom?’ The Cushite answered, ‘May the enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that young man.’

David Mourns for Absalom

³³b The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, ‘O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!’

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IT WAS told Joab, ‘The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.’ ²So the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops; for the troops heard that day, ‘The king is grieving for his son.’ ³The troops stole into the city that day as soldiers steal in who are ashamed when they flee in battle. ⁴The king covered his face, and the king cried with a loud voice, ‘O my son Absalom, O Absalom, my son, my son!’ ⁵Then Joab came into the house to the king, and said, ‘Today you have covered with shame the faces of all your officers who have saved your life today, and the lives of your sons and your daughters, and the lives of your wives and your concubines, ⁶for love of those who hate you and for hatred of those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and officers are nothing to you; for I perceive that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. ⁷So go out at once and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night; and this will be worse for you than any disaster that has come upon you from your youth until now.’ ⁸Then the king got up and took his seat in the gate. The troops were all told, ‘See, the king is sitting in the gate’ and all the troops came before the king.

David Recalled to Jerusalem

Meanwhile, all the Israelites had fled to their homes. ⁹All the people were disputing throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, ‘The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies, and saved us from the hand of the Philistines; and now he has fled out of the land because of Absalom. ¹⁰But Absalom, whom we anointed over us, is dead in battle. Now therefore why do you say nothing about bringing the king back?’

¹¹ King David sent this message to the priests Zadok and Abiathar, ‘Say to the elders of Judah, “Why should you be the last to bring the king back to his house? The talk of all Israel has come to the king.c ¹² You are my kin, you are my bone and my flesh; why then should you be the last to bring back the king?”¹³ And say to Amasa, “Are you not my bone and my flesh? So may God do to me, and more, if you are not the commander of my army from now on, in place of Joab.”’¹⁴ Amasad swayed the hearts of all the people of Judah as one, and they sent word to the king, ‘Return, both you and all your servants.’¹⁵ So the king came back to the Jordan; and Judah came to Gilgal to meet the king and to bring him over the Jordan.

¹⁶ Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite, from Bahurim, hurried to come down with the people of Judah to meet King David; ¹⁷with him were a thousand people from Benjamin. And Ziba, the servant of the house of Saul, with his fifteen sons and his twenty servants, rushed down to the Jordan ahead of the king, ¹⁸while the crossing was taking place,a to bring over the king’s household, and to do his pleasure.

David’s Mercy to Shimei

Shimei son of Gera fell down before the king, as he was about to cross the Jordan, ¹⁹and said to the king, ‘May my lord not hold me guilty or remember how your servant did wrong on the day my lord the king left Jerusalem; may the king not bear it in mind. ²⁰For your servant knows that I have sinned; therefore, see, I have come this day, the first of all the house of Joseph to come down to meet my lord the king.’ ²¹Abishai son of Zeruiah answered, ‘Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?’ ²²But David said, ‘What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah, that you should today become an adversary to me? Shall anyone be put to death in Israel this day? For do I not know that I am this day king over Israel?’ ²³The king said to Shimei, ‘You shall not die.’ And the king gave him his oath.

David and Mephibosheth Meet

²⁴ Mephiboshethb grandson of Saul came down to meet the king; he had not taken care of his feet, or trimmed his beard, or washed his clothes, from the day the king left until the day he came back in safety. ²⁵When he came from Jerusalem to meet the king, the king said to him, ‘Why did you not go with me, Mephibosheth?’b ²⁶He answered, ‘My lord, O king, my servant deceived me; for your servant said to him, “Saddle a donkey for me,c so that I may ride on it and go with the king.” For your servant is lame. ²⁷He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you. ²⁸For all my father’s house were doomed to death before my lord the king; but you set your servant among those who eat at your table. What further right have I, then, to appeal to the king?’ ²⁹The king said to him, ‘Why speak any more of your affairs? I have decided: you and Ziba shall divide the land.’ ³⁰Mephiboshethb said to the king, ‘Let him take it all, since my lord the king has arrived home safely.’

David’s Kindness to Barzillai

³¹ Now Barzillai the Gileadite had come down from Rogelim; he went on with the king to the Jordan, to escort him over the Jordan. ³²Barzillai was a very aged man, eighty years old. He had provided the king with food while he stayed at Mahanaim, for he was a very wealthy man. ³³The king said to Barzillai, ‘Come over with me, and I will provide for you in Jerusalem at my side.’ ³⁴But Barzillai said to the king, ‘How many years have I still to live, that I should go up with the king to Jerusalem? ³⁵Today I am eighty years old; can I discern what is pleasant and what is not? Can your servant taste what he eats or what he drinks? Can I still listen to the voice of singing men and singing women? Why then should your servant be an added burden to my lord the king? ³⁶Your servant will go a little way over the Jordan with the king. Why should the king recompense me with such a reward? ³⁷Please let your servant return, so that I may die in my own town, near the graves of my father and my mother. But here is your servant Chimham; let him go over with my lord the king; and do for him whatever seems good to you.’ ³⁸The king answered, ‘Chimham shall go over with me, and I will do for him whatever seems good to you; and all that you desire of me I will do for you.’ ³⁹Then all the people crossed over the Jordan, and the king crossed over; the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home. ⁴⁰The king went on to Gilgal, and Chimham went on with him; all the people of Judah, and also half the people of Israel, brought the king on his way.

⁴¹ Then all the people of Israel came to the king, and said to him, ‘Why have our kindred the people of Judah stolen you away, and brought the king and his household over the Jordan, and all David’s men with him?’ ⁴²All the people of Judah answered the people of Israel, ‘Because the king is near of kin to us. Why then are you angry over this matter? Have we eaten at all at the king’s expense? Or has he given us any gift?’ ⁴³But the people of Israel answered the people of Judah, ‘We have ten shares in the king, and in David also we have more than you. Why then did you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of bringing back our king?’ But the words of the people of Judah were fiercer than the words of the people of Israel.

The Rebellion of Sheba

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NOW a scoundrel named Sheba son of Bichri, a Benjaminite, happened to be there. He sounded the trumpet and cried out,

‘We have no portion in David,

no share in the son of Jesse!

Everyone to your tents, O Israel!’

²So all the people of Israel withdrew from David and followed Sheba son of Bichri; but the people of Judah followed their king steadfastly from the Jordan to Jerusalem.

³ David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten concubines whom he had left to look after the house, and put them in a house under guard, and provided for them, but did not go in to them. So they were shut up until the day of their death, living as if in widowhood.

⁴ Then the king said to Amasa, ‘Call the men of Judah together to me within three days, and be here yourself.’ ⁵So Amasa went to summon Judah; but he delayed beyond the set time that had been appointed him. ⁶David said to Abishai, ‘Now Sheba son of Bichri will do us more harm than Absalom; take your lord’s servants and pursue him, or he will find fortified cities for himself, and escape from us.’ ⁷Joab’s men went out after him, along with the Cherethites, the Pelethites, and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba son of Bichri. ⁸When they were at the large stone that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to meet them. Now Joab was wearing a soldier’s garment and over it was a belt with a sword in its sheath fastened at his waist; as he went forward it fell out. ⁹Joab said to Amasa, ‘Is it well with you, my brother?’ And Joab took Amasa by the beard with his right hand to kiss him. ¹⁰But Amasa did not notice the sword in Joab’s hand; Joab struck him in the belly so that his entrails poured out on the ground, and he died. He did not strike a second blow.

Then Joab and his brother Abishai pursued Sheba son of Bichri. ¹¹And one of Joab’s men took his stand by Amasa, and said, ‘Whoever favours Joab, and whoever is for David, let him follow Joab.’ ¹²Amasa lay wallowing in his blood on the highway, and the man saw that all the people were stopping. Since he saw that all who came by him were stopping, he carried Amasa from the highway into a field, and threw a garment over him. ¹³Once he was removed from the highway, all the people went on after Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bichri.

¹⁴ Shebaa passed through all the tribes of Israel to Abel of Beth-maacah;b and all the Bichritesc assembled, and followed him inside. ¹⁵Joab’s forcesd came and besieged him in Abel of Beth-maacah; they threw up a siege-ramp against the city, and it stood against the rampart. Joab’s forces were battering the wall to break it down. ¹⁶Then a wise woman called from the city, ‘Listen! Listen! Tell Joab, “Come here, I want to speak to you.”’ ¹⁷He came near her; and the woman said, ‘Are you Joab?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ Then she said to him, ‘Listen to the words of your servant.’ He answered, ‘I am listening.’ ¹⁸Then she said, ‘They used to say in the old days, “Let them inquire at Abel” and so they would settle a matter. ¹⁹I am one of those who are peaceable and faithful in Israel; you seek to destroy a city that is a mother in Israel; why will you swallow up the heritage of the LORD?’ ²⁰Joab answered, ‘Far be it from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy! ²¹That is not the case! But a man of the hill country of Ephraim, called Sheba son of Bichri, has lifted up his hand against King David; give him up alone, and I will withdraw from the city.’ The woman said to Joab, ‘His head shall be thrown over the wall to you.’ ²²Then the woman went to all the people with her wise plan. And they cut off the head of Sheba son of Bichri, and threw it out to Joab. So he blew the trumpet, and they dispersed from the city, and all went to their homes, while Joab returned to Jerusalem to the king.

²³ Now Joab was in command of all the army of Israel;e Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the Cherethites and the Pelethites; ²⁴Adoram was in charge of the forced labour; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was the recorder; ²⁵Sheva was secretary; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ²⁶and Ira the Jairite was also David’s priest.

David Avenges the Gibeonites

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NOW there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. The LORD said, ‘There is blood-guilt on Saul and on his house, because he put the Gibeonites to death.’ ²So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not of the people of Israel, but of the remnant of the Amorites; although the people of Israel had sworn to spare them, Saul had tried to wipe them out in his zeal for the people of Israel and Judah.) ³David said to the Gibeonites, ‘What shall I do for you? How shall I make expiation, that you may bless the heritage of the LORD?’ ⁴The Gibeonites said to him, ‘It is not a matter of silver or gold between us and Saul or his house; neither is it for us to put anyone to death in Israel.’ He said, ‘What do you say that I should do for you?’ ⁵They said to the king, ‘The man who consumed us and planned to destroy us, so that we should have no place in all the territory of Israel—⁶let seven of his sons be handed over to us, and we will impale them before the LORD at Gibeon on the mountain of the LORD.’a The king said, ‘I will hand them over.’

⁷ But the king spared Mephibosheth,b the son of Saul’s son Jonathan, because of the oath of the LORD that was between them, between David and Jonathan son of Saul. ⁸The king took the two sons of Rizpah daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, Armoni and Mephibosheth;b and the five sons of Merabc daughter of Saul, whom she bore to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite; ⁹he gave them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they impaled them on the mountain before the LORD. The seven of them perished together. They were put to death in the first days of harvest, at the beginning of the barley harvest.

¹⁰ Then Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth, and spread it on a rock for herself, from the beginning of harvest until rain fell on them from the heavens; she did not allow the birds of the air to come on the bodiesd by day, or the wild animals by night. ¹¹When David was told what Rizpah daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done, ¹²David went and took the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan from the people of Jabesh-gilead, who had stolen them from the public square of Beth-shan, where the Philistines had hung them up, on the day the Philistines killed Saul on Gilboa. ¹³He brought up from there the bones of Saul and the bones of his son Jonathan; and they gathered the bones of those who had been impaled. ¹⁴They buried the bones of Saul and of his son Jonathan in the land of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of his father Kish; they did all that the king commanded. After that, God heeded supplications for the land.

Exploits of David’s Men

¹⁵ The Philistines went to war again with Israel, and David went down together with his servants. They fought against the Philistines, and David grew weary. ¹⁶Ishbibenob, one of the descendants of the giants, whose spear weighed three hundred shekels of bronze, and who was fitted out with new weapons,e said he would kill David. ¹⁷But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and attacked the Philistine and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, ‘You shall not go out with us to battle any longer, so that you do not quench the lamp of Israel.’

¹⁸ After this a battle took place with the Philistines, at Gob; then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Saph, who was one of the descendants of the giants. ¹⁹Then there was another battle with the Philistines at Gob; and Elhanan son of Jaare-oregim, the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ²⁰There was again war at Gath, where there was a man of great size, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; he too was descended from the giants. ²¹When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of David’s brother Shimei, killed him. ²²These four were descended from the giants in Gath; they fell by the hands of David and his servants.

David’s Song of Thanksgiving

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DAVID spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. ²He said:

The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

³ my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,

my shield and the horn of my salvation,

my stronghold and my refuge,

my saviour; you save me from violence.

⁴ I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised,

and I am saved from my enemies.

⁵ For the waves of death encompassed me,

the torrents of perdition assailed me;

⁶ the cords of Sheol entangled me,

the snares of death confronted me.

⁷ In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I called.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry came to his ears.

⁸ Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations of the heavens trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

⁹ Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

¹⁰ He bowed the heavens, and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

¹¹ He rode on a cherub, and flew;

he was seen upon the wings of the wind.

¹² He made darkness around him a canopy,

thick clouds, a gathering of water.

¹³ Out of the brightness before him

coals of fire flamed forth.

¹⁴ The LORD thundered from heaven;

the Most High uttered his voice.

¹⁵ He sent out arrows, and scattered them

—lightning, and routed them.

¹⁶ Then the channels of the sea were seen,

the foundations of the world were laid bare

at the rebuke of the LORD,

at the blast of the breath of his nostrils.

¹⁷ He reached from on high, he took me,

he drew me out of mighty waters.

¹⁸ He delivered me from my strong enemy,

from those who hated me;

for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁹ They came upon me in the day of my calamity,

but the LORD was my stay.

²⁰ He brought me out into a broad place;

he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²¹ The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.

²² For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²³ For all his ordinances were before me,

and from his statutes I did not turn aside.

²⁴ I was blameless before him,

and I kept myself from guilt.

²⁵ Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

according to my cleanness in his sight.

²⁶ With the loyal you show yourself loyal;

with the blameless you show yourself blameless;

²⁷ with the pure you show yourself pure,

and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.

²⁸ You deliver a humble people,

but your eyes are upon the haughty to bring them down.

²⁹ Indeed, you are my lamp, O LORD,

the LORD lightens my darkness.

³⁰ By you I can crush a troop,

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

³¹ This God—his way is perfect;

the promise of the LORD proves true;

he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

³² For who is God, but the LORD?

And who is a rock, except our God?

³³ The God who has girded me with strengtha

has opened wide my path.b

³⁴ He made myc feet like the feet of deer,

and set me secure on the heights.

³⁵ He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁶ You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your helpa has made me great.

³⁷ You have made me stride freely,

and my feet do not slip;

³⁸ I pursued my enemies and destroyed them,

and did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁹ I consumed them; I struck them down, so that they did not rise;

they fell under my feet.

⁴⁰ For you girded me with strength for the battle;

you made my assailants sink under me.

⁴¹ You made my enemies turn their backs to me,

those who hated me, and I destroyed them.

⁴² They looked, but there was no one to save them;

they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

⁴³ I beat them fine like the dust of the earth,

I crushed them and stamped them down like the mire of the streets.

⁴⁴ You delivered me from strife with the peoples;b

you kept me as the head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

⁴⁵ Foreigners came cringing to me;

as soon as they heard of me, they obeyed me.

⁴⁶ Foreigners lost heart,

and came trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁷ The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock,

and exalted be my God, the rock of my salvation,

⁴⁸ the God who gave me vengeance

and brought down peoples under me,

⁴⁹ who brought me out from my enemies;

you exalted me above my adversaries,

you delivered me from the violent.

⁵⁰ For this I will extol you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing praises to your name.

⁵¹ He is a tower of salvation for his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his descendants for ever.

The Last Words of David

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NOW these are the last words of David:

The oracle of David, son of Jesse,

the oracle of the man whom God exalted,c

the anointed of the God of Jacob,

the favourite of the Strong One of Israel:

² The spirit of the LORD speaks through me,

his word is upon my tongue.

³ The God of Israel has spoken,

the Rock of Israel has said to me:

One who rules over people justly,

ruling in the fear of God,

⁴ is like the light of morning,

like the sun rising on a cloudless morning,

gleaming from the rain on the grassy land.

⁵ Is not my house like this with God?

For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,

ordered in all things and secure.

Will he not cause to prosper

all my help and my desire?

⁶ But the godless area all like thorns that are thrown away;

for they cannot be picked up with the hand;

⁷ to touch them one uses an iron bar

or the shaft of a spear.

And they are entirely consumed in fire on the spot.b

David’s Mighty Men

⁸ These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three;c he wielded his speard against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

⁹ Next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israelites withdrew, ¹⁰but he stood his ground. He struck down the Philistines until his arm grew weary, though his hand clung to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the people came back to him—but only to strip the dead.

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah son of Agee, the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the army fled from the Philistines. ¹²But he took his stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.

¹³ Towards the beginning of harvest three of the thirtye chiefs went down to join David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. ¹⁵David said longingly, ‘O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!’ ¹⁶Then the three warriors broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the LORD, ¹⁷for he said, ‘The LORD forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?’ Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.

¹⁸ Now Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.a With his spear he fought against three hundred men and killed them, and won a name beside the Three. ¹⁹ He was the most renowned of the Thirty,b and became their commander; but he did not attain to the Three.

²⁰ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant warriorc from Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of Arield of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. ²¹And he killed an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but Benaiah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²²Such were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and won a name beside the three warriors. ²³He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁴ Among the Thirty were Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem; ²⁵Shammah of Harod; Elika of Harod; ²⁶Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; ²⁷Abiezer of Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite; ²⁸Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; ²⁹Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; ³⁰Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai of the torrents of Gaash; ³¹Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim; ³²Eliahba of Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen: Jonathan ³³son ofe Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; ³⁴Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; ³⁵Hezrof of Carmel; Paarai the Arbite; ³⁶Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; Bani the Gadite; ³⁷Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; ³⁸Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; ³⁹Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

David’s Census of Israel and Judah

24

AGAIN the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, ‘Go, count the people of Israel and Judah.’ ²So the king said to Joab and the commanders of the army,g who were with him, ‘Go through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beer-sheba, and take a census of the people, so that I may know how many there are.’ ³But Joab said to the king, ‘May the LORD your God increase the number of the people a hundredfold, while the eyes of my lord the king can still see it! But why does my lord the king want to do this?’ ⁴But the king’s word prevailed against Joab and the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to take a census of the people of Israel. ⁵They crossed the Jordan, and began fromh Aroer and from the city that is in the middle of the valley, towards Gad and on to Jazer.⁶ Then they came to Gilead, and to Kadesh in the land of the Hittites;i and they came to Dan, and from Danj they went round to Sidon, ⁷and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and Canaanites; and they went out to the Negeb of Judah at Beer-sheba. ⁸So when they had gone through all the land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ⁹Joab reported to the king the number of those who had been recorded: in Israel there were eight hundred thousand soldiers able to draw the sword, and those of Judah were five hundred thousand.

Judgement on David’s Sin

¹⁰ But afterwards, David was stricken to the heart because he had numbered the people. David said to the LORD, ‘I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O LORD, I pray you, take away the guilt of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ ¹¹When David rose in the morning, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, ¹²‘Go and say to David: Thus says the LORD: Three things I offera you; choose one of them, and I will do it to you.’ ¹³So Gad came to David and told him; he asked him, ‘Shall threeb years of famine come to you on your land? Or will you flee for three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider, and decide what answer I shall return to the one who sent me.’ ¹⁴Then David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress; let us fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but let me not fall into human hands.’

¹⁵ So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel from that morning until the appointed time; and seventy thousand of the people died, from Dan to Beer-sheba. ¹⁶But when the angel stretched out his hand towards Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD relented concerning the evil, and said to the angel who was bringing destruction among the people, ‘It is enough; now stay your hand.’ The angel of the LORD was then by the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ¹⁷When David saw the angel who was destroying the people, he said to the LORD, ‘I alone have sinned, and I alone have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.’

David’s Altar on the Threshing-Floor

¹⁸ That day Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Go up and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing-floor of Araunah the Jebusite.’ ¹⁹Following Gad’s instructions, David went up, as the LORD had commanded. ²⁰When Araunah looked down, he saw the king and his servants coming towards him; and Araunah went out and prostrated himself before the king with his face to the ground. ²¹Araunah said, ‘Why has my lord the king come to his servant?’ David said, ‘To buy the threshing-floor from you in order to build an altar to the LORD, so that the plague may be averted from the people.’ ²²Then Araunah said to David, ‘Let my lord the king take and offer up what seems good to him; here are the oxen for the burnt-offering, and the threshing-sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. ²³All this, O king, Araunah gives to the king.’ And Araunah said to the king, ‘May the LORD your God respond favourably to you.’

²⁴ But the king said to Araunah, ‘No, but I will buy them from you for a price; I will not offer burnt-offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing-floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ²⁵David built there an altar to the LORD, and offered burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being. So the LORD answered his supplication for the land, and the plague was averted from Israel.

1 KINGS

The Struggle for the Succession

KING David was old and advanced in years; and although they covered him with clothes, he could not get warm. ²So his servants said to him, ‘Let a young virgin be sought for my lord the king, and let her wait on the king, and be his attendant; let her lie in your bosom, so that my lord the king may be warm.’ ³So they searched for a beautiful girl throughout all the territory of Israel, and found Abishag the Shunammite, and brought her to the king. ⁴The girl was very beautiful. She became the king’s attendant and served him, but the king did not know her sexually.

⁵ Now Adonijah son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, ‘I will be king’ he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. ⁶His father had never at any time displeased him by asking, ‘Why have you done that?’ He was also a very handsome man, and he was born next after Absalom. ⁷He conferred with Joab son of Zeruiah and with the priest Abiathar, and they supported Adonijah. ⁸But the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the prophet Nathan, and Shimei, and Rei, and David’s own warriors did not side with Adonijah.

⁹ Adonijah sacrificed sheep, oxen, and fatted cattle by the stone Zoheleth, which is beside En-rogel, and he invited all his brothers, the king’s sons, and all the royal officials of Judah, ¹⁰but he did not invite the prophet Nathan or Benaiah or the warriors or his brother Solomon.

¹¹ Then Nathan said to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother, ‘Have you not heard that Adonijah son of Haggith has become king and our lord David does not know it? ¹²Now therefore come, let me give you advice, so that you may save your own life and the life of your son Solomon. ¹³Go in at once to King David, and say to him, “Did you not, my lord the king, swear to your servant, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne? Why then is Adonijah king?” ¹⁴Then while you are still there speaking with the king, I will come in after you and confirm your words.’

¹⁵ So Bathsheba went to the king in his room. The king was very old; Abishag the Shunammite was attending the king. ¹⁶Bathsheba bowed and did obeisance to the king, and the king said, ‘What do you wish?’ ¹⁷She said to him, ‘My lord, you swore to your servant by the LORD your God, saying: Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne. ¹⁸But now suddenly Adonijah has become king, though you, my lord the king, do not know it. ¹⁹He has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the children of the king, the priest Abiathar, and Joab the commander of the army; but your servant Solomon he has not invited. ²⁰But you, my lord the king—the eyes of all Israel are on you to tell them who shall sit on the throne of my lord the king after him. ²¹Otherwise it will come to pass, when my lord the king sleeps with his ancestors, that my son Solomon and I will be counted offenders.’

²² While she was still speaking with the king, the prophet Nathan came in. ²³The king was told, ‘Here is the prophet Nathan.’ When he came in before the king, he did obeisance to the king, with his face to the ground. ²⁴Nathan said, ‘My lord the king, have you said, “Adonijah shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne”? ²⁵For today he has gone down and has sacrificed oxen, fatted cattle, and sheep in abundance, and has invited all the king’s children, Joab the commandera of the army, and the priest Abiathar, who are now eating and drinking before him, and saying, “Long live King Adonijah!” ²⁶But he did not invite me, your servant, and the priest Zadok, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and your servant Solomon. ²⁷Has this thing been brought about by my lord the king and you have not let your servants know who should sit on the throne of my lord the king after him?’

The Accession of Solomon

²⁸ King David answered, ‘Summon Bathsheba to me.’ So she came into the king’s presence, and stood before the king. ²⁹The king swore, saying, ‘As the LORD lives, who has saved my life from every adversity, ³⁰as I swore to you by the LORD, the God of Israel, “Your son Solomon shall succeed me as king, and he shall sit on my throne in my place”, so will I do this day.’ ³¹Then Bathsheba bowed with her face to the ground, and did obeisance to the king, and said, ‘May my lord King David live for ever!’

³² King David said, ‘Summon to me the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada.’ When they came before the king, ³³the king said to them, ‘Take with you the servants of your lord, and have my son Solomon ride on my own mule, and bring him down to Gihon. ³⁴There let the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan anoint him king over Israel; then blow the trumpet, and say, “Long live King Solomon!” ³⁵You shall go up following him. Let him enter and sit on my throne; he shall be king in my place; for I have appointed him to be ruler over Israel and over Judah.’ ³⁶Benaiah son of Jehoiada answered the king, ‘Amen! May the LORD, the God of my lord the king, so ordain. ³⁷As the LORD has been with my lord the king, so may he be with Solomon, and make his throne greater than the throne of my lord King David.’

³⁸ So the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites, went down and had Solomon ride on King David’s mule, and led him to Gihon. ³⁹There the priest Zadok took the horn of oil from the tent and anointed Solomon. Then they blew the trumpet, and all the people said, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ ⁴⁰And all the people went up following him, playing on pipes and rejoicing with great joy, so that the earth quaked at their noise.

⁴¹ Adonijah and all the guests who were with him heard it as they finished feasting. When Joab heard the sound of the trumpet, he said, ‘Why is the city in an uproar?’ ⁴²While he was still speaking, Jonathan son of the priest Abiathar arrived. Adonijah said, ‘Come in, for you are a worthy man and surely you bring good news.’ ⁴³Jonathan answered Adonijah, ‘No, for our lord King David has made Solomon king; ⁴⁴the king has sent with him the priest Zadok, the prophet Nathan, and Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and they had him ride on the king’s mule; ⁴⁵the priest Zadok and the prophet Nathan have anointed him king at Gihon; and they have gone up from there rejoicing, so that the city is in an uproar. This is the noise that you heard. ⁴⁶Solomon now sits on the royal throne. ⁴⁷Moreover, the king’s servants came to congratulate our lord King David, saying, “May God make the name of Solomon more famous than yours, and make his throne greater than your throne.” The king bowed in worship on the bed ⁴⁸and went on to pray thus, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who today has granted one of my offspringa to sit on my throne and permitted me to witness it.”’

⁴⁹ Then all the guests of Adonijah got up trembling and went their own ways. ⁵⁰Adonijah, fearing Solomon, got up and went to grasp the horns of the altar. ⁵¹Solomon was informed, ‘Adonijah is afraid of King Solomon; see, he has laid hold of the horns of the altar, saying, “Let King Solomon swear to me first that he will not kill his servant with the sword.”’ ⁵²So Solomon responded, ‘If he proves to be a worthy man, not one of his hairs shall fall to the ground; but if wickedness is found in him, he shall die.’ ⁵³Then King Solomon sent to have him brought down from the altar. He came to do obeisance to King Solomon; and Solomon said to him, ‘Go home.’

David’s Instruction to Solomon

2

WHEN David’s time to die drew near, he charged his son Solomon, saying: ²‘I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, be courageous, ³and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his ordinances, and his testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn. ⁴Then the LORD will establish his word that he spoke concerning me: “If your heirs take heed to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, there shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.”

⁵ ‘Moreover, you know also what Joab son of Zeruiah did to me, how he dealt with the two commanders of the armies of Israel, Abner son of Ner, and Amasa son of Jether, whom he murdered, retaliating in time of peace for blood that had been shed in war, and putting the blood of war on the belt around his waist, and on the sandals on his feet. ⁶Act therefore according to your wisdom, but do not let his grey head go down to Sheol in peace. ⁷Deal loyally, however, with the sons of Barzillai the Gileadite, and let them be among those who eat at your table; for with such loyalty they met me when I fled from your brother Absalom. ⁸There is also with you Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim, who cursed me with a terrible curse on the day when I went to Mahanaim; but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD, “I will not put you to death with the sword.” ⁹Therefore do not hold him guiltless, for you are a wise man; you will know what you ought to do to him, and you must bring his grey head down with blood to Sheol.’

Death of David

¹⁰ Then David slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the city of David. ¹¹The time that David reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned for seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ¹²So Solomon sat on the throne of his father David; and his kingdom was firmly established.

Solomon Consolidates His Reign

¹³ Then Adonijah son of Haggith came to Bathsheba, Solomon’s mother. She asked, ‘Do you come peaceably?’ He said, ‘Peaceably.’ ¹⁴Then he said, ‘May I have a word with you?’ She said, ‘Go on.’ ¹⁵He said, ‘You know that the kingdom was mine, and that all Israel expected me to reign; however, the kingdom has turned about and become my brother’s, for it was his from the LORD. ¹⁶And now I have one request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ She said to him, ‘Go on.’ ¹⁷He said, ‘Please ask King Solomon—he will not refuse you—to give me Abishag the Shunammite as my wife.’ ¹⁸Bathsheba said, ‘Very well; I will speak to the king on your behalf.’

¹⁹ So Bathsheba went to King Solomon, to speak to him on behalf of Adonijah. The king rose to meet her, and bowed down to her; then he sat on his throne, and had a throne brought for the king’s mother, and she sat on his right. ²⁰Then she said, ‘I have one small request to make of you; do not refuse me.’ And the king said to her, ‘Make your request, my mother; for I will not refuse you.’ ²¹She said, ‘Let Abishag the Shunammite be given to your brother Adonijah as his wife.’ ²²King Solomon answered his mother, ‘And why do you ask Abishag the Shunammite for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom as well! For he is my elder brother; ask not only for him but also for the priest Abiathar and for Joab son of Zeruiah!’ ²³Then King Solomon swore by the LORD, ‘So may God do to me, and more also, for Adonijah has devised this scheme at the risk of his life! ²⁴Now therefore as the LORD lives, who has established me and placed me on the throne of my father David, and who has made me a house as he promised, today Adonijah shall be put to death.’ ²⁵So King Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he struck him down, and he died.

²⁶ The king said to the priest Abiathar, ‘Go to Anathoth, to your estate; for you deserve death. But I will not at this time put you to death, because you carried the ark of the Lord GOD before my father David, and because you shared in all the hardships my father endured.’ ²⁷So Solomon banished Abiathar from being priest to the LORD, thus fulfilling the word of the LORD that he had spoken concerning the house of Eli in Shiloh.

²⁸ When the news came to Joab—for Joab had supported Adonijah though he had not supported Absalom—Joab fled to the tent of the LORD and grasped the horns of the altar. ²⁹When it was told King Solomon, ‘Joab has fled to the tent of the LORD and now is beside the altar’, Solomon sent Benaiah son of Jehoiada, saying, ‘Go, strike him down.’ ³⁰So Benaiah came to the tent of the LORD and said to him, ‘The king commands, “Come out.”’ But he said, ‘No, I will die here.’ Then Benaiah brought the king word again, saying, ‘Thus said Joab, and thus he answered me.’ ³¹The king replied to him, ‘Do as he has said, strike him down and bury him; and thus take away from me and from my father’s house the guilt for the blood that Joab shed without cause. ³²The LORD will bring back his bloody deeds on his own head, because, without the knowledge of my father David, he attacked and killed with the sword two men more righteous and better than himself, Abner son of Ner, commander of the army of Israel, and Amasa son of Jether, commander of the army of Judah. ³³So shall their blood come back on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants for ever; but to David, and to his descendants, and to his house, and to his throne, there shall be peace from the LORD for evermore.’ ³⁴Then Benaiah son of Jehoiada went up and struck him down and killed him; and he was buried at his own house near the wilderness. ³⁵The king put Benaiah son of Jehoiada over the army in his place, and the king put the priest Zadok in the place of Abiathar.

³⁶ Then the king sent and summoned Shimei, and said to him, ‘Build yourself a house in Jerusalem, and live there, and do not go out from there to any place whatever. ³⁷For on the day you go out, and cross the Wadi Kidron, know for certain that you shall die; your blood shall be on your own head.’ ³⁸And Shimei said to the king, ‘The sentence is fair; as my lord the king has said, so will your servant do.’ So Shimei lived in Jerusalem for many days.

³⁹ But it happened at the end of three years that two of Shimei’s slaves ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. When it was told Shimei, ‘Your slaves are in Gath’, ⁴⁰Shimei arose and saddled a donkey, and went to Achish in Gath, to search for his slaves; Shimei went and brought his slaves from Gath. ⁴¹When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and returned, ⁴²the king sent and summoned Shimei, and said to him, ‘Did I not make you swear by the LORD, and solemnly adjure you, saying, “Know for certain that on the day you go out and go to any place whatever, you shall die”? And you said to me, “The sentence is fair; I accept.” ⁴³Why then have you not kept your oath to the LORD and the commandment with which I charged you?’ ⁴⁴The king also said to Shimei, ‘You know in your own heart all the evil that you did to my father David; so the LORD will bring back your evil on your own head. ⁴⁵But King Solomon shall be blessed, and the throne of David shall be established before the LORD for ever.’ ⁴⁶Then the king commanded Benaiah son of Jehoiada; and he went out and struck him down, and he died.

So the kingdom was established in the hand of Solomon.

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

3

SOLOMON made a marriage alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt; he took Pharaoh’s daughter and brought her into the city of David, until he had finished building his own house and the house of the LORD and the wall around Jerusalem. ²The people were sacrificing at the high places, however, because no house had yet been built for the name of the LORD.

³ Solomon loved the LORD, walking in the statutes of his father David; only, he sacrificed and offered incense at the high places. ⁴The king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there, for that was the principal high place; Solomon used to offer a thousand burnt-offerings on that altar. ⁵At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ ⁶And Solomon said, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant my father David, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart towards you; and you have kept for him this great and steadfast love, and have given him a son to sit on his throne today. ⁷And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. ⁸And your servant is in the midst of the people whom you have chosen, a great people, so numerous they cannot be numbered or counted. ⁹Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?’

¹⁰ It pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this. ¹¹God said to him, ‘Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches, or for the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, ¹²I now do according to your word. Indeed I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you has been before you and no one like you shall arise after you. ¹³I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honour all your life; no other king shall compare with you. ¹⁴If you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life.’

¹⁵ Then Solomon awoke; it had been a dream. He came to Jerusalem, where he stood before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. He offered up burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being, and provided a feast for all his servants.

Solomon’s Wisdom in Judgement

¹⁶ Later, two women who were prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷One woman said, ‘Please, my lord, this woman and I live in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house. ¹⁸Then on the third day after I gave birth, this woman also gave birth. We were together; there was no one else with us in the house, only the two of us were in the house. ¹⁹Then this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him. ²⁰She got up in the middle of the night and took my son from beside me while your servant slept. She laid him at her breast, and laid her dead son at my breast. ²¹When I rose in the morning to nurse my son, I saw that he was dead; but when I looked at him closely in the morning, clearly it was not the son I had borne.’ ²²But the other woman said, ‘No, the living son is mine, and the dead son is yours.’ The first said, ‘No, the dead son is yours, and the living son is mine.’ So they argued before the king.

²³ Then the king said, ‘One says, “This is my son that is alive, and your son is dead” while the other says, “Not so! Your son is dead, and my son is the living one.”’ ²⁴So the king said, ‘Bring me a sword’, and they brought a sword before the king. ²⁵The king said, ‘Divide the living boy in two; then give half to one, and half to the other.’ ²⁶But the woman whose son was alive said to the king—because compassion for her son burned within her—‘Please, my lord, give her the living boy; certainly do not kill him!’ The other said, ‘It shall be neither mine nor yours; divide it.’ ²⁷Then the king responded: ‘Give the first woman the living boy; do not kill him. She is his mother.’ ²⁸All Israel heard of the judgement that the king had rendered; and they stood in awe of the king, because they perceived that the wisdom of God was in him, to execute justice.

Solomon’s Administrative Officers

4

KING Solomon was king over all Israel, ²and these were his high officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest; ³Elihoreph and Ahijah sons of Shisha were secretaries; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ⁴Benaiah son of Jehoiada was in command of the army; Zadok and Abiathar were priests; ⁵Azariah son of Nathan was over the officials; Zabud son of Nathan was priest and king’s friend; ⁶Ahishar was in charge of the palace; and Adoniram son of Abda was in charge of the forced labour.

⁷ Solomon had twelve officials over all Israel, who provided food for the king and his household; each one had to make provision for one month in the year. ⁸These were their names: Ben-hur, in the hill country of Ephraim; ⁹Ben-deker, in Makaz, Shaalbim, Beth-shemesh, and Elon-beth-hanan; ¹⁰Ben-hesed, in Arubboth (to him belonged Socoh and all the land of Hepher); ¹¹Ben-abinadab, in all Naphath-dor (he had Taphath, Solomon’s daughter, as his wife); ¹²Baana son of Ahilud, in Taanach, Megiddo, and all Beth-shean, which is beside Zarethan below Jezreel, and from Beth-shean to Abel-meholah, as far as the other side of Jokmeam; ¹³Ben-geber, in Ramoth-gilead (he had the villages of Jair son of Manasseh, which are in Gilead, and he had the region of Argob, which is in Bashan, sixty great cities with walls and bronze bars); ¹⁴Ahinadab son of Iddo, in Mahanaim; ¹⁵Ahimaaz, in Naphtali (he had taken Basemath, Solomon’s daughter, as his wife); ¹⁶Baana son of Hushai, in Asher and Bealoth; ¹⁷Jehoshaphat son of Paruah, in Issachar; ¹⁸Shimei son of Ela, in Benjamin; ¹⁹Geber son of Uri, in the land of Gilead, the country of King Sihon of the Amorites and of King Og of Bashan. And there was one official in the land of Judah.

Magnificence of Solomon’s Rule

²⁰ Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea; they ate and drank and were happy. ²¹a Solomon was sovereign over all the kingdoms from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, even to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.

²² Solomon’s provision for one day was thirty cors of choice flour, and sixty cors of meal, ²³ten fat oxen, and twenty pasture-fed cattle, one hundred sheep, besides deer, gazelles, roebucks, and fatted fowl. ²⁴For he had dominion over all the region west of the Euphrates from Tiphsah to Gaza, over all the kings west of the Euphrates; and he had peace on all sides. ²⁵During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, all of them under their vines and fig trees. ²⁶Solomon also had forty thousand stalls of horses for his chariots, and twelve thousand horsemen. ²⁷Those officials supplied provisions for King Solomon and for all who came to King Solomon’s table, each one in his month; they let nothing be lacking. ²⁸They also brought to the required place barley and straw for the horses and swift steeds, each according to his charge.

Fame of Solomon’s Wisdom

²⁹ God gave Solomon very great wisdom, discernment, and breadth of understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore, ³⁰so that Solomon’s wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. ³¹He was wiser than anyone else, wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, children of Mahol; his fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations. ³²He composed three thousand proverbs, and his songs numbered a thousand and five. ³³He would speak of trees, from the cedar that is in the Lebanon to the hyssop that grows in the wall; he would speak of animals, and birds, and reptiles, and fish. ³⁴People came from all the nations to hear the wisdom of Solomon; they came from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom.

Preparations and Materials for the Temple

5a

NOW King Hiram of Tyre sent his servants to Solomon, when he heard that they had anointed him king in place of his father; for Hiram had always been a friend to David. ²Solomon sent word to Hiram, saying, ³‘You know that my father David could not build a house for the name of the LORD his God because of the warfare with which his enemies surrounded him, until the LORD put them under the soles of his feet.b ⁴ But now the LORD my God has given me rest on every side; there is neither adversary nor misfortune.⁵ So I intend to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD said to my father David, “Your son, whom I will set on your throne in your place, shall build the house for my name.”⁶ Therefore command that cedars from the Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will join your servants, and I will give you whatever wages you set for your servants; for you know that there is no one among us who knows how to cut timber like the Sidonians.’

⁷ When Hiram heard the words of Solomon, he rejoiced greatly, and said, ‘Blessed be the LORD today, who has given to David a wise son to be over this great people.’ ⁸Hiram sent word to Solomon, ‘I have heard the message that you have sent to me; I will fulfil all your needs in the matter of cedar and cypress timber. ⁹My servants shall bring it down to the sea from the Lebanon; I will make it into rafts to go by sea to the place you indicate. I will have them broken up there for you to take away. And you shall meet my needs by providing food for my household.’ ¹⁰So Hiram supplied Solomon’s every need for timber of cedar and cypress. ¹¹Solomon in turn gave Hiram twenty thousand cors of wheat as food for his household, and twenty cors of fine oil. Solomon gave this to Hiram year by year. ¹²So the LORD gave Solomon wisdom, as he promised him. There was peace between Hiram and Solomon; and the two of them made a treaty.

¹³ King Solomon conscripted forced labour out of all Israel; the levy numbered thirty thousand men. ¹⁴He sent them to the Lebanon, ten thousand a month in shifts; they would be a month in the Lebanon and two months at home; Adoniram was in charge of the forced labour. ¹⁵Solomon also had seventy thousand labourers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country, ¹⁶besides Solomon’s three thousand three hundred supervisors who were over the work, having charge of the people who did the work. ¹⁷At the king’s command, they quarried out great, costly stones in order to lay the foundation of the house with dressed stones. ¹⁸So Solomon’s builders and Hiram’s builders and the Gebalites did the stonecutting and prepared the timber and the stone to build the house.

Solomon Builds the Temple

6

IN THE four hundred and eightieth year after the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the LORD. ²The house that King Solomon built for the LORD was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high. ³The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits wide, across the width of the house. Its depth was ten cubits in front of the house. ⁴For the house he made windows with recessed frames.a ⁵He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary; and he made side chambers all round. ⁶The lowest storyb was five cubits wide, the middle one was six cubits wide, and the third was seven cubits wide; for round the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.

⁷ The house was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the temple while it was being built.

⁸ The entrance for the middle story was on the south side of the house: one went up by winding stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third. ⁹So he built the house, and finished it; he roofed the house with beams and planks of cedar. ¹⁰He built the structure against the whole house, each storyc five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.

¹¹ Now the word of the LORD came to Solomon, ¹²‘Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes, obey my ordinances, and keep all my commandments by walking in them, then I will establish my promise with you, which I made to your father David. ¹³I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake my people Israel.’

¹⁴ So Solomon built the house, and finished it. ¹⁵He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar; from the floor of the house to the rafters of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood; and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress. ¹⁶He built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the rafters, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the most holy place. ¹⁷The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long. ¹⁸The cedar within the house had carvings of gourds and open flowers; all was cedar, no stone was seen. ¹⁹The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the LORD. ²⁰The interior of the inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high; he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the altar with cedar.d ²¹Solomon overlaid the inside of the house with pure gold, then he drew chains of gold across, in front of the inner sanctuary, and overlaid it with gold. ²²Next he overlaid the whole house with gold, in order that the whole house might be perfect; even the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.

The Furnishings of the Temple

²³ In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olive wood, each ten cubits high. ²⁴Five cubits was the length of one wing of the cherub, and five cubits the length of the other wing of the cherub; it was ten cubits from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other. ²⁵The other cherub also measured ten cubits; both cherubim had the same measure and the same form. ²⁶The height of one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub. ²⁷He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house; the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one was touching one wall, and a wing of the other cherub was touching the other wall; their other wings towards the centre of the house were touching wing to wing. ²⁸He also overlaid the cherubim with gold.

²⁹ He carved the walls of the house all round about with carved engravings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms. ³⁰The floor of the house he overlaid with gold, in the inner and outer rooms.

³¹ For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided.a ³²He covered the two doors of olive wood with carvings of cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers; he overlaid them with gold, and spread gold on the cherubim and on the palm trees.

³³ So also he made for the entrance to the nave doorposts of olive wood, each four-sided, ³⁴and two doors of cypress wood; the two leaves of one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding. ³⁵He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, overlaying them with gold evenly applied upon the carved work. ³⁶He built the inner court with three courses of dressed stone to one course of cedar beams.

³⁷ In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid, in the month of Ziv. ³⁸In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.

Solomon’s Palace and Other Buildings

7

SOLOMON was building his own house for thirteen years, and he finished his entire house.

² He built the House of the Forest of the Lebanon one hundred cubits long, fifty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high, built on four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams on the pillars. ³It was roofed with cedar on the forty-five rafters, fifteen in each row, which were on the pillars. ⁴There were window frames in the three rows, facing each other in the three rows. ⁵All the doorways and doorposts had four-sided frames, opposite, facing each other in the three rows.

⁶ He made the Hall of Pillars fifty cubits long and thirty cubits wide. There was a porch in front with pillars, and a canopy in front of them.

⁷ He made the Hall of the Throne where he was to pronounce judgement, the Hall of Justice, covered with cedar from floor to floor.

⁸ His own house where he would reside, in the other court behind the hall, was of the same construction. Solomon also made a house like this hall for Pharaoh’s daughter, whom he had taken in marriage.

⁹ All these were made of costly stones, cut according to measure, sawed with saws, back and front, from the foundation to the coping, and from outside to the great court. ¹⁰The foundation was of costly stones, huge stones, stones of eight and ten cubits. ¹¹There were costly stones above, cut to measure, and cedar wood. ¹²The great court had three courses of dressed stone to one layer of cedar beams all round; so had the inner court of the house of the LORD, and the vestibule of the house.

Products of Hiram the Bronzeworker

¹³ Now King Solomon invited and received Hiram from Tyre. ¹⁴He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, whose father, a man of Tyre, had been an artisan in bronze; he was full of skill, intelligence, and knowledge in working bronze. He came to King Solomon, and did all his work.

¹⁵ He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one, and a cord of twelve cubits would encircle it; the second pillar was the same.a ¹⁶He also made two capitals of cast bronze, to set on the tops of the pillars; the height of one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. ¹⁷There were nets of chequer-work with wreaths of chain-work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars; sevenb for one capital, and sevenb for the other capital. ¹⁸He made the columns with two rows round each lattice-work to cover the capitals that were above the pomegranates; he did the same with the other capital. ¹⁹Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits high. ²⁰The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection that was beside the lattice-work; there were two hundred pomegranates in rows all round; and so with the other capital. ²¹He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the temple; he set up the pillar on the south and called it Jachin; and he set up the pillar on the north and called it Boaz. ²²On the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

²³ Then he made the cast sea; it was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely. ²⁴Under its brim were panels all round it, each of ten cubits, surrounding the sea; there were two rows of panels, cast when it was cast. ²⁵It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was set on them. The hindquarters of each were towards the inside. ²⁶Its thickness was a handbreadth; its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held two thousand baths.c

²⁷ He also made the ten stands of bronze; each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. ²⁸This was the construction of the stands: they had borders; the borders were within the frames; ²⁹on the borders that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of bevelled work. ³⁰Each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze; at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. ³¹Its opening was within the crown whose height was one cubit; its opening was round, as a pedestal is made; it was a cubit and a half wide. At its opening there were carvings; its borders were four-sided, not round. ³²The four wheels were underneath the borders; the axles of the wheels were in the stands; and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. ³³The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. ³⁴There were four supports at the four corners of each stand; the supports were of one piece with the stands. ³⁵On the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; on the top of the stand, its stays and its borders were of one piece with it. ³⁶On the surfaces of its stays and on its borders he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, where each had space, with wreaths all round. ³⁷In this way he made the ten stands; all of them were cast alike, with the same size and the same form.

³⁸ He made ten basins of bronze; each basin held forty baths,a each basin measured four cubits; there was a basin for each of the ten stands. ³⁹He set five of the stands on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house; he set the sea on the south-east corner of the house.

⁴⁰ Hiram also made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. So Hiram finished all the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of the LORD: ⁴¹the two pillars, the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars, the two lattice-works to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars; ⁴²the four hundred pomegranates for the two lattice-works, two rows of pomegranates for each lattice-work, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars; ⁴³the ten stands, the ten basins on the stands; ⁴⁴the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath the sea.

⁴⁵ The pots, the shovels, and the basins, all these vessels that Hiram made for King Solomon for the house of the LORD were of burnished bronze. ⁴⁶In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zarethan. ⁴⁷Solomon left all the vessels unweighed, because there were so many of them; the weight of the bronze was not determined.

⁴⁸ So Solomon made all the vessels that were in the house of the LORD: the golden altar, the golden table for the bread of the Presence, ⁴⁹the lampstands of pure gold, five on the south side and five on the north, in front of the inner sanctuary; the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of gold; ⁵⁰the cups, snuffers, basins, dishes for incense, and firepans, of pure gold; the sockets for the doors of the innermost part of the house, the most holy place, and for the doors of the nave of the temple, of gold.

⁵¹ Thus all the work that King Solomon did on the house of the LORD was finished. Solomon brought in the things that his father David had dedicated, the silver, the gold, and the vessels, and stored them in the treasuries of the house of the LORD.

Dedication of the Temple

8

THEN Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the Israelites, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. ²All the people of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the festival in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. ³And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests carried the ark. ⁴So they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. ⁵King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. ⁶Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. ⁷For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. ⁸The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day. ⁹There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses had placed there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the Israelites, when they came out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰And when the priests came out of the holy place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, ¹¹so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.

¹² Then Solomon said,

‘The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.

¹³ I have built you an exalted house,

a place for you to dwell in for ever.’

Solomon’s Speech

¹⁴ Then the king turned round and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. ¹⁵He said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David, saying, ¹⁶“Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any of the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.” ¹⁷My father David had it in mind to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁸But the LORD said to my father David, “You did well to consider building a house for my name; ¹⁹nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.” ²⁰Now the LORD has upheld the promise that he made; for I have risen in the place of my father David; I sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ²¹There I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our ancestors when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.’

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

²² Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. ²³He said, ‘O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, ²⁴the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. ²⁵Therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.” ²⁶Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David.

²⁷ ‘But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! ²⁸Have regard to your servant’s prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; ²⁹that your eyes may be open night and day towards this house, the place of which you said, “My name shall be there”, that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays towards this place. ³⁰Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray towards this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling-place; heed and forgive.

³¹ ‘If someone sins against a neighbour and is given an oath to swear, and comes and swears before your altar in this house, ³²then hear in heaven, and act, and judge your servants, condemning the guilty by bringing their conduct on their own head, and vindicating the righteous by rewarding them according to their righteousness.

³³ ‘When your people Israel, having sinned against you, are defeated before an enemy but turn again to you, confess your name, pray, and plead with you in this house, ³⁴then hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land that you gave to their ancestors.

³⁵ ‘When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray towards this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punisha them, ³⁶then hear in heaven, and forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and grant rain on your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

³⁷ ‘If there is famine in the land, if there is plague, blight, mildew, locust, or caterpillar; if their enemy besieges them in anyb of their cities; whatever plague, whatever sickness there is;³⁸ whatever prayer, whatever plea there is from any individual or from all your people Israel, all knowing the afflictions of their own hearts so that they stretch out their hands towards this house;³⁹ then hear in heaven your dwelling-place, forgive, act, and render to all whose hearts you know—according to all their ways, for only you know what is in every human heart—⁴⁰so that they may fear you all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our ancestors.⁴¹ ‘Likewise when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a distant land because of your name⁴²—for they shall hear of your great name, your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm—when a foreigner comes and prays towards this house,⁴³ then hear in heaven your dwelling-place, and do according to all that the foreigner calls to you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and so that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.

⁴⁴ ‘If your people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to the LORD towards the city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, ⁴⁵then hear in heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

⁴⁶ ‘If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to the land of the enemy, far off or near; ⁴⁷and if they come to their senses in the land to which they have been taken captive, and repent, and plead with you in the land of their captors, saying, “We have sinned, and have done wrong; we have acted wickedly” ⁴⁸if they repent with all their heart and soul in the land of their enemies, who took them captive, and pray to you towards their land, which you gave to their ancestors, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name; ⁴⁹then hear in heaven your dwelling-place their prayer and their plea, maintain their cause, ⁵⁰and forgive your people who have sinned against you, and all their transgressions that they have committed against you; and grant them compassion in the sight of their captors, so that they may have compassion on them ⁵¹(for they are your people and heritage, which you brought out of Egypt, from the midst of the iron-smelter). ⁵²Let your eyes be open to the plea of your servant, and to the plea of your people Israel, listening to them whenever they call to you. ⁵³For you have separated them from among all the peoples of the earth, to be your heritage, just as you promised through Moses, your servant, when you brought our ancestors out of Egypt, O Lord GOD.’

Solomon Blesses the Assembly

⁵⁴ Now when Solomon finished offering all this prayer and this plea to the LORD, he arose from facing the altar of the LORD, where he had knelt with hands outstretched towards heaven; ⁵⁵he stood and blessed all the assembly of Israel with a loud voice:

⁵⁶ ‘Blessed be the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel according to all that he promised; not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke through his servant Moses. ⁵⁷The LORD our God be with us, as he was with our ancestors; may he not leave us or abandon us, ⁵⁸but incline our hearts to him, to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, his statutes, and his ordinances, which he commanded our ancestors. ⁵⁹Let these words of mine, with which I pleaded before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, and may he maintain the cause of his servant and the cause of his people Israel, as each day requires; ⁶⁰so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God; there is no other. ⁶¹Therefore devote yourselves completely to the LORD our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day.’

Solomon Offers Sacrifices

⁶² Then the king, and all Israel with him, offered sacrifice before the LORD. ⁶³Solomon offered as sacrifices of well-being to the LORD twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD. ⁶⁴The same day the king consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered the burnt-offerings and the grain-offerings and the fat pieces of the sacrifices of well-being, because the bronze altar that was before the LORD was too small to receive the burnt-offerings and the grain-offerings and the fat pieces of the sacrifices of well-being.

⁶⁵ So Solomon held the festival at that time, and all Israel with him—a great assembly, people from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt—before the LORD our God, for seven days.a ⁶⁶On the eighth day he sent the people away; and they blessed the king, and went to their tents, joyful and in good spirits because of all the goodness that the LORD had shown to his servant David and to his people Israel.

God Appears Again to Solomon

9

WHEN Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all that Solomon desired to build, ²the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. ³The LORD said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you made before me; I have consecrated this house that you have built, and put my name there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time. ⁴As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, ⁵then I will establish your royal throne over Israel for ever, as I promised your father David, saying, “There shall not fail you a successor on the throne of Israel.”

⁶ ‘If you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, ⁷then I will cut Israel off from the land that I have given them; and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight; and Israel will become a proverb and a taunt among all peoples. ⁸This house will become a heap of ruins;b everyone passing by it will be astonished, and will hiss; and they will say, “Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this house?” ⁹Then they will say, “Because they have forsaken the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, worshipping them and serving them; therefore the LORD has brought this disaster upon them.”’

¹⁰ At the end of twenty years, in which Solomon had built the two houses, the house of the LORD and the king’s house, ¹¹King Hiram of Tyre having supplied Solomon with cedar and cypress timber and gold, as much as he desired, King Solomon gave to Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee. ¹²But when Hiram came from Tyre to see the cities that Solomon had given him, they did not please him. ¹³Therefore he said, ‘What kind of cities are these that you have given me, my brother?’ So they are called the land of Cabulc to this day. ¹⁴But Hiram had sent to the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold.

Other Acts of Solomon

¹⁵ This is the account of the forced labour that King Solomon conscripted to build the house of the LORD and his own house, the Millo and the wall of Jerusalem, Hazor, Megiddo, Gezer ¹⁶(Pharaoh king of Egypt had gone up and captured Gezer and burned it down, had killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and had given it as dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife; ¹⁷so Solomon rebuilt Gezer), Lower Beth-horon, ¹⁸Baalath, Tamar in the wilderness, within the land, ¹⁹as well as all of Solomon’s storage cities, the cities for his chariots, the cities for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build, in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. ²⁰All the people who were left of the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of the people of Israel—²¹their descendants who were still left in the land, whom the Israelites were unable to destroy completely—these Solomon conscripted for slave labour, and so they are to this day. ²²But of the Israelites Solomon made no slaves; they were the soldiers, they were his officials, his commanders, his captains, and the commanders of his chariotry and cavalry.

²³ These were the chief officers who were over Solomon’s work: five hundred and fifty, who had charge of the people who carried on the work.

²⁴ But Pharaoh’s daughter went up from the city of David to her own house that Solomon had built for her; then he built the Millo.

²⁵ Three times a year Solomon used to offer up burnt-offerings and sacrifices of well-being on the altar that he built for the LORD, offering incensea before the LORD. So he completed the house.

Solomon’s Commercial Activity

²⁶ King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, which is near Eloth on the shore of the Red Sea,b in the land of Edom. ²⁷Hiram sent his servants with the fleet, sailors who were familiar with the sea, together with the servants of Solomon. ²⁸They went to Ophir, and imported from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold, which they delivered to King Solomon.

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

10

WHEN the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, (fame due toc the name of the LORD), she came to test him with hard questions. ²She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold, and precious stones; and when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. ³Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. ⁴When the queen of Sheba had observed all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁵the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his valets, and his burnt-offerings that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit in her.

⁶ So she said to the king, ‘The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom, ⁷but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. Not even half had been told me; your wisdom and prosperity far surpass the report that I had heard. ⁸Happy are your wives!d Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom! ⁹Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the LORD loved Israel for ever, he has made you king to execute justice and righteousness.’ ¹⁰Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, a great quantity of spices, and precious stones; never again did spices come in such quantity as that which the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹¹ Moreover, the fleet of Hiram, which carried gold from Ophir, brought from Ophir a great quantity of almug wood and precious stones. ¹²From the almug wood the king made supports for the house of the LORD, and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; no such almug wood has come or been seen to this day.

¹³ Meanwhile, King Solomon gave to the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, as well as what he gave her out of Solomon’s royal bounty. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.

¹⁴ The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, ¹⁵besides that which came from the traders and from the business of the merchants, and from all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land. ¹⁶King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went into each large shield. ¹⁷He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. ¹⁸The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with the finest gold. ¹⁹The throne had six steps. The top of the throne was rounded in the back, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests, ²⁰while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step, on the six steps. Nothing like it was ever made in any kingdom. ²¹All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; none were of silver—it was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. ²²For the king had a fleet of ships of Tarshish at sea with the fleet of Hiram. Once every three years the fleet of ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.a

²³ Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. ²⁴The whole earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. ²⁵Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year by year.

²⁶ Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁷The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stones, and he made cedars as numerous as the sycomores of the Shephelah. ²⁸Solomon’s import of horses was from Egypt and Kue, and the king’s traders received them from Kue at a price. ²⁹A chariot could be imported from Egypt for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; so through the king’s traders they were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Solomon’s Errors

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KING Solomon loved many foreign women along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, ²from the nations concerning which the LORD had said to the Israelites, ‘You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you; for they will surely incline your heart to follow their gods;’ Solomon clung to these in love. ³Among his wives were seven hundred princesses and three hundred concubines; and his wives turned away his heart. ⁴For when Solomon was old, his wives turned away his heart after other gods; and his heart was not true to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David. ⁵For Solomon followed Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. ⁶So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and did not completely follow the LORD, as his father David had done. ⁷Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. ⁸He did the same for all his foreign wives, who offered incense and sacrificed to their gods.

⁹ Then the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned away from the LORD, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice, ¹⁰and had commanded him concerning this matter, that he should not follow other gods; but he did not observe what the LORD commanded. ¹¹Therefore the LORD said to Solomon, ‘Since this has been your mind and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes that I have commanded you, I will surely tear the kingdom from you and give it to your servant. ¹²Yet for the sake of your father David I will not do it in your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. ¹³I will not, however, tear away the entire kingdom; I will give one tribe to your son, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.’

Adversaries of Solomon

¹⁴ Then the LORD raised up an adversary against Solomon, Hadad the Edomite; he was of the royal house in Edom. ¹⁵For when David was in Edom, and Joab the commander of the army went up to bury the dead, he killed every male in Edom ¹⁶(for Joab and all Israel remained there for six months, until he had eliminated every male in Edom); ¹⁷but Hadad fled to Egypt with some Edomites who were servants of his father. He was a young boy at that time. ¹⁸They set out from Midian and came to Paran; they took people with them from Paran and came to Egypt, to Pharaoh king of Egypt, who gave him a house, assigned him an allowance of food, and gave him land. ¹⁹Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him his sister-in-law for a wife, the sister of Queen Tahpenes. ²⁰The sister of Tahpenes gave birth by him to his son Genubath, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh’s house; Genubath was in Pharaoh’s house among the children of Pharaoh. ²¹When Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his ancestors and that Joab the commander of the army was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, ‘Let me depart, that I may go to my own country.’ ²²But Pharaoh said to him, ‘What do you lack with me that you now seek to go to your own country?’ And he said, ‘No, do let me go.’

²³ God raised up another adversary against Solomon,a Rezon son of Eliada, who had fled from his master, King Hadadezer of Zobah. ²⁴He gathered followers around him and became leader of a marauding band, after the slaughter by David; they went to Damascus, settled there, and made him king in Damascus. ²⁵He was an adversary of Israel all the days of Solomon, making trouble as Hadad did; he despised Israel and reigned over Aram.

Jeroboam’s Rebellion

²⁶ Jeroboam son of Nebat, an Ephraimite of Zeredah, a servant of Solomon, whose mother’s name was Zeruah, a widow, rebelled against the king. ²⁷The following was the reason he rebelled against the king. Solomon built the Millo, and closed up the gap in the walla of the city of his father David. ²⁸The man Jeroboam was very able, and when Solomon saw that the young man was industrious he gave him charge over all the forced labour of the house of Joseph. ²⁹About that time, when Jeroboam was leaving Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Ahijah had clothed himself with a new garment. The two of them were alone in the open country ³⁰when Ahijah laid hold of the new garment he was wearing and tore it into twelve pieces. ³¹He then said to Jeroboam: Take for yourself ten pieces; for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘See, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon, and will give you ten tribes. ³²One tribe will remain his, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel. ³³This is because he hasb forsaken me, worshipped Astarte the goddess of the Sidonians, Chemosh the god of Moab, and Milcom the god of the Ammonites, and hasb not walked in my ways, doing what is right in my sight and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, as his father David did. ³⁴Nevertheless, I will not take the whole kingdom away from him but will make him ruler all the days of his life, for the sake of my servant David whom I chose and who did keep my commandments and my statutes; ³⁵but I will take the kingdom away from his son and give it to you—that is, the ten tribes. ³⁶Yet to his son I will give one tribe, so that my servant David may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I have chosen to put my name. ³⁷I will take you, and you shall reign over all that your soul desires; you shall be king over Israel. ³⁸If you will listen to all that I command you, walk in my ways, and do what is right in my sight by keeping my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did, I will be with you, and will build you an enduring house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you. ³⁹For this reason I will punish the descendants of David, but not for ever.’ ⁴⁰Solomon sought therefore to kill Jeroboam; but Jeroboam promptly fled to Egypt, to King Shishak of Egypt, and remained in Egypt until the death of Solomon.

Death of Solomon

⁴¹ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, all that he did as well as his wisdom, are they not written in the Book of the Acts of Solomon? ⁴²The time that Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel was forty years. ⁴³Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.

The Northern Tribes Secede

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REHOBOAM went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ²When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (for he was still in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned froma Egypt. ³And they sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and said to Rehoboam, ⁴‘Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.’ ⁵He said to them, ‘Go away for three days, then come again to me.’ So the people went away.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the older men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you advise me to answer this people?’ ⁷They answered him, ‘If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants for ever.’ ⁸But he disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. ⁹He said to them, ‘What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, “Lighten the yoke that your father put on us”?’ ¹⁰The young men who had grown up with him said to him, ‘Thus you should say to this people who spoke to you, “Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us” thus you should say to them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. ¹¹Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”’

¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, as the king had said, ‘Come to me again on the third day.’ ¹³The king answered the people harshly. He disregarded the advice that the older men had given him ¹⁴and spoke to them according to the advice of the young men, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of affairs brought about by the LORD that he might fulfil his word, which the LORD had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king,

‘What share do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

To your tents, O Israel!

Look now to your own house, O David.’

So Israel went away to their tents. ¹⁷But Rehoboam reigned over the Israelites who were living in the towns of Judah. ¹⁸When King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labour, all Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam then hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

First Dynasty: Jeroboam Reigns over Israel

²⁰ When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. There was no one who followed the house of David, except the tribe of Judah alone.

²¹ When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, one hundred and eighty thousand chosen troops to fight against the house of Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon. ²²But the word of God came to Shemaiah the man of God: ²³Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people, ²⁴‘Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up or fight against your kindred the people of Israel. Let everyone go home, for this thing is from me.’ So they heeded the word of the LORD and went home again, according to the word of the LORD.

Jeroboam’s Golden Calves

²⁵ Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and resided there; he went out from there and built Penuel. ²⁶Then Jeroboam said to himself, ‘Now the kingdom may well revert to the house of David. ²⁷If this people continues to go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn again to their master, King Rehoboam of Judah; they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.’ ²⁸So the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold. He said to the people,a ‘You have gone up to Jerusalem long enough. Here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’ ²⁹He set one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. ³⁰And this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one at Bethel and before the other as far as Dan.b ³¹He also made housesc on high places, and appointed priests from among all the people, who were not Levites. ³²Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month like the festival that was in Judah, and he offered sacrifices on the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made. ³³He went up to the altar that he had made in Bethel on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, in the month that he alone had prescribed; he appointed a festival for the people of Israel, and he went up to the altar to offer incense.

A Man of God from Judah

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WHILE Jeroboam was standing by the altar to offer incense, a man of God came out of Judah by the word of the LORD to Bethel ²and proclaimed against the altar by the word of the LORD, and said, ‘O altar, altar, thus says the LORD: “A son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name; and he shall sacrifice on you the priests of the high places who offer incense on you, and human bones shall be burned on you.”’ ³He gave a sign the same day, saying, ‘This is the sign that the LORD has spoken: “The altar shall be torn down, and the ashes that are on it shall be poured out.”’ ⁴When the king heard what the man of God cried out against the altar at Bethel, Jeroboam stretched out his hand from the altar, saying, ‘Seize him!’ But the hand that he stretched out against him withered so that he could not draw it back to himself. ⁵The altar also was torn down, and the ashes poured out from the altar, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD. ⁶The king said to the man of God, ‘Entreat now the favour of the LORD your God, and pray for me, so that my hand may be restored to me.’ So the man of God entreated the LORD; and the king’s hand was restored to him, and became as it was before. ⁷Then the king said to the man of God, ‘Come home with me and dine, and I will give you a gift.’ ⁸But the man of God said to the king, ‘If you give me half your kingdom, I will not go in with you; nor will I eat food or drink water in this place. ⁹For thus I was commanded by the word of the LORD: You shall not eat food, or drink water, or return by the way that you came.’ ¹⁰So he went another way, and did not return by the way that he had come to Bethel.

¹¹ Now there lived an old prophet in Bethel. One of his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words also that he had spoken to the king, they told to their father. ¹²Their father said to them, ‘Which way did he go?’ And his sons showed him the way that the man of God who came from Judah had gone. ¹³Then he said to his sons, ‘Saddle a donkey for me.’ So they saddled a donkey for him, and he mounted it. ¹⁴He went after the man of God, and found him sitting under an oak tree. He said to him, ‘Are you the man of God who came from Judah?’ He answered, ‘I am.’ ¹⁵Then he said to him, ‘Come home with me and eat some food.’ ¹⁶But he said, ‘I cannot return with you, or go in with you; nor will I eat food or drink water with you in this place; ¹⁷for it was said to me by the word of the LORD: You shall not eat food or drink water there, or return by the way that you came.’ ¹⁸Then the othera said to him, ‘I also am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the word of the LORD: Bring him back with you into your house so that he may eat food and drink water.’ But he was deceiving him. ¹⁹Then the man of Goda went back with him, and ate food and drank water in his house.

²⁰ As they were sitting at the table, the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; ²¹and he proclaimed to the man of God who came from Judah, ‘Thus says the LORD: Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment that the LORD your God commanded you, ²²but have come back and have eaten food and drunk water in the place of which he said to you, “Eat no food, and drink no water”, your body shall not come to your ancestral tomb.’ ²³After the man of Goda had eaten food and had drunk, they saddled for him a donkey belonging to the prophet who had brought him back. ²⁴Then as he went away, a lion met him on the road and killed him. His body was thrown in the road, and the donkey stood beside it; the lion also stood beside the body. ²⁵People passed by and saw the body thrown in the road, with the lion standing by the body. And they came and told it in the town where the old prophet lived.

²⁶ When the prophet who had brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, ‘It is the man of God who disobeyed the word of the LORD; therefore the LORD has given him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him according to the word that the LORD spoke to him.’ ²⁷Then he said to his sons, ‘Saddle a donkey for me.’ So they saddled one, ²⁸and he went and found the body thrown in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside the body. The lion had not eaten the body or attacked the donkey. ²⁹The prophet took up the body of the man of God, laid it on the donkey, and brought it back to the city,b to mourn and to bury him.³⁰ He laid the body in his own grave; and they mourned over him, saying, ‘Alas, my brother!’ ³¹After he had buried him, he said to his sons, ‘When I die, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.³² For the saying that he proclaimed by the word of the LORD against the altar in Bethel, and against all the houses of the high places that are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.’

³³ Even after this event Jeroboam did not turn from his evil way, but made priests for the high places again from among all the people; any who wanted to be priests he consecrated for the high places. ³⁴This matter became sin to the house of Jeroboam, so as to cut it off and to destroy it from the face of the earth.

Judgement on the House of Jeroboam

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AT THAT time Abijah son of Jeroboam fell sick. ²Jeroboam said to his wife, ‘Go, disguise yourself, so that it will not be known that you are the wife of Jeroboam, and go to Shiloh; for the prophet Ahijah is there, who said of me that I should be king over this people. ³Take with you ten loaves, some cakes, and a jar of honey, and go to him; he will tell you what shall happen to the child.’

⁴ Jeroboam’s wife did so; she set out and went to Shiloh, and came to the house of Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see, for his eyes were dim because of his age. ⁵But the LORD said to Ahijah, ‘The wife of Jeroboam is coming to inquire of you concerning her son; for he is sick. Thus and thus you shall say to her.’

When she came, she pretended to be another woman. ⁶But when Ahijah heard the sound of her feet, as she came in at the door, he said, ‘Come in, wife of Jeroboam; why do you pretend to be another? For I am charged with heavy tidings for you. ⁷Go, tell Jeroboam, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Because I exalted you from among the people, made you leader over my people Israel, ⁸and tore the kingdom away from the house of David to give it to you; yet you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commandments and followed me with all his heart, doing only that which was right in my sight, ⁹but you have done evil above all those who were before you and have gone and made for yourself other gods, and cast images, provoking me to anger, and have thrust me behind your back; ¹⁰therefore, I will bring evil upon the house of Jeroboam. I will cut off from Jeroboam every male, both bond and free, in Israel and will consume the house of Jeroboam, just as one burns up dung until it is all gone. ¹¹Anyone belonging to Jeroboam who dies in the city, the dogs shall eat; and anyone who dies in the open country, the birds of the air shall eat; for the LORD has spoken.” ¹²Therefore set out, go to your house. When your feet enter the city, the child shall die. ¹³All Israel shall mourn for him and bury him; for he alone of Jeroboam’s family shall come to the grave, because in him there is found something pleasing to the LORD, the God of Israel, in the house of Jeroboam. ¹⁴Moreover, the LORD will raise up for himself a king over Israel, who shall cut off the house of Jeroboam today, even now!a

¹⁵ ‘The LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water; he will root up Israel out of this good land that he gave to their ancestors, and scatter them beyond the Euphrates, because they have made their sacred poles,b provoking the LORD to anger. ¹⁶He will give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he sinned and which he caused Israel to commit.’

¹⁷ Then Jeroboam’s wife got up and went away, and she came to Tirzah. As she came to the threshold of the house, the child died. ¹⁸All Israel buried him and mourned for him, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant the prophet Ahijah.

Death of Jeroboam

¹⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, how he warred and how he reigned, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. ²⁰The time that Jeroboam reigned was twenty-two years; then he slept with his ancestors, and his son Nadab succeeded him.

Rehoboam Reigns over Judah

²¹ Now Rehoboam son of Solomon reigned in Judah. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. ²²Judah did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; they provoked him to jealousy with their sins that they committed, more than all that their ancestors had done. ²³For they also built for themselves high places, pillars, and sacred polesa on every high hill and under every green tree; ²⁴ there were also male temple prostitutes in the land. They committed all the abominations of the nations that the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.

²⁵ In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; ²⁶he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also took away all the shields of gold that Solomon had made; ²⁷so King Rehoboam made shields of bronze instead, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. ²⁸As often as the king went into the house of the LORD, the guard carried them and brought them back to the guardroom.

²⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Rehoboam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ³⁰There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually. ³¹Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. His son Abijam succeeded him.

Abijam Reigns over Judah: Idolatry and War

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NOW in the eighteenth year of King Jeroboam son of Nebat, Abijam began to reign over Judah. ²He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. ³He committed all the sins that his father did before him; his heart was not true to the LORD his God, like the heart of his father David. ⁴Nevertheless, for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, setting up his son after him, and establishing Jerusalem; ⁵because David did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and did not turn aside from anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite. ⁶The war begun between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continued all the days of his life. ⁷The rest of the acts of Abijam, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? There was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. ⁸Abijam slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. Then his son Asa succeeded him.

Asa Reigns over Judah

⁹ In the twentieth year of King Jeroboam of Israel, Asa began to reign over Judah; ¹⁰he reigned for forty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Maacah daughter of Abishalom. ¹¹Asa did what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his father David had done. ¹²He put away the male temple prostitutes out of the land, and removed all the idols that his ancestors had made. ¹³He also removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother, because she had made an abominable image for Asherah; Asa cut down her image and burned it at the Wadi Kidron. ¹⁴But the high places were not taken away. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was true to the LORD all his days. ¹⁵He brought into the house of the LORD the votive gifts of his father and his own votive gifts—silver, gold, and utensils.

Alliance with Aram against Israel

¹⁶ There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days. ¹⁷King Baasha of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, to prevent anyone from going out or coming in to King Asa of Judah. ¹⁸Then Asa took all the silver and the gold that were left in the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and gave them into the hands of his servants. King Asa sent them to King Ben-hadad son of Tabrimmon son of Hezion of Aram, who resided in Damascus, saying, ¹⁹‘Let there be an alliance between me and you, like that between my father and your father: I am sending you a present of silver and gold; go, break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel, so that he may withdraw from me.’ ²⁰Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. He conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-beth-maacah, and all Chinneroth, with all the land of Naphtali. ²¹When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah and lived in Tirzah. ²²Then King Asa made a proclamation to all Judah; none was exempt: they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building; with them King Asa built Geba of Benjamin and Mizpah. ²³Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, all his power, all that he did, and the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? But in his old age he was diseased in his feet. ²⁴Then Asa slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoshaphat succeeded him.

Nadab Reigns over Israel

²⁵ Nadab son of Jeroboam began to reign over Israel in the second year of King Asa of Judah; he reigned over Israel for two years. ²⁶He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of his ancestor and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.

²⁷ Baasha son of Ahijah, of the house of Issachar, conspired against him; and Baasha struck him down at Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines; for Nadab and all Israel were laying siege to Gibbethon. ²⁸So Baasha killed Nadaba in the third year of King Asa of Judah, and succeeded him. ²⁹As soon as he was king, he killed all the house of Jeroboam; he left to the house of Jeroboam not one that breathed, until he had destroyed it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servant Ahijah the Shilonite—³⁰because of the sins of Jeroboam that he committed and that he caused Israel to commit, and because of the anger to which he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel.

³¹ Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ³²There was war between Asa and King Baasha of Israel all their days.

Second Dynasty: Baasha Reigns over Israel

³³ In the third year of King Asa of Judah, Baasha son of Ahijah began to reign over all Israel at Tirzah; he reigned for twenty-four years. ³⁴He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam and in the sin that he caused Israel to commit.

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THE word of the LORD came to Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha, saying, ²‘Since I exalted you out of the dust and made you leader over my people Israel, and you have walked in the way of Jeroboam, and have caused my people Israel to sin, provoking me to anger with their sins, ³therefore, I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat. ⁴Anyone belonging to Baasha who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the field the birds of the air shall eat.’

⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, what he did, and his power, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ⁶Baasha slept with his ancestors, and was buried at Tirzah; and his son Elah succeeded him. ⁷Moreover, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Jehu son of Hanani against Baasha and his house, both because of all the evil that he did in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger with the work of his hands, in being like the house of Jeroboam, and also because he destroyed it.

Elah Reigns over Israel

⁸ In the twenty-sixth year of King Asa of Judah, Elah son of Baasha began to reign over Israel in Tirzah; he reigned for two years. ⁹But his servant Zimri, commander of half his chariots, conspired against him. When he was at Tirzah, drinking himself drunk in the house of Arza, who was in charge of the palace at Tirzah, ¹⁰Zimri came in and struck him down and killed him, in the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah, and succeeded him.

¹¹ When he began to reign, as soon as he had seated himself on his throne, he killed all the house of Baasha; he did not leave him a single male of his kindred or his friends. ¹²Thus Zimri destroyed all the house of Baasha, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke against Baasha by the prophet Jehu—¹³because of all the sins of Baasha and the sins of his son Elah that they committed, and that they caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols. ¹⁴Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?

Third Dynasty: Zimri Reigns over Israel

¹⁵ In the twenty-seventh year of King Asa of Judah, Zimri reigned for seven days in Tirzah. Now the troops were encamped against Gibbethon, which belonged to the Philistines, ¹⁶and the troops who were encamped heard it said, ‘Zimri has conspired, and he has killed the king’ therefore all Israel made Omri, the commander of the army, king over Israel that day in the camp. ¹⁷So Omri went up from Gibbethon, and all Israel with him, and they besieged Tirzah. ¹⁸When Zimri saw that the city was taken, he went into the citadel of the king’s house; he burned down the king’s house over himself with fire, and died—¹⁹because of the sins that he committed, doing evil in the sight of the LORD, walking in the way of Jeroboam, and for the sin that he committed, causing Israel to sin. ²⁰Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the conspiracy that he made, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?

Fourth Dynasty: Omri Reigns over Israel

²¹ Then the people of Israel were divided into two parts; half of the people followed Tibni son of Ginath, to make him king, and half followed Omri. ²²But the people who followed Omri overcame the people who followed Tibni son of Ginath; so Tibni died, and Omri became king. ²³In the thirty-first year of King Asa of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel; he reigned for twelve years, six of them in Tirzah.

Samaria the New Capital

²⁴ He bought the hill of Samaria from Shemer for two talents of silver; he fortified the hill, and called the city that he built Samaria, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill.

²⁵ Omri did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did more evil than all who were before him. ²⁶For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and in the sins that he caused Israel to commit, provoking the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger by their idols. ²⁷Now the rest of the acts of Omri that he did, and the power that he showed, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ²⁸Omri slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria; his son Ahab succeeded him.

Ahab Reigns over Israel

²⁹ In the thirty-eighth year of King Asa of Judah, Ahab son of Omri began to reign over Israel; Ahab son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria for twenty-two years. ³⁰Ahab son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD more than all who were before him.

Ahab Marries Jezebel and Worships Baal

³¹ And as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he took as his wife Jezebel daughter of King Ethbaal of the Sidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him. ³²He erected an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he built in Samaria. ³³Ahab also made a sacred pole.a Ahab did more to provoke the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, than had all the kings of Israel who were before him. ³⁴In his days Hiel of Bethel built Jericho; he laid its foundation at the cost of Abiram his firstborn, and set up its gates at the cost of his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spoke by Joshua son of Nun.

Elijah Predicts a Drought

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NOW Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbea in Gilead, said to Ahab, ‘As the LORD the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.’ ²The word of the LORD came to him, saying, ³‘Go from here and turn eastwards, and hide yourself by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. ⁴You shall drink from the wadi, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.’ ⁵So he went and did according to the word of the LORD; he went and lived by the Wadi Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. ⁶The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the wadi. ⁷But after a while the wadi dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

The Widow of Zarephath

⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ⁹‘Go now to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and live there; for I have commanded a widow there to feed you.’ ¹⁰So he set out and went to Zarephath. When he came to the gate of the town, a widow was there gathering sticks; he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a little water in a vessel, so that I may drink.’ ¹¹As she was going to bring it, he called to her and said, ‘Bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.’ ¹²But she said, ‘As the LORD your God lives, I have nothing baked, only a handful of meal in a jar, and a little oil in a jug; I am now gathering a couple of sticks, so that I may go home and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it, and die.’ ¹³Elijah said to her, ‘Do not be afraid; go and do as you have said; but first make me a little cake of it and bring it to me, and afterwards make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴For thus says the LORD the God of Israel: The jar of meal will not be emptied and the jug of oil will not fail until the day that the LORD sends rain on the earth.’ ¹⁵She went and did as Elijah said, so that she as well as he and her household ate for many days. ¹⁶The jar of meal was not emptied, neither did the jug of oil fail, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by Elijah.

Elijah Revives the Widow’s Son

¹⁷ After this the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, became ill; his illness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. ¹⁸She then said to Elijah, ‘What have you against me, O man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to cause the death of my son!’ ¹⁹But he said to her, ‘Give me your son.’ He took him from her bosom, carried him up into the upper chamber where he was lodging, and laid him on his own bed. ²⁰He cried out to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, have you brought calamity even upon the widow with whom I am staying, by killing her son?’ ²¹Then he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried out to the LORD, ‘O LORD my God, let this child’s life come into him again.’ ²²The LORD listened to the voice of Elijah; the life of the child came into him again, and he revived. ²³Elijah took the child, brought him down from the upper chamber into the house, and gave him to his mother; then Elijah said, ‘See, your son is alive.’ ²⁴So the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the LORD in your mouth is truth.’

Elijah’s Message to Ahab

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AFTER many days the word of the LORD came to Elijah, in the third year of the drought,a saying, ‘Go, present yourself to Ahab; I will send rain on the earth.’ ²So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. ³Ahab summoned Obadiah, who was in charge of the palace. (Now Obadiah revered the LORD greatly; ⁴when Jezebel was killing off the prophets of the LORD, Obadiah took a hundred prophets, hid them fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water.) ⁵Then Ahab said to Obadiah, ‘Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the wadis; perhaps we may find grass to keep the horses and mules alive, and not lose some of the animals.’ ⁶So they divided the land between them to pass through it; Ahab went in one direction by himself, and Obadiah went in another direction by himself.

⁷ As Obadiah was on the way, Elijah met him; Obadiah recognized him, fell on his face, and said, ‘Is it you, my lord Elijah?’ ⁸He answered him, ‘It is I. Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.’ ⁹And he said, ‘How have I sinned, that you would hand your servant over to Ahab, to kill me? ¹⁰As the LORD your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom to which my lord has not sent to seek you; and when they would say, “He is not here”, he would require an oath of the kingdom or nation, that they had not found you. ¹¹But now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here.” ¹²As soon as I have gone from you, the spirit of the LORD will carry you I know not where; so, when I come and tell Ahab and he cannot find you, he will kill me, although I your servant have revered the LORD from my youth. ¹³Has it not been told my lord what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of the LORD, how I hid a hundred of the LORD’s prophets fifty to a cave, and provided them with bread and water? ¹⁴Yet now you say, “Go, tell your lord that Elijah is here” he will surely kill me.’ ¹⁵Elijah said, ‘As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today.’ ¹⁶So Obadiah went to meet Ahab, and told him; and Ahab went to meet Elijah.

¹⁷ When Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said to him, ‘Is it you, you troubler of Israel?’ ¹⁸He answered, ‘I have not troubled Israel; but you have, and your father’s house, because you have forsaken the commandments of the LORD and followed the Baals. ¹⁹Now therefore have all Israel assemble for me at Mount Carmel, with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel’s table.’

Elijah’s Triumph over the Priests of Baal

²⁰ So Ahab sent to all the Israelites, and assembled the prophets at Mount Carmel. ²¹Elijah then came near to all the people, and said, ‘How long will you go limping with two different opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.’ The people did not answer him a word. ²²Then Elijah said to the people, ‘I, even I only, am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets number four hundred and fifty. ²³Let two bulls be given to us; let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it; I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. ²⁴Then you call on the name of your god and I will call on the name of the LORD; the god who answers by fire is indeed God.’ All the people answered, ‘Well spoken!’ ²⁵Then Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, ‘Choose for yourselves one bull and prepare it first, for you are many; then call on the name of your god, but put no fire to it.’ ²⁶So they took the bull that was given them, prepared it, and called on the name of Baal from morning until noon, crying, ‘O Baal, answer us!’ But there was no voice, and no answer. They limped about the altar that they had made. ²⁷At noon Elijah mocked them, saying, ‘Cry aloud! Surely he is a god; either he is meditating, or he has wandered away, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened.’ ²⁸Then they cried aloud and, as was their custom, they cut themselves with swords and lances until the blood gushed out over them. ²⁹As midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice, no answer, and no response.

³⁰ Then Elijah said to all the people, ‘Come closer to me’ and all the people came closer to him. First he repaired the altar of the LORD that had been thrown down; ³¹Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD came, saying, ‘Israel shall be your name’ ³²with the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD. Then he made a trench around the altar, large enough to contain two measures of seed. ³³Next he put the wood in order, cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, ‘Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt-offering and on the wood.’ ³⁴Then he said, ‘Do it a second time’ and they did it a second time. Again he said, ‘Do it a third time’ and they did it a third time, ³⁵so that the water ran all round the altar, and filled the trench also with water.

³⁶ At the time of the offering of the oblation, the prophet Elijah came near and said, ‘O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your bidding. ³⁷Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ ³⁸Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt-offering, the wood, the stones, and the dust, and even licked up the water that was in the trench. ³⁹When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, ‘The LORD indeed is God; the LORD indeed is God.’ ⁴⁰Elijah said to them, ‘Seize the prophets of Baal; do not let one of them escape.’ Then they seized them; and Elijah brought them down to the Wadi Kishon, and killed them there.

The Drought Ends

⁴¹ Elijah said to Ahab, ‘Go up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of rushing rain.’ ⁴²So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; there he bowed himself down upon the earth and put his face between his knees. ⁴³He said to his servant, ‘Go up now, look towards the sea.’ He went up and looked, and said, ‘There is nothing.’ Then he said, ‘Go again seven times.’ ⁴⁴At the seventh time he said, ‘Look, a little cloud no bigger than a person’s hand is rising out of the sea.’ Then he said, ‘Go and say to Ahab, “Harness your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.”’ ⁴⁵In a little while the heavens grew black with clouds and wind; there was heavy rain. Ahab rode off and went to Jezreel. ⁴⁶But the hand of the LORD was on Elijah; he girded up his loins and ran in front of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

Elijah Flees from Jezebel

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AHAB told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. ²Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, ‘So may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life like the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.’ ³Then he was afraid; he got up and fled for his life, and came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah; he left his servant there.

⁴ But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life, for I am no better than my ancestors.’ ⁵Then he lay down under the broom tree and fell asleep. Suddenly an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Get up and eat.’ ⁶He looked, and there at his head was a cake baked on hot stones, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. ⁷The angel of the LORD came a second time, touched him, and said, ‘Get up and eat, otherwise the journey will be too much for you.’ ⁸He got up, and ate and drank; then he went in the strength of that food for forty days and forty nights to Horeb the mount of God. ⁹At that place he came to a cave, and spent the night there.

Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ ¹⁰He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’

Elijah Meets God at Horeb

¹¹ He said, ‘Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.’ Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; ¹²and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheer silence. ¹³When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. Then there came a voice to him that said, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ ¹⁴He answered, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.’ ¹⁵Then the LORD said to him, ‘Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus; when you arrive, you shall anoint Hazael as king over Aram. ¹⁶Also you shall anoint Jehu son of Nimshi as king over Israel; and you shall anoint Elisha son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah as prophet in your place. ¹⁷Whoever escapes from the sword of Hazael, Jehu shall kill; and whoever escapes from the sword of Jehu, Elisha shall kill. ¹⁸Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.’

Elisha Becomes Elijah’s Disciple

¹⁹ So he set out from there, and found Elisha son of Shaphat, who was ploughing. There were twelve yoke of oxen ahead of him, and he was with the twelfth. Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle over him. ²⁰He left the oxen, ran after Elijah, and said, ‘Let me kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you.’ Then Elijaha said to him, ‘Go back again; for what have I done to you?’ ²¹He returned from following him, took the yoke of oxen, and slaughtered them; using the equipment from the oxen, he boiled their flesh, and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out and followed Elijah, and became his servant.

Ahab’s Wars with the Arameans

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KING Ben-hadad of Aram gathered all his army together; thirty-two kings were with him, along with horses and chariots. He marched against Samaria, laid siege to it, and attacked it. ²Then he sent messengers into the city to King Ahab of Israel, and said to him: ‘Thus says Ben-hadad: ³Your silver and gold are mine; your fairest wives and children also are mine.’ ⁴The king of Israel answered, ‘As you say, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have.’ ⁵The messengers came again and said: ‘Thus says Ben-hadad: I sent to you, saying, “Deliver to me your silver and gold, your wives and children” ⁶nevertheless, I will send my servants to you tomorrow about this time, and they shall search your house and the houses of your servants, and lay hands on whatever pleases them,b and take it away.’

⁷ Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, ‘Look now! See how this man is seeking trouble; for he sent to me for my wives, my children, my silver, and my gold; and I did not refuse him.’ ⁸Then all the elders and all the people said to him, ‘Do not listen or consent.’ ⁹So he said to the messengers of Ben-hadad, ‘Tell my lord the king: All that you first demanded of your servant I will do; but this thing I cannot do.’ The messengers left and brought him word again. ¹⁰Ben-hadad sent to him and said, ‘The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria will provide a handful for each of the people who follow me.’ ¹¹The king of Israel answered, ‘Tell him: One who puts on armour should not brag like one who takes it off.’ ¹²When Ben-hadad heard this message—now he had been drinking with the kings in the booths—he said to his men, ‘Take your positions!’ And they took their positions against the city.

Prophetic Opposition to Ahab

¹³ Then a certain prophet came up to King Ahab of Israel and said, ‘Thus says the LORD, Have you seen all this great multitude? Look, I will give it into your hand today; and you shall know that I am the LORD.’ ¹⁴Ahab said, ‘By whom?’ He said, ‘Thus says the LORD, By the young men who serve the district governors.’ Then he said, ‘Who shall begin the battle?’ He answered, ‘You.’ ¹⁵Then he mustered the young men who served the district governors, two hundred and thirty-two; after them he mustered all the people of Israel, seven thousand.

¹⁶ They went out at noon, while Ben-hadad was drinking himself drunk in the booths, he and the thirty-two kings allied with him. ¹⁷The young men who served the district governors went out first. Ben-hadad had sent out scouts,a and they reported to him, ‘Men have come out from Samaria.’ ¹⁸He said, ‘If they have come out for peace, take them alive; if they have come out for war, take them alive.’

¹⁹ But these had already come out of the city: the young men who served the district governors, and the army that followed them. ²⁰Each killed his man; the Arameans fled and Israel pursued them, but King Ben-hadad of Aram escaped on a horse with the cavalry. ²¹The king of Israel went out, attacked the horses and chariots, and defeated the Arameans with a great slaughter.

²² Then the prophet approached the king of Israel and said to him, ‘Come, strengthen yourself, and consider well what you have to do; for in the spring the king of Aram will come up against you.’

The Arameans Are Defeated

²³ The servants of the king of Aram said to him, ‘Their gods are gods of the hills, and so they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. ²⁴Also do this: remove the kings, each from his post, and put commanders in place of them; ²⁵and muster an army like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot; then we will fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they.’ He heeded their voice, and did so.

²⁶ In the spring Ben-hadad mustered the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel. ²⁷After the Israelites had been mustered and provisioned, they went out to engage them; the people of Israel encamped opposite them like two little flocks of goats, while the Arameans filled the country. ²⁸A man of God approached and said to the king of Israel, ‘Thus says the LORD: Because the Arameans have said, “The LORD is a god of the hills but he is not a god of the valleys”, therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am the LORD.’ ²⁹They encamped opposite one another for seven days. Then on the seventh day the battle began; the Israelites killed one hundred thousand Aramean foot-soldiers in one day. ³⁰The rest fled into the city of Aphek; and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men that were left.

Ben-hadad also fled, and entered the city to hide. ³¹His servants said to him, ‘Look, we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings; let us put sackcloth around our waists and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.’ ³²So they tied sackcloth around their waists, put ropes on their heads, went to the king of Israel, and said, ‘Your servant Ben-hadad says, “Please let me live.”’ And he said, ‘Is he still alive? He is my brother.’ ³³Now the men were watching for an omen; they quickly took it up from him and said, ‘Yes, Ben-hadad is your brother.’ Then he said, ‘Go and bring him.’ So Ben-hadad came out to him; and he had him come up into the chariot. ³⁴Ben-hadadb said to him, ‘I will restore the towns that my father took from your father; and you may establish bazaars for yourself in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.’ The king of Israel responded,a ‘I will let you go on those terms.’ So he made a treaty with him and let him go.

A Prophet Condemns Ahab

³⁵ At the command of the LORD a certain member of a company of prophetsb said to another, ‘Strike me!’ But the man refused to strike him. ³⁶Then he said to him, ‘Because you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, as soon as you have left me, a lion will kill you.’ And when he had left him, a lion met him and killed him. ³⁷Then he found another man and said, ‘Strike me!’ So the man hit him, striking and wounding him. ³⁸Then the prophet departed, and waited for the king along the road, disguising himself with a bandage over his eyes. ³⁹As the king passed by, he cried to the king and said, ‘Your servant went out into the thick of the battle; then a soldier turned and brought a man to me, and said, “Guard this man; if he is missing, your life shall be given for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver.” ⁴⁰While your servant was busy here and there, he was gone.’ The king of Israel said to him, ‘So shall your judgement be; you yourself have decided it.’ ⁴¹Then he quickly took the bandage away from his eyes. The king of Israel recognized him as one of the prophets. ⁴²Then he said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Because you have let the man go whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall be for his life, and your people for his people.”’ ⁴³The king of Israel set out towards home, resentful and sullen, and came to Samaria.

Naboth’s Vineyard

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LATER the following events took place: Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard in Jezreel, beside the palace of King Ahab of Samaria. ²And Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Give me your vineyard, so that I may have it for a vegetable garden, because it is near my house; I will give you a better vineyard for it; or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its value in money.’ ³But Naboth said to Ahab, ‘The LORD forbid that I should give you my ancestral inheritance.’ ⁴Ahab went home resentful and sullen because of what Naboth the Jezreelite had said to him; for he had said, ‘I will not give you my ancestral inheritance.’ He lay down on his bed, turned away his face, and would not eat.

⁵ His wife Jezebel came to him and said, ‘Why are you so depressed that you will not eat?’ ⁶He said to her, ‘Because I spoke to Naboth the Jezreelite and said to him, “Give me your vineyard for money; or else, if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard for it” but he answered, “I will not give you my vineyard.”’ ⁷His wife Jezebel said to him, ‘Do you now govern Israel? Get up, eat some food, and be cheerful; I will give you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.’

⁸ So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name and sealed them with his seal; she sent the letters to the elders and the nobles who lived with Naboth in his city. ⁹She wrote in the letters, ‘Proclaim a fast, and seat Naboth at the head of the assembly; ¹⁰seat two scoundrels opposite him, and have them bring a charge against him, saying, “You have cursed God and the king.” Then take him out, and stone him to death.’ ¹¹The men of his city, the elders and the nobles who lived in his city, did as Jezebel had sent word to them. Just as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them, ¹²they proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth at the head of the assembly. ¹³The two scoundrels came in and sat opposite him; and the scoundrels brought a charge against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, ‘Naboth cursed God and the king.’ So they took him outside the city, and stoned him to death. ¹⁴Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, ‘Naboth has been stoned; he is dead.’

¹⁵ As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned and was dead, Jezebel said to Ahab, ‘Go, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give you for money; for Naboth is not alive, but dead.’ ¹⁶As soon as Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, Ahab set out to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.

Elijah Pronounces God’s Sentence

¹⁷ Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: ¹⁸Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rulesa in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. ¹⁹You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Have you killed, and also taken possession?’ You shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.’

²⁰ Ahab said to Elijah, ‘Have you found me, O my enemy?’ He answered, ‘I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD, ²¹I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; ²²and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. ²³Also concerning Jezebel the LORD said, “The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.” ²⁴Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.’

²⁵ (Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD, urged on by his wife Jezebel. ²⁶He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD drove out before the Israelites.)

²⁷ When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. ²⁸Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite: ²⁹‘Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.’

Joint Campaign with Judah against Aram

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FOR three years Aram and Israel continued without war. ²But in the third year King Jehoshaphat of Judah came down to the king of Israel. ³The king of Israel said to his servants, ‘Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, yet we are doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?’ ⁴He said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?’ Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, ‘I am as you are; my people are your people, my horses are your horses.’

⁵ But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, ‘Inquire first for the word of the LORD.’ ⁶Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred of them, and said to them, ‘Shall I go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?’ They said, ‘Go up; for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.’ ⁷But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there no other prophet of the LORD here of whom we may inquire?’ ⁸The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one other by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favourable about me, but only disaster.’ Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let the king not say such a thing.’ ⁹Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, ‘Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.’ ¹⁰Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing-floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹¹Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, ‘Thus says the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ¹²All the prophets were prophesying the same and saying, ‘Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.’

Micaiah Predicts Failure

¹³ The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favourable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favourably.’ ¹⁴But Micaiah said, ‘As the LORD lives, whatever the LORD says to me, that I will speak.’

¹⁵ When he had come to the king, the king said to him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?’ He answered him, ‘Go up and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.’ ¹⁶But the king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?’ ¹⁷Then Micaiaha said, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep that have no shepherd; and the LORD said, “These have no master; let each one go home in peace.”’ ¹⁸The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything favourable about me, but only disaster?’

¹⁹ Then Micaiaha said, ‘Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing beside him to the right and to the left of him. ²⁰And the LORD said, “Who will entice Ahab, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” Then one said one thing, and another said another, ²¹until a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, “I will entice him.” ²²“How?” the LORD asked him. He replied, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” Then the LORDa said, “You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.” ²³So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; the LORD has decreed disaster for you.’

²⁴ Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up to Micaiah, slapped him on the cheek, and said, ‘Which way did the spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?’ ²⁵Micaiah replied, ‘You will find out on that day when you go in to hide in an inner chamber.’ ²⁶The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son, ²⁷and say, “Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him on reduced rations of bread and water until I come in peace.”’ ²⁸Micaiah said, ‘If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.’ And he said, ‘Hear, you peoples, all of you!’

Defeat and Death of Ahab

²⁹ So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. ³⁰The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.’ So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. ³¹Now the king of Aram had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, ‘Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.’ ³²When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, ‘It is surely the king of Israel.’ So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out. ³³When the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. ³⁴But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale-armour and the breastplate; so he said to the driver of his chariot, ‘Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.’ ³⁵The battle grew hot that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans, until at evening he died; the blood from the wound had flowed into the bottom of the chariot. ³⁶Then about sunset a shout went through the army, ‘Every man to his city, and every man to his country!’

³⁷ So the king died, and was brought to Samaria; they buried the king in Samaria. ³⁸They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; the dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes washed themselves in it,a according to the word of the LORD that he had spoken. ³⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house that he built, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ⁴⁰So Ahab slept with his ancestors; and his son Ahaziah succeeded him.

Jehoshaphat Reigns over Judah

⁴¹ Jehoshaphat son of Asa began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of King Ahab of Israel. ⁴²Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ⁴³He walked in all the way of his father Asa; he did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD; yet the high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and offered incense on the high places. ⁴⁴Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel.

⁴⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his power that he showed, and how he waged war, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ⁴⁶The remnant of the male temple prostitutes who were still in the land from the days of his father Asa, he exterminated.

⁴⁷ There was no king in Edom; a deputy was king. ⁴⁸Jehoshaphat made ships of the Tarshish type to go to Ophir for gold; but they did not go, for the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. ⁴⁹Then Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Let my servants go with your servants in the ships’, but Jehoshaphat was not willing. ⁵⁰Jehoshaphat slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of his father David; his son Jehoram succeeded him.

Ahaziah Reigns over Israel

⁵¹ Ahaziah son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah; he reigned for two years over Israel. ⁵²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the way of his father and mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. ⁵³He served Baal and worshipped him; he provoked the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger, just as his father had done.

2 KINGS

Elijah Denounces Ahaziah

AFTER the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel.

² Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice in his upper chamber in Samaria, and lay injured; so he sent messengers, telling them, ‘Go, inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I shall recover from this injury.’ ³But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, ‘Get up, go to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, “Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?” ⁴Now therefore, thus says the LORD, “You shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.”’ So Elijah went.

⁵ The messengers returned to the king, who said to them, ‘Why have you returned?’ ⁶They answered him, ‘There came a man to meet us, who said to us, “Go back to the king who sent you, and say to him: Thus says the LORD: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but shall surely die.”’ ⁷He said to them, ‘What sort of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?’ ⁸They answered him, ‘A hairy man, with a leather belt around his waist.’ He said, ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite.’

⁹ Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. He went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, ‘O man of God, the king says, “Come down.”’ ¹⁰But Elijah answered the captain of fifty, ‘If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.’ Then fire came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.

¹¹ Again the king sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. He went upa and said to him, ‘O man of God, this is the king’s order: Come down quickly!’ ¹²But Elijah answered them, ‘If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.’ Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

¹³ Again the king sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. So the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and entreated him, ‘O man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty servants of yours, be precious in your sight. ¹⁴Look, fire came down from heaven and consumed the two former captains of fifty men with their fifties; but now let my life be precious in your sight.’ ¹⁵Then the angel of the LORD said to Elijah, ‘Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.’ So he set out and went down with him to the king, ¹⁶and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron,—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word?—therefore you shall not leave the bed to which you have gone, but you shall surely die.’

Death of Ahaziah

¹⁷ So he died according to the word of the LORD that Elijah had spoken. His brothera Jehoram succeeded him as king in the second year of King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat of Judah, because Ahaziah had no son. ¹⁸Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?

Elijah Ascends to Heaven

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NOW when the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. ²Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Stay here; for the LORD has sent me as far as Bethel.’ But Elisha said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they went down to Bethel. ³The company of prophetsb who were in Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?’ And he said, ‘Yes, I know; keep silent.’

⁴ Elijah said to him, ‘Elisha, stay here; for the LORD has sent me to Jericho.’ But he said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So they came to Jericho. ⁵The company of prophetsb who were at Jericho drew near to Elisha, and said to him, ‘Do you know that today the LORD will take your master away from you?’ And he answered, ‘Yes, I know; be silent.’

⁶ Then Elijah said to him, ‘Stay here; for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.’ But he said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.’ So the two of them went on. ⁷Fifty men of the company of prophetsb also went, and stood at some distance from them, as they both were standing by the Jordan. ⁸Then Elijah took his mantle and rolled it up, and struck the water; the water was parted to the one side and to the other, until the two of them crossed on dry ground.

⁹ When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, ‘Tell me what I may do for you, before I am taken from you.’ Elisha said, ‘Please let me inherit a double share of your spirit.’ ¹⁰He responded, ‘You have asked a hard thing; yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.’ ¹¹As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind into heaven. ¹²Elisha kept watching and crying out, ‘Father, father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ But when he could no longer see him, he grasped his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

¹³ He picked up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. ¹⁴He took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, saying, ‘Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?’ When he had struck the water, the water was parted to the one side and to the other, and Elisha went over.

¹⁵ When the company of prophetsa who were at Jericho saw him at a distance, they declared, ‘The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.’ They came to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. ¹⁶They said to him, ‘See now, we have fifty strong men among your servants; please let them go and seek your master; it may be that the spirit of the LORD has caught him up and thrown him down on some mountain or into some valley.’ He responded, ‘No, do not send them.’ ¹⁷But when they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, ‘Send them.’ So they sent fifty men who searched for three days but did not find him. ¹⁸When they came back to him (he had remained at Jericho), he said to them, ‘Did I not say to you, Do not go?’

Elisha Performs Miracles

¹⁹ Now the people of the city said to Elisha, ‘The location of this city is good, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land is unfruitful.’ ²⁰He said, ‘Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.’ So they brought it to him. ²¹Then he went to the spring of water and threw the salt into it, and said, ‘Thus says the LORD, I have made this water wholesome; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.’ ²²So the water has been wholesome to this day, according to the word that Elisha spoke.

²³ He went up from there to Bethel; and while he was going up on the way, some small boys came out of the city and jeered at him, saying, ‘Go away, baldhead! Go away, baldhead!’ ²⁴When he turned round and saw them, he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two she-bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. ²⁵From there he went on to Mount Carmel, and then returned to Samaria.

Jehoram Reigns over Israel

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IN THE eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat of Judah, Jehoram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for twelve years. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, though not like his father and mother, for he removed the pillar of Baal that his father had made. ³Nevertheless he clung to the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit; he did not depart from it.

War with Moab

⁴ Now King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder, who used to deliver to the king of Israel one hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of one hundred thousand rams. ⁵But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. ⁶So King Jehoram marched out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. ⁷As he went he sent word to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, ‘The king of Moab has rebelled against me; will you go with me to battle against Moab?’ He answered, ‘I will; I am with you, my people are your people, my horses are your horses.’ ⁸Then he asked, ‘By which way shall we march?’ Jehoram answered, ‘By the way of the wilderness of Edom.’

⁹ So the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom set out; and when they had made a roundabout march of seven days, there was no water for the army or for the animals that were with them. ¹⁰Then the king of Israel said, ‘Alas! The LORD has summoned us, three kings, only to be handed over to Moab.’ ¹¹But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there no prophet of the LORD here, through whom we may inquire of the LORD?’ Then one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, ‘Elisha son of Shaphat, who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah, is here.’ ¹²Jehoshaphat said, ‘The word of the LORD is with him.’ So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

¹³ Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘What have I to do with you? Go to your father’s prophets or to your mother’s.’ But the king of Israel said to him, ‘No; it is the LORD who has summoned us, three kings, only to be handed over to Moab.’ ¹⁴Elisha said, ‘As the LORD of hosts lives, whom I serve, were it not that I have regard for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would give you neither a look nor a glance. ¹⁵But get me a musician.’ And then, while the musician was playing, the power of the LORD came on him. ¹⁶And he said, ‘Thus says the LORD, “I will make this wadi full of pools.” ¹⁷For thus says the LORD, “You shall see neither wind nor rain, but the wadi shall be filled with water, so that you shall drink, you, your cattle, and your animals.” ¹⁸This is only a trifle in the sight of the LORD, for he will also hand Moab over to you. ¹⁹You shall conquer every fortified city and every choice city; every good tree you shall fell, all springs of water you shall stop up, and every good piece of land you shall ruin with stones.’ ²⁰The next day, about the time of the morning offering, suddenly water began to flow from the direction of Edom, until the country was filled with water.

²¹ When all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to put on armour, from the youngest to the oldest, were called out and were drawn up at the frontier. ²²When they rose early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. ²³They said, ‘This is blood; the kings must have fought together, and killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoil!’ ²⁴But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and attacked the Moabites, who fled before them; as they entered Moab they continued the attack.a ²⁵ The cities they overturned, and on every good piece of land everyone threw a stone, until it was covered; every spring of water they stopped up, and every good tree they felled. Only at Kir-hareseth did the stone walls remain, until the slingers surrounded and attacked it.²⁶ When the king of Moab saw that the battle was going against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through, opposite the king of Edom; but they could not.²⁷ Then he took his firstborn son who was to succeed him, and offered him as a burnt-offering on the wall. And great wrath came upon Israel, so they withdrew from him and returned to their own land.

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil

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NOW the wife of a member of the company of prophetsa cried to Elisha, ‘Your servant my husband is dead; and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but a creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.’ ²Elisha said to her, ‘What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?’ She answered, ‘Your servant has nothing in the house, except a jar of oil.’ ³He said, ‘Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbours, empty vessels and not just a few. ⁴Then go in, and shut the door behind you and your children, and start pouring into all these vessels; when each is full, set it aside.’ ⁵So she left him and shut the door behind her and her children; they kept bringing vessels to her, and she kept pouring. ⁶When the vessels were full, she said to her son, ‘Bring me another vessel.’ But he said to her, ‘There are no more.’ Then the oil stopped flowing. ⁷She came and told the man of God, and he said, ‘Go, sell the oil and pay your debts, and you and your children can live on the rest.’

Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son

⁸ One day Elisha was passing through Shunem, where a wealthy woman lived, who urged him to have a meal. So whenever he passed that way, he would stop there for a meal. ⁹She said to her husband, ‘Look, I am sure that this man who regularly passes our way is a holy man of God. ¹⁰Let us make a small roof chamber with walls, and put there for him a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp, so that he can stay there whenever he comes to us.’

¹¹ One day when he came there, he went up to the chamber and lay down there. ¹²He said to his servant Gehazi, ‘Call the Shunammite woman.’ When he had called her, she stood before him. ¹³He said to him, ‘Say to her, Since you have taken all this trouble for us, what may be done for you? Would you have a word spoken on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ She answered, ‘I live among my own people.’ ¹⁴He said, ‘What then may be done for her?’ Gehazi answered, ‘Well, she has no son, and her husband is old.’ ¹⁵He said, ‘Call her.’ When he had called her, she stood at the door. ¹⁶He said, ‘At this season, in due time, you shall embrace a son.’ She replied, ‘No, my lord, O man of God; do not deceive your servant.’

¹⁷ The woman conceived and bore a son at that season, in due time, as Elisha had declared to her.

¹⁸ When the child was older, he went out one day to his father among the reapers. ¹⁹He complained to his father, ‘Oh, my head, my head!’ The father said to his servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’ ²⁰He carried him and brought him to his mother; the child sat on her lap until noon, and he died. ²¹She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, closed the door on him, and left. ²²Then she called to her husband, and said, ‘Send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may quickly go to the man of God and come back again.’ ²³He said, ‘Why go to him today? It is neither new moon nor sabbath.’ She said, ‘It will be all right.’ ²⁴Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, ‘Urge the animal on; do not hold back for me unless I tell you.’ ²⁵So she set out, and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her coming, he said to Gehazi his servant, ‘Look, there is the Shunammite woman; ²⁶run at once to meet her, and say to her, Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is the child all right?’ She answered, ‘It is all right.’ ²⁷When she came to the man of God at the mountain, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi approached to push her away. But the man of God said, ‘Let her alone, for she is in bitter distress; the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me.’ ²⁸Then she said, ‘Did I ask my lord for a son? Did I not say, Do not mislead me?’ ²⁹He said to Gehazi, ‘Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go. If you meet anyone, give no greeting, and if anyone greets you, do not answer; and lay my staff on the face of the child.’ ³⁰Then the mother of the child said, ‘As the LORD lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave without you.’ So he rose up and followed her. ³¹Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was no sound or sign of life. He came back to meet him and told him, ‘The child has not awakened.’

³² When Elisha came into the house, he saw the child lying dead on his bed. ³³So he went in and closed the door on the two of them, and prayed to the LORD. ³⁴Then he got up on the beda and lay upon the child, putting his mouth upon his mouth, his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and while he lay bent over him, the flesh of the child became warm. ³⁵He got down, walked once to and fro in the room, then got up again and bent over him; the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. ³⁶Elishab summoned Gehazi and said, ‘Call the Shunammite woman.’ So he called her. When she came to him, he said, ‘Take your son.’ ³⁷She came and fell at his feet, bowing to the ground; then she took her son and left.

Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew

³⁸ When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a famine in the land. As the company of prophets wasc sitting before him, he said to his servant, ‘Put the large pot on, and make some stew for the company of prophets.’d ³⁹One of them went out into the field to gather herbs; he found a wild vine and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and cut them up into the pot of stew, not knowing what they were. ⁴⁰They served some for the men to eat. But while they were eating the stew, they cried out, ‘O man of God, there is death in the pot!’ They could not eat it. ⁴¹He said, ‘Then bring some flour.’ He threw it into the pot, and said, ‘Serve the people and let them eat.’ And there was nothing harmful in the pot.

Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men

⁴² A man came from Baal-shalishah, bringing food from the first fruits to the man of God: twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. Elisha said, ‘Give it to the people and let them eat.’ ⁴³But his servant said, ‘How can I set this before a hundred people?’ So he repeated, ‘Give it to the people and let them eat, for thus says the LORD, “They shall eat and have some left.”’ ⁴⁴He set it before them, they ate, and had some left, according to the word of the LORD.

The Healing of Naaman

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NAAMAN, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favour with his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.a ² Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.³ She said to her mistress, ‘If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.’a ⁴ So Naamanb went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said.⁵ And the king of Aram said, ‘Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.’

He went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten sets of garments. ⁶He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, ‘When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you my servant Naaman, that you may cure him of his leprosy.’a ⁷When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, ‘Am I God, to give death or life, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy?a Just look and see how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me.’

⁸ But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, ‘Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.’ ⁹So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, ‘Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.’ ¹¹But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, ‘I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy!a ¹²Are not Abanac and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?’ He turned and went away in a rage. ¹³But his servants approached and said to him, ‘Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, “Wash, and be clean”?’ ¹⁴So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

¹⁵ Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, ‘Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.’ ¹⁶But he said, ‘As the LORD lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!’ He urged him to accept, but he refused. ¹⁷Then Naaman said, ‘If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt-offering or sacrifice to any god except the LORD. ¹⁸But may the LORD pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the LORD pardon your servant on this one count.’ ¹⁹He said to him, ‘Go in peace.’

Gehazi’s Greed

But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance, ²⁰Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, ‘My master has let that Aramean Naaman off too lightly by not accepting from him what he offered. As the LORD lives, I will run after him and get something out of him.’ ²¹So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he jumped down from the chariot to meet him and said, ‘Is everything all right?’ ²²He replied, ‘Yes, but my master has sent me to say, “Two members of a company of prophetsa have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim; please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.”’ ²³ Naaman said, ‘Please accept two talents.’ He urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and gave them to two of his servants, who carried them in front of Gehazi. b ²⁴ When he came to the citadel, he took the bagsc from them, and stored them inside; he dismissed the men, and they left.

²⁵ He went in and stood before his master; and Elisha said to him, ‘Where have you been, Gehazi?’ He answered, ‘Your servant has not gone anywhere at all.’ ²⁶But he said to him, ‘Did I not go with you in spirit when someone left his chariot to meet you? Is this a time to accept money and to accept clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, and male and female slaves? ²⁷Therefore the leprosyd of Naaman shall cling to you, and to your descendants for ever.’ So he left his presence leprous,d as white as snow.

The Miracle of the Axehead

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NOW the company of prophetsa said to Elisha, ‘As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us. ²Let us go to the Jordan, and let us collect logs there, one for each of us, and build a place there for us to live.’ He answered, ‘Do so.’ ³Then one of them said, ‘Please come with your servants.’ And he answered, ‘I will.’ ⁴So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. ⁵But as one was felling a log, his axehead fell into the water; he cried out, ‘Alas, master! It was borrowed.’ ⁶Then the man of God said, ‘Where did it fall?’ When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float. ⁷He said, ‘Pick it up.’ So he reached out his hand and took it.

The Aramean Attack Is Thwarted

⁸ Once when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he took counsel with his officers. He said, ‘At such and such a place shall be my camp.’ ⁹But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, ‘Take care not to pass this place, because the Arameans are going down there.’ ¹⁰The king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God spoke. More than once or twice he warned such a placee so that it was on the alert.

¹¹ The mind of the king of Aram was greatly perturbed because of this; he called his officers and said to them, ‘Now tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?’ ¹²Then one of his officers said, ‘No one, my lord king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.’ ¹³He said, ‘Go and find where he is; I will send and seize him.’ He was told, ‘He is in Dothan.’ ¹⁴So he sent horses and chariots there and a great army; they came by night, and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, ‘Alas, master! What shall we do?’ ¹⁶He replied, ‘Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.’ ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed: ‘O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.’ So the LORD opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸When the Arameansa came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, ‘Strike this people, please, with blindness.’ So he struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. ¹⁹Elisha said to them, ‘This is not the way, and this is not the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.’ And he led them to Samaria.

²⁰ As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, ‘O LORD, open the eyes of these men so that they may see.’ The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw that they were inside Samaria. ²¹When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, ‘Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?’ ²²He answered, ‘No! Did you capture with your sword and your bow those whom you want to kill? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink; and let them go to their master.’ ²³So he prepared for them a great feast; after they ate and drank, he sent them on their way, and they went to their master. And the Arameans no longer came raiding into the land of Israel.

Ben-hadad’s Siege of Samaria

²⁴ Some time later King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army; he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it. ²⁵As the siege continued, famine in Samaria became so great that a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. ²⁶Now as the king of Israel was walking on the city wall, a woman cried out to him, ‘Help, my lord king!’ ²⁷He said, ‘No! Let the LORD help you. How can I help you? From the threshing-floor or from the wine press?’ ²⁸But then the king asked her, ‘What is your complaint?’ She answered, ‘This woman said to me, “Give up your son; we will eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.” ²⁹So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, “Give up your son and we will eat him.” But she has hidden her son.’ ³⁰When the king heard the words of the woman he tore his clothes—now since he was walking on the city wall, the people could see that he had sackcloth on his body underneath—³¹and he said, ‘So may God do to me, and more, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat stays on his shoulders today.’ ³²So he dispatched a man from his presence.

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Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, ‘Are you aware that this murderer has sent someone to take off my head? When the messenger comes, see that you shut the door and hold it closed against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?’ ³³While he was still speaking with them, the kingb came down to him and said, ‘This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I hope in the LORD any longer?’ ¹But Elisha said, ‘Hear the word of the LORD: thus says the LORD, Tomorrow about this time a measure of choice meal shall be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ ²Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned said to the man of God, ‘Even if the LORD were to make windows in the sky, could such a thing happen?’ But he said, ‘You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat from it.’

The Arameans Flee

³ Now there were four leprousa men outside the city gate, who said to one another, ‘Why should we sit here until we die? ⁴If we say, “Let us enter the city”, the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; but if we sit here, we shall also die. Therefore, let us desert to the Aramean camp; if they spare our lives, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.’ ⁵So they arose at twilight to go to the Aramean camp; but when they came to the edge of the Aramean camp, there was no one there at all. ⁶For the Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, ‘The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to fight against us.’ ⁷So they fled away in the twilight and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving the camp just as it was, and fled for their lives. ⁸When these leprousa men had come to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent, ate and drank, carried off silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. Then they came back, entered another tent, carried off things from it, and went and hid them.

⁹ Then they said to one another, ‘What we are doing is wrong. This is a day of good news; if we are silent and wait until the morning light, we will be found guilty; therefore let us go and tell the king’s household.’ ¹⁰So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, ‘We went to the Aramean camp, but there was no one to be seen or heard there, nothing but the horses tied, the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were.’ ¹¹Then the gatekeepers called out and proclaimed it to the king’s household. ¹²The king got up in the night, and said to his servants, ‘I will tell you what the Arameans have prepared against us. They know that we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide themselves in the open country, thinking, “When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive and get into the city.”’ ¹³One of his servants said, ‘Let some men take five of the remaining horses, since those left here will suffer the fate of the whole multitude of Israel that have perished already;b let us send and find out.’ ¹⁴So they took two mounted men, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, ‘Go and find out.’ ¹⁵So they went after them as far as the Jordan; the whole way was littered with garments and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned, and told the king.

¹⁶ Then the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of choice meal was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD. ¹⁷Now the king had appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate; the people trampled him to death in the gate, just as the man of God had said when the king came down to him. ¹⁸For when the man of God had said to the king, ‘Two measures of barley shall be sold for a shekel, and a measure of choice meal for a shekel, about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria’, ¹⁹the captain had answered the man of God, ‘Even if the LORD were to make windows in the sky, could such a thing happen?’ And he had answered, ‘You shall see it with your own eyes, but you shall not eat from it.’ ²⁰It did indeed happen to him; the people trampled him to death in the gate.

The Shunammite Woman’s Land Restored

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NOW Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, ‘Get up and go with your household, and settle wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will come on the land for seven years.’ ²So the woman got up and did according to the word of the man of God; she went with her household and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years. ³At the end of the seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she set out to appeal to the king for her house and her land. ⁴Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, ‘Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.’ ⁵While he was telling the king how Elisha had restored a dead person to life, the woman whose son he had restored to life appealed to the king for her house and her land. Gehazi said, ‘My lord king, here is the woman, and here is her son whom Elisha restored to life.’ ⁶When the king questioned the woman, she told him. So the king appointed an official for her, saying, ‘Restore all that was hers, together with all the revenue of the fields from the day that she left the land until now.’

Death of Ben-hadad

⁷ Elisha went to Damascus while King Ben-hadad of Aram was ill. When it was told him, ‘The man of God has come here’, ⁸the king said to Hazael, ‘Take a present with you and go to meet the man of God. Inquire of the LORD through him, whether I shall recover from this illness.’ ⁹So Hazael went to meet him, taking a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camel loads. When he entered and stood before him, he said, ‘Your son King Ben-hadad of Aram has sent me to you, saying, “Shall I recover from this illness?”’ ¹⁰Elisha said to him, ‘Go, say to him, “You shall certainly recover” but the LORD has shown me that he shall certainly die.’ ¹¹He fixed his gaze and stared at him, until he was ashamed. Then the man of God wept. ¹²Hazael asked, ‘Why does my lord weep?’ He answered, ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the people of Israel; you will set their fortresses on fire, you will kill their young men with the sword, dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their pregnant women.’ ¹³Hazael said, ‘What is your servant, who is a mere dog, that he should do this great thing?’ Elisha answered, ‘The LORD has shown me that you are to be king over Aram.’ ¹⁴Then he left Elisha, and went to his master Ben-hadad,a who said to him, ‘What did Elisha say to you?’ And he answered, ‘He told me that you would certainly recover.’ ¹⁵But the next day he took the bed-cover and dipped it in water and spread it over the king’s face, until he died. And Hazael succeeded him.

Jehoram Reigns over Judah

¹⁶ In the fifth year of King Joram son of Ahab of Israel,b Jehoram son of King Jehoshaphat of Judah began to reign. ¹⁷He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹⁹Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David, since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants for ever.

²⁰ In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah, and set up a king of their own. ²¹Then Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. He set out by night and attacked the Edomites and their chariot commanders who had surrounded him;a but his army fled home. ²²So Edom has been in revolt against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah also revolted at the same time. ²³Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²⁴So Joram slept with his ancestors, and was buried with them in the city of David; his son Ahaziah succeeded him.

Ahaziah Reigns over Judah

²⁵ In the twelfth year of King Joram son of Ahab of Israel, Ahaziah son of King Jehoram of Judah began to reign. ²⁶Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of King Omri of Israel. ²⁷He also walked in the way of the house of Ahab, doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was son-in-law to the house of Ahab.

²⁸ He went with Joram son of Ahab to wage war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, where the Arameans wounded Joram. ²⁹King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was wounded.

Anointing of Jehu

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THEN the prophet Elisha called a member of the company of prophetsb and said to him, ‘Gird up your loins; take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. ²When you arrive, look there for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi; go in and get him to leave his companions, and take him into an inner chamber. ³Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, “Thus says the LORD: I anoint you king over Israel.” Then open the door and flee; do not linger.’

⁴ So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. ⁵He arrived while the commanders of the army were in council, and he announced, ‘I have a message for you, commander.’ ‘For which one of us?’ asked Jehu. ‘For you, commander.’ ⁶So Jehuc got up and went inside; the young man poured the oil on his head, saying to him, ‘Thus says the LORD the God of Israel: I anoint you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel. ⁷You shall strike down the house of your master Ahab, so that I may avenge on Jezebel the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD. ⁸For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; I will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel. ⁹I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah. ¹⁰The dogs shall eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel, and no one shall bury her.’ Then he opened the door and fled.

¹¹ When Jehu came back to his master’s officers, they said to him, ‘Is everything all right? Why did that madman come to you?’ He answered them, ‘You know the sort and how they babble.’ ¹²They said, ‘Liar! Come on, tell us!’ So he said, ‘This is just what he said to me: “Thus says the LORD, I anoint you king over Israel.”’ ¹³Then hurriedly they all took their cloaks and spread them for him on the barea steps; and they blew the trumpet, and proclaimed, ‘Jehu is king.’

Joram of Israel Killed

¹⁴ Thus Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. Joram with all Israel had been on guard at Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael of Aram; ¹⁵but King Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him, when he fought against King Hazael of Aram. So Jehu said, ‘If this is your wish, then let no one slip out of the city to go and tell the news in Jezreel.’ ¹⁶Then Jehu mounted his chariot and went to Jezreel, where Joram was lying ill. King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit Joram.

¹⁷ In Jezreel, the sentinel standing on the tower spied the company of Jehu arriving, and said, ‘I see a company.’ Joram said, ‘Take a horseman; send him to meet them, and let him say, “Is it peace?”’ ¹⁸So the horseman went to meet him; he said, ‘Thus says the king, “Is it peace?”’ Jehu responded, ‘What have you to do with peace? Fall in behind me.’ The sentinel reported, saying, ‘The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.’ ¹⁹Then he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, ‘Thus says the king, “Is it peace?”’ Jehu answered, ‘What have you to do with peace? Fall in behind me.’ ²⁰Again the sentinel reported, ‘He reached them, but he is not coming back. It looks like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi; for he drives like a maniac.’

²¹ Joram said, ‘Get ready.’ And they got his chariot ready. Then King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah set out, each in his chariot, and went to meet Jehu; they met him at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite. ²²When Joram saw Jehu, he said, ‘Is it peace, Jehu?’ He answered, ‘What peace can there be, so long as the many whoredoms and sorceries of your mother Jezebel continue?’ ²³Then Joram reined about and fled, saying to Ahaziah, ‘Treason, Ahaziah!’ ²⁴Jehu drew his bow with all his strength, and shot Joram between the shoulders, so that the arrow pierced his heart; and he sank in his chariot. ²⁵Jehu said to his aide Bidkar, ‘Lift him out, and throw him on the plot of ground belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I rode side by side behind his father Ahab, how the LORD uttered this oracle against him: ²⁶“For the blood of Naboth and for the blood of his children that I saw yesterday, says the LORD, I swear I will repay you on this very plot of ground.” Now therefore lift him out and throw him on the plot of ground, in accordance with the word of the LORD.’

Ahaziah of Judah Killed

²⁷ When King Ahaziah of Judah saw this, he fled in the direction of Beth-haggan. Jehu pursued him, saying, ‘Shoot him also!’ And they shot hima in the chariot at the ascent to Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to Megiddo, and died there. ²⁸His officers carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the city of David.

²⁹ In the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, Ahaziah began to reign over Judah.

Jezebel’s Violent Death

³⁰ When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; she painted her eyes, and adorned her head, and looked out of the window. ³¹As Jehu entered the gate, she said, ‘Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?’ ³²He looked up to the window and said, ‘Who is on my side? Who?’ Two or three eunuchs looked out at him. ³³He said, ‘Throw her down.’ So they threw her down; some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses, which trampled on her. ³⁴Then he went in and ate and drank; he said, ‘See to that cursed woman and bury her; for she is a king’s daughter.’ ³⁵But when they went to bury her, they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. ³⁶When they came back and told him, he said, ‘This is the word of the LORD, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, “In the territory of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; ³⁷the corpse of Jezebel shall be like dung on the field in the territory of Jezreel, so that no one can say, This is Jezebel.”’

Massacre of Ahab’s Descendants

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NOW Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel,b to the elders, and to the guardians of the sons ofc Ahab, saying, ²‘Since your master’s sons are with you and you have at your disposal chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons, ³select the son of your master who is the best qualified, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.’ ⁴But they were utterly terrified and said, ‘Look, two kings could not withstand him; how then can we stand?’ ⁵So the steward of the palace, and the governor of the city, along with the elders and the guardians, sent word to Jehu: ‘We are your servants; we will do anything you say. We will not make anyone king; do whatever you think right.’ ⁶Then he wrote them a second letter, saying, ‘If you are on my side, and if you are ready to obey me, take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow at this time.’ Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the leaders of the city, who were charged with their upbringing. ⁷When the letter reached them, they took the king’s sons and killed them, seventy persons; they put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. ⁸When the messenger came and told him, ‘They have brought the heads of the king’s sons’, he said, ‘Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning.’ ⁹Then in the morning when he went out, he stood and said to all the people, ‘You are innocent. It was I who conspired against my master and killed him; but who struck down all these? ¹⁰Know then that there shall fall to the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what he said through his servant Elijah.’ ¹¹So Jehu killed all who were left of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, all his leaders, close friends, and priests, until he left him no survivor.

¹² Then he set out and went to Samaria. On the way, when he was at Beth-eked of the Shepherds, ¹³Jehu met relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah and said, ‘Who are you?’ They answered, ‘We are kin of Ahaziah; we have come down to visit the royal princes and the sons of the queen mother.’ ¹⁴He said, ‘Take them alive.’ They took them alive, and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two in all; he spared none of them.

¹⁵ When he left there, he met Jehonadab son of Rechab coming to meet him; he greeted him, and said to him, ‘Is your heart as true to mine as mine is to yours?’a Jehonadab answered, ‘It is.’ Jehu said,b ‘If it is, give me your hand.’ So he gave him his hand. Jehu took him up with him into the chariot. ¹⁶He said, ‘Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD.’ So hec had him ride in his chariot. ¹⁷When he came to Samaria, he killed all who were left to Ahab in Samaria, until he had wiped them out, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke to Elijah.

Slaughter of Worshippers of Baal

¹⁸ Then Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, ‘Ahab offered Baal small service; but Jehu will offer much more. ¹⁹Now therefore summon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his worshippers, and all his priests; let none be missing, for I have a great sacrifice to offer to Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.’ But Jehu was acting with cunning in order to destroy the worshippers of Baal. ²⁰Jehu decreed, ‘Sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.’ So they proclaimed it. ²¹Jehu sent word throughout all Israel; all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was no one left who did not come. They entered the temple of Baal, until the temple of Baal was filled from wall to wall. ²²He said to the keeper of the wardrobe, ‘Bring out the vestments for all the worshippers of Baal.’ So he brought out the vestments for them. ²³Then Jehu entered the temple of Baal with Jehonadab son of Rechab; he said to the worshippers of Baal, ‘Search and see that there is no worshipper of the LORD here among you, but only worshippers of Baal.’ ²⁴Then they proceeded to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings.

Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside, saying, ‘Whoever allows any of those to escape whom I deliver into your hands shall forfeit his life.’ ²⁵As soon as he had finished presenting the burnt-offering, Jehu said to the guards and to the officers, ‘Come in and kill them; let no one escape.’ So they put them to the sword. The guards and the officers threw them out, and then went into the citadel of the temple of Baal. ²⁶They brought out the pillard that was in the temple of Baal, and burned it. ²⁷Then they demolished the pillar of Baal, and destroyed the temple of Baal, and made it a latrine to this day.

²⁸ Thus Jehu wiped out Baal from Israel. ²⁹But Jehu did not turn aside from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit—the golden calves that were in Bethel and in Dan. ³⁰The LORD said to Jehu, ‘Because you have done well in carrying out what I consider right, and in accordance with all that was in my heart have dealt with the house of Ahab, your sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.’ ³¹But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the LORD the God of Israel with all his heart; he did not turn from the sins of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit.

Death of Jehu

³² In those days the LORD began to trim off parts of Israel. Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel: ³³from the Jordan eastwards, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the Wadi Arnon, that is, Gilead and Bashan. ³⁴Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all that he did, and all his power, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ³⁵So Jehu slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz succeeded him. ³⁶The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Athaliah Reigns over Judah

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NOW when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family. ²But Jehosheba, King Joram’s daughter, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she puta him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus sheb hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not killed; ³he remained with her for six years, hidden in the house of the LORD, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Jehoiada Anoints the Child Joash

⁴ But in the seventh year Jehoiada summoned the captains of the Carites and of the guards and had them come to him in the house of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath in the house of the LORD; then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵He commanded them, ‘This is what you are to do: one-third of you, those who go off duty on the sabbath and guard the king’s house ⁶(another third being at the gate Sur and a third at the gate behind the guards), shall guard the palace; ⁷and your two divisions that come on duty in force on the sabbath and guard the house of the LORDc ⁸shall surround the king, each with weapons in hand; and whoever approaches the ranks is to be killed. Be with the king in his comings and goings.’

⁹ The captains did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men who were to go off duty on the sabbath, with those who were to come on duty on the sabbath, and came to the priest Jehoiada. ¹⁰The priest delivered to the captains the spears and shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the LORD; ¹¹the guards stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house, to guard the king on every side. ¹²Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant;a they proclaimed him king, and anointed him; they clapped their hands and shouted, ‘Long live the king!’

Death of Athaliah

¹³ When Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she went into the house of the LORD to the people; ¹⁴when she looked, there was the king standing by the pillar, according to custom, with the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, ‘Treason! Treason!’ ¹⁵Then the priest Jehoiada commanded the captains who were set over the army, ‘Bring her out between the ranks, and kill with the sword anyone who follows her.’ For the priest said, ‘Let her not be killed in the house of the LORD.’ ¹⁶So they laid hands on her; she went through the horses’ entrance to the king’s house, and there she was put to death.

¹⁷ Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people, that they should be the LORD’s people; also between the king and the people. ¹⁸Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, before the altars. The priest posted guards over the house of the LORD. ¹⁹He took the captains, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land; then they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, marching through the gate of the guards to the king’s house. He took his seat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword at the king’s house.

²¹b Jehoashc was seven years old when he began to reign.

The Temple Repaired

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IN THE seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash began to reign; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. ²Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all his days, because the priest Jehoiada instructed him. ³Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people continued to sacrifice and make offerings on the high places.

⁴ Jehoash said to the priests, ‘All the money offered as sacred donations that is brought into the house of the LORD, the money for which each person is assessed—the money from the assessment of persons—and the money from the voluntary offerings brought into the house of the LORD, ⁵let the priests receive from each of the donors; and let them repair the house wherever any need of repairs is discovered.’ ⁶But by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash the priests had made no repairs to the house. ⁷Therefore King Jehoash summoned the priest Jehoiada with the other priests and said to them, ‘Why are you not repairing the house? Now therefore do not accept any more money from your donors but hand it over for the repair of the house.’ ⁸So the priests agreed that they would neither accept more money from the people nor repair the house.

⁹ Then the priest Jehoiada took a chest, made a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar on the right side as one entered the house of the LORD; the priests who guarded the threshold put in it all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD. ¹⁰Whenever they saw that there was a great deal of money in the chest, the king’s secretary and the high priest went up, counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD, and tied it up in bags. ¹¹They would give the money that was weighed out into the hands of the workers who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; then they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of the LORD, ¹²to the masons and the stonecutters, as well as to buy timber and quarried stone for making repairs on the house of the LORD, as well as for any outlay for repairs of the house. ¹³But for the house of the LORD no basins of silver, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, or any vessels of gold, or of silver, were made from the money that was brought into the house of the LORD, ¹⁴for that was given to the workers who were repairing the house of the LORD with it. ¹⁵They did not ask for an account from those into whose hand they delivered the money to pay out to the workers, for they dealt honestly. ¹⁶The money from the guilt-offerings and the money from the sin-offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.

Hazael Threatens Jerusalem

¹⁷ At that time King Hazael of Aram went up, fought against Gath, and took it. But when Hazael set his face to go up against Jerusalem, ¹⁸King Jehoash of Judah took all the votive gifts that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his ancestors, the kings of Judah, had dedicated, as well as his own votive gifts, all the gold that was found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent these to King Hazael of Aram. Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

Death of Joash

¹⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²⁰His servants arose, made a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of Millo, on the way that goes down to Silla. ²¹It was Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer, his servants, who struck him down, so that he died. He was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; then his son Amaziah succeeded him.

Jehoahaz Reigns over Israel

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IN THE twenty-third year of King Joash son of Ahaziah of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for seventeen years. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin; he did not depart from them. ³The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, so that he gave them repeatedly into the hand of King Hazael of Aram, then into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael. ⁴But Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, and the LORD heeded him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. ⁵Therefore the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they escaped from the hand of the Arameans; and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly. ⁶Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to sin, but walkeda in them; the sacred poleb also remained in Samaria. ⁷So Jehoahaz was left with an army of not more than fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot-soldiers; for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. ⁸Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, including his might, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ⁹So Jehoahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria; then his son Joash succeeded him.

Jehoash Reigns over Israel

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of King Joash of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for sixteen years. ¹¹He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin, but he walked in them. ¹²Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, as well as the might with which he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ¹³So Joash slept with his ancestors, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne; Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Death of Elisha

¹⁴ Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, King Joash of Israel went down to him, and wept before him, crying, ‘My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!’ ¹⁵Elisha said to him, ‘Take a bow and arrows’ so he took a bow and arrows. ¹⁶Then he said to the king of Israel, ‘Draw the bow’ and he drew it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷Then he said, ‘Open the window to the east’ and he opened it. Elisha said, ‘Shoot’ and he shot. Then he said, ‘The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! For you shall fight the Arameans in Aphek until you have made an end of them.’ ¹⁸He continued, ‘Take the arrows’ and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, ‘Strike the ground with them’ he struck three times, and stopped. ¹⁹Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, ‘You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.’

²⁰ So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. ²¹As a man was being buried, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha; as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life and stood on his feet.

Israel Recaptures Cities from Aram

²² Now King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them; he turned towards them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them; nor has he banished them from his presence until now.

²⁴ When King Hazael of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad succeeded him. ²⁵Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel.

Amaziah Reigns over Judah

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IN THE second year of King Joash son of Joahaz of Israel, King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, began to reign. ²He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. ³He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like his ancestor David; in all things he did as his father Joash had done. ⁴But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. ⁵As soon as the royal power was firmly in his hand he killed his servants who had murdered his father the king. ⁶But he did not put to death the children of the murderers; according to what is written in the book of the law of Moses, where the LORD commanded, ‘The parents shall not be put to death for the children, or the children be put to death for the parents; but all shall be put to death for their own sins.’

⁷ He killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm; he called it Jokthe-el, which is its name to this day.

⁸ Then Amaziah sent messengers to King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, of Israel, saying, ‘Come, let us look one another in the face.’ ⁹King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, ‘A thornbush on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, “Give your daughter to my son for a wife” but a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush. ¹⁰You have indeed defeated Edom, and your heart has lifted you up. Be content with your glory, and stay at home; for why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?’

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen. So King Jehoash of Israel went up; he and King Amaziah of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. ¹²Judah was defeated by Israel; everyone fled home. ¹³King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah son of Jehoash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh; he came to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. ¹⁴He seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, as well as hostages; then he returned to Samaria.

¹⁵ Now the rest of the acts that Jehoash did, his might, and how he fought with King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ¹⁶Jehoash slept with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; then his son Jeroboam succeeded him.

¹⁷ King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. ¹⁸Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ¹⁹They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. ²⁰They brought him on horses; he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David. ²¹All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king to succeed his father Amaziah. ²²He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah, after King Amaziaha slept with his ancestors.

Jeroboam, Son of Joash, Reigns over Israel

²³ In the fifteenth year of King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel began to reign in Samaria; he reigned for forty-one years. ²⁴He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. ²⁵He restored the border of Israel from Lebo-hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD, the God of Israel, which he spoke by his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet, who was from Gath-hepher. ²⁶For the LORD saw that the distress of Israel was very bitter; there was no one left, bond or free, and no one to help Israel. ²⁷But the LORD had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Joash.

²⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus and Hamath, which had belonged to Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ²⁹Jeroboam slept with his ancestors, the kings of Israel; his son Zechariah succeeded him.

Azariah Reigns over Judah

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IN THE twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam of Israel King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah began to reign. ²He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. ³He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴Nevertheless, the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. ⁵The LORD struck the king, so that he was leprousa to the day of his death, and lived in a separate house. Jotham the king’s son was in charge of the palace, governing the people of the land. ⁶Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ⁷Azariah slept with his ancestors; they buried him with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jotham succeeded him.

Zechariah Reigns over Israel

⁸ In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah of Judah, Zechariah son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria for six months. ⁹He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his ancestors had done. He did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. ¹⁰Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him, and struck him down in public and killed him, and reigned in place of him. ¹¹Now the rest of the deeds of Zechariah are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. ¹²This was the promise of the LORD that he gave to Jehu: ‘Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.’ And so it happened.

Shallum Reigns over Israel

¹³ Shallum son of Jabesh began to reign in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah of Judah; he reigned for one month in Samaria. ¹⁴Then Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah and came to Samaria; he struck down Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; he reigned in place of him. ¹⁵Now the rest of the deeds of Shallum, including the conspiracy that he made, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁶At that time Menahem sacked Tiphsah, all who were in it and its territory from Tirzah on; because they did not open it to him, he sacked it. He ripped open all the pregnant women in it.

Menahem Reigns over Israel

¹⁷ In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah of Judah, Menahem son of Gadi began to reign over Israel; he reigned for ten years in Samaria. ¹⁸He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. ¹⁹King Pul of Assyria came against the land; Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, so that he might help him confirm his hold on the royal power. ²⁰Menahem exacted the money from Israel, that is, from all the wealthy, fifty shekels of silver from each one, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and did not stay there in the land. ²¹Now the rest of the deeds of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel? ²²Menahem slept with his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah succeeded him.

Pekahiah Reigns over Israel

²³ In the fiftieth year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekahiah son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for two years. ²⁴He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin. ²⁵Pekah son of Remaliah, his captain, conspired against him with fifty of the Gileadites, and attacked him in Samaria, in the citadel of the palace along with Argob and Arieh; he killed him, and reigned in place of him. ²⁶Now the rest of the deeds of Pekahiah, and all that he did, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Pekah Reigns over Israel

²⁷ In the fifty-second year of King Azariah of Judah, Pekah son of Remaliah began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned for twenty years. ²⁸He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to sin.

²⁹ In the days of King Pekah of Israel, King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria came and captured Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he carried the people captive to Assyria. ³⁰Then Hoshea son of Elah made a conspiracy against Pekah son of Remaliah, attacked him, and killed him; he reigned in place of him, in the twentieth year of Jotham son of Uzziah. ³¹Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, are written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel.

Jotham Reigns over Judah

³² In the second year of King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel, King Jotham son of Uzziah of Judah began to reign. ³³He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign and he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerusha daughter of Zadok. ³⁴He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, just as his father Uzziah had done. ³⁵Nevertheless, the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places. He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD. ³⁶Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ³⁷In those days the LORD began to send King Rezin of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah. ³⁸Jotham slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, his ancestor; his son Ahaz succeeded him.

Ahaz Reigns over Judah

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IN THE seventeenth year of Pekah son of Remaliah, King Ahaz son of Jotham of Judah began to reign. ²Ahaz was twenty years old when he began to reign; he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his ancestor David had done, ³but he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through fire, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. ⁴He sacrificed and made offerings on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

⁵ Then King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel came up to wage war on Jerusalem; they besieged Ahaz but could not conquer him. ⁶At that time the king of Edoma recovered Elath for Edom, b and drove the Judeans from Elath; and the Edomites came to Elath, where they live to this day.⁷ Ahaz sent messengers to King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, saying, ‘I am your servant and your son. Come up, and rescue me from the hand of the king of Aram and from the hand of the king of Israel, who are attacking me.’⁸ Ahaz also took the silver and gold found in the house of the LORD and in the treasures of the king’s house, and sent a present to the king of Assyria.⁹ The king of Assyria listened to him; the king of Assyria marched up against Damascus, and took it, carrying its people captive to Kir; then he killed Rezin.

¹⁰ When King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet King Tiglath-pileser of Assyria, he saw the altar that was at Damascus. King Ahaz sent to the priest Uriah a model of the altar, and its pattern, exact in all its details. ¹¹The priest Uriah built the altar; in accordance with all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus, just so did the priest Uriah build it, before King Ahaz arrived from Damascus. ¹²When the king came from Damascus, the king viewed the altar. Then the king drew near to the altar, went up on it, ¹³and offered his burnt-offering and his grain-offering, poured his drink-offering, and dashed the blood of his offerings of well-being against the altar. ¹⁴The bronze altar that was before the LORD he removed from the front of the house, from the place between his altar and the house of the LORD, and put it on the north side of his altar. ¹⁵King Ahaz commanded the priest Uriah, saying, ‘Upon the great altar offer the morning burnt-offering, and the evening grain-offering, and the king’s burnt-offering, and his grain-offering, with the burnt-offering of all the people of the land, their grain-offering, and their drink-offering; then dash against it all the blood of the burnt-offering, and all the blood of the sacrifice; but the bronze altar shall be for me to inquire by.’ ¹⁶The priest Uriah did everything that King Ahaz commanded.

¹⁷ Then King Ahaz cut off the frames of the stands, and removed the laver from them; he removed the sea from the bronze oxen that were under it, and put it on a pediment of stone. ¹⁸The covered portal for use on the sabbath that had been built inside the palace, and the outer entrance for the king, he removed froma the house of the LORD. He did this because of the king of Assyria. ¹⁹Now the rest of the acts of Ahaz that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²⁰Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Hezekiah succeeded him.

Hoshea Reigns over Israel

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IN THE twelfth year of King Ahaz of Judah, Hoshea son of Elah began to reign in Samaria over Israel; he reigned for nine years. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, yet not like the kings of Israel who were before him. ³King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against him; Hoshea became his vassal, and paid him tribute. ⁴But the king of Assyria found treachery in Hoshea; for he had sent messengers to King So of Egypt, and offered no tribute to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year; therefore the king of Assyria confined him and imprisoned him.

Israel Carried Captive to Assyria

⁵ Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria; for three years he besieged it. ⁶In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria; he carried the Israelites away to Assyria. He placed them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

⁷ This occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They had worshipped other gods ⁸and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had introduced.b ⁹ The people of Israel secretly did things that were not right against the LORD their God. They built for themselves high places at all their towns, from watch-tower to fortified city;¹⁰ they set up for themselves pillars and sacred polesc on every high hill and under every green tree;¹¹ there they made offerings on all the high places, as the nations did whom the LORD carried away before them. They did wicked things, provoking the LORD to anger;¹² they served idols, of which the LORD had said to them, ‘You shall not do this.’¹³ Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, ‘Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the law that I commanded your ancestors and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets.’ ¹⁴They would not listen but were stubborn, as their ancestors had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God.¹⁵ They despised his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their ancestors, and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false; they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do as they did. ¹⁶They rejected all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves cast images of two calves; they made a sacred pole,a worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. ¹⁷They made their sons and their daughters pass through fire; they used divination and augury; and they sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. ¹⁸Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight; none was left but the tribe of Judah alone.

¹⁹ Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced. ²⁰The LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel; he punished them and gave them into the hand of plunderers, until he had banished them from his presence.

²¹ When he had torn Israel from the house of David, they made Jeroboam son of Nebat king. Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD and made them commit great sin. ²²The people of Israel continued in all the sins that Jeroboam committed; they did not depart from them ²³until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had foretold through all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day.

Assyria Resettles Samaria

²⁴ The king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria in place of the people of Israel; they took possession of Samaria, and settled in its cities. ²⁵When they first settled there, they did not worship the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which killed some of them. ²⁶So the king of Assyria was told, ‘The nations that you have carried away and placed in the cities of Samaria do not know the law of the god of the land; therefore he has sent lions among them; they are killing them, because they do not know the law of the god of the land.’ ²⁷Then the king of Assyria commanded, ‘Send there one of the priests whom you carried away from there; let himb go and live there, and teach them the law of the god of the land.’ ²⁸So one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and lived in Bethel; he taught them how they should worship the LORD.

²⁹ But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the shrines of the high places that the people of Samaria had made, every nation in the cities in which they lived; ³⁰the people of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the people of Cuth made Nergal, the people of Hamath made Ashima; ³¹the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. ³²They also worshipped the LORD and appointed from among themselves all sorts of people as priests of the high places, who sacrificed for them in the shrines of the high places. ³³So they worshipped the LORD, but they also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away. ³⁴To this day they continue to practise their former customs.

They do not worship the LORD and they do not follow the statutes or the ordinances or the law or the commandment that the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel. ³⁵The LORD had made a covenant with them and commanded them, ‘You shall not worship other gods or bow yourselves to them or serve them or sacrifice to them, ³⁶but you shall worship the LORD, who brought you out of the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm; you shall bow yourselves to him, and to him you shall sacrifice. ³⁷The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment that he wrote for you, you shall always be careful to observe. You shall not worship other gods; ³⁸you shall not forget the covenant that I have made with you. You shall not worship other gods, ³⁹but you shall worship the LORD your God; he will deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies.’ ⁴⁰They would not listen, however, but they continued to practise their former custom.

⁴¹ So these nations worshipped the LORD, but also served their carved images; to this day their children and their children’s children continue to do as their ancestors did.

Hezekiah’s Reign over Judah

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IN THE third year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, Hezekiah son of King Ahaz of Judah began to reign. ²He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abi daughter of Zechariah. ³He did what was right in the sight of the LORD just as his ancestor David had done. ⁴He removed the high places, broke down the pillars, and cut down the sacred pole.a He broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the people of Israel had made offerings to it; it was called Nehushtan. ⁵He trusted in the LORD the God of Israel; so that there was no one like him among all the kings of Judah after him, or among those who were before him. ⁶For he held fast to the LORD; he did not depart from following him but kept the commandments that the LORD commanded Moses. ⁷The LORD was with him; wherever he went, he prospered. He rebelled against the king of Assyria and would not serve him. ⁸He attacked the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watch-tower to fortified city.

⁹ In the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of King Hoshea son of Elah of Israel, King Shalmaneser of Assyria came up against Samaria, besieged it, ¹⁰and at the end of three years took it. In the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of King Hoshea of Israel, Samaria was taken. ¹¹The king of Assyria carried the Israelites away to Assyria, settled them in Halah, on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, ¹²because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God but transgressed his covenant—all that Moses the servant of the LORD had commanded; they neither listened nor obeyed.

Sennacherib Invades Judah

¹³ In the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. ¹⁴King Hezekiah of Judah sent to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, ‘I have done wrong; withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will bear.’ The king of Assyria demanded of King Hezekiah of Judah three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. ¹⁵Hezekiah gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house. ¹⁶At that time Hezekiah stripped the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts that King Hezekiah of Judah had overlaid, and gave it to the king of Assyria. ¹⁷The king of Assyria sent the Tartan, the Rabsaris, and the Rabshakeh with a great army from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem. They went up and came to Jerusalem. When they arrived, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. ¹⁸When they called for the king, there came out to them Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebnah the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

¹⁹ The Rabshakeh said to them, ‘Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? ²⁰Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? ²¹See, you are relying now on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. ²²But if you say to me, “We rely on the LORD our God”, is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem”? ²³Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. ²⁴How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master’s servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ²⁵Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.’

²⁶ Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, and Shebnah, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, ‘Please speak to your servants in the Aramaic language, for we understand it; do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.’ ²⁷But the Rabshakeh said to them, ‘Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the people sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and to drink their own urine?’

²⁸ Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah, ‘Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! ²⁹Thus says the king: “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you out of my hand. ³⁰Do not let Hezekiah make you rely on the LORD by saying, The LORD will surely deliver us, and this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ³¹Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: “Make your peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from your own vine and your own fig tree, and drink water from your own cistern, ³²until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive oil and honey, that you may live and not die. Do not listen to Hezekiah when he misleads you by saying, The LORD will deliver us. ³³Has any of the gods of the nations ever delivered its land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? ³⁴Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? ³⁵Who among all the gods of the countries have delivered their countries out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem out of my hand?”’

³⁶ But the people were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, ‘Do not answer him.’ ³⁷Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

Hezekiah Consults Isaiah

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WHEN King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. ²And he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. ³They said to him, ‘Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. ⁴It may be that the LORD your God heard all the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’ ⁵When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, ⁶Isaiah said to them, ‘Say to your master, “Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. ⁷I myself will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumour and return to his own land; I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’

Sennacherib’s Threat

⁸ The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish. ⁹When the kinga heard concerning King Tirhakah of Ethiopia,b ‘See, he has set out to fight against you’, he sent messengers again to Hezekiah, saying, ¹⁰‘Thus shall you speak to King Hezekiah of Judah: Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. ¹¹See, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly. Shall you be delivered? ¹²Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my predecessors destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’

Hezekiah’s Prayer

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; then Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. ¹⁵And Hezekiah prayed before the LORD, and said: ‘O LORD the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. ¹⁶Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; hear the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. ¹⁷Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste the nations and their lands, ¹⁸and have hurled their gods into the fire, though they were no gods but the work of human hands—wood and stone—and so they were destroyed. ¹⁹So now, O LORD our God, save us, I pray you, from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O LORD, are God alone.’

²⁰ Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I have heard your prayer to me about King Sennacherib of Assyria. ²¹This is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him:

She despises you, she scorns you—

virgin daughter Zion;

she tosses her head—behind your back,

daughter Jerusalem.

²² ‘Whom have you mocked and reviled?

Against whom have you raised your voice

and haughtily lifted your eyes?

Against the Holy One of Israel!

²³ By your messengers you have mocked the LORD,

and you have said, “With my many chariots

I have gone up the heights of the mountains,

to the far recesses of Lebanon;

I felled its tallest cedars,

its choicest cypresses;

I entered its farthest retreat,

its densest forest.

²⁴ I dug wells

and drank foreign waters,

I dried up with the sole of my foot

all the streams of Egypt.”

²⁵ ‘Have you not heard

that I determined it long ago?

I planned from days of old

what now I bring to pass,

that you should make fortified cities

crash into heaps of ruins,

²⁶ while their inhabitants, shorn of strength,

are dismayed and confounded;

they have become like plants of the field

and like tender grass,

like grass on the housetops,

blighted before it is grown.

²⁷ ‘But I know your risinga and your sitting,

your going out and coming in,

and your raging against me.

²⁸ Because you have raged against me

and your arrogance has come to my ears,

I will put my hook in your nose

and my bit in your mouth;

I will turn you back on the way

by which you came.

²⁹ ‘And this shall be the sign for you: This year you shall eat what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs from that; then in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. ³⁰The surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downwards, and bear fruit upwards; ³¹for from Jerusalem a remnant shall go out, and from Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

³² ‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city, shoot an arrow there, come before it with a shield, or cast up a siege-ramp against it. ³³By the way that he came, by the same he shall return; he shall not come into this city, says the LORD. ³⁴For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.’

Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death

³⁵ That very night the angel of the LORD set out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; when morning dawned, they were all dead bodies. ³⁶Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left, went home, and lived at Nineveh. ³⁷As he was worshipping in the house of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped into the land of Ararat. His son Esar-haddon succeeded him.

Hezekiah’s Illness

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IN THOSE days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’ ²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD: ³‘Remember now, O LORD, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ Hezekiah wept bitterly. ⁴Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him: ⁵‘Turn back, and say to Hezekiah prince of my people, Thus says the LORD, the God of your ancestor David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; indeed, I will heal you; on the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. ⁶I will add fifteen years to your life. I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria; I will defend this city for my own sake and for my servant David’s sake.’ ⁷Then Isaiah said, ‘Bring a lump of figs. Let them take it and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.’

⁸ Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘What shall be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD on the third day?’ ⁹Isaiah said, ‘This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that he has promised: the shadow has now advanced ten intervals; shall it retreat ten intervals?’ ¹⁰Hezekiah answered, ‘It is normal for the shadow to lengthen ten intervals; rather let the shadow retreat ten intervals.’ ¹¹The prophet Isaiah cried to the LORD; and he brought the shadow back the ten intervals, by which the suna had declined on the dial of Ahaz.

Envoys from Babylon

¹² At that time King Merodach-baladan son of Baladan of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he had heard that Hezekiah had been sick. ¹³Hezekiah welcomed them;a he showed them all his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his armoury, all that was found in his storehouses; there was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. ¹⁴Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah, and said to him, ‘What did these men say? From where did they come to you?’ Hezekiah answered, ‘They have come from a far country, from Babylon.’ ¹⁵He said, ‘What have they seen in your house?’ Hezekiah answered, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.’

¹⁶ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD: ¹⁷Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the LORD. ¹⁸Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁹Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘Why not, if there will be peace and security in my days?’

Death of Hezekiah

²⁰ The rest of the deeds of Hezekiah, all his power, how he made the pool and the conduit and brought water into the city, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²¹Hezekiah slept with his ancestors; and his son Manasseh succeeded him.

Manasseh Reigns over Judah

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MANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, following the abominable practices of the nations that the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. ³For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he erected altars for Baal, made a sacred pole,b as King Ahab of Israel had done, worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them. ⁴He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem I will put my name.’ ⁵He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD. ⁶He made his son pass through fire; he practised soothsaying and augury, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger. ⁷The carved image of Asherah that he had made he set in the house of which the LORD said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name for ever; ⁸I will not cause the feet of Israel to wander any more out of the land that I gave to their ancestors, if only they will be careful to do according to all that I have commanded them, and according to all the law that my servant Moses commanded them.’ ⁹But they did not listen; Manasseh misled them to do more evil than the nations had done that the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel.

¹⁰ The LORD said by his servants the prophets, ¹¹‘Because King Manasseh of Judah has committed these abominations, has done things more wicked than all that the Amorites did, who were before him, and has caused Judah also to sin with his idols; ¹²therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such evil that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. ¹³I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line for Samaria, and the plummet for the house of Ahab; I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. ¹⁴I will cast off the remnant of my heritage, and give them into the hand of their enemies; they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, ¹⁵because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their ancestors came out of Egypt, even to this day.’

¹⁶ Moreover, Manasseh shed very much innocent blood, until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another, besides the sin that he caused Judah to sin so that they did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.

¹⁷ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, all that he did, and the sin that he committed, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ¹⁸Manasseh slept with his ancestors, and was buried in the garden of his house, in the garden of Uzza. His son Amon succeeded him.

Amon Reigns over Judah

¹⁹ Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Meshullemeth daughter of Haruz of Jotbah. ²⁰He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. ²¹He walked in all the way in which his father walked, served the idols that his father served, and worshipped them; ²²he abandoned the LORD, the God of his ancestors, and did not walk in the way of the LORD. ²³The servants of Amon conspired against him, and killed the king in his house. ²⁴But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon, and the people of the land made his son Josiah king in place of him. ²⁵Now the rest of the acts of Amon that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²⁶He was buried in his tomb in the garden of Uzza; then his son Josiah succeeded him.

Josiah Reigns over Judah

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JOSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jedidah daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. ²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the way of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Hilkiah Finds the Book of the Law

³ In the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, son of Meshullam, the secretary, to the house of the LORD, saying, ⁴‘Go up to the high priest Hilkiah, and have him count the entire sum of the money that has been brought into the house of the LORD, which the keepers of the threshold have collected from the people; ⁵let it be given into the hand of the workers who have the oversight of the house of the LORD; let them give it to the workers who are at the house of the LORD, repairing the house, ⁶that is, to the carpenters, to the builders, to the masons; and let them use it to buy timber and quarried stone to repair the house. ⁷But no account shall be asked from them for the money that is delivered into their hand, for they deal honestly.’

⁸ The high priest Hilkiah said to Shaphan the secretary, ‘I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.’ When Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, he read it. ⁹Then Shaphan the secretary came to the king, and reported to the king, ‘Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workers who have oversight of the house of the LORD.’ ¹⁰Shaphan the secretary informed the king, ‘The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.’ Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.

¹¹ When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. ¹²Then the king commanded the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Achbor son of Micaiah, Shaphan the secretary, and the king’s servant Asaiah, saying, ¹³‘Go, inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book that has been found; for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our ancestors did not obey the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.’

¹⁴ So the priest Hilkiah, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to the prophetess Huldah the wife of Shallum son of Tikvah, son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe; she resided in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter, where they consulted her. ¹⁵She declared to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me, ¹⁶Thus says the LORD, I will indeed bring disaster on this place and on its inhabitants—all the words of the book that the king of Judah has read. ¹⁷Because they have abandoned me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they have provoked me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore my wrath will be kindled against this place, and it will not be quenched. ¹⁸But as to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, ¹⁹because your heart was penitent, and you humbled yourself before the LORD, when you heard how I spoke against this place, and against its inhabitants, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and because you have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the LORD. ²⁰Therefore, I will gather you to your ancestors, and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring on this place.’ They took the message back to the king.

Josiah’s Reformation

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THEN the king directed that all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem should be gathered to him. ²The king went up to the house of the LORD, and with him went all the people of Judah, all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests, the prophets, and all the people, both small and great; he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. ³The king stood by the pillar and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, keeping his commandments, his decrees, and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. All the people joined in the covenant.

⁴ The king commanded the high priest Hilkiah, the priests of the second order, and the guardians of the threshold, to bring out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels made for Baal, for Asherah, and for all the host of heaven; he burned them outside Jerusalem in the fields of the Kidron, and carried their ashes to Bethel. ⁵He deposed the idolatrous priests whom the kings of Judah had ordained to make offerings in the high places at the cities of Judah and around Jerusalem; those also who made offerings to Baal, to the sun, the moon, the constellations, and all the host of the heavens. ⁶He brought out the image ofa Asherah from the house of the LORD, outside Jerusalem, to the Wadi Kidron, burned it at the Wadi Kidron, beat it to dust and threw the dust of it upon the graves of the common people. ⁷He broke down the houses of the male temple prostitutes that were in the house of the LORD, where the women did weaving for Asherah. ⁸He brought all the priests out of the towns of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had made offerings, from Geba to Beer-sheba; he broke down the high places of the gates that were at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, which were on the left at the gate of the city. ⁹The priests of the high places, however, did not come up to the altar of the LORD in Jerusalem, but ate unleavened bread among their kindred. ¹⁰He defiled Topheth, which is in the valley of Ben-hinnom, so that no one would make a son or a daughter pass through fire as an offering to Molech. ¹¹He removed the horses that the kings of Judah had dedicated to the sun, at the entrance to the house of the LORD, by the chamber of the eunuch Nathan-melech, which was in the precincts;b then he burned the chariots of the sun with fire. ¹²The altars on the roof of the upper chamber of Ahaz, which the kings of Judah had made, and the altars that Manasseh had made in the two courts of the house of the LORD, he pulled down from there and broke in pieces, and threw the rubble into the Wadi Kidron. ¹³The king defiled the high places that were east of Jerusalem, to the south of the Mount of Destruction, which King Solomon of Israel had built for Astarte the abomination of the Sidonians, for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. ¹⁴He broke the pillars in pieces, cut down the sacred poles,c and covered the sites with human bones.

¹⁵ Moreover, the altar at Bethel, the high place erected by Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin—he pulled down that altar along with the high place. He burned the high place, crushing it to dust; he also burned the sacred pole.d ¹⁶As Josiah turned, he saw the tombs there on the mount; and he sent and took the bones out of the tombs, and burned them on the altar, and defiled it, according to the word of the LORD that the man of God proclaimed,e when Jeroboam stood by the altar at the festival; he turned and looked up at the tomb of the man of God who had predicted these things.¹⁷ Then he said, ‘What is that monument that I see?’ The people of the city told him, ‘It is the tomb of the man of God who came from Judah and predicted these things that you have done against the altar at Bethel.’ ¹⁸He said, ‘Let him rest; let no one move his bones.’ So they let his bones alone, with the bones of the prophet who came out of Samaria. ¹⁹Moreover, Josiah removed all the shrines of the high places that were in the towns of Samaria, which kings of Israel had made, provoking the LORD to anger; he did to them just as he had done at Bethel. ²⁰He slaughtered on the altars all the priests of the high places who were there, and burned human bones on them. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

The Passover Celebrated

²¹ The king commanded all the people, ‘Keep the passover to the LORD your God as prescribed in this book of the covenant.’ ²²No such passover had been kept since the days of the judges who judged Israel, even during all the days of the kings of Israel and of the kings of Judah; ²³but in the eighteenth year of King Josiah this passover was kept to the LORD in Jerusalem.

²⁴ Moreover, Josiah did away with the mediums, wizards, teraphim,a idols, and all the abominations that were seen in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, so that he established the words of the law that were written in the book that the priest Hilkiah had found in the house of the LORD. ²⁵Before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; nor did any like him arise after him.

²⁶ Still the LORD did not turn from the fierceness of his great wrath, by which his anger was kindled against Judah, because of all the provocations with which Manasseh had provoked him. ²⁷The LORD said, ‘I will remove Judah also out of my sight, as I have removed Israel; and I will reject this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.’

Josiah Dies in Battle

²⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Josiah, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ²⁹In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. King Josiah went to meet him; but when Pharaoh Neco met him at Megiddo, he killed him. ³⁰His servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah, anointed him, and made him king in place of his father.

Reign and Captivity of Jehoahaz

³¹ Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ³²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his ancestors had done. ³³Pharaoh Neco confined him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, so that he might not reign in Jerusalem, and imposed tribute on the land of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold. ³⁴Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim son of Josiah king in place of his father Josiah, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away; he came to Egypt, and died there. ³⁵Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to meet Pharaoh’s demand for money. He exacted the silver and the gold from the people of the land, from all according to their assessment, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

Jehoiakim Reigns over Judah

³⁶ Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zebidah daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. ³⁷He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as all his ancestors had done.

Judah Overrun by Enemies

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IN HIS days King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up; Jehoiakim became his servant for three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. ²The LORD sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, bands of the Arameans, bands of the Moabites, and bands of the Ammonites; he sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the LORD that he spoke by his servants the prophets. ³Surely this came upon Judah at the command of the LORD, to remove them out of his sight, for the sins of Manasseh, for all that he had committed, ⁴and also for the innocent blood that he had shed; for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, and the LORD was not willing to pardon. ⁵Now the rest of the deeds of Jehoiakim, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Judah? ⁶So Jehoiakim slept with his ancestors; then his son Jehoiachin succeeded him. ⁷The king of Egypt did not come again out of his land, for the king of Babylon had taken over all that belonged to the king of Egypt from the Wadi of Egypt to the River Euphrates.

Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin

⁸ Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign; he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Nehushta daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem. ⁹He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as his father had done.

¹⁰ At that time the servants of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up to Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. ¹¹King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to the city, while his servants were besieging it; ¹²King Jehoiachin of Judah gave himself up to the king of Babylon, himself, his mother, his servants, his officers, and his palace officials. The king of Babylon took him prisoner in the eighth year of his reign.

Capture of Jerusalem

¹³ He carried off all the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he cut in pieces all the vessels of gold in the temple of the LORD, which King Solomon of Israel had made, all this as the LORD had foretold. ¹⁴He carried away all Jerusalem, all the officials, all the warriors, ten thousand captives, all the artisans and the smiths; no one remained, except the poorest people of the land. ¹⁵He carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon; the king’s mother, the king’s wives, his officials, and the elite of the land, he took into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. ¹⁶The king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon all the men of valour, seven thousand, the artisans and the smiths, one thousand, all of them strong and fit for war. ¹⁷The king of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his place, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Zedekiah Reigns over Judah

¹⁸ Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ¹⁹He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. ²⁰Indeed, Jerusalem and Judah so angered the LORD that he expelled them from his presence.

The Fall and Captivity of Judah

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Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. ¹And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and laid siege to it; they built siege-works against it all round. ²So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ³On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. ⁴Then a breach was made in the city wall;a the king with all the soldiers fledb by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all round the city. They went in the direction of the Arabah. ⁵But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook him in the plains of Jericho; all his army was scattered, deserting him. ⁶Then they captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, who passed sentence on him. ⁷They slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, then put out the eyes of Zedekiah; they bound him in fetters and took him to Babylon.

⁸ In the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan, the captain of the bodyguard, a servant of the king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem. ⁹He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. ¹⁰All the army of the Chaldeans who were with the captain of the guard broke down the walls around Jerusalem. ¹¹Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon—all the rest of the population. ¹²But the captain of the guard left some of the poorest people of the land to be vine-dressers and tillers of the soil.

¹³ The bronze pillars that were in the house of the LORD, as well as the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁴They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the dishes for incense, and all the bronze vessels used in the temple service, ¹⁵as well as the firepans and the basins. What was made of gold the captain of the guard took away for the gold, and what was made of silver, for the silver. ¹⁶As for the two pillars, the one sea, and the stands, which Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weighing. ¹⁷The height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, and on it was a bronze capital; the height of the capital was three cubits; lattice-work and pomegranates, all of bronze, were on the capital all round. The second pillar had the same, with the lattice-work.

¹⁸ The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three guardians of the threshold; ¹⁹from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the soldiers, and five men of the king’s council who were found in the city; the secretary who was the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found in the city. ²⁰Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²¹The king of Babylon struck them down and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile out of its land.

Gedaliah Made Governor of Judah

²² He appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan as governor over the people who remained in the land of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had left. ²³Now when all the captains of the forces and their men heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah as governor, they came with their men to Gedaliah at Mizpah, namely, Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth the Netophathite, and Jaazaniah son of the Maacathite. ²⁴Gedaliah swore to them and their men, saying, ‘Do not be afraid because of the Chaldean officials; live in the land, serve the king of Babylon, and it shall be well with you.’ ²⁵But in the seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of the royal family, came with ten men; they struck down Gedaliah so that he died, along with the Judeans and Chaldeans who were with him at Mizpah. ²⁶Then all the people, high and low,a and the captains of the forces, set out and went to Egypt; for they were afraid of the Chaldeans.

Jehoiachin Released from Prison

²⁷ In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year that he began to reign, released King Jehoiachin of Judah from prison; ²⁸he spoke kindly to him, and gave him a seat above the other seats of the kings who were with him in Babylon. ²⁹So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes. Every day of his life he dined regularly in the king’s presence. ³⁰For his allowance, a regular allowance was given him by the king, a portion every day, as long as he lived.

1 CHRONICLES

From Adam to Abraham

ADAM, Seth, Enosh; ²Kenan, Mahalalel, Jared; ³Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech; ⁴Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

⁵ The descendants of Japheth: Gomer, Magog, Madai, Javan, Tubal, Meshech, and Tiras. ⁶The descendants of Gomer: Ashkenaz, Diphath,a and Togarmah. ⁷The descendants of Javan: Elishah, Tarshish, Kittim, and Rodanim.b

⁸ The descendants of Ham: Cush, Egypt, Put, and Canaan. ⁹The descendants of Cush: Seba, Havilah, Sabta, Raama, and Sabteca. The descendants of Raamah: Sheba and Dedan. ¹⁰Cush became the father of Nimrod; he was the first to be a mighty one on the earth.

¹¹ Egypt became the father of Ludim, Anamim, Lehabim, Naphtuhim, ¹²Pathrusim, Casluhim, and Caphtorim, from whom the Philistines come.c

¹³ Canaan became the father of Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, ¹⁴and the Jebusites, the Amorites, the Girgashites, ¹⁵the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, ¹⁶the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites.

¹⁷ The descendants of Shem: Elam, Asshur, Arpachshad, Lud, Aram, Uz, Hul, Gether, and Meshech.d ¹⁸Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. ¹⁹To Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg (for in his days the earth was divided), and the name of his brother Joktan. ²⁰Joktan became the father of Almodad, Sheleph, Hazarmaveth, Jerah, ²¹Hadoram, Uzal, Diklah, ²²Ebal, Abimael, Sheba, ²³Ophir, Havilah, and Jobab; all these were the descendants of Joktan.

²⁴ Shem, Arpachshad, Shelah; ²⁵Eber, Peleg, Reu; ²⁶Serug, Nahor, Terah; ²⁷Abram, that is, Abraham.

From Abraham to Jacob

²⁸ The sons of Abraham: Isaac and Ishmael. ²⁹These are their genealogies: the firstborn of Ishmael, Nebaioth; and Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, ³⁰Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, ³¹Jetur, Naphish, and Kedemah. These are the sons of Ishmael. ³²The sons of Keturah, Abraham’s concubine: she bore Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. The sons of Jokshan: Sheba and Dedan. ³³The sons of Midian: Ephah, Epher, Hanoch, Abida, and Eldaah. All these were the descendants of Keturah.

³⁴ Abraham became the father of Isaac. The sons of Isaac: Esau and Israel. ³⁵The sons of Esau: Eliphaz, Reuel, Jeush, Jalam, and Korah. ³⁶The sons of Eliphaz: Teman, Omar, Zephi, Gatam, Kenaz, Timna, and Amalek. ³⁷The sons of Reuel: Nahath, Zerah, Shammah, and Mizzah.

³⁸ The sons of Seir: Lotan, Shobal, Zibeon, Anah, Dishon, Ezer, and Dishan. ³⁹The sons of Lotan: Hori and Homam; and Lotan’s sister was Timna. ⁴⁰The sons of Shobal: Alian, Manahath, Ebal, Shephi, and Onam. The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. ⁴¹The sons of Anah: Dishon. The sons of Dishon: Hamran, Eshban, Ithran, and Cheran. ⁴²The sons of Ezer: Bilhan, Zaavan, and Jaakan.a The sons of Dishan:b Uz and Aran.

⁴³ These are the kings who reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the Israelites: Bela son of Beor, whose city was called Dinhabah. ⁴⁴When Bela died, Jobab son of Zerah of Bozrah succeeded him. ⁴⁵When Jobab died, Husham of the land of the Temanites succeeded him. ⁴⁶When Husham died, Hadad son of Bedad, who defeated Midian in the country of Moab, succeeded him; and the name of his city was Avith. ⁴⁷When Hadad died, Samlah of Masrekah succeeded him. ⁴⁸When Samlah died, Shaulc of Rehoboth on the Euphrates succeeded him. ⁴⁹When Shaulc died, Baal-hanan son of Achbor succeeded him. ⁵⁰When Baal-hanan died, Hadad succeeded him; the name of his city was Pai, and his wife’s name Mehetabel daughter of Matred, daughter of Me-zahab. ⁵¹And Hadad died.

The clansd of Edom were: clansd Timna, Aliah,e Jetheth, ⁵²Oholibamah, Elah, Pinon, ⁵³Kenaz, Teman, Mibzar, ⁵⁴Magdiel, and Iram; these are the clansd of Edom.

The Sons of Israel and the Descendants of Judah

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THESE are the sons of Israel: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, ²Dan, Joseph, Benjamin, Naphtali, Gad, and Asher. ³The sons of Judah: Er, Onan, and Shelah; these three the Canaanite woman Bath-shua bore to him. Now Er, Judah’s firstborn, was wicked in the sight of the LORD, and he put him to death. ⁴His daughter-in-law Tamar also bore him Perez and Zerah. Judah had five sons in all.

⁵ The sons of Perez: Hezron and Hamul. ⁶The sons of Zerah: Zimri, Ethan, Heman, Calcol, and Dara,f five in all. ⁷The sons of Carmi: Achar, the troubler of Israel, who transgressed in the matter of the devoted thing; ⁸and Ethan’s son was Azariah.

⁹ The sons of Hezron, who were born to him: Jerahmeel, Ram, and Chelubai. ¹⁰Ram became the father of Amminadab, and Amminadab became the father of Nahshon, prince of the sons of Judah. ¹¹Nahshon became the father of Salma, Salma of Boaz, ¹²Boaz of Obed, Obed of Jesse. ¹³Jesse became the father of Eliab his firstborn, Abinadab the second, Shimeathe third, ¹⁴Nethanel the fourth, Raddaithe fifth, ¹⁵Ozem the sixth, David the seventh; ¹⁶and their sisters were Zeruiah and Abigail. The sons of Zeruiah: Abishai, Joab, and Asahel, three. ¹⁷Abigail bore Amasa, and the father of Amasa was Jether the Ishmaelite.

¹⁸ Caleb son of Hezron had children by his wife Azubah, and by Jerioth; these were her sons: Jesher, Shobab, and Ardon. ¹⁹When Azubah died, Caleb married Ephrath, who bore him Hur. ²⁰Hur became the father of Uri, and Uri became the father of Bezalel.

²¹ Afterwards Hezron went in to the daughter of Machir father of Gilead, whom he married when he was sixty years old; and she bore him Segub; ²²and Segub became the father of Jair, who had twenty-three towns in the land of Gilead. ²³But Geshur and Aram took from them Havvoth-jair, Kenath and its villages, sixty towns. All these were descendants of Machir, father of Gilead. ²⁴After the death of Hezron, in Calebephrathah, Abijah wife of Hezron bore him Ashhur, father of Tekoa.

²⁵ The sons of Jerahmeel, the firstborn of Hezron: Ram his firstborn, Bunah, Oren, Ozem, and Ahijah. ²⁶Jerahmeel also had another wife, whose name was Atarah; she was the mother of Onam. ²⁷The sons of Ram, the firstborn of Jerahmeel: Maaz, Jamin, and Eker. ²⁸The sons of Onam: Shammai and Jada. The sons of Shammai: Nadab and Abishur. ²⁹The name of Abishur’s wife was Abihail, and she bore him Ahban and Molid. ³⁰The sons of Nadab: Seled and Appaim; and Seled died childless. ³¹The sona of Appaim: Ishi. The sona of Ishi: Sheshan. The sona of Sheshan: Ahlai. ³²The sons of Jada, Shammai’s brother: Jether and Jonathan; and Jether died childless. ³³The sons of Jonathan: Peleth and Zaza. These were the descendants of Jerahmeel. ³⁴Now Sheshan had no sons, only daughters; but Sheshan had an Egyptian slave, whose name was Jarha. ³⁵So Sheshan gave his daughter in marriage to his slave Jarha; and she bore him Attai. ³⁶Attai became the father of Nathan, and Nathan of Zabad. ³⁷Zabad became the father of Ephlal, and Ephlal of Obed. ³⁸Obed became the father of Jehu, and Jehu of Azariah. ³⁹Azariah became the father of Helez, and Helez of Eleasah. ⁴⁰Eleasah became the father of Sismai, and Sismai of Shallum. ⁴¹Shallum became the father of Jekamiah, and Jekamiah of Elishama.

⁴² The sons of Caleb brother of Jerahmeel: Meshab his firstborn, who was father of Ziph. The sons of Mareshah father of Hebron. ⁴³The sons of Hebron: Korah, Tappuah, Rekem, and Shema. ⁴⁴Shema became father of Raham, father of Jorkeam; and Rekem became the father of Shammai. ⁴⁵The son of Shammai: Maon; and Maon was the father of Beth-zur. ⁴⁶Ephah also, Caleb’s concubine, bore Haran, Moza, and Gazez; and Haran became the father of Gazez. ⁴⁷The sons of Jahdai: Regem, Jotham, Geshan, Pelet, Ephah, and Shaaph. ⁴⁸Maacah, Caleb’s concubine, bore Sheber and Tirhanah. ⁴⁹She also bore Shaaph father of Madmannah, Sheva father of Machbenah and father of Gibea; and the daughter of Caleb was Achsah. ⁵⁰These were the descendants of Caleb.

The sonsc of Hur the firstborn of Ephrathah: Shobal father of Kiriath-jearim, ⁵¹Salma father of Bethlehem, and Hareph father of Beth-gader. ⁵²Shobal father of Kiriath-jearim had other sons: Haroeh, half of the Menuhoth. ⁵³And the families of Kiriath-jearim: the Ithrites, the Puthites, the Shumathites, and the Mishraites; from these came the Zorathites and the Eshtaolites. ⁵⁴The sons of Salma: Bethlehem, the Netophathites, Atroth-beth-joab, and half of the Manahathites, the Zorites. ⁵⁵The families also of the scribes that lived at Jabez: the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the Sucathites. These are the Kenites who came from Hammath, father of the house of Rechab.

Descendants of David and Solomon

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THESE are the sons of David who were born to him in Hebron: the firstborn Amnon, by Ahinoam the Jezreelite; the second Daniel, by Abigail the Carmelite; ²the third Absalom, son of Maacah, daughter of King Talmai of Geshur; the fourth Adonijah, son of Haggith; ³the fifth Shephatiah, by Abital; the sixth Ithream, by his wife Eglah; ⁴six were born to him in Hebron, where he reigned for seven years and six months. And he reigned for thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ⁵These were born to him in Jerusalem: Shimea, Shobab, Nathan, and Solomon, four by Bath-shua, daughter of Ammiel; ⁶then Ibhar, Elishama, Eliphelet, ⁷Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁸Elishama, Eliada, and Eliphelet, nine. ⁹All these were David’s sons, besides the sons of the concubines; and Tamar was their sister.

¹⁰ The descendants of Solomon: Rehoboam, Abijah his son, Asa his son, Jehoshaphat his son, ¹¹Joram his son, Ahaziah his son, Joash his son, ¹²Amaziah his son, Azariah his son, Jotham his son, ¹³Ahaz his son, Hezekiah his son, Manasseh his son, ¹⁴Amon his son, Josiah his son. ¹⁵The sons of Josiah: Johanan the firstborn, the second Jehoiakim, the third Zedekiah, the fourth Shallum. ¹⁶The descendants of Jehoiakim: Jeconiah his son, Zedekiah his son; ¹⁷and the sons of Jeconiah, the captive: Shealtiel his son, ¹⁸Malchiram, Pedaiah, Shenazzar, Jekamiah, Hoshama, and Nedabiah; ¹⁹The sons of Pedaiah: Zerubbabel and Shimei; and the sons of Zerubbabel: Meshullam and Hananiah, and Shelomith was their sister; ²⁰and Hashubah, Ohel, Berechiah, Hasadiah, and Jushab-hesed, five. ²¹The sons of Hananiah: Pelatiah and Jeshaiah, his sona Rephaiah, his sona Arnan, his sona Obadiah, his sona Shecaniah. ²²The sonb of Shecaniah: Shemaiah. And the sons of Shemaiah: Hattush, Igal, Bariah, Neariah, and Shaphat, six. ²³The sons of Neariah: Elioenai, Hizkiah, and Azrikam, three. ²⁴The sons of Elioenai: Hodaviah, Eliashib, Pelaiah, Akkub, Johanan, Delaiah, and Anani, seven.

Descendants of Judah

4

THE sons of Judah: Perez, Hezron, Carmi, Hur, and Shobal. ²Reaiah son of Shobal became the father of Jahath, and Jahath became the father of Ahumai and Lahad. These were the families of the Zorathites. ³These were the sonsc of Etam: Jezreel, Ishma, and Idbash; and the name of their sister was Hazzelelponi, ⁴and Penuel was the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These were the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephrathah, the father of Bethlehem. ⁵Ashhur father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah; ⁶Naarah bore him Ahuzzam, Hepher, Temeni, and Haahashtari.d These were the sons of Naarah. ⁷The sons of Helah: Zereth, Izhar,e and Ethnan. ⁸Koz became the father of Anub, Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel son of Harum. ⁹Jabez was honoured more than his brothers; and his mother named him Jabez, saying, ‘Because I bore him in pain.’ ¹⁰Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from hurt and harm!’ And God granted what he asked. ¹¹Chelub the brother of Shuhah became the father of Mehir, who was the father of Eshton. ¹²Eshton became the father of Beth-rapha, Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Ir-nahash. These are the men of Recah. ¹³The sons of Kenaz: Othniel and Seraiah; and the sons of Othniel: Hathath and Meonothai.a ¹⁴Meonothai became the father of Ophrah; and Seraiah became the father of Joab father of Ge-harashim,b so-called because they were artisans. ¹⁵The sons of Caleb son of Jephunneh: Iru, Elah, and Naam; and the sonc of Elah: Kenaz. ¹⁶The sons of Jehallelel: Ziph, Ziphah, Tiria, and Asarel. ¹⁷The sons of Ezrah: Jether, Mered, Epher, and Jalon. These are the sons of Bithiah, daughter of Pharaoh, whom Mered married;d and she conceived and boree Miriam, Shammai, and Ishbah father of Eshtemoa. ¹⁸And his Judean wife bore Jered father of Gedor, Heber father of Soco, and Jekuthiel father of Zanoah. ¹⁹The sons of the wife of Hodiah, the sister of Naham, were the fathers of Keilah the Garmite and Eshtemoa the Maacathite. ²⁰The sons of Shimon: Amnon, Rinnah, Ben-hanan, and Tilon. The sons of Ishi: Zoheth and Ben-zoheth. ²¹The sons of Shelah son of Judah: Er father of Lecah, Laadah father of Mareshah, and the families of the guild of linen workers at Beth-ashbea; ²²and Jokim, and the men of Cozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who married into Moab but returned to Lehemf (now the recordsg are ancient). ²³These were the potters and inhabitants of Netaim and Gederah; they lived there with the king in his service.

Descendants of Simeon

²⁴ The sons of Simeon: Nemuel, Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, Shaul;h ²⁵Shallum was his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. ²⁶The sons of Mishma: Hammuel his son, Zaccur his son, Shimei his son. ²⁷Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brothers did not have many children, nor did all their family multiply like the Judeans. ²⁸They lived in Beer-sheba, Moladah, Hazar-shual, ²⁹Bilhah, Ezem, Tolad, ³⁰Bethuel, Hormah, Ziklag, ³¹Beth-marcaboth, Hazar-susim, Beth-biri, and Shaaraim. These were their towns until David became king. ³²And their villages were Etam, Ain, Rimmon, Tochen, and Ashan, five towns, ³³along with all their villages that were around these towns as far as Baal. These were their settlements. And they kept a genealogical record.

³⁴ Meshobab, Jamlech, Joshah son of Amaziah, ³⁵Joel, Jehu son of Joshibiah son of Seraiah son of Asiel, ³⁶Elioenai, Jaakobah, Jeshohaiah, Asaiah, Adiel, Jesimiel, Benaiah, ³⁷Ziza son of Shiphi son of Allon son of Jedaiah son of Shimri son of Shemaiah—³⁸these mentioned by name were leaders in their families, and their clans increased greatly. ³⁹They journeyed to the entrance of Gedor, to the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks, ⁴⁰where they found rich, good pasture, and the land was very broad, quiet, and peaceful; for the former inhabitants there belonged to Ham. ⁴¹These, registered by name, came in the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, and attacked their tents and the Meunim who were found there, and exterminated them to this day, and settled in their place, because there was pasture there for their flocks. ⁴²And some of them, five hundred men of the Simeonites, went to Mount Seir, having as their leaders Pelatiah, Neariah, Rephaiah, and Uzziel, sons of Ishi; ⁴³they destroyed the remnant of the Amalekites that had escaped, and they have lived there to this day.

Descendants of Reuben

5

THE sons of Reuben the firstborn of Israel. (He was the firstborn, but because he defiled his father’s bed his birthright was given to the sons of Joseph son of Israel, so that he is not enrolled in the genealogy according to the birthright; ²though Judah became prominent among his brothers and a ruler came from him, yet the birthright belonged to Joseph.) ³The sons of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel: Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi. ⁴The sons of Joel: Shemaiah his son, Gog his son, Shimei his son, ⁵Micah his son, Reaiah his son, Baal his son, ⁶Beerah his son, whom King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria carried away into exile; he was a chieftain of the Reubenites. ⁷And his kindred by their families, when the genealogy of their generations was reckoned: the chief, Jeiel, and Zechariah, ⁸and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel, who lived in Aroer, as far as Nebo and Baal-meon. ⁹He also lived to the east as far as the beginning of the desert this side of the Euphrates, because their cattle had multiplied in the land of Gilead. ¹⁰And in the days of Saul they made war on the Hagrites, who fell by their hand; and they lived in their tents throughout all the region east of Gilead.

Descendants of Gad

¹¹ The sons of Gad lived beside them in the land of Bashan as far as Salecah: ¹²Joel the chief, Shapham the second, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. ¹³And their kindred according to their clans: Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber, seven. ¹⁴These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz; ¹⁵Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was chief in their clan; ¹⁶and they lived in Gilead, in Bashan and in its towns, and in all the pasture lands of Sharon to their limits. ¹⁷All of these were enrolled by genealogies in the days of King Jotham of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam of Israel.

¹⁸ The Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh had valiant warriors, who carried shield and sword, and drew the bow, expert in war, forty-four thousand seven hundred and sixty, ready for service. ¹⁹They made war on the Hagrites, Jetur, Naphish, and Nodab; ²⁰and when they received help against them, the Hagrites and all who were with them were given into their hands, for they cried to God in the battle, and he granted their entreaty because they trusted in him. ²¹They captured their livestock: fifty thousand of their camels, two hundred and fifty thousand sheep, two thousand donkeys, and one hundred thousand captives. ²²Many fell slain, because the war was of God. And they lived in their territory until the exile.

The Half-Tribe of Manasseh

²³ The members of the half-tribe of Manasseh lived in the land; they were very numerous from Bashan to Baal-hermon, Senir, and Mount Hermon. ²⁴These were the heads of their clans: Epher,a Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty warriors, famous men, heads of their clans. ²⁵But they transgressed against the God of their ancestors, and prostituted themselves to the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. ²⁶So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of King Pul of Assyria, the spirit of King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria, and he carried them away, namely, the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, and brought them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river Gozan, to this day.

Descendants of Levi

6b

THE sons of Levi: Gershom,c Kohath, and Merari. ²The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ³The children of Amram: Aaron, Moses, and Miriam. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ⁴Eleazar became the father of Phinehas, Phinehas of Abishua, ⁵Abishua of Bukki, Bukki of Uzzi, ⁶Uzzi of Zerahiah, Zerahiah of Meraioth, ⁷Meraioth of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, ⁸Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Ahimaaz, ⁹Ahimaaz of Azariah, Azariah of Johanan, ¹⁰and Johanan of Azariah (it was he who served as priest in the house that Solomon built in Jerusalem). ¹¹Azariah became the father of Amariah, Amariah of Ahitub, ¹²Ahitub of Zadok, Zadok of Shallum, ¹³Shallum of Hilkiah, Hilkiah of Azariah, ¹⁴Azariah of Seraiah, Seraiah of Jehozadak; ¹⁵and Jehozadak went into exile when the LORD sent Judah and Jerusalem into exile by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

¹⁶d The sons of Levi: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari. ¹⁷These are the names of the sons of Gershom: Libni and Shimei. ¹⁸The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel. ¹⁹The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. These are the clans of the Levites according to their ancestry. ²⁰Of Gershom: Libni his son, Jahath his son, Zimmah his son, ²¹Joah his son, Iddo his son, Zerah his son, Jeatherai his son. ²²The sons of Kohath: Amminadab his son, Korah his son, Assir his son, ²³Elkanah his son, Ebiasaph his son, Assir his son, ²⁴Tahath his son, Uriel his son, Uzziah his son, and Shaul his son. ²⁵The sons of Elkanah: Amasai and Ahimoth, ²⁶Elkanah his son, Zophai his son, Nahath his son, ²⁷Eliab his son, Jeroham his son, Elkanah his son. ²⁸The sons of Samuel: Joele his firstborn, the second Abijah.f ²⁹The sons of Merari: Mahli, Libni his son, Shimei his son, Uzzah his son, ³⁰Shimea his son, Haggiah his son, and Asaiah his son.

Musicians Appointed by David

³¹ These are the men whom David put in charge of the service of song in the house of the LORD, after the ark came to rest there. ³²They ministered with song before the tabernacle of the tent of meeting, until Solomon had built the house of the LORD in Jerusalem; and they performed their service in due order. ³³These are the men who served; and their sons were: Of the Kohathites: Heman, the singer, son of Joel, son of Samuel, ³⁴son of Elkanah, son of Jeroham, son of Eliel, son of Toah, ³⁵son of Zuph, son of Elkanah, son of Mahath, son of Amasai, ³⁶son of Elkanah, son of Joel, son of Azariah, son of Zephaniah, ³⁷sonof Tahath, son of Assir, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, ³⁸son of Izhar, son of Kohath, son of Levi, son of Israel; ³⁹and his brother Asaph, who stood on his right, namely, Asaph son of Berechiah, son of Shimea, ⁴⁰son of Michael, son of Baaseiah, son of Malchijah, ⁴¹son of Ethni, son of Zerah, son of Adaiah, ⁴²son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei, ⁴³son of Jahath, son of Gershom, son of Levi. ⁴⁴On the left were their kindred the sons of Merari: Ethan son of Kishi, son of Abdi, son of Malluch, ⁴⁵son of Hashabiah, son of Amaziah, son of Hilkiah, ⁴⁶son of Amzi, son of Bani, son of Shemer, ⁴⁷son of Mahli, son of Mushi, son of Merari, son of Levi; ⁴⁸and their kindred the Levites were appointed for all the service of the tabernacle of the house of God.

⁴⁹ But Aaron and his sons made offerings on the altar of burnt-offering and on the altar of incense, doing all the work of the most holy place, to make atonement for Israel, according to all that Moses the servant of God had commanded. ⁵⁰These are the sons of Aaron: Eleazar his son, Phinehas his son, Abishua his son, ⁵¹Bukki his son, Uzzi his son, Zerahiah his son, ⁵²Meraioth his son, Amariah his son, Ahitub his son, ⁵³Zadok his son, Ahimaaz his son.

Settlements of the Levites

⁵⁴ These are their dwelling-places according to their settlements within their borders: to the sons of Aaron of the families of Kohathites—for the lot fell to them first—⁵⁵to them they gave Hebron in the land of Judah and its surrounding pasture lands, ⁵⁶but the fields of the city and its villages they gave to Caleb son of Jephunneh. ⁵⁷To the sons of Aaron they gave the cities of refuge: Hebron, Libnah with its pasture lands, Jattir, Eshtemoa with its pasture lands, ⁵⁸Hilena with its pasture lands, Debir with its pasture lands, ⁵⁹Ashan with its pasture lands, and Beth-shemesh with its pasture lands. ⁶⁰From the tribe of Benjamin, Geba with its pasture lands, Alemeth with its pasture lands, and Anathoth with its pasture lands. All their towns throughout their families were thirteen.

⁶¹ To the rest of the Kohathites were given by lot out of the family of the tribe, out of the half-tribe, the half of Manasseh, ten towns. ⁶²To the Gershomites according to their families were allotted thirteen towns out of the tribes of Issachar, Asher, Naphtali, and Manasseh in Bashan. ⁶³To the Merarites according to their families were allotted twelve towns out of the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun. ⁶⁴So the people of Israel gave the Levites the towns with their pasture lands. ⁶⁵They also gave them by lot out of the tribes of Judah, Simeon, and Benjamin these towns that are mentioned by name.

⁶⁶ And some of the families of the sons of Kohath had towns of their territory out of the tribe of Ephraim. ⁶⁷They were given the cities of refuge: Shechem with its pasture lands in the hill country of Ephraim, Gezer with its pasture lands, ⁶⁸Jokmeam with its pasture lands, Beth-horon with its pasture lands, ⁶⁹Aijalon with its pasture lands, Gath-rimmon with its pasture lands; ⁷⁰and out of the half-tribe of Manasseh, Aner with its pasture lands, and Bileam with its pasture lands, for the rest of the families of the Kohathites.

⁷¹ To the Gershomites: out of the half-tribe of Manasseh: Golan in Bashan with its pasture lands and Ashtaroth with its pasture lands; ⁷²and out of the tribe of Issachar: Kedesh with its pasture lands, Daberatha with its pasture lands, ⁷³Ramoth with its pasture lands, and Anem with its pasture lands; ⁷⁴out of the tribe of Asher: Mashal with its pasture lands, Abdon with its pasture lands, ⁷⁵Hukok with its pasture lands, and Rehob with its pasture lands; ⁷⁶and out of the tribe of Naphtali: Kedesh in Galilee with its pasture lands, Hammon with its pasture lands, and Kiriathaim with its pasture lands. ⁷⁷To the rest of the Merarites out of the tribe of Zebulun: Rimmono with its pasture lands, Tabor with its pasture lands, ⁷⁸and across the Jordan from Jericho, on the east side of the Jordan, out of the tribe of Reuben: Bezer in the steppe with its pasture lands, Jahzah with its pasture lands, ⁷⁹Kedemoth with its pasture lands, and Mephaath with its pasture lands; ⁸⁰and out of the tribe of Gad: Ramoth in Gilead with its pasture lands, Mahanaim with its pasture lands, ⁸¹Heshbon with its pasture lands, and Jazer with its pasture lands.

Descendants of Issachar

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THE sonsb of Issachar: Tola, Puah, Jashub, and Shimron, four. ²The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their ancestral houses, namely of Tola, mighty warriors of their generations, their number in the days of David being twenty-two thousand six hundred. ³The sonc of Uzzi: Izrahiah. And the sons of Izrahiah: Michael, Obadiah, Joel, and Isshiah, five, all of them chiefs; ⁴and along with them, by their generations, according to their ancestral houses, were units of the fighting force, thirty-six thousand, for they had many wives and sons. ⁵Their kindred belonging to all the families of Issachar were in all eighty-seven thousand mighty warriors, enrolled by genealogy.

Descendants of Benjamin

⁶ The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Becher, and Jediael, three. ⁷The sons of Bela: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri, five, heads of ancestral houses, mighty warriors; and their enrolment by genealogies was twenty-two thousand and thirty-four. ⁸The sons of Becher: Zemirah, Joash, Eliezer, Elioenai, Omri, Jeremoth, Abijah, Anathoth, and Alemeth. All these were the sons of Becher; ⁹and their enrolment by genealogies, according to their generations, as heads of their ancestral houses, mighty warriors, was twenty thousand two hundred. ¹⁰The sons of Jediael: Bilhan. And the sons of Bilhan: Jeush, Benjamin, Ehud, Chenaanah, Zethan, Tarshish, and Ahishahar. ¹¹All these were the sons of Jediael according to the heads of their ancestral houses, mighty warriors, seventeen thousand two hundred, ready for service in war. ¹²And Shuppim and Huppim were the sons of Ir, Hushim the sonc of Aher.

Descendants of Naphtali

¹³ The descendants of Naphtali: Jahziel, Guni, Jezer, and Shallum, the descendants of Bilhah.

Descendants of Manasseh

¹⁴ The sons of Manasseh: Asriel, whom his Aramean concubine bore; she bore Machir the father of Gilead. ¹⁵And Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim. The name of his sister was Maacah. And the name of the second was Zelophehad; and Zelophehad had daughters. ¹⁶Maacah the wife of Machir bore a son, and she named him Peresh; the name of his brother was Sheresh; and his sons were Ulam and Rekem. ¹⁷The sona of Ulam: Bedan. These were the sons of Gilead son of Machir, son of Manasseh. ¹⁸And his sister Hammolecheth bore Ishhod, Abiezer, and Mahlah. ¹⁹The sons of Shemida were Ahian, Shechem, Likhi, and Aniam.

Descendants of Ephraim

²⁰ The sons of Ephraim: Shuthelah, and Bered his son, Tahath his son, Eleadah his son, Tahath his son, ²¹Zabad his son, Shuthelah his son, and Ezer and Elead. Now the people of Gath, who were born in the land, killed them, because they came down to raid their cattle. ²²And their father Ephraim mourned for many days, and his brothers came to comfort him. ²³Ephraimb went in to his wife, and she conceived and bore a son; and he named him Beriah, because disasterc had befallen his house. ²⁴His daughter was Sheerah, who built both Lower and Upper Beth-horon, and Uzzen-sheerah. ²⁵Rephah was his son, Resheph his son, Telah his son, Tahan his son, ²⁶Ladan his son, Ammihud his son, Elishama his son, ²⁷Nund his son, Joshua his son. ²⁸Their possessions and settlements were Bethel and its towns, and eastwards Naaran, and westwards Gezer and its towns, Shechem and its towns, as far as Ayyah and its towns; ²⁹also along the borders of the Manassites, Beth-shean and its towns, Taanach and its towns, Megiddo and its towns, Dor and its towns. In these lived the sons of Joseph son of Israel.

Descendants of Asher

³⁰ The sons of Asher: Imnah, Ishvah, Ishvi, Beriah, and their sister Serah. ³¹The sons of Beriah: Heber and Malchiel, who was the father of Birzaith. ³²Heber became the father of Japhlet, Shomer, Hotham, and their sister Shua. ³³The sons of Japhlet: Pasach, Bimhal, and Ashvath. These are the sons of Japhlet. ³⁴The sons of Shemer: Ahi, Rohgah, Hubbah, and Aram. ³⁵The sons of Heleme his brother: Zophah, Imna, Shelesh, and Amal. ³⁶The sons of Zophah: Suah, Harnepher, Shual, Beri, Imrah, ³⁷Bezer, Hod, Shamma, Shilshah, Ithran, and Beera. ³⁸The sons of Jether: Jephunneh, Pispa, and Ara. ³⁹The sons of Ulla: Arah, Hanniel, and Rizia. ⁴⁰All of these were men of Asher, heads of ancestral houses, select mighty warriors, chief of the princes. Their number enrolled by genealogies, for service in war, was twenty-six thousand men.

Descendants of Benjamin

8

BENJAMIN became the father of Bela his firstborn, Ashbel the second, Aharah the third, ²Nohah the fourth, and Rapha the fifth. ³And Bela had sons: Addar, Gera, Abihud,f ⁴Abishua, Naaman, Ahoah, ⁵Gera, Shephuphan, and Huram. ⁶These are the sons of Ehud (they were heads of ancestral houses of the inhabitants of Geba, and they were carried into exile to Manahath): ⁷Naaman,g Ahijah, and Gera, that is, Heglam,h who became the father of Uzza and Ahihud. ⁸And Shaharaim had sons in the country of Moab after he had sent away his wives Hushim and Baara. ⁹He had sons by his wife Hodesh: Jobab, Zibia, Mesha, Malcam, ¹⁰Jeuz, Sachia, and Mirmah. These were his sons, heads of ancestral houses. ¹¹He also had sons by Hushim: Abitub and Elpaal. ¹²The sons of Elpaal: Eber, Misham, and Shemed, who built Ono and Lod with its towns, ¹³and Beriah and Shema (they were heads of ancestral houses of the inhabitants of Aijalon, who put to flight the inhabitants of Gath); ¹⁴and Ahio, Shashak, and Jeremoth. ¹⁵Zebadiah, Arad, Eder, ¹⁶Michael, Ishpah, and Joha were sons of Beriah. ¹⁷Zebadiah, Meshullam, Hizki, Heber, ¹⁸Ishmerai, Izliah, and Jobab were the sons of Elpaal. ¹⁹Jakim, Zichri, Zabdi, ²⁰Elienai, Zillethai, Eliel, ²¹Adaiah, Beraiah, and Shimrath were the sons of Shimei. ²²Ishpan, Eber, Eliel, ²³Abdon, Zichri, Hanan, ²⁴Hananiah, Elam, Anthothijah, ²⁵Iphdeiah, and Penuel were the sons of Shashak. ²⁶Shamsherai, Shehariah, Athaliah, ²⁷Jaareshiah, Elijah, and Zichri were the sons of Jeroham. ²⁸These were the heads of ancestral houses, according to their generations, chiefs. These lived in Jerusalem.

²⁹ Jeiela the father of Gibeon lived in Gibeon, and the name of his wife was Maacah. ³⁰His firstborn son: Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal,b Nadab, ³¹Gedor, Ahio, Zecher, ³²and Mikloth, who became the father of Shimeah. Now these also lived opposite their kindred in Jerusalem, with their kindred. ³³Ner became the father of Kish, Kish of Saul,c Saulc of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal; ³⁴and the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. ³⁵The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tarea, and Ahaz. ³⁶Ahaz became the father of Jehoaddah; and Jehoaddah became the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; Zimri became the father of Moza. ³⁷Moza became the father of Binea; Raphah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. ³⁸Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; all these were the sons of Azel. ³⁹The sons of his brother Eshek: Ulam his firstborn, Jeush the second, and Eliphelet the third. ⁴⁰The sons of Ulam were mighty warriors, archers, having many children and grandchildren, one hundred and fifty. All these were Benjaminites.

9

SO ALL Israel was enrolled by genealogies; and these are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel. And Judah was taken into exile in Babylon because of their unfaithfulness. ²Now the first to live again in their possessions in their towns were Israelites, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

Inhabitants of Jerusalem after the Exile

³ And some of the people of Judah, Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh lived in Jerusalem: ⁴Uthai son of Ammihud, son of Omri, son of Imri, son of Bani, from the sons of Perez son of Judah. ⁵And of the Shilonites: Asaiah the firstborn, and his sons. ⁶Of the sons of Zerah: Jeuel and their kin, six hundred and ninety. ⁷Of the Benjaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam, son of Hodaviah, son of Hassenuah, ⁸Ibneiah son of Jeroham, Elah son of Uzzi, son of Michri, and Meshullam son of Shephatiah, son of Reuel, son of Ibnijah; ⁹and their kindred according to their generations, nine hundred and fifty-six. All these were heads of families according to their ancestral houses.

Priestly Families

¹⁰ Of the priests: Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, ¹¹and Azariah son of Hilkiah, son of Meshullam, son of Zadok, son of Meraioth, son of Ahitub, the chief officer of the house of God; ¹²and Adaiah son of Jeroham, son of Pashhur, son of Malchijah, and Maasai son of Adiel, son of Jahzerah, son of Meshullam, son of Meshillemith, son of Immer; ¹³besides their kindred, heads of their ancestral houses, one thousand seven hundred and sixty, qualified for the work of the service of the house of God.

Levitical Families

¹⁴ Of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub, son of Azrikam, son of Hashabiah, of the sons of Merari; ¹⁵and Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah son of Mica, son of Zichri, son of Asaph; ¹⁶and Obadiah son of Shemaiah, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah son of Asa, son of Elkanah, who lived in the villages of the Netophathites.

¹⁷ The gatekeepers were: Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman; and their kinsman Shallum was the chief, ¹⁸stationed previously in the king’s gate on the east side. These were the gatekeepers of the camp of the Levites. ¹⁹Shallum son of Kore, son of Ebiasaph, son of Korah, and his kindred of his ancestral house, the Korahites, were in charge of the work of the service, guardians of the thresholds of the tent, as their ancestors had been in charge of the camp of the LORD, guardians of the entrance. ²⁰And Phinehas son of Eleazar was chief over them in former times; the LORD was with him. ²¹Zechariah son of Meshelemiah was gatekeeper at the entrance of the tent of meeting. ²²All these, who were chosen as gatekeepers at the thresholds, were two hundred and twelve. They were enrolled by genealogies in their villages. David and the seer Samuel established them in their office of trust. ²³So they and their descendants were in charge of the gates of the house of the LORD, that is, the house of the tent, as guards. ²⁴The gatekeepers were on the four sides, east, west, north, and south; ²⁵and their kindred who were in their villages were obliged to come in every seven days, in turn, to be with them; ²⁶for the four chief gatekeepers, who were Levites, were in charge of the chambers and the treasures of the house of God. ²⁷And they would spend the night near the house of God; for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.

²⁸ Some of them had charge of the utensils of service, for they were required to count them when they were brought in and taken out. ²⁹Others of them were appointed over the furniture, and over all the holy utensils, also over the choice flour, the wine, the oil, the incense, and the spices. ³⁰Others, of the sons of the priests, prepared the mixing of the spices, ³¹and Mattithiah, one of the Levites, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, was in charge of making the flat cakes. ³²Also some of their kindred of the Kohathites had charge of the rows of bread, to prepare them for each sabbath.

³³ Now these are the singers, the heads of ancestral houses of the Levites, living in the chambers of the temple free from other service, for they were on duty day and night. ³⁴These were heads of ancestral houses of the Levites, according to their generations; these leaders lived in Jerusalem.

The Family of King Saul

³⁵ In Gibeon lived the father of Gibeon, Jeiel, and the name of his wife was Maacah. ³⁶His firstborn son was Abdon, then Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, ³⁷Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth; ³⁸and Mikloth became the father of Shimeam; and these also lived opposite their kindred in Jerusalem, with their kindred. ³⁹Ner became the father of Kish, Kish of Saul, Saul of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal; ⁴⁰and the son of Jonathan was Merib-baal; and Merib-baal became the father of Micah. ⁴¹The sons of Micah: Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz;a ⁴²and Ahaz became the father of Jarah, and Jarah of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri; and Zimri became the father of Moza. ⁴³Moza became the father of Binea; and Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son, Azel his son. ⁴⁴Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan; these were the sons of Azel.

Death of Saul and His Sons

10

NOW the Philistines fought against Israel; and the men of Israel fled before the Philistines, and fell slain on Mount Gilboa. ²The Philistines overtook Saul and his sons; and the Philistines killed Jonathan and Abinadab and Malchishua, sons of Saul. ³The battle pressed hard on Saul; and the archers found him, and he was wounded by the archers. ⁴Then Saul said to his armour-bearer, ‘Draw your sword, and thrust me through with it, so that these uncircumcised may not come and make sport of me.’ But his armour-bearer was unwilling, for he was terrified. So Saul took his own sword and fell on it. ⁵When his armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell on his sword and died. ⁶Thus Saul died; he and his three sons and all his house died together. ⁷When all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that the armyb had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their towns and fled; and the Philistines came and occupied them.

⁸ The next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹They stripped him and took his head and his armour, and sent messengers throughout the land of the Philistines to carry the good news to their idols and to the people. ¹⁰They put his armour in the temple of their gods, and fastened his head in the temple of Dagon. ¹¹But when all Jabesh-gilead heard everything that the Philistines had done to Saul, ¹²all the valiant warriors got up and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons, and brought them to Jabesh. Then they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.

¹³ So Saul died for his unfaithfulness; he was unfaithful to the LORD in that he did not keep the command of the LORD; moreover, he had consulted a medium, seeking guidance, ¹⁴and did not seek guidance from the LORD. Therefore the LORDc put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

David Anointed King of All Israel

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THEN all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, ‘See, we are your bone and flesh. ²For some time now, even while Saul was king, it was you who commanded the army of Israel. The LORD your God said to you: It is you who shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you who shall be ruler over my people Israel.’ ³So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

Jerusalem Captured

⁴ David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. ⁵The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, ‘You will not come in here.’ Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, now the city of David. ⁶David had said, ‘Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.’ And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. ⁷David resided in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. ⁸He built the city all round, from the Millo in a complete circuit; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. ⁹And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men and Their Exploits

¹⁰ Now these are the chiefs of David’s warriors, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. ¹¹This is an account of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam, son of Hachmoni,a was chief of the Three;b he wielded his spear against three hundred whom he killed at one time.

¹² And next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite. ¹³He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley. Now the people had fled from the Philistines, ¹⁴but he and David took their stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, while the army of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. ¹⁷David said longingly, ‘O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!’ ¹⁸Then the Three broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and they brought it to David. But David would not drink of it; he poured it out to the LORD, ¹⁹and said, ‘My God forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.’ Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.

²⁰ Now Abishai,c the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.d With his spear he fought against three hundred and killed them, and won a name beside the Three. ²¹He was the most renownede of the Thirty,d and became their commander; but he did not attain to the Three.

²² Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant manf of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons ofg Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. ²³And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam; but Benaiah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴Such were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he won a name beside the three warriors. ²⁵He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶ The warriors of the armies were Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ²⁷Shammoth of Harod,a Helez the Pelonite, ²⁸Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, ²⁹Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰Maharai of Netophah, Heled son of Baanah of Netophah, ³¹Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah of Pirathon, ³²Hurai of the wadis of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, ³³Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba of Shaalbon, ³⁴Hashemb the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, ³⁵Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, ³⁶Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷Hezro of Carmel, Naarai son of Ezbai, ³⁸Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, ³⁹Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, ⁴⁰Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, ⁴²Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, ⁴³Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵Jediael son of Shimri, and his brother Joha the Tizite, ⁴⁶Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

David’s Followers in the Wilderness

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THE following are those who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul son of Kish; they were among the mighty warriors who helped him in war. ²They were archers, and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right hand or the left; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kindred. ³The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth, ⁴Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a warrior among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah,c Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, ⁵Eluzai,d Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite; ⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; ⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸ From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as gazelles on the mountains: ⁹Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, ¹⁰Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, ¹¹Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, ¹²Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, ¹³Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh. ¹⁴These Gadites were officers of the army, the least equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand. ¹⁵These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

¹⁶ Some Benjaminites and Judahites came to the stronghold to David. ¹⁷David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in friendship, to help me, then my heart will be bound to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, though my hands have done no wrong, then may the God of our ancestors see and give judgement.’ ¹⁸Then the spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said,

‘We are yours, O David;

and with you, O son of Jesse!

Peace, peace to you,

and peace to the one who helps you!

For your God is the one who helps you.’

Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops.

¹⁹ Some of the Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, ‘He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.’) ²⁰As he went to Ziklag these Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of the thousands in Manasseh. ²¹They helped David against the band of raiders,a for they were all warriors and commanders in the army. ²²Indeed from day to day people kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.

David’s Army at Hebron

²³ These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the LORD. ²⁴The people of Judah bearing shield and spear numbered six thousand eight hundred armed troops. ²⁵Of the Simeonites, mighty warriors, seven thousand one hundred. ²⁶Of the Levites four thousand six hundred. ²⁷Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred. ²⁸Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two commanders from his own ancestral house. ²⁹Of the Benjaminites, the kindred of Saul, three thousand, of whom the majority had continued to keep their allegiance to the house of Saul. ³⁰Of the Ephraimites, twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty warriors, notables in their ancestral houses. ³¹Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, who were expressly named to come and make David king. ³²Of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, two hundred chiefs, and all their kindred under their command. ³³Of Zebulun, fifty thousand seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help Davidb with singleness of purpose. ³⁴Of Naphtali, a thousand commanders, with whom there were thirty-seven thousand armed with shield and spear. ³⁵Of the Danites, twenty-eight thousand six hundred equipped for battle. ³⁶Of Asher, forty thousand seasoned troops ready for battle. ³⁷Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed with all the weapons of war.

³⁸ All these, warriors arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with full intent to make David king over all Israel; likewise all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king. ³⁹They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kindred had provided for them. ⁴⁰And also their neighbours, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of meal, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

The Ark Brought from Kiriath-jearim

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DAVID consulted with the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. ²David said to the whole assembly of Israel, ‘If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send abroad to our kindred who remain in all the land of Israel, including the priests and Levites in the cities that have pasture lands, that they may come together to us. ³Then let us bring again the ark of our God to us; for we did not turn to it in the days of Saul.’ ⁴The whole assembly agreed to do so, for the thing pleased all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to Lebo-hamath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim, which belongs to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God, the LORD, who is enthroned on the cherubim, which is called by hisa name. ⁷They carried the ark of God on a new cart, from the house of Abinadab, and Uzzah and Ahiob were driving the cart. ⁸David and all Israel were dancing before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ When they came to the threshing-floor of Chidon, Uzzah put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen shook it. ¹⁰The anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; he struck him down because he put out his hand to the ark; and he died there before God. ¹¹David was angry because the LORD had burst out against Uzzah; so that place is called Perez-uzzahc to this day. ¹²David was afraid of God that day; he said, ‘How can I bring the ark of God into my care?’ ¹³So David did not take the ark into his care into the city of David; he took it instead to the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴The ark of God remained with the household of Obed-edom in his house for three months, and the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that he had.

David Established at Jerusalem

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KING Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, along with cedar logs, and masons and carpenters to build a house for him. ²David then perceived that the LORD had established him as king over Israel, and that his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of his people Israel.

³ David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters. ⁴These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, and Nathan; Solomon, ⁵Ibhar, Elishua, and Elpelet; ⁶Nogah, Nepheg, and Japhia; ⁷Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

Defeat of the Philistines

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David; and David heard of it and went out against them. ⁹Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰David inquired of God, ‘Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you give them into my hand?’ The LORD said to him, ‘Go up, and I will give them into your hand.’ ¹¹So he went up to Baal-perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, ‘God has burst outa against my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood.’ Therefore that place is called Baal-perazim.b ¹² They abandoned their gods there, and at David’s command they were burned.

¹³ Once again the Philistines made a raid in the valley. ¹⁴When David again inquired of God, God said to him, ‘You shall not go up after them; go around and come on them opposite the balsam trees. ¹⁵When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.’ ¹⁶David did as God had commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer. ¹⁷The fame of David went out into all lands, and the LORD brought the fear of him on all nations.

The Ark Brought to Jerusalem

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DAVIDc built houses for himself in the city of David, and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it. ²Then David commanded that no one but the Levites were to carry the ark of God, for the LORD had chosen them to carry the ark of the LORD and to minister to him for ever. ³David assembled all Israel in Jerusalem to bring up the ark of the LORD to its place, which he had prepared for it. ⁴Then David gathered together the descendants of Aaron and the Levites: ⁵of the sons of Kohath, Uriel the chief, with one hundred and twenty of his kindred; ⁶of the sons of Merari, Asaiah the chief, with two hundred and twenty of his kindred; ⁷of the sons of Gershom, Joel the chief, with one hundred and thirty of his kindred; ⁸of the sons of Elizaphan, Shemaiah the chief, with two hundred of his kindred; ⁹of the sons of Hebron, Eliel the chief, with eighty of his kindred; ¹⁰of the sons of Uzziel, Amminadab the chief, with one hundred and twelve of his kindred.

¹¹ David summoned the priests Zadok and Abiathar, and the Levites Uriel, Asaiah, Joel, Shemaiah, Eliel, and Amminadab. ¹²He said to them, ‘You are the heads of families of the Levites; sanctify yourselves, you and your kindred, so that you may bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel, to the place that I have prepared for it. ¹³Because you did not carry it the first time,d the LORD our God burst out against us, because we did not give it proper care.’ ¹⁴So the priests and the Levites sanctified themselves to bring up the ark of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁵And the Levites carried the ark of God on their shoulders with the poles, as Moses had commanded according to the word of the LORD.

¹⁶ David also commanded the chiefs of the Levites to appoint their kindred as the singers to play on musical instruments, on harps and lyres and cymbals, to raise loud sounds of joy. ¹⁷So the Levites appointed Heman son of Joel; and of his kindred Asaph son of Berechiah; and of the sons of Merari, their kindred, Ethan son of Kushaiah; ¹⁸and with them their kindred of the second order, Zechariah, Jaaziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, and Mikneiah, and the gatekeepers Obed-edom and Jeiel. ¹⁹The singers Heman, Asaph, and Ethan were to sound bronze cymbals; ²⁰Zechariah, Aziel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Unni, Eliab, Maaseiah, and Benaiah were to play harps according to Alamoth; ²¹but Mattithiah, Eliphelehu, Mikneiah, Obed-edom, Jeiel, and Azaziah were to lead with lyres according to the Sheminith. ²²Chenaniah, leader of the Levites in music, was to direct the music, for he understood it. ²³Berechiah and Elkanah were to be gatekeepers for the ark. ²⁴Shebaniah, Joshaphat, Nethanel, Amasai, Zechariah, Benaiah, and Eliezer, the priests, were to blow the trumpets before the ark of God. Obed-edom and Jehiah also were to be gatekeepers for the ark.

²⁵ So David and the elders of Israel, and the commanders of the thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD from the house of Obed-edom with rejoicing. ²⁶And because God helped the Levites who were carrying the ark of the covenant of the LORD, they sacrificed seven bulls and seven rams. ²⁷David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, as also were all the Levites who were carrying the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the leader of the music of the singers; and David wore a linen ephod. ²⁸So all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the LORD with shouting, to the sound of the horn, trumpets, and cymbals, and made loud music on harps and lyres.

²⁹ As the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, Michal daughter of Saul looked out of the window, and saw King David leaping and dancing; and she despised him in her heart.

The Ark Placed in the Tent

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THEY brought in the ark of God, and set it inside the tent that David had pitched for it; and they offered burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being before God. ²When David had finished offering the burnt-offerings and the offerings of well-being, he blessed the people in the name of the LORD; ³and he distributed to every person in Israel—man and woman alike—to each a loaf of bread, a portion of meat,a and a cake of raisins.

⁴ He appointed certain of the Levites as ministers before the ark of the LORD, to invoke, to thank, and to praise the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁵Asaph was the chief, and second to him Zechariah, Jeiel, Shemiramoth, Jehiel, Mattithiah, Eliab, Benaiah, Obed-edom, and Jeiel, with harps and lyres; Asaph was to sound the cymbals, ⁶and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly, before the ark of the covenant of God.

David’s Psalm of Thanksgiving

⁷ Then on that day David first appointed the singing of praises to the LORD by Asaph and his kindred.

⁸ O give thanks to the LORD, call on his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples.

⁹ Sing to him, sing praises to him,

tell of all his wonderful works.

¹⁰ Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

¹¹ Seek the LORD and his strength,

seek his presence continually.

¹² Remember the wonderful works he has done,

his miracles, and the judgements he uttered,

¹³ O offspring of his servant Israel,a

children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

¹⁴ He is the LORD our God;

his judgements are in all the earth.

¹⁵ Remember his covenant for ever,

the word that he commanded for a thousand generations,

¹⁶ the covenant that he made with Abraham,

his sworn promise to Isaac,

¹⁷ which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

¹⁸ saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan

as your portion for an inheritance.’

¹⁹ When they were few in number,

of little account, and strangers in the land,b

²⁰ wandering from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another people,

²¹ he allowed no one to oppress them;

he rebuked kings on their account,

²² saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones;

do my prophets no harm.’

²³ Sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Tell of his salvation from day to day.

²⁴ Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvellous works among all the peoples.

²⁵ For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be revered above all gods.

²⁶ For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

but the LORD made the heavens.

²⁷ Honour and majesty are before him;

strength and joy are in his place.

²⁸ Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

²⁹ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come before him.

Worship the LORD in holy splendour;

³⁰ tremble before him, all the earth.

The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.

³¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,

and let them say among the nations, ‘The LORD is king!’

³² Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

let the field exult, and everything in it.

³³ Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy

before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth.

³⁴ O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

³⁵Say also:

‘Save us, O God of our salvation,

and gather and rescue us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name,

and glory in your praise.

³⁶ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.’

Then all the people said ‘Amen!’ and praised the LORD.

Regular Worship Maintained

³⁷ David left Asaph and his kinsfolk there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD to minister regularly before the ark as each day required, ³⁸and also Obed-edom and hisa sixty-eight kinsfolk; while Obed-edom son of Jeduthun and Hosah were to be gatekeepers. ³⁹And he left the priest Zadok and his kindred the priests before the tabernacle of the LORD in the high place that was at Gibeon, ⁴⁰to offer burnt-offerings to the LORD on the altar of burnt-offering regularly, morning and evening, according to all that is written in the law of the LORD that he commanded Israel. ⁴¹With them were Heman and Jeduthun, and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to render thanks to the LORD, for his steadfast love endures for ever. ⁴²Heman and Jeduthun had with them trumpets and cymbals for the music, and instruments for sacred song. The sons of Jeduthun were appointed to the gate.

⁴³ Then all the people departed to their homes, and David went home to bless his household.

God’s Covenant with David

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NOW when David settled in his house, David said to the prophet Nathan, ‘I am living in a house of cedar, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD is under a tent.’ ²Nathan said to David, ‘Do all that you have in mind, for God is with you.’

³ But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan, saying: ⁴Go and tell my servant David: Thus says the LORD: You shall not build me a house to live in. ⁵For I have not lived in a house since the day I brought out Israel to this very day, but I have lived in a tent and a tabernacle.b ⁶Wherever I have moved about among all Israel, did I ever speak a word with any of the judges of Israel, whom I commanded to shepherd my people, saying, Why have you not built me a house of cedar? ⁷Now therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David: Thus says the LORD of hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people Israel; ⁸and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut off all your enemies before you; and I will make for you a name, like the name of the great ones of the earth. ⁹I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place, and be disturbed no more; and evildoers shall wear them down no more, as they did formerly, ¹⁰from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel; and I will subdue all your enemies.

Moreover, I declare to you that the LORD will build you a house. ¹¹When your days are fulfilled to go to be with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. ¹²He shall build a house for me, and I will establish his throne for ever. ¹³I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to me. I will not take my steadfast love from him, as I took it from him who was before you, ¹⁴but I will confirm him in my house and in my kingdom for ever, and his throne shall be established for ever. ¹⁵In accordance with all these words and all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

David’s Prayer

¹⁶ Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, ‘Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my house, that you have brought me thus far? ¹⁷And even this was a small thing in your sight, O God; you have also spoken of your servant’s house for a great while to come. You regard me as someone of high rank,a O LORD God! ¹⁸And what more can David say to you for honouring your servant? You know your servant. ¹⁹For your servant’s sake, O LORD, and according to your own heart, you have done all these great deeds, making known all these great things. ²⁰There is no one like you, O LORD, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears. ²¹Who is like your people Israel, one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem to be his people, making for yourself a name for great and terrible things, in driving out nations before your people whom you redeemed from Egypt? ²²And you made your people Israel to be your people for ever; and you, O LORD, became their God.

²³ ‘And now, O LORD, as for the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and concerning his house, let it be established for ever, and do as you have promised. ²⁴Thus your name will be established and magnified for ever in the saying, “The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, is Israel’s God” and the house of your servant David will be established in your presence. ²⁵For you, my God, have revealed to your servant that you will build a house for him; therefore your servant has found it possible to pray before you. ²⁶And now, O LORD, you are God, and you have promised this good thing to your servant; ²⁷therefore may it please you to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue for ever before you. For you, O LORD, have blessed and are blessedb for ever.’

David’s Kingdom Established and Extended

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SOME time afterwards, David attacked the Philistines and subdued them; he took Gath and its villages from the Philistines.

² He defeated Moab, and the Moabites became subject to David and brought tribute.

³ David also struck down King Hadadezer of Zobah, towards Hamath,a as he went to set up a monument at the river Euphrates. ⁴David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand cavalry, and twenty thousand foot-soldiers. David hamstrung all the chariot horses, but left one hundred of them. ⁵When the Arameans of Damascus came to help King Hadadezer of Zobah, David killed twenty-two thousand Arameans. ⁶Then David put garrisonsb in Aram of Damascus; and the Arameans became subject to David, and brought tribute. The LORD gave victory to David wherever he went. ⁷David took the gold shields that were carried by the servants of Hadadezer, and brought them to Jerusalem. ⁸From Tibhath and from Cun, cities of Hadadezer, David took a vast quantity of bronze; with it Solomon made the bronze sea and the pillars and the vessels of bronze.

⁹ When King Tou of Hamath heard that David had defeated the whole army of King Hadadezer of Zobah, ¹⁰he sent his son Hadoram to King David, to greet him and to congratulate him, because he had fought against Hadadezer and defeated him. Now Hadadezer had often been at war with Tou. He sent all sorts of articles of gold, of silver, and of bronze; ¹¹these also King David dedicated to the LORD, together with the silver and gold that he had carried off from all the nations, from Edom, Moab, the Ammonites, the Philistines, and Amalek.

¹² Abishai son of Zeruiah killed eighteen thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. ¹³He put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became subject to David. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

David’s Administration

¹⁴ So David reigned over all Israel; and he administered justice and equity to all his people. ¹⁵Joab son of Zeruiah was over the army; Jehoshaphat son of Ahilud was recorder; ¹⁶Zadok son of Ahitub and Ahimelech son of Abiathar were priests; Shavsha was secretary; ¹⁷Benaiah son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were the chief officials in the service of the king.

Defeat of the Ammonites and Arameans

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SOME time afterwards, King Nahash of the Ammonites died, and his son succeeded him. ²David said, ‘I will deal loyally with Hanun son of Nahash, for his father dealt loyally with me.’ So David sent messengers to console him concerning his father. When David’s servants came to Hanun in the land of the Ammonites, to console him, ³the officials of the Ammonites said to Hanun, ‘Do you think, because David has sent people to console you, that he is honouring your father? Have not his servants come to you to search and to overthrow and to spy out the land?’ ⁴So Hanun seized David’s servants, shaved them, cut off their garments in the middle at their hips, and sent them away; ⁵and they departed. When David was told about the men, he sent messengers to them, for they felt greatly humiliated. The king said, ‘Remain at Jericho until your beards have grown, and then return.’

⁶ When the Ammonites saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the Ammonites sent a thousand talents of silver to hire chariots and cavalry from Mesopotamia, from Aram-maacah and from Zobah. ⁷They hired thirty-two thousand chariots and the king of Maacah with his army, who came and camped before Medeba. And the Ammonites were mustered from their cities and came to battle. ⁸When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the warriors. ⁹The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that the line of battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans; ¹¹the rest of his troops he put in charge of his brother Abishai, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites. ¹²He said, ‘If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you. ¹³Be strong, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God; and may the LORD do what seems good to him.’ ¹⁴So Joab and the troops who were with him advanced towards the Arameans for battle; and they fled before him. ¹⁵When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, Joab’s brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the Euphrates, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head. ¹⁷When David was informed, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, came to them, and drew up his forces against them. When David set the battle in array against the Arameans, they fought with him. ¹⁸The Arameans fled before Israel; and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot-soldiers, and also killed Shophach the commander of their army. ¹⁹When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David, and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites any more.

Siege and Capture of Rabbah

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IN THE spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, Joab led out the army, ravaged the country of the Ammonites, and came and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah, and overthrew it. ²David took the crown of Milcoma from his head; he found that it weighed a talent of gold, and in it was a precious stone; and it was placed on David’s head. He also brought out the booty of the city, a very great amount. ³He brought out the people who were in it, and set them to workb with saws and iron picks and axes.c Thus David did to all the cities of the Ammonites. Then David and all the people returned to Jerusalem.

Exploits against the Philistines

⁴ After this, war broke out with the Philistines at Gezer; then Sibbecai the Hushathite killed Sippai, who was one of the descendants of the giants; and the Philistines were subdued. ⁵Again there was war with the Philistines; and Elhanan son of Jair killed Lahmi the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam. ⁶Again there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great size, who had six fingers on each hand, and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; he also was descended from the giants. ⁷When he taunted Israel, Jonathan son of Shimea, David’s brother, killed him. ⁸These were descended from the giants in Gath; they fell by the hand of David and his servants.

The Census and Plague

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SATAN stood up against Israel, and incited David to count the people of Israel. ²So David said to Joab and the commanders of the army, ‘Go, number Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, and bring me a report, so that I may know their number.’ ³But Joab said, ‘May the LORD increase the number of his people a hundredfold! Are they not, my lord the king, all of them my lord’s servants? Why then should my lord require this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?’ ⁴But the king’s word prevailed against Joab. So Joab departed and went throughout all Israel, and came back to Jerusalem. ⁵Joab gave the total count of the people to David. In all Israel there were one million one hundred thousand men who drew the sword, and in Judah four hundred and seventy thousand who drew the sword. ⁶But he did not include Levi and Benjamin in the numbering, for the king’s command was abhorrent to Joab.

⁷ But God was displeased with this thing, and he struck Israel. ⁸David said to God, ‘I have sinned greatly in that I have done this thing. But now, I pray you, take away the guilt of your servant; for I have done very foolishly.’ ⁹The LORD spoke to Gad, David’s seer, saying, ¹⁰‘Go and say to David, “Thus says the LORD: Three things I offer you; choose one of them, so that I may do it to you.”’ ¹¹So Gad came to David and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Take your choice: ¹²either three years of famine; or three months of devastation by your foes, while the sword of your enemies overtakes you; or three days of the sword of the LORD, pestilence on the land, and the angel of the LORD destroying throughout all the territory of Israel.” Now decide what answer I shall return to the one who sent me.’ ¹³Then David said to Gad, ‘I am in great distress; let me fall into the hand of the LORD, for his mercy is very great; but let me not fall into human hands.’

¹⁴ So the LORD sent a pestilence on Israel; and seventy thousand persons fell in Israel. ¹⁵And God sent an angel to Jerusalem to destroy it; but when he was about to destroy it, the LORD took note and relented concerning the calamity; he said to the destroying angel, ‘Enough! Stay your hand.’ The angel of the LORD was then standing by the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁶David looked up and saw the angel of the LORD standing between earth and heaven, and in his hand a drawn sword stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell on their faces. ¹⁷And David said to God, ‘Was it not I who gave the command to count the people? It is I who have sinned and done very wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Let your hand, I pray, O LORD my God, be against me and against my father’s house; but do not let your people be plagued!’

David’s Altar and Sacrifice

¹⁸ Then the angel of the LORD commanded Gad to tell David that he should go up and erect an altar to the LORD on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ¹⁹So David went up following Gad’s instructions, which he had spoken in the name of the LORD. ²⁰Ornan turned and saw the angel; and while his four sons who were with him hid themselves, Ornan continued to thresh wheat. ²¹As David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David; he went out from the threshing-floor, and did obeisance to David with his face to the ground. ²²David said to Ornan, ‘Give me the site of the threshing-floor that I may build on it an altar to the LORD—give it to me at its full price—so that the plague may be averted from the people.’ ²³Then Ornan said to David, ‘Take it; and let my lord the king do what seems good to him; see, I present the oxen for burnt-offerings, and the threshing-sledges for the wood, and the wheat for a grain-offering. I give it all.’ ²⁴But King David said to Ornan, ‘No; I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt-offerings that cost me nothing.’ ²⁵So David paid Ornan six hundred shekels of gold by weight for the site. ²⁶David built there an altar to the LORD and presented burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being. He called upon the LORD, and he answered him with fire from heaven on the altar of burnt-offering. ²⁷Then the LORD commanded the angel, and he put his sword back into its sheath.

The Place Chosen for the Temple

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²⁸ At that time, when David saw that the LORD had answered him at the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite, he made his sacrifices there. ²⁹For the tabernacle of the LORD, which Moses had made in the wilderness, and the altar of burnt-offering were at that time in the high place at Gibeon; ³⁰but David could not go before it to inquire of God, for he was afraid of the sword of the angel of the LORD. ¹Then David said, ‘Here shall be the house of the LORD God and here the altar of burnt-offering for Israel.’

David Prepares to Build the Temple

² David gave orders to gather together the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. ³David also provided great stores of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, ⁴and cedar logs without number—for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. ⁵For David said, ‘My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the LORD must be exceedingly magnificent, famous and glorified throughout all lands; I will therefore make preparation for it.’ So David provided materials in great quantity before his death.

David’s Charge to Solomon and the Leaders

⁶ Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁷David said to Solomon, ‘My son, I had planned to build a house to the name of the LORD my God. ⁸But the word of the LORD came to me, saying, “You have shed much blood and have waged great wars; you shall not build a house to my name, because you have shed so much blood in my sight on the earth. ⁹See, a son shall be born to you; he shall be a man of peace. I will give him peace from all his enemies on every side; for his name shall be Solomon,a and I will give peaceb and quiet to Israel in his days. ¹⁰He shall build a house for my name. He shall be a son to me, and I will be a father to him, and I will establish his royal throne in Israel for ever.” ¹¹Now, my son, the LORD be with you, so that you may succeed in building the house of the LORD your God, as he has spoken concerning you. ¹²Only, may the LORD grant you discretion and understanding, so that when he gives you charge over Israel you may keep the law of the LORD your God. ¹³Then you will prosper if you are careful to observe the statutes and the ordinances that the LORD commanded Moses for Israel. Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed. ¹⁴With great pains I have provided for the house of the LORD one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze and iron beyond weighing, for there is so much of it; timber and stone too I have provided. To these you must add more. ¹⁵You have an abundance of workers: stonecutters, masons, carpenters, and all kinds of artisans without number, skilled in working ¹⁶gold, silver, bronze, and iron. Now begin the work, and the LORD be with you.’

¹⁷ David also commanded all the leaders of Israel to help his son Solomon, saying, ¹⁸‘Is not the LORD your God with you? Has he not given you peace on every side? For he has delivered the inhabitants of the land into my hand; and the land is subdued before the LORD and his people. ¹⁹Now set your mind and heart to seek the LORD your God. Go and build the sanctuary of the LORD God so that the ark of the covenant of the LORD and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the LORD.’

Families of the Levites and Their Functions

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WHEN David was old and full of days, he made his son Solomon king over Israel.

² David assembled all the leaders of Israel and the priests and the Levites. ³The Levites, thirty years old and upwards, were counted, and the total was thirty-eight thousand. ⁴‘Twenty-four thousand of these’, David said, ‘shall have charge of the work in the house of the LORD, six thousand shall be officers and judges, ⁵four thousand gatekeepers, and four thousand shall offer praises to the LORD with the instruments that I have made for praise.’ ⁶And David organized them in divisions corresponding to the sons of Levi: Gershon,c Kohath, and Merari.

⁷ The sons of Gershond were Ladan and Shimei. ⁸The sons of Ladan: Jehiel the chief, Zetham, and Joel, three. ⁹The sons of Shimei: Shelomoth, Haziel, and Haran, three. These were the heads of families of Ladan. ¹⁰And the sons of Shimei: Jahath, Zina, Jeush, and Beriah. These four were the sons of Shimei. ¹¹Jahath was the chief, and Zizah the second; but Jeush and Beriah did not have many sons, so they were enrolled as a single family.

¹² The sons of Kohath: Amram, Izhar, Hebron, and Uzziel, four. ¹³The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses. Aaron was set apart to consecrate the most holy things, so that he and his sons for ever should make offerings before the LORD, and minister to him and pronounce blessings in his name for ever; ¹⁴but as for Moses the man of God, his sons were to be reckoned among the tribe of Levi. ¹⁵The sons of Moses: Gershom and Eliezer. ¹⁶The sons of Gershom: Shebuel the chief. ¹⁷The sons of Eliezer: Rehabiah the chief; Eliezer had no other sons, but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous. ¹⁸The sons of Izhar: Shelomith the chief. ¹⁹The sons of Hebron: Jeriah the chief, Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, and Jekameam the fourth. ²⁰The sons of Uzziel: Micah the chief and Isshiah the second.

²¹ The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Mahli: Eleazar and Kish. ²²Eleazar died having no sons, but only daughters; their kindred, the sons of Kish, married them. ²³The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jeremoth, three.

²⁴ These were the sons of Levi by their ancestral houses, the heads of families as they were enrolled according to the number of the names of the individuals from twenty years old and upwards who were to do the work for the service of the house of the LORD. ²⁵For David said, ‘The LORD, the God of Israel, has given rest to his people; and he resides in Jerusalem for ever. ²⁶And so the Levites no longer need to carry the tabernacle or any of the things for its service’—²⁷for according to the last words of David these were the number of the Levites from twenty years old and upwards—²⁸‘but their duty shall be to assist the descendants of Aaron for the service of the house of the LORD, having the care of the courts and the chambers, the cleansing of all that is holy, and any work for the service of the house of God; ²⁹to assist also with the rows of bread, the choice flour for the grain-offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baked-offering, the offering mixed with oil, and all measures of quantity or size. ³⁰And they shall stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening, ³¹and whenever burnt-offerings are offered to the LORD on sabbaths, new moons, and appointed festivals, according to the number required of them, regularly before the LORD. ³²Thus they shall keep charge of the tent of meeting and the sanctuary, and shall attend the descendants of Aaron, their kindred, for the service of the house of the LORD.’

Divisions of the Priests

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THE divisions of the descendants of Aaron were these. The sons of Aaron: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar. ²But Nadab and Abihu died before their father, and had no sons; so Eleazar and Ithamar became the priests. ³Along with Zadok of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimelech of the sons of Ithamar, David organized them according to the appointed duties in their service. ⁴Since more chief men were found among the sons of Eleazar than among the sons of Ithamar, they organized them under sixteen heads of ancestral houses of the sons of Eleazar, and eight of the sons of Ithamar. ⁵They organized them by lot, all alike, for there were officers of the sanctuary and officers of God among both the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Ithamar. ⁶The scribe Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, recorded them in the presence of the king, and the officers, and Zadok the priest, and Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the heads of ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites; one ancestral house being chosen for Eleazar and one chosen for Ithamar.

⁷ The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second to Jedaiah, ⁸the third to Harim, the fourth to Seorim, ⁹the fifth to Malchijah, the sixth to Mijamin, ¹⁰the seventh to Hakkoz, the eighth to Abijah, ¹¹the ninth to Jeshua, the tenth to Shecaniah, ¹²the eleventh to Eliashib, the twelfth to Jakim, ¹³the thirteenth to Huppah, the fourteenth to Jeshebeab, ¹⁴the fifteenth to Bilgah, the sixteenth to Immer, ¹⁵the seventeenth to Hezir, the eighteenth to Happizzez, ¹⁶the nineteenth to Pethahiah, the twentieth to Jehezkel, ¹⁷the twenty-first to Jachin, the twenty-second to Gamul, ¹⁸the twenty-third to Delaiah, the twenty-fourth to Maaziah. ¹⁹These had as their appointed duty in their service to enter the house of the LORD according to the procedure established for them by their ancestor Aaron, as the LORD God of Israel had commanded him.

Other Levites

²⁰ And of the rest of the sons of Levi: of the sons of Amram, Shubael; of the sons of Shubael, Jehdeiah. ²¹Of Rehabiah: of the sons of Rehabiah, Isshiah the chief. ²²Of the Izharites, Shelomoth; of the sons of Shelomoth, Jahath. ²³The sons of Hebron:a Jeriah the chief,b Amariah the second, Jahaziel the third, Jekameam the fourth. ²⁴The sons of Uzziel, Micah; of the sons of Micah, Shamir. ²⁵The brother of Micah, Isshiah; of the sons of Isshiah, Zechariah. ²⁶The sons of Merari: Mahli and Mushi. The sons of Jaaziah: Beno.c ²⁷The sons of Merari: of Jaaziah, Beno,c Shoham, Zaccur, and Ibri. ²⁸Of Mahli: Eleazar, who had no sons. ²⁹Of Kish, the sons of Kish: Jerahmeel. ³⁰The sons of Mushi: Mahli, Eder, and Jerimoth. These were the sons of the Levites according to their ancestral houses. ³¹These also cast lots corresponding to their kindred, the descendants of Aaron, in the presence of King David, Zadok, Ahimelech, and the heads of ancestral houses of the priests and of the Levites, the chief as well as the youngest brother.

The Temple Musicians

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DAVID and the officers of the army also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with lyres, harps, and cymbals. The list of those who did the work and of their duties was: ²Of the sons of Asaph: Zaccur, Joseph, Nethaniah, and Asarelah, sons of Asaph, under the direction of Asaph, who prophesied under the direction of the king. ³Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei,d Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the LORD. ⁴Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth. ⁵All these were the sons of Heman the king’s seer, according to the promise of God to exalt him; for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. ⁶They were all under the direction of their father for the music in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. ⁷They and their kindred, who were trained in singing to the LORD, all of whom were skilful, numbered two hundred and eighty-eight. ⁸And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.

⁹ The first lot fell for Asaph to Joseph; the second to Gedaliah, to him and his brothers and his sons, twelve; ¹⁰the third to Zaccur, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹¹the fourth to Izri, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹²the fifth to Nethaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹³the sixth to Bukkiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁴the seventh to Jesarelah,a his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁵the eighth to Jeshaiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁶the ninth to Mattaniah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁷the tenth to Shimei, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁸the eleventh to Azarel, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ¹⁹the twelfth to Hashabiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁰to the thirteenth, Shubael, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²¹to the fourteenth, Mattithiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²²to the fifteenth, to Jeremoth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²³to the sixteenth, to Hananiah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁴to the seventeenth, to Joshbekashah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁵to the eighteenth, to Hanani, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁶to the nineteenth, to Mallothi, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁷to the twentieth, to Eliathah, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁸to the twenty-first, to Hothir, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ²⁹to the twenty-second, to Giddalti, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ³⁰to the twenty-third, to Mahazioth, his sons and his brothers, twelve; ³¹to the twenty-fourth, to Romamti-ezer, his sons and his brothers, twelve.

The Gatekeepers

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AS FOR the divisions of the gatekeepers: of the Korahites, Meshelemiah son of Kore, of the sons of Asaph. ²Meshelemiah had sons: Zechariah the firstborn, Jediael the second, Zebadiah the third, Jathniel the fourth, ³Elam the fifth, Jehohanan the sixth, Eliehoenai the seventh. ⁴Obed-edom had sons: Shemaiah the firstborn, Jehozabad the second, Joah the third, Sachar the fourth, Nethanel the fifth, ⁵Ammiel the sixth, Issachar the seventh, Peullethai the eighth; for God blessed him. ⁶Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who exercised authority in their ancestral houses, for they were men of great ability. ⁷The sons of Shemaiah: Othni, Rephael, Obed, and Elzabad, whose brothers were able men, Elihu and Semachiah. ⁸All these, sons of Obed-edom with their sons and brothers, were able men qualified for the service; sixty-two of Obed-edom. ⁹Meshelemiah had sons and brothers, able men, eighteen. ¹⁰Hosah, of the sons of Merari, had sons: Shimri the chief (for though he was not the firstborn, his father made him chief), ¹¹Hilkiah the second, Tebaliah the third, Zechariah the fourth: all the sons and brothers of Hosah totalled thirteen.

¹² These divisions of the gatekeepers, corresponding to their leaders, had duties, just as their kindred did, ministering in the house of the LORD; ¹³and they cast lots by ancestral houses, small and great alike, for their gates. ¹⁴The lot for the east fell to Shelemiah. They cast lots also for his son Zechariah, a prudent counsellor, and his lot came out for the north. ¹⁵Obed-edom’s came out for the south, and to his sons was allotted the storehouse. ¹⁶For Shuppim and Hosah it came out for the west, at the gate of Shallecheth on the ascending road. Guard corresponded to guard. ¹⁷On the east there were six Levites each day,b on the north four each day, on the south four each day, as well as two and two at the storehouse;¹⁸ and for the colonnadec on the west there were four at the road and two at the colonnade.c ¹⁹ These were the divisions of the gatekeepers among the Korahites and the sons of Merari.

The Treasurers, Officers, and Judges

²⁰ And of the Levites, Ahijah had charge of the treasuries of the house of God and the treasuries of the dedicated gifts. ²¹The sons of Ladan, the sons of the Gershonites belonging to Ladan, the heads of families belonging to Ladan the Gershonite: Jehieli.a

²² The sons of Jehieli, Zetham and his brother Joel, were in charge of the treasuries of the house of the LORD. ²³Of the Amramites, the Izharites, the Hebronites, and the Uzzielites: ²⁴Shebuel son of Gershom, son of Moses, was chief officer in charge of the treasuries. ²⁵His brothers: from Eliezer were his son Rehabiah, his son Jeshaiah, his son Joram, his son Zichri, and his son Shelomoth. ²⁶This Shelomoth and his brothers were in charge of all the treasuries of the dedicated gifts that King David, and the heads of families, and the officers of the thousands and the hundreds, and the commanders of the army, had dedicated. ²⁷From booty won in battles they dedicated gifts for the maintenance of the house of the LORD. ²⁸Also all that Samuel the seer, and Saul son of Kish, and Abner son of Ner, and Joab son of Zeruiah had dedicated—all dedicated gifts were in the care of Shelomothb and his brothers.

²⁹ Of the Izharites, Chenaniah and his sons were appointed to outside duties for Israel, as officers and judges. ³⁰Of the Hebronites, Hashabiah and his brothers, one thousand seven hundred men of ability, had the oversight of Israel west of the Jordan for all the work of the LORD and for the service of the king. ³¹Of the Hebronites, Jerijah was chief of the Hebronites. (In the fortieth year of David’s reign search was made, of whatever genealogy or family, and men of great ability among them were found at Jazer in Gilead.) ³²King David appointed him and his brothers, two thousand seven hundred men of ability, heads of families, to have the oversight of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of the Manassites for everything pertaining to God and for the affairs of the king.

The Military Divisions

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THIS is the list of the people of Israel, the heads of families, the commanders of the thousands and the hundreds, and their officers who served the king in all matters concerning the divisions that came and went, month after month throughout the year, each division numbering twenty-four thousand:

² Jashobeam son of Zabdiel was in charge of the first division in the first month; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ³He was a descendant of Perez, and was chief of all the commanders of the army for the first month. ⁴Dodai the Ahohite was in charge of the division of the second month; Mikloth was the chief officer of his division. In his division were twenty-four thousand. ⁵The third commander, for the third month, was Benaiah son of the priest Jehoiada, as chief; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ⁶This is the Benaiah who was a mighty man of the Thirty and in command of the Thirty; his son Ammizabad was in charge of his division.c ⁷Asahel brother of Joab was fourth, for the fourth month, and his son Zebadiah after him; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ⁸The fifth commander, for the fifth month, was Shamhuth, the Izrahite; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ⁹Sixth, for the sixth month, was Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹⁰Seventh, for the seventh month, was Helez the Pelonite, of the Ephraimites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹¹Eighth, for the eighth month, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zerahites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹²Ninth, for the ninth month, was Abiezer of Anathoth, a Benjaminite; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹³Tenth, for the tenth month, was Maharai of Netophah, of the Zerahites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹⁴Eleventh, for the eleventh month, was Benaiah of Pirathon, of the Ephraimites; in his division were twenty-four thousand. ¹⁵Twelfth, for the twelfth month, was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel; in his division were twenty-four thousand.

Leaders of Tribes

¹⁶ Over the tribes of Israel, for the Reubenites, Eliezer son of Zichri was chief officer; for the Simeonites, Shephatiah son of Maacah; ¹⁷for Levi, Hashabiah son of Kemuel; for Aaron, Zadok; ¹⁸for Judah, Elihu, one of David’s brothers; for Issachar, Omri son of Michael; ¹⁹for Zebulun, Ishmaiah son of Obadiah; for Naphtali, Jerimoth son of Azriel; ²⁰for the Ephraimites, Hoshea son of Azaziah; for the half-tribe of Manasseh, Joel son of Pedaiah; ²¹for the half-tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo son of Zechariah; for Benjamin, Jaasiel son of Abner; ²²for Dan, Azarel son of Jeroham. These were the leaders of the tribes of Israel. ²³David did not count those below twenty years of age, for the LORD had promised to make Israel as numerous as the stars of heaven. ²⁴Joab son of Zeruiah began to count them, but did not finish; yet wrath came upon Israel for this, and the number was not entered into the account of the Annals of King David.

Other Civic Officials

²⁵ Over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth son of Adiel. Over the treasuries in the country, in the cities, in the villages, and in the towers, was Jonathan son of Uzziah. ²⁶Over those who did the work of the field, tilling the soil, was Ezri son of Chelub. ²⁷Over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite. Over the produce of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite. ²⁸Over the olive and sycomore trees in the Shephelah was Baal-hanan the Gederite. Over the stores of oil was Joash. ²⁹Over the herds that pastured in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite. Over the herds in the valleys was Shaphat son of Adlai. ³⁰Over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite. Over the donkeys was Jehdeiah the Meronothite. Over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. ³¹All these were stewards of King David’s property.

³² Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counsellor, being a man of understanding and a scribe; Jehiel son of Hachmoni attended the king’s sons. ³³Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend. ³⁴After Ahithophel came Jehoiada son of Benaiah, and Abiathar. Joab was commander of the king’s army.

Solomon Instructed to Build the Temple

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DAVID assembled at Jerusalem all the officials of Israel, the officials of the tribes, the officers of the divisions that served the king, the commanders of the thousands, the commanders of the hundreds, the stewards of all the property and cattle of the king and his sons, together with the palace officials, the mighty warriors, and all the warriors. ²Then King David rose to his feet and said: ‘Hear me, my brothers and my people. I had planned to build a house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, for the footstool of our God; and I made preparations for building. ³But God said to me, “You shall not build a house for my name, for you are a warrior and have shed blood.” ⁴Yet the LORD God of Israel chose me from all my ancestral house to be king over Israel for ever; for he chose Judah as leader, and in the house of Judah my father’s house, and among my father’s sons he took delight in making me king over all Israel. ⁵And of all my sons, for the LORD has given me many, he has chosen my son Solomon to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the LORD over Israel. ⁶He said to me, “It is your son Solomon who shall build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him to be a son to me, and I will be a father to him. ⁷I will establish his kingdom for ever if he continues resolute in keeping my commandments and my ordinances, as he is today.” ⁸Now therefore in the sight of all Israel, the assembly of the LORD, and in the hearing of our God, observe and search out all the commandments of the LORD your God; that you may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance to your children after you for ever.

⁹ ‘And you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve him with single mind and willing heart; for the LORD searches every mind, and understands every plan and thought. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will abandon you for ever. ¹⁰Take heed now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a house as the sanctuary; be strong, and act.’

¹¹ Then David gave his son Solomon the plan of the vestibule of the temple, and of its houses, its treasuries, its upper rooms, and its inner chambers, and of the room for the mercy-seat;a ¹²and the plan of all that he had in mind: for the courts of the house of the LORD, all the surrounding chambers, the treasuries of the house of God, and the treasuries for dedicated gifts; ¹³for the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, and all the work of the service in the house of the LORD; for all the vessels for the service in the house of the LORD, ¹⁴the weight of gold for all golden vessels for each service, the weight of silver vessels for each service, ¹⁵the weight of the golden lampstands and their lamps, the weight of gold for each lampstand and its lamps, the weight of silver for a lampstand and its lamps, according to the use of each in the service, ¹⁶the weight of gold for each table for the rows of bread, the silver for the silver tables, ¹⁷and pure gold for the forks, the basins, and the cups; for the golden bowls and the weight of each; for the silver bowls and the weight of each; ¹⁸for the altar of incense made of refined gold, and its weight; also his plan for the golden chariot of the cherubim that spread their wings and covered the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

¹⁹ ‘All this, in writing at the LORD’s direction, he made clear to me—the plan of all the works.’

²⁰ David said further to his son Solomon, ‘Be strong and of good courage, and act. Do not be afraid or dismayed; for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you, until all the work for the service of the house of the LORD is finished. ²¹Here are the divisions of the priests and the Levites for all the service of the house of God; and with you in all the work will be every volunteer who has skill for any kind of service; also the officers and all the people will be wholly at your command.’

Offerings for Building the Temple

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KING David said to the whole assembly, ‘My son Solomon, whom alone God has chosen, is young and inexperienced, and the work is great; for the templea will not be for mortals but for the LORD God. ²So I have provided for the house of my God, so far as I was able, the gold for the things of gold, the silver for the things of silver, and the bronze for the things of bronze, the iron for the things of iron, and wood for the things of wood, besides great quantities of onyx and stones for setting, antimony, coloured stones, all sorts of precious stones, and marble in abundance. ³Moreover, in addition to all that I have provided for the holy house, I have a treasure of my own of gold and silver, and because of my devotion to the house of my God I give it to the house of my God: ⁴three thousand talents of gold, of the gold of Ophir, and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for overlaying the walls of the house, ⁵and for all the work to be done by artisans, gold for the things of gold and silver for the things of silver. Who then will offer willingly, consecrating themselves today to the LORD?’

⁶ Then the leaders of ancestral houses made their freewill-offerings, as did also the leaders of the tribes, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, and the officers over the king’s work. ⁷They gave for the service of the house of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze, and one hundred thousand talents of iron. ⁸Whoever had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the house of the LORD, into the care of Jehiel the Gershonite. ⁹Then the people rejoiced because these had given willingly, for with single mind they had offered freely to the LORD; King David also rejoiced greatly.

David’s Praise to God

¹⁰ Then David blessed the LORD in the presence of all the assembly; David said: ‘Blessed are you, O LORD, the God of our ancestor Israel, for ever and ever. ¹¹Yours, O LORD, are the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heavens and on the earth is yours; yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹²Riches and honour come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might; and it is in your hand to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³And now, our God, we give thanks to you and praise your glorious name.

¹⁴ ‘But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to make this freewill-offering? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. ¹⁵For we are aliens and transients before you, as were all our ancestors; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided for building you a house for your holy name comes from your hand and is all your own. ¹⁷I know, my God, that you search the heart, and take pleasure in uprightness; in the uprightness of my heart I have freely offered all these things, and now I have seen your people, who are present here, offering freely and joyously to you. ¹⁸O LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our ancestors, keep for ever such purposes and thoughts in the hearts of your people, and direct their hearts towards you. ¹⁹Grant to my son Solomon that with single mind he may keep your commandments, your decrees, and your statutes, performing all of them, and that he may build the templea for which I have made provision.’

²⁰ Then David said to the whole assembly, ‘Bless the LORD your God.’ And all the assembly blessed the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and bowed their heads and prostrated themselves before the LORD and the king. ²¹On the next day they offered sacrifices and burnt-offerings to the LORD, a thousand bulls, a thousand rams, and a thousand lambs, with their libations, and sacrifices in abundance for all Israel; ²²and they ate and drank before the LORD on that day with great joy.

Solomon Anointed King

They made David’s son Solomon king a second time; they anointed him as the LORD’s prince, and Zadok as priest. ²³Then Solomon sat on the throne of the LORD, succeeding his father David as king; he prospered, and all Israel obeyed him. ²⁴All the leaders and the mighty warriors, and also all the sons of King David, pledged their allegiance to King Solomon. ²⁵The LORD highly exalted Solomon in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

Summary of David’s Reign

²⁶ Thus David son of Jesse reigned over all Israel. ²⁷The period that he reigned over Israel was forty years; he reigned for seven years in Hebron and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. ²⁸He died at a good old age, full of days, riches, and honour; and his son Solomon succeeded him. ²⁹Now the acts of King David, from first to last, are written in the records of the seer Samuel, and in the records of the prophet Nathan, and in the records of the seer Gad, ³⁰with accounts of all his rule and his might and of the events that befell him and Israel and all the kingdoms of the earth.

2 CHRONICLES

Solomon Requests Wisdom

SOLOMON son of David established himself in his kingdom; the LORD his God was with him and made him exceedingly great.

² Solomon summoned all Israel, the commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds, the judges, and all the leaders of all Israel, the heads of families. ³Then Solomon, and the whole assembly with him, went to the high place that was at Gibeon; for God’s tent of meeting, which Moses the servant of the LORD had made in the wilderness, was there. ⁴(But David had brought the ark of God up from Kiriath-jearim to the place that David had prepared for it; for he had pitched a tent for it in Jerusalem.) ⁵Moreover, the bronze altar that Bezalel son of Uri, son of Hur, had made was there in front of the tabernacle of the LORD. And Solomon and the assembly inquired at it. ⁶Solomon went up there to the bronze altar before the LORD, which was at the tent of meeting, and offered a thousand burnt-offerings on it.

⁷ That night God appeared to Solomon, and said to him, ‘Ask what I should give you.’ ⁸Solomon said to God, ‘You have shown great and steadfast love to my father David, and have made me succeed him as king. ⁹O LORD God, let your promise to my father David now be fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. ¹⁰Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can rule this great people of yours?’ ¹¹God answered Solomon, ‘Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honour, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may rule my people over whom I have made you king, ¹²wisdom and knowledge are granted to you. I will also give you riches, possessions, and honour, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like.’ ¹³So Solomon came froma the high place at Gibeon, from the tent of meeting, to Jerusalem. And he reigned over Israel.

Solomon’s Military and Commercial Activity

¹⁴ Solomon gathered together chariots and horses; he had fourteen hundred chariots and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ¹⁵The king made silver and gold as common in Jerusalem as stone, and he made cedar as plentiful as the sycomore of the Shephelah. ¹⁶Solomon’s horses were imported from Egypt and Kue; the king’s traders received them from Kue at the prevailing price. ¹⁷They imported from Egypt, and then exported, a chariot for six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse for one hundred and fifty; so through them these were exported to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Aram.

Preparations for Building the Temple

2a

SOLOMON decided to build a temple for the name of the LORD, and a royal palace for himself. ²b Solomon conscripted seventy thousand labourers and eighty thousand stonecutters in the hill country, with three thousand six hundred to oversee them.

Alliance with Huram of Tyre

³ Solomon sent word to King Huram of Tyre: ‘Once you dealt with my father David and sent him cedar to build himself a house to live in. ⁴I am now about to build a house for the name of the LORD my God and dedicate it to him for offering fragrant incense before him, and for the regular offering of the rows of bread, and for burnt-offerings morning and evening, on the sabbaths and the new moons and the appointed festivals of the LORD our God, as ordained for ever for Israel. ⁵The house that I am about to build will be great, for our God is greater than other gods. ⁶But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? Who am I to build a house for him, except as a place to make offerings before him? ⁷So now send me an artisan skilled to work in gold, silver, bronze, and iron, and in purple, crimson, and blue fabrics, trained also in engraving, to join the skilled workers who are with me in Judah and Jerusalem, whom my father David provided. ⁸Send me also cedar, cypress, and algum timber from Lebanon, for I know that your servants are skilled in cutting Lebanon timber. My servants will work with your servants ⁹to prepare timber for me in abundance, for the house I am about to build will be great and wonderful. ¹⁰I will provide for your servants, those who cut the timber, twenty thousand cors of crushed wheat, twenty thousand cors of barley, twenty thousand bathsc of wine, and twenty thousand baths of oil.’

¹¹ Then King Huram of Tyre answered in a letter that he sent to Solomon, ‘Because the LORD loves his people he has made you king over them.’ ¹²Huram also said, ‘Blessed be the LORD God of Israel, who made heaven and earth, who has given King David a wise son, endowed with discretion and understanding, who will build a temple for the LORD, and a royal palace for himself.

¹³ ‘I have dispatched Huram-abi, a skilled artisan, endowed with understanding, ¹⁴the son of one of the Danite women, his father a Tyrian. He is trained to work in gold, silver, bronze, iron, stone, and wood, and in purple, blue, and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and to do all sorts of engraving and execute any design that may be assigned him, with your artisans, the artisans of my lord, your father David. ¹⁵Now, as for the wheat, barley, oil, and wine, of which my lord has spoken, let him send them to his servants. ¹⁶We will cut whatever timber you need from Lebanon, and bring it to you as rafts by sea to Joppa; you will take it up to Jerusalem.’

¹⁷ Then Solomon took a census of all the aliens who were residing in the land of Israel, after the census that his father David had taken; and there were found to be one hundred and fifty-three thousand six hundred. ¹⁸Seventy thousand of them he assigned as labourers, eighty thousand as stonecutters in the hill country, and three thousand six hundred as overseers to make the people work.

Solomon Builds the Temple

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SOLOMON began to build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the LORD had appeared to his father David, at the place that David had designated, on the threshing-floor of Ornan the Jebusite. ²He began to build on the second day of the second month of the fourth year of his reign. ³These are Solomon’s measurementsa for building the house of God: the length, in cubits of the old standard, was sixty cubits, and the width twenty cubits.⁴ The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, across the width of the house;b and its height was one hundred and twenty cubits. He overlaid it on the inside with pure gold.⁵ The nave he lined with cypress, covered it with fine gold, and made palms and chains on it.⁶ He adorned the house with settings of precious stones. The gold was gold from Parvaim.⁷ So he lined the house with gold—its beams, its thresholds, its walls, and its doors; and he carved cherubim on the walls.

⁸ He made the most holy place; its length, corresponding to the width of the house, was twenty cubits, and its width was twenty cubits; he overlaid it with six hundred talents of fine gold. ⁹The weight of the nails was fifty shekels of gold. He overlaid the upper chambers with gold.

¹⁰ In the most holy place he made two carved cherubim and overlaidc them with gold. ¹¹The wings of the cherubim together extended twenty cubits: one wing of one, five cubits long, touched the wall of the house, and its other wing, five cubits long, touched the wing of the other cherub; ¹²and of this cherub, one wing, five cubits long, touched the wall of the house, and the other wing, also five cubits long, was joined to the wing of the first cherub. ¹³The wings of these cherubim extended twenty cubits; the cherubimd stood on their feet, facing the nave. ¹⁴And Solomone made the curtain of blue and purple and crimson fabrics and fine linen, and worked cherubim into it.

¹⁵ In front of the house he made two pillars thirty-five cubits high, with a capital of five cubits on the top of each. ¹⁶He made encirclingf chains and put them on the tops of the pillars; and he made one hundred pomegranates, and put them on the chains.¹⁷ He set up the pillars in front of the temple, one on the right, the other on the left; the one on the right he called Jachin, and the one on the left, Boaz.

Furnishings of the Temple

4

HE MADE an altar of bronze, twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and ten cubits high. ²Then he made the cast sea; it was round, ten cubits from rim to rim, and five cubits high. A line of thirty cubits would encircle it completely. ³Under it were panels all round, each of ten cubits, surrounding the sea; there were two rows of panels, cast when it was cast. ⁴It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east; the sea was set on them. The hindquarters of each were towards the inside. ⁵Its thickness was a handbreadth; its rim was made like the rim of a cup, like the flower of a lily; it held three thousand baths.a ⁶He also made ten basins in which to wash, and set five on the right-hand side, and five on the left. In these they were to rinse what was used for the burnt-offering. The sea was for the priests to wash in.

⁷ He made ten golden lampstands as prescribed, and set them in the temple, five on the south side and five on the north. ⁸He also made ten tables and placed them in the temple, five on the right-hand side and five on the left. And he made one hundred basins of gold. ⁹He made the court of the priests, and the great court, and doors for the court; he overlaid their doors with bronze. ¹⁰He set the sea at the south-east corner of the house.

¹¹ And Huram made the pots, the shovels, and the basins. Thus Huram finished the work that he did for King Solomon on the house of God: ¹²the two pillars, the bowls, and the two capitals on the top of the pillars; and the two lattice-works to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the top of the pillars; ¹³the four hundred pomegranates for the two lattice-works, two rows of pomegranates for each lattice-work, to cover the two bowls of the capitals that were on the pillars. ¹⁴He made the stands, the basins on the stands, ¹⁵the one sea, and the twelve oxen underneath it. ¹⁶The pots, the shovels, the forks, and all the equipment for these Huram-abi made of burnished bronze for King Solomon for the house of the LORD. ¹⁷In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them, in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah. ¹⁸Solomon made all these things in great quantities, so that the weight of the bronze was not determined.

¹⁹ So Solomon made all the things that were in the house of God: the golden altar, the tables for the bread of the Presence, ²⁰the lampstands and their lamps of pure gold to burn before the inner sanctuary, as prescribed; ²¹the flowers, the lamps, and the tongs, of purest gold; ²²the snuffers, basins, ladles, and firepans, of pure gold. As for the entrance to the temple: the inner doors to the most holy place and the doors of the nave of the temple were of gold.

5

THUS all the work that Solomon did for the house of the LORD was finished. Solomon brought in the things that his father David had dedicated, and stored the silver, the gold, and all the vessels in the treasuries of the house of God.

The Ark Brought into the Temple

² Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the ancestral houses of the people of Israel, in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. ³And all the Israelites assembled before the king at the festival that is in the seventh month. ⁴And all the elders of Israel came, and the Levites carried the ark. ⁵So they brought up the ark, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. ⁶King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be numbered or counted. ⁷Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place, in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. ⁸For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim made a covering above the ark and its poles. ⁹The poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the holy place in front of the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside; they are there to this day. ¹⁰There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenanta with the people of Israel after they came out of Egypt.

¹¹ Now when the priests came out of the holy place (for all the priests who were present had sanctified themselves, without regard to their divisions), ¹²all the levitical singers, Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun, their sons and kindred, arrayed in fine linen, with cymbals, harps, and lyres, stood east of the altar with one hundred and twenty priests who were trumpeters, ¹³it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the LORD, and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the LORD,

‘For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures for ever’,

the house, the house of the LORD, was filled with a cloud, ¹⁴so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the house of God.

Dedication of the Temple

6

THEN Solomon said, ‘The LORD has said that he would reside in thick darkness. ²I have built you an exalted house, a place for you to reside in for ever.’

³ Then the king turned round and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. ⁴And he said, ‘Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to my father David, saying, ⁵“Since the day that I brought my people out of the land of Egypt, I have not chosen a city from any of the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, so that my name might be there, and I chose no one as ruler over my people Israel; ⁶but I have chosen Jerusalem in order that my name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” ⁷My father David had it in mind to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ⁸But the LORD said to my father David, “You did well to consider building a house for my name; ⁹nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.” ¹⁰Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made; for I have succeeded my father David, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹¹There I have set the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.’

Solomon’s Prayer of Dedication

¹² Then Solomona stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands. ¹³Solomon had made a bronze platform five cubits long, five cubits wide, and three cubits high, and had set it in the court; and he stood on it. Then he knelt on his knees in the presence of the whole assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands towards heaven. ¹⁴He said, ‘O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven or on earth, keeping covenant in steadfast love with your servants who walk before you with all their heart—¹⁵you who have kept for your servant, my father David, what you promised to him. Indeed, you promised with your mouth and this day have fulfilled with your hand. ¹⁶Therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, keep for your servant, my father David, that which you promised him, saying, “There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children keep to their way, to walk in my law as you have walked before me.” ¹⁷Therefore, O LORD, God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant David.

¹⁸ ‘But will God indeed reside with mortals on earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! ¹⁹Have regard to your servant’s prayer and his plea, O LORD my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you. ²⁰May your eyes be open day and night towards this house, the place where you promised to set your name, and may you heed the prayer that your servant prays towards this place. ²¹And hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray towards this place; may you hear from heaven your dwelling-place; hear and forgive.

²² ‘If someone sins against another and is required to take an oath and comes and swears before your altar in this house, ²³may you hear from heaven, and act, and judge your servants, repaying the guilty by bringing their conduct on their own head, and vindicating those who are in the right by rewarding them in accordance with their righteousness.

²⁴ ‘When your people Israel, having sinned against you, are defeated before an enemy but turn again to you, confess your name, pray and plead with you in this house, ²⁵may you hear from heaven, and forgive the sin of your people Israel, and bring them again to the land that you gave to them and to their ancestors.

²⁶ ‘When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have sinned against you, and then they pray towards this place, confess your name, and turn from their sin, because you punish them, ²⁷may you hear in heaven, forgive the sin of your servants, your people Israel, when you teach them the good way in which they should walk; and send down rain upon your land, which you have given to your people as an inheritance.

²⁸ ‘If there is famine in the land, if there is plague, blight, mildew, locust, or caterpillar; if their enemies besiege them in any of the settlements of the lands; whatever suffering, whatever sickness there is; ²⁹whatever prayer, whatever plea from any individual or from all your people Israel, all knowing their own suffering and their own sorrows so that they stretch out their hands towards this house; ³⁰may you hear from heaven your dwelling-place, forgive, and render to all whose heart you know, according to all their ways, for only you know the human heart. ³¹Thus may they fear you and walk in your ways all the days that they live in the land that you gave to our ancestors.

³² ‘Likewise when foreigners, who are not of your people Israel, come from a distant land because of your great name, and your mighty hand, and your outstretched arm, when they come and pray towards this house, ³³may you hear from heaven your dwelling-place, and do whatever the foreigners ask of you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that your name has been invoked on this house that I have built.

³⁴ ‘If your people go out to battle against their enemies, by whatever way you shall send them, and they pray to you towards this city that you have chosen and the house that I have built for your name, ³⁵then hear from heaven their prayer and their plea, and maintain their cause.

³⁶ ‘If they sin against you—for there is no one who does not sin—and you are angry with them and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near; ³⁷then if they come to their senses in the land to which they have been taken captive, and repent, and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, “We have sinned, and have done wrong; we have acted wickedly” ³⁸if they repent with all their heart and soul in the land of their captivity, to which they were taken captive, and pray towards their land, which you gave to their ancestors, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name, ³⁹then hear from heaven your dwelling-place their prayer and their pleas, maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. ⁴⁰Now, O my God, let your eyes be open and your ears attentive to prayer from this place.

⁴¹ ‘Now rise up, O LORD God, and go to your resting-place,

you and the ark of your might.

Let your priests, O LORD God, be clothed with salvation,

and let your faithful rejoice in your goodness.

⁴² O LORD God, do not reject your anointed one.

Remember your steadfast love for your servant David.’

Solomon Dedicates the Temple

7

WHEN Solomon had ended his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt-offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. ²The priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. ³When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and worshipped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,

‘For he is good,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.’

⁴ Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the LORD. ⁵King Solomon offered as a sacrifice twenty-two thousand oxen and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. ⁶The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the LORD that King David had made for giving thanks to the LORD—for his steadfast love endures for ever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry. Opposite them the priests sounded trumpets; and all Israel stood.

⁷ Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered the burnt-offerings and the fat of the offerings of well-being because the bronze altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt-offering and the grain-offering and the fat parts.

⁸ At that time Solomon held the festival for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great congregation, from Lebo-hamath to the Wadi of Egypt. ⁹On the eighth day they held a solemn assembly; for they had observed the dedication of the altar for seven days and the festival for seven days. ¹⁰On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and in good spirits because of the goodness that the LORD had shown to David and to Solomon and to his people Israel.

¹¹ Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house; all that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the LORD and in his own house he successfully accomplished.

God’s Second Appearance to Solomon

¹² Then the LORD appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: ‘I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. ¹³When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, ¹⁴if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. ¹⁵Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. ¹⁶For now I have chosen and consecrated this house so that my name may be there for ever; my eyes and my heart will be there for all time. ¹⁷As for you, if you walk before me, as your father David walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances, ¹⁸then I will establish your royal throne, as I made covenant with your father David saying, “You shall never lack a successor to rule over Israel.”

¹⁹ ‘But if youa turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, ²⁰then I will pluck youb up from the land that I have given you;b and this house, which I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. ²¹And regarding this house, now exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished, and say, “Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this house?” ²²Then they will say, “Because they abandoned the LORD the God of their ancestors who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and they adopted other gods, and worshipped them and served them; therefore he has brought all this calamity upon them.”’

Various Activities of Solomon

8

AT THE end of twenty years, during which Solomon had built the house of the LORD and his own house, ²Solomon rebuilt the cities that Huram had given to him, and settled the people of Israel in them.

³ Solomon went to Hamath-zobah, and captured it. ⁴He built Tadmor in the wilderness and all the storage towns that he built in Hamath. ⁵He also built Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon, fortified cities, with walls, gates, and bars, ⁶and Baalath, as well as all Solomon’s storage towns, and all the towns for his chariots, the towns for his cavalry, and whatever Solomon desired to build, in Jerusalem, in Lebanon, and in all the land of his dominion. ⁷All the people who were left of the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, who were not of Israel, ⁸from their descendants who were still left in the land, whom the people of Israel had not destroyed—these Solomon conscripted for forced labour, as is still the case today. ⁹But of the people of Israel Solomon made no slaves for his work; they were soldiers, and his officers, the commanders of his chariotry and cavalry. ¹⁰These were the chief officers of King Solomon, two hundred and fifty of them, who exercised authority over the people.

¹¹ Solomon brought Pharaoh’s daughter from the city of David to the house that he had built for her, for he said, ‘My wife shall not live in the house of King David of Israel, for the places to which the ark of the LORD has come are holy.’

¹² Then Solomon offered up burnt-offerings to the LORD on the altar of the LORD that he had built in front of the vestibule, ¹³as the duty of each day required, offering according to the commandment of Moses for the sabbaths, the new moons, and the three annual festivals—the festival of unleavened bread, the festival of weeks, and the festival of booths. ¹⁴According to the ordinance of his father David, he appointed the divisions of the priests for their service, and the Levites for their offices of praise and ministry alongside the priests as the duty of each day required, and the gatekeepers in their divisions for the several gates; for so David the man of God had commanded. ¹⁵They did not turn away from what the king had commanded the priests and Levites regarding anything at all, or regarding the treasuries.

¹⁶ Thus all the work of Solomon was accomplished froma the day the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid until the house of the LORD was finished completely.

¹⁷ Then Solomon went to Ezion-geber and Eloth on the shore of the sea, in the land of Edom. ¹⁸Huram sent him, in the care of his servants, ships and servants familiar with the sea. They went to Ophir, together with the servants of Solomon, and imported from there four hundred and fifty talents of gold and brought it to King Solomon.

Visit of the Queen of Sheba

9

WHEN the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon, she came to Jerusalem to test him with hard questions, having a very great retinue and camels bearing spices and very much gold and precious stones. When she came to Solomon, she discussed with him all that was on her mind. ²Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from Solomon that he could not explain to her. ³When the queen of Sheba had observed the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, ⁴the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his valets and their clothing, and his burnt-offeringsa that he offered at the house of the LORD, there was no more spirit left in her.

⁵ So she said to the king, ‘The report was true that I heard in my own land of your accomplishments and of your wisdom, ⁶but I did not believe theb reports until I came and my own eyes saw it. Not even half of the greatness of your wisdom had been told to me; you far surpass the report that I had heard. ⁷Happy are your people! Happy are these your servants, who continually attend you and hear your wisdom! ⁸Blessed be the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and set you on his throne as king for the LORD your God. Because your God loved Israel and wished to establish them for ever, he has made you king over them, so that you may execute justice and righteousness.’ ⁹Then she gave the king one hundred and twenty talents of gold, a very great quantity of spices, and precious stones: there were no spices such as those that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.

¹⁰ Moreover, the servants of Huram and the servants of Solomon who brought gold from Ophir brought algum wood and precious stones. ¹¹From the algum wood, the king made stepsc for the house of the LORD and for the king’s house, lyres also and harps for the singers; there never was seen the like of them before in the land of Judah.

¹² Meanwhile, King Solomon granted the queen of Sheba every desire that she expressed, well beyond what she had brought to the king. Then she returned to her own land, with her servants.

Solomon’s Great Wealth

¹³ The weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred and sixty-six talents of gold, ¹⁴besides that which the traders and merchants brought; and all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the land brought gold and silver to Solomon. ¹⁵King Solomon made two hundred large shields of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of beaten gold went into each large shield. ¹⁶He made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three hundred shekels of gold went into each shield; and the king put them in the House of the Forest of Lebanon. ¹⁷The king also made a great ivory throne, and overlaid it with pure gold. ¹⁸The throne had six steps and a footstool of gold, which were attached to the throne, and on each side of the seat were arm rests and two lions standing beside the arm rests, ¹⁹while twelve lions were standing, one on each end of a step on the six steps. The like of it was never made in any kingdom. ²⁰All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were of pure gold; silver was not considered as anything in the days of Solomon. ²¹For the king’s ships went to Tarshish with the servants of Huram; once every three years the ships of Tarshish used to come bringing gold, silver, ivory, apes, and peacocks.d

²² Thus King Solomon excelled all the kings of the earth in riches and in wisdom. ²³All the kings of the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put into his mind. ²⁴Every one of them brought a present, objects of silver and gold, garments, weaponry, spices, horses, and mules, so much year after year. ²⁵Solomon had four thousand stalls for horses and chariots, and twelve thousand horses, which he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king in Jerusalem. ²⁶He ruled over all the kings from the Euphrates to the land of the Philistines, and to the border of Egypt. ²⁷The king made silver as common in Jerusalem as stone, and cedar as plentiful as the sycomore of the Shephelah. ²⁸Horses were imported for Solomon from Egypt and from all lands.

Death of Solomon

²⁹ Now the rest of the acts of Solomon, from first to last, are they not written in the history of the prophet Nathan, and in the prophecy of Ahijah the Shilonite, and in the visions of the seer Iddo concerning Jeroboam son of Nebat? ³⁰Solomon reigned in Jerusalem over all Israel for forty years. ³¹Solomon slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of his father David; and his son Rehoboam succeeded him.

The Revolt against Rehoboam

10

REHOBOAM went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ²When Jeroboam son of Nebat heard of it (for he was in Egypt, where he had fled from King Solomon), then Jeroboam returned from Egypt. ³They sent and called him; and Jeroboam and all Israel came and said to Rehoboam, ⁴‘Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.’ ⁵He said to them, ‘Come to me again in three days.’ So the people went away.

⁶ Then King Rehoboam took counsel with the older men who had attended his father Solomon while he was still alive, saying, ‘How do you advise me to answer this people?’ ⁷They answered him, ‘If you will be kind to this people and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.’ ⁸But he rejected the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him. ⁹He said to them, ‘What do you advise that we answer this people who have said to me, “Lighten the yoke that your father put on us”?’ ¹⁰The young men who had grown up with him said to him, ‘Thus should you speak to the people who said to you, “Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must lighten it for us” tell them, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. ¹¹Now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.”’

¹² So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had said, ‘Come to me again the third day.’ ¹³The king answered them harshly. King Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men; ¹⁴he spoke to them in accordance with the advice of the young men, ‘My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to it; my father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions.’ ¹⁵So the king did not listen to the people, because it was a turn of affairs brought about by God so that the LORD might fulfil his word, which he had spoken by Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.

¹⁶ When all Israel saw that the king would not listen to them, the people answered the king,

‘What share do we have in David?

We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.

Each of you to your tents, O Israel!

Look now to your own house, O David.’

So all Israel departed to their tents. ¹⁷But Rehoboam reigned over the people of Israel who were living in the cities of Judah. ¹⁸When King Rehoboam sent Hadoram, who was taskmaster over the forced labour, the people of Israel stoned him to death. King Rehoboam hurriedly mounted his chariot to flee to Jerusalem. ¹⁹So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.

Judah and Benjamin Fortified

11

WHEN Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he assembled one hundred and eighty thousand chosen troops of the house of Judah and Benjamin to fight against Israel, to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam. ²But the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah the man of God: ³Say to King Rehoboam of Judah, son of Solomon, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin, ⁴‘Thus says the LORD: You shall not go up or fight against your kindred. Let everyone return home, for this thing is from me.’ So they heeded the word of the LORD and turned back from the expedition against Jeroboam.

⁵ Rehoboam resided in Jerusalem, and he built cities for defence in Judah. ⁶He built up Bethlehem, Etam, Tekoa, ⁷Beth-zur, Soco, Adullam, ⁸Gath, Mareshah, Ziph, ⁹Adoraim, Lachish, Azekah, ¹⁰Zorah, Aijalon, and Hebron, fortified cities that are in Judah and in Benjamin. ¹¹He made the fortresses strong, and put commanders in them, and stores of food, oil, and wine. ¹²He also put large shields and spears in all the cities, and made them very strong. So he held Judah and Benjamin.

Priests and Levites Support Rehoboam

¹³ The priests and the Levites who were in all Israel presented themselves to him from all their territories. ¹⁴The Levites had left their common lands and their holdings and had come to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons had prevented them from serving as priests of the LORD, ¹⁵and had appointed his own priests for the high places, and for the goat-demons, and for the calves that he had made. ¹⁶Those who had set their hearts to seek the LORD God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. ¹⁷They strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they made Rehoboam son of Solomon secure, for they walked for three years in the way of David and Solomon.

Rehoboam’s Marriages

¹⁸ Rehoboam took as his wife Mahalath daughter of Jerimoth son of David, and of Abihail daughter of Eliab son of Jesse. ¹⁹She bore him sons: Jeush, Shemariah, and Zaham. ²⁰After her he took Maacah daughter of Absalom, who bore him Abijah, Attai, Ziza, and Shelomith. ²¹Rehoboam loved Maacah daughter of Absalom more than all his other wives and concubines (he took eighteen wives and sixty concubines, and became the father of twenty-eight sons and sixty daughters). ²²Rehoboam appointed Abijah son of Maacah as chief prince among his brothers, for he intended to make him king. ²³He dealt wisely, and distributed some of his sons through all the districts of Judah and Benjamin, in all the fortified cities; he gave them abundant provisions, and found many wives for them.

Egypt Attacks Judah

12

WHEN the rule of Rehoboam was established and he grew strong, he abandoned the law of the LORD, he and all Israel with him. ²In the fifth year of King Rehoboam, because they had been unfaithful to the LORD, King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem ³with twelve hundred chariots and sixty thousand cavalry. A countless army came with him from Egypt—Libyans, Sukkiim, and Ethiopians.a ⁴He took the fortified cities of Judah and came as far as Jerusalem. ⁵Then the prophet Shemaiah came to Rehoboam and to the officers of Judah, who had gathered at Jerusalem because of Shishak, and said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD: You abandoned me, so I have abandoned you to the hand of Shishak.’ ⁶Then the officers of Israel and the king humbled themselves and said, ‘The LORD is in the right.’ ⁷When the LORD saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the LORD came to Shemaiah, saying: ‘They have humbled themselves; I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some deliverance, and my wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by the hand of Shishak. ⁸Nevertheless they shall be his servants, so that they may know the difference between serving me and serving the kingdoms of other lands.’

⁹ So King Shishak of Egypt came up against Jerusalem; he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house; he took everything. He also took away the shields of gold that Solomon had made; ¹⁰but King Rehoboam made in place of them shields of bronze, and committed them to the hands of the officers of the guard, who kept the door of the king’s house. ¹¹Whenever the king went into the house of the LORD, the guard would come along bearing them, and would then bring them back to the guardroom. ¹²Because he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him, so as not to destroy them completely; moreover, conditions were good in Judah.

Death of Rehoboam

¹³ So King Rehoboam established himself in Jerusalem and reigned. Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned for seventeen years in Jerusalem, the city that the LORD had chosen out of all the tribes of Israel to put his name there. His mother’s name was Naamah the Ammonite. ¹⁴He did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the LORD.

¹⁵ Now the acts of Rehoboam, from first to last, are they not written in the records of the prophet Shemaiah and of the seer Iddo, recorded by genealogy? There were continual wars between Rehoboam and Jeroboam. ¹⁶Rehoboam slept with his ancestors and was buried in the city of David; and his son Abijah succeeded him.

Abijah Reigns over Judah

13

IN THE eighteenth year of King Jeroboam, Abijah began to reign over Judah. ²He reigned for three years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Micaiah daughter of Uriel of Gibeah.

Now there was war between Abijah and Jeroboam. ³Abijah engaged in battle, having an army of valiant warriors, four hundred thousand picked men; and Jeroboam drew up his line of battle against him with eight hundred thousand picked mighty warriors. ⁴Then Abijah stood on the slope of Mount Zemaraim that is in the hill country of Ephraim, and said, ‘Listen to me, Jeroboam and all Israel! ⁵Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel for ever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt? ⁶Yet Jeroboam son of Nebat, a servant of Solomon son of David, rose up and rebelled against his lord; ⁷and certain worthless scoundrels gathered round him and defied Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was young and irresolute and could not withstand them.

⁸ ‘And now you think that you can withstand the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because you are a great multitude and have with you the golden calves that Jeroboam made as gods for you. ⁹Have you not driven out the priests of the LORD, the descendants of Aaron, and the Levites, and made priests for yourselves like the peoples of other lands? Whoever comes to be consecrated with a young bull or seven rams becomes a priest of what are no gods. ¹⁰But as for us, the LORD is our God, and we have not abandoned him. We have priests ministering to the LORD who are descendants of Aaron, and Levites for their service. ¹¹They offer to the LORD every morning and every evening burnt-offerings and fragrant incense, set out the rows of bread on the table of pure gold, and care for the golden lampstand so that its lamps may burn every evening; for we keep the charge of the LORD our God, but you have abandoned him. ¹²See, God is with us at our head, and his priests have their battle trumpets to sound the call to battle against you. O Israelites, do not fight against the LORD, the God of your ancestors; for you cannot succeed.’

¹³ Jeroboam had sent an ambush around to come on them from behind; thus his troopsa were in front of Judah, and the ambush was behind them. ¹⁴When Judah turned, the battle was in front of them and behind them. They cried out to the LORD, and the priests blew the trumpets. ¹⁵Then the people of Judah raised the battle shout. And when the people of Judah shouted, God defeated Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah. ¹⁶The Israelites fled before Judah, and God gave them into their hands. ¹⁷Abijah and his army defeated them with great slaughter; five hundred thousand picked men of Israel fell slain. ¹⁸Thus the Israelites were subdued at that time, and the people of Judah prevailed, because they relied on the LORD, the God of their ancestors. ¹⁹Abijah pursued Jeroboam, and took cities from him: Bethel with its villages and Jeshanah with its villages and Ephronb with its villages. ²⁰Jeroboam did not recover his power in the days of Abijah; the LORD struck him down, and he died. ²¹But Abijah grew strong. He took fourteen wives, and became the father of twenty-two sons and sixteen daughters. ²²The rest of the acts of Abijah, his behaviour and his deeds, are written in the story of the prophet Iddo.

Asa Reigns

14a

SO ABIJAH slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David. His son Asa succeeded him. In his days the land had rest for ten years. ²b Asa did what was good and right in the sight of the LORD his God. ³He took away the foreign altars and the high places, broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles,c ⁴and commanded Judah to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and to keep the law and the commandment. ⁵He also removed from all the cities of Judah the high places and the incense altars. And the kingdom had rest under him. ⁶He built fortified cities in Judah while the land had rest. He had no war in those years, for the LORD gave him peace. ⁷He said to Judah, ‘Let us build these cities, and surround them with walls and towers, gates and bars; the land is still ours because we have sought the LORD our God; we have sought him, and he has given us peace on every side.’ So they built and prospered. ⁸Asa had an army of three hundred thousand from Judah, armed with large shields and spears, and two hundred and eighty thousand troops from Benjamin who carried shields and drew bows; all these were mighty warriors.

Ethiopian Invasion Repulsed

⁹Zerah the Ethiopiand came out against them with an army of a million men and three hundred chariots, and came as far as Mareshah. ¹⁰Asa went out to meet him, and they drew up their lines of battle in the valley of Zephathah at Mareshah. ¹¹Asa cried to the LORD his God, ‘O LORD, there is no difference for you between helping the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let no mortal prevail against you.’ ¹²So the LORD defeated the Ethiopianse before Asa and before Judah, and the Ethiopianse fled. ¹³Asa and the army with him pursued them as far as Gerar, and the Ethiopianse fell until no one remained alive; for they were broken before the LORD and his army. The people of Judahf carried away a great quantity of booty. ¹⁴They defeated all the cities around Gerar, for the fear of the LORD was on them. They plundered all the cities; for there was much plunder in them. ¹⁵They also attacked the tents of those who had livestock,g and carried away sheep and goats in abundance, and camels. Then they returned to Jerusalem.

15

THE spirit of God came upon Azariah son of Oded. ²He went out to meet Asa and said to him, ‘Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The LORD is with you, while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you abandon him, he will abandon you. ³For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law; ⁴but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them. ⁵In those times it was not safe for anyone to go or come, for great disturbances afflicted all the inhabitants of the lands. ⁶They were broken in pieces, nation against nation and city against city, for God troubled them with every sort of distress. ⁷But you, take courage! Do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded.’

⁸ When Asa heard these words, the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded,a he took courage, and put away the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the towns that he had taken in the hill country of Ephraim. He repaired the altar of the LORD that was in front of the vestibule of the house of the LORD.b ⁹He gathered all Judah and Benjamin, and those from Ephraim, Manasseh, and Simeon who were residing as aliens with them, for great numbers had deserted to him from Israel when they saw that the LORD his God was with him. ¹⁰They were gathered at Jerusalem in the third month of the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa. ¹¹They sacrificed to the LORD on that day, from the booty that they had brought, seven hundred oxen and seven thousand sheep. ¹²They entered into a covenant to seek the LORD, the God of their ancestors, with all their heart and with all their soul. ¹³Whoever would not seek the LORD, the God of Israel, should be put to death, whether young or old, man or woman. ¹⁴They took an oath to the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with horns. ¹⁵All Judah rejoiced over the oath; for they had sworn with all their heart, and had sought him with their whole desire, and he was found by them, and the LORD gave them rest all around.

¹⁶ King Asa even removed his mother Maacah from being queen mother because she had made an abominable image for Asherah. Asa cut down her image, crushed it, and burned it at the Wadi Kidron. ¹⁷But the high places were not taken out of Israel. Nevertheless, the heart of Asa was true all his days. ¹⁸He brought into the house of God the votive gifts of his father and his own votive gifts—silver, gold, and utensils. ¹⁹And there was no more war until the thirty-fifth year of the reign of Asa.

Alliance with Aram Condemned

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IN THE thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, King Baasha of Israel went up against Judah, and built Ramah, to prevent anyone from going out or coming into the territory ofc King Asa of Judah. ²Then Asa took silver and gold from the treasures of the house of the LORD and the king’s house, and sent them to King Ben-hadad of Aram, who resided in Damascus, saying, ³‘Let there be an alliance between me and you, like that between my father and your father; I am sending to you silver and gold; go, break your alliance with King Baasha of Israel, so that he may withdraw from me.’ ⁴Ben-hadad listened to King Asa, and sent the commanders of his armies against the cities of Israel. They conquered Ijon, Dan, Abel-maim, and all the store-cities of Naphtali. ⁵When Baasha heard of it, he stopped building Ramah, and let his work cease. ⁶Then King Asa brought all Judah, and they carried away the stones of Ramah and its timber, with which Baasha had been building, and with them he built up Geba and Mizpah.

⁷ At that time the seer Hanani came to King Asa of Judah, and said to him, ‘Because you relied on the king of Aram, and did not rely on the LORD your God, the army of the king of Aram has escaped you. ⁸Were not the Ethiopiansd and the Libyans a huge army with exceedingly many chariots and cavalry? Yet because you relied on the LORD, he gave them into your hand. ⁹For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the entire earth, to strengthen those whose heart is true to him. You have done foolishly in this; for from now on you will have wars.’ ¹⁰Then Asa was angry with the seer, and put him in the stocks, in prison, for he was in a rage with him because of this. And Asa inflicted cruelties on some of the people at the same time.

Asa’s Disease and Death

¹¹ The acts of Asa, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ¹²In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was diseased in his feet, and his disease became severe; yet even in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but sought help from physicians. ¹³Then Asa slept with his ancestors, dying in the forty-first year of his reign. ¹⁴They buried him in the tomb that he had hewn out for himself in the city of David. They laid him on a bier that had been filled with various kinds of spices prepared by the perfumer’s art; and they made a very great fire in his honour.

Jehoshaphat’s Reign

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HIS son Jehoshaphat succeeded him, and strengthened himself against Israel. ²He placed forces in all the fortified cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim that his father Asa had taken. ³The LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the earlier ways of his father;a he did not seek the Baals, ⁴but sought the God of his father and walked in his commandments, and not according to the ways of Israel. ⁵Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. All Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honour. ⁶His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD; and furthermore he removed the high places and the sacred polesb from Judah.

⁷ In the third year of his reign he sent his officials, Ben-hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel, and Micaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah. ⁸With them were the Levites, Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah; and with these Levites, the priests Elishama and Jehoram. ⁹They taught in Judah, having the book of the law of the LORD with them; they went around through all the cities of Judah and taught among the people.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands around Judah, and they did not make war against Jehoshaphat. ¹¹Some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and silver for tribute; and the Arabs also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred male goats. ¹²Jehoshaphat grew steadily greater. He built fortresses and storage cities in Judah. ¹³He carried out great works in the cities of Judah. He had soldiers, mighty warriors, in Jerusalem. ¹⁴This was the muster of them by ancestral houses: Of Judah, the commanders of the thousands: Adnah the commander, with three hundred thousand mighty warriors, ¹⁵and next to him Jehohanan the commander, with two hundred and eighty thousand, ¹⁶and next to him Amasiah son of Zichri, a volunteer for the service of the LORD, with two hundred thousand mighty warriors. ¹⁷Of Benjamin: Eliada, a mighty warrior, with two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield, ¹⁸and next to him Jehozabad with one hundred and eighty thousand armed for war. ¹⁹These were in the service of the king, besides those whom the king had placed in the fortified cities throughout all Judah.

Micaiah Predicts Failure

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NOW Jehoshaphat had great riches and honour; and he made a marriage alliance with Ahab. ²After some years he went down to Ahab in Samaria. Ahab slaughtered an abundance of sheep and oxen for him and for the people who were with him, and induced him to go up against Ramoth-gilead. ³King Ahab of Israel said to King Jehoshaphat of Judah, ‘Will you go with me to Ramoth-gilead?’ He answered him, ‘I am with you, my people are your people. We will be with you in the war.’

⁴ But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, ‘Inquire first for the word of the LORD.’ ⁵Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, four hundred of them, and said to them, ‘Shall we go to battle against Ramoth-gilead, or shall I refrain?’ They said, ‘Go up; for God will give it into the hand of the king.’ ⁶But Jehoshaphat said, ‘Is there no other prophet of the LORD here of whom we may inquire?’ ⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘There is still one other by whom we may inquire of the LORD, Micaiah son of Imlah; but I hate him, for he never prophesies anything favourable about me, but only disaster.’ Jehoshaphat said, ‘Let the king not say such a thing.’ ⁸Then the king of Israel summoned an officer and said, ‘Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.’ ⁹Now the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah were sitting on their thrones, arrayed in their robes; and they were sitting at the threshing-floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. ¹⁰Zedekiah son of Chenaanah made for himself horns of iron, and he said, ‘Thus says the LORD: With these you shall gore the Arameans until they are destroyed.’ ¹¹All the prophets were prophesying the same and saying, ‘Go up to Ramoth-gilead and triumph; the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.’

¹² The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, ‘Look, the words of the prophets with one accord are favourable to the king; let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favourably.’ ¹³But Micaiah said, ‘As the LORD lives, whatever my God says, that I will speak.’

¹⁴ When he had come to the king, the king said to him, ‘Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall I refrain?’ He answered, ‘Go up and triumph; they will be given into your hand.’ ¹⁵But the king said to him, ‘How many times must I make you swear to tell me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?’ ¹⁶Then Micaiaha said, ‘I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, like sheep without a shepherd; and the LORD said, “These have no master; let each one go home in peace.”’ ¹⁷The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy anything favourable about me, but only disaster?’

¹⁸ Then Micaiaha said, ‘Therefore hear the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, with all the host of heaven standing to the right and to the left of him. ¹⁹And the LORD said, “Who will entice King Ahab of Israel, so that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?” Then one said one thing, and another said another, ²⁰until a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, saying, “I will entice him.” The LORD asked him, “How?” ²¹He replied, “I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.” Then the LORDa said, “You are to entice him, and you shall succeed; go out and do it.” ²²So you see, the LORD has put a lying spirit in the mouth of these your prophets; the LORD has decreed disaster for you.’

²³ Then Zedekiah son of Chenaanah came up to Micaiah, slapped him on the cheek, and said, ‘Which way did the spirit of the LORD pass from me to speak to you?’

²⁴Micaiah replied, ‘You will find out on that day when you go in to hide in an inner chamber.’ ²⁵The king of Israel then ordered, ‘Take Micaiah, and return him to Amon the governor of the city and to Joash the king’s son; ²⁶and say, “Thus says the king: Put this fellow in prison, and feed him on reduced rations of bread and water until I return in peace.”’ ²⁷Micaiah said, ‘If you return in peace, the LORD has not spoken by me.’ And he said, ‘Hear, you peoples, all of you!’

Defeat and Death of Ahab

²⁸ So the king of Israel and King Jehoshaphat of Judah went up to Ramoth-gilead. ²⁹The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, ‘I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you wear your robes.’ So the king of Israel disguised himself, and they went into battle. ³⁰Now the king of Aram had commanded the captains of his chariots, ‘Fight with no one small or great, but only with the king of Israel.’ ³¹When the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, they said, ‘It is the king of Israel.’ So they turned to fight against him; and Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him, ³²for when the captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him. ³³But a certain man drew his bow and unknowingly struck the king of Israel between the scale armour and the breastplate; so he said to the driver of his chariot, ‘Turn around, and carry me out of the battle, for I am wounded.’ ³⁴The battle grew hot that day, and the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot facing the Arameans until evening; then at sunset he died.

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KING Jehoshaphat of Judah returned in safety to his house in Jerusalem. ²Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, ‘Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD? Because of this, wrath has gone out against you from the LORD. ³Nevertheless, some good is found in you, for you destroyed the sacred polesa out of the land, and have set your heart to seek God.’

The Reforms of Jehoshaphat

⁴ Jehoshaphat resided at Jerusalem; then he went out again among the people, from Beer-sheba to the hill country of Ephraim, and brought them back to the LORD, the God of their ancestors. ⁵He appointed judges in the land in all the fortified cities of Judah, city by city, ⁶and said to the judges, ‘Consider what you are doing, for you judge not on behalf of human beings but on the LORD’s behalf; he is with you in giving judgement. ⁷Now, let the fear of the LORD be upon you; take care what you do, for there is no perversion of justice with the LORD our God, or partiality, or taking of bribes.’

⁸ Moreover, in Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed certain Levites and priests and heads of families of Israel, to give judgement for the LORD and to decide disputed cases. They had their seat at Jerusalem. ⁹He charged them: ‘This is how you shall act: in the fear of the LORD, in faithfulness, and with your whole heart; ¹⁰whenever a case comes to you from your kindred who live in their cities, concerning bloodshed, law or commandment, statutes or ordinances, then you shall instruct them, so that they may not incur guilt before the LORD and wrath may not come on you and your kindred. Do so, and you will not incur guilt. ¹¹See, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of the LORD; and Zebadiah son of Ishmael, the governor of the house of Judah, in all the king’s matters; and the Levites will serve you as officers. Deal courageously, and may the LORD be with the good!’

Invasion from the East

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AFTER this the Moabites and Ammonites, and with them some of the Meunites,a came against Jehoshaphat for battle. ²Messengersb came and told Jehoshaphat, ‘A great multitude is coming against you from Edom,c from beyond the sea; already they are at Hazazon-tamar’ (that is, En-gedi). ³Jehoshaphat was afraid; he set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴Judah assembled to seek help from the LORD; from all the towns of Judah they came to seek the LORD.

Jehoshaphat’s Prayer and Victory

⁵ Jehoshaphat stood in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, ⁶and said, ‘O LORD, God of our ancestors, are you not God in heaven? Do you not rule over all the kingdoms of the nations? In your hand are power and might, so that no one is able to withstand you. ⁷Did you not, O our God, drive out the inhabitants of this land before your people Israel, and give it for ever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? ⁸They have lived in it, and in it have built you a sanctuary for your name, saying, ⁹“If disaster comes upon us, the sword, judgement,d or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house, and before you, for your name is in this house, and cry to you in our distress, and you will hear and save.” ¹⁰See now, the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom you would not let Israel invade when they came from the land of Egypt, and whom they avoided and did not destroy—¹¹they reward us by coming to drive us out of your possession that you have given us to inherit. ¹²O our God, will you not execute judgement upon them? For we are powerless against this great multitude that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.’

¹³ Meanwhile all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. ¹⁴Then the spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, son of Benaiah, son of Jeiel, son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, in the middle of the assembly. ¹⁵He said, ‘Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the LORD to you: “Do not fear or be dismayed at this great multitude; for the battle is not yours but God’s. ¹⁶Tomorrow go down against them; they will come up by the ascent of Ziz; you will find them at the end of the valley, before the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷This battle is not for you to fight; take your position, stand still, and see the victory of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.” Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, and the LORD will be with you.’

¹⁸ Then Jehoshaphat bowed down with his face to the ground, and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell down before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. ¹⁹And the Levites, of the Kohathites and the Korahites, stood up to praise the LORD, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.

²⁰ They rose early in the morning and went out into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Listen to me, O Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God and you will be established; believe his prophets.’ ²¹When he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the LORD and praise him in holy splendour, as they went before the army, saying,

‘Give thanks to the LORD,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.’

²²As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the Ammonites, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed. ²³For the Ammonites and Moab attacked the inhabitants of Mount Seir, destroying them utterly; and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, they all helped to destroy one another.

²⁴ When Judah came to the watch-tower of the wilderness, they looked towards the multitude; they were corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped. ²⁵When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take the booty from them, they found livestocka in great numbers, goods, clothing, and precious things, which they took for themselves until they could carry no more. They spent three days taking the booty, because of its abundance. ²⁶On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, for there they blessed the LORD; therefore that place has been called the Valley of Beracahb to this day. ²⁷Then all the people of Judah and Jerusalem, with Jehoshaphat at their head, returned to Jerusalem with joy, for the LORD had enabled them to rejoice over their enemies. ²⁸They came to Jerusalem, with harps and lyres and trumpets, to the house of the LORD. ²⁹The fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰And the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet, for his God gave him rest all around.

The End of Jehoshaphat’s Reign

³¹ So Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah. He was thirty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi. ³²He walked in the way of his father Asa and did not turn aside from it, doing what was right in the sight of the LORD. ³³Yet the high places were not removed; the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their ancestors.

³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, from first to last, are written in the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani, which are recorded in the Book of the Kings of Israel.

³⁵ After this King Jehoshaphat of Judah joined with King Ahaziah of Israel, who did wickedly. ³⁶He joined him in building ships to go to Tarshish; they built the ships in Ezion-geber. ³⁷Then Eliezer son of Dodavahu of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, ‘Because you have joined with Ahaziah, the LORD will destroy what you have made.’ And the ships were wrecked and were not able to go to Tarshish.

Jehoram’s Reign

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JEHOSHAPHAT slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David; his son Jehoram succeeded him. ²He had brothers, the sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.a ³ Their father gave them many gifts, of silver, gold, and valuable possessions, together with fortified cities in Judah; but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn.⁴ When Jehoram had ascended the throne of his father and was established, he put all his brothers to the sword, and also some of the officials of Israel.⁵ Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.⁶ He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done; for the daughter of Ahab was his wife. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD.⁷ Yet the LORD would not destroy the house of David because of the covenant that he had made with David, and since he had promised to give a lamp to him and to his descendants for ever.

Revolt of Edom

⁸ In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king of their own. ⁹Then Jehoram crossed over with his commanders and all his chariots. He set out by night and attacked the Edomites, who had surrounded him and his chariot commanders. ¹⁰So Edom has been in revolt against the rule of Judah to this day. At that time Libnah also revolted against his rule, because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his ancestors.

Elijah’s Letter

¹¹ Moreover, he made high places in the hill country of Judah, and led the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, and made Judah go astray. ¹²A letter came to him from the prophet Elijah, saying: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David: Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat or in the ways of King Asa of Judah, ¹³but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem into unfaithfulness, as the house of Ahab led Israel into unfaithfulness, and because you also have killed your brothers, members of your father’s house, who were better than yourself, ¹⁴see, the LORD will bring a great plague on your people, your children, your wives, and all your possessions, ¹⁵and you yourself will have a severe sickness with a disease of your bowels, until your bowels come out, day after day, because of the disease.’

¹⁶ The LORD aroused against Jehoram the anger of the Philistines and of the Arabs who are near the Ethiopians.b ¹⁷They came up against Judah, invaded it, and carried away all the possessions they found that belonged to the king’s house, along with his sons and his wives, so that no son was left to him except Jehoahaz, his youngest son.

Disease and Death of Jehoram

¹⁸ After all this the LORD struck him in his bowels with an incurable disease. ¹⁹In course of time, at the end of two years, his bowels came out because of the disease, and he died in great agony. His people made no fire in his honour, like the fires made for his ancestors. ²⁰He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. He departed with no one’s regret. They buried him in the city of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Ahaziah’s Reign

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THE inhabitants of Jerusalem made his youngest son Ahaziah king as his successor; for the troops who came with the Arabs to the camp had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram reigned as king of Judah. ²Ahaziah was forty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri. ³He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother was his counsellor in doing wickedly. ⁴He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done; for after the death of his father they were his counsellors, to his ruin. ⁵He even followed their advice, and went with Jehoram son of King Ahab of Israel to make war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram, ⁶and he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds that he had received at Ramah, when he fought King Hazael of Aram. And Ahaziah son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

⁷ But it was ordained by God that the downfall of Ahaziah should come about through his going to visit Joram. For when he came there he went out with Jehoram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. ⁸When Jehu was executing judgement on the house of Ahab, he met the officials of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah’s brothers, who attended Ahaziah, and he killed them. ⁹He searched for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria and was brought to Jehu, and put to death. They buried him, for they said, ‘He is the grandson of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart.’ And the house of Ahaziah had no one able to rule the kingdom.

Athaliah Seizes the Throne

¹⁰ Now when Athaliah, Ahaziah’s mother, saw that her son was dead, she set about to destroy all the royal family of the house of Judah. ¹¹But Jehoshabeath, the king’s daughter, took Joash son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s children who were about to be killed; she put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Thus Jehoshabeath, daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada—because she was a sister of Ahaziah—hid him from Athaliah, so that she did not kill him; ¹²he remained with them for six years, hidden in the house of God, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

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BUT in the seventh year Jehoiada took courage, and entered into a compact with the commanders of the hundreds, Azariah son of Jeroham, Ishmael son of Jehohanan, Azariah son of Obed, Maaseiah son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat son of Zichri. ²They went about through Judah and gathered the Levites from all the towns of Judah, and the heads of families of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. ³Then the whole assembly made a covenant with the king in the house of God. Jehoiadaa said to them, ‘Here is the king’s son! Let him reign, as the LORD promised concerning the sons of David. ⁴This is what you are to do: one-third of you, priests and Levites, who come on duty on the sabbath, shall be gatekeepers, ⁵one-third shall be at the king’s house, and one-third at the Gate of the Foundation; and all the people shall be in the courts of the house of the LORD. ⁶Do not let anyone enter the house of the LORD except the priests and ministering Levites; they may enter, for they are holy, but all the otherb people shall observe the instructions of the LORD. ⁷The Levites shall surround the king, each with his weapons in his hand; and whoever enters the house shall be killed. Stay with the king in his comings and goings.’

Joash Crowned King

⁸ The Levites and all Judah did according to all that the priest Jehoiada commanded; each brought his men, who were to come on duty on the sabbath, with those who were to go off duty on the sabbath; for the priest Jehoiada did not dismiss the divisions. ⁹The priest Jehoiada delivered to the captains the spears and the large and small shields that had been King David’s, which were in the house of God; ¹⁰and he set all the people as a guard for the king, everyone with weapon in hand, from the south side of the house to the north side of the house, around the altar and the house. ¹¹Then he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the covenant;c they proclaimed him king, and Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they shouted, ‘Long live the king!’

Athaliah Deposed

¹² When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she went into the house of the LORD to the people; ¹³and when she looked, there was the king standing by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpeters beside the king, and all the people of the land rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration. Athaliah tore her clothes, and cried, ‘Treason! Treason!’ ¹⁴Then the priest Jehoiada brought out the captains who were set over the army, saying to them, ‘Bring her out between the ranks; anyone who follows her is to be put to the sword.’ For the priest said, ‘Do not put her to death in the house of the LORD.’ ¹⁵So they laid hands on her; she went into the entrance of the Horse Gate of the king’s house, and there they put her to death.

¹⁶ Jehoiada made a covenant between himself and all the people and the king that they should be the LORD’s people. ¹⁷Then all the people went to the house of Baal, and tore it down; his altars and his images they broke in pieces, and they killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars. ¹⁸Jehoiada assigned the care of the house of the LORD to the levitical priests whom David had organized to be in charge of the house of the LORD, to offer burnt-offerings to the LORD, as it is written in the law of Moses, with rejoicing and with singing, according to the order of David. ¹⁹He stationed the gatekeepers at the gates of the house of the LORD so that no one should enter who was in any way unclean. ²⁰And he took the captains, the nobles, the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, marching through the upper gate to the king’s house. They set the king on the royal throne. ²¹So all the people of the land rejoiced, and the city was quiet after Athaliah had been killed with the sword.

Joash Repairs the Temple

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JOASH was seven years old when he began to reign; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem; his mother’s name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba. ²Joash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days of the priest Jehoiada. ³Jehoiada got two wives for him, and he became the father of sons and daughters.

⁴ Some time afterwards Joash decided to restore the house of the LORD. ⁵He assembled the priests and the Levites and said to them, ‘Go out to the cities of Judah and gather money from all Israel to repair the house of your God, year by year; and see that you act quickly.’ But the Levites did not act quickly. ⁶So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief, and said to him, ‘Why have you not required the Levites to bring in from Judah and Jerusalem the tax levied by Moses, the servant of the LORD, ona the congregation of Israel for the tent of the covenant?’b ⁷For the children of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken into the house of God, and had even used all the dedicated things of the house of the LORD for the Baals.

⁸ So the king gave command, and they made a chest, and set it outside the gate of the house of the LORD. ⁹A proclamation was made throughout Judah and Jerusalem to bring in for the LORD the tax that Moses the servant of God laid on Israel in the wilderness. ¹⁰All the leaders and all the people rejoiced, and brought their tax and dropped it into the chest until it was full. ¹¹Whenever the chest was brought to the king’s officers by the Levites, when they saw that there was a large amount of money in it, the king’s secretary and the officer of the chief priest would come and empty the chest and take it and return it to its place. So they did day after day, and collected money in abundance. ¹²The king and Jehoiada gave it to those who had charge of the work of the house of the LORD, and they hired masons and carpenters to restore the house of the LORD, and also workers in iron and bronze to repair the house of the LORD. ¹³So those who were engaged in the work laboured, and the repairs went forward at their hands, and they restored the house of God to its proper condition and strengthened it. ¹⁴When they had finished, they brought the rest of the money to the king and Jehoiada, and with it were made utensils for the house of the LORD, utensils for the service and for the burnt-offerings, and ladles, and vessels of gold and silver. They offered burnt-offerings in the house of the LORD regularly all the days of Jehoiada.

Apostasy of Joash

¹⁵ But Jehoiada grew old and full of days, and died; he was one hundred and thirty years old at his death. ¹⁶And they buried him in the city of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and for God and his house.

¹⁷ Now after the death of Jehoiada the officials of Judah came and did obeisance to the king; then the king listened to them. ¹⁸They abandoned the house of the LORD, the God of their ancestors, and served the sacred polesa and the idols. And wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this guilt of theirs. ¹⁹Yet he sent prophets among them to bring them back to the LORD; they testified against them, but they would not listen.

²⁰ Then the spirit of God took possession ofb Zechariah son of the priest Jehoiada; he stood above the people and said to them, ‘Thus says God: Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has also forsaken you.’²¹ But they conspired against him, and by command of the king they stoned him to death in the court of the house of the LORD.²² King Joash did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah’s father, had shown him, but killed his son. As he was dying, he said, ‘May the LORD see and avenge!’

Death of Joash

²³ At the end of the year the army of Aram came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the officials of the people from among them, and sent all the booty they took to the king of Damascus. ²⁴Although the army of Aram had come with few men, the LORD delivered into their hand a very great army, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. Thus they executed judgement on Joash.

²⁵ When they had withdrawn, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the sonc of the priest Jehoiada, and they killed him on his bed. So he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. ²⁶Those who conspired against him were Zabad son of Shimeath the Ammonite, and Jehozabad son of Shimrith the Moabite. ²⁷Accounts of his sons, and of the many oracles against him, and of the rebuildingd of the house of God are written in the Commentary on the Book of the Kings. And his son Amaziah succeeded him.

Reign of Amaziah

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AMAZIAH was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. ²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not with a true heart. ³As soon as the royal power was firmly in his hand he killed his servants who had murdered his father the king. ⁴But he did not put their children to death, according to what is written in the law, in the book of Moses, where the LORD commanded, ‘The parents shall not be put to death for the children, or the children be put to death for the parents; but all shall be put to death for their own sins.’

Slaughter of the Edomites

⁵ Amaziah assembled the people of Judah, and set them by ancestral houses under commanders of the thousands and of the hundreds for all Judah and Benjamin. He mustered those twenty years old and upwards, and found that they were three hundred thousand picked troops fit for war, able to handle spear and shield. ⁶He also hired one hundred thousand mighty warriors from Israel for one hundred talents of silver. ⁷But a man of God came to him and said, ‘O king, do not let the army of Israel go with you, for the LORD is not with Israel—all these Ephraimites. ⁸Rather, go by yourself and act; be strong in battle, or God will fling you down before the enemy; for God has power to help or to overthrow.’ ⁹Amaziah said to the man of God, ‘But what shall we do about the hundred talents that I have given to the army of Israel?’ The man of God answered, ‘The LORD is able to give you much more than this.’ ¹⁰Then Amaziah discharged the army that had come to him from Ephraim, letting them go home again. But they became very angry with Judah, and returned home in fierce anger.

¹¹ Amaziah took courage, and led out his people; he went to the Valley of Salt, and struck down ten thousand men of Seir. ¹²The people of Judah captured another ten thousand alive, took them to the top of Sela, and threw them down from the top of Sela, so that all of them were dashed to pieces. ¹³But the men of the army whom Amaziah sent back, not letting them go with him to battle, fell on the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon; they killed three thousand people in them, and took much booty.

¹⁴ Now after Amaziah came from the slaughter of the Edomites, he brought the gods of the people of Seir, set them up as his gods, and worshipped them, making offerings to them. ¹⁵The LORD was angry with Amaziah and sent to him a prophet, who said to him, ‘Why have you resorted to a people’s gods who could not deliver their own people from your hand?’ ¹⁶But as he was speaking the kinga said to him, ‘Have we made you a royal counsellor? Stop! Why should you be put to death?’ So the prophet stopped, but said, ‘I know that God has determined to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice.’

Israel Defeats Judah

¹⁷ Then King Amaziah of Judah took counsel and sent to King Joash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu of Israel, saying, ‘Come, let us look one another in the face.’ ¹⁸King Joash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, ‘A thornbush on Lebanon sent to a cedar on Lebanon, saying, “Give your daughter to my son for a wife” but a wild animal of Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush. ¹⁹You say, “See, I have defeated Edom”, and your heart has lifted you up in boastfulness. Now stay at home; why should you provoke trouble so that you fall, you and Judah with you?’

²⁰ But Amaziah would not listen—it was God’s doing, in order to hand them over, because they had sought the gods of Edom. ²¹So King Joash of Israel went up; he and King Amaziah of Judah faced one another in battle at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. ²²Judah was defeated by Israel; everyone fled home. ²³King Joash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Joash, son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh; he brought him to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate, a distance of four hundred cubits. ²⁴He seized all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of God, and Obed-edom with them; he seized also the treasuries of the king’s house, also hostages; then he returned to Samaria.

Death of Amaziah

²⁵ King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of King Joash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. ²⁶Now the rest of the deeds of Amaziah, from first to last, are they not written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel? ²⁷From the time that Amaziah turned away from the LORD they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish, and killed him there. ²⁸They brought him back on horses; he was buried with his ancestors in the city of David.

Reign of Uzziah

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THEN all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king to succeed his father Amaziah. ²He rebuilt Eloth and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his ancestors. ³Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. ⁴He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁵He set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God; and as long as he sought the LORD, God made him prosper.

⁶ He went out and made war against the Philistines, and broke down the wall of Gath and the wall of Jabneh and the wall of Ashdod; he built cities in the territory of Ashdod and elsewhere among the Philistines. ⁷God helped him against the Philistines, against the Arabs who lived in Gur-baal, and against the Meunites. ⁸The Ammonites paid tribute to Uzziah, and his fame spread even to the border of Egypt, for he became very strong. ⁹Moreover, Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate, and at the Angle, and fortified them. ¹⁰He built towers in the wilderness and hewed out many cisterns, for he had large herds, both in the Shephelah and in the plain, and he had farmers and vine-dressers in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil. ¹¹Moreover, Uzziah had an army of soldiers, fit for war, in divisions according to the numbers in the muster made by the secretary Jeiel and the officer Maaseiah, under the direction of Hananiah, one of the king’s commanders. ¹²The whole number of the heads of ancestral houses of mighty warriors was two thousand six hundred. ¹³Under their command was an army of three hundred and seven thousand five hundred, who could make war with mighty power, to help the king against the enemy. ¹⁴Uzziah provided for all the army the shields, spears, helmets, coats of mail, bows, and stones for slinging. ¹⁵In Jerusalem he set up machines, invented by skilled workers, on the towers and the corners for shooting arrows and large stones. And his fame spread far, for he was marvellously helped until he became strong.

Pride and Apostasy

¹⁶ But when he had become strong he grew proud, to his destruction. For he was false to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to make offering on the altar of incense. ¹⁷But the priest Azariah went in after him, with eighty priests of the LORD who were men of valour; ¹⁸they withstood King Uzziah, and said to him, ‘It is not for you, Uzziah, to make offering to the LORD, but for the priests the descendants of Aaron, who are consecrated to make offering. Go out of the sanctuary; for you have done wrong, and it will bring you no honour from the LORD God.’ ¹⁹Then Uzziah was angry. Now he had a censer in his hand to make offering, and when he became angry with the priests a leprousa disease broke out on his forehead, in the presence of the priests in the house of the LORD, by the altar of incense. ²⁰When the chief priest Azariah, and all the priests, looked at him, he was leprousa in his forehead. They hurried him out, and he himself hurried to get out, because the LORD had struck him. ²¹King Uzziah was leprousa to the day of his death, and being leprousa lived in a separate house, for he was excluded from the house of the LORD. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace of the king, governing the people of the land.

²² Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, from first to last, the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz wrote. ²³Uzziah slept with his ancestors; they buried him near his ancestors in the burial field that belonged to the kings, for they said, ‘He is leprous.’a His son Jotham succeeded him.

Reign of Jotham

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JOTHAM was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jerushah daughter of Zadok. ²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD just as his father Uzziah had done—only he did not invade the temple of the LORD. But the people still followed corrupt practices. ³He built the upper gate of the house of the LORD, and did extensive building on the wall of Ophel. ⁴Moreover, he built cities in the hill country of Judah, and forts and towers on the wooded hills. ⁵He fought with the king of the Ammonites and prevailed against them. The Ammonites gave him that year one hundred talents of silver, ten thousand cors of wheat and ten thousand of barley. The Ammonites paid him the same amount in the second and the third years. ⁶So Jotham became strong because he ordered his ways before the LORD his God. ⁷Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all his wars and his ways, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah. ⁸He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. ⁹Jotham slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city of David; and his son Ahaz succeeded him.

Reign of Ahaz

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AHAZ was twenty years old when he began to reign; he reigned for sixteen years in Jerusalem. He did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD, as his ancestor David had done, ²but he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel. He even made cast images for the Baals; ³and he made offerings in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and made his sons pass through fire, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. ⁴He sacrificed and made offerings on the high places, on the hills, and under every green tree.

Aram and Israel Defeat Judah

⁵ Therefore the LORD his God gave him into the hand of the king of Aram, who defeated him and took captive a great number of his people and brought them to Damascus. He was also given into the hand of the king of Israel, who defeated him with great slaughter. ⁶Pekah son of Remaliah killed one hundred and twenty thousand in Judah in one day, all of them valiant warriors, because they had abandoned the LORD, the God of their ancestors. ⁷And Zichri, a mighty warrior of Ephraim, killed the king’s son Maaseiah, Azrikam the commander of the palace, and Elkanah the next in authority to the king.

Intervention of Oded

⁸ The people of Israel took captive two hundred thousand of their kin, women, sons, and daughters; they also took much booty from them and brought the booty to Samaria. ⁹But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded; he went out to meet the army that came to Samaria, and said to them, ‘Because the LORD, the God of your ancestors, was angry with Judah, he gave them into your hand, but you have killed them in a rage that has reached up to heaven. ¹⁰Now you intend to subjugate the people of Judah and Jerusalem, male and female, as your slaves. But what have you except sins against the LORD your God? ¹¹Now hear me, and send back the captives whom you have taken from your kindred, for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you.’ ¹²Moreover, certain chiefs of the Ephraimites, Azariah son of Johanan, Berechiah son of Meshillemoth, Jehizkiah son of Shallum, and Amasa son of Hadlai, stood up against those who were coming from the war, ¹³and said to them, ‘You shall not bring the captives in here, for you propose to bring on us guilt against the LORD in addition to our present sins and guilt. For our guilt is already great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel.’ ¹⁴So the warriors left the captives and the booty before the officials and all the assembly. ¹⁵Then those who were mentioned by name got up and took the captives, and with the booty they clothed all that were naked among them; they clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them; and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kindred at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.

Assyria Refuses to Help Judah

¹⁶ At that time King Ahaz sent to the kinga of Assyria for help. ¹⁷ For the Edomites had again invaded and defeated Judah, and carried away captives.¹⁸ And the Philistines had made raids on the cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, Aijalon, Gederoth, Soco with its villages, Timnah with its villages, and Gimzo with its villages; and they settled there.¹⁹ For the LORD brought Judah low because of King Ahaz of Israel, for he had behaved without restraint in Judah and had been faithless to the LORD.²⁰ So King Tilgath-pilneser of Assyria came against him, and oppressed him instead of strengthening him.²¹ For Ahaz plundered the house of the LORD and the houses of the king and of the officials, and gave tribute to the king of Assyria; but it did not help him.

Apostasy and Death of Ahaz

²² In the time of his distress he became yet more faithless to the LORD—this same King Ahaz. ²³For he sacrificed to the gods of Damascus, which had defeated him, and said, ‘Because the gods of the kings of Aram helped them, I will sacrifice to them so that they may help me.’ But they were the ruin of him, and of all Israel. ²⁴Ahaz gathered together the utensils of the house of God, and cut in pieces the utensils of the house of God. He shut up the doors of the house of the LORD and made himself altars in every corner of Jerusalem. ²⁵In every city of Judah he made high places to make offerings to other gods, provoking to anger the LORD, the God of his ancestors. ²⁶Now the rest of his acts and all his ways, from first to last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ²⁷Ahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in the city, in Jerusalem; but they did not bring him into the tombs of the kings of Israel. His son Hezekiah succeeded him.

Reign of Hezekiah

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HEZEKIAH began to reign when he was twenty-five years old; he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Abijah daughter of Zechariah. ²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, just as his ancestor David had done.

The Temple Cleansed

³ In the first year of his reign, in the first month, he opened the doors of the house of the LORD and repaired them. ⁴He brought in the priests and the Levites and assembled them in the square on the east. ⁵He said to them, ‘Listen to me, Levites! Sanctify yourselves, and sanctify the house of the LORD, the God of your ancestors, and carry out the filth from the holy place. ⁶For our ancestors have been unfaithful and have done what was evil in the sight of the LORD our God; they have forsaken him, and have turned away their faces from the dwelling of the LORD, and turned their backs. ⁷They also shut the doors of the vestibule and put out the lamps, and have not offered incense or made burnt-offerings in the holy place to the God of Israel. ⁸Therefore the wrath of the LORD came upon Judah and Jerusalem, and he has made them an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing, as you see with your own eyes. ⁹Our fathers have fallen by the sword and our sons and our daughters and our wives are in captivity for this. ¹⁰Now it is in my heart to make a covenant with the LORD, the God of Israel, so that his fierce anger may turn away from us. ¹¹My sons, do not now be negligent, for the LORD has chosen you to stand in his presence to minister to him, and to be his ministers and make offerings to him.’

¹² Then the Levites arose, Mahath son of Amasai, and Joel son of Azariah, of the sons of the Kohathites; and of the sons of Merari, Kish son of Abdi, and Azariah son of Jehallelel; and of the Gershonites, Joah son of Zimmah, and Eden son of Joah; ¹³and of the sons of Elizaphan, Shimri and Jeuel; and of the sons of Asaph, Zechariah and Mattaniah; ¹⁴and of the sons of Heman, Jehuel and Shimei; and of the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel. ¹⁵They gathered their brothers, sanctified themselves, and went in as the king had commanded, by the words of the LORD, to cleanse the house of the LORD. ¹⁶The priests went into the inner part of the house of the LORD to cleanse it, and they brought out all the unclean things that they found in the temple of the LORD into the court of the house of the LORD; and the Levites took them and carried them out to the Wadi Kidron. ¹⁷They began to sanctify on the first day of the first month, and on the eighth day of the month they came to the vestibule of the LORD; then for eight days they sanctified the house of the LORD, and on the sixteenth day of the first month they finished. ¹⁸Then they went inside to King Hezekiah and said, ‘We have cleansed all the house of the LORD, the altar of burnt-offering and all its utensils, and the table for the rows of bread and all its utensils. ¹⁹All the utensils that King Ahaz repudiated during his reign when he was faithless, we have made ready and sanctified; see, they are in front of the altar of the LORD.’

Temple Worship Restored

²⁰ Then King Hezekiah rose early, assembled the officials of the city, and went up to the house of the LORD. ²¹They brought seven bulls, seven rams, seven lambs, and seven male goats for a sin-offering for the kingdom and for the sanctuary and for Judah. He commanded the priests the descendants of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the LORD. ²²So they slaughtered the bulls, and the priests received the blood and dashed it against the altar; they slaughtered the rams and their blood was dashed against the altar; they also slaughtered the lambs and their blood was dashed against the altar. ²³Then the male goats for the sin-offering were brought to the king and the assembly; they laid their hands on them, ²⁴and the priests slaughtered them and made a sin-offering with their blood at the altar, to make atonement for all Israel. For the king commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all Israel.

²⁵ He stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king’s seer and of the prophet Nathan, for the commandment was from the LORD through his prophets. ²⁶The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. ²⁷Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt-offering be offered on the altar. When the burnt-offering began, the song to the LORD began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of King David of Israel. ²⁸The whole assembly worshipped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt-offering was finished. ²⁹When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed down and worshipped. ³⁰King Hezekiah and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of the seer Asaph. They sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshipped.

³¹ Then Hezekiah said, ‘You have now consecrated yourselves to the LORD; come near, bring sacrifices and thank-offerings to the house of the LORD.’ The assembly brought sacrifices and thank-offerings; and all who were of a willing heart brought burnt-offerings. ³²The number of the burnt-offerings that the assembly brought was seventy bulls, one hundred rams, and two hundred lambs; all these were for a burnt-offering to the LORD. ³³The consecrated offerings were six hundred bulls and three thousand sheep. ³⁴But the priests were too few and could not skin all the burnt-offerings, so, until other priests had sanctified themselves, their kindred, the Levites, helped them until the work was finished—for the Levites were more conscientiousa than the priests in sanctifying themselves. ³⁵Besides the great number of burnt-offerings there was the fat of the offerings of well-being, and there were the drink-offerings for the burnt-offerings. Thus the service of the house of the LORD was restored. ³⁶And Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced because of what God had done for the people; for the thing had come about suddenly.

The Great Passover

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HEZEKIAH sent word to all Israel and Judah, and wrote letters also to Ephraim and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, to keep the passover to the LORD the God of Israel. ²For the king and his officials and all the assembly in Jerusalem had taken counsel to keep the passover in the second month ³(for they could not keep it at its proper time because the priests had not sanctified themselves in sufficient number, nor had the people assembled in Jerusalem). ⁴The plan seemed right to the king and all the assembly. ⁵So they decreed the making of a proclamation throughout all Israel, from Beer-sheba to Dan, that the people should come and keep the passover to the LORD the God of Israel, at Jerusalem; for they had not kept it in great numbers as prescribed. ⁶So couriers went throughout all Israel and Judah with letters from the king and his officials, as the king had commanded, saying, ‘O people of Israel, return to the LORD, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, so that he may turn again to the remnant of you who have escaped from the hand of the kings of Assyria. ⁷Do not be like your ancestors and your kindred, who were faithless to the LORD God of their ancestors, so that he made them a desolation, as you see. ⁸Do not now be stiff-necked as your ancestors were, but yield yourselves to the LORD and come to his sanctuary, which he has sanctified for ever, and serve the LORD your God, so that his fierce anger may turn away from you. ⁹For as you return to the LORD, your kindred and your children will find compassion with their captors, and return to this land. For the LORD your God is gracious and merciful, and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.’

¹⁰ So the couriers went from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, and as far as Zebulun; but they laughed them to scorn, and mocked them. ¹¹Only a few from Asher, Manasseh, and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem. ¹²The hand of God was also on Judah to give them one heart to do what the king and the officials commanded by the word of the LORD.

¹³ Many people came together in Jerusalem to keep the festival of unleavened bread in the second month, a very large assembly. ¹⁴They set to work and removed the altars that were in Jerusalem, and all the altars for offering incense they took away and threw into the Wadi Kidron. ¹⁵They slaughtered the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the second month. The priests and the Levites were ashamed, and they sanctified themselves and brought burnt-offerings into the house of the LORD. ¹⁶They took their accustomed posts according to the law of Moses the man of God; the priests dashed the blood that they receiveda from the hands of the Levites. ¹⁷For there were many in the assembly who had not sanctified themselves; therefore the Levites had to slaughter the passover lamb for everyone who was not clean, to make it holy to the LORD. ¹⁸For a multitude of the people, many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar, and Zebulun, had not cleansed themselves, yet they ate the passover otherwise than as prescribed. But Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, ‘The good LORD pardon all ¹⁹who set their hearts to seek God, the LORD the God of their ancestors, even though not in accordance with the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness.’ ²⁰The LORD heard Hezekiah, and healed the people. ²¹The people of Israel who were present at Jerusalem kept the festival of unleavened bread for seven days with great gladness; and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, accompanied by loud instruments for the LORD. ²²Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the LORD. So the people ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing offerings of well-being and giving thanks to the LORD the God of their ancestors.

²³ Then the whole assembly agreed together to keep the festival for another seven days; so they kept it for another seven days with gladness. ²⁴For King Hezekiah of Judah gave the assembly a thousand bulls and seven thousand sheep for offerings, and the officials gave the assembly a thousand bulls and ten thousand sheep. The priests sanctified themselves in great numbers. ²⁵The whole assembly of Judah, the priests and the Levites, and the whole assembly that came out of Israel, and the resident aliens who came out of the land of Israel, and the resident aliens who lived in Judah, rejoiced. ²⁶There was great joy in Jerusalem, for since the time of Solomon son of King David of Israel there had been nothing like this in Jerusalem. ²⁷Then the priests and the Levites stood up and blessed the people, and their voice was heard; their prayer came to his holy dwelling in heaven.

Pagan Shrines Destroyed

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NOW when all this was finished, all Israel who were present went out to the cities of Judah and broke down the pillars, hewed down the sacred poles,b and pulled down the high places and the altars throughout all Judah and Benjamin, and in Ephraim and Manasseh, until they had destroyed them all. Then all the people of Israel returned to their cities, all to their individual properties.

² Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, everyone according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt-offerings and offerings of well-being, to minister in the gates of the camp of the LORD and to give thanks and praise. ³The contribution of the king from his own possessions was for the burnt-offerings: the burnt-offerings of morning and evening, and the burnt-offerings for the sabbaths, the new moons, and the appointed festivals, as it is written in the law of the LORD. ⁴He commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, so that they might devote themselves to the law of the LORD. ⁵As soon as the word spread, the people of Israel gave in abundance the first fruits of grain, wine, oil, honey, and of all the produce of the field; and they brought in abundantly the tithe of everything. ⁶The people of Israel and Judah who lived in the cities of Judah also brought in the tithe of cattle and sheep, and the tithe of the dedicated things that had been consecrated to the LORD their God, and laid them in heaps. ⁷In the third month they began to pile up the heaps, and finished them in the seventh month. ⁸When Hezekiah and the officials came and saw the heaps, they blessed the LORD and his people Israel. ⁹Hezekiah questioned the priests and the Levites about the heaps. ¹⁰The chief priest Azariah, who was of the house of Zadok, answered him, ‘Since they began to bring the contributions into the house of the LORD, we have had enough to eat and have plenty to spare; for the LORD has blessed his people, so that we have this great supply left over.’

Reorganization of Priests and Levites

¹¹ Then Hezekiah commanded them to prepare store-chambers in the house of the LORD; and they prepared them. ¹²Faithfully they brought in the contributions, the tithes and the dedicated things. The chief officer in charge of them was Conaniah the Levite, with his brother Shimei as second; ¹³while Jehiel, Azaziah, Nahath, Asahel, Jerimoth, Jozabad, Eliel, Ismachiah, Mahath, and Benaiah were overseers assisting Conaniah and his brother Shimei, by the appointment of King Hezekiah and of Azariah the chief officer of the house of God. ¹⁴Kore son of Imnah the Levite, keeper of the east gate, was in charge of the freewill-offerings to God, to apportion the contribution reserved for the LORD and the most holy offerings. ¹⁵Eden, Miniamin, Jeshua, Shemaiah, Amariah, and Shecaniah were faithfully assisting him in the cities of the priests, to distribute the portions to their kindred, old and young alike, by divisions, ¹⁶except those enrolled by genealogy, males from three years old and upwards, all who entered the house of the LORD as the duty of each day required, for their service according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁷The enrolment of the priests was according to their ancestral houses; that of the Levites from twenty years old and upwards was according to their offices, by their divisions. ¹⁸The priests were enrolled with all their little children, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, the whole multitude; for they were faithful in keeping themselves holy. ¹⁹And for the descendants of Aaron, the priests, who were in the fields of common land belonging to their towns, town by town, the people designated by name were to distribute portions to every male among the priests and to everyone among the Levites who was enrolled.

²⁰ Hezekiah did this throughout all Judah; he did what was good and right and faithful before the LORD his God. ²¹And every work that he undertook in the service of the house of God, and in accordance with the law and the commandments, to seek his God, he did with all his heart; and he prospered.

Sennacherib’s Invasion

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AFTER these things and these acts of faithfulness, King Sennacherib of Assyria came and invaded Judah and encamped against the fortified cities, thinking to win them for himself. ²When Hezekiah saw that Sennacherib had come and intended to fight against Jerusalem, ³he planned with his officers and his warriors to stop the flow of the springs that were outside the city; and they helped him. ⁴A great many people were gathered, and they stopped all the springs and the wadi that flowed through the land, saying, ‘Why should the Assyrian kings come and find water in abundance?’ ⁵Hezekiaha set to work resolutely and built up the entire wall that was broken down, and raised towers on it,b and outside it he built another wall; he also strengthened the Millo in the city of David, and made weapons and shields in abundance. ⁶He appointed combat commanders over the people, and gathered them together to him in the square at the gate of the city and spoke encouragingly to them, saying, ⁷‘Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria and all the horde that is with him; for there is one greater with us than with him. ⁸With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the LORD our God, to help us and to fight our battles.’ The people were encouraged by the words of King Hezekiah of Judah.

⁹ After this, while King Sennacherib of Assyria was at Lachish with all his forces, he sent his servants to Jerusalem to King Hezekiah of Judah and to all the people of Judah that were in Jerusalem, saying, ¹⁰‘Thus says King Sennacherib of Assyria: On what are you relying, that you undergo the siege of Jerusalem? ¹¹Is not Hezekiah misleading you, handing you over to die by famine and by thirst, when he tells you, “The LORD our God will save us from the hand of the king of Assyria”? ¹²Was it not this same Hezekiah who took away his high places and his altars and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “Before one altar you shall worship, and upon it you shall make your offerings”? ¹³Do you not know what I and my ancestors have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands at all able to save their lands out of my hand? ¹⁴Who among all the gods of those nations that my ancestors utterly destroyed was able to save his people from my hand, that your God should be able to save you from my hand? ¹⁵Now therefore do not let Hezekiah deceive you or mislead you in this fashion, and do not believe him, for no god of any nation or kingdom has been able to save his people from my hand or from the hand of my ancestors. How much less will your God save you out of my hand!’

¹⁶ His servants said still more against the Lord GOD and against his servant Hezekiah. ¹⁷He also wrote letters to throw contempt on the LORD the God of Israel and to speak against him, saying, ‘Just as the gods of the nations in other lands did not rescue their people from my hands, so the God of Hezekiah will not rescue his people from my hand.’ ¹⁸They shouted it with a loud voice in the language of Judah to the people of Jerusalem who were on the wall, to frighten and terrify them, in order that they might take the city. ¹⁹They spoke of the God of Jerusalem as if he were like the gods of the peoples of the earth, which are the work of human hands.

Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death

²⁰ Then King Hezekiah and the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz prayed because of this and cried to heaven. ²¹And the LORD sent an angel who cut off all the mighty warriors and commanders and officers in the camp of the king of Assyria. So he returned in disgrace to his own land. When he came into the house of his god, some of his own sons struck him down there with the sword. ²²So the LORD saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of King Sennacherib of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies; he gave them restc on every side. ²³Many brought gifts to the LORD in Jerusalem and precious things to King Hezekiah of Judah, so that he was exalted in the sight of all nations from that time onwards.

Hezekiah’s Sickness

²⁴ In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. He prayed to the LORD, and he answered him and gave him a sign. ²⁵But Hezekiah did not respond according to the benefit done to him, for his heart was proud. Therefore wrath came upon him and upon Judah and Jerusalem. ²⁶Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, both he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the LORD did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah.

Hezekiah’s Prosperity and Achievements

²⁷ Hezekiah had very great riches and honour; and he made for himself treasuries for silver, for gold, for precious stones, for spices, for shields, and for all kinds of costly objects; ²⁸storehouses also for the yield of grain, wine, and oil; and stalls for all kinds of cattle, and sheepfolds.a ²⁹He likewise provided cities for himself, and flocks and herds in abundance; for God had given him very great possessions. ³⁰This same Hezekiah closed the upper outlet of the waters of Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the city of David. Hezekiah prospered in all his works. ³¹So also in the matter of the envoys of the officials of Babylon, who had been sent to him to inquire about the sign that had been done in the land, God left him to himself, in order to test him and to know all that was in his heart.

³² Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and his good deeds, are written in the vision of the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. ³³Hezekiah slept with his ancestors, and they buried him on the ascent to the tombs of the descendants of David; and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem did him honour at his death. His son Manasseh succeeded him.

Reign of Manasseh

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MANASSEH was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned for fifty-five years in Jerusalem. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel. ³For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had pulled down, and erected altars to the Baals, made sacred poles,b worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.⁴ He built altars in the house of the LORD, of which the LORD had said, ‘In Jerusalem shall my name be for ever.’⁵ He built altars for all the host of heaven in the two courts of the house of the LORD.⁶ He made his son pass through fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom, practised soothsaying and augury and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with wizards. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking him to anger.⁷ The carved image of the idol that he had made he set in the house of God, of which God said to David and to his son Solomon, ‘In this house, and in Jerusalem, which I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel, I will put my name for ever;⁸ I will never again remove the feet of Israel from the land that I appointed for your ancestors, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, all the law, the statutes, and the ordinances given through Moses.’

⁹Manasseh misled Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that they did more evil than the nations whom the LORD had destroyed before the people of Israel.

Manasseh Restored after Repentance

¹⁰ The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people, but they gave no heed. ¹¹Therefore the LORD brought against them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who took Manasseh captive in manacles, bound him with fetters, and brought him to Babylon. ¹²While he was in distress he entreated the favour of the LORD his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. ¹³He prayed to him, and God received his entreaty, heard his plea, and restored him again to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD indeed was God.

¹⁴ Afterwards he built an outer wall for the city of David west of Gihon, in the valley, reaching the entrance at the Fish Gate; he carried it around Ophel, and raised it to a very great height. He also put commanders of the army in all the fortified cities in Judah. ¹⁵He took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD and in Jerusalem, and he threw them out of the city. ¹⁶He also restored the altar of the LORD and offered on it sacrifices of well-being and of thanksgiving; and he commanded Judah to serve the LORD the God of Israel. ¹⁷The people, however, still sacrificed at the high places, but only to the LORD their God.

Death of Manasseh

¹⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh, his prayer to his God, and the words of the seers who spoke to him in the name of the LORD God of Israel, these are in the Annals of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁹His prayer, and how God received his entreaty, all his sin and his faithlessness, the sites on which he built high places and set up the sacred polesa and the images, before he humbled himself, these are written in the records of the seers.b ²⁰So Manasseh slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in his house. His son Amon succeeded him.

Amon’s Reign and Death

²¹ Amon was twenty-two years old when he began to reign; he reigned for two years in Jerusalem. ²²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon sacrificed to all the images that his father Manasseh had made, and served them. ²³He did not humble himself before the LORD, as his father Manasseh had humbled himself, but this Amon incurred more and more guilt. ²⁴His servants conspired against him and killed him in his house. ²⁵But the people of the land killed all those who had conspired against King Amon; and the people of the land made his son Josiah king to succeed him.

Reign of Josiah

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JOSIAH was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned for thirty-one years in Jerusalem. ²He did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in the ways of his ancestor David; he did not turn aside to the right or to the left. ³For in the eighth year of his reign, while he was still a boy, he began to seek the God of his ancestor David, and in the twelfth year he began to purge Judah and Jerusalem of the high places, the sacred poles,a and the carved and the cast images. ⁴In his presence they pulled down the altars of the Baals; he demolished the incense altars that stood above them. He broke down the sacred polesa and the carved and the cast images; he made dust of them and scattered it over the graves of those who had sacrificed to them.⁵ He also burned the bones of the priests on their altars, and purged Judah and Jerusalem. ⁶In the towns of Manasseh, Ephraim, and Simeon, and as far as Naphtali, in their ruinsb all around,⁷ he broke down the altars, beat the sacred polesa and the images into powder, and demolished all the incense altars throughout all the land of Israel. Then he returned to Jerusalem.

Discovery of the Book of the Law

⁸ In the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had purged the land and the house, he sent Shaphan son of Azaliah, Maaseiah the governor of the city, and Joah son of Joahaz, the recorder, to repair the house of the LORD his God. ⁹They came to the high priest Hilkiah and delivered the money that had been brought into the house of God, which the Levites, the keepers of the threshold, had collected from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel and from all Judah and Benjamin and from the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰They delivered it to the workers who had the oversight of the house of the LORD, and the workers who were working in the house of the LORD gave it for repairing and restoring the house. ¹¹They gave it to the carpenters and the builders to buy quarried stone, and timber for tie-beams and joists for the buildings that the kings of Judah had let go to ruin. ¹²The people did the work faithfully. Over them were appointed the Levites Jahath and Obadiah, of the sons of Merari, along with Zechariah and Meshullam, of the sons of the Kohathites, to have oversight. Other Levites, all skilful with instruments of music, ¹³were over the burden-bearers and directed all who did work in every kind of service; and some of the Levites were scribes, and officials, and gatekeepers.

¹⁴ While they were bringing out the money that had been brought into the house of the LORD, the priest Hilkiah found the book of the law of the LORD given through Moses. ¹⁵Hilkiah said to the secretary Shaphan, ‘I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD’ and Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan. ¹⁶Shaphan brought the book to the king, and further reported to the king, ‘All that was committed to your servants they are doing. ¹⁷They have emptied out the money that was found in the house of the LORD and have delivered it into the hand of the overseers and the workers.’ ¹⁸The secretary Shaphan informed the king, ‘The priest Hilkiah has given me a book.’ Shaphan then read it aloud to the king.

¹⁹ When the king heard the words of the law he tore his clothes. ²⁰Then the king commanded Hilkiah, Ahikam son of Shaphan, Abdon son of Micah, the secretary Shaphan, and the king’s servant Asaiah: ²¹‘Go, inquire of the LORD for me and for those who are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book that has been found; for the wrath of the LORD that is poured out on us is great, because our ancestors did not keep the word of the LORD, to act in accordance with all that is written in this book.’

The Prophet Huldah Consulted

²² So Hilkiah and those whom the king had sent went to the prophet Huldah, the wife of Shallum son of Tokhath son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe (who lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter) and spoke to her to that effect. ²³She declared to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Tell the man who sent you to me, ²⁴Thus says the LORD: I will indeed bring disaster upon this place and upon its inhabitants, all the curses that are written in the book that was read before the king of Judah. ²⁵Because they have forsaken me and have made offerings to other gods, so that they have provoked me to anger with all the works of their hands, my wrath will be poured out on this place and will not be quenched. ²⁶But as to the king of Judah, who sent you to inquire of the LORD, thus shall you say to him: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Regarding the words that you have heard, ²⁷because your heart was penitent and you humbled yourself before God when you heard his words against this place and its inhabitants, and you have humbled yourself before me, and have torn your clothes and wept before me, I also have heard you, says the LORD. ²⁸I will gather you to your ancestors and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace; your eyes shall not see all the disaster that I will bring on this place and its inhabitants.’ They took the message back to the king.

The Covenant Renewed

²⁹ Then the king sent word and gathered together all the elders of Judah and Jerusalem. ³⁰The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the priests and the Levites, all the people both great and small; he read in their hearing all the words of the book of the covenant that had been found in the house of the LORD. ³¹The king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, keeping his commandments, his decrees, and his statutes, with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. ³²Then he made all who were present in Jerusalem and in Benjamin pledge themselves to it. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem acted according to the covenant of God, the God of their ancestors. ³³Josiah took away all the abominations from all the territory that belonged to the people of Israel, and made all who were in Israel worship the LORD their God. All his days they did not turn away from following the LORD the God of their ancestors.

Celebration of the Passover

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JOSIAH kept a passover to the LORD in Jerusalem; they slaughtered the passover lamb on the fourteenth day of the first month. ²He appointed the priests to their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD. ³He said to the Levites who taught all Israel and who were holy to the LORD, ‘Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon son of David, king of Israel, built; you need no longer carry it on your shoulders. Now serve the LORD your God and his people Israel. ⁴Make preparations by your ancestral houses by your divisions, following the written directions of King David of Israel and the written directions of his son Solomon. ⁵Take position in the holy place according to the groupings of the ancestral houses of your kindred the people, and let there be Levites for each division of an ancestral house.a ⁶Slaughter the passover lamb, sanctify yourselves, and on behalf of your kindred make preparations, acting according to the word of the LORD by Moses.’

⁷ Then Josiah contributed to the people, as passover offerings for all that were present, lambs and kids from the flock to the number of thirty thousand, and three thousand bulls; these were from the king’s possessions. ⁸His officials contributed willingly to the people, to the priests, and to the Levites. Hilkiah, Zechariah, and Jehiel, the chief officers of the house of God, gave to the priests for the passover offerings two thousand six hundred lambs and kids and three hundred bulls. ⁹Conaniah also, and his brothers Shemaiah and Nethanel, and Hashabiah and Jeiel and Jozabad, the chiefs of the Levites, gave to the Levites for the passover offerings five thousand lambs and kids and five hundred bulls.

¹⁰ When the service had been prepared for, the priests stood in their place, and the Levites in their divisions according to the king’s command. ¹¹They slaughtered the passover lamb, and the priests dashed the blood that they receivedb from them, while the Levites did the skinning. ¹²They set aside the burnt-offerings so that they might distribute them according to the groupings of the ancestral houses of the people, to offer to the LORD, as it is written in the book of Moses. And they did the same with the bulls. ¹³They roasted the passover lamb with fire according to the ordinance; and they boiled the holy offerings in pots, in cauldrons, and in pans, and carried them quickly to all the people. ¹⁴Afterwards they made preparations for themselves and for the priests, because the priests the descendants of Aaron were occupied in offering the burnt-offerings and the fat parts until night; so the Levites made preparations for themselves and for the priests, the descendants of Aaron. ¹⁵The singers, the descendants of Asaph, were in their place according to the command of David, and Asaph, and Heman, and the king’s seer Jeduthun. The gatekeepers were at each gate; they did not need to interrupt their service, for their kindred the Levites made preparations for them.

¹⁶ So all the service of the LORD was prepared that day, to keep the passover and to offer burnt-offerings on the altar of the LORD, according to the command of King Josiah. ¹⁷The people of Israel who were present kept the passover at that time, and the festival of unleavened bread for seven days. ¹⁸No passover like it had been kept in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; none of the kings of Israel had kept such a passover as was kept by Josiah, by the priests and the Levites, by all Judah and Israel who were present, and by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁹In the eighteenth year of the reign of Josiah this passover was kept.

Defeat by Pharaoh Neco and Death of Josiah

²⁰ After all this, when Josiah had set the temple in order, King Neco of Egypt went up to fight at Carchemish on the Euphrates, and Josiah went out against him. ²¹But Necoc sent envoys to him, saying, ‘What have I to do with you, king of Judah? I am not coming against you today, but against the house with which I am at war; and God has commanded me to hurry. Cease opposing God, who is with me, so that he will not destroy you.’ ²²But Josiah would not turn away from him, but disguised himself in order to fight with him. He did not listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God, but joined battle in the plain of Megiddo. ²³The archers shot King Josiah; and the king said to his servants, ‘Take me away, for I am badly wounded.’ ²⁴So his servants took him out of the chariot and carried him in his second chariota and brought him to Jerusalem. There he died, and was buried in the tombs of his ancestors. All Judah and Jerusalem mourned for Josiah. ²⁵Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah, and all the singing-men and singing-women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a custom in Israel; they are recorded in the Laments. ²⁶Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and his faithful deeds in accordance with what is written in the law of the LORD, ²⁷and his acts, first and last, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah.

Reign of Jehoahaz

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THE people of the land took Jehoahaz son of Josiah and made him king to succeed his father in Jerusalem. ²Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; he reigned for three months in Jerusalem. ³Then the king of Egypt deposed him in Jerusalem and laid on the land a tribute of one hundred talents of silver and one talent of gold. ⁴The king of Egypt made his brother Eliakim king over Judah and Jerusalem, and changed his name to Jehoiakim; but Neco took his brother Jehoahaz and carried him to Egypt.

Reign and Captivity of Jehoiakim

⁵ Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. ⁶Against him King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came up, and bound him with fetters to take him to Babylon. ⁷Nebuchadnezzar also carried some of the vessels of the house of the LORD to Babylon and put them in his palace in Babylon. ⁸Now the rest of the acts of Jehoiakim, and the abominations that he did, and what was found against him, are written in the Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah; and his son Jehoiachin succeeded him.

Reign and Captivity of Jehoiachin

⁹ Jehoiachin was eight years old when he began to reign; he reigned for three months and ten days in Jerusalem. He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD. ¹⁰In the spring of the year King Nebuchadnezzar sent and brought him to Babylon, along with the precious vessels of the house of the LORD, and made his brother Zedekiah king over Judah and Jerusalem.

Reign of Zedekiah

¹¹ Zedekiah was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. ¹²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD his God. He did not humble himself before the prophet Jeremiah who spoke from the mouth of the LORD. ¹³He also rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; he stiffened his neck and hardened his heart against turning to the LORD, the God of Israel. ¹⁴All the leading priests and the people also were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the LORD that he had consecrated in Jerusalem.

The Fall of Jerusalem

¹⁵ The LORD, the God of their ancestors, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling-place; ¹⁶but they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the LORD against his people became so great that there was no remedy.

¹⁷ Therefore he brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their youths with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or young woman, the aged or the feeble; he gave them all into his hand. ¹⁸All the vessels of the house of God, large and small, and the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king and of his officials, all these he brought to Babylon. ¹⁹They burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious vessels. ²⁰He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, ²¹to fulfil the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had made up for its sabbaths. All the days that it lay desolate it kept sabbath, to fulfil seventy years.

Cyrus Proclaims Liberty for the Exiles

²² In the first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in fulfilment of the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom and also declared in a written edict: ²³‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him! Let him go up.’

EZRA

End of the Babylonian Captivity

IN THE first year of King Cyrus of Persia, in order that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be accomplished, the LORD stirred up the spirit of King Cyrus of Persia so that he sent a herald throughout all his kingdom, and also in a written edict declared:

² ‘Thus says King Cyrus of Persia: The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem in Judah. ³Any of those among you who are of his people—may their God be with them!—are now permitted to go up to Jerusalem in Judah, and rebuild the house of the LORD, the God of Israel—he is the God who is in Jerusalem; ⁴and let all survivors, in whatever place they reside, be assisted by the people of their place with silver and gold, with goods and with animals, besides freewill-offerings for the house of God in Jerusalem.’

⁵ The heads of the families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites—everyone whose spirit God had stirred—got ready to go up and rebuild the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. ⁶All their neighbours aided them with silver vessels, with gold, with goods, with animals, and with valuable gifts, besides all that was freely offered. ⁷King Cyrus himself brought out the vessels of the house of the LORD that Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and placed in the house of his gods. ⁸King Cyrus of Persia had them released into the charge of Mithredath the treasurer, who counted them out to Sheshbazzar the prince of Judah. ⁹And this was the inventory: gold basins, thirty; silver basins, one thousand; knives,a twenty-nine; ¹⁰gold bowls, thirty; other silver bowls, four hundred and ten; other vessels, one thousand; ¹¹the total of the gold and silver vessels was five thousand four hundred. All these Sheshbazzar brought up, when the exiles were brought up from Babylonia to Jerusalem.

List of the Returned Exiles

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NOW these were the people of the province who came from those captive exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried captive to Babylonia; they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, all to their own towns. ²They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispar, Bigvai, Rehum, and Baanah.

The number of the Israelite people: ³the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. ⁴Of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. ⁵Of Arah, seven hundred and seventy-five. ⁶Of Pahath-moab, namely the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and twelve. ⁷Of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ⁸Of Zattu, nine hundred and forty-five. ⁹Of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. ¹⁰Of Bani, six hundred and forty-two. ¹¹Of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-three. ¹²Of Azgad, one thousand two hundred and twenty-two. ¹³Of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-six. ¹⁴Of Bigvai, two thousand and fifty-six. ¹⁵Of Adin, four hundred and fifty-four. ¹⁶Of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. ¹⁷Of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-three. ¹⁸Of Jorah, one hundred and twelve. ¹⁹Of Hashum, two hundred and twenty-three. ²⁰Of Gibbar, ninety-five. ²¹Of Bethlehem, one hundred and twenty-three. ²²The people of Netophah, fifty-six. ²³Of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. ²⁴The descendants of Azmaveth, forty-two. ²⁵Of Kiriatharim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. ²⁶Of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. ²⁷The people of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. ²⁸Of Bethel and Ai, two hundred and twenty-three. ²⁹The descendants of Nebo, fifty-two. ³⁰Of Magbish, one hundred and fifty-six. ³¹Of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ³²Of Harim, three hundred and twenty. ³³Of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-five. ³⁴Of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. ³⁵Of Senaah, three thousand six hundred and thirty.

³⁶ The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, of the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. ³⁷Of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. ³⁸Of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. ³⁹Of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

⁴⁰ The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua and Kadmiel, of the descendants of Hodaviah, seventy-four. ⁴¹The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and twenty-eight. ⁴²The descendants of the gatekeepers: of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon, of Akkub, of Hatita, and of Shobai, in all one hundred and thirty-nine.

⁴³ The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, Hasupha, Tabbaoth, ⁴⁴Keros, Siaha, Padon, ⁴⁵Lebanah, Hagabah, Akkub, ⁴⁶Hagab, Shamlai, Hanan, ⁴⁷Giddel, Gahar, Reaiah, ⁴⁸Rezin, Nekoda, Gazzam, ⁴⁹Uzza, Paseah, Besai, ⁵⁰Asnah, Meunim, Nephisim, ⁵¹Bakbuk, Hakupha, Harhur, ⁵²Bazluth, Mehida, Harsha, ⁵³Barkos, Sisera, Temah, ⁵⁴Neziah, and Hatipha.

⁵⁵ The descendants of Solomon’s servants: Sotai, Hassophereth, Peruda, ⁵⁶Jaalah, Darkon, Giddel, ⁵⁷Shephatiah, Hattil, Pochereth-hazzebaim, and Ami.

⁵⁸ All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

⁵⁹ The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addan, and Immer, though they could not prove their families or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: ⁶⁰the descendants of Delaiah, Tobiah, and Nekoda, six hundred and fifty-two. ⁶¹Also, of the descendants of the priests: the descendants of Habaiah, Hakkoz, and Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called by their name). ⁶²These looked for their entries in the genealogical records, but they were not found there, and so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean; ⁶³the governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until there should be a priest to consult Urim and Thummim.

⁶⁴ The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, ⁶⁵besides their male and female servants, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred male and female singers. ⁶⁶They had seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five mules, ⁶⁷four hundred and thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.

⁶⁸ As soon as they came to the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, some of the heads of families made freewill-offerings for the house of God, to erect it on its site. ⁶⁹According to their resources they gave to the building fund sixty-one thousand darics of gold, five thousand minas of silver, and one hundred priestly robes.

⁷⁰ The priests, the Levites, and some of the people lived in Jerusalem and its vicinity;a and the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all Israel in their towns.

Worship Restored at Jerusalem

3

WHEN the seventh month came, and the Israelites were in the towns, the people gathered together in Jerusalem. ²Then Jeshua son of Jozadak, with his fellow priests, and Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel with his kin set out to build the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt-offerings on it, as prescribed in the law of Moses the man of God. ³They set up the altar on its foundation, because they were in dread of the neighbouring peoples, and they offered burnt-offerings upon it to the LORD, morning and evening. ⁴And they kept the festival of booths,b as prescribed, and offered the daily burnt-offerings by number according to the ordinance, as required for each day, ⁵and after that the regular burnt-offerings, the offerings at the new moon and at all the sacred festivals of the LORD, and the offerings of everyone who made a freewill-offering to the LORD. ⁶From the first day of the seventh month they began to offer burnt-offerings to the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid. ⁷So they gave money to the masons and the carpenters, and food, drink, and oil to the Sidonians and the Tyrians to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea, to Joppa, according to the grant that they had from King Cyrus of Persia.

Foundations Laid for the Temple

⁸ In the second year after their arrival at the house of God at Jerusalem, in the second month, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak made a beginning, together with the rest of their people, the priests and the Levites and all who had come to Jerusalem from the captivity. They appointed the Levites, from twenty years old and upwards, to have the oversight of the work on the house of the LORD. ⁹And Jeshua with his sons and his kin, and Kadmiel and his sons, Binnui and Hodaviaha along with the sons of Henadad, the Levites, their sons and kin, together took charge of the workers in the house of God.

¹⁰ When the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the LORD, the priests in their vestments were stationed to praise the LORD with trumpets, and the Levites, the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, according to the directions of King David of Israel; ¹¹and they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the LORD,

‘For he is good, for his steadfast love endures

for ever towards Israel.’

And all the people responded with a great shout when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid. ¹²But many of the priests and Levites and heads of families, old people who had seen the first house on its foundations, wept with a loud voice when they saw this house, though many shouted aloud for joy, ¹³so that the people could not distinguish the sound of the joyful shout from the sound of the people’s weeping, for the people shouted so loudly that the sound was heard far away.

Resistance to Rebuilding the Temple

4

WHEN the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin heard that the returned exiles were building a temple to the LORD, the God of Israel, ²they approached Zerubbabel and the heads of families and said to them, ‘Let us build with you, for we worship your God as you do, and we have been sacrificing to him ever since the days of King Esar-haddon of Assyria who brought us here.’ ³But Zerubbabel, Jeshua, and the rest of the heads of families in Israel said to them, ‘You shall have no part with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the LORD, the God of Israel, as King Cyrus of Persia has commanded us.’

⁴ Then the people of the land discouraged the people of Judah, and made them afraid to build, ⁵and they bribed officials to frustrate their plan throughout the reign of King Cyrus of Persia and until the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Rebuilding of Jerusalem Opposed

⁶ In the reign of Ahasuerus, in his accession year, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.

⁷ And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam and Mithredath and Tabeel and the rest of their associates wrote to King Artaxerxes of Persia; the letter was written in Aramaic and translated.b ⁸Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to King Artaxerxes as follows ⁹(then Rehum the royal deputy, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the envoys, the officials, the Persians, the people of Erech, the Babylonians, the people of Susa, that is, the Elamites, ¹⁰and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River wrote—and now ¹¹this is a copy of the letter that they sent):

‘To King Artaxerxes: Your servants, the people of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now ¹²may it be known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city; they are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. ¹³Now may it be known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be reduced. ¹⁴Now because we share the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonour, therefore we send and inform the king, ¹⁵so that a search may be made in the annals of your ancestors. You will discover in the annals that this is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from long ago. On that account this city was laid waste. ¹⁶We make known to the king that, if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.’

¹⁷ The king sent an answer: ‘To Rehum the royal deputy and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now ¹⁸the letter that you sent to us has been read in translation before me. ¹⁹So I made a decree, and someone searched and discovered that this city has risen against kings from long ago, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. ²⁰Jerusalem has had mighty kings who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. ²¹Therefore issue an order that these people be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until I make a decree. ²²Moreover, take care not to be slack in this matter; why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?’

²³ Then when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and the scribe Shimshai and their associates, they hurried to the Jews in Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. ²⁴At that time the work on the house of God in Jerusalem stopped and was discontinued until the second year of the reign of King Darius of Persia.

Restoration of the Temple Resumed

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NOW the prophets, Haggaia and Zechariah son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel who was over them. ²Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set out to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem; and with them were the prophets of God, helping them.

³ At the same time Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and their associates came to them and spoke to them thus, ‘Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?’ ⁴Theyb also asked them this: ‘What are the names of the men who are building this building?’ ⁵But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, and they did not stop them until a report reached Darius and then answer was returned by letter in reply to it.

⁶ The copy of the letter that Tattenai the governor of the province Beyond the River and Shethar-bozenai and his associates the envoys who were in the province Beyond the River sent to King Darius; ⁷they sent him a report, in which was written as follows: ‘To Darius the king, all peace! ⁸May it be known to the king that we went to the province of Judah, to the house of the great God. It is being built of hewn stone, and timber is laid in the walls; this work is being done diligently and prospers in their hands. ⁹Then we spoke to those elders and asked them, “Who gave you a decree to build this house and to finish this structure?” ¹⁰We also asked them their names, for your information, so that we might write down the names of the men at their head. ¹¹This was their reply to us: “We are the servants of the God of heaven and earth, and we are rebuilding the house that was built many years ago, which a great king of Israel built and finished. ¹²But because our ancestors had angered the God of heaven, he gave them into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house and carried away the people to Babylonia. ¹³However, King Cyrus of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, made a decree that this house of God should be rebuilt. ¹⁴Moreover, the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem and had brought into the temple of Babylon, these King Cyrus took out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to a man named Sheshbazzar, whom he had made governor. ¹⁵He said to him, ‘Take these vessels; go and put them in the temple in Jerusalem, and let the house of God be rebuilt on its site.’ ¹⁶Then this Sheshbazzar came and laid the foundations of the house of God in Jerusalem; and from that time until now it has been under construction, and it is not yet finished.” ¹⁷And now, if it seems good to the king, have a search made in the royal archives there in Babylon, to see whether a decree was issued by King Cyrus for the rebuilding of this house of God in Jerusalem. Let the king send us his pleasure in this matter.’

The Decree of Darius

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THEN King Darius made a decree, and they searched the archives where the documents were stored in Babylon. ²But it was in Ecbatana, the capital in the province of Media, that a scroll was found on which this was written: ‘A record. ³In the first year of his reign, King Cyrus issued a decree: Concerning the house of God at Jerusalem, let the house be rebuilt, the place where sacrifices are offered and burnt-offerings are brought;a its height shall be sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits, ⁴with three courses of hewn stones and one course of timber; let the cost be paid from the royal treasury. ⁵Moreover, let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, be restored and brought back to the temple in Jerusalem, each to its place; you shall put them in the house of God.’

⁶ ‘Now you, Tattenai, governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and you, their associates, the envoys in the province Beyond the River, keep away; ⁷let the work on this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews rebuild this house of God on its site. ⁸Moreover, I make a decree regarding what you shall do for these elders of the Jews for the rebuilding of this house of God: the cost is to be paid to these people, in full and without delay, from the royal revenue, the tribute of the province Beyond the River. ⁹Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, or sheep for burnt-offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine, or oil, as the priests in Jerusalem require—let that be given to them day by day without fail, ¹⁰so that they may offer pleasing sacrifices to the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and his children. ¹¹Furthermore, I decree that if anyone alters this edict, a beam shall be pulled out of the house of the perpetrator, who then shall be impaled on it. The house shall be made a dunghill. ¹²May the God who has established his name there overthrow any king or people that shall put forth a hand to alter this, or to destroy this house of God in Jerusalem. I, Darius, make a decree; let it be done with all diligence.’

Completion and Dedication of the Temple

¹³ Then, according to the word sent by King Darius, Tattenai, the governor of the province Beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai, and their associates did with all diligence what King Darius had ordered. ¹⁴So the elders of the Jews built and prospered, through the prophesying of the prophet Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo. They finished their building by command of the God of Israel and by decree of Cyrus, Darius, and King Artaxerxes of Persia; ¹⁵and this house was finished on the third day of the month of Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

¹⁶ The people of Israel, the priests and the Levites, and the rest of the returned exiles, celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. ¹⁷They offered at the dedication of this house of God one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin-offering for all Israel twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸Then they set the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their courses for the service of God at Jerusalem, as it is written in the book of Moses.

The Passover Celebrated

¹⁹ On the fourteenth day of the first month the returned exiles kept the passover. ²⁰For both the priests and the Levites had purified themselves; all of them were clean. So they killed the passover lamb for all the returned exiles, for their fellow-priests, and for themselves. ²¹It was eaten by the people of Israel who had returned from exile, and also by all who had joined them and separated themselves from the pollutions of the nations of the land to worship the LORD, the God of Israel. ²²With joy they celebrated the festival of unleavened bread for seven days; for the LORD had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work on the house of God, the God of Israel.

The Coming and Work of Ezra

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AFTER this, in the reign of King Artaxerxes of Persia, Ezra son of Seraiah, son of Azariah, son of Hilkiah, ²son of Shallum, son of Zadok, son of Ahitub, ³son of Amariah, son of Azariah, son of Meraioth, ⁴son of Zerahiah, son of Uzzi, son of Bukki, ⁵son of Abishua, son of Phinehas, son of Eleazar, son of the chief priest Aaron—⁶this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses that the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

⁷ Some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers and gatekeepers, and the temple servants also went up to Jerusalem, in the seventh year of King Artaxerxes. ⁸They came to Jerusalem in the fifth month, which was in the seventh year of the king. ⁹On the first day of the first month the journey up from Babylon was begun, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the gracious hand of his God was upon him. ¹⁰For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances in Israel.

The Letter of Artaxerxes to Ezra

¹¹ This is a copy of the letter that King Artaxerxes gave to the priest Ezra, the scribe, a scholar of the text of the commandments of the LORD and his statutes for Israel:¹²‘Artaxerxes, king of kings, to the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven: Peace.a And now ¹³I decree that any of the people of Israel or their priests or Levites in my kingdom who freely offers to go to Jerusalem may go with you. ¹⁴For you are sent by the king and his seven counsellors to make inquiries about Judah and Jerusalem according to the law of your God, which is in your hand, ¹⁵and also to convey the silver and gold that the king and his counsellors have freely offered to the God of Israel, whose dwelling is in Jerusalem, ¹⁶with all the silver and gold that you shall find in the whole province of Babylonia, and with the freewill-offerings of the people and the priests, given willingly for the house of their God in Jerusalem. ¹⁷With this money, then, you shall with all diligence buy bulls, rams, and lambs, and their grain-offerings and their drink-offerings, and you shall offer them on the altar of the house of your God in Jerusalem. ¹⁸Whatever seems good to you and your colleagues to do with the rest of the silver and gold, you may do, according to the will of your God. ¹⁹The vessels that have been given you for the service of the house of your God, you shall deliver before the God of Jerusalem. ²⁰And whatever else is required for the house of your God, which you are responsible for providing, you may provide out of the king’s treasury.

²¹ ‘I, King Artaxerxes, decree to all the treasurers in the province Beyond the River: Whatever the priest Ezra, the scribe of the law of the God of heaven, requires of you, let it be done with all diligence, ²²up to one hundred talents of silver, one hundred cors of wheat, one hundred bathsb of wine, one hundred bathsb of oil, and unlimited salt. ²³Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal for the house of the God of heaven, or wrath will come upon the realm of the king and his heirs. ²⁴We also notify you that it shall not be lawful to impose tribute, custom, or toll on any of the priests, the Levites, the singers, the doorkeepers, the temple servants, or other servants of this house of God.

²⁵ ‘And you, Ezra, according to the God-given wisdom you possess, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all the people in the province Beyond the River who know the laws of your God; and you shall teach those who do not know them. ²⁶All who will not obey the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgement be strictly executed on them, whether for death or for banishment or for confiscation of their goods or for imprisonment.’

²⁷ Blessed be the LORD, the God of our ancestors, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king to glorify the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, ²⁸and who extended to me steadfast love before the king and his counsellors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was upon me, and I gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me.

Heads of Families Who Returned with Ezra

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THESE are their family heads, and this is the genealogy of those who went up with me from Babylonia, in the reign of King Artaxerxes: ²Of the descendants of Phinehas, Gershom. Of Ithamar, Daniel. Of David, Hattush, ³of the descendants of Shecaniah. Of Parosh, Zechariah, with whom were registered one hundred and fifty males. ⁴Of the descendants of Pahath-moab, Eliehoenai son of Zerahiah, and with him two hundred males. ⁵Of the descendants of Zattu,a Shecaniah son of Jahaziel, and with him three hundred males. ⁶Of the descendants of Adin, Ebed son of Jonathan, and with him fifty males. ⁷Of the descendants of Elam, Jeshaiah son of Athaliah, and with him seventy males. ⁸Of the descendants of Shephatiah, Zebadiah son of Michael, and with him eighty males. ⁹Of the descendants of Joab, Obadiah son of Jehiel, and with him two hundred and eighteen males. ¹⁰Of the descendants of Bani,b Shelomith son of Josiphiah, and with him one hundred and sixty males. ¹¹Of the descendants of Bebai, Zechariah son of Bebai, and with him twenty-eight males. ¹²Of the descendants of Azgad, Johanan son of Hakkatan, and with him one hundred and ten males. ¹³Of the descendants of Adonikam, those who came later, their names being Eliphelet, Jeuel, and Shemaiah, and with them sixty males. ¹⁴Of the descendants of Bigvai, Uthai and Zaccur, and with them seventy males.

Servants for the Temple

¹⁵ I gathered them by the river that runs to Ahava, and there we camped for three days. As I reviewed the people and the priests, I found there none of the descendants of Levi. ¹⁶Then I sent for Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah, and Meshullam, who were leaders, and for Joiarib and Elnathan, who were wise, ¹⁷and sent them to Iddo, the leader at the place called Casiphia, telling them what to say to Iddo and his colleagues the temple servants at Casiphia, namely, to send us ministers for the house of our God. ¹⁸Since the gracious hand of our God was upon us, they brought us a man of discretion, of the descendants of Mahli son of Levi son of Israel, namely Sherebiah, with his sons and kin, eighteen; ¹⁹also Hashabiah and with him Jeshaiah of the descendants of Merari, with his kin and their sons, twenty; ²⁰besides two hundred and twenty of the temple servants, whom David and his officials had set apart to attend the Levites. These were all mentioned by name.

Fasting and Prayer for Protection

²¹ Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might deny ourselvesc before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our possessions. ²²For I was ashamed to ask the king for a band of soldiers and cavalry to protect us against the enemy on our way, since we had told the king that the hand of our God is gracious to all who seek him, but his power and his wrath are against all who forsake him. ²³So we fasted and petitioned our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty.

Gifts for the Temple

²⁴ Then I set apart twelve of the leading priests: Sherebiah, Hashabiah, and ten of their kin with them. ²⁵And I weighed out to them the silver and the gold and the vessels, the offering for the house of our God that the king, his counsellors, his lords, and all Israel there present had offered; ²⁶I weighed out into their hand six hundred and fifty talents of silver, and one hundred silver vessels worth…talents,a and one hundred talents of gold, ²⁷twenty gold bowls worth a thousand darics, and two vessels of fine polished bronze as precious as gold. ²⁸And I said to them, ‘You are holy to the LORD, and the vessels are holy; and the silver and the gold are a freewill-offering to the LORD, the God of your ancestors. ²⁹Guard them and keep them until you weigh them before the chief priests and the Levites and the heads of families in Israel at Jerusalem, within the chambers of the house of the LORD.’ ³⁰So the priests and the Levites took over the silver, the gold, and the vessels as they were weighed out, to bring them to Jerusalem, to the house of our God.

The Return to Jerusalem

³¹ Then we left the river Ahava on the twelfth day of the first month, to go to Jerusalem; the hand of our God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of the enemy and from ambushes along the way. ³²We came to Jerusalem and remained there for three days. ³³On the fourth day, within the house of our God, the silver, the gold, and the vessels were weighed into the hands of the priest Meremoth son of Uriah, and with him was Eleazar son of Phinehas, and with them were the Levites, Jozabad son of Jeshua and Noadiah son of Binnui. ³⁴The total was counted and weighed, and the weight of everything was recorded.

³⁵ At that time those who had come from captivity, the returned exiles, offered burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, twelve bulls for all Israel, ninety-six rams, seventy-seven lambs, and as a sin-offering twelve male goats; all this was a burnt-offering to the LORD. ³⁶They also delivered the king’s commissions to the king’s satraps and to the governors of the province Beyond the River; and they supported the people and the house of God.

Denunciation of Mixed Marriages

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AFTER these things had been done, the officials approached me and said, ‘The people of Israel, the priests, and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands with their abominations, from the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites. ²For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons. Thus the holy seed has mixed itself with the peoples of the lands, and in this faithlessness the officials and leaders have led the way.’ ³When I heard this, I tore my garment and my mantle, and pulled hair from my head and beard, and sat appalled. ⁴Then all who trembled at the words of the God of Israel, because of the faithlessness of the returned exiles, gathered around me while I sat appalled until the evening sacrifice.

Ezra’s Prayer

⁵ At the evening sacrifice I got up from my fasting, with my garments and my mantle torn, and fell on my knees, spread out my hands to the LORD my God, ⁶and said,

‘O my God, I am too ashamed and embarrassed to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. ⁷From the days of our ancestors to this day we have been deep in guilt, and for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been handed over to the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as is now the case. ⁸But now for a brief moment favour has been shown by the LORD our God, who has left us a remnant, and given us a stake in his holy place, in order that hea may brighten our eyes and grant us a little sustenance in our slavery. ⁹ For we are slaves; yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to give us new life to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us a wall in Judea and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ ‘And now, our God, what shall we say after this? For we have forsaken your commandments, ¹¹which you commanded by your servants the prophets, saying, “The land that you are entering to possess is a land unclean with the pollutions of the peoples of the lands, with their abominations. They have filled it from end to end with their uncleanness. ¹²Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, so that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children for ever.” ¹³After all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved and have given us such a remnant as this, ¹⁴shall we break your commandments again and intermarry with the peoples who practise these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you destroy us without remnant or survivor? ¹⁵O LORD, God of Israel, you are just, but we have escaped as a remnant, as is now the case. Here we are before you in our guilt, though no one can face you because of this.’

The People’s Response

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WHILE Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children gathered to him out of Israel; the people also wept bitterly. ²Shecaniah son of Jehiel, of the descendants of Elam, addressed Ezra, saying, ‘We have broken faith with our God and have married foreign women from the peoples of the land, but even now there is hope for Israel in spite of this. ³So now let us make a covenant with our God to send away all these wives and their children, according to the counsel of my lord and of those who tremble at the commandment of our God; and let it be done according to the law. ⁴Take action, for it is your duty, and we are with you; be strong, and do it.’ ⁵Then Ezra stood up and made the leading priests, the Levites, and all Israel swear that they would do as had been said. So they swore.

Foreign Wives and Their Children Rejected

⁶ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God, and went to the chamber of Jehohanan son of Eliashib, where he spent the night.a He did not eat bread or drink water, for he was mourning over the faithlessness of the exiles. ⁷ They made a proclamation throughout Judah and Jerusalem to all the returned exiles that they should assemble at Jerusalem,⁸ and that if any did not come within three days, by order of the officials and the elders all their property should be forfeited, and they themselves banned from the congregation of the exiles.

⁹ Then all the people of Judah and Benjamin assembled at Jerusalem within the three days; it was the ninth month, on the twentieth day of the month. All the people sat in the open square before the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of the heavy rain. ¹⁰Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, ‘You have trespassed and married foreign women, and so increased the guilt of Israel. ¹¹Now make confession to the LORD the God of your ancestors, and do his will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.’ ¹²Then all the assembly answered with a loud voice, ‘It is so; we must do as you have said. ¹³But the people are many, and it is a time of heavy rain; we cannot stand in the open. Nor is this a task for one day or for two, for many of us have transgressed in this matter. ¹⁴Let our officials represent the whole assembly, and let all in our towns who have taken foreign wives come at appointed times, and with them the elders and judges of every town, until the fierce wrath of our God on this account is averted from us.’ ¹⁵Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah opposed this, and Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levites supported them.

¹⁶ Then the returned exiles did so. Ezra the priest selected men,b heads of families, according to their families, each of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to examine the matter. ¹⁷By the first day of the first month they had come to the end of all the men who had married foreign women.

¹⁸ There were found of the descendants of the priests who had married foreign women, of the descendants of Jeshua son of Jozadak and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib, and Gedaliah. ¹⁹They pledged themselves to send away their wives, and their guilt-offering was a ram of the flock for their guilt. ²⁰Of the descendants of Immer: Hanani and Zebadiah. ²¹Of the descendants of Harim: Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel, and Uzziah. ²²Of the descendants of Pashhur: Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad, and Elasah.

²³ Of the Levites: Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah, and Eliezer. ²⁴Of the singers: Eliashib. Of the gatekeepers: Shallum, Telem, and Uri.

²⁵ And of Israel: of the descendants of Parosh: Ramiah, Izziah, Malchijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Hashabiah,c and Benaiah.²⁶ Of the descendants of Elam: Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth, and Elijah. ²⁷Of the descendants of Zattu: Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad, and Aziza. ²⁸Of the descendants of Bebai: Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai, and Athlai. ²⁹Of the descendants of Bani: Meshullam, Malluch, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal, and Jeremoth. ³⁰Of the descendants of Pahath-moab: Adna, Chelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui, and Manasseh. ³¹Of the descendants of Harim: Eliezer, Isshijah, Malchijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, ³²Benjamin, Malluch, and Shemariah. ³³Of the descendants of Hashum: Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh, and Shimei. ³⁴Of the descendants of Bani: Maadai, Amram, Uel, ³⁵Benaiah, Bedeiah, Cheluhi, ³⁶Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷Mattaniah, Mattenai, and Jaasu. ³⁸Of the descendants of Binnui:a Shimei, ³⁹Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah,⁴⁰ Machnadebai, Shashai, Sharai,⁴¹ Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah,⁴² Shallum, Amariah, and Joseph.⁴³ Of the descendants of Nebo: Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel, and Benaiah.⁴⁴ All these had married foreign women, and they sent them away with their children.b

NEHEMIAH

Nehemiah Prays for His People

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THE words of Nehemiah son of Hacaliah. In the month of Chislev, in the twentieth year, while I was in Susa the capital, ²one of my brothers, Hanani, came with certain men from Judah; and I asked them about the Jews that survived, those who had escaped the captivity, and about Jerusalem. ³They replied, ‘The survivors there in the province who escaped captivity are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.’

⁴ When I heard these words I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven. ⁵I said, ‘O LORD God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments; ⁶let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer of your servant that I now pray before you day and night for your servants the people of Israel, confessing the sins of the people of Israel, which we have sinned against you. Both I and my family have sinned. ⁷We have offended you deeply, failing to keep the commandments, the statutes, and the ordinances that you commanded your servant Moses. ⁸Remember the word that you commanded your servant Moses, “If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the peoples; ⁹but if you return to me and keep my commandments and do them, though your outcasts are under the farthest skies, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place at which I have chosen to establish my name.” ¹⁰They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great power and your strong hand. ¹¹O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man!’

At the time, I was cupbearer to the king.

Nehemiah Sent to Judah

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IN THE month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was served to him, I carried the wine and gave it to the king. Now, I had never been sad in his presence before. ²So the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad, since you are not sick? This can only be sadness of the heart.’ Then I was very much afraid. ³I said to the king, ‘May the king live for ever! Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my ancestors’ graves, lies waste, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?’ ⁴Then the king said to me, ‘What do you request?’ So I prayed to the God of heaven. ⁵Then I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favour with you, I ask that you send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, so that I may rebuild it.’ ⁶The king said to me (the queen also was sitting beside him), ‘How long will you be gone, and when will you return?’ So it pleased the king to send me, and I set him a date. ⁷Then I said to the king, ‘If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may grant me passage until I arrive in Judah; ⁸and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, directing him to give me timber to make beams for the gates of the temple fortress, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.’ And the king granted me what I asked, for the gracious hand of my God was upon me.

⁹ Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River, and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent officers of the army and cavalry with me. ¹⁰When Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel.

Nehemiah’s Inspection of the Walls

¹¹ So I came to Jerusalem and was there for three days. ¹²Then I got up during the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put into my heart to do for Jerusalem. The only animal I took was the animal I rode. ¹³I went out by night by the Valley Gate past the Dragon’s Spring and to the Dung Gate, and I inspected the walls of Jerusalem that had been broken down and its gates that had been destroyed by fire. ¹⁴Then I went on to the Fountain Gate and to the King’s Pool; but there was no place for the animal I was riding to continue. ¹⁵So I went up by way of the valley by night and inspected the wall. Then I turned back and entered by the Valley Gate, and so returned. ¹⁶The officials did not know where I had gone or what I was doing; I had not yet told the Jews, the priests, the nobles, the officials, and the rest that were to do the work.

Decision to Restore the Walls

¹⁷ Then I said to them, ‘You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burnt. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, so that we may no longer suffer disgrace.’ ¹⁸I told them that the hand of my God had been gracious upon me, and also the words that the king had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us start building!’ So they committed themselves to the common good. ¹⁹But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite official, and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they mocked and ridiculed us, saying, ‘What is this that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?’ ²⁰Then I replied to them, ‘The God of heaven is the one who will give us success, and we his servants are going to start building; but you have no share or claim or historic right in Jerusalem.’

Organization of the Work

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THEN the high priest Eliashib set to work with his fellow-priests and rebuilt the Sheep Gate. They consecrated it and set up its doors; they consecrated it as far as the Tower of the Hundred and as far as the Tower of Hananel. ²And the men of Jericho built next to him. And next to thema Zaccur son of Imri built.

³ The sons of Hassenaah built the Fish Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. ⁴Next to them Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz made repairs. Next to them Meshullam son of Berechiah son of Meshezabel made repairs. Next to them Zadok son of Baana made repairs. ⁵Next to them the Tekoites made repairs; but their nobles would not put their shoulders to the work of their Lord.b

⁶ Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah repaired the Old Gate; they laid its beams and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars. ⁷Next to them repairs were made by Melatiah the Gibeonite and Jadon the Meronothite—the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah—who were under the jurisdiction ofc the governor of the province Beyond the River. ⁸Next to them Uzziel son of Harhaiah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs. Next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers, made repairs; and they restored Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall. ⁹Next to them Rephaiah son of Hur, ruler of half the district of d Jerusalem, made repairs.¹⁰ Next to them Jedaiah son of Harumaph made repairs opposite his house; and next to him Hattush son of Hashabneiah made repairs.¹¹ Malchijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-moab repaired another section and the Tower of the Ovens.¹² Next to him Shallum son of Hallohesh, ruler of half the district ofd Jerusalem, made repairs, he and his daughters.

¹³ Hanun and the inhabitants of Zanoah repaired the Valley Gate; they rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars, and repaired a thousand cubits of the wall, as far as the Dung Gate.

¹⁴ Malchijah son of Rechab, ruler of the district of e Beth-haccherem, repaired the Dung Gate; he rebuilt it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars.

¹⁵ And Shallum son of Col-hozeh, ruler of the district ofe Mizpah, repaired the Fountain Gate; he rebuilt it and covered it and set up its doors, its bolts, and its bars; and he built the wall of the Pool of Shelah of the king’s garden, as far as the stairs that go down from the City of David. ¹⁶After him Nehemiah son of Azbuk, ruler of half the district ofd Beth-zur, repaired from a point opposite the graves of David, as far as the artificial pool and the house of the warriors. ¹⁷After him the Levites made repairs: Rehum son of Bani; next to him Hashabiah, ruler of half the district ofd Keilah, made repairs for his district. ¹⁸After him their kin made repairs: Binnui,f son of Henadad, ruler of half the district ofa Keilah; ¹⁹ next to him Ezer son of Jeshua, rulerb of Mizpah, repaired another section opposite the ascent to the armoury at the Angle.²⁰ After him Baruch son of Zabbai repaired another section from the Angle to the door of the house of the high priest Eliashib.²¹ After him Meremoth son of Uriah son of Hakkoz repaired another section from the door of the house of Eliashib to the end of the house of Eliashib.²² After him the priests, the men of the surrounding area, made repairs.²³ After them Benjamin and Hasshub made repairs opposite their house. After them Azariah son of Maaseiah son of Ananiah made repairs beside his own house. ²⁴After him Binnui son of Henadad repaired another section, from the house of Azariah to the Angle and to the corner.²⁵ Palal son of Uzai repaired opposite the Angle and the tower projecting from the upper house of the king at the court of the guard. After him Pedaiah son of Parosh ²⁶and the temple servants livingc on Ophel made repairs up to a point opposite the Water Gate on the east and the projecting tower.²⁷ After him the Tekoites repaired another section opposite the great projecting tower as far as the wall of Ophel.

²⁸ Above the Horse Gate the priests made repairs, each one opposite his own house. ²⁹After them Zadok son of Immer made repairs opposite his own house. After him Shemaiah son of Shecaniah, the keeper of the East Gate, made repairs. ³⁰After him Hananiah son of Shelemiah and Hanun sixth son of Zalaph repaired another section. After him Meshullam son of Berechiah made repairs opposite his living quarters. ³¹After him Malchijah, one of the goldsmiths, made repairs as far as the house of the temple servants and of the merchants, opposite the Muster Gate,d and to the upper room of the corner. ³²And between the upper room of the corner and the Sheep Gate the goldsmiths and the merchants made repairs.

Hostile Plots Thwarted

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NOW when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he mocked the Jews. ²He said in the presence of his associates and of the army of Samaria, ‘What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore things? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish it in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish—and burnt ones at that?’ ³Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, ‘That stone wall they are building—any fox going up on it would break it down!’ ⁴Hear, O our God, for we are despised; turn their taunt back on their own heads, and give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. ⁵Do not cover their guilt, and do not let their sin be blotted out from your sight; for they have hurled insults in the face of the builders.

⁶ So we rebuilt the wall, and all the wall was joined together to half its height; for the people had a mind to work.

⁷f But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs and the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repairing of the walls of Jerusalem was going forward and the gaps were beginning to be closed, they were very angry, ⁸and all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. ⁹So we prayed to our God, and set a guard as a protection against them day and night.

¹⁰ But Judah said, ‘The strength of the burden-bearers is failing, and there is too much rubbish, so that we are unable to work on the wall.’ ¹¹And our enemies said, ‘They will not know or see anything before we come upon them and kill them and stop the work.’ ¹²When the Jews who lived near them came, they said to us ten times, ‘From all the places where they livea they will come up against us.’b ¹³ So in the lowest parts of the space behind the wall, in open places, I stationed the people according to their families,c with their swords, their spears, and their bows.¹⁴ After I looked these things over, I stood up and said to the nobles and the officials and the rest of the people, ‘Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your kin, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes.’

¹⁵ When our enemies heard that their plot was known to us, and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his work. ¹⁶From that day on, half of my servants worked on construction, and half held the spears, shields, bows, and body-armour; and the leaders posted themselves behind the whole house of Judah, ¹⁷who were building the wall. The burden-bearers carried their loads in such a way that each laboured on the work with one hand and with the other held a weapon. ¹⁸And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me. ¹⁹And I said to the nobles, the officials, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and widely spread out, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. ²⁰Rally to us wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet. Our God will fight for us.’

²¹ So we laboured at the work, and half of them held the spears from break of dawn until the stars came out. ²²I also said to the people at that time, ‘Let every man and his servant pass the night inside Jerusalem, so that they may be a guard for us by night and may labour by day.’ ²³So neither I nor my brothers nor my servants nor the men of the guard who followed me ever took off our clothes; each kept his weapon in his right hand.d

Nehemiah Deals with Oppression

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NOW there was a great outcry of the people and of their wives against their Jewish kin. ²For there were those who said, ‘With our sons and our daughters, we are many; we must get grain, so that we may eat and stay alive.’ ³There were also those who said, ‘We are having to pledge our fields, our vineyards, and our houses in order to get grain during the famine.’ ⁴And there were those who said, ‘We are having to borrow money on our fields and vineyards to pay the king’s tax. ⁵Now our flesh is the same as that of our kindred; our children are the same as their children; and yet we are forcing our sons and daughters to be slaves, and some of our daughters have been ravished; we are powerless, and our fields and vineyards now belong to others.’

⁶ I was very angry when I heard their outcry and these complaints. ⁷After thinking it over, I brought charges against the nobles and the officials; I said to them, ‘You are all taking interest from your own people.’ And I called a great assembly to deal with them, ⁸and said to them, ‘As far as we were able, we have bought back our Jewish kindred who had been sold to other nations; but now you are selling your own kin, who must then be bought back by us!’ They were silent, and could not find a word to say. ⁹So I said, ‘The thing that you are doing is not good. Should you not walk in the fear of our God, to prevent the taunts of the nations our enemies? ¹⁰Moreover, I and my brothers and my servants are lending them money and grain. Let us stop this taking of interest. ¹¹Restore to them, this very day, their fields, their vineyards, their olive orchards, and their houses, and the interest on money, grain, wine, and oil that you have been exacting from them.’ ¹²Then they said, ‘We will restore everything and demand nothing more from them. We will do as you say.’ And I called the priests, and made them take an oath to do as they had promised. ¹³I also shook out the fold of my garment and said, ‘So may God shake out everyone from house and from property who does not perform this promise. Thus may they be shaken out and emptied.’ And all the assembly said, ‘Amen’, and praised the LORD. And the people did as they had promised.

The Generosity of Nehemiah

¹⁴ Moreover, from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year to the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes, twelve years, neither I nor my brothers ate the food allowance of the governor. ¹⁵The former governors who were before me laid heavy burdens on the people, and took food and wine from them, besides forty shekels of silver. Even their servants lorded it over the people. But I did not do so, because of the fear of God. ¹⁶Indeed, I devoted myself to the work on this wall, and acquired no land; and all my servants were gathered there for the work. ¹⁷Moreover, there were at my table one hundred and fifty people, Jews and officials, besides those who came to us from the nations around us. ¹⁸Now that which was prepared for one day was one ox and six choice sheep; also fowls were prepared for me, and every ten days skins of wine in abundance; yet with all this I did not demand the food allowance of the governor, because of the heavy burden of labour on the people. ¹⁹Remember for my good, O my God, all that I have done for this people.

Intrigues of Enemies Foiled

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NOW when it was reported to Sanballat and Tobiah and to Geshem the Arab and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall and that there was no gap left in it (though up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), ²Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, ‘Come and let us meet together in one of the villages in the plain of Ono.’ But they intended to do me harm. ³So I sent messengers to them, saying, ‘I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it to come down to you?’ ⁴They sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. ⁵In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. ⁶In it was written, ‘It is reported among the nations—and Geshema also says it—that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall; and according to this report you wish to become their king. ⁷You have also set up prophets to proclaim in Jerusalem concerning you, “There is a king in Judah!” And now it will be reported to the king according to these words. So come, therefore, and let us confer together.’ ⁸Then I sent to him, saying, ‘No such things as you say have been done; you are inventing them out of your own mind’ ⁹—for they all wanted to frighten us, thinking, ‘Their hands will drop from the work, and it will not be done.’ But now, O God, strengthen my hands.

¹⁰ One day when I went into the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his house, he said, ‘Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, tonight they are coming to kill you.’ ¹¹But I said, ‘Should a man like me run away? Would a man like me go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!’ ¹²Then I perceived and saw that God had not sent him at all, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³He was hired for this purpose, to intimidate me and make me sin by acting in this way, and so they could give me a bad name, in order to taunt me. ¹⁴Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid.

The Wall Completed

¹⁵ So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty-two days. ¹⁶And when all our enemies heard of it, all the nations around us were afraida and fell greatly in their own esteem; for they perceived that this work had been accomplished with the help of our God. ¹⁷Moreover, in those days the nobles of Judah sent many letters to Tobiah, and Tobiah’s letters came to them. ¹⁸For many in Judah were bound by oath to him, because he was the son-in-law of Shecaniah son of Arah: and his son Jehohanan had married the daughter of Meshullam son of Berechiah. ¹⁹Also they spoke of his good deeds in my presence, and reported my words to him. And Tobiah sent letters to intimidate me.

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NOW when the wall had been built and I had set up the doors, and the gatekeepers, the singers, and the Levites had been appointed, ²I gave my brother Hanani charge over Jerusalem, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel—for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. ³And I said to them, ‘The gates of Jerusalem are not to be opened until the sun is hot; while the gatekeepersb are still standing guard, let them shut and bar the doors. Appoint guards from among the inhabitants of Jerusalem, some at their watch-posts, and others before their own houses.’ ⁴The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few and no houses had been built.

Lists of the Returned Exiles

⁵ Then my God put it into my mind to assemble the nobles and the officials and the people, to be enrolled by genealogy. And I found the book of the genealogy of those who were the first to come back, and I found the following written in it:

⁶ These are the people of the province who came up out of the captivity of those exiles whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried into exile; they returned to Jerusalem and Judah, each to his town. ⁷They came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Baanah.

The number of the Israelite people: ⁸the descendants of Parosh, two thousand one hundred and seventy-two. ⁹Of Shephatiah, three hundred and seventy-two. ¹⁰Of Arah, six hundred and fifty-two. ¹¹Of Pahath-moab, namely the descendants of Jeshua and Joab, two thousand eight hundred and eighteen. ¹²Of Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ¹³Of Zattu, eight hundred and forty-five. ¹⁴Of Zaccai, seven hundred and sixty. ¹⁵Of Binnui, six hundred and forty-eight. ¹⁶Of Bebai, six hundred and twenty-eight. ¹⁷Of Azgad, two thousand three hundred and twenty-two. ¹⁸Of Adonikam, six hundred and sixty-seven. ¹⁹Of Bigvai, two thousand and sixty-seven. ²⁰Of Adin, six hundred and fifty-five. ²¹Of Ater, namely of Hezekiah, ninety-eight. ²²Of Hashum, three hundred and twenty-eight. ²³Of Bezai, three hundred and twenty-four. ²⁴Of Hariph, one hundred and twelve. ²⁵Of Gibeon, ninety-five. ²⁶The people of Bethlehem and Netophah, one hundred and eighty-eight. ²⁷Of Anathoth, one hundred and twenty-eight. ²⁸Of Bethazmaveth, forty-two. ²⁹Of Kiriath-jearim, Chephirah, and Beeroth, seven hundred and forty-three. ³⁰Of Ramah and Geba, six hundred and twenty-one. ³¹Of Michmas, one hundred and twenty-two. ³²Of Bethel and Ai, one hundred and twenty-three. ³³Of the other Nebo, fifty-two. ³⁴The descendants of the other Elam, one thousand two hundred and fifty-four. ³⁵Of Harim, three hundred and twenty. ³⁶Of Jericho, three hundred and forty-five. ³⁷Of Lod, Hadid, and Ono, seven hundred and twenty-one. ³⁸Of Senaah, three thousand nine hundred and thirty.

³⁹ The priests: the descendants of Jedaiah, namely the house of Jeshua, nine hundred and seventy-three. ⁴⁰Of Immer, one thousand and fifty-two. ⁴¹Of Pashhur, one thousand two hundred and forty-seven. ⁴²Of Harim, one thousand and seventeen.

⁴³ The Levites: the descendants of Jeshua, namely of Kadmiel of the descendants of Hodevah, seventy-four. ⁴⁴The singers: the descendants of Asaph, one hundred and forty-eight. ⁴⁵The gatekeepers: the descendants of Shallum, of Ater, of Talmon, of Akkub, of Hatita, of Shobai, one hundred and thirty-eight.

⁴⁶ The temple servants: the descendants of Ziha, of Hasupha, of Tabbaoth, ⁴⁷of Keros, of Sia, of Padon, ⁴⁸of Lebana, of Hagaba, of Shalmai, ⁴⁹of Hanan, of Giddel, of Gahar, ⁵⁰of Reaiah, of Rezin, of Nekoda, ⁵¹of Gazzam, of Uzza, of Paseah, ⁵²of Besai, of Meunim, of Nephushesim, ⁵³of Bakbuk, of Hakupha, of Harhur, ⁵⁴of Bazlith, of Mehida, of Harsha, ⁵⁵of Barkos, of Sisera, of Temah, ⁵⁶of Neziah, of Hatipha.

⁵⁷ The descendants of Solomon’s servants: of Sotai, of Sophereth, of Perida, ⁵⁸of Jaala, of Darkon, of Giddel, ⁵⁹of Shephatiah, of Hattil, of Pochereth-hazzebaim, of Amon.

⁶⁰ All the temple servants and the descendants of Solomon’s servants were three hundred and ninety-two.

⁶¹ The following were those who came up from Tel-melah, Tel-harsha, Cherub, Addon, and Immer, but they could not prove their ancestral houses or their descent, whether they belonged to Israel: ⁶²the descendants of Delaiah, of Tobiah, of Nekoda, six hundred and forty-two. ⁶³Also, of the priests: the descendants of Hobaiah, of Hakkoz, of Barzillai (who had married one of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite and was called by their name). ⁶⁴These sought their registration among those enrolled in the genealogies, but it was not found there, so they were excluded from the priesthood as unclean; ⁶⁵the governor told them that they were not to partake of the most holy food, until a priest with Urim and Thummim should come.

⁶⁶ The whole assembly together was forty-two thousand three hundred and sixty, ⁶⁷besides their male and female slaves, of whom there were seven thousand three hundred and thirty-seven; and they had two hundred and forty-five singers, male and female. ⁶⁸They had seven hundred and thirty-six horses, two hundred and forty-five mules,a ⁶⁹four hundred and thirty-five camels, and six thousand seven hundred and twenty donkeys.

⁷⁰ Now some of the heads of ancestral houses contributed to the work. The governor gave to the treasury one thousand darics of gold, fifty basins, and five hundred and thirty priestly robes. ⁷¹And some of the heads of ancestral houses gave into the building fund twenty thousand darics of gold and two thousand two hundred minas of silver. ⁷²And what the rest of the people gave was twenty thousand darics of gold, two thousand minas of silver, and sixty-seven priestly robes.

⁷³ So the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, some of the people, the temple servants, and all Israel settled in their towns.

Ezra Summons the People to Obey the Law

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When the seventh month came—the people of Israel being settled in their towns—¹all the people gathered together into the square before the Water Gate. They told the scribe Ezra to bring the book of the law of Moses, which the LORD had given to Israel. ²Accordingly, the priest Ezra brought the law before the assembly, both men and women and all who could hear with understanding. This was on the first day of the seventh month. ³He read from it facing the square before the Water Gate from early morning until midday, in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand; and the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. ⁴The scribe Ezra stood on a wooden platform that had been made for the purpose; and beside him stood Mattithiah, Shema, Anaiah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maaseiah on his right hand; and Pedaiah, Mishael, Malchijah, Hashum, Hash-baddanah, Zechariah, and Meshullam on his left hand. ⁵And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people stood up. ⁶Then Ezra blessed the LORD, the great God, and all the people answered, ‘Amen, Amen’, lifting up their hands. Then they bowed their heads and worshipped the LORD with their faces to the ground. ⁷Also Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan, Pelaiah, the Levites,b helped the people to understand the law, while the people remained in their places. ⁸So they read from the book, from the law of God, with interpretation. They gave the sense, so that the people understood the reading.

⁹ And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept when they heard the words of the law. ¹⁰Then he said to them, ‘Go your way, eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions of them to those for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy to our LORD; and do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’ ¹¹So the Levites stilled all the people, saying, ‘Bequiet, for this day is holy; do not be grieved.’ ¹²And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.

The Festival of Booths Celebrated

¹³ On the second day the heads of ancestral houses of all the people, with the priests and the Levites, came together to the scribe Ezra in order to study the words of the law. ¹⁴And they found it written in the law, which the LORD had commanded by Moses, that the people of Israel should live in boothsa during the festival of the seventh month, ¹⁵ and that they should publish and proclaim in all their towns and in Jerusalem as follows, ‘Go out to the hills and bring branches of olive, wild olive, myrtle, palm, and other leafy trees to make booths,a as it is written.’¹⁶ So the people went out and brought them, and made boothsa for themselves, each on the roofs of their houses, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.¹⁷ And all the assembly of those who had returned from the captivity made boothsa and lived in them; for from the days of Jeshua son of Nun to that day the people of Israel had not done so. And there was very great rejoicing.¹⁸ And day by day, from the first day to the last day, he read from the book of the law of God. They kept the festival for seven days; and on the eighth day there was a solemn assembly, according to the ordinance.

National Confession

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NOW on the twenty-fourth day of this month the people of Israel were assembled with fasting and in sackcloth, and with dust on their heads.b ²Then those of Israelite descent separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their ancestors. ³They stood up in their place and read from the book of the law of the LORD their God for a fourth part of the day, and for another fourth they made confession and worshipped the LORD their God. ⁴Then Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani, and Chenani stood on the stairs of the Levites and cried out with a loud voice to the LORD their God. ⁵Then the Levites, Jeshua, Kadmiel, Bani, Hashabneiah, Sherebiah, Hodiah, Shebaniah, and Pethahiah, said, ‘Stand up and bless the LORD your God from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, which is exalted above all blessing and praise.’

⁶ And Ezra said:c ‘You are the LORD, you alone; you have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. To all of them you give life, and the host of heaven worships you. ⁷You are the LORD, the God who chose Abram and brought him out of Ur of the Chaldeans and gave him the name Abraham; ⁸and you found his heart faithful before you, and made with him a covenant to give to his descendants the land of the Canaanite, the Hittite, the Amorite, the Perizzite, the Jebusite, and the Girgashite; and you have fulfilled your promise, for you are righteous.

⁹ ‘And you saw the distress of our ancestors in Egypt and heard their cry at the Red Sea.d ¹⁰You performed signs and wonders against Pharaoh and all his servants and all the people of his land, for you knew that they acted insolently against our ancestors. You made a name for yourself, which remains to this day. ¹¹And you divided the sea before them, so that they passed through the sea on dry land, but you threw their pursuers into the depths, like a stone into mighty waters. ¹²Moreover, you led them by day with a pillar of cloud, and by night with a pillar of fire, to give them light on the way in which they should go. ¹³You came down also upon Mount Sinai, and spoke with them from heaven, and gave them right ordinances and true laws, good statutes and commandments, ¹⁴and you made known your holy sabbath to them and gave them commandments and statutes and a law through your servant Moses. ¹⁵For their hunger you gave them bread from heaven, and for their thirst you brought water for them out of the rock, and you told them to go in to possess the land that you swore to give them.

¹⁶ ‘But they and our ancestors acted presumptuously and stiffened their necks and did not obey your commandments; ¹⁷they refused to obey, and were not mindful of the wonders that you performed among them; but they stiffened their necks and determined to return to their slavery in Egypt. But you are a God ready to forgive, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and you did not forsake them. ¹⁸Even when they had cast an image of a calf for themselves and said, “This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt”, and had committed great blasphemies, ¹⁹you in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness; the pillar of cloud that led them in the way did not leave them by day, nor the pillar of fire by night that gave them light on the way by which they should go. ²⁰You gave your good spirit to instruct them, and did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and gave them water for their thirst. ²¹For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness so that they lacked nothing; their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell. ²²And you gave them kingdoms and peoples, and allotted to them every corner,a so they took possession of the land of King Sihon of Heshbon and the land of King Og of Bashan. ²³You multiplied their descendants like the stars of heaven, and brought them into the land that you had told their ancestors to enter and possess. ²⁴So the descendants went in and possessed the land, and you subdued before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, and gave them into their hands, with their kings and the peoples of the land, to do with them as they pleased. ²⁵And they captured fortress cities and a rich land, and took possession of houses filled with all sorts of goods, hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive orchards, and fruit trees in abundance; so they ate, and were filled and became fat, and delighted in your great goodness.

²⁶ ‘Nevertheless they were disobedient and rebelled against you and cast your law behind their backs and killed your prophets, who had warned them in order to turn them back to you, and they committed great blasphemies. ²⁷Therefore you gave them into the hands of their enemies, who made them suffer. Then in the time of their suffering they cried out to you and you heard them from heaven, and according to your great mercies you gave them saviours who saved them from the hands of their enemies. ²⁸But after they had rest, they again did evil before you, and you abandoned them to the hands of their enemies, so that they had dominion over them; yet when they turned and cried to you, you heard from heaven, and many timesa Meaning of Heb uncertain you rescued them according to your mercies. ²⁹And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your ordinances, by the observance of which a person shall live. They turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey. ³⁰For many years you were patient with them, and warned them by your spirit through your prophets; yet they would not listen. Therefore you handed them over to the peoples of the lands. ³¹Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

³² ‘Now therefore, our God—the great and mighty and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love—do not treat lightly all the hardship that has come upon us, upon our kings, our officials, our priests, our prophets, our ancestors, and all your people, since the time of the kings of Assyria until today. ³³You have been just in all that has come upon us, for you have dealt faithfully and we have acted wickedly; ³⁴our kings, our officials, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law or heeded the commandments and the warnings that you gave them. ³⁵Even in their own kingdom, and in the great goodness you bestowed on them, and in the large and rich land that you set before them, they did not serve you and did not turn from their wicked works. ³⁶Here we are, slaves to this day—slaves in the land that you gave to our ancestors to enjoy its fruit and its good gifts. ³⁷Its rich yield goes to the kings whom you have set over us because of our sins; they have power also over our bodies and over our livestock at their pleasure, and we are in great distress.’

Those Who Signed the Covenant

³⁸a Because of all this we make a firm agreement in writing, and on that sealed document are inscribed the names of our officials, our Levites, and our priests.

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UPON the sealed document are the names of Nehemiah the governor, son of Hacaliah, and Zedekiah; ²Seraiah, Azariah, Jeremiah, ³Pashhur, Amariah, Malchijah, ⁴Hattush, Shebaniah, Malluch, ⁵Harim, Meremoth, Obadiah, ⁶Daniel, Ginnethon, Baruch, ⁷Meshullam, Abijah, Mijamin, ⁸Maaziah, Bilgai, Shemaiah; these are the priests. ⁹And the Levites: Jeshua son of Azaniah, Binnui of the sons of Henadad, Kadmiel; ¹⁰and their associates, Shebaniah, Hodiah, Kelita, Pelaiah, Hanan, ¹¹Mica, Rehob, Hashabiah, ¹²Zaccur, Sherebiah, Shebaniah, ¹³Hodiah, Bani, Beninu. ¹⁴The leaders of the people: Parosh, Pahath-moab, Elam, Zattu, Bani, ¹⁵Bunni, Azgad, Bebai, ¹⁶Adonijah, Bigvai, Adin, ¹⁷Ater, Hezekiah, Azzur, ¹⁸Hodiah, Hashum, Bezai, ¹⁹Hariph, Anathoth, Nebai, ²⁰Magpiash, Meshullam, Hezir, ²¹Meshezabel, Zadok, Jaddua, ²²Pelatiah, Hanan, Anaiah, ²³Hoshea, Hananiah, Hasshub, ²⁴Hallohesh, Pilha, Shobek, ²⁵Rehum, Hashabnah, Maaseiah, ²⁶Ahiah, Hanan, Anan, ²⁷Malluch, Harim, and Baanah.

Summary of the Covenant

²⁸ The rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants, and all who have separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to adhere to the law of God, their wives, their sons, their daughters, all who have knowledge and understanding, ²⁹join with their kin, their nobles, and enter into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the LORD our Lord and his ordinances and his statutes. ³⁰We will not give our daughters to the peoples of the land or take their daughters for our sons; ³¹and if the peoples of the land bring in merchandise or any grain on the sabbath day to sell, we will not buy it from them on the sabbath or on a holy day; and we will forego the crops of the seventh year and the exaction of every debt.

³² We also lay on ourselves the obligation to charge ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God: ³³for the rows of bread, the regular grain-offering, the regular burnt-offering, the sabbaths, the new moons, the appointed festivals, the sacred donations, and the sin-offerings to make atonement for Israel, and for all the work of the house of our God. ³⁴We have also cast lots among the priests, the Levites, and the people, for the wood-offering, to bring it into the house of our God, by ancestral houses, at appointed times, year by year, to burn on the altar of the LORD our God, as it is written in the law. ³⁵We obligate ourselves to bring the first fruits of our soil and the first fruits of all fruit of every tree, year by year, to the house of the LORD; ³⁶also to bring to the house of our God, to the priests who minister in the house of our God, the firstborn of our sons and of our livestock, as it is written in the law, and the firstlings of our herds and of our flocks; ³⁷and to bring the first of our dough, and our contributions, the fruit of every tree, the wine and the oil, to the priests, to the chambers of the house of our God; and to bring to the Levites the tithes from our soil, for it is the Levites who collect the tithes in all our rural towns. ³⁸And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive the tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tithe of the tithes to the house of our God, to the chambers of the storehouse. ³⁹For the people of Israel and the sons of Levi shall bring the contribution of grain, wine, and oil to the storerooms where the vessels of the sanctuary are, and where the priests that minister, and the gatekeepers and the singers are. We will not neglect the house of our God.

Population of the City Increased

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NOW the leaders of the people lived in Jerusalem; and the rest of the people cast lots to bring one out of ten to live in the holy city Jerusalem, while nine-tenths remained in the other towns. ²And the people blessed all those who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem.

³ These are the leaders of the province who lived in Jerusalem; but in the towns of Judah all lived on their property in their towns: Israel, the priests, the Levites, the temple servants, and the descendants of Solomon’s servants. ⁴And in Jerusalem lived some of the Judahites and of the Benjaminites. Of the Judahites: Athaiah son of Uzziah son of Zechariah son of Amariah son of Shephatiah son of Mahalalel, of the descendants of Perez; ⁵and Maaseiah son of Baruch son of Col-hozeh son of Hazaiah son of Adaiah son of Joiarib son of Zechariah son of the Shilonite. ⁶All the descendants of Perez who lived in Jerusalem were four hundred and sixty-eight valiant warriors.

⁷ And these are the Benjaminites: Sallu son of Meshullam son of Joed son of Pedaiah son of Kolaiah son of Maaseiah son of Ithiel son of Jeshaiah. ⁸And his brothersa Gabbai, Sallai: nine hundred and twenty-eight. ⁹Joel son of Zichri was their overseer; and Judah son of Hassenuah was second in charge of the city.

¹⁰ Of the priests: Jedaiah son of Joiarib, Jachin, ¹¹Seraiah son of Hilkiah son of Meshullam son of Zadok son of Meraioth son of Ahitub, officer of the house of God, ¹²and their associates who did the work of the house, eight hundred and twenty-two; and Adaiah son of Jeroham son of Pelaliah son of Amzi son of Zechariah son of Pashhur son of Malchijah, ¹³and his associates, heads of ancestral houses, two hundred and forty-two; and Amashsai son of Azarel son of Ahzai son of Meshillemoth son of Immer, ¹⁴and their associates, valiant warriors, one hundred and twenty-eight; their overseer was Zabdiel son of Haggedolim.

¹⁵ And of the Levites: Shemaiah son of Hasshub son of Azrikam son of Hashabiah son of Bunni; ¹⁶and Shabbethai and Jozabad, of the leaders of the Levites, who were over the outside work of the house of God; ¹⁷and Mattaniah son of Mica son of Zabdi son of Asaph, who was the leader to begin the thanksgiving in prayer, and Bakbukiah, the second among his associates; and Abda son of Shammua son of Galal son of Jeduthun. ¹⁸All the Levites in the holy city were two hundred and eighty-four.

¹⁹ The gatekeepers, Akkub, Talmon and their associates, who kept watch at the gates, were one hundred and seventy-two. ²⁰And the rest of Israel, and of the priests and the Levites, were in all the towns of Judah, all of them in their inheritance. ²¹But the temple servants lived on Ophel; and Ziha and Gishpa were over the temple servants.

²² The overseer of the Levites in Jerusalem was Uzzi son of Bani son of Hashabiah son of Mattaniah son of Mica, of the descendants of Asaph, the singers, in charge of the work of the house of God. ²³For there was a command from the king concerning them, and a settled provision for the singers, as was required every day. ²⁴And Pethahiah son of Meshezabel, of the descendants of Zerah son of Judah, was at the king’s hand in all matters concerning the people.

Villages outside Jerusalem

²⁵ And as for the villages, with their fields, some of the people of Judah lived in Kiriath-arba and its villages, and in Dibon and its villages, and in Jekabzeel and its villages, ²⁶and in Jeshua and in Moladah and Beth-pelet, ²⁷in Hazar-shual, in Beer-sheba and its villages, ²⁸in Ziklag, in Meconah and its villages, ²⁹in En-rimmon, in Zorah, in Jarmuth, ³⁰Zanoah, Adullam, and their villages, Lachish and its fields, and Azekah and its villages. So they camped from Beer-sheba to the valley of Hinnom. ³¹The people of Benjamin also lived from Geba onwards, at Michmash, Aija, Bethel and its villages, ³²Anathoth, Nob, Ananiah, ³³Hazor, Ramah, Gittaim, ³⁴Hadid, Zeboim, Neballat, ³⁵Lod, and Ono, the valley of artisans. ³⁶And certain divisions of the Levites in Judah were joined to Benjamin.

A List of Priests and Levites

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THESE are the priests and the Levites who came up with Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua: Seraiah, Jeremiah, Ezra, ²Amariah, Malluch, Hattush, ³Shecaniah, Rehum, Meremoth, ⁴Iddo, Ginnethoi, Abijah, ⁵Mijamin, Maadiah, Bilgah, ⁶Shemaiah, Joiarib, Jedaiah, ⁷Sallu, Amok, Hilkiah, Jedaiah. These were the leaders of the priests and of their associates in the days of Jeshua.

⁸ And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his associates was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving. ⁹And Bakbukiah and Unno their associates stood opposite them in the service. ¹⁰Jeshua was the father of Joiakim, Joiakim the father of Eliashib, Eliashib the father of Joiada, ¹¹Joiada the father of Jonathan, and Jonathan the father of Jaddua.

¹² In the days of Joiakim the priests, heads of ancestral houses, were: of Seraiah, Meraiah; of Jeremiah, Hananiah; ¹³of Ezra, Meshullam; of Amariah, Jehohanan; ¹⁴of Malluchi, Jonathan; of Shebaniah, Joseph; ¹⁵of Harim, Adna; of Meraioth, Helkai; ¹⁶of Iddo, Zechariah; of Ginnethon, Meshullam; ¹⁷of Abijah, Zichri; of Miniamin, of Moadiah, Piltai; ¹⁸of Bilgah, Shammua; of Shemaiah, Jehonathan; ¹⁹of Joiarib, Mattenai; of Jedaiah, Uzzi; ²⁰of Sallai, Kallai; of Amok, Eber; ²¹of Hilkiah, Hashabiah; of Jedaiah, Nethanel.

²² As for the Levites, in the days of Eliashib, Joiada, Johanan, and Jaddua, there were recorded the heads of ancestral houses; also the priests until the reign of Darius the Persian. ²³The Levites, heads of ancestral houses, were recorded in the Book of the Annals until the days of Johanan son of Eliashib. ²⁴And the leaders of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua son of Kadmiel, with their associates over against them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, section opposite to section. ²⁵Mattaniah, Bakbukiah, Obadiah, Meshullam, Talmon, and Akkub were gatekeepers standing guard at the storehouses of the gates. ²⁶These were in the days of Joiakim son of Jeshua son of Jozadak, and in the days of the governor Nehemiah and of the priest Ezra, the scribe.

Dedication of the City Wall

²⁷ Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with rejoicing, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres. ²⁸The companies of the singers gathered together from the circuit around Jerusalem and from the villages of the Netophathites; ²⁹also from Beth-gilgal and from the region of Geba and Azmaveth; for the singers had built for themselves villages around Jerusalem. ³⁰And the priests and the Levites purified themselves; and they purified the people and the gates and the wall.

³¹ Then I brought the leaders of Judah up on to the wall, and appointed two great companies that gave thanks and went in procession. One went to the right on the wall to the Dung Gate; ³²and after them went Hoshaiah and half the officials of Judah, ³³and Azariah, Ezra, Meshullam, ³⁴Judah, Benjamin, Shemaiah, and Jeremiah, ³⁵and some of the young priests with trumpets: Zechariah son of Jonathan son of Shemaiah son of Mattaniah son of Micaiah son of Zaccur son of Asaph; ³⁶and his kindred, Shemaiah, Azarel, Milalai, Gilalai, Maai, Nethanel, Judah, and Hanani, with the musical instruments of David the man of God; and the scribe Ezra went in front of them. ³⁷At the Fountain Gate, in front of them, they went straight up by the stairs of the city of David, at the ascent of the wall, above the house of David, to the Water Gate on the east.

³⁸ The other company of those who gave thanks went to the left,a and I followed them with half of the people on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall, ³⁹and above the Gate of Ephraim, and by the Old Gate, and by the Fish Gate and the Tower of Hananel and the Tower of the Hundred, to the Sheep Gate; and they came to a halt at the Gate of the Guard. ⁴⁰So both companies of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me; ⁴¹and the priests Eliakim, Maaseiah, Miniamin, Micaiah, Elioenai, Zechariah, and Hananiah, with trumpets; ⁴²and Maaseiah, Shemaiah, Eleazar, Uzzi, Jehohanan, Malchijah, Elam, and Ezer. And the singers sang with Jezrahiah as their leader. ⁴³They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. The joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.

Temple Responsibilities

⁴⁴ On that day men were appointed over the chambers for the stores, the contributions, the first fruits, and the tithes, to gather into them the portions required by the law for the priests and for the Levites from the fields belonging to the towns; for Judah rejoiced over the priests and the Levites who ministered. ⁴⁵They performed the service of their God and the service of purification, as did the singers and the gatekeepers, according to the command of David and his son Solomon. ⁴⁶For in the days of David and Asaph long ago there was a leader of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. ⁴⁷In the days of Zerubbabel and in the days of Nehemiah all Israel gave the daily portions for the singers and the gatekeepers. They set apart that which was for the Levites; and the Levites set apart that which was for the descendants of Aaron.

Foreigners Separated from Israel

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ON THAT day they read from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, ²because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing. ³When the people heard the law, they separated from Israel all those of foreign descent.

The Reforms of Nehemiah

⁴ Now before this, the priest Eliashib, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, and who was related to Tobiah, ⁵prepared for Tobiah a large room where they had previously put the grain-offering, the frankincense, the vessels, and the tithes of grain, wine, and oil, which were given by commandment to the Levites, singers, and gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests. ⁶While this was taking place I was not in Jerusalem, for in the thirty-second year of King Artaxerxes of Babylon I went to the king. After some time I asked leave of the king ⁷and returned to Jerusalem. I then discovered the wrong that Eliashib had done on behalf of Tobiah, preparing a room for him in the courts of the house of God. ⁸And I was very angry, and I threw all the household furniture of Tobiah out of the room. ⁹Then I gave orders and they cleansed the chambers, and I brought back the vessels of the house of God, with the grain-offering and the frankincense.

¹⁰ I also found out that the portions of the Levites had not been given to them; so that the Levites and the singers, who had conducted the service, had gone back to their fields. ¹¹So I remonstrated with the officials and said, ‘Why is the house of God forsaken?’ And I gathered them together and set them in their stations. ¹²Then all Judah brought the tithe of the grain, wine, and oil into the storehouses. ¹³And I appointed as treasurers over the storehouses the priest Shelemiah, the scribe Zadok, and Pedaiah of the Levites, and as their assistant Hanan son of Zaccur son of Mattaniah, for they were considered faithful; and their duty was to distribute to their associates. ¹⁴Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and do not wipe out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God and for his service.

Sabbath Reforms Begun

¹⁵ In those days I saw in Judah people treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in heaps of grain and loading them on donkeys; and also wine, grapes, figs, and all kinds of burdens, which they brought into Jerusalem on the sabbath day; and I warned them at that time against selling food. ¹⁶Tyrians also, who lived in the city, brought in fish and all kinds of merchandise and sold them on the sabbath to the people of Judah, and in Jerusalem. ¹⁷Then I remonstrated with the nobles of Judah and said to them, ‘What is this evil thing that you are doing, profaning the sabbath day? ¹⁸Did not your ancestors act in this way, and did not our God bring all this disaster on us and on this city? Yet you bring more wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.’

¹⁹ When it began to be dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and gave orders that they should not be opened until after the sabbath. And I set some of my servants over the gates, to prevent any burden from being brought in on the sabbath day. ²⁰Then the merchants and sellers of all kinds of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem once or twice. ²¹But I warned them and said to them, ‘Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will lay hands on you.’ From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. ²²And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come and guard the gates, to keep the sabbath day holy. Remember this also in my favour, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love.

Mixed Marriages Condemned

²³ In those days also I saw Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab; ²⁴and half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but spoke the language of various peoples. ²⁵And I contended with them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair; and I made them take an oath in the name of God, saying, ‘You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. ²⁶Did not King Solomon of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel; nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. ²⁷Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?’

²⁸And one of the sons of Jehoiada, son of the high priest Eliashib, was the son-in-law of Sanballat the Horonite; I chased him away from me. ²⁹Remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priests and the Levites.

³⁰Thus I cleansed them from everything foreign, and I established the duties of the priests and Levites, each in his work; ³¹and I provided for the wood-offering, at appointed times, and for the first fruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

TOBIT

THIS book tells the story of Tobit son of Tobiel son of Hananiel son of Aduel son of Gabael son of Raphael of the descendants a of Asiel, of the tribe of Naphtali, ²who in the days of King Shalmaneserb of the Assyrians was taken into captivity from Thisbe, which is to the south of Kedesh Naphtali in Upper Galilee, above Asher towards the west, and north of Phogor.

Tobit’s Youth and Virtuous Life

³ I, Tobit, walked in the ways of truth and righteousness all the days of my life. I performed many acts of charity for my kindred and my people who had gone with me in exile to Nineveh in the land of the Assyrians. ⁴When I was in my own country, in the land of Israel, while I was still a young man, the whole tribe of my ancestor Naphtali deserted the house of David and Jerusalem. This city had been chosen from among all the tribes of Israel, where all the tribes of Israel should offer sacrifice and where the temple, the dwelling of God, had been consecrated and established for all generations for ever.

⁵ All my kindred and our ancestral house of Naphtali sacrificed to the calfc that King Jeroboam of Israel had erected in Dan and on all the mountains of Galilee. ⁶But I alone went often to Jerusalem for the festivals, as it is prescribed for all Israel by an everlasting decree. I would hurry off to Jerusalem with the first fruits of the crops and the firstlings of the flock, the tithes of the cattle, and the first shearings of the sheep.

⁷I would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar; likewise the tenth of the grain, wine, olive oil, pomegranates, figs, and the rest of the fruits to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem. Also, for six years I would save up a second tenth in money and go and distribute it in Jerusalem. ⁸A third tenthd I would give to the orphans and widows and to the converts who had attached themselves to Israel. I would bring it and give it to them in the third year, and we would eat it according to the ordinance decreed concerning it in the law of Moses and according to the instructions of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel,e for my father had died and left me an orphan. ⁹When I became a man I married a woman,a a member of our own family, and by her I became the father of a son whom I named Tobias.

Taken Captive to Nineveh

¹⁰ After I was carried away captive to Assyria and came as a captive to Nineveh, everyone of my kindred and my people ate the food of the Gentiles, ¹¹but I kept myself from eating the food of the Gentiles. ¹²Because I was mindful of God with all my heart, ¹³the Most High gave me favour and good standing with Shalmaneser,b and I used to buy everything he needed. ¹⁴Until his death I used to go into Media, and buy for him there. While in the country of Media I left bags of silver worth ten talents in trust with Gabael, the brother of Gabri. ¹⁵But when Shalmaneserb died, and his son Sennacherib reigned in his place, the highways into Media became unsafe and I could no longer go there.

Courage in Burying the Dead

¹⁶ In the days of Shalmaneserb I performed many acts of charity to my kindred, those of my tribe. ¹⁷I would give my food to the hungry and my clothing to the naked; and if I saw the dead body of any of my people thrown out behind the wall of Nineveh, I would bury it. ¹⁸I also buried any whom King Sennacherib put to death when he came fleeing from Judea in those days of judgement that the king of heaven executed upon him because of his blasphemies. For in his anger he put to death many Israelites; but I would secretly remove the bodies and bury them. So when Sennacherib looked for them he could not find them. ¹⁹Then one of the Ninevites went and informed the king about me, that I was burying them; so I hid myself. But when I realized that the king knew about me and that I was being searched for to be put to death, I was afraid and ran away. ²⁰Then all my property was confiscated; nothing was left to me that was not taken into the royal treasury, except my wife Anna and my son Tobias.

²¹ But not fortyc days passed before two of Sennacherib’sd sons killed him, and they fled to the mountains of Ararat, and his son Esar-haddone reigned after him. He appointed Ahikar, the son of my brother Hanaelf over all the accounts of his kingdom, and he had authority over the entire administration. ²²Ahikar interceded for me, and I returned to Nineveh. Now Ahikar was chief cupbearer, keeper of the signet, and in charge of administration of the accounts under King Sennacherib of Assyria; so Esar-haddone reappointed him. He was my nephew and so a close relative.

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THEN during the reign of Esar-haddone I returned home, and my wife Anna and my son Tobias were restored to me. At our festival of Pentecost, which is the sacred festival of weeks, a good dinner was prepared for me and I reclined to eat.

²When the table was set for me and an abundance of food placed before me, I said to my son Tobias, ‘Go, my child, and bring whatever poor person you may find of our people among the exiles in Nineveh, who is wholeheartedly mindful of God,g and he shall eat together with me. I will wait for you, until you come back.’ ³So Tobias went to look for some poor person of our people. When he had returned he said, ‘Father!’ And I replied, ‘Here I am, my child.’ Then he went on to say, ‘Look, father, one of our own people has been murdered and thrown into the market-place, and now he lies there strangled.’ ⁴Then I sprang up, left the dinner before even tasting it, and removed the bodya from the squareb and laid ita in one of the rooms until sunset when I might bury it.a ⁵When I returned, I washed myself and ate my food in sorrow. ⁶Then I remembered the prophecy of Amos, how he said against Bethel,c

‘Your festivals shall be turned into mourning,

and all your songs into lamentation.’

And I wept.

Tobit Becomes Blind

⁷ When the sun had set, I went and dug a grave and buried him. ⁸And my neighbours laughed and said, ‘Is he still not afraid? He has already been hunted down to be put to death for doing this, and he ran away; yet here he is again burying the dead!’ ⁹That same night I washed myself and went into my courtyard and slept by the wall of the courtyard; and my face was uncovered because of the heat. ¹⁰I did not know that there were sparrows on the wall; their fresh droppings fell into my eyes and produced white films. I went to physicians to be healed, but the more they treated me with ointments the more my vision was obscured by the white films, until I became completely blind. For four years I remained unable to see. All my kindred were sorry for me, and Ahikar took care of me for two years before he went to Elymais.

Tobit’s Wife Earns Their Livelihood

¹¹ At that time, also, my wife Anna earned money at women’s work. ¹²She used to send what she made to the owners and they would pay wages to her. One day, the seventh of Dystrus, when she cut off a piece she had woven and sent it to the owners, they paid her full wages and also gave her a kid for a meal. ¹³When she returned to me, the kid began to bleat. So I called her and said, ‘Where did you get this kid? It is surely not stolen, is it? Return it to the owners; for we have no right to eat anything stolen.’ ¹⁴But she said to me, ‘It was given to me as a gift in addition to my wages.’ But I did not believe her, and told her to return it to the owners. I became flushed with anger against her over this. Then she replied to me, ‘Where are your acts of charity? Where are your righteous deeds? These things are known about you!’d

Tobit’s Prayer

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THEN with much grief and anguish of heart I wept, and with groaning began to pray:

² ‘You are righteous, O Lord,

and all your deeds are just;

all your ways are mercy and truth;

you judge the world.e

³ And now, O Lord, remember me

and look favourably upon me.

Do not punish me for my sins

and for my unwitting offences

and those that my ancestors committed before you.

They sinned against you,

⁴ and disobeyed your commandments.

So you gave us over to plunder, exile, and death,

to become the talk, the byword, and an object of reproach,

among all the nations among whom you have dispersed us.

⁵ And now your many judgements are true

in exacting penalty from me for my sins.

For we have not kept your commandments

and have not walked in accordance with truth before you.

⁶ So now deal with me as you will;

command my spirit to be taken from me,

so that I may be released from the face of the earth and become dust.

For it is better for me to die than to live,

because I have had to listen to undeserved insults,

and great is the sorrow within me.

Command, O Lord, that I be released from this distress;

release me to go to the eternal home,

and do not, O Lord, turn your face away from me.

For it is better for me to die

than to see so much distress in my life

and to listen to insults.’

Sarah Falsely Accused

⁷ On the same day, at Ecbatana in Media, it also happened that Sarah, the daughter of Raguel, was reproached by one of her father’s maids. ⁸For she had been married to seven husbands, and the wicked demon Asmodeus had killed each of them before they had been with her as is customary for wives. So the maid said to her, ‘You are the one who killsa your husbands! See, you have already been married to seven husbands and have not borne the name ofb a single one of them. ⁹Why do you beat us? Because your husbands are dead? Go with them! May we never see a son or daughter of yours!’

Sarah’s Prayer for Death

¹⁰ On that day she was grieved in spirit and wept. When she had gone up to her father’s upper room, she intended to hang herself. But she thought it over and said, ‘Never shall they reproach my father, saying to him, “You had only one beloved daughter but she hanged herself because of her distress.” And I shall bring my father in his old age down in sorrow to Hades. It is better for me not to hang myself, but to pray the Lord that I may die and not listen to these reproaches any more.’ ¹¹At that same time, with hands outstretched towards the window, she prayed and said,

‘Blessed are you, merciful God!

Blessed is your name for ever;

let all your works praise you for ever.

¹² And now, Lord,a I turn my face to you,

and raise my eyes towards you.

¹³ Command that I be released from the earth

and not listen to such reproaches any more.

¹⁴ You know, O Master, that I am innocent

of any defilement with a man,

¹⁵ and that I have not disgraced my name

or the name of my father in the land of my exile.

I am my father’s only child;

he has no other child to be his heir;

and he has no close relative or other kindred

for whom I should keep myself as wife.

Already seven husbands of mine have died.

Why should I still live?

But if it is not pleasing to you, O Lord, to take my life,

hear me in my disgrace.’

An Answer to Prayer

¹⁶ At that very moment, the prayers of both of them were heard in the glorious presence of God. ¹⁷So Raphael was sent to heal both of them: Tobit, by removing the white films from his eyes, so that he might see God’s light with his eyes; and Sarah daughter of Raguel, by giving her in marriage to Tobias son of Tobit, and by setting her free from the wicked demon Asmodeus. For Tobias was entitled to have her before all others who had desired to marry her. At the same time that Tobit returned from the courtyard into his house, Sarah daughter of Raguel came down from her upper room.

Tobit Gives Instructions to His Son

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THAT same day Tobit remembered the money that he had left in trust with Gabael at Rages in Media, ²and he said to himself, ‘Now I have asked for death. Why do I not call my son Tobias and explain to him about the money before I die?’ ³Then he called his son Tobias, and when he came to him he said, ‘My son, when I die,b give me a proper burial. Honour your mother and do not abandon her all the days of her life. Do whatever pleases her, and do not grieve her in anything. ⁴Remember her, my son, because she faced many dangers for you while you were in her womb. And when she dies, bury her beside me in the same grave.

⁵ ‘Revere the Lord all your days, my son, and refuse to sin or to transgress his commandments. Live uprightly all the days of your life, and do not walk in the ways of wrongdoing; ⁶for those who act in accordance with truth will prosper in all their activities. To all those who practise righteousnessc ⁷give alms from your possessions, and do not let your eye begrudge the gift when you make it. Do not turn your face away from anyone who is poor, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. ⁸If you have many possessions, make your gift from them in proportion; if few, do not be afraid to give according to the little you have. ⁹So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. ¹⁰For almsgiving delivers from death and keeps you from going into the Darkness. ¹¹Indeed, almsgiving, for all who practise it, is an excellent offering in the presence of the Most High.

¹² ‘Beware, my son, of every kind of fornication. First of all, marry a woman from among the descendants of your ancestors; do not marry a foreign woman, who is not of your father’s tribe; for we are the descendants of the prophets. Remember, my son, that Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, our ancestors of old, all took wives from among their kindred. They were blessed in their children, and their posterity will inherit the land. ¹³So now, my son, love your kindred, and in your heart do not disdain your kindred, the sons and daughters of your people, by refusing to take a wife for yourself from among them. For in pride there is ruin and great confusion. And in idleness there is loss and dire poverty, because idleness is the mother of famine.

¹⁴ ‘Do not keep over until the next day the wages of those who work for you, but pay them at once. If you serve God you will receive payment. Watch yourself, my son, in everything you do, and discipline yourself in all your conduct. ¹⁵And what you hate, do not do to anyone. Do not drink wine to excess or let drunkenness go with you on your way. ¹⁶Give some of your food to the hungry, and some of your clothing to the naked. Give all your surplus as alms, and do not let your eye begrudge your giving of alms. ¹⁷Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners. ¹⁸Seek advice from every wise person and do not despise any useful counsel. ¹⁹At all times bless the Lord God, and ask him that your ways may be made straight and that all your paths and plans may prosper. For none of the nations has understanding, but the Lord himself will give them good counsel; but if he chooses otherwise, he casts down to deepest Hades. So now, my child, remember these commandments, and do not let them be erased from your heart.

Money Left in Trust with Gabael

²⁰ ‘And now, my son, let me explain to you that I left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael son of Gabrias, at Rages in Media. ²¹Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and flee from every sin and do what is good in the sight of the Lord your God.’

The Angel Raphael

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THEN Tobias answered his father Tobit, ‘I will do everything that you have commanded me, father; ²but how can I obtain the moneya from him, since he does not know me and I do not know him? What evidenceb am I to give him so that he will recognize and trust me, and give me the money? Also, I do not know the roads to Media, or how to get there.’ ³Then Tobit answered his son Tobias, ‘He gave me his bond and I gave him my bond. Ic divided his in two; we each took one part, and I put one with the money. And now twenty years have passed since I left this money in trust. So now, my son, find yourself a trustworthy man to go with you, and we will pay him wages until you return. But get back the money from Gabael.’d

⁴ So Tobias went out to look for a man to go with him to Media, someone who was acquainted with the way. He went out and found the angel Raphael standing in front of him; but he did not perceive that he was an angel of God. ⁵Tobiasa said to him, ‘Where do you come from, young man?’ ‘From your kindred, the Israelites,’ he replied, ‘and I have come here to work.’ Then Tobiasb said to him, ‘Do you know the way to go to Media?’ ⁶‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘I have been there many times; I am acquainted with it and know all the roads. I have often travelled to Media, and stayed with our kinsman Gabael who lives in Rages of Media. It is a journey of two days from Ecbatana to Rages; for it lies in a mountainous area, while Ecbatana is in the middle of the plain.’ ⁷Then Tobias said to him, ‘Wait for me, young man, until I go in and tell my father; for I do need you to travel with me, and I will pay you your wages.’ ⁸He replied, ‘All right, I will wait; but do not take too long.’

⁹ So Tobiasb went in to tell his father Tobit and said to him, ‘I have just found a man who is one of our own Israelite kindred!’ He replied, ‘Call the man in, my son, so that I may learn about his family and to what tribe he belongs, and whether he is trustworthy enough to go with you.’

¹⁰ Then Tobias went out and called him, and said, ‘Young man, my father is calling for you.’ So he went in to him, and Tobit greeted him first. He replied, ‘Joyous greetings to you!’ But Tobit retorted, ‘What joy is left for me any more? I am a man without eyesight; I cannot see the light of heaven, but I lie in darkness like the dead who no longer see the light. Although still alive, I am among the dead. I hear people but I cannot see them.’ But the young manb said, ‘Take courage; the time is near for God to heal you; take courage.’ Then Tobit said to him, ‘My son Tobias wishes to go to Media. Can you accompany him and guide him? I will pay your wages, brother.’ He answered, ‘I can go with him and I know all the roads, for I have often gone to Media and have crossed all its plains, and I am familiar with its mountains and all of its roads.’

¹¹ Then Tobitb said to him, ‘Brother, of what family are you and from what tribe? Tell me, brother.’ ¹²He replied, ‘Why do you need to know my tribe?’ But Tobitb said, ‘I want to be sure, brother, whose son you are and what your name is.’ ¹³He replied, ‘I am Azariah, the son of the great Hananiah, one of your relatives.’ ¹⁴Then Tobit said to him, ‘Welcome! God save you, brother. Do not feel bitter towards me, brother, because I wanted to be sure about your ancestry. It turns out that you are a kinsman, and of good and noble lineage. For I knew Hananiah and Nathan,c the two sons of Shemeliah,d and they used to go with me to Jerusalem and worshipped with me there, and were not led astray. Your kindred are good people; you come of good stock. Hearty welcome!’

¹⁵ Then he added, ‘I will pay you a drachma a day as wages, as well as expenses for yourself and my son. So go with my son, ¹⁶ande I will add something to your wages.’ Raphaela answered, ‘I will go with him; so do not fear. We shall leave in good health and return to you in good health, because the way is safe.’ ¹⁷So Tobitb said to him, ‘Blessings be upon you, brother.’

Then he called his son and said to him, ‘Son, prepare supplies for the journey and set out with your brother. May God in heaven bring you safely there and return you in good health to me; and may his angel, my son, accompany you both for your safety.’

Before he went out to start his journey, he kissed his father and mother. Tobit then said to him, ‘Have a safe journey.’

¹⁸ But his mothera began to weep, and said to Tobit, ‘Why is it that you have sent my child away? Is he not the staff of our hand as he goes in and out before us? ¹⁹Do not heap money upon money, but let it be a ransom for our child. ²⁰For the life that is given to us by the Lord is enough for us.’ ²¹Tobitb said to her, ‘Do not worry; our child will leave in good health and return to us in good health. Your eyes will see him on the day when he returns to you in good health. Say no more! Do not fear for them, my sister. ²²For a good angel will accompany him; his journey will be successful, and he will come back in good health.’ ¹So she stopped weeping.

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Journey to Rages

The young man went out and the angel went with him; ²and the dog came out with him and went along with them. So they both journeyed along, and when the first night overtook them they camped by the Tigris river. ³Then the young man went down to wash his feet in the Tigris river. Suddenly a large fish leapt up from the water and tried to swallow the young man’s foot, and he cried out. ⁴But the angel said to the young man, ‘Catch hold of the fish and hang on to it!’ So the young man grasped the fish and drew it up on the land. ⁵Then the angel said to him, ‘Cut open the fish and take out its gall, heart, and liver. Keep them with you, but throw away the intestines. For its gall, heart, and liver are useful as medicine.’ ⁶So after cutting open the fish the young man gathered together the gall, heart, and liver; then he roasted and ate some of the fish, and kept some to be salted.

The two continued on their way together until they were near Media.c ⁷Then the young man questioned the angel and said to him, ‘Brother Azariah, what medicinal value is there in the fish’s heart and liver, and in the gall?’ ⁸He replied, ‘As for the fish’s heart and liver, you must burn them to make a smoke in the presence of a man or woman afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, and every affliction will flee away and never remain with that person any longer. ⁹And as for the gall, anoint a person’s eyes where white films have appeared on them; blow upon them, upon the white films, and the eyesd will be healed.’

Raphael’s Instructions

¹⁰ When he entered Media and already was approaching Ecbatana,e ¹¹Raphael said to the young man, ‘Brother Tobias.’ ‘Here I am,’ he answered. Then Raphaelf said to him, ‘We must stay this night in the home of Raguel. He is your relative, and he has a daughter named Sarah. ¹²He has no male heir and no daughter except Sarah only, and you, as next of kin to her, have before all other men a hereditary claim on her. Also it is right for you to inherit her father’s possessions. Moreover, the girl is sensible, brave, and very beautiful, and her father is a good man.’ ¹³He continued, ‘You have every right to take her in marriage. So listen to me, brother; tonight I will speak to her father about the girl, so that we may take her to be your bride. When we return from Rages we will celebrate her marriage. For I know that Raguel can by no means keep her from you or promise her to another man without incurring the penalty of death according to the decree of the book of Moses. Indeed he knows that you, rather than any other man, are entitled to marry his daughter. So now listen to me, brother, and tonight we shall speak concerning the girl and arrange her engagement to you. And when we return from Rages we will take her and bring her back with us to your house.’

¹⁴ Then Tobias said in answer to Raphael, ‘Brother Azariah, I have heard that she already has been married to seven husbands and that they died in the bridal chamber. On the night when they went in to her, they would die. I have heard people saying that it was a demon that killed them. ¹⁵It does not harm her, but it kills anyone who desires to approach her. So now, since I am the only son my father has, I am afraid that I may die and bring my father’s and mother’s life down to their grave, grieving for me—and they have no other son to bury them.’

¹⁶ But Raphaela said to him, ‘Do you not remember your father’s orders when he commanded you to take a wife from your father’s house? Now listen to me, brother, and say no more about this demon. Take her. I know that this very night she will be given to you in marriage. ¹⁷When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the fish’s liver and heart, and put them on the embers of the incense. An odour will be given off; ¹⁸the demon will smell it and flee, and will never be seen near her any more. Now when you are about to go to bed with her, both of you must first stand up and pray, imploring the Lord of heaven that mercy and safety may be granted to you. Do not be afraid, for she was set apart for you before the world was made. You will save her, and she will go with you. I presume that you will have children by her, and they will be as brothers to you. Now say no more!’ When Tobias heard the words of Raphael and learned that she was his kinswoman,b related through his father’s lineage, he loved her very much, and his heart was drawn to her.

Arrival at the Home of Raguel

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NOW when theyc entered Ecbatana, Tobiasa said to him, ‘Brother Azariah, take me straight to our brother Raguel.’ So he took him to Raguel’s house, where they found him sitting beside the courtyard door. They greeted him first, and he replied, ‘Joyous greetings, brothers; welcome and good health!’ Then he brought them into his house. ²He said to his wife Edna, ‘How much the young man resembles my kinsman Tobit!’ ³Then Edna questioned them, saying, ‘Where are you from, brothers?’ They answered, ‘We belong to the descendants of Naphtali who are exiles in Nineveh.’ ⁴She said to them, ‘Do you know our kinsman Tobit?’ And they replied, ‘Yes, we know him.’ Then she asked them, ‘Is hed in good health?’ ⁵They replied, ‘He is alive and in good health.’ And Tobias added, ‘He is my father!’ ⁶At that Raguel jumped up and kissed him and wept. ⁷He also spoke to him as follows, ‘Blessings on you, my child, son of a good and noble father!e O most miserable of calamities that such an upright and beneficent man has become blind!’ He then embraced his kinsman Tobias and wept. ⁸His wife Edna also wept for him, and their daughter Sarah likewise wept. ⁹Then Raguela slaughtered a ram from the flock and received them very warmly.

Marriage of Tobias and Sarah

When they had bathed and washed themselves and had reclined to dine, Tobias said to Raphael, ‘Brother Azariah, ask Raguel to give me my kinswomanb Sarah.’ ¹⁰But Raguel overheard it and said to the lad, ‘Eat and drink, and be merry tonight. For no one except you, brother, has the right to marry my daughter Sarah. Likewise I am not at liberty to give her to any other man than yourself, because you are my nearest relative. But let me explain to you the true situation more fully, my child. ¹¹I have given her to seven men of our kinsmen, and all died on the night when they went in to her. But now, my child, eat and drink, and the Lord will act on behalf of you both.’ But Tobias said, ‘I will neither eat nor drink anything until you settle the things that pertain to me.’ So Raguel said, ‘I will do so. She is given to you in accordance with the decree in the book of Moses, and it has been decreed from heaven that she should be given to you. Take your kinswoman;b from now on you are her brother and she is your sister. She is given to you from today and for ever. May the Lord of heaven, my child, guide and prosper you both this night and grant you mercy and peace.’ ¹²Then Raguel summoned his daughter Sarah. When she came to him he took her by the hand and gave her to Tobias,c saying, ‘Take her to be your wife in accordance with the law and decree written in the book of Moses. Take her and bring her safely to your father. And may the God of heaven prosper your journey with his peace.’ ¹³Then he called her mother and told her to bring writing material; and he wrote out a copy of a marriage contract, to the effect that he gave her to him as wife according to the decree of the law of Moses. ¹⁴Then they began to eat and drink.

¹⁵ Raguel called his wife Edna and said to her, ‘Sister, get the other room ready, and take her there.’ ¹⁶So she went and made the bed in the room as he had told her, and brought Sarahd there. She wept for her daughter.d Then, wiping away the tears,e she said to her, ‘Take courage, my daughter; the Lord of heaven grant you joyf in place of your sorrow. Take courage, my daughter.’ Then she went out.

Tobias Routs the Demon

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WHEN they had finished eating and drinking they wanted to retire; so they took the young man and brought him into the bedroom. ²Then Tobias remembered the words of Raphael, and he took the fish’s liver and heart out of the bag where he had them and put them on the embers of the incense. ³The odour of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to the remotest partsg of Egypt. But Raphael followed him, and at once bound him there hand and foot.

⁴ When the parentsh had gone out and shut the door of the room, Tobias got out of bed and said to Sarah,d ‘Sister, get up, and let us pray and implore our Lord that he grant us mercy and safety.’ ⁵So she got up, and they began to pray and implore that they might be kept safe. Tobiasa began by saying,

‘Blessed are you, O God of our ancestors,

and blessed is your name in all generations for ever.

Let the heavens and the whole creation bless you for ever.

⁶ You made Adam, and for him you made his wife Eve

as a helper and support.

From the two of them the human race has sprung.

You said, “It is not good that the man should be alone;

let us make a helper for him like himself.”

⁷ I now am taking this kinswoman of mine,

not because of lust,

but with sincerity.

Grant that she and I may find mercy

and that we may grow old together.’

⁸And they both said, ‘Amen, Amen.’ ⁹Then they went to sleep for the night.

But Raguel arose and called his servants to him, and they went and dug a grave, ¹⁰for he said, ‘It is possible that he will die and we will become an object of ridicule and derision.’ ¹¹When they had finished digging the grave, Raguel went into his house and called his wife, ¹²saying, ‘Send one of the maids and have her go in to see if he is alive. But if he is dead, let us bury him without anyone knowing it.’ ¹³So they sent the maid, lit a lamp, and opened the door; and she went in and found them sound asleep together. ¹⁴Then the maid came out and informed them that he was alive and that nothing was wrong. ¹⁵So they blessed the God of heaven, and Raguelb said,

‘Blessed are you, O God, with every pure blessing;

let all your chosen ones bless you.c

Let them bless you for ever.

¹⁶ Blessed are you because you have made me glad.

It has not turned out as I expected,

but you have dealt with us according to your great mercy.

¹⁷ Blessed are you because you had compassion

on two only children.

Be merciful to them, O Master, and keep them safe;

bring their lives to fulfilment

in happiness and mercy.’

¹⁸Then he ordered his servants to fill in the grave before daybreak.

Wedding Feast

¹⁹ After this he asked his wife to bake many loaves of bread; and he went out to the herd and brought two steers and four rams and ordered them to be slaughtered. So they began to make preparations. ²⁰Then he called for Tobias and swore on oath to him in these words:d ‘You shall not leave here for fourteen days, but shall stay here eating and drinking with me; and you shall cheer up my daughter, who has been depressed. ²¹Take at once half of what I own and return in safety to your father; the other half will be yours when my wife and I die. Take courage, my child. I am your father and Edna is your mother, and we belong to you as well as to your wifea now and for ever. Take courage, my child.’

The Money Recovered

9

THEN Tobias called Raphael and said to him, ²‘Brother Azariah, take four servants and two camels with you and travel to Rages. Go to the home of Gabael, give him the bond, get the money, and then bring him with you to the wedding celebration. ⁴For you know that my father must be counting the days, and if I delay even one day I will upset him very much. ³You are witness to the oath Raguel has sworn, and I cannot violate his oath.’b ⁵So Raphael with the four servants and two camels went to Rages in Media and stayed with Gabael. Raphaelc gave him the bond and informed him that Tobit’s son Tobias had married and was inviting him to the wedding celebration. So Gabaeld got up and counted out to him the money bags, with their seals intact; then they loaded them on the camels.e ⁶In the morning they both got up early and went to the wedding celebration. When they came into Raguel’s house they found Tobias reclining at table. He sprang up and greeted Gabael,f who wept and blessed him with the words, ‘Good and noble son of a father good and noble, upright and generous! May the Lord grant the blessing of heaven to you and your wife, and to your wife’s father and mother. Blessed be God, for I see in Tobias the very image of my cousin Tobit.’

Anxiety of the Parents

10

NOW, day by day, Tobit kept counting how many days Tobiasd would need for going and for returning. And when the days had passed and his son did not appear, ²he said, ‘Is it possible that he has been detained? Or that Gabael has died, and there is no one to give him the money?’ ³And he began to worry. ⁴His wife Anna said, ‘My child has perished and is no longer among the living.’ And she began to weep and mourn for her son, saying, ⁵‘Woe is me, my child, the light of my eyes, that I let you make the journey.’ ⁶But Tobit kept saying to her, ‘Be quiet and stop worrying, my dear;a he is all right. Probably something unexpected has happened there. The man who went with him is trustworthy and is one of our own kin. Do not grieve for him, my dear;a he will soon be here.’ ⁷She answered him, ‘Be quiet yourself! Stop trying to deceive me! My child has perished.’ She would rush out every day and watch the road her son had taken, and would heed no one.g When the sun had set she would go in and mourn and weep all night long, getting no sleep at all.

Tobias and Sarah Start for Home

Now when the fourteen days of the wedding celebration had ended that Raguel had sworn to observe for his daughter, Tobias came to him and said, ‘Send me back, for I know that my father and mother do not believe that they will see me again. So I beg of you, father, to let me go so that I may return to my own father. I have already explained to you how I left him.’ ⁸But Raguel said to Tobias, ‘Stay, my child, stay with me; I will send messengers to your father Tobit and they will inform him about you.’ ⁹But he said, ‘No! I beg you to send me back to my father.’ ¹⁰So Raguel promptly gave Tobias his wife Sarah, as well as half of all his property: male and female slaves, oxen and sheep, donkeys and camels, clothing, money, and household goods. ¹¹Then he saw them safely off; he embraced Tobiasa and said, ‘Farewell, my child; have a safe journey. The Lord of heaven prosper you and your wife Sarah, and may I see children of yours before I die.’ ¹²Then he kissed his daughter Sarah and said to her, ‘My daughter, honour your father-in-law and your mother-in-law,b since from now on they are as much your parents as those who gave you birth. Go in peace, daughter, and may I hear a good report about you as long as I live.’ Then he bade them farewell and let them go. Then Edna said to Tobias, ‘My child and dear brother, the Lord of heaven bring you back safely, and may I live long enough to see children of you and of my daughter Sarah before I die. In the sight of the Lord I entrust my daughter to you; do nothing to grieve her all the days of your life. Go in peace, my child. From now on I am your mother and Sarah is your beloved wife.c May we all prosper together all the days of our lives.’ Then she kissed them both and saw them safely off. ¹³Tobias parted from Raguel with happiness and joy, praising the Lord of heaven and earth, King over all, because he had made his journey a success. Finally, he blessed Raguel and his wife Edna, and said, ‘I have been commanded by the Lord to honour you all the days of my life.’ d

Homeward Journey

11

WHEN they came near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said, ²‘You are aware of how we left your father. ³Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house while they are still on the way.’ ⁴As they went on together Raphaele said to him, ‘Have the gall ready.’ And the dogf went along behind them.

⁵ Meanwhile, Anna sat looking intently down the road by which her son would come. ⁶When she caught sight of him coming, she said to his father, ‘Look, your son is coming, and the man who went with him!’

Tobit’s Sight Restored

⁷ Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, ‘I know that his eyes will be opened. ⁸Smear the gall of the fish on his eyes; the medicine will make the white films shrink and peel off from his eyes, and your father will regain his sight and see the light.’

⁹ Then Anna ran up to her son and threw her arms around him, saying, ‘Now that I have seen you, my child, I am ready to die.’ And she wept. ¹⁰Then Tobit got up and came stumbling out through the courtyard door. Tobias went up to him, ¹¹with the gall of the fish in his hand, and holding him firmly, he blew into his eyes, saying, ‘Take courage, father.’ With this he applied the medicine on his eyes, ¹²and it made them smart.g ¹³Next, with both his hands he peeled off the white films from the corners of his eyes. Then Tobite saw his son andh threw his arms around him, ¹⁴and he wept and said to him, ‘I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!’ Then he said,

‘Blessed be God,

and blessed be his great name,

and blessed be all his holy angels.

May his holy name be blesseda

throughout all the ages.

¹⁵ Though he afflicted me,

he has had mercy upon me.b

Now I see my son Tobias!’

So Tobit went in rejoicing and praising God at the top of his voice. Tobias reported to his father that his journey had been successful, that he had brought the money, that he had married Raguel’s daughter Sarah, and that she was, indeed, on her way there, very near to the gate of Nineveh.

¹⁶ Then Tobit, rejoicing and praising God, went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh. When the people of Nineveh saw him coming, walking along in full vigour and with no one leading him, they were amazed. ¹⁷Before them all, Tobit acknowledged that God had been merciful to him and had restored his sight. When Tobit met Sarah the wife of his son Tobias, he blessed her saying, ‘Come in, my daughter, and welcome. Blessed be your God who has brought you to us, my daughter. Blessed be your father and your mother, blessed be my son Tobias, and blessed be you, my daughter. Come in now to your home, and welcome, with blessing and joy. Come in, my daughter.’ So on that day there was rejoicing among all the Jews who were in Nineveh. ¹⁸Ahikar and his nephew Nadab were also present to share Tobit’s joy. With merriment they celebrated Tobias’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him.c

Raphael’s Wages

12

WHEN the wedding celebration was ended, Tobit called his son Tobias and said to him, ‘My child, see to paying the wages of the man who went with you, and give him a bonus as well.’ ²He replied, ‘Father, how much shall I pay him? It would do no harm to give him half of the possessions brought back with me. ³For he has led me back to you safely, he cured my wife, he brought the money back with me, and he healed you. How much extra shall I give him as a bonus?’ ⁴Tobit said, ‘He deserves, my child, to receive half of all that he brought back.’ ⁵So Tobiasd called him and said, ‘Take for your wages half of all that you brought back, and farewell.’

Raphael’s Exhortation

⁶ Then Raphaeld called the two of them privately and said to them, ‘Bless God and acknowledge him in the presence of all the living for the good things he has done for you. Bless and sing praise to his name. With fitting honour declare to all people the deedse of God. Do not be slow to acknowledge him. ⁷It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to acknowledge and reveal the works of God, and with fitting honour to acknowledge him. Do good, and evil will not overtake you. ⁸Prayer with fastinga is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing.b It is better to give alms than to lay up gold. ⁹For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, ¹⁰but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies.

Raphael Discloses His Identity

¹¹ ‘I will now declare the whole truth to you and will conceal nothing from you. Already I have declared it to you when I said, “It is good to conceal the secret of a king, but to reveal with due honour the works of God.” ¹²So now, when you and Sarah prayed, it was I who brought and readc the record of your prayer before the glory of the Lord, and likewise whenever you buried the dead. ¹³And that time when you did not hesitate to get up and leave your dinner to go and bury the dead, ¹⁴I was sent to you to test you. And at the same time God sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. ¹⁵I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand ready and enter before the glory of the Lord.’

¹⁶ The two of them were shaken; they fell face down, for they were afraid. ¹⁷But he said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; peace be with you. Bless God for evermore. ¹⁸As for me, when I was with you, I was not acting on my own will, but by the will of God. Bless him each and every day; sing his praises. ¹⁹Although you were watching me, I really did not eat or drink anything—but what you saw was a vision. ²⁰So now get up from the ground,d and acknowledge God. See, I am ascending to him who sent me. Write down all these things that have happened to you.’ And he ascended. ²¹Then they stood up, and could see him no more. ²²They kept blessing God and singing his praises, and they acknowledged God for these marvellous deeds of his, when an angel of God had appeared to them.

Tobit’s Thanksgiving to God

13

THEN Tobite said:

‘Blessed be God who lives for ever,

because his kingdomf lasts throughout all ages.

² For he afflicts, and he shows mercy;

he leads down to Hades in the lowest regions of the earth,

and he brings up from the great abyss,g

and there is nothing that can escape his hand.

³ Acknowledge him before the nations, O children of Israel;

for he has scattered you among them.

⁴ He has shown you his greatness even there.

Exalt him in the presence of every living being,

because he is our Lord and he is our God;

he is our Father and he is God for ever.

⁵ He will afflicth you for your iniquities,

but he will again show mercy on all of you.

He will gather you from all the nations

among whom you have been scattered.

⁶ If you turn to him with all your heart and with all your soul,

to do what is true before him,

then he will turn to you

and will no longer hide his face from you.

So now see what he has done for you;

acknowledge him at the top of your voice.

Bless the Lord of righteousness,

and exalt the King of the ages.a

In the land of my exile I acknowledge him,

and show his power and majesty to a nation of sinners:

“Turn back, you sinners, and do what is right before him;

perhaps he may look with favour upon you and show you mercy.”

⁷ As for me, I exalt my God,

and my soul rejoices in the King of heaven.

⁸ Let all people speak of his majesty,

and acknowledge him in Jerusalem.

⁹ O Jerusalem, the holy city,

he afflictedb you for the deeds of your hands,c

but will again have mercy on the children of the righteous.

¹⁰ Acknowledge the Lord, for he is good,d

and bless the King of the ages,

so that his tente may be rebuilt in you in joy.

May he cheer all those within you who are captives,

and love all those within you who are distressed,

to all generations for ever.

¹¹ A bright light will shine to all the ends of the earth;

many nations will come to you from far away,

the inhabitants of the remotest parts of the earth to your holy name,

bearing gifts in their hands for the King of heaven.

Generation after generation will give joyful praise in you;

the name of the chosen city will endure for ever.

¹² Cursed are all who speak a harsh word against you;

cursed are all who conquer you

and pull down your walls,

all who overthrow your towers

and set your homes on fire.

But blessed for ever will be all who revere you.f

¹³ Go, then, and rejoice over the children of the righteous,

for they will be gathered together

and will praise the Lord of the ages.

¹⁴ Happy are those who love you,

and happy are those who rejoice in your prosperity.

Happy also are all people who grieve with you

because of your afflictions;

for they will rejoice with you

and witness all your glory for ever.

¹⁵ My soul blessesa the Lord, the great King!

¹⁶ For Jerusalem will be builtb as his house for all ages.

How happy I will be if a remnant of my descendants should survive

to see your glory and acknowledge the King of heaven.

The gates of Jerusalem will be built with sapphire and emerald,

and all your walls with precious stones.

The towers of Jerusalem will be built with gold,

and their battlements with pure gold.

The streets of Jerusalem will be paved

with ruby and with stones of Ophir.

¹⁷ The gates of Jerusalem will sing hymns of joy,

and all her houses will cry, “Hallelujah!

Blessed be the God of Israel!”

and the blessed will bless the holy name for ever and ever.’

Tobit’s Final Counsel

14

SO ENDED Tobit’s words of praise.

² Tobitc died in peace when he was one hundred and twelve years old, and was buried with great honour in Nineveh. He was sixty-twod years old when he lost his eyesight, and after regaining it he lived in prosperity, giving alms and continually blessing God and acknowledging God’s majesty.

³ When he was about to die, he called his son Tobias and the seven sons of Tobiase and gave this command: ‘My son, take your children ⁴and hurry off to Media, for I believe the word of God that Nahum spoke about Nineveh, that all these things will take place and overtake Assyria and Nineveh. Indeed, everything that was spoken by the prophets of Israel, whom God sent, will occur. None of all their words will fail, but all will come true at their appointed times. So it will be safer in Media than in Assyria and Babylon. For I know and believe that whatever God has said will be fulfilled and will come true; not a single word of the prophecies will fail. All of our kindred, inhabitants of the land of Israel, will be scattered and taken as captives from the good land; and the whole land of Israel will be desolate, even Samaria and Jerusalem will be desolate. And the temple of God in it will be burned to the ground, and it will be desolate for a while.f

⁵ ‘But God will again have mercy on them, and God will bring them back into the land of Israel; and they will rebuild the temple of God, but not like the first one until the period when the times of fulfilment shall come. After this they all will return from their exile and will rebuild Jerusalem in splendour; and in it the temple of God will be rebuilt, just as the prophets of Israel have said concerning it. ⁶Then the nations in the whole world will all be converted and worship God in truth. They will all abandon their idols, which deceitfully have led them into their error; ⁷and in righteousness they will praise the eternal God. All the Israelites who are saved in those days and are truly mindful of God will be gathered together; they will go to Jerusalem and live in safety for ever in the land of Abraham, and it will be given over to them. Those who sincerely love God will rejoice, but those who commit sin and injustice will vanish from all the earth. 8,9So now, my children, I command you, serve God faithfully and do what is pleasing in his sight. Your children are also to be commanded to do what is right and to give alms, and to be mindful of God and to bless his name at all times with sincerity and with all their strength. So now, my son, leave Nineveh; do not remain here. ¹⁰On whatever day you bury your mother beside me, do not stay overnight within the confines of the city. For I see that there is much wickedness within it, and that much deceit is practised within it, while the people are without shame. See, my son, what Nadab did to Ahikar who had reared him. Was he not, while still alive, brought down into the earth? For God repaid him to his face for this shameful treatment. Ahikar came out into the light, but Nadab went into the eternal darkness, because he tried to kill Ahikar. Because he gave alms, Ahikara escaped the fatal trap that Nadab had set for him, but Nadab fell into it himself, and was destroyed. ¹¹So now, my children, see what almsgiving accomplishes, and what injustice does—it brings death! But now my breath fails me.’

Death of Tobit and Anna

Then they laid him on his bed, and he died; and he received an honourable funeral. ¹²When Tobias’s mother died, he buried her beside his father. Then he and his wife and childrenb returned to Media and settled in Ecbatana with Raguel his father-in-law. ¹³He treated his parents-in-lawc with great respect in their old age, and buried them in Ecbatana of Media. He inherited both the property of Raguel and that of his father Tobit. ¹⁴He died highly respected at the age of one hundred and seventeen d years. ¹⁵Before he died he hearde of the destruction of Nineveh, and he saw its prisoners being led into Media, those whom King Cyaxaresf of Media had taken captive. Tobiasg praised God for all he had done to the people of Nineveh and Assyria; before he died he rejoiced over Nineveh, and he blessed the Lord God for ever and ever. Amen.h

JUDITH

Arphaxad Fortifies Ecbatana

IT WAS the twelfth year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, who ruled over the Assyrians in the great city of Nineveh. In those days Arphaxad ruled over the Medes in Ecbatana. ²He built walls around Ecbatana with hewn stones three cubits thick and six cubits long; he made the walls seventy cubits high and fifty cubits wide. ³At its gates he raised towers one hundred cubits high and sixty cubits wide at the foundations. ⁴He made its gates seventy cubits high and forty cubits wide to allow his armies to march out in force and his infantry to form their ranks. ⁵Then King Nebuchadnezzar made war against King Arphaxad in the great plain that is on the borders of Ragau. ⁶There rallied to him all the people of the hill country and all those who lived along the Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Hydaspes, and, on the plain, Arioch, king of the Elymeans. Thus, many nations joined the forces of the Chaldeans.a

Nebuchadnezzar Issues an Ultimatum

⁷ Then Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, sent messengers to all who lived in Persia and to all who lived in the west, those who lived in Cilicia and Damascus, Lebanon and Antilebanon, and all who lived along the sea coast, ⁸and those among the nations of Carmel and Gilead, and Upper Galilee and the great plain of Esdraelon, ⁹and all who were in Samaria and its towns, and beyond the Jordan as far as Jerusalem and Bethany and Chelous and Kadesh and the river of Egypt, and Tahpanhes and Raamses and the whole land of Goshen, ¹⁰even beyond Tanis and Memphis, and all who lived in Egypt as far as the borders of Ethiopia. ¹¹But all who lived in the whole region disregarded the summons of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, and refused to join him in the war; for they were not afraid of him, but regarded him as only one man.b So they sent back his messengers empty-handed and in disgrace.

¹² Then Nebuchadnezzar became very angry with this whole region, and swore by his throne and kingdom that he would take revenge on the whole territory of Cilicia and Damascus and Syria, that he would kill with his sword also all the inhabitants of the land of Moab, and the people of Ammon, and all Judea, and everyone in Egypt, as far as the coasts of the two seas.

Arphaxad Is Defeated

¹³ In the seventeenth year he led his forces against King Arphaxad and defeated him in battle, overthrowing the whole army of Arphaxad and all his cavalry and all his chariots. ¹⁴Thus he took possession of his towns and came to Ecbatana, captured its towers, plundered its markets, and turned its glory into disgrace. ¹⁵He captured Arphaxad in the mountains of Ragau and struck him down with his spears, thus destroying him once and for all. ¹⁶Then he returned to Nineveh, he and all his combined forces, a vast body of troops; and there he and his forces rested and feasted for one hundred and twenty days.

The Expedition against the West

2

IN THE eighteenth year, on the twenty-second day of the first month, there was talk in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, about carrying out his revenge on the whole region, just as he had said. ²He summoned all his ministers and all his nobles and set before them his secret plan and recounted fully, with his own lips, all the wickedness of the region.a ³They decided that everyone who had not obeyed his command should be destroyed.

⁴ When he had completed his plan, Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Assyrians, called Holofernes, the chief general of his army, second only to himself, and said to him, ⁵‘Thus says the Great King, the lord of the whole earth: Leave my presence and take with you men confident in their strength, one hundred and twenty thousand foot-soldiers and twelve thousand cavalry. ⁶March out against all the land to the west, because they disobeyed my orders. ⁷Tell them to prepare earth and water, for I am coming against them in my anger, and will cover the whole face of the earth with the feet of my troops, to whom I will hand them over to be plundered. ⁸Their wounded shall fill their ravines and gullies, and the swelling river shall be filled with their dead. ⁹I will lead them away captive to the ends of the whole earth. ¹⁰You shall go and seize all their territory for me in advance. They must yield themselves to you, and you shall hold them for me until the day of their punishment. ¹¹But to those who resist show no mercy, but hand them over to slaughter and plunder throughout your whole region. ¹²For as I live, and by the power of my kingdom, what I have spoken I will accomplish by my own hand. ¹³And you—take care not to transgress any of your lord’s commands, but carry them out exactly as I have ordered you; do it without delay.’

Campaign of Holofernes

¹⁴ So Holofernes left the presence of his lord, and summoned all the commanders, generals, and officers of the Assyrian army. ¹⁵He mustered the picked troops by divisions as his lord had ordered him to do, one hundred and twenty thousand of them, together with twelve thousand archers on horseback, ¹⁶and he organized them as a great army is marshalled for a campaign. ¹⁷He took along a vast number of camels and donkeys and mules for transport, and innumerable sheep and oxen and goats for food; ¹⁸also ample rations for everyone, and a huge amount of gold and silver from the royal palace.

¹⁹ Then he set out with his whole army, to go ahead of King Nebuchadnezzar and to cover the whole face of the earth to the west with their chariots and cavalry and picked foot-soldiers. ²⁰Along with them went a mixed crowd like a swarm of locusts, like the dusta of the earth—a multitude that could not be counted.

²¹ They marched for three days from Nineveh to the plain of Bectileth, and camped opposite Bectileth near the mountain that is to the north of Upper Cilicia. ²²From there Holofernesb took his whole army, the infantry, cavalry, and chariots, and went up into the hill country. ²³He ravaged Put and Lud, and plundered all the Rassisites and the Ishmaelites on the border of the desert, south of the country of the Chelleans. ²⁴Then he followedc the Euphrates and passed through Mesopotamia and destroyed all the fortified towns along the brook Abron, as far as the sea. ²⁵He also seized the territory of Cilicia, and killed everyone who resisted him. Then he came to the southern borders of Japheth, facing Arabia. ²⁶He surrounded all the Midianites, and burned their tents and plundered their sheepfolds. ²⁷Then he went down into the plain of Damascus during the wheat harvest, and burned all their fields and destroyed their flocks and herds and sacked their towns and ravaged their lands and put all their young men to the sword.

²⁸ So fear and dread of him fell upon all the people who lived along the sea coast, at Sidon and Tyre, and those who lived in Sur and Ocina and all who lived in Jamnia. Those who lived in Azotus and Ascalon feared him greatly.

Entreaties for Peace

3

THEY therefore sent messengers to him to sue for peace in these words: ²‘We, the servants of Nebuchadnezzar, the Great King, lie prostrate before you. Do with us whatever you will. ³See, our buildings and all our land and all our wheat fields and our flocks and herds and all our encampmentsd lie before you; do with them as you please. ⁴Our towns and their inhabitants are also your slaves; come and deal with them as you see fit.’

⁵ The men came to Holofernes and told him all this. ⁶Then he went down to the sea coast with his army and stationed garrisons in the fortified towns and took picked men from them as auxiliaries. ⁷These people and all in the countryside welcomed him with garlands and dances and tambourines. ⁸Yet he demolished all their shrinese and cut down their sacred groves; for he had been commissioned to destroy all the gods of the land, so that all nations should worship Nebuchadnezzar alone, and that all their dialects and tribes should call upon him as a god.

⁹ Then he came towards Esdraelon, near Dothan, facing the great ridge of Judea; ¹⁰he camped between Geba and Scythopolis, and remained for a whole month in order to collect all the supplies for his army.

Judea on the Alert

4

WHEN the Israelites living in Judea heard of everything that Holofernes, the general of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Assyrians, had done to the nations, and how he had plundered and destroyed all their temples, ²they were therefore greatly terrified at his approach; they were alarmed both for Jerusalem and for the temple of the Lord their God. ³For they had only recently returned from exile, and all the people of Judea had just now gathered together, and the sacred vessels and the altar and the temple had been consecrated after their profanation. ⁴So they sent word to every district of Samaria, and to Kona, Beth-horon, Belmain, and Jericho, and to Choba and Aesora, and the valley of Salem. ⁵They immediately seized all the high hilltops and fortified the villages on them and stored up food in preparation for war—since their fields had recently been harvested.

⁶ The high priest, Joakim, who was in Jerusalem at the time, wrote to the people of Bethulia and Betomesthaim, which faces Esdraelon opposite the plain near Dothan, ⁷ordering them to seize the mountain passes, since by them Judea could be invaded; and it would be easy to stop any who tried to enter, for the approach was narrow, wide enough for only two at a time to pass.

Prayer and Penance

⁸ So the Israelites did as they had been ordered by the high priest Joakim and the senate of the whole people of Israel, in session at Jerusalem. ⁹And every man of Israel cried out to God with great fervour, and they humbled themselves with much fasting. ¹⁰They and their wives and their children and their cattle and every resident alien and hired labourer and purchased slave—they all put sackcloth around their waists. ¹¹And all the Israelite men, women, and children living at Jerusalem prostrated themselves before the temple and put ashes on their heads and spread out their sackcloth before the Lord. ¹²They even draped the altar with sackcloth and cried out in unison, praying fervently to the God of Israel not to allow their infants to be carried off and their wives to be taken as booty, and the towns they had inherited to be destroyed, and the sanctuary to be profaned and desecrated to the malicious joy of the Gentiles.

¹³ The Lord heard their prayers and had regard for their distress; for the people fasted for many days throughout Judea and in Jerusalem before the sanctuary of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁴The high priest Joakim and all the priests who stood before the Lord and ministered to the Lord, with sackcloth around their loins, offered the daily burnt-offerings, the votive offerings, and freewill-offerings of the people. ¹⁵With ashes on their turbans, they cried out to the Lord with all their might to look with favour on the whole house of Israel.

Council against the Israelites

5

IT WAS reported to Holofernes, the general of the Assyrian army, that the people of Israel had prepared for war and had closed the mountain passes and fortified all the high hilltops and set up barricades in the plains. ²In great anger he called together all the princes of Moab and the commanders of Ammon and all the governors of the coastland, ³and said to them, ‘Tell me, you Canaanites, what people is this that lives in the hill country? What towns do they inhabit? How large is their army, and in what does their power and strength consist? Who rules over them as king and leads their army? ⁴And why have they alone, of all who live in the west, refused to come out and meet me?’

Achior’s Report

⁵ Then Achior, the leader of all the Ammonites, said to him, ‘May my lord please listen to a report from the mouth of your servant, and I will tell you the truth about this people that lives in the mountain district near you. No falsehood shall come from your servant’s mouth. ⁶These people are descended from the Chaldeans. ⁷At one time they lived in Mesopotamia, because they did not wish to follow the gods of their ancestors who were in Chaldea. ⁸Since they had abandoned the ways of their ancestors, and worshipped the God of heaven, the God they had come to know, their ancestorsa drove them out from the presence of their gods. So they fled to Mesopotamia, and lived there for a long time. ⁹Then their God commanded them to leave the place where they were living and go to the land of Canaan. There they settled, and grew very prosperous in gold and silver and very much livestock. ¹⁰When a famine spread over the land of Canaan they went down to Egypt and lived there as long as they had food. There they became so great a multitude that their race could not be counted. ¹¹So the king of Egypt became hostile to them; he exploited them and forced them to make bricks. ¹²They cried out to their God, and he afflicted the whole land of Egypt with incurable plagues. So the Egyptians drove them out of their sight. ¹³Then God dried up the Red Sea before them, ¹⁴and he led them by the way of Sinai and Kadesh-barnea. They drove out all the people of the desert, ¹⁵and took up residence in the land of the Amorites, and by their might destroyed all the inhabitants of Heshbon; and crossing over the Jordan they took possession of all the hill country. ¹⁶They drove out before them the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Shechemites, and all the Gergesites, and lived there a long time.

¹⁷ ‘As long as they did not sin against their God they prospered, for the God who hates iniquity is with them. ¹⁸But when they departed from the way he had prescribed for them, they were utterly defeated in many battles and were led away captive to a foreign land. The temple of their God was razed to the ground, and their towns were occupied by their enemies. ¹⁹But now they have returned to their God, and have come back from the places where they were scattered, and have occupied Jerusalem, where their sanctuary is, and have settled in the hill country, because it was uninhabited.

²⁰ ‘So now, my master and lord, if there is any oversight in this people and they sin against their God and we find out their offence, then we can go up and defeat them. ²¹But if they are not a guilty nation, then let my lord pass them by; for their Lord and God will defend them, and we shall become the laughing-stock of the whole world.’

²² When Achior had finished saying these things, all the people standing around the tent began to complain; Holofernes’ officers and all the inhabitants of the sea coast and Moab insisted that he should be cut to pieces. ²³They said, ‘We are not afraid of the Israelites; they are a people with no strength or power for making war. ²⁴Therefore let us go ahead, Lord Holofernes, and your vast army will swallow them up.’

Achior Handed over to the Israelites

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WHEN the disturbance made by the people outside the council had died down, Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army, said to Achiora in the presence of all the foreign contingents:

² ‘Who are you, Achior and you mercenaries of Ephraim, to prophesy among us as you have done today and tell us not to make war against the people of Israel because their God will defend them? What god is there except Nebuchadnezzar? He will send his forces and destroy them from the face of the earth. Their God will not save them; ³we the king’sb servants will destroy them as one man. They cannot resist the might of our cavalry. ⁴We will overwhelm them;c their mountains will be drunk with their blood, and their fields will be full of their dead. Not even their footprints will survive our attack; they will utterly perish. So says King Nebuchadnezzar, lord of the whole earth. For he has spoken; none of his words shall be in vain.

⁵ ‘As for you, Achior, you Ammonite mercenary, you have said these words in a moment of perversity; you shall not see my face again from this day until I take revenge on this race that came out of Egypt. ⁶Then at my return the sword of my army and the speard of my servants shall pierce your sides, and you shall fall among their wounded. ⁷Now my slaves are going to take you back into the hill country and put you in one of the towns beside the passes. ⁸You will not die until you perish along with them. ⁹If you really hope in your heart that they will not be taken, then do not look downcast! I have spoken, and none of my words shall fail to come true.’

¹⁰ Then Holofernes ordered his slaves, who waited on him in his tent, to seize Achior and take him away to Bethulia and hand him over to the Israelites. ¹¹So the slaves took him and led him out of the camp into the plain, and from the plain they went up into the hill country and came to the springs below Bethulia. ¹²When the men of the town saw them,e they seized their weapons and ran out of the town to the top of the hill, and all the slingers kept them from coming up by throwing stones at them. ¹³So having taken shelter below the hill, they bound Achior and left him lying at the foot of the hill, and returned to their master.

¹⁴ Then the Israelites came down from their town and found him; they untied him and brought him into Bethulia and placed him before the magistrates of their town, ¹⁵who in those days were Uzziah son of Micah, of the tribe of Simeon, and Chabris son of Gothoniel, and Charmis son of Melchiel. ¹⁶They called together all the elders of the town, and all their young men and women ran to the assembly. They set Achior in the midst of all their people, and Uzziah questioned him about what had happened. ¹⁷He answered and told them what had taken place at the council of Holofernes, and all that he had said in the presence of the Assyrian leaders, and all that Holofernes had boasted he would do against the house of Israel. ¹⁸Then the people fell down and worshipped God, and cried out:

¹⁹ ‘O Lord God of heaven, see their arrogance, and have pity on our people in their humiliation, and look kindly today on the faces of those who are consecrated to you.’

²⁰ Then they reassured Achior, and praised him highly. ²¹Uzziah took him from the assembly to his own house and gave a banquet for the elders; and all that night they called on the God of Israel for help.

The Campaign against Bethulia

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THE next day Holofernes ordered his whole army, and all the allies who had joined him, to break camp and move against Bethulia, and to seize the passes up into the hill country and make war on the Israelites. ²So all their warriors marched off that day; their fighting forces numbered one hundred and seventy thousand infantry and twelve thousand cavalry, not counting the baggage and the foot-soldiers handling it, a very great multitude. ³They encamped in the valley near Bethulia, beside the spring, and they spread out in breadth over Dothan as far as Balbaim and in length from Bethulia to Cyamon, which faces Esdraelon.

⁴ When the Israelites saw their vast numbers, they were greatly terrified and said to one another, ‘They will now strip clean the whole land; neither the high mountains nor the valleys nor the hills will bear their weight.’ ⁵Yet they all seized their weapons, and when they had kindled fires on their towers, they remained on guard all that night.

⁶ On the second day Holofernes led out all his cavalry in full view of the Israelites in Bethulia. ⁷He reconnoitred the approaches to their town, and visited the springs that supplied their water; he seized them and set guards of soldiers over them, and then returned to his army.

⁸ Then all the chieftains of the Edomites and all the leaders of the Moabites and the commanders of the coastland came to him and said, ⁹‘Listen to what we have to say, my lord, and your army will suffer no losses. ¹⁰This people, the Israelites, do not rely on their spears but on the height of the mountains where they live, for it is not easy to reach the tops of their mountains. ¹¹Therefore, my lord, do not fight against them in regular formation, and not a man of your army will fall. ¹²Remain in your camp, and keep all the men in your forces with you; let your servants take possession of the spring of water that flows from the foot of the mountain, ¹³for this is where all the people of Bethulia get their water. So thirst will destroy them, and they will surrender their town. Meanwhile, we and our people will go up to the tops of the nearby mountains and camp there to keep watch to see that no one gets out of the town. ¹⁴They and their wives and children will waste away with famine, and before the sword reaches them they will be strewn about in the streets where they live. ¹⁵Thus you will pay them back with evil, because they rebelled and did not receive you peaceably.’

¹⁶ These words pleased Holofernes and all his attendants, and he gave orders to do as they had said. ¹⁷So the army of the Ammonites moved forward, together with five thousand Assyrians, and they encamped in the valley and seized the water supply and the springs of the Israelites. ¹⁸And the Edomites and Ammonites went up and encamped in the hill country opposite Dothan; and they sent some of their men towards the south and the east, towards Egrebeh, which is near Chusi beside the Wadi Mochmur. The rest of the Assyrian army encamped in the plain, and covered the whole face of the land. Their tents and supply trains spread out in great number, and they formed a vast multitude.

The Distress of the Israelites

¹⁹ The Israelites then cried out to the Lord their God, for their courage failed, because all their enemies had surrounded them, and there was no way of escape from them. ²⁰The whole Assyrian army, their infantry, chariots, and cavalry, surrounded them for thirty-four days, until all the water containers of every inhabitant of Bethulia were empty; ²¹their cisterns were going dry, and on no day did they have enough water to drink, for their drinking water was rationed. ²²Their children were listless, and the women and young men fainted from thirst and were collapsing in the streets of the town and in the gateways; they no longer had any strength.

²³ Then all the people, the young men, the women, and the children, gathered around Uzziah and the rulers of the town and cried out with a loud voice, and said before all the elders, ²⁴‘Let God judge between you and us! You have done us a great injury in not making peace with the Assyrians. ²⁵For now we have no one to help us; God has sold us into their hands, to be strewn before them in thirst and exhaustion. ²⁶Now summon them and surrender the whole town as booty to the army of Holofernes and to all his forces. ²⁷For it would be better for us to be captured by them.a We shall indeed become slaves, but our lives will be spared, and we shall not witness our little ones dying before our eyes, and our wives and children drawing their last breath. ²⁸We call to witness against you heaven and earth and our God, the Lord of our ancestors, who punishes us for our sins and the sins of our ancestors; do today the things that we have described!’

²⁹ Then great and general lamentation arose throughout the assembly, and they cried out to the Lord God with a loud voice. ³⁰But Uzziah said to them, ‘Courage, my brothers and sisters!b Let us hold out for five days more; by that time the Lord our God will turn his mercy to us again, for he will not forsake us utterly. ³¹But if these days pass by, and no help comes for us, I will do as you say.’

³² Then he dismissed the people to their various posts, and they went up on the walls and towers of their town. The women and children he sent home. In the town they were in great misery.

The Character of Judith

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NOW in those days Judith heard about these things: she was the daughter of Merari son of Ox son of Joseph son of Oziel son of Elkiah son of Ananias son of Gideon son of Raphain son of Ahitub son of Elijah son of Hilkiah son of Eliab son of Nathanael son of Salamiel son of Sarasadai son of Israel. ²Her husband Manasseh, who belonged to her tribe and family, had died during the barley harvest. ³For as he stood overseeing those who were binding sheaves in the field, he was overcome by the burning heat, and took to his bed and died in his town Bethulia. So they buried him with his ancestors in the field between Dothan and Balamon. ⁴Judith remained as a widow for three years and four months ⁵at home where she set up a tent for herself on the roof of her house. She put sackcloth around her waist and dressed in widow’s clothing. ⁶She fasted all the days of her widowhood, except the day before the sabbath and the sabbath itself, the day before the new moon and the day of the new moon, and the festivals and days of rejoicing of the house of Israel. ⁷She was beautiful in appearance, and was very lovely to behold. Her husband Manasseh had left her gold and silver, men and women slaves, livestock, and fields; and she maintained this estate. ⁸No one spoke ill of her, for she feared God with great devotion.

Judith and the Elders

⁹ When Judith heard the harsh words spoken by the people against the ruler, because they were faint for lack of water, and when she heard all that Uzziah said to them, and how he promised them under oath to surrender the town to the Assyrians after five days, ¹⁰she sent her maid, who was in charge of all she possessed, to summon Uzziah anda Chabris and Charmis, the elders of her town. ¹¹They came to her, and she said to them:

‘Listen to me, rulers of the people of Bethulia! What you have said to the people today is not right; you have even sworn and pronounced this oath between God and you, promising to surrender the town to our enemies unless the Lord turns and helps us within so many days. ¹²Who are you to put God to the test today, and to set yourselves up in the place ofb God in human affairs? ¹³You are putting the Lord Almighty to the test, but you will never learn anything! ¹⁴You cannot plumb the depths of the human heart or understand the workings of the human mind; how do you expect to search out God, who made all these things, and find out his mind or comprehend his thought? No, my brothers, do not anger the Lord our God. ¹⁵For if he does not choose to help us within these five days, he has power to protect us within any time he pleases, or even to destroy us in the presence of our enemies. ¹⁶Do not try to bind the purposes of the Lord our God; for God is not like a human being, to be threatened, or like a mere mortal, to be won over by pleading. ¹⁷Therefore, while we wait for his deliverance, let us call upon him to help us, and he will hear our voice if it pleases him.

¹⁸ ‘For never in our generation, nor in these present days, has there been any tribe or family or people or town of ours that worships gods made with hands, as was done in days gone by. ¹⁹That was why our ancestors were handed over to the sword and to pillage, and so they suffered a great catastrophe before our enemies. ²⁰But we know no other god but him, and so we hope that he will not disdain us or any of our nation. ²¹For if we are captured, all Judea will be captured and our sanctuary will be plundered; and he will make us pay for its desecration with our blood. ²²The slaughter of our kindred and the captivity of the land and the desolation of our inheritance—all this he will bring on our heads among the Gentiles, wherever we serve as slaves; and we shall be an offence and a disgrace in the eyes of those who acquire us. ²³For our slavery will not bring us into favour, but the Lord our God will turn it to dishonour.

²⁴ ‘Therefore, my brothers, let us set an example to our kindred, for their lives depend upon us, and the sanctuary—both the temple and the altar—rests upon us. ²⁵In spite of everything let us give thanks to the Lord our God, who is putting us to the test as he did our ancestors. ²⁶Remember what he did with Abraham, and how he tested Isaac, and what happened to Jacob in Syrian Mesopotamia, while he was tending the sheep of Laban, his mother’s brother. ²⁷For he has not tried us with fire, as he did them, to search their hearts, nor has he taken vengeance on us; but the Lord scourges those who are close to him in order to admonish them.’

²⁸ Then Uzziah said to her, ‘All that you have said was spoken out of a true heart, and there is no one who can deny your words. ²⁹Today is not the first time your wisdom has been shown, but from the beginning of your life all the people have recognized your understanding, for your heart’s disposition is right. ³⁰But the people were so thirsty that they compelled us to do for them what we have promised, and made us take an oath that we cannot break. ³¹Now since you are a God-fearing woman, pray for us, so that the Lord may send us rain to fill our cisterns. Then we will no longer feel faint from thirst.’

³² Then Judith said to them, ‘Listen to me. I am about to do something that will go down through all generations of our descendants. ³³Stand at the town gate tonight so that I may go out with my maid; and within the days after which you have promised to surrender the town to our enemies, the Lord will deliver Israel by my hand. ³⁴Only, do not try to find out what I am doing; for I will not tell you until I have finished what I am about to do.’

³⁵ Uzziah and the rulers said to her, ‘Go in peace, and may the Lord God go before you, to take vengeance on our enemies.’ ³⁶So they returned from the tent and went to their posts.

The Prayer of Judith

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THEN Judith prostrated herself, put ashes on her head, and uncovered the sackcloth she was wearing. At the very time when the evening incense was being offered in the house of God in Jerusalem, Judith cried out to the Lord with a loud voice, and said:

² ‘O Lord God of my ancestor Simeon, to whom you gave a sword to take revenge on those strangers who had torn off a virgin’s clothinga to defile her, and exposed her thighs to put her to shame, and polluted her womb to disgrace her; for you said, “It shall not be done”—yet they did it; ³so you gave up their rulers to be killed, and their bed, which was ashamed of the deceit they had practised, was stained with blood, and you struck down slaves along with princes, and princes on their thrones. ⁴You gave up their wives for booty and their daughters to captivity, and all their booty to be divided among your beloved children who burned with zeal for you and abhorred the pollution of their blood and called on you for help. O God, my God, hear me also, a widow.

⁵ ‘For you have done these things and those that went before and those that followed. You have designed the things that are now, and those that are to come. What you had in mind has happened; ⁶the things you decided on presented themselves and said, “Here we are!” For all your ways are prepared in advance, and your judgement is with foreknowledge.

⁷ ‘Here now are the Assyrians, a greatly increased force, priding themselves on their horses and riders, boasting in the strength of their foot-soldiers, and trusting in shield and spear, in bow and sling. They do not know that you are the Lord who crushes wars; the Lord is your name. ⁸Break their strength by your might, and bring down their power in your anger; for they intend to defile your sanctuary, and to pollute the tabernacle where your glorious name resides, and to break off the hornsa of your altar with the sword. ⁹Look at their pride, and send your wrath upon their heads. Give to me, a widow, the strong hand to do what I plan. ¹⁰By the deceit of my lips strike down the slave with the prince and the prince with his servant; crush their arrogance by the hand of a woman.

¹¹ ‘For your strength does not depend on numbers, nor your might on the powerful. But you are the God of the lowly, helper of the oppressed, upholder of the weak, protector of the forsaken, saviour of those without hope. ¹²Please, please, God of my father, God of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters, King of all your creation, hear my prayer! ¹³Make my deceitful words bring wound and bruise on those who have planned cruel things against your covenant, and against your sacred house, and against Mount Zion, and against the house your children possess. ¹⁴Let your whole nation and every tribe know and understand that you are God, the God of all power and might, and that there is no other who protects the people of Israel but you alone!’

Judith Prepares to Go to Holofernes

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WHEN Judithb had stopped crying out to the God of Israel, and had ended all these words, ²she rose from where she lay prostrate. She called her maid and went down into the house where she lived on sabbaths and on her festal days. ³She removed the sackcloth she had been wearing, took off her widow’s garments, bathed her body with water, and anointed herself with precious ointment. She combed her hair, put on a tiara, and dressed herself in the festive attire that she used to wear while her husband Manasseh was living. ⁴She put sandals on her feet, and put on her anklets, bracelets, rings, ear-rings, and all her other jewellery. Thus she made herself very beautiful, to entice the eyes of all the men who might see her. ⁵She gave her maid a skin of wine and a flask of oil, and filled a bag with roasted grain, dried fig cakes, and fine bread;c then she wrapped up all her dishes and gave them to her to carry.

⁶ Then they went out to the town gate of Bethulia and found Uzziah standing there with the elders of the town, Chabris and Charmis. ⁷When they saw her transformed in appearance and dressed differently, they were very greatly astounded at her beauty and said to her, ⁸‘May the God of our ancestors grant you favour and fulfil your plans, so that the people of Israel may glory and Jerusalem may be exalted.’ She bowed down to God.

⁹ Then she said to them, ‘Order the gate of the town to be opened for me so that I may go out and accomplish the things you have just said to me.’ So they ordered the young men to open the gate for her, as she requested. ¹⁰When they had done this, Judith went out, accompanied by her maid. The men of the town watched her until she had gone down the mountain and passed through the valley, where they lost sight of her.

Judith Is Captured

¹¹ As the womena were going straight on through the valley, an Assyrian patrol met her ¹²and took her into custody. They asked her, ‘To what people do you belong, and where are you coming from, and where are you going?’ She replied, ‘I am a daughter of the Hebrews, but I am fleeing from them, for they are about to be handed over to you to be devoured. ¹³I am on my way to see Holofernes the commander of your army, to give him a true report; I will show him a way by which he can go and capture all the hill country without losing one of his men, captured or slain.’

¹⁴ When the men heard her words, and observed her face—she was in their eyes marvellously beautiful—they said to her, ¹⁵‘You have saved your life by hurrying down to see our lord. Go at once to his tent; some of us will escort you and hand you over to him. ¹⁶When you stand before him, have no fear in your heart, but tell him what you have just said, and he will treat you well.’

¹⁷ They chose from their number a hundred men to accompany her and her maid, and they brought them to the tent of Holofernes. ¹⁸There was great excitement in the whole camp, for her arrival was reported from tent to tent. They came and gathered around her as she stood outside the tent of Holofernes, waiting until they told him about her. ¹⁹They marvelled at her beauty and admired the Israelites, judging them by her. They said to one another, ‘Who can despise these people, who have women like this among them? It is not wise to leave one of their men alive, for if we let them go they will be able to beguile the whole world!’

Judith Is Brought before Holofernes

²⁰ Then the guards of Holofernes and all his servants came out and led her into the tent. ²¹Holofernes was resting on his bed under a canopy that was woven with purple and gold, emeralds and other precious stones. ²²When they told him of her, he came to the front of the tent, with silver lamps carried before him. ²³When Judith came into the presence of Holofernesb and his servants, they all marvelled at the beauty of her face. She prostrated herself and did obeisance to him, but his slaves raised her up.

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THEN Holofernes said to her, ‘Take courage, woman, and do not be afraid in your heart, for I have never hurt anyone who chose to serve Nebuchadnezzar, king of all the earth. ²Even now, if your people who live in the hill country had not slighted me, I would never have lifted my spear against them. They have brought this on themselves. ³But now tell me why you have fled from them and have come over to us. In any event, you have come to safety. Take courage! You will live tonight and ever after. ⁴No one will hurt you. Rather, all will treat you well, as they do the servants of my lord King Nebuchadnezzar.’

Judith Explains Her Presence

⁵ Judith answered him, ‘Accept the words of your slave, and let your servant speak in your presence. I will say nothing false to my lord this night. ⁶If you follow out the words of your servant, God will accomplish something through you, and my lord will not fail to achieve his purposes. ⁷By the life of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the whole earth, and by the power of him who has sent you to direct every living being! Not only do human beings serve him because of you, but also the animals of the field and the cattle and the birds of the air will live, because of your power, under Nebuchadnezzar and all his house. ⁸For we have heard of your wisdom and skill, and it is reported throughout the whole world that you alone are the best in the whole kingdom, the most informed and the most astounding in military strategy.

⁹ ‘Now as for Achior’s speech in your council, we have heard his words, for the people of Bethulia spared him and he told them all he had said to you. ¹⁰Therefore, lord and master, do not disregard what he said, but keep it in your mind, for it is true. Indeed our nation cannot be punished, nor can the sword prevail against them, unless they sin against their God.

¹¹ ‘But now, in order that my lord may not be defeated and his purpose frustrated, death will fall upon them, for a sin has overtaken them by which they are about to provoke their God to anger when they do what is wrong. ¹²Since their food supply is exhausted and their water has almost given out, they have planned to kill their livestock and have determined to use all that God by his laws has forbidden them to eat. ¹³They have decided to consume the first fruits of the grain and the tithes of the wine and oil, which they had consecrated and set aside for the priests who minister in the presence of our God in Jerusalem—things it is not lawful for any of the people even to touch with their hands. ¹⁴Since even the people in Jerusalem have been doing this, they have sent messengers there in order to bring back permission from the council of the elders. ¹⁵When the response reaches them and they act upon it, on that very day they will be handed over to you to be destroyed.

¹⁶ ‘So when I, your slave, learned all this, I fled from them. God has sent me to accomplish with you things that will astonish the whole world wherever people shall hear about them. ¹⁷Your servant is indeed God-fearing and serves the God of heaven night and day. So, my lord, I will remain with you; but every night your servant will go out into the valley and pray to God. He will tell me when they have committed their sins. ¹⁸Then I will come and tell you, so that you may go out with your whole army, and not one of them will be able to withstand you. ¹⁹Then I will lead you through Judea, until you come to Jerusalem; there I will set your throne.a You will drive them like sheep that have no shepherd, and no dog will so much as growl at you. For this was told me to give me foreknowledge; it was announced to me, and I was sent to tell you.’

²⁰ Her words pleased Holofernes and all his servants. They marvelled at her wisdom and said, ²¹‘No other woman from one end of the earth to the other looks so beautiful or speaks so wisely!’ ²²Then Holofernes said to her, ‘God has done well to send you ahead of the people, to strengthen our hands and bring destruction on those who have despised my lord. ²³You are not only beautiful in appearance, but wise in speech. If you do as you have said, your God shall be my God, and you shall live in the palace of King Nebuchadnezzar and be renowned throughout the whole world.’

Judith as a Guest of Holofernes

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THEN he commanded them to bring her in where his silver dinnerware was kept, and ordered them to set a table for her with some of his own delicacies, and with some of his own wine to drink. ²But Judith said, ‘I cannot partake of them, or it will be an offence; but I will have enough with the things I brought with me.’ ³Holofernes said to her, ‘If your supply runs out, where can we get you more of the same? For none of your people are here with us.’ ⁴Judith replied, ‘As surely as you live, my lord, your servant will not use up the supplies I have with me before the Lord carries out by my hand what he has determined.’

⁵ Then the servants of Holofernes brought her into the tent, and she slept until midnight. Towards the morning watch she got up ⁶and sent this message to Holofernes: ‘Let my lord now give orders to allow your servant to go out and pray.’ ⁷So Holofernes commanded his guards not to hinder her. She remained in the camp for three days. She went out each night to the valley of Bethulia, and bathed at the spring in the camp.a ⁸After bathing, she prayed the Lord God of Israel to direct her way for the triumph of hisb people. ⁹Then she returned purified and stayed in the tent until she ate her food towards evening.

Judith Attends Holofernes’ Banquet

¹⁰ On the fourth day Holofernes held a banquet for his personal attendants only, and did not invite any of his officers. ¹¹He said to Bagoas, the eunuch who had charge of his personal affairs, ‘Go and persuade the Hebrew woman who is in your care to join us and to eat and drink with us. ¹²For it would be a disgrace if we let such a woman go without having intercourse with her. If we do not seduce her, she will laugh at us.’

¹³ So Bagoas left the presence of Holofernes, and approached her and said, ‘Let this pretty girl not hesitate to come to my lord to be honoured in his presence, and to enjoy drinking wine with us, and to become today like one of the Assyrian women who serve in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar.’ ¹⁴Judith replied, ‘Who am I to refuse my lord? Whatever pleases him I will do at once, and it will be a joy to me until the day of my death.’ ¹⁵So she proceeded to dress herself in all her woman’s finery. Her maid went ahead and spread for her on the ground before Holofernes the lambskins she had received from Bagoas for her daily use in reclining.

¹⁶ Then Judith came in and lay down. Holofernes’ heart was ravished with her and his passion was aroused, for he had been waiting for an opportunity to seduce her from the day he first saw her. ¹⁷So Holofernes said to her, ‘Have a drink and be merry with us!’ ¹⁸Judith said, ‘I will gladly drink, my lord, because today is the greatest day in my whole life.’ ¹⁹Then she took what her maid had prepared and ate and drank before him. ²⁰Holofernes was greatly pleased with her, and drank a great quantity of wine, much more than he had ever drunk in any one day since he was born.

Judith Beheads Holofernes

13

WHEN evening came, his slaves quickly withdrew. Bagoas closed the tent from outside and shut out the attendants from his master’s presence. They went to bed, for they all were weary because the banquet had lasted so long. ²But Judith was left alone in the tent, with Holofernes stretched out on his bed, for he was dead drunk.

³ Now Judith had told her maid to stand outside the bedchamber and to wait for her to come out, as she did on the other days; for she said she would be going out for her prayers. She had said the same thing to Bagoas. ⁴So everyone went out, and no one, either small or great, was left in the bedchamber. Then Judith, standing beside his bed, said in her heart, ‘O Lord God of all might, look in this hour on the work of my hands for the exaltation of Jerusalem. ⁵Now indeed is the time to help your heritage and to carry out my design to destroy the enemies who have risen up against us.’

⁶ She went up to the bedpost near Holofernes’ head, and took down his sword that hung there. ⁷She came close to his bed, took hold of the hair of his head, and said, ‘Give me strength today, O Lord God of Israel!’ ⁸Then she struck his neck twice with all her might, and cut off his head. ⁹Next she rolled his body off the bed and pulled down the canopy from the posts. Soon afterwards she went out and gave Holofernes’ head to her maid, ¹⁰who placed it in her food bag.

Judith Returns to Bethulia

Then the two of them went out together, as they were accustomed to do for prayer. They passed through the camp, circled around the valley, and went up the mountain to Bethulia, and came to its gates. ¹¹From a distance Judith called out to the sentries at the gates, ‘Open, open the gate! God, our God, is with us, still showing his power in Israel and his strength against our enemies, as he has done today!’

¹² When the people of her town heard her voice, they hurried down to the town gate and summoned the elders of the town. ¹³They all ran together, both small and great, for it seemed unbelievable that she had returned. They opened the gate and welcomed them. Then they lit a fire to give light, and gathered around them. ¹⁴Then she said to them with a loud voice, ‘Praise God, O praise him! Praise God, who has not withdrawn his mercy from the house of Israel, but has destroyed our enemies by my hand this very night!’

¹⁵ Then she pulled the head out of the bag and showed it to them, and said, ‘See here, the head of Holofernes, the commander of the Assyrian army, and here is the canopy beneath which he lay in his drunken stupor. The Lord has struck him down by the hand of a woman. ¹⁶As the Lord lives, who has protected me on the way I went, I swear that it was my face that seduced him to his destruction, and that he committed no sin with me, to defile and shame me.’

¹⁷ All the people were greatly astonished. They bowed down and worshipped God, and said with one accord, ‘Blessed are you our God, who have this day humiliated the enemies of your people.’

¹⁸ Then Uzziah said to her, ‘O daughter, you are blessed by the Most High God above all other women on earth; and blessed be the Lord God, who created the heavens and the earth, who has guided you to cut off the head of the leader of our enemies. ¹⁹Your praisea will never depart from the hearts of those who remember the power of God. ²⁰May God grant this to be a perpetual honour to you, and may he reward you with blessings, because you risked your own life when our nation was brought low, and you averted our ruin, walking in the straight path before our God.’ And all the people said, ‘Amen. Amen.’

Judith’s Counsel

14

THEN Judith said to them, ‘Listen to me, my friends. Take this head and hang it upon the parapet of your wall. ²As soon as day breaks and the sun rises on the earth, each of you take up your weapons, and let every able-bodied man go out of the town; set a captain over them, as if you were going down to the plain against the Assyrian outpost; only do not go down. ³Then they will seize their arms and go into the camp and rouse the officers of the Assyrian army. They will rush into the tent of Holofernes and will not find him. Then panic will come over them, and they will flee before you. ⁴Then you and all who live within the borders of Israel will pursue them and cut them down in their tracks. ⁵But before you do all this, bring Achior the Ammonite to me so that he may see and recognize the man who despised the house of Israel and sent him to us as if to his death.’

⁶ So they summoned Achior from the house of Uzziah. When he came and saw the head of Holofernes in the hand of one of the men in the assembly of the people, he fell down on his face in a faint. ⁷When they raised him up he threw himself at Judith’s feet, and did obeisance to her, and said, ‘Blessed are you in every tent of Judah! In every nation those who hear your name will be alarmed. ⁸Now tell me what you have done during these days.’

So Judith told him in the presence of the people all that she had done, from the day she left until the moment she began speaking to them. ⁹When she had finished, the people raised a great shout and made a joyful noise in their town. ¹⁰When Achior saw all that the God of Israel had done, he believed firmly in God. So he was circumcised, and joined the house of Israel, remaining so to this day.

Holofernes’ Death Is Discovered

¹¹ As soon as it was dawn they hung the head of Holofernes on the wall. Then they all took their weapons, and they went out in companies to the mountain passes. ¹²When the Assyrians saw them they sent word to their commanders, who then went to the generals and the captains and to all their other officers. ¹³They came to Holofernes’ tent and said to the steward in charge of all his personal affairs, ‘Wake up our lord, for the slaves have been so bold as to come down against us to give battle, to their utter destruction.’

¹⁴ So Bagoas went in and knocked at the entry of the tent, for he supposed that he was sleeping with Judith. ¹⁵But when no one answered, he opened it and went into the bedchamber and found him sprawled on the floor dead, with his head missing. ¹⁶He cried out with a loud voice and wept and groaned and shouted, and tore his clothes. ¹⁷Then he went to the tent where Judith had stayed, and when he did not find her, he rushed out to the people and shouted, ¹⁸‘The slaves have tricked us! One Hebrew woman has brought disgrace on the house of King Nebuchadnezzar. Look, Holofernes is lying on the ground, and his head is missing!’

¹⁹ When the leaders of the Assyrian army heard this, they tore their tunics and were greatly dismayed, and their loud cries and shouts rose up throughout the camp.

The Assyrians Flee in Panic

15

WHEN the men in the tents heard it, they were amazed at what had happened. ²Overcome with fear and trembling, they did not wait for one another, but with one impulse all rushed out and fled by every path across the plain and through the hill country. ³Those who had camped in the hills around Bethulia also took to flight. Then the Israelites, everyone that was a soldier, rushed out upon them. ⁴Uzziah sent men to Betomasthaima and Choba and Kola, and to all the frontiers of Israel, to tell what had taken place and to urge all to rush out upon the enemy to destroy them. ⁵When the Israelites heard it, with one accord they fell upon the enemy,b and cut them down as far as Choba. Those in Jerusalem and all the hill country also came, for they were told what had happened in the camp of the enemy. The men in Gilead and in Galilee outflanked them with great slaughter, even beyond Damascus and its borders. ⁶The rest of the people of Bethulia fell upon the Assyrian camp and plundered it, acquiring great riches. ⁷And the Israelites, when they returned from the slaughter, took possession of what remained. Even the villages and towns in the hill country and in the plain got a great amount of booty, since there was a vast quantity of it.

The Israelites Celebrate Their Victory

⁸ Then the high priest Joakim and the elders of the Israelites who lived in Jerusalem came to witness the good things that the Lord had done for Israel, and to see Judith and to wish her well. ⁹When they met her, they all blessed her with one accord and said to her, ‘You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the great boast of Israel, you are the great pride of our nation! ¹⁰You have done all this with your own hand; you have done great good to Israel, and God is well pleased with it. May the Almighty Lord bless you for ever!’ And all the people said, ‘Amen.’

¹¹ All the people plundered the camp for thirty days. They gave Judith the tent of Holofernes and all his silver dinnerware, his beds, his bowls, and all his furniture. She took them and loaded her mules and hitched up her carts and piled the things on them.

¹² All the women of Israel gathered to see her, and blessed her, and some of them performed a dance in her honour. She took ivy-wreathed wands in her hands and distributed them to the women who were with her; ¹³and she and those who were with her crowned themselves with olive wreaths. She went before all the people in the dance, leading all the women, while all the men of Israel followed, bearing their arms and wearing garlands and singing hymns.

Judith Offers Her Hymn of Praise

¹⁴ Judith began this thanksgiving before all Israel, and all the people loudly sang this song of praise. ¹And Judith said,

16

Begin a song to my God with tambourines,

sing to my Lord with cymbals.

Raise to him a new psalm;c

exalt him, and call upon his name.

² For the Lord is a God who crushes wars;

he sets up his camp among his people;

he delivered me from the hands of my pursuers.

³ The Assyrian came down from the mountains of the north;

he came with myriads of his warriors;

their numbers blocked up the wadis,

and their cavalry covered the hills.

⁴ He boasted that he would burn up my territory,

and kill my young men with the sword,

and dash my infants to the ground,

and seize my children as booty,

and take my virgins as spoil.

⁵ But the Lord Almighty has foiled them

by the hand of a woman.a

⁶ For their mighty one did not fall by the hands of the young men,

nor did the sons of the Titans strike him down,

nor did tall giants set upon him;

but Judith daughter of Merari

with the beauty of her countenance undid him.

⁷ For she put away her widow’s clothing

to exalt the oppressed in Israel.

She anointed her face with perfume;

⁸ she fastened her hair with a tiara

and put on a linen gown to beguile him.

⁹ Her sandal ravished his eyes,

her beauty captivated his mind,

and the sword severed his neck!

¹⁰ The Persians trembled at her boldness,

the Medes were daunted at her daring.

¹¹ Then my oppressed people shouted;

my weak people cried out,b and the enemyc trembled;

they lifted up their voices, and the enemyc were turned back.

¹² Sons of slave-girls pierced them through

and wounded them like the children of fugitives;

they perished before the army of my Lord.

¹³ I will sing to my God a new song:

O Lord, you are great and glorious,

wonderful in strength, invincible.

¹⁴ Let all your creatures serve you,

for you spoke, and they were made.

You sent forth your spirit,a and it formed them;b

there is none that can resist your voice.

¹⁵ For the mountains shall be shaken to their foundations with the waters;

before your glance the rocks shall melt like wax.

But to those who fear you

you show mercy.

¹⁶ For every sacrifice as a fragrant offering is a small thing,

and the fat of all whole burnt-offerings to you is a very little thing;

but whoever fears the Lord is great for ever.

¹⁷ Woe to the nations that rise up against my people!

The Lord Almighty will take vengeance on them in the day of judgement;

he will send fire and worms into their flesh;

they shall weep in pain for ever.

¹⁸ When they arrived at Jerusalem, they worshipped God. As soon as the people were purified, they offered their burnt-offerings, their freewill-offerings, and their gifts. ¹⁹Judith also dedicated to God all the possessions of Holofernes, which the people had given her; and the canopy that she had taken for herself from his bedchamber she gave as a votive offering. ²⁰For three months the people continued feasting in Jerusalem before the sanctuary, and Judith remained with them.

The Renown and Death of Judith

²¹ After this they all returned home to their own inheritances. Judith went to Bethulia, and remained on her estate. For the rest of her life she was honoured throughout the whole country. ²²Many desired to marry her, but she gave herself to no man all the days of her life after her husband Manasseh died and was gathered to his people. ²³She became more and more famous, and grew old in her husband’s house, reaching the age of one hundred and five. She set her maid free. She died in Bethulia, and they buried her in the cave of her husband Manasseh; ²⁴and the house of Israel mourned her for seven days. Before she died she distributed her property to all those who were next of kin to her husband Manasseh, and to her own nearest kindred. ²⁵No one ever again spread terror among the Israelites during the lifetime of Judith, or for along time after her death.

ESTHER

NOTE: The deuterocanonical portions of the Book of Esther are translated from the Greek version (Septuagint) and comprise one hundred and seven additional verses that have been inserted at the appropriate places in the translation of the Hebrew form of the book. The disordered chapter numbers come from the displacement of the additions to the end of the Hebrew form of the Book of Esther by St. Jerome in his Latin Vulagte translation and from the subsequent division of the Bible into chapters by Stephen Langton, who numbered the additions consecutively as though they formed a direct continuation of the Hebrew text. The deuterocanonical portions are given in the order found in the Greek text so that they may be read in their proper context, but the chapter and verse numbers conform to those of the King James or Authorized Version. Proper names are given according to their Hebrew rather than their Greek form; for example, Ahasuerus and Mordecai instead of Artaxerxes and Mardocheus. The additions, conveniently indicated by the letters A–F, are located as follows: A, before 1.1; B, after 3.13; C and D, after 4.17; E, after 8.12; F after 10.3.

ADDITION A

Mordecai’s Dream

11a

²IN THE second year of the reign of Ahasuerus the Great, on the first day of Nisan, Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimeib son of Kish, of the tribe of Benjamin, had a dream. ³He was a Jew living in the city of Susa, a great man, serving in the court of the king. ⁴He was one of the captives whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had brought from Jerusalem with King Jeconiah of Judah. And this was his dream: ⁵Noisesc and confusion, thunders and earthquake, tumult on the earth! ⁶Then two great dragons came forward, both ready to fight, and they roared terribly. ⁷At their roaring every nation prepared for war, to fight against the righteous nation. ⁸It was a day of darkness and gloom, of tribulation and distress, affliction and great tumult on the earth! ⁹And the whole righteous nation was troubled; they feared the evils that threatened them,d and were ready to perish. ¹⁰Then they cried out to God; and at their outcry, as though from a tiny spring, there came a great river, with abundant water; ¹¹light came, and the sun rose, and the lowly were exalted and devoured those held in honour.

¹² Mordecai saw in this dream what God had determined to do, and after he awoke he had it on his mind, seeking all day to understand it in every detail.

A Plot against the King

12

NOW Mordecai took his rest in the courtyard with Bigthan and Teresh, the two eunuchs of the king who kept watch in the courtyard. ²He overheard their conversation and inquired into their purposes, and learned that they were preparing to lay hands on King Ahasuerus; and he informed the king concerning them. ³Then the king examined the two eunuchs, and after they had confessed it, they were led away to execution. ⁴The king made a permanent record of these things, and Mordecai wrote an account of them. ⁵And the king ordered Mordecai to serve in the court, and rewarded him for these things. ⁶But Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who was held in great honour by the king, determined to injure Mordecai and his people because of the two eunuchs of the king.

END OF ADDITION A

King Ahasuerus Deposes Queen Vashti

1

THIS happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia.a ²In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, ³in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were present, ⁴while he displayed the great wealth of his kingdom and the splendour and pomp of his majesty for many days, one hundred and eighty days in all.

⁵ When these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in the citadel of Susa, both great and small, a banquet lasting for seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace. ⁶There were white cotton curtains and blue hangings tied with cords of fine linen and purple to silver ringsb and marble pillars. There were couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl, and coloured stones. ⁷Drinks were served in golden goblets, goblets of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished in accordance with the bounty of the king.

⁸Drinking was by flagons, without restraint; for the king had given orders to all the officials of his palace to do as each one desired. ⁹Furthermore, Queen Vashti gave a banquet for the women in the palace of King Ahasuerus.

¹⁰ On the seventh day, when the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who attended him, ¹¹to bring Queen Vashti before the king, wearing the royal crown, in order to show the peoples and the officials her beauty; for she was fair to behold. ¹²But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command conveyed by the eunuchs. At this the king was enraged, and his anger burned within him.

¹³ Then the king consulted the sages who knew the lawsc (for this was the king’s procedure towards all who were versed in law and custom, ¹⁴and those next to him were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven officials of Persia and Media, who had access to the king, and sat first in the kingdom): ¹⁵‘According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus conveyed by the eunuchs?’ ¹⁶Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, ‘Not only has Queen Vashti done wrong to the king, but also to all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. ¹⁷For this deed of the queen will be made known to all women, causing them to look with contempt on their husbands, since they will say, “King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.” ¹⁸This very day the noble ladies of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen’s behaviour will rebel againsta the king’s officials, and there will be no end of contempt and wrath! ¹⁹If it pleases the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be altered, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. ²⁰So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, vast as it is, all women will give honour to their husbands, high and low alike.’

²¹ This advice pleased the king and the officials, and the king did as Memucan proposed; ²²he sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, declaring that every man should be master in his own house.b

Esther Becomes Queen

2

AFTER these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. ²Then the king’s servants who attended him said, ‘Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. ³And let the king appoint commissioners in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in the citadel of Susa under the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women; let their cosmetic treatments be given them. ⁴And let the girl who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.’ This pleased the king, and he did so.

⁵ Now there was a Jew in the citadel of Susa whose name was Mordecai son of Jair son of Shimei son of Kish, a Benjaminite. ⁶Kishc had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with King Jeconiah of Judah, whom King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away. ⁷Mordecaid had brought up Hadassah, that is Esther, his cousin, for she had neither father nor mother; the girl was fair and beautiful, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai adopted her as his own daughter. ⁸So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in the citadel of Susa in the custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in the custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. ⁹The girl pleased him and won his favour, and he quickly provided her with her cosmetic treatments and her portion of food, and with seven chosen maids from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her maids to the best place in the harem. ¹⁰Esther did not reveal her people or kindred, for Mordecai had charged her not to tell. ¹¹Every day Mordecai would walk around in front of the court of the harem, to learn how Esther was and how she fared.

¹² The turn came for each girl to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their cosmetic treatment, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and cosmetics for women. ¹³When the girl went in to the king she was given whatever she asked for to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. ¹⁴In the evening she went in; then in the morning she came back to the second harem in the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines; she did not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.

¹⁵ When the turn came for Esther daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had adopted her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was admired by all who saw her. ¹⁶When Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus in his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, ¹⁷the king loved Esther more than all the other women; of all the virgins she won his favour and devotion, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. ¹⁸Then the king gave a great banquet to all his officials and ministers—‘Esther’s banquet.’ He also granted a holidaya to the provinces, and gave gifts with royal liberality.

Mordecai Discovers a Plot

¹⁹ When the virgins were being gathered together,b Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. ²⁰Now Esther had not revealed her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had charged her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. ²¹In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and conspired to assassinatec King Ahasuerus. ²²But the matter came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. ²³When the affair was investigated and found to be so, both the men were hanged on the gallows. It was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

Haman Undertakes to Destroy the Jews

3

AFTER these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the officials who were with him. ²And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and did obeisance to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance. ³Then the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate said to Mordecai, ‘Why do you disobey the king’s command?’ ⁴When they spoke to him day after day and he would not listen to them, they told Haman, in order to see whether Mordecai’s words would avail; for he had told them that he was a Jew. ⁵When Haman saw that Mordecai did not bow down or do obeisance to him, Haman was infuriated. ⁶But he thought it beneath him to lay hands on Mordecai alone. So, having been told who Mordecai’s people were, Haman plotted to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai, throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus.

⁷ In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur—which means ‘the lot’—before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth daya of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. ⁸Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, ‘There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. ⁹If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, so that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.’ ¹⁰So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. ¹¹The king said to Haman, ‘The money is given to you, and the people as well, to do with them as it seems good to you.’

¹² Then the king’s secretaries were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king’s satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring. ¹³Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

ADDITION B

The King’s Letter

13b

THIS is a copy of the letter: ‘The Great King, Ahasuerus, writes the following to the governors of the hundred and twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia and to the officials under them:

² ‘Having become ruler of many nations and master of the whole world (not elated with presumption of authority but always acting reasonably and with kindness), I have determined to settle the lives of my subjects in lasting tranquillity and, in order to make my kingdom peaceable and open to travel throughout all its extent, to restore the peace desired by all people.

³ ‘When I asked my counsellors how this might be accomplished, Haman—who excels among us in sound judgement, and is distinguished for his unchanging goodwill and steadfast fidelity, and has attained the second place in the kingdom—⁴pointed out to us that among all the nations in the world there is scattered a certain hostile people, who have laws contrary to those of every nation and continually disregard the ordinances of kings, so that the unifying of the kingdom that we honourably intend cannot be brought about. ⁵We understand that this people, and it alone, stands constantly in opposition to every nation, perversely following a strange manner of life and laws, and is ill-disposed to our government, doing all the harm they can so that our kingdom may not attain stability.

⁶ ‘Therefore we have decreed that those indicated to you in the letters written by Haman, who is in charge of affairs and is our second father, shall all—wives and children included—be utterly destroyed by the swords of their enemies, without pity or restraint, on the fourteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, of this present year, ⁷so that those who have long been hostile and remain so may in a single day go down in violence to Hades, and leave our government completely secure and untroubled hereafter.’

END OF ADDITION B

3

¹⁴A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day. ¹⁵The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.

Esther Agrees to Help the Jews

4

WHEN Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; ²he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. ³In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.

⁴ When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them. ⁵Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. ⁶Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, ⁷and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. ⁸Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people.

⁹ Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. ¹⁰Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, ¹¹‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden sceptre to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.’ ¹²When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, ¹³Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. ¹⁴For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.’ ¹⁵Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, ¹⁶‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’ ¹⁷Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

ADDITION C

Mordecai’s Prayer

13

⁸a Then Mordecaib prayed to the Lord, calling to remembrance all the works of the Lord.

⁹ He said, ‘O Lord, Lord, you rule as King over all things, for the universe is in your power and there is no one who can oppose you when it is your will to save Israel, ¹⁰for you have made heaven and earth and every wonderful thing under heaven. ¹¹You are Lord of all, and there is no one who can resist you, the Lord. ¹²You know all things; you know, O Lord, that it was not in insolence or pride or for any love of glory that I did this, and refused to bow down to this proud Haman; ¹³for I would have been willing to kiss the soles of his feet to save Israel! ¹⁴But I did this so that I might not set human glory above the glory of God, and I will not bow down to anyone but you, who are my Lord; and I will not do these things in pride. ¹⁵And now, O Lord God and King, God of Abraham, spare your people; for the eyes of our foes are upon usc to annihilate us, and they desire to destroy the inheritance that has been yours from the beginning. ¹⁶Do not neglect your portion, which you redeemed for yourself out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁷Hear my prayer, and have mercy upon your inheritance; turn our mourning into feasting, that we may live and sing praise to your name, O Lord; do not destroy the lipsd of those who praise you.’

¹⁸ And all Israel cried out mightily, for their death was before their eyes.

Esther’s Prayer

14

THEN Queen Esther, seized with deadly anxiety, fled to the Lord. ²She took off her splendid apparel and put on the garments of distress and mourning, and instead of costly perfumes she covered her head with ashes and dung, and she utterly humbled her body; every part that she loved to adorn she covered with her tangled hair. ³She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, and said: ‘O my Lord, you only are our king; help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, ⁴for my danger is in my hand. ⁵Ever since I was born I have heard in the tribe of my family that you, O Lord, took Israel out of all the nations, and our ancestors from among all their forebears, for an everlasting inheritance, and that you did for them all that you promised. ⁶And now we have sinned before you, and you have handed us over to our enemies ⁷because we glorified their gods. You are righteous, O Lord! ⁸And now they are not satisfied that we are in bitter slavery, but they have covenanted with their idols ⁹to abolish what your mouth has ordained, and to destroy your inheritance, to stop the mouths of those who praise you and to quench your altar and the glory of your house, ¹⁰to open the mouths of the nations for the praise of vain idols, and to magnify for ever a mortal king.

¹¹ ‘O Lord, do not surrender your sceptre to what has no being; and do not let them laugh at our downfall; but turn their plan against them, and make an example of him who began this against us. ¹²Remember, O Lord; make yourself known in this time of our affliction, and give me courage, O King of the gods and Master of all dominion! ¹³Put eloquent speech in my mouth before the lion, and turn his heart to hate the man who is fighting against us, so that there may be an end of him and those who agree with him. ¹⁴But save us by your hand, and help me, who am alone and have no helper but you, O Lord. ¹⁵You have knowledge of all things, and you know that I hate the splendour of the wicked and abhor the bed of the uncircumcised and of any alien. ¹⁶You know my necessity—that I abhor the sign of my proud position, which is upon my head on days when I appear in public. I abhor it like a filthy rag, and I do not wear it on the days when I am at leisure. ¹⁷And your servant has not eaten at Haman’s table, and I have not honoured the king’s feast or drunk the wine of libations. ¹⁸Your servant has had no joy since the day that I was brought here until now, except in you, O Lord God of Abraham. ¹⁹O God, whose might is over all, hear the voice of the despairing, and save us from the hands of evildoers. And save me from my fear!’

END OF ADDITION C

ADDITION D

Esther Is Received by the King

15

ON THE third day, when she ended her prayer, she took off the garments in which she had worshipped, and arrayed herself in splendid attire. ²Then, majestically adorned, after invoking the aid of the all-seeing God and Saviour, she took two maids with her; ³on one she leaned gently for support, ⁴while the other followed, carrying her train. ⁵She was radiant with perfect beauty, and she looked happy, as if beloved, but her heart was frozen with fear. ⁶When she had gone through all the doors, she stood before the king. He was seated on his royal throne, clothed in the full array of his majesty, all covered with gold and precious stones. He was most terrifying.

⁷ Lifting his face, flushed with splendour, he looked at her in fierce anger. The queen faltered, and turned pale and faint, and collapsed on the head of the maid who went in front of her. ⁸Then God changed the spirit of the king to gentleness, and in alarm he sprang from his throne and took her in his arms until she came to herself. He comforted her with soothing words, and said to her, ⁹‘What is it, Esther? I am your husband.a Take courage; ¹⁰You shall not die, for our law applies only to our subjects.b Come near.’

¹¹ Then he raised the golden sceptre and touched her neck with it; ¹²he embraced her, and said, ‘Speak to me.’ ¹³She said to him, ‘I saw you, my lord, like an angel of God, and my heart was shaken with fear at your glory. ¹⁴For you are wonderful, my lord, and your countenance is full of grace.’ ¹⁵And while she was speaking, she fainted and fell. ¹⁶Then the king was agitated, and all his servants tried to comfort her.

END OF ADDITION D

Esther’s Banquet

5 a

³The king said to her, ‘What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.’ ⁴Then Esther said, ‘If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet that I have prepared for the king.’ ⁵Then the king said, ‘Bring Haman quickly, so that we may do as Esther desires.’ So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ⁶While they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, ‘What is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’ ⁷Then Esther said, ‘This is my petition and request: ⁸If I have won the king’s favour, and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfil my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and then I will do as the king has said.’

Haman Plans to Have Mordecai Hanged

⁹ Haman went out that day happy and in good spirits. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, and observed that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was infuriated with Mordecai; ¹⁰nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Then he sent and called for his friends and his wife Zeresh, ¹¹and Haman recounted to them the splendour of his riches, the number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honoured him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the ministers of the king. ¹²Haman added, ‘Even Queen Esther let no one but myself come with the king to the banquet that she prepared. Tomorrow also I am invited by her, together with the king. ¹³Yet all this does me no good so long as I see the Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate.’ ¹⁴Then his wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, ‘Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made, and in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged on it; then go with the king to the banquet in good spirits.’ This advice pleased Haman, and he had the gallows made.

The King Honours Mordecai

6

THAT night the king could not sleep, and he gave orders to bring the book of records, the annals, and they were read to the king. ²It was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had conspired to assassinateb King Ahasuerus. ³Then the king said, ‘What honour or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?’ The king’s servants who attended him said, ‘Nothing has been done for him.’ ⁴The king said, ‘Who is in the court?’ Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. ⁵So the king’s servants told him, ‘Haman is there, standing in the court.’ The king said, ‘Let him come in.’ ⁶So Haman came in, and the king said to him, ‘What shall be done for the man whom the king wishes to honour?’ Haman said to himself, ‘Whom would the king wish to honour more than me?’ ⁷So Haman said to the king, ‘For the man whom the king wishes to honour, ⁸let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and a horse that the king has ridden, with a royal crown on its head. ⁹Let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king’s most noble officials; let him a robe the man whom the king wishes to honour, and let him a conduct the man on horseback through the open square of the city, proclaiming before him: “Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honour.”’ ¹⁰Then the king said to Haman, ‘Quickly, take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to the Jew Mordecai who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.’ ¹¹So Haman took the robes and the horse and robed Mordecai and led him riding through the open square of the city, proclaiming, ‘Thus shall it be done for the man whom the king wishes to honour.’

¹² Then Mordecai returned to the king’s gate, but Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered. ¹³When Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him, his advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, ‘If Mordecai, before whom your downfall has begun, is of the Jewish people, you will not prevail against him, but will surely fall before him.’

Haman’s Downfall and Mordecai’s Advancement

7

¹⁴ While they were still talking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and hurried Haman off to the banquet that Esther had prepared. ¹So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. ²On the second day, as they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, ‘What is your petition, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.’ ³Then Queen Esther answered, ‘If I have won your favour, O king, and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me—that is my petition—and the lives of my people—that is my request. ⁴For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have held my peace; but no enemy can compensate for this damage to the king.’b ⁵Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, ‘Who is he, and where is he, who has presumed to do this?’ ⁶Esther said, ‘A foe and enemy, this wicked Haman!’ Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. ⁷The king rose from the feast in wrath and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that the king had determined to destroy him. ⁸When the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman had thrown himself on the couch where Esther was reclining; and the king said, ‘Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?’ As the words left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman’s face. ⁹Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, ‘Look, the very gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, stands at Haman’s house, fifty cubits high.’ And the king said, ‘Hang him on that.’ ¹⁰So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the anger of the king abated.

Esther Saves the Jews

8

ON THAT day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews; and Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her. ²Then the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. So Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

³ Then Esther spoke again to the king; she fell at his feet, weeping and pleading with him to avert the evil design of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. ⁴The king held out the golden sceptre to Esther, ⁵and Esther rose and stood before the king. She said, ‘If it pleases the king, and if I have won his favour, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I have his approval, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, which he wrote giving orders to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king. ⁶For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming on my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?’ ⁷Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to the Jew Mordecai, ‘See, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he plotted to lay hands on the Jews. ⁸You may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king’s ring; for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king’s ring cannot be revoked.’

⁹ The king’s secretaries were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day; and an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded, to the Jews and to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia,a one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language. ¹⁰He wrote letters in the name of King Ahasuerus, sealed them with the king’s ring, and sent them by mounted couriers riding on fast steeds bred from the royal herd.b ¹¹By these letters the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to assemble and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, with their children and women, and to plunder their goods ¹²on a single day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

ADDITION E

The Decree of Ahasuerus

16c

THE following is a copy of this letter:

‘The Great King, Ahasuerus, to the governors of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, one hundred and twenty-seven provinces, and to those who are loyal to our government, greetings.

²‘Many people, the more they are honoured with the most generous kindness of their benefactors, the more proud do they become, ³and not only seek to injure our subjects, but in their inability to stand prosperity, they even undertake to scheme against their own benefactors. ⁴They not only take away thankfulness from others, but, carried away by the boasts of those who know nothing of goodness, they even assume that they will escape the evil-hating justice of God, who always sees everything. ⁵And often many of those who are set in places of authority have been made in part responsible for the shedding of innocent blood, and have been involved in irremediable calamities, by the persuasion of friends who have been entrusted with the administration of public affairs, ⁶when these persons by the false trickery of their evil natures beguile the sincere goodwill of their sovereigns.

⁷ ‘What has been wickedly accomplished through the pestilent behaviour of those who exercise authority unworthily can be seen, not so much from the more ancient records that we hand on, as from investigation of matters close at hand.a ⁸In the future we will take care to render our kingdom quiet and peaceable for all, ⁹by changing our methods and always judging what comes before our eyes with more equitable consideration. ¹⁰For Haman son of Hammedatha, a Macedonian (really an alien to the Persian blood, and quite devoid of our kindliness), having become our guest, ¹¹enjoyed so fully the goodwill that we have for every nation that he was called our father and was continually bowed down to by all as the person second to the royal throne. ¹²But, unable to restrain his arrogance, he undertook to deprive us of our kingdom and our life,b ¹³and with intricate craft and deceit asked for the destruction of Mordecai, our saviour and perpetual benefactor, and of Esther, the blameless partner of our kingdom, together with their whole nation. ¹⁴He thought that by these methods he would catch us undefended and would transfer the kingdom of the Persians to the Macedonians.

¹⁵ ‘But we find that the Jews, who were consigned to annihilation by this thrice-accursed man, are not evildoers, but are governed by most righteous laws ¹⁶and are children of the living God, most high, most mighty,c who has directed the kingdom both for us and for our ancestors in the most excellent order.

¹⁷ ‘You will therefore do well not to put in execution the letters sent by Haman son of Hammedatha, ¹⁸since he, the one who did these things, has been hanged at the gate of Susa with all his household—for God, who rules over all things, has speedily inflicted on him the punishment that he deserved.

¹⁹ ‘Therefore post a copy of this letter publicly in every place, and permit the Jews to live under their own laws. ²⁰And give them reinforcements, so that on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, Adar, on that very day, they may defend themselves against those who attack them at the time of oppression. ²¹For God, who rules over all things, has made this day to be a joy for his chosen people instead of a day of destruction for them.

²² ‘Therefore you shall observe this with all good cheer as a notable day among your commemorative festivals, ²³so that both now and hereafter it may represent deliverance for youd and the loyal Persians, but that it may be a reminder of destruction for those who plot against us.

²⁴ ‘Every city and country, without exception, that does not act accordingly shall be destroyed in wrath with spear and fire. It shall be made not only impassable for human beings, but also most hateful to wild animals and birds for all time.’

END OF ADDITION E

8

¹³A copy of the writ was to be issued as a decree in every province and published to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take revenge on their enemies. ¹⁴So the couriers, mounted on their swift royal steeds, hurried out, urged by the king’s command. The decree was issued in the citadel of Susa.

¹⁵ Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king, wearing royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a mantle of fine linen and purple, while the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. ¹⁶For the Jews there was light and gladness, joy and honour. ¹⁷In every province and in every city, wherever the king’s command and his edict came, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a festival and a holiday. Furthermore, many of the peoples of the country professed to be Jews, because the fear of the Jews had fallen upon them.

Destruction of the Enemies of the Jews

9

NOW in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain power over them, but which had been changed to a day when the Jews would gain power over their foes, ²the Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who had sought their ruin; and no one could withstand them, because the fear of them had fallen upon all peoples. ³All the officials of the provinces, the satraps and the governors, and the royal officials were supporting the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai had fallen upon them. ⁴For Mordecai was powerful in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces as the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. ⁵So the Jews struck down all their enemies with the sword, slaughtering, and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them. ⁶In the citadel of Susa the Jews killed and destroyed five hundred people. ⁷They killed Parshandatha, Dalphon, Aspatha, ⁸Poratha, Adalia, Aridatha, ⁹Parmashta, Arisai, Aridai, Vaizatha, ¹⁰the ten sons of Haman son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews; but they did not touch the plunder.

¹¹ That very day the number of those killed in the citadel of Susa was reported to the king. ¹²The king said to Queen Esther, ‘In the citadel of Susa the Jews have killed five hundred people and also the ten sons of Haman. What have they done in the rest of the king’s provinces? Now what is your petition? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled.’ ¹³Esther said, ‘If it pleases the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day’s edict, and let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows.’ ¹⁴So the king commanded this to be done; a decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged. ¹⁵The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed three hundred people in Susa; but they did not touch the plunder.

¹⁶ Now the other Jews who were in the king’s provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and gained relief from their enemies, and killed seventy-five thousand of those who hated them; but they laid no hands on the plunder. ¹⁷This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness.

The Feast of Purim Inaugurated

¹⁸ But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness. ¹⁹Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the open towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, a holiday on which they send gifts of food to one another.

²⁰ Mordecai recorded these things, and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far, ²¹enjoining them that they should keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same month, year by year, ²²as the days on which the Jews gained relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and presents to the poor. ²³So the Jews adopted as a custom what they had begun to do, as Mordecai had written to them.

²⁴ Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur—that is, ‘the lot’—to crush and destroy them; ²⁵but when Esther came before the king, he gave orders in writing that the wicked plot that he had devised against the Jews should come upon his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. ²⁶Therefore these days are called Purim, from the word Pur. Thus because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them, ²⁷the Jews established and accepted as a custom for themselves and their descendants and all who joined them, that without fail they would continue to observe these two days every year, as it was written and at the time appointed. ²⁸These days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every family, province, and city; and these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

²⁹ Queen Esther daughter of Abihail, along with the Jew Mordecai, gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim. ³⁰Letters were sent wishing peace and security to all the Jews, to the one hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, ³¹and giving orders that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as the Jew Mordecai and Queen Esther enjoined on the Jews, just as they had laid down for themselves and for their descendants regulations concerning their fasts and their lamentations. ³²The command of Queen Esther fixed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.

10

KING Ahasuerus laid tribute on the land and on the islands of the sea. ²All the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honour of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the annals of the kings of Media and Persia? ³For Mordecai the Jew was next in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was powerful among the Jews and popular with his many kindred, for he sought the good of his people and interceded for the welfare of all his descendants.

ADDITION F

Mordecai’s Dream Fulfilled

⁴ a And Mordecai said, ‘These things have come from God; ⁵for I remember the dream that I had concerning these matters, and none of them has failed to be fulfilled. ⁶There was the little spring that became a river, and there was light and sun and abundant water—the river is Esther, whom the king married and made queen. ⁷The two dragons are Haman and myself. ⁸The nations are those that gathered to destroy the name of the Jews. ⁹And my nation, this is Israel, who cried out to God and was saved. The Lord has saved his people; the Lord has rescued us from all these evils; God has done great signs and wonders, wonders that have never happened among the nations. ¹⁰For this purpose he made two lots, one for the people of God and one for all the nations, ¹¹and these two lots came to the hour and moment and day of decision before God and among all the nations. ¹²And God remembered his people and vindicated his inheritance. ¹³So they will observe these days in the month of Adar, on the fourteenth and fifteenthb of that month, with an assembly and joy and gladness before God, from generation to generation for ever among his people Israel.’

Postscript

11

¹IN THE fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy and Cleopatra, Dositheus, who said that he was a priest and a Levite,c and his son Ptolemy brought to Egyptd the foregoing Letter about Purim, which they said was authentic and had been translated by Lysimachus son of Ptolemy, one of the residents of Jerusalem.

END OF ADDITION F

1 MACCABEES

Alexander the Great

AFTER Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian, who came from the land of Kittim, had defeateda King Darius of the Persians and the Medes, he succeeded him as king. (He had previously become king of Greece.) ²He fought many battles, conquered strongholds, and put to death the kings of the earth. ³He advanced to the ends of the earth, and plundered many nations. When the earth became quiet before him, he was exalted, and his heart was lifted up. ⁴He gathered a very strong army and ruled over countries, nations, and princes, and they became tributary to him.

⁵ After this he fell sick and perceived that he was dying. ⁶So he summoned his most honoured officers, who had been brought up with him from youth, and divided his kingdom among them while he was still alive. ⁷And after Alexander had reigned for twelve years, he died.

⁸ Then his officers began to rule, each in his own place. ⁹They all put on crowns after his death, and so did their descendants after them for many years; and they caused many evils on the earth.

Antiochus Epiphanes and Renegade Jews

¹⁰ From them came forth a sinful root, Antiochus Epiphanes, son of King Antiochus; he had been a hostage in Rome. He began to reign in the one hundred and thirty-seventh year of the kingdom of the Greeks.b

¹¹ In those days certain renegades came out from Israel and misled many, saying, ‘Let us go and make a covenant with the Gentiles around us, for since we separated from them many disasters have come upon us.’ ¹²This proposal pleased them, ¹³and some of the people eagerly went to the king, who authorized them to observe the ordinances of the Gentiles. ¹⁴So they built a gymnasium in Jerusalem, according to Gentile custom, ¹⁵and removed the marks of circumcision, and abandoned the holy covenant. They joined with the Gentiles and sold themselves to do evil.

Antiochus in Egypt

¹⁶ When Antiochus saw that his kingdom was established, he determined to become king of the land of Egypt, in order that he might reign over both kingdoms. ¹⁷So he invaded Egypt with a strong force, with chariots and elephants and cavalry and with a large fleet. ¹⁸He engaged King Ptolemy of Egypt in battle, and Ptolemy turned and fled before him, and many were wounded and fell. ¹⁹They captured the fortified cities in the land of Egypt, and he plundered the land of Egypt.

Persecution of the Jews

²⁰ After subduing Egypt, Antiochus returned in the one hundred and forty-third year.a He went up against Israel and came to Jerusalem with a strong force. ²¹He arrogantly entered the sanctuary and took the golden altar, the lampstand for the light, and all its utensils. ²²He took also the table for the bread of the Presence, the cups for drink-offerings, the bowls, the golden censers, the curtain, the crowns, and the gold decoration on the front of the temple; he stripped it all off. ²³He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found. ²⁴Taking them all, he went into his own land.

He shed much blood,

and spoke with great arrogance.

²⁵ Israel mourned deeply in every community,

²⁶ rulers and elders groaned,

young women and young men became faint,

the beauty of the women faded.

²⁷ Every bridegroom took up the lament;

she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning.

²⁸ Even the land trembled for its inhabitants,

and all the house of Jacob was clothed with shame.

The Occupation of Jerusalem

²⁹ Two years later the king sent to the cities of Judah a chief collector of tribute, and he came to Jerusalem with a large force. ³⁰Deceitfully he spoke peaceable words to them, and they believed him; but he suddenly fell upon the city, dealt it a severe blow, and destroyed many people of Israel. ³¹He plundered the city, burned it with fire, and tore down its houses and its surrounding walls. ³²They took captive the women and children, and seized the livestock. ³³Then they fortified the city of David with a great strong wall and strong towers, and it became their citadel. ³⁴They stationed there a sinful people, men who were renegades. These strengthened their position; ³⁵they stored up arms and food, and collecting the spoils of Jerusalem they stored them there, and became a great menace,

³⁶ for the citadelb became an ambush against the sanctuary,

an evil adversary of Israel at all times.

³⁷ On every side of the sanctuary they shed innocent blood;

they even defiled the sanctuary.

³⁸ Because of them the residents of Jerusalem fled;

she became a dwelling of strangers;

she became strange to her offspring,

and her children forsook her.

³⁹ Her sanctuary became desolate like a desert;

her feasts were turned into mourning,

her sabbaths into a reproach,

her honour into contempt.

⁴⁰ Her dishonour now grew as great as her glory;

her exaltation was turned into mourning.

Installation of Gentile Cults

⁴¹ Then the king wrote to his whole kingdom that all should be one people, ⁴²and that all should give up their particular customs. ⁴³All the Gentiles accepted the command of the king. Many even from Israel gladly adopted his religion; they sacrificed to idols and profaned the sabbath. ⁴⁴And the king sent letters by messengers to Jerusalem and the towns of Judah; he directed them to follow customs strange to the land, ⁴⁵to forbid burnt-offerings and sacrifices and drink-offerings in the sanctuary, to profane sabbaths and festivals, ⁴⁶to defile the sanctuary and the priests, ⁴⁷to build altars and sacred precincts and shrines for idols, to sacrifice swine and other unclean animals, ⁴⁸and to leave their sons uncircumcised. They were to make themselves abominable by everything unclean and profane, ⁴⁹so that they would forget the law and change all the ordinances. ⁵⁰He added,a ‘And whoever does not obey the command of the king shall die.’

⁵¹ In such words he wrote to his whole kingdom. He appointed inspectors over all the people and commanded the towns of Judah to offer sacrifice, town by town. ⁵²Many of the people, everyone who forsook the law, joined them, and they did evil in the land; ⁵³they drove Israel into hiding in every place of refuge they had.

⁵⁴ Now on the fifteenth day of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-fifth year,b they erected a desolating sacrilege on the altar of burnt-offering. They also built altars in the surrounding towns of Judah, ⁵⁵and offered incense at the doors of the houses and in the streets. ⁵⁶The books of the law that they found they tore to pieces and burned with fire. ⁵⁷Anyone found possessing the book of the covenant, or anyone who adhered to the law, was condemned to death by decree of the king. ⁵⁸They kept using violence against Israel, against those who were found month after month in the towns. ⁵⁹On the twenty-fifth day of the month they offered sacrifice on the altar that was on top of the altar of burnt-offering. ⁶⁰In accordance with the decree, they put to death the women who had their children circumcised, ⁶¹and their families and those who circumcised them; and they hung the infants from their mothers’ necks.

⁶² But many in Israel stood firm and were resolved in their hearts not to eat unclean food. ⁶³They chose to die rather than to be defiled by food or to profane the holy covenant; and they did die. ⁶⁴Very great wrath came upon Israel.

Mattathias and His Sons

2

IN THOSE days Mattathias son of John son of Simeon, a priest of the family of Joarib, moved from Jerusalem and settled in Modein. ²He had five sons, John surnamed Gaddi, ³Simon called Thassi, ⁴Judas called Maccabeus, ⁵Eleazar called Avaran, and Jonathan called Apphus. ⁶He saw the blasphemies being committed in Judah and Jerusalem, ⁷and said,

Alas! Why was I born to see this,

the ruin of my people, the ruin of the holy city,

and to live there when it was given over to the enemy,

the sanctuary given over to aliens?

⁸ Her temple has become like a person without honour;a

⁹ her glorious vessels have been carried into exile.

Her infants have been killed in her streets,

her youths by the sword of the foe.

¹⁰ What nation has not inherited her palacesb

and has not seized her spoils?

¹¹ All her adornment has been taken away;

no longer free, she has become a slave.

¹² And see, our holy place, our beauty,

and our glory have been laid waste;

the Gentiles have profaned them.

¹³ Why should we live any longer?’

¹⁴ Then Mattathias and his sons tore their clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned greatly.

Pagan Worship Refused

¹⁵ The king’s officers who were enforcing the apostasy came to the town of Modein to make them offer sacrifice. ¹⁶Many from Israel came to them; and Mattathias and his sons were assembled. ¹⁷Then the king’s officers spoke to Mattathias as follows: ‘You are a leader, honoured and great in this town, and supported by sons and brothers. ¹⁸Now be the first to come and do what the king commands, as all the Gentiles and the people of Judah and those that are left in Jerusalem have done. Then you and your sons will be numbered among the Friends of the king, and you and your sons will be honoured with silver and gold and many gifts.’

¹⁹ But Mattathias answered and said in a loud voice: ‘Even if all the nations that live under the rule of the king obey him, and have chosen to obey his commandments, everyone of them abandoning the religion of their ancestors, ²⁰I and my sons and my brothers will continue to live by the covenant of our ancestors. ²¹Far be it from us to desert the law and the ordinances. ²²We will not obey the king’s words by turning aside from our religion to the right hand or to the left.’

²³ When he had finished speaking these words, a Jew came forward in the sight of all to offer sacrifice on the altar in Modein, according to the king’s command. ²⁴When Mattathias saw it, he burned with zeal and his heart was stirred. He gave vent to righteous anger; he ran and killed him on the altar. ²⁵At the same time he killed the king’s officer who was forcing them to sacrifice, and he tore down the altar. ²⁶Thus he burned with zeal for the law, just as Phinehas did against Zimri son of Salu.

²⁷ Then Mattathias cried out in the town with a loud voice, saying: ‘Let everyone who is zealous for the law and supports the covenant come out with me!’ ²⁸Then he and his sons fled to the hills and left all that they had in the town.

²⁹ At that time many who were seeking righteousness and justice went down to the wilderness to live there, ³⁰they, their sons, their wives, and their livestock, because troubles pressed heavily upon them. ³¹And it was reported to the king’s officers, and to the troops in Jerusalem the city of David, that those who had rejected the king’s command had gone down to the hiding-places in the wilderness. ³²Many pursued them, and overtook them; they encamped opposite them and prepared for battle against them on the sabbath day. ³³They said to them, ‘Enough of this! Come out and do what the king commands, and you will live.’ ³⁴But they said, ‘We will not come out, nor will we do what the king commands and so profane the sabbath day.’ ³⁵Then the enemya quickly attacked them. ³⁶But they did not answer them or hurl a stone at them or block up their hiding-places, ³⁷for they said, ‘Let us all die in our innocence; heaven and earth testify for us that you are killing us unjustly.’ ³⁸So they attacked them on the sabbath, and they died, with their wives and children and livestock, to the number of a thousand people.

³⁹ When Mattathias and his friends learned of it, they mourned for them deeply. ⁴⁰And all said to their neighbours: ‘If we all do as our kindred have done and refuse to fight with the Gentiles for our lives and for our ordinances, they will quickly destroy us from the earth.’ ⁴¹So they made this decision that day: ‘Let us fight against anyone who comes to attack us on the sabbath day; let us not all die as our kindred died in their hiding-places.’

Counter-Attack

⁴² Then there united with them a company of Hasideans, mighty warriors of Israel, all who offered themselves willingly for the law. ⁴³And all who became fugitives to escape their troubles joined them and reinforced them. ⁴⁴They organized an army, and struck down sinners in their anger and renegades in their wrath; the survivors fled to the Gentiles for safety. ⁴⁵And Mattathias and his friends went around and tore down the altars; ⁴⁶they forcibly circumcised all the uncircumcised boys that they found within the borders of Israel. ⁴⁷They hunted down the arrogant, and the work prospered in their hands. ⁴⁸They rescued the law out of the hands of the Gentiles and kings, and they never let the sinner gain the upper hand.

The Last Words of Mattathias

⁴⁹ Now the days drew near for Mattathias to die, and he said to his sons: ‘Arrogance and scorn have now become strong; it is a time of ruin and furious anger. ⁵⁰Now, my children, show zeal for the law, and give your lives for the covenant of our ancestors.

⁵¹ ‘Remember the deeds of the ancestors, which they did in their generations; and you will receive great honour and an everlasting name. ⁵²Was not Abraham found faithful when tested, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness? ⁵³Joseph in the time of his distress kept the commandment, and became lord of Egypt. ⁵⁴Phinehas our ancestor, because he was deeply zealous, received the covenant of everlasting priesthood. ⁵⁵Joshua, because he fulfilled the command, became a judge in Israel. ⁵⁶Caleb, because he testified in the assembly, received an inheritance in the land. ⁵⁷David, because he was merciful, inherited the throne of the kingdom for ever. ⁵⁸Elijah, because of great zeal for the law, was taken up into heaven. ⁵⁹Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael believed and were saved from the flame. ⁶⁰Daniel, because of his innocence, was delivered from the mouth of the lions.

⁶¹ ‘And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength. ⁶²Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendour will turn into dung and worms. ⁶³Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished. ⁶⁴My children, be courageous and grow strong in the law, for by it you will gain honour.

⁶⁵ ‘Here is your brother Simeon who, I know, is wise in counsel; always listen to him; he shall be your father. ⁶⁶Judas Maccabeus has been a mighty warrior from his youth; he shall command the army for you and fight the battle against the peoples.a ⁶⁷You shall rally around you all who observe the law, and avenge the wrong done to your people. ⁶⁸Pay back the Gentiles in full, and obey the commands of the law.’

⁶⁹ Then he blessed them, and was gathered to his ancestors. ⁷⁰He died in the one hundred and forty-sixth yearb and was buried in the tomb of his ancestors at Modein. And all Israel mourned for him with great lamentation.

The Early Victories of Judas

3

THEN his son Judas, who was called Maccabeus, took command in his place. ²All his brothers and all who had joined his father helped him; they gladly fought for Israel.

³ He extended the glory of his people.

Like a giant he put on his breastplate;

he bound on his armour of war and waged battles,

protecting the camp by his sword.

⁴ He was like a lion in his deeds,

like a lion’s cub roaring for prey.

⁵ He searched out and pursued those who broke the law;

he burned those who troubled his people.

⁶ Lawbreakers shrank back for fear of him;

all the evildoers were confounded;

and deliverance prospered by his hand.

⁷ He embittered many kings,

but he made Jacob glad by his deeds,

and his memory is blessed for ever.

⁸ He went through the cities of Judah;

he destroyed the ungodly out of the land;c

thus he turned away wrath from Israel.

⁹ He was renowned to the ends of the earth;

he gathered in those who were perishing.

¹⁰ Apollonius now gathered together Gentiles and a large force from Samaria to fight against Israel. ¹¹When Judas learned of it, he went out to meet him, and he defeated and killed him. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled. ¹²Then they seized their spoils; and Judas took the sword of Apollonius, and used it in battle for the rest of his life.

¹³ When Seron, the commander of the Syrian army, heard that Judas had gathered a large company, including a body of faithful soldiers who stayed with him and went out to battle, ¹⁴he said, ‘I will make a name for myself and win honour in the kingdom. I will make war on Judas and his companions, who scorn the king’s command.’ ¹⁵Once again a strong army of godless men went up with him to help him, to take vengeance on the Israelites.

¹⁶ When he approached the ascent of Beth-horon, Judas went out to meet him with a small company. ¹⁷But when they saw the army coming to meet them, they said to Judas, ‘How can we, few as we are, fight against so great and so strong a multitude? And we are faint, for we have eaten nothing today.’ ¹⁸Judas replied, ‘It is easy for many to be hemmed in by few, for in the sight of Heaven there is no difference between saving by many or by few. ¹⁹It is not on the size of the army that victory in battle depends, but strength comes from Heaven. ²⁰They come against us in great insolence and lawlessness to destroy us and our wives and our children, and to despoil us; ²¹but we fight for our lives and our laws. ²²He himself will crush them before us; as for you, do not be afraid of them.’

²³ When he finished speaking, he rushed suddenly against Seron and his army, and they were crushed before him. ²⁴They pursued thema down the descent of Beth-horon to the plain; eight hundred of them fell, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines. ²⁵Then Judas and his brothers began to be feared, and terror fell on the Gentiles all around them. ²⁶His fame reached the king, and the Gentiles talked of the battles of Judas.

The Policy of Antiochus

²⁷ When King Antiochus heard these reports, he was greatly angered; and he sent and gathered all the forces of his kingdom, a very strong army. ²⁸He opened his coffers and gave a year’s pay to his forces, and ordered them to be ready for any need. ²⁹Then he saw that the money in the treasury was exhausted, and that the revenues from the country were small because of the dissension and disaster that he had caused in the land by abolishing the laws that had existed from the earliest days. ³⁰He feared that he might not have such funds as he had before for his expenses and for the gifts that he used to give more lavishly than preceding kings. ³¹He was greatly perplexed in mind; then he determined to go to Persia and collect the revenues from those regions and raise a large fund.

³² He left Lysias, a distinguished man of royal lineage, in charge of the king’s affairs from the river Euphrates to the borders of Egypt. ³³Lysias was also to take care of his son Antiochus until he returned. ³⁴And he turned over to Lysiasb half of his forces and the elephants, and gave him orders about all that he wanted done. As for the residents of Judea and Jerusalem, ³⁵Lysias was to send a force against them to wipe out and destroy the strength of Israel and the remnant of Jerusalem; he was to banish the memory of them from the place, ³⁶settle aliens in all their territory, and distribute their land by lot. ³⁷Then the king took the remaining half of his forces and left Antioch his capital in the one hundred and forty-seventh year.a He crossed the Euphrates river and went through the upper provinces.

Preparations for Battle

³⁸ Lysias chose Ptolemy son of Dorymenes, and Nicanor and Gorgias, able men among the Friends of the king, ³⁹and sent with them forty thousand infantry and seven thousand cavalry to go into the land of Judah and destroy it, as the king had commanded. ⁴⁰So they set out with their entire force, and when they arrived they encamped near Emmaus in the plain. ⁴¹When the traders of the region heard what was said to them, they took silver and gold in immense amounts, and fetters,b and went to the camp to get the Israelites for slaves. And forces from Syria and the land of the Philistines joined with them.

⁴² Now Judas and his brothers saw that misfortunes had increased and that the forces were encamped in their territory. They also learned what the king had commanded to be done to the people to cause their final destruction. ⁴³But they said to one another, ‘Let us restore the ruins of our people, and fight for our people and the sanctuary.’ ⁴⁴So the congregation assembled to be ready for battle, and to pray and ask for mercy and compassion.

⁴⁵ Jerusalem was uninhabited like a wilderness;

not one of her children went in or out.

The sanctuary was trampled down,

and aliens held the citadel;

it was a lodging-place for the Gentiles.

Joy was taken from Jacob;

the flute and the harp ceased to play.

⁴⁶ Then they gathered together and went to Mizpah, opposite Jerusalem, because Israel formerly had a place of prayer in Mizpah. ⁴⁷They fasted that day, put on sackcloth and sprinkled ashes on their heads, and tore their clothes. ⁴⁸And they opened the book of the law to inquire into those matters about which the Gentiles consulted the images of their gods. ⁴⁹They also brought the vestments of the priesthood and the first fruits and the tithes, and they stirred up the naziritesc who had completed their days; ⁵⁰and they cried aloud to Heaven, saying,

‘What shall we do with these?

Where shall we take them?

⁵¹ Your sanctuary is trampled down and profaned,

and your priests mourn in humiliation.

⁵² Here the Gentiles are assembled against us to destroy us;

you know what they plot against us.

⁵³ How will we be able to withstand them,

if you do not help us?’

⁵⁴ Then they sounded the trumpets and gave a loud shout. ⁵⁵After this Judas appointed leaders of the people, in charge of thousands and hundreds and fifties and tens. ⁵⁶Those who were building houses, or were about to be married, or were planting a vineyard, or were faint-hearted, he told to go home again, in accordance with the law. ⁵⁷Then the army marched out and encamped to the south of Emmaus.

⁵⁸ And Judas said, ‘Arm yourselves and be courageous. Be ready early in the morning to fight with these Gentiles who have assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary. ⁵⁹It is better for us to die in battle than to see the misfortunes of our nation and of the sanctuary. ⁶⁰But as his will in heaven may be, so shall he do.’

The Battle at Emmaus

4

NOW Gorgias took five thousand infantry and one thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night ²to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides. ³But Judas heard of it, and he and his warriors moved out to attack the king’s force in Emmaus ⁴while the division was still absent from the camp. ⁵When Gorgias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, ‘These men are running away from us.’

⁶ At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armour and swords such as they desired. ⁷And they saw the camp of the Gentiles, strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it; and these men were trained in war. ⁸But Judas said to those who were with him, ‘Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. ⁹Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. ¹⁰And now, let us cry to Heaven, to see whether he will favour us and remember his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army before us today. ¹¹Then all the Gentiles will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.’

¹² When the foreigners looked up and saw them coming against them, ¹³they went out from their camp to battle. Then the men with Judas blew their trumpets ¹⁴and engaged in battle. The Gentiles were crushed, and fled into the plain, ¹⁵and all those in the rear fell by the sword. They pursued them to Gazara, and to the plains of Idumea, and to Azotus and Jamnia; and three thousand of them fell. ¹⁶Then Judas and his force turned back from pursuing them, ¹⁷and he said to the people, ‘Do not be greedy for plunder, for there is a battle before us; ¹⁸Gorgias and his force are near us in the hills. But stand now against our enemies and fight them, and afterwards seize the plunder boldly.’

¹⁹ Just as Judas was finishing this speech, a detachment appeared, coming out of the hills. ²⁰They saw that their armya had been put to flight, and that the Jewsa were burning the camp, for the smoke that was seen showed what had happened. ²¹When they perceived this, they were greatly frightened, and when they also saw the army of Judas drawn up in the plain for battle, ²²they all fled into the land of the Philistines. ²³Then Judas returned to plunder the camp, and they seized a great amount of gold and silver, and cloth dyed blue and sea purple, and great riches. ²⁴On their return they sang hymns and praises to Heaven—‘For he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.’ ²⁵Thus Israel had a great deliverance that day.

First Campaign of Lysias

²⁶ Those of the foreigners who escaped went and reported to Lysias all that had happened. ²⁷When he heard it, he was perplexed and discouraged, for things had not happened to Israel as he had intended, nor had they turned out as the king had ordered. ²⁸But the next year he mustered sixty thousand picked infantry and five thousand cavalry to subdue them. ²⁹They came into Idumea and encamped at Beth-zur, and Judas met them with ten thousand men.

³⁰ When he saw that their army was strong, he prayed, saying, ‘Blessed are you, O Saviour of Israel, who crushed the attack of the mighty warrior by the hand of your servant David, and gave the camp of the Philistines into the hands of Jonathan son of Saul, and of the man who carried his armour. ³¹Hem in this army by the hand of your people Israel, and let them be ashamed of their troops and their cavalry. ³²Fill them with cowardice; melt the boldness of their strength; let them tremble in their destruction. ³³Strike them down with the sword of those who love you, and let all who know your name praise you with hymns.’

³⁴ Then both sides attacked, and there fell of the army of Lysias five thousand men; they fell in action.a ³⁵When Lysias saw the rout of his troops and observed the boldness that inspired those of Judas, and how ready they were either to live or to die nobly, he withdrew to Antioch and enlisted mercenaries in order to invade Judea again with an even larger army.

Cleansing and Dedication of the Temple

³⁶ Then Judas and his brothers said, ‘See, our enemies are crushed; let us go up to cleanse the sanctuary and dedicate it.’ ³⁷So all the army assembled and went up to Mount Zion. ³⁸There they saw the sanctuary desolate, the altar profaned, and the gates burned. In the courts they saw bushes sprung up as in a thicket, or as on one of the mountains. They saw also the chambers of the priests in ruins. ³⁹Then they tore their clothes and mourned with great lamentation; they sprinkled themselves with ashes ⁴⁰and fell face down on the ground. And when the signal was given with the trumpets, they cried out to Heaven.

⁴¹ Then Judas detailed men to fight against those in the citadel until he had cleansed the sanctuary. ⁴²He chose blameless priests devoted to the law, ⁴³and they cleansed the sanctuary and removed the defiled stones to an unclean place. ⁴⁴They deliberated what to do about the altar of burnt-offering, which had been profaned. ⁴⁵And they thought it best to tear it down, so that it would not be a lasting shame to them that the Gentiles had defiled it. So they tore down the altar, ⁴⁶and stored the stones in a convenient place on the temple hill until a prophet should come to tell what to do with them. ⁴⁷Then they took unhewnb stones, as the law directs, and built a new altar like the former one. ⁴⁸They also rebuilt the sanctuary and the interior of the temple, and consecrated the courts. ⁴⁹They made new holy vessels, and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table into the temple. ⁵⁰Then they offered incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and these gave light in the temple. ⁵¹They placed the bread on the table and hung up the curtains. Thus they finished all the work they had undertaken.

⁵² Early in the morning on the twenty-fifth day of the ninth month, which is the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and forty-eighth year,a ⁵³they rose and offered sacrifice, as the law directs, on the new altar of burnt-offering that they had built. ⁵⁴At the very season and on the very day that the Gentiles had profaned it, it was dedicated with songs and harps and lutes and cymbals. ⁵⁵All the people fell on their faces and worshipped and blessed Heaven, who had prospered them. ⁵⁶So they celebrated the dedication of the altar for eight days, and joyfully offered burnt-offerings; they offered a sacrifice of well-being and a thanksgiving-offering. ⁵⁷They decorated the front of the temple with golden crowns and small shields; they restored the gates and the chambers for the priests, and fitted them with doors. ⁵⁸There was very great joy among the people, and the disgrace brought by the Gentiles was removed.

⁵⁹ Then Judas and his brothers and all the assembly of Israel determined that every year at that season the days of dedication of the altar should be observed with joy and gladness for eight days, beginning with the twenty-fifth day of the month of Chislev.

⁶⁰ At that time they fortified Mount Zion with high walls and strong towers all round, to keep the Gentiles from coming and trampling them down as they had done before. ⁶¹Judasb stationed a garrison there to guard it; he also fortified Beth-zur to guard it, so that the people might have a stronghold that faced Idumea.

Wars with Neighbouring Peoples

5

WHEN the Gentiles all around heard that the altar had been rebuilt and the sanctuary dedicated as it was before, they became very angry, ²and they determined to destroy the descendants of Jacob who lived among them. So they began to kill and destroy among the people. ³But Judas made war on the descendants of Esau in Idumea, at Akrabattene, because they kept lying in wait for Israel. He dealt them a heavy blow and humbled them and despoiled them. ⁴He also remembered the wickedness of the sons of Baean, who were a trap and a snare to the people and ambushed them on the highways. ⁵They were shut up by him in theirc towers; and he encamped against them, vowed their complete destruction, and burned with fire their towers and all who were in them. ⁶Then he crossed over to attack the Ammonites, where he found a strong band and many people, with Timothy as their leader. ⁷He engaged in many battles with them, and they were crushed before him; he struck them down. ⁸He also took Jazer and its villages; then he returned to Judea.

Liberation of Galilean Jews

⁹ Now the Gentiles in Gilead gathered together against the Israelites who lived in their territory, and planned to destroy them. But they fled to the stronghold of Dathema, ¹⁰and sent to Judas and his brothers a letter that said, ‘The Gentiles around us have gathered together to destroy us. ¹¹They are preparing to come and capture the stronghold to which we have fled, and Timothy is leading their forces. ¹²Now then, come and rescue us from their hands, for many of us have fallen, ¹³and all our kindred who were in the land of Tob have been killed; the enemyd have captured their wives and children and goods, and have destroyed about a thousand people there.’

¹⁴ While the letter was still being read, other messengers, with their garments torn, came from Galilee and made a similar report; ¹⁵they said that the people of Ptolemais and Tyre and Sidon, and all Galilee of the Gentiles,a had gathered together against them ‘to annihilate us.’ ¹⁶When Judas and the people heard these messages, a great assembly was called to determine what they should do for their kindred who were in distress and were being attacked by enemies.b ¹⁷Then Judas said to his brother Simon, ‘Choose your men and go and rescue your kindred in Galilee; Jonathan my brother and I will go to Gilead.’ ¹⁸But he left Joseph, son of Zechariah, and Azariah, a leader of the people, with the rest of the forces, in Judea to guard it; ¹⁹and he gave them this command, ‘Take charge of this people, but do not engage in battle with the Gentiles until we return.’ ²⁰Then three thousand men were assigned to Simon to go to Galilee, and eight thousand to Judas for Gilead.

²¹ So Simon went to Galilee and fought many battles against the Gentiles, and the Gentiles were crushed before him. ²²He pursued them to the gate of Ptolemais; as many as three thousand of the Gentiles fell, and he despoiled them. ²³Then he took the Jewsc of Galilee and Arbatta, with their wives and children, and all they possessed, and led them to Judea with great rejoicing.

Judas and Jonathan in Gilead

²⁴ Judas Maccabeus and his brother Jonathan crossed the Jordan and made three days’ journey into the wilderness. ²⁵They encountered the Nabateans, who met them peaceably and told them all that had happened to their kindred in Gilead: ²⁶‘Many of them have been shut up in Bozrah and Bosor, in Alema and Chaspho, Maked and Carnaim’—all these towns were strong and large—²⁷‘and some have been shut up in the other towns of Gilead; the enemyd are getting ready to attack the strongholds tomorrow and capture and destroy all these people in a single day.’

²⁸ Then Judas and his army quickly turned back by the wilderness road to Bozrah; and he took the town, and killed every male by the edge of the sword; then he seized all its spoils and burned it with fire. ²⁹He left the place at night, and they went all the way to the stronghold of Dathema.e ³⁰At dawn they looked out and saw a large company, which could not be counted, carrying ladders and engines of war to capture the stronghold, and attacking the Jews within.f ³¹So Judas saw that the battle had begun and that the cry of the town went up to Heaven, with trumpets and loud shouts, ³²and he said to the men of his forces, ‘Fight today for your kindred!’ ³³Then he came up behind them in three companies, who sounded their trumpets and cried aloud in prayer. ³⁴And when the army of Timothy realized that it was Maccabeus, they fled before him, and he dealt them a heavy blow. As many as eight thousand of them fell that day.

³⁵ Next he turned aside to Maapha,g and fought against it and took it; and he killed every male in it, plundered it, and burned it with fire. ³⁶From there he marched on and took Chaspho, Maked, and Bosor, and the other towns of Gilead.

³⁷ After these things Timothy gathered another army and encamped opposite Raphon, on the other side of the stream. ³⁸Judas sent men to spy out the camp, and they reported to him, ‘All the Gentiles around us have gathered to him; it is a very large force. ³⁹They also have hired Arabs to help them, and they are encamped across the stream, ready to come and fight against you.’ And Judas went to meet them.

⁴⁰ Now as Judas and his army drew near to the stream of water, Timothy said to the officers of his forces, ‘If he crosses over to us first, we will not be able to resist him, for he will surely defeat us. ⁴¹But if he shows fear and camps on the other side of the river, we will cross over to him and defeat him.’ ⁴²When Judas approached the stream of water, he stationed the officersa of the army at the stream and gave them this command, ‘Permit no one to encamp, but make them all enter the battle.’ ⁴³Then he crossed over against them first, and the whole army followed him. All the Gentiles were defeated before him, and they threw away their arms and fled into the sacred precincts at Carnaim. ⁴⁴But he took the town and burned the sacred precincts with fire, together with all who were in them. Thus Carnaim was conquered; they could stand before Judas no longer.

The Return to Jerusalem

⁴⁵ Then Judas gathered together all the Israelites in Gilead, the small and the great, with their wives and children and goods, a very large company, to go to the land of Judah. ⁴⁶So they came to Ephron. This was a large and very strong town on the road, and they could not go around it to the right or to the left; they had to go through it. ⁴⁷But the people of the town shut them out and blocked up the gates with stones.

⁴⁸ Judas sent them this friendly message, ‘Let us pass through your land to get to our land. No one will do you harm; we will simply pass by on foot.’ But they refused to open to him. ⁴⁹Then Judas ordered proclamation to be made to the army that all should encamp where they were. ⁵⁰So the men of the forces encamped, and he fought against the town all that day and all the night, and the town was delivered into his hands. ⁵¹He destroyed every male by the edge of the sword, and razed and plundered the town. Then he passed through the town over the bodies of the dead.

⁵² Then they crossed the Jordan into the large plain before Beth-shan. ⁵³Judas kept rallying the laggards and encouraging the people all the way until he came to the land of Judah. ⁵⁴So they went up to Mount Zion with joy and gladness, and offered burnt-offerings, because they had returned in safety; not one of them had fallen.

Joseph and Azariah Defeated

⁵⁵ Now while Judas and Jonathan were in Gilead and theirb brother Simon was in Galilee before Ptolemais, ⁵⁶Joseph son of Zechariah, and Azariah, the commanders of the forces, heard of their brave deeds and of the heroic war they had fought. ⁵⁷So they said, ‘Let us also make a name for ourselves; let us go and make war on the Gentiles around us.’ ⁵⁸So they issued orders to the men of the forces that were with them and marched against Jamnia. ⁵⁹Gorgias and his men came out of the town to meet them in battle. ⁶⁰Then Joseph and Azariah were routed, and were pursued to the borders of Judea; as many as two thousand of the people of Israel fell that day. ⁶¹Thus the people suffered a great rout because, thinking to do a brave deed, they did not listen to Judas and his brothers. ⁶²But they did not belong to the family of those men through whom deliverance was given to Israel.

⁶³ The man Judas and his brothers were greatly honoured in all Israel and among all the Gentiles, wherever their name was heard. ⁶⁴People gathered to them and praised them.

Success at Hebron and Philistia

⁶⁵ Then Judas and his brothers went out and fought the descendants of Esau in the land to the south. He struck Hebron and its villages and tore down its strongholds and burned its towers on all sides. ⁶⁶Then he marched off to go into the land of the Philistines, and passed through Marisa.a ⁶⁷On that day some priests, who wished to do a brave deed, fell in battle, for they went out to battle unwisely. ⁶⁸But Judas turned aside to Azotus in the land of the Philistines; he tore down their altars, and the carved images of their gods he burned with fire; he plundered the towns and returned to the land of Judah.

The Last Days of Antiochus Epiphanes

6

KING Antiochus was going through the upper provinces when he heard that Elymais in Persia was a city famed for its wealth in silver and gold. ²Its temple was very rich, containing golden shields, breastplates, and weapons left there by Alexander son of Philip, the Macedonian king who first reigned over the Greeks. ³So he came and tried to take the city and plunder it, but he could not because his plan had become known to the citizens ⁴and they withstood him in battle. So he fled and in great disappointment left there to return to Babylon.

⁵ Then someone came to him in Persia and reported that the armies that had gone into the land of Judah had been routed; ⁶that Lysias had gone first with a strong force, but had turned and fled before the Jews;b that the Jewsc had grown strong from the arms, supplies, and abundant spoils that they had taken from the armies they had cut down; ⁷that they had torn down the abomination that he had erected on the altar in Jerusalem; and that they had surrounded the sanctuary with high walls as before, and also Beth-zur, his town.

⁸ When the king heard this news, he was astounded and badly shaken. He took to his bed and became sick from disappointment, because things had not turned out for him as he had planned. ⁹He lay there for many days, because deep disappointment continually gripped him, and he realized that he was dying. ¹⁰So he called all his Friends and said to them, ‘Sleep has departed from my eyes and I am downhearted with worry. ¹¹I said to myself, “To what distress I have come! And into what a great flood I now am plunged! For I was kind and beloved in my power.” ¹²But now I remember the wrong I did in Jerusalem. I seized all its vessels of silver and gold, and I sent to destroy the inhabitants of Judah without good reason. ¹³I know that it is because of this that these misfortunes have come upon me; here I am, perishing of bitter disappointment in a strange land.’

¹⁴ Then he called for Philip, one of his Friends, and made him ruler over all his kingdom. ¹⁵He gave him the crown and his robe and the signet, so that he might guide his son Antiochus and bring him up to be king. ¹⁶Thus King Antiochus died there in the one hundred and forty-ninth year.a ¹⁷When Lysias learned that the king was dead, he set up Antiochus the king’sb son to reign. Lysiasc had brought him up from boyhood; he named him Eupator.

Renewed Attacks from Syria

¹⁸ Meanwhile the garrison in the citadel kept hemming Israel in around the sanctuary. They were trying in every way to harm them and strengthen the Gentiles. ¹⁹Judas therefore resolved to destroy them, and assembled all the people to besiege them. ²⁰They gathered together and besieged the citadeld in the one hundred and fiftieth year;e and he built siege-towers and other engines of war. ²¹But some of the garrison escaped from the siege and some of the ungodly Israelites joined them. ²²They went to the king and said, ‘How long will you fail to do justice and to avenge our kindred? ²³We were happy to serve your father, to live by what he said, and to follow his commands. ²⁴For this reason the sons of our people besieged the citadelf and became hostile to us; moreover, they have put to death as many of us as they have caught, and they have seized our inheritances. ²⁵It is not against us alone that they have stretched out their hands; they have also attacked all the lands on their borders. ²⁶And see, today they have encamped against the citadel in Jerusalem to take it; they have fortified both the sanctuary and Beth-zur; ²⁷unless you quickly prevent them, they will do still greater things, and you will not be able to stop them.’

²⁸ The king was enraged when he heard this. He assembled all his Friends, the commanders of his forces and those in authority.g ²⁹Mercenary forces also came to him from other kingdoms and from islands of the seas. ³⁰The number of his forces was one hundred thousand foot-soldiers, twenty thousand horsemen, and thirty-two elephants accustomed to war. ³¹They came through Idumea and encamped against Beth-zur, and for many days they fought and built engines of war; but the Jewsh sallied out and burned these with fire, and fought courageously.

The Battle at Beth-zechariah

³² Then Judas marched away from the citadel and encamped at Beth-zechariah, opposite the camp of the king. ³³Early in the morning the king set out and took his army by a forced march along the road to Beth-zechariah, and his troops made ready for battle and sounded their trumpets. ³⁴They offered the elephants the juice of grapes and mulberries, to arouse them for battle. ³⁵They distributed the animals among the phalanxes; with each elephant they stationed a thousand men armed with coats of mail, and with brass helmets on their heads; and five hundred picked horsemen were assigned to each beast. ³⁶These took their position beforehand wherever the animal was; wherever it went, they went with it, and they never left it. ³⁷On the elephantsi were wooden towers, strong and covered; they were fastened on each animal by special harness, and on each were fourj armed men who fought from there, and also its Indian driver. ³⁸The rest of the cavalry were stationed on either side, on the two flanks of the army, to harass the enemy while being themselves protected by the phalanxes. ³⁹When the sun shone on the shields of gold and brass, the hills were ablaze with them and gleamed like flaming torches.

⁴⁰ Now a part of the king’s army was spread out on the high hills, and some troops were on the plain, and they advanced steadily and in good order. ⁴¹All who heard the noise made by their multitude, by the marching of the multitude and the clanking of their arms, trembled, for the army was very large and strong. ⁴²But Judas and his army advanced to the battle, and six hundred of the king’s army fell. ⁴³Now Eleazar, called Avaran, saw that one of the animals was equipped with royal armour. It was taller than all the others, and he supposed that the king was on it. ⁴⁴So he gave his life to save his people and to win for himself an everlasting name. ⁴⁵He courageously ran into the midst of the phalanx to reach it; he killed men right and left, and they parted before him on both sides. ⁴⁶He got under the elephant, stabbed it from beneath, and killed it; but it fell to the ground upon him and he died. ⁴⁷When the Jewsa saw the royal might and the fierce attack of the forces, they turned away in flight.

The Siege of the Temple

⁴⁸ The soldiers of the king’s army went up to Jerusalem against them, and the king encamped in Judea and at Mount Zion. ⁴⁹He made peace with the people of Beth-zur, and they evacuated the town because they had no provisions there to withstand a siege, since it was a sabbatical year for the land. ⁵⁰So the king took Beth-zur and stationed a guard there to hold it. ⁵¹Then he encamped before the sanctuary for many days. He set up siege-towers, engines of war to throw fire and stones, machines to shoot arrows, and catapults. ⁵²The Jewsa also made engines of war to match theirs, and fought for many days. ⁵³But they had no food in storage,b because it was the seventh year; those who had found safety in Judea from the Gentiles had consumed the last of the stores. ⁵⁴Only a few men were left in the sanctuary; the rest scattered to their own homes, for the famine proved too much for them.

Syria Offers Terms

⁵⁵ Then Lysias heard that Philip, whom King Antiochus while still living had appointed to bring up his son Antiochus to be king, ⁵⁶had returned from Persia and Media with the forces that had gone with the king, and that he was trying to seize control of the government. ⁵⁷So he quickly gave orders to withdraw, and said to the king, to the commanders of the forces, and to the troops, ‘Daily we grow weaker, our food supply is scant, the place against which we are fighting is strong, and the affairs of the kingdom press urgently on us. ⁵⁸Now then, let us come to terms with these people, and make peace with them and with all their nation. ⁵⁹Let us agree to let them live by their laws as they did before; for it was on account of their laws that we abolished that they became angry and did all these things.’

⁶⁰ The speech pleased the king and the commanders, and he sent to the Jewsc an offer of peace, and they accepted it. ⁶¹So the king and the commanders gave them their oath. On these conditions the Jewsa evacuated the stronghold. ⁶²But when the king entered Mount Zion and saw what a strong fortress the place was, he broke the oath he had sworn and gave orders to tear down the wall all round. ⁶³Then he set off in haste and returned to Antioch. He found Philip in control of the city, but he fought against him, and took the city by force.

Expedition of Bacchides and Alcimus

7

IN THE one hundred and fifty-first yeara Demetrius son of Seleucus set out from Rome, sailed with a few men to a town by the sea, and there began to reign. ²As he was entering the royal palace of his ancestors, the army seized Antiochus and Lysias to bring them to him. ³But when this act became known to him, he said, ‘Do not let me see their faces!’ ⁴So the army killed them, and Demetrius took his seat on the throne of his kingdom.

⁵ Then there came to him all the renegade and godless men of Israel; they were led by Alcimus, who wanted to be high priest. ⁶They brought to the king this accusation against the people: ‘Judas and his brothers have destroyed all your Friends, and have driven us out of our land. ⁷Now then, send a man whom you trust; let him go and see all the ruin that Judasb has brought on us and on the land of the king, and let him punish them and all who help them.’

⁸ So the king chose Bacchides, one of the king’s Friends, governor of the province Beyond the River; he was a great man in the kingdom and was faithful to the king. ⁹He sent him, and with him he sent the ungodly Alcimus, whom he made high priest; and he commanded him to take vengeance on the Israelites. ¹⁰So they marched away and came with a large force into the land of Judah; and he sent messengers to Judas and his brothers with peaceable but treacherous words. ¹¹But they paid no attention to their words, for they saw that they had come with a large force.

¹² Then a group of scribes appeared in a body before Alcimus and Bacchides to ask for just terms. ¹³The Hasideans were first among the Israelites to seek peace from them, ¹⁴for they said, ‘A priest of the line of Aaron has come with the army, and he will not harm us.’ ¹⁵Alcimusc spoke peaceable words to them and swore this oath to them, ‘We will not seek to injure you or your friends.’ ¹⁶So they trusted him; but he seized sixty of them and killed them in one day, in accordance with the word that was written,

¹⁷ ‘The flesh of your faithful ones and their blood

they poured out all around Jerusalem,

and there was no one to bury them.’

¹⁸Then the fear and dread of them fell on all the people, for they said, ‘There is no truth or justice in them, for they have violated the agreement and the oath that they swore.’

¹⁹ Then Bacchides withdrew from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-zaith. And he sent and seized many of the men who had deserted to him,d and some of the people, and killed them and threw them into a great pit. ²⁰He placed Alcimus in charge of the country and left with him a force to help him; then Bacchides went back to the king.

²¹ Alcimus struggled to maintain his high-priesthood, ²²and all who were troubling their people joined him. They gained control of the land of Judah and did great damage in Israel. ²³And Judas saw all the wrongs that Alcimus and those with him had done among the Israelites; it was more than the Gentiles had done. ²⁴So Judasb went out into all the surrounding parts of Judea, taking vengeance on those who had deserted and preventing those in the citya from going out into the country. ²⁵When Alcimus saw that Judas and those with him had grown strong, and realized that he could not withstand them, he returned to the king and brought malicious charges against them.

Nicanor in Judea

²⁶ Then the king sent Nicanor, one of his honoured princes, who hated and detested Israel, and he commanded him to destroy the people. ²⁷So Nicanor came to Jerusalem with a large force, and treacherously sent to Judas and his brothers this peaceable message, ²⁸‘Let there be no fighting between you and me; I shall come with a few men to see you face to face in peace.’

²⁹ So he came to Judas, and they greeted one another peaceably; but the enemy were preparing to kidnap Judas. ³⁰It became known to Judas that Nicanorb had come to him with treacherous intent, and he was afraid of him and would not meet him again. ³¹When Nicanor learned that his plan had been disclosed, he went out to meet Judas in battle near Caphar-salama. ³²About five hundred of the army of Nicanor fell, and the restc fled into the city of David.

Nicanor Threatens the Temple

³³ After these events Nicanor went up to Mount Zion. Some of the priests from the sanctuary and some of the elders of the people came out to greet him peaceably and to show him the burnt-offering that was being offered for the king. ³⁴But he mocked them and derided them and defiled them and spoke arrogantly, ³⁵and in anger he swore this oath, ‘Unless Judas and his army are delivered into my hands this time, then if I return safely I will burn up this house.’ And he went out in great anger. ³⁶At this the priests went in and stood before the altar and the temple; they wept and said,

³⁷ ‘You chose this house to be called by your name,

and to be for your people a house of prayer and supplication.

³⁸ Take vengeance on this man and on his army,

and let them fall by the sword;

remember their blasphemies,

and let them live no longer.’

The Death of Nicanor

³⁹ Now Nicanor went out from Jerusalem and encamped in Beth-horon, and the Syrian army joined him. ⁴⁰Judas encamped in Adasa with three thousand men. Then Judas prayed and said, ⁴¹‘When the messengers from the king spoke blasphemy, your angel went out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand of the Assyrians.d ⁴²So also crush this army before us today; let the rest learn that Nicanorb has spoken wickedly against the sanctuary, and judge him according to this wickedness.’

⁴³ So the armies met in battle on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar. The army of Nicanor was crushed, and he himself was the first to fall in the battle. ⁴⁴When his army saw that Nicanor had fallen, they threw down their arms and fled. ⁴⁵The Jewsa pursued them a day’s journey, from Adasa as far as Gazara, and as they followed they kept sounding the battle-call on the trumpets. ⁴⁶People came out of all the surrounding villages of Judea, and they outflanked the enemyb and drove them back to their pursuers,c so that they all fell by the sword; not even one of them was left. ⁴⁷Then the Jewsa seized the spoils and the plunder; they cut off Nicanor’s head and the right hand that he had so arrogantly stretched out, and brought them and displayed them just outside Jerusalem. ⁴⁸The people rejoiced greatly and celebrated that day as a day of great gladness. ⁴⁹They decreed that this day should be celebrated each year on the thirteenth day of Adar. ⁵⁰So the land of Judah had rest for a few days.

A Eulogy of the Romans

8

NOW Judas heard of the fame of the Romans, that they were very strong and were well disposed towards all who made an alliance with them, that they pledged friendship to those who came to them, ²and that they were very strong. He had been told of their wars and of the brave deeds that they were doing among the Gauls, how they had defeated them and forced them to pay tribute, ³and what they had done in the land of Spain to get control of the silver and gold mines there, ⁴and how they had gained control of the whole region by their planning and patience, even though the place was far distant from them. They also subdued the kings who came against them from the ends of the earth, until they crushed them and inflicted great disaster on them; the rest paid them tribute every year. ⁵They had crushed in battle and conquered Philip, and King Perseus of the Macedonians,d and the others who rose up against them. ⁶They also had defeated Antiochus the Great, king of Asia, who went to fight against them with one hundred and twenty elephants and with cavalry and chariots and a very large army. He was crushed by them; ⁷they took him alive and decreed that he and those who would reign after him should pay a heavy tribute and give hostages and surrender some of their best provinces, ⁸the countries of India, Media, and Lydia. These they took from him and gave to King Eumenes. ⁹The Greeks planned to come and destroy them, ¹⁰but this became known to them, and they sent a general against the Greeksb and attacked them. Many of them were wounded and fell, and the Romansa took captive their wives and children; they plundered them, conquered the land, tore down their strongholds, and enslaved them to this day. ¹¹The remaining kingdoms and islands, as many as ever opposed them, they destroyed and enslaved; ¹²but with their friends and those who rely on them they have kept friendship. They have subdued kings far and near, and as many as have heard of their fame have feared them. ¹³Those whom they wish to help and to make kings, they make kings, and those whom they wish they depose; and they have been greatly exalted. ¹⁴Yet for all this not one of them has put on a crown or worn purple as a mark of pride, ¹⁵but they have built for themselves a senate chamber, and every day three hundred and twenty senators constantly deliberate concerning the people, to govern them well. ¹⁶They trust one man each year to rule over them and to control all their land; they all heed the one man, and there is no envy or jealousy among them.

An Alliance with Rome

¹⁷ So Judas chose Eupolemus son of John son of Accos, and Jason son of Eleazar, and sent them to Rome to establish friendship and alliance, ¹⁸and to free themselves from the yoke; for they saw that the kingdom of the Greeks was enslaving Israel completely. ¹⁹They went to Rome, a very long journey; and they entered the senate chamber and spoke as follows: ²⁰‘Judas, who is also called Maccabeus, and his brothers and the people of the Jews have sent us to you to establish alliance and peace with you, so that we may be enrolled as your allies and friends.’ ²¹The proposal pleased them, ²²and this is a copy of the letter that they wrote in reply, on bronze tablets, and sent to Jerusalem to remain with them there as a memorial of peace and alliance:

²³ ‘May all go well with the Romans and with the nation of the Jews at sea and on land for ever, and may sword and enemy be far from them. ²⁴If war comes first to Rome or to any of their allies in all their dominion, ²⁵the nation of the Jews shall act as their allies wholeheartedly, as the occasion may indicate to them. ²⁶To the enemy that makes war they shall not give or supply grain, arms, money, or ships, just as Rome has decided; and they shall keep their obligations without receiving any return. ²⁷In the same way, if war comes first to the nation of the Jews, the Romans shall willingly act as their allies, as the occasion may indicate to them. ²⁸And to their enemies there shall not be given grain, arms, money, or ships, just as Rome has decided; and they shall keep these obligations and do so without deceit. ²⁹Thus on these terms the Romans make a treaty with the Jewish people. ³⁰If after these terms are in effect both parties shall determine to add or delete anything, they shall do so at their discretion, and any addition or deletion that they may make shall be valid.

³¹ ‘Concerning the wrongs that King Demetrius is doing to them, we have written to him as follows, “Why have you made your yoke heavy on our friends and allies the Jews? ³²If now they appeal again for help against you, we will defend their rights and fight you on sea and on land.”’

Bacchides Returns to Judea

9

WHEN Demetrius heard that Nicanor and his army had fallen in battle, he sent Bacchides and Alcimus into the land of Judah a second time, and with them the right wing of the army. ²They went by the road that leads to Gilgal and encamped against Mesaloth in Arbela, and they took it and killed many people. ³In the first month of the one hundred and fifty-second yeara they encamped against Jerusalem; ⁴then they marched off and went to Berea with twenty thousand foot-soldiers and two thousand cavalry.

⁵ Now Judas was encamped in Elasa, and with him were three thousand picked men. ⁶When they saw the huge number of the enemy forces, they were greatly frightened, and many slipped away from the camp, until no more than eight hundred of them were left.

⁷ When Judas saw that his army had slipped away and the battle was imminent, he was crushed in spirit, for he had no time to assemble them. ⁸He became faint, but he said to those who were left, ‘Let us get up and go against our enemies. We may have the strength to fight them.’ ⁹But they tried to dissuade him, saying, ‘We do not have the strength. Let us rather save our own lives now, and let us come back with our kindred and fight them; we are too few.’ ¹⁰But Judas said, ‘Far be it from us to do such a thing as to flee from them. If our time has come, let us die bravely for our kindred, and leave no cause to question our honour.’

The Last Battle of Judas

¹¹ Then the army of Bacchidesa marched out from the camp and took its stand for the encounter. The cavalry was divided into two companies, and the slingers and the archers went ahead of the army, as did all the chief warriors. ¹²Bacchides was on the right wing. Flanked by the two companies, the phalanx advanced to the sound of the trumpets; and the men with Judas also blew their trumpets. ¹³The earth was shaken by the noise of the armies, and the battle raged from morning until evening.

¹⁴ Judas saw that Bacchides and the strength of his army were on the right; then all the stout-hearted men went with him, ¹⁵and they crushed the right wing, and he pursued them as far as Mount Azotus. ¹⁶When those on the left wing saw that the right wing was crushed, they turned and followed close behind Judas and his men. ¹⁷The battle became desperate, and many on both sides were wounded and fell. ¹⁸Judas also fell, and the rest fled.

¹⁹ Then Jonathan and Simon took their brother Judas and buried him in the tomb of their ancestors at Modein, ²⁰and wept for him. All Israel made great lamentation for him; they mourned for many days and said,

²¹ ‘How is the mighty fallen,

the saviour of Israel!’

²²Now the rest of the acts of Judas, and his wars and the brave deeds that he did, and his greatness, have not been recorded, but they were very many.

Jonathan Succeeds Judas

²³ After the death of Judas, the renegades emerged in all parts of Israel; all the wrongdoers reappeared. ²⁴In those days a very great famine occurred, and the country went over to their side. ²⁵Bacchides chose the godless and put them in charge of the country. ²⁶They made inquiry and searched for the friends of Judas, and brought them to Bacchides, who took vengeance on them and made sport of them. ²⁷So there was great distress in Israel, such as had not been since the time that prophets ceased to appear among them.

²⁸ Then all the friends of Judas assembled and said to Jonathan, ²⁹‘Since the death of your brother Judas there has been no one like him to go against our enemies and Bacchides, and to deal with those of our nation who hate us. ³⁰Now therefore we have chosen you today to take his place as our ruler and leader, to fight our battle.’ ³¹So Jonathan accepted the leadership at that time in place of his brother Judas.

The Campaigns of Jonathan

³² When Bacchides learned of this, he tried to kill him. ³³But Jonathan and his brother Simon and all who were with him heard of it, and they fled into the wilderness of Tekoa and camped by the water of the pool of Asphar. ³⁴Bacchides found this out on the sabbath day, and he with all his army crossed the Jordan.

³⁵ So Jonathana sent his brother as leader of the multitude and begged the Nabateans, who were his friends, for permission to store with them the great amount of baggage that they had. ³⁶But the family of Jambri from Medeba came out and seized John and all that he had, and left with it.

³⁷ After these things it was reported to Jonathan and his brother Simon, ‘The family of Jambri are celebrating a great wedding, and are conducting the bride, a daughter of one of the great nobles of Canaan, from Nadabath with a large escort.’ ³⁸Remembering how their brother John had been killed, they went up and hid under cover of the mountain. ³⁹They looked out and saw a tumultuous procession with a great amount of baggage; and the bridegroom came out with his friends and his brothers to meet them with tambourines and musicians and many weapons. ⁴⁰Then they rushed on them from the ambush and began killing them. Many were wounded and fell, and the rest fled to the mountain; and the Jewsb took all their goods. ⁴¹So the wedding was turned into mourning and the voice of their musicians into a funeral dirge. ⁴²After they had fully avenged the blood of their brother, they returned to the marshes of the Jordan.

⁴³ When Bacchides heard of this, he came with a large force on the sabbath day to the banks of the Jordan. ⁴⁴And Jonathan said to those with him, ‘Let us get up now and fight for our lives, for today things are not as they were before. ⁴⁵For look! the battle is in front of us and behind us; the water of the Jordan is on this side and on that, with marsh and thicket; there is no place to turn. ⁴⁶Cry out now to Heaven that you may be delivered from the hands of our enemies.’ ⁴⁷So the battle began, and Jonathan stretched out his hand to strike Bacchides, but he eluded him and went to the rear. ⁴⁸Then Jonathan and the men with him leapt into the Jordan and swam across to the other side, and the enemyb did not cross the Jordan to attack them. ⁴⁹And about one thousand of Bacchides’ men fell that day.

Bacchides Builds Fortifications

⁵⁰ Then Bacchidesa returned to Jerusalem and built strong cities in Judea: the fortress in Jericho, and Emmaus, and Beth-horon, and Bethel, and Timnath, and c Pharathon, and Tephon, with high walls and gates and bars. ⁵¹And he placed garrisons in them to harass Israel. ⁵²He also fortified the town of Beth-zur, and Gazara, and the citadel, and in them he put troops and stores of food. ⁵³And he took the sons of the leading men of the land as hostages and put them under guard in the citadel at Jerusalem.

⁵⁴ In the one hundred and fifty-third year,d in the second month, Alcimus gave orders to tear down the wall of the inner court of the sanctuary. He tore down the work of the prophets! ⁵⁵But he only began to tear it down, for at that time Alcimus was stricken and his work was hindered; his mouth was stopped and he was paralysed, so that he could no longer say a word or give commands concerning his house. ⁵⁶And Alcimus died at that time in great agony. ⁵⁷When Bacchides saw that Alcimus was dead, he returned to the king, and the land of Judah had rest for two years.

The End of the War

⁵⁸ Then all the lawless plotted and said, ‘See! Jonathan and his men are living in quiet and confidence. So now let us bring Bacchides back, and he will capture them all in one night.’ ⁵⁹And they went and consulted with him. ⁶⁰He started to come with a large force, and secretly sent letters to all his allies in Judea, telling them to seize Jonathan and his men; but they were unable to do it, because their plan became known. ⁶¹And Jonathan’s mena seized about fifty of the men of the country who were leaders in this treachery, and killed them.

⁶² Then Jonathan with his men, and Simon, withdrew to Bethbasi in the wilderness; he rebuilt the parts of it that had been demolished, and they fortified it. ⁶³When Bacchides learned of this, he assembled all his forces, and sent orders to the men of Judea. ⁶⁴Then he came and encamped against Bethbasi; he fought against it for many days and made machines of war.

⁶⁵ But Jonathan left his brother Simon in the town, while he went out into the country; and he went with only a few men. ⁶⁶He struck down Odomera and his kindred and the people of Phasiron in their tents. ⁶⁷Then heb began to attack and went into battle with his forces; and Simon and his men sallied out from the town and set fire to the machines of war. ⁶⁸They fought with Bacchides, and he was crushed by them. They pressed him very hard, for his plan and his expedition had been in vain. ⁶⁹So he was very angry at the renegades who had counselled him to come into the country, and he killed many of them. Then he decided to go back to his own land.

⁷⁰ When Jonathan learned of this, he sent ambassadors to him to make peace with him and obtain release of the captives. ⁷¹He agreed, and did as he said; and he swore to Jonathanc that he would not try to harm him as long as he lived. ⁷²He restored to him the captives whom he had taken previously from the land of Judah; then he turned and went back to his own land, and did not come again into their territory. ⁷³Thus the sword ceased from Israel. Jonathan settled in Michmash and began to judge the people; and he destroyed the godless out of Israel.

Revolt of Alexander Epiphanes

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IN THE one hundred and sixtieth yeard Alexander Epiphanes, son of Antiochus, landed and occupied Ptolemais. They welcomed him, and there he began to reign. ²When King Demetrius heard of it, he assembled a very large army and marched out to meet him in battle. ³Demetrius sent Jonathan a letter in peaceable words to honour him; ⁴for he said to himself, ‘Let us act first to make peace with hime before he makes peace with Alexander against us, ⁵for he will remember all the wrongs that we did to him and to his brothers and his nation.’ ⁶So Demetriusf gave him authority to recruit troops, to equip them with arms, and to become his ally; and he commanded that the hostages in the citadel should be released to him.

⁷ Then Jonathan came to Jerusalem and read the letter in the hearing of all the people and of those in the citadel. ⁸They were greatly alarmed when they heard that the king had given him authority to recruit troops. ⁹But those in the citadel released the hostages to Jonathan, and he returned them to their parents.

¹⁰ And Jonathan took up residence in Jerusalem and began to rebuild and restore the city. ¹¹He directed those who were doing the work to build the walls and encircle Mount Zion with squared stones, for better fortification; and they did so.

¹² Then the foreigners who were in the strongholds that Bacchides had built fled; ¹³all of them left their places and went back to their own lands. ¹⁴Only in Beth-zur did some remain who had forsaken the law and the commandments, for it served as a place of refuge.

¹⁵ Now King Alexander heard of all the promises that Demetrius had sent to Jonathan, and he heard of the battles that Jonathana and his brothers had fought, of the brave deeds that they had done, and of the troubles that they had endured. ¹⁶So he said, ‘Shall we find another such man? Come now, we will make him our friend and ally.’ ¹⁷And he wrote a letter and sent it to him, in the following words:

Jonathan Becomes High Priest

¹⁸ ‘King Alexander to his brother Jonathan, greetings. ¹⁹We have heard about you, that you are a mighty warrior and worthy to be our friend. ²⁰And so we have appointed you today to be the high priest of your nation; you are to be called the king’s Friend and you are to take our side and keep friendship with us.’ He also sent him a purple robe and a golden crown.

²¹ So Jonathan put on the sacred vestments in the seventh month of the one hundred and sixtieth year,b at the festival of booths,c and he recruited troops and equipped them with arms in abundance. ²²When Demetrius heard of these things he was distressed and said, ²³‘What is this that we have done? Alexander has overtaken us in forming a friendship with the Jews to strengthen himself. ²⁴I also will write them words of encouragement and promise them honour and gifts, so that I may have their help.’ ²⁵So he sent a message to them in the following words:

A Letter from Demetrius to Jonathan

‘King Demetrius to the nation of the Jews, greetings. ²⁶Since you have kept your agreement with us and have continued your friendship with us, and have not sided with our enemies, we have heard of it and rejoiced. ²⁷Now continue still to keep faith with us, and we will repay you with good for what you do for us. ²⁸We will grant you many immunities and give you gifts.

²⁹ ‘I now free you and exempt all the Jews from payment of tribute and salt tax and crown levies, ³⁰and instead of collecting the third of the grain and the half of the fruit of the trees that I should receive, I release them from this day and henceforth. I will not collect them from the land of Judah or from the three districts added to it from Samaria and Galilee, from this day and for all time. ³¹Jerusalem and its environs, its tithes and its revenues, shall be holy and free from tax. ³²I release also my control of the citadel in Jerusalem and give it to the high priest, so that he may station in it men of his own choice to guard it. ³³And everyone of the Jews taken as a captive from the land of Judah into any part of my kingdom, I set free without payment; and let all officials cancel also the taxes on their livestock.

³⁴ ‘All the festivals and sabbaths and new moons and appointed days, and the three days before a festival and the three after a festival—let them all be days of immunity and release for all the Jews who are in my kingdom. ³⁵No one shall have authority to exact anything from them or annoy any of them about any matter.

³⁶ ‘Let Jews be enrolled in the king’s forces to the number of thirty thousand men, and let the maintenance be given them that is due to all the forces of the king. ³⁷Let some of them be stationed in the great strongholds of the king, and let some of them be put in positions of trust in the kingdom. Let their officers and leaders be of their own number, and let them live by their own laws, just as the king has commanded in the land of Judah.

³⁸ ‘As for the three districts that have been added to Judea from the country of Samaria, let them be annexed to Judea so that they may be considered to be under one ruler and obey no other authority than the high priest. ³⁹Ptolemais and the land adjoining it I have given as a gift to the sanctuary in Jerusalem, to meet the necessary expenses of the sanctuary. ⁴⁰I also grant fifteen thousand shekels of silver yearly out of the king’s revenues from appropriate places. ⁴¹And all the additional funds that the government officials have not paid as they did in the first years,a they shall give from now on for the service of the temple.b ⁴²Moreover, the five thousand shekels of silver that my officialsc have received every year from the income of the services of the temple, this too is cancelled, because it belongs to the priests who minister there. ⁴³And all who take refuge at the temple in Jerusalem, or in any of its precincts, because they owe money to the king or are in debt, let them be released and receive back all their property in my kingdom.

⁴⁴ ‘Let the cost of rebuilding and restoring the structures of the sanctuary be paid from the revenues of the king. ⁴⁵And let the cost of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem and fortifying it all round, and the cost of rebuilding the walls in Judea, also be paid from the revenues of the king.’

Death of Demetrius

⁴⁶ When Jonathan and the people heard these words, they did not believe or accept them, because they remembered the great wrongs that Demetriusd had done in Israel and how much he had oppressed them. ⁴⁷They favoured Alexander, because he had been the first to speak peaceable words to them, and they remained his allies all his days.

⁴⁸ Now King Alexander assembled large forces and encamped opposite Demetrius. ⁴⁹The two kings met in battle, and the army of Demetrius fled, and Alexandere pursued him and defeated them. ⁵⁰He pressed the battle strongly until the sun set, and on that day Demetrius fell.

Treaty of Ptolemy and Alexander

⁵¹ Then Alexander sent ambassadors to Ptolemy king of Egypt with the following message: ⁵²‘Since I have returned to my kingdom and have taken my seat on the throne of my ancestors, and established my rule—for I crushed Demetrius and gained control of our country; ⁵³I met him in battle, and he and his army were crushed by us, and we have taken our seat on the throne of his kingdom—⁵⁴now therefore let us establish friendship with one another; give me now your daughter as my wife, and I will become your son-in-law, and will make gifts to you and to her in keeping with your position.’

⁵⁵ Ptolemy the king replied and said, ‘Happy was the day on which you returned to the land of your ancestors and took your seat on the throne of their kingdom. ⁵⁶And now I will do for you as you wrote, but meet me at Ptolemais, so that we may see one another, and I will become your father-in-law, as you have said.’

⁵⁷ So Ptolemy set out from Egypt, he and his daughter Cleopatra, and came to Ptolemais in the one hundred and sixty-second year.a ⁵⁸King Alexander met him, and Ptolemyb gave him his daughter Cleopatra in marriage, and celebrated her wedding at Ptolemais with great pomp, as kings do.

⁵⁹ Then King Alexander wrote to Jonathan to come and meet him. ⁶⁰So he went with pomp to Ptolemais and met the two kings; he gave them and their Friends silver and gold and many gifts, and found favour with them. ⁶¹A group of malcontents from Israel, renegades, gathered together against him to accuse him; but the king paid no attention to them. ⁶²The king gave orders to take off Jonathan’s garments and to clothe him in purple, and they did so. ⁶³The king also seated him at his side; and he said to his officers, ‘Go out with him into the middle of the city and proclaim that no one is to bring charges against him about any matter, and let no one annoy him for any reason.’ ⁶⁴When his accusers saw the honour that was paid him, in accordance with the proclamation, and saw him clothed in purple, they all fled. ⁶⁵Thus the king honoured him and enrolled him among his chiefc Friends, and made him general and governor of the province. ⁶⁶And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem in peace and gladness.

Apollonius Is Defeated by Jonathan

⁶⁷ In the one hundred and sixty-fifth yeard Demetrius son of Demetrius came from Crete to the land of his ancestors. ⁶⁸When King Alexander heard of it, he was greatly distressed and returned to Antioch. ⁶⁹And Demetrius appointed Apollonius the governor of Coelesyria, and he assembled a large force and encamped against Jamnia. Then he sent the following message to the high priest Jonathan:

⁷⁰ ‘You are the only one to rise up against us, and I have fallen into ridicule and disgrace because of you. Why do you assume authority against us in the hill country? ⁷¹If you now have confidence in your forces, come down to the plain to meet us, and let us match strength with each other there, for I have with me the power of the cities. ⁷²Ask and learn who I am and who the others are that are helping us. People will tell you that you cannot stand before us, for your ancestors were twice put to flight in their own land. ⁷³And now you will not be able to withstand my cavalry and such an army in the plain, where there is no stone or pebble, or place to flee.’

⁷⁴ When Jonathan heard the words of Apollonius, his spirit was aroused. He chose ten thousand men and set out from Jerusalem, and his brother Simon met him to help him. ⁷⁵He encamped before Joppa, but the people of the city closed its gates, for Apollonius had a garrison in Joppa. ⁷⁶So they fought against it, and the people of the city became afraid and opened the gates, and Jonathan gained possession of Joppa.

⁷⁷ When Apollonius heard of it, he mustered three thousand cavalry and a large army, and went to Azotus as though he were going farther. At the same time he advanced into the plain, for he had a large troop of cavalry and put confidence in it. ⁷⁸Jonathana pursued him to Azotus, and the armies engaged in battle. ⁷⁹Now Apollonius had secretly left a thousand cavalry behind them. ⁸⁰Jonathan learned that there was an ambush behind him, for they surrounded his army and shot arrows at his men from early morning until late afternoon. ⁸¹But his men stood fast, as Jonathan had commanded, and the enemy’sb horses grew tired.

⁸² Then Simon brought forward his force and engaged the phalanx in battle (for the cavalry was exhausted); they were overwhelmed by him and fled, ⁸³and the cavalry was dispersed in the plain. They fled to Azotus and entered Beth-dagon, the temple of their idol, for safety. ⁸⁴But Jonathan burned Azotus and the surrounding towns and plundered them; and the temple of Dagon, and those who had taken refuge in it, he burned with fire. ⁸⁵The number of those who fell by the sword, with those burned alive, came to eight thousand.

⁸⁶ Then Jonathan left there and encamped against Askalon, and the people of the city came out to meet him with great pomp.

⁸⁷ He and those with him then returned to Jerusalem with a large amount of booty. ⁸⁸When King Alexander heard of these things, he honoured Jonathan still more; ⁸⁹and he sent to him a golden buckle, such as it is the custom to give to the King’s Kinsmen. He also gave him Ekron and all its environs as his possession.

Ptolemy Invades Syria

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THEN the king of Egypt gathered great forces, like the sand by the seashore, and many ships; and he tried to get possession of Alexander’s kingdom by trickery and add it to his own kingdom. ²He set out for Syria with peaceable words, and the people of the towns opened their gates to him and went to meet him, for King Alexander had commanded them to meet him, since he was Alexander’sc father-in-law. ³But when Ptolemy entered the towns he stationed forces as a garrison in each town.

⁴ When hed approached Azotus, they showed him the burnt-out temple of Dagon, and Azotus and its suburbs destroyed, and the corpses lying about, and the charred bodies of those whom Jonathana had burned in the war, for they had piled them in heaps along his route. ⁵They also told the king what Jonathan had done, to throw blame on him; but the king kept silent. ⁶Jonathan met the king at Joppa with pomp, and they greeted one another and spent the night there. ⁷And Jonathan went with the king as far as the river called Eleutherus; then he returned to Jerusalem.

⁸ So King Ptolemy gained control of the coastal cities as far as Seleucia by the sea, and he kept devising wicked designs against Alexander. ⁹He sent envoys to King Demetrius, saying, ‘Come, let us make a covenant with each other, and I will give you in marriage my daughter who was Alexander’s wife, and you shall reign over your father’s kingdom. ¹⁰I now regret that I gave him my daughter, for he has tried to kill me.’ ¹¹He threw blame on Alexanderebecause he coveted his kingdom. ¹²So he took his daughter away from him and gave her to Demetrius. He was estranged from Alexander, and their enmity became manifest.

¹³ Then Ptolemy entered Antioch and put on the crown of Asia. Thus he put two crowns on his head, the crown of Egypt and that of Asia. ¹⁴Now King Alexander was in Cilicia at that time, because the people of that region were in revolt. ¹⁵When Alexander heard of it, he came against him in battle. Ptolemy marched out and met him with a strong force, and put him to flight. ¹⁶So Alexander fled into Arabia to find protection there, and King Ptolemy was triumphant. ¹⁷Zabdiel the Arab cut off the head of Alexander and sent it to Ptolemy. ¹⁸But King Ptolemy died three days later, and his troops in the strongholds were killed by the inhabitants of the strongholds. ¹⁹So Demetrius became king in the one hundred and sixty-seventh year.a

Jonathan’s Diplomacy

²⁰ In those days Jonathan assembled the Judeans to attack the citadel in Jerusalem, and he built many engines of war to use against it. ²¹But certain renegades who hated their nation went to the king and reported to him that Jonathan was besieging the citadel. ²²When he heard this he was angry, and as soon as he heard it he set out and came to Ptolemais; and he wrote to order Jonathan not to continue the siege, but to meet him for a conference at Ptolemais as quickly as possible.

²³ When Jonathan heard this, he gave orders to continue the siege. He chose some of the elders of Israel and some of the priests, and put himself in danger, ²⁴for he went to the king at Ptolemais, taking silver and gold and clothing and numerous other gifts. And he won his favour. ²⁵Although certain renegades of his nation kept making complaints against him, ²⁶the king treated him as his predecessors had treated him; he exalted him in the presence of all his Friends. ²⁷He confirmed him in the high-priesthood and in as many other honours as he had formerly had, and caused him to be reckoned among his chiefb Friends. ²⁸Then Jonathan asked the king to free Judea and the three districts of Samariac from tribute, and promised him three hundred talents. ²⁹The king consented, and wrote a letter to Jonathan about all these things; its contents were as follows:

³⁰ ‘King Demetrius to his brother Jonathan and to the nation of the Jews, greetings. ³¹This copy of the letter that we wrote concerning you to our kinsman Lasthenes we have written to you also, so that you may know what it says. ³²“King Demetrius to his father Lasthenes, greetings. ³³We have determined to do good to the nation of the Jews, who are our friends and fulfil their obligations to us, because of the goodwill they show towards us. ³⁴We have confirmed as their possession both the territory of Judea and the three districts of Aphairema and Lydda and Rathamin; the latter, with all the region bordering them, were added to Judea from Samaria. To all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem we have granted release fromd the royal taxes that the king formerly received from them each year, from the crops of the land and the fruit of the trees. ³⁵And the other payments henceforth due to us of the tithes, and the taxes due to us, and the salt pits and the crown taxes due to us—from all these we shall grant them release. ³⁶And not one of these grants shall be cancelled from this time on for ever. ³⁷Now therefore take care to make a copy of this, and let it be given to Jonathan and put up in a conspicuous place on the holy mountain.”’

The Intrigue of Trypho

³⁸ When King Demetrius saw that the land was quiet before him and that there was no opposition to him, he dismissed all his troops, all of them to their own homes, except the foreign troops that he had recruited from the islands of the nations. So all the troops who had served under his predecessors hated him. ³⁹A certain Trypho had formerly been one of Alexander’s supporters; he saw that all the troops were grumbling against Demetrius. So he went to Imalkue the Arab, who was bringing up Antiochus, the young son of Alexander, ⁴⁰and insistently urged him to hand Antiochusa over to him, to become king in place of his father. He also reported to Imalkuea what Demetrius had done and told of the hatred that the troops of Demetriusb had for him; and he stayed there for many days.

⁴¹ Now Jonathan sent to King Demetrius the request that he remove the troops of the citadel from Jerusalem, and the troops in the strongholds; for they kept fighting against Israel. ⁴²And Demetrius sent this message back to Jonathan: ‘Not only will I do these things for you and your nation, but I will confer great honour on you and your nation, if I find an opportunity. ⁴³Now then, you will do well to send me men who will help me, for all my troops have revolted.’ ⁴⁴So Jonathan sent three thousand stalwart men to him at Antioch, and when they came to the king, the king rejoiced at their arrival.

⁴⁵ Then the people of the city assembled within the city, to the number of a hundred and twenty thousand, and they wanted to kill the king. ⁴⁶But the king fled into the palace. Then the people of the city seized the main streets of the city and began to fight. ⁴⁷So the king called the Jews to his aid, and they all rallied around him and then spread out through the city; and they killed on that day about one hundred thousand. ⁴⁸They set fire to the city and seized a large amount of spoil on that day, and saved the king. ⁴⁹When the people of the city saw that the Jews had gained control of the city as they pleased, their courage failed and they cried out to the king with this entreaty: ⁵⁰‘Grant us peace, and make the Jews stop fighting against us and our city.’ ⁵¹And they threw down their arms and made peace. So the Jews gained glory in the sight of the king and of all the people in his kingdom, and they returned to Jerusalem with a large amount of spoil.

⁵² So King Demetrius sat on the throne of his kingdom, and the land was quiet before him. ⁵³But he broke his word about all that he had promised; he became estranged from Jonathan and did not repay the favours that Jonathanc had done him, but treated him very harshly.

Trypho Seizes Power

⁵⁴ After this Trypho returned, and with him the young boy Antiochus who began to reign and put on the crown. ⁵⁵All the troops that Demetrius had discharged gathered around him; they fought against Demetrius,a and he fled and was routed. ⁵⁶Trypho captured the elephantsd and gained control of Antioch. ⁵⁷Then the young Antiochus wrote to Jonathan, saying, ‘I confirm you in the high-priesthood and set you over the four districts and make you one of the king’s Friends.’ ⁵⁸He also sent him gold plate and a table service, and granted him the right to drink from gold cups and dress in purple and wear a gold buckle. ⁵⁹He appointed Jonathan’sa brother Simon governor from the Ladder of Tyre to the borders of Egypt.

Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon

⁶⁰ Then Jonathan set out and travelled beyond the river and among the towns, and all the army of Syria gathered to him as allies. When he came to Askalon, the people of the city met him and paid him honour. ⁶¹From there he went to Gaza, but the people of Gaza shut him out. So he besieged it and burned its suburbs with fire and plundered them. ⁶²Then the people of Gaza pleaded with Jonathan, and he made peace with them, and took the sons of their rulers as hostages and sent them to Jerusalem. And he passed through the country as far as Damascus.

⁶³ Then Jonathan heard that the officers of Demetrius had come to Kadesh in Galilee with a large army, intending to remove him from office. ⁶⁴He went to meet them, but left his brother Simon in the country. ⁶⁵Simon encamped before Beth-zur and fought against it for many days and hemmed it in. ⁶⁶Then they asked him to grant them terms of peace, and he did so. He removed them from there, took possession of the town, and set a garrison over it.

⁶⁷ Jonathan and his army encamped by the waters of Gennesaret. Early in the morning they marched to the plain of Hazor, ⁶⁸and there in the plain the army of the foreigners met him; they had set an ambush against him in the mountains, but they themselves met him face to face. ⁶⁹Then the men in ambush emerged from their places and joined battle. ⁷⁰All the men with Jonathan fled; not one of them was left except Mattathias son of Absalom and Judas son of Chalphi, commanders of the forces of the army. ⁷¹Jonathan tore his clothes, put dust on his head, and prayed. ⁷²Then he turned back to the battle against the enemyb and routed them, and they fled. ⁷³When his men who were fleeing saw this, they returned to him and joined him in the pursuit as far as Kadesh, to their camp, and there they encamped. ⁷⁴As many as three thousand of the foreigners fell that day. And Jonathan returned to Jerusalem.

Alliances with Rome and Sparta

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NOW when Jonathan saw that the time was favourable for him, he chose men and sent them to Rome to confirm and renew the friendship with them. ²He also sent letters to the same effect to the Spartans and to other places. ³So they went to Rome and entered the senate chamber and said, ‘The high priest Jonathan and the Jewish nation have sent us to renew the former friendship and alliance with them.’ ⁴And the Romansc gave them letters to the people in every place, asking them to provide for the envoysc safe conduct to the land of Judah.

⁵ This is a copy of the letter that Jonathan wrote to the Spartans: ⁶‘The high priest Jonathan, the senate of the nation, the priests, and the rest of the Jewish people to their brothers the Spartans, greetings. ⁷Already in time past a letter was sent to the high priest Onias from Arius,d who was king among you, stating that you are our brothers, as the appended copy shows. ⁸Onias welcomed the envoy with honour, and received the letter, which contained a clear declaration of alliance and friendship. ⁹Therefore, though we have no need of these things, since we have as encouragement the holy books that are in our hands, ¹⁰we have undertaken to send to renew our family ties and friendship with you, so that we may not become estranged from you, for considerable time has passed since you sent your letter to us. ¹¹We therefore remember you constantly on every occasion, both at our festivals and on other appropriate days, at the sacrifices that we offer and in our prayers, as it is right and proper to remember brothers. ¹²And we rejoice in your glory. ¹³But as for ourselves, many trials and many wars have encircled us; the kings around us have waged war against us. ¹⁴We were unwilling to annoy you and our other allies and friends with these wars, ¹⁵for we have the help that comes from Heaven for our aid, and so we were delivered from our enemies, and our enemies were humbled. ¹⁶We therefore have chosen Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason, and have sent them to Rome to renew our former friendship and alliance with them. ¹⁷We have commanded them to go also to you and greet you and deliver to you this letter from us concerning the renewal of our family ties. ¹⁸And now please send us a reply to this.’

¹⁹ This is a copy of the letter that they sent to Onias: ²⁰‘King Arius of the Spartans, to the high priest Onias, greetings. ²¹It has been found in writing concerning the Spartans and the Jews that they are brothers and are of the family of Abraham. ²²And now that we have learned this, please write us concerning your welfare; ²³we on our part write to you that your livestock and your property belong to us, and ours belong to you. We therefore command that our envoys a report to you accordingly.’

Further Campaigns of Jonathan and Simon

²⁴ Now Jonathan heard that the commanders of Demetrius had returned, with a larger force than before, to wage war against him. ²⁵So he marched away from Jerusalem and met them in the region of Hamath, for he gave them no opportunity to invade his own country. ²⁶He sent spies to their camp, and they returned and reported to him that the enemya were being drawn up in formation to attack the Jewsb by night. ²⁷So when the sun had set, Jonathan commanded his troops to be alert and to keep their arms at hand so as to be ready all night for battle, and he stationed outposts around the camp. ²⁸When the enemy heard that Jonathan and his troops were prepared for battle, they were afraid and were terrified at heart; so they kindled fires in their camp and withdrew.c ²⁹But Jonathan and his troops did not know it until morning, for they saw the fires burning. ³⁰Then Jonathan pursued them, but he did not overtake them, for they had crossed the Eleutherus river. ³¹So Jonathan turned aside against the Arabs who are called Zabadeans, and he crushed them and plundered them. ³²Then he broke camp and went to Damascus, and marched through all that region.

³³ Simon also went out and marched through the country as far as Askalon and the neighbouring strongholds. He turned aside to Joppa and took it by surprise, ³⁴for he had heard that they were ready to hand over the stronghold to those whom Demetrius had sent. And he stationed a garrison there to guard it.

³⁵ When Jonathan returned he convened the elders of the people and planned with them to build strongholds in Judea, ³⁶to build the walls of Jerusalem still higher, and to erect a high barrier between the citadel and the city to separate it from the city, in order to isolate it so that its garrisona could neither buy nor sell. ³⁷So they gathered together to rebuild the city; part of the wall on the valley to the east had fallen, and he repaired the section called Chaphenatha. ³⁸Simon also built Adida in the Shephelah; he fortified it and installed gates with bolts.

Trypho Captures Jonathan

³⁹ Then Trypho attempted to become king in Asia and put on the crown, and to raise his hand against King Antiochus. ⁴⁰He feared that Jonathan might not permit him to do so, but might make war on him, so he kept seeking to seize and kill him, and he marched out and came to Beth-shan. ⁴¹Jonathan went out to meet him with forty thousand picked warriors, and he came to Beth-shan. ⁴²When Trypho saw that he had come with a large army, he was afraid to raise his hand against him. ⁴³So he received him with honour and commended him to all his Friends, and he gave him gifts and commanded his Friends and his troops to obey him as they would himself. ⁴⁴Then he said to Jonathan, ‘Why have you put all these people to so much trouble when we are not at war? ⁴⁵Dismiss them now to their homes and choose for yourself a few men to stay with you, and come with me to Ptolemais. I will hand it over to you as well as the other strongholds and the remaining troops and all the officials, and will turn around and go home. For that is why I am here.’

⁴⁶ Jonathanb trusted him and did as he said; he sent away the troops, and they returned to the land of Judah. ⁴⁷He kept with himself three thousand men, two thousand of whom he left in Galilee, while one thousand accompanied him. ⁴⁸But when Jonathan entered Ptolemais, the people of Ptolemais closed the gates and seized him, and they killed with the sword all who had entered with him.

⁴⁹ Then Trypho sent troops and cavalry into Galilee and the Great Plain to destroy all Jonathan’s soldiers. ⁵⁰But they realized that Jonathan had been seized and had perished along with his men, and they encouraged one another and kept marching in close formation, ready for battle. ⁵¹When their pursuers saw that they would fight for their lives, they turned back. ⁵²So they all reached the land of Judah safely, and they mourned for Jonathan and his companions and were in great fear; and all Israel mourned deeply. ⁵³All the nations around them tried to destroy them, for they said, ‘They have no leader or helper. Now therefore let us make war on them and blot out the memory of them from humankind.’

Simon Takes Command

13

SIMON heard that Trypho had assembled a large army to invade the land of Judah and destroy it, ²and he saw that the people were trembling with fear. So he went up to Jerusalem, and gathering the people together ³he encouraged them, saying to them, ‘You yourselves know what great things my brothers and I and the house of my father have done for the laws and the sanctuary; you know also the wars and the difficulties that my brothers and I have seen. ⁴By reason of this all my brothers have perished for the sake of Israel, and I alone am left. ⁵And now, far be it from me to spare my life in any time of distress, for I am not better than my brothers. ⁶But I will avenge my nation and the sanctuary and your wives and children, for all the nations have gathered together out of hatred to destroy us.’

⁷ The spirit of the people was rekindled when they heard these words, ⁸and they answered in a loud voice, ‘You are our leader in place of Judas and your brother Jonathan. ⁹Fight our battles, and all that you say to us we will do.’ ¹⁰So he assembled all the warriors and hurried to complete the walls of Jerusalem, and he fortified it on every side. ¹¹He sent Jonathan son of Absalom to Joppa, and with him a considerable army; he drove out its occupants and remained there.

Deceit and Treachery of Trypho

¹² Then Trypho left Ptolemais with a large army to invade the land of Judah, and Jonathan was with him under guard. ¹³Simon encamped in Adida, facing the plain. ¹⁴Trypho learned that Simon had risen up in place of his brother Jonathan, and that he was about to join battle with him, so he sent envoys to him and said, ¹⁵‘It is for the money that your brother Jonathan owed the royal treasury, in connection with the offices he held, that we are detaining him. ¹⁶Send now one hundred talents of silver and two of his sons as hostages, so that when released he will not revolt against us, and we will release him.’

¹⁷ Simon knew that they were speaking deceitfully to him, but he sent to get the money and the sons, so that he would not arouse great hostility among the people, who might say, ¹⁸‘It was because Simona did not send him the money and the sons, that Jonathanb perished.’ ¹⁹So he sent the sons and the hundred talents, but Tryphob broke his word and did not release Jonathan.

²⁰ After this Trypho came to invade the country and destroy it, and he circled around by the way to Adora. But Simon and his army kept marching along opposite him to every place he went. ²¹Now the men in the citadel kept sending envoys to Trypho urging him to come to them by way of the wilderness and to send them food. ²²So Trypho got all his cavalry ready to go, but that night a very heavy snow fell, and he did not go because of the snow. He marched off and went into the land of Gilead. ²³When he approached Baskama, he killed Jonathan, and he was buried there. ²⁴Then Trypho turned and went back to his own land.

Jonathan’s Tomb

²⁵ Simon sent and took the bones of his brother Jonathan, and buried him in Modein, the city of his ancestors. ²⁶All Israel bewailed him with great lamentation, and mourned for him for many days. ²⁷And Simon built a monument over the tomb of his father and his brothers; he made it high so that it might be seen, with polished stone at the front and back. ²⁸He also erected seven pyramids, opposite one another, for his father and mother and four brothers. ²⁹For the pyramidsc he devised an elaborate setting, erecting about them great columns, and on the columns he put suits of armour for a permanent memorial, and beside the suits of armour he carved ships, so that they could be seen by all who sail the sea. ³⁰This is the tomb that he built in Modein; it remains to this day.

Judea Gains Independence

³¹ Trypho dealt treacherously with the young King Antiochus; he killed him ³²and became king in his place, putting on the crown of Asia; and he brought great calamity on the land. ³³But Simon built up the strongholds of Judea and walled them all round, with high towers and great walls and gates and bolts, and he stored food in the strongholds. ³⁴Simon also chose emissaries and sent them to King Demetrius with a request to grant relief to the country, for all that Trypho did was to plunder. ³⁵King Demetrius sent him a favourable reply to this request, and wrote him a letter as follows, ³⁶‘King Demetrius to Simon, the high priest and friend of kings, and to the elders and nation of the Jews, greetings. ³⁷We have received the gold crown and the palm branch that youa sent, and we are ready to make a general peace with you and to write to our officials to grant you release from tribute. ³⁸All the grants that we have made to you remain valid, and let the strongholds that you have built be your possession. ³⁹We pardon any errors and offences committed to this day, and cancel the crown tax that you owe; and whatever other tax has been collected in Jerusalem shall be collected no longer. ⁴⁰And if any of you are qualified to be enrolled in our bodyguard,b let them be enrolled, and let there be peace between us.’

⁴¹ In the one hundred and seventieth yearc the yoke of the Gentiles was removed from Israel, ⁴²and the people began to write in their documents and contracts, ‘In the first year of Simon the great high priest and commander and leader of the Jews.’

The Capture of Gazara by Simon

⁴³ In those days Simond encamped against Gazarae and surrounded it with troops. He made a siege-engine, brought it up to the city, and battered and captured one tower. ⁴⁴The men in the siege-engine leapt out into the city, and a great tumult arose in the city. ⁴⁵The men in the city, with their wives and children, went up on the wall with their clothes torn, and they cried out with a loud voice, asking Simon to make peace with them; ⁴⁶they said, ‘Do not treat us according to our wicked acts but according to your mercy.’ ⁴⁷So Simon reached an agreement with them and stopped fighting against them. But he expelled them from the city and cleansed the houses in which the idols were located, and then entered it with hymns and praise. ⁴⁸He removed all uncleanness from it, and settled in it those who observed the law. He also strengthened its fortifications and built in it a house for himself.

Simon Regains the Citadel at Jerusalem

⁴⁹ Those who were in the citadel at Jerusalem were prevented from going in and out to buy and sell in the country. So they were very hungry, and many of them perished from famine. ⁵⁰Then they cried to Simon to make peace with them, and he did so. But he expelled them from there and cleansed the citadel from its pollutions. ⁵¹On the twenty-third day of the second month, in the one hundred and seventy-first year,a the Jewsb entered it with praise and palm branches, and with harps and cymbals and stringed instruments, and with hymns and songs, because a great enemy had been crushed and removed from Israel. ⁵²Simonc decreed that every year they should celebrate this day with rejoicing. He strengthened the fortifications of the temple hill alongside the citadel, and he and his men lived there. ⁵³Simon saw that his son John had reached manhood, and so he made him commander of all the forces; and he lived at Gazara.

Capture of Demetrius

14

IN THE one hundred and seventy-second yeard King Demetrius assembled his forces and marched into Media to obtain help, so that he could make war against Trypho. ²When King Arsaces of Persia and Media heard that Demetrius had invaded his territory, he sent one of his generals to take him alive. ³The generalc went and defeated the army of Demetrius, and seized him and took him to Arsaces, who put him under guard.

Eulogy of Simon

⁴ The lande had rest all the days of Simon.

He sought the good of his nation;

his rule was pleasing to them,

as was the honour shown him, all his days.

⁵ To crown all his honours he took Joppa for a harbour,

and opened a way to the isles of the sea.

⁶ He extended the borders of his nation,

and gained full control of the country.

⁷ He gathered a host of captives;

he ruled over Gazara and Beth-zur and the citadel,

and he removed its uncleanness from it;

and there was none to oppose him.

⁸ They tilled their land in peace;

the ground gave its increase,

and the trees of the plains their fruit.

⁹ Old men sat in the streets;

they all talked together of good things,

and the youths put on splendid military attire.

¹⁰ He supplied the towns with food,

and furnished them with the means of defence,

until his renown spread to the ends of the earth.

¹¹ He established peace in the land,

and Israel rejoiced with great joy.

¹² All the people sat under their own vines and fig trees,

and there was none to make them afraid.

¹³ No one was left in the land to fight them,

and the kings were crushed in those days.

¹⁴ He gave help to all the humble among his people;

he sought out the law,

and did away with all the renegades and outlaws.

¹⁵ He made the sanctuary glorious,

and added to the vessels of the sanctuary.

Diplomacy with Rome and Sparta

¹⁶ It was heard in Rome, and as far away as Sparta, that Jonathan had died, and they were deeply grieved. ¹⁷When they heard that his brother Simon had become high priest in his stead, and that he was ruling over the country and the towns in it, ¹⁸they wrote to him on bronze tablets to renew with him the friendship and alliance that they had established with his brothers Judas and Jonathan. ¹⁹And these were read before the assembly in Jerusalem.

²⁰ This is a copy of the letter that the Spartans sent:

‘The rulers and the city of the Spartans to the high priest Simon and to the elders and the priests and the rest of the Jewish people, our brothers, greetings. ²¹The envoys who were sent to our people have told us about your glory and honour, and we rejoiced at their coming. ²²We have recorded what they said in our public decrees, as follows, “Numenius son of Antiochus and Antipater son of Jason, envoys of the Jews, have come to us to renew their friendship with us. ²³It has pleased our people to receive these men with honour and to put a copy of their words in the public archives, so that the people of the Spartans may have a record of them. And they have sent a copy of this to the high priest Simon.”’

²⁴ After this Simon sent Numenius to Rome with a large gold shield weighing one thousand minas, to confirm the alliance with the Romans.a

Official Honours for Simon

²⁵ When the people heard these things they said, ‘How shall we thank Simon and his sons? ²⁶For he and his brothers and the house of his father have stood firm; they have fought and repulsed Israel’s enemies and established its freedom.’ ²⁷So they made a record on bronze tablets and put it on pillars on Mount Zion.

This is a copy of what they wrote: ‘On the eighteenth day of Elul, in the one hundred and seventy-second year,b which is the third year of the great high priest Simon, ²⁸in Asaramel,c in the great assembly of the priests and the people and the rulers of the nation and the elders of the country, the following was proclaimed to us:

²⁹ ‘Since wars often occurred in the country, Simon son of Mattathias, a priest of the sonsd of Joarib, and his brothers, exposed themselves to danger and resisted the enemies of their nation, in order that their sanctuary and the law might be preserved; and they brought great glory to their nation. ³⁰Jonathan rallied thee nation, became their high priest, and was gathered to his people. ³¹When their enemies decided to invade their country and lay hands on their sanctuary, ³²then Simon rose up and fought for his nation. He spent great sums of his own money; he armed the soldiers of his nation and paid them wages. ³³He fortified the towns of Judea, and Beth-zur on the borders of Judea, where formerly the arms of the enemy had been stored, and he placed there a garrison of Jews. ³⁴He also fortified Joppa, which is by the sea, and Gazara, which is on the borders of Azotus, where the enemy formerly lived. He settled Jews there, and provided in those townsa whatever was necessary for their restoration.

³⁵ ‘The people saw Simon’s faithfulnessb and the glory that he had resolved to win for his nation, and they made him their leader and high priest, because he had done all these things and because of the justice and loyalty that he had maintained towards his nation. He sought in every way to exalt his people. ³⁶In his days things prospered in his hands, so that the Gentiles were put out of thec country, as were also those in the city of David in Jerusalem, who had built themselves a citadel from which they used to sally forth and defile the environs of the sanctuary, doing great damage to its purity. ³⁷He settled Jews in it and fortified it for the safety of the country and of the city, and built the walls of Jerusalem higher.

³⁸ ‘In view of these things King Demetrius confirmed him in the high-priesthood, ³⁹made him one of his Friends, and paid him high honours. ⁴⁰For he had heard that the Jews were addressed by the Romans as friends and allies and brothers, and that the Romansd had received the envoys of Simon with honour.

⁴¹ ‘The Jews and their priests have resolved that Simon should be their leader and high priest for ever, until a trustworthy prophet should arise, ⁴²and that he should be governor over them and that he should take charge of the sanctuary and appoint officials over its tasks and over the country and the weapons and the strongholds, and that he should take charge of the sanctuary, ⁴³and that he should be obeyed by all, and that all contracts in the country should be written in his name, and that he should be clothed in purple and wear gold.

⁴⁴ ‘None of the people or priests shall be permitted to nullify any of these decisions or to oppose what he says, or to convene an assembly in the country without his permission, or to be clothed in purple or put on a gold buckle. ⁴⁵Whoever acts contrary to these decisions or rejects any of them shall be liable to punishment.’

⁴⁶ All the people agreed to grant Simon the right to act in accordance with these decisions. ⁴⁷So Simon accepted and agreed to be high priest, to be commander and ethnarch of the Jews and priests, and to be protector of them all.e ⁴⁸And they gave orders to inscribe this decree on bronze tablets, to put them up in a conspicuous place in the precincts of the sanctuary, ⁴⁹and to deposit copies of them in the treasury, so that Simon and his sons might have them.

Letter of Antiochus VII

15

ANTIOCHUS, son of King Demetrius, sent a letter from the islands of the sea to Simon, the priest and ethnarch of the Jews, and to all the nation; ²its contents were as follows: ‘King Antiochus to Simon the high priest and ethnarch and to the nation of the Jews, greetings. ³Whereas certain scoundrels have gained control of the kingdom of our ancestors, and I intend to lay claim to the kingdom so that I may restore it as it formerly was, and have recruited a host of mercenary troops and have equipped warships, ⁴and intend to make a landing in the country so that I may proceed against those who have destroyed our country and those who have devastated many cities in my kingdom, ⁵now therefore I confirm to you all the tax remissions that the kings before me have granted you, and a release from all the other payments from which they have released you. ⁶I permit you to mint your own coinage as money for your country, ⁷and I grant freedom to Jerusalem and the sanctuary. All the weapons that you have prepared and the strongholds that you have built and now hold shall remain yours. ⁸Every debt you owe to the royal treasury and any such future debts shall be cancelled for you from henceforth and for all time. ⁹When we gain control of our kingdom, we will bestow great honour on you and your nation and the temple, so that your glory will become manifest in all the earth.’

¹⁰ In the one hundred and seventy-fourth yeara Antiochus set out and invaded the land of his ancestors. All the troops rallied to him, so that there were only a few with Trypho. ¹¹Antiochus pursued him, and Tryphob came in his flight to Dor, which is by the sea; ¹²for he knew that troubles had converged on him, and his troops had deserted him. ¹³So Antiochus encamped against Dor, and with him were one hundred and twenty thousand warriors and eight thousand cavalry. ¹⁴He surrounded the town, and the ships joined battle from the sea; he pressed the town hard from land and sea, and permitted no one to leave or enter it.

Rome Supports the Jews

¹⁵ Then Numenius and his companions arrived from Rome, with letters to the kings and countries, in which the following was written: ¹⁶‘Lucius, consul of the Romans, to King Ptolemy, greetings. ¹⁷The envoys of the Jews have come to us as our friends and allies to renew our ancient friendship and alliance. They had been sent by the high priest Simon and by the Jewish people ¹⁸and have brought a gold shield weighing one thousand minas. ¹⁹We therefore have decided to write to the kings and countries that they should not seek their harm or make war against them and their cities and their country, or make alliance with those who war against them. ²⁰And it has seemed good to us to accept the shield from them. ²¹Therefore if any scoundrels have fled to you from their country, hand them over to the high priest Simon, so that he may punish them according to their law.’

²² The consulc wrote the same thing to King Demetrius and to Attalus and Ariarathes and Arsaces, ²³and to all the countries, and to Sampsames,d and to the Spartans, and to Delos, and to Myndos, and to Sicyon, and to Caria, and to Samos, and to Pamphylia, and to Lycia, and to Halicarnassus, and to Rhodes, and to Phaselis, and to Cos, and to Side, and to Aradus and Gortyna and Cnidus and Cyprus and Cyrene. ²⁴They also sent a copy of these things to the high priest Simon.

Antiochus VII Threatens Simon

²⁵ King Antiochus besieged Dor for the second time, continually throwing his forces against it and making engines of war; and he shut Trypho up and kept him from going out or in. ²⁶And Simon sent to Antiochuse two thousand picked troops, to fight for him, and silver and gold and a large amount of military equipment. ²⁷But he refused to receive them, and broke all the agreements he formerly had made with Simon, and became estranged from him. ²⁸He sent to him Athenobius, one of his Friends, to confer with him, saying, ‘You hold control of Joppa and Gazara and the citadel in Jerusalem; they are cities of my kingdom. ²⁹You have devastated their territory, you have done great damage in the land, and you have taken possession of many places in my kingdom. ³⁰Now then, hand over the cities that you have seized and the tribute money of the places that you have conquered outside the borders of Judea; ³¹or else pay me five hundred talents of silver for the destruction that you have caused and five hundred talents more for the tribute money of the cities. Otherwise we will come and make war on you.’

³² So Athenobius, the king’s Friend, came to Jerusalem, and when he saw the splendour of Simon, and the sideboard with its gold and silver plate, and his great magnificence, he was amazed. When he reported to him the king’s message, ³³Simon said to him in reply: ‘We have neither taken foreign land nor seized foreign property, but only the inheritance of our ancestors, which at one time had been unjustly taken by our enemies. ³⁴Now that we have the opportunity, we are firmly holding the inheritance of our ancestors. ³⁵As for Joppa and Gazara, which you demand, they were causing great damage among the people and to our land; for them we will give you one hundred talents.’

Athenobiusa did not answer him a word, ³⁶but returned in wrath to the king and reported to him these words, and also the splendour of Simon and all that he had seen. And the king was very angry.

Victory over Cendebeus

³⁷ Meanwhile Trypho embarked on a ship and escaped to Orthosia. ³⁸Then the king made Cendebeus commander-in-chief of the coastal country, and gave him troops of infantry and cavalry. ³⁹He commanded him to encamp against Judea, to build up Kedron and fortify its gates, and to make war on the people; but the king pursued Trypho. ⁴⁰So Cendebeus came to Jamnia and began to provoke the people and invade Judea and take the people captive and kill them. ⁴¹He built up Kedron and stationed horsemen and troops there, so that they might go out and make raids along the highways of Judea, as the king had ordered him.

16

JOHN went up from Gazara and reported to his father Simon what Cendebeus had done. ²And Simon called in his two eldest sons Judas and John, and said to them: ‘My brothers and I and my father’s house have fought the wars of Israel from our youth until this day, and things have prospered in our hands so that we have delivered Israel many times. ³But now I have grown old, and you by Heaven’sb mercy are mature in years. Take my place and my brother’s, and go out and fight for our nation, and may the help that comes from Heaven be with you.’

⁴ So Johnc chose out of the country twenty thousand warriors and cavalry, and they marched against Cendebeus and camped for the night in Modein. ⁵Early in the morning they started out and marched into the plain, where a large force of infantry and cavalry was coming to meet them; and a stream lay between them. ⁶Then he and his army lined up against them. He saw that the soldiers were afraid to cross the stream, so he crossed over first; and when his troops saw him, they crossed over after him. ⁷Then he divided the army and placed the cavalry in the centre of the infantry, for the cavalry of the enemy were very numerous. ⁸They sounded the trumpets, and Cendebeus and his army were put to flight; many of them fell wounded and the rest fled into the stronghold. ⁹At that time Judas the brother of John was wounded, but John pursued them until Cendebeusa reached Kedron, which he had built. ¹⁰They also fled into the towers that were in the fields of Azotus, and Johna burned it with fire, and about two thousand of them fell. He then returned to Judea safely.

Murder of Simon and His Sons

¹¹ Now Ptolemy son of Abubus had been appointed governor over the plain of Jericho; he had a large store of silver and gold, ¹²for he was son-in-law of the high priest. ¹³His heart was lifted up; he determined to get control of the country, and made treacherous plans against Simon and his sons, to do away with them. ¹⁴Now Simon was visiting the towns of the country and attending to their needs, and he went down to Jericho with his sons Mattathias and Judas, in the one hundred and seventy-seventh year,b in the eleventh month, which is the month of Shebat. ¹⁵The son of Abubus received them treacherously in the little stronghold called Dok, which he had built; he gave them a great banquet, and hid men there. ¹⁶When Simon and his sons were drunk, Ptolemy and his men rose up, took their weapons, rushed in against Simon in the banqueting-hall and killed him and his two sons, as well as some of his servants. ¹⁷So he committed an act of great treachery and returned evil for good.

John Succeeds Simon

¹⁸ Then Ptolemy wrote a report about these things and sent it to the king, asking him to send troops to aid him and to turn over to him the towns and the country. ¹⁹He sent other troops to Gazara to do away with John; he sent letters to the captains asking them to come to him so that he might give them silver and gold and gifts; ²⁰and he sent other troops to take possession of Jerusalem and the temple hill. ²¹But someone ran ahead and reported to John at Gazara that his father and brothers had perished, and that ‘he has sent men to kill you also.’ ²²When he heard this, he was greatly shocked; he seized the men who came to destroy him and killed them, for he had found out that they were seeking to destroy him.

²³ The rest of the acts of John and his wars, and the brave deeds that he did, and the building of the walls that he completed, and his achievements, ²⁴are written in the annals of his high-priesthood, from the time that he became high priest after his father.

2 MACCABEES

A Letter to the Jews in Egypt

THE Jews in Jerusalem and those in the land of Judea,

To their Jewish kindred in Egypt,

Greetings and true peace.

² May God do good to you, and may he remember his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, his faithful servants. ³May he give you all a heart to worship him and to do his will with a strong heart and a willing spirit. ⁴May he open your heart to his law and his commandments, and may he bring peace. ⁵May he hear your prayers and be reconciled to you, and may he not forsake you in time of evil. ⁶We are now praying for you here.

⁷ In the reign of Demetrius, in the one hundred and sixty-ninth year,a we Jews wrote to you, in the critical distress that came upon us in those years after Jason and his company revolted from the holy land and the kingdom ⁸and burned the gate and shed innocent blood. We prayed to the Lord and were heard, and we offered sacrifice and grain-offering, and we lit the lamps and set out the loaves. ⁹And now see that you keep the festival of booths in the month of Chislev, in the one hundred and eighty-eighth year.b

A Letter to Aristobulus

¹⁰ The people of Jerusalem and of Judea and the senate and Judas,

To Aristobulus, who is of the family of the anointed priests, teacher of King Ptolemy, and to the Jews in Egypt,

Greetings and good health.

¹¹ Having been saved by God out of grave dangers we thank him greatly for taking our side against the king, c ¹²for he drove out those who fought against the holy city. ¹³When the leader reached Persia with a force that seemed irresistible, they were cut to pieces in the temple of Nanea by a deception employed by the priests of the goddess d Nanea. ¹⁴On the pretext of intending to marry her, Antiochus came to the place together with his Friends, to secure most of its treasures as a dowry. ¹⁵When the priests of the temple of Nanea had set out the treasures and Antiochus had come with a few men inside the wall of the sacred precinct, they closed the temple as soon as he entered it. ¹⁶Opening a secret door in the ceiling, they threw stones and struck down the leader and his men; they dismembered them and cut off their heads and threw them to the people outside. ¹⁷Blessed in every way be our God, who has brought judgement on those who have behaved impiously.

Fire Consumes Nehemiah’s Sacrifice

¹⁸ Since on the twenty-fifth day of Chislev we shall celebrate the purification of the temple, we thought it necessary to notify you, in order that you also may celebrate the festival of booths and the festival of the fire given when Nehemiah, who built the temple and the altar, offered sacrifices.

¹⁹ For when our ancestors were being led captive to Persia, the pious priests of that time took some of the fire of the altar and secretly hid it in the hollow of a dry cistern, where they took such precautions that the place was unknown to anyone. ²⁰But after many years had passed, when it pleased God, Nehemiah, having been commissioned by the king of Persia, sent the descendants of the priests who had hidden the fire to get it. And when they reported to us that they had not found fire but only a thick liquid, he ordered them to dip it out and bring it. ²¹When the materials for the sacrifices were presented, Nehemiah ordered the priests to sprinkle the liquid on the wood and on the things laid upon it. ²²When this had been done and some time had passed, and when the sun, which had been clouded over, shone out, a great fire blazed up, so that all marvelled. ²³And while the sacrifice was being consumed, the priests offered prayer—the priests and everyone. Jonathan led, and the rest responded, as did Nehemiah. ²⁴The prayer was to this effect:

‘O Lord, Lord God, Creator of all things, you are awe-inspiring and strong and just and merciful, you alone are king and are kind, ²⁵you alone are bountiful, you alone are just and almighty and eternal. You rescue Israel from every evil; you chose the ancestors and consecrated them. ²⁶Accept this sacrifice on behalf of all your people Israel and preserve your portion and make it holy. ²⁷Gather together our scattered people, set free those who are slaves among the Gentiles, look on those who are rejected and despised, and let the Gentiles know that you are our God. ²⁸Punish those who oppress and are insolent with pride. ²⁹Plant your people in your holy place, as Moses promised.’

³⁰ Then the priests sang the hymns. ³¹After the materials of the sacrifice had been consumed, Nehemiah ordered that the liquid that was left should be poured on large stones. ³²When this was done, a flame blazed up; but when the light from the altar shone back, it went out. ³³When this matter became known, and it was reported to the king of the Persians that, in the place where the exiled priests had hidden the fire, the liquid had appeared with which Nehemiah and his associates had burned the materials of the sacrifice, ³⁴the king investigated the matter, and enclosed the place and made it sacred. ³⁵And with those persons whom the king favoured he exchanged many excellent gifts. ³⁶Nehemiah and his associates called this ‘nephthar’, which means purification, but by most people it is called naphtha.a

Jeremiah Hides the Tent, Ark, and Altar

2

ONE finds in the records that the prophet Jeremiah ordered those who were being deported to take some of the fire, as has been mentioned, ²and that the prophet, after giving them the law, instructed those who were being deported not to forget the commandments of the Lord, or to be led astray in their thoughts on seeing the gold and silver statues and their adornment. ³And with other similar words he exhorted them that the law should not depart from their hearts.

⁴ It was also in the same document that the prophet, having received an oracle, ordered that the tent and the ark should follow with him, and that he went out to the mountain where Moses had gone up and had seen the inheritance of God. ⁵Jeremiah came and found a cave-dwelling, and he brought there the tent and the ark and the altar of incense; then he sealed up the entrance. ⁶Some of those who followed him came up intending to mark the way, but could not find it. ⁷When Jeremiah learned of it, he rebuked them and declared: ‘The place shall remain unknown until God gathers his people together again and shows his mercy. ⁸Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear, as they were shown in the case of Moses, and as Solomon asked that the place should be specially consecrated.’

⁹ It was also made clear that being possessed of wisdom Solomonb offered sacrifice for the dedication and completion of the temple. ¹⁰Just as Moses prayed to the Lord, and fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, so also Solomon prayed, and the fire came down and consumed the whole burnt-offerings. ¹¹And Moses said, ‘They were consumed because the sin-offering had not been eaten.’ ¹²Likewise, Solomon also kept the eight days.

¹³ The same things are reported in the records and in the memoirs of Nehemiah, and also that he founded a library and collected the books about the kings and prophets, and the writings of David, and letters of kings about votive offerings. ¹⁴In the same way Judas also collected all the books that had been lost on account of the war that had come upon us, and they are in our possession. ¹⁵So if you have need of them, send people to get them for you.

¹⁶ Since, therefore, we are about to celebrate the purification, we write to you. Will you therefore please keep the days? ¹⁷It is God who has saved all his people, and has returned the inheritance to all, and the kingship and the priesthood and the consecration, ¹⁸as he promised through the law. We have hope in God that he will soon have mercy on us and will gather us from everywhere under heaven into his holy place, for he has rescued us from great evils and has purified the place.

The Compiler’s Preface

¹⁹ The story of Judas Maccabeus and his brothers, and the purification of the great temple, and the dedication of the altar, ²⁰and further the wars against Antiochus Epiphanes and his son Eupator, ²¹and the appearances that came from heaven to those who fought bravely for Judaism, so that though few in number they seized the whole land and pursued the barbarian hordes, ²²and regained possession of the temple famous throughout the world, and liberated the city, and re-established the laws that were about to be abolished, while the Lord with great kindness became gracious to them—²³all this, which has been set forth by Jason of Cyrene in five volumes, we shall attempt to condense into a single book. ²⁴For considering the flood of statistics involved and the difficulty there is for those who wish to enter upon the narratives of history because of the mass of material, ²⁵we have aimed to please those who wish to read, to make it easy for those who are inclined to memorize, and to profit all readers. ²⁶For us who have undertaken the toil of abbreviating, it is no light matter but calls for sweat and loss of sleep, ²⁷just as it is not easy for one who prepares a banquet and seeks the benefit of others. Nevertheless, to secure the gratitude of many we will gladly endure the uncomfortable toil, ²⁸leaving the responsibility for exact details to the compiler, while devoting our effort to arriving at the outlines of the condensation. ²⁹For as the master builder of a new house must be concerned with the whole construction, while the one who undertakes its painting and decoration has to consider only what is suitable for its adornment, such in my judgement is the case with us. ³⁰It is the duty of the original historian to occupy the ground, to discuss matters from every side, and to take trouble with details, ³¹but the one who recasts the narrative should be allowed to strive for brevity of expression and to forego exhaustive treatment. ³²At this point therefore let us begin our narrative, without adding any more to what has already been said; for it would be foolish to lengthen the preface while cutting short the history itself.

Arrival of Heliodorus in Jerusalem

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WHILE the holy city was inhabited in unbroken peace and the laws were strictly observed because of the piety of the high priest Onias and his hatred of wickedness, ²it came about that the kings themselves honoured the place and glorified the temple with the finest presents, ³even to the extent that King Seleucus of Asia defrayed from his own revenues all the expenses connected with the service of the sacrifices.

⁴ But a man named Simon, of the tribe of Benjamin, who had been made captain of the temple, had a disagreement with the high priest about the administration of the city market. ⁵Since he could not prevail over Onias, he went to Apollonius of Tarsus,a who at that time was governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, ⁶and reported to him that the treasury in Jerusalem was full of untold sums of money, so that the amount of the funds could not be reckoned, and that they did not belong to the account of the sacrifices, but that it was possible for them to fall under the control of the king. ⁷When Apollonius met the king, he told him of the money about which he had been informed. The kingb chose Heliodorus, who was in charge of his affairs, and sent him with commands to effect the removal of the reported wealth. ⁸Heliodorus at once set out on his journey, ostensibly to make a tour of inspection of the cities of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, but in fact to carry out the king’s purpose.

⁹ When he had arrived at Jerusalem and had been kindly welcomed by the high priest ofc the city, he told about the disclosure that had been made and stated why he had come, and he inquired whether this really was the situation. ¹⁰The high priest explained that there were some deposits belonging to widows and orphans, ¹¹and also some money of Hyrcanus son of Tobias, a man of very prominent position, and that it totalled in all four hundred talents of silver and two hundred of gold. To such an extent the impious Simon had misrepresented the facts. ¹²And he said that it was utterly impossible that wrong should be done to those people who had trusted in the holiness of the place and in the sanctity and inviolability of the temple that is honoured throughout the whole world.

Heliodorus Plans to Rob the Temple

¹³ But Heliodorus, because of the orders he had from the king, said that this money must in any case be confiscated for the king’s treasury. ¹⁴So he set a day and went in to direct the inspection of these funds.

There was no little distress throughout the whole city. ¹⁵The priests prostrated themselves before the altar in their priestly vestments and called towards heaven upon him who had given the law about deposits, that he should keep them safe for those who had deposited them. ¹⁶To see the appearance of the high priest was to be wounded at heart, for his face and the change in his colour disclosed the anguish of his soul. ¹⁷For terror and bodily trembling had come over the man, which plainly showed to those who looked at him the pain lodged in his heart. ¹⁸People also hurried out of their houses in crowds to make a general supplication because the holy place was about to be brought into dishonour. ¹⁹Women, girded with sackcloth under their breasts, thronged the streets. Some of the young women who were kept indoors ran together to the gates, and some to the walls, while others peered out of the windows. ²⁰And holding up their hands to heaven, they all made supplication. ²¹There was something pitiable in the prostration of the whole populace and the anxiety of the high priest in his great anguish.

The Lord Protects His Temple

²² While they were calling upon the Almighty Lord that he would keep what had been entrusted safe and secure for those who had entrusted it, ²³Heliodorus went on with what had been decided. ²⁴But when he arrived at the treasury with his bodyguard, then and there the Sovereign of spirits and of all authority caused so great a manifestation that all who had been so bold as to accompany him were astounded by the power of God, and became faint with terror. ²⁵For there appeared to them a magnificently caparisoned horse, with a rider of frightening mien; it rushed furiously at Heliodorus and struck at him with its front hoofs. Its rider was seen to have armour and weapons of gold. ²⁶Two young men also appeared to him, remarkably strong, gloriously beautiful and splendidly dressed, who stood on either side of him and flogged him continuously, inflicting many blows on him. ²⁷When he suddenly fell to the ground and deep darkness came over him, his men took him up, put him on a stretcher, ²⁸and carried him away—this man who had just entered the aforesaid treasury with a great retinue and all his bodyguard but was now unable to help himself. They recognized clearly the sovereign power of God.

Onias Prays for Heliodorus

²⁹ While he lay prostrate, speechless because of the divine intervention and deprived of any hope of recovery, ³⁰they praised the Lord who had acted marvellously for his own place. And the temple, which a little while before was full of fear and disturbance, was filled with joy and gladness, now that the Almighty Lord had appeared.

³¹ Some of Heliodorus’s friends quickly begged Onias to call upon the Most High to grant life to one who was lying quite at his last breath. ³²So the high priest, fearing that the king might get the notion that some foul play had been perpetrated by the Jews with regard to Heliodorus, offered sacrifice for the man’s recovery. ³³While the high priest was making an atonement, the same young men appeared again to Heliodorus dressed in the same clothing, and they stood and said, ‘Be very grateful to the high priest Onias, since for his sake the Lord has granted you your life. ³⁴And see that you, who have been flogged by heaven, report to all people the majestic power of God.’ Having said this they vanished.

The Conversion of Heliodorus

³⁵ Then Heliodorus offered sacrifice to the Lord and made very great vows to the Saviour of his life, and having bidden Onias farewell, he marched off with his forces to the king. ³⁶He bore testimony to all concerning the deeds of the supreme God, which he had seen with his own eyes. ³⁷When the king asked Heliodorus what sort of person would be suitable to send on another mission to Jerusalem, he replied, ³⁸‘If you have any enemy or plotter against your government, send him there, for you will get him back thoroughly flogged, if he survives at all; for there is certainly some power of God about the place. ³⁹For he who has his dwelling in heaven watches over that place himself and brings it aid, and he strikes and destroys those who come to do it injury.’ ⁴⁰This was the outcome of the episode of Heliodorus and the protection of the treasury.

Simon Accuses Onias

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THE previously mentioned Simon, who had informed about the money againsta his own country, slandered Onias, saying that it was he who had incited Heliodorus and had been the real cause of the misfortune. ²He dared to designate as a plotter against the government the man who was the benefactor of the city, the protector of his compatriots, and a zealot for the laws. ³When his hatred progressed to such a degree that even murders were committed by one of Simon’s approved agents, ⁴Onias recognized that the rivalry was serious and that Apollonius son of Menestheus, b and governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, was intensifying the malice of Simon. ⁵So he appealed to the king, not accusing his compatriots but having in view the welfare, both public and private, of all the people. ⁶For he saw that without the king’s attention public affairs could not again reach a peaceful settlement, and that Simon would not stop his folly.

Jason’s Reforms

⁷ When Seleucus died and Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes, succeeded to the kingdom, Jason the brother of Onias obtained the high-priesthood by corruption, ⁸promising the king at an interviewa three hundred and sixty talents of silver, and from another source of revenue eighty talents. ⁹In addition to this he promised to pay one hundred and fifty more if permission were given to establish by his authority a gymnasium and a body of youth for it, and to enrol the people of Jerusalem as citizens of Antioch. ¹⁰When the king assented and Jasonb came to office, he at once shifted his compatriots over to the Greek way of life.

¹¹ He set aside the existing royal concessions to the Jews, secured through John the father of Eupolemus, who went on the mission to establish friendship and alliance with the Romans; and he destroyed the lawful ways of living and introduced new customs contrary to the law. ¹²He took delight in establishing a gymnasium right under the citadel, and he induced the noblest of the young men to wear the Greek hat. ¹³There was such an extreme of Hellenization and increase in the adoption of foreign ways because of the surpassing wickedness of Jason, who was ungodly and no truec high priest, ¹⁴that the priests were no longer intent upon their service at the altar. Despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hurried to take part in the unlawful proceedings in the wrestling arena after the signal for the discus-throwing, ¹⁵disdaining the honours prized by their ancestors and putting the highest value upon Greek forms of prestige. ¹⁶For this reason heavy disaster overtook them, and those whose ways of living they admired and wished to imitate completely became their enemies and punished them. ¹⁷It is no light thing to show irreverence to the divine laws—a fact that later events will make clear.

Jason Introduces Greek Customs

¹⁸ When the quadrennial games were being held at Tyre and the king was present, ¹⁹the vile Jason sent envoys, chosen as being Antiochian citizens from Jerusalem, to carry three hundred silver drachmas for the sacrifice to Hercules. Those who carried the money, however, thought best not to use it for sacrifice, because that was inappropriate, but to expend it for another purpose. ²⁰So this money was intended by the sender for the sacrifice to Hercules, but by the decision of its carriers it was applied to the construction of triremes.

²¹ When Apollonius son of Menestheus was sent to Egypt for the coronationd of Philometor as king, Antiochus learned that Philometor b had become hostile to his government, and he took measures for his own security. Therefore upon arriving at Joppa he proceeded to Jerusalem. ²²He was welcomed magnificently by Jason and the city, and ushered in with a blaze of torches and with shouts. Then he marched his army into Phoenicia.

Menelaus Becomes High Priest

²³ After a period of three years Jason sent Menelaus, the brother of the previously mentioned Simon, to carry the money to the king and to complete the records of essential business. ²⁴But he, when presented to the king, extolled him with an air of authority, and secured the high-priesthood for himself, outbidding Jason by three hundred talents of silver. ²⁵After receiving the king’s orders he returned, possessing no qualification for the high-priesthood, but having the hot temper of a cruel tyrant and the rage of a savage wild beast. ²⁶So Jason, who after supplanting his own brother was supplanted by another man, was driven as a fugitive into the land of Ammon. ²⁷Although Menelaus continued to hold the office, he did not pay regularly any of the money promised to the king. ²⁸When Sostratus the captain of the citadel kept requesting payment—for the collection of the revenue was his responsibility—the two of them were summoned by the king on account of this issue. ²⁹Menelaus left his own brother Lysimachus as deputy in the high-priesthood, while Sostratus left Crates, the commander of the Cypriot troops.

The Murder of Onias

³⁰ While such was the state of affairs, it happened that the people of Tarsus and of Mallus revolted because their cities had been given as a present to Antiochis, the king’s concubine. ³¹So the king went hurriedly to settle the trouble, leaving Andronicus, a man of high rank, to act as his deputy. ³²But Menelaus, thinking he had obtained a suitable opportunity, stole some of the gold vessels of the temple and gave them to Andronicus; other vessels, as it happened, he had sold to Tyre and the neighbouring cities. ³³When Onias became fully aware of these acts, he publicly exposed them, having first withdrawn to a place of sanctuary at Daphne near Antioch. ³⁴Therefore Menelaus, taking Andronicus aside, urged him to kill Onias. Andronicusa came to Onias, and resorting to treachery, offered him sworn pledges and gave him his right hand; he persuaded him, though still suspicious, to come out from the place of sanctuary; then, with no regard for justice, he immediately put him out of the way.

Andronicus Is Punished

³⁵ For this reason not only Jews, but many also of other nations, were grieved and displeased at the unjust murder of the man. ³⁶When the king returned from the region of Cilicia, the Jews in the cityb appealed to him with regard to the unreasonable murder of Onias, and the Greeks shared their hatred of the crime. ³⁷Therefore Antiochus was grieved at heart and filled with pity, and wept because of the moderation and good conduct of the deceased. ³⁸Inflamed with anger, he immediately stripped off the purple robe from Andronicus, tore off his clothes, and led him around the whole city to that very place where he had committed the outrage against Onias, and there he dispatched the bloodthirsty fellow. The Lord thus repaid him with the punishment he deserved.

Unpopularity of Lysimachus and Menelaus

³⁹ When many acts of sacrilege had been committed in the city by Lysimachus with the connivance of Menelaus, and when report of them had spread abroad, the populace gathered against Lysimachus, because many of the gold vessels had already been stolen. ⁴⁰Since the crowds were becoming aroused and filled with anger, Lysimachus armed about three thousand men and launched an unjust attack, under the leadership of a certain Auranus, a man advanced in years and no less advanced in folly. ⁴¹But when the Jewsa became aware that Lysimachus was attacking them, some picked up stones, some blocks of wood, and others took handfuls of the ashes that were lying around, and threw them in wild confusion at Lysimachus and his men. ⁴²As a result, they wounded many of them, and killed some, and put all the rest to flight; the temple robber himself they killed close by the treasury.

⁴³ Charges were brought against Menelaus about this incident. ⁴⁴When the king came to Tyre, three men sent by the senate presented the case before him. ⁴⁵But Menelaus, already as good as beaten, promised a substantial bribe to Ptolemy son of Dorymenes to win over the king. ⁴⁶Therefore Ptolemy, taking the king aside into a colonnade as if for refreshment, induced the king to change his mind. ⁴⁷Menelaus, the cause of all the trouble, he acquitted of the charges against him, while he sentenced to death those unfortunate men, who would have been freed uncondemned if they had pleaded even before Scythians. ⁴⁸And so those who had spoken for the city and the villagesb and the holy vessels quickly suffered the unjust penalty. ⁴⁹Therefore even the Tyrians, showing their hatred of the crime, provided magnificently for their funeral. ⁵⁰But Menelaus, because of the greed of those in power, remained in office, growing in wickedness, having become the chief plotter against his compatriots.

Jason Tries to Regain Control

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ABOUT this time Antiochus made his second invasion of Egypt. ²And it happened that, for almost forty days, there appeared over all the city golden-clad cavalry charging through the air, in companies fully armed with lances and drawn swords—³troops of cavalry drawn up, attacks and counter-attacks made on this side and on that, brandishing of shields, massing of spears, hurling of missiles, the flash of golden trappings, and armour of all kinds. ⁴Therefore everyone prayed that the apparition might prove to have been a good omen.

⁵ When a false rumour arose that Antiochus was dead, Jason took no fewer than a thousand men and suddenly made an assault on the city. When the troops on the wall had been forced back and at last the city was being taken, Menelaus took refuge in the citadel. ⁶But Jason kept relentlessly slaughtering his compatriots, not realizing that success at the cost of one’s kindred is the greatest misfortune, but imagining that he was setting up trophies of victory over enemies and not over compatriots. ⁷He did not, however, gain control of the government; in the end he got only disgrace from his conspiracy, and fled again into the country of the Ammonites. ⁸Finally he met a miserable end. Accusedc before Aretas the ruler of the Arabs, fleeing from city to city, pursued by everyone, hated as a rebel against the laws, and abhorred as the executioner of his country and his compatriots, he was cast ashore in Egypt. ⁹There he who had driven many from their own country into exile died in exile, having embarked to go to the Lacedaemonians in hope of finding protection because of their kinship. ¹⁰He who had cast out many to lie unburied had no one to mourn for him; he had no funeral of any sort and no place in the tomb of his ancestors.

¹¹ When news of what had happened reached the king, he took it to mean that Judea was in revolt. So, raging inwardly, he left Egypt and took the city by storm. ¹²He commanded his soldiers to cut down relentlessly everyone they met and to kill those who went into their houses. ¹³Then there was massacre of young and old, destruction of boys, women, and children, and slaughter of young girls and infants. ¹⁴Within the total of three days eighty thousand were destroyed, forty thousand in hand-to-hand fighting, and as many were sold into slavery as were killed.

Pillage of the Temple

¹⁵ Not content with this, Antiochusa dared to enter the most holy temple in all the world, guided by Menelaus, who had become a traitor both to the laws and to his country. ¹⁶He took the holy vessels with his polluted hands, and swept away with profane hands the votive offerings that other kings had made to enhance the glory and honour of the place. ¹⁷Antiochus was elated in spirit, and did not perceive that the Lord was angered for a little while because of the sins of those who lived in the city, and that this was the reason he was disregarding the holy place. ¹⁸But if it had not happened that they were involved in many sins, this man would have been flogged and turned back from his rash act as soon as he came forward, just as Heliodorus had been, whom King Seleucus sent to inspect the treasury. ¹⁹But the Lord did not choose the nation for the sake of the holy place, but the place for the sake of the nation. ²⁰Therefore the place itself shared in the misfortunes that befell the nation and afterwards participated in its benefits; and what was forsaken in the wrath of the Almighty was restored again in all its glory when the great Lord became reconciled.

²¹ So Antiochus carried off eighteen hundred talents from the temple, and hurried away to Antioch, thinking in his arrogance that he could sail on the land and walk on the sea, because his mind was elated. ²²He left governors to oppress the people: at Jerusalem, Philip, by birth a Phrygian and in character more barbarous than the man who appointed him; ²³and at Gerizim, Andronicus; and besides these Menelaus, who lorded it over his compatriots worse than the others did. In his malice towards the Jewish citizens,b ²⁴Antiochusa sent Apollonius, the captain of the Mysians, with an army of twenty-two thousand, and commanded him to kill all the grown men and to sell the women and boys as slaves. ²⁵When this man arrived in Jerusalem, he pretended to be peaceably disposed and waited until the holy sabbath day; then, finding the Jews not at work, he ordered his troops to parade under arms. ²⁶He put to the sword all those who came out to see them, then rushed into the city with his armed warriors and killed great numbers of people.

²⁷ But Judas Maccabeus, with about nine others, got away to the wilderness, and kept himself and his companions alive in the mountains as wild animals do; they continued to live on what grew wild, so that they might not share in the defilement.

The Suppression of Judaism

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NOT long after this, the king sent an Atheniana senatorb to compel the Jews to forsake the laws of their ancestors and no longer to live by the laws of God; ²also to pollute the temple in Jerusalem and to call it the temple of Olympian Zeus, and to call the one in Gerizim the temple of Zeus-the-Friend-of-Strangers, as did the people who lived in that place.

³ Harsh and utterly grievous was the onslaught of evil. ⁴For the temple was filled with debauchery and revelling by the Gentiles, who dallied with prostitutes and had intercourse with women within the sacred precincts, and besides brought in things for sacrifice that were unfit. ⁵The altar was covered with abominable offerings that were forbidden by the laws. ⁶People could neither keep the sabbath, nor observe the festivals of their ancestors, nor so much as confess themselves to be Jews.

⁷ On the monthly celebration of the king’s birthday, the Jewsc were taken, under bitter constraint, to partake of the sacrifices; and when a festival of Dionysus was celebrated, they were compelled to wear wreaths of ivy and to walk in the procession in honour of Dionysus. ⁸At the suggestion of the people of Ptolemaisd a decree was issued to the neighbouring Greek cities that they should adopt the same policy towards the Jews and make them partake of the sacrifices, ⁹and should kill those who did not choose to change over to Greek customs. One could see, therefore, the misery that had come upon them. ¹⁰For example, two women were brought in for having circumcised their children. They publicly paraded them around the city, with their babies hanging at their breasts, and then hurled them down headlong from the wall. ¹¹Others who had assembled in the caves nearby, in order to observe the seventh day secretly, were betrayed to Philip and were all burned together, because their piety kept them from defending themselves, in view of their regard for that most holy day.

Providential Significance of the Persecution

¹² Now I urge those who read this book not to be depressed by such calamities, but to recognize that these punishments were designed not to destroy but to discipline our people. ¹³In fact, it is a sign of great kindness not to let the impious alone for long, but to punish them immediately. ¹⁴For in the case of the other nations the Lord waits patiently to punish them until they have reached the full measure of their sins; but he does not deal in this way with us, ¹⁵in order that he should not take vengeance on us afterwards when our sins have reached their height. ¹⁶Therefore he never withdraws his mercy from us. Although he disciplines us with calamities, he does not forsake his own people. ¹⁷Let what we have said serve as a reminder; we must go on briefly with the story.

The Martyrdom of Eleazar

¹⁸ Eleazar, one of the scribes in high position, a man now advanced in age and of noble presence, was being forced to open his mouth to eat swine’s flesh. ¹⁹But he, welcoming death with honour rather than life with pollution, went up to the rack of his own accord, spitting out the flesh, ²⁰as all ought to go who have the courage to refuse things that it is not right to taste, even for the natural love of life.

²¹ Those who were in charge of that unlawful sacrifice took the man aside because of their long acquaintance with him, and privately urged him to bring meat of his own providing, proper for him to use, and to pretend that he was eating the flesh of the sacrificial meal that had been commanded by the king, ²²so that by doing this he might be saved from death, and be treated kindly on account of his old friendship with them. ²³But making a high resolve, worthy of his years and the dignity of his old age and the grey hairs that he had reached with distinction and his excellent life even from childhood, and moreover according to the holy God-given law, he declared himself quickly, telling them to send him to Hades.

²⁴ ‘Such pretence is not worthy of our time of life,’ he said, ‘for many of the young might suppose that Eleazar in his ninetieth year had gone over to an alien religion, ²⁵and through my pretence, for the sake of living a brief moment longer, they would be led astray because of me, while I defile and disgrace my old age. ²⁶Even if for the present I would avoid the punishment of mortals, yet whether I live or die I will not escape the hands of the Almighty. ²⁷Therefore, by bravely giving up my life now, I will show myself worthy of my old age ²⁸and leave to the young a noble example of how to die a good death willingly and nobly for the revered and holy laws.’

When he had said this, he wenta at once to the rack. ²⁹Those who a little before had acted towards him with goodwill now changed to ill will, because the words he had uttered were in their opinion sheer madness.b ³⁰When he was about to die under the blows, he groaned aloud and said: ‘It is clear to the Lord in his holy knowledge that, though I might have been saved from death, I am enduring terrible sufferings in my body under this beating, but in my soul I am glad to suffer these things because I fear him.’

³¹ So in this way he died, leaving in his death an example of nobility and a memorial of courage, not only to the young but to the great body of his nation.

The Martyrdom of Seven Brothers

7

IT HAPPENED also that seven brothers and their mother were arrested and were being compelled by the king, under torture with whips and thongs, to partake of unlawful swine’s flesh. ²One of them, acting as their spokesman, said, ‘What do you intend to ask and learn from us? For we are ready to die rather than transgress the laws of our ancestors.’

³ The king fell into a rage, and gave orders to have pans and cauldrons heated. ⁴These were heated immediately, and he commanded that the tongue of their spokesman be cut out and that they scalp him and cut off his hands and feet, while the rest of the brothers and the mother looked on. ⁵When he was utterly helpless, the kingc ordered them to take him to the fire, still breathing, and to fry him in a pan. The smoke from the pan spread widely, but the brothersd and their mother encouraged one another to die nobly, saying, ⁶‘The Lord God is watching over us and in truth has compassion on us, as Moses declared in his song that bore witness against the people to their faces, when he said, “And he will have compassion on his servants.”’a

⁷ After the first brother had died in this way, they brought forward the second for their sport. They tore off the skin of his head with the hair, and asked him, ‘Will you eat rather than have your body punished limb by limb?’ ⁸He replied in the language of his ancestors and said to them, ‘No.’ Therefore he in turn underwent tortures as the first brother had done. ⁹And when he was at his last breath, he said, ‘You accursed wretch, you dismiss us from this present life, but the King of the universe will raise us up to an everlasting renewal of life, because we have died for his laws.’

¹⁰ After him, the third was the victim of their sport. When it was demanded, he quickly put out his tongue and courageously stretched forth his hands, ¹¹and said nobly, ‘I got these from Heaven, and because of his laws I disdain them, and from him I hope to get them back again.’ ¹²As a result the king himself and those with him were astonished at the young man’s spirit, for he regarded his sufferings as nothing.

¹³ After he too had died, they maltreated and tortured the fourth in the same way. ¹⁴When he was near death, he said, ‘One cannot but choose to die at the hands of mortals and to cherish the hope God gives of being raised again by him. But for you there will be no resurrection to life!’

¹⁵ Next they brought forward the fifth and maltreated him. ¹⁶But he looked at the king,b and said, ‘Because you have authority among mortals, though you also are mortal, you do what you please. But do not think that God has forsaken our people. ¹⁷Keep on, and see how his mighty power will torture you and your descendants!’

¹⁸ After him they brought forward the sixth. And when he was about to die, he said, ‘Do not deceive yourself in vain. For we are suffering these things on our own account, because of our sins against our own God. Therefore c astounding things have happened. ¹⁹But do not think that you will go unpunished for having tried to fight against God!’ ²⁰ The mother was especially admirable and worthy of honourable memory. Although she saw her seven sons perish within a single day, she bore it with good courage because of her hope in the Lord. ²¹She encouraged each of them in the language of their ancestors. Filled with a noble spirit, she reinforced her woman’s reasoning with a man’s courage, and said to them, ²²‘I do not know how you came into being in my womb. It was not I who gave you life and breath, nor I who set in order the elements within each of you. ²³Therefore the Creator of the world, who shaped the beginning of humankind and devised the origin of all things, will in his mercy give life and breath back to you again, since you now forget yourselves for the sake of his laws.’

²⁴ Antiochus felt that he was being treated with contempt, and he was suspicious of her reproachful tone. The youngest brother being still alive, Antiochusd not only appealed to him in words, but promised with oaths that he would make him rich and enviable if he would turn from the ways of his ancestors, and that he would take him for his Friend and entrust him with public affairs. ²⁵Since the young man would not listen to him at all, the king called the mother to him and urged her to advise the youth to save himself. ²⁶After much urging on his part, she undertook to persuade her son. ²⁷But, leaning close to him, she spoke in their native language as follows, deriding the cruel tyrant: ‘My son, have pity on me. I carried you for nine months in my womb, and nursed you for three years, and have reared you and brought you up to this point in your life, and have taken care of you.a ²⁸I beg you, my child, to look at the heaven and the earth and see everything that is in them, and recognize that God did not make them out of things that existed.b And in the same way the human race came into being. ²⁹Do not fear this butcher, but prove worthy of your brothers. Accept death, so that in God’s mercy I may get you back again along with your brothers.’

³⁰ While she was still speaking, the young man said, ‘What are you c waiting for? I will not obey the king’s command, but I obey the command of the law that was given to our ancestors through Moses. ³¹But you,d who have contrived all sorts of evil against the Hebrews, will certainly not escape the hands of God. ³²For we are suffering because of our own sins. ³³And if our living Lord is angry for a little while, to rebuke and discipline us, he will again be reconciled with his own servants. e ³⁴But you, unholy wretch, you most defiled of all mortals, do not be elated in vain and puffed up by uncertain hopes, when you raise your hand against the children of heaven. ³⁵You have not yet escaped the judgement of the almighty, all-seeing God. ³⁶For our brothers after enduring a brief suffering have drunkf of ever-flowing life, under God’s covenant; but you, by the judgement of God, will receive just punishment for your arrogance. ³⁷I, like my brothers, give up body and life for the laws of our ancestors, appealing to God to show mercy soon to our nation and by trials and plagues to make you confess that he alone is God, ³⁸and through me and my brothers to bring to an end the wrath of the Almighty that has justly fallen on our whole nation.’

³⁹ The king fell into a rage, and handled him worse than the others, being exasperated at his scorn. ⁴⁰So he died in his integrity, putting his whole trust in the Lord.

⁴¹ Last of all, the mother died, after her sons.

⁴² Let this be enough, then, about the eating of sacrifices and the extreme tortures.

The Revolt of Judas Maccabeus

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MEANWHILE Judas, who was also called Maccabeus, and his companions secretly entered the villages and summoned their kindred and enlisted those who had continued in the Jewish faith, and so they gathered about six thousand. ²They implored the Lord to look upon the people who were oppressed by all; and to have pity on the temple that had been profaned by the godless; ³to have mercy on the city that was being destroyed and about to be levelled to the ground; to hearken to the blood that cried out to him; ⁴to remember also the lawless destruction of the innocent babies and the blasphemies committed against his name; and to show his hatred of evil.

⁵ As soon as Maccabeus got his army organized, the Gentiles could not withstand him, for the wrath of the Lord had turned to mercy. ⁶Coming without warning, he would set fire to towns and villages. He captured strategic positions and put to flight not a few of the enemy. ⁷He found the nights most advantageous for such attacks. And talk of his valour spread everywhere.

⁸ When Philip saw that the man was gaining ground little by little, and that he was pushing ahead with more frequent successes, he wrote to Ptolemy, the governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia, to come to the aid of the king’s government. ⁹Then Ptolemya promptly appointed Nicanor son of Patroclus, one of the king’s chiefb Friends, and sent him, in command of no fewer than twenty thousand Gentiles of all nations, to wipe out the whole race of Judea. He associated with him Gorgias, a general and a man of experience in military service. ¹⁰Nicanor determined to make up for the king the tribute due to the Romans, two thousand talents, by selling the captured Jews into slavery. ¹¹So he immediately sent to the towns on the sea coast, inviting them to buy Jewish slaves and promising to hand over ninety slaves for a talent, not expecting the judgement from the Almighty that was about to overtake him.

Preparation for Battle

¹² Word came to Judas concerning Nicanor’s invasion; and when he told his companions of the arrival of the army, ¹³those who were cowardly and distrustful of God’s justice ran off and got away. ¹⁴Others sold all their remaining property, and at the same time implored the Lord to rescue those who had been sold by the ungodly Nicanor before he ever met them, ¹⁵if not for their own sake, then for the sake of the covenants made with their ancestors, and because he had called them by his holy and glorious name. ¹⁶But Maccabeus gathered his forces together, to the number of six thousand, and exhorted them not to be frightened by the enemy and not to fear the great multitude of Gentiles who were wickedly coming against them, but to fight nobly, ¹⁷keeping before their eyes the lawless outrage that the Gentilesc had committed against the holy place, and the torture of the derided city, and besides, the overthrow of their ancestral way of life. ¹⁸‘For they trust to arms and acts of daring’, he said, ‘but we trust in the Almighty God, who is able with a single nod to strike down those who are coming against us, and even, if necessary, the whole world.’

¹⁹ Moreover, he told them of the occasions when help came to their ancestors; how, in the time of Sennacherib, when one hundred and eighty-five thousand perished, ²⁰and the time of the battle against the Galatians that took place in Babylonia, when eight thousand Jewsd fought along with four thousand Macedonians; yet when the Macedonians were hard pressed, the eight thousand, by the help that came to them from heaven, destroyed one hundred and twenty thousand Galatianse and took a great amount of booty.

Judas Defeats Nicanor

²¹ With these words he filled them with courage and made them ready to die for their laws and their country; then he divided his army into four parts. ²²He appointed his brothers also, Simon and Joseph and Jonathan, each to command a division, putting fifteen hundred men under each. ²³Besides, he appointed Eleazar to read alouda from the holy book, and gave the watchword, ‘The help of God’ then, leading the first division himself, he joined battle with Nicanor.

²⁴ With the Almighty as their ally, they killed more than nine thousand of the enemy, and wounded and disabled most of Nicanor’s army, and forced them all to flee. ²⁵They captured the money of those who had come to buy them as slaves. After pursuing them for some distance, they were obliged to return because the hour was late. ²⁶It was the day before the sabbath, and for that reason they did not continue their pursuit. ²⁷When they had collected the arms of the enemy and stripped them of their spoils, they kept the sabbath, giving great praise and thanks to the Lord, who had preserved them for that day and allotted it to them as the beginning of mercy. ²⁸After the sabbath they gave some of the spoils to those who had been tortured and to the widows and orphans, and distributed the rest among themselves and their children. ²⁹When they had done this, they made common supplication and implored the merciful Lord to be wholly reconciled with his servants.b

Judas Defeats Timothy and Bacchides

³⁰ In encounters with the forces of Timothy and Bacchides they killed more than twenty thousand of them and got possession of some exceedingly high strongholds, and they divided a very large amount of plunder, giving to those who had been tortured and to the orphans and widows, and also to the aged, shares equal to their own. ³¹They collected the arms of the enemy,c and carefully stored all of them in strategic places; the rest of the spoils they carried to Jerusalem. ³²They killed the commander of Timothy’s forces, a most wicked man, and one who had greatly troubled the Jews. ³³While they were celebrating the victory in the city of their ancestors, they burned those who had set fire to the sacred gates, Callisthenes and some others, who had fled into one little house; so these received the proper reward for their impiety.a

³⁴ The thrice-accursed Nicanor, who had brought the thousand merchants to buy the Jews, ³⁵having been humbled with the help of the Lord by opponents whom he regarded as of the least account, took off his splendid uniform and made his way alone like a runaway slave across the country until he reached Antioch, having succeeded chiefly in the destruction of his own army! ³⁶So he who had undertaken to secure tribute for the Romans by the capture of the people of Jerusalem proclaimed that the Jews had a Defender, and that therefore the Jews were invulnerable, because they followed the laws ordained by him.

The Last Campaign of Antiochus Epiphanes

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ABOUT that time, as it happened, Antiochus had retreated in disorder from the region of Persia. ²He had entered the city called Persepolis and attempted to rob the temples and control the city. Therefore the people rushed to the rescue with arms, and Antiochus and his army were defeated,d with the result that Antiochus was put to flight by the inhabitants and beat a shameful retreat. ³While he was in Ecbatana, news came to him of what had happened to Nicanor and the forces of Timothy. ⁴Transported with rage, he conceived the idea of turning upon the Jews the injury done by those who had put him to flight; so he ordered his charioteer to drive without stopping until he completed the journey. But the judgement of heaven rode with him! For in his arrogance he said, ‘When I get there I will make Jerusalem a cemetery of Jews.’

⁵ But the all-seeing Lord, the God of Israel, struck him with an incurable and invisible blow. As soon as he stopped speaking he was seized with a pain in his bowels, for which there was no relief, and with sharp internal tortures—⁶and that very justly, for he had tortured the bowels of others with many and strange inflictions. ⁷Yet he did not in any way stop his insolence, but was even more filled with arrogance, breathing fire in his rage against the Jews, and giving orders to drive even faster. And so it came about that he fell out of his chariot as it was rushing along, and the fall was so hard as to torture every limb of his body. ⁸Thus he who only a little while before had thought in his superhuman arrogance that he could command the waves of the sea, and had imagined that he could weigh the high mountains in a balance, was brought down to earth and carried in a litter, making the power of God manifest to all. ⁹And so the ungodly man’s body swarmed with worms, and while he was still living in anguish and pain, his flesh rotted away, and because of the stench the whole army felt revulsion at his decay. ¹⁰Because of his intolerable stench no one was able to carry the man who a little while before had thought that he could touch the stars of heaven. ¹¹Then it was that, broken in spirit, he began to lose much of his arrogance and to come to his senses under the scourge of God, for he was tortured with pain at every moment. ¹²And when he could not endure his own stench, he uttered these words, ‘It is right to be subject to God; mortals should not think that they are equal to God.’a

Antiochus Makes a Promise to God

¹³ Then the abominable fellow made a vow to the Lord, who would no longer have mercy on him, stating ¹⁴that the holy city, which he was hurrying to level to the ground and to make a cemetery, he was now declaring to be free; ¹⁵and the Jews, whom he had not considered worth burying but had planned to throw out with their children for the wild animals and for the birds to eat, he would make, all of them, equal to citizens of Athens; ¹⁶and the holy sanctuary, which he had formerly plundered, he would adorn with the finest offerings; and all the holy vessels he would give back, many times over; and the expenses incurred for the sacrifices he would provide from his own revenues; ¹⁷and in addition to all this he also would become a Jew and would visit every inhabited place to proclaim the power of God. ¹⁸But when his sufferings did not in any way abate, for the judgement of God had justly come upon him, he gave up all hope for himself and wrote to the Jews the following letter, in the form of a supplication. This was its content:

Antiochus’s Letter and Death

¹⁹ ‘To his worthy Jewish citizens, Antiochus their king and general sends hearty greetings and good wishes for their health and prosperity. ²⁰If you and your children are well and your affairs are as you wish, I am glad. As my hope is in heaven, ²¹I remember with affection your esteem and goodwill. On my way back from the region of Persia I suffered an annoying illness, and I have deemed it necessary to take thought for the general security of all. ²²I do not despair of my condition, for I have good hope of recovering from my illness, ²³but I observed that my father, on the occasions when he made expeditions into the upper country, appointed his successor, ²⁴so that, if anything unexpected happened or any unwelcome news came, the people throughout the realm would not be troubled, for they would know to whom the government was left. ²⁵Moreover, I understand how the princes along the borders and the neighbours of my kingdom keep watching for opportunities and waiting to see what will happen. So I have appointed my son Antiochus to be king, whom I have often entrusted and commended to most of you when I hurried off to the upper provinces; and I have written to him what is written here. ²⁶I therefore urge and beg you to remember the public and private services rendered to you and to maintain your present goodwill, each of you, towards me and my son. ²⁷For I am sure that he will follow my policy and will treat you with moderation and kindness.’

²⁸ So the murderer and blasphemer, having endured the more intense suffering, such as he had inflicted on others, came to the end of his life by a most pitiable fate, among the mountains in a strange land. ²⁹And Philip, one of his courtiers, took his body home; then, fearing the son of Antiochus, he withdrew to Ptolemy Philometor in Egypt.

Purification of the Temple

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NOW Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city; ²they tore down the altars that had been built in the public square by the foreigners, and also destroyed the sacred precincts. ³They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence. ⁴When they had done this, they fell prostrate and implored the Lord that they might never again fall into such misfortunes, but that, if they should ever sin, they might be disciplined by him with forbearance and not be handed over to blasphemous and barbarous nations. ⁵It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev. ⁶They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the festival of booths, remembering how not long before, during the festival of booths, they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals. ⁷Therefore, carrying ivy-wreathed wands and beautiful branches and also fronds of palm, they offered hymns of thanksgiving to him who had given success to the purifying of his own holy place. ⁸They decreed by public edict, ratified by vote, that the whole nation of the Jews should observe these days every year.

⁹ Such then was the end of Antiochus, who was called Epiphanes.

Accession of Antiochus Eupator

¹⁰ Now we will tell what took place under Antiochus Eupator, who was the son of that ungodly man, and will give a brief summary of the principal calamities of the wars. ¹¹This man, when he succeeded to the kingdom, appointed one Lysias to have charge of the government and to be chief governor of Coelesyria and Phoenicia. ¹²Ptolemy, who was called Macron, took the lead in showing justice to the Jews because of the wrong that had been done to them, and attempted to maintain peaceful relations with them. ¹³As a result he was accused before Eupator by the king’s Friends. He heard himself called a traitor at every turn, because he had abandoned Cyprus, which Philometor had entrusted to him, and had gone over to Antiochus Epiphanes. Unable to command the respect due to his office,a he took poison and ended his life.

Campaign in Idumea

¹⁴ When Gorgias became governor of the region, he maintained a force of mercenaries, and at every turn kept attacking the Jews. ¹⁵Besides this, the Idumeans, who had control of important strongholds, were harassing the Jews; they received those who were banished from Jerusalem, and endeavoured to keep up the war. ¹⁶But Maccabeus and his forces, after making solemn supplication and imploring God to fight on their side, rushed to the strongholds of the Idumeans. ¹⁷Attacking them vigorously, they gained possession of the places, and beat off all who fought upon the wall, and slaughtered those whom they encountered, killing no fewer than twenty thousand.

¹⁸ When at least nine thousand took refuge in two very strong towers well equipped to withstand a siege, ¹⁹Maccabeus left Simon and Joseph, and also Zacchaeus and his troops, a force sufficient to besiege them; and he himself set off for places where he was more urgently needed. ²⁰But those with Simon, who were money-hungry, were bribed by some of those who were in the towers, and on receiving seventy thousand drachmas let some of them slip away. ²¹When word of what had happened came to Maccabeus, he gathered the leaders of the people, and accused these men of having sold their kindred for money by setting their enemies free to fight against them. ²²Then he killed these men who had turned traitor, and immediately captured the two towers. ²³Having success at arms in everything he undertook, he destroyed more than twenty thousand in the two strongholds.

Judas Defeats Timothy

²⁴ Now Timothy, who had been defeated by the Jews before, gathered a tremendous force of mercenaries and collected the cavalry from Asia in no small number. He came on, intending to take Judea by storm. ²⁵As he drew near, Maccabeus and his men sprinkled dust on their heads and girded their loins with sackcloth, in supplication to God. ²⁶Falling upon the steps before the altar, they implored him to be gracious to them and to be an enemy to their enemies and an adversary to their adversaries, as the law declares. ²⁷And rising from their prayer they took up their arms and advanced a considerable distance from the city; and when they came near the enemy they halted. ²⁸Just as dawn was breaking, the two armies joined battle, one having as pledge of success and victory not only their valour but also their reliance on the Lord, while the other made rage their leader in the fight.

²⁹ When the battle became fierce, there appeared to the enemy from heaven five resplendent men on horses with golden bridles, and they were leading the Jews. ³⁰Two of them took Maccabeus between them, and shielding him with their own armour and weapons, they kept him from being wounded. They showered arrows and thunderbolts on the enemy, so that, confused and blinded, they were thrown into disorder and cut to pieces. ³¹Twenty thousand five hundred were slaughtered, besides six hundred cavalry.

³² Timothy himself fled to a stronghold called Gazara, especially well garrisoned, where Chaereas was commander. ³³Then Maccabeus and his men were glad, and they besieged the fort for four days. ³⁴The men within, relying on the strength of the place, kept blaspheming terribly and uttering wicked words. ³⁵But at dawn on the fifth day, twenty young men in the army of Maccabeus, fired with anger because of the blasphemies, bravely stormed the wall and with savage fury cut down everyone they met. ³⁶Others who came up in the same way wheeled around against the defenders and set fire to the towers; they kindled fires and burned the blasphemers alive. Others broke open the gates and let in the rest of the force, and they occupied the city. ³⁷They killed Timothy, who was hiding in a cistern, and his brother Chaereas, and Apollophanes. ³⁸When they had accomplished these things, with hymns and thanksgivings they blessed the Lord who shows great kindness to Israel and gives them the victory.

Lysias Besieges Beth-zur

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VERY soon after this, Lysias, the king’s guardian and kinsman, who was in charge of the government, being vexed at what had happened, ²gathered about eighty thousand infantry and all his cavalry and came against the Jews. He intended to make the city a home for Greeks, ³and to levy tribute on the temple as he did on the sacred places of the other nations, and to put the high-priesthood up for sale every year. ⁴He took no account whatever of the power of God, but was elated with his tens of thousands of infantry, and his thousands of cavalry, and his eighty elephants. ⁵Invading Judea, he approached Beth-zur, which was a fortified place about five stadiaa from Jerusalem, and pressed it hard.

⁶ When Maccabeus and his men got word that Lysiasb was besieging the strongholds, they and all the people, with lamentations and tears, prayed the Lord to send a good angel to save Israel. ⁷Maccabeus himself was the first to take up arms, and he urged the others to risk their lives with him to aid their kindred. Then they eagerly rushed off together. ⁸And there, while they were still near Jerusalem, a horseman appeared at their head, clothed in white and brandishing weapons of gold. ⁹And together they all praised the merciful God, and were strengthened in heart, ready to assail not only humans but the wildest animals or walls of iron. ¹⁰They advanced in battle order, having their heavenly ally, for the Lord had mercy on them. ¹¹They hurled themselves like lions against the enemy, and laid low eleven thousand of them and sixteen hundred cavalry, and forced all the rest to flee. ¹²Most of them got away stripped and wounded, and Lysias himself escaped by disgraceful flight.

Lysias Makes Peace with the Jews

¹³ As he was not without intelligence, he pondered over the defeat that had befallen him, and realized that the Hebrews were invincible because the mighty God fought on their side. So he sent to them ¹⁴and persuaded them to settle everything on just terms, promising that he would persuade the king, constraining him to be their friend.a ¹⁵Maccabeus, having regard for the common good, agreed to all that Lysias urged. For the king granted every request in behalf of the Jews which Maccabeus delivered to Lysias in writing.

¹⁶ The letter written to the Jews by Lysias was to this effect:

‘Lysias to the people of the Jews, greetings. ¹⁷John and Absalom, who were sent by you, have delivered your signed communication and have asked about the matters indicated in it. ¹⁸I have informed the king of everything that needed to be brought before him, and he has agreed to what was possible. ¹⁹If you will maintain your goodwill towards the government, I will endeavour in the future to help promote your welfare. ²⁰And concerning such matters and their details, I have ordered these men and my representatives to confer with you. ²¹Farewell. The one hundred and forty-eighth year,b the twenty-fourth of Dioscorinthius.’

²² The king’s letter ran thus:

‘King Antiochus to his brother Lysias, greetings. ²³Now that our father has gone on to the gods, we desire that the subjects of the kingdom be undisturbed in caring for their own affairs. ²⁴We have heard that the Jews do not consent to our father’s change to Greek customs, but prefer their own way of living and ask that their own customs be allowed them. ²⁵Accordingly, since we choose that this nation also should be free from disturbance, our decision is that their temple be restored to them and that they shall live according to the customs of their ancestors. ²⁶You will do well, therefore, to send word to them and give them pledges of friendship, so that they may know our policy and be of good cheer and go on happily in the conduct of their own affairs.’

²⁷ To the nation the king’s letter was as follows:

‘King Antiochus to the senate of the Jews and to the other Jews, greetings. ²⁸If you are well, it is as we desire. We also are in good health. ²⁹Menelaus has informed us that you wish to return home and look after your own affairs. ³⁰Therefore those who go home by the thirtieth of Xanthicus will have our pledge of friendship and full permission ³¹for the Jews to enjoy their own food and laws, just as formerly, and none of them shall be molested in any way for what may have been done in ignorance. ³²And I have also sent Menelaus to encourage you. ³³Farewell. The one hundred and forty-eighth year,b the fifteenth of Xanthicus.’

³⁴ The Romans also sent them a letter, which read thus:

‘Quintus Memmius and Titus Manius, envoys of the Romans, to the people of the Jews, greetings. ³⁵With regard to what Lysias the kinsman of the king has granted you, we also give consent. ³⁶But as to the matters that he decided are to be referred to the king, as soon as you have considered them, send someone promptly so that we may make proposals appropriate for you. For we are on our way to Antioch. ³⁷Therefore make haste and send messengers so that we may have your judgement. ³⁸Farewell. The one hundred and forty-eighth year,a the fifteenth of Xanthicus.’

Incidents at Joppa and Jamnia

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WHEN this agreement had been reached, Lysias returned to the king, and the Jews went about their farming.

² But some of the governors in various places, Timothy and Apollonius son of Gennaeus, as well as Hieronymus and Demophon, and in addition to these Nicanor the governor of Cyprus, would not let them live quietly and in peace. ³And the people of Joppa did so ungodly a deed as this: they invited the Jews who lived among them to embark, with their wives and children, on boats that they had provided, as though there were no ill will to the Jews;b ⁴and this was done by public vote of the city. When they accepted, because they wished to live peaceably and suspected nothing, the people of Joppac took them out to sea and drowned them, at least two hundred. ⁵When Judas heard of the cruelty visited on his compatriots, he gave orders to his men ⁶and, calling upon God, the righteous judge, attacked the murderers of his kindred. He set fire to the harbour by night, burned the boats, and massacred those who had taken refuge there. ⁷Then, because the city’s gates were closed, he withdrew, intending to come again and root out the whole community of Joppa. ⁸But learning that the people in Jamnia meant in the same way to wipe out the Jews who were living among them, ⁹he attacked the Jamnites by night and set fire to the harbour and the fleet, so that the glow of the light was seen in Jerusalem, thirty milesd distant.

The Campaign in Gilead

¹⁰ When they had gone more than a milee from there, on their march against Timothy, at least five thousand Arabs with five hundred cavalry attacked them. ¹¹After a hard fight, Judas and his companions, with God’s help, were victorious. The defeated nomads begged Judas to grant them pledges of friendship, promising to give him livestock and to help his peoplef in all other ways. ¹²Judas, realizing that they might indeed be useful in many ways, agreed to make peace with them; and after receiving his pledges they went back to their tents.

¹³ He also attacked a certain town that was strongly fortified with earthworksg and walls, and inhabited by all sorts of Gentiles. Its name was Caspin. ¹⁴Those who were within, relying on the strength of the walls and on their supply of provisions, behaved most insolently towards Judas and his men, railing at them and even blaspheming and saying unholy things. ¹⁵But Judas and his men, calling upon the great Sovereign of the world, who without battering-rams or engines of war overthrew Jericho in the days of Joshua, rushed furiously upon the walls. ¹⁶They took the town by the will of God, and slaughtered untold numbers, so that the adjoining lake, a quarter of a mileh wide, appeared to be running over with blood.

Judas Defeats Timothy’s Army

¹⁷ When they had gone ninety-five milesa from there, they came to Charax, to the Jews who are called Toubiani. ¹⁸They did not find Timothy in that region, for he had by then left there without accomplishing anything, though in one place he had left a very strong garrison. ¹⁹Dositheus and Sosipater, who were captains under Maccabeus, marched out and destroyed those whom Timothy had left in the stronghold, more than ten thousand men. ²⁰But Maccabeus arranged his army in divisions, set menb in command of the divisions, and hurried after Timothy, who had with him one hundred and twenty thousand infantry and two thousand five hundred cavalry. ²¹When Timothy learned of the approach of Judas, he sent off the women and the children and also the baggage to a place called Carnaim; for that place was hard to besiege and difficult of access because of the narrowness of all the approaches. ²²But when Judas’s first division appeared, terror and fear came over the enemy at the manifestation to them of him who sees all things. In their flight they rushed headlong in every direction, so that often they were injured by their own men and pierced by the points of their own swords. ²³Judas pressed the pursuit with the utmost vigour, putting the sinners to the sword, and destroyed as many as thirty thousand.

²⁴ Timothy himself fell into the hands of Dositheus and Sosipater and their men. With great guile he begged them to let him go in safety, because he held the parents of most of them, and the brothers of some, to whom no consideration would be shown. ²⁵And when with many words he had confirmed his solemn promise to restore them unharmed, they let him go, for the sake of saving their kindred.

Judas Wins Other Victories

²⁶ Then Judasc marched against Carnaim and the temple of Atargatis, and slaughtered twenty-five thousand people. ²⁷After the rout and destruction of these, he marched also against Ephron, a fortified town where Lysias lived with multitudes of people of all nationalities.d Stalwart young men took their stand before the walls and made a vigorous defence; and great stores of war engines and missiles were there. ²⁸But the Jewse called upon the Sovereign who with power shatters the might of his enemies, and they got the town into their hands, and killed as many as twenty-five thousand of those who were in it.

²⁹ Setting out from there, they hastened to Scythopolis, which is seventy-five milesf from Jerusalem. ³⁰But when the Jews who lived there bore witness to the goodwill that the people of Scythopolis had shown them and their kind treatment of them in times of misfortune, ³¹they thanked them and exhorted them to be well disposed to their race in the future also. Then they went up to Jerusalem, as the festival of weeks was close at hand.

Judas Defeats Gorgias

³² After the festival called Pentecost, they hurried against Gorgias, the governor of Idumea, ³³who came out with three thousand infantry and four hundred cavalry. ³⁴When they joined battle, it happened that a few of the Jews fell. ³⁵But a certain Dositheus, one of Bacenor’s men, who was on horseback and was a strong man, caught hold of Gorgias, and grasping his cloak was dragging him off by main strength, wishing to take the accursed man alive, when one of the Thracian cavalry bore down on him and cut off his arm; so Gorgias escaped and reached Marisa.

³⁶ As Esdris and his men had been fighting for a long time and were weary, Judas called upon the Lord to show himself their ally and leader in the battle. ³⁷In the language of their ancestors he raised the battle-cry, with hymns; then he charged against Gorgias’s troops when they were not expecting it, and put them to flight.

Prayers for Those Killed in Battle

³⁸ Then Judas assembled his army and went to the city of Adullam. As the seventh day was coming on, they purified themselves according to the custom, and kept the sabbath there.

³⁹ On the next day, as had now become necessary, Judas and his men went to take up the bodies of the fallen and to bring them back to lie with their kindred in the sepulchres of their ancestors. ⁴⁰Then under the tunic of each one of the dead they found sacred tokens of the idols of Jamnia, which the law forbids the Jews to wear. And it became clear to all that this was the reason these men had fallen. ⁴¹So they all blessed the ways of the Lord, the righteous judge, who reveals the things that are hidden; ⁴²and they turned to supplication, praying that the sin that had been committed might be wholly blotted out. The noble Judas exhorted the people to keep themselves free from sin, for they had seen with their own eyes what had happened as the result of the sin of those who had fallen. ⁴³He also took up a collection, man by man, to the amount of two thousand drachmas of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin-offering. In doing this he acted very well and honourably, taking account of the resurrection. ⁴⁴For if he were not expecting that those who had fallen would rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. ⁴⁵But if he was looking to the splendid reward that is laid up for those who fall asleep in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. Therefore he made atonement for the dead, so that they might be delivered from their sin.

Menelaus Is Put to Death

13

IN THE one hundred and forty-ninth yeara word came to Judas and his men that Antiochus Eupator was coming with a great army against Judea, ²and with him Lysias, his guardian, who had charge of the government. Each of them had a Greek force of one hundred and ten thousand infantry, five thousand three hundred cavalry, twenty-two elephants, and three hundred chariots armed with scythes.

³ Menelaus also joined them and with utter hypocrisy urged Antiochus on, not for the sake of his country’s welfare, but because he thought that he would be established in office. ⁴But the King of kings aroused the anger of Antiochus against the scoundrel; and when Lysias informed him that this man was to blame for all the trouble, he ordered them to take him to Beroea and to put him to death by the method that is customary in that place. ⁵For there is a tower there, fifty cubits high, full of ashes, and it has a rim running round it that on all sides inclines precipitously into the ashes. ⁶There they all push to destruction anyone guilty of sacrilege or notorious for other crimes. ⁷By such a fate it came about that Menelaus the lawbreaker died, without even burial in the earth. ⁸And this was eminently just; because he had committed many sins against the altar whose fire and ashes were holy, he met his death in ashes.

A Battle Near the City of Modein

⁹ The king with barbarous arrogance was coming to show the Jews things far worse than those that had been donea in his father’s time. ¹⁰But when Judas heard of this, he ordered the people to call upon the Lord day and night, now more than ever to help those who were on the point of being deprived of the law and their country and the holy temple, ¹¹and not to let the people who had just begun to revive fall into the hands of the blasphemous Gentiles. ¹²When they had all joined in the same petition and had implored the merciful Lord with weeping and fasting and lying prostrate for three days without ceasing, Judas exhorted them and ordered them to stand ready.

¹³ After consulting privately with the elders, he determined to march out and decide the matter by the help of God before the king’s army could enter Judea and get possession of the city. ¹⁴So, committing the decision to the Creator of the world and exhorting his troops to fight bravely to the death for the laws, temple, city, country, and commonwealth, he pitched his camp near Modein. ¹⁵He gave his troops the watchword, ‘God’s victory’, and with a picked force of the bravest young men, he attacked the king’s pavilion at night and killed as many as two thousand men in the camp. He stabbedb the leading elephant and its rider. ¹⁶In the end they filled the camp with terror and confusion and withdrew in triumph. ¹⁷This happened, just as day was dawning, because the Lord’s help protected him.

Antiochus Makes a Treaty with the Jews

¹⁸ The king, having had a taste of the daring of the Jews, tried strategy in attacking their positions. ¹⁹He advanced against Beth-zur, a strong fortress of the Jews, was turned back, attacked again,c and was defeated. ²⁰Judas sent in to the garrison whatever was necessary. ²¹But Rhodocus, a man from the ranks of the Jews, gave secret information to the enemy; he was sought for, caught, and put in prison. ²²The king negotiated a second time with the people in Beth-zur, gave pledges, received theirs, withdrew, attacked Judas and his men, and was defeated; ²³he got word that Philip, who had been left in charge of the government, had revolted in Antioch; he was dismayed, called in the Jews, yielded and swore to observe all their rights, settled with them and offered sacrifice, honoured the sanctuary, and showed generosity to the holy place. ²⁴He received Maccabeus, left Hegemonides as governor from Ptolemais to Gerar, ²⁵and went to Ptolemais. The people of Ptolemais were indignant over the treaty; in fact they were so angry that they wanted to annul its terms.b ²⁶Lysias took the public platform, made the best possible defence, convinced them, appeased them, gained their goodwill, and set out for Antioch. This is how the king’s attack and withdrawal turned out.

Alcimus Speaks against Judas

14

THREE years later, word came to Judas and his men that Demetrius son of Seleucus had sailed into the harbour of Tripolis with a strong army and a fleet, ²and had taken possession of the country, having made away with Antiochus and his guardian Lysias.

³ Now a certain Alcimus, who had formerly been high priest but had wilfully defiled himself in the times of separation,a realized that there was no way for him to be safe or to have access again to the holy altar, ⁴and went to King Demetrius in about the one hundred and fifty-first year,b presenting to him a crown of gold and a palm, and besides these some of the customary olive branches from the temple. During that day he kept quiet. ⁵But he found an opportunity that furthered his mad purpose when he was invited by Demetrius to a meeting of the council and was asked about the attitude and intentions of the Jews. He answered:

⁶ ‘Those of the Jews who are called Hasideans, whose leader is Judas Maccabeus, are keeping up war and stirring up sedition, and will not let the kingdom attain tranquillity. ⁷Therefore I have laid aside my ancestral glory—I mean the high-priesthood—and have now come here, ⁸first because I am genuinely concerned for the interests of the king, and second because I have regard also for my compatriots. For through the folly of those whom I have mentioned our whole nation is now in no small misfortune. ⁹Since you are acquainted, O king, with the details of this matter, may it please you to take thought for our country and our hard-pressed nation with the gracious kindness that you show to all. ¹⁰For as long as Judas lives, it is impossible for the government to find peace.’ ¹¹When he had said this, the rest of the king’s Friends,c who were hostile to Judas, quickly inflamed Demetrius still more. ¹²He immediately chose Nicanor, who had been in command of the elephants, appointed him governor of Judea, and sent him off ¹³with orders to kill Judas and scatter his troops, and to instal Alcimus as high priest of the greatd temple. ¹⁴And the Gentiles throughout Judea, who had fled beforee Judas, flocked to join Nicanor, thinking that the misfortunes and calamities of the Jews would mean prosperity for themselves.

Nicanor Makes Friends with Judas

¹⁵ When the Jewsf heard of Nicanor’s coming and the gathering of the Gentiles, they sprinkled dust on their heads and prayed to him who established his own people for ever and always upholds his own heritage by manifesting himself. ¹⁶At the command of the leader, theyg set out from there immediately and engaged them in battle at a village called Dessau.e ¹⁷Simon, the brother of Judas, had encountered Nicanor, but had been temporarilyh checked because of the sudden consternation created by the enemy.

¹⁸ Nevertheless Nicanor, hearing of the valour of Judas and his troops and their courage in battle for their country, shrank from deciding the issue by bloodshed. ¹⁹Therefore he sent Posidonius, Theodotus, and Mattathias to give and receive pledges of friendship. ²⁰When the terms had been fully considered, and the leader had informed the people, and it had appeared that they were of one mind, they agreed to the covenant. ²¹The leadersa set a day on which to meet by themselves. A chariot came forward from each army; seats of honour were set in place; ²²Judas posted armed men in readiness at key places to prevent sudden treachery on the part of the enemy; so they duly held the consultation.

²³ Nicanor stayed on in Jerusalem and did nothing out of the way, but dismissed the flocks of people that had gathered. ²⁴And he kept Judas always in his presence; he was warmly attached to the man. ²⁵He urged him to marry and have children; so Judasb married, settled down, and shared the common life.

Nicanor Turns against Judas

²⁶ But when Alcimus noticed their goodwill for one another, he took the covenant that had been made and went to Demetrius. He told him that Nicanor was disloyal to the government, since he had appointed that conspirator against the kingdom, Judas, to be his successor. ²⁷The king became excited and, provoked by the false accusations of that depraved man, wrote to Nicanor, stating that he was displeased with the covenant and commanding him to send Maccabeus to Antioch as a prisoner without delay.

²⁸ When this message came to Nicanor, he was troubled and grieved that he had to annul their agreement when the man had done no wrong. ²⁹Since it was not possible to oppose the king, he watched for an opportunity to accomplish this by a stratagem. ³⁰But Maccabeus, noticing that Nicanor was more austere in his dealings with him and was meeting him more rudely than had been his custom, concluded that this austerity did not spring from the best motives. So he gathered not a few of his men, and went into hiding from Nicanor. ³¹When the latter became aware that he had been cleverly outwitted by the man, he went to the greatc and holy temple while the priests were offering the customary sacrifices, and commanded them to hand the man over. ³²When they declared on oath that they did not know where the man was whom he wanted, ³³he stretched out his right hand towards the sanctuary, and swore this oath: ‘If you do not hand Judas over to me as a prisoner, I will level this shrine of God to the ground and tear down the altar, and build here a splendid temple to Dionysus.’

³⁴ Having said this, he went away. Then the priests stretched out their hands towards heaven and called upon the constant Defender of our nation, in these words: ³⁵‘O Lord of all, though you have need of nothing, you were pleased that there should be a temple for your habitation among us; ³⁶so now, O holy One, Lord of all holiness, keep undefiled for ever this house that has been so recently purified.’

Razis Dies for His Country

³⁷ A certain Razis, one of the elders of Jerusalem, was denounced to Nicanor as a man who loved his compatriots and was very well thought of and for his goodwill was called father of the Jews. ³⁸In former times, when there was no mingling with the Gentiles, he had been accused of Judaism, and he had most zealously risked body and life for Judaism. ³⁹Nicanor, wishing to exhibit the enmity that he had for the Jews, sent more than five hundred soldiers to arrest him; ⁴⁰for he thought that by arrestinga him he would do them an injury. ⁴¹When the troops were about to capture the tower and were forcing the door of the courtyard, they ordered that fire be brought and the doors burned. Being surrounded, Razisb fell upon his own sword, ⁴²preferring to die nobly rather than to fall into the hands of sinners and suffer outrages unworthy of his noble birth. ⁴³But in the heat of the struggle he did not hit exactly, and the crowd was now rushing in through the doors. He courageously ran up on the wall, and bravely threw himself down into the crowd. ⁴⁴But as they quickly drew back, a space opened and he fell in the middle of the empty space. ⁴⁵Still alive and aflame with anger, he rose, and though his blood gushed forth and his wounds were severe he ran through the crowd; and standing upon a steep rock, ⁴⁶with his blood now completely drained from him, he tore out his entrails, took them in both hands, and hurled them at the crowd, calling upon the Lord of life and spirit to give them back to him again. This was the manner of his death.

Nicanor’s Arrogance

15

WHEN Nicanor heard that Judas and his troops were in the region of Samaria, he made plans to attack them with complete safety on the day of rest. ²When the Jews who were compelled to follow him said, ‘Do not destroy so savagely and barbarously, but show respect for the day that he who sees all things has honoured and hallowed above other days’, ³the thrice-accursed wretch asked if there were a sovereign in heaven who had commanded the keeping of the sabbath day. ⁴When they declared, ‘It is the living Lord himself, the Sovereign in heaven, who ordered us to observe the seventh day,’ ⁵he replied, ‘But I am a sovereign also, on earth, and I command you to take up arms and finish the king’s business.’ Nevertheless, he did not succeed in carrying out his abominable design.

Judas Prepares the Jews for Battle

⁶ This Nicanor in his utter boastfulness and arrogance had determined to erect a public monument of victory over Judas and his forces. ⁷But Maccabeus did not cease to trust with all confidence that he would get help from the Lord. ⁸He exhorted his troops not to fear the attack of the Gentiles, but to keep in mind the former times when help had come to them from heaven, and so to look for the victory that the Almighty would give them. ⁹Encouraging them from the law and the prophets, and reminding them also of the struggles they had won, he made them the more eager. ¹⁰When he had aroused their courage, he issued his orders, at the same time pointing out the perfidy of the Gentiles and their violation of oaths. ¹¹He armed each of them not so much with confidence in shields and spears as with the inspiration of brave words, and he cheered them all by relating a dream, a sort of vision,a which was worthy of belief.

¹² What he saw was this: Onias, who had been high priest, a noble and good man, of modest bearing and gentle manner, one who spoke fittingly and had been trained from childhood in all that belongs to excellence, was praying with outstretched hands for the whole body of the Jews. ¹³Then in the same fashion another appeared, distinguished by his grey hair and dignity, and of marvellous majesty and authority. ¹⁴And Onias spoke, saying, ‘This is a man who loves the family of Israel and prays much for the people and the holy city—Jeremiah, the prophet of God.’ ¹⁵Jeremiah stretched out his right hand and gave to Judas a golden sword, and as he gave it he addressed him thus: ¹⁶‘Take this holy sword, a gift from God, with which you will strike down your adversaries.’

¹⁷ Encouraged by the words of Judas, so noble and so effective in arousing valour and awaking courage in the souls of the young, they determined not to carry on a campaigna but to attack bravely, and to decide the matter by fighting hand to hand with all courage, because the city and the sanctuary and the temple were in danger. ¹⁸Their concern for wives and children, and also for brothers and sistersb and relatives, lay upon them less heavily; their greatest and first fear was for the consecrated sanctuary. ¹⁹And those who had to remain in the city were in no little distress, being anxious over the encounter in the open country.

The Defeat and Death of Nicanor

²⁰ When all were now looking forward to the coming issue, and the enemy was already close at hand with their army drawn up for battle, the elephantsc strategically stationed and the cavalry deployed on the flanks, ²¹Maccabeus, observing the masses that were in front of him and the varied supply of arms and the savagery of the elephants, stretched out his hands towards heaven and called upon the Lord who works wonders; for he knew that it is not by arms, but as the Lordd decides, that he gains the victory for those who deserve it. ²²He called upon him in these words: ‘O Lord, you sent your angel in the time of King Hezekiah of Judea, and he killed fully one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of Sennacherib. ²³So now, O Sovereign of the heavens, send a good angel to spread terror and trembling before us. ²⁴By the might of your arm may these blasphemers who come against your holy people be struck down.’ With these words he ended his prayer.

²⁵ Nicanor and his troops advanced with trumpets and battle-songs, ²⁶but Judas and his troops met the enemy in battle with invocations to God and prayers. ²⁷So, fighting with their hands and praying to God in their hearts, they laid low at least thirty-five thousand, and were greatly gladdened by God’s manifestation.

²⁸ When the action was over and they were returning with joy, they recognized Nicanor, lying dead, in full armour. ²⁹Then there was shouting and tumult, and they blessed the Sovereign Lord in the language of their ancestors. ³⁰Then the man who was ever in body and soul the defender of his people, the man who maintained his youthful goodwill towards his compatriots, ordered them to cut off Nicanor’s head and arm and carry them to Jerusalem. ³¹When he arrived there and had called his compatriots together and stationed the priests before the altar, he sent for those who were in the citadel. ³²He showed them the vile Nicanor’s head and that profane man’s arm, which had been boastfully stretched out against the holy house of the Almighty. ³³He cut out the tongue of the ungodly Nicanor and said that he would feed it piecemeal to the birds and would hang up these rewards of his folly opposite the sanctuary. ³⁴And they all, looking to heaven, blessed the Lord who had manifested himself, saying, ‘Blessed is he who has kept his own place undefiled!’ ³⁵Judasa hung Nicanor’s head from the citadel, a clear and conspicuous sign to everyone of the help of the Lord. ³⁶And they all decreed by public vote never to let this day go unobserved, but to celebrate the thirteenth day of the twelfth month—which is called Adar in the Aramaic language—the day before Mordecai’s day.

³⁷ This, then, is how matters turned out with Nicanor, and from that time the city has been in the possession of the Hebrews. So I will here end my story.

The Compiler’s Epilogue

³⁸ If it is well told and to the point, that is what I myself desired; if it is poorly done and mediocre, that was the best I could do. ³⁹For just as it is harmful to drink wine alone, or, again, to drink water alone, while wine mixed with water is sweet and delicious and enhances one’s enjoyment, so also the style of the story delights the ears of those who read the work. And here will be the end.

JOB

Job and His Family

THERE was once a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. ²There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. ³He had seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred donkeys, and very many servants; so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. ⁴His sons used to go and hold feasts in one another’s houses in turn; and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. ⁵And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, ‘It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.’ This is what Job always did.

Attack on Job’s Character

⁶ One day the heavenly beingsa came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satanb also came among them. ⁷The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Where have you come from?’ Satanb answered the LORD, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ ⁸The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.’ ⁹Then Satanb answered the LORD, ‘Does Job fear God for nothing? ¹⁰Have you not put a fence around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. ¹¹But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.’ ¹²The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Very well, all that he has is in your power; only do not stretch out your hand against him!’ So Satanb went out from the presence of the LORD.

Job Loses Property and Children

¹³ One day when his sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in the eldest brother’s house, ¹⁴a messenger came to Job and said, ‘The oxen were ploughing and the donkeys were feeding beside them, ¹⁵and the Sabeans fell on them and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ ¹⁶While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants, and consumed them; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ ¹⁷While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘The Chaldeans formed three columns, made a raid on the camels and carried them off, and killed the servants with the edge of the sword; I alone have escaped to tell you.’ ¹⁸While he was still speaking, another came and said, ‘Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother’s house, ¹⁹and suddenly a great wind came across the desert, struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people, and they are dead; I alone have escaped to tell you.’

²⁰ Then Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshipped. ²¹He said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.’

²² In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

Attack on Job’s Health

2

ONE day the heavenly beingsa came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satanb also came among them to present himself before the LORD. ²The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Where have you come from?’ Satanb answered the LORD, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’ ³The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil. He still persists in his integrity, although you incited me against him, to destroy him for no reason.’ ⁴Then Satanb answered the LORD, ‘Skin for skin! All that people have they will give to save their lives.c ⁵But stretch out your hand now and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse you to your face.’ ⁶The LORD said to Satan,b ‘Very well, he is in your power; only spare his life.’

⁷ So Satanb went out from the presence of the LORD, and inflicted loathsome sores on Job from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head. ⁸Jobd took a potsherd with which to scrape himself, and sat among the ashes.

⁹ Then his wife said to him, ‘Do you still persist in your integrity? Cursee God, and die.’ ¹⁰But he said to her, ‘You speak as any foolish woman would speak. Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?’ In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

Job’s Three Friends

¹¹ Now when Job’s three friends heard of all these troubles that had come upon him, each of them set out from his home—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They met together to go and console and comfort him. ¹²When they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him, and they raised their voices and wept aloud; they tore their robes and threw dust in the air upon their heads. ¹³They sat with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

Job Curses the Day He Was Born

3

AFTER this Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth. ²Job said:

³ ‘Let the day perish on which I was born,

and the night that said,

“A man-child is conceived.”

⁴ Let that day be darkness!

May God above not seek it,

or light shine on it.

⁵ Let gloom and deep darkness claim it.

Let clouds settle upon it;

let the blackness of the day terrify it.

⁶ That night—let thick darkness seize it!

let it not rejoice among the days of the year;

let it not come into the number of the months.

⁷ Yes, let that night be barren;

let no joyful cry be hearda in it.

⁸ Let those curse it who curse the Sea,b

those who are skilled to rouse up Leviathan.

⁹ Let the stars of its dawn be dark;

let it hope for light, but have none;

may it not see the eyelids of the morning—

¹⁰ because it did not shut the doors of my mother’s womb,

and hide trouble from my eyes.

¹¹ ‘Why did I not die at birth,

come forth from the womb and expire?

¹² Why were there knees to receive me,

or breasts for me to suck?

¹³ Now I would be lying down and quiet;

I would be asleep; then I would be at rest

¹⁴ with kings and counsellors of the earth

who rebuild ruins for themselves,

¹⁵ or with princes who have gold,

who fill their houses with silver.

¹⁶ Or why was I not buried like a stillborn child,

like an infant that never sees the light?

¹⁷ There the wicked cease from troubling,

and there the weary are at rest.

¹⁸ There the prisoners are at ease together;

they do not hear the voice of the taskmaster.

¹⁹ The small and the great are there,

and the slaves are free from their masters.

²⁰ ‘Why is light given to one in misery,

and life to the bitter in soul,

²¹ who long for death, but it does not come,

and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;

²² who rejoice exceedingly,

and are glad when they find the grave?

²³ Why is light given to one who cannot see the way,

whom God has fenced in?

²⁴ For my sighing comes likec my bread,

and my groanings are poured out like water.

²⁵ Truly the thing that I fear comes upon me,

and what I dread befalls me.

²⁶ I am not at ease, nor am I quiet;

I have no rest; but trouble comes.’

Eliphaz Speaks: Job Has Sinned

4

THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

² ‘If one ventures a word with you,

will you be offended?

But who can keep from speaking?

³ See, you have instructed many;

you have strengthened the weak hands.

⁴ Your words have supported those who were stumbling,

and you have made firm the feeble knees.

⁵ But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;

it touches you, and you are dismayed.

⁶ Is not your fear of God your confidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?

⁷ ‘Think now, who that was innocent ever perished?

Or where were the upright cut off?

⁸ As I have seen, those who plough iniquity

and sow trouble reap the same.

⁹ By the breath of God they perish,

and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.

¹⁰ The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,

and the teeth of the young lions are broken.

¹¹ The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,

and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.

¹² ‘Now a word came stealing to me,

my ear received the whisper of it.

¹³ Amid thoughts from visions of the night,

when deep sleep falls on mortals,

¹⁴ dread came upon me, and trembling,

which made all my bones shake.

¹⁵ A spirit glided past my face;

the hair of my flesh bristled.

¹⁶ It stood still,

but I could not discern its appearance.

A form was before my eyes;

there was silence, then I heard a voice:

¹⁷ “Can mortals be righteous beforea God?

Can human beings be pure beforea their Maker?

¹⁸ Even in his servants he puts no trust,

and his angels he charges with error;

¹⁹ how much more those who live in houses of clay,

whose foundation is in the dust,

who are crushed like a moth.

²⁰ Between morning and evening they are destroyed;

they perish for ever without any regarding it.

²¹ Their tent-cord is plucked up within them,

and they die devoid of wisdom.”

Job Is Corrected by God

5

‘CALL now; is there anyone who will answer you?

To which of the holy ones will you turn?

² Surely vexation kills the fool,

and jealousy slays the simple.

³ I have seen fools taking root,

but suddenly I cursed their dwelling.

⁴ Their children are far from safety,

they are crushed in the gate,

and there is no one to deliver them.

⁵ The hungry eat their harvest,

and they take it even out of the thorns;b

and the thirstyc pant after their wealth.

⁶ For misery does not come from the earth,

nor does trouble sprout from the ground;

⁷ but human beings are born to trouble

just as sparksd fly upward.

⁸ ‘As for me, I would seek God,

and to God I would commit my cause.

⁹ He does great things and unsearchable,

marvellous things without number.

¹⁰ He gives rain on the earth

and sends waters on the fields;

¹¹ he sets on high those who are lowly,

and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

¹² He frustrates the devices of the crafty,

so that their hands achieve no success.

¹³ He takes the wise in their own craftiness;

and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.

¹⁴ They meet with darkness in the daytime,

and grope at noonday as in the night.

¹⁵ But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth,

from the hand of the mighty.

¹⁶ So the poor have hope,

and injustice shuts its mouth.

¹⁷ ‘How happy is the one whom God reproves;

therefore do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.a

¹⁸ For he wounds, but he binds up;

he strikes, but his hands heal.

¹⁹ He will deliver you from six troubles;

in seven no harm shall touch you.

²⁰ In famine he will redeem you from death,

and in war from the power of the sword.

²¹ You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,

and shall not fear destruction when it comes.

²² At destruction and famine you shall laugh,

and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth.

²³ For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,

and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.

²⁴ You shall know that your tent is safe,

you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.

²⁵ You shall know that your descendants will be many,

and your offspring like the grass of the earth.

²⁶ You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,

as a shock of grain comes up to the threshing-floor in its season.

²⁷ See, we have searched this out; it is true.

Hear, and know it for yourself.’

Job Replies: My Complaint Is Just

6

THEN Job answered:

² ‘O that my vexation were weighed,

and all my calamity laid in the balances!

³ For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;

therefore my words have been rash.

⁴ For the arrows of the Almightya are in me;

my spirit drinks their poison;

the terrors of God are arrayed against me.

⁵ Does the wild ass bray over its grass,

or the ox low over its fodder?

⁶ Can that which is tasteless be eaten without salt,

or is there any flavour in the juice of mallows?b

⁷ My appetite refuses to touch them;

they are like food that is loathsome to me.b

⁸ ‘O that I might have my request,

and that God would grant my desire;

⁹ that it would please God to crush me,

that he would let loose his hand and cut me off!

¹⁰ This would be my consolation;

I would even exultb in unrelenting pain;

for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹ What is my strength, that I should wait?

And what is my end, that I should be patient?

¹² Is my strength the strength of stones,

or is my flesh bronze?

¹³ In truth I have no help in me,

and any resource is driven from me.

¹⁴ ‘Those who withholdc kindness from a friend

forsake the fear of the Almighty.a

¹⁵ My companions are treacherous like a torrent-bed,

like freshets that pass away,

¹⁶ that run dark with ice,

turbid with melting snow.

¹⁷ In time of heat they disappear;

when it is hot, they vanish from their place.

¹⁸ The caravans turn aside from their course;

they go up into the waste, and perish.

¹⁹ The caravans of Tema look,

the travellers of Sheba hope.

²⁰ They are disappointed because they were confident;

they come there and are confounded.

²¹ Such you have now become to me;a

you see my calamity, and are afraid.

²² Have I said, “Make me a gift”?

Or, “From your wealth offer a bribe for me”?

²³ Or, “Save me from an opponent’s hand”?

Or, “Ransom me from the hand of oppressors”?

²⁴ ‘Teach me, and I will be silent;

make me understand how I have gone wrong.

²⁵ How forceful are honest words!

But your reproof, what does it reprove?

²⁶ Do you think that you can reprove words,

as if the speech of the desperate were wind?

²⁷ You would even cast lots over the orphan,

and bargain over your friend.

²⁸ ‘But now, be pleased to look at me;

for I will not lie to your face.

²⁹ Turn, I pray, let no wrong be done.

Turn now, my vindication is at stake.

³⁰ Is there any wrong on my tongue?

Cannot my taste discern calamity?

Job: My Suffering Is without End

7

‘DO NOT human beings have a hard service on earth,

and are not their days like the days of a labourer?

² Like a slave who longs for the shadow,

and like labourers who look for their wages,

³ so I am allotted months of emptiness,

and nights of misery are apportioned to me.

⁴ When I lie down I say, “When shall I rise?”

But the night is long,

and I am full of tossing until dawn.

⁵ My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;

my skin hardens, then breaks out again.

⁶ My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle,

and come to their end without hope.b

⁷ ‘Remember that my life is a breath;

my eye will never again see good.

⁸ The eye that beholds me will see me no more;

while your eyes are upon me, I shall be gone.

⁹ As the cloud fades and vanishes,

so those who go down to Sheol do not come up;

¹⁰ they return no more to their houses,

nor do their places know them any more.

¹¹ ‘Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;

I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;

I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.

¹² Am I the Sea, or the Dragon,

that you set a guard over me?

¹³ When I say, “My bed will comfort me,

my couch will ease my complaint”,

¹⁴ then you scare me with dreams

and terrify me with visions,

¹⁵ so that I would choose strangling

and death rather than this body.

¹⁶ I loathe my life; I would not live for ever.

Let me alone, for my days are a breath.

¹⁷ What are human beings, that you make so much of them,

that you set your mind on them,

¹⁸ visit them every morning,

test them every moment?

¹⁹ Will you not look away from me for a while,

let me alone until I swallow my spittle?

²⁰ If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of humanity?

Why have you made me your target?

Why have I become a burden to you?

²¹ Why do you not pardon my transgression

and take away my iniquity?

For now I shall lie in the earth;

you will seek me, but I shall not be.’

Bildad Speaks: Job Should Repent

8

THEN Bildad the Shuhite answered:

² ‘How long will you say these things,

and the words of your mouth be a great wind?

³ Does God pervert justice?

Or does the Almightya pervert the right?

⁴ If your children sinned against him,

he delivered them into the power of their transgression.

⁵ If you will seek God

and make supplication to the Almighty,a

⁶ if you are pure and upright,

surely then he will rouse himself for you

and restore to you your rightful place.

⁷ Though your beginning was small,

your latter days will be very great.

⁸ ‘For inquire now of bygone generations,

and consider what their ancestors have found;

⁹ for we are but of yesterday, and we know nothing,

for our days on earth are but a shadow.

¹⁰ Will they not teach you and tell you

and utter words out of their understanding?

¹¹ ‘Can papyrus grow where there is no marsh?

Can reeds flourish where there is no water?

¹² While yet in flower and not cut down,

they wither before any other plant.

¹³ Such are the paths of all who forget God;

the hope of the godless shall perish.

¹⁴ Their confidence is gossamer,

a spider’s house their trust.

¹⁵ If one leans against its house, it will not stand;

if one lays hold of it, it will not endure.

¹⁶ The wicked thriveb before the sun,

and their shoots spread over the garden.

¹⁷ Their roots twine around the stoneheap;

they live among the rocks.c

¹⁸ If they are destroyed from their place,

then it will deny them, saying, “I have never seen you.”

¹⁹ See, these are their happy ways,d

and out of the earth still others will spring.

²⁰ ‘See, God will not reject a blameless person,

nor take the hand of evildoers.

²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,

and your lips with shouts of joy.

²² Those who hate you will be clothed with shame,

and the tent of the wicked will be no more.’

Job Replies: There Is No Mediator

9

THEN Job answered:

² ‘Indeed I know that this is so;

but how can a mortal be just before God?

³ If one wished to contend with him,

one could not answer him once in a thousand.

⁴ He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength

—who has resisted him, and succeeded?—

⁵ he who removes mountains, and they do not know it,

when he overturns them in his anger;

⁶ who shakes the earth out of its place,

and its pillars tremble;

⁷ who commands the sun, and it does not rise;

who seals up the stars;

⁸ who alone stretched out the heavens

and trampled the waves of the Sea;a

⁹ who made the Bear and Orion,

the Pleiades and the chambers of the south;

¹⁰ who does great things beyond understanding,

and marvellous things without number.

¹¹ Look, he passes by me, and I do not see him;

he moves on, but I do not perceive him.

¹² He snatches away; who can stop him?

Who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

¹³ ‘God will not turn back his anger;

the helpers of Rahab bowed beneath him.

¹⁴ How then can I answer him,

choosing my words with him?

¹⁵ Though I am innocent, I cannot answer him;

I must appeal for mercy to my accuser.b

¹⁶ If I summoned him and he answered me,

I do not believe that he would listen to my voice.

¹⁷ For he crushes me with a tempest,

and multiplies my wounds without cause;

¹⁸ he will not let me get my breath,

but fills me with bitterness.

¹⁹ If it is a contest of strength, he is the strong one!

If it is a matter of justice, who can summon him?c

²⁰ Though I am innocent, my own mouth would condemn me;

though I am blameless, he would prove me perverse.

²¹ I am blameless; I do not know myself;

I loathe my life.

²² It is all one; therefore I say,

he destroys both the blameless and the wicked.

²³ When disaster brings sudden death,

he mocks at the calamityd of the innocent.

²⁴ The earth is given into the hand of the wicked;

he covers the eyes of its judges—

if it is not he, who then is it?

²⁵ ‘My days are swifter than a runner;

they flee away, they see no good.

²⁶ They go by like skiffs of reed,

like an eagle swooping on the prey.

²⁷ If I say, “I will forget my complaint;

I will put off my sad countenance and be of good cheer”,

²⁸ I become afraid of all my suffering,

for I know you will not hold me innocent.

²⁹ I shall be condemned;

why then do I labour in vain?

³⁰ If I wash myself with soap

and cleanse my hands with lye,

³¹ yet you will plunge me into filth,

and my own clothes will abhor me.

³² For he is not a mortal, as I am, that I might answer him,

that we should come to trial together.

³³ There is no umpiree between us,

who might lay his hand on us both.

³⁴ If he would take his rod away from me,

and not let dread of him terrify me,

³⁵ then I would speak without fear of him,

for I know I am not what I am thought to be.a

Job: I Loathe My Life

10

‘I LOATHE my life;

I will give free utterance to my complaint;

I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.

² I will say to God, Do not condemn me;

let me know why you contend against me.

³ Does it seem good to you to oppress,

to despise the work of your hands

and favour the schemes of the wicked?

⁴ Do you have eyes of flesh?

Do you see as humans see?

⁵ Are your days like the days of mortals,

or your years like human years,

⁶ that you seek out my iniquity

and search for my sin,

⁷ although you know that I am not guilty,

and there is no one to deliver out of your hand?

⁸ Your hands fashioned and made me;

and now you turn and destroy me.b

⁹ Remember that you fashioned me like clay;

and will you turn me to dust again?

¹⁰ Did you not pour me out like milk

and curdle me like cheese?

¹¹ You clothed me with skin and flesh,

and knit me together with bones and sinews.

¹² You have granted me life and steadfast love,

and your care has preserved my spirit.

¹³ Yet these things you hid in your heart;

I know that this was your purpose.

¹⁴ If I sin, you watch me,

and do not acquit me of my iniquity.

¹⁵ If I am wicked, woe to me!

If I am righteous, I cannot lift up my head,

for I am filled with disgrace

and look upon my affliction.

¹⁶ Bold as a lion you hunt me;

you repeat your exploits against me.

¹⁷ You renew your witnesses against me,

and increase your vexation towards me;

you bring fresh troops against me.c

¹⁸ ‘Why did you bring me forth from the womb?

Would that I had died before any eye had seen me,

¹⁹ and were as though I had not been,

carried from the womb to the grave.

²⁰ Are not the days of my life few?d

Let me alone, that I may find a little comforte

²¹ before I go, never to return,

to the land of gloom and deep darkness,

²² the land of gloomf and chaos,

where light is like darkness.’

Zophar Speaks: Job’s Guilt Deserves Punishment

11

THEN Zophar the Naamathite answered:

² ‘Should a multitude of words go unanswered,

and should one full of talk be vindicated?

³ Should your babble put others to silence,

and when you mock, shall no one shame you?

⁴ For you say, “My conductg is pure,

and I am clean in God’sh sight.”

⁵ But O that God would speak,

and open his lips to you,

⁶ and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom!

For wisdom is many-sided.a

Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves.

⁷ ‘Can you find out the deep things of God?

Can you find out the limit of the Almighty?b

⁸ It is higher than heavenc—what can you do?

Deeper than Sheol—what can you know?

⁹ Its measure is longer than the earth,

and broader than the sea.

¹⁰ If he passes through, and imprisons,

and assembles for judgement, who can hinder him?

¹¹ For he knows those who are worthless;

when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?

¹² But a stupid person will get understanding,

when a wild ass is born human.a

¹³ ‘If you direct your heart rightly,

you will stretch out your hands towards him.

¹⁴ If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and do not let wickedness reside in your tents.

¹⁵ Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;

you will be secure, and will not fear.

¹⁶ You will forget your misery;

you will remember it as waters that have passed away.

¹⁷ And your life will be brighter than the noonday;

its darkness will be like the morning.

¹⁸ And you will have confidence, because there is hope;

you will be protectedd and take your rest in safety.

¹⁹ You will lie down, and no one will make you afraid;

many will entreat your favour.

²⁰ But the eyes of the wicked will fail;

all way of escape will be lost to them,

and their hope is to breathe their last.’

Job Replies: I Am a Laughing-stock

12

THEN Job answered:

² ‘No doubt you are the people,

and wisdom will die with you.

³ But I have understanding as well as you;

I am not inferior to you.

Who does not know such things as these?

⁴ I am a laughing-stock to my friends;

I, who called upon God and he answered me,

a just and blameless man, I am a laughing-stock.

⁵ Those at ease have contempt for misfortune,a

but it is ready for those whose feet are unstable.

⁶ The tents of robbers are at peace,

and those who provoke God are secure,

who bring their god in their hands.e

⁷ ‘But ask the animals, and they will teach you;

the birds of the air, and they will tell you;

⁸ ask the plants of the earth,f and they will teach you;

and the fish of the sea will declare to you.

⁹ Who among all these does not know

that the hand of the LORD has done this?

¹⁰ In his hand is the life of every living thing

and the breath of every human being.

¹¹ Does not the ear test words

as the palate tastes food?

¹² Is wisdom with the aged,

and understanding in length of days?

¹³ ‘With Goda are wisdom and strength;

he has counsel and understanding.

¹⁴ If he tears down, no one can rebuild;

if he shuts someone in, no one can open up.

¹⁵ If he withholds the waters, they dry up;

if he sends them out, they overwhelm the land.

¹⁶ With him are strength and wisdom;

the deceived and the deceiver are his.

¹⁷ He leads counsellors away stripped,

and makes fools of judges.

¹⁸ He looses the sash of kings,

and binds a waistcloth on their loins.

¹⁹ He leads priests away stripped,

and overthrows the mighty.

²⁰ He deprives of speech those who are trusted,

and takes away the discernment of the elders.

²¹ He pours contempt on princes,

and looses the belt of the strong.

²² He uncovers the deeps out of darkness,

and brings deep darkness to light.

²³ He makes nations great, then destroys them;

he enlarges nations, then leads them away.

²⁴ He strips understanding from the leadersb of the earth,

and makes them wander in a pathless waste.

²⁵ They grope in the dark without light;

he makes them stagger like a drunkard.

13

‘LOOK, my eye has seen all this,

my ear has heard and understood it.

² What you know, I also know;

I am not inferior to you.

³ But I would speak to the Almighty,c

and I desire to argue my case with God.

⁴ As for you, you whitewash with lies;

all of you are worthless physicians.

⁵ If you would only keep silent,

that would be your wisdom!

⁶ Hear now my reasoning,

and listen to the pleadings of my lips.

⁷ Will you speak falsely for God,

and speak deceitfully for him?

⁸ Will you show partiality towards him,

will you plead the case for God?

⁹ Will it be well with you when he searches you out?

Or can you deceive him, as one person deceives another?

¹⁰ He will surely rebuke you

if in secret you show partiality.

¹¹ Will not his majesty terrify you,

and the dread of him fall upon you?

¹² Your maxims are proverbs of ashes,

your defences are defences of clay.

¹³ ‘Let me have silence, and I will speak,

and let come on me what may.

¹⁴ I will take my flesh in my teeth,

and put my life in my hand.d

¹⁵ See, he will kill me; I have no hope;e

but I will defend my ways to his face.

¹⁶ This will be my salvation,

that the godless shall not come before him.

¹⁷ Listen carefully to my words,

and let my declaration be in your ears.

¹⁸ I have indeed prepared my case;

I know that I shall be vindicated.

¹⁹ Who is there that will contend with me?

For then I would be silent and die.

Job’s Despondent Prayer

²⁰ Only grant two things to me,

then I will not hide myself from your face:

²¹ withdraw your hand far from me,

and do not let dread of you terrify me.

²² Then call, and I will answer;

or let me speak, and you reply to me.

²³ How many are my iniquities and my sins?

Make me know my transgression and my sin.

²⁴ Why do you hide your face,

and count me as your enemy?

²⁵ Will you frighten a windblown leaf

and pursue dry chaff?

²⁶ For you write bitter things against me,

and make me reapa the iniquities of my youth.

²⁷ You put my feet in the stocks,

and watch all my paths;

you set a bound to the soles of my feet.

²⁸ One wastes away like a rotten thing,

like a garment that is moth-eaten.

14

‘A MORTAL, born of woman, few of days and full of trouble,

² comes up like a flower and withers,

flees like a shadow and does not last.

³ Do you fix your eyes on such a one?

Do you bring me into judgement with you?

⁴ Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?

No one can.

⁵ Since their days are determined,

and the number of their months is known to you,

and you have appointed the bounds that they cannot pass,

⁶ look away from them, and desist,b

that they may enjoy, like labourers, their days.

⁷ ‘For there is hope for a tree,

if it is cut down, that it will sprout again,

and that its shoots will not cease.

⁸ Though its root grows old in the earth,

and its stump dies in the ground,

⁹ yet at the scent of water it will bud

and put forth branches like a young plant.

¹⁰ But mortals die, and are laid low;

humans expire, and where are they?

¹¹ As waters fail from a lake,

and a river wastes away and dries up,

¹² so mortals lie down and do not rise again;

until the heavens are no more, they will not awake

or be roused out of their sleep.

¹³ O that you would hide me in Sheol,

that you would conceal me until your wrath is past,

that you would appoint me a set time, and remember me!

¹⁴ If mortals die, will they live again?

All the days of my service I would wait

until my release should come.

¹⁵ You would call, and I would answer you;

you would long for the work of your hands.

¹⁶ For then you would notc number my steps,

you would not keep watch over my sin;

¹⁷ my transgression would be sealed up in a bag,

and you would cover over my iniquity.

¹⁸ ‘But the mountain falls and crumbles away,

and the rock is removed from its place;

¹⁹ the waters wear away the stones;

the torrents wash away the soil of the earth;

so you destroy the hope of mortals.

²⁰ You prevail for ever against them, and they pass away;

you change their countenance, and send them away.

²¹ Their children come to honour, and they do not know it;

they are brought low, and it goes unnoticed.

²² They feel only the pain of their own bodies,

and mourn only for themselves.’

Eliphaz Speaks: Job Undermines Religion

15

THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

² ‘Should the wise answer with windy knowledge,

and fill themselves with the east wind?

³ Should they argue in unprofitable talk,

or in words with which they can do no good?

⁴ But you are doing away with the fear of God,

and hindering meditation before God.

⁵ For your iniquity teaches your mouth,

and you choose the tongue of the crafty.

⁶ Your own mouth condemns you, and not I;

your own lips testify against you.

⁷ ‘Are you the firstborn of the human race?

Were you brought forth before the hills?

⁸ Have you listened in the council of God?

And do you limit wisdom to yourself?

⁹ What do you know that we do not know?

What do you understand that is not clear to us?

¹⁰ The grey-haired and the aged are on our side,

those older than your father.

¹¹ Are the consolations of God too small for you,

or the word that deals gently with you?

¹² Why does your heart carry you away,

and why do your eyes flash,a

¹³ so that you turn your spirit against God,

and let such words go out of your mouth?

¹⁴ What are mortals, that they can be clean?

Or those born of woman, that they can be righteous?

¹⁵ God puts no trust even in his holy ones,

and the heavens are not clean in his sight;

¹⁶ how much less one who is abominable and corrupt,

one who drinks iniquity like water!

¹⁷ ‘I will show you; listen to me;

what I have seen I will declare—

¹⁸ what sages have told,

and their ancestors have not hidden,

¹⁹ to whom alone the land was given,

and no stranger passed among them.

²⁰ The wicked writhe in pain all their days,

through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless.

²¹ Terrifying sounds are in their ears;

in prosperity the destroyer will come upon them.

²² They despair of returning from darkness,

and they are destined for the sword.

²³ They wander abroad for bread, saying, “Where is it?”

They know that a day of darkness is ready at hand;

²⁴ distress and anguish terrify them;

they prevail against them, like a king prepared for battle.

²⁵ Because they stretched out their hands against God,

and bid defiance to the Almighty,a

²⁶ running stubbornly against him

with a thick-bossed shield;

²⁷ because they have covered their faces with their fat,

and gathered fat upon their loins,

²⁸ they will live in desolate cities,

in houses that no one should inhabit,

houses destined to become heaps of ruins;

²⁹ they will not be rich, and their wealth will not endure,

nor will they strike root in the earth;b

³⁰ they will not escape from darkness;

the flame will dry up their shoots,

and their blossomc will be swept awayd by the wind.

³¹ Let them not trust in emptiness, deceiving themselves;

for emptiness will be their recompense.

³² It will be paid in full before their time,

and their branch will not be green.

³³ They will shake off their unripe grape, like the vine,

and cast off their blossoms, like the olive tree.

³⁴ For the company of the godless is barren,

and fire consumes the tents of bribery.

³⁵ They conceive mischief and bring forth evil

and their heart prepares deceit.’

Job Reaffirms His Innocence

16

THEN Job answered:

² ‘I have heard many such things;

miserable comforters are you all.

³ Have windy words no limit?

Or what provokes you that you keep on talking?

⁴ I also could talk as you do,

if you were in my place;

I could join words together against you,

and shake my head at you.

⁵ I could encourage you with my mouth,

and the solace of my lips would assuage your pain.

⁶ ‘If I speak, my pain is not assuaged,

and if I forbear, how much of it leaves me?

⁷ Surely now God has worn me out;

he hase made desolate all my company.

⁸ And he hase shrivelled me up,

which is a witness against me;

my leanness has risen up against me,

and it testifies to my face.

⁹ He has torn me in his wrath, and hated me;

he has gnashed his teeth at me;

my adversary sharpens his eyes against me.

¹⁰ They have gaped at me with their mouths;

they have struck me insolently on the cheek;

they mass themselves together against me.

¹¹ God gives me up to the ungodly,

and casts me into the hands of the wicked.

¹² I was at ease, and he broke me in two;

he seized me by the neck and dashed me to pieces;

he set me up as his target;

¹³ his archers surround me.

He slashes open my kidneys, and shows no mercy;

he pours out my gall on the ground.

¹⁴ He bursts upon me again and again;

he rushes at me like a warrior.

¹⁵ I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,

and have laid my strength in the dust.

¹⁶ My face is red with weeping,

and deep darkness is on my eyelids,

¹⁷ though there is no violence in my hands,

and my prayer is pure.

¹⁸ ‘O earth, do not cover my blood;

let my outcry find no resting-place.

¹⁹ Even now, in fact, my witness is in heaven,

and he that vouches for me is on high.

²⁰ My friends scorn me;

my eye pours out tears to God,

²¹ that he would maintain the right of a mortal with God,

asa one does for a neighbour.

²² For when a few years have come,

I shall go the way from which I shall not return.

Job Prays for Relief

17

MY SPIRIT is broken, my days are extinct,

the grave is ready for me.

² Surely there are mockers around me,

and my eye dwells on their provocation.

³ ‘Lay down a pledge for me with yourself;

who is there that will give surety for me?

⁴ Since you have closed their minds to understanding,

therefore you will not let them triumph.

⁵ Those who denounce friends for reward—

the eyes of their children will fail.

⁶ ‘He has made me a byword of the peoples,

and I am one before whom people spit.

⁷ My eye has grown dim from grief,

and all my members are like a shadow.

⁸ The upright are appalled at this,

and the innocent stir themselves up against the godless.

⁹ Yet the righteous hold to their way,

and they that have clean hands grow stronger and stronger.

¹⁰ But you, come back now, all of you,

and I shall not find a sensible person among you.

¹¹ My days are past, my plans are broken off,

the desires of my heart.

¹² They make night into day;

“The light”, they say, “is near to the darkness.”b

¹³ If I look for Sheol as my house,

if I spread my couch in darkness,

¹⁴ if I say to the Pit, “You are my father”,

and to the worm, “My mother”, or “My sister”,

¹⁵ where then is my hope?

Who will see my hope?

¹⁶ Will it go down to the bars of Sheol?

Shall we descend together into the dust?’

Bildad Speaks: God Punishes the Wicked

18

THEN Bildad the Shuhite answered:

² ‘How long will you hunt for words?

Consider, and then we shall speak.

³ Why are we counted as cattle?

Why are we stupid in your sight?

⁴ You who tear yourself in your anger—

shall the earth be forsaken because of you,

or the rock be removed out of its place?

⁵ ‘Surely the light of the wicked is put out,

and the flame of their fire does not shine.

⁶ The light is dark in their tent,

and the lamp above them is put out.

⁷ Their strong steps are shortened,

and their own schemes throw them down.

⁸ For they are thrust into a net by their own feet,

and they walk into a pitfall.

⁹ A trap seizes them by the heel;

a snare lays hold of them.

¹⁰ A rope is hid for them in the ground,

a trap for them in the path.

¹¹ Terrors frighten them on every side,

and chase them at their heels.

¹² Their strength is consumed by hunger,a

and calamity is ready for their stumbling.

¹³ By disease their skin is consumed,b

the firstborn of Death consumes their limbs.

¹⁴ They are torn from the tent in which they trusted,

and are brought to the king of terrors.

¹⁵ In their tents nothing remains;

sulphur is scattered upon their habitations.

¹⁶ Their roots dry up beneath,

and their branches wither above.

¹⁷ Their memory perishes from the earth,

and they have no name in the street.

¹⁸ They are thrust from light into darkness,

and driven out of the world.

¹⁹ They have no offspring or descendant among their people,

and no survivor where they used to live.

²⁰ They of the west are appalled at their fate,

and horror seizes those of the east.

²¹ Surely such are the dwellings of the ungodly,

such is the place of those who do not know God.’

Job Replies: I Know That My Redeemer Lives

19

THEN Job answered:

² ‘How long will you torment me,

and break me in pieces with words?

³ These ten times you have cast reproach upon me;

are you not ashamed to wrong me?

⁴ And even if it is true that I have erred,

my error remains with me.

⁵ If indeed you magnify yourselves against me,

and make my humiliation an argument against me,

⁶ know then that God has put me in the wrong,

and closed his net around me.

⁷ Even when I cry out, “Violence!” I am not answered;

I call aloud, but there is no justice.

⁸ He has walled up my way so that I cannot pass,

and he has set darkness upon my paths.

⁹ He has stripped my glory from me,

and taken the crown from my head.

¹⁰ He breaks me down on every side, and I am gone,

he has uprooted my hope like a tree.

¹¹ He has kindled his wrath against me,

and counts me as his adversary.

¹² His troops come on together;

they have thrown up siege-worksc against me,

and encamp around my tent.

¹³ ‘He has put my family far from me,

and my acquaintances are wholly estranged from me.

¹⁴ My relatives and my close friends have failed me;

¹⁵ the guests in my house have forgotten me;

my serving-girls count me as a stranger;

I have become an alien in their eyes.

¹⁶ I call to my servant, but he gives me no answer;

I must myself plead with him.

¹⁷ My breath is repulsive to my wife;

I am loathsome to my own family.

¹⁸ Even young children despise me;

when I rise, they talk against me.

¹⁹ All my intimate friends abhor me,

and those whom I loved have turned against me.

²⁰ My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh,

and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth.

²¹ Have pity on me, have pity on me, O you my friends,

for the hand of God has touched me!

²² Why do you, like God, pursue me,

never satisfied with my flesh?

²³ ‘O that my words were written down!

O that they were inscribed in a book!

²⁴ O that with an iron pen and with lead

they were engraved on a rock for ever!

²⁵ For I know that my Redeemera lives,

and that at the last heb will stand upon the earth;c

²⁶ and after my skin has been thus destroyed,

then ind my flesh I shall see God,e

²⁷ whom I shall see on my side,f

and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

My heart faints within me!

²⁸ If you say, “How we will persecute him!”

and, “The root of the matter is found in him”

²⁹ be afraid of the sword,

for wrath brings the punishment of the sword,

so that you may know there is a judgement.’

Zophar Speaks: Wickedness Receives Just Retribution

20

THEN Zophar the Naamathite answered:

² ‘Pay attention! My thoughts urge me to answer,

because of the agitation within me.

³ I hear censure that insults me,

and a spirit beyond my understanding answers me.

⁴ Do you not know this from of old,

ever since mortals were placed on earth,

⁵ that the exulting of the wicked is short,

and the joy of the godless is but for a moment?

⁶ Even though they mount up high as the heavens,

and their head reaches to the clouds,

⁷ they will perish for ever like their own dung;

those who have seen them will say, “Where are they?”

⁸ They will fly away like a dream, and not be found;

they will be chased away like a vision of the night.

⁹ The eye that saw them will see them no more,

nor will their place behold them any longer.

¹⁰ Their children will seek the favour of the poor,

and their hands will give back their wealth.

¹¹ Their bodies, once full of youth,

will lie down in the dust with them.

¹² ‘Though wickedness is sweet in their mouth,

though they hide it under their tongues,

¹³ though they are loath to let it go,

and hold it in their mouths,

¹⁴ yet their food is turned in their stomachs;

it is the venom of asps within them.

¹⁵ They swallow down riches and vomit them up again;

God casts them out of their bellies.

¹⁶ They will suck the poison of asps;

the tongue of a viper will kill them.

¹⁷ They will not look on the rivers,

the streams flowing with honey and curds.

¹⁸ They will give back the fruit of their toil,

and will not swallow it down;

from the profit of their trading

they will get no enjoyment.

¹⁹ For they have crushed and abandoned the poor,

they have seized a house that they did not build.

²⁰ ‘They knew no quiet in their bellies;

in their greed they let nothing escape.

²¹ There was nothing left after they had eaten;

therefore their prosperity will not endure.

²² In full sufficiency they will be in distress;

all the force of misery will come upon them.

²³ To fill their belly to the full

Goda will send his fierce anger into them,

and rain it upon them as their food.b

²⁴ They will flee from an iron weapon;

a bronze arrow will strike them through.

²⁵ It is drawn forth and comes out of their body,

and the glittering point comes out of their gall;

terrors come upon them.

²⁶ Utter darkness is laid up for their treasures;

a fire fanned by no one will devour them;

what is left in their tent will be consumed.

²⁷ The heavens will reveal their iniquity,

and the earth will rise up against them.

²⁸ The possessions of their house will be carried away,

dragged off on the day of God’sc wrath.

²⁹ This is the portion of the wicked from God,

the heritage decreed for them by God.’

Job Replies: The Wicked Often Go Unpunished

21

THEN Job answered:

² ‘Listen carefully to my words,

and let this be your consolation.

³ Bear with me, and I will speak;

then after I have spoken, mock on.

⁴ As for me, is my complaint addressed to mortals?

Why should I not be impatient?

⁵ Look at me, and be appalled,

and lay your hand upon your mouth.

⁶ When I think of it I am dismayed,

and shuddering seizes my flesh.

⁷ Why do the wicked live on,

reach old age, and grow mighty in power?

⁸ Their children are established in their presence,

and their offspring before their eyes.

⁹ Their houses are safe from fear,

and no rod of God is upon them.

¹⁰ Their bull breeds without fail;

their cow calves and never miscarries.

¹¹ They send out their little ones like a flock,

and their children dance around.

¹² They sing to the tambourine and the lyre,

and rejoice to the sound of the pipe.

¹³ They spend their days in prosperity,

and in peace they go down to Sheol.

¹⁴ They say to God, “Leave us alone!

We do not desire to know your ways.

¹⁵ What is the Almighty,a that we should serve him?

And what profit do we get if we pray to him?”

¹⁶ Is not their prosperity indeed their own achievement?b

The plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.

¹⁷ ‘How often is the lamp of the wicked put out?

How often does calamity come upon them?

How often does Godc distribute pains in his anger?

¹⁸ How often are they like straw before the wind,

and like chaff that the storm carries away?

¹⁹ You say, “God stores up their iniquity for their children.”

Let it be paid back to them, so that they may know it.

²⁰ Let their own eyes see their destruction,

and let them drink of the wrath of the Almighty.a

²¹ For what do they care for their household after them,

when the number of their months is cut off?

²² Will any teach God knowledge,

seeing that he judges those that are on high?

²³ One dies in full prosperity,

being wholly at ease and secure,

²⁴ his loins full of milk

and the marrow of his bones moist.

²⁵ Another dies in bitterness of soul,

never having tasted of good.

²⁶ They lie down alike in the dust,

and the worms cover them.

²⁷ ‘Oh, I know your thoughts,

and your schemes to wrong me.

²⁸ For you say, “Where is the house of the prince?

Where is the tent in which the wicked lived?”

²⁹ Have you not asked those who travel the roads,

and do you not accept their testimony,

³⁰ that the wicked are spared on the day of calamity,

and are rescued on the day of wrath?

³¹ Who declares their way to their face,

and who repays them for what they have done?

³² When they are carried to the grave,

a watch is kept over their tomb.

³³ The clods of the valley are sweet to them;

everyone will follow after,

and those who went before are innumerable.

³⁴ How then will you comfort me with empty nothings?

There is nothing left of your answers but falsehood.’

Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great

22

THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered:

² ‘Can a mortal be of use to God?

Can even the wisest be of service to him?

³ Is it any pleasure to the Almightya if you are righteous,

or is it gain to him if you make your ways blameless?

⁴ Is it for your piety that he reproves you,

and enters into judgement with you?

⁵ Is not your wickedness great?

There is no end to your iniquities.

⁶ For you have exacted pledges from your family for no reason,

and stripped the naked of their clothing.

⁷ You have given no water to the weary to drink,

and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

⁸ The powerful possess the land,

and the favoured live in it.

⁹ You have sent widows away empty-handed,

and the arms of the orphans you have crushed.a

¹⁰ Therefore snares are around you,

and sudden terror overwhelms you,

¹¹ or darkness so that you cannot see;

a flood of water covers you.

¹² ‘Is not God high in the heavens?

See the highest stars, how lofty they are!

¹³ Therefore you say, “What does God know?

Can he judge through the deep darkness?

¹⁴ Thick clouds enwrap him, so that he does not see,

and he walks on the dome of heaven.”

¹⁵ Will you keep to the old way

that the wicked have trod?

¹⁶ They were snatched away before their time;

their foundation was washed away by a flood.

¹⁷ They said to God, “Leave us alone”,

and “What can the Almightyb do to us?”c

¹⁸ Yet he filled their houses with good things—

but the plans of the wicked are repugnant to me.

¹⁹ The righteous see it and are glad;

the innocent laugh them to scorn,

²⁰ saying, “Surely our adversaries are cut off,

and what they left, the fire has consumed.”

²¹ ‘Agree with God,d and be at peace;

in this way good will come to you.

²² Receive instruction from his mouth,

and lay up his words in your heart.

²³ If you return to the Almighty,b you will be restored,

if you remove unrighteousness from your tents,

²⁴ if you treat gold like dust,

and gold of Ophir like the stones of the torrent-bed,

²⁵ and if the Almightyb is your gold

and your precious silver,

²⁶ then you will delight in the Almighty,b

and lift up your face to God.

²⁷ You will pray to him, and he will hear you,

and you will pay your vows.

²⁸ You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,

and light will shine on your ways.

²⁹ When others are humiliated, you say it is pride;

for he saves the humble.

³⁰ He will deliver even those who are guilty;

they will escape because of the cleanness of your hands.’e

Job Replies: My Complaint Is Bitter

23

THEN Job answered:

² ‘Today also my complaint is bitter;f

hisg hand is heavy despite my groaning.

³ O that I knew where I might find him,

that I might come even to his dwelling!

⁴ I would lay my case before him,

and fill my mouth with arguments.

⁵ I would learn what he would answer me,

and understand what he would say to me.

⁶ Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power?

No; but he would give heed to me.

⁷ There an upright person could reason with him,

and I should be acquitted for ever by my judge.

⁸ ‘If I go forward, he is not there;

or backward, I cannot perceive him;

⁹ on the left he hides, and I cannot behold him;

I turna to the right, but I cannot see him.

¹⁰ But he knows the way that I take;

when he has tested me, I shall come out like gold.

¹¹ My foot has held fast to his steps;

I have kept his way and have not turned aside.

¹² I have not departed from the commandment of his lips;

I have treasured inb my bosom the words of his mouth.

¹³ But he stands alone and who can dissuade him?

What he desires, that he does.

¹⁴ For he will complete what he appoints for me;

and many such things are in his mind.

¹⁵ Therefore I am terrified at his presence;

when I consider, I am in dread of him.

¹⁶ God has made my heart faint;

the Almightyc has terrified me;

¹⁷ If only I could vanish in darkness,

and thick darkness would cover my face!d

Job Complains of Violence on the Earth

24

‘WHY are times not kept by the Almighty,c

and why do those who know him never see his days?

² The wickede remove landmarks;

they seize flocks and pasture them.

³ They drive away the donkey of the orphan;

they take the widow’s ox for a pledge.

⁴ They thrust the needy off the road;

the poor of the earth all hide themselves.

⁵ Like wild asses in the desert

they go out to their toil,

scavenging in the waste-land

food for their young.

⁶ They reap in a field not their own

and they glean in the vineyard of the wicked.

⁷ They lie all night naked, without clothing,

and have no covering in the cold.

⁸ They are wet with the rain of the mountains,

and cling to the rock for want of shelter.

⁹ ‘There are those who snatch the

orphan child from the breast,

and take as a pledge the infant of the poor.

¹⁰ They go about naked, without clothing;

though hungry, they carry the sheaves;

¹¹ between their terracesf they press out oil;

they tread the wine presses, but suffer thirst.

¹² From the city the dying groan,

and the throat of the wounded cries for help;

yet God pays no attention to their prayer.

¹³ ‘There are those who rebel against the light,

who are not acquainted with its ways,

and do not stay in its paths.

¹⁴ The murderer rises at dusk

to kill the poor and needy,

and in the night is like a thief.

¹⁵ The eye of the adulterer also waits for the twilight,

saying, “No eye will see me”

and he disguises his face.

¹⁶ In the dark they dig through houses;

by day they shut themselves up;

they do not know the light.

¹⁷ For deep darkness is morning to all of them;

for they are friends with the terrors of deep darkness.

¹⁸ ‘Swift are they on the face of the waters;

their portion in the land is cursed;

no treader turns towards their vineyards.

¹⁹ Drought and heat snatch away the snow-waters;

so does Sheol those who have sinned.

²⁰ The womb forgets them;

the worm finds them sweet;

they are no longer remembered;

so wickedness is broken like a tree.

²¹ ‘They harma the childless woman,

and do no good to the widow.

²² Yet Godb prolongs the life of the mighty by his power;

they rise up when they despair of life.

²³ He gives them security, and they are supported;

his eyes are upon their ways.

²⁴ They are exalted a little while, and then are gone;

they wither and fade like the mallow;c

they are cut off like the heads of grain.

²⁵ If it is not so, who will prove me a liar,

and show that there is nothing in what I say?’

Bildad Speaks: How Can a Mortal Be Righteous Before God?

25

THEN Bildad the Shuhite answered:

² ‘Dominion and fear are with God;d

he makes peace in his high heaven.

³ Is there any number to his armies?

Upon whom does his light not arise?

⁴ How then can a mortal be righteous before God?

How can one born of woman be pure?

⁵ If even the moon is not bright

and the stars are not pure in his sight,

⁶ how much less a mortal, who is a maggot,

and a human being, who is a worm!’

Job Replies: God’s Majesty Is Unsearchable

26

THEN Job answered:

² ‘How you have helped one who has no power!

How you have assisted the arm that has no strength!

³ How you have counselled one who has no wisdom,

and given much good advice!

⁴ With whose help have you uttered words,

and whose spirit has come forth from you?

⁵ The shades below tremble,

the waters and their inhabitants.

⁶ Sheol is naked before God,

and Abaddon has no covering.

⁷ He stretches out Zaphone over the void,

and hangs the earth upon nothing.

⁸ He binds up the waters in his thick clouds,

and the cloud is not torn open by them.

⁹ He covers the face of the full moon,

and spreads over it his cloud.

¹⁰ He has described a circle on the face of the waters,

at the boundary between light and darkness.

¹¹ The pillars of heaven tremble,

and are astounded at his rebuke.

¹² By his power he stilled the Sea;

by his understanding he struck down Rahab.

¹³ By his wind the heavens were made fair;

his hand pierced the fleeing serpent.

¹⁴ These are indeed but the outskirts of his ways;

and how small a whisper do we hear of him!

But the thunder of his power who can understand?’

Job Maintains His Integrity

27

JOB again took up his discourse and said:

² ‘As God lives, who has taken away my right,

and the Almighty,a who has made my soul bitter,

³ as long as my breath is in me

and the spirit of God is in my nostrils,

⁴ my lips will not speak falsehood,

and my tongue will not utter deceit.

⁵ Far be it from me to say that you are right;

until I die I will not put away my integrity from me.

⁶ I hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go;

my heart does not reproach me for any of my days.

⁷ ‘May my enemy be like the wicked,

and may my opponent be like the unrighteous.

⁸ For what is the hope of the godless when God cuts them off,

when God takes away their lives?

⁹ Will God hear their cry

when trouble comes upon them?

¹⁰ Will they take delight in the Almighty?a

Will they call upon God at all times?

¹¹ I will teach you concerning the hand of God;

that which is with the Almightya I will not conceal.

¹² All of you have seen it yourselves;

why then have you become altogether vain?

¹³ ‘This is the portion of the wicked with God,

and the heritage that oppressors receive from the Almighty:a

¹⁴ If their children are multiplied, it is for the sword;

and their offspring have not enough to eat.

¹⁵ Those who survive them the pestilence buries,

and their widows make no lamentation.

¹⁶ Though they heap up silver like dust,

and pile up clothing like clay—

¹⁷ they may pile it up, but the just will wear it,

and the innocent will divide the silver.

¹⁸ They build their houses like nests,

like booths made by sentinels of the vineyard.

¹⁹ They go to bed with wealth, but will do so no more;

they open their eyes, and it is gone.

²⁰ Terrors overtake them like a flood;

in the night a whirlwind carries them off.

²¹ The east wind lifts them up and they are gone;

it sweeps them out of their place.

²² Itb hurls at them without pity;

they flee from itsc power in headlong flight.

²³ Itb claps itsc hands at them,

and hisses at them from itsc place.

Interlude: Where Wisdom Is Found

28

‘SURELY there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold to be refined.

² Iron is taken out of the earth,

and copper is smelted from ore.

³ Miners puta an end to darkness,

and search out to the farthest bound

the ore in gloom and deep darkness.

⁴ They open shafts in a valley away from human habitation;

they are forgotten by travellers,

they sway suspended, remote from people.

⁵ As for the earth, out of it comes bread;

but underneath it is turned up as by fire.

⁶ Its stones are the place of sapphires,b

and its dust contains gold.

⁷ ‘That path no bird of prey knows,

and the falcon’s eye has not seen it.

⁸ The proud wild animals have not trodden it;

the lion has not passed over it.

⁹ ‘They put their hand to the flinty rock,

and overturn mountains by the roots.

¹⁰ They cut out channels in the rocks,

and their eyes see every precious thing.

¹¹ The sources of the rivers they probe;c

hidden things they bring to light.

¹² ‘But where shall wisdom be found?

And where is the place of understanding?

¹³ Mortals do not know the way to it,d

and it is not found in the land of the living.

¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”,

and the sea says, “It is not with me.”

¹⁵ It cannot be bought for gold,

and silver cannot be weighed out as its price.

¹⁶ It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,

in precious onyx or sapphire.b

¹⁷ Gold and glass cannot equal it,

nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.

¹⁸ No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;

the price of wisdom is above pearls.

¹⁹ The chrysolite of Ethiopiae cannot compare with it,

nor can it be valued in pure gold.

²⁰ ‘Where then does wisdom come from?

And where is the place of understanding?

²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of all living,

and concealed from the birds of the air.

²² Abaddon and Death say,

“We have heard a rumour of it with our ears.”

²³ ‘God understands the way to it,

and he knows its place.

²⁴ For he looks to the ends of the earth,

and sees everything under the heavens.

²⁵ When he gave to the wind its weight,

and apportioned out the waters by measure;

²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain,

and a way for the thunderbolt;

²⁷ then he saw it and declared it;

he established it, and searched it out.

²⁸ And he said to humankind,

“Truly, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom;

and to depart from evil is understanding.”’

Job Finishes His Defence

29

JOB again took up his discourse and said:

² ‘O that I were as in the months of old,

as in the days when God watched over me;

³ when his lamp shone over my head,

and by his light I walked through darkness;

⁴ when I was in my prime,

when the friendship of God was upon my tent;

⁵ when the Almightya was still with me,

when my children were around me;

⁶ when my steps were washed with milk,

and the rock poured out for me streams of oil!

⁷ When I went out to the gate of the city,

when I took my seat in the square,

⁸ the young men saw me and withdrew,

and the aged rose up and stood;

⁹ the nobles refrained from talking,

and laid their hands on their mouths;

¹⁰ the voices of princes were hushed,

and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouths.

¹¹ When the ear heard, it commended me,

and when the eye saw, it approved;

¹² because I delivered the poor who cried,

and the orphan who had no helper.

¹³ The blessing of the wretched came upon me,

and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.

¹⁴ I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;

my justice was like a robe and a turban.

¹⁵ I was eyes to the blind,

and feet to the lame.

¹⁶ I was a father to the needy,

and I championed the cause of the stranger.

¹⁷ I broke the fangs of the unrighteous,

and made them drop their prey from their teeth.

¹⁸ Then I thought, “I shall die in my nest,

and I shall multiply my days like the phoenix;b

¹⁹ my roots spread out to the waters,

with the dew all night on my branches;

²⁰ my glory was fresh with me,

and my bow ever new in my hand.”

²¹ ‘They listened to me, and waited,

and kept silence for my counsel.

²² After I spoke they did not speak again,

and my word dropped upon them like dew.c

²³ They waited for me as for the rain;

they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.

²⁴ I smiled on them when they had no confidence;

and the light of my countenance they did not extinguish.d

²⁵ I chose their way, and sat as chief,

and I lived like a king among his troops,

like one who comforts mourners.

30

‘BUT now they make sport of me,

those who are younger than I,

whose fathers I would have disdained

to set with the dogs of my flock.

² What could I gain from the strength of their hands?

All their vigour is gone.

³ Through want and hard hunger

they gnaw the dry and desolate ground,

⁴ they pick mallow and the leaves of bushes,

and to warm themselves the roots of broom.

⁵ They are driven out from society;

people shout after them as after a thief.

⁶ In the gullies of wadis they must live,

in holes in the ground, and in the rocks.

⁷ Among the bushes they bray;

under the nettles they huddle together.

⁸ A senseless, disreputable brood,

they have been whipped out of the land.

⁹ ‘And now they mock me in song;

I am a byword to them.

¹⁰ They abhor me, they keep aloof from me;

they do not hesitate to spit at the sight of me.

¹¹ Because God has loosed my bowstring and humbled me,

they have cast off restraint in my presence.

¹² On my right hand the rabble rise up;

they send me sprawling,

and build roads for my ruin.

¹³ They break up my path,

they promote my calamity;

no one restrainsa them.

¹⁴ As through a wide breach they come;

amid the crash they roll on.

¹⁵ Terrors are turned upon me;

my honour is pursued as by the wind,

and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud.

¹⁶ ‘And now my soul is poured out within me;

days of affliction have taken hold of me.

¹⁷ The night racks my bones,

and the pain that gnaws me takes no rest.

¹⁸ With violence he seizes my garment;b

he grasps me byc the collar of my tunic.

¹⁹ He has cast me into the mire,

and I have become like dust and ashes.

²⁰ I cry to you and you do not answer me;

I stand, and you merely look at me.

²¹ You have turned cruel to me;

with the might of your hand you persecute me.

²² You lift me up on the wind, you make me ride on it,

and you toss me about in the roar of the storm.

²³ I know that you will bring me to death,

and to the house appointed for all living.

²⁴ ‘Surely one does not turn against the needy,d

when in disaster they cry for help.e

²⁵ Did I not weep for those whose day was hard?

Was not my soul grieved for the poor?

²⁶ But when I looked for good, evil came;

and when I waited for light, darkness came.

²⁷ My inward parts are in turmoil, and are never still;

days of affliction come to meet me.

²⁸ I go about in sunless gloom;

I stand up in the assembly and cry for help.

²⁹ I am a brother of jackals,

and a companion of ostriches.

³⁰ My skin turns black and falls from me,

and my bones burn with heat.

³¹ My lyre is turned to mourning,

and my pipe to the voice of those who weep.

31

‘I HAVE made a covenant with my eyes;

how then could I look upon a virgin?

² What would be my portion from God above,

and my heritage from the Almightyf on high?

³ Does not calamity befall the unrighteous,

and disaster the workers of iniquity?

⁴ Does he not see my ways,

and number all my steps?

⁵ ‘If I have walked with falsehood,

and my foot has hurried to deceit—

⁶ let me be weighed in a just balance,

and let God know my integrity!—

⁷ if my step has turned aside from the way,

and my heart has followed my eyes,

and if any spot has clung to my hands;

⁸ then let me sow, and another eat;

and let what grows for me be rooted out.

⁹ ‘If my heart has been enticed by a woman,

and I have lain in wait at my neighbour’s door;

¹⁰ then let my wife grind for another,

and let other men kneel over her.

¹¹ For that would be a heinous crime;

that would be a criminal offence;

¹² for that would be a fire consuming down to Abaddon,

and it would burn to the root all my harvest.

¹³ ‘If I have rejected the cause of my male or female slaves,

when they brought a complaint against me;

¹⁴ what then shall I do when God rises up?

When he makes inquiry, what shall I answer him?

¹⁵ Did not he who made me in the womb make them?

And did not one fashion us in the womb?

¹⁶ ‘If I have withheld anything that the poor desired,

or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,

¹⁷ or have eaten my morsel alone,

and the orphan has not eaten from it—

¹⁸ for from my youth I reared the orphana likea father,

and from my mother’s womb I guided the widowb—

¹⁹ if I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing,

or a poor person without covering,

²⁰ whose loins have not blessed me,

and who was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep;

²¹ if I have raised my hand against the orphan,

because I saw I had supporters at the gate;

²² then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

²³ For I was in terror of calamity from God,

and I could not have faced his majesty.

²⁴ ‘If I have made gold my trust,

or called fine gold my confidence;

²⁵ if I have rejoiced because my wealth was great,

or because my hand had acquired much;

²⁶ if I have looked at the sunc when it shone,

or the moon moving in splendour,

²⁷ and my heart has been secretly enticed,

and my mouth has kissed my hand;

²⁸ this also would be an iniquity to be

punished by the judges,

for I should have been false to God above.

²⁹ ‘If I have rejoiced at the ruin of those who hated me,

or exulted when evil overtook them—

³⁰ I have not let my mouth sin

by asking for their lives with a curse—

³¹ if those of my tent ever said,

“O that we might be sated with his flesh!”a—

³² the stranger has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my doors to the traveller—

³³ if I have concealed my transgressions as others do,b

by hiding my iniquity in my bosom,

³⁴ because I stood in great fear of the multitude,

and the contempt of families terrified me,

so that I kept silence, and did not go out of doors—

³⁵ O that I had one to hear me!

(Here is my signature! Let the Almightyc answer me!)

O that I had the indictment written by my adversary!

³⁶ Surely I would carry it on my shoulder;

I would bind it on me like a crown;

³⁷ I would give him an account of all my steps;

like a prince I would approach him.

³⁸ ‘If my land has cried out against me,

and its furrows have wept together;

³⁹ if I have eaten its yield without payment,

and caused the death of its owners;

⁴⁰ let thorns grow instead of wheat,

and foul weeds instead of barley.’

The words of Job are ended.

Elihu Rebukes Job’s Friends

32

SO THESE three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes. ²Then Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, became angry. He was angry at Job because he justified himself rather than God; ³he was angry also at Job’s three friends because they had found no answer, though they had declared Job to be in the wrong.d ⁴Now Elihu had waited to speak to Job, because they were older than he. ⁵But when Elihu saw that there was no answer in the mouths of these three men, he became angry.

⁶ Elihu son of Barachel the Buzite answered:

‘I am young in years,

and you are aged;

therefore I was timid and afraid

to declare my opinion to you.

⁷ I said, “Let days speak,

and many years teach wisdom.”

⁸ But truly it is the spirit in a mortal,

the breath of the Almighty,c that makes for understanding.

⁹ It is not the olde that are wise,

nor the aged that understand what is right.

¹⁰ Therefore I say, “Listen to me;

let me also declare my opinion.”

¹¹ ‘See, I waited for your words,

I listened for your wise sayings,

while you searched out what to say.

¹² I gave you my attention,

but there was in fact no one that confuted Job,

no one among you that answered his words.

¹³ Yet do not say, “We have found wisdom;

God may vanquish him, not a human.”

¹⁴ He has not directed his words against me,

and I will not answer him with your speeches.

¹⁵ ‘They are dismayed, they answer no more;

they have not a word to say.

¹⁶ And am I to wait, because they do not speak,

because they stand there, and answer no more?

¹⁷ I also will give my answer;

I also will declare my opinion.

¹⁸ For I am full of words;

the spirit within me constrains me.

¹⁹ My heart is indeed like wine that has no vent;

like new wineskins, it is ready to burst.

²⁰ I must speak, so that I may find relief;

I must open my lips and answer.

²¹ I will not show partiality to any person

or use flattery towards anyone.

²² For I do not know how to flatter—

or my Maker would soon put an end to me!

Elihu Rebukes Job

33

‘BUT NOW, hear my speech, O Job,

and listen to all my words.

² See, I open my mouth;

the tongue in my mouth speaks.

³ My words declare the uprightness of my heart,

and what my lips know they speak sincerely.

⁴ The spirit of God has made me,

and the breath of the Almightya gives me life.

⁵ Answer me, if you can;

set your words in order before me; take your stand.

⁶ See, before God I am as you are;

I too was formed from a piece of clay.

⁷ No fear of me need terrify you;

my pressure will not be heavy on you.

⁸ ‘Surely, you have spoken in my hearing,

and I have heard the sound of your words.

⁹ You say, “I am clean, without transgression;

I am pure, and there is no iniquity in me.

¹⁰ Look, he finds occasions against me,

he counts me as his enemy;

¹¹ he puts my feet in the stocks,

and watches all my paths.”

¹² ‘But in this you are not right. I will answer you:

God is greater than any mortal.

¹³ Why do you contend against him,

saying, “He will answer none of myb words”?

¹⁴ For God speaks in one way,

and in two, though people do not perceive it.

¹⁵ In a dream, in a vision of the night,

when deep sleep falls on mortals,

while they slumber on their beds,

¹⁶ then he opens their ears,

and terrifies them with warnings,

¹⁷ that he may turn them aside from their deeds,

and keep them from pride,

¹⁸ to spare their souls from the Pit,

their lives from traversing the River.

¹⁹ They are also chastened with pain upon their beds,

and with continual strife in their bones,

²⁰ so that their lives loathe bread,

and their appetites dainty food.

²¹ Their flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen;

and their bones, once invisible, now stick out.

²² Their souls draw near the Pit,

and their lives to those who bring death.

²³ Then, if there should be for one of them an angel,

a mediator, one of a thousand,

one who declares a person upright,

²⁴ and he is gracious to that person, and says,

“Deliver him from going down into the Pit;

I have found a ransom;

²⁵ let his flesh become fresh with youth;

let him return to the days of his youthful vigour”

²⁶ then he prays to God, and is accepted by him,

he comes into his presence with joy,

and Goda repays him for his righteousness.

²⁷ That person sings to others and says,

“I sinned, and perverted what was right,

and it was not paid back to me.

²⁸ He has redeemed my soul from going down to the Pit,

and my life shall see the light.”

²⁹ ‘God indeed does all these things,

twice, three times, with mortals,

³⁰ to bring back their souls from the Pit,

so that they may see the light of life.b

³¹ Pay heed, Job, listen to me;

be silent, and I will speak.

³² If you have anything to say, answer me;

speak, for I desire to justify you.

³³ If not, listen to me;

be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.’

Elihu Proclaims God’s Justice

34

THEN Elihu continued and said:

² ‘Hear my words, you wise men,

and give ear to me, you who know;

³ for the ear tests words

as the palate tastes food.

⁴ Let us choose what is right;

let us determine among ourselves what is good.

⁵ For Job has said, “I am innocent,

and God has taken away my right;

⁶ in spite of being right I am counted a liar;

my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.”

⁷ Who is there like Job,

who drinks up scoffing like water,

⁸ who goes in company with evildoers

and walks with the wicked?

⁹ For he has said, “It profits one nothing

to take delight in God.”

¹⁰ ‘Therefore, hear me, you who have sense,

far be it from God that he should do wickedness,

and from the Almightyc that he should do wrong.

¹¹ For according to their deeds he will repay them,

and according to their ways he will make it befall them.

¹² Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,

and the Almightyc will not pervert justice.

¹³ Who gave him charge over the earth

and who laid on himd the whole world?

¹⁴ If he should take back his spirite to himself,

and gather to himself his breath,

¹⁵ all flesh would perish together,

and all mortals return to dust.

¹⁶ ‘If you have understanding, hear this;

listen to what I say.

¹⁷ Shall one who hates justice govern?

Will you condemn one who is righteous and mighty,

¹⁸ who says to a king, “You scoundrel!”

and to princes, “You wicked men!”

¹⁹ who shows no partiality to nobles,

nor regards the rich more than the poor,

for they are all the work of his hands?

²⁰ In a moment they die;

at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,

and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.

²¹ ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals,

and he sees all their steps.

²² There is no gloom or deep darkness

where evildoers may hide themselves.

²³ For he has not appointed a timea for anyone

to go before God in judgement.

²⁴ He shatters the mighty without investigation,

and sets others in their place.

²⁵ Thus, knowing their works,

he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.

²⁶ He strikes them for their wickedness

while others look on,

²⁷ because they turned aside from following him,

and had no regard for any of his ways,

²⁸ so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,

and he heard the cry of the afflicted—

²⁹ When he is quiet, who can condemn?

When he hides his face, who can behold him,

whether it be a nation or an individual?—

³⁰ so that the godless should not reign,

or those who ensnare the people.

³¹ ‘For has anyone said to God,

“I have endured punishment; I will not offend any more;

³² teach me what I do not see;

if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more”?

³³ Will he then pay back to suit you, because you reject it?

For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know.b

³⁴ Those who have sense will say to me,

and the wise who hear me will say,

³⁵ “Job speaks without knowledge,

his words are without insight.”

³⁶ Would that Job were tried to the limit,

because his answers are those of the wicked.

³⁷ For he adds rebellion to his sin;

he claps his hands among us,

and multiplies his words against God.’

Elihu Condemns Self-Righteousness

35

ELIHU continued and said:

² ‘Do you think this to be just?

You say, “I am in the right before God.”

³ If you ask, “What advantage have I?

How am I better off than if I had sinned?”

⁴ I will answer you

and your friends with you.

⁵ Look at the heavens and see;

observe the clouds, which are higher than you.

⁶ If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him?

And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?

⁷ If you are righteous, what do you give to him;

or what does he receive from your hand?

⁸ Your wickedness affects others like you,

and your righteousness, other human beings.

⁹ ‘Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out;

they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.

¹⁰ But no one says, “Where is God my Maker,

who gives strength in the night,

¹¹ who teaches us more than the animals of the earth,

and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?”

¹² There they cry out, but he does not answer,

because of the pride of evildoers.

¹³ Surely God does not hear an empty cry,

nor does the Almightyc regard it.

¹⁴ How much less when you say that you do not see him,

that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!

¹⁵ And now, because his anger does not punish,

and he does not greatly heed transgression,a

¹⁶ Job opens his mouth in empty talk,

he multiplies words without knowledge.’

Elihu Exalts God’s Goodness

36

ELIHU continued and said:

² ‘Bear with me a little, and I will show you,

for I have yet something to say on God’s behalf.

³ I will bring my knowledge from far away,

and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

⁴ For truly my words are not false;

one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

⁵ ‘Surely God is mighty and does not despise any;

he is mighty in strength of understanding.

⁶ He does not keep the wicked alive,

but gives the afflicted their right.

⁷ He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,

but with kings on the throne

he sets them for ever, and they are exalted.

⁸ And if they are bound in fetters

and caught in the cords of affliction,

⁹ then he declares to them their work

and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.

¹⁰ He opens their ears to instruction,

and commands that they return from iniquity.

¹¹ If they listen, and serve him,

they complete their days in prosperity,

and their years in pleasantness.

¹² But if they do not listen, they shall perish by the sword,

and die without knowledge.

¹³ ‘The godless in heart cherish anger;

they do not cry for help when he binds them.

¹⁴ They die in their youth,

and their life ends in shame.b

¹⁵ He delivers the afflicted by their affliction,

and opens their ear by adversity.

¹⁶ He also allured you out of distress

into a broad place where there was no constraint,

and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

¹⁷ ‘But you are obsessed with the case of the wicked;

judgement and justice seize you.

¹⁸ Beware that wrath does not entice you into scoffing,

and do not let the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.

¹⁹ Will your cry avail to keep you from distress,

or will all the force of your strength?

²⁰ Do not long for the night,

when peoples are cut off in their place.

²¹ Beware! Do not turn to iniquity;

because of that you have been tried by affliction.

²² See, God is exalted in his power;

who is a teacher like him?

²³ Who has prescribed for him his way,

or who can say, “You have done wrong”?

Elihu Proclaims God’s Majesty

²⁴ ‘Remember to extol his work,

of which mortals have sung.

²⁵ All people have looked on it;

everyone watches it from far away.

²⁶ Surely God is great, and we do not know him;

the number of his years is unsearchable.

²⁷ For he draws up the drops of water;

he distilsa his mist in rain,

²⁸ which the skies pour down

and drop upon mortals abundantly.

²⁹ Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

the thunderings of his pavilion?

³⁰ See, he scatters his lightning around him

and covers the roots of the sea.

³¹ For by these he governs peoples;

he gives food in abundance.

³² He covers his hands with the lightning,

and commands it to strike the mark.

³³ Its crashingb tells about him;

he is jealousb with anger against iniquity.

37

‘AT THIS also my heart trembles, and leaps out of its place.

² Listen, listen to the thunder of his voice

and the rumbling that comes from his mouth.

³ Under the whole heaven he lets it loose,

and his lightning to the corners of the earth.

⁴ After it his voice roars;

he thunders with his majestic voice

and he does not restrain the lightningsc when his voice is heard.

⁵ God thunders wondrously with his voice;

he does great things that we cannot comprehend.

⁶ For to the snow he says, “Fall on the earth”

and the shower of rain, his heavy shower of rain,

⁷ serves as a sign on everyone’s hand,

so that all whom he has made may know it.d

⁸ Then the animals go into their lairs

and remain in their dens.

⁹ From its chamber comes the whirlwind,

and cold from the scattering winds.

¹⁰ By the breath of God ice is given,

and the broad waters are frozen fast.

¹¹ He loads the thick cloud with moisture;

the clouds scatter his lightning.

¹² They turn round and round by his guidance,

to accomplish all that he commands them

on the face of the habitable world.

¹³ Whether for correction, or for his land,

or for love, he causes it to happen.

¹⁴ ‘Hear this, O Job;

stop and consider the wondrous works of God.

¹⁵ Do you know how God lays his command upon them,

and causes the lightning of his cloud to shine?

¹⁶ Do you know the balancings of the clouds,

the wondrous works of the one whose knowledge is perfect,

¹⁷ you whose garments are hot

when the earth is still because of the south wind?

¹⁸ Can you, like him, spread out the skies,

unyielding as a cast mirror?

¹⁹ Teach us what we shall say to him;

we cannot draw up our case because of darkness.

²⁰ Should he be told that I want to speak?

Did anyone ever wish to be swallowed up?

²¹ Now, no one can look on the light

when it is bright in the skies,

when the wind has passed and cleared them.

²² Out of the north comes golden splendour;

around God is awesome majesty.

²³ The Almightya—we cannot find him;

he is great in power and justice,

and abundant righteousness he will not violate.

²⁴ Therefore mortals fear him;

he does not regard any who are wise in their own conceit.’

The LORD Answers Job

38

THEN the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:

² ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?

³ Gird up your loins like a man,

I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

⁴ ‘Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?

Tell me, if you have understanding.

⁵ Who determined its measurements—surely you know!

Or who stretched the line upon it?

⁶ On what were its bases sunk,

or who laid its cornerstone

⁷ when the morning stars sang together

and all the heavenly beingsb shouted for joy?

⁸ ‘Or who shut in the sea with doors

when it burst out from the womb?—

⁹ when I made the clouds its garment,

and thick darkness its swaddling band,

¹⁰ and prescribed bounds for it,

and set bars and doors,

¹¹ and said, “Thus far shall you come, and no farther,

and here shall your proud waves be stopped”?

¹² ‘Have you commanded the morning since your days began,

and caused the dawn to know its place,

¹³ so that it might take hold of the skirts of the earth,

and the wicked be shaken out of it?

¹⁴ It is changed like clay under the seal,

and it is dyedc like a garment.

¹⁵ Light is withheld from the wicked,

and their uplifted arm is broken.

¹⁶ ‘Have you entered into the springs of the sea,

or walked in the recesses of the deep?

¹⁷ Have the gates of death been revealed to you,

or have you seen the gates of deep darkness?

¹⁸ Have you comprehended the expanse of the earth?

Declare, if you know all this.

¹⁹ ‘Where is the way to the dwelling of light,

and where is the place of darkness,

²⁰ that you may take it to its territory

and that you may discern the paths to its home?

²¹ Surely you know, for you were born then,

and the number of your days is great!

²² ‘Have you entered the storehouses of the snow,

or have you seen the storehouses of the hail,

²³ which I have reserved for the time of trouble,

for the day of battle and war?

²⁴ What is the way to the place where the light is distributed,

or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth?

²⁵ ‘Who has cut a channel for the torrents of rain,

and a way for the thunderbolt,

²⁶ to bring rain on a land where no one lives,

on the desert, which is empty of human life,

²⁷ to satisfy the waste and desolate land,

and to make the ground put forth grass?

²⁸ ‘Has the rain a father,

or who has begotten the drops of dew?

²⁹ From whose womb did the ice come forth,

and who has given birth to the hoar-frost of heaven?

³⁰ The waters become hard like stone,

and the face of the deep is frozen.

³¹ ‘Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades,

or loose the cords of Orion?

³² Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,

or can you guide the Bear with its children?

³³ Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

³⁴ ‘Can you lift up your voice to the clouds,

so that a flood of waters may cover you?

³⁵ Can you send forth lightnings, so that they may go

and say to you, “Here we are”?

³⁶ Who has put wisdom in the inward parts,a

or given understanding to the mind?a

³⁷ Who has the wisdom to number the clouds?

Or who can tilt the waterskins of the heavens,

³⁸ when the dust runs into a mass

and the clods cling together?

³⁹ ‘Can you hunt the prey for the lion,

or satisfy the appetite of the young lions,

⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens,

or lie in wait in their covert?

⁴¹ Who provides for the raven its prey,

when its young ones cry to God,

and wander about for lack of food?

39

‘DO YOU know when the mountain goats give birth?

Do you observe the calving of the deer?

² Can you number the months that they fulfil,

and do you know the time when they give birth,

³ when they crouch to give birth to their offspring,

and are delivered of their young?

⁴ Their young ones become strong, they grow up in the open;

they go forth, and do not return to them.

⁵ ‘Who has let the wild ass go free?

Who has loosed the bonds of the swift ass,

⁶ to which I have given the steppe for its home,

the salt land for its dwelling-place?

⁷ It scorns the tumult of the city;

it does not hear the shouts of the driver.

⁸ It ranges the mountains as its pasture,

and it searches after every green thing.

⁹ ‘Is the wild ox willing to serve you?

Will it spend the night at your crib?

¹⁰ Can you tie it in the furrow with ropes,

or will it harrow the valleys after you?

¹¹ Will you depend on it because its strength is great,

and will you hand over your labour to it?

¹² Do you have faith in it that it will return,

and bring your grain to your threshing-floor?a

¹³ ‘The ostrich’s wings flap wildly,

though its pinions lack plumage.b

¹⁴ For it leaves its eggs to the earth,

and lets them be warmed on the ground,

¹⁵ forgetting that a foot may crush them,

and that a wild animal may trample them.

¹⁶ It deals cruelly with its young, as if they were not its own;

though its labour should be in vain, yet it has no fear;

¹⁷ because God has made it forget wisdom,

and given it no share in understanding.

¹⁸ When it spreads its plumes aloft,b

it laughs at the horse and its rider.

¹⁹ ‘Do you give the horse its might?

Do you clothe its neck with mane?

²⁰ Do you make it leap like the locust?

Its majestic snorting is terrible.

²¹ It pawsc violently, exults mightily;

it goes out to meet the weapons.

²² It laughs at fear, and is not dismayed;

it does not turn back from the sword.

²³ Upon it rattle the quiver,

the flashing spear, and the javelin.

²⁴ With fierceness and rage it swallows the ground;

it cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet.

²⁵ When the trumpet sounds, it says “Aha!”

From a distance it smells the battle,

the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

²⁶ ‘Is it by your wisdom that the hawk soars,

and spreads its wings towards the south?

²⁷ Is it at your command that the eagle mounts up

and makes its nest on high?

²⁸ It lives on the rock and makes its home

in the fastness of the rocky crag.

²⁹ From there it spies the prey;

its eyes see it from far away.

³⁰ Its young ones suck up blood;

and where the slain are, there it is.’

40

AND the LORD said to Job:

² ‘Shall a fault-finder contend with the Almighty?d

Anyone who argues with God must respond.’

Job’s Response to God

³ Then Job answered the LORD:

⁴ ‘See, I am of small account; what shall I answer you?

I lay my hand on my mouth.

⁵ I have spoken once, and I will not answer;

twice, but will proceed no further.’

God’s Challenge to Job

⁶ Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind:

⁷ ‘Gird up your loins like a man;

I will question you, and you declare to me.

⁸ Will you even put me in the wrong?

Will you condemn me that you may be justified?

⁹ Have you an arm like God,

and can you thunder with a voice like his?

¹⁰ ‘Deck yourself with majesty and dignity;

clothe yourself with glory and splendour.

¹¹ Pour out the overflowings of your anger,

and look on all who are proud, and abase them.

¹² Look on all who are proud, and bring them low;

tread down the wicked where they stand.

¹³ Hide them all in the dust together;

bind their faces in the world below.a

¹⁴ Then I will also acknowledge to you

that your own right hand can give you victory.

¹⁵ ‘Look at Behemoth,

which I made just as I made you;

it eats grass like an ox.

¹⁶ Its strength is in its loins,

and its power in the muscles of its belly.

¹⁷ It makes its tail stiff like a cedar;

the sinews of its thighs are knit together.

¹⁸ Its bones are tubes of bronze,

its limbs like bars of iron.

¹⁹ ‘It is the first of the great acts of God—

only its Maker can approach it with the sword.

²⁰ For the mountains yield food for it

where all the wild animals play.

²¹ Under the lotus plants it lies,

in the covert of the reeds and in the marsh.

²² The lotus trees cover it for shade;

the willows of the wadi surround it.

²³ Even if the river is turbulent, it is not frightened;

it is confident though Jordan rushes against its mouth.

²⁴ Can one take it with hooksb

or pierce its nose with a snare?

41c

‘CAN you draw out Leviathand with a fish-hook,

or press down its tongue with a cord?

² Can you put a rope in its nose,

or pierce its jaw with a hook?

³ Will it make many supplications to you?

Will it speak soft words to you?

⁴ Will it make a covenant with you

to be taken as your servant for ever?

⁵ Will you play with it as with a bird,

or will you put it on a leash for your girls?

⁶ Will traders bargain over it?

Will they divide it up among the merchants?

⁷ Can you fill its skin with harpoons,

or its head with fishing-spears?

⁸ Lay hands on it;

think of the battle; you will not do it again!

⁹ e Any hope of capturing itf will be disappointed;

were not even the godsg overwhelmed at the sight of it?

¹⁰ No one is so fierce as to dare to stir it up.

Who can stand before it?h

¹¹ Who can confront ith and be safe?i

—under the whole heaven, who?j

¹² ‘I will not keep silence concerning its limbs,

or its mighty strength, or its splendid frame.

¹³ Who can strip off its outer garment?

Who can penetrate its double coat of mail?k

¹⁴ Who can open the doors of its face?

There is terror all around its teeth.

¹⁵ Its backl is made of shields in rows,

shut up closely as with a seal.

¹⁶ One is so near to another

that no air can come between them.

¹⁷ They are joined one to another;

they clasp each other and cannot be separated.

¹⁸ Its sneezes flash forth light,

and its eyes are like the eyelids of the dawn.

¹⁹ From its mouth go flaming torches;

sparks of fire leap out.

²⁰ Out of its nostrils comes smoke,

as from a boiling pot and burning rushes.

²¹ Its breath kindles coals,

and a flame comes out of its mouth.

²² In its neck abides strength,

and terror dances before it.

²³ The folds of its flesh cling together;

it is firmly cast and immovable.

²⁴ Its heart is as hard as stone,

as hard as the lower millstone.

²⁵ When it raises itself up the gods are afraid;

at the crashing they are beside themselves.

²⁶ Though the sword reaches it, it does not avail,

nor does the spear, the dart, or the javelin.

²⁷ It counts iron as straw,

and bronze as rotten wood.

²⁸ The arrow cannot make it flee;

slingstones, for it, are turned to chaff.

²⁹ Clubs are counted as chaff;

it laughs at the rattle of javelins.

³⁰ Its underparts are like sharp potsherds;

it spreads itself like a threshingsledge on the mire.

³¹ It makes the deep boil like a pot;

it makes the sea like a pot of ointment.

³² It leaves a shining wake behind it;

one would think the deep to be white-haired.

³³ On earth it has no equal,

a creature without fear.

³⁴ It surveys everything that is lofty;

it is king over all that are proud.’

Job Is Humbled and Satisfied

42

THEN Job answered the LORD:

² ‘I know that you can do all things,

and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

³ “Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?”

Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand,

things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.

⁴ “Hear, and I will speak;

I will question you, and you declare to me.”

⁵ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear,

but now my eye sees you;

⁶ therefore I despise myself,

and repent in dust and ashes.’

Job’s Friends Are Humiliated

⁷ After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: ‘My wrath is kindled against you and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has. ⁸Now therefore take seven bulls and seven rams, and go to my servant

Job’s Fortunes Are Restored Twofold

¹⁰ And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job when he had prayed for his friends; and the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. ¹¹Then there came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they ate bread with him in his house; they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the Lord had brought upon him; and each of them gave him a piece of moneya and a gold ring. ¹²The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; and he had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand donkeys. ¹³He also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴He named the first Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. ¹⁵In all the land there were no women so beautiful as Job’s daughters; and their father gave them an inheritance along with their brothers. ¹⁶After this Job lived for one hundred and forty years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. ¹⁷And Job died, old and full of days.

THE PSALMS

BOOK I: Psalms 1–41

The Two Ways

HAPPY are those

who do not follow the advice of the wicked,

or take the path that sinners tread,

or sit in the seat of scoffers;

² but their delight is in the law of the LORD,

and on his law they meditate day and night.

³ They are like trees

planted by streams of water,

which yield their fruit in its season,

and their leaves do not wither.

In all that they do, they prosper.

⁴ The wicked are not so,

but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

⁵ Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgement,

nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;

⁶ for the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish.

God’s Promise to His Anointed

2

WHY do the nations conspire,

and the peoples plot in vain?

² The kings of the earth set themselves,

and the rulers take counsel together,

against the LORD and his anointed, saying,

³ ‘Let us burst their bonds asunder,

and cast their cords from us.’

⁴ He who sits in the heavens laughs;

the LORD has them in derision.

⁵ Then he will speak to them in his wrath,

and terrify them in his fury, saying,

⁶ ‘I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.’

⁷ I will tell of the decree of the LORD:

He said to me, ‘You are my son;

today I have begotten you.

⁸ Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,

and the ends of the earth your possession.

⁹ You shall break them with a rod of iron,

and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’

¹⁰ Now therefore, O kings, be wise;

be warned, O rulers of the earth.

¹¹ Serve the LORD with fear,

with trembling ¹²kiss his feet,a

or he will be angry, and you will perish in the way;

for his wrath is quickly kindled.

Happy are all who take refuge in him.

Trust in God under Adversity

A Psalm of David, when he fled from his son Absalom.

3

O LORD, how many are my foes!

Many are rising against me;

² many are saying to me,

‘There is no help for youb in God.’

Selah

³ But you, O LORD, are a shield around me,

my glory, and the one who lifts up my head.

⁴ I cry aloud to the LORD,

and he answers me from his holy hill.

Selah

⁵ I lie down and sleep;

I wake again, for the LORD sustains me.

⁶ I am not afraid of tens of thousands of people

who have set themselves against me all around.

⁷ Rise up, O LORD!

Deliver me, O my God!

For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;

you break the teeth of the wicked.

⁸ Deliverance belongs to the LORD;

may your blessing be on your people!

Selah

Confident Plea for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

4

ANSWER me when I call, O God of my right!

You gave me room when I was in distress.

Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer.

² How long, you people, shall my honour suffer shame?

How long will you love vain words, and seek after lies? Selah

³ But know that the LORD has set apart the faithful for himself;

the LORD hears when I call to him.

⁴ When you are disturbed,c do not sin;

ponder it on your beds, and be silent.

Selah

⁵ Offer right sacrifices,

and put your trust in the LORD.

⁶ There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good!

Let the light of your face shine on us, O LORD!’

⁷ You have put gladness in my heart

more than when their grain and wine abound.

⁸ I will both lie down and sleep in peace;

for you alone, O LORD, make me lie down in safety.

Trust in God for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

5

GIVE ear to my words, O LORD;

give heed to my sighing.

² Listen to the sound of my cry,

my King and my God,

for to you I pray.

³ O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;

in the morning I plead my case to you, and watch.

⁴ For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;

evil will not sojourn with you.

⁵ The boastful will not stand before your eyes;

you hate all evildoers.

⁶ You destroy those who speak lies;

the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful.

⁷ But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,

will enter your house,

I will bow down towards your holy temple

in awe of you.

⁸ Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness

because of my enemies;

make your way straight before me.

⁹ For there is no truth in their mouths;

their hearts are destruction;

their throats are open graves;

they flatter with their tongues.

¹⁰ Make them bear their guilt, O God;

let them fall by their own counsels;

because of their many transgressions cast them out,

for they have rebelled against you.

¹¹ But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;

let them ever sing for joy.

Spread your protection over them,

so that those who love your name may exult in you.

¹² For you bless the righteous, O LORD;

you cover them with favour as with a shield.

Prayer for Recovery from Grave Illness

To the leader: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

6

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,

or discipline me in your wrath.

² Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;

O LORD, heal me, for my bones are shaking with terror.

³ My soul also is struck with terror,

while you, O LORD—how long?

⁴ Turn, O LORD, save my life;

deliver me for the sake of your steadfast love.

⁵ For in death there is no remembrance of you;

in Sheol who can give you praise?

⁶ I am weary with my moaning;

every night I flood my bed with tears;

I drench my couch with my weeping.

⁷ My eyes waste away because of grief;

they grow weak because of all my foes.

⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of evil,

for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

⁹ The LORD has heard my supplication;

the LORD accepts my prayer.

¹⁰ All my enemies shall be ashamed and struck with terror;

they shall turn back, and in a moment be put to shame.

Plea for Help against Persecutors

A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjaminite.

7

O LORD my God, in you I take refuge;

save me from all my pursuers, and deliver me,

² or like a lion they will tear me apart;

they will drag me away, with no one to rescue.

³ O LORD my God, if I have done this,

if there is wrong in my hands,

⁴ if I have repaid my ally with harm

or plundered my foe without cause,

⁵ then let the enemy pursue and overtake me,

trample my life to the ground,

and lay my soul in the dust.

Selah

⁶ Rise up, O LORD, in your anger;

lift yourself up against the fury of my enemies;

awake, O my God;a you have appointed a judgement.

⁷ Let the assembly of the peoples be gathered around you,

and over it take your seatb on high.

⁸ The LORD judges the peoples;

judge me, O LORD, according to my righteousness

and according to the integrity that is in me.

⁹ O let the evil of the wicked come to an end,

but establish the righteous,

you who test the minds and hearts,

O righteous God.

¹⁰ God is my shield,

who saves the upright in heart.

¹¹ God is a righteous judge,

and a God who has indignation every day.

¹² If one does not repent, Godc will whet his sword;

he has bent and strung his bow;

¹³ he has prepared his deadly weapons,

making his arrows fiery shafts.

¹⁴ See how they conceive evil,

and are pregnant with mischief,

and bring forth lies.

¹⁵ They make a pit, digging it out,

and fall into the hole that they have made.

¹⁶ Their mischief returns upon their own heads,

and on their own heads their violence descends.

¹⁷ I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness,

and sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High.

Divine Majesty and Human Dignity

To the leader: according to The Gittith. A Psalm of David.

8

O LORD, our Sovereign,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory above the heavens.

² Out of the mouths of babes and infants

you have founded a bulwark because of your foes,

to silence the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars that you have established;

⁴ what are human beings that you are mindful of them,

mortalsd that you care for them?

⁵ Yet you have made them a little lower than God,e

and crowned them with glory and honour.

⁶ You have given them dominion over the works of your hands;

you have put all things under their feet,

⁷ all sheep and oxen,

and also the beasts of the field,

⁸ the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea,

whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

⁹ O LORD, our Sovereign,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!

God’s Power and Justice

To the leader: according to Muth-labben. A Psalm of David.

9

I WILL give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart;

I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.

² I will be glad and exult in you;

I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.

³ When my enemies turned back,

they stumbled and perished before you.

⁴ For you have maintained my just cause;

you have sat on the throne giving righteous judgement.

⁵ You have rebuked the nations, you have destroyed the wicked;

you have blotted out their name for ever and ever.

⁶ The enemies have vanished in everlasting ruins;

their cities you have rooted out;

the very memory of them has perished.

⁷ But the LORD sits enthroned for ever,

he has established his throne for judgement.

⁸ He judges the world with righteousness;

he judges the peoples with equity.

⁹ The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

¹⁰ And those who know your name put their trust in you,

for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

¹¹ Sing praises to the LORD, who dwells in Zion.

Declare his deeds among the peoples.

¹² For he who avenges blood is mindful of them;

he does not forget the cry of the afflicted.

¹³ Be gracious to me, O LORD.

See what I suffer from those who hate me;

you are the one who lifts me up from the gates of death,

¹⁴ so that I may recount all your praises,

and, in the gates of daughter Zion,

rejoice in your deliverance.

¹⁵ The nations have sunk in the pit that they made;

in the net that they hid has their own foot been caught.

¹⁶ The LORD has made himself known, he has executed judgement;

the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands.

Higgaion. Selah

¹⁷ The wicked shall depart to Sheol,

all the nations that forget God.

¹⁸ For the needy shall not always be forgotten,

nor the hope of the poor perish for ever.

¹⁹ Rise up, O LORD! Do not let mortals prevail;

let the nations be judged before you.

²⁰ Put them in fear, O LORD;

let the nations know that they are only human.

Selah

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

10

WHY, O LORD, do you stand far off?

Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?

² In arrogance the wicked persecute the poor—

let them be caught in the schemes they have devised.

³ For the wicked boast of the desires of their heart,

those greedy for gain curse and renounce the LORD.

⁴ In the pride of their countenance the wicked say, ‘God will not seek it out’

all their thoughts are, ‘There is no God.’

⁵ Their ways prosper at all times;

your judgements are on high, out of their sight;

as for their foes, they scoff at them.

⁶ They think in their heart, ‘We shall not be moved;

throughout all generations we shall not meet adversity.’

⁷ Their mouths are filled with cursing and deceit and oppression;

under their tongues are mischief and iniquity.

⁸ They sit in ambush in the villages;

in hiding-places they murder the innocent.

Their eyes stealthily watch for the helpless;

⁹ they lurk in secret like a lion in its covert;

they lurk that they may seize the poor;

they seize the poor and drag them off in their net.

¹⁰ They stoop, they crouch,

and the helpless fall by their might.

¹¹ They think in their heart, ‘God has forgotten,

he has hidden his face, he will never see it.’

¹² Rise up, O LORD; O God, lift up your hand;

do not forget the oppressed.

¹³ Why do the wicked renounce God,

and say in their hearts, ‘You will not call us to account’?

¹⁴ But you do see! Indeed you note trouble and grief,

that you may take it into your hands;

the helpless commit themselves to you;

you have been the helper of the orphan.

¹⁵ Break the arm of the wicked and evildoers;

seek out their wickedness until you find none.

¹⁶ The LORD is king for ever and ever;

the nations shall perish from his land.

¹⁷ O LORD, you will hear the desire of the meek;

you will strengthen their heart, you will incline your ear

¹⁸ to do justice for the orphan and the oppressed,

so that those from earth may strike terror no more.a

Song of Trust in God

To the leader. Of David.

11

IN THE LORD I take refuge; how can you say to me,

‘Flee like a bird to the mountains;b

² for look, the wicked bend the bow,

they have fitted their arrow to the string,

to shoot in the dark at the upright in heart.

³ If the foundations are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?’

⁴ The LORD is in his holy temple;

the LORD’s throne is in heaven.

His eyes behold, his gaze examines humankind.

⁵ The LORD tests the righteous and the wicked,

and his soul hates the lover of violence.

⁶ On the wicked he will rain coals of fire and sulphur;

a scorching wind shall be the portion of their cup.

⁷ For the LORD is righteous;

he loves righteous deeds;

the upright shall behold his face.

Plea for Help in Evil Times

To the leader: according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

12

HELP, O LORD, for there is no

longer anyone who is godly;

the faithful have disappeared from humankind.

² They utter lies to each other;

with flattering lips and a double heart they speak.

³ May the LORD cut off all flattering lips,

the tongue that makes great boasts,

⁴ those who say, ‘With our tongues we will prevail;

our lips are our own—who is our master?’

⁵ ‘Because the poor are despoiled, because the needy groan,

I will now rise up,’ says the LORD;

‘I will place them in the safety for which they long.’

⁶ The promises of the LORD are promises that are pure,

silver refined in a furnace on the ground,

purified seven times.

⁷ You, O LORD, will protect us;

you will guard us from this generation for ever.

⁸ On every side the wicked prowl,

as vileness is exalted among humankind.

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

13

HOW LONG, O LORD? Will you forget me for ever?

How long will you hide your face from me?

² How long must I bear paina in my soul,

and have sorrow in my heart all day long?

How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and answer me, O LORD my God!

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,

⁴ and my enemy will say, ‘I have prevailed’

my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵ But I trusted in your steadfast love;

my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

⁶ I will sing to the LORD,

because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader. Of David.

14

FOOLS say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’

They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;

there is no one who does good.

² The LORD looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if there are any who are wise,

who seek after God.

³ They have all gone astray, they are all alike perverse;

there is no one who does good,

no, not one.

⁴ Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon the LORD?

⁵ There they shall be in great terror,

for God is with the company of the righteous.

⁶ You would confound the plans of the poor,

but the LORD is their refuge.

⁷ O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Who Shall Abide in God’s Sanctuary?

A Psalm of David.

15

O LORD, who may abide in your tent?

Who may dwell on your holy hill?

² Those who walk blamelessly, and do what is right,

and speak the truth from their heart;

³ who do not slander with their tongue,

and do no evil to their friends,

nor take up a reproach against their neighbours;

⁴ in whose eyes the wicked are despised,

but who honour those who fear the LORD;

who stand by their oath even to their hurt;

⁵ who do not lend money at interest,

and do not take a bribe against the innocent.

Those who do these things shall never be moved.

Song of Trust and Security in God

A Miktam of David.

16

PROTECT me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

² I say to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord;

I have no good apart from you.’a

³ As for the holy ones in the land, they are the noble,

in whom is all my delight.

⁴ Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows;b

their drink-offerings of blood I will not pour out

or take their names upon my lips.

⁵ The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup;

you hold my lot.

⁶ The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;

I have a goodly heritage.

⁷ I bless the LORD who gives me counsel;

in the night also my heart instructs me.

⁸ I keep the LORD always before me;

because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.

⁹ Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

my body also rests secure.

¹⁰ For you do not give me up to Sheol,

or let your faithful one see the Pit.

¹¹ You show me the path of life.

In your presence there is fullness of joy;

in your right hand are pleasures for evermore.

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Prayer of David.

17

HEAR a just cause, O LORD; attend to my cry;

give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit.

² From you let my vindication come;

let your eyes see the right.

³ If you try my heart, if you visit me by night,

if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me;

my mouth does not transgress.

⁴ As for what others do, by the word of your lips

I have avoided the ways of the violent.

⁵ My steps have held fast to your paths;

my feet have not slipped.

⁶ I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;

incline your ear to me, hear my words.

⁷ Wondrously show your steadfast love,

O saviour of those who seek refuge

from their adversaries at your right hand.

⁸ Guard me as the apple of the eye;

hide me in the shadow of your wings,

⁹ from the wicked who despoil me,

my deadly enemies who surround me.

¹⁰ They close their hearts to pity;

with their mouths they speak arrogantly.

¹¹ They track me down;a now they surround me;

they set their eyes to cast me to the ground.

¹² They are like a lion eager to tear,

like a young lion lurking in ambush.

¹³ Rise up, O LORD, confront them, overthrow them!

By your sword deliver my life from the wicked,

¹⁴ from mortals—by your hand, O LORD—

from mortals whose portion in life is in this world.

May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them;

may their children have more than enough;

may they leave something over to their little ones.

¹⁵ As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness;

when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.

Royal Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who addressed the words of this song to the LORD on the day when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. He said:

18

I LOVE you, O LORD, my strength.

² The LORD is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer,

my God, my rock in whom I take refuge,

my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

³ I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised;

so I shall be saved from my enemies.

⁴ The cords of death encompassed me;

the torrents of perdition assailed me;

⁵ the cords of Sheol entangled me;

the snares of death confronted me.

⁶ In my distress I called upon the LORD;

to my God I cried for help.

From his temple he heard my voice,

and my cry to him reached his ears.

⁷ Then the earth reeled and rocked;

the foundations also of the mountains trembled

and quaked, because he was angry.

⁸ Smoke went up from his nostrils,

and devouring fire from his mouth;

glowing coals flamed forth from him.

⁹ He bowed the heavens, and came down;

thick darkness was under his feet.

¹⁰ He rode on a cherub, and flew;

he came swiftly upon the wings of the wind.

¹¹ He made darkness his covering around him,

his canopy thick clouds dark with water.

¹² Out of the brightness before him

there broke through his clouds

hailstones and coals of fire.

¹³ The LORD also thundered in the heavens,

and the Most High uttered his voice.a

¹⁴ And he sent out his arrows, and scattered them;

he flashed forth lightnings, and routed them.

¹⁵ Then the channels of the sea were seen,

and the foundations of the world were laid bare

at your rebuke, O LORD,

at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

¹⁶ He reached down from on high, he took me;

he drew me out of mighty waters.

¹⁷ He delivered me from my strong enemy,

and from those who hated me;

for they were too mighty for me.

¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity;

but the LORD was my support.

¹⁹ He brought me out into a broad place;

he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

²⁰ The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness;

according to the cleanness of my hands he recompensed me.

²¹ For I have kept the ways of the LORD,

and have not wickedly departed from my God.

²² For all his ordinances were before me,

and his statutes I did not put away from me.

²³ I was blameless before him,

and I kept myself from guilt.

²⁴ Therefore the LORD has recompensed me according to my righteousness,

according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ With the loyal you show yourself loyal;

with the blameless you show yourself blameless;

²⁶ with the pure you show yourself pure;

and with the crooked you show yourself perverse.

²⁷ For you deliver a humble people,

but the haughty eyes you bring down.

²⁸ It is you who light my lamp;

the LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.

²⁹ By you I can crush a troop,

and by my God I can leap over a wall.

³⁰ This God—his way is perfect;

the promise of the LORD proves true;

he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

³¹ For who is God except the LORD?

And who is a rock besides our God?—

³² the God who girded me with strength,

and made my way safe.

³³ He made my feet like the feet of a deer,

and set me secure on the heights.

³⁴ He trains my hands for war,

so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵ You have given me the shield of your salvation,

and your right hand has supported me;

your helpa has made me great.

³⁶ You gave me a wide place for my steps under me,

and my feet did not slip.

³⁷ I pursued my enemies and overtook them;

and did not turn back until they were consumed.

³⁸ I struck them down, so that they were not able to rise;

they fell under my feet.

³⁹ For you girded me with strength for the battle;

you made my assailants sink under me.

⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn their backs to me,

and those who hated me I destroyed.

⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was no one to save them;

they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them.

⁴² I beat them fine, like dust before the wind;

I cast them out like the mire of the streets.

⁴³ You delivered me from strife with the peoples;b

you made me head of the nations;

people whom I had not known served me.

⁴⁴ As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me;

foreigners came cringing to me.

⁴⁵ Foreigners lost heart,

and came trembling out of their strongholds.

⁴⁶ The LORD lives! Blessed be my rock,

and exalted be the God of my salvation,

⁴⁷ the God who gave me vengeance

and subdued peoples under me;

⁴⁸ who delivered me from my enemies;

indeed, you exalted me above my adversaries;

you delivered me from the violent.

⁴⁹ For this I will extol you, O LORD, among the nations,

and sing praises to your name.

⁵⁰ Great triumphs he gives to his king,

and shows steadfast love to his anointed,

to David and his descendants for ever.

God’s Glory in Creation and the Law

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

19

THE heavens are telling the glory of God;

and the firmamentc proclaims his handiwork.

² Day to day pours forth speech,

and night to night declares knowledge.

³ There is no speech, nor are there words;

their voice is not heard;

⁴ yet their voiced goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In the heavense he has set a tent for the sun,

⁵ which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,

and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

⁶ Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

and its circuit to the end of them;

and nothing is hidden from its heat.

⁷ The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the decrees of the LORD are sure,

making wise the simple;

⁸ the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is clear,

enlightening the eyes;

⁹ the fear of the LORD is pure,

enduring for ever;

the ordinances of the LORD are true

and righteous altogether.

¹⁰ More to be desired are they than gold,

even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey,

and drippings of the honeycomb.

¹¹ Moreover by them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

¹² But who can detect their errors?

Clear me from hidden faults.

¹³ Keep back your servant also from the insolent;a

do not let them have dominion over me.

Then I shall be blameless,

and innocent of great transgression.

¹⁴ Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

be acceptable to you,

O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Prayer for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

20

THE LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

The name of the God of Jacob protect you!

² May he send you help from the sanctuary,

and give you support from Zion.

³ May he remember all your offerings,

and regard with favour your burnt sacrifices.

Selah

⁴ May he grant you your heart’s desire,

and fulfil all your plans.

⁵ May we shout for joy over your victory,

and in the name of our God set up our banners.

May the LORD fulfil all your petitions.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD will help his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with mighty victories by his right hand.

⁷ Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses,

but our pride is in the name of the LORD our God.

⁸ They will collapse and fall,

but we shall rise and stand upright.

⁹ Give victory to the king, O LORD;

answer us when we call.b

Thanksgiving for Victory

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

21

IN YOUR strength the king rejoices, O LORD,

and in your help how greatly he exults!

² You have given him his heart’s desire,

and have not withheld the request of his lips.

Selah

³ For you meet him with rich blessings;

you set a crown of fine gold on his head.

⁴ He asked you for life; you gave it to him—

length of days for ever and ever.

⁵ His glory is great through your help;

splendour and majesty you bestow on him.

⁶ You bestow on him blessings for ever;

you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

⁷ For the king trusts in the LORD,

and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.

⁸ Your hand will find out all your enemies;

your right hand will find out those who hate you.

⁹ You will make them like a fiery furnace

when you appear.

The LORD will swallow them up in his wrath,

and fire will consume them.

¹⁰ You will destroy their offspring from the earth,

and their children from among humankind.

¹¹ If they plan evil against you,

if they devise mischief, they will not succeed.

¹² For you will put them to flight;

you will aim at their faces with your bows.

¹³ Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength!

We will sing and praise your power.

Plea for Deliverance from Suffering and Hostility

To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David.

22

MY GOD, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning?

² O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;

and by night, but find no rest.

³ Yet you are holy,

enthroned on the praises of Israel.

⁴ In you our ancestors trusted;

they trusted, and you delivered them.

⁵ To you they cried, and were saved;

in you they trusted, and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm, and not human;

scorned by others, and despised by the people.

⁷ All who see me mock at me;

they make mouths at me, they shake their heads;

⁸ ‘Commit your cause to the LORD; let him deliver—

let him rescue the one in whom he delights!’

⁹ Yet it was you who took me from the womb;

you kept me safe on my mother’s breast.

¹⁰ On you I was cast from my birth,

and since my mother bore me you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me,

for trouble is near

and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls encircle me,

strong bulls of Bashan surround me;

¹³ they open wide their mouths at me,

like a ravening and roaring lion.

¹⁴ I am poured out like water,

and all my bones are out of joint;

my heart is like wax;

it is melted within my breast;

¹⁵ my moutha is dried up like a potsherd,

and my tongue sticks to my jaws;

you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ For dogs are all around me;

a company of evildoers encircles me.

My hands and feet have shrivelled;a

¹⁷ I can count all my bones.

They stare and gloat over me;

¹⁸ they divide my clothes among themselves,

and for my clothing they cast lots.

¹⁹ But you, O LORD, do not be far away!

O my help, come quickly to my aid!

²⁰ Deliver my soul from the sword,

my lifeb from the power of the dog!

²¹ Save me from the mouth of the lion!

From the horns of the wild oxen you have rescuedc me.

²² I will tell of your name to my brothers and sisters;d

in the midst of the congregation I will praise you:

²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him!

All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him;

stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel!

²⁴ For he did not despise or abhor the affliction of the afflicted;

he did not hide his face from me,e

but heard when If cried to him.

²⁵ From you comes my praise in the great congregation;

my vows I will pay before those who fear him.

²⁶ The poorg shall eat and be satisfied;

those who seek him shall praise the LORD.

May your hearts live for ever!

²⁷ All the ends of the earth shall remember

and turn to the Lord;

and all the families of the nations

shall worship before him.h

²⁸ For dominion belongs to the LORD,

and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ To him,i indeed, shall all who sleep inj the earth bow down;

before him shall bow all who go down to the dust,

and I shall live for him.k

³⁰ Posterity will serve him;

future generations will be told about the LORD,

³¹ andl proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn,

saying that he has done it.

The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

23

THE LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;m

³ he restores my soul.n

He leads me in right pathso

for his name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the darkest valley,p

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶ Surelyq goodness and mercyr shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

my whole life long.s

Entrance into the Temple Of David. A Psalm.

24

THE earth is the LORD’s and all that is in it,

the world, and those who live in it;

² for he has founded it on the seas,

and established it on the rivers.

³ Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD?

And who shall stand in his holy place?

⁴ Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,

who do not lift up their souls to what is false,

and do not swear deceitfully.

⁵ They will receive blessing from the LORD,

and vindication from the God of their salvation.

⁶ Such is the company of those who seek him,

who seek the face of the God of Jacob.a

Selah

⁷ Lift up your heads, O gates!

and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

⁸ Who is the King of glory?

The LORD, strong and mighty,

the LORD, mighty in battle.

⁹ Lift up your heads, O gates!

and be lifted up, O ancient doors!

that the King of glory may come in.

¹⁰ Who is this King of glory?

The LORD of hosts,

he is the King of glory.

Selah

Prayer for Guidance and for Deliverance
Of David.

25

TO YOU, O LORD, I lift up my soul.

² O my God, in you I trust;

do not let me be put to shame;

do not let my enemies exult over me.

³ Do not let those who wait for you be put to shame;

let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

⁴ Make me to know your ways, O LORD;

teach me your paths.

⁵ Lead me in your truth, and teach me,

for you are the God of my salvation;

for you I wait all day long.

⁶ Be mindful of your mercy, O LORD, and of your steadfast love,

for they have been from of old.

⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

for your goodness’ sake, O LORD!

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;

therefore he instructs sinners in the way.

⁹ He leads the humble in what is right,

and teaches the humble his way.

¹⁰ All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness,

for those who keep his covenant and his decrees.

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O LORD,

pardon my guilt, for it is great.

¹² Who are they that fear the LORD?

He will teach them the way that they should choose.

¹³ They will abide in prosperity,

and their children shall possess the land.

¹⁴ The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him,

and he makes his covenant known to them.

¹⁵ My eyes are ever towards the l,

for he will pluck my feet out of the net.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,

for I am lonely and afflicted.

¹⁷ Relieve the troubles of my heart,

and bring mea out of my distress.

¹⁸ Consider my affliction and my trouble,

and forgive all my sins.

¹⁹ Consider how many are my foes,

and with what violent hatred they hate me.

²⁰ O guard my life, and deliver me;

do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

²¹ May integrity and uprightness preserve me,

for I wait for you.

²² Redeem Israel, O God,

out of all its troubles.

Plea for Justice and Declaration
of Righteousness

Of David.

26

VINDICATE me, O Lord LORD,

for I have walked in my integrity,

and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.

² Prove me, O LORD, and try me;

test my heart and mind.

³ For your steadfast love is before my eyes,

and I walk in faithfulness to you.b

⁴ I do not sit with the worthless,

nor do I consort with hypocrites;

⁵ I hate the company of evildoers,

and will not sit with the wicked.

⁶ I wash my hands in innocence,

and go around your altar, O LORD,

⁷ singing aloud a song of thanksgiving,

and telling all your wondrous deeds.

⁸ O LORD, I love the house in which you dwell,

and the place where your glory abides.

⁹ Do not sweep me away with sinners,

nor my life with the bloodthirsty,

¹⁰ those in whose hands are evil devices,

and whose right hands are full of bribes.

¹¹ But as for me, I walk in my integrity;

redeem me, and be gracious to me.

¹² My foot stands on level ground;

in the great congregation I will bless the LORD.

Triumphant Song of Confidence

Of David.

27

THE LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the strongholdc of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me

to devour my flesh—

my adversaries and foes—

they shall stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me,

my heart shall not fear;

though war rise up against me,

yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing I asked of the LORD,

that will I seek after:

to live in the house of the LORD

all the days of my life,

to behold the beauty of the LORD,

and to inquire in his temple.

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter

in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;

he will set me high on a rock.

⁶ Now my head is lifted up

above my enemies all around me,

and I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and make melody to the LORD.

⁷ Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud,

be gracious to me and answer me!

⁸ ‘Come,’ my heart says, ‘seek his face!’

Your face, LORD, do I seek.

⁹ Do not hide your face from me.

Do not turn your servant away in anger,

you who have been my help.

Do not cast me off, do not forsake me,

O God of my salvation!

¹⁰ If my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will take me up.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD,

and lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

¹² Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries,

for false witnesses have risen against me,

and they are breathing out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD

in the land of the living.

¹⁴ Wait for the LORD;

be strong, and let your heart take courage;

wait for the LORD!

Prayer for Help and Thanksgiving for It Of David.

28

TO YOU, O LORD, I call;

my rock, do not refuse to hear me,

for if you are silent to me,

I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

² Hear the voice of my supplication,

as I cry to you for help,

as I lift up my hands

towards your most holy sanctuary.a

³ Do not drag me away with the wicked,

with those who are workers of evil,

who speak peace with their neighbours,

while mischief is in their hearts.

⁴ Repay them according to their work,

and according to the evil of their deeds;

repay them according to the work of their hands;

render them their due reward.

⁵ Because they do not regard the works of the LORD,

or the work of his hands,

he will break them down and build them up no more.

⁶ Blessed be the LORD,

for he has heard the sound of my pleadings.

⁷ The LORD is my strength and my shield;

in him my heart trusts;

so I am helped, and my heart exults,

and with my song I give thanks to him.

⁸ The LORD is the strength of his people;

he is the saving refuge of his anointed.

⁹ O save your people, and bless your heritage;

be their shepherd, and carry them for ever.

The Voice of God in a Great Storm

A Psalm of David.

29

ASCRIBE to the LORD, O heavenly beings,b

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

² Ascribe to the LORD the glory of his name;

worship the LORD in holy splendour.

³ The voice of the LORD is over the waters;

the God of glory thunders,

the LORD, over mighty waters.

⁴ The voice of the LORD is powerful;

the voice of the Lord is full of majesty.

⁵ The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars;

the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

⁶ He makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

and Sirion like a young wild ox.

⁷ The voice of the LORD flashes forth flames of fire.

⁸ The voice of the LORD shakes the wilderness;

the LORD shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

⁹ The voice of the LORD causes the oaks to whirl,a

and strips the forest bare;

and in his temple all say, ‘Glory!’

¹⁰ The LORD sits enthroned over the flood;

the LORD sits enthroned as king for ever.

¹¹ May the LORD give strength to his people!

May the LORD bless his people with peace!

Thanksgiving for Recovery from Grave Illness

A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the temple. Of David.

30

I WILL extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up,

and did not let my foes rejoice over me.

² O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,

and you have healed me.

³ O LORD, you brought up my soul from Sheol,

restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.b

⁴ Sing praises to the LORD, O you his faithful ones,

and give thanks to his holy name.

⁵ For his anger is but for a moment;

his favour is for a lifetime.

Weeping may linger for the night,

but joy comes with the morning.

⁶ As for me, I said in my prosperity,

‘I shall never be moved.’

⁷ By your favour, O LORD,

you had established me as a strong mountain;

you hid your face;

I was dismayed.

⁸ To you, O LORD, I cried,

and to the LORD I made supplication:

⁹ ‘What profit is there in my death,

if I go down to the Pit?

Will the dust praise you?

Will it tell of your faithfulness?

¹⁰ Hear, O LORD, and be gracious to me!

O LORD, be my helper!’

¹¹ You have turned my mourning into dancing;

you have taken off my sackcloth

and clothed me with joy,

¹² so that my soulc may praise you and not be silent.

O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you for ever.

Prayer and Praise for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

31

IN YOU, O LORD, I seek refuge;

do not let me ever be put to shame;

in your righteousness deliver me.

² Incline your ear to me;

rescue me speedily.

Be a rock of refuge for me,

a strong fortress to save me.

³ You are indeed my rock and my fortress;

for your name’s sake lead me and guide me,

⁴ take me out of the net that is hidden for me,

for you are my refuge.

⁵ Into your hand I commit my spirit;

you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God.

⁶ You hatea those who pay regard to worthless idols,

but I trust in the LORD.

⁷ I will exult and rejoice in your steadfast love,

because you have seen my affliction;

you have taken heed of my adversities,

⁸ and have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;

you have set my feet in a broad place.

⁹ Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;

my eye wastes away from grief,

my soul and body also.

¹⁰ For my life is spent with sorrow,

and my years with sighing;

my strength fails because of my misery,b

and my bones waste away.

¹¹ I am the scorn of all my adversaries,

a horrorc to my neighbours,

an object of dread to my acquaintances;

those who see me in the street flee from me.

¹² I have passed out of mind like one who is dead;

I have become like a broken vessel.

¹³ For I hear the whispering of many—

terror all around!—

as they scheme together against me,

as they plot to take my life.

¹⁴ But I trust in you, O LORD;

I say, ‘You are my God.’

¹⁵ My times are in your hand;

deliver me from the hand of my enemies and persecutors.

¹⁶ Let your face shine upon your servant;

save me in your steadfast love.

¹⁷ Do not let me be put to shame, O LORD,

for I call on you;

let the wicked be put to shame;

let them go dumbfounded to Sheol.

¹⁸ Let the lying lips be stilled

that speak insolently against the righteous

with pride and contempt.

¹⁹ O how abundant is your goodness

that you have laid up for those who fear you,

and accomplished for those who take refuge in you,

in the sight of everyone!

²⁰ In the shelter of your presence you hide them

from human plots;

you hold them safe under your shelter

from contentious tongues.

²¹ Blessed be the LORD,

for he has wondrously shown his steadfast love to me

when I was beset as a city under siege.

²² I had said in my alarm,

‘I am driven fara from your sight.’

But you heard my supplications

when I cried out to you for help.

²³ Love the LORD, all you his saints.

The LORD preserves the faithful,

but abundantly repays the one who acts haughtily.

²⁴ Be strong, and let your heart take courage,

all you who wait for the LORD.

The Joy of Forgiveness
Of David. A Maskil.

32

HAPPY are those whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

² Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

³ While I kept silence, my body wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

⁴ For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was dried upb as by the heat of summer.

Selah

⁵ Then I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not hide my iniquity;

I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD’,

and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Selah

⁶ Therefore let all who are faithful

offer prayer to you;

at a time of distress,c the rush of mighty waters

shall not reach them.

⁷ You are a hiding-place for me;

you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with glad cries of deliverance.

Selah

⁸ I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

⁹ Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding,

whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle,

else it will not stay near you.

¹⁰ Many are the torments of the wicked,

but steadfast love surrounds those who trust in the LORD.

¹¹ Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, O righteous,

and shout for joy, all you upright in heart.

The Greatness and Goodness of God

33

REJOICE in the LORD, O you righteous.

Praise befits the upright.

² Praise the LORD with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.

³ Sing to him a new song;

play skilfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

⁴ For the word of the LORD is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

⁵ He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.

⁶ By the word of the LORD the heavens were made,

and all their host by the breath of his mouth.

⁷ He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;

he put the deeps in storehouses.

⁸ Let all the earth fear the LORD;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

¹⁰ The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

¹¹ The counsel of the LORD stands for ever,

the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

¹² Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

¹³ The LORD looks down from heaven;

he sees all humankind.

¹⁴ From where he sits enthroned he watches

all the inhabitants of the earth—

¹⁵ he who fashions the hearts of them all,

and observes all their deeds.

¹⁶ A king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

¹⁷ The war horse is a vain hope for victory,

and by its great might it cannot save.

¹⁸ Truly the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

¹⁹ to deliver their soul from death,

and to keep them alive in famine.

²⁰ Our soul waits for the LORD;

he is our help and shield.

²¹ Our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

²² Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.

Praise for Deliverance from Trouble

Of David, when he feigned madness before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away.

34

I WILL bless the LORD at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

² My soul makes its boast in the LORD;

let the humble hear and be glad.

³ O magnify the LORD with me,

and let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me,

and delivered me from all my fears.

⁵ Look to him, and be radiant;

so youra faces shall never be ashamed.

⁶ This poor soul cried, and was heard by the LORD,

and was saved from every trouble.

⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

⁸ O taste and see that the LORD is good;

happy are those who take refuge in him.

⁹ O fear the LORD, you his holy ones,

for those who fear him have no want.

¹⁰ The young lions suffer want and hunger,

but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

¹¹ Come, O children, listen to me;

I will teach you the fear of the LORD.

¹² Which of you desires life,

and covets many days to enjoy good?

¹³ Keep your tongue from evil,

and your lips from speaking deceit.

¹⁴ Depart from evil, and do good;

seek peace, and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,

and his ears are open to their cry.

¹⁶ The face of the LORD is against evildoers,

to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.

¹⁷ When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears,

and rescues them from all their troubles.

¹⁸ The LORD is near to the brokenhearted,

and saves the crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ Many are the afflictions of the righteous,

but the LORD rescues them from them all.

²⁰ He keeps all their bones;

not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil brings death to the wicked,

and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.

²² The LORD redeems the life of his servants;

none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies Of David.

35

CONTEND, O LORD, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me!

² Take hold of shield and buckler,

and rise up to help me!

³ Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers;

say to my soul,

‘I am your salvation.’

⁴ Let them be put to shame and dishonour

who seek after my life.

Let them be turned back and confounded

who devise evil against me.

⁵ Let them be like chaff before the wind,

with the angel of the LORD driving them on.

⁶ Let their way be dark and slippery,

with the angel of the LORD pursuing them.

⁷ For without cause they hid their neta for me;

without cause they dug a pitb for my life.

⁸ Let ruin come on them unawares.

And let the net that they hid ensnare them;

let them fall in it—to their ruin.

⁹ Then my soul shall rejoice in the LORD,

exulting in his deliverance.

¹⁰ All my bones shall say,

‘O LORD, who is like you?

You deliver the weak

from those too strong for them,

the weak and needy from those who despoil them.’

¹¹ Malicious witnesses rise up;

they ask me about things I do not know.

¹² They repay me evil for good;

my soul is forlorn.

¹³ But as for me, when they were sick,

I wore sackcloth;

I afflicted myself with fasting.

I prayed with head bowedc on my bosom,

¹⁴ as though I grieved for a friend or a brother;

I went about as one who laments for a mother,

bowed down and in mourning.

¹⁵ But at my stumbling they gathered in glee,

they gathered together against me;

ruffians whom I did not know

tore at me without ceasing;

¹⁶ they impiously mocked more and more,a

gnashing at me with their teeth.

¹⁷ How long, O LORD, will you look on?

Rescue me from their ravages,

my life from the lions!

¹⁸ Then I will thank you in the great congregation;

in the mighty throng I will praise you.

¹⁹ Do not let my treacherous enemies rejoice over me,

or those who hate me without cause wink the eye.

²⁰ For they do not speak peace,

but they conceive deceitful words

against those who are quiet in the land.

²¹ They open wide their mouths against me;

they say, ‘Aha, Aha,

our eyes have seen it.’

²² You have seen, O LORD; do not be silent!

O LORD, do not be far from me!

²³ Wake up! Bestir yourself for my defence,

for my cause, my God and my Lord!

²⁴ Vindicate me, O LORD, my God,

according to your righteousness,

and do not let them rejoice over me.

²⁵ Do not let them say to themselves,

‘Aha, we have our heart’s desire.’

Do not let them say, ‘We have swallowed youb up.’

²⁶ Let all those who rejoice at my calamity

be put to shame and confusion;

let those who exalt themselves against me

be clothed with shame and dishonour.

²⁷ Let those who desire my vindication

shout for joy and be glad,

and say evermore,

‘Great is the LORD,

who delights in the welfare of his servant.’

²⁸ Then my tongue shall tell of your righteousness

and of your praise all day long.

Human Wickedness and Divine Goodness

To the leader. Of David, the servant of the LORD.

36

TRANSGRESSION speaks to the wicked

deep in their hearts;

there is no fear of God

before their eyes.

² For they flatter themselves in their own eyes

that their iniquity cannot be found out and hated.

³ The words of their mouths are mischief and deceit;

they have ceased to act wisely and do good.

⁴ They plot mischief while on their beds;

they are set on a way that is not good;

they do not reject evil.

⁵ Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,

your faithfulness to the clouds.

⁶ Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

your judgements are like the great deep;

you save humans and animals alike, O LORD.

⁷ How precious is your steadfast love, O God!

All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

⁸ They feast on the abundance of your house,

and you give them drink from the river of your delights.

⁹ For with you is the fountain of life;

in your light we see light.

¹⁰ O continue your steadfast love to those who know you,

and your salvation to the upright of heart!

¹¹ Do not let the foot of the arrogant tread on me,

or the hand of the wicked drive me away.

¹² There the evildoers lie prostrate;

they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

Of David.

37

DO NOT fret because of the wicked;

do not be envious of wrongdoers,

² for they will soon fade like the grass,

and wither like the green herb.

³ Trust in the LORD, and do good;

so you will live in the land, and enjoy security.

⁴ Take delight in the LORD,

and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the LORD;

trust in him, and he will act.

⁶ He will make your vindication shine like the light,

and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

⁷ Be still before the LORD, and wait patiently for him;

do not fret over those who prosper in their way,

over those who carry out evil devices.

⁸ Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath.

Do not fret—it leads only to evil.

⁹ For the wicked shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

¹⁰ Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more;

though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there.

¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the land,

and delight in abundant prosperity.

¹² The wicked plot against the righteous,

and gnash their teeth at them;

¹³ but the LORD laughs at the wicked,

for he sees that their day is coming.

¹⁴ The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows

to bring down the poor and needy,

to kill those who walk uprightly;

¹⁵ their sword shall enter their own heart,

and their bows shall be broken.

¹⁶ Better is a little that the righteous person has

than the abundance of many wicked.

¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,

but the LORD upholds the righteous.

¹⁸ The LORD knows the days of the blameless,

and their heritage will abide for ever;

¹⁹ they are not put to shame in evil times,

in the days of famine they have abundance.

²⁰ But the wicked perish,

and the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;

they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

²¹ The wicked borrow, and do not pay back,

but the righteous are generous and keep giving;

²² for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,

but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

²³ Our stepsa are made firm by the LORD,

when he delights in ourb way;

²⁴ though we stumble,c wed shall not fall headlong,

for the LORD holds use by the hand.

²⁵ I have been young, and now am old,

yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken

or their children begging bread.

²⁶ They are ever giving liberally and lending,

and their children become a blessing.

²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;

so you shall abide for ever.

²⁸ For the LORD loves justice;

he will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe for ever,

but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.

²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,

and live in it for ever.

³⁰ The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,

and their tongues speak justice.

³¹ The law of their God is in their hearts;

their steps do not slip.

³² The wicked watch for the righteous,

and seek to kill them.

³³ The LORD will not abandon them to their power,

or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

³⁴ Wait for the LORD, and keep to his way,

and he will exalt you to inherit the land;

you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

³⁵ I have seen the wicked oppressing,

and towering like a cedar of Lebanon.f

³⁶ Again Ig passed by, and they were no more;

though I sought them, they could not be found.

³⁷ Mark the blameless, and behold the upright,

for there is posterity for the peaceable.

³⁸ But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;

the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

³⁹ The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;

he is their refuge in the time of trouble.

⁴⁰ The LORD helps them and rescues them;

he rescues them from the wicked, and saves them,

because they take refuge in him.

A Penitent Sufferer’s Plea for Healing

A Psalm of David, for the memorial offering.

38

O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger,

or discipline me in your wrath.

² For your arrows have sunk into me,

and your hand has come down on me.

³ There is no soundness in my flesh

because of your indignation;

there is no health in my bones

because of my sin.

⁴ For my iniquities have gone over my head;

they weigh like a burden too heavy for me.

⁵ My wounds grow foul and fester

because of my foolishness;

⁶ I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;

all day long I go around mourning.

⁷ For my loins are filled with burning,

and there is no soundness in my flesh.

⁸ I am utterly spent and crushed;

I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

⁹ O LORD, all my longing is known to you;

my sighing is not hidden from you.

¹⁰ My heart throbs, my strength fails me;

as for the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.

¹¹ My friends and companions stand aloof from my affliction,

and my neighbours stand far off.

¹² Those who seek my life lay their snares;

those who seek to hurt me speak of ruin,

and meditate treachery all day long.

¹³ But I am like the deaf, I do not hear;

like the mute, who cannot speak.

¹⁴ Truly, I am like one who does not hear,

and in whose mouth is no retort.

¹⁵ But it is for you, O LORD, that I wait;

it is you, O LORD my God, who will answer.

¹⁶ For I pray, ‘Only do not let them rejoice over me,

those who boast against me when my foot slips.’

¹⁷ For I am ready to fall,

and my pain is ever with me.

¹⁸ I confess my iniquity;

I am sorry for my sin.

¹⁹ Those who are my foes without causea are mighty,

and many are those who hate me wrongfully.

²⁰ Those who render me evil for good

are my adversaries because I follow after good.

²¹ Do not forsake me, O LORD;

O my God, do not be far from me;

²² make haste to help me,

O LORD, my salvation.

Prayer for Wisdom and Forgiveness

To the leader: to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

39

I SAID, ‘I will guard my ways

that I may not sin with my tongue;

I will keep a muzzle on my mouth

as long as the wicked are in my presence.’

² I was silent and still;

I held my peace to no avail;

my distress grew worse,

³ my heart became hot within me.

While I mused, the fire burned;

then I spoke with my tongue:

⁴ ‘LORD, let me know my end,

and what is the measure of my days;

let me know how fleeting my life is.

⁵ You have made my days a few handbreadths,

and my lifetime is as nothing in your sight.

Surely everyone stands as a mere breath.

Selah

⁶ Surely everyone goes about like a shadow.

Surely for nothing they are in turmoil;

they heap up, and do not know who will gather.

⁷ ‘And now, O Lord, what do I wait for?

My hope is in you.

⁸ Deliver me from all my transgressions.

Do not make me the scorn of the fool.

⁹ I am silent; I do not open my mouth,

for it is you who have done it.

¹⁰ Remove your stroke from me;

I am worn down by the blowsa of your hand.

¹¹ ‘You chastise mortals

in punishment for sin,

consuming like a moth what is dear to them;

surely everyone is a mere breath.

Selah

¹² ‘Hear my prayer, O LORD,

and give ear to my cry;

do not hold your peace at my tears.

For I am your passing guest,

an alien, like all my forebears.

¹³ Turn your gaze away from me, that I may smile again,

before I depart and am no more.’

Thanksgiving for Deliverance and Prayer for Help

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

40

I WAITED patiently for the LORD;

he inclined to me and heard my cry.

² He drew me up from the desolate pit,b

out of the miry bog,

and set my feet upon a rock,

making my steps secure.

³ He put a new song in my mouth,

a song of praise to our God.

Many will see and fear,

and put their trust in the LORD.

⁴ Happy are those who make

the LORD their trust,

who do not turn to the proud,

to those who go astray after false gods.

⁵ You have multiplied, O LORD my God,

your wondrous deeds and your thoughts towards us;

none can compare with you.

Were I to proclaim and tell of them,

they would be more than can be counted.

⁶ Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,

but you have given me an open ear.c

Burnt-offering and sin-offering

you have not required.

⁷ Then I said, ‘Here I am;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me.d

⁸ I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.’

⁹ I have told the glad news of deliverance

in the great congregation;

see, I have not restrained my lips,

as you know, O LORD.

¹⁰ I have not hidden your saving help within my heart,

I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation;

I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness

from the great congregation.

¹¹ Do not, O LORD, withhold

your mercy from me;

let your steadfast love and your faithfulness

keep me safe for ever.

¹² For evils have encompassed me

without number;

my iniquities have overtaken me,

until I cannot see;

they are more than the hairs of my head,

and my heart fails me.

¹³ Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me;

O LORD, make haste to help me.

¹⁴ Let all those be put to shame and confusion

who seek to snatch away my life;

let those be turned back and brought to dishonour

who desire my hurt.

¹⁵ Let those be appalled because of their shame

who say to me, ‘Aha, Aha!’

¹⁶ But may all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you;

may those who love your salvation

say continually, ‘Great is the LORD!’

¹⁷ As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the LORD takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God.

Assurance of God’s Help and a Plea for Healing

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

41

HAPPY are those who consider the poor;a

the LORD delivers them in the day of trouble.

² The LORD protects them and keeps them alive;

they are called happy in the land.

You do not give them up to the will of their enemies.

³ The LORD sustains them on their sickbed;

in their illness you heal all their infirmities.b

⁴ As for me, I said, ‘O LORD, be gracious to me;

heal me, for I have sinned against you.’

⁵ My enemies wonder in malice

when I will die, and my name perish.

⁶ And when they come to see me, they utter empty words,

while their hearts gather mischief;

when they go out, they tell it abroad.

⁷ All who hate me whisper together about me;

they imagine the worst for me.

⁸ They think that a deadly thing has fastened on me,

that I will not rise again from where I lie.

⁹ Even my bosom friend in whom I trusted,

who ate of my bread, has lifted the heel against me.

¹⁰ But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,

and raise me up, that I may repay them.

¹¹ By this I know that you are pleased with me;

because my enemy has not triumphed over me.

¹² But you have upheld me because of my integrity,

and set me in your presence for ever.

¹³ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.

BOOK II: Psalms 42–72

Longing for God and His Help in Distress

To the leader. A Maskil of the Korahites.

42

AS A deer longs for flowing streams,

so my soul longs for you, O God.

² My soul thirsts for God,

for the living God.

When shall I come and behold

the face of God?

³ My tears have been my food

day and night,

while people say to me continually,

‘Where is your God?’

⁴ These things I remember,

as I pour out my soul:

how I went with the throng,a

and led them in procession to the house of God,

with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,

a multitude keeping festival.

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help ⁶and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;

therefore I remember you

from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,

from Mount Mizar.

⁷ Deep calls to deep

at the thunder of your cataracts;

all your waves and your billows

have gone over me.

⁸ By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,

and at night his song is with me,

a prayer to the God of my life.

⁹ I say to God, my rock,

‘Why have you forgotten me?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because the enemy oppresses me?’

¹⁰ As with a deadly wound in my body,

my adversaries taunt me,

while they say to me continually,

‘Where is your God?’

¹¹ Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

Prayer to God in Time of Trouble

43

VINDICATE me, O God, and defend my cause

against an ungodly people;

from those who are deceitful and unjust

deliver me!

² For you are the God in whom I take refuge;

why have you cast me off?

Why must I walk about mournfully

because of the oppression of the enemy?

³ O send out your light and your truth;

let them lead me;

let them bring me to your holy hill

and to your dwelling.

⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God,

to God my exceeding joy;

and I will praise you with the harp,

O God, my God.

⁵ Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my help and my God.

National Lament and Prayer for Help

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Maskil.

44

WE HAVE heard with our ears, OGod,

our ancestors have told us,

what deeds you performed in their days,

in the days of old:

² you with your own hand drove out the nations,

but them you planted;

you afflicted the peoples,

but them you set free;

³ for not by their own sword did they win the land,

nor did their own arm give them victory;

but your right hand, and your arm,

and the light of your countenance,

for you delighted in them.

⁴ You are my King and my God;

you commanda victories for Jacob.

⁵ Through you we push down our foes;

through your name we tread down our assailants.

⁶ For not in my bow do I trust,

nor can my sword save me.

⁷ But you have saved us from our foes,

and have put to confusion those who hate us.

⁸ In God we have boasted continually,

and we will give thanks to your name for ever.

Selah

⁹ Yet you have rejected us and abased us,

and have not gone out with our armies.

¹⁰ You made us turn back from the foe,

and our enemies have taken spoil for themselves.

¹¹ You have made us like sheep for slaughter,

and have scattered us among the nations.

¹² You have sold your people for a trifle,

demanding no high price for them.

¹³ You have made us the taunt of our neighbours,

the derision and scorn of those around us.

¹⁴ You have made us a byword among the nations,

a laughing-stockb among the peoples.

¹⁵ All day long my disgrace is before me,

and shame has covered my face

¹⁶ at the words of the taunters and revilers,

at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.

¹⁷ All this has come upon us,

yet we have not forgotten you,

or been false to your covenant.

¹⁸ Our heart has not turned back,

nor have our steps departed from your way,

¹⁹ yet you have broken us in the haunt of jackals,

and covered us with deep darkness.

²⁰ If we had forgotten the name of our God,

or spread out our hands to a strange god,

²¹ would not God discover this?

For he knows the secrets of the heart.

²² Because of you we are being killed all day long,

and accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

²³ Rouse yourself! Why do you sleep, O LORD?

Awake, do not cast us off for ever!

²⁴ Why do you hide your face?

Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?

²⁵ For we sink down to the dust;

our bodies cling to the ground.

²⁶ Rise up, come to our help.

Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.

Ode for a Royal Wedding

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of the Korahites. A Maskil. A love song.

45

MY HEART overflows with a goodly theme;

I address my verses to the king;

my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe.

² You are the most handsome of men;

grace is poured upon your lips;

therefore God has blessed you for ever.

³ Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one,

in your glory and majesty.

⁴ In your majesty ride on victoriously

for the cause of truth and to defenda the right;

let your right hand teach you dread deeds.

⁵ Your arrows are sharp

in the heart of the king’s enemies;

the peoples fall under you.

⁶ Your throne, O God,b endures for ever and ever.

Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;

⁷ you love righteousness and hate wickedness.

Therefore God, your God, has anointed you

with the oil of gladness beyond your companions;

⁸ your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia.

From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad;

⁹ daughters of kings are among your ladies of honour;

at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

¹⁰ Hear, O daughter, consider and incline your ear;

forget your people and your father’s house,

¹¹ and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him;

¹² the peoplec of Tyre will seek your favour with gifts,

the richest of the people ¹³with all kinds of wealth.

The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;d

¹⁴ in many-coloured robes she is led to the king;

behind her the virgins, her companions, follow.

¹⁵ With joy and gladness they are led along

as they enter the palace of the king.

¹⁶ In the place of ancestors you, O king,e shall have sons;

you will make them princes in all the earth.

¹⁷ I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;

therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.

God’s Defence of His City and People

To the leader. Of the Korahites. According to Alamoth. A Song.

46

GOD is our refuge and strength,

a very presentf help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,

though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;

³ though its waters roar and foam,

though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy habitation of the Most High.

⁵ God is in the midst of the city;g it shall not be moved;

God will help it when the morning dawns.

⁶ The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;

he utters his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.h

Selah

⁸ Come, behold the works of the LORD;

see what desolations he has brought on the earth.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;

he breaks the bow, and shatters the spear;

he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰ ‘Be still, and know that I am God!

I am exalted among the nations,

I am exalted in the earth.’

¹¹ The LORD of hosts is with us;

the God of Jacob is our refuge.a

Selah

God’s Rule over the Nations

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

47

CLAP your hands, all you peoples;

shout to God with loud songs of joy.

² For the LORD, the Most High, is awesome,

a great king over all the earth.

³ He subdued peoples under us,

and nations under our feet.

⁴ He chose our heritage for us,

the pride of Jacob whom he loves.

Selah

⁵ God has gone up with a shout,

the LORD with the sound of a trumpet.

⁶ Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises.

⁷ For God is the king of all the earth;

sing praises with a psalm.b

⁸ God is king over the nations;

God sits on his holy throne.

⁹ The princes of the peoples gather

as the people of the God of Abraham.

For the shields of the earth belong to God;

he is highly exalted.

The Glory and Strength of Zion

A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites.

48

GREAT is the LORD and greatly to be praised

in the city of our God.

His holy mountain, ²beautiful in elevation,

is the joy of all the earth,

Mount Zion, in the far north,

the city of the great King.

³ Within its citadels God

has shown himself a sure defence.

⁴ Then the kings assembled,

they came on together.

⁵ As soon as they saw it, they were astounded;

they were in panic, they took to flight;

⁶ trembling took hold of them there,

pains as of a woman in labour,

⁷ as when an east wind shatters

the ships of Tarshish.

⁸ As we have heard, so have we seen

in the city of the LORD of hosts,

in the city of our God,

which God establishes for ever.

Selah

⁹ We ponder your steadfast love, OGod,

in the midst of your temple.

¹⁰ Your name, O God, like your praise,

reaches to the ends of the earth.

Your right hand is filled with victory.

¹¹ Let Mount Zion be glad,

let the townsc of Judah rejoice

because of your judgements.

¹² Walk about Zion, go all around it,

count its towers,

¹³ consider well its ramparts;

go through its citadels,

that you may tell the next generation

¹⁴ that this is God,

our God for ever and ever.

He will be our guide for ever.

The Folly of Trust in Riches

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

49

HEAR this, all you peoples;

give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

² both low and high,

rich and poor together.

³ My mouth shall speak wisdom;

the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

⁵ Why should I fear in times of trouble,

when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

⁶ those who trust in their wealth

and boast of the abundance of their riches?

⁷ Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,a

there is no price one can give to God for it.

⁸ For the ransom of life is costly,

and can never suffice,

⁹ that one should live on for ever

and never see the grave.b

¹⁰ When we look at the wise, they die;

fool and dolt perish together

and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹ Their gravesc are their homes for ever,

their dwelling-places to all generations,

though they named lands their own.

¹² Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;

they are like the animals that perish.

¹³ Such is the fate of the foolhardy,

the end of thosed who are pleased with their lot.

Selah

¹⁴ Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;

Death shall be their shepherd;

straight to the grave they descend,e

and their form shall waste away;

Sheol shall be their home.f

¹⁵ But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,

for he will receive me.

Selah

¹⁶ Do not be afraid when some become rich,

when the wealth of their houses increases.

¹⁷ For when they die they will carry nothing away;

their wealth will not go down after them.

¹⁸ Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy

—for you are praised when you do well for yourself—

¹⁹ theyg will go to the company of their ancestors,

who will never again see the light.

²⁰ Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;

they are like the animals that perish.

The Acceptable Sacrifice

A Psalm of Asaph.

50

THE mighty one, God the LORD,

speaks and summons the earth

from the rising of the sun to its setting.

² Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty,

God shines forth.

³ Our God comes and does not keep silence,

before him is a devouring fire,

and a mighty tempest all around him.

⁴ He calls to the heavens above

and to the earth, that he may judge his people:

⁵ ‘Gather to me my faithful ones,

who made a covenant with me by sacrifice!’

⁶ The heavens declare his righteousness,

for God himself is judge.

Selah

⁷ ‘Hear, O my people, and I will speak,

O Israel, I will testify against you.

I am God, your God.

⁸ Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you;

your burnt-offerings are continually before me.

⁹ I will not accept a bull from your house,

or goats from your folds.

¹⁰ For every wild animal of the forest is mine,

the cattle on a thousand hills.

¹¹ I know all the birds of the air,a

and all that moves in the field is mine.

¹² ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you,

for the world and all that is in it is mine.

¹³ Do I eat the flesh of bulls,

or drink the blood of goats?

¹⁴ Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving,b

and pay your vows to the Most High.

¹⁵ Call on me in the day of trouble;

I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.’

¹⁶ But to the wicked God says:

‘What right have you to recite my statutes,

or take my covenant on your lips?

¹⁷ For you hate discipline,

and you cast my words behind you.

¹⁸ You make friends with a thief when you see one,

and you keep company with adulterers.

¹⁹ ‘You give your mouth free rein for evil,

and your tongue frames deceit.

²⁰ You sit and speak against your kin;

you slander your own mother’s child.

²¹ These things you have done and I have been silent;

you thought that I was one just like yourself.

But now I rebuke you, and lay the charge before you.

²² ‘Mark this, then, you who forget God,

or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.

²³ Those who bring thanksgiving as their sacrifice honour me;

to those who go the right wayc

I will show the salvation of God.’

Prayer for Cleansing and Pardon

To the leader. A Psalm of David, when the prophet Nathan came to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba.

51

HAVE mercy on me, O God,

according to your steadfast love;

according to your abundant mercy

blot out my transgressions.

² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,

and cleanse me from my sin.

³ For I know my transgressions,

and my sin is ever before me.

⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned,

and done what is evil in your sight,

so that you are justified in your sentence

and blameless when you pass judgement.

⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty,

a sinner when my mother conceived me.

⁶ You desire truth in the inward being;d

therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.

⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;

wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness;

let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.

⁹ Hide your face from my sins,

and blot out all my iniquities.

¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,

and put a new and righta spirit within me.

¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence,

and do not take your holy spirit from me.

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

and sustain in me a willingb spirit.

¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways,

and sinners will return to you.

¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God,

O God of my salvation,

and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance.

¹⁵ O LORD, open my lips,

and my mouth will declare your praise.

¹⁶ For you have no delight in sacrifice;

if I were to give a burnt-offering, you would not be pleased.

¹⁷ The sacrifice acceptable to Godc is a broken spirit;

a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

¹⁸ Do good to Zion in your good pleasure;

rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,

¹⁹ then you will delight in right sacrifices,

in burnt-offerings and whole burnt-offerings;

then bulls will be offered on your altar.

Judgement on the Deceitful

To the leader. A Maskil of David, when Doeg the Edomite came to Saul and said to him, ‘David has come to the house of Ahimelech.’

52

WHY do you boast, O mighty one,

of mischief done against the godly?d

All day long ²you are plotting destruction.

Your tongue is like a sharp razor,

you worker of treachery.

³ You love evil more than good,

and lying more than speaking the truth.

Selah

⁴ You love all words that devour,

O deceitful tongue.

⁵ But God will break you down for ever;

he will snatch and tear you from your tent;

he will uproot you from the land of the living.

Selah

⁶ The righteous will see, and fear,

and will laugh at the evildoer,e saying,

⁷ ‘See the one who would not take

refuge in God,

but trusted in abundant riches,

and sought refuge in wealth!’f

⁸ But I am like a green olive tree

in the house of God.

I trust in the steadfast love of God

for ever and ever.

⁹ I will thank you for ever,

because of what you have done.

In the presence of the faithful

I will proclaimg your name, for it is good.

Denunciation of Godlessness

To the leader: according to Mahalath. A Maskil of David.

53

FOOLS say in their hearts, ‘There is no God.’

They are corrupt, they commit abominable acts;

there is no one who does good.

² God looks down from heaven on humankind

to see if there are any who are wise,

who seek after God.

³ They have all fallen away, they are all alike perverse;

there is no one who does good,

no, not one.

⁴ Have they no knowledge, those evildoers,

who eat up my people as they eat bread,

and do not call upon God?

⁵ There they shall be in great terror,

in terror such as has not been.

For God will scatter the bones of the ungodly;a

they will be put to shame,b for God has rejected them.

⁶ O that deliverance for Israel would come from Zion!

When God restores the fortunes of his people,

Jacob will rejoice; Israel will be glad.

Prayer for Vindication

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David, when the Ziphites went and told Saul, ‘David is in hiding among us.’

54

SAVE me, O God, by your name,

and vindicate me by your might.

² Hear my prayer, O God;

give ear to the words of my mouth.

³ For the insolent have risen against me,

the ruthless seek my life;

they do not set God before them.

Selah

⁴ But surely, God is my helper;

the Lord is the upholder ofc my life.

⁵ He will repay my enemies for their evil.

In your faithfulness, put an end to them.

⁶ With a freewill-offering I will sacrifice to you;

I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.

⁷ For he has delivered me from every trouble,

and my eye has looked in triumph on my enemies.

Complaint about a Friend’s Treachery

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Maskil of David.

55

GIVE ear to my prayer, O God;

do not hide yourself from my supplication.

² Attend to me, and answer me;

I am troubled in my complaint.

I am distraught ³by the noise of the enemy,

because of the clamour of the wicked.

For they bringd trouble upon me,

and in anger they cherish enmity against me.

⁴ My heart is in anguish within me,

the terrors of death have fallen upon me.

⁵ Fear and trembling come upon me,

and horror overwhelms me.

⁶ And I say, ‘O that I had wings like a dove!

I would fly away and be at rest;

⁷ truly, I would flee far away;

I would lodge in the wilderness;

Selah

⁸ I would hurry to find a shelter for myself

from the raging wind and tempest.’

⁹ Confuse, O LORD, confound their speech;

for I see violence and strife in the city.

¹⁰ Day and night they go around it on its walls,

and iniquity and trouble are within it;

¹¹ ruin is in its midst;

oppression and fraud

do not depart from its market-place.

¹² It is not enemies who taunt me—

I could bear that;

it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me—

I could hide from them.

¹³ But it is you, my equal,

my companion, my familiar friend,

¹⁴ with whom I kept pleasant company;

we walked in the house of God with the throng.

¹⁵ Let death come upon them;

let them go down alive to Sheol;

for evil is in their homes and in their hearts.

¹⁶ But I call upon God,

and the LORD will save me.

¹⁷ Evening and morning and at noon

I utter my complaint and moan,

and he will hear my voice.

¹⁸ He will redeem me unharmed

from the battle that I wage,

for many are arrayed against me.

¹⁹ God, who is enthroned from of old,

Selah

²⁰ My companion laid hands on a friend

and violated a covenant with mea

²¹ with speech smoother than butter,

but with a heart set on war;

with words that were softer than oil,

but in fact were drawn swords.

²² Cast your burdenb on the LORD,

and he will sustain you;

he will never permit

the righteous to be moved.

²³ But you, O God, will cast them down

into the lowest pit;

the bloodthirsty and treacherous

shall not live out half their days.

But I will trust in you.

Trust in God under Persecution

To the leader: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. Of David. A Miktam, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

56

BE gracious to me, O God, for people trample on me;

all day long foes oppress me;

² my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many fight against me.

O Most High, ³when I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

⁴ In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I am not afraid;

what can flesh do to me?

⁵ All day long they seek to injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

⁶ They stir up strife, they lurk,

they watch my steps.

As they hoped to have my life,

⁷ so repayc them for their crime;

in wrath cast down the peoples, OGod!

⁸ You have kept count of my tossings;

put my tears in your bottle.

Are they not in your record?

⁹ Then my enemies will retreat

on the day when I call.

This I know, thata God is for me.

¹⁰ In God, whose word I praise,

in the LORD, whose word I praise,

¹¹ in God I trust; I am not afraid.

What can a mere mortal do to me?

¹² My vows to you I must perform, OGod;

I will render thank-offerings to you.

¹³ For you have delivered my soul from death,

and my feet from falling,

so that I may walk before God

in the light of life.

Praise and Assurance under Persecution

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when he fled from Saul, in the cave.

57

BE MERCIFUL to me, O God, be merciful to me,

for in you my soul takes refuge;

in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge,

until the destroying storms pass by.

² I cry to God Most High,

to God who fulfils his purpose for me.

³ He will send from heaven and save me,

he will put to shame those who trample on me.

Selah

God will send forth his steadfast love

and his faithfulness.

⁴ I lie down among lions

that greedily devourb human prey;

their teeth are spears and arrows,

their tongues sharp swords.

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶ They set a net for my steps;

my soul was bowed down.

They dug a pit in my path,

but they have fallen into it themselves.

Selah

⁷ My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast.

I will sing and make melody.

⁸ Awake, my soul!

Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn.

⁹ I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples;

I will sing praises to you among the nations.

¹⁰ For your steadfast love is as high as the heavens;

your faithfulness extends to the clouds.

¹¹ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens.

Let your glory be over all the earth.

Prayer for Vengeance

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam.

58

DO YOU indeed decree what is right, you gods?c

Do you judge people fairly?

² No, in your hearts you devise wrongs;

your hands deal out violence on earth.

³ The wicked go astray from the womb;

they err from their birth, speaking lies.

⁴ They have venom like the venom of a serpent,

like the deaf adder that stops its ear,

⁵ so that it does not hear the voice of charmers

or of the cunning enchanter.

⁶ O God, break the teeth in their mouths;

tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD!

⁷ Let them vanish like water that runs away;

like grass let them be trodden downa and wither.

⁸ Let them be like the snail that dissolves into slime;

like the untimely birth that never sees the sun.

⁹ Sooner than your pots can feel the heat of thorns,

whether green or ablaze, may he sweep them away!

¹⁰ The righteous will rejoice when they see vengeance done;

they will bathe their feet in the blood of the wicked.

¹¹ People will say, ‘Surely there is a reward for the righteous;

surely there is a God who judges on earth.’

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. Of David. A Miktam, when Saul ordered his house to be watched in order to kill him.

59

DELIVER me from my enemies, O my God;

protect me from those who rise up against me.

² Deliver me from those who work evil;

from the bloodthirsty save me.

³ Even now they lie in wait for my life;

the mighty stir up strife against me.

For no transgression or sin of mine, O LORD,

⁴ for no fault of mine, they run and make ready.

Rouse yourself, come to my help and see!

⁵ You, LORD God of hosts, are God of Israel.

Awake to punish all the nations;

spare none of those who treacherously plot evil. Selah

⁶ Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.

⁷ There they are, bellowing with their mouths,

with sharp wordsb on their lips—

for ‘Who’, they think,c ‘will hear us?’

⁸ But you laugh at them, O LORD;

you hold all the nations in derision.

⁹ O my strength, I will watch for you;

for you, O God, are my fortress.

¹⁰ My God in his steadfast love will meet me;

my God will let me look in triumph on my enemies.

¹¹ Do not kill them, or my people may forget;

make them totter by your power, and bring them down,

O Lord, our shield.

¹² For the sin of their mouths, the words of their lips,

let them be trapped in their pride.

For the cursing and lies that they utter,

¹³ consume them in wrath;

consume them until they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.

Selah

¹⁴ Each evening they come back,

howling like dogs

and prowling about the city.

¹⁵ They roam about for food,

and growl if they do not get their fill.

¹⁶ But I will sing of your might;

I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning.

For you have been a fortress for me

and a refuge on the day of my distress.

¹⁷ O my strength, I will sing praises to you,

for you, O God, are my fortress,

the God who shows me steadfast love.

Prayer for National Victory after Defeat

To the leader: according to The Lily of the Covenant. A Miktam of David; for instruction; when he struggled with Aram-naharaim and with Aram-zobah, and when Joab on his return killed twelve thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

60

O GOD, you have rejected us, broken our defences;

you have been angry; now restore us!

² You have caused the land to quake; you have torn it open;

repair the cracks in it, for it is tottering.

³ You have made your people suffer hard things;

you have given us wine to drink that made us reel.

⁴ You have set up a banner for those who fear you,

to rally to it out of bowshot.a Selah

⁵ Give victory with your right hand, and answer us,b

so that those whom you love may be rescued.

⁶ God has promised in his sanctuary:c

‘With exultation I will divide up Shechem,

and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

⁷ Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim is my helmet;

Judah is my sceptre.

⁸ Moab is my wash-basin;

on Edom I hurl my shoe;

over Philistia I shout in triumph.’

⁹ Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹⁰ Have you not rejected us, O God?

You do not go out, O God, with our armies.

¹¹ O grant us help against the foe,

for human help is worthless.

¹² With God we shall do valiantly;

it is he who will tread down our foes.

Assurance of God’s Protection

To the leader: with stringed instruments. Of David.

61

HEAR my cry, O God;

listen to my prayer.

² From the end of the earth I call to you, when my heart is faint.

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I;

³ for you are my refuge,

a strong tower against the enemy.

⁴ Let me abide in your tent for ever,

find refuge under the shelter of your wings.

Selah

⁵ For you, O God, have heard my vows;

you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.

⁶ Prolong the life of the king;

may his years endure to all generations!

⁷ May he be enthroned for ever before God;

appoint steadfast love and faithfulness to watch over him!

⁸ So I will always sing praises to your name,

as I pay my vows day after day.

Song of Trust in God Alone

To the leader: according to Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.

62

FOR God alone my soul waits in silence;

from him comes my salvation.

² He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall never be shaken.

³ How long will you assail a person,

will you batter your victim, all of you,

as you would a leaning wall, a tottering fence?

⁴ Their only plan is to bring down a person of prominence.

They take pleasure in falsehood;

they bless with their mouths,

but inwardly they curse.

Selah

⁵ For God alone my soul waits in silence,

for my hope is from him.

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation,

my fortress; I shall not be shaken.

⁷ On God rests my deliverance and

my honour; my mighty rock, my refuge is in God.

⁸ Trust in him at all times, O people;

pour out your heart before him;

God is a refuge for us.

Selah

⁹ Those of low estate are but a breath,

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

they are together lighter than a breath.

¹⁰ Put no confidence in extortion,

and set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

¹¹ Once God has spoken;

twice have I heard this:

that power belongs to God,

¹² and steadfast love belongs to you, O Lord.

For you repay to all

according to their work.

Comfort and Assurance in God’s Presence

A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah.

63

O GOD, you are my God, I seek you,

my soul thirsts for you;

my flesh faints for you,

as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

² So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,

beholding your power and glory.

³ Because your steadfast love is better than life,

my lips will praise you.

⁴ So I will bless you as long as I live;

I will lift up my hands and call on your name.

⁵ My soul is satisfied as with a rich feast,a

and my mouth praises you with joyful lips

⁶ when I think of you on my bed,

and meditate on you in the watches of the night;

⁷ for you have been my help,

and in the shadow of your wings I sing for joy.

⁸ My soul clings to you;

your right hand upholds me.

⁹ But those who seek to destroy my life

shall go down into the depths of the earth;

¹⁰ they shall be given over to the power of the sword,

they shall be prey for jackals.

¹¹ But the king shall rejoice in God;

all who swear by him shall exult,

for the mouths of liars will be stopped.

Prayer for Protection from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

64

HEAR my voice, O God, in my complaint;

preserve my life from the dread enemy.

² Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked,

from the scheming of evildoers,

³ who whet their tongues like swords,

who aim bitter words like arrows,

⁴ shooting from ambush at the blameless;

they shoot suddenly and without fear.

⁵ They hold fast to their evil purpose;

they talk of laying snares secretly,

thinking, ‘Who can see us?a

⁶ Who can search out our crimes?b

We have thought out a cunningly conceived plot.’

For the human heart and mind are deep.

⁷ But God will shoot his arrow at them;

they will be wounded suddenly.

⁸ Because of their tongue he will bring them to ruin;c

all who see them will shake with horror.

⁹ Then everyone will fear;

they will tell what God has brought about,

and ponder what he has done.

¹⁰ Let the righteous rejoice in the LORD

and take refuge in him.

Let all the upright in heart glory.

Thanksgiving for Earth’s Bounty

To the leader. A Psalm of David. A Song.

65

PRAISE is due to you,

O God, in Zion;

and to you shall vows be performed,

² O you who answer prayer!

To you all flesh shall come.

³ When deeds of iniquity overwhelm us,

you forgive our transgressions.

⁴ Happy are those whom you choose and bring near

to live in your courts.

We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house,

your holy temple.

⁵ By awesome deeds you answer us with deliverance,

O God of our salvation;

you are the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas.

⁶ By yourd strength you established the mountains;

you are girded with might.

⁷ You silence the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.

⁸ Those who live at earth’s farthest bounds are awed by your signs;

you make the gateways of the morning and the evening shout for joy.

⁹ You visit the earth and water it,

you greatly enrich it;

the river of God is full of water;

you provide the people with grain,

for so you have prepared it.

¹⁰ You water its furrows abundantly,

settling its ridges,

softening it with showers,

and blessing its growth.

¹¹ You crown the year with your bounty;

your wagon tracks overflow with richness.

¹² The pastures of the wilderness overflow,

the hills gird themselves with joy,

¹³ the meadows clothe themselves with flocks,

the valleys deck themselves with grain,

they shout and sing together for joy.

Praise for God’s Goodness to Israel

To the leader. A Song. A Psalm.

66

MAKE a joyful noise to God, all the earth;

² sing the glory of his name;

give to him glorious praise.

³ Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!

Because of your great power, your enemies cringe before you.

⁴ All the earth worships you;

they sing praises to you,

sing praises to your name.’

Selah

⁵ Come and see what God has done:

he is awesome in his deeds among mortals.

⁶ He turned the sea into dry land;

they passed through the river on foot.

There we rejoiced in him,

⁷ who rules by his might for ever,

whose eyes keep watch on the nations—

let the rebellious not exalt themselves.

Selah

⁸ Bless our God, O peoples,

let the sound of his praise be heard,

⁹ who has kept us among the living,

and has not let our feet slip.

¹⁰ For you, O God, have tested us;

you have tried us as silver is tried.

¹¹ You brought us into the net;

you laid burdens on our backs;

¹² you let people ride over our heads;

we went through fire and through water;

yet you have brought us out to a spacious place.a

¹³ I will come into your house with burnt-offerings;

I will pay you my vows,

¹⁴ those that my lips uttered

and my mouth promised when I was in trouble.

¹⁵ I will offer to you burnt-offerings of fatlings,

with the smoke of the sacrifice of rams;

I will make an offering of bulls and goats.

Selah

¹⁶ Come and hear, all you who fear

God, and I will tell what he has done for me.

¹⁷ I cried aloud to him,

and he was extolled with my tongue.

¹⁸ If I had cherished iniquity in my heart,

the Lord would not have listened.

¹⁹ But truly God has listened;

he has given heed to the words of my prayer.

²⁰ Blessed be God,

because he has not rejected my prayer

or removed his steadfast love from me.

The Nations Called to Praise God

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm. A Song.

67

MAY God be gracious to us and bless us

and make his face to shine upon us,

Selah

² that your way may be known upon earth,

your saving power among all nations.

³ Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

⁴ Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,

for you judge the peoples with equity

and guide the nations upon earth.

Selah

⁵ Let the peoples praise you, O God;

let all the peoples praise you.

⁶ The earth has yielded its increase;

God, our God, has blessed us.

⁷ May God continue to bless us;

let all the ends of the earth revere him.

Praise and Thanksgiving

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm. A Song.

68

LET God rise up, let his enemies be scattered; let those who hate him flee before him.

² As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;

as wax melts before the fire,

let the wicked perish before God.

³ But let the righteous be joyful;

let them exult before God;

let them be jubilant with joy.

⁴ Sing to God, sing praises to his name;

lift up a song to him who rides upon the cloudsa—

his name is the LORD—

be exultant before him.

⁵ Father of orphans and protector of widows

is God in his holy habitation.

⁶ God gives the desolate a home to live in;

he leads out the prisoners to prosperity,

but the rebellious live in a parched land.

⁷ O God, when you went out before your people,

when you marched through the wilderness, Selah

⁸ the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain

at the presence of God, the God of Sinai,

at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

⁹ Rain in abundance, O God, you showered abroad;

you restored your heritage when it languished;

¹⁰ your flock found a dwelling in it;

in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.

¹¹ The Lord gives the command;

great is the company of thoseb who bore the tidings:

¹² ‘The kings of the armies, they flee, they flee!’

The women at home divide the spoil,

¹³ though they stay among the sheepfolds—

the wings of a dove covered with silver,

its pinions with green gold.

¹⁴ When the Almightyc scattered kings there,

snow fell on Zalmon.

¹⁵ O mighty mountain, mountain of Bashan;

O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!

¹⁶ Why do you look with envy, O many-peaked mountain,

at the mount that God desired for his abode,

where the LORD will reside for ever?

¹⁷ With mighty chariotry, twice ten thousand,

thousands upon thousands,

the Lord came from Sinai into the holy place.d

¹⁸ You ascended the high mount,

leading captives in your train

and receiving gifts from people,

even from those who rebel against the LORD God’s abiding there.

¹⁹ Blessed be the Lord,

who daily bears us up;

God is our salvation.

Selah

²⁰ Our God is a God of salvation,

and to GOD, the Lord, belongs escape from death.

²¹ But God will shatter the heads of his enemies,

the hairy crown of those who walk in their guilty ways.

²² The Lord said,

‘I will bring them back from Bashan,

I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,

²³ so that you may bathea your feet in blood,

so that the tongues of your dogs may have their share from the foe.’

²⁴ Your solemn processions are seen,b OGod,

the processions of my God, my King, into the sanctuary—

²⁵ the singers in front, the musicians last,

between them girls playing tambourines:

²⁶ ‘Bless God in the great congregation,

the LORD, O you who are of Israel’s fountain!’

²⁷ There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead,

the princes of Judah in a body,

the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.

²⁸ Summon your might, O God;

show your strength, O God, as you have done for us before.

²⁹ Because of your temple at Jerusalem

kings bear gifts to you.

³⁰ Rebuke the wild animals that live among the reeds,

the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples.

Tramplec under foot those who lust after tribute;

scatter the peoples who delight in war.d

³¹ Let bronze be brought from Egypt;

let Ethiopiae hasten to stretch out its hands to God.

³² Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;

sing praises to the Lord,

Selah

³³ O rider in the heavens, the ancient heavens;

listen, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.

³⁴ Ascribe power to God,

whose majesty is over Israel;

and whose power is in the skies.

³⁵ Awesome is God in hisf sanctuary,

the God of Israel;

he gives power and strength to his people.

Blessed be God!

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecution

To the leader: according to Lilies. Of David.

69

SAVE me, O God,

for the waters have come up to my neck.

² I sink in deep mire,

where there is no foothold;

I have come into deep waters,

and the flood sweeps over me.

³ I am weary with my crying;

my throat is parched.

My eyes grow dim

with waiting for my God.

⁴ More in number than the hairs of my head

are those who hate me without cause;

many are those who would destroy me,

my enemies who accuse me falsely.

What I did not steal

must I now restore?

⁵ O God, you know my folly;

the wrongs I have done are not hidden from you.

⁶ Do not let those who hope in you be put to shame because of me,

O Lord GOD of hosts;

do not let those who seek you be dishonoured because of me,

O God of Israel.

⁷ It is for your sake that I have borne reproach,

that shame has covered my face.

⁸ I have become a stranger to my kindred,

an alien to my mother’s children.

⁹ It is zeal for your house that has consumed me;

the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.

¹⁰ When I humbled my soul with fasting,a

they insulted me for doing so.

¹¹ When I made sackcloth my clothing,

I became a byword to them.

¹² I am the subject of gossip for those who sit in the gate,

and the drunkards make songs about me.

¹³ But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD.

At an acceptable time, O God,

in the abundance of your steadfast love, answer me.

With your faithful help ¹⁴rescue me

from sinking in the mire;

let me be delivered from my enemies

and from the deep waters.

¹⁵ Do not let the flood sweep over me,

or the deep swallow me up,

or the Pit close its mouth over me.

¹⁶ Answer me, O LORD, for your steadfast love is good;

according to your abundant mercy, turn to me.

¹⁷ Do not hide your face from your servant,

for I am in distress—make haste to answer me.

¹⁸ Draw near to me, redeem me,

set me free because of my enemies.

¹⁹ You know the insults I receive,

and my shame and dishonour;

my foes are all known to you.

²⁰ Insults have broken my heart,

so that I am in despair.

I looked for pity, but there was none;

and for comforters, but I found none.

²¹ They gave me poison for food,

and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.

²² Let their table be a trap for them,

a snare for their allies.

²³ Let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,

and make their loins tremble continually.

²⁴ Pour out your indignation upon them,

and let your burning anger overtake them.

²⁵ May their camp be a desolation;

let no one live in their tents.

²⁶ For they persecute those whom you have struck down,

and those whom you have wounded, they attack still more.b

²⁷ Add guilt to their guilt;

may they have no acquittal from you.

²⁸ Let them be blotted out of the book of the living;

let them not be enrolled among the righteous.

²⁹ But I am lowly and in pain;

let your salvation, O God, protect me.

³⁰ I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

³¹ This will please the LORD more than an ox

or a bull with horns and hoofs.

³² Let the oppressed see it and be glad;

you who seek God, let your hearts revive.

³³ For the LORD hears the needy,

and does not despise his own that are in bonds.

³⁴ Let heaven and earth praise him,

the seas and everything that moves in them.

³⁵ For God will save Zion

and rebuild the cities of Judah;

and his servants shall livea there and possess it;

³⁶ the children of his servants shall inherit it,

and those who love his name shall live in it.

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. Of David, for the
memorial offering.

70

BE PLEASED, O God, to deliver me.

O LORD, make haste to help me!

² Let those be put to shame and confusion

who seek my life.

Let those be turned back and brought to dishonour

who desire to hurt me.

³ Let those who say, ‘Aha, Aha!’

turn back because of their shame.

⁴ Let all who seek you

rejoice and be glad in you.

Let those who love your salvation

say evermore, ‘God is great!’

⁵ But I am poor and needy;

hasten to me, O God!

You are my help and my deliverer;

O LORD, do not delay!

Prayer for Lifelong Protection and Help

71

IN YOU, O LORD, I take refuge;

let me never be put to shame.

² In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;

incline your ear to me and save me.

³ Be to me a rock of refuge,

a strong fortress,b to save me,

for you are my rock and my fortress.

⁴ Rescue me, O my God, from the hand of the wicked,

from the grasp of the unjust and cruel.

⁵ For you, O Lord, are my hope,

my trust, O LORD, from my youth.

⁶ Upon you I have leaned from my birth;

it was you who took me from my mother’s womb.

My praise is continually of you.

⁷ I have been like a portent to many,

but you are my strong refuge.

⁸ My mouth is filled with your praise,

and with your glory all day long.

⁹ Do not cast me off in the time of old age;

do not forsake me when my strength is spent.

¹⁰ For my enemies speak concerning me,

and those who watch for my life consult together.

¹¹ They say, ‘Pursue and seize that person

whom God has forsaken,

for there is no one to deliver.’

¹² O God, do not be far from me;

O my God, make haste to help me!

¹³ Let my accusers be put to shame and consumed;

let those who seek to hurt me

be covered with scorn and disgrace.

¹⁴ But I will hope continually,

and will praise you yet more and more.

¹⁵ My mouth will tell of your righteous acts,

of your deeds of salvation all day long,

though their number is past my knowledge.

¹⁶ I will come praising the mighty deeds of the Lord GOD,

I will praise your righteousness, yours alone.

¹⁷ O God, from my youth you have taught me,

and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

¹⁸ So even to old age and grey hairs,

O God, do not forsake me,

until I proclaim your might

to all the generations to come.a

Your power ¹⁹and your righteousness, OGod,

reach the high heavens.

You who have done great things,

O God, who is like you?

²⁰ You who have made me see many troubles and calamities

will revive me again;

from the depths of the earth

you will bring me up again.

²¹ You will increase my honour,

and comfort me once again.

²² I will also praise you with the harp

for your faithfulness, O my God;

I will sing praises to you with the lyre,

O Holy One of Israel.

²³ My lips will shout for joy

when I sing praises to you;

my soul also, which you have rescued.

²⁴ All day long my tongue will talk of your righteous help,

for those who tried to do me harm

have been put to shame, and disgraced.

Prayer for Guidance and Support for the King

Of Solomon.

72

GIVE the king your justice, O God,

and your righteousness to a king’s son.

² May he judge your people with righteousness,

and your poor with justice.

³ May the mountains yield prosperity for the people,

and the hills, in righteousness.

⁴ May he defend the cause of the poor of the people,

give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor.

⁵ May he liveb while the sun endures,

and as long as the moon, throughout all generations.

⁶ May he be like rain that falls on the mown grass,

like showers that water the earth.

⁷ In his days may righteousness flourish

and peace abound, until the moon is no more.

⁸ May he have dominion from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

⁹ May his foesc bow down before him,

and his enemies lick the dust.

¹⁰ May the kings of Tarshish and of the isles

render him tribute,

may the kings of Sheba and Seba bring gifts.

¹¹ May all kings fall down before him,

all nations give him service.

¹² For he delivers the needy when they call,

the poor and those who have no helper.

¹³ He has pity on the weak and the needy,

and saves the lives of the needy.

¹⁴ From oppression and violence he redeems their life;

and precious is their blood in his sight.

¹⁵ Long may he live!

May gold of Sheba be given to him.

May prayer be made for him continually,

and blessings invoked for him all day long.

¹⁶ May there be abundance of grain in the land;

may it wave on the tops of the mountains;

may its fruit be like Lebanon;

and may people blossom in the cities

like the grass of the field.

¹⁷ May his name endure for ever,

his fame continue as long as the sun.

May all nations be blessed in him;a

may they pronounce him happy.

¹⁸ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

who alone does wondrous things.

¹⁹ Blessed be his glorious name for ever;

may his glory fill the whole earth. Amen and Amen.

²⁰ The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended.

BOOK III: Psalms 73–89

Plea for Relief from Oppressors

A Psalm of Asaph.

73

TRULY God is good to the upright,b

to those who are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled;

my steps had nearly slipped.

³ For I was envious of the arrogant;

I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ For they have no pain;

their bodies are sound and sleek.

⁵ They are not in trouble as others are;

they are not plagued like other people.

⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;

violence covers them like a garment.

⁷ Their eyes swell out with fatness;

their hearts overflow with follies.

⁸ They scoff and speak with malice;

loftily they threaten oppression.

⁹ They set their mouths against heaven,

and their tongues range over the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore the people turn and praise them,c

and find no fault in them.d

¹¹ And they say, ‘How can God know?

Is there knowledge in the Most High?’

¹² Such are the wicked;

always at ease, they increase in riches.

¹³ All in vain I have kept my heart clean

and washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴ For all day long I have been plagued,

and am punished every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, ‘I will talk on in this way’,

I would have been untrue to the circle of your children.

¹⁶ But when I thought how to understand this,

it seemed to me a wearisome task,

¹⁷ until I went into the sanctuary of God;

then I perceived their end.

¹⁸ Truly you set them in slippery places;

you make them fall to ruin.

¹⁹ How they are destroyed in a moment,

swept away utterly by terrors!

²⁰ They aree like a dream when one awakes;

on awaking you despise their phantoms.

²¹ When my soul was embittered,

when I was pricked in heart,

²² I was stupid and ignorant;

I was like a brute beast towards you.

²³ Nevertheless I am continually with you;

you hold my right hand.

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,

and afterwards you will receive me with honour.a

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?

And there is nothing on earth that I desire other than you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,

but God is the strengthb of my heart and my portion for ever.

²⁷ Indeed, those who are far from you will perish;

you put an end to those who are false to you.

²⁸ But for me it is good to be near God;

I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,

to tell of all your works.

Plea for Help in Time of National Humiliation

A Maskil of Asaph.

74

O GOD, why do you cast us off for ever?

Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?

² Remember your congregation, which you acquired long ago,

which you redeemed to be the tribe of your heritage.

Remember Mount Zion, where you came to dwell.

³ Direct your steps to the perpetual ruins;

the enemy has destroyed everything in the sanctuary.

⁴ Your foes have roared within your holy place;

they set up their emblems there.

⁵ At the upper entrance they hacked

the wooden trellis with axes.c

⁶ And then, with hatchets and hammers,

they smashed all its carved work.

⁷ They set your sanctuary on fire;

they desecrated the dwelling-place of your name,

bringing it to the ground.

⁸ They said to themselves, ‘We will

utterly subdue them’ they burned all the meeting-places of God in the land.

⁹ We do not see our emblems;

there is no longer any prophet,

and there is no one among us who knows how long.

¹⁰ How long, O God, is the foe to scoff?

Is the enemy to revile your name for ever?

¹¹ Why do you hold back your hand;

why do you keep your hand ind your bosom?

¹² Yet God my King is from of old,

working salvation in the earth.

¹³ You divided the sea by your might;

you broke the heads of the dragons in the waters.

¹⁴ You crushed the heads of Leviathan;

you gave him as foode for the creatures of the wilderness.

¹⁵ You cut openings for springs and torrents;

you dried up ever-flowing streams.

¹⁶ Yours is the day, yours also the night;

you established the luminariesf and the sun.

¹⁷ You have fixed all the bounds of the earth;

you made summer and winter.

¹⁸ Remember this, O LORD, how the enemy scoffs,

and an impious people reviles your name.

¹⁹ Do not deliver the soul of your dove to the wild animals;

do not forget the life of your poor for ever.

²⁰ Have regard for youra covenant,

for the dark places of the land are full of the haunts of violence.

²¹ Do not let the downtrodden be put to shame;

let the poor and needy praise your name.

²² Rise up, O God, plead your cause;

remember how the impious scoff at you all day long.

²³ Do not forget the clamour of your foes,

the uproar of your adversaries that goes up continually.

Thanksgiving for God’s Wondrous Deeds

To the leader: Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

75

WE GIVE thanks to you, O God;

we give thanks; your name is near.

People tell of your wondrous deeds.

² At the set time that I appoint

I will judge with equity.

³ When the earth totters, with all its inhabitants,

it is I who keep its pillars steady.

Selah

⁴ I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast’,

and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;

⁵ do not lift up your horn on high,

or speak with insolent neck.’

⁶ For not from the east or from the west

and not from the wilderness comes lifting up;

⁷ but it is God who executes judgement,

putting down one and lifting up another.

⁸ For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup

with foaming wine, well mixed;

he will pour a draught from it,

and all the wicked of the earth

shall drain it down to the dregs.

⁹ But I will rejoiceb for ever;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

¹⁰ All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,

but the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Israel’s God—Judge of All the Earth

To the leader: with stringed instruments. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

76

IN JUDAH God is known,

his name is great in Israel.

² His abode has been established in Salem,

his dwelling-place in Zion.

³ There he broke the flashing arrows,

the shield, the sword, and the weapons of war.

Selah

⁴ Glorious are you, more majestic

than the everlasting mountains.c

⁵ The stout-hearted were stripped of their spoil;

they sank into sleep;

none of the troops

was able to lift a hand.

⁶ At your rebuke, O God of Jacob,

both rider and horse lay stunned.

⁷ But you indeed are awesome!

Who can stand before you

when once your anger is roused?

⁸ From the heavens you uttered judgement;

the earth feared and was still

⁹ when God rose up to establish judgement,

to save all the oppressed of the earth.

Selah

¹⁰ Human wrath serves only to praise you,

when you bind the last bit of yourd wrath around you.

¹¹ Make vows to the LORD your God, and perform them;

let all who are around him bring gifts

to the one who is awesome,

¹² who cuts off the spirit of princes,

who inspires fear in the kings of the earth.

God’s Mighty Deeds Recalled

To the leader: according to Jeduthun. Of Asaph. A Psalm.

77

I CRY aloud to God,

aloud to God, that he may hear me.

² In the day of my trouble I seek the Lord;

in the night my hand is stretched out without wearying;

my soul refuses to be comforted.

³ I think of God, and I moan;

I meditate, and my spirit faints.

Selah

⁴ You keep my eyelids from closing;

I am so troubled that I cannot speak.

⁵ I consider the days of old,

and remember the years of long ago.

⁶ I communea with my heart in the night;

I meditate and search my spirit:b

⁷ ‘Will the Lord spurn for ever,

and never again be favourable?

⁸ Has his steadfast love ceased for ever?

Are his promises at an end for all time?

⁹ Has God forgotten to be gracious?

Has he in anger shut up his compassion?’

Selah

¹⁰ And I say, ‘It is my grief

that the right hand of the Most High has changed.’

¹¹ I will call to mind the deeds of the LORD;

I will remember your wonders of old.

¹² I will meditate on all your work,

and muse on your mighty deeds.

¹³ Your way, O God, is holy.

What god is so great as our God?

¹⁴ You are the God who works wonders;

you have displayed your might among the peoples.

¹⁵ With your strong arm you redeemed your people,

the descendants of Jacob and Joseph.

Selah

¹⁶ When the waters saw you, O God,

when the waters saw you, they were afraid; the very deep trembled.

¹⁷ The clouds poured out water;

the skies thundered;

your arrows flashed on every side.

¹⁸ The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind;

your lightnings lit up the world;

the earth trembled and shook.

¹⁹ Your way was through the sea,

your path, through the mighty waters;

yet your footprints were unseen.

²⁰ You led your people like a flock

by the hand of Moses and Aaron.

God’s Goodness and Israel’s Ingratitude

A Maskil of Asaph.

78

GIVE ear, O my people, to my teaching;

incline your ears to the words of my mouth.

² I will open my mouth in a parable;

I will utter dark sayings from of old,

³ things that we have heard and known,

that our ancestors have told us.

⁴ We will not hide them from their children;

we will tell to the coming generation

the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might,

and the wonders that he has done.

⁵ He established a decree in Jacob,

and appointed a law in Israel,

which he commanded our ancestors

to teach to their children;

⁶ that the next generation might know them,

the children yet unborn,

and rise up and tell them to their children,

⁷ so that they should set their hope in God,

and not forget the works of God,

but keep his commandments;

⁸ and that they should not be like their ancestors,

a stubborn and rebellious generation,

a generation whose heart was not steadfast,

whose spirit was not faithful to God.

⁹ The Ephraimites, armed witha the bow,

turned back on the day of battle.

¹⁰ They did not keep God’s covenant,

but refused to walk according to his law.

¹¹ They forgot what he had done,

and the miracles that he had shown them.

¹² In the sight of their ancestors he worked marvels

in the land of Egypt, in the fields of Zoan.

¹³ He divided the sea and let them pass through it,

and made the waters stand like a heap.

¹⁴ In the daytime he led them with a cloud,

and all night long with a fiery light.

¹⁵ He split rocks open in the wilderness,

and gave them drink abundantly as from the deep.

¹⁶ He made streams come out of the rock,

and caused waters to flow down like rivers.

¹⁷ Yet they sinned still more against him,

rebelling against the Most High in the desert.

¹⁸ They tested God in their heart

by demanding the food they craved.

¹⁹ They spoke against God, saying,

‘Can God spread a table in the wilderness?

²⁰ Even though he struck the rock so that water gushed out

and torrents overflowed,

can he also give bread,

or provide meat for his people?’

²¹ Therefore, when the LORD heard, he was full of rage;

a fire was kindled against Jacob,

his anger mounted against Israel,

²² because they had no faith in God,

and did not trust his saving power.

²³ Yet he commanded the skies above,

and opened the doors of heaven;

²⁴ he rained down on them manna to eat,

and gave them the grain of heaven.

²⁵ Mortals ate of the bread of angels;

he sent them food in abundance.

²⁶ He caused the east wind to blow in the heavens,

and by his power he led out the south wind;

²⁷ he rained flesh upon them like dust,

winged birds like the sand of the seas;

²⁸ he let them fall within their camp,

all around their dwellings.

²⁹ And they ate and were well filled,

for he gave them what they craved.

³⁰ But before they had satisfied their craving,

while the food was still in their mouths,

³¹ the anger of God rose against them

and he killed the strongest of them,

and laid low the flower of Israel.

³² In spite of all this they still sinned;

they did not believe in his wonders.

³³ So he made their days vanish like a breath,

and their years in terror.

³⁴ When he killed them, they sought for him;

they repented and sought God earnestly.

³⁵ They remembered that God was their rock,

the Most High God their redeemer.

³⁶ But they flattered him with their mouths;

they lied to him with their tongues.

³⁷ Their heart was not steadfast towards him;

they were not true to his covenant.

³⁸ Yet he, being compassionate,

forgave their iniquity,

and did not destroy them;

often he restrained his anger,

and did not stir up all his wrath.

³⁹ He remembered that they were but flesh,

a wind that passes and does not come again.

⁴⁰ How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness

and grieved him in the desert!

⁴¹ They tested God again and again,

and provoked the Holy One of Israel.

⁴² They did not keep in mind his power,

or the day when he redeemed them from the foe;

⁴³ when he displayed his signs in Egypt,

and his miracles in the fields of Zoan.

⁴⁴ He turned their rivers to blood,

so that they could not drink of their streams.

⁴⁵ He sent among them swarms of flies, which devoured them,

and frogs, which destroyed them.

⁴⁶ He gave their crops to the caterpillar,

and the fruit of their labour to the locust.

⁴⁷ He destroyed their vines with hail,

and their sycomores with frost.

⁴⁸ He gave over their cattle to the hail,

and their flocks to thunderbolts.

⁴⁹ He let loose on them his fierce anger,

wrath, indignation, and distress,

a company of destroying angels.

⁵⁰ He made a path for his anger;

he did not spare them from death,

but gave their lives over to the plague.

⁵¹ He struck all the firstborn in Egypt,

the first issue of their strength in the tents of Ham.

⁵² Then he led out his people like sheep,

and guided them in the wilderness like a flock.

⁵³ He led them in safety, so that they were not afraid;

but the sea overwhelmed their enemies.

⁵⁴ And he brought them to his holy hill,

to the mountain that his right hand had won.

⁵⁵ He drove out nations before them;

he apportioned them for a possession

and settled the tribes of Israel in their tents.

⁵⁶ Yet they tested the Most High God,

and rebelled against him.

They did not observe his decrees,

⁵⁷ but turned away and were faithless like their ancestors;

they twisted like a treacherous bow.

⁵⁸ For they provoked him to anger with their high places;

they moved him to jealousy with their idols.

⁵⁹ When God heard, he was full of wrath,

and he utterly rejected Israel.

⁶⁰ He abandoned his dwelling at Shiloh,

the tent where he dwelt among mortals,

⁶¹ and delivered his power to captivity,

his glory to the hand of the foe.

⁶² He gave his people to the sword,

and vented his wrath on his heritage.

⁶³ Fire devoured their young men,

and their girls had no marriage song.

⁶⁴ Their priests fell by the sword,

and their widows made no lamentation.

⁶⁵ Then the Lord awoke as from sleep,

like a warrior shouting because of wine.

⁶⁶ He put his adversaries to rout;

he put them to everlasting disgrace.

⁶⁷ He rejected the tent of Joseph,

he did not choose the tribe of Ephraim;

⁶⁸ but he chose the tribe of Judah,

Mount Zion, which he loves.

⁶⁹ He built his sanctuary like the high heavens,

like the earth, which he has founded for ever.

⁷⁰ He chose his servant David,

and took him from the sheepfolds;

⁷¹ from tending the nursing ewes he brought him

to be the shepherd of his people Jacob,

of Israel, his inheritance.

⁷² With upright heart he tended them,

and guided them with skilful hand.

Plea for Mercy for Jerusalem

A Psalm of Asaph.

79

O GOD, the nations have come into your inheritance;

they have defiled your holy temple;

they have laid Jerusalem in ruins.

² They have given the bodies of your servants

to the birds of the air for food,

the flesh of your faithful to the wild animals of the earth.

³ They have poured out their blood like water

all around Jerusalem,

and there was no one to bury them.

⁴ We have become a taunt to our neighbours,

mocked and derided by those around us.

⁵ How long, O LORD? Will you be angry for ever?

Will your jealous wrath burn like fire?

⁶ Pour out your anger on the nations

that do not know you,

and on the kingdoms

that do not call on your name.

⁷ For they have devoured Jacob

and laid waste his habitation.

⁸ Do not remember against us the iniquities of our ancestors;

let your compassion come speedily to meet us,

for we are brought very low.

⁹ Help us, O God of our salvation,

for the glory of your name;

deliver us, and forgive our sins,

for your name’s sake.

¹⁰ Why should the nations say,

‘Where is their God?’

Let the avenging of the outpoured blood of your servants

be known among the nations before our eyes.

¹¹ Let the groans of the prisoners come before you;

according to your great power preserve those doomed to die.

¹² Return sevenfold into the bosom of our neighbours

the taunts with which they taunted you, O Lord!

¹³ Then we your people, the flock of your pasture,

will give thanks to you for ever;

from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Prayer for Israel’s Restoration

To the leader: on Lilies, a Covenant. Of Asaph. A Psalm.

80

GIVE ear, O Shepherd of Israel,

you who lead Joseph like a flock!

You who are enthroned upon the cherubim, shine forth

² before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh.

Stir up your might,

and come to save us!

³ Restore us, O God;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁴ O LORD God of hosts,

how long will you be angry with your people’s prayers?

⁵ You have fed them with the bread of tears,

and given them tears to drink in full measure.

⁶ You make us the scorna of our neighbours;

our enemies laugh among themselves.

⁷ Restore us, O God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

⁸ You brought a vine out of Egypt;

you drove out the nations and planted it.

⁹ You cleared the ground for it;

it took deep root and filled the land.

¹⁰ The mountains were covered with its shade,

the mighty cedars with its branches;

¹¹ it sent out its branches to the sea,

and its shoots to the River.

¹² Why then have you broken down its walls,

so that all who pass along the way pluck its fruit?

¹³ The boar from the forest ravages it,

and all that move in the field feed on it.

¹⁴ Turn again, O God of hosts;

look down from heaven, and see; have regard for this vine,

¹⁵ the stock that your right hand planted.b

¹⁶ They have burned it with fire, they have cut it down;c

may they perish at the rebuke of your countenance.

¹⁷ But let your hand be upon the one at your right hand,

the one whom you made strong for yourself.

¹⁸ Then we will never turn back from you;

give us life, and we will call on your name.

¹⁹ Restore us, O LORD God of hosts;

let your face shine, that we may be saved.

God’s Appeal to Stubborn Israel

To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of Asaph.

81

SING aloud to God our strength;

shout for joy to the God of Jacob.

² Raise a song, sound the tambourine,

the sweet lyre with the harp.

³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,

at the full moon, on our festal day.

⁴ For it is a statute for Israel,

an ordinance of the God of Jacob.

⁵ He made it a decree in Joseph,

when he went out overd the land of Egypt.

I hear a voice I had not known:

⁶ ‘I relieved youre shoulder of the burden;

youre hands were freed from the basket.

⁷ In distress you called, and I rescued you;

I answered you in the secret place of thunder;

I tested you at the waters of Meribah.

Selah

⁸ Hear, O my people, while I admonish you;

O Israel, if you would but listen to me!

⁹ There shall be no strange god among you;

you shall not bow down to a foreign god.

¹⁰ I am the LORD your God,

who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.

Open your mouth wide and I will fill it.

¹¹ ‘But my people did not listen to my voice;

Israel would not submit to me.

¹² So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts,

to follow their own counsels.

¹³ O that my people would listen to me,

that Israel would walk in my ways!

¹⁴ Then I would quickly subdue their enemies,

and turn my hand against their foes.

¹⁵ Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him,

and their doom would last for ever.

¹⁶ I would feed youa with the finest of the wheat,

and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you.’

A Plea for Justice

A Psalm of Asaph.

82

GOD has taken his place in the divine council;

in the midst of the gods he holds judgement:

² ‘How long will you judge unjustly

and show partiality to the wicked?

Selah

³ Give justice to the weak and the orphan;

maintain the right of the lowly and the destitute.

⁴ Rescue the weak and the needy;

deliver them from the hand of the wicked.’

⁵ They have neither knowledge nor understanding,

they walk around in darkness;

all the foundations of the earth are shaken.

⁶ I say, ‘You are gods,

children of the Most High, all of you;

⁷ nevertheless, you shall die like mortals,

and fall like any prince.’b

⁸ Rise up, O God, judge the earth;

for all the nations belong to you!

Prayer for Judgement on Israel’s Foes

A Song. A Psalm of Asaph.

83

O GOD, do not keep silence;

do not hold your peace or be still, OGod!

² Even now your enemies are in tumult;

those who hate you have raised their heads.

³ They lay crafty plans against your people;

they consult together against those you protect.

⁴ They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation;

let the name of Israel be remembered no more.’

⁵ They conspire with one accord;

against you they make a covenant—

⁶ the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites,

Moab and the Hagrites,

⁷ Gebal and Ammon and Amalek,

Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

⁸ Assyria also has joined them;

they are the strong arm of the children of Lot.

Selah

⁹ Do to them as you did to Midian,

as to Sisera and Jabin at the Wadi Kishon,

¹⁰ who were destroyed at En-dor,

who became dung for the ground.

¹¹ Make their nobles like Oreb and Zeeb,

all their princes like Zebah and Zalmunna,

¹² who said, ‘Let us take the pastures of God

for our own possession.’

¹³ O my God, make them like whirling dust,a

like chaff before the wind.

¹⁴ As fire consumes the forest,

as the flame sets the mountains ablaze,

¹⁵ so pursue them with your tempest

and terrify them with your hurricane.

¹⁶ Fill their faces with shame,

so that they may seek your name, O LORD.

¹⁷ Let them be put to shame and dismayed for ever;

let them perish in disgrace.

¹⁸ Let them know that you alone,

whose name is the LORD,

are the Most High over all the earth.

The Joy of Worship in the Temple

To the leader: according to The Gittith. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

84

HOW lovely is your dwelling place,

O LORD of hosts!

² My soul longs, indeed it faints

for the courts of the LORD;

my heart and my flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

³ Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O LORD of hosts,

my King and my God.

⁴ Happy are those who live in your house,

ever singing your praise.

Selah

⁵ Happy are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.b

⁶ As they go through the valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

⁷ They go from strength to strength;

the God of gods will be seen in Zion.

⁸ O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer;

give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah

⁹ Behold our shield, O God;

look on the face of your anointed.

¹⁰ For a day in your courts is better

than a thousand elsewhere.

I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God

than live in the tents of wickedness.

¹¹ For the LORD God is a sun and shield;

he bestows favour and honour.

No good thing does the LORD withhold

from those who walk uprightly.

¹² O LORD of hosts,

happy is everyone who trusts in you.

Prayer for the Restoration of God’s Favour

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

85

LORD, you were favourable to your land;

you restored the fortunes of Jacob.

² You forgave the iniquity of your people;

you pardoned all their sin.

Selah

³ You withdrew all your wrath;

you turned from your hot anger.

⁴ Restore us again, O God of our salvation,

and put away your indignation towards us.

⁵ Will you be angry with us for ever?

Will you prolong your anger to all generations?

⁶ Will you not revive us again,

so that your people may rejoice in you?

⁷ Show us your steadfast love, O LORD,

and grant us your salvation.

⁸ Let me hear what God the LORD will speak,

for he will speak peace to his people,

to his faithful, to those who turn to him in their hearts.a

⁹ Surely his salvation is at hand for those who fear him,

that his glory may dwell in our land.

¹⁰ Steadfast love and faithfulness will meet;

righteousness and peace will kiss each other.

¹¹ Faithfulness will spring up from the ground,

and righteousness will look down from the sky.

¹² The LORD will give what is good,

and our land will yield its increase.

¹³ Righteousness will go before him,

and will make a path for his steps.

Supplication for Help against Enemies

A Prayer of David.

86

INCLINE your ear, O LORD, and answer me,

for I am poor and needy.

² Preserve my life, for I am devoted to you;

save your servant who trusts in you.

You are my God; ³be gracious to me, O Lord,

for to you do I cry all day long.

⁴ Gladden the soul of your servant,

for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul.

⁵ For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,

abounding in steadfast love to all who call on you.

⁶ Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer;

listen to my cry of supplication.

⁷ In the day of my trouble I call on you,

for you will answer me.

⁸ There is none like you among the gods, O Lord,

nor are there any works like yours.

⁹ All the nations you have made shall come

and bow down before you, O Lord,

and shall glorify your name.

¹⁰ For you are great and do wondrous things;

you alone are God.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O LORD,

that I may walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart to revere your name.

¹² I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart,

and I will glorify your name for ever.

¹³ For great is your steadfast love towards me;

you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

¹⁴ O God, the insolent rise up against me;

a band of ruffians seeks my life,

and they do not set you before them.

¹⁵ But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me;

give your strength to your servant;

save the child of your serving-maid.

¹⁷ Show me a sign of your favour,

so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame,

because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.

The Joy of Living in Zion

Of the Korahites. A Psalm. A Song.

87

ON THE holy mount stands the city he founded;

² the LORD loves the gates of Zion

more than all the dwellings of Jacob.

³ Glorious things are spoken of you,

O city of God.

Selah

⁴ Among those who know me I mention Rahab and Babylon;

Philistia too, and Tyre, with Ethiopiaa—

‘This one was born there,’ they say.

⁵ And of Zion it shall be said,

‘This one and that one were born in it’

for the Most High himself will establish it.

⁶ The LORD records, as he registers the peoples,

‘This one was born there.’

Selah

⁷ Singers and dancers alike say,

‘All my springs are in you.’

Prayer for Help in Despondency

A Song. A Psalm of the Korahites. To the leader: according to Mahalath Leannoth. A Maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

88

O LORD, God of my salvation,

when, at night, I cry out in your presence,

² let my prayer come before you;

incline your ear to my cry.

³ For my soul is full of troubles,

and my life draws near to Sheol.

⁴ I am counted among those who go down to the Pit;

I am like those who have no help,

⁵ like those forsaken among the dead,

like the slain that lie in the grave,

like those whom you remember no more,

for they are cut off from your hand.

⁶ You have put me in the depths of the Pit,

in the regions dark and deep.

⁷ Your wrath lies heavy upon me,

and you overwhelm me with all your waves.

Selah

⁸ You have caused my companions to shun me;

you have made me a thing of horror to them.

I am shut in so that I cannot escape;

⁹ my eye grows dim through sorrow.

Every day I call on you, O LORD;

I spread out my hands to you.

¹⁰ Do you work wonders for the dead?

Do the shades rise up to praise you?

Selah

¹¹ Is your steadfast love declared in the grave,

or your faithfulness in Abaddon?

¹² Are your wonders known in the darkness,

or your saving help in the land of forgetfulness?

¹³ But I, O LORD, cry out to you;

in the morning my prayer comes before you.

¹⁴ O LORD, why do you cast me off?

Why do you hide your face from me?

¹⁵ Wretched and close to death from my youth up,

I suffer your terrors; I am desperate.b

¹⁶ Your wrath has swept over me;

your dread assaults destroy me.

¹⁷ They surround me like a flood all day long;

from all sides they close in on me.

¹⁸ You have caused friend and neighbour to shun me;

my companions are in darkness.

God’s Covenant with David

A Maskil of Ethan the Ezrahite.

89

I WILL sing of your steadfast love, O LORD,a for ever;

with my mouth I will proclaim your faithfulness to all generations.

² I declare that your steadfast love is established for ever;

your faithfulness is as firm as the heavens.

³ You said, ‘I have made a covenant with my chosen one,

I have sworn to my servant David:

⁴ “I will establish your descendants for ever,

and build your throne for all generations.”’

Selah

⁵ Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD,

your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones.

⁶ For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD,

⁷ a God feared in the council of the holy ones,

great and awesomeb above all that are around him?

⁸ O LORD God of hosts,

who is as mighty as you, O LORD?

Your faithfulness surrounds you.

⁹ You rule the raging of the sea;

when its waves rise, you still them.

¹⁰ You crushed Rahab like a carcass;

you scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

¹¹ The heavens are yours, the earth also is yours;

the world and all that is in it—you have founded them.

¹² The north and the southc—you created them;

Tabor and Hermon joyously praise your name.

¹³ You have a mighty arm;

strong is your hand, high your right hand.

¹⁴ Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne;

steadfast love and faithfulness go before you.

¹⁵ Happy are the people who know the festal shout,

who walk, O LORD, in the light of your countenance;

¹⁶ they exult in your name all day long,

and extold your righteousness.

¹⁷ For you are the glory of their strength;

by your favour our horn is exalted.

¹⁸ For our shield belongs to the LORD,

our king to the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁹ Then you spoke in a vision to your faithful one, and said:

‘I have set the crowne on one who is mighty,

I have exalted one chosen from the people.

²⁰ I have found my servant David;

with my holy oil I have anointed him;

²¹ my hand shall always remain with him;

my arm also shall strengthen him.

²² The enemy shall not outwit him,

the wicked shall not humble him.

²³ I will crush his foes before him

and strike down those who hate him.

²⁴ My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him;

and in my name his horn shall be exalted.

²⁵ I will set his hand on the sea

and his right hand on the rivers.

²⁶ He shall cry to me, “You are my Father,

my God, and the Rock of my salvation!”

²⁷ I will make him the firstborn,

the highest of the kings of the earth.

²⁸ For-ever I will keep my steadfast love for him,

and my covenant with him will stand firm.

²⁹ I will establish his line for ever,

and his throne as long as the heavens endure.

³⁰ If his children forsake my law

and do not walk according to my ordinances,

³¹ if they violate my statutes

and do not keep my commandments,

³² then I will punish their transgression with the rod

and their iniquity with scourges;

³³ but I will not remove from him my steadfast love,

or be false to my faithfulness.

³⁴ I will not violate my covenant,

or alter the word that went forth from my lips.

³⁵ Once and for all I have sworn by my holiness;

I will not lie to David.

³⁶ His line shall continue for ever,

and his throne endure before me like the sun.

³⁷ It shall be established for ever like the moon,

an enduring witness in the skies.’

Selah

³⁸ But now you have spurned and rejected him;

you are full of wrath against your anointed.

³⁹ You have renounced the covenant with your servant;

you have defiled his crown in the dust.

⁴⁰ You have broken through all his walls;

you have laid his strongholds in ruins.

⁴¹ All who pass by plunder him;

he has become the scorn of his neighbours.

⁴² You have exalted the right hand of his foes;

you have made all his enemies rejoice.

⁴³ Moreover, you have turned back the edge of his sword,

and you have not supported him in battle.

⁴⁴ You have removed the sceptre from his hand,a

and hurled his throne to the ground.

⁴⁵ You have cut short the days of his youth;

you have covered him with shame.

Selah

⁴⁶ How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself for ever?

How long will your wrath burn like fire?

⁴⁷ Remember how short my time is—b

for what vanity you have created all mortals!

⁴⁸ Who can live and never see death?

Who can escape the power of Sheol?

Selah

⁴⁹ Lord, where is your steadfast love of old,

which by your faithfulness you swore to David?

⁵⁰ Remember, O Lord, how your servant is taunted;

how I bear in my bosom the insults of the peoples,c

⁵¹ with which your enemies taunt, O LORD,

with which they taunted the footsteps of your anointed.

⁵² Blessed be the LORD for ever. Amen and Amen.

BOOK IV: Psalms 90–106

God’s Eternity and Human Frailty

A Prayer of Moses, the man of God.

90

LORD, you have been our dwelling-placea

in all generations.

² Before the mountains were brought forth,

or ever you had formed the earth and the world,

from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

³ You turn usb back to dust,

and say, ‘Turn back, you mortals.’

⁴ For a thousand years in your sight

are like yesterday when it is past,

or like a watch in the night.

⁵ You sweep them away; they are like a dream,

like grass that is renewed in the morning;

⁶ in the morning it flourishes and is renewed;

in the evening it fades and withers.

⁷ For we are consumed by your anger;

by your wrath we are overwhelmed.

⁸ You have set our iniquities before you,

our secret sins in the light of your countenance.

⁹ For all our days pass away under your wrath;

our years come to an endc like a sigh.

¹⁰ The days of our life are seventy years,

or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;

even then their spand is only toil and trouble;

they are soon gone, and we fly away.

¹¹ Who considers the power of your anger?

Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due to you.

¹² So teach us to count our days

that we may gain a wise heart.

¹³ Turn, O LORD! How long?

Have compassion on your servants!

¹⁴ Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,

so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

¹⁵ Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,

and for as many years as we have seen evil.

¹⁶ Let your work be manifest to your servants,

and your glorious power to their children.

¹⁷ Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us,

and prosper for us the work of our hands—

O prosper the work of our hands!

Assurance of God’s Protection

91

YOU who live in the shelter of the Most High,

who abide in the shadow of the Almighty,e

² will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress;

my God, in whom I trust.’

³ For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler

and from the deadly pestilence;

⁴ he will cover you with his pinions,

and under his wings you will find refuge;

his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

⁵ You will not fear the terror of the night,

or the arrow that flies by day,

⁶ or the pestilence that stalks in darkness,

or the destruction that wastes at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

⁸ You will only look with your eyes

and see the punishment of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the LORD your refuge,a

the Most High your dwelling-place,

¹⁰ no evil shall befall you,

no scourge come near your tent.

¹¹ For he will command his angels concerning you

to guard you in all your ways.

¹² On their hands they will bear you up,

so that you will not dash your foot against a stone.

¹³ You will tread on the lion and the adder,

the young lion and the serpent you will trample under foot.

¹⁴ Those who love me, I will deliver;

I will protect those who know my name.

¹⁵ When they call to me, I will answer them;

I will be with them in trouble,

I will rescue them and honour them.

¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy them,

and show them my salvation.

Thanksgiving for Vindication

A Psalm. A Song for the Sabbath Day.

92

IT IS good to give thanks to the LORD,

to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

² to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

and your faithfulness by night,

³ to the music of the lute and the harp,

to the melody of the lyre.

⁴ For you, O LORD, have made me glad by your work;

at the works of your hands I sing for joy.

⁵ How great are your works, O LORD!

Your thoughts are very deep!

⁶ The dullard cannot know,

the stupid cannot understand this:

⁷ though the wicked sprout like grass

and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction for ever,

⁸ but you, O LORD, are on high for ever.

⁹ For your enemies, O LORD,

for your enemies shall perish;

all evildoers shall be scattered.

¹⁰ But you have exalted my horn like that of the wild ox;

you have poured over meb fresh oil.

¹¹ My eyes have seen the downfall of my enemies;

my ears have heard the doom of my evil assailants.

¹² The righteous flourish like the palm tree,

and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

¹³ They are planted in the house of the LORD;

they flourish in the courts of our God.

¹⁴ In old age they still produce fruit;

they are always green and full of sap,

¹⁵ showing that the LORD is upright;

he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

The Majesty of God’s Rule

93

THE LORD is king, he is robed in majesty;

the LORD is robed, he is girded with strength.

He has established the world; it shall never be moved;

² your throne is established from of old;

you are from everlasting.

³ The floods have lifted up, O LORD,

the floods have lifted up their voice;

the floods lift up their roaring.

⁴ More majestic than the thunders of mighty waters,

more majestic than the wavesa of the sea,

majestic on high is the LORD!

⁵ Your decrees are very sure;

holiness befits your house,

O LORD, for evermore.

God the Avenger of the Righteous

94

O LORD, you God of vengeance,

you God of vengeance, shine forth!

² Rise up, O judge of the earth;

give to the proud what they deserve!

³ O LORD,

how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?

⁴ They pour out their arrogant words;

all the evildoers boast.

⁵ They crush your people, O LORD,

and afflict your heritage.

⁶ They kill the widow and the stranger,

they murder the orphan,

⁷ and they say, ‘The LORD does not see;

the God of Jacob does not perceive.’

⁸ Understand, O dullest of the people;

fools, when will you be wise?

⁹ He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

He who formed the eye, does he not see?

¹⁰ He who disciplines the nations,

he who teaches knowledge to humankind,

does he not chastise?

¹¹ The LORD knows our thoughts,b

that they are but an empty breath.

¹² Happy are those whom you discipline, O LORD,

and whom you teach out of your law,

¹³ giving them respite from days of trouble,

until a pit is dug for the wicked.

¹⁴ For the LORD will not forsake his people;

he will not abandon his heritage;

¹⁵ for justice will return to the righteous,

and all the upright in heart will follow it.

¹⁶ Who rises up for me against the wicked?

Who stands up for me against evildoers?

¹⁷ If the LORD had not been my help,

my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.

¹⁸ When I thought, ‘My foot is slipping’,

your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.

¹⁹ When the cares of my heart are many,

your consolations cheer my soul.

²⁰ Can wicked rulers be allied with you,

those who contrive mischief by statute?

²¹ They band together against the life of the righteous,

and condemn the innocent to death.

²² But the LORD has become my stronghold,

and my God the rock of my refuge.

²³ He will repay them for their iniquity

and wipe them out for their wickedness;

the LORD our God will wipe them out.

A Call to Worship and Obedience

95

O COME, let us sing to the LORD;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

² Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;

let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

³ For the LORD is a great God,

and a great King above all gods.

⁴ In his hand are the depths of the earth;

the heights of the mountains are his also.

⁵ The sea is his, for he made it,

and the dry land, which his hands have formed.

⁶ O come, let us worship and bow down,

let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!

⁷ For he is our God,

and we are the people of his pasture,

and the sheep of his hand.

O that today you would listen to his voice!

⁸ Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah,

as on the day at Massah in the wilderness,

⁹ when your ancestors tested me,

and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work.

¹⁰ For forty years I loathed that generation

and said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,

and they do not regard my ways.’

¹¹ Therefore in my anger I swore,

‘They shall not enter my rest.’

Praise to God Who Comes in Judgement

96

O SING to the LORD a new song;

sing to the LORD, all the earth.

² Sing to the LORD, bless his name;

tell of his salvation from day to day.

³ Declare his glory among the nations,

his marvellous works among all the peoples.

⁴ For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;

he is to be revered above all gods.

⁵ For all the gods of the peoples are idols,

but the LORD made the heavens.

⁶ Honour and majesty are before him;

strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

⁷ Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples,

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

⁸ Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

bring an offering, and come into his courts.

⁹ Worship the LORD in holy splendour;

tremble before him, all the earth.

¹⁰ Say among the nations, ‘The LORD is king!

The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.

He will judge the peoples with equity.’

¹¹ Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;

let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

¹² let the field exult, and everything in it.

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy

¹³ before the LORD; for he is coming,

for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

and the peoples with his truth.

The Glory of God’s Reign

97

THE LORD is king! Let the earth rejoice;

let the many coastlands be glad!

² Clouds and thick darkness are all around him;

righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

³ Fire goes before him,

and consumes his adversaries on every side.

⁴ His lightnings light up the world;

the earth sees and trembles.

⁵ The mountains melt like wax

before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness;

and all the peoples behold his glory.

⁷ All worshippers of images are put to shame,

those who make their boast in worthless idols;

all gods bow down before him.

⁸ Zion hears and is glad,

and the townsa of Judah rejoice,

because of your judgements, OGod.

⁹ For you, O LORD, are most high over all the earth;

you are exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ The LORD loves those who hateb evil;

he guards the lives of his faithful;

he rescues them from the hand of the wicked.

¹¹ Light dawnsc for the righteous,

and joy for the upright in heart.

¹² Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous,

and give thanks to his holy name!

Praise the Judge of the World

A Psalm.

98

O SING to the LORD a new song,

for he has done marvellous things.

His right hand and his holy arm

have gained him victory.

² The LORD has made known his victory;

he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations.

³ He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness

to the house of Israel.

All the ends of the earth have seen

the victory of our God.

⁴ Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;

break forth into joyous song and sing praises.

⁵ Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre,

with the lyre and the sound of melody.

⁶ With trumpets and the sound of the horn

make a joyful noise before the King, the LORD.

⁷ Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

the world and those who live in it.

⁸ Let the floods clap their hands;

let the hills sing together for joy

⁹ at the presence

of the LORD, for he is coming to judge the earth.

He will judge the world with righteousness,

and the peoples with equity.

Praise to God for His Holiness

99

THE LORD is king; let the peoples tremble!

He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!

² The LORD is great in Zion;

he is exalted over all the peoples.

³ Let them praise your great and awesome name.

Holy is he!

⁴ Mighty King,d lover of justice,

you have established equity;

you have executed justice

and righteousness in Jacob.

⁵ Extol the LORD our God;

worship at his footstool.

Holy is he!

⁶ Moses and Aaron were among his priests,

Samuel also was among those who called on his name.

They cried to the LORD, and he answered them.

⁷ He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;

they kept his decrees,

and the statutes that he gave them.

⁸ O LORD our God, you answered them;

you were a forgiving God to them,

but an avenger of their wrongdoings.

⁹ Extol the LORD our God,

and worship at his holy mountain;

for the LORD our God is holy.

All Lands Summoned to Praise God

A Psalm of thanksgiving.

100

MAKE a joyful noise to the

LORD, all the earth.

² Worship the LORD with gladness;

come into his presence with singing.

³ Know that the LORD is God.

It is he that made us, and we are his;a

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise.

Give thanks to him, bless his name.

⁵ For the LORD is good;

his steadfast love endures for ever,

and his faithfulness to all generations.

A Sovereign’s Pledge of Integrity and Justice

Of David. A Psalm.

101

I WILL sing of loyalty and of justice;

to you, O LORD, I will sing.

² I will study the way that is blameless.

When shall I attain it?

I will walk with integrity of heart

within my house;

³ I will not set before my eyes

anything that is base.

I hate the work of those who fall away;

it shall not cling to me.

⁴ Perverseness of heart shall be far from me;

I will know nothing of evil.

⁵ One who secretly slanders a neighbour

I will destroy.

A haughty look and an arrogant heart

I will not tolerate.

⁶ I will look with favour on the faithful in the land,

so that they may live with me;

whoever walks in the way that is blameless

shall minister to me.

⁷ No one who practises deceit

shall remain in my house;

no one who utters lies

shall continue in my presence.

⁸ Morning by morning I will destroy

all the wicked in the land,

cutting off all evildoers

from the city of the LORD.

Prayer to the Eternal King for Help

A prayer of one afflicted, when faint and pleading before the LORD.

102

HEAR my prayer, O LORD;

let my cry come to you.

² Do not hide your face from me

on the day of my distress.

Incline your ear to me;

answer me speedily on the day when I call.

³ For my days pass away like smoke,

and my bones burn like a furnace.

⁴ My heart is stricken and withered like grass;

I am too wasted to eat my bread.

⁵ Because of my loud groaning

my bones cling to my skin.

⁶ I am like an owl of the wilderness,

like a little owl of the waste places.

⁷ I lie awake;

I am like a lonely bird on the housetop.

⁸ All day long my enemies taunt me;

those who deride me use my name for a curse.

⁹ For I eat ashes like bread,

and mingle tears with my drink,

¹⁰ because of your indignation and anger;

for you have lifted me up and thrown me aside.

¹¹ My days are like an evening shadow;

I wither away like grass.

¹² But you, O LORD, are enthroned for ever;

your name endures to all generations.

¹³ You will rise up and have compassion on Zion,

for it is time to favour it;

the appointed time has come.

¹⁴ For your servants hold its stones dear,

and have pity on its dust.

¹⁵ The nations will fear the name of the LORD,

and all the kings of the earth your glory.

¹⁶ For the LORD will build up Zion;

he will appear in his glory.

¹⁷ He will regard the prayer of the destitute,

and will not despise their prayer.

¹⁸ Let this be recorded for a generation to come,

so that a people yet unborn may praise the LORD:

¹⁹ that he looked down from his holy height,

from heaven the LORD looked at the earth,

²⁰ to hear the groans of the prisoners,

to set free those who were doomed to die;

²¹ so that the name of the LORD may be declared in Zion,

and his praise in Jerusalem,

²² when peoples gather together,

and kingdoms, to worship the LORD.

²³ He has broken my strength in midcourse;

he has shortened my days.

²⁴ ‘O my God,’ I say, ‘do not take me away

at the mid-point of my life,

you whose years endure

throughout all generations.’

²⁵ Long ago you laid the foundation of the earth,

and the heavens are the work of your hands.

²⁶ They will perish, but you endure;

they will all wear out like a garment.

You change them like clothing, and they pass away;

²⁷ but you are the same, and your years have no end.

²⁸ The children of your servants shall live secure;

their offspring shall be established in your presence.

Thanksgiving for God’s Goodness

Of David.

103

BLESS the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name.

² Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and do not forget all his benefits—

³ who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

⁴ who redeems your life from the Pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

⁵ who satisfies you with good as long as you livea

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

⁶ The LORD works vindication

and justice for all who are oppressed.

⁷ He made known his ways to Moses,

his acts to the people of Israel.

⁸ The LORD is merciful and gracious,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

⁹ He will not always accuse,

nor will he keep his anger for ever.

¹⁰ He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

¹¹ For as the heavens are high above the earth,

so great is his steadfast love towards those who fear him;

¹² as far as the east is from the west,

so far he removes our transgressions from us.

¹³ As a father has compassion for his children,

so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.

¹⁴ For he knows how we were made;

he remembers that we are dust.

¹⁵ As for mortals, their days are like grass;

they flourish like a flower of the field;

¹⁶ for the wind passes over it,

and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.

¹⁷ But the steadfast love of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear him,

and his righteousness to children’s children,

¹⁸ to those who keep his covenant

and remember to do his commandments.

¹⁹ The LORD has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

²⁰ Bless the LORD, O you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding, obedient to his spoken word.

²¹ Bless the LORD, all his hosts,

his ministers that do his will.

²² Bless the LORD, all his works,

in all places of his dominion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul.

God the Creator and Provider

104

BLESS the LORD, O my soul.

O LORD my God, you are very great.

You are clothed with honour and majesty,

² wrapped in light as with a garment.

You stretch out the heavens like a tent,

³ you set the beams of yourb chambers on the waters,

you make the clouds yourb chariot,

you ride on the wings of the wind,

⁴ you make the winds yourb messengers,

fire and flame yourb ministers.

⁵ You set the earth on its foundations,

so that it shall never be shaken.

⁶ You cover it with the deep as with a garment;

the waters stood above the mountains.

⁷ At your rebuke they flee;

at the sound of your thunder they take to flight.

⁸ They rose up to the mountains, ran down to the valleys

to the place that you appointed for them.

⁹ You set a boundary that they may not pass,

so that they might not again cover the earth.

¹⁰ You make springs gush forth in the valleys;

they flow between the hills,

¹¹ giving drink to every wild animal;

the wild asses quench their thirst.

¹² By the streamsa the birds of the air have their habitation;

they sing among the branches.

¹³ From your lofty abode you water the mountains;

the earth is satisfied with the fruit of your work.

¹⁴ You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,

and plants for people to use,b

to bring forth food from the earth,

¹⁵ and wine to gladden the human heart,

oil to make the face shine,

and bread to strengthen the human heart.

¹⁶ The trees of the LORD are watered abundantly,

the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.

¹⁷ In them the birds build their nests;

the stork has its home in the fir trees.

¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;

the rocks are a refuge for the coneys.

¹⁹ You have made the moon to mark the seasons;

the sun knows its time for setting.

²⁰ You make darkness, and it is night,

when all the animals of the forest come creeping out.

²¹ The young lions roar for their prey,

seeking their food from God.

²² When the sun rises, they withdraw

and lie down in their dens.

²³ People go out to their work

and to their labour until the evening.

²⁴ O LORD, how manifold are your works!

In wisdom you have made them all;

the earth is full of your creatures.

²⁵ Yonder is the sea, great and wide,

creeping things innumerable are there,

living things both small and great.

²⁶ There go the ships,

and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

²⁷ These all look to you

to give them their food in due season;

²⁸ when you give to them, they gather it up;

when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.

²⁹ When you hide your face, they are dismayed;

when you take away their breath, they die

and return to their dust.

³⁰ When you send forth your spirit,c they are created;

and you renew the face of the ground.

³¹ May the glory of the LORD endure for ever;

may the LORD rejoice in his works—

³² who looks on the earth and it trembles,

who touches the mountains and they smoke.

³³ I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praise to my God while I have being.

³⁴ May my meditation be pleasing to him,

for I rejoice in the LORD.

³⁵ Let sinners be consumed from the earth,

and let the wicked be no more.

Bless the LORD, O my soul.

Praise the LORD!

God’s Faithfulness to Israel

105

O GIVE thanks to the LORD, call on his name,

make known his deeds among the peoples.

² Sing to him, sing praises to him;

tell of all his wonderful works.

³ Glory in his holy name;

let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

⁴ Seek the LORD and his strength;

seek his presence continually.

⁵ Remember the wonderful works he has done,

his miracles, and the judgements he has uttered,

⁶ O offspring of his servant Abraham,a

children of Jacob, his chosen ones.

⁷ He is the LORD our God;

his judgements are in all the earth.

⁸ He is mindful of his covenant for ever,

of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,

⁹ the covenant that he made with Abraham,

his sworn promise to Isaac,

¹⁰ which he confirmed to Jacob as a statute,

to Israel as an everlasting covenant,

¹¹ saying, ‘To you I will give the land of Canaan

as your portion for an inheritance.’

¹² When they were few in number,

of little account, and strangers in it,

¹³ wandering from nation to nation,

from one kingdom to another people,

¹⁴ he allowed no one to oppress them;

he rebuked kings on their account,

¹⁵ saying, ‘Do not touch my anointed ones;

do my prophets no harm.’

¹⁶ When he summoned famine against the land,

and broke every staff of bread,

¹⁷ he had sent a man ahead of them,

Joseph, who was sold as a slave.

¹⁸ His feet were hurt with fetters,

his neck was put in a collar of iron;

¹⁹ until what he had said came to pass,

the word of the LORD kept testing him.

²⁰ The king sent and released him;

the ruler of the peoples set him free.

²¹ He made him lord of his house,

and ruler of all his possessions,

²² to instructb his officials at his pleasure,

and to teach his elders wisdom.

²³ Then Israel came to Egypt;

Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.

²⁴ And the LORD made his people very fruitful,

and made them stronger than their foes,

²⁵ whose hearts he then turned to hate his people,

to deal craftily with his servants.

²⁶ He sent his servant Moses,

and Aaron whom he had chosen.

²⁷ They performed his signs among them,

and miracles in the land of Ham.

²⁸ He sent darkness, and made the land dark;

they rebelledc against his words.

²⁹ He turned their waters into blood,

and caused their fish to die.

³⁰ Their land swarmed with frogs,

even in the chambers of their kings.

³¹ He spoke, and there came swarms of flies,

and gnats throughout their country.

³² He gave them hail for rain,

and lightning that flashed through their land.

³³ He struck their vines and fig trees,

and shattered the trees of their country.

³⁴ He spoke, and the locusts came,

and young locusts without number;

³⁵ they devoured all the vegetation in their land,

and ate up the fruit of their ground.

³⁶ He struck down all the firstborn in their land,

the first issue of all their strength.

³⁷ Then he brought Israela out with silver and gold,

and there was no one among their tribes who stumbled.

³⁸ Egypt was glad when they departed,

for dread of them had fallen upon it.

³⁹ He spread a cloud for a covering,

and fire to give light by night.

⁴⁰ They asked, and he brought quails,

and gave them food from heaven in abundance.

⁴¹ He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

it flowed through the desert like a river.

⁴² For he remembered his holy promise,

and Abraham, his servant.

⁴³ So he brought his people out with joy,

his chosen ones with singing.

⁴⁴ He gave them the lands of the nations,

and they took possession of the wealth of the peoples,

⁴⁵ that they might keep his statutes and observe his laws.

Praise the LORD!

A Confession of Israel’s Sins

106

PRAISE the LORD!

O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

² Who can utter the mighty doings of the LORD,

or declare all his praise?

³ Happy are those who observe justice,

who do righteousness at all times.

⁴ Remember me, O LORD, when you show favour to your people;

help me when you deliver them;

⁵ that I may see the prosperity of your chosen ones,

that I may rejoice in the gladness of your nation,

that I may glory in your heritage.

⁶ Both we and our ancestors have sinned;

we have committed iniquity, have done wickedly.

⁷ Our ancestors, when they were in Egypt,

did not consider your wonderful works;

they did not remember the abundance of your steadfast love,

but rebelled against the Most Highb at the Red Sea.c

⁸ Yet he saved them for his name’s sake,

so that he might make known his mighty power.

⁹ He rebuked the Red Sea,c and it became dry;

he led them through the deep as through a desert.

¹⁰ So he saved them from the hand of the foe,

and delivered them from the hand of the enemy.

¹¹ The waters covered their adversaries;

not one of them was left.

¹² Then they believed his words;

they sang his praise.

¹³ But they soon forgot his works;

they did not wait for his counsel.

¹⁴ But they had a wanton craving in the wilderness,

and put God to the test in the desert;

¹⁵ he gave them what they asked,

but sent a wasting disease among them.

¹⁶ They were jealous of Moses in the camp,

and of Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.

¹⁷ The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan,

and covered the faction of Abiram.

¹⁸ Fire also broke out in their company;

the flame burned up the wicked.

¹⁹ They made a calf at Horeb

and worshipped a cast image.

²⁰ They exchanged the glory of Goda

for the image of an ox that eats grass.

²¹ They forgot God, their Saviour,

who had done great things in Egypt,

²² wondrous works in the land of Ham,

and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.b

²³ Therefore he said he would destroy them—

had not Moses, his chosen one,

stood in the breach before him,

to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

²⁴ Then they despised the pleasant land,

having no faith in his promise.

²⁵ They grumbled in their tents,

and did not obey the voice of the LORD.

²⁶ Therefore he raised his hand and swore to them

that he would make them fall in the wilderness,

²⁷ and would dispersec their descendants among the nations,

scattering them over the lands.

²⁸ Then they attached themselves to the Baal of Peor,

and ate sacrifices offered to the dead;

²⁹ they provoked the LORD to anger with their deeds,

and a plague broke out among them.

³⁰ Then Phinehas stood up and interceded,

and the plague was stopped.

³¹ And that has been reckoned to him as righteousness

from generation to generation for ever.

³² They angered the LORDd

at the waters of Meribah, and it went ill with Moses on their account;

³³ for they made his spirit bitter,

and he spoke words that were rash.

³⁴ They did not destroy the peoples

as the LORD commanded them,

³⁵ but they mingled with the nations

and learned to do as they did.

³⁶ They served their idols,

which became a snare to them.

³⁷ They sacrificed their sons

and their daughters to the demons;

³⁸ they poured out innocent blood,

the blood of their sons and daughters,

whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan;

and the land was polluted with blood.

³⁹ Thus they became unclean by their acts,

and prostituted themselves in their doings.

⁴⁰ Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,

and he abhorred his heritage;

⁴¹ he gave them into the hand of the nations,

so that those who hated them ruled over them.

⁴² Their enemies oppressed them,

and they were brought into subjection under their power.

⁴³ Many times he delivered them,

but they were rebellious in their purposes,

and were brought low through their iniquity.

⁴⁴ Nevertheless, he regarded their distress

when he heard their cry.

⁴⁵ For their sake he remembered his covenant,

and showed compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

⁴⁶ He caused them to be pitied

by all who held them captive.

⁴⁷ Save us, O LORD our God,

and gather us from among the nations,

that we may give thanks to your holy name

and glory in your praise.

⁴⁸ Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

And let all the people say, ‘Amen.’

Praise the LORD!

BOOK V: Psalms 107–150

Thanksgiving for Deliverance from Many Troubles

107

O GIVE thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

² Let the redeemed of the LORD say so,

those he redeemed from trouble

³ and gathered in from the lands,

from the east and from the west,

from the north and from the south.a

⁴ Some wandered in desert wastes,

finding no way to an inhabited town;

⁵ hungry and thirsty,

their soul fainted within them.

⁶ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress;

⁷ he led them by a straight way,

until they reached an inhabited town.

⁸ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

⁹ For he satisfies the thirsty,

and the hungry he fills with good things.

¹⁰ Some sat in darkness and in gloom,

prisoners in misery and in irons,

¹¹ for they had rebelled against the words of God,

and spurned the counsel of the Most High.

¹² Their hearts were bowed down with hard labour;

they fell down, with no one to help.

¹³ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress;

¹⁴ he brought them out of darkness and gloom,

and broke their bonds asunder.

¹⁵ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

¹⁶ For he shatters the doors of bronze,

and cuts in two the bars of iron.

¹⁷ Some were sickb through their sinful ways,

and because of their iniquities endured affliction;

¹⁸ they loathed any kind of food,

and they drew near to the gates of death.

¹⁹ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he saved them from their distress;

²⁰ he sent out his word and healed them,

and delivered them from destruction.

²¹ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

²² And let them offer thanksgiving sacrifices,

and tell of his deeds with songs of joy.

²³ Some went down to the sea in ships,

doing business on the mighty waters;

²⁴ they saw the deeds of the LORD,

his wondrous works in the deep.

²⁵ For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,

which lifted up the waves of the sea.

²⁶ They mounted up to heaven, they went down to the depths;

their courage melted away in their calamity;

²⁷ they reeled and staggered like drunkards,

and were at their wits’ end.

²⁸ Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,

and he brought them out from their distress;

²⁹ he made the storm be still,

and the waves of the sea were hushed.

³⁰ Then they were glad because they had quiet,

and he brought them to their desired haven.

³¹ Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,

for his wonderful works to humankind.

³² Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,

and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

³³ He turns rivers into a desert,

springs of water into thirsty ground,

³⁴ a fruitful land into a salty waste,

because of the wickedness of its inhabitants.

³⁵ He turns a desert into pools of water,

a parched land into springs of water.

³⁶ And there he lets the hungry live,

and they establish a town to live in;

³⁷ they sow fields, and plant vineyards,

and get a fruitful yield.

³⁸ By his blessing they multiply greatly,

and he does not let their cattle decrease.

³⁹ When they are diminished and brought low

through oppression, trouble, and sorrow,

⁴⁰ he pours contempt on princes

and makes them wander in trackless wastes;

⁴¹ but he raises up the needy out of distress,

and makes their families like flocks.

⁴² The upright see it and are glad;

and all wickedness stops its mouth.

⁴³ Let those who are wise give heed to these things,

and consider the steadfast love of the LORD.

Praise and Prayer for Victory

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108

MY HEART is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast;a

I will sing and make melody.

Awake, my soul!b

² Awake, O harp and lyre!

I will awake the dawn.

³ I will give thanks to you, O LORD, among the peoples,

and I will sing praises to you among the nations.

⁴ For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens,

and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

⁵ Be exalted, O God, above the heavens,

and let your glory be over all the earth.

⁶ Give victory with your right hand, and answer me,

so that those whom you love may be rescued.

⁷ God has promised in his sanctuary:a

‘With exultation I will divide up Shechem,

and portion out the Vale of Succoth.

⁸ Gilead is mine; Manasseh is mine;

Ephraim is my helmet;

Judah is my sceptre.

⁹ Moab is my wash-basin;

on Edom I hurl my shoe;

over Philistia I shout in triumph.’

¹⁰ Who will bring me to the fortified city?

Who will lead me to Edom?

¹¹ Have you not rejected us, O God?

You do not go out, O God, with our armies.

¹² O grant us help against the foe,

for human help is worthless.

¹³ With God we shall do valiantly;

it is he who will tread down our foes.

Prayer for Vindication and Vengeance

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

109

DO NOT be silent, O God of my praise.

² For wicked and deceitful mouths are opened against me,

speaking against me with lying tongues.

³ They beset me with words of hate,

and attack me without cause.

⁴ In return for my love they accuse me,

even while I make prayer for them.b

⁵ So they reward me evil for good,

and hatred for my love.

⁶ They say,c ‘Appoint a wicked man against him;

let an accuser stand on his right.

⁷ When he is tried, let him be found guilty;

let his prayer be counted as sin.

⁸ May his days be few;

may another seize his position.

⁹ May his children be orphans,

and his wife a widow.

¹⁰ May his children wander about and beg;

may they be driven out ofd the ruins they inhabit.

¹¹ May the creditor seize all that he has;

may strangers plunder the fruits of his toil.

¹² May there be no one to do him a kindness,

nor anyone to pity his orphaned children.

¹³ May his posterity be cut off;

may his name be blotted out in the second generation.

¹⁴ May the iniquity of his fathere be remembered before the LORD,

and do not let the sin of his mother be blotted out.

¹⁵ Let them be before the LORD continually,

and may hisf memory be cut off from the earth.

¹⁶ For he did not remember to show kindness,

but pursued the poor and needy

and the broken-hearted to their death.

¹⁷ He loved to curse; let curses come on him.

He did not like blessing; may it be far from him.

¹⁸ He clothed himself with cursing as his coat,

may it soak into his body like water,

like oil into his bones.

¹⁹ May it be like a garment that he wraps around himself,

like a belt that he wears every day.’

²⁰ May that be the reward of my accusers from the LORD,

of those who speak evil against my life.

²¹ But you, O LORD my Lord,

act on my behalf for your name’s sake;

because your steadfast love is good, deliver me.

²² For I am poor and needy,

and my heart is pierced within me.

²³ I am gone like a shadow at evening;

I am shaken off like a locust.

²⁴ My knees are weak through fasting;

my body has become gaunt.

²⁵ I am an object of scorn to my accusers;

when they see me, they shake their heads.

²⁶ Help me, O LORD my God!

Save me according to your steadfast love.

²⁷ Let them know that this is your hand;

you, O LORD, have done it.

²⁸ Let them curse, but you will bless.

Let my assailants be put to shame;a may your servant be glad.

²⁹ May my accusers be clothed with dishonour;

may they be wrapped in their own shame as in a mantle.

³⁰ With my mouth I will give great thanks to the LORD;

I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

³¹ For he stands at the right hand of the needy,

to save them from those who would condemn them to death.

Assurance of Victory for God’s Priest-King

Of David. A Psalm.

110

THE LORD says to my lord,

‘Sit at my right hand

until I make your enemies your footstool.’

² The LORD sends out from Zion

your mighty sceptre.

Rule in the midst of your foes.

³ Your people will offer themselves willingly

on the day you lead your forces

on the holy mountains.b

From the womb of the morning,

like dew, your youthc will come to you.

⁴ The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind,

‘You are a priest for ever according to the order of Melchizedek.’d

⁵ The Lord is at your right hand;

he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.

⁶ He will execute judgement among the nations,

filling them with corpses;

he will shatter heads

over the wide earth.

⁷ He will drink from the stream by the path;

therefore he will lift up his head.

Praise for God’s Wonderful Works

111

PRAISE the LORD!

I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,

in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

² Great are the works of the LORD,

studied by all who delight in them.

³ Full of honour and majesty is his work,

and his righteousness endures for ever.

⁴ He has gained renown by his wonderful deeds;

the LORD is gracious and merciful.

⁵ He provides food for those who fear him;

he is ever mindful of his covenant.

⁶ He has shown his people the power of his works,

in giving them the heritage of the nations.

⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just;

all his precepts are trustworthy.

⁸ They are established for ever and ever,

to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.

⁹ He sent redemption to his people;

he has commanded his covenant for ever.

Holy and awesome is his name.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;

all those who practise it a have a good understanding.

His praise endures for ever.

Blessings of the Righteous

112

PRAISE the LORD!

Happy are those who fear the LORD,

who greatly delight in his commandments.

² Their descendants will be mighty in the land;

the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³ Wealth and riches are in their houses,

and their righteousness endures for ever.

⁴ They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright;

they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.

⁵ It is well with those who deal generously and lend,

who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶ For the righteous will never be moved;

they will be remembered for ever.

⁷ They are not afraid of evil tidings;

their hearts are firm, secure in the LORD.

⁸ Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid;

in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

⁹ They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor;

their righteousness endures for ever;

their horn is exalted in honour.

¹⁰ The wicked see it and are angry;

they gnash their teeth and melt away;

the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.

God the Helper of the Needy

113

PRAISE the LORD!

Praise, O servants of the LORD;

praise the name of the LORD.

² Blessed be the name of the LORD

from this time on and for evermore.

³ From the rising of the sun to its setting

the name of the LORD is to be praised.

⁴ The LORD is high above all nations,

and his glory above the heavens.

⁵ Who is like the LORD our God,

who is seated on high,

⁶ who looks far down

on the heavens and the earth?

⁷ He raises the poor from the dust,

and lifts the needy from the ash heap,

⁸ to make them sit with princes,

with the princes of his people.

⁹ He gives the barren woman a home,

making her the joyous mother of children.

Praise the LORD!

God’s Wonders at the Exodus

114

WHEN Israel went out from Egypt,

the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,

² Judah became God’sa sanctuary,

Israel his dominion.

³ The sea looked and fled;

Jordan turned back.

⁴ The mountains skipped like rams,

the hills like lambs.

⁵ Why is it, O sea, that you flee?

O Jordan, that you turn back?

⁶ O mountains, that you skip like rams?

O hills, like lambs?

⁷ Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the LORD,

at the presence of the God of Jacob,

⁸ who turns the rock into a pool of water,

the flint into a spring of water.

The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God

115

NOT to us, O LORD, not to us,

but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.

² Why should the nations say,

‘Where is their God?’

³ Our God is in the heavens;

he does whatever he pleases.

⁴ Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

⁵ They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

⁶ They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

⁷ They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

they make no sound in their throats.

⁸ Those who make them are like them;

so are all who trust in them.

⁹ O Israel, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

¹¹ You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!

He is their help and their shield.

¹² The LORD has been mindful of us;

he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel;

he will bless the house of Aaron;

¹³ he will bless those who fear the LORD,

both small and great.

¹⁴ May the LORD give you increase,

both you and your children.

¹⁵ May you be blessed by the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

¹⁶ The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,

but the earth he has given to human beings.

¹⁷ The dead do not praise the LORD,

nor do any that go down into silence.

¹⁸ But we will bless the LORD

from this time on and for evermore.

Praise the LORD!

Thanksgiving for Recovery from Illness

116

I LOVE the LORD, because he has heard

my voice and my supplications.

² Because he inclined his ear to me,

therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

³ The snares of death encompassed me;

the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

I suffered distress and anguish.

⁴ Then I called on the name of the LORD:

‘O LORD, I pray, save my life!’

⁵ Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;

our God is merciful.

⁶ The LORD protects the simple;

when I was brought low, he saved me.

⁷ Return, O my soul, to your rest,

for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.

⁸ For you have delivered my soul from death,

my eyes from tears,

my feet from stumbling.

⁹ I walk before the LORD

in the land of the living.

¹⁰ I kept my faith, even when I said,

‘I am greatly afflicted’

¹¹ I said in my consternation,

‘Everyone is a liar.’

¹² What shall I return to the LORD

for all his bounty to me?

¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation

and call on the name of the LORD,

¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people.

¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the LORD

is the death of his faithful ones.

¹⁶ O LORD,

I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your serving-maid.

You have loosed my bonds.

¹⁷ I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice

and call on the name of the LORD.

¹⁸ I will pay my vows to the LORD

in the presence of all his people,

¹⁹ in the courts of the house of the LORD,

in your midst, O Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

Universal Call to Worship

117

PRAISE the LORD, all you nations!

Extol him, all you peoples!

² For great is his steadfast love towards us,

and the faithfulness of the LORD endures for ever.

Praise the LORD!

A Song of Victory

118

O GIVE thanks to the LORD, for he is good;

his steadfast love endures for ever!

² Let Israel say,

‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’

³ Let the house of Aaron say,

‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’

⁴ Let those who fear the LORD say,

‘His steadfast love endures for ever.’

⁵ Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD

answered me and set me in a broad place.

⁶ With the LORD on my side I do not fear.

What can mortals do to me?

⁷ The LORD is on my side to help me;

I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.

⁸ It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to put confidence in mortals.

⁹ It is better to take refuge in the LORD

than to put confidence in princes.

¹⁰ All nations surrounded me;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

¹¹ They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

¹² They surrounded me like bees;

they blazeda like a fire of thorns;

in the name of the LORD I cut them off!

¹³ I was pushed hard,b so that I was falling,

but the LORD helped me.

¹⁴ The LORD is my strength and my might;

he has become my salvation.

¹⁵ There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:

‘The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;

¹⁶ the right hand of the LORD is exalted;

the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.’

¹⁷ I shall not die, but I shall live,

and recount the deeds of the LORD.

¹⁸ The LORD has punished me severely,

but he did not give me over to death.

¹⁹ Open to me the gates of righteousness,

that I may enter through them

and give thanks to the LORD.

²⁰ This is the gate of the LORD;

the righteous shall enter through it.

²¹ I thank you that you have answered me

and have become my salvation.

²² The stone that the builders rejected

has become the chief cornerstone.

²³ This is the LORD’s doing;

it is marvellous in our eyes.

²⁴ This is the day that the LORD has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.a

²⁵ Save us, we beseech you, O LORD!

O LORD, we beseech you, give us success!

²⁶ Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD.b

We bless you from the house of the LORD.

²⁷ The LORD is God,

and he has given us light.

Bind the festal procession with branches,

up to the horns of the altar.c

²⁸ You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;

you are my God, I will extol you.

²⁹ O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

The Glories of God’s Law

119

HAPPY are those whose way is blameless,

who walk in the law of the LORD.

² Happy are those who keep his decrees,

who seek him with their whole heart,

³ who also do no wrong,

but walk in his ways.

⁴ You have commanded your precepts

to be kept diligently.

⁵ O that my ways may be steadfast

in keeping your statutes!

⁶ Then I shall not be put to shame,

having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.

⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart,

when I learn your righteous ordinances.

⁸ I will observe your statutes;

do not utterly forsake me.

⁹ How can young people keep their way pure?

By guarding it according to your word.

¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;

do not let me stray from your commandments.

¹¹ I treasure your word in my heart,

so that I may not sin against you.

¹² Blessed are you, O LORD;

teach me your statutes.

¹³ With my lips I declare

all the ordinances of your mouth.

¹⁴ I delight in the way of your decrees

as much as in all riches.

¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts,

and fix my eyes on your ways.

¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget your word.

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with your servant,

so that I may live and observe your word.

¹⁸ Open my eyes, so that I may behold

wondrous things out of your law.

¹⁹ I live as an alien in the land;

do not hide your commandments from me.

²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing

for your ordinances at all times.

²¹ You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,

who wander from your commandments;

²² take away from me their scorn and contempt,

for I have kept your decrees.

²³ Even though princes sit plotting against me,

your servant will meditate on your statutes.

²⁴ Your decrees are my delight,

they are my counsellors.

²⁵ My soul clings to the dust;

revive me according to your word.

²⁶ When I told of my ways, you answered me;

teach me your statutes.

²⁷ Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

²⁸ My soul melts away for sorrow;

strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹ Put false ways far from me;

and graciously teach me your law.

³⁰ I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I set your ordinances before me.

³¹ I cling to your decrees, O LORD;

let me not be put to shame.

³² I run the way of your commandments,

for you enlarge my understanding.

³³ Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes,

and I will observe it to the end.

³⁴ Give me understanding, that I may keep your law

and observe it with my whole heart.

³⁵ Lead me in the path of your commandments,

for I delight in it.

³⁶ Turn my heart to your decrees,

and not to selfish gain.

³⁷ Turn my eyes from looking at vanities;

give me life in your ways.

³⁸ Confirm to your servant your promise,

which is for those who fear you.

³⁹ Turn away the disgrace that I dread,

for your ordinances are good.

⁴⁰ See, I have longed for your precepts;

in your righteousness give me life.

⁴¹ Let your steadfast love come to me, O LORD,

your salvation according to your promise.

⁴² Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me,

for I trust in your word.

⁴³ Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,

for my hope is in your ordinances.

⁴⁴ I will keep your law continually,

for ever and ever.

⁴⁵ I shall walk at liberty,

for I have sought your precepts.

⁴⁶ I will also speak of your decrees before kings,

and shall not be put to shame;

⁴⁷ I find my delight in your commandments,

because I love them.

⁴⁸ I revere your commandments, which I love,

and I will meditate on your statutes.

⁴⁹ Remember your word to your servant,

in which you have made me hope.

⁵⁰ This is my comfort in my distress,

that your promise gives me life.

⁵¹ The arrogant utterly deride me,

but I do not turn away from your law.

⁵² When I think of your ordinances from of old,

I take comfort, O LORD.

⁵³ Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked,

those who forsake your law.

⁵⁴ Your statutes have been my songs

wherever I make my home.

⁵⁵ I remember your name in the night, O LORD,

and keep your law.

⁵⁶ This blessing has fallen to me,

for I have kept your precepts.

⁵⁷ The LORD is my portion;

I promise to keep your words.

⁵⁸ I implore your favour with all my heart;

be gracious to me according to your promise.

⁵⁹ When I think of your ways,

I turn my feet to your decrees;

⁶⁰ I hurry and do not delay

to keep your commandments.

⁶¹ Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,

I do not forget your law.

⁶² At midnight I rise to praise you,

because of your righteous ordinances.

⁶³ I am a companion of all who fear you,

of those who keep your precepts.

⁶⁴ The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;

teach me your statutes.

⁶⁵ You have dealt well with your servant,

O LORD, according to your word.

⁶⁶ Teach me good judgement and knowledge,

for I believe in your commandments.

⁶⁷ Before I was humbled I went astray,

but now I keep your word.

⁶⁸ You are good and do good;

teach me your statutes.

⁶⁹ The arrogant smear me with lies,

but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.

⁷⁰ Their hearts are fat and gross,

but I delight in your law.

⁷¹ It is good for me that I was humbled,

so that I might learn your statutes.

⁷² The law of your mouth is better to me

than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

⁷³ Your hands have made and fashioned me;

give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

⁷⁴ Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,

because I have hoped in your word.

⁷⁵ I know, O LORD, that your judgements are right,

and that in faithfulness you have humbled me.

⁷⁶ Let your steadfast love become my comfort

according to your promise to your servant.

⁷⁷ Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;

for your law is my delight.

⁷⁸ Let the arrogant be put to shame,

because they have subverted me with guile;

as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.

⁷⁹ Let those who fear you turn to me,

so that they may know your decrees.

⁸⁰ May my heart be blameless in your statutes,

so that I may not be put to shame.

⁸¹ My soul languishes for your salvation;

I hope in your word.

⁸² My eyes fail with watching for your promise;

I ask, ‘When will you comfort me?’

⁸³ For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,

yet I have not forgotten your statutes.

⁸⁴ How long must your servant endure?

When will you judge those who persecute me?

⁸⁵ The arrogant have dug pitfalls for me;

they flout your law.

⁸⁶ All your commandments are enduring;

I am persecuted without cause; help me!

⁸⁷ They have almost made an end of me on earth;

but I have not forsaken your precepts.

⁸⁸ In your steadfast love spare my life,

so that I may keep the decrees of your mouth.

⁸⁹ The LORD exists for ever;

your word is firmly fixed in heaven.

⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;

you have established the earth, and it stands fast.

⁹¹ By your appointment they stand today,

for all things are your servants.

⁹² If your law had not been my delight,

I would have perished in my misery.

⁹³ I will never forget your precepts,

for by them you have given me life.

⁹⁴ I am yours; save me,

for I have sought your precepts.

⁹⁵ The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,

but I consider your decrees.

⁹⁶ I have seen a limit to all perfection,

but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your law!

It is my meditation all day long.

⁹⁸ Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,

for it is always with me.

⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,

for your decrees are my meditation.

¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged,

for I keep your precepts.

¹⁰¹ I hold back my feet from every evil way,

in order to keep your word.

¹⁰² I do not turn away from your ordinances,

for you have taught me.

¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ Through your precepts I get understanding;

therefore I hate every false way.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet

and a light to my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,

to observe your righteous ordinances.

¹⁰⁷ I am severely afflicted;

give me life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸ Accept my offerings of praise, O LORD,

and teach me your ordinances.

¹⁰⁹ I hold my life in my hand continually,

but I do not forget your law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,

but I do not stray from your precepts.

¹¹¹ Your decrees are my heritage for ever;

they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹² I incline my heart to perform your statutes

for ever, to the end.

¹¹³ I hate the double-minded,

but I love your law.

¹¹⁴ You are my hiding-place and my shield;

I hope in your word.

¹¹⁵ Go away from me, you evildoers,

that I may keep the commandments of my God.

¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,

and let me not be put to shame in my hope.

¹¹⁷ Hold me up, that I may be safe

and have regard for your statutes continually.

¹¹⁸ You spurn all who go astray from your statutes;

for their cunning is in vain.

¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you count as dross;

therefore I love your decrees.

¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of you,

and I am afraid of your judgements.

¹²¹ I have done what is just and right;

do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²² Guarantee your servant’s well-being;

do not let the godless oppress me.

¹²³ My eyes fail from watching for your salvation,

and for the fulfilment of your righteous promise.

¹²⁴ Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,

and teach me your statutes.

¹²⁵ I am your servant;

give me understanding, so that I may know your decrees.

¹²⁶ It is time for the LORD to act,

for your law has been broken.

¹²⁷ Truly I love your commandments more

than gold, more than fine gold.

¹²⁸ Truly I direct my steps by all your precepts;a

I hate every false way.

¹²⁹ Your decrees are wonderful;

therefore my soul keeps them.

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light;

it imparts understanding to the simple.

¹³¹ With open mouth I pant,

because I long for your commandments.

¹³² Turn to me and be gracious to me,

as is your custom towards those who love your name.

¹³³ Keep my steps steady according to your promise,

and never let iniquity have dominion over me.

¹³⁴ Redeem me from human oppression,

that I may keep your precepts.

¹³⁵ Make your face shine upon your servant,

and teach me your statutes.

¹³⁶ My eyes shed streams of tears

because your law is not kept.

¹³⁷ You are righteous, O LORD,

and your judgements are right.

¹³⁸ You have appointed your decrees in righteousness

and in all faithfulness.

¹³⁹ My zeal consumes me

because my foes forget your words.

¹⁴⁰ Your promise is well tried,

and your servant loves it.

¹⁴¹ I am small and despised,

yet I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁴² Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness,

and your law is the truth.

¹⁴³ Trouble and anguish have come upon me,

but your commandments are my delight.

¹⁴⁴ Your decrees are righteous for ever;

give me understanding that I may live.

¹⁴⁵ With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O LORD.

I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁶ I cry to you; save me,

that I may observe your decrees.

¹⁴⁷ I rise before dawn and cry for help;

I put my hope in your words.

¹⁴⁸ My eyes are awake before each watch of the night,

that I may meditate on your promise.

¹⁴⁹ In your steadfast love hear my voice;

O LORD, in your justice preserve my life.

¹⁵⁰ Those who persecute me with evil purpose draw near;

they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹ Yet you are near, O LORD,

and all your commandments are true.

¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your decrees

that you have established them for ever.

¹⁵³ Look on my misery and rescue me,

for I do not forget your law.

¹⁵⁴ Plead my cause and redeem me;

give me life according to your promise.

¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek your statutes.

¹⁵⁶ Great is your mercy, O LORD;

give me life according to your justice.

¹⁵⁷ Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,

yet I do not swerve from your decrees.

¹⁵⁸ I look at the faithless with disgust,

because they do not keep your commands.

¹⁵⁹ Consider how I love your precepts;

preserve my life according to your steadfast love.

¹⁶⁰ The sum of your word is truth;

and every one of your righteous ordinances endures for ever.

¹⁶¹ Princes persecute me without cause,

but my heart stands in awe of your words.

¹⁶² I rejoice at your word

like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood,

but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you

for your righteous ordinances.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have those who love your law;

nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶ I hope for your salvation, O LORD,

and I fulfil your commandments.

¹⁶⁷ My soul keeps your decrees;

I love them exceedingly.

¹⁶⁸ I keep your precepts and decrees,

for all my ways are before you.

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before you, O LORD;

give me understanding according to your word.

¹⁷⁰ Let my supplication come before you;

deliver me according to your promise.

¹⁷¹ My lips will pour forth praise,

because you teach me your statutes.

¹⁷² My tongue will sing of your promise,

for all your commandments are right.

¹⁷³ Let your hand be ready to help me,

for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O LORD,

and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you,

and let your ordinances help me.

¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant,

for I do not forget your commandments.

Prayer for Deliverance from Slanderers

A Song of Ascents.

120

IN MY distress I cry to the LORD,

that he may answer me:

² ‘Deliver me, O LORD,

from lying lips,

from a deceitful tongue.’

³ What shall be given to you?

And what more shall be done to you,

you deceitful tongue?

⁴ A warrior’s sharp arrows,

with glowing coals of the broom tree!

⁵ Woe is me, that I am an alien in Meshech,

that I must live among the tents of Kedar.

⁶ Too long have I had my dwelling

among those who hate peace.

⁷ I am for peace;

but when I speak,

they are for war.

Assurance of God’s Protection

A Song of Ascents.

121

I LIFT up my eyes to the hills—

from where will my help come?

² My help comes from the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;

he who keeps you will not slumber.

⁴ He who keeps Israel

will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The LORD is your keeper;

the LORD is your shade at your right hand.

⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,

nor the moon by night.

⁷ The LORD will keep you from all evil;

he will keep your life.

⁸ The LORD will keep

your going out and your coming in

from this time on and for evermore.

Song of Praise and Prayer for Jerusalem

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

122

I WAS glad when they said to me,

‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’

² Our feet are standing

within your gates, O Jerusalem.

³ Jerusalem—built as a city

that is bound firmly together.

⁴ To it the tribes go up,

the tribes of the LORD,

as was decreed for Israel,

to give thanks to the name of the LORD.

⁵ For there the thrones for judgement were set up,

the thrones of the house of David.

⁶ Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

‘May they prosper who love you.

⁷ Peace be within your walls,

and security within your towers.’

⁸ For the sake of my relatives and friends

I will say, ‘Peace be within you.’

⁹ For the sake of the house of the LORD our God,

I will seek your good.

Supplication for Mercy

A Song of Ascents.

123

TO YOU I lift up my eyes,

O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

² As the eyes of servants

look to the hand of their master,

as the eyes of a maid

to the hand of her mistress,

so our eyes look to the LORD our God,

until he has mercy upon us.

³ Have mercy upon us, O LORD, have mercy upon us,

for we have had more than enough of contempt.

⁴ Our soul has had more than its fill

of the scorn of those who are at ease,

of the contempt of the proud.

Thanksgiving for Israel’s Deliverance

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

124

IF IT had not been the LORD who was on our side

—let Israel now say—

² if it had not been the LORD who was on our side,

when our enemies attacked us,

³ then they would have swallowed us up alive,

when their anger was kindled against us;

⁴ then the flood would have swept us away,

the torrent would have gone over us;

⁵ then over us would have gone

the raging waters.

⁶ Blessed be the LORD,

who has not given us

as prey to their teeth.

⁷ We have escaped like a bird

from the snare of the fowlers;

the snare is broken,

and we have escaped.

⁸ Our help is in the name of the LORD,

who made heaven and earth.

The Security of God’s People

A Song of Ascents.

125

THOSE who trust in the LORD

are like Mount Zion,

which cannot be moved, but abides for ever.

² As the mountains surround Jerusalem,

so the LORD surrounds his people,

from this time on and for evermore.

³ For the sceptre of wickedness shall not rest

on the land allotted to the righteous,

so that the righteous may not stretch out

their hands to do wrong.

⁴ Do good, O LORD, to those who are good,

and to those who are upright in their hearts.

⁵ But those who turn aside to their own crooked ways

the LORD will lead away with evildoers.

Peace be upon Israel!

A Harvest of Joy

A Song of Ascents.

126

WHEN the LORD restored the fortunes of Zion,a

we were like those who dream.

² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then it was said among the nations,

‘The LORD has done great things for them.’

³ The LORD has done great things for us,

and we rejoiced.

⁴ Restore our fortunes, O LORD,

like the watercourses in the Negeb.

⁵ May those who sow in tears

reap with shouts of joy.

⁶ Those who go out weeping,

bearing the seed for sowing,

shall come home with shouts of joy,

carrying their sheaves.

God’s Blessings in the Home

A Song of Ascents. Of Solomon.

127

UNLESS the LORD builds the house,

those who build it labour in vain.

Unless the LORD guards the city,

the guard keeps watch in vain.

² It is in vain that you rise up early

and go late to rest,

eating the bread of anxious toil;

for he gives sleep to his beloved.b

³ Sons are indeed a heritage from the LORD,

the fruit of the womb a reward.

⁴ Like arrows in the hand of a warrior

are the sons of one’s youth.

⁵ Happy is the man who has

his quiver full of them.

He shall not be put to shame

when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

The Happy Home of the Faithful

A Song of Ascents.

128

HAPPY is everyone who fears the LORD,

who walks in his ways.

² You shall eat the fruit of the labour of your hands;

you shall be happy, and it shall go well with you.

³ Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your house;

your children will be like olive shoots

around your table.

⁴ Thus shall the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.

⁵ The LORD bless you from Zion.

May you see the prosperity of Jerusalem

all the days of your life.

⁶ May you see your children’s children.

Peace be upon Israel!

Prayer for the Downfall of Israel’s Enemies

A Song of Ascents.

129

‘OFTEN have they attacked me from my youth’

—let Israel now say—

² ‘often have they attacked me from my youth,

yet they have not prevailed against me.

³ Those who plough ploughed on my back;

they made their furrows long.’

⁴ The LORD is righteous;

he has cut the cords of the wicked.

⁵ May all who hate Zion

be put to shame and turned back.

⁶ Let them be like the grass on the housetops

that withers before it grows up,

⁷ with which reapers do not fill their hands

or binders of sheaves their arms,

⁸ while those who pass by do not say,

‘The blessing of the LORD be upon you!

We bless you in the name of the LORD!’

Waiting for Divine Redemption

A Song of Ascents.

130

OUT of the depths I cry to you, O LORD.

² Lord, hear my voice!

Let your ears be attentive

to the voice of my supplications!

³ If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities,

Lord, who could stand?

⁴ But there is forgiveness with you,

so that you may be revered.

⁵ I wait for the LORD, my soul waits,

and in his word I hope;

⁶ my soul waits for the Lord

more than those who watch for the morning,

more than those who watch for the morning.

⁷ O Israel, hope in the LORD!

For with the LORD there is steadfast love,

and with him is great power to redeem.

⁸ It is he who will redeem Israel

from all its iniquities.

Song of Quiet Trust

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

131

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up,

my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things

too great and too marvellous for me.

² But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother;

my soul is like the weaned child that is with me.a

³ O Israel, hope in the LORD

from this time on and for evermore.

The Eternal Dwelling of God in Zion

A Song of Ascents.

132

O LORD, remember in David’s favour

all the hardships he endured;

² how he swore to the LORD

and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob,

³ ‘I will not enter my house

or get into my bed;

⁴ I will not give sleep to my eyes

or slumber to my eyelids,

⁵ until I find a place for the LORD,

a dwelling-place for the Mighty One of Jacob.’

⁶ We heard of it in Ephrathah;

we found it in the fields of Jaar.

⁷ ‘Let us go to his dwelling-place;

let us worship at his footstool.’

⁸ Rise up, O LORD, and go to your resting-place,

you and the ark of your might.

⁹ Let your priests be clothed with righteousness,

and let your faithful shout for joy.

¹⁰ For your servant David’s sake

do not turn away the face of your anointed one.

¹¹ The LORD swore to David a sure oath

from which he will not turn back:

‘One of the sons of your body

I will set on your throne.

¹² If your sons keep my covenant

and my decrees that I shall teach them,

their sons also, for evermore,

shall sit on your throne.’

¹³ For the LORD has chosen Zion;

he has desired it for his habitation:

¹⁴ ‘This is my resting-place for ever;

here I will reside, for I have desired it.

¹⁵ I will abundantly bless its provisions;

I will satisfy its poor with bread.

¹⁶ Its priests I will clothe with salvation,

and its faithful will shout for joy.

¹⁷ There I will cause a horn to sprout up for David;

I have prepared a lamp for my anointed one.

¹⁸ His enemies I will clothe with disgrace,

but on him, his crown will gleam.’

The Blessedness of Unity

A Song of Ascents.

133

HOW very good and pleasant it is

when kindred live together in unity!

² It is like the precious oil on the head,

running down upon the beard,

on the beard of Aaron,

running down over the collar of his robes.

³ It is like the dew of Hermon,

which falls on the mountains of Zion.

For there the LORD ordained his blessing,

life for evermore.

Praise in the Night

A Song of Ascents.

134

COME, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,

who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

² Lift up your hands to the holy place,

and bless the LORD.

³ May the LORD, maker of heaven and earth,

bless you from Zion.

Praise for God’s Goodness and Might

135

PRAISE the LORD!

Praise the name of the LORD;

give praise, O servants of the LORD,

² you that stand in the house of the LORD,

in the courts of the house of our God.

³ Praise the LORD, for the LORD is good;

sing to his name, for he is gracious.

⁴ For the LORD has chosen Jacob for himself,

Israel as his own possession.

⁵ For I know that the LORD is great;

our Lord is above all gods.

⁶ Whatever the LORD pleases he does,

in heaven and on earth,

in the seas and all deeps.

⁷ He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth;

he makes lightnings for the rain

and brings out the wind from his storehouses.

⁸ He it was who struck down the firstborn of Egypt,

both human beings and animals;

⁹ he sent signs and wonders

into your midst, O Egypt,

against Pharaoh and all his servants.

¹⁰ He struck down many nations

and killed mighty kings—

¹¹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,

and Og, king of Bashan,

and all the kingdoms of Canaan—

¹² and gave their land as a heritage,

a heritage to his people Israel.

¹³ Your name, O LORD, endures for ever,

your renown, O LORD, throughout all ages.

¹⁴ For the LORD will vindicate his people,

and have compassion on his servants.

¹⁵ The idols of the nations are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

¹⁶ They have mouths, but they do not speak;

they have eyes, but they do not see;

¹⁷ they have ears, but they do not hear,

and there is no breath in their mouths.

¹⁸ Those who make them

and all who trust them

shall become like them.

¹⁹ O house of Israel, bless the LORD!

O house of Aaron, bless the LORD!

²⁰ O house of Levi, bless the LORD!

You that fear the LORD, bless the LORD!

²¹ Blessed be the LORD from Zion,

he who resides in Jerusalem.

Praise the LORD!

God’s Work in Creation and in History

136

O GIVE thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures for ever.

² O give thanks to the God of gods,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

³ O give thanks to the Lord of lords,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁴ who alone does great wonders,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁵ who by understanding made the heavens,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁶ who spread out the earth on the waters,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁷ who made the great lights,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁸ the sun to rule over the day,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

⁹ the moon and stars to rule over the night,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁰ who struck Egypt through their firstborn,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹² with a strong hand and an outstretched arm,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹³ who divided the Red Seaa in two,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁴ and made Israel pass through the midst of it,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁵ but overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the Red Sea,a

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁶ who led his people through the wilderness,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁷ who struck down great kings,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁸ and killed famous kings,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

¹⁹ Sihon, king of the Amorites,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

²⁰ and Og, king of Bashan,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

²¹ and gave their land as a heritage,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

²² a heritage to his servant Israel,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

²³ It is he who remembered us in our low estate,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

²⁴ and rescued us from our foes,

for his steadfast love endures for ever;

²⁵ who gives food to all flesh,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

²⁶ O give thanks to the God of heaven,

for his steadfast love endures for ever.

Lament over the Destruction of Jerusalem

137

BY THE rivers of Babylon—there we sat down and there we wept

when we remembered Zion.

² On the willowsb there

we hung up our harps.

³ For there our captors

asked us for songs,

and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,

‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion!’

⁴ How could we sing the LORD’s song

in a foreign land?

⁵ If I forget you, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand wither!

⁶ Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,

if I do not remember you,

if I do not set Jerusalem

above my highest joy.

⁷ Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites

the day of Jerusalem’s fall,

how they said, ‘Tear it down! Tear it down!

Down to its foundations!’

⁸ O daughter Babylon, you devastator!c

Happy shall they be who pay you back

what you have done to us!

⁹ Happy shall they be who take your little ones

and dash them against the rock!

Thanksgiving and Praise Of David.

138

I GIVE you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

² I bow down towards your holy temple

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness;

for you have exalted your name and your word

above everything.a

³ On the day I called, you answered me,

you increased my strength of soul.b

⁴ All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O LORD,

for they have heard the words of your mouth.

⁵ They shall sing of the ways of the LORD,

for great is the glory of the LORD.

⁶ For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly;

but the haughty he perceives from far away.

⁷ Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies;

you stretch out your hand,

and your right hand delivers me.

⁸ The LORD will fulfil his purpose for me;

your steadfast love, O LORD, endures for ever.

Do not forsake the work of your hands.

The Inescapable God

To the leader. Of David. A Psalm.

139

O LORD, you have searched me and known me.

² You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

you discern my thoughts from far away.

³ You search out my path and my lying down,

and are acquainted with all my ways.

⁴ Even before a word is on my tongue,

O LORD, you know it completely.

⁵ You hem me in, behind and before,

and lay your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;

it is so high that I cannot attain it.

⁷ Where can I go from your spirit?

Or where can I flee from your presence?

⁸ If I ascend to heaven, you are there;

if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there.

⁹ If I take the wings of the morning

and settle at the farthest limits of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand shall lead me,

and your right hand shall hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me,

and the light around me become night’,

¹² even the darkness is not dark to you;

the night is as bright as the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For it was you who formed my inward parts;

you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

¹⁴ I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works;

that I know very well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

¹⁶ Your eyes beheld my unformed substance.

In your book were written

all the days that were formed for me,

when none of them as yet existed.

¹⁷ How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God!

How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ I try to count them—they are more than the sand;

I come to the enda—I am still with you.

¹⁹ O that you would kill the wicked, OGod,

and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me—

²⁰ those who speak of you maliciously,

and lift themselves up against you for evil!b

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against you?

²² I hate them with perfect hatred;

I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;

test me and know my thoughts.

²⁴ See if there is any wickedc way in me,

and lead me in the way everlasting.d

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

To the leader. A Psalm of David.

140

DELIVER me, O LORD, from evildoers;

protect me from those who are violent,

² who plan evil things in their minds

and stir up wars continually.

³ They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s,

and under their lips is the venom of vipers.

Selah

⁴ Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked;

protect me from the violent

who have planned my downfall.

⁵ The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,

and with cords they have spread a net;e

along the road they have set snares for me. Selah

⁶ I say to the LORD, ‘You are my God;

give ear, O LORD, to the voice of my supplications.’

⁷ O LORD, my Lord, my strong deliverer,

you have covered my head in the day of battle.

⁸ Do not grant, O LORD, the desires of the wicked;

do not further their evil plot.f

Selah

⁹ Those who surround me lift up their heads;g

let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!

¹⁰ Let burning coals fall on them!

Let them be flung into pits, no more to rise!

¹¹ Do not let the slanderer be established in the land;

let evil speedily hunt down the violent!

¹² I know that the LORD maintains the cause of the needy,

and executes justice for the poor.

¹³ Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;

the upright shall live in your presence.

Prayer for Preservation from Evil

A Psalm of David.

141

I CALL upon you, O LORD; come quickly to me; give ear to my voice when I call to you.

² Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,

and the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice.

³ Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD;

keep watch over the door of my lips.

⁴ Do not turn my heart to any evil,

to busy myself with wicked deeds

in company with those who work iniquity;

do not let me eat of their delicacies.

⁵ Let the righteous strike me;

let the faithful correct me.

Never let the oil of the wicked anoint my head,a

for my prayer is continuallyb against their wicked deeds.

⁶ When they are given over to those

who shall condemn them,

then they shall learn that my words were pleasant.

⁷ Like a rock that one breaks apart and shatters on the land,

so shall their bones be strewn at the mouth of Sheol.c

⁸ But my eyes are turned towards you, OGOD, my Lord;

in you I seek refuge; do not leave me defenceless.

⁹ Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me,

and from the snares of evildoers.

¹⁰ Let the wicked fall into their own nets,

while I alone escape.

Prayer for Deliverance from Persecutors

A Maskil of David. When he was in the cave. A Prayer.

142

WITH my voice I cry to the LORD;

with my voice I make supplication to the LORD.

² I pour out my complaint before him;

I tell my trouble before him.

³ When my spirit is faint,

you know my way.

In the path where I walk

they have hidden a trap for me.

⁴ Look on my right hand and see—

there is no one who takes notice of me;

no refuge remains to me;

no one cares for me.

⁵ I cry to you, O LORD;

I say, ‘You are my refuge,

my portion in the land of the living.’

⁶ Give heed to my cry,

for I am brought very low.

Save me from my persecutors,

for they are too strong for me.

⁷ Bring me out of prison,

so that I may give thanks to your name.

The righteous will surround me,

for you will deal bountifully with me.

Prayer for Deliverance from Enemies

A Psalm of David.

143

HEAR my prayer, O LORD;

give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;

answer me in your righteousness.

² Do not enter into judgement with your servant,

for no one living is righteous before you.

³ For the enemy has pursued me,

crushing my life to the ground,

making me sit in darkness like those long dead.

⁴ Therefore my spirit faints within me;

my heart within me is appalled.

⁵ I remember the days of old,

I think about all your deeds,

I meditate on the works of your hands.

⁶ I stretch out my hands to you;

my soul thirsts for you like a parched land.

Selah

⁷ Answer me quickly, O LORD;

my spirit fails.

Do not hide your face from me,

or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit.

⁸ Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,

for in you I put my trust.

Teach me the way I should go,

for to you I lift up my soul.

⁹ Save me, O LORD, from my enemies;

I have fled to you for refuge.a

¹⁰ Teach me to do your will,

for you are my God.

Let your good spirit lead me

on a level path.

¹¹ For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life.

In your righteousness bring me out of trouble.

¹² In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,

and destroy all my adversaries,

for I am your servant.

Prayer for National Deliverance and Security

Of David.

144

BLESSED be the LORD, my rock,

who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;

² my rockb and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues the peoplesc under me.

³ O LORD, what are human beings that you regard them,

or mortals that you think of them?

⁴ They are like a breath;

their days are like a passing shadow.

⁵ Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down;

touch the mountains so that they smoke.

⁶ Make the lightning flash and scatter them;

send out your arrows and rout them.

⁷ Stretch out your hand from on high;

set me free and rescue me from the mighty waters,

from the hand of aliens,

⁸ whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hands are false.

⁹ I will sing a new song to you, OGod;

upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,

¹⁰ the one who gives victory to kings,

who rescues his servant David.

¹¹ Rescue me from the cruel sword,

and deliver me from the hand of aliens,

whose mouths speak lies,

and whose right hands are false.

¹² May our sons in their youth

be like plants full grown,

our daughters like corner pillars,

cut for the building of a palace.

¹³ May our barns be filled

with produce of every kind;

may our sheep increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields,

¹⁴ and may our cattle be heavy with young.

May there be no breach in the walls,d no exile,

and no cry of distress in our streets.

¹⁵ Happy are the people to whom such blessings fall;

happy are the people whose God is the LORD.

The Greatness and the Goodness of God

Praise. Of David.

145

I WILL extol you, my God and King,

and bless your name for ever and ever.

² Every day I will bless you,

and praise your name for ever and ever.

³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised;

his greatness is unsearchable.

⁴ One generation shall laud your works to another,

and shall declare your mighty acts.

⁵ On the glorious splendour of your majesty,

and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.

⁶ The might of your awesome deeds shall be proclaimed,

and I will declare your greatness.

⁷ They shall celebrate the fame of your abundant goodness,

and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.

⁸ The LORD is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

⁹ The LORD is good to all,

and his compassion is over all that he has made.

¹⁰ All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,

and all your faithful shall bless you.

¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom,

and tell of your power,

¹² to make known to all people youra mighty deeds,

and the glorious splendour of yourb kingdom.

¹³ Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and your dominion endures throughout all generations.

The LORD is faithful in all his words,

and gracious in all his deeds.c

¹⁴ The LORD upholds all who are falling,

and raises up all who are bowed down.

¹⁵ The eyes of all look to you,

and you give them their food in due season.

¹⁶ You open your hand,

satisfying the desire of every living thing.

¹⁷ The LORD is just in all his ways,

and kind in all his doings.

¹⁸ The LORD is near to all who call on him,

to all who call on him in truth.

¹⁹ He fulfils the desire of all who fear him;

he also hears their cry, and saves them.

²⁰ The LORD watches over all who love him,

but all the wicked he will destroy.

²¹ My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,

and all flesh will bless his holy name for ever and ever.

Praise for God’s Help

146

PRAISE the LORD!

Praise the LORD, O my soul!

² I will praise the LORD as long as I live;

I will sing praises to my God all my life long.

³ Do not put your trust in princes,

in mortals, in whom there is no help.

⁴ When their breath departs, they

return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.

⁵ Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob,

whose hope is in the LORD their God,

⁶ who made heaven and earth,

the sea, and all that is in them;

who keeps faith for ever;

⁷ who executes justice for the oppressed;

who gives food to the hungry.

The LORD sets the prisoners free;

⁸ the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.

The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

the LORD loves the righteous.

⁹ The LORD watches over the strangers;

he upholds the orphan and the widow,

but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.

¹⁰ The LORD will reign for ever,

your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the LORD!

Praise for God’s Care for Jerusalem

147

PRAISE the LORD!

How good it is to sing praises to our God;

for he is gracious, and a song of praise is fitting.

² The LORD builds up Jerusalem;

he gathers the outcasts of Israel.

³ He heals the broken-hearted,

and binds up their wounds.

⁴ He determines the number of the stars;

he gives to all of them their names.

⁵ Great is our Lord, and abundant in power;

his understanding is beyond measure.

⁶ The LORD lifts up the downtrodden;

he casts the wicked to the ground.

⁷ Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving;

make melody to our God on the lyre.

⁸ He covers the heavens with clouds,

prepares rain for the earth,

makes grass grow on the hills.

⁹ He gives to the animals their food,

and to the young ravens when they cry.

¹⁰ His delight is not in the strength of the horse,

nor his pleasure in the speed of a runner;a

¹¹ but the LORD takes pleasure in those who fear him,

in those who hope in his steadfast love.

¹² Praise the LORD, O Jerusalem!

Praise your God, O Zion!

¹³ For he strengthens the bars of your gates;

he blesses your children within you.

¹⁴ He grants peaceb within your borders;

he fills you with the finest of wheat.

¹⁵ He sends out his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

¹⁶ He gives snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

¹⁷ He hurls down hail like crumbs—

who can stand before his cold?

¹⁸ He sends out his word, and melts them;

he makes his wind blow, and the waters flow.

¹⁹ He declares his word to Jacob,

his statutes and ordinances to Israel.

²⁰ He has not dealt thus with any other nation;

they do not know his ordinances.

Praise the LORD!

Praise for God’s Universal Glory

148

PRAISE the LORD!

Praise the LORD from the heavens;

praise him in the heights!

² Praise him, all his angels;

praise him, all his host!

³ Praise him, sun and moon;

praise him, all you shining stars!

⁴ Praise him, you highest heavens,

and you waters above the heavens!

⁵ Let them praise the name of the LORD,

for he commanded and they were created.

⁶ He established them for ever and ever;

he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed.a

⁷ Praise the LORD from the earth,

you sea monsters and all deeps,

⁸ fire and hail, snow and frost,

stormy wind fulfilling his command!

⁹ Mountains and all hills,

fruit trees and all cedars!

¹⁰ Wild animals and all cattle,

creeping things and flying birds!

¹¹ Kings of the earth and all peoples,

princes and all rulers of the earth!

¹² Young men and women alike,

old and young together!

¹³ Let them praise the name of the LORD,

for his name alone is exalted;

his glory is above earth and heaven.

¹⁴ He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his faithful,

for the people of Israel who are close to him.

Praise the LORD!

Praise for God’s Goodness to Israel

149

PRAISE the LORD!

Sing to the LORD a new song,

his praise in the assembly of the faithful.

² Let Israel be glad in its Maker;

let the children of Zion rejoice in their King.

³ Let them praise his name with dancing,

making melody to him with tambourine and lyre.

⁴ For the LORD takes pleasure in his people;

he adorns the humble with victory.

⁵ Let the faithful exult in glory;

let them sing for joy on their couches.

⁶ Let the high praises of God be in their throats

and two-edged swords in their hands,

⁷ to execute vengeance on the nations

and punishment on the peoples,

⁸ to bind their kings with fetters

and their nobles with chains of iron,

⁹ to execute on them the judgement decreed.

This is glory for all his faithful ones.

Praise the LORD!

Praise for God’s Surpassing Greatness

150

PRAISE the LORD!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty firmament!b

² Praise him for his mighty deeds;

praise him according to his surpassing greatness!

³ Praise him with trumpet sound;

praise him with lute and harp!

⁴ Praise him with tambourine and dance;

praise him with strings and pipe!

⁵ Praise him with clanging cymbals;

praise him with loud clashing cymbals!

⁶ Let everything that breathes praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD!

PROVERBS

THE proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

Prologue

² For learning about wisdom and instruction,

for understanding words of insight,

³ for gaining instruction in wise dealing,

righteousness, justice, and equity;

⁴ to teach shrewdness to the simple,

knowledge and prudence to the young—

⁵ let the wise also hear and gain in learning,

and the discerning acquire skill,

⁶ to understand a proverb and a figure,

the words of the wise and their riddles.

⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;

fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Warnings against Evil Companions

⁸ Hear, my child, your father’s instruction,

and do not reject your mother’s teaching;

⁹ for they are a fair garland for your head,

and pendants for your neck.

¹⁰ My child, if sinners entice you,

do not consent.

¹¹ If they say, ‘Come with us,

let us lie in wait for blood; let us wantonly ambush the innocent;

¹² like Sheol let us swallow them alive

and whole, like those who go down to the Pit.

¹³ We shall find all kinds of costly things;

we shall fill our houses with booty.

¹⁴ Throw in your lot among us;

we will all have one purse’—

¹⁵ my child, do not walk in their way,

keep your foot from their paths;

¹⁶ for their feet run to evil,

and they hurry to shed blood.

¹⁷ For in vain is the net baited

while the bird is looking on;

¹⁸ yet they lie in wait—to kill themselves!

and set an ambush—for their own lives!

¹⁹ Such is the enda of all who are greedy for gain;

it takes away the life of its possessors.

The Call of Wisdom

²⁰ Wisdom cries out in the street;

in the squares she raises her voice.

²¹ At the busiest corner she cries out;

at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:

²² ‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?

How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing

and fools hate knowledge?

²³ Give heed to my reproof;

I will pour out my thoughts to you;

I will make my words known to you.

²⁴ Because I have called and you refused,

have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,

²⁵ and because you have ignored all my counsel

and would have none of my reproof,

²⁶ I also will laugh at your calamity;

I will mock when panic strikes you,

²⁷ when panic strikes you like a storm,

and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,

when distress and anguish come upon you.

²⁸ Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;

they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.

²⁹ Because they hated knowledge

and did not choose the fear of the LORD,

³⁰ would have none of my counsel,

and despised all my reproof,

³¹ therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way

and be sated with their own devices.

³² For waywardness kills the simple,

and the complacency of fools destroys them;

³³ but those who listen to me will be secure

and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.’

The Value of Wisdom

2

MY CHILD, if you accept my words

and treasure up my commandments within you,

² making your ear attentive to wisdom

and inclining your heart to understanding;

³ if you indeed cry out for insight,

and raise your voice for understanding;

⁴ if you seek it like silver,

and search for it as for hidden treasures—

⁵ then you will understand the fear of the LORD

and find the knowledge of God.

⁶ For the LORD gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

⁷ he stores up sound wisdom for the upright;

he is a shield to those who walk blamelessly,

⁸ guarding the paths of justice

and preserving the way of his faithful ones.

⁹ Then you will understand righteousness and justice

and equity, every good path;

¹⁰ for wisdom will come into your heart,

and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul;

¹¹ prudence will watch over you;

and understanding will guard you.

¹² It will save you from the way of evil,

from those who speak perversely,

¹³ who forsake the paths of uprightness

to walk in the ways of darkness,

¹⁴ who rejoice in doing evil

and delight in the perverseness of evil;

¹⁵ those whose paths are crooked,

and who are devious in their ways.

¹⁶ You will be saved from the loosea woman,

from the adulteress with her smooth words,

¹⁷ who forsakes the partner of her youth

and forgets her sacred covenant;

¹⁸ for her wayb leads down to death,

and her paths to the shades;

¹⁹ those who go to her never come back,

nor do they regain the paths of life.

²⁰ Therefore walk in the way of the good,

and keep to the paths of the just.

²¹ For the upright will abide in the land,

and the innocent will remain in it;

²² but the wicked will be cut off from the land,

and the treacherous will be rooted out of it.

Admonition to Trust and Honour God

3

MY CHILD, do not forget my teaching,

but let your heart keep my commandments;

² for length of days and years of life

and abundant welfare they will give you.

³ Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you;

bind them round your neck,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ So you will find favour and good repute

in the sight of God and of people.

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and do not rely on your own insight.

⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him,

and he will make straight your paths.

⁷ Do not be wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

⁸ It will be a healing for your flesh

and a refreshment for your body.

⁹ Honour the LORD with your substance

and with the first fruits of all your produce;

¹⁰ then your barns will be filled with plenty,

and your vats will be bursting with wine.

¹¹ My child, do not despise the LORD’s discipline

or be weary of his reproof,

¹² for the LORD reproves the one he loves,

as a father the son in whom he delights.

The True Wealth

¹³ Happy are those who find wisdom,

and those who get understanding,

¹⁴ for her income is better than silver,

and her revenue better than gold.

¹⁵ She is more precious than jewels,

and nothing you desire can compare with her.

¹⁶ Long life is in her right hand;

in her left hand are riches and honour.

¹⁷ Her ways are ways of pleasantness,

and all her paths are peace.

¹⁸ She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her;

those who hold her fast are called happy.

God’s Wisdom in Creation

¹⁹ The LORD by wisdom founded the earth;

by understanding he established the heavens;

²⁰ by his knowledge the deeps broke open,

and the clouds drop down the dew.

The True Security

²¹ My child, do not let these escape from your sight:

keep sound wisdom and prudence,

²² and they will be life for your soul

and adornment for your neck.

²³ Then you will walk on your way securely

and your foot will not stumble.

²⁴ If you sit down,a you will not be afraid;

when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.

²⁵ Do not be afraid of sudden panic,

or of the storm that strikes the wicked;

²⁶ for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being caught.

²⁷ Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due,a

when it is in your power to do it.

²⁸ Do not say to your neighbour, ‘Go, and come again;

tomorrow I will give it’—when you have it with you.

²⁹ Do not plan harm against your neighbour

who lives trustingly beside you.

³⁰ Do not quarrel with anyone without cause,

when no harm has been done to you.

³¹ Do not envy the violent

and do not choose any of their ways;

³² for the perverse are an abomination to the LORD,

but the upright are in his confidence.

³³ The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,

but he blesses the abode of the righteous.

³⁴ Towards the scorners he is scornful,

but to the humble he shows favour.

³⁵ The wise will inherit honour,

but stubborn fools, disgrace.

Parental Advice

4

LISTEN, children, to a father’s instruction,

and be attentive, that you may gainb insight;

² for I give you good precepts:

do not forsake my teaching.

³ When I was a son with my father,

tender, and my mother’s favourite,

⁴ he taught me, and said to me,

‘Let your heart hold fast my words;

keep my commandments, and live.

⁵ Get wisdom; get insight: do not forget, nor turn away

from the words of my mouth.

⁶ Do not forsake her, and she will keep you;

love her, and she will guard you.

⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom,

and whatever else you get, get insight.

⁸ Prize her highly, and she will exalt you;

she will honour you if you embrace her.

⁹ She will place on your head a fair garland;

she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.’

Admonition to Keep to the Right Path

¹⁰ Hear, my child, and accept my words,

that the years of your life maybe many.

¹¹ I have taught you the way of wisdom;

I have led you in the paths of uprightness.

¹² When you walk, your step will not be hampered;

and if you run, you will not stumble.

¹³ Keep hold of instruction; do not let go;

guard her, for she is your life.

¹⁴ Do not enter the path of the wicked,

and do not walk in the way of evildoers.

¹⁵ Avoid it; do not go on it;

turn away from it and pass on.

¹⁶ For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong;

they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble.

¹⁷ For they eat the bread of wickedness

and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

which shines brighter and brighter until full day.

¹⁹ The way of the wicked is like deep darkness;

they do not know what they stumble over.

²⁰ My child, be attentive to my words;

incline your ear to my sayings.

²¹ Do not let them escape from your sight;

keep them within your heart.

²² For they are life to those who find them,

and healing to all their flesh.

²³ Keep your heart with all vigilance,

for from it flow the springs of life.

²⁴ Put away from you crooked speech,

and put devious talk far from you.

²⁵ Let your eyes look directly forwards,

and your gaze be straight before you.

²⁶ Keep straight the path of your feet,

and all your ways will be sure.

²⁷ Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

turn your foot away from evil.

Warning against Impurity and Infidelity

5

MY CHILD, be attentive to my wisdom;

incline your ear to my understanding,

² so that you may hold on to prudence,

and your lips may guard knowledge.

³ For the lips of a loosea woman drip honey,

and her speech is smoother than oil;

⁴ but in the end she is bitter as wormwood,

sharp as a two-edged sword.

⁵ Her feet go down to death;

her steps follow the path to Sheol.

⁶ She does not keep straight to the path of life;

her ways wander, and she does not know it.

⁷ And now, my child,b listen to me,

and do not depart from the words of my mouth.

⁸ Keep your way far from her,

and do not go near the door of her house;

⁹ or you will give your honour to others,

and your years to the merciless,

¹⁰ and strangers will take their fill of your wealth,

and your labours will go to the house of an alien;

¹¹ and at the end of your life you will groan,

when your flesh and body are consumed,

¹² and you say, ‘Oh, how I hated discipline,

and my heart despised reproof!

¹³ I did not listen to the voice of my teachers

or incline my ear to my instructors.

¹⁴ Now I am at the point of utter ruin

in the public assembly.’

¹⁵ Drink water from your own cistern,

flowing water from your own well.

¹⁶ Should your springs be scattered abroad,

streams of water in the streets?

¹⁷ Let them be for yourself alone,

and not for sharing with strangers.

¹⁸ Let your fountain be blessed,

and rejoice in the wife of your youth,

¹⁹ a lovely deer, a graceful doe.

May her breasts satisfy you at all times;

may you be intoxicated always by her love.

²⁰ Why should you be intoxicated, my son, by another woman

and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

²¹ For human ways are under the eyes of the LORD,

and he examines all their paths.

²² The iniquities of the wicked ensnare them,

and they are caught in the toils of their sin.

²³ They die for lack of discipline,

and because of their great folly they are lost.

Practical Admonitions

6

MY CHILD, if you have given your pledge to your neighbour,

if you have bound yourself to another,a

² you are snared by the utterance of your lips,b

caught by the words of your mouth.

³ So do this, my child, and save yourself,

for you have come into your neighbour’s power:

go, hurry,c and plead with your neighbour.

⁴ Give your eyes no sleep

and your eyelids no slumber;

⁵ save yourself like a gazelle from the hunter,d

like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

⁶ Go to the ant, you lazybones;

consider its ways, and be wise.

⁷ Without having any chief

or officer or ruler,

⁸ it prepares its food in summer,

and gathers its sustenance in harvest.

⁹ How long will you lie there, O lazybones?

When will you rise from your sleep?

¹⁰ A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

¹¹ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want, like an armed warrior.

¹² A scoundrel and a villain

goes around with crooked speech,

¹³ winking the eyes, shuffling the feet,

pointing the fingers,

¹⁴ with perverted mind devising evil,

continually sowing discord;

¹⁵ on such a one calamity will descend suddenly;

in a moment, damage beyond repair.

¹⁶ There are six things that the LORD hates,

seven that are an abomination to him:

¹⁷ haughty eyes, a lying tongue,

and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸ a heart that devises wicked plans,

feet that hurry to run to evil,

¹⁹ a lying witness who testifies falsely,

and one who sows discord in a family.

²⁰ My child, keep your father’s commandment,

and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

²¹ Bind them upon your heart always;

tie them around your neck.

²² When you walk, theye will lead you;

when you lie down, theye will watch over you;

and when you awake, theye will talk with you.

²³ For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,

and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,

²⁴ to preserve you from the wife of another,f

from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.

²⁵ Do not desire her beauty in your heart,

and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;

²⁶ for a prostitute’s fee is only a loaf of bread,g

but the wife of another stalks a man’s very life.

²⁷ Can fire be carried in the bosom

without burning one’s clothes?

²⁸ Or can one walk on hot coals

without scorching the feet?

²⁹ So is he who sleeps with his neighbour’s wife;

no one who touches her will go unpunished.

³⁰ Thieves are not despised who steal only

to satisfy their appetite when they are hungry.

³¹ Yet if they are caught, they will pay sevenfold;

they will forfeit all the goods of their house.

³² But he who commits adultery has no sense;

he who does it destroys himself.

³³ He will get wounds and dishonour,

and his disgrace will not be wiped away.

³⁴ For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury,

and he shows no restraint when he takes revenge.

³⁵ He will accept no compensation,

and refuses a bribe no matter how great.

The False Attractions of Adultery

7

MY CHILD, keep my words

and store up my commandments with you;

² keep my commandments and live,

keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;

³ bind them on your fingers,

write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister’,

and call insight your intimate friend,

⁵ that they may keep you from the loosea woman,

from the adulteress with her smooth words.

⁶ For at the window of my house

I looked out through my lattice,

⁷ and I saw among the simple ones,

I observed among the youths,

a young man without sense,

⁸ passing along the street near her corner,

taking the road to her house

⁹ in the twilight, in the evening,

at the time of night and darkness.

¹⁰ Then a woman comes towards him,

decked out like a prostitute, wily of heart.b

¹¹ She is loud and wayward;

her feet do not stay at home;

¹² now in the street, now in the squares,

and at every corner she lies in wait.

¹³ She seizes him and kisses him,

and with impudent face she says to him:

¹⁴ ‘I had to offer sacrifices,

and today I have paid my vows;

¹⁵ so now I have come out

to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you!

¹⁶ I have decked my couch with coverings,

coloured spreads of Egyptian linen;

¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,

aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸ Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;

let us delight ourselves with love.

¹⁹ For my husband is not at home;

he has gone on a long journey.

²⁰ He took a bag of money with him;

he will not come home until full moon.’

²¹ With much seductive speech she persuades him;

with her smooth talk she compels him.

²² Right away he follows her,

and goes like an ox to the slaughter,

or bounds like a stag towards the trapc

²³ until an arrow pierces its entrails.

He is like a bird rushing into a snare,

not knowing that it will cost him his life.

²⁴ And now, my children, listen to me,

and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

²⁵ Do not let your hearts turn aside to her ways;

do not stray into her paths.

²⁶ for many are those she has laid low,

and numerous are her victims.

²⁷ Her house is the way to Sheol,

going down to the chambers of death.

The Gifts of Wisdom

8

DOES not wisdom call,

and does not understanding raise her voice?

² On the heights, beside the way,

at the crossroads she takes her stand;

³ beside the gates in front of the town,

at the entrance of the portals she cries out:

⁴ ‘To you, O people, I call,

and my cry is to all that live.

⁵ O simple ones, learn prudence;

acquire intelligence, you who lack it.

⁶ Hear, for I will speak noble things,

and from my lips will come what is right;

⁷ for my mouth will utter truth;

wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

⁸ All the words of my mouth are righteous;

there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.

⁹ They are all straight to one who understands

and right to those who find knowledge.

¹⁰ Take my instruction instead of silver,

and knowledge rather than choice gold;

¹¹ for wisdom is better than jewels,

and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

¹² I, wisdom, live with prudence,a

and I attain knowledge and discretion.

¹³ The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil.

Pride and arrogance and the way of evil

and perverted speech I hate.

¹⁴ I have good advice and sound wisdom;

I have insight, I have strength.

¹⁵ By me kings reign,

and rulers decree what is just;

¹⁶ by me rulers rule,

and nobles, all who govern rightly.

¹⁷ I love those who love me,

and those who seek me diligently find me.

¹⁸ Riches and honour are with me,

enduring wealth and prosperity.

¹⁹ My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold,

and my yield than choice silver.

²⁰ I walk in the way of righteousness,

along the paths of justice,

²¹ endowing with wealth those who love me,

and filling their treasuries.

Wisdom’s Part in Creation

²² The LORD created me at the beginningb of his work,c

the first of his acts of long ago.

²³ Ages ago I was set up,

at the first, before the beginning of the earth.

²⁴ When there were no depths I was brought forth,

when there were no springs abounding with water.

²⁵ Before the mountains had been shaped,

before the hills, I was brought forth—

²⁶ when he had not yet made earth and fields,a

or the world’s first bits of soil.

²⁷ When he established the heavens, I was there,

when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,

²⁸ when he made firm the skies above,

when he established the fountains of the deep,

²⁹ when he assigned to the sea its limit,

so that the waters might not transgress his command,

when he marked out the foundations of the earth,

³⁰ then I was beside him, like a master worker;a

and I was daily hisb delight,

rejoicing before him always,

³¹ rejoicing in his inhabited world

and delighting in the human race.

³² ‘And now, my children, listen to me:

happy are those who keep my ways.

³³ Hear instruction and be wise,

and do not neglect it.

³⁴ Happy is the one who listens to me,

watching daily at my gates,

waiting beside my doors.

³⁵ For whoever finds me finds life

and obtains favour from the LORD;

³⁶ but those who miss me injure themselves;

all who hate me love death.’

Wisdom’s Feast

9

WISDOM has built her house,

she has hewn her seven pillars.

² She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine,

she has also set her table.

³ She has sent out her servant-girls, she calls

from the highest places in the town,

⁴ ‘You that are simple, turn in here!’

To those without sense she says,

⁵ ‘Come, eat of my bread

and drink of the wine I have mixed.

⁶ Lay aside immaturity,c and live,

and walk in the way of insight.’

General Maxims

⁷ Whoever corrects a scoffer wins abuse;

whoever rebukes the wicked gets hurt.

⁸ A scoffer who is rebuked will only hate you;

the wise, when rebuked, will love you.

⁹ Give instructiond to the wise, and they will become wiser still;

teach the righteous and they will gain in learning.

¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

¹¹ For by me your days will be multiplied,

and years will be added to your life.

¹² If you are wise, you are wise for yourself;

if you scoff, you alone will bear it.

Folly’s Invitation and Promise

¹³ The foolish woman is loud;

she is ignorant and knows nothing.

¹⁴ She sits at the door of her house,

on a seat at the high places of the town,

¹⁵ calling to those who pass by,

who are going straight on their way,

¹⁶ ‘You who are simple, turn in here!’

And to those without sense she says,

¹⁷ ‘Stolen water is sweet,

and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.’

¹⁸ But they do not know that the deade are there,

that her guests are in the depths of Sheol.

Wise Sayings of Solomon

10

THE proverbs of Solomon.

A wise child makes a glad father,

but a foolish child is a mother’s grief.

² Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from death.

³ The LORD does not let the righteous go hungry,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

⁴ A slack hand causes poverty,

but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

⁵ A child who gathers in summer is prudent,

but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame.

⁶ Blessings are on the head of the righteous,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

⁷ The memory of the righteous is a blessing,

but the name of the wicked will rot.

⁸ The wise of heart will heed commandments,

but a babbling fool will come to ruin.

⁹ Whoever walks in integrity walks securely,

but whoever follows perverse ways will be found out.

¹⁰ Whoever winks the eye causes trouble,

but the one who rebukes boldly makes peace.a

¹¹ The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life,

but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

¹² Hatred stirs up strife,

but love covers all offences.

¹³ On the lips of one who has understanding wisdom is found,

but a rod is for the back of one who lacks sense.

¹⁴ The wise lay up knowledge,

but the babbling of a fool brings ruin near.

¹⁵ The wealth of the rich is their fortress;

the poverty of the poor is their ruin.

¹⁶ The wage of the righteous leads to life,

the gain of the wicked to sin.

¹⁷ Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life,

but one who rejects a rebuke goes astray.

¹⁸ Lying lips conceal hatred,

and whoever utters slander is a fool.

¹⁹ When words are many, transgression is not lacking,

but the prudent are restrained in speech.

²⁰ The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;

the mind of the wicked is of little worth.

²¹ The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.

²² The blessing of the LORD makes rich,

and he adds no sorrow with it.b

²³ Doing wrong is like sport to a fool,

but wise conduct is pleasure to a person of understanding.

²⁴ What the wicked dread will come upon them,

but the desire of the righteous will be granted.

²⁵ When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more,

but the righteous are established for ever.

²⁶ Like vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes,

so are the lazy to their employers.

²⁷ The fear of the LORD prolongs life,

but the years of the wicked will be short.

²⁸ The hope of the righteous ends in gladness,

but the expectation of the wicked comes to nothing.

²⁹ The way of the LORD is a stronghold for the upright,

but destruction for evildoers.

³⁰ The righteous will never be removed,

but the wicked will not remain in the land.

³¹ The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom,

but the perverse tongue will be cut off.

³² The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable,

but the mouth of the wicked what is perverse.

11

A FALSE balance is an abomination to the LORD,

but an accurate weight is his delight.

² When pride comes, then comes disgrace;

but wisdom is with the humble.

³ The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

⁴ Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

⁵ The righteousness of the blameless keeps their ways straight,

but the wicked fall by their own wickedness.

⁶ The righteousness of the upright saves them,

but the treacherous are taken captive by their schemes.

⁷ When the wicked die, their hope perishes,

and the expectation of the godless comes to nothing.

⁸ The righteous are delivered from trouble,

and the wicked get into it instead.

⁹ With their mouths the godless would destroy their neighbours,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

¹⁰ When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices;

and when the wicked perish, there is jubilation.

¹¹ By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.

¹² Whoever belittles another lacks sense,

but an intelligent person remains silent.

¹³ A gossip goes about telling secrets,

but one who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a confidence.

¹⁴ Where there is no guidance, a nationa falls,

but in an abundance of counsellors there is safety.

¹⁵ To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble,

but there is safety in refusing to do so.

¹⁶ A gracious woman gets honour,

but she who hates virtue is covered with shame.b

The timid become destitute,c

but the aggressive gain riches.

¹⁷ Those who are kind reward themselves,

but the cruel do themselves harm.

¹⁸ The wicked earn no real gain,

but those who sow righteousness get a true reward.

¹⁹ Whoever is steadfast in righteousness will live,

but whoever pursues evil will die.

²⁰ Crooked minds are an abomination to the LORD,

but those of blameless ways are his delight.

²¹ Be assured, the wicked will not go unpunished,

but those who are righteous will escape.

²² Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful woman without good sense.

²³ The desire of the righteous ends only in good;

the expectation of the wicked in wrath.

²⁴ Some give freely, yet grow all the richer;

others withhold what is due, and only suffer want.

²⁵ A generous person will be enriched,

and one who gives water will get water.

²⁶ The people curse those who hold back grain,

but a blessing is on the head of those who sell it.

²⁷ Whoever diligently seeks good seeks favour,

but evil comes to the one who searches for it.

²⁸ Those who trust in their riches will wither,a

but the righteous will flourish like green leaves.

²⁹ Those who trouble their households will inherit wind,

and the fool will be servant to the wise.

³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,

but violenceb takes lives away.

³¹ If the righteous are repaid on earth,

how much more the wicked and the sinner!

12

WHOEVER loves discipline loves knowledge,

but those who hate to be rebuked are stupid.

² The good obtain favour from the LORD,

but those who devise evil he condemns.

³ No one finds security by wickedness,

but the root of the righteous will never be moved.

⁴ A good wife is the crown of her husband,

but she who brings shame is like rottenness in his bones.

⁵ The thoughts of the righteous are just;

the advice of the wicked is treacherous.

⁶ The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,

but the speech of the upright delivers them.

⁷ The wicked are overthrown and are no more,

but the house of the righteous will stand.

⁸ One is commended for good sense,

but a perverse mind is despised.

⁹ Better to be despised and have a servant,

than to be self-important and lack food.

¹⁰ The righteous know the needs of their animals,

but the mercy of the wicked is cruel.

¹¹ Those who till their land will have plenty of food,

but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense.

¹² The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness,c

but the root of the righteous bears fruit.

¹³ The evil are ensnared by the transgression of their lips,

but the righteous escape from trouble.

¹⁴ From the fruit of the mouth one is filled with good things,

and manual labour has its reward.

¹⁵ Fools think their own way is right,

but the wise listen to advice.

¹⁶ Fools show their anger at once,

but the prudent ignore an insult.

¹⁷ Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence,

but a false witness speaks deceitfully.

¹⁸ Rash words are like sword thrusts,

but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

¹⁹ Truthful lips endure for ever,

but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

²⁰ Deceit is in the mind of those who plan evil,

but those who counsel peace have joy.

²¹ No harm happens to the righteous,

but the wicked are filled with trouble.

²² Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD,

but those who act faithfully are his delight.

²³ One who is clever conceals knowledge,

but the mind of a foola broadcasts folly.

²⁴ The hand of the diligent will rule,

while the lazy will be put to forced labour.

²⁵ Anxiety weighs down the human heart,

but a good word cheers it up.

²⁶ The righteous gives good advice to friends,b

but the way of the wicked leads astray.

²⁷ The lazy do not roastc their game,

but the diligent obtain precious wealth.c

²⁸ In the path of righteousness there is life,

in walking its path there is no death.

13

A WISE child loves discipline,d

but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

² From the fruit of their words good people eat good things,

but the desire of the treacherous is for wrongdoing.

³ Those who guard their mouths preserve their lives;

those who open wide their lips come to ruin.

⁴ The appetite of the lazy craves, and gets nothing,

while the appetite of the diligent is richly supplied.

⁵ The righteous hate falsehood,

but the wicked act shamefully and disgracefully.

⁶ Righteousness guards one whose way is upright,

but sin overthrows the wicked.

⁷ Some pretend to be rich, yet have nothing;

others pretend to be poor, yet have great wealth.

⁸ Wealth is a ransom for a person’s life,

but the poor get no threats.

⁹ The light of the righteous rejoices,

but the lamp of the wicked goes out.

¹⁰ By insolence the heedless make strife,

but wisdom is with those who take advice.

¹¹ Wealth hastily gainede will dwindle,

but those who gather little by little will increase it.

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick,

but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

¹³ Those who despise the word bring destruction on themselves,

but those who respect the commandment will be rewarded.

¹⁴ The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life,

so that one may avoid the snares of death.

¹⁵ Good sense wins favour,

but the way of the faithless is their ruin.f

¹⁶ The clever do all things intelligently,

but the fool displays folly.

¹⁷ A bad messenger brings trouble,

but a faithful envoy, healing.

¹⁸ Poverty and disgrace are for the one who ignores instruction,

but one who heeds reproof is honoured.

¹⁹ A desire realized is sweet to the soul,

but to turn away from evil is an abomination to fools.

²⁰ Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise,

but the companion of fools suffers harm.

²¹ Misfortune pursues sinners,

but prosperity rewards the righteous.

²² The good leave an inheritance to their children’s children,

but the sinner’s wealth is laid up for the righteous.

²³ The field of the poor may yield much food,

but it is swept away through injustice.

²⁴ Those who spare the rod hate their children,

but those who love them are diligent to discipline them.

²⁵ The righteous have enough to satisfy their appetite,

but the belly of the wicked is empty.

14

THE wise womana builds her house,

but the foolish tears it down with her own hands.

² Those who walk uprightly fear the LORD,

but one who is devious in conduct despises him.

³ The talk of fools is a rod for their backs,b

but the lips of the wise preserve them.

⁴ Where there are no oxen, there is no grain;

abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.

⁵ A faithful witness does not lie,

but a false witness breathes out lies.

⁶ A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain,

but knowledge is easy for one who understands.

⁷ Leave the presence of a fool,

for there you do not find words of knowledge.

⁸ It is the wisdom of the clever to understand where they go,

but the folly of fools misleads.

⁹ Fools mock at the guilt-offering,c

but the upright enjoy God’s favour.

¹⁰ The heart knows its own bitterness,

and no stranger shares its joy.

¹¹ The house of the wicked is destroyed,

but the tent of the upright flourishes.

¹² There is a way that seems right to a person,

but its end is the way to death.d

¹³ Even in laughter the heart is sad,

and the end of joy is grief.

¹⁴ The perverse get what their ways deserve,

and the good, what their deeds deserve.e

¹⁵ The simple believe everything,

but the clever consider their steps.

¹⁶ The wise are cautious and turn away from evil,

but the fool throws off restraint and is careless.

¹⁷ One who is quick-tempered acts foolishly,

and the schemer is hated.

¹⁸ The simple are adorned withf folly,

but the clever are crowned with knowledge.

¹⁹ The evil bow down before the good,

the wicked at the gates of the righteous.

²⁰ The poor are disliked even by their neighbours,

but the rich have many friends.

²¹ Those who despise their neighbours are sinners,

but happy are those who are kind to the poor.

²² Do they not err that plan evil?

Those who plan good find loyalty and faithfulness.

²³ In all toil there is profit,

but mere talk leads only to poverty.

²⁴ The crown of the wise is their wisdom,a

but folly is the garlandb of fools.

²⁵ A truthful witness saves lives,

but one who utters lies is a betrayer.

²⁶ In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence,

and one’s children will have a refuge.

²⁷ The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,

so that one may avoid the snares of death.

²⁸ The glory of a king is a multitude of people;

without people a prince is ruined.

²⁹ Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding,

but one who has a hasty temper exalts folly.

³⁰ A tranquil mind gives life to the flesh,

but passion makes the bones rot.

³¹ Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker,

but those who are kind to the needy honour him.

³² The wicked are overthrown by their evildoing,

but the righteous find a refuge in their integrity.c

³³ Wisdom is at home in the mind of one who has understanding,

but it is notd known in the heart of fools.

³⁴ Righteousness exalts a nation,

but sin is a reproach to any people.

³⁵ A servant who deals wisely has the king’s favour,

but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully.

15

A SOFT answer turns away wrath,

but a harsh word stirs up anger.

² The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge,e

but the mouths of fools pour out folly.

³ The eyes of the LORD are in every place,

keeping watch on the evil and the good.

⁴ A gentle tongue is a tree of life,

but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

⁵ A fool despises a parent’s instruction,

but the one who heeds admonition is prudent.

⁶ In the house of the righteous there is much treasure,

but trouble befalls the income of the wicked.

⁷ The lips of the wise spread knowledge;

not so the minds of fools.

⁸ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

⁹ The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,

but he loves the one who pursues righteousness.

¹⁰ There is severe discipline for one who forsakes the way,

but one who hates a rebuke will die.

¹¹ Sheol and Abaddon lie open before the LORD,

how much more human hearts!

¹² Scoffers do not like to be rebuked;

they will not go to the wise.

¹³ A glad heart makes a cheerful countenance,

but by sorrow of heart the spirit is broken.

¹⁴ The mind of one who has understanding seeks knowledge,

but the mouths of fools feed on folly.

¹⁵ All the days of the poor are hard,

but a cheerful heart has a continual feast.

¹⁶ Better is a little with the fear of the LORD

than great treasure and trouble with it.

¹⁷ Better is a dinner of vegetables where love is

than a fatted ox and hatred with it.

¹⁸ Those who are hot-tempered stir up strife,

but those who are slow to anger calm contention.

¹⁹ The way of the lazy is overgrown with thorns,

but the path of the upright is a level highway.

²⁰ A wise child makes a glad father,

but the foolish despise their mothers.

²¹ Folly is a joy to one who has no sense,

but a person of understanding walks straight ahead.

²² Without counsel, plans go wrong,

but with many advisers they succeed.

²³ To make an apt answer is a joy to anyone,

and a word in season, how good it is!

²⁴ For the wise the path of life leads upwards,

in order to avoid Sheol below.

²⁵ The LORD tears down the house of the proud,

but maintains the widow’s boundaries.

²⁶ Evil plans are an abomination to the LORD,

but gracious words are pure.

²⁷ Those who are greedy for unjust gain make trouble for their households,

but those who hate bribes will live.

²⁸ The mind of the righteous ponders how to answer,

but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil.

²⁹ The LORD is far from the wicked,

but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

³⁰ The light of the eyes rejoices the heart,

and good news refreshes the body.

³¹ The ear that heeds wholesome admonition

will lodge among the wise.

³² Those who ignore instruction despise themselves,

but those who heed admonition gain understanding.

³³ The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom,

and humility goes before honour.

16

THE plans of the mind belong to mortals,

but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

² All one’s ways may be pure in one’s own eyes,

but the LORD weighs the spirit.

³ Commit your work to the LORD,

and your plans will be established.

⁴ The LORD has made everything for its purpose,

even the wicked for the day of trouble.

⁵ All those who are arrogant are an abomination to the LORD;

be assured, they will not go unpunished.

⁶ By loyalty and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for,

and by the fear of the LORD one avoids evil.

⁷ When the ways of people please the LORD,

he causes even their enemies to be at peace with them.

⁸ Better is a little with righteousness

than large income with injustice.

⁹ The human mind plans the way,

but the LORD directs the steps.

¹⁰ Inspired decisions are on the lips of a king;

his mouth does not sin in judgement.

¹¹ Honest balances and scales are the LORD’s;

all the weights in the bag are his work.

¹² It is an abomination to kings to do evil,

for the throne is established by righteousness.

¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of a king,

and he loves those who speak what is right.

¹⁴ A king’s wrath is a messenger of death,

and whoever is wise will appease it.

¹⁵ In the light of a king’s face there is life,

and his favour is like the clouds that bring the spring rain.

¹⁶ How much better to get wisdom than gold!

To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.

¹⁷ The highway of the upright avoids evil;

those who guard their way preserve their lives.

¹⁸ Pride goes before destruction,

and a haughty spirit before a fall.

¹⁹ It is better to be of a lowly spirit among the poor

than to divide the spoil with the proud.

²⁰ Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,

and happy are those who trust in the LORD.

²¹ The wise of heart is called perceptive,

and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.

²² Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,

but folly is the punishment of fools.

²³ The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious,

and adds persuasiveness to their lips.

²⁴ Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,

sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

²⁵ Sometimes there is a way that seems to be right,

but in the end it is the way to death.

²⁶ The appetite of workers works for them;

their hunger urges them on.

²⁷ Scoundrels concoct evil,

and their speech is like a scorching fire.

²⁸ A perverse person spreads strife,

and a whisperer separates close friends.

²⁹ The violent entice their neighbours,

and lead them in a way that is not good.

³⁰ One who winks the eyes plansa perverse things;

one who compresses the lips brings evil to pass.

³¹ Grey hair is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

³² One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.

³³ The lot is cast into the lap,

but the decision is the LORD’s alone.

17

BETTER is a dry morsel with quiet

than a house full of feasting with strife.

² A slave who deals wisely will rule over a child who acts shamefully,

and will share the inheritance as one of the family.

³ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

but the LORD tests the heart.

⁴ An evildoer listens to wicked lips;

and a liar gives heed to a mischievous tongue.

⁵ Those who mock the poor insult their Maker;

those who are glad at calamity will not go unpunished.

⁶ Grandchildren are the crown of the aged,

and the glory of children is their parents.

⁷ Fine speech is not becoming to a fool;

still less is false speech to a ruler.a

⁸ A bribe is like a magic stone in the eyes of those who give it;

wherever they turn they prosper.

⁹ One who forgives an affront fosters friendship,

but one who dwells on disputes will alienate a friend.

¹⁰ A rebuke strikes deeper into a discerning person

than a hundred blows into a fool.

¹¹ Evil people seek only rebellion,

but a cruel messenger will be sent against them.

¹² Better to meet a she-bear robbed of its cubs

than to confront a fool immersed in folly.

¹³ Evil will not depart from the house

of one who returns evil for good.

¹⁴ The beginning of strife is like letting out water;

so stop before the quarrel breaks out.

¹⁵ One who justifies the wicked and one who condemns the righteous

are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

¹⁶ Why should fools have a price in hand

to buy wisdom, when they have no mind to learn?

¹⁷ A friend loves at all times,

and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.

¹⁸ It is senseless to give a pledge,

to become surety for a neighbour.

¹⁹ One who loves transgression loves strife;

one who builds a high threshold invites broken bones.

²⁰ The crooked of mind do not prosper,

and the perverse of tongue fall into calamity.

²¹ The one who begets a fool gets trouble;

the parent of a fool has no joy.

²² A cheerful heart is a good medicine,

but a downcast spirit dries up the bones.

²³ The wicked accept a concealed bribe

to pervert the ways of justice.

²⁴ The discerning person looks to wisdom,

but the eyes of a fool to the ends of the earth.

²⁵ Foolish children are a grief to their father

and bitterness to her who bore them.

²⁶ To impose a fine on the innocent is not right,

or to flog the noble for their integrity.

²⁷ One who spares words is knowledgeable;

one who is cool in spirit has understanding.

²⁸ Even fools who keep silent are considered wise;

when they close their lips, they are deemed intelligent.

18

THE one who lives alone is self-indulgent,

showing contempt for all who have sound judgement.b

² A fool takes no pleasure in understanding,

but only in expressing personal opinion.

³ When wickedness comes, contempt comes also;

and with dishonour comes disgrace.

⁴ The words of the mouth are deep waters;

the fountain of wisdom is a gushing stream.

⁵ It is not right to be partial to the guilty,

or to subvert the innocent in judgement.

⁶ A fool’s lips bring strife,

and a fool’s mouth invites a flogging.

⁷ The mouths of fools are their ruin,

and their lips a snare to themselves.

⁸ The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

⁹ One who is slack in work

is close kin to a vandal.

¹⁰ The name of the LORD is a strong tower;

the righteous run into it and are safe.

¹¹ The wealth of the rich is their strong city;

in their imagination it is like a high wall.

¹² Before destruction one’s heart is haughty,

but humility goes before honour.

¹³ If one gives answer before hearing,

it is folly and shame.

¹⁴ The human spirit will endure sickness;

but a broken spirit—who can bear?

¹⁵ An intelligent mind acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

¹⁶ A gift opens doors;

it gives access to the great.

¹⁷ The one who first states a case seems right,

until the other comes and cross-examines.

¹⁸ Casting the lot puts an end to disputes

and decides between powerful contenders.

¹⁹ An ally offended is stronger than a city;a

such quarrelling is like the bars of a castle.

²⁰ From the fruit of the mouth one’s stomach is satisfied;

the yield of the lips brings satisfaction.

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruits.

²² He who finds a wife finds a good thing,

and obtains favour from the LORD.

²³ The poor use entreaties,

but the rich answer roughly.

²⁴ Someb friends play at friendshipc

but a true friend sticks closer than one’s nearest kin.

19

BETTER the poor walking in integrity

than one perverse of speech who is a fool.

² Desire without knowledge is not good,

and one who moves too hurriedly misses the way.

³ One’s own folly leads to ruin,

yet the heart rages against the LORD.

⁴ Wealth brings many friends,

but the poor are left friendless.

⁵ A false witness will not go unpunished,

and a liar will not escape.

⁶ Many seek the favour of the generous,

and everyone is a friend to a giver of gifts.

⁷ If the poor are hated even by their kin,

how much more are they shunned by their friends!

When they call after them, they are not there.d

⁸ To get wisdom is to love oneself;

to keep understanding is to prosper.

⁹ A false witness will not go unpunished,

and the liar will perish.

¹⁰ It is not fitting for a fool to live in luxury,

much less for a slave to rule over princes.

¹¹ Those with good sense are slow to anger,

and it is their glory to overlook an offence.

¹² A king’s anger is like the growling of a lion,

but his favour is like dew on the grass.

¹³ A stupid child is ruin to a father,

and a wife’s quarrelling is a continual dripping of rain.

¹⁴ House and wealth are inherited from parents,

but a prudent wife is from the LORD.

¹⁵ Laziness brings on deep sleep;

an idle person will suffer hunger.

¹⁶ Those who keep the commandment will live;

those who are heedless of their ways will die.

¹⁷ Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the LORD,

and will be repaid in full.

¹⁸ Discipline your children while there is hope;

do not set your heart on their destruction.

¹⁹ A violent-tempered person will pay the penalty;

if you effect a rescue, you will only have to do it again.a

²⁰ Listen to advice and accept instruction,

that you may gain wisdom for the future.

²¹ The human mind may devise many plans,

but it is the purpose of the LORD that will be established.

²² What is desirable in a person is loyalty,

and it is better to be poor than a liar.

²³ The fear of the LORD is life indeed;

filled with it one rests secure and suffers no harm.

²⁴ The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,

and will not even bring it back to the mouth.

²⁵ Strike a scoffer, and the simple will learn prudence;

reprove the intelligent, and they will gain knowledge.

²⁶ Those who do violence to their father and chase away their mother

are children who cause shame and bring reproach.

²⁷ Cease straying, my child, from the words of knowledge,

in order that you may hear instruction.

²⁸ A worthless witness mocks at justice,

and the mouth of the wicked devours iniquity.

²⁹ Condemnation is ready for scoffers,

and flogging for the backs of fools.

20

WINE is a mocker, strong drink a brawler,

and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.

² The dread anger of a king is like the growling of a lion;

anyone who provokes him to anger forfeits life itself.

³ It is honourable to refrain from strife,

but every fool is quick to quarrel.

⁴ The lazy person does not plough in season;

harvest comes, and there is nothing to be found.

⁵ The purposes in the human mind are like deep water,

but the intelligent will draw them out.

⁶ Many proclaim themselves loyal,

but who can find one worthy of trust?

⁷ The righteous walk in integrity—

happy are the children who follow them!

⁸ A king who sits on the throne of judgement

winnows all evil with his eyes.

⁹ Who can say, ‘I have made my heart clean;

I am pure from my sin’?

¹⁰ Diverse weights and diverse measures

are both alike an abomination to the LORD.

¹¹ Even children make themselves known by their acts,

by whether what they do is pure and right.

¹² The hearing ear and the seeing eye—

the LORD has made them both.

¹³ Do not love sleep, or else you will come to poverty;

open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.

¹⁴ ‘Bad, bad’, says the buyer,

then goes away and boasts.

¹⁵ There is gold, and abundance of costly stones;

but the lips informed by knowledge are a precious jewel.

¹⁶ Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;

seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.

¹⁷ Bread gained by deceit is sweet,

but afterwards the mouth will be full of gravel.

¹⁸ Plans are established by taking advice;

wage war by following wise guidance.

¹⁹ A gossip reveals secrets;

therefore do not associate with a babbler.

²⁰ If you curse father or mother,

your lamp will go out in utter darkness.

²¹ An estate quickly acquired in the beginning

will not be blessed in the end.

²² Do not say, ‘I will repay evil’

wait for the LORD, and he will help you.

²³ Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD,

and false scales are not good.

²⁴ All our steps are ordered by the LORD;

how then can we understand our own ways?

²⁵ It is a snare for one to say rashly, ‘It is holy’,

and begin to reflect only after making a vow.

²⁶ A wise king winnows the wicked,

and drives the wheel over them.

²⁷ The human spirit is the lamp of the LORD,

searching every inmost part.

²⁸ Loyalty and faithfulness preserve the king,

and his throne is upheld by righteousness.a

²⁹ The glory of youths is their strength,

but the beauty of the aged is their grey hair.

³⁰ Blows that wound cleanse away evil;

beatings make clean the innermost parts.

21

THE king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;

he turns it wherever he will.

² All deeds are right in the sight of the doer,

but the LORD weighs the heart.

³ To do righteousness and justice

is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.

⁴ Haughty eyes and a proud heart—

the lamp of the wicked—are sin.

⁵ The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.

⁶ The getting of treasures by a lying tongue

is a fleeting vapour and a snareb of death.

⁷ The violence of the wicked will sweep them away,

because they refuse to do what is just.

⁸ The way of the guilty is crooked,

but the conduct of the pure is right.

⁹ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a contentious wife.

¹⁰ The souls of the wicked desire evil;

their neighbours find no mercy in their eyes.

¹¹ When a scoffer is punished, the simple become wiser;

when the wise are instructed, they increase in knowledge.

¹² The Righteous One observes the house of the wicked;

he casts the wicked down to ruin.

¹³ If you close your ear to the cry of the poor,

you will cry out and not be heard.

¹⁴ A gift in secret averts anger;

and a concealed bribe in the bosom, strong wrath.

¹⁵ When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous,

but dismay to evildoers.

¹⁶ Whoever wanders from the way of understanding

will rest in the assembly of the dead.

¹⁷ Whoever loves pleasure will suffer want;

whoever loves wine and oil will not be rich.

¹⁸ The wicked is a ransom for the righteous,

and the faithless for the upright.

¹⁹ It is better to live in a desert land

than with a contentious and fretful wife.

²⁰ Precious treasure remainsa in the house of the wise,

but the fool devours it.

²¹ Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness

will find lifeb and honour.

²² One wise person went up against a city of warriors

and brought down the stronghold in which they trusted.

²³ To watch over mouth and tongue

is to keep out of trouble.

²⁴ The proud, haughty person, named ‘Scoffer’,

acts with arrogant pride.

²⁵ The craving of the lazy person is fatal,

for lazy hands refuse to labour.

²⁶ All day long the wicked covet,c

but the righteous give and do not hold back.

²⁷ The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when brought with evil intent.

²⁸ A false witness will perish,

but a good listener will testify successfully.

²⁹ The wicked put on a bold face,

but the upright give thought tod their ways.

³⁰ No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel,

can avail against the LORD.

³¹ The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the LORD.

22

A GOOD name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

and favour is better than silver or gold.

² The rich and the poor have this in common:

the LORD is the maker of them all.

³ The clever see danger and hide;

but the simple go on, and suffer for it.

⁴ The reward for humility and fear of the LORD

is riches and honour and life.

⁵ Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse;

the cautious will keep far from them.

⁶ Train children in the right way,

and when old, they will not stray.

⁷ The rich rules over the poor,

and the borrower is the slave of the lender.

⁸ Whoever sows injustice will reap calamity,

and the rod of anger will fail.

⁹ Those who are generous are blessed,

for they share their bread with the poor.

¹⁰ Drive out a scoffer, and strife goes out;

quarrelling and abuse will cease.

¹¹ Those who love a pure heart and are gracious in speech

will have the king as a friend.

¹² The eyes of the LORD keep watch over knowledge,

but he overthrows the words of the faithless.

¹³ The lazy person says, ‘There is a lion outside!

I shall be killed in the streets!’

¹⁴ The mouth of a loosea woman is a deep pit;

he with whom the LORD is angry falls into it.

¹⁵ Folly is bound up in the heart of a boy,

but the rod of discipline drives it far away.

¹⁶ Oppressing the poor in order to enrich oneself,

and giving to the rich, will lead only to loss.

Sayings of the Wise

¹⁷ The words of the wise:

Incline your ear and hear my words,b

and apply your mind to my teaching;

¹⁸ for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,

if all of them are ready on your lips.

¹⁹ So that your trust may be in the LORD,

I have made them known to you today—yes, to you.

²⁰ Have I not written for you thirty sayings

of admonition and knowledge,

²¹ to show you what is right and true,

so that you may give a true answer to those who sent you?

²² Do not rob the poor because they are poor,

or crush the afflicted at the gate;

²³ for the LORD pleads their cause

and despoils of life those who despoil them.

²⁴ Make no friends with those given to anger,

and do not associate with hotheads,

²⁵ or you may learn their ways

and entangle yourself in a snare.

²⁶ Do not be one of those who give pledges,

who become surety for debts.

²⁷ If you have nothing with which to pay,

why should your bed be taken from under you?

²⁸ Do not remove the ancient landmark

that your ancestors set up.

²⁹ Do you see those who are skilful in their work?

They will serve kings;

they will not serve common people.

23

WHEN you sit down to eat with a ruler,

observe carefully whatc is before you,

² and put a knife to your throat

if you have a big appetite.

³ Do not desire the ruler’sd delicacies,

for they are deceptive food.

⁴ Do not wear yourself out to get rich;

be wise enough to desist.

⁵ When your eyes light upon it, it is gone;

for suddenly it takes wings to itself,

flying like an eagle towards heaven.

⁶ Do not eat the bread of the stingy;

do not desire their delicacies;

⁷ for like a hair in the throat, so are they.e

‘Eat and drink!’ they say to you;

but they do not mean it.

⁸ You will vomit up the little you have eaten,

and you will waste your pleasant words.

⁹ Do not speak in the hearing of a fool,

who will only despise the wisdom of your words.

¹⁰ Do not remove an ancient landmark

or encroach on the fields of orphans,

¹¹ for their redeemer is strong;

he will plead their cause against you.

¹² Apply your mind to instruction

and your ear to words of knowledge.

¹³ Do not withhold discipline from your children;

if you beat them with a rod, they will not die.

¹⁴ If you beat them with the rod,

you will save their lives from Sheol.

¹⁵ My child, if your heart is wise,

my heart too will be glad.

¹⁶ My soul will rejoice

when your lips speak what is right.

¹⁷ Do not let your heart envy sinners,

but always continue in the fear of the LORD.

¹⁸ Surely there is a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁹ Hear, my child, and be wise,

and direct your mind in the way.

²⁰ Do not be among winebibbers,

or among gluttonous eaters of meat;

²¹ for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty,

and drowsiness will clothe them with rags.

²² Listen to your father who begot you,

and do not despise your mother when she is old.

²³ Buy truth, and do not sell it;

buy wisdom, instruction, and understanding.

²⁴ The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice;

he who begets a wise son will be glad in him.

²⁵ Let your father and mother be glad;

let her who bore you rejoice.

²⁶ My child, give me your heart,

and let your eyes observea my ways.

²⁷ For a prostitute is a deep pit;

an adulteressb is a narrow well.

²⁸ She lies in wait like a robber

and increases the number of the faithless.

²⁹ Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has strife? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

³⁰ Those who linger late over wine,

those who keep trying mixed wines.

³¹ Do not look at wine when it is red,

when it sparkles in the cup

and goes down smoothly.

³² At the last it bites like a serpent,

and stings like an adder.

³³ Your eyes will see strange things,

and your mind utter perverse things.

³⁴ You will be like one who lies down in

the midst of the sea, like one who lies on the top of a mast.c

³⁵ ‘They struck me’, you will say,d ‘but I was not hurt;

they beat me, but I did not feel it.

When shall I awake?

I will seek another drink.’

24

DO NOT envy the wicked,

nor desire to be with them;

² for their minds devise violence,

and their lips talk of mischief.

³ By wisdom a house is built,

and by understanding it is established;

⁴ by knowledge the rooms are filled

with all precious and pleasant riches.

⁵ Wise warriors are mightier than strong ones,e

and those who have knowledge than those who have strength;

⁶ for by wise guidance you can wage your war,

and in abundance of counsellors there is victory.

⁷ Wisdom is too high for fools;

in the gate they do not open their mouths.

⁸ Whoever plans to do evil

will be called a mischief-maker.

⁹ The devising of folly is sin,

and the scoffer is an abomination to all.

¹⁰ If you faint in the day of adversity,

your strength being small;

¹¹ if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death,

those who go staggering to the slaughter;

¹² if you say, ‘Look, we did not know this’—

does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?

Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it?

And will he not repay all according to their deeds?

¹³ My child, eat honey, for it is good,

and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

¹⁴ Know that wisdom is such to your soul;

if you find it, you will find a future,

and your hope will not be cut off.

¹⁵ Do not lie in wait like an outlaw against the home of the righteous;

do no violence to the place where the righteous live;

¹⁶ for though they fall seven times, they will rise again;

but the wicked are overthrown by calamity.

¹⁷ Do not rejoice when your enemies fall,

and do not let your heart be glad when they stumble,

¹⁸ or else the LORD will see it and be displeased,

and turn away his anger from them.

¹⁹ Do not fret because of evildoers.

Do not envy the wicked;

²⁰ for the evil have no future;

the lamp of the wicked will go out.

²¹ My child, fear the LORD and the king, and

do not disobey either of them;a

²² for disaster comes from them suddenly,

and who knows the ruin that both can bring?

Further Sayings of the Wise

²³ These also are sayings of the wise:

Partiality in judging is not good.

²⁴ Whoever says to the wicked, ‘You are innocent’,

will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations;

²⁵ but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight,

and a good blessing will come upon them.

²⁶ One who gives an honest answer

gives a kiss on the lips.

²⁷ Prepare your work outside,

get everything ready for you in the field;

and after that build your house.

²⁸ Do not be a witness against your neighbour without cause,

and do not deceive with your lips.

²⁹ Do not say, ‘I will do to others as they have done to me;

I will pay them back for what they have done.’

³⁰ I passed by the field of one who was lazy,

by the vineyard of a stupid person;

³¹ and see, it was all overgrown with thorns;

the ground was covered with nettles,

and its stone wall was broken down.

³² Then I saw and considered it;

I looked and received instruction.

³³ A little sleep, a little slumber,

a little folding of the hands to rest,

³⁴ and poverty will come upon you like a robber,

and want, like an armed warrior.

Further Wise Sayings of Solomon

25

THESE are other proverbs of Solomon that the officials of King Hezekiah of Judah copied.

² It is the glory of God to conceal things,

but the glory of kings is to search things out.

³ Like the heavens for height, like the earth for depth,

so the mind of kings is unsearchable.

⁴ Take away the dross from the silver,

and the smith has material for a vessel;

⁵ take away the wicked from the presence of the king,

and his throne will be established in righteousness.

⁶ Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

or stand in the place of the great;

⁷ for it is better to be told, ‘Come up here’,

than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

⁸ do not hastily bring into court;

fora what will you do in the end,

when your neighbour puts you to shame?

⁹ Argue your case with your neighbour directly,

and do not disclose another’s secret;

¹⁰ or else someone who hears you will bring shame upon you,

and your ill repute will have no end.

¹¹ A word fitly spoken

is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

¹² Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold

is a wise rebuke to a listening ear.

¹³ Like the cold of snow in the time of harvest

are faithful messengers to those who send them;

they refresh the spirit of their masters.

¹⁴ Like clouds and wind without rain

is one who boasts of a gift never given.

¹⁵ With patience a ruler may be persuaded,

and a soft tongue can break bones.

¹⁶ If you have found honey, eat only enough for you,

or else, having too much, you will vomit it.

¹⁷ Let your foot be seldom in your neighbour’s house,

otherwise the neighbour will become weary of you and hate you.

¹⁸ Like a war club, a sword, or a sharp arrow

is one who bears false witness against a neighbour.

¹⁹ Like a bad tooth or a lame foot

is trust in a faithless person in time of trouble.

²⁰ Like vinegar on a woundb

is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

Like a moth in clothing or a worm in wood,

sorrow gnaws at the human heart.c

²¹ If your enemies are hungry, give them bread to eat;

and if they are thirsty, give them water to drink;

²² for you will heap coals of fire on their heads,

and the LORD will reward you.

²³ The north wind produces rain,

and a backbiting tongue, angry looks.

²⁴ It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a contentious wife.

²⁵ Like cold water to a thirsty soul,

so is good news from a far country.

²⁶ Like a muddied spring or a polluted fountain

are the righteous who give way before the wicked.

²⁷ It is not good to eat much honey,

or to seek honour on top of honour.

²⁸ Like a city breached, without walls,

is one who lacks self-control.

26

LIKE snow in summer or rain in harvest,

so honour is not fitting for a fool.

² Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying,

an undeserved curse goes nowhere.

³ A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,

and a rod for the back of fools.

⁴ Do not answer fools according to their folly,

or you will be a fool yourself.

⁵ Answer fools according to their folly,

or they will be wise in their own eyes.

⁶ It is like cutting off one’s foot and drinking down violence,

to send a message by a fool.

⁷ The legs of a disabled person hang limp;

so does a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

⁸ It is like binding a stone in a sling

to give honour to a fool.

⁹ Like a thornbush brandished by the hand of a drunkard

is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.

¹⁰ Like an archer who wounds everybody

is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard.a

¹¹ Like a dog that returns to its vomit

is a fool who reverts to his folly.

¹² Do you see persons wise in their own eyes?

There is more hope for fools than for them.

¹³ The lazy person says, ‘There is a lion in the road!

There is a lion in the streets!’

¹⁴ As a door turns on its hinges,

so does a lazy person in bed.

¹⁵ The lazy person buries a hand in the dish,

and is too tired to bring it back to the mouth.

¹⁶ The lazy person is wiser in self-esteem

than seven who can answer discreetly.

¹⁷ Like somebody who takes a passing dog by the ears

is one who meddles in the quarrel of another.

¹⁸ Like a maniac who shoots deadly firebrands and arrows,

¹⁹ so is one who deceives a neighbour

and says, ‘I am only joking!’

²⁰ For lack of wood the fire goes out,

and where there is no whisperer, quarrelling ceases.

²¹ As charcoal is to hot embers and wood to fire,

so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.

²² The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;

they go down into the inner parts of the body.

²³ Like the glazeb covering an earthen vessel

are smoothc lips with an evil heart.

²⁴ An enemy dissembles in speaking

while harbouring deceit within;

²⁵ when an enemy speaks graciously, do not believe it,

for there are seven abominations concealed within;

²⁶ though hatred is covered with guile,

the enemy’s wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and a stone will come back on the one who starts it rolling.

²⁸ A lying tongue hates its victims,

and a flattering mouth works ruin.

27

DO NOT boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.

² Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—

a stranger, and not your own lips.

³ A stone is heavy, and sand is weighty,

but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

⁴ Wrath is cruel, anger is overwhelming,

but who is able to stand before jealousy?

⁵ Better is open rebuke

than hidden love.

⁶ Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts,

but profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

⁷ The sated appetite spurns honey,

but to a ravenous appetite even the bitter is sweet.

⁸ Like a bird that strays from its nest

is one who strays from home.

⁹ Perfume and incense make the heart glad,

but the soul is torn by trouble.a

¹⁰ Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent;

do not go to the house of your kindred on the day of your calamity.

Better is a neighbour who is nearby

than kindred who are far away.

¹¹ Be wise, my child, and make my heart glad,

so that I may answer whoever reproaches me.

¹² The clever see danger and hide;

but the simple go on, and suffer for it.

¹³ Take the garment of one who has given surety for a stranger;

seize the pledge given as surety for foreigners.b

¹⁴ Whoever blesses a neighbour with a loud voice,

rising early in the morning,

will be counted as cursing.

¹⁵ A continual dripping on a rainy day

and a contentious wife are alike;

¹⁶ to restrain her is to restrain the wind

or to grasp oil in the right hand.c

¹⁷ Iron sharpens iron,

and one person sharpens the witsd of another.

¹⁸ Anyone who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit,

and anyone who takes care of a master will be honoured.

¹⁹ Just as water reflects the face,

so one human heart reflects another.

²⁰ Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied,

and human eyes are never satisfied.

²¹ The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold,

so a person is testede by being praised.

²² Crush a fool in a mortar with a pestle

along with crushed grain,

but the folly will not be driven out.

²³ Know well the condition of your flocks,

and give attention to your herds;

²⁴ for riches do not last for ever,

nor a crown for all generations.

²⁵ When the grass is gone, and new growth appears,

and the herbage of the mountains is gathered,

²⁶ the lambs will provide your clothing,

and the goats the price of a field;

²⁷ there will be enough goats’ milk for your food,

for the food of your household

and nourishment for your servant-girls.

28

THE wicked flee when no one pursues,

but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

² When a land rebels

it has many rulers;

but with an intelligent ruler

there is lasting order.a

³ A rulerb who oppresses the poor

is a beating rain that leaves no food.

⁴ Those who forsake the law praise the wicked,

but those who keep the law struggle against them.

⁵ The evil do not understand justice,

but those who seek the LORD understand it completely.

⁶ Better to be poor and walk in integrity

than to be crooked in one’s ways even though rich.

⁷ Those who keep the law are wise children,

but companions of gluttons shame their parents.

⁸ One who augments wealth by exorbitant interest

gathers it for another who is kind to the poor.

⁹ When one will not listen to the law,

even one’s prayers are an abomination.

¹⁰ Those who mislead the upright into evil ways

will fall into pits of their own making,

but the blameless will have a goodly inheritance.

¹¹ The rich is wise in self-esteem,

but an intelligent poor person sees through the pose.

¹² When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,

but when the wicked prevail, people go into hiding.

¹³ No one who conceals transgressions will prosper,

but one who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.

¹⁴ Happy is the one who is never without fear,

but one who is hard-hearted will fall into calamity.

¹⁵ Like a roaring lion or a charging bear

is a wicked ruler over a poor people.

¹⁶ A ruler who lacks understanding is a cruel oppressor;

but one who hates unjust gain will enjoy a long life.

¹⁷ If someone is burdened with the blood of another,

let that killer be a fugitive until death;

let no one offer assistance.

¹⁸ One who walks in integrity will be safe,

but whoever follows crooked ways will fall into the Pit.c

¹⁹ Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread,

but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty.

²⁰ The faithful will abound with blessings,

but one who is in a hurry to be rich will not go unpunished.

²¹ To show partiality is not good—yet

for a piece of bread a person may do wrong.

²² The miser is in a hurry to get rich

and does not know that loss is sure to come.

²³ Whoever rebukes a person will afterwards find more favour

than one who flatters with the tongue.

²⁴ Anyone who robs father or mother

and says, ‘That is no crime’,

is partner to a thug.

²⁵ The greedy person stirs up strife,

but whoever trusts in the LORD will be enriched.

²⁶ Those who trust in their own wits are fools;

but those who walk in wisdom come through safely.

²⁷ Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing,

but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse.

²⁸ When the wicked prevail, people go into hiding;

but when they perish, the righteous increase.

29

ONE who is often reproved, yet remains stubborn,

will suddenly be broken beyond healing.

² When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice;

but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

³ A child who loves wisdom makes a parent glad,

but to keep company with prostitutes is to squander one’s substance.

⁴ By justice a king gives stability to the land,

but one who makes heavy exactions ruins it.

⁵ Whoever flatters a neighbour is

spreading a net for the neighbour’s feet.

⁶ In the transgression of the evil there is a snare,

but the righteous sing and rejoice.

⁷ The righteous know the rights of the poor;

the wicked have no such understanding.

⁸ Scoffers set a city aflame,

but the wise turn away wrath.

⁹ If the wise go to law with fools,

there is ranting and ridicule without relief.

¹⁰ The bloodthirsty hate the blameless,

and they seek the life of the upright.

¹¹ A fool gives full vent to anger,

but the wise quietly holds it back.

¹² If a ruler listens to falsehood,

all his officials will be wicked.

¹³ The poor and the oppressor have this in common:

the LORD gives light to the eyes of both.

¹⁴ If a king judges the poor with equity,

his throne will be established for ever.

¹⁵ The rod and reproof give wisdom,

but a mother is disgraced by a neglected child.

¹⁶ When the wicked are in authority, transgression increases,

but the righteous will look upon their downfall.

¹⁷ Discipline your children, and

they will give you rest; they will give delight to your heart.

¹⁸ Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint,

but happy are those who keep the law.

¹⁹ By mere words servants are not disciplined,

for though they understand, they will not give heed.

²⁰ Do you see someone who is hasty in speech?

There is more hope for a fool than for anyone like that.

²¹ A slave pampered from childhood

will come to a bad end.a

²² One given to anger stirs up strife,

and the hothead causes much transgression.

²³ A person’s pride will bring humiliation,

but one who is lowly in spirit will obtain honour.

²⁴ To be a partner of a thief is to hate one’s own life;

one hears the victim’s curse, but discloses nothing.a

²⁵ The fear of othersb lays a snare,

but one who trusts in the LORD is secure.

²⁶ Many seek the favour of a ruler,

but it is from the LORD that one gets justice.

²⁷ The unjust are an abomination to the righteous,

but the upright are an abomination to the wicked.

Sayings of Agur

30

THE words of Agur son of Jakeh. An oracle.

Thus says the man: I am weary, O God,

I am weary, O God. How can I prevail?c

² Surely I am too stupid to be human;

I do not have human understanding.

³ I have not learned wisdom,

nor have I knowledge of the holy ones.d

⁴ Who has ascended to heaven and come down?

Who has gathered the wind in the hollow of the hand?

Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment?

Who has established all the ends of the earth?

What is the person’s name?

And what is the name of the person’s child?

Surely you know!

⁵ Every word of God proves true;

he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

⁶ Do not add to his words,

or else he will rebuke you, and you will be found a liar.

⁷ Two things I ask of you;

do not deny them to me before I die:

⁸ Remove far from me falsehood and lying;

give me neither poverty nor riches;

feed me with the food that I need,

⁹ or I shall be full, and deny you,

and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’

or I shall be poor, and steal,

and profane the name of my God.

¹⁰ Do not slander a servant to a master,

or the servant will curse you, and you will be held guilty.

¹¹ There are those who curse their fathers

and do not bless their mothers.

¹² There are those who are pure in their own eyes

yet are not cleansed of their filthiness.

¹³ There are those—how lofty are their eyes,

how high their eyelids lift!—

¹⁴ there are those

whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives,

to devour the poor from off the earth,

the needy from among mortals.

¹⁵ The leecha has two daughters;

‘Give, give,’ they cry.

Three things are never satisfied;

four never say, ‘Enough’:

¹⁶ Sheol, the barren womb,

the earth ever thirsty for water,

and the fire that never says, ‘Enough.’a

¹⁷ The eye that mocks a father

and scorns to obey a mother

will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley

and eaten by the vultures.

¹⁸ Three things are too wonderful for me;

four I do not understand:

¹⁹ the way of an eagle in the sky,

the way of a snake on a rock,

the way of a ship on the high seas,

and the way of a man with a girl.

²⁰ This is the way of an adulteress:

she eats, and wipes her mouth,

and says, ‘I have done no wrong.’

²¹ Under three things the earth trembles;

under four it cannot bear up:

²² a slave when he becomes king,

and a fool when glutted with food;

²³ an unloved woman when she gets a husband,

and a maid when she succeeds her mistress.

²⁴ Four things on earth are small,

yet they are exceedingly wise:

²⁵ the ants are a people without strength,

yet they provide their food in the summer;

²⁶ the badgers are a people without power,

yet they make their homes in the rocks;

²⁷ the locusts have no king,

yet all of them march in rank;

²⁸ the lizarda can be grasped in the hand,

yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

²⁹ Three things are stately in their stride;

four are stately in their gait:

³⁰ the lion, which is mightiest among wild animals

and does not turn back before any;

³¹ the strutting rooster,b the he-goat,

and a king striding beforechis people.

³² If you have been foolish, exalting yourself,

or if you have been devising evil,

put your hand on your mouth.

³³ For as pressing milk produces curds,

and pressing the nose produces blood,

so pressing anger produces strife.

The Teaching of King Lemuel’s Mother

31

THE words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:

² No, my son! No, son of my womb!

No, son of my vows!

³ Do not give your strength to women,

your ways to those who destroy kings.

⁴ It is not for kings, O Lemuel,

it is not for kings to drink wine,

or for rulers to desired strong drink;

⁵ or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed,

and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.

⁶ Give strong drink to one who is perishing,

and wine to those in bitter distress;

⁷ let them drink and forget their poverty,

and remember their misery no more.

⁸ Speak out for those who cannot speak,

for the rights of all the destitute.e

⁹ Speak out, judge righteously,

defend the rights of the poor and needy.

Ode to a Capable Wife

¹⁰ A capable wife who can find?

She is far more precious than jewels.

¹¹ The heart of her husband trusts in her,

and he will have no lack of gain.

¹² She does him good, and not harm,

all the days of her life.

¹³ She seeks wool and flax,

and works with willing hands.

¹⁴ She is like the ships of the merchant,

she brings her food from far away.

¹⁵ She rises while it is still night

and provides food for her household

and tasks for her servant-girls.

¹⁶ She considers a field and buys it;

with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

¹⁷ She girds herself with strength,

and makes her arms strong.

¹⁸ She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.

Her lamp does not go out at night.

¹⁹ She puts her hands to the distaff,

and her hands hold the spindle.

²⁰ She opens her hand to the poor,

and reaches out her hands to the needy.

²¹ She is not afraid for her household when it snows,

for all her household are clothed in crimson.

²² She makes herself coverings;

her clothing is fine linen and purple.

²³ Her husband is known in the city gates,

taking his seat among the elders of the land.

²⁴ She makes linen garments and sells them;

she supplies the merchant with sashes.

²⁵ Strength and dignity are her clothing,

and she laughs at the time to come.

²⁶ She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

²⁷ She looks well to the ways of her household,

and does not eat the bread of idleness.

²⁸ Her children rise up and call her happy;

her husband too, and he praises her:

²⁹ ‘Many women have done excellently,

but you surpass them all.’

³⁰ Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

³¹ Give her a share in the fruit of her hands,

and let her works praise her in the city gates.

ECCLESIASTES

Reflections of a Royal Philosopher

THE words of the Teacher,a the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

² Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher,a

vanity of vanities! All is vanity.

³ What do people gain from all the toil

at which they toil under the sun?

⁴ A generation goes, and a generation comes,

but the earth remains for ever.

⁵ The sun rises and the sun goes down,

and hurries to the place where it rises.

⁶ The wind blows to the south,

and goes round to the north;

round and round goes the wind,

and on its circuits the wind returns.

⁷ All streams run to the sea,

but the sea is not full;

to the place where the streams flow,

there they continue to flow.

⁸ All thingsb are wearisome;

more than one can express;

the eye is not satisfied with seeing,

or the ear filled with hearing.

⁹ What has been is what will be,

and what has been done is what will be done;

there is nothing new under the sun.

¹⁰ Is there a thing of which it is said,

‘See, this is new’?

It has already been,

in the ages before us.

¹¹ The people of long ago are not remembered,

nor will there be any remembrance

of people yet to come

by those who come after them.

The Futility of Seeking Wisdom

¹² I, the Teacher,a when king over Israel in Jerusalem, ¹³applied my mind to seek and to search out by wisdom all that is done under heaven; it is an unhappy business that God has given to human beings to be busy with. ¹⁴I saw all the deeds that are done under the sun; and see, all is vanity and a chasing after wind.b

¹⁵ What is crooked cannot be made straight,

and what is lacking cannot be counted.

¹⁶ I said to myself, ‘I have acquired great wisdom, surpassing all who were over Jerusalem before me; and my mind has had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.’ ¹⁷And I applied my mind to know wisdom and to know madness and folly. I perceived that this also is but a chasing after wind.b

¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much vexation,

and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow.

The Futility of Self-Indulgence

2

I SAID to myself, ‘Come now, I will make a test of pleasure; enjoy yourself.’ But again, this also was vanity. ²I said of laughter, ‘It is mad’, and of pleasure, ‘What use is it?’ ³I searched with my mind how to cheer my body with wine—my mind still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, until I might see what was good for mortals to do under heaven during the few days of their life. ⁴I made great works; I built houses and planted vineyards for myself; ⁵I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees. ⁶I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees. ⁷I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house; I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem. ⁸I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got singers, both men and women, and delights of the flesh, and many concubines.c

⁹ So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me. ¹⁰Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them; I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil. ¹¹Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spent in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind,b and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Wisdom and Joy Given to One Who Pleases God

¹² So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly; for what can the one do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. ¹³Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.

¹⁴ The wise have eyes in their head,

but fools walk in darkness.

Yet I perceived that the same fate befalls all of them. ¹⁵Then I said to myself, ‘What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?’ And I said to myself that this also is vanity. ¹⁶For there is no enduring remembrance of the wise or of fools, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How can the wise die just like fools? ¹⁷So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me; for all is vanity and a chasing after wind.a

¹⁸ I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing that I must leave it to those who come after me ¹⁹—and who knows whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity. ²⁰So I turned and gave my heart up to despair concerning all the toil of my labours under the sun, ²¹because sometimes one who has toiled with wisdom and knowledge and skill must leave all to be enjoyed by another who did not toil for it. This also is vanity and a great evil. ²²What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which they toil under the sun? ²³For all their days are full of pain, and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do not rest. This also is vanity.

²⁴ There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil. This also, I saw, is from the hand of God; ²⁵for apart from himb who can eat or who can have enjoyment? ²⁶For to the one who pleases him God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and heaping, only to give to one who pleases God. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.a

Everything Has Its Time

3

FOR everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

² a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

³ a time to kill, and a time to heal;

a time to break down, and a time to build up;

⁴ a time to weep, and a time to laugh;

a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

⁵ a time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

⁶ a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to throw away;

⁷ a time to tear, and a time to sew;

a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

⁸ a time to love, and a time to hate;

a time for war, and a time for peace.

The God-Given Task

⁹ What gain have the workers from their toil? ¹⁰I have seen the business that God has given to everyone to be busy with. ¹¹He has made everything suitable for its time; moreover, he has put a sense of past and future into their minds, yet they cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. ¹²I know that there is nothing better for them than to be happy and enjoy themselves as long as they live; ¹³moreover, it is God’s gift that all should eat and drink and take pleasure in all their toil. ¹⁴I know that whatever God does endures for ever; nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; God has done this, so that all should stand in awe before him. ¹⁵That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.a

Judgement and the Future Belong to God

¹⁶ Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. ¹⁷I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work. ¹⁸I said in my heart with regard to human beings that God is testing them to show that they are but animals. ¹⁹For the fate of humans and the fate of animals is the same; as one dies, so dies the other. They all have the same breath, and humans have no advantage over the animals; for all is vanity. ²⁰All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all turn to dust again. ²¹Who knows whether the human spirit goes upwards and the spirit of animals goes downwards to the earth? ²²So I saw that there is nothing better than that all should enjoy their work, for that is their lot; who can bring them to see what will be after them?

4

AGAIN I saw all the oppressions that are practised under the sun. Look, the tears of the oppressed—with no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power—with no one to comfort them. ²And I thought the dead, who have already died, more fortunate than the living, who are still alive; ³but better than both is the one who has not yet been, and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

⁴ Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from one person’s envy of another. This also is vanity and a chasing after wind.b

⁵ Fools fold their hands

and consume their own flesh.

⁶ Better is a handful with quiet

than two handfuls with toil,

and a chasing after wind.b

⁷ Again, I saw vanity under the sun: ⁸the case of solitary individuals, without sons or brothers; yet there is no end to all their toil, and their eyes are never satisfied with riches. ‘For whom am I toiling’, they ask, ‘and depriving myself of pleasure?’ This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

The Value of a Friend

⁹ Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. ¹⁰For if they fall, one will lift up the other; but woe to one who is alone and falls and does not have another to help. ¹¹Again, if two lie together, they keep warm; but how can one keep warm alone? ¹²And though one might prevail against another, two will withstand one. A threefold cord is not quickly broken.

¹³ Better is a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king, who will no longer take advice. ¹⁴One can indeed come out of prison to reign, even though born poor in the kingdom. ¹⁵I saw all the living who, moving about under the sun, follow thata youth who replaced the king;b ¹⁶there was no end to all those people whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.c

Reverence, Humility, and Contentment

5d

GUARD your steps when you go to the house of God; to draw near to listen is better than the sacrifice offered by fools; for they do not know how to keep from doing evil.e ² f Never be rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be quick to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven, and you upon earth; therefore let your words be few.

³ For dreams come with many cares, and a fool’s voice with many words.

⁴ When you make a vow to God, do not delay fulfilling it; for he has no pleasure in fools. Fulfil what you vow. ⁵It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not fulfil it. ⁶Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words, and destroy the work of your hands?

⁷ With many dreams come vanities and a multitude of words;g but fear God.

⁸ If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and right, do not be amazed at the matter; for the high official is watched by a higher, and there are yet higher ones over them. ⁹But all things considered, this is an advantage for a land: a king for a ploughed field.g

¹⁰ The lover of money will not be satisfied with money; nor the lover of wealth, with gain. This also is vanity.

¹¹ When goods increase, those who eat them increase; and what gain has their owner but to see them with his eyes?

¹² Sweet is the sleep of labourers, whether they eat little or much; but the surfeit of the rich will not let them sleep.

¹³ There is a grievous ill that I have seen under the sun: riches were kept by their owners to their hurt, ¹⁴and those riches were lost in a bad venture; though they are parents of children, they have nothing in their hands. ¹⁵As they came from their mother’s womb, so they shall go again, naked as they came; they shall take nothing for their toil, which they may carry away with their hands. ¹⁶This also is a grievous ill: just as they came, so shall they go; and what gain do they have from toiling for the wind? ¹⁷Besides, all their days they eat in darkness, in much vexation and sickness and resentment.

¹⁸ This is what I have seen to be good: it is fitting to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of the life God gives us; for this is our lot. ¹⁹Likewise all to whom God gives wealth and possessions and whom he enables to enjoy them, and to accept their lot and find enjoyment in their toil—this is the gift of God. ²⁰For they will scarcely brood over the days of their lives, because God keeps them occupied with the joy of their hearts.

The Frustration of Desires

6

THERE is an evil that I have seen under the sun, and it lies heavy upon humankind: ²those to whom God gives wealth, possessions, and honour, so that they lack nothing of all that they desire, yet God does not enable them to enjoy these things, but a stranger enjoys them. This is vanity; it is a grievous ill. ³A man may beget a hundred children, and live for many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life’s good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. ⁴For it comes into vanity and goes into darkness, and in darkness its name is covered; ⁵moreover, it has not seen the sun or known anything; yet it finds rest rather than he. ⁶Even though he should live a thousand years twice over, yet enjoy no good—do not all go to one place?

⁷ All human toil is for the mouth, yet the appetite is not satisfied. ⁸For what advantage have the wise over fools? And what do the poor have who know how to conduct themselves before the living? ⁹Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire; this also is vanity and a chasing after wind.a

¹⁰ Whatever has come to be has already been named, and it is known what human beings are, and that they are not able to dispute with those who are stronger. ¹¹The more words, the more vanity, so how is one the better? ¹²For who knows what is good for mortals while they live the few days of their vain life, which they pass like a shadow? For who can tell them what will be after them under the sun?

A Disillusioned View of Life

7

A GOOD name is better than precious ointment,

and the day of death, than the day of birth.

² It is better to go to the house of mourning

than to go to the house of feasting;

for this is the end of everyone,

and the living will lay it to heart.

³ Sorrow is better than laughter,

for by sadness of countenance the heart is made glad.

⁴ The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning;

but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

⁵ It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise

than to hear the song of fools.

⁶ For like the crackling of thorns under a pot,

so is the laughter of fools;

this also is vanity.

⁷ Surely oppression makes the wise foolish,

and a bribe corrupts the heart.

⁸ Better is the end of a thing than its beginning;

the patient in spirit are better than the proud in spirit.

⁹ Do not be quick to anger,

for anger lodges in the bosom of fools.

¹⁰ Do not say, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’

For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.

¹¹ Wisdom is as good as an inheritance,

an advantage to those who see the sun.

¹² For the protection of wisdom is like the protection of money,

and the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom gives life to the one who possesses it.

¹³ Consider the work of God;

who can make straight what he has made crooked?

¹⁴ On the day of prosperity be joyful, and on the day of adversity consider; God has made the one as well as the other, so that mortals may not find out anything that will come after them.

The Riddles of Life

¹⁵ In my vain life I have seen everything; there are righteous people who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked people who prolong their life in their evildoing. ¹⁶Do not be too righteous, and do not act too wise; why should you destroy yourself? ¹⁷Do not be too wicked, and do not be a fool; why should you die before your time? ¹⁸It is good that you should take hold of the one, without letting go of the other; for the one who fears God shall succeed with both.

¹⁹ Wisdom gives strength to the wise more than ten rulers that are in a city.

²⁰ Surely there is no one on earth so righteous as to do good without ever sinning.

²¹ Do not give heed to everything that people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you; ²²your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.

²³ All this I have tested by wisdom; I said, ‘I will be wise’, but it was far from me. ²⁴That which is, is far off, and deep, very deep; who can find it out? ²⁵I turned my mind to know and to search out and to seek wisdom and the sum of things, and to know that wickedness is folly and that foolishness is madness. ²⁶I found more bitter than death the woman who is a trap, whose heart is snares and nets, whose hands are fetters; one who pleases God escapes her, but the sinner is taken by her. ²⁷See, this is what I found, says the Teacher,a adding one thing to another to find the sum, ²⁸which my mind has sought repeatedly, but I have not found. One man among a thousand I found, but a woman among all these I have not found. ²⁹See, this alone I found, that God made human beings straightforward, but they have devised many schemes.

Obey the King and Enjoy Yourself

8

WHO is like the wise man?

And who knows the interpretation of a thing?

Wisdom makes one’s face shine,

and the hardness of one’s countenance is changed.

² Keepb the king’s command because of your sacred oath. ³Do not be terrified; go from his presence, do not delay when the matter is unpleasant, for he does whatever he pleases. ⁴For the word of the king is powerful, and who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’ ⁵Whoever obeys a command will meet no harm, and the wise mind will know the time and way. ⁶For every matter has its time and way, although the troubles of mortals lie heavy upon them. ⁷Indeed, they do not know what is to be, for who can tell them how it will be? ⁸No one has power over the winda to restrain the wind,a or power over the day of death; there is no discharge from the battle, nor does wickedness deliver those who practise it. ⁹All this I observed, applying my mind to all that is done under the sun, while one person exercises authority over another to the other’s hurt.

God’s Ways Are Inscrutable

¹⁰ Then I saw the wicked buried; they used to go in and out of the holy place, and were praised in the city where they had done such things.b This also is vanity. ¹¹Because sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the human heart is fully set to do evil. ¹²Though sinners do evil a hundred times and prolong their lives, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they stand in fear before him, ¹³but it will not be well with the wicked, neither will they prolong their days like a shadow, because they do not stand in fear before God.

¹⁴ There is a vanity that takes place on earth, that there are righteous people who are treated according to the conduct of the wicked, and there are wicked people who are treated according to the conduct of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity. ¹⁵So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.

¹⁶ When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on earth, how one’s eyes see sleep neither day nor night, ¹⁷then I saw all the work of God, that no one can find out what is happening under the sun. However much they may toil in seeking, they will not find it out; even though those who are wise claim to know, they cannot find it out.

Take Life as It Comes

9

ALL this I laid to heart, examining it all, how the righteous and the wise and their deeds are in the hand of God; whether it is love or hate one does not know. Everything that confronts them ²is vanity,c since the same fate comes to all, to the righteous and the wicked, to the good and the evil,d to the clean and the unclean, to those who sacrifice and those who do not sacrifice. As are the good, so are the sinners; those who swear are like those who shun an oath. ³This is an evil in all that happens under the sun, that the same fate comes to everyone. Moreover, the hearts of all are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead. ⁴But whoever is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion. ⁵The living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no more reward, and even the memory of them is lost. ⁶Their love and their hate and their envy have already perished; never again will they have any share in all that happens under the sun.

⁷ Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. ⁸Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. ⁹Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun. ¹⁰Whatever your hand finds to do, do with your might; for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.

¹¹ Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the skilful; but time and chance happen to them all. ¹²For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them.

Wisdom Superior to Folly

¹³ I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me. ¹⁴There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege-works against it. ¹⁵Now there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. ¹⁶So I said, ‘Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.’

¹⁷ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded

than the shouting of a ruler among fools.

¹⁸ Wisdom is better than weapons of war,

but one bungler destroys much good.

Miscellaneous Observations

10

DEAD flies make the perfumer’s ointment give off a foul odour;

so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honour.

² The heart of the wise inclines to the right,

but the heart of a fool to the left.

³ Even when fools walk on the road, they lack sense,

and show to everyone that they are fools.

⁴ If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your post,

for calmness will undo great offences.

⁵ There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as great an error as if it proceeded from the ruler: ⁶folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷I have seen slaves on horseback, and princes walking on foot like slaves.

⁸ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;

and whoever breaks through a wall will be bitten by a snake.

⁹ Whoever quarries stones will be hurt by them;

and whoever splits logs will be endangered by them.

¹⁰ If the iron is blunt, and one does not whet the edge,

then more strength must be exerted;

but wisdom helps one to succeed.

¹¹ If the snake bites before it is charmed,

there is no advantage in a charmer.

¹² Words spoken by the wise bring them favour,

but the lips of fools consume them.

¹³ The words of their mouths begin in foolishness,

and their talk ends in wicked madness;

¹⁴ yet fools talk on and on.

No one knows what is to happen,

and who can tell anyone what the future holds?

¹⁵ The toil of fools wears them out,

for they do not even know the way to town.

¹⁶ Alas for you, O land, when your king is a servant,a

and your princes feast in the morning!

¹⁷ Happy are you, O land, when your king is a nobleman,

and your princes feast at the proper time—

for strength, and not for drunkenness!

¹⁸ Through sloth the roof sinks in,

and through indolence the house leaks.

¹⁹ Feasts are made for laughter;

wine gladdens life,

and money meets every need.

²⁰ Do not curse the king, even in your thoughts,

or curse the rich, even in your bedroom;

for a bird of the air may carry your voice,

or some winged creature tell the matter.

The Value of Diligence

11

SEND out your bread upon the waters,

for after many days you will get it back.

² Divide your means seven ways, or even eight,

for you do not know what disaster may happen on earth.

³ When clouds are full,

they empty rain on the earth;

whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,

in the place where the tree falls, there it will lie.

⁴ Whoever observes the wind will not sow;

and whoever regards the clouds will not reap.

⁵ Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything.

⁶ In the morning sow your seed, and at evening do not let your hands be idle; for you do not know which will prosper, this or that, or whether both alike will be good.

Youth and Old Age

⁷ Light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to see the sun.

⁸ Even those who live for many years should rejoice in them all; yet let them remember that the days of darkness will be many. All that comes is vanity.

⁹ Rejoice, young man, while you are young, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Follow the inclination of your heart and the desire of your eyes, but know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement.

¹⁰ Banish anxiety from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity.

12

REMEMBER your creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come, and the years draw near when you will say, ‘I have no pleasure in them’ ²before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return witha the rain; ³on the day when the guards of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the women who grind cease working because they are few, and those who look through the windows see dimly; ⁴when the doors on the street are shut, and the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the sound of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; ⁵when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself alongb and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets; ⁶before the silver cord is snapped,c and the golden bowl is broken, and the pitcher is broken at the fountain, and the wheel broken at the cistern, ⁷and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breathd returns to God who gave it. ⁸Vanity of vanities, says the Teacher;e all is vanity.

Epilogue

⁹ Besides being wise, the Teachere also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs. ¹⁰The Teachere sought to find pleasing words, and he wrote words of truth plainly.

¹¹ The sayings of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings that are given by one shepherd.f ¹²Of anything beyond these, my child, beware. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. ¹⁴For God will bring every deed into judgement, includingg every secret thing, whether good or evil.

THE SONG OF SOLOMON

THE Song of Songs, which is Solomon’s.

Colloquy of Bride and Friends

² Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!

For your love is better than wine,

³ your anointing oils are fragrant,

your name is perfume poured out;

therefore the maidens love you.

⁴ Draw me after you, let us make haste.

The king has brought me into his chambers.

We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine;

rightly do they love you.

⁵ I am black and beautiful,

O daughters of Jerusalem,

like the tents of Kedar,

like the curtains of Solomon.

⁶ Do not gaze at me because I am dark,

because the sun has gazed on me.

My mother’s sons were angry with me;

they made me keeper of the vineyards,

but my own vineyard I have not kept!

⁷ Tell me, you whom my soul loves,

where you pasture your flock,

where you make it lie down at noon;

for why should I be like one who is veiled

beside the flocks of your companions?

⁸ If you do not know,

O fairest among women,

follow the tracks of the flock,

and pasture your kids

beside the shepherds’ tents.

Colloquy of Bridegroom, Friends, and Bride

⁹ I compare you, my love,

to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots.

¹⁰ Your cheeks are comely with ornaments,

your neck with strings of jewels.

¹¹ We will make you ornaments of gold,

studded with silver.

¹² While the king was on his couch,

my nard gave forth its fragrance.

¹³ My beloved is to me a bag of myrrh

that lies between my breasts.

¹⁴ My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms

in the vineyards of En-gedi.

¹⁵ Ah, you are beautiful, my love;

ah, you are beautiful;

your eyes are doves.

¹⁶ Ah, you are beautiful, my beloved,

truly lovely.

Our couch is green;

¹⁷ the beams of our house are cedar,

our raftersa are pine.

2

I AM a roseb of Sharon,

a lily of the valleys.

² As a lily among brambles,

so is my love among maidens.

³ As an apple tree among the trees of the wood,

so is my beloved among young men.

With great delight I sat in his shadow,

and his fruit was sweet to my taste.

⁴ He brought me to the banqueting house,

and his intention towards me was love.

⁵ Sustain me with raisins,

refresh me with apples;

for I am faint with love.

⁶ O that his left hand were under my head,

and that his right hand embraced me!

⁷ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the wild does:

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

Springtime Rhapsody

⁸ The voice of my beloved!

Look, he comes,

leaping upon the mountains,

bounding over the hills.

⁹ My beloved is like a gazelle

or a young stag.

Look, there he stands

behind our wall,

gazing in at the windows,

looking through the lattice.

¹⁰ My beloved speaks and says to me:

‘Arise, my love, my fair one,

and come away;

¹¹ for now the winter is past,

the rain is over and gone.

¹² The flowers appear on the earth;

the time of singing has come,

and the voice of the turtle-dove

is heard in our land.

¹³ The fig tree puts forth its figs,

and the vines are in blossom;

they give forth fragrance.

Arise, my love, my fair one,

and come away.

¹⁴ O my dove, in the clefts of the rock,

in the covert of the cliff,

let me see your face,

let me hear your voice;

for your voice is sweet,

and your face is lovely.

¹⁵ Catch us the foxes,

the little foxes,

that ruin the vineyards—

for our vineyards are in blossom.’

¹⁶ My beloved is mine and I am his;

he pastures his flock among the lilies.

¹⁷ Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

turn, my beloved, be like a gazelle

or a young stag on the cleft mountains.c

A Dream of Love

3

UPON my bed at night

I sought him whom my soul loves;

I sought him, but found him not;

I called him, but he gave no answer.d

² ‘I will rise now and go about the city,

in the streets and in the squares;

I will seek him whom my soul loves.’

I sought him, but found him not.

³ The sentinels found me,

as they went about in the city.

‘Have you seen him whom my soul loves?’

⁴ Scarcely had I passed them,

when I found him whom my soul loves.

I held him, and would not let him go

until I brought him into my mother’s house,

and into the chamber of her that conceived me.

⁵ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

by the gazelles or the wild does:

do not stir up or awaken love

until it is ready!

The Groom and His Party Approach

⁶ What is that coming up from the wilderness,

like a column of smoke,

perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,

with all the fragrant powders of the merchant?

⁷ Look, it is the litter of Solomon!

Around it are sixty mighty men

of the mighty men of Israel,

⁸ all equipped with swords

and expert in war,

each with his sword at his thigh

because of alarms by night.

⁹ King Solomon made himself a palanquin

from the wood of Lebanon.

¹⁰ He made its posts of silver,

its back of gold, its seat of purple;

its interior was inlaid with love.a

Daughters of Jerusalem,

¹¹ come out.

Look, O daughters of Zion,

at King Solomon,

at the crown with which his mother crowned him

on the day of his wedding,

on the day of the gladness ofhis heart.

The Bride’s Beauty Extolled

4

HOW beautiful you are, my love,

how very beautiful!

Your eyes are doves

behind your veil.

Your hair is like a flock of goats,

moving down the slopes of Gilead.

² Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes

that have come up from the washing,

all of which bear twins,

and not one among them is bereaved.

³ Your lips are like a crimson thread,

and your mouth is lovely.

Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate

behind your veil.

⁴ Your neck is like the tower of David,

built in courses;

on it hang a thousand bucklers,

all of them shields of warriors.

⁵ Your two breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle,

that feed among the lilies.

⁶ Until the day breathes

and the shadows flee,

I will hasten to the mountain of myrrh

and the hill of frankincense.

⁷ You are altogether beautiful, my love;

there is no flaw in you.

⁸ Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;

come with me from Lebanon.

Departb from the peak of Amana,

from the peak of Senir and Hermon,

from the dens of lions,

from the mountains of leopards.

⁹ You have ravished my heart, my sister, my bride,

you have ravished my heart with a glance of your eyes,

with one jewel of your necklace.

¹⁰ How sweet is your love, my sister, my bride!

how much better is your love than wine,

and the fragrance of your oils than any spice!

¹¹ Your lips distil nectar, my bride;

honey and milk are under your tongue;

the scent of your garments is like the scent of Lebanon.

¹² A garden locked is my sister, my bride,

a garden locked, a fountain sealed.

¹³ Your channela is an orchard of pomegranates

with all choicest fruits,

henna with nard,

¹⁴ nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon,

with all trees of frankincense,

myrrh and aloes,

with all chief spices—

¹⁵ a garden fountain, a well of living water,

and flowing streams from Lebanon.

¹⁶ Awake, O north wind,

and come, O south wind!

Blow upon my garden

that its fragrance may be wafted abroad.

Let my beloved come to his garden,

and eat its choicest fruits.

5

I COME to my garden, my sister, my bride;

I gather my myrrh with my spice,

I eat my honeycomb with my honey,

I drink my wine with my milk.

Eat, friends,

drink, and be drunk with love.

Another Dream

² I slept, but my heart was awake.

Listen! my beloved is knocking.

‘Open to me, my sister,

my love, my dove, my perfect one;

for my head is wet with dew,

my locks with the drops of the night.’

³ I had put off my garment;

how could I put it on again?

I had bathed my feet;

how could I soil them?

⁴ My beloved thrust his hand into the opening,

and my inmost being yearned for him.

⁵ I arose to open to my beloved,

and my hands dripped with myrrh,

my fingers with liquid myrrh,

upon the handles of the bolt.

⁶ I opened to my beloved,

but my beloved had turned and was gone.

My soul failed me when he spoke.

I sought him, but did not find him;

I called him, but he gave no answer.

⁷ Making their rounds in the city

the sentinels found me;

they beat me, they wounded me,

they took away my mantle,

those sentinels of the walls.

⁸ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

if you find my beloved,

tell him this:

I am faint with love.

Colloquy of Friends and Bride

⁹ What is your beloved more than another beloved,

O fairest among women?

What is your beloved more than another beloved,

that you thus adjure us?

¹⁰ My beloved is all radiant and ruddy,

distinguished among ten thousand.

¹¹ His head is the finest gold;

his locks are wavy,

black as a raven.

¹² His eyes are like doves

beside springs of water,

bathed in milk,

fitly set.a

¹³ His cheeks are like beds of spices,

yielding fragrance.

His lips are lilies,

distilling liquid myrrh.

¹⁴ His arms are rounded gold,

set with jewels.

His body is ivory work,a

encrusted with sapphires.b

¹⁵ His legs are alabaster columns,

set upon bases of gold.

His appearance is like Lebanon,

choice as the cedars.

¹⁶ His speech is most sweet,

and he is altogether desirable.

This is my beloved and this is my friend,

O daughters of Jerusalem.

6

WHERE has your beloved gone,

O fairest among women?

Which way has your beloved turned,

that we may seek him with you?

² My beloved has gone down

to his garden, to the beds of spices,

to pasture his flock in the gardens,

and to gather lilies.

³ I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine;

he pastures his flock among the lilies.

The Bride’s Matchless Beauty

⁴ You are beautiful as Tirzah, my love,

comely as Jerusalem,

terrible as an army with banners.

⁵ Turn away your eyes from me,

for they overwhelm me!

Your hair is like a flock of goats,

moving down the slopes of Gilead.

⁶ Your teeth are like a flock of ewes,

that have come up from the washing;

all of them bear twins,

and not one among them is bereaved.

⁷ Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate

behind your veil.

⁸ There are sixty queens and eighty concubines,

and maidens without number.

⁹ My dove, my perfect one, is the only one,

the darling of her mother,

flawless to her that bore her.

The maidens saw her and called her happy;

the queens and concubines also, and they praised her.

¹⁰ ‘Who is this that looks forth like the dawn,

fair as the moon, bright as the sun,

terrible as an army with banners?’

¹¹ I went down to the nut orchard,

to look at the blossoms of the valley,

to see whether the vines had budded,

whether the pomegranates were in bloom.

¹² Before I was aware, my fancy set me

in a chariot beside my prince.c

¹³d Return, return, O Shulammite!

Return, return, that we may look upon you.

Why should you look upon the Shulammite,

as upon a dance before two armies?e

Expressions of Praise

7

HOW graceful are your feet in sandals,

O queenly maiden!

Your rounded thighs are like jewels,

the work of a master hand.

² Your navel is a rounded bowl

that never lacks mixed wine.

Your belly is a heap of wheat,

encircled with lilies.

³ Your two breasts are like two fawns,

twins of a gazelle.

⁴ Your neck is like an ivory tower.

Your eyes are pools in Heshbon,

by the gate of Bath-rabbim.

Your nose is like a tower of Lebanon,

overlooking Damascus.

⁵ Your head crowns you like Carmel,

and your flowing locks are like purple;

a king is held captive in the tresses.a

⁶ How fair and pleasant you are,

O loved one, delectable maiden!b

⁷ You are statelyc as a palm tree,

and your breasts are like its clusters.

⁸ I say I will climb the palm tree

and lay hold of its branches.

O may your breasts be like clusters of the vine,

and the scent of your breath like apples,

⁹ and your kissesd like the best wine

that goes downe smoothly,

gliding over lips and teeth.f

¹⁰ I am my beloved’s,

and his desire is for me.

¹¹ Come, my beloved,

let us go forth into the fields,

and lodge in the villages;

¹² let us go out early to the vineyards,

and see whether the vines have budded,

whether the grape blossoms have opened

and the pomegranates are in bloom.

There I will give you my love.

¹³ The mandrakes give forth fragrance,

and over our doors are all choice fruits,

new as well as old,

which I have laid up for you, O my beloved.

8

O THAT you were like a brother to me,

who nursed at my mother’s breast!

If I met you outside, I would kiss you,

and no one would despise me.

² I would lead you and bring you

into the house of my mother,

and into the chamber of the one who bore me.g

I would give you spiced wine to drink, the juice of my pomegranates.

³ O that his left hand were under my head,

and that his right hand embraced me!

⁴ I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem,

do not stir up or awaken love until it is ready!

Homecoming

⁵ Who is that coming up from the wilderness,

leaning upon her beloved?

Under the apple tree I awakened you.

There your mother was in labour with you;

there she who bore you was in labour.

⁶ Set me as a seal upon your heart,

as a seal upon your arm;

for love is strong as death,

passion fierce as the grave.

Its flashes are flashes of fire,

a raging flame.

⁷ Many waters cannot quench love,

neither can floods drown it.

If one offered for love

all the wealth of one’s house,

it would be utterly scorned.

⁸ We have a little sister,

and she has no breasts.

What shall we do for our sister,

on the day when she is spoken for?

⁹ If she is a wall,

we will build upon her a battlement of silver;

but if she is a door,

we will enclose her with boards of cedar.

¹⁰ I was a wall,

and my breasts were like towers;

then I was in his eyes

as one who bringsa peace.

¹¹ Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;

he entrusted the vineyard to keepers;

each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.

¹² My vineyard, my very own, is for myself;

you, O Solomon, may have the thousand,

and the keepers of the fruit two hundred!

¹³ O you who dwell in the gardens,

my companions are listening for your voice;

let me hear it.

¹⁴ Make haste, my beloved,

and be like a gazelle

or a young stag

upon the mountains of spices!

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON

Exhortation to Uprightness

LOVE righteousness, you rulers of the earth,

think of the Lord in goodness

and seek him with sincerity of heart;

² because he is found by those who do not put him to the test,

and manifests himself to those who do not distrust him.

³ For perverse thoughts separate people from God,

and when his power is tested, it exposes the foolish;

⁴ because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul,

or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.

⁵ For a holy and disciplined spirit will flee from deceit,

and will leave foolish thoughts behind,

and will be ashamed at the approach of unrighteousness.

⁶ For wisdom is a kindly spirit,

but will not free blasphemers from the guilt of their words;

because God is witness of their inmost feelings,

and a true observer of their hearts, and a hearer of their tongues.

⁷ Because the spirit of the Lord has filled the world,

and that which holds all things together knows what is said,

⁸ therefore those who utter unrighteous things will not escape notice,

and justice, when it punishes, will not pass them by.

⁹ For inquiry will be made into the counsels of the ungodly,

and a report of their words will come to the Lord, to convict them of their lawless deeds;

¹⁰ because a jealous ear hears all things,

and the sound of grumbling does not go unheard.

¹¹ Beware then of useless grumbling,

and keep your tongue from slander;

because no secret word is without result,a

and a lying mouth destroys the soul.

¹² Do not invite death by the error of your life,

or bring on destruction by the works of your hands;

¹³ because God did not make death,

and he does not delight in the death of the living.

¹⁴ For he created all things so that they might exist;

the generative forcesa of the world are wholesome,

and there is no destructive poison in them,

and the dominionb of Hades is not on earth.

¹⁵ For righteousness is immortal.

Life as the Ungodly See It

¹⁶ But the ungodly by their words and deeds summoned death;c

considering him a friend, they pined away

and made a covenant with him,

because they are fit to belong to his company.

2

FOR they reasoned unsoundly, saying to themselves,

‘Short and sorrowful is our life,

and there is no remedy when a life comes to its end,

and no one has been known to return from Hades.

² For we were born by mere chance,

and hereafter we shall be as though we had never been,

for the breath in our nostrils is smoke,

and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our hearts;

³ when it is extinguished, the body will turn to ashes,

and the spirit will dissolve like empty air.

⁴ Our name will be forgotten in time,

and no one will remember our works;

our life will pass away like the traces of a cloud,

and be scattered like mist

that is chased by the rays of the sun

and overcome by its heat.

⁵ For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow,

and there is no return from our death,

because it is sealed up and no one turns back.

⁶ ‘Come, therefore, let us enjoy the good things that exist,

and make use of the creation to the full as in youth.

⁷ Let us take our fill of costly wine and perfumes,

and let no flower of spring pass us by.

⁸ Let us crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.

⁹ Let none of us fail to share in our revelry;

everywhere let us leave signs of enjoyment,

because this is our portion, and this our lot.

¹⁰ Let us oppress the righteous poor man;

let us not spare the widow

or regard the grey hairs of the aged.

¹¹ But let our might be our law of right,

for what is weak proves itself to be useless.

¹² ‘Let us lie in wait for the righteous man,

because he is inconvenient to us and opposes our actions;

he reproaches us for sins against the law,

and accuses us of sins against our training.

¹³ He professes to have knowledge of God,

and calls himself a childd of the Lord.

¹⁴ He became to us a reproof of our thoughts;

¹⁵ the very sight of him is a burden to us,

because his manner of life is unlike that of others,

and his ways are strange.

¹⁶ We are considered by him as something base,

and he avoids our ways as unclean;

he calls the last end of the righteous happy,

and boasts that God is his father.

¹⁷ Let us see if his words are true,

and let us test what will happen at the end of his life;

¹⁸ for if the righteous man is God’s child, he will help him,

and will deliver him from the hand of his adversaries.

¹⁹ Let us test him with insult and torture,

so that we may find out how gentle he is,

and make trial of his forbearance.

²⁰ Let us condemn him to a shameful death,

for, according to what he says, he will be protected.’

Error of the Wicked

²¹ Thus they reasoned, but they were led astray,

for their wickedness blinded them,

²² and they did not know the secret purposes of God,

nor hoped for the wages of holiness,

nor discerned the prize for blameless souls;

²³ for God created us for incorruption,

and made us in the image of his own eternity,a

²⁴ but through the devil’s envy death entered the world,

and those who belong to his company experience it.

The Destiny of the Righteous

3

BUT the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God,

and no torment will ever touch them.

² In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died,

and their departure was thought to be a disaster,

³ and their going from us to be their destruction;

but they are at peace.

⁴ For though in the sight of others they were punished,

their hope is full of immortality.

⁵ Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good,

because God tested them and found them worthy of himself;

⁶ like gold in the furnace he tried them,

and like a sacrificial burnt-offering he accepted them.

⁷ In the time of their visitation they will shine forth,

and will run like sparks through the stubble.

⁸ They will govern nations and rule over peoples,

and the Lord will reign over them for ever.

⁹ Those who trust in him will understand truth,

and the faithful will abide with him in love,

because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,

and he watches over his elect.b

The Destiny of the Ungodly

¹⁰ But the ungodly will be punished as their reasoning deserves,

those who disregarded the righteousc

and rebelled against the Lord;

¹¹ for those who despise wisdom and instruction are miserable.

Their hope is vain, their labours are unprofitable,

and their works are useless.

¹² Their wives are foolish, and their children evil;

¹³ their offspring are accursed.

On Childlessness

For blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled,

who has not entered into a sinful union;

she will have fruit when God examines souls.

¹⁴ Blessed also is the eunuch whose hands have done no lawless deed,

and who has not devised wicked things against the Lord;

for special favour will be shown him for his faithfulness,

and a place of great delight in the temple of the Lord.

¹⁵ For the fruit of good labours is renowned,

and the root of understanding does not fail.

¹⁶ But children of adulterers will not come to maturity,

and the offspring of an unlawful union will perish.

¹⁷ Even if they live long they will be held of no account,

and finally their old age will be without honour.

¹⁸ If they die young, they will have no hope

and no consolation on the day of judgement.

¹⁹ For the end of an unrighteous generation is grievous.

4

BETTER than this is childlessness with virtue,

for in the memory of virtuea is immortality,

because it is known both by God and by mortals.

² When it is present, people imitateb it,

and they long for it when it has gone;

throughout all time it marches, crowned in triumph,

victor in the contest for prizes that are undefiled.

³ But the prolific brood of the ungodly will be of no use,

and none of their illegitimate seedlings will strike a deep root

or take a firm hold.

⁴ For even if they put forth boughs for a while,

standing insecurely they will be shaken by the wind,

and by the violence of the winds they will be uprooted.

⁵ The branches will be broken off before they come to maturity,

and their fruit will be useless,

not ripe enough to eat, and good for nothing.

⁶ For children born of unlawful unions

are witnesses of evil against their parents when God examines them.c

⁷ But the righteous, though they die early, will be at rest.

⁸ For old age is not honoured for length of time,

or measured by number of years;

⁹ but understanding is grey hair for anyone,

and a blameless life is ripe old age.

¹⁰ There were some who pleased God and were loved by him,

and while living among sinners were taken up.

¹¹ They were caught up so that evil might not change their understanding

or guile deceive their souls.

¹² For the fascination of wickedness obscures what is good,

and roving desire perverts the innocent mind.

¹³ Being perfected in a short time, they fulfilled long years;

¹⁴ for their souls were pleasing to the Lord,

therefore he took them quickly from the midst of wickedness.

¹⁵ Yet the peoples saw and did not understand,

or take such a thing to heart,

that God’s grace and mercy are with his elect,

and that he watches over his holy ones.

The Triumph of the Righteous

¹⁶ The righteous who have died will condemn the ungodly who are living,

and youth that is quickly perfectedd will condemn the prolonged old age of the unrighteous.

¹⁷ For they will see the end of the wise,

and will not understand what the Lord purposed for them,

and for what he kept them safe.

¹⁸ The unrighteousa will see, and will have contempt for them,

but the Lord will laugh them to scorn.

After this they will become dishonoured corpses,

and an outrage among the dead for ever;

¹⁹ because he will dash them speechless to the ground,

and shake them from the foundations;

they will be left utterly dry and barren,

and they will suffer anguish,

and the memory of them will perish.

The Final Judgement

²⁰ They will come with dread when their sins are reckoned up,

and their lawless deeds will convict them to their face.

5

THEN the righteous will stand with great confidence

in the presence of those who have oppressed them

and those who make light of their labours.

² When the unrighteousb see them, they will be shaken with dreadful fear,

and they will be amazed at the unexpected salvation of the righteous.

³ They will speak to one another in repentance,

and in anguish of spirit they will groan, and say,

⁴ ‘These are persons whom we once held in derision

and made a byword of reproach—fools that we were!

We thought that their lives were madness

and that their end was without honour.

⁵ Why have they been numbered among the children of God?

And why is their lot among the saints?

⁶ So it was we who strayed from the way of truth,

and the light of righteousness did not shine on us,

and the sun did not rise upon us.

⁷ We took our fill of the paths of lawlessness

and destruction, and we journeyed through trackless deserts,

but the way of the Lord we have not known.

⁸ What has our arrogance profited us?

And what good has our boasted wealth brought us?

⁹ ‘All those things have vanished like a shadow,

and like a rumour that passes by;

¹⁰ like a ship that sails through the billowy water,

and when it has passed no trace can be found,

no track of its keel in the waves;

¹¹ or as, when a bird flies through the air,

no evidence of its passage is found;

the light air, lashed by the beat of its pinions

and pierced by the force of its rushing flight,

is traversed by the movement of its wings,

and afterwards no sign of its coming is found there;

¹² or as, when an arrow is shot at a target,

the air, thus divided, comes together at once,

so that no one knows its pathway.

¹³ So we also, as soon as we were born, ceased to be,

and we had no sign of virtue to show,

but were consumed in our wickedness.’

¹⁴ Because the hope of the ungodly is like thistledownc carried by the wind,

and like a light frosta driven away by a storm;

it is dispersed like smoke before the wind,

and it passes like the remembrance of a guest who stays but a day.

The Reward of the Righteous

¹⁵ But the righteous live for ever,

and their reward is with the Lord;

the Most High takes care of them.

¹⁶ Therefore they will receive a glorious crown

and a beautiful diadem from the hand of the Lord,

because with his right hand he will cover them,

and with his arm he will shield them.

¹⁷ The Lordb will take his zeal as his whole armour,

and will arm all creation to repelc his enemies;

¹⁸ he will put on righteousness as a breastplate,

and wear impartial justice as a helmet;

¹⁹ he will take holiness as an invincible shield,

²⁰ and sharpen stern wrath for a sword,

and creation will join with him to fight against his frenzied foes.

²¹ Shafts of lightning will fly with true aim,

and will leap from the clouds to the target, as from a well-drawn bow,

²² and hailstones full of wrath will be hurled as from a catapult;

the water of the sea will rage against them,

and rivers will relentlessly overwhelm them;

²³ a mighty wind will rise against them,

and like a tempest it will winnow them away.

Lawlessness will lay waste the whole earth,

and evildoing will overturn the thrones of rulers.

Kings Should Seek Wisdom

6

LISTEN therefore, O kings, and understand;

learn, O judges of the ends of the earth.

² Give ear, you that rule over multitudes,

and boast of many nations.

³ For your dominion was given you from the Lord,

and your sovereignty from the Most High;

he will search out your works and inquire into your plans.

⁴ Because as servants of his kingdom you did not rule rightly,

or keep the law,

or walk according to the purpose of God,

⁵ he will come upon you terribly and swiftly,

because severe judgement falls on those in high places.

⁶ For the lowliest may be pardoned in mercy,

but the mighty will be mightily tested.

⁷ For the Lord of all will not stand in awe of anyone,

or show deference to greatness;

because he himself made both small and great,

and he takes thought for all alike.

⁸ But a strict inquiry is in store for the mighty.

⁹ To you then, O monarchs, my words are directed,

so that you may learn wisdom and not transgress.

¹⁰ For they will be made holy who observe holy things in holiness,

and those who have been taught them will find a defence.

¹¹ Therefore set your desire on my words;

long for them, and you will be instructed.

Description of Wisdom

¹² Wisdom is radiant and unfading,

and she is easily discerned by those who love her,

and is found by those who seek her.

¹³ She hastens to make herself known to those who desire her.

¹⁴ One who rises early to seek her will have no difficulty,

for she will be found sitting at the gate.

¹⁵ To fix one’s thought on her is perfect understanding,

and one who is vigilant on her account will soon be free from care,

¹⁶ because she goes about seeking those worthy of her,

and she graciously appears to them in their paths, and meets them in every thought.

¹⁷ The beginning of wisdom a is the most sincere desire for instruction,

and concern for instruction is love of her,

¹⁸ and love of her is the keeping of her laws,

and giving heed to her laws is assurance of immortality,

¹⁹ and immortality brings one near to God;

²⁰ so the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom.

²¹ Therefore if you delight in thrones and sceptres, O monarchs over the peoples,

honour wisdom, so that you may reign for ever.

²² I will tell you what wisdom is and how she came to be,

and I will hide no secrets from you,

but I will trace her course from the beginning of creation,

and make knowledge of her clear,

and I will not pass by the truth;

²³ nor will I travel in the company of sickly envy,

for envyb does not associate with wisdom.

²⁴ The multitude of the wise is the salvation of the world,

and a sensible king is the stability of any people.

²⁵ Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.

Solomon Like Other Mortals

7

I ALSO am mortal, like everyone else,

a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;

and in the womb of a mother I was moulded into flesh,

² within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,

from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.

³ And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air,

and fell upon the kindred earth;

my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.

⁴ I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.

⁵ For no king has had a different beginning of existence;

⁶ there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out.

Solomon’s Respect for Wisdom

⁷ Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;

I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

⁸ I preferred her to sceptres and thrones,

and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.

⁹ Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,

because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,

and silver will be accounted as clay before her.

¹⁰ I loved her more than health and beauty,

and I chose to have her rather than light,

because her radiance never ceases.

¹¹ All good things came to me along with her,

and in her hands uncounted wealth.

¹² I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;

but I did not know that she was their mother.

¹³ I learned without guile and I impart without grudging;

I do not hide her wealth,

¹⁴ for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals;

those who get it obtain friendship with God,

commended for the gifts that come from instruction.

Solomon Prays for Wisdom

¹⁵ May God grant me to speak with judgement,

and to have thoughts worthy of what I have received;

for he is the guide even of wisdom

and the corrector of the wise.

¹⁶ For both we and our words are in his hand,

as are all understanding and skill in crafts.

¹⁷ For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,

to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements;

¹⁸ the beginning and end and middle of times,

the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,

¹⁹ the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars,

²⁰ the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals,

the powers of spiritsa and the thoughts of human beings,

the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;

²¹ I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,

²² for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.

The Nature of Wisdom

There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy,

unique, manifold, subtle,

mobile, clear, unpolluted,

distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,

irresistible, ²³beneficent, humane,

steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,

all-powerful, overseeing all,

and penetrating through all spirits

that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.

²⁴ For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;

because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

²⁵ For she is a breath of the power of God,

and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;

therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.

²⁶ For she is a reflection of eternal light,

a spotless mirror of the working of God,

and an image of his goodness.

²⁷ Although she is but one, she can do all things,

and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;

in every generation she passes into holy souls

and makes them friends of God, and prophets;

²⁸ for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.

²⁹ She is more beautiful than the sun,

and excels every constellation of the stars.

Compared with the light she is found to be superior,

³⁰ for it is succeeded by the night,

but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

8

SHE reaches mightily from one end of the earth to the other,

and she orders all things well.

Solomon’s Love for Wisdom

² I loved her and sought her from my youth;

I desired to take her for my bride,

and became enamoured of her beauty.

³ She glorifies her noble birth by living with God,

and the Lord of all loves her.

⁴ For she is an initiate in the knowledge of God,

and an associate in his works.

⁵ If riches are a desirable possession in life,

what is richer than wisdom, the active cause of all things?

⁶ And if understanding is effective,

who more than she is fashioner of what exists?

⁷ And if anyone loves righteousness,

her labours are virtues;

for she teaches self-control and prudence,

justice and courage;

nothing in life is more profitable for mortals than these.

⁸ And if anyone longs for wide experience,

she knows the things of old, and infers the things to come;

she understands turns of speech and the solutions of riddles;

she has foreknowledge of signs

and wonders and of the outcome of seasons and times.

Wisdom Indispensable to Rulers

⁹ Therefore I determined to take her to live with me,

knowing that she would give me good counsel

and encouragement in cares and grief.

¹⁰ Because of her I shall have glory among the multitudes

and honour in the presence of the elders, though I am young.

¹¹ I shall be found keen in judgement,

and in the sight of rulers I shall be admired.

¹² When I am silent they will wait for me,

and when I speak they will give heed;

if I speak at greater length,

they will put their hands on their mouths.

¹³ Because of her I shall have immortality,

and leave an everlasting remembrance to those who come after me.

¹⁴ I shall govern peoples,

and nations will be subject to me;

¹⁵ dread monarchs will be afraid of me when they hear of me;

among the people I shall show myself capable, and courageous in war.

¹⁶ When I enter my house, I shall find rest with her;

for companionship with her has no bitterness,

and life with her has no pain, but gladness and joy.

¹⁷ When I considered these things inwardly,

and pondered in my heart

that in kinship with wisdom there is immortality,

¹⁸ and in friendship with her, pure delight,

and in the labours of her hands, unfailing wealth,

and in the experience of her company, understanding, and renown in sharing her words,

I went about seeking how to get her for myself.

¹⁹ As a child I was naturally gifted,

and a good soul fell to my lot;

²⁰ or rather, being good, I entered an undefiled body.

²¹ But I perceived that I would not possess wisdom unless God gave her to me—

and it was a mark of insight to know whose gift she was—

so I appealed to the Lord and implored him,

and with my whole heart I said:

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom

9

’O GOD of my ancestors and Lord of mercy,

who have made all things by your word,

² and by your wisdom have formed humankind

to have dominion over the creatures you have made,

³ and rule the world in holiness and righteousness,

and pronounce judgement in uprightness of soul,

⁴ give me the wisdom that sits by your throne,

and do not reject me from among your servants.

⁵ For I am your servant,a the son of your servant-girl,

a man who is weak and short-lived,

with little understanding of judgement and laws;

⁶ for even one who is perfect among human beings

will be regarded as nothing without the wisdom that comes from you.

⁷ You have chosen me to be king of your people

and to be judge over your sons and daughters.

⁸ You have given command to build a temple on your holy mountain,

and an altar in the city of your habitation,

a copy of the holy tent that you prepared from the beginning.

⁹ With you is wisdom, she who knows your works

and was present when you made the world;

she understands what is pleasing in your sight

and what is right according to your commandments.

¹⁰ Send her forth from the holy heavens,

and from the throne of your glory send her,

that she may labour at my side,

and that I may learn what is pleasing to you.

¹¹ For she knows and understands all things,

and she will guide me wisely in my actions and guard me with her glory.

¹² Then my works will be acceptable,

and I shall judge your people justly,

and shall be worthy of the throneb of my father.

¹³ For who can learn the counsel of God?

Or who can discern what the Lord wills?

¹⁴ For the reasoning of mortals is worthless,

and our designs are likely to fail;

¹⁵ for a perishable body weighs down the soul,

and this earthy tent burdens the thoughtfulc mind.

¹⁶ We can hardly guess at what is on earth,

and what is at hand we find with labour;

but who has traced out what is in the heavens?

¹⁷ Who has learned your counsel,

unless you have given wisdom

and sent your holy spirit from on high?

¹⁸ And thus the paths of those on earth were set right,

and people were taught what pleases you,

and were saved by wisdom.’

The Work of Wisdom from Adam to Moses

10

WISDOMd protected the first-formed father of the world, when he alone had been created;

she delivered him from his transgression,

² and gave him strength to rule all things.

³ But when an unrighteous man departed from her in his anger,

he perished because in rage he killed his brother.

⁴ When the earth was flooded because of him, wisdom again saved it,

steering the righteous man by a paltry piece of wood.

⁵ Wisdoma also, when the nations in wicked agreement had been put to confusion,

recognized the righteous man and preserved him blameless before God,

and kept him strong in the face of his compassion for his child.

⁶ Wisdoma rescued a righteous man when the ungodly were perishing;

he escaped the fire that descended on the Five Cities.b

⁷ Evidence of their wickedness still remains:

a continually smoking waste-land,

plants bearing fruit that does not ripen,

and a pillar of salt standing as a monument to an unbelieving soul.

⁸ For because they passed wisdom by,

they not only were hindered from recognizing the good,

but also left for humankind a reminder of their folly,

so that their failures could never go unnoticed.

⁹ Wisdom rescued from troubles those who served her.

¹⁰ When a righteous man fled from his brother’s wrath,

she guided him on straight paths;

she showed him the kingdom of God,

and gave him knowledge of holy things;

she prospered him in his labours,

and increased the fruit of his toil.

¹¹ When his oppressors were covetous,

she stood by him and made him rich.

¹² She protected him from his enemies,

and kept him safe from those who lay in wait for him;

in his arduous contest she gave him the victory,

so that he might learn that godliness is more powerful than anything else.

¹³ When a righteous man was sold, wisdomc did not desert him,

but delivered him from sin.

She descended with him into the dungeon,

¹⁴ and when he was in prison she did not leave him,

until she brought him the sceptre of a kingdom

and authority over his masters.

Those who accused him she showed to be false,

and she gave him everlasting honour.

Wisdom Led the Israelites out of Egypt

¹⁵ A holy people and blameless race

wisdom delivered from a nation of oppressors.

¹⁶ She entered the soul of a servant of the Lord,

and withstood dread kings with wonders and signs.

¹⁷ She gave to holy people the reward of their labours;

she guided them along a marvellous way,

and became a shelter to them by day,

and a starry flame through the night.

¹⁸ She brought them over the Red Sea,

and led them through deep waters;

¹⁹ but she drowned their enemies,

and cast them up from the depths of the sea.

²⁰ Therefore the righteous plundered the ungodly;

they sang hymns, O Lord, to your holy name,

and praised with one accord your defending hand;

²¹ for wisdom opened the mouths of those who were mute,

and made the tongues of infants speak clearly.

Wisdom Led the Israelites through the Desert

11

WISDOMa prospered their works by the hand of a holy prophet.

² They journeyed through an uninhabited wilderness,

and pitched their tents in untrodden places.

³ They withstood their enemies and fought off their foes.

⁴ When they were thirsty, they called upon you,

and water was given them out of flinty rock,

and from hard stone a remedy for their thirst.

⁵ For through the very things by which their enemies were punished,

they themselves received benefit in their need.

⁶ Instead of the fountain of an ever-flowing river,

stirred up and defiled with blood

⁷ in rebuke for the decree to kill the infants,

you gave them abundant water unexpectedly,

⁸ showing by their thirst at that time how

you punished their enemies.

⁹ For when they were tried, though they were being disciplined in mercy,

they learned how the ungodly were tormented when judged in wrath.

¹⁰ For you tested them as a parentb does in warning,

but you examined the ungodlyc as a stern king does in condemnation.

¹¹ Whether absent or present, they were equally distressed,

¹² for a twofold grief possessed them,

and a groaning at the memory of what had occurred.

¹³ For when they heard that through their own punishments

the righteousd had received benefit, they perceived it was the Lord’s doing.

¹⁴ For though they had mockingly rejected him who long before had been cast out and exposed,

at the end of the events they marvelled at him,

when they felt thirst in a different way from the righteous.

Punishment of the Wicked

¹⁵ In return for their foolish and wicked thoughts,

which led them astray to worship irrational serpents and worthless animals,

you sent upon them a multitude of irrational creatures to punish them,

¹⁶ so that they might learn that one is punished by the very things by which one sins.

¹⁷ For your all-powerful hand,

which created the world out of formless matter,

did not lack the means to send upon them a multitude of bears, or bold lions,

¹⁸ or newly-created unknown beasts full of rage,

or such as breathe out fiery breath,

or belch forth a thick pall of smoke,

or flash terrible sparks from their eyes;

¹⁹ not only could the harm they did destroy people,e

but the mere sight of them could kill by fright.

²⁰ Even apart from these, peopled could fall at a single breath

when pursued by justice

and scattered by the breath of your power.

But you have arranged all things by measure and number and weight.

God Is Powerful and Merciful

²¹ For it is always in your power to show great strength,

and who can withstand the might of your arm?

²² Because the whole world before you is like a speck that tips the scales,

and like a drop of morning dew that falls on the ground.

²³ But you are merciful to all, for you can do all things,

and you overlook people’s sins, so that they may repent.

²⁴ For you love all things that exist,

and detest none of the things that you have made,

for you would not have made anything if you had hated it.

²⁵ How would anything have endured if you had not willed it?

Or how would anything not called forth by you have been preserved?

²⁶ You spare all things, for they are yours, O Lord, you who love the living.

12

FOR your immortal spirit is in all things.

² Therefore you correct little by little those who trespass,

and you remind and warn them of the things through which they sin,

so that they may be freed from wickedness and put their trust in you, O Lord.

The Sins of the Canaanites

³ Those who lived long ago in your holy land

⁴ you hated for their detestable practices,

their works of sorcery and unholy rites,

⁵ their merciless slaughtera of children,

and their sacrificial feasting on human flesh and blood.

These initiates from the midst of a heathen cult,b

⁶ these parents who murder helpless lives,

you willed to destroy by the hands of our ancestors,

⁷ so that the land most precious of all to you

might receive a worthy colony of the servantsc of God.

⁸ But even these you spared, since they were but mortals,

and sent waspsd as forerunners of your army

to destroy them little by little,

⁹ though you were not unable to give the ungodly into the hands of the righteous in battle,

or to destroy them at one blow by dread wild animals or your stern word.

¹⁰ But judging them little by little you gave them an opportunity to repent,

though you were not unaware that their origine was evil

and their wickedness inborn,

and that their way of thinking would never change.

¹¹ For they were an accursed race from the beginning,

and it was not through fear of anyone that you left them unpunished for their sins.

God Is Sovereign

¹² For who will say, ‘What have you done?’

or will resist your judgement?

Who will accuse you for the destruction of nations that you made?

Or who will come before you to plead as an advocate for the unrighteous?

¹³ For neither is there any god besides you, whose care is for all people,a

to whom you should prove that you have not judged unjustly;

¹⁴ nor can any king or monarch confront you about those whom you have punished.

¹⁵ You are righteous and you rule all things righteously,

deeming it alien to your power

to condemn anyone who does not deserve to be punished.

¹⁶ For your strength is the source of righteousness,

and your sovereignty over all causes you to spare all.

¹⁷ For you show your strength when people doubt the completeness of your power,

and you rebuke any insolence among those who know it.b

¹⁸ Although you are sovereign in strength, you judge with mildness,

and with great forbearance you govern us;

for you have power to act whenever you choose.

God’s Lessons for Israel

¹⁹ Through such works you have taught your people

that the righteous must be kind,

and you have filled your children with good hope,

because you give repentance for sins.

²⁰ For if you punished with such great care and indulgencec

the enemies of your servantsd and those deserving of death,

granting them time and opportunity to give up their wickedness,

²¹ with what strictness you have judged your children,

to whose ancestors you gave oaths and covenants full of good promises!

²² So while chastening us you scourge our enemies ten thousand times more,

so that, when we judge, we may meditate upon your goodness,

and when we are judged, we may expect mercy.

The Punishment of the Egyptians

²³ Therefore those who lived unrighteously, in a life of folly,

you tormented through their own abominations.

²⁴ For they went far astray on the paths of error,

accepting as gods those animals that even their enemiese despised;

they were deceived like foolish infants.

²⁵ Therefore, as though to children who cannot reason,

you sent your judgement to mock them.

²⁶ But those who have not heeded the warning of mild rebukes

will experience the deserved judgement of God.

²⁷ For when in their suffering they became incensed

at those creatures that they had thought to be gods, being punished by means of them,

they saw and recognized as the true God the one whom they had before refused to know.

Therefore the utmost condemnation came upon them.

The Foolishness of Nature Worship

13

FOR all people who were ignorant of God were foolish by nature;

and they were unable from the good things that are seen to know the one who exists,

nor did they recognize the artisan while paying heed to his works;

² but they supposed that either fire or wind or swift air,

or the circle of the stars, or turbulent water,

or the luminaries of heaven were the gods that rule the world.

³ If through delight in the beauty of these things people assumed them to be gods,

let them know how much better than these is their Lord,

for the author of beauty created them.

⁴ And if peoplea were amazed at their power and working,

let them perceive from them

how much more powerful is the one who formed them.

⁵ For from the greatness and beauty of created things

comes a corresponding perception of their Creator.

⁶ Yet these people are little to be blamed,

for perhaps they go astray

while seeking God and desiring to find him.

⁷ For while they live among his works, they keep searching,

and they trust in what they see, because the things that are seen are beautiful.

⁸ Yet again, not even they are to be excused;

⁹ for if they had the power to know so much

that they could investigate the world,

how did they fail to find sooner the Lord of these things?

The Foolishness of Idolatry

¹⁰ But miserable, with their hopes set on dead things, are those

who give the name ‘gods’ to the works of human hands,

gold and silver fashioned with skill,

and likenesses of animals,

or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.

¹¹ A skilled woodcutter may saw down a tree easy to handle

and skilfully strip off all its bark,

and then with pleasing workmanship

make a useful vessel that serves life’s needs,

¹² and burn the cast-off pieces of his work

to prepare his food, and eat his fill.

¹³ But a cast-off piece from among them, useful for nothing,

a stick crooked and full of knots,

he takes and carves with care in his leisure,

and shapes it with skill gained in idleness;b

he forms it in the likeness of a human being,

¹⁴ or makes it like some worthless animal,

giving it a coat of red paint and colouring its surface red

and covering every blemish in it with paint;

¹⁵ then he makes a suitable niche for it,

and sets it in the wall, and fastens it there with iron.

¹⁶ He takes thought for it, so that it may not fall,

because he knows that it cannot help itself,

for it is only an image and has need of help.

¹⁷ When he prays about possessions and his marriage and children,

he is not ashamed to address a lifeless thing.

¹⁸ For health he appeals to a thing that is weak;

for life he prays to a thing that is dead;

for aid he entreats a thing that is utterly inexperienced;

for a prosperous journey, a thing that cannot take a step;

¹⁹ for money-making and work and success with his hands

he asks strength of a thing whose hands have no strength.

Folly of a Navigator Praying to an Idol

14

AGAIN, one preparing to sail and about to voyage over raging waves

calls upon a piece of wood more fragile than the ship that carries him.

² For it was desire for gain that planned that vessel,

and wisdom was the artisan who built it;

³ but it is your providence, O Father, that steers its course,

because you have given it a path in the sea,

and a safe way through the waves,

⁴ showing that you can save from every danger,

so that even a person who lacks skill may put to sea.

⁵ It is your will that works of your wisdom should not be without effect;

therefore people trust their lives even to the smallest piece of wood,

and passing through the billows on a raft they come safely to land.

⁶ For even in the beginning, when arrogant giants were perishing,

the hope of the world took refuge on a raft,

and guided by your hand left to the world the seed of a new generation.

⁷ For blessed is the wood by which righteousness comes.

⁸ But the idol made with hands is accursed, and so is the one who made it—

he for having made it, and the perishable thing because it was named a god.

⁹ For equally hateful to God are the ungodly and their ungodliness;

¹⁰ for what was done will be punished together with the one who did it.

¹¹ Therefore there will be a visitation also upon the heathen idols,

because, though part of what God created, they became an abomination,

snares for human souls

and a trap for the feet of the foolish.

The Origin and Evils of Idolatry

¹² For the idea of making idols was the beginning of fornication,

and the invention of them was the corruption of life;

¹³ for they did not exist from the beginning,

nor will they last for ever.

¹⁴ For through human vanity they entered the world,

and therefore their speedy end has been planned.

¹⁵ For a father, consumed with grief at an untimely bereavement,

made an image of his child, who had been suddenly taken from him;

he now honoured as a god what was once a dead human being,

and handed on to his dependants secret rites and initiations.

¹⁶ Then the ungodly custom, grown strong with time, was kept as a law,

and at the command of monarchs carved images were worshipped.

¹⁷ When people could not honour monarchsa in their presence, since they lived at a distance,

they imagined their appearance far away,

and made a visible image of the king whom they honoured,

so that by their zeal they might flatter the absent one as though present.

¹⁸ Then the ambition of the artisan impelled

even those who did not know the king to intensify their worship.

¹⁹ For he, perhaps wishing to please his ruler,

skilfully forced the likeness to take more beautiful form,

²⁰ and the multitude, attracted by the charm of his work,

now regarded as an object of worship the one whom shortly before they had honoured as a human being.

²¹ And this became a hidden trap for humankind,

because people, in bondage to misfortune or to royal authority,

bestowed on objects of stone or wood the name that ought not to be shared.

²² Then it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God,

but though living in great strife due to ignorance,

they call such great evils peace.

²³ For whether they kill children in their initiations, or celebrate secret mysteries,

or hold frenzied revels with strange customs,

²⁴ they no longer keep either their lives or their marriages pure,

but they either treacherously kill one another, or grieve one another by adultery,

²⁵ and all is a raging riot of blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, faithlessness, tumult, perjury,

²⁶ confusion over what is good, forgetfulness of favours,

defiling of souls, sexual perversion,

disorder in marriages, adultery, and debauchery.

²⁷ For the worship of idols not to be named

is the beginning and cause and end of every evil.

²⁸ For their worshippersa either rave in exultation,

or prophesy lies, or live unrighteously, or readily commit perjury;

²⁹ for because they trust in lifeless idols

they swear wicked oaths and expect to suffer no harm.

³⁰ But just penalties will overtake them on two counts:

because they thought wrongly about God in devoting themselves to idols,

and because in deceit they swore unrighteously through contempt for holiness.

³¹ For it is not the power of the things by which people swear,b

but the just penalty for those who sin,

that always pursues the transgression of the unrighteous.

Benefits of Worshipping the True God

15

BUT you, our God, are kind and true,

patient, and ruling all thingsc in mercy.

² For even if we sin we are yours, knowing your power;

but we will not sin, because we know that you acknowledge us as yours.

³ For to know you is complete righteousness,

and to know your power is the root of immortality.

⁴ For neither has the evil intent of human art misled us,

nor the fruitless toil of painters,

a figure stained with varied colours,

⁵ whose appearance arouses yearning in fools,

so that they desired the lifeless form of a dead image.

⁶ Lovers of evil things and fit for such objects of hopee

are those who either make or desire or worship them.

The Foolishness of Worshipping Clay Idols

⁷ A potter kneads the soft earth

and laboriously moulds each vessel for our service,

fashioning out of the same clay

both the vessels that serve clean uses

and those for contrary uses, making all alike;

but which shall be the use of each of them

the worker in clay decides.

⁸ With misspent toil, these workers form a futile god from the same clay—

these mortals who were made of earth a short time before

and after a little while go to the earth from which all mortals are taken,

when the time comes to return the souls that were borrowed.

⁹ But the workers are not concerned that mortals are destined to die

or that their life is brief,

but they compete with workers in gold and silver,

and imitate workers in copper;

and they count it a glorious thing to mould counterfeit gods.

¹⁰ Their heart is ashes, their hope is cheaper than dirt,

and their lives are of less worth than clay,

¹¹ because they failed to know the one who formed them

and inspired them with active souls

and breathed a living spirit into them.

¹² But they considered our existence an idle game,

and life a festival held for profit,

for they say one must get money however one can, even by base means.

¹³ For these people, more than all others, know that they sin

when they make from earthy matter fragile vessels and carved images.

¹⁴ But most foolish, and more miserable than an infant,

are all the enemies who oppressed your people.

¹⁵ For they thought that all their heathen idols were gods,

though these have neither the use of their eyes to see with,

nor nostrils with which to draw breath,

nor ears with which to hear,

nor fingers to feel with,

and their feet are of no use for walking.

¹⁶ For a human being made them,

and one whose spirit is borrowed formed them;

for none can form gods that are like themselves.

¹⁷ People are mortal, and what they make with lawless hands is dead;

for they are better than the objects they worship,

sincea they have life, but the idolsb never had.

Serpents in the Desert

¹⁸ Moreover, they worship even the most hateful animals,

which are worse than all others when judged by their lack of intelligence;

¹⁹ and even as animals they are not so beautiful in appearance that one would desire them,

but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.

16

THEREFORE those peoplec were deservedly punished through such creatures,

and were tormented by a multitude of animals.

² Instead of this punishment you showed kindness to your people,

and you prepared quails to eat,

a delicacy to satisfy the desire of appetite;

³ in order that those people, when they desired food,

might lose the least remnant of appetitea

because of the odious creatures sent to them,

while your people,b after suffering want a short time,

might partake of delicacies.

⁴ For it was necessary that upon those oppressors inescapable want should come,

while to these others it was merely shown how their enemies were being tormented.

⁵ For when the terrible rage of wild animals came upon your peoplec

and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents,

your wrath did not continue to the end;

⁶ they were troubled for a little while as a warning,

and received a symbol of deliverance to remind them of your law’s command.

⁷ For the one who turned towards it was saved, not by the thing that was beheld,

but by you, the Saviour of all.

⁸ And by this also you convinced our enemies

that it is you who deliver from every evil.

⁹ For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies,

and no healing was found for them,

because they deserved to be punished by such things.

¹⁰ But your children were not conquered even by the fangs of venomous serpents,

for your mercy came to their help and healed them.

¹¹ To remind them of your oracles they were bitten,

and then were quickly delivered,

so that they would not fall into deep forgetfulness

and become unresponsived to your kindness.

¹² For neither herb nor poultice cured them,

but it was your word, O Lord, that heals all people.

¹³ For you have power over life and death;

you lead mortals down to the gates of Hades and back again.

¹⁴ A person in wickedness kills another,

but cannot bring back the departed spirit,

or set free the imprisoned soul.

Disastrous Storms Strike Egypt

¹⁵ To escape from your hand is impossible;

¹⁶ for the ungodly, refusing to know you,

were flogged by the strength of your arm,

pursued by unusual rains and hail and relentless storms,

and utterly consumed by fire.

¹⁷ For—most incredible of all—in water, which quenches all things,

the fire had still greater effect,

for the universe defends the righteous.

¹⁸ At one time the flame was restrained,

so that it might not consume the creatures sent against the ungodly,

but that seeing this they might know

that they were being pursued by the judgement of God;

¹⁹ and at another time even in the midst of water it burned more intensely than fire,

to destroy the crops of the unrighteous land.

The Israelites Receive Manna

²⁰ Instead of these things you gave your people food of angels,

and without their toil you supplied them from heaven with bread ready to eat,

providing every pleasure and suited to every taste.

²¹ For your sustenance manifested your sweetness towards your children;

and the bread, ministeringa to the desire of the one who took it,

was changed to suit everyone’s liking.

²² Snow and ice withstood fire without melting,

so that they might know that the crops of their enemies

were being destroyed by the fire that blazed in the hail

and flashed in the showers of rain;

²³ whereas the fire,b in order that the righteous might be fed,

even forgot its native power.

²⁴ For creation, serving you who made it,

exerts itself to punish the unrighteous,

and in kindness relaxes on behalf of those who trust in you.

²⁵ Therefore at that time also, changed into all forms,

it served your all-nourishing bounty,

according to the desire of those who had need,c

²⁶ so that your children, whom you loved, O Lord, might learn

that it is not the production of crops that feeds humankind

but that your word sustains those who trust in you.

²⁷ For what was not destroyed by fire

was melted when simply warmed by a fleeting ray of the sun,

²⁸ to make it known that one must rise before the sun to give you thanks,

and must pray to you at the dawning of the light;

²⁹ for the hope of an ungrateful person will melt like wintry frost,

and flow away like waste water.

Terror Strikes the Egyptians at Night

17

GREAT are your judgements and hard to describe;

therefore uninstructed souls have gone astray.

² For when lawless people supposed that they held the holy nation in their power,

they themselves lay as captives of darkness and prisoners of long night,

shut in under their roofs, exiles from eternal providence.

³ For thinking that in their secret sins they were unobserved

behind a dark curtain of forgetfulness,

they were scattered, terriblyd alarmed, and appalled by spectres.

⁴ For not even the inner chamber that held them protected them from fear,

but terrifying sounds rang out around them,

and dismal phantoms with gloomy faces appeared.

⁵ And no power of fire was able to give light,

nor did the brilliant flames of the stars

avail to illumine that hateful night.

⁶ Nothing was shining through to them

except a dreadful, self-kindled fire,

and in terror they deemed the things that they saw

to be worse than that unseen appearance.

⁷ The delusions of their magic art lay humbled,

and their boasted wisdom was scornfully rebuked.

⁸ For those who promised to drive off the fears and disorders of a sick soul

were sick themselves with ridiculous fear.

⁹ For even if nothing disturbing frightened them,

yet, scared by the passing of wild animals and the hissing of snakes

¹⁰ they perished in trembling fear,

refusing to look even at the air, though it nowhere could be avoided.

¹¹ For wickedness is a cowardly thing, condemned by its own testimony;a

distressed by conscience, it has always exaggeratedb the difficulties.

¹² For fear is nothing but a giving up of the helps that come from reason;

¹³ and hope, defeated by this inward weakness,

prefers ignorance of what causes the torment.

¹⁴ But throughout the night, which was really powerless

and which came upon them from the recesses of powerless Hades,

they all slept the same sleep,

¹⁵ and now were driven by monstrous spectres,

and now were paralysed by their souls’ surrender;

for sudden and unexpected fear overwhelmed them.

¹⁶ And whoever was there fell down,

and thus was kept shut up in a prison not made of iron;

¹⁷ for whether they were farmers or shepherds

or workers who toiled in the wilderness,

they were seized, and endured the inescapable fate;

for with one chain of darkness they all were bound.

¹⁸ Whether there came a whistling wind,

or a melodious sound of birds in wide-spreading branches,

or the rhythm of violently rushing water,

¹⁹ or the harsh crash of rocks hurled down,

or the unseen running of leaping animals,

or the sound of the most savage roaring beasts,

or an echo thrown back from a hollow of the mountains,

it paralysed them with terror.

²⁰ For the whole world was illumined with brilliant light,

and went about its work unhindered,

²¹ while over those people alone heavy night was spread,

an image of the darkness that was destined to receive them;

but still heavier than darkness were they to themselves.

Light Shines on the Israelites

18

BUT for your holy ones there was very great light.

Their enemiesc heard their voices but did not see their forms,

and counted them happy for not having suffered,

² and were thankful that your holy ones,a though previously wronged, were doing them no injury;

and they begged their pardon for having been at variance with them.a

³ Therefore you provided a flaming pillar of fire

as a guide for your people’sd unknown journey,

and a harmless sun for their glorious wandering.

⁴ For their enemiese deserved to be deprived of light and imprisoned in darkness,

those who had kept your children imprisoned,

through whom the imperishable light of the law was to be given to the world.

The Death of the Egyptian Firstborn

⁵ When they had resolved to kill the infants of your holy ones,

and one child had been abandoned and rescued,

you in punishment took away a multitude of their children;

and you destroyed them all together by a mighty flood.

⁶ That night was made known beforehand to our ancestors,

so that they might rejoice in sure knowledge of the oaths in which they trusted.

⁷ The deliverance of the righteous and the destruction of their enemies

were expected by your people.

⁸ For by the same means by which you punished our enemies

you called us to yourself and glorified us.

⁹ For in secret the holy children of good people offered sacrifices,

and with one accord agreed to the divine law,

so that the saints would share alike the same things,

both blessings and dangers;

and already they were singing the praises of the ancestors.a

¹⁰ But the discordant cry of their enemies echoed back,

and their piteous lament for their children was spread abroad.

¹¹ The slave was punished with the same penalty as the master,

and the commoner suffered the same loss as the king;

¹² and they all together, by one formb of death,

had corpses too many to count.

For the living were not sufficient even to bury them,

since in one instant their most valued children had been destroyed.

¹³ For though they had disbelieved everything because of their magic arts,

yet, when their firstborn were destroyed, they acknowledged your people to be God’s child.

¹⁴ For while gentle silence enveloped all things,

and night in its swift course was now half gone,

¹⁵ your all-powerful word leapt from heaven, from the royal throne,

into the midst of the land that was doomed,

a stern warrior

¹⁶ carrying the sharp sword of your authentic command,

and stood and filled all things with death,

and touched heaven while standing on the earth.

¹⁷ Then at once apparitions in dreadful dreams greatly troubled them,

and unexpected fears assailed them;

¹⁸ and one here and another there, hurled down half dead,

made known why they were dying;

¹⁹ for the dreams that disturbed them forewarned them of this,

so that they might not perish without knowing why they suffered.

Threat of Annihilation in the Desert

²⁰ The experience of death touched also the righteous,

and a plague came upon the multitude in the desert,

but the wrath did not long continue.

²¹ For a blameless man was quick to act as their champion;

he brought forward the shield of his ministry,

prayer and propitiation by incense;

he withstood the anger and put an end to the disaster,

showing that he was your servant.

²² He conquered the wratha not by strength of body,

not by force of arms,

but by his word he subdued the avenger,

appealing to the oaths and covenants given to our ancestors.

²³ For when the dead had already fallen on one another in heaps,

he intervened and held back the wrath,

and cut off its way to the living.

²⁴ For on his long robe the whole world was depicted,

and the glories of the ancestors were engraved on the four rows of stones,

and your majesty was on the diadem upon his head.

²⁵ To these the destroyer yielded, these heb feared;

for merely to test the wrath was enough.

The Red Sea

19

BUT the ungodly were assailed to the end by pitiless anger,

for Godc knew in advance even their future actions:

² how, though they themselves had permittedd your people to depart

and hastily sent them out,

they would change their minds and pursue them.

³ For while they were still engaged in mourning,

and were lamenting at the graves of their dead,

they reached another foolish decision,

and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged and compelled to leave.

⁴ For the fate they deserved drew them on to this end,

and made them forget what had happened,

in order that they might fill up the punishment that their torments still lacked,

⁵ and that your people might experiencee an incredible journey,

but they themselves might meet a strange death.

God Guides and Protects His People

⁶ For the whole creation in its nature was fashioned anew,

complying with your commands,

so that your childrenf might be kept unharmed.

⁷ The cloud was seen overshadowing the camp,

and dry land emerging where water had stood before,

an unhindered way out of the Red Sea,

and a grassy plain out of the raging waves,

⁸ where those protected by your hand passed through as one nation,

after gazing on marvellous wonders.

⁹ For they ranged like horses,

and leapt like lambs,

praising you, O Lord, who delivered them.

¹⁰ For they still recalled the events of their sojourn,

how instead of producing animals the earth brought forth gnats,

and instead of fish the river spewed out vast numbers of frogs.

¹¹ Afterwards they saw also a new kindg of birds,

when desire led them to ask for luxurious food;

¹² for, to give them relief, quails came up from the sea.

The Punishment of the Egyptians

¹³ The punishments did not come upon the sinners

without prior signs in the violence of thunder,

for they justly suffered because of their wicked acts;

for they practised a more bitter hatred of strangers.

¹⁴ Others had refused to receive strangers when they came to them,

but these made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.

¹⁵ And not only so—but, while punishment of some sort will come upon the former

for having received strangers with hostility,

¹⁶ the latter, having first received them with festal celebrations,

afterwards afflicted with terrible sufferings

those who had already shared the same rights.

¹⁷ They were stricken also with loss of sight—

just as were those at the door of the righteous man—

when, surrounded by yawning darkness,

all of them tried to find the way through their own doors.

A New Harmony in Nature

¹⁸ For the elements changeda places with one another,

as on a harp the notes vary the nature of the rhythm,

while each note remains the same.b

This may be clearly inferred from the sight of what took place.

¹⁹ For land animals were transformed into water creatures,

and creatures that swim moved over to the land.

²⁰ Fire even in water retained its normal power,

and water forgot its fire-quenching nature.

²¹ Flames, on the contrary, failed to consume

the flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them,

nor did they meltc the crystalline, quick-melting kind of heavenly food.

Conclusion

²² For in everything, O Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people,

and you have not neglected to help them at all times and in all places.

Ecclesiasticus, Or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of SIRACH

THE PROLOGUE MANY great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the othersa that followed them, and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. Now, those who read the scriptures must not only themselves understand them, but must also as lovers of learning be able through the spoken and written word to help the outsiders. So my grandfather Jesus, who had devoted himself especially to the reading of the Law and the Prophets and the other books of our ancestors, and had acquired considerable proficiency in them, was himself also led to write something pertaining to instruction and wisdom, so that by becoming familiar also with his bookb those who love learning might make even greater progress in living according to the law.

You are invited therefore to read it with goodwill and attention, and to be indulgent in cases where, despite our diligent labour in translating, we may seem to have rendered some phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in Hebrew does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another language. Not only this book, but even the Law itself, the Prophecies, and the rest of the books differ not a little when read in the original.

When I came to Egypt in the thirty-eighth year of the reign of Euergetes and stayed for some time, I found opportunity for no little instruction.c It seemed highly necessary that I should myself devote some diligence and labour to the translation of this book. During that time I have applied my skill day and night to complete and publish the book for those living abroad who wished to gain learning and are disposed to live according to the law.

In Praise of Wisdom

1

ALL wisdom is from the Lord,

and with him it remains for ever.

² The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,

and the days of eternity—who can count them?

³ The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,

the abyss, and wisdomd—who can search them out?

⁴ Wisdom was created before all other things,

and prudent understanding from eternity.e

⁶ The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?

Her subtleties—who knows them?a

⁸ There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared,

seated upon his throne—the Lord.

⁹ It is he who created her;

he saw her and took her measure;

he poured her out upon all his works,

¹⁰ upon all the living according to his gift;

he lavished her upon those who love him.b

Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom

¹¹ The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation,

and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.

¹² The fear of the Lord delights the heart,

and gives gladness and joy and long life.c

¹³ Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end;

on the day of their death they will be blessed.

¹⁴ To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

she is created with the faithful in the womb.

¹⁵ She maded among human beings an eternal foundation,

and among their descendants she will abide faithfully.

¹⁶ To fear the Lord is fullness of wisdom;

she inebriates mortals with her fruits;

¹⁷ she fills theire whole house with desirable goods,

and theire storehouses with her produce.

¹⁸ The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,

making peace and perfect health to flourish.f

¹⁹ She rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension,

and she heightened the glory of those who held her fast.

²⁰ To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom,

and her branches are long life.g

²² Unjust anger cannot be justified,

for anger tips the scale to one’s ruin.

²³ Those who are patient stay calm until the right moment,

and then cheerfulness comes back to them.

²⁴ They hold back their words until the right moment;

then the lips of many tell of their good sense.

²⁵ In the treasuries of wisdom are wise sayings,

but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.

²⁶ If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments,

and the Lord will lavish her upon you.

²⁷ For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline,

fidelity and humility are his delight.

²⁸ Do not disobey the fear of the Lord;

do not approach him with a divided mind.

²⁹ Do not be a hypocrite before others,

and keep watch over your lips.

³⁰ Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall

and bring dishonour upon yourself.

The Lord will reveal your secrets

and overthrow you before the whole congregation,

because you did not come in the fear of the Lord,

and your heart was full of deceit.

Duties towards God

2

MY CHILD, when you come to serve the Lord,

prepare yourself for testing.a

² Set your heart right and be steadfast,

and do not be impetuous in time of calamity.

³ Cling to him and do not depart,

so that your last days may be prosperous.

⁴ Accept whatever befalls you,

and in times of humiliation be patient.

⁵ For gold is tested in the fire,

and those found acceptable, in the furnace of humiliation.b

⁶ Trust in him, and he will help you;

make your ways straight, and hope in him.

⁷ You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy;

do not stray, or else you may fall.

⁸ You who fear the Lord, trust in him,

and your reward will not be lost.

⁹ You who fear the Lord, hope for good things,

for lasting joy and mercy.c

¹⁰ Consider the generations of old and see:

has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed?

Or has anyone persevered in the fear of the Lordd and been forsaken?

Or has anyone called upon him and been neglected?

¹¹ For the Lord is compassionate and merciful;

he forgives sins and saves in time of distress.

¹² Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands,

and to the sinner who walks a double path!

¹³ Woe to the faint-hearted who have no trust!

Therefore they will have no shelter.

¹⁴ Woe to you who have lost your nerve!

What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes?

¹⁵ Those who fear the Lord do not disobey his words,

and those who love him keep his ways.

¹⁶ Those who fear the Lord seek to please him,

and those who love him are filled with his law.

¹⁷ Those who fear the Lord prepare their hearts,

and humble themselves before him.

¹⁸ Let us fall into the hands of the Lord,

but not into the hands of mortals;

for equal to his majesty is his mercy,

and equal to his name are his works.e

Duties towards Parents

3

LISTEN to me your father, O children;

act accordingly, that you may be kept in safety.

² For the Lord honours a father above his children,

and he confirms a mother’s right over her children.

³ Those who honour their father atone for sins,

⁴ and those who respect their mother are like those who lay up treasure.

⁵ Those who honour their father will have joy in their own children,

and when they pray they will be heard.

⁶ Those who respect their father will have long life,

and those who honoura their mother obey the Lord;

⁷ they will serve their parents as their masters.b

⁸ Honour your father by word and deed,

that his blessing may come upon you.

⁹ For a father’s blessing strengthens the houses of the children,

but a mother’s curse uproots their foundations.

¹⁰ Do not glorify yourself by dishonouring your father,

for your father’s dishonour is no glory to you.

¹¹ The glory of one’s father is one’s own glory,

and it is a disgrace for children not to respect their mother.

¹² My child, help your father in his old age,

and do not grieve him as long as he lives;

¹³ even if his mind fails, be patient with him;

because you have all your faculties do not despise him.

¹⁴ For kindness to a father will not be forgotten,

and will be credited to you against your sins;

¹⁵ in the day of your distress it will be remembered in your favour;

like frost in fair weather, your sins will melt away.

¹⁶ Whoever forsakes a father is like a blasphemer,

and whoever angers a mother is cursed by the Lord.

Humility

¹⁷ My child, perform your tasks with humility;c

then you will be loved by those whom God accepts.

¹⁸ The greater you are, the more you must humble yourself;

so you will find favour in the sight of the Lord.d

²⁰ For great is the might of the Lord;

but by the humble he is glorified.

²¹ Neither seek what is too difficult for you,

nor investigate what is beyond your power.

²² Reflect upon what you have been commanded,

for what is hidden is not your concern.

²³ Do not meddle in matters that are beyond you,

for more than you can understand has been shown to you.

²⁴ For their conceit has led many astray,

and wrong opinion has impaired their judgement.

²⁵ Without eyes there is no light;

without knowledge there is no wisdom.e

²⁶ A stubborn mind will fare badly at the end,

and whoever loves danger will perish in it.

²⁷ A stubborn mind will be burdened by troubles,

and the sinner adds sin to sins.

²⁸ When calamity befalls the proud, there is no healing,

for an evil plant has taken root in him.

²⁹ The mind of the intelligent appreciates proverbs,

and an attentive ear is the desire of the wise.

Alms for the Poor

³⁰ As water extinguishes a blazing fire,

so almsgiving atones for sin.

³¹ Those who repay favours give thought to the future;

when they fall they will find support.

Duties towards the Poor and the Oppressed

4

MY CHILD, do not cheat the poor of their living,

and do not keep needy eyes waiting.

² Do not grieve the hungry,

or anger one in need.

³ Do not add to the troubles of the desperate,

or delay giving to the needy.

⁴ Do not reject a suppliant in distress,

or turn your face away from the poor.

⁵ Do not avert your eye from the needy,

and give no one reason to curse you;

⁶ for if in bitterness of soul some should curse you,

their Creator will hear their prayer.

⁷ Endear yourself to the congregation;

bow your head low to the great.

⁸ Give a hearing to the poor,

and return their greeting politely.

⁹ Rescue the oppressed from the oppressor;

and do not be hesitant in giving a verdict.

¹⁰ Be a father to orphans,

and be like a husband to their mother;

you will then be like a son of the Most High,

and he will love you more than does your mother.

The Rewards of Wisdom

¹¹ Wisdom teachesa her children

and gives help to those who seek her.

¹² Whoever loves her loves life,

and those who seek her from early morning are filled with joy.

¹³ Whoever holds her fast inherits glory,

and the Lord blesses the place sheb enters.

¹⁴ Those who serve her minister to the Holy One;

the Lord loves those who love her.

¹⁵ Those who obey her will judge the nations,

and all who listen to her will live secure.

¹⁶ If they remain faithful, they will inherit her;

their descendants will also obtain her.

¹⁷ For at first she will walk with them on tortuous paths;

she will bring fear and dread upon them,

and will torment them by her discipline

until she trusts them,c

and she will test them with her ordinances.

¹⁸ Then she will come straight back to them again and gladden them,

and will reveal her secrets to them.

¹⁹ If they go astray she will forsake them,

and hand them over to their ruin.

²⁰ Watch for the opportune time, and beware of evil,

and do not be ashamed to be yourself.

²¹ For there is a shame that leads to sin,

and there is a shame that is glory and favour.

²² Do not show partiality, to your own harm,

or deference, to your downfall.

²³ Do not refrain from speaking at the proper moment,d

and do not hide your wisdom.a

²⁴ For wisdom becomes known through speech,

and education through the words of the tongue.

²⁵ Never speak against the truth,

but be ashamed of your ignorance.

²⁶ Do not be ashamed to confess your sins,

and do not try to stop the current of a river.

²⁷ Do not subject yourself to a fool,

or show partiality to a ruler.

²⁸ Fight to the death for truth,

and the Lord God will fight for you.

²⁹ Do not be reckless in your speech,

or sluggish and remiss in your deeds.

³⁰ Do not be like a lion in your home,

or suspicious of your servants.

³¹ Do not let your hand be stretched out to receive

and closed when it is time to give.

Precepts for Everyday Living

5

DO NOT rely on your wealth,

or say, ‘I have enough.’

² Do not follow your inclination and strength

in pursuing the desires of your heart.

³ Do not say, ‘Who can have power over me?’

for the Lord will surely punish you.

⁴ Do not say, ‘I sinned, yet what has happened to me?’

for the Lord is slow to anger.

⁵ Do not be so confident of forgivenessb

that you add sin to sin.

⁶ Do not say, ‘His mercy is great,

he will forgivec the multitude of my sins’, for both mercy and wrath are with him,

and his anger will rest on sinners.

⁷ Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,

and do not postpone it from day to day;

for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,

and at the time of punishment you will perish.

⁸ Do not depend on dishonest wealth,

for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.

⁹ Do not winnow in every wind,

or follow every path.d

¹⁰ Stand firm for what you know,

and let your speech be consistent.

¹¹ Be quick to hear,

but deliberate in answering.

¹² If you know what to say, answer your neighbour;

but if not, put your hand over your mouth.

¹³ Honour and dishonour come from speaking,

and the tongue of mortals may be their downfall.

¹⁴ Do not be called double-tonguede

and do not lay traps with your tongue;

for shame comes to the thief,

and severe condemnation to the double-tongued.

¹⁵ In great and small matters cause no harm,f

6

¹ and do not become an enemy instead of a friend;

for a bad name incurs shame and reproach;

so it is with the double-tongued sinner.

² Do not fall into the grip of passion,g

or you may be torn apart as by a bull.h

³ Your leaves will be devoured and your fruit destroyed,

and you will be left like a withered tree.

⁴ Evil passion destroys those who have it,

and makes them the laughing-stock of their enemies.

Friendship, False and True

⁵ Pleasant speech multiplies friends,

and a gracious tongue multiplies courtesies.

⁶ Let those who are friendly with you be many,

but let your advisers be one in a thousand.

⁷ When you gain friends, gain them through testing,

and do not trust them hastily.

⁸ For there are friends who are such when it suits them,

but they will not stand by you in time of trouble.

⁹ And there are friends who change into enemies,

and tell of the quarrel to your disgrace.

¹⁰ And there are friends who sit at your table,

but they will not stand by you in time of trouble.

¹¹ When you are prosperous, they become your second self,

and lord it over your servants;

¹² but if you are brought low, they turn against you,

and hide themselves from you.

¹³ Keep away from your enemies,

and be on guard with your friends.

¹⁴ Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter:

whoever finds one has found a treasure.

¹⁵ Faithful friends are beyond price;

no amount can balance their worth.

¹⁶ Faithful friends are life-saving medicine;

and those who fear the Lord will find them.

¹⁷ Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright,

for as they are, so are their neighbours also.

Blessings of Wisdom

¹⁸ My child, from your youth choose discipline,

and when you have grey hair you will still find wisdom.

¹⁹ Come to her like one who ploughs and sows,

and wait for her good harvest.

For when you cultivate her you will toil but little,

and soon you will eat of her produce.

²⁰ She seems very harsh to the undisciplined;

fools cannot remain with her.

²¹ She will be like a heavy stone to test them,

and they will not delay in casting her aside.

²² For wisdom is like her name;

she is not readily perceived by many.

²³ Listen, my child, and accept my judgement;

do not reject my counsel.

²⁴ Put your feet into her fetters,

and your neck into her collar.

²⁵ Bend your shoulders and carry her,

and do not fret under her bonds.

²⁶ Come to her with all your soul,

and keep her ways with all your might.

²⁷ Search out and seek, and she will become known to you;

and when you get hold of her, do not let her go.

²⁸ For at last you will find the rest she gives,

and she will be changed into joy for you.

²⁹ Then her fetters will become for you a strong defence,

and her collar a glorious robe.

³⁰ Her yokea is a golden ornament,

and her bonds a purple cord.

³¹ You will wear her like a glorious robe,

and put her on like a splendid crown.b

³² If you are willing, my child, you can be disciplined,

and if you apply yourself you will become clever.

³³ If you love to listen you will gain knowledge,

and if you pay attention you will become wise.

³⁴ Stand in the company of the elders.

Who is wise? Attach yourself to such a one.

³⁵ Be ready to listen to every godly discourse,

and let no wise proverbs escape you.

³⁶ If you see an intelligent person, rise early to visit him;

let your foot wear out his doorstep.

³⁷ Reflect on the statutes of the Lord,

and meditate at all times on his commandments.

It is he who will give insight toc your mind,

and your desire for wisdom will be granted.

Miscellaneous Advice

7

DO NO evil, and evil will never overtake you.

² Stay away from wrong, and it will turn away from you.

³ Dod not sow in the furrows of injustice,

and you will not reap a sevenfold crop.

⁴ Do not seek from the Lord high office,

or the seat of honour from the king.

⁵ Do not assert your righteousness before the Lord,

or display your wisdom before the king.

⁶ Do not seek to become a judge,

or you may be unable to root out injustice;

you may be partial to the powerful,

and so mar your integrity.

⁷ Commit no offence against the public,

and do not disgrace yourself among the people.

⁸ Do not commit a sin twice;

not even for one will you go unpunished.

⁹ Do not say, ‘He will consider the great number of my gifts,

and when I make an offering to the Most High God, he will accept it.’

¹⁰ Do not grow weary when you pray;

do not neglect to give alms.

¹¹ Do not ridicule a person who is embittered in spirit,

for there is One who humbles and exalts.

¹² Do not devisee a lie against your brother,

or do the same to a friend.

¹³ Refuse to utter any lie,

for it is a habit that results in no good.

¹⁴ Do not babble in the assembly of the elders,

and do not repeat yourself when you pray.

¹⁵ Do not hate hard labour

or farm work, which was created by the Most High.

¹⁶ Do not enrol in the ranks of sinners;

remember that retribution does not delay.

¹⁷ Humble yourself to the utmost,

for the punishment of the ungodly is fire and worms.f

Relations with Others

¹⁸ Do not exchange a friend for money,

or a real brother for the gold of Ophir.

¹⁹ Do not dismissa a wise and good wife,

for her charm is worth more than gold.

²⁰ Do not abuse slaves who work faithfully,

or hired labourers who devote themselves to their task.

²¹ Let your soul love intelligent slaves;b

do not withhold from them their freedom.

²² Do you have cattle? Look after them;

if they are profitable to you, keep them.

²³ Do you have children? Discipline them,

and make them obedientc from their youth.

²⁴ Do you have daughters? Be concerned for their chastity,d

and do not show yourself too indulgent with them.

²⁵ Give a daughter in marriage, and you complete a great task;

but give her to a sensible man.

²⁶ Do you have a wife who pleases you?e Do not divorce her;

but do not trust yourself to one whom you detest.

²⁷ With all your heart honour your father,

and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother.

²⁸ Remember that it was of your parentsf you were born;

how can you repay what they have given to you?

²⁹ With all your soul fear the Lord,

and revere his priests.

³⁰ With all your might love your Maker,

and do not neglect his ministers.

³¹ Fear the Lord and honour the priest,

and give him his portion, as you have been commanded:

the first fruits, the guilt-offering, the gift of the shoulders,

the sacrifice of sanctification, and the first fruits of the holy things.

³² Stretch out your hand to the poor,

so that your blessing may be complete.

³³ Give graciously to all the living;

do not withhold kindness even from the dead.

³⁴ Do not avoid those who weep,

but mourn with those who mourn.

³⁵ Do not hesitate to visit the sick,

because for such deeds you will be loved.

³⁶ In all you do, remember the end of your life,

and then you will never sin.

Prudence and Common Sense

8

DO NOT contend with the powerful,

or you may fall into their hands.

² Do not quarrel with the rich,

in case their resources outweigh yours;

for gold has ruined many,

and has perverted the minds of kings.

³ Do not argue with the loud of mouth,

and do not heap wood on their fire.

⁴ Do not make fun of one who is ill-bred,

or your ancestors may be insulted.

⁵ Do not reproach one who is turning away from sin;

remember that we all deserve punishment.

⁶ Do not disdain one who is old,

for some of us are also growing old.

⁷ Do not rejoice over anyone’s death;

remember that we must all die.

⁸ Do not slight the discourse of the sages,

but busy yourself with their maxims;

because from them you will learn discipline

and how to serve princes.

⁹ Do not ignore the discourse of the aged,

for they themselves learned from their parents;a

from them you learn how to understand

and to give an answer when the need arises.

¹⁰ Do not kindle the coals of sinners,

or you may be burned in their flaming fire.

¹¹ Do not let the insolent bring you to your feet,

or they may lie in ambush against your words.

¹² Do not lend to one who is stronger than you;

but if you do lend anything, count it as a loss.

¹³ Do not give surety beyond your means;

but if you give surety, be prepared to pay.

¹⁴ Do not go to law against a judge,

for the decision will favour him because of his standing.

¹⁵ Do not go travelling with the reckless,

or they will be burdensome to you;

for they will act as they please,

and through their folly you will perish with them.

¹⁶ Do not pick a fight with the quick-tempered,

and do not journey with them through lonely country,

because bloodshed means nothing to them,

and where no help is at hand they will strike you down.

¹⁷ Do not consult with fools,

for they cannot keep a secret.

¹⁸ In the presence of strangers do nothing that is to be kept secret,

for you do not know what they will divulge.b

¹⁹ Do not reveal your thoughts to anyone,

or you may drive away your happiness.c

Advice Concerning Women

9

DO NOT be jealous of the wife of your bosom,

or you will teach her an evil lesson to your own hurt.

² Do not give yourself to a woman

and let her trample down your strength.

³ Do not go near a loose woman,

or you will fall into her snares.

⁴ Do not dally with a singing-girl,

or you will be caught by her tricks.

⁵ Do not look intently at a virgin,

or you may stumble and incur penalties for her.

⁶ Do not give yourself to prostitutes,

or you may lose your inheritance.

⁷ Do not look around in the streets of a city,

or wander about in its deserted sections.

⁸ Turn away your eyes from a shapely woman,

and do not gaze at beauty belonging to another;

many have been seduced by a woman’s beauty,

and by it passion is kindled like a fire.

⁹ Never dine with another man’s wife,

or revel with her at wine;

or your heart may turn aside to her,

and in blooda you may be plunged into destruction.

Choice of Friends

¹⁰ Do not abandon old friends,

for new ones cannot equal them.

A new friend is like new wine;

when it has aged, you can drink it with pleasure.

¹¹ Do not envy the success of sinners,

for you do not know what their end will be like.

¹² Do not delight in what pleases the ungodly;

remember that they will not be held guiltless all their lives.

¹³ Keep far from those who have power to kill,

and you will not be haunted by the fear of death.

But if you approach them, take no false step,

or they may rob you of your life.

Know that you are stepping among snares,

and that you are walking on the city battlements.

¹⁴ As much as you can, aim to know your neighbours,

and consult with the wise.

¹⁵ Let your conversation be with intelligent people,

and let all your discussion be about the law of the Most High.

¹⁶ Let the righteous be your dinner companions,

and let your glory be in the fear of the Lord.

Concerning Rulers

¹⁷ A work is praised for the skill of the artisan;

so a people’s leader is proved wise by his words.

¹⁸ The loud of mouth are feared in their city,

and the one who is reckless in speech is hated.

10

A WISE magistrate educates his people,

and the rule of an intelligent person is well ordered.

² As the people’s judge is, so are his officials;

as the ruler of the city is, so are all its inhabitants.

³ An undisciplined king ruins his people,

but a city becomes fit to live in through the understanding of its rulers.

⁴ The government of the earth is in the hand of the Lord,

and over it he will raise up the right leader for the time.

⁵ Human success is in the hand of the Lord,

and it is he who confers honour upon the lawgiver.b

The Sin of Pride

⁶ Do not get angry with your neighbour for every injury,

and do not resort to acts of insolence.

⁷ Arrogance is hateful to the Lord and to mortals,

and injustice is outrageous to both.

⁸ Sovereignty passes from nation to nation

on account of injustice and insolence and wealth.c

⁹ How can dust and ashes be proud?

Even in life the human body decays.d

¹⁰ A long illness baffles the physician;e

the king of today will die tomorrow.

¹¹ For when one is dead

he inherits maggots and vermina and worms.

¹² The beginning of human pride is to forsake the Lord;

the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.

¹³ For the beginning of pride is sin,

and the one who clings to it pours out abominations.

Therefore the Lord brings upon them unheard-of calamities,

and destroys them completely.

¹⁴ The Lord overthrows the thrones of rulers,

and enthrones the lowly in their place.

¹⁵ The Lord plucks up the roots of the nations,b

and plants the humble in their place.

¹⁶ The Lord lays waste the lands of the nations,

and destroys them to the foundations of the earth.

¹⁷ He removes some of them and destroys them,

and erases the memory of them from the earth.

¹⁸ Pride was not created for human beings,

or violent anger for those born of women.

Persons Deserving Honour

¹⁹ Whose offspring are worthy of honour?

Human offspring.

Whose offspring are worthy of honour?

Those who fear the Lord.

Whose offspring are unworthy of honour?

Human offspring.

Whose offspring are unworthy of honour?

Those who break the commandments.

²⁰ Among family members their leader is worthy of honour,

but those who fear the Lord are worthy of honour in his eyes.c

²² The rich, and the eminent, and the poor—

their glory is the fear of the Lord.

²³ It is not right to despise one who is intelligent but poor,

and it is not proper to honour one who is sinful.

²⁴ The prince and the judge and the ruler are honoured,

but none of them is greater than one who fears the Lord.

²⁵ Free citizens will serve a wise servant,

and an intelligent person will not complain.

Concerning Humility

²⁶ Do not make a display of your wisdom when you do your work,

and do not boast when you are in need.

²⁷ Better is the worker who has goods in plenty

than the boaster who lacks bread.

²⁸ My child, honour yourself with humility,

and give yourself the esteem you deserve.

²⁹ Who will acquit those who condemnd themselves?

And who will honour those who dishonour themselves?e

³⁰ The poor are honoured for their knowledge,

while the rich are honoured for their wealth.

³¹ One who is honoured in poverty, how much more in wealth!

And one dishonoured in wealth, how much more in poverty!

The Deceptiveness of Appearances

11

THE wisdom of the humble lifts their heads high,

and seats them among the great.

² Do not praise individuals for their good looks,

or loathe anyone because of appearance alone.

³ The bee is small among flying creatures,

but what it produces is the best of sweet things.

⁴ Do not boast about wearing fine clothes,

and do not exalt yourself when you are honoured;

for the works of the Lord are wonderful,

and his works are concealed from humankind.

⁵ Many kings have had to sit on the ground,

but one who was never thought of has worn a crown.

⁶ Many rulers have been utterly disgraced,

and the honoured have been handed over to others.

Deliberation and Caution

⁷ Do not find fault before you investigate;

examine first, and then criticize.

⁸ Do not answer before you listen,

and do not interrupt when another is speaking.

⁹ Do not argue about a matter that does not concern you,

and do not sit with sinners when they judge a case.

¹⁰ My child, do not busy yourself with many matters;

if you multiply activities, you will not be held blameless.

If you pursue, you will not overtake,

and by fleeing you will not escape.

¹¹ There are those who work and struggle and hurry,

but are so much the more in want.

¹² There are others who are slow and need help,

who lack strength and abound in poverty;

but the eyes of the Lord look kindly upon them;

he lifts them out of their lowly condition

¹³ and raises up their heads

to the amazement of many.

¹⁴ Good things and bad, life and death,

poverty and wealth, come from the Lord.a

¹⁷ The Lord’s gift remains with the devout,

and his favour brings lasting success.

¹⁸ One becomes rich through diligence and self-denial,

and the reward allotted to him is this:

¹⁹ when he says, ‘I have found rest,

and now I shall feast on my goods!’

he does not know how long it will be

until he leaves them to others and dies.

²⁰ Stand by your agreement and attend to it,

and grow old in your work.

²¹ Do not wonder at the works of a sinner,

but trust in the Lord and keep at your job;

for it is easy in the sight of the Lord

to make the poor rich suddenly, in an instant.

²² The blessing of the Lord isb the reward of the pious,

and quickly God causes his blessing to flourish.

²³ Do not say, ‘What do I need,

and what further benefit can be mine?’

²⁴ Do not say, ‘I have enough,

and what harm can come to me now?’

²⁵ In the day of prosperity, adversity is forgotten,

and in the day of adversity, prosperity is not remembered.

²⁶ For it is easy for the Lord on the day of death

to reward individuals according to their conduct.

²⁷ An hour’s misery makes one forget past delights,

and at the close of one’s life one’s deeds are revealed.

²⁸ Call no one happy before his death;

by how he ends, a person becomes known.a

Care in Choosing Friends

²⁹ Do not invite everyone into your home,

for many are the tricks of the crafty.

³⁰ Like a decoy partridge in a cage, so is the mind of the proud,

and like spies they observe your weakness;b

³¹ for they lie in wait, turning good into evil,

and to worthy actions they attach blame.

³² From a spark many coals are kindled,

and a sinner lies in wait to shed blood.

³³ Beware of scoundrels, for they devise evil,

and they may ruin your reputation for ever.

³⁴ Receive strangers into your home and they will stir up trouble for you,

and will make you a stranger to your own family.

12

IF YOU do good, know to whom you do it,

and you will be thanked for your good deeds.

² Do good to the devout, and you will be repaid—

if not by them, certainly by the Most High.

³ No good comes to one who persists in evil

or to one who does not give alms.

⁴ Give to the devout, but do not help the sinner.

⁵ Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly;

hold back their bread, and do not give it to them,

for by means of it they might subdue you;

then you will receive twice as much evil

for all the good you have done to them.

⁶ For the Most High also hates sinners

and will inflict punishment on the ungodly.c

⁷ Give to one who is good, but do not help the sinner.

⁸ A friend is not knownd in prosperity,

nor is an enemy hidden in adversity.

⁹ One’s enemies are friendlye when one prospers,

but in adversity even one’s friend disappears.

¹⁰ Never trust your enemy,

for like corrosion in copper, so is his wickedness.

¹¹ Even if he humbles himself and walks bowed down,

take care to be on your guard against him.

Be to him like one who polishes a mirror,

to be sure it does not become completely tarnished.

¹² Do not put him next to you,

or he may overthrow you and take your place.

Do not let him sit at your right hand,

or else he may try to take your own seat,

and at last you will realize the truth of my words,

and be stung by what I have said.

¹³ Who pities a snake-charmer when he is bitten,

or all those who go near wild animals?

¹⁴ So no one pities a person who associates with a sinner

and becomes involved in the other’s sins.

¹⁵ He stands by you for a while,

but if you falter, he will not be there.

¹⁶ An enemy speaks sweetly with his lips,

but in his heart he plans to throw you into a pit;

an enemy may have tears in his eyes,

but if he finds an opportunity he will never have enough of your blood.

¹⁷ If evil comes upon you, you will find him there ahead of you;

pretending to help, he will trip you up.

¹⁸ Then he will shake his head, and clap his hands,

and whisper much, and show his true face.

Caution Regarding Associates

13

WHOEVER touches pitch gets dirty,

and whoever associates with a proud person becomes like him.

² Do not lift a weight too heavy for you,

or associate with one mightier and richer than you.

How can the clay pot associate with the iron kettle?

The pot will strike against it and be smashed.

³ A rich person does wrong, and even adds insults;

a poor person suffers wrong, and must add apologies.

⁴ A rich persona will exploit you if you can be of use to him,

but if you are in need he will abandon you.

⁵ If you own something, he will live with you;

he will drain your resources without a qualm.

⁶ When he needs you he will deceive you,

and will smile at you and encourage you;

he will speak to you kindly and say, ‘What do you need?’

⁷ He will embarrass you with his delicacies,

until he has drained you two or three times,

and finally he will laugh at you.

Should he see you afterwards, he will pass you by

and shake his head at you.

⁸ Take care not to be led astray

and humiliated when you are enjoying yourself.b

⁹ When an influential person invites you, be reserved,

and he will invite you more insistently.

¹⁰ Do not be forward, or you may be rebuffed;

do not stand aloof, or you will be forgotten.

¹¹ Do not try to treat him as an equal,

or trust his lengthy conversations;

for he will test you by prolonged talk,

and while he smiles he will be examining you.

¹² Cruel are those who do not keep your secrets;

they will not spare you harm or imprisonment.

¹³ Be on your guard and very careful,

for you are walking about with your own downfall.a

¹⁵ Every creature loves its like,

and every person a neighbour.

¹⁶ All living beings associate with their own kind,

and people stick close to those like themselves.

¹⁷ What does a wolf have in common with a lamb?

No more has a sinner with the devout.

¹⁸ What peace is there between a hyena and a dog?

And what peace between the rich and the poor?

¹⁹ Wild asses in the wilderness are the prey of lions;

likewise the poor are feeding-grounds for the rich.

²⁰ Humility is an abomination to the proud;

likewise the poor are an abomination to the rich.

²¹ When the rich person totters, he is supported by friends,

but when the humbleb falls, he is pushed away even by friends.

²² If the rich person slips, many come to the rescue;

he speaks unseemly words, but they justify him.

If the humble person slips, they even criticize him;

he talks sense, but is not given a hearing.

²³ The rich person speaks and all are silent;

they extol to the clouds what he says.

The poor person speaks and they say, ‘Who is this fellow?’

And should he stumble, they even push him down.

²⁴ Riches are good if they are free from sin;

poverty is evil only in the opinion of the ungodly.

²⁵ The heart changes the countenance,

either for good or for evil.c

²⁶ The sign of a happy heart is a cheerful face,

but to devise proverbs requires painful thinking.

14

HAPPY are those who do not blunder with their lips,

and need not suffer remorse for sin.

² Happy are those whose hearts do not condemn them,

and who have not given up their hope.

Responsible Use of Wealth

³ Riches are inappropriate for a small-minded person;

and of what use is wealth to a miser?

⁴ What he denies himself he collects for others;

and others will live in luxury on his goods.

⁵ If one is mean to himself, to whom will he be generous?

He will not enjoy his own riches.

⁶ No one is worse than one who is grudging to himself;

this is the punishment for his meanness.

⁷ If ever he does good, it is by mistake;

and in the end he reveals his meanness.

⁸ The miser is an evil person;

he turns away and disregards people.

⁹ The eye of the greedy person is not satisfied with his share;

greedy injustice withers the soul.

¹⁰ A miser begrudges bread,

and it is lacking at his table.

¹¹ My child, treat yourself well, according to your means,

and present worthy offerings to the Lord.

¹² Remember that death does not tarry,

and the decreea of Hades has not been shown to you.

¹³ Do good to friends before you die,

and reach out and give to them as much as you can.

¹⁴ Do not deprive yourself of a day’s enjoyment;

do not let your share of desired good pass by you.

¹⁵ Will you not leave the fruit of your labours to another,

and what you acquired by toil to be divided by lot?

¹⁶ Give, and take, and indulge yourself,

because in Hades one cannot look for luxury.

¹⁷ All living beings become old like a garment,

for the decreeb from of old is, ‘You must die!’

¹⁸ Like abundant leaves on a spreading tree

that sheds some and puts forth others,

so are the generations of flesh and blood:

one dies and another is born.

¹⁹ Every work decays and ceases to exist,

and the one who made it will pass away with it.

The Happiness of Seeking Wisdom

²⁰ Happy is the person who meditates onc wisdom

and reasons intelligently,

²¹ whod reflects in his heart on her ways

and ponders her secrets,

²² pursuing her like a hunter,

and lying in wait on her paths;

²³ who peers through her windows

and listens at her doors;

²⁴ who camps near her house

and fastens his tent-peg to her walls;

²⁵ who pitches his tent near her,

and so occupies an excellent lodging-place;

²⁶ who places his children under her shelter,

and lodges under her boughs;

²⁷ who is sheltered by her from the heat,

and dwells in the midst of her glory.

15

WHOEVER fears the Lord will do this,

and whoever holds to the law will obtain wisdom.e

² She will come to meet him like a mother,

and like a young bride she will welcome him.

³ She will feed him with the bread of learning,

and give him the water of wisdom to drink.

⁴ He will lean on her and not fall,

and he will rely on her and not be put to shame.

⁵ She will exalt him above his neighbours,

and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.

⁶ He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing,

and will inherit an everlasting name.

⁷ The foolish will not obtain her,

and sinners will not see her.

⁸ She is far from arrogance,

and liars will never think of her.

⁹ Praise is unseemly on the lips of a sinner,

for it has not been sent from the Lord.

¹⁰ For in wisdom must praise be uttered,

and the Lord will make it prosper.

Freedom of Choice

¹¹ Do not say, ‘It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away’

for he does not doa what he hates.

¹² Do not say, ‘It was he who led me astray’

for he has no need of the sinful.

¹³ The Lord hates all abominations;

such things are not loved by those who fear him.

¹⁴ It was he who created humankind in the beginning,

and he left them in the power of their own free choice.

¹⁵ If you choose, you can keep the commandments,

and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

¹⁶ He has placed before you fire and water;

stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.

¹⁷ Before each person are life and death,

and whichever one chooses will be given.

¹⁸ For great is the wisdom of the Lord;

he is mighty in power and sees everything;

¹⁹ his eyes are on those who fear him,

and he knows every human action.

²⁰ He has not commanded anyone to be wicked,

and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

God’s Punishment of Sinners

16

DO NOT desire a multitude of worthlessb children,

and do not rejoice in ungodly offspring.

² If they multiply, do not rejoice in them,

unless the fear of the Lord is in them.

³ Do not trust in their survival,

or rely on their numbers;c

for one can be better than a thousand,

and to die childless is better than to have ungodly children.

⁴ For through one intelligent person a city can be filled with people,

but through a clan of outlaws it becomes desolate.

⁵ Many such things my eye has seen,

and my ear has heard things more striking than these.

⁶ In an assembly of sinners a fire is kindled,

and in a disobedient nation wrath blazes up.

⁷ He did not forgive the ancient giants

who revolted in their might.

⁸ He did not spare the neighbours of Lot,

whom he loathed on account of their arrogance.

⁹ He showed no pity on the doomed nation,

on those dispossessed because of their sins;d

¹⁰ or on the six hundred thousand foot-soldiers

who assembled in their stubbornness.e

¹¹ Even if there were only one stiff-necked person,

it would be a wonder if he remained unpunished.

For mercy and wrath are with the Lord;f

he is mighty to forgive—but he also pours out wrath.

¹² Great as is his mercy, so also is his chastisement;

he judges a person according to his or her deeds.

¹³ The sinner will not escape with plunder,

and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated.

¹⁴ He makes room for every act of mercy;

everyone receives in accordance with his or her deeds.a

¹⁷ Do not say, ‘I am hidden from the Lord,

and who from on high has me in mind?

Among so many people I am unknown,

for what am I in a boundless creation?

¹⁸ Lo, heaven and the highest heaven,

the abyss and the earth, tremble at his visitation!b

¹⁹ The very mountains and the foundations of the earth

quiver and quake when he looks upon them.

²⁰ But no human mind can grasp this,

and who can comprehend his ways?

²¹ Like a tempest that no one can see,

so most of his works are concealed.c

²² Who is to announce his acts of justice?

Or who can await them? For his decreed is far off.’e

²³ Such are the thoughts of one devoid of understanding;

a senseless and misguided person thinks foolishly.

God’s Wisdom Seen in Creation

²⁴ Listen to me, my child, and acquire knowledge,

and pay close attention to my words.

²⁵ I will impart discipline precisely f

and declare knowledge accurately.

²⁶ When the Lord createdg his works from the beginning,

and, in making them, determined their boundaries,

²⁷ he arranged his works in an eternal order,

and their dominionh for all generations.

They neither hunger nor grow weary,

and they do not abandon their tasks.

²⁸ They do not crowd one another,

and they never disobey his word.

²⁹ Then the Lord looked upon the earth,

and filled it with his good things.

³⁰ With all kinds of living beings he covered its surface,

and into it they must return.

17

THE Lord created human beings out of earth,

and makes them return to it again.

² He gave them a fixed number of days,

but granted them authority over everything on the earth.i

³ He endowed them with strength like his own,j

and made them in his own image.

⁴ He put the fear of themk in all living beings,

and gave them dominion over beasts and birds.l

⁶ Discretion and tongue and eyes,

ears and a mind for thinking he gave them.

⁷ He filled them with knowledge and understanding,

and showed them good and evil.

⁸ He put the fear of him intoa their hearts

to show them the majesty of his works.b

¹⁰ And they will praise his holy name,

⁹ to proclaim the grandeur of his works.

¹¹ He bestowed knowledge upon them,

and allotted to them the law of life.c

¹² He established with them an eternal covenant,

and revealed to them his decrees.

¹³ Their eyes saw his glorious majesty,

and their ears heard the glory of his voice.

¹⁴ He said to them, ‘Beware of all evil.’

And he gave commandment to each of them concerning a neighbour.

¹⁵ Their ways are always known to him;

they will not be hid from his eyes.d

¹⁷ He appointed a ruler for every nation,

but Israel is the Lord’s own portion.e

¹⁹ All their works are as clear as the sun before him,

and his eyes are ever upon their ways.

²⁰ Their iniquities are not hidden from him,

and all their sins are before the Lord.f

²² One’s almsgiving is like a signet ring with the Lord,g

and he will keep a person’s kindness like the apple of his eye.h

²³ Afterwards he will rise up and repay them,

and he will bring their recompense on their heads.

²⁴ Yet to those who repent he grants a return,

and he encourages those who are losing hope.

A Call to Repentance

²⁵ Turn back to the Lord and forsake your sins;

pray in his presence and lessen your offence.

²⁶ Return to the Most High and turn away from iniquity,i

and hate intensely what he abhors.

²⁷ Who will sing praises to the Most High in Hades

in place of the living who give thanks?

²⁸ From the dead, as from one who does not exist, thanksgiving has ceased;

those who are alive and well sing the Lord’s praises.

²⁹ How great is the mercy of the Lord,

and his forgiveness for those who return to him!

³⁰ For not everything is within human capability,

since human beings are not immortal.

³¹ What is brighter than the sun? Yet it can be eclipsed.

So flesh and blood devise evil.

³² He marshals the host of the height of heaven;

but all human beings are dust and ashes.

The Majesty of God

18

HE WHO lives for ever created the whole universe;

² the Lord alone is just.j

⁴ To none has he given power to proclaim his works;

and who can search out his mighty deeds?

⁵ Who can measure his majestic power?

And who can fully recount his mercies?

⁶ It is not possible to diminish or increase them,

nor is it possible to fathom the wonders of the Lord.

⁷ When human beings have finished, they are just beginning,

and when they stop, they are still perplexed.

⁸ What are human beings, and of what use are they?

What is good in them, and what is evil?

⁹ The number of days in their life is great if they reach one hundred years.a

¹⁰ Like a drop of water from the sea and a grain of sand,

so are a few years among the days of eternity.

¹¹ That is why the Lord is patient with them

and pours out his mercy upon them.

¹² He sees and recognizes that their end is miserable;

therefore he grants them forgiveness all the more.

¹³ The compassion of human beings is for their neighbours,

but the compassion of the Lord is for every living thing.

He rebukes and trains and teaches them,

and turns them back, as a shepherd his flock.

¹⁴ He has compassion on those who accept his discipline

and who are eager for his precepts.

The Right Spirit in Giving Alms

¹⁵ My child, do not mix reproach with your good deeds,

or spoil your gift by harsh words.

¹⁶ Does not the dew give relief from the scorching heat?

So a word is better than a gift.

¹⁷ Indeed, does not a word surpass a good gift?

Both are to be found in a gracious person.

¹⁸ A fool is ungracious and abusive,

and the gift of a grudging giver makes the eyes dim.

The Need for Reflection and Self-Control

¹⁹ Before you speak, learn;

and before you fall ill, take care of your health.

²⁰ Before judgement comes, examine yourself;

and at the time of scrutiny you will find forgiveness.

²¹ Before falling ill, humble yourself;

and when you have sinned, repent.

²² Let nothing hinder you from paying a vow promptly,

and do not wait until death to be released from it.

²³ Before making a vow, prepare yourself;

do not be like one who puts the Lord to the test.

²⁴ Think of his wrath on the day of death,

and of the moment of vengeance when he turns away his face.

²⁵ In the time of plenty think of the time of hunger;

in days of wealth think of poverty and need.

²⁶ From morning to evening conditions change;

all things move swiftly before the Lord.

²⁷ One who is wise is cautious in everything;

when sin is all around, one guards against wrongdoing.

²⁸ Every intelligent person knows wisdom,

and praises one who finds her.

²⁹ Those who are skilled in words become wise themselves,

and pour forth apt proverbs. a

SELF-CONTROLb

³⁰ Do not follow your base desires,

but restrain your appetites.

³¹ If you allow your soul to take pleasure in base desire,

it will make you the laughing-stock of your enemies.

³² Do not revel in great luxury,

or you may become impoverished by its expense.

³³ Do not become a beggar by feasting with borrowed money

when you have nothing in your purse.c

19

ONE who does thisd will not become rich;

one who despises small things will fail little by little.

² Wine and women lead intelligent men astray,

and the man who consorts with prostitutes is reckless.

³ Decay and worms will take possession of him,

and the reckless person will be snatched away.

Against Loose Talk

⁴ One who trusts others too quickly has a shallow mind,

and one who sins does wrong to himself.

⁵ One who rejoices in wickedness e will be condemned,f

⁶ but one who hates gossip has less evil.

⁷ Never repeat a conversation,

and you will lose nothing at all.

⁸ With friend or foe do not report it,

and unless it would be a sin for you, do not reveal it;

⁹ for someone may have heard you and watched you,

and in time will hate you.

¹⁰ Have you heard something? Let it die with you.

Be brave, it will not make you burst!

¹¹ Having heard something, the fool suffers birth-pangs

like a woman in labour with a child.

¹² Like an arrow stuck in a person’s thigh,

so is gossip inside a fool.

¹³ Question a friend; perhaps he did not do it;

or if he did, so that he may not do it again.

¹⁴ Question a neighbour; perhaps he did not say it;

or if he said it, so that he may not repeat it.

¹⁵ Question a friend, for often it is slander;

so do not believe everything you hear.

¹⁶ A person may make a slip without intending it.

Who has not sinned with his tongue?

¹⁷ Question your neighbour before you threaten him;

and let the law of the Most High take its course.g

True and False Wisdom

²⁰ The whole of wisdom is fear of the Lord,

and in all wisdom there is the fulfilment of the law.a

²² The knowledge of wickedness is not wisdom,

nor is there prudence in the counsel of sinners.

²³ There is a cleverness that is detestable,

and there is a fool who merely lacks wisdom.

²⁴ Better are the God-fearing who lack understanding

than the highly intelligent who transgress the law.

²⁵ There is a cleverness that is exact but unjust,

and there are people who abuse favours to gain a verdict.

²⁶ There is the villain bowed down in mourning,

but inwardly he is full of deceit.

²⁷ He hides his face and pretends not to hear,

but when no one notices, he will take advantage of you.

²⁸ Even if lack of strength keeps him from sinning,

he will nevertheless do evil when he finds the opportunity.

²⁹ A person is known by his appearance,

and a sensible person is known when first met face to face.

³⁰ A person’s attire and hearty laughter,

and the way he walks, show what he is.

Silence and Speech

20

THERE is a rebuke that is untimely,

and there is the person who is wise enough to keep silent.

² How much better it is to rebuke than to fume!

³ And one who admits his fault will be kept from failure.

⁴ Like a eunuch lusting to violate a girl

is the person who does right under compulsion.

⁵ Some people keep silent and are thought to be wise,

while others are detested for being talkative.

⁶ Some people keep silent because they have nothing to say,

while others keep silent because they know when to speak.

⁷ The wise remain silent until the right moment,

but a boasting fool misses the right moment.

⁸ Whoever talks too much is detested,

and whoever pretends to authority is hated.b

Paradoxes

⁹ There may be good fortune for a person in adversity,

but a windfall may result in a loss.

¹⁰ There is the gift that profits you nothing,

and the gift to be paid back double.

¹¹ There are losses for the sake of glory,

and there are some who have raised their heads from humble circumstances.

¹² Some buy much for little,

but pay for it seven times over.

¹³ The wise make themselves beloved by only few words,c

but the courtesies of fools are wasted.

¹⁴ A fool’s gift will profit you nothing,d

for he looks for recompense sevenfold.e

¹⁵ He gives little and upbraids much;

he opens his mouth like a town crier.

Today he lends and tomorrow he asks for it back;

such a one is hateful to God and humans.f

¹⁶ The fool says, ‘I have no friends,

and I get no thanks for my good deeds.

Those who eat my bread are evil-tongued.’

¹⁷ How many will ridicule him, and how often!a

Inappropriate Speech

¹⁸ A slip on the pavement is better than a slip of the tongue

the downfall of the wicked will occur just as speedily.

¹⁹ A coarse person is like an inappropriate story

continually on the lips of the ignorant.

²⁰ A proverb from a fool’s lips will be rejected,

for he does not tell it at the proper time.

²¹ One may be prevented from sinning by poverty;

so when he rests he feels no remorse.

²² One may lose his life through shame,

or lose it because of human respect.b

²³ Another out of shame makes promises to a friend,

and so makes an enemy for nothing.

Lying

²⁴ A lie is an ugly blot on a person;

it is continually on the lips of the ignorant.

²⁵ A thief is preferable to a habitual liar,

but the lot of both is ruin.

²⁶ A liar’s way leads to disgrace,

and his shame is ever with him.

PROVERBIAL SAYINGSc

²⁷ The wise person advances himself by his words,

and one who is sensible pleases the great.

²⁸ Those who cultivate the soil heap up their harvest,

and those who please the great atone for injustice.

²⁹ Favours and gifts blind the eyes of the wise;

like a muzzle on the mouth they stop reproofs.

³⁰ Hidden wisdom and unseen treasure,

of what value is either?

³¹ Better are those who hide their folly

than those who hide their wisdom.d

Various Sins

21

HAVE you sinned, my child? Do so no more,

but ask forgiveness for your past sins.

² Flee from sin as from a snake;

for if you approach sin, it will bite you.

Its teeth are lion’s teeth,

and can destroy human lives.

³ All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword;

there is no healing for the wound it inflicts.

⁴ Panic and insolence will waste away riches;

thus the house of the proud will be laid waste.e

⁵ The prayer of the poor goes from their lips to the ears of God,f

and his judgement comes speedily.

⁶ Those who hate reproof walk in the sinner’s steps,

but those who fear the Lord repent in their heart.

⁷ The mighty in speech are widely known;

when they slip, the sensible person knows it.

⁸ Whoever builds his house with other people’s money

is like one who gathers stones for his burial mound.a

⁹ An assembly of the wicked is like a bundle of tow,

and their end is a blazing fire.

¹⁰ The way of sinners is paved with smooth stones,

but at its end is the pit of Hades.

Wisdom and Foolishness

¹¹ Whoever keeps the law controls his thoughts,

and the fulfilment of the fear of the Lord is wisdom.

¹² One who is not clever cannot be taught,

but there is a cleverness that increases bitterness.

¹³ The knowledge of the wise will increase like a flood,

and their counsel like a life-giving spring.

¹⁴ The mindb of a fool is like a broken jar;

it can hold no knowledge.

¹⁵ When an intelligent person hears a wise saying,

he praises it and adds to it;

when a foolc hears it, he laughs atd it

and throws it behind his back.

¹⁶ A fool’s chatter is like a burden on a journey,

but delight is found in the speech of the intelligent.

¹⁷ The utterance of a sensible person is sought in the assembly,

and they ponder his words in their minds.

¹⁸ Like a house in ruins is wisdom to a fool,

and to the ignorant, knowledge is talk that has no meaning.

¹⁹ To a senseless person education is fetters on his feet,

and like manacles on his right hand.

²⁰ A fool raises his voice when he laughs,

but the wisee smile quietly.

²¹ To the sensible person education is like a golden ornament

and like a bracelet on the right arm.

²² The foot of a fool rushes into a house,

but an experienced person waits respectfully outside.

²³ A boor peers into the house from the door,

but a cultivated person remains outside.

²⁴ It is ill-mannered for a person to listen at a door;

the discreet would be grieved by the disgrace.

²⁵ The lips of babblers speak of what is not their concern,f

but the words of the prudent are weighed in the balance.

²⁶ The mind of fools is in their mouth,

but the mouth of the wise is ing their mind.

²⁷ When an ungodly person curses an adversary,h

he curses himself.

²⁸ A whisperer degrades himself

and is hated in his neighbourhood.

The Idler

22

THE idler is like a filthy stone,

and everyone hisses at his disgrace.

² The idler is like the filth of dunghills;

anyone that picks it up will shake it off his hand.

Degenerate Children

³ It is a disgrace to be the father of an undisciplined son,

and the birth of a daughter is a loss.

⁴ A sensible daughter obtains a husband of her own,

but one who acts shamefully is a grief to her father.

⁵ An impudent daughter disgraces father and husband,

and is despised by both.

⁶ Like music in time of mourning is ill-timed conversation,

but a thrashing and discipline are at all times wisdom.a

Wisdom and Folly

⁹ Whoever teaches a fool is like one who glues potsherds together,

or who rouses a sleeper from deep slumber.

¹⁰ Whoever tells a story to a fool tells it to a drowsy man;

and at the end he will say, ‘What is it?’

¹¹ Weep for the dead, for he has left the light behind;

and weep for the fool, for he has left intelligence behind.

Weep less bitterly for the dead, for he is at rest;

but the life of the fool is worse than death.

¹² Mourning for the dead lasts seven days,

but for the foolish or the ungodly it lasts all the days of their lives.

¹³ Do not talk much with a senseless person

or visit an unintelligent person.b

Stay clear of him, or you may have trouble,

and be spattered when he shakes himself.

Avoid him and you will find rest,

and you will never be wearied by his lack of sense.

¹⁴ What is heavier than lead?

And what is its name except ‘Fool’?

¹⁵ Sand, salt, and a piece of iron

are easier to bear than a stupid person.

¹⁶ A wooden beam firmly bonded into a building

is not loosened by an earthquake;

so the mind firmly resolved after due reflection

will not be afraid in a crisis.

¹⁷ A mind settled on an intelligent thought

is like stucco decoration that makes a wall smooth.

¹⁸ Fencesc set on a high place

will not stand firm against the wind;

so a timid mind with a fool’s resolve

will not stand firm against any fear.

The Preservation of Friendship

¹⁹ One who pricks the eye brings tears,

and one who pricks the heart makes clear its feelings.

²⁰ One who throws a stone at birds scares them away,

and one who reviles a friend destroys a friendship.

²¹ Even if you draw your sword against a friend,

do not despair, for there is a way back.

²² If you open your mouth against your friend,

do not worry, for reconciliation is possible.

But as for reviling, arrogance, disclosure of secrets, or a treacherous blow—

in these cases any friend will take to flight.

²³ Gain the trust of your neighbour in his poverty,

so that you may rejoice with him in his prosperity.

Stand by him in time of distress,

so that you may share with him in his inheritance.a

²⁴ The vapour and smoke of the furnace precede the fire;

so insults precede bloodshed.

²⁵ I am not ashamed to shelter a friend,

and I will not hide from him.

²⁶ But if harm should come to me because of him,

whoever hears of it will beware of him.

A Prayer for Help against Sinning

²⁷ Who will set a guard over my mouth,

and an effective seal upon my lips,

so that I may not fall because of them,

and my tongue may not destroy me?

23

O LORD, Father and Master of my life,

do not abandon me to their designs,

and do not let me fall because of them!

² Who will set whips over my thoughts,

and the discipline of wisdom over my mind,

so as not to spare me in my errors,

and not overlook myb sins?

³ Otherwise my mistakes may be multiplied,

and my sins may abound,

and I may fall before my adversaries,

and my enemy may rejoice over me.c

⁴ O Lord, Father and God of my life,

do not give me haughty eyes,

⁵ and remove evil desire from me.

⁶ Let neither gluttony nor lust overcome me,

and do not give me over to shameless passion.

DISCIPLINE OF THE TONGUEd

⁷ Listen, my children, to instruction concerning the mouth;

one who observes it will never be caught.

⁸ Sinners are overtaken through their lips;

by them the reviler and the arrogant are tripped up.

⁹ Do not accustom your mouth to oaths,

nor habitually utter the name of the Holy One;

¹⁰ for as a servant who is constantly under scrutiny

will not lack bruises,

so also the person who always swears and utters the Name

will never be cleansede from sin.

¹¹ One who swears many oaths is full of iniquity,

and the scourge will not leave his house.

If he swears in error, his sin remains on him,

and if he disregards it, he sins doubly;

if he swears a false oath, he will not be justified,

for his house will be filled with calamities.

Foul Language

¹² There is a manner of speaking comparable to death;f

may it never be found in the inheritance of Jacob!

Such conduct will be far from the godly,

and they will not wallow in sins.

¹³ Do not accustom your mouth to coarse, foul language,

for it involves sinful speech.

¹⁴ Remember your father and mother

when you sit among the great,

or you may forget yourself in their presence,

and behave like a fool through bad habit;

then you will wish that you had never been born,

and you will curse the day of your birth.

¹⁵ Those who are accustomed to using abusive language

will never become disciplined as long as they live.

Concerning Sexual Sins

¹⁶ Two kinds of individuals multiply sins,

and a third incurs wrath.

Hot passion that blazes like a fire

will not be quenched until it burns itself out;

one who commits fornication with his near of kin

will never cease until the fire burns him up.

¹⁷ To a fornicator all bread is sweet;

he will never weary until he dies.

¹⁸ One who sins against his marriage bed

says to himself, ‘Who can see me?

Darkness surrounds me, the walls hide me,

and no one sees me. Why should I worry?

The Most High will not remember sins.’

¹⁹ His fear is confined to human eyes

and he does not realize that the eyes of the Lord

are ten thousand times brighter than the sun;

they look upon every aspect of human behaviour

and see into hidden corners.

²⁰ Before the universe was created, it was known to him,

and so it is since its completion.

²¹ This man will be punished in the streets of the city,

and where he least suspects it, he will be seized.

²² So it is with a woman who leaves her husband

and presents him with an heir by another man.

²³ For first of all, she has disobeyed the law of the Most High;

second, she has committed an offence against her husband;

and third, through her fornication she has committed adultery

and brought forth children by another man.

²⁴ She herself will be brought before the assembly,

and her punishment will extend to her children.

²⁵ Her children will not take root,

and her branches will not bear fruit.

²⁶ She will leave behind an accursed memory

and her disgrace will never be blotted out.

²⁷ Those who survive her will recognize

that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord,

and nothing sweeter than to heed the commandments of the Lord.a

THE PRAISE OF WISDOMb

24

WISDOM praises herself,

and tells of her glory in the midst of her people.

² In the assembly of the Most High she opens her mouth,

and in the presence of his hosts she tells of her glory:

³ ‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,

and covered the earth like a mist.

⁴ I dwelt in the highest heavens,

and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.

⁵ Alone I compassed the vault of heaven

and traversed the depths of the abyss.

⁶ Over waves of the sea, over all the earth,

and over every people and nation I have held sway.a

⁷ Among all these I sought a resting-place;

in whose territory should I abide?

⁸ ‘Then the Creator of all things gave me a command,

and my Creator chose the place for my tent.

He said, “Make your dwelling in Jacob,

and in Israel receive your inheritance.”

⁹ Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me,

and for all the ages I shall not cease to be.

¹⁰ In the holy tent I ministered before him,

and so I was established in Zion.

¹¹ Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting-place,

and in Jerusalem was my domain.

¹² I took root in an honoured people,

in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.

¹³ ‘I grew tall like a cedar in Lebanon,

and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.

¹⁴ I grew tall like a palm tree in En-gedi,b

and like rose-bushes in Jericho;

like a fair olive tree in the field,

and like a plane tree beside water c I grew tall.

¹⁵ Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth perfume,

and like choice myrrh I spread my fragrance,

like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,

and like the odour of incense in the tent.

¹⁶ Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,

and my branches are glorious and graceful.

¹⁷ Like the vine I bud forth delights,

and my blossoms become glorious and abundant fruit.d

¹⁹ ‘Come to me, you who desire me,

and eat your fill of my fruits.

²⁰ For the memory of me is sweeter than honey,

and the possession of me sweeter than the honeycomb.

²¹ Those who eat of me will hunger for more,

and those who drink of me will thirst for more.

²² Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,

and those who work with me will not sin.’

Wisdom and the Law

²³ All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,

the law that Moses commanded us

as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.e

²⁵ It overflows, like the Pishon, with wisdom,

and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.

²⁶ It runs over, like the Euphrates, with understanding,

and like the Jordan at harvest time.

²⁷ It pours forth instruction like the Nile,f

like the Gihon at the time of vintage.

²⁸ The first man did not know wisdoma fully,

nor will the last one fathom her.

²⁹ For her thoughts are more abundant than the sea,

and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.

³⁰ As for me, I was like a canal from a river,

like a water channel into a garden.

³¹ I said, ‘I will water my garden

and drench my flower-beds.’

And lo, my canal became a river,

and my river a sea.

³² I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,

and I will make it clear from far away.

³³ I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,

and leave it to all future generations.

³⁴ Observe that I have not laboured for myself alone,

but for all who seek wisdom.a

Those Who Are Worthy of Praise

25

I TAKE pleasure in three things,

and they are beautiful in the sight of God and of mortals:b

agreement among brothers and sisters, friendship among neighbours,

and a wife and husband who live in harmony.

² I hate three kinds of people,

and I loathe their manner of life:

a pauper who boasts, a rich person who lies,

and an old fool who commits adultery.

³ If you gathered nothing in your youth,

how can you find anything in your old age?

⁴ How attractive is sound judgement in the grey-haired,

and for the aged to possess good counsel!

⁵ How attractive is wisdom in the aged,

and understanding and counsel in the venerable!

⁶ Rich experience is the crown of the aged,

and their boast is the fear of the Lord.

⁷ I can think of nine whom I would call blessed,

and a tenth my tongue proclaims:

a man who can rejoice in his children;

a man who lives to see the downfall of his foes.

⁸ Happy the man who lives with a sensible wife,

and one who does not plough with ox and ass together.c

Happy is one who does not sin with the tongue,

and one who has not served an inferior.

⁹ Happy is one who finds a friend,d

and one who speaks to attentive listeners.

¹⁰ How great is one who finds wisdom!

But none is superior to one who fears the Lord.

¹¹ Fear of the Lord surpasses everything;

to whom can we compare one who has it?e

Some Extreme Forms of Evil

¹³ Any wound, but not a wound of the heart!

Any wickedness, but not the wickedness of a woman!

¹⁴ Any suffering, but not suffering from those who hate!

And any vengeance, but not the vengeance of enemies!

¹⁵ There is no venoma worse than a snake’s venom,a

and no anger worse than a woman’sb wrath.

The Evil of a Wicked Woman

¹⁶ I would rather live with a lion and a dragon

than live with an evil woman.

¹⁷ A woman’s wickedness changes her appearance,

and darkens her face like that of a bear.

¹⁸ Her husband sitsc among the neighbours,

and he cannot help sighingd bitterly.

¹⁹ Any iniquity is small compared to a woman’s iniquity;

may a sinner’s lot befall her!

²⁰ A sandy ascent for the feet of the aged—

such is a garrulous wife to a quiet husband.

²¹ Do not be ensnared by a woman’s beauty,

and do not desire a woman for her possessions.e

²² There is wrath and impudence and great disgrace

when a wife supports her husband.

²³ Dejected mind, gloomy face,

and wounded heart come from an evil wife.

Drooping hands and weak knees

come from the wife who does not make her husband happy.

²⁴ From a woman sin had its beginning,

and because of her we all die.

²⁵ Allow no outlet to water,

and no boldness of speech to an evil wife.

²⁶ If she does not go as you direct,

separate her from yourself.

The Joy of a Good Wife

26

HAPPY is the husband of a good wife;

the number of his days will be doubled.

² A loyal wife brings joy to her husband,

and he will complete his years in peace.

³ A good wife is a great blessing;

she will be granted among the blessings of the man who fears the Lord.

⁴ Whether rich or poor, his heart is content,

and at all times his face is cheerful.

The Worst of Evils: A Wicked Wife

⁵ Of three things my heart is frightened,

and of a fourth I am in great fear:f

Slander in the city, the gathering of a mob,

and false accusation—all these are worse than death.

⁶ But it is heartache and sorrow when a wife is jealous of a rival,

and a tongue-lashing makes it known to all.

⁷ A bad wife is a chafing yoke;

taking hold of her is like grasping a scorpion.

⁸ A drunken wife arouses great anger;

she cannot hide her shame.

⁹ The haughty stare betrays an unchaste wife;

her eyelids give her away.

¹⁰ Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,

or else, when she finds liberty, she will make use of it.

¹¹ Be on guard against her impudent eye,

and do not be surprised if she sins against you.

¹² As a thirsty traveller opens his mouth

and drinks from any water near him,

so she will sit in front of every tent-peg

and open her quiver to the arrow.

The Blessing of a Good Wife

¹³ A wife’s charm delights her husband,

and her skill puts flesh on his bones.

¹⁴ A silent wife is a gift from the Lord,

and nothing is so precious as her self-discipline.

¹⁵ A modest wife adds charm to charm,

and no scales can weigh the value of her chastity.

¹⁶ Like the sun rising in the heights of the Lord,

so is the beauty of a good wife in her well-ordered home.

¹⁷ Like the shining lamp on the holy lampstand,

so is a beautiful face on a stately figure.

¹⁸ Like golden pillars on silver bases,

so are shapely legs and steadfast feet.

Other ancient authorities add verses 19–27:

¹⁹ My child, keep sound the bloom of your youth,

and do not give your strength to strangers.

²⁰ Seek a fertile field within the whole plain,

and sow it with your own seed, trusting in your fine stock.

²¹ So your offspring will prosper,

and, having confidence in their good descent, will grow great.

²² A prostitute is regarded as spittle,

and a married woman as a tower of death to her lovers.

²³ A godless wife is given as a portion to a lawless man,

but a pious wife is given to the man who fears the Lord.

²⁴ A shameless woman constantly acts disgracefully,

but a modest daughter will even be embarrassed before her husband.

²⁵ A headstrong wife is regarded as a dog,

but one who has a sense of shame will fear the Lord.

²⁶ A wife honouring her husband will seem wise to all,

but if she dishonours him in her pride she will be known to all as ungodly.

Happy is the husband of a good wife,

for the number of his years will be doubled.

²⁷ A loud-voiced and garrulous wife is like a trumpet sounding the charge,

and every person like this lives in the anarchy of war.

Three Depressing Things

²⁸ At two things my heart is grieved, and because of a third anger comes over me:

a warrior in want through poverty,

intelligent men who are treated contemptuously,

and a man who turns back from righteousness to sin—

the Lord will prepare him for the sword!

The Temptations of Commerce

²⁹ A merchant can hardly keep from wrongdoing,

nor is a tradesman innocent of sin.

27

MANY have committed sin for gain,a

and those who seek to get rich will avert their eyes.

² As a stake is driven firmly into a fissure between stones,

so sin is wedged in between selling and buying.

³ If a person is not steadfast in the fear of the Lord,

his house will be quickly overthrown.

Tests in Life

⁴ When a sieve is shaken, the refuse appears;

so do a person’s faults when he speaks.

⁵ The kiln tests the potter’s vessels;

so the test of a person is in his conversation.

⁶ Its fruit discloses the cultivation of a tree;

so a person’s speech discloses the cultivation of his mind.

⁷ Do not praise anyone before he speaks,

for this is the way people are tested.

Reward and Retribution

⁸ If you pursue justice, you will attain it

and wear it like a glorious robe.

⁹ Birds roost with their own kind,

so honesty comes home to those who practise it.

¹⁰ A lion lies in wait for prey;

so does sin for evildoers.

Varieties of Speech

¹¹ The conversation of the godly is always wise,

but the fool changes like the moon.

¹² Among stupid people limit your time,

but among thoughtful people linger on.

¹³ The talk of fools is offensive,

and their laughter is wantonly sinful.

¹⁴ Their cursing and swearing make one’s hair stand on end,

and their quarrels make others stop their ears.

¹⁵ The strife of the proud leads to bloodshed,

and their abuse is grievous to hear.

Betraying Secrets

¹⁶ Whoever betrays secrets destroys confidence,

and will never find a congenial friend.

¹⁷ Love your friend and keep faith with him;

but if you betray his secrets, do not follow after him.

¹⁸ For as a person destroys his enemy,

so you have destroyed the friendship of your neighbour.

¹⁹ And as you allow a bird to escape from your hand,

so you have let your neighbour go, and will not catch him again.

²⁰ Do not go after him, for he is too far off,

and has escaped like a gazelle from a snare.

²¹ For a wound may be bandaged,

and there is reconciliation after abuse,

but whoever has betrayed secrets is without hope.

Hypocrisy and Retribution

²² Whoever winks the eye plots mischief,

and those who know him will keep their distance.

²³ In your presence his mouth is all sweetness,

and he admires your words;

but later he will twist his speech

and with your own words he will trip you up.

²⁴ I have hated many things, but him above all;

even the Lord hates him.

²⁵ Whoever throws a stone straight up throws it on his own head,

and a treacherous blow opens up many wounds.

²⁶ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it,

and whoever sets a snare will be caught in it.

²⁷ If a person does evil, it will roll back upon him,

and he will not know where it came from.

²⁸ Mockery and abuse issue from the proud,

but vengeance lies in wait for them like a lion.

²⁹ Those who rejoice in the fall of the godly will be caught in a snare,

and pain will consume them before their death.

Anger and Vengeance

³⁰ Anger and wrath, these also are abominations,

yet a sinner holds on to them.

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THE vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,

for he keeps a strict account ofa their sins.

² Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done,

and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

³ Does anyone harbour anger against another,

and expect healing from the Lord?

⁴ If someone has no mercy towards another like himself,

can he then seek pardon for his own sins?

⁵ If a mere mortal harbours wrath,

who will make an atoning sacrifice for his sins?

⁶ Remember the end of your life, and set enmity aside;

remember corruption and death, and be true to the commandments.

⁷ Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbour;

remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.

⁸ Refrain from strife, and your sins will be fewer;

for the hot-tempered kindle strife,

⁹ and the sinner disrupts friendships

and sows discord among those who are at peace.

¹⁰ In proportion to the fuel, so will the fire burn,

and in proportion to the obstinacy, so will strife increase;b

in proportion to a person’s strength will be his anger,

and in proportion to his wealth he will increase his wrath.

¹¹ A hasty quarrel kindles a fire,

and a hasty dispute sheds blood.

The Evil Tongue

¹² If you blow on a spark, it will glow;

if you spit on it, it will be put out;

yet both come out of your mouth.

¹³ Curse the gossips and the double-tongued,

for they destroy the peace of many.

¹⁴ Slanderc has shaken many,

and scattered them from nation to nation;

it has destroyed strong cities,

and overturned the houses of the great.

¹⁵ Slanderc has driven virtuous women from their homes,

and deprived them of the fruit of their toil.

¹⁶ Those who pay heed to slander d will not find rest,

nor will they settle down in peace.

¹⁷ The blow of a whip raises a welt,

but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones.

¹⁸ Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,

but not as many as have fallen because of the tongue.

¹⁹ Happy is one who is protected from it,

who has not been exposed to its anger,

who has not borne its yoke,

and has not been bound with its fetters.

²⁰ For its yoke is a yoke of iron,

and its fetters are fetters of bronze;

²¹ its death is an evil death,

and Hades is preferable to it.

²² It has no power over the godly;

they will not be burned in its flame.

²³ Those who forsake the Lord will fall into its power;

it will burn among them and will not be put out.

It will be sent out against them like a lion;

like a leopard it will mangle them.

²⁴a As you fence in your property with thorns,

²⁵b so make a door and a bolt for your mouth.

²⁴b As you lock up your silver and gold,

²⁵a so make balances and scales for your words.

²⁶ Take care not to err with your tongue,a

and fall victim to one lying in wait.

On Lending and Borrowing

29

THE merciful lend to their neighbours;

by holding out a helping hand they keep the commandments.

² Lend to your neighbour in his time of need;

repay your neighbour when a loan falls due.

³ Keep your promise and be honest with him,

and on every occasion you will find what you need.

⁴ Many regard a loan as a windfall,

and cause trouble to those who help them.

⁵ One kisses another’s hands until he gets a loan,

and is deferential in speaking of his neighbour’s money;

but at the time for repayment he delays,

and pays back with empty promises,

and finds fault with the time.

⁶ If he can pay, his creditorb will hardly get back half,

and will regard that as a windfall.

If he cannot pay, the borrowerb has robbed the other of his money,

and he has needlessly made him an enemy;

he will repay him with curses and reproaches,

and instead of glory will repay him with dishonour.

⁷ Many refuse to lend, not because of meanness,

but from fearc of being defrauded needlessly.

⁸ Nevertheless, be patient with someone in humble circumstances,

and do not keep him waiting for your alms.

⁹ Help the poor for the commandment’s sake,

and in their need do not send them away empty-handed.

¹⁰ Lose your silver for the sake of a brother or a friend,

and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost.

¹¹ Lay up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High,

and it will profit you more than gold.

¹² Store up almsgiving in your treasury,

and it will rescue you from every disaster;

¹³ better than a stout shield and a sturdy spear,

it will fight for you against the enemy.

On Guaranteeing Debts

¹⁴ A good person will be surety for his neighbour,

but one who has lost all sense of shame will fail him.

¹⁵ Do not forget the kindness of your guarantor,

for he has given his life for you.

¹⁶ A sinner wastes the property of his guarantor,

¹⁷ and the ungrateful person abandons his rescuer.

¹⁸ Being surety has ruined many who were prosperous,

and has tossed them about like waves of the sea;

it has driven the influential into exile,

and they have wandered among foreign nations.

¹⁹ The sinner comes to grief through surety;

his pursuit of gain involves him in lawsuits.

²⁰ Assist your neighbour to the best of your ability,

but be careful not to fall yourself.

Home and Hospitality

²¹ The necessities of life are water, bread, and clothing,

and also a house to assure privacy.

²² Better is the life of the poor under their own crude roof

than sumptuous food in the house of others.

²³ Be content with little or much,

and you will hear no reproach for being a guest.a

²⁴ It is a miserable life to go from house to house;

as a guest you should not open your mouth;

²⁵ you will play the host and provide drink without being thanked,

and besides this you will hear rude words like these:

²⁶ ‘Come here, stranger, prepare the table;

let me eat what you have there.’

²⁷ ‘Be off, stranger, for an honoured guest is here;

my brother has come for a visit, and I need the guest-room.’

²⁸ It is hard for a sensitive person to bear

scolding about lodgingb and the insults of the moneylender.

CONCERNING CHILDRENc

30

HE WHO loves his son will whip him often,

so that he may rejoice at the way he turns out.

² He who disciplines his son will profit by him,

and will boast of him among acquaintances.

³ He who teaches his son will make his enemies envious,

and will glory in him among his friends.

⁴ When the father dies he will not seem to be dead,

for he has left behind him one like himself,

⁵ whom in his life he looked upon with joy

and at death, without grief.

⁶ He has left behind him an avenger against his enemies,

and one to repay the kindness of his friends.

⁷ Whoever spoils his son will bind up his wounds,

and will suffer heartache at every cry.

⁸ An unbroken horse turns out stubborn,

and an unchecked son turns out headstrong.

⁹ Pamper a child, and he will terrorize you;

play with him, and he will grieve you.

¹⁰ Do not laugh with him, or you will have sorrow with him,

and in the end you will gnash your teeth.

¹¹ Give him no freedom in his youth,

and do not ignore his errors.

¹² Bow down his neck in his youth,a

and beat his sides while he is young,

or else he will become stubborn and disobey you,

and you will have sorrow of soul from him.b

¹³ Discipline your son and make his yoke heavy,c

so that you may not be offended by his shamelessness.

¹⁴ Better off poor, healthy, and fit

than rich and afflicted in body.

¹⁵ Health and fitness are better than any gold,

and a robust body than countless riches.

¹⁶ There is no wealth better than health of body,

and no gladness above joy of heart.

¹⁷ Death is better than a life of misery,

and eternal sleepd than chronic sickness.

CONCERNING FOODSe

¹⁸ Good things poured out upon a mouth that is closed

are like offerings of food placed upon a grave.

¹⁹ Of what use to an idol is a sacrifice?

For it can neither eat nor smell.

So is one punished by the Lord;

²⁰ he sees with his eyes and groans

as a eunuch groans when embracing a girl. f

²¹ Do not give yourself over to sorrow,

and do not distress yourself deliberately.

²² A joyful heart is life itself,

and rejoicing lengthens one’s life span.

²³ Indulge yourselfg and take comfort,

and remove sorrow far from you,

for sorrow has destroyed many,

and no advantage ever comes from it.

²⁴ Jealousy and anger shorten life,

and anxiety brings on premature old age.

²⁵ Those who are cheerful and merry at table

will benefit from their food.

Right Attitude towards Riches

31

WAKEFULNESS over wealth wastes away one’s flesh,

and anxiety about it drives away sleep.

² Wakeful anxiety prevents slumber,

and a severe illness carries off sleep.h

³ The rich person toils to amass a fortune,

and when he rests he fills himself with his dainties.

⁴ The poor person toils to make a meagre living,

and if ever he rests he becomes needy.

⁵ One who loves gold will not be justified;

one who pursues money will be led astrayi by it.

⁶ Many have come to ruin because of gold,

and their destruction has met them face to face.

⁷ It is a stumbling-block to those who are avid for it,

and every fool will be taken captive by it.

⁸ Blessed is the rich person who is found blameless,

and who does not go after gold.

⁹ Who is he, that we may praise him?

For he has done wonders among his people.

¹⁰ Who has been tested by it and been found perfect?

Let it be for him a ground for boasting.

Who has had the power to transgress and did not transgress,

and to do evil and did not do it?

¹¹ His prosperity will be established,a

and the assembly will proclaim his acts of charity.

Table Etiquette

¹² Are you seated at the table of the great?b

Do not be greedy at it,

and do not say, ‘How much food there is here!’

¹³ Remember that a greedy eye is a bad thing.

What has been created more greedy than the eye?

Therefore it sheds tears for any reason.

¹⁴ Do not reach out your hand for everything you see,

and do not crowd your neighbour c at the dish.

¹⁵ Judge your neighbour’s feelings by your own,

and in every matter be thoughtful.

¹⁶ Eat what is set before you like a well-bred person,d

and do not chew greedily, or you will give offence.

¹⁷ Be the first to stop, as befits good manners,

and do not be insatiable, or you will give offence.

¹⁸ If you are seated among many others,

do not help yourselfe before they do.

¹⁹ How ample a little is for a well-disciplined person!

He does not breathe heavily when in bed.

²⁰ Healthy sleep depends on moderate eating;

he rises early, and feels fit.

The distress of sleeplessness and of nausea

and colic are with the glutton.

²¹ If you are overstuffed with food,

get up to vomit, and you will have relief.

²² Listen to me, my child, and do not disregard me,

and in the end you will appreciate my words.

In everything you do be moderate,f

and no sickness will overtake you.

²³ People bless someone who is liberal with food,

and their testimony to his generosity is trustworthy.

²⁴ The city complains of someone who is stingy with food,

and their testimony to his stinginess is accurate.

Temperance in Drinking Wine

²⁵ Do not try to prove your strength by wine-drinking,

for wine has destroyed many.

²⁶ As the furnace tests the work of the smith,g

so wine tests hearts when the insolent quarrel.

²⁷ Wine is very life to human beings

if taken in moderation.

What is life to one who is without wine?

It has been created to make people happy.

²⁸ Wine drunk at the proper time and in moderation

is rejoicing of heart and gladness of soul.

²⁹ Wine drunk to excess leads to bitterness of spirit,

to quarrels and stumbling.

³⁰ Drunkenness increases the anger of a fool to his own hurt,

reducing his strength and adding wounds.

³¹ Do not reprove your neighbour at a banquet of wine,

and do not despise him in his merrymaking;

speak no word of reproach to him,

and do not distress him by making demands of him.

Etiquette at a Banquet

32

IF THEY make you master of the feast, do not exalt yourself;

be among them as one of their number.

Take care of them first and then sit down;

² when you have fulfilled all your duties, take your place,

so that you may be merry along with them

and receive a garland for your excellent leadership.

³ Speak, you who are older, for it is your right,

but with accurate knowledge, and do not interrupt the music.

⁴ Where there is entertainment, do not pour out talk;

do not display your cleverness at the wrong time.

⁵ A ruby seal in a setting of gold

is a concert of music at a banquet of wine.

⁶ A seal of emerald in a rich setting of gold

is the melody of music with good wine.

⁷ Speak, you who are young, if you are obliged to,

but no more than twice, and only if asked.

⁸ Be brief; say much in few words;

be as one who knows and can still hold his tongue.

⁹ Among the great do not act as their equal;

and when another is speaking, do not babble.

¹⁰ Lightning travels ahead of the thunder,

and approval goes before one who is modest.

¹¹ Leave in good time and do not be the last;

go home quickly and do not linger.

¹² Amuse yourself there to your heart’s content,

but do not sin through proud speech.

¹³ But above all bless your Maker,

who fills you with his good gifts.

The Providence of God

¹⁴ One who seeks Goda will accept his discipline,

and those who rise early to seek himb will find favour.

¹⁵ One who seeks the law will be filled with it,

but the hypocrite will stumble at it.

¹⁶ Those who fear the Lord will form true judgements,

and they will kindle righteous deeds like a light.

¹⁷ The sinner will shun reproof,

and will find a decision according to his liking.

¹⁸ A sensible person will not overlook a thoughtful suggestion;

an insolentc and proud person will not be deterred by fear.d

¹⁹ Do nothing without deliberation,

but when you have acted, do not regret it.

²⁰ Do not go on a path full of hazards,

and do not stumble at an obstacle twice.a

²¹ Do not be overconfident on a smoothb road,

²² and give good heed to your paths.c

²³ Guardd yourself in every act,

for this is the keeping of the commandments.

²⁴ One who keeps the law preserves himself,e

and one who trusts the Lord will not suffer loss.

33

NO EVIL will befall someone who fears the Lord,

but in trials such a one will be rescued again and again.

² The wise will not hate the law,

but someone who is hypocritical about it is like a boat in a storm.

³ The sensible person will trust in the law;

for such a one the law is as dependable as a divine oracle.

⁴ Prepare what to say, and then you will be listened to;

draw upon your training, and give your answer.

⁵ The heart of a fool is like a cartwheel,

and his thoughts like a turning axle.

⁶ A mocking friend is like a stallion

that neighs no matter who the rider is.

Differences in Nature and in Humankind

⁷ Why is one day more important than another,

when all the daylight in the year is from the sun?

⁸ By the Lord’s wisdom they were distinguished,

and he appointed the different seasons and festivals.

⁹ Some days he exalted and hallowed,

and some he made ordinary days.

¹⁰ All human beings come from the ground,

and humankindf was created out of the dust.

¹¹ In the fullness of his knowledge the Lord distinguished them

and appointed their different ways.

¹² Some he blessed and exalted,

and some he made holy and brought near to himself;

but some he cursed and brought low,

and turned them out of their place.

¹³ Like clay in the hand of the potter,

to be moulded as he pleases,

so all are in the hand of their Maker,

to be given whatever he decides.

¹⁴ Good is the opposite of evil,

and life the opposite of death;

so the sinner is the opposite of the godly.

¹⁵ Look at all the works of the Most High;

they come in pairs, one the opposite of the other.

¹⁶ Now I was the last to keep vigil;

I was like a gleaner following the grape-pickers;

¹⁷ by the blessing of the Lord I arrived first,

and like a grape-picker I filled my wine press.

¹⁸ Consider that I have not laboured for myself alone,

but for all who seek instruction.

¹⁹ Hear me, you who are great among the people,

and you leaders of the congregation, pay heed!

The Advantage of Independence

²⁰ To son or wife, to brother or friend,

do not give power over yourself, as long as you live;

and do not give your property to another,

in case you change your mind and must ask for it.

²¹ While you are still alive and have breath in you,

do not let anyone take your place.

²² For it is better that your children should ask from you

than that you should look to the hand of your children.

²³ Excel in all that you do;

bring no stain upon your honour.

²⁴ At the time when you end the days of your life,

in the hour of death, distribute your inheritance.

The Treatment of Slaves

²⁵ Fodder and a stick and burdens for a donkey;

bread and discipline and work for a slave.

²⁶ Set your slave to work, and you will find rest;

leave his hands idle, and he will seek liberty.

²⁷ Yoke and thong will bow the neck,

and for a wicked slave there are racks and tortures.

²⁸ Put him to work, in order that he may not be idle,

²⁹ for idleness teaches much evil.

³⁰ Set him to work, as is fitting for him,

and if he does not obey, make his fetters heavy.

Do not be overbearing towards anyone,

and do nothing unjust.

³¹ If you have but one slave, treat him like yourself,

because you have bought him with blood.

If you have but one slave, treat him like a brother,

for you will need him as you need your life.

³² If you ill-treat him, and he leaves you and runs away,

³³ which way will you go to seek him?

Dreams Mean Nothing

34

THE senseless have vain and false hopes,

and dreams give wings to fools.

² As one who catches at a shadow and pursues the wind,

so is anyone who believes in a dreams.

³ What is seen in dreams is but a reflection,

the likeness of a face looking at itself.

⁴ From an unclean thing what can be clean?

And from something false what can be true?

⁵ Divinations and omens and dreams are unreal,

and like a woman in labour, the mind has fantasies.

⁶ Unless they are sent by intervention from the Most High,

pay no attention to them.

⁷ For dreams have deceived many,

and those who put their hope in them have perished.

⁸ Without such deceptions the law will be fulfilled,

and wisdom is complete in the mouth of the faithful.

Experience as a Teacher

⁹ An educatedb person knows many things,

and one with much experience knows what he is talking about.

¹⁰ An inexperienced person knows few things,

¹¹ but he that has travelled acquires much cleverness.

¹² I have seen many things in my travels,

and I understand more than I can express.

¹³ I have often been in danger of death,

but have escaped because of these experiences.

Fear the Lord

¹⁴ The spirit of those who fear the Lord will live,

¹⁵ for their hope is in him who saves them.

¹⁶ Those who fear the Lord will not be timid,

or play the coward, for he is their hope.

¹⁷ Happy is the soul that fears the Lord!

¹⁸ To whom does he look? And who is his support?

¹⁹ The eyes of the Lord are on those who love him,

a mighty shield and strong support,

a shelter from scorching wind and a shade from noonday sun,

a guard against stumbling and a help against falling.

²⁰ He lifts up the soul and makes the eyes sparkle;

he gives health and life and blessing.

Offering Sacrifices

²¹ If one sacrifices ill-gotten goods, the offering is blemished;a

²² the giftsb of the lawless are not acceptable.

²³ The Most High is not pleased with the offerings of the ungodly,

nor for a multitude of sacrifices does he forgive sins.

²⁴ Like one who kills a son before his father’s eyes

is the person who offers a sacrifice from the property of the poor.

²⁵ The bread of the needy is the life of the poor;

whoever deprives them of it is a murderer.

²⁶ To take away a neighbour’s living is to commit murder;

²⁷ to deprive an employee of wages is to shed blood.

²⁸ When one builds and another tears down,

what do they gain but hard work?

²⁹ When one prays and another curses,

to whose voice will the Lord listen?

³⁰ If one washes after touching a corpse, and touches it again,

what has been gained by washing?

³¹ So if someone fasts for his sins,

and goes again and does the same things,

who will listen to his prayer?

And what has he gained by humbling himself?

The Law and Sacrifices

35

ONE who keeps the law makes many offerings;

² one who heeds the commandments makes an offering of well-being.

³ One who returns a kindness offers choice flour,

⁴ and one who gives alms sacrifices a thank-offering.

⁵ To keep from wickedness is pleasing to the Lord, and to forsake unrighteousness is an atonement.

⁶ Do not appear before the Lord empty-handed,

⁷ for all that you offer is in fulfilment of the commandment.

⁸ The offering of the righteous enriches the altar,

and its pleasing odour rises before the Most High.

⁹ The sacrifice of the righteous is acceptable,

and it will never be forgotten.

¹⁰ Be generous when you worship the Lord,

and do not stint the first fruits of your hands.

¹¹ With every gift show a cheerful face,

and dedicate your tithe with gladness.

¹² Give to the Most High as he has given to you,

and as generously as you can afford.

¹³ For the Lord is the one who repays,

and he will repay you sevenfold.

Divine Justice

¹⁴ Do not offer him a bribe, for he will not accept it;

¹⁵ and do not rely on a dishonest sacrifice;

for the Lord is the judge, and with him there is no partiality.

¹⁶ He will not show partiality to the poor;

but he will listen to the prayer of one who is wronged.

¹⁷ He will not ignore the supplication of the orphan,

or the widow when she pours out her complaint.

¹⁸ Do not the tears of the widow run down her cheek

¹⁹ as she cries out against the one who causes them to fall?

²⁰ One whose service is pleasing to the Lord will be accepted,

and his prayer will reach to the clouds.

²¹ The prayer of the humble pierces the clouds,

and it will not rest until it reaches its goal;

it will not desist until the Most High responds

²² and does justice to the righteous, and executes judgement.

Indeed, the Lord will not delay,

and like a warriora will not be patient

until he crushes the loins of the unmerciful

²³ and repays vengeance on the nations;

until he destroys the multitude of the insolent,

and breaks the sceptres of the unrighteous;

²⁴ until he repays mortals according to their deeds,

and the works of all according to their thoughts;

²⁵ until he judges the case of his people

and makes them rejoice in his mercy.

²⁶ His mercy is as welcome in time of distress

as clouds of rain in time of drought.

A Prayer for God’s People

36

HAVE mercy upon us, O Godb of all,

² and put all the nations in fear of you.

³ Lift up your hand against foreign nations

and let them see your might.

⁴ As you have used us to show your holiness to them,

so use them to show your glory to us.

⁵ Then they will know,c as we have known,

that there is no God but you, O Lord.

⁶ Give new signs, and work other wonders;

⁷ make your hand and right arm glorious.

⁸ Rouse your anger and pour out your wrath;

⁹ destroy the adversary and wipe out the enemy.

¹⁰ Hasten the day, and remember the appointed time,d

and let people recount your mighty deeds.

¹¹ Let survivors be consumed in the fiery wrath,

and may those who harm your people meet destruction.

¹² Crush the heads of hostile rulers

who say, ‘There is no one but ourselves.’

¹³ Gather all the tribes of Jacob, a

¹⁶ and give them their inheritance, as at the beginning.

¹⁷ Have mercy, O Lord, on the people called by your name,

on Israel, whom you have namedb your firstborn,

¹⁸ Have pity on the city of your sanctuary,c

Jerusalem, the place of your dwelling.d

¹⁹ Fill Zion with your majesty,e

and your templef with your glory.

²⁰ Bear witness to those whom you created in the beginning,

and fulfil the prophecies spoken in your name.

²¹ Reward those who wait for you

and let your prophets be found trustworthy.

²² Hear, O Lord, the prayer of your servants, according to your goodwill towardsg your people,

and all who are on the earth will know

that you are the Lord, the God of the ages.

Concerning Discrimination

²³ The stomach will take any food,

yet one food is better than another.

²⁴ As the palate tastes the kinds of game,

so an intelligent mind detects false words.

²⁵ A perverse mind will cause grief,

but a person with experience will pay him back.

²⁶ A woman will accept any man as a husband,

but one girl is preferable to another.

²⁷ A woman’s beauty lights up a man’s face,

and there is nothing he desires more.

²⁸ If kindness and humility mark her speech,

her husband is more fortunate than other men.

²⁹ He who acquires a wife gets his best possession,h

a helper fit for him and a pillar of support.i

³⁰ Where there is no fence, the property will be plundered;

and where there is no wife, a man will become a fugitive and a wanderer.j

³¹ For who will trust a nimble robber

that skips from city to city?

So who will trust a man that has no nest,

but lodges wherever night overtakes him?

False Friends

37

EVERY friend says, ‘I too am a friend’

but some friends are friends only in name.

² Is it not a sorrow like that for death itself

when a dear friend turns into an enemy?

³ O inclination to evil, why were you formed

to cover the land with deceit?

⁴ Some companions rejoice in the happiness of a friend,

but in time of trouble they are against him.

⁵ Some companions help a friend for their stomachs’ sake,

yet in battle they will carry his shield.

⁶ Do not forget a friend during the battle,a

and do not be unmindful of him when you distribute your spoils.b

Caution in Taking Advice

⁷ All counsellors praise the counsel they give,

but some give counsel in their own interest.

⁸ Be wary of a counsellor,

and learn first what is his interest,

for he will take thought for himself.

He may cast the lot against you

⁹ and tell you, ‘Your way is good’,

and then stand aside to see what happens to you.

¹⁰ Do not consult one who regards you with suspicion;

hide your intentions from those who are jealous of you.

¹¹ Do not consult with a woman about her rival

or with a coward about war,

with a merchant about business

or with a buyer about selling,

with a miser about generosityc

or with the merciless about kindness, with an idler about any work or with a seasonal labourer about completing his work,

with a lazy servant about a big task—

pay no attention to any advice they give.

¹² But associate with a godly person

whom you know to be a keeper of the commandments,

who is like-minded with yourself,

and who will grieve with you if you fail.

¹³ And heedd the counsel of your own heart,

for no one is more faithful to you than it is.

¹⁴ For our own mind sometimes keeps us better informed

than seven sentinels sitting high on a watch-tower.

¹⁵ But above all pray to the Most High

that he may direct your way in truth.

True and False Wisdom

¹⁶ Discussion is the beginning of every work,

and counsel precedes every undertaking.

¹⁷ The mind is the root of all conduct;

¹⁸ it sprouts four branches,e

good and evil, life and death;

and it is the tongue that continually rules them.

¹⁹ Some people may be clever enough to teach many,

and yet be useless to themselves.

²⁰ A skilful speaker may be hated;

he will be destitute of all food,

²¹ for the Lord has withheld the gift of charm,

since he is lacking in all wisdom.

²² If a person is wise to his own advantage,

the fruits of his good sense will be praiseworthy.f

²³ A wise person instructs his own people,

and the fruits of his good sense will endure.

²⁴ A wise person will have praise heaped upon him,

and all who see him will call him happy.

²⁵ The days of a person’s life are numbered,

but the days of Israel are without number.

²⁶ One who is wise among his people will inherit honour,g

and his name will live for ever.

Concerning Moderation

²⁷ My child, test yourself while you live;

see what is bad for you and do not give in to it.

²⁸ For not everything is good for everyone,

and no one enjoys everything.

²⁹ Do not be greedy for every delicacy,

and do not eat without restraint;

³⁰ for overeating brings sickness,

and gluttony leads to nausea.

³¹ Many have died of gluttony,

but one who guards against it prolongs his life.

Concerning Physicians and Health

38

HONOUR physicians for their services,

for the Lord created them;

² for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,

and they are rewarded by the king.

³ The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,

and in the presence of the great they are admired.

⁴ The Lord created medicines out of the earth,

and the sensible will not despise them.

⁵ Was not water made sweet with a tree

in order that itsa power might be known?

⁶ And he gave skill to human beings

that heb might be glorified in his marvellous works.

⁷ By them the physicianc heals and takes away pain;

⁸ the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.

God’sd works will never be finished;

and from him healthe spreads over all the earth.

⁹ My child, when you are ill, do not delay,

but pray to the Lord, and he will heal you.

¹⁰ Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,

and cleanse your heart from all sin.

¹¹ Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice, and a memorial portion of choice flour,

and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.f

¹² Then give the physician his place, for the Lord created him;

do not let him leave you, for you need him.

¹³ There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians,g

¹⁴ for they too pray to the Lord

that he will grant them success in diagnosish

and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.

¹⁵ He who sins against his Maker

will be defiant towards the physician.i

On Mourning for the Dead

¹⁶ My child, let your tears fall for the dead,

and as one in great pain begin the lament.

Lay out the body with due ceremony,

and do not neglect the burial.

¹⁷ Let your weeping be bitter and your wailing fervent;

make your mourning worthy of the departed,

for one day, or two, to avoid criticism;

then be comforted for your grief.

¹⁸ For grief may result in death,

and a sorrowful heart saps one’s strength.

¹⁹ When a person is taken away, sorrow is over;

but the life of the poor weighs down the heart.

²⁰ Do not give your heart to grief;

drive it away, and remember your own end.

²¹ Do not forget, there is no coming back;

you do the deada no good, and you injure yourself.

²² Remember hisb fate, for yours is like it;

yesterday it was his,c and today it is yours.

²³ When the dead is at rest, let his remembrance rest too,

and be comforted for him when his spirit has departed.

Trades and Crafts

²⁴ The wisdom of the scribe depends on the opportunity of leisure;

only the one who has little business can become wise.

²⁵ How can one become wise who handles the plough,

and who glories in the shaft of a goad,

who drives oxen and is occupied with their work,

and whose talk is about bulls?

²⁶ He sets his heart on ploughing furrows,

and he is careful about fodder for the heifers.

²⁷ So it is with every artisan and master artisan

who labours by night as well as by day;

those who cut the signets of seals,

each is diligent in making a great variety;

they set their heart on painting a lifelike image,

and they are careful to finish their work.

²⁸ So it is with the smith, sitting by the anvil,

intent on his ironwork;

the breath of the fire melts his flesh,

and he struggles with the heat of the furnace;

the sound of the hammer deafens his ears,d

and his eyes are on the pattern of the object.

He sets his heart on finishing his handiwork,

and he is careful to complete its decoration.

²⁹ So it is with is the potter sitting at his work

and turning the wheel with his feet;

he is always deeply concerned over his products,

and he produces them in quantity.

³⁰ He moulds the clay with his arm

and makes it pliable with his feet;

he sets his heart on finishing the glazing,

and he takes care in firinge the kiln.

³¹ All these rely on their hands,

and all are skilful in their own work.

³² Without them no city can be inhabited,

and wherever they live, they will not go hungry.f

Yet they are not sought out for the council of the people, g

³³ nor do they attain eminence in the public assembly.

They do not sit in the judge’s seat,

nor do they understand the decisions of the courts;

they cannot expound discipline or judgement,

and they are not found among the rulers.h

³⁴ But they maintain the fabric of the world,

and their concern is fori the exercise of their trade.

The Activity of the Scribe

How different the one who devotes himself

to the study of the law of the Most High!

39

HE SEEKS out the wisdom of all the ancients,

and is concerned with prophecies;

² he preserves the sayings of the famous

and penetrates the subtleties of parables;

³ he seeks out the hidden meanings of proverbs

and is at home with the obscurities of parables.

⁴ He serves among the great

and appears before rulers;

he travels in foreign lands

and learns what is good and evil in the human lot.

⁵ He sets his heart on rising early

to seek the Lord who made him,

and to petition the Most High;

he opens his mouth in prayer

and asks pardon for his sins.

⁶ If the great Lord is willing,

he will be filled with the spirit of understanding;

he will pour forth words of wisdom of his own

and give thanks to the Lord in prayer.

⁷ The Lorda will direct his counsel and knowledge,

as he meditates on his mysteries.

⁸ He will show the wisdom of what he has learned,

and will glory in the law of the Lord’s covenant.

⁹ Many will praise his understanding;

it will never be blotted out.

His memory will not disappear,

and his name will live through all generations.

¹⁰ Nations will speak of his wisdom,

and the congregation will proclaim his praise.

¹¹ If he lives long, he will leave a name greater than a thousand,

and if he goes to rest, it is enoughb for him.

A Hymn of Praise to God

¹² I have more on my mind to express;

I am full like the full moon.

¹³ Listen to me, my faithful children, and blossom

like a rose growing by a stream of water.

¹⁴ Send out fragrance like incense,

and put forth blossoms like a lily.

Scatter the fragrance, and sing a hymn of praise;

bless the Lord for all his works.

¹⁵ Ascribe majesty to his name

and give thanks to him with praise,

with songs on your lips, and with harps;

this is what you shall say in thanksgiving:

¹⁶ ‘All the works of the Lord are very good,

and whatever he commands will be done at the appointed time.

¹⁷ No one can say, “What is this?” or “Why is that?”—

for at the appointed time all such questions will be answered.

At his word the waters stood in a heap,

and the reservoirs of water at the word of his mouth.

¹⁸ When he commands, his every purpose is fulfilled,

and none can limit his saving power.

¹⁹ The works of all are before him,

and nothing can be hidden from his eyes.

²⁰ From the beginning to the end of time he can see everything,

and nothing is too marvellous for him.

²¹ No one can say, “What is this?” or “Why is that?”—

for everything has been created for its own purpose.

²² ‘His blessing covers the dry land like a river,

and drenches it like a flood.

²³ But his wrath drives out the nations,

as when he turned a watered land into salt.

²⁴ To the faithful his ways are straight,

but full of pitfalls for the wicked.

²⁵ From the beginning good things were created for the good,

but for sinners good things and bad.a

²⁶ The basic necessities of human life

are water and fire and iron and salt

and wheat flour and milk and honey,

the blood of the grape and oil and clothing.

²⁷ All these are good for the godly,

but for sinners they turn into evils.

²⁸ ‘There are winds created for vengeance,

and in their anger they can dislodge mountains;b

on the day of reckoning they will pour out their strength

and calm the anger of their Maker.

²⁹ Fire and hail and famine and pestilence,

all these have been created for vengeance;

³⁰ the fangs of wild animals and scorpions and vipers,

and the sword that punishes the ungodly with destruction.

³¹ They take delight in doing his bidding,

always ready for his service on earth;

and when their time comes they never disobey his command.’

³² So from the beginning I have been convinced of all this

and have thought it out and left it in writing:

³³ All the works of the Lord are good,

and he will supply every need in its time.

³⁴ No one can say, ‘This is not as good as that’,

for everything proves good in its appointed time.

³⁵ So now sing praise with all your heart and voice,

and bless the name of the Lord.

Human Wretchedness

40

HARD work was created for everyone,

and a heavy yoke is laid on the children of Adam,

from the day they come forth from their mother’s womb

until the day they return toc the mother of all the living.d

² Perplexities and fear of heart are theirs,

and anxious thought of the day of their death.

³ From the one who sits on a splendid throne

to the one who grovels in dust and ashes,

⁴ from the one who wears purple and a crown

to the one who is clothed in sackcloth,

⁵ there is anger and envy and trouble and unrest,

and fear of death, and fury and strife.

And when one rests upon his bed,

his sleep at night confuses his mind.

⁶ He gets little or no rest;

he struggles in his sleep as he did by day.e

He is troubled by the visions of his mind

like one who has escaped from the battlefield.

⁷ At the moment he reaches safety he wakes up,

astonished that his fears were groundless.

⁸ To all creatures, human and animal,

but to sinners seven times more,

⁹ come death and bloodshed and strife and sword,

calamities and famine and ruin and plague.

¹⁰ All these were created for the wicked,

and on their account the flood came.

¹¹ All that is of earth returns to earth,

and what is from above returns above.a

Injustice Will Not Prosper

¹² All bribery and injustice will be blotted out,

but good faith will last for ever.

¹³ The wealth of the unjust will dry up like a river,

and crash like a loud clap of thunder in a storm.

¹⁴ As a generous person has cause to rejoice,

so lawbreakers will utterly fail.

¹⁵ The children of the ungodly put out few branches;

they are unhealthy roots on sheer rock.

¹⁶ The reeds by any water or river bank

are plucked up before any grass;

¹⁷ but kindness is like a garden of blessings,

and almsgiving endures for ever.

The Joys of Life

¹⁸ Wealth and wages make life sweet,b

but better than either is finding a treasure.

¹⁹ Children and the building of a city establish one’s name,

but better than either is one who finds wisdom.

Cattle and orchards make one prosperous;c

but a blameless wife is accounted better than either.

²⁰ Wine and music gladden the heart,

but the love of friendsd is better than either.

²¹ The flute and the harp make sweet melody,

but a pleasant voice is better than either.

²² The eye desires grace and beauty,

but the green shoots of grain more than either.

²³ A friend or companion is always welcome,

but a sensible wifee is better than either.

²⁴ Kindred and helpers are for a time of trouble,

but almsgiving rescues better than either.

²⁵ Gold and silver make one stand firm,

but good counsel is esteemed more than either.

²⁶ Riches and strength build up confidence,

but the fear of the Lord is better than either.

There is no want in the fear of the Lord,

and with it there is no need to seek for help.

²⁷ The fear of the Lord is like a garden of blessing,

and covers a person better than any glory.

The Disgrace of Begging

²⁸ My child, do not lead the life of a beggar;

it is better to die than to beg.

²⁹ When one looks to the table of another,

one’s way of life cannot be considered a life.

One loses self-respect with another person’s food,

but one who is intelligent and well instructed guards against that.

³⁰ In the mouth of the shameless begging is sweet,

but it kindles a fire inside him.

Concerning Death

41

O DEATH, how bitter is the thought of you

to one at peace among possessions,

who has nothing to worry about and is prosperous in everything,

and still is vigorous enough to enjoy food!

² O death, how welcome is your sentence

to one who is needy and failing in strength,

worn down by age and anxious about everything;

to one who is contrary, and has lost all patience!

³ Do not fear death’s decree for you;

remember those who went before you and those who will come after.

⁴ This is the Lord’s decree for all flesh;

why then should you reject the will of the Most High?

Whether life lasts for ten years or a hundred or a thousand,

there are no questions asked in Hades.

The Fate of the Wicked

⁵ The children of sinners are abominable children,

and they frequent the haunts of the ungodly.

⁶ The inheritance of the children of sinners will perish,

and on their offspring will be a perpetual disgrace.

⁷ Children will blame an ungodly father,

for they suffer disgrace because of him.

⁸ Woe to you, the ungodly,

who have forsaken the law of the Most High God!

⁹ If you have children, calamity will be theirs;

you will beget them only for groaning.

When you stumble, there is lasting joy;a

and when you die, a curse is your lot.

¹⁰ Whatever comes from earth returns to earth;

so the ungodly go from curse to destruction.

¹¹ The human body is a fleeting thing,

but a virtuous name will never be blotted out.b

¹² Have regard for your name, since it will outlive you

longer than a thousand hoards of gold.

¹³ The days of a good life are numbered,

but a good name lasts for ever.

¹⁴ My children, be true to your training and be at peace;

hidden wisdom and unseen treasure—

of what value is either?

A Series of Contrasts

¹⁵ Better are those who hide their folly

than those who hide their wisdom.

¹⁶ Therefore show respect for my words;

for it is not good to feel shame in every circumstance,

nor is every kind of abashment to be approved.c

¹⁷ Be ashamed of sexual immorality, before your father or mother;

and of a lie, before a prince or a ruler;

¹⁸ of a crime, before a judge or magistrate;

and of a breach of the law, before the congregation and the people;

of unjust dealing, before your partner or your friend;

¹⁹ and of theft, in the place where you live.

Be ashamed of breaking an oath or agreement,a

and of leaning on your elbow at meals;

of surliness in receiving or giving,

²⁰ and of silence, before those who greet you;

of looking at a prostitute,

²¹ and of rejecting the appeal of a relative;

of taking away someone’s portion or gift,

and of gazing at another man’s wife;

²² of meddling with his servant-girl—

and do not approach her bed;

of abusive words, before friends—

and do not be insulting after making a gift.

42

BE ASHAMED of repeating what you hear,

and of betraying secrets.

Then you will show proper shame,

and will find favour with everyone.

Of the following things do not be ashamed,

and do not sin to save face:

² Do not be ashamed of the law of the Most High and his covenant,

and of rendering judgement to acquit the ungodly;

³ of keeping accounts with a partner or with travelling-companions,

and of dividing the inheritance of friends;

⁴ of accuracy with scales and weights,

and of acquiring much or little;

⁵ of profit from dealing with merchants,

and of frequent disciplining of children,

and of drawing blood from the back of a wicked slave.

⁶ Where there is an untrustworthy wife, a seal is a good thing;

and where there are many hands, lock things up.

⁷ When you make a deposit, be sure it is counted and weighed,

and when you give or receive, put it all in writing.

⁸ Do not be ashamed to correct the stupid or foolish

or the aged who are guilty of sexual immorality.

Then you will show your sound training,

and will be approved by all.

Daughters and Fathers

⁹ A daughter is a secret anxiety to her father,

and worry over her robs him of sleep:

when she is young, for fear she may not marry,

or if married, for fear she may be disliked;

¹⁰ while a virgin, for fear she may be seduced

and become pregnant in her father’s house;

or having a husband, for fear she may go astray,

or, though married, for fear she may be barren.

¹¹ Keep strict watch over a headstrong daughter,

or she may make you a laughing-stock to your enemies,

a byword in the city and the assembly ofb the people,

and put you to shame in public gatherings.c

See that there is no lattice in her room,

no spot that overlooks the approaches to the house.d

¹² Do not let her parade her beauty before any man,

or spend her time among married women;a

¹³ for from garments comes the moth,

and from a woman comes woman’s wickedness.

¹⁴ Better is the wickedness of a man than a woman who does good;

it is woman who brings shame and disgrace.

The Works of God in Nature

¹⁵ I will now call to mind the works of the Lord,

and will declare what I have seen.

By the word of the Lord his works are made;

and all his creatures do his will.b

¹⁶ The sun looks down on everything with its light,

and the work of the Lord is full of his glory.

¹⁷ The Lord has not empowered even his holy ones

to recount all his marvellous works,

which the Lord the Almighty has established

so that the universe may stand firm in his glory.

¹⁸ He searches out the abyss and the human heart;

he understands their innermost secrets.

For the Most High knows all that may be known;

he sees from of old the things that are to come.c

¹⁹ He discloses what has been and what is to be,

and he reveals the traces of hidden things.

²⁰ No thought escapes him,

and nothing is hidden from him.

²¹ He has set in order the splendours of his wisdom;

he is from all eternity one and the same.

Nothing can be added or taken away,

and he needs no one to be his counsellor.

²² How desirable are all his works,

and how sparkling they are to see!d

²³ All these things live and remain for ever;

each creature is preserved to meet a particular need.e

²⁴ All things come in pairs, one opposite to the other,

and he has made nothing incomplete.

²⁵ Each supplements the virtues of the other.

Who could ever tire of seeing his glory?

The Splendour of the Sun

43

THE pride of the higher realms is the clear vault of the sky,

as glorious to behold as the sight of the heavens.

² The sun, when it appears, proclaims as it rises

what a marvellous instrument it is, the work of the Most High.

³ At noon it parches the land,

and who can withstand its burning heat?

⁴ A man tendingf a furnace works in burning heat,

but three times as hot is the sun scorching the mountains;

it breathes out fiery vapours,

and its bright rays blind the eyes.

⁵ Great is the Lord who made it;

at his orders it hurries on its course.

The Splendour of the Moon

⁶ It is the moon that marks the changing seasons,a

governing the times, their everlasting sign.

⁷ From the moon comes the sign for festal days,

a light that wanes when it completes its course.

⁸ The new moon, as its name suggests, renews itself;a

how marvellous it is in this change,

a beacon to the hosts on high,

shining in the vault of the heavens!

The Glory of the Stars and the Rainbow

⁹ The glory of the stars is the beauty of heaven,

a glittering array in the heights of the Lord.

¹⁰ On the orders of the Holy One they stand in their appointed places;

they never relax in their watches.

¹¹ Look at the rainbow, and praise him who made it;

it is exceedingly beautiful in its brightness.

¹² It encircles the sky with its glorious arc;

the hands of the Most High have stretched it out.

The Marvels of Nature

¹³ By his command he sends the driving snow

and speeds the lightnings of his judgement.

¹⁴ Therefore the storehouses are opened,

and the clouds fly out like birds.

¹⁵ In his majesty he gives the clouds their strength,

and the hailstones are broken in pieces.

17a The voice of his thunder rebukes the earth;

¹⁶ when he appears, the mountains shake.

At his will the south wind blows;

17b so do the storm from the north and the whirlwind.

He scatters the snow like birds flying down,

and its descent is like locusts alighting.

¹⁸ The eye is dazzled by the beauty of its whiteness,

and the mind is amazed as it falls.

¹⁹ He pours frost over the earth like salt,

and icicles form like pointed thorns.

²⁰ The cold north wind blows,

and ice freezes on the water;

it settles on every pool of water,

and the water puts it on like a breastplate.

²¹ He consumes the mountains and burns up the wilderness,

and withers the tender grass like fire.

²² A mist quickly heals all things;

the falling dew gives refreshment from the heat.

²³ By his plan he stilled the deep

and planted islands in it.

²⁴ Those who sail the sea tell of its dangers,

and we marvel at what we hear.

²⁵ In it are strange and marvellous creatures,

all kinds of living things, and huge sea-monsters.

²⁶ Because of him each of his messengers succeeds,

and by his word all things hold together.

²⁷ We could say more but could never say enough;

let the final word be: ‘He is the all.’

²⁸ Where can we find the strength to praise him?

For he is greater than all his works.

²⁹ Awesome is the Lord and very great,

and marvellous is his power.

³⁰ Glorify the Lord and exalt him as much as you can,

for he surpasses even that.

When you exalt him, summon all your strength,

and do not grow weary, for you cannot praise him enough.

³¹ Who has seen him and can describe him?

Or who can extol him as he is?

³² Many things greater than these lie hidden,

for Ia have seen but few of his works.

³³ For the Lord has made all things,

and to the godly he has given wisdom.

HYMN IN HONOUR OF OUR ANCESTORSb

44

LET us now sing the praises of famous men,

our ancestors in their generations.

² The Lord apportioned to themc great glory,

his majesty from the beginning.

³ There were those who ruled in their kingdoms,

and made a name for themselves by their valour;

those who gave counsel because they were intelligent;

those who spoke in prophetic oracles;

⁴ those who led the people by their counsels

and by their knowledge of the people’s lore;

they were wise in their words of instruction;

⁵ those who composed musical tunes,

or put verses in writing;

⁶ rich men endowed with resources,

living peacefully in their homes—

⁷ all these were honoured in their generations,

and were the pride of their times.

⁸ Some of them have left behind a name,

so that others declare their praise.

⁹ But of others there is no memory;

they have perished as though they had never existed;

they have become as though they had never been born,

they and their children after them.

¹⁰ But these also were godly men,

whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten;

¹¹ their wealth will remain with their descendants,

and their inheritance with their children’s children.d

¹² Their descendants stand by the covenants;

their children also, for their sake.

¹³ Their offspring will continue for ever,

and their glory will never be blotted out.

¹⁴ Their bodies are buried in peace,

but their name lives on generation after generation.

¹⁵ The assembly declarese their wisdom,

and the congregation proclaims their praise.

Enoch

¹⁶ Enoch pleased the Lord and was taken up,

an example of repentance to all generations.

Noah

¹⁷ Noah was found perfect and righteous;

in the time of wrath he kept the race alive;f

therefore a remnant was left on the earth

when the flood came.

¹⁸ Everlasting covenants were made with him

that all flesh should never again be blotted out by a flood.

Abraham

¹⁹ Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations,

and no one has been found like him in glory.

²⁰ He kept the law of the Most High,

and entered into a covenant with him;

he certified the covenant in his flesh,

and when he was tested he proved faithful.

²¹ Therefore the Lorda assured him with an oath

that the nations would be blessed through his offspring;

that he would make him as numerous as the dust of the earth,

and exalt his offspring like the stars,

and give them an inheritance from sea to sea

and from the Euphratesb to the ends of the earth.

Isaac and Jacob

²² To Isaac also he gave the same assurance

for the sake of his father Abraham.

The blessing of all people and the covenant

²³ he made to rest on the head of Jacob;

he acknowledged him with his blessings,

and gave him his inheritance;

he divided his portions,

and distributed them among twelve tribes.

Moses

From his descendants the Lorda brought forth a godly man,

who found favour in the sight of all

45

¹ and was beloved by God and people,

Moses, whose memory is blessed.

² He made him equal in glory to the holy ones,

and made him great, to the terror of his enemies.

³ By his words he performed swift miracles;c

the Lorda glorified him in the presence of kings.

He gave him commandments for his people,

and revealed to him his glory.

⁴ For his faithfulness and meekness he consecrated him,

choosing him out of all humankind.

⁵ He allowed him to hear his voice,

and led him into the dark cloud,

and gave him the commandments face to face,

the law of life and knowledge,

so that he might teach Jacob the covenant,

and Israel his decrees.

Aaron

⁶ He exalted Aaron, a holy man like Mosesd

who was his brother, of the tribe of Levi.

⁷ He made an everlasting covenant with him,

and gave him the priesthood of the people.

He blessed him with stateliness,

and put a glorious robe on him.

⁸ He clothed him in perfect splendour,

and strengthened him with the symbols of authority,

the linen undergarments, the long robe, and the ephod.

⁹ And he encircled him with pomegranates,

with many golden bells all round,

to send forth a sound as he walked,

to make their ringing heard in the temple

as a reminder to his people;

¹⁰ with the sacred vestment, of gold and violet

and purple, the work of an embroiderer;

with the oracle of judgement, Urim and Thummim;

¹¹ with twisted crimson, the work of an artisan;

with precious stones engraved like seals,

in a setting of gold, the work of a jeweller,

to commemorate in engraved letters

each of the tribes of Israel;

¹² with a gold crown upon his turban,

inscribed like a seal with ‘Holiness’,

a distinction to be prized, the work of an expert,

a delight to the eyes, richly adorned.

¹³ Before him such beautiful things did not exist.

No outsider ever put them on,

but only his sons

and his descendants in perpetuity.

¹⁴ His sacrifices shall be wholly burned

twice every day continually.

¹⁵ Moses ordained him,

and anointed him with holy oil;

it was an everlasting covenant for him

and for his descendants as long as the heavens endure,

to minister to the Lorda and serve as priest

and bless his people in his name.

¹⁶ He chose him out of all the living

to offer sacrifice to the Lord,

incense and a pleasing odour as a memorial portion,

to make atonement for theb people.

¹⁷ In his commandments he gave him

authority and statutes andc judgements,

to teach Jacob the testimonies,

and to enlighten Israel with his law.

¹⁸ Outsiders conspired against him,

and envied him in the wilderness,

Dathan and Abiram and their followers

and the company of Korah, in wrath and anger.

¹⁹ The Lord saw it and was not pleased,

and in the heat of his anger they were destroyed;

he performed wonders against them

to consume them in flaming fire.

²⁰ He added glory to Aaron

and gave him a heritage;

he allotted to him the best of the first fruits,

and prepared bread of first fruits in abundance;

²¹ for they eat the sacrifices of the Lord,

which he gave to him and his descendants.

²² But in the land of the people he has no inheritance,

and he has no portion among the people;

for the Lordd himself is hise portion and inheritance.

Phinehas

²³ Phinehas son of Eleazar ranks third in glory

for being zealous in the fear of the Lord,

and standing firm, when the people turned away,

in the noble courage of his soul;

and he made atonement for Israel.

²⁴ Therefore a covenant of friendship was established with him,

that he should be leader of the sanctuary and of his people,

that he and his descendants should have

the dignity of the priesthood for ever.

²⁵ Just as a covenant was established with David

son of Jesse of the tribe of Judah,

that the king’s heritage passes only from son to son,

so the heritage of Aaron is for his descendants alone.

²⁶ And now bless the Lord

who has crowned you with glory.f

May the Lordd grant you wisdom of mind

to judge his people with justice,

so that their prosperity may not vanish,

and that their glory may endure through all their generations.

Joshua and Caleb

46

JOSHUA son of Nun was mighty in war,

and was the successor of Moses in the prophetic office.

He became, as his name implies, a great saviour of God’sa elect,

to take vengeance on the enemies that rose against them, so that he might give Israel its inheritance.

² How glorious he was when he lifted his hands

and brandished his sword against the cities!

³ Who before him ever stood so firm?

For he waged the wars of the Lord.

⁴ Was it not through him that the sun stood still

and one day became as long as two?

⁵ He called upon the Most High, the Mighty One,

when enemies pressed him on every side,

and the great Lord answered him

with hailstones of mighty power.

⁶ He overwhelmed that nation in battle,

and on the slope he destroyed his opponents,

so that the nations might know his armament,

that he was fighting in the sight of the Lord;

for he was a devoted follower of the Mighty One.

⁷ And in the days of Moses he proved his loyalty,

he and Caleb son of Jephunneh:

they opposed the congregation,b

restrained the people from sin,

and stilled their wicked grumbling.

⁸ And these two alone were spared

out of six hundred thousand infantry,

to lead the peoplec into their inheritance,

the land flowing with milk and honey.

⁹ The Lord gave Caleb strength,

which remained with him in his old age,

so that he went up to the hill country,

and his children obtained it for an inheritance,

¹⁰ so that all the Israelites might see

how good it is to follow the Lord.

The Judges

¹¹ The judges also, with their respective names,

whose hearts did not fall into idolatry

and who did not turn away from the Lord—

may their memory be blessed!

¹² May their bones send forth new life from where they lie,

and may the names of those who have been honoured

live again in their children!

¹³ Samuel was beloved by his Lord;

a prophet of the Lord, he established the kingdom

and anointed rulers over his people.

¹⁴ By the law of the Lord he judged the congregation,

and the Lord watched over Jacob.

¹⁵ By his faithfulness he was proved to be a prophet,

and by his words he became known as a trustworthy seer.

¹⁶ He called upon the Lord, the Mighty One,

when his enemies pressed him on every side,

and he offered in sacrifice a sucking-lamb.

¹⁷ Then the Lord thundered from heaven,

and made his voice heard with a mighty sound;

¹⁸ he subdued the leaders of the enemya

and all the rulers of the Philistines.

¹⁹ Before the time of his eternal sleep,

Samuelb bore witness before the Lord and his anointed:

‘No property, not so much as a pair of shoes,

have I taken from anyone!’

And no one accused him.

²⁰ Even after he had fallen asleep, he prophesied

and made known to the king his death,

and lifted up his voice from the ground

in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.

Nathan

47

AFTER him Nathan rose up

to prophesy in the days of David.

David

² As the fat is set apart from the offering of well-being,

so David was set apart from the Israelites.

³ He played with lions as though they were young goats,

and with bears as though they were lambs of the flock.

⁴ In his youth did he not kill a giant,

and take away the people’s disgrace,

when he whirled the stone in the sling

and struck down the boasting Goliath?

⁵ For he called on the Lord, the Most High,

and he gave strength to his right arm

to strike down a mighty warrior,

and to exalt the powerc of his people.

⁶ So they glorified him for the tens of thousands he conquered,

and praised him for the blessings bestowed by the Lord,

when the glorious diadem was given to him.

⁷ For he wiped out his enemies on every side,

and annihilated his adversaries the Philistines;

he crushed their powerc to our own day.

⁸ In all that he did he gave thanks

to the Holy One, the Most High, proclaiming his glory;

he sang praise with all his heart,

and he loved his Maker.

⁹ He placed singers before the altar,

to make sweet melody with their voices.d

¹⁰ He gave beauty to the festivals,

and arranged their times throughout the year,e

while they praised God’s f holy name,

and the sanctuary resounded from early morning.

¹¹ The Lord took away his sins,

and exalted his powerc for ever;

he gave him a covenant of kingship

and a glorious throne in Israel.

Solomon

¹² After him a wise son rose up

who because of him lived in security:g

¹³ Solomon reigned in an age of peace,

because God made all his borders tranquil,

so that he might build a house in his name

and provide a sanctuary to stand for ever.

¹⁴ How wise you were when you were young!

You overflowed like the Nileh with understanding.

¹⁵ Your influence spread throughout the earth,

and you filled it with proverbs having deep meaning.

¹⁶ Your fame reached to far-off islands,

and you were loved for your peaceful reign.

¹⁷ Your songs, proverbs, and parables,

and the answers you gave astounded the nations.

¹⁸ In the name of the Lord God,

who is called the God of Israel,

you gathered gold like tin

and amassed silver like lead.

¹⁹ But you brought in women to lie at your side,

and through your body you were brought into subjection.

²⁰ You stained your honour

and defiled your family line,

so that you brought wrath upon your children,

and they were grieveda at your folly,

²¹ because the sovereignty was divided

and a rebel kingdom arose out of Ephraim.

²² But the Lord will never give up his mercy,

or cause any of his works to perish;

he will never blot out the descendants of his chosen one,

or destroy the family line of him who loved him.

So he gave a remnant to Jacob,

and to David a root from his own family.

Rehoboam and Jeroboam

²³ Solomon rested with his ancestors,

and left behind him one of his sons,

broad inb folly and lacking in sense,

Rehoboam, whose policy drove the people to revolt.

Then Jeroboam son of Nebat led Israel into sin

and started Ephraim on its sinful ways.

²⁴ Their sins increased more and more,

until they were exiled from their land.

²⁵ For they sought out every kind of wickedness,

until vengeance came upon them.

Elijah

48

THEN Elijah arose, a prophet like fire,

and his word burned like a torch.

² He brought a famine upon them,

and by his zeal he made them few in number.

³ By the word of the Lord he shut up the heavens,

and also three times brought down fire.

⁴ How glorious you were, Elijah, in your wondrous deeds!

Whose glory is equal to yours?

⁵ You raised a corpse from death

and from Hades, by the word of the Most High.

⁶ You sent kings down to destruction,

and famous men, from their sickbeds.

⁷ You heard rebuke at Sinai

and judgements of vengeance at Horeb.

⁸ You anointed kings to inflict retribution,

and prophets to succeed you.c

⁹ You were taken up by a whirlwind of fire,

in a chariot with horses of fire.

¹⁰ At the appointed time, it is written, you are destinedd

to calm the wrath of God before it breaks out in fury,

to turn the hearts of parents to their children,

and to restore the tribes of Jacob.

¹¹ Happy are those who saw you

and were adornede with your love!

For we also shall surely live.f

Elisha

¹² When Elijah was enveloped in the whirlwind,

Elisha was filled with his spirit.

He performed twice as many signs,

and marvels with every utterance of his mouth.a

Never in his lifetime did he tremble before any ruler,

nor could anyone intimidate him at all.

¹³ Nothing was too hard for him,

and when he was dead, his body prophesied.

¹⁴ In his life he did wonders,

and in death his deeds were marvellous.

¹⁵ Despite all this the people did not repent,

nor did they forsake their sins,

until they were carried off as plunder from their land,

and were scattered over all the earth.

The people were left very few in number,

but with a ruler from the house of David.

¹⁶ Some of them did what was right,

but others sinned more and more.

Hezekiah

¹⁷ Hezekiah fortified his city,

and brought water into its midst;

he tunnelled the rock with iron tools,

and built cisterns for the water.

¹⁸ In his days Sennacherib invaded the country;

he sent his commanderb and departed;

he shook his fist against Zion,

and made great boasts in his arrogance.

¹⁹ Then their hearts were shaken and their hands trembled,

and they were in anguish, like women in labour.

²⁰ But they called upon the Lord who is merciful,

spreading out their hands towards him.

The Holy One quickly heard them from heaven,

and delivered them through Isaiah.

²¹ The Lordc struck down the camp of the Assyrians,

and his angel wiped them out.

²² For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord,

and he kept firmly to the ways of his ancestor David,

as he was commanded by the prophet Isaiah,

who was great and trustworthy in his visions.

Isaiah

²³ In Isaiah’sd days the sun went backwards,

and he prolonged the life of the king.

²⁴ By his dauntless spirit he saw the future,

and comforted the mourners in Zion.

²⁵ He revealed what was to occur to the end of time,

and the hidden things before they happened.

Josiah and Other Worthies

49

THE namee of Josiah is like blended incense

prepared by the skill of the perfumer;

his memoryf is as sweet as honey to every mouth,

and like music at a banquet of wine.

² He did what was right by reforming the people,

and removing the wicked abominations.

³ He kept his heart fixed on the Lord;

in lawless times he made godliness prevail.

⁴ Except for David and Hezekiah and Josiah,

all of them were great sinners,

for they abandoned the law of the Most High;

the kings of Judah came to an end.

⁵ Theya gave their power to others,

and their glory to a foreign nation,

⁶ who set fire to the chosen city of the sanctuary,

and made its streets desolate,

as Jeremiah had foretold.b

⁷ For they had maltreated him,

who even in the womb had been consecrated a prophet,

to pluck up and ruin and destroy,

and likewise to build and to plant.

⁸ It was Ezekiel who saw the vision of glory,

which Godc showed him above the chariot of the cherubim.

⁹ For Godd also mentioned Job

who held fast to all the ways of justice.e

¹⁰ May the bones of the Twelve Prophets

send forth new life from where they lie,

for they comforted the people of Jacob

and delivered them with confident hope.

¹¹ How shall we magnify Zerubbabel?

He was like a signet ring on the right hand,

¹² and so was Jeshua son of Jozadak;

in their days they built the house

and raised a templef holy to the Lord,

destined for everlasting glory.

¹³ The memory of Nehemiah also is lasting;

he raised our fallen walls,

and set up gates and bars,

and rebuilt our ruined houses.

Retrospect

¹⁴ Few haveg ever been created on earth like Enoch,

for he was taken up from the earth.

¹⁵ Nor was anyone ever born like Joseph;h

even his bones were cared for.

¹⁶ Shem and Seth and Enosh were honoured,i

but above every other created living being was Adam.

Simon Son of Onias

50

THE leader of his brothers and the pride of his people j

was the high priest, Simon son of Onias,

who in his life repaired the house,

and in his time fortified the temple.

² He laid the foundations for the high double walls,

the high retaining walls for the temple enclosure.

³ In his days a water cistern was dug,k

a reservoir like the sea in circumference.

⁴ He considered how to save his people from ruin,

and fortified the city against siege.

⁵ How glorious he was, surrounded by the people,

as he came out of the house of the curtain.

⁶ Like the morning star among the clouds,

like the full moon at the festal season;k

⁷ like the sun shining on the temple of the Most High,

like the rainbow gleaming in splendid clouds;

⁸ like roses in the days of first fruits,

like lilies by a spring of water,

like a green shoot on Lebanon on a summer day;

⁹ like fire and incense in the censer,

like a vessel of hammered gold

studded with all kinds of precious stones;

¹⁰ like an olive tree laden with fruit,

and like a cypress towering in the clouds.

¹¹ When he put on his glorious robe

and clothed himself in perfect splendour,

when he went up to the holy altar,

he made the court of the sanctuary glorious.

¹² When he received the portions from the hands of the priests,

as he stood by the hearth of the altar

with a garland of brothers around him,

he was like a young cedar on Lebanon

surrounded by the trunks of palm trees.

¹³ All the sons of Aaron in their splendour

held the Lord’s offering in their hands

before the whole congregation of Israel.

¹⁴ Finishing the service at the altars,a

and arranging the offering to the Most High, the Almighty,

¹⁵ he held out his hand for the cup

and poured a drink-offering of the blood of the grape;

he poured it out at the foot of the altar,

a pleasing odour to the Most High, the king of all.

¹⁶ Then the sons of Aaron shouted;

they blew their trumpets of hammered metal;

they sounded a mighty fanfare

as a reminder before the Most High.

¹⁷ Then all the people together quickly

fell to the ground on their faces

to worship their Lord,

the Almighty, God Most High.

¹⁸ Then the singers praised him with their voices

in sweet and full-toned melody.b

¹⁹ And the people of the Lord Most High offered

their prayers before the Merciful One,

until the order of worship of the Lord was ended,

and they completed his ritual.

²⁰ Then Simonc came down and raised his hands

over the whole congregation of Israelites,

to pronounce the blessing of the Lord with his lips,

and to glory in his name;

²¹ and they bowed down in worship a second time,

to receive the blessing from the Most High.

A Benediction

²² And now bless the God of all,

who everywhere works great wonders,

who fosters our growth from birth,

and deals with us according to his mercy.

²³ May he give usd gladness of heart,

and may there be peace in oure days

in Israel, as in the days of old.

²⁴ May he entrust to us his mercy,

and may he deliver us in ourf days!

Epilogue

²⁵ Two nations my soul detests,

and the third is not even a people:

²⁶ Those who live in Seir,a and the Philistines,

and the foolish people that live in Shechem.

²⁷ Instruction in understanding and knowledge

I have written in this book,

Jesus son of Eleazar son of Sirachb of Jerusalem,

whose mind poured forth wisdom.

²⁸ Happy are those who concern themselves with these things,

and those who lay them to heart will become wise.

²⁹ For if they put them into practice, they will be equal to anything,

for the fearc of the Lord is their path.

PRAYER OF JESUS SON OF SIRACHd

51

I GIVE you thanks, O Lord and King,

and praise you, O God my Saviour.

I give thanks to your name,

² for you have been my protector and helper

and have delivered me from destruction

and from the trap laid by a slanderous tongue,

from lips that fabricate lies.

In the face of my adversaries

you have been my helper ³and delivered me,

in the greatness of your mercy and of your name,

from grinding teeth about to devour me,

from the hand of those seeking my life,

from the many troubles I endured,

⁴ from choking fire on every side,

and from the midst of fire that I had not kindled,

⁵ from the deep belly of Hades,

from an unclean tongue and lying words—

⁶ the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king.

My soul drew near to death,

and my life was on the brink of Hades below.

⁷ They surrounded me on every side,

and there was no one to help me;

I looked for human assistance,

and there was none.

⁸ Then I remembered your mercy, O Lord,

and your kindnesse from of old,

for you rescue those who wait for you

and save them from the hand of their enemies.

⁹ And I sent up my prayer from the earth,

and begged for rescue from death.

¹⁰ I cried out, ‘Lord, you are my Father;f

do not forsake me in the days of trouble,

when there is no help against the proud.

¹¹ I will praise your name continually,

and will sing hymns of thanksgiving.’

My prayer was heard,

¹² for you saved me from destruction

and rescued me in time of trouble.

For this reason I thank you and praise you,

and I bless the name of the Lord.

Hebrew adds:

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the God of praises,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the guardian of Israel,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who formed all things,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the redeemer of Israel,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who gathers the dispersed of Israel,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who rebuilt his city and his sanctuary,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who makes a horn to sprout for the house of David,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who has chosen the sons of Zadok to be priests,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the shield of Abraham,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the rock of Isaac,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the mighty one of Jacob,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to him who has chosen Zion,

for his mercy endures for ever;

Give thanks to the King of the kings of kings,

for his mercy endures for ever;

He has raised up a horn for his people,

praise for all his loyal ones.

For the children of Israel, the people close to him.

Praise the LORD!

Autobiographical Poem on Wisdom

¹³ While I was still young, before I went on my travels,

I sought wisdom openly in my prayer.

¹⁴ Before the temple I asked for her,

and I will search for her until the end.

¹⁵ From the first blossom to the ripening grape

my heart delighted in her;

my foot walked on the straight path;

from my youth I followed her steps.

¹⁶ I inclined my ear a little and received her,

and I found for myself much instruction.

¹⁷ I made progress in her;

to him who gives wisdom I will give glory.

¹⁸ For I resolved to live according to wisdom,a

and I was zealous for the good,

and I shall never be disappointed.

¹⁹ My soul grappled with wisdom,a

and in my conduct I was strict;b

I spread out my hands to the heavens,

and lamented my ignorance of her.

²⁰ I directed my soul to her,

and in purity I found her.

With her I gained understanding from the first;

therefore I will never be forsaken.

²¹ My heart was stirred to seek her;

therefore I have gained a prize possession.

²² The Lord gave me my tongue as a reward,

and I will praise him with it.

²³ Draw near to me, you who are uneducated,

and lodge in the house of instruction.

²⁴ Why do you say you are lacking in these things,a

and why do you endure such great thirst?

²⁵ I opened my mouth and said,

Acquire wisdomb for yourselves without money.

²⁶ Put your neck under herc yoke,

and let your souls receive instruction;

it is to be found close by.

²⁷ See with your own eyes that I have laboured but little

and found for myself much serenity.

²⁸ Hear but a little of my instruction,

and through me you will acquire silver and gold.d

²⁹ May your soul rejoice in God’se mercy,

and may you never be ashamed to praise him.

³⁰ Do your work in good time,

and in his own time Godf will give you your reward.

ISAIAH

THE vision of Isaiah son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.

The Wickedness of Judah

² Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth;

for the LORD has spoken:

I reared children and brought them up,

but they have rebelled against me.

³ The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master’s crib;

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.

⁴ Ah, sinful nation,

people laden with iniquity,

offspring who do evil,

children who deal corruptly,

who have forsaken the LORD,

who have despised the Holy One of Israel,

who are utterly estranged!

⁵ Why do you seek further beatings?

Why do you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

and the whole heart faint.

⁶ From the sole of the foot even to the head,

there is no soundness in it,

but bruises and sores

and bleeding wounds;

they have not been drained, or bound up,

or softened with oil.

⁷ Your country lies desolate,

your cities are burned with fire;

in your very presence

aliens devour your land;

it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

⁸ And daughter Zion is left

like a booth in a vineyard,

like a shelter in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.

⁹ If the LORD of hosts

had not left us a few survivors,

we would have been like Sodom,

and become like Gomorrah.

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD,

you rulers of Sodom!

Listen to the teaching of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!

¹¹ What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the LORD;

I have had enough of burnt-offerings of rams

and the fat of fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.

¹² When you come to appear before me,a

who asked this from your hand?

Trample my courts no more;

¹³ bringing offerings is futile;

incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation—

I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.

¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed festivals

my soul hates;

they have become a burden to me,

I am weary of bearing them.

¹⁵ When you stretch out your hands,

I will hide my eyes from you;

even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

¹⁶ Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your doings

from before my eyes;

cease to do evil,

¹⁷ learn to do good;

seek justice,

rescue the oppressed,

defend the orphan,

plead for the widow.

¹⁸ Come now, let us argue it out,

says the LORD:

though your sins are like scarlet,

they shall be like snow;

though they are red like crimson,

they shall become like wool.

¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,

you shall eat the good of the land;

²⁰ but if you refuse and rebel,

you shall be devoured by the sword;

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

The Degenerate City

²¹ How the faithful city

has become a whore!

She that was full of justice,

righteousness lodged in her—

but now murderers!

²² Your silver has become dross,

your wine is mixed with water.

²³ Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not defend the orphan,

and the widow’s cause does not come before them.

²⁴ Therefore says the Sovereign, the LORD of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:

Ah, I will pour out my wrath on my enemies,

and avenge myself on my foes!

²⁵ I will turn my hand against you;

I will smelt away your dross as with lye

and remove all your alloy.

²⁶ And I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counsellors as at the beginning.

Afterwards you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city.

²⁷ Zion shall be redeemed by justice,

and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

²⁸ But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,

and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.

²⁹ For you shall be ashamed of the oaks

in which you delighted;

and you shall blush for the gardens

that you have chosen.

³⁰ For you shall be like an oak

whose leaf withers,

and like a garden without water.

³¹ The strong shall become like tinder,

and their workb like a spark;

they and their work shall burn together,

with no one to quench them.

The Future House of God

2

THE word that Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem.

² In days to come

the mountain of the LORD’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised above the hills; all the nations shall stream to it.

³ Many peoples shall come and say,

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

⁴ He shall judge between the nations,

and shall arbitrate for many peoples;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn warany more.

Judgement Pronounced on Arrogance

⁵ O house of Jacob,

come, let us walk

in the light of the LORD!

⁶ For you have forsaken the ways ofa your people,

O house of Jacob.

Indeed they are full of divinersb from the east

and of soothsayers like the Philistines,

and they clasp hands with foreigners.

⁷ Their land is filled with silver and gold,

and there is no end to their treasures;

their land is filled with horses,

and there is no end to their chariots.

⁸ Their land is filled with idols;

they bow down to the work of their hands,

to what their own finger shave made.

⁹ And so people are humbled,

and everyone is brought low—

do not forgive them!

¹⁰ Enter into the rock,

and hide in the dust

from the terror of the LORD,

and from the glory of his majesty.

¹¹ The haughty eyes of people shall be brought low,

and the pride of everyone shall be humbled;

and the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.

¹² For the LORD of hosts has a day

against all that is proud and lofty,

against all that is lifted up and high;c

¹³ against all the cedars of Lebanon,

lofty and lifted up;

and against all the oaks of Bashan;

¹⁴ against all the high mountains,

and against all the lofty hills;

¹⁵ against every high tower,

and against every fortified wall;

¹⁶ against all the ships of Tarshish,

and against all the beautiful craft.d

¹⁷ The haughtiness of people shall be humbled,

and the pride of everyone shall be brought low;

and the LORD alone will be exalted on that day.

¹⁸ The idols shall utterly pass away.

¹⁹ Enter the caves of the rocks

and the holes of the ground,

from the terror of the LORD,

and from the glory of his majesty,

when he rises to terrify the earth.

²⁰ On that day people will throw away

to the moles and to the bats

their idols of silver and their idols of gold,

which they made for themselves to worship,

²¹ to enter the caverns of the rocks

and the clefts in the crags,

from the terror of the LORD,

and from the glory of his majesty,

when he rises to terrify the earth.

²² Turn away from mortals,

who have only breath in their nostrils,

for of what account are they?

3

FOR now the Sovereign, the LORD of hosts,

is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah

support and staff—

all support of bread,

and all support of water—

² warrior and soldier,

judge and prophet,

diviner and elder,

³ captain of fifty

and dignitary,

counsellor and skilful magician

and expert enchanter.

⁴ And I will make boys their princes,

and babes shall rule over them.

⁵ The people will be oppressed,

everyone by another

and everyone by a neighbour;

the youth will be insolent to the elder,

and the base to the honourable.

⁶ Someone will even seize a relative,

a member of the clan, saying,

‘You have a cloak;

you shall be our leader,

and this heap of ruins

shall be under your rule.’

⁷ But the other will cry out on that day, saying,

‘I will not be a healer;

in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

you shall not make me

leader of the people.’

⁸ For Jerusalem has stumbled

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech and their deeds are against the LORD,

defying his glorious presence.

⁹ The look on their faces bears witness against them;

they proclaim their sin like Sodom,

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

For they have brought evil on themselves.

¹⁰ Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,

for they shall eat the fruit of their labours.

¹¹ Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,

for what their hands have done shall be done to them.

¹² My people—children are their oppressors,

and women rule over them.

O my people, your leaders mislead you,

and confuse the course of your paths.

¹³ The LORD rises to argue his case;

he stands to judge the peoples.

¹⁴ The LORD enters into judgement

with the elders and princes of his people:

It is you who have devoured the vineyard;

the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

¹⁵ What do you mean by crushing my people,

by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord GOD of hosts.

¹⁶ The LORD said:

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty

and walk with outstretched necks,

glancing wantonly with their eyes,

mincing along as they go,

tinkling with their feet;

¹⁷ the Lord will afflict with scabs

the heads of the daughters of Zion,

and the LORD will lay bare their secret parts.

¹⁸ On that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; ¹⁹the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarves; ²⁰the head-dresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; ²¹the signet rings and nose-rings; ²²the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; ²³the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

²⁴ Instead of perfume there will be a stench;

and instead of a sash, a rope;

and instead of well-arranged hair, baldness;

and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth;

instead of beauty, shame.a

²⁵ Your men shall fall by the sword

and your warriors in battle.

²⁶ And her gates shall lament and mourn;

ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.

4

SEVEN women shall take hold of one man on that day, saying,

‘We will eat our own bread and wear our own clothes;

just let us be called by your name;

take away our disgrace.’

The Future Glory of the Survivors in Zion

² On that day the branch of the LORD shall be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the land shall be the pride and glory of the survivors of Israel. ³Whoever is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy, everyone who has been recorded for life in Jerusalem, ⁴once the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgement and by a spirit of burning. ⁵Then the LORD will create over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a flaming fire by night. Indeed, over all the glory there will be a canopy. ⁶It will serve as a pavilion, a shade by day from the heat, and a refuge and a shelter from the storm and rain.

The Song of the Unfruitful Vineyard

5

LET me sing for my beloved

my love-song concerning his vineyard:

My beloved had a vineyard

on a very fertile hill.

² He dug it and cleared it of stones,

and planted it with choice vines;

he built a watch-tower in the midst of it,

and hewed out a wine vat in it;

he expected it to yield grapes,

but it yielded wild grapes.

³ And now, inhabitants of Jerusalem

and people of Judah,

judge between me

and my vineyard.

⁴ What more was there to do for my vineyard

that I have not done in it?

When I expected it to yield grapes,

why did it yield wild grapes?

⁵ And now I will tell you

what I will do to my vineyard.

I will remove its hedge,

and it shall be devoured;

I will break down its wall,

and it shall be trampled down.

⁶ I will make it a waste;

it shall not be pruned or hoed,

and it shall be overgrown with briers and thorns;

I will also command the clouds

that they rain no rain upon it.

⁷ For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts

is the house of Israel,

and the people of Judah

are his pleasant planting;

he expected justice,

but saw bloodshed;

righteousness,

but heard a cry!

Social Injustice Denounced

⁸ Ah, you who join house to house,

who add field to field,

until there is room for no one but you,

and you are left to live alone

in the midst of the land!

⁹ The LORD of hosts has sworn in my hearing:

Surely many houses shall be desolate,

large and beautiful houses, without inhabitant.

¹⁰ For ten acres of vineyard shall yield but one bath,

and a homer of seed shall yield a mere ephah.a

¹¹ Ah, you who rise early

in the morning in pursuit of strong drink,

who linger in the evening

to be inflamed by wine,

¹² whose feasts consist of lyre and harp,

tambourine and flute and wine,

but who do not regard the deeds of the LORD,

or see the work of his hands!

¹³ Therefore my people go into exile without knowledge;

their nobles are dying of hunger,

and their multitude is parched with thirst.

¹⁴ Therefore Sheol has enlarged its appetite

and opened its mouth beyond measure;

the nobility of Jerusalemb and her multitude go down,

her throng and all who exult in her.

¹⁵ People are bowed down, everyone is brought low,

and the eyes of the haughty are humbled.

¹⁶ But the LORD of hosts is exalted by justice,

and the Holy God shows himself holy by righteousness.

¹⁷ Then the lambs shall graze as in their pasture,

fatlings and kidsc shall feed among the ruins.

¹⁸ Ah, you who drag iniquity along with cords of falsehood,

who drag sin along as with cart-ropes,

¹⁹ who say, ‘Let him make haste,

let him speed his work

that we may see it;

let the plan of the Holy One of Israel hasten to fulfilment,

that we may know it!’

²⁰ Ah, you who call evil good

and good evil,

who put darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter!

²¹ Ah, you who are wise in your own eyes,

and shrewd in your own sight!

²² Ah, you who are heroes in drinking wine

and valiant at mixing drink,

²³ who acquit the guilty for a bribe,

and deprive the innocent of their rights!

Foreign Invasion Predicted

²⁴ Therefore, as the tongue of fire devours the stubble,

and as dry grass sinks down in the flame,

so their root will become rotten,

and their blossom go up like dust;

for they have rejected the instruction of the LORD of hosts,

and have despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

²⁵ Therefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against his people,

and he stretched out his hand against them and struck them;

the mountains quaked,

and their corpses were like refuse in the streets.

For all this his anger has not turned away,

and his hand is stretched out still.

²⁶ He will raise a signal for a nation far away,

and whistle for a people at the ends of the earth;

Here they come, swiftly, speedily!

²⁷ None of them is weary, none stumbles,

none slumbers or sleeps,

not a loincloth is loose,

not a sandal-thong broken;

²⁸ their arrows are sharp,

all their bows bent,

their horses’ hoofs seem like flint,

and their wheels like the whirlwind.

²⁹ Their roaring is

like a lion, like young lions

they roar; they growl and seize their prey,

they carry it off, and no one can rescue.

³⁰ They will roar over it on that day,

like the roaring of the sea.

And if one looks to the land—

only darkness and distress;

and the light grows dark with clouds.

A Vision of God in the Temple

6

IN THE year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory.’

⁴ The pivotsa on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. ⁵And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’

⁶ Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. ⁷The seraphb touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ ⁸Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’ ⁹And he said, ‘Go and say to this people:

“Keep listening, but do not comprehend;

keep looking, but do not understand.”

¹⁰ Make the mind of this people dull,

and stop their ears,

and shut their eyes,

so that they may not look with their eyes,

and listen with their ears,

and comprehend with their minds,

and turn and be healed.’

¹¹ Then I said, ‘How long, O Lord?’ And he said:

‘Until cities lie waste

without inhabitant,

and houses without people,

and the land is utterly desolate;

¹² until the LORD sends everyone far away,

and vast is the emptiness in the midst of the land.

¹³ Even if a tenth part remains in it,

it will be burned again,

like a terebinth or an oak

whose stump remains standing

when it is felled.’a

The holy seed is its stump.

Isaiah Reassures King Ahaz

7

IN THE days of Ahaz son of Jotham son of Uzziah, king of Judah, King Rezin of Aram and King Pekah son of Remaliah of Israel went up to attack Jerusalem, but could not mount an attack against it. ²When the house of David heard that Aram had allied itself with Ephraim, the heart of Ahazb and the heart of his people shook as the trees of the forest shake before the wind.

³ Then the LORD said to Isaiah, Go out to meet Ahaz, you and your son Shear-jashub,c at the end of the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field, ⁴and say to him, Take heed, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of these two smouldering stumps of firebrands, because of the fierce anger of Rezin and Aram and the son of Remaliah. ⁵Because Aram—with Ephraim and the son of Remaliah—has plotted evil against you, saying, ⁶Let us go up against Judah and cut off Jerusalemd and conquer it for ourselves and make the son of Tabeel king in it; ⁷therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

It shall not stand,

and it shall not come to pass.

⁸ For the head of Aram is Damascus,

and the head of Damascus is Rezin.

(Within sixty-five years Ephraim will be shattered, no longer a people.)

⁹ The head of Ephraim is Samaria,

and the head of Samaria is the son of Remaliah.

If you do not stand firm in faith,

you shall not stand at all.

Isaiah Gives Ahaz the Sign of Immanuel

¹⁰ Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, ¹¹Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. ¹²But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. ¹³Then Isaiahe said: ‘Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? ¹⁴Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young womanf is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.g ¹⁵He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. ¹⁶For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. ¹⁷The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah—the king of Assyria.’

¹⁸ On that day the LORD will whistle for the fly that is at the sources of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria. ¹⁹And they will all come and settle in the steep ravines, and in the clefts of the rocks, and on all the thorn bushes, and on all the pastures.

²⁰ On that day the Lord will shave with a razor hired beyond the River—with the king of Assyria—the head and the hair of the feet, and it will take off the beard as well.

²¹ On that day one will keep alive a young cow and two sheep, ²²and will eat curds because of the abundance of milk that they give; for everyone that is left in the land shall eat curds and honey.

²³ On that day every place where there used to be a thousand vines, worth a thousand shekels of silver, will become briers and thorns. ²⁴With bow and arrows one will go there, for all the land will be briers and thorns; ²⁵and as for all the hills that used to be hoed with a hoe, you will not go there for fear of briers and thorns; but they will become a place where cattle are let loose and where sheep tread.

Isaiah’s Son a Sign of the
Assyrian Invasion

8

THEN the LORD said to me, Take a large tablet and write on it in common characters, ‘Belonging to Maher-shalal-hash-baz’,a ²and have it attestedb for me by reliable witnesses, the priest Uriah and Zechariah son of Jeberechiah. ³And I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the LORD said to me, Name him Maher-shalal-hash-baz; ⁴for before the child knows how to call ‘My father’ or ‘My mother’, the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away by the king of Assyria.

⁵ The LORD spoke to me again: ⁶Because this people has refused the waters of Shiloah that flow gently, and melt in fear beforec Rezin and the son of Remaliah; ⁷therefore, the Lord is bringing up against it the mighty flood waters of the River, the king of Assyria and all his glory; it will rise above all its channels and overflow all its banks; ⁸it will sweep on into Judah as a flood, and, pouring over, it will reach up to the neck; and its outspread wings will fill the breadth of your land, O Immanuel.

⁹ Band together, you peoples, and be dismayed;

listen, all you far countries;

gird yourselves and be dismayed;

gird yourselves and be dismayed!

¹⁰ Take counsel together, but it shall be brought to naught;

speak a word, but it will not stand,

for God is with us.d

¹¹ For the LORD spoke thus to me while his hand was strong upon me, and warned me not to walk in the way of this people, saying: ¹²Do not call conspiracy all that this people calls conspiracy, and do not fear what it fears, or be in dread. ¹³But the LORD of hosts, him you shall regard as holy; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. ¹⁴He will become a sanctuary, a stone one strikes against; for both houses of Israel he will become a rock one stumbles over—a trap and a snare for the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁵And many among them shall stumble; they shall fall and be broken; they shall be snared and taken.

Disciples of Isaiah

¹⁶ Bind up the testimony, seal the teaching among my disciples. ¹⁷I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him. ¹⁸See, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are signs and portents in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. ¹⁹Now if people say to you, ‘Consult the ghosts and the familiar spirits that chirp and mutter; should not a people consult their gods, the dead on behalf of the living, ²⁰for teaching and for instruction?’ surely, those who speak like this will have no dawn! ²¹They will pass through the land,e greatly distressed and hungry; when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will cursef their king and their gods. They will turn their faces upwards, ²²or they will look to the earth, but will see only distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish; and they will be thrust into thick darkness.g

The Righteous Reign of the Coming King

9h

BUT there will be no gloom for those who were in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he will make glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.

² i The people who walked in darkness

have seen a great light;

those who lived in a land of deep darkness—

on them light has shined.

³ You have multiplied the nation,

you have increased its joy;

they rejoice before you

as with joy at the harvest,

as people exult when dividing plunder.

⁴ For the yoke of their burden,

and the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor,

you have broken as on the day of Midian.

⁵ For all the boots of the tramping warriors

and all the garments rolled in blood

shall be burned as fuel for the fire.

⁶ For a child has been born for us,

a son given to us;

authority rests upon his shoulders;

and he is named

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

⁷ His authority shall grow continually,

and there shall be endless peace

for the throne of David and his kingdom.

He will establish and uphold it

with justice and with righteousness

from this time onwards and for evermore.

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

Judgement on Arrogance and Oppression

⁸ The Lord sent a word against Jacob,

and it fell on Israel;

⁹ and all the people knew it—

Ephraim and the inhabitants of Samaria—

but in pride and arrogance of heart they said:

¹⁰ ‘The bricks have fallen,

but we will build with dressed stones;

the sycomores have been cut down,

but we will put cedars in their place.’

¹¹ So the LORD raised adversariesa against them,

and stirred up their enemies,

¹² the Arameans in the east and the Philistines in the west,

and they devoured Israel with open mouth.

For all this, his anger has not turned away;

his hand is stretched out still.

¹³ The people did not turn to him who struck them,

or seek the LORD of hosts.

¹⁴ So the LORD cut off from Israel head and tail,

palm branch and reed in one day—

¹⁵ elders and dignitaries are the head,

and prophets who teach lies are the tail;

¹⁶ for those who led this people led them astray,

and those who were led by them were left in confusion.

¹⁷ That is why the Lord did not have pity onb their young people,

or compassion on their orphans and widows;

for everyone was godless and an evildoer,

and every mouth spoke folly.

For all this, his anger has not turned away;

his hand is stretched out still.

¹⁸ For wickedness burned like a fire,

consuming briers and thorns;

it kindled the thickets of the forest,

and they swirled upwards in a column of smoke.

¹⁹ Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts

the land was burned,

and the people became like fuel for the fire;

no one spared another.

²⁰ They gorged on the right, but still were hungry,

and they devoured on the left, but were not satisfied;

they devoured the flesh of their own kindred;c

²¹ Manasseh devoured Ephraim, and Ephraim Manasseh,

and together they were against Judah.

For all this, his anger has not turned away;

his hand is stretched out still.

10

AH, YOU who make iniquitous decrees, who write oppressive statutes,

² to turn aside the needy from justice

and to rob the poor of my people of their right,

that widows may be your spoil,

and that you may make the orphans your prey!

³ What will you do on the day of punishment,

in the calamity that will come from far away?

To whom will you flee for help,

and where will you leave your wealth,

⁴ so as not to crouch among the prisoners

or fall among the slain?

For all this, his anger has not turned away;

his hand is stretched out still.

Arrogant Assyria Also Judged

⁵ Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger—

the club in their hands is my fury!

⁶ Against a godless nation I send him,

and against the people of my wrath I command him,

to take spoil and seize plunder,

and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

⁷ But this is not what he intends,

nor does he have this in mind;

but it is in his heart to destroy,

and to cut off nations not a few.

⁸ For he says:

‘Are not my commanders all kings?

⁹ Is not Calno like Carchemish?

Is not Hamath like Arpad?

Is not Samaria like Damascus?

¹⁰ As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols

whose images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,

¹¹ shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols

what I have done to Samaria and her images?’

¹² When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, hea will punish the arrogant boasting of the king of Assyria and his haughty pride. ¹³For he says:

‘By the strength of my hand I have done it,

and by my wisdom, for I have understanding;

I have removed the boundaries of peoples,

and have plundered their treasures;

like a bull I have brought down those who sat on thrones.

¹⁴ My hand has found, like a nest,

the wealth of the peoples;

and as one gathers eggs that have been forsaken,

so I have gathered all the earth;

and there was none that moved a wing,

or opened its mouth, or chirped.’

¹⁵ Shall the axe vaunt itself over the one who wields it,

or the saw magnify itself against the one who handles it?

As if a rod should raise the one who lifts it up,

or as if a staff should lift the one who is not wood!

¹⁶ Therefore the Sovereign, the LORD of hosts,

will send wasting sickness among his stout warriors,

and under his glory a burning will be kindled,

like the burning of fire.

¹⁷ The light of Israel will become a fire,

and his Holy One a flame;

and it will burn and devour

his thorns and briers in one day.

¹⁸ The glory of his forest and his fruitful land

the LORD will destroy, both soul and body,

and it will be as when an invalid wastes away.

¹⁹ The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few

that a child can write them down.

The Repentant Remnant of Israel

²⁰ On that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on the one who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. ²¹A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. ²²For though your people Israel were like the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. ²³For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in all the earth.a

²⁴ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: O my people, who live in Zion, do not be afraid of the Assyrians when they beat you with a rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did. ²⁵For in a very little while my indignation will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction. ²⁶The LORD of hosts will wield a whip against them, as when he struck Midian at the rock of Oreb; his staff will be over the sea, and he will lift it as he did in Egypt. ²⁷On that day his burden will be removed from your shoulder, and his yoke will be destroyed from your neck.

He has gone up from Rimmon,b

²⁸ he has come to Aiath;

he has passed through Migron,

at Michmash he stores his baggage;

²⁹ they have crossed over the pass,

at Geba they lodge for the night;

Ramah trembles,

Gibeah of Saul has fled.

³⁰ Cry aloud, O daughter Gallim!

Listen, O Laishah!

Answer her, O Anathoth!

³¹ Madmenah is in flight,

the inhabitants of Gebim flee for safety.

³² This very day he will halt at Nob,

he will shake his fist

at the mount of daughter Zion,

the hill of Jerusalem.

³³ Look, the Sovereign, the LORD of hosts,

will lop the boughs with terrifying power;

the tallest trees will be cut down,

and the lofty will be brought low.

³⁴ He will hack down the thickets of the forest with an axe,

and Lebanon with its majestic treesc will fall.

The Peaceful Kingdom

11

A SHOOT shall come out from the stock of Jesse,

and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

² The spirit of the LORD shall rest on him,

the spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the spirit of counsel and might,

the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.

³ His delight shall be in the fear of the LORD.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,

or decide by what his ears hear;

⁴ but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,

and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,

and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

⁵ Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,

and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

⁶ The wolf shall live with the lamb,

the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,

and a little child shall lead them.

⁷ The cow and the bear shall graze,

their young shall lie down together;

and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.

⁸ The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,

and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.

⁹ They will not hurt or destroy

on all my holy mountain;

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the LORD

as the waters cover the sea.

Return of the Remnant of Israel and Judah

¹⁰ On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

¹¹ On that day the Lord will extend his hand yet a second time to recover the remnant that is left of his people, from Assyria, from Egypt, from Pathros, from Ethiopia,a from Elam, from Shinar, from Hamath, and from the coastlands of the sea.

¹² He will raise a signal for the nations,

and will assemble the outcasts of Israel,

and gather the dispersed of Judah

from the four corners of the earth.

¹³ The jealousy of Ephraim shall depart,

the hostility of Judah shall be cut off;

Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah,

and Judah shall not be hostile towards Ephraim.

¹⁴ But they shall swoop down on the backs of the Philistines in the west;

together they shall plunder the people of the east.

They shall put forth their hand against Edom and Moab,

and the Ammonites shall obey them.

¹⁵ And the LORD will utterly destroy

the tongue of the sea of Egypt;

and will wave his hand over the River

with his scorching wind;

and will split it into seven channels,

and make a way to cross on foot;

¹⁶ so there shall be a highway from Assyria

for the remnant that is left of his people,

as there was for Israel

when they came up from the land of Egypt.

Thanksgiving and Praise

12

YOU will say on that day:

I will give thanks to you, O LORD,

for though you were angry with me,

your anger turned away,

and you comforted me.

² Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust, and will not be afraid,

for the LORD GODb is my strength and my might;

he has become my salvation.

³ With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. ⁴And you will say on that day:

Give thanks to the LORD,

call on his name;

make known his deeds among the nations;

proclaim that his name is exalted.

⁵ Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously;

let this be knowna in all the earth.

⁶ Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royalb Zion,

for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.

Proclamation against Babylon

13

THE oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw.

² On a bare hill raise a signal,

cry aloud to them;

wave the hand for them to enter

the gates of the nobles.

³ I myself have commanded my consecrated ones,

have summoned my warriors, my proudly exulting ones,

to execute my anger.

⁴ Listen, a tumult on the mountains

as of a great multitude!

Listen, an uproar of kingdoms,

of nations gathering together!

The LORD of hosts is mustering

an army for battle.

⁵ They come from a distant land,

from the end of the heavens,

the LORD and the weapons of his indignation,

to destroy the whole earth.

⁶ Wail, for the day of the LORD is near;

it will come like destruction from the Almighty!c

⁷ Therefore all hands will be feeble,

and every human heart will fail,

⁸ and they will be dismayed.

Pangs and agony will seize them;

they will be in anguish like a woman in labour.

They will look aghast at one another;

their faces will be aflame.

⁹ See, the day of the LORD comes,

cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,

to make the earth a desolation,

and to destroy its sinners from it.

¹⁰ For the stars of the heavens and their constellations

will not give their light;

the sun will be dark at its rising,

and the moon will not shed its light.

¹¹ I will punish the world for its evil,

and the wicked for their iniquity;

I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,

and lay low the insolence of tyrants.

¹² I will make mortals more rare than fine gold,

and humans than the gold of Ophir.

¹³ Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

and the earth will be shaken out of its place,

at the wrath of the LORD of hosts

on the day of his fierce anger.

¹⁴ Like a hunted gazelle,

or like sheep with no one to gather them,

all will turn to their own people,

and all will flee to their own lands.

¹⁵ Whoever is found will be thrust through,

and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.

¹⁶ Their infants will be dashed to pieces

before their eyes;

their houses will be plundered,

and their wives ravished.

¹⁷ See, I am stirring up the Medes against them,

who have no regard for silver

and do not delight in gold.

¹⁸ Their bows will slaughter the young men;

they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb;

their eyes will not pity children.

¹⁹ And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,

the splendour and pride of the Chaldeans,

will be like Sodom and Gomorrah

when God overthrew them.

²⁰ It will never be inhabited

or lived in for all generations;

Arabs will not pitch their tents there,

shepherds will not make their flocks lie down there.

²¹ But wild animals will lie down there,

and its houses will be full of howling creatures;

there ostriches will live,

and there goat-demons will dance.

²² Hyenas will cry in its towers,

and jackals in the pleasant palaces;

its time is close at hand,

and its days will not be prolonged.

Restoration of Judah

14

BUT the LORD will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land; and aliens will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. ²And the nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess the nationsa as male and female slaves in the LORD’s land; they will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.

Downfall of the King of Babylon

³ When the LORD has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, ⁴you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

How the oppressor has ceased!

How his insolenceb has ceased!

⁵ The LORD has broken the staff of the wicked,

the sceptre of rulers,

⁶ that struck down the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger

with unrelenting persecution.

⁷ The whole earth is at rest and quiet;

they break forth into singing.

⁸ The cypresses exult over you,

the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

‘Since you were laid low,

no one comes to cut us down.’

⁹ Sheol beneath is stirred up

to meet you when you come;

it rouses the shades to greet you,

all who were leaders of the earth;

it raises from their thrones

all who were kings of the nations.

¹⁰ All of them will speak

and say to you:

‘You too have become as weak as we are!

You have become like us!’

¹¹ Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are the bed beneath you,

and worms are your covering.

¹² How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

¹³ You said in your heart,

‘I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit on the mount of assembly

on the heights of Zaphon;c

¹⁴ I will ascend to the tops of the clouds,

I will make myself like the

Most High.’

¹⁵ But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the Pit.

¹⁶ Those who see you will stare at you,

and ponder over you:

‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

¹⁷ who made the world like a desert

and overthrew its cities,

who would not let his prisoners go home?’

¹⁸ All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

each in his own tomb;

¹⁹ but you are cast out, away from your grave,

like loathsome carrion,d

clothed with the dead, those pierced by the sword,

who go down to the stones of the Pit,

like a corpse trampled underfoot.

²⁰ You will not be joined with them in burial,

because you have destroyed your land,

you have killed your people.

May the descendants of evildoers

nevermore be named!

²¹ Prepare slaughter for his sons

because of the guilt of their father.a

Let them never rise to possess the earth

or cover the face of the world with cities.

²² I will rise up against them, says the LORD of hosts, and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, says the LORD. ²³And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the LORD of hosts.

An Oracle concerning Assyria

²⁴ The LORD of hosts has sworn:

As I have designed,

so shall it be;

and as I have planned,

so shall it come to pass:

²⁵ I will break the Assyrian in my land,

and on my mountains trample him under foot;

his yoke shall be removed from them,

and his burden from their shoulders.

²⁶ This is the plan that is planned

concerning the whole earth;

and this is the hand that is stretched out

over all the nations.

²⁷ For the LORD of hosts has planned,

and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

and who will turn it back?

An Oracle concerning Philistia

²⁸ In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:

²⁹ Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for from the root of the snake will come forth an adder,

and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

³⁰ The firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy lie down in safety;

but I will make your root die of famine,

and your remnant Ib will kill.

³¹ Wail, O gate; cry, O city;

melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!

For smoke comes out of the north,

and there is no straggler in its ranks.

³² What will one answer the messengers of the nation?

‘The LORD has founded Zion,

and the needy among his people

will find refuge in her.’

An Oracle concerning Moab

15

AN ORACLE concerning Moab.

Because Ar is laid waste in a night,

Moab is undone;

because Kir is laid waste in a night,

Moab is undone.

² Dibonc has gone up to the temple,

to the high places to weep;

over Nebo and over Medeba

Moab wails.

On every head is baldness,

every beard is shorn;

³ in the streets they bind on sackcloth;

on the housetops and in the squares

everyone wails and melts in tears.

⁴ Heshbon and Elealeh cry out,

their voices are heard as far as Jahaz;

therefore the loins of Moab quiver;a

his soul trembles.

⁵ My heart cries out for Moab;

his fugitives flee to Zoar,

to Eglath-shelishiyah.

For at the ascent of Luhith

they go up weeping;

on the road to Horonaim

they raise a cry of destruction;

⁶ the waters of Nimrim

are a desolation;

the grass is withered, the new growth fails,

the verdure is no more.

⁷ Therefore the abundance they have gained

and what they have laid up

they carry away

over the Wadi of the Willows.

⁸ For a cry has gone

around the land of Moab;

the wailing reaches to Eglaim,

the wailing reaches to Beer-elim.

⁹ For the waters of Dibonb are full of blood;

yet I will bring upon Dibonb even more—

a lion for those of Moab who escape,

for the remnant of the land.

16

SEND lambs

to the ruler of the land,

from Sela, by way of the desert,

to the mount of daughter Zion.

² Like fluttering birds,

like scattered nestlings,

so are the daughters of Moab

at the fords of the Arnon.

³ ‘Give counsel,

grant justice;

make your shade like night

at the height of noon;

hide the outcasts,

do not betray the fugitive;

⁴ let the outcasts of Moab

settle among you;

be a refuge to them

from the destroyer.’

When the oppressor is no more,

and destruction has ceased,

and marauders have vanished from the land,

⁵ then a throne shall be established in steadfast love

in the tent of David,

and on it shall sit in faithfulness

a ruler who seeks justice

and is swift to do what is right.

⁶ We have heard of the pride of Moab

—how proud he is!—

of his arrogance, his pride, and

his insolence; his boasts are false.

⁷ Therefore let Moab wail,

let everyone wail for Moab.

Mourn, utterly stricken,

for the raisin cakes of Kir-hareseth.

⁸ For the fields of Heshbon languish,

and the vines of Sibmah,

whose clusters once made drunk

the lords of the nations,

reached to Jazer

and strayed to the desert;

their shoots once spread abroad

and crossed over the sea.

⁹ Therefore I weep with the weeping of Jazer

for the vines of Sibmah;

I drench you with my tears,

O Heshbon and Elealeh;

for the shout over your fruit harvest

and your grain harvest has ceased.

¹⁰ Joy and gladness are taken away

from the fruitful field;

and in the vineyards no songs are sung,

no shouts are raised;

no treader treads out wine in the presses;

the vintage-shout is hushed.c

¹¹ Therefore my heart throbs like a harp for Moab,

and my very soul for Kir-heres.

¹² When Moab presents himself, when he wearies himself upon the high place, when he comes to his sanctuary to pray, he will not prevail.

¹³ This was the word that the LORD spoke concerning Moab in the past. ¹⁴But now the LORD says, In three years, like the years of a hired worker, the glory of Moab will be brought into contempt, in spite of all its great multitude; and those who survive will be very few and feeble.

An Oracle concerning Damascus

17

See, Damascus will cease to be a city,

and will become a heap of ruins.

² Her towns will be deserted for ever;a

they will be places for flocks,

which will lie down, and no one will make them afraid.

³ The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,

and the kingdom from Damascus;

and the remnant of Aram will be

like the glory of the children of Israel,

says the LORD of hosts.

⁴ On that day

the glory of Jacob will be brought low,

and the fat of his flesh will grow lean.

⁵ And it shall be as when reapers gather standing grain

and their arms harvest the ears,

and as when one gleans the ears of grain

in the Valley of Rephaim.

⁶ Gleanings will be left in it,

as when an olive tree is beaten—

two or three berries

in the top of the highest bough,

four or five

on the branches of a fruit tree, says the LORD God of Israel.

⁷ On that day people will regard their Maker, and their eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel; ⁸they will not have regard for the altars, the work of their hands, and they will not look to what their own fingers have made, either the sacred polesb or the altars of incense.

⁹ On that day their strong cities will be like the deserted places of the Hivites and the Amorites,c which they deserted because of the children of Israel, and there will be desolation.

¹⁰ For you have forgotten the God of your salvation,

and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge;

therefore, though you plant pleasant plants

and set out slips of an alien god,

¹¹ though you make them grow on the day that you plant them,

and make them blossom in the morning that you sow;

yet the harvest will flee away

on a day of grief and incurable pain.

¹² Ah, the thunder of many peoples,

they thunder like the thundering of the sea!

Ah, the roar of nations,

they roar like the roaring of mighty waters!

¹³ The nations roar like the roaring of many waters,

but he will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,

chased like chaff on the mountains before the wind

and whirling dust before the storm.

¹⁴ At evening time, lo, terror!

Before morning, they are no more.

This is the fate of those who despoil us,

and the lot of those who plunder us.

An Oracle concerning Ethiopia

18

AH, LAND of whirring wings

beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,a

² sending ambassadors by the Nile

in vessels of papyrus on the waters!

Go, you swift messengers,

to a nation tall and smooth,

to a people feared near and far,

a nation mighty and conquering,

whose land the rivers divide.

³ All you inhabitants of the world,

you who live on the earth,

when a signal is raised on the mountains, look!

When a trumpet is blown, listen!

⁴ For thus the LORD said to me:

I will quietly look from my dwelling

like clear heat in sunshine,

like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

⁵ For before the harvest, when the blossom is over

and the flower becomes a ripening grape,

he will cut off the shoots with pruning-hooks,

and the spreading branches he will hew away.

⁶ They shall all be left

to the birds of prey of the mountains

and to the animals of the earth.

And the birds of prey will summer on them,

and all the animals of the earth will winter on them.

⁷ At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD of hosts fromb a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts.

An Oracle concerning Egypt

19

AN ORACLE concerning Egypt.

See, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud

and comes to Egypt;

the idols of Egypt will tremble at his presence,

and the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.

² I will stir up Egyptians against Egyptians,

and they will fight, one against the other,

neighbour against neighbour,

city against city, kingdom against kingdom;

³ the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out,

and I will confound their plans;

they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead

and the ghosts and the familiar spirits;

⁴ I will deliver the Egyptians

into the hand of a hard master;

a fierce king will rule over them,

says the Sovereign, the LORD of hosts.

⁵ The waters of the Nile will be dried up,

and the river will be parched and dry;

⁶ its canals will become foul,

and the branches of Egypt’s Nile will diminish and dry up;

reeds and rushes will rot away.

⁷ There will be bare places by the Nile,

on the brink of the Nile;

and all that is sown by the Nile will dry up,

be driven away, and be no more.

⁸ Those who fish will mourn;

all who cast hooks in the Nile will lament,

and those who spread nets on the water will languish.

⁹ The workers in flax will be in despair,

and the carders and those at the loom will grow pale.

¹⁰ Its weavers will be dismayed,

and all who work for wages will be grieved.

¹¹ The princes of Zoan are utterly foolish;

the wise counsellors of Pharaoh give stupid counsel.

How can you say to Pharaoh,

‘I am one of the sages,

a descendant of ancient kings’?

¹² Where now are your sages?

Let them tell you and make known

what the LORD of hosts has planned against Egypt.

¹³ The princes of Zoan have become fools,

and the princes of Memphis are deluded;

those who are the cornerstones of its tribes

have led Egypt astray.

¹⁴ The LORD has poured into thema

a spirit of confusion;

and they have made Egypt stagger in all its doings

as a drunkard staggers around in vomit.

¹⁵ Neither head nor tail, palm branch nor reed,

will be able to do anything for Egypt.

¹⁶ On that day the Egyptians will be like women, and tremble with fear before the hand that the LORD of hosts raises against them. ¹⁷And the land of Judah will become a terror to the Egyptians; everyone to whom it is mentioned will fear because of the plan that the LORD of hosts is planning against them.

Egypt, Assyria, and Israel Blessed

¹⁸ On that day there will be five cities in the land of Egypt that speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the LORD of hosts. One of these will be called the City of the Sun.

¹⁹ On that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the centre of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD at its border. ²⁰It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; when they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a saviour, and will defend and deliver them. ²¹The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the Egyptians will know the LORD on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt-offering, and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. ²²The LORD will strike Egypt, striking and healing; they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them.

²³ On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians.

²⁴ On that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, ²⁵whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, ‘Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.’

Isaiah Dramatizes the Conquest of Egypt and Ethiopia

20

IN THE year that the commander-in-chief, who was sent by King Sargon of Assyria, came to Ashdod and fought against it and took it—²at that time the LORD had spoken to Isaiah son of Amoz, saying, ‘Go, and loose the sackcloth from your loins and take your sandals off your feet’, and he had done so, walking naked and barefoot. ³Then the LORD said, ‘Just as my servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot for three years as a sign and a portent against Egypt and Ethiopia,b ⁴so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as captives and the Ethiopiansc as exiles, both the young and the old, naked and barefoot, with buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt. ⁵And they shall be dismayed and confounded because of Ethiopiaa their hope and of Egypt their boast. ⁶On that day the inhabitants of this coastland will say, “See, this is what has happened to those in whom we hoped and to whom we fled for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! And we, how shall we escape?”’

Oracles concerning Babylon, Edom, and Arabia

21

THE oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea.

As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on,

it comes from the desert,

from a terrible land.

² A stern vision is told to me;

the betrayer betrays,

and the destroyer destroys.

Go up, O Elam,

lay siege, O Media;

all the sighing she has caused

I bring to an end.

³ Therefore my loins are filled with anguish;

pangs have seized me,

like the pangs of a woman in labour;

I am bowed down so that I cannot hear,

I am dismayed so that I cannot see.

⁴ My mind reels, horror has appalled me;

the twilight I longed for

has been turned for me into trembling.

⁵ They prepare the table,

they spread the rugs,

they eat, they drink.

Rise up, commanders,

oil the shield!

⁶ For thus the Lord said to me:

‘Go, post a lookout,

let him announce what he sees.

⁷ When he sees riders, horsemen in pairs,

riders on donkeys, riders on camels,

let him listen diligently,

very diligently.’

⁸ Then the watcherb called out:

‘Upon a watch-tower I stand, O Lord,

continually by day,

and at my post I am stationed

throughout the night.

⁹ Look, there they come, riders,

horsemen in pairs!’

Then he responded,

‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon;

and all the images of her gods

lie shattered on the ground.’

¹⁰ O my threshed and winnowed one,

what I have heard from the LORD of hosts,

the God of Israel, I announce to you.

¹¹ The oracle concerning Dumah.

One is calling to me from Seir,

‘Sentinel, what of the night?

Sentinel, what of the night?’

¹² The sentinel says:

‘Morning comes, and also the night.

If you will inquire, inquire;

come back again.’

¹³ The oracle concerning the desert plain.

In the scrub of the desert plain you will lodge,

O caravans of Dedanites.

¹⁴ Bring water to the thirsty,

meet the fugitive with bread,

O inhabitants of the land of Tema.

¹⁵ For they have fled from the swords,

from the drawn sword,

from the bent bow,

and from the stress of battle.

¹⁶ For thus the Lord said to me: Within a year, according to the years of a hired worker, all the glory of Kedar will come to an end; ¹⁷and the remaining bows of Kedar’s warriors will be few; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has spoken.

A Warning of the Destruction of Jerusalem

22

THE oracle concerning the valley of vision.

What do you mean that you have gone up,

all of you, to the housetops,

² you that are full of shoutings,

tumultuous city, exultant town?

Your slain are not slain by the sword,

nor are they dead in battle.

³ Your rulers have all fled together;

they were captured without the use of a bow.a

All of you who were found were captured,

though they had fled far away.b

⁴ Therefore I said:

Look away from me,

let me weep bitter tears;

do not try to comfort me

for the destruction of my beloved people.

⁵ For the Lord GOD of hosts has a day

of tumult and trampling and confusion

in the valley of vision,

a battering down of walls

and a cry for help to the mountains.

⁶ Elam bore the quiver

with chariots and cavalry,c

and Kir uncovered the shield.

⁷ Your choicest valleys were full of chariots,

and the cavalry took their stand at the gates.

⁸ He has taken away the covering of Judah.

On that day you looked to the weapons of the House of the Forest, ⁹and you saw that there were many breaches in the city of David, and you collected the waters of the lower pool. ¹⁰You counted the houses of Jerusalem, and you broke down the houses to fortify the wall. ¹¹You made a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool. But you did not look to him who did it, or have regard for him who planned it long ago.

¹² On that day the Lord GOD of hosts

called to weeping and mourning,

to baldness and putting on sackcloth;

¹³ but instead there was joy and festivity,

killing oxen and slaughtering sheep,

eating meat and drinking wine.

‘Let us eat and drink,

for tomorrow we die.’

¹⁴ The LORD of hosts has revealed himself in my ears:

Surely this iniquity will not be forgiven you until you die,

says the Lord GOD of hosts.

Denunciation of Self-Seeking Officials

¹⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is master of the household, and say to him: ¹⁶What right do you have here? Who are your relatives here, that you have cut out a tomb here for yourself, cutting a tomb on the height, and carving a habitation for yourself in the rock? ¹⁷The LORD is about to hurl you away violently, my man. He will seize firm hold of you, ¹⁸whirl you round and round, and throw you like a ball into a wide land; there you shall die, and there your splendid chariots shall lie, O you disgrace to your master’s house! ¹⁹I will thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your post.

²⁰ On that day I will call my servant Eliakim son of Hilkiah, ²¹and will clothe him with your robe and bind your sash on him. I will commit your authority to his hand, and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. ²²I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. ²³I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honour to his ancestral house. ²⁴And they will hang on him the whole weight of his ancestral house, the offspring and issue, every small vessel, from the cups to all the flagons. ²⁵On that day, says the LORD of hosts, the peg that was fastened in a secure place will give way; it will be cut down and fall, and the load that was on it will perish, for the LORD has spoken.

An Oracle concerning Tyre

23

THE oracle concerning Tyre.

Wail, O ships of Tarshish,

for your fortress is destroyed.a

When they came in from Cyprus they learned of it.

² Be still, O inhabitants of the coast,

O merchants of Sidon;

your messengers crossed over the seab

³ and were on the mighty waters;

your revenue was the grain of Shihor,

the harvest of the Nile;

you were the merchant of the nations.

⁴ Be ashamed, O Sidon, for the sea has spoken,

the fortress of the sea, saying:

‘I have neither laboured nor given birth,

I have neither reared young men

nor brought up young women.’

⁵ When the report comes to Egypt,

they will be in anguish over the report about Tyre.

⁶ Cross over to Tarshish—

wail, O inhabitants of the coast!

⁷ Is this your exultant city

whose origin is from days of old,

whose feet carried her

to settle far away?

⁸ Who has planned this

against Tyre, the bestower of crowns,

whose merchants were princes, whose traders were the honoured ones of the earth?

⁹ The LORD of hosts has planned it—

to defile the pride of all glory,

to shame all the honoured ones of the earth.

¹⁰ Cross over to your own land,

O ships ofc Tarshish;

this is a harbourd no more.

¹¹ He has stretched out his hand over the sea,

he has shaken the kingdoms;

the LORD has given command concerning Canaan

to destroy its fortresses.

¹² He said:

You will exult no longer,

O oppressed virgin daughter Sidon;

rise, cross over to Cyprus—

even there you will have no rest.

¹³ Look at the land of the Chaldeans! This is the people; it was not Assyria. They destined Tyre for wild animals. They erected their siege-towers, they tore down her palaces, they made her a ruin.e

¹⁴ Wail, O ships of Tarshish,

for your fortress is destroyed.

¹⁵From that day Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the lifetime of one king. At the end of seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song about the prostitute:

¹⁶ Take a harp,

go about the city,

you forgotten prostitute!

Make sweet melody,

sing many songs,

that you may be remembered.

¹⁷At the end of seventy years, the LORD will visit Tyre, and she will return to her trade, and will prostitute herself with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth. ¹⁸Her merchandise and her wages will be dedicated to the LORD; her profitsf will not be stored or hoarded, but her merchandise will supply abundant food and fine clothing for those who live in the presence of the LORD.

Impending Judgement on the Earth

24

NOW the LORD is about to lay

waste the earth and make

it desolate,

and he will twist its surface and

scatter its inhabitants.

² And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest;

as with the slave, so with his master;

as with the maid, so with her mistress;

as with the buyer, so with the seller;

as with the lender, so with the borrower;

as with the creditor, so with the debtor.

³ The earth shall be utterly laid waste and utterly despoiled;

for the LORD has spoken this word.

⁴ The earth dries up and withers,

the world languishes and withers;

the heavens languish together with the earth.

⁵ The earth lies polluted

under its inhabitants;

for they have transgressed laws,

violated the statutes,

broken the everlasting covenant.

⁶ Therefore a curse devours the earth,

and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt;

therefore the inhabitants of the earth dwindled,

and few people are left.

⁷ The wine dries up,

the vine languishes,

all the merry-hearted sigh.

⁸ The mirth of the timbrels is stilled,

the noise of the jubilant has ceased,

the mirth of the lyre is stilled.

⁹ No longer do they drink wine with singing;

strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

¹⁰ The city of chaos is broken down,

every house is shut up so that no one can enter.

¹¹ There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine;

all joy has reached its eventide;

the gladness of the earth is banished.

¹² Desolation is left in the city,

the gates are battered into ruins.

¹³ For thus it shall be on the earth

and among the nations,

as when an olive tree is beaten,

as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is ended.

¹⁴ They lift up their voices, they sing for joy;

they shout from the west over the majesty of the LORD.

¹⁵ Therefore in the east give glory to the LORD;

in the coastlands of the sea glorify the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.

¹⁶ From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise,

of glory to the Righteous One.

But I say, I pine away,

I pine away. Woe is me!

For the treacherous deal treacherously,

the treacherous deal very treacherously.

¹⁷ Terror, and the pit, and the snare

are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth!

¹⁸ Whoever flees at the sound of the terror

shall fall into the pit,

and whoever climbs out of the pit

shall be caught in the snare.

For the windows of heaven are opened,

and the foundations of the earth tremble.

¹⁹ The earth is utterly broken,

the earth is torn asunder,

the earth is violently shaken.

²⁰ The earth staggers like a drunkard,

it sways like a hut;

its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls,

and will not rise again.

²¹ On that day the LORD will punish

the host of heaven in heaven,

and on earth the kings of the earth.

²² They will be gathered together

like prisoners in a pit;

they will be shut up in a prison,

and after many days they will be punished.

²³ Then the moon will be abashed,

and the sun ashamed;

for the LORD of hosts will reign

on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem,

and before his elders he will manifest his glory.

Praise for Deliverance from Oppression

25

O LORD, you are my God;

I will exalt you, I will praise your name;

for you have done wonderful things,

plans formed of old, faithful and sure.

² For you have made

the city a heap, the fortified city a ruin;

the palace of aliens is a city no more,

it will never be rebuilt.

³ Therefore strong peoples will glorify you;

cities of ruthless nations will fear you.

⁴ For you have been

a refuge to the poor, a refuge to the needy in their distress,

a shelter from the rainstorm and a shade from the heat.

When the blast of the ruthless was like a winter rainstorm,

⁵ the noise of aliens like heat in a dry place,

you subdued the heat with the shade of clouds;

the song of the ruthless was stilled.

⁶ On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples

a feast of rich food, a feast of well-matured wines,

of rich food filled with marrow, of well-matured wines strained clear.

⁷ And he will destroy on this mountain

the shroud that is cast over all peoples,

the sheet that is spread over all nations;

⁸ he will swallow up death for ever.

Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces,

and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth,

for the LORD has spoken.

⁹ It will be said on that day,

Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.

This is the LORD for whom we have waited;

let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

¹⁰ For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.

The Moabites shall be trodden down in their place

as straw is trodden down in a dung-pit.

¹¹ Though they spread out their hands in the midst of it,

as swimmers spread out their hands to swim,

their pride will be laid low despite the strugglea of their hands.

¹² The high fortifications of his walls will be brought down,

laid low, cast to the ground, even to the dust.

Judah’s Song of Victory

26

ON THAT day this song will be sung in the land of Judah:

We have a strong city;

he sets up victory

like walls and bulwarks.

² Open the gates,

so that the righteous nation that keeps faith

may enter in.

³ Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—

in peace because they trust in you.

⁴ Trust in the LORD for ever,

for in the LORD GODa

you have an everlasting rock.

⁵ For he has brought low the

inhabitants of the height;

the lofty city he lays low.

He lays it low to the ground,

casts it to the dust.

⁶ The foot tramples it,

the feet of the poor,

the steps of the needy.

⁷ The way of the righteous is level;

O Just One, you make smooth the path of the righteous.

⁸ In the path of your judgements,

O LORD, we wait for you;

your name and your renown

are the soul’s desire.

⁹ My soul yearns for you in the night,

my spirit within me earnestly seeks you.

For when your judgements are in the earth, the

inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.

¹⁰ If favour is shown to the wicked,

they do not learn righteousness;

in the land of uprightness they deal perversely

and do not see the majesty of the LORD.

¹¹ O LORD, your hand is lifted up,

but they do not see it.

Let them see your zeal for your people, and be ashamed.

Let the fire for your adversaries consume them.

¹² O LORD, you will ordain peace for us,

for indeed, all that we have done, you have done for us.

¹³ O LORD our God,

other lords besides you have ruled over us,

but we acknowledge your name alone.

¹⁴ The dead do not live;

shades do not rise—

because you have punished and destroyed them,

and wiped out all memory of them.

¹⁵ But you have increased the nation, O LORD,

you have increased the nation; you are glorified;

you have enlarged all the borders of the land.

¹⁶ O LORD, in distress they sought you,

they poured out a prayerb

when your chastening was on them.

¹⁷ Like a woman with child,

who writhes and cries out in her pangs

when she is near her time,

so were we because of you, O LORD;

¹⁸ we were with child, we writhed,

but we gave birth only to wind.

We have won no victories on earth,

and no one is born to inhabit the world.

¹⁹ Your dead shall live, their corpsesc shall rise.

O dwellers in the dust, awake and sing for joy!

For your dew is a radiant dew,

and the earth will give birth to those long dead.d

²⁰ Come, my people, enter your chambers,

and shut your doors behind you;

hide yourselves for a little while

until the wrath is past.

²¹ For the LORD comes out from his place

to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;

the earth will disclose the blood shed on it,

and will no longer cover its slain.

Israel’s Redemption

27

ON THAT day the LORD with his cruel and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the fleeing serpent, Leviathan the twisting serpent, and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.

² On that day:

A pleasant vineyard, sing about it!

³ I, the LORD, am its keeper;

every moment I water it.

I guard it night and day

so that no one can harm it;

⁴ I have no wrath.

If it gives me thorns and briers,

I will march to battle against it.

I will burn it up.

⁵ Or else let it cling to me for protection,

let it make peace with me,

let it make peace with me.

⁶ In days to comea Jacob shall take root,

Israel shall blossom and put forth shoots,

and fill the whole world with fruit.

⁷ Has he struck them down as he struck down those who struck them?

Or have they been killed as their killers were killed?

⁸ By expulsion,b by exile you struggled against them;

with his fierce blast he removed them on the day of the east wind.

⁹ Therefore by this the guilt of Jacob will be expiated,

and this will be the full fruit of the removal of his sin:

when he makes all the stones of the altars

like chalkstones crushed to pieces,

no sacred polesc or incense altars will remain standing.

¹⁰ For the fortified city is solitary,

a habitation deserted and forsaken, like the wilderness;

the calves graze there,

there they lie down, and strip its branches.

¹¹ When its boughs are dry, they are broken;

women come and make a fire of them.

For this is a people without understanding;

therefore he that made them will not have compassion on them,

he that formed them will show them no favour.

¹² On that day the LORD will thresh from the channel of the Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt, and you will be gathered one by one, O people of Israel. ¹³And on that day a great trumpet will be blown, and those who were lost in the land of Assyria and those who were driven out to the land of Egypt will come and worship the LORD on the holy mountain at Jerusalem.

Judgement on Corrupt Rulers, Priests, and Prophets

28

AH, THE proud garland of the drunkards of Ephraim,

and the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

which is on the head of those bloated with rich food, of those overcome with wine!

² See, the Lord has one who is mighty and strong;

like a storm of hail, a destroying tempest,

like a storm of mighty, overflowing waters;

with his hand he will hurl them down to the earth.

³ Trampled under foot will be

the proud garland of the drunkards of Ephraim.

⁴ And the fading flower of its glorious beauty,

which is on the head of those bloated with rich food,

will be like a first-ripe fig before the summer;

whoever sees it, eats it up

as soon as it comes to hand.

⁵ On that day the LORD of hosts will be a garland of glory,

and a diadem of beauty, to the remnant of his people;

⁶ and a spirit of justice to the one who sits in judgement,

and strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate.

⁷ These also reel with wine

and stagger with strong drink;

the priest and the prophet reel with strong drink,

they are confused with wine,

they stagger with strong drink;

they err in vision,

they stumble in giving judgement.

⁸ All tables are covered with filthy vomit;

no place is clean.

⁹ ‘Whom will he teach knowledge,

and to whom will he explain the message?

Those who are weaned from milk,

those taken from the breast?

¹⁰ For it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,

line upon line, line upon line,

here a little, there a little.’a

¹¹ Truly, with stammering lip

and with alien tongue

he will speak to this people,

¹² to whom he has said,

‘This is rest;

give rest to the weary;

and this is repose’

yet they would not hear.

¹³ Therefore the word of the LORD will be to them,

‘Precept upon precept, precept upon precept,

line upon line, line upon line,

here a little, there a little’a

in order that they may go,

and fall backwards, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

¹⁴ Therefore hear the word of the LORD, you scoffers

who rule this people in Jerusalem.

¹⁵ Because you have said, ‘We have made a covenant with death,

and with Sheol we have an agreement;

when the overwhelming scourge passes through

it will not come to us;

for we have made lies our refuge,

and in falsehood we have taken shelter’

¹⁶ therefore thus says the Lord GOD,

See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone,

a tested stone,

a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation:

‘One who trusts will not panic.’

¹⁷ And I will make justice the line,

and righteousness the plummet;

hail will sweep away the refuge of lies,

and waters will overwhelm the shelter.

¹⁸ Then your covenant with death will be annulled,

and your agreement with Sheol will not stand;

when the overwhelming scourge passes through

you will be beaten down by it.

¹⁹ As often as it passes through, it will take you;

for morning by morning it will pass through,

by day and by night;

and it will be sheer terror to understand the message.

²⁰ For the bed is too short to stretch oneself on it,

and the covering too narrow to wrap oneself in it.

²¹ For the LORD will rise up as on Mount Perazim,

he will rage as in the valley of Gibeon

to do his deed—strange is his deed!—

and to work his work—alien is his work!

²² Now therefore do not scoff,

or your bonds will be made stronger;

for I have heard a decree of destruction

from the Lord GOD of hosts upon the whole land.

²³ Listen, and hear my voice;

Pay attention, and hear my speech.

²⁴ Do those who plough for sowing plough continually?

Do they continually open and harrow their ground?

²⁵ When they have levelled its surface,

do they not scatter dill, sow cummin,

and plant wheat in rows

and barley in its proper place,

and spelt as the border?

²⁶ For they are well instructed;

their God teaches them.

²⁷ Dill is not threshed with a threshingsledge,

nor is a cartwheel rolled over cummin;

but dill is beaten out with a stick,

and cummin with a rod.

²⁸ Grain is crushed for bread,

but one does not thresh it for ever;

one drives the cartwheel and horses over it,

but does not pulverize it.

²⁹ This also comes from the LORD of hosts;

he is wonderful in counsel,

and excellent in wisdom.

The Siege of Jerusalem

29

AH, ARIEL, Ariel, the city where David encamped!

Add year to year;

let the festivals run their round.

² Yet I will distress Ariel,

and there shall be moaning and lamentation,

and Jerusalema shall be to me like an Ariel.b

³ And like Davidc I will encamp against you;

I will besiege you with towers

and raise siege-works against you.

⁴ Then deep from the earth you shall speak,

from low in the dust your words shall come;

your voice shall come from the ground like the voice of a ghost,

and your speech shall whisper out of the dust.

⁵ But the multitude of your foesd shall be like fine dust,

and the multitude of tyrants like flying chaff.

And in an instant, suddenly,

⁶ you will be visited by the LORD of hosts

with thunder and earthquake and great noise,

with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.

⁷ And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel,

all that fight against her and her stronghold, and who distress her,

shall be like a dream, a vision of the night.

⁸ Just as when a hungry person dreams of eating

and wakes up still hungry,

or a thirsty person dreams of drinking

and wakes up faint, still thirsty,

so shall the multitude of all the nations be

that fight against Mount Zion.

⁹ Stupefy yourselves and be in a stupor,

blind yourselves and be blind!

Be drunk, but not from wine;

stagger, but not from strong drink!

¹⁰ For the LORD has poured out upon you

a spirit of deep sleep;

he has closed your eyes, you prophets,

and covered your heads, you seers.

¹¹ The vision of all this has become for you like the words of a sealed document. If it is given to those who can read, with the command, ‘Read this’, they say, ‘We cannot, for it is sealed.’ ¹²And if it is given to those who cannot read, saying, ‘Read this’, they say, ‘We cannot read.’

¹³ The Lord said:

Because these people draw near with their mouths

and honour me with their lips,

while their hearts are far from me,

and their worship of me is a human commandment learned by rote;

¹⁴ so I will again do

amazing things with this people,

shocking and amazing.

The wisdom of their wise shall perish,

and the discernment of the discerning shall be hidden.

¹⁵ Ha! You who hide a plan too deep for the LORD,

whose deeds are in the dark,

and who say, ‘Who sees us? Who knows us?’

¹⁶ You turn things upside down!

Shall the potter be regarded as the clay?

Shall the thing made say of its maker,

‘He did not make me’

or the thing formed say of the one who formed it,

‘He has no understanding’?

Hope for the Future

¹⁷ Shall not Lebanon in a very little while

become a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field be regarded as a forest?

¹⁸ On that day the deaf shall hear

the words of a scroll,

and out of their gloom and darkness

the eyes of the blind shall see.

¹⁹ The meek shall obtain fresh joy in the LORD,

and the neediest people shall exult in the Holy One of Israel.

²⁰ For the tyrant shall be no more,

and the scoffer shall cease to be;

all those alert to do evil shall be cut off—

²¹ those who cause a person to lose a lawsuit,

who set a trap for the arbiter in the gate,

and without grounds deny justice to the one in the right.

²² Therefore thus says the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob:

No longer shall Jacob be ashamed,

no longer shall his face grow pale.

²³ For when he sees his children,

the work of my hands, in his midst,

they will sanctify my name;

they will sanctify the Holy One of Jacob,

and will stand in awe of the God of Israel.

²⁴ And those who err in spirit will come to understanding,

and those who grumble will accept instruction.

The Futility of Reliance on Egypt

30

OH, REBELLIOUS children, says the LORD,

who carry out a plan, but not mine;

who make an alliance, but against my will,

adding sin to sin;

² who set out to go down to Egypt

without asking for my counsel,

to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh,

and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt;

³ Therefore the protection of Pharaoh shall become your shame,

and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt your humiliation.

⁴ For though his officials are at Zoan

and his envoys reach Hanes,

⁵ everyone comes to shame

through a people that cannot profit them,

that brings neither help nor profit,

but shame and disgrace.

⁶ An oracle concerning the animals of the Negeb.

Through a land of trouble and distress,

of lioness and roaringa lion,

of viper and flying serpent,

they carry their riches on the backs of donkeys,

and their treasures on the humps of camels,

to a people that cannot profit them.

⁷ For Egypt’s help is worthless and empty,

therefore I have called her,

‘Rahab who sits still.’b

A Rebellious People

⁸ Go now, write it before them on a tablet,

and inscribe it in a book,

so that it may be for the time to come

as a witness for ever.

⁹ For they are a rebellious people,

faithless children,

children who will not hear

the instruction of the LORD;

¹⁰ who say to the seers, ‘Do not see’

and to the prophets, ‘Do not prophesy to us what is right;

speak to us smooth things,

prophesy illusions,

¹¹ leave the way, turn aside from the path,

let us hear no more about the Holy One of Israel.’

¹² Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel:

Because you reject this word,

and put your trust in oppression and deceit,

and rely on them;

¹³ therefore this iniquity shall become for you

like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse,

whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant;

¹⁴ its breaking is like that of a potter’s vessel

that is smashed so ruthlessly

that among its fragments not a sherd is found

for taking fire from the hearth,

or dipping water out of the cistern.

¹⁵ For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:

In returning and rest you shall be saved;

in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.

But you refused ¹⁶and said,

‘No! We will flee upon horses’—

therefore you shall flee!

and, ‘We will ride upon swift steeds’—

therefore your pursuers shall be swift!

¹⁷ A thousand shall flee at the threat of one,

at the threat of five you shall flee,

until you are left

like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain,

like a signal on a hill.

God’s Promise to Zion

¹⁸ Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you;

therefore he will rise up to show mercy to you.

For the LORD is a God of justice;

blessed are all those who wait for him.

¹⁹ Truly, O people in Zion, inhabitants of Jerusalem, you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry; when he hears it, he will answer you. ²⁰Though the Lord may give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself any more, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. ²¹And when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left, your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’ ²²Then you will defile your silver-covered idols and your gold-plated images. You will scatter them like filthy rags; you will say to them, ‘Away with you!’

²³ He will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and grain, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. On that day your cattle will graze in broad pastures; ²⁴and the oxen and donkeys that till the ground will eat silage, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. ²⁵On every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water—on a day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. ²⁶Moreover, the light of the moon will be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, like the light of seven days, on the day when the LORD binds up the injuries of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow.

Judgement on Assyria

²⁷ See, the name of the LORD comes from far away,

burning with his anger, and in thick rising smoke;a

his lips are full of indignation,

and his tongue is like a devouring fire;

²⁸ his breath is like an overflowing stream

that reaches up to the neck—

to sift the nations with the sieve of destruction,

and to place on the jaws of the peoples a bridle that leads them astray.

²⁹ You shall have a song as in the night when a holy festival is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one sets out to the sound of the flute to go to the mountain of the LORD, to the Rock of Israel. ³⁰And the LORD will cause his majestic voice to be heard and the descending blow of his arm to be seen, in furious anger and a flame of devouring fire, with a cloudburst and tempest and hailstones. ³¹The Assyrian will be terror-stricken at the voice of the LORD, when he strikes with his rod. ³²And every stroke of the staff of punishment that the LORD lays upon him will be to the sound of timbrels and lyres; battling with brandished arm he will fight with him. ³³For his burning-placeb has long been prepared; truly it is made ready for the king,c its pyre made deep and wide, with fire and wood in abundance; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of sulphur, kindles it.

Alliance with Egypt Is Futile

31

ALAS for those who go down to Egypt for help

and who rely on horses,

who trust in chariots because they are many

and in horsemen because they are very strong,

but do not look to the Holy One of Israel

or consult the LORD!

² Yet he too is wise and brings disaster;

he does not call back his words,

but will rise against the house of the evildoers,

and against the helpers of those who work iniquity.

³ The Egyptians are human, and not God;

their horses are flesh, and not spirit.

When the LORD stretches out his hand,

the helper will stumble, and the one helped will fall,

and they will all perish together.

⁴ For thus the LORD said to me,

As a lion or a young lion growls over its prey,

and—when a band of shepherds is called out against it—

is not terrified by their shouting

or daunted at their noise,

so the LORD of hosts will come down

to fight upon Mount Zion and upon its hill.

⁵ Like birds hovering overhead, so the LORD of hosts

will protect Jerusalem;

he will protect and deliver it,

he will spare and rescue it.

⁶ Turn back to him whom youa have deeply betrayed, O people of Israel. ⁷For on that day all of you shall throw away your idols of silver and idols of gold, which your hands have sinfully made for you.

⁸ ‘Then the Assyrian shall fall by a sword, not of mortals;

and a sword, not of humans, shall devour him;

he shall flee from the sword,

and his young men shall be put to forced labour.

⁹ His rock shall pass away in terror,

and his officers desert the standard in panic,’

says the LORD, whose fire is in Zion,

and whose furnace is in Jerusalem.

Government with Justice Predicted

32

SEE, a king will reign in righteousness,

and princes will rule with justice.

² Each will be like a hiding-place from the wind,

a covert from the tempest,

like streams of water in a dry place,

like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.

³ Then the eyes of those who have sight will not be closed,

and the ears of those who have hearing will listen.

⁴ The minds of the rash will have good judgement,

and the tongues of stammerers will speak readily and distinctly.

⁵ A fool will no longer be called noble,

nor a villain be said to be honourable.

⁶ For fools speak folly,

and their minds plot iniquity:

to practise ungodliness,

to utter error concerning the LORD,

to leave the craving of the hungry unsatisfied,

and to deprive the thirsty of drink.

⁷ The villainies of villains are evil;

they devise wicked devices

to ruin the poor with lying words,

even when the plea of the needy is right.

⁸ But those who are noble plan noble things,

and by noble things they stand.

Complacent Women Warned of Disaster

⁹ Rise up, you women who are at ease, hear my voice;

you complacent daughters, listen to my speech.

¹⁰ In little more than a year

you will shudder, you complacent ones;

for the vintage will fail,

the fruit harvest will not come.

¹¹ Tremble, you women who are at ease,

shudder, you complacent ones;

strip, and make yourselves bare,

and put sackcloth on your loins.

¹² Beat your breasts for the pleasant fields,

for the fruitful vine,

¹³ for the soil of my people

growing up in thorns and briers;

yes, for all the joyous houses

in the jubilant city.

¹⁴ For the palace will be forsaken,

the populous city deserted;

the hill and the watch-tower

will become dens for ever,

the joy of wild asses,

a pasture for flocks;

¹⁵ until a spirit from on high is poured out on us,

and the wilderness becomes a fruitful field,

and the fruitful field is deemed a forest.

The Peace of God’s Reign

¹⁶ Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

and righteousness abide in the fruitful field.

¹⁷ The effect of righteousness will be peace,

and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust for ever.

¹⁸ My people will abide in a peaceful habitation,

in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting-places.

¹⁹ The forest will disappear completely,a

and the city will be utterly laid low.

²⁰ Happy will you be who sow beside every stream,

who let the ox and the donkey range freely.

A Prophecy of Deliverance from Foes

33

AH, YOU destroyer,

who yourself have not been destroyed;

you treacherous one,

with whom no one has dealt treacherously!

When you have ceased to destroy,

you will be destroyed;

and when you have stopped dealing treacherously,

you will be dealt with treacherously.

² O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you.

Be our arm every morning,

our salvation in the time of trouble.

³ At the sound of tumult, peoples fled;

before your majesty, nations scattered.

⁴ Spoil was gathered as the caterpillar gathers;

as locusts leap, they leaptb upon it.

⁵ The LORD is exalted, he dwells on high;

he filled Zion with justice and righteousness;

⁶ he will be the stability of your times,

abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;

the fear of the LORD is Zion’s treasure.c

⁷ Listen! the valiantb cry in the streets;

the envoys of peace weep bitterly.

⁸ The highways are deserted,

travellers have left the road.

The treaty is broken,

its oathsd are despised,

its obligatione is disregarded.

⁹ The land mourns and languishes;

Lebanon is confounded and withers away;

Sharon is like a desert;

and Bashan and Carmel shake off their leaves.

¹⁰ ‘Now I will arise,’ says the LORD,

‘now I will lift myself up;

now I will be exalted.

¹¹ You conceive chaff,

you bring forth stubble; your breath is a fire that will consume you.

¹² And the peoples will be as if burned to lime,

like thorns cut down, that are burned in the fire.’

¹³ Hear, you who are far away, what I have done;

and you who are near, acknowledge my might.

¹⁴ The sinners in Zion are afraid;

trembling has seized the godless:

‘Who among us can live with the devouring fire?

Who among us can live with everlasting flames?’

¹⁵ Those who walk righteously and speak uprightly,

who despise the gain of oppression,

who wave away a bribe instead of accepting it,

who stop their ears from hearing of bloodshed

and shut their eyes from looking on evil,

¹⁶ they will live on the heights;

their refuge will be the fortresses of rocks;

their food will be supplied, their water assured.

The Land of the Majestic King

¹⁷ Your eyes will see the king in his beauty;

they will behold a land that stretches far away.

¹⁸ Your mind will muse on the terror:

‘Where is the one who counted?

Where is the one who weighed the tribute?

Where is the one who counted the towers?’

¹⁹ No longer will you see the insolent people,

the people of an obscure speech that you cannot comprehend,

stammering in a language that you cannot understand.

²⁰ Look on Zion, the city of our appointed festivals!

Your eyes will see Jerusalem,

a quiet habitation, an immovable tent,

whose stakes will never be pulled up,

and none of whose ropes will be broken.

²¹ But there the LORD in majesty will be for us

a place of broad rivers and streams,

where no galley with oars can go,

nor stately ship can pass.

²² For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our ruler,

the LORD is our king; he will save us.

²³ Your rigging hangs loose;

it cannot hold the mast firm in its place,

or keep the sail spread out.

Then prey and spoil in abundance will be divided;

even the lame will fall to plundering.

²⁴ And no inhabitant will say, ‘I am sick’

the people who live there will be forgiven their iniquity.

Judgement on the Nations

34

DRAW near, O nations, to hear;

O peoples, give heed!

Let the earth hear, and all that fills it;

the world, and all that comes from it.

² For the LORD is enraged against all the nations,

and furious against all their hordes;

he has doomed them, has given them over for slaughter.

³ Their slain shall be cast out,

and the stench of their corpses shall rise;

the mountains shall flow with their blood.

⁴ All the host of heaven shall rot away,

and the skies roll up like a scroll.

All their host shall wither

like a leaf withering on a vine,

or fruit withering on a fig tree.

⁵ When my sword has drunk its fill in the heavens,

lo, it will descend upon Edom,

upon the people I have doomed to judgement.

⁶ The LORD has a sword; it is sated with blood,

it is gorged with fat,

with the blood of lambs and goats,

with the fat of the kidneys of rams.

For the LORD has a sacrifice in Bozrah,

a great slaughter in the land of Edom.

⁷ Wild oxen shall fall with them,

and young steers with the mighty bulls.

Their land shall be soaked with blood,

and their soil made rich with fat.

⁸ For the LORD has a day of vengeance,

a year of vindication by Zion’s cause.a

⁹ And the streams of Edomb shall be turned into pitch,

and her soil into sulphur;

her land shall become burning pitch.

¹⁰ Night and day it shall not be quenched;

its smoke shall go up for ever.

From generation to generation it shall lie waste;

no one shall pass through it for ever and ever.

¹¹ But the hawkc and the hedgehogc shall possess it;

the owlc and the raven shall live in it.

He shall stretch the line of confusion over it,

and the plummet of chaos overd its nobles.

¹² They shall name it No Kingdom There,

and all its princes shall be nothing.

¹³ Thorns shall grow over its strongholds,

nettles and thistles in its fortresses.

It shall be the haunt of jackals, an abode for ostriches.

¹⁴ Wildcats shall meet with hyenas,

goat-demons shall call to each other;

there too Lilith shall repose,

and find a place to rest.

¹⁵ There shall the owl nest

and lay and hatch and brood in its shadow;

there too the buzzards shall gather,

each one with its mate.

¹⁶ Seek and read from the book of the LORD:

Not one of these shall be missing; none shall be without its mate.

For the mouth of the LORD has commanded, and his spirit has gathered them.

¹⁷ He has cast the lot for them,

his hand has portioned it out to them with the line;

they shall possess it for ever,

from generation to generation they shall live in it.

The Return of the Redeemed to Zion

35

THE wilderness and the dry land shall be glad,

the desert shall rejoice and blossom;

like the crocus ²it shall blossom abundantly,

and rejoice with joy and singing.

The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it,

the majesty of Carmel and Sharon.

They shall see the glory of the LORD,

the majesty of our God.

³ Strengthen the weak hands,

and make firm the feeble knees.

⁴ Say to those who are of a fearful heart,

‘Be strong, do not fear!

Here is your God.

He will come with vengeance,

with terrible recompense.

He will come and save you.’

⁵ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

⁶ then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

⁷ the burning sand shall become a pool,

and the thirsty ground springs of water;

the haunt of jackals shall become a swamp,a

the grass shall become reeds and rushes.

⁸ A highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Holy Way;

the unclean shall not travel on it,b

but it shall be for God’s people;c

no traveller, not even fools, shall go astray.

⁹ No lion shall be there,

nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it;

they shall not be found there,

but the redeemed shall walk there.

¹⁰ And the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain joy and gladness,

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Sennacherib Threatens Jerusalem

36

IN THE fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, King Sennacherib of Assyria came up against all the fortified cities of Judah and captured them. ²The king of Assyria sent the Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah at Jerusalem, with a great army. He stood by the conduit of the upper pool on the highway to the Fuller’s Field. ³And there came out to him Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder.

⁴ The Rabshakeh said to them, ‘Say to Hezekiah: Thus says the great king, the king of Assyria: On what do you base this confidence of yours? ⁵Do you think that mere words are strategy and power for war? On whom do you now rely, that you have rebelled against me? ⁶See, you are relying on Egypt, that broken reed of a staff, which will pierce the hand of anyone who leans on it. Such is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all who rely on him. ⁷But if you say to me, “We rely on the LORD our God”, is it not he whose high places and altars Hezekiah has removed, saying to Judah and to Jerusalem, “You shall worship before this altar”? ⁸Come now, make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to set riders on them. ⁹How then can you repulse a single captain among the least of my master’s servants, when you rely on Egypt for chariots and for horsemen? ¹⁰Moreover, is it without the LORD that I have come up against this land to destroy it? The LORD said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it.’

¹¹ Then Eliakim, Shebna, and Joah said to the Rabshakeh, ‘Please speak to your servants in Aramaic, for we understand it; do not speak to us in the language of Judah within the hearing of the people who are on the wall.’ ¹²But the Rabshakeh said, ‘Has my master sent me to speak these words to your master and to you, and not to the people sitting on the wall, who are doomed with you to eat their own dung and drink their own urine?’

¹³ Then the Rabshakeh stood and called out in a loud voice in the language of Judah, ‘Hear the words of the great king, the king of Assyria! ¹⁴Thus says the king: “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to deliver you. ¹⁵Do not let Hezekiah make you rely on the LORD by saying, The LORD will surely deliver us; this city will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” ¹⁶Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: “Make your peace with me and come out to me; then every one of you will eat from your own vine and your own fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, ¹⁷until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards. ¹⁸Do not let Hezekiah mislead you by saying, The LORD will save us. Has any of the gods of the nations saved their land out of the hand of the king of Assyria? ¹⁹Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim? Have they delivered Samaria out of my hand? ²⁰Who among all the gods of these countries have saved their countries out of my hand, that the LORD should save Jerusalem out of my hand?”’

²¹ But they were silent and answered him not a word, for the king’s command was, ‘Do not answer him.’ ²²Then Eliakim son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and Joah son of Asaph, the recorder, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and told him the words of the Rabshakeh.

Hezekiah Consults Isaiah

37

WHEN King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the house of the LORD. ²And he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, and Shebna the secretary, and the senior priests, covered with sackcloth, to the prophet Isaiah son of Amoz. ³They said to him, ‘Thus says Hezekiah, This day is a day of distress, of rebuke, and of disgrace; children have come to birth, and there is no strength to bring them forth. ⁴It may be that the LORD your God heard the words of the Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to mock the living God, and will rebuke the words that the LORD your God has heard; therefore lift up your prayer for the remnant that is left.’

⁵ When the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah, ⁶Isaiah said to them, ‘Say to your master, “Thus says the LORD: Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have reviled me. ⁷I myself will put a spirit in him, so that he shall hear a rumour, and return to his own land; I will cause him to fall by the sword in his own land.”’

⁸ The Rabshakeh returned, and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah; for he had heard that the king had left Lachish. ⁹Now the kinga heard concerning King Tirhakah of Ethiopia,b ‘He has set out to fight against you.’ When he heard it, he sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying, ¹⁰‘Thus shall you speak to King Hezekiah of Judah: Do not let your God on whom you rely deceive you by promising that Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria. ¹¹See, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, destroying them utterly. Shall you be delivered? ¹²Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my predecessors destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar? ¹³Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, the king of Hena, or the king of Ivvah?’

Hezekiah’s Prayer

¹⁴ Hezekiah received the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it; then Hezekiah went up to the house of the LORD and spread it before the LORD. ¹⁵And Hezekiah prayed to the LORD, saying: ¹⁶‘O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, you are God, you alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth; you have made heaven and earth. ¹⁷Incline your ear, O LORD, and hear; open your eyes, O LORD, and see; hear all the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to mock the living God. ¹⁸Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations and their lands, ¹⁹and have hurled their gods into the fire, though they were no gods, but the work of human hands—wood and stone—and so they were destroyed. ²⁰So now, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, so that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you alone are the LORD.’

²¹ Then Isaiah son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah, saying: ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Because you have prayed to me concerning King Sennacherib of Assyria, ²²this is the word that the LORD has spoken concerning him:

She despises you, she scorns you—

virgin daughter Zion;

she tosses her head—behind your back,

daughter Jerusalem.

²³ ‘Whom have you mocked and reviled?

Against whom have you raised your voice

and haughtily lifted your eyes?

Against the Holy One of Israel!

²⁴ By your servants you have mocked the Lord,

and you have said, “With my many chariots

I have gone up the heights of the mountains,

to the far recesses of Lebanon;

I felled its tallest cedars,

its choicest cypresses;

I came to its remotest height,

its densest forest.

²⁵ I dug wells

and drank waters,

I dried up with the sole of my foot

all the streams of Egypt.”

²⁶ ‘Have you not heard

that I determined it long ago?

I planned from days of old

what now I bring to pass,

that you should make fortified cities

crash into heaps of ruins,

²⁷ while their inhabitants, shorn of strength,

are dismayed and confounded;

they have become like plants of the field

and like tender grass,

like grass on the housetops,

blighteda before it is grown.

²⁸ ‘I know your rising upb and your sitting down,

your going out and coming in,

and your raging against me.

²⁹ Because you have raged against me

and your arrogance has come to my ears,

I will put my hook in your nose

and my bit in your mouth;

I will turn you back on the way

by which you came.

³⁰ ‘And this shall be the sign for you: This year eat what grows of itself, and in the second year what springs from that; then in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. ³¹The surviving remnant of the house of Judah shall again take root downwards, and bear fruit upwards; ³²for from Jerusalem a remnant shall go out, and from Mount Zion a band of survivors. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this.

³³ ‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria: He shall not come into this city, shoot an arrow there, come before it with a shield, or cast up a siege-ramp against it. ³⁴By the way that he came, by the same he shall return; he shall not come into this city, says the LORD. ³⁵For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.’

Sennacherib’s Defeat and Death

³⁶ Then the angel of the LORD set out and struck down one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians; when morning dawned, they were all dead bodies. ³⁷Then King Sennacherib of Assyria left, went home, and lived at Nineveh. ³⁸As he was worshipping in the house of his god Nisroch, his sons Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword, and they escaped into the land of Ararat. His son Esar-haddon succeeded him.

Hezekiah’s Illness

38

IN THOSE days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover.’ ²Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall, and prayed to the LORD: ³‘Remember now, O LORD, I implore you, how I have walked before you in faithfulness with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight.’ And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: ⁵‘Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of your ancestor David: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. ⁶I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and defend this city.

⁷ ‘This is the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised: ⁸See, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps.’ So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.a

⁹ A writing of King Hezekiah of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:

¹⁰ I said:

In the noontide of my days

I must depart;

I am consigned to the gates of Sheol

for the rest of my years.

¹¹ I said, I shall not see the LORD

in the land of the living;

I shall look upon mortals no more

among the inhabitants of the world.

¹² My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me

like a shepherd’s tent;

like a weaver I have rolled up my life;

he cuts me off from the loom;

from day to night you bring me to an end;a

¹³ I cry for helpb until morning;

like a lion he breaks all my bones;

from day to night you bring me to an end.a

¹⁴ Like a swallow or a cranea I clamour,

I moan like a dove.

My eyes are weary with looking upwards.

O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security!

¹⁵ But what can I say? For he has spoken to me,

and he himself has done it.

All my sleep has fledc

because of the bitterness of my soul.

¹⁶ O Lord, by these things people live,

and in all these is the life of my spirit.a

O restore me to health and make me live!

¹⁷ Surely it was for my welfare

that I had great bitterness;

but you have held backd my life

from the pit of destruction,

for you have cast all my sins

behind your back.

¹⁸ For Sheol cannot thank you,

death cannot praise you;

those who go down to the Pit cannot hope

for your faithfulness.

¹⁹ The living, the living, they thank you,

as I do this day;

fathers make known to children

your faithfulness.

²⁰ The LORD will save me,

and we will sing to stringed instrumentsa

all the days of our lives,

at the house of the LORD.

²¹ Now Isaiah had said, ‘Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.’ ²²Hezekiah also had said, ‘What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?’

Envoys from Babylon Welcomed

39

AT THAT time King Merodach-baladan son of Baladan of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. ²Hezekiah welcomed them; he showed them his treasure-house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armoury, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. ³Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and said to him, ‘What did these men say? From where did they come to you?’ Hezekiah answered, ‘They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.’ ⁴He said, ‘What have they seen in your house?’ Hezekiah answered, ‘They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.’

⁵ Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, ‘Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: ⁶Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the LORD. ⁷Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’ ⁸Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, ‘The word of the LORD that you have spoken is good.’ For he thought, ‘There will be peace and security in my days.’

God’s People Are Comforted

40

COMFORT, O comfort my people,

says your God.

² Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,

and cry to her

that she has served her term,

that her penalty is paid,

that she has received from the LORD’s hand

double for all her sins.

³ A voice cries out:

‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD,

make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

⁴ Every valley shall be lifted up,

and every mountain and hill be made low;

the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.

⁵ Then the glory of the LORD shall be revealed,

and all people shall see it together,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.’

⁶ A voice says, ‘Cry out!’

And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’

All people are grass,

their constancy is like the flower of the field.

⁷ The grass withers, the flower fades,

when the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

surely the people are grass.

⁸ The grass withers, the flower fades;

but the word of our God will stand for ever.

⁹ Get you up to a high mountain,

O Zion, herald of good tidings;b

lift up your voice with strength,

O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings,a

lift it up, do not fear;

say to the cities of Judah,

‘Here is your God!’

¹⁰ See, the Lord GOD comes with might,

and his arm rules for him;

his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.

¹¹ He will feed his flock like a shepherd;

he will gather the lambs in his arms,

and carry them in his bosom,

and gently lead the mother sheep.

¹² Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand

and marked off the heavens with a span,

enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure,

and weighed the mountains in scales

and the hills in a balance?

¹³ Who has directed the spirit of the LORD,

or as his counsellor has instructed him?

¹⁴ Whom did he consult for his enlightenment,

and who taught him the path of justice?

Who taught him knowledge,

and showed him the way of understanding?

¹⁵ Even the nations are like a drop from a bucket,

and are accounted as dust on the scales;

see, he takes up the isles like fine dust.

¹⁶ Lebanon would not provide fuel enough,

nor are its animals enough for a burnt-offering.

¹⁷ All the nations are as nothing before him;

they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness.

¹⁸ To whom then will you liken God,

or what likeness compare with him?

¹⁹ An idol?—A workman casts it,

and a goldsmith overlays it with gold, and casts for it silver chains.

²⁰ As a gift one chooses mulberry woodb

—wood that will not rot—

then seeks out a skilled artisan

to set up an image that will not topple.

²¹ Have you not known? Have you not heard?

Has it not been told you from the beginning?

Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?

²² It is he who sits above the circle of the earth,

and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers;

who stretches out the heavens like a curtain,

and spreads them like a tent to live in;

²³ who brings princes to naught,

and makes the rulers of the earth as nothing.

²⁴ Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown,

scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth,

when he blows upon them, and they wither,

and the tempest carries them off like stubble.

²⁵ To whom then will you compare me,

or who is my equal? says the Holy One.

²⁶ Lift up your eyes on high and see:

Who created these?

He who brings out their host and numbers them,

calling them all by name;

because he is great in strength,

mighty in power,

not one is missing.

²⁷ Why do you say, O Jacob,

and speak, O Israel,

‘My way is hidden from the LORD,

and my right is disregarded by my God’?

²⁸ Have you not known? Have you not heard?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.

²⁹ He gives power to the faint,

and strengthens the powerless.

³⁰ Even youths will faint and be weary,

and the young will fall exhausted;

³¹ but those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength,

they shall mount up with wings like eagles,

they shall run and not be weary,

they shall walk and not faint.

Israel Assured of God’s Help

41

LISTEN to me in silence, O coastlands;

let the peoples renew their strength;

let them approach, then let them speak;

let us together draw near for judgement.

² Who has roused a victor from the east,

summoned him to his service?

He delivers up nations to him,

and tramples kings under foot;

he makes them like dust with his sword,

like driven stubble with his bow.

³ He pursues them and passes on safely,

scarcely touching the path with his feet.

⁴ Who has performed and done this,

calling the generations from the beginning?

I, the LORD, am first,

and will be with the last.

⁵ The coastlands have seen and are afraid,

the ends of the earth tremble;

they have drawn near and come.

⁶ Each one helps the other,

saying to one another, ‘Take courage!’

⁷ The artisan encourages the goldsmith,

and the one who smooths with the hammer encourages the one who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, ‘It is good’

and they fasten it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

⁸ But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

⁹ you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, ‘You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off’

¹⁰ do not fear, for I am with you,

do not be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

¹¹ Yes, all who are incensed against you

shall be ashamed and disgraced;

those who strive against you

shall be as nothing and shall perish.

¹² You shall seek those who contend with you,

but you shall not find them;

those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

¹³ For I, the LORD your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, ‘Do not fear,

I will help you.’

¹⁴ Do not fear, you worm Jacob,

you insecta Israel!

I will help you, says the LORD;

your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁵ Now, I will make of you a threshingsledge,

sharp, new, and having teeth;

you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,

and you shall make the hills like chaff.

¹⁶ You shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them away,

and the tempest shall scatter them.

Then you shall rejoice in the LORD;

in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

¹⁷ When the poor and needy seek water,

and there is none,

and their tongue is parched with thirst,

I the LORD will answer them,

I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

¹⁸ I will open rivers on the bare heights,b

and fountains in the midst of the valleys;

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

¹⁹ I will put in the wilderness the cedar,

the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive;

I will set in the desert the cypress,

the plane and the pine together,

²⁰ so that all may see and know,

all may consider and understand,

that the hand of the LORD has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it.

The Futility of Idols

²¹ Set forth your case, says the LORD;

bring your proofs, says the King of Jacob.

²² Let them bring them, and tell us

what is to happen.

Tell us the former things, what they are,

so that we may consider them,

and that we may know their outcome;

or declare to us the things to come.

²³ Tell us what is to come hereafter,

that we may know that you are gods;

do good, or do harm,

that we may be afraid and terrified.

²⁴ You, indeed, are nothing

and your work is nothing at all;

whoever chooses you is an abomination.

²⁵ I stirred up one from the north, and he has come,

from the rising of the sun he was summoned by name.c

He shall trampled on rulers

as on mortar, as the potter treads clay.

²⁶ Who declared it from the beginning, so that we might know,

and beforehand, so that we might say, ‘He is right’?

There was no one who declared it, none who proclaimed, none who heard your words.

²⁷ I first have declared it to Zion,e

and I give to Jerusalem a herald of good tidings.

²⁸ But when I look there is no one;

among these there is no counsellor

who, when I ask, gives an answer.

²⁹ No, they are all a delusion;

their works are nothing;

their images are empty wind.

The Servant, a Light to the Nations

42

HERE is my servant, whom I uphold,

my chosen, in whom my soul delights;

I have put my spirit upon him;

he will bring forth justice to the nations.

² He will not cry or lift up his voice,

or make it heard in the street;

³ a bruised reed he will not break,

and a dimly burning wick he will not quench;

he will faithfully bring forth justice.

⁴ He will not grow faint or be crushed

until he has established justice in the earth;

and the coastlands wait for his teaching.

⁵ Thus says God, the LORD,

who created the heavens and stretched them out,

who spread out the earth and what comes from it,

who gives breath to the people upon it

and spirit to those who walk in it:

⁶ I am the LORD, I have called you in righteousness,

I have taken you by the hand and kept you;

I have given you as a covenant to the people,a

a light to the nations,

⁷ to open the eyes that are blind,

to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,

from the prison those who sit in darkness.

⁸ I am the LORD, that is my name;

my glory I give to no other,

nor my praise to idols.

⁹ See, the former things have come to pass,

and new things I now declare;

before they spring forth,

I tell you of them.

A Hymn of Praise

¹⁰ Sing to the LORD a new song,

his praise from the end of the earth!

Let the sea roarb and all that fills it,

the coastlands and their inhabitants.

¹¹ Let the desert and its towns lift up their voice,

the villages that Kedar inhabits;

let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy,

let them shout from the tops of the mountains.

¹² Let them give glory to the LORD,

and declare his praise in the coastlands.

¹³ The LORD goes forth like a soldier,

like a warrior he stirs up his fury;

he cries out, he shouts aloud,

he shows himself mighty against his foes.

¹⁴ For a long time I have held my peace,

I have kept still and restrained myself;

now I will cry out like a woman in labour,

I will gasp and pant.

¹⁵ I will lay waste mountains

and hills, and dry up all their herbage;

I will turn the rivers into islands,

and dry up the pools.

¹⁶ I will lead the blind

by a road they do not know,

by paths they have not known

I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I will do,

and I will not forsake them.

¹⁷ They shall be turned back and utterly put to shame—

those who trust in carved images,

who say to cast images,

‘You are our gods.’

¹⁸ Listen, you that are deaf;

and you that are blind, look up and see!

¹⁹ Who is blind but my servant,

or deaf like my messenger whom I send?

Who is blind like my dedicated one,

or blind like the servant of the LORD?

²⁰ He sees many things, but doesa not observe them;

his ears are open, but he does not hear.

Israel’s Disobedience

²¹ The LORD was pleased, for the sake of his righteousness,

to magnify his teaching and make it glorious.

²² But this is a people robbed and plundered,

all of them are trapped in holes

and hidden in prisons;

they have become a prey with no one to rescue,

a spoil with no one to say, ‘Restore!’

²³ Who among you will give heed to this,

who will attend and listen for the time to come?

²⁴ Who gave up Jacob to the spoiler,

and Israel to the robbers?

Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned,

in whose ways they would not walk,

and whose law they would not obey?

²⁵ So he poured upon him the heat of his anger

and the fury of war;

it set him on fire all around, but he did not understand;

it burned him, but he did not take it to heart.

Restoration and Protection Promised

43

BUT now thus says the LORD,

he who created you, O Jacob,

he who formed you, O Israel:

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;

I have called you by name, you are mine.

² When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;

when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,

and the flame shall not consume you.

³ For I am the LORD your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour.

I give Egypt as your ransom,

Ethiopiab and Seba in exchange for you.

⁴ Because you are precious in my sight,

and honoured, and I love you,

I give people in return for you,

nations in exchange for your life.

⁵ Do not fear, for I am with you;

I will bring your offspring from the east,

and from the west I will gather you;

⁶ I will say to the north, ‘Give them up’,

and to the south, ‘Do not withhold;

bring my sons from far away

and my daughters from the end of the earth—

⁷ everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.’

⁸ Bring forth the people who are blind, yet have eyes,

who are deaf, yet have ears!

⁹ Let all the nations gather together,

and let the peoples assemble.

Who among them declared this,

and foretold to us the former things?

Let them bring their witnesses to justify them,

and let them hear and say, ‘It is true.’

¹⁰ You are my witnesses, says the LORD,

and my servant whom I have chosen,

so that you may know and believe me

and understand that I am he.

Before me no god was formed,

nor shall there be any after me.

¹¹ I, I am the LORD,

and besides me there is no saviour.

¹² I declared and saved and proclaimed,

when there was no strange god among you;

and you are my witnesses, says the LORD.

¹³ I am God, and also henceforth I am He;

there is no one who can deliver from my hand;

I work and who can hinder it?

¹⁴ Thus says the LORD,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

For your sake I will send to Babylon

and break down all the bars,

and the shouting of the Chaldeans will be turned to lamentation.a

¹⁵ I am the LORD, your Holy One,

the Creator of Israel, your King.

¹⁶ Thus says the LORD,

who makes a way in the sea,

a path in the mighty waters,

¹⁷ who brings out chariot and horse,

army and warrior;

they lie down, they cannot rise,

they are extinguished, quenched like a wick:

¹⁸ Do not remember the former things,

or consider the things of old.

¹⁹ I am about to do a new thing;

now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?

I will make a way in the wilderness

and rivers in the desert.

²⁰ The wild animals will honour me,

the jackals and the ostriches;

for I give water in the wilderness,

rivers in the desert,

to give drink to my chosen people,

²¹ the people whom I formed for myself

so that they might declare my praise.

²² Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob;

but you have been weary of me, O Israel!

²³ You have not brought me your sheep for burnt-offerings,

or honoured me with your sacrifices.

I have not burdened you with offerings,

or wearied you with frankincense.

²⁴ You have not bought me sweet cane with money,

or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.

But you have burdened me with your sins;

you have wearied me with your iniquities.

²⁵ I, I am He

who blots out your transgressions for my own sake,

and I will not remember your sins.

²⁶ Accuse me, let us go to trial;

set forth your case, so that you may be proved right.

²⁷ Your first ancestor sinned,

and your interpreters transgressed against me.

²⁸ Therefore I profaned the princes of the sanctuary,

I delivered Jacob to utter destruction,

and Israel to reviling.

God’s Blessing on Israel

44

BUT now hear, O Jacob my servant, Israel whom I have chosen!

² Thus says the LORD

who made you, who formed you in the womb and will help you:

Do not fear, O Jacob my servant,

Jeshurun whom I have chosen.

³ For I will pour water on the thirsty land,

and streams on the dry ground;

I will pour my spirit upon your descendants,

and my blessing on your offspring.

⁴ They shall spring up like a green tamarisk,

like willows by flowing streams.

⁵ This one will say, ‘I am the LORD’s’,

another will be called by the name of Jacob,

yet another will write on the hand, ‘The LORD’s’,

and adopt the name of Israel.

⁶ Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel

and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:

I am the first and I am the last;

besides me there is no god.

⁷ Who is like me? Let them proclaim it,

let them declare and set it forth before me.

Who has announced from of old the things to come?a

Let them tell usb what is yet to be.

⁸ Do not fear, or be afraid;

have I not told you from of old and declared it?

You are my witnesses!

Is there any god besides me?

There is no other rock; I know not one.

The Absurdity of Idol-Worship

⁹ All who make idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit; their witnesses neither see nor know. And so they will be put to shame. ¹⁰Who would fashion a god or cast an image that can do no good? ¹¹Look, all its devotees shall be put to shame; the artisans too are merely human. Let them all assemble, let them stand up; they shall be terrified, they shall all be put to shame.

¹² The blacksmith fashions itc and works it over the coals, shaping it with hammers, and forging it with his strong arm; he becomes hungry and his strength fails, he drinks no water and is faint. ¹³The carpenter stretches a line, marks it out with a stylus, fashions it with planes, and marks it with a compass; he makes it in human form, with human beauty, to be set up in a shrine. ¹⁴He cuts down cedars or chooses a holm tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. ¹⁵Then it can be used as fuel. Part of it he takes and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it, makes it a carved image and bows down before it. ¹⁶Half of it he burns in the fire; over this half he roasts meat, eats it, and is satisfied. He also warms himself and says, ‘Ah, I am warm, I can feel the fire!’ ¹⁷The rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, bows down to it, and worships it; he prays to it and says, ‘Save me, for you are my god!’

¹⁸ They do not know, nor do they comprehend; for their eyes are shut, so that they cannot see, and their minds as well, so that they cannot understand. ¹⁹No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, ‘Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals, I roasted meat and have eaten. Now shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?’ ²⁰He feeds on ashes; a deluded mind has led him astray, and he cannot save himself or say, ‘Is not this thing in my right hand a fraud?’

Israel Is Not Forgotten

²¹ Remember these things, O Jacob,

and Israel, for you are my servant;

I formed you, you are my servant;

O Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.

²² I have swept away your transgressions like a cloud,

and your sins like mist;

return to me, for I have redeemed you.

²³ Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it;

shout, O depths of the earth;

break forth into singing, O mountains,

O forest, and every tree in it!

For the LORD has redeemed Jacob,

and will be glorified in Israel.

²⁴ Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer,

who formed you in the womb:

I am the LORD, who made all things,

who alone stretched out the heavens,

who by myself spread out the earth;

²⁵ who frustrates the omens of liars,

and makes fools of diviners;

who turns back the wise,

and makes their knowledge foolish;

²⁶ who confirms the word of his servant,

and fulfils the prediction of his messengers;

who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited’,

and of the cities of Judah, ‘They shall be rebuilt,

and I will raise up their ruins’

²⁷ who says to the deep, ‘Be dry—

I will dry up your rivers’

²⁸ who says of Cyrus, ‘He is my shepherd,

and he shall carry out all my purpose’

and who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be rebuilt’,

and of the temple, ‘Your foundation shall be laid.’

Cyrus, God’s Instrument

45

THUS says the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus,

whose right hand I have grasped

to subdue nations before him

and strip kings of their robes,

to open doors before him—

and the gates shall not be closed:

² I will go before you and level the mountains,a

I will break in pieces the doors of bronze

and cut through the bars of iron,

³ I will give you the treasures of darkness

and riches hidden in secret places,

so that you may know that it is I, the LORD,

the God of Israel, who call you by your name.

⁴ For the sake of my servant Jacob,

and Israel my chosen,

I call you by your name,

I surname you, though you do not know me.

⁵ I am the LORD, and there is no other;

besides me there is no god.

I arm you, though you do not know me,

⁶ so that they may know, from the rising of the sun

and from the west, that there is no one besides me;

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

⁷ I form light and create darkness,

I make weal and create woe;

I the LORD do all these things.

⁸ Shower, O heavens, from above,

and let the skies rain down righteousness;

let the earth open, that salvation may spring up,b

and let it cause righteousness to sprout up also;

I the LORD have created it.

⁹ Woe to you who strive with your Maker,

earthen vessels with the potter!c

Does the clay say to the one who fashions it, ‘What are you making?’

or ‘Your work has no handles’?

¹⁰ Woe to anyone who says to a father, ‘What are you begetting?’

or to a woman, ‘With what are you in labour?’

¹¹ Thus says the LORD,

the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker:

Will you question med about my children,

or command me concerning the work of my hands?

¹² I made the earth,

and created humankind upon it;

it was my hands that stretched out the heavens,

and I commanded all their host.

¹³ I have aroused Cyrusa in righteousness,

and I will make all his paths straight;

he shall build my city

and set my exiles free,

not for price or reward,

says the LORD of hosts.

¹⁴ Thus says the LORD:

The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Ethiopia,b

and the Sabeans, tall of stature,

shall come over to you and be yours,

they shall follow you;

they shall come over in chains and bow down to you.

They will make supplication to you, saying,

‘God is with you alone, and there is no other;

there is no god besides him.’

¹⁵ Truly, you are a God who hides himself,

O God of Israel, the Saviour.

¹⁶ All of them are put to shame and confounded,

the makers of idols go in confusion together.

¹⁷ But Israel is saved by the LORD

with everlasting salvation;

you shall not be put to shame or confounded

to all eternity.

¹⁸ For thus says the LORD,

who created the heavens (he is God!),

who formed the earth and made it (he established it;

he did not create it a chaos,

he formed it to be inhabited!):

I am the LORD, and there is no other.

¹⁹ I did not speak in secret,

in a land of darkness;

I did not say to the offspring of Jacob,

‘Seek me in chaos.’

I the LORD speak the truth,

I declare what is right.

Idols Cannot Save Babylon

²⁰ Assemble yourselves and come together,

draw near, you survivors of the nations!

They have no knowledge—

those who carry about their wooden idols,

and keep on praying to a god

that cannot save.

²¹ Declare and present your case;

let them take counsel together!

Who told this long ago?

Who declared it of old?

Was it not I, the LORD?

There is no other god besides me,

a righteous God and a Saviour;

there is no one besides me.

²² Turn to me and be saved,

all the ends of the earth!

For I am God, and there is no other.

²³ By myself I have sworn,

from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness

a word that shall not return:

‘To me every knee shall bow,

every tongue shall swear.’

²⁴ Only in the LORD, it shall be said of me,

are righteousness and strength;

all who were incensed against him

shall come to him and be ashamed.

²⁵ In the LORD all the offspring of Israel

shall triumph and glory.

46

BEL bows down, Nebo stoops,

their idols are on beasts and cattle;

these things you carry are loaded

as burdens on weary animals.

² They stoop, they bow down together;

they cannot save the burden,

but themselves go into captivity.

³ Listen to me, O house of Jacob,

all the remnant of the house of Israel,

who have been borne by me from your birth,

carried from the womb;

⁴ even to your old age I am he,

even when you turn grey I will carry you.

I have made, and I will bear;

I will carry and will save.

⁵ To whom will you liken me and make me equal,

and compare me, as though we were alike?

⁶ Those who lavish gold from the purse,

and weigh out silver in the scales—

they hire a goldsmith, who makes it into a god;

then they fall down and worship!

⁷ They lift it to their shoulders, they carry it,

they set it in its place, and it stands there;

it cannot move from its place.

If one cries out to it, it does not answer

or save anyone from trouble.

⁸ Remember this and consider,a

recall it to mind, you transgressors,

⁹ remember the former things of old;

for I am God, and there is no other;

I am God, and there is no one like me,

¹⁰ declaring the end from the beginning

and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, ‘My purpose shall stand,

and I will fulfil my intention’,

¹¹ calling a bird of prey from the east,

the man for my purpose from a far country.

I have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;

I have planned, and I will do it.

¹² Listen to me, you stubborn of heart,

you who are far from deliverance:

¹³ I bring near my deliverance, it is not far off,

and my salvation will not tarry;

I will put salvation in Zion,

for Israel my glory.

The Humiliation of Babylon

47

COME down and sit in the dust,

virgin daughter Babylon!

Sit on the ground without a throne,

daughter Chaldea!

For you shall no more be called tender and delicate.

² Take the millstones and grind meal, remove your veil,

strip off your robe, uncover your legs,

pass through the rivers.

³ Your nakedness shall be uncovered,

and your shame shall be seen.

I will take vengeance,

and I will spare no one.

⁴ Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name—

is the Holy One of Israel.

⁵ Sit in silence, and go into darkness,

daughter Chaldea!

For you shall no more be called

the mistress of kingdoms.

⁶ I was angry with my people,

I profaned my heritage;

I gave them into your hand,

you showed them no mercy;

on the aged you made your yoke

exceedingly heavy.

⁷ You said, ‘I shall be mistress for ever’,

so that you did not lay these things to heart

or remember their end.

⁸ Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures,

who sit securely,

who say in your heart,

‘I am, and there is no one besides me;

I shall not sit as a widow

or know the loss of children’—

⁹ both these things shall come upon you

in a moment, in one day:

the loss of children and widowhood

shall come upon you in full measure,

in spite of your many sorceries

and the great power of your enchantments.

¹⁰ You felt secure in your wickedness;

you said, ‘No one sees me.’

Your wisdom and your knowledge

led you astray,

and you said in your heart,

‘I am, and there is no one besides me.’

¹¹ But evil shall come upon you,

which you cannot charm away;

disaster shall fall upon you,

which you will not be able to ward off;

and ruin shall come on you suddenly,

of which you know nothing.

¹² Stand fast in your enchantments

and your many sorceries,

with which you have laboured from your youth;

perhaps you may be able to succeed,

perhaps you may inspire terror.

¹³ You are wearied with your many consultations;

let those who studya the heavens

stand up and save you,

those who gaze at the stars

and at each new moon predict

whatb shall befall you.

¹⁴ See, they are like stubble,

the fire consumes them;

they cannot deliver themselves

from the power of the flame.

No coal for warming oneself is this,

no fire to sit before!

¹⁵ Such to you are those with whom you have laboured,

who have trafficked with you from your youth;

they all wander about in their own paths;

there is no one to save you.

God the Creator and Redeemer

48

HEAR this, O house of Jacob,

who are called by the name of Israel,

and who came forth from the loinsc of Judah;

who swear by the name of the LORD,

and invoke the God of Israel,

but not in truth or right.

² For they call themselves after the holy city,

and lean on the God of Israel;

the LORD of hosts is his name.

³ The former things I declared long ago,

they went out from my mouth and I made them known;

then suddenly I did them and they came to pass.

⁴ Because I know that you are obstinate,

and your neck is an iron sinew

and your forehead brass,

⁵ I declared them to you from long ago,

before they came to pass I announced them to you,

so that you would not say, ‘My idol did them,

my carved image and my cast image commanded them.’

⁶ You have heard; now see all this;

and will you not declare it?

From this time forward I make you

hear new things,

hidden things that you have not known.

⁷ They are created now, not long ago;

before today you have never heard of them,

so that you could not say, ‘I already knew them.’

⁸ You have never heard, you have never known,

from of old your ear has not been opened.

For I knew that you would deal very treacherously,

and that from birth you were called a rebel.

⁹ For my name’s sake I defer my anger,

for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you,

so that I may not cut you off.

¹⁰ See, I have refined you, but not likea silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of adversity.

¹¹ For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it,

for why should my nameb be profaned?

My glory I will not give to another.

¹² Listen to me, O Jacob,

and Israel, whom I called:

I am He; I am the first,

and I am the last.

¹³ My hand laid the foundation of the earth,

and my right hand spread out the heavens;

when I summon them,

they stand at attention.

¹⁴ Assemble, all of you, and hear!

Who among them has declared these things?

The LORD loves him;

he shall perform his purpose on Babylon,

and his arm shall be against the Chaldeans.

¹⁵ I, even I, have spoken and called him,

I have brought him, and he will prosper in his way.

¹⁶ Draw near to me, hear this!

From the beginning I have not spoken in secret,

from the time it came to be I have been there.

And now the Lord GOD has sent me and his spirit.

¹⁷ Thus says the LORD,

your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:

I am the LORD your God,

who teaches you for your own good,

who leads you in the way you should go.

¹⁸ O that you had paid attention to my commandments!

Then your prosperity would have been like a river,

and your success like the waves of the sea;

¹⁹ your offspring would have been like the sand,

and your descendants like its grains;

their name would never be cut off

or destroyed from before me.

²⁰ Go out from Babylon, flee from Chaldea,

declare this with a shout of joy, proclaim it,

send it forth to the end of the earth;

say, ‘The LORD has redeemed his servant Jacob!’

²¹ They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts;

he made water flow for them from the rock;

he split open the rock and the water gushed out.

²² ‘There is no peace’, says the LORD, ‘for the wicked.’

The Servant’s Mission

49

LISTEN to me, O coastlands,

pay attention, you peoples from far away!

The LORD called me before I was born,

while I was in my mother’s womb he named me.

² He made my mouth like a sharp sword,

in the shadow of his hand he hid me;

he made me a polished arrow,

in his quiver he hid me away.

³ And he said to me, ‘You are my servant,

Israel, in whom I will be glorified.’

⁴ But I said, ‘I have laboured in vain,

I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity;

yet surely my cause is with the LORD,

and my reward with my God.’

⁵ And now the LORD says,

who formed me in the womb to be his servant,

to bring Jacob back to him,

and that Israel might be gathered to him,

for I am honoured in the sight of the LORD,

and my God has become my strength—

⁶ he says,

‘It is too light a thing that you should be my servant

to raise up the tribes of Jacob

and to restore the survivors of Israel;

I will give you as a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.’

⁷ Thus says the LORD,

the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,

to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,

the slave of rulers,

‘Kings shall see and stand up,

princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,

because of the LORD, who is faithful,

the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.’

Zion’s Children to Be Brought Home

⁸ Thus says the LORD:

In a time of favour I have answered you,

on a day of salvation I have helped you;

I have kept you and given you

as a covenant to the people,a

to establish the land,

to apportion the desolate heritages;

⁹ saying to the prisoners, ‘Come out’,

to those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.’

They shall feed along the ways,

on all the bare heightsb shall be their pasture;

¹⁰ they shall not hunger or thirst,

neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them down,

for he who has pity on them will lead them,

and by springs of water will guide them.

¹¹ And I will turn all my mountains into a road,

and my highways shall be raised up.

¹² Lo, these shall come from far away,

and lo, these from the north and from the west,

and these from the land of Syene.c

¹³ Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth;

break forth, O mountains, into singing!

For the LORD has comforted his people,

and will have compassion on his suffering ones.

¹⁴ But Zion said, ‘The LORD has forsaken me,

my Lord has forgotten me.’

¹⁵ Can a woman forget her nursing-child,

or show no compassion for the child of her womb?

Even these may forget,

yet I will not forget you.

¹⁶ See, I have inscribed you on the palms of my hands;

your walls are continually before me.

¹⁷ Your builders outdo your destroyers,a

and those who laid you waste go away from you.

¹⁸ Lift up your eyes all around and see;

they all gather, they come to you.

As I live, says the LORD,

you shall put all of them on like an ornament,

and like a bride you shall bind them on.

¹⁹ Surely your waste and your desolate places

and your devastated land—

surely now you will be too crowded for your inhabitants,

and those who swallowed you up will be far away.

²⁰ The children born in the time of your bereavement

will yet say in your hearing:

‘The place is too crowded for me;

make room for me to settle.’

²¹ Then you will say in your heart,

‘Who has borne me these?

I was bereaved and barren,

exiled and put away—

so who has reared these?

I was left all alone—

where then have these come from?’

²² Thus says the Lord GOD:

I will soon lift up my hand to the nations,

and raise my signal to the peoples;

and they shall bring your sons in their bosom,

and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.

²³ Kings shall be your foster-fathers,

and their queens your nursing-mothers.

With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you,

and lick the dust of your feet.

Then you will know that I am the LORD;

those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.

²⁴ Can the prey be taken from the mighty,

or the captives of a tyrantb be rescued?

²⁵ But thus says the LORD:

Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken,

and the prey of the tyrant be rescued;

for I will contend with those who contend with you,

and I will save your children.

²⁶ I will make your oppressors eat their own flesh,

and they shall be drunk with their own blood as with wine.

Then all flesh shall know

that I am the LORD your Saviour,

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

50

THUS says the LORD:

Where is your mother’s bill of divorce

with which I put her away?

Or which of my creditors is it

to whom I have sold you?

No, because of your sins you were sold,

and for your transgressions your mother was put away.

² Why was no one there when I came?

Why did no one answer when I called?

Is my hand shortened, that it cannot redeem?

Or have I no power to deliver?

By my rebuke I dry up the sea,

I make the rivers a desert;

their fish stink for lack of water,

and die of thirst.a

³ I clothe the heavens with blackness,

and make sackcloth their covering.

The Servant’s Humiliation and Vindication

⁴ The Lord GOD has given me

the tongue of a teacher,b

that I may know how to sustain

the weary with a word.

Morning by morning he wakens—

wakens my ear

to listen as those who are taught.

⁵ The Lord GOD has opened my ear,

and I was not rebellious,

I did not turn backwards.

⁶ I gave my back to those who struck me,

and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard;

I did not hide my face

from insult and spitting.

⁷ The Lord GOD helps me;

therefore I have not been disgraced;

therefore I have set my face like flint,

and I know that I shall not be put to shame;

⁸ he who vindicates me is near.

Who will contend with me?

Let us stand up together.

Who are my adversaries?

Let them confront me.

⁹ It is the Lord GOD who helps me;

who will declare me guilty?

All of them will wear out like a garment;

the moth will eat them up.

¹⁰ Who among you fears the LORD

and obeys the voice of his servant,

who walks in darkness

and has no light,

yet trusts in the name of the LORD

and relies upon his God?

¹¹ But all of you are kindlers of fire,

lighters of firebrands.c

Walk in the flame of your fire,

and among the brands that you have kindled!

This is what you shall have from my hand:

you shall lie down in torment.

Blessings in Store for God’s People

51

LISTEN to me, you that pursue righteousness,

you that seek the LORD.

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,

and to the quarry from which you were dug.

² Look to Abraham your father

and to Sarah who bore you;

for he was but one when I called him,

but I blessed him and made him many.

³ For the LORD will comfort Zion;

he will comfort all her waste places,

and will make her wilderness like Eden,

her desert like the garden of the LORD;

joy and gladness will be found in her,

thanksgiving and the voice of song.

⁴ Listen to me, my people,

and give heed to me, my nation;

for a teaching will go out from me,

and my justice for a light to the peoples.

⁵ I will bring near my deliverance swiftly,

my salvation has gone out

and my arms will rule the peoples;

the coastlands wait for me,

and for my arm they hope.

⁶ Lift up your eyes to the heavens,

and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens will vanish like smoke,

the earth will wear out like a garment,

and those who live on it will die like gnats;a

but my salvation will be for ever,

and my deliverance will never be ended.

⁷ Listen to me, you who know righteousness,

you people who have my teaching in your hearts;

do not fear the reproach of others,

and do not be dismayed when they revile you.

⁸ For the moth will eat them up like a garment,

and the worm will eat them like wool;

but my deliverance will be for ever,

and my salvation to all generations.

⁹ Awake, awake, put on strength,

O arm of the LORD!

Awake, as in days of old,

the generations of long ago!

Was it not you who cut Rahab in pieces,

who pierced the dragon?

¹⁰ Was it not you who dried up the sea,

the waters of the great deep;

who made the depths of the sea a way

for the redeemed to cross over?

¹¹ So the ransomed of the LORD shall return,

and come to Zion with singing;

everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;

they shall obtain joy and gladness,

and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

¹² I, I am he who comforts you;

why then are you afraid of a mere mortal who must die,

a human being who fades like grass?

¹³ You have forgotten the LORD, your Maker,

who stretched out the heavens

and laid the foundations of the earth.

You fear continually all day long

because of the fury of the oppressor,

who is bent on destruction.

But where is the fury of the oppressor?

¹⁴ The oppressed shall speedily be released;

they shall not die and go down to the Pit,

nor shall they lack bread.

¹⁵ For I am the LORD your God,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—

the LORD of hosts is his name.

¹⁶ I have put my words in your mouth,

and hidden you in the shadow of my hand,

stretching outb the heavens

and laying the foundations of the earth,

and saying to Zion, ‘You are my people.’

¹⁷ Rouse yourself, rouse yourself!

Stand up, O Jerusalem,

you who have drunk at the hand of the LORD

the cup of his wrath,

who have drunk to the dregs

the bowl of staggering.

¹⁸ There is no one to guide her

among all the children she has borne;

there is no one to take her by the hand

among all the children she has brought up.

¹⁹ These two things have befallen you

—who will grieve with you?—

devastation and destruction, famine and sword—

who will comfort you?a

²⁰ Your children have fainted,

they lie at the head of every street

like an antelope in a net;

they are full of the wrath of the LORD,

the rebuke of your God.

²¹ Therefore hear this, you who are wounded,b

who are drunk, but not with wine:

²² Thus says your Sovereign, the LORD,

your God who pleads the cause of his people:

See, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering;

you shall drink no more

from the bowl of my wrath.

²³ And I will put it into the hand of your tormentors,

who have said to you,

‘Bow down, that we may walk on you’

and you have made your back like the ground

and like the street for them to walk on.

Let Zion Rejoice

52

AWAKE, awake,

put on your strength, O Zion!

Put on your beautiful garments,

O Jerusalem, the holy city;

for the uncircumcised and the unclean

shall enter you no more.

² Shake yourself from the dust, rise up, O captivec Jerusalem;

loose the bonds from your neck,

O captive daughter Zion!

³ For thus says the LORD: You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money. ⁴For thus says the Lord GOD: Long ago, my people went down into Egypt to reside there as aliens; the Assyrian, too, has oppressed them without cause. ⁵Now therefore, what am I doing here, says the LORD, seeing that my people are taken away without cause? Their rulers howl, says the LORD, and continually, all day long, my name is despised. ⁶Therefore my people shall know my name; therefore on that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.

⁷ How beautiful upon the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who announces peace,

who brings good news,

who announces salvation,

who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’

⁸ Listen! Your sentinels lift up their voices,

together they sing for joy;

for in plain sight they see

the return of the LORD to Zion.

⁹ Break forth together into singing,

you ruins of Jerusalem;

for the LORD has comforted his people,

he has redeemed Jerusalem.

¹⁰ The LORD has bared his holy arm

before the eyes of all the nations;

and all the ends of the earth shall see

the salvation of our God.

¹¹ Depart, depart, go out from there!

Touch no unclean thing;

go out from the midst of it, purify yourselves,

you who carry the vessels of the LORD.

¹² For you shall not go out in haste,

and you shall not go in flight;

for the LORD will go before you,

and the God of Israel will be your rearguard.

The Suffering Servant

¹³ See, my servant shall prosper;

he shall be exalted and lifted up,

and shall be very high.

¹⁴ Just as there were many who were astonished at himd

—so marred was his appearance, beyond human semblance,

and his form beyond that of mortals—

¹⁵ so he shall startlea many nations;

kings shall shut their mouths because of him;

for that which had not been told them they shall see,

and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

53

WHO has believed what we have heard?

And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

² For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

³ He was despised and rejected by others;

a man of sufferingb and acquainted with infirmity;

and as one from whom others hide their facesc

he was despised, and we held him of no account.

⁴ Surely he has borne our infirmities

and carried our diseases;

yet we accounted him stricken,

struck down by God, and afflicted.

⁵ But he was wounded for our transgressions,

crushed for our iniquities;

upon him was the punishment that made us whole,

and by his bruises we are healed.

⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;

we have all turned to our own way,

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

⁸ By a perversion of justice he was taken away.

Who could have imagined his future?

For he was cut off from the land of the living,

stricken for the transgression of my people.

⁹ They made his grave with the wicked and his tombd with the rich,e

although he had done no violence,

and there was no deceit in his mouth.

¹⁰ Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him with pain.f

When you make his life an offering for sin,a

he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;

through him the will of the LORD shall prosper.

¹¹ Out of his anguish he shall see light;g

he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.

The righteous one,h my servant, shall make many righteous,

and he shall bear their iniquities.

¹² Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,

and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;

because he poured out himself to death,

and was numbered with the transgressors;

yet he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

The Eternal Covenant of Peace

54

SING, O barren one who did not bear;

burst into song and shout,

you who have not been in labour!

For the children of the desolate woman will be more

than the children of her that is married, says the LORD.

² Enlarge the site of your tent,

and let the curtains of your habitations be stretched out;

do not hold back; lengthen your cords

and strengthen your stakes.

³ For you will spread out to the right and to the left,

and your descendants will possess the nations

and will settle the desolate towns.

⁴ Do not fear, for you will not be ashamed;

do not be discouraged, for you will not suffer disgrace;

for you will forget the shame of your youth,

and the disgrace of your widowhood you will remember no more.

⁵ For your Maker is your husband,

the LORD of hosts is his name;

the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer,

the God of the whole earth he is called.

⁶ For the LORD has called you

like a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit,

like the wife of a man’s youth when she is cast off,

says your God.

⁷ For a brief moment I abandoned you,

but with great compassion I will gather you.

⁸ In overflowing wrath for a moment

I hid my face from you,

but with everlasting love I will have compassion on you,

says the LORD, your Redeemer.

⁹ This is like the days of Noah to me:

Just as I swore that the waters of Noah

would never again go over the earth,

so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you

and will not rebuke you.

¹⁰ For the mountains may depart

and the hills be removed,

but my steadfast love shall not depart from you,

and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,

says the LORD, who has compassion on you.

¹¹ O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted,

I am about to set your stones in antimony,

and lay your foundations with sapphires.a

¹² I will make your pinnacles of rubies,

your gates of jewels,

and all your wall of precious stones.

¹³ All your children shall be taught by the LORD,

and great shall be the prosperity of your children.

¹⁴ In righteousness you shall be established;

you shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear;

and from terror, for it shall not come near you.

¹⁵ If anyone stirs up strife,

it is not from me;

whoever stirs up strife with you

shall fall because of you.

¹⁶ See, it is I who have created the smith

who blows the fire of coals,

and produces a weapon fit for its purpose;

I have also created the ravager to destroy.

¹⁷ No weapon that is fashioned against you shall prosper,

and you shall confute every tongue that rises against you in judgement.

This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD

and their vindication from me, says the LORD.

An Invitation to Abundant Life

55

HO, EVERYONE who thirsts,

come to the waters;

and you that have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without price.

² Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,

and your labour for that which does not satisfy?

Listen carefully to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.

³ Incline your ear, and come to me;

listen, so that you may live.

I will make with you an everlasting covenant,

my steadfast, sure love for David.

⁴ See, I made him a witness to the peoples,

a leader and commander for the peoples.

⁵ See, you shall call nations that you do not know,

and nations that do not know you shall run to you,

because of the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel,

for he has glorified you.

⁶ Seek the LORD while he may be found,

call upon him while he is near;

⁷ let the wicked forsake their way,

and the unrighteous their thoughts;

let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.

⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,

and do not return there until they have watered the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

¹¹ so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

¹² For you shall go out in joy,

and be led back in peace;

the mountains and the hills before you

shall burst into song,

and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

¹³ Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress;

instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle;

and it shall be to the LORD for a memorial,

for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

The Covenant Extended to All Who Obey

56

THUS says the LORD:

Maintain justice, and do what is right,

for soon my salvation will come,

and my deliverance be revealed.

² Happy is the mortal who does this,

the one who holds it fast,

who keeps the sabbath, not profaning it,

and refrains from doing any evil.

³ Do not let the foreigner joined to the LORD say,

‘The LORD will surely separate me from his people’

and do not let the eunuch say,

‘I am just a dry tree.’

⁴ For thus says the LORD:

To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths,

who choose the things that please me

and hold fast my covenant,

⁵ I will give, in my house and within my walls,

a monument and a name

better than sons and daughters;

I will give them an everlasting name

that shall not be cut off.

⁶ And the foreigners who join themselves to the LORD,

to minister to him, to love the name of the LORD,

and to be his servants,

all who keep the sabbath, and do not profane it,

and hold fast my covenant—

⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain,

and make them joyful in my house of prayer;

their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices

will be accepted on my altar;

for my house shall be called a house of prayer

for all peoples.

⁸ Thus says the Lord GOD,

who gathers the outcasts of Israel,

I will gather others to them

besides those already gathered.a

The Corruption of Israel’s Rulers

⁹ All you wild animals,

all you wild animals in the forest, come to devour!

¹⁰ Israel’sb sentinels are blind,

they are all without knowledge;

they are all silent dogs

that cannot bark;

dreaming, lying down,

loving to slumber.

¹¹ The dogs have a mighty appetite;

they never have enough.

The shepherds also have no understanding;

they have all turned to their own way,

to their own gain, one and all.

¹² ‘Come,’ they say, ‘let usc get wine;

let us fill ourselves with strong drink.

And tomorrow will be like today,

great beyond measure.’

Israel’s Futile Idolatry

57

THE righteous perish,

and no one takes it to heart;

the devout are taken away,

while no one understands.

For the righteous are taken away from calamity,

² and they enter into peace;

those who walk uprightly

will rest on their couches.

³ But as for you, come here,

you children of a sorceress,

you offspring of an adulterer and a whore.d

⁴ Whom are you mocking?

Against whom do you open your mouth wide

and stick out your tongue?

Are you not children of transgression,

the offspring of deceit—

⁵ you that burn with lust among the oaks,

under every green tree;

you that slaughter your children in the valleys,

under the clefts of the rocks?

⁶ Among the smooth stones of the valley is your portion;

they, they, are your lot;

to them you have poured out a drink-offering,

you have brought a grain-offering.

Shall I be appeased for these things?

⁷ Upon a high and lofty mountain

you have set your bed,

and there you went up to offer sacrifice.

⁸ Behind the door and the doorpost

you have set up your symbol;

for, in deserting me,a you have uncovered your bed,

you have gone up to it,

you have made it wide;

and you have made a bargain for yourself with them,

you have loved their bed,

you have gazed on their nakedness.b

⁹ You journeyed to Molechc with oil,

and multiplied your perfumes;

you sent your envoys far away,

and sent down even to Sheol.

¹⁰ You grew weary from your many wanderings,

but you did not say, ‘It is useless.’

You found your desire rekindled,

and so you did not weaken.

¹¹ Whom did you dread and fear

so that you lied,

and did not remember me

or give me a thought?

Have I not kept silent and closed my eyes,d

and so you do not fear me?

¹² I will concede your righteousness and your works,

but they will not help you.

¹³ When you cry out, let your collection of idols deliver you!

The wind will carry them off,

a breath will take them away.

But whoever takes refuge in me shall possess the land

and inherit my holy mountain.

A Promise of Help and Healing

¹⁴ It shall be said,

‘Build up, build up, prepare the way,

remove every obstruction from my people’s way.’

¹⁵ For thus says the high and lofty one

who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy:

I dwell in the high and holy place,

and also with those who are contrite and humble in spirit,

to revive the spirit of the humble,

and to revive the heart of the contrite.

¹⁶ For I will not continually accuse,

nor will I always be angry;

for then the spirits would grow faint before me,

even the souls that I have made.

¹⁷ Because of their wicked covetousness I was angry;

I struck them, I hid and was angry;

but they kept turning back to their own ways.

¹⁸ I have seen their ways, but I will heal them;

I will lead them and repay them with comfort,

creating for their mourners the fruit of the lips.a

¹⁹ Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the LORD;

and I will heal them.

²⁰ But the wicked are like the tossing sea

that cannot keep still;

its waters toss up mire and mud.

²¹ There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.

False and True Worship

58

SHOUT out, do not hold back!

Lift up your voice like a trumpet!

Announce to my people their rebellion,

to the house of Jacob their sins.

² Yet day after day they seek me

and delight to know my ways,

as if they were a nation that practised righteousness

and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;

they ask of me righteous judgements,

they delight to draw near to God.

³ ‘Why do we fast, but you do not see?

Why humble ourselves, but you do not notice?’

Look, you serve your own interest on your fast-day,

and oppress all your workers.

⁴ Look, you fast only to quarrel and to fight

and to strike with a wicked fist.

Such fasting as you do today

will not make your voice heard on high.

⁵ Is such the fast that I choose,

a day to humble oneself?

Is it to bow down the head like a bulrush,

and to lie in sackcloth and ashes?

Will you call this a fast,

a day acceptable to the LORD?

⁶ Is not this the fast that I choose:

to loose the bonds of injustice,

to undo the thongs of the yoke,

to let the oppressed go free,

and to break every yoke?

⁷ Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,

and bring the homeless poor into your house;

when you see the naked, to cover them,

and not to hide yourself from your own kin?

⁸ Then your light shall break forth like the dawn,

and your healing shall spring up quickly;

your vindicatora shall go before you,

the glory of the LORD shall be your rearguard.

⁹ Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer;

you shall cry for help, and he will say, Here I am.

If you remove the yoke from among you,

the pointing of the finger, the speaking of evil,

¹⁰ if you offer your food to the hungry

and satisfy the needs of the afflicted,

then your light shall rise in the darkness

and your gloom be like the noonday.

¹¹ The LORD will guide you continually,

and satisfy your needs in parched places,

and make your bones strong;

and you shall be like a watered garden,

like a spring of water,

whose waters never fail.

¹² Your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt;

you shall raise up the foundations of many generations;

you shall be called the repairer of the breach,

the restorer of streets to live in.

¹³ If you refrain from trampling the sabbath,

from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;

if you call the sabbath a delight

and the holy day of the LORD honourable;

if you honour it, not going your own ways,

serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs;b

¹⁴ then you shall take delight in the LORD,

and I will make you ride upon the heights of the earth;

I will feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Jacob,

for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

Injustice and Oppression to Be Punished

59

SEE, the LORD’s hand is not too short to save,

nor his ear too dull to hear.

² Rather, your iniquities have been barriers

between you and your God,

and your sins have hidden his face from you

so that he does not hear.

³ For your hands are defiled with blood,

and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,

your tongue mutters wickedness.

⁴ No one brings suit justly,

no one goes to law honestly;

they rely on empty pleas, they speak lies,

conceiving mischief and begetting iniquity.

⁵ They hatch adders’ eggs,

and weave the spider’s web;

whoever eats their eggs dies,

and the crushed egg hatches out a viper.

⁶ Their webs cannot serve as clothing;

they cannot cover themselves with what they make.

Their works are works of iniquity,

and deeds of violence are in their hands.

⁷ Their feet run to evil,

and they rush to shed innocent blood;

their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity,

desolation and destruction are in their highways.

⁸ The way of peace they do not know,

and there is no justice in their paths.

Their roads they have made crooked;

no one who walks in them knows peace.

⁹ Therefore justice is far from us,

and righteousness does not reach us;

we wait for light, and lo! there is darkness;

and for brightness, but we walk in gloom.

¹⁰ We grope like the blind along a wall,

groping like those who have no eyes;

we stumble at noon as in the twilight,

among the vigorousa as though we were dead.

¹¹ We all growl like bears;

like doves we moan mournfully.

We wait for justice, but there is none;

for salvation, but it is far from us.

¹² For our transgressions before you are many,

and our sins testify against us.

Our transgressions indeed are with us,

and we know our iniquities:

¹³ transgressing, and denying the LORD,

and turning away from following our God,

talking oppression and revolt,

conceiving lying words and uttering them from the heart.

¹⁴ Justice is turned back,

and righteousness stands at a distance;

for truth stumbles in the public square,

and uprightness cannot enter.

¹⁵ Truth is lacking,

and whoever turns from evil is despoiled.

The LORD saw it, and it displeased him

that there was no justice.

¹⁶ He saw that there was no one,

and was appalled that there was no one to intervene;

so his own arm brought him victory,

and his righteousness upheld him.

¹⁷ He put on righteousness like a breastplate,

and a helmet of salvation on his head;

he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,

and wrapped himself in fury as in a mantle.

¹⁸ According to their deeds, so will he repay;

wrath to his adversaries, requital to his enemies;

to the coastlands he will render requital.

¹⁹ So those in the west shall fear the name of the LORD,

and those in the east, his glory;

for he will come like a pent-up stream that the wind of the LORD drives on.

²⁰ And he will come to Zion as Redeemer,

to those in Jacob who turn from transgression, says the LORD.

²¹ And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from now on and for ever.

The Ingathering of the Dispersed

60

ARISE, shine; for your light has come,

and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

² For darkness shall cover the earth,

and thick darkness the peoples;

but the LORD will arise upon you,

and his glory will appear over you.

³ Nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

⁴ Lift up your eyes and look around;

they all gather together, they come to you;

your sons shall come from far away,

and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses’ arms.

⁵ Then you shall see and be radiant;

your heart shall thrill and rejoice,a

because the abundance of the sea shall be brought to you,

the wealth of the nations shall come to you.

⁶ A multitude of camels shall cover you,

the young camels of Midian and Ephah;

all those from Sheba shall come.

They shall bring gold and frankincense,

and shall proclaim the praise of the LORD.

⁷ All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered to you,

the rams of Nebaioth shall minister to you;

they shall be acceptable on my altar,

and I will glorify my glorious house.

⁸ Who are these that fly like a cloud,

and like doves to their windows?

⁹ For the coastlands shall wait for me,

the ships of Tarshish first,

to bring your children from far away,

their silver and gold with them,

for the name of the LORD your God,

and for the Holy One of Israel,

because he has glorified you.

¹⁰ Foreigners shall build up your walls,

and their kings shall minister to you;

for in my wrath I struck you down,

but in my favour I have had mercy on you.

¹¹ Your gates shall always be open;

day and night they shall not be shut,

so that nations shall bring you their wealth,

with their kings led in procession.

¹² For the nation and kingdom

that will not serve you shall perish;

those nations shall be utterly laid waste.

¹³ The glory of Lebanon shall come to you,

the cypress, the plane, and the pine,

to beautify the place of my sanctuary;

and I will glorify where my feet rest.

¹⁴ The descendants of those who oppressed you

shall come bending low to you,

and all who despised you

shall bow down at your feet;

they shall call you the City of the LORD,

the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

¹⁵ Whereas you have been forsaken and hated,

with no one passing through,

I will make you majestic for ever,

a joy from age to age.

¹⁶ You shall suck the milk of nations,

you shall suck the breasts of kings;

and you shall know that I, the LORD, am your Saviour

and your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.

¹⁷ Instead of bronze I will bring gold,

instead of iron I will bring silver;

instead of wood, bronze,

instead of stones, iron.

I will appoint Peace as your overseer

and Righteousness as your taskmaster.

¹⁸ Violence shall no more be heard in your land,

devastation or destruction within your borders;

you shall call your walls Salvation,

and your gates Praise.

God the Glory of Zion

¹⁹ The sun shall no longer be

your light by day,

nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you by night;a

but the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your God will be your glory.

²⁰ Your sun shall no more go down,

or your moon withdraw itself;

for the LORD will be your everlasting light,

and your days of mourning shall be ended.

²¹ Your people shall all be righteous;

they shall possess the land for ever.

They are the shoot that I planted, the work of my hands,

so that I might be glorified.

²² The least of them shall become a clan,

and the smallest one a mighty nation;

I am the LORD;

in its time I will accomplish it quickly.

The Good News of Deliverance

61

THE spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me,

because the LORD has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

and release to the prisoners;

² to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favour,

and the day of vengeance of our God;

to comfort all who mourn;

³ to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

the planting of the LORD, to display his glory.

⁴ They shall build up the ancient ruins,

they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

the devastations of many generations.

⁵ Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks,

foreigners shall till your land and dress your vines;

⁶ but you shall be called priests of the LORD,

you shall be named ministers of our God;

you shall enjoy the wealth of the nations,

and in their riches you shall glory.

⁷ Because theira shame was double,

and dishonour was proclaimed as their lot,

therefore they shall possess a double portion;

everlasting joy shall be theirs.

⁸ For I the LORD love justice,

I hate robbery and wrongdoing;b

I will faithfully give them their recompense,

and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

⁹ Their descendants shall be known among the nations,

and their offspring among the peoples;

all who see them shall acknowledge

that they are a people whom the LORD has blessed.

¹⁰ I will greatly rejoice in the LORD,

my whole being shall exult in my God;

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

¹¹ For as the earth brings forth its shoots,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,

so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise

to spring up before all the nations.

The Vindication and Salvation of Zion

62

FOR Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,

and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest,

until her vindication shines out like the dawn,

and her salvation like a burning torch.

² The nations shall see your vindication,

and all the kings your glory;

and you shall be called by a new name

that the mouth of the LORD will give.

³ You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD,

and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

⁴ You shall no more be termed Forsaken, c

and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;d

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,e

and your land Married;f

for the LORD delights in you,

and your land shall be married.

⁵ For as a young man marries a young woman,

so shall your builderg marry you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

so shall your God rejoice over you.

⁶ Upon your walls, O Jerusalem,

I have posted sentinels;

all day and all night

they shall never be silent.

You who remind the LORD,

take no rest,

⁷ and give him no rest

until he establishes Jerusalem

and makes it renowned throughout the earth.

⁸ The LORD has sworn by his right hand

and by his mighty arm:

I will not again give your grain

to be food for your enemies,

and foreigners shall not drink the wine

for which you have laboured;

⁹ but those who garner it shall eat it

and praise the LORD,

and those who gather it shall drink it

in my holy courts.

¹⁰ Go through, go through the gates,

prepare the way for the people;

build up, build up the highway,

clear it of stones,

lift up an ensign over the peoples.

¹¹ The LORD has proclaimed

to the end of the earth:

Say to daughter Zion,

‘See, your salvation comes;

his reward is with him,

and his recompense before him.’

¹² They shall be called, ‘The Holy People,

The Redeemed of the LORD’

and you shall be called, ‘Sought Out,

A City Not Forsaken.’

Vengeance on Edom

63

’WHO is this that comes from Edom,

from Bozrah in garments stained crimson?

Who is this so splendidly robed,

marching in his great might?’

‘It is I, announcing vindication,

mighty to save.’

² ‘Why are your robes red,

and your garments like theirs who tread the wine press?’

³ ‘I have trodden the wine press alone,

and from the peoples no one was with me;

I trod them in my anger

and trampled them in my wrath;

their juice spattered on my garments,

and stained all my robes.

⁴ For the day of vengeance was in my heart,

and the year for my redeeming work had come.

⁵ I looked, but there was no helper;

I stared, but there was no one to sustain me;

so my own arm brought me victory,

and my wrath sustained me.

⁶ I trampled down peoples in my anger,

I crushed them in my wrath,

and I poured out their lifeblood on the earth.’

God’s Mercy Remembered

⁷ I will recount the gracious deeds of the LORD,

the praiseworthy acts of the LORD,

because of all that the LORD has done for us,

and the great favour to the house of Israel

that he has shown them according to his mercy,

according to the abundance of his steadfast love.

⁸ For he said, ‘Surely they are my people,

children who will not deal falsely’

and he became their saviour

⁹ in all their distress.

It was no messengera or angel

but his presence that saved them;b

in his love and in his pity he redeemed them;

he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.

¹⁰ But they rebelled

and grieved his holy spirit;

therefore he became their enemy;

he himself fought against them.

¹¹ Then theyc remembered the days of old,

of Moses his servant.d

Where is the one who brought them up out of the sea

with the shepherds of his flock?

Where is the one who put within them

his holy spirit,

¹² who caused his glorious arm

to march at the right hand of Moses,

who divided the waters before them

to make for himself an everlasting name,

¹³ who led them through the depths?

Like a horse in the desert,

they did not stumble.

¹⁴ Like cattle that go down into the valley,

the spirit of the LORD gave them rest.

Thus you led your people,

to make for yourself a glorious name.

A Prayer of Penitence

¹⁵ Look down from heaven and see,

from your holy and glorious habitation.

Where are your zeal and your might?

The yearning of your heart and your compassion?

They are withheld from me.

¹⁶ For you are our father,

though Abraham does not know us

and Israel does not acknowledge us;

you, O LORD, are our father;

our Redeemer from of old is your name.

¹⁷ Why, O LORD, do you make us stray from your ways

and harden our heart, so that we do not fear you?

Turn back for the sake of your servants,

for the sake of the tribes that are your heritage.

¹⁸ Your holy people took possession for a little while;

but now our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary.

¹⁹ We have long been like those whom you do not rule,

like those not called by your name.

64

O THAT you would tear open

the heavens and come down,

so that the mountains would quake at your presence—

² a as when fire kindles brushwood

and the fire causes water to boil—

to make your name known to your adversaries,

so that the nations might tremble at your presence!

³ When you did awesome deeds that we did not expect,

you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.

⁴ From ages past no one has heard,

no ear has perceived,

no eye has seen any God besides you,

who works for those who wait for him.

⁵ You meet those who gladly do right,

those who remember you in your ways.

But you were angry, and we sinned;

because you hid yourself we transgressed.b

⁶ We have all become like one who is unclean,

and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth.

We all fade like a leaf,

and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.

⁷ There is no one who calls on your name,

or attempts to take hold of you;

for you have hidden your face from us,

and have deliveredc us into the hand of our iniquity.

⁸ Yet, O LORD, you are our Father;

we are the clay, and you are our potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

⁹ Do not be exceedingly angry, O LORD,

and do not remember iniquity for ever.

Now consider, we are all your people.

¹⁰ Your holy cities have become a wilderness,

Zion has become a wilderness,

Jerusalem a desolation.

¹¹ Our holy and beautiful house,

where our ancestors praised you,

has been burned by fire,

and all our pleasant places have become ruins.

¹² After all this, will you restrain yourself, O LORD?

Will you keep silent, and punish us so severely?

The Righteousness of God’s Judgement

65

I WAS ready to be sought out by those who did not ask,

to be found by those who did not seek me.

I said, ‘Here I am, here I am’,

to a nation that did not call on my name.

² I held out my hands all day long

to a rebellious people,

who walk in a way that is not good,

following their own devices;

³ a people who provoke me

to my face continually,

sacrificing in gardens

and offering incense on bricks;

⁴ who sit inside tombs,

and spend the night in secret places;

who eat swine’s flesh,

with broth of abominable things in their vessels;

⁵ who say, ‘Keep to yourself,

do not come near me, for I am too holy for you.’

These are a smoke in my nostrils,

a fire that burns all day long.

⁶ See, it is written before me:

I will not keep silent, but I will repay;

I will indeed repay into their laps

⁷ theira iniquities and theira ancestors’ iniquities together,

says the LORD;

because they offered incense on the mountains

and reviled me on the hills,

I will measure into their laps

full payment for their actions.

⁸ Thus says the LORD:

As the wine is found in the cluster,

and they say, ‘Do not destroy it,

for there is a blessing in it’,

so I will do for my servants’ sake,

and not destroy them all.

⁹ I will bring forth descendantsb from Jacob,

and from Judah inheritorsc of my mountains;

my chosen shall inherit it,

and my servants shall settle there.

¹⁰ Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks,

and the Valley of Achor a place for herds to lie down,

for my people who have sought me.

¹¹ But you who forsake the LORD,

who forget my holy mountain,

who set a table for Fortune

and fill cups of mixed wine for Destiny,

¹² I will destine you to the sword,

and all of you shall bow down to the slaughter;

because, when I called, you did not answer,

when I spoke, you did not listen,

but you did what was evil in my sight,

and chose what I did not delight in.

¹³ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

My servants shall eat,

but you shall be hungry;

my servants shall drink,

but you shall be thirsty;

my servants shall rejoice,

but you shall be put to shame;

¹⁴ my servants shall sing for gladness of heart,

but you shall cry out for pain of heart,

and shall wail for anguish of spirit.

¹⁵ You shall leave your name to my chosen to use as a curse,

and the Lord GOD will put you to death;

but to his servants he will give a different name.

¹⁶ Then whoever invokes a blessing in the land

shall bless by the God of faithfulness,

and whoever takes an oath in the land

shall swear by the God of faithfulness;

because the former troubles are forgotten

and are hidden from my sight.

The Glorious New Creation

¹⁷ For I am about to create new heavens

and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered

or come to mind.

¹⁸ But be glad and rejoice for ever

in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,

and its people as a delight.

¹⁹ I will rejoice in Jerusalem,

and delight in my people;

no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,

or the cry of distress.

²⁰ No more shall there be in it

an infant that lives but a few days,

or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,

and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

²¹ They shall build houses and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

²² They shall not build and another inhabit;

they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,

and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

²³ They shall not labour in vain,

or bear children for calamity;a

for they shall be offspring blessed by the LORD—

and their descendants as well.

²⁴ Before they call I will answer,

while they are yet speaking I will hear.

²⁵ The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,

the lion shall eat straw like the ox;

but the serpent—its food shall be dust!

They shall not hurt or destroy

on all my holy mountain,

says the LORD.

The Worship God Demands

66

THUS says the LORD:

Heaven is my throne

and the earth is my footstool;

what is the house that you would build for me,

and what is my resting-place?

² All these things my hand has made,

and so all these things are mine,b

says the LORD.

But this is the one to whom I will look,

to the humble and contrite in spirit,

who trembles at my word.

³ Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being;

whoever sacrifices a lamb, like one who breaks a dog’s neck;

whoever presents a grain-offering, like one who offers swine’s blood;c

whoever makes a memorial offering of frankincense, like one who blesses an idol.

These have chosen their own ways,

and in their abominations they take delight;

⁴ I also will choose to mock a them,

and bring upon them what they fear;

because, when I called, no one answered,

when I spoke, they did not listen;

but they did what was evil in my sight,

and chose what did not please me.

The LORD Vindicates Zion

⁵ Hear the word of the LORD,

you who tremble at his word:

Your own people who hate you

and reject you for my name’s sake

have said, ‘Let the LORD be glorified,

so that we may see your joy’

but it is they who shall be put to shame.

⁶ Listen, an uproar from the city!

A voice from the temple!

The voice of the LORD,

dealing retribution to his enemies!

⁷ Before she was in labour

she gave birth;

before her pain came upon her

she delivered a son.

⁸ Who has heard of such a thing?

Who has seen such things?

Shall a land be born in one day?

Shall a nation be delivered in one moment?

Yet as soon as Zion was in labour

she delivered her children.

⁹ Shall I open the womb and not deliver?

says the LORD;

shall I, the one who delivers, shut the womb?

says your God.

¹⁰ Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her,

all you who love her;

rejoice with her in joy,

all you who mourn over her—

¹¹ that you may nurse and be satisfied

from her consoling breast;

that you may drink deeply with delight

from her glorious bosom.

¹² For thus says the LORD:

I will extend prosperity to her like a river,

and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream;

and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm,

and dandled on her knees.

¹³ As a mother comforts her child,

so I will comfort you;

you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.

The Reign and Indignation of God

The Reign and Indignation of God

¹⁴ You shall see, and your heart shall rejoice;

your bodiesb shall flourish like the grass;

and it shall be known that the hand of the LORD is with his servants,

and his indignation is against his enemies.

¹⁵ For the LORD will come in fire,

and his chariots like the whirlwind,

to pay back his anger in fury,

and his rebuke in flames of fire.

¹⁶ For by fire will the LORD execute judgement,

and by his sword, on all flesh;

and those slain by the LORD shall be many.

¹⁷ Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the centre, eating the flesh of pigs, vermin, and rodents, shall come to an end together, says the LORD.

¹⁸ For I knowa their works and their thoughts, and I amb coming to gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come and shall see my glory, ¹⁹and I will set a sign among them. From them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Put,c and Lud—which draw the bow—to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the nations. ²⁰They shall bring all your kindred from all the nations as an offering to the LORD, on horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and on mules, and on dromedaries, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the LORD, just as the Israelites bring a grain-offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. ²¹And I will also take some of them as priests and as Levites, says the LORD.

²² For as the new heavens and the new earth,

which I will make,

shall remain before me, says the LORD,

so shall your descendants and your name remain.

²³ From new moon to new moon,

and from sabbath to sabbath,

all flesh shall come to worship before me,

says the LORD.

²⁴ And they shall go out and look at the dead bodies of the people who have rebelled against me; for their worm shall not die, their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh.

JEREMIAH

THE words of Jeremiah son of Hilkiah, of the priests who were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, ²to whom the word of the LORD came in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign. ³It came also in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, and until the end of the eleventh year of King Zedekiah son of Josiah of Judah, until the captivity of Jerusalem in the fifth month.

Jeremiah’s Call and Commission

⁴ Now the word of the LORD came to me saying,

⁵ ‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,

and before you were born I consecrated you;

I appointed you a prophet to the nations.’

⁶Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Truly I do not know how to speak, for I am only a boy.’ ⁷But the LORD said to me,

‘Do not say, “I am only a boy”

for you shall go to all to whom I send you,

and you shall speak whatever I command you.

⁸ Do not be afraid of them,

for I am with you to deliver you,

says the LORD.’

⁹Then the LORD put out his hand and touched my mouth; and the LORD said to me,

‘Now I have put my words in your mouth.

¹⁰ See, today I appoint you over nations and over kingdoms,

to pluck up and to pull down,

to destroy and to overthrow,

to build and to plant.’

¹¹ The word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a branch of an almond tree.’a ¹²Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watchingb over my word to perform it.’ ¹³The word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a boiling pot, tilted away from the north.’

¹⁴ Then the LORD said to me: Out of the north disaster shall break out on all the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁵For now I am calling all the tribes of the kingdoms of the north, says the LORD; and they shall come and all of them shall set their thrones at the entrance of the gates of Jerusalem, against all its surrounding walls and against all the cities of Judah. ¹⁶And I will utter my judgements against them, for all their wickedness in forsaking me; they have made offerings to other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands. ¹⁷But you, gird up your loins; stand up and tell them everything that I command you. Do not break down before them, or I will break you before them. ¹⁸And I for my part have made you today a fortified city, an iron pillar, and a bronze wall, against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, its princes, its priests, and the people of the land. ¹⁹They will fight against you; but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, says the LORD, to deliver you.

God Pleads with Israel to Repent

2

THE word of the LORD came to me, saying: ²Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the LORD:

I remember the devotion of your youth,

your love as a bride,

how you followed me

in the wilderness, in a land not sown.

³ Israel was holy to the LORD,

the first fruits of his harvest.

All who ate of it were held guilty;

disaster came upon them,

says the LORD.

⁴ Hear the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. ⁵Thus says the LORD:

What wrong did your ancestors find in me

that they went far from me,

and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?

⁶ They did not say, ‘Where is the LORD

who brought us up from the land of Egypt,

who led us in the wilderness,

in a land of deserts and pits,

in a land of drought and deep darkness,

in a land that no one passes through,

where no one lives?’

⁷ I brought you into a plentiful land

to eat its fruits and its good things.

But when you entered you defiled my land,

and made my heritage an abomination.

⁸ The priests did not say, ‘Where is the LORD?’

Those who handle the law did not know me;

the rulersa transgressed against me;

the prophets prophesied by Baal,

and went after things that do not profit.

⁹ Therefore once more I accuse you,

says the LORD,

and I accuse your children’s children.

¹⁰ Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,

send to Kedar and examine with care;

see if there has ever been such a thing.

¹¹ Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for something that does not profit.

¹² Be appalled, O heavens, at this, be shocked,

be utterly desolate,

says the LORD,

¹³ for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living water,

and dug out cisterns for themselves,

cracked cisterns

that can hold no water.

¹⁴ Is Israel a slave? Is he a home-born servant?

Why then has he become plunder?

¹⁵ The lions have roared against him,

they have roared loudly.

They have made his land a waste;

his cities are in ruins, without inhabitant.

¹⁶ Moreover, the people of Memphis and Tahpanhes

have broken the crown of your head.

¹⁷ Have you not brought this upon yourself

by forsaking the LORD your God,

while he led you in the way?

¹⁸ What then do you gain by going to Egypt,

to drink the waters of the Nile?

Or what do you gain by going to Assyria,

to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

¹⁹ Your wickedness will punish you,

and your apostasies will convict you.

Know and see that it is evil and bitter

for you to forsake the LORD your God;

the fear of me is not in you,

says the Lord GOD of hosts.

²⁰ For long ago you broke your yoke

and burst your bonds,

and you said, ‘I will not serve!’

On every high hill

and under every green tree

you sprawled and played the whore.

²¹ Yet I planted you as a choice vine,

from the purest stock.

How then did you turn degenerate

and become a wild vine?

²² Though you wash yourself with lye

and use much soap,

the stain of your guilt is still before me,

says the Lord GOD.

²³ How can you say, ‘I am not defiled,

I have not gone after the Baals’?

Look at your way in the valley;

know what you have done—

a restive young camel interlacing her tracks,

²⁴ a wild ass at home in the wilderness,

in her heat sniffing the wind!

Who can restrain her lust?

None who seek her need weary themselves;

in her month they will find her.

²⁵ Keep your feet from going unshod

and your throat from thirst.

But you said, ‘It is hopeless,

for I have loved strangers,

and after them I will go.’

²⁶ As a thief is shamed when caught,

so the house of Israel shall be shamed—

they, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets,

²⁷ who say to a tree, ‘You are my father’,

and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’

For they have turned their backs to me,

and not their faces.

But in the time of their trouble they say,

‘Come and save us!’

²⁸ But where are your gods

that you made for yourself?

Let them come, if they can save you,

in your time of trouble;

for you have as many gods

as you have towns, O Judah.

²⁹ Why do you complain against me?

You have all rebelled against me,

says the LORD.

³⁰ In vain I have struck down your children;

they accepted no correction.

Your own sword devoured your prophets

like a ravening lion.

³¹ And you, O generation, behold the word of the LORD!a

Have I been a wilderness to Israel,

or a land of thick darkness?

Why then do my people say, ‘We are free,

we will come to you no more’?

³² Can a girl forget her ornaments,

or a bride her attire?

Yet my people have forgotten me,

days without number.

³³ How well you direct your course

to seek lovers!

So that even to wicked women

you have taught your ways.

³⁴ Also on your skirts is found

the lifeblood of the innocent poor,

though you did not catch them breaking in.

Yet in spite of all these thingsa

³⁵ you say, ‘I am innocent;

surely his anger has turned from me.’

Now I am bringing you to judgement

for saying, ‘I have not sinned.’

³⁶ How lightly you gad about,

changing your ways!

You shall be put to shame by Egypt

as you were put to shame by Assyria.

³⁷ From there also you will come away

with your hands on your head;

for the LORD has rejected those in whom you trust,

and you will not prosper through them.

Unfaithful Israel

3

IFa a man divorces his wife

and she goes from him

and becomes another man’s wife,

will he return to her?

Would not such a land be greatly polluted?

You have played the whore with many lovers;

and would you return to me?

says the LORD.

² Look up to the bare heights,b and see!

Where have you not been lain with?

By the waysides you have sat waiting for lovers,

like a nomad in the wilderness.

You have polluted the land

with your whoring and wickedness.

³ Therefore the showers have been withheld,

and the spring rain has not come;

yet you have the forehead of a whore,

you refuse to be ashamed.

⁴ Have you not just now called to me,

‘My Father, you are the friend of my youth—

⁵ will he be angry for ever,

will he be indignant to the end?’

This is how you have spoken,

but you have done all the evil that you could.

A Call to Repentance

⁶ The LORD said to me in the days of King Josiah: Have you seen what she did, that faithless one, Israel, how she went up on every high hill and under every green tree, and played the whore there? ⁷And I thought, ‘After she has done all this she will return to me’ but she did not return, and her false sister Judah saw it. ⁸Shec saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce; yet her false sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. ⁹Because she took her whoredom so lightly, she polluted the land, committing adultery with stone and tree. ¹⁰Yet for all this her false sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but only in pretence, says the LORD.

¹¹ Then the LORD said to me: Faithless Israel has shown herself less guilty than false Judah. ¹²Go, and proclaim these words towards the north, and say:

Return, faithless Israel,

says the LORD.

I will not look on you in anger,

for I am merciful,

says the LORD;

I will not be angry for ever.

¹³ Only acknowledge your guilt,

that you have rebelled against the LORD your God,

and scattered your favours among strangers under every green tree,

and have not obeyed my voice,

says the LORD.

¹⁴ Return, O faithless children,

says the LORD,

for I am your master;

I will take you, one from a city and two from a family,

and I will bring you to Zion.

¹⁵ I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. ¹⁶And when you have multiplied and increased in the land, in those days, says the LORD, they shall no longer say, ‘The ark of the covenant of the LORD.’ It shall not come to mind, or be remembered, or missed; nor shall another one be made. ¹⁷At that time Jerusalem shall be called the throne of the LORD, and all nations shall gather to it, to the presence of the LORD in Jerusalem, and they shall no longer stubbornly follow their own evil will. ¹⁸In those days the house of Judah shall join the house of Israel, and together they shall come from the land of the north to the land that I gave your ancestors for a heritage.

¹⁹ I thought

how I would set you among my children,

and give you a pleasant land,

the most beautiful heritage of all the nations.

And I thought you would call me, My Father,

and would not turn from following me.

²⁰ Instead, as a faithless wife leaves her husband,

so you have been faithless to me, O house of Israel,

says the LORD.

²¹ A voice on the bare heightsa is heard,

the plaintive weeping of Israel’s children,

because they have perverted their way,

they have forgotten the LORD their God:

²² Return, O faithless children,

I will heal your faithlessness.

‘Here we come to you;

for you are the LORD our God.

²³ Truly the hills areb a delusion,

the orgies on the mountains.

Truly in the LORD our God

is the salvation of Israel.

²⁴ ‘But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our ancestors had laboured, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. ²⁵Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonour cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our ancestors, from our youth even to this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God.’

4

IF YOU return, O Israel,

says the LORD,

if you return to me,

if you remove your abominations from my presence,

and do not waver,

² and if you swear, ‘As the LORD lives!’

in truth, in justice, and in uprightness,

then nations shall be blesseda by him,

and by him they shall boast.

³ For thus says the LORD to the people of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem:

Break up your fallow ground,

and do not sow among thorns.

⁴ Circumcise yourselves to the LORD,

remove the foreskin of your hearts,

O people of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,

or else my wrath will go forth like fire,

and burn with no one to quench it,

because of the evil of your doings.

Invasion and Desolation of Judah Threatened

⁵ Declare in Judah, and proclaim in Jerusalem, and say:

Blow the trumpet through the land;

shout aloudb and say,

‘Gather together, and let us go

into the fortified cities!’

⁶ Raise a standard towards Zion,

flee for safety, do not delay,

for I am bringing evil from the north,

and a great destruction.

⁷ A lion has gone up from its thicket,

a destroyer of nations has set out;

he has gone out from his place

to make your land a waste;

your cities will be ruins

without inhabitant.

⁸ Because of this put on sackcloth,

lament and wail:

‘The fierce anger of the LORD

has not turned away from us.’

⁹On that day, says the LORD, courage shall fail the king and the officials; the priests shall be appalled and the prophets astounded. ¹⁰Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord GOD, how utterly you have deceived this people and Jerusalem, saying, “It shall be well with you”, even while the sword is at the throat!’

¹¹ At that time it will be said to this people and to Jerusalem: A hot wind comes from me out of the bare heightsa in the desert towards my poor people, not to winnow or cleanse—¹²a wind too strong for that. Now it is I who speak in judgement against them.

¹³ Look! He comes up like clouds,

his chariots like the whirlwind;

his horses are swifter than eagles—

woe to us, for we are ruined!

¹⁴ O Jerusalem, wash your heart clean of wickedness

so that you may be saved.

How long shall your evil schemes

lodge within you?

¹⁵ For a voice declares from Dan

and proclaims disaster from Mount Ephraim.

¹⁶ Tell the nations, ‘Here they are!’

Proclaim against Jerusalem,

‘Besiegers come from a distant land;

they shout against the cities of Judah.

¹⁷ They have closed in around her like watchers of a field,

because she has rebelled against me,

says the LORD.

¹⁸ Your ways and your doings

have brought this upon you.

This is your doom; how bitter it is!

It has reached your very heart.’

Sorrow for a Doomed Nation

¹⁹ My anguish, my anguish! I writhe in pain!

Oh, the walls of my heart!

My heart is beating wildly;

I cannot keep silent;

for Ib hear the sound of the trumpet,

the alarm of war.

²⁰ Disaster overtakes disaster,

the whole land is laid waste.

Suddenly my tents are destroyed,

my curtains in a moment.

²¹ How long must I see the standard,

and hear the sound of the trumpet?

²² ‘For my people are foolish,

they do not know me;

they are stupid children,

they have no understanding.

They are skilled in doing evil,

but do not know how to do good.’

²³ I looked on the earth, and lo, it was waste and void;

and to the heavens, and they had no light.

²⁴ I looked on the mountains, and lo, they were quaking,

and all the hills moved to and fro.

²⁵ I looked, and lo, there was no one at all,

and all the birds of the air had fled.

²⁶ I looked, and lo, the fruitful land was a desert,

and all its cities were laid in ruins

before the LORD, before his fierce anger.

²⁷ For thus says the LORD: The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.

²⁸ Because of this the earth shall mourn,

and the heavens above grow black;

for I have spoken, I have purposed;

I have not relented nor will I turn back.

²⁹ At the noise of horseman and archer

every town takes to flight;

they enter thickets; they climb among rocks;

all the towns are forsaken,

and no one lives in them.

³⁰ And you, O desolate one,

what do you mean that you dress in crimson,

that you deck yourself with ornaments of gold,

that you enlarge your eyes with paint?

In vain you beautify yourself.

Your lovers despise you;

they seek your life.

³¹ For I heard a cry as of a woman in labour,

anguish as of one bringing forth her first child,

the cry of daughter Zion gasping for breath,

stretching out her hands,

‘Woe is me! I am fainting before killers!’

The Utter Corruption of God’s People

5

RUN to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

look around and take note!

Search its squares and see

if you can find one person

who acts justly

and seeks truth—

so that I may pardon Jerusalem.a

² Although they say, ‘As the LORD lives’,

yet they swear falsely.

³ O LORD, do your eyes not look for truth?

You have struck them,

but they felt no anguish;

you have consumed them,

but they refused to take correction.

They have made their faces harder

than rock; they have refused to turn back.

⁴ Then I said, ‘These are only the poor,

they have no sense;

for they do not know the way of the LORD,

the law of their God.

⁵ Let me go to the richb

and speak to them;

surely they know the way of the LORD,

the law of their God.’

But they all alike had broken the yoke,

they had burst the bonds.

⁶ Therefore a lion from the forest shall kill them,

a wolf from the desert shall destroy them.

A leopard is watching against their cities;

everyone who goes out of them shall be torn in pieces—

because their transgressions are many,

their apostasies are great.

⁷ How can I pardon you?

Your children have forsaken me,

and have sworn by those who are no gods.

When I fed them to the full,

they committed adultery

and trooped to the houses of prostitutes.

⁸ They were well-fed lusty stallions,

each neighing for his neighbour’s wife.

⁹ Shall I not punish them for these things?

says the LORD;

and shall I not bring retribution

on a nation such as this?

¹⁰ Go up through her vine-rows and destroy,

but do not make a full end;

strip away her branches,

for they are not the LORD’s.

¹¹ For the house of Israel and the house of Judah

have been utterly faithless to me,

says the LORD.

¹² They have spoken falsely of the LORD,

and have said, ‘He will do nothing.

No evil will come upon us,

and we shall not see sword or famine.’

¹³ The prophets are nothing but wind,

for the word is not in them.

Thus shall it be done to them!

¹⁴ Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts:

Because theya have spoken this word,

I am now making my words in your mouth a fire, and this people wood,

and the fire shall devour them.

¹⁵ I am going to bring upon you a nation from far away, O house of Israel,

says the LORD.

It is an enduring nation,

it is an ancient nation,

a nation whose language you do not know,

nor can you understand what they say.

¹⁶ Their quiver is like an open tomb;

all of them are mighty warriors.

¹⁷ They shall eat up your harvest and your food;

they shall eat up your sons and your daughters;

they shall eat up your flocks and your herds;

they shall eat up your vines and your fig trees;

they shall destroy with the sword

your fortified cities in which you trust.

¹⁸ But even in those days, says the LORD, I will not make a full end of you. ¹⁹And when your people say, ‘Why has the LORD our God done all these things to us?’ you shall say to them, ‘As you have forsaken me and served foreign gods in your land, so you shall serve strangers in a land that is not yours.’

²⁰ Declare this in the house of Jacob,

proclaim it in Judah:

²¹ Hear this, O foolish and senseless people,

who have eyes, but do not see,

who have ears, but do not hear.

²² Do you not fear me? says the LORD;

Do you not tremble before me?

I placed the sand as a boundary for the sea,

a perpetual barrier that it cannot pass;

though the waves toss, they cannot prevail,

though they roar, they cannot pass over it.

²³ But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart;

they have turned aside and gone away.

²⁴ They do not say in their hearts,

‘Let us fear the LORD our God,

who gives the rain in its season,

the autumn rain and the spring rain,

and keeps for us

the weeks appointed for the harvest.’

²⁵ Your iniquities have turned these away,

and your sins have deprived you of good.

²⁶ For scoundrels are found among my people;

they take over the goods of others.

Like fowlers they set a trap;a

they catch human beings.

²⁷ Like a cage full of birds,

their houses are full of treachery;

therefore they have become great and rich,

²⁸ they have grown fat and sleek.

They know no limits in deeds of wickedness;

they do not judge with justice

the cause of the orphan, to make it prosper,

and they do not defend the rights of the needy.

²⁹ Shall I not punish them for these things?

says the LORD,

and shall I not bring retribution

on a nation such as this?

³⁰ An appalling and horrible thing

has happened in the land:

³¹ the prophets prophesy falsely,

and the priests rule as the prophets direct;b

my people love to have it so,

but what will you do when the end comes?

The Imminence and Horror of the Invasion

6

FLEE for safety, O children of Benjamin,

from the midst of Jerusalem!

Blow the trumpet in Tekoa,

and raise a signal on Beth-haccherem;

for evil looms out of the north,

and great destruction.

² I have likened daughter Zion

to the loveliest pasture.a

³ Shepherds with their flocks shall come against her.

They shall pitch their tents around her;

they shall pasture, all in their places.

⁴ ‘Prepare war against her;

up, and let us attack at noon!’

‘Woe to us, for the day declines,

the shadows of evening lengthen!’

⁵ ‘Up, and let us attack by night,

and destroy her palaces!’

⁶ For thus says the LORD of hosts:

Cut down her trees;

cast up a siege-ramp against Jerusalem.

This is the city that must be punished;b

there is nothing but oppression within her.

⁷ As a well keeps its water fresh,

so she keeps fresh her wickedness;

violence and destruction are heard within her;

sickness and wounds are ever before me.

⁸ Take warning, O Jerusalem,

or I shall turn from you in disgust,

and make you a desolation,

an uninhabited land.

⁹ Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Gleanc thoroughly as a vine

the remnant of Israel;

like a grape-gatherer, pass your hand again

over its branches.

¹⁰ To whom shall I speak and give warning,

that they may hear?

See, their ears are closed,d

they cannot listen.

The word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn;

they take no pleasure in it.

¹¹ But I am full of the wrath of the LORD;

I am weary of holding it in.

Pour it out on the children in the street,

and on the gatherings of young men as well;

both husband and wife shall be taken,

the old folk and the very aged.

¹² Their houses shall be turned over to others,

their fields and wives together;

for I will stretch out my hand

against the inhabitants of the land,

says the LORD.

¹³ For from the least to the greatest of them,

everyone is greedy for unjust gain;

and from prophet to priest,

everyone deals falsely.

¹⁴ They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,

saying, ‘Peace, peace’,

when there is no peace.

¹⁵ They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;

yet they were not ashamed,

they did not know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown,

says the LORD.

¹⁶ Thus says the LORD:

Stand at the crossroads, and look,

and ask for the ancient paths,

where the good way lies; and walk in it,

and find rest for your souls.

But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

¹⁷ Also I raised up sentinels for you:

‘Give heed to the sound of the trumpet!’

But they said, ‘We will not give heed.’

¹⁸ Therefore hear, O nations,

and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.

¹⁹ Hear, O earth; I am going to bring disaster on this people,

the fruit of their schemes,

because they have not given heed to my words;

and as for my teaching, they have rejected it.

²⁰ Of what use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba,

or sweet cane from a distant land?

Your burnt-offerings are not acceptable,

nor are your sacrifices pleasing to me.

²¹ Therefore thus says the LORD:

See, I am laying before this people

stumbling-blocks against which they shall stumble;

parents and children together,

neighbour and friend shall perish.

²² Thus says the LORD:

See, a people is coming from the land of the north,

a great nation is stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.

²³ They grasp the bow and the javelin,

they are cruel and have no mercy,

their sound is like the roaring sea;

they ride on horses,

equipped like a warrior for battle,

against you, O daughter Zion!

²⁴ ‘We have heard news of them,

our hands fall helpless;

anguish has taken hold of us,

pain as of a woman in labour.

²⁵ Do not go out into the field,

or walk on the road;

for the enemy has a sword,

terror is on every side.’

²⁶ O my poor people, put on sackcloth,

and roll in ashes;

make mourning as for an only child,

most bitter lamentation:

for suddenly the destroyer

will come upon us.

²⁷ I have made you a tester and a refinera among my people

so that you may know and test their ways.

²⁸ They are all stubbornly rebellious,

going about with slanders;

they are bronze and iron,

all of them act corruptly.

²⁹ The bellows blow fiercely,

the lead is consumed by the fire;

in vain the refining goes on,

for the wicked are not removed.

³⁰ They are called ‘rejected silver’,

for the LORD has rejected them.

Jeremiah Proclaims God’s Judgement on the Nation

7

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²Stand in the gate of the LORD’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the LORD. ³Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with youb in this place. ⁴Do not trust in these deceptive words: ‘This isc the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.’

⁵ For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, ⁶if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, ⁷then I will dwell with you in this place, in the land that I gave of old to your ancestors for ever and ever.

⁸ Here you are, trusting in deceptive words to no avail. ⁹Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, ¹⁰and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, ‘We are safe!’—only to go on doing all these abominations? ¹¹Has this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your sight? You know, I too am watching, says the LORD. ¹²Go now to my place that was in Shiloh, where I made my name dwell at first, and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel. ¹³And now, because you have done all these things, says the LORD, and when I spoke to you persistently, you did not listen, and when I called you, you did not answer, ¹⁴therefore I will do to the house that is called by my name, in which you trust, and to the place that I gave to you and to your ancestors, just what I did to Shiloh. ¹⁵And I will cast you out of my sight, just as I cast out all your kinsfolk, all the offspring of Ephraim.

The People’s Disobedience

¹⁶ As for you, do not pray for this people, do not raise a cry or prayer on their behalf, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you. ¹⁷Do you not see what they are doing in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁸The children gather wood, the fathers kindle fire, and the women knead dough, to make cakes for the queen of heaven; and they pour out drink-offerings to other gods, to provoke me to anger. ¹⁹Is it I whom they provoke? says the LORD. Is it not themselves, to their own hurt? ²⁰Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: My anger and my wrath shall be poured out on this place, on human beings and animals, on the trees of the field and the fruit of the ground; it will burn and not be quenched.

²¹ Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Add your burnt-offerings to your sacrifices, and eat the flesh. ²²For on the day that I brought your ancestors out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to them or command them concerning burnt-offerings and sacrifices. ²³But this command I gave them, ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; and walk only in the way that I command you, so that it may be well with you.’ ²⁴Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but, in the stubbornness of their evil will, they walked in their own counsels, and looked backwards rather than forwards. ²⁵From the day that your ancestors came out of the land of Egypt until this day, I have persistently sent all my servants the prophets to them, day after day; ²⁶yet they did not listen to me, or pay attention, but they stiffened their necks. They did worse than their ancestors did.

²⁷ So you shall speak all these words to them, but they will not listen to you. You shall call to them, but they will not answer you. ²⁸You shall say to them: This is the nation that did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, and did not accept discipline; truth has perished; it is cut off from their lips.

²⁹ Cut off your hair and throw it away;

raise a lamentation on the bare heights,a

for the LORD has rejected and forsaken

the generation that provoked his wrath.

³⁰ For the people of Judah have done evil in my sight, says the LORD; they have set their abominations in the house that is called by my name, defiling it. ³¹And they go on building the high placeb of Topheth, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire—which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind. ³²Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when it will no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter: for they will bury in Topheth until there is no more room. ³³The corpses of this people will be food for the birds of the air, and for the animals of the earth; and no one will frighten them away. ³⁴And I will bring to an end the sound of mirth and gladness, the voice of the bride and bridegroom in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; for the land shall become a waste.

8

AT THAT time, says the LORD, the bones of the kings of Judah, the bones of its officials, the bones of the priests, the bones of the prophets, and the bones of the inhabitants of Jerusalem shall be brought out of their tombs; ²and they shall be spread before the sun and the moon and all the host of heaven, which they have loved and served, which they have followed, and which they have inquired of and worshipped; and they shall not be gathered or buried; they shall be like dung on the surface of the ground. ³Death shall be preferred to life by all the remnant that remains of this evil family in all the places where I have driven them, says the LORD of hosts.

The Blind Perversity of the Whole Nation

⁴ You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD:

When people fall, do they not get up again?

If they go astray, do they not turn back?

⁵ Why then has this peoplec turned away

in perpetual backsliding?

They have held fast to deceit,

they have refused to return.

⁶ I have given heed and listened,

but they do not speak honestly;

no one repents of wickedness,

saying, ‘What have I done!’

All of them turn to their own course,

like a horse plunging headlong into battle.

⁷ Even the stork in the heavens

knows its times;

and the turtle-dove, swallow, and craned

observe the time of their coming;

but my people do not know

the ordinance of the LORD.

⁸ How can you say, ‘We are wise,

and the law of the LORD is with us’,

when, in fact, the false pen of the scribes

has made it into a lie?

⁹ The wise shall be put to shame,

they shall be dismayed and taken;

since they have rejected the word of the LORD,

what wisdom is in them?

¹⁰ Therefore I will give their wives to others

and their fields to conquerors,

because from the least to the greatest

everyone is greedy for unjust gain;

from prophet to priest

everyone deals falsely.

¹¹ They have treated the wound of my people carelessly,

saying, ‘Peace, peace’,

when there is no peace.

¹² They acted shamefully, they committed abomination;

yet they were not at all ashamed,

they did not know how to blush.

Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;

at the time when I punish them, they shall be overthrown,

says the LORD.

¹³ When I wanted to gather them, says the LORD,

there area no grapes on the vine,

nor figs on the fig tree;

even the leaves are withered,

and what I gave them has passed away from them.b

¹⁴ Why do we sit still?

Gather together, let us go into the fortified cities

and perish there;

for the LORD our God has doomed us to perish,

and has given us poisoned water to drink,

because we have sinned against the LORD.

¹⁵ We look for peace, but find no good,

for a time of healing, but there is terror instead.

¹⁶ The snorting of their horses is heard from Dan;

at the sound of the neighing of their stallions

the whole land quakes.

They come and devour the land and all that fills it,

the city and those who live in it.

¹⁷ See, I am letting snakes loose among you,

adders that cannot be charmed,

and they shall bite you,

says the LORD.

The Prophet Mourns for the People

¹⁸ My joy is gone, grief is upon me,

my heart is sick.

¹⁹ Hark, the cry of my poor people

from far and wide in the land:

‘Is the LORD not in Zion?

Is her King not in her?’

(‘Why have they provoked me to anger with their images,

with their foreign idols?’)

²⁰ ‘The harvest is past, the summer is ended,

and we are not saved.’

²¹ For the hurt of my poor people I am hurt,

I mourn, and dismay has taken hold of me.

²² Is there no balm in Gilead?

Is there no physician there?

Why then has the health of my poor people

not been restored?

9a

O THAT my head were a spring of water,

and my eyes a fountain of tears,

so that I might weep day and night

for the slain of my poor people!

²b O that I had in the desert

a traveller’s lodging-place,

that I might leave my people

and go away from them!

For they are all adulterers,

a band of traitors.

³ They bend their tongues like bows;

they have grown strong in the land for falsehood, and not for truth;

for they proceed from evil to evil,

and they do not know me, says the LORD.

⁴ Beware of your neighbours,

and put no trust in any of your kin;c

for all your kind are supplanters,

and every neighbour goes around like a slanderer.

⁵ They all deceive their neighbours,

and no one speaks the truth;

they have taught their tongues to speak lies;

they commit iniquity and are too weary to repent.e

⁶ Oppression upon oppression, deceita upon deceit!

They refuse to know me, says the LORD.

⁷ Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts:

I will now refine and test them,

for what else can I do with my sinful people?b

⁸ Their tongue is a deadly arrow;

it speaks deceit through the mouth.

They all speak friendly words to their neighbours,

but inwardly are planning to lay an ambush.

⁹ Shall I not punish them for these things? says the LORD;

and shall I not bring retribution

on a nation such as this?

¹⁰ Take upc weeping and wailing for the mountains,

and a lamentation for the pastures of the wilderness,

because they are laid waste so that no one passes through,

and the lowing of cattle is not heard;

both the birds of the air and the animals

have fled and are gone.

¹¹ I will make Jerusalem a heap of ruins,

a lair of jackals;

and I will make the towns of Judah a desolation

without inhabitant.

¹² Who is wise enough to understand this? To whom has the mouth of the LORD spoken, so that they may declare it? Why is the land ruined and laid waste like a wilderness, so that no one passes through? ¹³And the LORD says: Because they have forsaken my law that I set before them, and have not obeyed my voice, or walked in accordance with it, ¹⁴but have stubbornly followed their own hearts and have gone after the Baals, as their ancestors taught them. ¹⁵Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am feeding this people with wormwood, and giving them poisonous water to drink. ¹⁶I will scatter them among nations that neither they nor their ancestors have known; and I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them.

The People Mourn in Judgement

¹⁷ Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Consider, and call for the mourning-women to come;

send for the skilled women to come;

¹⁸ let them quickly raise a dirge over us,

so that our eyes may run down with tears,

and our eyelids flow with water.

¹⁹ For a sound of wailing is heard from Zion:

‘How we are ruined!

We are utterly shamed,

because we have left the land,

because they have cast down our dwellings.’

²⁰ Hear, O women, the word of the LORD,

and let your ears receive the word of his mouth;

teach to your daughters a dirge,

and each to her neighbour a lament.

²¹ ‘Death has come up into our windows,

it has entered our palaces,

to cut off the children from the streets

and the young men from the squares.’

²² Speak! Thus says the LORD:

‘Human corpses shall fall like dung upon the open field, like sheaves behind the reaper, and no one shall gather them.’

²³ Thus says the LORD: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; ²⁴but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the LORD; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the LORD.

²⁵ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will attend to all those who are circumcised only in the foreskin: ²⁶Egypt, Judah, Edom, the Ammonites, Moab, and all those with shaven temples who live in the desert. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.

Idolatry Has Brought Ruin on Israel

10

HEAR the word that the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. ²Thus says the LORD:

Do not learn the way of the nations,

or be dismayed at the signs of the heavens;

for the nations are dismayed at them.

³ For the customs of the peoples are false:

a tree from the forest is cut down,

and worked with an axe by the hands of an artisan;

⁴ people deck it with silver and gold;

they fasten it with hammer and nails

so that it cannot move.

⁵ Their idolsa are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,

and they cannot speak;

they have to be carried,

for they cannot walk.

Do not be afraid of them,

for they cannot do evil,

nor is it in them to do good.

⁶ There is none like you, O LORD;

you are great, and your name is great in might.

⁷ Who would not fear you, O King of the nations?

For that is your due;

among all the wise ones of the nations

and in all their kingdoms

there is no one like you.

⁸ They are both stupid and foolish;

the instruction given by idols

is no better than wood!a

⁹ Beaten silver is brought from Tarshish,

and gold from Uphaz.

They are the work of the artisan and of the hands of the goldsmith;

their clothing is blue and purple;

they are all the product of skilled workers.

¹⁰ But the LORD is the true God;

he is the living God and the everlasting King.

At his wrath the earth quakes,

and the nations cannot endure his indignation.

¹¹ Thus shall you say to them: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens.b

¹² It is he who made the earth by his power,

who established the world by his wisdom,

and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

¹³ When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightnings for the rain,

and he brings out the wind from his storehouses.

¹⁴ Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;

goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols;

for their images are false,

and there is no breath in them.

¹⁵ They are worthless, a work of delusion;

at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

¹⁶ Not like these is the LORD,c the portion of Jacob,

for he is the one who formed all things,

and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;

the LORD of hosts is his name.

The Coming Exile

¹⁷ Gather up your bundle from the ground,

O you who live under siege!

¹⁸ For thus says the LORD:

I am going to fling away the inhabitants of the land

at this time,

and I will bring distress on them,

so that they shall feel it.

¹⁹ Woe is me because of my hurt!

My wound is severe.

But I said, ‘Truly this is my punishment,

and I must bear it.’

²⁰ My tent is destroyed,

and all my cords are broken;

my children have gone from me,

and they are no more;

there is no one to spread my tent again,

and to set up my curtains.

²¹ For the shepherds are stupid,

and do not inquire of the LORD;

therefore they have not prospered,

and all their flock is scattered.

²² Hear, a noise! Listen, it is coming—

a great commotion from the land of the north

to make the cities of Judah a desolation,

a lair of jackals.

²³ I know, O LORD, that the way of human beings is not in their control,

that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps.

²⁴ Correct me, O LORD, but in just measure;

not in your anger, or you will bring me to nothing.

²⁵ Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not know you,

and on the peoples that do not call on your name;

for they have devoured Jacob;

they have devoured him and consumed him,

and have laid waste his habitation.

Israel and Judah Have Broken the Covenant

11

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²Hear the words of this covenant, and speak to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ³You shall say to them, Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Cursed be anyone who does not heed the words of this covenant, ⁴which I commanded your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, from the iron-smelter, saying, Listen to my voice, and do all that I command you. So shall you be my people, and I will be your God, ⁵that I may perform the oath that I swore to your ancestors, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as at this day. Then I answered, ‘So be it, LORD.’

⁶ And the LORD said to me: Proclaim all these words in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: Hear the words of this covenant and do them. ⁷For I solemnly warned your ancestors when I brought them up out of the land of Egypt, warning them persistently, even to this day, saying, Obey my voice. ⁸Yet they did not obey or incline their ear, but everyone walked in the stubbornness of an evil will. So I brought upon them all the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.

⁹ And the LORD said to me: Conspiracy exists among the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ¹⁰They have turned back to the iniquities of their ancestors of old, who refused to heed my words; they have gone after other gods to serve them; the house of Israel and the house of Judah have broken the covenant that I made with their ancestors. ¹¹Therefore, thus says the LORD, assuredly I am going to bring disaster upon them that they cannot escape; though they cry out to me, I will not listen to them. ¹²Then the cities of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem will go and cry out to the gods to whom they make offerings, but they will never save them in the time of their trouble. ¹³For your gods have become as many as your towns, O Judah; and as many as the streets of Jerusalem are the altars to shame that you have set up, altars to make offerings to Baal.

¹⁴ As for you, do not pray for this people, or lift up a cry or prayer on their behalf, for I will not listen when they call to me in the time of their trouble. ¹⁵What right has my beloved in my house, when she has done vile deeds? Can vowsa and sacrificial flesh avert your doom? Can you then exult? ¹⁶The LORD once called you, ‘A green olive tree, fair with goodly fruit’ but with the roar of a great tempest he will set fire to it, and its branches will be consumed. ¹⁷The LORD of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you, because of the evil that the house of Israel and the house of Judah have done, provoking me to anger by making offerings to Baal.

Jeremiah’s Life Threatened

¹⁸ It was the LORD who made it known to me, and I knew;

then you showed me their evil deeds.

¹⁹ But I was like a gentle lamb

led to the slaughter.

And I did not know it was against me

that they devised schemes, saying,

‘Let us destroy the tree with its fruit,

let us cut him off from the land of the living,

so that his name will no longer be remembered!’

²⁰ But you, O LORD of hosts, who judge righteously,

who try the heart and the mind,

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

²¹ Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the people of Anathoth, who seek your life, and say, ‘You shall not prophesy in the name of the LORD, or you will die by our hand’—²²therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: I am going to punish them; the young men shall die by the sword; their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; ²³and not even a remnant shall be left of them. For I will bring disaster upon the people of Anathoth, the year of their punishment.

Jeremiah Complains to God

12

YOU will be in the right, O LORD,

when I lay charges against you;

but let me put my case to you.

Why does the way of the guilty prosper?

Why do all who are treacherous thrive?

² You plant them, and they take root;

they grow and bring forth fruit;

you are near in their mouths

yet far from their hearts.

³ But you, O LORD, know me;

You see me and test me—my heart is with you.

Pull them out like sheep for the slaughter,

and set them apart for the day of slaughter.

⁴ How long will the land mourn,

and the grass of every field wither?

For the wickedness of those who live in it

the animals and the birds are swept away,

and because people said, ‘He is blind to our ways.’a

God Replies to Jeremiah

⁵ If you have raced with foot-runners and they have wearied you,

how will you compete with horses?

And if in a safe land you fall down,

how will you fare in the thickets of the Jordan?

⁶ For even your kinsfolk and your own family,

even they have dealt treacherously with you;

they are in full cry after you;

do not believe them,

though they speak friendly words to you.

⁷ I have forsaken my house,

I have abandoned my heritage;

I have given the beloved of my heart

into the hands of her enemies.

⁸ My heritage has become to me

like a lion in the forest;

she has lifted up her voice against me—

therefore I hate her.

⁹ Is the hyena greedya for my heritage at my command?

Are the birds of prey all around her?

Go, assemble all the wild animals;

bring them to devour her.

¹⁰ Many shepherds have destroyed my vineyard,

they have trampled down my portion,

they have made my pleasant portion

a desolate wilderness.

¹¹ They have made it a desolation;

desolate, it mourns to me.

The whole land is made desolate,

but no one lays it to heart.

¹² Upon all the bare heightsb in the desert

spoilers have come;

for the sword of the LORD devours

from one end of the land to the other;

no one shall be safe.

¹³ They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns,

they have tired themselves out but profit nothing.

They shall be ashamed of theirc harvests

because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

¹⁴ Thus says the LORD concerning all my evil neighbours who touch the heritage that I have given my people Israel to inherit: I am about to pluck them up from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them. ¹⁵And after I have plucked them up, I will again have compassion on them, and I will bring them again to their heritage and to their land, every one of them. ¹⁶And then, if they will diligently learn the ways of my people, to swear by my name, ‘As the LORD lives’, as they taught my people to swear by Baal, then they shall be built up in the midst of my people. ¹⁷But if any nation will not listen, then I will completely uproot it and destroy it, says the LORD.

The Linen Loincloth

13

THUS said the LORD to me, ‘Go and buy yourself a linen loincloth, and put it on your loins, but do not dip it in water.’ ²So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins. ³And the word of the LORD came to me a second time, saying, ⁴‘Take the loincloth that you bought and are wearing, and go now to the Euphrates,d and hide it there in a cleft of the rock.’ ⁵So I went, and hid it by the Euphrates,e as the LORD commanded me. ⁶And after many days the LORD said tome, ‘Go now to the Euphrates,d and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there.’ ⁷Then I went to the Euphrates,a and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. But now the loincloth was ruined; it was good for nothing.

⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁹Thus says the LORD: Just so I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own will and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing. ¹¹For as the loincloth clings to one’s loins, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, says the LORD, in order that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory. But they would not listen.

Symbol of the Wine-Jars

¹² You shall speak to them this word: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Every wine-jar should be filled with wine. And they will say to you, ‘Do you think we do not know that every wine-jar should be filled with wine?’ ¹³Then you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD: I am about to fill all the inhabitants of this land—the kings who sit on David’s throne, the priests, the prophets, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem—with drunkenness. ¹⁴And I will dash them one against another, parents and children together, says the LORD. I will not pity or spare or have compassion when I destroy them.

Exile Threatened

¹⁵ Hear and give ear; do not be haughty,

for the LORD has spoken.

¹⁶ Give glory to the LORD your God

before he brings darkness,

and before your feet stumble

on the mountains at twilight;

while you look for light,

he turns it into gloom

and makes it deep darkness.

¹⁷ But if you will not listen,

my soul will weep in secret for your pride;

my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears,

because the LORD’s flock has been taken captive.

¹⁸ Say to the king and the queen mother:

‘Take a lowly seat,

for your beautiful crown

has come down from your head.’b

¹⁹ The towns of the Negeb are shut up

with no one to open them;

all Judah is taken into exile,

wholly taken into exile.

²⁰ Lift up your eyes and see

those who come from the north.

Where is the flock that was given you,

your beautiful flock?

²¹ What will you say when they set as head over you

those whom you have trained

to be your allies?

Will not pangs take hold of you,

like those of a woman in labour?

²² And if you say in your heart,

‘Why have these things come upon me?’

it is for the greatness of your iniquity

that your skirts are lifted up,

and you are violated.

²³ Can Ethiopiansa change their skin

or leopards their spots?

Then also you can do good

who are accustomed to do evil.

²⁴ I will scatter youb like chaff

driven by the wind from the desert.

²⁵ This is your lot,

the portion I have measured out to you, says the LORD,

because you have forgotten me

and trusted in lies.

²⁶ I myself will lift up your skirts over your face,

and your shame will be seen.

²⁷ I have seen your abominations,

your adulteries and neighings, your shameless prostitutions

on the hills of the countryside.

Woe to you, O Jerusalem!

How long will it be

before you are made clean?

The Great Drought

14

THE word of the LORD that came to Jeremiah concerning the drought:

² Judah mourns

and her gates languish;

they lie in gloom on the ground,

and the cry of Jerusalem goes up.

³ Her nobles send their servants for water;

they come to the cisterns,

they find no water,

they return with their vessels empty.

They are ashamed and dismayed

and cover their heads,

⁴ because the ground is cracked.

Because there has been no rain on the land

the farmers are dismayed;

they cover their heads.

⁵ Even the doe in the field forsakes her newborn fawn

because there is no grass.

⁶ The wild asses stand on the bare heights,a

they pant for air like jackals;

their eyes fail

because there is no herbage.

⁷ Although our iniquities testify against us,

act, O LORD, for your name’s sake;

our apostasies indeed are many,

and we have sinned against you.

⁸ O hope of Israel,

its saviour in time of trouble,

why should you be like a stranger in the land,

like a traveller turning aside for the night?

⁹ Why should you be like someone confused,

like a mighty warrior who cannot give help?

Yet you, O LORD, are in the midst of us,

and we are called by your name;

do not forsake us!

¹⁰ Thus says the LORD concerning this people:

Truly they have loved to wander,

they have not restrained their feet;

therefore the LORD does not accept them,

now he will remember their iniquity

and punish their sins.

¹¹ The LORD said to me: Do not pray for the welfare of this people. ¹²Although they fast, I do not hear their cry, and although they offer burnt-offering and grain-offering, I do not accept them; but by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence I consume them.

Denunciation of Lying Prophets

¹³ Then I said: ‘Ah, Lord GOD! Here are the prophets saying to them, “You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you true peace in this place.”’ ¹⁴And the LORD said to me: The prophets are prophesying lies in my name; I did not send them, nor did I command them or speak to them. They are prophesying to you a lying vision, worthless divination, and the deceit of their own minds. ¹⁵Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the prophets who prophesy in my name though I did not send them, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not come on this land’: By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed. ¹⁶And the people to whom they prophesy shall be thrown out into the streets of Jerusalem, victims of famine and sword. There shall be no one to bury them—themselves, their wives, their sons, and their daughters. For I will pour out their wickedness upon them.

¹⁷ You shall say to them this word:

Let my eyes run down with tears night and day,

and let them not cease,

for the virgin daughter—my people—is struck down with a crushing blow,

with a very grievous wound.

¹⁸ If I go out into the field,

look—those killed by the sword!

And if I enter the city,

look—those sick witha famine!

For both prophet and priest ply their trade throughout the land,

and have no knowledge.

The People Plead for Mercy

¹⁹ Have you completely rejected Judah?

Does your heart loathe Zion?

Why have you struck us down

so that there is no healing for us?

We look for peace, but find no good;

for a time of healing, but there is terror instead.

²⁰ We acknowledge our wickedness, O LORD,

the iniquity of our ancestors,

for we have sinned against you.

²¹ Do not spurn us, for your name’s sake;

do not dishonour your glorious throne;

remember and do not break your covenant with us.

²² Can any idols of the nations bring rain?

Or can the heavens give showers?

Is it not you, O LORD our God?

We set our hope on you,

for it is you who do all this.

Punishment Is Inevitable

15

THEN the LORD said to me: Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my heart would not turn towards this people. Send them out of my sight, and let them go! ²And when they say to you, ‘Where shall we go?’ you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD:

Those destined for pestilence, to pestilence,

and those destined for the sword, to the sword;

those destined for famine, to famine,

and those destined for captivity, to captivity.

³And I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, says the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to drag away, and the birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth to devour and destroy. ⁴I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what King Manasseh son of Hezekiah of Judah did in Jerusalem.

⁵ Who will have pity on you, O Jerusalem,

or who will bemoan you?

Who will turn aside

to ask about your welfare?

⁶ You have rejected me, says the LORD,

you are going backwards;

so I have stretched out my hand against you and destroyed you—

I am weary of relenting.

⁷ I have winnowed them with a winnowing-fork

in the gates of the land;

I have bereaved them, I have destroyed my people;

they did not turn from their ways.

⁸ Their widows became more numerous

than the sand of the seas;

I have brought against the mothers of youths

a destroyer at noonday;

I have made anguish and terror

fall upon her suddenly.

⁹ She who bore seven has languished;

she has swooned away;

her sun went down while it was yet day;

she has been shamed and disgraced.

And the rest of them I will give to the sword

before their enemies,

says the LORD.

Jeremiah Complains Again and Is Reassured

¹⁰ Woe is me, my mother, that you ever bore me, a man of strife and contention to the whole land! I have not lent, nor have I borrowed, yet all of them curse me. ¹¹The LORD said: Surely I have intervened in your lifea for good, surely I have imposed enemies on you in a time of trouble and in a time of distress.b ¹²Can iron and bronze break iron from the north?

¹³ Your wealth and your treasures I will give as plunder, without price, for all your sins, throughout all your territory. ¹⁴I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn for ever.

¹⁵ O LORD, you know;

remember me and visit me,

and bring down retribution for me on my persecutors.

In your forbearance do not take me away;

know that on your account I suffer insult.

¹⁶ Your words were found, and I ate them,

and your words became to me a joy

and the delight of my heart;

for I am called by your name,

O LORD, God of hosts.

¹⁷ I did not sit in the company of merrymakers,

nor did I rejoice;

under the weight of your hand I sat alone,

for you had filled me with indignation.

¹⁸ Why is my pain unceasing,

my wound incurable,

refusing to be healed?

Truly, you are to me like a deceitful brook,

like waters that fail.

¹⁹ Therefore, thus says the LORD:

If you turn back, I will take you back,

and you shall stand before me.

If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,

you shall serve as my mouth.

It is they who will turn to you,

not you who will turn to them.

²⁰ And I will make you to this people

a fortified wall of bronze;

they will fight against you,

but they shall not prevail over you,

for I am with you

to save you and deliver you,

says the LORD.

²¹ I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,

and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.

Jeremiah’s Celibacy and Message

16

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place. ³For thus says the LORD concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place, and concerning the mothers who bear them and the fathers who beget them in this land: ⁴They shall die of deadly diseases. They shall not be lamented, nor shall they be buried; they shall become like dung on the surface of the ground. They shall perish by the sword and by famine, and their dead bodies shall become food for the birds of the air and for the wild animals of the earth.

⁵ For thus says the LORD: Do not enter the house of mourning, or go to lament, or bemoan them; for I have taken away my peace from this people, says the LORD, my steadfast love and mercy. ⁶Both great and small shall die in this land; they shall not be buried, and no one shall lament for them; there shall be no gashing, no shaving of the head for them. ⁷No one shall break breada for the mourner, to offer comfort for the dead; nor shall anyone give them the cup of consolation to drink for their fathers or their mothers. ⁸You shall not go into the house of feasting to sit with them, to eat and drink. ⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to banish from this place, in your days and before your eyes, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride.

¹⁰ And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?’ ¹¹then you shall say to them: It is because your ancestors have forsaken me, says the LORD, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshipped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law; ¹²and because you have behaved worse than your ancestors, for here you are, every one of you, following your stubborn, evil will, refusing to listen to me. ¹³Therefore I will hurl you out of this land into a land that neither you nor your ancestors have known, and there you shall serve other gods day and night, for I will show you no favour.

God Will Restore Israel

¹⁴ Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt’, ¹⁵but ‘As the LORD lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their ancestors.

¹⁶ I am now sending for many fishermen, says the LORD, and they shall catch them; and afterwards I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain and every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks. ¹⁷For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my presence, nor is their iniquity concealed from my sight. ¹⁸Andb I will doubly repay their iniquity and their sin, because they have polluted my land with the carcasses of their detestable idols, and have filled my inheritance with their abominations.

¹⁹ O LORD, my strength and my stronghold,

my refuge on the day of trouble,

to you shall the nations come

from the ends of the earth and say:

Our ancestors have inherited nothing but lies,

worthless things in which there is no profit.

²⁰ Can mortals make for themselves gods?

Such are no gods!

²¹ ‘Therefore I am surely going to teach them, this time I am going to teach them my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the LORD.’

Judah’s Sin and Punishment

17

THE sin of Judah is written with an iron pen; with a diamond point it is engraved on the tablet of their hearts, and on the horns of their altars, ²while their children remember their altars and their sacred poles,a beside every green tree, and on the high hills, ³on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your sinb throughout all your territory. ⁴By your own act you shall lose the heritage that I gave you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindledc that shall burn for ever.

⁵ Thus says the LORD:

Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals

and make mere flesh their strength,

whose hearts turn away from the LORD.

⁶ They shall be like a shrub in the desert,

and shall not see when relief comes.

They shall live in the parched places of the wilderness,

in an uninhabited salt land.

⁷ Blessed are those who trust in the LORD,

whose trust is the LORD.

⁸ They shall be like a tree planted by water,

sending out its roots by the stream.

It shall not fear when heat comes,

and its leaves shall stay green;

in the year of drought it is not anxious,

and it does not cease to bear fruit.

⁹ The heart is devious above all else;

it is perverse—

who can understand it?

¹⁰ I the LORD test the mind

and search the heart,

to give to all according to their ways,

according to the fruit of their doings.

¹¹ Like the partridge hatching what it did not lay,

so are all who amass wealth unjustly;

in mid-life it will leave them,

and at their end they will prove to be fools.

¹² O glorious throne, exalted from the beginning,

shrine of our sanctuary!

¹³ O hope of Israel! O LORD!

All who forsake you shall be put to shame;

those who turn away from youa shall be recorded in the underworld,b

for they have forsaken the fountain of living water, the LORD.

Jeremiah Prays for Vindication

¹⁴ Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;

save me, and I shall be saved;

for you are my praise.

¹⁵ See how they say to me,

‘Where is the word of the LORD?

Let it come!’

¹⁶ But I have not run away from being a shepherdc in your service,

nor have I desired the fatal day.

You know what came from my lips;

it was before your face.

¹⁷ Do not become a terror to me;

you are my refuge on the day of disaster;

¹⁸ Let my persecutors be shamed,

but do not let me be shamed;

let them be dismayed,

but do not let me be dismayed;

bring on them the day of disaster;

destroy them with double destruction!

Hallow the Sabbath Day

¹⁹ Thus said the LORD to me: Go and stand in the People’s Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, ²⁰and say to them: Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. ²¹Thus says the LORD: For the sake of your lives, take care that you do not bear a burden on the sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. ²²And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the sabbath or do any work, but keep the sabbath day holy, as I commanded your ancestors. ²³Yet they did not listen or incline their ear; they stiffened their necks and would not hear or receive instruction.

²⁴ But if you listen to me, says the LORD, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the sabbath day, but keep the sabbath day holy and do no work on it, ²⁵then there shall enter by the gates of this city kingsd who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and this city shall be inhabited for ever. ²⁶And people shall come from the towns of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt-offerings and sacrifices, grain-offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank-offerings to the house of the LORD. ²⁷But if you do not listen to me, to keep the sabbath day holy, and to carry in no burden through the gates of Jerusalem on the sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates; it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.

The Potter and the Clay

18

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²‘Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.’ ³So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. ⁴The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

⁵ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁶Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the LORD. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. ⁷At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, ⁸but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. ⁹And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, ¹⁰but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. ¹¹Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the LORD: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

Israel’s Stubborn Idolatry

¹² But they say, ‘It is no use! We will follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of our evil will.’

¹³ Therefore, thus says the LORD:

Ask among the nations:

Who has heard the like of this?

The virgin Israel has done

a most horrible thing.

¹⁴ Does the snow of Lebanon leave

the crags of Sirion?a

Do the mountainb waters run dry,c

the cold flowing streams?

¹⁵ But my people have forgotten me,

they burn offerings to a delusion;

they have stumbledd in their ways,

in the ancient roads,

and have gone into bypaths,

not the highway,

¹⁶ making their land a horror,

a thing to be hissed at for ever.

All who pass by it are horrified

and shake their heads.

¹⁷ Like the wind from the east,

I will scatter them before the enemy.

I will show them my back, not my face,

on the day of their calamity.

A Plot against Jeremiah

¹⁸ Then they said, ‘Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah—for instruction shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us bring charges against him,a and let us not heed any of his words.’

¹⁹ Give heed to me, O LORD,

and listen to what my adversaries say!

²⁰ Is evil a recompense for good?

Yet they have dug a pit for my life.

Remember how I stood before you

to speak good for them,

to turn away your wrath from them.

²¹ Therefore give their children over to famine;

hurl them out to the power of the sword,

let their wives become childless and widowed.

May their men meet death by pestilence,

their youths be slain by the sword in battle.

²² May a cry be heard from their houses,

when you bring the marauder suddenly upon them!

For they have dug a pit to catch me,

and laid snares for my feet.

²³ Yet you, O LORD, know

all their plotting to kill me.

Do not forgive their iniquity,

do not blot out their sin from your sight.

Let them be tripped up before you;

deal with them while you are angry.

The Broken Earthenware Jug

19

THUS said the LORD: Go and buy a potter’s earthenware jug. Take with youb some of the elders of the people and some of the senior priests, ²and go out to the valley of the son of Hinnom at the entry of the Potsherd Gate, and proclaim there the words that I tell you. ³You shall say: Hear the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring such disaster upon this place that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. ⁴Because the people have forsaken me, and have profaned this place by making offerings in it to other gods whom neither they nor their ancestors nor the kings of Judah have known, and because they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent, ⁵and gone on building the high places of Baal to burn their children in the fire as burnt-offerings to Baal, which I did not command or decree, nor did it enter my mind; ⁶therefore the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when this place shall no more be called Topheth, or the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter. ⁷And in this place I will make void the plans of Judah and Jerusalem, and will make them fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hand of those who seek their life. I will give their dead bodies for food to the birds of the air and to the wild animals of the earth. ⁸And I will make this city a horror, a thing to be hissed at; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. ⁹And I will make them eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and all shall eat the flesh of their neighbours in the siege, and in the distress with which their enemies and those who seek their life afflict them.

¹⁰ Then you shall break the jug in the sight of those who go with you, ¹¹and shall say to them: Thus says the LORD of hosts: So will I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter’s vessel, so that it can never be mended. In Topheth they shall bury until there is no more room to bury. ¹²Thus will I do to this place, says the LORD, and to its inhabitants, making this city like Topheth. ¹³And the houses of Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah shall be defiled like the place of Topheth—all the houses upon whose roofs offerings have been made to the whole host of heaven, and libations have been poured out to other gods.

¹⁴ When Jeremiah came from Topheth, where the LORD had sent him to prophesy, he stood in the court of the LORD’s house and said to all the people: ¹⁵Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am now bringing upon this city and upon all its towns all the disaster that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks, refusing to hear my words.

Jeremiah Persecuted by Pashhur

20

NOW the priest Pashhur son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. ²Then Pashhur struck the prophet Jeremiah, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD. ³The next morning when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, The LORD has named you not Pashhur but ‘Terror-all-around.’ ⁴For thus says the LORD: I am making you a terror to yourself and to all your friends; and they shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon; he shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall kill them with the sword. ⁵I will give all the wealth of this city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them, and seize them, and carry them to Babylon. ⁶And you, Pashhur, and all who live in your house, shall go into captivity, and to Babylon you shall go; there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.

Jeremiah Denounces His Persecutors

⁷ O LORD, you have enticed me,

and I was enticed;

you have overpowered me,

and you have prevailed.

I have become a laughing-stock all day long;

everyone mocks me.

⁸ For whenever I speak, I must cry out,

I must shout, ‘Violence and destruction!’

For the word of the LORD has become for me

a reproach and derision all day long.

⁹ If I say, ‘I will not mention him,

or speak any more in his name’,

then within me there is something like a burning fire

shut up in my bones;

I am weary with holding it in,

and I cannot.

¹⁰ For I hear many whispering:

‘Terror is all around!

Denounce him! Let us denounce him!’

All my close friends

are watching for me to stumble.

‘Perhaps he can be enticed,

and we can prevail against him,

and take our revenge on him.’

¹¹ But the LORD is with me like a dread warrior;

therefore my persecutors will stumble,

and they will not prevail.

They will be greatly shamed,

for they will not succeed.

Their eternal dishonour

will never be forgotten.

¹² O LORD of hosts, you test the righteous,

you see the heart and the mind;

let me see your retribution upon them,

for to you I have committed my cause.

¹³ Sing to the LORD;

praise the LORD!

For he has delivered the life of the needy

from the hands of evildoers.

¹⁴ Cursed be the day

on which I was born!

The day when my mother bore me,

let it not be blessed!

¹⁵ Cursed be the man

who brought the news to my father, saying,

‘A child is born to you, a son’,

making him very glad.

¹⁶ Let that man be like the cities

that the LORD overthrew without pity;

let him hear a cry in the morning

and an alarm at noon,

¹⁷ because he did not kill me in the womb;

so my mother would have been my grave,

and her womb for ever great.

¹⁸ Why did I come forth from the womb

to see toil and sorrow,

and spend my days in shame?

Jerusalem Will Fall to Nebuchadrezzar

21

THIS is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Zedekiah sent to him Pashhur son of Malchiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, saying, ²‘Please inquire of the LORD on our behalf, for King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon is making war against us; perhaps the LORD will perform a wonderful deed for us, as he has often done, and will make him withdraw from us.’

³ Then Jeremiah said to them: ⁴Thus you shall say to Zedekiah: Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I am going to turn back the weapons of war that are in your hands and with which you are fighting against the king of Babylon and against the Chaldeans who are besieging you outside the walls; and I will bring them together into the centre of this city. ⁵I myself will fight against you with outstretched hand and mighty arm, in anger, in fury, and in great wrath. ⁶And I will strike down the inhabitants of this city, both human beings and animals; they shall die of a great pestilence. ⁷Afterwards, says the LORD, I will give King Zedekiah of Judah, and his servants, and the people in this city—those who survive the pestilence, sword, and famine—into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, into the hands of their enemies, into the hands of those who seek their lives. He shall strike them down with the edge of the sword; he shall not pity them, or spare them, or have compassion.

⁸ And to this people you shall say: Thus says the LORD: See, I am setting before you the way of life and the way of death. ⁹Those who stay in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but those who go out and surrender to the Chaldeans who are besieging you shall live and shall have their lives as a prize of war. ¹⁰For I have set my face against this city for evil and not for good, says the LORD: it shall be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.

Message to the House of David

¹¹ To the house of the king of Judah say: Hear the word of the LORD, ¹²O house of David! Thus says the LORD:

Execute justice in the morning,

and deliver from the hand of the oppressor

anyone who has been robbed,

or else my wrath will go forth like fire,

and burn, with no one to quench it,

because of your evil doings.

¹³ See, I am against you, O inhabitant of the valley,

O rock of the plain,

says the LORD;

you who say, ‘Who can come down against us,

or who can enter our places of refuge?’

¹⁴ I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings,

says the LORD;

I will kindle a fire in its forest,

and it shall devour all that is around it.

Exhortation to Repent

22

THUS says the LORD: Go down to the house of the king of Judah, and speak there this word, ²and say: Hear the word of the LORD, O King of Judah sitting on the throne of David—you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates. ³Thus says the LORD: Act with justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor anyone who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the alien, the orphan, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. ⁴For if you will indeed obey this word, then through the gates of this house shall enter kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they, and their servants, and their people. ⁵But if you will not heed these words, I swear by myself, says the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation. ⁶For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah:

You are like Gilead to me,

like the summit of Lebanon;

but I swear that I will make you a desert,

an uninhabited city.a

⁷ I will prepare destroyers against you,

all with their weapons;

they shall cut down your choicest cedars

and cast them into the fire.

⁸ And many nations will pass by this city, and all of them will say one to another, ‘Why has the LORD dealt in this way with that great city?’ ⁹And they will answer, ‘Because they abandoned the covenant of the LORD their God, and worshipped other gods and served them.’

¹⁰ Do not weep for him who is dead,

nor bemoan him;

weep rather for him who goes away,

for he shall return no more

to see his native land.

Message to the Sons of Josiah

¹¹ For thus says the LORD concerning Shallum son of King Josiah of Judah, who succeeded his father Josiah, and who went away from this place: He shall return here no more, ¹²but in the place where they have carried him captive he shall die, and he shall never see this land again.

¹³ Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

and his upper rooms by injustice;

who makes his neighbours work for nothing,

and does not give them their wages;

¹⁴ who says, ‘I will build myself a spacious house

with large upper rooms’,

and who cuts out windows for it,

panelling it with cedar,

and painting it with vermilion.

¹⁵ Are you a king

because you compete in cedar?

Did not your father eat and drink

and do justice and righteousness?

Then it was well with him.

¹⁶ He judged the cause of the poor and needy;

then it was well.

Is not this to know me?

says the LORD.

¹⁷ But your eyes and heart

are only on your dishonest gain,

for shedding innocent blood,

and for practising oppression and violence.

¹⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord concerning King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah:

They shall not lament for him, saying,

‘Alas, my brother!’ or ‘Alas, sister!’

They shall not lament for him, saying,

‘Alas, lord!’ or ‘Alas, his majesty!’

¹⁹ With the burial of a donkey he shall be buried—

dragged off and thrown out beyond the gates of Jerusalem.

²⁰ Go up to Lebanon, and cry out,

and lift up your voice in Bashan;

cry out from Abarim,

for all your lovers are crushed.

²¹ I spoke to you in your prosperity,

but you said, ‘I will not listen.’

This has been your way from your youth,

for you have not obeyed my voice.

²² The wind shall shepherd all your shepherds,

and your lovers shall go into captivity;

then you will be ashamed and dismayed

because of all your wickedness.

²³ O inhabitant of Lebanon,

nested among the cedars,

how you will groana when pangs come upon you,

pain as of a woman in labour!

Judgement on Coniah (Jehoiachin)

²⁴ As I live, says the LORD, even if King Coniah son of Jehoiakim of Judah were the signet ring on my right hand, even from there I would tear you off ²⁵and give you into the hands of those who seek your life, into the hands of those of whom you are afraid, even into the hands of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and into the hands of the Chaldeans. ²⁶I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another country, where you were not born, and there you shall die. ²⁷But they shall not return to the land to which they long to return.

²⁸ Is this man Coniah a despised broken pot,

a vessel no one wants?

Why are he and his offspring hurled out

and cast away in a land that they do not know?

²⁹ O land, land, land,

hear the word of the LORD!

³⁰ Thus says the LORD:

Record this man as childless,

a man who shall not succeed in his days;

for none of his offspring shall succeed

in sitting on the throne of David,

and ruling again in Judah.

Restoration after Exile

23

WOE to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! says the LORD. ²Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who shepherd my people: It is you who have scattered my flock, and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. So I will attend to you for your evil doings, says the LORD. ³Then I myself will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the lands where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. ⁴I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the LORD.

The Righteous Branch of David

⁵ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

⁷ Therefore, the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought the people of Israel up out of the land of Egypt’, ⁸but ‘As the LORD lives who brought out and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the land of the north and out of all the lands where hea had driven them.’ Then they shall live in their own land.

False Prophets of Hope Denounced

⁹ Concerning the prophets:

My heart is crushed within me,

all my bones shake;

I have become like a drunkard,

like one overcome by wine,

because of the LORD

and because of his holy words.

¹⁰ For the land is full of adulterers;

because of the curse the land mourns,

and the pastures of the wilderness are dried up.

Their course has been evil,

and their might is not right.

¹¹ Both prophet and priest are ungodly;

even in my house I have found their wickedness,

says the LORD.

¹² Therefore their way shall be to them

like slippery paths in the darkness,

into which they shall be driven and fall;

for I will bring disaster upon them

in the year of their punishment,

says the LORD.

¹³ In the prophets of Samaria

I saw a disgusting thing:

they prophesied by Baal

and led my people Israel astray.

¹⁴ But in the prophets of Jerusalem

I have seen a more shocking thing:

they commit adultery and walk in lies;

they strengthen the hands of evildoers,

so that no one turns from wickedness;

all of them have become like Sodom to me,

and its inhabitants like Gomorrah.

¹⁵ Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets:

‘I am going to make them eat wormwood,

and give them poisoned water to drink;

for from the prophets of Jerusalem

ungodliness has spread throughout the land.’

¹⁶ Thus says the LORD of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you; they are deluding you. They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD. ¹⁷They keep saying to those who despise the word of the LORD, ‘It shall be well with you’ and to all who stubbornly follow their own stubborn hearts, they say, ‘No calamity shall come upon you.’

¹⁸ For who has stood in the council of the LORD

so as to see and to hear his word?

Who has given heed to his word so as to proclaim it?

¹⁹ Look, the storm of the LORD!

Wrath has gone forth,

a whirling tempest;

it will burst upon the head of the wicked.

²⁰ The anger of the LORD will not turn back

until he has executed and accomplished

the intents of his mind.

In the latter days you will understand it clearly.

²¹ I did not send the prophets,

yet they ran;

I did not speak to them,

yet they prophesied.

²² But if they had stood in my council,

then they would have proclaimed my words to my people,

and they would have turned them from their evil way,

and from the evil of their doings.

²³ Am I a God near by, says the LORD, and not a God far off? ²⁴Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them? says the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? says the LORD. ²⁵I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ ²⁶How long? Will the hearts of the prophets ever turn back—those who prophesy lies, and who prophesy the deceit of their own heart? ²⁷They plan to make my people forget my name by their dreams that they tell one another, just as their ancestors forgot my name for Baal. ²⁸Let the prophet who has a dream tell the dream, but let the one who has my word speak my word faithfully. What has straw in common with wheat? says the LORD. ²⁹Is not my word like fire, says the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces? ³⁰See, therefore, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who steal my words from one another. ³¹See, I am against the prophets, says the LORD, who use their own tongues and say, ‘Says the LORD.’ ³²See, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, says the LORD, and who tell them, and who lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or appoint them; so they do not profit this people at all, says the LORD.

³³ When this people, or a prophet, or a priest asks you, ‘What is the burden of the LORD?’ you shall say to them, ‘You are the burden,a and I will cast you off, says the LORD.’ ³⁴And as for the prophet, priest, or the people who say, ‘The burden of the LORD’, I will punish them and their households. ³⁵Thus shall you say to one another, among yourselves, ‘What has the LORD answered?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ³⁶But ‘the burden of the LORD’ you shall mention no more, for the burden is everyone’s own word, and so you pervert the words of the living God, the LORD of hosts, our God. ³⁷Thus you shall ask the prophet, ‘What has the LORD answered you?’ or ‘What has the LORD spoken?’ ³⁸But if you say, ‘the burden of the LORD’, thus says the LORD: Because you have said these words, ‘the burden of the LORD’, when I sent to you, saying, You shall not say, ‘the burden of the LORD’, ³⁹therefore, I will surely lift you upb and cast you away from my presence, you and the city that I gave to you and your ancestors. ⁴⁰And I will bring upon you everlasting disgrace and perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.

The Good and the Bad Figs

24

THE LORD showed me two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the LORD. This was after King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon had taken into exile from Jerusalem King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, together with the officials of Judah, the artisans, and the smiths, and had brought them to Babylon. ²One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten. ³And the LORD said to me, ‘What do you see, Jeremiah?’ I said, ‘Figs, the good figs very good, and the bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.’

⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ⁵Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. ⁶I will set my eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them up. ⁷I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD; and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.

⁸ But thus says the LORD: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who live in the land of Egypt. ⁹I will make them a horror, an evil thing, to all the kingdoms of the earth—a disgrace, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them. ¹⁰And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they are utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their ancestors.

The Babylonian Captivity Foretold

25

THE word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah (that was the first year of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon), ²which the prophet Jeremiah spoke to all the people of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ³For twenty-three years, from the thirteenth year of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah to this day, the word of the LORD has come to me, and I have spoken persistently to you, but you have not listened. ⁴And though the LORD persistently sent you all his servants the prophets, you have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear ⁵when they said, ‘Turn now, everyone of you, from your evil way and wicked doings, and you will remain upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your ancestors from of old and for ever; ⁶do not go after other gods to serve and worship them, and do not provoke me to anger with the work of your hands. Then I will do you no harm.’ ⁷Yet you did not listen to me, says the LORD, and so you have provoked me to anger with the work of your hands to your own harm.

⁸ Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: Because you have not obeyed my words, ⁹I am going to send for all the tribes of the north, says the LORD, even for King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and its inhabitants, and against all these nations around; I will utterly destroy them, and make them an object of horror and of hissing, and an everlasting disgrace.a ¹⁰And I will banish from them the sound of mirth and the sound of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. ¹¹This whole land shall become a ruin and a waste, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon for seventy years. ¹²Then after seventy years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, says the LORD, making the land an everlasting waste. ¹³I will bring upon that land all the words that I have uttered against it, everything written in this book, which Jeremiah prophesied against all the nations. ¹⁴For many nations and great kings shall make slaves of them also; and I will repay them according to their deeds and the work of their hands.

The Cup of God’s Wrath

¹⁵ For thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. ¹⁶They shall drink and stagger and go out of their minds because of the sword that I am sending among them.

¹⁷ So I took the cup from the LORD’s hand, and made all the nations to whom the LORD sent me drink it: ¹⁸Jerusalem and the towns of Judah, its kings and officials, to make them a desolation and a waste, an object of hissing and of cursing, as they are today; ¹⁹Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his officials, and all his people; ²⁰all the mixed people;b all the kings of the land of Uz; all the kings of the land of the Philistines—Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod; ²¹Edom, Moab, and the Ammonites; ²²all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastland across the sea; ²³Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who have shaven temples; ²⁴all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed peoplesc that live in the desert; ²⁵all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of Media;²⁶all the kings of the north, far and near, one after another, and all the kingdoms of the world that are on the face of the earth. And after them the king of Sheshachc shall drink.

²⁷ Then you shall say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, get drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more, because of the sword that I am sending among you.

²⁸ And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them: Thus says the LORD of hosts: You must drink! ²⁹See, I am beginning to bring disaster on the city that is called by my name, and how can you possibly avoid punishment? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, says the LORD of hosts.

³⁰ You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:

The LORD will roar from on high,

and from his holy habitation utter his voice;

he will roar mightily against his fold,

and shout, like those who tread grapes,

against all the inhabitants of the earth.

³¹ The clamour will resound to the ends of the earth,

for the LORD has an indictment against the nations;

he is entering into judgement with all flesh,

and the guilty he will put to the sword,

says the LORD.

³² Thus says the LORD of hosts:

See, disaster is spreading

from nation to nation,

and a great tempest is stirring

from the farthest parts of the earth!

³³ Those slain by the LORD on that day shall extend from one end of the earth to the other. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become dung on the surface of the ground.

³⁴ Wail, you shepherds, and cry out;

roll in ashes, you lords of the flock,

for the days of your slaughter have come—and your dispersions,a

and you shall fall like a choice vessel.

³⁵ Flight shall fail the shepherds,

and there shall be no escape for the lords of the flock.

³⁶ Hark! the cry of the shepherds,

and the wail of the lords of the flock!

For the LORD is despoiling their pasture,

³⁷ and the peaceful folds are devastated,

because of the fierce anger of the LORD.

³⁸ Like a lion he has left his covert;

for their land has become a waste

because of the cruel sword,

and because of his fierce anger.

Jeremiah’s Prophecies in the Temple

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AT THE beginning of the reign of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came from the LORD: ²Thus says the LORD: Stand in the court of the LORD’s house, and speak to all the cities of Judah that come to worship in the house of the LORD; speak to them all the words that I command you; do not hold back a word. ³It may be that they will listen, all of them, and will turn from their evil way, that I may change my mind about the disaster that I intend to bring on them because of their evil doings. ⁴You shall say to them: Thus says the LORD: If you will not listen to me, to walk in my law that I have set before you, ⁵and to heed the words of my servants the prophets whom I send to you urgently—though you have not heeded—⁶then I will make this house like Shiloh, and I will make this city a curse for all the nations of the earth.

⁷ The priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. ⁸And when Jeremiah had finished speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak to all the people, then the priests and the prophets and all the people laid hold of him, saying, ‘You shall die! ⁹Why have you prophesied in the name of the LORD, saying, “This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without inhabitant”?’ And all the people gathered around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.

¹⁰ When the officials of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the LORD and took their seat in the entry of the New Gate of the house of the LORD. ¹¹Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and to all the people, ‘This man deserves the sentence of death because he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your own ears.’

¹² Then Jeremiah spoke to all the officials and all the people, saying, ‘It is the LORD who sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the words you have heard. ¹³Now therefore amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the LORD your God, and the LORD will change his mind about the disaster that he has pronounced against you. ¹⁴But as for me, here I am in your hands. Do with me as seems good and right to you. ¹⁵Only know for certain that if you put me to death, you will be bringing innocent blood upon yourselves and upon this city and its inhabitants, for in truth the LORD sent me to you to speak all these words in your ears.’

¹⁶ Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, ‘This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God.’ ¹⁷And some of the elders of the land arose and said to all the assembled people, ¹⁸‘Micah of Moresheth, who prophesied during the days of King Hezekiah of Judah, said to all the people of Judah: “Thus says the LORD of hosts,

Zion shall be ploughed as a field;

Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.”

¹⁹Did King Hezekiah of Judah and all Judah actually put him to death? Did he not fear the LORD and entreat the favour of the LORD, and did not the LORD change his mind about the disaster that he had pronounced against them? But we are about to bring great disaster on ourselves!’

²⁰ There was another man prophesying in the name of the LORD, Uriah son of Shemaiah from Kiriath-jearim. He prophesied against this city and against this land in words exactly like those of Jeremiah. ²¹And when King Jehoiakim, with all his warriors and all the officials, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt. ²²Then King Jehoiakim senta Elnathan son of Achbor and men with him to Egypt, ²³and they took Uriah from Egypt and brought him to King Jehoiakim, who struck him down with the sword and threw his dead body into the burial place of the common people.

²⁴ But the hand of Ahikam son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah so that he was not given over into the hands of the people to be put to death.

The Sign of the Yoke

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IN THE beginning of the reign of King Zedekiahb son of Josiah of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD. ²Thus the LORD said to me: Make yourself a yoke of straps and bars, and put them on your neck. ³Send wordc to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the Ammonites, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah. ⁴Give them this charge for their masters: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: ⁵It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the people and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomsoever I please. ⁶Now I have given all these lands into the hand of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him even the wild animals of the field to serve him. ⁷All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes; then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.

⁸ But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this king, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, then I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, says the LORD, until I have completed itsd destruction by his hand. ⁹You, therefore, must not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers,e your soothsayers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰For they are prophesying a lie to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land; I will drive you out, and you will perish. ¹¹But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, says the LORD, to till it and live there.

¹² I spoke to King Zedekiah of Judah in the same way: Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. ¹³Why should you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are telling you not to serve the king of Babylon, for they are prophesying a lie to you. ¹⁵I have not sent them, says the LORD, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.

¹⁶ Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus says the LORD: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘The vessels of the LORD’s house will soon be brought back from Babylon’, for they are prophesying a lie to you. ¹⁷Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? ¹⁸If indeed they are prophets, and if the word of the LORD is with them, then let them intercede with the LORD of hosts, that the vessels left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. ¹⁹For thus says the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, ²⁰which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon did not take away when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem—²¹thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels left in the house of the LORD, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: ²²They shall be carried to Babylon, and there they shall stay, until the day when I give attention to them, says the LORD. Then I will bring them up and restore them to this place.

Hananiah Opposes Jeremiah and Dies

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IN THAT same year, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the fifth month of the fourth year, the prophet Hananiah son of Azzur, from Gibeon, spoke to me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and all the people, saying, ²‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. ³Within two years I will bring back to this place all the vessels of the LORD’s house, which King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon took away from this place and carried to Babylon. ⁴I will also bring back to this place King Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim of Judah, and all the exiles from Judah who went to Babylon, says the LORD, for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.’

⁵ Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke to the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests and all the people who were standing in the house of the LORD; ⁶and the prophet Jeremiah said, ‘Amen! May the LORD do so; may the LORD fulfil the words that you have prophesied, and bring back to this place from Babylon the vessels of the house of the LORD, and all the exiles. ⁷But listen now to this word that I speak in your hearing and in the hearing of all the people. ⁸The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes true, then it will be known that the LORD has truly sent the prophet.’

¹⁰ Then the prophet Hananiah took the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, and broke it. ¹¹And Hananiah spoke in the presence of all the people, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: This is how I will break the yoke of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon from the neck of all the nations within two years.’ At this, the prophet Jeremiah went his way.

¹² Some time after the prophet Hananiah had broken the yoke from the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ¹³Go, tell Hananiah, Thus says the LORD: You have broken wooden bars only to forge iron bars in place of them! ¹⁴For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put an iron yoke on the neck of all these nations so that they may serve King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and they shall indeed serve him; I have even given him the wild animals. ¹⁵And the prophet Jeremiah said to the prophet Hananiah, ‘Listen, Hananiah, the LORD has not sent you, and you made this people trust in a lie. ¹⁶Therefore thus says the LORD: I am going to send you off the face of the earth. Within this year you will be dead, because you have spoken rebellion against the LORD.’

¹⁷ In that same year, in the seventh month, the prophet Hananiah died.

Jeremiah’s Letter to the Exiles in Babylon

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THESE are the words of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the remaining elders among the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. ²This was after King Jeconiah, and the queen mother, the court officials, the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the artisans, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem. ³The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom King Zedekiah of Judah sent to Babylon to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. It said: ⁴Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. ⁶Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. ⁷But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. ⁸For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let the prophets and the diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,a ⁹for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, says the LORD.

¹⁰ For thus says the LORD: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfil to you my promise and bring you back to this place. ¹¹For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. ¹²Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. ¹³When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, ¹⁴I will let you find me, says the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the LORD, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

¹⁵ Because you have said, ‘The LORD has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’—¹⁶thus says the LORD concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who live in this city, your kinsfolk who did not go out with you into exile: ¹⁷Thus says the LORD of hosts, I am going to let loose on them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of cursing, and horror, and hissing, and a derision among all the nations where I have driven them, ¹⁹because they did not heed my words, says the LORD, when I persistently sent to you my servants the prophets, but theya would not listen, says the LORD. ²⁰But now, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon, hear the word of the LORD: ²¹Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: I am going to deliver them into the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he shall kill them before your eyes. ²²And on account of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: ‘The LORD make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire’, ²³because they have perpetrated outrage in Israel and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them; I am the one who knows and bears witness, says the LORD.

The Letter of Shemaiah

²⁴ To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: ²⁵Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: In your own name you sent a letter to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶The LORD himself has made you priest instead of the priest Jehoiada, so that there may be officers in the house of the LORD to control any madman who plays the prophet, to put him in the stocks and the collar. ²⁷So now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who plays the prophet for you? ²⁸For he has actually sent to us in Babylon, saying, ‘It will be a long time; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat what they produce.’

²⁹ The priest Zephaniah read this letter in the hearing of the prophet Jeremiah. ³⁰Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ³¹Send to all the exiles, saying, Thus says the LORD concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and has led you to trust in a lie, ³²therefore thus says the LORD: I am going to punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants; he shall not have anyone living among this people to seeb the good that I am going to do to my people, says the LORD, for he has spoken rebellion against the LORD.

Restoration Promised for Israel and Judah

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THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. ³For the days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the LORD, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors and they shall take possession of it.

⁴ These are the words that the LORD spoke concerning Israel and Judah: ⁵ Thus says the LORD:

⁵ Thus says the LORD:

We have heard a cry of panic,

of terror, and no peace.

⁶ Ask now, and see,

can a man bear a child?

Why then do I see every man

with his hands on his loins like a woman in labour?

Why has every face turned pale?

⁷ Alas! that day is so great

there is none like it;

it is a time of distress for Jacob;

yet he shall be rescued from it.

⁸ On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will break the yoke from off hisa neck, and I will burst hisa bonds, and strangers shall no more make a servant of him. ⁹But they shall serve the LORD their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

¹⁰ But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the LORD,

and do not be dismayed, O Israel;

for I am going to save you from far away,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,

and no one shall make him afraid.

¹¹ For I am with you, says the LORD, to save you;

I will make an end of all the nations

among which I scattered you,

but of you I will not make an end.

I will chastise you in just measure,

and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

¹² For thus says the LORD:

Your hurt is incurable,

your wound is grievous.

¹³ There is no one to uphold your cause,

no medicine for your wound,

no healing for you.

¹⁴ All your lovers have forgotten you;

they care nothing for you;

for I have dealt you the blow of an enemy,

the punishment of a merciless foe,

because your guilt is great,

because your sins are so numerous.

¹⁵ Why do you cry out over your hurt?

Your pain is incurable.

Because your guilt is great,

because your sins are so numerous,

I have done these things to you.

¹⁶ Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured,

and all your foes, every one of them, shall go into captivity;

those who plunder you shall be plundered,

and all who prey on you I will make a prey.

¹⁷ For I will restore health to you,

and your wounds I will heal,

says the LORD,

because they have called you an outcast:

‘It is Zion; no one cares for her!’

¹⁸ Thus says the LORD:

I am going to restore the fortunes of the tents of Jacob,

and have compassion on his dwellings;

the city shall be rebuilt upon its mound,

and the citadel set on its rightful site.

¹⁹ Out of them shall come thanksgiving,

and the sound of merrymakers.

I will make them many, and they shall not be few;

I will make them honoured, and they shall not be disdained.

²⁰ Their children shall be as of old,

their congregation shall be established before me;

and I will punish all who oppress them.

²¹ Their prince shall be one of their own,

their ruler shall come from their midst;

I will bring him near, and he shall approach me,

for who would otherwise dare to approach me?

says the LORD.

²² And you shall be my people,

and I will be your God.

²³ Look, the storm of the LORD!

Wrath has gone forth,

a whirlinga tempest;

it will burst upon the head of the wicked.

²⁴ The fierce anger of the LORD will not turn back

until he has executed and accomplished

the intents of his mind.

In the latter days you will understand this.

The Joyful Return of the Exiles

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AT THAT time, says the LORD, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

² Thus says the LORD:

The people who survived the sword

found grace in the wilderness;

when Israel sought for rest,

³ the LORD appeared to himb from far away.c

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

⁴ Again I will build you, and you shall be built,

O virgin Israel!

Again you shall takea your tambourines,

and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.

⁵ Again you shall plant vineyards

on the mountains of Samaria;

the planters shall plant,

and shall enjoy the fruit.

⁶ For there shall be a day when sentinels will call

in the hill country of Ephraim:

‘Come, let us go up to Zion,

to the LORD our God.’

⁷ For thus says the LORD:

Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,

‘Save, O LORD, your people,

the remnant of Israel.’

⁸ See, I am going to bring them from the land of the north,

and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

those with child and those in labour, together;

a great company, they shall return here.

⁹ With weeping they shall come,

and with consolationsb I will lead them back,

I will let them walk by brooks of water,

in a straight path in which they shall not stumble;

for I have become a father to Israel,

and Ephraim is my firstborn.

¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD, O nations,

and declare it in the coastlands far away;

say, ‘He who scattered Israel will gather him,

and will keep him as a shepherd a flock.’

¹¹ For the LORD has ransomed Jacob,

and has redeemed him from hands too strong for him.

¹² They shall come and sing aloud on the height of Zion,

and they shall be radiant over the goodness of the LORD,

over the grain, the wine, and the oil,

and over the young of the flock and the herd;

their life shall become like a watered garden,

and they shall never languish again.

¹³ Then shall the young women rejoice in the dance,

and the young men and the old shall be merry.

I will turn their mourning into joy,

I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.

¹⁴ I will give the priests their fill of fatness,

and my people shall be satisfied with my bounty,

says the LORD.

¹⁵ Thus says the LORD:

A voice is heard in Ramah,

lamentation and bitter weeping.

Rachel is weeping for her children;

she refuses to be comforted for her children,

because they are no more.

¹⁶ Thus says the LORD:

Keep your voice from weeping,

and your eyes from tears;

for there is a reward for your work,

says the LORD:

they shall come back from the land of the enemy;

¹⁷ there is hope for your future,

says the LORD:

your children shall come back to their own country.

¹⁸ Indeed I heard Ephraim pleading:

‘You disciplined me, and I took the discipline;

I was like a calf untrained.

Bring me back, let me come back,

for you are the LORD my God.

¹⁹ For after I had turned away I repented;

and after I was discovered, I struck my thigh;

I was ashamed, and I was dismayed

because I bore the disgrace of my youth.’

²⁰ Is Ephraim my dear son?

Is he the child I delight in?

As often as I speak against him,

I still remember him.

Therefore I am deeply moved for him;

I will surely have mercy on him,

says the LORD.

²¹ Set up road markers for yourself,

make yourself signposts;

consider well the highway,

the road by which you went.

Return, O virgin Israel,

return to these your cities.

²² How long will you waver,

O faithless daughter?

For the LORD has created a new thing on the earth:

a woman encompassesa a man.

²³ Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Once more they shall use these words in the land of Judah and in its towns when I restore their fortunes:

‘The LORD bless you, O abode of righteousness,

O holy hill!’

²⁴And Judah and all its towns shall live there together, and the farmers and those who wanderb with their flocks.

²⁵ I will satisfy the weary,

and all who are faint I will replenish.

²⁶ Thereupon I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.

Individual Retribution

²⁷ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will sow the house of Israel and the house of Judah with the seed of humans and the seed of animals. ²⁸And just as I have watched over them to pluck up and break down, to overthrow, destroy, and bring evil, so I will watch over them to build and to plant, says the LORD. ²⁹In those days they shall no longer say:

‘The parents have eaten sour grapes,

and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’

³⁰But all shall die for their own sins; the teeth of everyone who eats sour grapes shall be set on edge.

A New Covenant

³¹ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ³²It will not be like the covenant that I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt—a covenant that they broke, though I was their husband,c says the LORD. ³³But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ³⁴No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, ‘Know the LORD’, for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their sin no more.

³⁵ Thus says the LORD,

who gives the sun for light by day

and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night,

who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar—

the LORD of hosts is his name:

³⁶ If this fixed order were ever to cease

from my presence, says the LORD,

then also the offspring of Israel would cease

to be a nation before me for ever.

³⁷ Thus says the LORD:

If the heavens above can be measured,

and the foundations of the earth below can be explored,

then I will reject all the offspring of Israel

because of all they have done,

says the LORD.

Jerusalem to Be Enlarged

³⁸ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when the city shall be rebuilt for the LORD from the tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. ³⁹And the measuring line shall go out farther, straight to the hill Gareb, and shall then turn to Goah. ⁴⁰The whole valley of the dead bodies and the ashes, and all the fields as far as the Wadi Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate towards the east, shall be sacred to the LORD. It shall never again be uprooted or overthrown.

Jeremiah Buys a Field During the Siege

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THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. ²At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, ³where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him. Zedekiah had said, ‘Why do you prophesy and say: Thus says the LORD: I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; ⁴King Zedekiah of Judah shall not escape out of the hands of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye; ⁵and he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I attend to him, says the LORD; though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed?’

⁶ Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came to me: ⁷Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ ⁸Then my cousin Hanamel came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the LORD, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

⁹ And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. ¹⁰I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. ¹¹Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy; ¹²and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. ¹³In their presence I charged Baruch, saying, ¹⁴Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time. ¹⁵For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.

Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

¹⁶ After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: ¹⁷Ah Lord GOD! It is you who made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. ¹⁸You show steadfast love to the thousandth generation,a but repay the guilt of parents into the laps of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of hosts, ¹⁹great in counsel and mighty in deed; whose eyes are open to all the ways of mortals, rewarding all according to their ways and according to the fruit of their doings. ²⁰You showed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all humankind, and have made yourself a name that continues to this very day. ²¹You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror; ²²and you gave them this land, which you swore to their ancestors to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; ²³and they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or follow your law; of all you commanded them to do, they did nothing. Therefore you have made all these disasters come upon them. ²⁴See, the siege-ramps have been cast up against the city to take it, and the city, faced with sword, famine, and pestilence, has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has happened, as you yourself can see. ²⁵Yet you, O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy the field for money and get witnesses’—though the city has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

God’s Assurance of the People’s Return

²⁶ The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁷See, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for me? ²⁸Therefore, thus says the LORD: I am going to give this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he shall take it. ²⁹The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come, set it on fire, and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal and libations have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger. ³⁰For the people of Israel and the people of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; the people of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, says the LORD. ³¹This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built until this day, so that I will remove it from my sight ³²because of all the evil of the people of Israel and the people of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the citizens of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ³³They have turned their backs to me, not their faces; though I have taught them persistently, they would not listen and accept correction. ³⁴They set up their abominations in the house that bears my name, and defiled it. ³⁵They built the high places of Baal in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind that they should do this abomination, causing Judah to sin.

³⁶ Now therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is being given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: ³⁷See, I am going to gather them from all the lands to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation; I will bring them back to this place, and I will settle them in safety. ³⁸They shall be my people, and I will be their God. ³⁹I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. ⁴⁰I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. ⁴¹I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

⁴² For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good fortune that I now promise them. ⁴³Fields shall be bought in this land of which you are saying, It is a desolation, without human beings or animals; it has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans. ⁴⁴Fields shall be bought for money, and deeds shall be signed and sealed and witnessed, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, of the hill country, of the Shephelah, and of the Negeb; for I will restore their fortunes, says the LORD.

Healing after Punishment

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THE word of the LORD came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard: ²Thus says the LORD who made the earth,a the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name: ³Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known. ⁴For thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning the houses of this city and the houses of the kings of Judah that were torn down to make a defence against the siege-ramps and before the sword:b ⁵The Chaldeans are coming in to fightc and to fill them with the dead bodies of those whom I shall strike down in my anger and my wrath, for I have hidden my face from this city because of all their wickedness. ⁶I am going to bring it recovery and healing; I will heal them and reveal to them abundanceb of prosperity and security. ⁷I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first. ⁸I will cleanse them from all the guilt of their sin against me, and I will forgive all the guilt of their sin and rebellion against me. ⁹And this cityd shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them; they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.

¹⁰ Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without human beings or animals’, in the towns of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without inhabitants, human or animal, there shall once more be heard ¹¹the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank-offerings to the house of the LORD:

‘Give thanks to the LORD of hosts,

for the LORD is good,

for his steadfast love endures for ever!’

For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the LORD.

¹² Thus says the LORD of hosts: In this place that is waste, without human beings or animals, and in all its towns there shall again be pasture for shepherds resting their flocks. ¹³In the towns of the hill country, of the Shephelah, and of the Negeb, in the land of Benjamin, the places around Jerusalem, and in the towns of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the LORD.

The Righteous Branch and the Covenant with David

¹⁴ The days are surely coming, says the LORD, when I will fulfil the promise I made to the house of Israel and the house of Judah. ¹⁵In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch to spring up for David; and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ¹⁶In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’

¹⁷ For thus says the LORD: David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel, ¹⁸and the levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt-offerings, to make grain-offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time.

¹⁹ The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁰Thus says the LORD: If any of you could break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night would not come at their appointed time, ²¹only then could my covenant with my servant David be broken, so that he would not have a son to reign on his throne, and my covenant with my ministers the Levites. ²²Just as the host of heaven cannot be numbered and the sands of the sea cannot be measured, so I will increase the offspring of my servant David, and the Levites who minister to me.

²³ The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁴Have you not observed how these people say, ‘The two families that the LORD chose have been rejected by him’, and how they hold my people in such contempt that they no longer regard them as a nation? ²⁵Thus says the LORD: Only if I had not established my covenant with day and night and the ordinances of heaven and earth, ²⁶would I reject the offspring of Jacob and of my servant David and not choose any of his descendants as rulers over the offspring of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. For I will restore their fortunes, and will have mercy upon them.

Death in Captivity Predicted for Zedekiah

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THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, when King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army and all the kingdoms of the earth and all the peoples under his dominion were fighting against Jerusalem and all its cities: ²Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: Go and speak to King Zedekiah of Judah and say to him: Thus says the LORD: I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire. ³And you yourself shall not escape from his hand, but shall surely be captured and handed over to him; you shall see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face; and you shall go to Babylon. ⁴Yet hear the word of the LORD, O King Zedekiah of Judah! Thus says the LORD concerning you: You shall not die by the sword; ⁵you shall die in peace. And as spices were burneda for your ancestors, the earlier kings who preceded you, so they shall burn spicesb for you and lament for you, saying, ‘Alas, lord!’ For I have spoken the word, says the LORD.

⁶ Then the prophet Jeremiah spoke all these words to Zedekiah king of Judah, in Jerusalem, ⁷when the army of the king of Babylon was fighting against Jerusalem and against all the cities of Judah that were left, Lachish and Azekah; for these were the only fortified cities of Judah that remained.

Treacherous Treatment of Slaves

⁸ The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, after King Zedekiah had made a covenant with all the people in Jerusalem to make a proclamation of liberty to them—⁹that all should set free their Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should hold another Judean in slavery. ¹⁰And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that all would set free their slaves, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again; they obeyed and set them free. ¹¹But afterwards they turned about and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them again into subjection as slaves. ¹²The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ¹³Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I myself made a covenant with your ancestors when I brought them out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, saying, ¹⁴‘Every seventh year each of you must set free any Hebrews who have been sold to you and have served you for six years; you must set them free from your service.’ But your ancestors did not listen to me or incline their ears to me. ¹⁵You yourselves recently repented and did what was right in my sight by proclaiming liberty to one another, and you made a covenant before me in the house that is called by my name; ¹⁶but then you turned about and profaned my name when each of you took back your male and female slaves, whom you had set free according to their desire, and you brought them again into subjection to be your slaves. ¹⁷Therefore, thus says the LORD: You have not obeyed me by granting a release to your neighbours and friends; I am going to grant a release to you, says the LORD—a release to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. ¹⁸And those who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make likec the calf when they cut it in two and passed between its parts: ¹⁹the officials of Judah, the officials of Jerusalem, the eunuchs, the priests, and all the people of the land who passed between the parts of the calf ²⁰shall be handed over to their enemies and to those who seek their lives. Their corpses shall become food for the birds of the air and the wild animals of the earth. ²¹And as for King Zedekiah of Judah and his officials, I will hand them over to their enemies and to those who seek their lives, to the army of the king of Babylon, which has withdrawn from you. ²²I am going to command, says the LORD, and will bring them back to this city; and they will fight against it, and take it, and burn it with fire. The towns of Judah I will make a desolation without inhabitant.

The Rechabites Commended

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THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the days of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah: ²Go to the house of the Rechabites, and speak with them, and bring them to the house of the LORD, into one of the chambers; then offer them wine to drink. ³So I took Jaazaniah son of Jeremiah son of Habazziniah, and his brothers, and all his sons, and the whole house of the Rechabites. ⁴I brought them to the house of the LORD into the chamber of the sons of Hanan son of Igdaliah, the man of God, which was near the chamber of the officials, above the chamber of Maaseiah son of Shallum, keeper of the threshold. ⁵Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups; and I said to them, ‘Have some wine.’ ⁶But they answered, ‘We will drink no wine, for our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us, “You shall never drink wine, neither you nor your children; ⁷nor shall you ever build a house, or sow seed; nor shall you plant a vineyard, or even own one; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you reside.” ⁸We have obeyed the charge of our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, and our daughters, ⁹and not to build houses to live in. We have no vineyard or field or seed; ¹⁰but we have lived in tents, and have obeyed and done all that our ancestor Jonadab commanded us. ¹¹But when King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon came up against the land, we said, “Come, and let us go to Jerusalem for fear of the army of the Chaldeans and the army of the Arameans.” That is why we are living in Jerusalem.’

¹² Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ¹³Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Can you not learn a lesson and obey my words? says the LORD. ¹⁴The command has been carried out that Jonadab son of Rechab gave to his descendants to drink no wine; and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their ancestor’s command. But I myself have spoken to you persistently, and you have not obeyed me. ¹⁵I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now everyone of you from your evil way, and amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall live in the land that I gave to you and your ancestors.’ But you did not incline your ear or obey me. ¹⁶The descendants of Jonadab son of Rechab have carried out the command that their ancestor gave them, but this people has not obeyed me. ¹⁷Therefore, thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to bring on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem every disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I have spoken to them and they have not listened, I have called to them and they have not answered.

¹⁸ But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said: Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of your ancestor Jonadab, and kept all his precepts, and done all that he commanded you, ¹⁹therefore thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab son of Rechab shall not lack a descendant to stand before me for all time.

The Scroll Read in the Temple

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IN THE fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the LORD: ²Take a scroll and write on it all the words that I have spoken to you against Israel and Judah and all the nations, from the day I spoke to you, from the days of Josiah until today. ³It may be that when the house of Judah hears of all the disasters that I intend to do to them, all of them may turn from their evil ways, so that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

⁴ Then Jeremiah called Baruch son of Neriah, and Baruch wrote on a scroll at Jeremiah’s dictation all the words of the LORD that he had spoken to him. ⁵And Jeremiah ordered Baruch, saying, ‘I am prevented from entering the house of the LORD; ⁶so you go yourself, and on a fast day in the hearing of the people in the LORD’s house you shall read the words of the LORD from the scroll that you have written at my dictation. You shall read them also in the hearing of all the people of Judah who come up from their towns. ⁷It may be that their plea will come before the LORD, and that all of them will turn from their evil ways, for great is the anger and wrath that the LORD has pronounced against this people.’ ⁸And Baruch son of Neriah did all that the prophet Jeremiah ordered him about reading from the scroll the words of the LORD in the LORD’s house.

⁹ In the fifth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah, in the ninth month, all the people in Jerusalem and all the people who came from the towns of Judah to Jerusalem proclaimed a fast before the LORD. ¹⁰Then, in the hearing of all the people, Baruch read the words of Jeremiah from the scroll, in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah son of Shaphan the secretary, which was in the upper court, at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’s house.

The Scroll Read in the Palace

¹¹ When Micaiah son of Gemariah son of Shaphan heard all the words of the LORD from the scroll, ¹²he went down to the king’s house, into the secretary’s chamber; and all the officials were sitting there: Elishama the secretary, Delaiah son of Shemaiah, Elnathan son of Achbor, Gemariah son of Shaphan, Zedekiah son of Hananiah, and all the officials. ¹³And Micaiah told them all the words that he had heard, when Baruch read the scroll in the hearing of the people. ¹⁴Then all the officials sent Jehudi son of Nethaniah son of Shelemiah son of Cushi to say to Baruch, ‘Bring the scroll that you read in the hearing of the people, and come.’ So Baruch son of Neriah took the scroll in his hand and came to them. ¹⁵And they said to him, ‘Sit down and read it to us.’ So Baruch read it to them. ¹⁶When they heard all the words, they turned to one another in alarm, and said to Baruch, ‘We certainly must report all these words to the king.’ ¹⁷Then they questioned Baruch, ‘Tell us now, how did you write all these words? Was it at his dictation?’ ¹⁸Baruch answered them, ‘He dictated all these words to me, and I wrote them with ink on the scroll.’ ¹⁹Then the officials said to Baruch, ‘Go and hide, you and Jeremiah, and let no one know where you are.’

Jehoiakim Burns the Scroll

²⁰ Leaving the scroll in the chamber of Elishama the secretary, they went to the court of the king; and they reported all the words to the king. ²¹Then the king sent Jehudi to get the scroll, and he took it from the chamber of Elishama the secretary; and Jehudi read it to the king and all the officials who stood beside the king. ²²Now the king was sitting in his winter apartment (it was the ninth month), and there was a fire burning in the brazier before him. ²³As Jehudi read three or four columns, the kinga would cut them off with a penknife and throw them into the fire in the brazier, until the entire scroll was consumed in the fire that was in the brazier. ²⁴Yet neither the king, nor any of his servants who heard all these words, was alarmed, nor did they tear their garments. ²⁵Even when Elnathan and Delaiah and Gemariah urged the king not to burn the scroll, he would not listen to them. ²⁶And the king commanded Jerahmeel the king’s son and Seraiah son of Azriel and Shelemiah son of Abdeel to arrest the secretary Baruch and the prophet Jeremiah. But the LORD hid them.

Jeremiah Dictates Another

²⁷ Now, after the king had burned the scroll with the words that Baruch wrote at Jeremiah’s dictation, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: ²⁸Take another scroll and write on it all the former words that were in the first scroll, which King Jehoiakim of Judah has burned. ²⁹And concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah you shall say: Thus says the LORD, You have dared to burn this scroll, saying, Why have you written in it that the king of Babylon will certainly come and destroy this land, and will cut off from it human beings and animals? ³⁰Therefore thus says the LORD concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah: He shall have no one to sit upon the throne of David, and his dead body shall be cast out to the heat by day and the frost by night. ³¹And I will punish him and his offspring and his servants for their iniquity; I will bring on them, and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and on the people of Judah, all the disasters with which I have threatened them—but they would not listen.

³² Then Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to the secretary Baruch son of Neriah, who wrote on it at Jeremiah’s dictation all the words of the scroll that King Jehoiakim of Judah had burned in the fire; and many similar words were added to them.

Zedekiah’s Vain Hope

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ZEDEKIAH son of Josiah, whom King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, succeeded Coniah son of Jehoiakim. ²But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the LORD that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.

³ King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah saying, ‘Please pray for us to the LORD our God.’ ⁴Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. ⁵Meanwhile, the army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

⁶ Then the word of the LORD came to the prophet Jeremiah: ⁷Thus says the LORD, God of Israel: This is what the two of you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Pharaoh’s army, which set out to help you, is going to return to its own land, to Egypt. ⁸And the Chaldeans shall return and fight against this city; they shall take it and burn it with fire. ⁹Thus says the LORD: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, ‘The Chaldeans will surely go away from us’, for they will not go away. ¹⁰Even if you defeated the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men in their tents, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.

Jeremiah Is Imprisoned

¹¹ Now when the Chaldean army had withdrawn from Jerusalem at the approach of Pharaoh’s army, ¹²Jeremiah set out from Jerusalem to go to the land of Benjamin to receive his share of propertya among the people there. ¹³When he reached the Benjamin Gate, a sentinel there named Irijah son of Shelemiah son of Hananiah arrested the prophet Jeremiah, saying, ‘You are deserting to the Chaldeans.’ ¹⁴And Jeremiah said, ‘That is a lie; I am not deserting to the Chaldeans.’ But Irijah would not listen to him, and arrested Jeremiah and brought him to the officials. ¹⁵The officials were enraged at Jeremiah, and they beat him and imprisoned him in the house of the secretary Jonathan, for it had been made a prison. ¹⁶Thus Jeremiah was put in the cistern house, in the cells, and remained there for many days.

¹⁷ Then King Zedekiah sent for him, and received him. The king questioned him secretly in his house, and said, ‘Is there any word from the LORD?’ Jeremiah said, ‘There is!’ Then he said, ‘You shall be handed over to the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁸Jeremiah also said to King Zedekiah, ‘What wrong have I done to you or your servants or this people, that you have put me in prison? ¹⁹Where are your prophets who prophesied to you, saying, “The king of Babylon will not come against you and against this land”? ²⁰Now please hear me, my lord king: be good enough to listen to my plea, and do not send me back to the house of the secretary Jonathan to die there.’ ²¹So King Zedekiah gave orders, and they committed Jeremiah to the court of the guard; and a loaf of bread was given him daily from the bakers’ street, until all the bread of the city was gone. So Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

Jeremiah in the Cistern

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NOW Shephatiah son of Mattan, Gedaliah son of Pashhur, Jucal son of Shelemiah, and Pashhur son of Malchiah heard the words that Jeremiah was saying to all the people, ²Thus says the LORD, Those who stay in this city shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; but those who go out to the Chaldeans shall live; they shall have their lives as a prize of war, and live. ³Thus says the LORD, This city shall surely be handed over to the army of the king of Babylon and be taken. ⁴Then the officials said to the king, ‘This man ought to be put to death, because he is discouraging the soldiers who are left in this city, and all the people, by speaking such words to them. For this man is not seeking the welfare of this people, but their harm.’ ⁵King Zedekiah said, ‘Here he is; he is in your hands; for the king is powerless against you.’ ⁶So they took Jeremiah and threw him into the cistern of Malchiah, the king’s son, which was in the court of the guard, letting Jeremiah down by ropes. Now there was no water in the cistern, but only mud, and Jeremiah sank in the mud.

Jeremiah Is Rescued by Ebed-melech

⁷ Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,a a eunuch in the king’s house, heard that they had put Jeremiah into the cistern. The king happened to be sitting at the Benjamin Gate, ⁸So Ebed-melech left the king’s house and spoke to the king, ⁹‘My lord king, these men have acted wickedly in all they did to the prophet Jeremiah by throwing him into the cistern to die there of hunger, for there is no bread left in the city.’ ¹⁰Then the king commanded Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,a ‘Take three men with you from here, and pull the prophet Jeremiah up from the cistern before he dies.’ ¹¹So Ebed-melech took the men with him and went to the house of the king, to a wardrobe ofb the storehouse, and took from there old rags and worn-out clothes, which he let down to Jeremiah in the cistern by ropes. ¹²Then Ebed-melech the Ethiopiana said to Jeremiah, ‘Just put the rags and clothes between your armpits and the ropes.’ Jeremiah did so. ¹³Then they drew Jeremiah up by the ropes and pulled him out of the cistern. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard.

Zedekiah Consults Jeremiah Again

¹⁴ King Zedekiah sent for the prophet Jeremiah and received him at the third entrance of the temple of the LORD. The king said to Jeremiah, ‘I have something to ask you; do not hide anything from me.’ ¹⁵Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘If I tell you, you will put me to death, will you not? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.’ ¹⁶So King Zedekiah swore an oath in secret to Jeremiah, ‘As the LORD lives, who gave us our lives, I will not put you to death or hand you over to these men who seek your life.’

¹⁷ Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the God of Israel, If you will only surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then your life shall be spared, and this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live. ¹⁸But if you do not surrender to the officials of the king of Babylon, then this city shall be handed over to the Chaldeans, and they shall burn it with fire, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand.’ ¹⁹King Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, ‘I am afraid of the Judeans who have deserted to the Chaldeans, for I might be handed over to them and they would abuse me.’ ²⁰Jeremiah said, ‘That will not happen. Just obey the voice of the LORD in what I say to you, and it shall go well with you, and your life shall be spared. ²¹But if you are determined not to surrender, this is what the LORD has shown me—²²a vision of all the women remaining in the house of the king of Judah being led out to the officials of the king of Babylon and saying,

“Your trusted friends have seduced you

and have overcome you;

Now that your feet are stuck in the mud,

they desert you.”

²³ All your wives and your children shall be led out to the Chaldeans, and you yourself shall not escape from their hand, but shall be seized by the king of Babylon; and this city shall be burned with fire.’

²⁴ Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, ‘Do not let anyone else know of this conversation, or you will die. ²⁵If the officials should hear that I have spoken with you, and they should come and say to you, “Just tell us what you said to the king; do not conceal it from us, or we will put you to death. What did the king say to you?” ²⁶then you shall say to them, “I was presenting my plea to the king not to send me back to the house of Jonathan to die there.”’ ²⁷All the officials did come to Jeremiah and questioned him; and he answered them in the very words the king had commanded. So they stopped questioning him, for the conversation had not been overheard. ²⁸And Jeremiah remained in the court of the guard until the day that Jerusalem was taken.

The Fall of Jerusalem

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IN THE ninth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, in the tenth month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and all his army came against Jerusalem and besieged it; ²in the eleventh year of Zedekiah, in the fourth month, on the ninth day of the month, a breach was made in the city. ³When Jerusalem was taken,a all the officials of the king of Babylon came and sat in the middle gate: Nergal-sharezer, Samgar-nebo, Sarsechim the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, with all the rest of the officials of the king of Babylon. ⁴When King Zedekiah of Judah and all the soldiers saw them, they fled, going out of the city at night by way of the king’s garden through the gate between the two walls; and they went towards the Arabah. ⁵But the army of the Chaldeans pursued them, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and when they had taken him, they brought him up to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, at Riblah, in the land of Hamath; and he passed sentence on him. ⁶The king of Babylon slaughtered the sons of Zedekiah at Riblah before his eyes; also the king of Babylon slaughtered all the nobles of Judah. ⁷He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters to take him to Babylon. ⁸The Chaldeans burned the king’s house and the houses of the people, and broke down the walls of Jerusalem. ⁹Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard exiled to Babylon the rest of the people who were left in the city, those who had deserted to him, and the people who remained. ¹⁰Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah some of the poor people who owned nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Jeremiah, Set Free, Remembers Ebed-melech

¹¹ King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon gave command concerning Jeremiah through Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, saying, ¹²‘Take him, look after him well and do him no harm, but deal with him as he may ask you.’ ¹³So Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard, Nebushazban the Rabsaris, Nergal-sharezer the Rabmag, and all the chief officers of the king of Babylon sent ¹⁴and took Jeremiah from the court of the guard. They entrusted him to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan to be brought home. So he stayed with his own people.

¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah while he was confined in the court of the guard: ¹⁶Go and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian:a Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to fulfil my words against this city for evil and not for good, and they shall be accomplished in your presence on that day. ¹⁷But I will save you on that day, says the LORD, and you shall not be handed over to those whom you dread. ¹⁸For I will surely save you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but you shall have your life as a prize of war, because you have trusted in me, says the LORD.

Jeremiah with Gedaliah the Governor

40

THE word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD after Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had let him go from Ramah, when he took him bound in fetters along with all the captives of Jerusalem and Judah who were being exiled to Babylon. ²The captain of the guard took Jeremiah and said to him, ‘The LORD your God threatened this place with this disaster; ³and now the LORD has brought it about, and has done as he said, because all of you sinned against the LORD and did not obey his voice. Therefore this thing has come upon you. ⁴Now look, I have just released you today from the fetters on your hands. If you wish to come with me to Babylon, come, and I will take good care of you; but if you do not wish to come with me to Babylon, you need not come. See, the whole land is before you; go wherever you think it good and right to go. ⁵If you remain,b then return to Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan, whom the king of Babylon appointed governor of the towns of Judah, and stay with him among the people; or go wherever you think it right to go.’ So the captain of the guard gave him an allowance of food and a present, and let him go. ⁶Then Jeremiah went to Gedaliah son of Ahikam at Mizpah, and stayed with him among the people who were left in the land.

⁷ When all the leaders of the forces in the open country and their troops heard that the king of Babylon had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed to him men, women, and children, those of the poorest of the land who had not been taken into exile to Babylon, ⁸they went to Gedaliah at Mizpah—Ishmael son of Nethaniah, Johanan son of Kareah, Seraiah son of Tanhumeth, the sons of Ephai the Netophathite, Jezaniah son of the Maacathite, they and their troops. ⁹Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan swore to them and their troops, saying, ‘Do not be afraid to serve the Chaldeans. Stay in the land and serve the king of Babylon, and it shall go well with you. ¹⁰As for me, I am staying at Mizpah to represent you before the Chaldeans who come to us; but as for you, gather wine and summer fruits and oil, and store them in your vessels, and live in the towns that you have taken over.’ ¹¹Likewise, when all the Judeans who were in Moab and among the Ammonites and in Edom and in other lands heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant in Judah and had appointed Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan as governor over them, ¹²then all the Judeans returned from all the places to which they had been scattered and came to the land of Judah, to Gedaliah at Mizpah; and they gathered wine and summer fruits in great abundance.

¹³ Now Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces in the open country came to Gedaliah at Mizpah ¹⁴and said to him, ‘Are you at all aware that Baalis king of the Ammonites has sent Ishmael son of Nethaniah to take your life?’ But Gedaliah son of Ahikam would not believe them. ¹⁵Then Johanan son of Kareah spoke secretly to Gedaliah at Mizpah, ‘Please let me go and kill Ishmael son of Nethaniah, and no one else will know. Why should he take your life, so that all the Judeans who are gathered around you would be scattered, and the remnant of Judah would perish?’ ¹⁶But Gedaliah son of Ahikam said to Johanan son of Kareah, ‘Do not do such a thing, for you are telling a lie about Ishmael.’

Insurrection against Gedaliah

41

IN THE seventh month, Ishmael son of Nethaniah son of Elishama, of the royal family, one of the chief officers of the king, came with ten men to Gedaliah son of Ahikam, at Mizpah. As they ate bread together there at Mizpah, ²Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the ten men with him got up and struck down Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan with the sword and killed him, because the king of Babylon had appointed him governor in the land. ³Ishmael also killed all the Judeans who were with Gedaliah at Mizpah, and the Chaldean soldiers who happened to be there.

⁴ On the day after the murder of Gedaliah, before anyone knew of it, ⁵eighty men arrived from Shechem and Shiloh and Samaria, with their beards shaved and their clothes torn, and their bodies gashed, bringing grain-offerings and incense to present at the temple of the LORD. ⁶And Ishmael son of Nethaniah came out from Mizpah to meet them, weeping as he came. As he met them, he said to them, ‘Come to Gedaliah son of Ahikam.’ ⁷When they reached the middle of the city, Ishmael son of Nethaniah and the men with him slaughtered them, and threw thema into a cistern. ⁸But there were ten men among them who said to Ishmael, ‘Do not kill us, for we have stores of wheat, barley, oil, and honey hidden in the fields.’ So he refrained, and did not kill them along with their companions.

⁹ Now the cistern into which Ishmael had thrown all the bodies of the men whom he had struck down was the large cisternb that King Asa had made for defence against King Baasha of Israel; Ishmael son of Nethaniah filled that cistern with those whom he had killed. ¹⁰Then Ishmael took captive all the rest of the people who were in Mizpah, the king’s daughters and all the people who were left at Mizpah, whom Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, had committed to Gedaliah son of Ahikam. Ishmael son of Nethaniah took them captive and set out to cross over to the Ammonites.

¹¹ But when Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him heard of all the crimes that Ishmael son of Nethaniah had done, ¹²they took all their men and went to fight against Ishmael son of Nethaniah. They came upon him at the great pool that is in Gibeon. ¹³And when all the people who were with Ishmael saw Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him, they were glad. ¹⁴So all the people whom Ishmael had carried away captive from Mizpah turned and came back, and went to Johanan son of Kareah. ¹⁵But Ishmael son of Nethaniah escaped from Johanan with eight men, and went to the Ammonites. ¹⁶Then Johanan son of Kareah and all the leaders of the forces with him took all the rest of the people whom Ishmael son of Nethaniah had carried away captivea from Mizpah after he had slain Gedaliah son of Ahikam—soldiers, women, children, and eunuchs, whom Johanan brought back from Gibeon.b ¹⁷And they set out, and stopped at Geruth Chimham near Bethlehem, intending to go to Egypt ¹⁸because of the Chaldeans; for they were afraid of them, because Ishmael son of Nethaniah had killed Gedaliah son of Ahikam, whom the king of Babylon had made governor over the land.

Jeremiah Advises Survivors Not to Migrate

42

THEN all the commanders of the forces, and Johanan son of Kareah and Azariahc son of Hoshaiah, and all the people from the least to the greatest, approached ²the prophet Jeremiah and said, ‘Be good enough to listen to our plea, and pray to the LORD your God for us—for all this remnant. For there are only a few of us left out of many, as your eyes can see. ³Let the LORD your God show us where we should go and what we should do.’ ⁴The prophet Jeremiah said to them, ‘Very well: I am going to pray to the LORD your God as you request, and whatever the LORD answers you I will tell you; I will keep nothing back from you.’ ⁵They in their turn said to Jeremiah, ‘May the LORD be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act according to everything that the LORD your God sends us through you. ⁶Whether it is good or bad, we will obey the voice of the LORD our God to whom we are sending you, in order that it may go well with us when we obey the voice of the LORD our God.’

⁷ At the end of ten days the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah. ⁸Then he summoned Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces who were with him, and all the people from the least to the greatest, ⁹and said to them, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to whom you sent me to present your plea before him: ¹⁰If you will only remain in this land, then I will build you up and not pull you down; I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I am sorry for the disaster that I have brought upon you. ¹¹Do not be afraid of the king of Babylon, as you have been; do not be afraid of him, says the LORD, for I am with you, to save you and to rescue you from his hand. ¹²I will grant you mercy, and he will have mercy on you and restore you to your native soil. ¹³But if you continue to say, “We will not stay in this land”, thus disobeying the voice of the LORD your God ¹⁴and saying, “No, we will go to the land of Egypt, where we shall not see war, or hear the sound of the trumpet, or be hungry for bread, and there we will stay”, ¹⁵then hear the word of the LORD, O remnant of Judah. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: If you are determined to enter Egypt and go to settle there, ¹⁶then the sword that you fear shall overtake you there, in the land of Egypt; and the famine that you dread shall follow close after you into Egypt; and there you shall die. ¹⁷All the people who have determined to go to Egypt to settle there shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence; they shall have no remnant or survivor from the disaster that I am bringing upon them.

¹⁸ ‘For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Just as my anger and my wrath were poured out on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so my wrath will be poured out on you when you go to Egypt. You shall become an object of execration and horror, of cursing and ridicule. You shall see this place no more. ¹⁹The LORD has said to you, O remnant of Judah, Do not go to Egypt. Be well aware that I have warned you today ²⁰that you have made a fatal mistake. For you yourselves sent me to the LORD your God, saying, “Pray for us to the LORD our God, and whatever the LORD our God says, tell us and we will do it.” ²¹So I have told you today, but you have not obeyed the voice of the LORD your God in anything that he sent me to tell you. ²²Be well aware, then, that you shall die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence in the place where you desire to go and settle.’

Taken to Egypt, Jeremiah Warns of Judgement

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WHEN Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the LORD their God, with which the LORD their God had sent him to them, ²Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other insolent men said to Jeremiah, ‘You are telling a lie. The LORD our God did not send you to say, “Do not go to Egypt to settle there” ³but Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us, to hand us over to the Chaldeans, in order that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.’ ⁴So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the LORD, to stay in the land of Judah. ⁵But Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to settle in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven—⁶the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and everyone whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan; also the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah. ⁷And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the LORD. And they arrived at Tahpanhes.

⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: ⁹Take some large stones in your hands, and bury them in the clay pavementa that is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes. Let the Judeans see you do it, ¹⁰and say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to send and take my servant King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and heb will set his throne above these stones that I have buried, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. ¹¹He shall come and ravage the land of Egypt, giving

those who are destined for pestilence, to pestilence,

and those who are destined for captivity, to captivity,

and those who are destined for the sword, to the sword.

¹²Hec shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them and carry them away captive; and he shall pick clean the land of Egypt, as a shepherd picks his cloak clean of vermin; and he shall depart from there safely. ¹³He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.

Denunciation of Persistent Idolatry

44

THE word that came to Jeremiah for all the Judeans living in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, ²Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You yourselves have seen all the disaster that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Look at them; today they are a desolation, without an inhabitant in them, ³because of the wickedness that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they had not known, neither they, nor you, nor your ancestors. ⁴Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, ‘I beg you not to do this abominable thing that I hate!’ ⁵But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their wickedness and make no offerings to other gods. ⁶So my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they became a waste and a desolation, as they still are today. ⁷And now, thus says the LORD God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why are you doing such great harm to yourselves, to cut off man and woman, child and infant, from the midst of Judah, leaving yourselves without a remnant? ⁸Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to settle? Will you be cut off and become an object of cursing and ridicule among all the nations of the earth? ⁹Have you forgotten the crimes of your ancestors, of the kings of Judah, of theira wives, your own crimes and those of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰They have shown no contrition or fear to this day, nor have they walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your ancestors.

¹¹ Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am determined to bring disaster on you, to bring all Judah to an end. ¹²I will take the remnant of Judah who are determined to come to the land of Egypt to settle, and they shall perish, everyone; in the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall perish; from the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine; and they shall become an object of execration and horror, of cursing and ridicule. ¹³I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, ¹⁴so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to settle in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive or return to the land of Judah. Although they long to go back to live there, they shall not go back, except some fugitives.

¹⁵ Then all the men who were aware that their wives had been making offerings to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, all the people who lived in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered Jeremiah: ¹⁶‘As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you. ¹⁷Instead, we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out libations to her, just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials, used to do in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. We used to have plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no misfortune. ¹⁸But from the time we stopped making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her, we have lacked everything and have perished by the sword and by famine.’ ¹⁹And the women said,b ‘Indeed we will go on making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her; do you think that we made cakes for her, marked with her image, and poured out libations to her without our husbands being involved?’

²⁰ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, men and women, all the people who were giving him this answer: ²¹‘As for the offerings that you made in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your ancestors, your kings and your officials, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them? Did it not come into his mind? ²²The LORD could no longer bear the sight of your evil doings, the abominations that you committed; therefore your land became a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is to this day. ²³It is because you burned offerings, and because you sinned against the LORD and did not obey the voice of the LORD or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his decrees, that this disaster has befallen you, as is still evident today.’

²⁴ Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, all you Judeans who are in the land of Egypt, ²⁵Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: You and your wives have accomplished in deeds what you declared in words, saying, “We are determined to perform the vows that we have made, to make offerings to the queen of heaven and to pour out libations to her.” By all means, keep your vows and make your libations! ²⁶Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all you Judeans who live in the land of Egypt: Lo, I swear by my great name, says the LORD, that my name shall no longer be pronounced on the lips of any of the people of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “As the Lord GOD lives.” ²⁷I am going to watch over them for harm and not for good; all the people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall perish by the sword and by famine, until not one is left. ²⁸And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who have come to the land of Egypt to settle, shall know whose words will stand, mine or theirs! ²⁹This shall be the sign to you, says the LORD, that I am going to punish you in this place, in order that you may know that my words against you will surely be carried out: ³⁰Thus says the LORD, I am going to give Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, those who seek his life, just as I gave King Zedekiah of Judah into the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.’

A Word of Comfort to Baruch

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THE word that the prophet Jeremiah spoke to Baruch son of Neriah, when he wrote these words in a scroll at the dictation of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah: ²Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: ³You said, ‘Woe is me! The LORD has added sorrow to my pain; I am weary with my groaning, and I find no rest.’ ⁴Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD: I am going to break down what I have built, and pluck up what I have planted—that is, the whole land. ⁵And you, do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for I am going to bring disaster upon all flesh, says the LORD; but I will give you your life as a prize of war in every place to which you may go.’

Judgement on Egypt

46

THE word of the LORD that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the nations.

² Concerning Egypt, about the army of Pharaoh Neco, king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates at Carchemish and which King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeated in the fourth year of King Jehoiakim son of Josiah of Judah:

³ Prepare buckler and shield,

and advance for battle!

⁴ Harness the horses;

mount the steeds!

Take your stations with your helmets,

whet your lances,

put on your coats of mail!

⁵ Why do I see them terrified?

They have fallen back;

their warriors are beaten down,

and have fled in haste.

They do not look back—

terror is all around!

says the LORD.

⁶ The swift cannot flee away,

nor can the warrior escape;

in the north by the river Euphrates

they have stumbled and fallen.

⁷ Who is this, rising like the Nile,

like rivers whose waters surge?

⁸ Egypt rises like the Nile,

like rivers whose waters surge.

It said, Let me rise, let me cover the earth,

let me destroy cities and their inhabitants.

⁹ Advance, O horses,

and dash madly, O chariots!

Let the warriors go forth:

Ethiopiaa and Put who carry the shield,

the Ludim, who drawb the bow.

¹⁰ That day is the day of the Lord God of hosts,

a day of retribution,

to gain vindication from his foes.

The sword shall devour and be sated,

and drink its fill of their blood.

For the Lord God of hosts holds a sacrifice

in the land of the north by the river Euphrates.

¹¹ Go up to Gilead, and take balm,

O virgin daughter Egypt!

In vain you have used many medicines;

there is no healing for you.

¹² The nations have heard of your shame,

and the earth is full of your cry;

for warrior has stumbled against warrior;

both have fallen together.

Babylonia Will Strike Egypt

¹³ The word that the LORD spoke to the prophet Jeremiah about the coming of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon to attack the land of Egypt:

¹⁴ Declare in Egypt, and proclaim in Migdol;

proclaim in Memphis and Tahpanhes;

Say, ‘Take your stations and be ready,

for the sword shall devour those around you.’

¹⁵ Why has Apis fled?a

Why did your bull not stand?

—because the LORD thrust him down.

¹⁶ Your multitude stumbledb and fell,

and one said to another,c

‘Come, let us go back to our own people

and to the land of our birth,

because of the destroying sword.’

¹⁷ Give Pharaoh, king of Egypt, the name

‘Braggart who missed his chance.’

¹⁸ As I live, says the King,

whose name is the LORD of hosts,

one is coming

like Tabor among the mountains,

and like Carmel by the sea.

¹⁹ Pack your bags for exile,

sheltered daughter Egypt!

For Memphis shall become a waste,

a ruin, without inhabitant.

²⁰ A beautiful heifer is Egypt—

a gadfly from the north lights upon her.

²¹ Even her mercenaries in her midst

are like fatted calves;

they too have turned and fled together,

they did not stand;

for the day of their calamity has come upon them,

the time of their punishment.

²² She makes a sound like a snake gliding away;

for her enemies march in force,

and come against her with axes,

like those who fell trees.

²³ They shall cut down her forest,

says the LORD,

though it is impenetrable,

because they are more numerous

than locusts;

they are without number.

²⁴ Daughter Egypt shall be put to shame;

she shall be handed over to a people from the north.

²⁵ The LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, said: See, I am bringing punishment upon Amon of Thebes, and Pharaoh, and Egypt and her gods and her kings, upon Pharaoh and those who trust in him. ²⁶I will hand them over to those who seek their life, to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon and his officers. Afterwards Egypt shall be inhabited as in the days of old, says the LORD.

God Will Save Israel

²⁷ But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob,

and do not be dismayed, O Israel;

for I am going to save you from far away,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,

and no one shall make him afraid.

²⁸ As for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob,

says the LORD,

for I am with you.

I will make an end of all the nations

among which I have banished you,

but I will not make an end of you!

I will chastise you in just measure,

and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

Judgement on the Philistines

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THE word of the LORD that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh attacked Gaza:

² Thus says the LORD:

See, waters are rising out of the north

and shall become an overflowing torrent;

they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,

the city and those who live in it.

People shall cry out,

and all the inhabitants of the land shall wail.

³ At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,

at the clatter of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,

parents do not turn back for children,

so feeble are their hands,

⁴ because of the day that is coming

to destroy all the Philistines,

to cut off from Tyre and Sidon

every helper that remains.

For the LORD is destroying the Philistines,

the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.

⁵ Baldness has come upon Gaza,

Ashkelon is silenced.

O remnant of their power!a

How long will you gash yourselves?

⁶ Ah, sword of the LORD!

How long until you are quiet?

Put yourself into your scabbard,

rest and be still!

⁷ How can itb be quiet,

when the LORD has given it an order?

Against Ashkelon and against the seashore—

there he has appointed it.

Judgement on Moab

48

CONCERNING Moab.

Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:

Alas for Nebo, it is laid waste!

Kiriathaim is put to shame, it is taken;

the fortress is put to shame and broken down;

² the renown of Moab is no more.

In Heshbon they planned evil against her:

‘Come, let us cut her off from being a nation!’

You also, O Madmen, shall be brought to silence;c

the sword shall pursue you.

³ Hark! a cry from Horonaim,

‘Desolation and great destruction!’

⁴ ‘Moab is destroyed!’

her little ones cry out.

⁵ For at the ascent of Luhith

they god up weeping bitterly;

for at the descent of Horonaim

they have heard the distressing cry of anguish.

⁶ Flee! Save yourselves!

Be like a wild assa in the desert!

⁷ Surely, because you trusted in your strongholdsb and your treasures,

you also shall be taken;

Chemosh shall go out into exile,

with his priests and his attendants.

⁸ The destroyer shall come upon every town,

and no town shall escape;

the valley shall perish,

and the plain shall be destroyed,

as the LORD has spoken.

⁹ Set aside salt for Moab,

for she will surely fall;

her towns shall become a desolation,

with no inhabitant in them.

¹⁰ Accursed is the one who is slack in doing the work of the LORD; and accursed is the one who keeps back the sword from bloodshed.

¹¹ Moab has been at ease from his youth,

settled like winec on its dregs;

he has not been emptied from vessel to vessel,

nor has he gone into exile;

therefore his flavour has remained

and his aroma is unspoiled.

¹² Therefore, the time is surely coming, says the LORD, when I shall send to him decanters to decant him, and empty his vessels, and break hisd jars in pieces. ¹³Then Moab shall be ashamed of Chemosh, as the house of Israel was ashamed of Bethel, their confidence.

¹⁴ How can you say, ‘We are heroes

and mighty warriors’?

¹⁵ The destroyer of Moab and his towns has come up,

and the choicest of his young men have gone down to slaughter,

says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

¹⁶ The calamity of Moab is near at hand

and his doom approaches swiftly.

¹⁷ Mourn over him, all you his neighbours,

and all who know his name;

say, ‘How the mighty sceptre is broken,

the glorious staff!’

¹⁸ Come down from glory,

and sit on the parched ground,

enthroned daughter Dibon!

For the destroyer of Moab has come up against you;

he has destroyed your strongholds.

¹⁹ Stand by the road and watch,

you inhabitant of Aroer!

Ask the man fleeing and the woman escaping;

say, ‘What has happened?’

²⁰ Moab is put to shame, for it is broken down;

wail and cry!

Tell it by the Arnon,

that Moab is laid waste.

²¹ Judgement has come upon the tableland, upon Holon, and Jahzah, and Mephaath, ²²and Dibon, and Nebo, and Beth-diblathaim, ²³and Kiriathaim, and Beth-gamul, and Beth-meon, ²⁴and Kerioth, and Bozrah, and all the towns of the land of Moab, far and near. ²⁵The horn of Moab is cut off, and his arm is broken, says the LORD.

²⁶ Make him drunk, because he magnified himself against the LORD; let Moab wallow in his vomit; he too shall become a laughing-stock. ²⁷Israel was a laughing-stock for you, though he was not caught among thieves; but whenever you spoke of him you shook your head!

²⁸ Leave the towns, and live on the rock,

O inhabitants of Moab!

Be like the dove that nests

on the sides of the mouth of a gorge.

²⁹ We have heard of the pride of Moab—

he is very proud—

of his loftiness, his pride, and his arrogance,

and the haughtiness of his heart.

³⁰ I myself know his insolence, says the LORD;

his boasts are false,

his deeds are false.

³¹ Therefore I wail for Moab;

I cry out for all Moab;

for the people of Kir-heres I mourn.

³² More than for Jazer I weep for you,

O vine of Sibmah!

Your branches crossed over the sea,

reached as far as Jazer;a

upon your summer fruits and your vintage

the destroyer has fallen.

³³ Gladness and joy have been taken away

from the fruitful land of Moab;

I have stopped the wine from the wine presses;

no one treads them with shouts of joy;

the shouting is not the shout of joy.

³⁴ Heshbon and Elealeh cry out;a as far as Jahaz they utter their voice, from Zoar to Horonaim and Eglath-shelishiyah. For even the waters of Nimrim have become desolate. ³⁵And I will bring to an end in Moab, says the LORD, those who offer sacrifice at a high place and make offerings to their gods. ³⁶Therefore my heart moans for Moab like a flute, and my heart moans like a flute for the people of Kir-heres; for the riches they gained have perished.

³⁷ For every head is shaved and every beard cut off; on all the hands there are gashes, and on the loins sackcloth. ³⁸On all the housetops of Moab and in the squares there is nothing but lamentation; for I have broken Moab like a vessel that no one wants, says the LORD. ³⁹How it is broken! How they wail! How Moab has turned his back in shame! So Moab has become a derision and a horror to all his neighbours.

⁴⁰ For thus says the LORD:

Look, he shall swoop down like an eagle,

and spread his wings against Moab;

⁴¹ the townsb shall be taken

and the strongholds seized.

The hearts of the warriors of Moab, on that day,

shall be like the heart of a woman in labour.

⁴² Moab shall be destroyed as a people,

because he magnified himself against the LORD.

⁴³ Terror, pit, and trap

are before you, O inhabitants of Moab!

says the LORD.

⁴⁴ Everyone who flees from the terror

shall fall into the pit,

and everyone who climbs out of the pit

shall be caught in the trap.

For I will bring these thingsc upon Moab

in the year of their punishment,

says the LORD.

⁴⁵ In the shadow of Heshbon

fugitives stop exhausted;

for a fire has gone out from Heshbon,

a flame from the house of Sihon;

it has destroyed the forehead of Moab,

the scalp of the people of tumult.d

⁴⁶ Woe to you, O Moab!

The people of Chemosh have perished,

for your sons have been taken captive,

and your daughters into captivity.

⁴⁷ Yet I will restore the fortunes of Moab

in the latter days, says the LORD.

Thus far is the judgement on Moab.

Judgement on the Ammonites

49

CONCERNING the Ammonites.

Thus says the LORD:

Has Israel no sons?

Has he no heir?

Why then has Milcom dispossessed Gad,

and his people settled in its towns?

² Therefore, the time is surely coming,

says the LORD,

when I will sound the battle alarm

against Rabbah of the Ammonites;

it shall become a desolate mound,

and its villages shall be burned with fire;

then Israel shall dispossess those who dispossessed him,

says the LORD.

³ Wail, O Heshbon, for Ai is laid waste!

Cry out, O daughtersa of Rabbah!

Put on sackcloth,

lament, and slash yourselves with whips!b

For Milcom shall go into exile,

with his priests and his attendants.

⁴ Why do you boast in your strength?

Your strength is ebbing,

O faithless daughter.

You trusted in your treasures, saying,

‘Who will attack me?’

⁵ I am going to bring terror upon you,

says the Lord God of hosts,

from all your neighbours,

and you will be scattered, each headlong,

with no one to gather the fugitives.

⁶ But afterwards I will restore the fortunes of the Ammonites, says the LORD.

Judgement on Edom

⁷ Concerning Edom.

Thus says the LORD of hosts:

Is there no longer wisdom in Teman?

Has counsel perished from the prudent?

Has their wisdom vanished?

⁸ Flee, turn back, get down low,

inhabitants of Dedan!

For I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him,

at the time when I punish him.

⁹ If grape-gatherers came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

If thieves came by night,

even they would pillage only what they wanted.

¹⁰ But as for me, I have stripped Esau bare,

I have uncovered his hiding-places,

and he is not able to conceal himself.

His offspring are destroyed, his kinsfolk

and his neighbours; and he is no more.

¹¹ Leave your orphans, I will keep them alive;

and let your widows trust in me.

¹² For thus says the LORD: If those who do not deserve to drink the cup still have to drink it, shall you be the one to go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished; you must drink it. ¹³For by myself I have sworn, says the LORD, that Bozrah shall become an object of horror and ridicule, a waste, and an object of cursing; and all her towns shall be perpetual wastes.

¹⁴ I have heard tidings from the LORD,

and a messenger has been sent among the nations:

‘Gather yourselves together and come against her,

and rise up for battle!’

¹⁵ For I will make you least among the nations,

despised by humankind.

¹⁶ The terror you inspire

and the pride of your heart have deceived you,

you who live in the clefts of the rock,a

who hold the height of the hill.

Although you make your nest as high as the eagle’s,

from there I will bring you down,

says the LORD.

¹⁷ Edom shall become an object of horror; everyone who passes by it will be horrified and will hiss because of all its disasters. ¹⁸As when Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbours were overthrown, says the LORD, no one shall live there, nor shall anyone settle in it. ¹⁹Like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly chase Edomb away from it; and I will appoint over it whomsoever I choose.c For who is like me? Who can summon me? Who is the shepherd who can stand before me? ²⁰Therefore hear the plan that the LORD has made against Edom and the purposes that he has formed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away; surely their fold shall be appalled at their fate. ²¹At the sound of their fall the earth shall tremble; the sound of their cry shall be heard at the Red Sea.a ²²Look, he shall mount up and swoop down like an eagle, and spread his wings against Bozrah, and the heart of the warriors of Edom on that day shall be like the heart of a woman in labour.

Judgement on Damascus

²³ Concerning Damascus.

Hamath and Arpad are confounded,

for they have heard bad news;

they melt in fear, they are troubled like the seab

that cannot be quiet.

²⁴ Damascus has become feeble, she turned to flee,

and panic seized her;

anguish and sorrows have taken hold of her,

as of a woman in labour.

²⁵ How the famous city is forsaken,c

the joyful town!d

²⁶ Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares,

and all her soldiers shall be destroyed on that day,

says the LORD of hosts.

²⁷ And I will kindle a fire at the wall of Damascus,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.

Judgement on Kedar and Hazor

²⁸ Concerning Kedar and the kingdoms of Hazor that King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon defeated.

Thus says the LORD:

Rise up, advance against Kedar!

Destroy the people of the east!

²⁹ Take their tents and their flocks,

their curtains and all their goods;

carry off their camels for yourselves,

and a cry shall go up: ‘Terror is all around!’

³⁰ Flee, wander far away, hide in deep places,

O inhabitants of Hazor!

says the LORD.

For King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon

has made a plan against you

and formed a purpose against you.

³¹ Rise up, advance against a nation at ease, that lives secure,

says the LORD,

that has no gates or bars,

that lives alone.

³² Their camels shall become booty,

their herds of cattle a spoil.

I will scatter to every wind

those who have shaven temples,

and I will bring calamity

against them from every side,

says the LORD.

³³ Hazor shall become a lair of jackals,

an everlasting waste;

no one shall live there,

nor shall anyone settle in it.

Judgement on Elam

³⁴ The word of the LORD that came to the prophet Jeremiah concerning Elam, at the beginning of the reign of King Zedekiah of Judah.

³⁵ Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am going to break the bow of Elam, the mainstay of their might; ³⁶and I will bring upon Elam the four winds from the four quarters of heaven; and I will scatter them to all these winds, and there shall be no nation to which the exiles from Elam shall not come. ³⁷I will terrify Elam before their enemies, and before those who seek their life; I will bring disaster upon them, my fierce anger, says the LORD. I will send the sword after them, until I have consumed them; ³⁸and I will set my throne in Elam, and destroy their king and officials, says the LORD.

³⁹ But in the latter days I will restore the fortunes of Elam, says the LORD.

Judgement on Babylon

50

THE word that the LORD spoke concerning Babylon, concerning the land of the Chaldeans, by the prophet Jeremiah:

² Declare among the nations and proclaim,

set up a banner and proclaim,

do not conceal it, say:

Babylon is taken,

Bel is put to shame,

Merodach is dismayed.

Her images are put to shame,

her idols are dismayed.

³ For out of the north a nation has come up against her; it shall make her land a desolation, and no one shall live in it; both human beings and animals shall flee away.

⁴ In those days and at that time, says the LORD, the people of Israel shall come, they and the people of Judah together; they shall come weeping as they seek the LORD their God. ⁵They shall ask the way to Zion, with faces turned towards it, and they shall come and joina themselves to the LORD by an everlasting covenant that will never be forgotten.

⁶ My people have been lost sheep; their shepherds have led them astray, turning them away on the mountains; from mountain to hill they have gone, they have forgotten their fold. ⁷All who found them have devoured them, and their enemies have said, ‘We are not guilty, because they have sinned against the LORD, the true pasture, the LORD, the hope of their ancestors.’

⁸ Flee from Babylon, and go out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be like male goats leading the flock. ⁹For I am going to stir up and bring against Babylon a company of great nations from the land of the north; and they shall array themselves against her; from there she shall be taken. Their arrows are like the arrows of a skilled warrior who does not return empty-handed. ¹⁰Chaldea shall be plundered; all who plunder her shall be sated, says the LORD.

¹¹ Though you rejoice, though you exult,

O plunderers of my heritage,

though you frisk about like a heifer on the grass,

and neigh like stallions,

¹² your mother shall be utterly shamed,

and she who bore you shall be disgraced.

Lo, she shall be the last of the nations,

a wilderness, dry land, and a desert.

¹³ Because of the wrath of the LORD she shall not be inhabited,

but shall be an utter desolation;

everyone who passes by Babylon shall be appalled

and hiss because of all her wounds.

¹⁴ Take up your positions around Babylon,

all you that bend the bow;

shoot at her, spare no arrows,

for she has sinned against the LORD.

¹⁵ Raise a shout against her from all sides,

‘She has surrendered;

her bulwarks have fallen,

her walls are thrown down.’

For this is the vengeance of the LORD:

take vengeance on her,

do to her as she has done.

¹⁶ Cut off from Babylon the sower,

and the wielder of the sickle in time of harvest;

because of the destroying sword

all of them shall return to their own people,

and all of them shall flee to their own land.

¹⁷ Israel is a hunted sheep driven away by lions. First the king of Assyria devoured it, and now at the end King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon has gnawed its bones. ¹⁸Therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I punished the king of Assyria. ¹⁹I will restore Israel to its pasture, and it shall feed on Carmel and in Bashan, and on the hills of Ephraim and in Gilead its hunger shall be satisfied. ²⁰In those days and at that time, says the LORD, the iniquity of Israel shall be sought, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and none shall be found; for I will pardon the remnant that I have spared.

²¹ Go up to the land of Merathaim;a

go up against her,

and attack the inhabitants of Pekodb

and utterly destroy the last of them,c

says the LORD;

do all that I have commanded you.

²² The noise of battle is in the land,

and great destruction!

²³ How the hammer of the whole earth

is cut down and broken!

How Babylon has become

a horror among the nations!

²⁴ You set a snare for yourself and you were caught, O Babylon,

but you did not know it;

you were discovered and seized,

because you challenged the LORD.

²⁵ The LORD has opened his armoury,

and brought out the weapons of his wrath,

for the Lord God of hosts has a task to do

in the land of the Chaldeans.

²⁶ Come against her from every quarter;

open her granaries;

pile her up like heaps of grain, and destroy her utterly;

let nothing be left of her.

²⁷ Kill all her bulls,

let them go down to the slaughter.

Alas for them, their day has come,

the time of their punishment!

²⁸ Listen! Fugitives and refugees from the land of Babylon are coming to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, vengeance for his temple.

²⁹ Summon archers against Babylon, all who bend the bow. Encamp all around her; let no one escape. Repay her according to her deeds; just as she has done, do to her—for she has arrogantly defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel. ³⁰Therefore her young men shall fall in her squares, and all her soldiers shall be destroyed on that day, says the LORD.

³¹ I am against you, O arrogant one,

says the Lord God of hosts;

for your day has come,

the time when I will punish you.

³² The arrogant one shall stumble and fall,

with no one to raise him up,

and I will kindle a fire in his cities,

and it will devour everything around him.

³³ Thus says the LORD of hosts: The people of Israel are oppressed, and so too are the people of Judah; all their captors have held them fast and refuse to let them go. ³⁴Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is his name. He will surely plead their cause, that he may give rest to the earth, but unrest to the inhabitants of Babylon.

³⁵ A sword against the Chaldeans, says the LORD,

and against the inhabitants of Babylon,

and against her officials and her sages!

³⁶ A sword against the diviners,

so that they may become fools!

A sword against her warriors,

so that they may be destroyed!

³⁷ A sword against hera horses and against hera chariots,

and against all the foreign troops in her midst,

so that they may become women!

A sword against all her treasures,

that they may be plundered!

³⁸ A droughtb against her waters,

that they may be dried up!

For it is a land of images,

and they go mad over idols.

³⁹ Therefore wild animals shall live with hyenas in Babylon,c and ostriches shall inhabit her; she shall never again be peopled, or inhabited for all generations. ⁴⁰As when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbours, says the LORD, so no one shall live there, nor shall anyone settle in her.

⁴¹ Look, a people is coming from the north;

a mighty nation and many kings

are stirring from the farthest parts of the earth.

⁴² They wield bow and spear,

they are cruel and have no mercy.

The sound of them is like the roaring sea;

they ride upon horses,

set in array as a warrior for battle,

against you, O daughter Babylon!

⁴³ The king of Babylon heard news of them,

and his hands fell helpless;

anguish seized him,

pain like that of a woman in labour.

⁴⁴ Like a lion coming up from the thickets of the Jordan against a perennial pasture, I will suddenly chase them away from her; and I will appoint over her whomsoever I choose.a For who is like me? Who can summon me? Who is the shepherd who can stand before me? ⁴⁵Therefore hear the plan that the LORD has made against Babylon, and the purposes that he has formed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the little ones of the flock shall be dragged away; surely theirb fold shall be appalled at their fate. ⁴⁶At the sound of the capture of Babylon the earth shall tremble, and her cry shall be heard among the nations.

51

THUS says the LORD:

I am going to stir up a destructive windc

against Babylon

and against the inhabitants of Leb-qamai;d

² and I will send winnowers to Babylon,

and they shall winnow her.

They shall empty her land

when they come against her from every side

on the day of trouble.

³ Let not the archer bend his bow,

and let him not array himself in his coat of mail.

Do not spare her young men;

utterly destroy her entire army.

⁴ They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chaldeans,

and wounded in her streets.

⁵ Israel and Judah have not been forsaken

by their God, the LORD of hosts,

though their land is full of guilt

before the Holy One of Israel.

⁶ Flee from the midst of Babylon,

save your lives, each of you!

Do not perish because of her guilt,

for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance;

he is repaying her what is due.

⁷ Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand,

making all the earth drunken;

the nations drank of her wine,

and so the nations went mad.

⁸ Suddenly Babylon has fallen and is shattered;

wail for her!

Bring balm for her wound;

perhaps she may be healed.

⁹ We tried to heal Babylon,

but she could not be healed.

Forsake her, and let each of us go

to our own country;

for her judgement has reached up to heaven

and has been lifted up even to the skies.

¹⁰ The LORD has brought forth our vindication;

come, let us declare in Zion

the work of the LORD our God.

¹¹ Sharpen the arrows!

Fill the quivers!

The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, vengeance for his temple.

¹² Raise a standard against the walls of Babylon;

make the watch strong;

post sentinels;

prepare the ambushes;

for the LORD has both planned and done

what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon.

¹³ You who live by mighty waters,

rich in treasures,

your end has come,

the thread of your life is cut.

¹⁴ The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself:

Surely I will fill you with troops like a swarm of locusts,

and they shall raise a shout of victory over you.

¹⁵ It is he who made the earth by his power,

who established the world by his wisdom,

and by his understanding stretched out the heavens.

¹⁶ When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens,

and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth.

He makes lightnings for the rain,

and he brings out the wind from his storehouses.

¹⁷ Everyone is stupid and without knowledge;

goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols;

for their images are false,

and there is no breath in them.

¹⁸ They are worthless, a work of delusion;

at the time of their punishment they shall perish.

¹⁹ Not like these is the LORD,a the portion of Jacob,

for he is the one who formed all things,

and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance;

the LORD of hosts is his name.

Israel the Creator’s Instrument

²⁰ You are my war-club, my weapon of battle:

with you I smash nations;

with you I destroy kingdoms;

²¹ with you I smash the horse and its rider;

with you I smash the chariot and the charioteer;

²² with you I smash man and woman;

with you I smash the old man and the boy;

with you I smash the young man and the girl;

²³ with you I smash shepherds and their flocks;

with you I smash farmers and their teams;

with you I smash governors and deputies.

The Doom of Babylon

²⁴ I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea before your very eyes for all the wrong that they have done in Zion, says the LORD.

²⁵ I am against you, O destroying mountain,

says the LORD,

that destroys the whole earth;

I will stretch out my hand against you,

and roll you down from the crags,

and make you a burned-out mountain.

²⁶ No stone shall be taken from you for a corner

and no stone for a foundation,

but you shall be a perpetual waste,

says the LORD.

²⁷ Raise a standard in the land,

blow the trumpet among the nations;

prepare the nations for war against her,

summon against her the kingdoms,

Ararat, Minni, and Ashkenaz;

appoint a marshal against her,

bring up horses like bristling locusts.

²⁸ Prepare the nations for war against her,

the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies,

and every land under their dominion.

²⁹ The land trembles and writhes,

for the LORD’s purposes against Babylon stand,

to make the land of Babylon a desolation,

without inhabitant.

³⁰ The warriors of Babylon have given up fighting,

they remain in their strongholds;

their strength has failed,

they have become women;

her buildings are set on fire,

her bars are broken.

³¹ One runner runs to meet another,

and one messenger to meet another,

to tell the king of Babylon

that his city is taken from end to end:

³² the fords have been seized,

the marshes have been burned with fire,

and the soldiers are in panic.

³³ For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel:

Daughter Babylon is like a threshing-floor

at the time when it is trodden;

yet a little while

and the time of her harvest will come.

³⁴ ‘King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon has devoured me,

he has crushed me;

he has made me an empty vessel,

he has swallowed me like a monster;

he has filled his belly with my delicacies,

he has spewed me out.

³⁵ May my torn flesh be avenged on Babylon,’

the inhabitants of Zion shall say.

‘May my blood be avenged on the inhabitants of Chaldea,’

Jerusalem shall say.

³⁶ Therefore thus says the LORD:

I am going to defend your cause

and take vengeance for you.

I will dry up her sea

and make her fountain dry;

³⁷ and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins,

a den of jackals,

an object of horror and of hissing,

without inhabitant.

³⁸ Like lions they shall roar together;

they shall growl like lions’ whelps.

³⁹ When they are inflamed, I will set out their drink

and make them drunk, until they become merry

and then sleep a perpetual sleep

and never wake, says the LORD.

⁴⁰ I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter,

like rams and goats.

⁴¹ How Sheshacha is taken,

the pride of the whole earth seized!

How Babylon has become

an object of horror among the nations!

⁴² The sea has risen over Babylon;

she has been covered by its tumultuous waves.

⁴³ Her cities have become an object of horror,

a land of drought and a desert,

a land in which no one lives,

and through which no mortal passes.

⁴⁴ I will punish Bel in Babylon,

and make him disgorge what he has swallowed.

The nations shall no longer stream to him;

the wall of Babylon has fallen.

⁴⁵ Come out of her, my people!

Save your lives, each of you,

from the fierce anger of the LORD!

⁴⁶ Do not be faint-hearted or fearful

at the rumours heard in the land—

one year one rumour comes,

the next year another,

rumours of violence in the land

and of ruler against ruler.

⁴⁷ Assuredly, the days are coming

when I will punish the images of Babylon;

her whole land shall be put to shame,

and all her slain shall fall in her midst.

⁴⁸ Then the heavens and the earth,

and all that is in them,

shall shout for joy over Babylon;

for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north,

says the LORD.

⁴⁹ Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel,

as the slain of all the earth have fallen because of Babylon.

⁵⁰ You survivors of the sword,

go, do not linger!

Remember the LORD in a distant land,

and let Jerusalem come into your mind:

⁵¹ We are put to shame, for we have heard insults;

dishonour has covered our face,

for aliens have come

into the holy places of the LORD’s house.

⁵² Therefore the time is surely coming, says the LORD,

when I will punish her idols,

and through all her land

the wounded shall groan.

⁵³ Though Babylon should mount up to heaven,

and though she should fortify her strong height,

from me destroyers would come upon her,

says the LORD.

⁵⁴ Listen!—a cry from Babylon!

A great crashing from the land of the Chaldeans!

⁵⁵ For the LORD is laying Babylon waste,

and stilling her loud clamour.

Their waves roar like mighty waters,

the sound of their clamour resounds;

⁵⁶ for a destroyer has come against her,

against Babylon;

her warriors are taken,

their bows are broken;

for the LORD is a God of recompense,

he will repay in full.

⁵⁷ I will make her officials and her sages drunk,

also her governors, her deputies, and her warriors;

they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and never wake,

says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

⁵⁸ Thus says the LORD of hosts:

The broad wall of Babylon

shall be levelled to the ground,

and her high gates

shall be burned with fire.

The peoples exhaust themselves for nothing,

and the nations weary themselves only for fire.a

Jeremiah’s Command to Seraiah

⁵⁹ The word that the prophet Jeremiah commanded Seraiah son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, when he went with King Zedekiah of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Seraiah was the quartermaster. ⁶⁰Jeremiah wrote in aa scroll all the disasters that would come on Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. ⁶¹And Jeremiah said to Seraiah: ‘When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, ⁶²and say, “O LORD, you yourself threatened to destroy this place so that neither human beings nor animals shall live in it, and it shall be desolate for ever.” ⁶³When you finish reading this scroll, tie a stone to it, and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates, ⁶⁴and say, “Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the disasters that I am bringing on her.”’b

Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

The Destruction of Jerusalem Recalled

52

ZEDEKIAH was twenty-one years old when he began to reign; he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hamutal daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. ²He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, just as Jehoiakim had done. ³Indeed, Jerusalem and Judah so angered the LORD that he expelled them from his presence.

Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon. ⁴And in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon came with all his army against Jerusalem, and they laid siege to it; they built siege-works against it all round. ⁵So the city was besieged until the eleventh year of King Zedekiah. ⁶On the ninth day of the fourth month the famine became so severe in the city that there was no food for the people of the land. ⁷Then a breach was made in the city wall;c and all the soldiers fled and went out from the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, by the king’s garden, though the Chaldeans were all round the city. They went in the direction of the Arabah. ⁸But the army of the Chaldeans pursued the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered, deserting him. ⁹Then they captured the king, and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah in the land of Hamath, and he passed sentence on him. ¹⁰The king of Babylon killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and also killed all the officers of Judah at Riblah. ¹¹He put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him in fetters, and the king of Babylon took him to Babylon, and put him in prison until the day of his death.

¹² In the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month—which was the nineteenth year of King Nebuchadrezzar, king of Babylon—Nebuzaradan the captain of the bodyguard who served the king of Babylon, entered Jerusalem. ¹³He burned the house of the LORD, the king’s house, and all the houses of Jerusalem; every great house he burned down. ¹⁴All the army of the Chaldeans, who were with the captain of the guard, broke down all the walls around Jerusalem. ¹⁵Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried into exile some of the poorest of the people and the rest of the people who were left in the city and the deserters who had defected to the king of Babylon, together with the rest of the artisans. ¹⁶But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left some of the poorest people of the land to be vine-dressers and tillers of the soil.

¹⁷ The pillars of bronze that were in the house of the LORD, and the stands and the bronze sea that were in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans broke in pieces, and carried all the bronze to Babylon. ¹⁸They took away the pots, the shovels, the snuffers, the basins, the ladles, and all the vessels of bronze used in the temple service. ¹⁹The captain of the guard took away the small bowls also, the firepans, the basins, the pots, the lampstands, the ladles, and the bowls for libation, both those of gold and those of silver. ²⁰As for the two pillars, the one sea, the twelve bronze bulls that were under the sea, and the stands,a which King Solomon had made for the house of the LORD, the bronze of all these vessels was beyond weighing. ²¹As for the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits, its circumference was twelve cubits; it was hollow and its thickness was four fingers. ²²Upon it was a capital of bronze; the height of the capital was five cubits; lattice-work and pomegranates, all of bronze, encircled the top of the capital. And the second pillar had the same, with pomegranates. ²³There were ninety-six pomegranates on the sides; all the pomegranates encircling the lattice-work numbered one hundred.

²⁴ The captain of the guard took the chief priest Seraiah, the second priest Zephaniah, and the three guardians of the threshold; ²⁵and from the city he took an officer who had been in command of the soldiers, and seven men of the king’s council who were found in the city; the secretary of the commander of the army who mustered the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land who were found inside the city. ²⁶Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon at Riblah. ²⁷And the king of Babylon struck them down, and put them to death at Riblah in the land of Hamath. So Judah went into exile out of its land.

²⁸ This is the number of the people whom Nebuchadrezzar took into exile: in the seventh year, three thousand and twenty-three Judeans; ²⁹in the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he took into exile from Jerusalem eight hundred and thirty-two persons; ³⁰in the twenty-third year of Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard took into exile of the Judeans seven hundred and forty-five persons; all the people were four thousand six hundred.

Jehoiachin Favoured in Captivity

³¹ In the thirty-seventh year of the exile of King Jehoiachin of Judah, in the twelfth month, on the twenty-fifth day of the month, King Evil-merodach of Babylon, in the year he began to reign, showed favour to King Jehoiachin of Judah and brought him out of prison; ³²he spoke kindly to him, and gave him a seat above the seats of the other kings who were with him in Babylon. ³³So Jehoiachin put aside his prison clothes, and every day of his life he dined regularly at the king’s table. ³⁴For his allowance, a regular daily allowance was given him by the king of Babylon, as long as he lived, up to the day of his death.

LAMENTATIONS

The Deserted City

HOW lonely sits the city

that once was full of people!

How like a widow she has become,

she that was great among the nations!

She that was a princess among the provinces

has become a vassal.

² She weeps bitterly in the night,

with tears on her cheeks;

among all her lovers

she has no one to comfort her;

all her friends have dealt treacherously with her,

they have become her enemies.

³ Judah has gone into exile with suffering

and hard servitude;

she lives now among the nations,

and finds no resting-place;

her pursuers have all overtaken her

in the midst of her distress.

⁴ The roads to Zion mourn,

for no one comes to the festivals;

all her gates are desolate,

her priests groan;

her young girls grieve,a

and her lot is bitter.

⁵ Her foes have become the masters,

her enemies prosper,

because the LORD has made her suffer

for the multitude of her transgressions;

her children have gone away,

captives before the foe.

⁶ From daughter Zion has departed

all her majesty.

Her princes have become like stags

that find no pasture;

they fled without strength

before the pursuer.

⁷ Jerusalem remembers,

in the days of her affliction and wandering,

all the precious things

that were hers in days of old.

When her people fell into the hand of the foe,

and there was no one to help her,

the foe looked on mocking

over her downfall.

⁸ Jerusalem sinned grievously,

so she has become a mockery;

all who honoured her despise her,

for they have seen her nakedness;

she herself groans,

and turns her face away.

⁹ Her uncleanness was in her skirts;

she took no thought of her future;

her downfall was appalling,

with none to comfort her.

‘O LORD, look at my affliction,

for the enemy has triumphed!’

¹⁰ Enemies have stretched out their hands

over all her precious things;

she has even seen the nations

invade her sanctuary,

those whom you forbade

to enter your congregation.

¹¹ All her people groan

as they search for bread;

they trade their treasures for food

to revive their strength.

Look, O LORD, and see

how worthless I have become.

¹² Is it nothing to you,a all you who pass by?

Look and see

if there is any sorrow like my sorrow,

which was brought upon me,

which the LORD inflicted

on the day of his fierce anger.

¹³ From on high he sent fire;

it went deep into my bones;

he spread a net for my feet;

he turned me back;

he has left me stunned,

faint all day long.

¹⁴ My transgressions were bounda into a yoke;

by his hand they were fastened together;

they weigh on my neck,

sapping my strength;

the Lord handed me over

to those whom I cannot withstand.

¹⁵ The LORD has rejected

all my warriors in the midst of me;

he proclaimed a time against me

to crush my young men;

the Lord has trodden as in a wine press

the virgin daughter Judah.

¹⁶ For these things I weep;

my eyes flow with tears;

for a comforter is far from me,

one to revive my courage;

my children are desolate,

for the enemy has prevailed.

¹⁷ Zion stretches out her hands,

but there is no one to comfort her;

the LORD has commanded against Jacob

that his neighbours should become his foes;

Jerusalem has become

a filthy thing among them.

¹⁸ The LORD is in the right,

for I have rebelled against his word;

but hear, all you peoples,

and behold my suffering;

my young women and young men

have gone into captivity.

¹⁹ I called to my lovers

but they deceived me;

my priests and elders

perished in the city

while seeking food

to revive their strength.

²⁰ See, O LORD, how distressed I am;

my stomach churns,

my heart is wrung within me,

because I have been very rebellious.

In the street the sword bereaves;

in the house it is like death.

²¹ They heard how I was groaning,

with no one to comfort me.

All my enemies heard of my trouble;

they are glad that you have done it.

Bring on the day you have announced,

and let them be as I am.

²² Let all their evildoing come before you;

and deal with them

as you have dealt with me

because of all my transgressions;

for my groans are many

and my heart is faint.

God’s Warnings Fulfilled

2

HOW the Lord in his anger

has humiliateda daughter Zion!

He has thrown down from heaven to earth

the splendour of Israel;

he has not remembered his footstool

on the day of his anger.

² The Lord has destroyed without mercy

all the dwellings of Jacob;

in his wrath he has broken down

the strongholds of daughter Judah;

he has brought down to the ground in dishonour

the kingdom and its rulers.

³ He has cut down in fierce anger

all the might of Israel;

he has withdrawn his right hand from them

in the face of the enemy;

he has burned like a flaming fire in Jacob,

consuming all around.

⁴ He has bent his bow like an enemy,

with his right hand set like a foe;

he has killed all in whom we took pride

in the tent of daughter Zion;

he has poured out his fury like fire.

⁵ The Lord has become like an enemy;

he has destroyed Israel.

He has destroyed all its palaces,

laid in ruins its strongholds,

and multiplied in daughter Judah

mourning and lamentation.

⁶ He has broken down his booth like a garden,

he has destroyed his tabernacle;

the LORD has abolished in Zion

festival and sabbath,

and in his fierce indignation has spurned

king and priest.

⁷ The Lord has scorned his altar,

disowned his sanctuary;

he has delivered into the hand of the enemy

the walls of her palaces;

a clamour was raised in the house of the LORD

as on a day of festival.

⁸ The LORD determined to lay in ruins

the wall of daughter Zion;

he stretched the line;

he did not withhold his hand from destroying;

he caused rampart and wall to lament;

they languish together.

⁹ Her gates have sunk into the ground;

he has ruined and broken her bars;

her king and princes are among the nations;

guidance is no more,

and her prophets obtain

no vision from the LORD.

¹⁰ The elders of daughter Zion

sit on the ground in silence;

they have thrown dust on their heads

and put on sackcloth;

the young girls of Jerusalem

have bowed their heads to the ground.

¹¹ My eyes are spent with weeping;

my stomach churns;

my bile is poured out on the ground

because of the destruction of my people,

because infants and babes faint

in the streets of the city.

¹² They cry to their mothers,

‘Where is bread and wine?’

as they faint like the wounded

in the streets of the city,

as their life is poured out

on their mothers’ bosom.

¹³ What can I say for you, to what compare you,

O daughter Jerusalem?

To what can I liken you, that I may comfort you,

O virgin daughter Zion?

For vast as the sea is your ruin;

who can heal you?

¹⁴ Your prophets have seen for you

false and deceptive visions;

they have not exposed your iniquity

to restore your fortunes,

but have seen oracles for you

that are false and misleading.

¹⁵ All who pass along the way

clap their hands at you;

they hiss and wag their heads

at daughter Jerusalem;

‘Is this the city that was called

the perfection of beauty,

the joy of all the earth?’

¹⁶ All your enemies

open their mouths against you;

they hiss, they gnash their teeth,

they cry: ‘We have devoured her!

Ah, this is the day we longed for;

at last we have seen it!’

¹⁷ The LORD has done what he purposed,

he has carried out his threat;

as he ordained long ago,

he has demolished without pity;

he has made the enemy rejoice over you,

and exalted the might of your foes.

¹⁸ Cry alouda to the Lord!

O wall of daughter Zion!

Let tears stream down like a torrent

day and night!

Give yourself no rest,

your eyes no respite!

¹⁹ Arise, cry out in the night,

at the beginning of the watches!

Pour out your heart like water

before the presence of the Lord!

Lift your hands to him

for the lives of your children,

who faint for hunger

at the head of every street.

²⁰ Look, O LORD, and consider!

To whom have you done this?

Should women eat their offspring,

the children they have borne?

Should priest and prophet be killed

in the sanctuary of the Lord?

²¹ The young and the old are lying

on the ground in the streets;

my young women and my young men

have fallen by the sword;

on the day of your anger you have killed them,

slaughtering without mercy.

²² You invited my enemies from all around

as if for a day of festival;

and on the day of the anger of the LORD

no one escaped or survived;

those whom I bore and reared

my enemy has destroyed.

God’s Steadfast Love Endures

3

I AM one who has seen affliction

under the rod of God’sb wrath;

² he has driven and brought me

into darkness without any light;

³ against me alone he turns his hand,

again and again, all day long.

⁴ He has made my flesh and my skin waste away,

and broken my bones;

⁵ he has besieged and enveloped me

with bitterness and tribulation;

⁶ he has made me sit in darkness

like the dead of long ago.

⁷ He has walled me about so that I cannot escape;

he has put heavy chains on me;

⁸ though I call and cry for help,

he shuts out my prayer;

⁹ he has blocked my ways with hewn stones,

he has made my paths crooked.

¹⁰ He is a bear lying in wait for me,

a lion in hiding;

¹¹ he led me off my way and tore me to pieces;

he has made me desolate;

¹² he bent his bow and set me

as a mark for his arrow.

¹³ He shot into my vitals

the arrows of his quiver;

¹⁴ I have become the laughing-stock of all my people,

the object of their taunt-songs all day long.

¹⁵ He has filled me with bitterness,

he has glutted me with wormwood.

¹⁶ He has made my teeth grind on gravel,

and made me cower in ashes;

¹⁷ my soul is bereft of peace;

I have forgotten what happiness is;

¹⁸ so I say, ‘Gone is my glory,

and all that I had hoped for from the LORD.’

¹⁹ The thought of my affliction and my homelessness

is wormwood and gall!

²⁰ My soul continually thinks of it

and is bowed down within me.

²¹ But this I call to mind,

and therefore I have hope:

²² The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,a

his mercies never come to an end;

²³ they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

²⁴ ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul,

‘therefore I will hope in him.’

²⁵ The LORD is good to those who wait for him,

to the soul that seeks him.

²⁶ It is good that one should wait quietly

for the salvation of the LORD.

²⁷ It is good for one to bear

the yoke in youth,

²⁸ to sit alone in silence

when the Lord has imposed it,

²⁹ to put one’s mouth to the dust

(there may yet be hope),

³⁰ to give one’s cheek to the smiter,

and be filled with insults.

³¹ For the Lord will not reject for ever.

³² Although he causes grief, he will have compassion

according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

³³ for he does not willingly afflict

or grieve anyone.

³⁴ When all the prisoners of the land

are crushed under foot,

³⁵ when human rights are perverted

in the presence of the Most High,

³⁶ when one’s case is subverted

—does the Lord not see it?

³⁷ Who can command and have it done,

if the Lord has not ordained it?

³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that good and bad come?

³⁹ Why should any who draw breath complain

about the punishment of their sins?

⁴⁰ Let us test and examine our ways,

and return to the LORD.

⁴¹ Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands

to God in heaven.

⁴² We have transgressed and rebelled,

and you have not forgiven.

⁴³ You have wrapped yourself with anger and pursued us,

killing without pity;

⁴⁴ you have wrapped yourself with a cloud

so that no prayer can pass through.

⁴⁵ You have made us filth and rubbish

among the peoples.

⁴⁶ All our enemies

have opened their mouths against us;

⁴⁷ panic and pitfall have come upon us,

devastation and destruction.

⁴⁸ My eyes flow with rivers of tears

because of the destruction of my people.

⁴⁹ My eyes will flow without ceasing,

without respite,

⁵⁰ until the LORD from heaven

looks down and sees.

⁵¹ My eyes cause me grief

at the fate of all the young women in my city.

⁵² Those who were my enemies without cause

have hunted me like a bird;

⁵³ they flung me alive into a pit

and hurled stones on me;

⁵⁴ water closed over my head; I said, ‘I am lost.’

⁵⁵ I called on your name, O LORD,

from the depths of the pit;

⁵⁶ you heard my plea, ‘Do not close your ear

to my cry for help, but give me relief!’

⁵⁷ You came near when I called on you;

you said, ‘Do not fear!’

⁵⁸ You have taken up my cause, O LORD,

you have redeemed my life.

⁵⁹ You have seen the wrong done to me, O LORD;

judge my cause.

⁶⁰ You have seen all their malice,

all their plots against me.

⁶¹ You have heard their taunts, O LORD,

all their plots against me.

⁶² The whispers and murmurs of my assailants

are against me all day long.

⁶³ Whether they sit or rise—see,

I am the object of their taunt-songs.

⁶⁴ Pay them back for their deeds, O LORD,

according to the work of their hands!

⁶⁵ Give them anguish of heart;

your curse be on them!

⁶⁶ Pursue them in anger and destroy them

from under the LORD’s heavens.

The Punishment of Zion

4

HOW the gold has grown dim,

how the pure gold is changed!

The sacred stones lie scattered

at the head of every street.

² The precious children of Zion,

worth their weight in fine gold—

how they are reckoned as earthen pots,

the work of a potter’s hands!

³ Even the jackals offer the breast

and nurse their young,

but my people has become cruel,

like the ostriches in the wilderness.

⁴ The tongue of the infant sticks

to the roof of its mouth for thirst;

the children beg for food,

but no one gives them anything.

⁵ Those who feasted on delicacies

perish in the streets;

those who were brought up in purple

cling to ash heaps.

⁶ For the chastisementa of my people has been greater

than the punishmentb of Sodom,

which was overthrown in a moment,

though no hand was laid on it.c

⁷ Her princes were purer than snow,

whiter than milk;

their bodies were more ruddy than coral,

their hairc like sapphire.d

⁸ Now their visage is blacker than soot;

they are not recognized in the streets.

Their skin has shrivelled on their bones;

it has become as dry as wood.

⁹ Happier were those pierced by the sword

than those pierced by hunger,

whose life drains away, deprived

of the produce of the field.

¹⁰ The hands of compassionate women

have boiled their own children;

they became their food

in the destruction of my people.

¹¹ The LORD gave full vent to his wrath;

he poured out his hot anger,

and kindled a fire in Zion

that consumed its foundations.

¹² The kings of the earth did not believe,

nor did any of the inhabitants of the world,

that foe or enemy could enter

the gates of Jerusalem.

¹³ It was for the sins of her prophets

and the iniquities of her priests,

who shed the blood of the righteous

in the midst of her.

¹⁴ Blindly they wandered through the streets,

so defiled with blood

that no one was able

to touch their garments.

¹⁵ ‘Away! Unclean!’ people shouted at them;

‘Away! Away! Do not touch!’

So they became fugitives and wanderers;

it was said among the nations,

‘They shall stay here no longer.’

¹⁶ The LORD himself has scattered them,

he will regard them no more;

no honour was shown to the priests,

no favour to the elders.

¹⁷ Our eyes failed, ever watching

vainly for help;

we were watching eagerly

for a nation that could not save.

¹⁸ They dogged our steps

so that we could not walk in our streets;

our end drew near; our days were numbered;

for our end had come.

¹⁹ Our pursuers were swifter

than the eagles in the heavens;

they chased us on the mountains,

they lay in wait for us in the wilderness.

²⁰ The LORD’s anointed, the breath of our life,

was taken in their pits—

the one of whom we said, ‘Under his shadow

we shall live among the nations.’

²¹ Rejoice and be glad, O daughter Edom,

you that live in the land of Uz;

but to you also the cup shall pass;

you shall become drunk and strip yourself bare.

²² The punishment of your iniquity, O daughter Zion, is accomplished,

he will keep you in exile no longer;

but your iniquity, O daughter Edom, he will punish,

he will uncover your sins.

A Plea for Mercy

5

REMEMBER, O LORD, what has befallen us;

look, and see our disgrace!

² Our inheritance has been turned over to strangers,

our homes to aliens.

³ We have become orphans, fatherless;

our mothers are like widows.

⁴ We must pay for the water we drink;

the wood we get must be bought.

⁵ With a yokea on our necks we are hard driven;

we are weary, we are given no rest.

⁶ We have made a pact withb Egypt and Assyria,

to get enough bread.

⁷ Our ancestors sinned; they are no more,

and we bear their iniquities.

⁸ Slaves rule over us;

there is no one to deliver us from their hand.

⁹ We get our bread at the peril of our lives,

because of the sword in the wilderness.

¹⁰ Our skin is black as an oven

from the scorching heat of famine.

¹¹ Women are raped in Zion,

virgins in the towns of Judah.

¹² Princes are hung up by their hands;

no respect is shown to the elders.

¹³ Young men are compelled to grind,

and boys stagger under loads of wood.

¹⁴ The old men have left the city gate,

the young men their music.

¹⁵ The joy of our hearts has ceased;

our dancing has been turned to mourning.

¹⁶ The crown has fallen from our head;

woe to us, for we have sinned!

¹⁷ Because of this our hearts are sick,

because of these things our eyes have grown dim:

¹⁸ because of Mount Zion, which lies desolate;

jackals prowl over it.

¹⁹ But you, O LORD, reign for ever;

your throne endures to all generations.

²⁰ Why have you forgotten us completely?

Why have you forsaken us these many days?

²¹ Restore us to yourself, O LORD, that we may be restored;

renew our days as of old—

²² unless you have utterly rejected us,

and are angry with us beyond measure.

BARUCH

Baruch and the Jews in Babylon

THESE are the words of the book that Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah son of Zedekiah son of Hasadiah son of Hilkiah wrote in Babylon, ²in the fifth year, on the seventh day of the month, at the time when the Chaldeans took Jerusalem and burned it with fire.

³ Baruch read the words of this book to Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and to all the people who came to hear the book, ⁴and to the nobles and the princes, and to the elders, and to all the people, small and great, all who lived in Babylon by the river Sud.

⁵ Then they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord; ⁶they collected as much money as each could give, ⁷and sent it to Jerusalem to the high priesta Jehoiakim son of Hilkiah son of Shallum, and to the priests, and to all the people who were present with him in Jerusalem. ⁸At the same time, on the tenth day of Sivan, Baruchb took the vessels of the house of the Lord, which had been carried away from the temple, to return them to the land of Judah—the silver vessels that Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, had made, ⁹after King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried away from Jerusalem Jeconiah and the princes and the prisoners and the nobles and the people of the land, and brought them to Babylon.

A Letter to Jerusalem

¹⁰ They said: Here we send you money; so buy with the money burnt-offerings and sin-offerings and incense, and prepare a grain-offering, and offer them on the altar of the Lord our God; ¹¹and pray for the life of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and for the life of his son Belshazzar, so that their days on earth may be like the days of heaven. ¹²The Lord will give us strength, and light to our eyes; we shall live under the protectionc of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, and under the protection of his son Belshazzar, and we shall serve them for many days and find favour in their sight. ¹³Pray also for us to the Lord our God, for we have sinned against the Lord our God, and to this day the anger of the Lord and his wrath have not turned away from us. ¹⁴And you shall read aloud this scroll that we are sending you, to make your confession in the house of the Lord on the days of the festivals and at appointed seasons.

Confession of Sins

¹⁵ And you shall say: The Lord our God is in the right, but there is open shame on us today, on the people of Judah, on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, ¹⁶and on our kings, our rulers, our priests, our prophets, and our ancestors, ¹⁷because we have sinned before the Lord. ¹⁸We have disobeyed him, and have not heeded the voice of the Lord our God, to walk in the statutes of the Lord that he set before us. ¹⁹From the time when the Lord brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt until today, we have been disobedient to the Lord our God, and we have been negligent, in not heeding his voice. ²⁰So to this day there have clung to us the calamities and the curse that the Lord declared through his servant Moses at the time when he brought our ancestors out of the land of Egypt to give to us a land flowing with milk and honey. ²¹We did not listen to the voice of the Lord our God in all the words of the prophets whom he sent to us, ²²but all of us followed the intent of our own wicked hearts by serving other gods and doing what is evil in the sight of the Lord our God.

2

SO THE Lord carried out the threat he spoke against us: against our judges who ruled Israel, and against our kings and our rulers and the people of Israel and Judah. ²Under the whole heaven there has not been done the like of what he has done in Jerusalem, in accordance with the threats that werea written in the law of Moses. ³Some of us ate the flesh of their sons and others the flesh of their daughters. ⁴He made them subject to all the kingdoms around us, to be an object of scorn and a desolation among all the surrounding peoples, where the Lord has scattered them. ⁵They were brought down and not raised up, because our nationb sinned against the Lord our God, in not heeding his voice.

⁶ The Lord our God is in the right, but there is open shame on us and our ancestors this very day. ⁷All those calamities with which the Lord threatened us have come upon us. ⁸Yet we have not entreated the favour of the Lord by turning away, each of us, from the thoughts of our wicked hearts. ⁹And the Lord has kept the calamities ready, and the Lord has brought them upon us, for the Lord is just in all the works that he has commanded us to do. ¹⁰Yet we have not obeyed his voice, to walk in the statutes of the Lord that he set before us.

Prayer for Deliverance

¹¹ And now, O Lord God of Israel, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and with signs and wonders and with great power and outstretched arm, and made yourself a name that continues to this day, ¹²we have sinned, we have been ungodly, we have done wrong, O Lord our God, against all your ordinances. ¹³Let your anger turn away from us, for we are left, few in number, among the nations where you have scattered us. ¹⁴Hear, O Lord, our prayer and our supplication, and for your own sake deliver us, and grant us favour in the sight of those who have carried us into exile; ¹⁵so that all the earth may know that you are the Lord our God, for Israel and his descendants are called by your name.

¹⁶ O Lord, look down from your holy dwelling, and consider us. Incline your ear, O Lord, and hear; ¹⁷open your eyes, O Lord, and see, for the dead who are in Hades, whose spirit has been taken from their bodies, will not ascribe glory or justice to the Lord; ¹⁸but the person who is deeply grieved, who walks bowed and feeble, with failing eyes and famished soul, will declare your glory and righteousness, O Lord.

¹⁹ For it is not because of any righteous deeds of our ancestors or our kings that we bring before you our prayer for mercy, O Lord our God. ²⁰For you have sent your anger and your wrath upon us, as you declared by your servants the prophets, saying: ²¹Thus says the Lord: Bend your shoulders and serve the king of Babylon, and you will remain in the land that I gave to your ancestors. ²²But if you will not obey the voice of the Lord and will not serve the king of Babylon, ²³I will make to cease from the towns of Judah and from the region around Jerusalem the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, and the whole land will be a desolation without inhabitants.

²⁴ But we did not obey your voice, to serve the king of Babylon; and you have carried out your threats, which you spoke by your servants the prophets, that the bones of our kings and the bones of our ancestors would be brought out of their resting-place; ²⁵and indeed they have been thrown out to the heat of day and the frost of night. They perished in great misery, by famine and sword and pestilence. ²⁶And the house that is called by your name you have made as it is today, because of the wickedness of the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

God’s Promise Recalled

²⁷ Yet you have dealt with us, O Lord our God, in all your kindness and in all your great compassion, ²⁸as you spoke by your servant Moses on the day when you commanded him to write your law in the presence of the people of Israel, saying, ²⁹‘If you will not obey my voice, this very great multitude will surely turn into a small number among the nations, where I will scatter them. ³⁰For I know that they will not obey me, for they are a stiff-necked people. But in the land of their exile they will come to themselves ³¹and know that I am the Lord their God. I will give them a heart that obeys and ears that hear; ³²they will praise me in the land of their exile, and will remember my name ³³and turn from their stubbornness and their wicked deeds; for they will remember the ways of their ancestors, who sinned before the Lord. ³⁴I will bring them again into the land that I swore to give to their ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and they will rule over it; and I will increase them, and they will not be diminished. ³⁵I will make an everlasting covenant with them to be their God and they shall be my people; and I will never again remove my people Israel from the land that I have given them.’

3

O LORD Almighty, God of Israel, the soul in anguish and the wearied spirit cry out to you. ²Hear, O Lord, and have mercy, for we have sinned before you. ³For you are enthroned for ever, and we are perishing for ever. ⁴O Lord Almighty, God of Israel, hear now the prayer of the peoplea of Israel, the children of those who sinned before you, who did not heed the voice of the Lord their God, so that calamities have clung to us. ⁵Do not remember the iniquities of our ancestors, but in this crisis remember your power and your name. ⁶For you are the Lord our God, and it is you, O Lord, whom we will praise. ⁷For you have put the fear of you in our hearts so that we call upon your name; and we will praise you in our exile, for we have put away from our hearts all the iniquity of our ancestors who sinned against you. ⁸See, we are today in our exile where you have scattered us, to be reproached and cursed and punished for all the iniquities of our ancestors, who forsook the Lord our God.

In Praise of Wisdom

⁹ Hear the commandments of life, O Israel;

give ear, and learn wisdom!

¹⁰ Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies,

that you are growing old in a foreign country,

that you are defiled with the dead,

¹¹ that you are counted among those in Hades?

¹² You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom.

¹³ If you had walked in the way of God,

you would be living in peace for ever.

¹⁴ Learn where there is wisdom,

where there is strength,

where there is understanding,

so that you may at the same time discern

where there is length of days, and life,

where there is light for the eyes, and peace.

¹⁵ Who has found her place?

And who has entered her storehouses?

¹⁶ Where are the rulers of the nations,

and those who lorded it over the animals on earth;

¹⁷ those who made sport of the birds of the air,

and who hoarded up silver and gold

in which people trust,

and there is no end to their getting;

¹⁸ those who schemed to get silver, and were anxious,

but there is no trace of their works?

¹⁹ They have vanished and gone down to Hades,

and others have arisen in their place.

²⁰ Later generations have seen the light of day,

and have lived upon the earth;

but they have not learned the way to knowledge,

nor understood her paths,

nor laid hold of her.

²¹ Their descendants have strayed far from hera way.

²² She has not been heard of in Canaan, or seen in Teman;

²³ the descendants of Hagar, who seek for understanding on the earth,

the merchants of Merran and Teman,

the story-tellers and the seekers for understanding,

have not learned the way to wisdom,

or given thought to her paths.

²⁴ O Israel, how great is the house of God,

how vast the territory that he possesses!

²⁵ It is great and has no bounds;

it is high and immeasurable.

²⁶ The giants were born there, who were famous of old,

great in stature, expert in war.

²⁷ God did not choose them,

or give them the way to knowledge;

²⁸ so they perished because they had no wisdom,

they perished through their folly.

²⁹ Who has gone up into heaven, and taken her,

and brought her down from the clouds?

³⁰ Who has gone over the sea, and found her,

and will buy her for pure gold?

³¹ No one knows the way to her,

or is concerned about the path to her.

³² But the one who knows all things knows her,

he found her by his understanding.

The one who prepared the earth for all time

filled it with four-footed creatures;

³³ the one who sends forth the light, and it goes;

he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling;

³⁴ the stars shone in their watches, and were glad;

he called them, and they said, ‘Here we are!’

They shone with gladness for him who made them.

³⁵ This is our God;

no other can be compared to him.

³⁶ He found the whole way to knowledge,

and gave her to his servant Jacob

and to Israel, whom he loved.

³⁷ Afterwards she appeared on earth

and lived with humankind.

4

SHE is the book of the commandments of God,

the law that endures for ever.

All who hold her fast will live,

and those who forsake her will die.

² Turn, O Jacob, and take her;

walk towards the shining of her light.

³ Do not give your glory to another,

or your advantages to an alien people.

⁴ Happy are we, O Israel,

for we know what is pleasing to God.

Encouragement for Israel

⁵ Take courage, my people,

who perpetuate Israel’s name!

⁶ It was not for destruction

that you were sold to the nations,

but you were handed over to your enemies

because you angered God.

⁷ For you provoked the one who made you

by sacrificing to demons and not to God.

⁸ You forgot the everlasting God, who brought you up,

and you grieved Jerusalem, who reared you.

⁹ For she saw the wrath that came upon you from God, and she said:

Listen, you neighbours of Zion,

God has brought great sorrow upon me;

¹⁰ for I have seen the exile of my sons and daughters,

which the Everlasting brought upon them.

¹¹ With joy I nurtured them,

but I sent them away with weeping and sorrow.

¹² Let no one rejoice over me, a widow

and bereaved of many;

I was left desolate because of the sins of my children,

because they turned away from the law of God.

¹³ They had no regard for his statutes;

they did not walk in the ways of God’s commandments,

or tread the paths his righteousness showed them.

¹⁴ Let the neighbours of Zion come;

remember the capture of my sons and daughters,

which the Everlasting brought upon them.

¹⁵ For he brought a distant nation against them,

a nation ruthless and of a strange language,

which had no respect for the aged

and no pity for a child.

¹⁶ They led away the widow’s beloved sons,

and bereaved the lonely woman of her daughters.

¹⁷ But I, how can I help you?

¹⁸ For he who brought these calamities upon you

will deliver you from the hand of your enemies.

¹⁹ Go, my children, go;

for I have been left desolate.

²⁰ I have taken off the robe of peace

and put on sackcloth for my supplication;

I will cry to the Everlasting all my days.

²¹ Take courage, my children, cry to God,

and he will deliver you from the power and hand of the enemy.

²² For I have put my hope in the Everlasting to save you,

and joy has come to me from the Holy One,

because of the mercy that will soon come to you

from your everlasting saviour.a

²³ For I sent you out with sorrow and weeping,

but God will give you back to me with joy and gladness for ever.

²⁴ For as the neighbours of Zion have now seen your capture,

so they soon will see your salvation by God,

which will come to you with great glory

and with the splendour of the Everlasting.

²⁵ My children, endure with patience the wrath that has come upon you from God.

Your enemy has overtaken you,

but you will soon see their destruction

and will tread upon their necks.

²⁶ My pampered children have travelled rough roads;

they were taken away like a flock carried off by the enemy.

²⁷ Take courage, my children, and cry to God,

for you will be remembered by the one who brought this upon you.

²⁸ For just as you were disposed to go astray from God,

return with tenfold zeal to seek him.

²⁹ For the one who brought these calamities upon you

will bring you everlasting joy with your salvation.

Jerusalem Is Assured of Help

³⁰ Take courage, O Jerusalem,

for the one who named you will comfort you.

³¹ Wretched will be those who mistreated you

and who rejoiced at your fall.

³² Wretched will be the cities that your children served as slaves;

wretched will be the city that received your offspring.

³³ For just as she rejoiced at your fall

and was glad at your ruin,

so she will be grieved at her own desolation.

³⁴ I will take away her pride in her great population,

and her insolence will be turned to grief.

³⁵ For fire will come upon her from the Everlasting for many days,

and for a long time she will be inhabited by demons.

³⁶ Look towards the east, O Jerusalem,

and see the joy that is coming to you from God.

³⁷ Look, your children are coming, whom you sent away;

they are coming, gathered from east and west,

at the word of the Holy One,

rejoicing in the glory of God.

5

TAKE off the garment of your sorrow and affliction, O Jerusalem,

and put on for ever the beauty of the glory from God.

² Put on the robe of the righteousness that comes from God;

put on your head the diadem of the glory of the Everlasting;

³ for God will show your splendour everywhere under heaven.

⁴ For God will give you evermore the name,

‘Righteous Peace, Godly Glory’.

⁵ Arise, O Jerusalem, stand upon the height;

look towards the east,

and see your children gathered from west and east

at the word of the Holy One,

rejoicing that God has remembered them.

⁶ For they went out from you on foot,

led away by their enemies;

but God will bring them back to you,

carried in glory, as on a royal throne.

⁷ For God has ordered that every high mountain and the everlasting hills be made low

and the valleys filled up, to make level ground,

so that Israel may walk safely in the glory of God.

⁸ The woods and every fragrant tree

have shaded Israel at God’s command.

⁹ For God will lead Israel with joy,

in the light of his glory,

with the mercy and righteousness that come from him.

The Letter of Jeremiah

6a

A COPY of a letter that Jeremiah sent to those who were to be taken to Babylon as exiles by the king of the Babylonians, to give them the message that God had commanded him.

The People Face a Long Captivity

² Because of the sins that you have committed before God, you will be taken to Babylon as exiles by Nebuchadnezzar, king of the Babylonians. ³Therefore, when you have come to Babylon you will remain there for many years, for a long time, up to seven generations; after that I will bring you away from there in peace. ⁴Now in Babylon you will see gods made of silver and gold and wood, which people carry on their shoulders, and which cause the heathen to fear. ⁵So beware of becoming at all like the foreigners or of letting fear for these godsa possess you ⁶when you see the multitude before and behind them worshipping them. But say in your heart, ‘It is you, O Lord, whom we must worship.’ ⁷For my angel is with you, and he is watching over your lives.

The Helplessness of Idols

⁸ Their tongues are smoothed by the carpenter, and they themselves are overlaid with gold and silver; but they are false and cannot speak. ⁹Peopleb take gold and make crowns for the heads of their gods, as they might for a girl who loves ornaments. ¹⁰Sometimes the priests secretly take gold and silver from their gods and spend it on themselves, ¹¹or even give some of it to the prostitutes on the terrace. They deck their godsc out with garments like human beings—these gods of silver and gold and wood ¹²that cannot save themselves from rust and corrosion. When they have been dressed in purple robes, ¹³their faces are wiped because of the dust from the temple, which is thick upon them. ¹⁴One of them holds a sceptre, like a district judge, but is unable to destroy anyone who offends it. ¹⁵Another has a dagger in its right hand, and an axe, but cannot defend itself from war and robbers. ¹⁶From this it is evident that they are not gods; so do not fear them.

¹⁷ For just as someone’s dish is useless when it is broken, ¹⁸so are their gods when they have been set up in the temples. Their eyes are full of the dust raised by the feet of those who enter. And just as the gates are shut on every side against anyone who has offended a king, as though under sentence of death, so the priests make their temples secure with doors and locks and bars, in order that they may not be plundered by robbers. ¹⁹They light more lamps for them than they light for themselves, though their godsd can see none of them. ²⁰They aree just like a beam of the temple, but their hearts, it is said, are eaten away when crawling creatures from the earth devour them and their robes. They do not notice ²¹when their faces have been blackened by the smoke of the temple. ²²Bats, swallows, and birds alight on their bodies and heads; and so do cats. ²³From this you will know that they are not gods; so do not fear them.

²⁴ As for the gold that they wear for beauty—itf will not shine unless someone wipes off the tarnish; for even when they were being cast, they did not feel it. ²⁵They are bought without regard to cost, but there is no breath in them. ²⁶Having no feet, they are carried on the shoulders of others, revealing to humankind their worthlessness. And those who serve them are put to shame ²⁷because, if any of these gods fallsg to the ground, they themselves must pick it up. If anyone sets it upright, it cannot move itself; and if it is tipped over, it cannot straighten itself. Gifts are placed before them just as before the dead. ²⁸The priests sell the sacrifices that are offered to these godsh and use the money themselves. Likewise their wives preserve some of the meata with salt, but give none to the poor or helpless. ²⁹Sacrifices to them may even be touched by women in their periods or at childbirth. Since you know by these things that they are not gods, do not fear them.

³⁰ For how can they be called gods? Women serve meals for gods of silver and gold and wood; ³¹and in their temples the priests sit with their clothes torn, their heads and beards shaved, and their heads uncovered. ³²They howl and shout before their gods as some do at a funeral banquet. ³³The priests take some of the clothing of their godsb to clothe their wives and children. ³⁴Whether one does evil to them or good, they will not be able to repay it. They cannot set up a king or depose one. ³⁵Likewise they are not able to give either wealth or money; if one makes a vow to them and does not keep it, they will not require it. ³⁶They cannot save anyone from death or rescue the weak from the strong. ³⁷They cannot restore sight to the blind; they cannot rescue one who is in distress. ³⁸They cannot take pity on a widow or do good to an orphan. ³⁹These things that are made of wood and overlaid with gold and silver are like stones from the mountain, and those who serve them will be put to shame. ⁴⁰Why then must anyone think that they are gods, or call them gods?

The Foolishness of Worshipping Idols

Besides, even the Chaldeans themselves dishonour them; for when they see someone who cannot speak, they bring Bel and pray that the mute may speak, as though Belc were able to understand! ⁴¹Yet they themselves cannot perceive this and abandon them, for they have no sense. ⁴²And the women, with cords around them, sit along the passageways, burning bran for incense. ⁴³When one of them is led off by one of the passers-by and is taken to bed by him, she derides the woman next to her, because she was not as attractive as herself and her cord was not broken. ⁴⁴Whatever is done for these idolsd is false. Why then must anyone think that they are gods, or call them gods?

⁴⁵ They are made by carpenters and goldsmiths; they can be nothing but what the artisans wish them to be. ⁴⁶Those who make them will certainly not live very long themselves; ⁴⁷how then can the things that are made by them be gods? They have left only lies and reproach for those who come after. ⁴⁸For when war or calamity comes upon them, the priests consult together as to where they can hide themselves and their gods.d ⁴⁹How then can one fail to see that these are not gods, for they cannot save themselves from war or calamity? ⁵⁰Since they are made of wood and overlaid with gold and silver, it will afterwards be known that they are false. ⁵¹It will be manifest to all the nations and kings that they are not gods but the work of human hands, and that there is no work of God in them. ⁵²Who then can fail to know that they are not gods?e

⁵³ For they cannot set up a king over a country or give rain to people. ⁵⁴They cannot judge their own cause or deliver one who is wronged, for they have no power; ⁵⁵they are like crows between heaven and earth. When fire breaks out in a temple of wooden gods overlaid with gold or silver, their priests will flee and escape, but the godsf will be burned up like timbers. ⁵⁶Besides, they can offer no resistance to king or enemy. Why then must anyone admit or think that they are gods?

⁵⁷ Gods made of wood and overlaid with silver and gold are unable to save themselves from thieves or robbers. ⁵⁸Anyone who can will strip them of their gold and silver and of the robes they wear, and go off with this booty, and they will not be able to help themselves. ⁵⁹So it is better to be a king who shows his courage, or a household utensil that serves its owner’s need, than to be these false gods; better even the door of a house that protects its contents, than these false gods; better also a wooden pillar in a palace, than these false gods.

⁶⁰ For sun and moon and stars are bright, and when sent to do a service, they are obedient. ⁶¹So also the lightning, when it flashes, is widely seen; and the wind likewise blows in every land. ⁶²When God commands the clouds to go over the whole world, they carry out his command. ⁶³And the fire sent from above to consume mountains and woods does what it is ordered. But these idolsa are not to be compared with them in appearance or power. ⁶⁴Therefore one must not think that they are gods, nor call them gods, for they are not able either to decide a case or to do good to anyone. ⁶⁵Since you know then that they are not gods, do not fear them.

⁶⁶ They can neither curse nor bless kings; ⁶⁷they cannot show signs in the heavens for the nations, or shine like the sun or give light like the moon. ⁶⁸The wild animals are better than they are, for they can flee to shelter and help themselves. ⁶⁹So we have no evidence whatever that they are gods; therefore do not fear them.

⁷⁰ Like a scarecrow in a cucumber bed, which guards nothing, so are their gods of wood, overlaid with gold and silver. ⁷¹In the same way, their gods of wood, overlaid with gold and silver, are like a thornbush in a garden on which every bird perches; or like a corpse thrown out in the darkness. ⁷²From the purple and linenb that rot upon them you will know that they are not gods; and they will finally be consumed themselves, and be a reproach in the land. ⁷³Better, therefore, is someone upright who has no idols; such a person will be far above reproach.

EZEKIEL

The Vision of the Chariot

IN THE thirtieth year, in the fourth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I was among the exiles by the river Chebar, the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God. ²On the fifth day of the month (it was the fifth year of the exile of King Jehoiachin), ³the word of the LORD came to the priest Ezekiel son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the LORD was on him there.

⁴ As I looked, a stormy wind came out of the north: a great cloud with brightness around it and fire flashing forth continually, and in the middle of the fire, something like gleaming amber. ⁵In the middle of it was something like four living creatures. This was their appearance: they were of human form. ⁶Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings. ⁷Their legs were straight, and the soles of their feet were like the sole of a calf’s foot; and they sparkled like burnished bronze. ⁸Under their wings on their four sides they had human hands. And the four had their faces and their wings thus: ⁹their wings touched one another; each of them moved straight ahead, without turning as they moved. ¹⁰As for the appearance of their faces: the four had the face of a human being, the face of a lion on the right side, the face of an ox on the left side, and the face of an eagle; ¹¹such were their faces. Their wings were spread out above; each creature had two wings, each of which touched the wing of another, while two covered their bodies. ¹²Each moved straight ahead; wherever the spirit would go, they went, without turning as they went. ¹³In the middle ofa the living creatures there was something that looked like burning coals of fire, like torches moving to and fro among the living creatures; the fire was bright, and lightning issued from the fire. ¹⁴The living creatures darted to and fro, like a flash of lightning.

¹⁵ As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the earth beside the living creatures, one for each of the four of them.b ¹⁶As for the appearance of the wheels and their construction: their appearance was like the gleaming of beryl; and the four had the same form, their construction being something like a wheel within a wheel. ¹⁷When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved. ¹⁸Their rims were tall and awesome, for the rims of all four were full of eyes all round. ¹⁹When the living creatures moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the living creatures rose from the earth, the wheels rose. ²⁰Wherever the spirit would go, they went, and the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels. ²¹When they moved, the others moved; when they stopped, the others stopped; and when they rose from the earth, the wheels rose along with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

²² Over the heads of the living creatures there was something like a dome, shining like crystal,a spread out above their heads. ²³Under the dome their wings were stretched out straight, one towards another; and each of the creatures had two wings covering its body. ²⁴When they moved, I heard the sound of their wings like the sound of mighty waters, like the thunder of the Almighty,b a sound of tumult like the sound of an army; when they stopped, they let down their wings. ²⁵And there came a voice from above the dome over their heads; when they stopped, they let down their wings.

²⁶ And above the dome over their heads there was something like a throne, in appearance like sapphire;c and seated above the likeness of a throne was something that seemed like a human form. ²⁷Upwards from what appeared like the loins I saw something like gleaming amber, something that looked like fire enclosed all round; and downwards from what looked like the loins I saw something that looked like fire, and there was a splendour all round. ²⁸Like the bow in a cloud on a rainy day, such was the appearance of the splendour all round. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.

When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking.

The Vision of the Scroll

2

HE SAID to me: O mortal,d stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. ²And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. ³He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of Israel, to a natione of rebels who have rebelled against me; they and their ancestors have transgressed against me to this very day. ⁴The descendants are impudent and stubborn. I am sending you to them, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD.’ ⁵Whether they hear or refuse to hear (for they are a rebellious house), they shall know that there has been a prophet among them. ⁶And you, O mortal, do not be afraid of them, and do not be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns surround you and you live among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words, and do not be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ⁷You shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear; for they are a rebellious house.

⁸ But you, mortal, hear what I say to you; do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you. ⁹I looked, and a hand was stretched out to me, and a written scroll was in it. ¹⁰He spread it before me; it had writing on the front and on the back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe.

3

HE SAID to me, O mortal, eat what is offered to you; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel. ²So I opened my mouth, and he gave me the scroll to eat. ³He said to me, Mortal, eat this scroll that I give you and fill your stomach with it. Then I ate it; and in my mouth it was as sweet as honey.

⁴ He said to me: Mortal, go to the house of Israel and speak my very words to them. ⁵For you are not sent to a people of obscure speech and difficult language, but to the house of Israel—⁶not to many peoples of obscure speech and difficult language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely, if I sent you to them, they would listen to you. ⁷But the house of Israel will not listen to you, for they are not willing to listen to me; because all the house of Israel have a hard forehead and a stubborn heart. ⁸See, I have made your face hard against their faces, and your forehead hard against their foreheads. ⁹Like the hardest stone, harder than flint, I have made your forehead; do not fear them or be dismayed at their looks, for they are a rebellious house. ¹⁰He said to me: Mortal, all my words that I shall speak to you receive in your heart and hear with your ears; ¹¹then go to the exiles, to your people, and speak to them. Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD’ whether they hear or refuse to hear.

Ezekiel at the River Chebar

¹² Then the spirit lifted me up, and as the glory of the LORD rosea from its place, I heard behind me the sound of loud rumbling; ¹³it was the sound of the wings of the living creatures brushing against one another, and the sound of the wheels beside them, that sounded like a loud rumbling. ¹⁴The spirit lifted me up and bore me away; I went in bitterness in the heat of my spirit, the hand of the LORD being strong upon me. ¹⁵I came to the exiles at Tel-abib, who lived by the river Chebar.b And I sat there among them, stunned, for seven days.

¹⁶ At the end of seven days, the word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁷Mortal, I have made you a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. ¹⁸If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’, and you give them no warning, and do not speak to warn the wicked from their wicked way, in order to save their life, those wicked persons shall die for their iniquity; but their blood I will require at your hand. ¹⁹But if you warn the wicked, and they do not turn from their wickedness, or from their wicked way, they shall die for their iniquity; but you will have saved your life. ²⁰Again, if the righteous turn from their righteousness and commit iniquity, and I lay a stumbling-block before them, they shall die; because you have not warned them, they shall die for their sin, and their righteous deeds that they have done shall not be remembered; but their blood I will require at your hand. ²¹If, however, you warn the righteous not to sin, and they do not sin, they shall surely live, because they took warning; and you will have saved your life.

Ezekiel Isolated and Silenced

²² Then the hand of the LORD was upon me there; and he said to me, Rise up, go out into the valley, and there I will speak with you. ²³So I rose up and went out into the valley; and the glory of the LORD stood there, like the glory that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell on my face. ²⁴The spirit entered into me, and set me on my feet; and he spoke with me and said to me: Go, shut yourself inside your house. ²⁵As for you, mortal, cords shall be placed on you, and you shall be bound with them, so that you cannot go out among the people; ²⁶and I will make your tongue cling to the roof of your mouth, so that you shall be speechless and unable to reprove them; for they are a rebellious house. ²⁷But when I speak with you, I will open your mouth, and you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD’ let those who will hear, hear; and let those who refuse to hear, refuse; for they are a rebellious house.

The Siege of Jerusalem Portrayed

4

AND you, O mortal, take a brick and set it before you. On it portray a city, Jerusalem; ²and put siege-works against it, and build a siege-wall against it, and cast up a ramp against it; set camps also against it, and plant battering-rams against it all round. ³Then take an iron plate and place it as an iron wall between you and the city; set your face towards it, and let it be in a state of siege, and press the siege against it. This is a sign for the house of Israel.

⁴ Then lie on your left side, and place the punishment of the house of Israel upon it; you shall bear their punishment for the number of the days that you lie there. ⁵For I assign to you a number of days, three hundred and ninety days, equal to the number of the years of their punishment; and so you shall bear the punishment of the house of Israel. ⁶When you have completed these, you shall lie down a second time, but on your right side, and bear the punishment of the house of Judah; forty days I assign you, one day for each year. ⁷You shall set your face towards the siege of Jerusalem, and with your arm bared you shall prophesy against it. ⁸See, I am putting cords on you so that you cannot turn from one side to the other until you have completed the days of your siege.

⁹ And you, take wheat and barley, beans and lentils, millet and spelt; put them into one vessel, and make bread for yourself. During the number of days that you lie on your side, three hundred and ninety days, you shall eat it. ¹⁰The food that you eat shall be twenty shekels a day by weight; at fixed times you shall eat it. ¹¹And you shall drink water by measure, one-sixth of a hin; at fixed times you shall drink. ¹²You shall eat it as a barley-cake, baking it in their sight on human dung. ¹³The LORD said, ‘Thus shall the people of Israel eat their bread, unclean, among the nations to which I will drive them.’ ¹⁴Then I said, ‘Ah Lord GOD! I have never defiled myself; from my youth up until now I have never eaten what died of itself or was torn by animals, nor has carrion flesh come into my mouth.’ ¹⁵Then he said to me, ‘See, I will let you have cow’s dung instead of human dung, on which you may prepare your bread.’

¹⁶ Then he said to me, Mortal, I am going to break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; they shall eat bread by weight and with fearfulness; and they shall drink water by measure and in dismay. ¹⁷Lacking bread and water, they will look at one another in dismay, and waste away under their punishment.

A Sword against Jerusalem

5

AND you, O mortal, take a sharp sword; use it as a barber’s razor and run it over your head and your beard; then take balances for weighing, and divide the hair. ²One-third of the hair you shall burn in the fire inside the city, when the days of the siege are completed; one-third you shall take and strike with the sword all around the city;a and one-third you shall scatter to the wind, and I will unsheathe the sword after them. ³Then you shall take from these a small number, and bind them in the skirts of your robe. ⁴From these, again, you shall take some, throw them into the fire, and burn them up; from there a fire will come out against all the house of Israel.

⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD: This is Jerusalem; I have set her in the centre of the nations, with countries all around her. ⁶But she has rebelled against my ordinances and my statutes, becoming more wicked than the nations and the countries all around her, rejecting my ordinances and not following my statutes. ⁷Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you are more turbulent than the nations that are all around you, and have not followed my statutes or kept my ordinances, but have acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are all around you; ⁸therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I, I myself, am coming against you; I will execute judgements among you in the sight of the nations. ⁹And because of all your abominations, I will do to you what I have never yet done, and the like of which I will never do again. ¹⁰Surely, parents shall eat their children in your midst, and children shall eat their parents; I will execute judgements on you, and any of you who survive I will scatter to every wind. ¹¹Therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, surely, because you have defiled my sanctuary with all your detestable things and with all your abominations—therefore I will cut you down;b my eye will not spare, and I will have no pity. ¹²One-third of you shall die of pestilence or be consumed by famine among you; one-third shall fall by the sword around you; and one-third I will scatter to every wind and will unsheathe the sword after them.

¹³ My anger shall spend itself, and I will vent my fury on them and satisfy myself; and they shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken in my jealousy, when I spend my fury on them. ¹⁴Moreover, I will make you a desolation and an object of mocking among the nations around you, in the sight of all that pass by. ¹⁵You shall bec a mockery and a taunt, a warning and a horror, to the nations around you, when I execute judgements on you in anger and fury, and with furious punishments—I, the LORD, have spoken—¹⁶when I loose against youd my deadly arrows of famine, arrows for destruction, which I will let loose to destroy you, and when I bring more and more famine upon you, and break your staff of bread. ¹⁷I will send famine and wild animals against you, and they will rob you of your children; pestilence and bloodshed shall pass through you; and I will bring the sword upon you. I, the LORD, have spoken.

Judgement on Idolatrous Israel

6

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²O mortal, set your face towards the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, ³and say, You mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD! Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, to the ravines and the valleys: I, I myself will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. ⁴Your altars shall become desolate, and your incense-stands shall be broken; and I will throw down your slain in front of your idols. ⁵I will lay the corpses of the people of Israel in front of their idols; and I will scatter your bones around your altars. ⁶Wherever you live, your towns shall be waste and your high places ruined, so that your altars will be waste and ruined,a your idols broken and destroyed, your incense-stands cut down, and your works wiped out. ⁷The slain shall fall in your midst; then you shall know that I am the LORD.

⁸ But I will spare some. Some of you shall escape the sword among the nations and be scattered through the countries. ⁹Those of you who escape shall remember me among the nations where they are carried captive, how I was crushed by their wanton heart that turned away from me, and their wanton eyes that turned after their idols. Then they will be loathsome in their own sight for the evils that they have committed, for all their abominations. ¹⁰And they shall know that I am the LORD; I did not threaten in vain to bring this disaster upon them.

¹¹ Thus says the Lord GOD: Clap your hands and stamp your foot, and say, Alas for all the vile abominations of the house of Israel! For they shall fall by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence. ¹²Those far off shall die of pestilence; those nearby shall fall by the sword; and any who are left and are spared shall die of famine. Thus I will spend my fury upon them. ¹³And you shall know that I am the LORD, when their slain lie among their idols around their altars, on every high hill, on all the mountain tops, under every green tree, and under every leafy oak, wherever they offered pleasing odour to all their idols. ¹⁴I will stretch out my hand against them, and make the land desolate and waste, throughout all their settlements, from the wilderness to Riblah.b Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Impending Disaster

7

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²You, O mortal, thus says the Lord GOD to the land of Israel:

An end! The end has come

upon the four corners of the land.

³ Now the end is upon you,

I will let loose my anger upon you;

I will judge you according to your ways,

I will punish you for all your abominations.

⁴ My eye will not spare you, I will have no pity.

I will punish you for your ways,

while your abominations are among you.

Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD:

Disaster after disaster! See, it comes.

⁶ An end has come, the end has come.

It has awakened against you;

see, it comes!

⁷ Your dooma has come to you,

O inhabitant of the land.

The time has come, the day is near—

of tumult, not of revelling on the mountains.

⁸ Soon now I will pour out my wrath upon you;

I will spend my anger against you.

I will judge you according to your ways,

and punish you for all your abominations.

⁹ My eye will not spare; I will have no pity.

I will punish you according to your ways,

while your abominations are among you.

Then you shall know that it is I the LORD who strike.

¹⁰ See, the day! See, it comes!

Your dooma has gone out.

The rod has blossomed, pride has budded.

¹¹ Violence has grown into a rod of wickedness.

None of them shall remain,

not their abundance, not their wealth;

no pre-eminence among them.a

¹² The time has come, the day draws near;

let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn,

for wrath is upon all their multitude.

¹³For the sellers shall not return to what has been sold as long as they remain alive. For the vision concerns all their multitude; it shall not be revoked. Because of their iniquity, they cannot maintain their lives.a

¹⁴ They have blown the horn and made everything ready;

but no one goes to battle,

for my wrath is upon all their multitude.

¹⁵ The sword is outside, pestilence and famine are inside;

those in the field die by the sword;

those in the city—famine and pestilence devour them.

¹⁶ If any survivors escape,

they shall be found on the mountains

like doves of the valleys,

all of them moaning over their iniquity.

¹⁷ All hands shall grow feeble,

all knees turn to water.

¹⁸ They shall put on sackcloth,

horror shall cover them.

Shame shall be on all faces,

baldness on all their heads.

¹⁹ They shall fling their silver into the streets,

their gold shall be treated as unclean.

Their silver and gold cannot save them on the day of the wrath of the LORD. They shall not satisfy their hunger or fill their stomachs with it. For it was the stumbling-block of their iniquity. ²⁰From theira beautiful ornament, in which they took pride, they made their abominable images, their detestable things; therefore I will make of it an unclean thing to them.

²¹ I will hand it over to strangers as booty,

to the wicked of the earth as plunder;

they shall profane it.

²² I will avert my face from them,

so that they may profane my treasuredb place;

the violent shall enter it,

they shall profane it.

²³ Make a chain!c

For the land is full of bloody crimes;

the city is full of violence.

²⁴ I will bring the worst of the nations

to take possession of their houses.

I will put an end to the arrogance of the strong,

and their holy places shall be profaned.

²⁵ When anguish comes, they will seek peace,

but there shall be none.

²⁶ Disaster comes upon disaster,

rumour follows rumour;

they shall keep seeking a vision from the prophet;

instruction shall perish from the priest,

and counsel from the elders.

²⁷ The king shall mourn,

the prince shall be wrapped in despair,

and the hands of the people of the land shall tremble.

According to their way I will deal with them;

according to their own judgements I will judge them.

And they shall know that I am the LORD.

Abominations in the Temple

8

IN THE sixth year, in the sixth month, on the fifth day of the month, as I sat in my house, with the elders of Judah sitting before me, the hand of the Lord GOD fell upon me there. ²I looked, and there was a figure that looked like a human being;d below what appeared to be its loins it was fire, and above the loins it was like the appearance of brightness, like gleaming amber. ³It stretched out the form of a hand, and took me by a lock of my head; and the spirit lifted me up between earth and heaven, and brought me in visions of God to Jerusalem, to the entrance of the gateway of the inner court that faces north, to the seat of the image of jealousy, which provokes to jealousy. ⁴And the glory of the God of Israel was there, like the vision that I had seen in the valley.

⁵ Then Gode said to me, ‘O mortal, lift up your eyes now in the direction of the north.’ So I lifted up my eyes towards the north, and there, north of the altar gate, in the entrance, was this image of jealousy. ⁶He said to me, ‘Mortal, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? Yet you will see still greater abominations.’

⁷ And he brought me to the entrance of the court; I looked, and there was a hole in the wall. ⁸Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, dig through the wall’ and when I dug through the wall, there was an entrance. ⁹He said to me, ‘Go in, and see the vile abominations that they are committing here.’ ¹⁰So I went in and looked; there, portrayed on the wall all round, were all kinds of creeping things, and loathsome animals, and all the idols of the house of Israel. ¹¹Before them stood seventy of the elders of the house of Israel, with Jaazaniah son of Shaphan standing among them. Each had his censer in his hand, and the fragrant cloud of incense was ascending. ¹²Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, have you seen what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the dark, each in his room of images? For they say, “The LORD does not see us, the LORD has forsaken the land.”’ ¹³He said also to me, ‘You will see still greater abominations that they are committing.’

¹⁴ Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the LORD; women were sitting there weeping for Tammuz. ¹⁵Then he said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O mortal? You will see still greater abominations than these.’

¹⁶ And he brought me into the inner court of the house of the LORD; there, at the entrance of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men, with their backs to the temple of the LORD, and their faces towards the east, prostrating themselves to the sun towards the east. ¹⁷Then he said to me, ‘Have you seen this, O mortal? Is it not bad enough that the house of Judah commits the abominations done here? Must they fill the land with violence, and provoke my anger still further? See, they are putting the branch to their nose! ¹⁸Therefore I will act in wrath; my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity; and though they cry in my hearing with a loud voice, I will not listen to them.’

The Slaughter of the Idolaters

9

THEN he cried in my hearing with a loud voice, saying, ‘Draw near, you executioners of the city, each with his destroying weapon in his hand.’ ²And six men came from the direction of the upper gate, which faces north, each with his weapon for slaughter in his hand; among them was a man clothed in linen, with a writing-case at his side. They went in and stood beside the bronze altar.

³ Now the glory of the God of Israel had gone up, from the cherub on which it rested, to the threshold of the house. The LORD called to the man clothed in linen, who had the writing-case at his side, ⁴and said to him, ‘Go through the city, through Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of those who sigh and groan over all the abominations that are committed in it.’ ⁵To the others he said in my hearing, ‘Pass through the city after him, and kill; your eye shall not spare, and you shall show no pity. ⁶Cut down old men, young men and young women, little children and women, but touch no one who has the mark. And begin at my sanctuary.’ So they began with the elders who were in front of the house. ⁷Then he said to them, ‘Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain. Go!’ So they went out and killed in the city. ⁸While they were killing, and I was left alone, I fell prostrate on my face and cried out, ‘Ah Lord GOD! will you destroy all who remain of Israel as you pour out your wrath upon Jerusalem?’ ⁹He said to me, ‘The guilt of the house of Israel and Judah is exceedingly great; the land is full of bloodshed and the city full of perversity; for they say, “The LORD has forsaken the land, and the LORD does not see.” ¹⁰As for me, my eye will not spare, nor will I have pity, but I will bring down their deeds upon their heads.’

¹¹ Then the man clothed in linen, with the writing-case at his side, brought back word, saying, ‘I have done as you commanded me.’

God’s Glory Leaves Jerusalem

10

THEN I looked, and above the dome that was over the heads of the cherubim there appeared above them something like a sapphire,a in form resembling a throne. ²He said to the man clothed in linen, ‘Go within the wheel-work underneath the cherubim; fill your hands with burning coals from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city.’ He went in as I looked on. ³Now the cherubim were standing on the south side of the house when the man went in; and a cloud filled the inner court. ⁴Then the glory of the LORD rose up from the cherub to the threshold of the house; the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the glory of the LORD. ⁵The sound of the wings of the cherubim was heard as far as the outer court, like the voice of God Almightyb when he speaks.

⁶ When he commanded the man clothed in linen, ‘Take fire from within the wheel-work, from among the cherubim’, he went in and stood beside a wheel. ⁷And a cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim to the fire that was among the cherubim, took some of it, and put it into the hands of the man clothed in linen, who took it and went out. ⁸The cherubim appeared to have the form of a human hand under their wings.

⁹ I looked, and there were four wheels beside the cherubim, one beside each cherub; and the appearance of the wheels was like gleaming beryl. ¹⁰And as for their appearance, the four looked alike, something like a wheel within a wheel. ¹¹When they moved, they moved in any of the four directions without veering as they moved; but in whatever direction the front wheel faced, the others followed without veering as they moved. ¹²Their entire body, their rims, their spokes, their wings, and the wheels—the wheels of the four of them—were full of eyes all round. ¹³As for the wheels, they were called in my hearing ‘the wheel-work’. ¹⁴Each one had four faces: the first face was that of the cherub, the second face was that of a human being, the third that of a lion, and the fourth that of an eagle.

¹⁵ The cherubim rose up. These were the living creatures that I saw by the river Chebar. ¹⁶When the cherubim moved, the wheels moved beside them; and when the cherubim lifted up their wings to rise up from the earth, the wheels at their side did not veer. ¹⁷When they stopped, the others stopped, and when they rose up, the others rose up with them; for the spirit of the living creatures was in them.

¹⁸ Then the glory of the LORD went out from the threshold of the house and stopped above the cherubim. ¹⁹The cherubim lifted up their wings and rose up from the earth in my sight as they went out with the wheels beside them. They stopped at the entrance of the east gate of the house of the LORD; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them.

²⁰ These were the living creatures that I saw underneath the God of Israel by the river Chebar; and I knew that they were cherubim. ²¹Each had four faces, each four wings, and underneath their wings something like human hands. ²²As for what their faces were like, they were the same faces whose appearance I had seen by the river Chebar. Each one moved straight ahead.

Judgement on Wicked Counsellors

11

THE spirit lifted me up and brought me to the east gate of the house of the LORD, which faces east. There, at the entrance of the gateway, were twenty-five men; among them I saw Jaazaniah son of Azzur, and Pelatiah son of Benaiah, officials of the people. ²He said to me, ‘Mortal, these are the men who devise iniquity and who give wicked counsel in this city; ³they say, “The time is not near to build houses; this city is the pot, and we are the meat.” ⁴Therefore prophesy against them; prophesy, O mortal.’

⁵ Then the spirit of the LORD fell upon me, and he said to me, ‘Say, Thus says the LORD: This is what you think, O house of Israel; I know the things that come into your mind. ⁶You have killed many in this city, and have filled its streets with the slain. ⁷Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: The slain whom you have placed within it are the meat, and this city is the pot; but you shall be taken out of it. ⁸You have feared the sword; and I will bring the sword upon you, says the Lord GOD. ⁹I will take you out of it and give you over to the hands of foreigners, and execute judgements upon you. ¹⁰You shall fall by the sword; I will judge you at the border of Israel. And you shall know that I am the LORD. ¹¹This city shall not be your pot, and you shall not be the meat inside it; I will judge you at the border of Israel. ¹²Then you shall know that I am the LORD, whose statutes you have not followed, and whose ordinances you have not kept, but you have acted according to the ordinances of the nations that are around you.’

¹³ Now, while I was prophesying, Pelatiah son of Benaiah died. Then I fell down on my face, cried with a loud voice, and said, ‘Ah Lord GOD! will you make a full end of the remnant of Israel?’

God Will Restore Israel

¹⁴ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁵Mortal, your kinsfolk, your own kin, your fellow exiles,a the whole house of Israel, all of them, are those of whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, ‘They have gone far from the LORD; to us this land is given for a possession.’ ¹⁶Therefore say: Thus says the Lord GOD: Though I removed them far away among the nations, and though I scattered them among the countries, yet I have been a sanctuary to them for a little whileb in the countries where they have gone. ¹⁷Therefore say: Thus says the Lord GOD: I will gather you from the peoples, and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel. ¹⁸When they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. ¹⁹I will give them onec heart, and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, ²⁰so that they may follow my statutes and keep my ordinances and obey them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God. ²¹But as for those whose heart goes after their detestable things and their abominations,a I will bring their deeds upon their own heads, says the Lord GOD.

²² Then the cherubim lifted up their wings, with the wheels beside them; and the glory of the God of Israel was above them. ²³And the glory of the LORD ascended from the middle of the city, and stopped on the mountain east of the city. ²⁴The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the spirit of God into Chaldea, to the exiles. Then the vision that I had seen left me. ²⁵And I told the exiles all the things that the LORD had shown me.

Judah’s Captivity Portrayed

12

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, you are living in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see but do not see, who have ears to hear but do not hear; ³for they are a rebellious house. Therefore, mortal, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight; you shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house. ⁴You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile; and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who go into exile. ⁵Dig through the wall in their sight, and carry the baggage through it. ⁶In their sight you shall lift the baggage on your shoulder, and carry it out in the dark; you shall cover your face, so that you may not see the land; for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel.

⁷ I did just as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands; I brought it out in the dark, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.

⁸ In the morning the word of the LORD came to me: ⁹Mortal, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, ‘What are you doing?’ ¹⁰Say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel in it.’ ¹¹Say, ‘I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them; they shall go into exile, into captivity.’ ¹²And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage on his shoulder in the dark, and shall go out; heb shall dig through the wall and carry it through; he shall cover his face, so that he may not see the land with his eyes. ¹³I will spread my net over him, and he shall be caught in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it; and he shall die there. ¹⁴I will scatter to every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops; and I will unsheathe the sword behind them. ¹⁵And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them through the countries. ¹⁶But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, so that they may tell of all their abominations among the nations where they go; then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Judgement Not Postponed

¹⁷ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁸Mortal, eat your bread with quaking, and drink your water with trembling and with fearfulness; ¹⁹and say to the people of the land, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the land of Israel: They shall eat their bread with fearfulness, and drink their water in dismay, because their land shall be stripped of all it contains, on account of the violence of all those who live in it. ²⁰The inhabited cities shall be laid waste, and the land shall become a desolation; and you shall know that I am the LORD.

²¹ The word of the LORD came to me: ²²Mortal, what is this proverb of yours about the land of Israel, which says, ‘The days are prolonged, and every vision comes to nothing’? ²³Tell them therefore, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD: I will put an end to this proverb, and they shall use it no more as a proverb in Israel.’ But say to them, The days are near, and the fulfilment of every vision. ²⁴For there shall no longer be any false vision or flattering divination within the house of Israel. ²⁵But I the LORD will speak the word that I speak, and it will be fulfilled. It will no longer be delayed; but in your days, O rebellious house, I will speak the word and fulfil it, says the Lord GOD.

²⁶ The word of the LORD came to me: ²⁷Mortal, the house of Israel is saying, ‘The vision that he sees is for many years ahead; he prophesies for distant times.’ ²⁸Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: None of my words will be delayed any longer, but the word that I speak will be fulfilled, says the Lord GOD.

False Prophets Condemned

13

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are prophesying; say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!’ ³Thus says the Lord GOD, Alas for the senseless prophets who follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing! ⁴Your prophets have been like jackals among ruins, O Israel. ⁵You have not gone up into the breaches, or repaired a wall for the house of Israel, so that it might stand in battle on the day of the LORD. ⁶They have prophesied falsehood and lying divination; they say, ‘Says the LORD’, when the LORD has not sent them, and yet they wait for the fulfilment of their word! ⁷Have you not seen a false vision or uttered a lying divination, when you have said, ‘Says the LORD’, even though I did not speak?

⁸ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have uttered falsehood and prophesied lies, I am against you, says the Lord GOD. ⁹My hand will be against the prophets who see false visions and utter lying divinations; they shall not be in the council of my people, nor be enrolled in the register of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter the land of Israel; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD. ¹⁰Because, in truth, because they have misled my people, saying, ‘Peace’, when there is no peace; and because, when the people build a wall, these prophetsa smear whitewash on it. ¹¹Say to those who smear whitewash on it that it shall fall. There will be a deluge of rain,b great hailstones will fall, and a stormy wind will break out. ¹²When the wall falls, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the whitewash you smeared on it?’ ¹³Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: In my wrath I will make a stormy wind break out, and in my anger there shall be a deluge of rain, and hailstones in wrath to destroy it. ¹⁴I will break down the wall that you have smeared with whitewash, and bring it to the ground, so that its foundation will be laid bare; when it falls, you shall perish within it; and you shall know that I am the LORD. ¹⁵Thus I will spend my wrath upon the wall, and upon those who have smeared it with whitewash; and I will say to you, The wall is no more, nor those who smeared it—¹⁶the prophets of Israel who prophesied concerning Jerusalem and saw visions of peace for it, when there was no peace, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁷ As for you, mortal, set your face against the daughters of your people, who prophesy out of their own imagination; prophesy against them ¹⁸and say, Thus says the Lord GOD: Woe to the women who sew bands on all wrists, and make veils for the heads of people of every height, in the hunt for human lives! Will you hunt down lives among my people, and maintain your own lives? ¹⁹You have profaned me among my people for handfuls of barley and for pieces of bread, putting to death those who should not die and keeping alive those who should not live, by your lies to my people, who listen to lies.

²⁰ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I am against your bands with which you hunt lives;a I will tear them from your arms, and let the lives go free, the lives that you hunt down like birds. ²¹I will tear off your veils, and save my people from your hands; they shall no longer be prey in your hands; and you shall know that I am the LORD. ²²Because you have disheartened the righteous falsely, although I have not disheartened them, and you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their wicked way and save their lives; ²³therefore you shall no longer see false visions nor practise divination; I will save my people from your hand. Then you will know that I am the LORD.

God’s Judgements Justified

14

CERTAIN elders of Israel came to me and sat down before me. ²And the word of the LORD came to me: ³Mortal, these men have taken their idols into their hearts, and placed their iniquity as a stumbling-block before them; shall I let myself be consulted by them? ⁴Therefore speak to them, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Any of those of the house of Israel who take their idols into their hearts and place their iniquity as a stumbling-block before them, and yet come to the prophet—I the LORD will answer those who come with the multitude of their idols, ⁵in order that I may take hold of the hearts of the house of Israel, all of whom are estranged from me through their idols.

⁶ Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Repent and turn away from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. ⁷For any of those of the house of Israel, or of the aliens who reside in Israel, who separate themselves from me, taking their idols into their hearts and placing their iniquity as a stumbling-block before them, and yet come to a prophet to inquire of me by him, I the LORD will answer them myself. ⁸I will set my face against them; I will make them a sign and a byword and cut them off from the midst of my people; and you shall know that I am the LORD.

⁹ If a prophet is deceived and speaks a word, I, the LORD, have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand against him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel. ¹⁰And they shall bear their punishment—the punishment of the inquirer and the punishment of the prophet shall be the same—¹¹so that the house of Israel may no longer go astray from me, nor defile themselves any more with all their transgressions. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God, says the Lord GOD.

¹² The word of the LORD came to me: ¹³Mortal, when a land sins against me by acting faithlessly, and I stretch out my hand against it, and break its staff of bread and send famine upon it, and cut off from it human beings and animals, ¹⁴even if Noah, Daniel,a and Job, these three, were in it, they would save only their own lives by their righteousness, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁵If I send wild animals through the land to ravage it, so that it is made desolate, and no one may pass through because of the animals; ¹⁶even if these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters; they alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate. ¹⁷Or if I bring a sword upon that land and say, ‘Let a sword pass through the land’, and I cut off human beings and animals from it; ¹⁸though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord GOD, they would save neither sons nor daughters, but they alone would be saved. ¹⁹Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my wrath upon it with blood, to cut off humans and animals from it; ²⁰even if Noah, Daniel,a and Job were in it, as I live, says the Lord GOD, they would save neither son nor daughter; they would save only their own lives by their righteousness.

²¹ For thus says the Lord GOD: How much more when I send upon Jerusalem my four deadly acts of judgement, sword, famine, wild animals, and pestilence, to cut off humans and animals from it! ²²Yet, survivors shall be left in it, sons and daughters who will be brought out; they will come out to you. When you see their ways and their deeds, you will be consoled for the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, for all that I have brought upon it. ²³They shall console you, when you see their ways and their deeds; and you shall know that it was not without cause that I did all that I have done in it, says the Lord GOD.

The Useless Vine

15

THE word of the LORD came to me:

² O mortal, how does the wood of the vine surpass all other wood—

the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest?

³ Is wood taken from it to make anything?

Does one take a peg from it on which to hang any object?

⁴ It is put in the fire for fuel;

when the fire has consumed both ends of it

and the middle of it is charred,

is it useful for anything?

⁵ When it was whole it was used for nothing;

how much less—when the fire has consumed it,

and it is charred—

can it ever be used for anything!

⁶ Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Like the wood of the vine among the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so I will give up the inhabitants of Jerusalem. ⁷I will set my face against them; although they escape from the fire, the fire shall still consume them; and you shall know that I am the LORD, when I set my face against them. ⁸And I will make the land desolate, because they have acted faithlessly, says the Lord GOD.

God’s Faithless Bride

16

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, make known to Jerusalem her abominations, ³and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite, and your mother a Hittite. ⁴As for your birth, on the day you were born your navel cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in cloths. ⁵No eye pitied you, to do any of these things for you out of compassion for you; but you were thrown out in the open field, for you were abhorred on the day you were born.

⁶ I passed by you, and saw you flailing about in your blood. As you lay in your blood, I said to you, ‘Live! ⁷and grow upa like a plant of the field.’ You grew up and became tall and arrived at full womanhood;b your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.

⁸ I passed by you again and looked on you; you were at the age for love. I spread the edge of my cloak over you, and covered your nakedness: I pledged myself to you and entered into a covenant with you, says the Lord GOD, and you became mine. ⁹Then I bathed you with water and washed off the blood from you, and anointed you with oil. ¹⁰I clothed you with embroidered cloth and with sandals of fine leather; I bound you in fine linen and covered you with rich fabric.c ¹¹I adorned you with ornaments: I put bracelets on your arms, a chain on your neck, ¹²a ring on your nose, ear-rings in your ears, and a beautiful crown upon your head. ¹³You were adorned with gold and silver, while your clothing was of fine linen, rich fabric,c and embroidered cloth. You had choice flour and honey and oil for food. You grew exceedingly beautiful, fit to be a queen. ¹⁴Your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, for it was perfect because of my splendour that I had bestowed on you, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁵ But you trusted in your beauty, and played the whore because of your fame, and lavished your whorings on any passer-by.d ¹⁶You took some of your garments, and made for yourself colourful shrines, and on them played the whore; nothing like this has ever been or ever shall be.c ¹⁷You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and my silver that I had given you, and made for yourself male images, and with them played the whore; ¹⁸and you took your embroidered garments to cover them, and set my oil and my incense before them. ¹⁹Also my bread that I gave you—I fed you with choice flour and oil and honey—you set it before them as a pleasing odour; and so it was, says the Lord GOD. ²⁰You took your sons and your daughters, whom you had borne to me, and these you sacrificed to them to be devoured. As if your whorings were not enough! ²¹You slaughtered my children and delivered them up as an offering to them. ²²And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, flailing about in your blood.

²³ After all your wickedness (woe, woe to you! says the Lord GOD), ²⁴you built yourself a platform and made yourself a lofty place in every square; ²⁵at the head of every street you built your lofty place and prostituted your beauty, offering yourself to every passer-by, and multiplying your whoring. ²⁶You played the whore with the Egyptians, your lustful neighbours, multiplying your whoring, to provoke me to anger. ²⁷Therefore I stretched out my hand against you, reduced your rations, and gave you up to the will of your enemies, the daughters of the Philistines, who were ashamed of your lewd behaviour. ²⁸You played the whore with the Assyrians, because you were insatiable; you played the whore with them, and still you were not satisfied. ²⁹You multiplied your whoring with Chaldea, the land of merchants; and even with this you were not satisfied.

³⁰ How sick is your heart, says the Lord GOD, that you did all these things, the deeds of a brazen whore; ³¹building your platform at the head of every street, and making your lofty place in every square! Yet you were not like a whore, because you scorned payment. ³²Adulterous wife, who receives strangers instead of her husband! ³³Gifts are given to all whores; but you gave your gifts to all your lovers, bribing them to come to you from all around for your whorings. ³⁴So you were different from other women in your whorings: no one solicited you to play the whore; and you gave payment, while no payment was given to you; you were different.

³⁵ Therefore, O whore, hear the word of the LORD: ³⁶Thus says the Lord GOD, Because your lust was poured out and your nakedness uncovered in your whoring with your lovers, and because of all your abominable idols, and because of the blood of your children that you gave to them, ³⁷therefore, I will gather all your lovers, with whom you took pleasure, all those you loved and all those you hated; I will gather them against you from all around, and will uncover your nakedness to them, so that they may see all your nakedness. ³⁸I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring blood upon you in wrath and jealousy. ³⁹I will deliver you into their hands, and they shall throw down your platform and break down your lofty places; they shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful objects and leave you naked and bare. ⁴⁰They shall bring up a mob against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords. ⁴¹They shall burn your houses and execute judgements on you in the sight of many women; I will stop you from playing the whore, and you shall also make no more payments. ⁴²So I will satisfy my fury on you, and my jealousy shall turn away from you; I will be calm, and will be angry no longer. ⁴³Because you have not remembered the days of your youth, but have enraged me with all these things; therefore, I have returned your deeds upon your head, says the Lord GOD.

Have you not committed lewdness beyond all your abominations? ⁴⁴See, everyone who uses proverbs will use this proverb about you, ‘Like mother, like daughter.’ ⁴⁵You are the daughter of your mother, who loathed her husband and her children; and you are the sister of your sisters, who loathed their husbands and their children. Your mother was a Hittite and your father an Amorite. ⁴⁶Your elder sister is Samaria, who lived with her daughters to the north of you; and your younger sister, who lived to the south of you, is Sodom with her daughters. ⁴⁷You not only followed their ways, and acted according to their abominations; within a very little time you were more corrupt than they in all your ways. ⁴⁸As I live, says the Lord GOD, your sister Sodom and her daughters have not done as you and your daughters have done. ⁴⁹This was the guilt of your sister Sodom: she and her daughters had pride, excess of food, and prosperous ease, but did not aid the poor and needy. ⁵⁰They were haughty, and did abominable things before me; therefore I removed them when I saw it. ⁵¹Samaria has not committed half your sins; you have committed more abominations than they, and have made your sisters appear righteous by all the abominations that you have committed. ⁵²Bear your disgrace, you also, for you have brought about for your sisters a more favourable judgement; because of your sins in which you acted more abominably than they, they are more in the right than you. So be ashamed, you also, and bear your disgrace, for you have made your sisters appear righteous.

⁵³ I will restore their fortunes, the fortunes of Sodom and her daughters and the fortunes of Samaria and her daughters, and I will restore your own fortunes along with theirs, ⁵⁴in order that you may bear your disgrace and be ashamed of all that you have done, becoming a consolation to them. ⁵⁵As for your sisters, Sodom and her daughters shall return to their former state, Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former state, and you and your daughters shall return to your former state. ⁵⁶Was not your sister Sodom a byword in your mouth in the day of your pride, ⁵⁷before your wickedness was uncovered? Now you are a mockery to the daughters of Arama and all her neighbours, and to the daughters of the Philistines, those all around who despise you. ⁵⁸You must bear the penalty of your lewdness and your abominations, says the LORD.

An Everlasting Covenant

⁵⁹ Yes, thus says the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath, breaking the covenant; ⁶⁰yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish with you an everlasting covenant. ⁶¹Then you will remember your ways, and be ashamed when Ib take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and give them to you as daughters, but not on account of myc covenant with you. ⁶²I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD, ⁶³in order that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I forgive you all that you have done, says the Lord GOD.

The Two Eagles and the Vine

17

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²O mortal, propound a riddle, and speak an allegory to the house of Israel. ³Say: Thus says the Lord GOD:

A great eagle, with great wings and long pinions,

rich in plumage of many colours,

came to the Lebanon.

He took the top of the cedar,

⁴ broke off its topmost shoot;

he carried it to a land of trade,

set it in a city of merchants.

⁵ Then he took a seed from the land,

placed it in fertile soil;

a planta by abundant waters,

he set it like a willow twig.

⁶ It sprouted and became a vine,

spreading out, but low;

its branches turned towards him,

its roots remained where it stood.

So it became a vine;

it brought forth branches,

put forth foliage.

⁷ There was another great eagle,

with great wings and much plumage.

And see! This vine stretched out

its roots towards him;

it shot out its branches towards him,

so that he might water it.

From the bed where it was planted

⁸ it was transplanted

to good soil by abundant waters,

so that it might produce branches

and bear fruit

and become a noble vine.

⁹Say: Thus says the Lord GOD:

Will it prosper?

Will he not pull up its roots,

cause its fruit to rota and wither,

its fresh sprouting leaves to fade?

No strong arm or mighty army will be needed

to pull it from its roots.

¹⁰ When it is transplanted, will it thrive?

When the east wind strikes it,

will it not utterly wither,

wither on the bed where it grew?

¹¹ Then the word of the LORD came to me: ¹²Say now to the rebellious house: Do you not know what these things mean? Tell them: The king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, took its king and its officials, and brought them back with him to Babylon. ¹³He took one of the royal offspring and made a covenant with him, putting him under oath (he had taken away the chief men of the land), ¹⁴so that the kingdom might be humble and not lift itself up, and that by keeping his covenant it might stand. ¹⁵But he rebelled against him by sending ambassadors to Egypt, in order that they might give him horses and a large army. Will he succeed? Can one escape who does such things? Can he break the covenant and yet escape? ¹⁶As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely in the place where the king resides who made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant with him he broke—in Babylon he shall die. ¹⁷Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company will not help him in war, when ramps are cast up and siege-walls built to cut off many lives. ¹⁸Because he despised the oath and broke the covenant, because he gave his hand and yet did all these things, he shall not escape. ¹⁹Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, I will surely return upon his head my oath that he despised, and my covenant that he broke. ²⁰I will spread my net over him, and he shall be caught in my snare; I will bring him to Babylon and enter into judgement with him there for the treason he has committed against me. ²¹All the picka of his troops shall fall by the sword, and the survivors shall be scattered to every wind; and you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken.

Israel Exalted at Last

²² Thus says the Lord GOD:

I myself will take a sprig

from the lofty top of a cedar;

I will set it out.

I will break off a tender one

from the topmost of its young twigs;

I myself will plant it

on a high and lofty mountain.

²³ On the mountain height of Israel

I will plant it,

in order that it may produce boughs and bear fruit,

and become a noble cedar.

Under it every kind of bird will live;

in the shade of its branches will nest

winged creatures of every kind.

²⁴ All the trees of the field shall know

that I am the LORD.

I bring low the high tree,

I make high the low tree;

I dry up the green tree

and make the dry tree flourish.

I the LORD have spoken;

I will accomplish it.

Individual Retribution

18

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²What do you mean by repeating this proverb concerning the land of Israel, ‘The parents have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge’? ³As I live, says the Lord GOD, this proverb shall no more be used by you in Israel. ⁴Know that all lives are mine; the life of the parent as well as the life of the child is mine: it is only the person who sins that shall die.

⁵ If a man is righteous and does what is lawful and right—⁶if he does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbour’s wife or approach a woman during her menstrual period, ⁷does not oppress anyone, but restores to the debtor his pledge, commits no robbery, gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, ⁸does not take advance or accrued interest, withholds his hand from iniquity, executes true justice between contending parties, ⁹follows my statutes, and is careful to observe my ordinances, acting faithfully—such a one is righteous; he shall surely live, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁰ If he has a son who is violent, a shedder of blood, ¹¹who does any of these things (though his fathera does none of them), who eats upon the mountains, defiles his neighbour’s wife, ¹²oppresses the poor and needy, commits robbery, does not restore the pledge, lifts up his eyes to the idols, commits abomination, ¹³takes advance or accrued interest; shall he then live? He shall not. He has done all these abominable things; he shall surely die; his blood shall be upon himself.

¹⁴ But if this man has a son who sees all the sins that his father has done, considers, and does not do likewise, ¹⁵who does not eat upon the mountains or lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, does not defile his neighbour’s wife, ¹⁶does not wrong anyone, exacts no pledge, commits no robbery, but gives his bread to the hungry and covers the naked with a garment, ¹⁷withholds his hand from iniquity,b takes no advance or accrued interest, observes my ordinances, and follows my statutes; he shall not die for his father’s iniquity; he shall surely live. ¹⁸As for his father, because he practised extortion, robbed his brother, and did what is not good among his people, he dies for his iniquity.

¹⁹ Yet you say, ‘Why should not the son suffer for the iniquity of the father?’ When the son has done what is lawful and right, and has been careful to observe all my statutes, he shall surely live. ²⁰The person who sins shall die. A child shall not suffer for the iniquity of a parent, nor a parent suffer for the iniquity of a child; the righteousness of the righteous shall be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be his own.

²¹ But if the wicked turn away from all their sins that they have committed and keep all my statutes and do what is lawful and right, they shall surely live; they shall not die. ²²None of the transgressions that they have committed shall be remembered against them; for the righteousness that they have done they shall live. ²³Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, says the Lord GOD, and not rather that they should turn from their ways and live? ²⁴But when the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity and do the same abominable things that the wicked do, shall they live? None of the righteous deeds that they have done shall be remembered; for the treachery of which they are guilty and the sin they have committed, they shall die.

²⁵ Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ Hear now, O house of Israel: Is my way unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair? ²⁶When the righteous turn away from their righteousness and commit iniquity, they shall die for it; for the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. ²⁷Again, when the wicked turn away from the wickedness they have committed and do what is lawful and right, they shall save their life. ²⁸Because they considered and turned away from all the transgressions that they had committed, they shall surely live; they shall not die. ²⁹Yet the house of Israel says, ‘The way of the Lord is unfair.’ O house of Israel, are my ways unfair? Is it not your ways that are unfair?

³⁰ Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, all of you according to your ways, says the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions; otherwise iniquity will be your ruin.a ³¹Cast away from you all the transgressions that you have committed against me, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? ³²For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone, says the Lord GOD. Turn, then, and live.

Israel Degraded

19

AS FOR you, raise up a lamentation for the princes of Israel, ²and say:

What a lioness was your mother

among lions!

She lay down among young lions,

rearing her cubs.

³ She raised up one of her cubs;

he became a young lion,

and he learned to catch prey;

he devoured humans.

⁴ The nations sounded an alarm against him;

he was caught in their pit;

and they brought him with hooks

to the land of Egypt.

⁵ When she saw that she was thwarted,

that her hope was lost,

she took another of her cubs

and made him a young lion.

⁶ He prowled among the lions;

he became a young lion,

and he learned to catch prey;

he devoured people.

⁷ And he ravaged their strongholds,b

and laid waste their towns;

the land was appalled, and all in it,

at the sound of his roaring.

⁸ The nations set upon him

from the provinces all around;

they spread their net over him;

he was caught in their pit.

⁹ With hooks they put him in a cage,

and brought him to the king of Babylon;

they brought him into custody,

so that his voice should be heard no more

on the mountains of Israel.

¹⁰ Your mother was like a vine in a vineyarda

transplanted by the water,

fruitful and full of branches

from abundant water.

¹¹ Its strongest stem became

a ruler’s sceptre;b

it towered aloft

among the thick boughs;

it stood out in its height

with its mass of branches.

¹² But it was plucked up in fury,

cast down to the ground;

the east wind dried it up;

its fruit was stripped off,

its strong stem was withered;

the fire consumed it.

¹³ Now it is transplanted into the wilderness,

into a dry and thirsty land.

¹⁴ And fire has gone out from its stem,

has consumed its branches and fruit,

so that there remains in it no strong stem,

no sceptre for ruling.

This is a lamentation, and it is used as a lamentation.

Israel’s Continuing Rebellion

20

IN THE seventh year, in the fifth month, on the tenth day of the month, certain elders of Israel came to consult the LORD, and sat down before me. ²And the word of the LORD came to me: ³Mortal, speak to the elders of Israel, and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: Why are you coming? To consult me? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you. ⁴Will you judge them, mortal, will you judge them? Then let them know the abominations of their ancestors, ⁵and say to them: Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day when I chose Israel, I swore to the offspring of the house of Jacob—making myself known to them in the land of Egypt—I swore to them, saying, I am the LORD your God. ⁶On that day I swore to them that I would bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land that I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands. ⁷And I said to them, Cast away the detestable things your eyes feast on, every one of you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the LORD your God. ⁸But they rebelled against me and would not listen to me; not one of them cast away the detestable things their eyes feasted on, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt.

Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the midst of the land of Egypt. ⁹But I acted for the sake of my name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made myself known to them in bringing them out of the land of Egypt. ¹⁰So I led them out of the land of Egypt and brought them into the wilderness. ¹¹I gave them my statutes and showed them my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live. ¹²Moreover, I gave them my sabbaths, as a sign between me and them, so that they might know that I the LORD sanctify them. ¹³But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness; they did not observe my statutes but rejected my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live; and my sabbaths they greatly profaned.

Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them in the wilderness, to make an end of them. ¹⁴But I acted for the sake of my name, so that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. ¹⁵Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would not bring them into the land that I had given them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the most glorious of all lands, ¹⁶because they rejected my ordinances and did not observe my statutes, and profaned my sabbaths; for their heart went after their idols. ¹⁷Nevertheless, my eye spared them, and I did not destroy them or make an end of them in the wilderness.

¹⁸ I said to their children in the wilderness, Do not follow the statutes of your parents, nor observe their ordinances, nor defile yourselves with their idols. ¹⁹I the LORD am your God; follow my statutes, and be careful to observe my ordinances, ²⁰and hallow my sabbaths that they may be a sign between me and you, so that you may know that I the LORD am your God. ²¹But the children rebelled against me; they did not follow my statutes, and were not careful to observe my ordinances, by whose observance everyone shall live; they profaned my sabbaths.

Then I thought I would pour out my wrath upon them and spend my anger against them in the wilderness. ²²But I withheld my hand, and acted for the sake of my name, so that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations, in whose sight I had brought them out. ²³Moreover, I swore to them in the wilderness that I would scatter them among the nations and disperse them through the countries, ²⁴because they had not executed my ordinances, but had rejected my statutes and profaned my sabbaths, and their eyes were set on their ancestors’ idols. ²⁵Moreover, I gave them statutes that were not good and ordinances by which they could not live. ²⁶I defiled them through their very gifts, in their offering up all their firstborn, in order that I might horrify them, so that they might know that I am the LORD.

²⁷ Therefore, mortal, speak to the house of Israel and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: In this again your ancestors blasphemed me, by dealing treacherously with me. ²⁸For when I had brought them into the land that I swore to give them, then wherever they saw any high hill or any leafy tree, there they offered their sacrifices and presented the provocation of their offering; there they sent up their pleasing odours, and there they poured out their drink-offerings. ²⁹(I said to them, What is the high place to which you go? So it is called Bamaha to this day.) ³⁰Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: Will you defile yourselves after the manner of your ancestors and go astray after their detestable things? ³¹When you offer your gifts and make your children pass through the fire, you defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. And shall I be consulted by you, O house of Israel? As I live, says the Lord GOD, I will not be consulted by you.

³² What is in your mind shall never happen—the thought, ‘Let us be like the nations, like the tribes of the countries, and worship wood and stone.’

God Will Restore Israel

³³ As I live, says the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out, I will be king over you. ³⁴I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and with wrath poured out; ³⁵and I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will enter into judgement with you face to face. ³⁶As I entered into judgement with your ancestors in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will enter into judgement with you, says the Lord GOD. ³⁷I will make you pass under the staff, and will bring you within the bond of the covenant. ³⁸I will purge out the rebels among you, and those who transgress against me; I will bring them out of the land where they reside as aliens, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

³⁹ As for you, O house of Israel, thus says the Lord GOD: Go, serve your idols, every one of you now and hereafter, if you will not listen to me; but my holy name you shall no more profane with your gifts and your idols.

⁴⁰ For on my holy mountain, the mountain height of Israel, says the Lord GOD, there all the house of Israel, all of them, shall serve me in the land; there I will accept them, and there I will require your contributions and the choicest of your gifts, with all your sacred things. ⁴¹As a pleasing odour I will accept you, when I bring you out from the peoples, and gather you out of the countries where you have been scattered; and I will manifest my holiness among you in the sight of the nations. ⁴²You shall know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the country that I swore to give to your ancestors. ⁴³There you shall remember your ways and all the deeds by which you have polluted yourselves; and you shall loathe yourselves for all the evils that you have committed. ⁴⁴And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name’s sake, not according to your evil ways or corrupt deeds, O house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

A Prophecy against the Negeb

⁴⁵a The word of the LORD came to me: ⁴⁶Mortal, set your face towards the south, preach against the south, and prophesy against the forest land in the Negeb; ⁴⁷say to the forest of the Negeb, Hear the word of the LORD: Thus says the Lord GOD, I will kindle a fire in you, and it shall devour every green tree in you and every dry tree; the blazing flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from south to north shall be scorched by it. ⁴⁸All flesh shall see that I the LORD have kindled it; it shall not be quenched. ⁴⁹Then I said, ‘Ah Lord GOD! they are saying of me, “Is he not a maker of allegories?”’

The Drawn Sword of God

21b

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, set your face towards Jerusalem and preach against the sanctuaries; prophesy against the land of Israel ³and say to the land of Israel, Thus says the LORD: I am coming against you, and will draw my sword out of its sheath, and will cut off from you both righteous and wicked. ⁴Because I will cut off from you both righteous and wicked, therefore my sword shall go out of its sheath against all flesh from south to north; ⁵and all flesh shall know that I the LORD have drawn my sword out of its sheath; it shall not be sheathed again. ⁶Moan therefore, mortal; moan with breaking heart and bitter grief before their eyes. ⁷And when they say to you, ‘Why do you moan?’ you shall say, ‘Because of the news that has come. Every heart will fail and all hands will be feeble, every spirit will faint and all knees will turn to water. See, it comes and it will be fulfilled,’ says the Lord GOD.

⁸ And the word of the LORD came to me: ⁹Mortal, prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord; Say:

A sword, a sword is sharpened,

it is also polished;

¹⁰ it is sharpened for slaughter,

honed to flash like lightning!

How can we make merry?

You have despised the rod

and all discipline.a

¹¹ The swordb is given to be polished,

to be grasped in the hand;

it is sharpened, the sword is polished,

to be placed in the slayer’s hand.

¹² Cry and wail, O mortal,

for it is against my people;

it is against all Israel’s princes;

they are thrown to the sword,

together with my people.

Ah! Strike the thigh!

¹³For consider: What! If you despise the rod, will it not happen?a says the Lord GOD.

¹⁴ And you, mortal, prophesy;

strike hand to hand.

Let the sword fall twice, thrice;

it is a sword for killing.

A sword for great slaughter—

it surrounds them;

¹⁵ therefore hearts fail

and many stumble.

At all their gates I have set

the pointa of the sword.

Ah! It is made for flashing,

it is polishedc for slaughter.

¹⁶ Attack to the right!

Engage to the left!—

wherever your edge is directed.

¹⁷ I too will strike hand to hand,

I will satisfy my fury;

I the LORD have spoken.

¹⁸ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁹Mortal, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them shall issue from the same land. And make a signpost, make it for a fork in the road leading to a city; ²⁰mark out the road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and toa Jerusalem the fortified. ²¹For the king of Babylon stands at the parting of the way, at the fork in the two roads, to use divination; he shakes the arrows, he consults the teraphim,b he inspects the liver. ²²Into his right hand comes the lot for Jerusalem, to set battering-rams, to call out for slaughter, for raising the battle cry, to set battering-rams against the gates, to cast up ramps, to build siege-towers. ²³But to them it will seem like a false divination; they have sworn solemn oaths; but he brings their guilt to remembrance, bringing about their capture.

²⁴ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have brought your guilt to remembrance, in that your transgressions are uncovered, so that in all your deeds your sins appear—because you have come to remembrance, you shall be taken in hand.c

²⁵ As for you, vile, wicked prince of Israel,

you whose day has come,

the time of final punishment,

²⁶ thus says the Lord GOD:

Remove the turban, take off the crown;

things shall not remain as they are.

Exalt that which is low,

abase that which is high.

²⁷ A ruin, a ruin, a ruin—

I will make it!

(Such has never occurred.)

Until he comes whose right it is;

to him I will give it.

²⁸ As for you, mortal, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; say:

A sword, a sword! Drawn for slaughter,

polished to consume,d to flash like lightning.

²⁹ Offering false visions for you,

divining lies for you,

they place you over the necks

of the vile, wicked ones—

those whose day has come,

the time of final punishment.

³⁰ Return it to its sheath!

In the place where you were created,

in the land of your origin,

I will judge you.

³¹ I will pour out my indignation upon you,

with the fire of my wrath

I will blow upon you.

I will deliver you into brutish hands,

those skilful to destroy.

³² You shall be fuel for the fire,

your blood shall enter the earth;

you shall be remembered no more,

for I the LORD have spoken.

The Bloody City

22

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²You, mortal, will you judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to it all its abominable deeds. ³You shall say, Thus says the Lord GOD: A city! Shedding blood within itself; its time has come; making its idols, defiling itself. ⁴You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by the idols that you have made; you have brought your day near, the appointed time of your years has come. Therefore I have made you a disgrace before the nations, and a mockery to all the countries. ⁵Those who are near and those who are far from you will mock you, you infamous one, full of tumult.

⁶ The princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power, have been bent on shedding blood. ⁷Father and mother are treated with contempt in you; the alien residing within you suffers extortion; the orphan and the widow are wronged in you. ⁸You have despised my holy things, and profaned my sabbaths. ⁹In you are those who slander to shed blood, those in you who eat upon the mountains, who commit lewdness in your midst. ¹⁰In you they uncover their fathers’ nakedness; in you they violate women in their menstrual periods. ¹¹One commits abomination with his neighbour’s wife; another lewdly defiles his daughter-in-law; another in you defiles his sister, his father’s daughter. ¹²In you, they take bribes to shed blood; you take both advance interest and accrued interest, and make gain of your neighbours by extortion; and you have forgotten me, says the Lord GOD.

¹³ See, I strike my hands together at the dishonest gain you have made, and at the blood that has been shed within you. ¹⁴Can your courage endure, or can your hands remain strong in the days when I shall deal with you? I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it. ¹⁵I will scatter you among the nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will purge your filthiness out of you. ¹⁶And Ia shall be profaned through you in the sight of the nations; and you shall know that I am the LORD.

¹⁷ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁸Mortal, the house of Israel has become dross to me; all of them, silver,b bronze, tin, iron, and lead. In the smelter they have become dross. ¹⁹Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have all become dross, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. ²⁰As one gathers silver, bronze, iron, lead, and tin into a smelter, to blow the fire upon them in order to melt them; so I will gather you in my anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you. ²¹I will gather you and blow upon you with the fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted within it. ²²As silver is melted in a smelter, so you shall be melted in it; and you shall know that I the LORD have poured out my wrath upon you.

²³ The word of the LORD came to me: ²⁴Mortal, say to it: You are a land that is not cleansed, not rained upon in the day of indignation. ²⁵Its princesa within it are like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows within it. ²⁶Its priests have done violence to my teaching and have profaned my holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my sabbaths, so that I am profaned among them. ²⁷Its officials within it are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain. ²⁸Its prophets have smeared whitewash on their behalf, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD’, when the LORD has not spoken. ²⁹The people of the land have practised extortion and committed robbery; they have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the alien without redress. ³⁰And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. ³¹Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them; I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; I have returned their conduct upon their heads, says the Lord GOD.

Oholah and Oholibah

23

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, there were two women, the daughters of one mother; ³they played the whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; their breasts were caressed there, and their virgin bosoms were fondled. ⁴Oholah was the name of the elder and Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.

⁵ Oholah played the whore while she was mine; she lusted after her lovers the Assyrians, warriorsb ⁶clothed in blue, governors and commanders, all of them handsome young men, mounted horsemen. ⁷She bestowed her favours upon them, the choicest men of Assyria all of them; and she defiled herself with all the idols of everyone for whom she lusted. ⁸She did not give up her whorings that she had practised since Egypt; for in her youth men had lain with her and fondled her virgin bosom and poured out their lust upon her. ⁹Therefore I delivered her into the hands of her lovers, into the hands of the Assyrians, for whom she lusted. ¹⁰These uncovered her nakedness; they seized her sons and her daughters; and they killed her with the sword. Judgement was executed upon her, and she became a byword among women.

¹¹ Her sister Oholibah saw this, yet she was more corrupt than her sister in her lusting and in her whorings, which were worse than those of her sister. ¹²She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and commanders, warriorsb clothed in full armour, mounted horsemen, all of them handsome young men. ¹³And I saw that she was defiled; they both took the same way. ¹⁴But she carried her whorings further; she saw male figures carved on the wall, images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion, ¹⁵with belts around their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them looking like officers—a picture of Babylonians whose native land was Chaldea. ¹⁶When she saw them she lusted after them, and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. ¹⁷And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their lust; and after she defiled herself with them, she turned from them in disgust. ¹⁸When she carried on her whorings so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned from her sister. ¹⁹Yet she increased her whorings, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the whore in the land of Egypt ²⁰and lusted after her paramours there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose emission was like that of stallions. ²¹Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptiansa fondled your bosom and caressedb your young breasts.

²² Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord GOD: I will arouse against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side: ²³the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, handsome young men, governors and commanders all of them, officers and warriors,c all of them riding on horses. ²⁴They shall come against you from the northd with chariots and wagons and a host of peoples; they shall set themselves against you on every side with buckler, shield, and helmet, and I will commit the judgement to them, and they shall judge you according to their ordinances. ²⁵I will direct my indignation against you, in order that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire. ²⁶They shall also strip you of your clothes and take away your fine jewels. ²⁷So I will put an end to your lewdness and your whoring brought from the land of Egypt; you shall not long for them, or remember Egypt any more. ²⁸For thus says the Lord GOD: I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom you turned in disgust; ²⁹and they shall deal with you in hatred, and take away all the fruit of your labour, and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whorings shall be exposed. Your lewdness and your whorings ³⁰have brought this upon you, because you played the whore with the nations, and polluted yourself with their idols. ³¹You have gone the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand. ³²Thus says the Lord GOD:

You shall drink your sister’s cup,

deep and wide;

you shall be scorned and derided,

it holds so much.

³³ You shall be filled with drunkenness and sorrow.

A cup of horror and desolation

is the cup of your sister Samaria;

³⁴ you shall drink it and drain it out,

and gnaw its sherds,

and tear out your breasts;

for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD. ³⁵Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, therefore bear the consequences of your lewdness and whorings.

³⁶ The LORD said to me: Mortal, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds. ³⁷For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands; with their idols they have committed adultery; and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. ³⁸Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my sabbaths. ³⁹For when they had slaughtered their children for their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. This is what they did in my house.

⁴⁰ They even sent for men to come from far away, to whom a messenger was sent, and they came. For them you bathed yourself, painted your eyes, and decked yourself with ornaments; ⁴¹you sat on a stately couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed my incense and my oil. ⁴²The sound of a raucous multitude was around her, with many of the rabble brought in drunken from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the armsa of the women, and beautiful crowns upon their heads.

⁴³ Then I said, Ah, she is worn out with adulteries, but they carry on their sexual acts with her. ⁴⁴For they have gone in to her, as one goes in to a whore. Thus they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, wanton women. ⁴⁵But righteous judges shall declare them guilty of adultery and of bloodshed; because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.

⁴⁶ For thus says the Lord GOD: Bring up an assembly against them, and make them an object of terror and of plunder. ⁴⁷The assembly shall stone them and with their swords they shall cut them down; they shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses. ⁴⁸Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, so that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done. ⁴⁹They shall repay you for your lewdness, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry; and you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

The Boiling Pot

24

IN THE ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day. ³And utter an allegory to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD:

Set on the pot, set it on,

pour in water also;

⁴ put in it the pieces,

all the good pieces, the thigh and the shoulder;

fill it with choice bones.

⁵ Take the choicest one of the flock,

pile the logsb under it;

boil its pieces,c

seethed also its bones in it.

⁶ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD:

Woe to the bloody city,

the pot whose rust is in it,

whose rust has not gone out of it!

Empty it piece by piece,

making no choice at all.a

⁷ For the blood she shed is inside it;

she placed it on a bare rock;

she did not pour it out on the ground,

to cover it with earth.

⁸ To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance,

I have placed the blood she shed

on a bare rock,

so that it may not be covered.

⁹Therefore thus says the Lord GOD:

Woe to the bloody city!

I will even make the pile great.

¹⁰ Heap up the logs, kindle the fire;

boil the meat well, mix in the spices,

let the bones be burned.

¹¹ Stand it empty upon the coals,

so that it may become hot, its copper glow,

its filth melt in it, its rust be consumed.

¹² In vain I have wearied myself;b

its thick rust does not depart.

To the fire with its rust!c

¹³ Yet, when I cleansed you in your filthy lewdness,

you did not become clean from your filth;

you shall not again be cleansed

until I have satisfied my fury upon you.

¹⁴I the LORD have spoken; the time is coming, I will act. I will not refrain, I will not spare, I will not relent. According to your ways and your doings I will judge you, says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel’s Bereavement

¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁶Mortal, with one blow I am about to take away from you the delight of your eyes; yet you shall not mourn or weep, nor shall your tears run down. ¹⁷Sigh, but not aloud; make no mourning for the dead. Bind on your turban, and put your sandals on your feet; do not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners.d ¹⁸So I spoke to the people in the morning, and at evening my wife died. And on the next morning I did as I was commanded.

¹⁹ Then the people said to me, ‘Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting in this way?’ ²⁰Then I said to them: The word of the LORD came to me: ²¹Say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your power, the delight of your eyes, and your heart’s desire; and your sons and your daughters whom you left behind shall fall by the sword. ²²And you shall do as I have done; you shall not cover your upper lip or eat the bread of mourners.a ²³Your turbans shall be on your heads and your sandals on your feet; you shall not mourn or weep, but you shall pine away in your iniquities and groan to one another. ²⁴Thus Ezekiel shall be a sign to you; you shall do just as he has done. When this comes, then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

²⁵ And you, mortal, on the day when I take from them their stronghold, their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes and their heart’s affection, and alsob their sons and their daughters, ²⁶on that day, one who has escaped will come to you to report to you the news. ²⁷On that day your mouth shall be opened to the one who has escaped, and you shall speak and no longer be silent. So you shall be a sign to them; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

Proclamation against Ammon

25

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, set your face towards the Ammonites and prophesy against them. ³Say to the Ammonites, Hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD, Because you said, ‘Aha!’ over my sanctuary when it was profaned, and over the land of Israel when it was made desolate, and over the house of Judah when it went into exile; ⁴therefore I am handing you over to the people of the east for a possession. They shall set their encampments among you and pitch their tents in your midst; they shall eat your fruit, and they shall drink your milk. ⁵I will make Rabbah a pasture for camels and Ammon a fold for flocks. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. ⁶For thus says the Lord GOD: Because you have clapped your hands and stamped your feet and rejoiced with all the malice within you against the land of Israel, ⁷therefore I have stretched out my hand against you, and will hand you over as plunder to the nations. I will cut you off from the peoples and will make you perish out of the countries; I will destroy you. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

Proclamation against Moab

⁸ Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Moabc said, The house of Judah is like all the other nations, ⁹therefore I will lay open the flank of Moab from the townsd on its frontier, the glory of the country, Beth-jeshimoth, Baal-meon, and Kiriathaim. ¹⁰I will give it along with Ammon to the people of the east as a possession. Thus Ammon shall be remembered no more among the nations, ¹¹and I will execute judgements upon Moab. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Proclamation against Edom

¹² Thus says the Lord GOD: Because Edom acted vengefully against the house of Judah and has grievously offended in taking vengeance upon them, ¹³therefore thus says the Lord GOD, I will stretch out my hand against Edom, and cut off from it humans and animals, and I will make it desolate; from Teman even to Dedan they shall fall by the sword. ¹⁴I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel; and they shall act in Edom according to my anger and according to my wrath; and they shall know my vengeance, says the Lord GOD.

Proclamation against Philistia

¹⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD: Because with unending hostilities the Philistines acted in vengeance, and with malice of heart took revenge in destruction; ¹⁶therefore thus says the Lord GOD, I will stretch out my hand against the Philistines, cut off the Cherethites, and destroy the rest of the sea coast. ¹⁷I will execute great vengeance on them with wrathful punishments. Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I lay my vengeance on them.

Proclamation against Tyre

26

IN THE eleventh year, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, because Tyre said concerning Jerusalem,

‘Aha, broken is the gateway of the peoples;

it has swung open to me;

I shall be replenished,

now that it is wasted’,

³therefore, thus says the Lord GOD:

See, I am against you, O Tyre!

I will hurl many nations against you,

as the sea hurls its waves.

⁴ They shall destroy the walls of Tyre

and break down its towers.

I will scrape its soil from it

and make it a bare rock.

⁵ It shall become, in the midst of the sea,

a place for spreading nets.

I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.

It shall become plunder for the nations,

⁶ and its daughter-towns in the country

shall be killed by the sword.

Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

⁷ For thus says the Lord GOD: I will bring against Tyre from the north King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, king of kings, together with horses, chariots, cavalry, and a great and powerful army.

⁸ Your daughter-towns in the country

he shall put to the sword.

He shall set up a siege-wall against you,

cast up a ramp against you,

and raise a roof of shields against you.

⁹ He shall direct the shock of his battering-rams against your walls

and break down your towers with his axes.

¹⁰ His horses shall be so many

that their dust shall cover you.

At the noise of cavalry, wheels, and chariots

your very walls shall shake,

when he enters your gates

like those entering a breached city.

¹¹ With the hoofs of his horses

he shall trample all your streets.

He shall put your people to the sword,

and your strong pillars shall fall to the ground.

¹² They will plunder your riches

and loot your merchandise;

they shall break down your walls

and destroy your fine houses.

Your stones and timber and soil

they shall cast into the water.

¹³ I will silence the music of your songs;

the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more.

¹⁴ I will make you a bare rock;

you shall be a place for spreading nets.

You shall never again be rebuilt,

for I the LORD have spoken,

says the Lord GOD.

¹⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD to Tyre: Shall not the coastlands shake at the sound of your fall, when the wounded groan, when slaughter goes on within you? ¹⁶Then all the princes of the sea shall step down from their thrones; they shall remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They shall clothe themselves with trembling, and shall sit on the ground; they shall tremble every moment, and be appalled at you. ¹⁷And they shall raise a lamentation over you, and say to you:

How you have vanisheda from the seas,

O city renowned,

once mighty on the sea,

you and your inhabitants,b

who imposed yourc terror

on all the mainland!d

¹⁸ Now the coastlands tremble

on the day of your fall;

the coastlands by the sea

are dismayed at your passing.

¹⁹ For thus says the Lord GOD: When I make you a city laid waste, like cities that are not inhabited, when I bring up the deep over you, and the great waters cover you, ²⁰then I will thrust you down with those who descend into the Pit, to the people of long ago, and I will make you live in the world below, among primeval ruins, with those who go down to the Pit, so that you will not be inhabited or have a placea in the land of the living. ²¹I will bring you to a dreadful end, and you shall be no more; though sought for, you will never be found again, says the Lord GOD.

Lamentation over Tyre

27

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Now you, mortal, raise a lamentation over Tyre, ³and say to Tyre, which sits at the entrance to the sea, merchant of the peoples on many coastlands, Thus says the Lord GOD:

O Tyre, you have said,

‘I am perfect in beauty.’

⁴ Your borders are in the heart of the seas;

your builders made perfect your beauty.

⁵ They made all your planks

of fir trees from Senir;

they took a cedar from Lebanon

to make a mast for you.

⁶ From oaks of Bashan

they made your oars;

they made your deck of pinesb

from the coasts of Cyprus,

inlaid with ivory.

⁷ Of fine embroidered linen from Egypt

was your sail,

serving as your ensign;

blue and purple from the coasts of Elishah

was your awning.

⁸ The inhabitants of Sidon and Arvad

were your rowers;

skilled men of Zemerc were within you,

they were your pilots.

⁹ The elders of Gebal and its artisans were within you,

caulking your seams;

all the ships of the sea with their mariners were within you,

to barter for your wares.

¹⁰ Parasd and Lud and Put

were in your army,

your mighty warriors;

they hung shield and helmet in you;

they gave you splendour.

¹¹ Men of Arvad and Heleche

were on your walls all round;

men of Gamad were at your towers.

They hung their quivers all round your walls;

they made perfect your beauty.

¹² Tarshish did business with you out of the abundance of your great wealth; silver, iron, tin, and lead they exchanged for your wares. ¹³Javan, Tubal, and Meshech traded with you; they exchanged human beings and vessels of bronze for your merchandise. ¹⁴Beth-togarmah exchanged for your wares horses, war-horses, and mules. ¹⁵The Rhodiansa traded with you; many coastlands were your own special markets; they brought you in payment ivory tusks and ebony. ¹⁶Edomb did business with you because of your abundant goods; they exchanged for your wares turquoise, purple, embroidered work, fine linen, coral, and rubies. ¹⁷Judah and the land of Israel traded with you; they exchanged for your merchandise wheat from Minnith, millet,c honey, oil, and balm. ¹⁸Damascus traded with you for your abundant goods—because of your great wealth of every kind—wine of Helbon, and white wool. ¹⁹Vedan and Javan from Uzalc entered into trade for your wares; wrought iron, cassia, and sweet cane were bartered for your merchandise. ²⁰Dedan traded with you in saddlecloths for riding. ²¹Arabia and all the princes of Kedar were your favoured dealers in lambs, rams, and goats; in these they did business with you. ²²The merchants of Sheba and Raamah traded with you; they exchanged for your wares the best of all kinds of spices, and all precious stones, and gold. ²³Haran, Canneh, Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad traded with you. ²⁴These traded with you in choice garments, in clothes of blue and embroidered work, and in carpets of coloured material, bound with cords and made secure; in these they traded with you.d ²⁵The ships of Tarshish travelled for you in your trade.

So you were filled and heavily laden

in the heart of the seas.

²⁶ Your rowers have brought you

into the high seas.

The east wind has wrecked you

in the heart of the seas.

²⁷ Your riches, your wares, your merchandise,

your mariners and your pilots,

your caulkers, your dealers in merchandise,

and all your warriors within you,

with all the company

that is with you,

sink into the heart of the seas

on the day of your ruin.

²⁸ At the sound of the cry of your pilots

the countryside shakes,

²⁹ and down from their ships

come all that handle the oar.

The mariners and all the pilots of the sea

stand on the shore

³⁰ and wail aloud over you,

and cry bitterly.

They throw dust on their heads

and wallow in ashes;

³¹ they make themselves bald for you,

and put on sackcloth,

and they weep over you in bitterness of soul,

with bitter mourning.

³² In their wailing they raise a lamentation for you,

and lament over you:

‘Who was ever destroyeda like Tyre

in the midst of the sea?

³³ When your wares came from the seas,

you satisfied many peoples;

with your abundant wealth and merchandise

you enriched the kings of the earth.

³⁴ Now you are wrecked by the seas,

in the depths of the waters;

your merchandise and all your crew

have sunk with you.

³⁵ All the inhabitants of the coastlands

are appalled at you;

and their kings are horribly afraid,

their faces are convulsed.

³⁶ The merchants among the peoples hiss at you;

you have come to a dreadful end

and shall be no more for ever.’

Proclamation against the King of Tyre

28

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, say to the prince of Tyre, Thus says the Lord GOD:

Because your heart is proud

and you have said, ‘I am a god;

I sit in the seat of the gods,

in the heart of the seas’,

yet you are but a mortal, and no god,

though you compare your mind

with the mind of a god.

³ You are indeed wiser than Daniel;b

no secret is hidden from you;

⁴ by your wisdom and your understanding

you have amassed wealth for yourself,

and have gathered gold and silver

into your treasuries.

⁵ By your great wisdom in trade

you have increased your wealth,

and your heart has become proud in your wealth.

⁶ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD:

Because you compare your mind

with the mind of a god,

⁷ therefore, I will bring strangers against you,

the most terrible of the nations;

they shall draw their swords against the beauty of your wisdom

and defile your splendour.

⁸ They shall thrust you down to the Pit,

and you shall die a violent death

in the heart of the seas.

⁹ Will you still say, ‘I am a god’,

in the presence of those who kill you,

though you are but a mortal, and no god,

in the hands of those who wound you?

¹⁰ You shall die the death of the uncircumcised

by the hand of foreigners;

for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD.

Lamentation over the King of Tyre

¹¹ Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me: ¹²Mortal, raise a lamentation over the king of Tyre, and say to him, Thus says the Lord GOD:

You were the signet of perfection,a

full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

¹³ You were in Eden, the garden of God;

every precious stone was your covering,

carnelian, chrysolite, and moonstone,

beryl, onyx, and jasper,

sapphire,b turquoise, and emerald;

and worked in gold were your settings

and your engravings.a

On the day that you were created

they were prepared.

¹⁴ With an anointed cherub as guardian I placed you;a

you were on the holy mountain of God;

you walked among the stones of fire.

¹⁵ You were blameless in your ways

from the day that you were created,

until iniquity was found in you.

¹⁶ In the abundance of your trade

you were filled with violence, and you sinned;

so I cast you as a profane thing from the mountain of God,

and the guardian cherub drove you out

from among the stones of fire.

¹⁷ Your heart was proud because of your beauty;

you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendour.

I cast you to the ground;

I exposed you before kings,

to feast their eyes on you.

¹⁸ By the multitude of your iniquities,

in the unrighteousness of your trade,

you profaned your sanctuaries.

So I brought out fire from within you;

it consumed you,

and I turned you to ashes on the earth

in the sight of all who saw you.

¹⁹ All who know you among the peoples

are appalled at you;

you have come to a dreadful end

and shall be no more for ever.

Proclamation against Sidon

²⁰ The word of the LORD came to me: ²¹Mortal, set your face towards Sidon, and prophesy against it, ²²and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

I am against you, O Sidon,

and I will gain glory in your midst.

They shall know that I am the LORD

when I execute judgements in it,

and manifest my holiness in it;

²³ for I will send pestilence into it,

and bloodshed into its streets;

and the dead shall fall in its midst,

by the sword that is against it on every side.

And they shall know that I am the LORD.

²⁴ The house of Israel shall no longer find a pricking brier or a piercing thorn among all their neighbours who have treated them with contempt. And they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

Future Blessing for Israel

²⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD: When I gather the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and manifest my holiness in them in the sight of the nations, then they shall settle on their own soil that I gave to my servant Jacob. ²⁶They shall live in safety in it, and shall build houses and plant vineyards. They shall live in safety, when I execute judgements upon all their neighbours who have treated them with contempt. And they shall know that I am the LORD their God.

Proclamation against Egypt

29

IN THE tenth year, in the tenth month, on the twelfth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, set your face against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and prophesy against him and against all Egypt; ³speak, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

I am against you,

Pharaoh king of Egypt,

the great dragon sprawling

in the midst of its channels,

saying, ‘My Nile is my own;

I made it for myself.’

⁴ I will put hooks in your jaws,

and make the fish of your channels stick to your scales.

I will draw you up from your channels,

with all the fish of your channels sticking to your scales.

⁵ I will fling you into the wilderness,

you and all the fish of your channels;

you shall fall in the open field,

and not be gathered and buried.

To the animals of the earth and to the birds of the air

I have given you as food.

⁶ Then all the inhabitants of Egypt shall know

that I am the LORD

because youa were a staff of reed

to the house of Israel;

⁷ when they grasped you with the hand, you broke,

and tore all their shoulders;

and when they leaned on you, you broke,

and made all their legs unsteady.b

⁸ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: I will bring a sword upon you, and will cut off from you human being and animal; ⁹and the land of Egypt shall be a desolation and a waste. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Because youc said, ‘The Nile is mine, and I made it’, ¹⁰therefore, I am against you, and against your channels, and I will make the land of Egypt an utter waste and desolation, from Migdol to Syene, as far as the border of Ethiopia.d ¹¹No human foot shall pass through it, and no animal foot shall pass through it; it shall be uninhabited for forty years. ¹²I will make the land of Egypt a desolation among desolated countries; and her cities shall be a desolation for forty years among cities that are laid waste. I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them among the countries.

¹³ Further, thus says the Lord GOD: At the end of forty years I will gather the Egyptians from the peoples among whom they were scattered; ¹⁴and I will restore the fortunes of Egypt, and bring them back to the land of Pathros, the land of their origin; and there they shall be a lowly kingdom. ¹⁵It shall be the most lowly of the kingdoms, and never again exalt itself above the nations; and I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations. ¹⁶The Egyptianse shall never again be the reliance of the house of Israel; they will recall their iniquity, when they turned to them for aid. Then they shall know that I am the Lord GOD.

Babylonia Will Plunder Egypt

¹⁷ In the twenty-seventh year, in the first month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁸Mortal, King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made his army labour hard against Tyre; every head was made bald and every shoulder was rubbed bare; yet neither he nor his army got anything from Tyre to pay for the labour that he had expended against it. ¹⁹Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: I will give the land of Egypt to King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon; and he shall carry off its wealth and despoil it and plunder it; and it shall be the wages for his army. ²⁰I have given him the land of Egypt as his payment for which he laboured, because they worked for me, says the Lord GOD.

²¹ On that day I will cause a horn to sprout up for the house of Israel, and I will open your lips among them. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Lamentation for Egypt

30

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, prophesy, and say, Thus says the Lord GOD:

Wail, ‘Alas for the day!’

³ For a day is near,

the day of the LORD is near;

it will be a day of clouds,

a time of dooma for the nations.

⁴ A sword shall come upon Egypt,

and anguish shall be in Ethiopia,b

when the slain fall in Egypt,

and its wealth is carried away,

and its foundations are torn down.

⁵Ethiopia,c and Put, and Lud, and all Arabia, and Libya,c and the people of the allied landd shall fall with them by the sword.

⁶ Thus says the LORD:

Those who support Egypt shall fall,

and its proud might shall come down;

from Migdol to Syene

they shall fall within it by the sword,

says the Lord GOD.

⁷ They shall be desolated among other desolated countries,

and their cities shall lie among cities laid waste.

⁸ Then they shall know that I am the LORD,

when I have set fire to Egypt,

and all who help it are broken.

⁹ On that day, messengers shall go out from me in ships to terrify the unsuspecting Ethiopians;e and anguish shall come upon them on the day of Egypt’s doom;f for it is coming!

¹⁰ Thus says the Lord GOD:

I will put an end to the hordes of Egypt,

by the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon.

¹¹ He and his people with him, the most terrible of the nations,

shall be brought in to destroy the land;

and they shall draw their swords against Egypt,

and fill the land with the slain.

¹² I will dry up the channels,

and will sell the land into the hand of evildoers;

I will bring desolation upon the land and everything in it

by the hand of foreigners;

I the LORD have spoken.

¹³ Thus says the Lord GOD:

I will destroy the idols

and put an end to the images in Memphis;

there shall no longer be a prince in the land of Egypt;

so I will put fear in the land of Egypt.

¹⁴ I will make Pathros a desolation,

and will set fire to Zoan,

and will execute acts of judgement on Thebes.

¹⁵ I will pour my wrath upon Pelusium,

the stronghold of Egypt,

and cut off the hordes of Thebes.

¹⁶ I will set fire to Egypt;

Pelusium shall be in great agony;

Thebes shall be breached,

and Memphis face adversaries by day.

¹⁷ The young men of On and of Pi-beseth shall fall by the sword;

and the cities themselvesa shall go into captivity.

¹⁸ At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark,

when I break there the dominion of Egypt,

and its proud might shall come to an end;

the cityb shall be covered by a cloud,

and its daughter-towns shall go into captivity.

¹⁹ Thus I will execute acts of judgement on Egypt.

Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Proclamation against Pharaoh

²⁰ In the eleventh year, in the first month, on the seventh day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²¹Mortal, I have broken the arm of Pharaoh king of Egypt; it has not been bound up for healing or wrapped with a bandage, so that it may become strong to wield the sword. ²²Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: I am against Pharaoh king of Egypt, and will break his arms, both the strong arm and the one that was broken; and I will make the sword fall from his hand. ²³I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations, and disperse them throughout the lands. ²⁴I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, and put my sword in his hand; but I will break the arms of Pharaoh, and he will groan before him with the groans of one mortally wounded. ²⁵I will strengthen the arms of the king of Babylon, but the arms of Pharaoh shall fall. And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I put my sword into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall stretch it out against the land of Egypt, ²⁶and I will scatter the Egyptians among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

The Lofty Cedar

31

IN THE eleventh year, in the third month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, say to Pharaoh king of Egypt and to his hordes:

Whom are you like in your greatness?

³ Consider Assyria, a cedar of Lebanon,

with fair branches and forest shade,

and of great height,

its top among the clouds.a

⁴ The waters nourished it,

the deep made it grow tall,

making its rivers flowb

around the place where it was planted,

sending forth its streams

to all the trees of the field.

⁵ So it towered high

above all the trees of the field;

its boughs grew large

and its branches long,

from abundant water in its shoots.

⁶ All the birds of the air

made their nests in its boughs;

under its branches all the animals of the field

gave birth to their young;

and in its shade

all great nations lived.

⁷ It was beautiful in its greatness,

in the length of its branches;

for its roots went down

to abundant water.

⁸ The cedars in the garden of God could not rival it,

nor the fir trees equal its boughs;

the plane trees were as nothing

compared with its branches;

no tree in the garden of God

was like it in beauty.

⁹ I made it beautiful

with its mass of branches,

the envy of all the trees of Eden

that were in the garden of God.

¹⁰ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Because ita towered high and set its top among the clouds,b and its heart was proud of its height, ¹¹I gave it into the hand of the prince of the nations; he has dealt with it as its wickedness deserves. I have cast it out. ¹²Foreigners from the most terrible of the nations have cut it down and left it. On the mountains and in all the valleys its branches have fallen, and its boughs lie broken in all the watercourses of the land; and all the peoples of the earth went away from its shade and left it.

¹³ On its fallen trunk settle

all the birds of the air,

and among its boughs lodge

all the wild animals.

¹⁴All this is in order that no trees by the waters may grow to lofty height or set their tops among the clouds,b and that no trees that drink water may reach up to them in height.

For all of them are handed over to death,

to the world below;

along with all mortals,

with those who go down to the Pit.

¹⁵ Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day it went down to Sheol I closed the deep over it and covered it; I restrained its rivers, and its mighty waters were checked. I clothed Lebanon in gloom for it, and all the trees of the field fainted because of it. ¹⁶I made the nations quake at the sound of its fall, when I cast it down to Sheol with those who go down to the Pit; and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that were well watered, were consoled in the world below. ¹⁷They also went down to Sheol with it, to those killed by the sword, along with its allies,c those who lived in its shade among the nations.

¹⁸ Which among the trees of Eden was like you in glory and in greatness? Now you shall be brought down with the trees of Eden to the world below; you shall lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are killed by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his horde, says the Lord GOD.

Lamentation over Pharaoh and Egypt

32

IN THE twelfth year, in the twelfth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, raise a lamentation over Pharaoh king of Egypt, and say to him:

You consider yourself a lion among the nations,

but you are like a dragon in the seas;

you thrash about in your streams,

trouble the water with your feet,

and foul yourd streams.

³ Thus says the Lord GOD:

In an assembly of many peoples

I will throw my net over you;

and Ia will haul you up in my dragnet.

⁴ I will throw you on the ground,

on the open field I will fling you,

and will cause all the birds of the air to settle on you,

and I will let the wild animals of the whole earth gorge themselves on you.

⁵ I will strew your flesh on the mountains,

and fill the valleys with your carcass.b

⁶ I will drench the land with your flowing blood

up to the mountains,

and the watercourses will be filled with you.

⁷ When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens,

and make their stars dark;

I will cover the sun with a cloud,

and the moon shall not give its light.

⁸ All the shining lights of the heavens

I will darken above you,

and put darkness on your land,

says the Lord GOD.

⁹ I will trouble the hearts of many peoples,

as I carry you captivec among the nations,

into countries you have not known.

¹⁰ I will make many peoples appalled at you;

their kings shall shudder because of you.

When I brandish my sword before them,

they shall tremble at every moment

for their lives, each one of them,

on the day of your downfall.

¹¹ For thus says the Lord GOD:

The sword of the king of Babylon shall come against you.

¹² I will cause your hordes to fall

by the swords of mighty ones,

all of them most terrible among the nations.

They shall bring to ruin the pride of Egypt,

and all its hordes shall perish.

¹³ I will destroy all its livestock

from beside abundant waters;

and no human foot shall trouble them any more,

nor shall the hoofs of cattle trouble them.

¹⁴ Then I will make their waters clear,

and cause their streams to run like oil, says the Lord GOD.

¹⁵ When I make the land of Egypt desolate

and when the land is stripped of all that fills it,

when I strike down all who live in it,

then they shall know that I am the LORD.

¹⁶ This is a lamentation; it shall be chanted.

The women of the nations shall chant it.

Over Egypt and all its hordes they shall chant it,

says the Lord GOD.

Dirge over Egypt

¹⁷ In the twelfth year, in the first month,a on the fifteenth day of the month, the word of the LORD came to me:

¹⁸ Mortal, wail over the hordes of Egypt,

and send them down,

with Egyptb and the daughters of majestic nations,

to the world below,

with those who go down to the Pit.

¹⁹ ‘Whom do you surpass in beauty?

Go down! Be laid to rest with the uncircumcised!’

²⁰They shall fall among those who are killed by the sword. Egyptc has been handed over to the sword; carry away both it and its hordes. ²¹The mighty chiefs shall speak of them, with their helpers, out of the midst of Sheol: ‘They have come down, they lie still, the uncircumcised, killed by the sword.’

²² Assyria is there, and all its company, their graves all around it, all of them killed, fallen by the sword. ²³Their graves are set in the uttermost parts of the Pit. Its company is all around its grave, all of them killed, fallen by the sword, who spread terror in the land of the living.

²⁴ Elam is there, and all its hordes around its grave; all of them killed, fallen by the sword, who went down uncircumcised into the world below, who spread terror in the land of the living. They bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit. ²⁵They have made Elamb a bed among the slain with all its hordes, their graves all around it, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword; for terror of them was spread in the land of the living, and they bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit; they are placed among the slain.

²⁶ Meshech and Tubal are there, and all their multitude, their graves all around them, all of them uncircumcised, killed by the sword; for they spread terror in the land of the living. ²⁷And they do not lie with the fallen warriors of long agod who went down to Sheol with their weapons of war, whose swords were laid under their heads, and whose shieldse are upon their bones; for the terror of the warriors was in the land of the living. ²⁸So you shall be broken and lie among the uncircumcised, with those who are killed by the sword.

²⁹ Edom is there, its kings and all its princes, who for all their might are laid with those who are killed by the sword; they lie with the uncircumcised, with those who go down to the Pit.

³⁰ The princes of the north are there, all of them, and all the Sidonians, who have gone down in shame with the slain, for all the terror that they caused by their might; they lie uncircumcised with those who are killed by the sword, and bear their shame with those who go down to the Pit.

³¹ When Pharaoh sees them, he will be consoled for all his hordes—Pharaoh and all his army, killed by the sword, says the Lord GOD. ³²For hea spread terror in the land of the living; therefore he shall be laid to rest among the uncircumcised, with those who are slain by the sword—Pharaoh and all his multitude, says the Lord GOD.

Ezekiel Israel’s Sentinel

33

THE word of the LORD came to me: ²O Mortal, speak to your people and say to them, If I bring the sword upon a land, and the people of the land take one of their number as their sentinel; ³and if the sentinel sees the sword coming upon the land and blows the trumpet and warns the people; ⁴then if any who hear the sound of the trumpet do not take warning, and the sword comes and takes them away, their blood shall be upon their own heads. ⁵They heard the sound of the trumpet and did not take warning; their blood shall be upon themselves. But if they had taken warning, they would have saved their lives. ⁶But if the sentinel sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, so that the people are not warned, and the sword comes and takes any of them, they are taken away in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at the sentinel’s hand.

⁷ So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. ⁸If I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked ones, you shall surely die’, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but their blood I will require at your hand. ⁹But if you warn the wicked to turn from their ways, and they do not turn from their ways, the wicked shall die in their iniquity, but you will have saved your life.

God’s Justice and Mercy

¹⁰ Now you, mortal, say to the house of Israel, Thus you have said: ‘Our transgressions and our sins weigh upon us, and we waste away because of them; how then can we live?’ ¹¹Say to them, As I live, says the Lord GOD, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from their ways and live; turn back, turn back from your evil ways; for why will you die, O house of Israel? ¹²And you, mortal, say to your people, The righteousness of the righteous shall not save them when they transgress; and as for the wickedness of the wicked, it shall not make them stumble when they turn from their wickedness; and the righteous shall not be able to live by their righteousnessb when they sin. ¹³Though I say to the righteous that they shall surely live, yet if they trust in their righteousness and commit iniquity, none of their righteous deeds shall be remembered; but in the iniquity that they have committed they shall die. ¹⁴Again, though I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die’, yet if they turn from their sin and do what is lawful and right—¹⁵if the wicked restore the pledge, give back what they have taken by robbery, and walk in the statutes of life, committing no iniquity—they shall surely live, they shall not die. ¹⁶None of the sins that they have committed shall be remembered against them; they have done what is lawful and right, they shall surely live.

¹⁷ Yet your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just’, when it is their own way that is not just. ¹⁸When the righteous turn from their righteousness, and commit iniquity, they shall die for it.a ¹⁹And when the wicked turn from their wickedness, and do what is lawful and right, they shall live by it.a ²⁰Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not just.’ O house of Israel, I will judge all of you according to your ways!

The Fall of Jerusalem

²¹ In the twelfth year of our exile, in the tenth month, on the fifth day of the month, someone who had escaped from Jerusalem came to me and said, ‘The city has fallen.’ ²²Now the hand of the LORD had been upon me the evening before the fugitive came; but he had opened my mouth by the time the fugitive came to me in the morning; so my mouth was opened, and I was no longer unable to speak.

The Survivors in Judah

²³ The word of the LORD came to me: ²⁴Mortal, the inhabitants of these waste places in the land of Israel keep saying, ‘Abraham was only one man, yet he got possession of the land; but we are many; the land is surely given to us to possess.’ ²⁵Therefore say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: You eat flesh with the blood, and lift up your eyes to your idols, and shed blood; shall you then possess the land? ²⁶You depend on your swords, you commit abominations, and each of you defiles his neighbour’s wife; shall you then possess the land? ²⁷Say this to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: As I live, surely those who are in the waste places shall fall by the sword; and those who are in the open field I will give to the wild animals to be devoured; and those who are in strongholds and in caves shall die by pestilence. ²⁸I will make the land a desolation and a waste, and its proud might shall come to an end; and the mountains of Israel shall be so desolate that no one will pass through. ²⁹Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have made the land a desolation and a waste because of all their abominations that they have committed.

³⁰ As for you, mortal, your people who talk together about you by the walls, and at the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to a neighbour, ‘Come and hear what the word is that comes from the LORD.’ ³¹They come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear your words, but they will not obey them. For flattery is on their lips, but their heart is set on their gain. ³²To them you are like a singer of love songs,b one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; they hear what you say, but they will not do it. ³³When this comes—and come it will!—then they shall know that a prophet has been among them.

Israel’s False Shepherds

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THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel: prophesy, and say to them—to the shepherds: Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves! Should not shepherds feed the sheep? ³You eat the fat, you clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep. ⁴You have not strengthened the weak, you have not healed the sick, you have not bound up the injured, you have not brought back the strayed, you have not sought the lost, but with force and harshness you have ruled them. ⁵So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd; and scattered, they became food for all the wild animals. ⁶My sheep were scattered, they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill; my sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with no one to search or seek for them.

⁷ Therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ⁸As I live, says the Lord GOD, because my sheep have become a prey, and my sheep have become food for all the wild animals, since there was no shepherd; and because my shepherds have not searched for my sheep, but the shepherds have fed themselves, and have not fed my sheep; ⁹therefore, you shepherds, hear the word of the LORD: ¹⁰Thus says the Lord GOD, I am against the shepherds; and I will demand my sheep at their hand, and put a stop to their feeding the sheep; no longer shall the shepherds feed themselves. I will rescue my sheep from their mouths, so that they may not be food for them.

God the True Shepherd

¹¹ For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. ¹²As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. ¹³I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. ¹⁴I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. ¹⁵I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁶I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.

¹⁷ As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats: ¹⁸Is it not enough for you to feed on the good pasture, but you must tread down with your feet the rest of your pasture? When you drink of clear water, must you foul the rest with your feet? ¹⁹And must my sheep eat what you have trodden with your feet, and drink what you have fouled with your feet?

²⁰ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. ²¹Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, ²²I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.

²³ I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. ²⁴And I, the LORD, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them; I, the LORD, have spoken.

²⁵ I will make with them a covenant of peace and banish wild animals from the land, so that they may live in the wild and sleep in the woods securely. ²⁶I will make them and the region around my hill a blessing; and I will send down the showers in their season; they shall be showers of blessing. ²⁷The trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield its increase. They shall be secure on their soil; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I break the bars of their yoke, and save them from the hands of those who enslaved them. ²⁸They shall no more be plunder for the nations, nor shall the animals of the land devour them; they shall live in safety, and no one shall make them afraid. ²⁹I will provide for them splendid vegetation, so that they shall no more be consumed with hunger in the land, and no longer suffer the insults of the nations. ³⁰They shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them, and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. ³¹You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture,a and I am your God, says the Lord GOD.

Judgement on Mount Seir

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THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, set your face against Mount Seir, and prophesy against it, ³and say to it, Thus says the Lord GOD:

I am against you, Mount Seir;

I stretch out my hand against you

to make you a desolation and a waste.

⁴ I lay your towns in ruins;

you shall become a desolation,

and you shall know that I am the LORD.

⁵Because you cherished an ancient enmity, and gave over the people of Israel to the power of the sword at the time of their calamity, at the time of their final punishment; ⁶therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will prepare you for blood, and blood shall pursue you; since you did not hate bloodshed, bloodshed shall pursue you. ⁷I will make Mount Seir a waste and a desolation; and I will cut off from it all who come and go. ⁸I will fill its mountains with the slain; on your hills and in your valleys and in all your watercourses those killed with the sword shall fall. ⁹I will make you a perpetual desolation, and your cities shall never be inhabited. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

¹⁰ Because you said, ‘These two nations and these two countries shall be mine, and we will take possession of them’—although the LORD was there—¹¹therefore, as I live, says the Lord GOD, I will deal with you according to the anger and envy that you showed because of your hatred against them; and I will make myself known among you,b when I judge you. ¹²You shall know that I, the LORD, have heard all the abusive speech that you uttered against the mountains of Israel, saying, ‘They are laid desolate, they are given to us to devour.’ ¹³And you magnified yourselves against me with your mouth, and multiplied your words against me; I heard it. ¹⁴Thus says the Lord GOD: As the whole earth rejoices, I will make you desolate. ¹⁵As you rejoiced over the inheritance of the house of Israel, because it was desolate, so I will deal with you; you shall be desolate, Mount Seir, and all Edom, all of it. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Blessing on Israel

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AND you, mortal, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the LORD. ²Thus says the Lord GOD: Because the enemy said of you, ‘Aha!’ and, ‘The ancient heights have become our possession’, ³therefore prophesy, and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: Because they made you desolate indeed, and crushed you from all sides, so that you became the possession of the rest of the nations, and you became an object of gossip and slander among the people; ⁴therefore, O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord GOD: Thus says the Lord GOD to the mountains and the hills, the watercourses and the valleys, the desolate wastes and the deserted towns, which have become a source of plunder and an object of derision to the rest of the nations all around; ⁵therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I am speaking in my hot jealousy against the rest of the nations, and against all Edom, who, with wholehearted joy and utter contempt, took my land as their possession, because of its pasture, to plunder it. ⁶Therefore prophesy concerning the land of Israel, and say to the mountains and hills, to the watercourses and valleys, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am speaking in my jealous wrath, because you have suffered the insults of the nations; ⁷therefore thus says the Lord GOD: I swear that the nations that are all around you shall themselves suffer insults.

⁸ But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot out your branches, and yield your fruit to my people Israel; for they shall soon come home. ⁹See now, I am for you; I will turn to you, and you shall be tilled and sown; ¹⁰and I will multiply your population, the whole house of Israel, all of it; the towns shall be inhabited and the waste places rebuilt; ¹¹and I will multiply human beings and animals upon you. They shall increase and be fruitful; and I will cause you to be inhabited as in your former times, and will do more good to you than ever before. Then you shall know that I am the LORD. ¹²I will lead people upon you—my people Israel—and they shall possess you, and you shall be their inheritance. No longer shall you bereave them of children.

¹³ Thus says the Lord GOD: Because they say to you, ‘You devour people, and you bereave your nation of children’, ¹⁴therefore you shall no longer devour people and no longer bereave your nation of children, says the Lord GOD; ¹⁵and no longer will I let you hear the insults of the nations, no longer shall you bear the disgrace of the peoples; and no longer shall you cause your nation to stumble, says the Lord GOD.

The Renewal of Israel

¹⁶ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁷Mortal, when the house of Israel lived on their own soil, they defiled it with their ways and their deeds; their conduct in my sight was like the uncleanness of a woman in her menstrual period. ¹⁸So I poured out my wrath upon them for the blood that they had shed upon the land, and for the idols with which they had defiled it. ¹⁹I scattered them among the nations, and they were dispersed through the countries; in accordance with their conduct and their deeds I judged them. ²⁰But when they came to the nations, wherever they came, they profaned my holy name, in that it was said of them, ‘These are the people of the LORD, and yet they had to go out of his land.’ ²¹But I had concern for my holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the nations to which they came.

²² Therefore say to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: It is not for your sake, O house of Israel, that I am about to act, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations to which you came. ²³I will sanctify my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, says the Lord GOD, when through you I display my holiness before their eyes. ²⁴I will take you from the nations, and gather you from all the countries, and bring you into your own land. ²⁵I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. ²⁶A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷I will put my spirit within you, and make you follow my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances. ²⁸Then you shall live in the land that I gave to your ancestors; and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. ²⁹I will save you from all your uncleannesses, and I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you. ³⁰I will make the fruit of the tree and the produce of the field abundant, so that you may never again suffer the disgrace of famine among the nations. ³¹Then you shall remember your evil ways, and your dealings that were not good; and you shall loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds. ³²It is not for your sake that I will act, says the Lord GOD; let that be known to you. Be ashamed and dismayed for your ways, O house of Israel.

³³ Thus says the Lord GOD: On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will cause the towns to be inhabited, and the waste places shall be rebuilt. ³⁴The land that was desolate shall be tilled, instead of being the desolation that it was in the sight of all who passed by. ³⁵And they will say, ‘This land that was desolate has become like the garden of Eden; and the waste and desolate and ruined towns are now inhabited and fortified.’ ³⁶Then the nations that are left all around you shall know that I, the LORD, have rebuilt the ruined places, and replanted that which was desolate; I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will do it.

³⁷ Thus says the Lord GOD: I will also let the house of Israel ask me to do this for them: to increase their population like a flock. ³⁸Like the flock for sacrifices,a like the flock at Jerusalem during her appointed festivals, so shall the ruined towns be filled with flocks of people. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

The Valley of Dry Bones

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THE hand of the LORD came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the LORD and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ²He led me all round them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. ³He said to me, ‘Mortal, can these bones live?’ I answered, ‘O Lord GOD, you know.’ ⁴Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the LORD. ⁵Thus says the Lord GOD to these bones: I will cause breathb to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breathb in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the LORD.’

⁷ So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹Then he said to me, ‘Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath:a Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath,a and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.’ ¹⁰I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.

¹¹ Then he said to me, ‘Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, “Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.” ¹²Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³And you shall know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken and will act, says the LORD.’

The Two Sticks

¹⁵ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁶Mortal, take a stick and write on it, ‘For Judah, and the Israelites associated with it’ then take another stick and write on it, ‘For Joseph (the stick of Ephraim) and all the house of Israel associated with it’ ¹⁷and join them together into one stick, so that they may become one in your hand. ¹⁸And when your people say to you, ‘Will you not show us what you mean by these?’ ¹⁹say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I am about to take the stick of Joseph (which is in the hand of Ephraim) and the tribes of Israel associated with it; and I will put the stick of Judah upon it,b and make them one stick, in order that they may be one in my hand. ²⁰When the sticks on which you write are in your hand before their eyes, ²¹then say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from every quarter, and bring them to their own land. ²²I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel; and one king shall be king over them all. Never again shall they be two nations, and never again shall they be divided into two kingdoms. ²³They shall never again defile themselves with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. I will save them from all the apostasies into which they have fallen,c and will cleanse them. Then they shall be my people, and I will be their God.

²⁴ My servant David shall be king over them; and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall follow my ordinances and be careful to observe my statutes. ²⁵They shall live in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your ancestors lived; they and their children and their children’s children shall live there for ever; and my servant David shall be their prince for ever. ²⁶I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will blessd them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary among them for evermore. ²⁷My dwelling-place shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. ²⁸Then the nations shall know that I the LORD sanctify Israel, when my sanctuary is among them for evermore.

Invasion by Gog

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THE word of the LORD came to me: ²Mortal, set your face towards Gog, of the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. Prophesy against him ³and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal; ⁴I will turn you round and put hooks into your jaws, and I will lead you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them clothed in full armour, a great company, all of them with shield and buckler, wielding swords. ⁵Persia, Ethiopia,a and Put are with them, all of them with buckler and helmet; ⁶Gomer and all its troops; Beth-togarmah from the remotest parts of the north with all its troops—many peoples are with you.

⁷ Be ready and keep ready, you and all the companies that are assembled around you, and hold yourselves in reserve for them. ⁸After many days you shall be mustered; in the latter years you shall go against a land restored from war, a land where people were gathered from many nations on the mountains of Israel, which had long lain waste; its people were brought out from the nations and now are living in safety, all of them. ⁹You shall advance, coming on like a storm; you shall be like a cloud covering the land, you and all your troops, and many peoples with you.

¹⁰ Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day thoughts will come into your mind, and you will devise an evil scheme. ¹¹You will say, ‘I will go up against the land of unwalled villages; I will fall upon the quiet people who live in safety, all of them living without walls, and having no bars or gates’ ¹²to seize spoil and carry off plunder; to assail the waste places that are now inhabited, and the people who were gathered from the nations, who are acquiring cattle and goods, who live at the centreb of the earth. ¹³Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its young warriorsc will say to you, ‘Have you come to seize spoil? Have you assembled your horde to carry off plunder, to carry away silver and gold, to take away cattle and goods, to seize a great amount of booty?’

¹⁴ Therefore, mortal, prophesy, and say to Gog: Thus says the Lord GOD: On that day when my people Israel are living securely, you will rouse yourselfd ¹⁵and come from your place out of the remotest parts of the north, you and many peoples with you, all of them riding on horses, a great horde, a mighty army; ¹⁶you will come up against my people Israel, like a cloud covering the earth. In the latter days I will bring you against my land, so that the nations may know me, when through you, O Gog, I display my holiness before their eyes.

Judgement on Gog

¹⁷ Thus says the Lord GOD: Are you he of whom I spoke in former days by my servants the prophets of Israel, who in those days prophesied for years that I would bring you against them? ¹⁸On that day, when Gog comes against the land of Israel, says the Lord GOD, my wrath shall be aroused. ¹⁹For in my jealousy and in my blazing wrath I declare: On that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel; ²⁰the fish of the sea, and the birds of the air, and the animals of the field, and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all human beings that are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground. ²¹I will summon the sword against Goge inf all my mountains, says the Lord GOD; the swords of all will be against their comrades. ²²With pestilence and bloodshed I will enter into judgement with him; and I will pour down torrential rains and hailstones, fire and sulphur, upon him and his troops and the many peoples that are with him. ²³So I will display my greatness and my holiness and make myself known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.

Gog’s Armies Destroyed

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AND you, mortal, prophesy against Gog, and say: Thus says the Lord GOD: I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Meshech and Tubal! ²I will turn you round and drive you forwards, and bring you up from the remotest parts of the north, and lead you against the mountains of Israel. ³I will strike your bow from your left hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. ⁴You shall fall in the mountains of Israel, you and all your troops and the peoples that are with you; I will give you to birds of prey of every kind and to the wild animals to be devoured. ⁵You shall fall in the open field; for I have spoken, says the Lord GOD. ⁶I will send fire on Magog and on those who live securely in the coastlands; and they shall know that I am the LORD.

⁷ My holy name I will make known among my people Israel; and I will not let my holy name be profaned any more; and the nations shall know that I am the LORD, the Holy One in Israel. ⁸It has come! It has happened, says the Lord GOD. This is the day of which I have spoken.

⁹ Then those who live in the towns of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them—bucklers and shields, bows and arrows, hand-pikes and spears—and they will make fires of them for seven years. ¹⁰They will not need to take wood out of the field or cut down any trees in the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons; they will despoil those who despoiled them, and plunder those who plundered them, says the Lord GOD.

The Burial of Gog

¹¹ On that day I will give to Gog a place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travellersa east of the sea; it shall block the path of the travellers, for there Gog and all his horde will be buried; it shall be called the Valley of Hamon-gog.b ¹²Seven months the house of Israel shall spend burying them, in order to cleanse the land. ¹³All the people of the land shall bury them; and it will bring them honour on the day that I show my glory, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁴They will set apart men to pass through the land regularly and bury any invadersc who remain on the face of the land, so as to cleanse it; for seven months they shall make their search. ¹⁵As the searchersc pass through the land, anyone who sees a human bone shall set up a sign by it, until the buriers have buried it in the Valley of Hamon-gog.b ¹⁶(A city Hamonahd is there also.) Thus they shall cleanse the land.

¹⁷ As for you, mortal, thus says the Lord GOD: Speak to the birds of every kind and to all the wild animals: Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and you shall eat flesh and drink blood. ¹⁸You shall eat the flesh of the mighty, and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of goats, of bulls, all of them fatlings of Bashan. ¹⁹You shall eat fat until you are filled, and drink blood until you are drunk, at the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you. ²⁰And you shall be filled at my table with horses and charioteers,a with warriors and all kinds of soldiers, says the Lord GOD.

Israel Restored to the Land

²¹ I will display my glory among the nations; and all the nations shall see my judgement that I have executed, and my hand that I have laid on them. ²²The house of Israel shall know that I am the LORD their God, from that day forward. ²³And the nations shall know that the house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt treacherously with me. So I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword. ²⁴I dealt with them according to their uncleanness and their transgressions, and hid my face from them.

²⁵ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD: Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob, and have mercy on the whole house of Israel; and I will be jealous for my holy name. ²⁶They shall forgetb their shame, and all the treachery they have practised against me, when they live securely in their land with no one to make them afraid, ²⁷when I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies’ lands, and through them have displayed my holiness in the sight of many nations. ²⁸Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God because I sent them into exile among the nations, and then gathered them into their own land. I will leave none of them behind; ²⁹and I will never again hide my face from them, when I pour out my spirit upon the house of Israel, says the Lord GOD.

The Vision of the New Temple

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IN THE twenty-fifth year of our exile, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was struck down, on that very day, the hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me there. ²He brought me, in visions of God, to the land of Israel, and set me down upon a very high mountain, on which was a structure like a city to the south. ³When he brought me there, a man was there, whose appearance shone like bronze, with a linen cord and a measuring reed in his hand; and he was standing in the gateway. ⁴The man said to me, ‘Mortal, look closely and listen attentively, and set your mind upon all that I shall show you, for you were brought here in order that I might show it to you; declare all that you see to the house of Israel.’

⁵ Now there was a wall all round the outside of the temple area. The length of the measuring reed in the man’s hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length; so he measured the thickness of the wall, one reed; and the height, one reed. ⁶Then he went into the gateway facing east, going up its steps, and measured the threshold of the gate, one reed deep.c There were ⁷recesses, and each recess was one reed wide and one reed deep; and the space between the recesses, five cubits; and the threshold of the gate by the vestibule of the gate at the inner end was one reed deep. ⁸Then he measured the inner vestibule of the gateway, one cubit. ⁹Then he measured the vestibule of the gateway, eight cubits; and its pilasters, two cubits; and the vestibule of the gate was at the inner end. ¹⁰There were three recesses on either side of the east gate; the three were of the same size; and the pilasters on either side were of the same size. ¹¹Then he measured the width of the opening of the gateway, ten cubits; and the width of the gateway, thirteen cubits. ¹²There was a barrier before the recesses, one cubit on either side; and the recesses were six cubits on either side. ¹³Then he measured the gate from the backa of one recess to the backa of the other, a width of twenty-five cubits, from wall to wall.b ¹⁴He measuredc also the vestibule, twenty cubits; and the gate next to the pilaster on every side of the court.d ¹⁵From the front of the gate at the entrance to the end of the inner vestibule of the gate was fifty cubits. ¹⁶The recesses and their pilasters had windows, with shuttersd on the inside of the gateway all round, and the vestibules also had windows on the inside all round; and on the pilasters were palm trees.

¹⁷ Then he brought me into the outer court; there were chambers there, and a pavement, all round the court; thirty chambers fronted on the pavement. ¹⁸The pavement ran along the side of the gates, corresponding to the length of the gates; this was the lower pavement. ¹⁹Then he measured the distance from the inner front ofe the lower gate to the outer front of the inner court, one hundred cubits.f

²⁰ Then he measured the gate of the outer court that faced north—its depth and width. ²¹Its recesses, three on either side, and its pilasters and its vestibule were of the same size as those of the first gate; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. ²²Its windows, its vestibule, and its palm trees were of the same size as those of the gate that faced towards the east. Seven steps led up to it; and its vestibule was on the inside.g ²³Opposite the gate on the north, as on the east, was a gate to the inner court; he measured from gate to gate, one hundred cubits.

²⁴ Then he led me towards the south, and there was a gate on the south; and he measured its pilasters and its vestibule; they had the same dimensions as the others. ²⁵There were windows all round in it and in its vestibule, like the windows of the others; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. ²⁶There were seven steps leading up to it; its vestibule was on the inside.g It had palm trees on its pilasters, one on either side. ²⁷There was a gate on the south of the inner court; and he measured from gate to gate towards the south, one hundred cubits.

²⁸ Then he brought me to the inner court by the south gate, and he measured the south gate; it was of the same dimensions as the others. ²⁹Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others; and there were windows all round in it and in its vestibule; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. ³⁰There were vestibules all round, twenty-five cubits deep and five cubits wide. ³¹Its vestibule faced the outer court, and palm trees were on its pilasters, and its stairway had eight steps.

³² Then he brought me to the inner court on the east side, and he measured the gate; it was of the same size as the others. ³³Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same dimensions as the others; and there were windows all round in it and in its vestibule; its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. ³⁴Its vestibule faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its pilasters, on either side; and its stairway had eight steps.

³⁵ Then he brought me to the north gate, and he measured it; it had the same dimensions as the others. ³⁶Its recesses, its pilasters, and its vestibule were of the same size as the others;a and it had windows all round. Its depth was fifty cubits, and its width twenty-five cubits. ³⁷Its vestibuleb faced the outer court, and it had palm trees on its pilasters, on either side; and its stairway had eight steps.

³⁸ There was a chamber with its door in the vestibule of the gate,c where the burnt-offering was to be washed. ³⁹And in the vestibule of the gate were two tables on either side, on which the burnt-offering and the sin-offering and the guilt-offering were to be slaughtered. ⁴⁰On the outside of the vestibuled at the entrance of the north gate were two tables; and on the other side of the vestibule of the gate were two tables. ⁴¹Four tables were on the inside, and four tables on the outside of the side of the gate, eight tables, on which the sacrifices were to be slaughtered. ⁴²There were also four tables of hewn stone for the burnt-offering, a cubit and a half long, and one cubit and a half wide, and one cubit high, on which the instruments were to be laid with which the burnt-offerings and the sacrifices were slaughtered. ⁴³There were pegs, one handbreadth long, fastened all round the inside. And on the tables the flesh of the offering was to be laid.

⁴⁴ On the outside of the inner gateway there were chambers for the singers in the inner court, onee at the side of the north gate facing south, the other at the side of the east gate facing north. ⁴⁵He said to me, ‘This chamber that faces south is for the priests who have charge of the temple, ⁴⁶and the chamber that faces north is for the priests who have charge of the altar; these are the descendants of Zadok, who alone among the descendants of Levi may come near to the LORD to minister to him.’ ⁴⁷He measured the court, one hundred cubits deep, and one hundred cubits wide, a square; and the altar was in front of the temple.

The Temple

⁴⁸ Then he brought me to the vestibule of the temple and measured the pilasters of the vestibule, five cubits on either side; and the width of the gate was fourteen cubits; and the side walls of the gate were three cubitsf on either side. ⁴⁹The depth of the vestibule was twenty cubits, and the width twelveg cubits; ten steps led uph to it; and there were pillars beside the pilasters on either side.

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THEN he brought me to the nave, and measured the pilasters; on each side six cubits was the width of the pilasters.i ²The width of the entrance was ten cubits; and the side walls of the entrance were five cubits on either side. He measured the length of the nave, forty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits. ³Then he went into the inner room and measured the pilasters of the entrance, two cubits; and the width of the entrance, six cubits; and the side wallsj of the entrance, seven cubits. ⁴He measured the depth of the room, twenty cubits, and its width, twenty cubits, beyond the nave. And he said to me, This is the most holy place.

⁵ Then he measured the wall of the temple, six cubits thick; and the width of the side chambers, four cubits, all round the temple. ⁶The side chambers were in three stories, one over another, thirty in each story. There were offsetsa all round the wall of the temple to serve as supports for the side chambers, so that they should not be supported by the wall of the temple. ⁷The passagewayb of the side chambers widened from story to story; for the structure was supplied with a stairway all round the temple. For this reason the structure became wider from story to story. One ascended from the bottom story to the uppermost story by way of the middle one. ⁸I saw also that the temple had a raised platform all around; the foundations of the side chambers measured a full reed of six long cubits. ⁹The thickness of the outer wall of the side chambers was five cubits; and the free space between the side chambers of the temple ¹⁰and the chambers of the court was a width of twenty cubits all round the temple on every side. ¹¹The side chambers opened on to the area left free, one door towards the north, and another door towards the south; and the width of the part that was left free was five cubits all round.

¹² The building that was facing the temple yard on the west side was seventy cubits wide; and the wall of the building was five cubits thick all round, and its depth ninety cubits.

¹³ Then he measured the temple, one hundred cubits deep; and the yard and the building with its walls, one hundred cubits deep; ¹⁴also the width of the east front of the temple and the yard, one hundred cubits.

¹⁵ Then he measured the depth of the building facing the yard at the west, together with its galleriesc on either side, one hundred cubits.

The nave of the temple and the inner room and the outerd vestibule ¹⁶were panelled,e and, all round, all three had windows with recessedf frames. Facing the threshold the temple was panelled with wood all round, from the floor up to the windows (now the windows were covered), ¹⁷to the space above the door, even to the inner room, and on the outside. And on all the walls all round in the inner room and the nave there was a pattern.g ¹⁸It was formed of cherubim and palm trees, a palm tree between cherub and cherub. Each cherub had two faces: ¹⁹a human face turned towards the palm tree on one side, and the face of a young lion turned towards the palm tree on the other side. They were carved on the whole temple all round; ²⁰from the floor to the area above the door, cherubim and palm trees were carved on the wall.h

²¹ The doorposts of the nave were square. In front of the holy place was something resembling ²²an altar of wood, three cubits high, two cubits long, and two cubits wide;i its corners, its base,j and its walls were of wood. He said to me, ‘This is the table that stands before the LORD.’ ²³The nave and the holy place had each a double door. ²⁴The doors had two leaves a piece, two swinging leaves for each door. ²⁵On the doors of the nave were carved cherubim and palm trees, such as were carved on the walls; and there was a canopy of wood in front of the vestibule outside. ²⁶And there were recessed windows and palm trees on either side, on the side walls of the vestibule.a

The Holy Chambers and the Outer Wall

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THEN he led me out into the outer court, towards the north, and he brought me to the chambers that were opposite the temple yard and opposite the building on the north. ²The length of the building that was on the north sideb wasc one hundred cubits, and the width fifty cubits. ³Across the twenty cubits that belonged to the inner court, and facing the pavement that belonged to the outer court, the chambers rosed gallerye by gallerye in three stories. ⁴In front of the chambers was a passage on the inner side, ten cubits wide and one hundred cubits deep,f and itsg entrances were on the north. ⁵Now the upper chambers were narrower, for the galleriese took more away from them than from the lower and middle chambers in the building. ⁶For they were in three stories, and they had no pillars like the pillars of the outerh court; for this reason the upper chambers were set back from the ground more than the lower and the middle ones. ⁷There was a wall outside parallel to the chambers, towards the outer court, opposite the chambers, fifty cubits long. ⁸For the chambers on the outer court were fifty cubits long, while those opposite the temple were one hundred cubits long. ⁹At the foot of these chambers ran a passage that one entered from the east in order to enter them from the outer court. ¹⁰The width of the passagei was fixed by the wall of the court.

On the southj also, opposite the vacant area and opposite the building, there were chambers ¹¹with a passage in front of them; they were similar to the chambers on the north, of the same length and width, with the same exitsk and arrangements and doors. ¹²So the entrances of the chambers to the south were entered through the entrance at the head of the corresponding passage, from the east, along the matching wall.e

¹³ Then he said to me, ‘The north chambers and the south chambers opposite the vacant area are the holy chambers, where the priests who approach the LORD shall eat the most holy offerings; there they shall deposit the most holy offerings—the grain-offering, the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering—for the place is holy. ¹⁴When the priests enter the holy place, they shall not go out of it into the outer court without laying there the vestments in which they minister, for these are holy; they shall put on other garments before they go near to the area open to the people.’

¹⁵ When he had finished measuring the interior of the temple area, he led me out by the gate that faces east, and measured the temple area all round. ¹⁶He measured the east side with the measuring reed, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. ¹⁷Then he turned and measuredl the north side, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. ¹⁸Then he turned and measuredl the south side, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. ¹⁹Then he turned to the west side and measured, five hundred cubits by the measuring reed. ²⁰He measured it on the four sides. It had a wall around it, five hundred cubits long and five hundred cubits wide, to make a separation between the holy and the common.

The Divine Glory Returns to the Temple

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THEN he brought me to the gate, the gate facing east. ²And there, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east; the sound was like the sound of mighty waters; and the earth shone with his glory. ³Thea vision I saw was like the vision that I had seen when he came to destroy the city, andb like the vision that I had seen by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. ⁴As the glory of the LORD entered the temple by the gate facing east, ⁵the spirit lifted me up, and brought me into the inner court; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.

⁶ While the man was standing beside me, I heard someone speaking to me out of the temple. ⁷He said to me: Mortal, this is the place of my throne and the place for the soles of my feet, where I will reside among the people of Israel for ever. The house of Israel shall no more defile my holy name, neither they nor their kings, by their whoring, and by the corpses of their kings at their death.c ⁸When they placed their threshold by my threshold and their doorposts beside my doorposts, with only a wall between me and them, they were defiling my holy name by their abominations that they committed; therefore I have consumed them in my anger. ⁹Now let them put away their idolatry and the corpses of their kings far from me, and I will reside among them for ever.

¹⁰ As for you, mortal, describe the temple to the house of Israel, and let them measure the pattern; and let them be ashamed of their iniquities. ¹¹When they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the plan of the temple, its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, and its whole form—all its ordinances and its entire plan and all its laws; and write it down in their sight, so that they may observe and follow the entire plan and all its ordinances. ¹²This is the law of the temple: the whole territory on the top of the mountain all around shall be most holy. This is the law of the temple.

The Altar

¹³ These are the dimensions of the altar by cubits (the cubit being one cubit and a handbreadth): its base shall be one cubit high,d and one cubit wide, with a rim of one span round its edge. This shall be the height of the altar: ¹⁴From the base on the ground to the lower ledge, two cubits, with a width of one cubit; and from the smaller ledge to the larger ledge, four cubits, with a width of one cubit; ¹⁵and the altar hearth, four cubits; and from the altar hearth projecting upwards, four horns. ¹⁶The altar hearth shall be square, twelve cubits long by twelve wide. ¹⁷The ledge also shall be square, fourteen cubits long by fourteen wide, with a rim round it half a cubit wide, and its surrounding base, one cubit. Its steps shall face east.

¹⁸ Then he said to me: Mortal, thus says the Lord GOD: These are the ordinances for the altar: On the day when it is erected for offering burnt-offerings upon it and for dashing blood against it, ¹⁹you shall give to the levitical priests of the family of Zadok, who draw near to me to minister to me, says the Lord GOD, a bull for a sin-offering. ²⁰And you shall take some of its blood, and put it on the four horns of the altar, and on the four corners of the ledge, and upon the rim all round; thus you shall purify it and make atonement for it. ²¹You shall also take the bull of the sin-offering, and it shall be burnt in the appointed place belonging to the temple, outside the sacred area.

²² On the second day you shall offer a male goat without blemish for a sin-offering; and the altar shall be purified, as it was purified with the bull. ²³When you have finished purifying it, you shall offer a bull without blemish and a ram from the flock without blemish. ²⁴You shall present them before the LORD, and the priests shall throw salt on them and offer them up as a burnt-offering to the LORD. ²⁵For seven days you shall provide daily a goat for a sin-offering; also a bull and a ram from the flock, without blemish, shall be provided. ²⁶For seven days shall they make atonement for the altar and cleanse it, and so consecrate it. ²⁷When these days are over, then from the eighth day onwards the priests shall offer upon the altar your burnt-offerings and your offerings of well-being; and I will accept you, says the Lord GOD.

The Closed Gate

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THEN he brought me back to the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces east; and it was shut. ²The LORD said to me: This gate shall remain shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it; for the LORD, the God of Israel, has entered by it; therefore it shall remain shut. ³Only the prince, because he is a prince, may sit in it to eat food before the LORD; he shall enter by way of the vestibule of the gate, and shall go out by the same way.

Admission to the Temple

⁴ Then he brought me by way of the north gate to the front of the temple; and I looked, and lo! the glory of the LORD filled the temple of the LORD; and I fell upon my face. ⁵The LORD said to me: Mortal, mark well, look closely, and listen attentively to all that I shall tell you concerning all the ordinances of the temple of the LORD and all its laws; and mark well those who may be admitted toa the temple and all those who are to be excluded from the sanctuary. ⁶Say to the rebellious house,b to the house of Israel, Thus says the Lord GOD: O house of Israel, let there be an end to all your abominations ⁷in admitting foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, to be in my sanctuary, profaning my temple when you offer to me my food, the fat and the blood. Youc have broken my covenant with all your abominations. ⁸And you have not kept charge of my sacred offerings; but you have appointed foreignersd to act for you in keeping my charge in my sanctuary.

⁹ Thus says the Lord GOD: No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart and flesh, of all the foreigners who are among the people of Israel, shall enter my sanctuary. ¹⁰But the Levites who went far from me, going astray from me after their idols when Israel went astray, shall bear their punishment. ¹¹They shall be ministers in my sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the temple, and serving in the temple; they shall slaughter the burnt-offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall attend on them and serve them. ¹²Because they ministered to them before their idols and made the house of Israel stumble into iniquity, therefore I have sworn concerning them, says the Lord GOD, that they shall bear their punishment. ¹³They shall not come near to me, to serve me as priest, nor come near any of my sacred offerings, the things that are most sacred; but they shall bear their shame, and the consequences of the abominations that they have committed. ¹⁴Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the temple, to do all its chores, all that is to be done in it.

The Levitical Priests

¹⁵ But the levitical priests, the descendants of Zadok, who kept the charge of my sanctuary when the people of Israel went astray from me, shall come near to me to minister to me; and they shall attend me to offer me the fat and the blood, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁶It is they who shall enter my sanctuary, it is they who shall approach my table, to minister to me, and they shall keep my charge. ¹⁷When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen vestments; they shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within. ¹⁸They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and linen undergarments on their loins; they shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat. ¹⁹When they go out into the outer court to the people, they shall remove the vestments in which they have been ministering, and lay them in the holy chambers; and they shall put on other garments, so that they may not communicate holiness to the people with their vestments. ²⁰They shall not shave their heads or let their locks grow long; they shall only trim the hair of their heads. ²¹No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court. ²²They shall not marry a widow, or a divorced woman, but only a virgin of the stock of the house of Israel, or a widow who is the widow of a priest. ²³They shall teach my people the difference between the holy and the common, and show them how to distinguish between the unclean and the clean. ²⁴In a controversy they shall act as judges, and they shall decide it according to my judgements. They shall keep my laws and my statutes regarding all my appointed festivals, and they shall keep my sabbaths holy. ²⁵They shall not defile themselves by going near to a dead person; for father or mother, however, and for son or daughter, and for brother or unmarried sister they may defile themselves. ²⁶After he has become clean, they shall count seven days for him. ²⁷On the day that he goes into the holy place, into the inner court, to minister in the holy place, he shall offer his sin-offering, says the Lord GOD.

²⁸ This shall be their inheritance: I am their inheritance; and you shall give them no holding in Israel; I am their holding. ²⁹They shall eat the grain-offering, the sin-offering, and the guilt-offering; and every devoted thing in Israel shall be theirs. ³⁰The first of all the first fruits of all kinds, and every offering of all kinds from all your offerings, shall belong to the priests; you shall also give to the priests the first of your dough, in order that a blessing may rest on your house. ³¹The priests shall not eat of anything, whether bird or animal, that died of itself or was torn by animals.

The Holy District

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WHEN you allot the land as an inheritance, you shall set aside for the LORD a portion of the land as a holy district, twenty-five thousand cubits long and twentya thousand cubits wide; it shall be holy throughout its entire extent. ²Of this, a square plot of five hundred by five hundred cubits shall be for the sanctuary, with fifty cubits for an open space around it. ³In the holy district you shall measure off a section twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand wide, in which shall be the sanctuary, the most holy place. ⁴It shall be a holy portion of the land; it shall be for the priests, who minister in the sanctuary and approach the LORD to minister to him; and it shall be both a place for their houses and a holy place for the sanctuary. ⁵Another section, twenty-five thousand cubits long and ten thousand cubits wide, shall be for the Levites who minister at the temple, as their holding for cities to live in.a

⁶ Alongside the portion set apart as the holy district you shall assign as a holding for the city an area five thousand cubits wide, and twenty-five thousand cubits long; it shall belong to the whole house of Israel.

⁷ And to the prince shall belong the land on both sides of the holy district and the holding of the city, alongside the holy district and the holding of the city, on the west and on the east, corresponding in length to one of the tribal portions, and extending from the western to the eastern boundary ⁸of the land. It is to be his property in Israel. And my princes shall no longer oppress my people; but they shall let the house of Israel have the land according to their tribes.

⁹ Thus says the Lord GOD: Enough, O princes of Israel! Put away violence and oppression, and do what is just and right. Cease your evictions of my people, says the Lord GOD.

Weights and Measures

¹⁰ You shall have honest balances, an honest ephah, and an honest bath.b ¹¹The ephah and the bath shall be of the same measure, the bath containing one-tenth of a homer, and the ephah one-tenth of a homer; the homer shall be the standard measure. ¹²The shekel shall be twenty gerahs. Twenty shekels, twenty-five shekels, and fifteen shekels shall make a mina for you.

Offerings

¹³ This is the offering that you shall make: one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley, ¹⁴and as the fixed portion of oil,c one-tenth of a bath from each cor (the cor,d like the homer, contains ten baths); ¹⁵and one sheep from every flock of two hundred, from the pastures of Israel. This is the offering for grain-offerings, burnt-offerings, and offerings of well-being, to make atonement for them, says the Lord GOD. ¹⁶All the people of the land shall join with the prince in Israel in making this offering. ¹⁷But this shall be the obligation of the prince regarding the burnt-offerings, grain-offerings, and drink-offerings at the festivals, the new moons, and the sabbaths, all the appointed festivals of the house of Israel: he shall provide the sin-offerings, grain-offerings, the burnt-offerings, and the offerings of well-being, to make atonement for the house of Israel.

Festivals

¹⁸ Thus says the Lord GOD: In the first month, on the first day of the month, you shall take a young bull without blemish, and purify the sanctuary. ¹⁹The priest shall take some of the blood of the sin-offering and put it on the doorposts of the temple, the four corners of the ledge of the altar, and the posts of the gate of the inner court. ²⁰You shall do the same on the seventh day of the month for anyone who has sinned through error or ignorance; so you shall make atonement for the temple.

²¹ In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall celebrate the festival of the passover, and for seven days unleavened bread shall be eaten. ²²On that day the prince shall provide for himself and all the people of the land a young bull for a sin-offering. ²³And during the seven days of the festival he shall provide as a burnt-offering to the LORD seven young bulls and seven rams without blemish, on each of the seven days; and a male goat daily for a sin-offering. ²⁴He shall provide as a grain-offering an ephah for each bull, an ephah for each ram, and a hin of oil to each ephah. ²⁵In the seventh month, on the fifteenth day of the month and for the seven days of the festival, he shall make the same provision for sin-offerings, burnt-offerings, and grain-offerings, and for the oil.

Miscellaneous Regulations

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THUS says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall remain closed on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened. ²The prince shall enter by the vestibule of the gate from outside, and shall take his stand by the post of the gate. The priests shall offer his burnt-offering and his offerings of well-being, and he shall bow down at the threshold of the gate. Then he shall go out, but the gate shall not be closed until evening. ³The people of the land shall bow down at the entrance of that gate before the LORD on the sabbaths and on the new moons. ⁴The burnt-offering that the prince offers to the LORD on the sabbath day shall be six lambs without blemish and a ram without blemish; ⁵and the grain-offering with the ram shall be an ephah, and the grain-offering with the lambs shall be as much as he wishes to give, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. ⁶On the day of the new moon he shall offer a young bull without blemish, and six lambs and a ram, which shall be without blemish; ⁷as a grain-offering he shall provide an ephah with the bull and an ephah with the ram, and with the lambs as much as he wishes, together with a hin of oil to each ephah. ⁸When the prince enters, he shall come in by the vestibule of the gate, and he shall go out by the same way.

⁹ When the people of the land come before the LORD at the appointed festivals, whoever enters by the north gate to worship shall go out by the south gate; and whoever enters by the south gate shall go out by the north gate: they shall not return by way of the gate by which they entered, but shall go out straight ahead. ¹⁰When they come in, the prince shall come in with them; and when they go out, he shall go out.

¹¹ At the festivals and the appointed seasons the grain-offering with a young bull shall be an ephah, and with a ram an ephah, and with the lambs as much as one wishes to give, together with a hin of oil to an ephah. ¹²When the prince provides a freewill-offering, either a burnt-offering or offerings of well-being as a freewill-offering to the LORD, the gate facing east shall be opened for him; and he shall offer his burnt-offering or his offerings of well-being as he does on the sabbath day. Then he shall go out, and after he has gone out the gate shall be closed.

¹³ He shall provide a lamb, a yearling without blemish, for a burnt-offering to the LORD daily; morning by morning he shall provide it. ¹⁴And he shall provide a grain-offering with it morning by morning regularly, one-sixth of an ephah, and one-third of a hin of oil to moisten the choice flour, as a grain-offering to the LORD; this is the ordinance for all time. ¹⁵Thus the lamb and the grain-offering and the oil shall be provided, morning by morning, as a regular burnt-offering.

¹⁶ Thus says the Lord GOD: If the prince makes a gift to any of his sons out of his inheritance,a it shall belong to his sons, it is their holding by inheritance. ¹⁷But if he makes a gift out of his inheritance to one of his servants, it shall be his to the year of liberty; then it shall revert to the prince; only his sons may keep a gift from his inheritance. ¹⁸The prince shall not take any of the inheritance of the people, thrusting them out of their holding; he shall give his sons their inheritance out of his own holding, so that none of my people shall be dispossessed of their holding.

¹⁹ Then he brought me through the entrance, which was at the side of the gate, to the north row of the holy chambers for the priests; and there I saw a place at the extreme western end of them. ²⁰He said to me, ‘This is the place where the priests shall boil the guilt-offering and the sin-offering, and where they shall bake the grain-offering, in order not to bring them out into the outer court and so communicate holiness to the people.’

²¹ Then he brought me out to the outer court, and led me past the four corners of the court; and in each corner of the court there was a court—²²in the four corners of the court were smallb courts, forty cubits long and thirty wide; the four were of the same size. ²³On the inside, round each of the four courtsc was a row of masonry, with hearths made at the bottom of the rows all round. ²⁴Then he said to me, ‘These are the kitchens where those who serve at the temple shall boil the sacrifices of the people.’

Water Flowing from the Temple

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THEN he brought me back to the entrance of the temple; there, water was flowing from below the threshold of the temple towards the east (for the temple faced east); and the water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. ²Then he brought me out by way of the north gate, and led me round on the outside to the outer gate that faces towards the east;d and the water was coming out on the south side.

³ Going on eastwards with a cord in his hand, the man measured one thousand cubits, and then led me through the water; and it was ankle-deep. ⁴Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was knee-deep. Again he measured one thousand, and led me through the water; and it was up to the waist. ⁵Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross, for the water had risen; it was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be crossed. ⁶He said to me, ‘Mortal, have you seen this?’

Then he led me back along the bank of the river. ⁷As I came back, I saw on the bank of the river a great many trees on one side and on the other. ⁸He said to me, ‘This water flows towards the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah; and when it enters the sea, the sea of stagnant waters, the water will become fresh. ⁹Wherever the river goes,a every living creature that swarms will live, and there will be very many fish, once these waters reach there. It will become fresh; and everything will live where the river goes. ¹⁰People will stand fishing beside the seab from En-gedi to En-eglaim; it will be a place for the spreading of nets; its fish will be of a great many kinds, like the fish of the Great Sea. ¹¹But its swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they are to be left for salt. ¹²On the banks, on both sides of the river, there will grow all kinds of trees for food. Their leaves will not wither nor their fruit fail, but they will bear fresh fruit every month, because the water for them flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for healing.’

The New Boundaries of the Land

¹³ Thus says the Lord GOD: These are the boundaries by which you shall divide the land for inheritance among the twelve tribes of Israel. Joseph shall have two portions. ¹⁴You shall divide it equally; I swore to give it to your ancestors, and this land shall fall to you as your inheritance.

¹⁵ This shall be the boundary of the land: On the north side, from the Great Sea by way of Hethlon to Lebo-hamath, and on to Zedad,c ¹⁶Berothah, Sibraim (which lies between the border of Damascus and the border of Hamath), as far as Hazer-hatticon, which is on the border of Hauran. ¹⁷So the boundary shall run from the sea to Hazar-enon, which is north of the border of Damascus, with the border of Hamath to the north.d This shall be the north side.

¹⁸ On the east side, between Hauran and Damascus; along the Jordan between Gilead and the land of Israel; to the eastern sea and as far as Tamar.e This shall be the east side.

¹⁹ On the south side, it shall run from Tamar as far as the waters of Meribath-kadesh, from there along the Wadi of Egyptf to the Great Sea. This shall be the south side.

²⁰ On the west side, the Great Sea shall be the boundary to a point opposite Lebo-hamath. This shall be the west side.

²¹ So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. ²²You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the aliens who reside among you and have begotten children among you. They shall be to you as citizens of Israel; with you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ²³In whatever tribe aliens reside, there you shall assign them their inheritance, says the Lord GOD.

The Tribal Portions

48

THESE are the names of the tribes: Beginning at the northern border, on the Hethlon road,g from Lebo-hamath, as far as Hazar-enon (which is on the border of Damascus, with Hamath to the north), andh extending from the east side to the west,i Dan, one portion. ²Adjoining the territory of Dan, from the east side to the west, Asher, one portion. ³Adjoining the territory of Asher, from the east side to the west, Naphtali, one portion. ⁴Adjoining the territory of Naphtali, from the east side to the west, Manasseh, one portion. ⁵Adjoining the territory of Manasseh, from the east side to the west, Ephraim, one portion. ⁶Adjoining the territory of Ephraim, from the east side to the west, Reuben, one portion. ⁷Adjoining the territory of Reuben, from the east side to the west, Judah, one portion.

⁸ Adjoining the territory of Judah, from the east side to the west, shall be the portion that you shall set apart, twenty-five thousand cubits in width, and in length equal to one of the tribal portions, from the east side to the west, with the sanctuary in the middle of it. ⁹The portion that you shall set apart for the LORD shall be twenty-five thousand cubits in length, and twentya thousand in width. ¹⁰These shall be the allotments of the holy portion: the priests shall have an allotment measuring twenty-five thousand cubits on the northern side, ten thousand cubits in width on the western side, ten thousand in width on the eastern side, and twenty-five thousand in length on the southern side, with the sanctuary of the LORD in the middle of it. ¹¹This shall be for the consecrated priests, the descendantsb of Zadok, who kept my charge, who did not go astray when the people of Israel went astray, as the Levites did. ¹²It shall belong to them as a special portion from the holy portion of the land, a most holy place, adjoining the territory of the Levites. ¹³Alongside the territory of the priests, the Levites shall have an allotment twenty-five thousand cubits in length and ten thousand in width. The whole length shall be twenty-five thousand cubits and the width twentyc thousand. ¹⁴They shall not sell or exchange any of it; they shall not transfer this choice portion of the land, for it is holy to the LORD.

¹⁵ The remainder, five thousand cubits in width and twenty-five thousand in length, shall be for ordinary use for the city, for dwellings and for open country. In the middle of it shall be the city; ¹⁶and these shall be its dimensions: the north side four thousand five hundred cubits, the south side four thousand five hundred, the east side four thousand five hundred, and the west side four thousand five hundred. ¹⁷The city shall have open land: on the north two hundred and fifty cubits, on the south two hundred and fifty, on the east two hundred and fifty, on the west two hundred and fifty. ¹⁸The remainder of the length alongside the holy portion shall be ten thousand cubits to the east, and ten thousand to the west, and it shall be alongside the holy portion. Its produce shall be food for the workers of the city. ¹⁹The workers of the city, from all the tribes of Israel, shall cultivate it. ²⁰The whole portion that you shall set apart shall be twenty-five thousand cubits square, that is, the holy portion together with the property of the city.

²¹ What remains on both sides of the holy portion and of the property of the city shall belong to the prince. Extending from the twenty-five thousand cubits of the holy portion to the east border, and westwards from the twenty-five thousand cubits to the west border, parallel to the tribal portions, it shall belong to the prince. The holy portion with the sanctuary of the temple in the middle of it, ²²and the property of the Levites and of the city, shall be in the middle of that which belongs to the prince. The portion of the prince shall lie between the territory of Judah and the territory of Benjamin.

²³ As for the rest of the tribes: from the east side to the west, Benjamin, one portion. ²⁴Adjoining the territory of Benjamin, from the east side to the west, Simeon, one portion. ²⁵Adjoining the territory of Simeon, from the east side to the west, Issachar, one portion. ²⁶Adjoining the territory of Issachar, from the east side to the west, Zebulun, one portion. ²⁷Adjoining the territory of Zebulun, from the east side to the west, Gad, one portion. ²⁸And adjoining the territory of Gad to the south, the boundary shall run from Tamar to the waters of Meribath-kadesh, from there along the Wadi of Egypta to the Great Sea. ²⁹This is the land that you shall allot as an inheritance among the tribes of Israel, and these are their portions, says the Lord GOD.

³⁰ These shall be the exits of the city: On the north side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits by measure, ³¹three gates, the gate of Reuben, the gate of Judah, and the gate of Levi, the gates of the city being named after the tribes of Israel. ³²On the east side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates, the gate of Joseph, the gate of Benjamin, and the gate of Dan. ³³On the south side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits by measure, three gates, the gate of Simeon, the gate of Issachar, and the gate of Zebulun. ³⁴On the west side, which is to be four thousand five hundred cubits, three gates,b the gate of Gad, the gate of Asher, and the gate of Naphtali. ³⁵The circumference of the city shall be eighteen thousand cubits. And the name of the city from that time on shall be, The LORD is There.

DANIEL

Four Young Israelites at the Babylonian Court

IN THE third year of the reign of King Jehoiakim of Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. ²The Lord let King Jehoiakim of Judah fall into his power, as well as some of the vessels of the house of God. These he brought to the land of Shinar,a and placed the vessels in the treasury of his gods.

³ Then the king commanded his palace master Ashpenaz to bring some of the Israelites of the royal family and of the nobility, ⁴young men without physical defect and handsome, versed in every branch of wisdom, endowed with knowledge and insight, and competent to serve in the king’s palace; they were to be taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. ⁵The king assigned them a daily portion of the royal rations of food and wine. They were to be educated for three years, so that at the end of that time they could be stationed in the king’s court. ⁶Among them were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, from the tribe of Judah. ⁷The palace master gave them other names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

⁸ But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the royal rations of food and wine; so he asked the palace master to allow him not to defile himself. ⁹Now God allowed Daniel to receive favour and compassion from the palace master. ¹⁰The palace master said to Daniel, ‘I am afraid of my lord the king; he has appointed your food and your drink. If he should see you in poorer condition than the other young men of your own age, you would endanger my head with the king.’ ¹¹Then Daniel asked the guard whom the palace master had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah: ¹²‘Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. ¹³You can then compare our appearance with the appearance of the young men who eat the royal rations, and deal with your servants according to what you observe.’ ¹⁴So he agreed to this proposal and tested them for ten days. ¹⁵At the end of ten days it was observed that they appeared better and fatter than all the young men who had been eating the royal rations. ¹⁶So the guard continued to withdraw their royal rations and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. ¹⁷To these four young men God gave knowledge and skill in every aspect of literature and wisdom; Daniel also had insight into all visions and dreams.

¹⁸ At the end of the time that the king had set for them to be brought in, the palace master brought them into the presence of Nebuchadnezzar, ¹⁹and the king spoke with them. And among them all, no one was found to compare with Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they were stationed in the king’s court. ²⁰In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. ²¹And Daniel continued there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

2

IN THE second year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign, Nebuchadnezzar dreamed such dreams that his spirit was troubled and his sleep left him. ²So the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. When they came in and stood before the king, ³he said to them, ‘I have had such a dream that my spirit is troubled by the desire to understand it.’ ⁴The Chaldeans said to the king (in Aramaic),a ‘O king, live for ever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will reveal the interpretation.’ ⁵The king answered the Chaldeans, ‘This is a public decree: if you do not tell me both the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. ⁶But if you do tell me the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honour. Therefore tell me the dream and its interpretation.’ ⁷They answered a second time, ‘Let the king first tell his servants the dream, then we can give its interpretation.’ ⁸The king answered, ‘I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see I have firmly decreed: ⁹if you do not tell me the dream, there is but one verdict for you. You have agreed to speak lying and misleading words to me until things take a turn. Therefore, tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can give me its interpretation.’ ¹⁰The Chaldeans answered the king, ‘There is no one on earth who can reveal what the king demands! In fact no king, however great and powerful, has ever asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. ¹¹The thing that the king is asking is too difficult, and no one can reveal it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.’

¹² Because of this the king flew into a violent rage and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. ¹³The decree was issued, and the wise men were about to be executed; and they looked for Daniel and his companions, to execute them. ¹⁴Then Daniel responded with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the king’s chief executioner, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon; ¹⁵he asked Arioch, the royal official, ‘Why is the decree of the king so urgent?’ Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. ¹⁶So Daniel went in and requested that the king give him time and he would tell the king the interpretation.

God Reveals Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

¹⁷ Then Daniel went to his home and informed his companions, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, ¹⁸and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions with the rest of the wise men of Babylon might not perish. ¹⁹Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night, and Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

²⁰ Daniel said:

‘Blessed be the name of God from age to age,

for wisdom and power are his.

²¹ He changes times and seasons,

deposes kings and sets up kings;

he gives wisdom to the wise

and knowledge to those who have understanding.

²² He reveals deep and hidden things;

he knows what is in the darkness,

and light dwells with him.

²³ To you, O God of my ancestors,

I give thanks and praise,

for you have given me wisdom and power,

and have now revealed to me what we asked of you,

for you have revealed to us what the king ordered.’

Daniel Interprets the Dream

²⁴ Therefore Daniel went to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon, and said to him, ‘Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will give the king the interpretation.’

²⁵ Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him: ‘I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who can tell the king the interpretation.’ ²⁶The king said to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, ‘Are you able to tell me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?’ ²⁷Daniel answered the king, ‘No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or diviners can show to the king the mystery that the king is asking, ²⁸but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has disclosed to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen at the end of days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed were these: ²⁹To you, O king, as you lay in bed, came thoughts of what would be hereafter, and the revealer of mysteries disclosed to you what is to be. ³⁰But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me because of any wisdom that I have more than any other living being, but in order that the interpretation may be known to the king and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

³¹ ‘You were looking, O king, and lo! there was a great statue. This statue was huge, its brilliance extraordinary; it was standing before you, and its appearance was frightening. ³²The head of that statue was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, ³³its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. ³⁴As you looked on, a stone was cut out, not by human hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and broke them in pieces. ³⁵Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, were all broken in pieces and became like the chaff of the summer threshing-floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

³⁶ ‘This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. ³⁷You, O king, the king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory, ³⁸into whose hand he has given human beings, wherever they live, the wild animals of the field, and the birds of the air, and whom he has established as ruler over them all—you are the head of gold. ³⁹After you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over the whole earth. ⁴⁰And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron; just as iron crushes and smashes everything,a it shall crush and shatter all these. ⁴¹As you saw the feet and toes partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom; but some of the strength of iron shall be in it, as you saw the iron mixed with the clay. ⁴²As the toes of the feet were part iron and part clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. ⁴³As you saw the iron mixed with clay, so will they mix with one another in marriage,b but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. ⁴⁴And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall this kingdom be left to another people. It shall crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever; ⁴⁵just as you saw that a stone was cut from the mountain not by hands, and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. The great God has informed the king what shall be hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation trustworthy.’

Daniel and His Friends Promoted

⁴⁶ Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, worshipped Daniel, and commanded that a grain-offering and incense be offered to him. ⁴⁷The king said to Daniel, ‘Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery!’ ⁴⁸Then the king promoted Daniel, gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. ⁴⁹Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king’s court.

The Golden Image

3

KING Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue whose height was sixty cubits and whose width was six cubits; he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. ²Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent for the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, to assemble and come to the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. ³So the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counsellors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces, assembled for the dedication of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. When they were standing before the statue that Nebuchadnezzar had set up, ⁴the herald proclaimed aloud, ‘You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, ⁵that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, you are to fall down and worship the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. ⁶Whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.’ ⁷Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshipped the golden statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

⁸ Accordingly, at this time certain Chaldeans came forward and denounced the Jews. ⁹They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, ‘O king, live for ever! ¹⁰You, O king, have made a decree, that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, shall fall down and worship the golden statue, ¹¹and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire. ¹²There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These pay no heed to you, O king. They do not serve your gods and they do not worship the golden statue that you have set up.’

¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in; so they brought those men before the king. ¹⁴Nebuchadnezzar said to them, ‘Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? ¹⁵Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble to fall down and worship the statue that I have made, well and good.a But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?’

¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defence to you in this matter. ¹⁷If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.b ¹⁸But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.’

The Fiery Furnace

¹⁹ Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace to be heated up seven times more than was customary, ²⁰and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. ²¹So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics,c their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. ²²Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. ²³But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.c their trousers,

The Prayer of Azariah in the Furnace

²⁴ They walked around in the midst of the flames, singing hymns to God and blessing the Lord. ²⁵Then Azariah stood still in the fire and prayed aloud:

²⁶ ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,

and worthy of praise; and glorious is your name for ever!

²⁷ For you are just in all you have done;

all your works are true and your ways right,

and all your judgements are true.

²⁸ You have executed true judgements in all you have brought upon us

and upon Jerusalem, the holy city of our ancestors;

by a true judgement you have brought all this upon us because of our sins.

²⁹ For we have sinned and broken your law in turning away from you;

in all matters we have sinned grievously.

³⁰ We have not obeyed your commandments,

we have not kept them or done what you have commanded us for our own good.

³¹ So all that you have brought upon us,

and all that you have done to us,

you have done by a true judgement.

³² You have handed us over to our enemies, lawless and hateful rebels,

and to an unjust king, the most wicked in all the world.

³³ And now we cannot open our mouths;

we, your servants who worship you, have become a shame and a reproach.

³⁴ For your name’s sake do not give us up for ever,

and do not annul your covenant.

³⁵ Do not withdraw your mercy from us,

for the sake of Abraham your beloved

and for the sake of your servant Isaac

and Israel your holy one,

³⁶ to whom you promised

to multiply their descendants like the stars of heaven

and like the sand on the shore of the sea.

³⁷ For we, O Lord, have become fewer than any other nation,

and are brought low this day in all the world because of our sins.

³⁸ In our day we have no ruler, or prophet, or leader,

no burnt-offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense,

no place to make an offering before you and to find mercy.

³⁹ Yet with a contrite heart and a humble spirit may we be accepted,

⁴⁰ as though it were with burnt-offerings of rams and bulls,

or with tens of thousands of fat lambs;

such may our sacrifice be in your sight today,

and may we unreservedly follow you,a

for no shame will come to those who trust in you.

⁴¹ And now with all our heart we follow you;

we fear you and seek your presence.

⁴² Do not put us to shame,

but deal with us in your patience

and in your abundant mercy.

⁴³ Deliver us in accordance with your marvellous works,

and bring glory to your name, O Lord.

⁴⁴ Let all who do harm to your servants be put to shame;

let them be disgraced and deprived of all power,

and let their strength be broken.

⁴⁵ Let them know that you alone are the Lord God,

glorious over the whole world.’

The Song of the Three Jews

⁴⁶ Now the king’s servants who threw them in kept stoking the furnace with naphtha, pitch, tow, and brushwood. ⁴⁷And the flames poured out above the furnace forty-nine cubits, ⁴⁸and spread out and burned those Chaldeans who were caught near the furnace. ⁴⁹But the angel of the Lord came down into the furnace to be with Azariah and his companions, and drove the fiery flame out of the furnace, ⁵⁰and made the inside of the furnace as though a moist wind were whistling through it. The fire did not touch them at all and caused them no pain or distress.

⁵¹ Then the three with one voice praised and glorified and blessed God in the furnace:

⁵² ‘Blessed are you, O Lord, God of our ancestors,

and to be praised and highly exalted for ever;

And blessed is your glorious, holy name,

and to be highly praised and highly exalted for ever.

⁵³ Blessed are you in the temple of your holy glory,

and to be extolled and highly glorified for ever.

⁵⁴ Blessed are you who look into the depths from your throne on the cherubim,

and to be praised and highly exalted for ever.

⁵⁵ Blessed are you on the throne of your kingdom,

and to be extolled and highly exalted for ever.

⁵⁶ Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven,

and to be sung and glorified for ever.

⁵⁷ ‘Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁵⁸ Bless the Lord, you heavens;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁵⁹ Bless the Lord, you angels of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁰ Bless the Lord, all you waters above the heavens;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶¹ Bless the Lord, all you powers of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶² Bless the Lord, sun and moon;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶³ Bless the Lord, stars of heaven;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁴ ‘Bless the Lord, all rain and dew;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁵ Bless the Lord, all you winds;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁶ Bless the Lord, fire and heat;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁷ Bless the Lord, winter cold and summer heat;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁸ Bless the Lord, dews and falling snow;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁶⁹ Bless the Lord, ice and cold;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁰ Bless the Lord, frosts and snows;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷¹ Bless the Lord, nights and days;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷² Bless the Lord, light and darkness;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷³ Bless the Lord, lightnings and clouds;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁴ ‘Let the earth bless the Lord;

let it sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁵ Bless the Lord, mountains and hills;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁶ Bless the Lord, all that grows in the ground;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁷ Bless the Lord, you springs;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁸ Bless the Lord, seas and rivers;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁷⁹ Bless the Lord, you whales and all that swim in the waters;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁰ Bless the Lord, all birds of the air;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸¹ Bless the Lord, all wild animals and cattle;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸² ‘Bless the Lord, all people on earth;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸³ Bless the Lord, O Israel;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁴ Bless the Lord, you priests of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁵ Bless the Lord, you servants of the Lord;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁶ Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁷ Bless the Lord, you who are holy and humble in heart;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

⁸⁸ ‘Bless the Lord, Hananiah, Azariah, and Mishael;

sing praise to him and highly exalt him for ever.

For he has rescued us from Hades and saved us from the powera of death,

and delivered us from the midst of the burning fiery furnace;

from the midst of the fire he has delivered us.

⁸⁹ Give thanks to the Lord,

for he is good, for his mercy endures for ever.

⁹⁰ All who worship the Lord, bless the God of gods,

sing praise to him and give thanks to him,

for his mercy endures for ever.’

⁹¹ Hearing them sing, and amazed at seeing them alive, King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counsellors, ‘Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?’ They answered the king, ‘True, O king.’ ⁹²He replied, ‘But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the fourth has the appearance of a god.’b ⁹³Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, ‘Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!’ So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. ⁹⁴And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counsellors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunicsc were not harmed, and not even the smell of fire came from them. ⁹⁵Nebuchadnezzar said, ‘Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants who trusted in him. They disobeyed the king’s command and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. ⁹⁶Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that utters blasphemy against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins; for there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.’ ⁹⁷Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar’s Second Dream

4a

KING Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations, and languages that live throughout the earth: May you have abundant prosperity! ²The signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me I am pleased to recount.

³ How great are his signs,

how mighty his wonders!

His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,

and his sovereignty is from generation to generation.

⁴b I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living at ease in my home and prospering in my palace. ⁵I saw a dream that frightened me; my fantasies in bed and the visions of my head terrified me. ⁶So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, in order that they might tell me the interpretation of the dream. ⁷Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not tell me its interpretation. ⁸At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and who is endowed with a spirit of the holy godsc—and I told him the dream: ⁹‘O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that you are endowed with a spirit of the holy godsc and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Heard the dream that I saw; tell me its interpretation.

¹⁰ e Upon my bed this is what I saw;

there was a tree at the centre of the earth,

and its height was great.

¹¹ The tree grew great and strong,

its top reached to heaven,

and it was visible to the ends of the whole earth.

¹² Its foliage was beautiful,

its fruit abundant,

and it provided food for all.

The animals of the field found shade under it,

the birds of the air nested in its branches,

and from it all living beings were fed.

¹³ ‘I continued looking, in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and there was a holy watcher, coming down from heaven. ¹⁴He cried aloud and said:

“Cut down the tree and chop off its branches,

strip off its foliage and scatter its fruit.

Let the animals flee from beneath it

and the birds from its branches.

¹⁵ But leave its stump and roots in the ground,

with a band of iron and bronze,

in the tender grass of the field.

Let him be bathed with the dew of heaven,

and let his lot be with the animals of the field

in the grass of the earth.

¹⁶ Let his mind be changed from that of a human,

and let the mind of an animal be given to him.

And let seven times pass over him.

¹⁷ The sentence is rendered by decree of the watchers,

the decision is given by order of the holy ones,

in order that all who live may know

that the Most High is sovereign over the kingdom of mortals;

he gives it to whom he will

and sets over it the lowliest of human beings.”

¹⁸ ‘This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. Now you, Belteshazzar, declare the interpretation, since all the wise men of my kingdom are unable to tell me the interpretation. You are able, however, for you are endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.’a

Daniel Interprets the Second Dream

¹⁹ Then Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar, was severely distressed for a while. His thoughts terrified him. The king said, ‘Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or the interpretation terrify you.’ Belteshazzar answered, ‘My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you, and its interpretation for your enemies! ²⁰The tree that you saw, which grew great and strong, so that its top reached to heaven and was visible to the end of the whole earth, ²¹whose foliage was beautiful and its fruit abundant, and which provided food for all, under which animals of the field lived, and in whose branches the birds of the air had nests—²²it is you, O king! You have grown great and strong. Your greatness has increased and reaches to heaven, and your sovereignty to the ends of the earth. ²³And whereas the king saw a holy watcher coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave its stump and roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze, in the grass of the field; and let him be bathed with the dew of heaven, and let his lot be with the animals of the field, until seven times pass over him”—²⁴this is the interpretation, O king, and it is a decree of the Most High that has come upon my lord the king: ²⁵You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the wild animals. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, you shall be bathed with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and gives it to whom he will. ²⁶As it was commanded to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be re-established for you from the time that you learn that Heaven is sovereign. ²⁷Therefore, O king, may my counsel be acceptable to you: atone forb your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged.’

Nebuchadnezzar’s Humiliation

²⁸ All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. ²⁹At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰and the king said, ‘Is this not magnificent Babylon, which I have built as a royal capital by my mighty power and for my glorious majesty?’ ³¹While the words were still in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven: ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: The kingdom has departed from you! ³²You shall be driven away from human society, and your dwelling shall be with the animals of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like oxen, and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals and gives it to whom he will.’ ³³Immediately the sentence was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven away from human society, ate grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails became like birds’ claws.

Nebuchadnezzar Praises God

³⁴ When that period was over, I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me.

I blessed the Most High,

and praised and honoured the one who lives for ever.

For his sovereignty is an everlasting sovereignty,

and his kingdom endures from generation to generation.

³⁵All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,

and he does what he wills with the host of heaven

and the inhabitants of the earth.

There is no one who can stay his hand

or say to him, ‘What are you doing?’

³⁶At that time my reason returned to me; and my majesty and splendour were restored to me for the glory of my kingdom. My counsellors and my lords sought me out, I was re-established over my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. ³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honour the King of heaven,

for all his works are truth,

and his ways are justice;

and he is able to bring low

those who walk in pride.

Belshazzar’s Feast

5

KING Belshazzar made a great festival for a thousand of his lords, and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand.

² Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar commanded that they bring in the vessels of gold and silver that his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. ³So they brought in the vessels of gold and silvera that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. ⁴They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.

The Writing on the Wall

⁵ Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the royal palace, next to the lampstand. The king was watching the hand as it wrote. ⁶Then the king’s face turned pale, and his thoughts terrified him. His limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. ⁷The king cried aloud to bring in the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the diviners; and the king said to the wise men of Babylon, ‘Whoever can read this writing and tell me its interpretation shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around his neck, and rank third in the kingdom.’ ⁸Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king the interpretation. ⁹Then King Belshazzar became greatly terrified and his face turned pale, and his lords were perplexed.

¹⁰ The queen, when she heard the discussion of the king and his lords, came into the banqueting-hall. The queen said, ‘O king, live for ever! Do not let your thoughts terrify you or your face grow pale. ¹¹There is a man in your kingdom who is endowed with a spirit of the holy gods.a In the days of your father he was found to have enlightenment, understanding, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, made him chief of the magicians, enchanters, Chaldeans, and diviners,b ¹²because an excellent spirit, knowledge, and understanding to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Now let Daniel be called, and he will give the interpretation.’

The Writing on the Wall Interpreted

¹³ Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king said to Daniel, ‘So you are Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? ¹⁴I have heard of you that a spirit of the godsc is in you, and that enlightenment, understanding, and excellent wisdom are found in you. ¹⁵Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and tell me its interpretation, but they were not able to give the interpretation of the matter. ¹⁶But I have heard that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Now if you are able to read the writing and tell me its interpretation, you shall be clothed in purple, have a chain of gold around your neck, and rank third in the kingdom.’

¹⁷ Then Daniel answered in the presence of the king, ‘Let your gifts be for yourself, or give your rewards to someone else! Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and let him know the interpretation. ¹⁸O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar kingship, greatness, glory, and majesty. ¹⁹And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. He killed those he wanted to kill, kept alive those he wanted to keep alive, honoured those he wanted to honour, and degraded those he wanted to degrade. ²⁰But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he acted proudly, he was deposed from his kingly throne, and his glory was stripped from him. ²¹He was driven from human society, and his mind was made like that of an animal. His dwelling was with the wild asses, he was fed grass like oxen, and his body was bathed with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God has sovereignty over the kingdom of mortals, and sets over it whomsoever he will. ²²And you, Belshazzar his son, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this! ²³You have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven! The vessels of his temple have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them. You have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know; but the God in whose power is your very breath, and to whom belong all your ways, you have not honoured.

²⁴ ‘So from his presence the hand was sent and this writing was inscribed. ²⁵And this is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, and PARSIN. ²⁶This is the interpretation of the matter: MENE, God has numbered the days ofa your kingdom and brought it to an end; ²⁷TEKEL, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; ²⁸PERES,b your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.’

²⁹ Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed in purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made concerning him that he should rank third in the kingdom.

³⁰ That very night Belshazzar, the Chaldean king, was killed. ³¹c And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

The Plot against Daniel

6

IT PLEASED Darius to set over the kingdom one hundred and twenty satraps, stationed throughout the whole kingdom, ²and over them three presidents, including Daniel; to these the satraps gave account, so that the king might suffer no loss. ³Soon Daniel distinguished himself above all the other presidents and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him, and the king planned to appoint him over the whole kingdom. ⁴So the presidents and the satraps tried to find grounds for complaint against Daniel in connection with the kingdom. But they could find no grounds for complaint or any corruption, because he was faithful, and no negligence or corruption could be found in him. ⁵The men said, ‘We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.’

⁶ So the presidents and satraps conspired and came to the king and said to him, ‘O King Darius, live for ever! ⁷All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the counsellors and the governors, are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an interdict, that whoever prays to anyone, divine or human, for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions. ⁸Now, O king, establish the interdict and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked.’ ⁹Therefore King Darius signed the document and interdict.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

¹⁰ Although Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he continued to go to his house, which had windows in it supper room open towards Jerusalem, and to get down on his knees three times a day to pray to his God and praise him, just as he had done previously. ¹¹The conspirators came and found Daniel praying and seeking mercy before his God. ¹²Then they approached the king and said concerning the interdict, ‘O king! Did you not sign an interdict, that anyone who prays to anyone, divine or human, within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be thrown into a den of lions?’ The king answered, ‘The thing stands fast, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be revoked.’ ¹³Then they responded to the king, ‘Daniel, one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, O king, or to the interdict you have signed, but he is saying his prayers three times a day.’

¹⁴ When the king heard the charge, he was very much distressed. He was determined to save Daniel, and until the sun went down he made every effort to rescue him. ¹⁵Then the conspirators came to the king and said to him, ‘Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no interdict or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.’

¹⁶ Then the king gave the command, and Daniel was brought and thrown into the den of lions. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you faithfully serve, deliver you!’ ¹⁷A stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, so that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. ¹⁸Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; no food was brought to him, and sleep fled from him.

Daniel Saved from the Lions

¹⁹ Then, at break of day, the king got up and hurried to the den of lions. ²⁰When he came near the den where Daniel was, he cried out anxiously to Daniel, ‘O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God whom you faithfully serve been able to deliver you from the lions?’ ²¹Daniel then said to the king, ‘O king, live for ever! ²²My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no wrong.’ ²³Then the king was exceedingly glad and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. ²⁴The king gave a command, and those who had accused Daniel were brought and thrown into the den of lions—they, their children, and their wives. Before they reached the bottom of the den the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

²⁵ Then King Darius wrote to all peoples and nations of every language throughout the whole world: ‘May you have abundant prosperity! ²⁶I make a decree, that in all my royal dominion people should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel:

For he is the living God,

enduring for ever.

His kingdom shall never be destroyed,

and his dominion has no end.

²⁷ He delivers and rescues,

he works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth;

for he has saved Daniel

from the power of the lions.’

²⁸So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Visions of the Four Beasts

7

IN THE first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream:a ²I,b Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, ³and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another. ⁴The first was like a lion and had eagles’ wings. Then, as I watched, its wings were plucked off, and it was lifted up from the ground and made to stand on two feet like a human being; and a human mind was given to it. ⁵Another beast appeared, a second one, that looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side, had three tusksc in its mouth among its teeth and was told, ‘Arise, devour many bodies!’ ⁶After this, as I watched, another appeared, like a leopard. The beast had four wings of a bird on its back and four heads; and dominion was given to it. ⁷After this I saw in the visions by night a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth and was devouring, breaking in pieces, and stamping what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that preceded it, and it had ten horns. ⁸I was considering the horns, when another horn appeared, a little one coming up among them; to make room for it, three of the earlier horns were plucked up by the roots. There were eyes like human eyes in this horn, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.

Judgement before the Ancient One

⁹ As I watched,

thrones were set in place,

and an Ancient Oned took his throne;

his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool;

his throne was fiery flames,

and its wheels were burning fire.

¹⁰ A stream of fire issued

and flowed out from his presence.

A thousand thousand served him,

and ten thousand times ten thousand stood attending him.

The court sat in judgement,

and the books were opened.

¹¹I watched then because of the noise of the arrogant words that the horn was speaking. And as I watched, the beast was put to death, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. ¹²As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were prolonged for a season and a time. ¹³As I watched in the night visions,

I saw one like a human beinge

coming with the clouds of heaven.

And he came to the Ancient Onef

and was presented before him.

¹⁴ To him was given dominion

and glory and kingship,

that all peoples, nations, and languages

should serve him.

His dominion is an everlasting dominion

that shall not pass away,

and his kingship is one

that shall never be destroyed.

Daniel’s Visions Interpreted

¹⁵ As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me,a and the visions of my head terrified me. ¹⁶I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: ¹⁷‘As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. ¹⁸But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.’

¹⁹ Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth beast, which was different from all the rest, exceedingly terrifying, with its teeth of iron and claws of bronze, and which devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped what was left with its feet; ²⁰and concerning the ten horns that were on its head, and concerning the other horn that came up, and to make room for which three of them fell out—the horn that had eyes and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, and that seemed greater than the others. ²¹As I looked, this horn made war with the holy ones and was prevailing over them, ²²until the Ancient Oneb came; then judgement was given for the holy ones of the Most High, and the time arrived when the holy ones gained possession of the kingdom.

²³ This is what he said: ‘As for the fourth beast,

there shall be a fourth kingdom on earth

that shall be different from all the other kingdoms;

it shall devour the whole earth,

and trample it down, and break it to pieces.

²⁴ As for the ten horns,

out of this kingdom ten kings shall arise,

and another shall arise after them.

This one shall be different from the former ones,

and shall put down three kings.

²⁵ He shall speak words against the Most High,

shall wear out the holy ones of the Most High,

and shall attempt to change the sacred seasons and the law;

and they shall be given into his power

for a time, two times,c and half a time.

²⁶ Then the court shall sit in judgement,

and his dominion shall be taken away,

to be consumed and totally destroyed.

²⁷ The kingship and dominion

and the greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven

shall be given to the people of the holy ones of the Most High;

their kingdom shall be an everlasting kingdom,

and all dominions shall serve and obey them.’

²⁸ Here the account ends. As for me, Daniel, my thoughts greatly terrified me, and my face turned pale; but I kept the matter in my mind.

Vision of a Ram and a Goat

8

IN THE third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after the one that had appeared to me at first. ²In the vision I was looking and saw myself in Susa the capital, in the province of Elam,a and I was by the river Ulai.b ³I looked up and saw a ram standing beside the river.c It had two horns. Both horns were long, but one was longer than the other, and the longer one came up second. ⁴I saw the ram charging westwards and northwards and southwards. All beasts were powerless to withstand it, and no one could rescue from its power; it did as it pleased and became strong.

⁵ As I was watching, a male goat appeared from the west, coming across the face of the whole earth without touching the ground. The goat had a hornd between its eyes. ⁶It came towards the ram with the two horns that I had seen standing beside the river,c and it ran at it with savage force. ⁷I saw it approaching the ram. It was enraged against it and struck the ram, breaking its two horns. The ram did not have power to withstand it; it threw the ram down to the ground and trampled upon it, and there was no one who could rescue the ram from its power. ⁸Then the male goat grew exceedingly great; but at the height of its power, the great horn was broken, and in its place there came up four prominent horns towards the four winds of heaven.

⁹ Out of one of them came anothere horn, a little one, which grew exceedingly great towards the south, towards the east, and towards the beautiful land. ¹⁰It grew as high as the host of heaven. It threw down to the earth some of the host and some of the stars, and trampled on them. ¹¹Even against the prince of the host it acted arrogantly; it took the regular burnt-offering away from him and overthrew the place of his sanctuary. ¹²Because of wickedness, the host was given over to it together with the regular burnt-offering;f it cast truth to the ground, and kept prospering in what it did. ¹³Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one that spoke, ‘For how long is this vision concerning the regular burnt-offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled?’f ¹⁴And he answered him,g ‘For two thousand three hundred evenings and mornings; then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state.’

Gabriel Interprets the Vision

¹⁵ When I, Daniel, had seen the vision, I tried to understand it. Then someone appeared standing before me, having the appearance of a man, ¹⁶and I heard a human voice by the Ulai, calling, ‘Gabriel, help this man understand the vision.’ ¹⁷So he came near where I stood; and when he came, I became frightened and fell prostrate. But he said to me, ‘Understand, O mortal,a that the vision is for the time of the end.’

¹⁸ As he was speaking to me, I fell into a trance, face to the ground; then he touched me and set me on my feet. ¹⁹He said, ‘Listen, and I will tell you what will take place later in the period of wrath; for it refers to the appointed time of the end. ²⁰As for the ram that you saw with the two horns, these are the kings of Media and Persia. ²¹The male goatb is the king of Greece, and the great horn between its eyes is the first king. ²²As for the horn that was broken, in place of which four others arose, four kingdoms shall arise from hisc nation, but not with his power.

At the end of their rule,

when the transgressions have reached their full measure,

a king of bold countenance shall arise,

skilled in intrigue.

²⁴ He shall grow strong in power,d

shall cause fearful destruction,

and shall succeed in what he does.

He shall destroy the powerful

and the people of the holy ones.

²⁵ By his cunning

he shall make deceit prosper under his hand,

and in his own mind he shall be great.

Without warning he shall destroy many

and shall even rise up against the Prince of princes.

But he shall be broken, and not by human hands.

²⁶The vision of the evenings and the mornings that has been told is true. As for you, seal up the vision, for it refers to many days from now.’

²⁷ So I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for some days; then I arose and went about the king’s business. But I was dismayed by the vision and did not understand it.

Daniel’s Prayer for the People

9

IN THE first year of Darius son of Ahasuerus, by birth a Mede, who became king over the realm of the Chaldeans—²in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the LORD to the prophet Jeremiah, must be fulfilled for the devastation of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years.

³ Then I turned to the Lord God, to seek an answer by prayer and supplication with fasting and sackcloth and ashes. ⁴I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying,

‘Ah, Lord, great and awesome God, keeping covenant and steadfast love with those who love you and keep your commandments, ⁵we have sinned and done wrong, acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and ordinances. ⁶We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our ancestors, and to all the people of the land.

⁷ ‘Righteousness is on your side, O Lord, but open shame, as at this day, falls on us, the people of Judah, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you. ⁸Open shame, O LORD, falls on us, our kings, our officials, and our ancestors, because we have sinned against you. ⁹To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him, ¹⁰and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by following his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.

¹¹ ‘All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. So the curse and the oath written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out upon us, because we have sinned against you. ¹²He has confirmed his words, which he spoke against us and against our rulers, by bringing upon us a calamity so great that what has been done against Jerusalem has never before been done under the whole heaven. ¹³Just as it is written in the law of Moses, all this calamity has come upon us. We did not entreat the favour of the LORD our God, turning from our iniquities and reflecting on hisa fidelity. ¹⁴So the LORD kept watch over this calamity until he brought it upon us. Indeed, the LORD our God is right in all that he has done; for we have disobeyed his voice.

¹⁵ ‘And now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand and made your name renowned even to this day—we have sinned, we have done wickedly. ¹⁶O Lord, in view of all your righteous acts, let your anger and wrath, we pray, turn away from your city Jerusalem, your holy mountain; because of our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors, Jerusalem and your people have become a disgrace among all our neighbours. ¹⁷Now therefore, O our God, listen to the prayer of your servant and to his supplication, and for your own sake, Lord,b let your face shine upon your desolated sanctuary. ¹⁸Incline your ear, O my God, and hear. Open your eyes and look at our desolation and the city that bears your name. We do not present our supplication before you on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of your great mercies. ¹⁹O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, listen and act and do not delay! For your own sake, O my God, because your city and your people bear your name!’

The Seventy Weeks

²⁰ While I was speaking, and was praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the LORD my God on behalf of the holy mountain of my God—²¹while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen before in a vision, came to me in swift flight at the time of the evening sacrifice. ²²He camec and said to me, ‘Daniel, I have now come out to give you wisdom and understanding. ²³At the beginning of your supplications a word went out, and I have come to declare it, for you are greatly beloved. So consider the word and understand the vision:

²⁴ ‘Seventy weeks are decreed for your people and your holy city: to finish the transgression, to put an end to sin, and to atone for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal both vision and prophet, and to anoint a most holy place.a ²⁵Know therefore and understand: from the time that the word went out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the time of an anointed prince, there shall be seven weeks; and for sixty-two weeks it shall be built again with streets and moat, but in a troubled time. ²⁶After the sixty-two weeks, an anointed one shall be cut off and shall have nothing, and the troops of the prince who is to come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. Itsb end shall come with a flood, and to the end there shall be war. Desolations are decreed. ²⁷He shall make a strong covenant with many for one week, and for half of the week he shall make sacrifice and offering cease; and in their placec shall be an abomination that desolates, until the decreed end is poured out upon the desolator.’

Conflict of Nations and Heavenly Powers

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IN THE third year of King Cyrus of Persia a word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar. The word was true, and it concerned a great conflict. He understood the word, having received understanding in the vision.

² At that time I, Daniel, had been mourning for three weeks. ³I had eaten no rich food, no meat or wine had entered my mouth, and I had not anointed myself at all, for the full three weeks. ⁴On the twenty-fourth day of the first month, as I was standing on the bank of the great river (that is, the Tigris), ⁵I looked up and saw a man clothed in linen, with a belt of gold from Uphaz around his waist. ⁶His body was like beryl, his face like lightning, his eyes like flaming torches, his arms and legs like the gleam of burnished bronze, and the sound of his words like the roar of a multitude. ⁷I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; the people who were with me did not see the vision, though a great trembling fell upon them, and they fled and hid themselves. ⁸So I was left alone to see this great vision. My strength left me, and my complexion grew deathly pale, and I retained no strength. ⁹Then I heard the sound of his words; and when I heard the sound of his words, I fell into a trance, face to the ground.

¹⁰ But then a hand touched me and roused me to my hands and knees. ¹¹He said to me, ‘Daniel, greatly beloved, pay attention to the words that I am going to speak to you. Stand on your feet, for I have now been sent to you.’ So while he was speaking this word to me, I stood up trembling. ¹²He said to me, ‘Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words. ¹³But the prince of the kingdom of Persia opposed me for twenty-one days. So Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, and I left him there with the prince of the kingdom of Persia,d ¹⁴and have come to help you understand what is to happen to your people at the end of days. For there is a further vision for those days.’

¹⁵ While he was speaking these words to me, I turned my face towards the ground and was speechless. ¹⁶Then one in human form touched my lips, and I opened my mouth to speak, and said to the one who stood before me, ‘My lord, because of the vision such pains have come upon me that I retain no strength. ¹⁷How can my lord’s servant talk with my lord? For I am shaking,a no strength remains in me, and no breath is left in me.’

¹⁸ Again one in human form touched me and strengthened me. ¹⁹He said, ‘Do not fear, greatly beloved, you are safe. Be strong and courageous!’ When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, ‘Let my lord speak, for you have strengthened me.’ ²⁰Then he said, ‘Do you know why I have come to you? Now I must return to fight against the prince of Persia, and when I am through with him, the prince of Greece will come. ²¹But I am to tell you what is inscribed in the book of truth. There is no one with me who contends against these princes except Michael, your prince. ¹As for me, in the first year of Darius the Mede, I stood up to support and strengthen him.

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² ‘Now I will announce the truth to you. Three more kings shall arise in Persia. The fourth shall be far richer than all of them, and when he has become strong through his riches, he shall stir up all against the kingdom of Greece. ³Then a warrior king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion and take action as he pleases. ⁴And while still rising in power, his kingdom shall be broken and divided towards the four winds of heaven, but not to his posterity, nor according to the dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted and go to others besides these.

⁵ ‘Then the king of the south shall grow strong, but one of his officers shall grow stronger than he and shall rule a realm greater than his own realm. ⁶After some years they shall make an alliance, and the daughter of the king of the south shall come to the king of the north to ratify the agreement. But she shall not retain her power, and his offspring shall not endure. She shall be given up, she and her attendants and her child and the one who supported her.

‘In those times ⁷a branch from her roots shall rise up in his place. He shall come against the army and enter the fortress of the king of the north, and he shall take action against them and prevail. ⁸Even their gods, with their idols and with their precious vessels of silver and gold, he shall carry off to Egypt as spoils of war. For some years he shall refrain from attacking the king of the north; ⁹then the latter shall invade the realm of the king of the south, but will return to his own land.

¹⁰ ‘His sons shall wage war and assemble a multitude of great forces, which shall advance like a flood and pass through, and again shall carry the war as far as his fortress. ¹¹Moved with rage, the king of the south shall go out and do battle against the king of the north, who shall muster a great multitude, which shall, however, be defeated by his enemy. ¹²When the multitude has been carried off, his heart shall be exalted, and he shall overthrow tens of thousands, but he shall not prevail. ¹³For the king of the north shall again raise a multitude, larger than the former, and after some yearsb he shall advance with a great army and abundant supplies.

¹⁴ ‘In those times many shall rise against the king of the south. The lawless among your own people shall lift themselves up in order to fulfil the vision, but they shall fail. ¹⁵Then the king of the north shall come and throw up siege-works, and take a well-fortified city. And the forces of the south shall not stand, not even his picked troops, for there shall be no strength to resist. ¹⁶But he who comes against him shall take the actions he pleases, and no one shall withstand him. He shall take a position in the beautiful land, and all of it shall be in his power. ¹⁷He shall set his mind to come with the strength of his whole kingdom, and he shall bring terms of peacea and perform them. In order to destroy the kingdom,b he shall give him a woman in marriage; but it shall not succeed or be to his advantage. ¹⁸Afterwards he shall turn to the coastlands, and shall capture many. But a commander shall put an end to his insolence; indeed,c he shall turn his insolence back upon him. ¹⁹Then he shall turn back towards the fortresses of his own land, but he shall stumble and fall, and shall not be found.

²⁰ ‘Then shall arise in his place one who shall send an official for the glory of the kingdom; but within a few days he shall be broken, though not in anger or in battle. ²¹In his place shall arise a contemptible person on whom royal majesty had not been conferred; he shall come in without warning and obtain the kingdom through intrigue. ²²Armies shall be utterly swept away and broken before him, and the prince of the covenant as well. ²³And after an alliance is made with him, he shall act deceitfully and become strong with a small party. ²⁴Without warning he shall come into the richest partsd of the province and do what none of his predecessors had ever done, lavishing plunder, spoil, and wealth on them. He shall devise plans against strongholds, but only for a time. ²⁵He shall stir up his power and determination against the king of the south with a great army, and the king of the south shall wage war with a much greater and stronger army. But he shall not succeed, for plots shall be devised against him ²⁶by those who eat of the royal rations. They shall break him, his army shall be swept away, and many shall fall slain. ²⁷The two kings, their minds bent on evil, shall sit at one table and exchange lies. But it shall not succeed, for there remains an end at the time appointed. ²⁸He shall return to his land with great wealth, but his heart shall be set against the holy covenant. He shall work his will, and return to his own land.

²⁹ ‘At the time appointed he shall return and come into the south, but this time it shall not be as it was before. ³⁰For ships of Kittim shall come against him, and he shall lose heart and withdraw. He shall be enraged and take action against the holy covenant. He shall turn back and pay heed to those who forsake the holy covenant. ³¹Forces sent by him shall occupy and profane the temple and fortress. They shall abolish the regular burnt-offering and set up the abomination that makes desolate. ³²He shall seduce with intrigue those who violate the covenant; but the people who are loyal to their God shall stand firm and take action. ³³The wise among the people shall give understanding to many; for some days, however, they shall fall by sword and flame, and suffer captivity and plunder. ³⁴When they fall victim, they shall receive a little help, and many shall join them insincerely. ³⁵Some of the wise shall fall, so that they may be refined, purified, and cleansed,e until the time of the end, for there is still an interval until the time appointed.

³⁶ ‘The king shall act as he pleases. He shall exalt himself and consider himself greater than any god, and shall speak horrendous things against the God of gods. He shall prosper until the period of wrath is completed, for what is determined shall be done. ³⁷He shall pay no respect to the gods of his ancestors, or to the one beloved by women; he shall pay no respect to any other god, for he shall consider himself greater than all. ³⁸He shall honour the god of fortresses instead of these; a god whom his ancestors did not know he shall honour with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. ³⁹He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god. Those who acknowledge him he shall make more wealthy, and shall appoint them as rulers over many, and shall distribute the land for a price.

The Time of the End

⁴⁰ ‘At the time of the end the king of the south shall attack him. But the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. He shall advance against countries and pass through like a flood. ⁴¹He shall come into the beautiful land, and tens of thousands shall fall victim, but Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites shall escape from his power. ⁴²He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. ⁴³He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the riches of Egypt; and the Libyans and the Ethiopiansa shall follow in his train. ⁴⁴But reports from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to bring ruin and complete destruction to many. ⁴⁵He shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the beautiful holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with no one to help him.

The Resurrection of the Dead

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‘AT THAT time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book. ²Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earthb shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. ³Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky,c and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. ⁴But you, Daniel, keep the words secret and the book sealed until the time of the end. Many shall be running back and forth, and evild shall increase.’

⁵ Then I, Daniel, looked, and two others appeared, one standing on this bank of the stream and one on the other. ⁶One of them said to the man clothed in linen, who was upstream, ‘How long shall it be until the end of these wonders?’ ⁷The man clothed in linen, who was upstream, raised his right hand and his left hand towards heaven. And I heard him swear by the one who lives for ever that it would be for a time, two times, and half a time,e and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end, all these things would be accomplished. ⁸I heard but could not understand; so I said, ‘My lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?’ ⁹He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for the words are to remain secret and sealed until the time of the end. ¹⁰Many shall be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked shall continue to act wickedly. None of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand. ¹¹From the time that the regular burnt-offering is taken away and the abomination that desolates is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. ¹²Happy are those who persevere and attain the thousand three hundred and thirty-five days. ¹³But you, go your way,a and rest; you shall rise for your reward at the end of the days.’

Susanna’s Beauty Attracts Two Elders

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THERE was a man living in Babylon whose name was Joakim. ²He married the daughter of Hilkiah, named Susanna, a very beautiful woman and one who feared the Lord. ³Her parents were righteous, and had trained their daughter according to the law of Moses. ⁴Joakim was very rich, and had a fine garden adjoining his house; the Jews used to come to him because he was the most honoured of them all.

⁵ That year two elders from the people were appointed as judges. Concerning them the Lord had said: ‘Wickedness came forth from Babylon, from elders who were judges, who were supposed to govern the people.’ ⁶These men were frequently at Joakim’s house, and all who had a case to be tried came to them there.

⁷ When the people left at noon, Susanna would go into her husband’s garden to walk. ⁸Every day the two elders used to see her, going in and walking about, and they began to lust for her. ⁹They suppressed their consciences and turned away their eyes from looking to Heaven or remembering their duty to administer justice. ¹⁰Both were overwhelmed with passion for her, but they did not tell each other of their distress, ¹¹for they were ashamed to disclose their lustful desire to seduce her. ¹²Day after day they watched eagerly to see her.

¹³ One day they said to each other, ‘Let us go home, for it is time for lunch.’ So they both left and parted from each other. ¹⁴But turning back, they met again; and when each pressed the other for the reason, they confessed their lust. Then together they arranged for a time when they could find her alone.

The Elders Attempt to Seduce Susanna

¹⁵ Once, while they were watching for an opportune day, she went in as before with only two maids, and wished to bathe in the garden, for it was a hot day. ¹⁶No one was there except the two elders, who had hidden themselves and were watching her. ¹⁷She said to her maids, ‘Bring me olive oil and ointments, and shut the garden doors so that I can bathe.’ ¹⁸They did as she told them: they shut the doors of the garden and went out by the side doors to bring what they had been commanded; they did not see the elders, because they were hiding.

¹⁹ When the maids had gone out, the two elders got up and ran to her. ²⁰They said, ‘Look, the garden doors are shut, and no one can see us. We are burning with desire for you; so give your consent, and lie with us. ²¹If you refuse, we will testify against you that a young man was with you, and this was why you sent your maids away.’

²² Susanna groaned and said, ‘I am completely trapped. For if I do this, it will mean death for me; if I do not, I cannot escape your hands. ²³I choose not to do it; I will fall into your hands, rather than sin in the sight of the Lord.’

²⁴ Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and the two elders shouted against her. ²⁵And one of them ran and opened the garden doors. ²⁶When the people in the house heard the shouting in the garden, they rushed in at the side door to see what had happened to her. ²⁷And when the elders told their story, the servants felt very much ashamed, for nothing like this had ever been said about Susanna.

The Elders Testify against Susanna

²⁸ The next day, when the people gathered at the house of her husband Joakim, the two elders came, full of their wicked plot to have Susanna put to death. In the presence of the people they said, ²⁹‘Send for Susanna daughter of Hilkiah, the wife of Joakim.’ ³⁰So they sent for her. And she came with her parents, her children, and all her relatives.

³¹ Now Susanna was a woman of great refinement and beautiful in appearance. ³²As she was veiled, the scoundrels ordered her to be unveiled, so that they might feast their eyes on her beauty. ³³Those who were with her and all who saw her were weeping.

³⁴ Then the two elders stood up before the people and laid their hands on her head. ³⁵Through her tears she looked up towards Heaven, for her heart trusted in the Lord. ³⁶The elders said, ‘While we were walking in the garden alone, this woman came in with two maids, shut the garden doors, and dismissed the maids. ³⁷Then a young man, who was hiding there, came to her and lay with her. ³⁸We were in a corner of the garden, and when we saw this wickedness we ran to them. ³⁹Although we saw them embracing, we could not hold the man, because he was stronger than we are, and he opened the doors and got away. ⁴⁰We did, however, seize this woman and asked who the young man was, ⁴¹but she would not tell us. These things we testify.’

Because they were elders of the people and judges, the assembly believed them and condemned her to death.

⁴² Then Susanna cried out with a loud voice, and said, ‘O eternal God, you know what is secret and are aware of all things before they come to be; ⁴³you know that these men have given false evidence against me. And now I am to die, though I have done none of the wicked things that they have charged against me!’

⁴⁴ The Lord heard her cry. ⁴⁵Just as she was being led off to execution, God stirred up the holy spirit of a young lad named Daniel, ⁴⁶and he shouted with a loud voice, ‘I want no part in shedding this woman’s blood!’

Daniel Rescues Susanna

⁴⁷ All the people turned to him and asked, ‘What is this you are saying?’ ⁴⁸Taking his stand among them he said, ‘Are you such fools, O Israelites, as to condemn a daughter of Israel without examination and without learning the facts? ⁴⁹Return to court, for these men have given false evidence against her.’

⁵⁰ So all the people hurried back. And the rest of thea elders said to him, ‘Come, sit among us and inform us, for God has given you the standing of an elder.’ ⁵¹Daniel said to them, ‘Separate them far from each other, and I will examine them.’

⁵² When they were separated from each other, he summoned one of them and said to him, ‘You old relic of wicked days, your sins have now come home, which you have committed in the past, ⁵³pronouncing unjust judgements, condemning the innocent and acquitting the guilty, though the Lord said, “You shall not put an innocent and righteous person to death.” ⁵⁴Now then, if you really saw this woman, tell me this: Under what tree did you see them being intimate with each other?’ He answered, ‘Under a mastic tree.’a ⁵⁵And Daniel said, ‘Very well! This lie has cost you your head, for the angel of God has received the sentence from God and will immediately cuta you in two.’

⁵⁶ Then, putting him to one side, he ordered them to bring the other. And he said to him, ‘You offspring of Canaan and not of Judah, beauty has beguiled you and lust has perverted your heart. ⁵⁷This is how you have been treating the daughters of Israel, and they were intimate with you through fear; but a daughter of Judah would not tolerate your wickedness. ⁵⁸Now then, tell me: Under what tree did you catch them being intimate with each other?’ He answered, ‘Under an evergreen oak.’b ⁵⁹Daniel said to him, ‘Very well! This lie has cost you also your head, for the angel of God is waiting with his sword to splitb you in two, so as to destroy you both.’

⁶⁰ Then the whole assembly raised a great shout and blessed God, who saves those who hope in him. ⁶¹And they took action against the two elders, because out of their own mouths Daniel had convicted them of bearing false witness; they did to them as they had wickedly planned to do to their neighbour. ⁶²Acting in accordance with the law of Moses, they put them to death. Thus innocent blood was spared that day.

⁶³ Hilkiah and his wife praised God for their daughter Susanna, and so did her husband Joakim and all her relatives, because she was found innocent of a shameful deed. ⁶⁴And from that day onwards Daniel had a great reputation among the people.

Daniel and the Priests of Bel

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WHEN King Astyages was laid to rest with his ancestors, Cyrus the Persian succeeded to his kingdom. ²Daniel was a companion of the king, and was the most honoured of all his Friends.

³ Now the Babylonians had an idol called Bel, and every day they provided for it twelve bushels of choice flour and forty sheep and six measuresc of wine. ⁴The king revered it and went every day to worship it. But Daniel worshipped his own God.

So the king said to him, ‘Why do you not worship Bel?’ ⁵He answered, ‘Because I do not revere idols made with hands, but the living God, who created heaven and earth and has dominion over all living creatures.’

⁶ The king said to him, ‘Do you not think that Bel is a living god? Do you not see how much he eats and drinks every day?’ ⁷And Daniel laughed, and said, ‘Do not be deceived, O king, for this thing is only clay inside and bronze outside, and it never ate or drank anything.’

⁸ Then the king was angry and called the priests of Beld and said to them, ‘If you do not tell me who is eating these provisions, you shall die. ⁹But if you prove that Bel is eating them, Daniel shall die, because he has spoken blasphemy against Bel.’ Daniel said to the king, ‘Let it be done as you have said.’

¹⁰ Now there were seventy priests of Bel, besides their wives and children. So the king went with Daniel into the temple of Bel. ¹¹The priests of Bel said, ‘See, we are now going outside; you yourself, O king, set out the food and prepare the wine, and shut the door and seal it with your signet. ¹²When you return in the morning, if you do not find that Bel has eaten it all, we will die; otherwise Daniel will, who is telling lies about us.’ ¹³They were unconcerned, for beneath the table they had made a hidden entrance, through which they used to go in regularly and consume the provisions. ¹⁴After they had gone out, the king set out the food for Bel. Then Daniel ordered his servants to bring ashes, and they scattered them throughout the whole temple in the presence of the king alone. Then they went out, shut the door and sealed it with the king’s signet, and departed. ¹⁵During the night the priests came as usual, with their wives and children, and they ate and drank everything.

¹⁶ Early in the morning the king rose and came, and Daniel with him. ¹⁷The king said, ‘Are the seals unbroken, Daniel?’ He answered, ‘They are unbroken, O king.’ ¹⁸As soon as the doors were opened, the king looked at the table, and shouted in a loud voice, ‘You are great, O Bel, and in you there is no deceit at all!’

¹⁹ But Daniel laughed and restrained the king from going in. ‘Look at the floor’, he said, ‘and notice whose footprints these are.’ ²⁰The king said, ‘I see the footprints of men and women and children.’

²¹ Then the king was enraged, and he arrested the priests and their wives and children. They showed him the secret doors through which they used to enter to consume what was on the table. ²²Therefore the king put them to death, and gave Bel over to Daniel, who destroyed it and its temple.

Daniel Kills the Dragon

²³ Now in that placea there was a great dragon, which the Babylonians revered. ²⁴The king said to Daniel, ‘You cannot deny that this is a living god; so worship him.’ ²⁵Daniel said, ‘I worship the Lord my God, for he is the living God. ²⁶But give me permission, O king, and I will kill the dragon without sword or club.’ The king said, ‘I give you permission.’

²⁷ Then Daniel took pitch, fat, and hair, and boiled them together and made cakes, which he fed to the dragon. The dragon ate them, and burst open. Then Daniel said, ‘See what you have been worshipping!’

²⁸ When the Babylonians heard about it, they were very indignant and conspired against the king, saying, ‘The king has become a Jew; he has destroyed Bel, and killed the dragon, and slaughtered the priests.’ ²⁹Going to the king, they said, ‘Hand Daniel over to us, or else we will kill you and your household.’ ³⁰The king saw that they were pressing him hard, and under compulsion he handed Daniel over to them.

Daniel in the Lions’ Den

³¹ They threw Daniel into the lions’ den, and he was there for six days. ³²There were seven lions in the den, and every day they had been given two human bodies and two sheep; but now they were given nothing, so that they would devour Daniel.

³³ Now the prophet Habakkuk was in Judea; he had made a stew and had broken bread into a bowl, and was going into the field to take it to the reapers. ³⁴But the angel of the Lord said to Habakkuk, ‘Take the food that you have to Babylon, to Daniel, in the lions’ den.’ ³⁵Habakkuk said, ‘Sir, I have never seen Babylon, and I know nothing about the den.’ ³⁶Then the angel of the Lord took him by the crown of his head and carried him by his hair; with the speed of the winda he set him down in Babylon, right over the den.

³⁷ Then Habakkuk shouted, ‘Daniel, Daniel! Take the food that God has sent you.’ ³⁸Daniel said, ‘You have remembered me, O God, and have not forsaken those who love you.’ ³⁹So Daniel got up and ate. And the angel of God immediately returned Habakkuk to his own place.

⁴⁰ On the seventh day the king came to mourn for Daniel. When he came to the den he looked in, and there sat Daniel! ⁴¹The king shouted with a loud voice, ‘You are great, O Lord, the God of Daniel, and there is no other besides you!’ ⁴²Then he pulled Danielb out, and threw into the den those who had attempted his destruction, and they were instantly eaten before his eyes.

HOSEA

THE word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri, in the days of Kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel.

The Family of Hosea

² When the LORD first spoke through Hosea, the LORD said to Hosea, ‘Go, take for yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the LORD.’ ³So he went and took Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.

⁴ And the LORD said to him, ‘Name him Jezreel;a for in a little while I will punish the house of Jehu for the blood of Jezreel, and I will put an end to the kingdom of the house of Israel. ⁵On that day I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.’

⁶ She conceived again and bore a daughter. Then the LORD said to him, ‘Name her Lo-ruhamah,b for I will no longer have pity on the house of Israel or forgive them. ⁷But I will have pity on the house of Judah, and I will save them by the LORD their God; I will not save them by bow, or by sword, or by war, or by horses, or by horsemen.’

⁸ When she had weaned Lo-ruhamah, she conceived and bore a son. ⁹Then the LORD said, ‘Name him Lo-ammi,c for you are not my people and I am not your God.’d

The Restoration of Israel

¹⁰e Yet the number of the people of Israel shall be like the sand of the sea, which can be neither measured nor numbered; and in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people’, it shall be said to them, ‘Children of the living God.’ ¹¹The people of Judah and the people of Israel shall be gathered together, and they shall appoint for themselves one head; and they shall take possession off the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel.

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SAY to your brother,h Ammi,i and to your sister,j Ruhamah.k

Israel’s Infidelity, Punishment, and Redemption

² Plead with your mother, plead—

for she is not my wife,

and I am not her husband—

that she put away her whoring from her face,

and her adultery from between her breasts,

³ or I will strip her naked

and expose her as in the day she was born,

and make her like a wilderness,

and turn her into a parched land,

and kill her with thirst.

⁴ Upon her children also I will have no pity,

because they are children of whoredom.

⁵ For their mother has played the whore;

she who conceived them has acted shamefully.

For she said, ‘I will go after my lovers;

they give me my bread and my water,

my wool and my flax, my oil and my drink.’

⁶ Therefore I will hedge hera way with thorns;

and I will build a wall against her,

so that she cannot find her paths.

⁷ She shall pursue her lovers,

but not overtake them;

and she shall seek them,

but shall not find them.

Then she shall say, ‘I will go

and return to my first husband,

for it was better with me then than now.’

⁸ She did not know

that it was I who gave her

the grain, the wine, and the oil,

and who lavished upon her silver

and gold that they used for Baal.

⁹ Therefore I will take back

my grain in its time,

and my wine in its season;

and I will take away my wool and my flax,

which were to cover her nakedness.

¹⁰ Now I will uncover her shame

in the sight of her lovers,

and no one shall rescue her out of my hand.

¹¹ I will put an end to all her mirth,

her festivals, her new moons, her sabbaths,

and all her appointed festivals.

¹² I will lay waste her vines and her fig trees,

of which she said,

‘These are my pay,

which my lovers have given me.’

I will make them a forest,

and the wild animals shall devour them.

¹³ I will punish her for the festival days of the Baals,

when she offered incense to them

and decked herself with her ring and jewellery,

and went after her lovers,

and forgot me, says the LORD.

¹⁴ Therefore, I will now persuade her,

and bring her into the wilderness,

and speak tenderly to her.

¹⁵ From there I will give her her vineyards,

and make the Valley of Achor a door of hope.

There she shall respond as in the days of her youth,

as at the time when she came out of the land of Egypt.

¹⁶On that day, says the LORD, you will call me, ‘My husband’, and no longer will you call me, ‘My Baal’.b ¹⁷For I will remove the names of the Baals from her mouth, and they shall be mentioned by name no more. ¹⁸I will make for youc a covenant on that day with the wild animals, the birds of the air, and the creeping things of the ground; and I will abolishd the bow, the sword, and war from the land; and I will make you lie down in safety. ¹⁹And I will take you for my wife for ever; I will take you for my wife in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love, and in mercy. ²⁰I will take you for my wife in faithfulness; and you shall know the LORD.

²¹ On that day I will answer, says the LORD,

I will answer the heavens

and they shall answer the earth;

²² and the earth shall answer the grain, the wine, and the oil,

and they shall answer Jezreel;a

²³ and I will sow himb for myself in the land.

And I will have pity on Lo-ruhamah,c

and I will say to Lo-ammi,d ‘You are my people’

and he shall say, ‘You are my God.’

Further Assurances of God’s Redeeming Love

3

THE LORD said to me again, ‘Go, love a woman who has a lover and is an adulteress, just as the LORD loves the people of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.’ ²So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and a homer of barley and a measure of wine.e ³And I said to her, ‘You must remain as mine for many days; you shall not play the whore, you shall not have intercourse with a man, nor I with you.’ ⁴For the Israelites shall remain many days without king or prince, without sacrifice or pillar, without ephod or teraphim. ⁵Afterwards the Israelites shall return and seek the LORD their God, and David their king; they shall come in awe to the LORD and to his goodness in the latter days.

God Accuses Israel

4

HEAR the word of the LORD, O people of Israel;

for the LORD has an indictment against the inhabitants of the land.

There is no faithfulness or loyalty,

and no knowledge of God in the land.

² Swearing, lying, and murder,

and stealing and adultery break out;

bloodshed follows bloodshed.

³ Therefore the land mourns,

and all who live in it languish;

together with the wild animals

and the birds of the air,

even the fish of the sea are perishing.

⁴ Yet let no one contend,

and let none accuse,

for with you is my contention, O priest.f

⁵ You shall stumble by day;

the prophet also shall stumble with you by night,

and I will destroy your mother.

⁶ My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge;

because you have rejected knowledge,

I reject you from being a priest to me.

And since you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.

⁷ The more they increased,

the more they sinned against me;

they changedg their glory into shame.

⁸ They feed on the sin of my people;

they are greedy for their iniquity.

⁹ And it shall be like people, like priest;

I will punish them for their ways,

and repay them for their deeds.

¹⁰ They shall eat, but not be satisfied;

they shall play the whore, but not multiply;

because they have forsaken the LORD

to devote themselves to

¹¹whoredom.

The Idolatry of Israel

Wine and new wine

take away the understanding.

¹² My people consult a piece of wood,

and their divining-rod gives them oracles.

For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,

and they have played the whore, forsaking their God.

¹³ They sacrifice on the tops of the mountains,

and make offerings upon the hills,

under oak, poplar, and terebinth,

because their shade is good.

Therefore your daughters play the whore,

and your daughters-in-law commit adultery.

¹⁴ I will not punish your daughters when they play the whore,

nor your daughters-in-law when they commit adultery;

for the men themselves go aside with whores,

and sacrifice with temple prostitutes;

thus a people without understanding comes to ruin.

¹⁵ Though you play the whore, O Israel,

do not let Judah become guilty.

Do not enter into Gilgal,

or go up to Beth-aven,

and do not swear, ‘As the LORD lives.’

¹⁶ Like a stubborn heifer,

Israel is stubborn;

can the LORD now feed them

like a lamb in a broad pasture?

¹⁷ Ephraim is joined to idols—

let him alone.

¹⁸ When their drinking is ended, they indulge in sexual orgies;

they love lewdness more than their glory.a

¹⁹ A wind has wrapped themb in its wings,

and they shall be ashamed because of their altars.c

Impending Judgement on Israel and Judah

5

HEAR this, O priests!

Give heed, O house of Israel!

Listen, O house of the king!

For the judgement pertains to you;

for you have been a snare at Mizpah,

and a net spread upon Tabor,

² and a pit dug deep in Shittim;d

but I will punish all of them.

³ I know Ephraim,

and Israel is not hidden from me;

for now, O Ephraim, you have played the whore;

Israel is defiled.

⁴ Their deeds do not permit them

to return to their God.

For the spirit of whoredom is within them,

and they do not know the LORD.

⁵ Israel’s pride testifies against him;

Ephraime stumbles in his guilt;

Judah also stumbles with them.

⁶ With their flocks and herds they shall go

to seek the LORD,

but they will not find him;

he has withdrawn from them.

⁷ They have dealt faithlessly with the LORD;

for they have borne illegitimate children.

Now the new moon shall devour them along with their fields.

⁸ Blow the horn in Gibeah,

the trumpet in Ramah.

Sound the alarm at Beth-aven;

look behind you, Benjamin!

⁹ Ephraim shall become a desolation

on the day of punishment;

among the tribes of Israel

I declare what is sure.

¹⁰ The princes of Judah have become

like those who remove the landmark;

on them I will pour out

my wrath like water.

¹¹ Ephraim is oppressed, crushed in judgement,

because he was determined to go after vanity.a

¹² Therefore I am like maggots to Ephraim,

and like rottenness to the house of Judah.

¹³ When Ephraim saw his sickness,

and Judah his wound,

then Ephraim went to Assyria,

and sent to the great king.b

But he is not able to cure you

or heal your wound.

¹⁴ For I will be like a lion to Ephraim,

and like a young lion to the house of Judah.

I myself will tear and go away;

I will carry off, and no one shall rescue.

¹⁵ I will return again to my place

until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face.

In their distress they will beg my favour:

A Call to Repentance

6

‘COME, let us return to the LORD;

for it is he who has torn, and he will heal us;

he has struck down, and he will bind us up.

² After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will raise us up,

that we may live before him.

³ Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD;

his appearing is as sure as the dawn;

he will come to us like the showers,

like the spring rains that water the earth.’

Impenitence of Israel and Judah

⁴ What shall I do with you, O Ephraim?

What shall I do with you, O Judah?

Your love is like a morning cloud,

like the dew that goes away early.

⁵ Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets,

I have killed them by the words of my mouth,

and myc judgement goes forth as the light.

⁶ For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,

the knowledge of God rather than burnt-offerings.

⁷ But atd Adam they transgressed the covenant;

there they dealt faithlessly with me.

⁸ Gilead is a city of evildoers,

tracked with blood.

⁹ As robbers lie in waite for someone,

so the priests are banded together;f

they murder on the road to Shechem,

they commit a monstrous crime.

¹⁰ In the house of Israel I have seen a horrible thing;

Ephraim’s whoredom is there, Israel is defiled.

¹¹ For you also, O Judah, a harvest is appointed.

When I would restore the fortunes of my people,

7

¹ when I would heal Israel,

the corruption of Ephraim is revealed,

and the wicked deeds of Samaria;

for they deal falsely,

the thief breaks in,

and the bandits raid outside.

² But they do not consider

that I remember all their wickedness.

Now their deeds surround them,

they are before my face.

³ By their wickedness they make the king glad,

and the officials by their treachery.

⁴ They are all adulterers;

they are like a heated oven,

whose baker does not need to stir the fire,

from the kneading of the dough until it is leavened.

⁵ On the day of our king the officials

became sick with the heat of wine;

he stretched out his hand with mockers.

⁶ For they are kindleda like an oven, their heart burns within them;

all night their anger smoulders;

in the morning it blazes like a flaming fire.

⁷ All of them are hot as an oven,

and they devour their rulers.

All their kings have fallen;

none of them calls upon me.

⁸ Ephraim mixes himself with the peoples;

Ephraim is a cake not turned.

⁹ Foreigners devour his strength,

but he does not know it;

grey hairs are sprinkled upon him,

but he does not know it.

¹⁰ Israel’s pride testifies againstb him;

yet they do not return to the LORD their God,

or seek him, for all this.

Futile Reliance on the Nations

¹¹ Ephraim has become like a dove,

silly and without sense;

they call upon Egypt, they go to Assyria.

¹² As they go, I will cast my net over them;

I will bring them down like birds of the air;

I will discipline them according to the report made to their assembly.c

¹³ Woe to them, for they have strayed from me!

Destruction to them, for they have rebelled against me!

I would redeem them,

but they speak lies against me.

¹⁴ They do not cry to me from the heart,

but they wail upon their beds;

they gash themselves for grain and wine;

they rebel against me.

¹⁵ It was I who trained and strengthened their arms,

yet they plot evil against me.

¹⁶ They turn to that which does not profit;d

they have become like a defective bow;

their officials shall fall by the sword

because of the rage of their tongue.

So much for their babbling in the land of Egypt.

Israel’s Apostasy

8

SET the trumpet to your lips!

One like a vulturec is over the house of the LORD,

because they have broken my covenant,

and transgressed my law.

² Israel cries to me,

‘My God, we—Israel—know you!’

³ Israel has spurned the good;

the enemy shall pursue him.

⁴ They made kings, but not through me;

they set up princes, but without my knowledge.

With their silver and gold they made idols

for their own destruction.

⁵ Your calf is rejected, O Samaria.

My anger burns against them.

How long will they be incapable of innocence?

⁶ For it is from Israel,

an artisan made it;

it is not God.

The calf of Samaria

shall be broken to pieces.e

⁷ For they sow the wind,

and they shall reap the whirlwind.

The standing grain has no heads,

it shall yield no meal;

if it were to yield,

foreigners would devour it.

⁸ Israel is swallowed up;

now they are among the nations

as a useless vessel.

⁹ For they have gone up to Assyria,

a wild ass wandering alone;

Ephraim has bargained for lovers.

¹⁰ Though they bargain with the nations,

I will now gather them up.

They shall soon writhe

under the burden of kings and princes.

¹¹ When Ephraim multiplied altars to expiate sin,

they became to him altars for sinning.

¹² Though I write for him the multitude of my instructions,

they are regarded as a strange thing.

¹³ Though they offer choice sacrifices,a

though they eat flesh,

the LORD does not accept them.

Now he will remember their iniquity,

and punish their sins;

they shall return to Egypt.

¹⁴ Israel has forgotten his Maker,

and built palaces;

and Judah has multiplied fortified cities;

but I will send a fire upon his cities,

and it shall devour his strongholds.

Punishment for Israel’s Sin

9

DO NOT rejoice, O Israel!

Do not exultb as other nations do;

for you have played the whore, departing from your God.

You have loved a prostitute’s pay

on all threshing-floors.

² Threshing-floor and wine vat shall not feed them,

and the new wine shall fail them.

³ They shall not remain in the land of the LORD;

but Ephraim shall return to Egypt,

and in Assyria they shall eat unclean food.

⁴ They shall not pour drink-offerings of wine to the LORD,

and their sacrifices shall not please him.

Such sacrifices shall be like mourners’ bread;

all who eat of it shall be defiled;

for their bread shall be for their hunger only;

it shall not come to the house of the LORD.

⁵ What will you do on the day of appointed festival,

and on the day of the festival of the LORD?

⁶ For even if they escape destruction,

Egypt shall gather them,

Memphis shall bury them.

Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver;c

thorns shall be in their tents.

⁷ The days of punishment have come,

the days of recompense have come;

Israel cries,d

‘The prophet is a fool,

the man of the spirit is mad!’

Because of your great iniquity,

your hostility is great.

⁸ The prophet is a sentinel for my God over Ephraim,

yet a fowler’s snare is on all his ways,

and hostility in the house of his God.

⁹ They have deeply corrupted them selves

as in the days of Gibeah;

he will remember their iniquity,

he will punish their sins.

¹⁰ Like grapes in the wilderness,

I found Israel.

Like the first fruit on the fig tree,

in its first season,

I saw your ancestors.

But they came to Baal-peor,

and consecrated themselves to a thing of shame,

and became detestable like the thing they loved.

¹¹ Ephraim’s glory shall fly away like a bird—

no birth, no pregnancy, no conception!

¹² Even if they bring up children,

I will bereave them until no one is left.

Woe to them indeed

when I depart from them!

¹³ Once I saw Ephraim as a young palm planted in a lovely meadow,a

but now Ephraim must lead out his children for slaughter.

¹⁴ Give them, O LORD— what will you give?

Give them a miscarrying womb and dry breasts.

¹⁵ Every evil of theirs began at Gilgal; there I came to hate them.

Because of the wickedness of their deeds

I will drive them out of my house.

I will love them no more;

all their officials are rebels.

¹⁶ Ephraim is stricken,

their root is dried up,

they shall bear no fruit.

Even though they give birth,

I will kill the cherished offspring of their womb.

¹⁷ Because they have not listened to him,

my God will reject them;

they shall become wanderers among the nations.

Israel’s Sin and Captivity

10

ISRAEL is a luxuriant vine

that yields its fruit.

The more his fruit increased

the more altars he built;

as his country improved, he improved his pillars.

² Their heart is false;

now they must bear their guilt.

The LORDb will break down their altars,

and destroy their pillars.

³ For now they will say:

‘We have no king,

for we do not fear the LORD,

and a king—what could he do for us?’

⁴ They utter mere words;

with empty oaths they make covenants;

so litigation springs up like poisonous weeds

in the furrows of the field.

⁵ The inhabitants of Samaria tremble

for the calfc of Beth-aven.

Its people shall mourn for it,

and its idolatrous priests shall waild

over it, over its glory that has departed from it.

⁶ The thing itself shall be carried to Assyria

as tribute to the great king.e

Ephraim shall be put to shame,

and Israel shall be ashamed of his idol.f

⁷ Samaria’s king shall perish

like a splinter on the face of the waters.

⁸ The high places of Aven, the sin of Israel,

shall be destroyed.

Thorn and thistle shall grow up

on their altars.

They shall say to the mountains, Cover us,

and to the hills, Fall on us.

⁹ Since the days of Gibeah you have sinned, O Israel;

there they have continued.

Shall not war overtake them in Gibeah?

¹⁰ I will comea against the wayward people to punish them;

and nations shall be gathered against them

when they are punishedb for their double iniquity.

¹¹ Ephraim was a trained heifer

that loved to thresh,

and I spared her fair neck;

but I will make Ephraim break the ground;

Judah must plough;

Jacob must harrow for himself.

¹² Sow for yourselves righteousness;

reap steadfast love;

break up your fallow ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD,

that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.

¹³ You have ploughed wickedness,

you have reaped injustice,

you have eaten the fruit of lies.

Because you have trusted in your power

and in the multitude of your warriors,

¹⁴ therefore the tumult of war shall rise against your people,

and all your fortresses shall be destroyed,

as Shalman destroyed Beth-arbel on the day of battle

when mothers were dashed in pieces with their children.

¹⁵ Thus it shall be done to you, O Bethel,

because of your great wickedness.

At dawn the king of Israel

shall be utterly cut off.

God’s Compassion Despite Israel’s Ingratitude

11

WHEN Israel was a child, I loved him,

and out of Egypt I called my son.

² The more Ic called them,

the more they went from me;d

they kept sacrificing to the Baals,

and offering incense to idols.

³ Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk,

I took them up in mye arms;

but they did not know that I healed them.

⁴ I led them with cords of human kindness,

with bands of love.

I was to them like those

who lift infants to their cheeks.f

I bent down to them and fed them.

⁵ They shall return to the land of Egypt,

and Assyria shall be their king,

because they have refused to return to me.

⁶ The sword rages in their cities,

it consumes their oracle-priests,

and devours because of their schemes.

⁷ My people are bent on turning away from me.

To the Most High they call,

but he does not raise them up at all.g

⁸ How can I give you up, Ephraim?

How can I hand you over, O Israel?

How can I make you like Admah?

How can I treat you like Zeboiim?

My heart recoils within me;

my compassion grows warm and tender.

⁹ I will not execute my fierce anger;

I will not again destroy Ephraim;

for I am God and no mortal,

the Holy One in your midst,

and I will not come in wrath.g

¹⁰ They shall go after the LORD,

who roars like a lion;

when he roars,

his children shall come trembling from the west.

¹¹ They shall come trembling like birds from Egypt,

and like doves from the land of Assyria;

and I will return them to their homes, says the LORD.

¹²a Ephraim has surrounded me with lies,

and the house of Israel with deceit;

but Judah still walksb with God,

and is faithful to the Holy One.

12

EPHRAIM herds the wind,

and pursues the east wind all day long;

they multiply falsehood and violence;

they make a treaty with Assyria,

and oil is carried to Egypt.

The Long History of Rebellion

2

The LORD has an indictment against Judah,

and will punish Jacob according to his ways,

and repay him according to his deeds.

³ In the womb he tried to supplant his brother,

and in his manhood he strove with God.

⁴ He strove with the angel and prevailed,

he wept and sought his favour;

he met him at Bethel,

and there he spoke with him.c

⁵ The LORD

the God of hosts, the LORD is his name!

⁶ But as for you, return to your God,

hold fast to love and justice,

and wait continually for your God.

⁷ A trader, in whose hands are false balances,

he loves to oppress.

⁸ Ephraim has said, ‘Ah, I am rich,

I have gained wealth for myself;

in all of my gain

no offence has been found in me that would be sin.’d

⁹ I am the LORD your God

from the land of Egypt;

I will make you live in tents again,

as on the days of the appointed festival.

¹⁰ I spoke to the prophets;

it was I who multiplied visions,

and through the prophets I will bring destruction.

¹¹ In Gileade there is iniquity,

they shall surely come to nothing.

In Gilgal they sacrifice bulls,

so their altars shall be like stone heaps on the furrows of the field.

¹² Jacob fled to the land of Aram;

there Israel served for a wife,

and for a wife he guarded sheep.f

¹³ By a prophet the LORD brought Israel up from Egypt,

and by a prophet he was guarded.

¹⁴ Ephraim has given bitter offence,

so his Lord will bring his crimes down on him

and pay him back for his insults.

Relentless Judgement on Israel

13

WHEN Ephraim spoke, there was trembling;

he was exalted in Israel;

but he incurred guilt through Baal and died.

² And now they keep on sinning

and make a cast image for themselves,

idols of silver made according to their understanding,

all of them the work of artisans.

‘Sacrifice to these’, they say.g

People are kissing calves!

³ Therefore they shall be like the morning mist

or like the dew that goes away early,

like chaff that swirls from the threshing-floor

or like smoke from a window.

⁴ Yet I have been the LORD your God

ever since the land of Egypt;

you know no God but me,

and besides me there is no saviour.

⁵ It was I who feda you in the wilderness,

in the land of drought.

⁶ When I fedb them, they were satisfied;

they were satisfied, and their heart was proud;

therefore they forgot me.

⁷ So I will become like a lion to them,

like a leopard I will lurk beside the way.

⁸ I will fall upon them like a bear robbed of her cubs,

and will tear open the covering of their heart;

there I will devour them like a lion,

as a wild animal would mangle them.

⁹ I will destroy you, O Israel;

who can help you?c

¹⁰ Where now isd your king, that he may save you?

Where in all your cities are your rulers,

of whom you said,

‘Give me a king and rulers’?

¹¹ I gave you a king in my anger,

and I took him away in my wrath.

¹² Ephraim’s iniquity is bound up;

his sin is kept in store.

¹³ The pangs of childbirth come for him,

but he is an unwise son;

for at the proper time he does not present himself

at the mouth of the womb.

¹⁴ Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?

Shall I redeem them from Death?

O Death, where ared your plagues?

O Sheol, where isd your destruction?

Compassion is hidden from my eyes.

¹⁵ Although he may flourish among rushes,e

the east wind shall come, a blast from the LORD,

rising from the wilderness;

and his fountain shall dry up,

his spring shall be parched.

It shall strip his treasury

of every precious thing.

¹⁶f Samaria shall bear her guilt,

because she has rebelled against her God;

they shall fall by the sword,

their little ones shall be dashed in pieces,

and their pregnant women ripped open.

A Plea for Repentance

14

RETURN, O Israel, to the LORD your God,

for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

² Take words with you

and return to the LORD;

say to him,

‘Take away all guilt;

accept that which is good,

and we will offer

the fruitg of our lips.

³ Assyria shall not save us;

we will not ride upon horses;

we will say no more, “Our God”,

to the work of our hands.

In you the orphan finds mercy.’

Assurance of Forgiveness

⁴ I will heal their disloyalty;

I will love them freely,

for my anger has turned from them.

⁵ I will be like the dew to Israel;

he shall blossom like the lily,

he shall strike root like the forests of Lebanon.a

⁶ His shoots shall spread out;

his beauty shall be like the olive tree,

and his fragrance like that of Lebanon.

⁷ They shall again live beneath myb shadow,

they shall flourish as a garden;c

they shall blossom like the vine,

their fragrance shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

⁸ O Ephraim, what have Id to do with idols?

It is I who answer and look after you.e

I am like an evergreen cypress;

your faithfulnessf comes from me.

⁹ Those who are wise understand these things;

those who are discerning know them.

For the ways of the LORD are right,

and the upright walk in them,

but transgressors stumble in them.

JOEL

THE word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel:

Lament over the Ruin of the Country

² Hear this, O elders,

give ear, all inhabitants of the land!

Has such a thing happened in your days,

or in the days of your ancestors?

³ Tell your children of it,

and let your children tell their children,

and their children another generation.

⁴ What the cutting locust left,

the swarming locust has eaten.

What the swarming locust left,

the hopping locust has eaten,

and what the hopping locust left,

the destroying locust has eaten.

⁵ Wake up, you drunkards,

and weep; and wail, all you wine-drinkers,

over the sweet wine,

for it is cut off from your mouth.

⁶ For a nation has invaded my land,

powerful and innumerable;

its teeth are lions’ teeth,

and it has the fangs of a lioness.

⁷ It has laid waste my vines,

and splintered my fig trees;

it has stripped off their bark and thrown it down;

their branches have turned white.

⁸ Lament like a virgin dressed in sackcloth

for the husband of her youth.

⁹ The grain-offering and the drink-offering are cut off

from the house of the LORD.

The priests mourn,

the ministers of the LORD.

¹⁰ The fields are devastated,

the ground mourns;

for the grain is destroyed,

the wine dries up,

the oil fails.

¹¹ Be dismayed, you farmers,

wail, you vine-dressers,

over the wheat and the barley;

for the crops of the field are ruined.

¹² The vine withers,

the fig tree droops.

Pomegranate, palm, and apple—

all the trees of the field are dried up;

surely, joy withers away

among the people.

A Call to Repentance and Prayer

¹³ Put on sackcloth and lament, you priests;

wail, you ministers of the altar.

Come, pass the night in sackcloth,

you ministers of my God!

Grain-offering and drink-offering

are withheld from the house of your God.

¹⁴ Sanctify a fast,

call a solemn assembly.

Gather the elders

and all the inhabitants of the land

to the house of the LORD your God,

and cry out to the LORD.

¹⁵ Alas for the day!

For the day of the LORD is near,

and as destruction from the Almightya it comes.

¹⁶ Is not the food cut off

before our eyes,

joy and gladness

from the house of our God?

¹⁷ The seed shrivels under the clods,b

the storehouses are desolate;

the granaries are ruined

because the grain has failed.

¹⁸ How the animals groan!

The herds of cattle wander about

because there is no pasture for them;

even the flocks of sheep are dazed.c

¹⁹ To you, O LORD, I cry.

For fire has devoured

the pastures of the wilderness,

and flames have burned

all the trees of the field.

²⁰ Even the wild animals cry to you

because the watercourses are dried up,

and fire has devoured

the pastures of the wilderness.

2

BLOW the trumpet in Zion;

sound the alarm on my holy mountain!

Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,

for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near—

² a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and thick darkness!

Like blackness spread upon the mountains

a great and powerful army comes;

their like has never been from of old,

nor will be again after them

in ages to come.

³ Fire devours in front of them,

and behind them a flame burns.

Before them the land is like the garden of Eden,

but after them a desolate wilderness,

and nothing escapes them.

⁴ They have the appearance of horses,

and like warhorses they charge.

⁵ As with the rumbling of chariots,

they leap on the tops of the mountains,

like the crackling of a flame of fire

devouring the stubble,

like a powerful army

drawn up for battle.

⁶ Before them peoples are in anguish,

all faces grow pale.d

⁷ Like warriors they charge,

like soldiers they scale the wall.

Each keeps to its own course,

they do not swerve fromd their paths.

⁸ They do not jostle one another,

each keeps to its own track;

they burst through the weapons

and are not halted.

⁹ They leap upon the city,

they run upon the walls;

they climb up into the houses,

they enter through the windows like a thief.

¹⁰ The earth quakes before them,

the heavens tremble.

The sun and the moon are darkened,

and the stars withdraw their shining.

¹¹ The LORD utters his voice

at the head of his army;

how vast is his host!

Numberless are those who obey his command.

Truly the day of the LORD is great;

terrible indeed—who can endure it?

¹² Yet even now, says the LORD,

return to me with all your heart,

with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;

¹³ rend your hearts and not your clothing.

Return to the LORD, your God,

for he is gracious and merciful,

slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,

and relents from punishing.

¹⁴ Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,

and leave a blessing behind him,

a grain-offering and a drink-offering

for the LORD, your God?

¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion;

sanctify a fast;

call a solemn assembly;

¹⁶ gather the people.

Sanctify the congregation;

assemble the aged;

gather the children,

even infants at the breast.

Let the bridegroom leave his room,

and the bride her canopy.

¹⁷ Between the vestibule and the altar

let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep.

Let them say, ‘Spare your people, O LORD,

and do not make your heritage a mockery,

a byword among the nations.

Why should it be said among the peoples,

“Where is their God?”’

God’s Response and Promise

¹⁸ Then the LORD became jealous for his land,

and had pity on his people.

¹⁹ In response to his people the LORD said:

I am sending you

grain, wine, and oil,

and you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

a mockery among the nations.

²⁰ I will remove the northern army far from you,

and drive it into a parched and desolate land,

its front into the eastern sea,

and its rear into the western sea;

its stench and foul smell will rise up.

Surely he has done great things!

²¹ Do not fear, O soil;

be glad and rejoice,

for the LORD has done great things!

²² Do not fear, you animals of the field,

for the pastures of the wilderness are green;

the tree bears its fruit,

the fig tree and vine give their full yield.

²³ O children of Zion, be glad

and rejoice in the LORD your God;

for he has given the early raina for your vindication,

he has poured down for you abundant rain,

the early and the later rain, as before.

²⁴ The threshing-floors shall be full of grain,

the vats shall overflow with wine and oil.

²⁵ I will repay you for the years

that the swarming locust has eaten,

the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter,

my great army, which I sent against you.

²⁶ You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied,

and praise the name of the LORD your God,

who has dealt wondrously with you. And my people shall never again be put to shame.

²⁷ You shall know that I am in the midst of Israel,

and that I, the LORD, am your God and there is no other.

And my people shall never again be put to shame.

God’s Spirit Poured Out

²⁸a Then afterwards

I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;

your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

your old men shall dream dreams,

and your young men shall see visions.

²⁹ Even on the male and female slaves,

in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

³⁰ I will show portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. ³¹The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. ³²Then everyone who calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved; for in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be those who escape, as the LORD has said, and among the survivors shall be those whom the LORD calls.

3b

FOR then, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem, ²I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat, and I will enter into judgement with them there, on account of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations. They have divided my land, ³and cast lots for my people, and traded boys for prostitutes, and sold girls for wine, and drunk it down.

⁴ What are you to me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the regions of Philistia? Are you paying me back for something? If you are paying me back, I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads swiftly and speedily. ⁵For you have taken my silver and my gold, and have carried my rich treasures into your temples.c ⁶You have sold the people of Judah and Jerusalem to the Greeks, removing them far from their own border. ⁷But now I will rouse them to leave the places to which you have sold them, and I will turn your deeds back upon your own heads. ⁸I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the people of Judah, and they will sell them to the Sabeans, to a nation far away; for the LORD has spoken.

Judgement in the Valley of Jehoshaphat

⁹ Proclaim this among the nations:

Prepare war,d

stir up the warriors.

Let all the soldiers draw near,

let them come up.

¹⁰ Beat your ploughshares into swords,

and your pruning-hooks into spears;

let the weakling say, ‘I am a warrior.’

¹¹ Come quickly,e

all you nations all around,

gather yourselves there.

Bring down your warriors, O LORD.

¹² Let the nations rouse themselves,

and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat;

for there I will sit to judge

all the neighbouring nations.

¹³ Put in the sickle,

for the harvest is ripe.

Go in, tread,

for the wine press is full.

The vats overflow,

for their wickedness is great.

¹⁴ Multitudes, multitudes,

in the valley of decision!

For the day of the LORD is near

in the valley of decision.

¹⁵ The sun and the moon are darkened,

and the stars withdraw their shining.

¹⁶ The LORD roars from Zion,

and utters his voice from Jerusalem,

and the heavens and the earth shake.

But the LORD is a refuge for his people,

a stronghold for the people of Israel.

The Glorious Future of Judah

¹⁷ So you shall know that I, the LORD your God,

dwell in Zion, my holy mountain.

And Jerusalem shall be holy,

and strangers shall never again pass through it.

¹⁸ On that day

the mountains shall drip sweet wine,

the hills shall flow with milk,

and all the stream beds of Judah

shall flow with water;

a fountain shall come forth from the house of the LORD

and water the Wadi Shittim.

¹⁹ Egypt shall become a desolation

and Edom a desolate wilderness,

because of the violence done to the people of Judah,

in whose land they have shed innocent blood.

²⁰ But Judah shall be inhabited for ever,

and Jerusalem to all generations.

²¹ I will avenge their blood, and I will not clear the guilty,a

for the LORD dwells in Zion.

AMOS

THE words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two yearsa before the earthquake.

Judgement on Israel’s Neighbours

²And he said:

The LORD roars from Zion,

and utters his voice from Jerusalem;

the pastures of the shepherds wither,

and the top of Carmel dries up.

³ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Damascus,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;b

because they have threshed Gilead

with threshing-sledges of iron.

⁴ So I will send a fire on the house of Hazael,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Ben-hadad.

⁵ I will break the gate-bars of Damascus,

and cut off the inhabitants from the Valley of Aven,

and the one who holds the sceptre from Beth-eden;

and the people of Aram shall go into exile to Kir,

says the LORD.

⁶ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Gaza,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;b

because they carried into exile entire communities,

to hand them over to Edom.

⁷ So I will send a fire on the wall of Gaza,

fire that shall devour its strongholds.

⁸ I will cut off the inhabitants from Ashdod,

and the one who holds the sceptre from Ashkelon;

I will turn my hand against Ekron,

and the remnant of the Philistines shall perish,

says the Lord GOD.

⁹ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Tyre,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;b

because they delivered entire communities over to Edom,

and did not remember the covenant of kinship.

¹⁰ So I will send a fire on the wall of Tyre,

fire that shall devour its strongholds.

¹¹ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Edom,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;a

because he pursued his brother with the sword

and cast off all pity;

he maintained his anger perpetually,b

and kept his wrathc for ever.

¹² So I will send a fire on Teman,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Bozrah.

¹³ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of the Ammonites,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;a

because they have ripped open pregnant women

in Gilead in order to enlarge their territory.

¹⁴ So I will kindle a fire against the wall of Rabbah,

fire that shall devour its strong holds,

with shouting on the day of battle,

with a storm on the day of the whirlwind;

¹⁵ then their king shall go into exile,

he and his officials together,

says the LORD.

2

THUS says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Moab,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;a

because he burned to lime

the bones of the king of Edom.

² So I will send a fire on Moab,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Kerioth,

and Moab shall die amid uproar,

amid shouting and the sound of the trumpet;

³ I will cut off the ruler from its midst,

and will kill all its officials with him,

says the LORD.

Judgement on Judah

⁴ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Judah,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;a

because they have rejected the law of the LORD,

and have not kept his statutes,

but they have been led astray by the same lies

after which their ancestors walked.

⁵ So I will send a fire on Judah,

and it shall devour the strongholds of Jerusalem.

Judgement on Israel

⁶ Thus says the LORD:

For three transgressions of Israel,

and for four, I will not revoke the punishment;a

because they sell the righteous for silver,

and the needy for a pair of sandals—

⁷ they who trample the head of the poor into the dust of the earth,

and push the afflicted out of the way;

father and son go in to the same girl,

so that my holy name is profaned;

⁸ they lay themselves down beside every altar

on garments taken in pledge;

and in the house of their God they drink

wine bought with fines they imposed.

⁹ Yet I destroyed the Amorite before them,

whose height was like the height of cedars,

and who was as strong as oaks;

I destroyed his fruit above,

and his roots beneath.

¹⁰ Also I brought you up out of the land of Egypt,

and led you for forty years in the wilderness,

to possess the land of the Amorite.

¹¹ And I raised up some of your children to be prophets

and some of your youths to be nazirites.a

Is it not indeed so, O people of Israel?

says the LORD.

¹² But you made the naziritesa drink wine,

and commanded the prophets,

saying, ‘You shall not prophesy.’

¹³ So, I will press you down in your place,

just as a cart presses down

when it is full of sheaves.b

¹⁴ Flight shall perish from the swift,

and the strong shall not retain their strength,

nor shall the mighty save their lives;

¹⁵ those who handle the bow shall not stand,

and those who are swift of foot shall not save themselves,

nor shall those who ride horses save their lives;

¹⁶ and those who are stout of heart among the mighty

shall flee away naked on that day,

says the LORD.

Israel’s Guilt and Punishment

3

HEAR this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt:

² You only have I known

of all the families of the earth;

therefore I will punish you

for all your iniquities.

³ Do two walk together

unless they have made an appointment?

⁴ Does a lion roar in the forest,

when it has no prey?

Does a young lion cry out from its den,

if it has caught nothing?

⁵ Does a bird fall into a snare on the earth,

when there is no trap for it?

Does a snare spring up from the ground,

when it has taken nothing?

⁶ Is a trumpet blown in a city,

and the people are not afraid?

Does disaster befall a city,

unless the LORD has done it?

⁷ Surely the Lord GOD does nothing,

without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

⁸ The lion has roared;

who will not fear?

The Lord GOD has spoken;

who can but prophesy?

⁹ Proclaim to the strongholds in Ashdod,

and to the strongholds in the land of Egypt,

and say, ‘Assemble yourselves on Mountc Samaria,

and see what great tumults are within it,

and what oppressions are in its midst.’

¹⁰ They do not know how to do right, says the LORD,

those who store up violence and robbery in their strongholds.

¹¹ Therefore, thus says the Lord GOD:

An adversary shall surround the land,

and strip you of your defence;

and your strongholds shall be plundered.

¹² Thus says the LORD: As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear, so shall the people of Israel who live in Samaria be rescued, with the corner of a couch and parta of a bed.

¹³ Hear, and testify against the house of Jacob,

says the Lord GOD, the God of hosts:

¹⁴ On the day I punish Israel for its transgressions,

I will punish the altars of Bethel,

and the horns of the altar shall be cut off

and fall to the ground.

¹⁵ I will tear down the winter house as well as the summer house;

and the houses of ivory shall perish,

and the great housesb shall come to an end,

says the LORD.

4

HEAR this word, you cows of Bashan

who are on Mount Samaria,

who oppress the poor, who crush the needy,

who say to their husbands, ‘Bring something to drink!’

² The Lord GOD has sworn by his holiness:

The time is surely coming upon you,

when they shall take you away with hooks,

even the last of you with fish-hooks.

³ Through breaches in the wall you shall leave,

each one straight ahead;

and you shall be flung out into Harmon,a

says the LORD.

⁴ Come to Bethel—and transgress;

to Gilgal—and multiply transgression;

bring your sacrifices every morning,

your tithes every three days;

⁵ bring a thank-offering of leavened bread,

and proclaim freewill-offerings, publish them;

for so you love to do, O people of Israel!

says the Lord GOD.

Israel Rejects Correction

⁶ I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,

and lack of bread in all your places,

yet you did not return to me,

says the LORD.

⁷ And I also withheld the rain from you

when there were still three months to the harvest;

I would send rain on one city,

and send no rain on another city;

one field would be rained upon,

and the field on which it did not rain withered;

⁸ so two or three towns wandered

to one town to drink water, and were not satisfied;

yet you did not return to me,

says the LORD.

⁹ I struck you with blight and mildew;

I laid wastec your gardens and your vineyards;

the locust devoured your fig trees and your olive trees;

yet you did not return to me,

says the LORD.

¹⁰ I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;

I killed your young men with the sword;

I carried away your horses;d

and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;

yet you did not return to me,

says the LORD.

¹¹ I overthrew some of you,

as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

and you were like a brand snatched from the fire;

yet you did not return to me,

says the LORD.

¹² Therefore, thus I will do to you, O Israel;

because I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

¹³ For lo, the one who forms the mountains, creates the wind,

reveals his thoughts to mortals,

makes the morning darkness,

and treads on the heights of the earth—the LORD,

the God of hosts, is his name!

A Lament for Israel’s Sin

5

HEAR this word that I take up over you in lamentation, O house of Israel:

² Fallen, no more to rise,

is maiden Israel;

forsaken on her land,

with no one to raise her up.

³ For thus says the Lord GOD:

The city that marched out a thousand

shall have a hundred left,

and that which marched out a hundred

shall have ten left.a

⁴ For thus says the LORD Israel:

Seek me and live;

⁵ but do not seek Bethel,

and do not enter into Gilgal

or cross over to Beer-sheba;

for Gilgal shall surely go into exile,

and Bethel shall come to nothing.

⁶ Seek the LORD and live,

or he will break out against the house of Joseph like fire,

and it will devour Bethel, with no one to quench it.

⁷ Ah, you that turn justice to wormwood,

and bring righteousness to the ground!

⁸ The one who made the Pleiades and Orion,

and turns deep darkness into the morning,

and darkens the day into night,

who calls for the waters of the sea,

and pours them out on the surface of the earth,

the LORD is his name,

⁹ who makes destruction flash out against the strong,

so that destruction comes upon the fortress.

¹⁰ They hate the one who reproves in the gate,

and they abhor the one who speaks the truth.

¹¹ Therefore, because you trample on the poor

and take from them levies of grain,

you have built houses of hewn stone,

but you shall not live in them;

you have planted pleasant vineyards,

but you shall not drink their wine.

¹² For I know how many are your transgressions,

and how great are your sins—

you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe,

and push aside the needy in the gate.

¹³ Therefore the prudent will keep silent in such a time;

for it is an evil time.

¹⁴ Seek good and not evil,

that you may live;

and so the LORD, the God of hosts, will be with you,

just as you have said.

¹⁵ Hate evil and love good,

and establish justice in the gate;

it may be that the LORD, the God of hosts,

will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

¹⁶ Therefore thus says the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord:

In all the squares there shall be wailing;

and in all the streets they shall say, ‘Alas! alas!’

They shall call the farmers to mourning,

and those skilled in lamentation, to wailing;

¹⁷ in all the vineyards there shall be wailing,

for I will pass through the midst of you,

says the LORD.

The Day of the LORD a Dark Day

¹⁸ Alas for you who desire the day of the LORD!

Why do you want the day of the LORD?

It is darkness, not light;

¹⁹ as if someone fled from a lion,

and was met by a bear;

or went into the house and rested a hand against the wall,

and was bitten by a snake.

²⁰ Is not the day of the LORD darkness, not light,

and gloom with no brightness in it?

²¹ I hate, I despise your festivals,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

²² Even though you offer me your burnt-offerings and grain-offerings,

I will not accept them;

and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals

I will not look upon.

²³ Take away from me the noise of your songs;

I will not listen to the melody of your harps.

²⁴ But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

²⁵ Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? ²⁶You shall take up Sakkuth your king, and Kaiwan your star-god, your imagesa that you made for yourselves; ²⁷therefore I will take you into exile beyond Damascus, says the LORD, whose name is the God of hosts.

Complacent Self-Indulgence Will Be Punished

6

ALAS for those who are at ease in Zion,

and for those who feel secure on Mount Samaria,

the notables of the first of the nations,

to whom the house of Israel resorts!

² Cross over to Calneh, and see;

from there go to Hamath the great;

then go down to Gath of the Philistines.

Are you betterb than these kingdoms?

Or is yourc territory greater than theird territory,

³ O you that put far away the evil day,

and bring near a reign of violence?

⁴ Alas for those who lie on beds of ivory,

and lounge on their couches,

and eat lambs from the flock,

and calves from the stall;

⁵ who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp,

and like David improvise on instruments of music;

⁶ who drink wine from bowls,

and anoint themselves with the finest oils,

but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!

⁷ Therefore they shall now be the first

to go into exile,

and the revelry of the loungers shall pass away.

⁸ The Lord GOD has sworn by himself

(says the LORD, the God of hosts):

I abhor the pride of Jacob

and hate his strongholds;

and I will deliver up the city and all that is in it.

⁹ If ten people remain in one house, they shall die. ¹⁰And if a relative, one who burns the dead,a shall take up the body to bring it out of the house, and shall say to someone in the innermost parts of the house, ‘Is anyone else with you?’ the answer will come, ‘No.’ Then the relativeb shall say, ‘Hush! We must not mention the name of the LORD.’

¹¹ See, the LORD commands,

and the great house shall be shattered to bits,

and the little house to pieces.

¹² Do horses run on rocks?

Does one plough the sea with oxen?c

But you have turned justice into poison

and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood—

¹³ you who rejoice in Lo-debar,d

who say, ‘Have we not by our own strength

taken Karnaime for ourselves?’

¹⁴ Indeed, I am raising up against you a nation,

O house of Israel, says the LORD, the God of hosts,

and they shall oppress you from Lebo-hamath

to the Wadi Arabah.

Locusts, Fire, and a Plumb-Line

7

THIS is what the Lord GOD showed me: he was forming locusts at the time the latter growth began to sprout (it was the latter growth after the king’s mowings). ²When they had finished eating the grass of the land, I said,

‘O Lord GOD, forgive, I beg you!

How can Jacob stand?

He is so small!’

³ The LORD relented concerning this;

‘It shall not be,’ said the LORD.

⁴ This is what the Lord GOD showed me: the Lord GOD was calling for a shower of fire,f and it devoured the great deep and was eating up the land. ⁵Then I said,

‘O Lord GOD, cease, I beg you!

How can Jacob stand?

He is so small!’

⁶ The LORD relented concerning this;

‘This also shall not be,’ said the Lord GOD.

⁷ This is what he showed me: the Lord was standing beside a wall built with a plumb-line, with a plumb-line in his hand. ⁸And the LORD said to me, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A plumb-line.’ Then the Lord said,

‘See, I am setting a plumb-line

in the midst of my people Israel;

I will never again pass them by;

⁹ the high places of Isaac shall be made desolate,

and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste,

and I will rise against the house of Jeroboam with the sword.’

Amaziah Complains to the King

¹⁰ Then Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, sent to King Jeroboam of Israel, saying, ‘Amos has conspired against you in the very centre of the house of Israel; the land is not able to bear all his words. ¹¹For thus Amos has said,

“Jeroboam shall die by the sword,

and Israel must go into exile

away from his land.”’

¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, ‘O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, earn your bread there, and prophesy there; ¹³but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom.’

¹⁴ Then Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I ama no prophet, nor a prophet’s son; but I ama a herdsman, and a dresser of sycomore trees, ¹⁵and the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, “Go, prophesy to my people Israel.”

¹⁶ ‘Now therefore hear the word of the LORD.

You say, “Do not prophesy against Israel,

and do not preach against the house of Isaac.”

¹⁷ Therefore, thus says the LORD:

“Your wife shall become a prostitute in the city,

and your sons and your daughters shall fall by the sword,

and your land shall be parcelled out by line;

you yourself shall die in an unclean land,

and Israel shall surely go into exile away from its land.”’

The Basket of Fruit

8

THIS is what the Lord GOD showed me—a basket of summer fruit.b ²He said, ‘Amos, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘A basket of summer fruit.’b Then the LORD said to me,

‘The endc has come upon my people Israel;

I will never again pass them by.

³ The songs of the templed shall become wailings on that day,’

says the Lord GOD;

‘the dead bodies shall be many,

cast out in every place. Be silent!’

⁴ Hear this, you that trample on the needy,

and bring to ruin the poor of the land,

⁵ saying, ‘When will the new moon be over

so that we may sell grain;

and the sabbath,

so that we may offer wheat for sale?

We will make the ephah small and the shekel great,

and practise deceit with false balances,

⁶ buying the poor for silver

and the needy for a pair of sandals,

and selling the sweepings of the wheat.’

⁷ The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob:

Surely I will never forget any of their deeds.

⁸ Shall not the land tremble on this account,

and everyone mourn who lives in it,

and all of it rise like the Nile,

and be tossed about and sink again, like the Nile of Egypt?

⁹ On that day, says the Lord GOD,

I will make the sun go down at noon,

and darken the earth in broad daylight.

¹⁰ I will turn your feasts into mourning,

and all your songs into lamentation;

I will bring sackcloth on all loins,

and baldness on every head;

I will make it like the mourning for an only son,

and the end of it like a bitter day.

¹¹ The time is surely coming, says the Lord GOD,

when I will send a famine on the land;

not a famine of bread, or a thirst for water,

but of hearing the words of the LORD.

¹² They shall wander from sea to sea,

and from north to east;

they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the LORD,

but they shall not find it.

¹³ In that day the beautiful young women and the young men

shall faint for thirst.

¹⁴ Those who swear by Ashimah of Samaria,

and say, ‘As your god lives, O Dan’,

and, ‘As the way of Beer-sheba lives’—

they shall fall, and never rise again.

The Destruction of Israel

9

I SAW the LORD standing besidea the altar, and he said:

Strike the capitals until the thresholds shake,

and shatter them on the heads of all the people;b

and those who are left I will kill with the sword;

not one of them shall flee away,

not one of them shall escape.

² Though they dig into Sheol,

from there shall my hand take them;

though they climb up to heaven,

from there I will bring them down.

³ Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel,

from there I will search out

and take them; and though they hide from my sight at the bottom of the sea,

there I will command the sea-serpent, and it shall bite them.

⁴ And though they go into captivity in front of their enemies,

there I will command the sword, and it shall kill them;

and I will fix my eyes on them

for harm and not for good.

⁵ The Lord, GOD of hosts,

he who touches the earth and it melts,

and all who live in it mourn,

and all of it rises like the Nile,

and sinks again, like the Nile of Egypt;

⁶ who builds his upper chambers in the heavens,

and founds his vault upon the earth;

who calls for the waters of the sea,

and pours them out upon the surface of

the earth—the LORD is his name.

⁷ Are you not like the Ethiopiansc to me,

O people of Israel? says the LORD.

Did I not bring Israel up from the land of Egypt,

and the Philistines from Caphtor and the Arameans from Kir?

⁸ The eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom,

and I will destroy it from the face of the earth

—except that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob,

says the LORD.

⁹ For lo, I will command,

and shake the house of Israel among all the nations

as one shakes with a sieve,

but no pebble shall fall to the ground.

¹⁰ All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword,

who say, ‘Evil shall not overtake or meet us.’

The Restoration of David’s Kingdom

¹¹ On that day I will raise up

the booth of David that is fallen,

and repair itsd breaches,

and raise up itsa ruins,

and rebuild it as in the days of old;

¹² in order that they may possess the remnant of Edom

and all the nations who are called by my name,

says the LORD who does this.

¹³ The time is surely coming, says the LORD,

when the one who ploughs shall overtake the one who reaps,

and the treader of grapes the one who sows the seed;

the mountains shall drip sweet wine,

and all the hills shall flow with it.

¹⁴ I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel,

and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them;

they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine,

and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.

¹⁵ I will plant them upon their land,

and they shall never again be plucked up

out of the land that I have given them,

says the LORD your God.

OBADIAH

Proud Edom Will Be Brought Low

THE vision of Obadiah.

Thus says the Lord GOD concerning Edom:

We have heard a report from the LORD, and a messenger has been sent among the nations:

‘Rise up! Let us rise against it for battle!’

² I will surely make you least among the nations;

you shall be utterly despised.

³ Your proud heart has deceived you,

you that live in the clefts of the rock,a

whose dwelling is in the heights.

You say in your heart,

‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’

⁴ Though you soar aloft like the eagle,

though your nest is set among the stars,

from there I will bring you down,

says the LORD.

Pillage and Slaughter Will Repay Edom’s Cruelty

⁵ If thieves came to you,

if plunderers by night

—how you have been destroyed!—

would they not steal only what they wanted?

If grape-gatherers came to you,

would they not leave gleanings?

⁶ How Esau has been pillaged,

his treasures searched out!

⁷ All your allies have deceived you,

they have driven you to the border;

your confederates have prevailed against you;

those who ateb your bread have set a trap for you—

there is no understanding of it.

⁸ On that day, says the LORD,

I will destroy the wise out of Edom,

and understanding out of Mount Esau.

⁹ Your warriors shall be shattered, O Teman,

so that everyone from Mount Esau will be cut off.

Edom Wronged His Brother

¹⁰ For the slaughter and violence done to your brother Jacob,

shame shall cover you,

and you shall be cut off for ever.

¹¹ On the day that you stood aside,

on the day that strangers carried off his wealth,

and foreigners entered his gates

and cast lots for Jerusalem,

you too were like one of them.

¹² But you should not have gloateda overb your brother

on the day of his misfortune;

you should not have rejoiced over the people of Judah

on the day of their ruin;

you should not have boasted

on the day of distress.

¹³ You should not have entered the gate of my people

on the day of their calamity;

you should not have joined in the gloating over Judah’sc disaster

on the day of his calamity;

you should not have looted his goods

on the day of his calamity.

¹⁴ You should not have stood at the crossings

to cut off his fugitives;

you should not have handed over his survivors

on the day of distress.

¹⁵ For the day of the LORD is near against all the nations.

As you have done, it shall be done to you;

your deeds shall return on your own head.

¹⁶ For as you have drunk on my holy mountain,

all the nations around you shall drink;

they shall drink and gulp down,d

and shall be as though they had never been.

Israel’s Final Triumph

¹⁷ But on Mount Zion there shall be those that escape,

and it shall be holy;

and the house of Jacob shall take possession of those who dispossessed them.

¹⁸ The house of Jacob shall be a fire,

the house of Joseph a flame,

and the house of E sau stubble;

they shall burn them and consume them,

and there shall be no survivor of the house of Esau; for the LORD has spoken.

¹⁹ Those of the Negeb shall possess Mount Esau,

and those of the Shephelah the land of the Philistines;

they shall possess the land of Ephraim and the land of Samaria,

and Benjamin shall possess Gilead.

²⁰ The exiles of the Israelites who are in Halahe

shall possessf Phoenicia as far as Zarephath;

and the exiles of Jerusalem who are in Sepharad

shall possess the towns of the Negeb.

²¹ Those who have been savedg shall go up to Mount Zion

to rule Mount Esau;

and the kingdom shall be the LORD’s.

JONAH

Jonah Tries to Run Away from God

NOW the word of the LORD came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, ²‘Go at once to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before me.’ ³But Jonah set out to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid his fare and went on board, to go with them to Tarshish, away from the presence of the LORD.

⁴ But the LORD hurled a great wind upon the sea, and such a mighty storm came upon the sea that the ship threatened to break up. ⁵Then the mariners were afraid, and each cried to his god. They threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten it for them. Jonah, meanwhile, had gone down into the hold of the ship and had lain down, and was fast asleep. ⁶The captain came and said to him, ‘What are you doing sound asleep? Get up, call on your god! Perhaps the god will spare us a thought so that we do not perish.’

⁷ The sailorsa said to one another, ‘Come, let us cast lots, so that we may know on whose account this calamity has come upon us.’ So they cast lots, and the lot fell on Jonah. ⁸Then they said to him, ‘Tell us why this calamity has come upon us. What is your occupation? Where do you come from? What is your country? And of what people are you?’ ⁹‘I am a Hebrew,’ he replied. ‘I worship the LORD, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the dry land.’ ¹⁰Then the men were even more afraid, and said to him, ‘What is this that you have done!’ For the men knew that he was fleeing from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them so.

¹¹ Then they said to him, ‘What shall we do to you, that the sea may quieten down for us?’ For the sea was growing more and more tempestuous. ¹²He said to them, ‘Pick me up and throw me into the sea; then the sea will quieten down for you; for I know it is because of me that this great storm has come upon you.’ ¹³Nevertheless, the men rowed hard to bring the ship back to land, but they could not, for the sea grew more and more stormy against them. ¹⁴Then they cried out to the LORD, ‘Please, O LORD, we pray, do not let us perish on account of this man’s life. Do not make us guilty of innocent blood; for you, O LORD, have done as it pleased you.’ ¹⁵So they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea; and the sea ceased from its raging. ¹⁶Then the men feared the LORD even more, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.

¹⁷ a But the LORD provided a large fish to swallow up Jonah; and Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days and three nights.

A Psalm of Thanksgiving

2

THEN Jonah prayed to the LORD his God from the belly of the fish, ²saying,

‘I called to the LORD out of my distress,

and he answered me;

out of the belly of Sheol I cried,

and you heard my voice.

³ You cast me into the deep,

into the heart of the seas,

and the flood surrounded me;

all your waves and your billows

passed over me.

⁴ Then I said, “I am driven away

from your sight;

howb shall I look again

upon your holy temple?”

⁵ The waters closed in over me;

the deep surrounded me;

weeds were wrapped around my head

⁶ at the roots of the mountains.

I went down to the land

whose bars closed upon me for ever;

yet you brought up my life from the Pit,

O LORD my God.

⁷ As my life was ebbing away,

I remembered the LORD;

and my prayer came to you,

into your holy temple.

⁸ Those who worship vain idols

forsake their true loyalty.

⁹ But I with the voice of thanksgiving

will sacrifice to you;

what I have vowed I will pay.

Deliverance belongs to the LORD!’

¹⁰Then the LORD spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out upon the dry land.

Conversion of Nineveh

3

THE word of the LORD came to Jonah a second time, saying, ²‘Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you.’ ³So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceedingly large city, a three days’ walk across. ⁴Jonah began to go into the city, going a day’s walk. And he cried out, ‘Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!’ ⁵And the people of Nineveh believed God; they proclaimed a fast, and everyone, great and small, put on sackcloth.

⁶ When the news reached the king of Nineveh, he rose from his throne, removed his robe, covered himself with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. ⁷Then he had a proclamation made in Nineveh: ‘By the decree of the king and his nobles: No human being or animal, no herd or flock, shall taste anything. They shall not feed, nor shall they drink water. ⁸Human beings and animals shall be covered with sackcloth, and they shall cry mightily to God. All shall turn from their evil ways and from the violence that is in their hands. ⁹Who knows? God may relent and change his mind; he may turn from his fierce anger, so that we do not perish.’

¹⁰ When God saw what they did, how they turned from their evil ways, God changed his mind about the calamity that he had said he would bring upon them; and he did not do it.

Jonah’s Anger

4

BUT this was very displeasing to Jonah, and he became angry. ²He prayed to the LORD and said, ‘O LORD! Is not this what I said while I was still in my own country? That is why I fled to Tarshish at the beginning; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and ready to relent from punishing. ³And now, O LORD, please take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.’ ⁴And the LORD said, ‘Is it right for you to be angry?’ ⁵Then Jonah went out of the city and sat down east of the city, and made a booth for himself there. He sat under it in the shade, waiting to see what would become of the city.

⁶ The LORD God appointed a bush,a and made it come up over Jonah, to give shade over his head, to save him from his discomfort; so Jonah was very happy about the bush. ⁷But when dawn came up the next day, God appointed a worm that attacked the bush, so that it withered. ⁸When the sun rose, God prepared a sultry east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint and asked that he might die. He said, ‘It is better for me to die than to live.’

Jonah Is Reproved

⁹ But God said to Jonah, ‘Is it right for you to be angry about the bush?’ And he said, ‘Yes, angry enough to die.’ ¹⁰Then the LORD said, ‘You are concerned about the bush, for which you did not labour and which you did not grow; it came into being in a night and perished in a night. ¹¹And should I not be concerned about Nineveh, that great city, in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who do not know their right hand from their left, and also many animals?’

MICAH

THE word of the LORD that came to Micah of Moresheth in the days of Kings Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah of Judah, which he saw concerning Samaria and Jerusalem.

Judgement Pronounced against Samaria

² Hear, you peoples, all of you;

listen, O earth, and all that is in it;

and let the Lord GOD be a witness against you,

the Lord from his holy temple.

³ For lo, the LORD is coming out of his place,

and will come down and tread upon the high places of the earth.

⁴ Then the mountains will melt under him

and the valleys will burst open,

like wax near the fire,

like waters poured down a steep place.

⁵ All this is for the transgression of Jacob

and for the sins of the house of Israel.

What is the transgression of Jacob?

Is it not Samaria?

And what is the high placea of Judah?

Is it not Jerusalem?

⁶ Therefore I will make Samaria a heap in the open country,

a place for planting vineyards.

I will pour down her stones into the valley,

and uncover her foundations.

⁷ All her images shall be beaten to pieces,

all her wages shall be burned with fire,

and all her idols I will lay waste;

for as the wages of a prostitute she gathered them,

and as the wages of a prostitute they shall again be used.

The Doom of the Cities of Judah

⁸ For this I will lament and wail;

I will go barefoot and naked;

I will make lamentation like the jackals,

and mourning like the ostriches.

⁹ For her woundb is incurable.

It has come to Judah;

it has reached to the gate of my people,

to Jerusalem.

¹⁰ Tell it not in Gath,

weep not at all;

in Beth-leaphrah

roll yourselves in the dust.

¹¹ Pass on your way,

inhabitants of Shaphir,

in nakedness and shame;

the inhabitants of Zaanan

do not come forth;

Beth-ezel is wailing

and shall remove its support from you.

¹² For the inhabitants of Maroth

wait anxiously for good,

yet disaster has come down from the Lord

to the gate of Jerusalem.

¹³ Harness the steeds to the chariots,

inhabitants of Lachish;

it was the beginning of sin

to daughter Zion,

for in you were found

the transgressions of Israel.

¹⁴ Therefore you shall give parting gifts

to Moresheth-gath;

the houses of Achzib shall be a deception

to the kings of Israel.

¹⁵ I will again bring a conqueror upon you,

inhabitants of Mareshah;

the glory of Israel

shall come to Adullam.

¹⁶ Make yourselves bald and cut off your hair

for your pampered children;

make yourselves as bald as the eagle,

for they have gone from you into exile.

Social Evils Denounced

2

ALAS for those who devise wickedness

and evil deedsa on their beds!

When the morning dawns, they perform it,

because it is in their power.

² They covet fields, and seize them;

houses, and take them away;

they oppress householder and house,

people and their inheritance.

³ Therefore, thus says the LORD:

Now, I am devising against this family an evil

from which you cannot remove your necks;

and you shall not walk haughtily,

for it will be an evil time.

⁴ On that day they shall take up a taunt-song against you,

and wail with bitter lamentation,

and say, ‘We are utterly ruined;

the LORDb alters the inheritance of my people;

how he removes it from me!

Among our captorsc he parcels out our fields.’

⁵ Therefore you will have no one to cast the line by lot

in the assembly of the LORD.

⁶ ‘Do not preach’—thus they preach—

‘one should not preach of such things;

disgrace will not overtake us.’

⁷ Should this be said, O house of Jacob?

Is the LORD’s patience exhausted?

Are these his doings?

Do not my words do good

to one who walks uprightly?

⁸ But you rise up against my peopled as an enemy;

you strip the robe from the peaceful,e

from those who pass by trustingly

with no thought of war.

⁹ The women of my people you drive out

from their pleasant houses;

from their young children you take away

my glory for ever.

¹⁰ Arise and go;

for this is no place to rest,

because of uncleanness that destroys

with a grievous destruction.f

¹¹ If someone were to go about uttering empty falsehoods,

saying, ‘I will preach to you of wine and strong drink’,

such a one would be the preacher for this people!

A Promise for the Remnant of Israel

¹² I will surely gather all of you, O Jacob,

I will gather the survivors of Israel;

I will set them together

like sheep in a fold,

like a flock in its pasture;

it will resound with people.

¹³ The one who breaks out will go up before them;

they will break through and pass the gate,

going out by it.

Their king will pass on before them,

the Lord at their head.

Wicked Rulers and Prophets

3

AND I said:

Listen, you heads of Jacob

and rulers of the house of Israel!

Should you not know justice?—

² you who hate the good and love the evil,

who tear the skin off my people,a

and the flesh off their bones;

³ who eat the flesh of my people,

flay their skin off them,

break their bones in pieces,

and chop them up like meatb in a kettle,

like flesh in a cauldron.

⁴ Then they will cry to the LORD,

but he will not answer them;

he will hide his face from them at that time,

because they have acted wickedly.

⁵ Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets

who lead my people astray,

who cry ‘Peace’

when they have something to eat,

but declare war against those

who put nothing into their mouths.

⁶ Therefore it shall be night to you, without vision,

and darkness to you, without revelation.

The sun shall go down upon the prophets,

and the day shall be black over them;

⁷ the seers shall be disgraced,

and the diviners put to shame;

they shall all cover their lips,

for there is no answer from God.

⁸ But as for me, I am filled with power,

with the spirit of the Lord,

and with justice and might,

to declare to Jacob his transgression

and to Israel his sin.

⁹ Hear this, you rulers of the house of Jacob

and chiefs of the house of Israel,

who abhor justice

and pervert all equity,

¹⁰ who build Zion with blood

and Jerusalem with wrong!

¹¹ Its rulers give judgement for a bribe,

its priests teach for a price,

its prophets give oracles for money;

yet they lean upon the LORD and say,

‘Surely the LORD is with us!

No harm shall come upon us.’

¹² Therefore because of you

Zion shall be ploughed as a field;

Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

and the mountain of the house a wooded height.

Peace and Security through Obedience

4

IN DAYS to come

the mountain of the LORD’s house

shall be established as the highest of the mountains,

and shall be raised up above the hills.

Peoples shall stream to it,

² and many nations shall come and say:

‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,

to the house of the God of Jacob;

that he may teach us his ways

and that we may walk in his paths.’

For out of Zion shall go forth instruction,

and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.

³ He shall judge between many peoples,

and shall arbitrate between strong nations far away;

they shall beat their swords into ploughshares,

and their spears into pruning-hooks;

nation shall not lift up sword against nation,

neither shall they learn war any more;

⁴ but they shall all sit under their own vines and under their own fig trees,

and no one shall make them afraid;

for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.

⁵ For all the peoples walk,

each in the name of its god,

but we will walk in the name of the LORD our God

for ever and ever.

Restoration Promised after Exile

⁶ On that day, says the Lord,

I will assemble the lame

and gather those who have been driven away,

and those whom I have afflicted.

⁷ The lame I will make the remnant,

and those who were cast off, a strong nation;

and the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion

now and for evermore.

⁸ And you, O tower of the flock,

hill of daughter Zion,

to you it shall come,

the former dominion shall come,

the sovereignty of daughter Jerusalem.

⁹ Now why do you cry aloud?

Is there no king in you?

Has your counsellor perished,

that pangs have seized you like a woman in labour?

¹⁰ Writhe and groan,a O daughter Zion,

like a woman in labour;

for now you shall go forth from the city

and camp in the open country;

you shall go to Babylon.

There you shall be rescued,

there the LORD will redeem you

from the hands of your enemies.

¹¹ Now many nations

are assembled against you,

saying, ‘Let her be profaned,

and let our eyes gaze upon Zion.’

¹² But they do not know

the thoughts of the LORD;

they do not understand his plan,

that he has gathered them as sheaves to the threshing-floor.

¹³ Arise and thresh,

O daughter Zion,

for I will make your horn iron

and your hoofs bronze;

you shall beat in pieces many peoples,

and shallb devote their gain to the Lord,

their wealth to the Lord of the whole earth.

5 c

NOW you are walled around with a wall;d

siege is laid against us;

with a rod they strike the ruler of Israel

upon the cheek.

The Ruler from Bethlehem

²a But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah,

who are one of the little clans of Judah,

from you shall come forth for me

one who is to rule in Israel,

whose origin is from of old,

from ancient days.

³ Therefore he shall give them up until the time

when she who is in labour has brought forth;

then the rest of his kindred shall return

to the people of Israel.

⁴ And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD,

in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.

And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great

to the ends of the earth;

⁵ and he shall be the one of peace.

If the Assyrians come into our land

and tread upon our soil,b

we will raise against them seven shepherds

and eight installed as rulers.

⁶ They shall rule the land of Assyria with the sword,

and the land of Nimrod with the drawn sword;c

theyd shall rescue us from the Assyrians

if they come into our land

or tread within our border.

The Future Role of the Remnant

⁷ Then the remnant of Jacob,

surrounded by many peoples,

shall be like dew from the LORD,

like showers on the grass,

which do not depend upon people

or wait for any mortal.

⁸ And among the nations the remnant of Jacob,

surrounded by many peoples,

shall be like a lion among the animals of the forest,

like a young lion among the flocks of sheep,

which, when it goes through, treads down

and tears in pieces, with no one to deliver.

⁹ Your hand shall be lifted up over your adversaries,

and all your enemies shall be cut off.

¹⁰ On that day, says the LORD,

I will cut off your horses from among you

and will destroy your chariots;

¹¹ and I will cut off the cities of your land

and throw down all your strongholds;

¹² and I will cut off sorceries from your hand,

and you shall have no more soothsayers;

¹³ and I will cut off your images

and your pillars from among you,

and you shall bow down no more

to the work of your hands;

¹⁴ and I will uproot your sacred polese from among you

and destroy your towns.

¹⁵ And in anger and wrath I will execute vengeance

on the nations that did not obey.

God Challenges Israel

6

HEAR what the Lord says:

Rise, plead your case before the mountains,

and let the hills hear your voice.

² Hear, you mountains, the controversy of the LORD,

and you enduring foundations of the earth;

for the LORD has a controversy with his people,

and he will contend with Israel.

³ ‘O my people, what have I done to you?

In what have I wearied you? Answer me!

⁴ For I brought you up from the land of Egypt,

and redeemed you from the house of slavery;

and I sent before you Moses,

Aaron, and Miriam.

⁵ O my people, remember now what King Balak of Moab devised,

what Balaam son of Beor answered him,

and what happened from Shittim to Gilgal,

that you may know the saving acts of the Lord.’

What God Requires

⁶ ‘With what shall I come before the LORD,

and bow myself before God on high?

Shall I come before him with burnt-offerings,

with calves a year old?

⁷ Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams,

with tens of thousands of rivers of oil?

Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?’

⁸ He has told you, O mortal, what is good;

and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

and to walk humbly with your God?

Cheating and Violence to Be Punished

⁹ The voice of the LORD cries to the city

(it is sound wisdom to fear your name):

Hear, O tribe and assembly of the city!a

¹⁰ Can I forgetb the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,

and the scant measure that is accursed?

¹¹ Can I tolerate wicked scales

and a bag of dishonest weights?

¹² Yourc wealthy are full of violence;

yourd inhabitants speak lies,

with tongues of deceit in their mouths.

¹³ Therefore I have begune to strike you down,

making you desolate because of your sins.

¹⁴ You shall eat, but not be satisfied,

and there shall be a gnawing hunger within you;

you shall put away, but not save,

and what you save, I will hand over to the sword.

¹⁵ You shall sow, but not reap;

you shall tread olives, but not anoint yourselves with oil;

you shall tread grapes, but not drink wine.

¹⁶ For you have kept the statutes of Omrif

and all the works of the house of Ahab,

and you have followed their counsels.

Therefore I will make you a desolation, and yourg inhabitants an object of hissing;

so you shall bear the scorn of my people.

The Total Corruption of the People

7

WOE is me! For I have become like one who,

after the summer fruit has been gathered,

after the vintage has been gleaned,

finds no cluster to eat;

there is no first-ripe fig for which I hunger.

² The faithful have disappeared from the land,

and there is no one left who is upright;

they all lie in wait for blood,

and they hunt each other with nets.

³ Their hands are skilled to do evil;

the official and the judge ask for a bribe,

and the powerful dictate what they desire;

thus they pervert justice.a

⁴ The best of them is like a brier,

the most upright of them a thorn hedge.

The day of theirb sentinels, of theirb punishment, has come;

now their confusion is at hand.

⁵ Put no trust in a friend,

have no confidence in a loved one;

guard the doors of your mouth

from her who lies in your embrace;

⁶ for the son treats the father with contempt,

the daughter rises up against her mother,

the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;

your enemies are members of your own household.

⁷ But as for me, I will look to the LORD,

I will wait for the God of my salvation;

my God will hear me.

Penitence and Trust in God

⁸ Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy;

when I fall, I shall rise;

when I sit in darkness,

the LORD will be a light to me.

⁹ I must bear the indignation of the LORD,

because I have sinned against him,

until he takes my side

and executes judgement for me.

He will bring me out to the light;

I shall see his vindication.

¹⁰ Then my enemy will see,

and shame will cover her who said to me,

‘Where is the LORD your God?’

My eyes will see her downfall;c

now she will be trodden down

like the mire of the streets.

A Prophecy of Restoration

¹¹ A day for the building of your walls!

In that day the boundary shall be far extended.

¹² In that day they will come to you

from Assyria tod Egypt,

and from Egypt to the River,

from sea to sea and from mountain to mountain.

¹³ But the earth will be desolate

because of its inhabitants,

for the fruit of their doings.

¹⁴ Shepherd your people with your staff,

the flock that belongs to you,

which lives alone in a forest

in the midst of a garden land;

let them feed in Bashan and Gilead

as in the days of old.

¹⁵ As in the days when you came out of the land of Egypt,

show use marvellous things.

¹⁶ The nations shall see and be ashamed

of all their might;

they shall lay their hands on their mouths;

their ears shall be deaf;

¹⁷ they shall lick dust like a snake,

like the crawling things of the earth;

they shall come trembling out of their fortresses;

they shall turn in dread to the LORD our God,

and they shall stand in fear of you.

God’s Compassion and Steadfast Love

¹⁸ Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity

and passing over the transgression

of the remnant of youra possession?

He does not retain his anger for ever,

because he delights in showing clemency.

¹⁹ He will again have compassion upon us;

he will tread our iniquities under foot.

You will cast all ourb sins

into the depths of the sea.

²⁰ You will show faithfulness to Jacob

and unswerving loyalty to Abraham,

as you have sworn to our ancestors

from the days of old.

NAHUM

AN ORACLE concerning Nineveh. The book of the vision of Nahum of Elkosh.

The Consuming Wrath of God

² A jealous and avenging God is the LORD,

the LORD is avenging and wrathful;

the LORD takes vengeance on his adversaries

and rages against his enemies.

³ The LORD is slow to anger but great in power,

and the LORD will by no means clear the guilty.

His way is in whirlwind and storm,

and the clouds are the dust of his feet.

⁴ He rebukes the sea and makes it dry,

and he dries up all the rivers;

Bashan and Carmel wither,

and the bloom of Lebanon fades.

⁵ The mountains quake before him,

and the hills melt;

the earth heaves before him,

the world and all who live in it.

⁶ Who can stand before his indignation?

Who can endure the heat of his anger?

His wrath is poured out like fire,

and by him the rocks are broken in pieces.

⁷ The LORD is good,

a stronghold on a day of trouble;

he protects those who take refuge in him,

⁸ even in a rushing flood.

He will make a full end of his adversaries,a

and will pursue his enemies into darkness.

⁹ Why do you plot against the LORD?

He will make an end;

no adversary will rise up twice.

¹⁰ Like thorns they are entangled,

like drunkards they are drunk;

they are consumed like dry straw.

¹¹ From you one has gone out

who plots evil against the LORD,

one who counsels wickedness.

Good News for Judah

¹² Thus says the LORD,

‘Though they are at full strength and many,b

they will be cut off and pass away.

Though I have afflicted you,

I will afflict you no more.

¹³ And now I will break off his yoke from you

and snap the bonds that bind you.’

¹⁴ The LORD has commanded concerning you:

‘Your name shall be perpetuated no longer;

from the house of your gods I will cut off

the carved image and the cast image.

I will make your grave, for you are worthless.’

¹⁵a Look! On the mountains the feet of one

who brings good tidings,

who proclaims peace!

Celebrate your festivals, O Judah, fulfil your vows,

for never again shall the wicked invade you;

they are utterly cut off.

The Destruction of the Wicked City

2

A SHATTERERb has come up against you.

Guard the ramparts;

watch the road;

gird your loins;

collect all your strength.

² (For the LORD is restoring the majesty of Jacob,

as well as the majesty of Israel,

though ravagers have ravaged them

and ruined their branches.)

³ The shields of his warriors are red;

his soldiers are clothed in crimson.

The metal on the chariots flashes

on the day when he musters them;

the chargersc prance.

⁴ The chariots race madly through the streets,

they rush to and fro through the squares;

their appearance is like torches,

they dart like lightning.

⁵ He calls his officers;

they stumble as they come forward;

they hasten to the wall,

and the manteletd is set up.

⁶ The river gates are opened,

the palace trembles.

⁷ It is decreedd that the citye be exiled,

its slave-women led away,

moaning like doves

and beating their breasts.

⁸ Nineveh is like a pool

whose watersf run away.

‘Halt! Halt!’—

but no one turns back.

⁹ ‘Plunder the silver,

plunder the gold!

There is no end of treasure!

An abundance of every precious thing!’

¹⁰ Devastation, desolation, and destruction!

Hearts faint and knees tremble,

all loins quake,

all faces grow pale!

¹¹ What became of the lions’ den,

the caveg of the young lions,

where the lion goes,

and the lion’s cubs, with no one to disturb them?

¹² The lion has torn enough for his whelps

and strangled prey for his lionesses;

he has filled his caves with prey

and his dens with torn flesh.

¹³ See, I am against you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will burn yourh chariots in smoke, and the sword shall devour your young lions; I will cut off your prey from the earth, and the voice of your messengers shall be heard no more.

Ruin Imminent and Inevitable

3

AH! CITY of bloodshed,

utterly deceitful, full of booty—

no end to the plunder!

² The crack of whip and rumble of wheel,

galloping horse and bounding chariot!

³ Horsemen charging,

flashing sword and glittering spear,

piles of dead,

heaps of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over the bodies!

⁴ Because of the countless debaucheries of the prostitute,

gracefully alluring, mistress of sorcery,

who enslavesa nations through her debaucheries,

and peoples through her sorcery,

⁵ I am against you,

says the LORD of hosts,

and will lift up your skirts over your face;

and I will let nations look on your nakedness

and kingdoms on your shame.

⁶ I will throw filth at you

and treat you with contempt,

and make you a spectacle.

⁷ Then all who see you will shrink from you and say,

‘Nineveh is devastated; who will bemoan her?’

Where shall I seek comforters for you?

⁸ Are you better than Thebesb

that sat by the Nile,

with water around her,

her rampart a sea,

water her wall?

⁹ Ethiopiac was her strength,

Egypt too, and that without limit;

Put and the Libyans were herd helpers.

¹⁰ Yet she became an exile,

she went into captivity;

even her infants were dashed in pieces

at the head of every street;

lots were cast for her nobles,

all her dignitaries were bound in fetters.

¹¹ You also will be drunken,

you will go into hiding;e

you will seek

a refuge from the enemy.

¹² All your fortresses are like fig trees

with first-ripe figs—

if shaken they fall

into the mouth of the eater.

¹³ Look at your troops:

they are women in your midst.

The gates of your land

are wide open to your foes;

fire has devoured the bars of your gates.

¹⁴ Draw water for the siege,

strengthen your forts;

trample the clay,

tread the mortar,

take hold of the brick-mould!

¹⁵ There the fire will devour you,

the sword will cut you off.

It will devour you like the locust.

Multiply yourselves like the locust,

multiply like the grasshopper!

¹⁶ You increased your merchants

more than the stars of the heavens.

The locust sheds its skin and flies away.

¹⁷ Your guards are like grasshoppers,

your scribes like swarmse of locusts

settling on the fences

on a cold day—

when the sun rises, they fly away;

no one knows where they have gone.

¹⁸ Your shepherds are asleep,

O king of Assyria;

your nobles slumber.

Your people are scattered on the mountains

with no one to gather them.

¹⁹ There is no assuaging your hurt,

your wound is mortal.

All who hear the news about you

clap their hands over you.

For who has ever escaped

your endless cruelty?

HABAKKUK

THE oracle that the prophet Habakkuk saw.

The Prophet’s Complaint

² O LORD, how long shall I cry for help,

and you will not listen?

Or cry to you ‘Violence!’

and you will not save?

³ Why do you make me see wrongdoing

and look at trouble?

Destruction and violence are before me;

strife and contention arise.

⁴ So the law becomes slack

and justice never prevails.

The wicked surround the righteous—

therefore judgement comes forth perverted.

⁵ Look at the nations, and see!

Be astonished! Be astounded!

For a work is being done in your days

that you would not believe if you were told.

⁶ For I am rousing the Chaldeans,

that fierce and impetuous nation,

who march through the breadth of the earth

to seize dwellings not their own.

⁷ Dread and fearsome are they;

their justice and dignity proceed from themselves.

⁸ Their horses are swifter than leopards,

more menacing than wolves at dusk;

their horses charge.

Their horsemen come from far away;

they fly like an eagle swift to devour.

⁹ They all come for violence,

with faces pressinga forward;

they gather captives like sand.

¹⁰ At kings they scoff,

and of rulers they make sport.

They laugh at every fortress,

and heap up earth to take it.

¹¹ Then they sweep by like the wind;

they transgress and become guilty;

their own might is their god!

¹² Are you not from of old,

O LORD my God, my Holy One?

Youb shall not die.

O LORD, you have marked them for judgement;

and you, O Rock, have established them for punishment.

¹³ Your eyes are too pure to behold evil,

and you cannot look on wrongdoing;

why do you look on the treacherous,

and are silent when the wicked swallow

those more righteous than they?

¹⁴ You have made people like the fish of the sea,

like crawling things that have no ruler.

¹⁵ The enemya brings all of them up with a hook;

he drags them out with his net,

he gathers them in his seine;

so he rejoices and exults.

¹⁶ Therefore he sacrifices to his net

and makes offerings to his seine;

for by them his portion is lavish,

and his food is rich.

¹⁷ Is he then to keep on emptying his net,

and destroying nations without mercy?

God’s Reply to the Prophet’s Complaint

2

I WILL stand at my watch-post,

and station myself on the rampart;

I will keep watch to see what he will say to me,

and what heb will answer concerning my complaint.

² Then the LORD answered me and said:

Write the vision;

make it plain on tablets,

so that a runner may read it.

³ For there is still a vision for the appointed time;

it speaks of the end, and does not lie.

If it seems to tarry, wait for it;

it will surely come, it will not delay.

⁴ Look at the proud!

Their spirit is not right in them,

but the righteous live by their faith.c

⁵ Moreover, wealthd is treacherous;

the arrogant do not endure.

They open their throats wide as Sheol;

like Death they never have enough.

They gather all nations for themselves,

and collect all peoples as their own.

The Woes of the Wicked

⁶ Shall not everyone taunt such people and, with mocking riddles, say about them,

‘Alas for you who heap up what is not your own!’

How long will you load yourselves with goods taken in pledge?

⁷ Will not your own creditors suddenly rise,

and those who make you tremble wake up?

Then you will be booty for them.

⁸ Because you have plundered many nations,

all that survive of the peoples shall plunder you—

because of human bloodshed, and violence to the earth,

to cities and all who live in them.

⁹ ‘Alas for you who get evil gain for your houses,

setting your nest on high

to be safe from the reach of harm!’

¹⁰ You have devised shame for your house

by cutting off many peoples;

you have forfeited your life.

¹¹ The very stones will cry out from the wall,

and the plastere will respond from the woodwork.

¹² ‘Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed,

and found a city on iniquity!’

¹³ Is it not from the LORD of hosts

that peoples labour only to feed the flames,

and nations weary themselves for nothing?

¹⁴ But the earth will be filled

with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD,

as the waters cover the sea.

¹⁵ ‘Alas for you who make your neighbours drink,

pouring out your wratha until they are drunk,

in order to gaze on their nakedness!’

¹⁶ You will be sated with contempt instead of glory.

Drink, you yourself, and stagger!b

The cup in the LORD’s right hand

will come around to you,

and shame will come upon your glory!

¹⁷ For the violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you;

the destruction of the animals will terrify you—c

because of human bloodshed and violence to the earth,

to cities and all who live in them.

¹⁸ What use is an idol

once its maker has shaped it—

a cast image, a teacher of lies?

For its maker trusts in what has been made,

though the product is only an idol that cannot speak!

¹⁹ Alas for you who say to the wood, ‘Wake up!’

to silent stone, ‘Rouse yourself!’

Can it teach?

See, it is plated with gold and silver,

and there is no breath in it at all.

²⁰ But the LORD is in his holy temple;

let all the earth keep silence before him!

3

A PRAYER of the prophet Habakkuk according to Shigionoth.

The Prophet’s Prayer

² O LORD, I have heard of your renown,

and I stand in awe, O LORD, of your work.

In our own time revive it;

in our own time make it known;

in wrath may you remember mercy.

³ God came from Teman,

the Holy One from Mount Paran.

Selah

His glory covered the heavens,

and the earth was full of his praise.

⁴ The brightness was like the sun;

rays came forth from his hand,

where his power lay hidden.

⁵ Before him went pestilence,

and plague followed close behind.

⁶ He stopped and shook the earth;

he looked and made the nations tremble.

The eternal mountains were shattered;

along his ancient pathways

the everlasting hills sank low.

⁷ I saw the tents of Cushan under affliction;

the tent-curtains of the land of Midian trembled.

⁸ Was your wrath against the rivers,d O LORD?

Or your anger against the rivers,d

or your rage against the sea,e

when you drove your horses,

your chariots to victory?

⁹ You brandished your naked bow,

satedf were the arrows at your command.g

Selah

You split the earth with rivers.

¹⁰ The mountains saw you, and writhed;

a torrent of water swept by;

the deep gave forth its voice.

The sunh raised high its hands;

¹¹ the mooni stood still in its exalted place,

at the light of your arrows speeding by,

at the gleam of your flashing spear.

¹² In fury you trod the earth,

in anger you trampled nations.

¹³ You came forth to save your people,

to save your anointed.

You crushed the head of the wicked house,

laying it bare from foundation to roof.a Selah

¹⁴ You pierced with theirb own arrows the headc of his warriors,d

who came like a whirlwind to scatter us,e

gloating as if ready to devour the poor who were in hiding.

¹⁵ You trampled the sea with your horses,

churning the mighty waters.

¹⁶ I hear, and I tremble within;

my lips quiver at the sound.

Rottenness enters into my bones,

and my steps tremblef beneath me.

I wait quietly for the day of calamity

to come upon the people who attack us.

Trust and Joy in the Midst of Trouble

¹⁷ Though the fig tree does not blossom,

and no fruit is on the vines;

though the produce of the olive fails

and the fields yield no food;

though the flock is cut off from the fold

and there is no herd in the stalls, ¹⁸yet I will rejoice in the LORD;

I will exult in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹ GOD, the Lord, is my strength;

he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,

and makes me tread upon the heights.g

To the leader: with stringedh instruments.

ZEPHANIAH

THE word of the LORD that came to Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah.

The Coming Judgement on Judah

² I will utterly sweep away everything

from the face of the earth, says the LORD.

³ I will sweep away humans and animals;

I will sweep away the birds of the air

and the fish of the sea.

I will make the wicked stumble.a

I will cut off humanity

from the face of the earth, says the LORD.

⁴ I will stretch out my hand against Judah,

and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem;

and I will cut off from this place every remnant of Baal

and the name of the idolatrous priests;b

⁵ those who bow down on the roofs

to the host of the heavens;

those who bow down and swear to the LORD,

but also swear by Milcom;c

⁶ those who have turned back from following the LORD,

who have not sought the LORD or inquired of him.

⁷ Be silent before the Lord GOD!

For the day of the LORD is at hand;

the LORD has prepared a sacrifice,

he has consecrated his guests.

⁸ And on the day of the LORD’s sacrifice

I will punish the officials and the king’s sons

and all who dress themselves in foreign attire.

⁹ On that day I will punish

all who leap over the threshold,

who fill their master’s house

with violence and fraud.

¹⁰ On that day, says the LORD,

a cry will be heard from the Fish Gate,

a wail from the Second Quarter,

a loud crash from the hills.

¹¹ The inhabitants of the Mortar wail,

for all the traders have perished;

all who weigh out silver are cut off.

¹² At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps,

and I will punish the people

who rest complacentlya on their dregs,

those who say in their hearts,

‘The LORD will not do good,

nor will he do harm.’

¹³ Their wealth shall be plundered,

and their houses laid waste.

Though they build houses,

they shall not inhabit them;

though they plant vineyards,

they shall not drink wine from them.

The Great Day of the LORD

¹⁴ The great day of the LORD is near,

near and hastening fast;

the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter,

the warrior cries aloud there.

¹⁵ That day will be a day of wrath,

a day of distress and anguish,

a day of ruin and devastation,

a day of darkness and gloom,

a day of clouds and thick darkness,

¹⁶ a day of trumpet blast and battle cry

against the fortified cities

and against the lofty battlements.

¹⁷ I will bring such distress upon people

that they shall walk like the blind;

because they have sinned against the LORD,

their blood shall be poured out like dust,

and their flesh like dung.

¹⁸ Neither their silver nor their gold

will be able to save them

on the day of the LORD’s wrath;

in the fire of his passion

the whole earth shall be consumed;

for a full, a terrible end

he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth.

Judgement on Israel’s Enemies

2

GATHER together, gather,

O shameless nation,

² before you are driven away

like the drifting chaff,b

before there comes upon you

the fierce anger of the LORD,

before there comes upon you

the day of the LORD’s wrath.

³ Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land,

who do his commands;

seek righteousness, seek humility;

perhaps you may be hidden

on the day of the LORD’s wrath.

⁴ For Gaza shall be deserted,

and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;

Ashdod’s people shall be driven out at noon,

and Ekron shall be uprooted.

⁵ Ah, inhabitants of the sea coast,

you nation of the Cherethites!

The word of the LORD is against you,

O Canaan, land of the Philistines;

and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

⁶ And you, O sea coast, shall be pastures,

meadows for shepherds

and folds for flocks.

⁷ The sea coast shall become the possession

of the remnant of the house of Judah,

on which they shall pasture,

and in the houses of Ashkelon

they shall lie down at evening.

For the LORD their God will be mindful of them

and restore their fortunes.

⁸ I have heard the taunts of Moab

and the revilings of the Ammonites,

how they have taunted my people

and made boasts against their territory.

⁹ Therefore, as I live, says the LORD of hosts,

the God of Israel,

Moab shall become like Sodom

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,

a land possessed by nettles and salt-pits,

and a waste for ever.

The remnant of my people shall plunder them,

and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.

¹⁰ This shall be their lot in return for their pride,

because they scoffed and boasted

against the people of the LORD of hosts.

¹¹ The LORD will be terrible against them;

he will shrivel all the gods of the earth,

and to him shall bow down,

each in its place,

all the coasts and islands of the nations.

¹² You also, O Ethiopians,a

shall be killed by my sword.

¹³ And he will stretch out his hand against the north,

and destroy Assyria;

and he will make Nineveh a desolation,

a dry waste like the desert.

¹⁴ Herds shall lie down in it,

every wild animal;b

the desert-owlc and the screech-owlc

shall lodge on its capitals;

the owld shall hoot at the window,

the ravene croak on the threshold;

for its cedar-work will be laid bare.

¹⁵ Is this the exultant city

that lived secure,

that said to itself,

‘I am, and there is no one else’?

What a desolation it has become,

a lair for wild animals!

Everyone who passes by it

hisses and shakes the fist.

The Wickedness of Jerusalem

3

AH, SOILED, defiled,

oppressing city!

² It has listened to no voice;

it has accepted no correction.

It has not trusted in the LORD;

it has not drawn near to its God.

³ The officials within it

are roaring lions;

its judges are evening wolves

that leave nothing until the morning.

⁴ Its prophets are reckless,

faithless persons;

its priests have profaned what is sacred,

they have done violence to the law.

⁵ The LORD within it is righteous;

he does no wrong.

Every morning he renders his judgement,

each dawn without fail;

but the unjust knows no shame.

⁶ I have cut off nations;

their battlements are in ruins;

I have laid waste their streets

so that no one walks in them;

their cities have been made desolate,

without people, without inhabitants.

⁷ I said, ‘Surely the cityf will fear me,

it will accept correction;

it will not lose sightg

of all that I have brought upon it.’

But they were the more eager

to make all their deeds corrupt.

Punishment and Conversion of the Nations

⁸ Therefore wait for me, says the LORD,

for the day when I arise as a witness.

For my decision is to gather nations,

to assemble kingdoms,

to pour out upon them my indignation,

all the heat of my anger;

for in the fire of my passion

all the earth shall be consumed.

⁹ At that time I will change the speech of the peoples

to a pure speech,

that all of them may call on the name of the LORD

and serve him with one accord.

¹⁰ From beyond the rivers of Ethiopiaa

my suppliants, my scattered ones,

shall bring my offering.

¹¹ On that day you shall not be put to shame

because of all the deeds by which you have rebelled against me;

for then I will remove from your midst

your proudly exultant ones,

and you shall no longer be haughty

in my holy mountain.

¹² For I will leave in the midst of you

a people humble and lowly.

They shall seek refuge in the name of the LORD—

¹³ the remnant of Israel;

they shall do no wrong

and utter no lies,

nor shall a deceitful tongue

be found in their mouths.

Then they will pasture and lie down,

and no one shall make them afraid.

A Song of Joy

¹⁴ Sing aloud, O daughter Zion;

shout, O Israel!

Rejoice and exult with all your heart,

O daughter Jerusalem!

¹⁵ The LORD has taken away the judgements against you,

he has turned away your enemies.

The king of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;

you shall fear disaster no more.

¹⁶ On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:

Do not fear, O Zion;

do not let your hands grow weak.

¹⁷ The LORD, your God, is in your midst,

a warrior who gives victory;

he will rejoice over you with gladness,

he will renew youb in his love;

he will exult over you with loud singing

¹⁸ as on a day of festival.c

I will remove disaster from you,d

so that you will not bear reproach for it.

¹⁹ I will deal with all your oppressors

at that time.

And I will save the lame

and gather the outcast,

and I will change their shame into praise

and renown in all the earth.

²⁰ At that time I will bring you home,

at the time when I gather you;

for I will make you renowned and praised

among all the peoples of the earth,

when I restore your fortunes

before your eyes, says the LORD.

HAGGAI

The Command to Rebuild the Temple

IN THE second year of King Darius, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest: ²Thus says the LORD of hosts: These people say the time has not yet come to rebuild the LORD’s house. ³Then the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: ⁴Is it a time for you yourselves to live in your panelled houses, while this house lies in ruins? ⁵Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁶You have sown much, and harvested little; you eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm; and you that earn wages earn wages to put them into a bag with holes.

⁷ Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider how you have fared. ⁸Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honoured, says the LORD. ⁹You have looked for much, and, lo, it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? says the LORD of hosts. Because my house lies in ruins, while all of you hurry off to your own houses. ¹⁰Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. ¹¹And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the soil produces, on human beings and animals, and on all their labours.

¹² Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, with all the remnant of the people, obeyed the voice of the LORD their God, and the words of the prophet Haggai, as the LORD their God had sent him; and the people feared the LORD. ¹³Then Haggai, the messenger of the LORD, spoke to the people with the LORD’s message, saying, I am with you, says the LORD. ¹⁴And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked on the house of the LORD of hosts, their God, ¹⁵on the twenty-fourth day of the month, in the sixth month.

The Future Glory of the Temple

2

IN THE second year of King Darius, ¹in the seventh month, on the twenty-first day of the month, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: ²Speak now to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remnant of the people, and say, ³Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? ⁴Yet now take courage, O Zerubbabel, says the LORD; take courage, O Joshua, son of Jehozadak, the high priest; take courage, all you people of the land, says the LORD; work, for I am with you, says the LORD of hosts, ⁵according to the promise that I made you when you came out of Egypt. My spirit abides among you; do not fear. ⁶For thus says the LORD of hosts: Once again, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land; ⁷and I will shake all the nations, so that the treasure of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with splendour, says the LORD of hosts. ⁸The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, says the LORD of hosts. ⁹The latter splendour of this house shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the LORD of hosts.

A Rebuke and a Promise

¹⁰ On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by the prophet Haggai, saying: ¹¹Thus says the LORD of hosts: Ask the priests for a ruling: ¹²If one carries consecrated meat in the fold of one’s garment, and with the fold touches bread, or stew, or wine, or oil, or any kind of food, does it become holy? The priests answered, ‘No.’ ¹³Then Haggai said, ‘If one who is unclean by contact with a dead body touches any of these, does it become unclean?’ The priests answered, ‘Yes, it becomes unclean.’ ¹⁴Haggai then said, So is it with this people, and with this nation before me, says the LORD; and so with every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. ¹⁵But now, consider what will come to pass from this day on. Before a stone was placed upon a stone in the LORD’s temple, ¹⁶how did you fare?a When one came to a heap of twenty measures, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw fifty measures, there were but twenty. ¹⁷I struck you and all the products of your toil with blight and mildew and hail; yet you did not return to me, says the LORD. ¹⁸Consider from this day on, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month. Since the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid, consider: ¹⁹Is there any seed left in the barn? Do the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree still yield nothing? From this day on I will bless you.

God’s Promise to Zerubbabel

²⁰ The word of the LORD came a second time to Haggai on the twenty-fourth day of the month: ²¹Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I am about to shake the heavens and the earth, ²²and to overthrow the throne of kingdoms; I am about to destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the nations, and overthrow the chariots and their riders; and the horses and their riders shall fall, every one by the sword of a comrade. ²³On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will take you, O Zerubbabel my servant, son of Shealtiel, says the LORD, and make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you, says the LORD of hosts.

ZECHARIAH

Israel Urged to Repent

IN THE eighth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo, saying: ²The LORD was very angry with your ancestors. ³Therefore say to them, Thus says the LORD of hosts: Return to me, says the LORD of hosts, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. ⁴Do not be like your ancestors, to whom the former prophets proclaimed, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, Return from your evil ways and from your evil deeds.’ But they did not hear or heed me, says the LORD. ⁵Your ancestors, where are they? And the prophets, do they live for ever? ⁶But my words and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not overtake your ancestors? So they repented and said, ‘The LORD of hosts has dealt with us according to our ways and deeds, just as he planned to do.’

First Vision: The Horsemen

⁷ On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, the month of Shebat, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berechiah son of Iddo; and Zechariaha said, ⁸In the night I saw a man riding on a red horse! He was standing among the myrtle trees in the glen; and behind him were red, sorrel, and white horses. ⁹Then I said, ‘What are these, my lord?’ The angel who talked with me said to me, ‘I will show you what they are.’ ¹⁰So the man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered, ‘They are those whom the LORD has sent to patrol the earth.’ ¹¹Then they spoke to the angel of the LORD who was standing among the myrtle trees, ‘We have patrolled the earth, and lo, the whole earth remains at peace.’ ¹²Then the angel of the LORD said, ‘O LORD of hosts, how long will you withhold mercy from Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which you have been angry these seventy years?’ ¹³Then the LORD replied with gracious and comforting words to the angel who talked with me. ¹⁴So the angel who talked with me said to me, Proclaim this message: Thus says the LORD of hosts; I am very jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion. ¹⁵And I am extremely angry with the nations that are at ease; for while I was only a little angry, they made the disaster worse. ¹⁶Therefore, thus says the LORD, I have returned to Jerusalem with compassion; my house shall be built in it, says the LORD of hosts, and the measuring line shall be stretched out over Jerusalem. ¹⁷Proclaim further: Thus says the LORD of hosts: My cities shall again overflow with prosperity; the LORD will again comfort Zion and again choose Jerusalem.

Second Vision: The Horns and the Smiths

¹⁸a And I looked up and saw four horns. ¹⁹I asked the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these?’ And he answered me, ‘These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.’ ²⁰Then the LORD showed me four blacksmiths. ²¹And I asked, ‘What are they coming to do?’ He answered, ‘These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no head could be raised; but these have come to terrify them, to strike down the horns of the nations that lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter its people.’b

Third Vision: The Man with a Measuring Line

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I LOOKED up and saw a man with a measuring line in his hand. ²Then I asked, ‘Where are you going?’ He answered me, ‘To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.’ ³Then the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him, ⁴and said to him, ‘Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it. ⁵For I will be a wall of fire all round it, says the LORD, and I will be the glory within it.’

Interlude: An Appeal to the Exiles

⁶ Up, up! Flee from the land of the north, says the LORD; for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven, says the LORD. ⁷Up! Escape to Zion, you that live with daughter Babylon. ⁸For thus said the LORD of hosts (after his gloryd sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye.e ⁹See now, I am going to raisef my hand against them, and they shall become plunder for their own slaves. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me. ¹⁰Sing and rejoice, O daughter Zion! For lo, I will come and dwell in your midst, says the LORD. ¹¹Many nations shall join themselves to the LORD on that day, and shall be my people; and I will dwell in your midst. And you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. ¹²The LORD will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land, and will again choose Jerusalem.

¹³ Be silent, all people, before the LORD; for he has roused himself from his holy dwelling.

Fourth Vision: Joshua and Satan

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THEN he showed me the high priest Joshua standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satang standing at his right hand to accuse him. ²And the LORD said to Satan,g ‘The LORD rebuke you, O Satan!g The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is not this man a brand plucked from the fire?’ ³Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. ⁴The angel said to those who were standing before him, ‘Take off his filthy clothes.’ And to him he said, ‘See, I have taken your guilt away from you, and I will clothe you in festal apparel.’ ⁵And I said, ‘Let them put a clean turban on his head.’ So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him in the apparel; and the angel of the LORD was standing by.

⁶ Then the angel of the LORD assured Joshua, saying ⁷‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: If you will walk in my ways and keep my requirements, then you shall rule my house and have charge of my courts, and I will give you the right of access among those who are standing here. ⁸Now listen, Joshua, high priest, you and your colleagues who sit before you! For they are an omen of things to come: I am going to bring my servant the Branch. ⁹For on the stone that I have set before Joshua, on a single stone with seven facets, I will engrave its inscription, says the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the guilt of this land in a single day. ¹⁰On that day, says the LORD of hosts, you shall invite each other to come under your vine and fig tree.’

Fifth Vision: The Lampstand and Olive Trees

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THE angel who talked with me came again, and wakened me, as one is wakened from sleep. ²He said to me, ‘What do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it; there are seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. ³And by it there are two olive trees, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.’ ⁴I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ ⁵Then the angel who talked with me answered me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ ⁶He said to me, ‘This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, says the LORD of hosts. ⁷What are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain; and he shall bring out the top stone amid shouts of “Grace, grace to it!”’

⁸ Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹‘The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. ¹⁰For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel.

‘These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth.’ ¹¹Then I said to him, ‘What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?’ ¹²And a second time I said to him, ‘What are these two branches of the olive trees, which pour out the oila through the two golden pipes?’ ¹³He said to me, ‘Do you not know what these are?’ I said, ‘No, my lord.’ ¹⁴Then he said, ‘These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth.’

Sixth Vision: The Flying Scroll

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AGAIN I looked up and saw a flying scroll. ²And he said to me, ‘What do you see?’ I answered, ‘I see a flying scroll; its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.’ ³Then he said to me, ‘This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land; for everyone who steals shall be cut off according to the writing on one side, and everyone who swears falselya shall be cut off according to the writing on the other side. ⁴I have sent it out, says the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of anyone who swears falsely by my name; and it shall abide in that house and consume it, both timber and stones.’

Seventh Vision: The Woman in a Basket

⁵ Then the angel who talked with me came forward and said to me, ‘Look up and see what this is that is coming out.’ ⁶I said, ‘What is it?’ He said, ‘This is a basketb coming out.’ And he said, ‘This is their iniquityc in all the land.’ ⁷Then a leaden cover was lifted, and there was a woman sitting in the basket!b ⁸And he said, ‘This is Wickedness.’ So he thrust her back into the basket,b and pressed the leaden weight down on its mouth. ⁹Then I looked up and saw two women coming forward. The wind was in their wings; they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the basketb between earth and sky. ¹⁰Then I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘Where are they taking the basket?’b ¹¹He said to me, ‘To the land of Shinar, to build a house for it; and when this is prepared, they will set the basketb down there on its base.’

Eighth Vision: Four Chariots

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AND again I looked up and saw four chariots coming out from between two mountains—mountains of bronze. ²The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot black horses, ³the third chariot white horses, and the fourth chariot dappled greyd horses. ⁴Then I said to the angel who talked with me, ‘What are these, my lord?’ ⁵The angel answered me, ‘These are the four windse of heaven going out, after presenting themselves before the LORD of all the earth. ⁶The chariot with the black horses goes towards the north country, the white ones go towards the west country,f and the dappled ones go towards the south country.’ ⁷When the steeds came out, they were impatient to get off and patrol the earth. And he said, ‘Go, patrol the earth.’ So they patrolled the earth. ⁸Then he cried out to me, ‘Lo, those who go towards the north country have set my spirit at rest in the north country.’

The Coronation of the Branch

⁹ The word of the LORD came to me: ¹⁰Collect silver and goldg from the exiles—from Heldai, Tobijah, and Jedaiah—who have arrived from Babylon; and go the same day to the house of Josiah son of Zephaniah. ¹¹Take the silver and gold and make a crown,h and set it on the head of the high priest Joshua son of Jehozadak; ¹²say to him: Thus says the LORD of hosts: Here is a man whose name is Branch: for he shall branch out in his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD. ¹³It is he that shall build the temple of the LORD; he shall bear royal honour, and shall sit and rule on his throne. There shall be a priest by his throne, with peaceful understanding between the two of them. ¹⁴And the crowni shall be in the care of Heldai,a Tobijah, Jedaiah, and Josiahb son of Zephaniah, as a memorial in the temple of the LORD.

¹⁵ Those who are far off shall come and help to build the temple of the LORD; and you shall know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. This will happen if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God.

Hypocritical Fasting Condemned

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IN THE fourth year of King Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah on the fourth day of the ninth month, which is Chislev. ²Now the people of Bethel had sent Sharezer and Regem-melech and their men, to entreat the favour of the LORD, ³and to ask the priests of the house of the LORD of hosts and the prophets, ‘Should I mourn and practise abstinence in the fifth month, as I have done for so many years?’ ⁴Then the word of the LORD of hosts came to me: ⁵Say to all the people of the land and the priests: When you fasted and lamented in the fifth month and in the seventh, for these seventy years, was it for me that you fasted? ⁶And when you eat and when you drink, do you not eat and drink only for yourselves? ⁷Were not these the words that the LORD proclaimed by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity, along with the towns around it, and when the Negeb and the Shephelah were inhabited?

Punishment for Rejecting God’s Demands

⁸ The word of the LORD came to Zechariah, saying: ⁹Thus says the LORD of hosts: Render true judgements, show kindness and mercy to one another; ¹⁰do not oppress the widow, the orphan, the alien, or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another. ¹¹But they refused to listen, and turned a stubborn shoulder, and stopped their ears in order not to hear. ¹²They made their hearts adamant in order not to hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. ¹³Just as, when Ic called, they would not hear, so, when they called, I would not hear, says the LORD of hosts, ¹⁴and I scattered them with a whirlwind among all the nations that they had not known. Thus the land they left was desolate, so that no one went to and fro, and a pleasant land was made desolate.

God’s Promises to Zion

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THE word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying: ²Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. ³Thus says the LORD: I will return to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts shall be called the holy mountain. ⁴Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age. ⁵And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. ⁶Thus says the LORD of hosts: Even though it seems impossible to the remnant of this people in these days, should it also seem impossible to me, says the LORD of hosts? ⁷Thus says the LORD of hosts: I will save my people from the east country and from the west country; ⁸and I will bring them to live in Jerusalem. They shall be my people and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.

⁹ Thus says the LORD of hosts: Let your hands be strong—you that have recently been hearing these words from the mouths of the prophets who were present when the foundation was laid for the rebuilding of the temple, the house of the LORD of hosts. ¹⁰For before those days there were no wages for people or for animals, nor was there any safety from the foe for those who went out or came in, and I set them all against one other. ¹¹But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, says the LORD of hosts. ¹²For there shall be a sowing of peace; the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew; and I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. ¹³Just as you have been a cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I will save you and you shall be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong.

¹⁴ For thus says the LORD of hosts: Just as I purposed to bring disaster upon you, when your ancestors provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, ¹⁵so again I have purposed in these days to do good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; do not be afraid. ¹⁶These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another, render in your gates judgements that are true and make for peace, ¹⁷do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath; for all these are things that I hate, says the LORD.

Joyful Fasting

¹⁸ The word of the LORD of hosts came to me, saying: ¹⁹Thus says the LORD of hosts: The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the fast of the tenth, shall be seasons of joy and gladness, and cheerful festivals for the house of Judah: therefore love truth and peace.

Many Peoples Drawn to Jerusalem

²⁰ Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, the inhabitants of many cities; ²¹the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Come, let us go to entreat the favour of the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ ²²Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to entreat the favour of the LORD. ²³Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from nations of every language shall take hold of a Jew, grasping his garment and saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’

Judgement on Israel’s Enemies

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AN ORACLE

The word of the LORD is against the land of Hadrach

and will rest upon Damascus.

For to the Lord belongs the capitala of Aram,b

as do all the tribes of Israel;

² Hamath also, which borders on it,

Tyre and Sidon, though they are very wise.

³ Tyre has built itself a rampart,

and heaped up silver like dust,

and gold like the dirt of the streets.

⁴ But now, the Lord will strip it of its possessions

and hurl its wealth into the sea,

and it shall be devoured by fire.

⁵ Ashkelon shall see it and be afraid;

Gaza too, and shall writhe in anguish;

Ekron also, because its hopes are withered.

The king shall perish from Gaza;

Ashkelon shall be uninhabited;

⁶ a mongrel people shall settle in Ashdod,

and I will make an end of the pride of Philistia.

⁷ I will take away its blood from its mouth,

and its abominations from between its teeth;

it too shall be a remnant for our God;

it shall be like a clan in Judah,

and Ekron shall be like the Jebusites.

⁸ Then I will encamp at my house as a guard,

so that no one shall march to and fro;

no oppressor shall again overrun them,

for now I have seen with my own eyes.

The Coming Ruler of God’s People

⁹ Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!

Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!

Lo, your king comes to you;

triumphant and victorious is he,

humble and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

¹⁰ Hea will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

and the warhorse from Jerusalem;

and the battle-bow shall be cut off,

and he shall command peace to the nations;

his dominion shall be from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth.

¹¹ As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,

I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.

¹² Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;

today I declare that I will restore to you double.

¹³ For I have bent Judah as my bow;

I have made Ephraim its arrow.

I will arouse your sons, O Zion,

against your sons, O Greece,

and wield you like a warrior’s sword.

¹⁴ Then the LORD will appear over them,

and his arrow go forth like lightning;

the Lord God will sound the trumpet

and march forth in the whirlwinds of the south.

¹⁵ The LORD of hosts will protect them,

and they shall devour and tread down the slingers;a

they shall drink their bloodb like wine,

and be full like a bowl,

drenched like the corners of the altar.

¹⁶ On that day the LORD their God will save them,

for they are the flock of his people;

for like the jewels of a crown

they shall shine on his land.

¹⁷ For what goodness and beauty are his!

Grain shall make the young men flourish,

and new wine the young women.

Restoration of Judah and Israel

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ASK rain from the LORD

in the season of the spring rain,

from the LORD who makes the storm-clouds,

who gives showers of rain to you,c

the vegetation in the field to everyone.

² For the teraphimd utter nonsense,

and the diviners see lies;

the dreamers tell false dreams,

and give empty consolation.

Therefore the people wander like sheep;

they suffer for lack of a shepherd.

³ My anger is hot against the shepherds,

and I will punish the leaders;e

for the LORD of hosts cares for his flock, the house of Judah,

and will make them like his proud warhorse.

⁴ Out of them shall come the cornerstone,

out of them the tent-peg,

out of them the battle-bow,

out of them every commander.

⁵ Together they shall be like warriors in battle,

trampling the foe in the mud of the streets;

they shall fight, for the LORD is with them,

and they shall put to shame the riders on horses.

⁶ I will strengthen the house of Judah,

and I will save the house of Joseph.

I will bring them back because I have compassion on them,

and they shall be as though I had not rejected them;

for I am the LORD their God and I will answer them.

⁷ Then the people of Ephraim shall become like warriors,

and their hearts shall be glad as with wine.

Their children shall see it and rejoice,

their hearts shall exult in the LORD.

⁸ I will signal for them and gather them in,

for I have redeemed them,

and they shall be as numerous as they were before.

⁹ Though I scattered them among the nations,

yet in far countries they shall remember me,

and they shall rear their children and return.

¹⁰ I will bring them home from the land of Egypt,

and gather them from Assyria;

I will bring them to the land of Gilead and to Lebanon,

until there is no room for them.

¹¹ Theya shall pass through the sea of distress,

and the waves of the sea shall be struck down,

and all the depths of the Nile dried up.

The pride of Assyria shall be laid low,

and the sceptre of Egypt shall depart.

¹² I will make them strong in the LORD,

and they shall walk in his name,

says the LORD.

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OPEN your doors, O Lebanon,

so that fire may devour your cedars!

² Wail, O cypress, for the cedar has fallen,

for the glorious trees are ruined!

Wail, oaks of Bashan,

for the thick forest has been felled!

³ Listen, the wail of the shepherds,

for their glory is despoiled!

Listen, the roar of the lions,

for the thickets of the Jordan are destroyed!

Two Kinds of Shepherds

⁴ Thus said the LORD my God: Be a shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. ⁵Those who buy them kill them and go unpunished; and those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be the LORD, for I have become rich’ and their own shepherds have no pity on them. ⁶For I will no longer have pity on the inhabitants of the earth, says the LORD. I will cause them, every one, to fall each into the hand of a neighbour, and each into the hand of the king; and they shall devastate the earth, and I will deliver no one from their hand.

⁷ So, on behalf of the sheep dealers, I became the shepherd of the flock doomed to slaughter. I took two staffs; one I named Favour, the other I named Unity, and I tended the sheep. ⁸In one month I disposed of the three shepherds, for I had become impatient with them, and they also detested me. ⁹So I said, ‘I will not be your shepherd. What is to die, let it die; what is to be destroyed, let it be destroyed; and let those that are left devour the flesh of one another!’ ¹⁰I took my staff Favour and broke it, annulling the covenant that I had made with all the peoples. ¹¹So it was annulled on that day, and the sheep dealers, who were watching me, knew that it was the word of the LORD. ¹²I then said to them, ‘If it seems right to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.’ So they weighed out as my wages thirty shekels of silver. ¹³Then the LORD said to me, ‘Throw it into the treasury’a—this lordly price at which I was valued by them. So I took the thirty shekels of silver and threw them into the treasurya in the house of the LORD. ¹⁴Then I broke my second staff Unity, annulling the family ties between Judah and Israel.

¹⁵ Then the LORD said to me: Take once more the implements of a worthless shepherd. ¹⁶For I am now raising up in the land a shepherd who does not care for the perishing, or seek the wandering,b or heal the maimed, or nourish the healthy,c but devours the flesh of the fat ones, tearing off even their hoofs.

¹⁷ Oh, my worthless shepherd,

who deserts the flock!

May the sword strike his arm

and his right eye!

Let his arm be completely withered,

his right eye utterly blinded!

Jerusalem’s Victory

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AN ORACLE

The word of the LORD concerning Israel: Thus says the LORD, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the human spirit within: ²See, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling for all the surrounding peoples; it will be against Judah also in the siege against Jerusalem. ³On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth shall come together against it. ⁴On that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But on the house of Judah I will keep a watchful eye, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. ⁵Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, ‘The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the LORD of hosts, their God.’

⁶ On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot on a pile of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.

⁷ And the LORD will give victory to the tents of Judah first, so that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be exalted over that of Judah. ⁸On that day the LORD will shield the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD, at their head. ⁹And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

Mourning for the Pierced One

¹⁰ And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look on the onea whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn. ¹¹On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. ¹²The land shall mourn, each family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; ¹³the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; ¹⁴and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.

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ON THAT day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

Idolatry Cut Off

² On that day, says the LORD of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, so that they shall be remembered no more; and also I will remove from the land the prophets and the unclean spirit. ³And if any prophets appear again, their fathers and mothers who bore them will say to them, ‘You shall not live, for you speak lies in the name of the LORD’ and their fathers and their mothers who bore them shall pierce them through when they prophesy. ⁴On that day the prophets will be ashamed, every one, of their visions when they prophesy; they will not put on a hairy mantle in order to deceive, ⁵but each of them will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a tiller of the soil; for the land has been my possessionb since my youth.’ ⁶And if anyone asks them, ‘What are these wounds on your chest?’c the answer will be ‘The wounds I received in the house of my friends.’

The Shepherd Struck, the Flock Scattered

⁷ ‘Awake, O sword, against my shepherd,

against the man who is my associate,’

says the LORD of hosts.

Strike the shepherd, that the sheep may be scattered;

I will turn my hand against the little ones.

⁸ In the whole land, says the LORD,

two-thirds shall be cut off and perish,

and one-third shall be left alive.

⁹ And I will put this third into the fire,

refine them as one refines silver,

and test them as gold is tested.

They will call on my name,

and I will answer them.

I will say, ‘They are my people’

and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’

Future Warfare and Final Victory

14

SEE, a day is coming for the LORD, when the plunder taken from you will be divided in your midst. ²For I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem to battle, and the city shall be taken and the houses looted and the women raped; half the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be cut off from the city. ³Then the LORD will go forth and fight against those nations as when he fights on a day of battle. ⁴On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, which lies before Jerusalem on the east; and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley; so that half of the Mount shall withdraw northwards, and the other half southwards. ⁵And you shall flee by the valley of the LORD’s mountain,a for the valley between the mountains shall reach to Azal;b and you shall flee as you fled from the earthquake in the days of King Uzziah of Judah. Then the LORD my God will come, and all the holy ones with him.

⁶ On that day there shall not bec either cold or frost.d ⁷And there shall be continuous day (it is known to the LORD), not day and not night, for at evening time there shall be light.

⁸ On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea; it shall continue in summer as in winter.

⁹ And the LORD will become king over all the earth; on that day the LORD will be one and his name one.

¹⁰ The whole land shall be turned into a plain from Geba to Rimmon south of Jerusalem. But Jerusalem shall remain aloft on its site from the Gate of Benjamin to the place of the former gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the king’s wine presses. ¹¹And it shall be inhabited, for never again shall it be doomed to destruction; Jerusalem shall abide in security.

¹² This shall be the plague with which the LORD will strike all the peoples that wage war against Jerusalem: their flesh shall rot while they are still on their feet; their eyes shall rot in their sockets, and their tongues shall rot in their mouths. ¹³On that day a great panic from the LORD shall fall on them, so that each will seize the hand of a neighbour, and the hand of one will be raised against the hand of the other; ¹⁴even Judah will fight at Jerusalem. And the wealth of all the surrounding nations shall be collected—gold, silver, and garments in great abundance. ¹⁵And a plague like this plague shall fall on the horses, the mules, the camels, the donkeys, and whatever animals may be in those camps.

¹⁶ Then all who survive of the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year by year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the festival of booths.a ¹⁷If any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain upon them. ¹⁸And if the family of Egypt do not go up and present themselves, then on them shallb come the plague that the LORD inflicts on the nations that do not go up to keep the festival of booths.a¹⁹Such shall be the punishment of Egypt and the punishment of all the nations that do not go up to keep the festival of booths.a

²⁰ On that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, ‘Holy to the LORD.’ And the cooking-pots in the house of the LORD shall be as holy asc the bowls in front of the altar; ²¹and every cooking-pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be sacred to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and use them to boil the flesh of the sacrifice. And there shall no longer be tradersd in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day.

MALACHI

AN ORACLE. The word of the LORD to Israel by Malachi.a

Israel Preferred to Edom

² I have loved you, says the LORD. But you say, ‘How have you loved us?’ Is not Esau Jacob’s brother? says the LORD. Yet I have loved Jacob

³but I have hated Esau; I have made his hill country a desolation and his heritage a desert for jackals. ⁴If Edom says, ‘We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,’ the LORD of hosts says: They may build, but I will tear down, until they are called the wicked country, the people with whom the LORD is angry for ever. ⁵Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, ‘Great is the LORD beyond the borders of Israel!’

Corruption of the Priesthood

⁶ A son honours his father, and servants their master. If then I am a father, where is the honour due to me? And if I am a master, where is the respect due to me? says the LORD of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. You say, ‘How have we despised your name?’ ⁷By offering polluted food on my altar. And you say, ‘How have we polluted it?’b By thinking that the LORD’s table may be despised. ⁸When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not wrong? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not wrong? Try presenting that to your governor; will he be pleased with you or show you favour? says the LORD of hosts. ⁹And now implore the favour of God, that he may be gracious to us. The fault is yours. Will he show favour to any of you? says the LORD of hosts. ¹⁰O that someone among you would shut the templec doors, so that you would not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the LORD of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hands. ¹¹For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts. ¹²But you profane it when you say that the Lord’s table is polluted, and the food for itd may be despised. ¹³‘What a weariness this is’, you say, and you sniff at me,e says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! Shall I accept that from your hand? says the LORD. ¹⁴Cursed be the cheat who has a male in the flock and vows to give it, and yet sacrifices to the Lord what is blemished; for I am a great King, says the LORD of hosts, and my name is reverenced among the nations.

2

AND now, O priests, this command is for you. ²If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse on you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them,a because you do not lay it to heart. ³I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and I will put you out of my presence.b

⁴ Know, then, that I have sent this command to you, so that my covenant with Levi may hold, says the LORD of hosts. ⁵My covenant with him was a covenant of life and well-being, which I gave him; this called for reverence, and he revered me and stood in awe of my name. ⁶True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in integrity and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. ⁷For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. ⁸But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts, ⁹and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction.

The Covenant Profaned by Judah

¹⁰ Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our ancestors? ¹¹Judah has been faithless, and abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem; for Judah has profaned the sanctuary of the LORD, which he loves, and has married the daughter of a foreign god. ¹²May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob anyone who does this—any to witnessc or answer, or to bring an offering to the LORD of hosts.

¹³ And this you do as well: You cover the LORD’s altar with tears, with weeping and groaning because he no longer regards the offering or accepts it with favour at your hand. ¹⁴You ask, ‘Why does he not?’ Because the LORD was a witness between you and the wife of your youth, to whom you have been faithless, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. ¹⁵Did not one God make her?d Both flesh and spirit are his.e And what does the one Godf desire? Godly offspring. So look to yourselves, and do not let anyone be faithless to the wife of his youth. ¹⁶For I hateg divorce, says the LORD, the God of Israel, and covering one’s garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So take heed to yourselves and do not be faithless.

¹⁷ You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, ‘How have we wearied him?’ By saying, ‘All who do evil are good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them.’ Or by asking, ‘Where is the God of justice?’

The Coming Messenger

3

SEE, I am sending my messenger to prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. The messenger of the covenant in whom you delight—indeed, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. ²But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears?

For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap; ³he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the descendants of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, until they present offerings to the LORD in righteousness.a ⁴Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

⁵ Then I will draw near to you for judgement; I will be swift to bear witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired workers in their wages, the widow, and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the alien, and do not fear me, says the LORD of hosts.

⁶ For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, have not perished. ⁷Ever since the days of your ancestors you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’

Do Not Rob God

⁸ Will anyone rob God? Yet you are robbing me! But you say, ‘How are we robbing you?’ In your tithes and offerings! ⁹You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me—the whole nation of you! ¹⁰Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in my house, and thus put me to the test, says the LORD of hosts; see if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you an overflowing blessing. ¹¹I will rebuke the locustb for you, so that it will not destroy the produce of your soil; and your vine in the field shall not be barren, says the LORD of hosts. ¹²Then all nations will count you happy, for you will be a land of delight, says the LORD of hosts.

¹³ You have spoken harsh words against me, says the LORD. Yet you say, ‘How have we spoken against you?’ ¹⁴You have said, ‘It is vain to serve God. What do we profit by keeping his command or by going about as mourners before the LORD of hosts?

¹⁵Now we count the arrogant happy; evildoers not only prosper, but when they put God to the test they escape.’

The Reward of the Faithful

¹⁶ Then those who revered the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD took note and listened, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who revered the LORD and thought on his name. ¹⁷They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, my special possession on the day when I act, and I will spare them as parents spare their children who serve them. ¹⁸Then once more you shall see the difference between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him.

The Great Day of the LORD

4a

SEE, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. ²But for you who revere my name the sun of righteousness shall rise, with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. ³And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act, says the LORD of hosts.

⁴ Remember the teaching of my servant Moses, the statutes and ordinances that I commanded him at Horeb for all Israel.

⁵ Lo, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes. ⁶He will turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents, so that I will not come and strike the land with a curse.b

CONCORDANCE

The following abbreviations are used for the Books of the Bible:

1Ch … 1 Chronicles

1Co … 1 Corinthians

1Jn … 1 John

1Ki … 1 Kings

1Mc … 1 Maccabees

1Pe … 1 Peter

1Sa … 1 Samuel

1Th … 1 Thessalonians

1Ti … 1 Timothy

2Ch … 2 Chronicles

2Co … 2 Corinthians

2Jn … 2 John

2Ki … 2 Kings

2Mc … 2 Maccabees

2Pe … 2 Peter

2Sa … 2 Samuel

2Th … 2 Thessalonians

2Ti … 2 Timothy

3Jn … 3 John

Ac … Acts

Am … Amos

Bar … Baruch

Col … Colossians

Da … Daniel

Dt … Deuteronomy

Ecc … Ecclesiastes

Eph … Ephesians

Est … Esther

Ex … Exodus

Eze … Ezekiel

Ezr … Ezra

Gal … Galatians

Ge … Genesis

Hab … Habakkuk

Hag … Haggai

Heb … Hebrews

Hos … Hosea

Isa … Isaiah

Jas … James

Jdg … Judges

Jdt … Judith

Jer … Jeremiah

Jn … John

Jnh … Jonah

Job … Job

Joel … Joel

Jos … Joshua

Jude … Jude

La … Lamentations

Lev … Leviticus

Lk … Luke

Mal … Malachi

Mic … Micah

Mk … Mark

Mt … Matthew

Na … Nahum

Ne … Nehemiah

Nu … Numbers

Ob … Obadiah

Phm … Philemon

Php … Philippians

Pr … Proverbs

Ps … Psalms

Rev … Revelation

Ro … Romans

Ru … Ruth

Sir … Sirach (Ecclesiasticus)

SS … Song of Solomon

Tit … Titus

Tob … Tobit

Wis … Wisdom of Solomon

Zec … Zechariah

Zep … Zephaniah

Other abbreviations and special symbols used:

S Shorter ending of Mark

T Psalm titles

Pr: Sirach Prologue

† A Dagger distinguishes LORD and GOD from Lord and God in Hebrew Bible references

An arrow following an entry heading points to related words for additional study

= An equals sign marks an alternate proper name for additional study (e.g., ISRAEL =JACOB)

Contexts in double brackets are from passages that are similarly bracketed in the NRSV (e.g., John 7:53—8:11)

For further study consult The Concise Concordance to the New Revised Standard Version (Oxford University Press, 1993) and The NRSV Concordance Unabridged (Zondervan, 1991).

—John R. Kohlenberger III

ABANDONABANDONED

Dt 4: 31 will neither a you nor destroy you;

2Ch 15: 2 but if you a him, he will a you.

Ac 2: 27 For you will not a my soul to Hades

ABANDONEDABANDON

Dt 29: 25 they a the covenant of the LORD,

Sir 49: 4 for they a the law of the Most High;

Isa 54: 7 For a brief moment I a you,

ABBA

Mk 14: 36 “A, Father, for you all things are possible;

Ro 8: 15 When we cry, “A! Father!”

Gal 4: 6 into our hearts, crying, “A! Father!”

ABIDE

Ge 6: 3 My spirit shall not a in mortals forever,

Ps 91: 1 a in the shadow of the Almighty,

Wis 3: 9 the faithful will a with him in love,

Jn 15: 4 A in me as I a in you.

1Co 13: 13 faith, hope, and love a, these three;

1Jn 2: 28 And now, little children, a in him,

ABILITY ABLE

Mt 25: 15 to each according to his a.

Ac 2: 4 as the Spirit gave them a.

ABLE ABILITY

Jdt 11: 18 of them will be a to withstand you.

Da 3: 17 God whom we serve is a to deliver

Mk 10: 38 you a to drink the cup that I drink,

Ro 14: 4 the Lord is a to make them stand.

2Co 9: 8 God is a to provide you with every

Eph 6: 11 a to stand against the wiles of the devil.

Heb 2: 18 a to help those who are being tested.

7: 25 he is a for all time to save

ABOLISH ABOLISHED

Da 11: 31 shall a the regular burnt offering

Mt 5: 17 I have come not to a but to fulfill.

ABOLISHED ABOLISH

Eph 2: 15 a the law with its commandments

2Ti 1: 10 who a death and brought life

ABOMINABLE ABOMINATION

2Ch 28: 3 the a practices of the nations

1Mc 1: 48 to make themselves a by everything

Eze 7: 20 they made their a images,

ABOMINATION ABOMINABLE

1Mc 6: 7 that they had torn down the a that

Pr 6: 16 seven that are an a to him:

Sir 1: 25 but godliness is an a to a sinner.

Da 9: 27 shall be an a that desolates,

ABOUND ABOUNDED, ABOUNDING

Dt 28: 11 LORD will make you a in prosperity,

Ro 6: 1 in sin in order that grace may a?

ABOUNDED ABOUND

Ro 5: 20 sin increased, grace a all the more,

ABOUNDING ABOUND

Ex 34: 6 a in steadfast love and faithfulness,

Ps 86: 5 a in steadfast love to all who call Joel

2: 13 to anger, and a in steadfast love,

Jnh 4: 2 to anger, and a in steadfast love,

ABUNDANCE ABUNDANTLY

Lk 12: 15 one’s life does not consist in the a

2Co 9: 8 provide you with every blessing in a

ABUNDANTLY ABUNDANCE

Jn 10: 10 that they may have life, and have it a.

ACCEPT ACCEPTABLE

Jn 1: 11 his own people did not a him.

ACCEPTABLE ACCEPT

Ps 19: 14 meditation of my heart be a to you,

51: 17 sacrifice a to God is a broken spirit;

Ro 12: 1 a living sacrifice, holy and a to God,

ACCOUNT ACCOUNTABLE

Mt 12: 36 judgment you will have to give an a

Heb 4: 13 to whom we must render an a.

ACCOUNTABLE ACCOUNT

Ro 14: 12 each of us will be a to God.

ACCURSED CURSE

Ro 9: 3 I could wish that I myself were a

Rev 22: 3 Nothing a will be found there any

ACCUSATION ACCUSE

Lk 23: 4 no basis for an a against this man.”

ACCUSE ACCUSATION, ACCUSER

Ps 103: 9 He will not always a,

Zec 3: 1 Satan standing at his right hand to a

Mt 12: 10 so that they might a him.

ACCUSER ACCUSE

Rev 12: 10 the a of our comrades has been thrown

ACKNOWLEDGE

Dt 4: 35 would a that the LORD is God;

Pr 3: 6 In all your ways a him,

Mt 10: 32 I also will a before my Father in

ACTIVE

Heb 4: 12 the word of God is living and a,

ADD ADDED

Dt 4: 2 You must neither a anything

Pr 30: 6 Do not a to his words, or else

Lk 12: 25 by worrying a a single hour to your

ADDED ADD

Ecc 3: 14 nothing can be a to it, nor anything

Sir 42: 21 Nothing can be a or taken away,

ADOPTION

Ro 8: 23 groan inwardly while we wait for a,

Gal 4: 5 that we might receive a as children.

ADORNMENT

Pr 3: 22 for your soul and a for your neck.

1Pe 3: 4 let your a be the inner self with the

ADULTERERS ADULTERY

Jer 23: 10 For the land is full of a;

1Co 6: 9 idolaters, a, male prostitutes,

ADULTERESS ADULTERY

Lev 20: 10 the a shall be put to death.

Pr 2: 16 from the a with her smooth words,

ADULTERY ADULTERERS, ADULTERESS

Ex 20: 14 You shall not commit a.

Jer 3: 9 committing a with stone and tree.

Mt 5: 28 committed a with her in his heart.

Lk 16: 18 and marries another commits a,

Jn 8: 3 a woman who had been caught in a;‚

ADVANTAGE

Ecc 7: 12 a of knowledge is that wisdom gives

1Co 10: 24 Do not seek your own a, but that of

ADVERSARY

1Pe 5: 8 roaring lion your a the devil prowls

ADVICE

Tob 4: 18 Seek a from every wise person

Ps 1: 1 do not follow the a of the wicked,

Pr 8: 14 I have good a and sound wisdom;

Sir 37: 11 pay no attention to any a they give.

ADVOCATE

Jn 14: 26 But the A, the Holy Spirit,

15: 26 the A comes, whom I will send

1Jn 2: 1 we have an a with the Father,

AFFLICT AFFLICTED, AFFLICTION, AFFLICTIONS, AFFLICTS

2Sa 7: 10 evildoers shall a them no more,

La 3: 33 for he does not willingly a

2Th 1: 6 repay with affliction those who a

AFFLICTED AFFLICT

Na 1: 12 Though I have a you, I will afflict

2Co 4: 8 are a in every way, but not crushed;

AFFLICTION AFFLICT

Ps 25: 18 Consider my a and my trouble,

La 1: 9 “O LORD, look at my a,

2Co 4: 17 this slight momentary a is preparing

AFFLICTIONS AFFLICT

Ps 34: 19 Many are the a of the righteous,

AFFLICTS AFFLICT

Tob 13: 2 For he a, and he shows mercy;

AFRAID FEAR

Ex 3: 6 for he was a to look at God.

Lev 26: 6 and no one shall make you a;

Dt 20: 3 Do not lose heart, or be a,

Ps 3: 6 I am not a of ten thousands

27: 1 of whom shall I be a?

Isa 12: 2 I will trust, and will not be a,

Mt 28: 10 Jesus said to them, “Do not be a;

Lk 12: 32 “Do not be a, little flock,

Heb 13: 6 Lord is my helper; I will not be a.

AGE AGES

Mt 28: 20 with you always, to the end of the a.”

Gal 1: 4 to set us free from the present evil a,

AGES AGE

Col 1: 26 has been hidden throughout the a

1Ti 1: 17 To the King of the a, immortal,

AGREE

Mt 18: 19 if two of you a on earth about

Mk 14: 56 and their testimony did not a.

AIR

Eph 2: 2 the ruler of the power of the a,

1Th 4: 17 to meet the Lord in the a;

ALERT

Lk 12: 37 slaves whom the master finds a

1Co 16: 13 Keep a, stand firm in your faith,

Eph 6: 18 keep a and always persevere

1Pe 5: 8 Discipline yourselves, keep a.

ALIEN ALIENS

Ex 2: 22 an a residing in a foreign land.”

Lev 19: 34 you shall love the a as yourself,

Dt 24: 17 You shall not deprive a resident a

ALIENS ALIEN

1Mc 2: 7 the sanctuary given over to a?

Eph 2: 19 you are no longer strangers and a,

1Pe 2: 11 I urge you as a and exiles to abstain

ALIVE LIVE

Ac 1: 3 suffering he presented himself a

Ro 6: 11 dead to sin and a to God

Eph 2: 5 made us a together with Christ—

1Th 4: 17 Then we who are a, who are left,

Rev 1: 18 I am a forever and ever;

19: 20 were thrown a into the lake of fire

ALMIGHTY MIGHT

Ge 17: 1 “I am God A; walk before me,

Ps 91: 1 who abide in the shadow of the A,

Bar 3: 1 O Lord A, God of Israel,

Rev 1: 8 who was and who is to come, the A.

21: 22 its temple is the Lord God the A

ALMS

Tob 12: 8 better to give a than to lay up gold.

Sir 7: 10 do not neglect to give a.

Mt 6: 2 “So whenever you give a,

ALONE

Ge 2: 18 not good that the man should be a;

Dt 6: 4 The LORD is our God, the LORD a.

Mk 2: 7 Who can forgive sins but God a?”

10: 18 No one is good but God a.

ALPHA

Rev 1: 8 “I am the A and the Omega,”

22: 13 I am the A and the Omega,

ALTAR

Ex 27: 1 shall make the a of acacia wood,

30: 1 an a on which to offer incense;

1Mc 1: 54 a desolating sacrilege on the a of

4: 47 built a new a like the former one.

Heb 13: 10 We have an a from which those

Rev 6: 9 I saw under the a the souls of those

ALWAYS

Mt 28: 20 And remember, I am with you a,

Php 4: 4 Rejoice in the Lord a; again I will

AMAZED AMAZING

Mt 8: 27 a, saying, “What sort of man is this,

Mk 6: 6 And he was a at their unbelief.

Ac 2: 7 A and astonished, they asked,

AMAZING AMAZED

Mk 12: 11 and it is a in our eyes’?”

Rev 15: 3 “Great and a are your deeds,

AMBASSADORS

2Co 5: 20 So we are a for Christ,

AMBITION

Php 2: 3 Do nothing from selfish a or conceit

Jas 3: 14 envy and selfish a in your hearts,

AMEN

Dt 27: 15 people shall respond, saying, “A!”

2Co 1: 20 through him that we say the “A,”

Rev 3: 14 The words of the A, the faithful and

ANCESTORS

Ex 3: 13 ‘The God of your a has sent me to

Dt 4: 31 not forget the covenant with your a

La 5: 7 Our a sinned; they are no more,

Ac 5: 30 The God of our a raised up Jesus,

Heb 1: 1 Long ago God spoke to our a in

ANCHOR

Heb 6: 19 a sure and steadfast a of the soul,

ANCIENT

Da 7: 9 and an A One took his throne,

Mic 5: 2 origin is from of old, from a days.

Rev 20: 2 He seized the dragon, that a serpent,

ANGEL ANGELS, ARCHANGEL, ARCHANGEL’S

Ex 3: 2 the a of the LORD appeared to him

23: 20 going to send an a in front of you,

Tob 5: 4 the a Raphael standing in front of

1Mc 7: 41 your a went out and struck

Ps 34: 7 The a of the LORD encamps

Sir 48: 21 and his a wiped them out.

Isa 37: 36 the a of the LORD set out and

Bar 6: 7 For my a is with you,

Da 3: 28 who has sent his a and delivered

3: 49 But the a of the Lord came down

6: 22 God sent his a and shut the lions’

13: 59 a of God is waiting with his sword

14: 34 the a of the Lord said to Habakkuk,

Mt 1: 20 an a of the Lord appeared to him in

Lk 1: 26 In the sixth month the a Gabriel

Ac 5: 19 during the night an a of the Lord

23: 8 say that there is no resurrection, or a,

2Co 11: 14 Satan disguises himself as an a of light.

ANGELS ANGEL

Ge 28: 12 a of God were ascending and

Tob 11: 14 and blessed be all his holy a.

Ps 103: 20 Bless the LORD, O you his a,

Mk 12: 25 but are like a in heaven.

Jn 1: 51 and the a of God ascending and

Ro 8: 38 that neither death, nor life, nor a,

1Co 6: 3 not know that we are to judge a—

Heb 2: 7 for a little while lower than the a;

2Pe 2: 4 not spare the a when they sinned,

Rev 1: 20 stars are the a of the seven churches,

21: 12 and at the gates twelve a,

ANGER ANGRY

Ex 34: 6 merciful and gracious, slow to a,

Jdg 2: 12 they provoked the LORD to a.

1Ki 16: 13 God of Israel to a with their idols.

Ps 30: 5 For his a is but for a moment;

Pr 12: 16 Fools show their a at once,

Sir 5: 4 for the Lord is slow to a.

Joel 2: 13 slow to a, and abounding in

Jnh 4: 2 slow to a, and abounding in

Mk 3: 5 He looked around at them with a;

Eph 4: 26 not let the sun go down on your a,

Jas 1: 19 slow to speak, slow to a;

ANGRY ANGER

Jer 3: 12 I will not be a forever.

Mt 5: 22 that if you are a with a brother

ANGUISH

Isa 53: 11 Out of his a he shall see light;

Da 12: 1 There shall be a time of a,

Zep 1: 15 a day of distress and a,

ANIMAL ANIMALS

Ge 2: 19 God formed every a of the field

ANIMALS ANIMAL

Ge 3: 14 cursed are you among all a

Ps 36: 6 save humans and a alike, O LORD.

ANOINT ANOINTED, ANOINTING

Ex 30: 30 You shall a Aaron and his sons,

1Sa 15: 1 “The LORD sent me to a you king

Ps 23: 5 you a my head with oil; my cup

Da 9: 24 and to a a most holy place.

ANOINTED ANOINT

1Ch 16: 22 “Do not touch my a ones;

Ps 2: 2 against the LORD and his a,

Isa 61: 1 because the LORD has a me;

Da 9: 26 an a one shall be cut off and

Lk 4: 18 he has a me to bring good news to

Jn 1: 41 Messiah” (which is translated A).

ANOINTING ANOINT

Ex 30: 25 it shall be a holy a oil.

Jas 5: 14 a them with oil in the name of the Lord

1Jn 2: 27 as his a teaches you about all things,

ANOTHER

Isa 48: 11 My glory I will not give to a.

Jn 14: 16 and he will give you a Advocate,

Gal 1: 7 not that there is a gospel,

ANSWER

Pr 15: 1 A soft a turns away wrath,

Isa 65: 24 Before they call I will a,

Lk 23: 9 but Jesus gave him no a.

ANT

Pr 6: 6 Go to the a, you lazybones;

ANTICHRIST

1Jn 2: 18 As you have heard that a is coming,

2: 22 the a, the one who denies the Father

4: 3 And this is the spirit of the a,

2Jn 1: 7 person is the deceiver and the a!

ANXIETIES ANXIETY

1Co 7: 32 I want you to be free from a.

ANXIETY ANXIETIES

Ecc 11: 10 Banish a from your mind,

1Pe 5: 7 Cast all your a on him, because he

ANYTHING

Ge 18: 14 Is a too wonderful for the LORD?

Jer 32: 27 is a too hard for me?

Mt 18: 19 if two of you agree on earth about a

Jn 16: 23 if you ask a of the Father in my name,

APART

Jn 15: 5 a from me you can do nothing.

Jas 2: 20 that faith a from works is barren?

APOSTASIES APOSTASY

Jer 2: 19 and your a will convict you.

Eze 37: 23 I will save them from all the a

APOSTASY APOSTASIES

1Mc 2: 15 officers who were enforcing the a

APOSTLE APOSTLES

Ro 11: 13 as I am an a to the Gentiles,

1Co 9: 1 Am I not an a?

2Co 12: 12 signs of a true a were performed

Heb 3: 1 a and high priest of our confession,

APOSTLES APOSTLE

Mt 10: 2 the names of the twelve a:

Ac 2: 43 and signs were being done by the a.

1Co 12: 28 has appointed in the church first a,

Eph 2: 20 foundation of the a and prophets,

4: 11 he gave were that some would be a,

Rev 21: 14 are the twelve names of the twelve a

APPEAR APPEARANCE, APPEARANCES, APPEARED, APPEARING

Mt 24: 30 the sign of the Son of Man will a in

Mk 13: 22 messiahs and false prophets will a

APPEARANCE APPEAR

1Sa 16: 7 not look on his a or on the height

Jdt 11: 23 You are not only beautiful in a,

2Co 5: 12 those who boast in outward a

APPEARANCES APPEAR

Jn 7: 24 not judge by a, but judge with right

APPEARED APPEAR

Jn 21: 14 that Jesus a to the disciples after he

1Co 15: 5 he a to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Heb 9: 26 a once for all at the end of the age

APPEARING APPEAR

Ac 1: 3 a to them during forty days and

2Ti 4: 8 to all who have longed for his a.

APPETITES

Sir 18: 30 base desires, but restrain your a.

Ro 16: 18 our Lord Christ, but their own a,

APPOINTED APPOINT

Mk 3: 16 So he a the twelve: Simon (to whom

Ac 3: 20 that he may send the Messiah a for

Heb 1: 2 whom he a heir of all things,

9: 27 as it is a for mortals to die once,

APPROACH

Heb 4: 16 a the throne of grace with boldness,

11: 6 whoever would a him must believe

APPROVAL APPROVED

Gal 1: 10 I now seeking human a, or God’s a?

Heb 11: 2 by faith our ancestors received a.

APPROVED APPROVAL

1Th 2: 4 but just as we have been a by God

2Ti 2: 15 to present yourself to God as one a

ARARAT

Ge 8: 4 ark came to rest on the mountains of A.

ARCHANGEL ANGEL

Jude 1: 9 a Michael contended with the devil

ARCHANGEL’S ANGEL

1Th 4: 16 a call and with the sound of God’s

ARCHITECT

Heb 11: 10 whose a and builder is God.

AREOPAGUS

Ac 17: 22 Then Paul stood in front of the A

ARGUE ARGUMENTS

Isa 1: 18 let us a it out, says the LORD:

Ac 18: 4 Every sabbath he would a in the

Ro 9: 20 a human being, to a with God?

ARGUMENTS ARGUE

2Co 10: 4 destroy strongholds. We destroy a

Col 2: 4 may deceive you with plausible a.

ARISE RISE

1Mc 14: 41 until a trustworthy prophet should a,

Isa 60: 1 A, shine; for your light has come,

Mt 24: 11 false prophets will a and lead many

ARK

Ge 6: 14 Make yourself an a of cypress wood

Ex 25: 10 shall make an a of acacia wood;

1Sa 4: 11 The a of God was captured;

2Mc 2: 4 the tent and the a should follow

Rev 11: 19 the a of his covenant was seen

ARM ARMOR, ARMS, ARMY

Ex 6: 6 redeem you with an outstretched a

Dt 7: 19 mighty hand and the outstretched a

2Ch 32: 8 With him is an a of flesh;

Ps 98: 1 his holy a have gotten him victory.

Isa 53: 1 the a of the LORD been revealed?

Jn 12: 38 the a of the Lord been revealed?”

ARMOR ARM

Wis 5: 17 will take his zeal as his whole a,

Ro 13: 12 and put on the a of light;

Eph 6: 11 Put on the whole a of God,

ARMS ARM

Hos 11: 3 I took them up in my a;

Mk 10: 16 And he took them up in his a,

ARMY ARM

Jos 5: 14 as commander of the a of the LORD

Ps 27: 3 Though an a encamp against me,

33: 16 A king is not saved by his great a;

Rev 19: 19 rider on the horse and against his a.

AROMA

2Co 2: 15 For we are the a of Christ to God

ARRESTED

Mt 26: 50 and laid hands on Jesus and a him.

Ac 5: 18 a the apostles and put them in the

ARROGANCE ARROGANT

Jdt 9: 10 their a by the hand of a woman.

1Mc 1: 24 much blood, and spoke with great a.

Pr 8: 13 Pride and a and the way of evil

Sir 10: 7 A is hateful to the Lord and to

Eze 7: 24 put an end to the a of the strong,

ARROGANT ARROGANCE

Ps 73: 3 For I was envious of the a;

1Co 13: 4 love is not envious or boastful or a

ARROW

Ps 64: 7 But God will shoot his a at them;

Isa 49: 2 he made me a polished a,

ASCEND ASCENDED

Ps 139: 8 If I a to heaven, you are there;

Isa 14: 13 in your heart, “I will a to heaven;

Ro 10: 6 ‘Who will a into heaven?’”

ASCENDED ASCEND

2Ki 2: 11 Elijah a in a whirlwind into heaven.

Jn 3: 13 No one has a into heaven except

ASHAMED SHAME

Ge 2: 25 were both naked, and were not a.

Mk 8: 38 who are a of me and of my words

Ro 1: 16 For I am not a of the gospel;

2Ti 2: 15 a worker who has no need to be a,

Heb 2: 11 Jesus is not a to call them brothers

11: 16 God is not a to be called their God;

ASHES

Ge 18: 27 I who am but dust and a.

Est 4: 1 and put on sackcloth and a,

Jdt 4: 11 the temple and put a on their heads

Job 42: 6 and repent in dust and a.”

Sir 17: 32 but all human beings are dust and a.

Jnh 3: 6 himself with sackcloth, and sat in a.

Mt 11: 21 long ago in sackcloth and a.

ASK

Isa 65: 1 sought out by those who did not a,

Mt 6: 8 knows what you need before you a

7: 7 “A, and it will be given you;

Jn 16: 24 A and you will receive,

Jas 4: 3 You a and do not receive, because

1Jn 5: 14 we a anything according to his will,

ASLEEP SLEEP

Jnh 1: 5 had lain down, and was fast a.

Mt 8: 24 by the waves; but he was a.

1Th 5: 6 So then let us not fall a as others do,

ASSIGNED

Ro 12: 3 the measure of faith that God has a.

1Co 3: 5 as the Lord a to each.

7: 17 lead the life that the Lord has a,

ASSURANCE

Dt 28: 66 in dread, with no a of your life.

Heb 6: 11 so as to realize the full a of hope

11: 1 faith is the a of things hoped for,

ASTONISHED

Isa 52: 14 there were many who were a at him

Lk 2: 48 his parents saw him they were a;

ASTRAY STRAY

Dt 30: 17 are led a to bow down to other gods

Isa 53: 6 All we like sheep have gone a;

Jer 50: 6 their shepherds have led them a,

Mt 18: 12 go in search of the one that went a?

1Pe 2: 25 For you were going a like sheep,

ATE EAT

Ge 3: 6 she took of its fruit and a;

Ex 16: 35 The Israelites a manna forty years,

Ps 78: 25 Mortals a of the bread of angels;

Mt 14: 20 And all a and were filled;

15: 37 And all of them a and were filled;

ATHLETE ATHLETES

2Ti 2: 5 And in the case of an a,

ATHLETES ATHLETE

1Co 9: 25 A exercise self-control in all

ATONE ATONEMENT

Sir 3: 3 who honor their father a for sins,

Da 9: 24 an end to sin, and to a for iniquity,

ATONED ATONEMENT

Pr 16: 6 and faithfulness iniquity is a for,

ATONEMENT ATONE, ATONED, ATONING

Ex 29: 36 a bull as a sin offering for a.

30: 10 Aaron shall perform the rite of a

32: 30 perhaps I can make a for your sin.”

Lev 23: 28 for it is a day of a,

Ro 3: 25 God put forward as a sacrifice of a

Heb 2: 17 to make a sacrifice of a for the sins

ATONING ATONEMENT

Sir 28: 5 will make an a sacrifice for his sins?

1Jn 2: 2 and he is the a sacrifice for our sins,

4: 10 sent his Son to be the a sacrifice for

ATTENTION

Heb 2: 1 greater a to what we have heard,

AUTHOR

Wis 13: 3 for the a of beauty created them.

Ac 3: 15 and you killed the A of life,

AUTHORITIES AUTHORITY

Ro 13: 1 be subject to the governing a;

Col 2: 15 He disarmed the rulers and a and

AUTHORITY AUTHORITIES

Pr 29: 2 When the righteous are in a,

Mk 1: 27 A new teaching—with a!

Lk 5: 24 Son of Man has a on earth to forgive

Ac 5: 29 obey God rather than any human a.

Ro 13: 1 for there is no a except from God,

1Co 11: 10 woman ought to have a symbol of a

Col 2: 10 who is the head of every ruler and a.

1Ti 2: 12 no woman to teach or to have a over

Rev 12: 10 and the a of his Messiah,

20: 4 on them were given a to judge.

AVENGE VENGEANCE

Dt 32: 43 he will a the blood of his children,

1Mc 2: 67 a the wrong done to your people.

Ro 12: 19 Beloved, never a yourselves,

Rev 6: 10 and a our blood on the inhabitants

AVENGER VENGEANCE

Nu 35: 12 shall be for you a refuge from the a,

Ps 8: 2 to silence the enemy and the a.

1Th 4: 6 the Lord is an a in all these things,

AVENGING VENGEANCE

Na 1: 2 A jealous and a God is the LORD,

AWAKE

Da 12: 2 in the dust of the earth shall a,

Mk 14: 37 Could you not keep a one hour?

Eph 5: 14 “Sleeper, a! Rise from the dead,

1Th 5: 6 but let us keep a and be sober;

Rev 16: 15 Blessed is the one who stays a and

AWE AWESOME

Ps 119: 161 my heart stands in a of your words.

Isa 29: 23 will stand in a of the God of Israel.

Mt 9: 8 saw it, they were filled with a,

Ac 2: 43 A came upon everyone, because

Ro 11: 20 do not become proud, but stand in a.

AWESOME AWE

Ex 15: 11 majestic in holiness, a in splendor,

Dt 10: 17 the great God, mighty and a,

Ne 1: 5 and a God who keeps covenant

Ps 47: 2 For the Lord, the Most High, is a,

Sir 43: 29 A is the Lord and very great,

Da 9: 4 saying, “Ah, Lord, great and a God,

B

BAAL

Jdg 2: 13 and worshiped B and the Astartes.

1Ki 18: 25 Elijah said to the prophets of B,

Jer 2: 8 the prophets prophesied by B,

Ro 11: 4 not bowed the knee to B.”

BABEL BABYLON

Ge 11: 9 Therefore it was called B,

BABES

Ps 8: 2 Out of the mouths of b and infants

Isa 3: 4 and b shall rule over them.

BABYLON BABEL

2Ki 24: 15 into captivity from Jerusalem to B.

Ps 137: 1 By the rivers of B— there we sat

Isa 14: 4 this taunt against the king of B:

21: 9 he responded, “Fallen, fallen is B;

Jer 25: 11 serve the king of B seventy years.

Da 14: 36 he set him down in B,

1Pe 5: 13 Your sister church in B, chosen

Rev 14: 8 “Fallen, fallen is B the great!

BACKSLIDING

Jer 8: 5 people turned away in perpetual b?

BAD

Mt 7: 17 but the b tree bears b fruit.

1Co 15: 33 “B company ruins good morals.”

BALM

Jer 8: 22 Is there no b in Gilead?

BANISH

Ecc 11: 10 B anxiety from your mind,

Ro 11: 26 he will b ungodliness from Jacob.”

BANNER

Ex 17: 15 and called it, The LORD is my b.

BAPTISM BAPTIZE

Mk 1: 4 proclaiming a b of repentance for

10: 38 be baptized with the b that I am

Lk 20: 4 the b of John come from heaven,

Ac 18: 25 though he knew only the b of John.

19: 3 They answered, “Into John’s b.”

Ro 6: 4 buried with him by b into death,

1Co 15: 29 receive b on behalf of the dead?

Eph 4: 5 one Lord, one faith, one b,

Col 2: 12 when you were buried with him in b,

1Pe 3: 21 b, which this prefigured, now saves

BAPTISMS BAPTIZE

Heb 6: 2 about b, laying on of hands,

BAPTIST BAPTIZE

Mt 3: 1 In those days John the B appeared

11: 11 has arisen greater than John the B;

14: 8 the head of John the B here on a

BAPTIZE BAPTISM, BAPTISMS, BAPTIST, BAPTIZED, BAPTIZING

Mt 3: 11 “I b you with water for repentance,

Lk 3: 16 He will b you with the Holy Spirit

1Co 1: 17 For Christ did not send me to b but

BAPTIZED BAPTIZE

Mt 3: 13 to John at the Jordan, to be b

Ac 1: 5 John b with water, but you will be b with the Holy

2: 38 “Repent, and be b every one of you

Ro 6: 3 b into Christ Jesus were b into his

1Co 10: 2 all were b into Moses in the cloud

12: 13 one Spirit we were all b into one

BAPTIZING BAPTIZE

Mt 28: 19 b them in the name of the Father

Jn 4: 1 “Jesus is making and b more

BARN BARNS

Lk 12: 24 they have neither storehouse nor b,

BARNS BARN

Dt 28: 8 the blessing upon you in your b,

Ps 144: 13 May our b be filled, with produce

Lk 12: 18 pull down my b and build larger

BARREN

Ge 11: 30 Now Sarai was b; she had no child.

Ex 23: 26 No one shall miscarry or be b in

1Sa 2: 5 The b has borne seven, but she who

Ps 113: 9 He gives the b woman a home,

Isa 54: 1 Sing, O b one who did not bear;

Lk 1: 7 because Elizabeth was b,

Heb 11: 11 too old—and Sarah herself was b—

BASIN

Ex 30: 18 You shall make a bronze b with a

1Ki 7: 30 four corners were supports for a b.

Jn 13: 5 b and began to wash the disciples’

BASKET

Mt 5: 15 a lamp puts it under the bushel b,

Ac 9: 25 in the wall, lowering him in a b.

BATTLE

1Mc 3: 19 the army that victory in b depends,

Ps 24: 8 and mighty, the LORD, mighty in b.

Ecc 9: 11 nor the b to the strong, nor bread to

Rev 16: 14 them for b on the great day of God

20: 8 Magog, in order to gather them for b;

BEAR BEARS, BIRTH, BIRTHRIGHT, BORE, BORN, CHILDBEARING, FIRSTBORN

Ge 4: 13 punishment is greater than I can b!

Isa 7: 14 is with child and shall b a son,

Mt 1: 23 virgin shall conceive and b a son,

7: 18 A good tree cannot b bad fruit,

Lk 11: 46 load people with burdens hard to b,

Jn 15: 2 he prunes to make it b more fruit.

Gal 6: 2 B one another’s burdens,

Col 3: 13 B with one another and,

Heb 9: 28 offered once to b the sins of many,

Rev 12: 4 woman who was about to b a child,

BEARS BEAR

Ps 68: 19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily b us

1Co 13: 7 It b all things, believes all things,

BEAST BEASTS

Rev 11: 7 b that comes up from the bottomless pit

13: 18 calculate the number of the b,

16: 2 who had the mark of the b

19: 20 who had received the mark of the b

BEASTS BEAST

Da 7: 3 four great b came up out of the sea,

BEAT BEATEN

Isa 2: 4 shall b their swords into plowshares,

Joel 3: 10 B your plowshares into swords,

Lk 22: 63 began to mock him and b him;

BEATEN BEAT

2Co 11: 25 Three times I was b with rods.

1Pe 2: 20 If you endure when you are b for

BEAUTIFUL BEAUTY

Ge 12: 11 you are a woman b in appearance;

1Sa 25: 3 The woman was clever and b,

Tob 6: 12 girl is sensible, brave, and very b,

Jdt 8: 7 She was b in appearance,

Est 2: 7 the girl was fair and b,

Job 42: 15 no women so b as Job’s daughters;

SS 1: 5 I am black and b, O daughters of

Wis 7: 29 She is more b than the sun,

Sir 25: 1 and they are b in the sight of God

Isa 4: 2 the branch of the LORD shall be b

52: 7 How b upon the mountains are the

Da 13: 2 very b woman and one who feared

Ac 3: 2 the temple called the B Gate so that

Ro 10: 15 b are the feet of those who bring

BEAUTY BEAUTIFUL

Jdt 16: 9 her b captivated his mind,

1Mc 2: 12 And see, our holy place, our b,

Ps 27: 4 to behold the b of the LORD,

Pr 31: 30 Charm is deceitful, and b is vain,

Wis 13: 3 for the author of b created them.

Sir 9: 8 not gaze at b belonging to another;

Da 13: 56 b has beguiled you and lust has

1Pe 3: 4 with the lasting b of a gentle

BEGGAR BEGS

Mk 10: 46 son of Timaeus, a blind b,

Jn 9: 8 who had seen him before as a b

BEGINNING

Ge 1: 1 In the b when God created the

Ps 111: 10 fear of the LORD is the b of wisdom;

Pr 1: 7 The fear of the LORD is the b of

8: 22 The LORD created me at the b of his

Sir 1: 14 To fear the Lord is the b of wisdom;

Isa 40: 21 Has it not been told you from the b?

Mt 24: 8 this is but the b of the birth pangs.

Jn 1: 1 In the b was the Word,

1Jn 1: 1 declare to you what was from the b,

2Jn 1: 6 as you have heard it from the b—

Rev 21: 6 and the Omega, the b and the end.

BEGOTTEN

Ps 2: 7 You are my son; today I have b you.

Ac 13: 33 are my Son; today I have b you.’

Heb 1: 5 are my Son; today I have b you”?

BEGS BEG

Lk 6: 30 Give to everyone who b from you;

BEHEADED HEAD

Lk 9: 9 Herod said, “John I b;

Rev 20: 4 the souls of those who had been b

BEHEMOTH

Job 40: 15 “Look at B, which I made just as I

BELIEF BELIEVE

2Th 2: 13 the Spirit and through b in the truth.

BELIEVE BELIEF, BELIEVED, BELIEVER, BELIEVERS, BELIEVES

Nu 14: 11 long will they refuse to b in me,

2Ki 17: 14 not b in the LORD their God.

Ps 119: 66 for I b in your commandments.

Sir 19: 15 so do not b everything you hear.

Mt 18: 6 one of these little ones who b in me,

24: 23 or ‘There he is!’—do not b it.

Mk 1: 15 repent, and b in the good news.”

9: 24 “I b; help my unbelief!”

Lk 24: 25 how slow of heart to b all that the

Jn 1: 7 so that all might b through him.

3: 18 who b in him are not condemned;

5: 46 believed Moses, you would b me,

6: 29 you b in him whom he has sent.”

14: 1 B in God, b also in me.

17: 20 will b in me through their word,

20: 29 not seen and yet have come to b.”

Ac 16: 31 answered, “B on the Lord Jesus,

28: 24 while others refused to b.

Ro 3: 22 faith in Jesus Christ for all who b.

10: 9 b in your heart that God raised him

Gal 3: 9 this reason, those who b are blessed

1Th 4: 14 For since we b that Jesus died and

Heb 11: 6 would approach him must b

Jas 2: 19 Even the demons b— and shudder.

1Pe 1: 8 you do not see him now, you b

1Jn 4: 1 Beloved, do not b every spirit,

Jude 1: 5 destroyed those who did not b.

BELIEVED BELIEVE

Ge 15: 6 And he b the LORD;

Ex 14: 31 b in the LORD and in his

Jdt 14: 10 had done, he b firmly in God.

1Mc 2: 59 b and were saved from the flame.

Isa 53: 1 Who has b what we have heard?

Jn 1: 12 received him, who b in his name,

12: 38 “Lord, who has b our message,

Ac 2: 44 All who b were together and had

Ro 4: 3 “Abraham b God, and it was

2Co 4: 13 “I b, and so I spoke”—

Gal 3: 6 Just as Abraham “b God,

1Ti 3: 16 b in throughout the world, taken up

Heb 4: 3 For we who have b enter that rest,

Jas 2: 23 that says, “Abraham b God,

BELIEVER BELIEVE

1Co 7: 12 b has a wife who is an unbeliever,

2Co 6: 15 Or what does a b share with an

BELIEVERS BELIEVE

Gal 2: 4 because of false b secretly brought

2Th 3: 6 keep away from b who are living in

1Pe 2: 17 Love the family of b.

BELIEVES BELIEVE

Jn 3: 15 whoever b in him may have eternal

11: 26 everyone who lives and b in me

Ro 10: 10 b with the heart and so is justified,

1Co 13: 7 It bears all things, b all things,

BELLY

Ge 3: 14 upon your b you shall go,

Jnh 1: 17 and Jonah was in the b of the fish

Mt 12: 40 three days and three nights in the b

BELOVED LOVE

SS 2: 16 My b is mine and I am his;

Mt 3: 17 heaven said, “This is my Son, the B,

12: 18 my b, with whom my soul is well

17: 5 “This is my Son, the B;

Col 3: 12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and b,

Rev 20: 9 camp of the saints and the b city.

BEND BENT

Php 2: 10 name of Jesus every knee should b,

BENEFICIAL BENEFIT

1Co 6: 12 but not all things are b.

10: 23 lawful,” but not all things are b.

BENEFIT BENEFICIAL, BENEFITS

Gal 5: 2 Christ will be of no b to you.

Phm 1: 20 have this b from you in the Lord!

Heb 4: 2 message they heard did not b them,

BENEFITS BENEFIT

Ps 103: 2 and do not forget all his b—

1Co 9: 11 if we reap your material b?

BENT BEND

Hos 11: 4 I b down to them and fed them.

Jn 8: 6 ·Jesus b down and wrote with his‚

BEST GOOD

Dt 33: 21 He chose the b for himself,

Mk 12: 39 the b seats in the synagogues and

2Ti 2: 15 your b to present yourself to God

BETHANY

Mt 26: 6 Jesus was at B in the house of

Jn 11: 1 a certain man was ill, Lazarus of B,

BETHLEHEM

1Sa 17: 12 David was the son of an Ephrathite of B

Mic 5: 2 But you, O B of Ephrathah, Mt 2: 1 after Jesus was born in B of Judea,

Lk 2: 15 “Let us go now to B and see this

BETRAY BETRAYED

Mt 10: 21 Brother will b brother to death,

Mk 14: 11 to look for an opportunity to b him.

Jn 13: 11 For he knew who was to b him;

BETRAYED BETRAY

Lk 21: 16 You will be b even by parents and

1Co 11: 23 Jesus on the night when he was b

BETTER GOOD

1Sa 15: 22 Surely, to obey is b than sacrifice,

Tob 12: 8 A little with righteousness is b than

Ps 63: 3 your steadfast love is b than life,

Pr 15: 16 B is a little with the fear of

Ecc 2: 24 There is nothing b for mortals than

SS 1: 2 For your love is b than wine,

Sir 40: 26 the fear of the Lord is b than either.

Mt 5: 29 it is b for you to lose one of your

Mk 14: 21 It would have been b for that one

Jn 11: 50 b for you to have one man die for

Php 1: 23 be with Christ, for that is far b;

2: 3 in humility regard others as b than

Heb 7: 22 the guarantee of a b covenant.

9: 23 need b sacrifices than these.

BIND BINDS

Dt 6: 8 B them as a sign on your hand,

Pr 6: 21 B them upon your heart always;

Isa 61: 1 to b up the brokenhearted,

Mt 16: 19 whatever you b on earth will be

BINDS BIND

Job 5: 18 For he wounds, but he b up;

Col 3: 14 b everything together in perfect

BIRD BIRDS

Ge 1: 21 and every winged b of every kind.

Lev 20: 25 the unclean b and the clean;

BIRDS BIRD

Ge 7: 3 and seven pairs of the b of the air

Ps 50: 11 I know all the b of the air,

Mt 6: 26 Look at the b of the air;

BIRTH BEAR

Dt 32: 18 you forgot the God who gave you b.

Ps 22: 10 On you I was cast from my b,

Mt 24: 8 is but the beginning of the b pangs.

Jas 1: 18 he gave us b by the word of truth,

1Pe 1: 3 given us a new b into a living hope

BIRTHRIGHT BEAR, RIGHT

Ge 25: 34 Thus Esau despised his b.

Heb 12: 16 who sold his b for a single meal.

BISHOP

1Ti 3: 1 whoever aspires to the office of b

Tit 1: 7 For a b, as God’s steward, must be

BITE

Sir 21: 2 if you approach sin, it will b you.

Gal 5: 15 If, however, you b and devour one

BITTER BITTERNESS

Ex 1: 14 made their lives b with hard service

12: 8 with unleavened bread and b herbs.

Rev 8: 11 the water, because it was made b.

BITTERNESS BITTER

Pr 14: 10 The heart knows its own b,

Ro 3: 14 mouths are full of cursing and b.”

Eph 4: 31 Put away from you all b and wrath

BLACK

SS 1: 5 I am b and beautiful, O daughters

Zec 6: 2 the second chariot b horses,

Mt 5: 36 cannot make one hair white or b.

Rev 6: 5 I looked, and there was a b horse!

BLAMELESS

2Sa 22: 26 with the b you show yourself b;

1Mc 4: 42 chose b priests devoted to the law,

Ps 37: 18 The LORD knows the days of the b,

Pr 11: 20 but those of b ways are his delight.

Eph 1: 4 holy and b before him in love.

Php 2: 15 so that you may be b and innocent,

1Th 5: 23 and b at the coming of our Lord

Tit 1: 7 bishop, as God’s steward, must be b

Heb 7: 26 b, undefiled, separated from sinners,

Rev 14: 5 mouth no lie was found; they are b.

BLASPHEME BLASPHEMED, BLASPHEMER, BLASPHEMES, BLASPHEMIES, BLASPHEMOUS

Ac 26: 11 I tried to force them to b;

1Ti 1: 20 so that they may learn not to b.

BLASPHEMED BLASPHEME

Eze 20: 27 In this again your ancestors b me,

Mt 26: 65 tore his clothes and said, “He has b!

BLASPHEMER BLASPHEME

Sir 3: 16 forsakes a father is like a b,

1Ti 1: 13 even though I was formerly a b,

BLASPHEMES BLASPHEME

Lev 24: 16 One who b the name of the LORD

Lk 12: 10 whoever b against the Holy Spirit

BLASPHEMIES BLASPHEME

1Mc 2: 6 He saw the b being committed in

Mk 3: 28 their sins and whatever b they utter;

Rev 13: 6 its mouth to utter b against God,

BLASPHEMOUS BLASPHEME

Ac 6: 11 “We have heard him speak b words

Rev 13: 1 and on its heads were b names.

BLEMISH

Ex 12: 5 Your lamb shall be without b,

Lev 22: 20 not offer anything that has a b,

Eph 5: 27 that she may be holy and without b.

Heb 9: 14 offered himself without b to God,

1Pe 1: 19 that of a lamb without defect or b.

Jude 1: 24 to make you stand without b in the

BLESS BLESSED, BLESSING, BLESSINGS

Ge 12: 2 I will b you, and make your name

22: 17 I will indeed b you, and I will make

26: 3 I will be with you, and will b you;

Ex 20: 24 I will come to you and b you.

Nu 6: 24 The LORD b you and keep you;

23: 20 See, I received a command to b;

Dt 7: 13 he will love you, b you,

30: 16 the LORD your God will b you

1Ch 29: 20 “B the LORD your God.”

Tob 4: 19 At all times b the Lord God,

Ps 5: 12 For you b the righteous, O LORD;

34: 1 I will b the LORD at all times;

103: 1 B the LORD, O my soul,

Sir 32: 13 But above all b your Maker,

Hag 2: 19 From this day on I will b you.

Lk 6: 28 b those who curse you, pray

Ro 12: 14 B those who persecute you;

1Co 4: 12 When reviled, we b;

Jas 3: 9 With it we b the Lord and Father,

BLESSED BLESS

Ge 1: 22 God b them, saying, “Be fruitful

2: 3 So God b the seventh day and

14: 19 He b him and said, “B be Abram

Nu 24: 9 B is everyone who blesses you,

Tob 3: 11 she prayed and said, “B are you,

Jdt 13: 17 one accord, “B are you our God,

Job 1: 21 b be the name of the LORD.”

Ps 118: 26 B is the one who comes in the name

Isa 30: 18 b are all those who wait for him.

Jer 17: 7 B are those who trust in the LORD,

Da 3: 26 “B are you, O Lord, God of our

13: 60 raised a great shout and b God,

Mt 5: 3 “B are the poor in spirit,

Mk 10: 16 laid his hands on them, and b them.

Lk 1: 42 “B are you among women,

6: 20 “B are you who are poor,

Jn 12: 13 B is the one who comes in the name

20: 29 B are those who have not seen and

Ac 20: 35 It is more b to give than to receive.

Gal 3: 8 “All the Gentiles shall be b in you.”

Eph 1: 3 who has b us in Christ

1Pe 3: 14 for doing what is right, you are b.

Rev 22: 7 B is the one who keeps the words of

BLESSING BLESS

Ge 12: 2 so that you will be a b.

22: 18 the nations of the earth gain b for

Dt 11: 26 before you today a b and a curse:

23: 5 your God turned the curse into a b

Ne 13: 2 our God turned the curse into a b.

Tob 8: 15 you, O God, with every pure b;

Sir 34: 20 he gives health and life and b.

Eze 34: 26 they shall be showers of b.

Mk 14: 22 bread, and after b it he broke it,

Lk 24: 51 While he was b them, he withdrew

1Co 10: 16 The cup of b that we bless,

Gal 3: 14 in Christ Jesus the b of Abraham

Eph 1: 3 every spiritual b in the heavenly

Rev 5: 12 might and honor and glory and b!”

7: 12 B and glory and wisdom and

BLESSINGS BLESS

Dt 28: 2 all these b shall come upon you

Jos 8: 34 the words of the law, b and curses,

Mal 2: 2 and I will curse your b;

Ro 15: 27 come to share in their spiritual b,

BLIND BLINDED, BLINDNESS

Ex 4: 11 mute or deaf, seeing or b?

Tob 2: 10 until I became completely b.

Ps 146: 8 the LORD opens the eyes of the b.

Isa 35: 5 the eyes of the b shall be opened,

Bar 6: 37 They cannot restore sight to the b;

Mt 11: 5 b receive their sight, the lame walk,

Lk 6: 39 “Can a b person guide a b person?

Jn 9: 25 though I was b, now I see.”

Ro 2: 19 sure that you are a guide to the b,

BLINDED BLIND

Jn 12: 40 “He has b their eyes and hardened

2Co 4: 4 has b the minds of the unbelievers,

BLINDNESS BLIND

Dt 28: 28 will afflict you with madness, b,

1Jn 2: 11 the darkness has brought on b.

BLOCK BLOCKS

Sir 31: 7 It is a stumbling b to those who are

Eze 14: 7 their iniquity as a stumbling b

Mt 16: 23 You are a stumbling b to me;

Ro 11: 9 a stumbling b and a retribution for

1Co 1: 23 stumbling b to Jews and foolishness

BLOCKS BLOCK

Jer 6: 21 before this people stumbling b

Mt 18: 7 the world because of stumbling b!

BLOOD BLOODSHED

Ge 9: 6 sheds the b of a human, by a human shall that person’s b be shed;

Ex 7: 17 and it shall be turned to b.

12: 13 when I see the b, I will pass over

24: 8 the b of the covenant that the LORD

Lev 17: 11 it is the b that makes atonement.

Nu 35: 33 for b pollutes the land,

Ps 72: 14 and precious is their b in his sight.

Isa 1: 11 I do not delight in the b of bulls,

Eze 33: 4 b shall be upon their own heads.

Joel 2: 30 b and fire and columns of smoke.

Mt 27: 8 field has been called the Field of B

Mk 14: 24 “This is my b of the covenant,

Lk 22: 44 sweat became like great drops of b

Jn 1: 13 who were born, not of b

6: 53 of the Son of Man and drink his b,

19: 34 and at once b and water came out.

Ac 2: 20 to darkness and the moon to b,

Ro 5: 9 that we have been justified by his b,

1Co 11: 25 cup is the new covenant in my b.

Eph 1: 7 we have redemption through his b,

Heb 9: 12 the b of goats and calves, but with his own b,

9: 22 without the shedding of b there is no

1Jn 5: 6 the one who came by water and b,

Rev 6: 12 the full moon became like b,

8: 9 A third of the sea became b,

12: 11 conquered him by the b of the Lamb

BLOODSHED BLOOD, SHED

Isa 5: 7 he expected justice, but saw b;

Eze 35: 6 you did not hate b, b shall pursue

Hab 2: 8 because of human b, and violence

BLOT

Ge 6: 7 “I will b out from the earth

Ex 32: 32 b me out of the book that you have

Ps 51: 1 mercy b out my transgressions.

Rev 3: 5 not b your name out of the book of

BOAST BOASTERS, BOASTING

Ps 34: 2 My soul makes its b in the LORD;

Pr 27: 1 Do not b about tomorrow,

Sir 25: 6 and their b is the fear of the Lord.

Jer 9: 24 but let those who bb in this,

Ro 2: 23 You that b in the law,

1Co 1: 31 the one who boasts, b in the Lord.”

2Co 11: 30 If I must b, I will b of the things that

Gal 6: 14 never b of anything except the cross

Eph 2: 9 of works, so that no one may b.

BOASTERS BOAST

2Co 11: 13 For such b are false apostles,

2Ti 3: 2 b, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to

BOASTING BOAST

1Co 5: 6 Your b is not a good thing.

1Th 2: 19 or crown of b before our Lord Jesus

BODIES BODY

Ro 12: 1 present your b as a living sacrifice,

1Co 6: 15 that your b are members of Christ?

Heb 10: 22 and our b washed with pure water.

BODILY BODY

Lk 3: 22 upon him in b form like a dove.

Col 2: 9 the whole fullness of deity dwells b,

BODY BODIES, BODILY

Mic 6: 7 fruit of my b for the sin of my soul?

Mt 6: 22 “The eye is the lamp of the b.

Mk 14: 22 and said, “Take; this is my b.”

Lk 12: 4 do not fear those who kill the b,

Jn 2: 21 speaking of the temple of his b.

1Co 15: 44 It is sown a physical b, it is raised a spiritual b.

2Co 5: 8 from the b and at home with the Lord.

Eph 4: 4 There is one b and one Spirit,

BOLD BOLDNESS

Dt 31: 6 Be strong and b; have no fear

Pr 28: 1 the righteous are as b as a lion.

BOLDNESS BOLD

Eph 3: 12 whom we have access to God in b

Heb 4: 16 approach the throne of grace with b,

1Jn 4: 17 may have b on the day of judgment,

BONE BONES

Ge 2: 23 “This at last is b of my bones and

Eze 37: 7 came together, b to its b.

BONES BONE

Ex 12: 46 you shall not break any of its b.

Ps 34: 20 He keeps all their b; not one of

Jn 19: 36 “None of his b shall be broken.”

BOOK BOOKS

Ex 17: 14 “Write this as a reminder in a b and

Dt 31: 24 writing down in a b the words of

Jos 1: 8 This b of the law shall not depart

1Mc 1: 57 possessing the b of the covenant,

Ps 69: 28 be blotted out of the b of the living;

Rev 1: 11 “Write in a b what you see and

21: 27 who are written in the Lamb’s b

BOOKS BOOK

1Mc 1: 56 The b of the law that they found

Ecc 12: 12 Of making many b there is no end,

Da 7: 10 in judgment, and the b were opened.

Jn 21: 25 world itself could not contain the b

BOOTHS

Lev 23: 34 the festival of b to the LORD.

Ezr 3: 4 kept the festival of b, as prescribed,

Zec 14: 16 and to keep the festival of b.

BORE BEAR

Isa 53: 12 yet he b the sin of many,

Mt 8: 17 our infirmities and b our diseases.”

1Pe 2: 24 He himself b our sins in his body

BORN BEAR

Ecc 3: 2 a time to be b, and a time to die;

Isa 9: 6 For a child has been b for us,

66: 8 Shall a land be b in one day?

Lk 2: 11 is b this day in the city of David

Jn 3: 7 ‘You must be b from above.’

1Pe 1: 23 You have been b anew,

1Jn 4: 7 everyone who loves is b of God

BORROW BORROWER

Dt 28: 12 to many nations, but you will not b.

Ps 37: 21 The wicked b, and do not pay back,

Mt 5: 42 anyone who wants to b from you.

BORROWER BORROW

Pr 22: 7 the b is the slave of the lender.

BOUGHT BUY

1Co 6: 20 For you were b with a price;

2Pe 2: 1 even deny the Master who b them—

BOW RAINBOW

Ge 9: 13 I have set my b in the clouds,

Ex 20: 5 You shall not b down to them or

Ps 95: 6 O come, let us worship and b down,

Isa 45: 23 “To me every knee shall b,

Ro 14: 11 every knee shall b to me,

BOWLS

Rev 16: 1 the seven b of the wrath of God.”

BRANCH BRANCHES

Isa 4: 2 On that day the b of the LORD shall

11: 1 and a b shall grow out of his roots.

Jer 23: 5 raise up for David a righteous B,

Zec 3: 8 going to bring my servant the B.

Jn 15: 2 every b in me that bears no fruit.

BRANCHES BRANCH

Ro 11: 21 if God did not spare the natural b,

BREAD

Ge 3: 19 sweat of your face you shall eat b

Ex 12: 8 with unleavened b and bitter herbs.

25: 30 set the b of the Presence on the table

Dt 8: 3 that one does not live by b alone,

Ecc 11: 1 Send out your b upon the waters,

Wis 16: 20 from heaven with b ready to eat,

Sir 15: 3 will feed him with the b of learning,

Mt 6: 11 Give us this day our daily b.

Lk 4: 4 ‘One does not live by b alone.’”

Jn 6: 35 said to them, “I am the b of life.

1Co 11: 26 For as often as you eat this b and

BREAK BREAKING, BROKEN, BROKENHEARTED

Mt 6: 19 where thieves b in and steal;

Jn 19: 33 they did not b his legs.

BREASTPIECE BREASTPLATE

Ex 28: 15 You shall make a b of judgment,

BREASTPLATE BREASTPIECE

Wis 5: 18 he will put on righteousness as a b,

Isa 59: 17 He put on righteousness like a b,

Eph 6: 14 and put on the b of righteousness.

BREATH

Ge 2: 7 into his nostrils the b of life;

6: 17 all flesh in which is the b of life;

Job 7: 7 “Remember that my life is a b;

Ecc 12: 7 the b returns to God who gave it.

2Th 2: 8 will destroy with the b of his mouth,

BRIBE

Dt 16: 19 for a b blinds the eyes of the wise

Pr 6: 35 and refuses a b no matter how great.

BRIDE BRIDEGROOM

Isa 62: 5 the bridegroom rejoices over the b,

Rev 21: 9 the b, the wife of the Lamb.”

BRIDEGROOM BRIDE

Mt 9: 15 as long as the b is with them,

Jn 3: 29 He who has the bride is the b.

BRIGHT

Mt 17: 5 suddenly a b cloud overshadowed

Rev 15: 6 robed in pure b linen,

22: 16 of David, the b morning star.”

BROKE BREAK

Ex 32: 19 tablets from his hands and b them

2Ch 36: 19 b down the wall of Jerusalem,

1Mc 3: 5 and pursued those who b the law;

Jer 31: 32 a covenant that they b,

Mt 14: 19 and blessed and b the loaves,

1Co 11: 24 he b it and said, “This is my body

BROKEN BREAK

Ne 1: 3 the wall of Jerusalem is b down,

Ps 51: 17 acceptable to God is a b spirit;

Mt 15: 37 they took up the b pieces left over,

Lk 20: 18 who falls on that stone will be b

Ro 11: 20 were b off because of their unbelief,

BROKENHEARTED BREAK, HEART

Ps 147: 3 He heals the b, and binds up their

Isa 61: 1 the oppressed, to bind up the b,

BRONZE

Nu 21: 9 look at the serpent of b and live.

Dt 28: 23 The sky over your head shall be b,

Da 10: 6 legs like the gleam of burnished b,

Rev 1: 15 his feet were like burnished b,

BROTHER BROTHER’S, BROTHERS

Ge 4: 8 Cain rose up against his b Abel,

Mt 5: 24 first be reconciled to your b or

10: 21 B will betray b to death,

BROTHER’S BROTHER

Dt 25: 7 has no desire to marry his b widow,

Mk 6: 18 lawful for you to have your b wife.”

BROTHERS BROTHER

Ge 9: 25 lowest of slaves shall he be to his b.

37: 11 So his b were jealous of him,

Mk 3: 33 “Who are my mother and my b?”

Lk 22: 32 turned back, strengthen your b.”

Heb 2: 11 not ashamed to call them b and

BUILD BUILDER, BUILDERS, BUILDING, BUILDS, BUILT, REBUILD

Ge 11: 4 “Come, let us b ourselves a city,

Ps 127: 1 those who b it labor in vain.

Mt 16: 18 and on this rock I will b my church,

27: 40 destroy the temple and b it in three

1Co 3: 10 must choose with care how to b

10: 23 are lawful,” but not all things b up.

BUILDER BUILD

Heb 3: 4 but the b of all things is God.)

11: 10 whose architect and b is God.

BUILDERS BUILD

Ps 118: 22 The stone that the b rejected has

Mk 12: 10 ‘The stone that the b rejected has

1Pe 2: 7 “The stone that the b rejected has

BUILDING BUILD

1Co 3: 9 you are God’s field, God’s b.

2Co 5: 1 we have a b from God,

Eph 4: 12 for b up the body of Christ,

BUILDS BUILD

Ps 127: 1 Unless the LORD b the house,

Pr 14: 1 The wise woman b her house,

1Co 8: 1 Knowledge puffs up, but love b up.

BUILT BUILD

1Ki 6: 14 Solomon b the house, and finished

Ne 7: 1 the wall had been b and I had set up

Tob 13: 16 Jerusalem will be b as his house for

1Mc 4: 47 b a new altar like the former one.

Pr 9: 1 Wisdom has b her house,

Da 9: 25 sixty-two weeks it shall be b again

Eph 2: 20 b upon the foundation of the

BULL BULLS

Ps 50: 9 will not accept a b from your house,

BULLS BULL

Ps 22: 12 b encircle me, strong b of Bashan

Isa 1: 11 I do not delight in the blood of b,

Heb 10: 4 it is impossible for the blood of b

BURDEN BURDENS, BURDENSOME

Ps 55: 22 Cast your b on the LORD,

Mt 11: 30 my yoke is easy, and my b is light.”

BURDENS BURDEN

Ex 6: 6 free you from the b of the Egyptians

Lk 11: 46 you load people with b hard to bear,

Gal 6: 2 Bear one another’s b, and

BURDENSOME BURDEN

1Jn 5: 3 And his commandments are not b,

BURIED BURY

Ro 6: 4 have been b with him by baptism

1Co 15: 4 he was b, and that he was raised on

BURN BURNED, BURNT

Ex 21: 25 b for b, wound for wound,

Mal 4: 1 the day that comes shall b them up,

Lk 3: 17 but the chaff he will b with

BURNED BURN

Ex 3: 3 and see why the bush is not b up.”

Jn 15: 6 thrown into the fire, and b.

1Co 3: 15 If the work is b up, the builder

BURNT BURN

Ex 40: 6 You shall set the altar of b offering

Lev 1: 3 If the offering is a b offering from

1Sa 15: 22 LORD as great delight in b offerings

1Mc 1: 45 to forbid b offerings and sacrifices

4: 56 and joyfully offered b offerings;

Ps 51: 16 if I were to give a b offering,

Da 8: 11 it took the regular b offering away

Hos 6: 6 the knowledge of God rather than b

Mic 6: 6 Shall I come before him with b

Mk 12: 33 more important than all whole b

BURY BURIED

Lk 9: 60 “Let the dead b their own dead;

BUSH

Ex 3: 2 he looked, and the b was blazing,

Jnh 4: 6 The LORD God appointed a b,

C

CALAMITIES CALAMITY

1Sa 10: 19 who saves you from all your c and

2Co 6: 4 in afflictions, hardships, c,

12: 10 and c for the sake of Christ;

CALAMITY CALAMITIES

Da 9: 13 all this c has come upon us.

Hab 3: 16 wait quietly for the day of c to come

CALF

Ex 32: 4 and cast an image of a c;

Lk 15: 23 And get the fatted c and kill it,

CALL CALLED, CALLING

1Ch 16: 8 to the LORD, c on his name,

Ps 61: 2 From the end of the earth I c to you,

Pr 8: 1 Does not wisdom c, and does

Isa 65: 24 Before they c I will answer, Mt 9: 13 to c not the righteous but sinners.”

Lk 6: 46 “Why do you c me ‘Lord, Lord,’

Jn 15: 15 I do not c you servants any longer,

Php 3: 14 goal for the prize of the heavenly c

CALLED CALL

2Sa 22: 7 In my distress I c upon the LORD;

Isa 43: 1 I have c you by name, you are mine.

1Co 7: 15 It is to peace that God has c you.

Eph 1: 18 the hope to which he has c you,

1Jn 3: 1 that we should be c children of God;

CALLING CALL

Ro 11: 29 and the c of God are irrevocable.

Eph 4: 1 lead a life worthy of the c to which

CAMEL

Mt 23: 24 strain out a gnat but swallow a c!

Mk 10: 25 c to go through the eye of a needle

CANAAN

Ge 9: 25 “Cursed be C; lowest of slaves

Nu 13: 2 “Send men to spy out the land of C,

1Ch 16: 18 “To you I will give the land of C

CAPTIVE CAPTIVITY

2Ki 15: 29 he carried the people c to Assyria.

24: 16 king of Babylon brought c to

Ro 7: 23 making me c to the law of sin

Eph 4: 8 he made captivity itself a c;

CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE

Dt 28: 41 for they shall go into c.

Ezr 8: 35 those who had come from c,

CARE CAREFUL, CARES, CARING

Ps 8: 4 mortals that you c for them?

Heb 2: 6 or mortals, that you c for them?

Jas 1: 27 to c for orphans and widows in

CAREFUL CARE

Dt 4: 23 So be c not to forget the covenant

Jos 1: 8 you may be c to act in accordance

Eph 5: 15 Be c then how you live,

CARES CARE

1Pe 5: 7 on him, because he c for you.

CARPENTER’S

Mt 13: 55 Is not this the c son?

CASE

Isa 41: 21 Set forth your c, says the LORD;

Lk 12: 58 make an effort to settle the c,

Jn 18: 38 “I find no c against him.

CAST

Ex 34: 17 You shall not make c idols.

Ps 22: 18 and for my clothing they c lots.

55: 22 C your burden on the LORD,

Mk 3: 23 “How can Satan c out Satan?

Jn 19: 24 and for my clothing they c lots.”

1Pe 5: 7 C all your anxiety on him,

CATTLE

Ge 1: 25 and the c of every kind,

Ps 50: 10 the c on a thousand hills.

CELEBRATE

Lev 23: 37 shall c as times of holy convocation,

1Co 5: 8 Therefore, let us c the festival,

CENSER

Lev 10: 1 Nadab and Abihu, each took his c,

Eze 8: 11 Each had his c in his hand,

Rev 8: 3 Another angel with a golden c came

CENTURION

Mt 8: 5 he entered Capernaum, a c came to

Lk 23: 47 the c saw what had taken place,

Ac 10: 1 a man named Cornelius, a c

CERTIFICATE

Dt 24: 1 so he writes her a c of divorce,

Mt 5: 31 let him give her a c of divorce.’

Mk 10: 4 a man to write a c of dismissal

CHAFF

Ps 1: 4 like c that the wind drives away.

Lk 3: 17 c he will burn with unquenchable

CHAINS

Eph 6: 20 for which I am an ambassador in c.

Heb 11: 36 and even c and imprisonment.

2Pe 2: 4 them to c of deepest darkness

CHANGE CHANGERS

Ex 32: 12 c your mind and do not bring

Nu 23: 19 a mortal, that he should c his mind.

1Sa 15: 29 will not recant or c his mind;

Jer 18: 8 I will c my mind about the disaster

Jas 1: 17 is no variation or shadow due to c.

CHANGERS CHANGE

Mk 11: 15 overturned the tables of the money c

Jn 2: 15 poured out the coins of the money c

CHARGE

Mt 25: 21 I will put you in c of many things;

Mk 15: 26 The inscription of the c against him

Ro 8: 33 will bring any c against God’s elect?

1Co 9: 18 I may make the gospel free of c,

CHARM

Pr 31: 30 C is deceitful, and beauty is vain,

Sir 7: 19 for her c is worth more than gold.

26: 15 A modest wife adds c to c,

CHASTISEMENT CHASTISES

Sir 16: 12 Great as his mercy, so also is his c;

La 4: 6 the c of my people has been greater

CHASTISES CHASTISEMENT

Heb 12: 6 and c every child whom he accepts.

CHEEK

Ps 3: 7 you strike all my enemies on the c;

Mt 5: 39 if anyone strikes you on the right c,

CHEERFUL

Pr 15: 13 A glad heart makes a c countenance,

17: 22 A c heart is a good medicine,

2Co 9: 7 for God loves a c giver.

Jas 5: 13 Are any c? They should sing songs

CHERUB CHERUBIM

2Ch 3: 11 touched the wing of the other c;

Ps 18: 10 He rode on a c, and flew;

Eze 10: 14 the first face was that of the c,

28: 14 an anointed c as guardian I placed

CHERUBIM CHERUB

Ge 3: 24 the garden of Eden he placed the c,

Ex 25: 18 You shall make two c of gold;

Ps 80: 1 You who are enthroned upon the c,

Heb 9: 5 the c of glory overshadowing the

CHIEF

Ps 118: 22 has become the c cornerstone.

Mk 15: 3 the c priests accused him of many

1Pe 5: 4 And when the c shepherd appears,

CHILD CHILDBEARING, CHILDREN

Isa 11: 6 and a little c shall lead them.

49: 15 Can a woman forget her nursing c,

Hos 11: 1 When Israel was a c, I loved him,

Mt 1: 18 with c from the Holy Spirit.

Mk 10: 15 the kingdom of God as a little c

Lk 2: 12 you will find a c wrapped in bands

1Co 13: 11 When I was a c, I spoke like a c,

Rev 12: 4 that he might devour her c as soon

CHILDBEARING CHILD, BEAR

Ge 3: 16 greatly increase your pangs in c;

1Ti 2: 15 Yet she will be saved through c,

CHILDREN CHILD

Pr 22: 6 Train c in the right way, and when

Mt 3: 9 stones to raise up c to Abraham.

Lk 18: 16 “Let the little c come to me,

Jn 1: 12 he gave power to become c of God,

Ro 8: 14 by the Spirit of God are c of God.

Eph 6: 4 do not provoke your c to anger,

Heb 12: 7 God is treating you as c;

1Jn 3: 10 The c of God and the c of the devil

CHOOSE CHOOSES, CHOSE, CHOSEN

Dt 30: 19 C life so that you and your

Jos 24: 15 c this day whom you will serve,

Jn 15: 16 You did not c me but I chose you.

CHOOSES CHOOSE

Ro 9: 18 he has mercy on whomever he c,

CHOSE CHOOSE

Mk 13: 20 for the sake of the elect, whom he c,

1Co 1: 27 God c what is foolish in the world

CHOSEN CHOOSE

Isa 42: 1 my servant, whom I uphold, my c,

Mt 22: 14 For many are called, but few are c.”

Ro 11: 5 there is a remnant, c by grace.

1Pe 2: 6 a cornerstone c and precious;

2: 9 are a c race, a royal priesthood,

CHRIST CHRISTIAN, CHRISTIANS, JESUS, MESSIAH

Jn 4: 25 Messiah is coming” (who is called C).

Ro 5: 6 right time C died for the ungodly.

8: 35 will separate us from the love of C?

1Co 1: 23 but we proclaim C crucified,

3: 11 that foundation is Jesus C.

11: 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of C.

Gal 5: 1 For freedom C has set us free.

Eph 4: 15 into him who is the head, into C,

Php 1: 21 to me, living is C and dying is gain.

2: 11 should confess that Jesus C is Lord,

Col 1: 27 C in you, the hope of glory.

Rev 20: 4 reigned with C a thousand years.

CHRISTIAN CHRIST

Ac 26: 28 persuading me to become a C?”

1Pe 4: 16 Yet if any of you suffers as a C,

CHRISTIANS CHRIST

Ac 11: 26 the disciples were first called “C.”

CHURCH

Mt 16: 18 on this rock I will build my c,

Ac 8: 1 persecution began against the c

1Co 12: 28 appointed in the c first apostles,

14: 4 those who prophesy build up the c.

Col 1: 18 He is the head of the body, the c;

CIRCUMCISE CIRCUMCISED, CIRCUMCISION

Ge 17: 11 shall c the flesh of your foreskins,

Dt 10: 16 C, then, the foreskin of your heart,

Lk 1: 59 the eighth day they came to c the

Jn 7: 22 and you c a man on the sabbath.

CIRCUMCISED CIRCUMCISE

Ge 17: 10 Every male among you shall be c.

1Mc 1: 60 the women who had their children c,

Gal 6: 13 c do not themselves obey the law,

Col 2: 11 also you were c with a spiritual

CIRCUMCISION CIRCUMCISE

Ro 2: 29 real c is a matter of the heart—

Gal 5: 6 For in Christ Jesus neither c

CITIES CITY

Jos 20: 2 ‘Appoint the c of refuge,

Rev 16: 19 and the c of the nations fell.

CITIZENSHIP

Php 3: 20 But our c is in heaven,

CITY CITIES

1Ch 11: 7 it was called the c of David.

Ps 127: 1 Unless the LORD guards the c,

Mt 5: 14 A c built on a hill cannot be hid.

Heb 12: 22 Zion and to the c of the living God,

Rev 21: 2 I saw the holy c, the new Jerusalem,

CLAY

Isa 45: 9 Does the c say to the one who

Jer 18: 6 Just like the c in the potter’s hand,

Ro 9: 21 Has the potter no right over the c,

2Co 4: 7 But we have this treasure in c jars,

CLEAN CLEANSE, CLEANSING

Ge 7: 2 seven pairs of all c animals,

Lev 10: 10 and between the unclean and the c;

Ps 51: 7 with hyssop, and I shall be c;

Mk 7: 19 (Thus he declared all foods c.)

Heb 10: 22 with our hearts sprinkled c from

CLEANSE CLEAN

Ps 51: 2 and c me from my sin.

Sir 38: 10 and c your heart from all sin.

1Jn 1: 9 c us from all unrighteousness.

CLEANSING CLEAN

Eph 5: 26 by c her with the washing of water

2Pe 1: 9 is forgetful of the c of past sins.

CLOTH

Isa 64: 6 righteous deeds are like a filthy c.

Lk 2: 7 and wrapped him in bands of c,

CLOTHE CLOTHED, CLOTHING

Col 3: 14 Above all, c yourselves with love,

1Pe 5: 5 you must c yourselves with humility

CLOTHED CLOTHE

2Co 5: 2 longing to be c with our heavenly

Gal 3: 27 have c yourselves with Christ.

Rev 12: 1 a woman c with the sun,

CLOTHING CLOTHE

Ps 22: 18 and for my c they cast lots.

Mt 25: 36 I was naked and you gave me c,

Jn 19: 24 and for my c they cast lots.”

CLOUD CLOUDS

Ex 13: 21 went in front of them in a pillar of c

Mk 9: 7 Then a c overshadowed them,

Lk 21: 27 ‘the Son of Man coming in a c’

Heb 12: 1 by so great a c of witnesses,

Rev 14: 14 on the c was one like the Son of Man,

CLOUDS CLOUD

Ge 9: 13 I have set my bow in the c,

Da 7: 13 being coming with the c of heaven.

Mt 24: 30 ‘the Son of Man coming on the c of

1Th 4: 17 be caught up in the c together with

Rev 1: 7 He is coming with the c;

COIN

Mt 17: 27 open its mouth, you will find a c;

22: 19 Show me the c used for the tax.”

Lk 15: 9 I have found the c that I had lost.’

COLLECTOR COLLECTORS

Mt 10: 3 Thomas and Matthew the tax c;

Lk 18: 10 one a Pharisee and the other a tax c.

19: 2 he was a chief tax c and was rich.

COLLECTORS COLLECTOR

Mt 5: 46 Do not even the tax c do the same?

11: 19 a friend of tax c and sinners!’

COLT

Ge 49: 11 his donkey’s c to the choice vine,

Zec 9: 9 and riding on a donkey, on a c,

Jn 12: 15 coming, sitting on a donkey’s c!”

COME COMES, COMING

Mt 6: 10 Your kingdom c. Your will be done,

Lk 7: 20 ‘Are you the one who is to c,

1Co 16: 22 Our Lord, c!

Rev 1: 4 who is and who was and who is to c,

22: 20 Amen. C, Lord Jesus!

COMES COME

Ps 118: 26 who c in the name of the LORD.

Lk 19: 38 “Blessed is the king who c in the

Jn 14: 6 No one c to the Father except through

COMFORT COMFORTED, COMFORTS

Ps 23: 4 your rod and your staff—they c me.

Isa 40: 1 C, O c my people, says your God.

COMFORTED COMFORT

Ps 86: 17 LORD, have helped me and c me.

Isa 49: 13 For the LORD has c his people,

Mt 5: 4 those who mourn, for they will be c.

COMFORTS COMFORT

Isa 66: 13 As a mother c her child, so I will

COMING COME

Mal 3: 2 But who can endure the day of his c,

Heb 10: 37 is c will come and will not delay;

2Pe 3: 4 “Where is the promise of his c?

Rev 22: 20 “Surely I am c soon.”

COMMAND COMMANDED, COMMANDING, COMMANDMENT, COMMANDMENTS

Ex 34: 11 Observe what I c you today.

Jdg 2: 2 But you have not obeyed my c.

COMMANDED COMMAND

Mt 28: 20 to obey everything that I have c you.

Jn 14: 31 but I do as the Father has c me,

COMMANDING COMMAND

Dt 4: 40 c you today for your own well-being

30: 11 c you today is not too hard for you,

COMMANDMENT COMMAND

Dt 6: 1 Now this is the c— the statutes

Ps 19: 8 c of the LORD is clear,

Mt 22: 38 This is the greatest and first c.

Ro 7: 12 and the c is holy and just and good.

Gal 5: 14 law is summed up in a single c,

1Jn 3: 23 this is his c, that we should believe

COMMANDMENTS COMMAND

Ex 20: 6 those who love me and keep my c.

Dt 4: 13 to observe, that is, the ten c;

1Mc 2: 19 and have chosen to obey his c,

Ps 119: 66 for I believe in your c.

Pr 10: 8 The wise of heart will heed c,

Ecc 12: 13 Fear God, and keep his c;

Sir 1: 26 If you desire wisdom, keep the c,

Mt 22: 40 On these two c hang all the law and

Jn 14: 15 If you love me, you will keep my c.

1Co 7: 19 obeying the c of God is everything.

1Jn 5: 3 And his c are not burdensome,

Rev 14: 12 those who keep the c of God and

COMMON

Lev 10: 10 between the holy and the c,

Eze 22: 26 between the holy and the c,

Ac 2: 44 and had all things in c;

COMMUNION

2Co 13: 13 the c of the Holy Spirit be with

COMPANY

1Co 15: 33 “Bad c ruins good morals.”

COMPASSION COMPASSIONATE

Dt 32: 36 will vindicate his people, have c

Ps 103: 13 As a father has c for his children,

Sir 18: 13 the c of the Lord is for every living

Hos 11: 8 my c grows warm and tender.

Mt 14: 14 had c for them and cured their sick.

Ro 9: 15 I will have c on whom I have c.”

Col 3: 12 clothe yourselves with c, kindness,

COMPASSIONATE COMPASSION

Ex 22: 27 I will listen, for I am c.

Sir 2: 11 For the Lord is c and merciful;

Jas 5: 11 how the Lord is c and merciful.

COMPLAIN COMPLAINING, COMPLAINT

Nu 14: 27 shall this wicked congregation c

Jer 2: 29 Why do you c against me?

1Co 10: 10 And do not c as some of them did,

COMPLAINING COMPLAIN

Ex 16: 7 heard your c against the LORD.

1Pe 4: 9 hospitable to one another without c.

COMPLAINT COMPLAIN

Ps 142: 2 I pour out my c before him;

Hab 2: 1 he will answer concerning my c.

Col 3: 13 if anyone has a c against another,

COMPLETE COMPLETED

Jn 4: 34 him who sent me and to c his work.

Rev 6: 11 until the number would be c

COMPLETED COMPLETE

Jer 25: 12 Then after seventy years are c,

Da 11: 36 until the period of wrath is c,

CONCEIT CONCEITED

Sir 3: 24 For their c has led many astray,

Php 2: 3 nothing from selfish ambition or c,

1Ti 3: 6 he may be puffed up with c and fall

CONCEITED CONCEIT

Gal 5: 26 Let us not become c, competing

1Ti 6: 4 is c, understanding nothing,

CONCEIVE

Mt 1: 23 the virgin shall c and bear a son,

Lk 1: 31 you will c in your womb and bear

CONDEMN CONDEMNATION, CONDEMNED

Lk 11: 31 of this generation and c them,

Jn 3: 17 not send the Son into the world to c

Ro 8: 34 Who is to c?

1Jn 3: 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not c us,

CONDEMNATION CONDEMN

Mk 12: 40 They will receive the greater c.”

Ro 5: 18 one man’s trespass led to c for all,

1Ti 3: 6 fall into the c of the devil.

Jas 5: 12 so that you may not fall under c.

CONDEMNED CONDEMN

Mt 12: 37 and by your words you will be c.”

Lk 24: 20 handed him over to be c to death

Jn 3: 18 Those who believe in him are not c;

16: 11 the ruler of this world has been c.

1Co 11: 32 disciplined so that we may not be c

CONDUCT

Tob 4: 14 and discipline yourself in all your c.

Sir 37: 17 The mind is the root of all c;

1Pe 1: 15 be holy yourselves in all your c;

CONFESS CONFESSES, CONFESSION

Lev 5: 5 you shall c the sin that you have

Ps 38: 18 c my iniquity; I am sorry for my sin.

Sir 4: 26 Do not be ashamed to c your sins,

Php 2: 11 should c that Jesus Christ is Lord,

1Jn 1: 9 If we c our sins, he who is faithful

Rev 3: 5 will c your name before my Father

CONFESSES CONFESS

Ro 10: 10 c with the mouth and so is saved.

1Jn 2: 23 who c the Son has the Father also.

CONFESSION CONFESS

Da 9: 4 to the LORD my God and made c,

1Ti 6: 12 for which you made the good c in

Heb 4: 14 let us hold fast to our c.

CONFIDENCE

Ps 118: 8 LORD than to put c in mortals.

Php 3: 3 and have no c in the flesh—

Heb 10: 19 we have c to enter the sanctuary

CONFORMED

Ro 8: 29 predestined to be c to the image of

12: 2 Do not be c to this world,

Php 3: 21 may be c to the body of his glory,

1Pe 1: 14 do not be c to the desires that you

CONFUSE

Ge 11: 7 go down, and c their language there,

CONGREGATION

Ps 1: 5 nor sinners in the c of the righteous;

Heb 2: 12 the midst of the c I will praise you.”

CONQUER CONQUERED, CONQUERORS, CONQUERS

Rev 17: 14 and the Lamb will c them,

21: 7 who c will inherit these things,

CONQUERED CONQUER

Jn 16: 33 take courage; I have c the world!”

Heb 11: 33 who through faith c kingdoms,

1Jn 2: 13 because you have c the evil one.

Rev 15: 2 who had c the beast and its image

CONQUERORS CONQUER

Ro 8: 37 all these things we are more than c

CONQUERS CONQUER

1Jn 5: 4 victory that c the world, our faith.

Rev 2: 7 To everyone who c, I will give

CONSCIENCE

Ro 2: 15 their own c also bears witness;

1Co 8: 7 and their c, being weak, is defiled.

1Ti 1: 5 a good c, and sincere faith.

Heb 9: 14 purify our c from dead works to

1Pe 3: 21 as an appeal to God for a good c,

CONSIDER

1Sa 12: 24 for c what great things he has done

Ps 107: 43 and c the steadfast love of the LORD.

Lk 12: 27 C the lilies, how they grow:

CONSOLATION

Lk 2: 25 looking forward to the c of Israel,

2Co 1: 3 of mercies and the God of all c,

CONSPIRED

Da 6: 6 So the presidents and satraps c

Mt 26: 4 they c to arrest Jesus by stealth

CONSUME CONSUMED, CONSUMING

Ex 32: 12 c them from the face of the earth’?

Nu 16: 21 so that I may c them in a moment.

Mt 6: 19 where moth and rust c and where

Jn 2: 17 “Zeal for your house will c me.”

CONSUMED CONSUME

Ex 3: 2 bush was blazing, yet it was not c.

Ps 69: 9 zeal for your house that has c me;

Zep 3: 8 all the earth shall be c.

Gal 5: 15 that you are not c by one another.

CONSUMING CONSUME

Heb 12: 29 for indeed our God is a c fire.

CONTEMPT

Da 12: 2 some to shame and everlasting c.

Mk 9: 12 sufferings and be treated with c?

Heb 6: 6 and are holding him up to c.

CONTENT CONTENTMENT

Sir 29: 23 Be c with little or much,

2Co 12: 10 Therefore I am c with weaknesses,

Php 4: 11 learned to be c with whatever I have

Heb 13: 5 and be c with what you have;

CONTENTMENT CONTENT

1Ti 6: 6 gain in godliness combined with c;

CONTRITE

Ps 51: 17 broken and c heart, O God, you

Isa 57: 15 who are c and humble in spirit,

CONVERT

Mt 23: 15 sea and land to make a single c,

1Ti 3: 6 He must not be a recent c,

CONVICT CONVICTION

Dt 19: 15 to c a person of any crime

Jude 1: 15 to c everyone of all the deeds of

CONVICTION CONVICT

Heb 11: 1 the c of things not seen.

CONVINCE CONVINCED, CONVINCING

Ac 28: 23 and trying to c them about Jesus

2Ti 4: 2 c, rebuke, and encourage,

CONVINCED CONVINCE

Lk 16: 31 neither will they be c even if

Ro 8: 38 For I am c that neither death, nor

2Co 5: 14 we are c that one has died for all;

CONVINCING CONVINCE

Ac 1: 3 to them by many c proofs,

COPPER

Mk 12: 42 and put in two small c coins,

CORNERSTONE STONE

Ps 118: 22 rejected has become the chief c.

Isa 28: 16 a tested stone, a precious c, a sure

Zec 10: 4 Out of them shall come the c,

Lk 20: 17 builders rejected has become the c’?

Eph 2: 20 with Christ Jesus himself as the c.

1Pe 2: 6 laying in Zion a stone, a c chosen

CORRECT CORRECTING, CORRECTION

Ps 141: 5 let the faithful c me.

Sir 42: 8 Do not be ashamed to c the stupid

CORRECTING CORRECT

2Ti 2: 25 c opponents with gentleness.

CORRECTION CORRECT

Jer 5: 3 but they refused to take c.

2Ti 3: 16 c, and for training in righteousness,

CORRUPT CORRUPTION

Ge 6: 11 Now the earth was c in God’s sight,

Ac 2: 40 yourselves from this c generation.”

Eph 4: 22 your old self, c and deluded

CORRUPTION CORRUPT

Ac 2: 31 nor did his flesh experience c.’

2Pe 1: 4 you may escape from the c

COST

1Ch 21: 24 burnt offerings that c me nothing.”

Lk 14: 28 not first sit down and estimate the c,

COUNCIL COUNCILS

Jer 23: 18 who has stood in the c of the LORD

Mt 26: 59 the whole c were looking for false

COUNCILS COUNCIL

Mk 13: 9 for they will hand you over to c;

COUNSEL COUNSELOR, COUNSELORS

Ps 2: 2 and the rulers take c together,

33: 11 The c of the LORD stands forever,

Isa 28: 29 he is wonderful in c, and excellent

COUNSELOR COUNSEL

Sir 42: 21 and he needs no one to be his c.

Isa 9: 6 and he is named Wonderful C,

Ro 11: 34 Or who has been his c?”

COUNSELORS COUNSEL

Pr 11: 14 in an abundance of c there is safety.

24: 6 in abundance of c there is victory.

COUNTENANCE

Nu 6: 26 the LORD lift up his c upon you,

Ps 89: 15 O LORD, in the light of your c;

Pr 15: 13 A glad heart makes a cheerful c,

COURAGE COURAGEOUS

1Ch 22: 13 Be strong and of good c.

Jn 16: 33 But take c; I have conquered

COURAGEOUS COURAGE

Jos 1: 6 Be strong and c; for you shall put

1Mc 2: 64 be c and grow strong in the law,

Da 10: 19 Be strong and c!”

1Co 16: 13 stand firm in your faith, be c,

COURT COURTS

Ex 27: 9 shall make the c of the tabernacle.

Pr 25: 8 do not hastily bring into c;

Mt 5: 25 while you are on the way to c

1Co 6: 6 believer goes to c against a believer

COURTS COURT

Ps 84: 10 in your c is better than a thousand

96: 8 an offering, and come into his c.

COVENANT COVENANTS

Ge 6: 18 But I will establish my c with you;

9: 9 I am establishing my c with you

15: 18 the LORD made a c with Abram,

Ex 19: 5 you obey my voice and keep my c,

24: 7 Then he took the book of the c,

40: 3 put in it the ark of the c,

Jdg 2: 1 ‘I will never break my c with you.

1Ki 8: 23 keeping c and steadfast love

Jdt 9: 13 planned cruel things against your c,

1Mc 1: 15 and abandoned the holy c.

Ps 105: 8 He is mindful of his c forever,

Sir 28: 7 remember the c of the Most High,

Isa 61: 8 I will make an everlasting c with

Jer 31: 31 when I will make a new c with

Eze 16: 60 establish with you an everlasting c.

Mal 3: 1 The messenger of the c in whom

Lk 22: 20 is the new c in my blood.

1Co 11: 25 “This cup is the new c in my blood.

2Co 3: 6 be ministers of a new c, not of letter

Heb 7: 22 become the guarantee of a better c.

12: 24 the mediator of a new c,

Rev 11: 19 the ark of his c was seen within his

COVENANTS COVENANT

Ro 9: 4 the adoption, the glory, the c,

Gal 4: 24 an allegory: these women are two c.

COVET

Ex 20: 17 shall not c your neighbor’s house;

Ro 7: 7 had not said, “You shall not c.”

Jas 4: 2 you c something and cannot obtain

CRAFTINESS CRAFTY

Ro 1: 29 of envy, murder, strife, deceit, c,

1Co 3: 19 “He catches the wise in their c,”

CRAFTY CRAFTINESS

Ge 3: 1 serpent was more c than any other

CRAVING

Nu 11: 4 rabble among them had a strong c;

Ps 78: 30 But before they had satisfied their c,

CREATE CREATED, CREATION,

CREATOR

Ps 51: 10 C in me a clean heart, O God,

Isa 65: 17 to c new heavens and a new earth;

Eph 2: 15 c in himself one new humanity

CREATED CREATE

Ge 1: 1 In the beginning when God c the

1: 27 So God c humankind in his image,

Dt 32: 6 Is not he your father, who c you,

Jdt 13: 18 who c the heavens and the earth,

Pr 8: 22 The LORD c me at the beginning

Wis 2: 23 for God c us for incorruption,

Sir 1: 4 Wisdom was c before all other

Mal 2: 10 Has not one God c us?

1Co 11: 9 Neither was man c for the sake of

Eph 2: 10 c in Christ Jesus for good works,

Col 1: 16 all things have been c through him

1Ti 4: 4 For everything c by God is good,

Rev 4: 11 you c all things, and by your will

CREATION CREATE

Ge 2: 3 all the work that he had done in c.

Mk 10: 6 But from the beginning of c,

Ro 8: 19 the c waits with eager longing for

2Co 5: 17 anyone is in Christ, there is a new c:

Col 1: 15 invisible God, the firstborn of all c;

CREATOR CREATE

Ecc 12: 1 Remember your c in the days of

Ro 1: 25 served the creature rather than the C

1Pe 4: 19 to a faithful C,

CREATURE CREATURES

Ge 2: 19 the man called every living c,

CREATURES CREATURE

Lev 11: 2 these are the c that you may eat.

Ps 104: 24 the earth is full of your c.

CRIED CRY

Ps 22: 5 To you they c, and were saved;

Mt 27: 46 Jesus c with a loud voice,

CRIMINAL CRIMINALS

Jn 18: 30 “If this man were not a c,

2Ti 2: 9 the point of being chained like a c.

1Pe 4: 15 suffer as a murderer, a thief, a c,

CRIMINALS CRIMINAL

Lk 23: 32 Two others also, who were c,

CROOKED

Dt 32: 5 a perverse and c generation.

Ps 18: 26 the c you show yourself perverse.

Ecc 1: 15 What is c cannot be made straight,

Lk 3: 5 and the c shall be made straight,

CROSS

Dt 31: 3 your God himself will c over before

Mk 15: 30 and come down from the c!”

Lk 14: 27 the c and follow me cannot be my

1Co 1: 18 the c is foolishness to those who are

Gal 6: 14 never boast of anything except the c

Php 2: 8 of death—even death on a c.

Col 1: 20 peace through the blood of his c.

Heb 12: 2 was set before him endured the c,

CROW

Lk 22: 34 the cock will not c this day,

CROWD CROWDS

Mk 8: 2 “I have compassion for the c,

14: 43 a c with swords and clubs,

CROWDS CROWD

Mt 7: 28 c were astounded at his teaching,

CROWN CROWNED, CROWNS

Lev 8: 9 the golden ornament, the holy c,

Jn 19: 2 soldiers wove a c of thorns and put

Php 4: 1 my joy and c, stand firm in the Lord

2Ti 4: 8 there is reserved for me the c

1Pe 5: 4 the c of glory that never fades away.

Rev 6: 2 Its rider had a bow; a c was given

14: 14 with a golden c on his head,

CROWNED CROWN

Ps 8: 5 and c them with glory and honor.

2Ti 2: 5 no one is c without competing

Heb 2: 9 now c with glory and honor

CROWNS CROWN

Rev 4: 10 they cast their c before the throne,

CRUCIFIED CRUCIFY

Mt 27: 22 All of them said, “Let him be c!”

Lk 24: 7 c, and on the third day rise again.”

Ac 4: 10 whom you c, whom God raised

Ro 6: 6 We know that our old self was c

1Co 1: 23 but we proclaim Christ c,

Gal 2: 19 I have been c with Christ;

CRUCIFY CRUCIFIED, CRUCIFYING

Lk 23: 21 they kept shouting, “C, c him!”

Jn 19: 15 asked them, “Shall I c your King?”

CRUCIFYING CRUCIFY

Heb 6: 6 they are c again the Son of God

CRUSH

Mt 21: 44 it will c anyone on whom it falls.”

Ro 16: 20 will shortly c Satan under your feet.

CRY CRIED, CRYING

Pr 130: 1 Out of the depths I c to you,

Hab 1: 2 how long shall I c for help,

Mk 15: 37 Then Jesus gave a loud c

CRYING CRY

Mk 1: 3 the voice of one c out in the

Rev 21: 4 c and pain will be no more,

CUP

Ps 23: 5 my head with oil; my c overflows.

Mt 26: 39 if it is possible, let this c pass

Mk 10: 38 you able to drink the c that I drink,

Lk 22: 17 he took a c, and after giving thanks

1Co 11: 25 c is the new covenant in my blood.

Rev 14: 10 unmixed into the c of his anger,

CURED

Mt 8: 16 and c all who were sick.

Ac 5: 16 and they were all c.

CURSE ACCURSED, CURSED, CURSES

Ge 8: 21 “I will never again c the ground

12: 3 the one who curses you I will c;

Job 2: 9 C God, and die.”

Ps 109: 28 Let them c, but you will bless.

Sir 4: 5 and give no one reason to c you;

Mal 4: 6 come and strike the land with a c.

Mk 14: 71 he began to c, and he swore an oath,

Lk 6: 28 bless those who c you, pray

Ro 12: 14 bless and do not c them.

Gal 3: 13 redeemed us from the c of the law by becoming a c for us—

CURSED CURSE

Ge 3: 17 c is the ground because of you;

27: 29 C be everyone who curses you,

Nu 23: 8 can I curse whom God has not c?

Mk 11: 21 fig tree that you c has withered.”

Gal 3: 10 “C is everyone who does not

Rev 16: 9 but they c the name of God,

CURSES CURSE

Lev 24: 15 who c God shall bear the sin.

CURTAIN

Ex 26: 31 You shall make a c of blue, purple,

2Ch 3: 14 And Solomon made the c of blue

Lk 23: 45 the c of the temple was torn in two.

Heb 10: 20 that he opened for us through the c

CUT

Ge 9: 11 never again shall all flesh be c off

Ps 37: 9 For the wicked shall be c off,

Isa 53: 8 c off from the land of the living,

Mt 3: 10 does not bear good fruit is c down

Mk 9: 43 hand causes you to stumble, c it off;

Ro 11: 22 otherwise you also will be c off.

D

DAILY DAY

Mt 6: 11 Give us this day our d bread.

Lk 9: 23 take up their cross d and follow me.

DANCE DANCED

Ps 150: 4 Praise him with tambourine and d;

Ecc 3: 4 a time to mourn, and a time to d;

Lk 7: 32 the flute for you, and you did not d;

DANCED DANCE

2Sa 6: 14 David d before the LORD with all

Mt 14: 6 the daughter of Herodias d before

DARK DARKEST, DARKNESS

Ps 139: 12 even the darkness is not d to you;

Lk 12: 3 whatever you have said in the d will

2Pe 1: 19 as to a lamp shining in a d place,

DARKEST DARK

Ps 23: 4 though I walk through the d valley,

DARKNESS DARK

Ge 1: 2 the earth was a formless void and d

Ex 10: 22 was dense d in all the land of Egypt

Isa 9: 2 walked in d have seen a great light;

Joel 2: 31 The sun shall be turned to d,

Mt 4: 16 who sat in d have seen a great light,

Jn 1: 5 light shines in the d, and the d did not

Col 1: 13 from the power of d and transferred

1Jn 1: 5 God is light and in him there is no d

DAUGHTER DAUGHTERS

Mic 7: 6 the d rises up against her mother,

Lk 12: 53 against d and d against mother,

DAUGHTERS DAUGHTER

Ge 6: 4 of God went in to the d of humans,

Joel 2: 28 sons and your d shall prophesy,

Ac 2: 17 sons and your d shall prophesy,

2Co 6: 18 and you shall be my sons and d,

DAWN DAWNS

Isa 14: 12 from heaven, O Day Star, son of D!

Hos 6: 3 his appearing is as sure as the d;

DAWNS DAWN

Ps 97: 11 Light d for the righteous,

2Pe 1: 19 until the day d and the morning star

DAY DAILY, DAYS

Ge 1: 5 God called the light D, and

Ex 13: 21 of them in a pillar of cloud by d,

20: 8 Remember the sabbath d, and keep

Ps 1: 2 his law they meditate d and night.

118: 24 is the d that the LORD has made;

Joel 1: 15 For the d of the LORD is near,

Zec 14: 1 See, a d is coming for the LORD,

Mal 3: 2 who can endure the d of his coming,

Mt 25: 13 you know neither the d nor the hour.

Lk 11: 3 Give us each d our daily bread.

24: 46 to rise from the dead on the third d,

Jn 6: 40 I will raise them up on the last d.”

Ro 14: 5 Some judge one d to be better than

1Th 5: 2 very well that the d of the Lord

2Pe 3: 8 one d is like a thousand years,

3: 10 d of the Lord will come like a thief,

1Jn 4: 17 have boldness on the d of judgment,

Rev 16: 14 for battle on the great d of God

DAYS DAY

Ge 1: 14 and for seasons and for d and years,

Ex 24: 18 on the mountain for forty d and

1Ki 19: 8 that food forty d and forty nights

1Mc 4: 56 dedication of the altar for eight d,

Ps 90: 10 The d of our life are seventy years,

Eph 5: 16 of the time, because the d are evil.

2Ti 3: 1 in the last d distressing times will

DEACON DEACONS

Ro 16: 1 a d of the church at Cenchreae,

DEACONS DEACON

1Ti 3: 8 D likewise must be serious, not

DEAD DEATH, DIE, DIED, DYING

Mt 8: 22 and let the d bury their own d.”

Mk 12: 27 God not of the d, but of the living;

Lk 24: 5 look for the living among the d?

Ro 6: 11 must consider yourselves d to sin

Eph 2: 1 You were d through the trespasses

Rev 1: 5 witness, the firstborn of the d,

20: 12 And the d were judged according to

DEAF

Ex 4: 11 Who makes them mute or d,

Isa 29: 18 On that day the d shall hear the

Lk 7: 22 the lepers are cleansed, the d hear,

DEATH DEAD

Dt 30: 19 that I have set before you life and d,

Sir 15: 17 Before each person are life and d,

Isa 25: 7 he will swallow up d forever.

Hos 13: 14 O D, where are your plagues?

Lk 1: 79 in darkness and in the shadow of d,

Jn 5: 24 but has passed from d to life.

Ro 6: 23 For the wages of sin is d,

1Co 15: 55 “Where, O d, is your victory?

Heb 2: 14 through d he might destroy the one who has the power of d,

1Jn 3: 14 that we have passed from d to life

Rev 1: 18 I have the keys of D and of Hades.

20: 14 D and Hades were thrown into the lake

21: 4 D will be no more;

DEBTS

Mt 6: 12 And forgive us our d, as we

DECEIT DECEITFUL, DECEIVE

Dt 32: 4 A faithful God, without d,

Isa 53: 9 and there was no d in his mouth.

Ro 1: 29 Full of envy, murder, strife, d,

1Pe 2: 22 and no d was found in his mouth.”

DECEITFUL DECEIT

1Ti 4: 1 by paying attention to d spirits

DECEIVE DECEIT

Eph 5: 6 Let no one d you with empty words,

1Jn 1: 8 that we have no sin, we d ourselves,

Rev 20: 8 to d the nations at the four corners

DECREES

Dt 6: 2 and keep all his d and his

Ps 19: 7 the d of the LORD are sure,

119: 2 Happy are those who keep his d, DEDICATION

2Ch 7: 9 the d of the altar seven days and

Ezr 6: 16 the d of this house of God with joy.

1Mc 4: 56 the d of the altar for eight days,

DEED DEEDS

Ecc 12: 14 will bring every d into judgment,

Mt 19: 16 good d must I do to have eternal life

Col 3: 17 And whatever you do, in word or d,

DEEDS DEED

Jer 50: 29 Repay her according to her d;

Lk 23: 41 getting what we deserve for our d,

Ro 2: 6 repay according to each one’s d:

Rev 15: 3 “Great and amazing are your d,

19: 8 the righteous d of the saints.

DEEP DEPTH, DEPTHS

Ge 1: 2 darkness covered the face of the d,

7: 11 the fountains of the great d burst

Ro 8: 26 with sighs too d for words.

DEFEND

Jdt 5: 21 for their Lord and God will d them,

Ps 72: 4 May he d the cause of the poor of

Pr 31: 9 d the rights of the poor and needy.

DEFILE

Lev 11: 43 you shall not d yourselves

Nu 35: 34 You shall not d the land

Mk 7: 15 things that come out are what d.”

DEITY

Col 2: 9 whole fullness of d dwells bodily,

DELAY

Dt 7: 10 He does not d but repays

Ps 70: 5 my deliverer; O LORD, do not d!

Heb 10: 37 will come and will not d;

DELIGHT

1Sa 15: 22 “Has the LORD as great d in burnt

Ps 1: 2 their d is in the law of the LORD,

40: 8 I d to do your will, O my God;

Pr 8: 30 I was daily his d, rejoicing before

Sir 1: 27 fidelity and humility are his d.

Ro 7: 22 For I d in the law of God in my

DELIVER DELIVERANCE, DELIVERER, DELIVERS

Ex 3: 8 to d them from the Egyptians,

Da 3: 17 able to d us from the furnace

6: 20 able to d you from the lions?”

Mt 27: 43 let God d him now,

DELIVERANCE DELIVER

Ex 14: 13 and see the d that the LORD will

Jdt 8: 17 while we wait for his d,

Ps 3: 8 D belongs to the LORD;

Php 1: 19 this will turn out for my d.

DELIVERER DELIVER

Ps 140: 7 O LORD, my Lord, my strong d,

Ro 11: 26 “Out of Zion will come the D;

DEMON DEMONIACS, DEMONIC, DEMONS

Tob 3: 8 the wicked d Asmodeus had killed

6: 8 of a man or woman afflicted by a d

Mt 11: 18 and they say, ‘He has a d’

17: 18 Jesus rebuked the d, and it came out

Jn 8: 48 you are a Samaritan and have a d?”

10: 21 not the words of one who has a d.

DEMONIACS DEMON

Mt 4: 24 d, epileptics, and paralytics, and he

8: 28 two d coming out of the tombs met

DEMONIC DEMON

Rev 16: 14 These are d spirits, performing signs

DEMONS DEMON

Dt 32: 17 They sacrificed to d, not God,

Bar 4: 7 by sacrificing to d and not

Lk 11: 18 that I cast out the d by Beelzebul.

1Co 10: 20 not want you to be partners with d.

1Ti 4: 1 deceitful spirits and teachings of d,

Jas 2: 19 Even the d believe—and shudder.

Rev 9: 20 their hands or give up worshiping d

DEN

Jer 7: 11 a d of robbers in your sight?

Da 6: 7 shall be thrown into a d of lions.

Mk 11: 17 you have made it a d of robbers.”

DENARIUS

Mk 12: 15 Bring me a d and let me see it.”

DENIED DENY

Mt 26: 70 But he d it before all of them,

1Ti 5: 8 has d the faith and is worse than

Rev 3: 8 my word and have not d my name.

DENIES DENY

Lk 12: 9 but whoever d me before others

1Jn 2: 22 liar but the one who d that Jesus

DENY DENIED, DENIES

Mt 16: 24 let them d themselves and take up

2Ti 2: 12 if we d him, he will also d us;

2Pe 2: 1 d the Master who bought them—

DEPRAVED DEPRAVITY

1Ti 6: 5 among those who are d in mind

2Pe 2: 10 who indulge their flesh in d lust,

DEPRAVITY DEPRAVED

Lev 20: 14 that there may be no d among you.

DEPTH DEEP

Mt 13: 5 since they had no d of soil.

Ro 11: 33 O the d of the riches and wisdom

Eph 3: 18 and length and height and d,

DEPTHS DEEP

Ps 130: 1 Out of the d I cry to you,

1Co 2: 10 even the d of God.

DESCENDANTS

Ge 15: 18 saying, “To your d I give this land,

Dt 4: 37 he chose their d after them.

Isa 44: 3 I will pour my spirit upon your d,

Ro 9: 7 Abraham’s children are his true d;

Gal 3: 7 who believe are the d of Abraham.

DESERT

Ps 106: 14 and put God to the test in the d;

Isa 40: 3 make straight in the d a highway

Mk 8: 4 with bread here in the d?”

DESERVE

Pr 14: 14 and the good, what their deeds d.

Lk 23: 15 he has done nothing to d death.

Ac 26: 31 man is doing nothing to d death

Rev 2: 23 give to each of you as your works d.

DESIRE DESIRES

Ge 3: 16 your d shall be for your husband,

Ps 20: 4 May he grant you your heart’s d,

Hos 6: 6 I d steadfast love and not sacrifice,

Mt 9: 13 learn what this means, ‘I d mercy,

1Jn 2: 16 the d of the flesh, the d of the eyes,

DESIRES DESIRE

Sir 18: 30 Do not follow your base d,

1Ti 2: 4 who d everyone to be saved

2Ti 4: 3 teachers to suit their own d,

DESOLATE DESOLATES

1Mc 1: 39 sanctuary became d like a desert;

Da 11: 31 the abomination that makes d.

DESOLATES DESOLATE

Da 9: 27 shall be an abomination that d,

DESPISE DESPISED

Job 5: 17 not d the discipline of the Almighty.

Pr 1: 7 fools d wisdom and instruction.

Lk 16: 13 devoted to the one and d the other.

DESPISED DESPISE

Isa 53: 3 He was d and rejected by others;

1Co 1: 28 God chose what is low and d in the

DESTINED

Eph 1: 5 He d us for adoption as his children

1Th 5: 9 For God has d us not for wrath but

1Pe 1: 11 to the sufferings d for Christ

DESTROY DESTROYED, DESTRUCTION

Ge 6: 13 to d them along with the earth.

Mt 10: 28 rather fear him who can d both soul

Jn 10: 10 comes only to steal and kill and d.

Jas 4: 12 who is able to save and to d.

1Jn 3: 8 to d the works of the devil.

DESTROYED DESTROY

Da 6: 26 His kingdom shall never be d,

1Co 15: 26 The last enemy to be d is death.

DESTRUCTION DESTROY

Pr 16: 18 Pride goes before d, and a haughty

Mt 7: 13 and the road is easy that leads to d,

DEVIL

Mt 4: 1 wilderness to be tempted by the d.

Lk 8: 12 d comes and takes away the word

Jn 8: 44 You are from your father the d,

Eph 4: 27 and do not make room for the d.

6: 11 to stand against the wiles of the d.

1Ti 3: 6 fall into the condemnation of the d.

Heb 2: 14 the power of death, that is, the d,

Jas 4: 7 Resist the d, and he will flee from

1Pe 5: 8 lion your adversary the d prowls

1Jn 3: 8 to destroy the works of the d.

Jude 1: 9 Michael contended with the d

Rev 12: 9 who is called the D and Satan,

20: 2 that ancient serpent, who is the D

DIE DEAD

Ge 2: 17 eat of it you shall d.”

3: 4 to the woman, “You will not d;

Ru 1: 17 Where you d, I will d—

Ecc 3: 2 a time to be born, and a time to d;

Isa 22: 13 eat and drink, for tomorrow we d.”

Jer 31: 30 But all shall d for their own sins;

Mt 26: 35 “Even though I must d with you,

Jn 11: 26 and believes in me will never d.

Ro 14: 8 if we d, we d to the Lord;

1Co 15: 32 eat and drink, for tomorrow we d.”

Heb 9: 27 appointed for mortals to d once,

DIED DEAD

Ro 5: 6 right time Christ d for the ungodly.

1Co 15: 3 Christ d for our sins in accordance

Gal 2: 19 the law I d to the law,

DIFFERENT

2Co 11: 4 or a d gospel from the one you

Gal 1: 6 and are turning to a d gospel—

DISAPPOINT

Ro 5: 5 and hope does not d us,

DISCIPLE DISCIPLES

Mt 10: 24 “A d is not above the teacher,

Lk 14: 26 even life itself, cannot be my d.

DISCIPLES DISCIPLE

Mt 26: 56 all the d deserted him and fled.

28: 19 therefore and make d of all nations,

Lk 6: 13 he called his d and chose twelve of

Jn 8: 31 in my word, you are truly my d;

Ac 11: 26 the d were first called “Christians.”

DISCIPLINE DISCIPLINED

Job 5: 17 not despise the d of the Almighty.

Ps 94: 12 Happy are those whom you d,

Sir 1: 27 fear of the Lord is wisdom and d,

Eph 6: 4 in the d and instruction of the Lord.

Heb 12: 5 not regard lightly the d of the Lord,

DISCIPLINED DISCIPLINE

Wis 3: 5 Having been d a little, they will

1Co 11: 32 d so that we may not be condemned

DISEASE DISEASES

Mt 4: 23 of the kingdom and curing every d

9: 35 curing every d and every sickness.

DISEASES DISEASE

Ex 15: 26 d that I brought upon the Egyptians;

Ps 103: 3 your iniquity, who heals all your d,

Isa 53: 4 our infirmities and carried our d;

Mt 8: 17 took our infirmities and bore our d.”

DISMAYED

Dt 1: 21 do not fear or be d.”

Jos 1: 9 do not be frightened or d,

DISOBEDIENT DISOBEY

Ne 9: 26 they were d and rebelled

Ro 10: 21 I have held out my hands to a d

Tit 3: 3 ourselves were once foolish, d,

DISOBEY DISOBEDIENT

Lev 26: 27 But if, despite this, you d me,

Sir 1: 28 Do not d the fear of the Lord;

1Pe 2: 8 stumble because they d the word,

DISTINCTION DISTINCTIONS

Ex 8: 23 I will make a d between my people

Lev 11: 47 make a d between the unclean and

Eze 22: 26 have made no d between the holy

DISTINCTIONS DISTINCTION

Jas 2: 4 you not made d among yourselves,

DISTRESS DISTRESSED

2Sa 22: 7 In my d I called upon the LORD;

Ps 81: 7 In d you called, and I rescued you;

Sir 2: 11 and saves in time of d.

Lk 21: 23 For there will be great d on the earth

Ro 8: 35 Will hardship, or d, or persecution,

DISTRESSED DISTRESS

La 1: 20 See, O LORD, how d I am;

DISTRIBUTED

Ac 4: 35 it was d to each as any had need.

Heb 2: 4 gifts of the Holy Spirit, d according

DIVIDED

Lev 11: 3 Any animal that has d hoofs

Ps 136: 13 who d the Red Sea in two,

Lk 11: 18 If Satan also is d against himself,

DIVINE

Ro 1: 20 his eternal power and d nature,

2Pe 1: 4 become participants of the d nature.

DIVORCE DIVORCED

Dt 24: 1 so he writes her a certificate of d,

Sir 7: 26 Do not d her;

Isa 50: 1 Where is your mother’s bill of d

Jer 3: 8 sent her away with a decree of d;

Mal 2: 16 For I hate d, says the LORD,

Mt 5: 31 let him give her a certificate of d.’

19: 3 a man to d his wife for any cause?”

1Co 7: 11 the husband should not d his wife.

DIVORCED DIVORCE

Lev 21: 7 neither shall they marry a woman d

Mt 5: 32 whoever marries a d woman

DOCTOR

Lk 4: 23 this proverb, ‘D, cure yourself!’

DOCTRINE DOCTRINES

Eph 4: 14 blown about by every wind of d,

1Ti 1: 3 not to teach any different d,

2Ti 4: 3 people will not put up with sound d,

Tit 1: 9 able both to preach with sound d

DOCTRINES DOCTRINE

Mk 7: 7 teaching human precepts as d.’

DOERS

Jas 1: 22 But be d of the word,

DOGS

Mt 7: 6 “Do not give what is holy to d;

DOMINION

Ge 1: 26 and let them have d over

Ps 22: 28 For d belongs to the LORD,

Da 7: 14 His d is an everlasting d

Rev 1: 6 to him be glory and d forever

DONKEY

Zec 9: 9 humble and riding on a d,

Mt 21: 5 humble, and mounted on a d,

DOOR DOORPOSTS

Mt 7: 7 knock, and the d will be opened

Lk 13: 24 Strive to enter through the narrow d

Rev 3: 20 I am standing at the d, knocking;

DOORPOSTS DOOR

Ex 12: 7 the blood and put it on the two d

DOUBT DOUBTED, DOUBTING

Mt 14: 31 of little faith, why did you d?”

Jn 20: 27 Do not d but believe.”

DOUBTED DOUBT

Mt 28: 17 they worshiped him; but some d.

DOUBTING DOUBT

Jas 1: 6 But ask in faith, never d,

DOVE

Ge 8: 8 Then he sent out the d from him,

Mk 1: 10 Spirit descending like a d on him.

DRAGON

Isa 27: 1 and he will kill the d that

Da 14: 23 in that place there was a great d,

Rev 12: 3 a great red d, with seven heads and

20: 2 seized the d, that ancient serpent,

DRANK DRINK

Ex 24: 11 beheld God, and they ate and d.

Mk 14: 23 and all of them d from it.

1Co 10: 4 all d the same spiritual drink.

DRAW

Jas 4: 8 D near to God, and he will d near

DREAM DREAMS

Joel 2: 28 your old men shall d dreams,

Ac 2: 17 and your old men shall d dreams.

DREAMS DREAM

Nu 12: 6 I speak to them in d.

Sir 34: 7 For d have deceived many,

DRIED DRY

Ge 8: 13 the waters were d up from the earth;

Jos 5: 1 had d up the waters of the Jordan

Isa 51: 10 Was it not you who d up the sea,

DRINK DRANK, DRUNK, DRUNKARD,

DRUNKENNESS

Ex 32: 6 the people sat down to eat and d,

Ecc 9: 7 and d your wine with a merry heart;

Isa 22: 13 eat and d, for tomorrow we die.”

Mt 20: 22 to d the cup that I am about to d?”

Jn 18: 11 not to d the cup that the Father has

Ro 14: 17 kingdom of God is not food and d

1Co 12: 13 we were all made to d of one Spirit.

Rev 14: 10 also d the wine of God’s wrath,

DRUNK DRINK

Jdt 13: 2 on his bed, for he was dead d.

Jn 2: 10 after the guests have become d.

Ac 2: 15 these are not d, as you suppose,

Eph 5: 18 Do not get d with wine,

DRUNKARD DRINK

Mt 11: 19 they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a d,

1Co 5: 11 is an idolater, reviler, d, or robber.

1Ti 3: 3 not a d, not violent but gentle,

DRUNKENNESS DRINK

Tob 4: 15 to excess or let d go with you

Gal 5: 21 d, carousing, and things like these.

DRY DRIED

Ge 1: 9 and let the d land appear.”

Ex 14: 16 may go into the sea on d ground.

Eze 37: 4 d bones, hear the word of the LORD.

DUST

Ge 2: 7 LORD God formed man from the d

1Sa 2: 8 He raises up the poor from the d;

Ps 103: 14 he remembers that we are d.

Ecc 3: 20 from the d, and all turn to d again.

Mt 10: 14 shake off the d from your feet

1Co 15: 47 man was from the earth, a man of d;

DWELL DWELLING, DWELLS

Ex 25: 8 so that I may d among them.

1Ki 8: 27 But will God indeed d on the earth?

Ps 23: 6 and I shall d in the house of

Eph 3: 17 that Christ may d in your hearts

Col 1: 19 fullness of God was pleased to d,

Rev 21: 3 He will d with them as their God;

DWELLING DWELL

Ps 90: 1 our d place in all generations.

Jn 14: 2 my Father’s house there are many d

2Co 5: 2 to be clothed with our heavenly d—

Eph 2: 22 spiritually into a d place for God.

DWELLS DWELL

Jn 14: 10 but the Father who d in me

Ro 7: 17 but sin that d within me.

1Co 3: 16 and that God’s Spirit d in you?

Col 2: 9 whole fullness of deity d bodily,

E

EAGLES

Isa 40: 31 shall mount up with wings like e,

EAR

Isa 64: 4 has heard, no e has perceived,

Lk 22: 51 he touched his e and healed him.

1Co 2: 9 “What no eye has seen, nor e heard,

EARTH

Ge 1: 1 God created the heavens and the e,

6: 11 the e was corrupt in God’s sight,

Sir 40: 11 All that is of e returns to e,

Isa 6: 3 the whole e is full of his glory.”

65: 17 to create new heavens and a new e;

Mt 5: 5 meek, for they will inherit the e.

24: 35 Heaven and e will pass away,

2Pe 3: 13 wait for new heavens and a new e,

Rev 21: 1 I saw a new heaven and a new e;

EAST

Ge 2: 8 planted a garden in Eden, in the e;

Ps 103: 12 as far as the e is from the west,

Mt 2: 1 wise men from the E came to

EASY

Mt 11: 30 For my yoke is e, and my burden is

EAT ATE, EATS

Ge 2: 16 freely e of every tree of the garden;

Lev 11: 4 you shall not e the following:

Mt 26: 26 to the disciples, and said, “Take, e;

Ac 10: 13 “Get up, Peter; kill and e.”

1Co 10: 31 whether you e or drink, or whatever

Rev 3: 20 I will come in to you and e with you

EATS EAT

Jn 6: 51 e of this bread will live forever;

1Co 11: 27 e the bread or drinks the cup of the

EDEN

Ge 2: 8 a garden in E, in the east;

EGYPT

Ge 47: 27 Israel settled in the land of E,

Hos 11: 1 and out of E I called my son.

Mt 2: 15 “Out of E I have called my son.”

Rev 11: 8 prophetically called Sodom and E, ELDER ELDERS

1Ti 5: 19 any accusation against an e except

1Pe 5: 1 as an e myself and a witness of the

ELDERS ELDER

Ex 24: 1 and seventy of the e of Israel,

Da 13: 61 they took action against the two e,

Mt 27: 12 accused by the chief priests and e,

Mk 7: 3 thus observing the tradition of the e;

1Ti 5: 17 the e who rule well be considered

Jas 5: 14 e of the church and have them pray

1Pe 5: 5 must accept the authority of the e.

Rev 4: 4 on the thrones are twenty-four e,

ELECT ELECTION

Wis 4: 15 grace and mercy are with his e,

Mt 24: 22 sake of the e those days will be cut

Mk 13: 22 to lead astray, if possible, the e.

ELECTION ELECT

Ro 9: 11 God’s purpose of e might continue,

2Pe 1: 10 eager to confirm your call and e,

ELEVEN

Mt 28: 16 Now the e disciples went to Galilee,

Ac 1: 26 and he was added to the e apostles.

EMMANUEL IMMANUEL

Mt 1: 23 and they shall name him E,”

ENCOURAGE ENCOURAGEMENT

1Th 4: 18 e one another with these words.

1Pe 5: 12 written this short letter to e you

ENCOURAGEMENT ENCOURAGE

Ro 15: 5 God of steadfastness and e grant

Php 2: 1 If then there is any e in Christ,

END

Ge 6: 13 determined to make an e of all flesh,

Pr 14: 12 but its e is the way to death.

Ecc 12: 12 making many books there is no e,

Mt 24: 13 But the one who endures to the e

28: 20 always, to the e of the age.”

Ro 10: 4 For Christ is the e of the law so

Rev 22: 13 the beginning and the e.”

ENDURANCE ENDURE

Ro 5: 3 knowing that suffering produces e,

1Ti 6: 11 godliness, faith, love, e,

Heb 10: 36 For you need e, so that when you

Jas 1: 3 the testing of your faith produces e;

2Pe 1: 6 and self-control with e,

ENDURE ENDURANCE, ENDURED,

ENDURES

Mal 3: 2 who can e the day of his coming,

1Co 10: 13 so that you may be able to e it.

2Ti 2: 12 if we e, we will also reign with him;

ENDURED ENDURE

Heb 12: 2 that was set before him e the cross,

ENDURES ENDURE

Sir 40: 17 and almsgiving e forever.

Bar 4: 1 the law that e forever.

1Co 13: 7 hopes all things, e all things.

1Pe 1: 25 but the word of the Lord e forever.”

ENEMIES ENEMY

Mt 5: 44 But I say to you, Love your e and

Ro 5: 10 For if while we were e,

ENEMY ENEMIES, ENMITY

Mt 13: 39 the e who sowed them is the devil;

1Co 15: 26 The last e to be destroyed is death.

ENGAGED

Mt 1: 18 mother Mary had been e to Joseph,

ENJOYMENT

Ecc 8: 15 So I commend e, for there is nothing

1Ti 6: 17 with everything for our e.

ENLIGHTENED LIGHT

Ro 10: 2 a zeal for God, but it is not e.

Eph 1: 18 with the eyes of your heart e,

Heb 6: 4 those who have once been e,

ENLIGHTENS LIGHT

Jn 1: 9 The true light, which e everyone,

ENMITY ENEMY

Ge 3: 15 put e between you and the woman,

Jas 4: 4 with the world is e with God?

ENTER ENTRY

Mt 7: 13 “E through the narrow gate;

Mk 10: 15 as a little child will never e it.”

Jn 3: 5 no one can e the kingdom of God

Rev 21: 27 But nothing unclean will e it,

ENTRUSTED TRUST

Lk 12: 48 the one to whom much has been e,

2Ti 1: 12 guard until that day what I have e

Jude 1: 3 the faith that was once for all e

ENVY

Pr 23: 17 Do not let your heart e sinners,

Mk 7: 22 deceit, licentiousness, e, slander,

Ro 1: 29 Full of e, murder, strife, deceit,

EPHOD

Ex 28: 6 They shall make the e of gold,

EQUAL EQUALITY

Isa 40: 25 you compare me, or who is my e?

46: 5 will you liken me and make me e,

Jn 5: 18 thereby making himself e to God.

EQUALITY EQUAL

Php 2: 6 not regard e with God as something

ERROR

Lev 5: 18 for the e that you committed

Ro 1: 27 the due penalty for their e.

1Jn 4: 6 of truth and the spirit of e.

ESTABLISH ESTABLISHED

Eze 16: 60 e with you an everlasting covenant.

Heb 8: 8 when I will e a new covenant with

ESTABLISHED ESTABLISH

2Sa 7: 16 your throne shall be e forever.

Ps 89: 2 your steadfast love is e forever;

103: 19 The LORD has e his throne in the

ETERNAL ETERNITY

Mt 25: 46 but the righteous into e life.”

Mk 10: 17 what must I do to inherit e life?”

Jn 3: 16 may not perish but may have e life.

Ro 5: 21 e life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2Co 4: 17 an e weight of glory beyond all

Heb 5: 9 the source of e salvation for all who

1Jn 5: 13 may know that you have e life.

ETERNITY ETERNAL

Wis 2: 23 made us in the image of his own e,

Sir 42: 21 he is from all e one and the same.

Isa 57: 15 high and lofty one who inhabits e,

2Pe 3: 18 glory both now and to the day of e.

EUNUCH

Ac 8: 27 Now there was an Ethiopian e,

EVANGELIST EVANGELISTS

2Ti 4: 5 do the work of an e, carry out your

EVANGELISTS EVANGELIST

Eph 4: 11 some e, some pastors and teachers,

EVERLASTING LAST

Ge 9: 16 remember the e covenant between

Ps 90: 2 from e to e you are God.

Isa 9: 6 E Father, Prince of Peace.

Jer 31: 3 I have loved you with an e love;

Da 4: 3 His kingdom is an e kingdom,

EVIL

Ge 2: 9 tree of the knowledge of good and e.

Jdg 2: 11 Then the Israelites did what was e

Tob 12: 7 Do good and e will not overtake

Ps 23: 4 the darkest valley, I fear no e;

Pr 8: 13 fear of the LORD is hatred of e.

Mt 6: 13 but rescue us from the e one.

12: 35 e person brings e things out of an e

Lk 11: 13 who are e, know how to give good

Jn 17: 15 to protect them from the e one.

Ro 12: 17 Do not repay anyone e for e,

Eph 5: 16 of the time, because the days are e.

1Ti 6: 10 of money is a root of all kinds of e,

1Jn 5: 18 and the e one does not touch them.

2Jn 1: 11 to welcome is to participate in the e

3Jn 1: 11 do not imitate what is e but imitate

EXALT EXALTED

Lk 14: 11 who e themselves will be humbled,

Jas 4: 10 before the Lord, and he will e you.

EXALTED EXALT

Ps 57: 5 Be e, O God, above the heavens.

Php 2: 9 highly e him and gave him the name

EXAMPLES

1Co 10: 6 these things occurred as e for us,

1Pe 5: 3 but be e to the flock.

EXCELLENCE EXCELLENT

Php 4: 8 if there is any e and if there is

EXCELLENT EXCELLENCE

Isa 28: 29 in counsel, and e in wisdom.

1Co 12: 31 I will show you a still more e way.

Heb 1: 4 the name he has inherited is more e

EXCUSE

Jn 15: 22 they have no e for their sin.

Ro 1: 20 So they are without e;

EXHORT

Tit 2: 15 e and reprove with all authority.

Heb 3: 13 But e one another every day,

EXILE

2Ki 25: 11 carried into e the rest of the people

Ezr 6: 21 of Israel who had returned from e,

EYE EYES, EYEWITNESSES

Ex 21: 24 e for e, tooth for tooth,

Ps 17: 8 Guard me as the apple of the e;

Mt 5: 29 If your right e causes you to sin,

5: 38 An e for an e and a tooth for

7: 3 see the speck in your neighbor’s e,

Mk 10: 25 to go through the e of a needle

1Co 15: 52 in the twinkling of an e, at the last

Rev 1: 7 the clouds; every e will see him,

EYES EYE

Ge 3: 7 Then the e of both were opened,

Ps 121: 1 I lift up my e to the hills—

Pr 3: 7 Do not be wise in your own e;

Mt 9: 30 And their e were opened.

Eph 1: 18 with the e of your heart enlightened,

1Pe 3: 12 e of the Lord are on the righteous,

1Jn 2: 16 of the flesh, the desire of the e,

Rev 21: 4 he will wipe every tear from their e.

EYEWITNESSES EYE, WITNESS

Lk 1: 2 who from the beginning were e

2Pe 1: 16 but we had been e of his majesty.

F

FACE

Ge 32: 30 “For I have seen God f to f,

Nu 6: 25 LORD make his f to shine upon

12: 8 With him I speak f to f—

Ps 4: 6 Let the light of your f shine on us,

Isa 54: 8 wrath for a moment I hid my f

Eze 39: 29 I will never again hide my f from

Lk 9: 29 the appearance of his f changed,

FADE FADES

Ps 37: 2 for they will soon f like the grass,

Isa 64: 6 We all f like a leaf,

FADES FADE

Isa 40: 7 The grass withers, the flower f,

1Pe 5: 4 crown of glory that never f away.

FAINT

Ps 142: 3 When my spirit is f, you know

Isa 40: 31 they shall walk and not f.

FAITH FAITHFUL, FAITHFULNESS

Isa 7: 9 If you do not stand firm in f,

Hab 2: 4 but the righteous live by their f.

Mt 17: 20 have f the size of a mustard seed,

Ac 3: 16 and the f that is through Jesus

Ro 3: 28 that a person is justified by f apart

1Co 13: 13 And now f, hope, and love abide,

Eph 4: 5 one Lord, one f, one baptism,

Heb 11: 1 f is the assurance of things hoped

Jas 2: 17 f by itself, if it has no works,

1Jn 5: 4 that conquers the world, our f.

Rev 2: 13 and you did not deny your f in me

FAITHFUL FAITH

Dt 32: 4 A f God, without deceit, just and

Ps 4: 3 LORD has set apart the f for

Wis 3: 9 the f will abide with him in love,

Sir 4: 16 If they remain f, they will inherit

Mt 24: 45 “Who then is the f and wise slave,

1Th 5: 24 The one who calls you is f,

Heb 10: 23 for he who has promised is f.

1Jn 1: 9 f and just will forgive us our sins

Rev 19: 11 Its rider is called F and True,

FAITHFULNESS FAITH

Ex 34: 6 abounding in steadfast love and f,

Jos 24: 14 and serve him in sincerity and in f;

Isa 11: 5 and f the belt around his loins.

La 3: 23 new every morning; great is your f.

Gal 5: 22 patience, kindness, generosity, f,

FALL FELL

Pr 16: 18 and a haughty spirit before a f.

Sir 28: 23 Those who forsake the Lord will f

Ro 9: 33 a rock that will make them f,

1Co 10: 12 watch out that you do not f.

FALSE

Dt 5: 20 Neither shall you bear f witness

Mk 13: 22 F messiahs and f prophets will

Heb 6: 18 impossible that God would prove f,

2Pe 2: 1 there will be f teachers among you,

Rev 20: 10 where the beast and the f prophet

LtJ 6: 8 but they are f and cannot speak.

FAMILY

Pr 6: 19 and one who sows discord in a f.

Gal 6: 10 especially for those of the f of faith.

Eph 3: 15 from whom every f in heaven and

1Pe 2: 17 Love the f of believers.

FAST

Isa 58: 5 Is such the f that I choose,

Mt 6: 16 “And whenever you f,

FATHER FATHER’S

Ge 2: 24 a man leaves his f and his mother

Ex 20: 12 Honor your f and your mother,

Ps 89: 26 cry to me, ‘You are my F, my God,

Wis 2: 16 and boasts that God is his f.

Sir 3: 3 who honor their f atone for sins,

Isa 9: 6 Mighty God, Everlasting F, Prince

Mt 6: 9 Our F in heaven, hallowed be your

28: 19 the name of the F and of the Son and

Jn 5: 18 but was also calling God his own F,

14: 6 comes to the F except through me.

Gal 4: 6 into our hearts, crying, “Abba! F!”

Rev 3: 5 confess your name before my F

FATHER’S FATHER

Lk 2: 49 that I must be in my F house?”

Jn 1: 14 the glory as of a f only son,

14: 2 F house there are many dwelling

FAVOR

Ps 30: 5 his f is for a lifetime.

Isa 49: 8 In a time of f I have answered you,

Lk 4: 19 proclaim the year of the Lord’s f.”

FEAR AFRAID

Dt 6: 13 The LORD your God you shall f;

Ps 19: 9 the f of the LORD is pure,

23: 4 the darkest valley, I f no evil;

Pr 1: 7 f of the LORD is the beginning

Ecc 12: 13 F God, and keep his commandments

Sir 1: 11 The f of the Lord is glory

Mt 10: 28 rather f him who can destroy both

Mk 5: 36 “Do not f, only believe.”

1Pe 3: 14 Do not f what they f,

1Jn 4: 18 but perfect love casts out f;

Rev 14: 7 “F God and give him glory,

FEET

Ps 119: 105 Your word is a lamp to my f

Lk 24: 39 Look at my hands and my f;

Jn 13: 5 and began to wash the disciples’ f

1Co 15: 25 put all his enemies under his f.

FELLOWSHIP

Ac 2: 42 to the apostles’ teaching and f,

2Co 6: 14 Or what f is there between light and

1Jn 1: 3 and truly our f is with the Father

FEMALE

Ge 1: 27 male and f he created them.

Mk 10: 6 ‘God made them male and f.’

Gal 3: 28 there is no longer male and f;

FESTIVAL FESTIVALS

Ex 23: 14 in the year you shall hold a f for me.

1Co 5: 8 Therefore, let us celebrate the f,

FESTIVALS FESTIVAL

Lev 23: 2 the appointed f of the LORD

Ne 10: 33 the new moons, the appointed f,

Col 2: 16 of food and drink or of observing f,

FEW

Mt 22: 14 many are called, but f are chosen.”

Lk 13: 23 “Lord, will only a f be saved?”

FIG

Ge 3: 7 and they sewed f leaves together

Hab 3: 17 Though the f tree does not blossom,

Mt 24: 32 “From the f tree learn its lesson:

FILL FILLED, FULL, FULLNESS

Ge 1: 28 and f the earth and subdue it;

Jer 23: 24 Do I not f heaven and earth?

Eph 4: 10 so that he might f all things.)

FILLED FILL

Lk 1:15 will be f with the Holy Spirit.

Ac 2: 4 were f with the Holy Spirit and

Eph 5: 18 but be f with the Spirit,

FIND

Dt 4:29 you will f him if you search after

Jer 29: 13 you search for me, you will f me;

Mt 16: 25 lose their life for my sake will f it.

FINISHED

Ge 2: 2 on the seventh day God f the work

Sir 38: 8 God’s works will never be f;

Jn 19: 30 the wine, he said, “It is f.”

FIRE FIERY

Ex 13: 21 and in a pillar of f by night,

Sir 7: 17 punishment of the ungodly is f

Da 3: 25 walking in the middle of the f,

Mal 3: 2 For he is like a refiner’s f and like

Mt 3: 11 baptize you with the Holy Spirit and f.

Mk 9: 43 to go to hell, to the unquenchable f.

Ac 2: 3 Divided tongues, as of f, appeared

Heb 12: 29 indeed our God is a consuming f.

Rev 20: 14 the second death, the lake of f;

FIRST FIRSTBORN

Ge 1: 5 and there was morning, the f day.

Pr 8: 22 the f of his acts of long ago.

Isa 41: 4 I, the LORD, am f,

Mt 6: 33 But strive f for the kingdom of God

Mk 10: 31 But many who are f will be last, and the last will be f.”

1Th 4: 16 the dead in Christ will rise f.

1Jn 4: 19 We love because he f loved us.

Rev 1: 17 I am the f and the last,

20: 5 This is the f resurrection.

21: 1 the f heaven and the f earth

FIRSTBORN BEAR, FIRST

Ex 4: 22 ‘Thus says the LORD: Israel is my f

Ps 78: 51 He struck all the f in Egypt,

Sir 36: 17 whom you have named your f,

Zec 12: 10 as one weeps over a f.

Lk 2: 7 And she gave birth to her f son and

Col 1: 15 invisible God, the f of all creation;

Rev 1: 5 faithful witness, the f of the dead,

FISH

Jnh 2: 1 his God from the belly of the f,

Jn 6: 9 has five barley loaves and two f.

FLESH

Ge 2: 23 of my bones and f of my f;

2: 24 and they become one f.

Eze 36: 26 of stone and give you a heart of f.

Mt 16: 17 For f and blood has not revealed this

26: 41 but the f is weak.”

Jn 1: 14 the Word became f and lived among

3: 6 What is born of the f is f,

Ro 8: 4 to the f but according to the Spirit.

2Co 12: 7 a thorn was given me in the f,

Gal 5: 19 Now the works of the f are obvious:

1Pe 1: 24 “All f is like grass and all its glory

1Jn 4: 2 that Jesus Christ has come in the f

FLOOD

Ge 7: 7 the ark to escape the waters of the f.

Sir 40: 10 and on their account the f came.

2Pe 2: 5 a f on a world of the ungodly;

FLOWING

Ex 3: 8 a land f with milk and honey,

Jos 5: 6 a land f with milk and honey.

FOLLOW FOLLOWED

1Ki 18: 21 If the LORD is God, f him;

Lk 9: 23 take up their cross daily and f me.

FOLLOWED FOLLOW

Mk 1: 18 they left their nets and f him.

Rev 13: 3 the whole earth f the beast.

FOOD

Ge 1: 30 I have given every green plant for f.

1Mc 1: 63 to die rather than to be defiled by f

Ps 136: 25 who gives f to all flesh,

Jn 6: 55 for my flesh is true f and my blood

1Co 8: 8 “F will not bring us close to God.”

FOOL FOOLISH, FOOLISHNESS, FOOLS

Pr 15: 5 A f despises a parent’s instruction,

FOOLISH FOOL

Mt 7: 26 like a f man who built his house

1Co 1: 20 Has not God made f the wisdom of

Tit 3: 3 For we ourselves were once f,

FOOLISHNESS FOOL

1Co 1: 18 cross is f to those who are perishing,

3: 19 wisdom of this world is f with God.

FOOLS FOOL

Ps 14: 1 F say in their hearts, “There is no God.”

Pr 1: 7 f despise wisdom and instruction.

Ro 1: 22 Claiming to be wise, they became f;

1Co 4: 10 We are f for the sake of Christ,

FOREHEADS

Eze 9: 4 and put a mark on the f of those

Rev 7: 3 of our God with a seal on their f.”

20: 4 not received its mark on their f

FOREKNEW KNOW

Ro 8: 29 whom he f he also predestined to

11: 2 not rejected his people whom he f.

FOREVER

Ge 3: 22 the tree of life, and eat, and live f”

6: 3 spirit shall not abide in mortals f,

Ex 3: 15 This is my name f, and this my title

Ps 110: 4 “You are a priest f according to the

Ecc 3: 14 that whatever God does endures f;

Wis 5: 15 But the righteous live f,

Isa 40: 8 the word of our God will stand f.

Jn 6: 51 eats of this bread will live f;

14: 16 another Advocate, to be with you f.

Heb 13: 8 the same yesterday and today and f.

Rev 11: 15 and he will reign f and ever.”

FORGET

Dt 4: 23 So be careful not to f the covenant

Isa 49: 15 these may f, yet I will not f you.

FORGIVE FORGAVE, FORGIVEN, FORGIVENESS, FORGIVING

Ne 9: 17 But you are a God ready to f,

Sir 5: 6 he will f the multitude of my sins,”

Mt 6: 12 And f us our debts, as we

Lk 5: 24 has authority on earth to f sins”—

1Jn 1: 9 is faithful and just will f us our sins

FORGIVEN FORGIVE

Ps 32: 1 are those whose transgression is f,

Mt 6: 12 as we also have f our debtors.

12: 31 against the Spirit will not be f.

Ro 4: 7 are those whose iniquities are f,

Eph 4: 32 as God in Christ has f you.

FORGIVENESS FORGIVE

Mk 1: 4 a baptism of repentance for the f

Col 1: 14 we have redemption, the f of sins.

FORGIVING FORGIVE

Ex 34: 7 f iniquity and transgression and sin,

Eph 4: 32 f one another, as God in Christ has

FORMED FORMLESS

Ge 2: 7 LORD God f man from the dust

Ps 139: 13 you who f my inward parts;

FORMLESS FORMED

Ge 1: 2 the earth was a f void and darkness

Wis 11: 17 created the world out of f matter,

FORSAKE FORSAKEN

Dt 31: 6 he will not fail you or f you.”

Jos 1: 5 I will not fail you or f you.

Heb 13: 5 “I will never leave you or f you.”

FORSAKEN FORSAKE

Ps 22: 1 my God, why have you f me?

Mt 27: 46 my God, why have you f me?”

2Co 4: 9 persecuted, but not f;

FORTRESS

2Sa 22: 2 The LORD is my rock, my f,

Ps 71: 3 for you are my rock and my f.

FORTY

Ge 7: 4 rain on the earth for f days and f

Nu 14: 34 f days, for every day a year,

1Ki 19: 8 f days and f nights to Horeb

Jnh 3: 4 And he cried out, “F days more,

Mt 4: 2 He fasted f days and f nights,

Heb 3: 17 with whom was he angry f years?

FOUNDATION FOUNDATIONS

Isa 28: 16 See, I am laying in Zion a f stone,

1Co 3: 11 that f is Jesus Christ.

Eph 2: 20 built upon the f of the apostles

FOUNDATIONS FOUNDATION

Heb 11: 10 looked forward to the city that has f,

Rev 21: 14 the wall of the city has twelve f,

FRANKINCENSE INCENSE

Isa 60: 6 They shall bring gold and f,

Mt 2: 11 gifts of gold, f, and myrrh.

FREE

Jn 8: 32 and the truth will make you f.”

Ro 6: 23 the f gift of God is eternal life

Gal 3: 28 there is no longer slave or f,

FRIEND FRIENDS

Pr 18: 24 but a true f sticks closer than

Sir 7: 18 Do not exchange a f for money,

Mt 11: 19 a f of tax collectors and sinners!’

Jas 2: 23 and he was called the f of God.

FRIENDS FRIEND

Jn 15: 13 to lay down one’s life for one’s f.

FRUIT FRUITFUL, FRUITLESS, FRUITS

Ge 3: 6 she took of its f and ate;

Lk 6: 44 each tree is known by its own f.

Jn 15: 2 branch that bears f he prunes to make it bear more f.

Rev 22: 2 tree of life with its twelve kinds of f,

FRUITFUL FRUIT

Ge 9: 1 said to them, “Be f and multiply,

FRUITS FRUIT

Ro 8: 23 who have the first f of the Spirit,

1Co 15: 23 in his own order: Christ the first f,

Rev 14: 4 as first f for God and the Lamb,

FULFILL FULFILLED, FULFILLING

Mt 5: 17 I have come not to abolish but to f.

FULFILLED FULFILL

Mk 1: 15 “The time is f, and the kingdom

Lk 24: 44 prophets, and the psalms must be f.”

Ro 8: 4 requirement of the law might be f

FULFILLING FULFILL

Ro 13: 10 love is the f of the law.

FULL FILL

Sir 42: 16 work of the Lord is f of his glory.

Isa 6: 3 the whole earth is f of his glory.”

Jn 1: 14 f of grace and truth.

FULLNESS FILL

Jn 1: 16 From his f we have all received,

1Co 10: 26 “the earth and its f are the Lord’s.”

Gal 4: 4 But when the f of time had come,

Eph 3: 19 may be filled with all the f of God.

Col 1: 19 in him all the f of God was pleased

FURNACE

Da 3: 6 be thrown into a f of blazing fire.”

3: 49 of the Lord came down into the f

FUTURE

Pr 24: 20 for the evil have no f;

Jer 31: 17 hope for your f, says the LORD:

1Co 3: 22 or death or the present or the f—

G

GAIN

Lk 9: 25 if they g the whole world,

Php 1: 21 living is Christ and dying is g.

GALILEE

Isa 9: 1 beyond the Jordan, G of the nations.

Mt 4: 15 across the Jordan, G of the Gentiles

Jn 7: 41 the Messiah does not come from G,

GARDEN

Ge 2: 8 LORD God planted a g in Eden,

Jn 19: 41 and in the g there was a new tomb

GATE GATES

Mt 7: 13 “Enter through the narrow g;

Jn 10: 7 I am the g for the sheep.

GATES GATE

Mt 16: 18 and the g of Hades will not prevail

Rev 21: 21 And the twelve g are twelve pearls,

GATHERED

Mt 18: 20 two or three are g in my name,

GENERATION

Ex 20: 6 steadfast love to the thousandth g

Da 4: 34 his kingdom endures from g to g.

Mt 12: 39 evil and adulterous g asks for a sign,

Lk 21: 32 this g will not pass away

GENEROSITY

Gal 5: 22 joy, peace, patience, kindness, g,

GENTILE GENTILES

1Mc 1: 14 according to G custom,

Mt 18: 17 as a G and a tax collector.

Gal 2: 14 live like a G and not like a Jew,

GENTILES GENTILE

Tob 1: 11 from eating the food of the G.

1Mc 1: 11 and make a covenant with the G

Ro 3: 29 Is he not the God of G also?

GENTLENESS

Gal 5: 23 g, and self-control.

Php 4: 5 Let your g be known to everyone.

1Ti 6: 11 godliness, faith, love, endurance, g.

GETHSEMANE

Mk 14: 32 They went to a place called G;

GHOST

Mt 14: 26 were terrified, saying, “It is a g!”

Lk 24: 39 for a g does not have flesh and

GIFT GIFTS

Ecc 5: 19 this is the g of God.

Jn 4: 10 “If you knew the g of God,

Ac 2: 38 will receive the g of the Holy Spirit.

Ro 6: 23 but the free g of God is eternal life

1Co 7: 7 each has a particular g from God,

Jas 1: 17 with every perfect g, is from above,

Rev 21: 6 the thirsty I will give water as a g

GIFTS GIFT

Mt 2: 11 offered him g of gold, frankincense,

1Co 12: 1 Now concerning spiritual g,

GIVE GIVEN, GIVER

Mt 6: 11 G us this day our daily bread.

Mk 10: 45 to g his life a ransom for many.”

Jn 10: 28 I g them eternal life, and they will

Ac 20: 35 more blessed to g than to receive.’”

GIVEN GIVE

Sir 35: 12 Give to the Most High as he has g

Mt 7: 7 “Ask, and it will be g you;

Lk 22: 19 “This is my body, which is g for

Ro 5: 5 Holy Spirit that has been g to us.

GIVER GIVE

2Co 9: 7 for God loves a cheerful g.

GLADNESS

Ps 100: 2 Worship the LORD with g;

Pr 10: 28 The hope of the righteous ends in g,

Isa 16: 10 Joy and g are taken away from the

Zep 3: 17 he will rejoice over you with g,

Heb 1: 9 has anointed you with the oil of g

GLORIFIED GLORY

Jn 13: 31 “Now the Son of Man has been g,

Ac 3: 13 has g his servant Jesus,

Ro 8: 30 those whom he justified he also g.

GLORIFY GLORY

Ps 86: 12 and I will g your name forever.

Sir 43: 30 G the Lord and exalt him as much

Jn 17: 1 g your Son so that the Son may g you,

1Co 6: 20 therefore g God in your body.

GLORY GLORIFIED, GLORIFY

Ex 33: 18 Moses said, “Show me your g,

1Sa 4: 21 “The g has departed from Israel,”

1Mc 1: 40 dishonor now grew as great as her g

Ps 8: 5 crowned them with g and honor.

Sir 1: 11 The fear of the Lord is g and

Isa 6: 3 the whole earth is full of his g.”

Bar 5: 4 “Righteous Peace, Godly G.”

Mt 25: 31 the Son of Man comes in his g,

Lk 2: 14 “G to God in the highest heaven,

Jn 1: 14 and we have seen his g,

Ro 3: 23 sinned and fall short of the g of God;

1Co 10: 31 do everything for the g of God.

2Co 4: 17 for an eternal weight of g beyond

Heb 1: 3 reflection of God’s g and the exact

Rev 4: 11 to receive g and honor and power,

21: 23 for the g of God is its light,

GNASHING

Mt 8: 12 will be weeping and g of teeth.”

25: 30 will be weeping and g of teeth.’

GOAT GOATS

Lev 16: 9 Aaron shall present the g on which

GOATS GOAT

Mt 25: 32 separates the sheep from the g,

GOD GOD’S, GODLINESS, GODLY, GODS

Ge 1: 1 In the beginning when G created

1: 27 So G created humankind in his image,

6: 2 sons of G saw that they were fair;

Ex 34: 6 a G merciful and gracious, slow to

Nu 23: 19 G is not a human being,

Dt 6: 5 love the LORD your G with all

1Ki 8: 27 will G indeed dwell on the earth?

2Ch 2: 5 for our G is greater than other gods.

Tob 4: 19 At all times bless the Lord G,

Ps 19: 1 heavens are telling the glory of G;

22: 1 My G, my G, why have you forsaken

46: 10 “Be still, and know that I am G!

Ps 53: 1 Fools say in their hearts, “There is no G.”

Ecc 12: 13 Fear G, and keep his

Sir 32: 14 seeks G will accept his discipline,

Isa 9: 6 Wonderful Counselor, Mighty G,

44: 6 besides me there is no g.

Jer 10: 10 But the LORD is the true G;

Bar 4: 8 You forgot the everlasting G,

Da 14: 4 But Daniel worshiped his own G.

Mt 1: 23 which means, “G is with us.”

6: 24 You cannot serve G and wealth.

Mk 1: 1 news of Jesus Christ, the Son of G.

2: 7 Who can forgive sins but G alone?”

Lk 2: 14 “Glory to G in the highest heaven,

18: 19 No one is good but G alone.

22: 70 “Are you, then, the Son of G?”

Jn 1: 1 was with G, and the Word was G.

1: 18 It is G the only Son,

3: 16 G so loved the world that he gave his

5: 18 calling G his own Father, thereby making himself equal to G.

Ac 5: 29 “We must obey G rather than any

Ro 6: 23 gift of G is eternal life in Christ

2Co 4: 4 Christ, who is the image of G.

Eph 4: 6 one G and Father of all,

Php 2: 6 though he was in the form of G,

Col 1: 19 fullness of G was pleased to dwell,

1Jn 4: 16 G is love, and those who abide

Rev 4: 8 “Holy, holy, holy, the Lord G

GOD’S GOD

Mt 27: 43 for he said, ‘I am G Son.’”

27: 54 “Truly this man was G Son!”

GODLINESS GOD

Wis 10: 12 g is more powerful than anything

1Ti 4: 7 Train yourself in g,

2Pe 1: 3 everything needed for life and g,

GODLY GOD

Sir 37: 12 But associate with a g person

Bar 5: 4 “Righteous Peace, G Glory.”

2Co 7: 10 For g grief produces a repentance

2Pe 2: 9 how to rescue the g from trial,

GODS GOD

Ex 20: 3 you shall have no other g before me.

1Co 8: 5 so-called g in heaven or on earth—

GOLD

Tob 12: 8 better to give alms than to lay up g.

Ps 119: 127 love your commandments more than g,

Sir 31: 5 who loves g will not be justified;

1Pe 1: 7 being more precious than g that,

Rev 21: 21 and the street of the city is pure g,

GOLGOTHA

Mt 27: 33 G (which means Place of a Skull),

GOMORRAH

Ge 19: 24 LORD rained on Sodom and G sulfur

Jude 1: 7 Sodom and G and the surrounding

GOOD BEST, BETTER, GOODNESS

Ge 1: 31 and indeed, it was very g.

2: 9 tree of the knowledge of g and evil.

2Ch 7: 3 “For he is g, for his steadfast love

Tob 4: 9 laying up a g treasure for yourself

Ps 34: 8 taste and see that the LORD is g;

Isa 52: 7 who brings g news, who announces

Da 3: 89 to the Lord, for he is g,

Mt 5: 45 his sun rise on the evil and on the g,

Mk 10: 18 No one is g but God alone.

Jn 10: 11 “I am the g shepherd.

Ro 12: 21 but overcome evil with g.

Eph 2: 10 created in Christ Jesus for g works,

GOODNESS GOOD

Ps 23: 6 Surely g and mercy shall follow me

Heb 6: 5 tasted the g of the word of God and

2Pe 1: 5 support your faith with g,

GOSPEL

Mk 8: 35 and for the sake of the g,

Ro 1: 16 For I am not ashamed of the g;

Gal 1: 6 and are turning to a different g—

Php 1: 27 life in a manner worthy of the g

Rev 14: 6 an eternal g to proclaim to those

GRACE GRACIOUS

Wis 3: 9 g and mercy are upon his holy ones,

Jn 1: 14 father’s only son, full of g and truth.

1: 16 we have all received, g upon g.

Ac 15: 11 that we will be saved through the g

Ro 3: 24 are now justified by his g as a gift,

11: 6 otherwise g would no longer be g.

2Co 12: 9 “My g is sufficient for you,

Eph 2: 5 by g you have been saved—

Heb 4: 16 approach the throne of g with

Jas 4: 6 But he gives all the more g;

GRACIOUS GRACE

Ex 34: 6 the LORD, a God merciful and g,

Nu 6: 25 to shine upon you, and be g to you;

Ps 116: 5 G is the LORD, and righteous;

GREAT GREATER, GREATEST

Ge 1: 16 God made the two g lights—

12: 2 I will make of you a g nation,

Dt 10: 17 the g God, mighty and awesome,

Jdt 16: 13 O Lord, you are g and glorious,

Sir 17: 29 How g is the mercy of the Lord,

La 3: 23 g is your faithfulness.

Mt 4: 16 sat in darkness have seen a g light,

20: 26 whoever wishes to be g among you

Heb 2: 3 if we neglect so g a salvation?

13: 20 the g shepherd of the sheep,

Rev 12: 9 The g dragon was thrown down,

20: 11 I saw a g white throne and the one

GREATER GREAT

Ex 18: 11 that the LORD is g than all gods,

Mk 12: 31 no other commandment g than these

Jn 14: 12 in fact, will do g works than these,

15: 13 No one has g love than this,

GREATEST GREAT

Mt 22: 38 the g and first commandment.

Lk 9: 48 the least among all of you is the g.”

1Co 13: 13 and the g of these is love.

GREEK

Jn 19: 20 in Hebrew, in Latin, and in G.

Ro 1: 16 to the Jew first and also to the G.

Gal 3: 28 There is no longer Jew or G,

GRIEF GRIEVE, GRIEVED

2Co 7: 9 your g led to repentance;

GRIEVE GRIEF

Eph 4: 30 do not g the Holy Spirit of God,

1Th 4: 13 not g as others do who have no hope

GRIEVED GRIEF

Isa 63: 10 they rebelled and g his holy spirit;

GROUND

Ge 2: 7 formed man from the dust of the g,

Sir 33: 10 All human beings come from the g,

Isa 53: 2 and like a root out of dry g;

Mt 13: 5 Other seeds fell on rocky g,

GROW

Col 1: 10 as you g in the knowledge of God.

2Pe 3: 18 But g in the grace and knowledge of

GUARANTEE GUARANTEED

2Co 5: 5 who has given us the Spirit as a g.

Heb 7: 22 Jesus has also become the g of a

GUARANTEED GUARANTEE

Ro 4: 16 promise may rest on grace and be g

Heb 6: 17 he g it by an oath,

GUIDE

Ps 48: 14 He will be our g forever.

Isa 58: 11 The LORD will g you continually,

Lk 6: 39 Can a blind person g a blind person?

Jn 16: 13 he will g you into all the truth;

GUILT GUILTY

Ps 32: 5 and you forgave the g of my sin.

Hos 14: 2 say to him, “Take away all g;

Zec 3: 9 I will remove the g of this land

GUILTY GUILT

Ex 23: 7 for I will not acquit the g.

Nu 14: 18 but by no means clearing the g,

Da 13: 53 the innocent and acquitting the g,

Mk 3: 29 but is g of an eternal sin”—

H

HADES

Sir 21: 10 but at its end is the pit of H.

Mt 16: 18 and the gates of H will not prevail

Ac 2: 27 not abandon my soul to H,

Rev 1: 18 I have the keys of Death and of H.

20: 14 H were thrown into the lake of fire.

HALLOWED

Ge 2: 3 blessed the seventh day and h it,

Mt 6: 9 Father in heaven, h be your name.

HAND HANDS

Ex 15: 6 Your right h, O LORD, glorious

Dt 19: 21 tooth for tooth, h for h,

Ps 110: 1 says to my lord, “Sit at my right h

Mk 9: 43 If your h causes you to stumble, cut

Lk 20: 42 said to my Lord, “Sit at my right h,

Heb 10: 12 “he sat down at the right h of God,”

Rev 5: 1 saw in the right h of the one seated

HANDS HAND

Ps 24: 4 who have clean h and pure hearts,

Lk 23: 46 into your h I commend my spirit.”

24: 40 he showed them his h and his feet.

Jn 3: 35 has placed all things in his h.

Ac 8: 18 the laying on of the apostles’ h,

Heb 6: 2 laying on of h, resurrection of the

HARD HARDENED

Jer 32: 17 Nothing is too h for you.

Mt 7: 14 the road is h that leads to life,

19: 23 h for a rich person to enter the

HARDENED HARD

Ex 10: 20 But the LORD h Pharaoh’s heart,

Mk 8: 17 Are your hearts h?

2Co 3: 14 But their minds were h.

HARVEST HARVESTING

Ge 8: 22 the earth endures, seedtime and h,

Mt 13: 39 h is the end of the age, and the

Rev 14: 15 the h of the earth is fully ripe.”

HARVESTING HARVEST

Jn 4: 35 see how the fields are ripe for h.

HATE HATES, HATING

Ps 97: 10 The LORD loves those who h evil;

Ecc 3: 8 a time to love, and a time to h;

Am 5: 15 H evil and love good, and establish

Mt 5: 43 your neighbor and h your enemy.’

Lk 6: 27 do good to those who h you,

HATES HATE

Pr 6: 16 six things that the LORD h,

Sir 15: 13 The Lord h all abominations;

HEAD

Mt 8: 20 of Man has nowhere to lay his h.”

Mk 6: 28 brought his h on a platter,

Eph 1: 22 has made him the h over all things

HEAL HEALED, HEALING, HEALS, HEALTH

Dt 32: 39 and I make alive; I wound and I h;

Ecc 3: 3 a time to kill, and a time to h;

Jn 12: 40 and turn—and I would h them.”

HEALED HEAL

Isa 53: 5 and by his bruises we are h.

Jas 5: 16 one another, so that you may be h.

1Pe 2: 24 by his wounds you have been h.

HEALING HEAL

Eze 47: 12 for food, and their leaves for h.”

Mal 4: 2 shall rise, with h in its wings.

1Co 12: 9 another gifts of h by the one Spirit,

Rev 22: 2 leaves of the tree are for the h of

HEALS HEAL

Ex 15: 26 for I am the LORD who h you.”

Ps 103: 3 iniquity, who h all your diseases,

Wis 16: 12 your word, O Lord, that h all people

HEALTH HEAL

3Jn 1: 2 and that you may be in good h,

HEAR HEARERS, HEARS

Dt 6: 4 H, O Israel: The LORD is our God,

Sir 5: 11 Be quick to h, but deliberate in

Mk 12: 29 answered, “The first is, ‘H, O Israel:

Lk 7: 22 the lepers are cleansed, the deaf h,

Heb 3: 7 says, “Today, if you h his voice,

HEARERS HEAR

Ro 2: 13 For it is not the h of the law who

Jas 1: 22 merely h who deceive themselves.

HEARS HEAR

Ps 69: 33 For the LORD h the needy,

Pr 15: 29 but he h the prayer of the righteous.

Mt 7: 24 then who h these words of mine

1Jn 5: 14 according to his will, he h us.

HEART BROKENHEARTED, HEARTS

Dt 6: 5 the LORD your God with all your h,

Dt 30: 14 in your mouth and in your h for you

Jos 22: 5 all your h and with all your soul.”

1Sa 16: 7 but the LORD looks on the h.”

Ps 51: 10 Create in me a clean h, O God,

Pr 3: 5 Trust in the LORD with all your h,

Sir 1: 12 The fear of the Lord delights the h,

Jer 9: 26 of Israel is uncircumcised in h.

Eze 36: 26 A new h I will give you, Da 3: 39 Yet with a contrite h and

Mt 5: 8 “Blessed are the pure in h, for they

Mk 12: 30 the Lord your God with all your h,

Ro 2: 29 circumcision is a matter of the h—

HEARTS HEART

Jer 31: 33 and I will write it on their h;

Jn 14: 1 “Do not let your h be troubled.

Ro 2: 15 law requires is written on their h,

Eph 3: 17 Christ may dwell in your h through

Col 3: 15 the peace of Christ rule in your h,

Heb 10: 16 I will put my laws in their h,

1Jn 3: 20 for God is greater than our h,

Rev 2: 23 the one who searches minds and h,

HEAVEN HEAVENLY, HEAVENS

Dt 30: 12 “Who will go up to h for us,

Ecc 3: 1 and a time for every matter under h:

Mt 6: 9 Father in h, hallowed be your name.

24: 35 H and earth will pass away,

26: 64 and coming on the clouds of h.”

Mk 10: 21 and you will have treasure in h;

Lk 24: 51 and was carried up into h.

Ro 10: 6 ‘Who will ascend into h?’”

Php 3: 20 But our citizenship is in h,

1Th 1: 10 to wait for his Son from h,

Heb 9: 24 but he entered into h itself,

Rev 21: 1 I saw a new h and a new earth;

HEAVENLY HEAVEN

Mt 5: 48 as your h Father is perfect.

Eph 1: 3 spiritual blessing in the h places,

Heb 3: 1 holy partners in a h calling,

HEAVENS HEAVEN

Ge 1: 1 when God created the h and

Isa 65: 17 to create new h and a new earth;

Heb 4: 14 priest who has passed through the h,

2Pe 3: 10 the h will pass away with a loud

HEIR HEIRS

Gal 4: 7 then also an h, through God.

Heb 1: 2 whom he appointed h of all things,

HEIRS HEIR

Ro 8: 17 h of God and joint h with Christ—

Eph 3: 6 the Gentiles have become fellow h,

1Pe 3: 7 also h of the gracious gift of life—

HELL

Mt 10: 28 both soul and body in h.

Mk 9: 43 to have two hands and to go to h,

2Pe 2: 4 cast them into h and committed

HELP HELPER, HELPS

Ps 46: 1 a very present h in trouble.

Sir 2: 6 Trust in him, and he will h you;

Mk 9: 24 “I believe; h my unbelief!”

Heb 2: 18 able to h those who are being tested.

HELPER HELP

Ge 2: 18 will make him a h as his partner.”

Tob 8: 6 Eve as a h and support.

Ps 30: 10 O LORD, be my h!”

Heb 13: 6 Lord is my h; I will not be afraid.

HELPS HELP

Ps 37: 40 The LORD h them and rescues

Ro 8: 26 the Spirit h us in our weakness;

HIDDEN HIDE

Mt 13: 44 is like treasure h in a field,

Mk 4: 22 nothing h, except to be disclosed;

Col 3: 3 your life is h with Christ in God.

Rev 2: 17 the h manna, and I will give a white

HIDE HIDDEN

Dt 31: 17 I will forsake them and h my face

Ps 13: 1 How long will you h your face

17: 8 h me in the shadow of your wings,

HIGH HIGHEST

Ps 91: 1 live in the shelter of the Most H,

Mk 5: 7 Jesus, Son of the Most H God?

Eph 4: 8 “When he ascended on h he made

Heb 2: 17 a merciful and faithful h priest

7: 26 that we should have such a h priest,

HIGHEST HIGH

1Ki 8: 27 the h heaven cannot contain you,

Mt 21: 9 Hosanna in the h heaven!”

Lk 2: 14 “Glory to God in the h heaven,

HOLINESS HOLY

Ro 1: 4 according to the spirit of h by

2Co 6: 6 h of spirit, genuine love,

1Ti 2: 15 continue in faith and love and h,

Heb 12: 14 h without which no one will see

HOLY HOLINESS

Ex 20: 8 the sabbath day, and keep it h.

26: 33 the h place from the most h.

Lev 11: 44 and be h, for I am h.

1Sa 2: 2 “There is no H One like the LORD,

1Mc 1: 15 and abandoned the h covenant.

Wis 4: 15 he watches over his h ones.

Isa 6: 3 “H, h, h is the LORD of hosts;

Mt 1: 18 to be with child from the H Spirit.

3: 11 baptize you with the H Spirit and

Mk 1: 24 who you are, the H One of God.”

3: 29 against the H Spirit can never have

Lk 3: 22 the H Spirit descended upon him in

Jn 14: 26 But the Advocate, the H Spirit,

Ac 2: 4 were filled with the H Spirit and

Ro 12: 1 living sacrifice, h and acceptable

Eph 4: 30 do not grieve the H Spirit of God,

Heb 6: 4 and have shared in the H Spirit,

1Pe 1: 16 “You shall be h, for I am h.”

1Jn 2: 20 have been anointed by the H One,

Jude 1: 14 with ten thousands of his h ones,

Rev 4: 8 H, h, h, the Lord God the Almighty

21: 2 I saw the h city, the new Jerusalem,

HOMETOWN

Mk 6: 4 not without honor, except in their h,

HONEY

Ex 3: 8 a land flowing with milk and h,

Mt 3: 4 and his food was locusts and wild h.

HONOR

Dt 5: 16 H your father and your mother,

Ps 8: 5 and crowned them with glory and h.

Mt 15: 4 For God said, ‘H your father and

Ro 13: 7 h to whom h is due.

Eph 6: 2 “H your father and mother”—

Rev 4: 11 to receive glory and h and power,

HOPE HOPES

Sir 34: 15 their h is in him who saves them.

La 3: 21 and therefore I have h:

Da 13: 60 who saves those who h in him.

1Co 13: 13 And now faith, h, and love abide,

Col 1: 27 Christ in you, the h of glory.

1Jn 3: 3 all who have this h in him purify

HOPES HOPE

1Co 13: 7 believes all things, h all things,

HOSANNA

Mk 11: 10 H in the highest heaven!”

Jn 12: 13 went out to meet him, shouting, “H!

HOSPITABLE HOSPITALITY

1Ti 3: 2 temperate, sensible, respectable, h,

Tit 1: 8 but he must be h, a lover

1Pe 4: 9 Be h to one another without

HOSPITALITY HOSPITABLE

Ro 12: 13 of the saints; extend h to strangers.

1Ti 5: 10 has brought up children, shown h,

Heb 13: 2 not neglect to show h to strangers,

HOSTS

Ps 46: 7 The LORD of h is with us;

Isa 48: 2 the LORD of h is his name.

HOUR

Mt 24: 36 about that day and h no one knows,

Jn 2: 4 My h has not yet come.”

17: 1 “Father, the h has come;

Rev 3: 10 I will keep you from the h of trial

14: 7 for the h of his judgment has come;

HOUSE HOUSEHOLD, STOREHOUSE

Ex 20: 17 shall not covet your neighbor’s h;

1Ch 22: 1 “Here shall be the h of the LORD

Ezr 1: 5 rebuild the h of the LORD in

Ps 69: 9 zeal for your h that has consumed

Mt 7: 24 like a wise man who built his h Jn 2: 17 “Zeal for your h will consume me.”

14: 2 In my Father’s h there are many

1Pe 2: 5 be built into a spiritual h,

HOUSEHOLD HOUSE

Jos 24: 15 my h, we will serve the LORD.”

HUMAN HUMANKIND

Jdt 8: 16 for God is not like a h being,

Ps 8: 4 are h beings that you are mindful

Mt 15: 9 teaching h precepts as doctrines.’”

Ac 5: 29 obey God rather than any h

Php 2: 7 being born in h likeness.

HUMANKIND HUMAN

Ge 1: 26 “Let us make h in our image,

1Ti 2: 5 one mediator between God and h,

HUMBLE HUMBLED, HUMBLY, HUMILITY

Ps 25: 9 He leads the h in what is right,

Sir 3: 20 but by the h he is glorified.

Isa 57: 15 to revive the spirit of the h,

Mt 11: 29 for I am gentle and h in heart,

Jas 4: 10 H yourselves before the Lord,

HUMBLED HUMBLE

Lk 14: 11 all who exalt themselves will be h,

Php 2: 8 he h himself and became obedient

HUMBLY HUMBLE

Mic 6: 8 and to walk h with your God?

HUMILITY HUMBLE

Pr 15: 33 and h goes before honor.

Sir 1: 27 fidelity and h are his delight.

Zep 2: 3 seek righteousness, seek h;

Php 2: 3 in h regard others as better than

HUNGER HUNGRY

Mt 5: 6 “Blessed are those who h and thirst

Rev 7: 16 will h no more, and thirst no more;

HUNGRY HUNGER

Ps 146: 7 who gives food to the h.

Jn 6: 35 comes to me will never be h,

Ro 12: 20 “if your enemies are h, feed them;

HUSBAND HUSBANDS

Isa 54: 5 For your Maker is your h,

Sir 26: 1 Happy is the h of a good wife;

Eph 5: 23 h is the head of the wife just as

Rev 21: 2 as a bride adorned for her h.

HUSBANDS HUSBAND

Eph 5: 25 H, love your wives, just as Christ

Col 3: 18 Wives, be subject to your h,

1Pe 3: 7 H, in the same way, show

I

IDOL IDOLS

Ex 20: 4 shall not make for yourself an i,

Isa 40: 19 An i?—A workman casts it,

1Co 10: 19 or that an i is anything?

IDOLS IDOL

Ex 34: 17 You shall not make cast i.

1Mc 1: 43 they sacrificed to i and profaned the

1Co 8: 1 concerning food sacrificed to i:

IMAGE

Ge 1: 26 “Let us make humankind in our i,

Sir 17: 3 and made them in his own i.

1Co 15: 49 the i of the man of heaven.

Col 1: 15 He is the i of the invisible God,

Rev 20: 4 not worshiped the beast or its i

IMMANUEL EMMANUEL

Isa 7: 14 bear a son, and shall name him I.

IMMORAL IMMORALITY

1Co 5: 9 not to associate with sexually i

Heb 12: 16 an i and godless person,

IMMORALITY IMMORAL

Sir 41: 17 Be ashamed of sexual i,

2Co 12: 21 sexual i, and licentiousness

Jude 1: 7 indulged in sexual i and pursued

IMMORTAL IMMORTALITY

Ro 1: 23 the glory of the i God for images

1Ti 1: 17 the King of the ages, i, invisible,

IMMORTALITY IMMORTAL

1Co 15: 53 and this mortal body must put on i.

1Ti 6: 16 It is he alone who has i and dwells

IMPOSSIBLE

Mt 17: 20 and nothing will be i for you.”

Mk 10: 27 “For mortals it is i, but not for God;

Heb 11: 6 without faith it is i to please God,

INCENSE FRANKINCENSE

Ex 25: 6 anointing oil and for the fragrant i,

INFANTS

Ps 8: 2 Out of the mouths of babes and i

Mt 21: 16 ‘Out of the mouths of i and nursing

1Co 14: 20 i in evil, but in thinking be adults.

INHERIT INHERITANCE

Ps 37: 11 But the meek shall i the land,

Lk 10: 25 “what must I do to i eternal life?”

1Co 6: 9 wrongdoers will not i the kingdom

Heb 1: 14 sake of those who are to i salvation?

INHERITANCE INHERIT

Eph 1: 11 In Christ we have also obtained an i,

Heb 9: 15 the promised eternal i,

INIQUITY

Ex 34: 7 forgiving i and transgression and

Ps 103: 3 who forgives all your i,

Isa 53: 6 has laid on him the i of us all.

Tit 2: 14 that he might redeem us from all i

INN

Lk 2: 7 no place for them in the i.

INNOCENT

Pr 6: 17 and hands that shed i blood,

Mt 27: 24 “I am i of this man’s blood;

INSPIRED

Ex 35: 34 And he has i him to teach,

2Ti 3: 16 All scripture is i by God and is

INSTRUCT INSTRUCTED, INSTRUCTION, INSTRUCTOR

Dt 17: 10 observing everything they i you.

Ne 9: 20 You gave your good spirit to i them,

INSTRUCTED INSTRUCT

Isa 40: 13 or as his counselor has i him?

Jn 8: 28 these things as the Father i me.

INSTRUCTION INSTRUCT

Pr 8: 10 Take my i instead of silver,

Sir 51: 26 and let your souls receive i;

Ro 15: 4 in former days was written for our i,

1Ti 1: 5 But the aim of such i is love

INSTRUCTOR INSTRUCT

Mt 23: 10 for you have one i, the Messiah.

INTERCEDES INTERCESSION

Ro 8: 26 Spirit i with sighs too deep for

INTERCESSION INTERCEDES

1Sa 2: 25 against the LORD, who can make i?”

Isa 53: 12 and made i for the transgressors.

Heb 7: 25 he always lives to make i for them.

INTERPRET INTERPRETATION, INTERPRETATIONS

Mt 16: 3 cannot i the signs of the times.

1Co 12: 30 Do all speak in tongues? Do all i?

INTERPRETATION INTERPRET

1Co 12: 10 to another the i of tongues.

INTERPRETATIONS INTERPRET

Ge 40: 8 to them, “Do not i belong to God?

INVISIBLE

Col 1: 15 He is the image of the i God,

1Ti 1: 17 To the King of the ages, immortal, i,

ISRAEL JACOB

Ge 49: 28 All these are the twelve tribes of I,

Ex 28: 11 with the names of the sons of I;

Nu 24: 17 and a scepter shall rise out of I;

Dt 6: 4 Hear, O I: The LORD is our God,

Sir 17: 17 but I is the Lord’s own portion.

Jer 31: 31 a new covenant with the house of I

Mt 2: 6 who is to shepherd my people I.’”

Mk 12: 29 answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O I:

Ac 1: 6 you will restore the kingdom to I?”

Heb 8: 8 a new covenant with the house of I

Rev 7: 4 out of every tribe of the people of I:

J

JACOB ISRAEL

1Mc 1: 28 house of J was clothed with shame.

Ps 135: 4 the LORD has chosen J for himself,

Mic 7: 20 You will show faithfulness to J

Ro 9: 13 “I have loved J,

JARS

2Co 4: 7 But we have this treasure in clay j,

JEALOUS

Ex 34: 14 whose name is J, is a j God).

Dt 4: 24 God is a devouring fire, a j God.

Ro 10: 19 “I will make you j of those

JERUSALEM

2Sa 5: 5 and at J he reigned over all Israel

2Ki 25: 10 broke down the walls around J.

Ezr 2: 1 they returned to J and Judah, Ne 2: 17 Come, let us rebuild the wall of J,

1Mc 1: 29 and he came to J with a large force.

Isa 40: 2 Speak tenderly to J,

La 1: 8 J sinned grievously, so she has

Da 9: 25 went out to restore and rebuild J

Mt 23: 37 “J, J, the city that kills the prophets

Gal 4: 25 corresponds to the present J,

Heb 12: 22 of the living God, the heavenly J,

Rev 21: 2 And I saw the holy city, the new J,

JESUS CHRIST

LIFE: Genealogy (Mt 1:1–17; Lk 3:21–37). Birth announced (Mt 1:18–25; Lk 1:26–45). Birth (Mt 2:1–12; Lk 2:1–40). Escape to Egypt (Mt 2:13–23). As a boy in the temple (Lk 2:41–52). Baptism (Mt 3:13–17; Mk 1:9–11; Lk 3:21–22; Jn 1:32–34). Temptation (Mt 4:1–11; Mk 1:12–13; Lk 4:1–13). Ministry in Galilee (Mt 4:12–18:35; Mk 1:14–9:50; Lk 4:14–13:9; Jn 1:35–2:11; 4; 6), Transfiguration (Mt 17:1–8; Mk 9:2–8; Lk 9:28–36), on the way to Jerusalem (Mt 19–20; Mk 10; Lk 13:10–19:27), in Jerusalem (Mt 21–25; Mk 11–13; Lk 19:28–21:38; Jn 2:12–3:36; 5; 7–12). Last supper (Mt 26:17–35; Mk 14:12–31; Lk 22:1–38; Jn 13–17). Arrest and trial (Mt 26:36–27:31; Mk 14:43–15:20; Lk 22:39–23:25; Jn 18:1–19:16). Crucifixion (Mt 27:32–66; Mk 15:21–47; Lk 23:26–55; Jn 19:28–42). Resurrection and appearances (Mt 28; Mk 16; Lk 24; Jn 20–21; Ac 1:1–11; 7:56; 9:3–6; 1Co 15:1–8; Rev 1:1–20).

MIRACLES. Healings: official’s son (Jn 4:43–54), demoniac in Capernaum (Mk 1:23–26; Lk 4:33–35), Peter’s mother-in-law (Mt 8:14–17; Mk 1:29–31; Lk 4:38–39), leper (Mt 8:2–4; Mk 1:40–45; Lk 5:12–16), paralytic (Mt 9:1–8; Mk 2:1–12; Lk 5:17–26), cripple (Jn 5:1–9), shriveled hand (Mt 12:10–13; Mk 3:1–5; Lk 6:6–11), centurion’s servant (Mt 8:5–13; Lk 7:1–10), widow’s son raised (Lk 7:11–17), demoniac (Mt 12:22–23; Lk 11:14), Gadarene demoniacs (Mt 8:28–34; Mk 5:1–20; Lk 8:26–39), woman’s bleeding and Jairus’ daughter (Mt 9:18–26; Mk 5:21–43; Lk 8:40–56), blind man (Mt 9:27–31), mute man (Mt 9:32–33), Canaanite woman’s daughter (Mt 15:21–28; Mk 7:24–30), deaf man (Mk 7:31–37), blind man (Mk 8:22–26), demoniac boy (Mt 17:14–18; Mk 9:14–29; Lk 9:37–43), ten lepers (Lk 17:11–19), man born blind (Jn 9:1–7), Lazarus raised (Jn 11), crippled woman (Lk 13:11–17), man with dropsy (Lk 14:1–6), two blind men (Mt 20:29–34; Mk 10:46–52; Lk 18:35–43), Malchus’ ear (Lk 22:50–51). Other Miracles: water to wine (Jn 2:1–11), catch of fish (Lk 5:1–11), storm stilled (Mt 8:23–27; Mk 4:37–41; Lk 8:22–25), 5,000 fed (Mt 14:15–21; Mk 6:35–44; Lk 9:10–17; Jn 6:1–14), walking on water (Mt 14:25–33; Mk 6:48–52; Jn 6:15–21), 4,000 fed (Mt 15:32–39; Mk 8:1–9), money from fish (Mt 17:24–27), fig tree cursed (Mt 21:18–22; Mk 11:12–14), catch of fish (Jn 21:1–14).

MAJOR TEACHING: Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5–7; Lk 6:17–49), to Nicodemus (Jn 3), to Samaritan woman (Jn 4), Bread of Life (Jn 6:22–59), at Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7–8), woes to Pharisees (Mt 23; Lk 11:37–54), Good Shepherd (Jn 10:1–18), Olivet Discourse (Mt 24–25; Mk 13; Lk 21:5–36), Upper Room Discourse (Jn 13–16).

PARABLES: Sower (Mt 13:3–23; Mk 4:3–25; Lk 8:5–18), seed’s growth (Mk 4:26–29), wheat and weeds (Mt 13:24–30, 36–43), mustard seed (Mt 13:31–32; Mk 4:30–32), yeast (Mt 13:33; Lk 13:20–21), hidden treasure (Mt 13:44), valuable pearl (Mt 13:45–46), net (Mt 13:47–51), house owner (Mt 13:52), good Samaritan (Lk 10:25–37), unmerciful servant (Mt 18:15–35), lost sheep (Mt 18:10–14; Lk 15:4–7), lost coin (Lk 15:8–10), prodigal son (Lk 15:11–32), dishonest manager (Lk 16:1–13), rich man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19–31), persistent widow (Lk 18:1–8), Pharisee and tax collector (Lk 18:9–14), payment of workers (Mt 20:1–16), tenants and the vineyard (Mt 21:28–46; Mt 12:1–12; Lk 20:9–19), wedding banquet (Mt 22:1–14), faithful servant (Mt 24:45–51), ten virgins (Mt 25:1–13), talents (Mt 25:1–30; Lk 19:12–27).

DISCIPLES see APOSTLES. Call (Jn 1:35–51; Mt 4:18–22; 9:9; Mk 1:16–20; 2:13–14; Lk 5:1–11, 27–28). Named Apostles (Mk 3:13–19; Lk 6:12–16). Twelve sent out (Mt 10; Mk 6:7–11; Lk 9:1–5). Seventy sent out (Lk 10:1–24). Defection of (Jn 6:60–71; Mt 26:56; Mk 14:50–52). Final commission (Mt 28:16–20; Jn 21:15–23; Ac 1:3–8).

Ac 9: 5 “I am J, whom you are persecuting.

1Co 8: 6 and one Lord, J Christ,

Php 2: 10 name of J every knee should bend,

2Th 2: 1 the coming of our Lord J Christ

1Ti 1: 15 J came into the world to save

Heb 12: 2 to J the pioneer and perfecter of our

13: 8 J Christ is the same yesterday and

1Jn 1: 7 the blood of J his Son cleanses us

Rev 1: 1 The revelation of J Christ,

22: 20 Amen. Come, Lord J!

JEW JEWS

Ro 1: 16 to the J first and also to the Greek.

2: 29 a person is a J who is one inwardly,

Col 3: 11 there is no longer Greek and J,

JEWEL JEWELS

Rev 21: 19 of the city are adorned with every j;

JEWELS JEWEL

Pr 3: 15 She is more precious than j,

Isa 54: 12 your gates of j, and all your wall

Rev 17: 4 adorned with gold and j and pearls,

JEWS JEW

Est 3: 13 to kill, and to annihilate all J,

Mt 2: 2 who has been born king of the J?

27: 11 “Are you the King of the J?”

Ro 3: 29 Or is God the God of J only?

JOINED

Mt 19: 6 what God has j together, let no one

Eph 2: 21 the whole structure is j together

JORDAN

Ge 13: 10 the plain of the J was well watered

Nu 34: 12 the boundary shall go down to the J,

Mt 3: 6 were baptized by him in the river J,

JOY

Ne 8: 10 the j of the LORD is your strength.”

Tob 13: 17 Jerusalem will sing hymns of j,

Job 20: 5 j of the godless is but for a moment?

Ps 51: 12 Restore to me the j of your salvation

Pr 21: 15 When justice is done, it is a j to the

Isa 35: 10 everlasting j shall be upon their

La 2: 15 of beauty, the j of all the earth?”

Bar 5: 9 For God will lead Israel with j,

Lk 1: 44 the child in my womb leaped for j.

2: 10 bringing you good news of great j

Ro 14: 17 but righteousness and peace and j in

Gal 5: 22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, j,

Heb 12: 2 j that was set before him endured

Jas 1: 2 consider it nothing but j,

JUBILEE

Lev 25: 10 It shall be a j for you:

Nu 36: 4 when the j of the Israelites comes,

JUDEA

Mt 2: 1 Jesus was born in Bethlehem of J,

Lk 3: 1 Pontius Pilate was governor of J,

Ac 1: 8 my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all J

JUDGE JUDGED, JUDGES, JUDGMENT, JUDGMENTS

1Sa 2: 10 LORD will j the ends of the earth;

Ps 96: 13 for he is coming to j the earth.

Sir 35: 15 for the Lord is the j,

Eze 34: 17 I shall j between sheep and sheep,

Lk 6: 37 not j, and you will not be judged;

Jn 7: 24 Do not j by appearances,

Ro 3: 6 then how could God j the world?

1Co 6: 2 that the saints will j the world?

2Ti 4: 1 who is to j the living and the dead,

Rev 20: 4 on them were given authority to j.

JUDGED JUDGE

1Co 11: 31 if we j ourselves, we would not be j.

Rev 20: 12 dead were j according to their works

JUDGES JUDGE

Jdg 2: 16 Then the LORD raised up j,

Sir 16: 12 j a person according to one’s deeds.

Lk 11: 19 Therefore they will be your j.

JUDGMENT JUDGE

Ex 6: 6 arm and with mighty acts of j.

Ps 1: 5 wicked will not stand in the j,

Ecc 12: 14 God will bring every deed into j,

Wis 12: 12 Or will resist your j?

Sir 18: 20 Before j comes, examine yourself;

Jer 25: 31 he is entering into j with all flesh,

Da 7: 22 j was given for the holy ones of the

Ro 14: 10 we will all stand before the j seat of

2Co 5: 10 all of us must appear before the j

Heb 9: 27 to die once, and after that the j,

Jas 2: 13 mercy triumphs over j.

1Jn 4: 17 may have boldness on the day of j,

Rev 18: 10 For in one hour your j has come.”

JUDGMENTS JUDGE

Ps 119: 75 LORD, that your j are right,

Ro 11: 33 How unsearchable are his j and

Rev 19: 2 for his j are true and just;

JUST JUSTICE, JUSTIFICATION, JUSTIFIED, JUSTIFY

Ge 18: 25 Judge of all the earth do what is j?”

Tob 3: 2 O Lord, and all your deeds are j;

Sir 18: 2 the Lord alone is j.

1Jn 1: 9 he who is faithful and j will forgive

Rev 15: 3 J and true are your ways, King of

JUSTICE JUST

Ex 23: 6 not pervert the j due to your poor

Ps 33: 5 He loves righteousness and j;

Isa 30: 18 For the LORD is a God of j;

Jer 9: 24 I act with steadfast love, j,

Hos 12: 6 to your God, hold fast to love and j,

Am 5: 24 But let j roll down like waters,

Lk 11: 42 and neglect j and the love of God;

JUSTIFICATION JUST

Ro 4: 25 trespasses and was raised for our j.

2Co 3: 9 more does the ministry of j abound

Gal 2: 21 for if j comes through the law,

JUSTIFIED JUST

Mt 12: 37 for by your words you will be j,

Ro 5: 1 Therefore, since we are j by faith,

10: 10 believes with the heart and so is j,

Gal 2: 16 that we might be j by faith in Christ,

Jas 2: 24 is j by works and not by faith alone.

K

KEEP KEEPER

Ge 17: 9 for you, you shall k my covenant,

Ex 19: 5 obey my voice and k my covenant,

Nu 6: 24 The LORD bless you and k you;

Dt 5: 10 love me and k my commandments.

Ne 1: 5 love him and k his commandments;

Pr 7: 2 k my commandments and live,

Ecc 3: 6 time to k, and a time to throw away;

12: 13 Fear God, and k his commandments

Lk 17: 33 those who lose their life will k it.

KEEPER KEEP

Ge 4: 9 am I my brother’s k?”

Ps 121: 5 The LORD is your k;

KEY KEYS

Rev 3: 7 true one, who has the k of David,

KEYS KEY

Mt 16: 19 you the k of the kingdom of heaven,

Rev 1: 18 I have the k of Death and of Hades.

KILL KILLED, KILLS

Ecc 3: 3 a time to k, and a time to heal;

Mt 10: 28 not fear those who k the body but cannot k the soul;

Mk 14: 1 to arrest Jesus by stealth and k him;

KILLED KILL

Mk 9: 31 after being k, he will rise again.”

Ac 3: 15 and you k the Author of life,

KILLS KILL

2Co 3: 6 the letter k, but the Spirit gives life.

KIND KINDNESS

1Co 13: 4 Love is patient; love is k;

Eph 4: 32 and be k to one another,

KINDNESS KIND

Pr 31: 26 teaching of k is on her tongue.

Ro 2: 4 k is meant to lead you to repentance

Gal 5: 22 joy, peace, patience, k, generosity,

KING KINGDOM, KINGS

2Sa 2: 4 there they anointed David k over

Tob 10: 13 Lord of heaven and earth, K over all

Jdt 9: 12 K of all your creation, Ps 2: 6 set my k on Zion, my holy hill.”

10: 16 The LORD is k forever and ever;

Isa 6: 5 have seen the K, the LORD of hosts!

Mt 2: 2 who has been born k of the Jews?

27: 37 “This is Jesus, the K of the Jews.”

1Ti 1: 17 To the K of the ages, immortal,

Rev 19: 16 “K of kings and Lord of lords.”

KINGDOM KING

Ex 19: 6 you shall be for me a priestly k and

2Sa 7: 12 and I will establish his k.

Ps 145: 13 Your k is an everlasting k,

Wis 10: 10 she showed him the k of God,

Mt 4: 17 “Repent, for the k of heaven has

5: 3 for theirs is the k of heaven.

6: 10 Your k come. Your will be done,

Mk 10: 24 how hard it is to enter the k of God!

Lk 17: 21 in fact, the k of God is among you.”

Jn 18: 36 “My k is not from this world.

Ro 14: 17 the k of God is not food and drink

1Co 6: 9 wrongdoers will not inherit the k

1Th 2: 12 calls you into his own k and glory.

Heb 12: 28 receiving a k that cannot be shaken,

Rev 11: 15 world has become the k of our Lord

KINGS KING

Ps 2: 2 The k of the earth set themselves,

Isa 52: 15 k shall shut their mouths because of

Ac 4: 26 The k of the earth took their stand,

1Ti 6: 15 the King of k and Lord of lords.

Rev 19: 16 “King of k and Lord of lords.”

KISS

Ps 2: 12 k his feet, or he will be angry,

SS 1: 2 Let him k me with the kisses of his

Mt 26: 48 “The one I will k is the man; arrest

2Co 13: 12 Greet one another with a holy k.

KNEE KNEES

Isa 45: 23 “To me every k shall bow,

Ro 14: 11 says the Lord, every k shall bow to

Php 2: 10 at the name of Jesus every k should

KNEES KNEE

1Ki 19: 18 the k that have not bowed to Baal,

Eph 3: 14 I bow my k before the Father,

KNOCK KNOCKING

Lk 11: 9 k, and the door will be opened for

KNOCKING KNOCK

Rev 3: 20 I am standing at the door, k;

KNOW FOREKNEW, KNOWLEDGE, KNOWN, KNOWS

Job 19: 25 For I k that my Redeemer lives,

Ps 46: 10 “Be still, and k that I am God!

Jer 31: 34 “K the LORD,” for they shall all k

Mt 6: 3 left hand k what your right hand is

22: 34 denied three times that you k me.”

Jn 10: 14 I k my own and my own k me,

1Co 13: 12 I k only in part; then I will k fully,

Heb 8: 11 ‘K the Lord,’ for they shall all k me,

1Jn 2: 4 Whoever says, “I have come to k

Rev 3: 3 not k at what hour I will come to

KNOWLEDGE KNOW

Ge 2: 9 the tree of the k of good and evil.

Pr 1: 7 of the LORD is the beginning of k;

Sir 3: 25 without k there is no wisdom.

1Co 8: 1 K puffs up, but love builds up.

Eph 3: 19 the love of Christ that surpasses k,

Col 2: 3 the treasures of wisdom and k.

1Jn 2: 20 and all of you have k.

KNOWN KNOW

Ps 139: 1 you have searched me and k me.

Lk 6: 44 for each tree is k by its own fruit.

KNOWS KNOW

Ps 94: 11 The LORD k our thoughts,

Sir 42: 18 Most High k all that may be known;

Mt 6: 8 your Father k what you need before

24: 36 about that day and hour no one k,

L

LABOR

Ex 20: 9 Six days you shall l and do all your

LADDER

Ge 28: 12 there was a l set up on the earth,

LAID LAY

Isa 53: 6 the LORD has l on him the iniquity

Mk 16: 6 Look, there is the place they l him.

1Jn 3: 16 that he l down his life for us—

LAKE

Rev 19: 20 were thrown alive into the l of fire

20: 14 This is the second death, the l of fire

LAMB

Ge 22: 8 “God himself will provide the l for

Ex 12: 21 and slaughter the passover l.

Isa 53: 7 like a l that is led to the slaughter,

Mk 14: 12 when the Passover l is sacrificed,

Jn 1: 29 L of God who takes away the sin of

1Co 5: 7 For our paschal l, Christ, has been

1Pe 1: 19 like that of a l without defect or

Rev 5: 12 the L that was slaughtered to

21: 23 and its lamp is the L.

LAME

Isa 35: 6 then the l shall leap like a deer,

Zep 3: 19 And I will save the l and gather the

Mt 11: 5 the l walk, the lepers are cleansed,

LAMP LAMPS, LAMPSTAND, LAMPSTANDS

Ps 119: 105 Your word is a l to my feet and a

Mt 5: 15 lighting a l puts it under the bushel

LAMPS LAMP

Ex 25: 37 You shall make the seven l for it;

LAMPSTAND LAMP

1Mc 4: 50 and lit the lamps on the l,

Ex 25: 31 You shall make a l of pure gold.

LAMPSTANDS LAMP

Rev 1: 20 the seven l are the seven churches.

LAND

Ge 1: 10 God called the dry l Earth,

Ex 3: 8 a l flowing with milk and honey,

Nu 13: 2 to spy out the l of Canaan,

Jos 11: 23 So Joshua took the whole l,

2Ki 17: 5 the king of Assyria invaded all the l

25: 21 So Judah went into exile out of its l.

2Ch 7: 14 will forgive their sin and heal their l.

Ps 37: 11 But the meek shall inherit the l,

LANGUAGE

Ge 11: 9 LORD confused the l of all the earth;

LAST EVERLASTING

Isa 44: 6 I am the first and I am the l;

Mt 19: 30 first will be l, and the l will be first.

Heb 1: 2 l days he has spoken to us by a Son,

Rev 1: 17 I am the first and the l,

LAUGH

Ecc 3: 4 a time to weep, and a time to l;

Lk 6: 21 you who weep now, for you will l.

LAW LAWFUL

Dt 1: 5 Moses undertook to expound this l

31: 9 Then Moses wrote down this l,

Jos 1: 8 book of the l shall not depart out of

1Mc 2: 48 They rescued the l out of the hands

Ps 1: 2 their delight is in the l of the LORD,

119: 97 Oh, how I love your l!

Jer 31: 33 I will put my l within them,

Mt 5: 17 come to abolish the l or the prophets

Lk 24: 44 written about me in the l of Moses,

Ro 6: 14 you are not under l but under grace.

10: 4 For Christ is the end of the l so that

Heb 10: 1 Since the l has only a shadow of the

Jas 2: 10 For whoever keeps the whole l but

LAWFUL LAW

1Co 6: 12 “All things are l for me,”

10: 23 “All things are l,” but

LAY LAID

Mt 28: 6 Come, see the place where he l.

Jn 10: 15 I l down my life for the sheep.

LEAD LEADS

Isa 11: 6 and a little child shall l them.

LEADS LEAD

Ps 23: 2 he l me beside still waters;

LEAST

Mt 2: 6 are by no means l among the rulers

5: 19 called l in the kingdom of heaven;

Lk 9: 48 l among all of you is the greatest.”

LEAVE LEFT

Mk 10: 7 this reason a man shall l his father

Heb 13: 5 said, “I will never l you or forsake

LEAVEN

Ex 12: 15 on the first day you shall remove l LEAVES

Ge 3: 7 and they sewed fig l together

Eze 47: 12 and their l for healing.”

Rev 22: 2 l of the tree are for the healing of

LEFT LEAVE

Mt 6: 3 your l hand know what your right

Lk 17: 34 one will be taken and the other l.

LEGS

Jn 19: 33 they did not break his l.

LEPER LEPROUS

Mt 8: 2 and there was a l who came to him

26: 6 in the house of Simon the l,

LEPERS LEPROUS

Lk 7: 22 the lame walk, the l are cleansed,

LEPROUS LEPER, LEPERS

Ex 4: 6 he took it out, his hand was l,

Nu 12: 10 Miriam had become l,

LETTER

Mt 5: 18 not one l, not one stroke of a l,

2Co 3: 6 the l kills, but the Spirit gives life.

LEVIATHAN

Job 41: 1 you draw out L with a fishhook,

Ps 74: 14 You crushed the heads of L;

LEVITES LEVITICAL

Nu 1: 53 L shall camp around the tabernacle

Jos 14: 4 no portion was given to the L in the

Ne 8: 9 L who taught the people said to all

LEVITICAL LEVITES

Heb 7: 11 attainable through the l priesthood

LIAR LIE

Pr 19: 22 and it is better to be poor than a l.

Jn 8: 44 for he is a l and the father of lies.

LIE LIAR, LYING

Nu 23: 19 that he should l, or a mortal,

Ps 23: 2 makes me l down in green pastures;

1Jn 2: 21 know that no l comes from the truth.

LIFE LIVE

Ge 2: 7 into his nostrils the breath of l;

2: 9 the tree of l also in the midst of the

9: 5 require a reckoning for human l.

Ex 21: 23 then you shall give l for l,

Dt 30: 19 Choose l so that you and your

Sir 4: 12 Whoever loves her loves l,

Isa 53: 10 you make his l an offering for sin,

Da 12: 2 shall awake, some to everlasting l,

Mt 7: 14 and the road is hard that leads to l,

10: 39 Those who find their l will lose it,

20: 28 to give his l a ransom for many.”

Jn 1: 4 in him was l, and the l was the light

3: 15 believes in him may have eternal l.

6: 35 said to them, “I am the bread of l.

11: 25 “I am the resurrection and the l.

14: 6 “I am the way, and the truth, and the l.

Ac 3: 15 and you killed the Author of l,

Ro 5: 21 eternal l through Jesus Christ our

2Co 3: 6 the letter kills, but the Spirit gives l.

Php 4: 3 whose names are in the book of l.

1Jn 5: 20 He is the true God and eternal l.

Rev 2: 8 who was dead and came to l:

Rev 20: 4 came to l and reigned with Christ

20: 12 book was opened, the book of l.

22: 2 the tree of l with its twelve kinds

LIGHT ENLIGHTENED, ENLIGHTENS, LIGHTS

Ge 1: 3 “Let there be l” and there was l.

Isa 9: 2 in darkness have seen a great l;

60: 1 Arise, shine; for your l has come,

Mt 4: 16 in darkness have seen a great l,

5: 14 “You are the l of the world.

Jn 1: 9 true l, which enlightens everyone,

8: 12 saying, “I am the l of the world.

Ro 13: 12 and put on the armor of l;

2Co 11: 14 Satan disguises himself as an angel of l.

Rev 22: 5 for the Lord God will be their l,

LIGHTS LIGHT

Ge 1: 16 God made the two great l—

Jas 1: 17 coming down from the Father of l,

LIKENESS

Ge 1: 26 in our image, according to our l;

Ro 8: 3 his own Son in the l of sinful flesh,

Php 2: 7 of a slave, being born in human l.

LION LIONS

Isa 11: 7 the l shall eat straw like the ox.

Rev 5: 5 See, the L of the tribe of Judah,

LIONS LION

Da 6: 20 able to deliver you from the l?”

LISTEN

Ex 23: 22 But if you l attentively to his voice

2Ki 17: 40 They would not l, however,

Sir 11: 8 Do not answer before you l,

Mk 9: 7 my Son, the Beloved; l to him!”

Lk 16: 31 ‘If they do not l to Moses and the

Jas 1: 19 be quick to l, slow to speak,

LIVE ALIVE, LIFE, LIVES, LIVING

Ge 3: 22 and eat, and l forever”—

Ex 33: 20 for no one shall see me and l.”

Lev 18: 5 by doing so one shall l:

Dt 8: 3 one does not l by bread alone,

Wis 5: 15 But the righteous l forever,

Sir 34: 14 those who fear the Lord will l,

Hab 2: 4 but the righteous l by their faith.

Mt 4: 4 ‘One does not l by bread alone,

Jn 11: 25 even though they die, will l,

Ro 14: 8 If we l, we l to the Lord,

2Co 5: 15 those who l might l no longer for

LIVES LIVE

Tob 13: 1 “Blessed be God who l forever,

Job 19: 25 For I know that my Redeemer l,

Ro 6: 10 but the life he l, he l to God.

Rev 15: 7 of God, who l forever and ever;

LIVING LIVE

Ge 2: 7 and the man became a l being.

Dt 5: 26 the voice of the l God speaking out

Jer 2: 13 forsaken me, the fountain of l water,

Zec 14: 8 that day l waters shall flow out from

Mt 16: 16 the Messiah, the Son of the l God.”

Jn 4: 10 he would have given you l water.”

6: 51 I am the l bread that came down

Ro 12: 1 present your bodies as a l sacrifice,

Heb 4: 12 the word of God is l and active,

LOAVES

Mk 6: 41 Taking the five l and the two fish,

8: 6 and he took the seven l,

LOCUSTS

Ex 10: 4 I will bring l into your country.

Mt 3: 4 and his food was l and wild honey.

Rev 9: 3 from the smoke came l on the earth,

LONG

Ex 20: 12 that your days may be l in the land

Ps 13: 1 How l, O LORD?

Rev 6: 10 how l will it be before you judge

LORD LORD’S, LORDS

Dt 10: 17 God is God of gods and L of lords,

Jdt 6: 19 L God of heaven, see their

Ps 110: 1 The LORD says to my l,

Wis 8: 3 and the L of all loves her.

Sir 1: 1 All wisdom is from the L,

Da 3: 57 Bless the L, all you works of the L;

13: 2 and one who feared the L.

Mt 7: 22 many will say to me, ‘L, L,

Mk 1: 3 ‘Prepare the way of the L,

12: 29 the L our God, the L is one;

Lk 2: 11 who is the Messiah, the L.

Jn 13: 13 You call me Teacher and L—

20: 28 “My L and my God!”

Ac 2: 34 ‘The L said to my L, “Sit at my

Ro 4: 24 in him who raised Jesus our L

10: 12 the same L is L of all and

1Co 8: 6 and one L, Jesus Christ,

2Co 3: 17 Now the L is the Spirit,

Eph 4: 5 one L, one faith, one baptism,

Php 2: 11 that Jesus Christ is L, to the glory

1Pe 3: 15 in your hearts sanctify Christ as L.

Rev 4: 8 “Holy, holy, holy, the L God

19: 16 “King of kings and L of lords.”

22: 20 Amen. Come, L Jesus!

†LORD †LORD’S

Ge 2: 7 L God formed man from the dust of

13: 4 Abram called on the name of the L.

18: 14 Is anything too wonderful for the L?

Ex 15: 3 The L is a warrior; the L is his name.

34: 6 and proclaimed, “The L, the L,

Lev 19: 2 for I the L your God am holy.

Nu 6: 24 The L bless you and keep you;

Dt 6: 4 The L is our God, the L alone.

Jos 24: 15 my household, we will serve the L.”

1Sa 2: 2 “There is no Holy One like the L,

Ne 8: 10 the joy of the L is your strength.”

Job 1: 21 the L gave, and the L has taken

Ps 1: 2 their delight is in the law of the L,

10: 16 The L is king forever and ever;

23: 1 The L is my shepherd, I shall not

33: 12 Happy is the nation whose God is the L

110: 1 The L says to my lord,

150: 6 that breathes praise the L!

Pr 1: 7 fear of the L is the beginning of

3: 5 Trust in the L with all your heart,

Isa 6: 3 “Holy, holy, holy is the L of hosts;

53: 6 the L has laid on him the iniquity

Jer 31: 34 “Know the L,” for they shall all

La 3: 25 The L is good to those who wait for

Eze 37: 4 O dry bones, hear the word of the L.

48: 35 time on shall be, The L is There.

Hos 14: 1 Return, O Israel, to the L your God,

Joel 1: 15 For the day of the L is near,

Am 5: 6 Seek the L and live,

Ob 1: 15 the day of the L is near against all

Na 1: 3 The L is slow to anger but great in

Zep 1: 14 The great day of the L is near,

Zec 14: 9 the L will be one and his name one.

Mal 4: 5 and terrible day of the L comes.

LORD’S LORD

Mk 12: 11 was the L doing, and it is amazing

Lk 4: 19 to proclaim the year of the L favor.”

Ro 14: 8 or whether we die, we are the L.

1Co 10: 26 the earth and its fullness are the L.”

†LORD’S †LORD

Dt 32: 9 the L own portion was his people,

Isa 59: 1 the L hand is not too short to save,

Ob 1: 21 and the kingdom shall be the L.

LORDS LORD

Dt 10: 17 God is God of gods and Lord of l,

Rev 19: 16 “King of kings and Lord of l.”

LOSS LOST

Sir 32: 24 who trusts the Lord will not suffer l.

Php 3: 8 I regard everything as l because of

LOST LOSS

Ps 119: 176 I have gone astray like a l sheep;

Lk 15: 6 I have found my sheep that was l.’

19: 10 came to seek out and to save the l.”

LOTS

Ps 22: 18 and for my clothing they cast l.

Mt 27: 35 among themselves by casting l;

LOVE BELOVED, LOVED, LOVES

Ex 20: 6 but showing steadfast l to the

34: 6 and abounding in steadfast l and

Lev 19: 18 shall l your neighbor as yourself:

Dt 6: 5 You shall l the LORD your God

2Ch 6: 42 Remember your steadfast l

Ne 1: 5 steadfast l with those who l him

1Mc 4: 33 with the sword of those who l you,

Ps 18: 1 I l you, O LORD, my strength.

86: 5 abounding in steadfast l to all who

119: 97 Oh, how I l your law!

136: 1 for his steadfast l endures forever.

Pr 8: 17 I l those who l me,

Ecc 3: 8 a time to l, and a time to hate;

SS 1: 2 For your l is better than wine,

Sir 2: 15 and those who l him keep his ways.

7: 30 With all your might l your Maker,

Isa 54: 8 but with everlasting l I will have

La 3: 22 steadfast l of the LORD never ceases,

Da 14: 38 have not forsaken those who l you.”

Hos 11: 4 of human kindness, with bands of l.

Joel 2: 13 and abounding in steadfast l,

Jnh 4: 2 and abounding in steadfast l,

Mt 5: 44 L your enemies and pray

6: 24 either hate the one and l the other,

Mk 12: 31 shall l your neighbor as yourself.’

Lk 6: 32 For even sinners l those who l them.

10: 27 “You shall l the Lord your God

Jn 12: 25 Those who l their life lose it,

13: 34 new commandment, that you l one

14: 15 “If you l me, you will keep my

15: 13 No one has greater l than this,

Ro 5: 8 But God proves his l for us in that

12: 9 Let l be genuine; hate what is evil,

1Co 8: 1 Knowledge puffs up, but l builds up.

13: 4 L is patient; l is kind;

13: 13 and the greatest of these is l.

Gal 5: 22 the fruit of the Spirit is l, joy,

Eph 3: 19 l of Christ that surpasses knowledge

5: 25 Husbands, l your wives,

1Ti 6: 10 For the l of money is a root of all

Heb 10: 24 provoke one another to l and good

13: 5 your lives free from the l of money,

2Pe 1: 7 and mutual affection with l.

1Jn 2: 15 not l the world or the things in the

3: 1 See what l the Father has given us,

5: 3 For the l of God is this,

2Jn 1: 6 And this is l, that we walk according

Jude 1: 21 keep yourselves in the l of God;

Rev 2: 4 abandoned the l you had at first.

LOVED LOVE

Jer 31: 3 have l you with an everlasting love;

Jn 3: 16 God so l the world that he gave his

15: 9 the Father has l me, so I have l you;

15: 12 love one another as I have l you.

1Jn 4: 19 We love because he first l us.

LOVES LOVE

Pr 3: 12 the LORD reproves the one he l,

17: 17 A friend l at all times,

Wis 8: 3 and the Lord of all l her.

Sir 4: 12 Whoever l her l life,

Lk 7: 47 to whom little is forgiven, l little.”

Ro 13: 8 who l another has fulfilled the law.

Eph 5: 28 He who l his wife l himself.

Heb 12: 6 Lord disciplines those whom he l,

Rev 1: 5 who l us and freed us from our sins

LOWER LOWLY

Ps 8: 5 have made them a little l than God,

Heb 2: 7 made them for a little while l than

LOWLY LOWER

Jdt 9: 11 But you are the God of the l,

Pr 16: 19 It is better to be of a l spirit

Ro 12: 16 but associate with the l;

LOYALTY

Dt 7: 9 God who maintains covenant l

Ru 3: 10 this last instance of your l

Ps 101: 1 I will sing of l and of justice;

Hos 4: 1 There is no faithfulness or l,

LUKEWARM

Rev 3: 16 because you are l, and neither cold

LUST LUSTS

Mt 5: 28 looks at a woman with l has already

2Pe 1: 4 that is in the world because of l,

LUSTS LUST

Ro 1: 24 gave them up in the l of their hearts

LYING LIE

Pr 6: 17 a l tongue, and hands that shed

Wis 1: 11 and a l mouth destroys the soul.

M

MADE MAKE

Ge 1: 31 God saw everything that he had m,

2: 22 he m into a woman and brought her

6: 6 was sorry that he had m humankind

15: 18 the LORD m a covenant with Abram,

Ex 20: 11 For in six days the LORD m heaven

Ps 8: 5 have m them a little lower than God

118: 24 This is the day that the LORD has m;

139: 14 I am fearfully and wonderfully m.

Sir 43: 33 For the Lord has m all things,

Ac 2: 36 that God has m him both Lord and

Eph 2: 5 m us alive together with Christ—

MAGDALENE

Mt 27: 56 Among them were Mary M,

MAJESTIC MAJESTY

Ex 15: 11 Who is like you, m in holiness,

Ps 8: 1 how m is your name in all the earth!

MAJESTY MAJESTIC

1Ch 29: 11 the glory, the victory, and the m;

Ps 93: 1 The LORD is king, he is robed in m;

2Pe 1: 16 we had been eyewitnesses of his m.

MAKE MADE, MAKER

Ge 1: 26 “Let us m humankind in our image,

2: 18 will m him a helper as his partner.”

Ex 20: 4 You shall not m for yourself an idol,

Nu 6: 25 LORD m his face to shine upon you,

Mt 28: 19 and m disciples of all nations,

MAKER MAKE

Ge 14: 19 God Most High, m of heaven and

Ps 95: 6 kneel before the LORD, our M!

Sir 7: 30 With all your might love your M,

Isa 54: 5 For your M is your husband,

MALE

Ge 1: 27 m and female he created them.

Lev 20: 13 If a man lies with a m as with a

Rev 12: 5 she gave birth to a son, a m child,

MAN

Ge 2: 7 LORD God formed m from the dust

2: 18 not good that the m should be alone;

Mt 9: 6 Son of M has authority on earth to

Lk 6: 5 The Son of M is lord of the sabbath.

Jn 9: 35 “Do you believe in the Son of M?”

1Co 11: 3 that Christ is the head of every m,

Rev 1: 13 I saw one like the Son of M,

MANGER

Lk 2: 12 in bands of cloth and lying in a m.”

MANNA

Ex 16: 31 The house of Israel called it m;

Jn 6: 49 ate the m in the wilderness,

Rev 2: 17 I will give some of the hidden m,

MANY

Mt 22: 14 m are called, but few are chosen.”

Mk 10: 45 and to give his life a ransom for m.”

Ro 12: 5 who are m, are one body in Christ,

MARK

Ge 4: 15 And the LORD put a m on Cain,

Eze 9: 6 but touch no one who has the m.

Rev 19: 20 who had received the m of the beast

MARRIAGE MARRIED, MARRIES

Mt 22: 30 are given in m, but are like angels

Heb 13: 4 Let m be held in honor by all,

Rev 19: 7 for the m of the Lamb has come,

MARRIED MARRIAGE

1Ti 3: 2 be above reproach, m only once,

Tit 1: 6 m only once, whose children are

MARRIES MARRIAGE

Mk 10: 11 and m another commits adultery

Ro 7: 3 if she m another man, she is not an

1Co 7: 28 and if a virgin m, she does not sin.

MASTER MASTERS, TASKMASTERS

Mal 1: 6 if I am a m, where is the respect due

Jn 15: 20 Servants are not greater than their m

2Pe 2: 1 deny the M who bought them—

MASTERS MASTER

Mt 6: 24 “No one can serve two m;

MEDIATOR

Gal 3: 19 ordained through angels by a m.

1Ti 2: 5 m between God and humankind,

Heb 8: 6 he is the m of a better covenant,

MEDITATE MEDITATION

Jos 1: 8 you shall m on it day and night,

Ps 1: 2 on his law they m day and night.

Wis 12: 22 we may m upon your goodness,

Sir 6: 37 and m at all times on his

MEDITATION MEDITATE

Ps 19: 14 of my mouth and the m of my heart

119: 97 It is my m all day long.

MEEK MEEKNESS

Ps 37: 11 But the m shall inherit the land,

Mt 5: 5 “Blessed are the m, for they will

MEEKNESS MEEK

Col 3: 12 kindness, humility, m, and patience.

Jas 1: 21 with m the implanted word

MEETING

Ex 27: 21 In the tent of m, outside the curtain

40: 34 the cloud covered the tent of m,

MELCHIZEDEK

Ge 14: 18 King M of Salem brought out bread

Ps 110: 4 forever according to the order of M.”

Heb 7: 1 This “King M of Salem, priest of

MEMBERS

Ro 7: 23 I see in my m another law at war

1Co 6: 15 that your bodies are m of Christ?

12: 18 God arranged the m in the body,

MERCIES MERCY

La 3: 22 his m never come to an end;

2Co 1: 3 the Father of m and the God of all

MERCIFUL MERCY

Dt 4: 31 the LORD your God is a m God,

Ps 111: 4 the LORD is gracious and m.

Sir 2: 11 the Lord is compassionate and m;

Jer 3: 12 not look on you in anger, for I am m

Mt 5: 7 “Blessed are the m, for they will

Lk 6: 36 Be m, just as your Father is m.

MERCY MERCIES, MERCIFUL

Ex 25: 17 make a m seat of pure gold;

1Ch 21: 13 of the LORD, for his m is very great;

Sir 2: 17 for equal to his majesty is his m,

Hab 3: 2 in wrath may you remember m.

Mt 9: 13 learn what this means, ‘I desire m,

23: 23 of the law: justice and m and faith.

Ro 9: 15 “I will have m on whom I have m,

Eph 2: 4 But God, who is rich in m,

Jas 2: 13 m triumphs over judgment.

MESSENGER MESSAGE

Mt 11: 10 I am sending my m ahead of you,

2Co 12: 7 a m of Satan to torment me,

MESSIAH CHRIST, MESSIAHS

Mt 16: 16 Peter answered, “You are the M,

Lk 2: 11 a Savior, who is the M, the Lord.

Ac 2: 36 God has made him both Lord and M

Ro 9: 5 according to the flesh, comes the M,

Rev 11: 15 kingdom of our Lord and of his M,

MESSIAHS MESSIAH

Mk 13: 22 False m and false prophets will

MIDWIVES

Ex 1: 17 But the m feared God; they did not

MIGHT ALMIGHTY, MIGHTY

2Ch 20: 6 In your hand are power and m,

Sir 7: 30 With all your m love your Maker,

Zec 4: 6 m, nor by power, but by my spirit,

MIGHTY MIGHT

Ge 49: 24 by the hands of the M One of Jacob,

Ex 6: 1 by a m hand he will let them go;

Ps 99: 4 M King, lover of justice, you have

Isa 9: 6 Wonderful Counselor, M God,

Rev 18: 8 for m is the Lord God who judges

MILE

Mt 5: 41 one m, go also the second m.

MILK

Ex 3: 8 a land flowing with m and honey,

Heb 5: 12 You need m, not solid food;

MILLSTONE STONE

Lk 17: 2 better for you if a m were hung

MIND MINDFUL

Nu 23: 19 mortal, that he should change his m.

Sir 37: 17 The m is the root of all conduct;

Jnh 3: 9 God may relent and change his m;

Mt 22: 37 all your soul, and with all your m.’

1Co 2: 16 who has known the m of the Lord

Php 2: 5 same m be in you that was in Christ

Heb 7: 21 sworn and will not change his m,

MINDFUL MIND

Ps 8: 4 beings that you are m of them,

Heb 2: 6 beings that you are m of them,

MINISTERS MINISTRY

2Co 3: 6 to be m of a new covenant,

11: 15 if his m also disguise themselves as m

MINISTRY MINISTERS

2Co 5: 18 has given us the m of reconciliation;

Eph 4: 12 equip the saints for the work of m,

Heb 8: 6 now obtained a more excellent m,

MIRACLES See also JESUS: MIRACLES

Ps 78: 11 and the m that he had shown them.

Ac 19: 11 did extraordinary m through Paul,

1Co 12: 29 Are all teachers? Do all work m?

Heb 2: 4 signs and wonders and various m,

MOCKED MOCK

Gal 6: 7 God is not m, for you reap

MOMENT MOMENTARY

Ps 30: 5 For his anger is but for a m;

Isa 54: 7 For a brief m I abandoned you,

1Co 15: 52 in a m, in the twinkling of an eye,

MOMENTARY MOMENT

2Co 4: 17 this slight m affliction is preparing

MONEY

Mk 11: 15 the tables of the m changers

1Ti 6: 10 love of m is a root of all kinds

Heb 13: 5 your lives free from the love of m,

MOON MOONS

Joel 2: 31 to darkness, and the m to blood,

Ac 2: 20 to darkness and the m to blood,

Rev 6: 12 the full m became like blood,

21: 23 no need of sun or m to shine on it,

MOONS MOON

2Ch 8: 13 the new m, and the three annual

Col 2: 16 or of observing festivals, new m,

MORALS

1Co 15: 33 “Bad company ruins good m.”

MORNING

Ge 1: 5 and there was m, the first day.

Ps 30: 5 but joy comes with the m.

La 3: 23 every m; great is your faithfulness.

Lk 24: 22 They were at the tomb early this m,

2Pe 1: 19 the day dawns and the m star rises

Rev 22: 16 of David, the bright m star.”

MOST

Ge 14: 18 he was priest of God M High.

Ex 26: 33 the holy place from the m holy.

Ps 91: 1 live in the shelter of the M High,

Mk 5: 7 Jesus, Son of the M High God?

MOTH

Ps 39: 11 consuming like a m what is dear to

Mt 6: 19 where m and rust consume and

MOTHER

Ge 2: 24 a man leaves his father and his m

3: 20 because she was the m of all living.

Ex 20: 12 Honor your father and your m,

Tob 4: 3 Honor your m and do not abandon

Sir 3: 6 who honor their m obey the Lord;

Isa 66: 13 As a m comforts her child, so I will

Mt 10: 37 loves father or m more than me is

Jn 19: 27 to the disciple, “Here is your m.”

Eph 5: 31 a man will leave his father and m

Rev 17: 5 m of whores and of earth’s

MOUNT MOUNTAIN, MOUNTAINS

Ex 19: 20 the LORD descended upon M Sinai,

Ps 78: 68 M Zion, which he loves.

Mk 13: 3 he was sitting on the M of Olives

Rev 14: 1 the Lamb, standing on M Zion!

MOUNTAIN MOUNT

Isa 2: 2 the m of the LORD’s house shall

Mt 4: 8 a very high m and showed him all

17: 20 you will say to this m, ‘Move from

MOUNTAINS MOUNT

1Co 13: 2 have all faith, so as to remove m,

MOURN MOURNFUL, MOURNING

Ecc 3: 4 a time to m, and a time to dance;

Sir 7: 34 but m with those who m.

Mt 5: 4 “Blessed are those who m,

MOURNING MOURN

Rev 21: 4 m and crying and pain will be no

MOUTH

Dt 8: 3 that comes from the m of the LORD.

Ps 19: 14 Let the words of my m and

Sir 28: 25 and a bolt for your m.

Mt 4: 4 every word that comes from the m

Rev 19: 15 From his m comes a sharp sword

MULTIPLY

Ge 1: 28 to them, “Be fruitful and m,

9: 7 And you, be fruitful and m,

Dt 6: 3 that you may m greatly in a land

MULTITUDE

Jas 5: 20 and will cover a m of sins.

1Pe 4: 8 for love covers a m of sins.

MURDER MURDERER

Ex 20: 13 You shall not m.

Hos 4: 2 lying, and m, and stealing and

Mt 5: 21 of ancient times, ‘You shall not m’

MURDERER MURDER

Nu 35: 16 the m shall be put to death.

Jn 8: 44 He was a m from the beginning

MUSTARD

Mt 17: 20 have faith the size of a m seed,

Mk 4: 31 It is like a m seed, which,

MYRRH

Mt 2: 11 gifts of gold, frankincense, and m.

Mk 15: 23 offered him wine mixed with m;

MYSTERY

Da 2: 19 m was revealed to Daniel in a vision

Ro 11: 25 I want you to understand this m:

1Co 15: 51 Listen, I will tell you a m!

Eph 3: 4 my understanding of the m of Christ

1Ti 3: 9 must hold fast to the m of the faith

Rev 17: 5 a name, a m: “Babylon the great,

N

NAILING NAILS

Col 2: 14 He set this aside, n it to the cross.

NAILS NAILING

Jn 20: 25 put my finger in the mark of the n

NAKED

Ge 2: 25 the man and his wife were both n,

Job 1: 21 “N I came from my mother’s womb, and n shall

NAME NAMES

Ge 2: 19 every living creature, that was its n.

4: 26 people began to invoke the n of

Ex 3: 15 my n forever, and this my title

20: 7 wrongful use of the n of the LORD

Ps 9: 10 know your n put their trust in you,

Pr 18: 10 The n of the LORD is a strong tower;

Sir 2: 17 and equal to his n are his works.

Isa 42: 8 I am the LORD, that is my n;

Eze 20: 9 But I acted for the sake of my n,

Joel 2: 32 on the n of the LORD shall be saved;

Mt 1: 21 a son, and you are to n him Jesus,

6: 9 Father in heaven, hallowed be your n.

28: 19 baptizing them in the n of the Father

Jn 1: 12 received him, who believed in his n,

20: 31 believing you may have life in his n.

Ac 4: 12 for there is no other n under heaven

Php 2: 9 gave him the n that is above every n

Rev 13: 17 n of the beast or the number of its n.

19: 13 his n is called The Word of God.

NAMES NAME

Mt 10: 2 are the n of the twelve apostles:

Rev 21: 14 the twelve n of the twelve apostles

NARROW

Lk 13: 24 “Strive to enter through the n door;

NATION NATIONS

Ge 12: 2 I will make of you a great n, and

Ex 32: 10 and of you I will make a great n.”

Isa 66: 8 a n be delivered in one moment?

1Pe 2: 9 a holy n, God’s own people,

NATIONS NATION

Ge 18: 18 the n of the earth shall be blessed in

Am 9: 12 and all the n who are called

Mt 28: 19 and make disciples of all n,

Mk 11: 17 a house of prayer for all the n’?

Ro 4: 18 become “the father of many n,”

Rev 22: 2 the tree are for the healing of the n.

NAZARETH

Mt 2: 23 made his home in a town called N,

Jn 1: 46 Can anything good come out of N?

19: 19 “Jesus of N, the King of the Jews.”

NAZIRITE

Nu 6: 2 make a special vow, the vow of a n,

Jdg 13: 5 boy shall be a n to God from birth.

NEAR

Dt 30: 14 No, the word is very n to you;

Isa 55: 6 call upon him while he is n;

Lk 10: 9 ‘The kingdom of God has come n

Jas 4: 8 Draw n to God, and he will draw n to

NEED NEEDY

Mt 6: 8 for your Father knows what you n

Heb 4: 16 and find grace to help in time of n.

NEEDLE

Lk 18: 25 a camel to go through the eye of a n

NEEDY NEED

1Sa 2: 8 he lifts the n from the ash heap,

Ps 113: 7 and lifts the n from the ash heap,

NEIGHBOR

Lev 19: 18 shall love your n as yourself:

Dt 5: 20 bear false witness against your n.

Mt 19: 19 You shall love your n as yourself.”

NEVER

La 3: 22 steadfast love of the LORD n ceases,

1Co 13: 8 Love n ends. But as for prophecies,

Heb 13: 5 he has said, “I will n leave you or

NEW

Ecc 1: 9 there is nothing n under the sun.

Isa 65: 17 create n heavens and a n earth;

Jer 31: 31 I will make a n covenant with the

La 3: 23 they are n every morning;

Eze 36: 26 A n heart I will give you,

Mt 9: 17 is n wine put into old wineskins;

Lk 22: 20 is the n covenant in my blood.

Jn 13: 34 I give you a n commandment,

2Co 3: 6 to be ministers of a n covenant,

Heb 8: 8 when I will establish a n covenant

2Pe 3: 13 we wait for n heavens and a n earth,

Rev 21: 1 I saw a n heaven and a n earth;

21: 5 “See, I am making all things n.”

NEWS

Isa 52: 7 who brings good n, who announces

Mt 11: 5 the poor have good n brought to

Mk 1: 15 repent, and believe in the good n.”

NIGHT NIGHTS

Ge 1: 5 and the darkness he called N.

1Th 5: 2 Lord will come like a thief in the n.

Rev 22: 5 And there will be no more n;

NIGHTS NIGHT

Ge 7: 12 on the earth forty days and forty n.

Jnh 1: 17 of the fish three days and three n.

Mt 4: 2 He fasted forty days and forty n,

12: 40 for three days and three n the Son

NOISE

Ps 66: 1 Make a joyful n to God, all the earth

2Pe 3: 10 will pass away with a loud n,

NOTHING

Ecc 1: 9 there is n new under the sun.

Jer 32: 17 N is too hard for you.

Mt 17: 20 and n will be impossible for you.”

Jn 15: 5 apart from me you can do n.

NUMBER

Rev 13: 18 Its n is six hundred sixty-six.

O

OATH

Dt 7: 8 and kept the o that he swore to your

Heb 7: 20 This was confirmed with an o;

OBEDIENCE OBEY

Ro 5: 19 so by the one man’s o the many will

Heb 5: 8 learned o through what he suffered;

OBEDIENT OBEY

Php 2: 8 and became o to the point of death

OBEY OBEDIENCE, OBEDIENT

Ex 19: 5 if you o my voice and keep my

Dt 12: 28 Be careful to o all these words that

Mt 28: 20 o everything that I have commanded

Ac 5: 29 “We must o God rather than any

Eph 6: 1 Children, o your parents in the Lord,

1Jn 5: 3 love of God is this, that we o his

OFFENSE

Mk 6: 3 And they took o at him.

Gal 5: 11 o of the cross has been removed.

OFFERING OFFERINGS

Ge 4: 4 LORD had regard for Abel and his o,

1Mc 4: 44 what to do about the altar of burnt o,

Ps 40: 6 Sacrifice and o you do not desire,

Da 11: 31 shall abolish the regular burnt o

Eph 5: 2 a fragrant o and sacrifice to God.

Heb 10: 14 For by a single o he has perfected

OFFERINGS OFFERING

1Mc 1: 45 to forbid burnt o and sacrifices

Hos 6: 6 of God rather than burnt o.

Mk 12: 33 important than all whole burnt o

OIL

Ex 25: 6 o for the lamps, spices for the anointing o

Ps 23: 5 you anoint my head with o;

Jas 5: 14 anointing them with o in the name

OLD

Mk 2: 22 puts new wine into o wineskins;

Eph 4: 22 your o self, corrupt and deluded by

OLIVE OLIVES

Zec 4: 3 And by it there are two o trees,

Ro 11: 17 and you, a wild o shoot,

Rev 11: 4 two o trees and the two lampstands

OLIVES OLIVE

Zec 14: 4 Mount of O shall be split in two

Mt 24: 3 he was sitting on the Mount of O,

OMEGA

Rev 1: 8 “I am the Alpha and the O,”

ONCE ONE

Ro 6: 10 he died, he died to sin, o for all;

Heb 7: 27 this he did o for all when he offered

9: 27 it is appointed for mortals to die o,

ONE FIRST, ONCE

Ge 2: 24 and they become o flesh.

Zec 14: 9 the LORD will be o and his name o.

Mk 12: 29 the Lord our God, the Lord is o;

Jn 10: 30 The Father and I are o.”

1Co 12: 13 For in the o Spirit we were all baptized

Eph 4: 5 o Lord, o faith, o baptism,

ONLY

Jn 1: 14 the glory as of a father’s o son,

3: 16 that he gave his o Son,

1Ti 1: 17 the o God, be honor and glory

1Jn 4: 9 God sent his o Son into the world so

OPPRESSED

Jdt 9: 11 God of the lowly, helper of the o,

Ps 146: 7 who executes justice for the o;

Isa 53: 7 He was o, and he was afflicted,

ORACLES

Ro 3: 2 entrusted with the o of God.

ORDAIN

Ex 29: 9 shall then o Aaron and his sons.

1Ti 5: 22 Do not o anyone hastily,

ORPHAN ORPHANED, ORPHANS

Ex 22: 22 You shall not abuse any widow or o.

Hos 14: 3 In you the o finds mercy.”

ORPHANED ORPHAN

Jn 14: 18 will not leave you o; I am coming

ORPHANS ORPHAN

Sir 4: 10 Be a father to o, and be like a

Jas 1: 27 to care for o and widows in their

OUTSTRETCHED

Ex 6: 6 I will redeem you with an o arm

Ps 136: 12 an o arm, for his steadfast love

Jer 27: 5 by my great power and my o arm

OVERCOME

Jn 1: 5 and the darkness did not o it.

Ro 12: 21 Do not be o by evil, but o evil with

1Jn 2: 14 and you have o the evil one.

OVERSHADOW OVERSHADOWED

Lk 1: 35 power of the Most High will o you;

OVERSHADOWED OVERSHADOW

Lk 9: 34 a cloud came and o them;

OWE

Mt 18: 28 he said, ‘Pay what you o.’

Ro 13: 8 O no one anything, except to love

P

PAIN

Ge 3: 16 in p you shall bring forth children,

Rev 21: 4 and crying and p will be no more,

PALM

Jn 12: 13 So they took branches of p trees

Rev 7: 9 robed in white, with p branches in

PARABLE PARABLES

Ps 78: 2 I will open my mouth in a p;

PARABLES PARABLE; See also JESUS:

PARABLES

Sir 39: 2 penetrates the subtleties of p;

Mt 13: 35 I will open my mouth to speak in p;

PARADISE

Lk 23: 43 today you will be with me in P.”

2Co 12: 4 was caught up into P and heard

Rev 2: 7 tree of life that is in the p of God.

PARALYTIC PARALYZED

Mt 9: 2 saw their faith, he said to the p,

PARALYZED PARALYTIC

Jn 5: 3 many invalids—blind, lame, and p.

Ac 8: 7 who were p or lame were cured.

PARCHMENTS

2Ti 4: 13 also the books, and above all the p.

PARDON

Ex 34: 9 p our iniquity and our sin,

Isa 55: 7 our God, for he will abundantly p.

PARENTS

Eph 6: 1 Children, obey your p in the Lord,

PARTIALITY

Dt 16: 19 distort justice; you must not show p;

Pr 24: 23 P in judging is not good.

Sir 35: 15 and with him there is no p.

Ro 2: 11 For God shows no p.

Jas 3: 17 without a trace of p or hypocrisy.

PARTNERS

1Co 10: 20 not want you to be p with demons.

Heb 3: 1 holy p in a heavenly calling,

PASS PASSED, PASSING

Ex 12: 13 when I see the blood, I will p over

33: 19 make all my goodness p before you,

Am 5: 17 I will p through the midst of you,

Mt 24: 35 Heaven and earth will p away, but my words will not p

2Pe 3: 10 then the heavens will p away

PASSED PASS

Ex 12: 27 he p over the houses of the Israelites

2Co 5: 17 everything old has p away;

Rev 21: 4 for the first things have p away.”

PASSING PASS

1Co 7: 31 present form of this world is p away

1Jn 2: 17 the world and its desire are p away,

PASSIONS

Gal 5: 24 have crucified the flesh with its p

2Ti 2: 22 Shun youthful p and pursue

PASSOVER

Ex 12: 11 It is the p of the LORD.

Dt 16: 1 the month of Abib by keeping the p

Mk 14: 12 when the P lamb is sacrificed,

PASTORS

Eph 4: 11 evangelists, some p and teachers,

PASTURES

Ps 23: 2 He makes me lie down in green p;

PATH PATHS

Ps 119: 105 lamp to my feet and a light to my p.

PATHS PATH

Mt 3: 3 of the Lord, make his p straight.’”

Heb 12: 13 and make straight p for your feet,

PATIENCE PATIENT

Mic 2: 7 Is the LORD’s p exhausted?

Ro 2: 4 his kindness and forbearance and p?

Gal 5: 22 fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, p,

2Pe 3: 15 regard the p of our Lord as salvation

PATIENT PATIENCE

1Co 13: 4 Love is p; love is kind;

PEACE PEACEMAKERS

Ps 122: 6 Pray for the p of Jerusalem:

Isa 57: 19 P, p, to the far and the near,

Jer 6: 14 saying, “P, p,” when there is no p.

Mic 5: 5 and he shall be the one of p.

Lk 2: 14 on earth p among those whom he

Jn 14: 27 P I leave with you; my p I give

1Co 14: 33 is a God not of disorder but of p.

Gal 5: 22 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, p,

Php 4: 7 the p of God, which surpasses all

PEACEMAKERS PEACE

Mt 5: 9 “Blessed are the p, for they will be

PEARLS

Mt 7: 6 do not throw your p before swine,

PENTECOST

Ac 2: 1 When the day of P had come,

PEOPLE

Ex 5: 1 the God of Israel, ‘Let my p go,

Dt 4: 20 a p of his very own possession,

Ru 1: 16 your p shall be my p,

Ps 29: 11 the LORD bless his p with peace!

Isa 40: 1 Comfort, O comfort my p, says

Mt 1: 21 he will save his p from their sins.”

Heb 8: 10 their God, and they shall be my p.

1Pe 2: 9 a holy nation, God’s own p,

PERFECT PERFECTER, PERFECTION

2Sa 22: 31 This God—his way is p;

Ps 19: 7 The law of the LORD is p, reviving

Mt 5: 48 Be p, therefore, as your heavenly Father is p.

Ro 12: 2 what is good and acceptable and p.

Heb 7: 19 (for the law made nothing p);

1Jn 4: 18 in love, but p love casts out fear;

PERFECTER PERFECT

Heb 12: 2 Jesus the pioneer and p of our faith,

PERFECTION PERFECT

Heb 6: 1 Therefore let us go on toward p,

1Jn 2: 5 the love of God has reached p.

PERISH PERISHABLE

Est 4: 16 and if I p, I p.”

Ps 1: 6 but the way of the wicked will p.

Jn 3: 16 who believes in him may not p

2Pe 3: 9 with you, not wanting any to p,

PERISHABLE PERISH

1Co 9: 25 they do it to receive a p wreath,

15: 42 What is sown is p, what is raised is

1Pe 1: 23 not of p but of imperishable seed,

PERSECUTE PERSECUTED,

PERSECUTION

Mt 5: 44 and pray for those who p you,

Ac 9: 4 “Saul, Saul, why do you p me?”

Ro 12: 14 Bless those who p you; bless

PERSECUTED PERSECUTE

2Co 4: 9 p, but not forsaken; struck down,

2Ti 3: 12 godly life in Christ Jesus will be p.

PERSECUTION PERSECUTE

Mt 13: 21 or p arises on account of the word,

Ro 8: 35 Will hardship, or distress, or p, or

Heb 10: 33 publicly exposed to abuse and p,

PERSEVERANCE PERSEVERE

Heb 12: 1 let us run with p the race that is set

PERSEVERE PERSEVERANCE

Da 12: 12 Happy are those who p

Ro 12: 12 be patient in suffering, p in prayer.

PHARAOH PHARAOH’S

Ex 14: 17 I will gain glory for myself over P

PHARAOH’S PHARAOH

Ex 7: 3 But I will harden P heart,

Heb 11: 24 refused to be called a son of P

PHARISEE PHARISEES

Lk 11: 37 a P invited him to dine with him;

Jn 3: 1 a P named Nicodemus,

Ac 5: 34 a P in the council named Gamaliel,

Php 3: 5 as to the law, a P;

PHARISEES PHARISEE

Mt 5: 20 that of the scribes and P,

16: 6 beware of the yeast of the P and

23: 13 “But woe to you, scribes and P,

PHILISTINE PHILISTINES

1Sa 17: 37 save me from the hand of this P.”

PHILISTINES PHILISTINE

1Sa 5: 1 the P captured the ark of God,

Am 1: 8 the remnant of the P shall perish,

PIERCED

Zec 12: 10 look on the one whom they have p,

Jn 19: 37 look on the one whom they have p.”

Rev 1: 7 even those who p him;

PIG

Dt 14: 8 the p, because it divides the hoof

PILLAR

Ge 19: 26 and she became a p of salt.

Ex 13: 21 and in a p of fire by night,

PIONEER

Heb 2: 10 make the p of their salvation perfect

12: 2 Jesus the p and perfecter of our faith

PIT

Sir 21: 10 but at its end is the p of Hades.

Rev 20: 3 into the p, and locked and sealed it

PLACE

Jn 14: 3 And if I go and prepare a p for you,

PLAGUE PLAGUES

Zec 14: 12 the p with which the LORD will

Rev 11: 6 strike the earth with every kind of p,

PLAGUES PLAGUE

Hos 13: 14 O Death, where are your p?

Rev 15: 1 seven angels with seven p, which

PLANT

Ge 1: 29 I have given you every p yielding

Ecc 3: 2 time to p, and a time to pluck up

PLEASE PLEASED, PLEASES, PLEASING

Sir 2: 16 Those who fear the Lord seek to p

Ro 8: 8 who are in the flesh cannot p God.

15: 3 For Christ did not p himself;

Heb 11: 6 without faith it is impossible to p God,

PLEASED PLEASE

Mic 6: 7 Will the LORD be p with thousands

Mt 3: 17 Beloved, with whom I am well p.”

Col 1: 19 the fullness of God was p to dwell,

PLEASES PLEASE

1Jn 3: 22 commandments and do what p him.

PLEASING PLEASE

Ps 104: 34 May my meditation be p to him,

Eph 5: 10 to find out what is p to the Lord.

Php 4: 18 a sacrifice acceptable and p to God.

PLOT

Ps 2: 1 and the peoples p in vain?

Na 1: 9 Why do you p against the LORD?

PLOWSHARES

Isa 2: 4 they shall beat their swords into p,

Joel 3: 10 Beat your p into swords, and your

POLLUTED POLLUTES

Ac 15: 20 from things p by idols and from

Rev 21: 8 the cowardly, the faithless, the p,

POLLUTES POLLUTED

Nu 35: 33 blood p the land, and no expiation

POOR POVERTY

Ex 23: 6 not pervert the justice due to your p

1Sa 2: 8 He raises up the p from the dust;

Ps 113: 7 He raises the p from the dust,

Mt 5: 3 “Blessed are the p in spirit,

Mk 10: 21 own, and give the money to the p,

12: 42 p widow came and put in two small

2Co 6: 10 as p, yet making many rich;

8: 9 yet for your sakes he became p,

Jas 2: 5 Has not God chosen the p in the

PORTION

Dt 32: 9 the LORD’s own p was his people,

Sir 17: 17 Israel is the Lord’s own p.

La 3: 24 “The LORD is my p,” says my soul,

POSSESSED POSSESSION

Mt 8: 16 many who were p with demons;

POSSESSION POSSESSED, POSSESSIONS

Ex 19: 5 treasured p out of all the peoples.

Ps 2: 8 and the ends of the earth your p.

POSSESSIONS POSSESSION

Lk 12: 15 not consist in the abundance of p.”

1Co 13: 3 If I give away all my p,

POSSIBLE

Mt 19: 26 but for God all things are p.”

26: 39 if it is p, let this cup pass from me;

POTTER

Sir 33: 13 Like clay in the hand of the p,

Isa 64: 8 we are the clay, and you are our p;

Ro 9: 21 Has the p no right over the clay,

POUR POURED

Isa 44: 3 I will p my spirit upon your

Eze 39: 29 I p out my spirit upon the house of

Joel 2: 28 I will p out my spirit on all flesh;

Ac 2: 17 I will p out my Spirit upon all flesh,

POURED POUR

Mt 26: 28 is p out for many for the forgiveness

Ac 2: 33 he has p out this that you both see

Tit 3: 6 This Spirit he p out on us richly

POVERTY POOR

Mk 12: 44 out of her p has put in everything

2Co 8: 9 by his p you might become rich.

POWER POWERFUL, POWERS

1Ch 29: 11 O LORD, are the greatness, the p,

Jdt 9: 14 the God of all p and might,

Sir 39: 18 and none can limit his saving p.

Isa 40: 29 He gives p to the faint,

Zec 4: 6 by might, nor by p, but by my spirit,

Mt 22: 29 the scriptures nor the p of God.

Mk 13: 26 coming in clouds’ with great p and

1Co 1: 17 might not be emptied of its p.

Eph 1: 19 the immeasurable greatness of his p

Php 3: 10 Christ and the p of his resurrection

2Pe 1: 3 divine p has given us everything

Rev 19: 1 and glory and p to our God,

20: 6 these the second death has no p,

POWERFUL POWER

Mk 1: 7 one who is more p than I is coming

POWERS POWER

Ro 8: 38 present, nor things to come, nor p,

Eph 6: 12 against the cosmic p of this present

PRACTICE PRACTICES

Sir 50: 29 For if they put them into p,

Mt 23: 3 for they do not p what they teach.

PRACTICES PRACTICE

Ex 23: 24 or worship them, or follow their p,

Col 3: 9 stripped off the old self with its p

PRAISE

Ex 15: 2 this is my God, and I will p him,

Dt 10: 21 He is your p; he is your God,

Tob 12: 6 Bless and sing p to his name.

Ps 150: 6 that breathes p the LORD!

Pr 27: 2 Let another p you, and not your own

31: 31 let her works p her in the city gates.

Mt 21: 16 nursing babies you have prepared p

Rev 19: 5 “P our God, all you his servants,

PRAY PRAYED, PRAYER, PRAYERS

2Ch 7: 14 humble themselves, p, seek my face

Ps 122: 6 P for the peace of Jerusalem:

Sir 37: 15 But above all p to the Most High

Mt 5: 44 and p for those who persecute you,

6: 5 you p, do not be like the hypocrites;

Lk 11: 1 teach us to p, as John taught his

Ro 8: 26 do not know how to p as we ought,

1Th 5: 17 p without ceasing,

PRAYED PRAY

Mk 1: 35 to a deserted place, and there he p.

14: 35 threw himself on the ground and p

PRAYER PRAY

Pr 15: 29 but he hears the p of the righteous.

Isa 56: 7 house shall be called a house of p

Mt 21: 13 house shall be called a house of p’

Mk 11: 24 I tell you, whatever you ask for in p,

Ro 12: 12 patient in suffering, persevere in p.

Jas 5: 16 The p of the righteous is powerful

PRAYERS PRAY

Heb 5: 7 Jesus offered up p and supplications

Rev 5: 8 which are the p of the saints.

PREACH PREACHING

Tit 1: 9 able both to p with sound doctrine

PREACHING PREACH

1Ti 5: 17 those who labor in p and teaching;

PRECEPTS PRECEPT

Ps 19: 8 the p of the LORD are right,

Mt 15: 9 teaching human p as doctrines.’”

PRECIOUS

Ps 72: 14 and p is their blood in his sight.

Pr 3: 15 She is more p than jewels,

Isa 28: 16 a tested stone, a p cornerstone,

1Pe 1: 19 but with the p blood of Christ,

2: 6 a cornerstone chosen and p;

2Pe 1: 1 received a faith as p as ours

PREDESTINED

Ro 8: 30 those whom he p he also called;

PREDICTION PREDICTIONS

Isa 44: 26 and fulfills the p of his messengers;

PREDICTIONS PREDICT

Jude 1: 17 the p of the apostles of our Lord

PREPARE

Ps 23: 5 You p a table before me in the

Mt 3: 3 ‘P the way of the Lord, make his

Jn 14: 2 I have told you that I go to p a place

PRESENCE PRESENT

Ex 25: 30 the bread of the P on the table

Ps 51: 11 Do not cast me away from your p,

139: 7 Or where can I flee from your p?

Jn 17: 5 with the glory that I had in your p

PRESENT PRESENCE

Ro 6: 13 but p yourselves to God as

1Co 3: 22 or death or the p or the future—

Eph 5: 27 p the church to himself in splendor,

2Ti 2: 15 p yourself to God as one approved

PRICE

Mt 27: 9 the one on whom a p had been set,

1Co 6: 20 For you were bought with a p;

PRIDE PROUD

Ps 20: 7 our p is in the name of the LORD

Pr 16: 18 P goes before destruction,

Sir 10: 13 For the beginning of p is sin,

Mk 7: 22 licentiousness, envy, slander, p,

1Jn 2: 16 the desire of the eyes, the p in riches

PRIEST PRIESTHOOD, PRIESTS

Ge 14: 18 he was p of God Most High.

Ps 110: 4 “You are a p forever according to

Mk 14: 63 Then the high p tore his clothes and

Heb 3: 1 apostle and high p of our confession

7: 3 the Son of God, he remains a p

PRIESTHOOD PRIEST

Ex 29: 9 the p shall be theirs by a perpetual

Heb 7: 24 but he holds his p permanently,

1Pe 2: 5 a holy p, to offer spiritual sacrifices

PRIESTS PRIEST

Ex 28: 1 the Israelites, to serve me as p—

Mk 15: 3 the chief p accused him of many

Heb 7: 27 Unlike the other high p, he has no

Rev 20: 6 they will be p of God and of Christ,

PRINCE PRINCES

Isa 9: 6 Everlasting Father, P of Peace.

Eze 37: 25 David shall be their p forever.

PRINCES PRINCE

1Sa 2: 8 to make them sit with p and inherit

Da 8: 25 even rise up against the Prince of p.

PRISONER PRISONERS

Mk 15: 6 at the festival he used to release a p

Eph 3: 1 that I Paul am a p for Christ Jesus

PRISONERS PRISONER

Ps 146: 7 The LORD sets the p free;

Isa 61: 1 to the captives, and release to the p;

PRIZE

1Co 9: 24 but only one receives the p?

Php 3: 14 the p of the heavenly call of God in

PROMISE PROMISED, PROMISES

Ps 105: 42 For he remembered his holy p,

Eph 2: 12 and strangers to the covenants of p,

2Pe 3: 9 The Lord is not slow about his p,

PROMISED PROMISE

Dt 1: 11 and bless you, as he has p you!

Ac 13: 23 to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he p;

Eph 1: 13 with the seal of the p Holy Spirit;

Heb 10: 23 for he who has p is faithful.

PROMISES PROMISE

Jos 21: 45 the good p that the LORD had made

2Co 1: 20 every one of God’s p is a “Yes.”

PROOFS PROVE

Ac 1: 3 to them by many convincing p,

PROPHECIES PROPHESY

1Co 13: 8 as for p, they will come to an end;

PROPHECY PROPHESY

Ac 21: 9 daughters who had the gift of p.

1Co 12: 10 to another p, to another

2Pe 1: 20 that no p of scripture is a matter

PROPHESY PROPHECIES, PROPHECY,

PROPHET, PROPHETS

Joel 2: 28 sons and your daughters shall p,

Mt 7: 22 Lord, did we not p in your name,

1Co 13: 9 only in part, and we p only in part;

Rev 11: 3 my two witnesses authority to p

PROPHET PROPHESY

Dt 18: 18 a p like you from among their own

1Mc 4: 46 until a p should come to tell what

Mal 4: 5 the p Elijah before the great and

Lk 4: 24 no p is accepted in the prophet’s

Rev 16: 13 and from the mouth of the false p.

PROPHETS PROPHESY

Nu 11: 29 that all the LORD’s people were p,

1Mc 9: 27 that p ceased to appear among them.

Mt 5: 17 come to abolish the law or the p;

22: 40 hang all the law and the p.”

1Co 12: 28 the church first apostles, second p,

Eph 2: 20 the foundation of the apostles and p,

4: 11 some p, some evangelists,

Rev 11: 10 these two p had been a torment to

18: 20 you saints and apostles and p!

PROSPER PROSPERITY

Ps 1: 3 In all that they do, they p.

Isa 53: 10 the will of the LORD shall p.

PROSPERITY PROSPER

Dt 30: 15 have set before you today life and p,

PROSTITUTE PROSTITUTES

Jos 2: 1 a p whose name was Rahab,

1Co 6: 15 and make them members of a p?

Heb 11: 31 By faith Rahab the p did not perish

PROSTITUTES PROSTITUTE

Sir 9: 6 Do not give yourself to p,

Mt 21: 31 the p are going into the kingdom of

PROUD PRIDE

Ps 94: 2 give to the p what they deserve!

Pr 21: 4 Haughty eyes and a p heart—

Jas 4: 6 God opposes the p, but gives grace

PROVERBS

Pr 1: 1 The p of Solomon son of David,

Ecc 12: 9 and studying and arranging many p.

Sir 39: 3 seeks out the hidden meanings of p

PROVOKE PROVOKED

Jer 25: 6 not p me to anger with the work of

Heb 10: 24 how to p one another to love

PROVOKED PROVOKE

Ps 78: 41 and p the Holy One of Israel.

PRUNES

Jn 15: 2 he p to make it bear more fruit.

PSALMS

Lk 24: 44 and the p must be fulfilled.”

Eph 5: 19 you sing p and hymns and spiritual

PUFFS

1Co 8: 1 Knowledge p up, but love builds up.

PUNISH PUNISHING,

PUNISHMENT

Ex 32: 34 I will p them for their sin.”

1Pe 2: 14 by him to p those who do wrong

PUNISHING PUNISH

Dt 5: 9 p children for the iniquity of parents

Joel 2: 13 in steadfast love, and relents from p.

PUNISHMENT PUNISH

Isa 53: 5 was the p that made us whole,

Mt 25: 46 these will go away into eternal p,

1Jn 4: 18 for fear has to do with p,

PURE PURIFICATION, PURIFIED

2Sa 22: 27 with the p you show yourself p,

Ps 19: 9 the fear of the LORD is p, enduring

Hab 1: 13 Your eyes are too p to behold evil,

Mt 5: 8 “Blessed are the p in heart, for they

Php 4: 8 whatever is p, whatever is pleasing,

Tit 1: 15 To the p all things are p,

1Jn 3: 3 purify themselves, just as he is p.

PURIFICATION PURE

Heb 1: 3 When he had made p for sins,

PURIFIED PURE

1Pe 1: 22 p your souls by your obedience to

PURPLE

Ex 25: 4 p, and crimson yarns and fine linen,

Mk 15: 17 And they clothed him in a p cloak;

PURPOSE

Isa 46: 10 saying, “My p shall stand,

Ro 8: 28 who are called according to his p.

2Ti 1: 9 works but according to his own p

Q

QUAILS

Ex 16: 13 In the evening q came up

Nu 11: 31 and it brought q from the sea and

QUARRELED

Ex 17: 7 the Israelites q and tested the LORD,

Nu 20: 3 The people q with Moses and said,

QUEEN

1Ki 10: 1 the q of Sheba heard of the fame of

Rev 18: 7 in her heart she says, ‘I rule as a q;

QUIET

1Ti 2: 2 q and peaceable life in all godliness

1Pe 3: 4 beauty of a gentle and q spirit,

R

RABBI

Jn 1: 38 “R” (which translated means Teacher),

RACE

Ecc 9: 11 the sun the r is not to the swift,

1Co 9: 24 that in a r the runners all compete,

Heb 12: 1 let us run with perseverance the r

1Pe 2: 9 But you are a chosen r, a royal

RAIN RAINBOW

Ge 7: 4 For in seven days I will send r on

Isa 45: 8 let the skies r down righteousness;

Mt 5: 45 sends r on the righteous and on the

Rev 11: 6 so that no r may fall during the days

RAINBOW BOW

Rev 4: 3 the throne is a r that looks like an

RAISE RISE

Jn 2: 19 and in three days I will r it up.”

2Co 4: 14 who raised the Lord Jesus will r us

RAISED RISE

Mt 17: 23 and on the third day he will be r.”

Ac 2: 24 God r him up, having freed him

Ro 4: 25 and was r for our justification.

1Co 15: 4 r on the third day in accordance

RANSOM

Ps 49: 8 For the r of life is costly, and can

Mt 20: 28 and to give his life a r for many.”

1Ti 2: 6 who gave himself a r for all

REAP

Gal 6: 7 for you r whatever you sow.

Rev 14: 15 for the hour to r has come,

REBUILD BUILD

Ezr 1: 3 and r the house of the LORD,

Ne 2: 17 let us r the wall of Jerusalem,

Da 9: 25 went out to restore and r Jerusalem

Ac 15: 16 and I will r the dwelling of David,

REBUKE

Pr 27: 5 Better is open r than hidden love.

Zec 3: 2 said to Satan, “The LORD r you,

Mk 8: 32 Peter took him aside and began to r

2Ti 4: 2 convince, r, and encourage,

RECEIVE

Jn 16: 24 Ask and you will r, so that your joy

Ac 2: 38 you will r the gift of the Holy Spirit.

20: 35 ‘It is more blessed to give than to r.’

Rev 4: 11 to r glory and honor and power,

RECKONED

Ge 15: 6 LORD r it to him as righteousness.

Ro 4: 3 it was r to him as righteousness.”

RECONCILIATION

Ro 5: 11 whom we have now received r.

2Co 5: 18 and has given us the ministry of r;

REDEEM REDEEMER, REDEMPTION

Ex 6: 6 I will r you with an outstretched

Gal 4: 5 to r those who were under the law,

REDEEMER REDEEM

Job 19: 25 For I know that my R lives,

Ps 19: 14 O LORD, my rock and my r.

REDEMPTION REDEEM

Lk 21: 28 because your r is drawing near.”

Eph 1: 7 In him we have r through his blood,

Heb 9: 12 own blood, thus obtaining eternal r.

REFINE

Jer 9: 7 I will now r and test them,

Zec 13: 9 r them as one refines silver,

REFLECTED REFLECTION

2Co 3: 18 though r in a mirror,

REFLECTION REFLECTED

1Co 11: 7 since he is the image and r of God;

Heb 1: 3 He is the r of God’s glory

REFUGE

Nu 35: 11 select cities to be cities of r for you,

Ps 2: 12 Happy are all who take r in him.

REGULATIONS

Col 2: 20 Why do you submit to r,

Heb 9: 10 r for the body imposed until the

REIGN

Ex 15: 18 The LORD will r forever and ever.”

Ps 146: 10 The LORD will r forever,

1Co 15: 25 r until he has put all his enemies

2Ti 2: 12 we will also r with him;

Rev 11: 15 and he will r forever and ever.”

22: 5 and they will r forever and ever.

REJECTED

Ps 118: 22 The stone that the builders r

Isa 53: 3 He was despised and r by others;

Mt 21: 42 ‘The stone that the builders r

REJOICE

Ps 118: 24 let us r and be glad in it.

Zep 3: 17 he will r over you with gladness,

Php 4: 4 R in the Lord always; again I will say, R.

RELENT RELENTED

Eze 24: 14 I will not spare, I will not r.

Joel 2: 14 whether he will not turn and r,

Jnh 3: 9 God may r and change his mind;

RELENTED RELENT

1Ch 21: 15 LORD took note and r concerning

Jer 4: 28 I have not r nor will I turn back.

REMEMBER REMEMBRANCE

Ge 9: 15 I will r my covenant that is between

Ex 20: 8 R the sabbath day, and keep it holy.

Dt 8: 18 But r the LORD your God,

Sir 23: 18 The Most High will not r sins.”

2Ti 2: 8 R Jesus Christ, raised from the dead

Heb 8: 12 and I will r their sins no more.”

REMEMBRANCE REMEMBER

Lk 22: 19 Do this in r of me.”

REMNANT

Isa 10: 21 A r will return, the r of Jacob,

Jer 50: 20 will pardon the r that I have spared.

Ro 9: 27 only a r of them will be saved;

RENEW RENEWAL, RENEWED,

RENEWING

Isa 40: 31 the LORD shall r their strength,

La 5: 21 r our days as of old—

RENEWAL RENEW

Mt 19: 28 I tell you, at the r of all things,

RENEWED RENEW

2Co 4: 16 inner nature is being r day by day.

Eph 4: 23 to be r in the spirit of your minds,

RENEWING RENEW

Ro 12: 2 transformed by the r of your minds,

REPENT REPENTANCE

Sir 18: 21 and when you have sinned, r.

Mt 3: 2 “R, for the kingdom of heaven has

Ac 2: 38 “R, and be baptized every one of

REPENTANCE REPENT

Mk 1: 4 a baptism of r for the forgiveness

Lk 3: 8 Bear fruits worthy of r.

Ro 2: 4 kindness is meant to lead you to r?

2Co 7: 10 r that leads to salvation and brings

2Pe 3: 9 any to perish, but all to come to r.

REPROVE

Pr 19: 25 r the intelligent, and they will gain

Tit 2: 15 exhort and r with all authority.

Rev 3: 19 r and discipline those whom I love.

REQUIRE

Dt 10: 12 does the LORD your God r of you?

Mic 6: 8 the LORD r of you but to do justice,

RESCUE RESCUED

Mt 6: 13 but r us from the evil one.

2Pe 2: 9 the Lord knows how to r the godly

RESCUED RESCUE

Sir 51: 12 and r me in time of trouble.

Col 1: 13 has r us from the power of darkness

RESIST

Mt 5: 39 I say to you, Do not r an evildoer.

Ro 9: 19 For who can r his will?”

Jas 4: 7 R the devil, and he will flee from

REST RESTED

Ex 31: 15 seventh day is a sabbath of solemn r

Ps 95: 11 swore, “They shall not enter my r.”

Mt 11: 28 and I will give you r.

Heb 4: 10 those who enter God’s r also cease

RESTED REST

Ge 2: 2 he r on the seventh day from all the

Ex 20: 11 all that is in them, but r the seventh

RESURRECTION

Mt 22: 30 For in the r they neither marry nor

Mk 12: 18 Sadducees, who say there is no r,

Jn 11: 25 said to her, “I am the r and the life.

1Co 15: 12 you say there is no r of the dead?

Php 3: 10 know Christ and the power of his r

Rev 20: 5 This is the first r.

RETURN

Ge 3: 19 you are dust, and to dust you shall r.

Mal 3: 7 R to me, and I will r to you,

REVEAL REVEALED, REVELATION

Mt 11: 27 to whom the Son chooses to r him.

REVEALED REVEAL

Isa 40: 5 the glory of the LORD shall be r,

Mt 16: 17 flesh and blood has not r this to you

Lk 17: 30 on the day that the Son of Man is r.

Ro 1: 17 in it the righteousness of God is r

REVELATION REVEAL

1Co 14: 6 some r or knowledge or prophecy

Eph 3: 3 was made known to me by r,

REVERE REVERENCE

Jos 24: 14 “Now therefore r the LORD,

Tob 4: 5 “R the Lord all your days,

Mal 4: 2 But for you who r my name the sun

REVERENCE REVERE

Eph 5: 21 subject to one another out of r for

REVILE REVILED

Ex 22: 28 You shall not r God, or curse

Mt 5: 11 people r you and persecute you

REVILED REVILE

1Co 4: 12 When r, we bless;

1Pe 4: 14 If you are r for the name of Christ,

REWARD

Ps 19: 11 in keeping them there is great r.

Isa 40: 10 r is with him, and his recompense

Mt 6: 5 I tell you, they have received their r.

Lk 6: 23 for surely your r is great in heaven;

Rev 22: 12 I am coming soon; my r is with me,

RIB

Ge 2: 22 r that the LORD God had taken from

RICH RICHES

Mt 19: 23 hard for a r person to enter the

2Co 8: 9 by his poverty you might become r.

Eph 2: 4 But God, who is r in mercy,

RICHES RICH

Sir 13: 24 R are good if they are free from sin;

Lk 8: 14 they are choked by the cares and r

Ro 11: 33 O the depth of the r and wisdom

1Jn 2: 16 the desire of the eyes, the pride in r

RIGHT BIRTHRIGHT

Ex 15: 6 Your r hand, O LORD, glorious in

Dt 6: 18 Do what is r and good in the sight

Ps 110: 1 says to my lord, “Sit at my r hand

Pr 14: 12 a way that seems r to a person,

Ac 2: 34 said to my Lord, “Sit at my r hand,

Heb 1: 13 “Sit at my r hand until I make your

RIGHTEOUS RIGHTEOUSNESS

Ps 11: 7 For the LORD is r; he loves r deeds;

Wis 5: 15 r live forever, and their reward

Sir 35: 22 and does justice for the r,

Jer 23: 5 I will raise up for David a r Branch,

Eze 3: 20 if the r turn from their righteousness

Hab 2: 4 but the r live by their faith.

Mt 5: 45 rain on the r and on the unrighteous.

Mk 2: 17 come to call not the r but sinners.”

Ro 1: 17 one who is r will live by faith.”

Heb 10: 38 but my r one will live by faith.

1Jn 2: 1 with the Father, Jesus Christ the r;

Rev 19: 8 the fine linen is the r deeds of the

RIGHTEOUSNESS RIGHTEOUS

Ge 15: 6 the LORD reckoned it to him as r.

Isa 11: 5 R shall be the belt around his waist,

Jer 23: 6 be called: “The LORD is our r.”

Da 9: 24 to bring in everlasting r,

Hos 10: 12 Sow for yourselves r; reap steadfast

Mt 5: 6 those who hunger and thirst for r,

Jn 16: 8 about sin and r and judgment:

Ro 5: 18 act of r leads to justification

Gal 3: 6 and it was reckoned to him as r,”

Eph 6: 14 and put on the breastplate of r.

2Pe 3: 13 heavens and a new earth, where r

RIPE

Jn 4: 35 how the fields are r for harvesting.

Rev 14: 15 the harvest of the earth is fully r.”

RISE ARISE, RAISE, RAISED, ROSE

Da 12: 13 shall r for your reward at the end of

Mal 4: 2 the sun of righteousness shall r,

Mt 27: 63 ‘After three days I will r again.’

1Th 4: 16 and the dead in Christ will r first.

ROAD

Mt 7: 13 and the r is easy that leads to

ROBBERS

Jer 7: 11 become a den of r in your sight?

Mt 21: 13 but you are making it a den of r.”

ROBE

Ex 28: 4 a breastpiece, an ephod, a r,

Jn 19: 5 crown of thorns and the purple r.

Rev 6: 11 They were each given a white r and

19: 13 He is clothed in a r dipped in blood,

ROCK

Ex 17: 6 Strike the r, and water will come

Nu 20: 8 you shall bring water out of the r

1Sa 2: 2 there is no R like our God.

Mt 16: 18 and on this r I will build my church,

Mk 15: 46 that had been hewn out of the r.

1Pe 2: 8 and a r that makes them fall.”

ROD

Ps 2: 9 shall break them with a r of iron,

23: 4 your r and your staff—they comfort

Pr 13: 24 who spare the r hate their children,

Rev 2: 27 to rule them with an iron r,

ROLL

Mk 16: 3 “Who will r away the stone for us

ROOT

Isa 11: 10 On that day the r of Jesse

53: 2 and like a r out of dry ground;

Ro 15: 12 “The r of Jesse shall come,

1Ti 6: 10 For the love of money is a r of all

Rev 5: 5 the tribe of Judah, the R of David,

ROSE RISE

SS 2: 1 I am a r of Sharon, a lily

1Th 4: 14 believe that Jesus died and r again,

RULE

Eph 1: 21 far above all r and authority and

Col 3: 15 the peace of Christ r in your hearts,

RUMORS

Mt 24: 6 you will hear of wars and r of wars;

RUN

Isa 40: 31 they shall r and not be weary,

Heb 12: 1 let us r with perseverance the race

RUST

Mt 6: 19 where moth and r consume

LtJ 6: 12 cannot save themselves from r

S

SABBATH

Ex 20: 8 Remember the s day, and keep it holy.

1Mc 1: 43 to idols and profaned the s.

Mk 2: 28 Son of Man is lord even of the s.”

SACRIFICE SACRIFICED

Ex 12: 27 ‘It is the passover s to the LORD,

1Sa 15: 22 Surely, to obey is better than s,

Ps 40: 6 S and offering you do not desire,

Da 9: 27 he shall make s and offering cease;

Hos 6: 6 For I desire steadfast love and not s,

Mt 9: 13 this means, ‘I desire mercy, not s.’

Ro 3: 25 put forward as a s of atonement

Heb 13: 15 let us continually offer a s of praise

1Jn 2: 2 and he is the atoning s for our sins,

SACRIFICED SACRIFICE

1Co 5: 7 our paschal lamb, Christ, has been s.

8: 1 Now concerning food s to idols:

SADDUCEES

Mt 16: 6 the yeast of the Pharisees and S.”

Mk 12: 18 S, who say there is no resurrection,

SAFE SAFETY

Ps 37: 28 righteous shall be kept s forever,

Pr 18: 10 the righteous run into it and are s.

SAFETY SAFE

Dt 12: 10 around so that you live in s,

Eze 34: 28 they shall live in s,

SAINTS

Ps 31: 23 Love the LORD, all you his s.

Ro 8: 27 the Spirit intercedes for the s

1Co 6: 2 that the s will judge the world?

Eph 4: 12 equip the s for the work of ministry,

Rev 5: 9 by your blood you ransomed for God s

SALT

Ge 19: 26 back, and she became a pillar of s.

Mt 5: 13 “You are the s of the earth;

SALVATION SAVE

Ex 15: 2 and he has become my s;

Ps 27: 1 The LORD is my light and my s;

Isa 52: 7 brings good news, who announces s,

Bar 4: 29 everlasting joy with your s.

Lk 3: 6 all flesh shall see the s of God.’”

Ac 4: 12 There is s in no one else,

Php 2: 12 work out your own s with fear

Heb 2: 3 escape if we neglect so great a s?

2Pe 3: 15 regard the patience of our Lord as s.

SAMARITAN

Lk 10: 33 But a S while traveling came near

Jn 4: 7 A S woman came to draw water,

SANCTIFICATION SANCTIFY

Ro 6: 19 as slaves to righteousness for s.

1Th 4: 3 For this is the will of God, your s:

SANCTIFIED SANCTIFY

Jn 17: 19 so that they also may be s in truth.

1Co 6: 11 But you were washed, you were s,

SANCTIFY SANCTIFICATION,

SANCTIFIED

Lev 11: 44 s yourselves therefore, and be holy,

Heb 13: 12 to s the people by his own blood.

SANCTUARY

Ex 25: 8 And have them make me a s,

1Ch 22: 19 build the s of the LORD God

1Mc 1: 21 He arrogantly entered the s

Heb 9: 24 Christ did not enter a s made by

SAND

Mt 7: 26 foolish man who built his house on s.

SAT SIT

Heb 10: 12 “he s down at the right hand of God,

Rev 3: 21 and s down with my Father

SATAN

1Ch 21: 1 S stood up against Israel,

Job 1: 6 and S also came among them.

Zec 3: 2 “The LORD rebuke you, O S!

Mt 4: 10 Jesus said to him, “Away with you, S!

16: 23 said to Peter, “Get behind me, S!

2Co 11: 14 S disguises himself as an angel of light.

Rev 12: 9 who is called the Devil and S,

20: 7 S will be released from his prison

SAVE SALVATION, SAVED,

SAVIOR

Isa 59: 1 LORD’s hand is not too short to s,

Jer 15: 20 for I am with you to s you

Mt 1: 21 he will s his people from their sins.”

16: 25 who want to s their life will lose it,

Lk 19: 10 came to seek out and to s the lost.”

SAVED SAVE

Isa 45: 22 Turn to me and be s,

Joel 2: 32 on the name of the LORD shall be s;

Mt 10: 22 who endures to the end will be s.

Mk 15: 31 He s others; he cannot save himself.

Ro 10: 13 on the name of the Lord shall be s.”

Eph 2: 8 For by grace you have been s

SAVIOR SAVE

Isa 49: 26 know that I am the LORD your S,

Hos 13: 4 and besides me there is no s.

1Ti 4: 10 who is the S of all people,

Tit 2: 13 of the glory of our great God and S,

2Pe 3: 18 knowledge of our Lord and S Jesus

SCARLET

Isa 1: 18 your sins are like s, they shall be

Mt 27: 28 stripped him and put a s robe on him

SCEPTER

Ge 49: 10 The s shall not depart from Judah,

Nu 24: 17 and a s shall rise out of Israel;

SCRIBES

Mt 7: 29 having authority, and not as their s.

23: 13 “But woe to you, s and Pharisees,

SCRIPTURE SCRIPTURES

Lk 4: 21 “Today this s has been fulfilled in

Jn 10: 35 and the s cannot be annulled—

1Ti 4: 13 attention to the public reading of s,

2Ti 3: 16 All s is inspired by God and is useful

SCRIPTURES SCRIPTURE

Mt 22: 29 know neither the s nor the power

Lk 24: 45 their minds to understand the s,

Jn 5: 39 “You search the s because you think

SEA

Ps 95: 5 The s is his, for he made it,

Mic 7: 19 all our sins into the depths of the s.

Rev 4: 6 there is something like a s of glass,

21: 1 and the s was no more.

SEAL

2Co 1: 22 by putting his s on us and giving us

Eph 1: 13 the s of the promised Holy Spirit;

Rev 7: 3 our God with a s on their foreheads.

SEASON SEASONS

Ps 1: 3 which yield their fruit in its s,

Ecc 3: 1 For everything there is a s,

SEASON SEASONS

1Th 5: 1 Now concerning the times and the s,

SEAT

Ex 25: 17 make a mercy s of pure gold;

Ro 14: 10 stand before the judgment s of God.

2Co 5: 10 must appear before the judgment s

SECRET

Dt 29: 29 The s things belong to the LORD

Ro 2: 16 will judge the s thoughts of all.

SEE SEEN, SEES, SIGHT

Ex 33: 20 for no one shall s me and live.”

Jn 9: 25 that though I was blind, now I s.”

Rev 1: 7 the clouds; every eye will s him,

SEED SEEDS, SEEDTIME

Mt 17: 20 have faith the size of a mustard s,

SEEDS SEED

Mt 13: 8 Other s fell on good soil

Mk 4: 31 the smallest of all the s on earth;

SEEK

1Ch 28: 9 If you s him, he will be found by

Ps 34: 10 those who s the LORD lack no good

Sir 2: 16 who fear the Lord s to please him,

Isa 55: 6 S the LORD while he may be found,

Lk 19: 10 came to s out and to save

Heb 11: 6 that he rewards those who s him.

SEEN SEE

Jn 1: 18 No one has ever s God.

14: 9 Whoever has s me has s the Father.

SELF-CONTROL

2Pe 1: 6 with s, and s with endurance,

SEPARATE

Mt 19: 6 joined together, let no one s.”

Ro 8: 35 will s us from the love of Christ?

SERPENT

Ge 3: 1 the s was more crafty than any other

2Co 11: 3 the s deceived Eve by its cunning,

Rev 20: 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient s,

SERVANT

Isa 42: 1 Here is my s, whom I uphold,

53: 11 my s, shall make many righteous,

Zec 3: 8 going to bring my s the Branch.

Lk 1: 38 “Here am I, the s of the Lord;

Ac 3: 13 has glorified his s Jesus,

Heb 3: 5 faithful in all God’s house as a s,

SERVE

Jos 24: 15 my household, we will s the LORD.”

1Sa 12: 20 but s the LORD with all your heart;

Mt 6: 24 You cannot s God and wealth.

Mk 10: 45 Son of Man came not to be served but to s,

1Pe 4: 10 s one another with whatever gift

SEVEN SEVENTH

Ge 7: 2 with you s pairs of all clean animals,

Ex 25: 37 You shall make the s lamps for it;

Jos 6: 4 march around the city s times,

Da 9: 25 prince, there shall be s weeks;

Mt 18: 22 “Not s times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven

Rev 1: 12 turning I saw s golden lampstands,

5: 1 and on the back, sealed with s seals;

Rev 8: 2 I saw the s angels who stand before

12: 3 a great red dragon, with s heads and

15: 1 s angels with s plagues,

SEVENTH SEVEN

Ge 2: 2 on the s day God finished the work

Ex 20: 10 the s day is a sabbath to the LORD

Heb 4: 4 God rested on the s day from all his

SEVENTY SEVENTY-SEVEN

Da 9: 24 S weeks are decreed for your people

SEVENTY-SEVEN SEVENTY

Mt 18: 22 “Not seven times, but, I tell you, s

SHADOW

Ps 17: 8 hide me in the s of your wings,

91: 1 who abide in the s of the Almighty,

SHAME ASHAMED

Da 12: 2 some to s and everlasting contempt.

1Co 1: 27 foolish in the world to s the wise;

Heb 12: 2 endured the cross, disregarding its s,

1Jn 2: 28 be put to s before him at his coming.

SHARE

Col 1: 12 to s in the inheritance of the saints

Heb 12: 10 in order that we may s his holiness.

Jude 1: 3 to you about the salvation we s,

SHARPENS SHARPER

Pr 27: 17 Iron s iron, and one person s

SHARPER SHARPENS

Heb 4: 12 s than any two-edged sword,

SHED

Ge 9: 6 shall that person’s blood be s;

Rev 16: 6 s the blood of saints and prophets,

SHEEP

Isa 53: 6 All we like s have gone astray;

Mt 9: 36 like s without a shepherd.

Jn 10: 7 I am the gate for the s.

10: 15 And I lay down my life for the s.

Heb 13: 20 the great shepherd of the s,

1Pe 2: 25 For you were going astray like s,

SHEOL

Ps 139: 8 if I make my bed in S, you are there.

Hos 13: 14 O S, where is your destruction?

SHEPHERD SHEPHERDS

Ps 23: 1 The LORD is my s, I shall not want.

Isa 40: 11 He will feed his flock like a s;

Mt 2: 6 ruler who is to s my people Israel.’”

Jn 10: 11 “I am the good s.

Heb 13: 20 the great s of the sheep,

1Pe 5: 4 And when the chief s appears,

SHEPHERDS SHEPHERD

Lk 2: 8 there were s living in the fields,

SHIELD

Eph 6: 16 With all of these, take the s of faith,

SHINE SHINES

Nu 6: 25 LORD make his face to s upon you,

Ps 4: 6 light of your face s on us, O LORD!”

Da 12: 3 Those who are wise shall s like the

Mt 5: 16 let your light s before others,

SHINES SHINE

Jn 1: 5 The light s in the darkness,

SHORT

Ro 3: 23 sinned and fall s of the glory of God;

SHOW SHOWED

Ex 33: 18 Moses said, “S me your glory,

Ps 85: 7 S us your steadfast love, O LORD,

Jn 14: 8 said to him, “Lord, s us the Father,

1Co 12: 31 will s you a still more excellent way

SHOWED SHOW

Jn 20: 20 he s them his hands and his side.

SICK SICKNESS

Mt 8: 16 and cured all who were s.

Jas 5: 14 Are any among you s?

SICKNESS SICK

Ex 23: 25 I will take s away from among you.

Mt 4: 23 and curing every disease and every s

SIDE

Jn 19: 34 soldiers pierced his s with a spear,

SIGHT SEE

Mt 11: 5 blind receive their s, the lame walk,

2Co 5: 7 for we walk by faith, not by s.

SIGN SIGNS

Mt 24: 3 the s of your coming and of the end

Mk 8: 12 does this generation ask for a s?

SIGNS SIGN

Ge 1: 14 be for s and for seasons and for days

Mt 16: 3 cannot interpret the s of the times.

Jn 20: 30 Jesus did many other s in the

1Co 1: 22 Jews demand s and Greeks desire

Rev 16: 14 demonic spirits, performing s,

SILENT

Isa 53: 7 a sheep that before its shearers is s,

Mk 14: 61 But he was s and did not answer.

SILVER

Mt 26: 15 They paid him thirty pieces of s.

Ac 3: 6 But Peter said, “I have no s or gold,

SIN SINNED, SINNER, SINNERS, SINS

Nu 32: 23 and be sure your s will find you out.

2Ch 7: 14 forgive their s and heal their land.

Tob 12: 10 but those who commit s

Ps 119: 11 so that I may not s against you.

Wis 10: 13 but delivered him from s.

Sir 3: 30 so almsgiving atones for s.

Isa 53: 12 yet he bore the s of many,

Mt 5: 29 If your right eye causes you to s,

Jn 1: 29 who takes away the s of the world!

Ro 6: 23 For the wages of s is death,

Heb 4: 15 tested as we are, yet without s.

1Jn 1: 7 Jesus his Son cleanses us from all s.

SINAI

Ex 19: 20 the LORD descended upon Mount S,

SING SONG, SONGS, SUNG

Jdt 16: 13 I will s to my God a new song:

Ps 47: 6 S praises to God, s praises;

Da 3: 59 s praise to him and highly exalt him

1Co 14: 15 I will s praise with the spirit,

Col 3: 16 gratitude in your hearts s psalms,

Rev 5: 9 They s a new song:

SINNED SIN

Ps 51: 4 Against you, you alone, have I s,

Sir 18: 21 and when you have s, repent.

La 5: 7 Our ancestors s; they are no more,

Ro 3: 23 all have s and fall short of the glory

1Jn 1: 10 If we say that we have not s,

SINNER SIN

Lk 15: 7 over one s who repents than

Jas 5: 20 that whoever brings back a s

SINNERS SIN

Pr 23: 17 Do not let your heart envy s,

Ro 5: 8 we still were s Christ died for us.

1Ti 1: 15 Jesus came into the world to save s

SINS SIN

1Sa 2: 25 if someone s against the LORD,

Sir 2: 11 he forgives s and saves

Eze 18: 4 only the person who s that shall die.

Mt 9: 6 has authority on earth to forgive s”—

Lk 11: 4 forgive us our s, for we ourselves

Ac 3: 19 to God so that your s may be wiped

1Co 15: 3 Christ died for our s in accordance

Heb 9: 28 offered once to bear the s of many,

1Jn 1: 9 If we confess our s, he who is faithful

Rev 1: 5 loves us and freed us from our s

SISTER

Pr 7: 4 Say to wisdom, “You are my s,”

Mk 3: 35 the will of God is my brother and s

SIT SAT

Ps 110: 1 says to my lord, “S at my right hand

Mt 20: 23 to s at my right hand and at my left,

Heb 1: 13 “S at my right hand until I make

SIX

Ex 20: 9 S days you shall labor and do all

Pr 6: 16 are s things that the LORD hates,

SKULL

Mt 27: 33 Golgotha (which means Place of a S)

SLANDER SLANDERED

Ps 15: 3 who do not s with their tongue,

Pr 10: 18 and whoever utters s is a fool.

Mt 15: 19 fornication, theft, false witness, s.

1Pe 2: 1 all guile, insincerity, envy, and all s.

SLANDERED SLANDER

1Co 4: 13 when s, we speak kindly.

SLAUGHTER

Isa 53: 7 like a lamb that is led to the s,

Ac 8: 32 “Like a sheep he was led to the s,

SLAVE SLAVERY

Mk 10: 44 first among you must be s of all.

Jn 8: 34 who commits sin is a s to sin.

Gal 3: 28 there is no longer s or free,

SLAVERY SLAVE

Gal 5: 1 do not submit again to a yoke of s.

SLEEP ASLEEP, SLEEPER, SLEEPING

Ps 121: 4 keeps Israel will neither slumber nor s.

Da 12: 2 Many of those who s in the dust of

SLEEPER SLEEP

Eph 5: 14 “S, awake! Rise from the dead,

SLEEPING SLEEP

Mt 9: 24 for the girl is not dead but s.”

26: 40 to the disciples and found them s;

SLING

1Sa 17: 50 over the Philistine with a s and a stone,

SLOW SLOWNESS

Ex 34: 6 merciful and gracious, s to anger,

Sir 5: 4 for the Lord is s to anger.

2Pe 3: 9 The Lord is not s about his promise,

SLOWNESS SLOW

2Pe 3: 9 think of s, but is patient with you,

SNOW

Ps 51: 7 and I shall be whiter than s.

Isa 1: 18 sins are like scarlet, they shall be like s;

Da 7: 9 his clothing was white as s,

Rev 1: 14 as white wool, white as s;

SOBER

1Th 5: 6 but let us keep awake and be s;

2Ti 4: 5 always be s, endure suffering,

SODOM

Ge 19: 24 rained on S and Gomorrah sulfur

Lk 10: 12 it will be more tolerable for S than

Rev 11: 8 city that is prophetically called S

SOLDIERS

Mt 28: 12 give a large sum of money to the s,

Jn 19: 23 When the s had crucified Jesus,

SON SONS

Ex 4: 23 now I will kill your firstborn s.’”

2Sa 7: 14 and he shall be a s to me.

Ps 2: 7 He said to me, “You are my s;

Sir 4: 10 be like a s of the Most High,

Isa 7: 14 is with child and shall bear a s,

Mt 1: 23 virgin shall conceive and bear a s,

3: 17 from heaven said, “This is my S,

16: 16 the Messiah, the S of the living God.”

Mk 10: 45 S of Man came not to be served but to

Lk 1: 35 he will be called S of God.

Jn 3: 16 loved the world that he gave his only S,

1Th 1: 10 to wait for his S from heaven,

Heb 1: 2 last days he has spoken to us by a S,

1Jn 4: 9 God sent his only S into the world

Rev 12: 5 she gave birth to a s, a male child,

14: 14 the cloud was one like the S of Man,

SONG SING

Ps 40: 3 He put a new s in my mouth,

Rev 5: 9 They sing a new s: “You are worthy

15: 3 and the s of the Lamb:

SONGS SING

Col 3: 16 hymns, and spiritual s to God.

SONS SON

Ac 2: 17 s and your daughters shall prophesy,

2Co 6: 18 you shall be my s and daughters,

SOON

Rev 22: 20 says, “Surely I am coming s.”

SOUL SOULS

Dt 6: 5 all your s, and with all your might.

Jos 22: 5 all your heart and with all your s.”

Sir 7: 29 With all your s fear the Lord,

Mt 10: 28 fear him who can destroy both s and

Heb 4: 12 piercing until it divides s from spirit

Jas 5: 20 will save the sinner’s s from death

3Jn 1: 2 just as it is well with your s.

SOULS SOUL

Jer 6: 16 walk in it, and find rest for your s.

Mt 11: 29 and you will find rest for your s.

SOWS

Jn 4: 37 ‘One s and another reaps.’

2Co 9: 6 who s sparingly will also reap

SPARROWS

Lk 12: 7 you are of more value than many s.

SPEAK SPEAKING

Ecc 3: 7 time to keep silence, and a time to s;

Mt 13: 13 The reason I s to them in parables is

Ac 2: 4 began to s in other languages,

1Co 12: 30 Do all s in tongues?

SPEAKING SPEAK

1Co 14: 39 and do not forbid s in tongues;

Eph 4: 15 But s the truth in love,

SPEAR SPEARS

Jn 19: 34 the soldiers pierced his side with a s,

SPIES SPY

Nu 13: 32 we have gone through as s

Jos 2: 1 two men secretly from Shittim as s,

SPIRIT SPIRITS, SPIRITUAL

Ge 6: 3 My s shall not abide in mortals forever,

Nu 11: 25 s rested upon them, they prophesied.

Ps 31: 5 Into your hand I commit my s;

51: 17 acceptable to God is a broken s;

Isa 42: 1 I have put my s upon him;

Eze 36: 26 and a new s I will put within you;

Joel 2: 28 I will pour out my s on all flesh;

Mt 1: 18 to be with child from the Holy S.

5: 3 “Blessed are the poor in s,

26: 41 the s indeed is willing, but the flesh

Mk 1: 8 will baptize you with the Holy S.”

Jn 3: 5 without being born of water and S.

4: 24 God is s, and those who worship him must worship in s and truth.”

14: 26 But the Advocate, the Holy S,

Ac 2: 4 of them were filled with the Holy S

Ro 8: 26 the S helps us in our weakness;

1Co 12: 4 are varieties of gifts, but the same S;

2Co 3: 6 the letter kills, but the S gives life.

Gal 5: 22 the fruit of the S is love, joy, peace,

Eph 1: 13 the seal of the promised Holy S;

5: 18 but be filled with the S,

1Th 5: 19 Do not quench the S.

Heb 4: 12 piercing until it divides soul from s,

1Jn 4: 1 Beloved, do not believe every s,

SPIRITS SPIRIT

Lk 4: 36 power he commands the unclean s,

Rev 1: 4 seven s who are before his throne,

SPIRITUAL SPIRIT

1Co 2: 13 interpreting s things to those who are s.

12: 1 Now concerning s gifts,

14: 1 Pursue love and strive for the s gifts,

Eph 1: 3 every s blessing in the heavenly

1Pe 2: 5 yourselves be built into a s house,

SPIT

Mk 14: 65 began to s on him, to blindfold him,

Rev 3: 16 am about to s you out of my mouth.

SPY SPIES

Nu 13: 2 men to s out the land of Canaan,

Jos 6: 25 whom Joshua sent to s out Jericho.

STAFF

Ex 4: 4 and it became a s in his hand—

Nu 17: 6 the s of Aaron was among theirs.

Ps 23: 4 your rod and your s—they comfort me.

STAND STANDING

Ex 14: 13 “Do not be afraid, s firm,

Job 19: 25 at the last he will s upon the earth;

Ps 1: 5 wicked will not s in the judgment,

Mt 12: 25 house divided against itself will s.

Ro 14: 10 all s before the judgment seat of God.

STANDING STAND

1Co 10: 12 So if you think you are s,

Rev 3: 20 I am s at the door, knocking;

STAR STARS

Nu 24: 17 a s shall come out of Jacob,

Isa 14: 12 are fallen from heaven, O Day S,

Mt 2: 2 For we observed his s at its rising,

2Pe 1: 19 day dawns and the morning s rises

Rev 9: 1 saw a s that had fallen from heaven

22: 16 of David, the bright morning s.”

STARS STAR

Ge 1: 16 to rule the night—and the s.

Job 38: 7 when the morning s sang together

Rev 1: 16 In his right hand he held seven s,

STATUE

Da 2: 31 there was a great s.

STATUTE STATUTES

Lev 16: 29 This shall be a s to you forever:

Nu 19: 21 It shall be a perpetual s for them.

STATUTES STATUTE

Ge 26: 5 commandments, my s, and my laws.

Dt 4: 1 give heed to the s and ordinances

Ne 9: 13 good s and commandments,

Ps 119: 8 I will observe your s;

STEADFAST

Heb 6: 19 a sure and s anchor of the soul,

1Pe 5: 9 Resist him, s in your faith,

STEAL

Ex 20: 15 You shall not s.

Mt 6: 19 and where thieves break in and s;

STILL

Ps 46: 10 “Be s, and know that I am God!

Mk 4: 39 said to the sea, “Peace! Be s!”

STING

1Co 15: 55 Where, O death, is your s?”

STONE CORNERSTONE, MILLSTONE,

STONED, STONES

Ex 31: 18 tablets of s, written with the finger of

1Sa 17: 50 the Philistine with a sling and a s,

Ps 118: 22 The s that the builders rejected has

Isa 28: 16 in Zion a foundation s, a tested s,

Eze 36: 26 from your body the heart of s

Mt 4: 6 will not dash your foot against a s.’”

Mk 12: 10 ‘The s that the builders rejected has

16: 3 “Who will roll away the s for us

Ro 9: 32 have stumbled over the stumbling s,

2Co 3: 3 not on tablets of s but on tablets

STONED STONE

Ac 14: 19 Then they s Paul and dragged him

Heb 11: 37 s to death, they were sawn in two,

STONES STONE

Mt 3: 9 God is able from these s to raise

Lk 19: 40 were silent, the s would shout out.”

1Co 3: 12 precious s, wood, hay, straw—

1Pe 2: 5 like living s, let yourselves be built

STRAIGHT

Pr 3: 6 and he will make s your paths.

Isa 40: 3 s in the desert a highway for our God.

Mt 3: 3 way of the Lord, make his paths s.’”

Ac 9: 11 Get up and go to the street called S,

STRANGER STRANGERS

Dt 10: 19 You shall also love the s,

Mt 25: 35 I was a s and you welcomed me,

STRANGERS STRANGER

Ro 12: 13 extend hospitality to s.

Heb 11: 13 They confessed that they were s

STREAMS

Ps 1: 3 like trees planted by s of water,

42: 1 As a deer longs for flowing s,

STRENGTH STRONG

Ex 15: 2 The LORD is my s and my might,

1Ch 16: 11 Seek the LORD and his s,

Ne 8: 10 for the joy of the LORD is your s.”

Jdt 9: 11 your s does not depend on numbers,

1Mc 3: 19 but s comes from Heaven.

Ps 46: 1 God is our refuge and s,

Isa 40: 31 for the LORD shall renew their s,

Mk 12: 30 all your mind, and with all your s.’

STRENGTHEN STRONG

Ps 119: 28 s me according to your word.

Heb 12: 12 hands and s your weak knees,

STRENGTHENS STRONG

Php 4: 13 do all things through him who s me.

STRIFE

Pr 23: 29 Who has sorrow? Who has s?

Ro 1: 29 Full of envy, murder, s, deceit,

Gal 5: 20 enmities, s, jealousy, anger,

STRIKE

Ge 3: 15 he will s your head, and you will s

Ex 17: 6 S the rock, and water will come out

Mk 14: 27 ‘I will s the shepherd, and the sheep

STRONG STRENGTH, STRENGTHEN,

STRENGTHENS, STRONGHOLD

Dt 31: 6 Be s and bold; have no fear

Jos 1: 6 Be s and courageous; for you shall

Ecc 9: 11 nor the battle to the s, nor bread to

Ro 15: 1 We who are s ought to put up with

1Co 1: 27 in the world to shame the s;

2Co 12: 10 whenever I am weak, then I am s.

Eph 6: 10 be s in the Lord and in the strength

STRONGHOLD STRONG

Ps 9: 9 The LORD is a s for the oppressed,

Na 1: 7 a s in a day of trouble;

STUDY

Ezr 7: 10 Ezra had set his heart to s the law

Ecc 12: 12 much s is a weariness of the flesh.

STUMBLE STUMBLING

Mt 18: 9 And if your eye causes you to s,

Ro 9: 33 a stone that will make people s,

STUMBLING STUMBLE

Mt 16: 23 You are a s block to me;

Ro 11: 9 a s block and a retribution for them;

1Co 8: 9 not somehow become a s block to

SUBDUE

Ge 1: 28 and fill the earth and s it;

SUBJECT

Ro 13: 1 be s to the governing authorities;

Eph 5: 21 s to one another out of reverence

SUBMISSION SUBMIT

1Ti 2: 11 a woman learn in silence with full s.

Heb 5: 7 was heard because of his reverent s.

SUBMISSIVE SUBMIT

1Ti 3: 4 keeping his children s and respectful

Tit 2: 5 kind, being s to their husbands,

SUBMIT SUBMISSION, SUBMISSIVE

Heb 13: 17 Obey your leaders and s to them,

SUCCEED SUCCESSFUL

Pr 15: 22 but with many advisers they s.

Ecc 10: 10 but wisdom helps one to s.

SUCCESSFUL SUCCEED

Jos 1: 7 that you may be s wherever you go.

SUDDENLY

Mal 3: 1 Lord whom you seek will s come to

Mk 13: 36 find you asleep when he comes s.

SUFFER SUFFERED, SUFFERING,

SUFFERINGS

Lk 22: 15 this Passover with you before I s;

24: 46 the Messiah is to s and to rise from

Heb 9: 26 then he would have had to s again

SUFFERED SUFFER

1Pe 2: 21 because Christ also s for you,

SUFFERING SUFFER

Isa 53: 3 a man of s and acquainted with

Mk 8: 31 Son of Man must undergo great s,

SUFFERINGS SUFFER

Ro 8: 18 the s of this present time are not

SUFFICIENT

2Co 12: 9 “My grace is s for you,

SULFUR

Ge 19: 24 rained on Sodom and Gomorrah s

Ps 11: 6 he will rain coals of fire and s;

Rev 21: 8 in the lake that burns with fire and s, SUN

SUN

Jos 10: 13 And the s stood still,

Ecc 1: 9 there is nothing new under the s.

Mt 5: 45 he makes his s rise on the evil and

Rev 22: 5 they need no light of lamp or s,

SUPPER

Lk 22: 20 he did the same with the cup after s,

Rev 19: 9 to the marriage s of the Lamb.”

SUPPLICATION SUPPLICATIONS

Eph 6: 18 at all times in every prayer and s.

SUPPLICATIONS SUPPLICATION

1Ti 2: 1 then, I urge that s, prayers,

Heb 5: 7 Jesus offered up prayers and s,

SURPASSES

Eph 3: 19 the love of Christ that s knowledge,

Php 4: 7 the peace of God, which s all

SUSTAINS

Ps 3: 5 for the LORD s me.

Heb 1: 3 he s all things by his powerful word.

SWALLOW SWALLOWED

Jnh 1: 17 provided a large fish to s up Jonah;

Mt 23: 24 You strain out a gnat but s a camel!

SWALLOWED SWALLOW

1Co 15: 54 “Death has been s up in victory.”

SWEAR

Dt 10: 20 and by his name you shall s.

Ps 24: 4 and do not s deceitfully.

Mt 5: 34 Do not s at all, either by heaven,

SWEAT

Ge 3: 19 By the s of your face you shall eat

Lk 22: 44 ·s became like great drops of blood‚

SWINE

1Mc 1: 47 sacrifice s and other unclean animals,

Mt 7: 6 do not throw your pearls before s,

SWORD SWORDS

Ge 3: 24 and a s flaming and turning to guard

Sir 21: 3 All lawlessness is like a two-edged s

Mt 10: 34 not come to bring peace, but a s.

Eph 6: 17 the s of the Spirit, which is the word

Heb 4: 12 sharper than any two-edged s,

Rev 1: 16 mouth came a sharp, two-edged s,

SWORDS SWORD

Isa 2: 4 shall beat their s into plowshares,

Joel 3: 10 Beat your plowshares into s,

SYMPATHIZE SYMPATHY

Heb 4: 15 unable to s with our weaknesses,

SYMPATHY SYMPATHIZE

Php 2: 1 any compassion and s,

1Pe 3: 8 all of you, have unity of spirit, s,

SYNAGOGUE SYNAGOGUES

Lk 4: 16 he went to the s on the sabbath day,

Ac 18: 26 He began to speak boldly in the s;

SYNAGOGUES SYNAGOGUE

Mt 4: 23 teaching in their s and proclaiming

Jn 18: 20 always taught in s and in the temple,

T

TABERNACLE

Ex 25: 9 concerning the pattern of the t

40: 34 the glory of the LORD filled the t.

1Ch 6: 48 for all the service of the t of the house

TABLE TABLES

Ex 25: 23 You shall make a t of acacia wood,

Ps 23: 5 a t before me in the presence of my

TABLES TABLE

Mk 11: 15 overturned the t of the money changers

TABLETS

Ex 31: 18 gave him the two t of the covenant,

2Co 3: 3 not on t of stone but on t of human hearts.

TALENT

Mt 25: 25 and hid your t in the ground.

TAX TAXES

Mt 11: 19 a friend of t collectors and sinners!’

Lk 18: 10 Pharisee and the other a t collector.

TAXES TAX

Mt 22: 17 Is it lawful to pay t to the emperor,

Ro 13: 7 t to whom t are due,

TEACH TEACHER, TEACHERS,

TEACHING

Dt 6: 1 to t you to observe in the land that

Jer 31: 34 No longer shall they t one another,

Col 3: 16 t and admonish one another in all

1Jn 2: 27 so you do not need anyone to t you.

TEACHER TEACH

Ecc 1: 1 words of the T, the son of David,

Jn 1: 38 “Rabbi” (which translated means T)

TEACHERS TEACH

Ps 119: 99 more understanding than all my t,

1Co 12: 28 second prophets, third t;

Eph 4: 11 evangelists, some pastors and t,

Jas 3: 1 Not many of you should become t,

TEACHING TEACH

Mk 1: 27 A new t—with authority!

TEAR

Rev 7: 17 God will wipe away every t from

TEETH TOOTH

Mt 8: 12 will be weeping and gnashing of t.”

TEMPLE

2Ch 2: 12 who will build a t for the LORD,

1Mc 4: 48 sanctuary and the interior of the t,

Mt 4: 5 placed him on the pinnacle of the t,

12: 6 something greater than the t is here.

1Co 3: 16 you are God’s t and that God’s Spirit

Eph 2: 21 and grows into a holy t in the Lord;

Rev 21: 22 its t is the Lord God the Almighty and

TEMPTATION TEMPTED

1Ti 6: 9 who want to be rich into t and

Jas 1: 12 Blessed is anyone who endures t.

TEMPTED TEMPTATION

Mk 1: 13 wilderness forty days, t by Satan;

Gal 6: 1 care that you yourselves are not t.

TEN

Ex 34: 28 the covenant, the t commandments.

TENT

Ex 27: 21 the t of meeting, outside the curtain

2Co 5: 1 the earthly t we live in is destroyed,

TEST TESTED, TESTING

Dt 6: 16 put the LORD your God to the t,

Sir 37: 27 My child, t yourself while you live;

Lk 4: 12 not put the Lord your God to the t.’

10: 25 then a lawyer stood up to t Jesus.

2Co 13: 5 indeed, you fail to meet the t!

1Jn 4: 1 t the spirits to see whether they are

TESTED TEST

Ge 22: 1 After these things God t Abraham.

Ps 78: 41 They t God again and again,

Heb 4: 15 been t as we are, yet without sin.

TESTIMONY

Mk 14: 59 on this point their t did not agree.

Rev 1: 9 the word of God and the t of Jesus.

TESTING TEST

1Co 10: 13 No t has overtaken you that is not

Jas 1: 3 t of your faith produces endurance;

THANK THANKS, THANKSGIVING

2Ch 29: 31 bring sacrifices and t offerings to

Ps 52: 9 I will t you forever,

Sir 35: 4 gives alms sacrifices a t offering.

THANKS THANK

1Co 11: 24 and when he had given t,

THANKSGIVING THANK

Ps 50: 14 Offer to God a sacrifice of t,

Php 4: 6 with t let your requests be made known

Rev 7: 12 glory and wisdom and t and honor

THIEF THIEVES

Ex 22: 1 The t shall make restitution,

Jn 10: 10 The t comes only to steal and kill

1Th 5: 2 day of the Lord will come like a t in

Rev 16: 15 (“See, I am coming like a t!

THIEVES THIEF

Mt 6: 19 and where t break in and steal;

THINK THOUGHTS

Ro 12: 3 not to t of yourself more highly than

1Co 10: 12 So if you t you are standing,

THIRD THREE

Mt 26: 44 and prayed for the t time,

Lk 18: 33 and on the t day he will rise again.”

THIRST THIRSTY

Mt 5: 6 who hunger and t for righteousness,

Rev 7: 16 will hunger no more, and t no more;

THIRSTY THIRST

Mt 25: 35 I was t and you gave me something

Jn 6: 35 believes in me will never be t.

Rev 22: 17 And let everyone who is t come.

THORN THORNS

2Co 12: 7 a t was given me in the flesh,

THORNS THORN

Jn 19: 2 the soldiers wove a crown of t and

THOUGHTS THINK

Isa 55: 8 For my t are not your t,

1Co 3: 20 “The Lord knows the t of the wise,

Heb 4: 12 judge the t and intentions of the heart.

THOUSAND

Ps 90: 4 t years in your sight are like yesterday

2Pe 3: 8 one day is like a t years, and a t years

Rev 20: 4 and reigned with Christ a t years.

THREE THIRD

Mt 18: 20 two or t are gathered in my name,

26: 34 you will deny me t times.”

Mk 8: 31 be killed, and after t days rise again.

2Co 12: 8 T times I appealed to the Lord

1Jn 5: 7 There are t that testify:

THRONE

Ps 45: 6 Your t, O God, endures forever

Isa 6: 1 I saw the Lord sitting on a t, high

Mt 19: 28 the Son of Man is seated on the t

Heb 4: 16 approach the t of grace with boldness,

Rev 4: 10 they cast their crowns before the t,

20: 11 I saw a great white t and the one

THUMMIM

Ex 28: 30 you shall put the Urim and the T,

THUNDER

Ex 9: 23 and the LORD sent t and hail,

Rev 4: 5 and rumblings and peals of t,

TIME TIMES

Est 4: 14 dignity for just such a t as this.”

Ecc 3: 1 a t for every matter under heaven:

Da 7: 25 for a t, two times, and half a t.

Ro 5: 6 the right t Christ died for the ungodly.

2Co 6: 2 See, now is the acceptable t;

Gal 4: 4 when the fullness of t had come,

Rev 12: 14 for a t, and times, and half a t.

TIMES TIME

Sir 20: 12 but pay for it seven t over.

Mt 16: 3 cannot interpret the signs of the t.

18: 22 seven t, but, I tell you, seventy-seven t.

Mk 14: 30 you will deny me three t.”

TITHE

Dt 12: 17 the t of your grain, your wine, and

Mal 3: 10 Bring the full t into the storehouse,

TODAY

Ps 2: 7 my son; t I have begotten you.

Heb 1: 5 my Son; t I have begotten you”?

13: 8 Christ is the same yesterday and t

TOMB

Mk 15: 46 laid it in a t that had been hewn out

Lk 24: 2 the stone rolled away from the t,

TOMORROW

Mt 6: 34 “So do not worry about t,

Jas 4: 14 do not even know what t will bring.

TONGUE TONGUES

Isa 45: 23 shall bow, every t shall swear.”

Php 2: 11 every t should confess that Jesus Christ

TONGUES TONGUE

Ac 2: 3 Divided t, as of fire, appeared

1Co 12: 10 t, to another the interpretation of t.

TOOTH TEETH

Ex 21: 24 t for t, hand for hand, foot for foot,

Mt 5: 38 ‘An eye for an eye and a t for a t.’

TOWER

Ge 11: 4 and a t with its top in the heavens,

Pr 18: 10 The name of the LORD is a strong t;

TRADITION

Mt 15: 2 disciples break the t of the elders?

Col 2: 8 empty deceit, according to human t,

TRAIN TRAINING

Pr 22: 6 T children in the right way, and

1Ti 4: 7 T yourself in godliness,

TRAINING TRAIN

1Ti 4: 8 while physical t is of some value,

2Ti 3: 16 and for t in righteousness,

TRAITOR

Lk 6: 16 and Judas Iscariot, who became a t.

TRANSFIGURED

Mt 17: 2 And he was t before them,

TRANSFORM TRANSFORMED

Php 3: 21 will t the body of our humiliation

TRANSFORMED TRANSFORM

Ro 12: 2 be t by the renewing of your minds,

2Co 3: 18 are being t into the same image

TRANSGRESSION TRANSGRESSIONS

Ex 23: 21 for he will not pardon your t;

Da 9: 24 to finish the t, to put an end to sin,

TRANSGRESSIONS TRANSGRESSION

Ps 103: 12 so far he removes our t from us.

Isa 53: 5 But he was wounded for our t,

TREASURE TREASURES

Mt 6: 21 where your t is, there your heart

2Co 4: 7 But we have this t in clay jars,

2Ti 1: 14 Guard the good t entrusted to you,

TREASURES TREASURE

Col 2: 3 are hidden all the t of wisdom

TREE

Ge 3: 24 to guard the way to the t of life.

Mt 12: 33 for the t is known by its fruit.

Rev 22: 2 the t of life with its twelve kinds

TREMBLING

Ps 2: 11 Serve the LORD with fear, with t

Php 2: 12 your own salvation with fear and t;

TRESPASS TRESPASSES

Ro 5: 15 But the free gift is not like the t.

TRESPASSES TRESPASS

Mt 6: 14 For if you forgive others their t,

2Co 5: 19 not counting their t against them,

TRIAL TRIALS

Lk 11: 4 do not bring us to the time of t.”

2Pe 2: 9 knows how to rescue the godly from t,

Rev 3: 10 I will keep you from the hour of t

TRIALS TRIAL

Jas 1: 2 whenever you face t of any kind,

1Pe 1: 6 you have had to suffer various t,

TRIBES

Ge 49: 28 All these are the twelve t of Israel,

Ex 24: 4 to the twelve t of Israel.

Mt 19: 28 judging the twelve t of Israel.

Rev 21: 12 inscribed the names of the twelve t

TRIUMPHAL TRIUMPHS

2Co 2: 14 Christ always leads us in t procession,

TRIUMPHS TRIUMPHAL

Jas 2: 13 mercy t over judgment.

TROUBLE TROUBLED

Ps 9: 9 a stronghold in times of t.

Pr 11: 8 The righteous are delivered from t,

Isa 33: 2 our salvation in the time of t.

Mt 6: 34 Today’s t is enough for today.

TROUBLED TROUBLE

Jn 14: 1 “Do not let your hearts be t.

TRUE TRUTH

Ps 119: 151 and all your commandments are t.

Jn 1: 9 The t light, which enlightens

1Jn 5: 20 He is the t God and eternal life.

Rev 3: 14 the Amen, the faithful and t witness,

19: 11 Its rider is called Faithful and T,

TRUMPET

1Co 15: 52 twinkling of an eye, at the last t.

1Th 4: 16 and with the sound of God’s t,

TRUST ENTRUSTED, TRUSTED,

TRUSTWORTHY

Ps 37: 3 T in the LORD, and do good;

Pr 3: 5 T in the LORD with all your heart,

Sir 2: 6 T in him, and he will help you;

TRUSTED TRUST

Da 3: 28 delivered his servants who t in him.

6: 23 because he had t in his God.

13: 35 for her heart t in the Lord.

TRUSTWORTHY TRUST

1Mc 14: 41 until a t prophet should arise,

Ps 111: 7 and just; all his precepts are t.

Rev 22: 6 “These words are t and true,

TRUTH TRUE

Tob 3: 2 all your ways are mercy and t;

Pr 23: 23 Buy t, and do not sell it;

Jn 1: 17 grace and t came through Jesus Christ.

4: 23 worship the Father in spirit and t,

8: 32 and the t will make you free.”

14: 6 “I am the way, and the t, and the life.

14: 17 This is the Spirit of t,

Eph 4: 15 But speaking the t in love,

2Ti 2: 15 rightly explaining the word of t.

TURNED TURN

Isa 53: 6 we have all t to our own way,

Ro 3: 12 All have t aside, together they have

TWELVE

Ge 49: 28 All these are the t tribes of Israel,

Mt 10: 1 Jesus summoned his t disciples

Lk 9: 17 t baskets of broken pieces.

Rev 21: 12 inscribed the names of the t tribes

22: 2 tree of life with its t kinds of fruit,

TWINKLING

1Co 15: 52 in the t of an eye, at the last trumpet

TWO TWICE, TWO-EDGED

Ge 1: 16 God made the t great lights—

6: 19 bring t of every kind into the ark,

Ex 31: 18 the t tablets of the covenant,

Dt 17: 6 of t or three witnesses the death

Mt 6: 24 “No one can serve t masters;

19: 5 and the t shall become one flesh’?

TWO-EDGED TWO

Heb 4: 12 sharper than any t sword,

Rev 1: 16 his mouth came a sharp, t sword,

U

UNBELIEF UNBELIEVER,

UNBELIEVERS

Mk 6: 6 And he was amazed at their u.

9: 24 cried out, “I believe; help my u!”

UNBELIEVER UNBELIEF

1Co 10: 27 If an u invites you to a meal and

2Co 6: 15 does a believer share with an u?

UNBELIEVERS UNBELIEF

2Co 6: 14 Do not be mismatched with u.

UNCIRCUMCISED UNCIRCUMCISION

Ac 7: 51 people, u in heart and ears,

Ro 4: 11 he had by faith while he was still u.

Col 3: 11 circumcised and u, barbarian,

UNCIRCUMCISION UNCIRCUMCISED

1Co 7: 19 Circumcision is nothing, and u is

Gal 5: 6 neither circumcision nor u counts

UNCLEAN UNCLEANNESS

Lev 5: 2 when any of you touch any u thing

Isa 52: 11 Touch no u thing;

Mk 3: 11 Whenever the u spirits saw him,

Rev 21: 27 But nothing u will enter it,

UNDERSTAND UNDERSTANDING

Lk 24: 45 opened their minds to u the scriptures,

Eph 5: 17 but u what the will of the Lord is.

UNDERSTANDING UNDERSTAND

Ex 36: 1 has given skill and u to know how

Pr 2: 6 from his mouth come knowledge and u

Lk 2: 47 heard him were amazed at his u

Php 4: 7 peace of God, which surpasses all u,

UNGODLY

Ro 5: 6 the right time Christ died for the u.

2Pe 2: 6 example of what is coming to the u;

UNITY

Ps 133: 1 when kindred live together in u!

Eph 4: 3 to maintain the u of the Spirit

UNJUST

Ro 3: 5 That God is u to inflict wrath on us?

Heb 6: 10 For God is not u; he will

UNLEAVENED

Ex 12: 17 shall observe the festival of u bread,

Mt 26: 17 first day of U Bread the disciples

UNRIGHTEOUS UNRIGHTEOUSNESS

Mt 5: 45 rain on the righteous and on the u.

2Pe 2: 9 u under punishment until the day

UNRIGHTEOUSNESS UNRIGHTEOUS

Ps 92: 15 and there is no u in him.

1Jn 1: 9 and cleanse us from all u.

URIM

Ex 28: 30 of judgment you shall put the U

USEFUL

2Ti 3: 16 scripture is inspired by God and is u

V

VAIN VANITY

Ps 2: 1 and the peoples plot in v?

Mt 15: 9 in v do they worship me,

Php 2: 16 that I did not run in v or labor in v.

VALLEY

Ps 23: 4 through the darkest v, I fear no evil;

VANITY VAIN

Ecc 1: 2 v of vanities! All is v.

VEIL

Ex 34: 33 he put a v on his face;

2Co 3: 15 a v lies over their minds;

VENGEANCE AVENGE, AVENGER,

AVENGING

Ps 94: 1 O LORD, you God of v,

Isa 34: 8 For the LORD has a day of v,

Na 1: 2 the LORD takes v on his adversaries

VICTORY

Pr 21: 31 but the v belongs to the LORD.

1Co 15: 54 Death has been swallowed up in v.”

VINE VINEYARD

Jn 15: 1 “I am the true v, and my Father is

VINEYARD VINE

Isa 5: 1 had a v on a very fertile hill.

Mt 21: 33 a landowner who planted a v,

VIOLENCE

Ge 6: 11 and the earth was filled with v.

Isa 53: 9 although he had done no v,

Hab 2: 17 because of human bloodshed and v

VIRGIN

Mt 1: 23 the v shall conceive and bear a son,

Lk 1: 34 “How can this be, since I am a v?”

VISION VISIONS

Isa 22: 1 oracle concerning the valley of v.

Da 8: 26 As for you, seal up the v,

VISIONS VISION

Nu 12: 6 make myself known to them in v;

Eze 1: 1 were opened, and I saw v of God.

Da 1: 17 Daniel also had insight into all v

Joel 2: 28 and your young men shall see v.

Ac 2: 17 and your young men shall see v,

VOICE

Heb 3: 7 says, “Today, if you hear his v,

Rev 3: 20 if you hear my v and open the door,

VOID

Ge 1: 2 the earth was a formless v

VOW

Ecc 5: 4 Fulfill what you v.

Sir 18: 23 Before making a v, prepare yourself

W

WAGES

Ro 6: 23 For the w of sin is death,

WAIT

Ps 27: 14 W for the LORD; be strong,

Sir 2: 7 fear the Lord, w for his mercy;

1Th 1: 10 to w for his Son from heaven,

WALK

Dt 10: 12 to w in all his ways, to love him,

Ps 23: 4 I w through the darkest valley,

Isa 40: 31 they shall w and not faint.

2Co 5: 7 for we w by faith, not by sight.

WALL

Jos 6: 20 shout, and the w fell down flat;

Ne 2: 17 let us rebuild the w of Jerusalem,

Eph 2: 14 has broken down the dividing w,

WANT

Ps 23: 1 LORD is my shepherd, I shall not w.

WAR WARRIOR, WARS

Ecc 3: 8 a time for w, and a time for peace.

WARRIOR WAR

Ex 15: 3 LORD is a w; the LORD

WARS WAR

Mt 24: 6 you will hear of w and rumors of w;

WASH

Ps 51: 7 w me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Jn 13: 5 and began to w the disciples’ feet

WATER WATERS

Jer 2: 13 the fountain of living w,

Eze 36: 25 I will sprinkle clean w upon you,

Mk 1: 8 I have baptized you with w;

Jn 2: 9 tasted the w that had become wine,

3: 5 without being born of w and Spirit.

4: 10 he would have given you living w.”

1Jn 5: 6 the one who came by w and blood,

Rev 22: 1 showed me the river of the w of life,

WATERS WATER

Ge 7: 7 the ark to escape the w of the flood.

Isa 55: 1 who thirsts, come to the w;

WAY WAYS

Ps 1: 6 watches over the w of the righteous,

Pr 22: 6 Train children in the right w,

Mt 3: 3 ‘Prepare the w of the Lord,

Jn 14: 6 “I am the w, and the truth, and the life.

1Co 12: 31 show you a still more excellent w.

Heb 10: 20 the new and living w that he opened

WAYS WAY

Dt 10: 12 to walk in all his w, to love him,

Sir 2: 15 who love him keep his w.

WEAK WEAKNESS, WEAKNESSES

Mt 26: 41 indeed is willing, but the flesh is w.”

1Co 1: 27 God chose what is w in the world

2Co 12: 10 whenever I am w, then I am strong.

WEAKNESS WEAK

Ro 8: 26 the Spirit helps us in our w;

WEAKNESSES WEAK

Heb 4: 15 to sympathize with our w,

WEALTH

Sir 5: 1 Do not rely on your w,

Rev 5: 12 receive power and w and wisdom

WEARY

Isa 40: 31 they shall run and not be w,

Heb 12: 3 you may not grow w or lose heart.

WEDDING

Jn 2: 1 there was a w in Cana of Galilee,

WEEKS

Ex 34: 22 You shall observe the festival of w,

Lev 23: 15 you shall count off seven w;

WEEP WEEPING

Ecc 3: 4 a time to w, and a time to laugh;

Ro 12: 15 w with those who w.

WEEPING WEEP

Ps 30: 5 W may linger for the night,

Mt 8: 12 will be w and gnashing of teeth.”

WELL

Dt 6: 3 so that it may go w with you,

Mt 3: 17 with whom I am w pleased.”

17: 5 I am w pleased; listen to him!”

2Pe 1: 17 with whom I am w pleased.”

WICKED WICKEDNESS

Ps 1: 5 the w will not stand in the judgment,

Isa 48: 22 no peace,” says the LORD, “for the w.”

Eze 18: 23 any pleasure in the death of the w,

WICKEDNESS WICKED

Ps 45: 7 you love righteousness and hate w.

Lk 11: 39 inside you are full of greed and w.

WIDOW WIDOWS

Ex 22: 22 shall not abuse any w or orphan.

Ps 146: 9 he upholds the orphan and the w,

1Ti 5: 4 If a w has children or grandchildren,

WIDOWS WIDOW

1Ti 5: 3 Honor w who are really w.

Jas 1: 27 to care for orphans and w in their

WIFE WIVES

Ge 2: 24 and his mother and clings to his w,

Ex 20: 17 shall not covet your neighbor’s w,

Tob 8: 6 his w Eve as a helper and support.

Pr 18: 22 who finds a w finds a good thing,

Sir 26: 3 A good w is a great blessing;

Mt 5: 32 that anyone who divorces his w,

Eph 5: 28 He who loves his w loves himself.

Rev 21: 9 the bride, the w of the Lamb.”

WILDERNESS

Isa 40: 3 the w prepare the way of the LORD,

Mt 3: 3 voice of one crying out in the w:

WILL WILLING

Ps 40: 8 I delight to do your w, O my God;

Mt 6: 10 Your w be done, on earth as it is in

Lk 22: 42 yet, not my w but yours be done.”

Jn 4: 34 “My food is to do the w of him who

Eph 6: 6 doing the w of God from the heart.

1Jo 5: 14 if we ask anything according to his w,

WILLING WILL

Mt 26: 41 spirit indeed is w, but the flesh is weak.

Lk 22: 42 if you are w, remove this cup from

WIND

Ecc 1: 14 all is vanity and a chasing after w.

Jn 3: 8 The w blows where it chooses,

Ac 2: 2 a sound like the rush of a violent w,

WINE

Mt 9: 17 is new w put into old wineskins;

Jn 2: 9 tasted the water that had become w,

Eph 5: 18 Do not get drunk with w, for that is

WINGS

Ex 19: 4 and how I bore you on eagles’ w

Ps 17: 8 hide me in the shadow of your w,

Mal 4: 2 shall rise, with healing in its w.

Lk 13: 34 hen gathers her brood under her w,

WIPE

Isa 25: 8 GOD will w away the tears from all

Rev 21: 4 he will w every tear from their eyes.

WISDOM WISE

1Ki 4: 29 God gave Solomon very great w,

Pr 1: 20 W cries out in the street;

9: 10 fear of the LORD is the beginning of w,

Wis 6: 12 W is radiant and unfading, Sir 1: 1 All w is from the Lord,

24: 1 THE PRAISE OF W

Jer 9: 23 Do not let the wise boast in their w,

Mt 13: 54 this man get this w and these deeds

Lk 2: 52 Jesus increased in w and in years,

Ro 11: 33 the depth of the riches and w and

1Co 1: 19 “I will destroy the w of the wise,

Col 2: 3 whom are hidden all the treasures of w

Jas 3: 17 But the w from above is first pure,

Rev 5: 12 wealth and w and might and honor

WISE WISDOM

Ps 19: 7 are sure, making w the simple;

Pr 3: 7 Do not be w in your own eyes;

Da 12: 3 are w shall shine like the brightness

1Co 1: 26 not many of you were w by human

Eph 5: 15 not as unwise people but as w,

WITHER WITHERS

Ps 1: 3 and their leaves do not w.

Eze 47: 12 Their leaves will not w nor their

WITHERS WITHER

Jn 15: 6 is thrown away like a branch and w;

1Pe 1: 24 The grass w, and the flower falls,

WITNESS EYEWITNESSES, WITNESSES

Dt 19: 15 single w shall not suffice to convict

Rev 1: 5 faithful w, the firstborn of the dead,

WITNESSES WITNESS

Mt 26: 60 though many false w came forward.

Heb 12: 1 surrounded by so great a cloud of w,

Rev 11: 3 my two w authority to prophesy

WIVES WIFE

Eph 5: 22 W, be subject to your husbands as

1Pe 3: 1 W, in the same way, accept the

WOMAN WOMEN

Ge 2: 22 he made into a w and brought her to

3: 15 enmity between you and the w,

Jdt 16: 5 foiled them by the hand of a w.

Ps 113: 9 He gives the barren w a home,

Pr 11: 16 A gracious w gets honor,

31: 30 w who fears the LORD is to be praised.

Rev 12: 1 a w clothed with the sun,

WOMEN WOMAN

Lk 1: 42 “Blessed are you among w,

23: 55 w who had come with him from

1Pe 3: 5 that the holy w who hoped in God

WONDERFUL WONDERS

Ge 18: 14 Is anything too w for the LORD?

Isa 9: 6 named W Counselor, Mighty God,

WONDERS WONDERFUL

Ex 3: 20 and strike Egypt with all my w that

Ps 136: 4 who alone does great w,

Jn 4: 48 signs and w you will not believe.”

2Th 2: 9 who uses all power, signs, lying w,

WORD BYWORD, WORDS

Dt 30: 14 No, the w is very near to you;

Ps 119: 105 Your w is a lamp to my feet and

Pr 30: 5 Every w of God proves true;

Isa 40: 8 the w of our God will stand forever.

Jn 1: 1 In the beginning was the W, and the W was with God, and the W was God.

1: 14 the W became flesh and lived among

2Ti 2: 15 rightly explaining the w of truth.

Jas 1: 22 But be doers of the w,

Rev 19: 13 his name is called The W of God.

WORDS WORD

Ex 20: 1 Then God spoke all these w:

Dt 11: 18 put these w of mine in your heart

Mt 24: 35 but my w will not pass away.

WORK WORKS

Ge 2: 2 the seventh day God finished the w

Ex 20: 10 you shall not do any w—

Php 2: 12 w out your own salvation with fear

2Ti 3: 17 equipped for every good w.

WORKS WORK

Gal 2: 16 and not by doing the w of the law,

5: 19 the w of the flesh are obvious:

Eph 2: 9 not the result of w, so that no one may

1Ti 6: 18 to do good, to be rich in good w,

WORLD

Mt 5: 14 “You are the light of the w.

16: 26 gain the whole w but forfeit their life?

Jn 1: 10 yet the w did not know him.

3: 16 loved the w that he gave his only Son,

8: 12 saying, “I am the light of the w.

1Jn 2: 15 not love the w or the things in the w.

Rev 11: 15 kingdom of the w has become the

WORRY

Mt 6: 25 do not w about your life,

10: 19 not w about how you are to speak

WORSHIP

Ex 20: 5 not bow down to them or w them;

Ps 100: 2 W the LORD with gladness;

Mt 4: 9 if you will fall down and w me.”

Jn 4: 24 who w him must w in spirit and truth.”

Ro 12: 1 which is your spiritual w.

WORTHY

2Sa 22: 4 LORD, who is w to be praised,

Eph 4: 1 to lead a life w of the calling

Rev 4: 11 “You are w, our Lord and God,

5: 12 W is the Lamb that was slaughtered

WOUNDS

1Pe 2: 24 by his w you have been healed.

WRAPPED

Mk 15: 46 the body, w it in the linen cloth,

Lk 2: 7 w him in bands of cloth,

WRATH

Nu 16: 46 For w has gone out from the LORD;

Ps 2: 5 Then he will speak to them in his w,

Pr 15: 1 A soft answer turns away w,

Sir 16: 11 For mercy and w are with the Lord;

Zep 1: 15 That day will be a day of w,

Mt 3: 7 you to flee from the w to come?

Ro 1: 18 w of God is revealed from heaven

1Th 1: 10 rescues us from the w that is coming

Rev 6: 17 the great day of their w has come,

WRITE WRITING, WRITTEN, WROTE

Ex 34: 27 LORD said to Moses: W these words;

Dt 6: 9 w them on the doorposts of your house

Pr 7: 3 w them on the tablet of your heart.

Jer 31: 33 and I will w it on their hearts;

Heb 8: 10 and w them on their hearts,

WRITING WRITE

Ex 32: 16 and the w was the w of God,

WRITTEN WRITE

Lk 24: 44 everything w about me in the law

Jn 21: 25 if every one of them were w down,

Rev 21: 27 are w in the Lamb’s book of life.

WRONG WRONGED

Lk 23: 41 but this man has done nothing w.”

Ac 23: 9 “We find nothing w with this man.

WRONGED WRONG

1Co 6: 7 Why not rather be w?

WROTE WRITE

Ex 24: 4 And Moses w down all the words

Y

YEAR YEARS

Ex 23: 14 Three times in the y you shall hold a

Heb 10: 1 continually offered y after y,

YEARS YEAR

Ps 90: 4 For a thousand y in your sight are like

Jer 25: 12 Then after seventy y are completed,

Da 9: 2 of Jerusalem, namely, seventy y.

2Pe 3: 8 the Lord one day is like a thousand y,

Rev 20: 2 and bound him for a thousand y,

YEAST

Mt 16: 6 beware of the y of the Pharisees and

Gal 5: 9 A little y leavens the whole batch of

YESTERDAY

Heb 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same y and today

YOKE

Mt 11: 30 my y is easy, and my burden is light.”

YOUTH YOUNG

Ecc 12: 1 Remember your creator in the days of your y,

Z

ZEAL

1Mc 2: 26 Thus he burned with z for the law,

Ps 69: 9 z for your house that has consumed me

Jn 2: 17 “Z for your house will consume me.

Ro 10: 2 testify that they have a z for God,

ZION

2Sa 5: 7 David took the stronghold of Z,

Ps 2: 6 I have set my king on Z, my holy hill.

Isa 28: 16 I am laying in Z a foundation stone,

Mic 4: 2 For out of Z shall go forth instruction,

Zec 9: 9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter Z!

Mt 21: 5 “Tell the daughter of Z,

Ro 11: 26 “Out of Z will come the Deliverer;

1Pe 2: 6 “See, I am laying in Z a stone,

Rev 14: 1 the Lamb, standing on Mount Z!

Credits

Jacket design: Nita Ybarra

Copyright

Some illustrations not available for the electronic edition.

“The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

NRSV STANDARD CATHOLIC ED BIBLE ANGLICIZED: THE OLD TESTAMENT. Copyright © 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.

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a Or when God began to create or In the beginning God created

b Or while the spirit of God or while a mighty wind

a Heb adam

b Syr: Heb and over all the earth

a Heb adam

c Heb him

d Or formed a man (Heb adam) of dust from the ground (Heb adamah)

a Or for Adam

b Heb ishshah

c Heb ish

d Or gods

a Or to Adam

b In Heb Eve resembles the word for living

c Or for Adam

a The verb in Heb resembles the word for Cain

b Sam Gk Syr Compare Vg: MT lacks Let us go out to the field

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb Therefore

d That is Wandering

a The verb in Heb resembles the word for Seth

b Heb adam

c Heb him

b Heb adam

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or window

a Gk: Heb adds every animal of the earth

b Heb yapht, a play on Japheth

a Heb Mss Sam Gk See 1 Chr 1.7: MT Dodanim

b Compare verses 20, 31. Heb lacks These are the descendants of Japheth

c Cn: Heb Casluhim, from which the Philistines come, and Caphtorim

d That is Division

a Or migrated eastward

b Heb balal, meaning to confuse

a Or by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves

b Or terebinth

c Heb seed

a Heb seed

b Or terebinths

a Heb Salt Sea

b Or terebinths

c Heb El Elyon

c Heb El Elyon

c Heb El Elyon

c Heb El Elyon

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb he

b Heb he

a That is God hears

b Perhaps God of seeing or God who sees

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d That is the Well of the Living One who sees me

e Heb Abram

f Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

g That is exalted ancestor

h Here taken to mean ancestor of a multitude

i Heb seed

a That is he laughs

b Heb him

c Or terebinths

d Heb seahs

a Or and all the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by him

b Heb known

c Another ancient tradition reads while the LORD remained standing before Abraham

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb he

b That is Little

a Gk Vg: Heb lacks with her son Isaac

a That is Well of seven or Well of the oath

b Heb He

c Or the LORD, El Olam

d Or to slaughter

a Or will see; Heb traditionally transliterated Jehovah Jireh

b Or he shall be seen

a Syr Tg: Heb from coming to

b Meaning of Heb word is uncertain

a Heb he fell

b Or down in opposition to

c Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d That is He takes by the heel or He supplants

a That is Red

b Heb today

c Heb him

d That is Contention

e That is Enmity

a That is Broad places or Room

b A word resembling the word for oath

c That is Well of the oath or Well of seven

a Cn: Heb of all

b That is He supplants or He takes by the heel

a Or See, of

b Or and of

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

a Or stairway or ramp

b Or stood above it

c Or shall bless themselves

d That is House of God

a Heb He

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb him

d That is See, a son

e Heb shama

f Heb lawah

g Heb hodah

a That is He judged

b Heb niphtal

c That is Fortune

d That is Happy

e Heb sakar

f Heb zabal

g That is He adds

a Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb the river

b Heb them

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a In Aramaic The heap of witness

b In Hebrew The heap of witness

c Compare Sam: MT lacks the pillar

d That is Watchpost

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Ch 32.1 in Heb

g Here taken to mean Two camps

a Heb he

b That is The one who strives with God or God strives

c Or with divine and human beings

d That is The face of God

a That is Booths

b Heb one hundred qesitah

c That is God, the God of Israel

d Heb he

a That is God of Bethel

b That is Oak of weeping

c Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

d That is Son of my sorrow

e That is Son of the right hand or Son of the South

a Sam Gk Syr: Heb daughter

b Gk Syr: Heb daughter

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

c Or chiefs

e Or chief by chief

a Or chiefs

a Or chiefs

a Or chiefs

b Traditional rendering (compare Gk): a coat of many colours; Meaning of Heb uncertain

a See note on 37.3

a See note on 37.3

b Gk: Heb He

a Heb when Judah was comforted

b That is A breach

c That is Brightness; perhaps alluding to the crimson thread

a Heb he

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb lacks I fell asleep a second time

a Abrek, apparently an Egyptian word similar in sound to the Hebrew word meaning to kneel

b Sam Gk: MT the seven years that were

c That is Making to forget

d From a Hebrew word meaning to be fruitful

e Gk Vg Compare Syr: Heb opened all that was in (or, among) them

a Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

a Heb the man

b Gk Compare Vg: Heb lacks Why have you stolen my silver cup?

a Or be agitated

a Heb the God

b Or Saul

c Compare Sam Gk Num 26.24; 1 Chr 7.1: MT Iob

d Gk: Heb Hushim

e Heb He

a Sam Gk Compare Vg: MT He removed them to the cities

b Heb Israel

c Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

a Heb from his knees

b you here is singular in Heb

b you here is singular in Heb

c Or mountain-slope (Heb shekem, a play on the name of the town and district of Shechem)

c Or mountain-slope (Heb shekem, a play on the name of the town and district of Shechem)

a Gk Syr Tg: Heb he

b Or until Shiloh comes or until he comes to Shiloh or (with Syr) until he comes to whom it belongs

a Gk Vg Syr: Heb From Asher

b Or that gives beautiful words

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb the arms of his hands

e Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

f Cn Compare Gk: Heb of my progenitors to the boundaries

a That is mourning (or meadow) of Egypt

b Gk Syr: Heb they commanded

c Cn: Heb also came

a Sam Gk Tg: Heb lacks to the Hebrews

b Heb Mosheh

c Heb mashah

d Heb ger

a Or I AM WHAT I AM or I WILL BE WHAT I WILL BE

b The word ‘LORD’ when spelled with capital letters stands for the divine name, YHWH, which is here connected with the verb hayah, ‘to be’

a Gk Vg: Heb no, not by a mighty hand

b A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Heb his

b Sam: Heb The people of the land are now many

a Gk Compare Syr Vg: Heb beaten, and the sin of your people

b Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

c Heb YHWH; see note at 3.15

d Heb me? I am uncircumcised of lips

a Or Saul

b Also spelled Gershom; see 2.22

b Also spelled Gershom; see 2.22

c Heb am uncircumcised of lips; see 6.12

a Ch 7.26 in Heb

b Gk: Heb upon your people

c Ch 8.1 in Heb

a Or frogs, as he had agreed with Pharaoh

b Gk Vg: Heb will set redemption

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Or as a frontlet; Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or Sea of Reeds

a Sam Gk Syr: MT removed

a Or song

b Or Sea of Reeds

a Or Sea of Reeds

b That is Bitterness

c Or a tree

d Heb he

a Or ‘It is manna’ (Heb man hu, see verse 31)

a Or treaty or testimony; Heb eduth

b That is Test

c That is Quarrel

d Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb ger

b Heb Eli, my God; ezer, help

c The clause because…Egyptians has been transposed from verse 10

a Heb lacks with arrows

a Or besides

b Or to thousands

c Or kill

d Sam Gk Syr Vg: MT they saw

a Or to the judges

b Heb of her

a Ch 21.37 in Heb

b Verses 2, 3, and 4 rearranged thus: 3b, 4, 2, 3a

c Ch 22.1 in Heb

d Or before the judges

a Or before the judges

b Or the judges condemn

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Vg: Heb he

b Or hornets: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Or Sea of Reeds

d Heb He

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Or a cover

d Or the cover

d Or the cover

d Or the cover

d Or the cover

d Or the cover

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

d Or the cover

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Or the cover

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b The identity of several of these stones is uncertain

c Or lapis lazuli

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb sashes, Aaron and his sons

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Or the cover

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Heb it

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Or with the spirit of God

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Or the cover

a Heb he

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Or fashioned it with a graving-tool; Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Gk Vg Compare Tg: Heb Today ordain yourselves

a Heb YHWH; see note at 3.15

a Heb YHWH; see note at 3.15

b Or for thousands

c Heb Asherim

d Gk Theodotion Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb words

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or the cover

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Or the spirit of God

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or a cover

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a The identification of several of these stones is uncertain

b Or lapis lazuli

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Or the cover

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Or the cover

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

c Heb it

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 5.20 in Heb

b Ch 6.1 in Heb

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb the broad tail, and that which covers, and the kidneys

a Heb he

b Or pelican

c Identification of several of the birds in verses 13–19 is uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b A liquid measure

b A liquid measure

b A liquid measure

b A liquid measure

b A liquid measure

a Gk Syr: Heb afford, ³¹ such as he can afford, one

b A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b Heb flesh

b Heb flesh

b Heb flesh

a Or the cover

a Or the cover

b Traditionally rendered a scapegoat

a Traditionally rendered a scapegoat

a Traditionally rendered a scapegoat

b Or the cover

c Or treaty, or testament; Heb eduth

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

b Or the cover

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Traditionally rendered a scapegoat

a Or shall fast

a Or shall fast

a Or marry

b Gk: Heb lacks your

a Or marry

c Heb to pass them over

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb stand against the blood

a Heb as their uncircumcision

b Heb uncircumcision

a Heb repeats if a man commits adultery with the wife of

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Vg: Heb incur guilt for it and die in it

a Heb between the two evenings

a Or shall fast

b Or does not fast

a Or shall fast

c Or tabernacles: Heb succoth

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or treaty, or testament; Heb eduth

b Heb pure lampstand

c Heb pure table

a Or sabbaths

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or make up for

a Or make up for

a Or make up for

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Compare verses 9, 16, 24: Heb by their regiments

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb they

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a That is one separated or one consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is those separated or those consecrated

a That is those separated or those consecrated

a That is those separated or those consecrated

b That is one separated or one consecrated

a Heb him

b Or the cover

c Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Heb between the two evenings

a Heb between the two evenings

a Heb between the two evenings

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb lacks by day

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b That is Burning

a Heb LORD’s hand too short?

a Or of Moses from his youth

b That is Graves of craving

c Or devout

d A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

e Heb do not lay sin upon us

a That is Cluster

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Cn: Heb and they confronted Moses, and two hundred and fifty men…well-known men

a Heb his

a Ch 17.1 in Heb

b Ch 17.16 in Heb

c Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

b Heb as a service of gift

a Heb it

b Heb lacks naturally

a That is Quarrel

a Heb lacks to his people

b Heb Destruction

c Or Sea of Reeds

d Or fiery; Heb seraphim

e Or fiery; Heb seraph

f Gk: Heb which is in

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

h That is Well

a Or Jeshimon

b Gk: Heb and the lords of

c Gk: Heb we have shot at them; Heshbon has perished

d Compare Sam Gk: Meaning of MT uncertain

a Or land of his kinsfolk

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb lacks of Israel

c Heb him

d Heb he

a Or fourth part

a Or overlooks Jeshimon

b Or closed or open

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or closed or open

b Or of Elyon

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Or forehead

e Some Mss read skull

f Heb Seir, its enemies, a possession

a Heb lacks take a census of the people: Compare verse 2

a Or Saul…Saulites

a Heb clans of Naphtali

a Heb lacks with me

a Heb between the two evenings

a Heb between the two evenings

a Or and fast

a Ch 30.1 in Heb

a Or to fast

b Or from that day to the next

a Gk: Heb adds to the war

a Cn: Heb hurrying

b Heb beyond

a That is the villages of Jair

b Or Sea of Reeds

b Or Sea of Reeds

a Heb Salt Sea

b Syr: Heb lacks its

a Heb Salt Sea

a Heb without seeing

a Gk Syr Vg Compare Josh 12.4: Heb lacks and

b Sam Gk: MT the LORD

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Gk Tg: Heb and all

a Heb territory from Aroer

b That is Settlement of Jair

c Heb Salt Sea

a Heb the ten words

a Syr: Heb Sion

b Q Mss Sam Gk Syr Vg Tg: MT word

c Or besides

d Or to thousands

a Or kill

a Or The LORD our God is one LORD, or The LORD our God, the LORD is one, or The LORD is our God, the LORD is one

b Or as a frontlet

a Heb Asherim

b Or hornets: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or by anything that the LORD decrees

b Or fiery; Heb seraph

a Sam Gk: MT I have

b Heb the ten words

c Or the wells of the Bene-jaakan

a Q Ms Gk Syr: MT lacks your God

b Or Sea of Reeds

a Compare Gk: Heb my commandments

b Sam Gk Vg: MT I

b Sam Gk Vg: MT I

c Or as a frontlet

d Gk Syr: Compare Gen 12.6; Heb oaks or terebinths

a Heb Asherim

a Or on

b Gk Sam Syr: MT lacks today

c Ch 13.1 in Heb

d Ch 13.2 in Heb

e Sam Gk Compare Tg: MT lacks your father’s son or

a Or pelican

b Identification of several of the birds in verses 12–18 is uncertain

a Or sells himself or herself

b Heb him

c Or bondman

d Or bondwoman

e Or new moon

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Heb Asherah

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb him

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Or prophets

d Or such prophets

a Or prophets

b Or mouths of the prophets

c Heb he

d Or prepare roads to them

a Heb two-thirds

a Ch 23.1 in Heb

b Heb uncovering his father’s skirt

a Heb a dog

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b Heb lacks the garment given you as

a Heb whole

b Heb uncovered his father’s skirt

a Ch 28.69 in Heb

b Ch 29.1 in Heb

c Or deal wisely

d Gk Syr: Heb your leaders, your tribes

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb of heaven

a Gk: Heb lacks If you obey the commandments of the LORD your God

b Q Ms Gk: MT Moses went and spoke

c Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Traditional rendering of Heb Elyon

c Q Ms Compare Gk Tg: MT the Israelites

d Sam Gk Compare Tg: MT found

a Sam Gk Syr Tg: MT he ate

b Q Mss Sam Gk: MT lacks Jacob ate his fill

c Or that begot you

d Q Mss Gk: MT lacks was jealous

e Cn: Heb he spurned because of provocation

a Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Q Ms Gk: MT nations

b Q Ms Gk: MT lacks this line

c Q Ms Gk: MT his servants

b Q Ms Gk: MT lacks this line

d Q Ms Sam Gk Vg: MT his land his people

e Sam Gk Syr Vg: MT Hoshea

a Gk Syr Vg Compare Tg: Heb upon them

b Cn Compare Gk Sam Syr Vg: MT He came from Ribeboth-kodesh,

c Cn Compare Gk: meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or O lover of the

e Cn: Heb with his hands he contended

f Q Ms Gk: MT lacks Give to Levi

a Heb above him

b Heb he

c Cn: Heb in the bush

d Q Ms Gk Syr Vg: MT His firstborn

e Cn: Heb the peoples, together

a Or The eternal God is a dwelling-place

b Cn: Heb from underneath

c Or the everlasting arms

d Or fountain

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Heb Salt Sea

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Or Sea of Reeds

b That is the Hill of the Foreskins

c Related to Heb galal to roll

a Gk: Heb devote to destruction Compare 7.21

a Heb She

a Mss Syr: MT man by man

b That is Trouble

a Heb among the people

a Heb whole

b Heb he

c Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb men

b Heb they

a Heb moved his tongue

a Heb Salt Sea

b Gk: Heb the boundary of King Og

a Gk: Heb Gilgal

b Cn: Heb With it

c Compare Gk: Heb lacks from

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb Lidebir

a That is the city of Arba

b Heb lacks this Arba was

c Heb Salt Sea

c Heb Salt Sea

a That is the city of Arba

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn See 15.9. Heb westwards

b Gk: Heb to the slope over against the Arabah

c Heb Salt Sea

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb the Jebusite

a Heb Gibeath

b Gk: Heb Kiriath

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb Mehebel

a Or to Geliloth

b Or at Geliloth

c Or make rebels of us

a Cn Compare Syr: Heb lacks Witness

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb one hundred qesitah

a That is Basins of Water

b Gk: Heb lacks Hobab

a See 1 Sam 15.6: Heb people

a OL Vg Compare Gk: Heb sides

b That is Weepers

a Heb he said

a Heb his

b With Tg Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb covering his feet

a Heb from the Kain

b Heb adds to the sword; compare verse 16

c Or You who offer yourselves willingly among the people, bless

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk: Heb me

c Cn: Heb From Ephraim their root

d Gk: Heb in Amalek

a Gk Compare Tg: Heb exclaimed

a Heb Asherah

a Heb Asherah

a Heb Asherah

a Heb Asherah

b Heb he

a Heb from

b Cn: Heb home, and depart from Mount Gilead”’

c Heb places the words putting their hands to their mouths after the word lapped in verse 6

d Cn: Heb So the people took provisions in their hands

a Another reading is Zeredah

b Gk: Heb pursuing

a With verse 7, Compare Gk: Heb he taught

b Heb they

a Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb might come

a Gk: Heb and he said

b Cn See 9.41. Heb Tormah

c Cn: Heb are besieging

d That is Diviners’ Oak

e Heb mouth

f Vg and some Gk Mss: Heb companies that were

a Heb lacks Did I not deliver you

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Cn: Heb go down

a Gk OL, Syr H: Heb lacks who oppressed us

b Meaning of Heb uncertain: Gk omits because…Manasseh

c Gk: Heb in the towns of Gilead

d That is one separated or one consecrated

a Or the angel

b That is one separated or one consecrated

c Gk Vg: Heb and working

d Heb wonders, while Manoah and his wife looked on

e Cn: Heb my

a Gk Syr: Heb seventh

a Heb them

b Gk Tg Vg: Heb lacks and

c That is The Hill of the Jawbone

d That is The Spring of the One who Called

a Gk: Heb lacks were told

b Compare Gk: in verses 13–14, Heb lacks and make it tight…into the web

c That is one separated or one consecrated

d Gk: Heb She began to torment him

a Or so that I may be avenged upon the Philistines for one of my two eyes

b The words but now I will return it to you are transposed from the end of verse 3 in Heb

a Or Ephraim, continuing his journey

b Heb living,’ and the Levite went

c Cn Compare 18.10: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Symmachus: Heb with anyone

f That is Camp of Dan

a Compare 17.4, 5; 18.14: Heb teraphim and the cast metal

b Cn Compare verse 7: Heb with anyone

c Another reading is son of Manasseh

d Gk OL: Heb prostituted herself against

a Gk: Heb she brought him to

b Compare verse 7 and Gk: Heb they

c Cn: Heb Linger

d Gk: Heb lacks and drank

e Gk Compare 19.29. Heb to the house of the LORD

a Compare Gk: Heb ³⁰And all who saw it said, ‘Such a thing has not happened or been seen

b Gk: Heb lacks we will go up

c Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Verses 22 and 23 are transposed

b Gk Vg: Heb in the plain

a This sentence is continued by verse 45.

b Compare Vg and some Gk Mss: Heb cities

c Compare Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk: Heb Surrounding

e Gk: Heb pursued them at their resting-place

a That is Pleasant

b That is Bitter

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Or has testified against

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

e Compare Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

b Or ‘Who are you,

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

c OL Vg: Heb from the hand of Naomi and from Ruth

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Or one with the right to redeem

a Compare Gk and 1 Chr 6.35–36: Heb Ramathaim-zophim

b Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk: Heb lacks and presented herself before the LORD

d That is one separated or one consecrated

e Cn Compare Gk Q Ms 1.22: MT then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life

a Gk: Heb went on her way

b Gk: Heb lacks and drank with her husband

c Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d That is one separated or one consecrated

e Cn Compare Q Ms: MT lacks I will offer him as a nazirite for all time

f MT: Q Ms Gk Compare Syr that which goes out of your mouth

g Q Ms Gk Syr: MT three bulls

h Gk (Compare Q Ms) and Gk at 2.11: MT And he (that is, Elkanah) worshipped there before

i Gk: Heb the LORD

j Q Ms: MT your

a Gk (Compare Q Ms) adds He grants the vow of the one who vows, and blesses the years of the just

b Cn Heb against him he

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb with it

a Q Ms Gk: MT give

b Q Ms Gk: MT for the petition that she asked of

c Q Ms Gk: MT When

d Gk Compare Q Ms: MT another, God will mediate for him

e Gk Tg Syr: Heb Did I reveal

f Q Ms Gk: MT lacks slaves

g Q Ms Gk: MT then kick

h Q Ms Gk: MT will kick

i Q Ms Gk: MT your

j Q Ms Gk: Heb your

k Q Ms See Gk: MT die like mortals

a Q Ms Gk See 3.10: MT the LORD called Samuel

b Another reading is for themselves

c Gk: Heb lacks In those days the Philistines mustered for war against Israel

d Gk: Heb against the Philistines

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or A god has

b Heb he

a Heb lacks the trunk of

b Gk Compare Q Ms: MT They answered, ‘Let the ark of the God of Israel be brought across to Gath.’

c Gk: Heb lacks to Gath

d Q Ms: MT lacks to Gath

e Q Ms Gk: MT lacks of Israel

f Q Ms Gk: MT lacks Why

g Heb me

g Heb me

h Heb my

i Q Ms reads a panic from the LORD

j Q Ms Gk: MT and it will be known to you

a Gk: Heb rejoiced to see it

b Gk: Heb And he killed some of the people of Beth-shemesh, because they looked into

c Heb killed seventy men, fifty thousand men

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr: Heb Shen

b That is Stone of Help

a Gk: Heb lacks to me

b Gk: Heb young men

a Gk: Heb lacks the suffering of

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Q Ms Gk: MT it was kept

d Cn: Heb it was kept for you, saying, I have invited the people

e Gk: Heb and he spoke with Saul

f Gk: Heb lacks and he lay down to sleep

g Gk: Heb and they arose early and at break of dawn

a Gk: Heb lacks over his people Israel. You shall…anointed you ruler

b Or the Hill of God

c Gk: Heb they came there

d Or the hill

e Cn: Heb he came to the shrine

f Heb to the people of Israel

a Gk: Heb lacks Finally…man by man

b Gk: Heb Is there yet a man to come here?

c Q Ms Compare Josephus, Antiquities VI.v.1 (68–71): MT lacks Now Nahash…entered Jabesh-gilead.

d Q Ms Gk: MT lacks About a month later

e Q Ms Gk: MT thirty

a Gk: Heb lacks Testify against me

b Gk: Heb lacks is witness, who

c Gk: Heb lacks and I will declare to you

d Gk: Heb lacks and the Egyptians oppressed them

e Gk: Heb lacks King Jabin of

f Gk Syr: Heb Bedan

g Gk: Heb Samuel

a Gk: Heb and your ancestors

b The number is lacking in the Heb text (the verse is lacking in the Septuagint).

c Two is not the entire number; something has dropped out.

d Heb him

a Gk: Heb went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin

b Gk: Heb lacks The rest…of Benjamin

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb towards the border

d Gk: Heb ploughshare

e Heb was a pim

f Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Heb Between the passes

a Gk: Heb Do all that is in your mind. Turn

b Gk: Heb lacks so is mine

c Heb They

d Heb yoke

e Gk: Heb they went and there

f Gk the ephod

f Gk the ephod

g Gk: Heb The Israelites were distressed that day

a Heb land

b Gk: Heb me this day

c Vg Compare Gk: Heb ⁴¹Saul said to the LORD, the God of Israel

a Q Ms Gk: MT deceive

b Heb he

c Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Q Ms Gk: MT Surely the bitterness of death is past

a Heb him

a MT: Q Ms Gk four

b Gk Syr: Heb among men

a Gk Syr: Heb Gai

b Heb he

c Or triangles, or three-stringed instruments

a Heb by two

b Gk Compare 2 Sam 3.14: Heb two hundred

a Heb took the teraphim

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb the teraphim

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk reads to the well of the threshing-floor on the bare height

b Heb a covenant of the LORD

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb lacks witness

b Gk: Heb from beside the south

c Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d This sentence is 21.1 in Heb

e Ch 21.2 in Heb

a Q Ms Vg Compare Gk: Meaning of MT uncertain

b Heb in their hands

c Syr Vg: Heb come out

a Heb and turns aside

b Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Tg: Heb made a stranger of

b QMs Compare Gk: MT Will the men of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will

c Q Ms Gk: MT God

d Or saw that

e Compare Q Ms Gk: MT God

a Or Rock of Division; Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Ch 24.1 in Heb

c Heb to cover his feet

d Gk Syr Tg Vg: Heb it (my eye) spared

a Gk Compare Syr: Heb the enemies of David

b That is Fool

a Or opposite the waste-land

a Or opposite the waste-land

a Compare Gk 15.4: Heb from of old

a Q Ms Gk Vg: MT lacks whom

b Or a god; or gods

a Gk: Heb lacks and go to the place…done well before me

b Gk: Heb lacks and all

a Heb and they fell slain

b Heb plural

a Heb that The Bow

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Compare 1 Chr 8.33; 9.39: Heb Ish-bosheth, ‘man of shame’

a Gk Compare 1 Chr 8.33; 9.39: Heb Ish-bosheth, ‘man of shame’

a Gk Compare 1 Chr 8.33; 9.39: Heb Ish-bosheth, ‘man of shame’

a Gk Compare 1 Chr 8.33; 9.39: Heb Ish-bosheth, ‘man of shame’

b That is Field of Sword-edges

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb And he

c Gk Compare 1 Chr 8.33; 9.39: Heb Ish-bosheth, ‘man of shame’

b Heb And he

d Gk: Heb where he was

e Heb Ish-bosheth

e Heb Ish-bosheth

a Heb he

b Heb lacks shedding

c Heb his

d Heb May it

e A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Heb lacks Ishbaal

b In 1 Chr 8.34 and 9.40, Merib-baal

c Heb Ish-bosheth

d Meaning of Heb of verse 6 uncertain

c Heb Ish-bosheth

c Heb Ish-bosheth

c Heb Ish-bosheth

a Another reading is those who hate David

b Heb paraz

c That is Lord of Bursting Forth

a Or and his brother

b Compare Gk: Heb and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill with the ark of God

a Or and his brother

c Q Ms Gk 1 Chr 13.8: Heb fir trees

d 1 Chr 13.10 Compare Q Ms: Meaning of Heb uncertain

e That is Bursting Out Against Uzzah

f Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or any of the tribes

b Gk Syr Vg 1 Chr 17.13: Heb shall not depart

c Gk Heb Mss: MT before you; Compare 2 Sam 7.26, 29

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk: Heb one

c Heb you

d Gk 1 Chr 17.21: Heb for your land

e Cn: Heb before your people, whom you redeemed for yourself from Egypt, nations and its gods

f Heb one full length

g Compare 1 Sam 15.12 and 2 Sam 18.18

a Gk: Heb returned from striking down eighteen thousand Arameans

b Syr Tg Vg 20.23; 1 Chr 18.17: Heb lacks was over

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

d Gk: Heb my

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

e Or Merib-baal’s: See 4.4 note

c Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

a 1 Chr 19.18 and some Gk Mss read foot-soldiers

a Or at Succoth

b Gk Syr Judg 7.1: Heb Jerubbesheth

a Ancient scribal tradition: Compare 1 Sam 25.22 note: Heb scorned the enemies of the LORD

a That is Beloved of the LORD

b Gk See 1 Kings 11.5, 33: Heb their kings

a Heb and poured

b Cn Compare Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb were clothed in robes

d Q Ms Gk: MT lacks but he would not punish…firstborn

a Gk Compare Q Ms: MT lacks Absalom made a feast like a king’s feast

b Heb he

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb the road behind him

d Q Ms Gk: MT And David

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr: Heb forty

b Gk Mss: Heb lacks in Hebron

c Or he sent

a Gk Compare 2.6: Heb lacks may the LORD show

b Gk: Heb Are you a seer or Do you see?

c Cn: Heb lacks and Abiathar

d Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

a Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

b Gk Vg: Heb iniquity

c Gk: Heb lacks at the Jordan

d Gk: Heb all the people, the men of Israel

a Heb word

b Gk: Heb like the return of the whole (is) the man whom you seek

c Gk Mss: Heb some of them

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b 1 Chr 2.17: Heb Israelite

c Heb and lentils and parched grain

d Gk: Heb sent forth the army

e Gk Vg Symmachus: Heb for now there are ten thousand such as we

a Gk Syr Tg: Heb was put

b Another reading is at the risk of my life

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb the king’s servant, your servant

b Ch 19.1 in Heb

c Gk: Heb to the king, to his house

d Heb He

a Cn: Heb the ford crossed

b Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

b Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb said, ‘I will saddle a donkey for myself

b Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

a Heb He

b Compare 20.15: Heb and Beth-maacah

c Compare Gk Vg: Heb Berites

d Heb They

e Cn: Heb Joab to all the army, Israel

a Cn Compare Gk and 21.9: Heb at Gibeah of Saul, the chosen of the LORD

b Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

b Or Merib-baal: See 4.4 note

c Two Heb Mss Syr Compare Gk: MT Michal

d Heb them

e Heb was belted anew

a Q Ms Gk Syr Vg Compare Ps 18.32: MT God is my strong refuge

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Another reading is his

a Q Ms: MT your answering

b Gk: Heb from strife with my people

c Q Ms: MT who was raised on high

a Heb But worthlessness

b Heb in sitting

c Gk Vg Compare 1 Chr 11.11: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d 1 Chr 11.11: Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Heb adds head

a Two Heb Mss Syr: MT Three

b Syr Compare 1 Chr 11.25: Heb Was he the most renowned of the Three?

c Another reading is the son of Ish-hai

d Gk: Heb lacks sons of

e Gk: Heb lacks son of

f Another reading is Hezrai

g 1 Chr 21.2 Gk: Heb to Joab the commander of the army

h Gk Mss: Heb encamped in Aroer south of

i Gk: Heb to the land of Tahtim-hodshi

j Cn Compare Gk: Heb they came to Dan-jaan and

a Or hold over

b 1 Chr 21.12 Gk: Heb seven

a Gk: Heb the commanders

a Gk: Heb one

a Ch 5.1 in Heb

a Ch 5.15 in Heb

b Gk Tg Vg: Heb my feet or his feet

a Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk: Heb structure

c Heb lacks each story

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn: Heb and a cord of twelve cubits encircled the second pillar; Compare Jer 52.21

b Heb: Gk a net

b Heb: Gk a net

c A Heb measure of volume

a A Heb measure of volume

a Or when you answer

b Gk Syr: Heb in the land

a Compare Gk: Heb seven days and seven days, fourteen days

b Syr Old Latin: Heb will become high

c Perhaps meaning a land good for nothing

a Gk: Heb offering incense with it that was

b Or Sea of Reeds

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk Syr: Heb men

a Or baboons

a Heb him

a Heb lacks in the wall

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb they have

a Gk Vg Compare 2 Chr 10.2: Heb lived in

a Gk: Heb to them

b Compare Gk: Heb went to the one as far as Dan

c Gk Vg Compare 13.32: Heb ahouse

a Heb he

a Heb he

a Heb he

b Gk: Heb he came to the town of the old prophet

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb Asherim

a Heb Asherim

a Heb him

a Heb Asherah

a Gk: Heb of the settlers

a Heb lacks of the drought

a Heb he

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb you

a Heb lacks scouts

b Heb He

a Heb lacks The king of Israel responded

b Heb of the sons of the prophets

a Heb who is

a Heb he

a Heb he

a Heb he

a Heb lacks in it

a Gk Compare verses 9, 13: Heb He answered

a Gk Syr: Heb lacks His brother

b Heb sons of the prophets

b Heb sons of the prophets

b Heb sons of the prophets

a Heb sons of the prophets

a Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb the sons of the prophets

a Heb lacks on the bed

b Heb he

c Heb sons of the prophets were

d Heb sons of the prophets

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b Heb he

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

c Another reading is Amana

a Heb sons of the prophets

b Heb him

c Heb lacks the bags

d A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

d A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Heb sons of the prophets

e Heb warned it

a Heb they

b See 7.2: Heb messenger

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

b Compare Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb lacks Ben-hadad

b Gk Syr: Heb adds Jehoshaphat being king of Judah,

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb sons of the prophets

c Heb he

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Syr Vg Compare Gk: Heb lacks and they shot him

b Or of the city; Vg Compare Gk

c Gk: Heb lacks of the sons of

a Gk: Heb Is it right with your heart, as my heart is with your heart?

b Gk: Heb lacks Jehu said

c Gk Syr Tg: Heb they

d Gk Vg Syr Tg: Heb pillars

a With 2 Chr 22.11: Heb lacks she put

b Gk Syr Vg Compare 2 Chr 22.11: Heb they

c Heb the LORD to the king

a Or treaty or testimony; Heb eduth

b Ch 12.1 in Heb

c Another spelling is Joash; see verse 19

a Gk Syr Tg Vg: Heb he walked

b Heb Asherah

a Heb the king

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Cn: Heb King Rezin of Aram

b Cn: Heb Aram

a Cn: Heb lacks from

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb Asherim

a Heb Asherah

b Syr Vg: Heb them

a Heb Asherah

a Heb he

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

a Gk Compare Isa 37.27 Q Ms: MT lacks rising

a Syr See Isa 38.8 and Tg: Heb it

a Gk Vg Syr: Heb When Hezekiah heard about them

b Heb Asherah

a Heb lacks image of

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb Asherim

d Heb Asherah

e Gk: Heb proclaimed, who had predicted these things

a Or household gods

a Heb lacks wall

b Gk Compare Jer 39.4; 52.7: Heb lacks the king and lacks fled

a Or young and old

a Gen 10.3 Ripath; See Gk Vg

b Gen 10.4 Dodanim; See Syr Vg

c Heb Casluhim, from which the Philistines come, Caphtorim; See Am 9.7, Jer 47.4

d Mash in Gen 10.23

a Or and Akan; See Gen 36.27

b See 1.38: Heb Dishon

c Or Saul

c Or Saul

d Or chiefs

d Or chiefs

e Or Alvah; See Gen 36.40

d Or chiefs

f Or Darda; Compare Syr Tg some Gk Mss; See 1 Kings 4.31

a Heb sons

a Heb sons

a Heb sons

b Gk reads Mareshah

c Gk Vg: Heb son

a Gk Compare Syr Vg: Heb sons of

a Gk Compare Syr Vg: Heb sons of

a Gk Compare Syr Vg: Heb sons of

a Gk Compare Syr Vg: Heb sons of

b Heb sons

c Gk Compare Vg: Heb the father

d Or Ahashtari

e Another reading is Zohar

a Gk Vg: Heb lacks and Meonothai

b That is Valley of artisans

c Heb sons

d The clause: These are…married is transposed from verse 18

e Heb lacks and bore

f Vg Compare Gk: Heb and Jashubi-lahem

g Or matters

h Or Saul

a Gk Vg: Heb and Epher

b Ch 5.27 in Heb

c Heb Gershon, variant of Gershom; See 6.16

d Ch 6.1 in Heb

e Gk Syr Compare verse 33 and 1 Sam 8.2: Heb lacks Joel

f Heb reads Vashni, and Abijah for the second Abijah, taking the second as a proper name

a Other readings Hilez, Holon; See Josh 21.15

a Or Dobrath

b Syr Compare Vg: Heb And to the sons

c Heb sons

c Heb sons

a Heb sons

b Heb He

c Heb beraah

d Here spelled Non; see Ex 33.11

e Or Hotham; see 7.32

f Or father of Ehud; see 8.6

g Heb and Naaman

h Or he carried them into exile

a Compare 9.35: Heb lacks Jeiel

b Gk Ms adds Ner; Compare 8.33 and 9.36

c Or Shaul

c Or Shaul

a Compare 8.35: Heb lacks and Ahaz

b Heb they

c Heb he

a Or a Hachmonite

b Compare 2 Sam 23.8: Heb Thirty or captains

c Gk Vg Tg Compare 2 Sam 23.18: Heb Abshai

d Syr: Heb Three

e Compare 2 Sam 23.19: Heb more renowned among the two

d Syr: Heb Three

f Syr: Heb the son of a valiant man

g See 2 Sam 23.20: Heb lacks sons of

a Compare 2 Sam 23.25: Heb the Harorite

b Compare Gk and 2 Sam 23.32: Heb the sons of Hashem

c Heb verse 5

d Heb verse 6

a Or as officers of his troops

b Gk: Heb lacks David

a Heb lacks his

b Or and his brother

c That is Bursting Out Against Uzzah

a Heb paraz

b That is Lord of Bursting Out

c Heb He

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Compare Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Another reading is Abraham (compare Ps 105.6)

b Heb in it

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb their

b Gk 2 Sam 7.6: Heb but I have been from tent to tent and from tabernacle

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or and it is blessed

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk Vg 2 Sam 8.6 Compare Syr: Heb lacks garrisons

a Gk Vg See 1 Kings 11.5, 33: MT of their king

b Compare 2 Sam 12.31: Heb and he sawed

c Compare 2 Sam 12.31: Heb saws

a Heb Shelomoh

b Heb shalom

c Or Gershom; See 1 Chr 6.1, note, and 23.15

d Vg Compare Gk Syr: Heb to the Gershonite

a See 23.19: Heb lacks Hebron

b See 23.19: Heb lacks the chief

c Or his son: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Or his son: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d One Ms: Gk: MT lacks Shimei

a Or Asarelah; see 25.2

b Gk: Heb lacks each day

c Heb parbar: meaning uncertain

c Heb parbar: meaning uncertain

a The Hebrew text of verse 21 is confused

b Gk Compare 26.28: Heb Shelomith

c Gk Vg: Heb Ammizabad was his division

a Or the cover

a Heb fortress

a Heb fortress

a Gk Vg: Heb to

a Ch 1.18 in Heb

b Ch 2.1 in Heb

c A Hebrew measure of volume

a Syr: Heb foundations

b Compare 1 Kings 6.3: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb they overlaid

d Heb they

e Heb he

f Cn: Heb in the inner sanctuary

a A Hebrew measure of volume

a Heb lacks a covenant

a Heb he

a The word you in this verse is plural

b Heb them

b Heb them

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb to

a Gk Syr Vg 1 Kings 10.5: Heb ascent

b Heb their

c Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or baboons

a Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

a Heb they

b Another reading is Ephrain

a Ch 13.23 in Heb

b Ch 14.1 in Heb

c Heb Asherim

d Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

e Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

e Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

e Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

f Heb They

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Compare Syr Vg: Heb the prophecy, the prophet Obed

b Heb the vestibule of the LORD

c Heb lacks the territory of

d Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

a Another reading is his father David

b Heb Asherim

a Heb he

a Heb he

a Heb he

a Heb Asheroth

a Compare 26.7: Heb Ammonites

b Heb They

c One Ms: MT Aram

d Or the sword of judgement

a Gk: Heb among them

b That is Blessing

a Gk Syr: Heb Israel

b Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

a Heb He

b Heb lacks other

c Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Compare Vg: Heb and

b Or treaty, or testimony; Heb eduth

a Heb Asherim

b Heb clothed itself with

c Gk Vg: Heb sons

d Heb founding

a Heb he

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a A term for several skin diseases; precise meaning uncertain

a Gk Syr Vg Compare 2 Kings 16.7: Heb kings

a Heb upright in heart

a Heb lacks that they received

b Heb Asherim

a Heb He

b Vg: Heb and raised on the towers

c Gk Vg: Heb guided them

a Gk Vg: Heb flocks for folds

b Heb Asheroth

a Heb Asherim

b One Ms Gk: MT of Hozai

a Heb Asherim

a Heb Asherim

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb Asherim

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb lacks that they received

c Heb he

a Or the chariot of his deputy

a Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a 1 Esdras 5.46: Heb lacks lived in Jerusalem and its vicinity

b Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Compare 2.40; Neh 7.43; 1 Esdras 5.58: Heb sons of Judah

b Heb adds in Aramaic, indicating that 4.8–6.18 is in Aramaic. Another interpretation is The letter was written in the Aramaic script and set forth in the Aramaic language

a Aram adds the prophet

b Gk Syr: Aram We

a Meaning of Aram uncertain

a Syr Vg 1 Esdras 8.9: Aram Perfect

b A Heb measure of volume

b A Heb measure of volume

a Gk 1 Esdras 8.32: Heb lacks of Zattu

b Gk 1 Esdras 8.36: Heb lacks Bani

c Or might fast

a The number of talents is lacking

a Heb our God

a 1 Esdras 9.2: Heb where he went

b 1 Esdra 9.16: Syr: Heb And there were selected Ezra,

c 1 Esdras 9.26 Gk: Heb Malchijah

a Gk: Heb Bani, Binnui

b 1 Esdras 9.36; Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb him

b Or lords

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or supervisor of half the portion assigned to

d Or supervisor of half the portion assigned to

e Or supervisor of the portion assigned to

e Or supervisor of the portion assigned to

d Or supervisor of half the portion assigned to

d Or supervisor of half the portion assigned to

f Gk Syr Compare verse 24, 10.9: Heb Bavvai

a Or supervisor of half the portion assigned to

b Or supervisor

c Cn: Heb were living

d Or Hammiphkad Gate

e Ch 3.33 in Heb

f Ch 4.1 in Heb

a Cn: Heb you return

b Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb each his weapon the water

a Heb Gashmu

a Another reading is saw

b Heb while they

a Ezra 2.66 and the margins of some Hebrew Mss: MT lacks They had…forty-five mules

b 1 Esdras 9.48 Vg: Heb and the Levites

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

b Heb on them

c Gk: Heb lacks And Ezra said

d Or Sea of Reeds

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 10.1 in Heb

b Ch 10.2 in Heb

a Gk Mss: Heb And after him

a Cn: Heb opposite

a Other ancient authorities lack of Raphael son of Raguel of the descendants

b Gk Enemessaros

c Other ancient authorities read heifer

d A third tenth added from other ancient authorities

e Lat: Gk Hananiel

a Other ancient authorities add Anna

b Gk Enemessaros

b Gk Enemessaros

b Gk Enemessaros

c Other ancient authorities read either forty-five or fifty

d Gk his

e Gk Sacherdonos

f Other authorities read Hananael

e Gk Sacherdonos

e Gk Sacherdonos

g Lat: Gk wholeheartedly mindful

a Gk him

b Other ancient authorities lack from the square

a Gk him

a Gk him

c Other ancient authorities read against Bethlehem

d Or to you; Gk with you

e Other ancient authorities read you render true and righteous judgement for ever

a Other ancient authorities read strangles

b Other ancient authorities read have had no benefit from

a Other ancient authorities lack Lord

b Lat

c The text of codex Sinaiticus goes directly from verse 6 to verse 19, reading To those who practise righteousness¹⁹the Lord will give good counsel. In order to fill the lacuna, verses 7 to 18 are derived from other ancient authorities

a Gk it

b Gk sign

c Other authorities read He

d Gk from him

a Gk He

b Gk he

b Gk he

b Gk he

b Gk he

b Gk he

c Other ancient authorities read Jathan or Nathaniah

d Other ancient authorities read Shemaiah

e Other ancient authorities add when you return safely

a Gk He

b Gk he

a Other ancient authorities add Anna

b Gk He

c Other ancient authorities read Ecbatana

d Gk they

e Other ancient authorities read Rages

f Gk he

a Gk he

b Gk sister

c Other ancient authorities read he

a Gk he

d Other ancient authorities add alive and

e Other ancient authorities add When he heard that Tobit had lost his sight, he was stricken with grief and wept. Then he said,

a Gk he

b Gk sister

b Gk sister

c Gk him

d Gk her

d Gk her

e Other ancient authorities read the tears of her daughter

f Other ancient authorities read favour

g Or fled through the air to the parts

h Gk they

d Gk her

a Gk He

b Gk they

c Other ancient authorities lack this line

d Other ancient authorities read Tobias and said to him

a Gk sister

b In other ancient authorities verse 3 precedes verse 4

c Gk He

d Gk he

e Other ancient authorities lack on the camels

f Gk him

d Gk he

a Gk sister

a Gk sister

g Other ancient authorities read and she would eat nothing

a Gk him

b Other ancient authorities lack parts of Then…mother-in-law

c Gk sister

d Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Gk he

f Codex Sinaiticus reads And the Lord

g Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Gk he

h Other ancient authorities lack saw his son and

a Codex Sinaiticus reads May his great name be upon us and blessed be all the angels

b Lat: Gk lacks this line

c Other ancient authorities lack parts of this sentence

d Gk he

d Gk he

e Gk words; other ancient authorities read words of the deeds

a Codex Sinaiticus with sincerity

b Lat

c Lat: Gk lacks and read

d Other ancient authorities read now bless the Lord on earth

e Gk he

f Other ancient authorities read for ever, and his kingdom

g Gk from destruction

h Other ancient authorities read He afflicted

a The lacuna in codex Sinaiticus, verses 6b to 10a, is filled in from other ancient authorities

b Other ancient authorities read will afflict

c Other ancient authorities read your children

d Other ancient authorities read Lord worthily

e Or tabernacle

f Other ancient authorities read who build you up

a Or O my soul, bless

b Other ancient authorities add for a city

c Gk He

d Other ancient authorities read fifty-eight

e Lat: Gk lacks and the seven sons of Tobias

f Lat: Other ancient authorities read of God will be in distress and will be burned for a while

a Gk he; other ancient authorities read Manasses

b Codex Sinaiticus lacks and children

c Gk them

d Other authorities read other numbers

e Codex Sinaiticus reads saw and heard

f Cn: Codex Sinaiticus Ahikar; other ancient authorities read Nebuchadnezzar and Ahasuerus

g Gk He

h Other ancient authorities lack Amen

a Syr: Gk Cheleoudites

b Or a man

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Gk sand

b Gk he

c Or crossed

d Gk all the sheepfolds of our tents

e Syr: Gk borders

a Gk they

a Other ancient authorities add and to all the Moabites

b Gk his

c Other ancient authorities add with it

d Lat Syr: Gk people

e Other ancient authorities add on the top of the hill

a Other ancient authorities add than to die of thirst

b Gk Courage, brothers

a Other ancient authorities lack Uzziah and (see verses 28 and 35)

b Or above

a Cn: Gk loosed her womb

a Syr: Gk horn

b Gk she

c Other ancient authorities add and cheese

a Gk they

b Gk him

a Or chariot

a Other ancient authorities lack in the camp

b Other ancient authorities read her

a Other ancient authorities read hope

a Other ancient authorities add and Bebai

b Gk them

c Other ancient authorities read a psalm and praise

a Other ancient authorities add he has confounded them

b Other ancient authorities read feared

c Gk they

c Gk they

a Or breath

b Other ancient authorities read they were created

a Chapters 11.2–12.6 correspond to chapter A 1–17 in some translations.

b Gk Semeios

c Or Voices

d Gk their own evils

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Or rods

c Cn: Heb times

a Cn: Heb will tell

b Heb adds and speak in accordance with the language of his people

c Heb a Benjamite ⁶who

d Heb He

a Or an amnesty

b Heb adds a second time

c Heb to lay hands on

a Cn Compare Gk and verse 13 below: Heb the twelfth month

b Chapter 13.1–7 corresponds to chapter B 1–7 in some translations.

a Chapters 13.8–15.16 correspond to chapters C 1–30 and D 1–16 in some translations.

b Gk he

c Gk for they are eyeing us

d Gk mouth

a Gk brother

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

a In Greek, Chapter D replaces verses 1 and 2 in Hebrew.

b Heb to lay hands on

a Heb them

a Heb them

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Chapter 16.1–24 corresponds to chapter E 1–24 in some translations.

a Gk matters beside(your) feet

b Gk our spirit

c Gk greatest

d Other ancient authorities read for us

a Chapter 10.4–13 and 11.1 correspond to chapter F 1–11 in some translations.

b Other ancient authorities lack and fifteenth

c Or priest, and Levitas

d Cn: Gk brought in

a Gk adds and he defeated

b 175 BC

a 169 BC

b Gk it

a Gk lacks He added

b 167 BC

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Other ancient authorities read has not had a part in her kingdom

a Gk they

a Or of the people

b 166 BC

c Gk it

a Other ancient authorities read him

b Gk him

a 165 BC

b Syr: Gk Mss, Vg slaves

c That is those separated or those consecrated

Gk they

Gk they

a Or and some fell on the opposite side

b Gk whole

a 164 BC

b Gk He

c Gk her

d Gk they

a Gk aliens

b Gk them

c Gk those

d Gk they

e Gk lacks of Dathema. See verse 9

f Gk and they were attacking them

g Other ancient authorities read Alema

a Or scribes

b Gk his

a Other ancient authorities read Samaria

b Gk them

c Gk they

a 163 BC

b Gk his

c Gk He

d Gk it

e 162 BC

f Meaning of Gk uncertain

g Gk those over the reins

h Gk they

i Gk them

j Cn: Some authorities read thirty; others thirty-two

a Gk they

a Gk they

b Other ancient authorities read in the sanctuary

c Gk them

a Gk they

a 161 BC

b Gk he

c Gk He

d Or many of his men who had deserted

b Gk he

a Gk and they were prevented

b Gk he

c Gk they

d Gk of them

b Gk he

a Gk they

b Gk them

c Gk these

a Gk they

d Or Kittim

b Gk them

a Gk they

a 160 BC

a Gk lacks of Bacchides

a Gk he

b Gk they

b Gk they

a Gk he

c Some authorities omit and

d 159 BC

a Gk they

b Other ancient authorities read they

c Gk him

d 152 BC

e Gk them

f Gk he

a Gk he

b 152 BC

c Or tabernacles

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Gk house

c Gk they

d Gk he

e Other ancient authorities read Alexander fled, and Demetrius

a 150 BC

b Gk he

c Gk first

d 147 BC

a Gk he

b Gk their

c Gk his

d Other ancient authorities read they

a Gk he

e Gk him

a 145 BC

b Gk first

c Cn: Gk the three districts and Samaria

d Or Samaria, for all those who offer sacrifice in Jerusalem, in place of

a Gk him

a Gk him

b Gk his troops

c Gk he

a Gk him

d Gk animals

a Gk his

b Gk them

c Gk they

c Gk they

d Vg Compare verse 20: Gk Darius

a Gk they

a Gk they

b Gk them

c Other ancient authorities omit and withdrew

a Gk they

b Gk he

a Gk I

b Gk he

b Gk he

c Gk For these

a The word you in verses 37–40 is plural

b Or court

c 142 BC

d Gk he

e Cn: Gk Gaza

a 141 BC

b Gk they

c Gk He

d 140 BC

c Gk He

e Other ancient authorities add of Judah

a Gk them

b 140 BC

c This word resembles the Hebrew words for the court of the people of God or the prince of the people of God

d Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Gk their

a Gk them

b Other ancient authorities read conduct

c Gk their

d Gk they

e Or to preside over them all

a 138 BC

b Gk he

c Gk He

d The name is uncertain

e Gk him

a Gk He

b Gk his

c Other ancient authorities read he

a Gk he

a Gk he

b 134 BC

a 143 BC

b 124 BC

c Cn: Gk as those who array themselves against a king

d Gk lacks the goddess

a Gk nephthai

b Gk he

a Gk Apollonius son of Tharseas

b Gk He

c Other ancient authorities read and

a Gk and

b Vg Compare verse 21: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Or by a petition

b Gk he

c Gk lacks true

d Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Gk he

a Gk He

b Or in each city

a Gk they

b Other ancient authorities read the people

c Cn: Gk Imprisoned

a Gk he

b Or worse than the others did in his malice towards the Jewish citizens

a Gk he

a Other ancient authorities read Antiochian

b Or Geron an Athenian

c Gk they

d Cn: Gk suggestion of the Ptolemies (or of Ptolemy)

a Other ancient authorities read was dragged

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Gk he

d Gk they

a Gk slaves

b Gk at him

c Lat: Other ancient authorities lack Therefore

d Gk he

a Or have borne the burden of your education

b Or God made them out of things that did not exist

c The Gk here for you is plural

d The Gk here for you is singular

e Gk slaves

f Cn: Gk fallen

a Gk he

b Gk one of the first

c Gk they

d Gk lacks Jews

e Gk lacks Galatians

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Gk slaves

c Gk their arms

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

d Gk they were defeated

a Or not think thoughts proper only to God

a Cn: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Gk he

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b 164 BC

b 164 BC

a 164 BC

b Gk to them

c Gk they

d Gk two hundred and forty stadia

e Gk nine stadia

f Gk them

g Meaning of Gk uncertain

h Gk two stadia

a Gk seven hundred and fifty stadia

b Gk them

c Gk he

d Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Gk they

f Gk six hundred stadia

a 163 BC

a Or the worst of the things that had been done

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Or faltered

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Other ancient authorities read of mixing

b 161 BC

c Gk of the Friends

d Gk greatest

e Meaning of Gk uncertain

f Gk they

g Gk he

e Meaning of Gk uncertain

h Other ancient authorities read slowly

a Gk They

b Gk he

c Gk greatest

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Gk he

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Or to remain in camp

b Gk for brothers

c Gk animals

d Gk he

a Gk He

a Heb sons of God

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

a Heb sons of God

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

c Or All that the man has he will give for his life

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

b Or the Accuser; Heb ha-satan

d Heb He

e Heb Bless

a Heb come

b Cn: Heb day

c Heb before

a Or more than

a Or more than

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Aquila Symmachus Syr Vg: Heb snare

d Or birds; Heb sons of Resheph

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Syr Vg Compare Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Cn Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or as the thread runs out

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Heb He thrives

c Gk Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or trampled the back of the sea dragon

b Or for my right

c Compare Gk: Heb me

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Another reading is Would that there were an umpire

a Cn: Heb for I am not so in myself

b Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb made me together all around, and you destroy me

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb towards me; changes and a troop are with me

d Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb Are not my days few? Let him cease!

e Heb that I may brighten up a little

f Heb gloom as darkness, deep darkness

g Gk: Heb teaching

h Heb your

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

c Heb The heights of heaven

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or you will look around

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Or whom God brought forth by his hand; Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Or speak to the earth

a Heb him

b Heb adds of the people

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Gk: Heb Why should I take…in my hand?

e Or Though he kill me, yet I will trust in him

a Heb inherit

b Cn: Heb that they may desist

c Syr: Heb lacks not

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk: Heb mouth

d Cn: Heb will depart

e Heb you have

e Heb you have

a Syr Vg Tg: Heb and

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or Disaster is hungry for them

b Cn: Heb It consumes the limbs of his skin

c Cn: Heb their way

a Or Vindicator

b Or that he the Last

c Heb dust

d Or without

e Meaning of Heb of this verse uncertain

f Or for myself

a Heb he

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb his

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Heb in their hand

c Heb he

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Gk Syr Tg Vg: Heb were crushed

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

c Gk Syr: Heb them

d Heb him

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Syr Vg Tg: Heb rebellious

g Gk Syr: Heb my

a Syr Vg: Heb he turns

b Gk Vg: Heb from

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Or But I am not destroyed by the darkness; he has concealed the thick darkness from me

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

e Gk: Heb they

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Tg: Heb feed on or associate with

b Heb he

c Gk: Heb like all others

d Heb him

e Or the north

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Or He (that is God)

c Or his

b Or He (that is God)

c Or his

c Or his

a Heb He puts

b Or lapis lazuli

c Gk Vg: Heb bind

d Gk: Heb its price

b Or lapis lazuli

e Or Nubia; Heb Cush

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Or like sand

c Heb lacks like dew

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn: Heb helps

b Gk: Heb my garment is disfigured

c Heb like

d Heb ruin

e Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Heb him

b Heb her

c Heb the light

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or as Adam did

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Another ancient tradition reads answer, and had put God in the wrong

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

e Gk Syr Vg: Heb many

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Compare Gk: Heb his

a Heb he

b Syr: Heb to be lighted with the light of life

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Heb lacks on him

e Heb his heart his spirit

a Cn: Heb yet

b Meaning of Heb of verses 29–33 uncertain

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Theodotion Symmachus Compare Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb ends among the temple prostitutes

a Cn: Heb they distil

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb them

d Meaning of Heb of verse 7 uncertain

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Heb sons of God

c Cn: Heb and they stand forth

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb your grain and your threshing-floor

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb they dig

d Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Heb the hidden place

b Cn: Heb in his eyes

c Ch 40.25 in Heb

d Or the crocodile

e Ch 41.1 in Heb

f Heb of it

g Cn Compare Symmachus Syr: Heb one is

h Heb me

h Heb me

i Gk: Heb that I shall repay

j Heb to me

k Gk: Heb bridle

l Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb pride

a Heb a qesitah

a Cn: Meaning of Heb of verses 11b and 12a is uncertain

b Syr: Heb him

c Or are angry

a Or awake for me

b Cn: Heb return

c Heb he

d Heb ben adam, lit. son of man

e Or than the divine beings or angels: Heb elohim

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb flee to your mountain, O bird

a Syr: Heb hold counsels

a Jerome Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a One Ms Compare Syr: MT Our steps

a Gk See 2 Sam 22.14: Heb adds hailstones and coals of fire

a Or gentleness

b Gk Tg: Heb people

c Or dome

d Gk Jerome Compare Syr: Heb line

e Heb In them

a Or from proud thoughts

b Gk: Heb give victory, O LORD; let the King answer us when we call

a Cn: Heb strength

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb my only one

c Heb answered

d Or kindred

e Heb him

f Heb he

g Or afflicted

h Gk Syr Jerome: Heb you

i Cn: Heb They have eaten and

j Cn: Heb all the fat ones

k Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb and he who cannot keep himself alive

l Compare Gk: Heb it will be told about the Lord to the generation,³¹ they will come and

m Heb waters of rest

n Or life

o Or paths of righteousness

p Or the valley of the shadow of death

q Or Only

r Or kindness

s Heb for length of days

a Gk Syr: Heb your face, O Jacob

a Or The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me

b Or in your faithfulness

c Or refuge

a Heb your innermost sanctuary

b Heb sons of gods

a Or causes the deer to calve

b Or that I should not go down to the Pit

c Heb that glory

a One Heb Ms Gk Syr Jerome: MT I hate

b Gk Syr: Heb my iniquity

c Cn: Heb exceedingly

a Another reading is cut off

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb at a time of finding only

Gk Syr Jerome: Heb their

a Heb a pit, their net

b The word pit is transposed from the preceding line

c Or My prayer turned back

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb like the profanest of mockers of a cake

b Heb him

a Heb A man’s steps

b Heb his

c Heb he stumbles

d Heb he

e Heb him

f Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Gk Syr Jerome: Heb he

a Q Ms: MT my living foes

a Heb hostility

b Cn: Heb pit of tumult

c Heb ears you have dug for me

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or weak

b Heb you change all his bed

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr: Heb You are my King, O God; command

b Heb a shaking of the head

a Cn: Heb and the meekness of

b Or Your throne is a throne of God, it

c Heb daughter

d Or people.¹³ All glorious is the princess within, gold embroidery is her clothing

e Heb lacks O king

f Or well proved

g Heb of it

h Or fortress

a Or fortress

b Heb Maskil

c Heb daughters

a Another reading is no one can ransom a brother

b Heb the pit

c Gk Syr Compare Tg: Heb their inward (thought)

d Tg: Heb after them

e Cn: Heb the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Cn: Heb you

a Gk Syr Tg: Heb mountains

b Or make thanksgiving your sacrifice to God

c Heb who set a way

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or steadfast

b Or generous

c Or My sacrifice, O God,

d Cn Compare Syr: Heb the kindness of God

e Heb him

f Syr Tg: Heb in his destruction

g Cn: Heb wait for

a Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb him who encamps against you

b Gk: Heb you will put to shame

c Gk Syr Jerome: Heb is of those who uphold or is with those who uphold

d Cn Compare Gk: Heb they cause to totter

a Heb lacks with me

b Or Cast what he has given you

c Cn: Heb rescue

a Or because

b Cn: Heb are aflame for

c Or mighty lords

a Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb with swords

c Heb lacks they think

a Gk Syr Jerome: Heb because of the truth

b Another reading is me

c Or by his holiness

a Heb with fat and fatness

a Syr: Heb them

b Cn: Heb They search out crimes

c Cn: Heb They will bring him to ruin, their tongue being against them

d Gk Jerome: Heb his

a Cn Compare Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb to a saturation

a Or cast up a highway for him who rides through the deserts

b Or company of the women

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

d Cn: Heb The Lord among them Sinai in the holy(place)

a Gk Syr Tg: Heb shatter

b Or have been seen

c Cn: Heb Trampling

d Meaning of Heb of verse 30 is uncertain

e Or Nubia; Heb Cush

f Gk: Heb from your

a Gk Syr: Heb I wept, with fasting my soul, or I made my soul mourn with fasting

b Gk Syr: Heb recount the pain of

a Syr: Heb and they shall live

b Gk Compare 31.3: Heb to come continually you have commanded

a Gk Compare Syr: Heb to a generation, to all that come

b Gk: Heb may they fear you

c Cn: Heb those who live in the wilderness

a Or bless themselves by him

b Or good to Israel

c Cn: Heb his people return here

d Cn: Heb abundant waters are drained by them

e Cn: Heb Lord

a Or to glory

b Heb rock

c Cn Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb do you consume your right hand from

e Heb food for the people

f Or moon; Heb light

a Gk Syr: Heb the

b Gk: Heb declare

c Gk: Heb the mountains of prey

d Heb lacks your

a Gk Syr: Heb My music

b Syr Jerome: Heb my spirit searches

a Heb armed with shooting

a Syr: Heb strife

b Heb adds from verse 17 and upon the one whom you made strong for yourself

c Cn: Heb it is cut down

d Or against

e Heb his

e Heb his

a Cn Compare verse 16b: Heb he would feed him

b Or fall as one man, O princes

a Or a tumbleweed

b Heb lacks to Zion

a Gk: Heb but let them not turn back to folly

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb the steadfast love of the LORD

b Gk Syr: Heb greatly awesome

c Or Zaphon and Yamin

d Cn: Heb are exalted in

e Cn: Heb help

a Cn: Heb removed his cleanness

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb bosom all of many peoples

a Another reading is our refuge

b Heb humankind

c Syr: Heb we bring our years to an end

d Cn Compare Gk Syr Jerome Tg: Heb pride

e Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Cn: Heb Because you, LORD, are my refuge; you have made

b Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn: Heb majestic are the waves

b Heb the thoughts of humankind

a Heb daughters

b Cn: Heb You who love the LORD hate

c Gk Syr Jerome: Heb is sown

d Cn: Heb And a king’s strength

a Another reading is and not we ourselves

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb his

b Heb his

b Heb his

b Heb his

a Heb By them

b Or to cultivate

c Or your breath

a Another reading is Israel (compare 1 Chr 16.13)

b Gk Syr Jerome: Heb to bind

c Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb they did not rebel

a Heb them

b Cn Compare 78.17, 56: Heb rebelled at the sea

c Or Sea of Reeds

c Or Sea of Reeds

a Compare Gk Mss: Heb exchanged their glory

b Or Sea of Reeds

c Syr Compare Ezek 20.23: Heb cause to fall

d Heb him

a Cn: Heb sea

b Cn: Heb fools

a Heb Mss Gk Syr: MT lacks my heart is steadfast

b Compare 57.8: Heb also my soul

a Or by his holiness

b Syr: Heb I prayer

c Heb lacks They say

d Gk: Heb and seek

e Cn: Heb fathers

f Gk: Heb their

a Gk: Heb They have risen up and have been put to shame

b Another reading is in holy splendour

c Cn: Heb the dew of your youth

d Or for ever, a rightful king by my edict

a Gk Syr: Heb them

a Heb his

a Gk: Heb were extinguished

b Gk Syr Jerome: Heb You pushed me hard

a Or in him

b Or Blessed in the name of the LORD is the one who comes

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Jerome: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or brought back those who returned to Zion

b Or for he provides for his beloved during sleep

a Or my soul within me is like a weaned child

a Or Sea of Reeds

a Or Sea of Reeds

b Or poplars

c Or you who are devastated

a Cn: Heb you have exalted your word above all your name

b Syr Compare Gk Tg: Heb you made me arrogant in my soul with strength

a Or I awake

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb hurtful

d Or the ancient way. Compare Jer 6.16

e Or they have spread cords as a net

f Heb adds they are exalted

g Cn Compare Gk: Heb those who surround me are uplifted in head; Heb divides verses 8 and 9 differently

a Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Heb for continually and my prayer

c Meaning of Heb of verses 5-7 is uncertain

a One Heb Ms Gk: MT to you I have hidden

b With 18.2 and 2 Sam 22.2: Heb my steadfast love

c Heb Mss Syr Aquila Jerome: MT my people

d Heb lacks in the walls

a Gk Jerome Syr: Heb his

b Heb his

c These two lines supplied by Q Ms Gk Syr

a Heb legs of a person

b Or prosperity

a Or he set a law that cannot pass away

b Or dome

a Gk: Heb are the ways

a Heb strange

b Cn: Heb house

a Gk: Heb lie down

a Heb from its owners

b Heb know

a Heb strange

b Gk Vg: Heb children

a Or a stranger

b Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb the words of your mouth

c Or humble yourself

d Cn: Heb from the hand

e Heb it

e Heb it

e Heb it

f Gk: MT the evil woman

g Cn Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb for because of a harlot to a piece of bread

a Heb strange

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or me as the beginning

c Heb way

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Another reading is little child

b Gk: Heb lacks his

c Or simpleness

d Heb lacks instruction

e Heb shades

a Gk: Heb but a babbling fool will come to ruin

b Or and toil adds nothing to it

a Or an army

b Compare Gk Syr: Heb lacks but she…shame

c Gk: Heb lacks The timid…destitute

a Cn: Heb fall

b Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb a wise man

c Or covet the catch of the wicked

a Heb the heart of fools

b Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb A wise child the discipline of his father

e Gk Vg: Heb from vanity

f Cn Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb is enduring

a Heb Wisdom of women

b Cn: Heb a rod of pride

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb ways of death

e Cn: Heb from upon him

f Or inherit

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb riches

b Cn: Heb is the folly

c Gk Syr: Heb in their death

d Gk Syr: Heb lacks not

e Cn: Heb makes knowledge good

a Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb to plan

a Or a noble person

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Syr Tg: Heb A man of

c Cn Compare Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk: Heb loyalty

b Gk: Heb seekers

a Gk: Heb and oil

b Gk: Heb life and righteousness

c Gk: Heb all day long one covets covetously

d Another reading is establish

a Heb strange

b Cn Compare Gk: Heb Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise

c Or who

d Heb his

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Another reading is delight in

b Heb an alien woman

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb lacks you will say

e Gk Compare Syr Tg: Heb A wise man is strength

a Gk: Heb do not associate with those who change

a Cn: Heb or else

b Gk: Heb Like one who takes off a garment on a cold day, like vinegar on lye

c Gk Syr Tg: Heb lacks Like a moth…human heart

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Heb silver of dross

c Gk: Heb burning

a Gk: Heb the sweetness of a friend is better than one’s own counsel

b Vg and 20.16: Heb for a foreign woman

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb face

e Heb lacks is tested

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Heb A poor person

c Syr: Heb fall all at once

a Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or human fear

c Or I am spent. Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or Holy One

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or spider

b Gk Syr Tg Compare Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb where

e Heb all children of passing away

a Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

a Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

b Or words

a Heb Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

b Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

b Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

a Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

b Gk Syr: Heb apart from me

a Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

a Heb what is pursued

b Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

b Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

a Heb the second

b Heb him

c Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

d Ch 4.17 in Heb

e Cn: Heb they do not know how to do evil

f Ch 5.1 in Heb

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or a feeding on wind. See Hos 12.1

a Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

b Heb I keep

a Or breath

a Or breath

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Syr Compare Gk: Heb Everything that confronts them ²is everything

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb lacks and the evil

a Or a child

a Or after; Heb ‘ahar

b Or is a burden

c Syr Vg Compare Gk: Heb is removed

d Or the spirit

e Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

e Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

e Qoheleth, traditionally rendered Preacher

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Or into the judgement on

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb crocus

c Or on the mountains of Bether: meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk: Heb lacks this line

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or Look

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb lapis lazuli

c Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Ch 7.1 in Heb

e Or dance of Mahanaim

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Syr: Heb in delights

c Heb This your stature is

d Heb palate

e Heb down for my lover

f Gk Syr Vg: Heb lips of sleepers

g Gk Syr: Heb my mother; she ( or you) will teach me

a Or finds

a Or will go unpunished

a Or the creatures

b Or palace

c Gk him

d Or servant

a Other ancient authorities read nature

b Text of this line uncertain; omitted by some ancient authorities. Compare 4.15

c Or what is right

a Gk it

b Other ancient authorities read honour

c Gk at their examination

d Or ended

a Gk They

b Gk they

c Other ancient authorities read dust

a Other ancient authorities read spider’s web

b Gk He

c Or punish

a Gk Her beginning

b Gk this

a Or winds

a Gk slave

b Gk thrones

c Or anxious

d Gk She

a Gk She

a Gk She

b Or on Pentapolis

c Gk she

a Gk She

b Gk a father

c Gk those

d Gk they

e Gk them

d Gk they

a Gk slaughterers

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Or children

d Or hornets

e Or nature

a Or all things

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Other ancient authorities lack and indulgence; others read and entreaty

d Or children

e Gk they

a Gk they

b Other ancient authorities read with intelligent skill

a Gk them

a Gk they

b Or of the oaths people swear

c Or ruling the universe

d Gk and he desires

e Gk such hopes

a Other ancient authorities read of which

b Gk but they

c Gk they

a Gk loathed the necessary appetite

b Gk they

c Gk them

d Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Gk and it, ministering

b Gk this

c Or who made supplication

d Other ancient authorities read unobserved, they were darkened behind a dark curtain of forgetfulness, terribly

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Other ancient authorities read anticipated

c Gk They

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

d Gk their

e Gk those persons

a Other ancient authorities read dangers, the ancestors already leading the songs of praise

b Gk name

a Cn: Gk multitude

b Other ancient authorities read they

c Gk he

d Other ancient authorities read had changed their minds to permit

e Other ancient authorities read accomplish

f Or servants

g Or production

a Gk changing

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Cn: Gk nor could be melted

a Or other books

b Gk with these things

c Other ancient authorities read I found a copy affording no little instruction

d Other ancient authorities read the depth of the abyss

e Other ancient authorities add as verse 5, The source of wisdom is God’s word in the highest heaven, and her ways are the eternal commandments.

a Other ancient authorities add as verse 7, The knowledge of wisdom—to whom was it manifested? And her abundant experience—who has understood it?

b Other ancient authorities add Love of the Lord is glorious wisdom; to those to whom he appears he apportions her, that they may see him.

c Other ancient authorities add The fear of the Lord is a gift from the Lord; also for love he makes firm paths.

d Gk made as a nest

e Other ancient authorities read her

e Other ancient authorities read her

f Other ancient authorities add Both are gifts of God for peace; glory opens out for those who love him. He saw her and took her measure.

g Other ancient authorities add as verse 21, The fear of the Lord drives away sins; and where it abides, it will turn away all anger.

a Or trials

b Other ancient authorities add in sickness and poverty put your trust in him

c Other ancient authorities add For his reward is an everlasting gift with joy.

d Gk of him

e Syr: Gk lacks this line

a Heb: Other ancient authorities read comfort

b In other ancient authorities this line is preceded by Those who fear the Lord honour their father,

c Heb: Gk meekness

d Other ancient authorities add as verse 19, Many are lofty and renowned, but to the humble he reveals his secrets.

e Heb: Other ancient authorities lack verse 25

a Heb Syr: Gk exalts

b Or he

c Or until they remain faithful in their heart

d Heb: Gk at a time of salvation

a So some Gk Mss and Heb Syr Lat: Other Gk Mss lack and do not hide your wisdom

b Heb: Gk atonement

c Heb: Gk he(or it) will atone for

d Gk adds so it is with the double-tongued sinner(see 6.1)

e Heb: Gk a slanderer

f Heb Syr: Gk be ignorant

g Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

h Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb: Gk Upon her

b Heb: Gk crown of gladness

c Heb: Gk will confirm

d Gk My child, do

e Heb: Gk plough

f Heb for the expectation of mortals is worms

a Heb: Gk deprive yourself of

b Heb Love a wise slave as yourself

c Gk bend their necks

d Gk body

e Heb Syr lack who pleases you

f Gk them

a Or ancestors

b Or it will bring forth

c Heb: Gk and let him not return a favour to you

a Heb: Gk by your spirit

b Heb: Gk scribe

c Other ancient authorities add here or after verse 9a, Nothing is more wicked than one who loves money, for such a person puts his own soul up for sale.

d Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Heb Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb: Gk wild animals

b Other ancient authorities read proud nations

c Other ancient authorities add as verse 21, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance; obduracy and pride are the beginning of rejection.

d Heb: Gk sin against

e Heb Lat: Gk their own life

a Other ancient authorities add as verses 15 and 16, ¹⁵Wisdom, understanding, and knowledge of the law come from the Lord; affection and the ways of good works come from him. ¹⁶Error and darkness were created with sinners; evil grows old with those who take pride in malice.

b Heb: Gk is in

a Heb: Gk and through his children a person becomes known

b Heb: Gk downfall

c Other ancient authorities add and he is keeping them for the day of their punishment

d Other ancient authorities read punished

e Heb: Gk grieved

a Gk He

b Other ancient authorities read in your folly

a Other ancient authorities add as verse 14, When you hear these things in your sleep, wake up! During all your life love the Lord, and call on him for your salvation.

b Other ancient authorities read poor

c Other ancient authorities add and a glad heart makes a cheerful countenance

a Heb Syr: Gk covenant

b Heb: Gk covenant

c Other ancient authorities read dies in

d The structure adopted in verses 21–27 follows the Heb

e Gk her

a Heb: Gk you ought not to do

b Heb: Gk unprofitable

c Other ancient authorities add For you will groan in untimely mourning, and will know of their sudden end.

d Other ancient authorities add All these things he did to the hard-hearted nations, and by the multitude of his holy ones he was not appeased.

e Other ancient authorities add Chastising, showing mercy, striking, healing, the Lord persisted in mercy and discipline.

f Gk him

a Other ancient authorities add ¹⁵The Lord hardened Pharaoh so that he did not recognize him, in order that his works might be known under heaven. ¹⁶ His mercy is manifest to the whole of creation, and he divided his light and darkness with a plumb-line.

b Other ancient authorities add The whole world past and present is in his will.

c Meaning of Gk uncertain: Heb Syr If I sin, no eye can see me, and if I am disloyal all in secret, who is to know?

d Heb the decree: Gk the covenant

e Other ancient authorities add and a scrutiny for all comes at the end

f Gk by weight

g Heb: Gk judged

h Or elements

i Lat: Gk it

j Lat: Gk proper to them

k Syr: Gk him

l Other ancient authorities add as verse 5, They obtained the use of the five faculties of the Lord; as sixth he distributed to them the gift of mind, and as seventh, reason, the interpreter of one’s faculties.

a Other ancient authorities read He set his eye upon

b Other ancient authorities add and he gave them to boast of his marvels for ever

c Other ancient authorities add so that they may know that they who are alive now are mortal

d Other ancient authorities add ¹⁶Their ways from youth tend towards evil, and they are unable to make for themselves hearts of flesh in place of their stony hearts. ¹⁷For in the division of the nations of the whole earth, he appointed

e Other ancient authorities add as verse 18, whom, being his firstborn, he brings up with discipline, and allotting to him the light of his love, he does not neglect him.

f Other ancient authorities add as verse 21, But the Lord, who is gracious and knows how they are formed, has neither left them nor abandoned them, but has spared them.

g Gk him

h Other ancient authorities add apportioning repentance to his sons and daughters

i Other ancient authorities add for he will lead you out of darkness to the light of health.

j Other ancient authorities add and there is no other beside him; ³he steers the world with the span of his hand, and all things obey his will; for he is king of all things by his power, separating among them the holy things from the profane.

a Other ancient authorities add but the death of each one is beyond the calculation of all

a Other ancient authorities add Better is confidence in the one Lord than clinging with a dead heart to a dead one.

b This heading is included in the Gk text.

c Other ancient authorities add for you will be plotting against your own life

d Heb: Gk A worker who is a drunkard

e Other ancient authorities read heart

f Other ancient authorities add but one who withstands pleasures crowns his life. ⁶ One who controls the tongue will live without strife,

g Other ancient authorities add and do not be angry. ¹⁸ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of acceptance, and wisdom obtains his love. ¹⁹ The knowledge of the Lord’s commandments is life-giving discipline; and those who do what is pleasing to him enjoy the fruit of the tree of immortality.

a Other ancient authorities add and the knowledge of his omnipotence. ²¹ When a slave says to his master, ‘I will not act as you wish’, even if later he does it, he angers the one who supports him.

b Other ancient authorities add How good it is to show repentance when you are reproved, for so you will escape deliberate sin!

c Heb: Gk by words

d Other ancient authorities add so it is with the envious who give under compulsion

e Syr: Gk he has many eyes instead of one

f Other ancient authorities lack to God and humans

a Other ancient authorities add for he has not honestly received what he has, and what he does not have is unimportant to him

b Other ancient authorities read his foolish look

c This heading is included in the Gk text.

d Other ancient authorities add ³²Unwearied endurance in seeking the Lord is better than a masterless charioteer of one’s own life.

e Other ancient authorities read uprooted

f Gk his ears

a Other ancient authorities read for the winter

b Syr Lat: Gk entrails

c Syr: Gk reveller

d Syr: Gk dislikes

e Syr Lat: Gk clever

f Other ancient authorities read of strangers speak of these things

g Other ancient authorities omit in

h Or curses Satan

a Other ancient authorities add ⁷Children who are brought up in a good life conceal the lowly birth of their parents. ⁸ Children who are disdainfully and boorishly haughty stain the nobility of their kindred.

b Other ancient authorities add For being without sense he will despise everything about you

c Other ancient authorities read Pebbles

a Other ancient authorities add For one should not always despise restricted circumstances, or admire a rich person who is stupid.

b Gk their

c Other ancient authorities add From them the hope of your mercy is remote

d This heading is included in the Gk text.

e Syr be free

f Other ancient authorities read clothed about with death

a Other ancient authorities add as verse 28, It is a great honour to follow God, and to be received by him is long life.

b This heading is included in the Gk text.

a Other ancient authorities read I have acquired a possession

b Other ancient authorities read on the beaches

c Other ancient authorities omit beside water

d Other ancient authorities add as verse 18, I am the mother of beautiful love, of fear, of knowledge, and of holy hope; being eternal, I am given to all my children, to those who are named by him.

e Other ancient authorities add as verse 24, ‘Do not cease to be strong in the Lord, cling to him so that he may strengthen you; the Lord Almighty alone is God, and besides him there is no saviour.’

f Syr: Gk It makes instruction shine forth like light

a Gk her

a Gk her

b Syr Lat: Gk In three things I was beautiful and I stood in beauty before the Lord and mortals.

c Heb Syr: Gk lacks and one who does not plough with ox and ass together

d Lat Syr: Gk good sense

e Other ancient authorities add as verse 12, The fear of the Lord is the beginning of love for him, and faith is the beginning of clinging to him.

a Syr: Gk head

a Syr: Gk head

b Other ancient authorities read an enemy’s

c Heb Syr: Gk loses heart

d Other ancient authorities read and listening he sighs

e Heb Syr: Other Gk authorities read for her beauty

f Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Other ancient authorities read a trifle

a Other ancient authorities read for he firmly establishes

b Other ancient authorities read burn

c Gk A third tongue

c Gk A third tongue

d Gk it

a Gk with it

b Gk he

b Gk he

a Gk with it

a Gk with it

b Gk he

b Gk he

c Other ancient authorities read many refuse to lend, therefore, because of such meanness; they are afraid

a Lat: Gk reproach from your family; other ancient authorities lack this line

b Or scolding from the household

c This heading is included in the Gk text.

a Other ancient authorities lack this line and the preceding line

b Other ancient authorities lack this line

c Heb: Gk take pains with him

d Other ancient authorities lack eternal sleep

e This heading is included in the Gk text; other ancient authorities place the heading before verse 16

f Other ancient authorities add So is the person who does right under compulsion

g Other ancient authorities read Beguile yourself

h Other ancient authorities read sleep carries off a severe illness

i Heb Syr: Gk pursues destruction will be filled

a Other ancient authorities add because of this

b Heb Syr: Gk at a great table

c Gk him

d Heb: Gk like a human being

e Gk reach out your hand

f Heb Syr: Gk industrious

g Heb: Gk tests the hardening of steel by dipping

a Heb: Gk who fears the Lord

b Other ancient authorities lack to seek him

c Heb: Gk alien

d Meaning of Gk uncertain. Other ancient authorities add and after acting, with him, without deliberation

a Heb: Gk stumble on stony ground

b Or an unexplored

c Heb Syr: Gk and beware of your children

d Heb Syr: Gk Trust

e Heb: Gk who believes the law heeds the commandments

f Heb: Gk Adam

a Syr: Gk pays heed to

b Other ancient authorities read A travelled

a Other ancient authorities read is made in mockery

b Other ancient authorities read mockeries

a Heb: Gk and with them

b Heb: Gk O Master, the God

c Heb: Gk And let them know you

d Other ancient authorities read remember your oath

a Owing to a dislocation in the Greek Mss of Sirach, the verse numbers 14 and 15 are not used in chapter 36, though no text is missing.

b Other ancient authorities read you have likened to

c Or on your holy city

d Heb: Gk your rest

e Heb Syr: Gk the celebration of your wondrous deeds

f Heb Syr: Gk Lat people

g Heb and two Gk witnesses: Lat and most Gk witnesses read according to the blessing of Aaron for

h Heb: Gk enters upon a possession

i Heb: Gk rest

j Heb: Gk wander about and sigh

a Heb: Gk in your heart

b Heb: Gk him in your wealth

c Heb: Gk gratitude

d Heb: Gk establish

e Heb: Gk As a clue to changes of heart four kinds of destiny appear

f Other ancient witnesses read trustworthy

g Other ancient authorities read confidence

a Or his

b Or they

c Heb: Gk he

d Gk His

e Or peace

f Heb: Lat lacks as much as you can afford; Meaning of Gk uncertain

g Gk in their hands

h Heb: Gk rest

i Heb: Gk may he fall into the hands of the physician

a Gk him

b Heb: Gk my

c Heb: Gk mine

d Cn: Gk renews his ear

e Cn: Gk cleaning

f Syr: Gk and people can neither live nor walk there

g Most ancient authorities lack this line

h Cn: Gk among parables

i Syr: Gk prayer is in

a Gk He himself

b Cn: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb Lat: Gk sinners bad things

b Heb Syr: Gk can scourge mightily

c Other Gk and Lat authorities read are buried in

d Heb: Gk of all

e Arm: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb Syr: Gk Lat from the waters returns to the sea

b Heb: Gk Life is sweet for the self-reliant worker

c Heb Syr: Gk lacks but better…prosperous

d Heb: Gk wisdom

e Heb Compare Syr: Gk wife with her husband

a Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Heb: Gk People grieve over the death of the body, but the bad name of sinners will be blotted out

c Heb: Gk and not everything is confidently esteemed by everyone

a Heb: Gk before the truth of God and the covenant

b Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Heb: Gk to shame before the great multitude

d Heb: Gk lacks See…house

a Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Syr Compare Heb: most Gk witnesses lack and all…will

c Heb: Gk he sees the sign(s) of the age

d Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Heb: Gk for ever for every need, and all are obedient

f Other ancient authorities read blowing upon

a Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb: Gk The month is named after the moon

a Heb: Gk we

b This title is included in the Gk text.

c Heb: Gk created

d Heb Compare Lat Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain

e Heb: Gk Peoples declare

f Heb: Gk was taken in exchange

a Gk he

b Syr: Heb Gk River

a Gk he

c Heb: Gk caused signs to cease

a Gk he

d Gk him

a Gk him

b Other ancient authorities read his or your

c Heb: Gk authority in covenants of

d Gk he

e Other ancient authorities read your

f Heb: Gk lacks And…glory

d Gk he

a Gk his

b Other ancient authorities read the enemy

c Gk them

a Heb: Gk leaders of the people of Tyre

b Gk he

c Gk horn

c Gk horn

d Other ancient authorities add and daily they sing his praises

e Gk to completion

f Gk his

c Gk horn

g Heb: Gk in a broad place

h Heb: Gk a river

a Other ancient authorities read I was grieved

b Heb (with a play on the name Rehoboam) Syr: Gk the people’s

c Heb: Gk him

d Heb: Gk are for reproofs

e Other ancient authorities read and have died

f Text and meaning of Gk uncertain

a Heb: Gk lacks He performed…mouth

b Other ancient authorities add from Lachish

c Gk He

d Gk his

e Heb: Gk memory

f Heb: Gk it

a Heb He

b Gk by the hand of Jeremiah

c Gk He

d Gk he

e Heb Compare Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain

f Other ancient authorities read people

g Heb Syr: Gk No one has

h Heb Syr: Gk adds the leader of his brothers, the support of the people

i Heb: Gk Shem and Seth were honoured by people

j Heb Syr: Gk lacks this line. Compare 49.15

k Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

k Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Other ancient authorities read altar

b Other ancient authorities read in sweet melody throughout the house

c Gk he

d Other ancient authorities read you

e Other ancient authorities read your

f Other ancient authorities read his

a Heb Compare Lat: Gk on the mountain of Samaria

b Heb: Meaning of Gk uncertain

c Heb: Other ancient authorities read light

d This title is included in the Gk text.

e Other ancient authorities read work

f Heb: Gk the Father of my lord

a Gk her

a Gk her

b Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Cn Compare Heb Syr: Meaning of Gk uncertain

b Heb: Gk lacks wisdom

c Heb: other ancient authorities read the

d Syr Compare Heb: Gk Get instruction with a large sum of silver, and you will gain by it much gold.

e Gk his

f Gk he

a Or see my face

b Or its makers

a Heb lacks the ways of

b Cn: Heb lacks of diviners

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb low

d Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Q Ms: MT lacks shame

a The Heb bath, homer, and ephah are measures of quantity

b Heb her nobility

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb aliens

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb He

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb his heart

c That is A remnant shall return

d Heb cut it off

e Heb he

f Gk the virgin

g That is God is with us

a That is The spoil speeds, the prey hastens

b Q Ms Gk Syr: MT and I caused to be attested

c Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb immanu el

e Heb it

f Or curse by

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

h Ch 8.23 in Heb

i Ch 9.1 in Heb

a Cn: Heb the adversaries of Rezin

b Q Ms: MT rejoice over

c Or arm

a Heb I

a Or land

b Cn: Heb and his yoke from your neck, and a yoke will be destroyed because of fatness

c Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb with a majestic one

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Heb for Yah, the LORD

a Or this is made known

b Or O inhabitant of

c Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

a Heb them

b Q Ms Compare Gk Syr Vg: meaning of MT uncertain

c Or assembly in the far north

d Cn Compare Gk: Heb like a loathed branch

a Syr Compare Gk: Heb fathers

b Q Ms Vg: MT he

c Cn: Heb the house and Dibon

a Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb the armed men of Moab cry aloud

b Q Ms Vg Compare Syr: MT Dimon

b Q Ms Vg Compare Syr: MT Dimon

c Gk: Heb I have hushed

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb the cities of Aroer are deserted

b Heb Asherim

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb places of the wood and the highest bough

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Q Ms Gk Vg: MT of

a Gk Compare Tg: Heb it

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

c Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Q Ms: MT a lion

a Or without their bows

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb fled from far away

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn Compare verse 14: Heb for it is destroyed, without houses

b Q Ms: MT crossing over the sea, they replenished you

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb like the Nile, daughter

d Cn: Heb restraint

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Heb it

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb in Yah, the LORD

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn Compare Syr Tg: Heb my corpse

d Heb to the shades

a Heb Those to come

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb Asherim

a Meaning of Heb of this verse uncertain

a Meaning of Heb of this verse uncertain

a Heb she

b Probable meaning, altar hearth; compare Ezek 43.15

c Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb strangers

a Cn: Heb from them

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or Topheth

c Or Molech

a Heb they

a Cn: Heb And it will hail when the forest comes down

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb his treasure; meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Q Ms: MT cities

e Or everyone

a Or of recompense by Zion’s defender

b Heb her streams

c Identification uncertain

c Identification uncertain

c Identification uncertain

d Heb lacks over

a Cn: Heb in the haunt of jackals is her resting-place

b Or pass it by

c Cn: Heb for them

a Heb he

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

a With 2 Kings 19.26: Heb field

b Q Ms Gk: MT lacks your rising up

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn Compare Syr: Heb I will walk slowly all my years

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn Compare Gk Vg: Heb loved

a Heb my stringed instruments

b Or O herald of good tidings to Zion

a Or O herald of good tidings to Jerusalem

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Syr: Heb men of

b Or trails

c Cn Compare Q Ms Gk: MT and he shall call on my name

d Cn: Heb come

e Cn: Heb First to Zion—Behold, behold them

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn Compare Ps 96.11; 98.7: Heb Those who go down to the sea

a Heb You see many things but do

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn: Heb from my placing an eternal people and things to come

b Tg: Heb them

c Cn: Heb an axe

a Q Ms Gk: MT the swellings

b Q Ms: MT that they may bring forth salvation

c Cn: Heb with the potsherds, or with the potters

d Cn: Heb Ask me of things to come

a Heb him

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk Syr Compare Vg: Heb from what

c Cn: Heb waters

a Cn: Heb with

b Gk Old Latin: Heb for why should it

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or the trails

c Q Ms: MT Sinim

a Or Your children come swiftly; your destroyers

b Q Ms Syr Vg: MT of a righteous person

a Or die on the thirsty ground

b Cn: Heb of those who are taught

c Syr: Heb you gird yourselves with firebrands

a Or in like manner

b Syr: Heb planting

a Q Ms Gk Syr Vg: MT how may I comfort you?

b Or humbled

c Cn: Heb rise up, sit

d Syr Tg: Heb you

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or a man of sorrows

c Or as one who hides his face from us

d Q Ms: MT and in his death

e Cn: Heb with a rich person

f Or by disease; meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Q Mss: MT lacks light

h Or and he shall find satisfaction. Through his knowledge, the righteous one

a Or lapis lazuli

a Heb besides his gathered ones

b Heb His

c QMs Syr Vg Tg: MT me

d Heb an adulterer and she plays the whore

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or their phallus; Heb the hand

c Or the king

d Gk Vg: Heb silent even for a long time

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or vindication

b Heb or speaking words

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb be enlarged

a Q Ms Gk Old Latin Tg: MT lacks by night

a Heb your

b Or robbery with a burnt-offering

c Heb Azubah

d Heb Shemamah

e Heb Hephzibah

f Heb Beulah

g Cn: Heb your sons

a Gk: Heb anguish

b Or saviour. ⁹ In all their distress he was distressed; the angel of his presence saved them;

c Heb he

d Cn: Heb his people

a Ch 64.1 in Heb

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk Syr Old Latin Tg: Heb melted

a Gk Syr: Heb your

a Gk Syr: Heb your

b Or a descendant

c Or an inheritor

a Or sudden terror

b Gk Syr: Heb these things came to be

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or to punish

b Heb bones

a Gk Syr: Heb lacks know

b Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb it is

c Gk: Heb Pul

a Heb shaqed

b Heb shoqed

a Heb shepherds

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Q Ms Gk Syr: MT Saying, If

b Or the trails

c Q Ms Gk Mss Syr: MT I

a Or the trails

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb Truly from the hills is

a Or shall bless themselves

b Or shout, take your weapons: Heb shout, fill (your hand)

a Or the trails

b Another reading is for you, O my soul,

a Heb it

b Or the great

a Heb you

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or rule by their own authority

a Or I will destroy daughter Zion, the loveliest pasture

b Or the city of licence

c Cn: Heb They shall glean

d Heb are uncircumcised

a Or a fortress

b Or and I will let you dwell

c Heb They are

a Or the trails

b Gk Tg: Heb high places

c One Ms Gk: MT this people, Jerusalem,

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or I will make an end of them, says the LORD. There are

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 8.23 in Heb

b Ch 9.1 in Heb

c Heb in a brother

d Heb for every brother

e Cn Compare Gk: Heb they weary themselves with iniquity. ⁶Your dwelling

a Cn: Heb Your dwelling in the midst of deceit

b Or my poor people

c Gk Syr: Heb I will take up

a Heb They

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b This verse is in Aramaic

c Heb lacks the LORD

a Gk: Heb Can many

a Gk: Heb to our future

a Cn: Heb Is the hyena, the bird of prey

b Or the trails

c Heb your

d Or to Parah; Heb perath

e Or by Parah; Heb perath

d Or to Parah; Heb perath

a Or to Parah; Heb perath

b Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

b Heb them

a Or the trails

a Heb look—the sicknesses of

a Heb intervened with you

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Two Mss Gk: MT break for them

b Gk: Heb And first

a Heb Asherim

b Cn: Heb spoil your high places for sin

c Two Mss Theodotion: you kindled

a Heb me

b Or in the earth

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb kings and officials

a Cn: Heb of the field

b Cn: Heb foreign

c Cn: Heb Are…plucked up?

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb they made them stumble

a Heb strike him with the tongue

b Syr Tg Compare Gk: Heb lacks take with you

a Cn: Heb uninhabited cities

a Gk Vg Syr: Heb will be pitied

a Gk: Heb I

a Gk Vg: Heb What burden

b Heb Mss Gk Vg: MT forget you

a Gk Compare Syr: Heb and everlasting desolations

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Sheshach is a cryptogram for Babel, Babylon

c Sheshach is a cryptogram for Babel, Babylon

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb adds men to Egypt

b Another reading is Jehoiakim

c Cn: Heb send them

d Heb their

e Gk Syr Vg: Heb dreams

a Cn: Heb your dreams that you cause to dream

a Syr: Heb you

b Gk: Heb and he shall not see

a Cn: Heb your

a Cn: Heb your

a One Ms: Meaning of MT uncertain

b Gk: Heb me

c Or to him long ago

a Or adorn yourself with

b Gk Compare Vg Tg: Heb supplications

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn Compare Syr Vg Tg: Heb and they shall wander

c Or master

a Or to thousands

a Gk: Heb it

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb They are coming in to fight against the Chaldeans

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb And it

a Heb as there was burning

b Heb shall burn

c Cn: Heb lacks like

a Heb he

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

a Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

b Cn: Heb to under

a Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

a This clause has been transposed from 38.28

a Or Nubian; Heb Cushite

b Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Syr: Heb lacks and threw them; compare verse 9

b Gk: Heb whom he had killed by the hand of Gedaliah

a Cn: Heb whom he recovered from Ishmael son of Nethaniah

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk: Heb Jezaniah

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk Syr: Heb I

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb I

a Heb his

b Compare Syr: Heb lacks And the women said

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Cn: Heb who grasp, who draw

a Gk: Heb Why was it swept away

b Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk: Heb and fell one to another and they said

a Gk: Heb their valley

b Gk Vg: Heb you

c The place-name Madmen sounds like the Hebrew verb to be silent

d Cn: Heb he goes

a Gk Aquila: Heb like Aroer

b Gk: Heb works

c Heb lacks like wine

d Gk Aquila: Heb their

a Two Mss and Isa 16.8: MT the sea of Jazer

a Cn: Heb From the cry of Heshbon to Elealeh

b Or Kerioth

c Gk Syr: Heb bring upon it

d Or of Shaon

a Or villages

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or of Sela

b Heb him

c Or and I will single out the choicest of his rams: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or Sea of Reeds

b Cn: Heb there is trouble in the sea

c Vg: Heb is not forsaken

d Syr Vg Tg: Heb the town of my joy

a Gk: Heb towards it. Come! They shall join

a Or of Double Rebellion

b Or of Punishment

c Tg: Heb destroy after them

a Cn: Heb his

a Cn: Heb his

b Another reading is A sword

c Heb lacks in Babylon

a Or and I will single out the choicest of her rams: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Syr Gk Tg Compare 49.20: Heb lacks their

c Or stir up the spirit of a destroyer

d Leb-qamai is a cryptogram for Kasdim, Chaldea

a Heb lacks the LORD

a Sheshach is a cryptogram for Babel, Babylon

a Gk Syr Compare Hab 2.13: Heb and the nations for fire, and they are weary

a Or one

b Gk: Heb on her. And they shall weary themselves

c Heb lacks wall

a Cn: Heb that were under the stands

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Cn: Heb Their heart cried

b Heb his

a Syr Tg: Heb LORD, we are not cut off

a Or iniquity

b Or sin

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or lapis lazuli

a Symmachus: Heb lacks With a yoke

b Heb have given the hand to

a Gk the priest

b Gk he

c Gk in the shadow

a Gk in accordance with what is

b Gk because we

a Gk dead

a Other ancient authorities read their

a Or from the Everlasting, your saviour

a The King James Version (like the Latin Vulgate) prints The Letter of Jeremiah as Chapter 6 of the Book of Baruch, and the chapter and verse numbers are here retained. In the Greek Septuagint, the Letter is separated from Baruch by the Book of Lamentations.

a Gk for them

b Gk They

c Gk them

d Gk they

e Gk It is

f Lat Syr: Gk they

g Gk if they fall

h Gk to them

a Gk of them

b Gk some of their clothing

c Gk he

d Gk them

d Gk them

e Meaning of Gk uncertain

f Gk they

a Gk these things

b Cn: Gk marble, Syr silk

a Gk OL: Heb And the appearance of

b Heb of their faces

a Gk: Heb like the awesome crystal

b Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

c Or lapis lazuli

d Or son of man; Heb ben adam (and so throughout the book when Ezekiel is addressed)

e Syr: Heb to nations

a Cn: Heb and blessed be the glory of the LORD

b Two Mss Syr: Heb Chebar, and to where they lived. Another reading is Chebar, and I sat where they sat

a Heb it

b Another reading is I will withdraw

c Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb It shall be

d Heb them

a Syr Vg Tg: Heb and be made guilty

b Another reading is Diblah

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Syr Symmachus: Heb its

b Or secret

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk: Heb like fire

e Heb he

a Or lapis lazuli

b Traditional rendering of Heb El Shaddai

a Gk Syr: Heb people of your kindred

b Or to some extent

c Another reading is a new

a Cn: Heb And to the heart of their detestable things and their abominations their heart goes

b Gk Syr: Heb they

a Heb they

b Heb rain and you

a Gk Syr: Heb lives for birds

a Or, as otherwise read, Danel

a Or, as otherwise read, Danel

a Gk Syr: Heb Live! I made you a myriad

b Cn: Heb ornament of ornaments

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Heb adds let it be his

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Another reading is Edom

b Syr: Heb you

c Heb lacks my

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Another reading is fugitives

a Heb he

b Gk: Heb the poor

a Or so that they shall not be a stumbling-block of iniquity to you

b Heb his widows

a Cn: Heb in your blood

b Heb Its strongest stems became rulers’ sceptres

a That is High Place

a Ch 21.1 in Heb

b Ch 21.6 in Heb

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb It

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Tg: Heb wrapped up

a Gk Syr: Heb Judah in

b Or the household gods

c Or be taken captive

d Cn: Heb to contain

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb you

b Transposed from the end of the verse; compare verse 20

a Gk: Heb indignation. ²⁵A conspiracy of its prophets

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Two Mss: MT from Egypt

b Cn: Heb for the sake of

c Compare verses 6 and 12: Heb officers and called ones

d Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb hands

b Compare verse 10: Heb the bones

c Two Mss: Heb its boilings

d Cn: Heb its bones seethe

a Heb piece, no lot has fallen on it

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Vg Tg: Heb of men

a Vg Tg: Heb of men

b Heb lacks and also

c Gk Old Latin: Heb Moab and Seir

d Heb towns from its towns

a Gk OL Aquila: Heb have vanished, O inhabited one,

b Heb it and its inhabitants

c Heb their

d Cn: Heb its inhabitants

a Gk: Heb I will give beauty

b Or boxwood

c Cn Compare Gen 10.18: Heb your skilled men, O Tyre

d Or Persia

e Or and your army

a Gk: Heb The Dedanites

b Another reading is Aram

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb in your market

a Tg Vg: Heb like silence

b Or, as otherwise read, Danel

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or lapis lazuli

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr Vg: Heb they

b Syr: Heb stand

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb he

d Or Nubia; Heb Cush

e Heb It

a Heb lacks of doom

b Or Nubia; Heb Cush

c Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb Cub

c Compare Gk Syr Vg: Heb Cub

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Or Nubians; Heb Cush

f Heb the day of Egypt

a Heb and they

b Heb she

a Gk: Heb thick boughs

b Gk: Heb rivers going

a Syr Vg: Heb you

b Gk: Heb thick boughs

b Gk: Heb thick boughs

c Heb its arms

d Heb their

a Gk Vg: Heb they

b Symmachus Syr Vg: Heb your height

c Gk: Heb bring your destruction

a Gk: Heb lacks in the first month

b Heb it

c Heb It

b Heb it

d Gk Old Latin: Heb of the uncircumcised

e Cn: Heb iniquities

a Cn: Heb I

b Heb by it

a Heb them

a Heb them

b Cn: Heb like a love song

a Gk OL: Heb pasture, you are people

b Gk: Heb them

a Heb flock of holy things

b Or spirit

b Or spirit

a Or wind or spirit

a Or wind or spirit

b Heb I will put them upon it

c Another reading is from all the settlements in which they have sinned

d Tg: Heb give

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Heb navel

c Heb young lions

d Gk: Heb will you not know?

e Heb him

f Heb to or for

a Or of the Abarim

b That is, the Horde of Gog

c Heb travellers

c Heb travellers

b That is, the Horde of Gog

d That is The Horde

a Heb chariots

b Another reading is They shall bear

c Heb deep, and one threshold, one reed deep

a Gk: Heb roof

a Gk: Heb roof

b Heb opening facing opening

c Heb made

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Compare Gk: Heb from before

f Heb adds the east and the north

g Gk: Heb before them

g Gk: Heb before them

a One Ms: Compare verses 29 and 33: MT lacks were of the same size as the others

b Gk Vg Compare verses 26, 31, 34: Heb pilasters

c Cn: Heb at the pilasters of the gates

d Cn: Heb to him who goes up

e Heb lacks one

f Gk: Heb and the width of the gate was three cubits

g Gk: Heb eleven

h Gk: Heb and by steps that went up

i Compare Gk: Heb tent

j Gk: Heb width

a Gk Compare 1 Kings 6.6: Heb they entered

b Cn: Heb it was surrounded

c Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk: Heb of the court

e Gk: Heb the thresholds

f Cn Compare Gk 1 Kings 6.4: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Heb measures

h Cn Compare verse 25: Heb and the wall

i Gk: Heb lacks two cubits wide

j Gk: Heb length

a Cn: Heb vestibule. And the side chambers of the temple and the canopies

b Gk: Heb door

c Gk: Heb before the length

d Heb lacks the chambers rose

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Gk Syr: Heb a way of one cubit

g Heb their

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

h Gk: Heb lacks outer

i Heb lacks of the passage

j Gk: Heb east

k Heb and all their exits

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

l Gk: Heb measuring reed all round. He measured

l Gk: Heb measuring reed all round. He measured

a Gk: Heb Like the vision

b Syr: Heb and the visions

c Or on their high places

d Gk: Heb lacks high

a Cn: Heb the entrance of

b Gk: Heb lacks house

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb They

d Heb lacks foreigners

a Gk: Heb ten

a Gk: Heb as their holding, twenty chambers

b A Heb measure of volume

c Cn: Heb oil, the bath the oil

d Vg: Heb homer

a Gk: Heb it is his inheritance

b Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb the four of them

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb the two rivers go

b Heb it

c Gk: Heb Lebo-zedad, ¹⁶ Hamath

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Compare Syr: Heb you shall measure

f Heb lacks of Egypt

g Compare 47.15: Heb by the side of the way

h Cn: Heb and they shall be his

i Gk Compare verses 2–8: Heb the east side the west

a Compare 45.1: Heb ten

b One Ms Gk: Heb of the descendants

c Gk: Heb ten

a Heb lacks of Egypt

b One Ms Gk Syr: MT their gates three

a Gk Theodotion: Heb adds to the house of his own gods

a The text from this point to the end of chapter 7 is in Aramaic, except for 3.24–91a, the text of which is in Greek

a Gk Theodotion Syr Vg: Aram adds and like iron that crushes

b Aram by human seed

a Aram lacks well and good

b Or If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us, he will deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king.

c Meaning of Aram word uncertain

c Meaning of Aram word uncertain

a Meaning of Gk uncertain

a Gk hand

b Aram a son of the gods

c Meaning of Aram word uncertain

a Ch 3.31 in Aram

b Ch 4.1 in Aram

c Or a holy, divine spirit

c Or a holy, divine spirit

d Theodotion: Aram The visions of

e Theodotion Syr Compare Gk: Aram adds The visions of my head

a Or a holy, divine spirit

b Aram break off

a Theodotion Vg: Aram lacks and silver

a Or a holy, divine spirit

b Aram adds the king your father

c Or a divine spirit

a Aram lacks the days of

b The singular of Parsin

c Ch 6.1 in Aram

a Q Ms Theodotion: MT adds the beginning of the words; he said

b Theodotion: Aram Daniel answered and said, I

c Or ribs

d Aram an Ancient of Days

e Aram one like a son of man

f Aram the Ancient of Days

a Aram troubled in its sheath

b Aram the Ancient of Days

c Aram a time, times

a Gk Theodotion: MT Q Ms repeat in the vision I was looking

b Or the Ulai Gate

c Or gate

d Theodotion: Gk one horn; Heb a horn of vision

c Or gate

e Cn Compare 7.8: Heb one

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Gk Theodotion Syr Vg: Heb me

a Heb son of man

b Or shaggy male goat

c Gk Theodotion Vg: Heb the

d Theodotion and one Gk Ms: Heb repeats (from 8.22) but not with his power

a Heb your

b Theodotion Vg Compare Syr: Heb for the Lord’s sake

c Gk Syr: Heb He made to understand

a Or thing or one

b Or His

c Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk Theodotion: Heb I was left there with the kings of Persia

a Gk: Heb from now

b Heb and at the end of the times years

a Gk: Heb kingdom, and upright ones with him

b Heb it

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or among the richest men

e Heb made them white

a Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

b Or the land of dust

c Or dome

d Cn Compare Gk: Heb knowledge

e Heb a time, times, and a half

a Gk Theodotion: Heb adds to the end

a Gk lacks rest of the

a The Greek words for mastic tree and cut are similar, thus forming an ironic wordplay

a The Greek words for mastic tree and cut are similar, thus forming an ironic wordplay

b The Greek words for evergreen oak and split are similar, thus forming an ironic wordplay

b The Greek words for evergreen oak and split are similar, thus forming an ironic wordplay

c A little more than fifty gallons

d Gk his priests

a Other ancient authorities lack in that place

a Or by the power of his spirit

b Gk him

a That is God sows

b That is Not pitied

c That is Not my people

d Heb I am not yours

e Ch 2.1 in Heb

f Heb rise up from

g Ch 2.3 in Heb

h Gk: Heb brothers

i That is My people

j Gk Vg: Heb sisters

k That is Pitied

a Gk Syr: Heb your

b That is, ‘My master’

c Heb them

d Heb break

a That is God sows

b Cn: Heb her

c That is Not pitied

d That is Not my people

e Gk: Heb a homer of barley and a lethech of barley

f Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Ancient Heb tradition: MT I will change

a Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb her

c Gk Syr: Heb sacrifices

d Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Heb Israel and Ephraim

a Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Cn: Heb to a king who will contend

c Gk Syr: Heb your

d Cn: Heb like

e Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

f Syr: Heb are a company

a Gk Syr: Heb brought near

b Or humbles

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Or shall go up in flames

a Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk: Heb To exultation

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn Compare Gk: Heb shall know

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb he

c Gk Syr: Heb calves

d Cn: Heb exult

e Cn: Heb to a king who will contend

f Cn: Heb counsel

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb In my desire

b Gk: Heb bound

c Gk: Heb they

d Gk: Heb them

e Gk Syr Vg: Heb his

f Or who ease the yoke on their jaws

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 12.1 in Heb

b Heb roams or rules

c Gk Syr: Heb us

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Compare Syr: Heb Gilead

f Heb lacks sheep

g Cn Compare Gk: Heb To these they say sacrifices of people

a Gk Syr: Heb knew

b Cn: Heb according to their pasture

c Gk Syr: Heb for in me is your help

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb I will be

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb I will be

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb I will be

e Or among brothers

f Ch 14.1 in Heb

g Gk Syr: Heb bulls

a Cn: Heb like Lebanon

b Heb his

c Cn: Heb they shall grow grain

d Or What more has Ephraim

e Heb him

f Heb your fruit

a Traditional rendering of Heb Shaddai

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Compare Gk Syr Vg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb they do not take a pledge along

d Gk Syr Vg: Heb they do not take a pledge along

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 3.1 in Heb

b Ch 4.1 in Heb

c Or palaces

d Heb sanctify war

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Gk Syr: Heb I will hold innocent their blood that I have not held innocent

a Or during two years

b Heb cause it to return

b Heb cause it to return

b Heb cause it to return

a Heb cause it to return

b Syr Vg: Heb and his anger tore perpetually

c Gk Syr Vg: Heb and his wrath kept

a Heb cause it to return

a Heb cause it to return

a Heb cause it to return

a Heb cause it to return

a That is, those separated or those consecrated

a That is, those separated or those consecrated

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Gk Syr: Heb the mountains of

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Or many houses

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb the multitude of

d Heb with the captivity of your horses

a Heb adds to the house of Israel

a Heb your images, your star-god

b Or Are they better

c Heb their

d Heb your

a Or who makes a burning for him

b Heb he

c Or Does one plough them with oxen

d Or in a thing of nothingness

e Or horns

f Or for a judgement by fire

a Or was

a Or was

b Heb qayits

b Heb qayits

c Heb qets

d Or palace

a Or on

b Heb all of them

c Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

d Gk: Heb their

a Gk: Heb his

a Or clefts of Sela

b Cn: Heb lacks those who ate

a Heb But do not gloat (and similarly up to and including verse 14)

b Heb on the day of

c Heb his

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Cn: Heb in this army

f Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Or Saviours

a Heb They

a Ch 2.1 in Heb

b Theodotion: Heb surely

a Heb qiqayon, possibly the castor bean plant

a Heb what are the high places

b Gk Syr Vg: Heb wounds

a Cn: Heb work evil

b Heb he

c Cn: Heb the rebellious

d Cn: Heb But yesterday my people rose

e Cn: Heb from before a garment

f Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb from them

b Gk: Heb as

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Gk Syr Tg: Heb and I will

c Ch 4.14 in Heb

d Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 5.1 in Heb

b Gk: Heb in our palaces

c Cn: Heb in its entrances

d Heb he

e Heb Asherim

a Cn Compare Gk: Heb tribe, and who has appointed it yet?

b Cn: Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Heb Whose

d Heb whose

e Gk Syr Vg: Heb have made sick

f Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb the statutes of Omri are kept

g Heb its

a Cn: Heb they weave it

b Heb your

b Heb your

c Heb lacks downfall

d One Ms: MT Assyria and cities of

e Cn: Heb I will show him

a Heb his

b Gk Syr Vg Tg: Heb their

a Gk: Heb of her place

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Ch 2.1 in Heb

b Cn: Heb scatterer

c Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb cypresses

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Heb it

f Cn Compare Gk: Heb a pool, from the days that she has become, and they

g Cn: Heb pasture

h Heb her

a Heb sells

b Heb No-amon

c Or Nubia; Heb Cush

d Gk: Heb your

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Ancient Heb tradition: MT We

a Heb He

b Syr: Heb I

c Or faithfulness

d Other Heb Mss read wine

e Or beam

a Or poison

b QMs Gk: MT be uncircumcised

c Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Or against River

d Or against River

e Or against Sea

f Cn: Heb oaths

g Meaning of Heb uncertain

h Heb It

i Heb sun, moon

a Meaning of Heb uncertain

b Heb his

c Or leader

d Vg Compare Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Heb me

f Cn Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

g Heb my heights

h Heb my stringed

a Cn: Heb sea, and those who cause the wicked to stumble

b Compare Gk: Heb the idolatrous priests with the priests

c Gk Mss Syr Vg: Heb Malcam (or, their king)

a Heb who thicken

b Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb before a decree is born; like chaff a day has passed away

a Or Nubians; Heb Cushites

b Tg Compare Gk: Heb nation

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb a voice

e Gk Vg: Heb desolation

f Heb it

g Gk Syr: Heb its dwelling will not be cut off

a Or Nubia; Heb Cush

b Gk Syr: Heb he will be silent

c Gk Syr: Meaning of Heb uncertain

d Cn: Heb I will remove from you; they were

a Gk: Heb since they were

a Heb and he

a Ch 2.1 in Heb

b Heb it

c Ch 2.5 in Heb

d Cn: Heb after glory he

e Heb his eye

f Or wave

g Or the Accuser; Heb the Adversary

g Or the Accuser; Heb the Adversary

g Or the Accuser; Heb the Adversary

a Cn: Heb gold

a The word falsely added from verse 4

b Heb ephah

c Gk Compare Syr: Heb their eye

b Heb ephah

b Heb ephah

b Heb ephah

b Heb ephah

b Heb ephah

d Compare Gk: Meaning of Heb uncertain

e Or spirits

f Cn: Heb go after them

g Cn Compare verse 11: Heb lacks silver and gold

h Gk Mss Syr Tg: Heb crowns

i Gk Syr: Heb crowns

a Syr Compare verse 10: Heb Helem

b Syr Compare verse 10: Heb Hen

c Heb he

a Heb eye

b Cn: Heb of Adam(or of humankind)

a Gk: Heb I

a Cn: Heb the slingstones

b Gk: Heb shall drink

c Heb them

d Or household gods

e Or male goats

a Gk: Heb He

a Syr: Heb it to the potter

a Syr: Heb it to the potter

b Syr Compare Gk Vg: Heb the youth

c Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Heb on me

b Cn: Heb for humankind has caused me to possess

c Heb wounds between your hands

a Heb my mountains

b Meaning of Heb uncertain

c Cn: Heb there shall not be light

d Compare Gk Syr Vg Tg: Meaning of Heb uncertain

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

b Gk Syr: Heb shall not

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

a Or tabernacles; Heb succoth

c Heb shall be like

d Or Canaanites

a Or by my messenger

b Gk: Heb you

c Heb lacks temple

d Compare Syr Tg: Heb its fruit, its food

e Another reading is at it

a Heb it

b Cn Compare Gk Syr: Heb and he shall bear you to it

c Cn Compare Gk: Heb arouse

d Or Has he not made one?

e Cn: Heb and a remnant of spirit was his

f Heb he

g Cn: Heb he hates Old

a Or right offerings to the Lord

b Heb devourer

a Ch 4.1–6 are Ch 3.19–24 in Heb

b Or a ban of utter destruction