Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman (Gomer) who is beloved by her husband and yet is an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love the raisin cakes [used in the feasts in pagan worship].”

No longer continue drinking [only] water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

Chief

a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table.

Then Mary took a pound of very expensive perfume of pure nard, and she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

But

Then they sat down to eat their meal. When they looked up, they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead [east of the Jordan], with their camels bearing ladanum resin [for perfume] and balm and myrrh, going on their way to carry the cargo down to Egypt.

And they said to one another, “Truly we are guilty regarding our brother [Joseph], because we saw the distress and anguish of his soul when he pleaded with us [to let him go], yet we would not listen [to his cry]; so this distress and anguish has come on us.”

“Joseph is a fruitful bough (a main branch of the vine),
A fruitful bough by a spring (a well, a fountain);
Its branches run over the wall [influencing others].

The couriers went out hurriedly by order of the king, and the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa. And while the king and Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was perplexed [by the unusual and alarming decree].

Rejoice with those who rejoice [sharing others’ joy], and weep with those who weep [sharing others’ grief].

And if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering; if one member is honored, all rejoice with it.

Affliction

In the days of Pekah king of Israel, Tiglath-pileser king of Assyria came and took Ijon, Abel-beth-maacah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of [the tribe of] Naphtali, and he carried the people captive to Assyria.

Shalmaneser [V] king of Assyria came up against him, and Hoshea became his servant and paid him tribute (money).

‘Alas! for that day is great,
There is none like it;
It is the time of Jacob’s [unequaled] trouble,
But he will be saved from it.

General references

They mourned and wept and fasted until evening for Saul and Jonathan his son, and for the Lord’s people and the house of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword [in battle].

“They lift up their voices and sing to the tambourine and the lyre
And rejoice to the sound of the flute.

They do not drink wine with a song;
Strong drink is bitter to those who drink it.

And you [Jeremiah] shall not go into a house of feasting to sit with them to eat and drink.”

So I will silence your songs, and the sound of your lyres will no longer be heard.

for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink;

You did not [even] anoint My head with [ordinary] oil, but she has anointed My feet with [costly and rare] perfume.