Thematic Bible: Poetry


Thematic Bible



A woman of excellence, who will find? For her worth [is] far more than precious jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and gain he will not lack. She does him good, but not harm all the days of her life. read more.
She seeks wool and flax, and she works with the diligence of {her hands}. She is like the ships of a merchant; from far off she brings her food; And she arises while [it is] still night, and gives food to her household, and tasks to her servant girls. She considers a field and buys it, from the fruit of {her hand} she plants a vineyard. She girds her waist in strength, and makes her arms strong. She perceives that her merchandise [is] good; her lamp does not go out in the night. Her hands she puts onto the distaff, and her palms hold a spindle. Her palm she opens to the poor, and her hand she reaches [out] to the needy. She does not fear for her house [when] it snows, for {her entire household} is clothed [in] crimson. She makes for herself coverings; her clothing [is] fine linen and purple. Her husband is known at the gates, in his seat among the elders of the land. Linen garments she makes and sells, and she supplies sashes for the merchants. Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs {at the future}. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and instruction of kindness [is] upon her tongue. She looks after the ways of her household, and the bread of idleness she will not eat. Her children rise and consider her happy, her husband [also], and he praises her; "Many daughters have done excellence, but {you surpass} all of them." Charm [is] deceit and beauty [is] vain; [but] a woman who fears Yahweh shall be praised. Give to her from the fruit of her hand, and may they praise her works in the city gates.


The king sang a lament for Abner and said, "Should Abner have died the death of a fool? Your hands [were] not tied and your feet [were] not in contact with bronze fetters. You have fallen as one who falls before sons of wickedness." Then {all the people wept over him again}.


"The glory of Israel [is] on your high places; how [the] mighty have fallen! Do not tell it in Gath; do not proclaim it in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of [the] Philistines rejoice, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised exult. O mountains of Gilboa, [let there be] no dew or rain upon you or on the fields of [grain for] offerings, for there the small shield of [the] mighty [was] defiled, the small shield of Saul [was] not anointed with oil. read more.
From the blood of [the] slain, from the fat of [the] mighty, the bow of Jonathan did not turn back, and the sword of Saul did not return {without effect}. Saul and Jonathan [were] beloved and pleasant in their lives and [were] not separated in their death. They [were] swifter than eagles, stronger than lions. O daughters of Israel, weep over Saul, the one who clothed you with crimson, the one who {adorned your clothing with golden ornaments}. How [the] mighty have fallen in the midst of the battle; Jonathan [lies] slain on your high places. {I am distressed} over you, my brother Jonathan. you [were] very dear to me; your love [was] more wonderful to me than the love of women. How [the] mighty have fallen and the weapons of warfare perished."


Then Hannah prayed and said, "My heart exults in Yahweh, my strength [is] exalted in Yahweh; {I grin} over my enemies, for I rejoice over your salvation. There is no one holy like Yahweh, for there is no one besides you, and there is no rock like our God. Do not increase speaking {very proud} words! Let no arrogance go forth from your mouth, for Yahweh is a God of knowledge [whose] deeds are not weighed. read more.
The bows of mighty warriors [are] shattered, but those who stumble gird [themselves with] strength. Those who were full must hire themselves out for bread, but those who are hungry will become fat. As for the infertile, she will bear seven, but [she who has] many sons withers away. Yahweh kills and restores alive, he brings down [to] Sheol and raises up. Yahweh makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and also exalts. He raises up the poor from [the] dust. From [the] ash heap he lifts up the needy, to cause them to sit with noble people and to cause them to inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth belong to Yahweh and he has set the inhabited world on them. He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked will be destroyed in the darkness, because a man will not prevail by [his] might. Yahweh will shatter his adversaries; he will thunder against them in the heavens. Yahweh will judge the ends of the earth. He will give strength to his king and will exalt the might of his anointed one.


And she cried out with a loud shout and said, "Blessed [are] you among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of your womb! And why [is] this [granted] to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy! read more.
And blessed [is] she who believed that [there] will be a fulfillment to what was spoken to her from the Lord!"


"Blessed [be] the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited to help and {has redeemed} his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, just as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from earliest times-- read more.
salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us, to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, the oath that he swore to Abraham our father, to grant us [that] we, being rescued from the hand of [our] enemies, could serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. And so you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High, for you will go on before the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins, because of the merciful compassion of our God by which the dawn will visit to help us from on high, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to direct our feet into the way of peace."


And Mary said, "My soul exalts the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced greatly in God my Savior, because he has looked upon the humble state of his female slave, for behold, from now on all generations will consider me blessed, read more.
because the Mighty [One] has done great [things] for me, and holy [is] his name. And his mercy [is] for generation after generation to those who fear him. He has done a mighty deed with his arm; he has dispersed the proud in the thoughts of their hearts. He has brought down rulers from [their] thrones, and has exalted the lowly. He has filled those who are hungry with good [things], and those who are rich he has sent away empty-handed. He has helped Israel his servant, remembering [his] mercy, just as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his descendants {forever}."


Then Moses and the {Israelites} sang this song to Yahweh, {and they said}, "Let me sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted; [the] horse and its rider he hurled into the sea. Yah [is] my strength and song, and he has become my salvation; this [is] my God, and I will praise him--the God of my father--and I will exalt him. Yahweh [is] a man of war; Yahweh [is] his name. read more.
The chariots of Pharaoh and his army he cast into the sea, and his choice adjutants were sunk in the {Red Sea}. The deep waters covered them; they went down into the depths like a stone. Yahweh, your right hand [is] glorious in power; Yahweh, your right hand destroyed [the] enemy. And in the greatness of your majesty you overthrew those standing up [to] you; you released your fierce anger, and it consumed them like stubble. And by the breath of your nostrils waters were piled up; waves stood like a heap; deep waters in the middle of the sea congealed. [The] enemy said, 'I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide plunder, my desire will be full [of] them, I will draw my sword, my hand will destroy them.' You blew with your breath; the sea covered them; they dropped like lead in the mighty waters. Who is like you among the gods, Yahweh? Who is like you--glorious in holiness, awesome [in] praiseworthy actions, doing wonders? You stretched out your right hand; the earth swallowed them. In your loyal love you led [the] people whom you redeemed; in your strength you guided [them] to the abode of your holiness. Peoples heard; they trembled; anguish seized the inhabitants of Philistia. Then the chiefs of Edom were horrified; great distress seized the leaders of Moab; all of the inhabitants of Canaan melted away. Terror and dread fell on them; at the greatness of your arm they became silent like the stone, until your people passed by, Yahweh, until [the] people whom you bought passed by. You brought them and planted them on the mountain of your inheritance, a place you made for yourself to inhabit, Yahweh, a sanctuary, Lord, [that] your hands established. Yahweh will reign as king forever and ever." When the horses of Pharaoh came into the sea with his chariots and with his charioteers, Yahweh brought back upon them the waters of the sea, and the {Israelites} traveled on dry ground through the middle of the sea.


And Miriam answered, "Sing to Yahweh because he is highly exalted; [the] horse and its rider he hurled into the sea."