The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through his servants the prophets.

Jabez called out to the God of Israel, "If only you would greatly bless me and expand my territory! May your hand be with me! Keep me from harm so I might not endure pain!" God answered his prayer.

They would spend the night in their posts all around God's sanctuary, for they were assigned to guard it and would open it with the key every morning.

David was thirsty and said, "How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate!"

Some men from Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine lords sent David away, saying: "It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul.")

When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel's best men and deployed them against the Arameans.

"Now, my son, may the Lord be with you! May you succeed and build a temple for the Lord your God, just as he announced you would.

They cast lots, both young and old, according to their families, to determine which gate they would be responsible for.

Night and day may you watch over this temple, the place where you promised you would live. May you answer your servant's prayer for this place.

Anyone who would not seek the Lord God of Israel would be executed, whether they were young or old, male or female.

The Lord sent prophets among them to lead them back to him. They warned the people, but they would not pay attention.

They made disbursements to all the males three years old and up who were listed in the genealogical records -- to all who would enter the Lord's temple to serve on a daily basis and fulfill their duties as assigned to their divisions.

In those days Hezekiah was stricken with a terminal illness. He prayed to the Lord, who answered him and gave him a sign confirming that he would be healed.

So they provided money for the masons and carpenters, and food, beverages, and olive oil for the people of Sidon and Tyre, so that they would bring cedar timber from Lebanon to the seaport at Joppa, in accord with the edict of King Cyrus of Persia.

I sent them to Iddo, who was the leader in the place called Casiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his relatives, who were the temple servants in Casiphia, so they would bring us attendants for the temple of our God.

Shall we once again break your commandments and intermarry with these abominable peoples? Would you not be so angered by us that you would wipe us out, with no survivor or remnant?

Everyone who did not come within three days would thereby forfeit all his property, in keeping with the counsel of the officials and the elders. Furthermore, he himself would be excluded from the assembly of the exiles.

I replied to the king, "O king, live forever! Why would I not appear dejected when the city with the graves of my ancestors lies desolate and its gates destroyed by fire?"

Then the king, with his consort sitting beside him, replied, "How long would your trip take, and when would you return?" Since the king was amenable to dispatching me, I gave him a time.

The men of Tekoa worked on the section adjacent to them, but their town leaders would not assist with the work of their master.

Then Tobiah the Ammonite, who was close by, said, "If even a fox were to climb up on what they are building, it would break down their wall of stones!"

But I replied, "Should a man like me run away? Would someone like me flee to the temple in order to save his life? I will not go!"

He had been hired to scare me so that I would do this and thereby sin. They would thus bring reproach on me and I would be discredited.

For the matter concerning the queen will spread to all the women, leading them to treat their husbands with contempt, saying, 'When King Ahasuerus gave orders to bring Queen Vashti into his presence, she would not come.'

the woman would go to the king in the following way: Whatever she asked for would be provided for her to take with her from the harem to the royal palace.

In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to a separate part of the harem, to the authority of Shaashgaz the king's eunuch who was overseeing the concubines. She would not go back to the king unless the king was pleased with her and she was requested by name.

And after they had spoken to him day after day without his paying any attention to them, they informed Haman to see whether this attitude on Mordecai's part would be permitted. Furthermore, he had disclosed to them that he was a Jew.

A copy of this edict was to be presented as law throughout every province; it was to be made known to all the inhabitants, so that they would be prepared for this day.

When Esther's female attendants and her eunuchs came and informed her about Mordecai's behavior, the queen was overcome with anguish. Although she sent garments for Mordecai to put on so that he could remove his sackcloth, he would not accept them.

So Haman came in, and the king said to him, "What should be done for the man whom the king wishes to honor?" Haman thought to himself, "Who is it that the king would want to honor more than me?"

For we have been sold -- both I and my people -- to destruction and to slaughter and to annihilation! If we had simply been sold as male and female slaves, I would have remained silent, for such distress would not have been sufficient for troubling the king."

In the twelfth month (that is, the month of Adar), on its thirteenth day, the edict of the king and his law were to be executed. It was on this day that the enemies of the Jews had supposed that they would gain power over them. But contrary to expectations, the Jews gained power over their enemies.

Now his sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one in turn, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.

When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's customary practice.

But he replied, "You're talking like one of the godless women would do! Should we receive what is good from God, and not also receive what is evil?" In all this Job did not sin by what he said.

For now I would be lying down and would be quiet, I would be asleep and then at peace

"But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would set forth my case.

"Oh that my request would be realized, and that God would grant me what I long for!

And that God would be willing to crush me, that he would let loose his hand and kill me.

Then I would yet have my comfort, then I would rejoice, in spite of pitiless pain, for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.

Yes, you would gamble for the fatherless, and auction off your friend.

so that I would prefer strangling, and death more than life.

If I summoned him, and he answered me, I would not believe that he would be listening to my voice --

Although I am innocent, my mouth would condemn me; although I am blameless, it would declare me perverse.

who would take his rod away from me so that his terror would not make me afraid.

Then would I speak and not fear him, but it is not so with me.

If I sinned, then you would watch me and you would not acquit me of my iniquity.

"Why then did you bring me out from the womb? I should have died and no eye would have seen me!

But if only God would speak, if only he would open his lips against you,

and reveal to you the secrets of wisdom -- for true wisdom has two sides -- so that you would know that God has forgiven some of your sins.

If only you would keep completely silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

Would it turn out well if he would examine you? Or as one deceives a man would you deceive him?

He would certainly rebuke you if you secretly showed partiality!

Would not his splendor terrify you and the fear he inspires fall on you?

Moreover, this will become my deliverance, for no godless person would come before him.

"O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!

"Surely now you count my steps; then you would not mark my sin.

My offenses would be sealed up in a bag; you would cover over my sin.

But I would strengthen you with my words; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me and plead my disgrace against me,

Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him? What would we gain if we were to pray to him?'

"Yes, I know what you are thinking, the schemes by which you would wrong me.

I would lay out my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would know with what words he would answer me, and understand what he would say to me.

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

There an upright person could present his case before him, and I would be delivered forever from my judge.

But he knows the pathway that I take; if he tested me, I would come forth like gold.

the young men would see me and step aside, and the old men would get up and remain standing;

gaunt with want and hunger, they would gnaw the parched land, in former time desolate and waste.

By the brush they would gather herbs from the salt marshes, and the root of the broom tree was their food.

They were banished from the community -- people shouted at them like they would shout at thieves --

What then would be one's lot from God above, one's heritage from the Almighty on high?

For I would have committed a shameful act, an iniquity to be judged.

For it is a fire that devours even to Destruction, and it would uproot all my harvest.

then this also would be iniquity to be judged, for I would have been false to God above.

because I was terrified of the great multitude, and the contempt of families terrified me, so that I remained silent and would not go outdoors --

Surely I would wear it proudly on my shoulder, I would bind it on me like a crown;

I would give him an accounting of my steps; like a prince I would approach him.

for I do not know how to give honorary titles, if I did, my Creator would quickly do away with me.

all flesh would perish together and human beings would return to dust.

Would your wealth sustain you, so that you would not be in distress, even all your mighty efforts?

Should he be informed that I want to speak? If a man speaks, surely he would be swallowed up!

Would you indeed annul my justice? Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?

It leaves a glistening wake behind it; one would think the deep had a head of white hair.

Break the arm of the wicked and evil man! Hold him accountable for his wicked deeds, which he thought you would not discover.

I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion! When the Lord restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!

Protect me as you would protect the pupil of your eye! Hide me in the shadow of your wings!

Even if my father and mother abandoned me, the Lord would take me in.

Where would I be if I did not believe I would experience the Lord's favor in the land of the living?

Do you want to really live? Would you love to live a long, happy life?

I mourned for them as I would for a friend or my brother. I bowed down in sorrow as if I were mourning for my mother.

would not God discover it, for he knows one's thoughts?

Even if I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and all it contains belong to me.

Certainly you do not want a sacrifice, or else I would offer it; you do not desire a burnt sacrifice.

"Look, here is the man who would not make God his protector! He trusted in his great wealth and was confident about his plans to destroy others."

I wish the deliverance of Israel would come from Zion! When God restores the well-being of his people, may Jacob rejoice, may Israel be happy!

I say, "I wish I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and settle in a safe place!

We would share personal thoughts with each other; in God's temple we would walk together among the crowd.

If I had harbored sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

If I had publicized these thoughts, I would have betrayed your loyal followers.