'Themselves' in the Bible

When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their spoil, they found much among them, including goods, garments and valuable things which they took for themselves, more than they could carry. And they were three days taking the spoil because there was so much.

In his days Edom revolted against the rule of Judah and set up a king over themselves.

They assembled their brothers, consecrated themselves, and went in to cleanse the house of the Lord, according to the commandment of the king by the words of the Lord.

But the priests were too few, so that they were unable to skin all the burnt offerings; therefore their brothers the Levites helped them until the work was completed and until the other priests had consecrated themselves. For the Levites were more conscientious to consecrate themselves than the priests.

since they could not celebrate it at that time, because the priests had not consecrated themselves in sufficient numbers, nor had the people been gathered to Jerusalem.

Nevertheless some men of Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem.

Then they slaughtered the Passover lambs on the fourteenth of the second month. And the priests and Levites were ashamed of themselves, and consecrated themselves and brought burnt offerings to the house of the Lord.

For there were many in the assembly who had not consecrated themselves; therefore, the Levites were over the slaughter of the Passover lambs for everyone who was unclean, in order to consecrate them to the Lord.

For a multitude of the people, even many from Ephraim and Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun, had not purified themselves, yet they ate the Passover otherwise than prescribed. For Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, “May the good Lord pardon

For Hezekiah king of Judah had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 7,000 sheep, and the princes had contributed to the assembly 1,000 bulls and 10,000 sheep; and a large number of priests consecrated themselves.

Also he commanded the people who lived in Jerusalem to give the portion due to the priests and the Levites, that they might devote themselves to the law of the Lord.

The genealogical enrollment included all their little children, their wives, their sons and their daughters, for the whole assembly, for they consecrated themselves faithfully in holiness.

Afterwards they prepared for themselves and for the priests, because the priests, the sons of Aaron, were offering the burnt offerings and the fat until night; therefore the Levites prepared for themselves and for the priests, the sons of Aaron.

For the priests and the Levites had purified themselves together; all of them were pure. Then they slaughtered the Passover lamb for all the exiles, both for their brothers the priests and for themselves.

The sons of Israel who returned from exile and all those who had separated themselves from the impurity of the nations of the land to join them, to seek the Lord God of Israel, ate the Passover.

Now when these things had been completed, the princes approached me, saying, “The people of Israel and the priests and the Levites have not separated themselves from the peoples of the lands, according to their abominations, those of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jebusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians and the Amorites.

For they have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and for their sons, so that the holy race has intermingled with the peoples of the lands; indeed, the hands of the princes and the rulers have been foremost in this unfaithfulness.”

He spoke in the presence of his brothers and the wealthy men of Samaria and said, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Are they going to restore it for themselves? Can they offer sacrifices? Can they finish in a day? Can they revive the stones from the dusty rubble even the burned ones?”

So the people went out and brought them and made booths for themselves, each on his roof, and in their courts and in the courts of the house of God, and in the square at the Water Gate and in the square at the Gate of Ephraim.

The descendants of Israel separated themselves from all foreigners, and stood and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their fathers.

“Even when they made for themselvesA calf of molten metalAnd said, ‘This is your GodWho brought you up from Egypt,’And committed great blasphemies,

Now the rest of the people, the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the temple servants and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the law of God, their wives, their sons and their daughters, all those who had knowledge and understanding,

are joining with their kinsmen, their nobles, and are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in God’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes;

from Beth-gilgal and from their fields in Geba and Azmaveth, for the singers had built themselves villages around Jerusalem.

The priests and the Levites purified themselves; they also purified the people, the gates and the wall.

And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness.

A copy of the edict to be issued as law in each and every province was published to all the peoples, so that the Jews would be ready for this day to avenge themselves on their enemies.

Now in the twelfth month (that is, the month Adar), on the thirteenth day when the king’s command and edict were about to be executed, on the day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, it was turned to the contrary so that the Jews themselves gained the mastery over those who hated them.

Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder.

because on those days the Jews rid themselves of their enemies, and it was a month which was turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and rejoicing and sending portions of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

the Jews established and made a custom for themselves and for their descendants and for all those who allied themselves with them, so that they would not fail to celebrate these two days according to their regulation and according to their appointed time annually.

to establish these days of Purim at their appointed times, just as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had established for them, and just as they had established for themselves and for their descendants with instructions for their times of fasting and their lamentations.

Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them.

Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them to present himself before the Lord.

With kings and with counselors of the earth,Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;

“They have gaped at me with their mouth,They have slapped me on the cheek with contempt;They have massed themselves against me.

“They push the needy aside from the road;The poor of the land are made to hide themselves altogether.

“In the dark they dig into houses,They shut themselves up by day;They do not know the light.

The young men saw me and hid themselves,And the old men arose and stood.

“There is no darkness or deep shadowWhere the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

Then He declares to them their workAnd their transgressions, that they have magnified themselves.

I will not be afraid of ten thousands of peopleWho have set themselves against me round about.

But at my stumbling they rejoiced and gathered themselves together;The smiters whom I did not know gathered together against me,They slandered me without ceasing.

Let those be ashamed and humiliated altogether who rejoice at my distress;Let those be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves over me.

But the humble will inherit the landAnd will delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

For I said, “May they not rejoice over me,Who, when my foot slips, would magnify themselves against me.”

You cause us to turn back from the adversary;And those who hate us have taken spoil for themselves.

The princes of the people have assembled themselves as the people of the God of Abraham,For the shields of the earth belong to God;He is highly exalted.

For, lo, the kings assembled themselves,They passed by together.

They have prepared a net for my steps;My soul is bowed down;They dug a pit before me;They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

For no guilt of mine, they run and set themselves against me.Arouse Yourself to help me, and see!

They hold fast to themselves an evil purpose;They talk of laying snares secretly;They say, “Who can see them?”

The pastures of the wilderness drip,And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing.

He rules by His might forever;His eyes keep watch on the nations;Let not the rebellious exalt themselves. Selah.

May his name endure forever;May his name increase as long as the sun shines;And let men bless themselves by him;Let all nations call him blessed.

You make us an object of contention to our neighbors,And our enemies laugh among themselves.

For behold, Your enemies make an uproar,And those who hate You have exalted themselves.

They pour forth words, they speak arrogantly;All who do wickedness vaunt themselves.

They band themselves together against the life of the righteousAnd condemn the innocent to death.

Let all those be ashamed who serve graven images,Who boast themselves of idols;Worship Him, all you gods.

They joined themselves also to Baal-peor,And ate sacrifices offered to the dead.

Let my accusers be clothed with dishonor,And let them cover themselves with their own shame as with a robe.

“How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded?And scoffers delight themselves in scoffingAnd fools hate knowledge?

When the righteous triumph, there is great glory,But when the wicked rise, men hide themselves.

When the wicked rise, men hide themselves;But when they perish, the righteous increase.

I have seen the task which God has given the sons of men with which to occupy themselves.

In that day men will cast away to the moles and the batsTheir idols of silver and their idols of gold,Which they made for themselves to worship,

The expression of their faces bears witness against them,And they display their sin like Sodom;They do not even conceal it.Woe to them!For they have brought evil on themselves.

When the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and again choose Israel, and settle them in their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.

In their streets they have girded themselves with sackcloth;On their housetops and in their squaresEveryone is wailing, dissolved in tears.

For the fields of Heshbon have withered, the vines of Sibmah as well;The lords of the nations have trampled down its choice clustersWhich reached as far as Jazer and wandered to the deserts;Its tendrils spread themselves out and passed over the sea.

Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are mere men. Let them all assemble themselves, let them stand up, let them tremble, let them together be put to shame.

They stooped over, they have bowed down together;They could not rescue the burden,But have themselves gone into captivity.

“Behold, they have become like stubble,Fire burns them;They cannot deliver themselves from the power of the flame;There will be no coal to warm byNor a fire to sit before!

“For they call themselves after the holy cityAnd lean on the God of Israel;The Lord of hosts is His name.

“Also the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord,To minister to Him, and to love the name of the Lord,To be His servants, every one who keeps from profaning the sabbathAnd holds fast My covenant;

Their webs will not become clothing,Nor will they cover themselves with their works;Their works are works of iniquity,And an act of violence is in their hands.

“The sons of those who afflicted you will come bowing to you,And all those who despised you will bow themselves at the soles of your feet;And they will call you the city of the Lord,The Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

“Those who sanctify and purify themselves to go to the gardens,Following one in the center,Who eat swine’s flesh, detestable things and mice,Will come to an end altogether,” declares the Lord.

“For My people have committed two evils:They have forsaken Me,The fountain of living waters,To hew for themselves cisterns,Broken cisternsThat can hold no water.

And you will swear, ‘As the Lord lives,’In truth, in justice and in righteousness;Then the nations will bless themselves in Him,And in Him they will glory.”

Do they spite Me?” declares the Lord. “Is it not themselves they spite, to their own shame?”

“Everyone deceives his neighborAnd does not speak the truth,They have taught their tongue to speak lies;They weary themselves committing iniquity.

“They have sown wheat and have reaped thorns,They have strained themselves to no profit.But be ashamed of your harvestBecause of the fierce anger of the Lord.”

“They will take away their tents and their flocks;They will carry off for themselvesTheir tent curtains, all their goods and their camels,And they will call out to one another, ‘Terror on every side!’

They will ask for the way to Zion, turning their faces in its direction; they will come that they may join themselves to the Lord in an everlasting covenant that will not be forgotten.

All her people groan seeking bread;They have given their precious things for foodTo restore their lives themselves.“See, O Lord, and look,For I am despised.”

“I called to my lovers, but they deceived me;My priests and my elders perished in the cityWhile they sought food to restore their strength themselves.

The elders of the daughter of ZionSit on the ground, they are silent.They have thrown dust on their heads;They have girded themselves with sackcloth.The virgins of JerusalemHave bowed their heads to the ground.

“Depart! Unclean!” they cried of themselves.“Depart, depart, do not touch!”So they fled and wandered;Men among the nations said,“They shall not continue to dwell with us.”

Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations to which they will be carried captive, how I have been hurt by their adulterous hearts which turned away from Me, and by their eyes which played the harlot after their idols; and they will loathe themselves in their own sight for the evils which they have committed, for all their abominations.

They will gird themselves with sackcloth and shuddering will overwhelm them; and shame will be on all faces and baldness on all their heads.

Then He brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house. And behold, at the entrance to the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs to the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east; and they were prostrating themselves eastward toward the sun.

in order that the house of Israel may no longer stray from Me and no longer defile themselves with all their transgressions. Thus they will be My people, and I shall be their God,”’ declares the Lord God.”

even though these three men, Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares the Lord God.

even though Noah, Daniel and Job were in its midst, as I live,” declares the Lord God, “they could not deliver either their son or their daughter. They would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

They will come against you with weapons, chariots and wagons, and with a company of peoples. They will set themselves against you on every side with buckler and shield and helmet; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they will judge you according to their customs.

‘Thus says the Lord God, “Because Edom has acted against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and has incurred grievous guilt, and avenged themselves upon them,”

Then all the princes of the sea will go down from their thrones, remove their robes and strip off their embroidered garments. They will clothe themselves with trembling; they will sit on the ground, tremble every moment and be appalled at you.

“Also they will make themselves bald for youAnd gird themselves with sackcloth;And they will weep for you in bitterness of soulWith bitter mourning.