"The Lord will send on you a curse, confusing you and opposing you in everything you undertake until you are destroyed and quickly perish because of the evil of your deeds, in that you have forsaken me.

O God, you have taught me since I was young, and I am still declaring your amazing deeds.

A psalm of David. O Lord, I cry out to you. Come quickly to me! Pay attention to me when I cry out to you!

He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.

Anyone who touches his bed must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

Below his roots dry up, and his branches wither above.

From that time on, Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray him.

So I am ready to burn up Baasha and his family, and make your family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat.

He said to the king, "Don't think badly of me, my lord, and don't recall the sin of your servant on the day when you, my lord the king, left Jerusalem! Please don't call it to mind!

Meanwhile for forty days the Philistine approached every morning and evening and took his position.

Now David achieved success in all he did, for the Lord was with him.

"'For a ceremonially unclean person you must take some of the ashes of the heifer burnt for purification from sin and pour fresh running water over them in a vessel.

But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this, who even forgives sins?"

Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you belong to the Lord, and they will respect you.

"'If a man consecrates his house as holy to the Lord, the priest will establish its conversion value, whether good or bad. Just as the priest establishes its conversion value, thus it will stand.

All those numbered of the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, are 108,100. They will travel third.

Then Isaac built an altar there and worshiped the Lord. He pitched his tent there, and his servants dug a well.

Judah and the land of Israel were your clients; they traded wheat from Minnith, millet, honey, olive oil, and balm for your merchandise.

who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish,

If it is spreading further on the skin, then the priest is to pronounce him unclean. It is an infection.

The officials of Zoan are nothing but fools; Pharaoh's wise advisers give stupid advice. How dare you say to Pharaoh, "I am one of the sages, one well-versed in the writings of the ancient kings?"

So the news about him spread into all areas of the region.

If I were to say, "Certainly the darkness will cover me, and the light will turn to night all around me,"

Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, will come to you soon. He will say to you, "Buy my field at Anathoth because you are entitled as my closest relative to buy it."'

"Son of man, speak to the elders of Israel, and tell them: 'This is what the sovereign Lord says: Are you coming to seek me? As surely as I live, I will not allow you to seek me, declares the sovereign Lord.'

The word of the Lord came to me:

Smoke streams from its nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning rushes.

In the north when he is at work, I do not see him; when he turns to the south, I see no trace of him.

"Get up, go down and meet King Ahab of Israel who lives in Samaria. He is at the vineyard of Naboth; he has gone down there to take possession of it.

God says this to the evildoer: "How can you declare my commands, and talk about my covenant?

O Lord God, do not reject your chosen ones! Remember the faithful promises you made to your servant David!"

The Lord will cause your enemies who attack you to be struck down before you; they will attack you from one direction but flee from you in seven different directions.

Therefore, announce: 'I am going to give to him my covenant of peace.

Shuppim and Hosah were assigned the west gate, along with the Shalleketh gate on the upper road. One guard was adjacent to another.

They have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them -- they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt.'"

Again he sent other slaves, more than the first, and they treated them the same way.

However, the women, little children, cattle, and anything else in the city -- all its plunder -- you may take for yourselves as spoil. You may take from your enemies the plunder that the Lord your God has given you.

He said to them, 'You go into the vineyard too, and I will give you whatever is right.'

But David's soldiers had slaughtered the Benjaminites and Abner's men -- in all, 360 men had died!

the one who is sick in her menstruation, the one with a discharge, whether male or female, and a man who has sexual intercourse with an unclean woman.'"

If they want to find out about something, they should ask their husbands at home, because it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it.

who satisfies your life with good things, so your youth is renewed like an eagle's.

but they could not find a way to do it, for all the people hung on his words.

How then would the scriptures that say it must happen this way be fulfilled?"

He will water the seed you plant in the ground, and the ground will produce crops in abundance. At that time your cattle will graze in wide pastures.

"As for you, son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment, are you willing to pronounce judgment on the bloody city? Then confront her with all her abominable deeds!

They panic -- cramps and pain seize hold of them like those of a woman who is straining to give birth. They look at one another in astonishment; their faces are flushed red.

"I will make her officials and wise men drunk, along with her governors, leaders, and warriors. They will fall asleep forever and never wake up," says the King whose name is the Lord who rules over all.

Lament, you residents of the coast, you merchants of Sidon who travel over the sea, whose agents sail over

The Lord God of Israel who rules over all says, "I will restore the people of Judah to their land and to their towns. When I do, they will again say of Jerusalem, 'May the Lord bless you, you holy mountain, the place where righteousness dwells.'

Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing; each has its twin; not one of them is missing.

He shrouded himself in darkness, in thick rain clouds.

not counting their male and female servants, who numbered 7,337. They also had 200 male and female singers

For the music director, to be accompanied by stringed instruments; a well-written song by David. It was written when the Ziphites came and informed Saul: "David is hiding with us." O God, deliver me by your name! Vindicate me by your power!

He got up on the bed and spread his body out over the boy; he put his mouth on the boy's mouth, his eyes over the boy's eyes, and the palms of his hands against the boy's palms. He bent down over him, and the boy's skin grew warm.

"This is what the Lord says: 'I am about to bring disaster on this place and its residents, the details of which are recorded in the scroll which the king of Judah has read.

Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned for eleven years in Jerusalem. He did evil in the sight of the Lord his God.

(Wicked Athaliah and her sons had broken into God's temple and used all the holy items of the Lord's temple in their worship of the Baals.)

Let the heavens rejoice, and the earth be happy! Let the nations say, 'The Lord reigns!'

"Listen, Israel! Today you are moving forward to do battle with your enemies. Do not be fainthearted. Do not fear and tremble or be terrified because of them,

So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?

Then they went on to Gilead and to the region of Tahtim Hodshi, coming to Dan Jaan and on around to Sidon.

It then turned from Baalah westward to Mount Seir, crossed to the slope of Mount Jearim on the north (that is Kesalon), descended to Beth Shemesh, and crossed to Timnah.

I will turn to you, make you fruitful, multiply you, and maintain my covenant with you.

Now as Saul watched David going out to fight the Philistine, he asked Abner, the general in command of the army, "Whose son is this young man, Abner?" Abner replied, "As surely as you live, O king, I don't know."

However, a spring or a cistern which collects water will be clean, but one who touches their carcass will be unclean.

Any food that may be eaten which becomes soaked with water will become unclean. Anything drinkable in any such vessel will become unclean.

Joseph replied to Pharaoh, "It is not within my power, but God will speak concerning the welfare of Pharaoh."

And God came to Balaam and said, "Who are these men with you?"

Tell him, 'Your servants have taken care of cattle from our youth until now, both we and our fathers,' so that you may live in the land of Goshen, for everyone who takes care of sheep is disgusting to the Egyptians."

"Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to the prophets who prophesy from their imagination: 'Hear the word of the Lord!

"But as for you, son of man, your people (who are talking about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses) say to one another, 'Come hear the word that comes from the Lord.'

Build houses and settle down. Plant gardens and eat what they produce.

You will sing as you do in the evening when you are celebrating a festival. You will be happy like one who plays a flute as he goes to the mountain of the Lord, the Rock who shelters Israel.

Yet in days to come I will reverse Moab's ill fortune." says the Lord. The judgment against Moab ends here.

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah while King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon was attacking Jerusalem and the towns around it with a large army. This army consisted of troops from his own army and from the kingdoms and peoples of the lands under his dominion.

Yes, a time is coming when watchmen will call out on the mountains of Ephraim, "Come! Let us go to Zion to worship the Lord our God!"'"

Lord, be merciful to us! We wait for you. Give us strength each morning! Deliver us when distress comes.

Your precepts give me discernment. Therefore I hate all deceitful actions.

The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever takes care of his master will be honored.

Certainly the Lord has chosen Zion; he decided to make it his home.

It read: "This is what King Cyrus of Persia says: 'The Lord God of the heavens has given to me all the kingdoms of the earth. He has appointed me to build for him a temple in Jerusalem in Judah. May the Lord your God energize you who belong to his people, so you may be able to go back there!"

Whether it is for punishment for his land, or whether it is for mercy, he causes it to find its mark.

When he came before the king, the king asked him, "Micaiah, should we attack Ramoth Gilead or not?" He answered him, "Attack! You will succeed; the Lord will hand it over to the king."

Jeroboam's wife did as she was told. She went to Shiloh and visited Ahijah. Now Ahijah could not see; he had lost his eyesight in his old age.

She said to him, "How can you say, 'I love you,' when you will not share your secret with me? Three times you have deceived me and have not told me what makes you so strong."

The waves of death engulfed me; the currents of chaos overwhelmed me.

Perhaps the Lord will notice my affliction and this day grant me good in place of his curse."

Just when he had finished offering the burnt offering, Samuel appeared on the scene. Saul went out to meet him and to greet him.

then the one who presents his offering to the Lord must bring a grain offering of one-tenth of an ephah of finely ground flour mixed with one fourth of a hin of olive oil.

Joshua replied to them, "Since you have so many people, go up into the forest and clear out a place to live in the land of the Perizzites and Rephaites, for the hill country of Ephraim is too small for you."

Then Moses called out to Joshua in the presence of all Israel, "Be strong and courageous, for you will accompany these people to the land that the Lord promised to give their ancestors, and you will enable them to inherit it.

"You are also to make a large bronze basin with a bronze stand for washing. You are to put it between the tent of meeting and the altar and put water in it,

Some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan River to the land of Gad and Gilead. But Saul stayed at Gilgal; the entire army that was with him was terrified.

So Manoah got up and followed his wife. When he met the man, he said to him, "Are you the man who spoke to my wife?" He said, "Yes."

Those numbered in his division are 32,200.

But when they arrived in the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name. It was said of them, 'These are the people of the Lord, yet they have departed from his land.'

I have at this time placed all these nations of yours under the power of my servant, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. I have even made all the wild animals subject to him.

He must eat the same share they do, despite any profits he may gain from the sale of his family's inheritance.

When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him just as God had commanded him to do.

Neither gold nor crystal can be compared with it, nor can a vase of gold match its worth.

So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant, and Moses went up the mountain of God.

But while he was still alive, Abraham gave gifts to the sons of his concubines and sent them off to the east, away from his son Isaac.

I will prepare for them a healthy planting. They will no longer be victims of famine in the land and will no longer bear the insults of the nations.

"'But you, mountains of Israel, will grow your branches, and bear your fruit for my people Israel; for they will arrive soon.

"For this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note that I am about to bring King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, king of kings, against Tyre from the north, with horses, chariots, and horsemen, an army and hordes of people.

For we are resident foreigners and nomads in your presence, like all our ancestors; our days are like a shadow on the earth, without security.

then what will I do when God confronts me in judgment; when he intervenes, how will I respond to him?

"I have been inactive for a long time; I kept quiet and held back. Like a woman in labor I groan; I pant and gasp.

They press out the olive oil between the rows of olive trees; they tread the winepresses while they are thirsty.

So, watch out!" says the Lord. "The time will soon come when people will no longer call those places Topheth or the Valley of Ben Hinnom. But they will call that valley the Valley of Slaughter and they will bury so many people in Topheth they will run out of room.

So Tamar went to the house of Amnon her brother, who was lying down. She took the dough, kneaded it, made some cakes while he watched, and baked them.

So in the east extol the Lord, along the seacoasts extol the fame of the Lord God of Israel.

My guests and my servant girls consider me a stranger; I am a foreigner in their eyes.

Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go and do as you planned. But first make a small cake for me and bring it to me; then make something for yourself and your son.

She went and did as Elijah told her; there was always enough food for Elijah and for her and her family.

The priests, the Levites, some of the people, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants lived in their towns, and all the rest of Israel lived in their towns.

When they came to the Lord's temple in Jerusalem, some of the family leaders offered voluntary offerings for the temple of God in order to rebuild it on its site.

One who beats an animal to death must make restitution for it, life for life.

You are to rejoice in your festival, you, your son, your daughter, your male and female slaves, the Levites, the resident foreigners, the orphans, and the widows who are in your villages.

Jehoshaphat was also at peace with the king of Israel.

The king said to Ziba, "Everything that was Mephibosheth's now belongs to you." Ziba replied, "I bow before you. May I find favor in your sight, my lord the king."

When David heard that Nabal had died, he said, "Praised be the Lord who has vindicated me and avenged the insult that I suffered from Nabal! The Lord has kept his servant from doing evil, and he has repaid Nabal for his evil deeds." Then David sent word to Abigail and asked her to become his wife.

The cherubim are to be spreading their wings upward, overshadowing the atonement lid with their wings, and the cherubim are to face each other, looking toward the atonement lid.

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Because God has enabled you to know all this, there is no one as wise and discerning as you are!

Joshua asked God to empower Caleb son of Jephunneh and assigned him Hebron.

You may not sacrifice the Passover in just any of your villages that the Lord your God is giving you,

No one invokes your name, or makes an effort to take hold of you. For you have rejected us and handed us over to our own sins.

This is the law of the one with a discharge: the one who has a seminal emission and becomes unclean by it,

He saw in the field a well with three flocks of sheep lying beside it, because the flocks were watered from that well. Now a large stone covered the mouth of the well.

She knows that her merchandise is good, and her lamp does not go out in the night.

They will not defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, and all their rebellious deeds. I will save them from all their unfaithfulness by which they sinned. I will purify them; they will become my people and I will become their God.

Then Rachel said, "I have fought a desperate struggle with my sister, but I have won." So she named him Naphtali.

Suppose I tell the righteous that he will certainly live, but he becomes confident in his righteousness and commits iniquity. None of his righteous deeds will be remembered; because of the iniquity he has committed he will die.

He built an altar there and named the place El Bethel because there God had revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.

I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws, and bring you out with all your army, horses and horsemen, all of them fully armed, a great company with shields of different types, all of them armed with swords.

Consider Assyria, a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches, like a forest giving shade, and extremely tall; its top reached into the clouds.

These wicked people refuse to obey what I have said. They follow the stubborn inclinations of their own hearts and pay allegiance to other gods by worshiping and serving them. So they will become just like these linen shorts which are good for nothing.

He will not cry out or shout; he will not publicize himself in the streets.

I said to them, "Each of you must get rid of the detestable idols you keep before you, and do not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt; I am the Lord your God."

Once he has leveled its surface, does he not scatter the seed of the caraway plant, sow the seed of the cumin plant, and plant the wheat, barley, and grain in their designated places?

Indeed, the coastlands look eagerly for me, the large ships are in the lead, bringing your sons from far away, along with their silver and gold, to honor the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, for he has bestowed honor on you.

The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore.

In God -- I boast in his promise -- in God I trust, I am not afraid. What can mere men do to me?

For she leaves her eggs on the ground, and lets them be warmed on the soil.

For this reason my people will know my name, for this reason they will know at that time that I am the one who says, 'Here I am.'"

Man puts an end to the darkness; he searches the farthest recesses for the ore in the deepest darkness.

The Lord thundered from the sky; the sovereign One shouted loudly.

Let his own eyes see his destruction; let him drink of the anger of the Almighty.

and the priests Benaiah and Jahaziel were to blow trumpets regularly before the ark of God's covenant.

It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

Nevertheless you have done some good things; you removed the Asherah poles from the land and you were determined to follow the Lord."

They crossed at the ford in order to help the king's household cross and to do whatever he thought appropriate. Now after he had crossed the Jordan, Shimei son of Gera threw himself down before the king.

And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and there is.

Moses was very angry, and he said to the Lord, "Have no respect for their offering! I have not taken so much as one donkey from them, nor have I harmed any one of them!"

This sin caused Jeroboam's dynasty to come to an end and to be destroyed from the face of the earth.

Merari's descendants by their clans were allotted twelve cities from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Zebulun.

So we have brought as an offering for the Lord what each man found: gold ornaments, armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and necklaces, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord."

He said to them, "Today I am a hundred and twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the Lord has said to me, 'You will not cross the Jordan.'

There Judah saw the daughter of a Canaanite man named Shua. Judah acquired her as a wife and had marital relations with her.

So Abimelech gave sheep, cattle, and male and female servants to Abraham. He also gave his wife Sarah back to him.

The Lord spoke to Moses:

When they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem to look for him.

The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but whoever associates with prostitutes wastes his wealth.

You will be overcome by drunkenness and sorrow. The cup of your sister Samaria is a cup of horror and desolation.

Everything looks to you in anticipation, and you provide them with food on a regular basis.

Leave Babylon! Flee from the Babylonians! Announce it with a shout of joy! Make this known! Proclaim it throughout the earth! Say, 'The Lord protects his servant Jacob.

You destroyed the sea by your strength; you shattered the heads of the sea monster in the water.

Who are these who float along like a cloud, who fly like doves to their shelters?

Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah which all the male and female singers use to mourn Josiah to this very day. It has become customary in Israel to sing these; they are recorded in the Book of Laments.

Even youngsters have scorned me; when I get up, they scoff at me.

But now, O Lord, upon what am I relying? You are my only hope!

He gives back the ill-gotten gain without assimilating it; he will not enjoy the wealth from his commerce.

know for certain that the Lord our God will no longer drive out these nations from before you. They will trap and ensnare you; they will be a whip that tears your sides and thorns that blind your eyes until you disappear from this good land the Lord your God gave you.

God understands the way to it, and he alone knows its place.

Then they will honor you by obeying you throughout their lifetimes as they live on the land you gave to our ancestors.

They captured the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, where he passed sentence on him.

Let me return so that I may die in my own city near the grave of my father and my mother. But look, here is your servant Kimham. Let him cross over with my lord the king. Do for him whatever seems appropriate to you."

So the priest gave him holy bread, for there was no bread there other than the bread of the Presence. It had been removed from before the Lord in order to replace it with hot bread on the day it had been taken away.

King Ahab of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "Will you go with me to attack Ramoth Gilead?" Jehoshaphat replied to the king of Israel, "I will support you; my army is at your disposal and will support you in battle."

When they were near the big rock that is in Gibeon, Amasa came to them. Now Joab was dressed in military attire and had a dagger in its sheath belted to his waist. When he advanced, it fell out.

but I took your father Abraham from beyond the Euphrates and brought him into the entire land of Canaan. I made his descendants numerous; I gave him Isaac,

When it was time for her to give birth, there were twins in her womb.

I made you plentiful like sprouts in a field; you grew tall and came of age so that you could wear jewelry. Your breasts had formed and your hair had grown, but you were still naked and bare.

However, Moses did not assign land as an inheritance to the Levites; their inheritance is the Lord God of Israel, as he instructed them.

Agrippa said to Festus, "I would also like to hear the man myself." "Tomorrow," he replied, "you will hear him."

The Lord said to me, "Look! I have already begun to give over Sihon and his land to you. Start right now to take his land as your possession."

Then Laban said to him, "You are indeed my own flesh and blood." So Jacob stayed with him for a month.

So all the Israelites did exactly as the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron.

"Suppose such a man has a violent son who sheds blood and does any of these things mentioned previously

But the Babylonian army chased after them. They caught up with Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho and captured him. They took him to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon at Riblah in the territory of Hamath and Nebuchadnezzar passed sentence on him there.

But some of them went to the Pharisees and reported to them what Jesus had done.

Where then is your king, that he may save you in all your cities? Where are your rulers for whom you asked, saying, "Give me a king and princes"?

Like a bad tooth or a foot out of joint, so is confidence in an unfaithful person at the time of trouble.

for their Protector is strong; he will plead their case against you.

But if they had stood in my inner circle, they would have proclaimed my message to my people. They would have caused my people to turn from their wicked ways and stop doing the evil things they are doing.

Whoever shares with a thief is his own enemy; he hears the oath to testify, but does not talk.

I said to myself, 'Age should speak, and length of years should make wisdom known.'

God has countless chariots; they number in the thousands. The Lord comes from Sinai in holy splendor.

Certainly none who rely on you will be humiliated. Those who deal in treachery will be thwarted and humiliated.

The lips of the wise spread knowledge, but not so the heart of fools.

As for God's chosen people who are in the land, and the leading officials I admired so much --

If you set them free, you must not send them away empty-handed.

Please remember them, O my God, because they have defiled the priesthood, the covenant of the priesthood, and the Levites.

Amaziah assembled the people of Judah and assigned them by families to the commanders of units of a thousand and the commanders of units of a hundred for all Judah and Benjamin. He counted those twenty years old and up and discovered there were 300,000 young men of fighting age equipped with spears and shields.

Hezekiah dammed up the source of the waters of the Upper Gihon and directed them down to the west side of the City of David. Hezekiah succeeded in all that he did.

In Jerusalem Jehoshaphat appointed some Levites, priests, and Israelite family leaders to judge on behalf of the Lord and to settle disputes among the residents of Jerusalem.

You must obey all I command you to do, follow my instructions, do what I approve, and keep my rules and commandments, like my servant David did. Then I will be with you and establish for you a lasting dynasty, as I did for David; I will give you Israel.

He looked for Ahaziah, who was captured while hiding in Samaria. They brought him to Jehu and then executed him. They did give him a burial, for they reasoned, "He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the Lord with his whole heart." There was no one in Ahaziah's family strong enough to rule in his place.

King Asa ordered all the men of Judah to carry away the stones and wood that Baasha had used to build Ramah. He used the materials to build up Geba and Mizpah.

Then the Philistine said, "I defy Israel's troops this day! Give me a man so we can fight each other!"

But they did not repudiate the sinful ways of the family of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins. There was even an Asherah pole standing in Samaria.

Three years later two of Shimei's servants ran away to King Achish son of Maacah of Gath. Shimei was told, "Look, your servants are in Gath."

There will be no prosperity," says my God, "for the wicked."

Once he had removed Amasa from the path, everyone followed Joab to pursue Sheba son of Bicri.

So Abimelech and all his men came up at night and set an ambush outside Shechem -- they divided into four units.

There is no actual speech or word, nor is its voice literally heard.

Abimelech fought against the city all that day. He captured the city and killed all the people in it. Then he leveled the city and spread salt over it.

She went on to say, "Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have given birth to a son for him in his old age!"

When Moses heard it he fell down with his face to the ground.

Heshbon, and Jazer, along with the grazing areas of each -- a total of four cities.

Moses quickly bowed to the ground and worshiped

Praise the Lord our God! Worship before his footstool! He is holy!

He brought against them the king of the Babylonians, who slaughtered their young men in their temple. He did not spare young men or women, or even the old and aging. God handed everyone over to him.

This is what the sovereign Lord says: "Here are the borders you will observe as you allot the land to the twelve tribes of Israel. (Joseph will have two portions.)

Yes, your servant finds moral guidance there; those who obey them receive a rich reward.

for jealousy kindles a husband's rage, and he will not show mercy when he takes revenge.

The noisy city is full of raucous sounds; the town is filled with revelry. Your slain were not cut down by the sword; they did not die in battle.

The one whose appetite is satisfied loathes honey, but to the hungry mouth every bitter thing is sweet.

The thickets of the forest will be chopped down with an ax, and mighty Lebanon will fall.

If I ate my morsel of bread myself, and did not share any of it with orphans --

He spares a person's life from corruption, his very life from crossing over the river.

Be careful that no one entices you with riches; do not let a large bribe turn you aside.

The descendants of the servants of Solomon: the descendants of Sotai, the descendants of Hassophereth, the descendants of Peruda,

Is my complaint against a man? If so, why should I not be impatient?

They defeated all the cities surrounding Gerar, for the Lord caused them to panic. The men of Judah looted all the cities, for they contained a huge amount of goods.

David said to God, "Was I not the one who decided to number the army? I am the one who sinned and committed this awful deed! As for these sheep -- what have they done? O Lord my God, attack me and my family, but remove the plague from your people!"

and Saul threw the spear, thinking, "I'll nail David to the wall!" But David escaped from him on two different occasions.

Shaphan the scribe went to the king and reported, "Your servants melted down the silver in the temple and handed it over to the construction foremen assigned to the Lord's temple."

Now Jeroboam had sent some men to ambush the Judahite army from behind. The main army was in front of the Judahite army; the ambushers were behind it.

So David and his men, who numbered about six hundred, set out and left Keilah; they moved around from one place to another. When told that David had escaped from Keilah, Saul called a halt to his expedition.

or associate with these nations that remain near you. You must not invoke or make solemn declarations by the names of their gods! You must not worship or bow down to them!

He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Uzziah had done.

He did what the Lord approved, but not like David his father. He followed the example of his father Joash.

Then Saul threw his spear at Jonathan in order to strike him down. So Jonathan was convinced that his father had decided to kill David.

So Jonathan spoke on David's behalf to his father Saul. He said to him, "The king should not sin against his servant David, for he has not sinned against you. On the contrary, his actions have been very beneficial for you.

Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to war. The names of the three sons who went to war were Eliab, his firstborn, Abinadab, the second oldest, and Shammah, the third oldest.

So the Reubenites, Gadites, and half-tribe of Manasseh left the Israelites in Shiloh in the land of Canaan and headed home to their own land in Gilead, which they acquired by the Lord's command through Moses.

Even if your exiles are in the most distant land, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back.

Then the Levitical priests will approach (for the Lord your God has chosen them to serve him and to pronounce blessings in his name, and to decide every judicial verdict)

It turned westward to Aznoth Tabor, extended from there to Hukok, touched Zebulun on the south, Asher on the west, and the Jordan on the east.

The sixth lot belonged to the tribe of Naphtali by its clans.

Children of the third generation born to them may enter the assembly of the Lord.

and all the cities of King Sihon of the Amorites who ruled in Heshbon, and ended at the Ammonite border.

And those that must be redeemed you are to redeem when they are a month old, according to your estimation, for five shekels of silver according to the sanctuary shekel (which is twenty gerahs).

As for any clay vessel they fall into, everything in it will become unclean and you must break it.

When Judah saw her, he thought she was a prostitute because she had covered her face.

For seven days you are to make atonement for the altar and set it apart as holy. Then the altar will be most holy. Anything that touches the altar will be holy.

And you must not go out from the entrance of the Meeting Tent for seven days, until the day when your days of ordination are completed, because you must be ordained over a seven-day period.

and burn the whole ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord, a soothing aroma; it is an offering made by fire to the Lord.

"'Then I bathed you in water, washed the blood off you, and anointed you with fragrant oil.

Joseph positioned them; he put Ephraim on his right hand across from Israel's left hand, and Manasseh on his left hand across from Israel's right hand. Then Joseph brought them closer to his father.

My father may touch me! Then he'll think I'm mocking him and I'll bring a curse on myself instead of a blessing."

The sons of Benjamin: Bela, Beker, Ashbel, Gera, Naaman, Ehi, Rosh, Muppim, Huppim and Ard.

The Lord says, "I will restore the ruined houses of the descendants of Jacob. I will show compassion on their ruined homes. Every city will be rebuilt on its former ruins. Every fortified dwelling will occupy its traditional site.

So that day Laban removed the male goats that were streaked or spotted, all the female goats that were speckled or spotted (all that had any white on them), and all the dark-colored lambs, and put them in the care of his sons.

Their father Jacob said to them, "You are making me childless! Joseph is gone. Simeon is gone. And now you want to take Benjamin! Everything is against me."

So they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why did you not believe him?'

For I do not want to see you now in passing, since I hope to spend some time with you, if the Lord allows.

They will bring back all your countrymen from all the nations as an offering to the Lord. They will bring them on horses, in chariots, in wagons, on mules, and on camels to my holy hill Jerusalem," says the Lord, "just as the Israelites bring offerings to the Lord's temple in ritually pure containers.

Do you see someone who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

But the Lord will protect me, and my God will shelter me.

If he piles up silver like dust and stores up clothing like mounds of clay,

I summon my servant, but he does not respond, even though I implore him with my own mouth.

a lion, mightiest of the beasts, who does not retreat from anything;

The folds of its flesh are tightly joined; they are firm on it, immovable.

May their camp become desolate, their tents uninhabited!

David reached his hand into the bag and took out a stone. He slung it, striking the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank deeply into his forehead, and he fell down with his face to the ground.

After all this happened, the Lord afflicted him with an incurable intestinal disease.

Watch yourselves carefully! Love the Lord your God!

son of Ethan, son of Zimmah, son of Shimei,

They went through all the land and after nine months and twenty days came back to Jerusalem.

You must not gather in the aftergrowth of your harvest and you must not pick the grapes of your unpruned vines; the land must have a year of complete rest.

The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, including his successes and military exploits, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.

You will return and obey the Lord, keeping all his commandments I am giving you today.

There we were, binding sheaves of grain in the middle of the field. Suddenly my sheaf rose up and stood upright and your sheaves surrounded my sheaf and bowed down to it!"

So Joshua summoned all Israel, including the elders, rulers, judges, and leaders, and told them: "I am very old.

your elders and judges must go out and measure how far it is to the cities in the vicinity of the corpse.

Now the firstling of a donkey you may redeem with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, then break its neck. You must redeem all the firstborn of your sons. "No one will appear before me empty-handed.

one beka per person, that is, a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, for everyone who crossed over to those numbered, from twenty years old or older, 603,550 in all.

Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought on them so great a sin?"

And from there they traveled to Beer; that is the well where the Lord spoke to Moses, "Gather the people and I will give them water."

and the one who eats it will bear his punishment for iniquity because he has profaned what is holy to the Lord. That person will be cut off from his people.

And he placed his hands on them and went on his way.

They will live in the land I gave to my servant Jacob, in which your fathers lived; they will live in it -- they and their children and their grandchildren forever. David my servant will be prince over them forever.

"'Therefore, this is what the sovereign Lord says: Because you have spoken false words and forecast delusion, look, I am against you, declares the sovereign Lord.

But Jacob traveled to Succoth where he built himself a house and made shelters for his livestock. That is why the place was called Succoth.

I will punish the god Bel in Babylon. I will make him spit out what he has swallowed. The nations will not come streaming to him any longer. Indeed, the walls of Babylon will fall."

you say, 'I have not done anything wrong, so the Lord cannot really be angry with me any more.' But, watch out! I will bring down judgment on you because you say, 'I have not committed any sin.'

I will add fifteen years to your life and rescue you and this city from the king of Assyria. I will shield this city for the sake of my reputation and because of my promise to David my servant."'"

A rope is hidden for him on the ground and a trap for him lies on the path.

They attacked Judah and swept through it. They carried off everything they found in the royal palace, including his sons and wives. None of his sons was left, except for his youngest, Ahaziah.

The king ordered all the people, "Observe the Passover of the Lord your God, as prescribed in this scroll of the covenant."

He altered his behavior in their presence. Since he was in their power, he pretended to be insane, making marks on the doors of the gate and letting his saliva run down his beard.

Remember to extol his work, which people have praised in song.

He has filled him with the Spirit of God -- with skill, with understanding, with knowledge, and in all kinds of work,

Araunah said, "Why has my lord the king come to his servant?" David replied, "To buy from you the threshing floor so I can build an altar for the Lord, so that the plague may be removed from the people."

He lit the torches and set the jackals loose in the Philistines' standing grain. He burned up the grain heaps and the standing grain, as well as the vineyards and olive groves.

He followed in the footsteps of his father and worshiped and bowed down to the disgusting idols which his father had worshiped.

you must set apart for yourselves three cities in the middle of your land that the Lord your God is giving you as a possession.

When the leaders of the Philistines were passing in review at the head of their units of hundreds and thousands, David and his men were passing in review in the rear with Achish.

Now David was the youngest. While the three oldest sons followed Saul,

Adamah, Ramah, Hazor,

for both of you rebelled against me among the Israelites at the waters of Meribah Kadesh in the desert of Zin when you did not show me proper respect among the Israelites.

If she made the vow in her husband's house or put herself under obligation with an oath,

Joseph stored up a vast amount of grain, like the sand of the sea, until he stopped measuring it because it was impossible to measure.

So they took Joseph's tunic, killed a young goat, and dipped the tunic in the blood.

These were the families of Manasseh; those numbered of them were 52,700.

After consulting together they bought the Potter's Field with it, as a burial place for foreigners.

The man asked him, "What is your name?" He answered, "Jacob."

I will strike them with the pestilence, and I will disinherit them; I will make you into a nation that is greater and mightier than they!"

And the Moabites were greatly afraid of the people, because they were so numerous. The Moabites were sick with fear because of the Israelites.

When those hired about five o'clock came, each received a full day's pay.

But we must run aground on some island."

For we rejoice whenever we are weak, but you are strong. And we pray for this: that you may become fully qualified.

But they answered, "We do not drink wine because our ancestor Jonadab son of Rechab commanded us not to. He told us, 'You and your children must never drink wine.

engages in usury and charges interest. Will he live? He will not! Because he has done all these abominable deeds he will certainly die. He will bear the responsibility for his own death.

Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set out together for Beer Sheba where Abraham stayed.

We put in at Syracuse and stayed there three days.

for their hearts contemplate violence, and their lips speak harm.

The Lord does what is fair, and executes justice for all the oppressed.

"Please ask the Lord to come and help us, because King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon is attacking us. Maybe the Lord will perform one of his miracles as in times past and make him stop attacking us and leave."

Don't set foot too frequently in your neighbor's house, lest he become weary of you and hate you.

The prince who is a great oppressor lacks wisdom, but the one who hates unjust gain will prolong his days.

Fields will again be bought with silver, and deeds of purchase signed, sealed, and witnessed. This will happen in the territory of Benjamin, the villages surrounding Jerusalem, the towns in Judah, the southern hill country, the western foothills, and southern Judah. For I will restore them to their land. I, the Lord, affirm it!'"

There is gold, and an abundance of rubies, but words of knowledge are like a precious jewel.

They reap fodder in the field, and glean in the vineyard of the wicked.

I have spoken once, but I cannot answer; twice, but I will say no more."

His memory perishes from the earth, he has no name in the land.

The next day they made sacrifices and offered burnt sacrifices to the Lord (1,000 bulls, 1,000 rams, 1,000 lambs), along with their accompanying drink offerings and many other sacrifices for all Israel.

David said, "My son Solomon is just an inexperienced young man, and the temple to be built for the Lord must be especially magnificent so it will become famous and be considered splendid by all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for its construction." So David made extensive preparations before he died.

Would he contend with me with great power? No, he would only pay attention to me.

So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Ahaziah's son Joash and sneaked him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored. So Jehoshabeath the daughter of King Jehoram, wife of Jehoiada the priest and sister of Ahaziah, hid him from Athaliah so she could not execute him.

Jehoiada then assigned the duties of the Lord's temple to the priests, the Levites whom David had assigned to the Lord's temple. They were responsible for offering burnt sacrifices to the Lord with joy and music, according to the law of Moses and the edict of David.

Abishai son of Zeruiah killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.

He said, "Throw her down!" So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground, her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her.

I will set my face against you. You will be struck down before your enemies, those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee when there is no one pursuing you.

He did evil in the sight of the Lord and followed in the footsteps of his father and mother; like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he encouraged Israel to sin.

In addition, the officers are to say to the troops, "Who among you is afraid and fainthearted? He may go home so that he will not make his fellow soldier's heart as fearful as his own."

This accords with what happened at Horeb in the day of the assembly. You asked the Lord your God: "Please do not make us hear the voice of the Lord our God any more or see this great fire any more lest we die."

He moved the bronze altar that stood in the Lord's presence from the front of the temple (between the altar and the Lord's temple) and put it on the north side of the new altar.

But the army said to Saul, "Should Jonathan, who won this great victory in Israel, die? May it never be! As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of his head will fall to the ground! For it is with the help of God that he has acted today." So the army rescued Jonathan from death.

Rebekah said to her son Jacob, "Look, I overheard your father tell your brother Esau,

Now, divide up this land among the nine tribes and the half-tribe of Manasseh."

Then Sarah lied, saying, "I did not laugh," because she was afraid. But the Lord said, "No! You did laugh."

It is better to live on a corner of the housetop than in a house in company with a quarrelsome wife.

When Jacob finished giving these instructions to his sons, he pulled his feet up onto the bed, breathed his last breath, and went to his people.

These are the twelve tribes of Israel. This is what their father said to them when he blessed them. He gave each of them an appropriate blessing.

So Isaac settled in Gerar.

So give orders to secure the tomb until the third day. Otherwise his disciples may come and steal his body and say to the people, 'He has been raised from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first."

As for me, I will sing about your strength; I will praise your loyal love in the morning. For you are my refuge and my place of shelter when I face trouble.

Indeed, it is not an enemy who insults me, or else I could bear it; it is not one who hates me who arrogantly taunts me, or else I could hide from him.

How could I ever be rid of my humiliation? And you would be considered one of the fools in Israel! Just speak to the king, for he will not withhold me from you."

A king's wrath is like the roar of a lion, but his favor is like dew on the grass.

The herdsmen ran off, went into the town, and told everything that had happened to the demon-possessed men.

Then we will shout for joy over your victory; we will rejoice in the name of our God! May the Lord grant all your requests!

Cursed is the one who moves his neighbor's boundary marker.' Then all the people will say, 'Amen!'

It claps its hands at him in derision and hisses him away from his place.

King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked him, bound him with bronze chains, and carried him away to Babylon.

The altar split open and the ashes fell from the altar to the ground, in fulfillment of the sign the prophet had announced with the Lord's authority.

Jehoahaz had no army left except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops and trampled on them like dust.

Jehoshaphat stood before the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the Lord's temple, in front of the new courtyard.

David realized that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and that he had elevated his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

The king had them cast in earth foundries in the region of the Jordan between Succoth and Zarethan.

Take an offering for the Lord. Let everyone who has a willing heart bring an offering to the Lord: gold, silver, bronze,

When they received it, they began to complain against the landowner,

Also you may buy slaves from the children of the foreigners who reside with you, and from their families that are with you, whom they have fathered in your land, they may become your property.

Abimelech moved on to Thebez; he besieged and captured it.

All the people throughout all the tribes of Israel were arguing among themselves saying, "The king delivered us from the hand of our enemies. He rescued us from the hand of the Philistines, but now he has fled from the land because of Absalom.

I hear many whispering words of intrigue against me. Those who would cause me terror are everywhere! They are saying, "Come on, let's publicly denounce him!" All my so-called friends are just watching for something that would lead to my downfall. They say, "Perhaps he can be enticed into slipping up, so we can prevail over him and get our revenge on him.

The houses in Jerusalem and the houses of the kings of Judah will be defiled by dead bodies just like this place, Topheth. For they offered sacrifice to the stars and poured out drink offerings to other gods on the roofs of those houses.'"

So Balaam went with Balak, and they came to Kiriath-huzoth.

When Israel saw Joseph's sons, he asked, "Who are these?"

Israel settled in the land of Egypt, in the land of Goshen, and they owned land there. They were fruitful and increased rapidly in number.

Foreigners will rebuild your walls; their kings will serve you. Even though I struck you down in my anger, I will restore my favor and have compassion on you.

this is what the Lord says about him: "The virgin daughter Zion despises you -- she makes fun of you; daughter Jerusalem shakes her head after you.

One will say, 'I belong to the Lord,' and another will use the name 'Jacob.' One will write on his hand, 'The Lord's,' and use the name 'Israel.'"

Indeed," says the Lord, "captives will be taken from a warrior; spoils will be rescued from a conqueror. I will oppose your adversary and I will rescue your children.

His acts are characterized by faithfulness and justice; all his precepts are reliable.

to whom I appointed the steppe for its home, the salt wastes as its dwelling place?

They will no longer trust in the altars their hands made, or depend on the Asherah poles and incense altars their fingers made.

But the Lord said to me: 'You have spilled a great deal of blood and fought many battles. You must not build a temple to honor me, for you have spilled a great deal of blood on the ground before me.

I will not keep silent about its limbs, and the extent of its might, and the grace of its arrangement.

you must bring to your city gates that man or woman who has done this wicked thing -- that very man or woman -- and you must stone that person to death.

God answered Manoah's prayer. God's angelic messenger visited the woman again while she was sitting in the field. But her husband Manoah was not with her.

Anyone whom the man with the discharge touches without having rinsed his hands in water must wash his clothes, bathe in water, and be unclean until evening.

She replied, "In that case, let the king invoke the name of the Lord your God so that the avenger of blood may not kill! Then they will not destroy my son!" He replied, "As surely as the Lord lives, not a single hair of your son's head will fall to the ground."

Then the Lord will make you return to Egypt by ship, over a route I said to you that you would never see again. There you will sell yourselves to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you."

He went inside and had a meal. Then he said, "Dispose of this accursed woman's corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king's daughter."

Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, but they said, "We will not come up.

So Moses cut out two tablets of stone like the first; early in the morning he went up to Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded him, and he took in his hand the two tablets of stone.

Does it seem too small a thing to you that the God of Israel has separated you from the community of Israel to bring you near to himself, to perform the service of the tabernacle of the Lord, and to stand before the community to minister to them?

So Balak brought Balaam to the field of Zophim, to the top of Pisgah, where he built seven altars and offered a bull and a ram on each altar.

If he designated her for his son, then he will deal with her according to the customary rights of daughters.

He must not marry a widow, a divorced woman, or one profaned by prostitution; he may only take a virgin from his people as a wife.

from the tribe of Joseph, namely, the tribe of Manasseh, Gaddi son of Susi;

They wanted to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowds, because the crowds regarded him as a prophet.

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah when Jehoiakim son of Josiah was ruling over Judah.

In what direction is lightning dispersed, or the east winds scattered over the earth?

"As for you, son of man, prophesy to the mountains of Israel, and say: 'O mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord!

The cities of Aroer are abandoned. They will be used for herds, which will lie down there in peace.

they will say about me, "Yes, the Lord is a powerful deliverer."'" All who are angry at him will cower before him.

There are three things that are magnificent in their step, four things that move about magnificently:

Now Elihu had waited before speaking to Job, because the others were older than he was.

and for the refined gold of the incense altar. He gave him the blueprint for the seat of the gold cherubim that spread their wings and provide shelter for the ark of the Lord's covenant.

So the king summoned Jehoiada the chief priest, and said to him, "Why have you not made the Levites collect from Judah and Jerusalem the tax authorized by Moses the Lord's servant and by the assembly of Israel at the tent containing the tablets of the law?"

But their prosperity is not their own doing. The counsel of the wicked is far from me!

in Lod, Ono, and the Valley of the Craftsmen.

So David did not move the ark to the City of David; he left it in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite.

That day Moses made this solemn promise: 'Surely the land on which you walked will belong to you and your descendants permanently, for you remained loyal to the Lord your God.'

He brought me out into a wide open place; he delivered me because he was pleased with me.

Samuel replied, "If that is the case, then what is this sound of sheep in my ears and the sound of cattle that I hear?"

The whole assembly agreed to do this, for the proposal seemed right to all the people.

Then the king arranged for a meeting with the priest Ahimelech son of Ahitub and all the priests of his father's house who were at Nob. They all came to the king.

you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you. Destroy all their carved images, all their molten images, and demolish their high places.

except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the Lord wholeheartedly.'

Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish a lasting covenant with you.

The name of Saul's wife was Ahinoam, the daughter of Ahimaaz. The name of the general in command of his army was Abner son of Ner, Saul's uncle.

And when it came to rest he would say, "Return, O Lord, to the many thousands of Israel!"

If anyone says anything to you, you are to say, 'The Lord needs them,' and he will send them at once."

So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments by Mount Horeb.

She quickly lowered her jug from her shoulder and said, 'Drink, and I'll give your camels water too.' So I drank, and she also gave the camels water.

Then the Lord spoke about these people. "They truly love to go astray. They cannot keep from running away from me. So I am not pleased with them. I will now call to mind the wrongs they have done and punish them for their sins."

chief Oholibamah, chief Elah, chief Pinon,

When you bring foreigners, those uncircumcised in heart and in flesh, into my sanctuary, you desecrate it -- even my house -- when you offer my food, the fat and the blood. You have broken my covenant by all your abominable practices.

It will be the duty of the prince to provide the burnt offerings, the grain offering, and the drink offering at festivals, on the new moons and Sabbaths, at all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel; he will provide the sin offering, the grain offering, the burnt offering, and the peace offerings to make atonement for the house of Israel.

"I, Lord, make the following promise: 'I have made a covenant with the day and with the night that they will always come at their proper times. Only if you people could break that covenant

The word of the Lord came to me:

How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and insulted him in the desert!

Even when I am old and gray, O God, do not abandon me, until I tell the next generation about your strength, and those coming after me about your power.

Why are your clothes red? Why do you look like someone who has stomped on grapes in a vat?

Use it to send messages to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Send them through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to King Zedekiah of Judah.

The delight of kings is righteous counsel, and they love the one who speaks uprightly.

I decreed and delivered and proclaimed, and there was no other god among you. You are my witnesses," says the Lord, "that I am God.

Absalom would then say to him, "Look, your claims are legitimate and appropriate. But there is no representative of the king who will listen to you."

So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord

An evil person seeks only rebellion, and so a cruel messenger will be sent against him.

Out of its mouth go flames, sparks of fire shoot forth!

The Israelites and the Levites will bring the contribution of the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil to the storerooms where the utensils of the sanctuary are kept, and where the priests who minister stay, along with the gatekeepers and the singers. We will not neglect the temple of our God."

The clouds go round in circles, wheeling about according to his plans, to carry out all that he commands them over the face of the whole inhabited world.

blue, purple, scarlet, fine linen, goat's hair,

Even though the invading Syrian army was relatively weak, the Lord handed over to them Judah's very large army, for the people of Judah had abandoned the Lord God of their ancestors. The Syrians gave Joash what he deserved.

The people of Judah assembled to ask for the Lord's help; they came from all the cities of Judah to ask for the Lord's help.

Then listen from your heavenly dwelling place and answer all the prayers of the foreigners. Then all the nations of the earth will acknowledge your reputation, obey you like your people Israel do, and recognize that this temple I built belongs to you.

So when you cross the Jordan you must erect on Mount Ebal these stones about which I am commanding you today, and you must cover them with plaster.

"This will be a regular burnt offering throughout your generations at the entrance of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you to speak to you there.

When Achish would ask, "Where did you raid today?" David would say, "The Negev of Judah" or "The Negev of Jeharmeel" or "The Negev of the Kenites."

He has brought you near and all your brothers, the sons of Levi, with you. Do you now seek the priesthood also?

Zanoah, En Gannim, Tappuah, Enam,

When Aaron sets up the lamps around sundown he is to burn incense on it; it is to be a regular incense offering before the Lord throughout your generations.

Now the name of the Israelite who was stabbed -- the one who was stabbed with the Midianite woman -- was Zimri son of Salu, a leader of a clan of the Simeonites.

They will perish, but you will endure. They will wear out like a garment; like clothes you will remove them and they will disappear.

Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to Egypt for Israel's sake, and all the hardship that had come on them along the way, and how the Lord had delivered them.

Now Abimelech had come to him from Gerar along with Ahuzzah his friend and Phicol the commander of his army.

When he went out to the gateway, another slave girl saw him and said to the people there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene."

Joseph saw the descendants of Ephraim to the third generation. He also saw the children of Makir the son of Manasseh; they were given special inheritance rights by Joseph.

The living person, the living person, he gives you thanks, as I do today. A father tells his sons about your faithfulness.

He said, "Certainly they will be my people, children who are not disloyal." He became their deliverer.

Now Isaac came from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev.

So I will pounce on them like a lion; like a leopard I will lurk by the path.

Let's enter his presence with thanksgiving! Let's shout out to him in celebration!

The word of the Lord came to me:

A king's wrath is like a messenger of death, but a wise person appeases it.

Praise the Lord our God! Worship on his holy hill, for the Lord our God is holy!

The Lord was so furious with Uzzah, he killed him, because he reached out his hand and touched the ark. He died right there before God.

If I have walked in falsehood, and if my foot has hastened to deceit --

Lawless good-for-nothing men gathered around him and conspired against Rehoboam son of Solomon, when Rehoboam was an inexperienced young man and could not resist them.

If you are righteous, what do you give to God, or what does he receive from your hand?

"Take a census of the whole community of Israelites, from twenty years old and upward, by their clans, everyone who can serve in the army of Israel."

I myself will set my face against that man and his clan. I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech.

Why has your heart carried you away, and why do your eyes flash,

The descendants of Joseph said to Joshua, "Why have you assigned us only one tribal allotment? After all, we have many people, for until now the Lord has enabled us to increase in number."

Israel lives in safety, the fountain of Jacob is quite secure, in a land of grain and new wine; indeed, its heavens rain down dew.

But if the priest examines the scall infection and it does not appear to be deeper than the skin, and there is no black hair in it, then the priest is to quarantine the person with the scall infection for seven days.

You are to overlay it with pure gold -- both inside and outside you must overlay it, and you are to make a surrounding border of gold over it.

Rehoboam and Jeroboam were continually at war with each other throughout Abijah's lifetime.

Now this is his uncleanness in regard to his discharge -- whether his body secretes his discharge or blocks his discharge, he is unclean. All the days that his body has a discharge or his body blocks his discharge, this is his uncleanness.

What he did was evil in the Lord's sight, so the Lord killed him too.

I will no longer hide my face from them, when I pour out my Spirit on the house of Israel, declares the sovereign Lord."

I will make myself available to you,' says the Lord. 'Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,' says the Lord. 'I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.'

Yet she increased her prostitution, remembering the days of her youth when she engaged in prostitution in the land of Egypt.

I will put an end to the sounds of joy and gladness, to the glad celebration of brides and grooms in these lands. I will put an end to the sound of people grinding meal. I will put an end to lamps shining in their houses.

For after we turned away from you we repented. After we came to our senses we beat our breasts in sorrow. We are ashamed and humiliated because of the disgraceful things we did previously.'

Look down from heaven and take notice, from your holy, majestic palace! Where are your zeal and power? Do not hold back your tender compassion!

Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.

Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob and sent him off to Paddan Aram to find a wife there. As he blessed him, Isaac commanded him, "You must not marry a Canaanite woman."

the way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock, the way of a ship in the sea, and the way of a man with a woman.

He was buried in the tomb he had carved out in the City of David. They laid him to rest on a bier covered with spices and assorted mixtures of ointments. They made a huge bonfire to honor him.

you who practice ritual sex under the oaks and every green tree, who slaughter children near the streams under the rocky overhangs.

Even though his stature reaches to the heavens and his head touches the clouds,

Evil people do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it all.

The Babylonians broke the two bronze pillars in the Lord's temple, as well as the movable stands and the big bronze basin called the "The Sea." They took the bronze to Babylon.

So David again asked God what he should do. This time God told him, "Don't march up after them; circle around them and come against them in front of the trees.

At that time King Ahaz asked the king of Assyria for help.

And now you are planning to enslave the people of Judah and Jerusalem. Yet are you not also guilty before the Lord your God?

Joab replied to the man who was telling him this, "What! You saw this? Why didn't you strike him down right on the spot? I would have given you ten pieces of silver and a commemorative belt!"

He had bronze shin guards on his legs, and a bronze javelin was slung over his shoulders.

Each one struck down an enemy soldier; the Syrians fled and Israel chased them. King Ben Hadad of Syria escaped on horseback with some horsemen.

Where are the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, and the king of Lair, Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah?'"

But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.

I will shoot three arrows near it, as though I were shooting at a target.

The Lord said, "Here is a place by me; you will station yourself on a rock.

They will be starved by famine, eaten by plague, and bitterly stung; I will send the teeth of wild animals against them, along with the poison of creatures that crawl in the dust.

"You are to make a hanging for the entrance of the tent of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn and fine twined linen, the work of an embroiderer.

The sons of Saul were Jonathan, Ishvi, and Malki-Shua. He had two daughters; the older one was named Merab and the younger Michal.

When the men of that place asked him about his wife, he replied, "She is my sister." He was afraid to say, "She is my wife," for he thought to himself, "The men of this place will kill me to get Rebekah because she is very beautiful."

You must go instead to my country and to my relatives to find a wife for my son Isaac."

Now Abimelech had not gone near her. He said, "Lord, would you really slaughter an innocent nation?

So the Lord has uprooted them from their land in anger, wrath, and great rage and has deported them to another land, as is clear today."

But then he drew back his hand, and his brother came out before him. She said, "How you have broken out of the womb!" So he was named Perez.

Joseph lived in Egypt, along with his father's family. Joseph lived 110 years.

Manasseh and Ephraim were born to Joseph in the land of Egypt. Asenath daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, bore them to him.

The governor asked them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas!"

I will punish you as an adulteress and murderer deserves. I will avenge your bloody deeds with furious rage.

"Sharpen your arrows! Fill your quivers! The Lord will arouse a spirit of hostility in the kings of Media. For he intends to destroy Babylonia. For that is how the Lord will get his revenge -- how he will get his revenge for the Babylonians' destruction of his temple.

He alone is my protector and deliverer. He is my refuge; I will not be upended.

Then Festus replied that Paul was being kept at Caesarea, and he himself intended to go there shortly.

They said to her, "But none of your relatives bears this name."

So the Lord says concerning King Jehoiakim of Judah, "None of his line will occupy the throne of David. His dead body will be thrown out to be exposed to scorching heat by day and frost by night.

They are joined by Gomer with all its troops, and by Beth Togarmah from the remote parts of the north with all its troops -- many peoples are with you.

As for the one who repays evil for good, evil will not leave his house.

Will partners bargain for it? Will they divide it up among the merchants?

He shatters the great without inquiry, and sets up others in their place.

If my footsteps have strayed from the way, if my heart has gone after my eyes, or if anything has defiled my hands,

Calamity is hungry for him, and misfortune is ready at his side.

Samuel said to Saul, "Why have you disturbed me by bringing me up?" Saul replied, "I am terribly troubled! The Philistines are fighting against me and God has turned away from me. He does not answer me -- not by the prophets nor by dreams. So I have called on you to tell me what I should do."

Remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore, I am commanding you to do this thing today.

Instead, you must be sure to open your hand to him and generously lend him whatever he needs.

Terrors overwhelm him like a flood; at night a whirlwind carries him off.

Then his wife Jezebel came in and said to him, "Why do you have a bitter attitude and refuse to eat?"

The Lord confronted Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.

Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul. Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malki-Shua, Abinadab, and Eshbaal.

The king of Israel summoned an official and said, "Quickly bring Micaiah son of Imlah."

When King Solomon finished constructing the Lord's temple, he put the holy items that belonged to his father David (the silver, gold, and other articles) in the treasuries of the Lord's temple.

then the Lord will increase your punishments and those of your descendants -- great and long-lasting afflictions and severe, enduring illnesses.

Cursed is the one who takes a bribe to kill an innocent person.' Then all the people will say, 'Amen!'

The first lamb you are to prepare in the morning, and the second lamb you are to prepare around sundown.

The seventh lot belonged to the tribe of Dan by its clans.

You have seen their detestable things and idols of wood, stone, silver, and gold.)

Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old and upward who came from Egypt will see the land that I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,

These are the land assignments made by Moses on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River opposite Jericho.

As you move forward for battle, the priest will approach and say to the soldiers,

"Speak to the Israelites and tell them, 'When you enter the land where you are to live, which I am giving you,

Tell the ones who coat it with whitewash that it will fall. When there is a deluge of rain, hailstones will fall and a violent wind will break out.

The sons of Simeon: Jemuel, Jamin, Ohad, Jakin, Zohar, and Shaul (the son of a Canaanite woman).

This advice made sense to Pharaoh and all his officials.

Then prepare for me some tasty food, the kind I love, and bring it to me. Then I will eat it so that I may bless you before I die."

and lays the beams of the upper rooms of his palace on the rain clouds. He makes the clouds his chariot, and travels along on the wings of the wind.

"'But I said to their children in the wilderness, "Do not follow the practices of your fathers; do not observe their regulations, nor defile yourselves with their idols.

"As for those who consecrate and ritually purify themselves so they can follow their leader and worship in the sacred orchards, those who eat the flesh of pigs and other disgusting creatures, like mice -- they will all be destroyed together," says the Lord.

The Lord said to me: "Son of man, are you willing to pronounce judgment on Oholah and Oholibah? Then declare to them their abominable deeds!

The officials of Zoan are fools, the officials of Memphis are misled; the rulers of her tribes lead Egypt astray.

The servant asked him, "What if the woman is not willing to come back with me to this land? Must I then take your son back to the land from which you came?"

This is the way of an adulterous woman: she eats and wipes her mouth and says, "I have not done wrong."

The one who says to the guilty, "You are innocent," peoples will curse him, and nations will denounce him.

As if with choice meat you satisfy my soul. My mouth joyfully praises you,

including craftsmen, builders, and masons, and should buy wood and chiseled stone for the repair work.

Then I said, "Lord, from the very beginning you have been seated on your glorious throne on high. You are the place where we can find refuge.

I am the Lord, your God, the one who brought you out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide and I will fill it!'

whenever I remember you on my bed, and think about you during the nighttime hours.

He turned them over to the Gibeonites, and they executed them on a hill before the Lord. The seven of them died together; they were put to death during harvest time -- during the first days of the beginning of the barley harvest.

To you, O Lord, I cried out; I begged the Lord for mercy:

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem.

Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim.

So they said to one another, "Let's appoint a leader and return to Egypt."

So this is what the Lord God of Israel says, 'I am about to bring disaster on Jerusalem and Judah. The news will reverberate in the ears of those who hear about it.

Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. Ahaziah son of King Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he had been wounded.

Hushai went on to say, "You know your father and his men -- they are soldiers and are as dangerous as a bear out in the wild that has been robbed of her cubs. Your father is an experienced soldier; he will not stay overnight with the army.

Then they must proclaim, "Our hands have not spilled this blood, nor have we witnessed the crime.

These are the ones you may not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the black vulture,

Then David said, "O Lord God of Israel, your servant has clearly heard that Saul is planning to come to Keilah to destroy the city because of me.

Then he prepared his chariots and took his army with him.

Jacob said, "Swear to me that you will do so." So Joseph gave him his word. Then Israel bowed down at the head of his bed.

Now then, my son, do what I say. Run away immediately to my brother Laban in Haran.

Sarah's demand displeased Abraham greatly because Ishmael was his son.

Now the leader of the clan of the families of Merari was Zuriel son of Abihail. These were to camp on the north side of the tabernacle.

I will exalt and magnify myself; I will reveal myself before many nations. Then they will know that I am the Lord.'

Look, you must be trusting in Egypt, that splintered reed staff. If someone leans on it for support, it punctures his hand and wounds him. That is what Pharaoh king of Egypt does to all who trust in him!

So they replied that they did not know where it came from.

So this is what the sovereign Lord says: Take note, I am about to stretch out my hand against the Philistines. I will kill the Cherethites and destroy those who remain on the seacoast.

Who set its measurements -- if you know -- or who stretched a measuring line across it?

The Lord says, "I saw the prophets of Samaria doing something that was disgusting. They prophesied in the name of the god Baal and led my people Israel astray.

"'Therefore O prostitute, hear the word of the Lord:

Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you!

Wild oxen will be slaughtered along with them, as well as strong bulls. Their land is drenched with blood, their soil is covered with fat.

Likewise, know that wisdom is sweet to your soul; if you find it, you will have a future, and your hope will not be cut off.

At that time tribute will be brought to the Lord who commands armies, by a people that are tall and smooth-skinned, a people that are feared far and wide, a nation strong and victorious, whose land rivers divide. The tribute will be brought to the place where the Lord who commands armies has chosen to reside, on Mount Zion.

O Lord, you do not withhold your compassion from me. May your loyal love and faithfulness continually protect me!

each one is so close to the next that no air can come between them.

(Ayin) I do what is fair and right. Do not abandon me to my oppressors!

But she said to him, "No, my brother! Don't humiliate me! This just isn't done in Israel! Don't do this foolish thing!

"People cry out because of the excess of oppression; they cry out for help because of the power of the mighty.

"Has anyone said to God, 'I have endured chastisement, but I will not act wrongly any more.

They are exalted for a little while, and then they are gone, they are brought low like all others, and gathered in, and like a head of grain they are cut off.'

In Jerusalem he made war machines carefully designed to shoot arrows and large stones from the towers and corners of the walls. He became very famous, for he received tremendous support and became powerful.

Our kings, our leaders, our priests, and our ancestors have not kept your law. They have not paid attention to your commandments or your testimonies by which you have solemnly admonished them.

He made the sky sink as he descended; a thick cloud was under his feet.

and Asa went out to oppose him. They deployed for battle in the Valley of Zephathah near Mareshah.

Solomon sat on the Lord's throne as king in place of his father David; he was successful and all Israel was loyal to him.

But they did not obey, and Manasseh misled them so that they sinned more than the nations whom the Lord had destroyed from before the Israelites.

So Joab visited the king at his home. He said, "Today you have embarrassed all your servants who have saved your life this day, as well as the lives of your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your concubines.

However, suppose a person hates someone else and stalks him, attacks him, kills him, and then flees to one of these cities.

When Saul and all the Israelites heard these words of the Philistine, they were upset and very afraid.

Now don't let my lord the king be concerned about the report that has come saying, 'All the king's sons are dead.' It is only Amnon who is dead."

You will celebrate all the good things that the Lord your God has given you and your family, along with the Levites and the resident foreigners among you.

Or who among you has become engaged to a woman but has not married her? He may go home, lest he die in battle and someone else marry her."

Then David said to Abiathar, "I knew that day when Doeg the Edomite was there that he would certainly tell Saul! I am guilty of all the deaths in your father's house!

If the second husband rejects her and then divorces her, gives her the papers, and evicts her from his house, or if the second husband who married her dies,

Jonathan crawled up on his hands and feet, with his armor bearer following behind him. Jonathan struck down the Philistines, while his armor bearer came along behind him and killed them.

Now, hand over the good-for-nothings in Gibeah so we can execute them and purge Israel of wickedness." But the Benjaminites refused to listen to their Israelite brothers.