'Calamities' in the Bible
Then Aaron said to Moses, “This very day they have [obediently] presented their sin offering and their burnt offering before the Lord, but [such terrible things] as these have happened to me [and to them]; if I [and my sons] had eaten a sin offering today would it have been acceptable and pleasing in the sight of the Lord?”
But today you have rejected your God, who Himself saves you from all your disasters and distresses; yet you have said, ‘No! Set a king over us.’ Now then, present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your families (clans).”
Then all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before came to him, and they ate bread with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him over all the [distressing] adversities that the Lord had brought on him. And each one gave him a piece of money, and each a ring of gold.
Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious and merciful to me,For my soul finds shelter and safety in You,And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge and be confidently secureUntil destruction passes by.
Let the righteous [thoughtfully] strike (correct) me—it is a kindness [done to encourage my spiritual maturity].It is [the choicest anointing] oil on the head;Let my head not refuse [to accept and acknowledge and learn from] it;For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds.
These two tragedies have befallen you;Who will show sympathy for you and mourn with you?The desolation and destruction [on the land and city], famine and sword [on the inhabitants];How shall I comfort you?
Considering these [tragedies], will You restrain Yourself, O Lord [and not help us]?Will You keep silent and humiliate and oppress us beyond measure?
So I will choose their punishments,And will bring the things they dread upon themBecause I called, but no one answered;I spoke, but they did not listen or obey.But they did evil in My sightAnd chose that in which I did not delight.”
Yet they did not obey or incline their ear [to listen to Me], but everyone walked in the stubborn way of his [own] evil heart. Therefore I brought on them all [the suffering threatened in] the words of this covenant, which I commanded them to do, but they did not.’”
“In Tehaphnehes the day will be darkWhen I break the yoke bars and dominion of Egypt there.Then the pride of her power will come to an end;A cloud [of disasters] will cover her,And her daughters will go into captivity.
Your bow was made bare;The rods of chastisement were sworn. Selah (pause, calmly think of that).You split the earth with rivers [bringing waters to dry places].