'May' in the Bible

Eli responded, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant the petition you’ve requested from Him.”

“May your servant find favor with you,” she replied. Then Hannah went on her way; she ate and no longer looked despondent.

Her husband Elkanah replied, “Do what you think is best, and stay here until you’ve weaned him. May the Lord confirm your word.” So Hannah stayed there and nursed her son until she weaned him.

Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife: “May the Lord give you children by this woman in place of the one she has given to the Lord.” Then they would go home.

“What was the message He gave you?” Eli asked. “Don’t hide it from me. May God punish you and do so severely if you hide anything from me that He told you.”

Now present yourselves, so I may confront you before the Lord about all the righteous acts He has done for you and your ancestors.

Saul declared to him, “May God punish me and do so severely if you do not die, Jonathan!”

When Samuel came to him, Saul said, “May the Lord bless you. I have carried out the Lord’s instructions.”

Then David said, “The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.”Saul said to David, “Go, and may the Lord be with you.”

If my father intends to bring evil on you, may God punish Jonathan and do so severely if I do not tell you and send you away so you may go in peace. May the Lord be with you, just as He was with my father.

Then Jonathan made a covenant with the house of David, saying, “May the Lord hold David’s enemies accountable.”

The priest told him, “There is no ordinary bread on hand. However, there is consecrated bread, but the young men may eat it only if they have kept themselves from women.”

“May you be blessed by the Lord,” replied Saul, “for you have taken pity on me.

“May the Lord judge between you and me, and may the Lord take vengeance on you for me, but my hand will never be against you.

May the Lord be judge and decide between you and me. May He take notice and plead my case and deliver me from you.”

When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go unharmed? May the Lord repay you with good for what you’ve done for me today.

May God punish me and do so severely if I let any of his men survive until morning.”

Now my lord, as surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, it is the Lord who kept you from participating in bloodshed and avenging yourself by your own hand. May your enemies and those who want trouble for my lord be like Nabal.

Please forgive your servant’s offense, for the Lord is certain to make a lasting dynasty for my lord because he fights the Lord’s battles. Throughout your life, may evil not be found in you.

there will not be remorse or a troubled conscience for my lord because of needless bloodshed or my lord’s revenge. And when the Lord does good things for my lord, may you remember me your servant.”

Now, may my lord the king please hear the words of his servant: If it is the Lord who has incited you against me, then may He accept an offering. But if it is people, may they be cursed in the presence of the Lord, for today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord saying, ‘Go and worship other gods.’

May the Lord repay every man for his righteousness and his loyalty. I wasn’t willing to lift my hand against the Lord’s anointed, even though the Lord handed you over to me today.

Just as I considered your life valuable today, so may the Lord consider my life valuable and rescue me from all trouble.”

but all the corrupt and worthless men among those who had gone with David argued, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give any of the plunder we recovered to them except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”